Keeping myself occupied during this lockdown has been a challenge, at times, with boredom creeping in quickly some days. I've found reading to be an amazing escape from reality and so I've spent a lot of time soaking up the nice weather (one bonus) with my Kindle in hand.
I used to think I could read quickly but I've found recently, with reading more, I've sped up even more. I've found I can read a good book in around 3-4 hours (when a book averages around 300-450 pages). So, with A LOT of time on my hands, I decided to set myself a challenge...
I know this sounds a lot but without much to do to pass the time at the minute, and being a quick reader, this didn't feel impossible to me.
I used to think I could read quickly but I've found recently, with reading more, I've sped up even more. I've found I can read a good book in around 3-4 hours (when a book averages around 300-450 pages). So, with A LOT of time on my hands, I decided to set myself a challenge...
5 books in 48 hours
I know this sounds a lot but without much to do to pass the time at the minute, and being a quick reader, this didn't feel impossible to me.
I managed this target, at just a little over 48 hours (as I have also spent time cooking and, of course, sleeping). Here are the books that I read in 48 hours and my thoughts on them.
272 pages
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Blurb:
Where do you see yourself in five years?
Type-A Manhattan lawyer Dannie Kohan has been in possession of her meticulously crafted answer since she understood the question. On the day that she nails the most important job interview of her career and gets engaged to the perfect man, she's well on her way to fulfilling her life goals.
That night Dannie falls asleep only to wake up in a different apartment with a different ring on her finger, and in the company of a very different man. The TV is on in the background, and she can just make out the date. It's the same night - December 15th - but 2025, five years in the future.
It was just a dream, she tells herself when she wakes, but it felt so real... Determined to ignore the odd experience, she files it away in the back of her mind.
That is, until four and a half years later, when Dannie turns down a street and there, standing on the corner, is the man from her dream...
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When I first started this book, I thought it would be one about love. It is in a way but not the type of love you would think. It is a story about friendship - the type of 'soulmate' friendship that is very rare to find in life - the friend that is always there for you, regardless of time, distance and life events.
This book drew me in very early on and I couldn't put it down. It was beautifully written, lovely but heartbreaking all at once. I would definitely recommend this (but be prepared to shed a few tears).
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Rating:
****
Genre: Psychological Thriller
333 pages
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Blurb:
For Emily Rossi, life may not be perfect, but it’s pretty close. She has a great career, a house in the country, a solid marriage to Eric and two wonderful children—tennis superstar Daniel and quiet, sensitive Zara. But when her fourteen-year-old daughter brings home a toxic new best friend, Emily’s seemingly perfect family starts to spiral out of control.
Suddenly Zara is staying out late, taking drugs and keeping bad company. And just when Emily needs Eric to be an involved father, he seems too wrapped up with his job in London to care. What’s more, he’s started drinking again.
When a dark secret from the past emerges, Emily’s life is turned upside down. Struggling to protect the people she loves, can she save her damaged family? Doing so may mean keeping a secret of her own…
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I actually really enjoyed this book. I downloaded it onto my Kindle after Amazon sent me an offer for a free download out of a selection of 5 books. I picked this quickly and when I saw the other options, regretted it slightly. However, I was pleasantly surprised.
It was an easy read and showed the struggles of a parent, trying to keep their teenage child on the 'right track' after falling in with the wrong crowd, as well as keeping the family unit together.
I didn't predict the twist at the end at all!
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Rating:
***
Genre: Psychological Thriller, Mystery
418 pages
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Blurb:
You never know who’s watching…
Corinne’s life might look perfect on the outside, but after three failed IVF attempts it’s her last chance to have a baby. And when she finds a tiny part of a doll house outside her flat, it feels as if it’s a sign.
But as more pieces begin to turn up, Corinne realises that they are far too familiar. Someone knows about the miniature rocking horse and the little doll with its red velvet dress. Someone has been inside her house…
How does the stranger know so much about her life? How long have they been watching? And what are they waiting for…?
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I found this book very gripping and also super creepy. I felt really sorry for Corinne that no one believed her about the doll house pieces turning up in a piecemeal effect to torment her.
This book unravelled slowly and then all at once - with a huge twist at the end that I definitely didn't see coming. The last few chapters were extremely fast-paced and the random, scattered narrative by an anonymous character all made sense.
If you have Kindle Unlimited, this book is currently free and I would definitely recommend it - especially with there being no cost!
This book unravelled slowly and then all at once - with a huge twist at the end that I definitely didn't see coming. The last few chapters were extremely fast-paced and the random, scattered narrative by an anonymous character all made sense.
If you have Kindle Unlimited, this book is currently free and I would definitely recommend it - especially with there being no cost!
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Rating:
****
Genre: Suspense, Thriller
407 pages
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Blurb:
A secluded mountain lodge. The perfect getaway. So remote no one will ever find you.
The promise of a luxury vacation at a secluded wilderness spa has brought together eight lucky guests. But nothing is what they were led to believe. As a fierce storm barrels down and all contact with the outside is cut off, the guests fear that it’s not a getaway. It’s a trap.
Each one has a secret. Each one has something to hide. And now, as darkness closes in, they all have something to fear—including one another.
Alerted to the vanished party of strangers, homicide cop Mason Deniaud and search and rescue expert Callie Sutton must brave the brutal elements of the mountains to find them. But even Mason and Callie have no idea how precious time is. Because the clock is ticking, and one by one, the guests of Forest Shadow Lodge are being hunted. For them, surviving becomes part of a diabolical game.
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I wasn't sure what to expect with this book but I loved it. The narrative style was my cup of tea - a mixture of police investigation, mixed narration and a switch between past and present. This enabled the story to enroll whilst also building tension and causing a fast-paced, 'page-turner' style book.
I really couldn't work out what had happened and who was responsible, with my mind constantly changing throughout until the twist unraveled. I would definitely recommend this book.
I really couldn't work out what had happened and who was responsible, with my mind constantly changing throughout until the twist unraveled. I would definitely recommend this book.
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Rating:
****
Genre: Romance
338 pages
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Blurb:
Two people. One choice. What if? Every love story has a beginning…
Lucy and Gabe meet in New York on a day that will change their lives – and the world – forever. As the city burns behind them, they kiss for the very first time.
Over the next thirteen years they are torn apart, then brought back together, time and time again. It’s a journey of dreams, of desires, of jealousy, of forgiveness – and above all, love.
And as Lucy is faced with a devastating choice, she wonders whether their love is a matter of destiny or chance.
…what if this is how their story ends?
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I don't even know where to start with this book. I don't think I've ever sobbed so much at a book before!
I don't know why but this book really resonated with me - even though I have never been in a similar situation. I found that I really connected with Lucy and for some reason, felt really sorry for her throughout. The last couple of chapters in this book were really emotional - if this was a true story it would be truly heartbreaking.
A story of true love, that lasts despite every obstacle, including time.
If you read one book this lockdown, make it this one!
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Rating:
*****
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