"The House in the Pines" by Ana Reyes ($15)
- What it's about: Seven years ago, Maya's best friend dropped dead in front of a strange man they'd been spending time with that summer. In the present day, Maya struggles with addiction and the fallout of the trauma of what happened. But when she stumbles on a video of another girl dying in front of the same man, she finds herself forced to confront what really happened that awful summer.
- What Witherspoon says: "This is an absolute, can't-put-it-down thriller . . . It's truly a wild ride that had me flying through chapter after chapter — which I think is the perfect way to kick off your year of reading."