As a seasoned fan of Keigo Higashino's captivating narratives, "Silent Parade" marked a satisfying conclusion to my 2023 literary journey. While the initial chapters introduced a seemingly straightforward murder mystery, my initial perception of predictability proved to be a delightful miscalculation. As the plot unfolded, I was swept into a whirlwind of unforeseen twists and turns, each one more mind-boggling than the last.

"Silent Parade" masterfully crafted an intricate web of deception, leaving me questioning every assumption I had made. The author's ability to seamlessly blend psychological insights with ingenious plot twists transformed this book into a thrilling intellectual challenge.

For those who relish the intricate world of Japanese mystery fiction, "Silent Parade" is an absolute must-read. Prepare to have your mind boggled, your suspicions challenged, and your appreciation for Higashino's literary brilliance elevated to new heights.

Copenhagen in summer.

 Last summer I spent one week enjoying the wonderful city of Copenhagen. It's a must for those who love "hygge". The food was tasty and the people were kind. I would gladly go back anytime.

A view of the botanical garden which I visited despite the rain.

The butterfly house was beautiful.

Nyhavn was one of the most popular spots.

Funny scene during the change of the guards at Amalienborg Palace

It's not China, it's Tivoli Gardens.

Inside the Round Tower

Frederiksberg Palace. 

Rosenborg Palace

I loved visiting all the gardens and parks in the city.

The Black Diamond. The Royal Danish Library.

Bicycles everywhere.

The lake area was great.

The canals 

Danish pastries are amazing!

 

Garden Flowers

 

A great film for pre-teens!

Are you there God? It's me, Margaret by Judy Blume

I found out about this book because of the film trailer and I'm so glad I did. It's a beautiful and fun coming-of-age novel, excellent for pre-teen girls and for women who want to remember those days.
What I loved most about the book was how open-minded the main character was about religion. She was curious, inquisitive, and willing to accept many possibilities.
I just can't wait to see the film.

Mad Honey

Amazing. A book you need to read without knowing anything about it. It opened my eyes to a reality I knew very little about.

Mooncake Festival

 

The House Across the Lake by Riley Sager

A woman who has recently lost her husband spends some time in the house by the lake where he drowned. That's obviously not a good idea but she tries to survive the day by drinking as much as possible and looking at the house across the lake. The new neighbours seem to be an attractive couple but strange things start happening and she decides to investigate.
This is not my first book by Riley Sager but it's my favourite one so far despite the paranormal twist which almost made me DNF it because I was too scared to continue reading.

I recommend this novel to fans of mystery books and to those who are not spooked easily.

Wrong Place Wrong Time by Gillian McAllister

Wouldn't you like to be able to travel back in time? Perhaps to make better choices or change your life's course completely. Jen witnesses her son commit murder and for reasons she cannot comprehend starts travelling back in time. Why on earth would her nerdy son kill a person? Isn't her family a perfect one?

To tell the truth, the book sometimes seems a bit long, and some chapters make very little sense at the beginning. However, keep on reading because all the chapters hide a clue. There are lots of surprises in this book that I didn't see coming and it all made sense in the end.

The idea of being able to go back in time has always appealed to me and I have read numerous books on this topic. This novel by Gillian McAllister didn't disappoint me. I recommend it to fans of domestic mysteries who don't mind a little bit of science fiction.

I really wanted to like this saga but I guess it wasn't meant for me. I found the story too slow. There were too many unnecessary descriptions, conversations, and situations. Unfortunately, the characters didn't appeal to me either. I found them shallow and very immature (even for teenagers). To make matters worse the idea of (view spoiler)[people turning into dragons. (hide spoiler)] was too much for me. At first, the headings of the chapters made me laugh a little bit but as I was finishing the book they started to seem absurd to me.
If you are curious, read a few chapters, you may like it more than I did.

The Perfect Neighbourhood by Liz Alterman

There is no such thing as a perfect neighbourhood because people are not perfect. People may like some of their neighbours and even befriend them but jealousy and envy are more often than not part of human nature.
Gossiping is what people in Oak Hill like doing more than anything. Gossiping about perfect couples, broken marriages, and bad babysitters who happen to lose two children. The residents of Oak Hill are not ready for this tragedy nor are the families of those missing ones.
Liz Alterman turns an apparently idyllic life in suburbia into a nightmare that will keep the reader turning pages non-stop.
If you are a fan of suburbian mysteries this one is definitely for you. Tale into account, though, that you may not look at your neighbours the same way after reading this. Nobody really knows what happens behind closed doors.

Forget Tomorrow by Pintip Dunn

I was on a very prolonged reading slump before finding this book. I hadn't read a whole novel in more than two months, so I felt incredibly happy when I started reading and didn't DNF it, I felt incredibly happy. That's why my review may be a bit biased.
The dystopian society described in the book seemed possible in my opinion. We don't get memories of what might happen in the future like the characters in the novel, but in our society, there are people who are considered more valid than others depending on what they achieve.
I liked the love relationship very much. From the very beginning, I thought that they were going to have a long-lasting relationship.

The way it ended, however, was a shock for me. I didn't see it coming at all!. But (view spoiler)[where there is love, there is life (hide spoiler)]

I strongly recommend this saga to fans of dystopian novels and romance.

I love summer!

 

The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides

This book was on my to-read shelf for a long time before I finally decided to start it. You see, I'm a bit reluctant to read what I thought was a medical drama because they seldom end well. In this case, the husband was already gone so there was nothing that could be done to improve that situation.
To put it in a nutshell I had nothing else to read so I began reading it and my interest was piqued in no time.

The plot was very intriguing and although I didn't like the characters very much, I was willing to know the truth. Halfway through the book, when I was losing interest there was a twist that changed it all and I love it when books surprise me.

All in all, I found the book entertaining but very sad and disheartening. Not the right book to read during a pandemic. It may appeal, though, to strong readers who don't mind darker novels.

When she disappeared by Steph Mullin.

Margo, a recently separated woman, comes back home to take care of her father and finds out that her past is back to haunt her.

 
The characters are both unreliable and unpleasant but the plot will keep you guessing until a final twist that I didn't see coming at all.

This novel is for fans of books that are a bit creepy. I must confess that there were pages I just couldn't read because they really scared me.
If spooky books are your cup of tea this may be a good read for you.

The Golden Couple by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen

This is my second book by Greer Hendricks. I loved An Anonimous Girl but I DNF-ed The Wife Between Us and I don't even remember why. So I had mixed feeling about reading another book by this author. However, despite my initial misgivings, I found the book really interesting and the more I read the more hooked I was.

What a roller coaster of emotions. On the one hand, we have Marissa who made a serious mistake that could ruin her marriage. On the other hand, we have Mathiew who may not be the perfect husband he seems to be. We also have Natalie and Skip who seem to want someone who doesn't belong to them. There's also Polly, a very strange shop assistant. But the most intriguing character is in my opinion Avery, the unconventional therapist who tries to fix other people's lives while dealing with a decision she made in the past.

The plot has twists and turns that will keep you reading until late. The characters are complex and unpredictable. All in all this novel is a must for fans of domestic suspense and mystery in general.

My favourite song from Encanto: We don't talk about Bruno.