Book Review: Just the Nicest Couple, by Mary Kubica

Just the Nicest Couple is a domestic thriller that kept my interest and surprised me.

Our first narrator is Christian, whose wife, Lily confessed that she was accosted by a man while in the park, and she thinks she may have killed him. She knows she hit him several times in the head with a rock in order to escape.

The man, Jake, is the husband of Lily's colleague, Nina. They both teach at a high school and are friends. Nina is our other narrator. Since she and Jake had a bit of a fight, when he disappears she thinks Jake, a local doctor, has left her.

Lily doesn't go to the police (otherwise there wouldn't be a novel) and as she and Christian work to cover her tracks, you can just see a big trainwreck coming. It's one of those novels where you just want to scream "No! That's a really bad idea!"

And while Lily is covering her tracks, Nina is trying to convince herself that Jake will come back. She files a missing persons report after realizing that he hasn't been coming to a job to which he is totally dedicated.

After the cringe moments of the coverup, we begin to get some idea that maybe there are some more secrets yet to be revealed. And of course, there are. And a couple of red herrings. Love that. I thought I knew what the big reveal was gonna be, but I was wrong! 

So if you are in the mood, I would recommend Just the Nicest Couple. You are sure to be entertained. The only other Kubica book I've read is The Other Mrs., and I really enjoyed that too. I think I need to put some more of her books on my list.

Published by Park Row, January 10, 2023
eARC obtained from Edelweiss+
320 pages

Rating: 4/5

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Audiobook Review: The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V. E. Schwab

I've wanted to read a book by V. E. Schwab for quite a while, and The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue was a good first choice.

Addie is over 300 years old. At least for part of the story. It starts out when she is young and makes a deal with the devil. Of course, she doesn't understand the consequences. She will live forever (or until she chooses to let the devil take her soul) and never age. But, throughout her entire life, she will never be remembered by anyone. As soon as she walks out of sight, they will not remember her. Pretty difficult to build relationships. Or get and keep a job. 

Her life begins in the French countryside in the early 1700s, so after about 300 years, you can just take a moment and think about everything she's lived through. Wars, economic upheaval, changes in technology, slavery, environmental changes...

And then, all of a sudden, she meets a man in a bookstore, and he remembers her. How? Why? Well, those are questions that the second half of the book answers.

Schwab is a good writer, and I found the narrative interesting, if a bit lengthy. It takes a long time for Addie to meet Henry (when things get really interesting IMO.) The audio version of a story always makes me more patient, so that certainly helped.

Julia Whelan narrates the audiobook, and she is a favorite of mine (and of a lot of people). So if you are new to audiobooks, seek her out.

Even with the slow pace, I would still recommend The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue. It's an interesting story and leaves you thinking about life. And what is important. And relationships.

Published by Tor, 2020.
Audiobook purchased from libro.fm
448 pages

Rating: 4/5

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