What I’ve Been Reading 7

I’ve been dying to share another book review with you! But…I hadn’t been reading as much as I usually do. So, I pulled myself together and I have the next four books I read, ready to share with you! A little of everything: mystery, teen drama, adult chick lit…and some definite hits and misses! Here’s What I’ve Been Reading: 

In The Woods by Tana French

I haven’t read a murder mystery in a long time because I’m a big scaredy baby, BUT Tana French has totally changed the game for me.

This book blew me away and now I’m hooked on all of her writing.

The mystery is set in Ireland, and Detective Ryan has been called to the scene. He needs to figure out who murdered a young innocent girl and dumped her in an archeology dig site. He is sucked in and rocked by the murder because it occurs in his hometown and reminds him of the tragedy that happened to him as a child that he’s since blacked out of his memory. As memories come rushing back about the past murder (from when he was a kid), he’s thinking he can solve the current murder too, if they happen to be connected.

I love how real French makes her characters. You really get into their minds. And they’re not always serious, although the matter at hand is. You find the sense of humor and tendencies the characters have and you fall in love with them (despite their many flaws). The relationship between Detective Ryan and his female partner, Maddox, is so amazing to read. The deep-rooted friendship and dependence on each other is really fascinating.

You’ll get sucked into this one. I promise. And that moment when you just “can’t put it down because you’ve almost got it figured out” comes about ½ way through…so don’t be surprised if you’re up all night trying to finish reading it in one go.

   

The Likeness by Tana French

Read this one right after In The Woods. It takes over with a new mystery but from Cassie Maddox’s perspective. I’m so blown away at how French can get into the head of a woman character in the same enchanting way that she did for her male main character in her previous book.

This one is SO different. You get sucked into a triple-world identity. Maddox is put undercover to find a murder suspect, because the murdered woman looks JUST like her and was using her fake ID from years ago. She must completely immerse herself into the life the murdered woman was living and try not to be found out as an imposter.

SO so good. And once again, NOT scary. Just a thrilling mystery that you get sucked into. If a book can make this pregnant lady stay up past 10pm reading (till 1am!) then it’s good stuff.

 

Matched by Ally Condie

I’ll start by saying: I’m done reading teen novels. I just can’t anymore. This one, just wasn’t worth it in my book (pun).

This one felt like a boring, uneventful copy of Divergent and The Giver and Hunger Games all swirled into one. But…just was really lack-luster.

Utopian society, the 17-yr olds are given matches to marry and they all do as they’re told. The main girl, “accidentally” gets matched with 2 men and she feels the “feelings” of having a choice inside…even though society tells her it is a mistake and her one choice has been made for her.

I wanted to like it, but I just didn’t. Maybe if I were 15 I would’ve loved it.  

 

The Rumor by Elin Hilderbrand

Elin Hilderbrand does it again! I just LOVED this book.

This book is set in Nantucket and you just get sucked into the dreamy seaside town. The book centers around several main characters and is told from their different points of view, so you can see how their storylines collide.

One woman is having an affair with her gardener, her husband is in a bind financially and is running a secret prostitution ring, her best friend is a novelist that is writing a book (about her affair, yet she has no idea about that)…the garden club ladies are swirling with rumors about their lives and nobody has the story straight…

This book is so fun. It’s steamy, so witty, and the storyline is addictive. This is a perfect beach read… or if you’re like me and the beach isn’t a possibility, then it’s a perfect read-in-the-tub read. 

 

What have you been reading?! I’m already making my way through another list of books, so I can’t wait to share the next group with you!