June 2017 Book Review

You guys...I did NOT read a book written by Nora Roberts this month! Are y'all so proud of me?!?

I did read a dystopian YA series though, ha.

The Selection series by Keira Cass - This series is set in the future in what was once Los Angeles {I think} where North and South America are one country, called Illea. There is a monarchy and a caste system where everyone is given a number (1-8) which corresponds to their jobs/social status. 1 is royalty and it goes down from there. America Singer is the main character in the first 3 books, and she's a 5 which are the entertainers/artists of the world. The royal family has a bachelor type contest called The Selection each time the prince comes of age to marry. America doesn't want to enter because she's in love with a boy named Aspen who happens to be a 6. Her mother essentially bribes her to enter and you can guess what happens from there. It was pretty good. I liked them enough to keep reading, but they weren't great by any means. If you have a love for YA series like I do, you'll enjoy. Otherwise you probably won't!

Down the Rabbit Hole by Holly Madison - I've wanted to read this for a long time because Brent and I used to watch Girls Next Door. I loved the show but also felt like it was a car accident where you just can't NOT watch. I found it fascinating that these girls were happy to live with a man old enough to be their grandfather and have sex with him essentially in exchange for a certain lifestyle. But I found it even more fascinating that Holly Madison was vocal about wanting to marry Hugh Hefner and have kids with him. It just didn't seem possible. So this was her story of how she ended up in the mansion, became Hef's #1 girlfriend, and eventually left. It was a fun, quick read but it wasn't the most well-written. I have no idea if her story is true - I'm sure some of it is her version and if you asked someone else {like Kendra} there'd be a different side - but it did explain a lot and sort of made sense how one could get trapped in that life. 

The Woman in Cabin 10 by Ruth Ware - After finally reading In a Dark, Dark Wood last month, I knew I wanted to read Ruth Ware's other book. This is about a travel writer who goes on the inaugural sailing of a small, luxury cruise ship when a passenger goes missing. Except no one believes her about the missing passenger because...no one is missing. Very, very good and creepy. I sort of figured it out but not completely so I'd say this is for sure one worth checking out!  

Behind Closed Doors by B.A. Paris - This is our July book club selection, and it was awesome! Grace and Jack seem to have a perfect marriage, but very quickly into the story you find out Jack is a psychopath. The book goes back and forth from the present where Grace is trying to figure out how to get out of the prison Jack has her trapped in and the past where you see how Grace got tricked into falling in love with Jack. So, so creepy and good. The ending was especially chilling, and I loved how it all came together!