Hello fellow readers and happy spring! Well kind of. The first day of spring isn’t until a bit longer but if you are like me, once March hits, I’m ready to say goodbye to the snowy winter and hello to blooming flowers and pleasant temperatures.
I’m also ready to create my Spring TBR. Now, a quick disclaimer. I know there are exact months for every season, but I have my own definition of what months are part of spring, summer, fall, and winter. So for the sake of ease, I am classifying spring as March, April, and May. During this time I like to indulge in romance, literary fiction, dark academia, and historical fiction (that’s actually always on the table). I’ve put together a list of 10 books I’m hoping to get to in the next three months. Then, once the season is over, make sure to check back in as I do my Spring Wrap-Up, where I share all my thoughts on the books I read during the season. What books are you hoping to get to this season?
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Normal People by Sally Rooney – No author seems to have had more of an impact on Millennials and Generation Z than Sally Rooney. Her stories are often timely and explore the complexities of the human experience. Or so I’ve been told. I’ve actually never read a Sally Rooney novel but this Spring I’m going to change that. I’m hoping to get to her most famous work, Normal People, which follows the ups and downs of Connell and Marianne and the consequences of their actions.
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The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman – At a retirement village, four friends meet up once a week to solve cold murders. But when a murder is actually committed in their own village, the four band together to solve their first ever murder. Are they up to the challenge? This mystery, the first in a series, seems warm and funny. I’m hoping for some Finlay Donovan vibes.
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A Court of Thornes and Roses by Sarah J. Maas – On a total different note, I am hoping also to read the first book in the ACTOR series. A fantasy series that follows a huntress and faerie as a wicked enemy begins to take form and threatens their existence, this book has exploded in popularity over the last couple of years. I’m not much of a fantasy girlie, but I’m hoping to expand my reading interests with this TikTok favorite.
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The Dance Tree by Kiran Millwood Hargrave – A short historical fiction read I’m hoping to get to this season, The Dance Tree takes place in France, 1518 when a dancing plague comes across the town our protagonist lives in. I don’t know much else about this story, but it sounds like an exciting read and could potentially become a great recommendation for anyone wanting to dive into different historical fiction stories.
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None of This Is True by Lisa Jewell – Of course, my TBR always seems to have at least one thriller (or more). When two women, sharing the same birthday, have multiple run ins with each other, they can’t just assume it is a coincidence. As their friendship grows, a shocking disappearance thrusts one of the women into the spotlight and she must uncover an assortment of lies and secrets to get to the truth. I can already picture myself reading this Memorial Day weekend with a nice cold drink.
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They Wish They Were Us by Jessica Goodman – Spring is also the season where I like to jump back into the dark academia genre. While there is nothing like reading one of these books during the Fall season when students return to school, Spring is a close second and this young adult novel takes place at an exclusive prep school where, three years ago, Jill’s best friend was murdered by her boyfriend. The boyfriend, Graham, confessed, and the case was closed. But now, as Jill enters her senior year, mysterious texts may cause her to second guess exactly what happened on that fateful night.
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Finlay Donovan Jumps the Gun by Elle Cosimano – Finlay Donovan is back in this third installment of the series and I could not be more excited. While I do have some fears due to the fact that the third book hasn’t been as beloved as the first two, I am thrilled to be reunited with Finlay and her ever loyal sidekick Vero.
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The Deep by Alma Kutsu – Every April I try to get to at least one Titanic book and this year it is going to be The Deep. I picked up a copy after finding it at a discount store and don’t know much else about it. I’ll make sure to report back to you at the end of the season.
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Bunny by Mona Award – The second dark academia story on this TBR, Bunny is a novel I have been meaning to get to the last couple of years. The story follows a young girl at a university where she finds herself involved in a mysterious secret society of fellow female students who call themselves The Bunnies. From there, the story takes off. I have been warned I will either love or hate this book, and I am hoping for the first option to come true.
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Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen – Last year I did not read as many classics as I wanted to. This year, I am hoping to rectify that and to start that off I plan to read the one Jane Austen novel I have never picked up, Sense and Sensibility. It is said to have the perfect spring vibes and I am looking forward to adding it to my classics collection.
When her boyfriend Kiernan suggests they go on an exclusive hiking trip to the Rocky Mountains during the off-season, Christa is less pleased. But loves make one do stupid things and Christa reluctantly agrees to join Kiernan and a handful of other adventure seekers on the adventure.
Christa could not have made a worse decision.
Nearly upon arrival a furious winter storm slams the group’s tour bus and they are forced to seek shelter in a small cabin in the middle of the woods. Everyone, except Kiernan that is. He and Christa were separated from the group and while Christa is eventually able to find the others, Kiernan is no where to be found.
But that is about to be the least of Christa’s problems. When members of the group begin to go missing and their bodies turn up in a gruesome manner, Christa will need to use all her wits to make it through the storm.
Nearly from the start, Dead of Winter grabs you and straps you in for a nonstop horror ride of violence, horror, mystery, and thrills. The concept of a group of strangers being stranded by the elements is not a new concept but Ms. Coates is able to breath some new life into the otherwise mundane plot. The biggest strength of the story is how quickly things seem to get out of hand, building on a tension that has existed almost from page one when Christa and Kiernan get separated.
The characters are fairly flushed out and the challenges they encounter are both realistic and detailed. Of course, Christa has a previous trauma that plays a part in her decision making and that trauma inevitably comes up halfway through the story. In hindsight, I could see where the author was going with that previous event, but it was still interesting when it was revealed.
The reason why Dead of Winter did not get a full five stars is because of how it ended. Yes, the killer is revealed but there is a huge question left unanswered by the end (and if you have/read the story, you’ll probably understand what I’m alluding to). Nevertheless, Dead of Winter is still a good, nail biting horror novel that certainly keeps you interested. As far as the horror level of this book, I think I can saw it is bearable to someone who is new to the genre like myself. There are some detailed scenes of gruesome discoveries, but if you can stomach that (or at least skim over it), this book is well worth a read.
It’s just before Christmas and college student Darby has just received the worst news anyone can receive. Her mother has been diagnosed with cancer and the prognosis is not good. Despite a winter storm beating down on the state of Colorado, Darby jumps into her car and begins to make the drive home. But when the road becomes too treacherous, Darby is forced to stop and spend the night at a tiny rest stop with four strangers. Darby intends to pass the night as uneventfully as possible, but when she steps outside to try and get cell reception, she discovers a child in a cage in the back of one of the strangers’ car. What happens next is a highly intensive, nail biting evening where there just might be no survivors left to tell the tale.
Last year I read Taylor Adams’ latest thriller, The Last Word. That ended up on my top ten best books of 2024 so I was excited to pick up the book that jumpstarted Mr. Adams’ career. Like his latest book, No Exit is a quick reader that I read almost in one entire sitting. Once Darby discovers the child, there is little time to breath let alone feel any other emotion besides fear for Darby and the kidnapped girl. As the reader attempts to find out what is happening, Mr. Adams hits you with curveball after curveball.
Like The Last Word, Mr. Adams crafts a masterful story that doesn’t relent as well as characters you’ll come to admire and despise (depending on which one you are talking about). He also proves that he can take simple scenarios, like being stranded at a remote rest stop, and make it a harrowing experience that convinced me that maybe I shouldn’t stop at a rest stop next time I’m on a road trip.
Best to stop at a busy gas station where there is at least a dozen people there at all times.
However, No Exit does suffer from the one thing The Last Word also struggled with which is, Mr. Adams does not know how to end the story. That is why I did not give this book a full five stars but a four and a half. There were several times where the story could have come to an end and it would have been perfect, but Mr. Adams continued the story. That is the one thing I would hope would be fixed in the next Taylor Adams book.
Despite this, No Exit is a thrilling read that is perfect for the cold, snowy winter months. It’s terrifying, heart pounding, and at times gruesome (and if you know, you know). If you enjoyed The Last Word you will most likely like this one as well.
When a teenage boy is brutally murdered in a small Alaskan town, the town immediately knows who is responsible. It is not a jealous, a jaded friend, or serial killer stalking the teenagers of Deadhart. The culprit is a far deadlier enemy, a member of the Colony, a vampyr.
Detective Barbara Atkins isn’t as confident.
In a world where an uneasy alliance exists between humans and vampyrs, Barbara knows that whenever someone turns up dead, a vampyr is immediately blamed. As a result, Barbara works for a government agency in charge of investigating all possible related vampyr incidents and determine if a vampyr is truly at fault. If they are, Barbara is authorized a cull.
Arriving in Deadhart, all the evidence seems to point to a vampyr culprit but as Barbara digs deeper and learns that old prejudices thrive in Deadhart, she begins to suspect that the young boy’s death may only be the start to unraveling a web of deception and old town secrets.
To begin, this is an excellent story to pull out during the cold dreary months of January and February where, if you live in a place like me, snow and cold weather are the norm. You immediately feel the coldness Deadhart is situated in and it adds to the reading experience. But it is not just the ambience that The Gathering succeeds at. This is a fast paced read that, while revealing a lot of information and including a large cast of characters, is never bogged down or feels to drag. The tension is continually built and leads to exciting reveals.
The world Ms. Tudor constructs around the vampyrs is excellently done and it makes the reader think these types of groups do actually exist. Of course, it doesn’t take the reader long to realize that the Colony is very much an allegory for how minorities are treated in the United States, but Ms. Tudor does make it her own and the story feels very original.
While The Gathering is classified as a horror novel, I would not describe it overall as very scary or gruesome. While there are scenes discussing violence and how someone was killed, it was not very graphic and I would say this would be the perfect book to pickup if you are new to the horror genre (like myself).
The ending gives the impression that a second book is possible and I do hope Ms. Tudor decides to continue Barbara’s adventures. I would certainly pick it up in a heartbeat.
Elderly Vivien Morris receives a letter from an old friend’s daughter, informing her that the daughter’s mother has passed away. With both her parents gone, the daughter asks Vivien how she came to know her family.
In 1940, Vivien was a dropout of Vassar College. Fed up with their daughter, Vivien’s parents pack her away to New York City to life with her theatrical aunt, Peg, in her crumbling theater house, hoping it will teach her a lesson and finally led Vivien to decide on what she values in her life. Instead, Vivien finds herself in a new world, filled with showgirls, sex, and freeing ambition. But when a lapse in judgement leads to Vivien being outcasted, she will have to decide just on who she wants to be.
City of Girls is very much a character study, focusing on one woman’s journey from girlhood into being a successful, well-rounded, and confident woman who learns she can’t rely on the approval of others to be happy. It’s a story that well resonate with a lot of people, regardless of gender. Often, at least in my own experience, life in your early years can feel overwhelming and it is can be easy to be swept up in the confusion of it all. But as Ms. Gilbert demonstrates in this story, that’s okay. The important lesson to be taken is to learn from your past mistakes and strive to be the person you want to be.
Concerning the plot itself, it does at time lags, particularly in the first half. There are some parts that Ms. Gilbert could have omitted from the story in order for it to flow better. The atmosphere is interesting and I loved exploring the world of a New York City showgirl. The family dynamics, not just with Vivien and her parents but also with her brother and aunt are fascinating to explore and the story does focus on the idea that family is not always who you are blood related to but the people you surround yourself with.
All that being said, it should be noted that while the summary of the story promises a nonstop adventure of showgirl life in the 1940s, it really is not. As I previously mentioned, this is very much a character study about a woman’s life, primarily focused in the 1940s but also exploring the New York City that came out of the Second World War in the 50s and 60s. Nonetheless, it is still a story worth diving into.
And here we are. The best of 2024. Any last guesses? Was it the one you bet I would pick it?
My favorite book of 2024 goes to the post-World War Two thriller The Golden Doves by Martha Hall Kelly.
What is it about? During World War Two Josie Anderson, the daughter of an American ambassador, and Arlette LaRue, a native Parisian and new mother, joined the French Resistance and became known as the Golden Doves, stealing many of the Nazis’ secrets and becoming heroes in Occupied France. But when they are finally arrested and sent to Ravensbrück concentration camp, Josie and Arlette witness the true horrors of Hitler’s regime. Josie’s mother, a renowned Jewish singer, is experimented on by a sadistic Nazi doctor and Arlette’s young son is taken from her to be given to a “good” German family. Against the odds the two women survive and attempt to rebuild their lives in postwar America and France. Josie begins working for U.S. Army Intelligence but finds herself at odds with the American way of dealing with valuable Nazi war criminals and Arlette works at a cafe, still holding out hope that her son is alive. When both women are given an opportunity to achieve what they desire most, they immediately agree but will discover that while the war ended nearly a decade ago, they are still in just as much as danger as before.
Why did I love it? There is nothing that this book does not have. Told against a historical backdrop, filled with mystery, and thrilling until the very end. Josie and Arlette were among my favorite characters this year and each woman is well flushed out with defining characteristics and skills. Both stories are compelling and one can gather that Ms. Kelly did her research when constructing this story. Though a large book, it flies by and I was surprised at how fast I got through the story. After experiencing a dip in my historical fiction, I can say that The Golden Doves helped me bounce back and, if you are in a reading slump, this is the perfect book to pick out.
To read my full thoughts, check out my review at https://rachelrheil.com/blog/2024/06/the-golden-doves-by-martha-hall-kelly-review/.
With that, this is my Best Books of 2024. Did you read any of my favorites from this year? What did you love this year? Happy New Year and I’ll see you all in 2025!
The silver spot goes to our first historical fiction to crack the top 10 as well as the first graphic novel to ever be featured on the Best Books list. It is Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi.
What is it about? The year is 1979 and ten-year-old Marjane is living in Iran with her forward thinking parents. Smart and blessed with a rich imagination, Marjane has a happy childhood, a childhood that seems to drastically change by all the rumblings and changes occurring in Marjane’s country. Like many in Iran, Marjane’s parents protest against the Shah’s regime and demand change. When that does happen, Marjane’s life is changed forever. As the Ayatollah ushers in a new tyrannical regime Marjane and her family find themselves in challenging circumstances that ultimately leads them to make an impossible decision.
Why did I love it? It is sad to say but stories like Persepolis seem more timely than ever. Tyrannical regimes and actions to hinder the rights of women seem to be happening around the world with more frequency. It is times like these that can make it hard to pick up stories like Persepolis but I would argue that they need to be read more to fight back those who work to take anyone’s freedoms and rights. This is a moving but heart wrenching story that while adults should certainly read, it should also be shared with the younger generation (and by that I mean early teenage years since there is content that isn’t suitable for younger readers). Marjane Satrapi shows that even in the most difficult of times there is still hope and people can still make an impact even when the odds seem impossible.
My full review of Persepolis can be found at https://rachelrheil.com/blog/2024/06/persepolis-by-marjane-satrapi-review/.
We’ve made it to my top 3 books of 2024. Have you been able to guess yet what my favorite book of the year is? Taking the bronze spot is another snowy thriller that spins martial problems on it’s head; Rock Paper Scissors by Alice Feeney.
What is it about? Adam and Amelia Wright are a married couple who should have separated a long time ago. But what will one more weekend together change? For Amelia, she’s hoping everything. For Adam, he thinks it is a waste of time in a marriage that has already passed its expiration date. They do love each other, but their relationship has seemingly desegrated under stress from work, their conflicting schedules, differing goals, and secrets they are both hiding from each other. So when Amelia wins a free weekend getaway to a remote chapel turned Airbnb in Scotland she can’t pass it up and drags Adam and their dog, Bob, along. But the romantic weekend Amelia has been hoping for vanishes when the couple realizes they aren’t alone.
Why did I love it? Martial problems in thrillers is not a new concept so it can be understandable while some people might skip Rock Paper Scissors. Yet I’m here to tell you that you would be cheating yourself out of a wild good time if you did. The setting for this story helps elevate it and the isolation Adam and Amelia begin to feel is palpable. Then, slowly, odd things begin to happen to them and it has you on the edge of your setting. But it is truly the ending of Rock Paper Scissors that got it to my #3 favorite book of the year. I’ve read a lot of thrillers in the past two years and yet I still had not anticipated how Ms. Feeney chose to end the story. For that reason alone, you should pick up this fast paced thriller during the wintery season.
Check out my full review at https://rachelrheil.com/blog/2024/01/rock-paper-scissors-by-alice-feeney-review/.
Spot #4 goes to a new author on our countdown, Taylor Adams, and his nail biting thriller The Last Word.
What is it about? It’s official. Emma Carpenter has just read the worst book of her life. Well, that might be a stretch but it is certainly up there and Emma can’t help but vent her frustration in a one star review on Amazon. That should have been the end of the matter. That is until the author, H.G. Kane, messages Emma and asks her to take down her review. Emma refuses and Kane swears she’ll regret not doing as he ordered. Emma thinks nothing of it. But one night, a stranger appears outside the house she is taking care of. It’s the author, and he promises Emma she’ll find his next book very realistic. Too bad she won’t be around to read it.
Why did I love it? If you ask anyone who has spent some time living alone, they’ll tell you that while it is fun, exciting, and liberating, there can also be some scary moments. A strange noise in the middle of the night. An person passing by that you’ve never seen before. Brief moments that can send a shiver down your spine. But, 9.9 times out of 10, it ends up being nothing. But those 0.1 other times is what Taylor Adams plays with in The Last Word while also tackling the issue of social media and its impact on people’s mental health. Most of us can deal with the criticism we might receive online, but there are plenty of others who don’t and what they do with that rejection can be terrifying. Every page in this book is wrapped in nail biting tension and might not be for the faint of heart. Still, if you are a thriller fan, you would be remiss to miss out on this thriller.
For a full review head over to https://rachelrheil.com/blog/2024/03/the-last-word-by-taylor-adams-review/.
We are halfway there! Taking the fifth spot on our countdown is the dark academia mystery thriller The Maidens by Alex Michaelides.
What is it about? Therapist Mariana Andros is struggling. After losing her husband while on vacation in Greece, Mariana has attempted to bury her grief in her job. Surrounding herself with those struggling through life, Mariana consumes herself with work, believing it gives her a reason to get up everyday. Still, it can’t erase the hole in her heart. But Mariana’s grief is interrupted when she gets a frantic call from her niece, Zoe, at Oxford. Zoe’s closest friend has been murdered. With no other family near Zoe, Mariana rushes to her niece’s side and discovers that the murder victim was a member of a mysterious group of students called the Maidens, who study Greek under Edward Fosca. Though loved and adored by most, Mariana suspects Fosca is not as perfect as he is portrayed to be. Ignoring the advice of friends and fellow work professionals, Mariana decides to investigate Fosca and his Maidens in hopes of discovering the truth. But the truth is more of a Greek tragedy than a satisfying conclusion.
Why did I love it? Last year it was firmly established I am a dark academia girlie. A group of friends, studying the liberal arts, at an elite school or university and some sort of crime is committed? Sign me up. The Maidens continues the love for my genre while providing a twist by telling the story from the perspective of an adult not attending the university. This allows an extra layer of complexity to the story as the reader, along with Mariana, desperately tries to piece together the events that lead up to the murder of her niece’s best friend. But, since this is an Alex Michaelides book, that means we have an unreliable narrator. Can we believe everything she is saying, or is something more sinister afoot? If you are looking to continue your own journey with the dark academia genre and you haven’t had a chance to pick up The Maidens, don’t hesitate in the near year to pick this one up.
For my full review of The Maidens head over to https://rachelrheil.com/blog/2024/03/the-maidens-by-alex-michaelides/.
When her boyfriend Kiernan suggests they go on an exclusive hiking trip to the Rocky Mountains during the off-season, Christa is less pleased. But loves make one do stupid things and Christa reluctantly agrees to join Kiernan and a handful of other adventure seekers on the adventure.
It’s just before Christmas and college student Darby has just received the worst news anyone can receive. Her mother has been diagnosed with cancer and the prognosis is not good. Despite a winter storm beating down on the state of Colorado, Darby jumps into her car and begins to make the drive home. But when the road becomes too treacherous, Darby is forced to stop and spend the night at a tiny rest stop with four strangers. Darby intends to pass the night as uneventfully as possible, but when she steps outside to try and get cell reception, she discovers a child in a cage in the back of one of the strangers’ car. What happens next is a highly intensive, nail biting evening where there just might be no survivors left to tell the tale.
When a teenage boy is brutally murdered in a small Alaskan town, the town immediately knows who is responsible. It is not a jealous, a jaded friend, or serial killer stalking the teenagers of Deadhart. The culprit is a far deadlier enemy, a member of the Colony, a vampyr.
Elderly Vivien Morris receives a letter from an old friend’s daughter, informing her that the daughter’s mother has passed away. With both her parents gone, the daughter asks Vivien how she came to know her family.
What is it about? During World War Two Josie Anderson, the daughter of an American ambassador, and Arlette LaRue, a native Parisian and new mother, joined the French Resistance and became known as the Golden Doves, stealing many of the Nazis’ secrets and becoming heroes in Occupied France. But when they are finally arrested and sent to Ravensbrück concentration camp, Josie and Arlette witness the true horrors of Hitler’s regime. Josie’s mother, a renowned Jewish singer, is experimented on by a sadistic Nazi doctor and Arlette’s young son is taken from her to be given to a “good” German family. Against the odds the two women survive and attempt to rebuild their lives in postwar America and France. Josie begins working for U.S. Army Intelligence but finds herself at odds with the American way of dealing with valuable Nazi war criminals and Arlette works at a cafe, still holding out hope that her son is alive. When both women are given an opportunity to achieve what they desire most, they immediately agree but will discover that while the war ended nearly a decade ago, they are still in just as much as danger as before.
What is it about? The year is 1979 and ten-year-old Marjane is living in Iran with her forward thinking parents. Smart and blessed with a rich imagination, Marjane has a happy childhood, a childhood that seems to drastically change by all the rumblings and changes occurring in Marjane’s country. Like many in Iran, Marjane’s parents protest against the Shah’s regime and demand change. When that does happen, Marjane’s life is changed forever. As the Ayatollah ushers in a new tyrannical regime Marjane and her family find themselves in challenging circumstances that ultimately leads them to make an impossible decision.
What is it about? Adam and Amelia Wright are a married couple who should have separated a long time ago. But what will one more weekend together change? For Amelia, she’s hoping everything. For Adam, he thinks it is a waste of time in a marriage that has already passed its expiration date. They do love each other, but their relationship has seemingly desegrated under stress from work, their conflicting schedules, differing goals, and secrets they are both hiding from each other. So when Amelia wins a free weekend getaway to a remote chapel turned Airbnb in Scotland she can’t pass it up and drags Adam and their dog, Bob, along. But the romantic weekend Amelia has been hoping for vanishes when the couple realizes they aren’t alone.
What is it about? It’s official. Emma Carpenter has just read the worst book of her life. Well, that might be a stretch but it is certainly up there and Emma can’t help but vent her frustration in a one star review on Amazon. That should have been the end of the matter. That is until the author, H.G. Kane, messages Emma and asks her to take down her review. Emma refuses and Kane swears she’ll regret not doing as he ordered. Emma thinks nothing of it. But one night, a stranger appears outside the house she is taking care of. It’s the author, and he promises Emma she’ll find his next book very realistic. Too bad she won’t be around to read it.
What is it about? Therapist Mariana Andros is struggling. After losing her husband while on vacation in Greece, Mariana has attempted to bury her grief in her job. Surrounding herself with those struggling through life, Mariana consumes herself with work, believing it gives her a reason to get up everyday. Still, it can’t erase the hole in her heart. But Mariana’s grief is interrupted when she gets a frantic call from her niece, Zoe, at Oxford. Zoe’s closest friend has been murdered. With no other family near Zoe, Mariana rushes to her niece’s side and discovers that the murder victim was a member of a mysterious group of students called the Maidens, who study Greek under Edward Fosca. Though loved and adored by most, Mariana suspects Fosca is not as perfect as he is portrayed to be. Ignoring the advice of friends and fellow work professionals, Mariana decides to investigate Fosca and his Maidens in hopes of discovering the truth. But the truth is more of a Greek tragedy than a satisfying conclusion.