🍾 My Best of 2020

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!!

I didn’t read as many books as I wanted this year, but so many of the ones I did were so good I had a hard time singling out a top ten. I watched a lot of TV, and listened to many, many podcasts. So here are my favorites of 2020 — the books, movies, TV, and podcasts that got me through our difficult year.

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Favorite Fantasy:

*THE INVISIBLE LIFE OF ADDIE LARUE by V.E. Schwab

This book. This glorious, amazing book. I read the first chapter, set the book gentle in my lap, and tried to wrap my head around the perfection of it. Then I texted a friend who was also reading it and said I might as well quit writing. It's one of THOSE...Many congratulations to my friend V.E. Schwab on the triumph that is Addie LaRue. Brava, lady.

LEGENDBORN by Tracy Deonn

What a magnificent book. I've been recommending LEGENDBORN to everyone I know. It's got everything: a complex new magical system, grounded in Arthurian legend; a sassy protagonist who is destined to become an iconic hero in her own right; important, thought-provoking themes; and a burgeoning love triangle that feels inevitable but right. Seriously, y'all, this book is a blast! Tracy Deonn is now on my always pre-order list.

THE QUEEN OF NOTHING (The Folk of the Air #3) by Holly Black

Favorite Crime Fiction:

*PRETTY THINGS by Janelle Brown

A con artist gets in over her head when she tries to pull a fast one on a wealthy Instagram influencer – but it’s so much more: a perfectly paced gothic mystery, a searing social commentary, a case study in how to write rich, deep characters. This one’s a winner. I can’t wait to see it on the screen, it’s one of Nicole Kidman’s next projects.

CONFESSIONS ON THE 7:45 by Lisa Unger

I've been a fan of Lisa for years, because she just keeps getting better and better at her craft. Last year's awesome THE STRANGER INSIDE blew me away, and this new one, CONFESSIONS ON THE 7:45, didn't disappoint either. Fans of the long con will love this book, and those of you who think everything is okay at home will rethink every interaction you have. A wonderful, twisty, engaging read. (Watch our conversation on A WORD ON WORDS.)

THE OTHER MRS. by Mary Kubica

I've been a big fan of Mary Kubica for ages, and I feel like The Other Mrs. is a leap forward for her, both in style and structure. This is a remarkable book, insidious and dark and elegantly plotted, with a wonderful ending that I just didn't see coming. This one's going to be brilliant on the screen. (Watch our conversation on A WORD ON WORDS.)

THIS IS HOW I LIED by Heather Gudenkauf

Utterly chilling, THE IS HOW I LIED is a deep, twisting mystery from a writer hitting her stride. You won't see it coming, and you won't be able to turn away. Heather is such a multi-faceted author, always taking chances and elevating her craft. I admit I was deeply disturbed by certain aspects of this book, (hence... utterly chilling) but I loved the structure and the deviousness of the characters. A great read.

THE THIRD TO DIE by Allison Brennan

Riveting, terrifying, and simply fantastic. Brennan ratchets up the tension to the breaking point with her new FBI MRT team chasing a devious killer. This is classic crime fiction at its best. With deep characterizations and a truly scary villain driving the twisted plot, this is the start of a brilliant new series from the queen of the thriller.

THE FIRST TO LIE by Hank Phillippi Ryan
Intricate, complex, and devilishly clever, THE FIRST TO LIE is like reading a burning stick of dynamite. Once the fuse is lit you will not be able to look away until the explosive end. Hank is the modern queen of the cat and mouse tale, and this is another brilliant work from a master storyteller that will keep you guessing right to the last page.

WHEN YOU SEE ME (Detective D.D. Warren #11) by Lisa Gardner

When I was writing HER DARK LIES, I was having an issue with POV. So I turned to one of the greatest masters of suspense to sort myself out. It took exactly two pages before I realized where my problems were coming from. If you haven't read ALL of Lisa Gardner’s books, you need to get on it, because this one brings together her finest series characters to chase a sinister killer from the past - and the present. Utterly superb!

Favorite Non-Fiction:

*THE SPLENDID AND THE VILE by Erik Larson

A remarkable, exceptional book. I haven’t read a lot of history books since college because they’re often so dry, but even the title of this screamed new and different to me. And I was rewarded. Erik Larson has a true talent for narrative nonfiction. He brings Churchill’s first year as Prime Minister to life by bringing us inside the family and aides who knew Churchill best, and by letting us experience the fear and resilience of the British during the Blitz. I loved this one. (Watch our conversation on A WORD ON WORDS.)

WORLD OF WONDERS by Aimee Nezhukumatathil

What a wonderful, lyrical, fresh breath of air book! I can’t tell you how much I enjoyed this. I read it in one sitting, curled in my office chair, a sleeping kitten on my hip, soaking myself in Aimee’s glorious prose like I was sitting in a gentle spring rain shower. It was so refreshing to hear about parts of our world I wasn’t aware of, parts I knew of but didn’t know enough, and hints of the love and care we can have for one another if we spend more time being present in our world.

MAYBE YOU SHOULD TALK TO SOMEONE by Lori Gottlieb

I believe books find us at the exactly right time in our lives to benefit/enjoy them. This one is no exception. I’d been resistant to the idea of reading about a therapist going to therapy, but late one night when I couldn’t sleep, I downloaded a sample and tore through the opening pages, highlighting starting on page two. This is a smart, witty, touching memoir that reads more like a mystery novel, with excellent pacing and an intriguing cast of characters. Life-changing.

I'D RATHER BE READING by Anne Bogel

Favorite Literary Fiction:

*THE DUTCH HOUSE by Ann Patchett

When a friend asked for an audio recommendation. I had to throw in Tom Hanks reading THE DUTCH HOUSE. Oh. My. I'm telling you - there is something about his frank narration - and it is frank - that just worked for me. I adore acting in an audiobook read, truly appreciate when the narrator can take on the characters with different voices and inflections (Julia Whelan is one of the best at this, BTW. I will listen to anything she reads.) But Hanks just goes straight at this, and I felt like I was being told a story by a friend sitting across from me at a restaurant table. Seriously brilliant stuff.

THE GLASS HOTEL by Emily St. John Mandel

Quarantine is an interesting reading time. I either want to read something so light and fluffy I can’t help but feel good, or, I want to read darkly human, philosophically compelling works that resonate deeply and make me think about how life can be better lived or more impactfully. THE GLASS HOTEL falls into the latter category. A brilliantly structured book, it's a bit quieter than STATION ELEVEN, but it's beautifully written, wonderfully realized, and a thoughtful work of art. And I got to interview Emily for A WORD ON WORDS, which was incredible! A favorite author for me.

Favorite Historical:

*CODE NAME HELENE by Ariel Lawhon

You are going to LOVE this book. Nancy Wake, Aussie expat turned spy in World War II, is one of the most engaging heroines I've ever come across. She is smart, she is sassy, she is bravery personified, and she is utterly brought to life by Ariel Lawhon's incredible writing and exhaustive research. That the White Mouse is a real person makes this story all the better. If you want to experience genuine courage in the face of true evil, and a compelling love story to boot, trust me, this is the book you want to read this week. I know you'll love it just as much as I did.

Favorite Romance:

*BEACH READ by Emily Henry

I'd been doing a lot of deep, important reading, and wanted to lighten things up. BEACH READ was the most perfect book for this. I couldn't stop reading, and I had to keep putting it down because I didn't want it to end. Emily Henry has a wicked sense of humor and knows exactly which rom-com tropes to touch upon and which ones to fling out the window to allow for a deeply satisfying story. Plus - writers writing about writers writing is my FAVORITE theme. A perfect summer read.

Best Audio:

WILD SWAN by Patti Callahan

CLANLANDS by Sam Heughan and Graham McTavish

OUTLANDER series by Diana Gabaldon

TALKING TO STRANGERS by Malcolm Gladwell

Books I Recommended The Most To Friends:

WORLD OF WONDERS by Aimee Nezhukumatathil

THE INVISIBLE LIFE OF ADDIE LARUE by V.E. Schwab

BEACH READ by Emily Henry

THE SPLENDID AND THE VILE by Erik Larson

CODE NAME HELENE by Ariel Lawhon

Favorite Podcast:

Deep Questions with Cal Newport

Friends and Fiction

My Favorite Murder

Donor 9623

Standout TV Shows I Couldn't Stop Watching:

The Queen's Gambit

The Crown

The White Princess

Standout Movie:

Call Me By Your Name

Favorite Rewatches:

Harry Potter series (yes, again)

The Matrix

Twilight 

GOOD GIRLS LIE is on sale!

Did you get a bookstore gift card for the holidays? There’s a great deal on the ebook for my standalone thriller GOOD GIRLS LIE. Download your copy for $2.99!

KINDLE | NOOK | APPLE BOOKS | KOBO | GOOGLE PLAY

About the book:

Goode girls don’t lie…

Perched atop a hill in the tiny town of Marchburg, Virginia, The Goode School is a prestigious prep school known as a Silent Ivy. The boarding school of choice for daughters of the rich and influential, it accepts only the best and the brightest. Its elite status, long-held traditions and honor code are ideal for preparing exceptional young women for brilliant futures at Ivy League universities and beyond. But a stranger has come to Goode, and this ivy has turned poisonous.

In a world where appearances are everything, as long as students pretend to follow the rules, no one questions the cruelties of the secret societies or the dubious behavior of the privileged young women who expect to get away with murder. But when a popular student is found dead, the truth cannot be ignored. Rumors suggest she was struggling with a secret that drove her to suicide.

But look closely…because there are truths and there are lies, and then there is everything that really happened.

J.T. Ellison’s pulse-pounding new novel examines the tenuous bonds of friendship, the power of lies and the desperate lengths people will go to to protect their secrets.

Sunday Smatterings

Happy Sunday, friends! Welcome to the last Smatterings of 2020!

The holidays are in full swing, and almost all of publishing is taking off the two weeks between now and the holidays. And team JT is doing the same! You will see some pre-programmed sales and posts, including my best of 2020 list, but I’m putting up my away message and diving into the holidays (and a big stack of books.)

I’m rather excited about this little vacation from the day to day business. I’m still going to write, just so I don’t lose momentum on the manuscript, but I won’t be sitting down at my desk at 10 am and writing through until 5 or 6.  It’s been a really great writing month, but now it’s time to do some editing, and of course, start analysis for my Annual Review. It’s going to be interesting to look at the goals I set at the beginning of the year, the mid-year shift I made to accommodate the pandemic, and what actually ended up happening. 

This is a good time to start thinking about what I want to accomplish next year, too. As I’ve discussed many times here, what may have seemed vital last year is no longer important, which is something I think we’ve all experienced, and I can’t imagine we aren’t better for it. Solitude has a way of opening the senses, allowing enlightenment, bringing peace. I hope that 2020, despite it being the worst year many of us have ever experienced, has also brought a certain amount of sanctity to your life. Whether it’s learning to bake bread or providing for a front line warrior or donating to a shelter or finding new ways to interact with your loved ones or homeschooling or adopting a pandemic puppy or even creating life (y’all, the 2020 pandemic baby boom could be the stuff of legends) whatever you’ve done this year to find joy and happiness in the midst of our chaos is a good thing. 

I want to say thank you, from the bottom of my heart, to the front line workers in hospitals and grocery stores and factories and schools and delivery services who have put themselves in harm’s way this year. You are selfless, and brave, and every time I put on my mask, it’s a salute to you.

And you, my friends. You are amazing. Keep taking care of yourself. “Put your mask on first” has never been more relevant. Find your self care. Take a moment to recognize you’ve been through a trauma — we all have — and it’s okay to want to do something for you, and you alone. Take some quiet time today and reflect on the year, and then let out a whoop of joy because there is hope, and you are loved.

May your holidays be safe, happy, uneventful, and I’ll see you in 2021. 

Onward!

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THE LATEST ON THE INTERNET:

Those Bogus Bookcases for Zoom Calls Aren’t Fooling Anybody. Ha! I have seen quite a few bookshelves and trust me, we are all putting our best foot forward. I mean, who thought we were going to have to merge our business lives with our private lives?

The Best Crime Novels of 2020. See any of your favorites here? I do!

15 Must-Read Books If You Loved These Fantastic TV Shows. Such interesting pairings!

'Unscheduled, Delightful Conversations': Book Biz Shares Memories of BookExpo. This brought back good memories. I hate that we’re losing BookExpo, which has a raft of wonderful memories for me.

The Southern Bookseller Review. An exciting new endeavor from SIBA — a full-blown review site!

43 Great Books For Everyone On Your Holiday List. How is your shopping coming along? I’m almost done…

15 Thriller Novels To Read If You Breezed Right Through HBO's "The Undoing." This list is for me!

Famed mystery writer G.K. Chesterton proudly, sincerely believed in Santa Claus. This is sweet. I still believe in Santa. Do you?

16 Books About Princess Diana That Pull Back the Curtain. Perfect for anyone watching The Crown. I know it’s a fictionalized version of what happened, but no one can deny Diana had a rough go of it.

20 Gorgeous Book Sleeves To Keep Your Books Safe. So many great options!

Oh, and by the way… The first three books in my Taylor Jackson series are on sale!

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That’s it from me. Love one another, and I’ll see you next year! Merry EVERYTHING!

Peace and hugs,
J.T.

Sunday Smatterings

Happy Sunday, friends! When I opened my computer this morning, my screensaver had rotated to a road cutting through shadowed mountains. I immediately began singing “We’re on a road, to nowhere...” which I’ve now decreed the theme song of 2020. But it’s also the most perfect place to start a day of creative writing. 

I had a major realization during an interview the other day — I can work without a net on a series title, but a standalone must have a plan, a structure, an outline. I’ve been writing like mad all week, racking up daily word counts that normally don’t show themselves until the end of a book, but this time are coming at the beginning — and it’s because I’ve been thinking through the plot points and characters since August.  I have a partial outline of 48 scenes that I know I need to touch upon, and despite all of that, new people are showing themselves and new scenes are evolving. But it’s all organic to the storytelling, instead of me sitting down and winging it. I don’t want to say I’m a convert, but I’m definitely seeing the value in the process. 

Two things in particular helped me edify my 40 scenes planning: Victoria Schwab’s Story Corpse metaphor, and James Patterson’s MasterClass, in which he discusses how he outlines a book. Both are variations of the 40 scenes, both are worth checking into.

And with that, I’m off to write... always respect a streak, right? Lots of amazing stuff below, including a HUGE review for HER DARK LIES. Hint… 🌟

Onward!

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BOOK NEWS:

HER DARK LIES got a starred review from Publishers Weekly! It completely blew me away. My jaw literally dropped when I saw it. Thank you, PW, for helping me end 2020 on the highest note possible!

Publishers Weekly also included HER DARK LIES in the Spring 2021 Adult Mystery and Thriller list! I'm incredibly grateful.

This giveaway is almost over: Goodreads is giving away 25 Advanced Reader Copies of HER DARK LIES.

The audiobook for GOOD GIRLS LIE is on sale for $5.99 at Chirp!

The first three books in my Taylor Jackson series are on sale, too.

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THE LATEST ON THE INTERNET:

10 Captivating New Thriller and Mystery Books Coming Out in December. Are any of these on your TBR?

Women and Crime Writing: We’ve Always Been Detectives. “If social media has challenged us to talk about the secrets we thought we had learned to live with, our fiction has since reflected that as well. If the mansions of Big Little Lies and the tract homes of Little Fires Everywhere seem familiar it’s that the issues faced by their occupants haven’t changed.”

Betsy Wade, First Woman to Edit News at The Times, Dies at 91. How indebted are we to the wonderful Ms. Wade?

Oxford Dictionaries: 2020 has too many Words of the Year to name just one. That sounds about right.

9 Micro-Habits That Will Completely Change Your Life in a Year. Great tips.

Five Great Psychological Thrillers Set in Isolated Places. Setting can be everything, and this list is perfect!

Jason Reynolds Plays Santa Claus for D.C. Readers and Indies. This is so cool!

10 Untranslatable Words That Perfectly Describe How You're Feeling in 2020. Which one do you most relate to?

See What the World’s Reading Habits Look Like in 2020. I’m always fascinated by how our cultural mores shift alongside literature. Chicken and egg, though - which comes first?

Jane Austen's House Virtual Tour. Very cool.

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That’s it from me. Create something this week, even if it’s just tying a bow on a gift for a friend, and I’ll see you next Sunday!

Peace and hugs,
J.T.

Sunday Smatterings

Happy Sunday, friends!

It’s been a blessedly quiet week here on our little hill. We had a lovely snowstorm to start the week—the perfect kind that lasts all day but doesn’t accumulate on the roads or need shoveling away. Watching it snow (with a cup of cocoa, natch) is so soporific. It takes me right back to childhood, lying on the couch in the living room next to a roaring fire with a book in my hand. Idyllic.

We closed on the old house, as well.  Talk about a bittersweet moment. We’d had a much earlier closing in October that fell through hours before we were meant to sign, and having to wait another 5 weeks was quite stressful. I don’t know how many times we said goodbye. I loved our little house so much, and I hated seeing her sit empty, with no books, no laughter, no creativity to fill her to the rafters. That is all over now, and she has a new family. What a relief!

The rest of the week has been taken up with the “write” stuff — lots of work on the new book, research in the form of movie, podcast, and books, notebooks being filled and word counts piling up. It’s too early to even hint at what this story is, but it feels good to be settled into a rhythm and working hard again. This story has been with me for many years, and my characters are shouting to get onto the page. It’s the best feeling, waking up with their words on the tip of my tongue. 

We’ve done a few little decorations and I’m putting together my lighted birch trees this afternoon, something we’ve started doing in lieu of evergreens since the girls like to munch on them, but I’m still more focused on getting the house unpacked. Room by room, we’re getting closer and closer. Randy keeps pointing out that most people take 6 months to get fully unpacked. I’m hoping we don’t drag out that long, but who knows. Words are more important right now. 

Have you decorated for the holidays yet? What’s your favorite part of December? 

Onward!

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LAST CHANCE: GOOD GIRLS LIE IS ON SALE:

This deal is almost over! Get GOOD GIRLS LIE for $2.99.

Get your copy:

KINDLE
NOOK
APPLE BOOKS
KOBO
GOOGLE PLAY

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THE LATEST ON THE INTERNET:

The Tennessee Solution To Disappearing Book Reviews. Wonderful write up on Chapter 16, one of the best review sites out there.

42 (More!) YA Books We're Desperately Looking Forward To In 2021. My TBR is never going to recover, is it?

The true and untold story behind the novel Surviving Savannah. I’m currently reading this brilliant book by Patti Callahan Henry and I’m blown away. Put this on your must buy list!

How to Improve Your Reading Comprehension as an Adult. It’s never too late to start!

To celebrate Small Business Saturday, here is a list of books recommended by your favorite authors! A wonderful way to build a holiday shopping list to take to your local indie. Bravo to Pamela Klinger-Horn for the idea.

Related: 10 Small Independent Bookstores In The Midwest To Support Right Now.

Holiday movie season is upon us! What are some of you favorites?

22 Books for Fans of The Queen's Gambit. This was such an incredible show and I want more in that vein. It was smart, well-adapted, evenly produced, and I can’t wait to read the book!

6 of the Best Snowy Thrillers to Chill Your Bones. Have you read any of these?

Q & A with Holly Black. I always love hearing about what she’s working on…

32 Books Becoming TV Shows in 2021 — Including the Gossip Girl Reboot. Will you be watching any of these?

6 Books to Check Out if You’re Fascinated by the Voynich Manuscript. This list was made for me!

Oh! Don’t forget: Goodreads is giving away 25 Advanced Reader Copies of HER DARK LIES.

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That’s it from me. Decorate a bit, have a cup of cocoa ( I particularly love this one), adopt an angel from the Salvation Army, and I’ll see you next Sunday!

Peace and hugs,
J.T.