Book #10:

A Killing Cold by Kate Alice Marshall (294 pages).  I hesitate to read thrillers sometimes because often you have to suspend your disbelief A LOT and that’s the case here, but it’s still a worthwhile read if you’re in the mood for escapist fiction. This novel is set in a snowy estate high on a mountain. Theo joins her new fiance Connor at his billionaire family’s compound for Christmas. She starts to recognize a few things about this place, and as pieces of the puzzle slowly start to come together for Theo, the tension ratches up. The author’s writing is solid here as she deftly increases the reader’s sense of dread by constructing a cold, isolated and dark environment that doesn’t relieve Theo’s increasing suspicions that things will not end well for her. Again, you will have to suspend your disbelief over one HUGE coincidence but if you are able to do that, it’s a fun ride overall. 4 stars from me.

Book #11:

Hench by Natalie Zina Walschots (Length: 447 pages). I listened to this and it’s the PERFECT novel to listen to as it’s so much fun. Anna is a data science wonk whose spreadsheets are a dream, and she works for a temp agency where she supports villains. Villains need office workers too. Anna’s talents are recognized by one villain in particular, and she starts to expand her talents in clever and gory ways. There are laugh out loud lines here, and the details (such as the bodyguards being called the “Meat”) make this such a fun time. This is such a unique premise that’s executed masterfully. Anna’s voice is so well-crafted here, and I was excited to keep listening each time I had the opportunity to. The sequel is out this year and I will absolutely be grabbing this one. 5 stars. Obviously.

Book #12:

Blood Over Bright Haven by M.L. Wang (Length: 422 pages).  I was in the mood for fantasy/sci fi and picked up this dark academia novel set in a domed city of Tiran. Outside the dome, the Blight is slowly destroying all of the plants, animals and remaining tribes of people. Inside, the city is fueled by magic, with magicians generating spells to extract power from the OtherRealm to spark electricity to run all of the city’s functions. Sciona Freyman is the first female high mage (magician) and is tasked with finding a spell to expand the dome. There is fantastic world-building here (but it’s not too complicated), the character development is beautifully drawn, and the plot is well-constructed. The premise is unique as well, which will make this one stand out in my memory of this novel. 5 solid stars from me!

Book #13:

I Was Anastasia by Ariel Lawhon (Length: 344 pages). This is a historical fiction novel about Anna Anderson, a young woman in 1920s Europe who claimed to be Anastasia Romanov, who was believed to be executed along with her entire royal family in 1918 Russia. This is well-written and is a fascinating story about true events. The author does an excellent job of weaving in historical facts while still making the plot propulsive, resulting in a strong historical fiction novel. There are clues sprinkled throughout as to the what the truth is but these are only there if you are looking for them; if the reader prefers to be surprised by the ending, that can happen here as well. I am deducting a half star for its organization. The author mentions in the Author’s Note that she styled the diminishing present to past narrative style a la the movie Memento. This was a bit confusing and frustrating at times. 4.5 stars from me.

Book #14:

Heart the Lover by Lily King (188 pages).  I adore this author and I really enjoyed Writers & Lovers (which I reviewed in November of last year). This slim novel is not considered to be a sequel but there is a tie of sorts to her previous work. In this novel, Jordan is in college with two male best friends: Sam and Yash. She dates one and is good friends with the other, and then the novel flashes forward to Jordan married with two young kids. The majority of this novel is about Jordan’s relationship with one of the two best friends. This is SO well-written, is mostly character driven given not much happens. I truly love the narrator’s voice here as it’s so authentic and real. 5 stars!