Five books I finished in January of 2024 and rated five stars. Four of the books were published in 2023. Recommendations include similar books so you can decide if these are for you.
January 2024 Reading Wrap Up: 5 Star Reads
The Mysterious Case of the Alperton Angels by Janice Hallett
What sets Alperton Angels apart is that it is presented completely in the form of research notes and transcripts of text messages and emails. Most of the found footage is correspondence between two true crime "journalists" who hate each other but are forced to work together as they slowly reveal new facts about a strange [...]
Whalefall by Daniel Kraus
Whalefall is like no other book I have ever read. There's a pretty substantial literary history involving humans being swallowed by a whale. This is an effective literary tactic because it reminds us how small we are in the grand scheme of things. I mean, think about it - day after day, we face struggles [...]
The Unsettled by Ayana Mathis
Book Review + Free book club questions The Unsettled is an unforgettable novel by Ayana Mathis. The story follows Ava Carson and her son, Toussant, shortly after they are kicked out of their home by her husband, Abemi. Toussant's father, Cass, has been absent from their lives for some time, and Ava is somewhat estranged [...]
When McCarthyism Went After Books
Note: I authored this post for The Banned Bookshelf, a now defunct website - this is my writing. Early in 1953, Senator Joseph McCarthy of Wisconsin was conducting a sweeping congressional investigation to find communists among the American "elite." During this time, books by Communists were targeted for removal from State libraries, among others. Once [...]
We Could Be So Good by Cat Sebastian
If you liked Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus, you'll love this 1950s era romance. It's a forbidden romance with a grumpy/sunshine dynamic.
The Star and the Strange Moon by Constance Sayers
The Star and the Strange Moon is the second book I have read from Constance Sayers and I love her unique style - it is paranormal fantasy mixed with historical fiction. Magical realism is another way to categorize these stories- all involving curses gone wrong. This is Sayer's third book, and all three share one [...]
The Nanny by Lana Ferguson
What happens when Cassie finds out that her boss, Aiden, is one and the same as A, her most dedicated subscriber on OnlyFans?
Community Board by Tara Conklin
Community Board by Tara Conklin takes a satirical look at neighborhoods in the digital age. If you are a member of your neighborhood NextDoor or similar app, you know. Suspicious persons, lost pets, creepy creepers, and angry folks turn to NextDoor to ramp up the crazy. It's HOA board meetings on steroids. The main character, [...]
The Fireballer by Mark Stevens
The Fireballer is a novel that examines how the game of baseball would react to a pitcher who threw 10-15 MPH faster than any pitcher had ever been recorded throwing.
