I was going to wait until after vacation to do another recent reads post…and then I realized I was already at 13 books since the last one! This time around, there were more books that were just so-so. Maybe my expectations are higher because I’ve read so many amazing books, but I’m definitely not as easily impressed as I used to be. I read almost entirely pure fiction in this round, with only a couple of historical fiction, one thriller and one YA thrown in. My favorites were The Hating Game and Tiny Little Thing. Right now, I’m finishing up The Designer, and I have a bunch of books ready to take to California on Saturday! What are you reading?
The Keeper of Lost Things by Ruth Hogan: What would stories do our lost things tell, and what would it mean to rediscover the things we left behind? Anthony has been rescuing lost things for years, but he hasn’t done the best job reuniting them with their owners. Through a twist of fate, he passes off the task to his assistant Laura, a lost thing herself. The story was quirky and interesting. Not the most compelling, but certainly enjoyable.
Commonwealth by Ann Patchett: The story of how an unexpected romantic encounter irrevocably changes two families’ lives forever. It follows both families over the course of five decades, and although they all have different experiences, it’s clear just how much this one decision impacted every one of them. I had high hopes for this book, but it honestly made me kind of uncomfortable. That could definitely be because I’m a child of divorce myself, but there was just something about it that I couldn’t get into.
The Hating Game by Sally Thorne: Lucy and Josh hate each other with a fiery passion, and they are determined to make each other’s lives miserable…until they realize that maybe it’s all just a game. I won’t tell you anything else about this one because I absolutely loved it and I couldn’t recommend it more. This book is juicy and SO cleverly written. There were a few moments when I blushed reading it on the subway, but I loved it all. The perfect escape.
The Time Between by Karen White: Eleanor is 34 years old, and still holding on to guilt from the accident that paralyzed her sister. But, when she’s given an unexpected opportunity to bond with an elderly woman who shares her love of music, Eleanor is finally able to look at things from a different perspective. It took me a little while to get into this one, but then I really liked it. It’s about mistakes, how we live with them, and the power of family. Complicated relationships and a good dose of historical fiction make for an intriguing plot.
Little & Lion by Brandy Colbert: Suzette comes home from boarding school…only to discover that a lot has changed since she was gone (including Suzette herself). She’s forced to grow up fast as she helps her brother confront his bipolar disorder, and tries to sort out some of her own complicated feelings about love. This book is in the YA category, but it addresses some pretty serious subjects in a mature way. Definitely a worthwhile read.
Between Here and April by Deborah Copaken Kogan: When Elizabeth recalls a long-buried memory of a childhood friend’s sudden disappearance, it sets her off a collision course to find out what happened. Along the way, she’s forced to face some issues in her personal life, and reevaluate her roles as wife and mother. This one was just okay for me. I found the main character annoying, and just wasn’t really feeling the plot after a while.
Crimes Against a Book Club by Kathy Cooperman: Best friends Annie and Sarah find themselves in desperate situations. They need money, and they need it as soon as possible. A crazy plan is concocted that involves duping the rich women in Annie’s community into buying a “special” skincare product. It was a cute story, but a little too reminiscent of Real Housewives, and I just felt bad that Annie and Sarah were so desperate.
The Identicals by Elin Hilderbrand: Twins Tabitha and Harper were inseparable until their parents divorce divided them. One moved to Martha’s Vineyard, the other to Nantucket, and things were never the same. But, as adults, they’re forced to re-examine their relationship and work together, no matter how much they want to hold on to the past. At first, I thought this book was pure fluff, but it actually explored some pretty complicated family relationships and personal issues. I found myself invested in the characters and eager to see what happened next.
Tiny Little Thing by Beatriz Williams: Christina (or Tiny, as she’s known) is poised to begin a fabulous life of elegance and style, alongside her handsome, powerful husband, Frank. Everything seems perfect…until cracks begin to show, and Tiny’s past comes back with a vengeance. I really loved this one. Somehow, I didn’t realize that there was a second book in this series and read them out of order. The third one definitely makes more sense now, but this book also stood on its own pretty well. I just loved the writing and the character development. Each chapter had me wanting more.
The Wife by Alafair Burke: When Angela met Jason while she was catering a party in the Hamptons, she figured they were too different for anything to last long-term. But, to her surprise, long-term is exactly what Jason had in mind, and he quickly folds Angela and her son into his life in Manhattan. Angela is more than happy to start fresh and leave her past behind, but she quickly learns that it’s not so easy to move forward and things aren’t always what they seem. This book was so intense and suspenseful! “Thrillers” aren’t usually my go-to genre, but I really enjoyed this storyline and always wanted to keep reading to find out what would happen next.
An American Marriage by Tayari Jones: Celestial and Roy are newlyweds with a fiery love and high hopes for the future. They’re just settling into a routine as husband and wife when something completely unexpected happens, changing their lives (and their relationship) forever. Marriage is complicated and challenging, and this book was a great reminder of just how complex a relationship can be. I was a little bit uncomfortable at times, but I think that was intentional, and it definitely made me think.
I Was Anastasia by Ariel Lawhon: According to many of the history books, the entire Romanov family was killed by a Bolshevik firing squad in 1918. But, then in 1920, a young woman emerges claiming to be Anastasia Romanov, and her story is so good that people don’t know what to believe. I’ve read about Anastasia before (although I can’t for the life of me remember what book it was!), so a lot of this story was familiar. It’s told in several different time periods, and that was a little confusing, but it’s well-written and such a fascinating story (based on true events) if you haven’t heard it before.
The High Season by Judy Blundell: Ruthie, Mike and Jem are some of the few all year residents of idyllic Orient Point, Long Island. But, things are far from picture perfect for this family of three, and all of their issues seem to come to a head at once. Although this one had its moments, it wasn’t my favorite. It was just a little too cute and fluffy, even for a summer read, and I wanted to tell some of the characters to get out of their own way.
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