The Only One Left by Riley Sager (★★★★☆ 1/2)
Print • Owned (Book of the Month) • Thriller • 2023
Short synopsis: Kit becomes a home-health aide for the infamous Lenora Hope, who is believed to have killed her entire family (but with no evidence, she was never convicted). As Kit tends to her new patient in her crumbling mansion, she begins uncovering dark secrets about the infamous 1929 family massacre—and realizes Lenora’s version of the truth may be deadlier than it seems.
This was such a creepy thriller, and I loved every minute of it. Not only do you have a possible murderess (who had her own little poem, just like Lizzie Borden), but there’s also the setting of the mansion that is slowly crumbling into the sea. There are cracks in the wall and a top floor that tilts ever so slightly, it can make you feel a little seasick. The story of what really happened on the night of the murders is slowly revealed through typewritten words from Lenora, who is mute and fairly immobile, but has a sharp mind and an ability to type. There are so many twists and turns, red herrings everywhere, and a main character whom I quickly grew to love. The ending was wholly satisfying, too, even if I rolled my eyes a bit at one of the reveals at the end. (I think the author tried to be a bit too clever, and it didn’t work for me.)
Blue Sisters by Coco Mellors (★★★★☆ 1/2)
Audiobook • Hoopla • Literary Fiction • 2024
Short synopsis: One year after their sister’s death, three estranged siblings return to their family home in New York in this unforgettable story of grief, identity, and the complexities of family.
I had a wild experience reading this book. At first, I found it an unbelievable slog with the most unlikable characters I’ve ever met. It was our October book club book, and one of my friends asked me if it was worth reading when I was about 40% through. I said no, it wasn’t very interesting. And then I kept reading because I wanted to trust Lisa’s opinion on the book. She gave it 5 stars, and our tastes usually align, so there must have been some reason she loved it so much, right? And boy, am I glad I kept reading. The second half of the book made everything that happened in the first half suddenly make so much sense. The characters became dynamic and heartbreaking, people I just wanted to wrap in a big hug. Yes, they are unlikable, but they are also humans who are dealing with the very real grief of losing an essential part of their world—one of their siblings.
This is a book about complex family dynamics, and it was something I could wholly relate to. It was about addiction and the people behind the headlines. It’s about sobriety and recovery and the non-linear journey it takes. And it’s about grief, all-encompassing grief. At the end of the book, one of the characters says about grief, “I miss her and I miss her and I miss her … And I wait for the feeling to end because every other feeling has ended, no matter how intense, no matter how hard – but this won’t. There’s no end to the missing.” Ooh. That really hit me deeply. It cut to the core of all of my anxieties about death and grief. It’s the never-ending missing.
This is a book that I thought would be 3 stars at best, but might end up as my favorite book of the year. What a wild turn of events.
Unromance by Erin Connor (★★★★☆)
Print • Owned (indie bookstore) • Contemporary Romance • 2025
Short synopsis: Bestselling romance author Sawyer Greene, reeling from heartbreak and dealing with a severe case of writer’s block, plans for a one-night fling—until fate keeps throwing these strangers together in a holiday rom-com setting.
This is the second book I’ve read recently that plays with romance tropes—and features a best-selling romance author as the FMC. I’m just hoping this isn’t going to be the new trope—romances about romance tropes! In any event, this book was a much more positive reading experience than the other book I read with a similar plot. While I had a hard time connecting with the FMC, I was totally sold by the chemistry between the two main characters and loved the way romance tropes were explored in this novel. Plus, the novel took place around Christmas, which just lent a very cozy and sweet vibe to the whole novel. Is it a novel that will knock your socks off? Probably not, but it was a pleasant way to spend a few hours.
What are you reading?
I’m so glad that it paid to stick with Blue Sisters! That made my best books of 2025 list! I thought it was a stunning book about grief and complicated sibling relationships! That quote about grief/missing someone is so poignant!
I just finished “Slanting Towards the Sea” which is a book set in Croatia. I really enjoyed it and was so impressed that the author wrote is Croatian but wrote the book in English which is her 2nd language! I cannot imagine having that kind of command of a 2nd language!!
Well, I’m all in on books that take place around Christmas! I probably won’t read this one, as I recently completed my one romance for the year (but it was Christmas-y and fun!)
I remember Meredith talking about the Riley Sager on CRP. I can’t remember if she liked this one (she has a love/hate relationship with Sager) but it does sound good! Maybe I’ll try it.
I had the same feelings on Blue Sisters! I was glad to have stuck with it. I read it early this year and I’ve been wanting to do a re-read and see how I feel about the first half knowing what I know now about the second half. Definitely some unlikable characters but they were REAL and I don’t think I appreciated that in the first half.
That’s a great idea! It would be a great book to reread knowing the whole story. I despised all of the sisters for the first half of the book, so I’m sure my experience would be a lot different the second time around.
I put the thriller on my list!!!! And Blue Sisters, though I feel like this was the book that Nicole might have written had a lot of substance abuse and was a “proceed at your own risk”? Maybe I’m messing that up? Can’t remember for sure.
Either way, thanks for the book recommendations.
I finished Joyride, Susan Orlean’s memoir, last night and really enjoyed that.
I don’t know if Blue Sisters would be Safe for Elisabeth, especially with all of the substance abuse and profanity. Probably steer clear!
HATED Blue Sisters and def my least fave Riley Sager (but that one did grow on me).
I gave The Only One Left 4.5 stars, too! HAS THAT EVER HAPPENED BEFORE?!
I’m reading the new Emily Henry novel and it’s fine. I’m also reading Moby Dick on my Kindle and I’ve been reading it for months and I still haven’t seen/met the whale. To be honest, it took 25% of the book to get on the boat. On the bright side, Ishmael is very funny!
I read the Blue Sisters but it was so upsetting for me that I hardly remember it. I have a really hard time reading about addiction. It’s almost always a book-ruiner for me. Not always, almost always. Which is why it’s weird I read a so-called holiday book recently in which the inciting incident was an alcoholic mother dying two weeks before Christmas. Cheerful!
Right now I am re-reading Americanah, but it’s an accidental re-read, as I didn’t realize I had already read it! I read it before I started keeping records of my books read, clearly.
Ha! I totally get rolling your eyes at Sager! That sounds like a great read for next year’s spooky season though!
Okay, that is interesting about Blue Sisters and it being your fave book of the year! Wow. I think I started it on audio a while ago and gave up. Your review makes me think I should try it again. I like those family dynamics stories.
I just started The Last Flight, which I saw you recently gave 5 stars to! I am excited to read it. I like it already. I am listening to Sounds Like a Love Song.
I am glad I kept going with Blue Sisters, but I definitely understand DNF-ing it! I was very close to doing that.
Blue Sisters has been popping up here and there but it never grabbed my attention. Now I am not so sure anymore.
You had a great reading week. I am struggling through a book which is not as great as the person recommending it made it to be. Maybe I am a bit deeper in the topic because I find it flat and there isn’t anything new.
I DNFd Unromance bc like I said in a past comment of yours, I am just so over the tributes to romance readers! Stop winking at me with all the aren’t we so meta with all the tropes lol!
I LOVED the Riley Sager one! It just hit every note for me even if I don’t recall loving the big reveal either. I get tired of “twists for sake of twists” – just make it all make sense please!