The Girls, Breach of Crust, and Printer's Row Book Fair!

I received an ARC of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my opinion of the book or my review itself.

I read a lot of true crime, and I read a lot of true crime about cults, which has resulted in me reading a lot about the Manson Family. So when I heard there was a new fiction book based off Manson and his followers, I desperately wanted to read it.

The Girls does not disappoint. This is a book that deserves all the hype, and all the starred reviews.

In The Girls, Cline tells the story of Evie, a teenage girl coming of age in the 1960's. She is disillusioned with her family and her one friend, and instantly enamored when she meets Suzanne.

Suzanne tells Evie about Russell (clearly a stand-in for Manson) and the ranch, where a group of young people gather to spread love. Evie throws herself into their world, going dumpster diving for food, stealing money, and spending more and more time on the ranch.

But the readers know something terrible happened that summer. A grown up Evie has been telling us her story from the beginning, a story full of regrets and unanswered questions. And as she brings us closer to the violent conclusion of her youth, readers will not be able to stop themselves from going along on the journey.

I received an ARC of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my opinion of the book or my review itself.

That I didn't love this book more is not this book's fault. It all comes down to personal preference. I like my mysteries to have a lot of mystery in them, and I don't typically tend to be drawn to books centered around magical beings (with definite exceptions). There just wasn't enough mystery in this book for me, particularly as the cover does bill it as a mystery book.

That I finished this book is absolutely a testament to Adams' writing. I quickly realized the mystery wasn't going to be the focus, but I found Adams' characters, setting, and writing style all so charming (series reference intended) that I had to keep reading. I especially enjoyed the multiple kick-butt female characters, and the lovely romance between the main protagonist and her firefighter boyfriend. Adams hooked me to the point that even though this wasn't really a mystery book (in my opinion), I may just be coming back for more.

The above is a picture of my book haul from this year's Printer's Row Book Fair (with a bonus photo bomb from my pup Sherlock)! Printer's Row is absolutely one of my favorite times of the year-tent after tent full of books for sale-and attending has been a family tradition for over 20 years.

This year I bought 44 books! I got a lot of great Agatha Christie editions and covers to add to my collection, a few books from my wishlist, and a lot of cozy mysteries (my mom and I stock up at the Fair every year and trade them with each other).

Is there a book fair you especially love? A book-related tradition you have?

Hope everyone is having a wonderful weekend!