Hello fellow readers! It has been a while but I’m back with my Summer 2025 Wrap-Up, where I go over all the books I read from June to August. I’ll give you my thoughts and opinions, and let you know which books are worth picking up. Without further ado, let’s get into it.
Carrie Soto Is Back by Taylor Jenkins Reid – Starting off strong we have this novel by Taylor Jenkins Reid, who has authored The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo and Daisy Jones and the Six. I’ve read both of those books and while Evelyn Hugo remains my favorite from the author, Carrie Soto has taken the silver spot. Centering around a retired tennis player who comes out of retirement to protect her title, this is an excellent sports rivalry story that even a non-sports person like myself would enjoy. If you want more detailed thoughts about this book, you can check out my review at https://rachelrheil.com/blog/2025/06/carrie-soto-is-back-by-taylor-jenkins-reid-review/.
A Flicker in the Dark by Stacey Willingham – We are back to the thriller genre with this BookTok favorite. It follows Chloe, a psychologist whose father infamously murdered several teenage girls over a decade ago. Chloe has seemingly moved on but when girls begin to disappear in a similar manner to the victims of her father, Chloe finds herself drawn in. Fast paced and well written, this definitely a thriller worth picking up in the summertime.
What We Tried to Bury Grows Here by Julian Zabalbeascoa – Set during the Spanish Civil War, this short historical fiction follows a variety of characters on both sides of the conflict. While the writing in this was beautiful, I found myself struggling to get through it and ended up DNF’ing after a hundred pages.
One Italian Summer by Rebecca Serle – No summer can be complete without at least one romance set in a warm destination. For this year I went with One Italian Summer, following a young woman who, after the death of her mother, travels to the Italian village her mother stayed in many years ago. But something might be in the air and when our main protagonist finds herself transported back in time, she must face the challenges she has been avoiding. Overall, this was a quite summer read that was short enough to be enjoyable.
Bad Tourists by Caro Craver – Now on to the books I read during Summerween (check out this post: https://rachelrheil.com/blog/2025/07/summerween-readathon-2025-wrap-up/). I started the readathon with Bad Tourists and while it was decent enough, there was nothing about this vacation thriller that set it apart from other ones.
Home Before Dark by Riley Sager – Now the same can not be said about this haunted house horror! I’ve only read one other Riley Sager book, The Only One Left, and that was very good. But Home Before Dark is my favorite of Mr. Sager’s by far! If there is one book from my Summer reading list that I would highly encourage you to read, it would be this one.
Comfort Me with Apples by Catherynne M. Valente – Next I went to a novella. A retelling of a Biblical story, this was a wild ride for such a short story and while I didn’t completely understand everything going on, I would say that if you are looking for something a bit out of the ordinary, then give this novella a shot.
The Ghostwriter by Julie Clark – The final book I read for the readathon was this new release thriller. Focusing a ghost writer (duh) who is asked by her own famous author novel to write his memoirs, this twisty thriller involved our ghost writer trying to solve a decades long mystery; is her father innocent or did he really kill his brother and sister? While the ending left something to be desired, I do this the buildup and mystery was well done.
The Last One at the Wedding by Jason Reukulak – Taking the spot for most surprising book I read during the summer is this mystery by Jason Rekulak. While this novel centers around a father trying to uncover the secrets of the family his daughter is marrying into, I found this less of a mystery and more literary fiction, focusing on the complicated dynamics between parents and their children. While some might not like this, I found it a welcomed surprise and gave it a very well deserving five stars.
We Were Liars by E. Lockhart – I picked up this young adult novel for the simple fact that it was being adapted by Amazon Prime. And while I was able to finish the show, I couldn’t get through the book. It was a book that read very young adult and while I would recommend it for readers in that age range, if you are past the young adult phase I would suggest skipping this one. That being said, that twist at the ending? Very well done.
The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman – Another DNF. Unfortunately the British humor was lost on me but if you enjoy cozy mysteries and find yourself laughing at the humor exhibited by the Brits, this might be your cup of tea.
People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry – A couple of years ago I picked up my first Emily Henry book, Happy Place and while I found it enjoyable enough, I found it overwhelming, particularly with how well liked Ms. Henry’s books are. That being said, I decided to give her another chance with one of her most beloved books, People We Meet on Vacation. Centering around friends Poppy and Alex who take a summer vacation with each other every year since college, this romantic comedy had all the summer vibes and was a big step up from Happy Place. It still wasn’t a five star book for me, but it was an enjoyable four star.
The Wedding People by Alison Espach – Now let’s talk about a book that pretty much met all my expectations. When it was published last year, The Wedding People blew up on social media. So much so that I was determined to read it this summer. And I’m glad I did! While you can read my full review at https://rachelrheil.com/blog/2025/08/the-wedding-people-by-alison-espach-review/, I’ll just say here that it was a book that lived up to the hype and I would recommend it to anyone looking for a fun summer book (though I would advise everyone to check the trigger warnings before you do).
The Poseidon Network by Kathryn Gauci – I went back to historical fiction with this World War Two espionage thriller. Taking place in Egypt and Greece, we follow SOE agent Larry Hadley who is tasked with working with the Poseidon Network under the leadership of the White Rose. But when a massacre takes place in a small village, Larry suspects someone in the network is a spy for the Germans, and it might be the woman he has fallen in love with. As always, Ms. Gauci writes an excellent, well crafted, historically accurate story that kept me guessing until the very last minute.
Before We Were Innocent by Ella Berman – This was a DNF. I only got about fifty pages in before giving up.
Drowning by T.J. Newman – Along with The Wedding People this thriller that takes place on a plane that crashes was all over social media last summer and when I found a cheap copy of it at the book store I decided to give it a try. Since Ms. Newman used to work on planes before becoming an author, I found the novel to be very realistic in it’s portrayal of protocol when these type of situations arise. As for the story itself it was perfectly fine but I didn’t find myself connecting to any of the characters.
The God of the Woods by Liz Moore – The last book I picked up this summer was one of my most anticipated books of the year. Last year I read, and loved, Long Bright River by Liz Moore so I was excited to read her newest release. While it does fall slightly short of Long Bright River, I did find this to be a riveting read that focuses on the disappearance of a camper whose brother also mysteriously died in the same camp a decade ago. Switching between multiple perspectives, this book will keep you guessing until the very last page.
Happy September fellow readers and welcome to my Fall 2025 TBR. As with the two previous seasons I am sharing with you the books I am hoping to get to during the Fall (September-November). And make sure to check in again soon as I will be posting my Summer 2025 Wrap-Up, going over all the books I read during the summer (which is quite a few so stay tuned).
I don’t know about you but Fall is one of my favorite seasons, not just for the vibes but for the reading. I love reading twisty thrillers, enthralling dark academia, and terrifying horror. Below is a list of 10 books I am hoping to get to. What are your reading goals for the season?
Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia – A leftover from my Fall 2024 TBR, I am hoping to get to this highly recommended horror novel. When her newly married cousin begs for her help, believing her husband is trying to kill her, Noemi does not hesitate to pack her bags and head to the isolated Mexican countryside. But when she arrives, nothing is as it appears to be and with so many possibilities of what could be going on, Noemi is going to need all the help she can get in trying to uncover the family’s darkest secrets.
For Your Own Good by Samantha Downing – I was beyond thrilled when I discovered a copy of this dark academia thriller at Half Price Books a few months ago. Centering on teacher Teddy Crutcher, who may or may not be a serial killer (but probably is), this wicked mystery becomes a game of cat and moose as Teddy tries to hide his darkest secrets while students, teachers, and colleagues alike attempt to find out who killed a student, who might have been asking Teddy the wrong questions.
Don’t Let the Forest In by C.G. Drews – One thing I have discovered in my reading journey over the last year or so is that young adult novels are not exactly for me. But this horror book might be the exception. Centering on a high school boy whose dark drawings seemingly come to life, this 2024 novel has been making a big impact on the book community and I’ve decided I just can’t ignore it anymore.
This Book Will Bury Me by Ashley Winstead – A book I’ve been meaning to get to since it’s release this spring, Ms. Winstead promises to deliver on this crime thriller. When three college girls are murdered, amateur sleuth Jane Sharp and her group of equally crime fighting friends travel to the small college town to discover the truth. But the more Jane and her friends uncover, the more they begin to suspect they are walking into a trap. Can they solve the case or will Jane be the next victim?
Hot Wax by M.L. Rio – I’ve talked about this upcoming release a lot lately so I’ll reframe from repeating it but this is one of my most highly anticipated books this year and I am crossing my fingers (and toes!) that it becomes another classic by M.L. Rio.
When the Wolf Comes Home by Nat Cassidy – Often referred to as the modern Stephen King, horror king Nat Cassidy is back with what I am hearing is a truly terrifying werewolf story. When struggling actress Jane discovers a five year old boy hiding in the bushes outside her apartment building, Jane does the normal and humane thing and tries to help the boy. But that might end up being the worst decision she has ever made when she learns what they are truly up against.
A Dowry of Blood by S.T. Gibson – Another book I’m sure everyone is tired of hearing me talk about, but I am very much hoping to get to this Dracula retelling this year.
The September House by Carissa Orlando – When Margaret and her husband, Hal, bought their large Victorian home they thought it would be the home of their dreams. But, the home came with an unexpected guest…or a few unexpected guests. Every September, Margaret and Hal find themselves sharing the home with a slew of ghosts. It’s not convenient, but what else can they do? They have a mortgage to pay. Year after year they put up with their roommates but when Hal disappears, Margaret finds the house is keeping even more secrets and she will have to uncover all of them in order to find her husband. A combination of horror and comedy, The September House seems like it will be the perfect kickoff to the spooky season.
The Ex Hex by Erin Sterling – Inevitably, at some point, I’ll need a break from all the spooky horror and will want to read something light but also in keeping with the Fall vibes. This fun romance by Erin Sterling (pen name for Rachel Hawkins) might do the trick and will focus on witch Vivienne and mortal Rhys as they try to solve how to lift a hex that has been placed on Rhys…by Vivienne.
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte – Capping off this is list is a possible re-read. I loved Jane Eyre when I read it for the first time as an undergrad but haven’t had a chance to pick it up again. It was on my TBR last year but this year I hope I can finally give it a well earned re-read.
When camp counselor Louise wakes up, she finds herself in a nightmare. Overnight, one of the campers, teenager Barbara, has disappeared and none of her bunkmates know where she has gone. The police are called and a search begins. But there are whispers that the case seems eerily similar to a disappearance that happened a decade ago. The victim? Barbara’s older brother, Bear. Is it just an unfortunate coincidence or is something more sinister going on?
Last year I read Liz Moore’s Bright Young River and it almost made my top 10 books of 2024 so I was excited to read her newest book. The story is told from the perspective of various characters; camp counselor Louise, Barbara’s mother Alice, Barbara’s bunkmate Tracy, detective Judy, and a couple of chapters told from other supporting characters. I mostly enjoyed this layout as I got the thoughts of various characters though there were a few characters’ POV I didn’t think was needed.
The book is well paced, however, despite being almost 500 pages. The atmosphere and feeling of the book was also well done. The story felt creepy and tension filled as the reader tries to uncover the truth about Bear and Barbara. That being said, I wouldn’t necessarily consider this a mystery in the traditional sense. There are no clues really uncovered through a good chunk of the book and the little clues we do get comes in the last 100 pages. Some might find this frustrating but I believe it worked for story.
That being said, the ending and the truth about Bear and Barbara’s disappearances left a bit to be desired. Without giving any spoilers, I will only say that wasn’t as developed as the rest of the story and felt rushed. As a result, I was unable to give this a full five stars.
4 out of 5 stars
Phoebe Stone’s life has fallen apart. Her college sweetheart and husband of several years has not only cheated on her with a work colleague but is also divorcing her. Her job no longer carries any meaning for her and she can’t finish her book to save herself. And on top of everything, her cat has died. Unable to take it anymore, Phoebe makes a spontaneous trip to Newport, Rhode Island and booked the best room at a high end hotel. But when she arrives, she finds the entire hotel is booked for a lavish wedding that weekend. Before Phoebe realizes it, she’s pulled into the wedding’s drama and it might just be up to Phoebe to make sure the thing goes off without a hitch.
I first heard about
The Wedding People last year when it came out and marked it as a book to read sometime down the line. However, when I began to see everyone and their mother reading and loving this book, I knew I had to get to it this summer.
And I’m so happy I did.
The Wedding People, on the outside, seems like a typical romantic comedy book but I found it to be so much deeper than that. It’s a story about life, and the ups and downs of it. It was relatable and the characters were so flushed out that it felt like I actually knew this people.
Now, to be as transparent as possible without revealing spoilers, I do want to add a trigger warning to this book that I don’t think anyone really talks about because, when I read it, I was shocked as I hadn’t been expecting it.
A large part of the book deals with frank discussions of suicide, particularly in the first chapter. It completely took my surprise since, as the book summary suggests, it’s a story that doesn’t deal with a lot of deep topics. But, it does and suicide is the most prevalent so be aware of that going into the story. The author does handle it the topic well and I found it to be very believable.
Despite this, I really enjoyed this book and the biggest strength of it is, as I mentioned, the characters. I loved all of them and would love to see them again in another story, even if the end of The Wedding People concludes everyone’s story in a thoughtful way.
I did have to knock off a star, however, because I did feel the story went on for too long. If it had been shortened up a bit, it would be an easy five stars. Nonetheless, you should pick this one up. It is 100% worth the hype.
4.5 stars out of 5
Is it possible to stay friends with someone even if they live hundreds of miles away from each other and have barely spoken in two years? That’s what travel writer Poppy Wright wonders as she evaluates her life. She has a dream job but finds it unfulfilling. She has a gorgeous apartment in New York City but she is single. She loves her parents but can’t help but feel embarrassed by them. Poppy has a list of problems and while she has girlfriend to lean on, the only person she wants to talk to her is her college friend, and travel buddy, Alex Nilsen.
Ten years ago the two crossed paths while freshmen at the University of Chicago. After a forced road trip together, the two form a bond and make it a tradition to go on vacation together for one week every summer. But, eight years into their friendship, a trip to Croatia ended with Poppy and Alex not speaking to each other and putting their friendship on a two year hiatus.
But Poppy doesn’t want to keep it that way and she reaches out, hoping to resume the summer vacation tradition. But as Poppy and Alex attempt to leave the past in the past, they can’t help but be faced with tough questions and feelings that simply won’t go away.
Two years ago I read my first Emily Henry book, Happy People, and I gave it three stars. However, since most die hard Emily Henry fans considered that book to be one of her least impressive works, I decided to give her books another go and picked up one of her works that is nearly universally loved, People We Meet on Vacation. After reading this I can see why Emily Henry has a loyal fan base.
Ms. Henry knows how to write a good romance that is filled with humor, self reflection, and an understanding of how complex love can be. The characters of Poppy and Alex are well developed and I found myself believing not on their friendship but the romantic feelings they ended up feeling for each other. I also found the ending of this one to be much better than the one in Happy People. Happy People‘s ending left me immensely frustrated with the female character seemingly settling but in People We Meet on Vacation I felt Poppy and Alex equally compromised and handled their situations as adults.
That being said, I didn’t give this a full five stars since I found the big event in Croatia to be not that big of a deal. Both Poppy and Alex acted like children when this event occurred and I found it unbelievable that what happened in Croatia would have caused them to not speak to each other for two years.
Overall, this is a solid four star read and I find myself now more open to trying another Emily Henry book in the future.
4 out of 5 stars
After a three year long estrangement from his only child, Frank Szatowski is overjoyed when his daughter, Maggie, calls him out of the blue. Not only that, Maggie is ready to forgive him for the past and to begin a new relationship.
Even more amazing? Maggie is engaged to be married and she wants her father to be there. Frank is surprised but overjoyed at the prospect of mending his relationship with Maggie and while he is more than taken aback by Maggie’s fiancé’s family wealth, he is willing to look past it and enjoy the wedding, set to take place at Maggie’s in-laws summer retreat. But once Frank arrives with his sister Tammy and her foster daughter, he begins to ask questions that aren’t welcomed and the more Frank learns about the Gardners, particularly Maggie’s fiancé, Aidan, the more he fears Maggie is in way over her head.
This was a very quick and fun read. You get into the story right away and become engrossed in Frank’s story while also wondering if he is a reliable narrator, a trope that I personally enjoy. And while this book is classified as a mystery/thriller, I found the biggest strength of the story was the characters and their dynamics with one another, particularly with Frank and Maggie’s relationship.
Their history, and the falling out they had a few years earlier, holds the story together and is the main driving force behind both characters’ actions. I found this dynamic to be very interesting and it was what kept me so invested in the story. In a sense, I would argue that The Last One at the Wedding is less murder mystery and more literary fiction.
Of course, there is a mystery/thriller aspect to this story but I found it to take a back seat to the characters and their relationships, a fact that didn’t really bother me. If you are going into this story expecting a good mystery, I would suggest this one as it is a fairly easy mystery to unravel. But, if you are open to this book being more than that, I would highly recommend it. It wasn’t what I was expecting but found it enjoyable all the same.
5 out of 5 stars
Hello fellow readers! And just like that, Summerween 2025 is over. I’m a little late posting this wrap-up but I finally have my thoughts about the books I read and want to share them with you. Check out my thoughts below and let me know what you have read so far this summer.
Bad Tourists by Caro Carver – Centering on three best friends who travel to the Maldives to celebrate one of the ladies getting a divorce, this beachy retreat soon becomes a living nightmare when dark secrets are revealed and someone ends up murdered. If you’ve been following my blog for a while now, you might recall my Spring TBR 2025 Wrap-Up in which I talked about another beachy thriller, She Started It, in which a group of friends go to a remote island for a bachelorette party. If you have read that one, then you don’t need to pick up Bad Tourists. The plots are very similar and honestly there wasn’t much here worth mentioning. It wasn’t a bad book by any stretch of the imagination but it also did nothing overly impressive.
Home Before Dark by Riley Sager – Now let’s talk about a book that was my standout from the readathon. Last year during Summerween I read my first Riley Sager book, The Only One Left, and gave it a solid 3.5 stars. However, Home Before Dark is a superb five star read. Everything about this book was superbly done but the standout was the atmosphere.
From the first page, the creepiness and the mystery of Baneberry Hall sets in, pulling you deeper into the story. Honestly, if I had not started this book on the Fourth of July, I would have finished it in one day. There was never a point where I wanted to take a break, I just wanted to keep going and figure out if Baneberry Hall was haunted or not. Unlike The Only One Left‘s main protagonist, who made quite a few questionable decisions that I found to be unbelievable, the main character of Maggie doesn’t. That is not to say she doesn’t make bad decisions but they are believable and moved the plot along in a good way. I could not recommend this book enough for either Summerween or the actual Halloween season. You’ll get through it quickly and hopefully love it just as much as I did.
Comfort Me with Apples by Catherynne M. Valente – Let’s move on to the weird and puzzling. Earlier this year I read Bunny by Mona Awad and noted in both my review and Spring 2025 TBR wrap-up that I wasn’t going to score this book because it was such a weird story that I didn’t feel I could accurately rate it.
The exact same thing can be said about Comfort Me with Apples.
This novella, barely a hundred pages long, is a retelling of a Biblical story (I won’t say which one in case you want to read it though it sort of is obvious after reading a few pages) and in the last twenty pages, Ms. Valente cranks the weird factor from one to a thousand. The novella also has an ambiguous ending, in my opinion, and I was left more confused than satisfied. That being said, I don’t think I was the target audience for this so if you enjoy something a bit odder this one would be worth picking up.
The Ghostwriter by Julie Clark – The final book I actually finished during the readathon was this new release by Julie Clark. Centering on a ghostwriter, Olivia, the story follows Olivia writing a horror author’s memoirs. But, not only is the author Olivia’s father, Vincent Taylor, who she has an ice cold relationship with, but the memoirs are focusing on one particular event in Vincent’s life that has followed him throughout his career; the murders of his brother, Danny, and sister, Poppy, who the public believes were killed by Vincent himself. As Olivia tries to uncover the mystery, secrets are revealed and Olivia finds herself asking more questions.
Truthfully, I was very conflicted about this book after I finished it. On the one hand I loved the premise and the idea that we are following a ghostwriter who is trying to put together the pieces of a messy puzzle. And yet, there were parts of the book that left me unfulfilled, particularly the ending. I won’t reveal it but the twist was okay. If you have read a lot of thriller/mystery books you might be able to guess it and that’s why I am conflicted. Ultimately, I settled on 3.5 stars out of 5. As I mentioned, the premise was the part of the story I liked the most but between the ending and the development of the characters (not a huge fan of Olivia, sorry) I didn’t feel like it lived up to the current hype it is receiving.
When Chloe was twelve years old, her father was arrested for the murder of six teenage girls. With a full confession and evidence to support he committed the crimes, Chloe’s father was sentenced to prison and Chloe was left to pick up the broken pieces of her former life.
Twenty years later, Chloe has relocated to Baton Rouge and owns a small but thriving private practice where, as a psychologist, she tries to help others. She is happily engaged and just a month away from her wedding. But then, history begins to seemingly repeat itself when teenage girls start to go missing. Chloe attempts to brush off the fact that the murders seem to be copycats of the ones her father committed, but she finds herself being pulled in to the case. Aided by a young reporter, Chloe attempts to find out the truth, no matter the cost.
I had wanted to read A Flicker in the Dark for a long time as it seemingly took the book community by storm when it was released and overall it met most of my expectations. The setting of Louisiana was perfect as the reader could feel the humidity the state is known for rise with the tension of the novel. The plot was well crafted and held my interest from the start. The twist at the end was also done well and left me a little surprised.
So why is it not a five star read? This was mainly due to some of the cliches Ms. Willingham intertwined with the story, the biggest being Chloe’s drug dependency. This goes for all thriller books. Can we stop having our protagonists hooked on some sort of drug? I understand that this is an issue a lot of people in the world face and it can help cast doubt on what the character is thinking or seeing but it has become so overdone that it has become more of a negative to the story than a positive. Additionally, the cliche of the police not believing Chloe and questioning her story is also something I have seen time and again.
A Flicker in the Dark is a good read but be aware of thriller cliches throughout the story. If that doesn’t bother you, than this might be just be the book for you.
4 out of 5 stars
Hello fellow pumpkin spiced readers! Yes, it’s that time of year again. It’s time for the Summerween book readathon! This super fun readathon was created by _myfictionalworld (also known as gabbyreads) and oliviareadsalatte on Instagram and YouTube. If you aren’t familiar with this popular readathon, it is a week long event in which fellow book lovers are encouraged to read thrillers and chillers that give you the spooky vibes in the summertime.
In other words, something I look forward to every year. The readathon is taking place from July 5-12th and you can check out the prompts and Instagram challenges on the event’s Instagram page (@thisissummerween). Like last year I will be starting the readathon a bit earlier on July 3rd (sadly, I still have a 9-5 so I have to sneak in reading time when I can) and I am going to try and follow the specific prompts. Check out below to see what I’m hoping to sink my teeth into and make sure to tune in after the readathon for my reviews of the books I read.
Are you participating in the readathon? What do you hope to read?
Prompts:
Read a book in the dark or at night: Home Before Dark by Riley Sager
Read a horror or thriller book: The Ghostwriter by Julie Clark
Read a book with a sky on the cover: Bad Tourists by Caro
Read a book you’ve owned for more than a year: The God of the Woods by Liz Moore
Read a novella, manga, or listen to a spooky audiobook: Comfort Me with Apples by Catherynne Valente
Hello fellow readers! Somehow we’ve made it to the end of June, which means we are already halfway through 2025! And that it is time for the Mid Year Freakout book tag. I’ve done this challenge for the last two years and am back for a third year to share with you my answers to this viral book tag.
1. How many books you’ve read so far. 24
2. Best book you’ve read so far this year. This is a tossup between two wintery thrillers I read in the beginning of the year; The Gathering by C.J. Tudor and Dead of Winter by Darcey Coates. While they were both distinctively different, both enraptured me and I’m sure both will somehow end up in my top 10 best books of the year, unless this second half of the year has a whole lot of five star reads.
3. New release you haven’t read yet but want to. The answer to this question actually came to me just recently. As many of you know, M.L. Rio has written one of my favorite dark academia books, If We Were Villains, and her novella, Graveyard Shift, was fantastic. In 2025 she is releasing her second novel, Hot Wax, and while I have no idea what it is about, you better believe I will be picking it up when it is released in the fall and will read it before the end of the year.
4. Biggest disappointment. Unfortunately, I have had a couple of disappointments this year. But the one that hurt the most was Blue Sisters by Coco Mellors. I really thought this was going to be a five star read but it just wasn’t what I hoped it would be.
5. Biggest surprise. I’m going to have to say Lisa Jewell’s None of This Is True. I suspected this one was going to be good but the fact that it kept me guessing until the end made it a very welcome surprise, especially after how dismal my spring reading journey went.
6. Favorite new author (debut or new to you). Darcey Coates. After reading Dead of Winter I will be reading more of her works in the future.
7. Newest fictional crush. Going to have say no one. I don’t have many book crushes, I need a visual.
8. Newest favorite character. Likewise, there hasn’t been a new character that I have come to adore. I did admire Carrie Soto from Carrie Soto Is Back so I’ll go with that.
9. Book that made you cry. I haven’t had a good book cry yet this year though the closest came in Carrie Soto Is Back.
10. Book that made you happy. I mean, who can read a Finlay Donovan book and not be happy?
11. Favorite book to film adaptation that you’ve seen this year. I have no answer for this one. I haven’t read any books that are have been adapted. That being said, I do hope to get to The Thursday Murder Club this summer before the movie drops on Netflix.
12. Most beautiful book you have acquired this year. I did acquire the stunning, special edition of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo. It has sprayed edges and amazing artwork inside the book itself. Simply gorgeous!
13. Best sequel you’ve read so far. I have only read one sequel this year and that is Finlay Donovan Jumps the Gun.
14. What books do you need to read before the end of the year? Quite a few but I am prioritizing Hot Wax by M.L. Rio, This Book Will Bury Me by Ashley Winstead, and the newest releases from my fellow indie writers.
