I share my book recommendations in random posts each month, so thought it might be nice to have a running list of the books I’ve read (only the ones I like) in one place!
By Any Other Name by Jodi Picoult: A
My sister recommended this book and I’m really really loving it. Fun fact, Jodi Picoult lives in my hometown and one time came to talk to my middle school english class about writing. I was inspired by her then and now! The story goes back and forth between Melina Greene, a young New York City playwright in current times and her ancestor, Emilia Bassano, in 1581 about whom Melina is writing a play. It turns out that Emilia is actually the writer behind Shakespeare’s work. I’m not really that much of a theater girlie but I can’t put this book down.
The Let Them Theory by Mel Robbins: B
I have been listening to this one on car and train rides and while I love Mel Robbins’ theory of wasting no more time on things and people you can’t control, I feel like this book could have been summed up in one of her podcast episodes or a blog post. She definitely presents a great way to look at life and I will for sure be applying it to my own life, I just didn’t need a full book on it.
Margo’s Got Money Troubles by Rufi Thorpe: A
I finished listening to this one over the weekend and feel depressed that it’s over. I felt so connected to the main character, Margo, and was rooting for her the entire time even though she was a 19 year old single mom on OnlyFans lol. If you need a new listening book, this is a great one because Elle Fanning reads it and does a fantastic job. The story starts when Margo, a young college student, gets pregnant with her professor’s baby and has to figure out a way to support her new life until she ends up on OnlyFans with the help of her father, an ex pro wrestler. Sounds like this book might not be for you? I thought the same but my sister told me I had to read it and I got in deep. It made me laugh and cry and was a great listen that I couldn’t wait to turn on whenever I got into the car or started folding laundry.
The Goddess of Warsaw by Lisa Barr: A+
This was one of my favorite books I’ve read in a very long time and I will for sure be adding it to my list of WWII novels, a genre that I can’t stop with. It starts in present day where we meet a famous Hollywood actress who is at the end of her life and finally wants to tell her story. It turns out what the media knows is all a lie. She is not only a survivor of the Jewish ghetto in Warsaw but she fought for the resistance, becoming a spy, and made a huge impact. It is always hard to read about the Nazis but this book shows the strength and resilience of a young woman determined to save the world as she knows it. LOVED this book so so much.
The Husbands by Holly Gramazio: B+
People have mixed reviews on this book but I found it wildly weird and entertaining. Lauren comes home from a bachelorette party one night to find her husband in her London flat, but she isn’t married and has no idea who he is. She quickly learns that when he goes into the attic he comes down as another husband and a whole new life begins around her as she cycles through husbands on a regular basis. It gets a little repetitive in the middle which is my only complaint but I still couldn’t put it down.
All the Colors of the Dark by Chris Whitaker: A+
I was absolutely obsessed with this incredible story set in the 1970s of a small town in Missouri where girls start to go missing. For the first quarter of the book, you think it’s about one missing person, a one-eyed teenage boy nick-named Patch, and then it starts to unfold into a more terrifying story about finding a serial killer while also focusing deeply on each character and their relationships. If The Women was my favorite book this year, All the Colors of the Dark was for sure my second fave! Generally thrillers for me are quick, easy reads, but this one had so much more depth than others I’ve read lately and the writing is excellent.
God of the Woods by Liz Moore: A+
Also set in the 1970s, about a teen who disappears from her cabin at summer camp in the Adirondacks. It is an absolutely chilling read but beautifully written, similar to All the Colors of the Dark. I had seen both of these on must-read lists for 2024 and I get why. This one has stuck with me months after finishing it.
Listen For the Lie by Amy Tintera: B
I pretty much always have one book to physically read and one book that I listen to on Audible. For my listening books, I usually go for either memoirs or easy-read thrillers. Listen For the Lie falls into the second category but it was the perfect easy-listen for car-rides and folding laundry. A 20-something woman, Lucy, is accused of murdering her best friend, Savvy, in their small Texan hometown the night of a wedding 5 years ago. There isn’t enough evidence to convict her. In the present time, a podcaster, Ben, visits the town and starts drudging up old information and details about that night.
The Women by Kristin Hannah: A+
Without a doubt this was my favorite book that I read in 2024. I always love the way Kristin Hannah can tell a story and make you fall deeply in love with her characters. The Women tells the story of a young woman, Frances “Frankie” McGrath, who becomes a nurse during the Vietnam War. As she faces the brutal realities of war, she also navigates personal challenges, including the loss of loved ones and societal stigma. When she comes home from her tour, Frankie struggles with PTSD and the emotional scars left by her experiences. I learned so much about the Vietnam War and the role that women played in it.
All Fours by Miranda July: A-
Ok this book is weird. Like really weird. And… I loved it? I read another one of Miranda July’s books many years ago (The Last Bad Man) and it really stuck with me. This one will too. It’s a quirky (to say the least) and surreal story following a woman who is going through menopause and learning about herself and her sexuality along the way. Side note: I listened to this one on Audible and am obsessed with Miranda July’s voice.
Trigger warning: Highly sexual content
The Night She Disappeared by Lisa Jewell: A-
Another A+ psychological thriller from Lisa Jewell! This one had me guessing until the very end and I loved every second of it. The book is a mystery about the disappearance of a young couple, Tallulah and Zach, who vanish after a night out in a small English village. The story alternates between multiple timelines, weaving together the perspectives of Tallulah’s mother, Kim, and Sophie, a mystery novelist who stumbles upon clues while staying nearby.
The Perfect Marriage by Jeneva Rose: B
This is one of those fast-paced thrillers that you can finish in a couple of days. It wasn’t my favorite, yet I couldn’t put it down. You know how it is! The story centers on a married couple, Sarah and Adam Morgan. Sarah is a successful defense attorney who finds her life turned upside down when Adam is accused of murdering his mistress at their lake house (so juicy!). As Sarah takes on the task of defending her husband in court, secrets about their marriage start to come out, and it’s hard to tell whether he’s guilty or innocent until the very end.
The Sicilian Inheritance by Jo Piazza: A
I read this for book club, and enjoyed it from cover to cover. The story goes back and forth between Sara (in current times), who has a failing business and marriage in the States, and her great-grandmother, Serafina, a strong-willed Italian woman in the early 1900s. There is a murder mystery aspect and a lot of great visuals of the Italian countryside.
I love a memoir and I am fascinated by sociopathy. This book married both as it’s a memoir written by an actual sociopath who has dedicated her life to helping other sociopaths as a psychologist. She shares the deepest darkest thoughts that have crossed her mind from childhood until today. Loved it.
Real Americans by Rachel Khong: A-
This book spans generations of an Asian-American family from the perspective of May (grandma), Lily (mom), and Nick (son) Chen. It showcases the struggles of 1st and 2nd generation Chinese American immigrants. I loved reading from all of their perspectives and seeing how family trauma can be perceived so differently by different people involved.
I’m Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy: A+
Just wow. I am a touch too old to be an iCarly fan so I had never heard of Jennette McCurdy before. Because of that, I thought it wouldn’t be interesting but I was drawn into her wild, heart-breaking yet heart-warming memoir from the very first paragraph. She will make you simultaneously laugh and cry as she tells her tale of life as a child actor, abuse, an eating disorder, bad relationships, addiction, and so much more.
None of This is True by Lisa Jewell: A+
I think this might be my favorite out of all the Lisa Jewell thrillers I’ve read. Jewell always writes the most interesting characters and dark stories with lots of good twists. I couldn’t put this one down! It’s about two women, Josie Fair and Alix Summer, birthday twins who meet at a restaurant celebrating their 45th. Josie has a story to tell and propositions Alix, a famous podcaster, into telling it on her platform. As she tells more and more of her (very dark) story, we learn secrets about her along the way. There’s murder, affairs, lies, and so much more. It’s a good one!
First Lie Wins by Ashley Elston: A
After I finished that, many of you recommended First Lie Wins, which I ended up devouring in 3 nights. It wasn’t as murder-y as None of This is True but a fun mystery where you’re always trying to figure out who the real bad guy is. Evie Porter is a sweet young woman engaged to her new (very handsome and charming) boyfriend Ryan, but you quickly learn that she is some sort of secret agent with Ryan as the “mark” in the case. It was a action-packed and just overall fun to read.
Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver: A+
I wrote about this last month but finally finished it. Demon Copperhead is a really really tough read but man was it incredible. It won the 2023 Pulitzer Prize and was part of Oprah’s book club in 2022 for good reason. It’s about a boy born to a teenage mother in the mountains of Appalachia and his survival from abuse to foster care to success to addiction and everything in between. As a mom, I had to stop and start it multiple times because I couldn’t handle too much of it at once but I’m very glad that I finished it. If you can’t handle a heavy plot line right now, skip it.
Strange Sally Diamond by Liz Nugent: B+
I saw that Lisa Jewel said that this thriller was her favorite of the year so I obviously ordered it immediately. I liked it a lot but wouldn’t say it was my favorite. Definitely a good dark and twisty read, however. Like very dark. Sally Diamond is a strange woman who doesn’t fully know how to act in regular society. When her father dies, new information begins coming to light about her childhood that she’s never remembered. I really liked the way it was written from the perspective of a person who isn’t fully understanding what’s happening to her.
Trigger warnings: child abuse, kidnapping, rape
The Butterfly Garden by Dot Hutchison: B+
The hold that this book has over me you guys. I literally run upstairs at 9:30 just to read because I’m so excited to see what happens next. It’s an old one (from 2016) but a friend of mine recently told me she’s never stopped thinking about it and now I get why! When “Maya” escapes from her kidnapper (who she calls the gardener), she tells her story to the detectives in charge of the case about the luscious garden that was home to her and many other “butterflies” who were kidnapped by the same man. I don’t want to say more to give it away but it’s DARK and so so good.
Trigger warnings: kidnapping, rape
Britney Spears: The Woman in Me by Britney Spears: A-
I listened to this one with Michelle Williams narrating. The media shared the “juicy” moments but there was so much more to it than that. Her story is tragic and will break your heart over and over again. It was interesting to hear about moments that I remember from the media but hear them from Britney’s perspective. Knowing what was going on in the background changes everything.
The Family Remains by Lisa Jewel: B-
This was the sequel to The Family Upstairs (by far my favorite thriller of 2023). I was dying to know what happened to the characters but the second book was just meh compared to the first. It was just way too out there to be even a little bit believable.
The Villa by Rachel Hawkins: B-
I found this book buried in a drawer and decided to pick it up and read it one night. It’s a thriller set in Orvieto, Italy. Two friends, Chess and Emily, take a summer to visit an old (you guessed it) villa, filled with secrets. The house was the scene of the infamous murder of a rockstar in the ’70s and the women uncover what really happened that fateful night at the same time as we, as readers, read it from the perspective of the people who were there. It’s a good twisty thriller but not my favorite. Definitely a good vacation read but not my top rec.
Lady Tan’s Circle of Women By Lisa See: A
I love everything I’ve ever read by Lisa See, especially Snow Flower and the Secret Fan years ago. Inspired by the true story of a female physician in 15th Century China, her latest novel doesn’t disappoint either. I love when historical fiction teachers me about a time and place I don’t know a lot about while also pulling me into a story.
Tom Lake by Ann Patchett: A-
AP is one of my all-time favorite author so I was psyched to get into Tom Lake. But the first half didn’t pull me in the way her novels normally do. It took me over half of the book to really get into it but once I did, I couldn’t put it down. If you’re a Patchett fan, it’s worth a read, although not quite as riveting as her other books. My favorites are Bel Canto, The Dutch House, and Commonwealth if you want to start there.
The Family Upstairs by Lisa Jewell: A+
I absolutely could not put down this thriller that had me hooked from the first to last page. SO SO SO good 10/10 recommend. The Family Upstairs is about a woman in England who inherits an old mansion and quickly learns about her mysterious past, as well as the house’s, when she visits for the first time. I can’t tell you more than that, just trust me. I just bought the sequel and can’t wait to start that soon.
Stolen Focus by Johann Hari: A
I read this non-fiction book about how, as a human race, we’re losing our ability to pay attention to things for long periods of time. I really believe that everyone needs to read this book because it is pretty terrifying how the average teenager can only focus on one task for 65 seconds at a time. And the average office worker isn’t much better at 3 minutes. What the author learns on his journey for answers about this is that it’s not just about us as individuals being on our devices too much, it’s much deeper rooted than that. I cannot recommend this book enough. I might actually write a full blog post on it… if I can manage to focus for that long 🙂
The School for Good Mothers by Jessamine Chan: A-
I finally felt ready to read this book and it was very very intense. The story follows Frida, a mother who made a huge mistake that resulted in CPS being called on her. In this fictional landscape, CPS has started a new program to “rehab bad mothers” which is, in actually, pretty terrifying. It made me think a lot about what makes a good mother and also was incredibly difficult to read having my own two kids. That said, it felt important and I could not put it down.
Swipe Up for More by Stephanie McNeal: A
I pre-ordered this book and devoured it in just a few days. Steph McNeal gives a look behind the curtain into the world of online influencers. Obviously having done this myself for over a decade, I’ve seen a lot of what she writes about, but I loved hearing the stories of other women in the industry. She and the influencers she interviewed made me feel more validated in my profession which is often looked at by society as a joke. I hope there’s a part two soon!
The Push by Ashley Audrain: A-
I forgot to bring a book on a trip recently and picked this one up at the airport. It was, I think, the darkest book I’ve ever read and seriously triggering for all mothers but definitely do NOT read this book if you have a baby. Please just trust me on that. I had no idea what I was getting into. Without giving away the story I’ll just say that it was about a mother who is convinced something is very wrong with her daughter… but no one believes her. It’s a page-turner, that’s for sure.
The Half Moon by Mary Beth Keane: A-
I loved Keane’s last novel, Ask Again, Yes, so was very excited when her newest book came out. The Half Moon is about a New England couple who owns a local bar (called The Half Moon), going through marital and financial issues together. What I really like about her books is the way her relationships and characters feel so real. The plot is good but not riveting (I mean that in a good way!), it feels almost as if you’re talking with a friend. I don’t know what it is but I really love her writing. I also highly recommend Ask Again, Yes if you didn’t read it the first time I shared.
The Social Climber by Amanda Pellegrino: B+
I loved this book and couldn’t put it down. It follows Eliza Bennett, a 20-something Manhattanite who is marrying into a very wealthy family. The story alternates between current-day as she counts down to her wedding, and her time at a Christian college when she was a very different person. There is a great twist, some thriller element, comedy, and lots of drama.
Trigger warning: Eating disorders.
The Marriage Portrait by Maggie O’Farrell: A-
From the author of Hamnet (winner of every award and on all the best books lists I’ve seen in the last few years), this historical fiction novel is set in Renaissance Florence in the 1550s which I appreciate since I studied abroad there in college. Lucrezia de Medici, the third daughter of the grand duke, has a mind of her own. When her older sister dies just before her wedding, Lucrezia is forced to marry her late sister’s fiancé. She then becomes paranoid that he wants to kill her.
It took me a little bit of time to get into it but I ended up really enjoying this one and would definitely recommend it!
I never thought much about Selma Blair but after reading her book she and her story will live rent-free in my mind forever. While her acting might never have amounted to starring roles, she is definitely a star writer in her memoir, Mean Baby.
When I tell you I couldn’t put this book down, you guys! I was inspired to read it based on this post from Carly and I 100% agree with her 5/5 rating.
It is by far the best celebrity memoir I’ve ever read and also the best memoir I’ve read period. Selma is an insanely good writer and has a pretty unbelievable story to tell. She shares everything from her battles with alcoholism to her traumatic childhood to the MS diagnosis that changed her life.
She acknowledges her great privileges in life and discusses the very hard times without complaining. It made me want to hug her with every turn of the page.
