Oh, so close…

4.5 Stars • Alice (2015) by Christina Henry is a grim retelling of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. After a decade in an asylum, Alice, haunted by memories of a violent "tea party" and the sinister Rabbit, escapes with Hatcher, a fellow inmate. In the brutal Old City, they evade crime lords and face the monstrous Jabberwock, tied to Alice‘s traumatic past. As Alice uncovers her suppressed memories and emerging powers, she seeks vengeance.

4 Stars • Final Girls by Riley Sager is a psychological thriller about Quinn Carpenter, a "Final Girl" who survived a massacre ten years ago but lost her memories of it. Living a curated life in New York, her stability crumbles when another Final Girl dies and a third, Sam, forces Quinn to face her past. Twists unravel secrets, blurring victim and villain. A fast-paced, meta-horror tale of trauma and betrayal.

3 Stars • Love is in Small Things Vol. 1 is the first installment in a beloved illustration book series by South Korean artist Puuung. Published in 2020, this collection features approximately 100 gentle, wordless illustrations that tenderly depict intimate moments between a loving couple, emphasizing that true love shines through subtle, everyday gestures rather than dramatic displays.

4 Stars • I Am Pilgrim by Terry Hayes follows retired U.S. agent Pilgrim hunting a terrorist, Saracen, planning a biological attack on America. The fast-paced thriller tracks Pilgrim‘s global chase, from New York to the Middle East, blending espionage, personal trauma, and a race to stop catastrophe.

#IAmPilgrim #TerryHayes #Bookish

4.5 Stars • Mutiny: A Novel of the Bounty by John Boyne retells the 1789 HMS Bounty mutiny through John Jacob Turnstile, a 14-year-old cabin boy. On a mission to collect breadfruit from Tahiti, tensions rise under strict Captain Bligh. After Tahiti‘s allure captivates the crew, Fletcher Christian leads a mutiny, setting Bligh adrift. ⬇️

3.5 Stars • Gravewater Lake by A.M. Strong and Sonya Sargent (2025) is a psychological thriller. Anna washes up on Gravewater Lake's shore during a blizzard. She is injured and has amnesia. Rescued by Gregg, she‘s trapped in his isolated house as eerie noises and fragmented memories fuel paranoia. Is Gregg her savior or captor? Very Hitchcockian with twists that unravel secrets in this tense, tale of trust and deception.

4 Stars • Honor by Elif Shafak traces a Turkish-Kurdish family, focusing on twin sisters Jamila and Pembe. Jamila stays in their village, while Pembe moves to London with her husband and three children. In the 1970s, Pembe‘s innocent connection with another man leads her son Iskender, driven by traditional notions of honor, to kill her.

Read in October 2025
17 Books
Five 5-Star reads this month:
• The World We Found
• The Intruder
• A Nefarious Plot
• Welcome to the Monkey House
• I Must Betray You

#Goodreads #Bookstagram #Litsy #Libby #Audible #Kindle #StoryGraph #Bookish

4.5 Stars • No Longer Human by Osamu Dazai follows Yozo Oba, a young man alienated from society, masking his despair with a clownish persona. Through his notebooks, we see his troubled childhood, failed relationships, addiction, and suicide attempts, reflecting his profound sense of being "inhuman." Set in early 20th-century Japan, the novel explores isolation, identity, and societal pressures, culminating in Yozo‘s tragic self-destruction.

Reading on #Litsy with Christie‘s Capers (Reading Agatha Christie's books in publication order) Hosted by @Librarybelle #AgathaChristieClubR3

4 Stars • The Seven Dials Mystery (1929) by Agatha Christie is the second novel featuring Superintendent Battle. During a house party, a young guest, Gerry Wade, dies unexpectedly after a prank involving sleeping pills goes awry. ⬇️

5 Stars • The World We Found by Thrity Umrigar follows four women who were idealistic friends in 1970s Bombay. Decades later, Armaiti, dying of cancer in the U.S., seeks a reunion. Laleh and Kavita, now a doctor and a lesbian navigating India's norms, search for Nishta, trapped in a fundamentalist marriage. Through flashbacks and a tense reunion, the novel explores friendship, lost dreams, and India's social divides, blending hope and heartbreak.

4 Stars • A Pale View of Hills by Kazuo Ishiguro follows Etsuko, a Japanese widow in England, reflecting on her past in post-war Nagasaki after her daughter Keiko‘s suicide. Through unreliable memories, she recalls her friendship with Sachiko and her troubled daughter Mariko, mirroring her own struggles with motherhood and loss. The novel explores trauma, guilt, and cultural displacement in a subtle, fragmented narrative.

3 Stars • A literary detective in an alternate 1985 England, faces chaos when the Goliath Corporation erases her husband, Landen, to exploit her book-jumping ability. Mentored by Miss Havisham in the BookWorld‘s Jurisfiction agency, Thursday battles memory-manipulating villain Aornis Hades, navigates novels like Great Expectations, and uncovers conspiracies involving time travel and a reality-threatening "pink goo."

4 Stars • In T.J. Klune‘s In the Lives of Puppets, a Pinocchio-inspired sci-fi novel, Victor Lawson, a human, lives in a post-apocalyptic world with a found family of robots: nurturing Gio, witty Nurse Ratched, nervous Rambo, and mysterious Hap. In a machine-dominated society hostile to humans, Victor‘s quiet life of tinkering is disrupted when their hidden home is threatened. ⬇️

3.5 Stars • In The Bullet That Missed (Thursday Murder Club 3) by Richard Osman, the four elderly friends—Elizabeth, Joyce, Ron, and Ibrahim—investigate the decade-old disappearance of journalist Bethany Waites, who uncovered fraud before vanishing. Their probe into a money-laundering scheme and a shady TV producer stirs danger, while Elizabeth faces a threat from her MI5 past. ⬇️

3 Stars • Famous Last Words is a psychological thriller about Camilla, literary agent and new mother, whose husband, Luke, disappears after seven years, only to resurface as the perpetrator of a shocking hostage crisis. As Cam unravels the mystery behind Luke‘s cryptic final message and violent actions, the story alternates between her perspective and the tense standoff, revealing secrets about their marriage through twists and a poignant climax.

5 Stars • Oh, Freida, you‘ve done it again! The Intruder is a psychological thriller where Casey, a recluse, shelters Ella, a mysterious pre-teen girl, during a blizzard in a remote cabin. As Ella‘s dark past of abuse and hidden identity unravels, Casey faces a deadly game of survival, packed with McFadden‘s signature twists, trauma, and betrayal.

#TheIntruder #FreidaMcFadden #Bookish

3.5 Stars • Frankie Elkin, a recovering alcoholic who finds missing people, takes on a dangerous case from convicted serial killer Kaylee Pierson. With 21 days until Kaylee‘s execution, Frankie goes undercover at a remote Hawaiian eco-resort owned by Kaylee‘s ex, a tech billionaire, to find Kaylee‘s missing sister, Leilani, abducted 12 years ago. ⬇️

4 Stars • Rock Paper Scissors by Alice Feeney is a psychological thriller about Adam and Amelia Wright, a couple with a faltering marriage, who retreat to a remote Scottish chapel. Trapped by a blizzard, secrets unravel, and betrayals surface in a tense, twist-filled narrative. Alternating perspectives and anniversary letters reveal their dark past, leading to a shocking climax. Praised for its suspense and gothic vibe, it‘s a one-sit read,

5 Stars • A Nefarious Plot is a 2016 satirical Christian thriller novel by Steve Deace. Often compared to C.S. Lewis's The Screwtape Letters, it blends horror, humor, and political allegory to critique modern American culture, moral decay, and the perceived erosion of the American Dream. The book warns of a demonic conspiracy undermining faith, family, and freedom through subtle manipulations of politics, media, education, and religion.

4 Stars • The Name of the Rose is a historical mystery set in a 14th-century Italian monastery. Franciscan friar William of Baskerville and his novice Adso investigate a series of strange deaths among the monks. The monastery, a hub of learning with a vast library, is rife with theological debates and secrets. William uses sharp logic to unravel the mystery, exploring themes of knowledge, faith, and reason in a gripping, intellectual whodunit.

5 Stars • Welcome to the Monkey House is a 1968 collection of 25 short stories by Kurt Vonnegut Jr., blending science fiction, satire, and social commentary. The title story depicts a dystopian world with overpopulation and government-enforced anti-sex drugs. Rebel Billy the Poet kidnaps a Suicide Parlor hostess to restore human connection, critiquing societal control. ⬇️

5 Stars • I Must Betray You is about Cristian, a Romanian teen in 1989 living under Ceaușescu‘s dictatorship. He gets blackmailed by the secret police to spy on people he loves, which makes him question trust and loyalty. As the revolution brews, Cristian risks everything to tell the truth and fight for freedom. It‘s about fear, betrayal, and finding courage in a time of dictatorship.

#IMustBetrayYou #RutaSepetys #Bookish

4.5 Stars • What Lies in the Woods is a twisty thriller about Naomi, who survived an attack in the woods as a kid. Twenty years later, secrets start coming out, and Naomi has to face what really happened that day—and the lies told. The book blends psychological suspense, small-town secrets, and the complexities of female friendship, building toward a chilling exploration of what people will do to protect themselves.

Read in September 2025
15 Books
Three 5-Star reads this month:
• Lions and Scavengers
• King of Ashes
• The South Wind

#Goodreads #Bookstagram #Litsy #Libby #Audible #Kindle #StoryGraph #Bookish

3.5 Stars • Sarah Wynn-Williams‘ Careless People tells what it was like working inside Facebook. She starts out hopeful, but ends up disillusioned as she sees the company chase growth and power at all costs—ignoring hate speech, flirting with censorship to get into China, and letting politics get messy on the platform. ⬇️

Reading on #Litsy with Christie‘s Capers. Hosted by @Librarybelle #AgathaChristieClubR3

4 Stars • In The Mystery of the Blue Train (1928), Hercule Poirot investigates the murder of American heiress Ruth Kettering, found dead on the luxurious Blue Train to the French Riviera, her valuable ruby missing. Poirot explores a cast of suspects connected to Ruth‘s troubled personal life, unraveling a web of greed and deception to solve the case.

5 Stars • The South Wind (The Four Winds 3) by Alexandria Warwick is a standalone romantasy inspired by Sleeping Beauty. Princess Sarai of Ammara, cursed to fall into a deadly sleep, navigates a strategic engagement and the return of Notus, the exiled South Wind god. Set in a vivid desert kingdom, their past sparks tension amid political intrigue and elemental magic.

#TheSouthWind #TheFourWinds #AlexandriaWarwick #Bookish

3.5 Stars • The Names by Florence Knapp (2025) is a gripping debut about Cora, a young mom in 1987 England, choosing her baby boy‘s name while stuck in a toxic marriage. The story splits into three paths, each following a different name, showing how one decision shapes a family‘s future. It‘s a heartfelt mix of raw emotion and subtle what-if vibes, exploring love, struggle, and healing with vivid prose.

#TheNames #FlorenceKnapp #Bookish

5 Stars • In S.A. Cosby's "King of Ashes" (2025), Atlanta banker Roman Carruthers returns to his Virginia hometown after his father's accident. He faces family turmoil—his brother Dante's debts to criminals and sister Neveah's struggling crematorium business. As secrets unravel, Roman navigates a brutal underworld, making ruthless choices in a gritty Southern noir tale of loyalty, vengeance, and moral ambiguity.

#KingOfAshes #SACosby #Bookish

Thank you #DelRey #RandomHouseWorlds and #NetGalley for providing this #ARC Advance Reading Copy. Expected publication date is January 13, 2026.

3 Stars • Detour (Detour #1) by Jeff Rake and Rob Hart follows Ryan Crane, an everyman who saves billionaire John Ward and earns a spot on a historic manned mission to Titan. ⬇️

4 Stars • The Perfect Roommate by Minka Kent is a psychological thriller about Meadow, a shy college senior who moves in with confident Lauren after answering a roommate ad. Their seemingly perfect friendship unravels as Meadow uncovers Lauren‘s dark secrets, leading to paranoia and a shocking confrontation. A fast-paced, twisty standalone novel.

#ThePerfectRoommate #MinkaKent #Bookish

4 Stars • In Kendra Elliot's "Her First Mistake," Detective Noelle Marshall faces a reopened case of her husband‘s murder from 13 years ago, where she was also attacked. The FBI‘s investigation unearths her abusive past and a hidden secret, blending past and present to reveal shocking betrayals that threaten her life and career.

#HerFirstMistake #NoelleMarshall #KendraElliot #Bookish

3.5 Stars • "On Cats" is a posthumously published collection of poetry and prose by Charles Bukowski, released in 2015. The pieces draw from Bukowski's real-life experiences with up to nine cats at once, including memorable ones like Butch Van Gogh Artaud Bukowski (a one-eared tomcat) and Monday (a battered, cross-eyed survivor he rescued). ⬇️

3 Stars • In A Dead Draw (Tracy Crosswhite 11) by Robert Dugoni, Seattle cold case detective Tracy Crosswhite struggles with her sharpshooting skills and lingering trauma from her sister‘s unsolved murder. A new investigation into a dangerous suspect pulls her deeper into her past, testing her resolve and threatening her family. With suspense and psychological depth, Tracy trains to sharpen her skills for a high-stakes challenge.

5 Stars • In Lions and Scavengers: The True Story of America (2025), Ben Shapiro divides society into "Lions"—virtuous builders of freedom and merit—and "Scavengers"—resentful critics pushing victimhood and anti-capitalist ideologies. He argues that inequality stems from differences in talent and effort, not oppression, using historical and philosophical examples to defend meritocracy. ⬇️

4 Stars • In A Whisper of Death (Raven & Wren #1) by Darcy Burke, set in 1868 London, Hadrian Becket, Earl of Ravenhurst, gains psychometric powers after surviving a stabbing. He teams up with sharp-witted private investigator Matilda "Tilda" Wren to solve his attack and her cousin‘s suspicious death. ⬇️

4 Stars • In T. Kingfisher's A House with Good Bones, Sam Montgomery stays at her late grandmother‘s North Carolina home, noticing disturbing changes: an overly pristine garden, odd insect behavior, and a creepy vulture. As her mother acts strangely, Sam uncovers a sinister family secret linked to her grandmother‘s occult history. This Southern Gothic horror novel follows Sam‘s fight against a malevolent entity to protect her mother.

4 Stars • Bleeding Heart Yard (2022), Elly Griffiths' third Harbinder Kaur mystery, follows DS Cassie Fitzgerald, part of an elite school clique in 1990s London, where a student's death haunts them. Now, at a 21st reunion, a politician from the group is murdered, and DI Harbinder Kaur investigates. ⬇️

3.5 Stars • Birdman by Mo Hayder follows Detective Jack Caffery as he hunts a serial killer in London who murders prostitutes and sews birds into their chests. Battling personal trauma, Caffery tracks the killer through a gritty underworld, leading to a tense, violent confrontation. The dark thriller blends crime and psychological drama.

#Birdman #JackCaffery #MoHayder #Bookish

Read in August 2025
16 Books
Four 5-Star reads this month:
• Lonesome Dove
• The Man Who Fell to Earth
• All the Other Mothers Hate Me
• The Dream Hotel

#Goodreads #Bookstagram #Litsy #Libby #Audible #Kindle #StoryGraph #Bookish

Reading on #Litsy with Christie‘s Capers (Reading Agatha Christie's books in publication order) Hosted by @Librarybelle #AgathaChristieClubR3

4 Stars • In Agatha Christie's The Big Four (1927), Hercule Poirot and Captain Hastings investigate a shadowy international crime syndicate known as the Big Four. ⬇️

3.5 Stars • Beautiful Ugly by Alice Feeney is a psychological thriller about Grady Green, a struggling author whose wife, Abby, an investigative journalist, disappears after stopping to help someone on a road. A year later, crippled by grief and writer‘s block, Grady retreats to the remote Scottish Isle of Amberly. On the eerie island, he encounters unsettling events and a woman who resembles Abby. ⬇️

5 Stars • Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry follows retired Texas Rangers Augustus "Gus" McCrae and Woodrow Call as they lead a cattle drive from Texas to Montana in the 1870s. With a diverse crew, including young Newt Dobbs and tracker Joshua Deets, they face Indian raids, bandits, and harsh terrain. The epic journey explores friendship, duty, and the fading Old West, culminating in bittersweet success with heavy losses.

5 Stars • In The Man Who Fell to Earth by Walter Tevis (1963), Thomas Jerome Newton, an alien from drought-ravaged Anthea, comes to Earth to build a spacecraft to save his people. Using advanced technology, he amasses wealth but struggles with isolation, alcoholism, and human corruption. His chemist friend Bryce uncovers his alien identity, and government scrutiny leads to his detention and failed mission. ⬇️

4 Stars • Letters from Cuba by Ruth Behar tracks Esther, a 12-year-old Jewish girl fleeing 1930s Poland to join her father in Cuba amid growing antisemitism. Penned as letters to her sister, the story details Esther‘s adjustment to life in rural Agramonte, overcoming obstacles through her sewing skills and bonds with diverse neighbors. The novel highlights themes of immigration, perseverance, and cross-cultural friendships.

4 Stars • Clover Blue by Eldonna Edwards follows a 12-year-old kid named Clover growing up in a 1970s California commune. He loves his quirky family of hippies and misfits, led by guru Goji, but starts wondering about his real mom and past. With his friend Harmony pushing him, Clover digs for answers Goji won‘t give. ⬇️

4 Stars • We Are Made of Stars by Rochelle B. Weinstein is a heartfelt story set at a cozy North Carolina B&B, Vis Ta Vie, run by Jean-Paul and Renée, who are struggling to keep it afloat. A weeklong retreat brings together eight guests: three couples—Leo and Penny, Lucy and Henry, Sienna and Adam—plus a mom, Cassidy, and her teen daughter, Rosalie. ⬇️

3.5 Stars • In Kristin Offiler's The Housewarming, five friends—Callie, Meg, Tess, Lindsey, and Zoe—reunite on Block Island five years after Zoe‘s mysterious disappearance. Callie hosts a memorial at her new home, but tensions rise as true crime podcaster Patricia Adele probes their secrets. Through multiple perspectives and flashbacks, the psychological thriller explores guilt, tenuous relationships, and the impact of true crime media.