Happy March! I’m finally getting my reading groove back. I do read a tad more when I’m stressed, in the endless stream of terrible news, I need my distractions more than ever. I got lucky and read some great books this past month and I still have a very long TBR list.
Never Saw Me Coming: Chloe is freshman in college and a psychopath. She got a free ride to college as long as she joins this secret clinical study for psychopaths the college sponsors. Chloe is new to DC but also has her own plans to kill a frat boy that wronged her years ago. Her plans gets a lot more complicated when a student in the same study is murdered. Is someone after all of them? She is also dead set on finding the other students in the program. This book was such a fun read, even if you are not a thriller person, this one wasn’t as scary and was more entertaining. I almost wish there was a sequel. 4.5/5 Stars
The Charm Offensive: Dev is a hopeless romantic and works as a producer for a Bachelor-like reality show called “Ever After”. Charlie is cast as the new prince charming and it’s not going well, Charlie is very awkward and anxious. He’s only doing this to restore his reputation in the tech world after having an episode. Dev gets reassigned to guide Charlie through this process. As the two get closer, their relationship gets a lot more complicated. This book was such a delight to read, I’m so happy a book like that exists. While a romance, it also deals with heavier mental health topics. 4/5 Stars
Wish You Were Here: It’s March 2020 and Diane is excited to visit the Galapagos with her boyfriend Finn that’s about to propose. Finn is a surgical resident and has to stay behind when the first few cases of covid are crashing on New York. Finn encourages her to go by herself and she does. She gets to the island the same day they are about to shut down and decides to stay instead of getting back on the ferry. She is stuck there for over a month without a cell connection and can barely reach her boyfriend. This forced extended vacation brings her closer to a local family and she starts questioning her some of her choices so far. I was dead set on not reading or watching anything Covid related but this book was incredible. It’s my first time reading this author, by the way the rights of this book were sold to Netflix and I cannot wait for the movie. 5/5 Stars
Just One Look: After snapping at work and losing her corporate job, Cassie now has to work as a temp to make ends meet. She is reviewing emails for a case at a law firm and soon stumbles upon emails that are clearly confidential between Forrest, a lawyer and his wife Annabelle. Cassie soon becomes obsessed with them and set her eyes on becoming the new woman in Forrest life. She is slowly mimicking Annabelle in order to get Forrest to fall for her, but how will she carry out this plan with Forrest while pretending to be someone she’s not exactly. This book was insane and should be titled “crazy b****”. 3.5/5 Stars
All The Lonely People: Hubert immigrated to England from Jamaica for more work opportunities way back. Now an older man in his 80s, he lives alone and talks to his daughter Rose weekly. When Rose announces she’s visiting from Australia, Hubert is excited but panicking as he made up all his friends when speaking to his daughter. He is actually quite lonely and now has to make an effort to make friends in order not to worry Rose. This is the best book I’ve read so far this year, it made me cry. It’s a wonderful book about the importance of having a community. Hubert’s story will both melt and break your heart. 5/5 Stars
The Simple Wild: Calla just lost her job and got the news that her dad she hasn’t seen in 24 years has cancer. Other than that, Calla’s life is pretty great, she lives in Toronto with her mom and step dad, she doesn’t have to pay rent and they are pretty well off. She decides to finally visit her dad in Alaska since she’s not working and this may be her last chance to reconnect with him. The trip is not off to a great start, to get to her dad, she has to get on this tiny plane and has to leave most of her luggage behind. The pilot, Jonah, is a rude man that seems to think she’s a spoiled city girl. She is indeed a city girl and not at all prepared for Alaska’s more rustic way of life. But day by day, she experiences the beauty of Alaska and grows closer to her dad and Jonah. I read this so fast, it was such a great palate cleanser after the previous heavier and darker books. 3.5/5 Stars