Mystery/Thriller Reading Friends discussion

Option #3 - 2023 Determination Plus Challenge

10/23

Books 1-10. Pick 10 books any format you want that you'll been wanting to read. Could be off your own to be read mountains or library etc.
✔️ 1. The Other Mrs.
✔️ 2. Only a Monster
✔️ 3. The Fine Print
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.

The next 13 books is the "Plus" part of the challenge. Hope you enjoy and are able to find some great books that will fit in.

✔️ 11. A book set in a different country than you live in.
Happy Place

✔️ 12. Read a book by an Author that you never read before or one by a new debut author.
Lying in the Deep

✔️ 13. A book that someone recommended to you.
Fourth Wing

14. A book that is a different genre than your normal type of read. (could be out of your comfort zone).

15 & 16. Two books from a series you haven't completed yet. (Everyone has that one or two books to still read to catch up in a series)

✔️ 17. A book that comes out in 2023.
Happily Married

✔️ 18. A book that you mean to read in 2022 but never got around to it.
Bloodmarked

19. A book that came out before you were born. (this one might be harder to do but we know you can handle it)

20. A book that is done by more than one author (it can be a book of short stories by different authors, or one book that is one story with more than 1 author like Patterson or Evanovich and I'm sure there are others.

✔️ 21. A book that won an award.
Olga Dies Dreaming

22. One of the oldest to be read books on your unread mountain.

✔️ 23. A book set in multiple countries.
Again, but Better

#21 A book that won an award
-Nominee for Best Fiction (2022)
-Nominee for Best Debut Novel (2022)


Olga Dies Dreaming by Xóchitl González
349 pages
Kindle Unlimited
April-17-2023
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Olga Dies Dreaming is a good read which highlights Puerto Ricans history. Its all about Olga and her fights as a Puerto Rican, it talks a lot about racism, sexuality, family dynamics with parents abandonment and manipulation, politics, feminism, and a lil bit of romance. What i like about this book is how they survived and tried to break the chain that bind them to their selfish mother but without forgetting about were they came from. It was such a lovely story! Family is not always perfect but with good support with people that surrounds you, and you will truly can do unexpectedly good things! 4/5.

#17 A book that comes out in 2023
-Expected publication May 11, 2023


Happily Married by Victoria Jenkins
257 pages
NetGalley and Kindle Unlimited
April-20-2023
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Happily Married is a short thriller read that will absolutely question the title at first chapter. Its a story of Natalie and Jake, a married couple living in a farm. Everything went down when Natalie confirmed Jake's affair. You will never guess what will happen next.

I was confused at first due to multiple pov and usually they put who's pov it is on other book but as i finished reading i figured why it is that way! And I totally enjoyed reading and figure out the characters at the start of part 2. How all those second guessing were all wrong after all. The ending is kinda cliffhanger, and I think maybe theirs another book for it. Despite everything I'm happy with the way the story ends. 3.5/5.

Good start Christene! I like how you used an arc for the book that comes out in 2023!

I like your checkmarks, Christene! I need to figure out how to get those on my Powerbook.

18. A book that you mean to read in 2022 but never got around to it
-2nd Book of Legendborn published last November 2022


Bloodmarked by Tracy Deonn
573 pages
Kindle Unlimited
April-27-2023

Carol/Bonadie wrote: "I like your checkmarks, Christene! I need to figure out how to get those on my Powerbook."

Maybe copy/paste the emoji would work

12. Read a book by an Author that you never read before or one by a new debut author
- new to me author


Lying in the Deep by Diana Urban
384 pages
NetGalley and Kindle Unlimited
May-01-2023


Totally loved it! Lying in the Deep is a mystery thriller novel that will test your instinct and investigating skills in a different way! Love the diversity of the characters and how each one of them was thoroughly made and the way they made the story more interesting. It was both plot and character driven novel. I really thought it was Felix at first all those sneaky scenes. You will never really know what will happen next. Though I rated it 4 out of 5 simply because it was kinda similar to Agatha Christie book The Death on the Nile. And the ending between Felix and Jade love story is so not what I expected but like how the story ends.

Thank you NetGalley and Publisher for this ARC, it really blow my mind!

23. A book set in multiple countries
- set in US, some london, paris


Again, but Better by Christine Riccio
384 pages
Libby and Kindle
May-02-2023
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Again, but Better is a good to be true Contemporary Romance novel about second chances not only about love but with self, at college to study what she wants, make new friends, and achieve her goals to be a writer. I do agree with one of the books line about we should be the one to make decisions about what course we take it might be big or small because it will be our future that is in stake. It is indeed important whether this decision takes us on positive or negative one. It just that I wasn't expecting about the travelling through time thing but I did enjoy reading this book with audio of course. 3.5/5.

Carol/Bonadie wrote: "I like your checkmarks, Christene! I need to figure out how to get those on my Powerbook."

Good idea, I bet that would work. Gonna try it now.

1. Any Book


The Other Mrs. by Mary Kubica
418 pages
Libby and Kindle
May-05-2023
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

The Other Mrs is an unexpectedly good psychological thriller novel. Multiple pov's (Sadie, Camille, Mouse, and Will) that got me confused at first who is who but as the story goes you'll start having your guesses. The author was slowly putting clues everywhere that will make sense at the end of the book. I did enjoyed reading this one. The ending was crazy and each one of the family needed therapy after all that happens but Im glad that it all went well. 3.5/5

It's good you are going to do the challenge with us good luck.

2. Any Book


Only a Monster by Vanessa Len
368 pages
Libby and Kindle
May-06-2023
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Only A Monster is a YA fantasy about how a monster survive against humans. I did enjoyed reading this one, a different fantasy story. What it takes to save a family, the monster from a human the love of her life. The adventures in this novel is fun and informative, jumping through time has really got me. The plot at the end is kinda expected but the hows and the things it takes to get there is great. I'm really looking forward for the next book. 4.5/5

#13. A book that someone recommended to you.


Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros
662 pages
Libby and Kindle
May-18-2023
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

OmG! This book is worth the hype!

Fourth Wing is an action packed fantasy romance novel. With enemies to lovers troupe. I love the characters they really make it more interesting. The plot is so good even if it is sometimes expected, theres also twist and the ending i just cant!!! Looking forward to the next book even if it takes a long wait. Its worth it! The bantering between the mc and their dragons are so funny! Its a long read but I cant believed I finished it so fast! New fave series! Definitely a 5/5.

#11. A book set in a different country than you live in.


Happy Place by Emily Henry
400 pages
Kindle
May-14-2023
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Happy Place is going to be my 2nd fave book of emily henry after beach read I guess or the other way around not sure but it was wholesome. I really enjoy reading this book it does not only focus on Harriet and Wyn's story but also about finding one's happiness. Knowing what you really what to be, and being okay even if it changes overtime. That change is inevitable. It also tackles the importance of family and friends and how they affect our life. Being true to yourself and standing to what you firmly believes. This books gives me a whole lot of rollercoaster of emotion. Idk if its the preggy hormones or what but i did cried starting chapter 28? Would recommend this book! 5/5.

Keep up the great work.

#3 Any Book


The Fine Print by Lauren Asher
450 pages
Kindle Unlimited and Libbg
May-21-2023
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

This is so magical with an amusement park setting indeed a dreamland billionaires story. I like how two broken people fell in love...hard. The diversity of characters in this novel is great. Though the plot is kinda bit expected to be a happy ending for the MC, the challenges they encountered was definitely worth it at the end. The spicyness of this novel is just...damn. A fast read book for me. Totally enjoyed it. A booktok worthy read. 4.5/5

I want to read that book had the audio from Libby but returned it unread I think I rather read it.

I did end up reading the print version of the book and really enjoyed it once I got into it now I'm on waiting list for the second book in the series.