I read and finished some amazing books this month! Somehow I didn’t manage to finish any non-fiction, although I have one print and two audio books about 3/4 finished in non-fiction. I guess I got too caught up in the entertainment of the fiction/thrillers I read and listened to.
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1- Nine Perfect Strangers Liane Moriarty Read parts on Kindle, listened on Scribd. My first book by this author. For some reason I thought I had read good reviews about this book but I didn’t really like it. I give it 3 stars because it’s decently written and entertaining in parts, but by the time I finished, I decided it was a waste of my time. Nine Perfect Strangers go to a health resort but don’t exactly have the experience they are expecting. 3 stars
2- Stillhouse Lake by Rachel Caine– Read and listened on Kindle Unlimited. Gina Royal/Gwen Proctor makes a new life for herself after discovering her husband is a serial killer. She is constantly on the run from stalkers and trolls who threaten her because of her husband and finally tries to settle down but trouble keeps coming. She never knows who to trust. The suspense is good and the action moves quickly. This was the first in a series. 4 stars
3- Killman Creek by Rachel Caine– Book 2 of the series above. Read and listened on Kindle Unlimited. Also good but some of the writing and phrases got a little “cheesy”. I’m not usually one to critique an author’s vocabulary but in a few places I did. The ex-husband broke out of prison and Gwen and her kids are on the run again. Except Gwen decides to stop running and chase the ex to put an end to him. 3 stars
4-Ask Again, yes by Mary Beth Keane One of my amazing books for the month. – (audio version via Scribd) I try not to read too many reviews and form too many opinions about a book before I read it. I do pay attention to which books are recommended over and over again but try not to read too much into the reviews. Sometimes that is a good thing and sometimes it’s bad. I read the description and synopsis on Amazon of this book several times and although it seemed interesting, I expected some shallow drama. Now days lots of people get offended by the least of things so I just assumed this would be some shallow “tragedy” that split the two families apart. Boy was I wrong! This is about so many issues on so many levels and the main characters are deeply developed as to their thoughts and feelings about everything. I don’t want to create a spoiler for you, but this book delves into love, family, tragedy, suffering, mental illness, infidelity, alcoholism. It also touches on what law enforcement officers struggle with in dealing with their daily jobs and trying to separate home from work. This is a well written book that gives a very real, raw and right look at real struggles that people deal with. Kate and Peter are childhood neighbors and the best of friends. As they become teenagers, they realize they may be more than friends but are separated by a tragic incident that forces their families apart. Reunited as adults, they explore that tragedy and the imprinting of their childhoods. I was totally pulling for Kate and Peter the whole time, and deeply saddened for Peter. I did not like Anne at all but by the end found reason to find compassion for her too. Frank makes a bad decision along the way, and while not excusable, it is totally understandable. We don’t get a glimpse into all of Brian’s whys but he had his struggles too. Get a box of tissues when you start this one. 5 stars
5-The Nightingale by Kristen Hannah I found a hard copy at my local thrift store. I started this one near the end of July and it took me month to finish because it’s a long read, but so worth it. Get the tissues for the end of this one too, unless you have my reaction. I finished this one and looked at my husband and said, “well, that p!sses me off.” lol It didn’t quite turn out the way I wanted for one of the heroines but what an awesome story. It’s the story of two sisters in France and their roles in World War II. Also my first book by Kristen Hannah but I’m ready to dive into the rest of her books. 5 stars
6- The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides audio version via Scribd. This one made my Scribd subscription worth its fee two or three times over! The narrator is awesome. A psychological thriller about a woman who killed her husband and hasn’t spoken a word since and the therapist who is determined to get her to speak and unlock the reason why. I don’t want to spoil it but there’s such an unexpected plot twist I actually said “what?!” out loud in the car when it was finally revealed. 5 stars
7- The Wife- Alafair Burke Read and listened on Scribd. Another great thriller. Angela Powell has a successful husband and thinks she has successfully remained in the shadows hiding a secret past until he is accused of sexual assault by two women. Was it assault or an affair? Who will Angela believe? How far will she go to stand by her husband or to protect herself? 5 stars
8- Pretend You Don’t See Her- Mary Higgins Clark Read hard copy. I picked up this one in the thrift store. I used to read Mary Higgins Clark years ago but can’t remember which books I read. This is also a mystery/thriller but not as gripping as the two books above. Lacy Ferrell witnesses a murder and ends up in the witness protection program. The killer then targets her and she decides to solve the case herself to protect herself. There were a lot of characters so it was a little hard to follow but still and easy short read. 3 stars
Have you read any good books lately?
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