It’s crazy that May is already over, and we’re almost halfway through the year. While I had initially set a goal of 60 books for the year, GoodReads showed me that my progress was much further along, so I increased my goal to 100. Continuing my theme of alternating thrillers with memoirs and self-help books, here’s my round-up of everything I read and loved this month.

what i read in may

jar of hearts by jennifer hillier

5/5 stars
After loving Little Secrets last month, I wanted to keep reading more from this author and I really enjoyed this book as well. Her thrillers are longer, but they hook you from the first page, don’t drag, and are so well-thought-out.
TW for rape, which occurs in multiple sections.
The flashbacks can take a little getting used to if you’re not paying close attention since they’re not clearly labeled, but they add necessary depth to the story.
While I found the “friend disappears years ago” plot to be a little overdone, the ending was jaw-dropping. It was very twisted and unsettling and definitely leaves you thinking in regards to character development.
Read it here (free through Kindle Unlimited).

things we do in the dark by jennifer hillier

5/5 stars
Jennifer HIllier does not miss; this is the third book of hers that I’ve read, and I swear they keep getting better and better. This is my favorite of hers so far, and one of the best thrillers I’ve read in recent years.

TW for child abuse and rape.
The heavier topics were hard for me to read, but they’re written about in a very honest way and are necessary to the plot, not haphazardly added for shock value.
The characters are complex, real, and multi-dimensional, and the author utilizes flashbacks to give them comprehensive development.
While it’s a longer thriller than you may be used to (especially on Kindle Unlimited), it’s well worth the time to read it - every subplot is addressed and answered by the end. You can tell the author really values her readers by how much she pays attention to detail in her writing.
This would be great for book clubs as there’s lots you can discuss regarding the idea of right vs wrong.
Read it here (free through Kindle Unlimited).

when you’re ready, this is how you heal by brianna wiest

4/5 stars
My first impression of this book is that it seems very instagram-y, but there’s a lot of substance to this. I found it was more about shifting and making changes in your life rather than healing.

Comprised of 48 short essays, you don’t have to read it in chronological order, but I recommend keeping a highlighter handy as there’s a lot you can pull from it.
This is written in a gentle, encouraging tone, yet the author does a great job of balancing pragmatism with recognizing and validating feelings.
Biggest takeaways:

One mistake you might be making is “using self-reflection as an escape mechanism, rather than a way to actually change your life” (p. 60)
“Letting go is not an event, it is a practice.” (p. 67)
“Your maximum potential is creating a life that is peaceful and meaningful to you. it is doing less, but better.” (p. 107)
“Stop thinking that the worst possible outcome is you making a wrong choice.” (p. 115)
“Embracing the ebb a flow of life… is the way you will learn to love people when you have them and be grateful for them when you don’t.” (p. 247)
“Life shifts in the direction that you do.” (p. 251)

the chateau by jaclyn goldis

4/5 stars
This was more of a suspenseful drama than a straightforward thriller, but really good from start to finish.
It’s told from the perspective of multiple narrators (essentially all of the main characters), but the author gives each character a unique backstory with substantial detail, which helps differentiate everyone. I can sometimes get characters mixed up, and feared I might have trouble remembering which friend is which, but the author made it really easy to keep track of everyone.
There was much more depth to this book than the description suggests; the Holocaust and antisemitism are discussed frequently.
I loved how the chateau was almost a character itself. The author details the architecture, decor, and different rooms, and does a great job incorporating the French countryside and cultural references.
This book kept me guessing up until the end. The pieces of the plot come together in a very clever way, and I found the final twist to be unexpected.
I highly recommend this, and think it would make a good book club pick, too.
Read it here.

the drowning woman by robyn harding

2/5 stars
TW: abuse
I’ve seen so many people raving about this book that I had high hopes going into it, and the beginning third was so promising. It hooks you in right from the start, the pandemic backstory feels relevant, and the early plot twists are so good… but the middle dragged and the last third just lost me.
Lee’s backstory is initially very intriguing, but the main characters become unlikeable and make really dumb/ questionable decisions. They abandoned all common sense in the second half of the book and it seemed like everything turned into a wild goose chase.
I was ultimately disappointed by this book, but it’s has a high Goodreads average and lots of good reviews so I’m probably an outlier in my dislike for it.

Read it here (free through Kindle Unlimited).

please don't sit on my bed in your outside clothes: essays by phoebe robinson

4/5 stars
This book came out in 2021 and I’m not sure what took me so long to read it. It’s a collection of essays and while they do feel very relevant to the pandemic and topics that were especially prominent during that timeframe, they still resonate today. Some of the topics include running a business, the importance of travel, and racism.

I may be stating the obvious, but Phoebe is very witty and funny; I laughed at quite a few of her jokes throughout this book. Translating stand-up humor to print is probably tricky, but she does a great job.
Some of the essays were a little long-winded, but I still found them insightful and learned a lot. And I also agree that there is a clear division between outside clothes, around the house clothes, and bed clothes.
Read it here.

long time gone by charlie donlea

4/5 stars
This is a new release by one of my favorite authors, who I’ve raved about before. He typically parts and alternates between past and present storylines, bringing everything together in a really cohesive way. Sometimes flashbacks feel overdone, but his read like a second story with fully developed characters and detail.
He’s also created his own literary world by bringing in characters from his other books; it’s like a little nod to those who’ve read them yet they’re all stand-alone novels.
This book suspenseful but not too graphic; I’d say it’s more of a mystery than a thriller.
The missing child meets forensic genealogy plot was intriguing, and i liked the film photography references.
I guessed part of the ending but there was a twist that I definitely didn’t see coming, as well as one that was a little cheesy.
Ultimately, while not my new favorite of his, I still really liked it and highly recommend all of his books.
Read it here.

the last girl left by a.m strong and sonya sargent

2/5 stars
This started off strong and I wanted to love it, but one sentence fully gave away the main twist within the first few chapters. I kept reading because it was still intriguing enough to want to keep reading to see how everything would come together (and I hoped I would be wrong/ that two authors wouldn’t make it that obvious).
The flashbacks are minimal and easy to identity, and shorter chapters make it a fast-paced, quick read.
There wasn’t a ton of character development or detail, to be honest, which kind of surprised me. I think the authors repeated the same singular defining characteristic about Tessa’s old friends three times throughout the book, which just felt lazy. This book felt very surface-level so it would be a good beach/ travel book that you don’t have to give your full attention to.

Read it here (free through Kindle Unlimited).

coming home by brittney griner

5/5 stars
I know people have strong opinions about this situation and what occurred, but one of the things I love most about reading is how it allows you to become immersed in entirely different worlds and perspectives. In a way, we’re able to walk a mile in shoes we would otherwise never wear and see things from another point of a view.
This was incredible honest, raw, heartfelt, and vulnerable. BG vividly describes her experience from start to finish, and she directly addresses a lot of public speculation, criticism, and questions, too.
While this obviously covers heavy topics, I loved how her writing style still conveyed her personality (and sense of humor).
BG’s experience is truly one of a kind, but many will be able to find common ground within the themes of guilt, shame, and self-acceptance, and I think that’s part of what makes this such a special read.
Takeaway quote: “Love has no borders, light has no boundaries. Let’s all share more of both.”
Read it here.

now i see you by shannon work

2/5 stars
This was a fun, quick Kindle read, but if you read a lot of thrillers or follow true crime, you’ll find it pretty predictable.
There are quite a few different characters and suspects; it was almost hard to keep track of who is who but reminded me of the old game Clue.
I might read something else by this author since I did enjoy her writing style, but I was able to guess the culprit(s) early on so I didn’t find this to be as suspenseful as I hoped it would be, especially for such a high rating average on GoodReads.
Read it here (free through Kindle Unlimited).