Jar of Hearts

Jar of Hearts by Jennifer Hillier is an excellent story, but a story that almost has two parts, or two sides. There’s the thriller, with gruesome scenes, heart-stopping danger and a lot of secrets and surprises, and then there’s the personality side, the side that makes you think about all these people and what they’ve done and who they’ve become and it makes you shake your head trying to decide where your sympathies lie. I’ve read a few interviews with the author revealing some of her thoughts about this book and the characters, and I was glad to see that I’m not the only one who can’t quite decide whether or not to get on the Geo bandwagon. And all of this is a good thing, because it makes this book impossible to put show more down and a great, exciting read cover-to-cover. Another review said, “Geo is flawed, but ultimately likable as our main character, and I think we can all see at least a small part of ourselves in her.” Not quite sure about that. And I believe she feels guilty, but how guilty and why? I don’t want to go into a lot of detail in this review, because there are so many secrets and twists and turns I don’t want to introduce any spoilers.

The story opens with Geo being arrested for something horrible beyond words that happened, something she did, in high school, with her receiving a reduced prison sentence in exchange for testifying against her then-boyfriend. Until she was arrested she had moved on with her life very successfully. And when she’s released, although she can’t just pick up where she left off she seems to again be in the state of mind to just get on with her life. What she experienced was unbelievably terrible, but what she did was also unbelievably terrible, so I always stopped just short of feeling full sympathy for her. Along with the page-turning excitement of the story and trying to guess what would happen next, I kept wondering just who Geo was, and if it was okay for her to move on like that. What that a good thing, meaning she deserved a second chance or did it mean that she could just compartmentalize so well that the past was merely the past for her; was it self-justification? Did she deserve to start over, did people forgive her, should they? Did she forgive herself?

Jennifer Hillier tells a compelling story, full of action and suspense, and leaving you with a lot of food for thought. The plot is well-developed and the pace is good. The ending is disturbing, but, again, that’s a good thing. Jar of Hearts is a book you won’t soon forget, and I recommend it. Thanks to NetGalley for providing the ARC for my honest review. show less

“In every story, there’s a hero and a villain. Sometimes one person can be both.”

The narrative gripped me with its first sentence and captivated me until the very end.

The book begins with a trial, 14 years after Angela Wong was murdered by Calvin James. Georgina Shaw is on the stand at his trial testifying to what transpired on that night when she was sixteen years old. After fourteen years of hiding the truth, Angela’s family has closure. But the past holds many secrets and is more complex than anyone imagined.

The reader starts with knowing the end result, but not the actions that lead up to that fateful night or what transpired. This is a novel which navigates a dual perspective narrative masterfully, told in four parts in show more the alternating perspectives of Kai and Geo. Hillier weaves the past and present seamlessly with excellent pacing, giving the reader just enough information to keep them hooked as she slowly peels away the layers and revealing more about the past. A lot of times a dual perspective narrative winds up disjointed; however, it flows beautifully and is this narrative style done right.

The character building was masterful. They are complex people that I learned to love, learned to hate. Even the smallest of characters have a depth that is palpable. Geo and Kai were best friends in high school, but Angela’s murder drove them apart.

Everything tied together in the end, and the little clues that were sprinkled throughout all clicked just before it did for the characters in the book, adding a level of suspense and intensity that didn’t feel gimmicky but real.

This was an amazing read that captivated me and caused me to read past when I was exhausted! show less

I requested this book and received it from NetGalley.

I have not read any of this author's previous books. That is sure to change now.

I was riveted. I started reading and found myself picking it up when I was waiting on hold on a phone call, waiting for water to boil while cooking dinner, when a commercial came on while I was watching Jeopardy. When my eyes wanted to slam shut at night.

Part of the love is for the characters, who are knowable. You know these people. You've seen them. You've talked to them. But the larger part is this author's way of doling out information. The whole time I was reading, I knew there was more. There was one thing more. And then one thing more. I would guess, I would speculate, I would overthink it, but I show more knew there was one thing more. Was I missing it or was it not there yet? It was addictive. I needed to know. The one thing more, I needed to know what it was.

Wow. What a ride. I cannot express enough what an enjoyable experience it was to read this book. Should you read it? You should have started yesterday. show less

I loved this story. The protagonist, Georgina Shaw, Geo to friends, is as complex a character as you will ever meet. Early in the story she’s snatched from her successful, high profile job and packed off to prison for a series of poor choices she made as a teen. Bad boyfriend, a night of insanity, the murder of her best friend, and a collision of circumstances ruin her life, and those of many others. And poses the question: What happened to Angela Wong? And where is her body? As the narrative moves back and forth in time, her actions and motives are exposed as the plot twists and turns, ultimately leading to a shocking conclusion. Well written and paced, this is one you must read.

DP Lyle, award-winning author, lecturing, story consultant

This story begins with Calvin James (The Sweetbay Strangler) on trial for the murder of four women, including Angela Wong, Georgina Shaw's best friend in school. Georgina (Geo) is a witness who has made a plea bargain, and after she’s finished giving her testimony, she will be sent to Hazelwood (Hellwood) to serve a five-year sentence. What part did Geo play in Angela's death fourteen years earlier? If she had told the police what she knew then, would three other women be alive today? As Geo went on with her life, she always lived with the guilt and fear that someone would find out what happened to Angela.

This book is written in an engaging, addictive manner and I was immediately pulled into the complicated friendship between show more Georgina, Angela, and Kaiser. When Calvin enters the story, all their lives are changed forever. The story is told predominately by Geo with parts by Kaiser (Kai). There are two time frames in the story, the past dealing with the relationships of the friends and the details of the actual death of Angela and the aftermath. I found myself quickly turning the pages as the story unfolded with the clues and information sprinkled throughout the story. Life in prison is described realistically and is a bit unnerving, but it was essential to the story. It showed us what Geo was really about and how she was able to deal with those five years of her life. It was interesting that the story was broken into five main parts entitled denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance, the five stages of grief. This story was well written and if you are looking for a thriller that is a bit creepy, this is the one to pick up. Well done Jennifer Hillier. The publisher generously provided me with a copy of this book via Netgalley. show less

I loved this book...no roller-coaster here but rather twisty and satisfying. Thank you Jewels and Chelsea Humphrey who almost always steer me toward books that I love. A Jar of Heats was a quick read but by no means lightweight. An older boy of poor character falls in love and takes advantage of the naivete of a young High School girl, insinuating himself into her life and cleaving her from the friends that comprise an important part of her moral compass. Georgina returns his love with unmitigated High School passion to tragic result. Fourteen years after suppressing the tragic events of this brief interlude, the past has caught up with her. Once again she is forced to confront her own dark role in the horrific killing and cover-up of show more her best friend, so many years ago - this time facing the consequences and paying her dues (whether or not she paid in full is up to the reader to decide). The characters are interesting, the plot is original (at least it was a first for me) and moves at a good pace. I felt like maybe the final closure was more important to me than it was to Georgina - not because the closure was not important to her but because after 14 years she seemed to have moved on comfortably with her life and might never have looked back at all if not for the fateful discovery of her best friend's remains in the forest behind her house, so many years later. show less

Jar of Hearts by Jennifer Hillier is an absolutely gripping thriller packed with brilliant twists and turns that keep you guessing until the very last page. Hillier masterfully builds tension from the start, layering secrets, shifting suspicions, and unexpected revelations in a way that makes it impossible to put down. Just when you think you’ve figured it out, the story pivots in a direction you never saw coming. The pacing is sharp, the atmosphere is chilling, and the psychological depth adds an extra edge that lingers long after you finish. It’s a dark, addictive read that delivers shock after shock without ever losing its emotional impact—an unforgettable thriller experience.