Since She Went Away
by David Bell
Beach Read Mystery (6/29/2016)
I took this book on vacation to the beach and it was perfect. While it is a mystery, it is definitely easy to read and the characters are very relatable making me want to keep reading.
The secondary story line about Jared's girlfriend, was actually more compelling for me than the primary storyline, the disappearance of Celia. They family dynamics of single mother and teenage son were perfect and the conversations between Celia and her friend Sally were spot on.
The resolution of the mystery is believable, not something crazy or far-fetched; making this a satisfying read for anyone who enjoys mysteries.
Darling Days: A Memoir
by iO Tillett Wright
Similar to recent reads (5/11/2016)
I enjoyed this memoir, it was well written and held my attention; however, having recently re-read The Glass Castle and The Sound of Gravel, I found the central themes very similar. Parent suffering with demons (mental illness, substance abuse, and overall narcissistic) results in the child essentially rearing themselves. The aspects of the book that dealt with the author's gender identity struggle were definitely a sub theme and I felt if they had been expanded on more, the book would have been differentiated from it's contemporaries.
Overall, good read, well written, heavy subject but not necessarily a heavy book.
The Widow
by Fiona Barton
Hooked from the beginning (12/21/2015)
This book is almost identical in style to The Girl on the Train, right down to the back and forth chronology. Having said that, I found this story more gripping. I wanted to know almost immediately what was going on with these people, what was simmering under the surface. I felt there was a perpetual 'gray cloud' hanging above every day in the story and I didn't like Glen from the beginning although I could not put my finger on the reason.
The story is easy to read and follow and the characters are very relatable.
I absolutely recommend this book to anyone who like the suspense genre. I will be recommending this book to my book club once it is published.
All Is Not Forgotten
by Wendy Walker
A "slow burn" read (11/3/2015)
I really enjoyed this book but it was not quite the "couldn't put it down" read I had hoped for. I would describe the story as a slow burn, it captures the readers interest and slowly pulls them along with cautious intrigue. The characters are very well developed and the writing style is intriguing. I was at least 30 of the way into the book before I knew who was telling the story, which at the time I found frustrating but in hindsight was rather ingenious.
I understand the movie option rights to the book have already been sold and it will make an excellent movie. In fact, it almost read like a screen play at times.
I definitely recommend the book if you like twists and turns and have a little bit of patience to let the story develop.
A Good Family
by Erik Fassnacht
Too much of a bad thing (5/26/2015)
I am sorry to say there was nothing about this book I enjoyed. It is very long and filled so much unnecessary detail, as the reader I felt like I was trudging through wet sand. The characters are very disjointed and there is really no sense of "family" throughout most of the book. It felt like reading four short novellas within one book. Each character's story was extremely damaged and depressing. I was not expecting unicorns and rainbows but surly something even a little positive could have happened within the first three-quarters of the book. There was some slight redemption at the end of the story; however, it was too little much too late.
House of Echoes: A Novel
by Brendan Duffy
Literally could not put it down (2/10/2015)
I loved this book! House of Echoes was an easy book to get into, the characters (especially the protagonist) were well developed and the writing allows the reader to form very clear mental pictures. The more I read the more trouble I had putting the book down. By the time I reached the last third of the book I had to take 2 hours off work to finish this story, it grabbed me and I could not let go. As a new reader to the suspense/thriller genre, I certainly hope I find other books as exciting as this one.
