The end of the year and start of a new one is often filled with more down time for me. It's a dramatic shift from the go-go-go that is the holiday season. And while at first it's a hard transition, the slower pace soon starts to feel enjoyable. It also gave me time to finish up a series I was loving and try some new authors and expand my horizons beyond murder mysteries (shocker!) If you're looking for intriguing reads to kick off your new year, try these books to kickstart 2024.
Intriguing Books to Kickstart 2024:
The Postscript Murders by Elly Griffiths
This is the second book in the Habinder Kaur series by Elly Griffiths. After reading the first, Stranger Diaries, I wasn't expecting there to be another because Kaur never felt like a strong main character, nonetheless, this book is an interesting murder mystery. A whole new cast, minus the detectives and an interesting murder plot. Defeinitely worth a read to keep you guessing. I'll for sure be adding the rest of this series and more Elly Griffith to my reading list for the new year. Find this book on Amazon.
Bleeding Heart Yard by Elly Griffiths
Another great addition to the Harbinder Kaur detective series. If I've learned one thing from Griffiths books, it's that the least likely person will turn out the to be the murderer. I had my suspicions while reading this book, but it wasn't until the murderer was revealed that I knew I was right! Find this book on Amazon.
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid
I'd seen this book recommended by a few people I follow on Instagram so I added it to my reading list. I finally got around to reading it this month and it did not dissapoint! First off, this is more of a drama than a mystery, and definitely not my usual murder mystery read, I still really enjoyed it. This book covers the complex life of a Hollywood starlet, how she loved, discovered herself, and chose to show herself to the world. It covers many LGBTQA+ themes and does have some more graphic sex scenes (not going to lie, I did skip over those a bit) but overall this is one of the few books I would give 5 out of 5 stars to.
The Story of Art Without Men by Katy Hessel
Shocker, this book also isn't a murder mystery. I'm really breaking my norm here. If the title didn't give this one away, this book is an interesting look into what the history of art is like with out men as the focus. As someone wo minore in Fine Art in college, I thought this would be an interesting read because most of what I learned about art was from male artists. While I found this book informative, the audiobook just didn't cut it. I'm not sure if the print version of this book has photos, but if it does, I think that would be very helpful. One thing I did love about this book though is that Hessel didn't only focus on fine art- they also dove into what is considered more arts and crafts. I enjoyed the sections on quilting, pottery, and needlework, which are often not mentioned in most art books. Find this book on Amazon.
The Ice House by Minnette Walters
I'll start of by admitting, I didn't really care for this book. I thought it was going to be more of a cozy mystery with Miss Marple vibes. Instead, it was a multi layered whodunnit with some heavy and brutalistic moments. I found it interesting that this book dealt mostly around what everyone thinks they know with the detective examining the facts to discover it's all a facade. I probably won't read any more Walters books, but I'm glad I gave it a try.
The Embroidery Side of Things:
Even though it was a slower paced time for me, I still managed to get a lot of things stitched, planned, and prepped. While listening to these books, I did some fun things like bake tons of holiday cookies. I also stitched 3 new embroidery kit ideas, samples for new workshops, and set goals for 2024.
Here's some samples for my new photo frame embroidery workshop!
Since I hadn't had much time to embroider lately, I reveled in cuddling with my pups while stitching. They've been super cuddlers lately. I'm hoping it's me, but I have a feeling they really like this new blanket we found hidden in the closet. Haha.
Here's Henley cuddling with me (and the blanket). I'm testing out an idea for a new kit. This design I'm unsure about, so let me know what you think.
***Thanks for reviewing my recommendations. This post contains affiliate links. Should you purchase an item listed, I may receive a small portion of the sale.***