Because Sometimes You Just Want to be Entertained

You know how much I love literary fiction and classics. And it seems like I'm reading a lot of nonfiction lately, too. But there are times when I just want to get lost in a good story.... maybe a psychological thriller or family story full of deep, dark secrets. I couldn't turn the pages fast enough with these two recent reads.

The Girl on the Train
by Paula Hawkins
source: borrowed from the library

The Girl on the Train is attracting a lot of readers right now. It's touted as the next Gone Girl, but since I never read that one, I have no idea if it's an apt comparison. An intriguing plot summary and unreliable narrator drew me to the novel. I thought it was well-executed, plus it kept me guessing until close to the end. But then again, I rarely figure these things out!

Bottom line: An entertaining psychological thriller.... nothing mind-blowing or earth-shattering, but good for a couple of afternoons at the pool, a bus or train commute, or a long plane flight.

My rating:

Bittersweet: A Novel
by Miranda Beverly-Whittemore
source: purchased

"Suspenseful and cinematic, Bittersweet exposes the gothic underbelly of an idyllic world of privilege and an outsider’s hunger to belong."

This is my kind of beach read and it would make a great summer movie, too. As far as I'm concerned, Bittersweet  has it all - a wealthy family with secrets, love, friendship, manipulation, a murder (maybe two) and a summer compound on a lake in northern Vermont. This novel didn't get much buzz when it was released last spring, but maybe the upcoming paperback release will lead to renewed interest.

My rating: