This week’s great review of some great books which you’ll love to read are Don’t Let Him In by Lisa Jewell, The Girls Who Grew Big by Leila Mottley, The Poppy Fields by Nikki Erlick, The Stolen Life of Colette Marceau by Kristin Harmel, The Compound by Aisling Rawle.
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1. Don’t Let Him In by Lisa Jewell
Don’t Let Him In was like watching a true crime doc. set by your overly dramatic aunt—very interesting, chaotic, but also lil bit exhausting. Lisa Jewell gave us gaslighting dish with a side of emotional manipulation, and the villain? A walking red flag factory.
But the early chapters felt like mental gymnastics (confusing too, what year are we in now?), and just when things got inetresting—BOOM! We sprinted to the end like someone hit 2x speed. Also, did we really need six names for one man? It’s not a memory testing show.
Fun ride, but not peak level obsession.
2. The Girls Who Grew Big by Leila Mottley
The Girls Who Grew Big is raw, & real—a story of teen motherhood, and struggles told with Leila Mottley’s signature lyricism style. The Girls are simply ones that are unforgettable, and their connection feels chaotic and real. Simone, Emory, and Adela shine with messy humanity.
But while the emotional depth is undeniable, the middle lags under the weight of too many subplots and a few repetitive romantic entanglements (looking at you, Adela and Tooth/Chris). Some thing felt too tidy for the heaviness they followed.
Still, this is a powerful, necessary book about girlhood with grit, heart, and salt in its teeth.
–The Girls Who Grew Big Book Review
3. The Stolen Life of Colette Marceau by Kristin Harmel
Kristin Harmel delivers a beautifully layered, thrilling tale in The Stolen Life of Colette Marceau. With a jewel-thieving family member, WWII resistance, and a diamond bracelet that ties one’s past to present—what’s better?
Colette is a fierce & confident heroine, and the dual timeline is crisp and holding. The symbolism of the butterfly bracelet? Chef’s kiss.
–The Stolen Life of Colette Marceau Book Review
4. The Poppy Fields by Nikki Erlick
With a starting as deadly as it is interesting—a sleep therapy center that promises relief from grief—The Poppy Fields explores loss, memory, and healing with tenderness and quiet power. The characters are emotionally rich, and the ethical questions hit hard.
But while the ideas soar, the pacing stumbles; much of the book swings in introspection and a slow road-trip narrative where not much happens.
Sky, one of the four travelers, feels underdeveloped, her arc less meaningful than the others’. A beautiful book that almost bloomed completely—but a few petals fell short.
5. The Compound by Aisling Rawle
The Compound by Aisling Rawle is like Love Island—with no doors, no windows, and very real stakes. Set in a hellish reality show where you literally vanish if you sleep alone, this book is part satire, part psychological thriller, and 100% unputdownable.
Rawle’s writing is sharp and wickedly fun, and Lily, our reluctant contestant, is both relatable and slyly observant. The rules are cruel, the dynamics twisted, and honestly? If you love watching hot people make terrible choices (but with meaning), this one’s for you.
Lily, our narrator, is smart, sarcastic, and spiraling—same, girl. I devoured this like guilty pleasure popcorn and questioned my morals the whole way through. Is it satire? Is it therapy? Is it deeply unwell? Who knows—but I loved every messed-up second of it. Reality TV has nothing on this chaos.
–The Compound (The New York Times Book Review)
