Everything We Didn’t say by Nicole Baart was a fantastic thriller mixed with family drama. This novel sucked me in and kept me guessing throughout. I couldn’t wait to get to the end to see what was going to happen. I love a good thriller, but find that often times they don’t live up to my expectations, but this one did.

Juniper Baker had just graduated high school and was involved in a summer romance when Cal and Beth Murphy, a couple living on the neighboring farm, were brutally murdered. When Juniper’s younger brother became the prime suspect, her whole world collapsed. The fun of that summer disappeared in an instant. Juniper left and promised herself she would never return to Jericho, Iowa. Now though, she is back in town to help an ill friend manage the local library. Juniper really returned though because she wants to repair her relationship with her teenage daughter, who has been raised by Juniper’s mother and stepfather since her birth. Juniper also wants to solve the infamous Murphy murder and clear her brothers name once and for all.

This book was so good. I could not put it down. I felt the characters were well written, the plot kept me interested throughout the whole book, and it was able to keep me guessing up until the end. This was another one of those books where I just randomly picked it for my Book of the Month box and I am so glad that I did.

I gave this book 4/5 stars. I would highly recommend this book if you enjoy thrillers. I wish I could read this book again for the first time. I really want to read more books exactly like this. Because I read so much, sometimes I find it hard to keep interested in certain novels and plots, but this one was different and was a refreshing read for me. If you have not read this novel yet, definitely add it to your TBR!

I pretty much cried my way through Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine. I think I started crying on page one and didn’t stop until the very last page. Even then I think I cried for like an hour after I finished it. I think this may be the best book I have read so far this year and I would not hesitate to read it again.

No one has ever told Eleanor Oliphant that life should be better than fine. Eleanor Oliphant struggles with appropriate social skills and most of the time will just say exactly what she is thinking. Everything in her life is scheduled and each day, each week, is practically the same. Everything changes for Eleanor though when she meets Raymond. Raymond is the IT guy from her office and together they save an elderly man who had fallen. The three of them seem to rescue each other from their lonely isolated lives. Raymond’s big heart shows Eleanor that that there is more to life and he helps her to get help for all of trauma and hardships from her past. Eleanor learns from Raymond that she is capable of finding friendship and love.

This book broke me, but in a good way. Eleanor was a wonderfully written character. Throughout the novel I found that I related to Eleanor in so many ways. Which in some ways, made the book harder to read, but I also believe it made it easier to read. This book did a great job of balancing humor and trauma. I found myself actually laughing out loud at some parts of it, while simultaneously crying, because I really don’t think I stopped crying from page one of this book. I think so many people could gain something from reading this novel.

I gave this book 5/5 stars. I can’t say enough good things about it. It was just beautifully written. It was charming, heartbreaking, humorous, and overall a very important story. I think everyone could learn something from Eleanor Oliphant. I would honestly read this book over and over again. If you have not read this yet, I highly recommend that you do. I cannot say enough good things about this novel.

The Liar’s Daughter by Megan Cooley Peterson was so good. I could not put this book down. As soon as I read the description I was hooked. I love a book that centers around a cult because I find them to be absolutely fascinating.

Seventeen year old Piper was raised in a cult. Piper doesn’t know this though. All she knows is that Father is a prophet. He is the chosen one. She also knows she would do anything for him. She knows that he knows best. Until one day, when the government raids the compound and takes her away from Father and Mother and her siblings. She is now living with a woman who they claim is her real mother. They claim Father stole her from her. Piper doesn’t believe it though, and she is planning her escape.

This book was super interesting. For anyone who has never been controlled by other people I think this concept can be hard to wrap your mind around, but Piper was in this everyday so of course she was going to believe everything Father said. She was brainwashed for so long all of her earlier memories were wiped out. I loved how the characters were written. Especially Piper. It was really interesting watching her character growth throughout the novel.

I gave this book 3.5/5 stars. I would highly recommend this book. Especially if you have an interest in cults. Also if you enjoy mystery and young adult novels I think you would enjoy this book. I randomly found this book on Amazon and decided to order it and I am so glad that I did. It was not the best book I ever read, but I really enjoyed it.

I could not put down The Woman in the Window by A.J. Finn. It wasn’t the best book that I ever read, but there was just something about it that kept me hooked in from the beginning and I could not stop reading it. It was the exact type of thriller I needed to read.

Anna Fox lives in New York City and is a recluse. Living alone she spends her days, drinking wine, watching old movies, thinking about her past and happier times, and also spying on her neighbors. When the Russels move into the house across the street, a father, mother, and teenage son, they appear to be the perfect family. But one night when Anna is looking out her window, she sees something she shouldn’t and her whole world begins to crumble and secrets begin to come to the surface.

This whole book kept me guessing. At times I even felt as if I was going crazy. I really enjoyed that you could not figure out whether or not Anna was a reliable character and witness. All of the characters were very mysterious and the whole time I was just trying to figure out who was actually reliable. I just could not put this book down for some reason.

Overall, I gave this book 3.5/5 stars. It was not the best thriller I ever read, but clearly I enjoyed it and there was something about it that just made it feel different from other thrillers. I have been really happy with the books I have read so far this year. This year might be my best reading year and I look forward to seeing what other great books I read throughout 2022.

Burned by Ellen Hopkins is a novel that is written completely in verse. It was a very interesting read and I look forward to reading the sequel Smoke in the future. Ellen Hopkins has a way of writing that instantly pulls the reader in.

Pattyn Von Stratten is different than most teenage girls. She is being raised in an extremely religious, but abusive, family. Pattyn is beginning to question things and when she starts questioning things, her father does not approve. Pattyn begins questiong god, a woman’s role, sex, love, and she can’t stop thinking about love. She wants to know what it is, where is it, and most importantly, will she ever be able to experience it? She is not even sure she is deserving of it. These questions could be the first steps toward hell and eternal damnation. Pattyn’s father catches her in a compromising position and things begin to spin out of control and Pattyn ends up suspended from school and is sent to live with an aunt she does not know. When she moves in with her aunt for the first time in her life she finds love and acceptance.

From the beginning of this book I couldn’t stop reading. There was something about it that just instantly pulled me in and made me want to keep reading. I think Pattyn was a really well written character. I think this book can also help people understand everyone better. In Pattyn’s community she was made out to seem like she was rebellious, and uncaring, when in fact she was the complete opposite.

I gave this book 3.5/4 stars. I would definitely recommend this book. With it being written in verse it had an extra element to it that made it that much more interesting. The characters were strong, the plot was complicated and riveting. The whole novel just kept me hooked until the very end. If you have never read any of Ellen Hopkins books I would definitely recommend them!

After She Left by Claire Amarti had a lot of potential, but overall I felt the writing was a bit too simple. It was a nice, easy, quick read, but there was just something lacking for me. There were choices that the characters made that just confused me at times and I don’t know exactly what it was, but there was just something missing for me.

Gillian’s sister, Abigail, is gone. On December 26th, Abigail walks out of her house, located in the suburbs of Westchester, New York. Only leaving behind a strange note on the kitchen table. She is also leaving behind her ten year old son, Sam. Abigail has always been a little bit unreliable, but she has not done anything like this since Sam was born ten years ago. Now Gillian has to take care of Sam, while also trying to figure out where her sister went and when she will be back. At this time though, Gillian is also dealing with issues at home with her husband. His behavior has been odd and he has been out late into the night. Gillian has to now face all of these issues head on and when she discovers why her sister left, the truth will upend her whole world.

I had a lot of hope with this novel. I really was into in the beginning and I was eager to find out the ending, but when the truth came out about where Abigail was, it honestly fell really flat for me. I felt like there was a lot of build up for nothing really. In some regards I understand it, but overall I was pretty disappointed with this book. I think it was an easy read that for the most part kept me entertained though. I just wish there had been more to the story.

Overall I gave this book 2.5/5 stars. It definitely was not my favorite, but by no means did I hate the book. Like I mentioned earlier, it just kind of fell flat for me and left me longing for something else, and not in the satisfying way. I would definitely read another book by Claire Amarti because I did enjoy the real life feel to it, it just was not my favorite book or something I would ever long to read again.

I absolutely loved the novel All The Forgivenesses by Elizabeth Hardinger. It told the story of hardships, and trauma, and family, and addiction, and sacrifice, in such a beautiful way. All of the experiences of the main character were real and raw and the reader could feel the pain she was feeling.

On a farm in rural Kentcuky, 15 year old Albertina, also known as Bertie, Winslow has learned a lot from her mom, Polly. She knows how to take care of the house, cook, and most of the chores, but what she does not really know, is how to take care of children, how a mother should. When Polly is overtaken by an illness and dies, Bertie takes on the care of her four younger siblings. No matter how hard she tries though it is all just too much. Her father is also an alcoholic who is unreliable. Bertie makes the difficult decision to break up the family, in order for them all to survive and thrive. She sends the younger boys to live with one of her older brothers and she takes the girls. Bertie marries young and is grateful she found a husband willing to take on the care of her younger sisters. But Bertie quickly realizes marriage can’t fix everything, and it seems the grief and heartache from her past will always catch up with her.

Bertie was a very well written character. She was strong, but also vulnerable. The pain she experienced throughout the novel was palpable. Throughout a majority of the novel Bertie was only 15 and at times I would forget that because she had to take on so much. Lately I have been really loving historical fiction and coming of age novels, and this one did not disappoint. It was exactly what I needed.

I gave this book 4/5 stars. I would not hesitate to recommend it, especially if you like historical fiction and coming of age novels. This book was included with my kindle unlimited and I just randomly picked it one day and I am so glad that I did. The cover is what initially drew me in and from the beginning I could not stop reading it. I highly recommend this novel if you have not read it.

I cannot stop thinking about The Book of Lost Friends by Lisa Wingate. This novel was so good. It was beautifully written and left a lasting impact on me. It jumped between time periods which I loved, and all of the characters were strong and sympathetic.

Louisiana 1875, Hannie, Juneau Jane, and Lavinia are on a journey together heading for Texas. For Juneau Jane and Lavinia this journey is for an inheritance from their father, for Hannie, this journey is to find her family who she was separated from before the end of slavery. All Hannie wants to know, is if her family is still out there somewhere. Louisiana 1987, first year teacher, Benedetta Silva is working in a poor rural school. The town is not very welcoming of newcomers and Benny feels as if this is all too much. She doesn’t know how to reach her students, nor can she begin to comprehend their poverty-stricken lives. But amidst all of this, lies the history of three young women on a long ago journey, and a hidden book that could change everything and help Benny finally be able to reach her students.

I found this novel to be so interesting and different. I loved that it jumped back and forth between time periods and that the characters mentioned in 1875 were being connected to the characters from 1987. I found that with it jumping back and forth between time periods, it made the book go faster because it almost felt like two different novels. This book also contained real letters from newspapers in 1875. These letters and articles were known as The Lost Friends where people would write letters looking for their family, whom they were separated from during slavery.

I gave this book 4.5/5 stars. I would highly recommend this novel. I have been on a bit of a historical fiction kick lately and this novel made me just want to keep reading historical fiction. I honestly kind of randomly bought this book and I am so glad that I did. It was a super fast read for me, but I was able to take away so much from it. If you are looking for a good historical fiction novel, I would not hesitate to recommend this book.

I feel like I am kind of late to the game with Where The Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens, but I am so glad I finally read it. I can’t believe it took me so long to read this book. This book is a story of survival, but that is not all. It is also a story of resiliency, heartbreak, trauma, and ultimately love.

For years, Kya Clark, has been dubbed as “The Marsh Girl” by the residents of Barkley Cove. Kya has lived her life in the marsh by herself, as her family has one by one abandoned her. When Chase Andrews, who is a popular town resident, is found dead, the community of Barkley Cove immediately turn to Kya as the culprit. Kya though, is not what everyone believes, she is smart, and gentle, and kind. She has the skills to live in solitude forever, but she discovers that she does not really want to be alone forever. Kya opens herself up to two young men from town who are both intrigued by her, but then the unthinkable happens.

This book holds a lot. It is a historical fiction, coming of age novel, while also being a murder mystery novel. On top of that, romance is also thrown in and plays a big part in this novel. This book beautifully written and Kya Clark is such a strong character. Her growth throughout the novel was just so well written. And I felt the ending of the novel was perfect. It didn’t leave me longing for more. I found I got everything I could have wanted out of this book.

I gave this book 4.5/5 stars. Like I mentioned earlier, I absolutely loved this novel and I am so glad I finally read it. I would not hesitate to recommend this book to anyone. I think everyone could get something out of it and enjoy it.

At this point I have read quite a few books by Eliza Maxwell and I have to say The Grave Tender may be one of my favorites by her. It was super dark and chilling, but also incredibly interesting, and I all of the characters were well written and different.

Hadley Dixon feels haunted by her childhood in East Texas. People say that Hadley’s mother, Winnie, was never quite right, but one night irreparable act by her mother, shatters Hadley’s life forever. The aftershock after that night will haunt Hadley throughout her life, but she also knows the secrets and lies had all started long before that night. Now it is years later and widowed and pregnant Hadley is returning to her childhood home. Things don’t feel the same as before with a local boy’s disappearance hanging in the air with no answers. The townspeople are still whispering about Hadley’s reclusive Uncle Eli, and Hadley’s grandmother and her father, who are everything to her, avoid all of her questions. Hadley needs to figure out if this is a safe space to raise her children, but all of these questions begin shining light on all of the lies that have been surrounding Hadley her whole life.

As mentioned earlier, this book was really dark, but it was so interesting and I could not stop reading it. I would add a trigger warning because this book does deal with sexual assault. Throughout the whole novel I didn’t know who to trust. From the first page I was hooked in and I think I read the book in about a day. Hadley was a really strong character and all of the characters were well written. Reading this novel made me want to just keep reading books by Eliza Maxwell.

I gave this book 4.5/5 stars. I could not put this book down and when it was over I wished that there was more. I wanted to keep reading about Hadley and her life. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend this book or any of Eliza Maxwell’s novels.

Somebody’s Daughter is a beautiful memoir by Ashley C. Ford. It was a quick read, but very powerful, and exquisitely written. I would not hesitate to read this book again, nor would I hesitate to recommend it.

Ashley’s father has been incarcerated for most of her life and for as long as she can remember she has put him on a pedestal. She only has vague memories of seeing him in person, but she feels like he is the only person who really truly understands her. She believes she understands him as well. She believes one day they will be reunited and she will finally feel complete. The problem with this though is that he is in prison, she has no idea when he will get out, and she also does not know what he did to end up in prison. Through her difficulties at home with her mother, dealing with the aftermath of being raped, and through puberty and poverty, Ashley kind of leans on the image of her father as a comfort and as encouragement. When Ashley finally finds out why her father is really in prison that is kind of where the story really begins for her.

For being a relatively short book there was a still a whole lot to unpack in this memoir. I honestly cannot stop thinking about it because there were things in it that I related to, other things I was able to learn from. One of the things I personally love about reading memoirs is I feel that you can learn a lot from them, but you also can find yourself in them as well and learn from that and also know that you are not alone. Even though your experience is unique to you it is also comforting to know someone else has gone through something similar and you are not alone even if it feels as if you are.

I gave this book 5/5 stars and like I mentioned earlier, I would not hesitate to recommend it. I honestly will probably read this book multiple times. I am so glad I picked this book in my Book of the Month box a couple of months ago.

Bloodline by Jess Lourey was a very intriguing and different read. The whole time I was reading it I felt as if I was watching an episode of The Twilight Zone. I could not put this book down. Honestly, it was a little bit creepier than most books I read, but I thoroughly enjoyed it.

This story is inspired by real events. Joan Harken is a pregnant journalist, who is excited, but also cautious, about moving back to her Fiance’s Minnesota hometown, Lilydale. Lilydale’s motto is: “Come Home Forever” and Joan feels it couldn’t be more inviting. Except, something about it all feels off. She feels the friendliness is almost intrusive. Joan feels like everything she is doing is being watched and tracked. An archaic organization holds the town in thrall and so does the mystery of a little boy who vanished decades ago. Her fiance just keeps telling her she is paranoid, but Joan feels like she may have moved to the deadliest small town on earth.

This book was very different from a lot of the books I read. It was almost was too creepy for me, but at the same time I could not put it down. I just needed to know what was going on and what was going to happen. This novel almost made me feel like I was being paranoid about things.

I gave this book 5/5 stars. I would highly recommend it. Also, if you are a fan of The Twilight Zone I think you would like this book. The characters were interesting and unreliable, it was creepy, mysterious, it made me think throughout the whole novel because I had no idea what was coming. I can’t recommend this book enough. I also read Unspeakable Things by this author and I highly recommend that book as well. I hope in the future Jess Lourey writes more novels because I would 100% read them.