Book #22:
The Ex Talk by Rachel Lynn Solomon (Length: 345 pages). Set in a Seattle public radio station, this rom-com is a bit different than many I’ve read, which I appreciated. Shay needs a concept for a new show after the long-running show she produced is axed, so she proposes a show where two exes chat–the only problem is she doesn’t have an ex, but there IS an annoying, hot new reporter at the station who might fit the “fake” bill. The enemies to lovers trope works here. The novel is a bit slow to start but hang in there because once it gets going it’s cute. Writing is good (minus a few typos), the banter is top-notch and the chemistry is believable. All within a unique setting. I’d definitely recommend this one as a library check out.
Book #23:
First Lie Wins by Ashley Elston (Length: 348 pages). This is THE thriller of the moment and my book club chose it for our March read. While I’m getting a bit burned out on thrillers, with so many trying to be the next “Gone Girl”, this one will be a bit more memorable than most for me, mostly due to the clever title. The title refers to a tip for con-men (and women) that the first lie they tell sets the tone for the story they’re telling or the con they’re running, so it needs to be a good one. The protagonist here, Evie Porter, meets her latest mark, Ryan Sumner, as instructed by her mysterious boss: Mr Smith. This is set in a small town and the author does a great job of setting the scene and drawing the reader in, while slowing revealing Evie’s backstory. The plot is very fast-paced, there is a twist or two and again, it’s a bit different than most thrillers. Perfect beach read!
Book #24:
The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafron (Length: 487 pages). This sweeping novel is listed as the all-time favorite of several readers whom I trust, so I finally read it. It’s incredible! The first of four in a series entitled The Cemetery of Forgotten, this novel in translation begins with a young boy, Daniel, visiting The Cemetery of Forgotten Books with his father in 1945 Barcelona. There follows a dozen seemingly unrelated characters who will all come together later on in the book, so just hang on for the ride. The writing is gorgeous and if you love a sweeping family saga (which I most certainly do!) and a pulse-pounding plot, this is worth a read. 5 stars from me and it will be on my end-of-year top 10 books for sure.
Book #25:
All Systems Red by Martha Wells (Length: 156 pages). This novella is the first of 7 in “The Murderbot Diaries” science fiction series, and I don’t know why I’ve waited so long to dive in. I listened to this on audio and it’s absolutely the way to go as the narrator is perfection. The premise of this multiple award-winning series is that a Company-supplied security unit robot hacks his own governor system so he can watch soap operas instead of working and interacting with humans while on various planetary missions. This is LOL funny at times, the writing is succinct and translates perfectly to audio–my attention never lagged for one minute. Halfway through the first novella (I’ve kept reading in the series), I paused it to text my dad to tell him to read this one ASAP. Five stars!
Lora Terrill 