The Daughter's May Reads

The summer is almost here, and I am enjoying starting the summer season off with some excellent reads! Please read on and let us know if you have read these and your thoughts!

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It took me three full days to decompress and think through my feelings for this book. I also had a two hour conversations with my husband about authors capitalizing on their series. I ultimately would not recommend reading the 750 pages reading up to the 20 page ending of this book. If you've been reading the series, you know the premise for these books and SJM is set to write more within this series world. Maas dislikable writing and zero point in the majority of the storyline, I often found myself frustrated and frequently annoyed with this entire book.

I still don't know how I feel about the ending...I sort of wish she had gone in a different direction?

I gave this 4 out of 5 stars!

Molly Gray is a thorough and rule abiding maid at an infamous hotel, but after her Gran dies, she has lost her moral compass. Many hotel characters emerge at the hotel that could have potentially had a hand in the rich and famous Mr. Black's sudden death at the hotel. A classic whodunnit!

This is set to be a movie and Florence Pugh has been cast as Molly, so I would definitely read this book before the movie comes out!

I did like this book but it was a bit too light, fluffy, and unrealistic for me. But did enjoy the overall reading experience!

It being Jewish American Heritage Month, I wanted to pick this one up!

I gave it 4 out of 5 stars!

This is a story about a perfectly dysfunctional family, and really we are all along for the journey as we learn the patriarch of this family is dying. All of the characters introduced are horribly flawed, anger riddled, and very confused about their feelings.

Attenberg's writing is sharp and clear, and she weaves such a rich, troubling story.

I like the shortened timeline and POVs for this book.

I gave this book 4.5 stars out of 5!

On an iconic Irish island, there is a wedding being held. Told from multiple perspectives and over the timeline of the wedding weekend, and specifically the wedding night, there is a murder.

Foley's writing was entertaining, enthralling, and definitely left me with a foreboding and haunted pit in my stomach!

I love anything set in Ireland so I obviously loved this book. I love a creepy, haunting whodunnit and this book fit the bill! Would definitely recommend if any of the above is up your alley!

I gave this book 5 stars! Loved it!

"My mother you see, is the great love of my life. She is the great love of my life, and I have lost her."

Katy's mother has died and she is completely lost without her. She decides to travel to her mother's favorite place in the world - Positano, Italy. Katy is able to find herself in this wonderful place, and make peace with her mother.

I love the magical realism tied into this book, and it is a fast, easy read! Definitely recommend if you have a close relationship with your mother too!

I gave this book 4.5 stars out of 5!

Eva Mercy is a single mom and best selling author. Shane Hall is also a best selling author but fighting alcoholism. A literary event brings Shane and Eva together in modern times, but what we learn is that this isn't the first time Shane and Eva are meeting. Our story gets deeper and more wonderful from there!

This is a refreshing take on writers and honest portrayal of emotions. This is a deep dive into generational curses, the school and educational system, drug abuse, unseen chronic illnesses, and so much more! Definitely stayed reading for the second-chance lovers story!

Only 3 stars out of 5 for this book...not a fan of this one!

Jessica Miller has an insatiable need to be praise. Ten years after her college graduation, she absolutely has to go to the reunion to show herself off. But her six college friends are to be there, and one of their college friends was murdered ten years ago. Will this reunion make them solve the murder?

I love a murder mystery but this was NOT it. Bad writing, boring characters, lackluster storyline, and I guessed the killer straightaway. Would not recommend.

I gave this book 4 stars out of 5!

Nora is a no-nonsense, cutthroat literary agent. She loves her sister Libby, so when Libby asks to take a trip to a small town, Nora says yes. She eventually runs into her enemy, Charlie, who is also a literary editor. When Charlie and Nora are thrown together over and over, something is bound to happen.

As a big fan of Henry's book Beach Read, I was looking forward to this one. But unfortunately, it didn't quite hit the mark for me. The "I don't fit the rom-com trope" was too on the nose for me and left me a bit annoyed.

I gave this book 4 stars out of 5!

With a storyline present day involving four children, we jump back and forth in time to see vignettes into their mother and father's relationship. The children present day are going to throw their yearly party in Malibu but every sibling is dealing with their own insecurities, secrets, and public appearance.

I wish we could have had more follow up about the mother/father relationship, but I felt the Mick storyline was not played out and a bit of a cop-out. I did like Nora's story and character the best, and hope she gets her own book at one point!