I can’t believe we’re at the end of April! It almost flew right by me and I would have forgotten to review the books I read this month.
I was able to read THREE books this month! After I mailed off my portfolio on April 16, I felt like I gained back so much of my life–that even though I still am in one last class required for my degree, I had so much free time that I could devote to reading since I only had one assignment due each week.
Last month I read Joshilyn Jackson’s latest book The Opposite of Everyone and enjoyed it–although Someone Else’s Love Story is my favorite of hers. (Side note: My book club Skyped with her at our meeting this month and she shed so much light on characters to where I was a little upset with the ending after she revealed how she intended it to be.) Since this month felt like it was about her, I read two more of her books.
“Nonny Frett understands the meaning of the phrase “in
between a rock and a hard place” better than any woman
alive. She’s got two mothers, “one deaf-blind and the
other four baby steps from flat crazy.” She’s got two
men: a husband who’s easing out the back door; and a
best friend, who’s laying siege to her heart in her front
yard. And she has two families: the Fretts, who stole her
and raised her right; and the Crabtrees, who won’t forget
how they were done wrong. Now, in Between,
Georgia, a feud that began the night Nonny was born
is escalating and threatening to expose family secrets.
Ironically, it might be just what the town needs…if only
Nonny weren’t stuck in between.”
This book took me a while to get into it, but I enjoyed it enough to read another Jackson book!
For some reason, I didn’t read this when my book club did. Since lots of the ladies loved this book the most, I got it from the local public library and began reading.
“For 10 years Arlene has kept her promises, and God has kept His end of the bargain. Until now. When an old schoolmate from Possett turns up at Arlene’s door in Chicago asking questions about Jim Beverly, former quarterback and god of Possett High, Arlene’s break with her former hometown is forced to an end. At the same time, Burr, her long-time boyfriend, has raised an ultimatum: introduce him to her family or consider him gone. Arlene loves him dearly but knows her lily white (not to mention deeply racist)Southern Baptist family will not understand her relationship with an African American boyfriend. Reluctantly, Arlene bows to the pressure, and she and Burr embark on the long-avoided road trip back home. As Arlene digs through guilt and deception, her patched-together alibi begins to unravel, and she discovers how far she will go for love and a chance at redemption.”
This was not my favorite Jackson book although I did enjoy it. If you are looking to read a book of hers, I will always recommend for people to start with Someone Else’s Love Story!
I’m late to this bandwagon, but after I saw the beginning of the movie preview for this (I quickly turned it off so it didn’t spoil the book for me), I had to get this book to read it.
If you enjoyed reading Gone Girl, you will LOVE reading The Girl on the Train! I read it in three days, and I would have read it probably in two days, but I had to stop to do homework for grad school.
EVERY DAY THE SAME
Rachel takes the same commuter train every morning and night. Every day she rattles down the track, flashes past a stretch of cozy suburban homes, and stops at the signal that allows her to daily watch the same couple breakfasting on their deck. She’s even started to feel like she knows them. Jess and Jason, she calls them. Their life—as she sees it—is perfect. Not unlike the life she recently lost.
UNTIL TODAY
And then she sees something shocking. It’s only a minute until the train moves on, but it’s enough. Now everything’s changed. Unable to keep it to herself, Rachel goes to the police. But is she really as unreliable as they say? Soon she is deeply entangled not only in the investigation but in the lives of everyone involved. Has she done more harm than good?
Rachel takes the same commuter train every morning and night. Every day she rattles down the track, flashes past a stretch of cozy suburban homes, and stops at the signal that allows her to daily watch the same couple breakfasting on their deck. She’s even started to feel like she knows them. Jess and Jason, she calls them. Their life—as she sees it—is perfect. Not unlike the life she recently lost.
UNTIL TODAY
And then she sees something shocking. It’s only a minute until the train moves on, but it’s enough. Now everything’s changed. Unable to keep it to herself, Rachel goes to the police. But is she really as unreliable as they say? Soon she is deeply entangled not only in the investigation but in the lives of everyone involved. Has she done more harm than good?
I could not get enough of this book! In fact, one night I stayed up way past my bedtime to read until my eyes couldn’t read any longer! It was so good, and the ending totally threw me off–just like in Gone Girl. If I had to recommend one book for you to read from my picks this month, I would definitely start with The Girl on the Train!
