I read a lot. At times, possibly more than is healthy. I read in almost every genre, and usually about a dozen books at once. And if that doesn't make me qualified to recommend books, then what does?
These are a few books that I highly approve of to keep you on the edge of your seat. I'm hoping that, like me, you'll be unable to put these books down as they pull you through their amazing stories and worlds.
1. "Dark Places" by Gillian Flynn
I talk about this book a lot, like, bordering on too much. But I can't stop talking about it because I just loved it so much. This is a murder mystery by the author who also wrote "Gone Girl" (which I actually haven't read yet). It is insanely suspenseful, to say the least. The book switches back and forth between two timelines (present day and a single day, decades earlier) and both of these parallel stories will make you question everything you know and keep you right on the edge of your seat pretty much constantly. The end is breath-stealing and mind-blowing.
2. "Graceling" by Kristin Cashore
3. "Bird Box" by Josh Malerman
This book is a horror/thriller type following a bizarre happening across the world. Seemingly out of nowhere, people seem to see something that drives them to harm themselves and others in pretty brutal ways. No one knows what people are seeing, because once you look at it, that's basically the end for you. The book focuses on Malorie, who survived the initial pandemonium and has been hiding indoors with her two small children for several years. In the hopes of finding a more productive and safe community, they set out on a boat, blindfolded, and unable to see what creepy things might be following them. The suspense in this book is absolutely remarkable. I don't think I breathed once for the entire second half of the book.
4. "Shadow and Bone" by Leigh Bardugo
First of all, no, this book is not set in Russia. The cover art looks like Russia, but in fact is a depiction of the fictional world it's set in. This book is absolutely fascinating, the writing is beautiful and haunting, and the characters are well-developed and complex. The antagonist in this book is one of my favorite villains of all time, in a love-to-hate sort of way. It's challenging to describe the plot of this book briefly, but let me just say that you'll be immediately immersed in the story and you'll never want to set the book down, even when it's over. There are also two other books in the series, which are both excellent as well.
5. "The Help" by Kathryn Stockett
Yes, this book is unlike many of the others on this list, but that's because it is perfect proof that a well-written book in any genre can keep you on the edge of your seat and be impossible to put down! By now, I'm guessing that most people have either read this book or watched this movie, or both. If you are of the group who has yet to read this, what are you waiting for? This book is an absolutely incredible, funny, enlightening, heartbreaking piece of historical fiction that every single person should read (in my esteemed opinion). And trust me, you won't want to stop reading it once you start.
6. "The Lunar Chronicles" by Marissa Meyer
I'm currently halfway done with "Winter", the final book in this amazing series, and I can't handle how much I love these books. The series starts great and somehow gets exponentially more and more excellent as the books go on, and new characters are introduced to the group. Each book is a re-telling of a different fairy tale, but in a sci-fi, futuristic setting. If that description doesn't sound good to you, I'd still recommend trying the series anyways! While the summary can sound somewhat bizarre and hard to pull off, the books are extremely well-written and captivating!
7. "The Silence of the Lambs" by Thomas Harris
This book is a pinnacle of suspense. Most people have at least seen or heard of this movie by now, and know that the basic concept is a young woman meeting with a notorious and now-imprisoned serial killer, in the hopes of using his knowledge to catch a new serial killer still on the loose, with the hopes of stopping him from continuing his killing spree. This is a psychological thriller that twisted my perspectives and both disturbed and enlightened me. It's a gruesome look at the human psyche, and I read it extremely quickly because I needed to know what would happen.
8. "Red Queen" by Victoria Aveyard
I read this book recently, and the second half was a complete whirlwind for me. The beginning is good and the writing style was very enjoyable to me throughout, but the last half was where this book really picked up steam and I could not stop reading it. It takes place in a society where people with Silver blood (which gives them supernatural abilities) rule over the "lower class" Redbloods. Mare is the protagonist, a Red girl with Silver abilities whose life is threatened by this fact. The premise is awesome, and the book is very fast paced, with twists I personally didn't see coming.
9. "Attachments" by Rainbow Rowell
This is another unexpected addition to the list, since this is anything but a thriller or suspense novel. "Attachments" is an adult book featuring healthy amounts of humor and romance. The writing style is a huge part of what makes it such a fast and captivating read. Half of the chapters are told in email conversations between two best friends and coworkers, and the other chapters are told from the perspective of the guy who was hired to read these emails, and who is also developing feelings for one of the women. This is one of my favorite books ever, it is easy to read and the characters are extremely likable. You'll be both sad and happy as you conclude this book.
10. "Life as We Knew It" by Susan Beth Pfeffer
This petite book is a survival story, and a totally gripping one at that. A lot of the suspense in this book comes from the feeling that the premise isn't completely improbable. In the beginning of this book, the moon is knocked closer to Earth by a passing meteor. The pandemonium that follows is all a result of this seemingly small occurrence, which causes natural disasters, climate change and worldwide panic. The story follows a family trying to survive in this changing world and is told completely in journal entries. It is a book I read quickly and breathlessly.
