June 2017 Reading List

Happy weekend, everyone! Since summer is officially here I thought I would share some books that I’ve read recently! There are some really good ones in the pile that would be great for reading on the porch or tossing in your beach tote!

As always, you can see what I’m reading if you have a Goodreads account or by looking on my virtual book shelf! P.S. If you’ve read any good books lately, leave them in the comments.

Anyone have big plans for the weekend? It’s supposed to be pretty rainy here, so I plan to clean the house, start a packing list for my trip & spend some quality time with Nick before I leave next week! Have a great weekend, y’all!

You can see past book posts here:
BOOKS TO READ APRIL
BOOKS TO READ FEBRUARY
BOOKS TO READ NOVEMBER
BOOKS TO READ SUMMER 2016 

THE ISLAND BY ELIN HILDERBRAND | Elin Hilderbrand is one of my favorite authors when it comes to easy, summer reads! Almost all of her books take place around Nantucket and they really get you in the summer spirit. After 30 years of marriage, Birdie Cousins has left her marriage and is rediscovering herself with a new boyfriend &  staying busy by planning her daughters wedding. When her daughter, Chess, abruptly ends her engagement, quits her job, and feels unsure about everything in her life, Birdie decides it’s time for a girls trip back to their Tuckernuck home. Birdie invites her sister India and her other daughter Tate for a summer at Tuckernuck to get Chess’ spirits back up. Each woman spends the summer dealing with their own set of issues and end up learning more about themselves than they thought they could. You never know how much you need family members until you’ve hit rock bottom.

PRETTY GIRLS BY KARIN SLAUGHTER | I picked up this book at a church book sale and I’m so glad I did because it had been on my “to read” list for a while. If you’re looking for a gripping psychological thriller, then definitely pick this up! Warning: it is a bit graphic (way more than I expected). Sisters Claire & Lydia haven’t spoken in over twenty years, since the disappearance of their sister Julia. The two estranged sisters, living very different lives, come together after Claire’s husband is killed. At first Claire thinks her husband’s death is a tragic accident until Lydia and Claire begin digging deeper to reveal all of her husband’s secrets. This gripping book brings two disturbing tragedies to light in ways that they could have never imagined.

THE WIDOW BY FIONA BARTON | For Jean Taylor, when your husband is alive and accused of unspeakable things, you must stand by his side and keep quiet. But when her husband died unexpectedly, Jean decides she no longer has to stay quiet. There are many things Jean has kept quiet about all these years and it’s time to speak up. As Jean begins to tell her story, the police and reporters start to fill in the pieces of a case that has been cold for too long. But the ending is one they never expect. I will say that while it was a thriller, it wasn’t a page turner like Girl on the Train, which is what they compare it to. But, it’s a good read nonetheless.

SILVER GIRL BY ELIN HILDERBRAND | Like I said earlier, I gravitate towards Elin Hilderbrand’s books in the summer months. I discovered I hadnt’ read this one yet, so I brought it to the beach and read it by the pool. Meredith Delinn is a woman who seems to have it all; the perfect life, a luxurious wardrobe to go along with her vacation homes, and a husband that is a wealthy investment banker. From the outside she seems to have everything…until one day all of the secrets come out. Her life was a facade… her husband has been cheating investors out of billions of dollars for years and Meredith was none the wiser. Left with nothing except a cell phone for her attorneys to contact her, she heads to her friend’s home in Nantucket for the summer to escape the wrath or reporters and FBI investigators. As the story unfolds, truth comes to light as Meredith helps with the case as much as she can and heals herself in the process.

THE OBSESSION BY NORA ROBERTS | Naomi grew up in a strict household with a seemingly loving family… until one night she follows her dad into the woods and reveals a dark secret. After discovering the secret life her dad lead in their backyard, Naomi leaves to be with her uncles and to escape the nightmare that came afterwards. Years later, she stays on the run to keep her life secret until one determined man, Xander Keaton, struggles to find out who she really is. Naomi learns she can never really escape her past.

INTO THE DARKEST CORNER BY ELIZABETH HAYNES | When something seems too good to be true… it probably is. Catherine quickly figures this out when she meets Lee. Everything seems to be going wonderfully until it’s not. She is soon in the midst of a violent relationship that she can’t seem to escape. After years of violent behavior, Catherine plans the ultimate escape and Lee lands in prison. Catherine is gaining her true self back slowly and is making progress in a new city years later when she is notified that Lee will be released soon and all the trauma and nightmares return. Lee knows no bounds when it comes to finding Catherine, but luckily this time she has Stuart…and is not letting her fear get in the way any more.

THE RIVER AT NIGHT BY ERICA FERENCIK | I had high hopes for this one after seeing many people give it good reviews. To be honest, I didn’t really love this book. It was a slower read for me and I kept reading it so that I would be finished with it. Maybe it just wasn’t my cup of tea, though! Anyways, four friends get together for a reunion vacation in rural Maine to go white water rafting. While one friend, Pia, is really for the unknown of a rafting adventure in the middle of nowhere, the other girls Wini, Rachel, and Sandra have their doubts. An accident leaves the group with no tour guide and no raft…and no way to contact the world. The four girls must work together, trust their instincts, and most importantly stay alive. While there were some parts that had me turning each page rapidly, for the most part, it wasn’t as thrilling as I imagined it would be. The last part of the book was a surprise and unexpected, but getting to that point was daunting.P.S. I bought the Kindle Paperwhite for my Europe trip and really like it so far! It has been so nice to read books outside without a glare. It is super lightweight (lighter than my iPad) and hold a battery for a really long time! I’ve already got about five books on it for my trip! Let me know if you have any book suggestions!