The Audacity of Sara Grayson by Joani Elliot
Goodreads blurb: What happens when the world’s greatest literary icon dies before she finishes the final book in her best-selling series?
And what happens when she leaves that book in the hands of her unstable, neurotic daughter, who swears she’s not a real writer? Sara Grayson is a thirty-two-year-old greeting card writer about to land the toughest assignment of her life. Three weeks after the death of her mother—a world-famous suspense novelist—Sara learns that her mother’s dying wish is for her to write the final book in her bestselling series. Sara has lived alone with her dog, Gatsby, ever since her husband walked out with their Pro Double Waffle Maker and her last shred of confidence. She can’t fathom writing a book for thirty million fans—not when last week’s big win was resetting the microwave clock. But in a bold move that surprises even herself, Sara takes it on. Against an impossible deadline and a publisher intent on sabotaging her every move, Sara discovers that stepping into her mother’s shoes means stumbling on family secrets she was never meant to find—secrets that threaten her mother’s legacy and the very book she’s trying to create. ( This in an ARC review, thanks to a gift from the publisher)
my take: 3 out of 5. This was a book that was a bit divided for me. The first half of the book I was having a hard time getting into it, and almost considered not finishing. I found Sara exasperating and way to stubborn and i just couldn’t relate to her. However the second half won me over and I really enjoyed the development in her relationship with Phil and Nik, and her personal development (although really she just went from unnerving to normal).
Last Chance Library by Freya Sampson
Goodreads blurb: Lonely librarian June Jones has never left the sleepy English village where she grew up. Shy and reclusive, the thirty-year-old would rather spend her time buried in books than venture out into the world. But when her library is threatened with closure, June is forced to emerge from behind the shelves to save the heart of her community and the place that holds the dearest memories of her mother. Joining a band of eccentric yet dedicated locals in a campaign to keep the library, June opens herself up to other people for the first time since her mother died. It just so happens that her old school friend Alex Chen is back in town and willing to lend a helping hand. The kindhearted lawyer’s feelings for her are obvious to everyone but June, who won’t believe that anyone could ever care for her in that way. To save the place and the books that mean so much to her, June must finally make some changes to her life. For once, she’s determined not to go down without a fight. And maybe, in fighting for her cherished library, June can save herself, too. ( This in an ARC review, thanks to a gift from the publisher, the book comes out on 8/31)
My take: 3.5 out of 5. This was a really cute story. Although a traditional trope of shy girl finds her path and her man, The characters are engaging and it makes it really enjoyable. I especially liked June’s relationships with the OPAs. I would however have liked a little bit more background on June. It would have been more believable her grief and stuckness for over 10 years after her mothers death if a little bit more exploration on that relationship was given.
As a book lover i particularly enjoyed the book references and there are a couple of books I should check out!
The Guilt Trip by Sandie Jones
Goodreads blurb: Six friends. Rachel and Noah have been friends since they met at university. While they once thought that they might be something more, now, twenty years later, they are each happily married to other people, Jack and Paige respectively. Jack’s brother Will is getting married, to the dazzling, impulsive Ali, and the group of six travel to Portugal for their destination weekend.
Three couples. As they arrive at a gorgeous villa perched on a cliff-edge, overlooking towering waves that crash on the famous surfing beaches below at Nazaré, they try to settle into a weekend of fun. While Rachel is looking forward to getting to know her future sister-in-law Ali better, Ali can’t help but rub many of the group up the wrong way: Rachel’s best friend Paige thinks Ali is attention-seeking and childish, and while Jack is trying to support his brother Will’s choice of wife, he is also finding plenty to disagree with Noah about.
One fatal misunderstanding . . . But when Rachel discovers something about Ali that she can hardly believe, everything changes. As the wedding weekend unfolds, the secrets each of them hold begin to spill, and friendships and marriages threaten to unravel. Soon, jumping to conclusions becomes the difference between life and death ( This in an ARC review, thanks to a gift from the publisher, the book comes out on 8/3)
my take: 2 out of 5 .This for me was a poor mans Guest List. A wedding murder mystery that really never gets of the ground for me. The character are are not likeable and quite caricatures, i never really cared for any of them let alone care about their marital issues. The marital strife is annoying, and worse of all right were i was getting into it, the ending was just weird and the last two pages changed everything and I didnt really understand.
Tati's Tidbits 