Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
A great entertaining read, the story centers around a group of Kindergarden parents, and the relationships that develop between the three main characters; Madeline, Celeste and Jane. Each of the women have personal struggles and they use each other for support. The story is fun, extremely funny at times and deeply emotional at other times. The author tackles the serous issue of domestic abuse and gives us a raw and realistic view of the reality and daily struggle of abuse victims. The book is highly engaging and moves along at a fast pace, and although the author gives clues to the ending throughout the book, the ending was shocking and incredibly satisfying. I really enjoyed this story and I would recommend it.
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The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I really enjoyed this book, although alcoholism, infidelity and ultimately murder make for a story that was very dark at times. The characters were nuanced and the story moved along quickly - keeping my interest. The main character Rachel was both likable and incredibly frustrating; She was pathetic at times, yet ultimately showed a great deal of strength and resilience. The story centers around the disappearance of a woman named Megan that Rachel has been watching from the train each day. Rachel's life has fallen apart, with divorce and alcoholism, so she has created an idealized view of Megan as the train goes by each day and she is overwhelmed with a desire to find out what happened. All of the characters in the story seem to have a darker side, and while this adds to the tension and drama, it leaves the reader with a very pessimistic outlook on the world. The ending seemed very obvious, and dragged on just a bit too long.
It wasn't the best I have ever read, but I would recommend this book, especially if you enjoy a good mystery.
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127 Powerfully Simple Ways to Be Really, Really Happy: Proven Happiness Hacks for Busy People by Angela Atkinson
