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3.3 AVERAGE
3.3 AVERAGE
This book is about the complexities of female friendship and the secrets we can sometimes keep from each other. This is an excellent beach read. The last third of the book was a page-turner as I found most of the characters to be a bit unreliable as I tried to figure out "who done it".
Every character was not only unreliable but also very poorly written. This whole plot could have been solved by one character selling her share in the company.
SPOILERS in review.
I was drawn to this book because my 2 best friends and I celebrated our 60th birthdays in Tulum. That’s where the similarities ended. The mystery part of the story had potential, but fizzled. The 3 main characters were all loathsome. Were they 30 or 13? I kept trying to figure out “who done it?” Who killed Ashley? Was it the husband? The friend’s husband? Was it the friend Annie who arranged it? (what was the point of her character anyway??). The ending was so anticlimactic. And what the heck happened to Marco?! I would not recommend this book.
I was drawn to this book because my 2 best friends and I celebrated our 60th birthdays in Tulum. That’s where the similarities ended. The mystery part of the story had potential, but fizzled. The 3 main characters were all loathsome. Were they 30 or 13? I kept trying to figure out “who done it?” Who killed Ashley? Was it the husband? The friend’s husband? Was it the friend Annie who arranged it? (what was the point of her character anyway??). The ending was so anticlimactic. And what the heck happened to Marco?! I would not recommend this book.
4.5/5
For the research and character development. Full RTC.
For the research and character development. Full RTC.
I will start by saying I loved this book.
Girls night out is the story of three females in their 40's, who take a trip to Mexico in hopes of fixing their friendships that have been thrown into turmoil in the past year. During the trip, one of the girls disappears. Lauren had left them at the bar to go back to the hotel, and Natalie can't remember a thing from the night before...so where is Ashley? This book follows the story of their trip, as well as after Ashley's disappearance, up until the night in question from all three perspectives.
Liz perfectly captured the reality that is three girlfriends. I think any female, at any age can relate to a group of three and the tensions that can easily arise when there is always a "third wheel." I really enjoyed that the story was told from three different views and that it was told out of order. The entire time I was kept on the edge of my seat wondering what happened to Ashley.
I received an advanced copy in exchange of an honest review.
Girls night out is the story of three females in their 40's, who take a trip to Mexico in hopes of fixing their friendships that have been thrown into turmoil in the past year. During the trip, one of the girls disappears. Lauren had left them at the bar to go back to the hotel, and Natalie can't remember a thing from the night before...so where is Ashley? This book follows the story of their trip, as well as after Ashley's disappearance, up until the night in question from all three perspectives.
Liz perfectly captured the reality that is three girlfriends. I think any female, at any age can relate to a group of three and the tensions that can easily arise when there is always a "third wheel." I really enjoyed that the story was told from three different views and that it was told out of order. The entire time I was kept on the edge of my seat wondering what happened to Ashley.
I received an advanced copy in exchange of an honest review.
3.5 stars. This one started strong, but the dialogue and plot became pretty repetitive in the middle. It started to pick up again at the end, but I HATED the ending! This one had quite a bit of potential, but it fell a bit short in the end.
Thank you to Netgalley and Lake Union Publishing for a free digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
4 stars: So much yes in this book. The alternating time was perfect because all of the events were condensed. There wasn’t huge time gaps or any random characters that did not have a specific role in the book. Though I did not like Ashley– she’s a terrible person– I needed to know. I was totally vested into knowing what happened to her. Was she alive? Dead? If alive where is she? If dead how?
The pacing was perfect for the most part. It was the only reason I went four stars. Steinke and Fenton obviously did their research of the vacation spot of our main characters. However, there was times where the history was slowing me down. I may or may not have skimmed some of that. I do plan on going back and reading the information because I am interested. But at the time of wanting the plot to move so I can find out what happened on this girls’ trip, it was too much for me.
Very happy I received the ARC for this book and highly recommend this book for fans of suspense novels!
4 stars: So much yes in this book. The alternating time was perfect because all of the events were condensed. There wasn’t huge time gaps or any random characters that did not have a specific role in the book. Though I did not like Ashley– she’s a terrible person– I needed to know. I was totally vested into knowing what happened to her. Was she alive? Dead? If alive where is she? If dead how?
The pacing was perfect for the most part. It was the only reason I went four stars. Steinke and Fenton obviously did their research of the vacation spot of our main characters. However, there was times where the history was slowing me down. I may or may not have skimmed some of that. I do plan on going back and reading the information because I am interested. But at the time of wanting the plot to move so I can find out what happened on this girls’ trip, it was too much for me.
Very happy I received the ARC for this book and highly recommend this book for fans of suspense novels!
Ashley, Natalie and Lauren, three old college friends get together for a relaxing trip to Mexico to try to reconnect and remember the old days. Everything is a mess and then the last day of the trip Natalie wakes up alone on the beach and Ashley is missing. Lauren went home early and Natalie can’t remember anything, so they decide to get the authorities involved while trying to retrace their steps. We find out they’ve all been fighting among one another and you begin to wonder if the other two had anything to do with it.
I was interested right from the first few chapters, all these woman have their own problems that they seem to be hiding from one another. This book is full of drama and usually that would tire me out, but I actually loved it in this novel. I loved that the chapters go back and forth between the woman and from the past to the present time. I didn’t enjoy Ashley and it made it hard for me to feel bad for her most of the way through, but by the ending I did feel a bit bad for her. I loved that Natalie couldn’t remember what had gone on and that we still got Ashley’s perspective while she was missing from the time before she went missing.
There is so much tension in this novel and the authors leave each chapter so that you have to keep reading and know where Ashley has gone. I loved how much history and sites of Mexico were in the novel and it made it easier to visualize where they were in certain parts of the novel. I also love that as you keep reading, you see that each woman has played a large part in where they are now. I also liked that I found each character relatable in their own way and there were certain parts of the novel where I didn’t like any of them. Overall, I would definitely recommend this compelling novel as a great summer read!
Thank you NetGalley for the free ebook in exchange for an honest review.
I was interested right from the first few chapters, all these woman have their own problems that they seem to be hiding from one another. This book is full of drama and usually that would tire me out, but I actually loved it in this novel. I loved that the chapters go back and forth between the woman and from the past to the present time. I didn’t enjoy Ashley and it made it hard for me to feel bad for her most of the way through, but by the ending I did feel a bit bad for her. I loved that Natalie couldn’t remember what had gone on and that we still got Ashley’s perspective while she was missing from the time before she went missing.
There is so much tension in this novel and the authors leave each chapter so that you have to keep reading and know where Ashley has gone. I loved how much history and sites of Mexico were in the novel and it made it easier to visualize where they were in certain parts of the novel. I also love that as you keep reading, you see that each woman has played a large part in where they are now. I also liked that I found each character relatable in their own way and there were certain parts of the novel where I didn’t like any of them. Overall, I would definitely recommend this compelling novel as a great summer read!
Thank you NetGalley for the free ebook in exchange for an honest review.
"It's all very well to tell us to forgive our enemies; our enemies can never hurt us very much, But oh, what about forgiving our friends?"
-Willa Cather, My Mortal Enemy
You know that old saying where there's always one left out in a group of 3 friends? Welcome to Girls' Night Out, where this theme is explored and portrayed in the most delicious and dramatic of ways. If you're like me, then you wholly enjoy some "escapism" fiction, and this guilty pleasure novel is just that. I was so completely sucked in by the drama that I was sure this plot put the Real Housewives ofinsert any city I'm not as knowledgable as Dennis on these things to shame. Ladies, you want domestic drama? You want cat fights? You want suspense that compels you to keep reading even if your family is begging you to feed them and wash their clothes but you say, not today fools? Then sit down and read on; this book is for you!
Suspenseful and compelling- I know I already implied this above, but I swear they are the two most legit adjectives I can use to describe this plot. The deeper I went, the more I had to keep going. I was a woman on a mission, and I needed to know what happened to Ashley! It's tricky, because Ashley initially is an extremely unlikable character, but by the end of the book, the authors leave all the pieces for you to decide whether you think she was redeemable or not. I LOVED THIS. I adore when authors give their readers the freedom to make their own conclusions and assumptions rather than spoon feeding us how we should think and feel. I can't promise you'll feel sorry for any of the characters, as that will be up to you, but I can promise that by the end of the book you're brain will be digesting every aspect long after you close the book.
I really don't want to discuss any specific plot points, because this book is best read going in blind, but I did love how the story flips between the days of the girls' trip and the present day where Ashley is missing. It's still a relatively short span of time with no major calendar jumps to keep track of, which makes it easy to follow but ratchets up the tension to the point you just want to fly through to the ending to know what happens and have closure. There are multiple POVs, so we get a little glimpse into each character's side of the story for a well-rounded and balanced narrative. Again, if you like drama you are going to eat this one up.
I know there will be people who won't take to this book, but if you've been a fan of Liz and Lisa's novels in the past, it's a safe bet you'll enjoy this one too. These ladies have really upped their game by switching over to the suspense genre, proving they know how to keep a reader flipping the pages at lightning speed. I look forward to more from the duo and can't wait to hear everyone else's opinions of THAT ENDING. And the next one and the next one and the...
-Willa Cather, My Mortal Enemy
You know that old saying where there's always one left out in a group of 3 friends? Welcome to Girls' Night Out, where this theme is explored and portrayed in the most delicious and dramatic of ways. If you're like me, then you wholly enjoy some "escapism" fiction, and this guilty pleasure novel is just that. I was so completely sucked in by the drama that I was sure this plot put the Real Housewives of
Suspenseful and compelling- I know I already implied this above, but I swear they are the two most legit adjectives I can use to describe this plot. The deeper I went, the more I had to keep going. I was a woman on a mission, and I needed to know what happened to Ashley! It's tricky, because Ashley initially is an extremely unlikable character, but by the end of the book, the authors leave all the pieces for you to decide whether you think she was redeemable or not. I LOVED THIS. I adore when authors give their readers the freedom to make their own conclusions and assumptions rather than spoon feeding us how we should think and feel. I can't promise you'll feel sorry for any of the characters, as that will be up to you, but I can promise that by the end of the book you're brain will be digesting every aspect long after you close the book.
I really don't want to discuss any specific plot points, because this book is best read going in blind, but I did love how the story flips between the days of the girls' trip and the present day where Ashley is missing. It's still a relatively short span of time with no major calendar jumps to keep track of, which makes it easy to follow but ratchets up the tension to the point you just want to fly through to the ending to know what happens and have closure. There are multiple POVs, so we get a little glimpse into each character's side of the story for a well-rounded and balanced narrative. Again, if you like drama you are going to eat this one up.
I know there will be people who won't take to this book, but if you've been a fan of Liz and Lisa's novels in the past, it's a safe bet you'll enjoy this one too. These ladies have really upped their game by switching over to the suspense genre, proving they know how to keep a reader flipping the pages at lightning speed. I look forward to more from the duo and can't wait to hear everyone else's opinions of THAT ENDING.