Friday Fives - Five Short Reviews for Books I've Read Recently

I'm in a list making kind of mood so I thought I'd start making random five lists.  Sometimes they'll be bookish other weeks not so much. This week I'm sharing 5 quick reviews for books I've read recently.

1.  Just the Nicest Couple by Mary Kubica - Well this was a bit of a roller coaster!  I read another book by this author several months ago and really enjoyed it and just had to try another one.  This starts off like it's going to be a simple story - a man goes missing after an argument with his wife and a run in with a one of her friends.  However, nothing is how it seems.  I changed my mind about 10 times about where the story was going and still ended up surprised.  The start is a bit slow but this is a fun ride and the audio is very well done.  My Rating: Really Liked It (4 Stars)

2.  Other Birds by Sarah Addison Allen - Oh I loved this one.  Zoey has been an unwanted guest in her father and stepmother's home since her mother died so she is anxious to get to the condo her mother left her on a little island outside of Charleston, South Carolina.  She's looking for some kind of connection to her late mother but what she finds might be even better.  I loved all the characters and storylines and was fully captivated by the entire story and I was sad to leave The Dellawisp when I got to the last page.  I've enjoyed all of this author's books and found this one to lean a bit more heavily into magical realism then the books of hers that I had read in the past.  My Rating: Loved It (5 Stars)

3.  The Reaper Follows by Heather Graham - This is the final book in the Amy Larson/Hunter Forrest quartet.  The pair have been hunting a mastermind controlling a cult that is convinced the apocalypse is coming and is doing what it can to help it get there.  I really enjoy Heather Graham's books - they're a bit like a candy bar - not a huge amout of substance but oh so yummy!  I have found that she doesn't do well when she used the same characters in a series of books and this is a bit of the case here.  A good chunk of the book kind of read like a ballad to how great Amy was.  I guessed the bad guy pretty early but overall I enjoyed seeing it all unravel and just how Amy, Hunter, and Aidan saved the day.  This wasn't a stand out book but it was a fun end to a short series and I'll be reading more from Graham.  My Rating: Liked It! (3.5 Stars)

4.  Rainshadow Road by Lisa Kleypas - This was a reread for me but it has been awhile since I've read it.  Sam and Lucy are a nice couple with some realistic baggage that they manage to work through in ways that feel authentic.  I loved the end and how Sam handled it and I really loved that they communicated.  There is a situation that occurs early in the book that would usually be a cause for The Misunderstanding but it wasn't because the two characters talked about the situation.  That alone would make me love the book. The magic feels a bit odd at times and Lucy's gift seems seriously inconvenient at times - especially given that she works with glass.   That said, I really enjoyed this one and am glad I finally bought a copy because it's a delighful comfort reread.  My Rating: Really Liked It! (4.5 Stars)

5.  Forget What You Know by Christina Dodd - This book was absolutely bonkers - especially the end - in the most fun way.  There are secret identities, past secrets, treasure hunters, serial killers, stalkers, all set into the background of a small Northern California town hosting a garden festival.  Oh and there's also a bit of magic which really with everything else going on makes total sense.   I liked the characters and enjoyed seeing their journey.  It was a fun roller coaster with a bit of suspense and a bit of romance.  It's completely unbelievable but it was fun enough that I didn't really care.  My Rating: Really Liked It (4 Stars)