I don’t know about you, but there’s something about the summer time that amps me up to read more! Maybe it’s because we’re spending more time out in the sun, near a pool, lake or ocean, but it’s easily the season where I tend to read the most. And with us just coming back from the Baja beaches, I easily flew through tons of awesome books! Here are some of my faves…
The Babysitter: My Summers with a Serial Killer
By Liza Rodman
It was the 60s in Cape Cod, and Liza Rodman was just a little girl trying to navigate the larger world. Her mother, an abusive, hateful woman, didn’t pay much attention to Liza or her sister, forcing the girls to care for themselves while their mother worked at the local motel and danced the nights away in the Provincetown bars. So when Liza’s mother asked Tony, the gentle, good-looking handyman at the motel, to watch the girls, Liza jumped at the opportunity to go on adventures with him to his “secret garden” in the woods. It was only until years later that Liza discovered that her babysitter was a serial killer.
The Babysitter hits all the marks with me — part memoir, part crime investigation — it offers my two favorite genres rolled up into a wild, terrifying and mesmerizing read. There are some very graphic descriptions that are hard to read, but if you can get past that, this memoir will have you spellbound within the first chapter!
American Daughter
By Stephanie Thornton Plymale
Homelessness, abuse, neglect, trauma — all aspects that this brave author confronts in this raw and gripping memoir. Stephanie Thornton and her siblings lived a tumultuous life growing up. With a mother who was in and out of jail or rehab, Stephanie often had to fend for herself, which led to a frayed relationship with her mother. It’s only until Stephanie herself is an adult that she can start to peel back the layers of her life, her mother’s past and family secrets.
It’s no secret that I love a good memoir — and American Daughter is riveting. While there are many areas of this book that were tough to read, this book is written with such honesty and vulnerability that you get the truest sense of how generational trauma can live on for years in a family. The discoveries Stephanie makes about her family history are wild. You won’t be able to put this book down!
A special thank you to NetGalley and River Grove Books for providing an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.
People Like Her
By Ellery Lloyd
Emmy is an #InstaMum who documents her family’s life on social media for all of her 1M followers to see. But how real is everything Emmy portrays? The nuances of having such a curated life, crafted to (im)perfection for follows, likes and shares is something Emmy excels at, even though her author husband isn’t totally on board. Especially when a series of strange events — at the hands of a deranged fan — threatens Emmy’s livelihood and her family.
This well-written, clever novel does hit close to home given the topics of motherhood — and the potential consequences of sharing your entire life online to build a community. I loved every bit of this book, and highly recommend it!
Dear Child
By Romy Hausmann
After a woman named Lena finally escapes her captor from a windowless shack in the woods, she thinks her nightmare is over. But it’s really just beginning.
Lena disappeared without a trace 14 years prior, and her parents are relieved to finally have their daughter home. Until they see her, and realize that this isn’t their Lena. But who is she?
This book is totally enthralling! Other major reviews call it Gone Girl meets Room, which is on point for two of my favorite books. This one had me guessing until the very end!
The Wrong Family
By Tarryn Fisher
Two women with dark secrets, living in the same house. Before moving in with the Crouch family, Juno thought Winnie and her husband, Nigel, had the perfect life. Bit once she’s living in their beautiful house, she sees that some things aren’t what they appear to be on the surface. And Juno, who just can’t help herself, sets out the dangerous game of making things right.
This is one of those books that you simply cannot put down! I was sucked in immediately, and had to devour every page until the end.
Hide in Place
By Emilya Naymark
After a high-profile case went terribly wrong and her life fell apart, undercover detective Laney Bird turned in her badge to lead a simple life in a small town. Three years later, her son Alfie goes missing, and Laney knows in her heart that it’s not a runaway case. When the local law enforcement seemingly brush her off, Laney is in a race against time to find out where her son is.
This novel was fast-paced and offered the right amount of tension. I enjoyed the author’s writing style and hope to see more from her in the future.
Thanks to Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley for providing an advanced digital copy in exchange for my honest review.
Sister Dear
By Hannah Mary McKinnon
Eleanor has always had a tough upbringing, thanks to her crappy mom and spoiled sister. The only silver lining throughout her life was her dad, until he passes from cancer — but not without a final, earth-shattering confession: he’s not her real father. When Eleanor discovers who her real father is, she also learns that he wants absolutely nothing to do with her. Miserable and grief-stricken, Eleanor decides to get her revenge by befriending her half-sister — who has no clue that they’re related.
While you have to suspend a bit of disbelief with this plot, it is such a fun and fast read. I could not put my kindle down!
Thank you to NetGalley and MIRA for providing an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.
Final Girls
By Riley Sager
Truth time — I sat on this book forever! Mostly because I was afraid it would scare the living daylights out of me… which it did. ?
The last girl standing at the end of a horror movie is called the Final Girl — only for Quincy Carpenter, it’s not a movie. When all of her friends die at the hands of a murderer on a cabin trip in the woods, Quincy is the only one left alive — but without any memory of what occurred. She’s now a Final Girl, with two other women who survived separate but equally horrific massacres years ago. Until one dies, and Quincy is forced to confront her past.
This is a fast-paced book with lots of twists and turns! There are a few sections in the book that are really hard to read — basically the murders. I flipped through those pages with lightening speed. If you aren’t squeamish, or a chicken like me, this book is for you. I’m glad I finally read it — but am also glad to move on to the lighter stuff! ?
What’s on your summer reading list? I have soooo many other books that I wanna dig into. Share your picks with me in the comments below so I can add a few more to my list!
One quick note before I sign off: each book image is linked back to Amazon. If you’re planning on buying one or more of these books, please consider doing so through our affiliate links. Each purchase helps fuel our family travels!
