REVIEW – The Escape Room by Megan Goldin

Aimeeeliz

You might not be aware that you want to read a fast-paced thriller with a heavy Wolf of Wall Street vibe, but trust me…you do.

The perspective alternates between present day in the elevator and chapters set in the past, leading up to what got Vincent, Sam, Jules and Sylvie in this situation. Needless to say, I’m not too excited to ride in an elevator ever again.

There are some really sad moments in this book, but by the end it’s just pure fun.

Thank you St. Martin’s Press for providing me with a copy of this book!

REVIEW – Recursion by Blake Crouch

Aimeeeliz

“Because memory…is everything. Physically speaking, a memory is nothing but a specific combination of neurons firing together – a symphony of neural activity. But in actuality, it’s the filter between us and reality.”

Holy sh*t. This book. It went above and beyond what I was anticipating and just got more intense with each section. Even when you might think you have a handle on what’s happening, it just gets more bananas.

I won’t say much because it’s best going in having only read the synopsis. Blake Crouch is a genius. READ THIS BOOK!

REVIEW – How Not to Die Alone by Richard Roper

Aimeeeliz

“It was this kind of detail that stayed with him long afterward: odd little elements of a forgotten life…”

Oh how I loved this book! Andrew is a delightful character, reminiscent of Ove and Eleanor Oliphant.

This book was sad and hilarious and heartwarming. I love how Roper examines loneliness, family, friendship and loss in such a realistic, relatable way.

REVIEW – Montauk by Nicola Harrison

Aimeeeliz

“No matter how perfect all these lives might have seemed from a distance, so full of possibilities and promise, we all wanted more.”

I was expecting this to lean a bit more towards the historical fiction genre, but it’s ultimately women’s fiction that just so happens to be set in 1938. There were some slight historical references but none of them had any real impact on the story.

Readers who typically gravitate towards romance might really enjoy this one.

The treatment of women was infuriating (not a negative of the book, but of the time). I immediately hated Beatrice’s husband. The author does a great job of covering the overall sentiment towards women, the “necessity” of having children, and the enforcement of very archaic, traditional gender roles. We do have at least one character who has branched out beyond her “place” as a woman, but even she has her problematic views in the end.

That ending though – I was content for this book to take the expected route (rather, one of two) and it didn’t. Which was frustrating because I felt like the way it wrapped up was simply drama for the sake of drama, instead of it serving a real purpose.

I received this book as part of the BookSparks Montauk pop-up tour.

REVIEW – A Nearly Normal Family by M.T. Edvardsson

Aimeeeliz

“People are prepared to put aside everything in the way of ethics and morals to protect their families.”

A Nearly Normal Family is a slow-burning thriller/crime drama. Told from three perspectives (the father, the daughter, the mother), the book takes its time leading you to what really happened. (And I was dying to find out!)

It’s a great read for those who love thrillers/mysteries but either aren’t fans of gore or maybe need a break from heavier, more disturbing novels.

REVIEW – Dark Matter by Blake Crouch

Aimeeeliz

“No one tells you it’s all about to change, to be taken away. There’s no proximity alert, no indication that you’re standing on the precipice. And maybe that’s what makes tragedy so tragic.”

Dark Matter was so much sadder than I anticipated, and so, so good. It’s like an insane action movie in literary form; gave me Inception vibes (a little bit, at least). It’s surprisingly emotional, and incredibly thought provoking.

“Until everything topples, we have no idea what we actually have, how precariously and perfectly it all hangs together.”

REVIEW – The Overdue Life of Amy Byler by Kelly Harms

Aimeeeliz

“Like any self-actualized, successful, capable adult woman would do in this situation, I duck behind the Q-tips.”

This book was very cute and funny at the beginning, and kind of lost steam for me in the last quarter. (Keep in mind that this is ultimately geared towards moms, and I don’t have kids.)

Amy is a funny, likable character and I could relate to a lot of what she was thinking and feeling.

The ending was a little melodramatic and sitcom-y, but it was a still a good palate cleanser book and a nice break from heavier reads.

REVIEW – The Things We Cannot Say by Kelly Rimmer

Aimeeeliz

“Hatred spreads – it doesn’t burn out with time. Someone needs to stand up and stop it.”

The Things We Cannot Say is a heart wrenching story about the horrors and realities of WWII. I enjoyed Alina’s chapters more than Alice’s but the story came together nicely and had a very emotional ending.

I did think this book was just a smidge too long, and I had figured out where it was going – it took awhile to get there but the payoff is good.

I would make sure you have a feel-good book ready for when you finish this one!