My Best Reads of 2024, So Far

Having worked as an accountant for 35 years, my life was broken down into quarterly increments. As I begin to "turn the page" on that chapter of my life, I thought I could use those same time increments and let you know what I have been reading during the first quarter of 2024.

All in, I am off to a pretty good start. Here are my Top 5 books that I would recommend you check out and 5 others you might want to leave on the shelf. I tried to keep the spoilers to a minimum.

Check It Out

1. The Maid's Diary by Loreth Anne White. This was a new author for me but I will certainly be back for more. For anyone who loves suspense, this book is for you. There are lots of twists and turns and I did not see any of them coming.

2. The Last Juror by John Grisham. I am a long-time Grisham fan. I have read everything he has written and many books multiple times. This is not his latest book but my favorite. In true Grisham style, he gives us a great story with rich characters. One of the main characters, Callie Ruffin, reminds me so much of my grandmother. Once you start, you will not be able to stop.

3. The Women by Kristin Hannah. Kristin is also one of my favorites even though she is a little outside of the suspense and thriller genre. The Women tells the story of the nurses who served in Vietnam, a story that I have never heard. I could not put this book down and have, in fact, I have read it twice already. It may be my new favorite from Kristin Hannah. No doubt, this book will go down as one of the best of 2024.

4. The Color of Law by Mark Gimenez. If you love Grisham, you must read Mark Gimenez. The Color of Law is Mark's debut novel from 2006. This is also one of my favorites of all time and one I reread from time-to-time. You will fall in love with the characters in this book, Scott, Boo and Pajamae.

5. The Violin Conspiracy by Brendon Slocum. I finally read this book. It has been on so many "must read" lists and received positive reviews. This book delivered and I especially loved the twist at the end.

Leave on the Shelf

1. None of This is True by Lisa Jewell. I have read other books by Lisa Jewell and loved them. However, this one fell short for me. I did not find the characters believable and the ending seemed to just stop. The only thing I can say about this book is that it has the right title. I got to the end an wondered if anything in the book was true.

2. The Last Mrs. Parish by Liv Constantine. This book was another one that received a lot of hype thanks to it being a Reese' Book Club selection. I liked this book until the halfway point when it switched points of view and followed the formula of The Housemaid. Don't get me wrong, I liked the first of The Housemaid series. All subsequent not as much. It is only a suspense if I don't know what is going to happen.

3. Pack Up the Moon by Kristan Higgins. This book was outside of my suspense genre but it received such high ratings, I decided to give it a try. I struggled throughout the book. I liked the ending but it just took too long to get there. Maybe it is just me, but I have to say to leave this one on the shelf.

4. First Lie Wins by Ashley Elston. This is another Reese's Book Club selection. This one held so much promise for me and, initially, I was drawn into the story. Once again, I did not find the characters believable, specifically Ryan.

5. Bright Young Women by Jessica Knoll. This book also received a lot of recommendations and high ratings. Knowing this book was about Ted Bundy, I came into this book not fully recognizing this as true crime fiction novel. For those true crime fans, this may for you. I struggled trying to keep up with the different time periods in the book.

Until next time, keep those pages turning......