Beautiful Ugly by Alice Feeney

 Beautiful Ugly by Alice Feeney-306 pages

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Grady Green has been an author for a while and finally gets his breakthrough when his latest book opens as a New York Times Bestseller. However, the celebration is short lived as his wife, Abby, disappears in the middle of a phone call with him that same night. She appears to have totally disappeared. Was she kidnapped or did she leave without a trace? Grady is in a tailspin after her disappearance and is given the opportunity to travel to a remote island off the coast of Scotland for 3 months. There's a writer's cabin on the island that belonged to a former author who died and bequeathed it to Grady's agent. Grady sees Abby (or at least he thinks he sees her) upon arrival to the island. Is Abby on the island and/or what has happened to her?? 

I did not see the twist near the end coming. This is my second foray into an Alice Feeney book and I liked this one a bit better than the first (the first, Daisy Darker, was well written I simply didn't like part of the end reveal). I liked this one. My favorite thriller author is still Ruth Ware, but Alice Feeney is pretty good, also. 

Every Time I Go On Vacation, Someone Dies by Catherine Mack

 

Every Time I Go On Vacation, Someone Dies by Catherine Mack  342 pages

All that bestselling author Eleanor Dash wants is to get through her book tour in Italy and kill off her main character, Connor Smith, in the next in her Vacation Mysteries series―is that too much to ask?

Clearly, because when an attempt is made on the real Connor’s life―the handsome but infuriating con man she got mixed up with ten years ago and now can't get out of her life―Eleanor’s enlisted to help solve the case.

Contending with literary rivals, rabid fans, a stalker―and even her ex, Oliver, who turns up unexpectedly―theories are bandied about, and rivalries, rifts, and broken hearts are revealed. But who’s really trying to get away with murder?

Every Time I Go on Vacation, Someone Dies is the irresistible and hilarious series debut from Catherine Mack, introducing bestselling fictional author Eleanor Dash on her Italian book tour that turns into a real-life murder mystery, as her life starts to imitate the world in her books.

This was a cozy mystery. The narrator was also the protagonist. She was funny and made many pop culture references which may be confusing to future generations. She talks directly to the reader in some instances. If you don't mind that, you should like this story.

Women Writers Hidden in History by Patrice Custance

 

Women Writers Hidden in History by Patrice Custance - 48 pages

This book is part of the Hidden in History series about women from the past who were ignored throughout much of history.  I saw this title in a Women's History Month booklist and decided to read it.  I thought it was very interesting.  I had only heard of one of the women authors before.  I think it would be great adapated into one of the Kids Learn classes I do for homeschoolers and am interested in reading the rest of the series.

Swear on This Life by Renee Carlino

 Swear on This Life by Renee Carlino - 303 pages

When a bestselling debut novel from mysterious author J.Colby becomes the literary event of the year, Emiline reads it reluctantly. As an adjunct writing instructor at UC San Diego with her own stalled literary career and a bumpy long-term relationship, Emiline isn’t thrilled to celebrate the accomplishments of a young and gifted writer.

Yet from the very first page, Emiline is entranced by the story of Emerson and Jackson, two childhood best friends who fall in love and dream of a better life beyond the long dirt road that winds through their impoverished town in rural Ohio.

That’s because the novel is patterned on Emiline’s own dark and desperate childhood, which means that “J. Colby” must be Jase: the best friend and first love she hasn’t seen in over a decade. Far from being flattered that he wrote the novel from her perspective, Emiline is furious that he co-opted her painful past and took some dramatic creative liberties with the ending.

The only way she can put her mind at ease is to find and confront “J. Colby,” but is she prepared to learn the truth behind the fiction?

The Woman in the Library by Sulari Gentill

The Woman in the Library by Sulari Gentill

288 pages

★★★★

In this thriller, four strangers become friends after they all hear a scream in the library while sitting at the same table. After a body is found, the four strangers as they try to discover who the killer was. They come to discover that the killer was one of them.

This book had its ups and downs but overall I would say it was pretty good. The mystery was well-written and I enjoyed the characters but Gentill tried to add a unique element to the novel by writing it as a manuscript being sent to an editor and the editor’s notes in return, which revealed to be a mystery in itself. It was an interesting concept but it felt too meta for me because the main character in the manuscript was ALSO a writer and it just got confusing. Also the end of that mystery ended abruptly and didn’t have much suspense to it, so it felt unnecessary by the end.

The Messy Lives of Book People by Phaedra Patrick

 The Messy Lives of Book People by Phaedra Patrick, 327 pages

Liv, single mother of two, is a housecleaner barely scraping by.  Then she lands a job cleaning the home of her favorite author who is a recluse.  When the famous author dies suddenly, Liv is shocked to find out that the author has chosen her for a very important task.  It was ok if you are in the mood for a light read.

Beach Read by Emily Henry

Beach Read by Emily Henry, 361 p.

"Augustus Everett is an acclaimed author of literary fiction. January Andrews writes bestselling romance. When she pens a happily ever after, he kills off his entire cast. They’re polar opposites.

In fact, the only thing they have in common is that for the next three months, they're living in neighboring beach houses, broke, and bogged down with writer's block. Until, one hazy evening, one thing leads to another and they strike a deal designed to force them out of their creative ruts: Augustus will spend the summer writing something happy, and January will pen the next Great American Novel. She’ll take him on field trips worthy of any rom-com montage, and he’ll take her to interview surviving members of a backwoods death cult (obviously). Everyone will finish a book and no one will fall in love. Really."--Goodreads blurb

I'm on a contemporary romance kick, and I'm loving it! I seriously am having the best time reading these books. They feel like a summer breeze, and I read this book on the beach! How apropos! Another really fun and funny story set in the book world! This enemies-to-lovers story has a hard undercurrent with the situations both characters are going through, but they can get through it all together. I can see why this is THE summer beach read. 
 

The Lost and Found Bookshop by Susan Wiggs

 

                                       The Lost and Found Bookshop by Susan Wiggs-355 pages

In the wake of a shocking tragedy, Natalie Harper inherits her mother’s charming but financially strapped bookshop in San Francisco. She also becomes caretaker for her ailing grandfather. Natalie thinks it’s best to move him to an assisted living facility to ensure the care he needs. To pay for it, she plans to close the bookstore and sell the building which is in need of constant fixing.  But Grandpa Andrew owns the building and refuses to sell. Natalie adores her grandfather; she’ll do whatever it takes to make his final years happy. Besides, she loves the store and its books provide welcome solace for her overwhelming grief.

After she moves into the small studio apartment above the shop, Natalie carries out her grandfather’s request and hires contractor Peach Gallagher to do the necessary and ongoing repairs. His young daughter, Dorothy, also becomes a regular at the store, and she and Natalie begin reading together while Peach works.

To Natalie’s surprise, her sorrow begins to dissipate as her life becomes an unexpected journey of new connections, discoveries and revelations, from unearthing artifacts hidden in the bookshop’s walls, to discovering the truth about her family, her future, and her own heart.

I enjoyed this book very much.  There is also some romance and surprise twists and turns.

 Surfside Sisters by Nancy Thayer - 304 pages


Growing up, Keely and her best friend, Isabelle, were inseparable. Both girls wanted to become authors.  Nothing could come between them—except, as it turned out, Keely’s high school boyfriend, Tommy. 

Through the many twists and turns, one achieves her dream, but love has evaded her.  The other has a beautiful family but has not achieved her dream of becoming a novelist.

I enjoyed this book and the characters.  Nancy Thayer writes an uplifting tale of family, love and forgiveness.

Bungo Stray Dogs by Kafka Asagiri

Bungo Stray Dogs, v. 1 by Kafka Asagiri - 198  pages
Bungo Stray Dogs, v. 2 by Kafka Asagiri - 198 pages
Bungo Stray Dogs, v. 3 by Kafka Asagiri - 198 pages
Bungo Stray Dogs, v. 4 by Kafka Asagiri - 182 pages

Atsushi is homeless after being kicked out the orphanage he grew up in when he saves a man from killing himself.  In return, he is rewarded with a job with the Armed Detective Agency.  Not only do they solve mysteries for the police and government, it seems they are in a fight with the Port Mafia.

This was an interesting manga series.  Almost all of the characters are named and and based up on literary authors from around the world.  It was interesting to see how an author's works translated into special powers for the characters.  I'm definitely going to continue reading the series as it comes out.

Why We Write, Edited by Meredith Maran

Why We Write, Edited By Meredith Maran, 229 pages

Twenty authors write on how and why they write.  This was a very interesting book.  If you aspire to be a writer, this book could prove to be quite helpful.  It seems many writers feel they must write to be fulfilled. There are many interesting facts about the authors included in this book. For instance, David Baldacci was a lawyer.  Sue Grafton started out as a screenwriter before she wrote A is for Alibi.  Sara Gruen struggled with writing Water for Elephants.  She spent 4 months in a walk in closet to write, because she needed a dark, quiet room.  Jodi Picoult writes because she has to, that is who she is.  Picoult also wrote a Wonder Woman series from March to June 2007.  At the end of each chapter, the authors give their personal tips for writing.  This was a fun book if you are interested in writing fiction.