3.5 stars rounded up
This book was one of my highly anticipated novels for 2025, and I was so happy to receive an advanced reader copy via BookBrowse and Berkley/NetGalley.

Blood Sisters was an excellent reading experience for me, and The Bone Thief was very good, but I still …more loved Blood Sisters even more. We join our MC Syd Walker, archaeologist with the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) as she delves into another mystery involving a missing girl, and stolen bones on the Narragansett tribal land in Rhode Island. The mystery is detailed, twisty and involves a lot of characters.

I did love how the story unfolded, but I admit at times I got confused about what was going on as some events were happening quickly and not completely fleshed out.
There is no doubt I will continue to read anything Lillie writes and hope to continue following Syd and all her friends and family in their adventures. (less)

Wow, I would never have picked this up if it weren't for BookBrowse! This story about two L.A. women circling around each other throughout the 60s and 70s brought me right into the heart of L.A. in those times. The gritty nature of the party scene, rich people behaving not …more so well, the culture of being constantly surrounded by beautiful, famous people.

Throughout the years of their on-again/off-again friendship, Lane and Gala revolve around each other in ways that are not healthy for either of them. Lane is traumatized from her horrible childhood and struggling with knowing what she wants in life. She is a successful author, but can not figure out how to love. Gala is a wild card, the party girl of L.A. who knows everyone and in love with one of the most famous lead singers of the era. Gala knows what love is, but what will she do to keep it?

I said this was gritty and it is. It feels hazy, dark, and ethereal at times. I just loved the feeling the book evoked and could not put it down until I knew what became of Lane and Gala. (less)

Thanks to Book Browse and Sourcebooks for the ARC copy of this book.

I was really excited to read this book and I think it had a decent premise. There were some creepy suspenseful scenes, and most of the time I was left wondering what the heck was going on and who was the …more real culprit.
Unfortunately for me, it just dragged on too long and I felt like it was very repetitive and over the top in the writing. Some of this could have changed in the final copy, but I clocked quite a few repetitive phrases such as "the hair stood up on the back of my neck", "I couldn't breathe", etc. I will admit though that I had no clue that it was going to end the way it did, and it did wrap up the story quite neatly.
The author's views on the medical establishment are obvious throughout the book, and I can't say I don't disagree with much of it. Overall, I think the melodramatic writing style just wasn't for me, but I'm sure a lot of people will really enjoy this book and relate to all the pregnancy realities that it tries to highlight. (less)