I’m switching things up a bit & writing a monthly summary of all the books I’ve read instead of individual book reviews. I’ve read a few winners this month & one super weird train wreck book.
First up, I read When We Left Cuba by Chanel Cleeton. This is the prequel to Next Year in Havana (a Reese Witherspoon book club pick)- read my review of that book here. I LOVED this book. Taking place during the Cuban Revolution, When We Left Cuba follows a family’s journey from Cuba to America. Revenge is sweet, but do they ever get it? Definitely a must read- but read Next Year in Havana first.
Next up, Winter in Paradise by Elin Hilderbrand. OK so I LOVE her books- I know they are completely repetitive & basically all have the same story line. But I have a slight obsession with Nantucket so I think that’s why I can’t get enough (even though I’ve never been- on my bucket list). This book DOES NOT take place in Nantucket, so I would definitely give this book a shot if you are on the fence. A husband’s sudden death unearths a bunch of family secrets- and the drama ensues. This book is the first in this trilogy. Hurry up & read it before the second comes out in the fall.
I read the Keeper of Lost Things by Ruth Hogan not by choice. I am part of a virtual book club & this was the book picked. Honestly, it was just ok. I probably would have never picked this book up otherwise, but it was an easy read and a sweet story. An old man felt that his purpose in life was to collect all the missing objects he found along the way- a button in the street, a woman’s hair pin found in the park. His goal was to return all the missing things to their rightful owner, but then he passes away & leaves this task for his assistant Laura. A heartwarming story, but wouldn’t be at the top of my list to read.
Next Level Basic is FUNNY af. If you don’t know who Stassi Schroeder (star of Vanderpump Rules on Bravo) then you would not get this book. It’s basically a break down of how to own the basic bitch that lives inside all of us. Stassi throws in little stories of her life & she really is very funny. But again, if you’re not a fan of her or you’re not in your 20s-30s, then this book would be lost on you.
So They All Fall Down was a super strange book. I don’t even know why I picked it up from the library. A group of people are taken to a private island under the assumption that they will be filming a reality tv show. Turns out, it’s all a lie. They are brought there by one person they all know- and this man happens to have just passed away. While planning a memorial for this man, guests start dying one by one in this mansion on this private island. This book was so out there, totally not worth your time.
FInally, I read The Other Woman by Sandie Jones & it was SO good. This was such a twisted story about a girl with a mother-in-law from hell. If you like a thriller that has a huge plot twist at the end, then you’ll love this book. I highly recommend & this makes for a good beach read!
Happy Reading!
