Book Reviews

I don’t really know how to describe Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow...

Above all else, I’d say, it is a story about the beauty and necessity of games. But it is also a story about love, friendship, heartbreak, work, loss and coping. To me, it kind of felt like The Social Network meets Daisy Jones and The Six meets Luckiest Girl Alive meets Ready Player One.

It definitely took me a lot longer to finish than I anticipated. There were moments when I absolutely loved the book and moments when I was beyond annoyed with it. I kind of think that was intentional, though.

The first 3/4 of the book I was enjoying the prose but not super invested in the plot (it was still enjoyable tho.)

I must admit, the last 1/4 of the book I could not *stand* the shift in prose (it was legit nonsensical ramblings at parts!) but I was deeply invested in the plot. It felt like a different book. I understand that the change in storytelling format was deliberate as to convey the message Zevin wanted, however, I truly don’t feel such a drastic, ostentatious shift in writing style was necessary. Personally, I felt it was a bit distracting and it actually took *away* from what should have been a potent and deeply impactful message.

That all being said, I am a gamer at heart. I am utterly obsessed with fantasy worlds and this book articulated that love so eloquently. I am the proud owner of eight separate 5 star Animal Crossing towns spanning from GameCube to DS to Switch. I have played every single version of Paper Mario to completion. I have a laptop explicitly devoted to my Sims 3 obsession. So this was, nevertheless, a very beautiful and unique book— with a twist I did not see coming. 3.5 stars from me.

𝐖𝐨𝐰. My copy of 𝗘𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗜 𝗡𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗧𝗼𝗹𝗱 𝗬𝗼𝘂 is now highlighted cover to cover & riddled with tears. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The writing in this book was

Ｃａｐｔｉｖａｔｉｎｇ.

It is a 𝐁𝐞𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐟𝐮𝐥 and 𝕀𝕟𝕥𝕖𝕣𝕤𝕖𝕔𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟𝕒𝕝 story that touches on love, loss, heartbreak, expectations, inherited trauma, misogyny, racism, assimilation and SO much more.

Ng simultaneously depicts the complexities of being both a mixed race American and a woman in a man’s world— Being “American” doesn’t look only one way, nor does being a strong woman.

You can be a doctor and a feminist. You can be a stay at home mother and a feminist. Feminism isn’t about forsaking one route for the other. Feminism, really, is about one thing: 𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐢𝐜𝐞.

It made me think about how (especially as a woman and first generation American myself) we have such big dreams for our children’s futures… and how we project those dreams on to them.

Unfortunately, in passing those dreams onto our children, we open them up to inheriting our trauma as well.🫶

We pressure our children to be like us, to be different from us, to be better than us— when perhaps we should simply let them 𝐁𝐄.

I grew to really feel for and understand each member of the Lee family. My heart broke for all of them— especially when it came to the relationships between siblings.

Celeste Ng does an absolutely phenomenal job of painting two different pictures of the same relationship.

She shows how, despite living under the same roof, family members can have vastly different perspectives of the same circumstance— and secrets they keep by virtue of those different vantage points.

On the surface, a character may seem easy to write off. However, as the layers are peeled back and we see what made each member of the Lee family who they are, you realize there is no black and white— only shades of grey. Cultural, societal, and historical circumstances shape everything.

This was a beautiful, multifaceted, 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 story that stretched far beyond the mystery genre it appears to be on the surface. Don’t read it if you want a twisty-turny thriller— do read it if you want to 𝒇𝒆𝒆𝒍 something.

The Silent Patient was an absolute mind f*ck. The moment I finished it, I turned back to the very first page and began again.

It is a dark and encompassing story packed full of suspense, mystery, generational trauma, paranoia and hidden truths.

The plot details a psychotherapist’s obsession with treating a patient who has not spoken a single word in over 6 years.

The patient’s condition is largely attributed to her early-childhood/generational trauma. An affliction the therapist himself is all too familiar with. The therapist’s desire to get his patient to speak again is all consuming. As his obsession intensifies, lines soon become blurred.

Through his inclination to treat her, he sees himself and his own trauma reflected back at him. Perhaps, by getting her to speak and address her trauma, he may finally be able to hear his own truth.

This book absolutely shook me. 5 stars. If you like mystery and dark psychological thrillers, it is a must read.

This book may not be for everyone but it sure as shit *is* for me. It’s dark. It’s Depressing. It’s Honest. It’s Vapid. It’s Deep. It’s Beautiful.

We never learn the name of our self absorbed, self loathing narrator but we get to see into her broken and beautiful mind. We see her life through her dark and depressed eyes. And we see ourselves reflected back in them as well.

The story follows a young, privileged woman who is simply detached from life. Following the death of her parents, our protagonists is *tired*. So tired, in fact, that she decides she is going to sleep for an entire year.

We see her year through the few waking moments she must endure. It is a cruel world, but it is her own cruel mind that she so desperately wants to escape from. Pill after pill, Trazodone, Ambien, Benadryl, Benzos— we see her struggle to correct the sheer and utter exhaustion cognizance has bestowed upon her.

After all, doesn’t everyone feel better after a nap?

Loved this. 5 stars from me.

OKAY WOW. Didn’t see the end coming🤯 AND WHAT A WAY TO HIT MY READING GOAL! This makes 50/50 books for 2022!

I seriously never met a @GillianFlynn book I didn’t like! Dark Places is my third book by her and I really am not sure why Gone Girl gets all the hype! I think my ratings are🥇Sharp Objects🥈Dark Places🥉Gone Girl. Literally all phenomenal.

If you like dark, messed up, satanic shit— and unhinged female protagonists— you will love this.

The story follows Libby, a 31 year old woman who is deeply depressed and disturbed— she grew up orphaned after her family was *brutally* murdered when she was 7. Her older brother, Ben, is currently in prison for the gruesome and disturbing multiple homicide.

Libby is unsure her own recollection of the night is reliable— in her haste to escape being a blood sacrifice herself, she never actually saw the man who did it.

25 years later, desperate for cash and incapable of working a real job, Libby finds a group of true-crime junkies that will pay her for any information she can give them.

As she begins to doubt her brothers guilt, an even more haunting possibility begins to arise— if Ben is innocent, the murderer could still be out there… but who?

Libby begins to unearth hidden truths both physically and emotionally— something she can’t undo— as she begins to get to the bottom of the 25 year old mystery that has haunted and shaped her life.

4.5 stars from me! Would have been 5 but it was just a tad slow in the beginning.

TW: violence, animal abuse, racism, addiction, child abuse, SA, pretty much all the trigger warnings.

One thing about me is I am a BINGE reader.

I have to *really* try to slow down and pace myself when I am enjoying a book and series as much as ACOTAR— so I can savor every second.

So when I finished ACOMAF, I forced myself to only listen to the audio book for ACOWAR and MAN I’m so happy I did. I’ll listen to it every night before bed and transport myself into magical and a mystical realm full of beautiful fucked up goodness.

A Court of Mist and Fury is definitely still my favorite book in the series by far but a Court of Wings and Ruin was a very good jampacked story. I don’t tend to enjoy battle and war filled storylines so much, but I still really enjoyed all of the new characters and players in the series that ACOWAR brought into full view. For GOT super fans, this will probably be your favorite book.

It definitely tied up— with a beautiful, neat bow— all of the question marks & cliffhangers from the previous books. I can’t imagine that there is much more to say pertaining to the story line, so I am interested to see what ACOFAS has to offer before what I hear is a DOOZY of a final book ACOSF.

Once again, even if you are not really big into fantasy, if you are looking for a series to absolutely fall in love with this is it. 4 stars for ACOWAR for me. 👉 to see my reviews on the other books in the series as well.

I recently went out to my high school soccer field and watched (with genuine excitement) as my all-time goal-scoring record was broken. This book brought it all back for me. I realized how much I’ve grown and changed— but also how I’ve stayed true to myself at my core. I’m going back to assist coaching this fall.

So, while I’m by no means Carrie Soto, this book and premise was painfully relatable. The fire in your belly. The father daughter relationship. The desire to be the best. The injuries. The fake injuries. The cortisone shots. The cruel nicknames. The unfairness of being a woman in sports. The watching someone else break your record. The pressure that comes with it. The holding yourself to a different standard.

Once, when I pushed an injury too far my father said to me: “Boobah..”(my Hebrew nickname) “Boobah, you and I have the same disease. Or condition. Or strength. Whatever it is, you get it from me: We overdo. We don’t know when to stop.”

Carrie Soto *invented* not knowing when to stop. Carrie Soto is Back is a comeback story of epic proportions. It is a story about what it takes to be a champion. It is a story about that fire within you that pushes you further and further— and how consuming that fire can become.

After over five years off the court, Soto witnesses her record being tied. Without hesitation, at the age of 37, she comes out of retirement to claim back her title.

It is a story about sacrificing happiness for greatness— and vice versa. It is a story about remembering the joy in the simplicity of sports. It is a story about learning your own heart and your own limits. It is a story about the pain and pleasure of reaching those limits. It is beautiful and articulated with all of the elegance and wit you can expect from @tjenkinsreid

You will be on the edge of your seat with each game, set, match. I loved this book. TJR IS BACK 5 stars from me!

I really didn’t expect to love this book so much! I had heard mixed reviews so I was very pleasantly surprised.

For me it read at the perfect speed and— despite having heavy themes and a dark plot— it made me laugh out loud on several occasions.

The Younger Wife is a classic domestic thriller with love, secrets, family trauma, crime and unhinged women seeking answers.

The plot follows the Astons— an upper middle class Australian family. Each family member has their own struggles and their own secrets: the daughters, Tully and Rachel, each struggle with their coping mechanisms as their mother, Pam, grapples with dementia. Their father, Stephen, is divorcing Pam to marry a women younger than his own daughters. Pam, stuck in a care facility, is unable to answer her daughter’s questions about a mysterious and unsettling discovery they found amongst her possessions. And the new wife, Heather, has her own dark past; she is hoping the new family she’s found will be a fresh start for her. Unfortunately, it’s not the start she had in mind.

The book starts with the day of the wedding: a crime has taken place and an ambulance is called. The question of who’s hurt and who did it fills the wedding guests with questions.

The book then goes back and details the year leading up to the wedding— each chapter told from a different family member’s perspective. Chapter by chapter, we get another piece to the puzzle until the timeline catches up with the present day wedding.

If you’re looking for a fun, fast, domestic drama with dark undertones and twists and turns I definitely recommend it! 4.2 stars from me!

I’ve heard mixed reviews about Malibu Rising but I decided to give it a shot and UGH. I’m just SO glad I did. Taylor Jenkins Reid delivers another beautiful, deep, gut wrenching and complex story. There is love, family trauma, heartbreak, perseverance, self determination, and one epic f*cking party.

I think that—if you have a complicated family dynamic and a bit of inherited/generational trauma— this book will resonate with you deeply. I especially enjoyed Reid’s description of the different ways siblings perceive and continue to carry their family trauma despite growing up under the same roof.

Malibu Rising articulates, with beauty and potency, how we can move past generational trauma. How we can break the cycle. How we can decide for ourselves what traits and characteristics from our parents we embody in our own lives.

The plot flashes back between the 1980s, 50s and 60s. We get to experience the past and the present simultaneously and from multiple points of view.

If you have read The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, you may remember Evelyn‘s third husband, Mick Riva. While he played a small role in Evelyn’s story, he is the father of the Riva children— the beautiful, talented, surfers who are main characters in Malibu Rising. Mick’s own trauma is the spark that ignited in his children the very same pain he suffered as a child.

During an absolutely epic Project-X-like party, multiple timelines and character’s paths begin to converge. Drugs are everywhere. Sex is rampant. Fights are started. Glass is broken. A fire blazes. And a phoenix rises from the ashes. 4.8 STARS!!!

Since everyone and their mother had apparently read this book, I picked it up at a bookstore on vacation and read it by the pool. I’m very glad that I did. I got extremely sunburned sitting outside as I read the whole thing in one day. No regrets.

At first, I wasn’t so convinced— as the beginning was quite slow, nature-centered and full of scientific and historical descriptions.

However, even as the plot picked up and began to twist and turn, I actually found the parallels between nature, science, and human relationships to be one of my favorite parts of the novel.

The story tells the experience of a young woman who grew up (essentially) abandoned in a small shack-like home in a southern marsh. Only interacting with people and civilization occasionally for her basic necessities, the “marsh girl” finds a sense of belonging with the birds and bugs and landscape surrounding her. Every time she loves or trusts a human, they hurt and abandon her. The land around her is the only constant in her life.

The story touches on prejudice, inherited trauma, love, abuse, nature, nurture, history and justice. Overall, I really enjoyed this story from beginning to end.

I also loved the movie. When the book had me feeling all emo, I was able to shut it and sit with my feelings before I opened it back up. During the movie, though, I was forced to bawl my eyes out at the end— not able to pause or take a minute to brace myself for the conclusion I still knew was coming. 4 stars from me!

My favorite books always seem to consist of young women with toxic female friendships completely f*cking up their lives. We Were Never Here is no exception.

Actually, all of @andibartz novels are no exception. The Lost Night. The Herd. We Were Never Here. I loved them all.

WWNH follows two young women who, every year, vacation together in different parts of the world. Two years in a row, however, something terrible has happened and the women can feel the ground beneath their friendship beginning to crumble.

Bartz hones in on youth’s desire to discover and define themselves through their relationships with others. Not yet knowing who you are or who you’re meant to be leads to a sort of codependency that will often result in an explosive and destructive end.

This Psychological thriller is full of jealousy, tension, murder and mystery. It is definitely a roller coaster and you are not sure which way is up or who to even believe until the very end. 4 stars from me!

TBH I’m not a fan of romance novels so I had a lot of trepidation reading *any* Coleen Hoover. Just not for me.

I’m pleased to report I am glad I read my first CoHo. Verity, specifically.

This dark. psychological thriller is addicting, sexy, creepy, and will leave you wanting to read the entire thing over again the moment you finish. And the end…. *chefs kiss*.

The story follows Lowen, a struggling writer who has been brought on to ghostwrite/finish the works of a renowned novelist, Verity.

Verity is unable to complete her latest series due to an accident that left her in a persistent vegetative state— twisted as it is, this is Lowen’s big break.

It seems kinda fishy the way everything’s happening, but Lowen desperately needs the money and the work. Against her better judgement, she accepts the job and goes to spend a week in Verity’s home in order to go through her notes and learn how to get inside the mind of the talented, twisted author.

Lowen does her best to keep to herself and focus on her research for the novels. This proves challenging, however, as Verity herself is there in the house. At least physically. Is she watching her? No, she can’t be. She’s a vegetable. But still. It’s creepy. And Verity‘s husband, he is… sexy. And distracting.

Lowen does her best to ignore Verity and her undeniably attractive husband and focus on her job…. at least until she finds the manuscript.

I don’t want to say much else.

This book slapped. 4.2 stars.

Daisy Jones and The Six is a story about love and loathing, addiction and overcoming, self determination and self sacrifice… and sex drugs and rock’ n’ roll.

The story is told from a present day POV; the author is interviewing different members of a band that was topping the charts in the 70’s.

The interview format it’s written in can take a bit of adjustment. Once you get used to it, however, you’ll find it is a refreshing and ingenious way to tell the story. You’re able to experience multiple people’s different recollections of the same events simultaneously.

To me it felt like A Star is Born meets I Tonya meets How I Met Your Mother meets Bohemian Rhapsody. At first I was sort of skeptical about the rock ‘n’ roll genre, however once I got into it, I could almost hear the music— envisioning the rhythms and verses in my mind. I’m seriously upset that these aren’t real songs that I could listen to.

There’s addiction and heartbreak and the highest highs & the lowest lows of stardom. The story is about loving what’s bad for you, how hatred is not the opposite of love, and how choosing what’s best for you it’s not always black-and-white nor is it easy.

This was not my favorite TJR novel, however, I’m still really glad that I read it. It was a very layered and intersectional story. Characters from her other novels overlap as they often do. It was still very beautiful and very potent. I think I’ll give it 3.8 stars.

My girl @andibartz knows the recipe for a good psychological thriller. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨

Have you ever blacked out from drinking and woken up the next day both needing and dreading to know what you did the night before? Now imagine: you wake up after a blackout— no memory at all— and find out your best friend is dead. I give you: The Lost Night.

The Lost Night is perfect for those of you who like thrillers about unhinged women, the intoxication of youth, and toxic female friendships. If you like books like The Girl On The Train and Other People’s Clothes this is perfect for you.

Our protagonist, Lindsay, is a former alcoholic. Ten years after her best friend, Edie, commits suicide, Lindsay struggles to come to terms with the events surrounding the tragedy.

The night Edie died, Lindsay blacked out— her spotty memory and her increasing guilt drive her down a rabbit hole: she needs to figure out why Edie killed herself… or if it was even a suicide at all.

Lindsay’s blackout-induced memory-loss coupled with her tendency to become absolutely unhinged when drunk catapults her into digging for answers. She has a terrible feeling she could have even killed Edie herself.

She looks through old tagged Facebook photos, Edie’s autopsy report, her old camera from 2009— searching for any hints she can find to figure out what the hell happened that night.

This book definitely made me feel simultaneously nostalgic and grateful that my party days are behind me. It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. This book, however, will just make you happy you made it out alive. 4.5 stars from me!

This is the book I *wished* The Paris Apartment was. Lock Every Door was my first Riley Sager novel and it did not disappoint.

It def satisfied my thriller craving— with all the possibilities swimming around in my mind, I did not predict that specific ending. After I finished it I read some reviews that pointed out it was similar to a popular movie but I wouldn’t have drawn that conclusion myself.

IMO this book is perfect for Halloween/October/Fall. It’s scary, mysterious, dark, ominous, borderline-occult, and full of juicy twists and turns.

Other than hidden pictures, this was the first book I’ve read that I can remember being genuinely scary. Staying up late to read it was maybe not a good idea. I felt like I used to when I was a kid reading Goosebumps. The writing was so descriptive and creepy and the plot was something out of a horror film. It gave me chills.

The story follows Jules, a young woman in NYC who is down on her luck (she got laid off and came home from work early to find her BF cheating on her.)

Jules finally catches a break with a new job that also gets her out of her old apartment— she’s being payed to house-sit in a beautiful Upper West Side apartment building facing Central Park.

The offer couldn’t come at a better time. She can’t believe her luck… she’s getting paid $12,000 to live in a beautiful apartment for three months… it almost seems too good to be true. Perhaps it is…

4.5 stars from me.

Final Girls was a slow-burn psychological thriller fit for readers who favor the “unhinged female protagonist” genre.

The story follows Quincey, a woman who is the sole survivor of a massacre that left 6 of her college friends dead. Years later, 2 other women who are survivors of similar events are the only other people alive who may perhaps understand her.

Final Girls— the name bestowed upon them by the media and the public— are a different breed of women; they will do anything to survive. These women share a common bond that they wish they did not. However, perhaps even the other “Final Girls” do not truly understand Quincey.

You will be bouncing back and forth between who is suspect for the majority of the novel— unsure who to believe. Perhaps even the narrator herself.

The majority of action is packed into the last 50 pages. For me, up until that point it was quite slow and predictable. There were maybe one or two surprises. The end was definitely satisfying. I think this is one of those rare books that may actually be better as a movie.

For someone who reads many thrillers it was just a bit predictable. Still had me making sure my doors were locked and checking underneath my bed. I’d say 3.7 stars.

Behind Closed Doors was dark, fast and satisfying psychological thriller. While it was not difficult to predict the direction the story would take, I still really enjoyed seeing how things played out.

The story follows Grace, a housewife who is absolutely tied at the hip with her husband, Jack. Their life is enviable— and yet— you can’t help but wonder what goes on behind closed doors.

We begin to see into Grace’s life, and that of her sister— Millie— who will soon be joining Grace and Jack in their new home.

There were parts I felt dragged a bit and I didn’t have any “omg! Aha” moments but I still enjoyed this book and story and themes nonetheless. I think I just read a ton of thrillers so it just takes a lot to surprise me. 4 stars from me!

If you love unhinged female protagonists Other People’s Clothes is the book for you. It’s dark and funny and full of drugs, parties, sex, toxic female friendships and mischief abroad. It’s Amanda Knox meets Project X meets The Girl Before meets Gossip Girl.

The book follows Zoe, a grieving art student who goes to study abroad in Germany. Zoe wants to escape the pain of losing her best friend, the torment of school, men, and life at university in NYC. She rooms with Hailey, another student from her school, who I can describe only as having an extreme case of main character syndrome.

In one plot, you experience the highest highs and lowest lows of the intoxication of youth. The many desperate attempts to discover oneself through attachment to another. The union of a codependent and a narcissist forges a toxic female friendship like fire and gasoline.

It builds up to an explosive party that keeps you guessing and questioning everyone.

And the end. Omg the end! I need to talk to someone about the end!!

4.5 stars!!!

The Couple Next Door is a quick, sharp and dark whirlwind psychological thriller. My favorite genre.

I’m a very suspicious reader— I tend to predict where the plots of these types of mysteries will go. However, this story did not disappoint me. While I guessed some parts of this story accurately, the majority of the twists and turns were unbeknownst to me. It was a fun, fast read.

The story begins with a couple that is having dinner at their next door neighbor’s house— while their 6 month old baby is left alone at their own home next door. At some point in the evening, the baby is kidnapped.

Everyone immediately becomes a suspect. The police question everyone. The investigation unearths many unanswered questions, bringing to light different potential culprits, each with their motives.

I read this in one day; if you’re looking for an ominous and quick whodunit mystery to dive into without investing a bunch of time and energy I def recommend it! ~4 stars

Let’s just say if Taylor Jenkins Reid wrote it I am BUYING IT!

You’ve probably heard about The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo. You probably heard it was a knock-out. You heard correctly.

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo is a powerful take on what it means to be successful as a women in a man’s world. It explores love, identity, race, femininity, misogyny, sexuality, power, success, selfishness and heartbreak.

The story alternates between present-day and the past as a Journalist, Monique, gets an exclusive tell-all from (now) 79 year old Evelyn about her days as the Hollywood “it-girl” (and her many, many husbands.)

The plot was interesting and fresh. The alternating timelines begin to near each-other and converge. Taylor Jenkins Reid is ✨phenomenal✨ at this. I did, however, find the twist predictable. Perhaps you may not. Either way, the prose is what makes the story so compelling.

It is one of those books that I couldn’t possibly highlight, because I would end up highlighting the entire book. I think every woman should read this. I think every human should read this. I recommend this for pretty much anyone! 4.5 stars.

In The Guest List, @lucyfoleyauthor tells the story of a wedding weekend from hell.

This fast-paced murder-mystery takes place on a creepy— seemingly haunted— island off the coast of Northern Ireland. There is love, betrayal, murder, revenge and toxic-masculinity to the max.

Each chapter leading up to the explosive finale is told from the POV of a different wedding guest. While only *one* of them is the killer — after the night unfolds and the cake is cut— the others are only wishing they had the chance to commit the murder themselves.

The story is a rollercoaster full of twists and turns and ups and downs. As the middle slows down, right when you *think* you see how the rest of the ride is going to pan out, you find there is one last turn that will have you hanging onto the edge of your seat. And then another plunge.

I’m going to give it ~3.8 stars. The end was fantastic. Some parts I saw coming a mile away. But not the last few pages. The middle just felt a bit slow. Still a page flipper for sure. If you’re looking for a good, dark, fast-paced read with twists and turns I definitely recommend it!

In My Dreams I Hold a Knife read like a classic whodunnit murder mystery with a twist. Everyone’s a suspect and we’re unsure who to trust or who to believe until the last page. There’s love, scandal, murder, suspense, addiction, family trauma and hidden motives.

The story follows a group of college friends who— a decade after one of them was brutally murdered— are no closer to unearthing what really happened that night all these years later. Everything builds up to their ten-year reunion, where everyone has something to prove… and something to hide.

The story flashes between the past and the present; timelines alternating and informing one another as we get to the bottom of the decade old mystery that’s been haunting them all.

I really enjoyed this book. Even tho parts felt predictable it was still fun read. ~4 stars from me!

Reckless Girls is my idea of a quintessential summer beach read. It’s great if you are in a slump or need a fast paced thriller to get you back into reading again.

It twist and turns and sucks your head in further and further until you forget that you’re not actually on a beautiful abandoned island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.

And thank god for that, because the island is riddled with murder and secrets and lust and liars and bad intentions.

With one twist after another, you’re guessing who dies, who lives, who killed who and why they did it until the very last page. It’s unhinged, stir crazy, girls-gone-batshit-wild. There’s sex, betrayal, revenge, and lots of sand and sun.

I recommend this to anyone who is looking for a fun, fast page-turner that keeps them on the edge of their seat. If you are maybe not a huge reader but are looking for something to get back into it or something to read at the beach or by the pool, this is it.

WELL THAT WAS A ROLLERCOASTER.

No Exit is a suspenseful hostage-like thriller that—IMO— is perfect for this time of year. It’s fast, it cuts deep and it def gave me some heart palpitations.

Darby, A 20-something college student, is driving home from school over winter break when she gets caught in a snowstorm in rural Colorado. Unable to stay on the road, she pulls over to the nearest rest stop to wait out the storm.

Outside in the cold while looking for phone service, she swears she sees a child locked in the back of a van… with only a handful of other people at the rest stop, a phone on 10%, no service, and a full blown winter storm brewing outside, Darby must be resourceful— using anything at her disposal to make things right and figure out who the kidnapper is.

The beginning felt a bit slow for me, but about half way, it picked up. The end chapters were, phew all the feelings—heartwarming, heartbreaking, and heart-racing.

4 stars from me. If you love book-to-film adaptations this is also a movie on Hulu! There were def some differences from the book to the movie but both were still really good!

Yep. 5 stars. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I didn’t expect to love this book as much as I did. I *audibly* laughed and cried throughout the entire story. It was difficult, but I had to force myself to slow down and take breaks so I could really savor the feeling of being transported into this hilarious, witty, powerful, and charming masterpiece Elizabeth Gilbert created.

I felt like I was actually there in NYC in the 1940s. I felt like I personally knew each character like family, I miss them already. (Especially Mr. Herbert— he cracked me the f*ck up every time Vivian said “good morning”.)

Gilbert’s writing is just *chefs kiss*

I am not one to highlight my books but there were so many beautifully written lines and insights about life, feminism, sexuality and hypocrisy that I simply had to tag so I could revisit.

The story is in the format of a letter written by an old woman recounting her youth and “glory days” running around NYC with showgirls, booze, and boys to the daughter of someone from her past (who’s daughter that is you don’t know until later.)

In a hilariously self deprecating tone with refreshing honesty and perspective, the narrator, Vivian Morris, recounts her days in Manhattan during the WWII era. She talks about finding boys, finding drinks, finding trouble, finding friendship, finding your chosen family and finding what matters to *you* despite what the world may tell you that should be.

I only wish I never read it so I could read it for the first time again.

Things We Do in The Dark was honestly a really good story— there’s murder, love, generational trauma, femme fatale, heartbreak, abuse and perseverance.

But… guys… I’m starting to worry that I have read too many thrillers… I saw every twist and turn in this plot from a mile away. What if I am never be able to find another thriller where I can’t predict what’s going to happen?? I’m really worried I’m too skeptical or suspicious and that I keep setting myself up for disappointment.

There was just too much foreshadowing, detail, and backstory— the twists came as anything but a surprise. 😩 Don’t get me wrong, it was a great story, but IMO seriously predictable. (I’m still glad I read it!)

The story follows a woman who is suspected of murdering her celebrity husband who is 30 years her senior after his body is found dead in the bathtub at their home.

The timeline alternates between the past and present, showing us details about Paris, his (now) widow, and how she came to be in the precarious positions she’s found herself in. Perhaps she is not guilty of this murder, but she’s definitely hiding something. I’m gonna give it 3.8 stars.

If you guys have any thriller recs that you think can stump me PLEASE share them!!!

I will be billing @jasonrekulak for my cardiology and insomnia appointments bc HOLY SHIT I’m going to need a defibrillator and a tranquilizer to sleep after finishing Hidden Pictures.

This book was so genuinely f*cking scary that I think it gave me a heart attack. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I read this in one sitting— stayed up until 4 a.m. tweaking the f out (in the best possible way.)

I have never, ever been so on edge reading a book. If you want a Halloween-Time read that is going to keep you up all night and scare the ever-living sh*t out of you and give you literal asystole, you HAVE TO READ THIS BOOK.

Trying to put the pieces together was like putting together The Boy + Orphan + The Exorcist + Behind Her Eyes + The Sixth Sense + The Omen + Ghost Whisperer.

I have been C R A V I N G a book that is fast paced with twists and turns that I wouldn’t see coming. A plot that genuinely baffles me— and I FINALLY FOUND IT.

The story follows Mallory, a recovering addict, who gets a fresh start as a nanny for a sweet little boy named Teddy. Teddy loves to draw and has a big imagination.

Soon, however, Teddy’s happy and cute drawings begin to take an alarming turn, as he starts to incorporate his imaginary friend, Anya, in his pictures. (the kid’s art is actually in the book and it is absolutely what makes Hidden Pictures the phenomenal piece of horror that it is.)

The drawings become increasingly creepy and increasingly realistic to the point that it becomes evident that the 5 year old is clearly not the artist behind the charcoal sketches.

As a recovering addict, Mallory fails to convince even herself that she has a grasp on what’s really going on with Teddy— she becomes absolutely unhinged trying to piece together what the actual f is happening (girl, SAME!?)

I absolutely loved this book, it had me chasing my tail and I did not see most of it coming. 5 stars from me!! Finally! 🙏🫡

The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue is a story of love & heartbreak, freedom & constraints, invisibility & immortality. It talks about the difference between selfish, possessive love and selfless, freeing love.

The story follows Addie, a girl born in the 1700’s who resents being a woman— she lacks the basic freedoms men take for granted and is being married off against her will before she has a chance to truly live. In a moment of desperation, she pleads to any god who will listen. She would give anything to change her fate— and so she does.

In exchange for freedom, she is now a living ghost. With immortality comes a curse; while she is free to live and roam as she pleases, no one will ever remember her. She cannot so much leave a stain on a piece of fabric for others to keep her memory by.

I found Addie’s affliction to be a beautiful metaphor for what remains of us once we’re gone. Once the people who have kept our memory pass on— all traces buried under to the never ending sands of time— all that remains of us in our wake is the essence of who we once were.

Once we are gone from this earth we exist as noting more than an echo— yet the ideas and sentiments we once carried will reverberate and shape the world around us in our absence. Even after our departure, the world will continue to grow and develop from the seeds we’ve left planted behind.

I don’t know if I was in a reading slump or what but this book took me about a week to read.

I know that’s not too long, but I normally take about 2 days to finish a book and I was struggling. I’m still glad I read it tho and that I fought off my inclination to DNF. While the story took me a while to become invested in (I found the writing style to drag on a *bit*) I still enjoyed the characters and the themes in the novel. I’m gonna give it 3.4 stars. Just dragged a bit.

Oy. 3.3 stars.

Hot take but I didn’t like it. Boring writing style. I did really enjoy the theme of nature versus nurture and inherited trauma. How we, despite our best efforts, often mimic the faults that we so strongly resent in our parents. I thought it was good but not great. Strong themes. But it just was not the page-turning, riveting book I was expecting. Just not for me.

The plot was boring and predictable and the prose did not compensate for it. Sorry if you loved it!!! I never claimed to have good taste!!

⚠️SPOILERS AHEAD:⚠️

First things first, Fox was a POS— Blythe should have left him the second he didn’t believe her and began chalking her experiences up to “female hysteria.” Though, I’m sure it accurately reflects the experience of many women who are not believed. Ugh. Rage.

The entire book I was so focused on what a shite Fox was I couldn’t even focus on Violet.

Blythe’s codependency blinded her to the true nature of her and Fox’s relationship and I wholeheartedly cannot relate. I cannot comprehend how Blythe stayed with a man who— after their daughter, Violet, repeatedly said she hates her mother— made no attempt to seek professional help for Violet.

Even if Violet wasn’t born a “monster” Blythe’s early neglect should have been enough for Fox to be concerned enough for the child to be properly assessed.

And Blythe was pathetic. Mostly for staying with Fox. She was a terrible person for not telling the truth to anyone about Elijah the second it happened. A terrible mother for bringing another child into that home knowing what happened to Elijah. Even worse, when she found out she in fact *did* have that motherly love for Sam, she took no measures to protect him despite what she knew.

Blythe could have told her husband at any time what happened to Elijah, but didn’t. She could have taken Violet to a professional, but didn’t. She could have taken Sam and left, but didn’t. She could have pleaded with anyone to take her seriously but didn’t.

The second she heard Violet say she “didn’t want baby Sam anymore” she could have done *literally anything* but didn’t. Annoying. Unrelatable and heartbreaking and pathetic and annoying.

OoOoOoOoOOo

Turn of The Key is my idea of a perfect spooky season read! This book was genuinely creepy, guys— from the writing to the plot to the themes all the way to the ending.

It was a suspenseful, psychological whirlwind. It’s The Haunting of Hill House meets The Boy meets The Invisible Man meets Verity!

The story is written as a letter from a woman currently in jail awaiting trial. Addressing a lawyer she desperately hopes will take her case, our narrator recounts her version of the events that landed her in a jail cell. Perhaps she is guilty, but not of what they are saying.

Rowan (a nanny who just landed her big break) begins her new job as a live-in care-taker for four children in Northern Scotland. She is the fourth nanny this year to attempt to take on the job, and she’s not sure why— the pay is astounding and the amenities are… top notch.

Rowan comes to learn that family’s home is a seemingly haunted Victorian mansion. Strangely, the classic, old Victorian mansion is equipped with the most state-of-the-art modern technology. Even eerier, the home has a history of tragic deaths and mysterious happenings.

Rowan isn’t sure if it is the smart-house’s security cameras or a ghost roaming the halls, but she can’t shake the feeling that she’s not alone in the house— even when the children have all gone off to bed.

As she begins to become unhinged, Rowan is determined to get to the bottom of whatever is going on.

Only… whatever trouble she finds is what landed her in prison. And she needs someone to believe what she saw.

The Club is a dazzling, witty and riveting “🖕🏼you” to the celebrity culture that has shielded the famous, rich and powerful from the consequences of their actions for decades.

I LOVED IT. I stayed up on the couch until 3 a.m. to finish it in one sitting.

The story takes place on a private island resort reserved exclusively for the rich and famous. (Think Epstein meets SoHo House meets Fyre Fest meets Club Dread) The three-day opening-weekend of the private island ends with several murders and nobody can figure out what the hell happened.

With multiple characters and storylines that converge, The Club is a murder-mystery rollercoaster that twists and turns throughout the entirety of the novel.

Who died? How did they die? Why? Who killed them? But also… are you glad they died… didn’t they deserve it?

I definitely recommend this book if you are into psychological thrillers, murder mysteries and roller coaster stories that keep you guessing. 4.5 Stars!!

Guys, I loved this book.

The Lies I Tell was a beautiful, clever, and cunning feminist manifesto. I absolutely devoured it in two days. There is money, power, suspense, revenge, justice, surprises and many middle fingers to the patriarchy.

The writing was excellent and the plot— while it may not necessarily give those who read many thrillers whiplash— still had many twists and turns.

The story follows Meg, a beautiful and razor sharp con-woman. She has returned home to LA to pull off her most recent job in a long string of heists targeting powerful and pervasive men.

Meg herself, however, is also another woman’s target. Kat, a journalist, has her own score to settle with Meg. With Meg in her sights, Kat is staring at her down the end of her own barrel. Unbeknownst to Meg, she has taught Kat everything she knows about how to master the art of deception.

I definitely recommend this book if you love femme fatales and thrillers. 4.5 stars from me!

Wrong Place Wrong Time is a genre-bending story about love, motherhood, sacrifice, fate, and how one tiny thing can forever alter the trajectory of our lives.

It’s Russian doll meets the Butterfly Effect Meets Groundhog Day meets American Hustle. With wit and edge, Gillian McAllister paints a gripping and beautiful picture about the interconnectedness of our lives and our actions.

The story allows us to further examine the question: If we could go back to the past, knowing what we know now, would we do things differently— would we see things differently?

The story starts with a mother witnessing her own son commit a murder. She is completely blindsided by it and cannot wrap her head around why he has done it.

The next day she wakes up, and it is the day before the murder. Time is going backwards. (At some points I even caught myself accidentally turning the pages backwards!) We watch as she experiences her days for the second time, searching for answers in moments she overlooked the first time around.

The unique framework surrounding the story allows us to examine love and heartbreak through different lenses and from different perspectives. While parts of the beginning felt a bit slow for me, the end was beautiful and meaningful— everything comes full circle. I think this would be a perfect book to read during Halloween time— I definitely recommend saving it for October to read surrounded by pumpkins and fall candles. 3.8. stars from me.

The Last Mrs. Parrish is a downright diabolical tale full of wealth, scheming, deceit, envy, lust, abuse and karmic justice. It is a testament to how truly despicable a person can be— and not nearly in the ways you’d expect.

The story is broken down into three parts. A cunning, beautiful and seriously heinous woman sets her sights on her latest target in a well thought-out long-con. As the story unfolds, we search for any redeeming qualities in her she begins to reek havoc on on those she’s zeroed in on.

After part one, the story takes a sharp turn and the remaining chapters are both highly anticipated and devilishly satisfying. It is difficult to say much more without giving anything away.

I really enjoyed this book— I read all 430 something pages in less than 24 hours…

I couldn’t stop turning pages like someone who can’t turn their eyes away from a flaming car wreck... If I didn’t delight so much in how manipulative and downright evil part one was, I could see how it might feel like too long of a build up. Part two, however, was my favorite. And part three— the end— was a satisfying finale that left no box unticked.

4.2 stars from me!

If you know me you know I love books centered around generational trauma— and thriller books fixated on generational trauma… say less!

I started doing this thing lately (so I actually *read* my TBR instead of buying new books) where I have my husband randomly choose a book from my shelf and I have to read it. He is 5/5 so far— what can I say, my husband knows how to pick ‘em.

If you liked @sharilapena other book, The Couple Next Door, you’ll definitely love this. I actually thought this was better than The Couple Next Door. I not only felt the actual writing and prose were much deeper— but the plot was also paced more at my speed.

If you have read Lucy Folley’s The Guest List, the beginning of Not a Happy Family basically mirrors the end of The Guest List. It’s clear everyone stands to benefit from Fred Merton’s murder. Anyone could have don’t it, but only one did.

The story follows a wealthy family that is rich only in the literal sense— their home is void of the love and compassion happy families take for granted. When their parents are brutally murdered after Easter dinner, all of the Merton children stand to gain both financial and emotional freedom.

The question remains: who did the others a favor and actually followed through with it?

Trying to guess who the actual murderer was was like watching a game of ping pong. You will suspect everyone at some point. In the end, I would not have put my money on who it actually was, though. It was not the *most* satisfying ending but I still really enjoyed it. The epilogue was great. I’m gonna say four stars. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Oy. 2 stars.

This is probably the worst rating I’ve ever given a book.

The Wife Between Us claims to have “many twists and turns” yet every *single* turn the book took had several flashing, clearly-marked signs indicating which direction the story was headed. This book was so completely predictable and disappointing.

I guessed exactly what would happen in Part One from literally the second chapter. I kept reading hoping to be proven wrong about the obvious “twist“ I was expecting. I was not.

Parts Two & Three read like poorly constructed knock-offs of The Last Mrs. Parrish. It was so completely predictable. Even the epilogue I saw coming. I almost DNF. I wish I had.

I’m only giving it two stars instead of one because I like the book cover. Don’t read this book. But that’s my take.

The Paris Apartment is a whodunit murder mystery with a Parisian vibe. It’s creepy and full of lust, revenge, redemption and dark hidden truths.

Everyone is suspicious, oblivious and packed with hidden-agendas.

The story follows Jess, a young English woman, visiting her brother, Ben, in Paris. When she is supposed to meet him at his apartment, however, he never turns up to greet her. After strange encounters with other people in the apartment building, she has an awful and creeping feeling that something terrible has happened to him.

Her quest for answers only leaves her budding with more questions; she is met with hostility from each and every other resident in the building.

The book read at a quick pace, and there were several “aha moments” that put the pieces of the puzzle together. I’m giving it 3.5 stars only because I felt the conclusion and the way the events played out at the end (to me) seemed unrealistic.

I love a good psychological thriller with an unreliable narrator. The Woman in Cabin 10 has many twists and turns and I especially enjoyed the feeling of being transported onto an opulent ship out on the icy northern sea.

After experiencing a traumatic incident, our ~mildly alcoholic~ protagonist, a travel journalist, begins to slowly unravel as she embarks on a work trip aboard a luxury ship headed for the Aurora Borealis.

One night, she swears she has witnessed a murder while aboard the ship. However, come morning, she fails to convince even herself that anyone was murdered at all. After all, none of the passengers or crew are even missing.

Over all it was a fun and fast read that keeps you on your toes. There were parts I felt the book was a *bit* slow and dragging. There were parts that read a *bit* predictable, however I still enjoyed the book and would recommend it to those who look for books like the girl on the train etc. 3.8 stars from me.