In at #9 for best books of 2023 is The Writing Retreat by Julia Bartz.
What is it about? Alex is suffering a bad case of writer’s block (honestly relatable), compounded by the loss of her good friend, Wren, over a year ago. She seems destined to never become a critically acclaimed writer and instead have a by the numbers office job. That is until she gets the opportunity to participate in a month long writing retreat, hosted by no other than Alex’s favorite author, Roza Vallo. Only catch? Wren is going to be there too. Bummer, but Alex isn’t about to let Wren get in the way of her writing dreams. Joined by three fellow female writers, Alex settles in to Roza’s routine and attempts to handle her eccentric personality. But when one of the fellow writers go missing and questions begin to emerge about Roza and the true intentions of the retreat, Alex begins to realize that writer’s block and the loss of a best friend aren’t her biggest issues; it’s getting out alive.
Why did I love it? Books about writers and the writing process are not necessarily new ideas but Ms. Bartz manages to bring something new and fresh to the idea. Stress and tension can bring out the worst in people and boy does Ms. Bartz take that thought and run with it. This is a thriller in every sense of the word and once one of our supporting characters go missing it is a nonstop thrill ride.
As I mentioned in my original review if I didn’t work a full time job I would have finished this book in one setting. Just get me a glass of wine and a warm blanket and I’m ready to go. It’s the perfect book to pick up on a cold winter night, especially if it’s snowing. Soon, you too will begin to feel the claustrophobia that Alex and the other women are experiencing. Though I initially gave this book 4.5 stars because of the ending, it is a story I haven’t stopped thinking about and that is why it is on my list. Books that keep you thinking about it long after the story ends are keepers and I suspect I’ll be thinking about The Writing Retreat for quite some time.
For my full review of The Writing Retreat: https://rachelrheil.com/blog/2023/12/the-writing-retreat-by-julia-bartz-review/
In at #10 on my best books of 2023 is The Undercover Secretary by Ellie Midwood.
What is it about? Based on the incredible true story of Dora Schaul, The Undercover Secretary follows Dora who has lost everything to the Nazis and is set on settling the score. Joining the underground resistance, Dora takes on a new persona to land a position as secretary to Occupied France’s most sinister Nazi official, Klaus Barbie. As Dora attempts to play the part of perfect Nazi secretary she must also keep her identity and true intentions a secret because if she is discovered she is all on her own.
Why did I love it? Does Ellie Midwood ever miss? I’m not sure and her recent trend of telling true stories about people who lived during World War Two is an exciting development. Don’t get me wrong, I love a good fictional story by Ms. Midwood but often times, as I have learned myself, the real stories can be just as compelling and shocking as the fictional ones. Dora’s story fits that bill to a tea. She’s Jewish so her life is already at risk but what does she do? Takes a job that lands her right in the middle of the lion’s den and in one of the most terrifying ones (anyone remember Liberation in The Indigo Rebels by Ms. Midwood in which we got to really know Mr. Barbie? Yeah, I’m still scared too).
The Undercover Story is a short read but it doesn’t feel like that, and I mean that in all the best ways. From the first pages we are on the run with Dora, a typical Ms. Midwood character that doesn’t take anyone’s crap and is more courageous than I think I ever could be! And that’s the greatest strength of this novel. Ms. Midwood manages to create a character that we can cheer for but also someone who is human, who makes mistakes and has opinions that everyone might not agree with. Nonetheless, there is no denying that Dora is a great character that you end up caring about and hoping to the very end that she makes it out alright.
Read my full review of The Undercover Story: https://rachelrheil.com/blog/2023/05/the-undercover-secretary-by-ellie-midwood-review/
Let’s kick off the best books of 2023 with my three honorable mentions; Lovely War by Julie Berry, The Secrets of Hartwood Hall by Katie Lumsden, and Dark Places by Gillian Flynn.
What are they about? All three books are uniquely different yet compelling in their own rights. Lovely War is a mixture of historical fiction and romance, all told from the perspective of the Greek god of love. Cool, right? Not only does the book have a unique framing device but it also attempts to answer the question of why do people fall in love during wartime? Set during World War One, we follow two different couples who fall in love in impossible situations.
The Secrets of Hartwood Hall is a debut novel by Ms. Lumsden that takes place in Victorian England. When her husband dies, Margaret is forced to accept a governess job at an isolated estate where a single mother lives with her young son. It doesn’t take Margaret long to realize that something isn’t right; the townspeople whisper horrible things about Mrs. Eversham, the estate is supposedly haunted, and Mrs. Eversham’s daughter seems to have died in mysterious circumstances. Margaret is willing to toss these musings up to malicious rumors but could it possibly be true?
In this fairly short novel by Gillian Flynn, Dark Places follows Libby Day, the sole survivor of the Day Family Massacres in which her mother and two sisters were brutally murdered by Libby’s brother. Short on money, Libby accepts a proposition by a group of true crime enthusiasts to interview key members from the investigation in a vain attempt to show that Libby’s brother didn’t commit the murders. Switching between Libby’s perspective and that of her mother and brother on the day of the murder, we get a thrilling tale of family secrets and places too dark to explore.
Why did I love them? I’ll admit, I’m a sucker for romance, especially ones set during wartime. I’ve basically made a writing career out of it. So naturally I would pick up Lovely War. Though the book starts off rather formulaic in the beginning, by the time we get to the trenches I was fully engulfed in the story. Ms. Berry’s desire to answer the question of why people fall in love during wartime is the overall theme of the book and it does do a fairly thorough job of answering that question. Ultimately, this is a beautiful love story that pulls at your heartstrings.
Do you ever go into a book with low expectations? Perhaps it’s because you have heard nothing about the book or author but figure hey, it’s on clearance for a good price, why not give it a shot? That would describe my journey with The Secrets of Hartwood Hall. I had heard absolutely nothing about this book but the title, cover, and summary caught my attention and, added bonus, it was on clearance at Barnes & Noble. I’m very thankful that I did give the book a chance as it was an excellent debut. Ms. Lumsden truly captured the gothic themes and atmosphere, reading very much like a Victorian novel like Jane Eyre or Wuthering Heights.
Having read Gone Girl, I knew a novel by Ms. Flynn would carry plenty of twists and turns with a shocking ending at the ending. Dark Places delivers in these arenas, weaving together a story that could have been very formulaic and unaspiring. The strength of this novel lies with the characters, all of whom have their own strengths and weaknesses. Libby in particular is the not the typical heroine, she is flawed, ordinary, and surprisingly relatable. But that plays to the advantage of the novel as the reader is not quite sure who is innocent and who is guilty.
Read my full reviews of these books below.
Lovely War: https://rachelrheil.com/blog/2023/11/lovely-war-by-julie-berry-review/
The Secrets of Hartwood Hall: https://rachelrheil.com/blog/2023/10/the-secrets-of-hartwood-hall-by-katie-lumsden-review/
Dark Places: https://rachelrheil.com/blog/2023/08/dark-places-by-gillian-flynn-review/
Can you believe 2023 is already at an end?
In some ways it feels like we were just ringing in the year and in other ways it feels like 2023 has lasted A LONG TIME. Speaking personally, it feels already like a lifetime ago that I graduated with my Master’s degree (it actually happened in May) and has it really been that long ago since I published Infiltration?*
But there are some positives to it being the end of the year. The holidays (duh!), end of the year sales (#yesss), time off from work (about time), spending time with family & friends (always something to look forward to), and best books of the year lists! Yes, now is the time of the year where every book blogger, YouTuber, and self proclaimed book addict shares with the world their favorite books they read in the year and I’m hear to kick off mine.
If you’ve been following me for a while (and if you are new, welcome!) you will know I did this for the first time last year. It was before I had the website so they were all posted on Facebook (link: https://www.facebook.com/RachelRHeil) and I had a lot of fun sharing my selections with you. So, here we are again!
What is my criteria for a book to be in my top 10 books of the year? Here’s how I broke it down.
- I have to have read the book between December 15, 2022 and December 15, 2023. Since I have to plan these lists a bit in advance, my book year dates run a little different than the calendar year.
- Has to be a book I read for the first time in 2023. Any re-reads are not included.
- Book does not have to be published in 2023, just have to be read this year.
In addition to the top 10, I have also selected three books as honorable mentions. Those mentions will kick off the list tomorrow followed by one book being announced everyday until the last day of 2023. Any bets on what my favorite book the year will be? Check in every day to see if your predication is right and make sure to share in the comments below your favorite reads!
Finally, I want to thank all of you for your love and support! This website and my books wouldn’t exist without you! I hope 2023 was good to you and that 2024 will be even better. Happy holidays!
*And if you are screaming yes to that last question, don’t worry. My next book will be traveling to the editor very soon! Make sure you are signed up for the newsletter to get an exclusive sneak peek!
Alex has seemed to hit a dead end. It’s been a year since she had a major following out with her best friend, Wren, and she has suffered from a bad case of writer’s block ever since. So when she was given the opportunity to travel to the remote residence of renowned author (and personal hero) Roza Vallo, to participate in a one month writer’s workshop, she decides to take the opportunity. Yes, Wren will be there but this is a once in a lifetime opportunity and Alex is sure she has what it takes to write a great novel. But once Alex arrives at Roza’s estate, she soon learns that the easy writing retreat won’t be what she expects. Between Wren’s presence, Roza’s bipolar mood swings, and the creepy house, the stress and tension reaches a fever pitch. One of the fellow writers goes missing, Alex begins to suspect that something more sinister is afoot.
The Writing Retreat was one of my most anticipated books of 2023 and I was so happy to start reading it when the air became a bit cooler so the atmosphere was just right. As a fellow writer, I found the tension, stress, and anxiety the five applicants were going through during the writing process to be very accurate and I either cringed or felt pity for any one of them when something didn’t go right. And that’s even before Roza is thrown into the mix! Which leads to a major strength of the book. The character development in this debut novel is exceptionally well done. I felt all the characters were flushed out well and I very much appreciate that Ms. Bartz actually created characters who reacted appropriately when strange things begin to happen. Granted, we still have one or two that thinks nothing is amiss, but we also have others that are very much “Get me the hell out of here” when one of the writers going missing.
The book is a very quick read that can be easily digested in one sitting. For the last 150 pages of the book I read it straight through, something I rarely do either because my schedule doesn’t allow it or because I need to take a break. In this one, I could not break away. Discovering what is really going on and who Roza really is was too tempting to not continue. There is also very good representation in this book so if you are looking for a story with LGBTQ+ themes I would suggest picking this book up.
The reason why The Writing Retreat was not a full five stars for me was because the ending could have been worked on a bit more. The lead-up to the finale was very well done, but the conclusion of Roza’s character felt a bit incomplete to me. I would have liked a different ending for the surviving characters, although I do appreciate the ending Ms. Bartz gave Alex.
Overall, this is a very solid 4.5 stars for me. I’ve seen a lot of mixed reactions to this book and this might very well be because of the ending but I wouldn’t allow that to discourage you from picking this thriller up.
4.5 stars out of 5
It’s 1942 and Aphrodite, the Goddess of Love, has been caught in the middle of an affair with Ares, the God of War, by her husband, Hephaestus. He’s prepared to take Aphrodite before all the other gods and condemn her but she requests that he hear her story first, to explain why love and war always go together. Back to the first world war, Aphrodite tells the story of James and Hazel, and Colette and Aubrey. These four individuals, all from vastly different backgrounds, manage to find love during this horrific war. But, can their love withstanding the trials they will face and if so, will their love be enough to keep them together?
This is a unique story, based off the fact that the love stories are telling from the Greek gods’ perspective. Throughout the book, Ms. Berry attempts to try and explain why people fall in love during wartime, a cliche that many of us, myself include, swoon over. For the mast part, Ms. Berry does answer this question while also allowing some wiggle room to allow the reader to draw their own conclusion.
Lovely War tells the love stories of two couples, and while James and Hazel’s story is beautiful, sweet, and well told, I found the relationship between Colette and Aubrey to be more interesting. Colette is a Belgian whose family is killed by the German Army and Aubrey is an African American soldier who faces prejudice and violence among his fellow comrades. I felt like their story should have been given a bit more attention but what Ms. Berry did do with it was lovely and original.
Though the book is almost 500 pages, I would argue that you shouldn’t be persuaded by this to not read it. The chapters are very short, and you can read a bunch of it in one sitting. That being said, you do have to give it a little bit of time to get going but once it does you’ll be happy you stuck with it. Another note is that while Lovely War is considered Young Adult, it didn’t read that way to me and I think both young and older readers will appreciate Ms. Berry’s storytelling.
Overall this is a well done story with a strong message about love, and does a very good job of trying to explain why we love so hard in dark times.
4 out of 5 stars
Margaret Lennox is recently widowed and in dire need of a job as a governess, not just for financial security but to escape the ghosts of her past. When she is offered a position at the mysterious Hartwood Hall, Margaret accepts with little hesitation. There she becomes the governess to a young boy named Louis, whose mother, Mrs. Eversham, is an enigma to Margaret, often leaving on business and seemingly having a crippling fear about Louis visiting the neighboring town. But while Margaret is able to ignore Mrs. Eversham’s odd behavior, she can not escape the feeling that something is not right with Hartwood Hall. From rumored sightings of ghosts to dark secrets about Mrs. Eversham and Louis being revealed, Margaret realizes that she will need to be careful of her surroundings if she wants to ensure this won’t be her last governess position.
I picked this book up almost on a whim, as it was part of Barnes and Noble’s end of the summer sale. The premise sounded very interesting, seemingly heavily inspired by Jane Eyre. The book certainly does have that vibe and although you can sort of guess where the book is going with it’s ending, it was still very enjoyable and atmospheric. Ms. Lumsden did a great job writing the book, using the language and descriptions that you would expect to find in a dark gothic novel set in the 1800s, or even written during that time period. The characters are all very well developed and there was a good little twist at the end.
While there are strengths to the book, the plot could be described as fairly predictable, especially if you have already read Jane Eyre and similar books. I was able to guess the mystery of Hartwood Hall about halfway through the book and while, like I mentioned before, there was a twist at the end of the book, it wasn’t enough to make the book go from a four to a five staring rate.
Nonetheless, this debut novel by Ms. Lumsden is very well written and a great start to what I am sure will be a very interesting writing career.
4 out of 5 stars
Patricia has seemingly the perfect life; a successful husband, two beautiful children, a cheery dog, and a nice home in Charleston, South Carolina. But she lacks friends so she joins a local book club. They read boring, unaspiring books and Patricia wonders about quitting, until several other women break away and form their own non-book club, where they read true crime books and attempt to solve murders themselves. Fast forward a couple of years and Patricia considers Grace, Slick, Kitty, and Maryellen her best friends, who she can go to with anything.
And she’ll need them more than ever.
After a frightening encounter with her neighbor, a mysterious man named James Harris moves into the neighborhood and disrupts Patricia’s normal life. While initially befriending the stranger, Patricia begins to suspect something is not right when a string of children begin to disappear. As Patricia investigates the disappearances, and questions her own sanity, she’ll turn to her book club friends to solve the case.
They better bring their stacks.
Grady Hendrix is a horror author that has grown in popularity over the last couple of years with his fun, campy horror novels. The Southern Book Club is his most famous book and does encompass many of the traits he is known for; friendship, vivid horror scenes, and humor. he book has a lot of strong qualities to it, particularly the character development. When we meet Patricia, she is a stereotypical Southern belle who puts her husband and children first. Her book club is her escape but when someone poses a threat to her happy existence, Patricia learns to push back her introverted personality and take risks to protect her friends and family. Her fellow book club members also have good character development although the character of Grace could have received a little bit more focus as she is seemingly the only one of the group who doesn’t grow much by the end of the book.
The horror elements of this book are also very good. I’m not a huge horror reader and appreciate that while Mr. Hendrix does have some scary scenes in the book, they weren’t so terrifying that I couldn’t sleep. He knows how to mix horror and comedy well, providing a book that can be read by multiple people and not just by humor fans. The other real strength of this book is Mr. Hendrix’s ability to get the reader to sympathize for Patricia. Halfway through the book, Patricia begins to experience some bad luck and as the reader I wanted to scream at the supporting characters for not having her back or listening to her. It was frustrating to read but a sign that the author has done a good job of making you care for the character.
While there were many good parts of this book, I did find a few areas that could have been improved. From the summary of the book I was under the impression that the story would be told from multiple perspectives, or at the very least we would get more scenes that focused on other members of the book club. In reality, the story really follows Patricia and while we get her insights and thoughts, we rarely see how the other ladies feel or what they are going through. This is a shame because Patricia does say some revelations about the other ladies, particularly Grace, that I think would have been interesting to follow. It felt like a missed opportunity. Additionally, the ending of the book felt rushed. We are building up to the women doing something about the vampire, but when the conclusion occurs, it felt a bit empty and rushed.
Overall this is a fun book that is perfect for the autumn season. It is also a great pick for a book club and one you’ll want to discuss with friends, asking the question, how would you slay a vampire?
4 out of 5 stars
What if man could create life? It’s question that has been asked for centuries but Frankenstein by Mary Shelley was one of the first books in literature to look at the repercussions of doing such a thing.
The story of Frankenstein is well known. Victor Frankenstein decides to create life but when his Creature starts to think on his own, violence and death plague Victor and his loved ones. Victor is determined to get rid of the vile creature, but can he do it before he loses everything he holds dear?
Frankenstein is one of those pieces of literature that has had such an impact on society and has had so many variations of the story told that the true meaning of Ms. Shelley’s work can sometimes get lost. As a result, while I knew the general idea of what the story was, I went into the book not quite sure what to expect.
The book is a quick read, under 300 pages, and though the book bares the trademarks of a classic book, i.e. long paragraphs, very descriptive language that borders on being too long, and very little dialogue, it is an excellent story with a strong message to the reader and to society. What is even more astounding about the book is that the idea for it came to Ms. Shelley one night during a dream and while she must have tightened the story and added to it when she sat down to write it, the fact that she had this idea is just unbelievable.
Though this is an easy story to get through, I do wish we might have had more character development with some of the characters. While Victor and the Creature are flushed out, the supporting characters like Henry and Elizabeth could have used some more intention. However, in my experience with classic novels, that seems to have been the norm unfortunately.
Nonetheless, Frankenstein is a classic for a reason and it’s because its message is as relevant today as it was over two hundred years ago. If you are looking to get into reading classic novels, Ms. Shelley’s timeless novel is an excellent place to get started.
4 out of 5 stars
Naomi, Cassidy, and Olivia are best friends. Despite their differing backgrounds, the three form a strong bond that is challenged when they are eleven years old. While in the woods play a game they created, the Goddess Game, the three are attacked. Cassidy and Olivia escape unharmed but Naomi is stabbed numerous times, barely clinging to life. But they saw the man who attacked Naomi and with their positive identification and the revelation that the man killed several other women, Naomi’s attacker is locked up for there. As far as anyone is concerned the case is closed.
Naomi thought the same. Now grown up and a wedding photographer, Naomi has moved away from her small town but is still haunted by that night in the woods. When she receives a call that the man who attacked her has died in prison, Naomi doesn’t feel relief, especially when Olivia wants her, Cassidy, and Naomi to meet and reveal what really happened that night. As Naomi begins to question what she saw that night, secrets are revealed along with the haunting realization that Naomi’s friends might not be who they appear to be.
This is my first Kate Alice Marshall book and also her first adult book. I can say with confidence that this will not be the last book I pick up from Ms. Marshall. From the start I was hooked, wanting to read one more chapter to find out what happened that fateful night. For the most part, the book was reading like a four star but the ending pushed it to being a five star. The revelation of what happened that fateful night is masterfully put together and the big reveal is jaw dropping while also believable, with Ms. Marshall dropping small little hints throughout the book.
The character development was good but the mood of the book was excellent, creating an environment of tension and suspicion among not just the supporting characters but Naomi herself, who is narrating the story. Is she telling the whole truth? Can she be trusted? Soon the reader finds themself questioning everybody and only stops when the last page is flipped.
There isn’t anything about this story that I would change. I will say that the book does read like a traditional thriller, with some similar plot elements that one might see in other mystery/thrillers so if you are expecting something completely different and unique than perhaps you won’t be a big fan. However, I thoroughly enjoyed it and found it be a quick read and very atmospheric for the fall season.
5 out of 5 stars
