Novel but Nice

Silent Lies by Kathryn Croft My rating: 5 of 5 stars My first Kathryn Croft book (but not my last)! This is my first Kathryn Croft book, and I enjoyed it so much. I had seen a few of my Goodreads favorite reviewers post about it in the fall around publication, and I ordered it from Amazon right away. It went into my growing stack of books to read, and I'm so glad I finally picked it up. The pacing of this book is good, I didn't have parts that felt slow or too drawn out, which surprised me with the changes in time and perspective. Plot Teaser (Spoiler Free) 5 years ago... Mia's husband Zach is a college professor who teaches writing. They have an adorable daughter, Freya, and seem happy. But then, to Mia's surprise, Zach commits suicide. His body is found in the apartment of one of his college students, and the student has gone missing. The public goes after Mia, they know her husband is to blame for the girl's disappearance, and without hi...

Gone Without a Trace by Mary Torjussen My rating: 5 of 5 stars Wow! I loved this book so much! I actually read this book in two days, which is extremely rare for me since I work fulltime and am supposed to be writing my dissertation. I couldn't stop, though! The story just captivated me and I could not wait to know what would happen next. So, the story is about a woman named Hannah who is a successful, emerging accountant. One day she is at a conference for work and gets great news, they want to put her in line for a promotion! Hannah can't wait to get home to tell her live-in boyfriend Matt. She heartbreakingly stops for champagne to celebrate, only to get home and discover, Matt is gone. But Matt isn't just gone...every trace of Matt is gone as well. Her house is set back to the way it looked before Matt ever moved in 4 years earlier. Her old tv is suddenly back in place. Her books are placed back where they were before his record collection was stor...

The Husband's Secret by Liane Moriarty My rating: 3 of 5 stars A solid offering from Liane Moriarty, but slow in its pacing. Its been about a week since I finished this book and it has taken me this long to think about how to review it. I had a hard time rating this one, because it was simultaneously well-written and sort of predictable. Liane Moriarty is a fantastic writer. I love how in depth into her characters' thoughts she goes. Her books are almost always driven more by the inner monologues of the characters than the dialogue and interactions with others. Plot Teaser   The book tells the stories of three women: Cecelia, Rachel, and Tess. Cecelia is a total super-mom. She runs a wildly successful tupperware business and she has three lovely daughters and a handsome, doting husband. Rachel is a bit of a lost soul. She lost her daughter when she was only a teenager, lost her husband recently before the book begins, and is about to lose her grandson (i...

The Sudden Departure of the Frasers by Louise Candlish My rating: 3 of 5 stars A long book with a fascinating premise. I'd give The Sudden Departure of the Frasers 3.5 solid stars. This was such a well-written novel. My biggest reason for not giving it more stars was that the length of it was honestly a bit too long. There was a long stretch in the middle that was good, but not a lot was happening or revealed and it could have been shorter. That said, I absolutely loved the book! Plot Teaser (Spoiler Free) Two women, one house, one year apart... The story centers around a house--or really, it centers around a suburban street. In the best house on the most quaint block, two sets of tenants living their one year apart are mysteriously unsettled... The story changes back and forth in narration between Christy Davenport (the current occupant of the house) and Amber Fraser (the former occupant of the house). Christy and her husband Joe get the deal of a lifeti...

The Drowning Girls by Paula Treick DeBoard My rating: 3 of 5 stars An enjoyable read, with a twisty ending. The Drowning Girls by Paula Treick DeBoard is a fast, interesting read. The story follows married couple Liz and Phil and Liz’s teenage daughter Danielle as they move into a gated, luxury home community called The Palms. Everything in The Palms is something most people could only dream of. Paradise, Phil calls it. Phil has taken a job as the community manager. He deals with any complaints, inquiries, and parties being thrown at The Palms. Liz is a high school guidance counselor, and Danielle is set to begin her freshman year of high school at the end of summer. In exchange for Phil’s job, they family gets to live in a magnificent home for free. And then one day shortly after they arrive, Danielle becomes best friends with beautiful Kelsey Jorgensen. Kelsey is stunning, popular, and cool, while Danielle is intelligent, nerdy, and still on the bridge betwee...

Exquisite by Sarah Stovell My rating: 4 of 5 stars Go in knowing little, and you'll be pleasantly surprised! I must admit that when I read reviews that say the less I know about the book, the better, I find them to be frustrating. Sometimes I want a bit more than what the blurb says, and my favorite reviewers are the ones who are able to pull me into the book with more detail, and still avoid spoiling anything major. Now that I've read Exquisite , I understand some of the hesitancy of reviewers to say too much. That being said, I think there is actually quite a bit revealed in the book description that does not spoil the book whatsoever. So with that I give you a spoiler-free teaser to the book... Plot Teaser (Spoiler Free)   The book is about the close relationship that forms between successful writer Bo Luxton and misguided millennial Alice Dark. Alice is a lost soul. She is in an unfulfilling relationship with a struggling artist who is honestly mor...

The Vanishing Year by Kate Moretti My rating: 4 of 5 stars Slow build to a lightening fast ending... This was the first book I've read by Kate Moretti and I really enjoyed it. As other reviewers have mentioned, it has a slow build through about the first 2/3-3/4, and then really moves quickly at the end. I wouldn't say I personally found the twists that shocking, as I had considered some of them throughout, but they were certainly delicious and well-done! I found many of the twists to be satisfying. Plot Teaser (Spoiler Free) This book tells the story of Zoe, a wealthy woman married to one of New York's richest men. Zoe and her husband have everything, and yet something feels off. Zoe and Henry are in love, and Henry dotes on her and cares for her. They seem to have an incredible physical connection as well. But Zoe has a secret--her name used to be Hillary and five years before she ran away from her life in California and started over. Through fla...