Such a fun January #BOTM! With a similar faux-documentary style like DAISY JONES & THE SIX, the central figures here are ice dancing modernizations of WUTHERING HEIGHTS. With great Illinois detail (minus the impossibility of Lake County property tax), this high-drama & sequin-filled read is impossible to put down! Totally entertaining & enjoyable, I hope the screen optioning rights pan out well because this definitely has cinematic flair! So fun!

I‘ve liked Koontz‘s books & the striking cover had me hoping this #KindleUnlimited title‘d be fun, but this listen fell flat to me. I wasn‘t expecting it to be quite so fantastical. Vida lives in a remote property, making her living illegally mining for gemstones & is so in tune with nature she‘s never had so much as a mosquito bite. Her BFF is a half wolf/half shepherd leader of a pack but when a billionaire murders her fiancé, she seeks justice.

Strapped for cash again, the Wakefield twins decide that after disastrously babysitting the Riccolis, they‘re better off house-sitting. Their first client is none other than their principal, Mr. Clark, who leaves town in a rush. After some accidental snooping on Jessica‘s part, she finds a bloody knife, a suspicious stain & hair clump & Liz‘s warning from Mr. Clark to stay out of the basement. Now they need proof that Mr. Clark murdered his wife!

I‘m not sure why I finished this one… I wanted to set it aside, but I guess I wasn‘t ready to have my first DNF of the year… This romance just didn‘t do anything for me. Melody and Zac grew up together—he‘s her twin brother‘s BFF, but he ghosted her in high school & now it‘s been ten years & Melody returns to her hometown after a breakup with Connor, who she somehow managed to not see was controlling… drawn out & with repetitive words, not for me!

When a British family wins Q9 million, their lives change forever… proving that the TLC show THE LOTTERY RUINED MY LIFE isn‘t solely an American phenomenon. For 15 years, Lexi & Jake played the same numbers along with their two best couple friends. A fight breaks out between them… one week before Lexi buys the winning ticket. The ugly side of greed is on full display here, though the predictable plot gets bogged down with descriptions of wealth.

Randy Mason & Cammi Adams are tied to win the Scholar of the Semester award (a home ec brookie mishap disqualified St. Elizabeth!) & the 6th grade will be awarded a day without school if one of them wins. Master manipulator Jessica knows they can‘t get that day off without her— especially with two of the strictest subs handing out failing grades! Cammi suggests matchmaking to improve the lives of these singles, while catching feelings of her own!

Here‘s the missing page 14! Let me know if you need any other pages, @JenlovesJT47 — this is a good one!

What a strong debut novel! I literally couldn‘t put this one down, staying up way too late to finish in one sitting! The book opens with a terrible family tragedy & though the plot‘s turns are not unexpected, it‘s a satisfying read that‘s sure to stir great conversations amongst readers! I can see why this is a #BOTM option for February! It reminds me of early Jodi Picoult but before she got all info-dumpy & preachy! Definitely recommend this one!

I always enjoy audiobooks set in Australia & this performance is no exception! Mary‘s recently moved to Sydney with her childhood best friend, looking for a fresh start after getting out of a bad relationship. When she welcomes a new flatmate, Rachel, Mary feels an instant connection despite the wariness of her other friends. Fast-paced & incorporating journal entries, it certainly held some surprises in the plot though they‘re not all plausible!

After their Corny-O commercial‘s success, the twins are invited to audition for a real Hollywood movie! The competition is steep—& ready to play dirty! It comes down to the Wakefields versus the Parker twins, with plenty of attempts to take one another out! Plus, the star of the movie is set to be Jessica‘s latest muse, soap star Connie Boyer! Definitely a fun one from start to finish! I would‘ve loved this one when I was younger but had fun now!

It‘s been almost 3 years since I read & loved Wilkerson‘s debut novel! Her latest centers around the after-effects of trauma. The wealthy Freeman family has a long history, but for Ebby in particular, she feels defined by the tragedy that took her 15 year old brother. Multiple perspectives, covering modern & historical time periods, I‘m not surprised to see this as a #BOTM pick! I didn‘t love it as much as her first, but can‘t wait for her third!

The movie is probably my favorite of Hitchcock‘s & I enjoy the other movies & books it has inspired so much that our dog is named Owen after Danny Devito‘s character in Throw Momma From The Train, so I am thankful to @JenlovesJT47 for organizing the #HitchToScreen to finally get my copy off of my TBR! I didn‘t love the audio performance here and I think the tension would have been more pronounced physically reading it but still what a debut novel!

SVMS spends a week out of school camping at the Bannerman Estate. Liz can‘t wait for outdoorsy fun, roasted marshmallows & some romantic time with Todd. Jess hopes for romance, too, but Aaron Dallas is more concerned with pranking everyone by crying, “Bear!” Plus, the Unicorns all look awful roughing it. Jess decides new 7th grader Dennis Asher is the one for her, but since Liz looks better, she pulls a reverse twin-switch to try to snag him!

My first experience with the author, I enjoyed this more than I expected! It‘s a fun enemies to lovers romance set between college freshmen who have always known each other. Seb & Sadie‘s parents are best friends— but Sadie is thrilled to be on her own at Maple Ride to be free from the expectations of being the responsible & quiet Brighton. Seb‘s sudden appearance takes her back to their competitive days. PG-rated & reminds me of Modern Family!

When only Lila gets a feature profile in CALIFORNIA GIRL magazine, Jessica‘s determined to get back to being the center of attention. An open casting call for identical twins to star in a commercial for Corny-O‘s cereal is the perfect chance! Reluctant at first, Liz still wants the money for the Sixers‘ new desktop publishing system. They promise their parents they won‘t fight… but when out of sight of Alice & Ned, the gloves come off! So fun!

A bit ridiculous and opens a bit slowly, but this one actually winds up being a lot of fun! Imagine if Dexter had a murderous wife & together they hunted across Europe for bad people to kill & that‘s what Hazel & husband, Fox, do. Until they have a baby. Now Hazel struggles against the no killing rule, Fox starts keeping secrets of his own & while one good conversation pretty much resolves it all, this still is a fun read that had me giggling!

The first 2 were of summer are devoted to internships & Jessica wanted to give makeovers but she lands a coveted position at the Sweet Valley Zoo alongside her twin, Melissa McCormick & Bruce Patman. Bruce is terrified of birds but has a crush on Melissa so he tries to not let her know as they work in the aviary. Liz heads to the monkey house where Spanky teaches her a lesson on intelligence & Jessica reluctantly falls in love with bear cub, Gus!

I‘ve loved Marshall‘s adult thrillers, & was all the more excited to see this as a January #BOTM pick! It‘s a solidly performed #audiobook that had me doing extra laundry & chores to quickly finish. Adopted at a young age, Theo‘s Before life is a mystery only hinted at in her nightmares but when her fiancé takes her to the family‘s isolated mountain estate, she starts to feel like she has been there before… a gripping listen with plenty of twists!

It‘s nearly the first #SweetValleyStPatricksDay & Jessica‘s convinced herself that her punishment essay on the myth of the pot o‘ gold will actually result in her finding riches. Liz enjoys Maggie Sullivan‘s writings from Great Aunt Helen while Steven is in a fitness kick. But the siblings tease each other so much that they concoct revenge schemes around a treasure map. It‘s silly & fun with plenty of pranks & laughs! Fun to see Liz get tricky!

This has been on my wishlist to read for a while & my #2025ReadingGoal is to finally make time for my own shelves! Unfortunately, this cult book drags a bit & while I usually love a dual-timeline, not even the brief chapters could help bring the pacing up! Saskia‘s secrets weren‘t enough of a surprise & I just wanted this to be something more. The constant second-person to refer to her younger brother was a style choice that I didn‘t care for!

It‘s the 4th #SweetValleyValentinesDay & naturally, there will be another dance to celebrate! But this time it‘s a “street dance” open to the high school too. Unfortunately, the basketball team has an away game & all the best boys won‘t be there! Jessica hears about visiting cousins the right ages & tries to snag them while Steven decides to “play the field” & date shallow Jill Hale again! Luckily, love is in the air & all ends well after schemes!

Unfortunately, the final installment of this series is my least favorite! Ice melting on the other side of the world has opened another new ancient world where huge sea creatures are slipping out & into modern oceans. Sonya, hell-bent on revenge for the sharks eating her beloved, kidnaps her friends so they will help her kill the sharks & stop them from eating anyone else. Once again, they are underprepared for the destruction the animals cause!

Picking up two years after the conclusion of FATHOMLESS, Cate still feels unsettled at the possibility that more carcharodon megalodons are out there as she continues to track monster shark stories. But sound blasting by an oil company turns deadly, the rescue mission needs a rescue deeper than anyone‘s gone before— revealing new creatures & of course, more monster sharks! Plenty of gore but it‘s a shame the scientists want to kill the shark!

It‘s been ages since I last indulged in my love of shark stories, so I decided to re-listen to this one in preparation to finish the trilogy! I probably didn‘t need to listen to this one again, but it‘s quick & fun— plus, I get a kick out of the narrator‘s voice when sped up sounding a lot like Robert Stack! It‘s not exactly an original story, but littering is quickly punished by becoming food & the side stories add new dangers than the shark!

To win a free desktop publishing system, THE SIXERS needs an advice column. Amy & Maria talk up “Dear Elizabeth” and how easily she solved their problems so that everyone starts writing in— even detractors like Janet Howell. Though Liz knocked out a great gift idea for Amy‘s grandmother, recently moved in from Chicago, her advice for the other problems that crop up falls flat. Naturally, Liz feels overly responsible but Amy saves the day!

Whew…what a genuinely gripping read! I couldn‘t put this one down at all & definitely stayed up way too late to breathlessly finish it! Charlotte, a former etiquette writer, is pregnant with her second child at the opening of this book when she learns that her babysitter unexpectedly died four days earlier. And while her elder daughter, Stella, is a difficult child, after Blanka‘s death she seems to start changing…dual timelines & lots of tension!

This one feels like a departure from the series— Todd & Elizabeth no longer are “sort-of” dating & barely seem to know each other! Mr. Bowman‘s the homeroom/English teacher & Bruce is in 6th grade classes! Otherwise, it‘s fun when a hypnotist comes to school & the twins take opposing sides on believing in it. Jessica naturally dives in to trying her hand at hypnotizing her friends. Lila being hypnotized into quacking by the principal is the best!

This updated twist on THE SHINING with its unreliable narrator, set in a snowlocked motel in upstate NY makes a the gripping read! Kerry‘s husband has left, she hasn‘t spoken to her BFF in months & despite landing a dream contract for her debut novel, she still has to finish writing it! She hopes being the caretaker for this Instagram-friendly motel will provide her with the will to stop drinking & just write…but it‘s off the rails from the start!

It‘s the first midwinter break for #SVT & while Lila heads to Paris, the Wakefields head to the Triple Z Ranch. Liz‘s looking forward to the horses & Jessica the boys. But a boy even turns Liz‘s head— a boy who looks exactly like the one Jessica runs into! They vow to never fight over boys again once they realize the cute boy has an identical twin! Full of twin switching hilarity, but Steven and Rocket steal the show in the last day‘s race!

I never wanted to put Collins‘ 5th book down! With an engaging multimedia aspect from emails, DonorConnection communications & texts, Rosie‘s story hooks you in & provides some gasp-inducing twists along the way! A year earlier, Rosie received a heart transplant & knows the identity of the donor via her nurse BFF. This sparks Rosie‘s obsessive side as she learns more about the state of the emotional damage that her new heart had sustained. Twisty!

The final book in the #FrighteningFour miniseries was honestly, a bit of a let-down! Despite all of the spooky happenings, the final resolution is wacky (even for #SweetValley!). Plus, Alice had been established as Eva‘s 15 year old babysitter & now she was suddenly 12… the climax on yet another #SweetValleyHalloween is certainly action-packed (more fire, a cemetery chase!) & Steven plays a hilariously heroic role again but I wanted better answers

This adult fiction debut‘s certainly gained a lot of buzz from being a #BOTM choice & the January Reese Witherspoon pick! And it‘s one that does draw the reader right in with multiple narrators, a book-within-a-book & an authentic depiction of that all encompassing girlhood best friend relationship. It kept my attention (though simple communication & a good shaking of sense into some of them was all that it needed to be resolved!) & I liked it!

This 3rd book in the #FrighteningFour miniseries is the spookiest! Picking right up from the fiery cliffhanger, Steven steps it up into being a real hero. We learn more about Alice as the Sullivan‘s babysitter & the twins are set to hang up their babysitting spurs…until Mrs. Riccoli‘s mother in FL has a heart attack! So the 5 babysitters are back on duty but determined to stay awake no matter what though Jess‘ unfiltered decaf coffee doesn‘t work!

After absolutely loving Whelan‘s 2nd novel, I eagerly picked up her debut—pleased to snag it in an Audible sale, since when I read the other, I was so curious about the audio performance, considering the author‘s expertise! And this doesn‘t disappoint—it‘s a great performance & a storyline that reels you right in with all of Ella‘s dreams coming true in the very opening from arriving as a Rhodes scholar to a job—but the year changes everything!

The second book in the #FrighteningFour miniseries picks up right away with the twins & friends still sharing babysitting duties for the 5 Riccoli kids in their haunted mansion. As Liz tries to piece together the clues in all of the similarities in their nightmares, Steven & Joe break up the tension with hilarity on the Wakefields‘ new riding mower. Also, it‘s clear Alice has a connection to the house all of her own! Plus what a cliffhanger!

This led to one of our book club‘s livelier discussions… mostly from us agreeing on what we didn‘t like! Set in a remote corner of the world where boundaries blur between Sweden, Finland & Russia, the glacial pace irritates with abrupt shifts in perspective (equally frustrating to those who listened & physically read it). Oddly, I really disliked both the beginning & ending, but I did appreciate parts in the middle & the breadth of research here.

I can‘t believe it‘s been 16 years since I read this #FrighteningFour miniseries for the first time! In the #SVT series‘ 7th haunted mansion, the Riccoli family has moved into the old Sullivan place. With five kinds under ten, & a husband still working back in Sacramento, the twins start raking in the babysitting money along with Amy, Winston & Todd. But with dire warnings from the creepy gardener & nightmares with real scratches, this is spooky!

The last of my #12BooksOf2024 wasn‘t a hard choice since I read the last 400 pages of this in literally one sitting!! I loved it!!

Thanks for organizing this fun end of year summary, @Andrew65 — looking forward to next year‘s collection!

Starting in 1955, this novel revolves around the titular character‘s life through a public breakdown & its aftermath. Margaret, a Shakespearean actress has redefined her life, but her past still plays a role, as her roles start to play within her life. The historical details are handled well, & as expected, a theatrical cast brings plenty of drama to this quick read. Margaret‘s the focus but I wanted more depth to the supporting roles.

Even with only three options, my #12BooksOf2024 choice was still a tough one for November! But, as I listened to this one, it felt like it was written just for me! I immediately ordered a physical copy and I am already looking forward to re-reading it!

Only one more to go, @Andrew65 !

Casey‘s Ice Cream Parlor not only suddenly has waiters, but college student/clown Joe Carrey is everyone‘s favorite employee. But when Jessica forces her sister into a late night run to the pharmacy for maxi pads, they become witnesses in an armed robbery! Liz can‘t believe that the clown in question is Joe & using Amanda Howard as a guide, she sets out to prove his innocence! Cameo locations of #SVU & fun riddles make this a great one!

Well, this was yet another tough decision for which October read would be one of my #12BooksOf2024! But, I had to ultimately go with the scariest and the most tense (a very close runner-up was SOMEONE IN THE ATTIC which had me just checking on our own attic before taking my review picture!🤣) which was this listen. Not only did it scare me, but my gasping out loud while walking our dog passed along the scares to him! So this one even scared him!

While Feeney‘s 7th novel isn‘t my favorite, I still found myself listening to this at every opportunity! With dual perspectives, this one hooked me from the start. Author Grady Green‘s whole life has crumbled in the wake of his wife‘s mysterious disappearance. But his agent (and wife‘s godmother) throws him an opportunity to write in the isolated cabin she inherited on a remote Scottish island. It‘s quickly clear that the island harbors secrets!

This was another tough pick for the #12BooksOf2024 but I had to go with this sweetly moving debut novel— and another one where multiple copies were opened under the tree this year. I am definitely excited to see how my friends and family enjoy this one! I loved it!

Thanks, @Andrew65 for organizing!

Despite the girls‘ basketball team championship of #20PlayingHooky, the school no longer has a girls team & after Steven gives his sisters a basketball lesson, they‘re naturals! Steven needs coaching experience & so the Honeybees are formed— but the boys‘ team isn‘t supportive— refusing to go to games! So the Boosters boycott them, ending their winning streak! Bruce Patman cuts a deal in the end, & it‘s all a good laugh despite the inconsistency!

Though August was another great month, immediately after finishing this ARC, I ordered three copies to give as Christmas presents because not only did I love it, but I knew my BFF, mom and SIL would also love it! I am looking forward to hearing what they think!
#12BooksOf2024
@Andrew65

Though I haven‘t listened to the podcast, I enjoyed this compilation of quick & fascinating little articles arranged in a variety of themes to guarantee there‘s something to capture anyone‘s interest! Though I read it straight through, it would be more enjoyable to read only one or two at a time, as the dad joke humor can be a bit much after a while. But, I am hoping that this will make an excellent dad gift, as I just bought extra copies to give!

July was another good reading month so it was tough narrowing this down for the #12BooksOf2024– but I had a lot of anticipation for this one, and wasn‘t remotely disappointed! Couldn‘t put it down and I‘m counting down the days till Sager‘s next!
Sorry for falling a little behind, but I‘m going to catch up @Andrew65 !

This volume in the series tackles a more serious subject— child abuse. Brian Boyd, proven bully, has been bragging about winning fights & keeps disrupting Mr. Bowman‘s unit on families. Liz reads in the paper about a 12 year old removed from his home due to abuse, & after seeing Brian cry in the alley, puts it together that those “fights” have been at the hands of his father. Oddly, most of #SweetValley wants to send him away! Liz to the rescue!

Though June was another good reading month with plenty of books to choose from for the #12BooksOf2024, I think Margo‘s story surprised me the most & has lingered with me the longest—definitely a top read for the year!

Thanks, @Andrew65 for organizing— I saw that this made many other Littens‘ lists as well!