January 2017 Reading List

Last month I was able to read eight books (you can view them in November’s Books to Read This Month post). This month was a little crazy with traveling & the holidays, so I didn’t get to read as much as I wanted to. But in the midst of all the chaos I was able to read five books… 4 books and 1 on my iPad! I’m sharing my review of the books below.

If you have any book suggestions, feel free to leave them in the comments! I’m also on Goodreads so you can see the books I have read there, too! I also have a bookshelf page that shares all my latest books if you’re looking for a new read. Let’s get started, shall we….

THE MURDER HOUSE BY JAMES PATTERSON | After reading one of his books last month, I decided to pick up this book after the back cover had me dying to read it! While this book takes place in the Hamptons, it’s a much different story than most that have taken place there. The picturesque town is haunted by a multi-million dollar oceanfront home that sits atop the hill. It’s the house that everyone has heard stories about and it’s one that will surely haunt you page after page. This book tells each chilling story that’s occurred at the house and the ending will leave you stunned! I was finished with this (almost) 500 page book in less than three days.

THE SILENT GIRLS BY ERIC RICKSTAD |  I have to admit, this book wasn’t my favorite and it took me a while to get through it. I know you’re not supposed to judge a book by it’s cover but between the cover and the compelling details on the back I was excited for a thrilling page-turner. This crime thriller is a bit gory, so it certainly isn’t for the faint hearted. This story is about a string of murders that don’t seem to be adding up…until one retired police officers finds a link between them all and fights to find answers. While it takes a while to get into, the second half of the book really speeds up and the ending left my mouth hanging open with a lot of unanswered questions! I love these kind of endings because it keeps me thinking beyond the pages of the book and makes me think a little.

THE NEW NEIGHBOR BY LEAH STEWART | It’s easy to let curiosity get the best of us, right? Curiosity gets the best of Margaret, a lonely 91 year-old woman living in a secluded town, when a new neighbor suddenly shows up. After living in seclusion for years, she can’t stop thinking about her new neighbor, Jennifer. What made her come to town? What is she hiding? How can she get answers? Margaret slowly lets her curiosity get the best of her as she tries to answer these questions while revealing some secrets herself. For me, the book unfolded very well. It kept me interested in the characters and what they were hiding. This was another book that got me thinking… you really never know what people are going through or hiding. 

ONE MORE DAY BY KELLY SIMMONS | Mothers are always caring for their children and are quick to protect them in every way they can. Carrie thinks she’s doing her best until one day her son goes missing as she’s trying to find change for the parking meter. More than a year goes by when her son suddenly appears, yet he’s gone again in no time. She’s left with questions, while many others (including her husband and cops) seem to question her sanity. By the end of the novel the crime is solved and it’ll all make sense. This was a pretty quick read for me and definitely kept me questioning what was going to happen next and if Carrie was sane or not!

ALL THE PRETTY GIRLS BY J.T. ELLISON | I purchased this book on my iPad during a Goodreads Daily Deal and I’m so glad I did! You’re immediately sucked in when a local girl is found dead and linked to a string of murders in which the serial killer leaves behind a disturbing memento at each scene. While there are plenty of stereotypical situations involving cops and the FBI, this is truly a page-turning thriller that has many twists and turns. There was at least three times I thought I knew what was going to happen only to be totally wrong!