Hey fellow readers! I have been reading some great books lately and I HAAADDD to share with you. Now that the “ber” months are here, it’s time for spooky/creepy and lots of thrills! Here’s a few of the books I’ve read lately, and my thoughts on each. Tell me what you’ve been reading lately or if you enjoyed these as much as I have.
Here’s the synopsis:
After a disturbing encounter with an obsessive fan named Dustin, author Arden Bowie is left traumatized and struggling to feel safe after his assault and surprisingly short sentence. Hoping to start over, Arden moves to a small Oregon town, where she begins rebuilding her life and forms a friendship with Gideon, an ex-LAPD detective. But Dustin remains obsessed with Arden from afar, convinced she belongs to him—and now that he’s angry, Arden may have to figure out how to protect herself from the man who believes he’s protecting her.
This book seriously took me on an emotional roller coaster. I laughed, got teary a few times, and definitely got teary more than once 😂. But honestly, the characters were my favorite part. I got so attached to them that by the end, I really didn’t want to leave them behind. They felt so real and were the kind of people I’d actually want to know in real life. I could have easily listened to another 14 hours of them just living their everyday lives and hanging out. And the narrator, January LaVoy was fantastic as always—she did such a great job bringing everyone to life.
The suspense was really good too, and Roberts definitely knows how to keep you on edge, but it was Arden and her family that really made this book for me. Arden is smart, strong, kind, and just such an easy character to root for. I loved getting to know her and watching her build this life surrounded by people who genuinely care about her. And then there are the sandwiches 😂. I’m not even kidding when I say this book made me crave a homemade sandwich so badly that I actually went to the grocery store while listening because I needed one.
By the time I finished, I was already wishing there was more. I’m really hoping we get another book because I’m absolutely not ready to say goodbye to these characters yet. I’ll happily take more Arden, more Gideon, more family dinners, more everyday moments, and YES, more sandwiches!
When artist Eden Fox returns home from a run, she finds another woman living in her house—and her husband insists the stranger is his wife. Six months earlier, Birdy inherited the same mysterious house and uncovered a secret clinic claiming to predict death, setting off a twisted chain of secrets, lies, and deception.
My Husband’s Wife pulled me in pretty quickly, and I found myself getting more and more invested as the story went on. It’s definitely a fast-paced read (which seems to be pretty typical of Alice Feeney’s books), and there was always something happening to keep me turning the pages. Without getting into spoilers, I really liked how everything came together at the end. Most of the loose ends were tied up, and the ending felt satisfying.
This is definitely one of those books where you can’t really trust anyone. With multiple POVs, secrets everywhere, and characters who aren’t always who they seem to be, I was constantly questioning what was actually going on. With that said, I did get a tad confused at times. There are a LOT of characters, backstories, and different things happening, and I sometimes struggled to keep track of who was who and what was going on. There were definitely a few moments where I had to go back and reread something because my brain was like, “Wait…what?” 😂 Thankfully, everything does come together in the end.
Overall, I had a lot of fun with this one. It was twisty, suspenseful, and kept me guessing, even if it did get a little confusing along the way. If you’re a fan of Alice Feeney or enjoy mysteries where you can’t trust anyone, I’d definitely give this one a try!
When inexperienced lawyer Leila Reynolds is unexpectedly handed a high-profile murder case, she’s stunned to learn that her client is accused of killing a respected judge—and that he refuses to say a word about what happened. To make matters worse, the prosecutor is Leila’s own husband, and when someone from her past resurfaces, she finds herself fighting to protect her client, her marriage, and the secrets she’s worked hard to keep buried.
Oh my goodness, a legal thriller that was unputdownable! Where do I even start with this one?! I honestly had a hard time putting it down. There is SO much going on in this book, and I loved how many layers there were. It really felt like a true legal thriller, but with so many other things happening beneath the surface that kept me completely invested.
Leila was such an interesting character because I still can’t decide if I actually liked her or not 😂. You’ll have to decide for yourself. There was also so much misogyny thrown her way that I was getting seriously frustrated and angry right along with her. And Julian… let’s just say I was not a fan. That arrogant little smirk had me wanting to reach through the pages 😂. The other side characters had me questioning everything, and one particular POV had me desperately trying to figure out who was behind it.
The suspense was probably one of my favorite parts. There’s this constant feeling that something is wrong, like someone is always watching, and it gave me that creepy, uneasy feeling while reading. Then you add twist after twist, and I honestly had no idea what was coming next. Every time I thought I had things figured out, the story would throw something else at me. And of course, the legal aspect made it even more interesting for me.
And the trial?! SO GOOD. It was tense, and dramatic. I was fully invested in what was happening and absolutely needed to know how it was all going to play out. I’m not going to say anything else because this is definitely one you should experience for yourself.
Overall, this was a clever and VERY entertaining thriller. The multiple POVs worked really well, the pacing kept things moving, and the twists kept me guessing until the end. And thankfully, the ending actually delivered! Definitely a book I had a lot of fun with.
Benny Abbott and Joy Moore are beloved podcast hosts who have built a successful empire sharing incredible survival stories with their millions of listeners. But when Benny arrives at Joy and her husband Xander’s home to find it abandoned and covered in shattered glass, he becomes determined to find them—even as the police begin to suspect him. As Benny searches for answers in Joy’s unfinished memoir, shocking secrets come to light about the famous best friends and the lives their devoted fans thought they knew.
I LOVED how this wasn’t just a mystery is was so much more! It’s a story about friendship, loyalty, survival, and secrets we keep from the people we love most.
From the very beginning, I was invested, and every chapter gave me another reason to keep reading “just one more.” What surprised me most was how much heart was packed into the mystery. The suspense kept me guessing, but the characters and their relationships were what really got to me. Their connection felt complicated and imperfect—but honestly, some of their moments broke my heart. I also loved the podcast element! It gave the story such a fun, modern twist and made the whole mystery even more addictive. Just when I thought I had things figured out, another secret came along and changed everything.
Tiffany Crum absolutely nailed the balance between mystery, humor, friendship, and emotion. This debut has SO much personality, and the ending had me completely glued to the pages.
If you’re into twisty mysteries + complicated relationships + unforgettable friendships + ALL the feelings, definitely add this one to your TBR! And not to mention the audio was the best because it’s narrated by the Queen Julia Whalen!
Ellis Abbey doesn’t know what to do. She’s caught her husband cheating, and she’s trying to remain calm around her three young children. She takes them to catch tadpoles, so she can think and decides she must divorce him, but then the trip turns disastrous. Her twin boys argue throughout the day, and when it’s time to leave, a raven is cawing, the boys are shouting, and a full jar of tadpoles spills in the car. Ellis tries to hurry along and horribly, leaves her daughter in the parking lot, in her car seat. When she realizes her mistake and turns around, the baby is gone.
Convinced she can only bring further harm to her family, Ellis leaves her husband and young sons, burying her desperate longing for her children as she retreats into the mountain wildernesses of Washington. RIGHT?!!!!
I absolutely loved this book! The Light Through the Leaves is a beautifully written and deeply emotional story about loss, love, forgiveness, and finding your way back to the people and things that matter most. Ellis and Raven’s stories broke my heart at times, but they also left me feeling hopeful and uplifted. I especially loved the way the author brought the natural world to life throughout the story. You can really feel the beauty and power of nature woven into the characters’ lives. This is definitely not a light or easy read, but it is a meaningful and memorable one.
The ending was very satisfying, although I did feel like it moved a little too quickly at the very end. Overall, this book completely lived up to my expectations, and I’m so glad I read it.
In the small town of North Falls, two teenage girls disappear during the fireworks, sending the community into chaos and leaving Officer Emmy Clifton determined to bring them home. But as Emmy digs deeper into the girls’ lives, she discovers that everyone has secrets—and some of those secrets may be deadly.
I’d been wanting to read this one for a while, especially since it’s the first book in the North Falls series, so with the next book coming up soon, I figured it was finally time to jump in.
This was definitely an emotional one. Anything involving crimes against children is really hard to read, and even though the book wasn’t super graphic, the things happening were still heartbreaking and honestly pretty disturbing. It’s definitely one of those stories that gets under your skin.
There was also A LOT of family drama going on, which I actually really enjoyed. There were complicated relationships, questionable decisions, secrets, and plenty of twists that kept things moving. I will say it felt a little long in places, but overall I was still invested and wanted to know how everything was going to play out.
Beyond the mystery itself, I thought the book did a really good job exploring things like parenthood, guilt, and how much our past choices can continue to follow us. Those parts gave the story a lot more depth than just being a crime mystery.
Overall, this was a pretty heavy read, but I really enjoyed it and I’m definitely looking forward to continuing the series!
When forensic pathology trainee Dr. Sloan Hastings submits her DNA to an ancestry website, her goal is to better understand the treasure-trove of genetic information contained on ancestry websites. She makes a shocking discovery: she is actually Charlotte Margolis, the baby who vanished with her parents thirty years ago. Returning to the Nevada town where she disappeared, Sloan begins unraveling her family’s dark secrets alongside Sheriff Eric Stamos, whose own father died while investigating the case. But the closer they get to the truth, the more dangerous Sloan’s return becomes—and someone will do anything to keep the past buried.
The plot completely hooked me from beginning to end. I loved how the story moved between the past and present, slowly revealing pieces of the mystery until everything started coming together. Just when I thought I had things figured out, another twist would come along and completely surprise me. There were so many moments where I literally had to stop and say, “Wait, what?!” The suspense kept building, and I never knew where the story was going next.
I also really enjoyed the way the author handled the DNA and law enforcement aspects of the story. It made everything feel believable and gave the book that unsettling “this could actually happen” feeling. The pacing was excellent, the twists kept coming, and I found myself wanting to read just one more chapter—until suddenly it was way too late at night. If you’re looking for a psychological thriller that will keep you guessing and make it hard to put down, this one definitely delivers.
Five years ago, David Burroughs was convicted of murdering his three-year-old son, Matthew, and sentenced to life in prison. Now, a mysterious photograph gives him reason to believe Matthew is still alive. Determined to find his son, clear his name, and uncover what really happened that night, David makes a desperate escape. With the FBI hot on his trail, he must stay one step ahead long enough to uncover the shocking truth.
This book has EVERYTHING—FBI and an elderly mother-in-law who turned out to be way more concerning than I ever expected. Every time I thought I had finally figured out what was happening, another twist came along and completely changed everything.
And seriously, just about EVERYONE gets a POV. David has one, the people chasing him have their own, and even some of the supporting characters get in on it. At one point, I was practically expecting every new person who walked into a room to get their own chapter!
Surprisingly, though, it really worked for me. All those different perspectives gave me a bigger picture of the chase. Sometimes I knew what David was doing, sometimes I knew what law enforcement was up to, and other times I knew things David hadn’t discovered yet. It definitely kept the suspense and adrenaline going.
My biggest warning is that you have to be willing to suspend your disbelief quite a bit. Some of the coincidences and twists are absolutely wild. If you need your thrillers to be completely realistic and believable, this one might drive you crazy.
But if you can just sit back and enjoy the ride, this book is a whole lot of fun. I eventually found myself less concerned with whether everything was actually plausible and more interested in finding out what crazy thing was going to happen next.
It wasn’t quite a five-star read for me because, by the end, I was enjoying the craziness of the plot more than I was believing it. But as a fast-paced, adrenaline-filled thriller, it definitely kept me entertained!
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