Hi guys! I thought today I would do another roundup of books I’ve read recently. If you missed the first one you can find it here! I’ve also been trying to save books as I read them on my “books” highlight on my IG.

Pretty Girls by Karin Slaughter So I think this is my favorite that I’ve read so far! It’s about two sisters, Claire and Lydia, who have been estranged for 20 years after the disappearance (and presumed death) of their sister, Julia. It isn’t until 2 decades later that the sisters are reunited after the death of Claire’s millionaire husband. Once they are reunited, they come to find out some very dark secrets about their sister’s disappearance and the death of Claire’s husband.

I don’t want to say too much more because I don’t want to give anything away but I had no idea that the book was going to go in the direction that it did. There were so many twists and turns, and when you thought you knew everything, another secret/twist came to light. I finished this book in like 2 days because I just couldn’t put it down. As a warning though, some parts can be a little graphic to read and rape comes up in the book as well. I personally didn’t find it “too difficult” to get through the more graphic parts but it’s definitely more detailed than other books I’ve read in this genre, so just a heads up! Overall rating 9.5/10

The Perfect Couple By Jackie Kabler This book is about a couple named Gemma and Danny. Married recently, they moved to a new town for a job Danny took. One weekend when Jenna gets home from out of town, Danny is gone and days later is declared missing. Simultaneously, there are men being murdered in their area, and people start to wonder if Danny was one of the victims even though they can’t find a body. The book is told through the perspectives of the wife Gemma, and also the police force.

This book wasn’t so suspenseful that I just couldn’t put it down but I definitely think it was worth the read — especially if you like more true crime (vs. psychological thrillers). I know it’s described as a psychological thriller but I would say it’s more in the true crime category if I had to pick. There were definitely suspenseful moments but overall it was moreso one of those books that I wanted to keep reading because I wanted to find out who was committing the murders and how everything tied together. Overall rating 7.5/10

The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins So I know this a really popular book (and movie) but I just could not get into it. If you’re unfamiliar with the plot, the book is narrated from 3 different women’s perspectives all who live within the same town outside of London. One day while on the train, one of the women, Rachel witnesses something she can’t unsee and she becomes determined to get to the bottom of it.

Again, I know there are so many reviews about this book but when I was reading it I just wanted to get through it so I could finish it lol. It wasn’t an a terrible read but I just felt like it wasn’t nearly as good compared to other books in the same genre that I’ve read this year. Overall rating 6.5/10

Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn Another book/movie that I’m sure y’all are familiar with, but if you aren’t here is the general gist! Amy and Nick appear to a happily, if not perfect, married couple living in NYC who end up relocating to a small suburb of Missouri for both personal and financial reasons. One their 5th wedding anniversary though, Amy goes missing and Nick quickly becomes to prime suspect.

Even though I had seen this movie and vaguely remembered what happened, I still could not put it down. While neither of the main characters (Nick and Amy) are particularly likable, I think their characters (Amy especially) are fascinating. And the details laid out in the book and how everything is tied together is so remarkable. If I hadn’t seen this movie and was reading the book for the first time, I would have been like “WTF!?” to all of the twists, turns and surprises. But like I said, regardless it is still a really great read and would definitely recommend it. Overall rating 9.5/10

The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides This is a book that I read in the beginning of quarantine and forgot to include it in my last round up! This book was highly recommended by a lot of you and I really enjoyed it. This book is about a woman named Alicia, who also is a famous painter. Six years ago she killed her husband and was admitted to an asylum for her crime, and for these past six years she has also not spoken a single word. Then, a psychotherapist, Theo, comes along and is determined to get to the bottom of what really happened that night her husband was found dead. One of the only clues he has to go off of is the last painting Alicia did before killing her husband.

I really enjoyed this book. There were suspenseful moments towards the end when everything comes together and you’re like “OMGGG” but otherwise it was more of a “curious” read. I remember it starting out a little slow, but then once it picked up I was like really interested in how things were going to play out. In general though, the ending was definitely not what I expected! In a good way though — it was definitely a crazy twist how it all came together. Overall rating 8.5/10