January is a great month to curl up with a good book. The weather is chilly {although following this weekend some may disagree}, the days are shorter, and it’s a good time to dive into a good read. From thrilling stories to an inspiring coming-of-age novel, our writer + the woman behind @HobokenBooksta has all your reading needs covered. Discover four must-read books for your January book binge below.
The Family Upstairs by Lisa Jewell
Genre: Thriller/Horror
Can you imagine turning 25 and inheriting a huge mansion in one of the most luxurious neighborhoods in London? Well, neither could Libby Jones until it happened to her. She has eagerly anticipated this birthday since discovering she was adopted because it meant she would finally learn the truth about her birth parents. When their true identities are revealed, she naturally becomes obsessed with finding out more about them. After a relentless investigation, there seems to be a lack of information about the tragedy that occurred at 16 Cheyenne Walk so many years ago. Libby enlists the help of a devoted journalist who dedicated countless hours to solving the murders and disappearances of her family members. Complete with family drama, cults, and murder, this psychological thriller contains so many twists and turns it is impossible to see what’s coming next.
See More: 4 Must-Read Books to Pick Up This Month {Found Locally}
Searching for Sylvie Lee by Jean Kwok
Genre: Mystery
Two sisters, Sylvie and Amy Lee, who could not be more different. Sylvie is the older sister and the apple of her parents’ eye. She is everything a parent hopes their child will be: exceptionally bright, naturally beautiful, and successful. Sylvie spent the first nine years of her life in the Netherlands, raised by her mother’s cousin and her grandmother. The Netherlands will forever be her home and Dutch her native tongue. The moment she learns her beloved grandmother has fallen deathly ill, however, she instantly flees to her side to say her final goodbyes and spend final moments with her. When Sylvie fails to return to the United States, the Lee family is devastated. They cannot believe their daughter made a conscious choice to stay away, something horrible must have happened to her. Her sister, Amy, takes it upon herself to solve the mystery surrounding her sister’s disappearance. She delves deep into her sister’s past and present, trying to piece together what actually happened.
Told from Mrs. Lee’s, Sylvie’s, and Amy’s perspectives, Searching for Sylvie Lee is a poignant page-turner that will blindside the reader with its shocking ending.
The Bucket List by Georgia Clark
Genre: Coming-of-Age
Lacey Whitman is 25 and has her whole life ahead of her. Her career in trend forecasting for the glamorous New York company, Hoffman House, has been her dream for as long as she can remember. In addition to her demanding full-time job, she hopes to successfully launch a sustainable fashion app with one of her closest friends. With her plate overwhelmingly full, the last thing Lacey needs is a distraction to derail her focus. The last thing she needs is to discover she has the BRCA-1 gene mutation. For many, this is a death sentence. For Lacey, this is an ominous diagnosis that will divide her life into a before and an after.
Due to fast disease progression, Lacey must decide between vigilant surveillance or a precautionary double mastectomy. As she struggles to make the best decision for her and her body, Lacey realizes that she is not ready to say goodbye to her breasts. With the help of her friends, Lacey creates a “boob bucket list” as a proper farewell. A wild rollercoaster ride of emotions and adventures quickly ensues as Lacey sheds her inhibitions in order to embrace the bucket list tasks. The reader can’t help but feel like they are one of Lacey’s friends, experiencing all the ups and downs right by her side. The Bucket List is a beautiful coming-of-age story about a young woman forced to come to terms with the life-altering reality of a BRCA-1 gene mutation diagnosis, without letting it stop her from living her best life.
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Long Bright River by Liz Moore
Genre: Suspense/Crime
Mickey Fitzpatrick is a Philadelphia police officer, stationed in the heart of the city with a front-row seat to the devastating effects of the opioid crisis. Every day she sees people doing anything and everything as they desperately chase that high. Worst of all, her baby sister Kacey is one of these many individuals struggling with this horrible disease. Despite the fact that the two sisters no longer speak, Mickey has always looked out for her.
When Kacey can no longer be found, Mickey’s intuition tells her something is not right. Around the same time, several women are being murdered throughout the district. With each victim, Mickey dreads the devastating phone call confirming the Jane Doe is her sister. Her desperate search for her sister puts her own life, career, and family in danger but all she knows is that she must find Kacey before this psychopath does.
Which of these books are you most excited to read this month? Let us know in the comments!
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