I have a love/hate relationship with unreliable narrators. Sometimes they make a story and sometimes … it’s annoying. This month, one worked for me and one really didn’t. And yes, I only read three books this month. I already feel awkward about this so let’s not dwell on that fact but instead note that 2 out of 3 books had unreliable narrators, which is still a majority. The romance book was also my favorite so all in all: it was a weird month.
The Books I Liked
These are the books I enjoyed, from most liked (4 stars) to liked (3 stars).
The Wedding Date by Jasmine Guillory
Book Description: Alexa impulsively agrees to be a stranger’s plus one to his ex-girlfriend’s wedding and to their surprise, neither want their fake relationship to end.
Book Review: A cute, frothy romance is not my normal read these days but I wanted a change of pace. And quite honestly, I needed something light and hopeful and this delivered. Alexa and Drew make a cute couple and I particularly liked that Alexa is black and Drew is white. My only real quibble is that there isn’t much to the story beyond their relationship (no real subplot), even the side characters and work scenes are mainly focused about their relationship, which made the book a bit repetitive. But overall, a sweet love story that should make romantics hearts swell.
To Read or Not to Read: Yup. This would make a great beach read.
The Elizas by Sara Shephard
Book Description: When Eliza is found at the bottom of a hotel pool, everyone assumes its just another failed suicide attempt but Eliza knows she was pushed and her investigation reveals hidden secrets from her past.
Book Review: Eliza is the kind of unreliable narrator that puts me on edge because you know she’s off but you’re not sure why. Is she intentionally misleading you or not? Am I going to want to slap her? Hug her? Do both? When I distrust my protagonist, my level of caring also decreases, which can make it hard to engage with the story completely. I never felt fully invested in Eliza until closer to the end, but it did eventually pull me in and I don’t regret my time spent with her either.
To Read or Not to Read: Sure. Sara Shephard wrote the Pretty Little Liars series, although this is technically not YA but it still kind of is. And for the curious — I’d give Eliza massive side-eye, mumble under my breath and shuffle my feet and eventually give her a hug. And maybe a high-five too.
Note: I received an arc from NetGalley in exchange for a honest review. The Elizas is now available.
Our Little Secret by Roz Nay
Book Description: The wife of Angela’s high school sweetheart, HP, has disappeared and the police believe Angela knows what happened to her.
Book Review: This was okay. I felt that the author was so busy trying to protect the end “twist” that everything was generic, if that makes sense. Seriously, there are two possibilities: she’s guilty or not. The how and why is what makes everything interesting. But in this case, it was rather banal until the end and frankly the “twist” wasn’t worth protecting because it wasn’t really shocking or a surprise. Sometimes just letting people wave their freak-flag loud and proud makes a far more entertaining and (ironically) twisty story.
To Read or Not to Read: Dealer’s choice. It’s by no means an awful story (cuz I obviously read the entire dang book) but there was so much missed potential in my opinion.
Note: I received an arc from NetGalley in exchange for a honest review. Our Little Secret is now available.
TL;DR — My Recommendations to You
For those who want their hearts to go pitter patter I recommend The Wedding Date. It’s a light, fun read and perfect for those poolside or beach days. Those who love a good unreliable narrator then The Elizas is a solid choice. She’s a little frustrating initially but she grows on you.
To More Great Reads
My NetGalley queue is getting full again — mostly because I didn’t read as much as I intended last month. I had to go out of town unexpectedly and weirdly found myself not in the mood to read the majority of the month. I kept picking up books at the library (and fine — NetGalley too) then decided I didn’t want to read them right now. Sigh. My reading mojo is at an all-time low so I’m hoping some great recommendations from the Show Us Your Books Link-Up hosted by Jana and Steph will get me back on track. Cuz this reading aversion weirdness — has got to go!!
What great books did you read last month?
Tanya
I haven’t heard of any of these books. I like the sound of The Elizas.
She’s as an unreliable narrator as they come but for good reason. It took me a second or two to get into the book but I overall enjoyed it. Hope you do too!
The Wedding Date is currently on my library hold list, and I’m hoping they pick up a copy of The Elizas soon, because it’s one I’m interested in borrowing because I did enjoy the few PLL books I’ve read.
I haven’t read any of the PLL books so I can’t do a real comparison but I bet they are similar enough that you’d enjoy it. The Wedding Date is perfect for when you’re looking for a good, care-free read.
I hear you on unreliable narrators. Sometimes they annoy me simply because I’ve read too many of that style in close succession since it’s been a trendy plot point since Girl on the Train. (I’m sure it was around before that, just seems to have become even more popular since then.) The Wedding Date sounds cute!
You hit the nail on the head, Gina. I’ve read too many unreliable narrators that I’m tired of them and they have begun to blend together.
I feel the same about unreliable narrators–I think it’s tricky to write them successfully, but when an author does, it can be so good. I’ve heard good things about The Wedding Date–it does sound like a fun one for summer!
Yes! Like I said it’s a love/hate relationship because when an author nails it, it can be so so so good. But now it seems like every book has to have an unreliable narrator and not every story benefits from having one. Nor is every author skilled at writing an unreliable narrator either. The Wedding Date is the perfect summer, beach read.
Some days I like unreliable narrator, but they have to be done just right. They have to likeable, and they have to have a huge flaw that they can’t help… if they are sociopaths, that makes the book harder.
Yup, they must done right and that’s really tricky and not every author (even very good authors) are capable of mastering them. I used to enjoy them more but now they are so overdone.
The Elizas sounds a little interesting to me. I keep hearing about The Wedding Date too – the cover of that alone just draws me in. Funny how covers can do that.
I think you’d really enjoy The Wedding Date. You’re a romance fan so you should get sucked right in because they are a couple you want to succeed. I have picked many books based on a great cover. Sometimes the insides don’t match the outside, but I will also be sucker for a nice cover!
I feel like The Wedding Date is going to be this month’s book that everyone read! I hate when I have a slow reading month and not much of it is worth mentioning
I definitely saw a few people read it. I think it’s a great choice for Spring/Summer when you want a light, feel-good read. Or maybe a good palate cleanser after something heavy and/or dark. I hate it when my books are mediocre. Sometimes that annoys me more than when they are bad. And least then I can rant! LOL!
The unreliable narrator is on my nerves right now.
It’s getting on my nerves too!
I’m kind of over the unreliable narrator right now.
I actually haven’t heard of any of these books which is a nice change.
I used to really enjoy books with unreliable narrators but now I’m passing books that clearly have one because enough. I’m done for now (lies).
I liked The Wedding Date!! Like many others, I am done with the unreliable narrators for a bit. Too much drama haha.
I did too. They made a cute couple! Yup, I’m taking a break from unreliable narrators.
yayyyyyy i am glad you liked The Wedding Date! i loved it. i am slightly sick of the unreliable narrator but i will add The Elizas to read eventually. and yeah, i do that too with netgalley and library – request and then change my mind. i either leave them until i’m ready, or return them (or ‘review’ on netgalley and say thanks no thanks sorry not sorry lol)
Yeah, I think I need to do that to a couple of netgalley books, which makes me feel bad. But honestly having me review something that no longer interests me increases the likelihood of a not-so positive public review. 😀 I’m definitely taking a break from the unreliable narrator. Hopefully the heart will grow fonder while we’re on break. LOL!
I have The Elizas on my list because I had a love/hate relationship with the PLL series. I was obsessed with that show in the beginning and started getting really irritated with it towards the end but couldn’t help but keep going because I was so invested. I am adding The Wedding Date to my TBR if it isn’t already. That is right up my alley!
I never watched or read the PLL series so I can’t give a comparison on how it stacks up against it unfortunately. The Wedding Date is a great, beach!
I think I will pick up The Wedding Date for my upcoming beach vacation! 🙂
It’s the perfect book to bring on a beach vacation, Pam! Have fun!
I have The Elizas on my TBR – it sounded interesting. Your recommendation isn’t strong but I think I’ll still check it out. It sounds like a good page turner.
I’m glad you liked The Wedding Date. I did too 🙂
It was a bit slow for me in the beginning. Plus the fact that it leans very heavily into Eliza being an unreliable narrator, during a time when I’m not so terribly fond of them, was tough for me to handle initially. But I’m glad I read it because overall it was a good book.
The Wedding Date sounds super cute 🙂
I had an off month for reading, too. I finished ZERO books. Ugh. I feel like April was a weird one for most people. Don’t feel badly 🙂
I really think you’d enjoy The Wedding Date. Honestly, it came dangerously close to being only one book for me but I managed to get some reading in at the end of the month.
I so want to read The Wedding Date but neither library I have access to has it. I may have to crack and not be a cheapskate and buy it. I read The Wife Between Us this month and I’m done with unreliable narrators for a while.
LOL! I’m such a cheapskate too. Plus borrowing books from the library makes me more adventuresome and read genres that I might not be willing to buy the book first. 😀 I really liked The Wife Between Us but I also read it when I wasn’t so bone-tired of unreliable narrators! I’m breaking up with them for a bit too!
I just added The Wedding Date to my to read list. Sounds like a perfect summer read! I’ve heard about The Elizas. I’ve read a couple of books in the Pretty Little Liars series but not sure I’m interested in starting another series.
It really is the perfect summer read. I don’t think The Eliza is a new series for her. It felt like a stand-alone book to me.
I only read three books last month as well. (And, like you, I felt kind of weird and wrong about the whole thing.) Hopefully we can both find our reading groove again soon!
I was curious about The Elizas, so I’m glad to see it was an overall enjoyable read. I started rewatching Pretty Little Liars from the beginning again recently (it’s such a guilty pleasure for me!), and decided to read the first book in the series as well. I just finished it (so my review won’t be up until next month), but I think it’s one of those rare cases where I actually like the TV show more than the book. I kind of want to read more books in the series anyway, though, just to see how much the two differ. I wasn’t sure if I’d want to read any of Sara Shepherd’s other books, but I may check out The Elizas at some point. I tend to really like unreliable narrators, so it sounds like it might be a good pick for me.
It’s funny how it weirds us book nerds out when we ONLY read three books in one month! But seriously, it weirds me out! And I do hope that we can both find our reading groove again. I miss it!
There are some TV shows that I enjoy more than the books too whereas I rarely enjoy a move more than the book. Eliza is definitely an unreliable narrator (although somewhat unintentionally). I haven’t read PLL so I can’t compare how they stack against one another. I don’t think The Elizas is going to be series though. It’s a stand-alone book.
I definitely have to splice up the unreliable narrator books, too many in a row makes me crazy!
I didn’t think it bothered me but now too many in a row drive me nuts. Especially now that the trend with unreliable narrators seems to be comas, accidents, memory loss. Ugh.
Unreliable narrators are definitely hit or miss…and I feel like so many books make them unreliable in the same or similar way (alcoholics, etc.) and that gets annoying. I hope you find some awesome books to read this month and get your mojo back!!
-lauren
YES! I had three books that I was “supposed” to read last month. All with unreliable narrators. All were either in a coma or with memory loss. Stick a fork in me but I’m done! LOL! I have a couple of books on deck that I feel really good about so I’m hoping next month I’m yapping nonstop about them!
The Wedding Date sounds like a cute fun read. I do like when there is at least some sub-plot beyond the romance though.
I have the same feeling that if I read less than 4 books per month I feel embarrassed. And then there’s GoodReads telling me I’m behind schedule on my goal every time I open it up… Time for less TV and more reading I guess!
I like some subplot to my romances too. And a little bit more depth. I think the author meant for there to be because it was clear these were good people and she didn’t shy away from addressing some of the difficulties mixed race couples face but there wasn’t much else going on besides their relationship either. I don’t set reading goals for that very reason!
The Wedding Date sounds like a very cute, lighthearted read. I think I will add it to my TBR. I like to read books like that from time to time, especially during the summer.
I do too. And the Wedding Date is perfect for when you want a light, frothy read!
I would love to read The Wedding Date. Netgalley did not give it to me. SOBS. LOL. I’m excited to read it eventually though and am glad that it features a bit of diversity in the characters. WHY IS THERE NOT MORE OF THAT!??!?!?! So excited to read it eventually. Oooh on the fence about The Elizas. I’ll add it to my TBR. 😛 XO – Alexandra
Simply Alexandra: My Favorite Things
Oh, I get so grumpy when Netgalley doesn’t approve my requests! It’s rude! I really liked the diversity in the book and I hope it’s something we see more of ongoing. I actually think I may have enjoyed The Elizas a bit more if I wasn’t so tired of unreliable narrators.
Totally agree with you about unreliable narrators. My interest in the book starts trailing off and sometimes it is hard to stay engaged.
Yup. If you have an unreliable and/or unlikeable narrator then the story has to be incredibly awesome to keep me interested. Otherwise I start to think they deserve all the crap they are doing with or is coming their way. 😀
So PLL was definitely one of my guilty TV pleasures, but also one of my guilty reading pleasures too! The Elizas sounds interesting, and I’ll definitely be picking it up. I usually like unreliable narrators, but sometimes it just gets annoying. I think that I read about The Wedding Date in another SUYB linkup, and I should move that up my list for this summer! It sounds cute!
Since I never read PLL, I can’t compare style/quality but I think you’ll enjoy The Elizas. I used to really like unreliable narrators but it seems like every single book I’ve read lately has one and they are starting to blend together. The Wedding Date is the perfect summer, light read!