Did you ever notice that the articles toting the “best books of the year” feature the same ten titles? Is it like the Academy Awards where authors campaign for a coveted spot on everyone’s top 10 list? Also, isn’t it nice just to be nominated?

Honestly, I can’t get enough of these lists. Willpower has never been my strong suit, and social media is too tempting. The weaning process is seriously an exercise in futility.

Why? Because I suffer from a severe case of FOMO for books that may have slipped off my radar. And to feed my unapologetic book-buying habit, I added some new titles to my already large TBR pile. I consider it my reward for reading so much in 2019. (Justification, anyone?)

I’m happy to share some book recommendations with you, but I am not going to provide links to Amazon or other massive book-selling websites. If you like any of these books, I implore you to pay a visit to your local independent bookstore. Exploring these fantastic places is quickly becoming a passion of mine. Between the atmosphere, the coffee and the little treasures, I find lots of things to spend my hard-earned money, and I’m happy to do it at a fellow bookworm’s place of business.

Here are three books that made my list:

The Mother-In-Law by Sally Hepworth – If you are looking for an excellent read for your next book club, look no further. This fun and easy-to-read murder mystery brought about lots of stories and conversations when it came time to discuss.

She Said by Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey – If you are a journalism junkie, like me, you will love learning about the investigative reporting these two ladies embarked upon to shine a light on the stories that ended the career of movie producer, Harvey Weinstein.

Fifty Things that Aren’t My Fault by Cathy Guisewite – I enjoy books that fall into the creative nonfiction genre. They help me observe life in a way that I notice the little details, emotions and often humor behind these slice-of-life stories. You may recognize this author’s name if you were ever a fan of the Cathy comic strip in the ’80s and ’90s. She is just as witty as ever.

So, what are you reading that I should add to my TBR pile?

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The problem with being an avid reader and a writer is that you tend to find plot holes and issues with stories. I’ve spent enough time participating in writing workshops to recognize what works, what went wrong, and what I would have done if I wrote the book.  And, of course, I didn’t write it – so who am I to criticize?

For fun, I’m going to critique the book anyway. 🙂

The Mother-In-Law is a murder mystery in which the woman dies, and everyone in the family is considered a possible suspect. From the children to the in-laws, everyone had a reason to do her in.

The book started off with a look at the happy couple when they first met and in present day. The timeline changes between the past and present, and the story unfolds with both the victim and her daughter-in-law engaged in a conflict and sharing different sides of the story. At first, I thought this would be difficult to follow, but it turned out to be an entertaining way to keep the story moving along at a good clip. Whatever the confrontation, the reader sees it from both sides, understands the underlying miscommunication and subsequent fallout. And, in my case, sympathizes with both main characters. I think the author wanted me to sympathize with the daughter-in-law but I found her to be oversensitive and a tad whiny. While her mother in law did some questionable things — she had her reasons.

Here’s what I didn’t like about the book. I thought it was a shame that we didn’t hear more from the other family members – aka suspects. I think the author could have spent more time and pages on each of their lives to create some fun moments of confusion and wonder as to who did the deed. Also, as murder mysteries go, usually, there is a law enforcement component. I found myself intrigued by how the detectives handled the family members and proceded with their investigation. Unfortunately, they all but disappeared from the storyline a few chapters into the novel.

If you are thinking this book is the new “Gone Girl,” far from it. However, it is a fun read, and you will be left wondering who the murderer is until the bitter end.

Spoiler alert – if you what to know who did it without reading the entire book, the table of contents offers a dead giveaway.

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