Book Reviews Archives

June 23, 2018September 7, 2018

BOOK REVIEW: “I Think I Love You” (An Oxford Novel)

This was a very fun and quick read. In fact, I read it in one day because I just couldn’t put it down. The author did a really great job of relaying those feelings that one gets in the early stages of a relationship, especially one that has been built upon years of friendship. The dialogue was crisp and witty, and the characters sounded like real people, not that stilted and contrived language that RomCom novels sometimes have. The friendships the characters shared, both male and female, were also fun. The only negative is of my own fault, because I didn’t realize that this was the last in a series, so there were references with secondary characters that I didn’t fully understand. That being said, even though I know the end results, I now have a new series that I can eagerly dig into. Oh, and (mini-spoiler alert) fans of a certain 90s sitcom will love the Epilogue. Thank you to Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

June 18, 2018September 7, 2018

BOOK REVIEW: “The Perfect Friend”

This book was very interesting. At the beginning, I found it to be confusing and felt that the author was trying to do too much within the story. However, as I read further I realized that she was actually creating an amazingly deep and complex story that had many twists and turns: some were revealed openly and some took much longer to unravel. There was one point where I realized that I was completely mistaken in my understanding of parts of what I had read so far, which was a neat twist in itself. After that, I found myself reading much more carefully and questioning everything that was happening. In addition, the deeper exploration of how sometimes souls can recognize each other without conscious acknowledgment is skillfully illustrated by the experiences of both Carrie and Alex and their growing friendship. “The Perfect Friend” is one of the best psychological thrillers I have ever read. This was my first Barbara Copperthwaite novel and I can’t wait to read more!

June 18, 2018September 7, 2018

BOOK REVIEW: “Girls’ Night Out”

What an amazing story! Based on the authors’ last book, I went in expecting another good thriller. While “Girls Night Out” certainly met that expectation, I was more intrigued by their thought-provoking analysis of long-term friendships. Anyone who has friends they’ve known for awhile will instantly be able to relate to the three main characters in this story. The authors have done a great job in layering the perspectives of Natalie, Lauren, and Ashley from both before and after “the night.” It was especially interesting that each woman had her own secrets that were revealed as the main “mystery” was unraveled. I thought the authors did a phenomenal job of illustrating the difficulties middle-aged women have when they come to a crossroads in life, and how even confiding in long-term friends can be a challenge. A definite must-read!

June 9, 2018September 7, 2018

BOOK REVIEW: “Lies”

WOW! It’s not often that a book leaves me speechless, but Lies certainly did. By the time the big reveal occurred (as it always does in psych thrillers) my jaw was hanging open and I couldn’t read fast enough! I really cannot say enough good things about this book. I loved that it was told from a male point of view, which is very different from many other psychological thrillers these days. I thought the plot was tightly written and there were no questions left unanswered; everything was “resolved” in the end. I especially liked the way the author wove a commentary about technology into the story, without preaching to the reader. Through Joe, the main character, we see how reliant we have become on the tech around us, and how that reliance can enable both good and bad events. A stand-out among psychological thrillers, and I can’t wait to read more from this author! Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

June 5, 2018September 7, 2018

BOOK REVIEW: “The Other Woman”

It’s so difficult to review a psychological thriller without giving away important plot points. I’m going to give it a try without giving too much away. This was one of the better books that I have read lately, but it had a few flaws. The author does a good job of making the primary villain extremely unlikable, almost too much so. At some points, I wondered why anyone would put up with someone so horrible, and not just walk away. However, I will say that that question does eventually get answered. Emily, the main character, goes through an awful lot, which is par for the course in a psychological thriller. I found her to be a little weak, but there was no particular reason given for her to be that way. In addition, the other antagonist (no name, don’t want to give it away) wasn’t fleshed out enough. I wanted more reasons for and/or examples of why and how that person was the way they were. The end reveal didn’t answer enough of those questions for me. All of that being said, it was still an enjoyable read, with a fairly tight plot. I would definitely recommend it to someone who likes the genre. I was given an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

June 3, 2018September 7, 2018

BOOK REVIEW: “Down With Love”

She had me at “Ramen. Freakin’. Noodles.”

I LOVED this book! At first glance, it seemed like it would be just another “Alpha male player finds the one woman who changes his ways” book. While that is an underlying theme, to reduce it to something that simple would be a great disservice. Max has so many more layers, as does Charlie. The journey that they take as they war with each other is both heartwarming and hugely entertaining (the quotes at the beginning of each chapter help guide the reader; I’d suggest maybe citing them if possible). Kate Meader has a way of writing that doesn’t seem as stilted as many other authors in this genre. Her characters are likable and they “spoke” in a way that was very natural; Charlie, especially, reminded me of how my friends and I talk. Meader also writes descriptively. I never highlight passages in books, but I highlighted more than a few in this one. My favorite was “…familiar doubts have a habit of dropping acid into the crevices in my self-assurance.” By using her words beautifully, (Max would be proud), she gives more life to her characters’ feelings. I will be putting Meader in my “favorite authors” list, and look forward to reading more books by her!

May 29, 2018September 25, 2018

BOOK REVIEW: “Mr. Nice Guy”

I was honestly confused by this book. From the description, I expected a more straightforward “he said/she said” story told through the competing magazine columns. That part of the story was interesting, and I think the book would have been fine if that had been it. But there was more to the story; a secondary plot about the main character, Lucas, trying to find his way in the publishing business. This became very convoluted. His boss’ backroom dealings, an odd financial benefactor and various other characters seemed to be filler. That being said, the “magazine job” angle would have been an interesting story on its own as well. What it all boils down to is that this book seemed to be a mash up of two separate books that never seemed to really entirely gel. It tried to do too much, and as a result, nothing was as gripping as it could have been.