The reason I chose to read this book was because of it's incredible cover.  It really is such an eye catching cover design.  The saying "never judge a book by its cover", got me this time. My daughter bought the hard copy of this book at a bookstore, and started reading it. She carried it from her place to mine when she came home to visit. I asked her if I could borrow it when she finished, but one day the book was available on BookBub's Ebook deals, and I just had to buy myself my own copy.

I read my kindle in bed as oppose to physical books because it's lighter, there's no blue light (like on a phone), and I don't need a book light to light up the pages. I have been devouring Dicker's story, before bed every night.  I found it first difficult to get into the story, as it seemed to bounce around a lot; in both time periods and characters lives. But I soon found myself addicted, lost in the story, unable to put it down.  It is a traditional "who dunnit" story but written in a detailed, intellectual way. There is so much excitement in this story: passion, murder, counterintelligence, and a race for power. I loved how Dicker dove deep into the socioeconomic status of his characters and how it affected their life experiences, shaping their identities. Again, never any spoilers on DRB Reviews, but you will love the plot twists! Each page was like opening a door to a new room you have never seen before.

It was a breath of fresh air to read a "new" author, an author I haven't read before. Dicker was born in Geneva, Switzerland, and I usually read American, Canadian, British and Australian authors. It was a nice change to read a book set in Switzerland. I am so pleased to have this book included on my "read" list this year, as it also checks off the box of reading a translation, a book "that is not originally written in English."

This is my third reading challenge for 2025...new releases! I was so excited to get this book in the mail as I had pre-ordered it. Moriarty is the one author who dug me out of the depths of despair; something I was experiencing due to a nasty divorce, and she alone reignited my love for reading. I came across one of her novels in the library on a lazy summer day, and after devouring it, I read as many of her books as I could that summer.

What an original story Moriarty weaved in "Here One Moment." I was engaged from the first chapter. The idea of a psychic giving premonitions on a plane, in an enclosed space where there was no escape, resulted in a terrorizing butterfly effect amongst the passengers. The brief encounter the passengers had with her had huge implications on their future lives, causing paralyzing fears and feelings of uncertainty once off that plane. What I enjoyed most was how Moriarty developed the character of this said "pyschic" intertwining her life with the aftermath of that plane ride.

Honestly, everything I have ever read of Moriarty's I have liked, but this novel has moved right to the top ten of my all-time favourite reads. It is no wonder it was awarded Indigo's #1 Book of 2024, here in Canada. The story was so human, and challenged my thinking, exploring the frailty of our lives. No spoilers here, but my favourite "take home" from this novel is journalling each day about "One Great Thing." I am going to start this daily habit of writing down "OGT" each night before I go to bed. I think there is nothing more wonderful than the last thought of your day being filled with gratitude and happiness.

I am so pleased to say "I am staying on track with my alphabet challenge!" Gosh it is not as easy as it looks! I have set a schedule in my calendar to make sure I am completing and starting a new book every two weeks; so far, I am nailing it! I only say it's hard due to the fact that I am still working full time, and I am reading other challenges at the same time. But I got this!

Choosing which book to read next from my challenge was easy as we turned over into February, and February is the month of love. My favourite genres are thrillers and historical fiction, so "A Quiet Kind of Thunder" was an easy pick due to the fact that I have so few romance books to choose from.

I am not a romance lover by any means, but Barnard blew me away. I think "A Quiet Kind of Thunder" is one of the most sweetest, beautiful books I have ever read; and I don't say that lightly.  It was a coming of age story about a first love between a deaf boy and a selective mute girl. It was heartwarming, and incredibly humorous at times, and simply adorable. Barnard captured young adult life so perfectly. Barnard created real everyday relationships that intertwined with the teens...parents, step-parents,  siblings and friends, that made the story so much more believable. Barnard captured the struggles of living with disabilities perfectly; I know this as my daughter has ASD/GAD and I PTSD, so I have experienced them first hand. Barnard depicted the difficulties of trying to fit into a world that isn't disabled. Living with a disability has a profound effect on the way one interacts with the world. Barnard dove into how these disabilities affected the relationships around them, their parents marriages and their friendships. This depth made the story feel even more real. If I hadn't been so busy this month, I would have stayed up all night to binge read this one.

Near the end of the book, I turned the page to realize it was the last sentence, and I actually started to cry. "No, this can't be the end!" I didn't want to leave them. The love between them was so tangible, so sincere. Barnard captured first true love perfectly, or at least the way everyone dreams their first true love to be. Thank you Barnard, for sweeping this non-romance reader completely off her feet!