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sweater dress // similar chunky beanie // UGG boots

It has been QUITE a while since my last book review! I finally got into the “reading mood” this fall and finished a few new releases. I’m a little sad to report that none of these were a 5/5, however, I do think they’re still worth the read! They kept me entertained, at least. If you’ve read a really great thriller lately, then I would LOVE your recommendation – I’m currently looking for a new read.

Without further ado, here we go with Book Review Round 20!

The Last to Vanish, by Megan Miranda

I am a huge fan of Megan Miranda novels, so as soon as I saw this on the shelves I purchased it immediately! While this book definitely kept me entertained, I wouldn’t say it’s the best Megan Miranda book I’ve ever read. I always enjoy the atmospheric settings of Miranda’s novels and this book is no different – it’s set in a small North Carolina mountain town known as Cutter’s Pass, best known for the mysterious disappearance of seven people spread out over a 25-year period. The story centers around Abigail Lovett, who works at the local inn, and starts off with a bang when the brother of the latest missing person checks into the inn. While I didn’t expect the ending, there weren’t any major twists or turns that left me gasping for air. I like to be a little, well, thrilled when I read a thriller, and this one just didn’t do it for me, haha. But it’s definitely not a bad novel!! I still enjoyed it and would recommend it to someone who wants to read a mystery novel but doesn’t want to be scared at night. I hope that makes sense!

The It Girl, by Ruth Ware

I am a huge fan of Ruth Ware, especially her earlier work (“The Woman in Cabin 10” was the novel that initially got me hooked on the thriller chick-lit genre). I haven’t loved Ware’s recent work, although I still think she’s an incredibly talented writer. I did enjoy her latest novel, “The It Girl,” although there were a few flaws. The first is how long – and slow – the book is. It took me FOREVER to finish this book – about a month, which is a loooong time for me to spend reading (I usually go through thrillers in a couple of days). I felt like I was reading, reading, reading and hardly making a dent in it. The ending finally does pick up, though, and I raced through the last 100 pages at around 1 a.m. in the morning. So here’s the synopsis: Hannah Jones and “it girl” April Clarke-Cliveden quickly become best friends when paired as roommates their freshman year at Oxford. By the end of the year, though, April is dead. Now, ten years have passed, Hannah and her new husband are expecting their first child and April’s murderer has recently passed away. When a podcaster comes forward with some new information regarding April’s death, Hannah realizes that she might have been wrong about what really happened all those years ago. Overall, this book was an enjoyable read, especially the twist at the end, but I think the storytelling could be refined and the entire book condensed!

The House Across the Lake, by Riley Sager

This book started out soooo good and I had such high hopes!! It wasn’t a total fail, but the “twist” came out of NOWHERE and just didn’t make any sense at all – the book, which seems grounded in reality in the beginning, takes a turn off into fantasy land. I still think it was a good read, but just know that it gets a little, um, unrealistic. The premise is this: Casey Fletcher, a recently widowed actress trying to escape a streak of bad press, has retreated to the peace and quiet of her family’s lake house in Vermont. Armed with a pair of binoculars and several bottles of alcohol, she passes the time watching Tom and Katherine Royce, the glamorous couple living in the house across the lake. It becomes clear that Katherine and Tom’s marriage isn’t as perfect as it appears, and when Katherine suddenly vanishes, Casey turns into an amateur sleuth to figure out what really happened.

Real Food for Pregnancy, by Lily Nichols

I have blogged about this book in the past, but I thought it was deserving of it’s own spot on this list because I have recently re-read it (and read it again!) since I’m pregnant with baby number two. This book is the reason that I started eating meat again after going plant-based a few years back. Nichols has done an INCREDIBLE amount of in-depth research on nutrition for pregnancy and doesn’t just make recommendations, but explains why she is making them based on the studies. She also addresses a lot of the “traditional” prenatal advice and has outstanding explanations for why she believes women should incorporate meat, animal fat and full-fat diary products into their diets. Since it can be pretty overwhelming knowing where to start, she also includes meal suggestions, recipes and even a sample meal plan that has been so helpful for me during this second pregnancy. I’ve made so many of the recipes from the back of this book, and they all have been a hit! There are also sections of the book dedicated to exercising while pregnant, vitamins and supplements, non-toxic cookware, and a section dedicated to controversial foods like sushi, deli meat, and undercooked eggs (and some of her recommendations may surprise you!). Basically, this book has been my BIBLE throughout pregnancy, and one that I revisit time and time again. I highly recommend it to anyone who is either pregnant, trying to conceive or thinks they might want to conceive anytime in the next five years!

xoxo