Time for some book reviews- it’s my summer book list! Now, I did, of course, read more than five books, but these are my favorites and I can highly recommend them to you!
I read a lot, always have. How do you decide what to read next? I read reviews and follow bloggers that post about their favorite books. Take a look at these five and keep checking back here. For a long time, I have posted book reviews on the last Friday of each month, and starting in August 2020 I started posting a single book review every Tuesday!
Voyager by Diana Gabaldon
This is the third book in the Outlander series. I have read this book a few times and listened to it a few times. When I found the series available on Audible.com I started from the beginning again! I listen to books when I do mindless chores like housework and when I exercise. The narrator of this series is spectacular.
If you are not familiar with Outlander here’s a brief background. Claire is visiting Scotland with her husband in the 1940’s and finds herself at a standing stone circle. When she touches one of the stones she is thrown through time and awakens to the year 1743 in Scotland. Soon she meets Jamie Fraser and soon after that must marry him to stay safe. It’s quite an adventure and totally believable. It is well written, very historical, and my favorite books ever. Start with Outlander and work through all 8 books. 5+ stars
The Quiet Game by Greg Iles
This book was compared to books by John Grisham. It is a legal thriller and was a page-turner for me. It’s the story of a lawyer, Penn Cage, who returns to his hometown in Mississippi and becomes embroiled in several hometown secrets and scandals. He encounters dishonest judges, corruption with the FBI, and even blackmail of his own family. There might even be a fire or two! It was a fun read. 4 stars
The Maze Runner by James Dashner
This book was surprisingly good. It was compared to books like The Hunger Games and I did find that to be somewhat true. It’s a futuristic look at a group of captured boys that must constantly try to solve a maze. The maze is inhabited by strange metallic creatures that can harm the boys or kill them. The worst part is that the maze changes every day so any progress made is cast aside. Lots of suspenseful moments and then a girl shows up. Yep, that changes things…. 4.5 stars
What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarty
Oh my, I loved this book. Alice is in a spin class and blacks out. When she awakens she has forgotten the last ten years of her life, including the birth of three children. She also discovers her husband has filed for divorce. The rest of the book deals with her change in attitude and behavior after discovering she was a real b**** for the previous ten years. 4 stars
The Good Girl by Mary Kubica
This was my favorite. It’s the story of a kidnapping. Mia is meeting her boyfriend in a bar and when he doesn’t show up she impulsively decides to go home with Colin, a stranger she has just met. After this one night stand, he takes her to a remote cabin and keeps her captive. It turns out her father is a prominent judge and the family has some pretty startling secrets. I was nearly at the end of this book, like two pages left when it seemed the story had been resolved. And then something happened that I completely did not see coming. Great ending. 4.5 stars
Which one will you try first?
My rating system: 5 stars- perfection, the book was written well, held my attention, and I did not want it to end. 4 stars- the book was really good, but I had questions or concerns about parts of it. This might include the way it ended. 3 stars- the book was okay, but I just didn’t like it much. 2 stars- I skimmed most of it. 1 star- I could not finish it.
You might also enjoy these reviews:
- Life’s a Beach (Beach books)
- Beach Reads (more summer books)
- The Never-Ending Book List
Thanks for the suggestions! I will be reading The Good Girl soon as it sounds great!
Thanks for visiting Angie! You will love the book you picked. It was totally believable and the ending caught me by surprise. I liked it much better than Gone Girl! Have a great weekend!