Books I Read in May and Whether or Not You Should Read Them.
The Secrets She Keeps by Michael Robotham
Plot: “In the bestselling tradition of The Girl on the Train and In a Dark, Dark Wood, from the internationally bestselling author whom Stephen King called “an absolute master” of the psychological thriller, comes a riveting suspense novel about the unlikely friendship between two pregnant women that asks: how far would you go to create the perfect family?
Agatha is pregnant and works part-time stocking shelves at a grocery store in a ritzy London suburb, counting down the days until her baby is due. As the hours of her shifts creep by in increasing discomfort, the one thing she looks forward to at work is catching a glimpse of Meghan, the effortlessly chic customer whose elegant lifestyle dazzles her. Meghan has it all: two perfect children, a handsome husband, a happy marriage, a stylish group of friends, and she writes perfectly droll confessional posts on her popular parenting blog—posts that Agatha reads with devotion each night as she waits for her absent boyfriend, the father of her baby, to maybe return her calls.
When Agatha learns that Meghan is pregnant again, and that their due dates fall within the same month, she finally musters up the courage to speak to her, thrilled that they now have the ordeal of childbearing in common. Little does Meghan know that the mundane exchange she has with a grocery store employee during a hurried afternoon shopping trip is about to change the course of her not-so-perfect life forever…
With its brilliant rendering of the secrets some women hold close and a shocking act that cannot be undone, The Secrets She Keeps delivers a dark and twisted page-turner that is absolutely impossible to put down.” –via Goodreads
Favorite quote: “We need the darkness to appreciate the light, and the bumps along the road to stop us falling asleep at the wheel.”
My thoughts: I loved this book. You find out the twist pretty early on, which was different than most thriller books I’ve read recently, and I liked it because it shaped the rest of the story. It wasn’t a, “Okay I’ve got to solve what’s going on” kind of book, it was a, “Oh my gosh, I know what’s going on, how is this going to play out?!” kind of book.
Should you read it? Yes!
Plot: “High in the Hollywood Hills, writer Lady Daniels has decided to take a break from her husband. Left alone with her children, she’s going to need a hand taking care of her young son if she’s ever going to finish her memoir. In response to a Craigslist ad, S arrives, a magnetic young artist who will live in the secluded guest house out back, care for Lady’s toddler, Devin, and keep a watchful eye on her older, teenage son, Seth. S performs her day job beautifully, quickly drawing the entire family into her orbit, and becoming a confidante for Lady.
But in the heat of the summer, S’s connection to Lady’s older son takes a disturbing, and possibly destructive, turn. And as Lady and S move closer to one another, the glossy veneer of Lady’s privileged life begins to crack, threatening to expose old secrets that she has been keeping from her family. Meanwhile, S is protecting secrets of her own, about her real motivation for taking the job. S and Lady are both playing a careful game, and every move they make endangers the things they hold most dear.
Darkly comic, twisty and tense, this mesmerizing new novel defies expectation and proves Edan Lepucki to be one of the most talented and exciting voices of her generation.” –via Goodreads
Favorite quote: “You think you know how a story begins, or how it’s going to turn out, especially when it’s your own. You don’t.”
My thoughts: This was an incredibly unique book…but I don’t know if that’s a good or bad thing. It told the story of several complex relationships, and instead of focusing on a real plot, focused on the characters. I was sad when it was over, not because I liked it, necessarily, but because I wanted more to happen with the characters I’d learned so much about. Overall, not my favorite.
Should you read it? Probably not.
The Wife Between Us by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen
Plot: “A novel of suspense that explores the complexities of marriage and the dangerous truths we ignore in the name of love.
You will assume you are reading about a jealous wife and her obsession with her replacement.
You will assume you are reading about a woman about to enter a new marriage with the man she loves.
You will assume the first wife was a disaster and that the husband was well rid of her.
You will assume you know the motives, the history, the anatomy of the relationships.
Assume nothing.” -via Goodreads
Favorite quote: “I was happy, I think, but I wonder now if my memory is playing tricks on me. If it is giving me the gift of an illusion. We all layer them over our remembrances; the filters through which we want to see our lives.”
My thoughts: Oh my gosh. I have so many things I want to say, but since I am a good friend who doesn’t want to spoil this book for you, I will not say them. But read this boooook! It’s been awhile since a book made me stop and realize I had not a clue what was happening. I LOVE when that happens.
Should you read it? YES! Like, now.
What books have you read lately?
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