Year 4, week 32: Mystery 4-pack

Four mystery books this week:

Voices in the Snow
By Darcy Coates

This book was a buddy read for a reading challenge I am doing. A buddy read is when a group of people have an ongoing message thread from Facebook where they discuss the selected book while reading. When I read the synopsis it sounded creepy and fun, so I ordered it right away. I had never heard of the author, but I'm glad I tried her out. 

The book is about a woman who is saved after a car crash by a mystery guy who lives in a secluded gothic house. She had been driving to pick up family because something scary crazy is going on around the world. The weather seems to be attacking whoever is brave enough to go outside. What sucked me in was that the main character starts seeing really creepy things around the house.  The end of the book gets super weird and it's the first book in a series, which I don't really know if I will continue, but for the most part I liked it. I think I might get more of her books in the future. 

If you are looking for a creepy story check it out.

Behind Her Eyes
By Sarah Pinborough

I listened to this as an audiobook. I don't even remember why I had added it, I hadn't heard anything about it nor did I know it was a Netflix show. I wanted to use it as a prompt for a reading challenge and that is honestly the only reason I finished it. 

Since it's a thriller I don't want to give anything away but, blah, the ending made me cranky! Sorry if you loved this one, just not my cup of tea.

Emma in the Night
By Wendy Walker

I originally saw this book on a Book of the Month advertisement on Facebook. Upon first glance, this book looked interesting in a spooky way. The story follows the disappearance of two sisters, and three years later only one comes back...weird! Well I was going to add it to my next box of books, but the library ended up having it so I listened instead. 

I'm so glad I didn't buy it because I really didn't care for this book, and I was a bit annoyed with all the characters. Like all thriller mysteries, there is a twist ending and it's interesting but, meh, I've read better. It made me think of those old school Lifetime movies. 

If you want a mystery you could try it out.

The Perfect Marriage: A Completely Gripping Psychological Suspense
By Jeneva Rose

This book was another buddy read for the aforementioned online book group I'm in. It seems like everyone else reads much faster then me and finish the books way faster then me, but oh well. This book sounded interesting, so I picked it up from eBay for cheap and couldn't wait to read it. But unlike the other buddy read I did this month (check first book from this post) this book didn't deliver. 

The book revolves around a man who is accused of killing his mistress and his wife, who happens to be a lawyer, has to defend him. This book also feels like a Lifetime movie. There are so many moments through out the book that are so unbelievable and drove me crazy. Plus the book was just not written well. Finally, I hated the ending (but I won't spoil it, so I can't tell you why). I've read some really good books recently and the writing in this book is just blah. 

I just didn't love this book.

Year 4, week 31: The Hundred and One Dalmatians

This week's book:
The Hundred and One Dalmatians
By Dodie Smith

When the kids and I saw the trailer for the new Cruella movie that is suppose to come out this summer, we decide to read the original novel. When I say we, I mean I decided and then found the audiobook from the library because I thought the kids would get a kick out the story. Also I needed to read a story with a female villain. I loved the Disney classic cartoon from the 1960's when I was a kid. I know I've watched it with the kids a few years back, but they don't remember, so we're watching it again this week. Now you might be asking yourself "Now Emily, don't forget about the live action versions from the 1990's." I don't love either of them, which is a bummer because I love a lot of the actors from it. 

The kids and I listened to the book while mostly in the car and while eating breakfast in the morning. It was a fun read, minis a few mildly sexist comments about the mother dog whose actual name is Mrs. There is also an additional dog mom that has to help feed the puppies because Mrs. doesn't produce enough milk. 

I'm interested to see what they do with the origin story of Cruella. The book explains she was kicked out of school as a girl for drinking ink and that she has drowned all of her cat's kittens, so I'm dying to see how they try to spin that she is just some misunderstood character that should be loved. I mean, she literally steals puppies from their homes to make a fashion line of Dalmatian coats! 

Family reviews:

Mikey: "We listened to it everywhere. I liked it. I really like the whole book 101 Dalmatians."

Lily: "There's 100 Dalmatians in the 101 Dalmatians book. They find another mommy dog that's have brown spots not black spots. There is lady who takes them named Cruella DeVil. She changed her husband's name to DeVil too. The dogs are missing and the mommy dog and the daddy dog go and try to find them. The other mommy dog with the brown spots mommy dog was staying at home. Corolla [sic] was trying to turn their babies into coats into a big coat. I did like the story. I'm excited to watch the cartoon movie."

Rosie: "doogie!!!"

Year 4, week 30: The Nightingale

This week's book:
The Nightingale
By Kristin Hannah

Everyone and their dog has read this book. Every time someone asks for book suggestions, someone always says "have you tried The Nightingale?" True confession: I thought this book was the same book as The Goldfinch, which I have had a copy of for a few years and keep meaning to read, but still haven't. What can I say, both books are named after birds and are long... whatever, I'm tired. 

Anyway, this month, in a reading challenge group I'm in, one of the prompts was read a book by Kristin Hannah, so I thought I'd try this one out. The book follows a pair of sisters in France during and after World War II. I'm going to be honest, it took me a very long time to get into the story, and if I hadn't been listening to it as an audiobook I might have never finished it. It's a very dense book that is really a epic storyline. That being said, I did enjoy the novel. I enjoyed the two sisters that were so strong and survived some very hard life challenges. 

I normally don't love historical fiction but this one was interesting. I would recommend it if you want a sweeping epic read. 

Year 4, week 29: The Broken Girls

This week's book:
The Broken Girls
By Simone St. James

This book was a buddy read for a reading challenge that I'm in. A dear friend of mine read this late last year and loved it; sadly she read it as an e-book so I couldn't borrow (steal) it from her. My first Book of the Month book ever last January was another St. James book and I liked it very much. 

This book sucked me in right away. The story is split between two places in time. The modern 2014, where a journalist is trying to write an article about the sight of her older sister's murder at a former the boarding school. The rest of the book takes place in the fall of 1950 at an all girls boarding school for troubled girls, where there seems to be a ghost haunting all the girls. Each of the 1950 chapters is told from the point of view or one of the girls that live at the boarding school. 

I don't want to give too much, but I really liked this book. If you like ghost stories and creepiness, check this one out! 

Year 4, week 28: Concrete Rose

This week's book:
Concrete Rose
By Angie Thomas

This week's book is the prequel to The Hate U Give and, in a way, On the Come Up as well. When I heard there was going to be a prequel to The Hate U Give, I pre-ordered it right away. I pre-ordered so long ago, I had forgotten if I had ordered it or not, so it was a surprise when it came in the mail. I had always wanted to know more about the dad in the original book, so I devoured this book. 

 The story is of Maverick Carter (Star's dad) in the late 90's, when he was just a high school student and figuring out how to be a father while his own father is serving time in prison. He is faced with how to provide for your children when you think slinging drugs and life in a gang is your only option. When Maverick is faced with trying to avenged a loved one, will he take the responsibility into his own hands? 

If I wasn't currently home with all three of my children 24/7, I think I would have been able to sit down and read this book in a day. It reads like you are watching a movie, and I had a really hard time putting it down. I would highly recommend this book if you liked The Hate U Give, or really if you have eyes.