Nice Girls A Novel by Catherine Dang

Book Excerpt:

"Darkly delicious . . . Nice Girls is about the girlhood we never really leave behind, and what happens when we dare to confront our past demons. A pulsating mystery with a narrator you won't soon forget.” — Laura Dave, #1 New York Times Bestselling Author of The Last Thing He Told Me

"If you’re a total true crime addict, Catherine Dang’s debut novel will have you hooked real fast." — Cosmopolitan

A pulse-pounding and razor-sharp debut with the emotional punch of Luckiest Girl Alive and All the Missing Girls that explores the hungry, angry, dark side of girlhood and dares to ask: Which is more dangerous for a woman—showing the world what it wants to see, or who she really is?

What did you do?

Mary used to be such a nice girl. She was the resident whiz kid of Liberty Lake, Minnesota—the quiet, chubby teen with the scholarship to an Ivy League school. But three years later, “Ivy League Mary” is back—a thinner, cynical, restless failure who was kicked out of Cor­nell at the beginning of her senior year and won’t tell anyone why. Taking a job at the local grocery store, Mary tries to make sense of her life’s sharp downward spiral.

Then beautiful, magnetic Olivia Willand goes missing. A rising social media star, Olivia is admired by everyone in Liberty Lake—except Mary. Once Olivia’s best friend, Mary knows better than anyone behind the Instagram persona hides a willful, manipulative girl with sharp edges. As the town obsesses over perfect, lovely Olivia, Mary wonders if her disappearance might be tied to another missing person: nineteen-year-old DeMaria Jackson, whose case has been widely dismissed as a runaway.

Who is the real Olivia Willand, and where did she go? What happened to DeMaria? As Mary pries at the cracks in the careful facades surrounding the two missing girls, old wounds will bleed fresh and force her to confront a horrible truth.

Maybe there are no nice girls, after all."

Title: Nice Girls

Author: Catherine Dang

Publisher: William Morrow and Custom House

Reviewed By: Arlena Dean

Rating: Four

Review:

"Nice Girls" by Catherine Dang

My Opinion:

'Nice Girls' was one heck of a crime thriller with so many twists and turns that the reader will have to keep up with all that was going on, especially for Mary, who grew up in Minnesota, chubby unattractive, and poor. However, Mary was smart to get a full scholarship to an Ivy League college, Cornell, until she was expelled and now back home to Liberty Lake working in a grocery store while dodging questions about what had happened.

It wasn't long after Mary found a job at the grocery store she got involved with a friend who seemed to have vanished without a trace, and for some reason, she wanted to get involved. Also, there was a Black single mother, DeMaria that had also disappeared. Is this the work of a serial killer? Will Mary put herself into situations that will have her become the next victim? The story will suck one in as you continue to read.

The author really gives the reader quite a read because it seemed like all of these characters were flawed and emotionally damaged in one way or another. Was there anyone in this story to really like?

The story was somewhat fast-paced with a unique multi-layered plot that brought in characters from elementary, high school, and even college that brought in some emotional, dark, and even disturbing subjects. Having a disgraced student to missing girls who turn up dead will give the reader quite a web that will come out quite interesting. Unfortunately, that ending was something that you will have to pick up 'Nice Girls' to see how this ending was 'super cinematic and wild' that one will not see coming.

Be ready for a good read that had issues that explored bullying and racism.

Thank you, NetGallery, and William Morrow, for allowing me to read and give my honest opinion.

 

Under Lying Kindle Edition by Janelle Harris Nov 1

Book Synopsis:

"In this gripping novel of suspense, the disappearance of a couple’s baby daughter leaves everyone a suspect.

Susan has everything she ever wanted. A loving husband, an angelic daughter and the cottage of her dreams in County Cork. Her picture-perfect life seems too good to be true. And it is.

At a housewarming party with their new neighbors, her daughter Amelia goes missing. As friends become suspects, Susan’s life spirals out of control. And when Amelia’s yellow cardigan is dredged from the lake, every parent’s worst nightmare suddenly seems horribly real.

In the aftermath of Amelia’s disappearance, Susan and her husband Paul are not themselves. Someone is hiding something. What if Susan and Paul’s entire relationship was built on lies stretching back years?

Some secrets may be best left buried in the past, but uncovering the truth could be the only way to find Amelia – before it’s too late."

Title:  Under Lying 

Author:  Janelle Harris

Publisher:  Lake Union Publishing 

Reviewed By:  Arlena Dean

Rating  Five

Review:

"Under Lying" by Janelle Harris:

My Rationalization:

What a read that was of definitely one psychological, mystery-thriller with suspense that will keep you turning the pages to see what was coming now and then where we find the heroine [Susan] and the flashbacks. These flashbacks had to do with the death of Susan's twin brother, Adam dying on their 21st birthday, her mother who was very distant to her, friends, neighbors and most of all the person that had killed her brother.

The story may have been a slow start but I will say by the end of this novel I was blown away with all of the unexpected twists, turns and ride this author took the reader on. After reading the entire novel I thought of this story as a two-part story that wonderfully comes together by the end of the read as the author brings in the 'now and then' of the story chapters.

I will say I was left in awe of it all when the story does come together leaving one to wonder just how far one would go to take revenge against a person that had wronged them. Be ready for a little bit of it all from friendship, motherhood to a crazy person with a few more plot surprises that will also come out.

The storyline was quite intriguing along with some really interesting characters development with some being simple to complex in the unexpected behaviors and actions they displayed.  All in all, I did find the story rather believable and well-written that would definitely keep your interest in the read because almost any time one reads about a missing child it becomes of great need to know the outcome as this author will give it all to the reader in "Under Lying."  I will say in the epilogue that did surprise me however, I was left feeling that it was best for the child who raised her.  Now, to get it all you must pick up this good read to see how well this author delivers an unforgettable story to the readers.

I downloaded this book as one of Amazon's free monthly First Reads and did find the story rather interesting.