Lauren Reviews The Winter Girl by Matt Marinovich

The Winter Girl by Matt Marinovich 
Published: January 2016 by Doubleday
Source: eARC
Rating: 4 Stars

A scathing and exhilarating thriller that begins with a husband’s obsession with the seemingly vacant house next door.

It’s wintertime in the Hamptons, where Scott and his wife, Elise, have come to be with her terminally ill father, Victor, to await the inevitable. As weeks turn to months, their daily routine - Elise at the hospital with her father, Scott pretending to work and drinking Victor’s booze - only highlights their growing resentment and dissatisfaction with the usual litany of unhappy marriages: work, love, passion, each other. But then Scott notices something simple, even innocuous. Every night at precisely eleven, the lights in the neighbor’s bedroom turn off. It’s clearly a timer…but in the dead of winter with no one else around, there’s something about that light he can’t let go of. So one day while Elise is at the hospital, he breaks in. And he feels a jolt of excitement he hasn’t felt in a long time. Soon, it’s not hard to enlist his wife as a partner in crime and see if they can’t restart the passion.

Their one simple transgression quickly sends husband and wife down a deliriously wicked spiral of bad decisions, infidelities, escalating violence, and absolutely shocking revelations.

This was an amazingly mind-blowing slap to the face that left you wondering where you even where. You've read the summary... you think, "Ahh, another thriller with a little mystery." HA! Not a chance! This book has so many twists and turns that your head will spin - in a good way. 

So the bedroom light comes on every night at the same time in the house next door - who cares, right? Scott was bored enough to care and it's amazing how one little light can change so many lives. This may be one of my most vague book reviews yet, but I don't care. I'm not spoiling one single detail. I'm not even really into the mystery/thriller genre, but I tore through this book like a bull in a china shop. And yes... there are still broken pieces that need to be picked up.

Top Ten Tuesday - Books and Songs Edition

For future Top Ten Tuesday topics & info on how to participate, click here!

We're all about books and music this week! 

Kimberly's Picks

1. Masque of the Red Death by Bethany Griffin- We Are Young by FUN. Seriously. Just go listen to this song, it totally fits the book!
2. Nimona by Noelle Stevenson- Bad Blood by Bastille. This is for  Ballister Blackheart and Goldenloin, obviously. ;) 
3. The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss- She Lit A Fire by Lord Huron. Okay, I may not actually like Denna that much, but this song fits how Kvothe talks about her PERFECTLY. 
4. Magonia by Maria Dahvana Headley- Shatter Me by Lindsey Stirling.  I feel like this fits Aza really well. The things that hold her back and all the events that start her adventure.

Jana's Picks

Oh wow, so Kimberly is awesome and came up with songs that actually fit books! I seriously can't think of anything, so my picks will just be songs that I wish WERE books. Like, an awesome story in a song that I wish I could read more about. 

5. A Horse with No Name by America 
I really love this song, and the desert setting is described so perfectly. I love books that take place in the desert! 

6. I Only Know How to Love by The Tenors
A love story that fits these lyrics would be amazing.

7. The Great Escape by Boys Like Girls
This song is so road-trippy to me! It reminds me of a cute summer contemporary with young love and no worries.

8. Lights by Ellie Goulding
This song gives me a sci-fi feeling. It tells a very cool story.

9. Love Remains the Same by Gavin Rossdale
Again, I'm a fan of romance. This song is about a love that lasts and remains the same no matter what. If the world is ending, our love isn't. Love that! Maybe a time travel book?

10. Life is Getting Better by Javier Colon
This is a song for a character who is struggling. I see this working for a contemporary with a bit more depth for it.

What songs do you have theme songs for? Or... What songs do you wish were books?

Tahleen reviews audibook: "Career of Evil" by Robert Galbraith

Title: Career of Evil (Cormoran Strike #3)
Author: Robert Galbraith
Publisher: Hachette Audio, 2015
Narrator: Robert Glenister

Rating: 4.5 stars

This is the third book in Galbraith's (aka J.K. Rowling) Cormoran Strike series, and here, we have an extremely personal case for Strike and Robin.

The book starts off with the very disturbing delivery of a most unwanted package to Robin Ellacott, Strike's resourceful and determined secretary-turned-partner: the severed leg of a woman. What follows is a race against time to find this killer before he finds them, and Strike has not one, but three men in mind who have a grudge against him might have done this.

This book is just as complex and riveting as the first two in the series, but the notable thing about Career of Evil is how much more disturbing it is than the first two, which is saying something. Here, we are taken into the mind of a serial killer, and witness his sadistic and sociopathic need to kill and mutilate, all while Glenister dispassionately relates it all in his expert narration. Glenister is truly the perfect narrator; the amount of dialects and accents he uses in this book alone is worth listening to the whole thing, even if the book wasn't so darn good in the first place.

One other thing I loved about this book was how we learn more about Robin and her past. In addition, the relationship/friendship between Robin and Strike develops further, and I really enjoyed watching it progress.

I will warn you, this is not for the faint of heart; if you get squeamish easily you might want to skip this series. If not, you are definitely missing out on some top-notch mysteries and fabulous narration. If you're an audiobook listener, put these on your list.

Disclaimer: I got this audiobook from my local library, wahoo!

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child WILL BE RELEASED AS A BOOK. THIS IS NOT A DRILL.

As I'm sure you all have seen by now about the interwebs, the new play premiering this summer detailing Harry's life as a middle-aged dude is officially going to be released in book form on July 31 (the play premiers on July 30 at the West End's Palace Theater in London).

The goddess Rowling has smiled down upon us!

#currentmood

For those of you who have been living under a rock, here's the synopsis:

It was always difficult being Harry Potter and it isn’t much easier now that he is an overworked employee of the Ministry of Magic, a husband and father of three school-age children. 

While Harry grapples with a past that refuses to stay where it belongs, his youngest son Albus must struggle with the weight of a family legacy he never wanted. As past and present fuse ominously, both father and son learn the uncomfortable truth: sometimes, darkness comes from unexpected places.

So, I honestly haven't been following this all that much because obviously I'm not going to go to London just to see this show, particularly because tickets will probably cost like a zillion dollars and also I hate crowds and I'm not a big fan of plays to be honest, so you can imagine how happy I am that I will actually be able to just read the book in my living room and NOT HAVE TO SEE IT ON STAGE IN ANOTHER COUNTRY. 

I do wish it was going to be in novel form, but I get that J. K. is super busy and like, doesn't exactly have the time to turn her book series-turned-play back into a novel just because I want her to. But, ya know. Dreams.

How PSYCHED are you for this??!?!?!? If you live in the UK, will you go see it on stage? How do you feel about reading the script versus reading it in novel form?? Let's discuss!!

P.S. Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is available for preorder on Amazon!! I just ordered mine!!

Top Ten Tuesday - Valentine's Day Freebie

For future Top Ten Tuesday topics & info on how to participate, click here!

This weeks theme...

Valentine's Day is next week... so we're doing a Valentine's Day themed freebie! Top Ten Books That Would Make Great Valentine's Day Reads (or anti-Valentine's day reads), Top Ten OTPs, Top 10 fictional crushes, top ten great love declarations in fiction, swoony quotes from books, etc. Get creative!

And for our list...

Top Ten Swoony Quotes from Books

Daisy's Picks

"In vain I have struggled. It will not do. My feelings will not be repressed. You must allow me to tell you how ardently I admire and love you."  

- Mr Darcy. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

"I don't want those things from you. I love your faults and imperfections. Your kind heart. The scars that match mine, and the struggles to find ourselves. I want you humanness. Nothing else." 

- Morpheus. Ensnared by A.G. Howard

"I cannot make speeches, Emma. If I love you less, I might be able to talk about it more." 

- Mr. Knightley. Emma by Jane Austen

Julia's Picks

"I love you with everything I am, everything I've been, and everything I hope to be. I love you with my past, and I love you for my future. I love you for the children we'll have and for the years we'll have together. I love you for everyone of my smiles and even more, for every one of your smiles." 

- Colin Bridgerton. Romancing Mr. Bridgerton by Julia Quinn

"Love, real love, the kind that you fall in, isn't like Corinthians. The "suffereth long" and "is king" nonsense. It's  like the Song of Solomon. It's jealousy and fire and floods. It's everything that consumes."

- A Notorious Countess Confesses by Julie Anne Long

"Love's about finding the one person who makes your heart complete. Who makes you a better person than you ever dreamed you could be. It's about looking in the eyes of your wife and knowing all the way to your bones that she's simply the best person you've ever known"

- The Viscount Who Loved Me by Julia Quinn

"I no longer believed in the idea of soul mates, or love at first sight. But I was beginning to believe that a very few times in your life, if you were lucky, you might meet someone who was exactly right for you. Not because he was perfect, or because you were, but because your combined flaws were arranged in a way that allowed two separate being to hinge together"

- Blue-Eyed Devil by Lisa Kleypas

Lauren's Picks

“Some people don't understand the promises they're making when they make them," I said. "Right, of course. But you keep the promise anyway. That's what love is. Love is keeping the promise anyway.” 

- The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

“The only thing worse than a boy who hates you: a boy that loves you.” 

- The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

“So, I love you because the entire universe conspired to help me find you.” 

- The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho

January Faves & February TBR List

January Faves

Jamie's Pick

The Serpent King by Jeff Zentner -- I had a GREAT reading month so it was hard to only mention one of the great books I read, but this one was definitely my favorite! It's incredible. I can't even describe it. You can check out my attempt to here.

Lauren's Pick

This Shattered World by Amie Kaufman & Meagan Spooner -- I really enjoy the first book in this series and so I picked this one up to read. I only have one thing to say... this was the second book in a series, but it could also be read as a standalone novel. CAN I GET A HELL YEAH?!?!

Jana's Pick

Winter by Marissa Meyer -- What a wonderful ending to my favorite series! This book was everything I could have hoped for and more.

Tahleen's Pick

 Uprooted by Naomi Novik -- It has been a very, very long time since I've read a book that I feel excited to get back to, that I can't wait to pick back up, but that I never want to end. I loved everything about this book. It was surprising, and exciting, and romantic, and just wonderful. I actually want to buy this one and always have it on hand if I feel like rereading. I do not do this. So. This will be a go-to recommendation for me.


Julia's Pick

Romancing the Duke by Tessa Dare -- Since Jana picked Winter (which I loved, too), I'll pick Romancing the Duke. I went on a cross country flight and read this in a day. It was sweet and unique and I fell in love with the leads.

Bridget's Pick

The Girl with All the Gifts by M.R. Carey -- This is definitely not your average post-pandemic science fiction story. It will definitely tug at your heart, and it will also surprise you in a few different ways. It's hard to explain without giving things away, but rest assured that the ending will make you rethink everything you knew about post-apocalyptic scenarios.

February TBR

 Jamie's Pick

The Love That Split The World by Emily Henry -- I can't get enough of time travel lately and this one was pitched as The Time Traveler's Wife meets Friday Night Lights --- which are two of my all time fave things.

Lauren's Pick

Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys -- Everyone pretty much knows of my affection for historical fiction, so this one doesn't really need an explanation. Except I did read the author's other novel, Between Shades of Gray, and it is now on my favorites list. 

Jana's Pick

The Heart of Betrayal by Mary E. Pearson -- I'm so excited! I loved The Kiss of Deception, and can't wait to continue.

Julia's Pick

 Uprooted by Naomi Novik -- I am so excited to read this one, and seeing that Tahleen picked it as her best of for January makes me so excited!  I found it recently and checked it out as a book to read during my beach vacation next week. I am so excited to pick something up that is unique and different!

Bridget's Pick

Pioneer Girl: The Annotated Autobiography by Laura Ingalls Wilder and Pamela Smith Hill (Editor) -- I'm actually about halfway through this already and have been reading it on and off since before Christmas, but I want to get it done this month! It's very interesting, but it's also exhausting to flip back and forth between the footnotes and the story. For those who don't know, Pioneer Girl is what eventually became the seven Little House on the Prairie books, but it was originally written as an adult memoir, not as a children's series. It's been really fun to see where things were fictionalized or moved around to fit the narrative that Laura Ingalls Wilder wanted for her children's series!

A (Long Overdue) Cocktail & Conversation With TB&TB Crew

Every other Thursday here at the Broke & The Bookish is  A Cocktail Conversation time. One of the TB&TB members will pose a question to 2-3 of the other members of TB&TB crew about books, life, music, etc and then they'll answer and we can converse about it. So grab a cocktail & cozy up for some conversation. It's 5 o'clock somewhere, friends.

It's been a while since we've sat down for some cocktails and convo with y'all on a Thursday! Our apologies.

Here's this week's topic: 

 What is one book you recommend pretty much across the board -- regardless of genre or what the person normally reads?

 Julia Says...

One book that I usually recommend to people is The Time Travelers Wife by Audrey Niffenegger. It's a drama, I would say, but also includes hints of science fiction and romance. I adore this book and read it every few years. I'm actually do for a reread now. I love the questions that this book poses on the ramifications of time travel on not just the person time traveling but the people around them. The movie version of this was a disappointment, so if you didnt really like the movie, give this book a chance.

Tahleen Says... 

I recommend Where'd You Go, Bernadette by Maria Semple to anyone at the library who is "looking for a good book" and gives me little to no extra information. It's funny, got a mystery, has broad appeal, plus it's written in emails and documents, as well as being narrated by Bernadette's 14-year-old daughter. Pretty much everyone who has read it that I've talked to has loved it. Bonus: If they liked Where'd You Go, Bernadette and are looking for something else to read, I'll recommend Bellweather Rhapsody by Kate Racculia — this one is also a quirky mystery, but set in an old hotel during a major snowstorm that traps the high school chorus and orchestra all-stars (and their teachers/chaperones) who are performing there that weekend.

 

Bridget Says...

There are a few books like this, but recently it's been Celeste Ng's Everything I Never Told You. I feel hypocritical because I always say "this book will make you ugly cry... in a GOOD way" but if someone told me that about a book I probably wouldn't read it, because I generally avoid books that make me cry. But this one was SO WORTH IT and you should read it.

Lauren Says...

I recommend Ready Player One by Ernest Cline for several reasons. It has that dystopian feel to it that most people are intrigued by these days, but it also tugs at those science fiction heart strings that you didn't even realize you had. The true front-runners of the science fiction genre have set the tone for our future. Just turn on the History Channel or TLC and you come across a documentary about today's society/culture and I can guarantee you someone at one time has written a science fiction novel about that very same topic. Take Arthur C. Clarke for example. He is best known for writing the screenplay for one of the most influential films of all time... 2001: A Space Odyssey. When Clarke was introduced to one of the first computers (which consisted of many gigantic electrical boxes that filled an entire room), Clarke legit predicts the internet and how one day everyone will own a computer that will be drastically smaller where they can look at their bank statements or work from home. SERIOUSLY? Yes, seriously. Look it up. Ernest Cline did not disappoint with this novel as he introduced a new possible future that truly meets the trends our society seems to be following. So just go pick it up. You won't be disappointed. 

Tell us, dear book pushers! Which books are ones that you will pretty much recommend universally?