After the recent glut of YA, I decided to pretend to be a grownup for a few days. I've been reading lots of positive reviews for this book (well, skimming, really - I tend not to read reviews for books too closely because I like to go into books with out too many preconceived notions).
So, I decided to give it a shot. According to Goodreads:
With her razor-sharp writing and trademark psychological insight, Gillian Flynn delivers a fast-paced, devilishly dark, and ingeniously plotted thriller that confirms her status as one of the hottest writers around.
Flynn regales us with the tale of a missing wife, and a husband who is accused of orchestrating her disappearance, and it is, indeed, devilishly dark. I made almost zero notes while I was reading, so I can't recall why I gave it only 3 stars rather than 4.What I do recall is that Flynn excels at writing super creepy villains. This was the kind of thriller that gets under your skin and leaves you feeling marked by the violence. It's a rare thing for a book to leave its reader with such a visceral reaction. I'd definitely recommend this to anyone who enjoys thrillers, murder mysteries, and the darker side.
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I really should have read these last two in opposite order, but for some reason it was vital that I start Gone Girl when I did - I think maybe it was due back at the library sooner? One more quick YA - this one was another that seems like it's been featured on almost every lit blog I read lately. I think it lived up to most of the hype. It was very teen-angsty but in a good way. I enjoyed the author's sense of humor even as she was tackling some not so funny situations. I also really liked that the book was set in the '80s, for some reason that decade just lends it self so well to these quirky, nerdy, but likable characters. I mean, John Hughes, anyone?
I am, sadly, the worst lit blogger ever. I, once again, made no notes, and thus - am reduced to a review that consists of "hey, this book was good." without being able to give any sort of actual analysis. I'd recommend this to anyone who enjoys Judy Blume and her ilk.
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Next up - I read And The Mountains Echoed by Khaled Hossei, but I am going to do a post dedicated to my book club selections later, so we'll discuss this one later. I'm listing it here because it pains me to list things out of order.
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Rounding out Part Deux, I've been eyeing this series for a while. While checking for the next book in the lastest of Linda Lael Miller's cowboy romances, I spied this on the shelf at Target - and, I won't lie, the title sort of amused me, especially on a romance novel. Also, the premise sounded totally like my brand of romance:"Wanted: Midwife/nurse practitioner in Virgin River, population six hundred. Make a difference against the backdrop of towering California redwoods and crystal-clear rivers. Rent-free cabin included." When the recently widowed Melinda Monroe sees this ad she quickly decides that the remote mountain town of Virgin River might be the perfect place to escape her heartache, and to reenergize the nursing career she loves. But her high hopes are dashed within an hour of arriving: the cabin is a dump, the roads are treacherous and the local doctor wants nothing to do with her. Realizing she's made a huge mistake, Mel decides to leave town the following morning.
But a tiny baby, abandoned on a front porch, changes her plans...and a former marine cements them into place.
Melinda Monroe may have come to Virgin River looking for escape, but instead she finds her home. (From Goodreads)
Unfortunately, I didn't pick it up at the time, and when I finally went back, it wasn't there. I've been periodically checking the library (they only had one copy) and it was eventually available, so I picked it up.
In this case, I'm glad I didn't buy it when I had the chance. I was really looking forward to this, but it really didn't deliver. The story line was ok, but the characters were flat and uninteresting. I feel like there was a lot of wasted potential. I'd probably consider giving the series one more chance, but the library doesn't have the complete series. As hard as it is for my walk away from a series once I've started, I think I'm gonna have to give this one a pass.
Up next, a little outdoor adventure with C.J. Box!
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