Long Bright River by Liz Moore is another book that’s been on my list for a while. The library, as I have mentioned, while closed, has been a great source for Kindle books. This is the complicated mystery/thriller tale of Mickey and Kasey who were abandoned by their parents, raised by their grandmother, and ended up in two completely different circumstances. Mickey, a police officer, patrols the area where Kasey, a drug addict, spends her days. There is much complication and corruption between their two lives. This book carried on at a good clip and it was suspenseful and not easily predictable. So, I would recommend it if this is a genre you enjoy.

I have had My Dark Vanessa by Kate Elizabeth Russell on my list for a long time and the audiobook came up on Hoopla, so I have been listening to it on my walks. It was dark, disconcerting (think Lolita), and not much to my liking. And, then it was due at the library when I had six hours left to go. Did I try to renew it? No. So, this one isn’t on my recommended list, but to be fair, I didn’t finish it.

I had high hopes for The Two Lives of Lydia Bird by Josie Silver, thinking it might be a Sliding Doors type of story. Rather, it is her waking life and her dream life. While this wasn’t a terrible story, it wasn’t as good as I had hoped. Lydia’s fiance dies in a car crash and she is having a tough time recovering. In her dream life, he is still alive and she escapes frequently. This is a summer read for sure, but not one I would wholeheartedly recommend.

Windfall by Jennifer Smith was an OK read, but the whole way through I kept thinking, it seems like a teenage story. Well, as it turns out, it’s YA. As you know, I don’t like YA. And, while this was decent YA, it didn’t have enough depth for me. And, there was a terrible loose end that just faded away with no explanation. Overall, I was disappointed in this one because I went it thinking it was one thing and discovered it was another.

I don’t usually listen to audiobooks, but to stay sane lately, my long walks have included listening to books. It’s been a nice change from my murdery podcasts. This Will Only Hurt a Little was recommended by a friend. I didn’t even know who Busy Phillips was, so I didn’t have the context for this memoir that many people would have. However, I loved it anyway. It was a great memoir on it’s own and read by Busy herself, which livened it up a lot – the voice she has for her mother is priceless. It’s sad and funny and everything in-between. A great read, I am sure, but also a terrific listen.

Godshot by Chelsea Bieker had a gorgeous cover, covered in gold. Don’t let that reel you in. I found this book to be tedious and almost gave up on it multiple times. I only read to the end, as often happens to me, to find out what happened to the pregnant 15-year-old in the cult. Yes, it’s a cult book, but not the type that draws you in. This one was choppily told and not very interesting. I’d certainly give it a pass if I were you.

Darling Rose Gold by Stephanie Wrobel would have been much more interesting to me if I hadn’t just watched The Act on Hulu. It’s the same story, though this version was a more fictionalized one, about Gypsy Rose Blanchard whose mother has Munchausen Syndrome. It’s a fascinating story and a really good book, but, for me, because I just watched the show, it felt too repetitive. If you haven’t watched, this would be a good book to grab. It’s full of surprises.