What To Read (or Skip) This Month

In case you missed my previous post, I’ve counted down some of the most anticipated thrillers of the month and gave a little rundown on what each book is about. Today, I’ll also be including some of my thoughts on them and sharing my favorite ones vs the ones that, to me, weren’t as appealing as I had hoped. But of course, these are only my personal opinions, so you might end up enjoying some of these more than I did!

⁃ One By One by Ruth Ware

– SKIP “One By One”, especially if:

• You’re planning on reading it solely on the fact that it’s written by Ruth Ware. I loved everything I’ve read by this author in the past but, One By One, unfortunately, does not have her signature writing style and is definitely not as original or special as her previous novels.

• You’ve already read too many locked-room thrillers. If you’ve read Lucy Foley’s The Guest List; you won’t be missing out if you don’t read One By One, which is mostly characterized by a group of unlikable characters and a guessable culprit.

– Don’t Look For Me by Wendy Walker

⁃ READ “Don’t Look For Me”, especially if you’re into:

• Abduction stories that are not extremely dark, but conclude with a solid, unpredictable ending. Here, we have a mother who goes missing one night, and – in an alternating POV – her 21-year-old daughter who embarks on a mission to find her.

– When No One Is Watching by Alyssa Cole

⁃ SKIP “When No One Is Watching” by Alyssa Cole, if you’re not a fan of:

• Slow-burn novels that are more “contemporary” than “suspenseful”.

– The Survivors by Jane Harper

⁃ READ “The Survivors”, if you’re a fan of:

• Well-plotted, moody mysteries revolving around family secrets, but don’t mind an abrupt ending.

– One Step Behind by Lauren North

⁃ SKIP “One Step Behind”, if you’re looking for:

• A thriller with unpredictable twists and turns. I was personally letdown to find that this one was completely lacking in surprises and ended with a rushed, underwhelming conclusion. However, I do recommend the author’s debut, The Perfect Son, which was well-crafted and cleverly led towards to a gasp-worthy final reveal!

– Surrender Your Sons by Adam Sass

⁃ READ “Surrender Your Sons”, if you’re looking for:

• An action-packed suspense thriller about a group of teenagers who are abducted and sent to an abusive conversion therapy island, led by a compelling, well-crafted protagonist that you’ll find yourself rooting for until the very end. How will Connor Major survive on this island? Will his escape plan even work?

– And Now She’s Gone by Rachel Howzell Hall

⁃ SKIP “And Now She’s Gone”, if you:

• Predict twists and turns easily

• Are looking for a memorable thriller with more depth.

– The Lakehouse by Joe Clifford

⁃ READ “The Lakehouse”, if you’re a fan of:

• Small-town murder mysteries where almost every character has ugly secrets, and will accomplish the impossible to keep them hidden. This book wasn’t completely up my alley but I was surprised to find that I was enjoying it! The Lakehouse is entertaining, and a page-turner.

And that’s a wrap, fellow bookworms. Hope you guys enjoy this month’s releases, and if you have any of these on your TBR, let me know so we can discuss!!