Tag: secrets

What’s Ashley Reading?: The Only Survivors

The Only Survivors by Megan Miranda

First line: Our house, like most things, came down to luck.

Summary: Cassidy has spent the last ten years reuniting with classmates who all survived a tragic accident leaving only nine survivors. But this year Cassidy has decided she does not want to relive the worst night of her life again with the other survivors. That is until she receives a mysterious text announcing the death of one her classmates. As soon as she arrives she notices that this year is going to be different. Everyone seems a little more on edge. And it appears that someone is going to talk to the press about that night. But who?

My Thoughts: I love Megan Miranda’s books normally but this one felt a little disjointed. I could never really feel a cohesiveness to the plot. It seemed as if several different threads were running through it but not creating the suspense I usually feel during her stories. There was a storm. People are watching them. Some of the survivors are disappearing. Strangers are becoming friendly. So many things were happening rather than one thing tying the story together.

And I quickly figured out or guessed one of the big reveals. It seemed rather obvious from the start but maybe I read too many of these novels now to be shocked. However, the final reveal was not what I was expecting so that’s why I gave it 3 stars. It was still a fun book and kept me interested but it was not nearly as good as All the Missing Girls which was told in such a unique fashion that I always recommend it for anyone looking for a good twisty thriller.

Monica’s Musings: Everything I Never Told You

Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng

“He can guess, but he won’t ever know, not really. What it was like, what she was thinking, everything she’d never told him.”
― Celeste Ng, Everything I Never Told You

Summary: 

Lydia is dead. But they don’t know this yet.

So begins this exquisite novel about a Chinese American family living in 1970s small-town Ohio. Lydia is the favorite child of Marilyn and James Lee, and her parents are determined that she will fulfill the dreams they were unable to pursue. But when Lydia’s body is found in the local lake, the delicate balancing act keeping the Lee family together is destroyed, tumbling them into chaos.

A profoundly moving story of family, secrets, and longing, Everything I Never Told You is both a gripping page-turner and a sensitive family portrait, uncovering how mothers and daughters, fathers and sons, and husbands and wives struggle, all their lives, to understand one another.

My Thoughts: 

This story starts with the reader finding out about the death of the favorite child, Lydia. I assumed it would just be an emotional book about finding the cause of death, but I was wrong, but somehow also right. This book is beyond what I was first expecting, and it branches off in so many directions as we follow the family before and after the death of Lydia. This book truly hit the nail on the head with the title. It focuses on each family member and their hopes, fears, and dreams. Showing us so many parts of their lives where they never voiced their emotions but should have. Celeste Ng showed the reader the consequences of them not doing so.

Additionally, this book is set in the 1970s and deals with both race identity and gender identity. Overall, I really enjoyed this book. I finished the audiobook in a day, and it has stuck with me for several weeks now. I recommend this to anyone looking for a “hit you in the feels” type of read.

Monica’s Musings: The Wife Upstairs

The Wife Upstairs by Rachel Hawkins

“One thing growing up in the foster system taught me was to watch people’s eyes more than you listened to what they said. Mouths were good at lying, but eyes usually told the truth.”
― Rachel Hawkins, The Wife Upstairs

Summary:

Jane is new to Alabama, and she is working as a dog walker in Thornfield Estates—a gated community full of McMansions, shiny SUVs, and bored housewives. The kind of place where no one will notice if Jane lifts jewelry off the side tables of her well-heeled clients. No one will even think to ask if Jane is her real name.

But her luck changes when she meets Eddie­ Rochester. Recently Eddie’s wife, Bea, was in a boating accident with her best friend, their bodies lost to the deep. Jane can’t help but see an opportunity in Eddie—not only is he rich, brooding, and handsome, but he could also offer her the kind of protection she has always yearned for.

Yet as Jane and Eddie fall for each other, Jane is increasingly haunted by the legend of Bea. Can she win Eddie’s heart before her past—or his—catches up to her?

My Thoughts: 

I heard all of the talk about comparing this to Jane Eyre, and have decided just to read and review this book on its own with no comparisons.

I am so happy that this is my first read of the new year! It is exactly what I look for in a book. I loved the character’s dark and hidden pasts, and that as the reader, we are kept in the dark about some of their secrets all the way up to the last few chapters!

Besides being a fun thriller, this was also very well-written and perfectly paced. There is some jumping around in time, but Hawkins has the chapters clearly titled and there will not be any confusion. I found this to be a nice touch. Sometimes this annoys me in books, but not in this one. This is the second book that I have read by Rachel Hawkins, and I am a fan of her writing for sure!

*Check out my review of Reckless Girls by Rachel Hawkins here!

What’s Ashley Reading?: The Kind Worth Killing

The Kind Worth Killing by Peter Swanson

First line: “Hello, there,” she said.

Summary: On a flight from London to Boston, Ted meets a young woman named Lily. As they talk Ted begins to discuss his marriage which he feels is not as happy as he hoped. He suspects his wife of having an affair and he lets slip that he would like to kill his wife. But rather than being turned off by the talk of murder, Lily offers to help Ted with the task. Once back in Boston the two conspirators continue to meet and discuss the details of Ted’s wife’s murder. However, there is more to Lily than Ted ever could have imagined. Including her own experience in the art of murder.

My Thoughts: This book was one twist after another. I was shocked so many times that I thought there was nothing else that could be revealed but I was wrong! I have read several of Swanson’s books but this one is his best. At the beginning it seemed to be following the plot lines of Strangers on a Train but that went out the window pretty quickly.

Even though Lily has such a dark past and did some rather dastardly things I really liked her. Her chapters were always my favorite because of how twisted her thoughts were. She was able to think herself out of situations and justify any of her actions. Her character was truly scary but easily the best part of the book.

I have wanted to read this for years but never got around to it. But when I saw and requested the next book on Netgalley, it moved up the list. And I am so glad I picked it up. I sped through it. I loved the narrators and the pacing of the novel. If I was reading it I can see it easily being a book I could have finished in a day. It was that good!

FYI: The Kind Worth Saving is coming out in March 2023.

What’s Ashley Reading?: An Honest Lie

An Honest Lie by Tarryn Fisher

First line: At the end of the highway sat an old town, not completely dead, but on its last breath.

Summary: Rainy has recently moved in with her boyfriend in Washington. In an effort to get to know his friends she has started attending their weekly get together but has never really felt a part of the group. When she is guilted into attending a girl’s weekend in Las Vegas she knows that it is going to bring back all the painful memories she has spent years trying to hide.

My Thoughts: My first introduction to Tarryn Fisher was The Wives. It was full of crazy twists and a thrilling read. And at the beginning of this one I felt like we were going to be going through another wild ride. It has a charismatic cult leader, the excitement of Las Vegas and a group of women who seemed determined to learn more about this new addition to their group. As a reader I expected many secrets to come out as they always do. But it happened in a strange way. I cannot describe it without giving away much of the plot but it was just not what I was expecting. That may be a good thing but it was not as satisfying as I would have liked. I did enjoy the book. It was quick and had an interesting plot but it lacked something that I cannot place.

FYI: Definitely read The Wives for a crazy story that will keep you guessing!

What’s Ashley Reading?: Crazy Rich Asians

Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan

First line: Nicholas Young slumped into the nearest seat in the hotel lobby, drained from the sixteen-hour flight from Singapore, the train ride from Heathrow Airport, and the trudging through the rain-soaked streets.

Summary: Rachel Chu has been dating Nicholas Young for nearly two years. When he asks her to spend the summer in Singapore she willingly accepts. However, arriving in Singapore she learns that the humble man she knows is part of one of the wealthiest families in Asia.

My Thoughts: Before leaving for my trip to the United Kingdom I was looking for a good vacation book. I scoured several used bookstores and my own shelves at home. Finally I found a mass market paperback of Crazy Rich Asians and felt like this was perfect!

I had seen the movie, which I loved, and decided it was time to read the book too. I am so happy I did. It was fun and ridiculous! The amount of money the people in the book have is just mind-blowing. I kept gasping as prices were thrown around in the book. But other than the money I liked the characters especially Astrid. She is Nick’s cousin who is fashionable and kind to everyone. Each chapter followed different characters as they navigated the weeks leading up to the wedding of the year in Singapore.

I finished the book just as we were arriving back at King’s Cross Station in London, the night before we were to fly home. I frantically looked at all the bookstores at Heathrow hoping to find a copy of the second book but no luck. But as soon as I got back home I downloaded a copy of the audiobook for my drive home from Colorado. I have now finished book two and am currently working on book three!

FYI: A great vacation read!

What’s Ashley Reading?: Never Have I Ever

Never Have I Ever by Joshilyn Jackson

First line: The game was Roux’s idea.

Summary: Amy Whey has spent years rebuilding her life after a tragic accident in her teens. She has husband, baby son and a step-daughter who she adores. Everything is going Amy’s way until Roux comes over for book club. In an attempt to unsettle Amy, Roux suggests playing Never Have I Ever, but with a twist. As the game progresses, Amy realizes that Roux knows her darkest secret. The one she has not even told her husband.

Roux tells Amy that if she doesn’t pay her the money she is asking for, she will go to the police and tell them about Amy’s past. In order to save the life she has built, Amy will dig back into her past to figure out how to outwit Roux.

My Thoughts: This book was twisted. There were so many different ways I thought the story would go but then the author took the reader on a completely different path. I literally gasped several times when a new twist was revealed. I really enjoyed the book but all the main characters were not great people. Amy was the best of the bunch but as you learn more about her and what she has done and what is happening in her head, I liked her less and less. Roux is the character that you love to hate. She is the opposite of Amy. She is not ashamed of who she is.

But the ending was nuts! I was really shocked by the ending. I don’t want to spoil anything but I never, ever would have guessed that ending.

FYI: Sexual content, language and death.

What’s Ashley Reading?: The Therapist

The Therapist by B. A. Paris

First line: My office is small, perfect and minimalist.

Summary: When Alice and Leo move into their new home in an exclusive gated community in London they see this as the perfect beginning to their life together. But as Alice meets her neighbors, she learns about the dark history of her new home. After this discovery, Alice becomes obsessed with finding out what happened and who was involved.

My Thoughts: B. A. Paris always writes a fun, twisty thriller. They are always very fast reads. Something that will keep you reading until you finish the book late at night. This one kept me wondering throughout. Everyone is a suspect. Even with a headache I finished this book because I had to know how it ended. There is lots of misdirection to throw the reader off.

I admit that it was nothing groundbreaking or original. It was just plain fun to read! I have been in a slump with lots of 2 star reviews so it was nice to find something that kept me interested and wanting to read. If you want a quick summer read then this would be it.

FYI: Violence.

What’s Ashley Reading?: He Started It

He Started It by Samantha Downing

First line: You want a heroine.

Summary: When their grandfather dies, he leaves a dying wish. He wants his grandchildren to recreate and follow the same road trip they took together 20 years before. He wants his ashes taken with them and scattered in the desert where their trip ended.

Family road trips can be stressful. But made even more stressful when everyone is hiding a secret. However, in order to earn their inheritance, they must complete his request. Money is a motivator. So even with all the fighting and secrets they know they must finish the road trip at all costs.

My Thoughts: This book was messed up! It was one crazy twist after another. When you think you’ve seen it all you are proven wrong. At the end I kept flipping the page over because I couldn’t believe the book ended as it did. It was a wild ride. I did not like any of the characters. They treat each other terribly and most of the people they meet. It’s like watching a train wreck and you can’t look away. I had to know what was going to happen next. The one critique I had was the cigarette situation. It seemed so petty but that may have been the point. It made me dislike the characters even more.

I did like though that the sites they visit are real. Take a look. They are pretty neat actually. I would even add them to my next road trip.

FYI: Very dark, crazy read.

What’s Ashley Reading?: The Dilemma

The Dilemma by B.A. Paris

First line: It’s the cooling bathwater that wakes me.

Summary: Livia has been planning her fortieth birthday party for twenty years. She wants it to be perfect. Everything is in place and it looks like it is going to be a beautiful day. She does not want anything to spoil it. But she has a secret she has been keeping from her husband. She knows she should tell him but she doesn’t want to ruin the day. So she decides to wait until after the party.

Adam, Livia’s husband, wants Livia to have a great birthday especially since she has been planning it for so long. He has a big surprise for her but when he learns something that may ruin her life he has a dilemma on whether to tell her or wait until after the party.

My Thoughts: This wasn’t a thriller in the traditional sense. No one is murdered. It is just lots of miscommunication and secrets that cause problems throughout the plot. I really enjoyed it. I was very anxious about how it would end. I made myself not look at the end so I didn’t find out what happened. It was hard not to. I needed to know. This is a book that I really had to put down so I could sleep. Even after that I kept thinking about it. So immediately I had to finish it in the morning.

I did get a little annoyed with the characters and their misunderstandings. So many secrets involved in this. Lots of messed up relationships. But it gave the book a lot of shock factors. I know I gasped a few times. B. A. Paris is a really good author for a fast paced thrill ride. Give her books a try if you haven’t already!

FYI: My favorite so far has been Behind Closed Doors.