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Hello! I’m back with another roundup of what I’ve read latey. This month was actually a good mix of reads and most were big hits! Read on to see what books I devoured the last few weeks.
Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo – Jenkins Reid
Summary: Hollywood Starlet Evelyn Hugo is nearing the end of her life and ready to tell her story of her life of fame, scandal, and yes, seven husbands. She consults a young and up and coming journalist to scribe her tale, and we don’t know why she picked her or what is behind her many marriages. Through twists and turns, happiness and despair, we learn that the secrets of a woman go far deeper than the surface and time eventually exposes the truth.
Why I loved it: I adored this story. Evelyn was powerful and strong but also vulnerable and emotional. Likening her to Elizabeth Taylor, you become enthralled with her story and her experiences with both men and women in her life. I devoured this book and couldn’t wait to hear about who her one true love actually was. Speaking of, I had read “One True Loves” by Reid prior, and while I liked it, this story and writing were far superior and showed real advancement in the authors style.
Would I recommend it: Absolutely
On The Island – Graves
Summary: When the plane they’re flying in goes down outside the Maldives, TJ and Sarah are left stranded on an island. For years, they go through the hardships that isolation can bring. The twist is that Sarah is many, many years senior to TJ [in fact, she was his high school tutor when the plane went down], so as time goes by, the way their relationship shifts is sure to bring some trouble to their already troublesome lives on the island.
Why I loved it: I got this book to read while Mike was away one weekend because I knew I needed something light and airy. I was so surprised how much I loved this book. While somewhat predictable, it was endearing, at times juicy, and also suspenseful in it’s own way. It’s definitely a good beach read.
Would I recommend it: Yes if you want an easy read for a vacation or by the pool
Orphan Train – KlineSummary: This is the mostly untold story of the Orphan Train, a journey set for children who have come into unfortunate circumstances and what comes of their lives afterward. This novel tells the parallel stories of young Molly, forced to help elderly Vivian clean her attic, while uncovering the secrets of Vivian’s past, all earthed in her experience on the orphan train.
Why I loved it: The relationship between Molly and Vivian is so sweet and proves that you never know what battle[s] someone has gone through. The glimpses into Vivian’s past are emotional and exciting, sad and happy. The ending will have you in tears and I don’t want to say too much to not give it away, but this book is darling and also opened my eyes to a period of history I was previously unaware of.
Would I recommend it: Absolutely
The Child Finder – Denfeld
Summary: This is the story of “the child finder”, a woman named Naomi who parents hire to help find their missing children. After Madison went missing years ago, her parents call Naomi in a last ditch effort. This story goes into how Naomi goes about her work and unveils what actually happened to young Madison.
Why I thought it was just okay: This book felt really flat for me. It was pretty slow and SUPER predictable. The writing style was somewhat interesting, but this was not a page turner at all. If you like missing children stories, I’d much more recommend The Child by Barton, but this was okay if you’re needing a short read.
Would I recommend it: Maybe
The Wife Between Us – Hendricks
Summary: This is the story of Nellie and Richard, who are about to get married, and his ex Vanessa who is determined to save Nellie from the same experience she had.
Why I loved it: This book was a total page turner. The twists and turns were CRAZY! I don’t want to say too much about this book because it will give stuff away, but the story is truly incredibly written. It has a similar vibe to The Idea of Him, but this one was more suspenseful and less juicy than that. I highly recommend this if you look a good, suspenseful page-turner.
Would I recommend it: Absolutely
Look For Me – GardnerSummary: When a family of four is gunned down in their home and the oldest daughter of the family is nowhere to be found, Detective D.D. sets out to uncover this gruesome murder and figure out where Roxy is and whether or not she was involved in her families death. She takes the help of local vigilante Flora, a survivor of abduction and woman determined to seek justice for those wronged. Sarah, also a survivor of tragedy and taken under Flora’s wing, helps the two women solve the case and what really happened will blow your mind.
Why I loved it: This book had me hooked. While some of it felt a bit slow [the book is almost 400 pages long], you were truly connected to all the characters and desperate to find out who would do such a thing to Roxy’s family. There are heartbreaking moments about the foster care system that will tear you apart. The ending had me shocked as I definitely did not see that coming. There are elements of this story that remind me of House Rules, but I won’t say any more than that. I definitely recommend this book if you like murder mysteries. I plan to add “Find Her” by Gardner to my list.
Would I recommend it: Absolutely
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