Fall 2021 Book Reviews

Title: Malibu Rising
Author: Taylor Jenkins Reid
Rating: 4.4/5
Comments: First of all, my jaw DROPPED at the Seven Husbands crossover. Second of all, I listened to this on Audible but I really wish I read it myself; not because it was bad but because there were so many characters that I wish I was reading it in my own voice. Nevertheless, it is really good. Such an interesting dynamic with these siblings and everything they are struggling with internally. Nina Reva, the oldest of the four siblings, is the main character and I reeeally wish we were getting the story from her perspective. I do not love that it is in the third person. But I really love Reid as an author and I absolutely recommend this book. In my opinion, Seven Husbands is superior but they are both well-written and hard to put down.

Title: Home Before Dark
Author: Riley Sager
Rating: 3.9/5
Comments: It is way too long for no reason. I made the mistake of listening to it instead of reading it but honestly, I don’t know if I would have finished it if it was a physical book. Maybe I just don’t enjoy ghost stories. Although I believe in ghosts, I’m such a realistic thinker that this is just too much for me. The ending was a surprise so I’ll give Sager that. But I would say this is my least favorite book by him with The Last Time I Lied being my favorite.

Title: The Maidens
Author: Alex Michaelides
Rating: 4.3/5
Comments: I was so excited to read this because I LOVED The Silent Patient. I really enjoyed this one. I had so many theories in my mind and I really had no idea what direction the end was going in and once I got there, I was shook. Completely not at all what I thought would happen. I didn’t love the ending because I thought it was a little far-fetched but I can’t not appreciate the plot twist which is the reason for the high rating.

Title: Then She Was Gone
Author: Lisa Jewell
Rating: 3.7/5
Comments: Very quick read although most of it is quite predictable. However, I finished this on Audible in less than two days because the writing is easy and the story is interesting. Predictable but interesting. I was waiting for the huge plot twist but it never came because I felt like I already knew what was going to happen. I read Watching You by Jewell which I was thought was WAY better than this one. I would not recommend this book but I would definitely recommend Watching You.

Title: Daisy Jones & The Six (RRN!)
Author: Taylor Jenkins Reid
Rating: 5/5
Comments: WOW. WOOOOOW. This gets a 5/5. Holy crap. This book is one of the best I have ever read (along with Seven Husbands). I love the perspective of the bandmates and I love the interview-style writing; both are unique and immediately captivating. The characters are both hate-able and likable and you’re not sure whether to root for them or against them. And getting a glimpse into what it’s like making an album? So freakin’ cool. Obviously, this is fiction but I would imagine it closely mimics what real bands deal with. The ending of the book is one of the most satisfying endings I have read in a long time, if not ever. I also lost it at the Malibu Rising crossover! Reid is really good at that. That seems to be a theme for the authors I’ve been reading lately, specifically Reid and Michaelides, and I am.here.for.it. Anywho – I am so excited to see the TV adaptation even though I’m worried it won’t live up to the book because they never do. But I am so pumped to see these characters come to life. P.S. I highly recommend listening to this one because of the variation of character narration.

Title: Little Secrets
Author: Jennifer Hillier
Rating: 4.5/5
Comments: Wow. There are so many LITTLE SECRETS in this book. I would say only one or two secrets are predictable while the rest are shocking. This is a really good book but for some reason, I wasn’t… stunned. Am I over thrillers? I really hope not. Maybe I just need a break because they’ve been my genre of choice for like five years now. Anyway, I listened to this and I really enjoyed it. It’s pretty far-fetched but the twists are definitely shocking. I would recommend this if you want something that doesn’t at all end how you think it will!

Title: Dead West
Author: Matt Goldman
Rating: 3.7/5
Comments: I have read all four of Goldman’s books: Gone to Dust, Broken Ice, The Shallows, and now this one. They are all about private detective Nils Shapiro who is impossible to dislike which is what keeps me coming back. This one isn’t his best. There are a few surprising moments but nothing that makes your jaw drop. I think the story itself just isn’t that interesting which makes the twists less exciting. If you want to read Goldman, Gone to Dust is my favorite of his! Apparently, he used to write for Seinfeld so that’s pretty cool.

Title: A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder
Author: Holly Jackson
Rating: 4.5/5
Comments: It is hard not to love the main character, Pippa Fitz Amobi. She is smart, genuine, and determined and she’s the best part of the book. She’s basically a cooler version of Nancy Drew. It’s a great read! I love Jackson’s writing style because it’s fluff-free. There are no unnecessary backstories or unimportant details. Everything she says is interesting and important which helps you keep the pages turning. I had a lot of theories, as did Pippa, and none of mine were right! I am so excited to read the next two books in this series because I already know I’m going to love them.

Title: The Wife Upstairs
Author: Rachel Hawkins
Rating: 3.8/5
Comments: Not my favorite that’s for sure. I will say it is intriguing and keeps you interested but I felt like at the end I thought “Well that wasn’t as interesting as I hoped it would be.” There is a lot of lying and deceit so I felt like I wasn’t really rooting for anyone to succeed. I did really enjoy how Hawkins let you into the mind of all three characters- that’s always fun.

Title: Good Girl, Bad Blood: The Sequel to A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder
Author: Holly Jackson
Rating: 4.2/5
Comments: Although I really enjoyed this, I didn’t enjoy it as much as the first one. The story is great and I was thrilled to get more of Pippa Fitz Amobi but I felt like the story is a little far-fetched. I don’t love when the solution to the mystery includes random people who aren’t part of the story from the beginning. Does that make sense? I like the challenge of trying to solve the mystery before the author does but that’s hard to do when some characters don’t show up until the end. Nevertheless, it’s still thrilling and Pippa is still Nancy Drew-ing her way through life. I also love that a podcast was incorporated into the series since I’m listening to them on Audible! Hearing the podcast episodes and interviews makes a huge difference.

Title: As Good As Dead: The Finale to A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder
Author: Holly Jackson
Rating: 3/5
Comments: No. Nooooo. This is not at all what I wanted for Pippa. Yes this third novel brings everything full circle but like in a bad way. Not the full circle I would have chosen to tie everything together. Yes it’s well written. Yes it brings “closure” to Pip’s story but again, not the closure I would have chosen. I understand she did what she thought she had to do but she didn’t actually have to do that. She did the exact same thing that she sought out to solve in the first book. Sure justice was served and the last sentence of the book is very satisfying but the entire time I was listening to this, I was just saying “Ugh, nooo” in my mind.

I had a lot of free time and spent a lot of time driving the last few months so I am very grateful for Audible. My abundance of free time is what allowed me to get through so many books and in a way, reading has been a really important outlet for me!

*RRN: Read Right Now!

Summer 2021 Book Reviews
Spring 2021 Book Reviews
Winter 2020/21 Book Reviews
Fall 2020 Book Reviews
Summer 2020 Book Reviews
Spring 2020 Book Reviews
Winter 2019/20 Book Reviews
Fall 2019 Book Reviews
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Winter 2018/19 Book Reviews
Fall 2018 Book Reviews
Summer 2018 Book Reviews