Books With Numbers in the Title

None of This is True

Author: Lisa Jewell

Year: 2023

Genre: Thriller

More info: New York Times Bestselling Author

Age Range: 18+

Plot

Alix has a popular podcast and meets Jose while out celebrating their birthdays. They are birthday twins. When they meet a few days later, Josie tells Alix her idea for a podcast. Josie wants to change her life and she wants Alix to document the changes. Before long, Josie it is almost impossible to tell what is truth and what is a lie.

This book is unlike any other book written by Lisa Jewell. It is a psychological thriller that is creepy and page-turning but not necessarily shocking. I listened to the full cast audiobook and it was fantastic! It brought so much depth to the story.

Trigger Warnings

Pedophilia

Why Jackie loves it

I love Lisa Jewell’s books so it is no surprise that I loved this book as well. This book is a must-read thriller from our list of summer 2023 book releases. This one was the most disturbing and had a very “single white female” feel.

Find this book in: The Best Lisa Jewell Books / Best Full Cast Audiobooks / Books with Numbers in the Title

And Then There Were None

Author: Agatha Christie

Year: 1939

Genre: Classic Mystery

Spice Rating:💋

Age Range: 16+

Plot

A mysterious person is trying to right the wrongs of the past by luring unsuspecting criminals to a deserted island…and then murdering them one by one. But who is the killer? Why are they killing? And just how long have they been stalking their prey? You have to figure out whodunit in this unreliable narrator book.

Why Kirsten loves it

This Agatha Christie book is one of the best stories she has EVER written. It was fast-paced, totally engaging and I did not see the ending coming. Each murder was more clever then the one before. Check out the black and white movie based on the book. It’s great!

Why Jackie loves it

A classic for a reason, Agatha Christie broke the mold with this book. It’s one of the most well-plotted mysteries I’ve ever read.

Find this book in: Unreliable Narrator Book / Best Classic Novels / Historical Mystery Books / Agatha Christie Books in Order / Best Mystery Books / Locked Room Mysteries / Books with Numbers in the Title

One Dark Window

Author: Rachel Gillig

Year: 2022

Genre: Fantasy Romance

More info: The Shepherd King, book 1 of 2

Spice Rating:💋💋💋

Age Range: 18+

Plot

Elspeth has the voice of a monster in her head whom she calls Nightmare. He has been there for almost as long as she can remember.

After a meeting with a highwayman, who is actually the king’s nephew and the Captain of the Destiers, Elspeth joins him on a quest to save the kingdom from the surrounding mist. Nobody has ever come out of the mist alive. The two must work together and learn to trust each other while collecting 12 Providence Cards. Only when the cards are reunited can the curse be broken.

But Elpeth has another secret, the Nightmare is slowly getting stronger each time she uses his magic and she is having a harder time maintaining control over her mind. She knows that the next time she calls upon Nightmare’s magic to protect her, it might be the last thing she does.

Why Jackie loves it

This is an adult romance fantasy book unlike anything else I have read. Parts of the story read like a fairy tale and the concept of the Providence Cards is so unique and complex as each card gives its user a different magical ability. I immediately picked up the second book in the duology and wished it was a much longer series.

Find this book in: Adult Fantasy Romance Books / Best Adult Fantasy Novels / Books like A Court of Thorns and Roses / The Best Books Like Fourth Wing / Fantasy Duology Books / Books with Numbers in the Title

One of Us is Lying

Author: Karen M. McManus

Year: 2017

Genre: YA Thriller

More info: Named one of the ten best books of the year by Entertainment Weekly

Spice Rating:💋

Age Range: 14+

Plot

This YA locked room mystery is one of my favorites on the list. It is the breakfast club meets murder and I am obsessed. The Brain, the Beauty, the Criminal, The Athlete, and the Outcast are all in detention together. Only Simon, the outcast, is dead before he can leave the room.

With everyone holding onto secrets and everyone with a motive, can you figure out who did it?

Why Jackie loves it

This is a mystery and psychological thriller wrapped up in one. This is one book where you will not guess the ending.

Find this book in: Best Psychological Thriller Books /Locked Room Mysteries to Die For / Best Mystery Books of All Time / Books with Unreliable Narrators / Books With Numbers in the Title / YA Thriller Books

One Year Ago in Spain

Author: Evelyn Skye

Year: 2024

Genre: Romance

More info: Bestselling author of The Hundred Loves of Juliet

Spice Rating:💋

Age Range:18+

Plot

Claire is a lawyer at a top Manhattan firm who falls in love with Matias, a Spanish artist. After a year together she begins to question if they can last long-term because they are so different. When Matias has a horrible accident that leaves him in a coma in Madrid, she rushes to his side. There she finds his soul and can talk to him. But she is the only one. And, to make things even more complicated, he doesn’t remember her. In order to save him, Claire is will have to make him fall in love with her a second time.

His family doesn’t understand why she is not spending more time at the hospital with him waiting for him to wake up and they do not believe her when she tries to explain. Now she must find a way to bring Matias back to her. Can they fall in love again?

Why Jackie loves it

This is such a unique and fun opposites-attract love story. Claire is so pragmatic, she has such a hard time trusting her feelings and Matias is impulsive and carefree. They compliment each other so well and while their first meet-cute was instant, I loved watching them fall in love a second time.

Find this book in: Most Anticipated New June 2024 Book Releases / Best Adult Fantasy Novels / Books With Numbers in the Title

Sylvia’s Second Act

Author: Hillary Yablon

Year: 2024

Genre: Fiction

More info:

Spice Rating:💋

Age Range: 16+

Plot

If you are looking for an absolutely hysterical novel, this is for you! After walking into the Florida retirement home she hates and seeing her husband in a compromising position with their neighbor, Sylvia decides it’s time to start her life over in New York City.

Armed only with the money she has from pawning her watch, she gets herself a geriatric roommate and relaunches her career as a wedding planner. The scenarios she gets herself into are filled with heart, humor, and wisdom to create a novel unlike any other.

Trigger Warnings

Reference to drug-related death, Financial instability, Cheating

Why Kirsten loves it

I’ve never met a character quite like Sylvia. She’s vivacious and fun in a way that most 66-year-olds are not depicted in literature. I was rooting for her success during the entire book. I’m hoping that scene in the epilogue means a sequel is in the works.

Why Jackie loves it

I could not stop laughing at the antics in this book. But, it was also a book with strong character development and was deeply emotional in some parts. All together, this book is the perfect mix of emotions and plot.

Find this book in: Best Fiction Books of 2024 / Books like A Man Called Ove / The Best Books of 2024 / Books with Older Protagonists / Books with Numbers in the Title

The Two Lives of Lydia Bird

Author: Josie Silver

Year: 2020

Genre: Fiction

Spice Rating:💋

Age Range: 16+

Plot

Lydia’s fiance dies in the first chapter but when she goes to sleep, she is able to live her alternate life by his side. We see her try to adjust to life without Freddie in one life, and her trying to find her new self, the one that remembers that he isn’t alive, trying to remain who she used to be in her dream life. Don’t go in expecting a romance. It’s a raw look at grief and how it changes us.

Trigger Warnings

Grief

Why Kirsten loves it

Wow. I wasn’t expecting this book to be such a serious look at life after the loss of a loved one. It was moving in multiple places and I was full-on SOBBING at the end. The concept is fascinating.

Find this book in: Books with Numbers in the Title / Books About Grief

Three Holidays and a Wedding

Author: Uzma Jalaluddin & Marissa Stapley

Year: 2023

Genre: Holiday Romance

Spice Rating:💋💋💋

Age Range: 18+

Plot

Maryam and Anna find themselves on a plane from Denver to Toronto in the middle of the storm of the century, they have no idea that they will spark an unexpected friendship.

When the plane is diverted to a small town outside of Ottawa with no end to the snow, they all must change their plans. Anna is not able to make it to Toronto to spend Christmas with her boyfriend, and Maryam’s sister’s wedding is in jeopardy.

Why Jackie loves it

This is an enchanting Hanukkah, Ramadan, romance Christmas book for 2023 with a charming small town, a snowbound inn, and a touch of fate that brings everyone together. This is a holiday book at its very best. #gifted

Find this book in: Celebrity Romance Books / New Christmas Books of 2023 / Best Christmas Romances / Holiday Books / Best Christmas Books of All Time / Christmas Book Club Books

The Three Lives of Cate Kay

Author: Kate Fagan

Year: 2025

Genre: Contemporary Fiction

More info: January 2025 Reese Witherspoon Book Club Pick

Spice Rating:💋

Age Range: 16+

Plot

Cate is a successful author of a book trilogy with a cult-like following written under her pen name. The books were made into movies but she has never made a public appearance. The only people who know her identity have kept it a close secret for years.

When Cate considers revealing her true identity, the events of her past come back to haunt her. When she was younger, she had plans to go to Hollywood with her best friend, Amanda. When a horrible accident shatters their dreams, Cate flees. She takes on different names and different identities.

The story is told by the people who knew Cate and alternates between what happened in the past and present day

Why Jackie loves it

I love the characters, the story, and the way the story was told. It is such a unique storytelling format and it kept me completely captivated.

Find this book in: Best Reese Witherspoon Books / Reese Witherspoon Book Club List 2025 / Books With Numbers in the Title

Fourth Wing

Author: Rebecca Yarros

Year: 2023

Genre: Fantasy Romance

More info: Empyrean Series Book #1 of 5

Spice Rating:💋💋💋💋💋

Age Range: 18+

Plot

If you have not heard of this book and love fantasy, this is the book for you. Don’t be intimidated by the length of this dragon book. I started and finished this 528-page bad boy in a day and a half. I cannot remember the last time I did that!

Violet Sorrengail had spent her life studying to be a scribe until her father died and her mother, the commanding general, ordered her to join the dragon riders. Violet will become one of the hundreds of candidates who fight to the death to be a part of this elite group.

Unlike the other candidates who have worked towards this their whole lives, Violet is small and brittle and never meant for this to be her path. And other candidates do not have the children of rebel leaders waiting to take revenge.

This adult fantasy book has everything that you would want in a fantasy from epic world-building to amazing abilities, magical creatures, non-stop action, and romance.

Trigger Warnings

Graphic sexual content, death

Why Jackie loves it

I loved every second. It lives up to the hype and then some. The world-building is amazing and the book pulled me in from the first page. Usually the story begins with an event and the story commences after this catalyst moment. Fourth Wing begins after that crucial moment so I felt I was immersed in the story from page one.

Why Kirsten loves it

I don’t know why I waited so long to read this book, but Jackie was right when she told me how much I would love it. Even though I do not usually love world-building, fantasies like this, the plot line and romance throughout this book, kept me hooked the whole time.

Adaptation Information

It’s early days yet, but the rights to turn this book series into a TV series were acquired by Amazon Prime Video. The show will be produced by Michael B. Jordan’s Outlier Society production company.

Find this book in: Adult Fantasy Books / Fourth Wing Series in Order / Adult Fantasy Romance Books / Best Books for Book Clubs to Read / Best Adult Fantasy Novels / Books Like A Court of Thorns and Roses / Dragon Books for Adults / Books Inspired by The Life of a Showgirl
For More Books Like This: The Best Books Like Fourth Wing

The Five People You Meet in Heaven

Author: Mitch Albom

Year: 2006

Genre: Fiction

More info: New York Times Bestseller

Age Range: 14+

Plot

83-year-old Eddie spends his days fixing rides at an amusement park. When he dies trying to save a little girl from a freak accident, he wakes up in the afterlife and meets 5 people he impacted while alive.

He thought he had lived a meaningless, unremarkable life. Instead, he finds out just how important he was to those around him as he learns secrets from his past.

Why Kirsten loves it

This short contemporary fiction novel packs a huge punch as Albom attempts to answer the meaning of life. This one-sitting read is like a warm hug. A must-read at some point in your life.

Find this book in: Carnival Books / Books With Numbers in the Title

In Five Years by Rebecca Serle

Author: Rebecca Serle

Year: 2020

Genre: Fiction

More info: March 2020 GMA Book Club Pick

Spice Rating:💋💋

Age Range: 18+

Plot

Dannie is an ambitious lawyer with a plan.  She has her life planned out until she falls asleep and spends one hour in the future. Nothing is familiar- not her house, the ring on her finger, or the man by her side.  When she wakes, she cannot get the images out of her head. 

Trigger Warnings

Cancer, Grief

Why Jackie loves it

What a refreshing contemporary fiction book about the power of love and friendship.  I sat down and read this book in one sitting easily.  It is captivating from the first sentence and had me until the last page. I loved this time travel book, it was unexpected, unconventional, and a delight to read. It would also be a great one for book clubs! There is lots to discuss in this one.

Find this book in: Friendship Books / Contemporary Fiction Novels / Time Travel Books / GMA Book Club List 2020 / Books With Numbers in the Title

The Lions of Fifth Avenue

Author: Fiona Davis

Year: 2020

Genre: Historical Fiction

More info: August 2020 Good Morning America Book Club Pick, New York Times Bestseller

Spice Rating:💋

Age Range: 16+

Plot

Laura is the wife of the NYPL’s superintendent and lives in an apartment within the historic institution. While already a mother, she is looking for more out of life and enrolls in journalism school. But when she’s out learning more about the world, she becomes more involved in the burgeoning women’s suffragette movement. Soon, she needs to determine where her loyalties lie.

In 1993, her granddaughter, Sadie is curious about her famous grandmother – particularly after she becomes a curator at the NYPL, solidifying her family legacy at the storied institution. When items from her exhibits go missing, she teams up with a private security expert to figure out who is behind the theft. But she’s not expecting the secrets to involve her family.

Trigger Warnings

Suicide

Why Kirsten loves it

This historical fiction novel about the New York Public Library is a dual-timeline mystery about rare books going missing from the library’s collection. Fiona Davis’s signature style had me basking in the vivid descriptions, making me feel as if I were standing inside the famed library. I adored the Gilded Age sections but was less enthralled by the present-day timeline.

Find this book in: Books About Libraries / Gilded Age Books / Books About Books / GMA Book Club List 2020 / Books With Numbers in the Title

When Women Ran Fifth Avenue: Glamour and Power at the Dawn of American Fashion

Author: Julie Satow

Year: 2024

Genre: Nonfiction

Age Range: 14+

Plot

This nonfiction book tells the story of Hortense Odlum, Geraldine Stutz, and Dorothy Shaver, three revolutionary women in the world of New York City department stores. These women, who helmed Bonwit Teller, Henri Bendel, and Lord & Taylor, helped to revitalize a dying industry by meeting the needs of their ideal customers – women like them.

While each department store was known for something different, their success was all based on the women in charge and their unique business savvy.

Why Kirsten loves it

I had fun getting a peek behind the curtain of some of the most well-known department stores in the world. While none of these stores have survived to the present day, it was still nice to learn about their storied history.

Find this book in: Best New Nonfiction Books of 2024 / Books With Numbers in the Title

Daisy Jones & The Six

Author: Taylor Jenkins Reid

Year: 2019

Genre: Historical Fiction

More info: March 2019 Reese Witherspoon Book Club Pick

Spice Rating:💋

Age Range: 16+

Plot

The book is laid out like a VH1 Behind the Music style interview. It’s laid out in chronological order about the making of the band Daisy Jones & the Six, but the story is told in interview style from a dozen sources.

It’s a story about the music scene of the 1970s in Hollywood when the band The Six meets Daisy Jones and together they rocket to superstardom! Among the drama of touring, there is also a forbidden love story or two, and plenty of crazy parties!

It’s truly the perfect mix of historical fiction, romance, and rock ‘n’ roll.

Why Kirsten loves it

This book needs to be listened to, not read. The audio version has a different narrator for each character and the performances are stupendous. I was overcome with emotion numerous times while I was listening.

Why Jackie loves it

This celebrity fiction story about the rise and fall of one of the hottest bands of the 70s was so utterly fabulous – it’s pure sex, drugs, and rock n’ roll in all the best ways.

Find this book in: Taylor Jenkins Reid Books Ranked / Books Set in the 70s / Full Cast Audiobooks / Ultimate Beach Reads 2020 / Books With Flowers in the Title / Best Reese Witherspoon Books
Find Similar Books in: Books Like Daisy Jones & The Six

Six of Crows

Author: Leigh Bardugo

Year: 2015

Genre: Fantasy

More info: Six of Crows and Crooked Kingdom Duology

Spice Rating:💋

Age Range: 12+

Plot

This fantasy duology is set in the Grishaverse, the same universe as Shadow and Bone. Six outcasts come together for a deadly heist. Kaz must assemble a crew that can succeed and make them all rich beyond imagination. To do this, he will need a group of people who might just end up killing each other before they can pull it off.

Why Jackie likes it

I actually liked this duology better than the Shadow and Bone series. This is crazy, I know. I loved the heist aspect, and I really love a fantasy duet!

Find this book in: Fantasy Duology Books / Leigh Bardugo Books in Order / Books like Shadow and Bone / Books With Numbers in the Title

The Atlas Six

Author: Olivie Blake

Year: 2022

Genre: Fantasy

More info: (Atlas Series Book 1)
Instant New York Times Bestseller
A Vulture Best Fantasy Novel 2022

Spice Rating:💋

Age Range: 18+

Plot

The Alexandrian Society members are the guardians of knowledge from the greatest civilizations that have ever existed. Six of the most brilliant magical academicians are chosen every decade to take their place in this secret society. Five will go on the secure a life filled with all the wealth and power they could dream of.

When the candidates of this decade are chosen, they each have powerful abilities that could lead to greatness or destruction. They find that The Society may not be everything it appears. This is book has an almost cult-like following and is an urban fantasy book you will not want to miss.

Why Jackie loves it

There are so many twists and turns to this fantasy dark academia novel, that I am not sure where to begin. I do know that I will be reading the next book! The plot is twisty and the characters are complex. This is a dark adult fantasy for those that like a lighter read.

Find this book in: Urban Fantasy Books / Books About Secret Societies / The Best Adult Fantasy Novels / Books Like Ninth House / The Best Books Like Fourth Wing / Books With Numbers in the Title

Seven Days in June

Author: Tia Williams

Year: 2021

Genre: Romance

More info: June 2021 Reese Witherspoon Book Club Pick

Spice Rating:💋

Age Range: 18+

Plot

The latest Reese’s Book Club pick was quite a unique read. It was billed as a romance but that doesn’t do this novel justice. Yes, there are some steamy scenes, but it also deals with childhood trauma, drug addiction, racial issues, and single motherhood.

Eva Mercy is a single mom and a bestselling author of Erotica. Shane Hall is an award-winning novelist. The two meet at a literary event and sparks fly, but what nobody knows is that the two met years ago and spent a week together. Since that time, their novels have been declarations of love for each other.

Trigger Warnings

Trauma, addiction

Why Kirsten loves it

It was much heavier than I expected, especially with a second-chance romance novel. If you are looking for something that will make you think, this is the right pick for you from our list of books about books.

Why Jackie likes it

This is such a complex and deep second-chance romance. The years have been difficult for these two and they carry a lot of baggage.

Find this book in: Books About Books Books / Becoming Movies in 2024 / Second Chance Romance Books / Romance Books About Books / Reese Witherspoon Book Club List 2021 / Books with Numbers in the Title

Seven Days of Us

Author: Francesca Hornak

Year: 2017

Genre: Fiction

Spice Rating:💋

Age Range: 16+

Plot

Hornak takes series topics and makes them funny. This family drama book is about crazy coincidences and epic drama in one completely dysfunctional British family.  What starts as a family spending a quarantine quietly in the family country home, turns into something from a soap opera.  Every member of the family has their secrets and lies exposed.

Why Jackie loves it

This is a hilarious look at what happens when a family is quarantined together over the holidays. The entire time I was reading this quarantine isolation book, I kept thinking to myself that it should be a movie. When I first read this holiday book, I thought it was the perfect book for book clubs. Now, after a pandemic, there is so much more for book clubs to discuss.

Find this book in: Best Christmas Books of All Time / Christmas Book Club Books / Family Drama Books / Best Books of 2017 / Books With Numbers in the Title

The Seven-Year Slip

Author: Ashley Poston

Year: 2023

Genre: Fantasy

More info: A Most Anticipated Book by Entertainment Weekly ∙ Harper’s Bazaar ∙ PopSugar ∙ Real Simple ∙ BookRiot 

Spice Rating:💋💋💋

Age Range:

Plot

Clementine has had her heart broken one too many times. She has inherited her beloved aunt’s apartment and is constantly mourning her loss. When she comes home one day and finds a man sitting there, she realizes that he exists seven years in the past. When she steps out of the apartment, their paths are uncertain.

And, the more time they spend together, the more she realizes she is falling for him. But she can never figure out when their paths will collide! This is a fantastic pick if you are looking for romantic comedy books.

Why Jackie loves it

Dead Romantics (GMA Book Club Pick July 2022) was one of my favorite books last year and this book did not disappoint! This is such an adorable time travel romance book. And if you are not a fantasy lover this is the perfect one to blur the lines between genres. The story is so unique and refreshing,

Find this book in: Best Rom-Com Books / Ultimate Beach Reads 2023 / Time Travel Romance Books / Best Adult Fantasy Novels / Ashley Poston Books Ranked

The Seventh Veil of Salome

Author: Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Year: 2024

Genre: Historical Fiction

More info: August 2024 Good Morning America Book Club Pick

Spice Rating:💋

Age Range: 18+

Plot

This historical fiction is set in the 1950s, during the Golden Age of Hollywood. Princess Salome is the stepdaughter of Herod and the subject of the biggest movie in Hollywood. Everyone knows that the actress who gets the part will be rocketed to stardom.

When Vera Larios, an unknown Mexican actress, gets the part, Nancy Harley will stop at nothing to make the part hers. Told by Vera, Nancy, and Salome, this story handles the racism, sexism, and unethical practices of the Hollywood machine.

Trigger Warnings

Racism, Sexism, Sexual harassment

Why Kirsten loves it

I loved the way the 1950s storylines intertwined with Salome’s story because of the parallels in each timeline. Vera was a particularly captivating character to read about as she became typecast, underappreciated, and mistreated by those around her. Nancy’s desperation, which bordered on delusion, felt palpable, and the way their stories connected in the end was fantastic.

Find this book in: Old Hollywood Books / GMA Book Club List 2024 / Books With Numbers in the Title

The Seven and a Half Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle

Author: Stuart Turton

Year: 2018

Genre: Fantasy

Age Range: 15+

Plot

Evelyn Hardcastle will be murdered every day at 11:00 PM. In order to escape Blackheath, Aiden Bishop must solve her murder. He will wake up every day for 8 days inhabiting a different host body. He will experience the same day until he solves the murder. 

Why Jackie loves it

This is one of the best books that I have read in a really long time. It is so smart and so well written- the complexity of the plot line is mind-boggling and kept me entranced until the very last page.    

Find this book in: Locked Room Mystery / Books About Puzzles / Best Time Loop Books / The 20 Best Books of 2018 / Books With Numbers in the Title

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo

Author: Taylor Jenkins Reid

Year: 2017

Genre: Historical Fiction

Spice Rating:💋💋

Age Range: 16+

Plot

A tell-all about a fictional Elizabeth Taylor-esque celebrity’s rise to Hollywood stardom, her seven husbands, and the true love of her life.

Evelyn Hugo has asked an unknown reporter, Monique Grant, to write her life story in a no-holds-barred book. There is a bit of mystery around why Monique was chosen and Evelyn certainly has her fair share of hardships as she claws her way to the top.

The drama and suffering add dimension to the story that makes it so much more than fluff, though the inner workings of Hollywood were fun to read too. The story seems so candid that I forgot that Evelyn Hugo was not a real celebrity. 

Trigger Warnings

Domestic Abuse, Homophobia

Why Kirsten loves it

Taylor Jenkins Reid slays with this story finding the perfect balance of glamour and grit. Evelyn seeks to change her life and in doing so, changes for the better. Every person who has read this book at my recommendation has loved it

Adaptation Information

Not much is yet known about the movie adaptation except that Maggie Betts is set to direct while Liz Tigelaar is working on the script.

Find this book in: Best Romance Novels of All Time / Best Books to Read on Beach / Old Hollywood Books / Taylor Jenkins Reid Books Ranked / Epistolary Novels / Books Becoming Movies / Hollywood Novels / Books Inspired by The Life of a Showgirl

Find books similar to this in: Books like The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo

Eight Hundred Grapes

Author: Laura Dave

Year:

Genre:

More info:

Spice Rating:💋

Age Range:

Plot

One week before her wedding, Georgia discovers that her fiancé has been keeping a secret from her. Not sure if she can get over it and go through with the wedding, she heads home to her family vineyard.

When she arrives, she does not find the solace she is looking for. Rather, her parents’ marriage is in shambles, her brothers are a mess, and they are at risk of losing everything.

Why Jackie loves it

This book about wine is such a fun book for book clubs to read and discuss. How do the characters develop? Did the book end the way you thought?

Find this book in: Books About Wine / Books with Food in the Title / Books With Numbers in the Title

Eight Perfect Murders

Author: Peter Swanson

Year: 2020

Genre: Mystery

Age Range: 16+

Plot

This is one of the best mystery thrillers that I have read in a long time.  I loved this book from beginning to end.  Years ago, Malcolm, a bookseller, wrote a blog post that included books with the most unsolvable murders. 

One day, an FBI agent comes to his store to ask him about that post.  She believes that someone is using it as a recipe for committing murders.

Why Jackie loves it

The book has twists and turns and is so well-written!!! I had no idea what was coming next.

Find this book in: Fictional Books About Serial Killers / Ultimate List of Books About Books / Mystery and Thriller Novels About Writers / Books With Numbers in the Title

November 9

Author: Colleen Hoover

Year: 2015

Genre: Romance

Spice Rating:💋💋💋

Age Range: 18+

Plot

Fallon, a former actress who retired because of burns she sustained on half her body, meets Ben, an aspiring writer, as she is facing down her dad in a diner.

After coming to her rescue, Ben and Fallon spend the remainder of the day together before she leaves L.A. to start fresh in NYC. But not before making a pact to meet up again, at the same diner, in exactly one year.

What follows is a charming slow-burn romance that sees our main characters ONLY meeting up and communicating on November 9th for five straight years.

Trigger Warnings

Fire

Why Kirsten loves it

The way their lives – and their relationship – go through ups and downs will have you on an emotional rollercoaster. Fallon and Ben’s love story reminded me just a bit of One Day, but with a distinct twist only found in a Colleen Hoover book.

Find this book in: List of Colleen Hoover Books in Order & Ranked / Books with Numbers in the Title

Nine Perfect Strangers

Author: Liane Moriarty

Year: 2018

Genre: Fiction

More info: New York Times Bestseller

Spice Rating:💋

Age Range: 16+

Plot

This popular novel takes place at a retreat where 9 strangers have sought the help of a wellness guru with an unorthodox approach. Over the course of their stay, they will have therapies and experiences that defy logic as they attempt to heal.

Trigger Warnings

Suicide, Child Death

Why Kirsten loves it

Let me start off by saying, this is no Big Little Lies. I love Moriarty when her works are based more on events that could actually happen – My Husband’s Secret and Big Little Lies remain great contemporary fiction books on my list. This story had an incredible start and then got insanely far-fetched. Mind you, I enjoyed it immensely, but you need to go in knowing that it’s an enjoyable read but nothing more.

Find this book in: Books About Cults / Books About Mental Health / Books With Numbers in the Title

The Ten Thousand Doors of January

Author: Alix E. Harrow

Year: 2019

Genre: Historical Fantasy

Age Range: 16+

Plot

When January is seven years old, she stumbles upon a door that leads her to a different place.  When she is reprimanded for lying about the door, she eventually forgets about it until she finds the book “The Ten Thousand Doors of January” years later.  January becomes intrigued, and the real story begins. The story alternates between the story of January and the book. The concept is such a fun way to narrate the plot, but at times, the plot moved slowly as one storyline stopped and another began.

Why Jackie loves it

I’ve never read a book quite like this and I have to say that I was very pleasantly surprised. The writing is subtle, the plot is driven by character and intrigue rather than action-packed suspense. It also has a feel of historical fiction about it, s0 lovers of the genre may love this book as well. 

Find this book in: Books About Books / Magical Realism Books / Books With Numbers in the Title

Station Eleven

Author: Emily St. John Mandel

Year: 2014

Genre: Sci-fi

More info: National Book Award Finalist

Spice Rating:💋

Age Range: 16+

Plot

I do not know where to start with this award-winning dystopian Novel. The story begins with the famous Hollywood actor, Arthur Leander, dying of a heart attack on stage during the production of King Lear.

That is also the same night that a pandemic overtakes the entire planet, quickly ending civilization within a matter of weeks. Now, without power, fuel, running water, phones, etc. those that are left must start over.

Kirsten Raymonde was a little girl when she watched Arthur die and now, twenty years later, she travels with The Traveling Symphony, a small group who try to give back some music and theatre to the small towns of survivors. When they come back to St Deborah by the Water to retrieve their friends, they are no longer there. What remains is a new kind of threat.

Trigger Warnings

Pandemic

Why Jackie likes it

This is such a well-written book, I knew I needed to see how it ended. However, the events of the pandemic were difficult to read.

Find this book in: Dystopian Novels / Books About Road Trips / Books With Numbers in the Title

The Thirteenth Tale

Author: Diane Setterfield

Year: 2006

Genre: Gothic Mystery

Spice Rating:💋

Age Range: 16+

Plot

A young biographer is called to help a reclusive author of 12 books tell her life story. In the process, she learns there is a thirteenth tale after all. It’s a gothic romance, a mystery, and a story about family ties all in one.

Why Kirsten loves it

I adored this gothic story when I read it on vacation a few years back. The setting and gothic vibes make this book perfect for a chilly autumn day. I was swept into this story and read it to completion at 3 a.m.

Find this book in: Best Historical Mystery Books / Best Mystery Books of All Time / Ultimate List of Mysteries / Books With Numbers in the Title

Fifty Shades of Grey

Author: E. L. James

Year: 2012

Genre: Romance

More info: Fifty Shades of Grey #1 of 6

Spice Rating:💋💋💋💋

Age Range: 18+

Plot

Originally written as Twilight fan fiction, Fifty Shades of Grey tells the story of Anastasia Steele, an innocent young woman who quite literally falls at the feet of young billionaire Christian Grey.

Their up-and-down relationship had the world atwitter. He wanted a submissive, but Ana challenged him at every turn. And their red room of pain is the stuff of legend. This is the series that ignited the popularity of billionaire romance books.

Trigger Warnings

Graphic Sexual Content

Why Kirsten loves it

This is the book that made explicit content more mainstream rather than a dark secret. I love when a book can do that for the reading community.

Why Jackie loves it

I loved the billionaire romance even if I thought Christian was a little much sometimes. By the end of the three-book series, I was invested in the characters and the story.

Find this book in: Books with Colors in the Title / Books with Stalkers / Fifty Shades of Grey Books in Order / Billionaire Romance Books / Books With Numbers in the Title

One Hundred Years of Solitude

Author: Gabriel Garcia Marquez

Year: 1967

Genre: Magical Realism

More info: January 2004 Oprah Book Club Pick

Age Range: 14+

Plot

This multi-generational family saga is about the Buendiá family and their hometown, the magical Maconda. It’s a comedy, a tragedy, and it looks at the rise and fall of the town’s founding family.

For the record, I read this book BEFORE Oprah picked it! We spent a semester learning about this family saga in high school. Each person was assigned a symbol to report on throughout the book each week.

Mine was goldfish -part of the symbolism of amnesia and the duality between amnesia and nostalgia. Yep. I still remember the lesson. Maybe the teaching contributed, but this remains one of my favorite books ever.

Why Kirsten loves it

I love this family saga. The writing is brilliant and so is the symbolism. This is not an easy read but it is worth every minute.

Find this book in: Kirsten’s Favorites / Magical Realism Books / Classic Books / Amnesia Books / Best Oprah’s Book Club Books / Best Books in Translation / Historical Fantasy Books

The Hundred Loves of Juliet

Author: Evelyn Skye

Year: 2023

Genre: Romance

Spice Rating:💋💋

Age Range: 18+

Plot

After a terrible divorce, Helene moves to a small town in Alaska to write a novel. When she meets Sebastian, a handsome fisherman, he is the personification of all the dreams she ever had of her perfect man.

Helene is determined to find the truth about her instant connection to Sebastian, but he’s determined to keep it from her.

Why Kirsten loves it

I don’t want to spoil exactly how this Romeo and Juliet retelling is connected to the original story, but it’s a lovely romance with many mini-romances scattered throughout.

Why Jackie loves it

This book will keep you turning the pages and smiling at the end. Kirsten and I both think this is one of the best romance books of 2023.

Find this book in: Best Books of 2023 / Cozy Books / Second Chance Romance / Best Books for Book Clubs to Read / Nonlinear Narrative Novels / Amnesia Books / Books With Numbers in the Title

The One Hundred Years of Lenni and Margot

Author: Marianne Cronin

Year: 2021

Genre: Fiction

More info: April 2026 Beyond the Bookends Book Club Pick

Age Range: 16+

Plot

This is the story of 17-year-old Lenni, who has terminal cancer, and her art partner, 83-year-old heart patient Margot. They connect at the end of Lenni’s life in the hospital art therapy room where they decided to paint a picture for every year of their combined 100 years.

Trigger Warnings

Death, Terminal Illness

Why Kirsten loves it

GET READY TO UGLY CRY. This book wrecked me. While painting their picture, we get to learn about their lives before their illnesses and witness an incredible bond form. The ripple effects of their bond and friendship took my breath away numerous times. Truly one of the best books I’ve read in a long time.

Find this book in: Books to Emotionally Wreck You / Novels About Grief / Books with Older Protagonists

1984

Author: George Orwell

Year: 1949

Genre: Dystopian Fiction

More info: PBS Great American Read Top 100 Pick

Age Range: 14+

Plot

This dystopian novel was published in 1949, just 4 years after the end of WWII. Therefore, it is not surprising that this novel centers around totalitarianism and a state he modeled after Nazi Germany.

This book takes place in an imagined 1984 in which the world is in a constant state of war. This is where the term Big Brother originated. Of all the big three dystopian novels, to me, this one is the scariest and the darkest. That is probably because everything he wrote was based on something that had happened already- we just got an alternate ending.

Why Jackie likes it

I would not say that I love this book, but I will say that it is a must-read. This is dark dystopian at its finest and, remarkably, does not seem to be so far off from the world in which Big Brother is watching. This fact makes the book even scarier.

Find this book in: Books Set in the 80s / Best Dystopian Novels of All Time

11/22/63

Author: Stephen King

Year: 2011

Genre: Historical Fiction

Age Range: 16+

Plot

This historical fantasy book was brilliantly researched and had an amazing premise in which Jake Epping steps into a time hole to stop the assassination of Kennedy. Every time he leaves history, time resets itself. Each time something does not go right, he can reset the clock by stepping out of the hole no matter how much time has passed while he was in the past.

Sound confusing? King is a brilliant writer who can make transitions between the past and present seamless. His attention to detail in this whopper of a book is unmatched.

Why Jackie likes it

The historic details in this book were immaculate but, as much as everyone loved this book, I thought that it was much too long. You have to be prepared for almost 900 pages. The beginning and the end of the book were outstanding.

Find this book in: Historical Fantasy Books / Time Loop Books / Nonlinear Narrative Novels / Books Set in the 1960s / Books Set in Maine / The Best Long Books / Books with Numbers in the Title

The Thousandth Floor

Author: Katherine McGee

Year: 2017

Genre: Sci-Fi

More info: New York Times Bestseller

Spice Rating:💋

Age Range: 16+

Plot

Set 100 years in the future in a 1000-floor tower, New York’s privileged elite navigate romance, privilege, and temptation in this sci-fi YA novel.

It gave me Gossip Girl vibes with a futuristic feel, except it opens with someone falling to their death from the top floor. Avery Fuller is genetically designed to be perfect, but is her life as perfect as it seems? If you love sci-fi, forbidden love stories, and the fight for survival of the Hunger Games, this book is perfect for you to read.

Why Kirsten loves it

I love the plot of this book and the fact that it is set in the future adds to the books appeal.

Find this book in: Books Like the Hunger Games / Sci-Fi Books / YA Dystopian Books / Books With Numbers in the Title