I picked up my reading pace in February, after a slight slump in January. I had one 5-star read that will probably be on my favorites list for the year, as well as several entertaining thriller/mysteries. Let's check out my February books.
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When it’s announced that 1958 will be the last year debutantes are to be presented at court, thousands of eager mothers and hopeful daughters flood the palace with letters seeking the year’s most coveted invitation: a chance for their daughters to curtsy to the young Queen Elizabeth and officially come out into society. In an effort to appease her traditional mother, aspiring university student Lily Nichols agrees to become a debutante and do the Season, a glittering and grueling string of countless balls and cocktail parties. The glorious effervescence of the Season evaporates once Lily learns a devastating secret that threatens to destroy her entire family.
After much anticipation, I wanted to love this book. The cover is beautiful, and the author's last book was a 5-star read for me. Even the setting of the book had promise for me - 1950's England. But unfortunately I just didn't love this one. There is lots of talk about balls and society events, but not much character development. The story picks up a little in the last part of the book. I just wish the whole novel would have had that pace.
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Jade and Cam Lasky are by all accounts a happily married couple with two adorable kids, a spacious home and a rapidly growing restaurant business. But their world is tipped upside down when Jade is confronted by a masked home invader. As Cam scrambles to gather the ransom money, Jade starts to wonder if they’re as financially secure as their lifestyle suggests, and what other secrets her husband is keeping from her. With riveting twists and a breakneck pace, My Darling Husband is an utterly compelling thriller that once again showcases Kimberly Belle's exceptional talent for domestic suspense.
This domestic suspense book about a home invasion does not have an earth-shattering plot, but I couldn't stop listening. There are multiple narrators that keep things interesting, as well as the future narration of the husband giving a news interview. The quick chapters and tension kept me on the edge of my seat - recommend this one if you're looking for a lite thriller/suspense book.
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True crime writer Wylie Lark doesn’t mind being snowed in at the isolated farmhouse where she’s retreated to write her new book. It would be perfect, if not for the fact that decades earlier, at this very house, two people were murdered in cold blood and a girl disappeared without a trace. As the storm worsens, Wylie finds herself trapped inside the house, haunted by the secrets contained within its walls—haunted by secrets of her own. Then she discovers a small child in the snow just outside. After bringing the child inside for warmth and safety, she begins to search for answers. But soon it becomes clear that the farmhouse isn’t as isolated as she thought, and someone is willing to do anything to find them.
This is a dark crime mystery with several stories that come together in the end. It is a good book for a chilly winter night, with a house in rural Iowa getting snowed in. I listened on audio, but would actually recommend reading the physical book instead. There are three separate mysteries, and I found myself a little confused on the characters and settings until about halfway through the book. I recommend this book if you're looking for an atmospheric mystery set in the winter.
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Ansel Packer is scheduled to die in twelve hours. He knows what he’s done, and now awaits execution, the same chilling fate he forced on those girls, years ago.
Through a kaleidoscope of women—a mother, a sister, a homicide detective—we learn the story of Ansel’s life. We meet his mother, Lavender, a seventeen-year-old girl pushed to desperation; Hazel, twin sister to Ansel’s wife, inseparable since birth, forced to watch helplessly as her sister’s relationship threatens to devour them all; and finally, Saffy, the homicide detective hot on his trail, who has devoted herself to bringing bad men to justice but struggles to see her own life clearly. As the clock ticks down, these three women sift through the choices that culminate in tragedy, exploring the rippling fissures that such destruction inevitably leaves in its wake.
Through a kaleidoscope of women—a mother, a sister, a homicide detective—we learn the story of Ansel’s life. We meet his mother, Lavender, a seventeen-year-old girl pushed to desperation; Hazel, twin sister to Ansel’s wife, inseparable since birth, forced to watch helplessly as her sister’s relationship threatens to devour them all; and finally, Saffy, the homicide detective hot on his trail, who has devoted herself to bringing bad men to justice but struggles to see her own life clearly. As the clock ticks down, these three women sift through the choices that culminate in tragedy, exploring the rippling fissures that such destruction inevitably leaves in its wake.
On the surface, this book is about a serial killer facing execution. However, the true story goes deeper into the female characters in the charming killer's life. This is literary suspense at its best - gripping, powerful, thought-provoking, moving and beautifully written. The audio narration is excellent, and I will be thinking about this book for weeks to come. It will be on my favorites list for the year. As you might expect in a book like this, there is strong violence and domestic violence.
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Leigh Fletcher: happily married stepmom to two gorgeous boys goes missing on Monday.
Kai Janssen: married to wealthy Dutch businessman Daan and vanishes the same week.
Detective Clements knows that people disappear all the time—far too frequently. These two women are from very different worlds. Their disappearances are unlikely to be connected. And yet, at a gut level, the detective believes they might be.
Kai Janssen: married to wealthy Dutch businessman Daan and vanishes the same week.
Detective Clements knows that people disappear all the time—far too frequently. These two women are from very different worlds. Their disappearances are unlikely to be connected. And yet, at a gut level, the detective believes they might be.
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When Lux McAllister and her boyfriend, Nico, are hired to sail two women to a remote island in the South Pacific, it seems like the opportunity of a lifetime. Stuck in a dead-end job in Hawaii, and longing to travel the world after a family tragedy, Lux is eager to climb on board. She’s also quick to bond with their passengers, college best friends Brittany and Amma. Shimmering on the horizon after days at sea, Meroe Island is every bit the paradise the foursome expects, despite a mysterious history of shipwrecks, cannibalism, and even rumors of murder. But what they don’t expect is to discover another boat already anchored off Meroe’s sandy beaches. Soon, cracks begin to emerge:
When it becomes clear that the group is even more cut off from civilization than they initially thought, it starts to feel like the island itself is closing in on them. And when one person goes missing, and another turns up dead, Lux begins to wonder if any of them are going to make it off the island alive.
When it becomes clear that the group is even more cut off from civilization than they initially thought, it starts to feel like the island itself is closing in on them. And when one person goes missing, and another turns up dead, Lux begins to wonder if any of them are going to make it off the island alive.
Both of the thriller/suspense books above passed the time just fine.
Nothing memorable, but enjoyable reads that kept me listening.
What have you been reading lately?
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I have a book list a mile long. Summer is my reading marathon on a pool float, lol. Some great titles here. Happy Weekend
ReplyDeleteWow, Tanya you read a lot of books. I will add these to my book list. Enjoy the weekend.
ReplyDeleteI really liked Notes On An Execution too. It makes you think!
ReplyDeleteI have those last two on my list, so I am glad you gave an honest review of them. Have a wonderful weekend.
ReplyDeleteSo many wonderful looking suspenseful novels. I'm always on the lookout for a good and simple to follow audiobook too. Pinned.
ReplyDeleteOooh I am pinning this and requesting a few of these from the library! Your 5 star rating has me intrigued!
ReplyDeletexo,
Kellyann
You read some good ones this month! I am going to add Notes on an Execution and My Darling Husband to my list. I felt very meh about Reckless Girl. I wanted to see how it all played out, but it was sort of anti-climatic. I don't think I will be quick to pick up another from that author. After reading two of her books, I have noticed her characters are all a bit immature.
ReplyDeleteI read Reckless Girls and My Darling Husband this month too and thought they were both okay. Someone else wrote also wrote about The Overnight Guest, which I added to my to read list.
ReplyDeleteSuper intrigued by Notes on an Execution. I don't think I've heard of that
ReplyDeleteI read Missing Pieces by Heather Gudenkauf years ago and put her on my must-read authors list and then forgot about her- definitely going to check out The Overnight Guest. I hadn't heard of Notes on an Execution but it sounds great!
ReplyDeleteMy TBR list grows every time I read your reviews! Notes and My Darling Husband are going on my list.
ReplyDeleteNotes on an Execution is on my wish list! I just started The Overnight Guest.
ReplyDeleteLauren @ www.shootingstarsmag.net