The Paradise Problem by Christina Lauren

Hello everyone.  I hope you are having a great day.

I know I've told you about my fabulous niece before, but she is becoming a huge problem.  She makes me green with jealousy. I know that is cliche, but I don't mean a little green, picture the Hulk meets the Jolly Green Giant green. Not only is she an artist, like a real, trained artist. But she can pick creative things up in a second.  She watched a YouTube video about crocheting and whipped out blankets and purses.  I can sew and embroider and desperately want to crochet.  I watched the same video, thinking it was the holy grail.  I would be on my way to yarny goodness.  Yeah....she watches and made a blanket...I watched and made a giant knot.  I've tried DOZENS of times, lots.  I'm not exaggerating.  Now hubby is buying me different kinds of yarn, thinking I cannot possibly be so inept.  Yet, I fear this is a craft that was made specifically for the octopus.  I cannot do it. Last weekend was Mother's Day.  My niece (who cooks, without any training, naturally) made a triple layer cake for her mom.  No big deal.  Except she piped the most beautiful flowers on top.  I can make roses, but my mom taught me when I was a kid. My niece apparently communed with the frosting gods, said "Om" a few times and whipped up perfect flowers of several varieties out of thin air.  I give up.  I need a vacation.  Somewhere tropical with clear blue water, perfect breezes and men serving drinks wearing nothing but fig leaves that speak absolutely no English.  Okay, that may be overreaching...

I recently read The Paradise Problem by Christina Lauren.  The author is a pen name for the writing team of best friends Christina Hobbs and Lauren Billings.  This is the story of a couple, Liam and Anna.  They have married during college for cheap housing.  Unknown to Anna, it also helps Liam in another way.  He is the heir to a sizeable fortune but must be married for five years before he can collect.  This inheritance isn't known to Anna because she and Liam don't really know each other.  They live in the same apartment but just as roommates.  This poses a huge problem as Liam's sister is getting married and his family is demanding to meet his wife of almost five years.  The wedding is of the destination sort, on a private island with blue water and huts suspended over the rolling waves. Not only does the couple married for years know nothing of each other, but Liam's family is a huge problem.  Rich, entitled, judgmental and rude, they are waiting to scrutinize Liam's wife and their relationship.

This book was fun.  Not only was the situation amusing but the writing is laugh out loud funny.  This story will have you entranced and glad to have your life instead of this wealthy family's. If you're having a tough week, read this.  If you are going on vacation, this is a no brainer.  A blast and one of the few books I wish I could read again for the first time. Now that is a good one!

The Only Survivors by Megan Miranda

Hello everyone. I hope you're having a great day.

I recently told you about an experience my husband's "parts" had with a dresser while on a family trip to the Outer Banks (see review for The Villa). (Laughing at myself, aren't you glad you read this...about hubby's "parts".  I dare you to find THAT in another book blog!) That trip was with my whole family, spouses, kids, the works, we even took our dog.  Our adventure was in May and there was a storm heading out to sea.  We got there first and the cottage, on stilts, was literally swaying in the wind.  Not to be indelicate (what the heck I've already mentioned privates...repeatedly) but the water in the toilet was sloshing from side to side.  Okay, perhaps sloshing is a bit dramatic but there was definitely wave action!  The weather, as usual, was undependable, cold one minute and roasting the next.  Now there are stores and restaurants galore, but at that time, it was still the wild west of the east coast.  No gun slingers but there was also no miniature golf, and you could kiss any hopes of an ice cream cone goodbye.  It's a wonder we survived such untamed conditions.  Now Kill Devil Hills has a Target.  The wild west now has a shopping buggy and dollar section.

I recently read The Only Survivors by Megan Miranda.  My reading relationship with this author has run hot and cold.  While her books are sold as thrillers, they really are more like a mystery with some intrigue.  This is the story of a group with friends who experienced a tragedy together.  They have decided not to discuss the details, their secrets, so have kept them within the group.  Each year on the anniversary of this terrible accident, the group spends their time together in a cottage on the Outer Banks.  The story is told in one voice, that of the survivor Cassidy.  She has broken ties with the group.  It has been many years and Cassidy would rather focus on her life now and put the past behind her.  Despite changing all phone numbers, email addresses, etc., she receives a text from someone in the group.  She is directed to the obituary of one of the other members, Ian.  Cassidy cared for Ian and is shocked to learn of his death.  Propelled by the loss of her friend, she reluctantly decides to attend this year's anniversary gathering.  Once she arrives odd things start happening, making her question not only the text she received but all her fellow survivors.  As things progress tensions are magnified as a terrible storm rolls in, isolating the friends further.  We slowly learn not only what happened in the past, but about the present events.

Overall, I enjoyed this book.  It was an easy, pleasant read, that was well researched and full of atmosphere.  For me, the middle dragged a bit, but I prefer a rocket paced, page flipping thriller.  Again, this felt more like a mystery.  Around page 300 I really thought the author had betrayed her readers, taking the story in a terrible place.  Reading further, I discovered this was NOT the case, the twist introduced was one I hadn't even considered, which I love.  The end was kind of blah for me.  I wish it had been much more dramatic, again, I love heart pounding thrillers. Megan Miranda is a world class author and I'm a housewife who isn't going to the grocery store this week and is already out of bread.  Check this book out for yourself, I'm sure you'll enjoy it.

Nags Head was so rural when we were there, I saw Black Beard sword fighting the Wright brothers on the beach.  There may have been some alcohol involved.

The House Across the Lake by Riley Sager

Hello everyone. I hope you're having a great day.

In the US we are celebrating July 4th.  It's a holiday that often extends around the actual date and has become a popular vacation and family visit time. When I was a kid, we would spend the morning of the 4th watching the men's finals at Wimbledon, which was always held that day.  Then we'd go to my Aunt Mary and Uncle Don's house.  My uncle was on the beach at Normandy on D-Day.  My aunt was amazingly creative. She would decide to reupholster her winged back chair. While I don't think she had any sewing experience, her chair would look like a pro did it.  When she wanted window boxes, she got out the wood and made them herself. She also had amazing doll houses. My aunt and uncle had a big picnic in a great driveway-garage set up, with a makeshift baseball field behind and later a pool.  Okay, it might "sound" weird, but it was summer holiday perfection.  The whole family came, allowing us a day of getting to play with all our cousins.  So fun. Always topped off with sparklers, something my parents would have never allowed.  It was a major part of our summer vacation and I miss it and my aunt and uncle terribly.

I recently read The House Across the Lake by Riley Sager.  This is the story of Casey, who is a popular actress.  She has lost her husband and her grief has driven her to drink.  Her drinking caused her to lose her job, starring in a Broadway show. Casey tries to escape the gossip mill by taking an extended summer vacation at a beautiful lake in Vermont. At her waterfront home, she spends most of her time on the back porch, drinking bourbon and watching people through her binoculars. Specifically, she is watching the fancy house with loads of glass, owned by supermodel Katherine and her tech savvy husband, Tom.  Casey's spying losses it's attraction when Katherine goes missing and she suspects Tom.

This book is quick moving and a true thriller.  This has that, hold your breath, something is about to happen any second feeling.  It is very successful at raising your pulse. It's really amazing the story that Sager weaves with a limited cast and setting.  I think you'll be surprised by the numerous twists.  The author is masterful at making you think you have the story figured out only to slap the back of your hand with a twist that says, "guess again."

A word of warning.  There have been quite a few reviewers either talking the book down or rating it poorly because they don't like the main character.  The issue seems to be they feel that Riley Sager doesn't represent women well, making them drunk, stupid, or gullible.  I almost passed on this book because of those discussions.  Please, PLEASE, don't be led, decide for yourself.  If you are in doubt, don't buy the book but get it from your library.  There are only two sexes, and an unreliable narrator has to be unreliable for a reason. Just do me a favor, forget reviews, judge for yourself.  As a thriller, this ticks all the boxes.

The funny thing about American independence is that now, most Americans feel a respectful link to Great Britian and great affection for the people.

People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry

Hello everyone.  I hope you are staying cool in the soaring temperatures.

When I was a kid, we looked forward to two things, Christmas and vacation.  As really young kids, we would go to "the shore" and visit Cape May, New Jersey.  If you've never been, it's charming without lots of high-rise hotels but smaller family run resorts.  The neighborhoods are close by and filled with Victorian houses.  There is a boardwalk and it was my dad's requirement that we get up every morning at the crack of dawn and ride bicycles.  We even tried a bicycle for two one time, that was a complete disaster!  My aunts, uncles and cousins would also go to Cape May so not only was it a wonderful vacation but nice to spend time together.  As we got to be teenagers, Cape May was too relaxed for us and we all went to Myrtle Beach with lots of miniature golf, amusement parks and t-shirt shops.  The first time I ever played Pac Man was in Myrtle, we had chicken pox in Myrtle, and most notably while walking on the beach right next to me, my sister got pooped squarely on the head by a seagull in Myrtle.  I'm still laughing today.  What?  It's funny!   We were a bit away from our hotel and she had to walk back like that...I may or may have not laughed hysterically the entire way.   Also, on vacation I met some wonderful friends who I am still in contact with to this day...literally decades later.  Vacations are good.

I recently read People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry.  In the past I reviewed Beach Read by the same author.  I acknowledged that it was a romance and in general they aren't my thing (although I've read some great ones).  Beach Read seemed like it was trying to have a more involved story but compared to thrillers it was just too slow for me.  Still, I admitted that I wanted to watch this author as she could make me a romance reader.  I was so anxious to read People We Meet on Vacation to see what Emily Henry had in store for us.  I'm glad I did.  This story is about two friends, Poppy and Alex, who have gone on vacations together for years and about how their friendship has evolved, often because of the time on these trips.  The pacing is far superior to Beach Read and the dialog will have you laughing from beginning to end.  Sometimes sweet, sometimes serious and thoughtful, this book is perfect for your summer trip or anytime you need to brighten your day.  I am thrilled for Henry to have started to really bridge that gap between generalized fiction and romance.  I cannot wait for the next one.

Things to pack: bathing suit, beach towel, sunscreen, People We Meet on Vacation, and if you're my sister...shower cap to wear on the beach...just in case.