The Guest List – This one was a great mystery/thriller. I loved the slow burning build, even though I wanted to speed it up for the first half. There were lots of p.o.v.’s which kind of turned me off, but when I got 3/4 the way it started coming together. The ending was one that I absolutely did NOT see coming. I really enjoyed transporting myself to the setting of this story, in a beautiful island off the coast of Ireland for an elegant wedding. But don’t be fooled- this storyline turns dark when someone ends up dead.
The Vanishing Half – This book truly deserves the hype surrounding it. It intertwined family history, race, ethnicity and motherhood in an extraordinary way. In the Vanishing Half, twins Desiree and Stella couldn’t wait to leave behind the small, black town they’ve grown up in. At sixteen, they finally see their chance to runaway. After a decade one of the twins returns home with her black daughter, while the other lives across the country passing for “white” and hiding her past.
Pretty Things- A Novel – I ended up LOVING this book! But it took a little. while to get there. The opening chapters were strong and intriguing but it quickly hit a lull until about 70% point in the book. The majority of the first half was spent highly developing two of the mail characters. Vanessa, who is a wealthy Instagram influencer and Nina who is a con artist. A recipe for disaster right? There were several twists and turns- some I saw coming, some I did not. If you don’t mind a slow build and lots of details this one is for you. I think the ending was totally worth it!
The Death of Mrs. Westaway – What a twisty, fantastic story this was! An old crumbling estate, a malevolent housekeeper, a dysfunctional family, long-held family secrets, missing people…. all elements that I love in a storyline that has a dark, mecacing atmosphere. If you like a good old “Whodunit” this one is definitely for you!
