My thoughts on the books I read this month.
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“First Lie Wins” - Ashley Elston
I went into this pretty much blind. I had seen it all over the place and it was recommended by a friend. I’m so glad that she did because it pushed it to the front of my want to read list.
This is a well written cat and mouse story. I found just enough crumbs along the trail to keep the story moving forward. The flashbacks in time all tied in nicely with the story, there was a good balance of character development and plot and while there were a few surprises, they were ones that were logical.
I didn’t realize this was written by a Louisiana author and was based in Louisiana until I started the book. That adds a little extra for me. But no matter where you live, this is one for any reader of thrillers.
Thanks Gayle for pushing it up my TBR.
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Bright Young Women - Jessica Knoll
A good fictional telling of the victims story. I graduated college in 1978 so I remember the fear the FSU attack brought - even in a small Arkansas college. This made me think a little beyond that fear and more about those left dealing with the loss of family and friends.
The story is told in what I would call 3 timelines. There’s the 1974 attack in Washington, the 1978 attack in Florida and current day. Because of this, there were times that the people and events got a little confused in my mind. The story overcame this.
I’m sure others, like me, found themselves googling to see how much is based in truth and how much was a device to advance the story. Overall it doesn’t matter as the emotions are evoked. Bottom line, a book worth the read.
Those Empty Eyes - Charlie Donlea
This is my first Charlie Donlea book, but I don't think it will be my last. I like how he developed the story and while I had a few things figured out, he still kept me guessing. I did feel as if the ending was a little lacking, but overall an engaging story.
Good Bad Girl - Alice Feeney
Another good one from Alice Feeney. I usually don’t work too hard trying to figure out where her story is headed. I mainly let it carry me along. I enjoyed this one. The twists all fell into place in a way that made sense. There were a few times though that just seemed a little eye rolling - especially with one of the characters. I’ve now read all but one of Ms Feeney’s books and have yet to be disappointed.
This is one of my 12 books in 12 months for 2024 and I’m thankful to Jane for recommending it.
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The Exchange: After The Firm - John Grisham
This isn't a bad book - it just seemed to lack something. I kept waiting for that "oh no" moment that came with Grisham's earlier books like The Firm, but I never got it. The story in and of itself was ok, but one has to wonder how often one person can find themself in the middle of trouble such as this. I also didn't get the connection at the first with the trip to Memphis. Maybe it was just to make the connection to The Firm, but it just kind of hung out there.
I'm not mad I read it, but also not one that will be at the top of my recommendation list.
This was our Book Club read for January.
The Flower Sisters - Michelle Collins Anderson
A nice debut drawn from a true event. I enjoyed the story as a whole. The characters were well developed. The dual timeline was not overdone - it fit together and made sense. What kept this book from being a home run for me is mainly the ending. It’s not that the ending in and of itself was bad, it was the way it was written. It felt rushed through part of it and honestly fit more in the 1920’s timeline than the 1970’s one. I also felt like everything worked out too nicely. The last chapter is one I feel mixed about. On one hand, it was a good way to wrap up things, but in another way it seems a little out of place.
I would read another book by this author.
Thanks to Kensington Books for this book that I got through a Goodreads giveaway.
Eight Perfect Hours - Lia Louis
A delightful romance that is about 2 people who seemed fated to be together ....or are they? Easy reading, good story and entertaining. As is with most of these type stories, you have to stretch belief just a little, but that's what makes it fun.
⭐️⭐️
Don’t Know Tough - Eli Cranor
This book - I was excited to read it and expected a lot. I was disappointed. The plot is interesting and there’s some good character development. But there’s too many characters that I could never get a grip on. The writing overall is done well, but the first person dialect became stale and almost a parody at times.
My biggest problem is in the ending. There’s a lot that doesn’t make sense. I could stretch it a little, but I have a major issue with the actions of one of the characters. Several days after finishing this book, I’m still mad at the author over it.
Lost Boy Found - Kristen Alexander
It always pains me to rate a book less than 3 stars, but here we are. I really wanted to like this book. Family drama, mystery, historical fiction and set in Louisiana. Should be in one of my sweet spots. It just fell so flat for me.
It was a slow read for most of the book. The story picked up for about the last third, but by then I was not as interested in how it was going to turn out. There is a major plot hole that stuck with me and don’t even get me started on the ending. So unbelievable on several levels. I did finish it, but several times thought about sitting it aside. Many readers though have loved it so once again, this might be the book for you.
I also had would DNF -
The Echo of Lost Books - Barbara Davis
I saw this in the library and thought it looked interesting. The story however was not the story I was expecting. It is more of a romance story than I expected and that is not what I wanted. The writing is not bad, the plot and characters are not bad, just not for me.
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