Hi fellow bookworms,

Today I’m talking about an author who writes high-suspense thrillers that will literally have you on the edge of your seat. I first discovered Taylor Adams on TikTok, one of those “wait… how have I never read this guy?” moments.

I started with No Exit, and it was pure, locked-in tension from page one. Then I read The Last Word, which somehow managed to be just as stressful — but in a completely different way.

Today I’m breaking down both: No Exit + The Last Word, fast, tense, and impossible to read casually.

Before we dig in, quick question:
If you could only recommend ONE thriller to a friend this month, what would it be?

Let’s get into it 😊

Short summary 🙂
No Exit follows Darby Thorne, a college student stranded at a remote highway rest stop during a blizzard. When she discovers a kidnapped child locked in a van outside, she realizes the kidnapper is one of the people trapped inside with her, and she has to figure out who it is before the night turns deadly.

I’ll just say this: must-read thriller. It’s been a long time since a book had my heart racing like this. My anxiety was through the roof, it genuinely felt like I was living an action-thriller movie in my head. The pacing is relentless and doesn’t give you a chance to breathe.

Now let’s talk about the main character, Darby, I have mixed feelings. She makes some genuinely frustrating decisions (like, girl, please THINK). But at the same time, she’s also incredibly brave, the kind of character who keeps moving even when fear (and pain) should’ve stopped her. And honestly, that’s what makes her feel real: she’s not perfect, she’s scared and just trying to do the right thing under extreme pressure.

I won’t go deeper because I don’t want to spoil anything, but if you want a thriller that’s fast, claustrophobic, twisty, and ruthless, this is it.

If you’ve read it, tell me your thoughts. I’m genuinely curious. I read this on Kindle Unlimited, and I’m so glad I stumbled on it because I would’ve hated missing this one.

Fun fact: there’s a movie adaptation on Hulu. I haven’t watched it yet, but if you have (and you recommend it), let me know!

My rating (5/5)

Short summary 🙂
The Last Word follows Emma Carpenter, who is house-sitting in a very remote location in Washington. She reads a horror ebook online, leaves a brutal one-star review, and ends up in an argument with the author, who doesn’t take it well. Soon, strange things start happening, and Emma begins to wonder: is the author involved… or is she losing her grip on what’s real?

I don’t think I’ve ever read anything quite like this before. This book definitely has a lot of suspense and yes, a big dose of “no way that just happened” energy too. I’ll be honest: I loved the suspense in the first 100 pages. It’s twist after twist, and the setup is genuinely addictive. But I also figured out one of the major twists pretty early, so some of the later reveals didn’t hit as hard as they could have.

As for Emma, she’s a complicated main character. She’s isolated, grieving, and not always making the most logical choices, so she’s definitely someone you won’t always agree with (and that can be frustrating).

Overall, I enjoyed the book, even if some parts felt a little over-the-top. I’d recommend it if you like a cat-and-mouse thriller with nonstop tension.

My rating (3.5/5)