It’s very common in the New Year, I feel, for people to talk about their reading goals. I personally have decided to carry into 2024 a reading goal I had (and accomplished) in 2023 — reading one book a month, for a total of 12 books by December 31st.
I think it’s much easier and more manageable to approach it this way, as I can still immerse myself in stories without feeling like I’m overwhelmed by this reading goal and all the other things I hope to accomplish by 2025. So with this in mind, I’d like to share with you what my current reading tastes are looking like.
The Magpie: a.k.a My Random Read List
I describe my current reading history the same way I describe my music tastes — an amalgamation. I’m like a magpie, I say, picking little songs and artists from a whole supply and creating this mismatched collection of what I like. Scanning through my Audible history, there’s a varied mix of genres, some picked by myself and other picked by my fellow Book Club members; these include:
- I’m Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy
- Safe by S.K. Barnett
- Rattle Man by E. H. Gaskins
- Tomorrow, Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin
- Song of Spider-Man by Glen Berger
- The Night and Its Moon by Piper CJ
Just to name a few. I think Safe was actually a recommendation from Audible I used a credit on and started reading because of the description. But either way, I didn’t really have a direction or anything like that. My approach was more of “if it sounds interesting, I’ll read it.” But the start of 2024 has been different.
My Current Thriller Kick
My 2024 collection has started with Tell No One by Harlan Coben, which I think was also a “You May Also Like” recommendation from Audible. What I thought of the book itself doesn’t really matter right now, but rather its the genre that is notable. So far this year, both of the books I’ve read — Tell No One, and The Maid by Nita Prose (a Book Club pick) — have been in the Thriller/Mystery genres. I personally am a big fan of True Crime YouTube and other related media, so I decided to research similar books in this genre that I can add to my “To Be Read” list:
- 56 Days by Catherine Ryan Howard
- The Island by Adrian McKinty
- Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
- Local Woman Missing by Mary Kubica
- No Exit by Taylor Adams
But I think this is a genre I can get lost in for a little bit while my Book Club picks are more randomized. I did watch the Gone Girl film adaptation (it’s a masterpiece and I love it) so I really hope I enjoy the original version when I get to it. These picks I do admit I came across after watching a few different thriller recommendation videos from YouTubers, including ashley’s little library, to whom I’ve subscribed. So they’re still randomized, but less like a grab-bag.
What I’m Reading Next
I just used my next Audible credit to buy The Island, which will be my March 2024 book. The basic synopsis is about a family who tries to get away from it all and quickly finds it turning into a vacation from hell. As the author’s, Adrian McKinty, website puts it:
“When they discover a remote Dutch Island, off-limits to outside visitors, the family talks their way onto the ferry, taking a chance on an adventure far from the reach of iPhones and Instagram.
But as soon as they set foot on the island, which is run by a tightly knit clan of locals, everything feels wrong. Then a shocking accident propels the Baxters from an unsettling situation into an absolute nightmare.”
The Island. Adrian McKinty, officialadrianmckinty.com/books/the-island.
Stay Tuned for More Thriller & Mystery Novels
What draws me to McKinty’s book is the mixture of typical thriller deadliness and stakes mixed with the element of survival and trying to make it out alive. I’m the first person to jump on a story about people getting lost, people disappearing, and really any story that involves people surviving very disastrous and bleak circumstances.
I hope these two elements mix well and I’ll end up liking this book because the premise is what made me decide what to put it down on my TBR list. Happy reading everyone!
