My Latest Page-Turners: The Adult Books I've Been Loving Lately!

A non-YA book list just in time for Memorial Day weekend.

I have had a good run lately of adult novels that are really good, all of which are newer releases. With Memorial Day weekend and summer reading coming up, I had to share five of the novels that I have really enjoyed and would encourage to put on your TBR list.

The Dream Hotel by Laila Lalami.

Summary: In the not-too-distant future the Risk Assessment Administration is created to identify people at risk for committing future crimes, in part using data on their dreams. Deemed a risk for murdering her husband, Sara is sent to a retention center that is filled with other women whose dreams have been evaluated. As she quickly sails past her initial 21 days thanks to constant and unclear extensions, her world shifts when the arrival of a new resident begins to expose the systems that have been created to keep these women under lock and key.

Why I recommend it: I could not put this book down and had a steady level of anxiety for Sara and her future.The creation of the dream technology is the only aspect of the novel that is sci-fi; the rest is realistic and made for a really engrossing, frightening, and thought provoking page turner.

The Bombshell by Darrow Farr (release is May 27)

Summary: Séverine is the spoiled daughter of the prefect in Corsica, the beautiful Mediterranean island under French control. Her easy life is drastically altered when she is kidnapped off her bike and held for ransom by a group who wants Corsican independence. As the days she is held captive keep adding up, Séverine begins to bond with the three men, learning about their beliefs, and enjoying the fame that she is getting as a kidnapping victim. She joins their cause, becoming the public face of their group and leading them on a collision course that will alter the island forever.

Why I recommend it: This novel broke me, in the way really good books can. Séverine is the center, a naive 19 year old who is used to forging her own path and pushes the men further into their dangerous cause. It’s also a love story which you see coming, but don’t foresee how invested you’ll become in it. All of the characters are deeply flawed and make some awful decisions (starting with kidnapping Séverine), but you end up rooting for them and hoping they survive and find their way to be better people.

Jane and Dan at the End of the World by Colleen Oakley.

Summary: Jane and Dan are celebrating their 19th wedding anniversary at the End of the World, an elite restaurant that is impossible to get reservations at. As Jane is telling Dan that she actually thinks they need to get a divorce, an underground climate group breaks in to take the restaurant hostage. Jane starts to notice that the events are unfolding eerily similar to the novel she wrote, leading her and Dan to realize that they are the ones that need to stop the group before the messy conclusion she wrote about happens.

Why I recommend it: Despite the premise, this book is lighthearted and funny. The terrorists do not know what they are doing and the reactions of Jane and Dan are often not what you would expect in a hostage situation. I was charmed by this unique book that made me laugh throughout.

Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry.

Summary: Alice is a journalist who thinks getting the chance to write the autobiography of reclusive socialite Margaret Ives may be her big break, until she finds out that she is in competition with renowned biographer Hayden Anderson. Given a month to interview Margaret before she makes her decision, Alice and Hayden form a frosty relationship that soon gives way to deeper feelings. But with Margaret keeping secrets and one of them going to lose out on writing, their relationship has to be put on hold.

Why I recommend it: I am an Emily Henry fan and this book will not disappoint if you love her writing. It’s not my favorite of hers and the plot device of a journalist interviewing an aging famous person is straight from Taylor Jenkins Reid’s The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, but it still is a solid beach read choice.

All the Other Mothers Hate Me by Sarah Harman.

Summary: Florence is a washed up member of a semi-famous girl band, struggling to be an adult. Her son attends a posh British school and when the popular boy, Alfie, who bullies him goes missing during a field trip, Florence is afraid her son will be accused of having something to do with the disappearance. With zero skills, she sets out to find what happened to Alfie and who was responsible, with some major blunders along the way.

Why I recommend it: I did not love this book but still recommend it because it was funny at times and made me think about what I would do to protect my own kids (though there’s not a lot that Florence does where you’ll go, that’s a great decision).

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