(Image from Barnes & Noble)

As a war reporter with a finely-honed sense of danger, Kate Rafter knows something sinister is going on in the house next door.  Having just arrived back in England after a harrowing stint in Iraq, the 39-year-old is in Herne Bay to settle the estate of her recently deceased mother.  The last thing she expects is to find herself entangled in someone else's domestic drama, but when she meets the woman next door—an Iraqi refugee, who's obviously terrified of something—Kate's Spidey senses start to tingle.  Although Fida Rahmani insists she's not being abused by her husband, Kate doesn't believe her.  When she hears a child crying in the night and sees a young boy lurking in her mother's garden, she becomes even more convinced that Fida—who claims to have no children—is lying.  Kate has spent her life fighting injustice all over the world; why won't her neighbor accept her help?

No matter how much Kate tries to convince people Fida is in danger, no one will believe her.  They insist the little boy is a figment of Kate's imagination, a hallucination brought on by a horrific tragedy she witnessed in Syria.  Despite the medication she's taking to keep them at bay, the effects of her PTSD have become overwhelming and debilitating.  Still, Kate knows what she's seen is real.  It has to be.  Doesn't it?  Because if she's making it all up, then she's done.  Her career will be over and what will she have left?  An empty life of loneliness and pain, with an alcoholic sister who hates her and tainted memories of the mother she thought to be a saint.  If that's all that remains then Kate really will go crazy.  To prove she's not insane, the intrepid reporter will have to dig for the truth, a truth which may only exist inside her war-ravaged mind ...

Ever since I heard about My Sister's Bones, a debut novel by Nuala Ellwood, I've been dying to read it.  I dig stories that keep me off-balance, constantly wondering what is real and what is not.  This twisty psychological thriller fits the bill for sure.  Eerie and engrossing, it's one of those books that you just can't stop reading.  Not only is the plot taut and tense, but Ellwood's depiction of a war reporter suffering from PTSD (which is inspired by her father's experiences) remains both fascinating and heartbreaking.  The twist at the novel's end blindsided me completely, taking an unexpected turn which left me feeling even more shook.  Although My Sister's Bones gets dark and disturbing, I found it to be can't-look-away compelling.  I didn't absolutely love it, but I liked it enough to be eager for more from Ellwood.  I'll definitely be interested to see what this intriguing new author does next.

(Readalikes:  Reminds me of The Woman in the Window by A.J. Finn and The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins)

Grade:

If this were a movie, it would be rated:

for strong language, violence, blood/gore, sexual content, and disturbing subject matter

To the FTC, with love:  I bought a copy of My Sister's Bones from Target with a portion of the millions I make from my lucrative career as a book blogger.  Ha ha.

I don't know how you're doing on your 2017 reading goals, but I'm still 54 books behind! My aim  was to read 200 books this year.  I've made the same goal for several years in a row and have never achieved it.  It looks like I probably won't make it this year either.  Oh well. I at least want to beat last year's high of 152 and it would be super swell if I could break my record of 186, which I hit in 2011.  We'll see.  

With this in mind, I've definitely been pondering which books I still want to get to before 2017 comes to a close.  So, I'm going to tweak the Top Ten Tuesday topic today and talk about the Top Ten Books I Want to Read Before 2017 Ends.  The *real* topic is the Top Ten Book on Your Winter TBR List.  Yesterday's high here in the Phoenix area was 81; with record-breaking heat still on the horizon, it doesn't feel very wintery here anyway ...

Before I get to my list, though, I want to encourage you to join in the TTT fun.  This is a great meme, which always helps me find new books to try and new blogs to love.  All you have to do to get on this party train is click on over to The Broke and the Bookish, read some quick instructions, make your own list, and start hopping around the book blogosphere.  Easy peasy.  You don't want to miss it!

Okay, here we go with the Top Ten Books I Want to Read Before 2017 Ends: 

1.  The Disappearances by Emily Bain Murphy—I'm actually cheating on this one since I finished it last night.  I wanted to mention it, though, because it has been one of my most anticipated reads of the year and it totally delivered.  The cover makes The Disappearances look like a horror novel, but it's not at all.  I'm not sure what genre it is exactly, but I loved the story's intriguing blend of mystery and magic set against a WWII backdrop.  It's an original, intelligent tale that is both enchanting and absorbing.  The Disappearances might just be the best novel I've read this year!

2.  I'll Keep You Safe by Peter May—I adore this Scottish author and his broody mysteries set in the Hebrides.  One of the lovely publicists at Quercus, who knows what a fan girl I am, just sent me a copy of his newest standalone, which doesn't come out until March.  I can't wait to dig in!

3.  As Bright As Heaven by Susan Meissner—I've enjoyed several of Meissner's books, so I'm excited to read her newest.  The novel doesn't come out until February 2018, but there's an ARC winging its way to me even as I write this.  The book is about a couple who arrive in Philadelphia in 1918, excited to give their young daughters a bright new life in the city.  When Spanish influenza hits, their dreams are shattered, and they must find a way to endure a harsh new reality.  The novel sounds sad, but compelling.

4.  Reading People by Anne Bogel—I've mentioned this book before, but I still haven't gotten to it so it remains on my TBR list mountain mountain chain.  I was originally drawn to this title because I thought it had to do with bibliophiles.  Not so.  It's about personality.  I've always been intrigued by pop-psy, so I'm definitely up for a read of this one, which happens to be written by one of our own.  Bogel blogs about books at Modern Mrs. Darcy.

5.  A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens—I try to re-read this holiday classic every Christmas.  It's timeless and inspiring.

6.  Far From the Tree by Robin Benway—Ever since experiencing the joys of adoption for myself, the subject has become a very tender one for me.  I'm always drawn to books about adoption, so this one has been on my TBR pile ever since it came out in October.  It's about what happens when a teen girl goes searching for her biological siblings. 

7.  The Midwife: A Memoir of Birth, Joy, and Hard Times by Jennifer Worth—I don't watch a lot of t.v., but I've recently become addicted to Call the Midwife, the heartfelt BBC drama based on Worth's memoirs.  It's a warm, funny, heartbreaking series that never fails to make me cry (which is why I only watch it when I'm alone).  I'm eager to read Worth's stories in her own words.

8.  My Sister's Bones by Nuala Ellwood—Sisters and secrets?  I'm all in.

9.  The Dark Intercept by Julia Keller—I've enjoyed Keller's Appalachian mystery series starring Bell Elkins, so I'm intrigued by her newest, a YA sci fi adventure.  It sounds epic!

10.  The Girl Who Came Home by Hazel Gaynor—I've never read anything by Gaynor, but I'm intrigued by this back-and-forth-in-time novel about the Titanic.  I find books about the maritime tragedy endlessly fascinating.  

So, there you go.  What do you think of my list?  Have you read any of these books?  What else should I read before the year fades away?  What are you planning to read in the next month or so?  I'd really love to know, so please leave me a comment.  I'll gladly return the favor.  

Happy TTT!