Just Like Home by Sarah Gailey

There are secrets yet undiscovered in the foundations of the notorious Crowder House. Vera must face them and find out for herself just how deep the rot goes.

I was introduced to Sarah Gailey this year and have loved everything I’ve read so far. Spooky house stories are a win anytime of year.

Days at the Morisaki Bookshop by Satoshi Yagisawa

After a young Japanese woman’s life falls apart, she moves into a flat above her eccentric uncle’s bookshop, staying rent-free in exchange for working at the store and developing a passion for Japanese literature.

This is a quietly paced gem of a book. A short read perfect for all book lovers.

Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing by Matthew Perry

The beloved Friends star shares candid behind the scenes stories from the legendary sitcom, as well as detailing his own struggles with addiction.

As a Friends fan, this book was a heavy read, but an important read for anyone wanting to understand addiction and its impact.

A Long Stretch of Bad Days by Mindy McGinnis

To earn the last credit she needs to graduate, Lydia Chass teams up with foul-mouthed Bristal Jamison to transform her listener-friendly local history podcast into a hard-hitting, truth-telling expose as they investigate an unsolved murder from their small town’s past.

Full review here.

A House with Good Bones by T. Kingfisher

Warned by her brother that their mother seems “off,” Sam visits and discovers a once-cozy home with sterile white walls, a her mom a jumpy, nervous wreck and a jar of teeth hidden in the rosebushes.

Full review here.

Alchemy of a Blackbird by Claire McMillan

Felling the Nazis, painter Remedios Varo and her poet lover await exit papers from a safe house on the Riviera and take refuge in a mysterious bookshop that opens up a world of occult learning that sparks creative genius.

Full review here.

A Guide to Midwestern Conversation by Taylor Kay Phillips

Learn how to speak like a Midwesterner in this humorous and self-deprecating look at their common phrases and sentiments and featuring an ode to the Garage Fridge.

Ope, lemme just tell you- this light-hearted look at the Midwestern states and our odd speech patterns was a fun read.

The Golden Spoon by Jessa Maxwell

During her annual televised baking competition on her Vermont estate, celebrated baker Betsy Martin, hailed as “America’s Grandmother,” finds murder in the mix when a body is discovered, and everyone is a suspect.

Full review here.

My Murder by Katie Williams

Having been murdered by a serial killer and subsequently resurrected, Lou must solve her own slaying.

An original and intriguing tale of cloning, crime, and community- one of my few five star reads this year!

The Drowning Kind by Jennifer McMahon

Investigating an estranged sibling’s suspicious drowning at their grandmother’s estate, Jax connects the tragedy to the unsolved case of a housewife who in 1929 allegedly succumbed to a wish-granting spring.

Jennifer McMahon is always a must-read for me, and the alternating timeline of this book made this one hard to put down.