A book roundup? You betcha!

I haven't done a book roundup in awhile, and I feel like it is more than overdue, right? Of course I'm right, so hang onto your butts! 

The Take-Over Friend - Carol Dines

A solid YA about a friendship we have all had at some point in our lives, and then the awkwardness of learning how to navigate it. While this book does have quite a few triggers in it, including mental health, suicidal ideation, self harm, and even animal cruelty, and you should definitely know that going in. I liked this one, it's short, I liked that it didn't have a lot of fluff (you know how I feel about book fluff), and I liked having one likeable character (Frances) and one not so much (Sonja). It hightlights the complexities of their upbringing, how that shapes them as people, and how that affects relationships going forward. I think your teen would like this one. 

When She Disappeared - Steph Mullin & Nicole Mabry

If you are a fan of true crime, you're going to like this one. We have a little girl who goes missing while on a bike ride, and nobody finds her, or any clues, and the town is forever changed. Fast forward years later, Margo comes back but she soon discovers that her friend's body was found in the swimming hole they used as kids. A documentary crew arrives to look into the bungled investigation and suddenly Margo finds herself helping out. Being a small town, it's likely they know the killer and have been friendly all of this time, but who? 

Again, I really liked this one and I was intrigued to the end! 

Next in Line - Jeffrey Archer

I grabbed this one because I am on a suspense/thriller kick and this screamed "could be a movie" to me. Unfortunately, I think maybe I'm not the right reader. I had a hard time getting into it, and the ending fell flat for me. You know who would love this? My dad. He is really into the Jason Bourne type action books/movies and those are the vibes I got with this one. I will say, it's definitely not short on action, nearly every page had you running to the next and I never really felt like I could put it down, so in that regard, bravo!

A Beginner's Guide to Murder - Rosalind Stopps

Listen, if I'm not learning how to become a good murderer in an effort to save people I don't really know when I'm in my 70s, I don't want it. What am I even doing with my life? That's exactly the kind of friends I want, ones who wouldn't blink an eye if I was like, "come on, girls, let's just commit a felony murder, I've got time on Tuesday", you know? Are we even friends if you balk at that? I really enjoyed this, I laughed and I'm not even sure if I'm supposed to laugh but maybe I watch too much true crime shows to take this seriously. I'm reading this murmuring my own suggestions like I know what I'm doing or something. Overall? Loved this one. Honestly, I feel like this is one I should just leave out on the table for people to see when they come over, let them wonder about my hobbies. 

I have so many books coming up, I am truly out of room on my desk! I'm overflowing, so I need to get crackin'. What are you reading lately? Any of these calling your name? 

 

Book Review: My Darling

We are onto book number two for today, and I hope you're having a great day. Most of us are staying home and so are we. My plan is to read and get a jump on my 2021 reading. My goal for 2021 is to stick with 125 books, which is what I did last year and this year, but I don't think I can commit to raising that quite yet... maybe for 2022? 

My Darling - Amanda Robson

A new couple moves in next door.

And nothing will ever be the same again…

I watched you move in and thought we might be friends.

I saw you watching from the window – and knew I’d have to keep you away from my husband.

I started to trust you. Confide in you.

I started to mistrust you. Suspect you.

I was confused when I blacked out after an evening at your place. Was I really that drunk?

I came up with a plan. A plan to make you both pay . . .

I have been on a thriller streak this year but one of my favorite tropes are a crazy woman causing hell. I can't help it, I don't know what it is but I really like a crazy woman. I have to also tell you that I FLEW through this book! I started it right before bed and it was a bad idea because I had to put it down to go to sleep but I picked it up right away in the morning and finished it by lunch time. It was so twisty and I just really loved it. 

Honestly, it is almost best to not read the blurb, read no reviews, just jump into it because it was so bizarre, super dark, murder, all over the place, and I had no idea what the hell was going on and by the time I got to the end my pulse was faster and I wanted to talk to someone about it immediately. Of course I had nobody so I'm trying to tell Matt and he doesn't care, but this was SO GOOD. 

Honestly, all of the characters are hot messes, all of them are kind of despicable in their own ways but it doesn't bring the book down, it actually elevates it. We have Tomas, a seemingly nice guy who loves his wife, Jade even though she is legit bat shit crazy and paranoid. She is convinced he is cheating on her and she's angry about it even though he isn't. Soon though they have new neighbors, Alastair and Emma, who are just as nuts, but Jade is SURE that Emma will start sleeping with Tomas so it is this weird... war but only Jade is really playing? Kind of? Anyways, soon we have a murder and all hell breaks loose. Honestly by the time you get to the end it feels like they are all going to end up dead because it is WILD. The book is wild. You have to read this because it is bananas. It is BANANAS. 

I have to thank Avon Books and Harper 360 for sending me an ARC because this is one of those books that I have to add to a top of 2020 list because it was just so crazy, so many twists, I couldn't stop. It almost reminded me of that show Revenge because you remember how every episode was so insane you couldn't believe any of it? That is exactly what this book was for me. 

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Book Review: The House of Secrets

How was your Christmas?! We had a lovely one but, no lie, it is kind of nice to be all done. I am looking forward to finishing out 2020 at home, reading, and watching the kids play together with some new things. I am really not hating life being low key right now. I can tell my depression is ramping up, I'm going to start increasing my vitamin D, as I do normally in the winter, I'm getting outside and standing in the sunshine a few times a day, trying to eat well, and hoping for the best. 

But mostly this week I'm going to be posting book reviews because guess what? I am DRAGGING to the finish line of my 2020 Goodreads Challenge! My goal was to read 125 and this one is book 121. 

The House of Secrets - Sophie Draper

Claire lives with her family in a beautiful house overlooking the water. But she feels as if she’s married to a stranger – one who is leading a double life. As soon as she can get their son Joe away from him, she’s determined to leave Duncan.

But finding out the truth about Duncan’s secret life leads to consequences Claire never planned for. Now Joe is missing, and she’s struggling to piece together the events of the night that tore them all apart.

Alone in an isolated cottage, hiding from Duncan, Claire tries to unravel the lies they’ve told each other, and themselves. Something happened to her family … But can she face the truth?

Alright, if you like a psychological thriller that will have you all over the place, this is FOR YOU. I hadn't read any of the reviews before I got into this one and that was maybe for the best because I think it would have been more confusing for me, which is saying something because I was so thoroughly confused throughout this book. I found myself wishing I took notes because I was forgetting what was going on, and when, and there are parts where characters seemed to not be with it? I can't explain it to you without giving information away, but I was having to re-read several sections because I was so confused. 

All of the characters were pretty deplorable so I had a really hard time giving a damn for any of them and I had no idea what to even hope for as I got to the end of the book. The great thing is that while I wanted to give up at several points in the book, it was a fast read for me because I was so frustrated and wanted to know what the heck was going on. Even better is the ending of the book because there are a few twists at the end that make you reconsider what you just read and I did find myself reading things way earlier in the book to see if I missed something and sure enough, I did. The last few chapters are the best one, easily. 

If I had to commit to a rating, I would have to give it a 3, and that's pushing it. If Goodreads would let me, I'd go with a 2.5 because it was OK and I kind of liked it. I think if the whole book was as strong as the last few chapters, this would have been a 4 or higher. The author IS a great writer and you can tell that throughout this book, it just doesn't get there all the way for me. If you are a fan of strange books that is more suspense than thriller, and one that messes with your head a lot throughout, this is one you'll enjoy. 

Thank you to Harper360 for sending me a copy for review, they have been cranking out great books this year and I'm so excited to see what is to come in 2021! 

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