4.5 rounded up

Shay is somewhat of a loner and somewhat lost. She was recently laid off from her job. Her roommate, who she’s in love with, is moving in with his girlfriend forcing her to move out of their apartment. She just feels so alone. When Shay witnesses something on the subway and subsequently meets the Moore sisters, Cassandra and Jane, her life seems to take a turn. They are both so glamorous and live the life that Shay dreams of. They have a great group of friends and Shay just wants to be a part of their circle. She’s excited when they befriend her, but what exactly do the Moore sisters want from her?

I’m a big fan of this [a:Greer Hendricks|16935182|Greer Hendricks|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1514922399p2/16935182.jpg]' and [a:Sarah Pekkanen|2982045|Sarah Pekkanen|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1508184842p2/2982045.jpg]’s books. [b:An Anonymous Girl|39863515|An Anonymous Girl|Greer Hendricks|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1546956642l/39863515._SY75_.jpg|61659722] was one of my favorite books of 2019, and this one did not disappoint. It’s told from multiple points of view which may be confusing for some readers, but it did not confuse me. I was able to keep up with the timeline and whose story we were reading. I loved that the book had short chapters and moved at such a quick pace. I honestly didn’t want to put it down. This duo is known for their twists, and I honestly did not see the twists coming which makes for a great thriller. The ending moved at such a quick pace, but it was filled with surprises that made it a very exciting read. I highly recommend this book to fans of the mystery genre, and if you haven’t read their other books you should read them as well.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

This book started off slow and took a while to build up, but once they got into the story within the story I really enjoyed it. The flashbacks to the mothers past were my favorite parts although I did enjoy when the ladies would share things about themselves during dinner in the modern day storyline. The ending was definitely an ugly cry moment!

Honestly, I didn’t want to read this book. It just didn’t sound like something I would enjoy, and I try to avoid books with controversy around them. However, this book was picked for a book club I’m in so I had no choice but to read it.

It tells the story of Alice who moves from England to Baileysville, Kentucky after she marries her husband. Alice joins Margery and some other ladies at the pack horse library delivering books in the mountains to people who wouldn’t have access to them otherwise. Sounds like a great thing, but Alice’s father-in-law is against Margery and will do anything to take her and the library down.

This is based on a true story, and I really respected these ladies for what they did to get books and magazines to the other people in their town. It started out rather slowly, to the point I almost gave up on it. I’m glad I didn’t though. I ended up really enjoying this heartwarming story.

Andy is a graphic designer who is way too reliant on technology. He spends his days on social media, the internet, and playing video games. He rarely even has to leave the house because he can order food online, meet dates on dating apps, and do all shopping online. Because of this, he hardly sleeps, has chronic neck pain, and has issues with going to the bathroom. When Andy goes to pitch a graphic design job things take a crazy turn for the worse, and he realizes he needs to make some changes. His doctor recommends a digital detox where he’ll log off of all technology for 60 days. Can Andy do it, and if so, will it be worth it?

This book has a great concept. I think most of us are reliant on social media, technology, and our smart phones. Personally, I think I spend way too much time on them, but don’t know if I could go as far as Andy did and cut them out completely for two months.

The book is definitely written with British humor and satire. Some of which was lost on me, but it did have some funny parts - driving without GPS and a duck pond come to mind! That was a funny scene. There were also some endearing parts mainly Andy’s relationship with Grace. I loved the part where they travel to Bath, and I’m glad they made a connection through him logging off.

I definitely think this is a book everyone who spends a lot of time online should read. It has a great message about balancing our lives between our digital selves and the real world.

Thank you NetGalley and Amazon Publishing UK for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

Guests gather on a secluded island off the coast of Ireland for the marriage of Jules, publisher of an online magazine, and Will, star of a reality TV survival show. The guest list for the rehearsal dinner is set. 13 guests will stay at The Folly, a private inn and event space located on the mysterious Cormorant Island. The bride and groom, the best man and four ushers, the bridesmaid, the bride’s best friend and his wife, the mother of the bride, and the owner and chef at The Folly. The setting is spectacular, but can be dangerous especially with a storm coming in. When old friends get together and past grudges are revealed this wedding will end in murder.

The story starts with the rehearsal dinner and is told in alternating perspectives - Aoife, the wedding planner and owner of The Folly; Hannah, the plus one or wife of the bride’s best friend; Olivia, the bridesmaid and half-sister of the bride; Johnno, the best man; and Jules, the bride. Every few chapters we jump to the actual wedding, where it appears a body has been found. There are a lot of points of view to keep up with, but each chapter is headed by whose story we’re reading so for me it was easy to follow along. Each of these guests has something troubling in their past so we learn their stories while trying to figure out what has happened at the wedding.

This was my first book by Lucy Foley, and I really enjoyed it. It definitely has Agatha Christie vibes. The setting was perfect for this kind of story with the cliffs and bogs along with a storm, it set such a creepy tone. I did find some parts predictable and figured out who was murdered early on, but I still enjoyed the book. I liked learning about the characters’ pasts and how they were all linked to the same person, but in different ways. I was surprised at the end to find out who the murderer was. That was the only story I didn’t put together. Overall, I thought this book was great. The chapters were short and it was a quick read. I highly recommend it and look forward to reading more of Lucy Foley’s books.

3.5 stars rounded up.

Tate moves in with her brother and meets Miles, her brother's neighbor and co-worker. Tate is attracted to Miles, and when they finally kiss there is chemistry. However, Miles has rules. 1. Don't ask about his past. 2. Don't expect a future. They decide to have a purely sexual relationship, but Tate starts developing feelings for Miles. He's very closed off and keeps pushing her away, but she just can't stay away.

Ugly Love is told from two perspectives, Tate in the present and Miles six years earlier. Tate's part of the story describes their "relationship" and her feelings with dealing with someone who doesn't want to open up. Miles' chapters are shorter and teasers building up to let us know what happened that caused him to not want to fall in love or be in a relationship. I did prefer Miles' point of view because there was a mystery which drew me in. He did frustrate me at times though, but I guess it was understandable once we find out what happened in his past. Both characters were written well and were believable. I didn't feel that this story was as emotional as other CoHo books. If you're looking for a good cry I don't think this is the right book, but it's good none the less.