Ladies and gentlemen, boils and ghouls! I bring you all of the gems from my 2024 reading list! It’s been a year and let me tell ya—I’m glad it’s over. I lost two beloved animals and had to read a LOT of Carolyn Brown Southern romances to get through the grief. I’m a little hard on her for devising the most ridiculous plots and characters, but to be honest…I don’t know how I would’ve coped without her books. So, while we all fill out our gratitude journals (a New Year’s resolution I really should implement!), let’s give a nod to all the authors who filled our darkest days with joy! Here’s to a great 2024 filled with many, many five-star books!

BEST TWISTY THRILLERS

The Only One Left by Riley Sager

Wow. Just wow! I loved everything about this book! Say what you will about Riley Sager, but he can really hit the mark when it comes to twisty, edge-of-your-seat thrillers. I love the entire storyline involving a girl with a haunted past (think modern-day Lizzie Borden) who takes a job as a caregiver for an elderly woman who also may or may not be a crazed murderess! The creep-factor is through the roof in this isolated mansion that’s dangerously teetering on the edge of the cliff. The slowly sinking opulent mansion served as both foreshadowing and symbolism of a wealthy family’s fall from grace. Just when I thought I had the twist ending all figured out, Riley Sager threw a curve ball at me. Well played! Do yourself a favor and curl up with this book on a blustery winter’s night. It’s the perfect way to spend a Saturday!

Holly by Stephen King

This may very well be in my top ten Stephen King books of all time—and that’s a pretty high ranking considering it has no supernatural entities. Instead of vampires and werewolves, the killers are elderly professors! I’ve been working in higher ed for many, many years, and let me tell you—I can think of a few professors who could totally turn cannibal to fulfill their self-serving needs. These two retired professors are a married couple who believe they’ve found the cure for old age: human flesh! Little do they know, Holly Gibney, a local PI with OCD issues, is a worthy adversary. Oh, how I just love this character! She was in “The Outsider” (another amazing Stephen King novel), and now she gets her very own standalone! There’s a lot going on with Holly after she lost her no-good mother to COVID.  There’s so much more to say about her journey in this book, but I’ll save you from any spoilers! If you’re an audiobook lover, I highly recommend listening to the audio production because it is absolutely perfect. It’s 15 hours long, but the time will fly by—especially when you reach the climax, which had me biting my nails down to the quick! Chef’s kiss!

Zero Days by Ruth Ware

I never would’ve thought I’d get into a tech thriller, but this was mondo-beyondo suspenseful! You remember the big ticking tock of the overheating boiler in Stephen King’s “The Shining”? The same is happening in this book, but instead of an impending explosion, we have a woman with a festering, infectious wound that is slowly killing her! She can’t get medical attention because she’s a fugitive on a quest to prove her innocence. A lot of book vloggers have given Zero Days mixed reviews, but for me this was a ten-out-of-ten! I loved figuring out the mystery and motives behind the murdered web-hacker husband. Admittedly, I did peg the killer way before the big reveal, but I was still on the edge of my seat trying to figure out how this woman was ever going to survive, let alone clear her name. I’m just going to say it: I have never read a Ruth Ware book I didn’t like. She’s becoming one of my faves!

BEST TEXAS NOIR MYSTERY

The Donut Legion by Joe Lansdale 

While I’m on the topic of favorite authors, Joe Lansdale can do no wrong. This author knows how to pen a good Texified thriller filled with sinister villains with bizarre sidekicks. In this case, it’s a blood-thirsty ape that wears a funny hat. Oh boy…classic Lansdale. You don’t want to mess with this ape nor his owner—a goon employed by a murderous cult that is taking over East Texas town by running a chain of donut shops manned by cult followers/recruiters. Our hapless hero, Charlie Garner, gets sucked into the cult’s orbit while investigating the case of his missing ex-wife. Did she get sucked into the “Saucer People’s” lair? If so, what did she uncover? You’ll have to read the book to find out! Kudos to Mr. Lansdale for delivering another solid mystery with loveable, yet highly dysfunctional characters. I loved Charlie and his sidekicks: Felix, the lawyer brother with anger issues; and Scrappy, the investigative journalist/love interest. Together, they make one heck of a crime-solving team! There’s even a paranormal ghost story added to the works, which was the icing on the glazed Crispy Cream for me.

BEST HORROR

The Beast You Are by Paul Tremblay

I’m not really a fan of experimental horror because…well…it’s more so strange than terrifying. However, Paul Tremblay has a knack for giving me the heebie jeebies with highly ambiguous horror stories. Are ghosts and demons at work? Are the characters just nuts? What’s going on?! Those questions are always swimming around in my head while I’m grappling with his storylines. But I know, Mr, Tremblay, that the paranormal is almost always at work! Ugh…that levitating dresser in “The Pallbearer’s Club” still haunts my dreams. Don’t even get me started on “Head Full of Ghosts”! This here, is a collection of bizarre stories–many of which are of the apocalyptic/dystopian variety. There’s a little something for fans like me who need more “Head Full of Ghosts” action. And I really loved the first story involving a boy who stops by his crush’s lemonade stand and gets lured into her spooky house! What truly stands out, however, is the very last story, which is more so a novella. OK, now bear with me because this is off-the-charts weird, but it’s a Shirley Jackson-esque horror story involving a make-believe village filled with Winnie the Pooh-type creatures who all gather every 30 years for a sacrifice to the monster in the woods. They all talk and act like humans, yet they’re a bunch of furry woodland creatures coexisting together. At first, I was thinking, “OK, this is too weird; GET ME OUTTA HERE!” But the story just sucked me in. The political parallels between their dystopian world and ours are spot on, and I hope it will nudge readers to think and vote! I know, I know…we’re here for entertainment, not political commentary. But I promise you, it’s interesting! Y’all should give it a try and tell me what you think. This Paul Tremblay guy has quite the imagination.

BEST NOVELLA

The Christmas Guest by Peter Swanson

It’s ridiculous forking over $20 on a hardback I’ll breeze through in a couple hours. However, this is a book I will pick up every December when I’m in the mood for a gothic Christmas mystery to curl up with while sipping a hot toddy! It checks all the boxes: spooky English manor surrounded by creepy woods—check! An unsavory cast of British bluebloods with questionable motives—check! A cold case involving a murdered girl and a brooding bad boy—check! The simmering tension in this story kept me glued to the pages until I finally figured out who murdered the local girl and why! Furthermore, why was our main character—an American college student with few friends— lured to this Christmas gathering? You’ll have to read this little story to find out. Let me tell ya, you’re in for a treat!

BEST CHRISTMAS MYSTERY

Up on the Woof Top by Spencer Quinn 

Spencer Quinn has done it again! Seriously, this author can do no wrong with Chet the Jet (a 100-plus pounder of a dog) and his PI owner, Bernie. Here, we are dealing with a missing reindeer, aptly named Cupid, and his owner, a wealthy British mystery writer who lives on a Santa-themed ranch out in the sticks.  A lot of action is packed into this holiday-infused mystery—from wild skiing adventures to car chases to reindeer wrangling! I loved every second of this mystery and adore the doggie narrator. He does his best to stay focused on the story, but he can’t help it when food drops from the table or a random thought pops into his head. I couldn’t think of another writer than Spencer Quinn who perfectly captures the voice of dog.

BEST RUNNING BOOK

The Slow AF Run Club by Martinus Evans 

I’ve been following Martinus Evans on Instagram for quite some time now, and I really do need to purchase one of his Slow AF Run Club turtle shirts! I really didn’t need to read about the basics of getting into running, but some of his pointers were a good refresher. What I truly loved about this book was his journey of marathon running, and the many pitfalls he experienced while trying to find his people…not to mention the unwanted commentary from passersby. I, personally, can relate to that particular struggle!!!  I just wanted to hug him when he shared his experiences of “running while Black.” It’s heartbreaking to think of the crap he had to endure while just running in the neighborhood—and that he strategically ran with a little dog and wore a shirt emblazoned with cute turtles so people would find him less threatening. Wow…what a world we live in.! I also appreciate him calling out the running groups that aren’t inclusive to runners with larger bodies. Again, relatable!!!  It’s wonderful he poured all of these experiences into something amazing: an all-inclusive virtual run club that rolls out the welcome mat for people of all shapes and sizes and fitness levels. YES! This is such a feel-good book with some fantastic pointers for new and seasoned runners—or anyone who enjoys an inspiring story told by a seasoned marathon runner!

BEST YA GOTHIC GHOST STORY

Ghosts Come Rising by Adam Perry

I’m a fan of classic ghost stories—especially if they take place in age of spiritualism and charlatans with crystal balls! Set in the 1920s, this story takes readers back to a time when “spiritualists” were commonly employed by grieving family members. Enter the Silver Star Society, a spiritualism commune that offers an array of cosmic services—from telekinetic ghost writing to psychic mediums to ghost photography. Some are legit, the others not so much. Mr. Spencer is among the many con artists who are looking to benefit from other people’s pain—and he’s dragging his orphaned niece and nephew into his money-grubbing schemes. While staying at the estate, they must do his bidding to avoid getting the boot. All the while, the spookies are coming out to haunt the children in dark, shadowy halls of the mansion—and somehow, they no longer need to doctor their camera plates to make ghosts appear on film! Oh, such spooky fun! I enjoyed every minute of this book and highly recommend it to readers young and old!

BEST HOLIDAY ROMANCE

On a Night Like This by Liz Maverick 

Does this book have all the tried-and-true Hallmark movie tropes? Yes. Do I care? No! This little holiday love story is just so sweet, and not in a cloying saccharine way. Our two lovebirds, Cher and Eliot, are both recovering from bad breakups amidst the hustle and bustle of the Hanukkah season. Lucky for Cher, who just got the short end of the stick in a house swap (do people really do this anymore?) but is lucky to have Eliot for a neighbor! After a short, quarrelsome meet-cute, sparks start flying. Before Cher knows it, she’s got her very own hunky tour guide of New York City! Romance ensues, and I’m sure you can figure out the rest! I absolutely enjoyed listening to this full-cast production on audio while wrapping gifts and going about my little Chrstmassy chores. It’s just a sweet delight that transports readers to the festive city NYC streets during the most wonderful time of the year. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to re-watch “Serendipity” for the 500th time.

I’ll start off on a good note by saying the covers of these Kitty Couture Mysteries are gold! The cute kitties and pink backgrounds lure me in—hook, line and sinker! If they’re trying to cater to their target audience (ME!), it’s working. 

The story, however, is less than dazzling. It’s formulaic with a capital “F,” with your “Mary Sue” protagonist, bossy mom and dreaded love triangle. I felt like the author was going overboard to make her MC, Lacy, likable. Some of her monologues about her love for New Orleans sounded like rehearsed politician speeches. She’s just a little too polished and poised for my liking. Oh, and don’t even get me started on the mother! She’s your cliched rich, stuffy socialite with control issues. Is she supposed to grow on me with her rare sentimental moments? If so, it’s not working. 

As for the mystery plot, here’s what went down: Lacy finds a dead body in a freezer while delivering hundreds of dreidel-shaped dog treats for a Saint Berdoodle’s bark-mitzvah. Seriously, these cozy authors love their designer dogs. ADOPT DON’T SHOP, PEOPLE! Lo and behold, her dear ol’ dad was the last one to see the murder victim, making him suspect No. 1. I’m no legal eagle, but this sounds a little circumstantial to me, no? Either way, she must investigate a whole slew of suspects, making my head spin with all the talking heads. We’ve got a bunch of “Cuddle Brigade” pet nannies, a sketchy thrift store worker, a bitter widoow, scandalous cheating women and more. The big reveal kind of came out of nowhere, but I’ll save you from spoilers. Yeesh. 

On the bright side, I will say that “Furry Godmother” is a fantastic name for a pet costume store! I would most certainly shop there because I’m a doggie stylist for the stars! And if I had a high-maintenance diva dog, I would love to hire a pet nanny from a “Cuddle Brigade” agency. 

I don’t know, y’all. This series isn’t my favorite, but maybe it’ll appeal to those who like extremely formulaic cozy mysteries with straight-laced protagonists. I just need a little more flair, and you’d think in a place like NOLA, there’d be more colorful characters.

Here’s another case of you can’t judge a book by its cover. When will I ever learn? Despite the gorgeous cover of the Haunted Mansion and a Nancy Drew-esque teenage investigator, this book does not deliver. Why is it so hard for writers to create a mystery around the legends and lore of the Haunted Mansion? There’s so much great material to work with!

Here’re my thoughts:

The mansion: The writer did a mediocre job with the New Orleans setting, which is surprising because according to her bio, she lives there! Most of the scenes take place inside the derelict haunted mansion, which is wide open for anyone to come inside and explore. How is this possible? Who owns it? That could’ve been a fun mystery all onto itself. Oh well…so yeah, the teenagers come and go as they please, and the rooms keep switching around at random, a-la-Hogwarts. The author throws in a few bits and pieces about iconic scenes, but most of the time our MC, Audrey, is flirting in the library with the resident hottie ghost named Sterling.

The plot: Like all four seasons of the CW’s Nancy Drew (how did I sit through all that craziness?!), there’s way too much going on here. We’ve got a love triangle between Audrey, Sterling and her Toxic boyfriend; a VERY concerning case of possessions; a little brother with a VERY concerning gaming addiction that was never addressed (is this considered normal?), a goth mean-girl who’s poking around with black magic; a hurricane on the rise; and an almighty evil force that must be vanquished to save the friendly ghosts! Yeesh…my mind is spinning.

The possessions: Wow, okay. Where do I begin? Things escalate very quickly when ghosts jump into Audrey’s body and do some crazy stuff…like taking a ship out to sea, dancing and singing in a nightclub (how did a 15-year-old even get in?) and breaking into a house with an axe! My personal favorite was the boat theft, where she and her loyal friends take a boat out to sea and have to consult YouTube to figure out how to get it back to the landing. Somehow this all went down without a hitch. Huh…I had no idea boat docks in New Orleans had zero security systems whatsoever.

The main character: I’m all for representation in books, but it seems like authors can’t quite do it right. In this case, the MC has clinical anxiety (same here), and that’s basically her entire identity. I thought for a second that she had a photography hobby, but that sort of fizzled out. She has a toxic, co-dependent relationship with her boyfriend because he shields her from the scary world. She goes to regular therapy sessions when her parents get concerned, which I think could’ve been edited out because this book draaaaaaags.

The hurricane: I don’t know abotu y’all, but it seems highly unlikely that any dutiful parent would allow their kids to run off to a “hurricane party” during a catastrophic hurricane. Of course, this was a cover for something else the teens had planned during the deadly weather event, but seriously? The parents didn’t even call the parents in charge of the alleged party to corroborate? Strange.

The spookies: Disney authors, move out of the way so I can just write a dang story that gives the Haunted Mansion justice! This author didn’t do it right. Why dream up some all-powerful evil force that has nothing to do with anything that we all know and love about the Haunted Mansion? Why not do something fun with the ghostly bride? It could be a cold case about her murder with all the fun spooks helping out with clues! Or why not revolve the mystery around Madame Leota? How did she become a spiritualist trapped in a crystal ball? Now there’s a story!

Either way, this is another Haunted Mansion story done wrong. There’s a chance this could become a series, but I hope not. Yuck.

And the Book Cover of the Year Award goes to–drum roll, please– “Fatal Fudge Swirl” by Meri Allen! Just look at that gorgeous, glossy illustration of yummy ice cream set amidst the backdrop of trick-or-treaters. Sold!

As for the story, here’re my thoughts:

The Halloween vibes: Right from the jump, I was surprised and disappointed that the majority of the story happens after Halloween. The spooky season festivities are still ongoing, yet why set the story after the actual holiday? It doesn’t make sense.

The complicated drama: OK, please help me understand this. The innkeeper, Mary Anne, is catering a wedding for her ex-husband and his wife, even after a messy divorce and hurt feelings? Why would anyone do this to themselves? To make matters worse, she becomes suspect No. 1 when the bride ends up dead at the inn. This seems like a highly avoidable situation, if you ask me.

So many suspects: Keep a notepad and pen handy so you can jot down all the suspects’ names and motives. This book is overflowing with characters and suspects and motives and ice cream shop drama and recipes and… well you get the point. There’s a LOT going on here, and it gets confusing really fast. In addition to the ill-fated wedding, there’s a movie production rolling into town, bringing a whole slew of suspects. Sheesh…where did I put my Excedrin bottle?

Unsavory characters: I really can’t stand rich, entitled young men, so Diantha’s sons really took the cake–the icre cream cake, that is–har har! One is a B-list TV movie actor and the other is some sort of Tony Hawke wannabe athlete. Either way, I was rooting for them both to get thrown in the slammer. Sprinkles, the movie star cat, is also a spoiled brat, but I rather enjoyed his antics. Yes, he is rather violent, but some of those fools had it coming!

Overall: This story just got really messy, especially with all of Riley’s many side-jobs. On top of running her ice cream shop, she’s doing maid service at the inn for snooping purposes, making a complicated ice cream wedding cake, and organizing other miscellaneous small town post-Halloween festivities. I’m telling you; these characters are exhausting! I can’t keep up with it all!!!

OK, so this isn’t really a Halloweenie book per se, however the cover tells another tale! How spooky is this gothic French chateau? It looks like something straight out of a Scooby Doo cartoon!

Other thant the alluring cover, here’re my thoughts:

The setting: I’m giving this author extra stars for the setting along. I’m used to reading cozy mysteries that are 99% dialogue, so it was so nice to sink into this lovely French countryside setting, where the characters would taake side-trips to farmer’s markets, lavendar fields and even a spooky insane asylum where Van Gogh did his best work! I rather enjoyed this poor-girl’s trip to Provance without ever having to jump on a plane.

The multiple POVs: Authors take a risk when they choose this route because it has to be done exceptionally well to avoid confusion and disjointed pacing. Thankfully, this tactic worked very well with these characters, who were all interesting and shady.

The girl drama: We’re dealing with a group of over-privileged college buddies who all have secrets and motives for murder. We’ve got some high-class soccer moms, a celebrity chef, a struggling artist with a mysterious source of income and a hunky groundskeeper. To boot, they’re all being called to the chateau by the MC’s filthy rich grandmother for a specific reason. Such intrigue!

The likeability factor: My only gripe is that none of these characters are relatable nor likeable, probably because I’m not a trust fund baby. I just couldn’t’ find it within myself to root for anyone.

Overall: If you enjoy a slow-burn locked-room mystery, this is a quality read. The pacing might be a little too slow for impatient readers, but I rather enjoyed the building suspense and the cliff-hanging chapters! And oh my goodness, that last twist in the final chapter just sealed the deal for me! Chef’s kiss!

I can’t help but wonder if this author watched that Amazon Prime series called “The Wilds” and felt inspired to write this story of sisterhood bonding/survival. It’s just sooooooooooooo similar in terms of the whole “let’s throw a group of girls with traumas into the woods and force them to forge friendships while flighting to survive.”

If that’s your thing, go for it! Really, the suspense isn’t half bad, and the characters are okay for today’s YA standards. Y’all, I need to be honest with myself and come to terms with the fact that contemporary YA books just aren’t doing it for me anymore. The characters are getting more and more obnoxious. The storylines are contrived and derivative. The gimmicky plot devices are just plain lazy. I can go on and on.

Either way, if you’re still loving today’s YA thrillers–especially survival stories–maybe this book is for you. There’s a LOT of feminism/sisterhood bonding going on, which is great. And the author even throws in a paranormal element. I’m not really a fan of survival thrillers,, but the gorgeous cover called to me! I’m also a sucker for anything that has to do with a creepy summer camp. Sadly, early on, I realized I wouldn’t be getting my nostalgic summer camp vibes because the whole place burned down, and the girls were fresh off the boat on the remote island with nowhere to go. They didn’t even have marshmallows for campfire stories!

Seriously though…why would any parent send their kid to a summer camp from their youth without revisiting the place again to make sure it’s still on the up-and-up? I mean, lots of things could happen, right? Like for instance, the whole place going up in smoke with a killer on the loose. Just sayin. Also, how weird is it to ship your kids off on a boat to a summer camp located on a remote island, sight unseen? I don’t get it.

Overall, this isn’t a terrible story, but it requires a huge suspension of belief on multiple levels. Fans of “Lost” or “The Wilds” should maybe give it a whirl.