All The Books I Read in January
I started 2024 sick as a dog. Then we had a death in the family that involved some traveling. So I haven’t had a ton of time for reading, but the books I did manage to finish reading were excellent. I am so excited to see what kind of stories I end up reading this year. I’m not super focused on the number of books I read, but I’m hoping to finish 75 books by the end of the year.
You can follow me on Goodreads to see what books I’m currently reading or what’s on my TBR! Don’t forget to visit my bookshelf where you can see reviews of the latest books I’ve read.
Bright Young Women by Jessica Knoll
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Bright Young Women by Jessica Knoll was a book that caught my attention as soon as I saw the cover. So many of the movies/books that are based on these types of crimes really focus on almost romanticizing the killer. We know everything about him, but sometimes the victims are pushed to the background. However, Bright Young Women focuses more on the story of the two women who happen to be our main characters: Pamela Schumacher & Ruth Wachowsky.
Pamela is the president of a Florida State University sorority house. She witnesses “the defendant” fleeing their sorority house moments after he had committed the horrible crimes. After that we are then introduced to Tina Cannon, who tells Pamela that she believes there is a connection to the crimes committed in Florida and the disappearance of her friend, Ruth Wachowksy.
What I loved about this book is that it really does shed a light on our societies love for true crime and obsessions with serial killers. Also, it paints the picture of the serial killer as he really was: incompetent and evil. I feel like the book title was a nod to the “bright young women” (and not the “bright young men” as the Florida judge had said) who took on the serial killer and the law enforcement to bring justice to the victims.
This book was a very difficult read due to the storyline, but it wasn’t super gory or incredibly detailed about the crimes that were committed.
One Dark Window by Rachel Gillig
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
This gothic fantasy took the internet by storm! I pretty much had zero idea what the story was about other than the fact that it involved magic, a monster, and romance. I was sold.
Elspeth lives in a cursed town called Blunder, with her aunt and uncle. She is trying to stay hidden after contacting a magical fever. She’s lucky enough to be kept alive, but now she has a monster living in her head. The monster speaks in riddles and rhymes and he’s growing stronger. (He’s also my favorite character even though he is so creepy)
There are 12 magical cards that were gifted by the Spirit of the Wood to the Shepherd. King. Elspeth has a gift where she can see cards that people are carrying. She teams up with Ravyn Yew (Captain of the Destriers) to unite the deck and hopefully to break the curse and free herself of the monster.
Like most fantasy books, I was a bit confused at first, but I absolutely got sucked in right away. The story held my attention and the ending was a major cliffhanger. So. Good. There is a romance, but it’s not the main plot of the storyline.
Two Twisted Crowns by Rachel Gillig
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
After finishing the first book, One Dark Window, I immediately started reading Two Twisted Crowns, the second book in the Shepherd King Series. This story is a darker fantasy with elements of magic and a touch of romance. I can see why it’s being praised on #booktok and #bookstagram.
We still have Elspeth, the Nightmare, and Ravyn, but we also have more of the side characters from the first book. Romance. Magic. Creepiness. Betrayal. Secrets.
Overall, I really enjoyed this story and I think this is such an incredible duology for a first time author. She has become an instant-buy author for me. I love her storytelling and this world she created.
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