Lora Terrill

Thank you for joining me here!   I hope you enjoy this series and I’d love to hear from you about what you are reading these days.

Book #1:

Nothing to See Here by Kevin Wilson (Length: 277 pages).  This novel has been on my TBR for ages as I keep hearing rave reviews. Spoiler–they’re correct! About a young woman who becomes a governess of sorts for her high school former best friend’s new stepchildren who self-combust when they become emotional. Since her friend is married to a U.S. Senator, Lillian’s friend Madison is very concerned about keeping the children, Bessie and Roland, a secret because her husband is being considered for Secretary of State. This novel is funny, quirky, sad, extremely well-written and a beautiful read, overall. This is such a sweetly odd book that you will always remember, and it’s lived up to its hype, in my opinion. (Apparently the audiobook is fantastic too, but my brain can’t absorb fiction books this way unfortunately). This is a great airplane/travel/beach read.

Book #2:

When the Reckoning Comes by LaTanya McQueen (Length: 256 pages).  Set primarily on an old plantation later turned tourist attraction/wedding venue, this thriller is about the antebellum South, past and modern-day. This novel features a propulsive plot, and while the writing is decent overall, there are a few continuity issues that bugged me–for example, the main character is called on the office landline because her cellphone number is private but then her cellphone rings from someone she hasn’t heard from in over a decade, and the author refers to actions that the character in question wouldn’t be seeing because they’ve already walked away. Anyway, the supernatural element makes this novel a fun ride, and while the modern-day parts aren’t scary, the references to slavery practices are gruesome (which is on purpose because we all should be horrified). I’d recommend if you’re looking for a quick reading thriller with a context that we haven’t really seen before in this genre. Two thumbs up, overall.

Book #3:

Born Standing Up by Steve Martin (Length: 228 pages).  I’m still square in the middle of my celebrity memoir audiobook phase as they are perfect for the commute–easy to pick up wherever I left off, and if it’s good writing, I enjoy learning about the author. This one is no exception as it’s fantastic! The audiobook is read by Steve Martin, and I adore his vibe–clever, quirky, humble and kind. I appreciated all of his insights, including his first job working at Disneyland (when it first opened!), his forays into stand-up comedy, Saturday Night Live and then working in movies in Hollywood. I absolutely recommend this memoir, in audiobook if that’s your jam.

Book #4:

Cazadora by Romina Garber (Length: 416 pages). This is the sequel to the YA fantasy book Lobizona that reviewed a few weeks ago here. I think it’s even better than the first one because it’s situated solely in the fantasy realm instead of starting in the real world of Miami. It’s very similar to Harry Potter again, with an Argentinian flavor. I love the message of acceptance regardless of who we are and who we love (which is ironically the opposite of what J.K. Rowling is preaching these days). The writing is strong, the character development is top-notch, and I really hope this author is working on book 3 as we speak, as I’ll definitely be reading it. Again, this is a perfect book for 7th graders up through adults. Please let me know if you check it out!

Thank you for joining me here!   I hope you enjoy this series and I’d love to hear from you about what you are reading these days.

Book #1:

Taste by Stanley Tucci (Length: 304 pages).  I listened to this audiobook (read by the author), and it’s fantastic! It’s his memoir based around his love of food. I enjoyed his details about various movie sets and his life in London (even during the pandemic!). The audio is a bit weird when he reads the recipes at the end of each chapter out loud, but they’re great recipes so I didn’t really mind. This is an absolutely charming memoir, and a must read and/or listen!

Book #2:

The Abominable by Dan Simmons (Length: 673 pages).  This is a thriller/mystery based on one of the earliest known ascents of Mount Everest. There is some type of monster (a yeti?) that’s killed several men and Sherpas, and what actually happens is truly abominable. This is VERY detailed (over 600 pages long) and could’ve used some serious editing, but if you enjoy reading about climbing techniques and equipment (I was fascinated by felt hiking boots!) you’ll be in heaven. You can also skim a lot of those sections without losing the thread of the central mystery. There are trigger warnings needed too if you’re a parent of small children. I will absolutely read this author’s other thrill novel set in Antartica (“The Terror”) because he is a strong writer and the plot is very propulsive once he focuses on that.

Book #3:

An Elderly Lady is Up to No Good by Helene Tursten (Length: 184 pages).  This is an absolutely delightful collection of short stories translated from the original Swedish, written by a popular author of crime fiction. These stories all feature the same 88-year-old serial killer named Maud, who deals with annoyances in a very straightforward (and deadly) way. The murders aren’t gory, and it’s a lot of fun seeing the world through the eyes of this cantankerous, straightforward long-time resident of an apartment building in a city in Sweden. It’s a must read!

Book #4:

Lobizona by Romina Garber (Length: 416 pages). This is a YA fantasy that I heard about on a podcast. Geared toward 7th-12th graders, it’s also perfect for adults because I adore this book! Based on Argentinian folklore about witches and werewolves, think Harry Potter Hogwarts set in the Everglades. It touches on cultural topics such as immigration, gay rights, and in a beautiful way. Gorgeous imagery, strong writing, and a propulsive plot make this a book any fantasy-loving teen (and adult) will truly enjoy. I’ve already downloaded the sequel.

Thank you for joining me here!   I hope you enjoy this series and I’d love to hear from you about what you are reading these days.

Book #1:

Don’t You Cry by Mary Kubica (Length: 319 pages).  I’ve had this psychological thriller on my Kindle forever and finally picked it up. It’s set in Chicago and begins when a young woman wakes up and discovers her roommate Esther is missing. She begins to realize she didn’t really know her roommate that well, and things go from there. This is a pretty good thriller as they go, but none of the characters are at all likable. The writing is strong, the plot is propulsive and the central mystery is relatively easy to figure out. I won’t remember the plot (or resolution) of this in a few months, but it was a fast read that I kept wanting to pick back up, so I consider that a win.

Book #2:

Good Neighbors by Sarah Langan (Length: 301 pages).  This is a character-driven novel set in the near future (2027) in a Long Island neighborhood. A sinkhole develops in the park across the street, thanks to global warming, and a child disappears in it . . . this book is about the aftermath. This is very dark, disturbing and no character is truly worth rooting for, and I loved it. Excellent writing, and I couldn’t put it down (I read it in a single afternoon). Readers are very polarized about this book in online reviews, and I can see that you’ll either love it or hate it. But I obviously vote yes, this is absolutely worth a read (if you don’t need to care about the characters).

Book #3:

These Precious Days by Ann Patchett (Length: 331 pages).  This is a book of autobiographical essays that I listened to on audio (because it was recommended that way). The author narrates and I really enjoyed her voice, as well as the essays. If you enjoy her writing (and I do), you’ll also love this collection. She writes about her family, friendships, writing novels and operating her Parnassus Books bookstore in Nashville (which I someday hope to visit). My favorite essay(s) are the ones involving her friendship with Tom Hanks’ personal assistant Sooki. This is a don’t miss–whether you read it or listen to it.

Book #4:

The Family Next Door by Sally Hepworth (Length: 344 pages).  I am a huge Sally Hepworth fan. She’s not the most talented writer ever, but I adore following her on IG and she does know her way around a psychological thriller. My favorite of hers thus far is The Mother-in-Law (which I’ve reviewed here previously) and while this one doesn’t quite measure up to that one, it’s very well-done. It’s not as scary or as twisted as most psychological thrillers so it’s a safer bet for those who don’t enjoy getting freaked out by their literature. Set in a suburban neighborhood in Melbourne, Australia, it revolves around five households on one street, essentially. Sally does an excellent job of capturing motherhood (especially the early days) and of marriage. This is a fun, gentle read that’s not a nail-biter because the central mystery is quite easy to figure out. I did keep picking it up so I thought it was an enjoyable novel. (The Kindle version has some errors which is a bit distracting–not sure who is editing her books?).

Thank you for joining me here!   I hope you enjoy this series and I’d love to hear from you about what you are reading these days.

Book #1:

Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doerr (Length: 637 pages).  This incredible novel was my book club’s pick for the month of March. I’m OBSESSED! Comprised of five different story arcs of five people in various locations and time periods, it’s a bit difficult to follow in the beginning 100 pages or so (I cannot imagine listening to this one on audio given this). However, all five stories are tied together with a series of ancient Greek text, and these disparate characters and settings all come together at the very end to create magic. All of the characters are fully drawn, the writing quality is incredible (he IS a Pulitzer Prize winner, after all), and it’s sad AND witty. While some time periods are more interesting to me than others, I enjoyed all of them and I was sad to end this novel . . . all 600 plus pages of it.

Book #2:

The Proposal by Jasmine Guillory (Length: 335 pages).  I was in the mood for something more light-hearted after the previous novel, and this fun, well-written romantic comedy about the protagonist who is proposed to at a Dodgers game on the Jumbotron (against her wishes) fit the bill. The man who rescues her is then a part of her life going forward. She’s a journalist and he’s a pediatrician, giving them both more depth than typical romantic interests. This novel is the next in the series after The Wedding Date, which I haven’t read, but I may check it out someday. I enjoyed this novel–it’s not too angsty and has more depth than typical romances, which I appreciate.

Book #3:

A Very Punchable Face by Colin Jost (Length: 320 pages). I listened to this memoir on audio specifically because I heard it’s a fantastic listen, and that recommendation was spot on. I LOVED this book! Read by the author, Colin Jost describes his childhood (and all of its travails) as well as his stand-up comedy career, his travels and his stint co-hosting The Weekend Update on SNL. I’m not super familiar with him (other than knowing he’s married to Scarlett Johansson) but I really enjoyed this on audio. It’s LOL funny, endearing, clever, well-written and very interesting to listen to. I never got bored and it made my morning commute much more bearable. I’d definitely recommend as an audiobook.

Book #4:

The Paper Magician by Charlie N. Holmberg (Length: 234 pages). I don’t recall how this came onto my radar but I’m really glad I finally picked it up. It’s a steampunk-ish fantasy novel set in 19th century London, and features a young woman who apprentices to a paper magician. It’s similar to Harry Potter but much more gritty (and gory). The reviews of this book are very polarizing but I quite enjoyed it. The battle scenes between the excisioners (magicians who remove body parts) and the “good guys” are pretty graphic but I didn’t think they were gratuitous at all. The plot is very propulsive and I found the writing quality to be very good overall. I’ve read that the series gets progressively better so I’ll absolutely keep reading the next time I’m in the mood for a fantasy novel.

Thank you for joining me here!   I hope you enjoy this series and I’d love to hear from you about what you are reading these days.

Book #1:

Becoming Trader Joe by Joe Coulombe (Length: 332 pages).  I listened to this non-fiction book written by the founder of Trader Joe’s, my favorite grocery store. This is a fascinating memoir about how he conceived, executed and tweaked earlier incantations of the Trader Joe’s stores. I really enjoyed his conversational tone and I learned a lot about the grocery business. This book made me even more of a Trader Joe’s fan, and as an audiobook, the book really works well for the format. (There’s a fantastic podcast for fans as well, called Inside Trader Joe’s).

Book #2:

Breath by James Nestor (Length: 301 pages).  This book is seriously life-changing. This is another non-fiction book I listened to on audio, and I was fascinated from start to finish. The author shares all of the existing research on how mouth breathing (as well as shallow breathing) are some of the major causes of medical issue such as asthma, ADHD, cavities, etc. and he makes a very convincing case. He shares several concrete steps on how to increase your own nasal breathing and breathing rhythm to benefit your health, your physical fitness and your mental well-being. I’m a convert! (The audiobook is fantastic–but be aware that you may feel silly doing the various breathing exercises if you also listen to books during your daily commute 😉 ).

Book #3:

The Bookish Life of Nina Hill by Abbi Waxman (Length: 351 pages).  I LOVE this book! It’s an utterly charming romantic comedy about a woman who works in an independent bookstore and has a full, very organized life complete with a daily planner (the pages of which are shared before each chapter). She’s a bit odd, book-obsessed and is a trivia superstar. She is very likeable as a character, which is nice, and there is a found family (for real) angle that makes this a bit deeper than the average romance. The central romance isn’t overly saccharine or cheesy and I enjoyed the ins and outs of the bookstore and its various book clubs. This is a must read if you enjoy romantic comedies. I’ll be checking out more by this author for sure.