Jennifer Hillier-My New Thriller Obsession
Jennifer Hillier Books
I’m going to tell you all the things I love about Jennifer Hillier books.
I’ve read, The Butcher, Wonderland, Little Secrets, Creep, Jar of Hearts, Things We Do In The Dark (currently reading)
Creep (2011) by Jennifer Hillier & apple cucumber ginger and parsley tea
Euphoria. The moment right before you snuggle up with a book. Bonus points if your schedule is wide open, you have a good drink to keep you company and the book is really good.
Let me tell you about the new discovery that has put me over the moon.
Five books in a row. Euphoria, no drink needed but highly encouraged. Why has it taken me so long to read her books? Maybe because my TBR is as long as the gap between buying books and reading them. Many many moons.
For me, sometimes within the first paragraph if I’m lucky, there’s a point where I know I’m going to love a book. Call it good ol’ fashioned intuition and alignment.
Yes, you can be aligned with your reading preferences and live a life abundant full of books made just for you. Put down the books that don’t tickle your fancy, so you have more room for the ones that do. Tickle Tickle.
The Butcher (2014) by Jennifer Hillier
One day I was minding my business eating a piece of strawberry cake, admiring my pretty books and decided to take a quick peek at The Butcher.
The strawberry cake was delicious, but the first chapter of The Butcher was way better. I devoured both.
I started The Butcher on the 15th of January. By the time I came up for air, it was the 3rd of February. I read five Hillier books in twenty days.
I was hooked, addicted and obsessed, just like her characters.
Her stories are dark, twisted, entertaining and intoxicating.
And here’s what I love:
Wonderland (2015) by Jennifer Hillier
Characters: Passion and obsession. The end. Just kidding.
Her characters are insanely interesting who do crazy shit. Each one has their own personality and it makes the story fun.
Hillier includes all colors of the rainbow and their cuisines. I’ve been fortunate enough to live a diverse life and it’s refreshing to read a book that reflects that.
Little Secrets (2020) by Jennifer Hillier
Secret Reveals: The secrets are twisty, dirty and sneaky little bastards that creep up on you at just the right time. Be prepared for some jaw-dropping gasps.
Jar of Hearts (2018) by Jennifer Hillier
Hillier’s Shared Universe: There’s a familiarity in all her books because her characters share the same world.
All of her books take place in Seattle because although Hillier is from Canada and has been writing since she was a little girl, she didn’t become a novelist until she moved to Seattle as an adult. In her FAQs, she talks about how the scenery and weather contribute to her creative side: https://jenniferhillierbooks.com/faq/
You’ll see a lot of references to the Filipino culture because she’s filipino-canadian. And the way she writes about filipino food…Yum!
The overlapping references and her signature elements (voice and identity) provides us a connected universe that brings a nice balance to the heavy topics in her stories.
She’s a thriller author, so don’t expect rainbows and butterflies. Thriller authors write about dark things and Hillier does not hold back.
I’m currently reading my sixth Hillier book, Things We Do In The Dark and I already know what to expect…a wickedly dark ride.
In closing, I want to thank her agent Victoria Skurnick for believing in her books… Hillier loves her agent and so do I. Her first published book, Creep, was rejected so many times because they said no one would care about a female main character who’s addicted to sex and cheats on her fiancé. It was strongly suggested that she make her more likable. Hillier did not forsake her original idea and decided an interesting character is more important than a likable one and guess what, she was right because Sheila happens to be one of my favorite main characters because she’s vulnerable, real and raw and wasn’t ashamed to tell us about that massive stinky shit she had to take in front of her captor.
Thank you Victoria for plucking Hillier out of the slush pile and saying yes…both of you guys have made me very happy.
Her books can be read in any order. My favorite ones are The Butcher, Wonderland, Little Secrets and the way it’s looking, Things We Do In The Dark. I’m 50% in and loving it.
