"coffee and chill" tee // Topshop blue striped PJ pants
dalmatian print pillow // IKEA shelf // Pottery Barn couch // MAC lipstick in "pink nouveau"
Happy Friday, everyone!! After mentioning that I read a really good book the other day, I had a lot of requests for a book review. I was actually surprised to realize that I've read quite a few since my last book review - and most of them are so good I couldn't them down. Right now I'm mainly interested in psychological thrillers, but there is a romance thrown in there! If you want to read my other book reviews, you can catch them HERE & HERE.
1. THE RIVER AT NIGHT by Erica Ferencik
This is the book I just finished - I started it at night and then finished it the next morning. It pulls you in right from the beginning, I literally couldn't put it down!! The main character, Winifred, is planning a reunion and getaway with her three best friends since childhood. The four women choose to go hiking and white water rafting in a remote area of Maine - and what starts out as a fun, invigorating trip quickly turns into a nightmare. I don't want to say any more than that - but I will say that this book makes me TERRIFIED to ever go camping again!!!!
2. BEFORE I GO TO SLEEP by S.J. Watson
This one was really good!! This is also a psychological thriller with a HUGE twist at the end. The protagonist, Christine, has amnesia from a brain trauma, and wakes up every morning with her memory wiped clean. She finds that she is able to make new memories throughout the day, but her brain erases them while she sleeps (I don't think this type of amnesia really exists in real life, but I was willing to accept it for the sake of the story). Christine begins to keep a journal to help your remember things, and soon suspects that some people around her aren't telling her the full truth.
3. NEVER ALONE by Elizabeth Haynes
Elizabeth Haynes is one of my favorite authors, so when I found out she had written a new book, I was all over it! Sarah Carpenter, the protagonist, lives in an isolated farmhouse in North Yorkshire. Her husband recently passed away and her two children are out of the house, so when an old acquaintance of hers, Aiden, needs somewhere to stay, Sarah offers the guest cottage to him. There's a budding romance between Sarah and Aiden, but when Sarah finds herself in great danger, she doesn't know if she can trust him. I will say that this entire book kept me on my toes trying to figure out what was happening; however, I didn't LOVE the ending. It was still a great read, though.
4. SAFE WITH ME by K.L. Slater
The description of this book sounds like it would be amazing and very similar to Gone Girl or Girl on the Train, however I didn't enjoy it nearly as much. The protagonist, Anna, lives a solitary existence, taking solace in order and routine. One day she witnesses a car accident and recognizes the driver as a woman who ruined her life a long time ago. As Anna becomes obsessed with finding the driver of the car, her own secrets start to unravel, and she becomes creepily obsessed with the man injured in the accident. The whole book was completely unrealistic, and Anna is CRAZY - I hated her by the end of the book, but I kept reading just to find out the ending. In conclusion, I would recommend skipping this one. It's not worth the read!
5. BEHIND CLOSED DOORS by B.A. Paris
I read this one back in November and it's one of my favorite book I've ever read, to date. I couldn't read another book for a whole month afterwards because nothing compared to it! Although this thriller is somewhat action-driven, it has a creepily calm atmosphere that is meant to deceive the reader in the beginning. Jack and Grace look like the perfect couple from the outside: he has looks and wealth, she has charm and elegance. At first they appear to be madly in love, but very quickly the readers realizes that something in their relationship is very, very wrong. I don't want to say any more that that because I don't want to ruin it for y'all! Part of the reason this book is so terrifying is because it's not far-fetched, it could actually happen. If you read one book from this blog post, READ THIS ONE!
6. THE GIRL BEFORE by Rena Olsen
Clara Lawson is torn from her life in an instant - her home is invaded by armed men and she finds herself separated from her beloved husband and daughters. The last thing her husband yells at her is to, "say nothing." It took me a while to realize what this book was really about: human trafficking. The subject matter is difficult, disturbing and uncomfortable, however the novel is so well-written and you're 100% on Clara's side throughout the whole story. The characterizations are rich and full, you feel like you know the characters in real life. And just a warning: this book is not for the faint of heart, there are some scenes of sexual violence. All in all, I thought it was an amazing book.
7. CRAVING // OBSESSION // POSSESSION (The Steel Brothers Saga) by Helen Hardt
I read these books on a whim while I was in Lake Tahoe because they were featured on my iBooks app and they were really cheap! These books are not for everyone, however, if you liked "Fifty Shades of Grey" then you will LOVE these books! They're just like the Fifty Shades series, except they're set in Texas and have a very southern, country feel to them. The story is pretty brilliant (mainly romance, but there are some darker themes of sexual abuse) and the chemistry between Jade and Talon is unparalleled.
Okay, that's it guys! If you have any book recommendations I'd love to hear them! Let me know in the comments! You can check out my other book reviews HERE & HERE.
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