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It’s time for another book review because I have been reading (well listening to audiobooks) up a storm! These are some of my favorite posts to read on other blogs, so I hope you enjoy them as much as I do. Here’s my recent reading list and thoughts on each book:
1. Me Before You – This was made into a major motion picture, which would possibly indicate it was good but I was not interested in reading this for the longest time. Then after going through a string of thrillers (some good, some not so much), I thought I would opt for a tear-jerker love story. And that is exactly what this is. Louisa is hired by a family to become the companion and aide for their son who became a quadriplegic after a horrific accident. You can guess where this goes – they get closer over time and eventually fall in love. But keep tissues handy because you will need it for the ending.
2. The Widow – Most of my suggestions in this post were a hit, but this one was an absolute snoozefest for me, even though it is touted as a “psychological thriller” that you “won’t be able to put down”. Spoiler alert: I was able to put it down (and didn’t want to pick it back up). Jean’s husband is dead after being accused of a horrible crime, and the story works backwards over the course of events leading up to it. I guess the exciting part was supposed to be uncovering if he really did commit the crime or not, but frankly it dragged for me. I sadly wouldn’t recommend this one at all.
3. Gone Without a Trace – Hannah’s boyfriend Matt has disappeared without a trace and without any inkling that he was unhappy with the relationship. So she sets off on a mission to try and figure out what has happened to him and why he left. This isn’t exactly on-the-edge-of-your-seat captivating but it does take quite a few twists and turns that constantly left me guessing. Especially once all is revealed – I did not see the ending coming.
4. The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane – Boy was this one a slow start. I almost gave up twice on this book, but thank goodness I didn’t because it was one of my favorite reads out of this entire list! It’s the story of Li-yan and her journey from a small village in China to her life in America, and her lifelong mission to reconnect with the daughter she is forced to give up at birth. This book is heartwarming and one that I actually did not want to end. In fact, as I listened to the last sentence I said out loud “this can’t be over, already?!!!!” It’s a long book, but after I had finished the first quarter I wish it had been twice as long.
5. Not a Sound – Out of all the thrillers I finished this past month, this one was my favorite! Amelia is a nurse that was left deaf after an accident, and struggles to regain her life back after such a crippling event. With her service dog Stitch by her side, she begins to find her independence again. Unexpectedly she comes across a body in the lake where she kayaks regularly, and realizes it’s an old co-worker that she knew from working as a nurse. She is then forced to become a part of the investigation into her death, which she soon discovers is more intertwined with her life than she suspects. Sooooo good, impossible to put down, and one that you could probably finish in one day!
6. Behind Her Eyes – This book fell in the mediocre category for me this month. I didn’t hate it, but I also didn’t love it. Louise shares a drunken kiss with a man at a bar one night, only to discover when she arrives at work the following Monday that he is her new (married) boss. To make matters worse, Louise runs into his wife who then tries to befriend her making the situation that much more uncomfortable. As Louise learns more about this marriage and the secrets it holds, she realizes that she is in deeper than she wants to be. Some parts will keep your attention, but the storyline was a bit predictable and lukewarm for me.
7. The Breakdown – This story was very good, but the main character’s personality drove me crazy! Almost to the point that I wanted to stop reading the book. But it was too good and mysterious to put down so I had to hate-read it somewhat. LOL Cass is driving home from a work party one evening and comes across a broken down car on a deserted road. She decides not to stop and help, and finds out later that the girl in the car was later murdered. To make the plot even more twisted, Cass realizes after the news releases the victim’s name, that she was a woman Cass recently had lunch with. The plot twists are intense and I did not see the ending coming at all which is always my favorite way to finish a book.
8. The Lying Game – After loving The Woman in Cabin 10, I assumed this book by the same author would be as captivating. Nope, not in the slightest. It’s a mystery and has some plot twists, but overall drags on much slower than I liked. 4 friends that carry a secret from their teenage past must come together again in their mid-30’s and face the possible consequences of what they have done. What kept me reading was the fact that I couldn’t figure out the storyline and was surprised at each revelation. But the ending is quite tragic which really left me dumbfounded and speechless after a rather slow moving storyline.
9. Final Girls – Since I listen to my books instead of reading them, this one felt like I was listening to a scary movie rather than “reading” a mystery novel. I definitely felt myself looking over my shoulder at night and keeping all the lights on until I went to bed. LOL Quincy survived an unimaginable horror as a college student, and spends the rest of her life trying to forgot that horrific night. She is the lone survivor from a crazed madman that murders all her friends, and is ushered into an unspoken club with 2 other women that survived brutal attacks where they were left as the only survivor. The media calls them “Final Girls”.  Quincy is forced to face that night all over again when 1 of the 3 final girls is unexpectedly found dead in her home from an apparent suicide and the other shows up at Quincy’s door. It’s definitely a book that you will not want to read while home alone on a dark and rainy night. Eek!