So glad I read this! It was a great improvement both in character development and plot from The Golden Spoon.

Alex Marks is a reserved woman with a moderate case of agoraphobia and a mysterious troubled past, who is working a dead-end writing job with aspirations for more. After the famous advice columnist Francis Keen is killed, Alex applies on a whim and is offered her position. But the position is not what it seems, and the further Alex digs the more it appears her life might be in danger too.

The prose was beautiful - I could really picture the environments Alex was in and the emotions she was experiencing. Something about Jessa Maxwell’s writing felt so cozy despite the macabre subject matter. I really enjoyed that and am looking forward to her future releases.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Atria Books for the ARC!

First of all, thank you so much to NetGalley and Atria Books for my first-ever approved ARC! I thoroughly enjoyed this book and loved the main character, who was well-developed and thoughtful. I was rooting for her success and happy ending the whole way through. While I did guess some of the major twists and think others will too, it still felt like an edge-of-your-seat type of read that flew by rather quickly. In this instance, I don't quite mind the predictability because I thought the suspense was well done and the plot was unique. This could even make a great movie or TV show someday if it comes to it. I also enjoyed the “found family” trope between Alex, Raymond, and Janice. If you love quick reads and fun thrillers, this book is for you!

I Need You to Read This by Jessa Maxwell is a gripping thriller that blends the allure of New York City with a chilling mystery. Alex Marks, a quiet copywriter, finds herself thrust into a world of danger and intrigue when she unexpectedly lands the coveted position as the replacement for her childhood hero, Francis Keen, the beloved advice columnist of Dear Constance. As Alex delves deeper into the role, she uncovers unsettling truths about Francis's murder and begins receiving ominous letters that suggest she might be next. Maxwell expertly crafts a narrative where every character, from the enigmatic editor-in-chief Howard Dimitri to Alex herself, harbors secrets that could prove deadly. With its atmospheric setting and relentless suspense, I Need You to Read This is a must-read for fans of psychological thrillers, offering twists that keep you guessing until the final page.

Thank you to the author, Netgalley and the publisher for an arc of this in exchange for an honest review.

I love a thriller where I can not guess the ending and I Need You to Read This delivered. When Alex Marks applies for the job of advise columnist on a whim she does not expect to get the job. The previous columnist was her hero but was the victim of an unsolved murder. Now as the new advise columnist, it isn't long before Alex is getting strange letters herself. I had many guesses throughout the book as to how the story would end, but I did not get it right. The story is fast paced and written in a way that pulled me through needing to get the answers. The author didn't shy away from issues of mental health. I liked Alex as our main character and I became more attached to her as the story progressed. She felt very real and relatable. I recommend this one to thriller lovers.

Thank you NetGalley and Atria Books for the advanced reader copy.

This one start a bit slow but gets more interesting. I may be a bit biased because I enjoy the subject matter — writers writing about writers — and it was a quick read, but a few of the characters seemed a little bit one-note and underdeveloped. Still, I enjoyed it a bit more than the previous book by the author, and look forward to reading more by her.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

After reading and loving Jessa Maxwell’s debut novel, “The Golden Spoon,” I couldn’t wait to get my hands (and ears) on her newest book. “I Need You to Read This” is a clever and entertaining mystery that I binged in a day. This was such a fun concept: Alex, a pharmaceutical copywriter and huge fan of the famous “Dear Constance” advice column, impulsively applies to replace its beloved writer, Francis Keen, after Francis is shockingly murdered. After landing the job, Alex begins receiving strange letters and decides to investigate Francis’s murder, wondering if the killer may be closer than she thinks.

Overall, I really enjoyed this whodunnit/popcorn thriller. A few twists seemed a bit obvious, but there were many that I did not see coming. At just 300 pages, this book is a perfect palate cleanser when you need a quick and fun read. I can’t wait to see what Jessa Maxwell does next!

I really loved the author’s last book, The Golden Sooon, so I was very excited to read this one. Unfortunately I didn’t enjoy this one as much. While the premise (girl lands her dream job as a newspaper advice columnist after her predecessor was murdered) was excellent, the execution wasn’t as stellar. Full of cliched characters doing unbelievable things, my eyes rolled a bit AND I guessed every twist. So still an enjoyable read but not my favorite.

This wasn’t my favorite book. It was very predictable from the beginning. And even though Tom turned out not to be someone with ill intent, there were too many red flags for Alex to give him another chance. I think my favorite part of the book were Raymond and Janice. For me, the book really highlighted the importance of friendships. In the end, that is what saved her. I gave this book ⭐️⭐️⭐️/5. Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I Need You To Read This - Jessa Maxwell
Rating: 3.5/5
Pub Date: 8/13/24
304 Pages

Thank you to Netgalley and Atria Books for this ARC in exchange for my honest review. I flew through this book! It was very well written with an interesting premise. A advice columnist in the local newspaper turns up murdered and six months later, the newspaper is looking for a replacement. Alex, a writer for pharmaceutical drugs, applies and gets the job immediately. Suddenly, Alex starts getting threatening letters from someone saying they know who she is and if she's not careful, she could be next. The author does a great job with the plot and the character development. I felt like a fly on the wall while she took us on this wild ride. At the end, however, I felt like the storyline branched off for me and didn't quite connect the way I wanted it to. I wish more was done with it so the reader could have been more shocked? Parts were predictable and the ending wasn't so hard to guess. Overall, great story which I enjoyed.

I was so excited about the concept of this one, but the writing didn't really deliver for me. I think it's something about books in third person present that throw my brain for a loop. And I'm not really a stickler for accuracy in books (especially thrillers), but it was kind of confusing how a newspaper that's meant to be the New York Times didn't operate anything like a newspaper (or a company, for that matter). Still, I think this one will find a lot of fans, particularly with those who love mysteries with unique concepts like the author's previous book, The Golden Spoon.

In I NEED YOU TO READ THIS we follow a young woman, Alex, who has a boring work (according to her) at a pharmaceutical company and her biggest joy, as a hobby, was to follow Dear Constance, a weekly newspaper column on which the famous columnist, Francis, would give life advices to a letter written by one of her fans. About 8 months ago Francis was murdered at her summer house (and her murderer was never caught), and the newspaper column has been cancelled ever since. But now, the newspaper chief editor wants to reopen the vacant column and for that a public job selection is set online. Alex applies for the job, just for fun, and she gets it. She's thrilled about it, but also a little hesitant because she doesn't believe she's up to being as great as Francis was and also she is hiding something from her past. She hides it from her friends and everyone she works with.
During her first week as the Dear Constance columnist she starts to get threatening messages online (something Francis was used to getting) but Alex also finds a strange note on a piece of paper inside one of Francis's books in her work office, which makes Alex believes her murderer might be someone she used to know, and not just an angry follower. Soon Alex teams up with her new assistant to finding out what really happened to Francis and who is behind those menacing messages.

I gotta admit, I flew through this book. I read this entire book in on evening. I thought it was a very quick and easy read, a real page-turner.
I was invested in the plot and curious to get to the conclusion to finally know what happened to Francis and what Alex was hiding from everyone.
The majority of the story takes place in about 2 weeks, so that also helped the fast-pacing of this book. Curiously, I'd say this book sometimes reads more as a character study, a character-driven story other than a plot-driven story. Yet, it reads really fast and easy.
I also enjoyed the letter chapters scattered throughout the book.
However, I didn't personally love this book. Even though I empathised with the protagonist Alex and the whole mystery got me intrigued and engaged til the end, I felt like this is much more of a cozy mystery, and I personally don't enjoy cozy mysteries. The writing, in my opinion, is decent but also very simple, the characters are typical clichés of cozy mysteries, the conclusion is too easy and convenient, and I'd dare say at least 80% of this whole book is very predictable. Personally, I guessed the plot twists after 35% of the story. And I'm not that smart. Actually, I usually feel very dumb when I read mystery thrillers.

I had some fun with this book, and I believe readers who are more prone to enjoying cozy mysteries will enjoy even more I NEED YOU TO READ THIS. I'm not gonna compare this book with this author's previous novel because I haven't read it. Also, I'm not interested in her previous novel, but I might give another shot to her next book in the future.

Thank you, NetGalley and Atria Books, for providing me with a free eARC of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

When Alex’s favorite advice columnist is brutally murdered, she’s devastated. She’s also a bit miffed when, less than a year later, the paper puts out an open application for her replacement. Alex decides to apply on a whim and suddenly finds herself called into the editor’s office, being offered the job. But when she begins working in the newsroom, something feels off. There’s a palpable tension in the air. Then, threats start arriving in the mail, clearly aimed at Alex. Was taking this job a huge mistake? And could it all be related to either Alex’s dark past or Francis’ murder, which remains unsolved?

I love a creepy low-key thriller and this is the exact definition of that. There were plenty of secrets lurking around every turn in this book and each was slowly revealed as the book moved along. Some were hinted at heavily, and some came out of nowhere. I like it this way because it gives you as tge reader some clues to try to piece together the mystery, but throws some curveballs in there to keep you on your toes.

And wow, I did love the ending. It hit the right tone all around. Just like Maxwell’s other book “The Golden Spoon,” it really smacked you with the climactic action as it all played out. What a rush!

I highly recommend this book and its author, who is really doing a great job breaking onto the literary scene. Her strong female characters are unforgettable and her stories are unique and interesting. I can’t wait to see what she comes up with next!

I was eager to pick up Jesse Maxwell's new book asap and was lucky enough to receive an e-ARC for "I Need You to Read This". A book about a young writer, who is able to get her dream job after her favorite advice columnist is murdered. As Alex is settling into her new position, she begins to worry about her past that she escaped and who really murdered her hero. She struggles to figure out who she can trust and who is really out to get her especially when her boss begins to act strange and a mysterious man in the building next door takes a liking to her.

I enjoyed this book quite a bit, but do know that it is vaguely obvious as to what is happening and who is dangerous throughout the story. Although I was able to guess a lot of the ending, I still really enjoyed the characters, their backstories, and the flow and style of the book.

On a personal level I connected with Alex as a character because of her mental health struggles from PTSD and her obsessiveness with everything being the same because it made her feel safe throughout the book. As someone who struggles with similar issues and major imposter syndrome, it was nice to see a character that struggled and pushed through those aspects of their personality to achieve their dream job. Jessa Maxwell writes amazing characters that have more depth and backstory and I enjoy every moment with her books. I cannot wait until her next book and what she will come up with next.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Alex is a woman trying to live an invisible life in New York City. This is all going well for her until, on a whim, she applies to be an advice columnist… and gets the job. The previous writer, Francis, was not only Alex’s idol, but she was murdered. Alex makes it her mission to find out what happened.

I loved this book! It was fast-paced with short chapters. I flew through this book in a weekend! The author did a great job with the setting. It really helped set the mood and added to the suspense. There were parts of this book where I felt like I was there with Alex and I was on the edge of my seat. The elements of mystery and suspense were great, and I was not prepared for the twist.
I thoroughly enjoyed the characters of this book. The main character, Alex, was one to root for and I found her to be relatable. Janice and Raymond made great sidekicks and really added to the plot. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a good mystery/thriller. Thank you NetGalley and Atria books for this ARC!!

Alex moved to the big city and lives a quiet, solitary existence that hints to the fact she is hiding something. She has a dull, daily routine that includes breakfast at the diner on the corner and interaction with two delightful characters that play a role throughout the story.
    She lands the job of her dreams: on a whim she applied for the job of advice columnist and was hired. The previous columnist, a woman who's advice she had followed for years, was murdered and now she was giving the advice. The new Dear Constance job has her inundated with letters and she has to decide on just one for the weekly column: a daunting task.
    Throughout the book we read letters sent from a particular girl who is in a terrifying and complicated situation and is looking for help, each letter more desperate than the previous one.
      Alex discovers a random letter stuck in her new desk that she is convinced is related to her idol's murder and decides to track down the source. She is determined to find out the killer and her methods are rather questionable but makes for a fun read with lots of turnabouts that offer an abundance of surprises.
    By the end her past reveals itself, her advice letters are a hit, she learns that she can start over, her diner friends become more like family and she manages to stay alive when someone tries to kill her.
    Lots happening in this quick, twisty read.

More of a character study than serious mystery solving, Alex’s mysterious background is carefully revealed through her letters. The tension is well done although the ending felt rushed. I thought it strange when Alex realized one character might have been having an affair at work that they took so long to think it might have been with the most obvious character. Lucy’s behavior was also so strange I wondered why even insecure Alex would trust her. Despite some quibbles I was entertained and I’d read more from this author.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and the author, for an ARC of this book, in exchange for an honest review.
I loved "The Golden Spoon" by Jessa Maxwell so I couldn't wait to read her newest book, "I Need You To Read This".
I liked how it started out slowly & then the twist & turns started coming.
There's a murder mystery & an unexpected development revealed to keep the reader interested.
The characters were unique & well developed.
I loved the cover of the book.
I can't wait to read Ms. Maxwell's next book.

I enjoyed this so much more than The Golden Spoon! The plot was enjoyable and not too predictable; anything I did predict was based on good clues by the author. Nothing out of left field; all twists made sense. I liked the angle of the advice column, and the way the column ties into the overall plot was really good!

I received an advanced copy. All thoughts are my own.

This was a roller coaster read for me. What I meant was that it started off okay...then the fun started to rise a bit. But then the interesting parts dipped with a drawn out storyline. And finally, some movement near toward the end. Usually there's the reveal, but it didn't pack enough punch to reel it all in.

It was fun, sure, with some twists, but it seemed as if the main setup (Alex working as the advice columnist) didn't do much for the overall outcome of what constituted this as a thriller. It's like reading a world build, which was the main part that was dragged out, but the overall punch only relied a little bit of that world. I enjoyed it, however, as this was a quick and easy read. It had its thrilling moments, but more on the lukewarm level. I think this was what most people would label as popcorn thriller?

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC of this book. All opinions are my own.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Growing up, my grandma always read those columns and it became part of my adult hood. I had myself in Alex's shoes for half of this book but I would've been out the second i got these threatening messages lol. This had me on a ride that I questioned how far was enough for a person to handle when it comes to their job.