Smash Cut and Skinny

I know it's been a while since I talked about anything aside from weight loss or food (weird...?)

But believe it or not, I have been doing a bit of reading, so I thought I might link up for Book Club Friday.

Smash Cut by Sandra Brown

When millionaire Paul Wheeler is murdered, his family retains renowned lawyer Derek Mitchell to defend the victim's nephew Creighton - although the police have not charged the young man with the crime. Wheeler's mistress, Julie Rutledge, who is also a suspect, believes that Creighton is the killer, despite his rock solid alibi, and she'll do almost anything in her quest to prove his guilt - even ruin Derek's career. But the more Derek learns of Creighton's darker side, especially his bizarre fascination with movie murders, the more he comes to believe Julie is right. The clock ticks down to a shocking ending as Derek and Julie join forces to find the truth. Has Creighton begun reenacting cinema's goriest scenes? And who will be his unwilling costars?

When I first started reading this book, it really drew me in. I love a good mystery/suspense/murder book, so this seemed right up my alley. But I quickly realized that this wasn't going to have the twists and turns I had hoped for. It didn't take long to figure out who the murderer was, and the author's attempts to throw the reader off onto a different tangent failed. It also, as the synopsis implies, has a lot of references to movies, and I think that the book may have had a bit more attraction if I was familiar with all the movies that were referenced.

Overall, it was just okay. I give it 3 out of 5.

Skinny by Diana Spechler

After her father's death, twenty six year old Gray Lachmann finds herself compulsively eating. Desperate to stop bingeing, she abandons her life in New York City for a job at a southern weight-loss camp. There, caught among the warring egos of her devious co-counselor, Sheena; the self-aggrandizing camp director, Lewis; his attractive assistant, Bennett; and a throng of combative teenage campers, she is confronted by a captivating mystery: her teenage half-sister Eden, whom Gray never knew existed. Now, while unraveling her father's lies, Gray must tackle her own self-deceptions and take control of her body and her life.

I thought this book would be PERFECT for me. But it was really not. I mean. REALLY not. I understand what the author was trying to do, show the reader that there is a connection between our minds wanting answers and our bodies supplementing with overeating, etc. But what she ended up with was a weird novel with a lot of confusing, contradictory things happening. She is so depressed about her fathers death but she talks about him like she hates him. She is SOOOO unhappy with her relationship, yet she continuously talks about how this guy was so great to her. There's an awkward, high school-esque drama with the other counselor, and a random steamy romance. 

Overall, this book really lacked anything to make me recommend it to someone else. I think that the author was onto a really good topic, but it came out more as a lot of unfinished characters and storylines, and too many loose ends.

I give it maybe 1.5 out of 5 stars.