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Welcome back to another edition of what books I read this past summer. The first book review post was all about first loves, second chances, and happily ever after. These next 3 books are all about the scandalous lives of the rich. Gossip Girl meets Desperate Housewives. Is it worth trying to keep up with the Joneses or to just be yourself?

*As always the reviews may have spoilers in them. Skip if you haven’t read it.

 

books

Bad Summer People

Forget the Hamptons for the summer, the real scandal lies in Salcombe, Fire Island. Sam and Jason have been summering together in Salcombe since they were teenagers. Now they returned each summer with their wives; enjoying cocktails at the club, participating in the towns annual events, and hitting the tennis courts. Their wives, Jen and Lauren, rule the little town along with their one single-friend Rachel- the town gossip. The summer starts of like any traditional Salcombe season. That is until secrets revealed, life-long grudges come to life, and a dead body is found. Bad Summer People is about deceit, the consequences to our actions, and rich people behaving badly.

5/5 stars

 

Review

Oh I loved this book! I wouldn’t get enough of the juicy secrets, just waiting to explode. It’s a book where you really do not root for any of the characters, but you still can’t get enough of them. If I had to choose just one person to root for it would probably be Rachel. Yes she caused a lot of problems, but it was truly for the best to get it all out there. It would have come out sooner or later, she just helped it along. I was happy to read her ending, seeing her get a fresh start. For the little foursome, I thought they all got what they deserved. I did feel bad for Sam. He deserved better from his wife and his best friend. Lauren is a typical example of being ignored by your husband. Jen and Jason were just awful people in general. I thought this was a fun read- a great mixture of scandal and murder-mystery.

 

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Pineapple Street

For decades the Stockton family has lived on Pineapple St, part of the fruits streets of Brooklyn. As an old-money family, the 3 siblings try to differentiate themselves from their prestigious background, while also wallowing in privilege. Darley, the eldest, gave up her inheritance and her high-end trade job for motherhood. Cord, the only boy, marries artist Sasha. As a middle-class girl from New England and an outsider to the rich NYC elite, Sasha is constantly dealing with the Stockton family treating her as someone who is below them. Georgia, the youngest, thinks she is doing good in the world by working for a non-proficit, but quickly realizes she may not be a good person overall. Falling in love with someone who she can’t have may give her the change she needs. Pineapple Street is once again about standing up for yourself and the confounds of social class.

4/5 stars

 

Review

I enjoyed this book! There are moments where I didn’t understand where the story was going, but overall thought it was good. I felt bad for Sasha for the majority of the book. The Stockton’s didn’t allow her to create her own space within the family or within the house. I couldn’t imagine being married into a family that constantly looks down on you. Cord also doesn’t help in the situation at all and always chooses his family. Georgia’s storyline I felt to be the most interesting; the affair and the continued run-ins with Curtis. Being at the age where you finally start to grow up and figure out the type of person you want to be. I also enjoyed Darley and Sasha’s friendship. It was nice to see someone in the family lend an olive branch to her. I think overall the book is good and keeps you interested. There are a lot of character developments and I enjoyed each person’s personal storylines.

 

 

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Social Engagement

Within 7 hours of being married, Callie Holt has already ruined her marriage. Looking back it all started when she moved in with her childhood best friend Virginia Murphy, living in the Murphy’s expensive Upper East Side apartment. Having Viriginia’s handsome cousin Ollie back in town doesn’t help. Over the course of a year between wedding planning, unearthing lies within the Murphy family, and her past relationship with Ollie, everything becomes too much for Callie to handle. Social Engagement is about standing up for yourself, being true to who you are, and letting go of the past.

3.5/5 stars

*Trigger warning: this book deals with eating disorders

Review

I liked this book but also had a hard time reading it. None of the characters were likable– except maybe Mimi. Callie’s inner dialogue was very hard and triggering to get through somethings. We are all our own worst critics, but it breaks our hearts hearing others talk to themselves that way. I guess we can all relate to Callie; wanting more out of life, trying to keep up with the Joneses, and being self-deprecating. I do think along the way you start to want Callie to finally stand up for herself. When she does you feel a little relief, but then at the end she goes right back to Virginia and Whit. I was hopping she was going to take the job and move out of New York. It was disappointing. I also didn’t feel a real connection between Callie and Virginia as friends. We know that they were friends growing up, and Callie is somewhat an honorary Murphy, but I didn’t really see any closeness between the two as adults. I think overall I like the theme of the importance of standing up for yourself. Callie let everyone, especially the Muprhy’s, control and dictate her every move. She wanted so much to be like them, she doesn’t know who she is.

 

 

*Read part 1 of what books I read this past summer here