September Wrap-up

Hey guys! It’s crazy to think it’s already October. This year is just flying by. I have to say I read a decent amount in September but I only enjoyed a couple of the books. I’ve been reading a lot of meh thrillers lately. So that’s been a bit of a shame. I hope to read some better ones in October. We shall see. So let’s dive in to see what I read in September!

Kill Creek By Scott Thomas

Genre: Horror, Fiction
Pages: 416 pages
Publication Date: October 31st 2017
Publisher: Inkshares
My Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars

Plot: At the end of a dark prairie road, nearly forgotten in the Kansas countryside, lies the Finch House. For years it has perched empty, abandoned, and overgrown–but soon the door will be opened for the first time in many decades. But something waits, lurking in the shadows, anxious to meet its new guests.
When best-selling horror author Sam McGarver is invited to spend Halloween night in one of the country’s most infamous haunted houses, he reluctantly agrees. At least he won’t be alone; joining him are three other masters of the macabre, writers who have helped shape modern horror. But what begins as a simple publicity stunt soon becomes a fight for survival–the entity they have awakened will follow them, torment them, threatening to make them part of the bloody legacy of Kill Creek.

My Thoughts: This was a buddy read with Destiny @ Howling Libraries. We both really enjoyed this book a lot. I haven’t read many spooky books about houses but this one I really enjoyed. You can tell that Scott is a huge horror fan. I loved all the horror knowledge he had that he added to the book. You can tell how much he admires it. I am so happy to hear this got picked up by Showtime. I can’t wait to see it adapted.

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The Seven 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle By Stuart Turton

Genre: Mystery, Thriller, Fiction
Pages: 512 pages
Publication Date: September 18th 2018
Publisher: Sourcebooks Landmark
My Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars

Plot: At a gala party thrown by her parents, Evelyn Hardcastle will be killed–again. She’s been murdered hundreds of times, and each day, Aiden Bishop is too late to save her. Doomed to repeat the same day over and over, Aiden’s only escape is to solve Evelyn Hardcastle’s murder and conquer the shadows of an enemy he struggles to even comprehend–but nothing and no one are quite what they seem.

My Thoughts: I enjoyed up really enjoying this book a lot. I found it to be very complex. There was so much going on and a lot of characters to keep track of. I have to say I didn’t remember who all the characters were. It was a little overwhelming but didn’t ruin my experience. It made it harder to figure out what actually happened. I honestly had no idea what actually happened until it was explained. I do have to say I really loved the concept of this book. There was another book I read that did a similar concept but I hated it. So I was glad to see this one execute it so well. Someone even said it reminded them of Clue which I agree on.

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The Elizas By Sara Shepard

Genre: Mystery, Thriller, Fiction, Adult, Suspense
Pages: 352 pages
Publication Date: April 17th 2018
Publisher: Atria Books
My Rating: 2 out of 5 Stars

Plot: When debut novelist Eliza Fontaine is found at the bottom of a hotel pool, her family at first assumes that it’s just another failed suicide attempt. But Eliza swears she was pushed, and her rescuer is the only witness.

Desperate to find out who attacked her, Eliza takes it upon herself to investigate. But as the publication date for her novel draws closer, Eliza finds more questions than answers. Like why are her editor, agent, and family mixing up events from her novel with events from her life? Her novel is completely fictional, isn’t it?

The deeper Eliza goes into her investigation while struggling with memory loss, the closer her life starts to resemble her novel until the line between reality and fiction starts to blur and she can no longer tell where her protagonist’s life ends and hers begins.

My Thoughts: I really feel like this book should have been a DNF for me. I really didn’t like it from the very beginning. I just listened to it because I knew it would end up being a quick read. I felt it was very predicable and I just didn’t care about the story at all. I probably will just stick to Pretty Little Liars from now on from Sara Shepard.

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Believe Me By J.P. Delaney

Genre: Mystery, Thriller, Fiction, Suspense
Pages: 400 pages
Publication Date: July 24 2018
Publisher: Ballantine Books
My Rating: 3 out of 5 Stars

Plot: One out-of-work British actress pays the rent on her New York City apartment the only way she can: as a decoy for a firm of divorce lawyers, hired to entrap straying husbands. When the cops begin investigating one of her targets for murdering his wife–and potentially others–they ask her to lure the suspect into a confession.

But with the actress pretending to be someone she isn’t, differentiating the decoy from the prey becomes impossible–and deadly.

My Thoughts: So I recently read J.P. Delaney’s other book last month. I really didn’t end up enjoying it like I thought I would. It was very meh. So I was a little hesitant to pick this up but decided to. I figured this also would be another quick read. It wasn’t horrible but figured the ending was going to be what it ended up being. I also feel like his writing isn’t that great. I felt like the story was just very average. I mean it kept me intrigued for the most part but nothing stood out to me.

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Starry Eyes By Jenn Bennett

Genre: Contemporary, Young Adult, Romance
Pages: 421 pages
Publication Date: April 3rd 2018
Publisher: Simon Pulse
My Rating: 2 out of 5 Stars

Plot: Ever since last year’s homecoming dance, best friends-turned-best enemies Zorie and Lennon have made an art of avoiding each other. It doesn’t hurt that their families are the modern day, Californian version of the Montagues and Capulets.

But when a group camping trip goes south, Zorie and Lennon find themselves stranded in the wilderness. Alone. Together.

What could go wrong?

With no one but each other for company, Zorie and Lennon have no choice but to hash out their issues via witty jabs and insults as they try to make their way to safety. But fighting each other while also fighting off the forces of nature makes getting out of the woods in one piece less and less likely.

And as the two travel deeper into Northern California’s rugged backcountry, secrets and hidden feelings surface. But can Zorie and Lennon’s rekindled connection survive out in the real world? Or was it just a result of the fresh forest air and the magic of the twinkling stars?

My Thoughts: I read Alex, Approximately last year. I really enjoyed it. I thought it was so cute. So I was excited to see Jenn Bennett had a new book out this year. I have to say I was really upset with this one. I just didn’t enjoy it. I didn’t like the main character. She was very plain to me. I felt her Dad was just way too over the top. He just felt so fake to me. I know there are people out there like him but he just didn’t feel very realistic. The only character I liked was the stepmom. She was so sweet. I really enjoyed her. It’s such a shame because I was looking forward to reading this.

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Have you guys read any of these books? If so what did you think? What books did you guys end up reading September ? I would love to hear from you!

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