2.24.2026 - Encounters with Unexpected Animals

 

Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House for gifting me a digital ARC of this short story collection by Bret Anthony Johnston.  All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 4 stars!

Even though I am not always a big fan of short stories, I was anxious to read this because I enjoyed Johnston's recent book, We Burn Daylight.  All of these short stories also take place in his home state of Texas.  These stories are about the every day, and sometimes the unusual, about our lives and our relationships with animals.  Johnston writes wonderfully and these stories will pull you in, of course, some more than others.  Most end rather abruptly, giving the reader plenty of space to ponder and fill in the blanks, but if you like neat endings, that might trouble you.  These are mostly slow stories, where the people and the relationships shine.

2.24.2026 - When God Was a Rabbit

Many thanks to NetGalley and GP Putnam Sons for gifting me a digital ARC of this re-released first book by Sarah Winman, author of Still Life and Tin Man, both of which I enjoyed.  All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 4.5 stars!

Elly's older brother, Joe, is her world.  Always there when her parents are otherwise occupied, he is her person.  But as she grows, other people come into her life - mainly her childhood friend, Jenny, but also her hand and friends of her parents - that also shape her.  As they go out on their own, the connection with Joe is still there, and she becomes terrified when she thinks she has lost him.

I really like Winman's writing and the way her characters experience the world.  This book is sometimes hilarious (the Nativity play!), and sometimes so poignant and heartbreaking it's hard to breathe.  Spanning four decades, it's a coming-of-age book as experienced by these siblings as well as Elly's relationship with Jenny, with the secrets they hold dear even from each other.  We see their relationships change through real-world events, yet they are always there for each other.  Wonderful!

2.24.2026 - Where the Wildflowers Grow

 

Many thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for gifting me a digital ARC of the new book by Terah Shelton Harris.  All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 4.5 stars!

Leigh is the last of the Wildes; she knows this because she watched them all die, but she carries on.  When the prison transport bus crashes, killing everyone on board except for her, she carries on.  While searching for a place to hide, she comes across a flower farm in Alabama tucked away from the world.  With the help of this new found family, she begins to heal.  But the past doesn't stay buried.

This is so beautifully written and a true exploration of grief, childhood trauma, unresolved pain.  I loved the connection of those working together on the flower farm to make life better for their community, even when the community resisted.  The family they created raised each other up when they needed it, supported each other, taught them to be better humans, and loved each other.  There's romance too (was it just me or did the sex scenes seem more graphic than necessary in this beautiful novel?) and love that is strong enough to wait.  This novel will transport you - loved the author's note too.

2.23.2026 - The Girls Before

 

Many thanks to NetGalley, Flatiron Books | Pine & Cedar, and Macmillan Audio for gifting me an audio ARC of the latest thriller by Kate Alice Marshall, with the audiobook perfectly narrated by Karissa Vacker and Ina Barron.  All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 4.5 stars!

Stranger is trapped in the dark, with only her imagination and the scribbles on the wall left by long-dead girls to keep her company.  Nearly out of food and water, she makes one last attempt to escape.  Audrey is a search and rescue expert who has never stopped looking for her frenemy, Janie, who disappeared when they were teenagers.  She stumbles upon evidence in the forest that a teenage runaway might have been kidnapped from land belong to a prominent family.  She is desperate to find out what happened to the girls before.

Told in a Below and Above format, this was a haunting book showcasing both depravity and resiliency, and the author perfectly entwines the two timelines.  It’s creepy, with characters you will be rooting for, those you’ll hate, and a dog you’ll love.  This audiobook production and narration made this book, and I would highly recommend this format!  The combination of the fabulous Karissa Vacker and Ina Barron were wonderful and also helped to differentiate the voices.  

2.23.2026 - She Thought She Was Safe

 

Many thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Books for gifting me a physical and digital ARC of the latest thriller by Terri Parlato.  All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 4.5 stars!

Reeling from her ex-husband's issues and her mom's death, Emma has the opportunity to meet her estranged father for the first time.  Alex Spencer is a wealthy, renowned author who had a brief affair with Emma's mom and then disappeared.  Alex invites her to stay at his beautiful lakeside home in Maine.  Emma is anxious for a quiet space and time to work on her own novel, but that peace is shattered when a neighbor is found dead under suspicious circumstances.  Alex's other daughter, Sunny, is not happy that Emma is on the scene either.  But Cheshire Lake seems to be harboring even more secrets and Emma wonders just who she can trust.

Parlato is a new-to-me author and this is a stand alone thriller from her that I really enjoyed.  I felt for Emma as she was so desperate for a family, yet still feeling like an outsider.  There are a lot of questionable characters and just like Emma, I didn't know who I could trust.  I liked the short chapters and there were plenty of twists, a few which caught me totally unaware!  It might have been a bit over the top at times, but it kept me glued to the pages to find out all the secrets.  I will definitely go back and read this author's backlist!

2.23.2026 - Watching You

 

Many thanks to NetGalley and Harper 360 for gifting me a digital ARC of the latest book by Helen Fields. All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 4.5 stars!

A killer is active on the streets of Edinburgh, and police are getting desperate. The deaths seem unconnected but DS Lively and forensic profiler Dr Connie Woolwine know they are related; they just have to prove it. In the city’s hospital, renowned surgeon Beth Waterfall is grieving the loss of her only daughter who was being stalked, and now she feels he's after her.

Wow - what a thriller! Told with alternating chapters from the investigation and from the POV of The Watcher, the tension and suspense were high throughout the book. I liked how the characters felt real and I was emotionally involved. And that ending - mind blown! This is part of a series and I'm wanting to read the others, but it works great as a stand alone.

2.21.2026 - Nowhere Burning

 

Many thanks to NetGalley, Tor Nightfire, and Macmillan Audio for gifting me both a digital and audio ARC of the latest literary horror novel by Catriona Ward, with the audiobook perfectly narrated by Christopher Ragland and Katherine Fenton.  All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 4.5 stars!

Desperate to escape from their abusive cousin after the death of their mother, Riley and her younger brother, Oliver, run away.  Riley is intent on joining a group of teenagers living in the abandoned ruins of an infamous movie star's ranch, Nowhere.  There's a rumor that adults cannot enter Nowhere and Riley hopes that they can find a new family there.  But the Nowhere Kids may have a different idea.

When you actually really think about it, Peter Pan is kind of scary on its own.  But in Catriona Ward's skilled hands, she has made this retelling so frightening.  The story unfolds across three timelines, and at first I was confused as to how they all fit together., but never fear.  The best part of this book to me was the love Riley had for Oscar - it was so endearing in a book filled with darkness.  I alternated between the digital and audio versions, and thought the narrators really breathed life into their roles.  Sign me up for whatever Catriona Ward writes next.