The Last Flight by Julie Clark (★★★★★)
Print • Library • Thriller • 2020
Short synopsis: A woman escaping her abusive, high-profile husband trades plane tickets with a stranger, only to assume the stranger’s dangerous identity after the other woman’s flight crashes.
This thriller was so propulsive! I loved the setup and how these women’s stories intertwined. The book takes us through everything that led Claire to plan her escape from her husband—and how carefully she crafted her exit. After the swap, the book moves back and forth in time, as we follow Claire in the present as she steps into Eva’s life while learning what drove Eva to trade places, too. I found this book to be utterly unputdownable! It was smart, well-written, and had two protagonists who were worth rooting for. The ending was exceptional, too. Highly recommend!
The Silence That Binds Us by Joanna Ho (★★★★☆ 1/2)
Audiobook • Hoopla • YA • 2022
Short synopsis: After her brother dies by suicide and her parents are blamed for it (due to their “high standards”), a Chinese Taiwanese American teen uses her writing to fight harmful stereotypes and reclaim her family’s narrative.
This book was so heavy. The author did an excellent job weaving together so many different topics—suicide, racism, the model minority myth, grief, etc. Without getting too spoiler-y, when May’s brother dies by suicide, it rocks everyone who knew him to their core. Because he didn’t seem depressed and certainly not suicidal. He was caring, sweet, and kind. He was popular at school and a stellar athlete. The kind of teenager who had everything going for him. It was so hard to understand why he would die by suicide, but I think that’s the (scary) point. Sometimes it’s the star athletes, the ones who seem to have it all together, who are struggling so much with their mental health.
Since I have a close relationship with my brother, as May did with hers, I felt especially tender toward May. Her grief was so palpable and raw. There’s a scene where she’s listening to a song her brother left for her, and she’s crying and listening to it over and over again, and it was so brutally sad. I cried while listening to that scene. It was such a beautiful, heartwrenching depiction of grief.
Most of the novel is about the response to May’s brother’s suicide. Shortly after it happened, one of the (white) fathers in their school basically implied that the reason he died was because of the high standards Asian parents place on their kids at this school. It’s wild to think that a) someone would say that when his parents are in the same room and b) I could absolutely see that happening in today’s fractured society. May decides to pen a response that is published in a community paper, and then he responds back in the same paper, and it devolves from there.
This is a story about family and grief and loss. And it’s about racism and standing up for yourself even when it’s uncomfortable. It’s also a beautiful story about being Asian and being proud of who you are. Another one I highly recommend (for very different reasons).
It’s a Love Story by Annabel Monaghan (★★★★☆)
Print • Owned (Target) • Contemporary Romance • 2025
Short synopsis: When a former child star turned studio exec lies about securing a hit popstar for her project, she’s forced to team up with a smug old crush to fix the mess—only to confront her past and discover something real along the way.
I went on such a journey with this romance. The beginning drops you right into Jane’s world, and I initially struggled to understand what her job was or why she was so mad with this random guy named Dan. A smoother transition into the early chapters would have helped because I spent the first 25% feeling confused and unsure why I should care about the conflicts unfolding. However, as the book progressed and I settled into these characters and the tension at the heart of the novel, I liked it a whole lot more. Jane was incredibly relatable to me, especially as she navigates her own daddy issues. There’s a scene where she talks about how she realized she was never compelling enough for her dad to stay (he left when she was 5), and how that belief has reverberated in her romantic relationships, of thinking she is not interesting or compelling enough for someone to stick around. And oof, it hit me right in the feels because this is something I have spent many hours in therapy trying to work through. I’m still working through it because it is a deeply ingrained part of my psyche. There was something genuinely healing in the way the book portrays Jane’s avoidant attachment style. I feel like a lot of people won’t get it, but ugh, I do. So much. This book touched me in a way I was not expecting. <3
What’s the last book that made you cry?
The Silence that Binds us sounds like such a powerful book. I will check it out. I read ‘It’s A Love Story’ but literally cannot remember anything about it. Even after reading your synopsis I have no memory of the characters or plot or anything! So it did not stick with me like other books she has written.
I’m reading Bug Hollow right now and it’s so good!!
I can’t remember when a book last made me cry! I do not cry often, I think because my Lexapro just keeps my mood so very stable. So I think ‘The Story of a Heart’ might be the last book that make me cry. It’s a memoir about a couple losing their child when he’s around 2, I think. Taco was the age of the child when I read it so it really hit me hard.
The last book I cried at was TJ Newman’s Worst Case Scenario. I liked the book (didn’t love it), but I was SOBBING at the end.
I’m trying to store up e-books for our upcoming trip and The Last Flight immediately went on my holds list!!!
Okay I quickly scrolled because at this moment I too am reading It’s A Love Story. It started not well for me and I thought maybe I was going to DNF. I’m about halfway through now and am enjoying it, but will read your review when I’m done (the first quarter, I really didn’t enjoy it, the protagonist felt so dumb and irritating, but I’m invested now!). tl;dr I am currently glad I pushed through because once they got to Long Island, I really started to get into it! Will report back.
I loved The Last Flight! It’s a Love Story wasn’t my favorite Annabel Monaghan book, but I think I enjoyed it well enough. The last book that made me cry was Homeseeking, which was a recent read. I don’t usually cry when I’m reading, but the ending of that book hit me hard.
These all sound good! I’m putting The Last Flight on my TBR. The second one sounds excellent as well.
A lot of my book club friends cried at Heart the Lover. I didn’t, but it was emotionally beautiful. I think there’s been a tear here and there but honestly, the last time I can remember off the top of my head was A Little Life. That was a heart destroyer.
I am really into The Last Flight right now and excited to see how it ends! I agree it’s unputdownable.
Gosh, The Silence the Binds Us sounds so good and so heavy.
Oh wow! I was not expecting It’s A Love Story to be so deep and touching either. I love that about a lot of romances—when they venture into real topics so deftly. Thank you for sharing that with us <3 I think it’s great you recognized that and are working on it. It takes a lot to even get to that point!
I’ve not heard of The Last Flight and I’ve added it to my TBR list. I’m not interested in the heavy book with a suicide. Hard pass. The love story one doesn’t sound like something I’d enjoy either.
I’m reading Yes, Please – Amy Poehler’s memoir. I’m enjoying it.
I think the last book that made me cry was Terms of Endearment. I read it on the plane for my honeymoon. That was a dumb move.
I looooooved The Last Flight!! I was really interested in reading the authors latest, but it has a trigger warning that I just cant handle which is such a bummer
Again, we are the same bc I was really confused initially in Its A Love Story. Maybe I didnt pay close enough attention to back of book but in the beginning I was convinced the book was headed toward a completely different love interest (2nd chance romance!) That author is a complete hit or miss for me, when she hits, SHE HITS.
I immediately downloaded the first book (yeah for current kindle unlimited) even though thriller is not my thing. But January tends to be a thriller months for me.
I can not remember the last book that made me cry. But there was one this years… I just don’t know right now.