Books I Read from August 2022-December 2022

Alright, alright, I know it’s been forever since I’ve posted anything really. But hear me out. From August to December life gets crazy. Back to school and then back to back holidays! Who came up with that calendar?! Anyway, my time to read steadily dwindled and with it, my finished books and my time to write. The ghost story I mentioned in my “Haunted by the Hands of Time” post? I never wrote it. Guys, it’s been rough. So I’m playing catch up with this post. Below are all the books I read from August 2022-December 2022. Let me know which one’s you’ve read in the comments! Some good Christmas/Winter themed book suggestions would be great too!

Reckless Girls by Rachel Hawkins

4 out of 5 stars

This is a great summer read! It’s basically a beachy thriller that switches between past and present. Written mostly from Lux’s point of view, a woman who experienced a tragedy and since then has been drifting. She has big travel dreams so when her and her boyfriend are offered $50,000 to take two girl on a deserted island vacation by boat, they agree. I decided to read this because I read and enjoyed Hawkins’ other book, The Wife Upstairs. Both of her books are quick read suspense novels.

In Five Years by Rebecca Serle

3 out of 5 stars

The premise behind this book is very intriguing. However, I found the ending to be lack-luster. The novel really isn’t a romance which is what it seems to be at the beginning. It’s a story about all relationships. If you’re into short books, it’s definitely for you.

Every Summer After by Carley Fortune

4 out of 5 stars

This book is a wonderful testament to what it’s like to be a teenager/young adult and in love when your circumstances are always changing. Everything is so complicated in that time. You’re finding out who you are and so is everyone else. Making mistakes. Testing boundaries. Everything is complicated. Then, circumstances bring the young group of friends back together and they have to re-familiarize themselves with each other.

The Bodyguard by Katherine Center

4 out of 5 stars

I really enjoyed the romance between the main characters but I wasn’t a huge fan of the actual storyline. Mostly because it was so quirky/light-hearted. I’m just not into that too much. I’m unsure if I’ll be reading any more books by Katheirne Center. I do love the cover and the spine with all of it’s floral attributes though!

Rock Paper Scissors by Alice Feeney

4 out of 5 stars

THE TWIST. Trying to puzzle out the mystery is so hard! I didn’t see it coming. Read it. A perfect winter mystery! Feeney also has a new novel out called Daisy Darker. I am looking into reading that one as well.

Love on The Brain by Ali Hazelwood

4 out of 5 stars

Ali Hazelwood does it again with “Love on the Brain.” Last year I read “The Love Hypothesis.” That was her debut novel. It was SO GOOD. This one doesn’t disappoint either! A romance novel you won’t forget.

The Broken Girls by Simone St. James

5 out of 5 stars

It’s official. Simone St. James is on my “favorite authors” list. A heart-felt story about a group of teenage girls with trauma who become friends while placed in an orphanage. One of them goes missing. Meanwhile, in the present, a woman is haunted by the disappearance of her sister. She goes on a mission to find the truth.

Darling Girl by Liz Michalski

4 out of 5 stars

I was so excited to read this story due to it’s twist on Peter Pan. In the end though, I wasn’t as impressed as I thought I’d be. In this novel, Peter Pan is cast as a villain. It delves into the Darling family, their relationships, and the impact Peter Pan has had on their lives. If you like re-tellings like Circe, you will probably like this too!

The House Across the Lake by Riley Sager

5 out of 5 stars

Riley Sager is another author that has made his way on my favorite author’s list. He is an author with an affinity for twists you don’t see coming. This book has the slightly over-used drunk/drugged traumatized woman watching neighbors from windows trope. The twists and the characters all make it worth it though.

Not A Happy Family by Shari Lapena

4 out of 5 stars

Lapena had me constantly guessing “who-did-it” all the way to the end. I liked that this novel of Lapena’s was a little more lengthy than her usual. I felt like it was a successful branching out for her.

NOS4A2 by Joe Hill

4 out of 5 stars

A horror Christmas novel? Who would’ve thought that exists?! Hill takes you on a journey following a child through adulthood and her trauma from an abduction by Charles Manx. By some wrongful miracle Manx escapes custody and seeks revenge. I was so happy I finally got to read this book! Christmas is usually too busy for me to be able to read a Christmas themed book but I made time for it this year.