It should come as no surprise that I'm a little too addicted to staring at beautiful bookstagram accounts or getting glimpses into the lives of other writers that I admire. So, I've put together a list of instagram and twitter accounts that I'm really loving lately in the hopes that you might find something special in their posts as well.


BOOKSTAGRAMMERS

@bookbaristas - If you don't already know about this lady and her account then shame on you.

@crimebythebook - I blame Abby for getting me hooked on thriller/suspense novels. Plus, her photos are so dark and moody. I can't get enough.

@sweptawaybybooks - Alyssa's feed is like Abby's but the lighter, brighter version. I'm always curious to see what she's reading.


WRITERS ON INSTAGRAM


@authorrsgrey - Rachel (name sisters!) shares the perfect mixture of life and work photos. Seriously. I find myself getting lost in her feed a lot.

@emilybelden - Honestly, I follow Emily because I'm curious about her life... and I mean that in the least creepy way possible. But seriously, she's awesome. We had a DM conversation about my wedding bands the other day. She's a cool gal.

@colleenhoover - Colleen just makes me laugh; it's as simple as that.

@suzykrause - I adore this lady, and not just because I can email her complaining about how damn hard writing is and she will understand. I love the glimpses I get of her life, and even when she's writing about the seemingly mundane sides of life, I'm always in awe.


WRITERS ON TWITTER

@blotsandplots - I have a soft spot for miss Jenny, if you can't tell by now.  She has been someone I've gone to for advice and for beta reading and she has never let me down. If you're a writer (or aspiring writer) you need to be following Jenny. Enough said. And join her facebook group!

@shesnovel - Like Jenny, this is an account you need to be following if you're a writer as well. Kristen posts some seriously amazing stuff.

@emilyhenrywrite - Emilys' twitter feed makes me laugh, and I love how she pretty much responds to every tweet sent her way. I just read her book, The Love That Split The World and.... wow.

@kseniaanske - This woman amazes me, and her words and encouragement push me to be a better writer and reader. Follow her asap.

Here's what I read in February:

EIGHTYSIXED by Emily Belden
I had wanted to read this one for a while and when a deal popped up I took the leap and ordered it. I read this one over a weekend and vacillated between laughing, covering my mouth in awe and smiling as a feeling of hope spread through me. Even though I'm no longer in my twenties and it's been a while since my dating days, this book took me back in good ways and in bad. All in all, it was a light, enjoyable read that got me over my I-can't-get-into-anything slump. Thank god for that.


THE DOLL'S HOUSE by M.J. Arlidge
I mentioned that I was reading this series in my post about suspense/thriller books. This is the third book of the series, and after devouring the first two, I had high hopes for this one. It was just as fast-paced and juicy as the first two books, but I found this one easier to put down. I will, however, still be buying the fourth book that comes out June 7th, my birthday nonetheless :)


MOMENTS LIKE THESE by Jenny Bravo
I had the privilege of getting an early look at this novella and pretty much read through it in one night. What's unique about this book is that it's basically her "These Are The Moments" story (which was told from Wendy's perspective) told from Simon's perspective. This was one of those books I could see myself reading while sitting in front of the pool in the summer.


CHASING SPRING by R.S. Grey
This was my first RS Grey read, and honestly: I had high expectations because of how loved she seems to be. Overall, I wasn't bowled over by this one, but I think that at almost 32 I may be outgrowing young adult books, which is definitely no one's fault but my own. I can see how younger readers would enjoy her, though.


HIDDEN BODIES by Caroline Kepnes
I really can't say enough about Kepnes and this book. The second I picked up her first book, You, I was hooked and I never imagined there would be a sequel. But here we are. I devoured this book and just like You, I wish I could wipe my mind and read it all over again for the first time.


What books have you read lately? What should I read next?

Purchase here: http://amzn.to/1TuKLwj

I'm the first to admit that when it comes to reading I tend to stick to a couple genres; namely mainstream fiction and contemporary romance. I hadn't given much thought to what I might be missing out on until I started following Abby (Crime By The Book) on instagram and became very intrigued by some of the books she was posting about. I decided to check one out, and then another, and then another, and soon enough I knew that I had been missing out on a great genre: suspense/thrillers.

Here are 6 suspense/thriller books I've recently read:


YOU by Caroline Kepnes
I still get chills when I think about this book; it's one of those reads where you simply can't keep quiet. I was constantly gasping and shivering, and setting the book down on my lap to stare blankly at my husband, in complete awe. Any book that Stephen King calls "hypnotic and scary" is bound to be good. I cannot wait for the sequel to come out this month!


PRETTY GIRLS by Karin Slaughter
My gosh did I love this one. Secrets, lies, vengeance... this one kept me on my toes. After reading it I immediately thrust it into the hands of a girlfriend of mine who loved it just as much.


GIRL ON THE TRAIN by Paula Hawkins
I'm sure you've heard enough about this title that you don't need me to tell you how good it was... but I'm going to anyways. I absolutely devoured this one. It's quite possibly one of the best books I've ever read and I highly suggest it. It had me guessing right up until the end and I absolutely cannot wait to see what Hawkins comes up with next.


EENY MEENY by M.J. Arlidge
This is the first book in the DI Helen Grace Thriller series and I knew two pages in that I was going to be reading every book that comes out in the series. And I have, in fact, just finished the third book, The Doll's House, that was released earlier this month. Do yourself a favor and pick up these books.


THE TRUTH AND OTHER LIES by Sascha Arango
What can I say about this book other than: wow. The book is about a fammous author whose wife, who is the actual writer of his novels, dies, leaving him to deal with the consequences. It's full of twists and turns and had me on the edge of my seat.


3 TRUTHS AND A LIE by Lisa Gardner
This was a quick read as it's a novella, and while I wasn't bowled over by it, it did give me a sense of what kind of writer Lisa Garnder is, and intruiged me just enough that I will be tracking down her new release, Find Her, that was released today.


What suspense/thriller books do I need to put on my to-be-read list next? What are you reading that you just can't put down?

While I'm definitely not new to writing, I don't hide the fact that I'm new to the self-publishing game. Like many other indie authors that I know (Jenny Bravo is a great example), I'm wading my way through the pool, trying to figure out what works and what doesn't, and doing my best to share my experience along the way.

If you follow along here on the blog, Twitter or Instagram, then you know that I'm releasing my second book, Fixing Tanner, on February 23rd.

Today I'm going to offer two of you amazing readers a chance to win a digital ARC of the book! (don't know what that is? It means advanced reader copy!)

To enter: 

All you need to do is share my giveaway on social media and comment below with the link to where I can find your post. Easy right? And you're helping an indie author spread the news about her book, which you deserve a big 'ol hug for!

And while I've got you here, if you want to get occasional sneak peeks and exclusive content from me, you can sign up for my newsletter here.

The giveaway closes this Tuesday, February 9th at 11:59pm PT, and the winners will be announced on Wednesday.

WINNERS: Devon and Sue!

I don't know what it is about January, but it's always the wrong mixture of hectic, cold and lonely. The fact that I managed to read two books this month is a miracle in itself.


THREE TRUTHS AND A LIE by Lisa Gardner
I bought this eBook because I'd heard such good things about Gardners' upcoming release, Find Her, and I wanted to get a taste for her style. It was a quick, short novella, and while I'm not sure I was entirely a fan of the style in which it was written, it did give me a feel for her writing style. I think I will probably still pick up a copy of Find Her when it comes out.

THE WIFE by Meg Wolitzer
My oh my oh my. I just loved this book and I loved Wolitzers' writing style. The Wife is about a woman who decides she wants to leave her husband and start really living her life. We are a given a look at what made her come to the decision as well as the backstory of her marriage. It was absolutely enthralling. This is the first books of Wolitzers' that I have read, but I will definitely be picking up some others from the library ASAP.


If you're looking for something to read next, my second novel, Fixing Tanner, is now available for pre-order and will be released February 23rd!


What books have you read lately? What should I read next?