Kylie’s Book Nook
Wild at Heart by KA Tucker
In the last issue I recommended The Simple Wild and when I finished it, I immediately started the follow up, Wild at Heart. It’s official, KA Tucker has ruined me for all other romance novels! All I want is a third novel to continue this journey with Calla and Jonah. To put this in perspective, I never feel this way about books. I’m always very much ready to move on to a new story (likely because I focus on thrillers and I’m ready to get away from the crazies), but there is something truly special about this cast of characters.
Wild at Heart picks up where The Simple Wild left off, quite literally and launches into Jonah and Calla moving to Alaska to start their life together. This is the most romantic notion, pick up your life and move to the Alaskan wilderness with your super-hot pilot boyfriend who can fly you anywhere. Of course, the book begins that way and moves into reality. The day-to-day trials of living in a remote, foreign land for Calla, with Jonah flying more than he’s at home. These trials include relentless mosquitos, the constant worry of wild animals, and isolation that can feel consuming. Things get bad and then they get worse. Calla is struggling to find a purpose and struggling to deal with her neighbor Roy, a miserable old man who is always armed with his gun and a bad attitude.
This is such an adventure, and while it’s still the story of Jonah and Calla, it felt completely different than The Simple Wild. Thankfully, I shed a lot less tears. The story really zooms in on Calla and her struggle to adapt and find her place in this harsh environment. It’s funny and endearing. These two books have moved into two of my top spots of all time. If you haven’t read them, please drop everything and read them now!
Behind Her Eyes by Sarah Pinborough
This book was recommended to me by dozens of friends, and one friend who consistently told me to read it for over a year. I regret waiting so long, this one was wilder than I could have ever imagined! With many thrillers but especially this one, it’s hard to write a review without giving anything away.
Our protagonist, Louise, is a single mom who meets a man in a bar on a night out. She connects with him, they kiss and after everything she has been through, it’s exciting. She arrives at work on Monday, and meets her new boss, David. The man from the bar. “A modern love triangle with so many mind-screws you start questioning if maybe this particular triangle has more than three point. A master class in a juggling moods and the two sides to every story. And wow, that ending.”
—Josh Malerman (Author of Birdbox)
I loved this book from the beginning. Pinborough does an amazing job of telling the story from multiple perspectives which I always appreciate. However, as the book progresses, it gets better and then amazing! I wish I could tell you why I found it so fantastic. What I can say, is that this thriller was completely unique…in a world of thrillers that are similar and predictable, this one stood out. I will be thinking about this story for a very long time.
My name is Kylie Sebert. I'm a native of Spirit Lake and currently living in the literary hub of Portland, Maine! I have Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing, with an emphasis in fiction, and now hope to begin a novel writing career. You can find me on Instagram and Facebook as @notsotwentysomething. As with most writers, one of my passions is discovering and reading great books. I hope my reviews will spark an excitement for literature in people around the Great Lakes area!