It has been a minute since I did a book club post. It is not because I haven’t been reading, it’s because I wanted to feature only the very good ones I have read lately. So here they are …

The Girl Before by JP Delaney

Please make a list of every possession you consider essential to your life.

The request seems odd, even intrusive—and for the two women who answer, the consequences are devastating.

EMMA

Reeling from a traumatic break-in, Emma wants a new place to live. But none of the apartments she sees are affordable or feel safe. Until One Folgate Street. The house is an architectural masterpiece: a minimalist design of pale stone, plate glass, and soaring ceilings. But there are rules. The enigmatic architect who designed the house retains full control: no books, no throw pillows, no photos or clutter or personal effects of any kind. The space is intended to transform its occupant—and it does.

JANE

After a personal tragedy, Jane needs a fresh start. When she finds One Folgate Street she is instantly drawn to the space—and to its aloof but seductive creator. Moving in, Jane soon learns about the untimely death of the home’s previous tenant, a woman similar to Jane in age and appearance. As Jane tries to untangle truth from lies, she unwittingly follows the same patterns, makes the same choices, crosses paths with the same people, and experiences the same terror, as the girl before.

♥ This is one of those books that you will either love or hate. There are so many mixed reviews on it, and I must say I really enjoyed it. It was different to what I expected, but in a good way. I love that it was written back and forth between Jane and Emma. My favourite is all the twists and turns and the slowly unfolding clues to help the reader figure out everything. At the end when you find out who the killer is, it is revealed in a way that is a genuine surprise to the reader. This book is a real page turner. Make you when you start reading it, you have a lot of free time ahead of you.

First Comes Love by Emily Giffin

Growing up, Josie and Meredith Garland shared a loving, if sometimes contentious relationship. Josie was impulsive, spirited, and outgoing; Meredith hardworking, thoughtful, and reserved. When tragedy strikes their family, their different responses to the event splinter their delicate bond.

Fifteen years later, Josie and Meredith are in their late thirties, following very different paths. Josie, a first grade teacher, is single—and this close to swearing off dating for good. What she wants more than the right guy, however, is to become a mother—a feeling that is heightened when her ex-boyfriend’s daughter ends up in her class. Determined to have the future she’s always wanted, Josie decides to take matters into her own hands.

On the outside, Meredith is the model daughter with the perfect life. A successful attorney, she’s married to a wonderful man, and together they’re raising a beautiful four-year-old daughter. Yet lately, Meredith feels dissatisfied and restless, secretly wondering if she chose the life that was expected of her rather than the one she truly desired.

As the anniversary of their tragedy looms and painful secrets from the past begin to surface, Josie and Meredith must not only confront the issues that divide them, but also come to terms with their own choices. In their journey toward understanding and forgiveness, both sisters discover they need each other more than they knew . . . and that in the recipe for true happiness, love always comes first.

Emotionally honest and utterly enthralling, First Comes Love is a story about family, friendship, and the courage to follow your own heart—wherever that may lead.

♥ I have been reading one thriller after another so I thought it was time to read a different genre. This is the first book I have read by Emily Giffin. I know I will definitely be reading more by her because I fell in love with her style of writing. This book is about family dynamics, sibling conflicts, who we love and why we love. It is basically close to real life, which is why I enjoyed it. There is a bit of romance in the novel but it isn’t the main focus. There are a few unexpected (but realistic) twists, so I don’t want to give away any spoilers.

The Drowning Girls by Paula Treick DeBoard

Liz McGinnis never imagined herself living in a luxurious gated community like The Palms. Ever since she and her family moved in, she’s felt like an outsider amongst the Stepford-like wives and their obnoxiously spoiled children. Still, she’s determined to make it work—if not for herself, then for her husband, Phil, who landed them this lavish home in the first place, and for her daughter, Danielle, who’s about to enter high school.

Yet underneath the glossy veneer of The Palms, life is far from idyllic. In a place where reputation is everything, Liz soon discovers that even the friendliest residents can’t be trusted—and almost everyone has secrets they’d do anything to protect. So when the gorgeous girl next door befriends Danielle, Liz can’t help but find sophisticated Kelsey’s interest in her shy and slightly nerdy daughter a bit suspicious.

But while Kelsey quickly becomes a fixture in the McGinnis home, Liz’s relationships with both Danielle and Phil grow strained. Now even her own family seems to be hiding things, and it’s not long before their dream of living the high life quickly spirals out of control…

♥ This book had me at “luxurious gated community”. I loved, loved, loved this book. From the very start, it captivated my attention and sucked me right in. So much so, that I couldn’t put it down. The story is one that makes you really wonder how far you will go for your own family. I loved all the characters, except one, but I won’t say which. If you’re looking to read the best book of 2017, pick up a copy of The Drowning Girls. I can promise you, you will love.

What have you been reading lately?

♥