[52] We Used to Live Here by Marcus Kliewer
Fiction / Thrillers / Suspense, heard about from Kerrie, Audio
Synopsis: Charlie and Eve are fixing-up an old house in the middle of nowhere. When Eve is home alone, the home’s former residents unexpectedly show up, and she agrees to let them look around. Their visit quickly spirals into a surreal nightmare. Strange occurrences, a missing child, and a ghostly presence begin to unravel Eve’s sense of reality.
Review: Gosh, this is hard to review. This story was so creepy and engaging. I was really into listening to it, and dying to find out what was going on. But there were so many confusing unexplained loose ends that it just fell apart for me and left me baffled. It would be great for a bookclub—to discuss and see what everyone else made of it. I talked about it with the gym mate who told me about it, to see what we could figure out together (not much! ha!).
Recommend? Maybe…?
[53] Till Summer Do Us Part by Meghan Quinn
Fiction / Romance / Contemporary, saw in a bookstore, Kindle
Synopsis: Scottie Price tells a little white lie about being married to impress her boss—only to be sent to couples counseling with the boss’s husband. Desperate, she recruits Wilder Wells, her best friend’s improv-loving brother, to play the part. But when they’re roped into a weeklong marriage retreat with her coworkers, pretending to be in love starts to feel a little too real.
Review: I had no idea what this book was about—I kept noticing it when I walked past the bookstore in the train station and decided to read it. When I started it and realized it had a fake husband premise I rolled my eyes but then… BUT THEN! The chemistry between these two! Their bickering! I was laughing out loud at so much of it! Then it got really deep… and steamy. I loved it. What a gem. One of my fave romance reads in a while.
Recommend? Yes!
[54] Silver Elite by Dani Francis
Fiction / Romance / Science Fiction, green light from Jamie on The Popcast, Audio
Synopsis: In a world where psychic abilities mean a death sentence, Wren Darlington has survived by hiding her powers and aiding a rebel group from the shadows. But when she’s captured and forced to train within the enemy’s elite military program, she sees a chance to sabotage them from within. The mission grows even more complicated when she finds herself drawn to her commanding officer, Cross Redden—her greatest threat and unexpected temptation, and the evil general’s son.
Review: I don’t feel like this book is doing anything “new”—young adult with forbidden powers, captured by the enemy and forced to hide who she is while going through an intense training program and falling for her superior. This is like… a romantasy trope? That I apparently LOVE! Ha! This was great on audio and would be amazing on Graphic Audio. Wren is strong, sassy, fearless, wreckless (gawd, something she does at the end of the book made me so mad), and very easy to root for. I loved her relationship with Cross, and with the friends she meets in the the training program. The dystopian world she lives in was built at an appropriate pace (which I always appreciate with this kind of book), and the characters were easy to follow and remember. I really enjoyed this book and am looking forward to the next one!
Recommend? Yes
