Hermit Hobbies - Books!

New Releases of 2024

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Best New Releases

😍 The Women by Kristin Hannah

The Women is a historical fiction novel detailing the life of a nurse serving in Vietnam and her experience returning back to the United States. There are a few trigger warnings within this book so you may want to research before jumping in, although it is outstanding and an amazing book. Book Club questions are included over on the Freebies page on this site!

😍 Middle of the Night by Riley Sager

Riley Sager often has novels with some paranormal touches to them but I don't think of them as being especially scary. Middle of the Night follows Ethan as is struggles to understand how his friend disappeared in the middle of the night while they camped in his backyard in 1994. Sager has an ability to navigate those messy human emotions of loss and confusion into a really great story within this book. It might be my favorite Riley Sager book! Book Club questions are included over on the Freebies page on this site!

😍 Home is Where the Bodies Are by Jeneva Rose

Maybe from the title people might assume this is a bit more violent. I would classify this book as more of a mystery but also some family dynamic fiction. Anytime there is a loss in a family the grief and tragedy will create some opportunities for conflict, resolution, or anything in between. Home is Where the Bodies Are follows three siblings as they navigate the passing of their mom when their father mysteriously disappeared years before. I'm an audiobook fan 100% but seriously considering buying a hard copy of this book for the emotional nuggets of wisdom peppered into this book.

Great New Releases

👍 Reappearance of Rachel Price by Holly Jackson

Holly Jackson is fantastic for Young Adult books and I follow any new release she does. Great mystery of a mom who goes missing and returns years later. Great twists - I usually don't catch on to twists and am easy to surprise!

👍 The Housemaid is Watching by Freida McFadden

The Housemaid series by McFadden is blowing up and very popular right now. I enjoyed all three books but I do believe book 2 is my favorite. If you liked this series - try The Last Mrs. Parrish by Liv Constantine. I think that series is better!

👍 if only i had told her by Laura Nowlin

Any romance and tragedy fans? Check out this sequel to Laura Nowlin's if only he had been with me. The story continues from the first book and gives more details of what comes next. Tragic and heartbreaking, but sometimes sad books are enjoyable too!

Okay New Releases

The Last Murder at the End of the World by Stuart Turton

I made a good attempt to break out of my typical genre here and tried more of a futuristic sci-fi. This is one I definitely think people might like. In an end of the world type scenario, there is a mysterious fog that will kill the population and one surviving island. There is a mysterious murder on the island and an investigation needs to happen to find the guilty party before the fog continues to encroach this community. The most interesting part of this novel was how the community was influenced by "ABI" (artificial biological intelligence). ABI knew the inner thoughts and feelings of the community and helped persuade and influence them to think of morality, kindness, and empathy. MAYBE!

Murder Road by Simone St. James

I don't have a real reason why - but I feel like I enjoyed Simone St. James other books more. Usually, there is some paranormal element to her stories but this one fell flat to me. SKIP!

She's Not Sorry by Mary Kubica

Due to the book I read RIGHT before this one - I really did not enjoy this one as much as I hoped. Sometimes thrillers tend to repeat story lines and while Kubica did write a great book, I just don't think it worked for me. SKIP!

Midnight on Beacon Street by Emily Ruth Verona

The synopsis on this book made me think it might be like I Know What You Did Last Summer, Scream, or another 90s slasher movie vibe. I don't feel like it was suspenseful or scary. There was a scary moment for for blipp but it was over soon. Actually, the premise of this book hit very close to a Dateline podcast episode I listened to recently... Interesting.... SKIP!

Favorite Books!

Here are more details of my reading from April, May, and June of 2024!

😍 The Vanishing Hour by Seraphina Nova Glass

Seraphina Nova Glass’ The Vanishing Hour is a thriller which focuses on disappearances but there is added danger with previous unsolved murders in the area. Kira and Aidan are two strangers both looking for missing family members. Grace is working on reclaiming her life after she was held captive years ago. Together, these three will find answers and help one another. This is clearly a mystery but Glass’ ability to weave in big concepts about justice, parenting, and loss was thought provoking .

😍 The Last Time I Lied by Riley Sager

The Last Time I Lied by Riley Sager tells the mystery of Emma Davis and how three of her fellow camp friends went missing in 2003. She struggles with the loss and confusion of not knowing what happened. She returns to camp and finds all the answers she was seeking. Some paranormal elements are alluded to within this novel.

😍 That's Not My Name by Megan Lally

This is a YA thriller with some amateur crime sleuthing characters which feels a bit like A Good Girls Guide to Murder or a Karen McNamus novel which I love. I enjoyed the pace, the twists, and the characters. There was a LOT of F bombs but I don’t usually mind! Solid 5/5 Stars for me!

😍 The Hollow by Kiersten Modglin

The Hollow by Kiersten Modglin was a novel which had a bit of everything - romance, heartbreak, mystery and some scandal. After her father dies, Carmen McKenna finds herself moving with her mom to be with friends in rural North Carolina. Once in Hunter’s Hollow with their family friends - the two brothers next door, Jack and Dean, make life interesting. Carmen finds answers to assumptions she previously made.

😍 Ground Zero by Alan Gratz

Ground Zero by Alan Gratz tells two stories of two children on September 11th and their experiences - one in New York and one in Afghanistan. Brandon might be the most resourceful and competent 9 year old boy scout ever! Reshmina has an amazing heart and a lot of compassion.

😍 No Exit by Taylor Adams

No Exit by Taylor Adams was suspenseful and intense as Darby Thorne finds herself stranded in a snow storm in Colorado. To add to the intensity, when checking over her car, she discovers a child locked in a van nearby. Who is the kidnapper and how can she stop them? Thrillers often have frustrating lead characters who make awful decisions but that is not the case here in Adams’ novel - Darby is strong, capable, and determined.

Good Books but more of a "Maybe!"

👍 The Housemaid & The Housemaid is Watching by Freida McFadden

The Housemaid series is everywhere in recommendations online and within book groups. Book 2 was my favorite but I still stand by The Last Mrs. Parrish series by Liv Constantine is better. If you are sensitive to violence and other trigger warnings... proceed with caution.

👍 If You Tell by Gregg Olsen

A local book club I tried picked this as a first pick. I wondered how it would be to gather and discuss such a heavy true crime book and the discussion was so great. Interesting questions and perspectives were brought up. The book itself is horrifying on what these three daughters endured by their mother in Washington. I did enjoy the true crime reporting style so it wasn't as "direct" as a novel would be. There was a few times the reporting did feel repetitive. Read with some caution...!

👍 Keep it in the Family by John Marrs

I am glad to give John Marrs a shot as I see a lot of his books have a following. Keep It in the Family by John Marrs has a pretty dark crime and some readers may not enjoy that aspect but I felt like the book focused more on the "whodunnit?" There were twists I saw coming and some I didn't see at all.

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