SOCIAL MEDIA

Monday, October 11, 2021

Show Me Your Books - September

*This post contains affiliate links. When you click a link, it is no cost to you and I make a small commission (pennies) from it. Thank you for supporting Sparkles and Lattes.

I read two books last month. I started another book, Rock Paper, Scissors, but I haven't had time to finish it yet.

So what did I read this month?

Not A Happy Family - Shari Lapena
Genre: Mystery, Thriller, Suspense (but I feel like it is read like a Mystery)
Rating: 4 Stars

Not A Happy Family - Shari Lapena

I had been waiting three months for this book to arrive in my que. Everyone I knew said they really liked it. And I did as well, but I was a bit disappointed in who did it. I kind of figured out who did it and why, and then when it came out that I was right, I think that is what disappointed me the most. I love when I am left flabbergasted. But all in all, the book was enjoyable.

The book is about a wealthy family who has their children over for Easter dinner. But just two days later, the parents are found brutally murdered. Who did it? Everyone thinks it is an inside job and each child has motive. 

What really happened to the Merton's?

Here is Amazon's synopsis:

Brecken Hill in upstate New York is an expensive place to live. You have to be rich to have a house there, and Fred and Sheila Merton certainly are rich. But even all their money can't protect them when a killer comes to call. The Mertons are brutally murdered after a fraught Easter dinner with their three adult kids. Who, of course, are devastated.
 
Or are they? They each stand to inherit millions. They were never a happy family, thanks to their vindictive father and neglectful mother, but perhaps one of the siblings is more disturbed than anyone knew. Did someone snap after that dreadful evening? Or did another person appear later that night with the worst of intentions? That must be what happened. After all, if one of the family were capable of something as gruesome as this, you'd know.
 
Wouldn't you?

Survive the Night - Riley Sager
Genre: Mystery, Thriller, Suspense
Rating: 3 1/2 to 4 Stars

Survive the Night - Riley Sager

I love reading Riley Sager's books, so when I saw this one coming out, I added it to my list right away. It did take a few months for it to show up in my que. Now I enjoyed the book, but it wasn't my favorite. It was predictable, but that is maybe because I watch too my true crime shows. Though there was one twist that I did not see coming at all.

Charlie wants to move back home after her roommate is murdered by the Campus Killer, but she has no ride home. So she seeks out someone to drive her home through the campus notification board. Soon she meets Josh who agrees to drive her home. But as she gets to know Josh more, the more it seems like he could be the Campus Killer. Will Charlie make it home?

As I said, I guessed part of the ending, but there was a twist I didn't see coming. 

Here is Amazon's synopsis:

Josh Baxter, the man behind the wheel, is a virtual stranger to Charlie. They met at the campus ride board, each looking to share the long drive home to Ohio. Both have good reasons for wanting to get away. For Charlie, it’s guilt and grief over the shocking murder of her best friend, who became the third victim of the man known as the Campus Killer. For Josh, it’s to help care for his sick father—or so he says.
 
The longer she sits in the passenger seat, the more Charlie notices there’s something suspicious about Josh, from the holes in his story about his father to how he doesn’t want her to see inside the trunk. As they travel an empty, twisty highway in the dead of night, an increasingly anxious Charlie begins to think she’s sharing a car with the Campus Killer. Is Josh truly dangerous? Or is Charlie’s jittery mistrust merely a figment of her movie-fueled imagination?
 
One thing is certain—Charlie has nowhere to run and no way to call for help. Trapped in a terrifying game of cat and mouse played out on pitch-black roads and in neon-lit parking lots, Charlie knows the only way to win is to survive the night.

What books did you read this month?

24 comments :

  1. These sound so good. Have a lovely Monday my friend.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I am currently reading that first one and I would agree with the four stars at least so far, my mom really did the same. I had higher hopes as well.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It was still good, but I definitely thought it would be a favorite from what everyone said.

      Delete
  3. I have the Shari Lapena book on my hold list at the library - hoping to read it soon!! xo, Biana

    ReplyDelete
  4. Replies
    1. Glad we agreed on them. I am hoping this new book is good.

      Delete
  5. Thank you so much for sharing the list. Seems very interesting.

    Love: Mariann Yip
    https://www.mariannyc.com/istanbul-travel-guide/

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You are very welcome. I hope you read and enjoy them.

      Delete
  6. I really enjoyed Not a Happy Family, and had guessed early on who done it...but then changed my mind so they sort of got me haha. I have Survive the Night on my list to read eventually.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Well that is how I was hoping it turned out for me, but it just seemed obvious. But it was still a good book. And yes to reading Survive the Night.

      Delete
  7. It's a shame you guessed what was happening in the books but good you still rated them highly :) i don't like crime/mystery books like this, I tend to prefer lighter reads, but I've been in a bit of a reading slump lately so only read 2 books last month myself too.

    Hope your week is going well so far :) It's a rainy one here!

    Away From The Blue

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I like these types of mystery books a lot. But I know others don't. As long as they are not gory, I am ok with it. Even if I guess something, but the book was overall good, I will still rate them higher.

      It was rainy and snowy here yesterday.

      Delete
  8. I love Riley Sagar's books! I'll need to look into that title because I haven't heard of it yet!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Me too. You definitely should look into it. It came out a few months ago.

      Delete
  9. Thank you for sharing! I just finished my book last night and I'm looking to add new ones to my list at the library.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Not A Happy Family is definitely up my alley. Thanks for the review.
    xoxo
    Lovely
    www.mynameislovely.com

    ReplyDelete
  11. I have Not a Happy Family on my bookshelf waiting to be read next!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It is a good one. I guess it, but the book was still good.

      Delete
  12. You're better than I am - I didnt have a clue did did it in Not a Happy Family - I hate when I figure it out though - takes some of the air out of the sails.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It really does take the sails out of it when you figure it out, but at least the book was well written and kept me engaged. That means it was still a good book.

      Delete