best reads of january 2025
some of the best books i read during january
a love letter to my january literary favorites. these are mostly mysteries, but a dash of romance is sprinkled in as well.
the last sister by kendra elliot
can you really trust your memories?
…are you sure?
this is the first book in the columbia river series by author kendra elliot. this is a murder mystery with a hint of romance mixed in between the female and male leads.
one of the underlying themes of this novel is the dangers of racism, especially when racists are put into positions of power. their hatred perpetuates cycles of violence, not only towards the people they hate but towards the ones who they believe can bring them down.
i read this book in one sitting and i thoroughly enjoyed the plotline, the characters, and the ending. highly recommend this one if you want a good, satisfying murder mystery with a cute (non-spicy) romance as well.
the maid’s diary by loreth anne white
this book was incredibly satisfying, but it does take you for a bit of a ride.
i believe i started to realize what was going on around halfway through the book. to succinctly describe this book, it demonstrates the absolute power of being a hater and destroying the people who have done you dirty.
but the main character is absolutely justified in wanting to destroy these people. and the ending is incredible! thoroughly enjoyed seeing bad characters get their comeuppance.
the last of the moon girls by barbara davis
another amazing murder mystery book that focuses more on the development, healing, and maturing of the main character, elzibeth moon. i love this name, by the way. she takes it upon herself to figure out what truly happened to two girls who were murdered years ago—a crime that was essentially pinned on her grandmother by the townsfolk.
reading stories about strong female characters always brings me a deep peace and sense of healing, and i get that vibe from this book, as well. books set in the countryside are some of my favorites.
not to mention, there is a wholesome romance between elzibeth and her lifelong friend. the ending brought me to tears, it was so beautiful.
found by erin kinsley
this one broke my heart, but it also made me extremely happy.
this book delves into the healing of the young victim above everything else, which was a nice deviation from the typical murder mysteries we might read in this genre. very character driven. if you want a twisty, jaw-dropping murder mystery, you might not get it here.
however, you’re still going to get a powerful story with a beautiful ending that shows the growth and the prosperity of the young victim after he suffers such a horrible trauma. i found the characters incredibly realistic and i deeply empathized with the whole family. all in all, a fabulous read.
the night she disappeared by lisa jewell
this book shocked me in some of the best ways. i really enjoyed this one as it uncovers what happened to a young couple that disappeared one night after they went on a date.
this unnerved me because the couple left behind a young baby, and as a mother that’s literally my ultimate nightmare.
i sympathized greatly with the female lead, tallulah. she’s young and she’s made a lot of mistakes, which is only an inevitable part of being human. the mystery is solved in a spectacular way and although there’s bits of romance, i wouldn’t describe this as a romance at all. the love between the characters is far too twisted and warped. it doesn’t evoke happiness or joy; it evoked anger.
all of me by amanda michelle
an incredible romance released just in time for valentine’s day!
i adore novels that are character driven (as you could probably tell). and this one was a passionate romance, two sympathetic leads, and a vulnerable exploration of self-identity and self-worth that had me rooting for this romance until the very end.
it’s very beautiful and absolutely worth giving a try if you need a good romance for valentine’s day.