1. Mad Mabel – This book has a ton of buzz right now and for good reason. It’s a great read with a shocking twist at the end! Mabel’s neighbor turns up dead and the authorities are trying to decide if it was foul play or natural causes. He was elderly but Mabel was known to have had a few arguments with him from time to time. When the media picks up the story, a picture of Mabel is taken and the public recognizes her as “Mad Mabel”, Australia’s youngest convicted murderer. Mabel is now in her 80’s but tries to avoid the spotlight as much as possible because of her past. Some of Mabel’s neighbors are shocked because she has always been a good neighbor and even babysits the little girl across the street from time to time. Is she dangerous? Or was there more to her conviction than what the courts led people to believe? The premise of the story is quite heavy but the writing and dialogue is a bit more light-hearted and comical at times. It’s a unique contrast with a jaw-dropping twist at the end. Rating: 8
2. Buckeye – I almost quit this book a few times because it is a slowwww burn but it did get better in the last 1/4 of the book so I stuck with it. This book is incredibly emotional however and really will take your breath away with some of the experiences that the characters must endure. Cal lives a simple life with his wife, Becky, who helps people connect with their loved ones who have passed away. Cal doesn’t approve of Becky’s “gift” and it drives a wedge between them especially during a time where the country is dealing with the difficulties of war and uncertainty. Cal meets Margaret shortly after she arrives in town after moving for her husband’s new job. Margaret is bored in this small town and dreams of life back in a big city. She forms a connection with Cal which turns romantic until Margaret finds out her husband is on his way home from war. She must end things with Cal but not before one last night together which will forever change the course of their lives. The intense emotion I felt reading this made me have to take breaks because it was so heartbreaking at times. Rating: 8
3. Don’t Open Your Eyes – A great captivating thriller will so many twists and turns! Annabelle seems to have everything in life – a great career, a loving husband and two beautiful daughters. But lately, she has been having horrific nightmares about things that haven’t even happened yet. She will dream something awful about someone in her life and then the next day, her dream will manage to come true! It’s starting to scare Annabelle though she is afraid to tell anyone because it sounds too crazy to be true. Are these dreams trying to warn her of something? When the dreams begin to involve her daughter, Scarlett, she gets worried even more. She is afraid something is going to happen to Scarlett so she decides to try and figure out what these premonitions could mean. When she realizes that her past could have something to do with what is currently happening, she decides to revisit some emotions and memories she fought hard to forget. But what is revealed to her could put her in more danger. Rating: 9
4. Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers – An absolute ridiculously delightful book that I could not put down!! Vera Wong prides herself on being a good chinese mother though her son, Tilly is all grown up. He is still not married so she must stay on him to find a good woman so he can settle down and have grandchildren. But in the meantime, Vera runs her small tea shop in San Fransisco’s Chinatown while feeling a bit lost as to her purpose in life. Her husband is dead and her son no longer needs her as much so she feels lonely and unsure of her future. That is until she finds a dead man on the floor of her tea shop one morning and decides that she will solve his murder. The police don’t seem to think it was foul play but Vera knows there is more to this story. Her hilarious approach to investigating all his friends and family will have you chuckling to yourself the entire book. This was an absolute delight to read! Rating: 9
5. My Sister’s Grave – A good thriller but not anything remarkable unfortunately. It kept my attention but it didn’t stand out to me as a favorite from this month. There are some twists near the end that keep it interesting. Tracy is a detective with the Seattle PD but went into this line of work after never getting closure on the death of her sister decades before. Tracy was convinced that the man who was sent away for killing her sister, Sarah, didn’t do it so she became a detective to help other families never face the same fate. When Tracy gets a call that Sarah’s remains have been found so many years later, she is convinced that the man in prison was not the killer. She convinces an old friend to take this case and represent the killer in order to get him out of jail so the investigation could possibly be reopened. What Tracy uncovers threatens to destroy everything she has even known about her family and could be putting her life in danger. Rating: 8
6. Silver Girl – I’ve read countless Elin Hildebrand books and always enjoy them. This was published more than a decade ago but I will always love her writing. Meredith’s life is falling apart after her husband was found guilty of defrauding investors out of billions of dollars through his investment firm. Her life is in shambles and the press is relentless in following her every move. Meredith hopes that connecting with her long-time friend, Connie and staying at her home on Nantucket will help give her the peace of mind she needs to figure out her next steps. The story seems to be loosely based on Ruth and Bernie Madoff and their downfall in the early 2000’s. It’s not my favorite Elin Hildebrand book but it was an easy enjoyable read. Rating: 8
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