Summer 2020 Book Reviews

Title: The Rural Diaries
Author: Hilarie Burton Morgan
Rating: 4/5
Comments: I’ve admired Hilarie since her days on One Tree Hill. My friend and I are such fans that we went to her Ghost Stories fundraiser in 2019. This book made me admire her even more! It’s the perfect amount of information to get a glimpse to her enviable life. She makes living on a farm in a random rural community sound very desirable. She is real and authentically herself. Her life is not at all typical actor’s life which makes it that much more interesting. She is simply awesome. I’d love to have what her a JDM share.

Title: The Last House Guest
Author: Megan Miranda
Rating: 3.5/5
Comments: I’m not a huge fan of Miranda’s writing style. This book flips between 2017 and 2018 but still incorporates flashbacks and missing information in both eras. It’s annoying and I do not know if I will read her again for this reason. However, the content is pretty good. I was not expecting the ending which is always the goal. It actually reminded me of Riley Sager’s Final Girls ending. I just really cannot get past the writing style and the constant flipping back and forth no matter the year.

Title: The Couple Next Door
Author: Shari Lapena
Rating: 4.2/5
Comments: I’ve been wanting to read this book for years. I’d say it was as popular as Gone Girl or Big Little Lies at one point; everyone was reading it. Let me just say- it was super refreshing to read something that is Point A to Point B. It doesn’t swap characters each chapter. It doesn’t flip back and forth in time. The traditional storytelling aspect was soooo refreshing. What wasn’t traditional? Knowing how more than one character feels! I forget what this style of writing is called but it’s rare and I love it. We were able to see into the minds of multiple characters, not just the main one. There is no first-person point of view. Anywho- it’s so good. I read it in two days. It is not at all what I expected and I LOVED the ending. I haven’t appreciated an ending like that in a while. I do have a few questions that have been left unanswered but because of the ending, they can be forgiven.

Title: Watching You (RRN!)
Author: Lisa Jewell
Rating: 4.7/5
Comments: HOLY CRAP. IT’S SO GOOD. At first, I really struggled getting into the book because so many different characters are introduced all at once. But once you can kind of organize everything in your mind, it’s such a quick read. Wow. It’s so good. I haven’t read a book THAT good in a while. I really enjoyed it. I will absolutely read Jewell again.

Title: Two Can Keep a Secret
Author: Karen M. McManus
Rating: 4.5/5
Comments: I’m a huge fan of McManus, having read One of Us is Lying and One of Us is Next. This novel, her only other novel, did not disappoint! I really enjoy her style of writing and these characters keep it interesting. I was shocked by the ending and very wrong about my predictions. It’s a quick, easy read and I highly recommend all three of her novels! I can’t wait for her fourth novel The Cousins to come out in December. 

Title: Nine Perfect Strangers
Author: Liane Moriarty
Rating: 3/5
Comments: I am really disappointed. It’s an obnoxiously long book for no reason. It starts off really well and the concept quickly caught my interest. However,  the ending is confusing and I wish she elaborated on it more instead of focusing on nonsense the whole time. I am so disappointed. I do not understand the point of the book. Is there a point? Someone tell me. It was so hard to get through and it felt like it was all for nothing. Or maybe I’ve misinterpreted the ending? I don’t know. The spiraling of the main character is almost unbelievable. This is not one of Moriarty’s best. 

Title: Deep Harbor
Author: Fern Michaels
Rating: 4.1/5
Comments: The epitome of a “mom book.’ Small and thick and almost 500 pages. However, it’s really good! The perfect amount of mystery and romance. I was not at all expecting the ending so I really appreciated it. It’s a little far-fetched and political story lines are always way over my head but I really enjoyed it. 

Title: Next Level Basic
Author: Stassi Schroeder
Rating: 4.3/5
Comments: So funny and pretty much exactly what I would expect from Stassi. I have been a huge fan of hers for a while now and it was fun to get a deeper glimpse into her life. Her writing style is a lot like mine with sarcastic comments, brutal honesty, yet so reflective of her sassy personality. I’m not a huge fan of the word “basic” as a description but she puts a spin on it and it is super inspiring and motivational. She just wants her readers to release their inner basic bitch and be their true selves without caring what people think. That’s totally something I can get behind. Honestly, 70% of this book includes stuff that I would have considered including in my own book if I was to ever write one. 

Title: The Night Swim
Author: Megan Goldin
Rating: 4.2/5
Comments: This is my first Book of the Month book! I cannot believe it took me so long to join this modern subscription service but I’m very happy with my pick! It’s no secret that I’m love books and I love true crime podcasts. This novel? The perfect mix of both. I lowkey wish I listened to it on Audible to get that podcast feel. I love Goldin’s writing style – no fluff and easy to read. The plot has a strong emphasis on the seriousness of rape. It’s uncomfortable and heartbreaking yet eyeopening and moving.

*RRN: Read Right Now!

Spring 2020 Book Reviews
Winter 2019/20 Book Reviews
Fall 2019 Book Reviews
Summer 2019 Book Reviews
Spring 2019 Book Reviews
Winter 2018/19 Book Reviews
Fall 2018 Book Reviews
Summer 2018 Book Reviews