5.23.2026 - The Children

 

Many thanks to NetGalley, William Morrow, and HarperAudio for gifting me both a digital and audio ARC of the latest book by Melissa Albert, with the audiobook perfectly narrated by the cast of Rebecca Lowman, Saskia Maarleveld, Kristen Sieh, Leslie Aleman and Iggy Costello.  All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 4 stars!

Guinevere Sharpe has two childhoods.  In one, she lives in her family's isolated Vermont farmhouse; in the other, the pages of her mother's famous Ninth City books.  In reality, Guin's childhood isn't the magical one portrayed in the books.  She and her older brother grow up mostly feral, escaping into the woods, until the night it all goes up into flames, leaving Edith’s series unfinished and her children the sole survivors.  Now as an adult, Guin is estranged from her brother and capitalizing on her mother's name.  Then her brother announces an art installation titled Mother.  Guin must face the past she's been running from.

This is an immersive read, made more so if you choose to listen to the audiobook, with its full cast and original music.  There is a sinister, creepy feeling throughout the entire book, and it will take you back to your childhood.  If you were a reader then, it will invoke the magical worlds you lived in and experienced, only to have the tarnish of those books possibly worn off by adult realizations of the actual author's real selves.  This is an ode to generational inheritance, of memory, and all the stories and trauma passed down.  Fascinating!

5.22.2026 - Pollock's Last Lover

 

Many thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow for gifting me a digital ARC of the latest book by Stephen P. Kiernan.  All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 4.5 stars!

In 2006, Sotheby’s sells a painting by Jackson Pollock for $140 million—the highest sum ever paid for a work of art. Two weeks later, an older woman named Ruth Kligman, in high heels and a dusty fascinator, contacts a smaller, less prominent auction house to announce that she was Pollock’s lover, and that he gave her his last painting. She declares that it was selfish to keep it in her apartment for fifty years, and that people should see this masterpiece in galleries and museums the world over. The bidding will start at $50 million.  Gwen is the associate at the firm assigned the task of verifying the painting.

This was a fascinating look into Pollock, his work, his lifestyle, even his death, but more so the women who circle him and both idolize him and struggle against him.  It's told through alternating time periods as we go back and imagine Ruth's life with Pollock as well as Pollock's wife, Lee. In 2006, we see Gwen's world as she's trying to make a name for herself and still stick to her principles.  I'm not much of an art person, but learning about Pollock was interesting.  I loved the look back into how smartphones were first viewed when they entered the scene, as Gwen was an early adopter.  There are some good thoughts even then about how we experience the world through a device.  

5.21.2026 - Last Seen

 

Many thanks to NetGalley and Grove Atlantic | Atlantic Crime for gifting me a digital ARC of the latest thriller by Lucy Clarke.  All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 4.5 stars rounded up!

Seven years ago, two boys went missing at sea – and only one was brought to shore.  Sarah’s son, Jacob, survived, but on the anniversary of the accident and the loss of his best friend, Marley, he disappears without a trace. As new secrets begin to surface, The Sandbank hums with tension and unanswered questions. 

This is one of those books that's hard to review without giving anything away, but suffice it to say that the twists and turns and wonderful plot line speak for themselves.  The story is told from the viewpoints of both the moms - Sarah and Isla, the mother of Marley, who died.  As an aside - I had thoughts of A Christmas Carol going through my head with every mention of the two boys!  It's a taut mystery, because you can only imagine the terrible grief and fear these women are experiencing and the motherhood and friendship themes are impactful.  There are lots of secrets here and that ending caught me totally by surprise.  Another book to pack along for your vacation!

5.20.2026 - Dissection of a Murder

 

Many thanks to NetGalley and Dutton Books for gifting me a digital ARC of this wonderful debut novel by Jo Murray.  All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 5 stars!

Leila Reynolds is a young barrister, just handed her first murder case.  The prosecutor is also her husband.  The victim?  A well-known and respected judge.  The defendant?  He insisted on having only her to represent him, but he's not talking.  She'll soon be fighting for both her client and her marriage.

Wow - what an amazing debut.  No wonder it was picked for the next season of Apple TV's Presumed Innocent.  I loved how the author gave us insight into the legal world, which as a former barrister she knows all too well, all the while presenting us with such a twisty legal thriller.  It is full of tension and suspense from the beginning and I was riveted.  There are chapters from the mysterious POV of "Witness X," just to keep things interesting.  Go into it as blind as possible - and be sure and read the book first because you know it's always better!  Highly recommended!

5.20.2026 - Forty Love

 

Many thanks to NetGalley and Zibby Publishing for gifting me a digital ARC of the latest book by Jane Costello.  All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 4.5 stars!

Jules is trying to cope with her empty nest, as her 19-year-old daughter heads out for a summer trip with a friend.  Plus, things aren't feeling stable at her job, and she worries about money.  Then her old school crush, Sam, returns from the USA decades after leaving.  She can see him playing tennis at the club next door from her bedroom window.  Full of anxiety, she's talked into joining an amateur women's tennis team desperate for players.

I love books that show middle-aged women in a strong light, able to take life's struggles and keep moving forward.  This is a story of second chances, made possible with the help and support of a strong woman support group.  These women encourage each other to make changes in their lives, plus there's romance in the air of course!  The story is full of humor, hope, and courage - all traits that are definitely needed as we age.

5.18.2026 - The One Day You Were My Husband

 

Many thanks to NetGalley, Viking/Penguin and Pamela Dorman Books for gifting me a digital ARC of the latest novel by Rosie Walsh.  All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 4.5 stars rounded up!

Carrie is a newly-qualified doctor in London when she meets Johan, who has brought an accident victim to the hospital.  They fall fast and Carrie agrees to meet him in Thailand during a work break.  They get married on the beach, but during the wedding, Johan is arrested and taken away.  She calls on her activist mother for help, but he can't be released.  Years later, Carrie is now married to Robin and they have twins.  But everything changes when Carrie sees Johan's name online and realizes he's out of prison and never contacted her.  She becomes obsessed with finding out what happened all those years ago.

This one kept me completely glued to the pages and I was so surprised at the twist - really made me take a huge pause!  Don't read too much about the plot so that you get no spoilers.  There is a lot going on here - Carrie's relationships with her divorced parents and her sister, her home life, and the pull she feels towards Johan even after all the years apart.  You can feel her desperation at just wanting answers, no matter where they lead.  This is a thrill ride, but also an emotional one and I loved it!

5.17.2026 - Both Can Be True

 

Many thanks to NetGalley and Harper Muse for gifting me both a digital and audio ARC of the sophomore book by Jessica Guerrieri, with the audiobook wonderfully narrated by Helen Laser, Mia Hutchinson-Shaw, Rebecca Lowman, and the author.  All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 4.5 stars rounded up!

Mare and Frankie are two sisters in their late 30s, navigating motherhood, marriage and life.  Mare is the mother of a neurodivergent preschooler who never feels like her husband steps up.  Frankie is a bookstore owner, now sober, raising two teenage daughters.   Their husbands go on a camping weekend and come across a body they later believe to be Brie - a woman from their town and Frankie's AA circle.

I loved Guerrieri's debut, Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea, and her latest is just as powerful.  Told from the differing POV of the two sisters, we see how they each struggle with past trauma, caregiving, and who they are outside of being wives and mothers.  It explores all those questions that women feel - is it wrong to want more even when we're happy?  Can we love our husbands but still feel trapped?  What happens when cracks appear - who is there to support us?  Add alcoholism as a way to cope and we see all those careful plans start to crumble.  The author is forthright about her own struggles with alcoholism and her sobriety, which adds such realism to her books.  There is a mystery here, but this is a strong character-driven story of women struggling with all those "both can be true" situations. I mostly listened to the audiobook because the cast was top notch and just added more depth to the story.  I loved this one!