This month was kind of average as far as the amount I read. But the books were all pretty good! 7 books. 2,349 pages. An average of 78 pages a day.
Between Sisters by Kristin Hannah (425 pages). Meghann Dontess (high powered divorce attorney in Seattle) and Claire Cavenaugh (campground resort owner in Harlen) are sisters. But also strangers. When their actress mother abandoned them, Meg was just a teenager. And all she could do was find Claire’s father and ask for help. Meg never felt part of this new family and left. Now the sisters barely know each other. But when tragedy strikes, it turns out that sisters are sisters, no matter what. It was a sweet story. I finished in 4 days.
The Perfect Marriage by Jeneva Rose (320 pages). Sarah Morgan is a powerful defense attorney in DC. Her husband, Adam, is a once promising author who now spends his time at their lake house, trying to recapture his literary success. And having an affair with a local waitress named Kelly. When Kelly is found stabbed 37 times in his bed, Adam is charged with her murder. His only hope? His wife’s fantastic courtroom skills. Because Adam swears he didn’t do it. And unless Sarah can find the true killer, Adam might be found guilty. Really enjoyed this one!! I finished in 3 days.
The Perfect Divorce by Jeneva Rose (277 pages). The sequel to The Perfect Marriage. It’s been 12 years since the trial of Adam Morgan. Sarah is remarried to Bob Miller, a former coworker. Their life with their daughter seems perfect. Until Bob cheats. And his mistress goes missing. And the former sheriff who led the murder investigation on Kelly becomes connected to that case through DNA. But Sarah is always one step ahead. I liked the first one better than this one. But it was still pretty good. I finished in 2 days.
Gone Before Goodbye by Reese Witherspoon and Harlan Coben (333 pages). Maggie McCabe is a combat surgeon and renowned plastic surgeon whose whole life has gone up in flames, including the loss of her husband and the revocation of her medical license. When her beloved mentor offers her a job opportunity that is too good to pass up, she doesn’t. And finds herself in Russia, performing plastic surgery on a Russian oligarch and his mistress. But when one of her patients disappears, Maggie realizes there was more to this surgical request than she first thought. And she quickly has to make sure that she’s not the next to disappear. Her father in law, Porkchop, might be one of my favorite characters. He’s a tough biker who will do anything for family. I finished in 4 days.
The Dictionary of Lost Words by Pip Williams (359 pages). In 1882, Esme is born into a world of words. Her father is a lexicographer at the Scriptorium who works under Dr Murray, the man responsible for the first complete Oxford English Dictionary. While Esme finds words themselves fascinating, she finds the ones that are discarded from inclusion even more fascinating. Most of these words have never been written down but are said almost daily. Mostly by women. So Esme begins collecting these lost words. Esme’s life covers the suffragette movement, WWI, love, death, loss and everything in between. Which Esme is a fictional character, the men she worked with at the Scrippy were very real. It was a fascinating look at language and words. I finished in 3 days.
Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke (391 pages). Natalie Heller Mills is a 32 year old tradwife influencer. She is pregnant with her sixth child. And her life is perfect. Or so she claims. With her 2 nannies, full time social media producer, ranch hands, 5+ million followers and very rich in-laws that fund a very cushy “farm life”. But one day, Natalie wakes up in her house. With completely different children and a slightly different husband. And the year is now 1855. Natalie has no idea how to function in this life, despite her social media reflecting otherwise. And this life just seems wrong. It’s way more of a psychological thriller than I thought it would be from the description. And quite a satirical commentary on social media influencers. But I really liked it! I finished in 4 days.
The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath (244 pages). Esther Greenwood is 19. And on top of the world. She’s won an internship that’s allowed her to work in New York for part of a summer. She is inspired to be a poet. But then, something switches. And she slowly descends into a breakdown. It’s semi autobiographical. And a commentary of societal pressures on women that existed in the 1950’s (and honestly still today). This book was depressing and a little disjointed. I didn’t love it (but my heart still breaks for Sylvia Plath and her life). I finished in 3 days.
This month’s favorite was…The Dictionary of Lost Words. Y’all know I love historical fiction!
