My 2025 Goodreads Reading Challenge: January - February

The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey

Alaska, the 1920s. Jack and Mabel have staked everything on a fresh start in a remote homestead, but the wilderness is a stark place, and Mabel is haunted by the baby she lost many years before. When a little girl appears mysteriously on their land, each is filled with wonder, but also foreboding: is she what she seems, and can they find room in their hearts for her?

This was a particularly timely read over the winter break and as we moved into the new year. And I really did fly through it. Even though it’s based on a fairytale, part of me was getting the Snowdog vibes, without that sounding too silly. While the notion of homesteading in the early 1900s in Alaska was an interesting one. The story itself was impactful and it highlighted how much we need human connection and the importance of creating our own family. Ultimately it was a story of survival. I also quite liked the open ended conclusion, with the return of snow and winter possibly heralding the return of Faina.

Bad Blood by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

When Cassie joined the FBI's Naturals program, she had one goal: uncover the truth about her mother's murder. But now, everything Cassie thought she knew about what happened that night has been called into question. Her mother is alive, and the people holding her captive are more powerful - and dangerous - than anything the Naturals have faced so far. As Cassie and the team work to uncover the secrets of a group that has been killing in secret for generations, they find themselves racing a ticking clock.

I’ve really enjoyed this series so far, but this missed the mark for me. While I enjoyed the cult angle, things just felt way too convenient. I understand there’s been a level of convenience and characters all being interconnected in the previous three stories, however this time it all felt a bit too much. So much so, that when the final reveal was made I felt like rolling my eyes. It also felt much longer than it actually was and dragged at parts. I just feel like the final book had so much potential but it sadly didn’t live up to it.

Deep End by Ali Hazelwood

A student athlete who specialises in platform diving, Scarlett prefers to keep her head down, concentrating on getting into med school and recovering from the injury that almost ended her career. She has no time for relationships -- at least, that's what she tells herself. Swim captain, world champion, all-around aquatics golden boy Lukas thrives on discipline. It's how he wins gold medals and breaks records. On the surface, Lukas and Scarlett have nothing in common. Until a well-guarded secret slips out, and everything changes.

I really enjoyed seeing Scarlett grow and recover psychologically from her injury. I was also over the moon to get some guest appearances from Olive and Adam from The Love Hypothesis, as I hadn't expected that. Given the mention of kinks, I thought this to be a lot kinkier than it was. I mean, what did they both have on their lists? I was also getting strange vibes from Pen the whole way through and was just waiting for her to turn on Scarlett. That whole plot line didn't seem all that necessary. I did like that it was obvious he fell first. And the epilogue worked nicely too.

Death In The Arctic by Tom Hindle

When aspiring travel writer Chloé Campbell is invited aboard a luxury airship flying to the North Pole, she thinks she’s bagged the opportunity of a lifetime. But she hasn’t had long to admire the dazzling icy views before a fellow passenger is found dead in their cabin. Trapped at the top of the world, the group agrees a tragic accident has occurred. But as the hours tick by, fear turns to doubt. It seems everyone’s a suspect. And it isn’t long before the passengers begin to turn on each other.

This was a great locked door mystery, as there truly was nowhere to go. I really liked that there were multiple POVs, without it feeling confusing. And the characters felt distinct, too. As a blogger turned freelance writer myself, I was instantly rooting for Chloé and actually found quite a few of the characters to be likeable, which isn't always the case in these kinds of stories. Normally I'm really off base with my predictions as to who the murderer could be, but I immediately guessed who they were from the first few chapters, which was a little disappointing. But unlike other reveals, it felt believable and I completely understood their motivations.

The Mindf*uck Series by S.T. Abby

I didn't expect him. I didn't want to fall in love. But I can't let him go. FBI agent Logan Bennett makes the world a safer place. He's brilliant. He's a hero. He locks away the sick and depraved. But while he's saving lives, I'm taking them. Collecting the debts that are owed to me. Ten years ago, they took from me and left me for dead. Now I'm taking from them. One name at a time. Logan doesn't know how they hurt me. He doesn't know how twisted that town really is. He just knows people are dying. He doesn't know he's in love with their killer.

As a big Criminal Minds fan, this did not disappoint and I was hooked the whole way through. I love a good revenge story and this one had so many layers. Lana is such a bad ass and one of the best female main characters that I've read. Given the subject matter, I expected it to get dark, but it was tough to read about what happened to the entire Evans family. Obviously it's intended to make you feel uneasy, however, some of the details made it really difficult to read those sections. I was also expecting a tiny bit more romance. But I did really like the side characters, plus the epilogue was a nice touch too.

The Favourites by Layne Fargo

Kat has always known she’s destined to become an Olympic skater. When she meets Heath, a lonely kid stuck in the foster care system, their instant connection makes them a formidable duo on the ice. Clinging to skating – and each other – to escape their turbulent lives, Kat and Heath go from childhood sweethearts to champion ice dancers, captivating fans with their scorching chemistry and rollercoaster relationship. Until, at the Olympic Games a shocking incident instantly destroys their partnership. Ten years later, an unauthorised tell-all documentary reignites the public obsession.

I don't think I can quite sum up how much I adored this book. The highs, the lows and the push and pull are executed flawlessly and I lost count of how many times I gasped or felt a punch to the gut. Even if you're not a fan of ice dance, it's not too technical to be off-putting and it completely immersed me in that world. I loved the nod to Wuthering Heights and you're rooting for Kat and Heath. Plus, each character added to the story and drama. It definitely reminded me of some of Taylor Jenkins Reid's books, primarily Daisy Jones & The Six and Carrie Soto Is Back. But in the very best way.

Famous Last Words by Gillian McAllister

It’s Camilla’s first day back at work, her daughter’s first day at nursery. But husband Luke is nowhere to be seen. The only trace of him is an unfinished note. Then it starts. Breaking news: there's a hostage situation developing in London. The police arrive: Luke is caught up in it. But he isn't a hostage. Luke -- doting father, successful writer, enthusiastic runner and eternal optimist -- is the gunman. What Cam does next is crucial. Because only she knows what the note he left behind says, and the clues it might hold.

I liked the use of the dual POVs, with the overall story being an interesting and fresh take on the typical mystery/thriller. Frustratingly, after an engaging and fast paced beginning, the middle of the book dragged for me, with it only really picking up towards the conclusion. I did have a feeling that a particular manuscript might not be all that it seemed, but I didn't predict exactly how everything was resolved in the end or who had been involved. I maybe didn't need quite as much about Niall and his marriage issues. But it was really well written and had my attention the whole way through.

Wild & Wrangled by Lyla Sage

When Cam's groom doesn't show up to their wedding, her life is turned upside down -- she doesn't even have a place to live. That is until she finds out the house she's loved since high school is available to rent. There's only one problem: the neighbour. Dusty has spent nearly all of his adult life running from Cam - the girl who was his first, well, everything. But when she moves in next door, Dusty wants to show her that they can just be friends. Despite her best attempts to stay far away from Dusty, Cam realises that being close to him is like slipping on her favourite jeans. That is until past wounds start to open and feelings -- both old and new -- wreak havoc.

I’ve actually not read a lot of second chance romances, but this one has definitely swayed me to seek them out more often. I really liked Dusty and could understand where Cam was coming from – most of the time. It was great to see Riley and the whole Ryder extended family/town again. I also liked the tension that has built up between them by the point they end up the in the motel. I will say, I did start to get a bit annoyed with how many times Cam rolled her eyes. And the third act breakup – of sorts – was not my favourite either. But I loved the epilogue with Emmy and Brooks’ wedding. It really wrapped everything up nicely and was the perfect ending to the series.

Publication date: 15th April 2025

The Crash by Freida McFadden

Tegan is eight months pregnant, alone, and desperately wants to put her crumbling life in the rearview mirror. So she hits the road, planning to stay with her brother until she can figure out her next move. But she doesn’t realise she’s heading straight into a blizzard. Stranded with a dead car and broken ankle, Tegan worries she’s made a terrible mistake. Then a miracle occurs: she is rescued by a couple who offers her a room in their warm cabin until the snow clears. But something isn’t right. Tegan believed she was waiting out the storm, but as time ticks by, she comes to realise she is in grave danger.

I’ve read quite a few Freida's books and they’re always very hit or miss. This was one of the better ones, yet it isn’t necessarily the thriller that it's touted to be. It started off strong, with the pacing and short snappy chapters working in its favour. It does get rather repetitive in the middle. But I was still willing Tegan to somehow escape and survive. However, once we get Polly’s POV it completely takes away any of the mystery, as we know what she’s up to and why. Then a few things didn’t add up at the end. Like how was Polly able to foster/potentially adopt Sadie after The Incident? And I was expecting more of a big twist at the end. But it was a quick and easy read and I binged it in two sittings.

Lights Out by Navessa Allen

Trauma nurse Aly escapes her hard-working days by thirsting after masked men online. To her, nothing could top the fantasy of her favourite masked man hunting her down. But she never could have guessed that one drunken text would turn those dreams into reality. Josh has spent his life avoiding the limelight, but at night, he posts masked thirst traps for his millions of fans, until one follower catches his eye: Aly. Together, Aly and Josh live out their darkest fantasies, unaware that Aly has captured the attention of someone with far more sinister intentions.

This was my first foray into dark romance. However, I'm not really sure that it did much for me. They did have good chemistry and some fun banter, but once it went down the mafia route, I started to lose interest. And I don't think it needed to be as long as it was either. The first half was much stronger and had an interesting angle to it. The epilogue did pick that back up, so maybe the sequel will lean into what made this a good read, instead of going off on what felt like a bit of a pointless tangent.

Down The Drain by Julia Fox

Julia Fox is famous for many things: her breakout role in the film Uncut Gems; her trendsetting style; her mastery of social media. From a turbulent childhood to brushes with death and a rollercoaster ride to global stardom, movie star and fashion icon Julia Fox recounts her incredible life story in exhilarating style.

What a life Julia Fox has had! I didn’t know much about her before starting this, but I could never have expected what got her to where she is today. It’s messy, it’s raw and it feels really honest, as she lays everything bare. The only thing that bugged me was that it was sometimes hard to tell which character/friend was which. There’s also not too much reflection and even though I’m not the biggest fan of ghost written memoirs, it could have used a bit of steering or better editing to make it less of a stream of consciousness. Saying that, a lot of it was really well written. And my biggest takeaway was that Julia just so happened to be a lot luckier than her friends.

Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry

When Margaret Ives, the famously reclusive heiress, invites Alice to Little Crescent Island, Alice knows this is it: her big break. The catch? Pulitzer-prize winning human thundercloud, Hayden, is sure of the same thing. The proposal? A one-month trial period to unearth the truth behind one of the most scandalous families of the 20th century, after which she’ll choose who’ll tell her story. The problem? Margaret is only giving each of them tantalising pieces. Pieces they can’t put together because of an ironclad NDA and an inconvenient yearning pulsing between them every time they’re in the same room.

As expected, I devoured this story. And it didn’t hurt that I was by the beach when I picked it up to read either. I adored the split between the present, with Alice and Hayden getting to know one another, and Margaret’s side of her and her family’s story. Both sides were just so rich and layered and drew me in fully. Even though I read a lot of romances, it’s rare for me to truly fall for the male lead. But that’s exactly what happened with Hayden. Honestly, what a man! And as a journalist myself, especially one whose parents don’t really understand or appreciate what I do, I could not have related to Alice more.

Publication date: 24th April 2025

The Serial Killer's Party

You’ve been invited to an exclusive, luxury event in Norway, hosted by a billionaire. But you’re not going for the canapés and champagne. You’re going for revenge. You’ve spent months preparing for this moment. Because you know that beneath the host’s polished public persona, he’s a vicious killer who has murdered several innocent people, including your sister. Then a guest dies in mysterious circumstances, and you begin to wonder, is this a trap? Why does it feel like you're being watched? And will you ever escape?

It was interesting to see Amelia completely transform her life to guarantee an invite to this year’s party. And there was enough going on to keep my attention the whole way through. However, I’m just not sure about there being three murderers in the one family. And we don’t even really find out why Rose was murdered. Given that this was the driving force behind the story, it felt a bit anticlimactic. I’m also used to things being quite unbelievable in books like this, but can you really watch a few YouTube videos and then be able to break any lock, open safes, etc? That was too much of a leap for me.

Publication date: 22nd May 2025