Book #93:
The Pumpkin Spice Cafe by Laurie Gilmore (Length: 384 pages). This first book in a series of rom-coms went viral on TikTok, and since I was in the mood for a “cozy” rom-com, I picked it up. Set in Dream Harbor, a small town in New England, this novel features Jeanie, the brand-new owner of the Pumpkin Spice Cafe and Logan, a quiet, handsome bearded farmer. One might suspect nothing bad or stressful happens in a cafe with this name, and one would be correct . . . this is cute, charming and nothing too deep or particularly well-written. It’s a great palate-cleanser between meatier reads, however, so it does the trick. 3.5 stars.
Book #94:
We Used to Live Here by Marcus Kliewer (Length: 320 pages). WHOA. This mystery/thriller is very creepy and unsettling, and downright scary in parts. The premise is a woman answers her door, and a family is standing there. The father talks their way inside, saying he just wants to show his family his former childhood home, and things go downhill from there. There is a bit of an unreliable narrator here (which isn’t my favorite trope) but I enjoyed this novel, overall. There a few “articles” that appear every few chapters which provide some needed background (not sure how these would play out in an audio version, however). There are a few surprise twists, and I definitely found it to be scary. Don’t read this one if you’re home alone at night! 4 stars for this fun read!
Book #95:
The Island of Sea Women by Lisa See (Length: 400 pages). This historical fiction novel is based on the lives of haenyo, the female divers who supported their families while the fathers took care of children in Korea in the early 20th century. The main historical event in this book is the horrific Bukchon Massacre which occurred on 4/3/49 where up to 80K Koreans were killed. The sections on diving are absolutely fascinating, and the female friendship at the center is fully drawn. This is dark, sad and very well-written. 4 stars from me.
Book #96:
Winter Street by Elin Hilderbrand (Length: 272 pages). I’m a bit burned out on Hilderbrand but I’ve heard this series is her best, and I like that it’s set in the wintertime on Nantucket Island. This is the first in the series and it centers on the Quinn family. The book starts with a bunch of drama right off the bat, with wife #2 leaving the family patriarch, Kelley, and each of Kelley’s adult children (and wife #1) all have their own issues going on. But nothing is super serious, and Hilderbrand’s writing style is top-notch here: smooth, well-written, propulsive plot and fun character interactions. Because it’s the first in a series it does end on a bit of a cliffhanger, but I’m not sure I’ll keep reading any further. 3.5 stars from me.
Book #97:
The Deaf GIrl by Abigail Heringer (Length: 240). This is a memoir written by the first deaf contestant on the Bachelor show, with a cochlear implant. I have a loved one who has recently started wearing such an implant, so I picked this one up with the intention to learn a bit more about the realities of hearing-impaired and deaf people’s lives who choose this device. To that end, this book is worth reading. The writing is (understandably) juvenile given it’s not the author’s job, but I learned quite a bit and would absolutely recommend if you, like me, want a firsthand account of how this device can impact one’s hearing and life.
Lora Terrill 