When summer starts, I feel like I really get into a groove with reading. Maybe it’s the longer days… days spent outside by the pool… less running around, more relaxing… but whatever it is, a good book and the summer season go hand in hand for me…
And while the second quarter of the year doesn’t technically consist of the summer season, it did involve lots of traveling (I was actually able to read on the last two flights we took… haven’t done that in 6 years), and time by the pool on the weekends, which lent itself to 9 books done and dusted.
So below I’m sharing the books I read and my overall rating. I always think it’s worth noting that I read for entertainment, so it takes a lot for me to “not like a book.” I don’t feel at all qualified to critique on the literary aspects of a book, so my thoughts and ratings are purely based on enjoyment and entertainment.
If you have any good summer reads, please let me know as I’m always looking for new books.
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LOCAL WOMAN MISSING
Alright, so this was my first time reading a book by Mary Kubica, but this book had amazing reviews on amazon so I figured I’d give it a try. It was excellent. It does involve the kidnapping of a little girls, so if that will bother you, you should avoid this book. But, I loved how it was written, going from present to past tense, and through a few character’s perspectives, and the ending isn’t one you’ll see coming.
I give this one 5/5 stars.
THE BEST OF FRIENDS
Another new author to me, I was initially drawn to the fact that she is a clinical psychologist and I thought she would use that in her writing. I think she does, and I think the book overall is good, but it was just too sad for me. It’s about 3 high school best friends, their family, a tragic shooting, and all that follows after. I read it on the way home from Hawaii and I literally had tears in my eyes. I liked to be “spooked” but I don’t like to be so sad that I actually have an emotional reaction to a book. I sort of recommend this book.
I give this one 3/5 stars.
MEANT TO BE
HUGE Emily Griffin fan over here… I’ve been reading her books for years. Typically great “beach reads.” While this one was entertaining and fun, it literally copies the Kennedy story, with a minor plot twist, so it just didn’t feel original at all. Not typical of her writing.
I give this one 3/5 stars.
LITTLE FIRES EVERYWHERE
I’m a fan of Reese’s Bookclub books and this one wasn’t an exception. I think it does a great job exploring so many relevant issues- everything from culture to family dynamics and secrets. I haven’t watched the TV series, but I’ve heard it’s just as good, if not better (??).
I give this one 5/5 stars.
PEOPLE WE MEET ON VACATION
This book was recommended to me so many times and I seriously don’t know what took me so long to start it! So cute, fun, and a great summer/beach read. A cute story that follows two unlikely best friends, a falling out, and their quest to restore their friendship….
I give this one 5/5 stars.
THE MAIDENS
If you liked “The Silent Patient,” then I highly recommend this one. Written by the same author, with the same twists and turns, I never saw the ending coming in this one. I don’t even know how to explain it, but it involves an aunt, a niece, a boarding school, and a few suspicious murders which the aunt believes is connected to a professor.
I give this one 5/5 stars.
WATCHING YOU
Lisa Jewell is one of my favorite authors, and this book was great! It involves the murder of a neighbor, and then is written from the perspective of all the characters… going between a police interview, and the events that lead up to the murder.
I give this one 5/5 stars.
I FOUND YOU
Another great one by Lisa Jewell, it involves a man, who has seemingly forgotten his identity, a wife who doesn’t know where her husband has gone, and a woman who finds the man on the beach… then it shifts back in time, forward in time, until the very end. In true Lisa Jewell fashion, she wraps it up nicely.
I give this one 5/5 stars.
THE HOUSE WE GREW UP IN
Last Lisa Jewell one of the quarter… and it was ok, which I rarely say about Lisa Jewell. I felt as if it dragged on a bit (again, not something I typically ever say about her books), and was just a bit different overall. That being said, I loved how it explored the theme of secrets and the negative impact it can have on a family system.
I give this one 4/5 stars.
