Winter is my favorite time to catch up on all the books I have been dying to read. The weather is cold and unforgiving so there is nothing better than cuddling up by a fire with a good read. Check out some of my latest reads and their ratings (keep in mind I am a tough book critic).

An Unwanted Guest

By Shari Lapena

 

A remote lodge in upstate New York is the perfect getaway. . . until the bodies start piling up. It’s winter in the Catskills and the weather outside is frightful. But Mitchell’s Inn is so delightful! The cozy lodge nestled deep in the woods is perfect for a relaxing–maybe even romantic–weekend away. The Inn boasts spacious old rooms with huge wood-burning fireplaces, a well-stocked wine cellar, and opportunities for cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, or just curling up with a book and someone you love. So when the weather takes a turn for the worse, and a blizzard cuts off the electricity–and all contact with the outside world–the guests settle in for the long haul. The power’s down but they’ve got candles, blankets, and wood–a genuine rustic experience! Soon, though, a body turns up–surely an accident. When a second body appears, they start to panic. Then they find a third body. Within the snowed-in paradise, something–or someone–is picking off the guests one by one. They can’t leave, and with no cell service, there’s no prospect of getting the police in until the weather loosens its icy grip. The weekend getaway has turned deadly. For some couples, it’s their first time away. For others, it will be their last. And there’s nothing they can do about it but huddle down and hope they can survive the storm.

5/5 Stars

I will follow Shari Lapena anywhere. This is the perfect book for winter and one I couldn’t put down till the last paragraph.  Lapena’s previous books “The Couple Next Door” and “A Stranger In The House” are among some of my favorite reads and I couldn’t wait to get my hands on this book. It did not disappoint. Lapena brings her brilliant characters to life each one felt exceedingly real. I like plots where you can try to guess the murderer in a realistic scenario and I have to admit I did get the killer wrong. The ending was very well plotted and thought out and from start, to finish I thoroughly enjoyed reading this compelling and suspenseful book.

 

The Hypnotists Love Story

By Liane Moriarity

 

Ellen O’Farrell is a professional hypnotherapist who works out of the eccentric beachfront home she inherited from her grandparents. It’s a nice life, except for her tumultuous relationship history. She’s stoic about it, but at this point, Ellen wouldn’t mind a lasting one. When she meets Patrick, she’s optimistic. He’s attractive, single, employed, and best of all, he seems to like her back. Then comes that dreaded moment: He thinks they should have a talk. 

Braced for the worst, Ellen is pleasantly surprised. It turns out that Patrick’s ex-girlfriend is stalking him. Ellen thinks, Actually, that’s kind of interesting. She’s dating someone worth stalking. She’s intrigued by the woman’s motives. In fact, she’d even love to meet her.

Ellen doesn’t know it, but she already has

3/5 Stars

There is no denying, Liane Moriarity is a talented writer. But after reading “Big Little Lies” and “My Husbands Secret”, this book fell short. I loved the premise of the book, a love story mixed with a stalker ex-girlfriend sounds interesting enough however I felt like this book didn’t go as far as it could have. I kept waiting for something big to happen and it just didn’t. Once I got half-way through the book it felt tedious and static, I had a hard time finishing the book. I will continue to follow this author but hope she can step it up a few notches on the next one.

 

An American Marriage

By Tayari Jones

 

Newlyweds Celestial and Roy are the embodiment of both the American Dream and the New South. He is a young executive, and she is an artist on the brink of an exciting career. But as they settle into the routine of their life together, they are ripped apart by circumstances neither could have imagined. In this deft exploration of love, loyalty, race, justice, and both Black masculinity and Black womanhood in 21st century America, Jones achieves that most-elusive of all literary goals: the Great American Novel. 

 

2.5/5 Stars

I know I know, this is a poor rating for a book that got so much buzz (sorry Oprah!). But as a girl who loves thriller novels, this book bored me. I couldn’t connect to any of the characters and found the storyline mundane. Also, I understand that life and marriages can be messy and that some decisions we make aren’t always cut and dry. But some of the decisions that Celestial and Roy were making were nonsensical to me and not fully explained.

 

I would love to hear any book recommendations you have.