Book Review: The Turn of the Key

I was in a bit of a reading slump, but then I read The Turn of the Key by Ruth Ware, and it absolutely changed everything! I could not put the book down. As soon as I started it I was sucked right in. It quickly became one of my favorite reads of the year. It was the thriller I had been waiting for to suck me out of the reading slump I was stuck in.

Rowan Caine comes across an ad she cannot ignore. It is for a live in nanny that has a huge salary. It is not even remotely what Rowan was looking for, but how could she pass this opportunity up? When Rowan arrives at the Heatherbrae House, she is immediately enthralled, and maybe a little freaked out. Rowan has no idea what awaits her though. Her future now holds a dead child and her in prison for the murder. Rowan is writing a letter to a lawyer explaining the story of what happened. She is desperately hoping he will help her because no one believes her, but she swears she did not kill this child.

This book was just one turn after another. Right when I thought I had things figured out something else would come along and change the course again. I opened this book and I could hardly put it down! All of the characters were so interesting and I just wanted to figure them out. It felt like every single character was holding a huge secret. Between the writing, the plot, and the characters, this was one of my best reads this year!

I gave this book 5/5 stars. I absolutely loved it. From beginning to end I was hooked in. I never got bored throughout the novel and I never was able to figure anything out until it was revealed. It has definitely made its way into my top five favorite reads of the year!

Book Review: The Love of My Life

It only took me about a day to read The Love of My Life by Rosie Walsh. I was hooked from the beginning. There were a lot of twists and turns and right when I would think I had it figured out, something else would happen and it would bring the novel in a whole other direction. I could not bring myself to put it down and I just wanted to finish it, so I could finally figure everything out.

Leo is an obituary writer. Emma is a marine biologist who is well known. When Emma suffers from a serious illness, Leo copes by researching and writing about Emma’s life. The more he digs into Emma’s life, the more he realizes everything Emma has ever told him is a lie. She has even lied about her name. As the darkest moments of Emma’s past are coming to light, she must prove to Leo she really is who Leo thinks she is, but she also must tell him about the other love of her life.

This book took me on a wild ride. Every time I thought I figured things out, something else would happen. It was just so unpredictable and I love when a thriller mystery can do that. It was not until the end of the novel that I knew what was going on. It was all just so different from any other thriller I have ever read. I also really liked the characters. They were all likeable and real. I found myself rooting for them all and wanting the best for all of them.

I gave this book 4.5/5 stars. I would highly highly recommend this book. Especially if you like thrillers and mystery. I am not kidding when I say I almost finished it in one night. I desperately needed to go to sleep, which is the only reason I did not finish it in one sitting. I have been in a bit of a reading slump lately and this book completely helped me slip out of it. It was a fast paced read and it just flowed so well. If you are looking for a good thriller to read I highly recommend The Love of My Life by Rosie Walsh.

Book Review: The Summer I Turned Pretty

I recently read one of the most talked about books turned tv series, The Summer I Turned Pretty, I read the whole series actually. I actually remember reading this book many years ago. I did not even remember it until it became a television series. I decided to go back and reread it to see if I would like it as much as I did when I first read it. Obviously, I am not the same person I was in high school. Especially, early high school. I still enjoyed it though. It is a sweet read and entertaining. This week I am going to be reviewing all three books, starting today with, The Summer I Turned Pretty.

Every summer, Belly, spends June-August, at a beach house in Cousins. Belly, her mom, her brother Steven, her mom’s best friend, Susannah, and her two sons, Jeremiah, and Conrad stay at their summer house there. Summer has always been Belly’s favorite time. This summer everything changes though. It seems Belly’s school girl crushes on Jeremiah and Conrad, may actually be reciprocated and this summer is the beginning may be the beginning of a whole new life.

This book contains lots of young love, family drama, and just regular drama of being a teenager. I found it to be a fun story and an easy read. I enjoyed all of the characters and felt the plot moved at a perfect pace. It was kind of a typical young adult novel. I really did enjoy it though. I found Belly to be likeable and believable.

I gave this book 3.5/5 stars. It was well written, the characters had depth to them, and I thought the plot was intriguing and well thought out. I feel it is a really good book for kids in middle school and high school. When I read it in high school I remember really enjoying it. It is really a sweet read and I think most girls will be able to relate to Belly. I also cried at times throughout the novel. There were some really heavy moments sprinkled throughout. Overall, I did enjoy it. I would not hesitate to recommend it to someone who enjoys young adult novels.