Tuesday, August 1, 2017

Summer Reads Book Reviews

Oh boy. It's been a looooong time since my last post. But don't worry... This post will make up for my absence. Because- BOOKS.

(FYI- Many of these books I read before their publishing dates thanks to NetGalley. Check it out if you love books and wouldn't mind reviewing them.)


Out Now:


1. The Breakdown - BA Paris
I'm starting to become obsessed with this author. This book is another page turning thriller like her previous book, Behind Closed Doors. A woman drives past a car on a rainy night. She feels incredibly guilty for not helping, but she's scared and decides it isn't worth the risk. The next day, she discovers there was a woman in the car at the time, and she turned up murdered by the next morning. The character starts to think the killer is after her too. As she tries to keep her facts straight in a mind that seems to be turning against her, the book keeps you guessing from the beginning and becomes truly chilling as the plot is revealed. I would certainly recommend this book to anyone for a day of great reading. Because, yes, I read the whole thing in one day because I couldn't put it down.

Recommend- Duh. Go get it now!

2. Watch Me Disappear - Janelle Brown
This story follows a husband and a daughter who are reeling from the news that their wife/mother went on a hiking trip and never returned. Is she dead? Did she run? If so- why? The story slowly unravels the family's history, letting the reader begin to make their own assumptions about what happened. The author does a great job of making the story as fresh and surprising as she can, though the overall plot idea is fairly common. Overall the writing is great, but the plot wasn't gripping enough to make it a favorite.

Recommend- Maybe- If you enjoy mystery plots

3. Cicada Summer - Maureen Leurck
This novel follows a young, recently divorced, mother who flips houses for a living. I am obsessed with HGTV so of course I was hooked based on that alone. Alex sees a beautiful old house near the lake and wants to return it to its former glory. The theme of the story is definitely second chances. The characters have to take risks, forgive, face the past, brave the future, and trust that most things can be fixed. I really loved this touching novel, and felt the characters were really relatable. The plot moved quickly along without needing the recent trends of mystery, intrigue, or crime.

Recommend- Yes- it's a great summer read!

4. Jane Eyre- Charlotte Bronte
This is certainly a classic- and one I never thought I would read. But boy I'm glad I did. The love story actually surprised me with how invested I was in the characters. It started a bit slow (hey its an old book) but it was certainly worth sticking with.

Recommend- Yes!

5. Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen
This is another classic that I am so glad I finally read. Everyone has heard of it, knows the author and the story, etc. However actually reading the novel gave the story some magic. I definitely found myself rooting for Elizabeth and Darcy and totally understand why the word pride had to be in the title.

Recommend- Yes!

Novels coming soon!! 


6. Working Fire- Emily Bleeker (Publishing Date: August 29)
This novel follows two sisters, M (Amelia) and L (Ellie). The book is told in a very cool and unique way. First you have Ellie's account that starts at the "end"- when she as a paramedic is called to her sister's home and finds Amelia and her husband shot in her home it continues as L waits to see if Amelia will make it. Amelia's account starts from the true beginning. As the novel progresses, the two narratives meet in the middle and fill in all the missing pieces of information. Overall I liked the novel a lot. The very, very end really bugs me. I didn't like it- it didn't seem to fit- and yet it has made me really think about family, relationships, trust etc. 
Recommend- Yes- Look for it August 29th


7. My Image of You- Melanie Moreland (Publishing Date: September 19)
This is a modern day romance with classic twists. A famous photographer falls in love with the nurse that helps him after an accident, but the happy fun-loving woman he knows doesn't exist inside her family. As he struggles to find a way to make her his, her family blocks him in unexpected ways. There is both language and mature intimate scenes in the novel- so it is definitely only for adults.

Recommend- Only for mature audiences who love romance novels

8. Little Broken Things- Nicole Baart (Publishing Date: November 21st)

Being a Minnesota girl myself, I fell deeply in love with the lake setting of this fast paced novel. The book is based around a seemingly cliche family: mom, deceased father, son, and two daughters. Personality clashes and life in general had torn the family apart. But one day the older sister, Nora, tells her little sister Quinn, she has something for her. It turns out to be a little girl that Quinn is asked to give shelter to without being given any information. It becomes quickly obvious that the little girl is in danger, and they realize that they may all be. The twisty plot sucks you in and doesn't let go. I never wanted to put the book down. The ending may surprise you, and you'll find yourself making judgements on whether the characters did the right thing... or not.

Recommend- Definitely


Thanks for reading! Hope you found some great books to add to your "to-read" list.
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2 comments:

  1. Thank you so much for this collection! Nowadays I was in search of some good stuff to read. I just finished reading all my novels for the 100th time.

    ReplyDelete

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