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!

5.16.2026 - Mist and Malice

 

Many thanks to NetGalley, Amazon Publishing | Thomas and Mercer, and Brilliance Publishing for gifting me both a digital and audio ARC of the second in the Haven Thriller series by Rachel Howzell Hall, with the audiobook perfectly narrated by Inger Tudor.  All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 4 stars!

PI Sonny Rush is pulled into a new case when Honor Butler shows up at her door scared to death.  Honor tells Sonny a horrifying story of what she was forced to do.  Only hours later, a missing man is found dead in the forest near Sonny's cottage.  Are these two cases related?  Is the town of Haven corrupted?

This book follows immediately after the events of the first book in this series, Fog and Fury, so reading that one first is a must.  Sonny is a wonderful character - flawed, funny, trying to move on from her past, and trying to do her best for her mom, who is struggling with dementia.  You can feel her stress coming off in waves.  The small town of Haven is a character in itself, with the fog hanging over the area keeping its residents secrets close.  The mystery is well plotted and the tension high, and I'm looking forward to more in this series!  The narration was great and pulled me even more into the story.

5.15.2026 - The May House

 

Many thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster | Atria Books for gifting me a digital ARC of the new book by Jillian Cantor.  All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 4.5 stars rounded up!

Raised by their single dad in Chicago, three sisters spend one week in May every year with their maternal grandmother.  When she passes away, the adult sisters inherit the California beach house  on the condition that they return every May to spend one week together.  The sisters are now spread across the country and aren't always close, but they make sure to reserve that week to spend together.  But one year, the oldest and most dependable, doesn't show.  The other two begin questioning just how much they know about their sister's life.

I loved this story and how it's told from multiple POV in a nonlinear style from the sisters' childhood to 2019 when Julia doesn't show.  Along the way, we learn about each of the sister's lives and loves, the secrets they hold, the fears they have.  It's so atmospheric, and when you read the author's note, you'll learn that many of the locations are real, giving it such an authentic feel.  Plus it has nostalgia, romance and a wonderful guy next door.  This is the perfect book to read on the beach this summer!

5.14.2026 - Accumulation

Many thanks to NetGalley and GP Putnam's Sons for gifting me a digital ARC of this creepy novel by Aimee Pokawatka.  All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 4 stars!

Tenn, Ward, Anders and Aisling have moved to New York for Ward's job.  Ward hopes that Tenn's dream house will help the fact that she had to leave behind her friends and her job as a filmmaker.  But the house just isn't right.  Ward is too busy with his job to help and the kids are struggling as well.  

Creepy dolls?  Ghosts?  Is the house haunted or is it all in Tenn's mind?  This book is creepy good, but where it excels is in the thoughts it brings up about motherhood, parenthood, loss of self, gaslighting.  Mothers everywhere will be able to relate to having to put their job and life on hold to be able to take care of everyone else.  I loved how there was repetition in conversations - take out the trash, run the dishwasher.  Plus, all the house weirdness and the trouble with the kids.  Kept me glued to the pages!

5.14.2026 - The Shippers

Many thanks to NetGalley, St Martin's Press, and Macmillan Audio for gifting me both a digital and audio ARC of the latest rom-com by Katherine Center, with the audiobook perfectly narrated by Patti Murin.  All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 4.5 stars!

JoJo is bad at love, and along with her sister, who is getting married on a cruise ship, decide to end that once and for all.  She feels like her childhood crush is holding her back and that he's really the one she should be with.  JoJo also gets her childhood best friend, Cooper, to be her wing man for this venture.  Let the shipboard antics begin!

I'm not always a big romance book fan, but will always sign up to read anything Katherine Center writes.  They are just happy books!  This one starts out with a note from the author ensuring you that there will be a happy ending, so never fear!  There are a lot of opportunities here for second chances, and you won't be able to resist Cooper.  JoJo is a bit immature for her genius brain, but she's still one that you will root for her happy ending.  I loved having both the book and the audiobook to get fully immersed, and Patti Murin's narration is always top notch.  Pack this one in your back for your summer vacation!

5.13.2026 - The Forgotten Midwife

 

Many thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster | Gallery Books for gifting me a digital ARC of this amazing novel by Laura Anthony.  All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 5 stars!

A dual-timeline story playing out between New Jersey in 2023, and Tipperary, Ireland, in 1954.  In 2023, Riley's grandmother has a rare moment of clarity in her dementia and gives Riley an Irish birth certificate for an unknown baby.  Riley and her fiancé decide to go to Ireland to investigate.  In 1954, Margaret Lannigan is forced to become a nun and then serve as a midwife in a home for "fallen girls."  

This book will break your heart, even though we all are probably familiar with the Ireland laundries, where unmarried mothers were forced to work in abusive conditions and give up their babies.  This story from the viewpoint of one of the women who did their best to help will give you hope over the horrors we humans can heap on others.  The research was impeccable, the writing kept me glued, and the characters felt so real that you will hurt along with them.  Highly recommended!

5.12.2026 - The Foursome

 

Many thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins | Mariner Books for gifting me a digital ARC of the latest historical fiction novel by Christina Baker Kline.  All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 5 stars!

It's 1839 when Chang and Eng Bunker, conjoined twins from Siam (now Thailand), arrive in Wilkes County NC.  They are wealthy after their circuit as oddities, and they quickly buy land and start building.  Sisters Adelaide and Sarah Yates, daughters of a once-prominent local family scarred by a scandal, are drawn into their orbit.  Addie sees marriage to Chang as her way of reclaiming her future; Sallie is less sure.  But their lives soon become entangled.

As you would expect from this author, this is a wonderfully researched book, made personal by the fact that the Yates are distant cousins.  Natural curiosity leads anyone to ponder just how this marriage and its subsequent 21 total children worked, but the book never veers into salacious territory.  Instead, we are privy to the emotional side of this coupling and the inevitable squabbles between spouses, brothers and sisters.  It's beautifully written, leading you to explore the unimaginable feeling of being tethered to someone for life.  This is also a story of the period, of slavery and the Civil War.  It's a fascinating look into these people as well as these issues.  Highly recommended.

5.12.2026 - Mercy Hill

 

Many thanks to NetGalley and Doubleday Books for gifting me a digital ARC of the debut novel by Hannah Thurman.  All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 4.5 stars!

The Cross sisters have lived their entire lives on the sprawling grounds of Mercy Hill, the Raleigh mental hospital run by their formidable mother, Lisa. Since childhood, JJ, Caro, Mimi, and Denise have been inculcated with their mother's mission: they'll work alongside her to protect Mercy Hill from the fate of other state hospitals across the country, which are being gutted and closed, one by one.  But Mercy Hill faces great scrutiny and Lisa pushes her children even harder.  

I truly enjoyed spending time with this book and the Cross sisters.  Told from the viewpoint of Denise, the youngest, and taking place in the late 1990s-early 2000s, this is a coming-of-age story as well as a look into mental health treatment.  My heart hurt for the way Lisa pushed her girls - skipping grades in school, following a path long laid out for them to become doctors to continue work at Mercy Hill.  Neither parent was aware of the bullying happening at school nor the secrets the girls kept.  This is a very character-driven novel and it's so interesting to see how the girls, raised the same way, handled the pressures and expectations differently.    Wonderful debut and I'm looking forward to more from this author!

5.11.2026 - Coyoteland

 

Many thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for gifting me an audio ARC of this novel by Vanessa Hu, narrated wonderfully by Ina Barrón.  All opinions expressed in this review are my own – 4 stars!

 

El Nido is a privileged community in the hills east of Berkeley.  Jin Chang moves there with his wife and daughters hoping for a new start.  However, he has a secret to make it big in real estate.  Jin’s daughter, Jane, knows he’s keeping a secret but she’s struggling to fit in at school.  In the wake of a coyote attack, Jane and Tasha, one of the only Black girls at school, bond.  They hatch a plot to expose the town’s hypocrisies. 

 

This takes place during the time of Covid, and I am one who appreciates a Covid storyline that adds to the atmosphere of the book – and it works great here.  Because this is a slow burn character study about racism, classism, entitlement – all those things lurking under the surface of the shiny world we may present to others.  Add in wildfire smoke in the air and the atmosphere mirrors all those societal problems.  My only issue is that I sometimes had difficulties keeping up with the characters.  Ina Barrón is one of my favorite narrators and she did a great job, but this may have been better served with a cast.  

5.11.2026 - Come Back to the World

 

Many thanks to NetGalley, Amazon Publishing | Lake Union Publishing, and Brilliance Publishing for gifting me both a digital and audio ARC of the latest book by a long-time favorite, Catherine Ryan Hyde, with the audiobook wonderfully narrated by Frankie Corzo.  All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 5 stars!

Amelia is a journalist and expert in American literature, specifically the author EL Swann, who vanished 40 years ago after the success of her first and only novel.  Amelia receives a picture leading to the possible whereabouts of Swann, and decides to take a trip to Mexico to investigate with her young son, Jaden.  Jaden is the one to break through to the elderly woman, and they form a tight connection.

There's no one better at writing characters and dialogue that pull at your heart without being too sappy, and leave you wanting to do just a bit better in your own life.  As in most of her novels, the author explores relationships between unlikely characters and usually involve an animal or two; in this case, wait until you meet Francisco the donkey.  Plus, she's so wonderful at giving a voice to children's thoughts.  This book showcases found family, the courage it takes to be in the world, and the respect we need to show each other.  The quote "When people show you who they are, believe them" is apt here - we all handle situations differently, and we need to  absorb that.  The narration was wonderful and totally immersed me into this story.  As always with her books, this one is highly recommended!  

5.10.2026 - The Calamity Club

 

Many thanks to NetGalley and Spiegel & Grau for granting my wish to read a digital ARC of the first book by Kathryn Stockett since she wrote The Help - it was worth the 17-year wait!  All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 5 stars!

It's 1933 in Oxford, Mississippi, and times are extremely tough for almost everyone.  We meet Meg, an 11-year-old who is taken to the Orphan Asylum because her mother never came back from a trip to the store.  Meg is one of the "big girls" at the orphanage, deemed unadoptable, and woman in charge singles her out for the worst treatment.  Birdie travels to Oxford from her small town hoping to get a loan from her married sister, Frances, in order that the home she shares with her mother and grandmother won't be taken because of the taxes due.  Frances volunteers at the orphanage, and Birdie is enlisted to help with the books, where she meets Meg.  This meeting sets up the rest of the story.

Wow - this book is a commitment at 650 pages, but it is well worth the time.  Plus, the time will fly as you are transported back in time.  There are a lot of tough subjects here - racism, sexism, poverty, abuse - but the humor portrayed within softens all those rough edges.  It's the story of how women take back their power to try and make better lives for themselves however they can, even when the chips are stacked against them.  They all fight back against the labels that have been attached to them, and it is inspiring.  Meg and Birdie are both wonderful characters that will capture your heart, but the rest of the supporting cast  are just as wonderful (with a few exceptions!).  Highly recommended!

5.9.2026 - The Anniversary

 

Many thanks to NetGalley, St Martin's Press | Minotaur Books, and Macmillan Audio for gifting me both a digital and audio ARC of the latest thriller by a favorite, Alex Finlay, with the audiobook perfectly narrated by Ari Fliakos and Brittany Pressley.  All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 5 stars!

In 1992, two 17-year-olds' lives are changed and forever intertwined.  Quinn is from the wrong side of town and is arrested after he tries to break up a fight.  Julies is high school royalty, who survives a brutal attack by the "May Day Killer" - a serial predator who strikes every May 1st in midwestern small towns.  Over the next decade, their lives are revisited every May 1st, as secrets unravel and the May Day Killer is still out there and hurting young women.

Fabulous!  I loved how this novel played out, forwarding one year with each of the main characters, slowly spooling out all the backstories and secrets they carry.  Their lives are very separate yet slowly veer together as time clicks by.  The tension was high throughout and I felt strongly towards both of these main characters.  Plus, the 1990s nostalgia was perfect!  The narrators did such a good job bringing these characters to life and the story was the better for it.  Another wonderful thriller (maybe my favorite?) by Alex Finlay!

5.8.2026 - The Mediator

 

Many thanks to NetGalley, Amazon Publishing | Thomas & Mercer, and Brilliance Publishing for gifting me a physical, digital and audio ARC of the new crime fiction novel by Robert Bailey, perfectly narrated by Ann Marie Gideon.  All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 5 stars!

Max Ringo was once a star at an elite law firm.  Then a car accident left her addicted to painkillers.  Fresh out of rehab, she is making her comeback as a mediator, and is appointed to handle a high-stakes divorce.  But then the husband kidnaps her teenage son, Nathan, and tells Max that she either settles the case on his terms or her son dies.

This book takes place over three days, as the suspense and tension kept ramping up hour by hour.  Told from multiple POV, we get the backstories of what led this couple to divorce as well as all the power struggles involved.  .Max is a great character - flawed, but trying to do her best for herself and her son.   Her addiction was handled respectfully - any one of us could find ourselves in such a situation.  This is the first book I've read by this author, but I'm anxious for more.   I always like a good legal thriller and this was all that and then some - plus, it's the first in a series starring Max Ringo and I am completely on board for more!  The narration was great and I had no issues differentiating characters.  I enjoyed listening to it when I couldn't be reading.

5.7.2026 - Ash

 

Many thanks to NetGalley, HarperCollins | Mariner Books, and HarperAudio for gifting me both a digital and audio ARC of this debut novel by Louise Wallace, perfectly narrated by Saskia Maarleveld and Natalie Beran.  All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 4.5 stars!

Thea is a vet in a rural practice, called back from her maternity leave early.  But the animals aren't causing her to be overwhelmed, it's everything else in her life.  Then a weather event causes everything to change.

I loved this short novel but am so glad that I had the opportunity to both listen to it (and the fabulous narrators) and read it.  In between the story are "figures," mostly poetic type musings, and hearing them spoken added so much.  The weather event was eerily similar to the pandemic reactions (no toilet paper available!) and the dark ash falling on top of everything else in Thea's life was just so symbolic.  This is such a unique and powerful look at all the demands of being a working mom of very young children.  

5.6.2026 - Five

 

Many thanks to NetGalley and Crown Publishing for gifting me a digital ARC of this unique novel by Ilona Bannister.  All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 4.5 stars rounded up!

The narrator quickly introduces us to five passengers waiting for a train, and tells the reader that one is about to die from the oncoming train.  We are then introduced to the characters' lives to understand who they are and what has led them to the station at this particular time.  The time ticks down as the reader tries to guess which character will die.

Wow - this one was so unique and intense.  As you meet these unlikeable characters and learn their backstories, you begin thinking about which of them deserves to die, which will then have you questioning your own morals.  The genius of this book is first making you care about these characters and their foibles, easily putting yourself and others into similar positions.  It's so easy to judge others for their behavior.  I loved the format of the author/narrator talking to the reader, counting down the minutes, using dark humor and perfect plotting.  I couldn't put this one down.  

5.6.2026 - The Wish

 

Many thanks to NetGalley and Harper Perennial for gifting me a digital ARC of the new contemporary novel by Heather Morris.  All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 4.5 stars!

Jesse is fifteen, but spending her days in the hospital with a terminal illness.  She just has one wish - a video experience of her life.  Alex is a virtual reality games designer and the one picked to make Jesse's wish come true.  

Heather Morris is famous for her wonderful historical fiction novels, but you can feel how important this contemporary fiction novel is to her, a reflection of her over 20 years of work in the social work department of a hospital.  She knows firsthand the impact that such a diagnosis has on the patient and family members.  While this book is sad, it's also hopeful.  One of my favorite lines - It only takes a moment to die; the rest of the time we're living.  While this was a very moving story, there are very important life lessons within.  

5.6.2026 - Dispatches from Grief

 

Many thanks to NetGalley and Infinite Books for gifting me a copy of this moving memoir by Danielle Crittenden.  All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 5 stars!

Danielle Crittenden received the phone call that all parents dread and none can prepare for - her 32-year-old daughter, Miranda, had been found dead in her Brooklyn apartment.  This beautiful book is both a tribute to Miranda and an honest portrayal of unimaginable grief.  She allows the reader to accompany her on the path of their family's after.  It's beautifully written and a wonderful companion for anyone going through grief - and isn't that all of us at various points in our lives?  Highly recommended. 

5.5.2026 - The Author Weekend

Many thanks to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for gifting me both a digital and audio ARC of the latest novel by Laura Zigman, with the audiobook perfectly narrated by Gabra Zackman, Carol Monda, Joel Froomkin, and Emily Lawrence.  All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 4.5 stars rounded up!

This is bestselling mystery writer Faye Wader's first-ever fan weekend.  Everything is precisely planned by Faye and her assistant down to the smallest detail. What wasn't planned was the attendance of rival novelist Abby Schuss.  Faye thinks things can't get worse - until there's a dead body.

I'm been a fan of Zigman's work in the past and this was so much fun - I can't count how many times I laughed out loud at the antics.  Told from multiple POV, we hear from Faye, Jade, as well as her publisher, agent, and others.  The audiobook cast makes this even more fun and I so enjoyed listening to it.  It's a satirical (maybe?) look into the publishing world, where allegiances are only as good as the latest sale numbers, with the addition of a locked-room murder mystery.  Certainly not all the characters are likable, but they are ones that you will still be kind of rooting for because you can relate to their insecurities.  It's wild and the ending was pitch perfect.  A must read if you like your humor a little on the dark side!

5.5.2026 - Summer State of Mind

 

Many thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster | Gallery Books for gifting me a digital ARC of the latest novel by Kristy Woodson Harvey.  All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 5 stars!

Burnt-out NICU nurse Daisy Stevens flees to Cape Carolina, NC, after her worst professional day, looking for a new life.  On her first day at her new hospital job, high school baseball Coach Mason Thaysden discovers an abandoned baby in a dumpster.  Sparks fly between Daisy and Mason as well as with their little charge.  But secrets don't stay quiet for long in a small town.

What a wonderful novel - the perfect summer read!  Told from multiple POVs, we learn that everyone has a secret or two, but you will fall in love with each of these characters.  I loved their big, messy family life and the love and concern they showed each other, even in difficult times.  There are moral and ethical dilemmas that will have you thinking, and moments of laughter and tears.  Themes of grief, second chances, and new beginnings abound.  Pack this one in your beach tote for sure!

5.4.2026 - The Hill

Many thanks to NetGalley, Macmillan Audio and Farrar, Straus & Giroux for gifting me an audio ARC of this debut novel by Harriet Clark, narrated by Maggie Thompson.  All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 4.5 stars!

When Suzanne was a baby, her mother was sentenced to life in prison for her part in bank robbery that left a security guard dead.  Since then, she has lived with her grandparents, and her grandfather faithfully takes Suzanne to the prison every weekend.  Her grandmother refuses to go or have any contact with her daughter.  When her grandfather dies, Suzanne's life revolves around her solitary visits to her mom with help from a volunteer nun and her grandmother's friends who circle around her, all who seem to be separated from their children as well.

This is a haunting, beautifully written coming-of-age story, and it will break your heart.  Suzanne finds herself caught in two different worlds - one where she gets to spend time with her mother, and one where her mother doesn't exist.  Basically, Suzanne is left on her own and her life stagnates, as her grandmother's health worsens.  The narration of this novel was perfect - it's a slow, steady narration that fits perfectly with this slow, character-driven, introspective novel.  This book will make you think about how parental decisions affect their children's lives.  

5.4.2026 - Leave Your Mess at Home

 

Many thanks to NetGalley and Viking/Penguin | Pamela Dorman Books for gifting me a digital ARC of this debut novel by Tolani Akinola.  All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 4.5 stars!

Four siblings - each with their own issues - find themselves around their parents' Thanksgiving table for the first time in years.  They are all products of their Nigerian parents' American dreams for them, and each feels they have failed in different ways.  Sola was kicked out of the house years ago; Angola is a Yale grad in love with her best friend, who is engaged to someone else; only sone Ole is struggling in his marriage and impending fatherhood; and youngest daughter, Karen, is struggling with her chosen college path and sexuality.  

This novel is an emotional look at a dysfunctional family - and aren't all families dysfunctional in their own way?  What I liked about this novel is that it's told from the siblings different POV, so we get different looks at the same event, depending on who's telling the story.  There is a lot to unpack in everyone's story, overlooked by even close siblings, as they try and reunite.  

5.3.2026 - Payback

 

Many thanks to NetGalley, Amazon Publishing | Thomas & Mercer, and Brilliance Publishing for gifting me a physical, digital and audio ARC of the sophomore book by Elizabeth Rose Quinn, author of Follow Me.  The audiobook is narrated by Mozhan Navabi, who does a fabulous job with all of the different voices.  All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 4 stars!

Pay to Stay is LA's premier minimum-security facility where the privileged can serve time just on the weekends, letting them live normal lives during the week.  But this weekend just days after Christmas, the inmates discover their abusive guard dead.  Now they must solve his murder before ending up in maximum security or worse, because someone in this block is a murderer and everyone is a suspect.

I love a locked-room mystery and this one kept me on my toes throughout.  All of the inmates are women except for one male prisoner, and each has a voice and a story.  You'll find yourself rooting for people you might not otherwise do.  It's entertaining from the beginning - and there's even a support iguana named Nacho!  It's also part social commentary of the state of our penal system - be sure to read the author's note.  

5.3.2026 - Good Joy Bad Joy

 

Many thanks to NetGalley, St Martin's Press, and Macmillan Audio for gifting me both a digital and audio ARC of the sophomore book by Mikki Brammer, author of The Collected Regrets of Clover, which I also loved.  The audiobook was perfectly narrated by the duo of Kimberly M. Wetherell and Maggi-Meg Reed, who brought Joy and Hazel to life.  All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 4.5 stars rounded up!

Joy and Hazel have been best friends for their whole life.  At age 89, Joy was always the one who played it safe, while Hazel lived a more adventurous life.  But when Hazel reveals that she has cancer, Joy’s world is turned upside down.  Determined to make the most of the time they have left, Joy steps out of her comfort zone and veers into Bad Joy.

I’ve been on a streak of books featuring older women main characters, and I love this trend.  This book was sweet and funny yet brought up serious topics about how best to live your life, and what type of legacy and relationship you want to pass down, as well as pausing on rushing to judgments of others.  My only quibble with this book was that Joy’s walk on the wild side certainly ventured into very questionable behaviors.  But it’s a book that will make you think about your life and relationships.

5.2.2026 - Caller Unknown

 

Many thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins | William Morrow for gifting me the latest thriller from Gillian McAllister, always a favorite.  This book was picked as this month's Read With Jenna selection.  All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 4.5 stars!

Simone and her daughter, Lucy, have always been close.  Lucy has been spending time at an acting camp in TX before starting university, so Simone travels from the UK to visit.  They plan on going camping and just spending time together.  But when Simone wakes up on their first morning there, Lucy is gone from their rental cabin.  In her place is a cell phone and a voice issuing a ransom demand - don't tell the police, come to this location, be prepared to do a deal.  Simone will do anything to save her child.

This story kept me on the edge of my seat the entire read, even when things may have veered into improbable territory - I was still all in.   Simone and her husband disagreed about how they should proceed with the kidnappers, bringing even more tension into the situation, and prompting reflection on the differences between parenting styles of mothers and fathers.  The cat-and-mouse hunt for the kidnapper while trying to stay away from law enforcement is gripping, made more so by chapters from the kidnapper's point of view.  Besides being a thrill ride, this is a good reflection on motherhood.  You won't be able to not put yourself in Simone's position, and there are lots of moral and ethical issues here to ponder.

5.2.2026 - Enormous Wings

 

Many thanks to NetGalley, Henry Holt & Company, and Macmillan Audio for gifting me both a digital and audio ARC of the latest novel by a favorite, Laurie Frankel, with the audiobook wonderfully narrated by Becky Ann Baker.  All opinions in this review are my own - 5 stars!

Pepper Mills is 77, and after a car accident, her children moved her into the Vista View Retirement Community of Austin, TX.  She wasn't thrilled, but eventually she makes wonderful new friends and even falls in love.  Then she starts feeling unwell and learns that she is pregnant.  Pepper has some big decisions to make, and the world is watching.

I’m a huge fan of anything that Laurie Frankel writes.  I appreciate how she takes a relevant issue and makes you think about all the different sides.  While this premise is pretty wild, Frankel gives a reasonable-ish way that it could have occured so that it never felt completely out of the realm of possibility.  Frankel writes characters that feel so relatable and multidimensional.  I listened to the audiobook and loved the narration but also found myself then laughing out loud many times while wearing earbuds – the humor is just spot on.  Pepper was such a fantastic character – trying to live her best life, going along with her children’s wishes within reason, and still living life on her terms.  While it centers around the theme of women’s rights, the exploration of relationships as we age, from partners to friends to children and grandchildren was wonderful.  Highly recommended!

5.1.2026 - Liar's Dice

 

Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House | Thousand Voices for gifting me a digital ARC of the debut novel by Juliet Faithfull.  All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 4.5 stars!

Identical twins Dolores and Mita grow up in rural Brazil in the turbulent 1970s, . But at age seven, they discover that Mita has a degenerative condition eventually becoming debilitating.  Without telling Dolores, their parents send Mita to a hospital in their father’s native London.  The rest of the family moves to Rio, but Dolores is miserable without her twin, and her parents seem to have forgotten her.  Dolores can't even contact Mita because she doesn't know how to read or write.  Then she meets a new friend at school who opens doors for her.

This is a beautiful debut, a very haunting and heartbreaking coming-of-age story.  It's a tale of quiet strength, as Dolores overcomes her lack of education in order to be able to write a letter to her sister, and the wonderful teacher who made that happen, eventually using that talent to make money.  The story also shows the rise of the dictatorship in Brazil, marked by oppression, police torture, and the early sexualization of young girls, all portrayed through Dolores' eyes.  It contains a powerful theme of family secrets, and all the guilt and shame those secrets can invoke.  This one will stay with you.

5.1.2026 - Don't Wait to Light the Candles

 

Many thanks to NetGalley, Park Row, and Harlequin Audio for gifting me an audio ARC of this beautiful collection of poems by Allie Michelle, narrated by the author.  All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 5 stars!

I'm not always one to pick up a poetry collection, but I've now added Allie Michelle to my list of those poets that I will gladly read anything they write.  This is a slow, soft collection of poems that give a much-needed reminder in this fast-paced world to appreciate all the people, opportunities, and joys that surround us.  So many of them touched me personally, that I am going to order a physical copy of this book to keep on my shelf along with my other favorite poetry collections.  The author did a wonderful job bringing life to her words on the audiobook.  Highly recommended!