Worse than a Lie by Ben Crump

 

Meh.

The Plans I Have for You by Lai Sanders

Decent. 

Whidbey by T. Kira Madden

 

This was very, very well done.

The Guncle Abroad by Steven Rowley

 

So much fun.

Everyone in this Bank Is a Thief by Benjamin Stevenson

 

Possibly my favorite mystery series. Just a great combination of meta commentary, humor, and throw backs to golden age mysteries.

Review copy provided by publisher.

Escape! By Stephen Fishbach

 

Fun.

The Invisible Husband of Frick Island by Colleen Oakley

 Sweet but not cheesy.

In Her Defense by Philippa Malicka

Meh. 

The Light Pirate by Lily Brooks-Dalton

 

Solid.

Jane and Dan at the End of the World by Colleen Oakley

 

I loved this so much.

This Story Might Save Your Life: A Novel by Tiffany Crum

 

This was so engaging -- most plots seem overdone to me, but this wasn't. That said, it got pretty close to shark-jumping at the end. Julia Whelan as a narrator is a plus.

Review copy provided by publisher.

The Housemaid by Frieda McFadden

 

So dumb.

Judge Stone by Viola Davis and James Patterson

 

For the most part, this was quite engaging, and having Viola Davis as the narrator was certainly a plus. I do wish that it had had just a bit more nuance, however.

Review copy provided by publisher.

Dear Miss Lake by AJ Pearce

 

Solid.

Murder Bimbo by Rebecca Novack

 

OK-ish.

The Optimists by Brian Platzer

 

This seems like the kind of thing I wouldn't like, but I loved it.

What Happened that Night by Nicci French

 

Meh

Challenger by Adam Higginbotham

 

Fascinating.

A Sociopath's Guide to a Successful Marriage by M. K. Oliver

 

Fun and funny.

Christa Comes Out of Her Shell by Abbi Waxman

 

Solid.

How to Get Away with Murder by Rebecca Philipson

 

This was quite solid -- I can by pretty critical of mysteries because I read so many of them that not much seems novel (ha!), but this was well done.

Review copy provided by publisher.

More than Enough by Anna Quindlen

 

On the one hand, I really enjoyed reading this. On the other hand, it felt like there was a little too much plot resolution at the end.

Review copy provided by publisher.

Unhinged by Sarah Graves

 

Decent.

Practice Makes Perfect by Sarah Adams

 

Meh

Future Saints by Ashley Winstead

 

Meh.

The Hospital at the End of the World by Justin C. Keys

 

Decent.

Sleeping Giants by Rene Denfeld

 

Meh

The Paris Diversion by Chris Pavone

 

I really liked this.

A Better World by Sarah Langan

Disappointing .

Fake Accounts by Lauren Oyler

 

Meh

How to Commit a Postcolonial Murder by Nina McConigley

 

I didn't like this.

The Distinctly Competent District Councillor by Jonas Jonasson

Quirky and fun. I initially had some concerns about, um, the ethics of it all, but those were (mostly) handled well by the end. So, overall, a really fun book.

Review copy provided by publisher.

Warning Light by David Ricciardi

 

Solid.

It's One of Us by J. T. Ellison

 Decent.

The Sopranos Sessions by Matt Zoller Seitz and Alan Sepinwall

 

A lot of fun.

Superfan by Jenny Tinghui Zhang

 

This was very well done. I appreciated how subtle and complex it was.

Review copy provided by publisher.

Since We Fell by Dennis Lehane

 

Solid.

Read between the Lies by Jesse Q. Sutanto

 

So this was interesting. I'll be vague to avoid spoilers, but the main character is problematic -- but does that mean the book is? Definitely a lot here to talk and think about.

Review copy provided by publisher.

The Editor by Steven Rowley

 

So much fun.

Stone Yard Devotional by Charlotte Wood

 

Meh 

Silver State by Gabriel Urza

 

Interesting.

Chemistry by Weike Wang

 

Trailbreaker by Ruthie Knox and Annie Mare

 

I hate to be mean, but: this book reads as if you asked an LLM to generate a mystery novel. All the boxes are checked, but there is nothing, well, novel here.

Review copy provided by publisher.

The Great Shadow by Susan Wise Bauer

 

I have been a Susan Wise Bauer fangirl forever, but this book still completely exceeded by expectations. It was just so interesting. Highly recommended.

Review copy provided by publisher.

The Celebrants by Steven Rowley

 

Rowley is quickly becoming one of my favorites.

Woke Up This Morning by Michael Imperioli and Steve Schirripa

 

So much fun.

Murder Your Darlings by Jenna Blum

 Decent.

The Third Rule of Time Travel by Philip Fracassi

 

meh

Meet the Newmans by Jennifer Niven

 

Fun to read mostly, but the facile resolution of social issues just didn't ring true.

City of Likes by Jenny Mollen

 

I'm getting tired of people mocking influencers. I see it as part of a larger trend of attacking anything women/girls like and/or ways that women have found to make money given social constraints.