The Good Girls by Claire Eliza Bartlett — 4 stars
The Good Girls is a solid mystery! I listened to the audiobook and loved the full cast narration, which was perfect for the multiple POVs, police interviews, and journal entries. Bread crumbs are left carefully throughout the book, so I enjoyed piecing together the mystery and figuring out how it all came together. Perfect for fans of Kara Thomas and Holly Jackson.
The Cousins by Karen M. McManus — 4.5 stars
I read The Cousins while on a msyerty kick and loved it. There’s four POVs—the three cousins (Milly, Aubrey, and Jonah) and Milly’s mother (Allison when she was 18). The book is full of family secrets, and I especially loved diving deeper into what happened through Allison’s POV. I was engaged the entire time, and sped through the ending!
People Like Us by Dana Mele — 3.5 stars
People Like Us is a boarding school mystery (who else loves boarding school settings?? because I sure do!). We dive head first into the mystery when Kay and her friends find a dead classmate in the lake on the night of Halloween. The death appears to be a suicide, so this should be an open and shut case. But then Kay receives an email from her dead classmate, who wants revenge against Kay and the other girls in her clique who rule their school by bullying others. Kay must work to expose all her freinds’ secrets or else her own secrets from her past will be exposed to everyone. This mystery is full of suspense as Kay tries to figure out who’s actually behind the murder and out to get revenge. Fans of They Wish They Were Us will enjoy this book!
The Lovely and the Lost by Jennifer Lynn Barnes — 5 stars
The Lovely and the Lost is the 11th book I’ve read by Jennifer Lynn Barnes, and of course I loved it! Seriously, every book I’ve read by her has been a 5-star read—they’re all just so good. The suspense and mystery in The Lovely and the Lost kept me engaged the whole time. I loved seeing all the secrets unravel and the search and rescue mission in the Sierra Glades National Park. There’s so many dogs in this book, which was also a highlight! I only wish there was a sequel because the ending definitely left some questions and plot lines to be explored.
Firekeeper’s Daughter by Angeline Boulley — 5 stars
Wow, just wow. I listened to the Firekeeper’s Daughter audiobook in about two days, and I’m just in awe! This book is STUNNING. It’s a YA thriller set in 2004 at the Ojibwe reservation. After witnessing a shocking murder, Daunis (a Native teen) is thrust into the FBI investigation trying to root out who’s producing and selling meth within her community. Everything in this book is interwoven together so well—there’s mystery, family secrets, hockey, undercover work, a STEM heroine, the Ojibwe community, and even a bit of romance (including fake dating). It’s all SO good, and this book is absolutely my favorite read of the year. It’s hard to believe this is the author’s debut novel as it’s a masterpiece! Content Warnings: rape, drug abuse/overdose, suicide, death, gun violence
Winterborne Home for Vengeance and Valor by Ally Carter — 5 stars
Ally Carter has been one of my very favorite authors since I was in middle school. So you better believe I’ve been looking forward to reading her new middle grade series! I finally dived into Winterborne Home for Vengeance and Valor, and I loved it so much! It’s so fun and the cast of characters is (as always with Ally Carter) wonderful! This is a great fast-paced adventure series for middle schoolers (and readers of all ages).
Last Girls by Demetra Brodsky — 5 stars
I loved reading Last Girls! Sisterhood is at the heart of this thriller, and I loved each of the Juniper sisters (Honey, Birdie, and Blue) so much. Honey is the oldest and our main POV—her protectiveness for her younger sisters was one of my favorite parts of the story. The book mostly follows the sisters as they navigate the secret compound they’re living on with other doomsday preppers, but there is another POV that makes an occasional appearance and I was anxious to see how both storylines would connect. It’s a suspenseful read, and it was interesting seeing all of the survival skills. I also adored the love interest, Remy, who had the best lines and was so supportive.
Winterborne Home for Mayhem and Mystery by Ally Carter — 5 stars
I’ve been reading Ally Carter’s books since I was in 7th grade, and I still love them so much! I enjoyed diving into the start of her new middle grade series, Winterborne Home for Vengeance and Valor, but fell completely in love with the world and new characters as I read the sequel, Winterborne Home for Mayhem and Mystery. This group of characters is so fun, and I loved all of the kids’ different interactions with Gabriel (and his grumpiness in general). The stakes were raised in the sequel and we got answers to some of the big questions from the first book. I really hope there will be a third because I want to read more!