Abby Jimenez has become a must-read author for me. I had bought her books for a few years before ever actually cracking one open, and once I did, I quickly devoured her backlist.
This book came at a good time for me. Work has required too much of my brain power recently and I've found it hard to concentrate on reading.
The Night We Met was a good choice of a story to get caught up in.
Larissa's life is full of challenges, and has been for years. Her father has managed to set up credit cards in Larissa's name creating a huge debt that she is slowly trying to dig her way out of. She lives with her mom since she can't afford a place of her own, and she is constantly hustling. Her boyfriend Mike seems to be the one good thing that has happened to her.
But as Larissa gets to know Mike's best friend, Chris, she begins to realize that she enjoys spending time with Chris more than anyone else- including her boyfriend.
Without spoiling things, there are a few parts that I found a little hard to believe, but I wouldn't say that it made me dislike the story at all. I feel like you know going into Jimenez's books where things will take you, and that was true with this one.
This past weekend I also picked up a backlist book I've had hanging around for quite a while (16 years!).
I always enjoy Jodi Picoult's books, but there are times when I just am not in the mood for one, or when I am "saving" a book because if I read it, it will no longer be something I can experience for the first time.
After 16 years of a sitting on a shelf, I'm not sure which is true for House Rules.
But this is a solid novel by Picoult that is told by several narrators and centers around Jacob, an eighteen year old boy with Aspergers who is fixated on crime scenes and forensics. When his tutor disappears and her body is found a short time later, Jacob is suspected of her murder. But many people don't seem to understand that Jacob is very literal about everything and that he struggles socially. What are hallmarkers of Aspergers make him appear guilty.
Some of this novel is written in Jacob's perspective which gives readers a better understanding of where his thought process is. Because I have read so many books by Picoult, I never thought that Jacob would be found guilty. But, I also couldn't figure out how Picoult was going to conclude things. The ending, as is also typical of Picoult's books, was one I didn't foresee.
This is one that would make a great book club choice. It also reminds me of Defending Jacob by William Landay. And, it also happened to be a perfect pick for kicking off Autism Awareness Month.
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