Recent Reads
I didn't write a recent reads post last month.. honestly my recent reads haven't been all that great.
Synopsis - Present Day newly divorced, Julia Hamill, buys a house and discovers a skeleton in her front garden. Looking for answers to the ancient mystery dating back to 1830, she soon connects with the family of the previous owners.
The Bone Garden by Tess Gerritsen
In Boston, 1830: In order to pay for his education, Norris Marshall, a talented but penniless student at Boston Medical College, has joined the ranks of local “resurrectionists”–those who plunder graveyards and harvest the dead for sale on the black market. Yet even this ghoulish commerce pales beside the shocking murder of a nurse found mutilated on the university hospital grounds. And when a distinguished doctor meets the same grisly fate, Norris finds that trafficking in the illicit cadaver trade has made him a prime suspect. To prove his innocence, Norris must track down the only witness to have glimpsed the killer: Rose Connolly, a beautiful seamstress from the Boston slums who fears she may be the next victim.
Thoughts - This book seemed to have all the makings for a great who dunnit. It had very good reviews. But unfortunately it kind of dragged on for me. The last couple of chapters was where the pace really picked up and I hadn't seen the end coming so that was good.. but I had to skip over a lot of paragraphs in order to get there.
Lost and Found Sister by Jill Shalvis
Synopsis - After losing her sister in a devastating car accident, chef Quinn Weller is finally getting her life back on track. She appears to have it all: a loving family, a dream job in one of L.A.'s hottest eateries, and a gorgeous boyfriend dying to slip an engagement ring on her finger. So why does she feel so empty, like she's looking for a missing piece she can't find?
The answer comes when a lawyer tracks down Quinn and reveals a bombshell secret and a mysterious inheritance that only she can claim. This shocking revelation washes over Quinn like a tidal wave. Her whole life has been a lie. On impulse, Quinn gives up her job, home, and boyfriend. She heads up the coast to the small hometown of Wildstone, California, which is just a few hours north, but feels worlds apart from Los Angeles. Though she doesn't quite fit in right away, she can't help but be drawn to the town’s simple pleasures…and the handsome, dark-haired stranger who offers friendship with no questions asked.
As Quinn settles into Wildstone, she discovers there's another surprise in store for her. The inheritance isn't a house or money, but rather something earthshattering, something that will make her question everything she thought she knew about herself, about her family. Now with a world of possibilities opening up to Quinn, she must decide if this new life is the one she was always meant to have—and the one that could finally give her the fulfillment she's searched so long for.
The answer comes when a lawyer tracks down Quinn and reveals a bombshell secret and a mysterious inheritance that only she can claim. This shocking revelation washes over Quinn like a tidal wave. Her whole life has been a lie. On impulse, Quinn gives up her job, home, and boyfriend. She heads up the coast to the small hometown of Wildstone, California, which is just a few hours north, but feels worlds apart from Los Angeles. Though she doesn't quite fit in right away, she can't help but be drawn to the town’s simple pleasures…and the handsome, dark-haired stranger who offers friendship with no questions asked.
As Quinn settles into Wildstone, she discovers there's another surprise in store for her. The inheritance isn't a house or money, but rather something earthshattering, something that will make her question everything she thought she knew about herself, about her family. Now with a world of possibilities opening up to Quinn, she must decide if this new life is the one she was always meant to have—and the one that could finally give her the fulfillment she's searched so long for.
Thoughts - This was a cute read. It had heart. But it was predictable. I don't read a lot of contemporary romances but I like to read a couple here and there on the off chance that I will find one I love like The Rosie Project or Josh and Hazel Guide to Dating. But this was not it. I read it all the way up to the end but just didn't have the will to finish it.
Pretty Little Wife by Darby Kane
Synopsis - Lila Ridgefield lives in an idyllic college town, but not everything is what it seems. Lila isn’t what she seems. A student vanished months ago. Now, Lila’s husband, Aaron, is also missing. At first these cases are treated as horrible coincidences until it’s discovered the student is really the third of three unexplained disappearances over the last few years. The police are desperate to find the connection, if there even is one. Little do they know they might be stumbling over only part of the truth…. With the small town in an uproar, everyone is worried about the whereabouts of their beloved high school teacher. Everyone except Lila, his wife. She’s definitely confused about her missing husband but only because she was the last person to see his body, and now it’s gone.
Thoughts - This was the best of the three books. It was clever and unpredictable and kind of messed up.
These all sound good!
ReplyDeleteJennifer
Curated By Jennifer
Thanks for the reviews, I'm always on the lookout for good books.
ReplyDeleteI'm always looking for new books. Thanks for your reviews!
ReplyDeleteThe last one sounds the best, so I'm glad to know it was your favorite. I don't read much romance, but the dog on the cover of that one is really cute. 😊 I feel like I've read more mediocre books this year than normal. Maybe that says something about me rather than the books!
ReplyDeleteIt looks like you've been getting in some good reading. I love readni g in the summer. Always the best!
ReplyDeletePretty Little Wife sounds intriguing!
ReplyDelete"Clever and unpredictable and kind of messed up" -- yes, those are often the BEST novels and fun to read!
ReplyDeleteThere was a blogger I used to follow (she went dark on her blog) that absolutely adored Jill Shalvis. On her recommendation I read one of hers, and like you I wasn't terribly impressed.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteTess Gerritsen is an author I've had mixed success with. I really enjoyed her Rizzoli & Isles series but some of the other non-Rizzoli books have been misses for me because of slow pacing.
ReplyDeletei honestly don't know how you ever have time to read. you have a beautiful family but i am sure they keep you very busy!!
ReplyDeleteKind of messed up, oooo that sounds interesting lol. I struggle with who done its, I always figure it out before the end of the book and I get really annoyed so I stopped reading them.
ReplyDeleteAllie of
www.allienyc.com
The Bone Garden does sound like it would be really good! Too bad it felt slow to you!
ReplyDeleteI always enjoy your book reviews. I want to try and read 2 books a month this summer. I am going to check these out!
ReplyDeleteCarrie
curlycraftymom.com
Pretty Little Wife sounds good! Thanks for the honest reviews:)
ReplyDeleteIt's funny because after you read many, many books, some are quite predictable, aren't they? That's why it's nice to read the reviews like this to know which ones I should read next.
ReplyDeleteThanks Hena,
XOOX
jodie
www.jtouchofstyle.com
Pretty Little Wife sounds interesting! Thanks for the review!
ReplyDeletexoxo
Lovely
www.mynameislovely.com
I am attracted to the cover of Lost and Found Sisters. Too bad you couldn't finish reading it.
ReplyDeleteThank you for these honest reviews.
ReplyDeleteThat's unfortunate that The Bone Garden dragged! I've read books that I thought would be exciting and it just dragged.
ReplyDeletewww.rdsobsessions.com
Although books shouldn't be judged by their covers, I'd probably have picked up Lost and Found Sisters for its cover. I'm hearing you, though. This is a genre which can often be quite predictable indeed. I always push myself to finish any book I've started, but sometimes it can be hard work.
ReplyDeleteI'll be seeking out Pretty Little Wife, though. In fact, I think I saw it in a thrift shop the other day! Thank you for sharing Hena xxx
Very interesting books. I would like to read the lost and found sisters. I will try to find one :)
ReplyDeleteWell at least Pretty Little Wife was pretty good. I like it when books are unpredictable.
ReplyDeleteI'm putting Pretty Little Wife on my list!
ReplyDelete-Ashley
Le Stylo Rouge
All these books sound great! Thanks for sharing. I would like to read "Lost and Found Sisters"
ReplyDeletePretty Little Wife sounds like a great read! Adding this to my library list!
ReplyDeleteJill - Doused in Pink
Thanks for sharing your latest reads Hena!
ReplyDeletehttps://www.kathrineeldridge.com
the last one looks intriguing. Right now I'm barely reading the two books I have going at the same time because of the packing up a house, I cannot wait until I have more reading time!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for sharing
ReplyDeleteThanks for the reviews. It's never a good book if you have to speed read or skip or paragraphs. :)
ReplyDeleteIt's a shame you didn't enjoy all these books but nice you liked the third one :) It's always frustrating when a book sounds so good but you end up having to skip bits of it or don't finish it!
ReplyDeleteHope you had a great weekend :)
Away From The Blue
Someone else recently recommended Pretty Little Wife to me. I added it to my list but it isn't available for awhile. I hope I can read the sister book in the mean time.
ReplyDeleteYAY for reading!
ReplyDeleteI am sorry that none of these were great for you. I really enjoyed the Jill Shalvis book and hope to read Pretty Little Wives sometime soon.
ReplyDelete