Show Us Your Books: August 2018

August was a busy month. Then again, they all feel busy anymore. But, truly, I worked a lot last month and had a lot on my social calendar. But I somehow found time to finish three books.

 

Told from varying viewpoints, this is a story about two women -- one with a polished, perfect life and the other with a traumatic past. Throughout the story, their lives become intertwined. Even though I sensed some of the creepiness, there were still twists I didn't see coming. And I was still kind of shell-shocked as it ended.

My friend, Rena, is back with her second novel. Her debut ("The Girl Before") shed some light on the world of human trafficking. Even as a work of fiction, I knew some of it was rooted in truth and it was a lot to take in. This novel is about Julia, a woman who so badly wants to do everything -- have the big job, find the right guy, etc. Bryce sweeps into her life and looks like he can help her achieve everything. But things aren't always as good as they seem. I will admit, Bryce bugged me from the beginning, but I was waiting to see how it would play out. The ending was not at all what I expected. Much like with Rena's first novel, I was left with some questions and some uncertainty about how to feel about certain things. But I don't mind that kind of aftermath. I think I enjoyed her debut more, but I still really enjoyed this book too.

I shifted gears considerably after those two reads. To an Emily Giffin novel. It's the story of two sisters who have different memories and ways of coping with a tragic event in their past. As the anniversary of the event comes around, both women find themselves dealing with some big changes in their lives. Meredith's marriage is shaky and Josie is ready to skip marriage and go straight to having a baby. But they both realize they need to work through their past to make any headway with their futures. It was a dramatic read, but a nice break after the two thrillers.