PLBR Book Reviews 2018 - ELLES BOOK BLOG

ELLES BOOK BLOG

JAWS BY PETER BENCHLEY

9/20/2019

I wanted to read Jaws as summer was winding down because let's face it, it's a summer novel! While I liked the book, it wasn't a favorite. I actually enjoyed the movie more.

Rating: ★★★
Release Date: May 6, 1973
Genre: Horror
Series: Standalone.
Pages: 340 pages
Format: eBook. Purchased.

When Peter Benchley wrote Jaws in the early 1970s, he meticulously researched all available data about shark behavior. Over the ensuing decades, Benchley was actively engaged with scientists and filmmakers on expeditions around the world as they expanded their knowledge of sharks. Also during this time, there was an unprecedented upswing in the number of sharks killed to make shark-fin soup, and Benchley worked with governments and nonprofits to sound the alarm for shark conservation. He encouraged each new generation of Jaws fans to enjoy his riveting tale and to channel their excitement into support and protection of these magnificent, prehistoric apex predators.

This edition of Jaws contains bonus content from Peter Benchley’s archives, including the original typed title page, a brainstorming list of possible titles, a letter from Benchley to producer David Brown with honest feedback on the movie adaptation, and excerpts from Benchley’s book Shark Trouble highlighting his firsthand account

THE PERFECT COUPLE BY ELIN HILDERBRAND

7/18/2019

A women's fiction, domestic drama, and who-dun-it all rolled into one! The Perfect Couple is the PERFECT beach read. I devoured this one from start to finish. I highly recommend it.

Rating: ★★★★★
Release Date: June 19, 2018
Genre: Women's Fiction
Series: Standalone
Pages: 480 pages
Format: Paperback. Purchased.

It's Nantucket wedding season, also known as summer-the sight of a bride racing down Main Street is as common as the sun setting at Madaket Beach. The Otis-Winbury wedding promises to be an event to remember: the groom's wealthy parents have spared no expense to host a lavish ceremony at their oceanfront estate.

But it's going to be memorable for all the wrong reasons after tragedy strikes: a body is discovered in Nantucket Harbor just hours before the ceremony-and everyone in the wedding party is suddenly a suspect. As Chief of Police Ed Kapenash interviews the bride, the groom, the groom's famous mystery-novelist mother, and even a member of his own family, he discovers that every wedding is a minefield-and no couple is perfect. Featuring beloved characters from The Castaways, Beautiful Day, and A Summer Affair, The Perfect Couple proves once again that Elin Hilderbrand is the queen of the summer beach read.

WHEN AUGUST ENDS BY PENELOPE WARD

4/20/2019

When August Ends is an age gap romance! Penelope Ward has brought these characters to life (as she always does) and made me swoon hard! While it may not have been my absolute favorite of all her books, it's still one I won't forget anytime soon!

Rating: ★★★★
Release Date: February 25, 2019
Genre: Contemporary Romance (Age Gap)
Series: None. Complete Standalone.
Pages: 253 pages
Format: eBook. Purchased.

What do you do when a sexy, older man moves into your family’s summer rental?

Well, apparently, you make a fool of yourself—over and over. Things didn’t exactly get off on the right foot with Noah Cavallari. Our first encounter was embarrassing, to say the least.

But despite that, I found myself waking up every day with a newfound energy. Nothing exciting ever happened on the lake—not until Noah moved into the small boathouse on our property. He’d booked it for the entire summer…and I was still trying to figure out why.

When my mother became ill, I inherited the responsibility of making sure our guests were well taken care of. I should have been in college. Instead, I was living my best life…as a maid.

Dark, handsome, and mysterious, everything about Noah screamed forbidden.

REMIND ME BY SAMANTHA CHASE

3/22/2019

Remind Me is a sweet, second chance romance by the amazing Samantha Chase! This is also the first book in a brand new series that takes place in the Magnolia Sound. I adored this book!

Rating: ★★★★
Release Date: March 12, 2019
Genre: Second Chance Romance
Series: Magnolia Sound #1 (can stand alone)
Pages: 234 pages
Format: eBook. ARC.

It’s been years since Mallory Westbrook set foot in Magnolia Sound, but the death of her great-grandfather forces her back. Two weeks to get his affairs in order then she would return to her life in New York. The perfect plan, if not for Jake Summerford—her first love who broke her heart.

Jake always regretted the way things ended with Mallory and now that she’s back in town, he’s hoping they can put the past behind them. As they reconnect, old feelings resurface and Jake realizes that friendship is only the beginning of what he wants from Mallory.

With one foot out of the door, Mallory is looking for any excuse to leave Magnolia Sound behind. Forever. Will Jake’s plan to replace the old, painful memories help him finally show her their love deserves another chance?

NO EXIT BY TAYLOR ADAMS

3/18/2019

No Exit is truly an edge of your seat thriller. This book was so unexpected for me and I am so glad I gave a new author a chance. I very much recommend this to those who are looking for thrills and chills in their novels.

Rating: ★★★★
Release Date: January 15, 2018
Genre: Thriller and Suspense.
Series: Standalone.
Pages: 336 pages
Format: Hardcover. Purchased.

A kidnapped little girl locked in a stranger’s van. No help for miles. What would you do?

On her way to Utah to see her dying mother, college student Darby Thorne gets caught in a fierce blizzard in the mountains of Colorado. With the roads impassable, she’s forced to wait out the storm at a remote highway rest stop. Inside, are some vending machines, a coffee maker, and four complete strangers.

Desperate to find a signal to call home, Darby goes back out into the storm . . . and makes a horrifying discovery. In the back of the van parked next to her car, a little girl is locked in an animal crate.

Who is the child? Why has she been taken? And how can Darby save her?

There is no cell phone reception, no telephone, and no way out.

KILL RIVER 2 BY CAMERON ROUBIQUE

11/23/2018

Kill River 2 is another awesome slasher novel with the best 80's nostalgia that I have felt in a long time! If you enjoy teen horror slasher novels, this series is a must read.

Rating: ★★★★
Release Date: October 13, 2017
Genre: Horror. Slasher Horror.
Series: Kill River series #2
Pages: 270 pages
Format: eBook. Purchased.

This is the second book in the Kill River series and should be read in order of publication. Series information is below.

It’s been a year since Cyndi went into the empty water park with her friends and almost got killed by a masked maniac. One full year since she learned how to be strong, how to be a survivor. Now it’s 1984, and summertime has come around again. Cyndi has a boyfriend, a new group of friends, and a part-time summer job. She has every reason to be happy and forget about the past.

But she can’t forget. Her nightmares about the water park and her dead friends are getting worse. Wherever she goes, she keeps thinking she sees the killer from last summer watching her from the shadows. Worst of all, there’s a new water park opening up in town, and it looks eerily similar to the one from last year. Opening day is just around the corner, and Cyndi is starting to wonder if her water park nightmare is really over, or if it’s just beginning.

KILL RIVER BYCAMERON ROUBIQUE

10/26/2018

Kill River is slasher horror at it's best! I remember reading books like this when I was younger so this brought back so many great reading memories. I highly recommend it!

Rating: ★★★★
Release Date: August 1, 2015
Genre: Horror
Series: Kill River series #1
Pages: 345 pages
Format: eBook. Purchased.

In the summer of 1983, thirteen-year-old Cyndi and her three new-found friends, Stacy, Zack, and Brad decide to sneak away from their summer camp in the middle of the night by rafting down the nearby rivers. After spending a tense night lost in the woods, the four teenagers stumble into a mysterious water park that appears to be completely empty.

At first they are thrilled to have the rides all to themselves, at least until one of them disappears. Soon they discover that they are trapped in the park, and a dark figure is stalking them from the shadows, picking them off one by one. Once night falls, Cyndi will have to fight to escape the park, a masked maniac, and a living nightmare.

Kill River is a wild water park ride filled with blood, gore, and '80s nostalgia. Slasher fans rejoice, old school horror is back!

SKINNY DIPPING WITH MURDER BY AURALEE WALLACE

10/14/2018

Yes! I loved this book so much. It brings readers a summery fee to go with the cozy mystery and has a ton of humor. I was laughing my butt off! I highly recommend it to all cozy fans!

Rating: ★★★★★
Release Date: March 1, 2016
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Series: Otter Lake Mystery Series #1
Pages: 305 pages
Format: Paperback. Purchased.

Welcome to Otter Lake, where the relaxing, restorative atmosphere is to die for.

Erica Bloom is in no rush to return to Otter Lake, the site of her mother's spiritual retreat for women. Erica met her inner goddess years ago and she's happy to have forged a new identity on her own, thank you very much. But her new-age-y, well-meaning mother is losing her grip on the business, and needs Erica's help. So she heads back to her New Hampshire hometown, where nothing much has changed-except for maybe the body in the well...

SKINNY DIPPING WITH MURDER
When Erica was a teenager, she fell prey to a practical joke that left her near-naked in Otter Lake's annual Raspberry Social. The incident was humiliating, but it wasn't like anyone got killed-until now. Those who were behind that long-ago prank are starting to turn up dead, and Erica's appearance in town makes her a prime suspect. To make matters worse, the town sheriff just happens to be Erica's old nemesis, Grady Forrester...who also happens to be

BEST SERVED COLD BY EMMA HART

9/25/2018

I loved this book!!! So much. It's a second chance, enemies to lovers romance and takes place in an ice-cream shop! How freakin cute is that!?!? I highly recommend this rom-com.

Rating: ★★★★★
Release Date: September 25, 2018
Genre: Romantic Comedy
Series: None. Standalone.
Pages: 200 pages
Format: eBook. ARC.

Best Served Cold, an all-new standalone romantic comedy from New York Times bestselling author Emma Hart is LIVE!

Trust me. I know. The only reason I decided to renovate my family’s ice-cream store was to serve up a sundae full of revenge for my a-hole ex who opened an ice-cream store right next to mine.

It was supposed to be simple.

Renovate. Reopen. Put his peachy butt out of business.

Until he decided to get under my skin—and broke my toe.

Now, I’m stuck with Chase in my store every day, helping me renovate. But he’s also in my head, and I’m spending a little too much time up against his abs.

Not that it’s the worst place to be.

MY BIG GREEK SUMMER BY SUE ROBERTS

9/20/2018

My Big Greek Summer is an amazing read and filled with substance! I thought this would be a light and mindless read but it's got quite the kick to it. I very much recommend it!

Rating: ★★★★★
Release Date: May 3, 2018
Genre: Chick Lit
Series: None. Standalone.
Pages: 288 pages
Format: eBook. Purchased.

A holiday can solve everything… can’t it? A hilarious, hot new summer escape about kissing your past goodbye and learning to love again…

Carefree, thirty-something Mandy thought she’d be married to first-love Danny forever.

So when she discovers her heart-throb husband has had a fling, she realises it’s time to make some BIG changes. But what will Mandy do now she’s single for the first time in her adult life?

Determined to find her spark again, Mandy hops on a plane, ready for adventure and a second chance at happiness. Escaping to a sun-drenched Greek island, the glittering blue seas, golden beaches and delicious cocktails are exactly what she needs.

Over one spontaneous summer, Mandy has the time of her life making new friends in a pretty little Mediterranean village by the

DESERTS, DRIVING, AND DERELICTS BY TONYA KAPPES

9/18/2018

This series is my guilty pleasure! I love the characters, setting, and honestly everything about it. I wish I could visit Normal, Kentucky! I would love befriending all the characters.

Rating: ★★★★★
Release Date: June 26, 2018
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Series: Camper & Criminals #2
Pages: 205 pages
Format: eBook. Borrowed from Kindle Unlimited.

Welcome to Normal, Kentucky, where nothin' is normal!

Mae West is getting settled into the RV lifestyle as the owner of a campground in Normal, Kentucky. Happy Trails Campground, located in Daniel Boone National Park, has started to attract late summer vacationing families who love to hike, swim, fish, and enjoy being outdoors.

Betts Hager, owner of several small businesses, is swamped with work and desperate for help with her cleaning business. Mae offers her services, happy about the prospect of a little extra cash. Heiress Tammy Jo Bentley’s mansion is the first one on her schedule.

Mae makes sure Tammy Jo’s house is spotless because the Kentucky Kennel Association's annual meeting is going to be held at the mansion. Fifi, Tammy Jo’s high pedigree, insured poodle, is

FRESH CATCH BY KATE CANTERBARY

8/29/2018

A quick MM Romance with a picturesque setting and interesting characters. While the love story was too quick, I did enjoy the book for the most part.

Rating: ★★★
Release Date: February 15, 2018
Genre: MM Romance
Series: Talbott's Cove #1 (can stand alone)
Pages: 260 pages
Format: eBook. Borrowed from Kindle Unlimited.

Take a vacation, they said. Get away from Silicon Valley's back-stabbing and power-grabbing. Recharge the innovative batteries. Unwind, then come back stronger than ever.

Instead, I got lost at sea and fell in love with an anti-social lobsterman.

There's one small issue:

Owen Bartlett doesn't know who I am. Who I really am.

---------------------------------

I don't like people.
I avoid small talk and socializing, and I kick my companions out of bed before the sun rises.
No strings, no promises, no problems.
Until Cole McClish's boat drifts into Talbott's Cove, and I bend all my rules for the sexy sailor.

BECOMING A VINCENT BY C.M. OWENS

8/2/2018

OMG this book is amazing! Everyone who follows me knows that I love romantic comedies over any genre. Especially RomCom's that leave my sides hurting from laughing so hard. This book is one of them!

Rating: ★★★★★
Release Date: June 19, 2017
Genre: Romantic Comedy
Series: The Wild Ones #1 (can stand alone)
Pages: 218 pages
Format: eBook. Purchased.

When you live in a place where “turbo speed” internet is a slight step above dial-up, men carry on nine-year beard-growing challenges out of stubborn pride, and your brothers do things like nail all your panties to the outside of your cabin just for funsies, you tend to be a little crazy. You can call it a "locational" hazard, if you will.

That’s Tomahawk for you.

We rank people based on just how crazy they are. And the four craziest families in town are called the Wild Ones.
I’m on the bottom tier of those, so technically I’m not as crazy as the other Wild Ones. In fact, if it wasn’t for my brothers and their endless antics, I wouldn’t be considered a Wild One at all. Ahem. Sure. We’ll go with that.

THE RUMOR BY ELIN HILDERBRAND

7/28/2018

This is a must have beach read for anyone who loves some gossip and a good scandal! I am now an instant fan of Elin Hilderbrand. I loved this book so much!

Rating: ★★★★★
Release Date: June 16, 2015
Genre: Women's Fiction
Series: None. Standalone.
Pages: 367 pages
Format: eBook. Purchased.

A friendship is tested in this irresistible page-turner from New York Times bestselling author Elin Hilderbrand.

Nantucket writer Madeline King could not have picked a worse time to have writer's block. Her deadline is looming, her bills are piling up, and inspiration is in short supply. Madeline's best friend Grace, is hard at work transforming her garden into the envy of the island with the help of a ruggedly handsome landscape architect. Before she realizes it, Grace is on the verge of a decision that will irrevocably change her life. Could Grace's crisis be Madeline's salvation? As the gossip escalates, and the summer's explosive events come to a head, Grace and Madeline try desperately to set the record straight--but the truth might be even worse than rumor has it.

THE LAST TIME I LIED BY RILEY SAGER

7/3/2018

If you are looking for a fantastic and thrilling book to read by the pool this year, I highly recommend this one. I take you on a journey that will leave you riveted.

Rating:★★★★
Release Date: July 3, 2018
Genre: Psychological Thriller
Series: None. Standalone.
Pages: 384 pages
Format: eBook. ARC.

In the latest thriller from the bestselling author of Final Girls, a young woman returns to her childhood summer camp to uncover the truth about a tragedy that happened there fifteen years ago.

Two Truths and a Lie. The girls played it all the time in their cabin at Camp Nightingale. Vivian, Natalie, Allison, and first-time camper Emma Davis, the youngest of the group. But the games ended the night Emma sleepily watched the others sneak out of the cabin into the darkness. The last she--or anyone--saw of them was Vivian closing the cabin door behind her, hushing Emma with a finger pressed to her lips.

Now a rising star in the New York art scene, Emma turns her

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