two fun summer reads: snobs and gone girl

I know it's the end of the summer, so sharing a good beach read is about three months too late.  But I read two things over the summer that were so fun - and so different - that I've been telling anyone who is looking for their next good novel.

I picked up Snobs by Julian Fellowes on the recommendation of Shauna Niequist, who I always trust with such things.  From the creator of Downton Abbey, it's what you can expect from a gossip-y class-struggle novel set in 90's England.  That would be the 1990's.  For some reason, this cracked me clean up.  Just like whenever I hear a rap song roughin' it up in the LBC in '93. 

Okay, nothing like that.  Except they both make me smile.

Snobs is nothing more than a light soap opera, with some romance and lots of raised eyebrows.  Think of it as the Lifetime mini-series that you accidentally got caught up watching and devoured every second, pint of mint chocolate chip demolished.  Not as quick-witted as Downton Abbey, it shares the same fan base. 

My favorite book of the summer was Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn.  I saw someone talking about it on twitter and then saw it at the bookstore the same day.  I don't want to say too much about it.  It's really best to go in blind.  I knew nothing about the story when I cracked it open, and it kept surprising me all the way to the end. 

If you are equally fascinated and disturbed by the media whenever a woman or child goes missing, you will like Gone Girl.  If you've ever watched Nancy Grace while cooking dinner, you will like Gone Girl.

A college friend texted me when she was about to get on a plane for vacation.  She was desperate for a good, not-too-heavy-but-still-well-written novel for her trip.  Without hesitation, I wrote back Gone Girl. 

And then I wish we could have a secret post where we could talk about it.  That's something to ponder over actually...

What have you read lately that blew your socks off? 

You can read my past book reviews here or follow me on GoodReads here.