Susan Coventry's Blog, page 43

Watching You by Michael Robotham

Watching You is a creepy suspense novel with a self-explanatory title!  Marnie's husband has disappeared leaving her with two children and a lot of debt.  As she struggles to make ends meet, she has run-ins with several unsavory characters who somehow all end up dead.  Marnie discovers that someone has been watching her and acting as a vigilante on her behalf.  There are other creepy elements to this story but I don't want to give too much away.  I just recently discovered this author (love when that happens) and find his novels very engaging in an unsettling, spine-tingling way.  If you're a fan of suspense fiction, I would definitely recommend Michael Robotham and Watching You in particular.

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2016 Reading Challenge

If you want to read more books in 2016, and what avid reader doesn't, consider signing up for the 2016 Goodreads Reading Challenge.  I set a personal goal to read 100 books this year, and so far I've read 24  (The Pillars of the Earth is slowing me down!).  Goodreads makes it easy to keep track of the books you've read so you can stay on pace to reach your goal.  Just a thought, should you believe as I do...

So many books...so little time!

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2016 Reading Challenge

If you want to read more books in 2016, and what avid reader doesn't, consider signing up for the 2016 Goodreads Reading Challenge.  I set a personal goal to read 100 books this year, and so far I've read 24  (The Pillars of the Earth is slowing me down!).  Goodreads makes it easy to keep track of the books you've read so you can stay on pace to reach your goal.  Just a thought, should you believe as I do...

So many books...so little time!

 

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The Paris Wife by Paula McLain

The Paris Wife is a historical fiction account of the life of Ernest Hemingway, told from the perspective of his first wife, Hadley.  Hemingway is portrayed as a tortured artist, who battled depression, alcohol abuse and infidelity.  Much of the story takes place during the roaring 20's, in Chicago, Paris and Spain, as Ernest attempts to advance his writing career.  Hadley plays the role of the dutiful wife, producing a child and indulging Ernest's whims, including him taking one of her friends as his lover.  The Paris Wife is one of a few books I've read about famous writers and along with Mrs. Poe, is one of my favorites.  Any story that makes me feel something--sadness, happiness, anger, etc. is the sign of a good book and this one made me feel it all.  If you're a fan of Ernest Hemingway's writing or just want to learn more about his life, I would recommend The Paris Wife.

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The Longest Ride by Nicholas Sparks

The Longest Ride is, in my opinion, one of Nicholas Sparks' finest romance novels.  This story follows the lives of two couples, Ira and Ruth (from WWII to present) and Luke and Sophia (present).  Luke is a professional bull rider and Sophia is a college art student.  Their lives are very different, yet they quickly fall in love.  One stormy night, they rescue an elderly man, Ira, who was trapped in his car after running off the road.  Sophia forms a friendship with Ira and in his final days he tells her about his passionate romance with his now deceased wife, Ruth.  Through Ira's story, Sophia learns about making sacrifices for the one you love.  The Longest Ride was tender and touching and I was very engaged in the stories of both couples.  I can't talk about this book without mentioning the movie, which I also enjoyed.  I loved Scott Eastwood in the role of Luke and Alan Alda in the role of Ira.  The film did a good job of bringing this story to life.  If you're a fan of Nicholas Sparks, you probably already read this novel, but if you haven't had a chance yet, I highly recommend it.

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The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins

The Girl on the Train is a suspenseful thriller that makes the reader feel like they're on a runaway train!  Rachel is a bitter divorcee who becomes obsessed with the "perfect" couple she passes by every day on the train to London.  The couple(Scott and Megan) happen to live down the street from Rachel's ex-husband Tom and his new wife Anna.  In a strange twist of events, Rachel becomes a suspect in Megan's disappearance and in proving her innocence ends up fighting for her life.  The Girl on the Train is a dark, twisted tale of love gone wrong and is often compared to Gone Girl.  It was hard not to be drawn into this story and if suspense is your thing, you will probably agree.

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The Fortune Hunter by Daisy Goodwin

The Fortune Hunter is a historical fiction novel set in 1870's England.  This book was where I first learned about Empress Elizabeth(Sisi) of Austria although she is not the main character.  The story is told from the point of view of Charlotte, heiress to the Lennox fortune, who falls in love with an expert horseman named Bay Middleton.  When Sisi visits England for the hunting season, she requests Bay as her guide, which leads them into a passionate affair.  Charlotte is devastated and makes plans to depart England for America to pursue her love of photography.  The Fortune Hunter is essentially a love triangle set against a high society backdrop with some historical accuracy.  I found this book to be very engaging and it prompted me to read The Accidental Empress which is included in my list of historical reviews.  If you enjoy stories about royals and aren't put off by love triangles, you may enjoy this book too.

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In the home stretch…

I just reached 70,000 words on my upcoming novel, Starring You and Me!  I'm in the home stretch now; just a few more chapters to go!

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A Summer Affair by Elin Hilderbrand

A Summer Affair might sound like a romance novel, but I uncovered it in the general fiction section of a bookstore.  First off, I have to say that the book cover is deceiving.  A Summer Affair looks like a harmless, fluffy summer tale but it's actually a story of a middle-aged woman's infidelity.  Claire is a wife and mother of four children, living on the close-knit island of Nantucket (the setting for many of this author's books).  When Claire accepts a position as co-chair of a major charity event, she finds herself working closely with the handsome director Lock.  Claire and Lock embark on an emotionally charged affair where everything in her life is called into question.  Hilderbrands' handling of the weighty issue of infidelity is very realistic.  Once I got over the deception of the cover, I enjoyed the meaty story within.  I've read other books by Hilderbrand that are a little more light-hearted, but if you don't mind the topic, this is a good story.

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Ugly Love by Colleen Hoover

Ugly Love is a "new adult" romance that made it on my favorites list.  Miles is a moody airline pilot and Tate is his best friend's sister.  Their attraction is undeniable and they begin a sexual relationship with the agreement that it will never progress beyond that.  When Tate learns the details of Miles' tragic past, she understands why he has been so guarded, but she falls in love with him anyway.  Colleen Hoover is the queen of angst-filled, intense and sometimes heart-wrenching romance.  She excels at taking the reader on an emotional roller coaster ride that leads to a happy ending.  If the merry-go-round is more your speed, this book is probably not for you.  I usually prefer the merry-go-round myself, but a roller coaster ride every once in awhile won't hurt and in this case, it was lots of fun!

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