Everything I Read – October 2024
1. This is Why We Lied
This is part of the popular Will Trent series that Karin Slaughter has been writing for years. The good thing is you don’t have to read the prior ones to know what is going on in the later ones so you can pick and choose the ones you are interested in. This was an entertaining “whodunit” type of mystery that I love to read. Will Trent and his new wife Sara are on their honeymoon at a remote mountaintop resort in the Georgia mountains. The resort is run by Mercy and her family though Mercy is the main one who interacts with the guests and runs the day to day activities.
After only being there one night, Will and Sara hear a terrifying scream and race to find Mercy nearly dead after a brutal stabbing. Will stays with her while Sara goes to get help and in her final breaths she tries to tell Will who did this to her. But unfortunately Will is unable to understand what she is saying. When Will notifies Mercy’s family that she is dead, their reaction is not typical of those who just lost someone they really care about. Will knows something is off here and while he is not officially assigned to the case, he decides to personally investigate Mercy’s death. Lots of twists and turns with a surprising ending. Rating: 8
2. The Perfect Couple
I only read this after the Netflix series came out and everyone was buzzing about it. So I decided to read the book first and then watch the series. The book was amazing but the series was so different from the book that I ended up not finishing watching it. LOL This was another Elin Hildebrand hit and so easy and fun to get through.
One of Nantucket’s most prominent families is hosting a wedding for their son and soon to be daughter in law. Party prep is underway until the maid of honor is found dead the night before wedding. Was it an accident? Was it murder? As chief of police Ed Kapenash looks more into the family and surrounding friend group, secrets are uncovered that could destroy families and relationships. This is such a fun and easy read that will keep you entertained until the very end! Rating: 8.5
3. Such Charming Liars
Ugh, this book was a struggle for me to get through and I found my mind wandering during the entire thing. My mom and I normally listen to each book I download at the same time and then chat about our thoughts as we get through it (it’s our own mini book club! LOL). Normally we are on the same page, but she had to help explain some of this book because I was losing interest and could not follow the plot.
Kat and her mother, Jamie, have been on their own since Jamie and Kat’s father split. He was abusive and went to jail for his abuse towards them. Since then Jamie has struggled to provide for her daughter and is currently working as a jewel thief for a theft ring. Jamie has decided however that this will be her last heist and then she wants to go straight. But things during this last job are not going right and Jamie and Kat believe that someone may be after them. The premise may sound a bit entertaining but honestly it was not enjoyable for me at all. Rating: 5
4. The Secret Book of Flora Lea
Honestly I can’t even give much feedback on this book because I didn’t finish it and had a hard time even following it from the beginning. It had amazing reviews but it was way too slow and drab for my personal taste. Rating: Did Not Finish
5. Home is Where the Bodies Are
A mystery/thriller that will keep you entertained but was a tad bit predictable for me about halfway through. Three siblings must return to their childhood home to sort out their late mother’s estate. Beth is the oldest and has spent the last few years of her life caring for their mother and was present during her final moments. Before she passed, Beth’s mother says something cryptic that Beth doesn’t understand but worries that it was a warning.
While cleaning out the house, all three siblings come across some home videos that their mother and father made that incriminates them in some horrific crimes decades ago. Was their mother really complicit in these horrible things? Did their father really disappear one day never to return? So many unanswered questions but one thing Beth knows for sure is that her life may be in danger if she doesn’t get the bottom of this soon. Rating: 8
6. Somewhere Beyond the Sea
This is the highly anticipated sequel to one of the best books I’ve ever read – The House in the Cerulean Sea. And this book was just as heartwarming, hysterical and amazing as I had hoped. I’m not someone who typically enjoys fantasy fiction but this book really captivated me from the first in the series. Arthur runs an orphanage for magical youths who have been shunned from society. Together he and his partner Linus create a loving and openly accepting home for these adorable kids to thrive and find their place in the world. But the government is trying to do what it can to shut them down and demonize those that are part of the “magical community”. So Arthur must testify in front of a governing body to protect these kids. But in doing so, he must reveal some secrets of his own magical past.
This is the most beautiful story of acceptance, being different and creating community against all odds. I cannot recommend this book enough! And if you have a chance to listen to it instead of reading, the narrator is absolutely wonderful and his voices for all the characters makes the book 100x more enjoyable! Rating: 9
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