Tell us a little bit about yourself
I grew up in a family of readers but was not one myself. It wasn’t until college that I began to love reading and then actually to read for enjoyment. Now that my nest is empty, reading is how I fill my days. I would not call myself a good reader but I love a good story. I tend to prefer books set in the real world – be it fiction (historical or otherwise), rom com (enemies to lovers preferred), thriller/mystery (not paranormal) – and love a family dynamic.
What is your favorite genre?
Fiction
What city do you live in?
Chicago, IL
1.
Before I Go to Sleep
S.J. Watson
Why did you like it?
Great thriller. Keeps you guessing. So much better than the movie adaptation. Narrator is a woman who loses her memory whenever she sleeps and is beginning to suspect something sinister is at play.
2.
The Invitation
Lucy Foley
Why did you like it?
Set on the Italian Riviera in the 1950s. Part romance, part mystery. Yachts, movie stars…what else do you need?
3.
Mary Jane
Jessica Anya Blau
Why did you like it?
Delightful coming of age story set in the 1970s. Mary Jane, from a strict and conservative family, lands a summer job as a nanny for a doctor. What Mary Jane’s parents don’t know is that the doctor’s family is far from traditional. While Mary Jane brings order to their chaos, they open her eyes to a more colorful and musical world.
4.
You Are Here
David Nicholls
Why did you like it?
Two people, both kind of stuck in their lives, are “coerced” to join a mutual friend on a 10 day hike. The banter between these two is so charming that I found myself grinning and chuckling throughout.
5.
The Correspondent
Virginia Evans
Why did you like it?
This one is on my TBR. Every book-toker who pops up in my feed raves about this life-affirming book.
Bonus
Celine
Peter Heller
Why did you like it?
I didn’t particularly enjoy Heller’s book, The River, which others really like. Celine, on the other hand, was just as beautifully written but with characters that I liked and a mystery (rather than peril) to drive the story forward.