Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. I received Burn and The Instrumentalist from NetGalley and the publishers in exchange for my review.
It's a good month when every book I read was a winner! People always ask me how I read so many books, but when they are as good as the ones I read this month, it's hard to put them down. I may have completely neglected everything. My house needs attention. So does my husband! A few trips out of town helped as well--I read while traveling to my destinations.
I can enthusiastically recommend every book here. Enjoy!
So many twists and turns in this one- I couldn't put it down! The Return of Ellie Black is the story of a young woman who disappears after stepping outside while at a party. Two years later, she returns, a very different person. She also won't cooperate with the police. Meanwhile, a detective whose sister disappeared years ago, is on the case, determined to avenge Ellie's disappearance. This is a slow paced but completely engrossing thriller that had me glued to the pages. Some of the story might be disturbing, but don't let that keep you from reading. This will be one of my top books of the year!
First Lie Wins is a twisty-turny thriller that kept me glued to the pages! The main character, Evie (not her real name) works for the mysterious Mr Smith, who gives her assignments that force her to plot, think, and avoid danger. She has to stay one step ahead of the target as well as her boss. I don't want to reveal too much--you'll have to read it yourself. This was a fun book and I enjoyed all the situations Evie had to sort out. I couldn't put it down!
Listen for the Lie is another thriller with a twist. After Lucy's best friend Savvy is found dead and Lucy is covered with Savvy's blood but remembers nothing about the night, suspicion has surrounded her. There was no evidence to accuse her and she moved on with her life. A podcaster has set up shop in the town, determined to sort out what happened that night. Lucy returns to her hometown for her grandmother's 80th birthday and has to face her demons. The story starts out slow, but as Lucy begins to put the pieces of that night back together, the pace picks up. Lucy's voice is snarky, which is definitely a highlight of the story. It was an entertaining read, but truthfully not as twisty I had hoped.
This short, engaging book tells the story of a 1950s housewife who decides one day to get in the swimming pool of her apartment complex and not come out. While her husband begs her to get out of the pool, we learn the backstory of Kathleen's life and what could have been. The Most is the story of a marriage, broken dreams, and betrayals. The writing is gorgeous. The ending is left open and had me envisioning different scenarios for this couple. I really enjoyed this one! It would be a great read for a book club.
After reading some of the reviews of this book, and all the comments about sexual content, I wasn't sure if I wanted to read it. Well, call me surprised, but All Fours is really a novel about a woman in her 40s who is having symptoms of perimenopause and is in the throes of a mid-life crisis. She tells her husband she is traveling to NYC, but ends up in a town 30 minutes from where she lives. She fantasizes about a young man she meets at the Hertz rent-a-car counter and begins to pursue him. This is the bulk of the story and it was very entertaining. The author has a snarky sense of humor and I found myself laughing out loud at times. Of course, she has to return to her real life and her husband and child. As you would expect, she has a lot to work out and the author does a nice job deftly navigating the situation. It's always fun to read a book that you don't expect to enjoy! Content warning for graphic sexual content.
It's been a hot minute since I've read any historical fiction and The Instrumentalist made me wonder why. Based on the real life story of 17th century violinist Anna Maria Pieta, this is the fictionalized version of her life. Born to a prostitute and given to an orphanage run by nuns, she is identified early on as a prodigy with amazing talent. Her instructor, based on the composer Antonio Vivaldi, guides her blossoming skill. I was completely engrossed by this book and found it difficult to put down. My only quibble is the one-time use of a curse word that felt very 21st century and completely out of context for the setting of this story. Not sure why the editor let that slide by. Otherwise, it was a wonderful interpretation of someone I knew nothing about!
Set in 1975, The God of the Woods takes place at a summer camp in the Adirondacks. Two first-time campers are paired together, both of them out of place in a group that has spent many summers at the camp. One of them, Barbara, is the daughter of the very wealthy family who lives in the house on the property. She leaves her bunk every night without explanation until one night when she doesn't return. And as it turns out, Barbara's brother Bear also disappeared 14 years ago without explanation. As the search ensues, a multi-layered story unfolds. There are a lot of characters, but the author deftly weaves a story that makes it easy to follow and difficult to put down. A little bit long-winded, but that is a minor quibble for what was a great read for me! PS check out her previous book Long Bright River, which was another winner for me!
What have you read this month? Have you read any of these books? What's your favorite genre?
I'm linking up with My First 5k and More, Running with Attitude, Run Laugh Eat Pie, Run with Pugs, and Zenaida for Fit Five Friday! I'm also excited to join Farrah for My Month is Booked!
I think I want to read ALL of these.
ReplyDeleteI don't blame you. I feel like I hit the book jackpot this month!!! And September looks to be a good reading month as well.
DeleteI read so many books that I loved this summer! First lie wins was so good! I love books like that I can’t put down
ReplyDeleteOops I am anonymous up there lol
DeleteI had so many good books this month!
DeleteThese all sound great. I read Listen for the Lie and really liked it. And I have God of the Woods on hold at the library. But right now I'm reading Ken Follett's Winter of the World, which is a LONG book (and book two of a trilogy) so it will be a while before I get to anything else.
ReplyDeleteI just can't read his books. They are too long!!
DeleteOh my gosh so many good ones - I want to read them all! Thanks for the reviews!
ReplyDeleteThey're all so good!!! I feel like I hit the book jackpot! And I still have more to read.
DeleteThat's quite a mix! It's nice when every book is a hit and you don't have to force yourself to keep reading.
ReplyDeleteIf I feel like I'm forcing myself to get through a book, it's a DNF. No guilt!
DeleteFor once I’ve read a few of these but will check out the others!
ReplyDeleteI read Listen for the Lie on your recommendation!
DeleteThese all sound so good. I always make notes and use some of these titles for my book clubs!
ReplyDeleteLet me know if you read any of them!
DeleteI really loved First Lie Wins and I can't wait to see what she writes next.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed that one as well! It was hard to put it down!
DeleteYay! I always look forward to your book reviews. I read Nowhere For Very Long a few years ago and absolutely loved it, so I'm definitely planning to check out Never Ever Leave The Dogs Behind too!
ReplyDeleteThe God of the Woods + First Lie Wins are on my mental TBR already, but I will be physically adding them + the rest of these on my list since they all sound like books I'd enjoy, hehe. Thank you for linking up! :]
The only ones I've read from this are Nowhere for Very Long (I too love a good travel memoir) and First Lie Wins. All of these sound good though.
ReplyDeleteI want to read all of them! I don't know which one I would pick first.
ReplyDelete