Between the Lines – January Book Review

What’s better than a good book when the weather dips down into the teens right?  It has been perfect reading weather in Texas and I have completed two books in January thus far.  Neither book was on my list to read but, after a plug from Gina, I found Kristen on Instagram and she posts lots of books in her stories and these were a steal and sounded interesting so I took a chance.  See my full book review below but let’s just say I feel like I got my monies worth for sure!

  
What She Knew: A Novel

Amazon: In a heartbeat, everything changes…Rachel Jenner is walking in a Bristol park with her eight-year-old son, Ben, when he asks if he can run ahead. It’s an ordinary request on an ordinary Sunday afternoon, and Rachel has no reason to worry—until Ben vanishes.

Police are called, search parties go out, and Rachel, already insecure after her recent divorce, feels herself coming undone. As hours and then days pass without a sign of Ben, everyone who knew him is called into question, from Rachel’s newly married ex-husband to her mother-of-the-year sister. Inevitably, media attention focuses on Rachel too, and the public’s attitude toward her begins to shift from sympathy to suspicion.

As she desperately pieces together the threadbare clues, Rachel realizes that nothing is quite as she imagined it to be, not even her own judgment. And the greatest dangers may lie not in the anonymous strangers of every parent’s nightmares, but behind the familiar smiles of those she trusts the most.

My thoughts:   If you love a mystery with some twists and turns but do not love gruesome, I would say read this book. I was definitely surprised a few times by the turn of events but mostly loved how Rachel discovered a lot about her own self as well.  It was a page turner for me and I read very quickly.

 

When We Were Worthy

Amazon:  When the sound of sirens cuts through a cool fall night, the small town of Worthy, Georgia, hurtles from triumph to tragedy. Just hours before, they’d watched the Wildcats score a winning touchdown. Now, they’re faced with the deaths of three cheerleaders—their promising lives cut short in a fatal crash. And the boy in the other car—the only one to survive—is believed to be at fault. As rumors begin to fly and accusations spin, allegiances form and long-kept secrets emerge.

At the center of the whirlwind are four women, each grappling with loss, regret, shame, and lies: Marglyn, a grieving mother; Darcy, whose son had been behind the wheel; Ava, a substitute teacher with a scandalous secret; and Leah, a cheerleader who should have been in the car with her friends, but wasn’t. If the truth comes out, will it bring redemption—or will it be their downfall?

My thoughts:  If you are from a small town you will probably be able to relate easily as the story unfolds.  It is a bit like a soap opera and somewhat predictable but I loved reading along with this story.  The story flips between several different characters and shares their point of view and dives into their personal story a little deeper.  I definitely shed a few tears at the end of the book with Marglyn.

Santa delivered a Kindle Paperwhite and it has been a huge change for me.  I previously read on my iPad and really have noticed my eyes feeling strained between all day on the computer and then reading at night.  The difference in eye fatigue has been huge!

In 2017 I really hoped to average two books per month but ended up reading nothing between October and December.  Typically I try to mix in some fiction with non and in 2017 I read five and ten respectively.  So many books on my Goodreads list to read and I’m going to take it as it comes.  If I read 12 books or 30 it will be enough.

What do you have on your reading list for 2018?  Share your favorites on the 3rd Wednesday each month with Stephanie! and the 2nd Tuesday each month with Taz and Belly!