The Guest List by
(Format used for this book: Audiobook)
Another pick from Reese’s book club…. yall know she is just one of my besties that doesn’t know it🤣 (if you don’t know what I’m talking about, look up some of my other entries from her book club and you can read my praises about her and see what weirdness I am talking about LOL)
I don’t know why I decided to go ahead with this selection because generally yall know I am NOT a thriller/mystery type of person….but it seems I keep being drawn to more and more books of this genre.
And I’m kinda here for it now!
Now that I am in my 40s I have grown and changed in all kinds of ways….and after decades of NOT liking books with a creepy/murdery type of vibe, I think I’m starting to enjoy the thrill of the journey these take me on.
Look at me stretching my interests like a legit, mature grown up.
Who’d have thought this would be me? 🤷♂️
I haven’t gone so far to enjoy scary and/or violent type of books yet ….THAT is a LOOOONG way off!….but the mystery thing I am finding I am into a whole lot more than I ever used to be.
We shall see if it sticks!
Here is the summary of this read:
“The bride – the plus one – the best man – the wedding planner – the bridesmaid – the body.
On an island off the coast of Ireland, guests gather to celebrate two people joining their lives together as one. The groom: handsome and charming, a rising television star. The bride: smart and ambitious, a magazine publisher. It’s a wedding for a magazine or for a celebrity: the designer dress, the remote location, the luxe party favors, the boutique whiskey. The cell phone service may be spotty and the waves may be rough, but every detail has been expertly planned and will be expertly executed.
But perfection is for plans, and people are all too human. As the champagne is popped and the festivities begin, resentments and petty jealousies begin to mingle with the reminiscences and well wishes. The groomsmen begin the drinking game from their school days. The bridesmaid not-so-accidentally ruins her dress. The bride’s oldest (male) friend gives an uncomfortably caring toast.
And then someone turns up dead. Who didn’t wish the happy couple well? And perhaps more important, why? “
I enjoy books that bounce back and forth between various character’s points of view. Especially when it’s books like this that have you constantly trying to figure out who people really ARE…where you’re constantly guessing and reassessing as to what TRUE identifies are and what is REALLY happening.
This audio version has a cast of narrators which always makes an audiobook SO fun. There are multiple accents and dialects too which I also always enjoy…it adds an air of authenticity that you just don’t get when you are reading a print version.
(Plus, this story takes place on a small island in Ireland and I LOOOOOOVE Irish accents so very much)
This story has sense of foreboding from the very beginning. You can just feel that something dark and ominous is about to happen, even when the events and dialogue are light and normal sounding. The overwhelming presence of feeling you are on the cusp of SOMETHING BIG happening is just *right there* with you from the get go. You’re constantly wondering “What is it going to be? When is it going to happen? Who is going to do what to whom?”
Not only is this a mystery/thriller, but also a deep assessment of issues such as toxic masculinity, pack mentality, sexism, narcissim, middle age identity, personal connections and intimate bonds.
The hidden secrets of each character are slowly and gradually revealed, as are the surprising webs of connection each of them have to each other….you are truly on the edge of your seat the entire time.
Surprising plot twists and interesting character developments take place throughout, as is expected with this type of genre…but it all felt like natural progressions as the story continues to unfold.
I don’t have tons of things to say on this one….but I did enjoy it much more than I ever thought I would!
If you enjoy this type of genre, then I can assure you that spending time in these pages will be time well spent.
Well done with this pick, BFF Reese. 😃