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The Last 5 Books I’ve Read and Which You Should Pick Up

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Evan Horner Student Contributor, North Carolina State University
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at NCSU chapter and does not reflect the views of Her Campus.

The new year is already ¼ over, so it’s time to check in on our book goals! I set a reading goal to read 20 books this year, and I’ve read five so far, so I’m right on schedule! Looking for some books to add to your TBR list? Here are my reviews of the five I’ve read so far this year:

  1. Daydream – Hannah Grace

Rating: 6/10

I was looking forward to this book for a while, ever since I read IceBreaker and loved it, but it seems as though nothing will live up to the first book in this series. This was a nice romance story, with a typical meet-cute and unexpected coupling. However, it seemed to drag more than my “slow-burn” desire wanted. It’s an easy read if you’re looking for something lighthearted. 

  1. Beach Read – Emily Henry

Rating: 9/10

This is the fourth Emily Henry book I’ve read so far, and I can confidently say that it was also my favorite of hers. January Andrews has been my favorite leading girl so far, and her backstory with Gus Everett only made her more relatable. These two writers agree to switch up their style and write books in each other’s genre, which leads to an interesting, polarizing, and complicated summer. This is the perfect book if you’re looking for a deeper love story. 

  1. The Housemaid – Freida McFadden

Rating: 10/10

I’ve always loved mystery books, but this is one of the first horror books that I’ve read, and I loved it! It was a true page-turner. It has short chapters, so I could never put it down. This book lived up to its hype.

  1. Such Charming Liars – Karen M. McManus

Rating: 7/10

Speaking of mystery, this was a super fun heist meets murder mystery story! I’ve read a bunch of books by McManus, and this one did not disappoint. It kept me on my toes and continued to have me questioning what was going to happen next. 

  1. The Marlow Murder Club – Robert Thorogood

Rating: 7.5/10

I stumbled upon this book while searching for more mysteries (not much of a surprise at this point). It follows three older women who are trying to figure out who keeps killing in their small town. It is a complex mystery that had me guessing until the very end, but I’m going to claim that I figured it out! Lots of twists and suspicious people, and this book had me glued to my seat. 

I hope this gives you some good ideas for books to read if you’re stuck. 

Happy reading!

North Carolina State University – class of 2026
Applied Mathematics Major