I had a good reading month, and seemed to get back into the groove for finding and finishing interesting books. I even managed to read a few of them in "real book" format instead of audio. Let's take a look at my month in books.
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Two couples are friends, and the wives work together as teachers. One of the husbands goes missing, and things get sticky as the investigation progresses. If you like Kubica's other mysteries, you'll probably like this one too. This audio book kept me listening, with two narrators (one of the husbands and one of the wives.) Layers of betrayal, deception, and twists made this a fun and quick read for me.
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A NYC couple is building their dream home in a suburb of Philadelphia. One weekend, a group of local teenagers has a party in the empty house and trashes it beyond belief. This is a story of “good kids” getting into trouble, and how repercussions affect them based on their family’s resources and class. I couldn’t stop listening to this slow-burn book, but kept waiting for a twist. If you read it not expecting a suspense novel, you will love it.
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From the book description: If you've raised a child, you know that parenting doesn't stop when they turn eighteen. In many ways, your relationship gets even more complicated--your heart and your head are as involved as ever, but you can feel things shifting, whether your child lives under your roof or rarely stays in contact. Doing Life with Your Adult Children helps you navigate this rich and challenging season of parenting. I really enjoyed this Christian self-help book, and took away lots of ideas for parenting in the next phase of life. Bottom line: Keep your mouth shut and the welcome mat out. :)
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Set in the deep South in the 1960's, two black sisters flee their Mississippi town after a white man is murdered. One makes her way up north, while the other goes to Georgia. There is a subtle mystery, and I highly recommend the audio version of this book. The narrators turn in a top notch performance.
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Libby arrives in London, heartbroken and her life a mess. She meets an elderly man on the bus, and then proceeds to help him find a long lost love. Along the way, she finds community and love. This was a sweet, uplifting story. I enjoyed it, although the plot and characters felt like I had read about them before: London setting, stressed out young woman, old man or woman, quirky surrounding characters, found community. I still recommend it, especially if you like this type of book.
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Isabelle's toddler son was taken from his crib, and she hasn't been able to sleep since then. She is obsessively trying to solve his disappearance while dealing with secrets from her past at the same time. Wow, I loved this author's second book even more than her first (Flicker in the Dark.) Due to the insomnia and sleepwalking, this was an unreliable narrator theme at its best. I thoroughly enjoyed this riveting psychological thriller about memory, mental health, questioning yourself and your past. This book achieved what so many recent thriller/suspense novels are striving for: tension, methodical buildup of suspense, and surprises that aren't cliche.
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Florida is slipping away, with hurricanes and flooding. This book follows a girl named Wanda through several phases of her life: her birth, age 10, age 20, and old age. The way of life in Florida changes from something similar to what we know today to a remote outpost surrounded by water and heat. This style of book might be called speculative fiction or climate fiction...sort of a possible future based on current events. In fact, I would describe it as climate/apocalyptic/dystopian/literary fiction. I have to admit I really don't like some of these books because they can feel "preachy." In the Light Pirate, the climate disaster just provides the setting and the real story is about the characters. The author's captivating writing showed the enduring strength of community and family, as well as the loneliness that can be found in just trying to survive. {BONUS: GMA interview with the author}
What have you been reading lately?
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A couple of those sound really good to me! I've been in a slump with reading because of my new job and haven't read as much this month, but I am finding my way and picking books back up in the afternoons/evenings. I missed my hobby!
ReplyDeleteAdding a couple of these to my list for sure! I always appreciate your reviews so much!
ReplyDeleteYou had a great month reading book Tanya. I too will be adding these to mist list. The book All the Dangerous Things looks good.
ReplyDeleteI like Mary Kubica and that one is on my list, as is The Light Pirate. I really liked All The Dangerous Things too and have A Flicker in the Dark up next to read!
ReplyDeleteThe lost ticket sounds like a great read for me. Thank you for sharing your list.
ReplyDeletem in hi
I read Just the Nicest Couple also this month. I love when there is a twist that I didn't see coming
ReplyDeleteWow you had a great month for books!!
ReplyDeleteLauren @ Don’t Mind Our Mess
So many great books. I always love mystery/thriller...so I'm adding those to my Goodreads list for sure.
ReplyDeleteWow! Some of these sounds very intriguing. Maybe I can get back into reading soon.
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