The Lies We Told by Camilla Way 4 stars
This was really good. It's a mystery, taking place in Great Britain and I struggled to put it down. The cover does not match the story at all, so just read it. Don't look at it. I gave this 4 stars on Instagram and it was close to 5 for me.
Risen Motherhood by Emily Jensen and Laura Wifler 3 stars
I enjoyed this to an extent. However. I have thoughts when it comes to Christian books about motherhood. I mean, I could probably write my own book on the topic because I struggle to read these types without thoughts compounding my brain. It would take a lot for me to unpack this in a simple blurb. I would need a full blog post, at least. It's the same reason why I do believe that motherhood, in some ways, is fetishized, especially in the Christian community. It's a lot of thoughts and feelings that I have on the topic and I'm perfectly aware that this is my issue to sort out. This book, honestly, is fine. There was nothing detrimental in it. It's just a topic I'm very sensitive to, I've found.
The Perfect Girlfriend by Karen Hamilton 4 stars
This was a bit like Dexter meets You, from a female perspective. There were a lot of reviewers on Goodreads who thought it had major problems, but I really liked it.
The Marriage Lie by Kimberly Belle 2.5-3 stars
This was okay. It was perfectly readable but not great in terms of story. I found the main character to be incredibly unlikeable. We get it: you're a psychologist at a private school. No one cares, I promise.
The end wasn't that great either. It seems like it's supposed to be a twist, but it's not. It's just...meh.
I'll Be Gone in the Dark by Michelle McNamara 2.5-3 stars
I found this to be disjointed. There was a lot of hopping back and forth and I suppose the subtitle says it all "one woman's obsessive search". It's about Michelle. And they didn't have an arrest made when this book was published, so it's not like she could focus in on the actual killer.
So if you want to read a memoir about an author who accidentally OD'd on fentanyl + other prescription drugs (holy cow, I have questions), this is for you. That sounds unkind, but this really is just about her obsessive search, it's not about the victims or the killer. I see the value in it, but there's no resolution.
And this month's Did Not Finish books...
Before I Met You by Lisa Jewell
I quit this halfway through, so it goes onto my special DNF shelf on Goodreads. It wasn't bad, to be honest. It was just about a time period I really don't care for: the early 1990s. It moved a bit slowly too, so if you like dual-time-period books, it's fine. I just had other books I wanted to get to and didn't want to force myself to finish it.
The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang
Another DNF. I have no strong feelings about the book. Goodreads has a lot to say if you want to scan the 1-star reviews. It was just...pointless? I need to stop trying to read romance.
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This lands me at 10 books read for 2020 so far, and 2 that I didn't finish for one reason or another.
I'm noticing my real reading habits starting to poke through:
I like thrillers.
I have no patience for stories where I more or less know how they'll end, like rom-com type books.
Linking up with Jana and Steph!
