The Dime Museum is one of those rare collections that somehow manages to feel both expansive and deeply intimate. Each story stands beautifully on its own, yet as the book unfolds, you realize you’re also being drawn into something much larger: an intricate mosaic of intersecting lives.
The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie. As someone who is not a fan of contemporary unreliable narrators, I was eager to read a classic with an author doing it right. And what a masterclass this is! Even knowing the twist, it was such a delight to read and pulled me right in. Since I did know the twist, I also got to carefully inspect how Christie made it all happen. Separate post about Roger Ackroyd coming soon!
See You at Harry's by Jo Knowles. I was incredibly interested in this book when it was a family running a restaurant and how that might be embarrassing for the kids as they grow up, but once the dead child came into play, I was out. Maybe I’m just stubborn because in my MFA workshops, we were always taught to not to start with a dream and not to use dead/dying babies/children. It felt like a grab to be really emotional and powerful and just fell flat for me. It was a struggle to finish this one because I felt like the potential story just devolved into sadness and grief for this kid who was already overly cutesy and unrealistic when he was alive.
The Mystery of Mrs. Christie by Marie Benedict. Agatha Christie’s disappearance has fascinated me and I was eager to “learn” more about it through this fictional depiction. I love how it was handled with the different timelines and how that was structured, especially considering how it came together at the end.
Life As We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer. This was a re-read for me, but I’ve thought of the series so often since I read it in April 2016. When the author recently died, I knew it was time to read it again! I loved this first book so much. It’s wild to me that I originally read it before Covid, and now we’ve been through that and are possibly on the cusp of who knows what in the world… so it was really interesting to re-read it through that lens of what we’ve been through and what’s right around the corner. Series posted about in full (original read and re-read) here.
The Dead and the Gone by Susan Beth Pfeffer. I’d previously read this series so I had vague memories of book two, but it really took me aback on a re-read for it to be a totally different set of characters in a totally different place, but experiencing the same time period. Once I got into it, I appreciated the drastically different interpretation of what happened, and it was well-written in terms of what happened to these characters, but I still think it’s an interesting choice that the writer used the same time period for a second book, even knowing that they’d come together at a later time in the third book. I guess it was easier to write a full second book about the different characters instead of trying to cram all the backstory into the book where he meets Miranda.
The World We Live In by Susan Beth Pfeffer. I liked how this one brought together the characters from the first two, and while I didn’t care for how religious the second book was, at least it fit the characters. It seemed like everyone was forcibly religious in this book, even though Miranda and her family didn’t seem that way in the first. Not a big deal, maybe just passage of time and the author’s views changing so she put them in the book more? Either way, I think this was a really logical next step for the series.
The Final Episode by Lori Roy. I found this while searching Kindle Unlimited books to read during my free trial and the synopsis caught my attention. I really loved the writing and the way the story was told. I liked that I was never completely sure if I was “watching” slightly fictionalized episodes of the show or truly living what each episode showed from the characters' POVs as it happened. It doesn’t matter either way, but I thought it was an interesting way to think about what each option might have skewed in terms of the truth.
All Fours by Miranda July. I’m still thinking about this one… definitely going to write something longer about it in my September substack once I get my thoughts around it (and turning 40).
A Good Girl's Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson. Going in, this one felt too familiar, like maybe I had read it and DNF before? But I couldn’t find proof of that, so I figured it just seemed similar to other YA true crime/cold case/podcast type books. I stuck with it and got completely obsessed. I thought one of the murderers was incredibly obvious and was surprised they weren’t a suspect all along, but the other took me by surprise. The ending was perfect and definitely made me eager to read the rest of the series.
Don't Let Him In by Lisa Jewell. I was drawn into this book because the premise was already so twisted that I knew the end had to make it even more so. It did, and I wasn’t totally sure what was coming, so that was enjoyable.
Kill Joy by Holly Jackson. This was a cute short story but I don’t think it added much to my appreciation for what I’ve read of the series so far. Not necessary to read overall, not awful to read, just… there.
Forever… by Judy Blume. This was a re-read (for the thousandth time I’m sure) because I want to watch the Netflix show and compare and contrast them. I think this really held up and honestly, I love it even more now as an older woman and parent. I think it does a great job of showing a realistic relationship and that sex doesn’t always lead to pregnancy and that breaking up isn’t the end of the world. Separate post comparing the book and the show coming soon!
Good Girl, Bad Blood by Holly Jackson. Second books usually feel like a placeholder between the first and third of a trilogy but this one held its own. I thought it was a really good mystery and I love how it pulled in some details from the first book that hadn’t even registered for me. For a teenager solving crimes the police can’t (or won’t), I feel like this is realistically written, especially considering emotions Pip feels after all she’s been through.
As Good As Dead by Holly Jackson. I thought this was a really satisfying end. The first third or even half maybe was VERY repetitive with what Pip was thinking and feeling regarding her trauma. I get that what happened is major and will change a person but for the sake of fiction, I think it could have been cut and handled better. It felt like Jackson was trying to meet word count with those sections. However, how Pip evolved feels really natural and I think the ending was just right. Separate post about the book series and TV show coming soon!
You Must Be New Here by Katie Sise. This one was tough for me to get into. I couldn’t keep the narrators apart initially, and even later on I couldn’t really remember who was who - I kept forgetting who Clara’s kids were and some of Sloane’s history got muddy for me. Overall, it was an okay read, but I feel like the biggest twist was Ben and Harper being siblings instead of married. The whodunnit was pretty obvious from the start.
The Last Pebble by Alex Horne. I love Alex Horne, the Horne Section, his adult books, what I’ve seen of Taskmaster, and this book came highly recommended from a friend. It was an interesting concept for sure, but I think it would have worked better as a novella instead of being as long as it was. It got a bit wordy and I think some children would lose interest with the wordiness and slow pace, then several major reveals all crammed in at the end. I would definitely read another children’s book by him, though.
In Magic Can’t Save Us: 18 Tales of Likely Failure, Josh Denslow delivers a sharp, genre-blurring short story collection that’s equal parts funny, heartbreaking, and weirdly tender. Through eighteen inventive tales, Denslow injects magical realism into the messy, intimate spaces of human relationships. He uses dragons, harpies, and zombie apocalypses not as escapes from emotional conflict, but as magnifying glasses that reveal what’s already broken or breaking.
How to Love a Black Hole is a haunting, profoundly emotional collection that explores the fragility of human relationships, the weight of trauma, and the search for meaning in a world often defined by contradictions. Each story in the collection leaves a lasting impression, lingering in the mind long after you turn the final page. Fishow’s writing is surreal yet grounded, rich in symbolism and vivid description that blurs the lines between reality and the supernatural.
In A New Day, Sue Mell delivers a collection of short stories that feel honest and familiar. The book follows three women—Rachel, Emma, and Nina—through the highs and lows of relationships, creative pursuits, and life’s everyday disarray.What stands out most about these stories is how real they feel. Mell doesn’t sugarcoat or neatly resolve everything. Instead, she gives us glimpses of decisions that ripple through later stories, sometimes offering closure but more often reflecting how life works—messy, unpredictable, and full of loose ends. It’s like catching up with old friends through mutual acquaintances, where you slowly piece together what’s been happening in their lives.
Walk Me to the Corner by Anneli Furmark
I'm in a novel workshop where five of us are writing young adult novels, workshopping them a chapter at a time. As often happens when you get writers together, the book recommendations fly faster than I can write them down!
One of the writers is revising a graphic novel. Interestingly, she only has the text, as she's not an artist. Still, the story and the way she laid it out is so visual - I can definitely imagine how amazing this would look as a finished book!
I mentioned that it made me think of Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi and Fun Home (and others) by Alison Bechdel, and she mentioned Walk Me to the Corner.
I requested it from the library without reading what it was about. Sometimes I like a hint of what's to come, especially with suspense books, cozy mysteries, and thrillers. But sometimes I like going in with no expectations - especially if someone personally recommended a book.
This book was really sparse; I found this appealing in a way because the reader can overlay their own emotions. Even with images, it was difficult to understand what each character was feeling deep down, which made me feel a bit disconnected from the story, though it was an interesting premise.
Love Letters to a Serial Killer by Tasha Coryell
"The truth won't change anything, but that doesn't mean it should never be exposed."
I saw this in a bookstore, and the title alone grabbed me, along with the cover image! But as petty as it may sound, the Colleen Hoover blurb on the front cover made me second-guess my initial thoughts. I've read a few of Hoover's books, and I later realized I'd read The Perfect Marriage by Jeneva Rose and only gave it two stars. But overall, the synopsis sounded great, and I felt like I hadn't been reading much lately, so I was in!
"He closes the door behind him, leaving me to fend off the monsters on my own. But they're not under the bed anymore. They're in me."
The story was quite different from what I expected, but I enjoyed it. I felt like all three siblings were very unique and realistic, and they all had distinct voices, which can be tough in a multi-POV book. The way the siblings started uncovering information about their parents' past was really well done, too. I could have read anything about their childhood up to this point and been completely invested.
"As we age, we shed layers of ourselves, disintegrating like any other organic material, but some of us just break down faster than others."
The twist was okay, but I felt it was almost anti-climactic. It felt a bit rushed, and everything seemed to happen quickly after such a great build-up of the siblings putting the clues together. (Funny enough, I thought the ending of The Perfect Marriage ruined the book for me, so maybe that's just a constant for my experience with Rose's books, though this one didn't ruin it.) The final resolution also wasn't a home run for me - it seemed a little too sappy. Overall, this was still a good read that kept me turning pages, so I'd recommend it.
My mom got this book from the library and said she read 3/4 of it in one day. I feel like I've been in a reading slump since the new year, so I was definitely in the mood for a book I couldn't put down.
And this really delivered! It's something I would call a cozy thriller, in that it doesn't really mess with my emotions but the suspense does keep me turning pages. (Okay, is there really a sub-genre called cozy thrillers? I love me some cozy mysteries but I won't lie - some of these thrillers almost give me a heart attack because they're so over-the-top. I want the suspense but I don't want to put my health at risk.)
In all seriousness, I call it that because I didn't really care about the main character. She was interesting and unique and I had no clue what her backstory was or what she would do next, but I wasn't invested in her survival. She was somewhat flat, and I mean that in a good way! I didn't want to care about her - I just wanted her to entertain me.
And she did. I read this book on Sunday, start to finish, and I genuinely had no idea how it would end. I call that a job well done.
With that said, I feel like trying to explain the story would either confuse you or give it away, so I'd suggest reading the blurb and seeing if it strikes your fancy. And if it does, comment so we can talk about it because I got lots of thoughts!
I love a good suspense book, especially when nothing else seems to be catching my attention. Lisa Jewell is always a good choice when I want something well-written and twisty.
I first read The Family Upstairs as a Book of the Month choice in 2019. I loved it back then, but once I heard there was a sequel, I knew I needed to re-read the first so I could appreciate it completely. Thankfully, my memory is pretty terrible, so while I knew I read the book and loved it, I didn't remember anything beyond the general storyline. This is actually a great quality as an avid reader because it means re-reading felt pretty darn close to reading it for the first time!
I love how Jewell creates storylines that are full of mystery, but the pacing keeps the suspense like a rollercoaster so you don't feel exhausted and ready to flip to the end. Her characters are all really vivid, which helped make the twists seem more organic. They each had distinct voices, too, which I feel like a lot of authors struggle with when they have alternating narrators.
The end was a great twist with some loose ends, but it didn't feel hokey. It felt realistic, like the way things wrap up in real life that makes you think, Ok, that's done... for now. And thankfully, Jewell felt that way, too, and wrote a sequel!
Even with the loose ends, I wasn't sure what was going to happen in The Family Remains. I think it's a great storyline, though, giving Jewell a chance to fill in some holes left by the first book without making it seem like she's retelling the same story.
I also love that she wrapped up all the loose ends and then, at the very end, tugged one loose.
Will there be another book? I don't know, but I'd read it! The story and characters now live on in my imagination, so I'd love a chance to peek into their lives again.
Have you read these books? Share your thoughts in the comments! Recommend some other suspense books, too!
