2024 Book I Read and Recommend to Book Lovers

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•Apples Never Fall by Liane Moriarty – I did it! I guessed the twist… or part of it. This is my second novel by LM. I saw Peacock was making a series on this book so I decided this was my next read. The family dynamics in this book are complicate, to say the least. While reading, I ended up almost disliking the mom, kind of. There are a couple twists in this novel but I did guess the big one, what happened to the mom?
•Watch Me Disappear by Janelle Brown – This is my first novel by Janelle Brown but I have another of hers on my bookshelf, Pretty Little Things. I was back and forth on this book, wondering what happened to the mom, were the daughter’s visions real, can I trust the father as a narrator? It was a crazy ride and I started to come to the conclusion that maybe the mom did just have an accident hiking in the mountains. I really didn’t know what to think. In the end, I found out what happened, and it was a very interesting final chapter.
•101 Essays That Will Change The Way You Think by Brianna Weist – Has some really good advice and essays that will stop and make you think a little more.
•The Perfect Marriage by Jeneva Rose – well shit! I loved this book, my favorite of the year so far, maybe? I had 4 suspects in mind when it came to who killed the mistress. I went into this book determined to solve the mystery before it was revealed to me. I questioned everything, especially since the narrators were the husband and wife, were they reliable, could I trust they were sharing all the information they were giving me. The twists and turns in this novel were insane; I had 4 suspects in mind but honestly, everyone was a suspect. It could have been anyone but the way it was all tied up nice and neat, was perfect. The ending had a couple of twisted parts that really stuck out to me.
•All Good People Here by Ashley Flowers – I am a Crime Junkie so it was finally time that I read Ashley’s first novel. It was really good. I started out reading in Ashley’s voice but eventually I forgot she was the author. This book is dark, especially the ending. It honestly surprised me but Ashley does cover some really dark crimes in her podcast so I guess I shouldn’t be that surprised. I was back and forth on who I thought killed the little girl but honestly I wasn’t ever sure. I really loved how the ending leads you to believe the truth is revealed but then you learn there’s even more to the story in the final chapter.
•A Flicker in the Dark by Stacy Willingham – This was another rollercoaster of a book. So many questions, so many suspects. Did Chole’s dad actually murder those girls when she was a teenager? Who’s murdering these girls now? Is Chole a reliable narrator considering she’s prescribing herself pills? As character connections are revealed, you begin to put the pieces together and realize the truth. This book was such a good read and had me scrambling to put the puzzle together.
•The Family Upstairs by Lisa Jewell – My first Lisa Jewell book of the year. I think I’ve read 5 of her novels now, they are so good! And this one has a sequel, The Family Remains. I started this book on vacation and got 26 pages in before I took a break. I gave a rundown to my husband, and he was hooked too. When I finished it he asked if he was right about the main mystery, and he was excited to know, he was right. This novel, just like all Lisa Jewel novels, will have you desperately trying to figure out how everything comes together, because it all eventually does. As soon as you think you know the truth of one thing you learn that’s not the case. And because there is a sequel, I feel as if, more will be revealed and leave me with whiplash.
•Just the Nicest Couple by Mary Kubica – This story is about a couple who are desperately trying to keep a secret, that the wife may have killed, in self defense, her coworker/friend’s husband. The story is told from the husband’s and friend’s POV. The entire time I was reading this book I was screaming at the characters: what are you doing?! They continued to make bad decision after bad decision, but that’s what made it so enticing. I thought I knew what the twist would be but there were still many pieces missing and i was very surprised with the ending and how it all eventually played out.
•The Family Remains by Lisa Jewell -The sequel to The Family Upstairs – This is the sequel to The Family Upstairs and I’m glad I read them so close together because otherwise I might have forgotten some pieces of the story. I think I would say the second book is even better than the first. The entire time I was waiting for something really terrible to happen, I thought I had everything figured out, only to find out that I really had no idea.
•You Shouldn’t Have Come Here by Jeneva Rose – This book was… something else! I was NOT expecting the ending that I got and I don’t want to give away too much but it was very good! Jeneva Rose might be up there with Lisa Jewell as one of my favorite story tellers, even if her books are super dark. The twists and turns and the questioning of the narrators is like a rollercoaster in book form.

If you are looking for more book recommendations check out The Books I Read in 2023.