Such A Fun Age by Kiley Reid

Synopsis: Alix Chamberlain is a woman who gets what she wants and has made a living, with her confidence-driven brand, showing other women how to do the same. So she is shocked when her babysitter, Emira Tucker, is confronted while watching the Chamberlains' toddler one night, walking the aisles of their local high-end supermarket. The store's security guard, seeing a young black woman out late with a white child, accuses Emira of kidnapping two-year-old Briar. A small crowd gathers, a bystander films everything, and Emira is furious and humilated. Alix resolves to make things right. 

But Emira herself is aimless, broke, and wary of Alix's desire to help. At twenty-five, she is about to lose her health insurance and has no idea what to do with her life. When the video of Emira unearths someone from Alix's past, both women find themselves on a crash course that will upend everything they think they know about themselves, and each other.


My thoughts: "I think it would be best...if we went our separate ways? And that those paths never again...connected." 

Okay. Wow. Do people actually act this way? Because no one I know has and I think that makes me incredibly lucky! I felt that Emira came off kind of standoffish and flippant towards Alix. And I felt that way about everything. Even when Alix was tried to make things okay (and yes I admit for all the WRONG reasons!) she was still standoffish. And Alix, oh. my. god. The obsessivness drove me nuts. Her obsession with Kelley after she found out he was dating Emira. Get. Over. It. Girl. I almost felt bad for her...until she showed her true colors and then I felt bad for feeling bad! 🤣I never liked Kelley and felt he was just as obsessed as Alix was! So I was glad he didn't have a good outcome but I do agree with Emira, neither person actually changed. 

Overall though I think this was a great pick by Reese's Book Club, seriously the best one to kick 2020 off with! An amazing debut novel by Kiley Reid and I hope we continue to see great things from her! 


Book Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐✯

Conviction by Denise Mina

Synopsis: The day Anna McDonald's quiet, respectable life exploded started off like all the days before: Packing up the kids for school, making breakfast, listening to yet another true crime podcast. Then her husband comes downstairs with an announcement, and Anna is suddenly, shockingly alone.

Reeling, desperate for distraction, Anna returns to the podcast. Other people's problems are much better than one's own -- a sunken yacht, a murdered family, a hint of international conspiracy. But this case actually is Anna's problem. She knows one of the victims from an earlier life, a life she's taken great pains to leave behind. And she is convinced that she knows what really happened.

Then an unexpected visitor arrives on her front stoop, a meddling neighbor intervenes, and life as Anna knows it is well and truly over. The devils of her past are awakened -- and in hot pursuit. Convinced she has no other options, she goes on the run, and in pursuit of the truth, with a washed-up musician at her side and the podcast as her guide.

My review: "There is warmth and comfort in hearing about people in worse situations than your own." 

In this book we are introduced to Anna McDonald who seems to have it all. A successful lawyer husband, a beautiful home, 2 beautiful little girls. But is life ever idyllic in novels? Anna has a past. A past that she's been running from. And while she's running from her past, people are running to hurt her.

I really enjoyed this book! Being a Reese's Book Club December selection, I was going to read it regardless (my 2019 goal was to read all the books she chose) and this one definitely didn't disappoint. It had mystery. It has thrilling moments. It has a podcast similar to my favorite podcast My Favorite Murder. 

This one isn't staying in my collection but not because I didn't like it. I actually donated it to my library and I hope the patrons enjoy this one as much as I did. 

Have you read this? What did you think? 

Book Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐