Julie's Review: Gone Girl

Summary: Marriage can be a real killer.  One of the most critically acclaimed suspense writers of our time, New York Times bestseller Gillian Flynn takes that statement to its darkest place in this unputdownable masterpiece about a marriage gone terribly, terribly wrong. The Chicago Tribune proclaimed that her work “draws you in and keeps you reading with the force of a pure but nasty addiction.” Gone Girl’s toxic mix of sharp-edged wit and deliciously chilling prose creates a nerve-fraying thriller that confounds you at every turn.  On a warm summer morning in North Carthage, Missouri, it is Nick and Amy Dunne’s fifth wedding anniversary. Presents are being wrapped and reservations are being made when Nick’s clever and beautiful wife disappears from their rented McMansion on the Mississippi River. Husband-of-the-Year Nick isn’t doing himself any favors with cringe-worthy daydreams about the slope and shape of his wife’s head, but passages from Amy's diary reveal the alpha-girl perfectionist could have put anyone dangerously on edge. Under mounting pressure from the police and the media—as well as Amy’s fiercely doting parents—the town golden boy parades an endless series of lies, deceits, and inappropriate behavior. Nick is oddly evasive, and he’s definitely bitter—but is he really a killer?    As the cops close in, every couple in town is soon wondering how well they know the one that they love. With his twin sister, Margo, at his side, Nick stands by his innocence. Trouble is, if Nick didn’t do it, where is that beautiful wife? And what was in that silvery gift box hidden in the back of her bedroom closet?   With her razor-sharp writing and trademark psychological insight, Gillian Flynn delivers a fast-paced, devilishly dark, and ingeniously plotted thriller that confirms her status as one of the hottest writers around. ~amazon.com

Review: You can't say much about Gone Girl without ruining the entire book but I will say this: twisted. I closed the book and was just dumbfounded by the outcome. This in no way means it was bad, quite the opposite. Ms. Flynn ended the book with this reader wanting more.

Nick isn't particularly likable even when he's trying to be. He's aloof, in the way that he comes off self-centered and arrogant. The book opens ominously as he describes his wife's head. Ms. Flynn does an excellent job of placing those seeds of doubt about Nick's characters within the first few paragraphs of the novel. We first "meet" Amy through her diaries that she's filled throughout the years of their marriage. Honestly, something in her writing seemed off to me. It felt that Amy was trying to paint one picture when the truth was a totally different picture. For me, I didn't like either of them and found them both reprehensible in different ways.What is worse: the Nick we learn through going along with him on this wild ride or the Nick we learn about through Amy's diaries? I'm still not sure where I end up on this one.

As we move along in the novel until the final line of the final page, I wasn't sure who I ended up disliking more: Amy or Nick? Which is an interesting predicament as a reader? If you don't like the victim and you obviously don't like the suspect, what is it about the book that drew you in and kept you reading? With Gone Girl, Ms. Flynn gave you enough in each chapter to keep you guessing, to keep the plot moving along, and to keep you intrigued. Nick and Amy are chameleons, changing their personality to fit whatever the situation calls for. Those kinds of people give me the creeps.

There are a variety of twists and turns in this psychological thriller. It moves at a quick pace and I found myself thinking of the novel when I couldn't pick it up to read. For me that's always a sign of a well-written novel. I'm still trying to process the ending and am wondering why she ended it the way she did.

I have quickly added Ms. Flynn's other two novels Sharp Objects and Dark Places to my ever growing list of books. If you are looking for something to keep you up late at night, then run and get Gone Girl but don't blame me for your lack of sleep!

For more about the author please visit her website Gillian Flynn.

Final Take: 4.75/5

Thanks to TLC Book Tours for my ARC copy of Gone Girl.

Gillian Flynn’s TLC Book Tours TOUR STOPS:
Monday, June 4th:  Book Reviews by Elizabeth A. White
Tuesday, June 5th:  “That’s Swell!”
Wednesday, June 6th:  Girls Just Reading
Thursday, June 7th:  Bewitched Bookworms
Friday, June 8th:  Raging Bibliomania
Monday, June 11th:  A Bookworm’s World
Wednesday, June 13th:  Stephanie’s Written Word
Thursday, June 14th:  Life in Review
Friday, June 15th:  House of Crime and Mystery
Monday, June 18th: A Chick Who Reads
Tuesday, June 19th:  Lesa’s Book Critiques
Wednesday, June 20th:  Jen’s Book Thoughts
Thursday, June 21st:  Life in the Thumb
Friday, June 22nd:  Jenn’s Bookshelves
Tuesday, June 26th:  You’ve GOTTA Read This!
Wednesday, June 27th:  The Broke and the Bookish
Thursday, June 28th:  Chaotic Compendiums
Tuesday, July 3rd:  Twisting the Lens
Thursday, July 5th:  Colloquium



 

Armchair BEA: Giveaways Galore

Meet Jana Bibi, a Scottish woman
 helping to save the small town in
India she has grown to call home
and the oddball characters she
considers family...

We mentioned many of our favorite reads of 2012 in yesterday's post, so without further ado, let's give away some books!

We are pleased to present giveaways galore!  We have a few single galley copies that are compliments of Henry Holt & Co. as well as some marvelous prize packs.  This is open to everyone 18 & older (not just bloggers) who is a resident of the US or Canada.  You may only enter the giveaway once, but you may enter for any and all of the prizes.

• Jana Bibi's Excellent Fortunes (5 galley copies, 5 winners)
• Me, Who Dove into the Heart of the World (1 galley copy, 1 winner)
• The Heat of the Sun (1 galley copy, 1 winner)
• We Sinners (1 galley copy, 1 winner)

This stunning debut novel—drawn from the
author's own life experience—tells the
moving story of a family of eleven in the
American Midwest, bound together and torn
apart by their faith

    

A transporting and brilliant comic novel
 narrated by an unforgettable woman:
Karen Nieto, an autistic savant whose
idiosyncrasies prove her greatest gifts

  

An exuberant debut that sweeps across
the twentieth century—beginning where
one world-famous love story left off to
 introduce us to another

Contemporary Literature Pack

• Contemporary Literature Pack
• An African Affair -Paperback
• The Secret of Joy -Paperback
• Before You Know Kindness -Hard Cover

Crime &Thrillers Pack

• Crime & Thrillers Pack  
• Raylan 
• The Face Thief 
• No Mark Upon Her
• The Night Eternal

• Non-Fiction Pack  
• American Sniper 
• Oklahoma City 
 

•  Historical Fiction Pack  
•  The Train of Small Mercies  -Paperback
•  Ten Thousand Saints  -Paperback
  

Romance Pack

• Romance Pack  
• Call Me Irresistible
• Porch Light
  

YA Pack

•  YA Pack  
• Clockwork Angel  -Paperback
• Paranormalacy -Paperback
• Matched by Ally Condie -Paperback
• Charmfall -Galley
   

Fill out the form below by Midnight EST June 9, 2012 to enter:  

Our Giveaway Policy can be found here.

Good luck and happy Armchair BEA to everyone!

Armchair BEA: Allow Us to Introduce Ourselves

What is Armchair BEA?  Well this week Book Expo America is going on in NYC... and there are many of us who wish we were there (We do, we do!!!).  Armchair BEA is a way to participate for those of us who can't 'make it there' ...because I've heard if you can make it there, you'll make it anywhere.


Girls Just Reading was the brain child of Lisa, our founder. She was initially going to do this solo but then asked Jenn and Julie to join her on this adventure. We've been up and blogging since August 2007 and have pretty much learned how to do this blogging thing on the fly. Two years ago, Alice came along for the ride and we've been fast reading buddies ever since, even though none of us live in the same city!

Alice's 5 Questions

Please tell us a little bit about yourself: Who are you? How long have you been blogging? Why did you get into blogging?

My name is Alice. I’m a 38 year old single female who lives in North Jersey and works in New York City. My love for reading started in grammar school with the Sweet Valley High series. In high school, I fell in love with romance novels and up until about 10 years ago I read them nonstop. I’m pretty sure the reason I have a skewed view of relationships comes from them. I commute about 2 hours a day on public transportation to work, I pass my time reading. I became friends with Lisa, Jenn, and Julie because of Alias (the fantastic TV show). Even though Alias is long gone, I maintained a friendship with the other Girls via email and of course by following their blog. Of all the Girls, the one I am closest with is Julie. We talk via email everyday about life, TV, my love of Angelina Jolie and her great dislike of her, and of course, books. About a year and a half ago, I was asked to be the fourth member of Girls Just Reading. I was scared silly because of all the Girls, I am the least articulate and eloquent. I do read and write from the heart and thankfully, that had served me well. 

What are you currently reading, or what is your favorite book you have read so far in 2012?

Last week I started reading Ros by Dee DeTarsio. One of the great things about reviewing is that authors, publishers and publicist reach out to us for book reviews. This is one of those books. I have admit, I probably would not have read it if Ms. DeTarsio hadn’t invited me to read it. I’m glad I did because this novel is laugh out loud funny, it’s also a step out of my reading comfort zone. I’m not much into Science Fiction, but I do love to laugh. And this book is right on the money with that. 


Tell us one non-book-related thing that everyone reading your blog may not know about you.

I have this crazy love for the Pocono Mountains in northeastern Pennsylvania. My parents have a trailer in a community called Eagle Lake. I love it there. Hand to heaven, it is probably my favorite place on earth. In the back yard, between two trees is a multicolored Brazilian hammock that I love to lay in. It’s a great place to nap or day dream. I feel like my most authentic self there. It’s wonderful. 


What is your favorite feature on your blog (i.e. author interviews, memes, something specific to your blog)?

My favorite feature has to be our author interviews. I love getting a firsthand look at what happens behind the scenes: How does an author think? How are ideas developed? What does it takes to get those thoughts on paper? Everything about it intrigues me. 


Have your reading tastes changed since you started blogging? How?

Before I started reviewing novels, my reading tastes consisted mostly of Chick Lit and Women’s Fiction, some Young Adult and Memoirs. I was pretty much a single author girl and faithfully stuck to those authors. Also, before I joined the blog, I didn’t read any books written by men. I think I omitted male authors more in the name of Girl Power than anything else. Since I started contributing to Girls Just Reading, I am reading more male authors as well as Mysteries, Thrillers, and Science Fiction, which I avoided like the plague. To my surprise, I actually enjoy them. The reading challenges also help broaden my reading horizon. Jenn and Julie are constantly pushing me out of my reading comfort zone and truth be told, I enjoy that too.

Jenn's 5 Questions

Please tell us a little bit about yourself: Who are you? How long have you been blogging? Why did you get into blogging?

Hi, I’m Jenn and I am a book addict and TV junkie.  Oh, it’s not that kind of meeting? *sits down*  I am a wife to one superb husband and mother to one princess-doctor-swordfighter kidlet and a rescued dog.  I have been addicted to books since I learned to read… growing up in a neighborhood with few kids my age, I had my adventures through books instead.  One summer, having read my way through the entire children’s section of the library, I was given the opportunity by the librarian to take home the new books in the section before they hit the shelves as long as I brought them back and told the librarian what I thought, so I guess I’ve been reviewing books for a long time.  

Most of my local friends aren’t readers, so when Lisa asked me if I’d be interested in blogging, I jumped at the chance to share my book love with someone...well, I guess with everyone!  I love the way blogging brings the reading community together, opens discussions, and introduces me to new reads.  

What are you currently reading, or what is your favorite book you have read so far in 2012?

Definitely The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern. It was fabulous and so different than anything I've read or could ever imagine; it was a little bit like Diana Wynne Jones' Fire and Hemlock (my favorite YA book from my childhood), only for adults. I also (finally) got into Cassandra Clare's Mortal Instruments series -couldn't put it down- and Rick Riordan's Percy Jackson series. Yes, I'm a little behind, but that's what happens when your TBR piles are towering over your desk.  I am also in love with C.C. Hunter's Shadow Falls series which is under-hyped, in my opinion.


If you could eat dinner with any author or character, who would it be and why?

After careful character consideration (Kathy Reichs' Temperance Brennan?  No, I don't mind forensics, but I can't discuss it at the dinner table.  Meg Gardiner's Evan Delaney?  No, too many people trying to kill her, and Jo Beckett too.) I think I would have to go with Heather Webber's Lucy Valentine. She's caring and sweet ...and can find lost items, which I could really use some help with!

As for an author, I think I would love dining with Meg Gardiner.  Her quick witted sarcasm would fit right in around the dinner table at our house.

Have your reading tastes changed since you started blogging? How?

While I think I've read some things I otherwise may not have read due to group reviews, challenges, and suggestions, I would say my tastes have not changed.  As a matter of fact, I think it's focused my likes more and helped me find new authors within that subset.   I've been putting more and more thought into why it is I read certain books and like certain genres ...perhaps I'll put a blog post together about it soon. 


What is your favorite feature on your blog (i.e. author interviews, memes, something specific to your blog)?

Group reviews, hands down. Reading is personal and specific to each individual and nowhere is that more apparent than when we read a book together and then put our opinions into reviews.  I think its fantastic when we have completely different reactions, but even when we all like the book, we still have different reasons. 

I love our Children's Corner too, because I'm always looking for suggestions for Kidlet.

Julie's 5 Questions


Please tell us a little bit about yourself: Who are you? How long have you been blogging? Why did you get into blogging?


That first question is a bit existential don't you think? LOL I am a mother of 2 very active kids and a wife of a very active husband. I am a life long reader who's love of reading was instilled by my mom reading to me every night, my dad reading novels whenever he had time and my aunt who read all the time.


I've been blogging since August 2007 and it scared the crap out of me at first. I had no clue what I was doing and it was definitely a trial by fire. I got into blogging to remember what the heck I had read and to share my love of books with others.


What is your favorite part about the book blogging community? Is there anything that you would like to see change in the coming years?


I love getting a lot of my book recommendations from other bloggers either via reading their blogs or the discussions on Twitter. There are a lot of books and authors I might not have read if not for other book bloggers. In fact because of the harassing I received on Twitter about not reading YA books, I'm going to do a personal challenge in 2013. People swear there are good YA books out there.


I don't know if there's anything to change because I think in general most book bloggers are open and genuine people. You need help and they'll give it. I'd like to see less plagiarism in the blogging world. It's an awful lot of work to see if your hard written review has been stolen by someone else as their own. It doesn't make you look good either as a blogger.


What is your favorite feature on your blog (i.e. author interviews, memes, something specific to your blog)?


I love the author interviews. Our readers seem to love the author interviews. To me an author is like a rock star so anytime I get to send one of them questions and they answer them I'm thrilled. Most authors are open to answering questions.


I also love our Children's Corner that is posted on Sundays. I almost always get some great ideas from Jenn's posts. (Jenn:  I love getting new book ideas from you too, Jules!)


What are you currently reading, or what is your favorite book you have read so far in 2012?


So far 2012 has been an excellent reading year for me. I've read so many great books this year and it's only June! Here's a little taste of some of the 5/5 books from 2012 so far: The Underside of Joy by Sere Prince Halverson, A Good American by Alex George, The Weird Sisters by Eleanor Brown, The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern, These Girls by Sarah Pekkanen, and The Song Remains the Same by Allison Winn Scotch.


Have your reading tastes changed since you started blogging? How?


My reading taste has broadened a bit since blogging. I loved reading before but it was mainly the same authors or same genres. I've stepped out of that and read some fabulous books that I probably wouldn't have if not for blogging. There are still my "go to" authors that I've read for years but I now have new "go to" authors because of blogging.

Julie's Review: Dream While You're Feeling Blue

Summary: New York Times bestselling author Elizabeth Berg takes us to Chicago at the time of World War II in this wonderful story about three sisters, their lively Irish family, and the men they love. As the novel opens, Kitty and Louise Heaney say good-bye to their boyfriends Julian and Michael, who are going to fight overseas. On the domestic front, meat is rationed, children participate in metal drives, and Tommy Dorsey and Glenn Miller play songs that offer hope and lift spirits. And now the Heaney sisters sit at their kitchen table every evening to write letters–Louise to her fiancé, Kitty to the man she wishes fervently would propose, and Tish to an ever-changing group of men she meets at USO dances. In the letters the sisters send and receive are intimate glimpses of life both on the battlefront and at home. For Kitty, a confident, headstrong young woman, the departure of her boyfriend and the lessons she learns about love, resilience, and war will bring a surprise and a secret, and will lead her to a radical action for those she loves. The lifelong consequences of the choices the Heaney sisters make are at the heart of this superb novel about the power of love and the enduring strength of family. ~amazon.com

Review: Alice is a huge Elizabeth Berg fan and after reading Dream When You're Feeling Blue, I can definitely see why. She definitely has a gift for transporting her readers to a different era. For this novel it was the era of World War II. The Heaney's are a big Irish Catholic family living in Chicago in the midst of World War II. Pearl Harbor has been bombed and young men are enlisting like crazy. This includes Louise and Kitty's boyfriends who are off to boot camp and then off to fight the evil Axis.

I have to say that I loved all of the characters in the Heaney family. They each had their own personalities. I will say that Tish annoyed me the most. She was a moon-y 17 year old girl who had a major crush on her sister's boyfriend.

Ms. Berg did an excellent job of describing how the war was affecting families. Everything from cooking to having a simple cup of strong coffee wasn't easy to do. The sacrifices every family made to help the war effort was astounding. I wonder if our country could rally like that again?

Kitty is the main character or voice of the novel. She is the oldest sibling in the family. She is a bit lost in the beginning of the novel. She is really unsure of her relationship with Julian. So much that she struggles to write him long letters. Kitty really changes and grows throughout the novel. She gets a job in a factory making airplanes and it gives her purpose. She is an easy character to like and cheer for.

My issue with the novel was the ending. I felt that it came out of nowhere and with no explanation. It seemed to me that it was a sacrifice that really wasn't needed. I did like that we got a glimpse into their futures, that might be the only thing that saved the ending for me.

I can say this, I will be reading Ms. Berg again in the future.

Final Take: 3.75/5

Children's Corner: The Missing Piece

It's hard to believe that this is the first time we've reviewed a Shel Silverstein book on the blog... he was so much a part of my childhood.  (I love The Giving Tree, though as a mother I can't read it without weeping.)  Now I get to share my Silverstein love with Kidlet.

This is a perfect introduction to Silverstein, too.  Not to heavy handed, not too whimsical, just nicely balanced.  The illustrations are classic Silverstein simple, getting the reader to focus on what is really important.

This has become a fast favorite in our house, being read almost every night at bedtime.  My daughter runs around singing about bees and knees now.  While she enjoys the overall silliness, I love the message of the book, being happy with who/what you are.  I think it's perfect for this age, when kids are trying to figure out how to get other kids to like them... and it's a shame they don't pick it up again when the tweens kick in.  Actually, I think it's perfect at any age.


It always reminds me of my second favorite Seussian quote, “Today you are You, that is truer than true. There is no one alive who is Youer than You.” 

Group Review: The Secret of Joy

Summary: IS THE HALF SISTER THAT REBECCA STRAND HAS NEVER MET SHORT? TALL? RICH? POOR? PRETTY? FUNNY? MARRIED? LONELY? HAPPY?...Rebecca is about to find out. The New York City paralegal thought nothing could shake her life off its fast track -- which includes her handsome lawyer boyfriend and their extravagant condo. The shocking revelation that she even has a half sister comes from her dying father, in a hospital bed confession of a long-past summer affair...and now the dad she adores has one last wish: would Rebecca deliver a cache of letters he never sent to his other daughter, Joy Jayhawk, in a tiny coastal Maine town? But when Rebecca arrives in Wiscasset, with the life-changing letters stashed in a leather box, nothing goes as she imagined -- and Joy Jayhawk is less than thrilled to meet her. Joy already has her own life, her own family, and her own business: she runs a bus tour for singles, a matchmaking excursion that's brought lovers together, healed broken hearts, and changed lives. Rebecca joins the singles tour in the hopes of unlocking a door into Joy's life and forming a relationship with the only family she has left. But as she spends more and more time with Joy and the women who dub themselves The Divorced Ladies Club of Wiscasset -- and starts a flirtation with a seriously hunky local carpenter -- Rebecca realizes it's her life and heart that are ready for healing and change...and that sometimes, you just have to go along for the ride. ~amazon.com

Alice's Review:  I really liked this book.  It was sweet and a great example of a perfect summer read but with a little bit of substance.  I haven’t read a Melissa Senate novel since See Jane Date back when I was heavy into Chick Lit.  I’m happy to see that she hasn’t lost her touch creating likable female leads.

I really liked Rebecca although in the beginning I wondered if she was another one of those perfect female characters who passes gas that smells like roses.  Thankfully, Ms. Senate gave her a slightly desperate quality that made her annoying yet endearing.  I will say I loved her tenacity.  I also loved that she didn’t force the situation into what she wanted, she hung back, didn’t give up and let the cards fall where they may. 

I also liked Joy a lot.  I liked how cautious she was.  She wasn’t as desperate for this new found sister relationship as Rebecca was.  In all fairness to Rebecca, her situation was very different.  Joy was established, secure in her current relationships. Rebecca was floundering, lost, lonely.

There were many things that Ms. Senate did well.  She was thoughtful in giving Joy troubles that were indirectly related to issues with her birth father.  Another thing Ms. Senate she excelled at was creating a perfect setting in Maine.  More than once during the novel, I wanted to hop in my car and drive up for a whoopie pie at Mama’s.  I wanted to find my own perfect little yellow house.  I wanted to look from my own Mr. Theo Grander and a cute little mutt named Charlie.  Ms. Senate truly transported me there.  It was a great escape.

I would recommend this novel.  It’s touching, funny with a great cast of characters.  I believe Ms. Senate does it again.

Final Take:  4/5

Jenn's Review:  This book was my pick, and though I don't read a lot of Contemporary Fiction, I was just so smitten with Melissa Senate's The Love Goddess' Cooking School that I decided I wanted to try something else she'd written.  While I would say this book does not speak to me the way The Love Goddess' Cooking School did, I still found it enjoyable.

Part of the reason that I didn't like it as much may have something to do with the fact that I had a hard time liking Rebecca.  She was so needy and clingy... my own personal reaction to that is to want to backpedal quickly, much like Joy.  However, I didn't find Joy that easy to identify with either.  I wanted to shake them both several times over at more than one point.  I was also surprised at what little empathy I had for the Bitter Ex's club, and not just because I'm happily married.  Prior to meeting my husband, I had similar relationship horror stories to all of the club and there are two things I learned.   First, you have to be happy as one before you can be happy as two.  Second, the old 'fool me once' adage stands because I may be able to forgive, but I am never able to forget.  Unfortunately, instead of evoking empathy the Ex Club angered me; I was frustrated with the whole of them for giving third and fourth chances and for not valuing their own worth.  I think the only character I really connected with was Theo.  By the end of the book, I learned to like Rebecca but her lesson was long and arduous, for both of us.

All that aside, there are some wonderful gems of advice and great relationship questions tackled in this book.  When is enough enough?  When do you give up?  When do you close the door?  When do you try harder?  Melissa Senate declares, you are the only one who knows what's right for you, and you must follow your instincts.

In the end, it is Melissa Senates wonderful ability to weave a story, even if it is a frustrating one, that wins the day.  Though The Love Goddess' Cooking School is still on my list of all time favorites, I will be more selective in picking up another novel by Melissa Senate.  This is not at all a reflection on her, but on my lack of interest in the Contemporary Women's Fiction genre overall.  However, if she writes more Food-lit I'll be the first in line.

Final Take:  3.75/5

Julie's Review:  The Secret of Joy is a delightful book with a message that always bears repeating: how to find joy in your life. Although the title of the book has several meanings, which I thought was very clever. You know how when you start a book and you can kind of tell or feel where it will go but you are ok with that? This was my experience with The Secret of Joy. I was happy with the ending and couldn't really imagine anything else.

While Rebecca thinks this trip is about discovering her long lost half-sister, it's really about her figuring out what she wants and doesn't want in her life. It's about her taking control of her life and living it, not just functioning in it. I will admit that there were times when Rebecca got on my nerves. I wanted to shake her and tell her that this isn't just about her. It's about Joy and letting her process all of this. Joy might be closed off and have a wall built up around her but Rebecca is no better in many ways. A lot of times I thought that Rebecca was a "bull in a china shop" because she would just stick to her guns regardless of the situation.

That's not saying that I didn't like Rebecca because I did. She is a very caring and thoughtful individual. She wants to help people and doesn't like to hurt any one's feelings. Although that last point can make her indecisive.

The Secret of Joy is filled with wonderful supporting characters. Maggie is a hoot and Ellie needs some serious self-confidence and a backbone. Joy is complex and that makes her interesting to try to get to know. She is having trouble in her marriage but it's really about Joy's inability to open up to her husband. I can't even talk about Theo without getting stars in my eyes. I'm sure he has faults but Ms. Senate didn't explore them.

Overall, I enjoyed the novel. All of the characters grew and learned something about themselves and each other. Some of the revelations were ground breaking and some were not but hey, that's life.

I have Melissa Senate's The Love Goddess' Cooking School on my TBR pile and I know that I'll move it a little closer to the top after reading this novel.

Anyone looking for a good, solid summer read can definitely pick up The Secret of Joy. You might even finish it in one visit to the beach or pool.

Final Take: 3.75/5

Have you read The Secret of Joy?  Come discuss it with us at Goodreads!