I managed to get through several books in May – I received my first Kindle for my birthday and I’ve been enjoying getting used to it! I’ve always wondered how I’d get on with a Kindle over a physical book, but I’ve adjusted really quickly. I’d almost say I’m a convert!
Sadly, I was left a little disappointed by this month’s reads. There wasn’t anything over 3.5 stars for me (I’ve been reading nothing but thrillers lately – perhaps I need a palate cleanser). Still, I’m happy I’ve made a dent in my 2024 Reading Challenge.
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The List of Suspicious Things by Jennie Godfrey
Yorkshire, 1979
Maggie Thatcher is prime minister, drainpipe jeans are in, and Miv is convinced that her dad wants to move their family Down South.
Because of the murders.
Leaving Yorkshire and her best friend Sharon simply isn’t an option, no matter the dangers lurking round their way; or the strangeness at home that started the day Miv’s mum stopped talking.
Perhaps if she could solve the case of the disappearing women, they could stay after all?
So, Miv and Sharon decide to make a list: a list of all the suspicious people and things down their street. People they know. People they don’t.
But their search for the truth reveals more secrets in their neighbourhood, within their families – and between each other – than they ever thought possible.
What if the real mystery Miv needs to solve is the one that lies much closer to home?
I enjoyed this – it was beautifully written and an easy, poignant read. It dealt with some pretty unsettling subjects but they were handled sensitively. The characters were wonderful – I especially enjoyed Miv’s POV. I listed via Audible and Joanne Froggatt did an amazing job narrating.
Despite being a child of the 90s, I enjoyed the 70s/80s nostalgia! Roller ball lipglosses, Wagon Wheels, donkey jackets and of course, drainpipe jeans.
I’ve only given 3.5 stars as it took me a while to get through – the first half was a little slow in parts and I didn’t find myself itching to keep reading. However, it picked up considerably toward the end.
Overall, I thought this was a fantastic debut novel. I look forward to reading more from the author!
The Housemaid by Freida McFadden
Every day I clean the Winchesters’ beautiful house top to bottom. I collect their daughter from school. And I cook a delicious meal for the whole family before heading up to eat alone in my tiny room on the top floor.
I try to ignore how Nina makes a mess just to watch me clean it up. How she tells strange lies about her own daughter. And how her husband Andrew seems more broken every day. But as I look into Andrew’s handsome brown eyes, so full of pain, it’s hard not to imagine what it would be like to live Nina’s life. The walk-in closet, the fancy car, the perfect husband.
I only try on one of Nina’s pristine white dresses once. Just to see what it’s like. But she soon finds out… and by the time I realize my attic bedroom door only locks from the outside, it’s far too late.
But I reassure myself: the Winchesters don’t know who I really am.
They don’t know what I’m capable of…
This was a creepy one! I was intrigued from the beginning and completely hooked after the first few chapters. Although I didn’t find the plot particularly original, it still kept me on my toes – I revelled in all the twists and turns! I also enjoyed the ending, which is a rarity for me with thrillers.
Although I liked the premise, I wasn’t a fan of the writing style. A reviewer on Goodreads commented that it read like a teenager’s diary and I’d have to agree. I also found the characters a bit vapid and didn’t warm to any of them (except perhaps Enzo).
Still, this was a fun page-turner and a must-read for anyone who’s a fan of Verity/Gone Girl.
The Murder After the Night Before by Katy Brent
Something bad happened last night. My best friend Posey is dead. The police think it was a tragic accident. I know she was murdered.
I’ve woken up with the hangover from hell, a stranger in my bed, and I’ve gone viral for the worst reasons.
There’s only one thing stopping me from dying of shame. I need to find a killer.
But after last night, I can’t remember a thing…
This was a difficult one to rate. The beginning drew me in and I quickly became invested in Molly and the whodunnit. However, I felt the author tried to cram too much in. The mystery became overly elaborate – there was so much going on and way too many plot lines to follow. I also guessed the majority of the twists before they were revealed.
Still, it was a fun and easy read and I finished it within two days. It was darkly funny in places yet explored several hard subjects such as sexual assault, revenge porn, grief and victim blaming. I liked the underlying message about the injustice of misogyny and the double standards between men and women, especially within social media.
Enjoyable enough, but forgettable.
Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste NG
In Shaker Heights, a placid, progressive suburb of Cleveland, everything is planned–from the layout of the winding roads, to the colors of the houses, to the successful lives its residents will go on to lead. And no one embodies this spirit more than Elena Richardson, whose guiding principle is playing by the rules.
Enter Mia Warren–an enigmatic artist and single mother–who arrives in this idyllic bubble with her teenaged daughter Pearl, and rents a house from the Richardsons. Soon Mia and Pearl become more than tenants: all four Richardson children are drawn to the mother-daughter pair. But Mia carries with her a mysterious past and a disregard for the status quo that threatens to upend this carefully ordered community.
When old family friends of the Richardsons attempt to adopt a Chinese-American baby, a custody battle erupts that dramatically divides the town–and puts Mia and Elena on opposing sides. Suspicious of Mia and her motives, Elena is determined to uncover the secrets in Mia’s past. But her obsession will come at unexpected and devastating costs.
I’m slightly late to the party with this one! I remember Little Fires Everywhere doing the rounds within the book community a few years back. I read dozens of positive reviews so I had high expectations. Sadly this didn’t live up to the hype for me.
The beginning drew me in and I enjoyed the first few hundred pages, but once I got around halfway through I found myself still waiting for the plot to start. For me the story began to stall toward the middle and I put it down for a while (I almost gave up on it). It picked up toward the end but I found myself wanting more resolution.
I didn’t warm to any of the characters – the only person I was rooting for was Bibi. I thought Mia was awful, despite the author clearly wanting her to come across as likeable. I felt so much time was spent on attempting to flesh each character out (for example, the chapter on Izzy and her violin teacher) yet everyone still came across as vapid and one-dimensional.
I’ve given this two stars as I thought it was well-written, but unfortunately it just wasn’t for me. I’m still planning on giving the TV adaption a watch, though – hopefully I’ll enjoy it more!
What have you been reading lately? x
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