This book was an easy read, but I really just did not like the ending so that made it more of a so so then a pick for me. It is unique and how you watch a boy fall in love with the idea of a girl but not reality. There are a few parts that made me laugh out loud and wish I could‘ve had some crazy friends like that growing up.

The momentum of this book was so slow. It just did not keep my interest, but I was halfway through and invested, so I decided to finish it. It does finally pick up towards the end, but by then for me, it was too late. A woman finds a mysterious book on a nightstand that she soon realizes is about her. Who wrote this book and how did it get there? The MCs life starts to unravel until the secrets of her past are revealed.

This was a tough book to read due to the subject matter of child pedophilia. It‘s dark, sad, and kind of brutal to get through it. Can‘t say I enjoyed reading it but it was evocative and made you think what would you do in this situation? I did learn a few things so I‘ll take that away from it but would I recommend it? No

50 First Dates meets Frieda McFadden. Every morning Tess wakes and doesn‘t remember her life, husband or even the fact she has a dog. One morning she find a message written to herself on her leg and this propels her to put back the piece of her shattered life and find the truth of why she has no memory. Typical Frida and as always a good quick read 🙂

I enjoyed this book but felt it started off a little clunky where I had trouble following but once I grasped the different time lines and the way the author wrote I was in it to win it. As far as it being the best book read in 2025 as some reviewers claimed, I feel like it would maybe fall in the Top 20 for me. It‘s a beautiful story of love, betrayal, acceptance, and forgiveness that may elicit a tear or two.

Phenomenal story! I felt immersed in the land of Alaska with all of its wildness, darkness and cold winters. This story has hope, heartbreak, loss, redemption. Just a well rounded beautiful story that has you cheering in parts and teary eyed in others. Definitely recommend!

This was definitely an engaging book with a unique story. Was the outcome believable? No, but I liked the creative ways things unfolded in the story. Never once did I know where the story was going and kept me wanting to know what happens next. My only complaint was the ending was kind of ehhh but I would definitely read this author again. If you are a fan of Frida McFadden this is a good pick!!

Sam is a coming of age story about a girl growing up in a divorced household with an over protective mother, a brother with special needs and a father who isn‘t around much. Her love in life is rock climbing but she struggles with focus, motivation and finding her path in life. This was a low pick for me but it still kept me engaged enough to make to the end to see where Sam ends up.

I only made it through this book because of author loyalty. A bunch of people trapped on a train and next thing you know a body is found, and then another. It‘s just a tired storyline for me so I did not love this book. I thought maybe Sager would do a different take on it but no same old story with an unbelievable outcome. Blah!

I know if I was a house wife in the 50‘s I would not have survived. This isn‘t some flashy, twisty story but it‘s a good story nonetheless. It does have a twist and one I did not see coming. What makes this a good story is it reminds us of our dark history in how women were regarded if they weren‘t happy and willing to do that ever it took to be the perfect house wife. There may be some triggers for some people just FYI.

Going into this book I knew who Ione Skye was but only from Say Anything from a billion years ago. This book was a candid glimpse into her life exposing her rights and lots of wrong. Dating the lead singer of the Red Hot Chili Peppers at 16 to marrying another 80s icon, AD Rock from the Beastie Boys, this book was a voyeristic look into growing up in Hollywood in the 80s. Interesting read!

This was a decent read but there was too much going on that really took away from the story. It was like a story within a story with multiple sub plots that just detracted from the story or could have been built upon as its own story. It just felt a little discombobulated for me. The premise was interesting but way too unrealistic and I just didn‘t feel everything was followed through completely. Kind of a mess for me 😒

Recently separated, Kate goes out and meets a man, Jamie whom she spends the evening with only to find him dead the next day. Why are dead bodies following Kate? At the age of 15 she killed a man she claims in self-defense now another man is dead and she has no clue why. I had to go with so so on this one because there was just so much going on. The POV changes between two women and you gotta figure out if they are both crazy or not crazy at all.

This book just wasn‘t it for me. Told from 3 perspectives of foster girls growing up in a home in the past/present, I felt having the 3 characters narrate lost the flow of the story for me. It had a slow progression and was predictable for the most part. The last chapter was unexpected so that bumped the book up to a so-so for me.

I had to bail on this one. Too many social issues trying to be tackled at once, too many characters, slow progression and after reading spoilers it‘s not worth it to attempt to make it to the end. I‘m out! #hailtothebail #betterbooksahead

Not my fav by Sager. The MC is just stupid most of the book. Your friend is killed by a serial killer, then you get into a car with a stranger from a ride share board??? The stupidity continues throughout the story and just made me annoyed for most of it.

I‘ve always had a fascination of the AT so when a I saw a book about a woman going missing on trail, I was in! A nurse suddenly goes missing in Maine & Bev, a seasoned game warden, is immediately on the case. Bev is a great character who will stop at nothing until she finds the hiker dead or alive. Lena, a third character also somehow has ties to this situation & we learn how every thing ties together in the end. Good story that kept me engaged.

This was a good multi POV story that starts with the kidnapping of a baby 20 years prior and comes into the present day and weaves a tail of how all these people are connected. It‘s more of a domestic thriller but it kept me wanting more and although I figured out the big twist it was still a fun read.

Low pick but still easily readable. Quinn murders her husband and goes on the run at the worst of times: during a snow storm. After getting pulled over by the police, Quinn knows she‘s got to stop somewhere. Out of the blue appears the Baxter Motel, a ramshackle spot off the interstate that‘s seen better days. Is this place safe or did she just trap herself in somewhere that is more sinister than herself?

Just can‘t do it. If I have to hear about the walls bleeding again, I am going to scream! This book felt more like a cozy horror story than anything actually scary. It has humor in it which is great but not what I was expecting. Looooooong chapters, slow progression in the story, repetitive and a potty mouthed daughter that overly rivals my own mouth, made me say #hailtothebail

This book hooked me right away as Dan returns to his small island hometown after news that his father has passed away suspiciously. Many years prior, Dan witnessed something in a rest stop bathroom that has haunted him and his father ever since. A serial killer hunt, father and son relationship dynamics and just a good plain old mystery made this a good quick read. Recommend!

This book was good, I just didn‘t love it. Not my usual type of story. The MC Abitha is great. A woman full of rage and revenge in a town of Puritan men and woman makes for a kick butt character which is what makes this story. It took me a bit to get into it but once it gets going, it doesn‘t let up.

This wa a low pick for me. Six friends embark on a weekend trip to an Inn for relaxation and fun but suddenly their car breaks down in the middle of nowhere. As they try to find this mysterious Inn bad things start to happen and it seems they are all being picked off One By One.

The twist was still good and had a little more of a twist at the very end but it just wasn‘t my fav by McFadden.

I think this was better than the first book! What a wild ride with twists around every corner. Sarah Morgan is back years after killing her first husbands mistress and having him executed for the crime. Now Sarah‘s new husband is caught cheating and a new cat and mouse game unfolds between them. I devoured this in 2 days and definitely recommend!

This was a good palette cleanser after reading nothing but horror and thrillers for the past month, but at the same time, it was equally frustrating. Good story about best friends, love, regret and self loathing but all of this could have been solved by one little thing. I don‘t want to ruin the story but dang, the internet was around in 2007. Still a decent read with multiple POV that keep you wanting to know what will happen next.

I‘d been searching for this book for quite awhile and finally found it on vacation in Maine! Quite fitting I thought! Ben Mears comes back to Jerusalems Lot many years after experiencing an incident that‘s stuck with him ever since. Once he arrives into town, strange things begin to happen, a young boy goes missing and death is floating around every corner. As usual, Kings cute small towns are always full of secrets. Classic King and recommend!

Creepy little novella that was a low pick for me. Not usually a fan of novellas but this one was just right for its length. A guy runs out for some snacks for movie night but everything in his life changes when he encounters a screaming child in the candy aisle. Sometimes just being an innocent bystander can ruin your life!

Grady Greens wife disappears on the night he is told his new novel just hit the best sellers list. Fast forward a year later, Grady is sent to a strange island by his publisher to get back his writing mojo. As beautiful as the island is, the inhabitants are even stranger and Grady starts seeing and hearing his missing wife where thinks he is losing his mind. Is his wife truly missing?? Or is there something more sinister going on?

Another twist that throws me off!!! I love McFaddens books! So easy to read and always get me in the end. Nora is a successful surgeon with a secret past. Her father was a serial killer!! Although it‘s been 26 years since her father was incarcerated bodies start suddenly turning up dead in the same manner as Nora‘s father murderous calling card. Who is behind all these murders or does the apple not fall far from the tree. 😈

I read Mary Downing Hahn as a kid and when this came up on Libby for ghost stories, I was in!! A young family moves to rural Virginia where there is a legend that an old witch takes little girls every 50 years. Daniel‘s young sister starts to act weird and then disappears? Did the crazy witch in the woods get her? Even though this is a kids book, I still enjoyed it and would love to go back and read more of Hahn‘s older books.

Low pick for me. The only reason why I gave it a pick is because I read it in less than 24 hours. A young pregnant girl gets trapped in the snow after crashing her car and is rescued by a big burly scary man. She is taken to his house where she meets his wife and thinks everything should be ok…until it‘s not! Not my favorite book by Mcfadden, but still easily readable and always has a good twist at the end.

This was a low pick because there was a lot going on between all the characters for me. The story starts out slow but picks up at the end and then leaves you with a cliffhanger or maybe an opening for a sequel. This sat on my shelf for a few years because I was saving it for the Halloween season thinking it would be creepy but not so much. Detective driven chasing a psychopath story but in all a decent read.

I‘m a mixed bag on this one. Story was good but definitely graphic with the gore. It doesn‘t bother me but I felt it was excessive. I was looking for more creep factor but this book was just gross. It definitely has Lord of the Flies vibes with good characters but it again the over description of what was happening was just over the top for me. The sea turtle scene did me in..I had to skim. If you have a weak stomach do not read!

Trying to find books that will get me into the spooky season! If anyone has suggestions left me know! Sleep Tight is a detective driven story about a creepy murderer who is put to death where all expect the final chapter to be closed but instead his death starts a domino effect of horrible things that climax back where it all started.

I don‘t know how I‘ve gone this long without reading a book by Malfi. This story had a perfect amount of creep to it. Even though the storyline is over used with friends reuniting years later after a tragic incident, Malfi weaves other elements into the story that transcends reality but is not over done. Did I love the ending? I‘m still on the fence about that but I can‘t see it ending any other way. I would love to see this as a movie!!

Frankie never knew she could be a hero until an acquaintance at a party told her she could be a nurse in Vietnam. That decision changes her life in so many ways that she will never be the same. I thought this book was good but I felt like the sad parts were not evocative enough and the uplifting parts kind of fizzled. Hannah‘s book can usually generate a tear or two from me but this one fell flat in that aspect for me but still a great story.

This book is pure craziness and completely relevant with all the Netflix docs out right now that are similar to the plot. There are a lot of characters to follow but that makes up all the craziness of the story and makes the ending even more satisfying. I did feel like the story was a little long and would definitely recommend reading consistently with all the characters but still a decent read.

I read this book years ago and could never remember the name of it but it came up on Goodreads the other day and I was like “that‘s it”!!! If you like history this book was a wonderful glimpse into early Florida with an epic tale of a family and all they endure through the years. It‘s stuck with me through the years and I wanted to just recommend it to anyone who enjoyed Florida or historical fiction.

The premise of this story sounded promising and the writing was beautiful from the start but the story? Weird, boring, and did not keep my interest at all. I skimmed from the middle to end. I don‘t even know why I finished because the ending was just as terrible.

Low pick but still read it in a few days. A woman is missing and there is no evidence that she ever left her building. The list of suspects is long and time is of essence. I gave this a low pick because of the side stories of some of the characters just made for loose ends that were not tied up. Does this mean a potential sequel featuring detective Salter? I hope so.

Lizzie is about to get married thanks to her overbearing mother. A year ago Lizzie sisters fiancé died on their wedding with her mother‘s corsage next to his body. Will Lizzie‘s fiancé end up dead as well?

This was a low pick for me as it was predictable but the ending did have a little twist I did not coming so that bumped it up to a pick. Still a decent read

Jill wakes up in a hospital where she learns she was in an accident that had tragic circumstances but she remembers none of it. This book was not exiting, not fast paced and just kind of boring. The only thing that kept me going was I wanted to know what really happened and when it was reveled it was just like oh ok. Just a mediocre YA story for me.

I can‘t say this book was terrible but definitely not my fav by Hoover. It‘s just didn‘t capture me in the beginning and once the twist came I was already checked out. This is a series and I will not be reading the others as I just didn‘t feel invested in the characters and don‘t really care to continue their journey. I did like how to story connected in the end and I definitely didn‘t see the end coming.

The writing? Great
The story? Blah…I felt it was too scattered for my brain to follow. It‘s beautifully written, deep, philosophical but I just wasn‘t invested in any of the characters and didn‘t know what the hell was going on at points because I was not consistently reading it everyday. Definitely was not in the mood for a story like this as I am studying for an exam and am brain fried.

A low pick but definitely a different read. Some humor, some gore, a bit of creepiness and one weird story. Ms. Notty arrives at Endsor house to care for the Pounds children but she obviously has other intentions. I liked the Victorian aspect of the story and Winifred Notty is one crazy character. I heard there is a movie being made. I‘m definitely interested to see how they adapt this story!!

Typical Freida McFadden! I equate her books to your favorite drink…with a twist of course 🙂

A woman who lost her husband decides to try the dating scene again and creates an online profile. What could possibly go wrong? As Harper starts navigating the treacherous world of online dating, secrets from her dead husband‘s past start to arise. What she discovers is not at all what she ever thought possible.

This was kind of tough to read but interesting all the same. It kind of induced my anxiety reading through the author‘s anxiety. It was so so because it was a little too over detailed for me as she went through her first few weeks of experiencing her OCD. I started to skim in parts because of how overly descriptive some parts were. It was strange that a dream of getting cancer induced all of this hell for her. OCD is more than germs and counting.

Dark, disturbing, graphic at times. A family in rural Appalachia lives a different kind of life. A life hunting, but not animals. Once a beautiful girl working at the record store enters Micheal‘s life, he has no idea just how much she will change the trajectory of his life. Some reviewers said they saw the twist coming, I didn‘t and thought it was well played out. I will definitely check out more from this author.

Dang! What did I just read?!? This book was crazy. Full of twists and turns I didn‘t see coming till just before the big reveal. I‘ll admit there are some parts that I was like ok that would never happen but whatever, the book was a fun read, unique story and totally stumped me. Put this on your TBR if you haven‘t!