Elevator Pitch by Linwood Barclay, 446 pages

Elevator Pitch by Linwood Barclay takes place in New York City. The entire city is in a full-blown panic due to elevator accidents happening in random buildings throughout the city. I found this book actually pretty scary because it was relatively realistic and felt like something that could happen. I was disappointed in the ending because it was so intense and built up to what I thought was going to be some dramatic twist, and after it happened I had more of a "Oh, that's it?" reaction. Overall, this was another solid read from Barclay and if you normally like his novels, you'll enjoy this one. Elevator Pitch is scheduled to be published September 17, 2019

Always and Forever, Lara Jean by Jenny Han, 352 pages

Always and Forever, Lara Jean is the last book of the To All the Boys I've Loved Before series. I had a couple people tell me that they didn't like this book as much as the other two, but I loved it just as much. Lara Jean and Peter have grown so much as not only a couple but individuals and it was a great goodbye seeing them venture into adulthood. I was so glad that Han ended the series with LJ and Peter together and it was hard for me to finish this one knowing that it was the last of the books. Han says that she won't write another book starring Lara Jean but I'm holding out hope that she will change her mind. The only plus side of not having another book is that Lara Jean and Peter will live on together forever in my mind!

P.S. I Still Love You by Jenny Han, 352 pages

P.S. I Love You was the sequel to To All the Boys I've Loved Before and I was a little nervous that I wouldn't love it as much as I loved the first one and was happy that I did. Lara Jean had even more development in this book and it was once again centered around her relationship with Peter, which I LOVE! This is another quick but good read for anyone who loves contemporary romance. My only complaint is that it may be difficult for older readers to connect with the characters due to the age gap. 

To All the Boys I've Loved Before by Jenny Han, 369 pages

I've been on a YA/Romance kick for a couple of weeks now so I thought it was a good time to finally read To All the Boys I've Loved Before. I really wanted to read this after the Netflix movie came out. I was surprised with how much I loved this book. I fell in love with the characters instantly, especially Lara Jean and Peter. I was impressed with main character Lara Jean's character development and emotional growth throughout the book and the entire series overall. I did find LJ's character to be a little immature for the age that Han was trying to portray her as, but I'm not sure that my maturity level was any better at 16. This is a quick and easy read with a ton of feel-good moments packed in it.

Someone We Know by Shari Lapena, 304 pages

I received an advanced copy of Shari Lapena's newest domestic thriller, Someone We Know. This book is scheduled to be published on July 30, 2019. I overall enjoyed this book and found it to be fast paced, although I do get the "been there, done that" feeling from a lot of Lapena's latest work. I wish she would branch out of the domestic thriller genre but I also understand sticking to what you're good at! This wasn't my favorite Lapena novel, but I did enjoy it and recommend it to anyone who likes a good quick and drama-filled read. I'm sure this will be another hit for Lapena.

The Rest of the Story by Sarah Dessen, 440 Pages

When I was younger, Sarah Dessen was always one of my favorite authors. I've strayed away from the romance genre as a whole but I decided to give Dessen's newest novel, The Rest of the Story, a shot and I'm so glad I did. This was such a sweet story of young love, heartbreak and how magical summer is when you're young. I really enjoyed this book and was so sad when it was over. I'll apparently always have a soft spot for anything written by Dessen and I look forward to reading more from her in the future. 

NOS4A2 by Joe Hill, 692 pages

NOS4A2 is a horror novel written by Joe Hill, who happens to be Stephen King's son. I've read some other stuff by Hill and enjoyed it. I've seen a ton of good reviews about NOS4A2 so I was really anxious to dive in. Unfortunately, I found myself pretty unimpressed overall. A lot of this book involves a lot of Fantasy, which is a genre that I really struggle with. I like my thrillers and horror novels to be as realistic as possible, so I struggled to connect to this. I did find a lot of it creepy but it felt really long-winded so I found myself getting bored. I decided to read this now because there is currently a show based off the novel on cable and I've been waiting to start watching it until I had read the book first. I still would recommend this to anyone who enjoys horror, but not my favorite of the genre!

Something in the Water by Catherine Steadman, 324 pages

This is a psychological thriller that would be perfect for a vacation read.  It's a quick read, but as the tension builds it would be nice to finish it in one fell swoop instead of having to put it down and come back to it.

This is Catherine Steadman's first novel, and while her characters aren't totally lovable, it is a good story.  Somewhere beyond the midpoint in the book I began getting tired of it, but it redeemed itself in the end with a twist I wasn't expecting.  That is always a bonus for me.

I would definitely put this on the "not too deep but fun" recommendation list.

Before She Was Found by Heather Gudenkauf, 354 Pages

This book was so addicting, I couldn't put it down. It hits on so many different topics including betrayal, friendship and the unconditional love a parent has for their child. What really made me love this book was how realistic it all is in today's society and the twist at the end really shocked me. I've been recommending this book to everyone I can since I read it and I'm looking forward to reading more by Gudenkauf.

Cora, Jordyn and Violet are supposed to be having a typical sleepover at Cora's house, but plans quickly change when they decide to venture out in the middle of the night to the old rail yard, all because of a local urban legend they've been reading about at school. When Cora is found on the verge of death and the other two are missing, their small town is flipped upside down. Everyone around them quickly becomes a suspect and it's hard to determine who could have done something like this to a child.

The Murder House by James Patterson and David Ellis, 481 Pages

Before reading The Murder House, I had never read anything by Patterson. He is obviously one of the most popular authors that we have in circulation so I figured I should eventually give one of his books a try. I came across The Murder House and it seemed like something I would generally read and thought this was a perfect opportunity. The book definitely held my interest and I was able to easily finish it but I didn't particularly love it and found most of the characters unlikable. I guess I expected more from Mr. Patterson from all the hype I've heard from everyone!