Back with another round, and I'll say simply that these were just really, really good books!
The Guest List by Lucy Foley was such a phenomenal thriller. I love a thriller where I don't see the twists coming because the build and suspense is so well done. This story focuses on a wedding on an island. At the beginning, you know someone has died, but you don't who it was, why, and who might be responsible. Through the stories of the wedding planner, the bride, the best man, the maid of honor, and a plus one, the story starts to unfold. I love a thriller that builds through multiple narrators, and y'all, this did that exceptionally well. It focused on what was happening on the island as the body was discovered, and it wove a story of what happened before as the intersections between characters started to come together. Y'all, I really just want to say over and over again that this was such a wonderful twisty pageturner of a thriller!
Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe by Fannie Flagg was just a delight of a read. I have never seen the movie adaptation (and actually don't know that I've ever known what it was about), so I was literally walking into this book from 1987 as if it was a new release! Fannie Flagg has a gift for writing incredible stories about people and towns. This was my second book of hers, and I am so captivated by the way she writes the details of all of her characters and how she can make these small towns come alive. If you're also just finding this book for the first time, you should know about two women who connect at a nursing home. When visiting, Evelyn becomes connected to Mrs. Threadgoode. Over the course of her visits, Evelyn learns all about her life and the residents of Whistle Stop, Alabama. The stories are so wonderfully told, and I just loved this one.
Broken by Jenny Lawson was fantastic and wonderful and all the things I expect and love about reading this author's work. I love how her books are so honest about mental health. I love how this made me laugh out loud (which very few books actually do) and also cry actual tears. I don't know how to even write a review other than to rave about it with as many different adjectives as possible to tell you this was real and amazing and hilarious and emotional. I am so, so, so glad Jenny Lawson puts these books and her stories out into the universe.
The Dutch House by Ann Patchett was a book that I've been meaning to read forever, and I finally did as it's the selection for one of my book clubs. This was an interesting tale of the relationship between a brother and sister throughout their lives. This includes tragedy and challenge mostly at the hands of their stepmother and how they choose to take this on through the decades. The characters and decisions they make were so intriguing, and the dynamics are definitely what kept me reading.
Onto the next ones!
