Tony & Susan- Austin Wright 

I always enjoy a book that leaves me thinking about the meaning after I’m done. I have never in my life enjoyed the movie more than the book until seeing Nocturnal Animals. Which is not to say that I didn’t enjoy Tony & Susan but more to say that director Tom Ford showed this complicated novel in a way that was haunting and beautiful.

Susan is lonely. She is often left alone by her physician husband and has become bored with her life. Her ex-husband sends a letter attached to a manuscript titled “Nocturnal Animals” that he has written. He asks her to read the novel and critique it as she had done when they were together. The deeper Susan gets into the novel the more she loses herself in the story.

Tony & Susan is 326 pages long and took me 4 days to read.

I give Tony & Susan a 3.5 out of 5. I considered rating this book lower after I first read it but it genuinely stuck with me and I still find myself thinking about it. I love that this novel has three stories woven into one. I’d recommend this book to someone who enjoys reading novels a second time.

Here’s to the adventure of finding a novel novel!

Lacey

The Twilight Wife- A.J. Banner

As you know, I’m a huge fan of mysteries. I always find myself looking forward to trying to figure out “who dun it” and guessing the ending. When I read about The Twilight Wife I knew I had to read this book.

Kyra Winthrop has lost her memory after the diving accident that almost killed her. She doesn’t remember the last few years with the exception of flashbacks that leave her more confused than she was before. Luckily she has her loving husband Jacob and although she doesn’t remember marrying him, she knows she has feelings for him from her flashbacks. When her flashbacks start to include other characters aside from her spouse, she starts to have doubts about the life she has built with him.

The Twilight Wife is 275 pages long and took me three days to read.

I really enjoyed The Twilight Wife and give it a 3 out of 5. While I have read other novels that are similar in style, I still found the characters fascinating and would recommend this book to others.

Thank you to Touchstone for sending me this copy!

Here’s to the adventure of finding a novel novel!

Lacey

Behind Her Eyes-Sarah Pinborough

If you’re in the mood to read a nonstop thriller then this is the book for you!  The ending to this story is NUTS and will leave you referring it to everyone you know.

Louise is a part time assistant at a psychiatrists office and a full time mom. She meets a guy at a bar and they immediately click. When she goes to work the next day after kissing this stranger she realizes the man from the bar is her new boss. She is taken aback not only by this fact but by also finding out that he has a gorgeous wife that she was previously unaware of. But even though Louise knows its wrong, she starts to fall for her boss while becoming friends with his wife. Discovering her boss is not the same man with his wife by witnessing his controlling behavior through their friendship puts dangerous thoughts in her head and the web that is woven by these characters cannot be undone and will keep you up at night racing to the finish.

Behind Her Eyes is 304 pages long and took me two days to read.

I give this story a 4.5 out of 5 for completely blowing my mind. Sarah Pinborough’s creativity in this novel is magnificent. She truly writes this story in a way that will knock the wind out of you by the end. I HIGHLY recommend this novel!! Thank you to Flatiron Books for sending me an advanced copy!

Here’s to the adventure of finding a novel novel!

Lacey

Without Mercy-Jefferson Bass

I hadn’t realized that this was book 10 in a series when I received it so now I have to add 9 books to my to be read list! I’ve always been creeped out/intrigued by the idea of body farms for research so when I saw this book I was immediately interested in reading it.

Bill Brockton is a long time forensic anthropologist that frequently gets called out to help solve difficult cases. When he gets called out to a disturbing case in the wilderness it not only opens up a world of possible hate crimes but also involves his arch nemesis. Not only does Bill feel obligated to solve this terrible crime but is also fighting for his own life.

Without Mercy is 333 pages long and took me four days to read.

I really enjoyed this book and give it a 3 out of 5. It certainly would have helped reading the other novels before but I was still able to enjoy it reading out of order.

Thank you to Harper Collins for sending me a copy of this book! 

Here’s to the adventure of finding a novel novel!

Lacey

Dark Matter- Blake Crouch 

You know when you get an “aha” moment when reading a book and it really starts to make you think that what you read could really happen?!?! Well I had that moment while reading this book and it freaked me out. Not that I was going to become some super smart scientist who can discover groundbreaking material, but just that there are other dimensions within our own. Crazy stuff going on in this book!!

Jason Dessen was once an up and coming scientist with a bright future ahead of him. No one had any doubt about that. When his future changes by getting a girl pregnant and settling down with her, his career takes the backseat. Fifteen years later Jason is a college physics professor and is happy in his average life with his wife and son. One night while leaving a bar he is kidnapped and questioned about his current life which not only scares him but makes him extremely curious. When he wakes up he feels different and his surroundings aren’t familiar. The man who woke him greets him like an old friend and the many people watching him all see incredibly proud. What is happening to him? Is he dreaming? It seems as though he is in a different world, one where he is not a physics professor but a world famous scientist who has accomplished great things. What is he going to do and how is he going to get back to his family?

Dark Matter is 340 pages long and took me three days to read.

I am giving Dark Matter a 4.5 out of 5 because this might be one of my favorite books of all time. With its ingenious plot and constant turning of the road to the finish, I was completely hooked. I highly recommend this book to anyone who will listen. It is fascinating and truly is a unique story!

Here’s to the adventure of finding a novel novel!

Lacey

Dear Amy- Helen Callaghan

I very rarely find that a book leaves me without a sense of who the author is. Dear Amy is no different. Helen Callaghan has a unique story to tell and I look forward to reading her future works.

Margot Lewis has a dark past. In the new life she has made for herself she is now a high school teacher that gives advice in a “Dear Amy” column. When she gets a letter from someone who is writing as a missing girl from 15 years prior seeking help from her captor,Margot is unsure of what to make of them. Is this a joke? She’s had prank letters sent to her before. This feels different, it feels real. When she goes the police they initially laugh her off but after taking a closer look , they start to believe Margot.

Dear Amy is 340 pages long and took me 3 days to read.

I give this novel a three out of five for keeping me intrigued throughout the story. Thanks to Harper Collins for sending me a copy of this great story.

Please leave your comments after you’ve read this book!

Here’s to the adventure of finding a novel novel!

Lacey

The Couple Next Door- Shari Lapena

While wedding planning I started reading this book and let me tell you, it got me second guessing getting married! Just kidding, but this book is so well written that I started double checking that, yes, I do actually know the person I’m going to marry!!

Anne and Marco Conti just had their first child. They are going through a bit of a rough patch since Anne had the baby as she has postpartum depression. When  their babysitter cancels at the last minute they decide to still go to their neighbors for the first time in months. They bring the baby monitor along and plan to check on the baby every 30 minutes. After doing as they promised and checking on the baby, they leave their neighbor’s house at 1 AM and arrive home to find an empty crib. When the police arrive, the police immediately suspect Anne and Marco. What could they have gained by hurting their baby? How well do they really know each other? Where is their daughter?

The Couple Next Door is 308 pages long and took me three days to read.

I give this novel a four out of five for it’s intriguing plot and twisty-turny story line! I highly recommend reading this book if you haven’t already!

Please comment with your thoughts after you’ve read!

Here’s to the adventure of finding a novel novel!

I See You- Clare Mackintosh

I’m back in my groove, y’all! Hopefully I’ll be able to start cranking out reviews like I’ve been wanting to! I’m very excited to share my thoughts on Clare Mackintosh’s “I See You” with you.

Zoe Walker is just your average, everyday woman that travels to home and work by train.  When she browses the newspaper on her way home she sees a familiar picture in the personals section with a phone number and a website “findtheone.com”. After looking closer she realizes that the picture is of herself. She is, naturally, freaked out about her picture being used in the paper without her consent. When Zoe recognizes another picture in the personals section dated a a few days before her own she tries to recall how she knows her. When she realizes that she knows this woman from an article about her keys being stolen on the train while she slept, Zoe calls the police.  Zoe becomes increasingly concerned that there is a connection of crime to the personals advertisement.  Is she next in line to get robbed or hurt?

I See You is 372 pages long and took me four days to read.

I give this novel a four out of five because it kept me completely on the hook! The excitement of this novel literally doesn’t stop until the last page. I highly recommend this book!!

Please comment with your thoughts after you’ve read!

Here’s to the adventure of finding a novel novel!

Lacey