Photo Credit: Tahlia Jain ’26

“A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder” is the best mystery I’ve ever read.

This year, I’ve been trying to make more time for reading, and Bookstagram (the reader community on Instagram) reels have been tremendously helpful in learning about new releases and books to avoid. Everything is popular for a reason, so I tried some of Bookstagram’s favorites:

“A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder” by Holly Jackson

I’m not normally a fan of murder mysteries since they freak me out, but I loved this one. An ambitious high schooler, Pip, decides to investigate her town’s unsolved murder for her senior project—I really enjoyed her smart, witty, and persistent character. The story is truly a mystery; it’s very thorough and well-crafted, so the plot twists are actually surprising, both in this book and the sequel, “Good Girl, Bad Blood.” I’m normally very critical of books, but I don’t have anything bad to say about “A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder.” The TV series is also coming out this year, so there’s something to look forward to after reading the novel trilogy. 

Overall rating: 5/5 stars

“If He Had Been with Me” by Laura Nowlin

I heard this book made both Bookstagram creators and one of my friends cry, so I was intrigued. Over the course of high school, childhood best friends and neighbors Autumn and Finn grow apart and fall into different crowds. Both characters date other people during the four years, but Autumn wonders what it would have been like to be with Finn instead and reminisces on their times together in elementary and middle school through numerous flashbacks, which got a little confusing since they are woven so seamlessly into the story. 

“If He Had Been with Me” was beautifully written and emotionally heavy with a very sad ending, but I would have enjoyed it more had the ending not been rushed; several important events happened within just the last 25 pages. The sequel, “If Only I Had Told Her,” recently came out, so I’m excited to read Finn’s perspective on his high school experience and relationship with Autumn. 

Overall rating: 4/5 stars

“Better Than the Movies” by Lynn Painter

I saw this rom-com in almost every Bookstagram reel and was initially skeptical because of the cheesy-looking cover with couples all over it (yes, I judge books by their covers). Still, I immediately decided to read it once I saw it featured in a “Books I Would Sell My Soul to Read for the First Time Again” video—it had to be good. 

The plot has classic enemies-to-lovers, fake dating, and love triangle tropes where high school senior Liz enlists the help of her neighbor, Wes, to help her snag a prom date. The story is sweet and funny, and I loved how mature the characters were for being teenagers, especially Wes. “Better Than the Movies” is a quick and lighthearted read and definitely exceeded my expectations. 

Overall rating: 4.5/5 stars

Whether you prefer reading in paperback, hardcover, e-book, or audiobook form, I’m confident you’ll enjoy Bookstagram’s most popular titles. If you try any of the books I reviewed or or have any recommendations, let me know, or drop your thoughts in the comments—I will happily discuss books with anyone and everyone.