Favorite Books!

Here are more details of my reading from January, February, and March of 2024!

Shari Lapena

Shari Lapena is becoming an author that is an automatic read/listen.  She creates mysteries with great characters, believable actions, and both of these I felt invested and connected right away!

• Someone We Know 👍

• An Unwanted Guest 👍

Lisa Jewell

Lisa Jewell is a master at creating heartbreaking characters who go through unimaginable experiences.  Her books often have in depth and deep rooted family dynamics and characters with real pain and loss.  The Family Remains was a prequel to the The Family Upstairs which chronicled how a family in London succumbed to the influence of house guest turned cult-like leader.  Lisa Jewell is not for the average mystery lover but I do enjoy her books!

• The Family Remains 😬👍

Mary Kubica

Mary Kubica is another author I often seek out.  I've enjoyed many but her recent She's Not Sorry fell flat for me (to be discussed next quarter).  The Good Girl was a new spin on a thriller mystery and without giving too much away it felt unique and new to me.  I found myself asking big questions about villains and victims.  This was the first book where I felt motivated to create Book Club questions (see Freebies for these questions) because this book left me thinking!  The cons of this book could be the shift in perspective between the main character, her mom, and an investigator and the shifts in time.  I listened on audiobook and found the character voices to really help.

• The Good Girl 👍🎧

Kiersten Modglin

Kiersten Modglin is ranking high as my favorite author or in my top 5 for sure.  When I think of Modglin's books I think of it as "creepy light" where there is some resolve, answer, or conclusion to explain what's going on.   Her books provide the suspense without the angst of the "non-answer" or cliff hanger.

• Hemlock - Mystery with a tiny twist of paranormal activity but also a decent amount of romance. 👍

• The Nanny's Secret - Great character development and good mystery.  👍

• You Can Trust Me - Great characters, good mystery, and a small bit of fear/suspense violent moment 👍

Blake Pierce

Girl, Alone by Blake Pierce was a great book I enjoyed about an aspiring FBI agent getting her chance to prove herself.  She has instincts and a wealth of knowledge to make her integral to solve and a string of murders.  However, I do not care for the narrator who reads the series so I stopped after book #1.  I'm curious to see if an ebook or our library might get the series so it's on my TBR for now!

• Girl, Alone  📖👍