Everything I Read in May 2024
1. Just For the Summer
This is a really fun beach read though it got a bit more deep than I anticipated. LOL Justin posted on a Reddit thread how every girl that he dates breaks up with him and then finds her soul mate right after. He is convinced that it’s a curse and doesn’t know how to break it. Emma reads the thread and realizes that she faces the same issue. So Emma DM’s Justin on a whim to laugh about the fact that she has the “curse” too. They begin talking and both decide to try and break the curse with each other. It’s a light hearted fun read that does get deep at times but overall I really enjoyed it. Rating: 8.5
2. The Stillwater Girls
This book was a fast read but honestly I felt there wasn’t much depth to it. It felt unfinished in so many ways. Sage and her sister Evie are being raised off-the-grid and far away from civilization. When their mom leaves one night to seek medical help for their youngest sister, Sage and Evie are left to take care of themselves. But when a few days turns into more than a month, the two sisters begin to really worry. When a man comes to their cottage looking for their mother, Sage and Evie escape and run to go find help. They stumble upon a house across the woods from them and are taken in by a woman and her husband. But as the authorities begin their search into who these girls are and what happened to their mother, secrets are revealed that no one is ready for. Rating: 7
3. Run
I read this book for my book club and sadly it was another let down. It’s a short book but I still wanted more development within the story. Tip and Teddy Doyle are brothers who were adopted as infants by the former mayor of Boston. He raised them as his own and hoped they would eventually follow his footsteps into a career in politics. But neither Tip nor Teddy want to follow that career path and are trying to find their own way in the world.
One snowy night after attending a political rally, the brothers and their Dad are leaving and get in an argument. Tip storms off and is almost hit by a car but at the last minute is pushed out of the way by a stranger and her young daughter. Tip and Teddy stay with the woman and girl until help arrives and follow them to the hospital. The one thing that don’t know yet is that this stranger is connected to them in an important way and this chance encounter will forever change their lives. Rating: 7
4. The Frozen River
My favorite book out of the entire group!!! I wasn’t sure I would be into this book because it’s a historical fiction novel based on the life of midwife Martha Ballard during the 18th century. But I was immediately hooked after the first few chapters and ended up LOVING it. The author added some fictional context to develop the story further and the entire book was captivating.
Martha is a midwife in a small town and is summoned to examine the body of a man pulled out of the Kennebec River. He is clearly dead but Martha isn’t convinced it was an accident. The man in question was accused of raping a woman in the town and Martha believes his death could have been a murder. I finished this book in two days and there are quite a few details throughout the book that left me in shock. Such a page turner!! Rating: 9
5. One Perfect Couple
I liked this book but didn’t love it. I think it’s worth mentioning that not every book has to be a massive hit for me to want to read it. Books can keep my attention but still not be a favorite. I feel like you can still enjoy books without each one needing to be a gripping page turner. I like Ruth Ware books and this one kept my attention from start to finish.
Lyla and her boyfriend Nico are approached to audition for a new reality show where they will compete against other couples to be the ‘One Perfect Couple’. Lyla is hesitant but Nico is immediately on board. The show will film on a remote island in the Indian Ocean and last for 8-10 weeks. As soon as Lyla arrives, she already has hesitations as to the legitimacy of the show. The other contestants arrive and begin to settle into their accommodations. A storm hits a few nights after they arrive and destroys the island. Lyla and the other contestants are stranded without any way to communicate with the mainland. They have to band together to find a way to survive and get rescued. Rating: 8
6. The Covenant of Water
I’m sorry. I tried. I really did but I could not finish this book. And I couldn’t even get halfway through because it was WAY too dull. If I’m being honest, it felt too literary for my taste. Like the kind of book you would discuss in a high level college lit class. It had so many amazing reviews so I had high hopes but it was not for me. Rating: Did not finish
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