Happy Tuesday, bookworms! We are back with another Three to Read handpicked selection of books you don’t want to miss this month. Whether you’re a fan of dark fantasy, cute and funny rom-coms, or chilling murder mysteries, you are going to like what we’ve prepared for you.
HOT PICK
A LESSON IN VENGEANCE
BY VICTORIA LEE
Synopsis:
Felicity Morrow is back at Dalloway School.
Perched in the Catskill mountains, the centuries-old, ivy-covered campus was home until the tragic death of her girlfriend. Now, after a year away, she’s returned to graduate. She even has her old room in Godwin House, the exclusive dormitory rumored to be haunted by the spirits of five Dalloway students—girls some say were witches. The Dalloway Five all died mysteriously, one after another, right on Godwin grounds.
Witchcraft is woven into Dalloway’s history. The school doesn’t talk about it, but the students do. In secret rooms and shadowy corners, girls convene. And before her girlfriend died, Felicity was drawn to the dark. Now he’s determined to leave that behind her; all Felicity wants is to focus on her senior thesis and graduate. But it’s hard when Dalloway’s occult history is everywhere. And when the new girl won’t let her forget.
It’s Ellis Haley’s first year at Dalloway, and she’s already amassed a loyal following. A prodigy novelist at seventeen, Ellis is a so-called “method writer.” She’s eccentric and brilliant, and Felicity can’t shake the pull she feels to her. So when Ellis asks Felicity for help researching the Dalloway Five for her second book, Felicity can’t say no. Given her history with the arcane, Felicity is the perfect resource.
And when history begins to repeat itself, Felicity will have to face the darkness in Dalloway –– and in herself.
(Source: Goodreads)
Why:
Fans of Wilder Girls and Ninth House will adore this book.
A Lesson in Vengeance is a dark, twisty, atmospheric thriller about a boarding school haunted by its history of witchcraft and two girls dangerously close to digging up the past.
Murder, witches, sapphic romance, and dark academia in this novel is a deadly combination that will draw you in until you never want to let go.
BEACH READ
THE DATING PLAYBOOK
BY FARRAH ROCHON
Synopsis:
When a personal trainer agrees to fake date her client, all rules are out the window in this delightful romantic comedy from the USA Today bestselling author of The Boyfriend Project!
When it comes to personal training, Taylor Powell kicks serious butt. Unfortunately, her bills are piling up, rent is due, and the money situation is dire. Taylor needs more than the support of her new best friends, Samiah and London. She needs a miracle.
And Jamar Dixon might just be it. The oh-so-fine former footballer wants back into the NFL, and he wants Taylor to train him. However, no one can know what they’re doing. But when they’re accidentally outed as a couple, Taylor’s game plan is turned completely upside down. Is Jamar just playing to win… or is he playing for keeps?
(Source: Goodreads)
Why:
Fans of the fake dating trope, this one is for you!
With its witty banter, sizzling chemistry, strong female friendships, and football romance, The Dating Playbook is a cute and fun beach read that you won’t want to put down.
Despite being the second installment in The Boyfriend Project series, you can definitely read The Dating Playbook as a stand-alone.
DARK HORSE
The Family Plot: A Novel
BY MEGAN COLLINS
Synopsis:
Dahlia Lighthouse is twenty-six and remains haunted by her unusual upbringing. She, her siblings, and their “true crime-obsessed” parents lived on an island in a secluded mansion, shut away from the rest of the world. Dahlia still has not healed from the disappearance of her twin brother Andy, who went missing when they were sixteen.
Dahlia returns to the mansion several years after her father’s death. While visiting, Dahlia makes a horrific discovery. Andy’s body is buried in their father’s plot… with his skull split open by an ax.
Dahlia immediately suspects the notorious serial killer who terrorized the island for years is responsible for Andy’s death. Her family reacts to the discovery in some “unsettling” ways. Dahlia’s brother Charlie begins to create a family memorial museum, which highlights their years of research into famous murder victims. Her sister Tate builds crime-scene dioramas. Their mother takes on a cheery demeanor, a complete contrast to the woman who used to perform “murder reenactments on children.”
The more Dahlia tries to cope with her own trauma and fears, the more she comes to realize that her bizarre family and creepy mansion might hold the answers to what happened to Andy all those years ago.
(Synopsis adapted from Amazon)
Why:
This novel contains the perfect components of a great thriller: a strange family, ghastly murder, serial killers, fascination with true crime, mysterious setting, and an atmosphere of suspense and uncertainty. Collins is proving herself as a talented mystery and thriller writer.
Marie Claire, PopSugar, Goodreads, and others named her previous novel The Winter Sister “a most anticipated book of 2019.”
International bestselling author of Woman of the Edge, Samantha Bailey claimed Collins wrote “one of the most original, twisted, genius storylines I’ve ever read” in The Family Plot.
Publisher’s Weekly describes the novel as “an entertaining as well as chilling tale of family secrets, lies, and primordial fears,” with “plausible suspects and complex characters” that “match the well-crafted plot.”
That’s all for this week’s Three to Read. We hope you find your happiness within one of these books (or all of them), and we will see you next week for more recommendations!