Happy Monday! I had such a fantastic weekend, full of friends and puppy cuddles and naps. I got to see Chip on Friday evening and he got super excited when he saw me, doing zoomies all over the apartment. It was so cute! That boy totally has my heart, 100%. I also got to celebrate a dear friend at her bridal shower and was thrilled when I won the “how well do you know the bride and groom” game. Of course, I lived with the bride-to-be for a year, so maybe I had a bit of an advantage. 😉 And, on Sunday, I had brunch with friends to celebrate another dear friend’s birthday. All in all, the perfect weekend and I’m diving into Monday feeling really and truly blessed about this life of mine.
Last week, I finished three books and gave all of them 4 stars. Let’s discuss:
Books Read
Title: Lies She Told
Author: Cate Holahan
Published: 2017
Format: Library audiobook
Rating: ★★★★☆
Plot Summary: This thriller is told in two alternating plotlines. First, there’s Liza who is a thriller author and has 30 days to produce her next masterpiece. And then there’s Beth, Liza’s character in her newest novel, who suspects her husband of cheating and ends up killing his mistress (not a spoiler, it’s in the synopsis). But as the novel progresses, the lines between Liza’s real life and Beth’s fictional one become increasingly blurred.
My Thoughts: Oh man, I loved this novel. I listened to it on audio, and I was concerned that I was going to get the alternating plots mixed up, but thankfully, there were two different narrators with very distinct voices so it was easy to keep them separate. I found the storyline to be so unique and refreshingly different from what we see so often in women-led thrillers nowadays. The twists and turns felt honest and never overly dramatic. And I found the ending to be so satisfying. I would highly recommend this novel if you love a good twisty thriller!
Title: The Woman in Cabin 10
Author: Ruth Ware
Published: 2016
Format: Library hardcover
Rating: ★★★★☆
Plot Summary: Lo is a travel journalist sailing on a luxury cruise, the kind that’s so exclusive that there’s only a handful of people on board. It seems like the assignment of a lifetime, until her first night when she wakes up to what can only be the sound of someone being thrown overboard. Only, everyone on the ship is accounted for and it’s up to Lo to figure out what is truly going on.
My Thoughts: I really enjoyed this thriller, and maybe it’s because I went into it with very low expectations. I loved the setting because what’s creepier than a cruise ship that has just a handful of guests and no cell service? And I loved all the twists and turns – it kept me guessing to the very end! I’ll admit that I fairly loathed Lo. I have a hard time with unreliable narrators and Lo is right up there with Rachel from The Girl on the Train. She made a lot of dumb decisions in her quest to find out what happened, but she redeemed herself in the end. All in all, a pretty solid thriller but probably not one that will particularly stand out in my mind.
Title: Never, Never Part I
Author: Colleen Hoover and Tarryn Fisher
Published: 2015
Format: Library paperback
Rating: ★★★★☆
Plot Summary: Charlie and Silas wake up one morning with no memory of who they are, and it’s up to them and them alone to figure out what happened.
My Thoughts: Oh, boy, do I love Colleen Hoover novels and this one is no exception. The concept behind this novel is so unique, and I just had to know what happened. Of course, this is only part one in a three-part series so I immediately requested part two from my library after I finished this book (I was prepared to buy the e-book, but it’s not available through Amazon weirdly). This novel was everything I love about Hoover’s writing, and I especially just adored the back-and-forth between Charlie and Silas.
What I’m Reading This Week
- Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis by J.D. Vance – I’m a little over halfway through this memoir and I’m enjoying it a lot! People have very strong opinions about this book, but I’m not really understanding the vitriol. At least not right now!
- Wicked and the Wallflower by Sarah MacLean – Ah! My romance pick for this week. I love, love, love Sarah MacLean’s writing and her romances are top-notch. I’m less than 15% into this historical romance and I’m already super invested in the characters.
- Tears We Cannot Stop: A Sermon to White America by Michael Eric Dyson – I am really looking forward to diving into this nonfiction book about race relations and what we can do to implement change.
What are you currently reading?
I actually have Wicked and the Wallflower out right now, but it’s an ePub instead of kindle and I don’t know if I’ll get to it because I have to change devices to get there. I’ve been loving Sarah MacLean’s books though. I’m reading The Incendiaries by audio and One of Us is Lying by kindle right now.
I was so disappointed when I came off the wait list for Wicked and the Wallflower and found out it was a ePub and not a Kindle e-book! I ended up returning it and buying the e-book from Amazon. Womp!
Howwwww many of my book recommendations do I get from your blog?! I can’t even begin to count. Just snagged “Lies She Told” on audiobook from Overdrive. Thanks!
Haha, I’m glad to be of service! I hope you enjoy Lies She Told!
It WAS a fantastic weekend! So fun! Glad I got a double dose of you! Xoxo
Soooo glad to hear you liked Woman in Cabin 10! Everyone I know who read that was kind of “meh” about it, but I enjoyed it. Thought it was unique, especially having it take place on the boat … Although Lo was a bit annoying, she was tough.
It was a unique story and I loved the cruise ship setting. Now if only we could go on a cruise with just a handful of people. Would be fun! (Minus any people being thrown overboard!)
I just started ‘Educated’ last night. I just finished ‘The Sound of Gravel’ yesterday. It’s going to be kind of brutal to read 2 heavy books about religious cults back to back, but they both became available from the library at the same time and both had long waits so I just have to power through and read them! The Sound of Gravel was so heart breaking. I still find myself thinking about Ruthie and her siblings and all they went through. 🙁
I’m really glad you enjoyed BOTH of those books, even though it was two heavy books in a row (and somewhat similar, too!) The Sound of Gravel is a book I still think about from time to time.
Always love your ecommendations. Thanks for your reviews!
What an awesome weekend!!!!
All three of those sound like books I would like. I am currently reading Not Tonight Josephine, a recap of the author’s journey across the US in a beat up minivan. It’s funny!
I’m so glad I’m not the only one who disliked Lo! I have a hard time getting into books where I really dislike the protagonist; however, I pushed through on that one and did wind up enjoying it…but never liking her. 😉
Currently…rereading HP #5 and an old Nora Roberts before bed (Born in Shame). New books to me are Jennifer Weiner’s Who do you love? and Need to Know by Karen Cleveland.
Needless to say, I tend to keep a few different books going at the same time, different genres. Keeps my brain a bit sharper, maybe? (ha!)
I think my problem with the Woman in Cabin 10 was that I went into it with high expectations and it just didn’t meet them. And concur on your feelings on Lo. She wasn’t great.