Twice by Mitch Albom

I love time-travel books, and even though the protagonist in Twice travels back in time, he violates one of the primary rules of time travel: don't change the past. Indeed, the purpose of Alfie's visits to the past is to change it. With his gift, Alfie gets a second chance to undo any moment in time with the caveat that he must live with the consequences of his second chance.

When Alfie is eight years old, his mother dies and passes on the family legacy: the ability to travel to any point in time and change it. He only gets one shot at changing the past and must relive his life from that point forward. His mother warns him not to use the ability for financial gain or to change his love life. While he obeys the first rule, young Alfie uses his second chances to woo the girls. Later, he falls in love with Gianna and is determined to win her over. She's a tough nut to crack, but Alfie is persistent, and it looks like he has gotten his true love. Alfie then finds out why his mother said not to use his power to change his love life — once he undoes a relationship, that person will never love him again. With mistakes mounting, Alfie seems to be constantly pursuing love.

I liked how the book alternated between the present and Alfie's past to tell the story. The reader follows Alfie from his tentative use of his powers as a young boy to his reliance on his ability to change the past to make his life ideal, only to find he perhaps shouldn't have changed it. I raced through the book, only to be puzzled over the ending. I cannot expand on this without giving spoilers, so I'll leave it there. 

4.5/5 stars.

For more information: 

Amazon | Barnes & Noble

The First Time I Saw Him by Laura Dave

 In this sequel to The Last Thing He Told Me, Dave delves into the background and motivations behind Owen's sudden disappearance in the first book. There were some loose ends at the end of that book, and this sequel, while not tying them up in a neat bow, did offer some explanations.

It has been five years since Hannah's husband, Owen, went into hiding. Hannah and her stepdaughter, Bailey, have relocated to Southern California when a disguised Owen briefly appears to warn Hannah that they are again in danger. Knowing this day would come, Hannah is prepared and immediately gathers up Bailey and begins their escape. At the same time, Bailey's grandfather, a former lawyer and secret-keeper for a group known as the organization, dies. News of his death devastates them both, and Hannah can't shake the feeling that the threat to their lives and his death are connected. Hannah's goal is to keep Bailey safe and to reunite with Owen by whatever means necessary.

Although engaging, the flashbacks, mainly dealing with the grandfather, made for choppy reading. That, plus the improbability of Hannah's escape plan, made me suspend disbelief at times. The main themes of friendship bonds and forgiveness drove the story. I was expecting a thriller similar to the first book, but this was more background material for that book. Dave did a good job of detailing the relationship between the crime boss and the grandfather, which was pertinent to the plot. Still, despite her efforts, neither character came across as particularly likable, and neither of their past actions seemed forgivable. 

3/5 stars.

Thank you, NetGalley and Scribner, for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. The publication date is January 6, 2026.

For more information: 

Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Eva's Eye by Karin Fossum

Author Karin Fossum came highly recommended by two of my bookish friends, whose recommendations I take seriously. Also, my recent trip to Norway has piqued my interest in Scandinavian authors, Norwegians in particular. I like to read a series in order, so even though this book is quite old, I decided to give it a try.

Eva Magnus is a struggling artist and single parent who is living hand-to-mouth. When she and her daughter discover a man's body in a river, instead of reporting it to the police, she keeps it a secret. The body is later found and identified as a brewery worker, missing for over six months, with a wife and small child. Inspector Sejer begins investigating and notices that at the time the man went missing, a prostitute was found murdered. Sejer senses a connection, and oddly enough, he finds Eva linked to both people. Now it's up to him to prove her guilt or innocence. 

I enjoyed how Fossum made clear who the killer was, then went back in time to show what led up to both killings. Eva is a sympathetic character, and the moral and financial dilemmas she faces made me root for her. I also liked Sejer and how he went about solving both murders. Overall, I liked the book, and I am willing to try the next book in the series. 

4/5 stars. 

For more information: 

Amazon | Barnes & Noble

The God of the Woods by Liz Moore

I was excited to get this book from my library as I had read so many excellent reviews about it. I admit I liked it, but it didn't live up to its hype for me.

Set mostly in 1975, the story begins with a missing camper at a summer camp, primarily for teens from wealthy families. The camp is part of the Van Laar compound, and the missing camper is the family's daughter, Barbara. As the search begins, law enforcement is called in, and they soon find a case similar to another missing person case they investigated: fourteen years earlier, Barbara's brother went missing; his body never to be found. The more they investigate, the more secrets they uncover. Just what is the Van Laar family hiding?

This book started with a bang. The story grabbed me, and the narrative, from multiple points of view and timelines, was engrossing. Unfortunately, about halfway through, it started to wander, and at almost 500 pages, it seemed like the author was never going to clarify what happened to both Van Laar children. I wasn't sure if this was a murder mystery or just a well-written family saga. The characters and setting were good; I just got lost at times. 

3.5/5 stars. 

For more information:

Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Here One Moment by Liane Moriarty

 

I loved the premise of this book: a stranger predicts the cause and age of your death. Assuming you believed her, what would you do? Live life to the fullest or try and cheat the death sentence? That is the dilemma facing the characters in this book.

On a packed flight, a woman stands up and goes down the aisle, pointing at each person in turn and telling them how and when they will die. She is so convincing that the passengers take her revelations seriously. Just who is this woman? Is she a psychic or a mentally deranged person? As deaths begin to occur, the hunt is on to find the woman and find answers to these questions. What follows is how a handful of the passengers take the news and a look at what provoked the woman to share the information.

This is excellently plotted, and the characters face interesting problems—some are moral dilemmas, and others involve life-changing decisions. I especially liked how the author revealed why the woman, Cherry, came to make the predictions. I also wondered how I would react to the news as I read the book. If I were told I'd live a long life, would I take life-threatening chances with the knowledge I'd survive? Would I be more frugal and more kind to those around me? This book both entertained and gave me reason to pause. 

4.5/5 stars.

For more information:

Amazon | Barnes & Noble