Recently Read - Book Reviews

Happy Monday loves! It has been a long time since my last book review but I am super excited for this one because I have some incredible books for y'all. One of the books on this list definitely falls into my top 5 favorite books all time so stay tuned!

1.) An Unwanted Guest by Shari Lapena: I read this book a few months ago then took a bit of a break from reading because life got a little hectic. This is one of two books by Shari Lapena on today's list and it's quite hard for me to decide which one I liked more! They definitely are very different but obviously both are in the mystery/thriller genre. This one was definitely more nail-biting and tense throughout. It tells the story of a group of guests all hoping to escape the stress of their everyday lives and spend a long weekend in the Catskills. As fate would have it, these seemingly random guests all end up at Mitchell's Inn and wind up stranded there as a treacherous winter storm rolls in. When one guest is mysteriously found dead it has all of the guests reeling. Was it an accident or was it murder? This book definitely had me on the edge of my seat the whole time and I frankly had no idea how the story would end. The plot isn't super original--it's pretty much like The Shining meets Clue essentially but it still is very good! Overall rating: 4/5

2.) The Witch of Willow Hall by Hester Fox: I read this book right around Halloween after seeing it mentioned by Caitlin from Southern Curls & Pearls. I could tell that it was going to be a book I loved because historical fiction is my favorite genre AND I love stories about witches. I always have! This book follows the Montrose family and their three daughters--primarily focusing on the story of Lydia. After a scandal drove them out of Boston and into a small Massachusetts country town, the family quickly learns that their secrets and the problems they were hoping to escape have followed them there. Aside from following the trials and tribulations of the family (which I found SO intriguing) there is a love story woven throughout. Well needless to say, I absolutely loved this book and it might be one of my favorite books of all time! I have been tempted to read it again although I told myself I would wait until fall. Highly highly recommend. Overall rating: 5/5

3.) Someone We Know by Shari Lapena: Of the two Shari Lapena books, this one was definitely my favorite! Olivia's ordinary suburban life is turned upside down when she discovers her son has been breaking into neighbor's homes and hacking into their computers. Things become that much more complicated when one of the neighbors winds up dead. Was it the husband as most suspect or is there more to the story? I really love how Shari Lapena weaves so many different characters together. She does the same in An Unwanted Guest and she does it very well! I LOVED the twist ending of this book. Totally unexpected! Overall rating: 4.5/5



4.) A Stranger on the Beach by Michele Campbell: This is the one I JUST finished and I absolutely LOVED! It's definitely my favorite thriller I've read in a while and probably the only one that has actually made my heart race while reading. Caroline Stark appears to live a pretty lavish lifestyle with her husband and daughter and their luxurious beach home. She soon discovers that everything is not as it seems and her husband is lying about something--is he cheating or is it something more sinister? Totally devastated by this revelation, Caroline finds comfort in the arms of Aidan--a mysterious townie with a very dark past. Their one night of passion leads to a dangerous obsession with a deadly outcome. Y'all--this book was SO good. I was hooked from page one and while I thought I had guessed how it was going to end, it totally threw me for a loop! Overall rating: 5/5

Do y'all have any books that you read recently and loved? I would love to hear in the comments!