I had such a blast this October. My month dedicated to all things dark, mysterious, and thrilling was epic. I’ve slowly honed in what tropes I enjoy when it comes to mystery/thrillers: prep school or boarding school, summer camp, isolated place or small town, and podcasts.
Total Number of Books: 23 (a new record!)
Total Number of Pages: 8,123
Physical: 13
eBooks: 4
Audiobooks: 6
Favorite (New) Reads of the Month: A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder AND The Cousins
What a month! I feel like it flew by so fast, but at the same time, if you told me I read some of these books last year, I would believe you. I don’t think I’ve ever given out so many four stars in my life—which is definitely a good thing. I didn’t write too much about the books I read because there are so many and I also have a hard time commenting on a book that was pretty middle of the road for me. I hope you enjoy my twenty-three book wrap up!
Physical:
Darling Rose Gold by Stephanie Wrobel – ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Dare Me by Megan Abbott – ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Suicide Notes From Beautiful Girls by Lynn Weingarten – ⭐️⭐️.5
Bad Girls with Perfect Faces by Lynn Weingarten – ⭐️⭐️⭐️
See All the Stars by Kit Frick – ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
Lies You Never Told Me by Jennifer Donaldson – ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I Know You Remember by Jennifer Donaldson – ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The Truth About Keeping Secrets by Savannah Brown – ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
They Wish They Were Us by Jessica Goodman – ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The Guest List by Lucy Foley – ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Even If We Break by Marieke Nijkamp – ⭐️⭐️⭐️
A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson – ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
13 Minutes by Sarah Pinborough – ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I was really disappointed with Darling Rose Gold. I’m fascinated by the story of Dee Dee and Gypsy Rose Blanchard (seriously, look it up) so when I read about a book that followed a similar story, I was pumped. Big let down. I hate that I have to wait for the sequel to A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder because I LOVED it so much. It was such a great mystery that slowly unraveled more and more secrets and deception. It had a great epistolary format for some chapters that included case notes and phone interviews. Another standout was also my first Sarah Pinborough novel, 13 Minutes. The story was so complex and well-written.
E-books:
The Cousins by Karen M. McManus – ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Lies Like Poison by Chelsea Pitcher – ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The Last Time I Lied by Riley Sager – ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
With Malice by Eileen Cook – ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I finally read a Riley Sager book! And it blew me away. I was always worried to read his books because I thought they would be too scary, but I really loved The Last Time I Lied and I already got another one of his books. I attribute my newfound love and appreciation for mysteries to Karen M. McManus’s debut, One of Us is Lying, and I’ve loved every single one of her books since. The Cousins was a leap from her previous work and might be my favorite so far.
Audiobooks:
Reconstructing Amelia by Kimberly McCreight – ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Fragments of the Lost by Megan Miranda – ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Her Pretty Face by Robyn Harding – ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The Arrangement by Robyn Harding – ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
The Best Lies by Sarah Lyu – ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The Night Swim by Megan Goldin – ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Listen to reviewers when they say to listen to The Night Swim on audio. Not only was it a well-crafted story, but the audiobook was excellent because of the podcast element. I really enjoyed the courtroom storyline, as well. The Best Lies was a wild ride—so incredibly dramatic and really entertaining. I now want to check out more books from Megan Miranda, Kimberly McCreight, and Robyn Harding.
And don’t forget, it’s your last day to vote in the US!
Lindsay Glenne 