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I hope all is well in your world. Not too much to tell over here. We woke up to temps in the 20's.
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It doesn't look like things will warm up for a while. Lucky for me, I am playing pickleball indoors today.
Last week, I posted my Top Ten Books of 2025. Today, I'll fill you in on the books that I read in the past few months that I would consider to be 4-to 5-star reads.
Before I begin, I want to ask you... Do you consider yourself a mood reader? Does your choice of a book depend on what is going on in your life?
For instance, if I have a lot going on in my life, I will read a fast-paced thriller. Freida McFadden is a perfect fit in this circumstance. If things are going smoothly, or I am traveling, I enjoy a book featuring family life, a solid mystery, historical fiction, or a juicy memoir. Ann Napolitano or Jodi Picoult are the perfect match for this mood.
If I can avoid it, I don't love two timelines because just like with my kids, I always find myself liking one more than the other. * I just slipped that in to see which daughter will receive a gold star for reading this post.
Lastly, I am not a fan of time-travel, sci-fi, or horror.
Why should I read about it when I can turn on the News?
Ashley Elston has done it again! She wrote First Lie Wins, another page-turner. Two women... one alibi... one dead husband. I was hooked from the first page. The audio is top-notch.
Alice Feeney has another hit on her hands. Eden returns from her run, puts her key in the door, but it does not work. After ringing the bell, another woman appears at the door and tells Eden that she is Eden and that she is married to Eden's husband. In classic Feeney style, the author peels the layers of the story one twist at a time. The narration was well done. I highly recommend this book for thriller readers.
One woman falls in love with a house and will stop at nothing to get it. Margo is house-hunting and very specific about the neighborhood she wants to live in. It is almost impossible to buy a home in Margo's target neighborhood due to exorbitant prices and private sales. She eyes a house that calls out her name. She sets up a plan and meets the owner while 'taking a walk' in front of her dream house. She tells him she is house-hunting, and he gives her a tour. He also mentions that his house will be going on the market within the next few months. And that's when Margo's sanity flies through the well-appointed window.
This little book has taken the world by storm. I was not as enamored with the book as most were. It took me a while to get connected with Sybil, and at first blush, I did not like her. As I pressed on, I warmed up to her.
B.A. Paris had me at Behind Closed Doors. It was one of my favorite books of 2016. I have read every one of Paris' books since and enjoyed them. When I Kill You had me stumped until the bitter end. This one is not her best, but it is a good stress-buster when you have a lot going on in your own life.
This book is a sequel to The Last Thing He Told Me. Although this is a stand-alone novel, I highly recommend you read the first one. It begins five years later. Hannah and Bailey find themselves running from the mob again. Fasten your seat belt, it is going to be a wild ride full of twists and turns.
Charlie Donlea is a gifted author who writes suspenseful novels and creates multidimensional characters. Guess Again takes place in a small Wisconsin town ten years after a young woman's disappearance. A former detective, Ethan, who is now a doctor, takes a leave from the ER to investigate the crime as a favor to a former partner. Little by little, Ethan puts together the puzzle pieces. This book is fast-paced and a quick, enjoyable read.
The writer is the co-creator of How I Met Your Mother. The cast of characters includes a stay-at-home mom, a screenwriter Dad who travels to LA frequently, a teen daughter, and a son with Down Syndrome. The Mom writes a book about her family and the challenges of raising a child with a disability. It is a moderate success. One day, she receives a call from a famous actress who wants to make this book into a movie. What happens next puts a microscope on the marriage and the family members. There is humor and tears throughout the story. I listened to the audible which was great.
Books coming out this month
A frustrated author looks for her muse in a remote hideaway, but what she finds defies all expectations…and reality.
This one is out now and is my current read.
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The speed of our beginning and the speed of our ending felt like matching bookends. They both came out of nowhere. He wanted it, he wanted me. And then he didn't.
Did I mention that I love books about rich people with big problems?
The author is the granddaughter of Babe Paley. This memoir is getting rave reviews and is out now.
Hurricane season can be murder...
This is out now.
Books coming out this year
Sometimes I get lucky enough to snatch some advanced copies.
Here is a list of the 2026 books that I enjoyed.
In the words of a fellow reviewer... Freida's book releases are more regular than my menstrual cycle.
I always enjoy Freida's books, and this one is a doozy. Or should I say Debbie is a doozy? The book opens with Debbie in her boss's office, getting fired from her job as an advice columnist. Her husband, coincidentally, marches into his manager's office and threatens to quit unless he is promoted. The boss bids him adieu, and it takes him some time to break it to Debbie. Little by little, Debbie takes revenge and becomes unhinged.
This is my favorite Freida book. I found myself chuckling throughout the pages.
This comes out on January 27th.
I adored this book, which focuses on Evelyn Talbot, a Gilded Age "It Girl," and her rocky road to stardom. It is based on Evelyn Nesbitt, a model and Broadway actress. Although Evelyn was a success in her career, she was taken advantage of by two wealthy, powerful men. The sweet ending was the cherry on this delicious sundae.
I look forward to Pataki's next page-turner.
I look forward to Pataki's next page-turner.
This comes out on March 10th.
There are not enough stars in the sky to give this beautiful, heartwarming novel. I never wanted it to end. It is the story of Flo, a woman in her nineties with a terminal diagnosis. She decides to leave her home to a woman she has not seen for quite a while. Ruthie was her neighbor's daughter, and the two became very close during her childhood. Flo reminisces about her life with all its ups and downs. She also shares sweet stories from Ruthie's childhood. There is a twist at the end of the story that I did not see coming. I have read all of Elizabeth Berg's books and loved every one. Life: A Love Story is the crown jewel of Berg's work.
This book comes out on March 17th.
Mad Mabel has all the ingredients for a 5-star novel. It has a lovable, quirky, geriatric main character who just so happens to have murder follow her wherever she goes. I giggled throughout the book and enjoyed the cast of characters, which made this my absolute favorite of all Hepworth's work.
This comes out on April 21st.
This one is a hole-in-one! The story begins by introducing Mira, a gifted golfer headed to Yale in the Fall. The book opens with Mira at her parents' country club, driving balls to the safety net. The last ball she hits travels 150 miles an hour, busts a hole in the net, and hits Kenny, a seventeen-year-old caddy, in the head and kills him. Exquisitely told, the story reveals many secrets about those affected by Kenny's death. I've read many of Chris Bohjalian's books, and this one is my absolute favorite.
It will be out on August 4th.
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Thank you for sharing these, I’ll put a few of these on my to listen list. Stay warm & enjoy indoor pickle ball. Me in NorCal.
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DeleteHi! Great to hear from you and I hope that you are happy!
DeleteHi Katie, I too am a mood reader and don't enjoy Sci Fi or horror, as you said, there's plenty of that in the news. I usually lean towards historical fiction or "who done it's" that don't involve any descriptions of blood and gore; Anne Perry or Agatha Christie type murder mysteries. I can't remember where I learned about the latest book that I just read but it was Murder in an Irish Village. Quite charming. So, if you mentioned or recommended it, Thank you. :)
ReplyDeleteI don't think I recommended it by I do have a buddy who recently read it and loved it. I put it on my TBR list.
DeleteThank you for all the recommendations!
ReplyDeleteThank you for all the great recommendations! Agree with you about mood reading. I also seasonally read. When (& how) you read a book matters. Sometimes an audio is great, often the hard copy is better. In the summer I enjoy a lighter book. Just finished The Borrowed Life of Frederick Fife & think you would enjoy it too.
ReplyDeleteLove all your recs ... my cart is full. Canceling all plans, I'll be at home reading. xo
ReplyDeletep.s. I never thought about it, but I'm a mood reader too.
Wonderful list, thank you for sharing. I find myself listening to audio books more and more just because I can do other tasks at the same time or listen to in the car. However, I have told myself I need to actually sit down and read a hardcopy book just to, hopefully, engage a different part of my aging brain! Does anyone else feel guilty about taking the time to read for yourself?
ReplyDeleteJust finished my first ever audio book and I think I'm hooked. Going to do what you do and have one to listen to while in the car, walking, and traveling and a physical book to read. Wrote down several of your suggestions and am going to see if I can get Anatomy of an Alibi or Strangers on Audible. I really hope DFW gets the ice so I have an excuse to stay home. Nov. and Dec were very busy and I just can't believe that we are more than halfway through Jan. SCC already cancelled the Mahjong High Even that was scheduled for this Sat. So many times, these storms are over hyped so we will see. Melissa B
ReplyDeleteI just bought Woman Down last week - anxious to read it!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the book reviews. I always enjoy looking at your selections. I don't know if you would consider me a mood reader. Maybe so. I keep a stash of books near my bed and when I'm ready for a new one, I look until I find one that jumps to the top. I alternate genres, staying mostly in fiction, mystery, thriller, memoir. I listened to an interview with Belle Burden and I was hooked. Stranger is on my TBR, also Elizabeth Berg's new one. Not to be contrary, but The Correspondent was in my top 3 favorites for 2025.
ReplyDeleteBest Offer Wins will be my first read because I have a soft spot for realtors as you well know, Strangers is my next read because this plot never gets old and last but not least Life: A Love Story because E Berg can do no wrong! Thank you Katie, you never disappoint in your recs! KTG
ReplyDeleteI can’t get into The Corespondent either!
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