Talking To Strangers by Fiona Barton

In a small town, the discovery of a body in the woods could be the story that breaks the monotony of mind-numbing local news, and Kiki Nunn cannot afford to miss this opportunity. The deceased was none other than Karen Simmons, whom Kiki had previously interviewed for a dating feature. Karen was an outgoing member of a singles group called the Free Spirits, known for her enthusiasm for seeking love.

As Kiki investigates further, she delves into chat rooms on dating apps, eventually stumbling upon a disturbing network of predators. Her investigations uncover connections to an old case involving the murder of a boy named Archie, who was killed sixteen years ago in the same woods. Archie's mother, Annie, reappears after all this time to plead with the police to reopen the case, as there are still unanswered questions surrounding her son's death. A 24-year-old sex offender named Nicky Donovan was arrested at the time but killed himself while in custody, leading them to believe he was wrongly convicted.

All this would never have happened if Kiki had not teamed up with DI Elise King. They expose the dark web of predators lurking in the small town of Ebbing. This novel is narrated by three strong female protagonists and addresses significant issues such as misogyny, sexual violence, and rape. It evokes a wide range of emotions and explores the unimaginable aftermath of these experiences. I am drawn to books with strong female characters, as they resonate with the realities many women face and relate to the #MeToo movement. 4.5 ⭐️

Rosemary's Baby by Ira Levin

Rosemary and her husband, Guy Woodhouse, signed a lease on a charming four-room apartment in Bramford, a place they had always dreamed of living in. Despite a friend's warning about Bramford's unpleasant reputation—early linked to incidents of cannibalism, witchcraft, and even dead infants in its history—they decided to move in.

Shortly after their arrival, tragedy struck when a young woman was found dead; she had lived with their elderly neighbors, Minnie and Roman Castevet. Despite the unlikelihood of forming a bond with them, the Castevets treated them with kindness and concern. After an unsettling dinner with them, Rosemary began experiencing a strange dream. Not long after that, Rosemary announced her pregnancy, and they became more attached. 

However, Rosemary started to feel that something was wrong. She experienced strange cravings, along with constant pain and distress. This story kept me guessing right from the very beginning. I was unsure whether the main character could be trusted or if she was starting to lose her mind. The narrative provides a chilling experience as it reveals the unfolding events alongside the characters. The book effectively sets a suspenseful atmosphere, and the ending transitions smoothly. I particularly loved the noir vibes of the '60s.

You Will Never Be Me by Jesse Susanto

It's shocking to learn that social media can be a very dark place. With just the click of a button, being an influencer means keeping up with constant posting, and all the success often comes with a lot of baggage.

Meredith Lee and Aspen Palmer were best friends. Meredith found success on her YouTube channel while Aspen struggled to be like her. However, after Aspen married Ben, she managed to gain followers, and as a photogenic couple, they became a viral sensation, becoming influencers in their own right. For Meredith, though, it became hard to be a single mom. She swears that everything that happened was Aspen's fault. Although it wasn't intended to be a competition, their friendship ended in a catastrophic fight.

 As soon as their follower counts soared, kindness sharpened into jealousy, shattering marriages and ruining friendships. Not only that, the fear of not knowing what to post or feeling drained of creative ideas left a state of a fake aesthetic life.

Sounds familiar enough? I really enjoy reading the author's work, which I rated 5 ⭐️. I must say the main characters are incredibly badass. One is a horrible person who can't handle her best friend's success. Additionally, it highlights the lowest moments of motherhood and raises awareness on social media platforms.

Horror, He Wrote by Tan Jit Seng

Ernest Maxwell Graves, a struggling crime writer, is contemplating ending his life due to an undignified failure in writing literature. His latest novel, "Sex and Pontianak," was also a lack of success and was ridiculed by reviewers. However, his misery takes a chilling turn when a beautiful Chinese ghost appears before him. Her name is Chang Pai Lian, named after the white lotus.

Pai Lian offers Ernest a compelling interest in the murder of her twin sister, Chang Hong Lian, who was infamously dubbed the Red Lotus by the press. Her sister was murdered, and the identity of the murderer remains a mystery. Following this tragedy, Pai Lian took her own life. Both sisters died under the bridge at Taiping Botanical Garden.

She claimed that her sister had been murdered, similar to the book she was ghostwriting. She wanted to expose the wrongdoings and make a deal to be Ernest's ghostwriter to tell the true story.

Interesting premise. Aside from the confusing timeline and perspectives, the author delivers a fun, mystical fantasy with plenty of funny punchlines that are easy to read. It was not a straightforward case, though, and it involved supernatural elements.

Gadis Kretek by Ratih Kumala

5 ⭐️

Begitulah. 

Paduan jalan cerita yang begitu hidup, tragis, sarat dengan budaya, sejarah terhasilnya rokok di Jawa dan yang pasti melekat di hati aku sampai bila-bila. 

Kisah cinta yang kemudiannya menjadi dendam menciptakan satu atmosphere yang meruntun jiwa.

Bermula sekitar era pendudukan Jepun ke tanah Jawa, klobot atau kretek menjadi perantara masyarakat. Bukan saja dikatakan boleh mengubati penyakit asma tapi juga menjadi bahan dalam sistem barter ketika itu di samping dapat memberi semangat kepada penggemarnya. Perusahaan klobot Idroes Moeria melalui liku-liku yang sangat panjang. Cita-citanya untuk memasarkan rokok daun itu ke luar daerah, cintanya kepada Roemaisa, saingannya Soedjagad yang tidak henti-henti mengasak serta konflik yang melingkupi di tengah krisis perubahan politik.

Memang aku kagum betul penulis dapat menceritakan secara terperinci bagaimana proses pembuatan kretek itu semasa detik datangnya Jepun, kemerdekaan Indonesia dan kemudiannya kebangkitan PKI. Aku rasa kemuncak cerita ini sewaktu anak Idroes, Dasiyah yang mesra dipanggil Jeng Yah turut sama mempertahankan warisan perusahaan keluarga dengan identiti dan rahsia perisa kreteknya sendiri, Kretek Gadis. 

Penulis bijak menyelang-nyelikan scene cerita di zaman sekarang dan zaman sebelum ini membuatkan pembaca ralit untuk tahu kisah watak utama, Jeng Yah dan Soeraya seterusnya. Endingnya begitu mantap, rahsia yang tersimpan berpuluhan tahun terbongkar setelah sekian lama membuatkan ia momen yang menyentuh hati dan tak terlupakan. Perfect.