Read Lately

Hi guys,
I'm back with another book post. Now that I finally finished my master's degree, I've been reading a LOT lately. It's so great to get back into it. I wanted to share some of my recent reads + my thoughts on them. I also noticed that Target has 20 percent off books right now! So it's a great time to buy a few. :)

1. The Girl You Left Behind - JoJo Moyes
This is a book I would absolutely recommend to any of my girlfriends. It combines the present with the past in a way that grabs your attention. In the past, its World War 1 France and a woman struggling to keep her family alive and well as her husband fights in the war, and an enemy commander begins to take dangerous interest in her. In the present is a brokenhearted girl who is struggling to survive after the death of her husband. The stories intertwine together with tales of love and loss. Beautifully written, I would put this book above Moyes' "Me Before You" which I also enjoyed.

2. Behind Closed Doors -B.A. Paris
This books sucks you in immediately. The main characters are a married couple named Jack and Grace. They are portrayed from the beginning as being perfect, but it's clear from the get go that something is serious wrong between the characters. Something just outside your reach, chilling you as you read. As you discover more and more, you won't be able to put this book down. The plot is just realistic enough to be anxiety inducing. I started reading it at 8 pm and finished around 11 pm. Then I had a hard time stopping thinking about it long enough to go to sleep. If psychological thrillers aren't your thing, I say skip it! Otherwise, check it out!

3. Truly, Madly, Guilty - Liane Moriarty
I've read almost everything by this author after discovering her 2 years ago with "The Husband Secret." This novel is really nicely done. As the book opens, you know that something has happened to really screw 3 families up, but you have no idea what it is. There is many mentions about a barbecue, and little by little, the novel gives away information about that fateful night. This is a story about families and friends and how mistakes and guilt can tear people apart. Not a bad read, but not one of my favorites.

4. First Comes Love - Emily Giffin
I love Emily Giffin's novels like "Something Borrowed" and "Something Blue." This one follows 2 sisters after they lost their older brother in their early 20s. They can't get along and neither is really that happy. This novel unravels how families cope with loss and gives a fictional account of their attempt to create their own happiness after such a loss.

5. Novels by Julie Klassen
This is a Christian Romance writer that is quite a story teller. I hope this doesn't come across badly, but one of the reasons I like her style is that she isn't heavy handed with the religion stuff. It is part of the books, but naturally so, not forcibly. I've read these 4 below and enjoyed them all immensely.

Read an excerpt of The Painter's Daughter (probably my favorite!)
Read an excerpt of The Tutor's Daughter 
Read an excerpt of The Apothecary's Daughter
Read an excerpt of The Dancing Master

What are you reading right now? If you've got a recommendation, put it down in the comments for me! :)