In my newsletter, I list my favorite books I read that month. Here they are, all in one place. Happy reading!
December 2018
NINE PERFECT STRANGERS by Liane Moriarty
NINE PERFECT STRANGERS is a fantastic book and it’s relaunching one of the greatest book clubs to grace the online world: She Reads. You should definitely check them out and join the conversation! I was lucky enough to see Liane Moriarty in person a few weeks back and she was simply magnificent - so self-deprecatingly funny.
SORORITY by Genevieve Sly Crane
It’s very fitting that this author’s middle name is Sly, because that’s the perfect description of this book. A series of conjoined vignettes, it tells the story of a sorority from the inside out, the good, the bad, and the ugly – and wow is there a lot of ugly. The writing though – it is perfect, sparse, descriptive, incredible. I haven’t been this excited about a debut author’s possibilities since SWEETBITTER. I’ll be watching for Crane’s work in the years ahead.
ENDLESS NIGHT by Agatha Christie
I read my first Agatha Christie this month! Abby at Crime by the Book said ENDLESS NIGHT was her favorite, so I gave it a try. I’ll tell you, it freaked me out so badly! Normally I read for an hour before bed and I found myself putting it down after a few pages because I knew it was going to give me nightmares. I both hate and love books that touch me like that, but I’ll admit, I wasn’t expecting ENDLESS NIGHT to wig me out so badly. I even figured it out 3/4 of the way in and it STILL unnerved me.
THE WINTERS by Lisa Gabriele
A heads up – you’re going to see this on my Best of 2018 list soon. It is sheer and utter perfection. A modern retelling of Rebecca, with incredible writing, character development, and a modern edge. I loved it, and you will too.
October/November 2018
BECOMING MRS. LEWIS by Patti Callahan
I’m so incredibly delighted to see this book finally out for you to read! BECOMING MRS. LEWIS is a labor of love. It is a joy and a seminal moment for a really incredible team of women: my friend Patti Callahan Henry and Joy Davidman. I think you’re going to love it!
AN AMERICAN MARRIAGE by Tayari Jones
An exceptionally moving story of false accusations and imprisonment that affects a young marriage. This was a wonderful story and I absolutely loved it. I got to meet Tayari at Southern Festival of Books and she’s just as lovely as her book.
DEPTH OF WINTER by Craig Johnson
I’ve been saving Longmire to watch and to read, but I had a chance to speak with Craig and wanted to be totally up to speed. I was blown away by the beauty of his writing and the exceptional violence of his hero. Perfectly balanced dichotomies.
THE THREE BETHS by Jeff Abbott
Jeff Abbott has turned his considerable skill to the domestic suspense genre and THE THREE BETHS is the epitome of what a suspense novel is supposed to be. You’re going to love this!
I MISS YOU WHEN I BLINK: ESSAYS by Mary Laura Philpott
Many of you know Mary Laura as my cohost for A Word On Words, but she is so much more. This incredible essay collection, out in February 2019, will cement her alongside Elizabeth Gilbert, Dani Shapiro, and Anne Lamott, the writers I turn to for help tapping into the female/writer experience.
September 2018
TWO DARK REIGNS by Kendare Blake
Oh, how many good things can I say about this series? I love it, love the inventiveness, and the direction it’s heading.
TIME’S CONVERT by Deborah Harkness
Such a special moment when one of your favorites releases a new book in a beloved series. I’ve been reading as slowly as I can to savor the experience, and I‘m also listening to the second in the series on audio, so it’s All Deborah, All The Time right now.
CITY OF GHOSTS by Victoria Schwab
Victoria has a Masters of Monsters, and is putting those studies to good use. You might even see a little ghost story of mine in this quirky title.
THE SECRET HISTORY by Donna Tartt
This is a reread but it’s been such a pleasure to get back to Hampden College, Greek lessons, and intricate studies of both Dionysus and Plato.
August 2018
THE JANE AUSTEN PROJECT by Kathleen A. Flynn
Surprising, unique, and utterly compelling. I couldn’t put THE JANE AUSTEN PROJECT down! A really inventive book. My friend Paige suggested this one, and I loved it — a totally unexpected view of Jane Austen.
PARADOX by Catherine Coulter
Catherine Coulter’s latest Savich and Sherlock FBI adventure
It’s not a complete summer without a Savich and Sherlock novel! This one’s incredible—don’t miss it.
SPYMASTER by Brad Thor
I love reading sophisticated spy thrillers and Thor always writes a gripping, prescient novel. Scary stuff!
THE DEATH OF MRS. WESTAWAY by Ruth Ware
I love Ruth Ware’s work, and this book didn’t disappoint. A crazy, creepy gothic thriller.
July 2018
HARRY POTTER SERIES by J.K. Rowling
I’ve read this series a ton but this time around I’m giving myself a treat and listening to them on audiobook for the first time. I heartily recommend listening to HARRY POTTER AND THE SORCERER’S STONE. Jim Dale’s narration is incredible! Also: every time I finish reading a book, I watch all the movies. Harry Potter is the gift that keeps giving.
ALL SOULS TRILOGY by Deborah Harkness
Did y’all catch the incredible trailer for A DISCOVERY OF WITCHES yet? Watch it and you’ll understand why this is one of my all-time favorite series. The Voynich manuscript figures heavily in THE SIXTH DAY, thanks to Deb bringing it to my attention in her books. I bow down to her genius and can’t wait to see her at Parnassus Books in September! Read the trilogy if you haven’t already and thank me later.
OUTLANDER SERIES by Diana Gabaldon
You all know I am a disciple of the Gabaldon, Her storytelling skills are wonderful, she has created a world I want to revisit time and again, and oh yeah, big tall redheaded Scottish warriors named Jamie Fraser do it for me… It’s always nice to slip back into my favorite characters’ lives—makes me feel very comforted and happy.
June 2018
THE SONG OF ACHILLES by Madeline Miller
Y’all, I have a massive girl crush on Madeline Miller’s brain. I’ve always been a mythology fan, so after I listened to CIRCE last month, it was on to her debut SONG OF ACHILLES. Holy. Cow. It’s official, I will read anything she writes.
THE MINIMALIST KITCHEN by Melissa Coleman
I am really trying to get my kitchen into shape. Melissa Coleman’s cookbook is giving me the tools to do so. It’s a challenge, though…. My pantry is giving me fits.
HUNTING ANNABELLE by Wendy Heard
I’m very excited for you to read this awesome debut. It is so bloody unique!!
GALE FORCE by Owen Laukkanen
Owen is my hockey buddy, and a brilliant thriller writer. I’m going to have to give him an acknowledgment in my next thriller because of this book, it gave me a GREAT idea. Super work from a talented guy.
May 2018
Oh my god, oh my god, OH MY GOD. What is it about men named Jamie? This book is so good, and attached to what’s going to be a super cool movie.
Simply brilliant. Heartbreaking. A lovely story, full of everything you need to have all the feels. I cried twice. Amazing.
Christine Mangan has a great future in front of her. Her style is very reminiscent of Highsmythe, which is a good thing.
I’m slowly savoring my way through Sarah Maas' Celaena Sardothien series. It's hard to hold myself back, I want to gobble them all down. Maas and Bardugo own the fantasy scene right now, which is well-deserved.
April 2018
EXIT WEST was haunting, lyrical, epic, and I will be thinking about its themes for weeks to come. Highly recommended.
Anna Quindlen is always one of my favorites, and her essays ring so true.
WICKED INTENTIONS came so highly recommended I had to give it a try. And whoa – this is a hot, sexy romance with two fabulous leads and a cracker jack plot.
I listened to THE BROKEN GIRLS and it’s fabulous – dark, sinister, haunted – and has rekindled my love of the boarding school mystery.
March 2018
This biography of Elon Musk is incredible. I have learned so much, both about Musk and the exciting technologies going into Space X. Superb.
My dear cowriter's latest Savich and Sherlock is available now in trade paperback with a spiffy new cover. Action-packed and compulsively readable!
Anna Quindlen has always been a favorite of mine, and this book doesn't disappoint. I absolutely love her newest, and the Upper West Side setting is exactly what I needed. I miss New York!
I listened to this book, and I loved it. Rae Carson has created a very cool new world and a heroine I can get behind.
February 2018
LIE WITH ME is masterful. Think Highsmythe meets Du Maurier. This has a Talented Mr. Ripley vibe with a lovely, classic voice - highly recommended!
DH and I watched the documentary on Joan Didion and I immediately rushed to the store for books. PLAY IT AS IT LAYS was heartbreaking to read, and the style was so gorgeous.
THE CRUEL PRINCE is the beginning of a new series, and it was awesome. Royal faerie intrigue – I mean, come on.
This fifth installment of A Brit in the FBI is a doozy. London! Falcons! High-tech madness! Needless to say, Nicolas and Mike have their hands full.
January 2018
YEAR ONE is super storytelling, inventive and scary. I loved the audiobook! (Pro Tip: Don’t go grocery shopping prior to a possible snowpocalypse whilst listening to this book. 🤯)
SMALL TOWN TROUBLE is a sweet murder mystery featuring Trouble the cat, who, I might add, completely steals the book from his human counterparts. A great read from a great author.
Karin Slaughter just keeps getting better. THE GOOD DAUGHTER is tight, tense, and all-too-real. I loved it.
I listened to THE GRAY MAN a few weeks ago. The tag line is “Bourne for the new millennium” and that’s just what you’ll get—a thrilling ride. Court Gentry is a Superman assassin, the ultimate Byronic hero, and Greaney knows his stuff. Excellent thriller!
