One of my goals for 2024 is to read 60 books this year, especially since I can read wherever using my Kindle Paperwhite and the Kindle app on my phone – choosing to read a few pages over scrolling through social media helps my book count add up quickly. I gravitate towards thrillers, but also try to read within the non-fiction or self-improvement genre as part of my morning routine each day. 

Here are the seven books I read this month:

what i read in january

manifest: 7 steps to living your best life by roxie nafousi

5/5 stars

• This is a great introduction to manifestation, and I feel like it really set a positive tone for the month/ new year.

• It’s not too woo-woo or “out there.” There are journal prompts and tangible steps you can take to easily incorporate manifestation into your life and see quick yet lasting results.

• 100% recommend this to anyone who feels stuck in a rut or ready for a change; a lot of self-improvement books make you feel like you have to change everything/ make big changes but this book meets you where you are.

• My biggest takeaway was seeing the cycle of self-sabotage illustrated out so you can recognize cues and break out of it.

• The author did an interview prompting this book on Life with Mariana and it summarizes the book pretty well so you could listen to that instead without missing much.

• Read it here.

the lawyer’s truth by j.j. miller (followed by the lawyer’s heart)

3/5 stars and 2/5 stars

• These are books two and three of the Cadence Elliot series; not as good as the first.

• The series definitely leans more towards Law and Order vibes, rather than suspenseful thriller.

• The plot of each book has loose ties to real-life events or court cases that are relevant to present day so the books feel very modern and timely, and you learn some police/ law tactics as you read.

• The main author Cadence is likeable and smart; I want to see her backstory wrapped up so I plan on reading the next book in the series but I hope it is the last one as I think the plot will get too farfetched the longer it is drawn out.

• Read book two here and book three here (both are free through Kindle Unlimited).

what lies in the woods by kate alice marshall

3/5 stars

• This was recommended to me by a book blogger on Instagram who rated the book 5 stars, so I had high hopes for this. Ultimately, I liked it but didn’t love it.

• There were a few twists that were genuinely shocking and enjoyable.

• Spoiler alert: I didn’t love the ending of a friend turning on another. it reminded me of a few true-crime stories that went viral in the media and ended up feeling distasteful to me.

• Read it here (free through Kindle Unlimited).

the maid’s diary by loreth anne white

3/5 stars

• This is told from multiple perspectives, including a maid who snoops through her clients’ homes and as well as a detective and one of the couples she cleans for. It’s not difficult to differentiate from the different perspectives.

• The chapters are short so it’s a quick-paced page turner.

• There are lots of plot twists; it very much gives Gone Girl vibes.

• The book catches your attention from the beginning, but the ending fell short and was blah in comparison to the tension built in the first half of the book.

• Read it here (free through Kindle Unlimited).

pretty girls by karin slaughter

5/5 stars

• This is a true psychological thriller that is very dark, graphic, and reminiscent of Criminal Minds. It may be triggering for some as it is pretty violent.

• Even if you read a lot of thrillers/ true crimes, this plot will feel new and fresh, not predictable or overdone.

• It’s told from multiple perspectives, but it isn’t difficult to differentiate between the different narrators.

• There are lots of twists and turns, and the suspense builds until the very end.

• I loved this; it’s perfect for a weekend in but could also create good book club discussions.

• Read it here (free through Kindle Unlimited).

do you remember? by frieda mcfadden

2/5 stars

• Frieda McFadden is a very popular author on Kindle Unlimited; many of her psychological thrillers are hard to put down but they’re hit or miss for me.

• This is about a woman who loses her memory and replays her days; the writing doesn’t feel repetitive even though she starts each day over with no recollection of the past.

• I did NOT love this one; it felt overdramatic but was a quick read that you could finish in a day or two.

• Read it here (free through Kindle Unlimited), but I’d recommend her other books Ward D, The Inmate, and The Coworker instead.