Tag: reading

May 2026–Part One:

May 11, 2026

Book #35:

Daughter of Egypt by Marie Benedict (329 pages).  I adore this author and how she always features strong females from history. I listened to this one and it was a fantastic read on audio. Here, the author focuses on two strong females from real-life: Lady Evelyn Herbert (daughter of Lord Carnarvon of Highclere Castle) who is one of the only female archaeologists in 1920s Egypt and England, and the first female pharaoh, Hatshepsut, whose reign almost 3,000 years earlier has been forgotten in history. I loved the references to Highclere Castle (as a huge Downton Abbey fan) as well as ancient Egypt. The author bounces between ancient and more modern-day history with ease; the stories are propulsive and well-told with gorgeous language and crisp dialogue. Both timelines were easy to follow on the audio version thanks to the narrator’s different voices. So well done! 5 stars for this memorable historical fiction read.

Book #36:

The Paris Wife by Paula McLain (Length: 401 pages). I’ve owned this historical fiction novel for several years and just decided to pick it up off my shelf, and I’m so glad I did. This is based on letters written between Ernest Hemingway and his first wife, Hadley. This is so well-written, and features so many esteemed writers and artists who Ernest and Hadley interacted with in 1920s Paris, such as F. Scott Fitzgerald, Picasso and Gertrude Stein. The author’s writing is so evocative of this time and place, and I felt as if I was there with the couple. I couldn’t put this down and I am so glad I finally picked up this beautiful novel. 5 stars from me.

Book #37:

The Wall of Winnepeg and Me by Mariana Zapata (Length: 475 pages).  This rom-com features a premise where Vanessa is a personal assistant to the nation’s best defensive end, and after two years of dealing with Mr Grumpy Asshole, she just quits. Aiden comes to her a few months later begging her to come back so that he can get his green card (as he’s Canadian) in case he isn’t able to stay playing in the NFL. This novel is a LONG romance full of yearning where the will-they or won’t-they of it all doesn’t resolve until the 95% mark. I do enjoy the yearning part of a romance tale, but this is about 175 pages too long, as well-written and lovely as it is. 3.5 stars from me.

Book #38:

Future Boy by Michael J Fox (Length: 161 pages). I saw this slim book on the New Releases shelf of our local library, and having attended the recent re-screening of the original Back to the Future movie with my dad and my husband at our local movie theatre, I was happy to pick this non-fiction book up. Here, Michael J Fox reminisces about how the movie came about, specifically how he replaced the existing lead actor (Eric Stoltz–who played the part of Marty McFly with zero comic relief) about 9 weeks into filming. Fox originally wasn’t asked to play the main role due to his hit TV show Family Ties, but after Stoltz’s performance wasn’t clicking the film’s producer and director begged Fox’s Family Ties producer to let Fox shoot the sitcom during the day and the movie during the night. Fox details here how this crazy schedule was implemented as well as giving the reader a true insider’s look at the film’s creation. This is well-written, and Fox is self-effacing but is clearly a fantastic comedic actor with serious acting chops. This super-quick read would make a great gift for a Back to the Future fan. 4 stars.

Book #39:

Wreck by Catherine Newman (Length: 223 pages). This is the sequel to the fabulous novel Sandwich and features the same characters Rocky and Nick and their adult children as well as Rocky’s dad, two years later. Rocky’s mom has passed away during these intervening years. Here, Rocky is dealing with the diagnosis and stress of a mystery illness which is wreaking havoc on her body as well as worrying over the death of her son’s classmate in a collision with a train. I love Catherine Newman’s writing style, her sense of humor and her very relatable musings on motherhood and marriage. Just as with Sandwich, not much happens here plot-wise, but that’s okay. I really enjoyed the ride. 5 stars from me.

April 2026–Part Two:

April 30, 2026

Book #31:

The Guncle Abroad by Steven Rowley (317 pages).  This is the sequel to The Guncle, which I loved. Set 5 years later, Maisie and Grant meet up with their uncle Patrick in Europe, for the wedding of their father to Livia, their uber-wealthy European stepmother. Their uncle takes them on a mini tour of Europe before the wedding (in Lake Como!) using 80s song lyrics to show them different “love languages” to get them used to the idea of a stepmom, 5 years after their own mom’s death. I adored the setting, the pop culture references, the author’s humor and writing style and this book holds the same fun and charm as the first. A solid 4 stars from me.

Book #32:

There Are Rivers in the Sky by Elif Shafak (Length: 465 pages). This is my book club’s May pick. It’s literary fiction with elements of magical realism and features three main characters: Arthur, a young man in 1840 London; Zayleekah, a hydrologist in 2018 modern day London, and Narin, a 10-year-old girl in Turkey when ISIS is beginning its takeover. These three character arcs are connected with various symbols such as an ancient Mesopotamia poem and hybrid animal as well as a solitary drop of water. You do have to pay attention to every detail in this novel for it to work. I felt the author is telling more than showing with the repeated symbolism and the topics are depressing here. I may not have been in the right headspace to read this however, as the majority of reviewers seem to love this book. It’s not my favorite. 3 stars (for quality writing).

Book #33:

The Q by Beth Brower(Length: 612 pages).  While I’m anxiously awaiting this author’s next books in the Emma M. Lion series, I picked up this one, a self-published FUN story about Quincy St Claire, a 19-year-old genius running the “Q” in 1850s Rhysdon, outside London. The “Q” is a gossip style daily insert for major papers where society and others post questions. Quincy was rescued as an orphan by her Uncle (the original owner of the Q) and Quincy from the age of 9 is able to figure out the printing presses, marketing, typesetting and how to grow the business. Quincy is a quirky character (a clear forerunner to her later Emma M Lion character) and I adored her. The plot is a big laggy in the middle (and the book is just too long), but I couldn’t put it down. My issue with this book is it’s obviously self-published and is riddled with several errors (whose vs who’s, etc) and could have used a much more thorough editing. 4.5 stars (deducting .5 for the errors, which grew too distracting as the novel goes on).

Book #34:

The Better Mother by Jennifer Van Der Kleut (Length: 326 pages). This is an insane thriller that is fantastic on audio. Savannah Mitchell has a two-night stand, gets pregnant and the father of the baby gets back together with his ex. But his ex is willing to help raise the baby with him, and Savannah is cautious but excited to have co-parents. This is a WILD ride as hijinks ensue. This is well-told, in the vein of Freida McFadden, but better written. A lot of fun with plot holes you can drive a truck through. 4 fun stars from me!

February 2026–Part Two:

March 1, 2026

Book #15:

Magpie Murders by Anthony Horowitz (501 pages).  I’ve seen this murder mystery on the tops of so many best of lists so I was excited to finally get into it. A book within a book concept that is expertly executed here. A 1955 murder mystery series starring Attitcus Pund is the series at the heart of the novel where the present-day editor of the series, Susan Ryeland, is dealing with the series’ author’s death as well as the missing end of his last book of the series. Both mysteries in this fantastic novel are cleverly-constructed (a true two-fer!), both are well-written and are a lot of fun! I give this a resounding five stars!

Book #16:

Carl’s Doomsday Scenario by Matt Dinniman (Length: 386 pages). This is the second installment in a series of 8 books, and here, Carl and his ex-girlfriend’s cat Princess Donut are still fighting monsters in a video-game like reality TV dungeon, post-alien invasion of Earth. They are now on the 3rd floor below Earth and are encountering some crazy scenarios such as an old circus with killer clowns and skeleton lemurs. There are still lots of LOL lines, a lot of heart and found family moments. There’s not a lot of new here, but it’s a great escapist read that made me laugh when I really needed it. I’m not sure I’ll continuing reading on unless I’m able to listen to this on audio. (One of my staff members recommends audio as the way to go here as they’re fantastic). 4.5 stars.

Book #17:

Spoiler Alert by Olivia Dade (Length: 419 pages).  I have had this title on my TBR for a while as it’s mentioned on quite a few backlist rom-com gems. I loved this read! April, a plus-size geologist who has a secret cosplay/fan fic writer life outside of work meets Marcus, the star/resident heart throb of the biggest TV show ever (and for which April has been writing fan fic). Marcus has some secrets of his own and I really enjoyed the pair’s chemistry as well as the author’s writing. Very well done!

Book #18:

Shady Hollow by Juneau Black (Length: 227 pages). This is Book 1 of 6 in the Shady Hollow Mysteries series, and is a cozy mystery with all of the typical cozy mystery components: cute village setting with coffee shop, no gore or violence on the page, lower stakes in the murders. The exception here is that all of the characters are woodland creatures. So Joe the moose owns the village coffee shop, Vera Vixen is a fox who is a journalist and is sniffing out who committed the murder, and the Beaverpelt family owns the sawmill which is the village’s main industry. I didn’t find the writing or the mystery to read as juvenile, and the central mystery is well-constructed for what it is. However, I’m not sure I’ll keep reading further in the series as cozy mysteries aren’t my favorite genre. If you enjoy cozy mysteries, give this one a shot! 4 stars from me.

February 2026–Part One:

February 14, 2026

Book #10:

A Killing Cold by Kate Alice Marshall (294 pages).  I hesitate to read thrillers sometimes because often you have to suspend your disbelief A LOT and that’s the case here, but it’s still a worthwhile read if you’re in the mood for escapist fiction. This novel is set in a snowy estate high on a mountain. Theo joins her new fiance Connor at his billionaire family’s compound for Christmas. She starts to recognize a few things about this place, and as pieces of the puzzle slowly start to come together for Theo, the tension ratches up. The author’s writing is solid here as she deftly increases the reader’s sense of dread by constructing a cold, isolated and dark environment that doesn’t relieve Theo’s increasing suspicions that things will not end well for her. Again, you will have to suspend your disbelief over one HUGE coincidence but if you are able to do that, it’s a fun ride overall. 4 stars from me.

Book #11:

Hench by Natalie Zina Walschots (Length: 447 pages). I listened to this and it’s the PERFECT novel to listen to as it’s so much fun. Anna is a data science wonk whose spreadsheets are a dream, and she works for a temp agency where she supports villains. Villains need office workers too. Anna’s talents are recognized by one villain in particular, and she starts to expand her talents in clever and gory ways. There are laugh out loud lines here, and the details (such as the bodyguards being called the “Meat”) make this such a fun time. This is such a unique premise that’s executed masterfully. Anna’s voice is so well-crafted here, and I was excited to keep listening each time I had the opportunity to. The sequel is out this year and I will absolutely be grabbing this one. 5 stars. Obviously.

Book #12:

Blood Over Bright Haven by M.L. Wang (Length: 422 pages).  I was in the mood for fantasy/sci fi and picked up this dark academia novel set in a domed city of Tiran. Outside the dome, the Blight is slowly destroying all of the plants, animals and remaining tribes of people. Inside, the city is fueled by magic, with magicians generating spells to extract power from the OtherRealm to spark electricity to run all of the city’s functions. Sciona Freyman is the first female high mage (magician) and is tasked with finding a spell to expand the dome. There is fantastic world-building here (but it’s not too complicated), the character development is beautifully drawn, and the plot is well-constructed. The premise is unique as well, which will make this one stand out in my memory of this novel. 5 solid stars from me!

Book #13:

I Was Anastasia by Ariel Lawhon (Length: 344 pages). This is a historical fiction novel about Anna Anderson, a young woman in 1920s Europe who claimed to be Anastasia Romanov, who was believed to be executed along with her entire royal family in 1918 Russia. This is well-written and is a fascinating story about true events. The author does an excellent job of weaving in historical facts while still making the plot propulsive, resulting in a strong historical fiction novel. There are clues sprinkled throughout as to the what the truth is but these are only there if you are looking for them; if the reader prefers to be surprised by the ending, that can happen here as well. I am deducting a half star for its organization. The author mentions in the Author’s Note that she styled the diminishing present to past narrative style a la the movie Memento. This was a bit confusing and frustrating at times. 4.5 stars from me.

Book #14:

Heart the Lover by Lily King (188 pages).  I adore this author and I really enjoyed Writers & Lovers (which I reviewed in November of last year). This slim novel is not considered to be a sequel but there is a tie of sorts to her previous work. In this novel, Jordan is in college with two male best friends: Sam and Yash. She dates one and is good friends with the other, and then the novel flashes forward to Jordan married with two young kids. The majority of this novel is about Jordan’s relationship with one of the two best friends. This is SO well-written, is mostly character driven given not much happens. I truly love the narrator’s voice here as it’s so authentic and real. 5 stars!

January 2026–Part Two:

February 1, 2026

Book #5:

One Yellow Eye by Leigh Radford (352 pages).  I learned about this science fiction novel from the Currently Reading podcast. (If you’re not already listening this amazing podcast, you need to start!) This is a horror/sci-fi novel about a zombie apocalypse that is geographically limited to London. Kesta is a scientist/histologist whose husband was one of the infected earlier in the apocalypse, so Kesta has a vested interest in finding a cure. This is very well-written, the plot is obviously propulsive (ie, will Kesta find a cure in time to save her husband?) and is a very stressful read. This novel was a bit slow to start for me, but I’m glad I hung in there as the rest of the ride was a lot of fun. 4 stars from me.

Book #6:

If We Were Villains by M.L. Rio (Length: 370 pages). My daughter, who is a big fan of Shakespeare, loves this novel and urged me to pick it up. This is a coming-of-age mystery novel set in a small liberal arts private college and features seven Shakespearean actors in their senior year. Something dramatic happens to one of them and the majority of the novel deals with the aftermath of one violent act. This is told partially in flashbacks, is really beautifully written with a LOT of Shakespeare references. It’s been over 30 years since I studied Shakespeare in college so some of these went over my head, but I did appreciate this literary fiction angle, as it stands out from the run of the mill mysteries I typically read. This darkly atmospheric novel is memorable, and while none of the characters are likeable, their interactions with one another and their journeys through this traumatic act are fascinating and I’m glad I read it. 4.5 stars from me.

Book #7:

These Summer Storms by Sarah MacLean (Length: 385pages).  I really enjoyed this women’s fiction/mystery novel! I do wish I had read it in the summer as it’s a quintessential summer read. Featuring the uber-wealthy and very dysfunctional Storm family, this is like the TV series Succession with an Elin Hilderbrand atmospheric island romance mixed in. The protagonist is Alice Storm, the black sheep returning home to Storm Island after her father dies. Post-death, there’s one last family game to “win” their inheritance, which is how the family patriarch liked to run the family. This had entirely more depth than I expected, with a sidebar romance that is well-drawn with believable chemistry. I enjoyed every minute of this fun book and couldn’t wait to pick it up each time. 5 stars from me.

Book #8:

The Ghostwriter by Julie Clark (Length: 359 pages). I really enjoyed this author’s previous mystery (The Last Flight–reviewed here) so I was excited to pick up this suspense thriller. The protagonist, Olivia Dumont, is hired to ghostwrite her estranged father’s memoir as he’s dying of dementia. He tells her he will finally reveal what really happened when his brother and sister were murdered in the 1970s. This plot is so well-constructed and very propulsive, the writing quality is strong and there are a few twists that really make this one stand out from the pack. The author’s ability to put the reader into another era is pretty masterful here and makes for an unforgettable read, which is difficult to achieve in this packed genre space. 5 solid stars from me.

Book #9:

Version 1.0.0

The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake by Aimee Bender (306 pages).  I have had this backlist title on my shelves for YEARS, and in the spirit of clearing out my bookshelves this year (one of my New Year’s resolutions), I finally picked it up. This is magical realism, so if you’re not willing to suspend your disbelief and go along with the ride, you will NOT enjoy this book. I knew this going in and I was able to appreciate this novel for what the author was going for. This is about a young girl, Rose Edelstein, who realizes at a young age that she can taste the emotions of the people who grow, harvest and cook the food she eats. Her brother Joseph also has an odd gift (revealed much later in the book) that causes him a similar stress. This novel features strange characters, many family secrets and strong and lyrical writing. I ultimately enjoyed reading this and it’s absolutely memorable. I see it referenced here and there and I’m glad I can finally be a part of this novel’s audience. 4 stars from me.