We just got back from a vacation up north and I was able to get in a lot of reading! From the long car ride to and from the trip to the beach and sitting on the porch, I tried to get in as much reading as possible. Meaning . . . I may be able to put out four more book reviews later this month. Follow me on Instagram (@planningforkeeps) if you want to be the first to know!

   

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The Gifted School

I enjoyed The Gifted School but I did feel it was a little long.  Because I mostly read on my Kindle I never know how “big” a book is but this felt long to me.

In the story, there are four female friends with families in an upper-class community. When it is announced that a local public magnet school for gifted students is being built these moms (and dads) feel the pressure to ensure their children are selected to attend. Marriage issues, problems with their kids, and the jealousies between the friends are mixed in throughout the novel.

I was pleased with how the story wraps up a number of plot points brewing throughout at the end. This was a book I could put down as needed. It definitely makes you think about how you would react as a parent if a school like this came to your city.

   

The Guest List

I am not usually drawn towards mystery or suspense but I was pleasantly surprised by this one. I thought The Guest List was very well written and liked how the stories from different characters built on top of one another. Plus, the ending was very satisfying.

The story switches between the wedding day and the day before. Each chapter is written from the viewpoint of a handful of different characters (bride, groom, wedding planner, maid of honor, wedding guest, etc).

A somewhat famous couple is getting married on a very secluded Irish island. Someone ends up dead the night of the wedding and a number of things go wrong at events leading up to the wedding. The ushers are drunk and constantly reminiscing about their boarding school days together. The relationship between the bride and a member of the wedding party might be closer than just friends. In addition, the bride’s sister seems to be an emotional wreck from a recent breakup. Who ends up dying?

This dark and suspenseful tale will definitely keep the reader interested.

   

The Vine Witch

When trying to add a little more variety to my book list I picked up the fantasy The Vine Witch but was not impressed. The story moves along and does have a few interesting twists but ultimately this book bored me.

Honestly, the beginning of the story is so weird I almost stopped reading but it did quickly improve. A witch has been cursed for seven years and is finally able to return home. She finds that her vineyard has been hexed and is now owned by a mortal from the city who doesn’t believe in magic.

There’s a little romance plus a mystery to solve. In the end, fantasy is just not my genre of choice, at least not with this story.

   

Such a Fun Age

Truthfully, I’m not sure why everyone loves this book so much. I thought Such a Fun Age was very slow. The story covers important themes such as race and privilege. I liked the book but I was expecting a lot more because of all the rave reviews people were giving.

A black woman gets accused of kidnapping at a grocery store late one night when she is just helping out her employer with a babysitting emergency. A man records the incident and encourages her to publically release it but she doesn’t want to.

Her employer is famous for her letter writing skills and is currently behind on her book draft. She misses New York City and her friends coming to rely a lot on her babysitter and wanting to learn more about her.

The babysitter doesn’t have many life goals but needs health insurance and loves the toddler she’s in charge of. Does her white employer truly want what’s best for her?

   

Need more book recommendations? Take a look at my July Book Reviews and Recommendations.