1. The Good Lie – I love a good twisty psychological thriller and this one checked all the right boxes. Dr. Gwen Moore is a psychiatrist who specializes in treating people who have committed or fantasize about committing horrific crimes. She is one of the best in her field and has helped countless patients. When one of her patients ends up dead alongside his wife, Dr. Moore feels like she should have seen this coming. Something about this death unsettles her but she can’t identify exactly what it is. In the meantime, she is asked to help consult on a serial killer case where one of the victims managed to escape. When the father of one of the serial killer’s victims steps up to represent and defend the alleged killer, Dr. Moore is asked to give her professional opinion on the case. But she can’t help feeling like she is not getting all the information from the lawyer especially since the conflict of interest between him and his client is so obvious. There are so many twists and turns that this book will keep you guessing until the very end! Rating: 8.5
2. The Last Party – I was so invested in The Good Lie that I wanted to read more from the same author. I chose this book next but it was a letdown sadly. I struggled to get through it though the ending did pick up a bit. Perla lives a life of luxury with her husband Grant and their daughter Sophie. But that has not always been the case. Perla’s early years were traumatic and she is hiding some big secrets from her husband and daughter. One of those secrets involves Leewood Folcrum who is currently serving a life sentence for his involvement in the murder of two teen girls at a birthday party nearly two decades ago. One day a doctoral student visits the prison and asks to interview Leewood for the thesis he is working on in his doctorate program. The answers Leewood reveals could come back to haunt Perla and implicate her in a decades old crime. While the story did pick up speed towards the end, it wasn’t enough to make up for the entire book. Rating: 6
3. The Other Side of Now – I LOVED this book but absolutely hated the ending. I still recommend reading it because I could not put it down but felt so disappointed with the resolution of the story. Meg is living the life she always dreamed of. She is a star on a hit TV show, living in Hollywood and dating one of the most famous actors in the world. But despite all this, Meg feels disconnected and unfullfilled. On a whim she decides to book a trip to a place in Ireland that she had always wanted to visit. She books the cutest AirBnb and departs for a place she hopes will help her find what she is looking for. But once she arrives, Meg is confused because it seems like all the people in this Irish village already know her. In fact, she has an entire life here that she is unaware of. Did she travel in time? Is she hallucinating another life? Then she realizes that this is the life she would be living had she made a different choice years ago. I loved every bit of this book until the end…..it was not an ending I was hoping for so sadly it was a bit of a letdown. BUT don’t let that stop you for reading it because it’s such a good story overall! Rating: 9
4. The Girl in 6E – After enjoying The Good Lie, I wanted to read more A.R. Torre books. The Last Party was ok but I hoped this book would be better. Sadly it wasn’t and I pivoted to other authors after finishing this book. Deanna hasn’t left her apartment in three years. In fact, she has someone lock her in every night to keep others safe from her homicidal tendencies. Deanna has only killed one person but knows if she is free to live a normal life, she may kill again. To make a living, Deanna is a web cam girl and tries to occupy every single minute of her day with work so she doesn’t have to sit with her thoughts. That is until one of her clients alludes to illegal things and Deanna must make a choice. Live with this information and do nothing about it or possibly leave her apartment and try to save a little girl. Rating: 6
5. The Academy – If you are an Elin Hildebrand fan, this is one of her newest books written with her daughter. I love her books and this one was another easy read that kept my attention the entire time. It is set at an elite boarding school in New England and follows a cast of characters beginning a new school year at Tiffin Academy. As with most Elin Hildebrand books, there is a ton of drama and a mystery woven throughout the entire story. The year prior one of the students at Tiffin committed suicide in the dorms shocking the entire community. There was never closure surrounding the suicide so many students are struggling with facing a new school year without their friend. The ending does leave you with tons of questions but there is a sequel coming out later this year! Rating: 8.5
6. The Reformatory – This story is loosely based on the author’s family member who was sentenced to a boy’s reformatory in his teen years. The book details the horrors that schools like this imparted on young boys in the south in the 1940’s and 1950’s. The story begins with Gloria and her little brother Robert living in Florida during segregation. After an encounter with a white boy who made Gloria feel uncomfortable, Robert felt the need to defend Gloria and ended up in a physical altercation. The court sentenced Robert to The Reformatory which was a juvenile detention facility for boys under 21. Once Robert arrives, he realizes he can see and talk to the spirits and ghosts of the dead boys who used to live at the Reformatory. This scares Robert but soon becomes a useful tool once the warden finds out about his special abilities. The book is VERY long and felt drawn out at times. The subject matter is hard to read but knowing it’s inspired from a true story made it even more heart breaking. It was good but sadly not a favorite for me this month. Rating: 7
Spring is almost here and it’s time to break out all the dresses that have been packed away all winter! One of the best parts about spring is finally getting to wear all the mini, midi and maxi dresses without needing a huge coat layered on top. From prints to solids and from pastels to bold colors, there is a spring dress for everyone. My preference for dresses is all over the place but I do love the fit of a classic shirtdress. Many of my favorite spring dresses are variations of a shirtdress and are perfect to wear to all the spring functions and occasions that will be happening. Here are some of my favorite spring dresses as well as a collection of other styles I am loving right now.
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