Grab a coffee and get ready to jot down four books you need for your summer!
To keep on your nightstand...
Jessica's Knoll's first book, Luckiest Girl Alive, wasn't for everyone but I really enjoyed it. Her main character (while crazy) was flawlessly written, and I appreciated the flashbacks to her high school experiences that helped shape her. I was super excited to dive into her second release (The Favorite Sister
) but halfway through I chalked it up to the sophomore slump. Knoll was trying too hard, there were too many characters, the set-up took forever. The book lay unopened on my nightstand for days. That's not the sign of a good read. With my library return date soon approaching, I reluctantly picked the book back up... and the second half saved it for me. The Amazon rating for this book is low, and I'm guessing those readers didn't actually finish the book, because the entire last half is amaze - so much so that once I was into it I just had to finish it, and stayed up way too late given that I still had Mama duties in the morning! Think Liane Moriarty, with The Real Housewives spun in. Fabulous, right?Amazon Synopsis:
When five hyper-successful women agree to appear on a reality series set in New York City called Goal Diggers, the producers never expect the season will end in murder…
Brett's the fan favorite. Tattooed and only twenty-seven, the meteoric success of her spin studio—and her recent engagement to her girlfriend—has made her the object of jealousy and vitriol from her castmates.
Kelly, Brett's older sister and business partner, is the most recent recruit, dismissed as a hanger-on by veteran cast. The golden child growing up, she defers to Brett now—a role which requires her to protect their shocking secret.
Stephanie, the first black cast member and the oldest, is a successful bestselling author of erotic novels. There have long been whispers about her hot, non-working actor-husband and his wandering eye, but this season the focus is on the rift that has opened between her and Brett, former best friends—and resentment soon breeds contempt.
The Favorite Sister explores the invisible barriers that prevent women from rising up the ranks in today's America—and offers a scathing take on the oft-lionized bonds of sisterhood, and the relentless pressure to stay young, relevant, and salable.
Amazon: 3.3/5
My Rating: 4.1/5
To bring to the beach...
In case you couldn't tell from the title, this book is the perfect beach read! From the author of The Devil Wears Prada, this novel follows Emily (played by Emily Blunt in the movie adaptation) after she leaves Vogue Runway magazine. It's a light read, and ideal for a bright and sunny day!
Amazon Synopsis:
Welcome to Greenwich, Connecticut, where the lawns and the women are perfectly manicured, the Tito’s and sodas are extra strong, and everyone has something to say about the infamous new neighbor.
Let’s be clear: Emily Charlton does not do the suburbs. After leaving Miranda Priestly, she’s been working in Hollywood as an image consultant to the stars, but recently, Emily’s lost a few clients. She’s hopeless with social media. The new guard is nipping at her heels. She needs a big opportunity, and she needs it now.
When Karolina Hartwell, a gorgeous former supermodel, is arrested for a DUI, her fall from grace is merciless. Her senator-husband leaves her, her Beltway friends disappear, and the tabloids pounce.
In Karolina, Emily finds her comeback opportunity. But she quickly learns Greenwich is a world apart and that this comeback needs a team approach.
So it is that Emily, the scorned Karolina, and their mutual friend Miriam, a powerful attorney turned stay-at-home suburban mom, band together to not only navigate the social land mines of suburban Greenwich but win back the hearts of the American public. Along the way, an indispensable ally emerges in one Miranda Priestly.
With her signature wit, Lauren Weisberger offers an alluring look into a sexy, over-the-top world—and proves it’s style and substance together that gets the job done.
Amazon: 4.1/5
My Rating: 3.8/5
To tote in your handbag...
Y'all. I read the jacket of this book and gasped. I was a honeymooner in Bora Bora... who went scuba diving... and stayed at The Four Seasons Resort. Truth be told, because I had lived the exact experience so closely (I walked the very beach that was described in the book) it made reading the beginning a bit creepy. After getting through the initial travel to Tahiti, however, the book was fast paced and super interesting.
Erin is a documentary filmmaker on the brink of a professional breakthrough, Mark a handsome investment banker with big plans. Passionately in love, they embark on a dream honeymoon to the tropical island of Bora Bora, where they enjoy the sun, the sand, and each other. Then, while scuba diving in the crystal blue sea, they find something in the water. . . .
Suddenly the newlyweds must make a dangerous choice: to speak out or to protect their secret. After all, if no one else knows, who would be hurt? Their decision will trigger a devastating chain of events. . .
Amazon: 3.9/5
My Rating: 4.3/5
To take on a flight...
This book was super creepy in an "oops, we entered into a cult" kind of way. The last part gets a bit drawn out (and graphic), and I didn't care for the ending, but it was definitely a can't look away read.
Amazon Synopsis:
Newlyweds Alice and Jake are a picture-perfect couple. Alice, once a singer in a well-known rock band, is now a successful lawyer. Jake is a partner in an up-and-coming psychology practice. Their life together holds endless possibilities. After receiving an enticing wedding gift from one of Alice’s prominent clients, they decide to join an exclusive and mysterious group known only as The Pact.
The goal of The Pact seems simple: to keep marriages happy and intact. And most of its rules make sense. Always answer the phone when your spouse calls. Exchange thoughtful gifts monthly. Plan a trip together once per quarter. . . .
Never mention The Pact to anyone.
Alice and Jake are initially seduced by the glamorous parties, the sense of community, their widening social circle of like-minded couples.
And then one of them breaks the rules.
The young lovers are about to discover that for adherents to The Pact, membership, like marriage, is for life. And The Pact will go to any lengths to enforce that rule.
For Jake and Alice, the marriage of their dreams is about to become their worst nightmare.
Amazon: 3.9/5
My Rating: 4.2/5
Happy Reading!
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