My 2024 Goodreads Reading Challenge: March - April

Murder Road by Simone St. James

July 1995. April and Eddie have taken a wrong turn. They're on a long dark road, late at night and they see a woman up ahead, clearly in trouble. They stop and pick her up. It's only once she's in the car that they see the blood. And then they see the headlights, and at last, the woman speaks, her voice faint. "I'm sorry, he's coming."

This started well, with a good bit of tension but it did slow down considerably thereafter. I also found April to be pretty insufferable and the cops weren't much better. However, the Snell sisters added some gutsiness and interest to the story. There were some spooky elements but I can only imagine how good this would have been had it been a bit scarier. I also felt like the eventual reveal of who the original killer was a let down too. And why did no one contact Trish to ask her to be tested for brain cancer, given that every other person possessed by The Lost Girl had brain cancer?!

Swift and Saddled by Lyla Sage

When Ada arrives in Meadowlark, she finds herself in a dive bar where she can’t seem to shake the eyes of a handsome cowboy. When she leads him to the back of the bar, he leaves her with a kiss that most people can only fantasise about. She almost regrets that she’ll never see him again. Except it turns out he’s her new boss.

This started off strong and I really liked the combination of the 'black cat' female/'golden retriever' male. Ada being an interior designer and watching her transform Baby Blue kept me engaged the whole way through. Even though I liked how open they were with one another, basically from the very beginning, it was maybe a bit unrealistic. But it was nice to see Ada lower her walls and start to fall for Wes. It was a bit disappointing that Wes' depression and why her ex called were touched upon but never delved into. However, I flew through this and I cannot wait to read Teddy and Gus' romance next.

The Fake Out by Stephanie Archer

The best way to get back at my horrible ex? Fake date Rory – my ex's rival, the top scorer in pro hockey and the arrogant, flirtatious hockey player I tutored in high school. Faking it is fun and addictive and beneath the bad boy swagger, Rory’s sweet, funny and protective. He teaches me to skate and spends way too much money on me. He sleeps in my bed and convinces me to break my just-one-time hookup rule. He kisses me like it’s real. And now I wonder if Rory was ever faking it to begin with.

This might just be the best example of fake dating that I've ever read. The fact that Rory had been pining for Hazel since high school made him falling for her so quickly feel realistic and I loved the banter between the two of them. There was also a nice balance between the steamy scenes (of which some were seriously steamy, if a little unexpected at times) and the plot, with me being invested in Hazel's dream of opening her own studio and Rory being a good captain. And there being no third act breakup/miscommunication between the two leads also made me so happy.

The Cloisters by Katy Hays

Ann arrives in NYC, hoping to spend her summer working at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Instead, she is assigned to The Cloisters, a gothic museum and garden renowned for its collection of medieval and Renaissance art. Drawn into a small circle of researchers, Ann is happy to indulge some of their more outlandish theories. But when Ann discovers a mysterious, once-thought lost deck of 15th-century tarot cards she finds herself at the centre of a dangerous game of power, toxic friendship and ambition. And as everything spirals out of control, Ann must decide who she trusts.

I liked the New York setting and being able to picture myself there. But that was probably about it. It dragged on, with it taking quite a while for anything to happen and it was definitely a lot longer than it needed to be. While it ramped up towards the end and we finally found out what I feel we already knew about Rachel, it just took too long for it to reach that point. Not only were the characters unlikeable but there weren't really any redeeming features about any of them. I also found myself skimming a lot of the tarot card descriptions. Plus, how could Ann be so smart but so stupid at the same time?

Antartica by Claire Keegan

A secret one-night tryst in the city. A sister's revenge. A love-struck doctor. A missing girl. An astonishing sequence of stories illuminate human longing and fallibility in all its variety.

Like most collections of short stories, there are always going to be ones that you prefer to others. What I wasn't expecting was how disturbing and unsettling some of them would be. The writing is so beautifully descriptive and pulls you in, which is particularly impressive when you consider how short these stories are. But I was shocked to see racial slurs used towards the end of the collection, which immediately felt off-putting. The use of the American and Irish dialect felt a bit forced at times too.

The Ex Vows by Jessica Joyce

Georgia is feeling lonely and unsure of her role in her group of friends as her best friend's wedding approaches. She knows that her ex Eli is the Best Man to her Best Woman. And she is all too aware that her feelings for Eli have only grown since their breakup. But what she doesn't expect is for the Napa Valley venue to burn to the ground a week before the wedding. Or that she and Eli will simultaneously volunteer to replan the entire wedding in time for the original date.

This reminded me of Emily Henry's writing, which definitely wasn't a bad thing. I liked that they felt like real people, who are flawed. It was also nice to see the growth and development of Eli, in particular. I was also rooting for them to get back together. But I did feel like this was probably 100 pages too long. At times it dragged on and I almost wanted to roll my eyes at just how many wedding disasters happened at once or over the course of the story. I also wished that they would have just spoken to each other. Plus, it was pretty frustrating to see Georgia continue to push Eli away.

Publication date: 18th July 2024

Middle Of The Night by Riley Sager

In 1994, ten-year-old Ethan and his best friend Billy fell asleep together. In the morning, Ethan woke up alone. Their tent was sliced open and Billy was gone, taken. He was never seen again. Thirty years later, Ethan has returned to Hemlock Circle, still desperate for answers. Plagued by bad dreams and insomnia, he begins to notice strange things happening on the street under the cover of darkness. This isn't a bad neighbourhood. These aren't bad people. What if they are?

I really liked the nods to Billy's possible return, as well as how they ramped up as the story progressed. My breath also stopped for a second or two every time that Ethan received a notification on the backyard camera. The dual timelines and multiple POVs worked well too. I also appreciated the supernatural touches, as well as the whole mystery of what was going on at the Hawthorne Institute. I will say, though, even though I didn't guess the final twist, I had a strong feeling that two characters in particular would have played a hand in Billy's disappearance. But it didn't detract from my enjoyment of the story overall.

Publication date: 2nd July 2024

How High We Go In The Dark by Sequoia Nagamatsu

Dr. Cliff Miyashiro arrives in the Arctic Circle to continue his recently deceased daughter's research, only to discover a virus, newly unearthed from melting permafrost. The plague unleashed reshapes life on earth for generations. Yet even while struggling to counter this destructive force, humanity stubbornly persists in myriad moving and ever inventive ways.

This is more of a collection of short stories, instead of a traditional novel. And because of this, there were stories that I enjoyed more and found to be more successful than others. Some, in particular, like the euthanasia theme park, will stay with me for some time. Whereas I really didn't like the talking pig chapter. I also think given our recent pandemic, this is even more timely and relevant. I found the commentary on loss, grief, preparing to lose someone and life after someone passes especially compelling. But there was still hope throughout.

Bride by Ali Hazelwood

Misery, the only daughter of the most powerful Vampyre councilman of the Southwest, is an outcast and sees little choice but to surrender herself to uphold the historic peacekeeping alliance between the Vampyres and their mortal enemies, the Weres. Because Misery has her own reasons to agree to this marriage of convenience, reasons that have nothing to do with politics or alliances, and everything to do with the only thing she's ever cared about. And she is willing to do whatever it takes to get back what's hers, even if it means a life alone in Were territory.

Did I think that I would be interested in a vampyre/werewolf romance as an adult? No. But I was completely invested in this story and I actually liked that it took some time for them to become romantically involved. Because of that, the whole scent marking section was a real highlight. I enjoyed getting to know more about both sides' traditions and seeing Misery get used to living among the Weres. Some of the ways in which Misery spoke, like why are you still swearing in front of this six/nearly seven year old, felt a bit cringe. But this was surprisingly good and I basically couldn't put it down.

My Best Friend's Exorcism by Grady Hendrix

The year is 1988. High school sophomores Abby and Gretchen have been best friends since fourth grade. But after an evening of skinny-dipping goes disastrously wrong, Gretchen begins to act different. She’s moody. She’s irritable. And bizarre incidents keep happening whenever she’s nearby. Abby’s investigation leads her to some startling discoveries. And by the time their story reaches its terrifying conclusion, the fate of Abby and Gretchen will be determined by a single question: is their friendship powerful enough to beat the devil?

This read like a nostalgic teen horror movie from the 80s/early 90s, in a very good way. I loved the nods to the era and parts of it almost felt like Heathers. It kept me captivated the whole way through and I had no idea what the possessed Gretchen would do next. I also liked that it felt like the odds were stacked against Abby with no one believing her, which made me really root for her. Annoyingly, the actual exorcism that everything was leading up to, was a bit of a let down for me. But ultimately this was a story about teenage female friendship and a fun ride at that.

The Midnight Feast by Lucy Foley

In the shadows of an ancient wood, guests gather for the opening weekend of The Manor: a beautiful new countryside retreat. But under the burning midsummer sun, darkness stirs. Old friends and enemies circulate among the guests. And the candles have barely been lit for a solstice supper when the body is found. It all began with a secret, fifteen years ago. Now the past has crashed the party. And it’ll end in murder.

This had me gripped from the very beginning. The short, snappy chapters were great too. I maybe could have done with less of the teenage journal chapters, even though I understood why they were necessary. The setting was an intriguing one and I did feel fully immersed at The Manor, both in the past and the present. I'm not entirely sure what I thought of 'The Birds'. While this seemed creepy and almost cult-like, it didn't quite work for me. Plus, characters like Nathan never felt fully fleshed out. While I didn't expect the final few twists, I always like the way that Lucy Foley reveals just how interconnected the lives of the characters have been along by the end.

Publication date: 6th June 2024

Last One At The Party by Bethany Clift

The human race has fought a deadly virus and lost. But in London, one woman is still alive. Although she may be completely unprepared for her new existence, being alone is surprisingly liberating. Determined to discover if she really is the last survivor on earth, she sets off on an extraordinary adventure, with only an abandoned golden retriever for company. Maybe she'll find a better life or maybe she'll die along the way. But whatever happens, the end of everything will be her new beginning.

This really delved into what the world would look like after civilisation comes to an end. But I struggled with how frustrating and selfish the main character is. I was willing her to get her shit together so many times. I think we would all be a bit 'woe is me'. But that being the crux of the whole book was just too much. And how stupid and unlikeable can one person be. For her to then only to start trying to get her life together because she was pregnant, just felt like a cop out. Plus, we never find out why she was immune or why some of the other eventual survivors were immune either.

Flight Risk by Dr Stephanie Green

For over a decade, Stephanie was a doctor on-call for one of the world's busiest airports, confronting dramatic, bizarre and sometimes heart-breaking situations. During her 24-hour shifts at Heathrow, Dr Green had to be ready for anything. And with the threats of a nerve agent poisoning or a Level Four viral epidemic always in the back of her mind, she found herself on the frontline where the decisions are made about who -- or what -- was allowed to leave the airport's borders.

I’ve always had a fascination with airports and because of this, I’ve watched quite a few documentaries and TV shows based in airports, including the one filmed at Heathrow. While I flew through this, my prior knowledge meant that not a lot of this was all that surprising or new information. The nature of her role meant that she didn't find out the resolution of a case or what happens to a patient next, which is understandable, if a little frustrating as a reader. The writing style was also a little bland.

A Good Girl's Guide To Murder by Holly Jackson

The case is closed. Five years ago, schoolgirl Andie Bell was murdered by Sal Singh. The police know he did it. Everyone in town knows he did it. But having grown up in the same small town that was consumed by the crime, Pippa isn't so sure. When she chooses the case as the topic for her final project, she starts to uncover secrets that someone in town desperately wants to stay hidden. And if the real killer is still out there, how far will they go to keep Pip from the truth?

I honestly don't know the last time, or perhaps ever, that I read a 400+ in less than 24 hours. But this story kept me captivated the whole way through and had plenty of twists and turns. It also had nice pacing and I enjoyed the style in which this was written, with interview sections, journal entries, handwritten pages, etc. I was rooting for Pip and Ravi to keep going. And as someone who consumes quite a bit of true crime content, it was nice to see that the victim wasn't as angelic as she appeared to be. Was it a bit farfetched in the end? Yes. But I didn't really care.