Holy moly it’s been a long time since I’ve posted about books! I apologize for this very long list of books that I’ve read since the last time I posted. I tried to be brief but concise in my descriptions. I hope you find something here you may like and come back and tell me about it. Happy Summer reading!!
The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah
I just love Kristin Hannah’s books. This one did not disappoint. Ernt, a man suffering from PTSD from Vietnam, decides it would be best for their family to move to Alaska. The wife and daughter, Cora and Leni, are not so sure this is a good idea. Once they arrive and settle, and winter settles in, Ernt begins to lose it. Leni and Cora suffer at his hand. They have to try their best to survive. I don’t want to say much else so I don’t give anything away. At its heart, it’s a love story between mother and daughter. It was gut wrenching at times. You will love and absolutely hate Ernt. I couldn’t put it down!
Don’t Let Go by Harlan Coben
I also love Harlan Coben’s books. This one didn’t disappoint either! Myron Bolitar, Coben’s beloved main character, makes a cameo appearance but the main character is Nap. He is a detective whose twin brother died mysteriously when they were teenagers. Soon after, his true love ran away without explanation. He may finally find the answers he’s been looking for. It was a riveting read!
The Snowman by Jo Nesbo
Spoiler alert: THE MOVIE SUCKS. The book is awesome. A serial killer is on the loose and his signature is making a snowman with his victim’s head. I love a good and gruesome murder mystery. I definitely couldn’t figure out the ending either which I really enjoy. Read this one!
Only Daughter by Anna Snoekstra
This was so, so good. A girl goes missing. Eleven years later she returns—but it’s not really her. Can she make her family believe she’s their daughter? Should she? Very twisty and I definitely didn’t figure it out. Must read!
Keep Quiet by Lisa Scottoline
This was a quick, fluff read. A split-second decision by a father to protect his son leads to stress and pain. I enjoyed it but not one of my favorites. This would be a great beach read!!
I Hate Everyone, Except You by Clinton Kelly
I loved What Not To Wear but this book was terrible. Blech. I skimmed most of it!
Good Me Bad Me by Ali Land
Milly’s mother is a serial killer…of children. Millie grew up in this environment and, even though her mother is on trial, can’t escape her mother’s influence. She struggles to try and find normalcy with her foster family while keeping a dark secret. Very good read!
The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood
Hopefully you already know about this one! I love the show and decided to go back and read the book. To me, it’s frightening because I can totally see this happening with how our country is going at the moment. Basically, all women’s rights are taken from them and their main purpose in life is to be a handmaid and procreate. Very disturbing but very excellent book. (The TV show is excellent as well.)
One of Us is Lying by Karen M. McManus
One of my students was reading this and really enjoyed it so I decided to give it a try. I really liked it! A high school student dies after drinking from a cup that had peanut residue on it. It appears to be an accident until they realize that the peanut residue was intentionally placed on the cup because the murderer knew he was allergic. The four main suspects are the students in the room for detention that day — which one did it? Not the best book I’ve ever read, but definitely worthwhile.
Saving Noah by Lucinda Berr
This was not one of my favorites but I wanted to see what happened so I finished it. The ending is shocking and upsetting. I can’t say I recommend it; it’s a difficult book to read. A family is torn apart by the realization that their teenage son has been molesting young girls during swim lessons. That is about all I can tell you. I’m not sure if you should read it or not, to be honest. It was interesting enough to keep reading but, as I said, very upsetting.
Tips for Living by Renee Shafranski
Nora’s wealthy husband of many years has gotten a younger, prettier woman pregnant. Oops. She moves to a new town, gets a job at a newspaper and settles in. Bam — ex-husband and new pregnant wife move in to her town and buy a mansion. Next thing you know? Ex-hubby and new wifey are murdered…and Nora can’t remember where she was on the night they were killed. SOOOO good!!
It Ends With Her by Brianna Labuskes
OOOHHHH this was a great one! A female detective, Clarke Sinclair (If you’re having a baby girl, please name her Clarke!!), has been tracking a serial killer for years. He gives her clues, she tries to get to him in time, she fails, he kills another girl. Will she finally catch him??
Everything You Want Me To Be by Mindy Mejia
Ok, I’ll admit it took me a minute to remember this one. I think that’s a bad sign!! Hattie is a small-town “good girl” who has everything and is set to take on NYC and be an actress. But…she’s found stabbed to death. Who did it? Why?
I’ll Be Gone in the Dark by Michelle McNamara
I always forget that not everyone is obsessed with true crime like me, but even if you aren’t, this is an excellent book about the Golden State Killer (who was just caught!) It’s pretty scary so don’t read it before bed unless you’re like me and that doesn’t bother you one bit!
Lies That Bind Us by Andrew Hart
Meh. I skimmed through a lot of this book just to finish it to see how it turned out but it wasn’t that great. A woman who is down-on-her-luck decides to reunite with friends in Greece. Shit goes down.
The Perfect Mother by Aimee Molloy
This was another fun, fluffy, beach read. A group of new moms, known as the May Mothers because they’re all due in May, get together in Central Park to hang out and exchange Mommy tips. When one of the babies from the group is kidnapped, they all pitch in to try and find him. I liked this one; not the best book I’ve ever read but definitely intriguing. The ending was great!
You Will Know Me by Megan Abbott
This was a very different book and I enjoyed it. It all centers on Katie, a gymnastics prodigy with Olympic dreams. The parents’ whole life, and the gymnastics club centers around this Olympic dream. Something tragic happens which sends the whole town into chaos. I liked this one because it was a unique story, although I felt like the ending was kind of cliché.
The Vanishing Year by Kate Moretti
This book felt like a book I’ve read before but it was still very good. Zoe is a wife of a rich man in NYC who has abandoned her previous life for charity dinners and lunches with friends. What no one knows is that Zoe has a very dark past that may be catching up with her. I definitely recommend this one.
Only Child by Rhiannon Navin
This very topical book centers on Zach a six-year-old boy who is now an only child after his brother is killed in a school shooting. Obviously, their family falls apart, secrets are revealed and Zach is lost in his family’s grief. I can’t say I liked it or enjoyed it, but it was well-written.
Down and Dark Road by Linda Castillo
I know I’ve told you about this other and her books before; if you haven’t read her stuff yet, you should! She writes books set in Ohio and the focus is on murders that have happened within the Amish community. She is an excellent writer and you definitely fall in love with her characters. I suggest reading them in order.
The Lie by C. L. Taylor
This book was kind of ridiculous and over the top. I’m not sure why I kept reading it. I guess it was good enough to keep going but I was disappointed. Jane Hughes has a life where she works at an animal shelter and keeps to herself. She has a secret — years ago she was inadvertently involved with a cult from which she had to escape. Now her past is catching up with her and she is in danger. My main problem was I didn’t like the characters at all; they were very unlikable! The story was ok although it felt like a hundred stories I’ve heard before.
Wolf by Mo Hayder
This was a new author that I wanted to try who writes a series with Inspector Jack Caffery as the continuous character. This series is set in England, which I always enjoy. Wolf is the name of a weapon that Oliver has developed and sold to an arms dealer. However, it also appears to have gotten him and his family in serious trouble. They are taken hostage at their countryside home and tortured for days. You think the plot is going in one direction and then it changes. I did enjoy that. I will admit that I skimmed a lot of the extraneous details because this author includes quite a few of those. You can skim those and not miss out on any of the story. I would definitely recommend this book and will definitely try another in the series.
What have you read lately? My Kindle is filling up fast!!
Elastamom's Excerpts 