More Summer Reads!

I’ve been loving being able to read so many books this summer. It has always been my love and favorite way to spend time…and it still is today! I can remember so vividly going to the library as a kid and picking out new books to read. When we moved to Sylvania from Dundee, I couldn’t believe how big and fancy the library was!! It was super exciting. I still love going to the library and getting a new book. It’s one of Olivia’s favorite things to do too.

The Next Time You See Me by Holly Goddard Jones

This was a great book. I read it quickly and couldn’t wait to get back to it when I was doing other things. That’s the sign of a great book, right? It’s the story of Susanna, a mother and unhappy wife, whose wild sister, Ronnie, goes missing in their small town. The author does a fantastic job of weaving a bevy of subplots together into this one major plot. Susanna is the main character and is joined by Tony, a detective and former crush of Susanna’s in high school; Ronnie, the wild sister who has gone missing; Emily, Susanna’s 13-year-old student who finds herself in the middle of this mess; Christopher, the new boy in town who is connected to Emily; Wyatt, the aging blue collar worker who gets pranked by his younger coworkers and Sarah, the nurse who falls in love with Wyatt. The main plot is not anything extraordinary but the subplots and the connection between all of the characters is what makes the story so good.

Found by Harlan Coben

This is book three in the Mickey Bolitar YA series by Coben. I worship Coben and always enjoy his books. I really enjoy YA novels too and this series is fantastic. I would definitely start with book one and two or else you’ll be very confused! This time around Mickey, Ema, Spoon and Rachel are trying to figure out if Mickey’s Dad is indeed still alive, while trying to figure out the connection between the bullies on Mickey’s basketball team and Ema’s new online boyfriend. The story is exciting and the ending is perfect! It left you wanting more and here’s hoping Coben doesn’t take too long to write the next one!

The Shining Girls by Lauren Beukes

I have so many books on my Pinterest page (which is where I keep track of all of the books I want to read) that I can’t even remember where I heard about them in the first place. This is one of those books. It was so unique and thrilling and kind of gruesome and I loved it. The main premise is that there is a time-traveling serial killer of women and one of his victims lived and is trying to solve her case. Sounds crazy, right? It’s not! The author did such a great job of telling the story that it isn’t weird or confusing at all. At least not to me. Kirby is the only survivor of Harper’s multi-generational killing spree. She is now a journalism student who is trying to solve her own almost-murder. She finds strange clues that suggest her killer is connected to murders from decades ago…but how can that be? I love finding books that are original because I’ve read so many books that sometimes I can figure them out pretty easily and get bored. This is definitely unique! It’s a little scary and gruesome so maybe save it for when you’re not alone.

The Silent Wife by A.S.A. Harrison

This book is short which is one of the reasons why I finished it. It was one of those books that you keep reading because you think something’s going to happen…and then nothing really happens. But the marriage of Jodi and Todd, which is the main focus of the book, is oddly fascinating because it’s so twisted and messed up, but at the same time you understand that it works for the two of them. Todd is a habitual philanderer and Jodi knows it. She’s almost OK with it in a way. She is a part-time therapist and enjoys the life Todd provides. When Todd gets involved with a much younger woman in a serious way, Jodi decides she’s had enough. I made my BFF read it to see what she thought and she felt the same way. The book was intriguing, and you wanted to finish it, but the ending was so anti-climactic. I’m going to say pass on this one.

Looking for Alaska by John Green

I loved, loved, loved Green’s book, The Fault in Our Stars, and wanted to read the rest of his books but forgot about them until I saw this one on the shelf at the library. I will never understand how Green can write so well as a teenager, as a girl, as so many different characters all at once and do it so genuinely. His character development is so good too. You really start to care about each one. It’s fascinating to me. This story follows Miles, a.k.a. Pudge, as he begins a new adventure at a boarding school. He desires the “next great perhaps” and, after being ostracized at his current school, decides his father’s alma mater is the place to be. His roommate, the Colonel, proves to be a wonderful friend and partner in crime. Alaska is the stunning girl across the hall who steals Pudge’s heart. The chapters are titled “100 days before”, “80 days before”, etc., so you know it is leading up to some major event. I can’t tell you what it is without spoiling it! It’s really very good. Green captures the teenage mind and angst and confusion perfectly.

Right now I’m reading a Kindle freebie, Crooked Little Lies, and I find myself skimming a lot. Bummer. Next up is Finders Keepers by Stephen King. What are you reading?