G.P. Putnam’s Sons | Book Chatter

The Hike

The Hike
By Lucy Clarke
G.P. Putnam’s Sons,9780593422670, August 2023

The Short of It:

They wanted adventure. They got it.

The Rest of It:

Liz is burned out. Her marriage isn’t what she imagined, and work? More of the same. So she plans a trip to the mountains of Norway with her three best friends. As glamorous as it sounds, it’s a strenuous hike that not all have prepared for. The physical demands leave them exhausted and then when they realize that they aren’t the only ones on the mountain, and that someone has quite a bit to hide, things suddenly take a turn. Their little adventure turns into a game of cat and mouse.

Clarke has become one of those authors that I automatically read. Her last book One of the Girls was a zippy read and the pages just turned themselves. Same here. There was just enough time on the mountain to build up the tension, just enough background story to get a feel for each character, and the story wraps up quickly. I’ve been reading these types of quick reads lately and it’s working for me.

Have you read Clarke yet? I highly recommend her.

Source: Review copy provided by the publisher.
Disclosure: This post contains Indiebound affiliate links.

Perfectly Nice Neighbors
By Kia Abdullah
G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 9780593713815. September 2023, 352 pp.

The Short of It:

It doesn’t matter how nice a house is, or how wonderful the neighborhood is, if you have horrible neighbors living right next to you, none of it matters.

The Rest of It:

The Khatun family move to Blenheim hoping for a better life for their teen son Zain. But after placing a BLM sign in their yard, the Huttons take matters into their own hands by removing it. When Salma and Bil relocate it to their window, they are beyond surprised when Hutton paints over their window to cover it up. To think that someone could step onto their property, vandalize it and then go about their day as if nothing has happened is too much.

To further complicate things, Zain has befriended the Hutton’s son so trying to navigate all that tension while maintaining a friendship proves to be nearly impossible.

This was an interesting read for me. It’s filled with tension and NONE of the characters are likable. At all. And yet, I had a really hard time putting it down and read it in one sitting during all my Thanksgiving prep. These types of books definitely have a place on my shelf. Quick, engaging stories that get you thinking.

If you are looking for a quick read to get you reading again, this might be the book for you.

Source: Review copy provided by the publisher.
Disclosure: This post contains Indiebound affiliate links.

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