Tips for Tuesday - Books: Salt Water & I Would Die For You

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What: Salt Water & I Would Die For You 

Today we are talking about Salt Water by Katy Hays. Years ago, Sarah Lingate was found dead at the bottom of a cliff on the Isle of Capri. It was suspected that her husband's family the wealthy Lingates had something to do with her death. However, the death was ruled an accident. 

When the missing necklace that Sarah was wearing on the night she died, suddenly turns up, Sarah's daughter conspires with her Uncle Marcus' assistant, Lorna to use the family's paranoia to blackmail them into letting her break free of the family. Then, Lorna disappears and the investigation of Sarah's death is reopened.

This book starts out slow and is hard to get into at first. Then, when Lorna disappears it gets a little more exciting. A series of unpredictable twists and turns keeps things interesting. 

However, none of the characters are really all that likable. They are all pretty selfish making it hard to root for any of them. Plus, the ending is ruined because even though the book has not one but two central mysteries both of them involve the exact same plot twist. The first time it is an exciting revelation, but the second time it just seems like lazy writing and takes away from the overall enjoyment of the book.

Today we are talking about I Would Die for You by Sandie Jones. Nicole Forbes is living a quiet peaceful life with her husband and daughter when a knock on the door brings a mysterious stranger and suddenly the old life she was trying to escape from starts catching up with her. Years ago, she was partly responsible for the breakup of one of England's hottest bands, Secret Oktober, and not only that there was a death involved, and she's been estranged from her family and living in America ever since.

This book is intriguing and holds your attention throughout. The plot is exciting and contains some interesting twists.  However, although Nicole is a fairly likable main character, many other characters in the book are not likable. Rather than warm family and friendship vibes, the book is filled with families treating each other poorly and several toxic friendships. Nicole's sister, Cassie's behavior is particularly egregious putting a fantasy relationship over her relationship with her own sister because of jealousy. Even her husband doesn't completely have Nicole's back getting angry and accusatory when he finds out she lied about her past before giving her a chance to explain herself.

The book's ending is only limitedly satisfactory eluding to off-the-page happenings. Even though these events may have been hinted at in the text, it would have been nice to have more clarification rather than leaving readers wondering and unsure what exactly did occur. 

And that's our view. Tune in tomorrow for Where-To-Go Wednesday.

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