The Book of Two Ways by Jodi Picoult

 

Jodi Picoult has been one of my favorite authors for as long as I can remember. Every time I read her books I fly through them and find myself depressed when it’s coming to an end. Her unique and captivating voice as an author is unrivaled. The Book of Two Ways was captivating from the very start. By the time that I was 3/4 of the way through the book, I was trying to force myself to slow down so that I could savor every page and make it last just a little longer. If that’s not a sign of an amazing book, I don’t know what is! 

The novel starts with the protagonist, Dawn Edelstien, onboard a commercial flight when the passengers are told to prepare for a crash landing. She miraculously survives the crash but is unable to forget the images that flashed through her mind. It wasn’t her husband or daughter, it was her first love, a man she hasn’t seen in over a decade.

From here the book splits into two possible futures that unravel side by side. In one scenario, she returns home to her family, in the other, she does the unthinkable and flies to Egypt to seek out the man with whom she left a piece of her heart. 

A Good Marriage by Kimberly McCreight

 

A Good Marriage by Kimberly McCreight is a thriller/mystery that is full of surprises. The secrets unravel slowly as you get deeper and deeper into the story and the story definitely keeps you on your toes! 

When Lizzie Kitsakis was in law school she imagined herself being a federal prosecutor. Her current job at a corporate law firm is not what she ever wanted, but she and her husband need the money, so she made the sacrifice. 

One night she gets a call from an old friend from law school who she hasn’t spoken to in years. He begs her to help him as he’s been arrested under suspicion of murdering his wife. Despite the fact that taking on his case is the last thing that Lizzie wants, she is persuaded by both her friend and a partner at her law firm to take the case. The more that Lizzie discovers about the case, the less certain she becomes of her friend’s innocence, 

The Girl He Used to Know by Tracey Garvis Graves

 

The Girl He Used to Know by Tracey Garvis Graves is truly one that got better with each chapter! It told from the point of view of both Annika and Jonathan and alternates between 2001 and 1991. 

It starts with the protagonist, Annika, running into her first love in a grocery store. The one who got away ten years ago. Upon reuniting with Jonathan, Annika is determined to prove to him that she is different than the girl he used to know.

Annika is different than most people. She likes to be alone. Most people make her feel uncomfortable. She always seems to say and do the wrong thing. This is why she’s confused when Jonathan keeps showing interest in her and continuing to find and seek her out at chess club. She knows that letting him go was the biggest mistake she’s ever made, so she’s determined to make sure she takes advantage of this second chance the universe has given her. 

I cannot suggest this book highly enough. This is definitely one to add to your “To Be Read” pile!

 

Since this book came out, I feel like I saw it everywhere. I have had Untamed by Glennon Doyle on my “TBR” list forever and just finally got around to reading it. Actually, for this one, I listened to the audiobook! I loved that she did the narration herself! 

I went into this with no idea what to expect. Doyle is an author and motivational speaker. I found this book to be full of interesting quips, although as a whole. Untamed is best described as a motivational, self-help, feminist manifesto. I enjoyed her voice and perspective, but overfall it seemed to me that it went on for just a little bit too long. It started to feel redundant at times. 

 

Daisy Jones & The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid is different than anything else she’s ever written. 

It tells the story of a rock ’n’ roll band in the late 70s and is written in such a way that you question whether it is in fact, non-fiction. It is told in an oral history format and reads like a series of interviews and stories by the band members themselves. 

This novel takes us on the road with a legendary rock band. We travel with them through their formative years and experience their rising fame and success alongside them. Not only do we get to follow their professional success, but we also have the chance to have an inside look at what was going on behind the scenes. Daisy Jones & The Six truly takes you behind the curtain and allows you to experience the music industry as you never have before. I highly recommend this story to music fans out there!

The Family Upstairs by Lisa Jewell

 

The Family Upstairs by Lisa Jewell is a great mystery/thriller that I thoroughly enjoyed! It takes place in multiple timelines, switching from the present day to the past. This story also contains three narrators. 

The present-day story takes place in England and tells the story of Libby Jones, a girl who was orphaned and subsequently adopted as an infant. On her 25th birthday, she receives a letter from a solicitor. She has anticipated the arrival of this letter, but the content of the envelope leaves her speechless. According to the solicitor, her late parents have left her a mansion in Chelsea, one of London's poshest neighborhoods. Although the house is in less than pristine condition, Libby knows that her life of living paycheck to paycheck is about to change. 

When we learn about the mansion's past and the tragic downfall of the wealthy family who once lived there. 

Dark Matter by Blake Crouch

 

I picked up Dark Matter not knowing what to expect. To say that I am mind-blown is an UNDERSTATEMENT. This book reminds me of the movie "Inception" in the sense that it makes your mind think of things that you have never imagined before. It is a fast-paced sci-fi thriller that will make your headache as you try to grapple with the concepts that Blake Crouch has put together. 

Dark Matter begins with Jason Dessen, a man who is relatively content with his life. He has a wife and a son and although he sometimes thinks about the "what if" scenarios that could have arisen had he and his wife chosen to pursue their own careers instead of settling down and raising a family, he is happy with the life that he has created for himself. 

One night while walking home after meeting a friend for a drink, Jason is abducted by a masked and armed man. The questions the abductor asks are unusual. He questions him about his life and his family and whether or not he is happy.

Soon after, Jason wakes up in an unfamiliar location strapped to a gurney and surrounded by strangers wearing hazmat suits. He quickly realizes that he has awoken in a parallel universe where life as he knew it doesn't exist. In this "new life" he is an acclaimed scientist who has accomplished something novel that was thought to be impossible. How does he get back to his old life? What led him here? Did he take the right path?

I am not usually a sci-fi reader but I am SO happy that I read Dark Matter!

One of my favorite quotes from the book is "it's terrifying when you consider that every thought we have, every choice we could make, branches into a new world."