Greetings Bookworms,
There’s little that drives me as crazy as when EVERYONE is raving about a book and I haven’t read it yet. Right now, that book is The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins, and heck yes I read it! How could I not? I mean, everyone is calling it the next Gone Girl (review). I wouldn’t necessarily go there, but it’s still a good book, so let’s get to it!
So there’s this gal named Rachel. She commutes into London on the same train every day. She’s a bit of a sad sack, mourning the loss of her marriage and drowning her sorrows in booze. (Uh, side note. Since when are pre-mixed gin and tonics in a can a thing? Is this only available in England? I love G&T but I don’t drink often so my seltzer always goes flat before I use it up. I need these in my life.) She spends her commute fantasizing about a couple she often sees out on their terrace, as one does. One day, she sees something that shatters her view of the perfect couple and a whole lot of crazy goes down.
You know thrillers aren’t normally my thing so I don’t have a much in the way of grounds for comparison, but I thought The Girl on the Train was pretty great. I wasn’t wouldn’t say I was fully gobsmacked at any point during the book, but I certainly didn’t see where things were going until Hawkins was good and ready for me to know where things were going. It really irks me when I figure things out way ahead of time, so this was a HUGE factor in me digging this book. Well played, Ms. Hawkins! If you’ve got a hankering for a little psychological thriller goodness, you need to check out The Girl on the Train!
Talk to me, Bookworms! Do you ever make up stories for people you regularly pass? Perhaps people watch and make up lives for folks?
*If you make a purchase through a link on this site, I will receive a small commission. Which I will spend in my quest to find canned Gin and Tonics stateside!*
Jennifer @ The Relentless Reader
I was highly curious about those canned G&Ts as well.
Jennifer @ The Relentless Reader
Whoops, hit enter before I was done.
Anyway, I really think someone needs to get those drinks happening here in the U.S. Obama? Fix this!
I couldn’t put this book down, glad you liked it too!
Words For Worms
YES! I think we need to take this Gin and Tonic issue up the chain of command!
April @ The Steadfast Reader
Like you and Jen I had the SAME THOUGHT about the G&ts. 🙂 I’m the odd man out in that I wasn’t in love with this one. Can’t win ’em all.
Words For Worms
Eh, it happens, especially when a book is super hyped. Still. The G&T’s man. Want.
Sarah's Book Shelves
The G&Ts in a can stood out for me too – but I thought they sounded disgusting and made Rachel look even more desperate than she was…and she was very desperate!
I really liked this one, but definitely did not love it as much as Gone Girl, mostly because I guessed the ending early on and that always frustrates me (and I’m not usually good at guessing endings).
Words For Worms
Oooh I hate when I guess the ending too early. That phenomenon ruined We Were Liars for me.
Katie McD
I feel like I keep getting bombarded with this book, and just need to pick it up and read it already so I can form my own opinion. I enjoy a suspenseful novel from time to time, so this will have to the next one when the mood strikes. Nice review!
https://bookishtendencieskatie.wordpress.com/
Words For Worms
LOL, I hate being bombarded with books and not having read them, so I try to read them early and then become part of the problem!
sanjoy
I agree with you
AMB
I’m not a big fan of thrillers, but this one sounds interesting and maybe I should step out of my genre comfort zone. I’m in desperate need of a good book. The book I tried to read last week was too boring to finish, and the one I read this week just fell flat at the end after a great start (I probably won’t write about either of them on my blog- there’s just nothing worth saying!). I’m probably being too picky these days, though.
Heather @ Capricious Reader
It’s waiting for me in my Audible app, even though comparing it to Gone Girl is a bad idea with me. Not a fan. Do feel like reading a thriller though, so I’ll give it a listen soon.
Amy @ Read a Latte
I have definitely been That Person when it comes to this book, so I’m glad to see you liked it!
sanjoy
I think your review make me want to read the book, good job.
Jenny @ Reading the End
Ahahaha, I’m sorry, I have nothing to say about the bulk of this post because I fixated on “premixed gin and tonic in a can” and that is now all I can think about. Why DON’T we have that in America? That would be a GREAT thing to have. It is a crime and a scandal we don’t have that. Damn.
Megan M.
I’m not a drinker (no judgment! Just stating my personal preference, y’all!) so I don’t know that I would’ve known that canned G&T wasn’t a thing here. I’ve Googled and it seems expensive. The book sounds intriguing but I will probably forget all about it in favor of books I’m more excited about. LOL
Jennine G.
OMG (I know, not my kinds of phrase, but…) I have a folder of saved The Girl On the Train reviews to read after I read this book. This makes six or seven? So, I will be back to comment after I read!
Andi
This one arrived at my house this week and I can’t wait to read it!
Katie @ Doing Dewey
I like when an author manages to keep me guessing too! I also don’t read thrillers very often, but I think this is one of the ones I’d enjoy.
Carly Sorenson
I always enjoy your book reviews! Your writing style is so funny and you pick the most interesting range of books to read.
Would you mind checking out my book blog? ^_^
ThatAshGirl
Ah yes, good ole Gordon’s G&T in a can it’s a beautiful thing. And only in the UK as far as I know. And yet in North America we sell Jack Daniels in a can that comes with the cola already mixed in. Why can’t we have both?!?!