Hollow's Edge used to be the kind of quiet, idyllic neighborhood that everyone wants to live in.  Kids ran in and out of each other's houses, friends chatted amiably on the streets, and neighbors gathered around the community pool for summer cookouts.  Then, Brandon and Fiona Truett were killed in their home and a fellow Hollow's Edge resident was convicted of the crime.  Now, the neighborhood is a tainted place, a haunted subdivision where suspicion, paranoia, and secrets swirl in the air like the barbecue-scented smoke that once drifted lazily over its tree-lined streets.

When 25-year-old Ruby Fletcher is freed from prison, her conviction overturned after she served a year and a half for murdering the Truetts, her former neighbors are shocked.  They're even more stunned when she waltzes back into Hollow's Edge as if she never left.  Harper Nash, with whom Ruby lived before her arrest, is so astounded by the woman's sudden presence that she doesn't know how to react.  She can't let Ruby take up where she left off as if nothing happened, but she also can't kick her out when she has nowhere else to go.  Ruby swears she didn't kill the Truetts.  If she's telling the truth, then who's lying?  What really happened the night Brandon and Fiona died?  As Harper takes a closer look at her neighbors, she begins to realize that none of them are quite what they seem.  Did one of them kill the Truetts and frame Ruby?  If Harper asks too many questions, will she be next?

I've enjoyed all of Megan Miranda's twisty thrillers, so I was stoked when I got approved on NetGalley for an e-ARC of her newest, Such a Quiet Place (available July 13, 2021).  With its Desperate Housewives-ish premise, it sounded like the perfect summer beach read.  As always with Miranda's books, I was sucked into the story, which is engrossing and compelling.  I whipped through the pages because I wanted to know what was going to happen.  Unfortunately, though, the characters in this one are just not appealing.  For a community made up of smart professionals, they're petty, immature, whiny, two-faced, and dishonest, almost to a one.  Even the kids in Hollow's Edge are unlikable!  The cast members are all so repugnant that it's hard to care much about any of them.  The plot has some odd bits as well, especially when it comes to shoddy police work and illogical motives for some of the characters' actions.  I can't say I really loved the Big Reveal either.  In the end, then, Such a Quiet Place ended up being just an okay read for me.  While the story kept me turning pages, it also irritated me in a lot of ways.  Of all Miranda's books, I have to say this one is my least favorite.  Bummer.

(Readalikes:  Reminds me of Never Have I Ever by Joshilyn Jackson and The Neighbors are Watching by Debra Ginsberg)

For three years, investigative reporter Joan Lurie has been working on an explosive story about the sexual misconduct of a powerful New York City publisher.  She knows there will be consequences for breaking the shocking news and she thinks she's prepared to deal with them.  What she couldn't have foreseen was a brutal attack on her person that leaves her traumatized, both physically and emotionally.  Utterly shaken, she retreats to the Refuge, an exclusive Manhattan apartment building that was once a Magdalen laundry.  The place boasts top-notch security that should have Joan feeling completely at ease.  So, why does she still feel unsafe?  Is she imagining that things in her apartment have been moved around on her?  Or is it just paranoia and frayed nerves, after effects of her attack?

Joan's not the only woman hiding inside the Refuge.  Lillian Day hasn't left the building in over seventy years, not since the day she witnessed a shocking event that left her just as traumatized as Joan.  

Then there's Melissa Osgood, who's reeling from her husband's betrayal and from a devastating reversal of fortune.  She blames Joan Lurie and will stop at nothing to take revenge on the woman who ruined her life.

As the lives of Joan, Lillian, and Melissa intersect, they will learn some startling truths about themselves, each other, and the dark history of the building in which they all live.  With danger still on Joan's tail, she has to find true refuge before it's too late...   

I'm a long-time fan of Carol Goodman's twisty Gothic thrillers, so I always get excited when she publishes a new book.  With its modern New York City setting (as opposed to the usual upstate locales) and its #MeToo movement premise, The Stranger Behind You—Goodman's newest—is a bit of a departure from her previous novels, but it's still a shivery, engrossing page-turner.  While I saw some of the plot surprises coming, others caught me off-guard, keeping the story interesting throughout.  Although there are definitely some elements of the tale that are illogical and far-fetched, overall I found it both compelling and satisfying.  Not all of the book's characters are likable, but Joan is appealing enough that I cared about her plight.  As with many of Goodman's books, my favorite aspect of The Stranger Behind You is the Gothic-y setting.  The creepy building at its center as well as the story's constant, unsettling vibe make the book an entertaining spine-tingler.  While this isn't my favorite of Goodman's thrillers, I enjoyed it overall.

(Readalikes:  Reminds me of Lock Every Door by Riley Sager, Someone's Listening by Seraphina Nova Glass, and The Disappearing Act by Catherine Steadman)

Grief-stricken over the recent death of her marine biologist mother with whom she lived in Japan, 12-year-old Willa Twitchell is trying to adjust to her new normal.  Now residing on an island in Washington State, she shares a loud, chaotic home with her dad, stepmom, three younger step-siblings, and a baby half-sister.  The best thing about being back on Tupkuk Island is her renewed friendship with her long-time best friend Marc Mendoza, but even he is acting strangely.  With her life all upside-down, Willa finds solace in the same place her mother always did: the sea.  

While on a whale-watching trip with her dad, Willa is stunned when a humpback speaks to her.  Somehow, she can hear the creature's thoughts and hold lively conversations with the social animal who is named Meg.  The whale assures Willa that she can call on her new friend anytime for any reason—and Willa does.  She unloads all of her worries and fears
on the sympathetic humpback.  When a blue whale washes up on Tupkuk's shore, she becomes especially scared.  Willa's only a small girl.  How can she save the dying creature?  The townspeople are talking about all kinds of inhumane solutions to get rid of its body, including blowing it up or letting it rot.  Willa knows her mother would do everything in her power to save the whale; Willa intends to do the same.  With Meg's help, she puts a plan into action.  Will it work?  And what will happen when it's time for Meg to move on with her pod?  How will Willa, already wracked with sorrow, say goodbye to her friend?  

Willa and the Whale, the newest middle-grade novel by husband-and-wife writing team Chad Morris and Shelly Brown, is a gentle, hopeful novel about grief, friendship, and healing.  Filled with whale trivia, it teaches the reader about whales while also imparting greater life lessons.  Willa is a sympathetic character, although she sometimes comes off as self-centered and victim-y.  She does show growth during the course of the novel, but I still found her a little irritating.  Likewise, I found the magical realism element of this book a tad annoying.  It just wasn't convincing to me, which made the whole story fall a bit flat for me.  Add to that the fact that there's no real plot to keep the tale focused and you can see why Willa and the Whale was a like-it-didn't-love-it read for me.  I always appreciate a warm, empowering middle-grade novel; this is certainly that, even if it wasn't as satisfying as I wanted it to be.

(Readalikes:  Reminds me of The Elephant's Girl by Celesta Rimington and Song for a Whale by Lynne Kelly)

Surprise!  I thought I would be spending today driving home from Utah, but we decided to end our vacation a day early so I'm already home, safe and sound.  We had a lovely time celebrating the Fourth of July in Provo, a town that does the holiday to the max.  Houses are decorated; people deck themselves out in red, white, and blue; there's a big parade for which spectators camp out overnight to get good seats; and much more.  We decided at the last minute to skip the parade (been there, done that—a million times) and we actually missed the fireworks that we always watch from the lawn of the Provo temple because after hanging out there for a couple hours my daughter and I really had to go to the bathroom and there are no facilities on site), but we did end up seeing fireworks going off all over the valley as we drove home over the bench that night.  The kids stood up in my van's moon roof as we drove and oohed and ahhed all the way back to where we were staying.  In addition to those festivities, we enjoyed the beautiful Utah scenery, spending time with extended family, and road-tripping with three of our four kids (our married son came with us, although his wife couldn't make it, but our college daughter had to stay home and study for her summer classes—boo hoo).  At any rate, it was a lovely vacation all around.  Even though I will  miss Utah's cool nights, it is good to be home.

Today's Top Ten Tuesday prompt is an easy one (thank goodness!)—reasons why we love reading.  I'm excited to see everyone's answers.  If you want to participate, click on over to That Artsy Reader Girl to get all the details.

1.  It's just what I do!—Ever since I learned to read, I've inhaled books.  I've always loved them and I always will.  

2.  Learning about different times, people, and places—Reading is my favorite way to learn about experiences that differ from my own.  I love sinking into a book that allows me to explore new places, soak up history, meet interesting people, and do things I can never do in real life.

3.  Gaining new perspectives—Slipping into someone else's shoes for a time allows me to see the world through their perspective.  It always helps me look at my own world in a new way.

4.  Pure entertainment—I'm not a tv watcher and I don't have many hobbies, so reading is my primary source of entertainment.  I'd rather pick up a book than do most other things.  There's nothing like a good read to kick-start my imagination and deliver some safe thrills.

5.  I'm never bored!—Whenever my kids complain about not having anything to do, I tell them to read a book.  They generally roll their eyes (since reading is my answer to everything, apparently), but what they should really do is follow my advice because I'm never bored.  Books keep me engaged whether I'm waiting for a doctor's appointment, in a long pick-up line, on a plane flight, or just hanging out at home.

6.  I love words and language—I've always been a word nerd who appreciates a beautiful, evocative, funny, creative, or clever turn of phrase.  I'm the kind of reader who literally sighs over lovely prose!

7.  Reading deepens my empathy—Like I said above, reading is my favorite way to learn about experiences other than my own.  Slipping on someone else's persona, even for a short time, helps me to see things anew.  It deepens my appreciation and respect for the fact that we're all different.  A greater understanding of someone else's life (whether fictional or non-) allows me to have more empathy for those I interact with in real life.

8.  Book people=my people—It's important to find your tribe and this is mine.  I love talking books with other bibliophiles.  We understand each other in a way that non-bookish people just...don't.

9.  Books are my comfort objects—As a child, I sucked my thumb and carried around a ragged baby blanket to help me self-soothe.  Once I discovered books, they started to serve the same purpose—and still do.  Reading comforts me, no matter how I'm feeling.  If I'm happy, I reach for a book.  If I'm sad, I grab my nearest read (and some chocolate).  If I'm anxious, I lose myself in words.  If I'm nervous...you get the idea.

10.  Books just make me happy!—Enough said.    

Why do you love to read?  I'd truly love to know.  Leave me a comment on this post and I will gladly return the favor on your blog.