2015 Glamour Girl Report

Bookhearts,

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Series Sunday: Hidden Bodies

(You #2)

Series Sunday is a bookish meme hosted by Literary Marie of Precision Reviews. I encourage all of my fellow book bloggers and bookhearts to play along.

• Read an installment of a series.
• Share your review/recommendation below.
• Include the title, author and series name.

My Series Sunday pick is Hidden Bodies, the second book in the You series by Caroline Kepnes. In the first novel, Joe Goldberg went from stalker to the perfect boyfriend to Guinevere Beck. In Lifetime movie style, he continues to be a creepy muthaf'er.

Joe follows the woman he's obsessed with all the way to the West Coast. This go-round, I was used to Joe's cray cray antics. It didn't make the story less interesting though. In fact, Joe gets a taste of his own medicine from a "lying thieving hairylegged beast" that is "off the grid." Even Joe admits she is his perfect match.

There are over 12,000 4-star ratings for this series. C'mon, we can't all be wrong. Again, I am not comparing this series to other REALLY GOOD psychological thrillers but recommend adding You and Hidden Bodies to your TBR piles at the very least. Then when you find yourself without a book to occupy your mind on a cold autumn night, settle in with these books. Then report back on your thoughts! I am curious to know if you found yourself rooting for the villain like I maybe was.

DISCLAIMER: This book was received directly from the publisher for review purposes only. In no way does it influence my review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

Title: Hidden Bodies
Author: Caroline Kepnes
Published: February 2016
Pages: 448
Edition: Galley
Rating: ♥♥♥

 

First Lines Friday

First Lines Friday is a bookish meme hosted by Literary Marie of Precision Reviews. I encourage all of my fellow book bloggers and bookhearts to play along.

• Grab your current read(s).*
• Share the first line(s).
• Include the title and author.

"Thank you for listening and for letting me into your lives again."  ~ Adele 25

You're welcome, bestie-in-my-head, Adele.

*I took a break from reading today to jam the new release of Adele's 25. Above is one of the dedication lines in the CD insert.

The Grownup

"Do you believe in evil spirits?" ~ pg. 24 

Hand jobs. Haunted house. Four deaths. Threats. A disturbing stepson. A cat with a cutoff tail. A faux aura interpreter.

Got your attention? I thought so. These are the subjects of Gillian Flynn's (author of Gone Girl) new short story, The Grownup. It is the author's homage to the classic ghost story. The Grownup first appeared in George R. R. Martin's Rogues anthology as What Do You Do? I like Flynn's standalone better. My only gripe is I wish it were a full length novel. I am left with so many questions!

Do you like ghost stories too? Yes? Then read it!

Title: The Grownup
Author: Gillian Flynn
Published: November 2015
Pages: 62
Edition: Hardcover
Challenge: Popsugar Short Story
Rating: ♥♥♥♥♡

 

Goodreads Choice Awards 2015

Tis the season to cast your vote on Goodreads for the best books of the year! Below are my choices:

• BEST FICTION: Inside the O'Briens by Lisa Genova
• BEST MYSTERY & THRILLER: The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins
• BEST MYSTERY & THRILLER: The Stranger by Harlan Coben
• BEST HISTORICAL FICTION: In the Unlikely Event by Judy Blume
• BEST ROMANCE: Captivated by You by Sylvia Day
• BEST HORROR: Day Four by Sarah Lotz
• BEST HUMOR: The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl by Issa Rae
• BEST HUMOR: I Regret Nothing by Jen Lancaster
• BEST NONFICTION: Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates
• BEST NONFICTION: For the Love by Jen Hatmaker
• BEST DEBUT GOODREADS AUTHOR: Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon
• BEST YOUNG ADULT FANTASY: Carry On by Rainbow Rowell
• BEST YOUNG ADULT FICTION: All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven
• BEST YOUNG ADULT FICTION: Finding Audrey by Sophie Kinsella

 

Series Sunday: You

(You #1)

Series Sunday is a bookish meme hosted by Literary Marie of Precision Reviews. I encourage all of my fellow book bloggers and bookhearts to play along.

• Read an installment of a series.
• Share your review/recommendation below.
• Include the title, author and series name.

"Suspense is good for people. It makes us stronger. This is why America loves Stephen King so much; he keeps us on the edge of our seats until it hurts." ~ pg. 79

My Series Sunday pick is You, the first book in the series of same name by Caroline Kepnes. So what does Joe Goldberg do when a beautiful aspiring writer walks into the bookstore where he works? He googles the name on her credit card. Guinevere Beck has a public Facebook account, tweets a lot and posts a status of her whereabouts often, making it easy for "chance" encounters with Joe. He orchestrates a string of events that have Beck falling into his waiting arms. Before Beck realizes it, her stalker has become her boyfriend. And Joe will do whatever necessary, including murder, to keep his place in Beck's life. This is why You is true to its bloody book cover.

Creepy, right? Realistic too, huh? You never know who is watching or reading your every move on social media. A Facebook friend, a Twitter baé or an Instagram follower could be stalking you, waiting for the perfect opportunity to insert themselves into your life. Joe and Beck are the literary examples of this.

"EVERYTHING peaks. It's just the nature of all life." ~ pg. 131

Such a simple title for a calculated character. Joe is a trip! And dare I say that I was rooting for him—the bad guy! I can't go into much deet without spoiling the story; just know that You was an okay dark read about a twisted character. Don't get excited—I am not comparing it to other REALLY GOOD psychological thrillers that shall not be named here. In fact, it was not a page-turner at all but every time I put it down, I wondered what Joe's next move would be. Add it to your TBR piles now that the hype has died down from its 2014 release. I wouldn't be surprised if it is adapted to the big screen.

Now excuse me while I crack open the advance readers' copy of the sequel Hidden Bodies.

Title: You
Author: Caroline Kepnes
Published: September 2014
Pages: 332
Edition: eBook
Challenge: New Author
Rating: ♥♥♥


 

Series Sunday: Maya Mound Mayhem

(Logan Dickerson Cozy Mystery #3)

Series Sunday is a bookish meme hosted by Literary Marie of Precision Reviews. I encourage all of my fellow book bloggers and bookhearts to play along.

• Read an installment of a series.
• Share your review/recommendation below.
• Include the title, author and series name.

My Series Sunday pick is Maya Mound Mayhem, the third book in the Logan Dickerson cozy mystery series by Abby L. Vandiver. Finally we get to see a glimpse of Logan working in her field. She believes there are Maya ruins along the mountainside of Track Rock Gap in Gainesville, Georgia. Instead of digging up ruins, you guessed it, she found a body. Dead bodies just seem to attract Logan to the scene of the crime. But this time, she is the main suspect!

"I was beginning to feel like the criminal everyone was trying to make me out to be." ~ 24%

The story lines and just as cozy and clever as the triple alphabet titles. I wouldn't be saddened one bit if author Abby L. Vandiver decided to take this series all the way to ZZZ. These books are perfect for readathons, short reads and break books between heavier plot novels. But they are enough mystery to keep me guessing which suspect is the real killer. I am looking forward to the next two books that Vandiver has planned for release. Keep 'em coming every month!

Title: Maya Mound Mayhem

Author: Abby L. Vandiver

Published: July 2015

Pages: 122

Edition: eBook

Challenge: Diversity on the Shelf

Rating: ♥♥♥