A big end of the vacation season party is thrown that includes locals as well as the wealthy homeowners who are only in town for the summer and at one point something happens to Sadie. This thriller helps us uncover exactly what happened that night. If thrillers are your thing, READ THIS!
Definitely rated R…just in case you prefer to skip those.
While I do not prefer the super predictable chick-lit novels that tend to read like a Hallmark movie {don’t hate me}, Elin Hilderbrand’s books are always some of my favorites.
Hilderbrand takes us back to the summer of ’69 for the Levin family. Their usual easy breezy summers on the beaches of Nantucket are a far cry from the 1969 summer. Every member of the family is facing tough times and we get to walk through it all. I’d describe this as “meaty chick-lit” so a girly book with a little more substance.
Thriller number two in the list today…Something in the Water is all about a couple who are faced with a decision that could change their entire life when they find…wait for it…something in the water. I must tell you while I enjoyed this book I wouldn’t have made the same decision as the couple did so I had a lot of those-WHY IS SHE WALKING UP THE STAIRS IN THE SCARY MOVIE-kind of moments. I just wanted to scream and shake them just a bit. It was still a good read, but just not my favorite thriller of the batch. Mind you-it was up against some good ones.
Would I recommend it?
I didn’t love it like Reese did {and yes, I’m saying that like we’re friends}. It was just “okay” so I’d probably pass.
Thriller #3 in the line-up and it’s oh-so-good! Elizabeth, a dance mom friend, recommended this to me during the spring recital. She’s a big reader so I knew her suggestion wouldn’t let me down. And friends…
IT DID NOT.
It’s been said this is the new version of “Gone Girl”…if you liked Gone Girl…READ THIS!
I can’t even sum it up without giving anything away, so no tiny recap on this one. I don’t wanna spill it.
I should always refer to the summer of 2019 as the summer I read the most amazing thrillers…including The Silent Patient.
Alicia and her husband are both living dream careers from the outside looking in things seem absolutely perfect. Until her husband returns home one night, she shoots him five times, and then never utters another word…
Yes, this one starts big and just keeps going. It is GOOD! Add it to your list!
Then She Was Gone
Ellie was fifteen years old and seemed like the dream daughter. Just days away from a summer vacation and poof-THEN SHE WAS GONE.
This story takes us on a journey of discovering what happened to Ellie.
I’d say this thriller was more twisted than the others. I know some get to be too much for some people-this one is out there. {Rated R}
The Miracle of Kayla
You know I love a good adoption story. This husband tells the gut wrenching story of heartache and despair as he and his wife travel the road of infertility as well as failed adoption.
Sold on a Monday
A struggling reporter happens upon a sign stating, “2 Children For Sale”, and snaps a picture for himself. When that picture gets into the wrong hands and his big break comes at the cost of others, the reporter does everything he can to make it right.
This was good…similar to Before We Were Yours.
The Other Woman
I lost count on what number thriller this was for the summer but I LOVED this one! So many twists and turns that truly kept me guessing about the outcome until the final pages. Thriller fans?? READ NOW!
Time for the awards…
Best Chick-Lit Book-Peach Tree Bluff Series
Best Thriller-The Other Woman
Best Touched My Heart-Before We Were Yours
Best Overall Book-The Wife
Honorable Mention-The Last House Guest
Okay, readers…what would you give your awards to? What’s your best overall book this summer? Please comment so we can all check it out!
Thank you!
XO
You read so many great books this summer!! SO MANY!!
Great post and boy did you read some good ones! Before We Were Yours ranks up there with the Nightingale. I loved it so that I bought a copy to go on my shelf. Kristy Woodson Harvey's books have been on my TBR for so long and your review now makes me want to read them even more. I've read lots of thrillers this summer also. Lock Every Door, Before She Knew Him and An Anonymous Girl are a few of my favorites. Also, Where the Forest Meets the Stars is another favorite of mine this summer. I'm now off to add some of these to my kindle. Thanks for this great post!!
This post makes me want to ditch all my plans for today and read! So many good finds! Fun post!
I'm reading Summer of 69 right now and so far it has not been the page turner I was hoping for. Defintiely saving some of these to my list!
I added several of these books to my Goodreads TBR list. I also purchased the Kindle edition of Sold on a Monday, as I noticed it was only $1.99 on Amazon.
Ahh thanks for sharing your reviews, Erika!
I just finished The Last House Guest and started The Silent Patient last night! I’m also trying to work through the third book in the Peachtree Bluff series. It just seems slower to me? Maybe because I binged the other two books so recently?! HALP!
Summer of 69 is waiting for me at the library. I’m giggling at how similar our reading lists are! I’ll have to add your new recommendations to my list too – thanks!
I love the summer book review, I posted mien today too, I may give thrillers a try. You read so many good books.
http://www.elspethsdaybyday.com
I also loved the Kristy Woodson Harvey trilogy! If you find a place like Peachtree Bluff, please share it with your readers because I NEED to vacation there! 🙂 Before We Were Yours was one of my favorites to read too. So heartbreaking. Based upon your recommendations in this post, I'm going to download The Wife and The Last House Guest to my kindle!
She NEVER SPOKE ANOTHER WORD? NEVER?
AND WHAT IN THE WORLD HAPPENED TO ELLIE?
You not I'm not going to read these, so maybe just call me later and tell me. M'kay, thanks
I read Summer of 1969 and really like it. I just finished reading a new author to me. Her book was called Things you save in a fire and it was so good…so good that I actually went on line and bought 2 more of her books.
One which is being made into a movie with Josh Dumel. The fire this book is speaking about is your life…what do you save when your life's on fire. The author is Katherine Center. It is a stunning novel about courage, hope, anandonment, overcoming fear and learning to love against all odds. I laughed out loud in some parts and cried in others. It was excellent and on many sites must read list for the fall
Peachtree Bluff were some of my favorites!!!!! I also looked at places in GA to vacation..hahaha I have Before we were yours but haven't started it.. guess I will do that this week 🙂 I just can't do thrillers… makes me a nervous wreck and then I can't go to sleep! hahaha
For one of the BEST books of your life- you must must read The Things We Cannot Say. I read about 5 books a month- and this was a top winner (and will be for the year).
Highly suggest.
And I'm a sucker for great thrillers- so thanks for your suggestions.
I read my first Lisa Jewell book this summer and it was GOOD!! I read Watching You, if you haven’t read it yet, you should. I love the Peachtree Bluff books too! I shared my summer reads today, too. http://Www.sunshineandbooksblog.com
Happy Reading!
Yes to so many of these! The others…I need to add to my list! Brittany texted me about that book too and I totally forgot until just now! It'll be next up.
That Inspired Chick
Great suggestions! My book club all agreed that This Is How It Always Is was the worst book we'd ever read. The parents go to therapy but don't ever take their children?
Thanks for the reading tips. I liked all the same ones you did. I just got the 3rd Peachtree Bluff from the library and can't wait to read it. I'm going to put The Wife on my list. You can see my latest reads here: Tanya – The Other Side of the Road
Where the Forest Meets the Stars- best book I’ve read this summer!
I can only handle chick-lit… LOL I
I always come for Sheaffer's comment on book posts!!! 🙂
Oh yay! Thank you so, so much for recommending my Peachtree Bluff Series!! Also, the town is based in Beaufort, NC where I live so come on down 😊😊 I hope you’ve have the best summer! xo Kristy
This ones old, but i am often behind on the must reads — The Alice Network. It was so so good!
* And, yes, I too love Schaeffers comments on the book reviews 😂 I don’t read thrillers but sometimes they sound interesting in the description so I’d like someone to just tell me what happens too!
I love the Peachtree Bluff series and have been telling all my friends/mother/sister to find Summer of '69 too. Before We Were Yours was heartbreaking and I could not believe I had never heard of that time in our history! I'm not much for reading thrillers but every now and then they really hit the spot and I just found a few to add to my line-up!
Do you ever read Harlan Coben? Since you said you like thrillers, many of his are. I just finished his newest, "Run Away" — very good, highly recommend.
Thank you for the great list here. . .it should take me all the way through the fall — ha! I've only read "Before We Were Yours" on your list so looking forward to tackling some new books 🙂