👶👶👶👶👶: The New Menopause: Navigating Your Path Through Hormonal Change with Purpose, Power, and Facts, by Maty Claire Haver, MD

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I have been a big fan of Dr. Mary Claire since my dear book club friend began following the Galveston Diet program. I appreciated the common sense approach to her proposed lifestyle changes and her focus on the reduction of inflammation, so I followed suit. Fast forward two years, and yes, ladies and gents, my body has had a mind of its own lately. Looks like perimenopause is on the horizon, and I certainly 

do not want to be caught unawares. So, when I was given the opportunity to read this wise woman's upcoming release, I was all over it! Plus, she's an ObGyn here in the Houston area, so that makes it all the more accessible!

This book is CHOCK-FULL of important information to navigate the inevitable changes in our bodies as we age. Dr. Haver is clear and concise, with patience and womanly intuition that makes all the difference in a female doctor.

I love how the book is split into 2 parts: Part One is The Story of Menopausal Medicine, explaining its history (or lack thereof) and the current trend to normalize this shift and make it comfortable for us women folk. Part Two goes into the specific symptoms that come along with this shift in hormones and the best strategies to deal with each concern. Each section is detailed and gives readers a precise plan of action to navigate some of the discomforts of this huge transition.

Dr. Haver is a visionary in the field of obstetrics and gynecology, and she is forging a new path for women of a certain age to be able to have more control and direction in their choices as it relates to their own body's shift. Her commitment to putting the power in our hands is refreshing, and I highly recommend this book to women, their friends, and family members.

As the good doctor says, "𝑴𝒆𝒏𝒐𝒑𝒂𝒖𝒔𝒆 𝒊𝒔 𝒊𝒏𝒆𝒗𝒊𝒕𝒂𝒃𝒍𝒆; 𝒔𝒖𝒇𝒇𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒊𝒔 𝒏𝒐𝒕."

WE'VE GOT THIS, THANKS TO DR. MARY CLAIRE HAVER!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House for this gifted review copy.

Read 5/1/24

👶👶👶👶: Firekeeper’s Daughter, by Angeline Boulley

This was a touching YA novel that really struck a chord with me. I connected with Daunis' pride of her heritage and was really rooting for her throughout the entirety of the novel. As a mixed-race teen, she never felt quite like she fit in, and I can empathize with that as an American daughter of immigrants. I appreciated her will to strengthen her Ojibwe ties despite never feeling fully accepted as such. The author spoke to the difficulties in native cultures to fit into modern society while maintaining strong roots to their own culture.

All of this depth was combined with a quick dive into Native American history and tradition. To boot, a murder mystery is thrown in that really quickened the pace of the whole story, but also spoke to the reality of the drug problem within the community.

Overall, it was a sobering account of the reality so many are faced with, and the author is able to tackle many topics such as race relations, sexual assault, and drug addiction. I will admit that I was disappointed that Daunis ultimately became a victim - honestly it made me quite angry, as I felt it wasn't necessary to move the story along, but the rest of it was so good, I was able to let that go🤷🏻‍♀️. Also, I suppose it's a sad reality, too, and an important reminder during this Sexual Assault Awareness Month😢.

Read 12/5/23

👶👶👶: The Keeper of Lost Things, by Ruth Hogan

A throwback to November book club last year! Sheesh, if I could just keep up with my reviews🙈!

This was a charming little novel. Anthony, a guilt-ridden elderly man mourning the loss of his wife, was a collector of lost items. Laura, a divorcée, was looking for a fresh start while working in Anthony's home as his assistant. Her unlikely inheritance after his death leads readers on a unique journey filled with several serendipitous events along the way.

If I'm honest, the plot felt a wee bit contrived, the outcome was quite predictable, and the addition of the ghost gave it an element of silliness. However, it was a super sweet mini mystery and an easy read. I'd recommend it as a good palate cleanser after a more intense novel, and it kept me entertained from the beginning!

Read 11/8/23

👶👶👶: For Girls Who Walk Through Fire, by Kim DeRose

Many thanks to Union Square & Co. for sharing this unexpectedly sobering young adult novel. This gifted novel, along with a couple of others, came as surprise book mail, and although it was a book I wouldn't normally choose, I was captivated from the start.

The story follows Elliott, a teenage victim of sexual assault, who comes upon a spell book that once belonged to her departed mother. After recruiting fellow victims from her support group to join her coven and cast spells on their perpetrators, she is ultimately surprised to learn what her true heart's desire is. 

Having known absolutely nothing about witches and how covens work, I was a bit apprehensive about the content, but ultimately, the message was one of redemption and hope. Kim DeRose did an excellent job expressing the wide range of emotion that sexual assault victims undergo. The novel was all at once disheartening and empowering.

⚠️Trigger warnings: sexual assault, death of a parent

Read 4/18/24

👶👶👶👶: The Wartime Book Club, by Kate Thompson

Just when you think everything has been written about WWII and the Nazi Occupation, along comes Kate Thompson, who not only introduces her readers to a unique story, but also a completely new corner of the world that was affected by the tragedy that was WWII.

I'm almost embarrassed to admit this, but I truly knew nothing about Jersey, one of the self-governing Channel Islands of the UK, which were the only British territories to be occupied by Germany in WWII. I actually had to look it up while reading, as it became abundantly clear that the author was not referring to a state in the US. Don't judge me🙈.

But I digress... this novel was so smartly written; I absolutely love how banned books were featured at the beginning of each chapter. If you're unaware, I am a huge opponent of book banning, specifically because I have learned so much from WWII history and how this became a purposeful method of controlling the population. This novel delves into the concept of books as both a source of wisdom and refuge, and highlights the strength of the human spirit.

I quickly fell in love with the protagonists, Bea and Grace, for both their unending courage, as well as their devotion to the community. I always love a story told from dual perspectives, and this one was brilliantly written. The side characters were also integral to the story and very well fleshed out.

What was uniquely fascinating was the author's note. As this novel was based on true events, it was inspiring to learn the level of commitment Ms. Thompson had to her subject. It is evident that she truly did her homework prior to writing this story.

Many thanks to partners, Forever Pub and Netgalley for this gifted novel! What a treasure!

Read 4/16/24

👶👶👶👶👶: The Outlaw Noble Salt, by Amy Harmon

You'd best hop on the fastest train and grab yourself a copy of this magnificently-rendered novel.

Only Amy Harmon can make her readers swoon over a character such as Butch Cassidy! She imagined his character in such a redeemable way that I was actually crying over a man I never thought was remotely worthy of empathy. She has perfectly melded the historical story of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid with the golden Amy Harmon touch. And let me tell you, there ain't nothing like Amy Harmon's storytelling!

She is remarkably adept at researching historical figures, then making them so real, so palpable, it's as if you've lived right alongside them. There have been very few books of Amy's that have not made me cry and feel depth of emotion that knocks me off my feet. And no one can tackle historical fiction like this amazing author!

I'm such a sucker for Wild West stories, and learning more about the infamous Butch Cassidy was just the icing on the cake. Now make him a redemptive outlaw that speaks in hokku, and is going "soft" for a sweet famous singer, and I'm all in!

I am ever so grateful to Amy Harmon and Lake Union Authors for this gifted review copy. What a joy to add this gem to my Amy Harmon collection!

Read 4/9/24

👶👶👶👶: Beyond That, the Sea, by Laura Spence-Ash

This was such a fantastic read, y'all. I rooted for Bea from beginning to end as her life was uprooted time and again, I felt Millie's pain in having to make such a difficult decision, and I reveled in Nancy's joy as she welcomed a daughter into her life. This was a story about the ramifications of impossible choices, the love that grows from improbable situations, and the ties that bind throughout a lifetime. I was so impressed by Bea's resolute attitude throughout, and her story was both heartbreaking and hopeful. Kudos to Laura Spence-Ash on this extra special novel!

So grateful to Celadon Books for this gem!

Read 6/24/23

👶👶👶👶: The Trouble with You, by Ellen Feldman

As you all know, I'm a sucker for historical fiction, so I was grateful when partner, St. Martin's Press, sent me this one-of-a-kind, gifted WWII novel - thank you so much!

This particular story follows Fanny Fabricant during the period of the Red Scare and McCarthyism just after WWII. I've always wanted to know more about this time period, and of course, after having read this novel, down the rabbit hole I went!

This was a unique representation of a woman who was unable to follow societal conventions due to unforseen circumstances, but also learned first-hand how misinformation and fear mongering can break apart a people. Ellen Feldman shared a singular story that represented the many women whose lives took a different turn after WWII and had to manage their lives during a time when many innocent people were targets.

I recommend you read this one if you appreciate WWII historical fiction with a strong female protagonist and a unique storyline!

Read 2/21/24

👶👶👶👶: All My Rage, by Sabaa Tahir

I truly adore a good YA novel every now and again, and this one was right up my alley since it dealt with immigrants to the US and their children. As I've grown older, I've realized what a unique perspective I have as a first-generation American. And it's stories like these that bring up those feelings of growing up and never quite feeling understood - always feeling like a bit of an outsider.

Misbah reminded me so much of my mom, coming to the US, barely knowing the language, and yet working so hard to make a life for herself and her family with my Dad supporting her every step of the way. I saw myself in Noor, focused on getting to college to be able to start her own life and yet feeling the guilt of leaving. And Salahudin was so much like my brother, who always did right by my parents and made sure his decisions took into account their feelings - he always just "got it".

Sabaa Tahir has crafted an incredibly relatable YA novel with complex characters and multidimensional issues that have readers pondering what they would do in the same situation. I was invested from the beginning and was so impressed by the depth and substance that Tahir brought to the table. This is not your average YA novel, but instead a timely, heartfelt story of making your way in a place where "home" may not always be the sanctuary it should be.

Many thanks to partners, BookSparks and Razorbill Books for this gifted review copy.

Read 6/11/23

👶👶👶👶: After Annie, by Anna Quindlen

I was so grateful when Random House reached asking if I had interest in Anna Quindlen's newest novel, After Annie. Many years ago, I read Quindlen's Every Last One, and I STILL see the events of that novel unfolding in my mind's eye. She just has the ability to bring her work to life - the tragedy, the resilience, the forever-altered lives that follow.

This story follows the same pattern and yet is completely unique. The author captures the human spirit in a way that makes the reader contemplate their own life. As in her previous novel, Ms. Quindlen's writing is simple, yet profound.

It's so sad to witness a mother's life come to a tragic end, and even more sad to watch events unfold as her closest family members and friends handle her loss. However, Quindlen manages to tie in a message of hope and redemption, through beautifully-rendered characters and truly impactful situations, ultimately leaving the reader inspired.

Many thanks to partners, Random House and NetGalley for this gifted review copy!

Read 3/12/24

👶👶👶👶: Listen for the Lie, by Amy Tintera

What a wild ride! Amy Tintera absolutely killed it in this uniquely humorous murder mystery. EVERY ONE of our book club members loved it, NONE of us guessed whodunit (we guessed everyone BUT the culprit), and the twists were unforeseen by ALL! But the thing that most speaks to Ms. Tintera's talent is the fact that several of us aren't really true murder mystery fans, and I personally don't enjoy reading stories where the characters engage in infidelity or casual sex. Despite this novel checking off each of those boxes, somehow, with the interjected humor, it just worked and was a truly entertaining novel!

We were big fans of the podcast host, Ben and the protagonist, Lucy, but Grandma was surely the crowd fave! We also loved discussing the characterization of each of the other individuals; Amy Tintera really fleshed out each one vividly. The discussion was so animated, and we highly recommend this novel for other book clubs!

Oh, Celadon Books and NetGalley, I just can't thank you enough for this fun surprise for my book club! The timing worked out perfectly for our weekend getaway, and we had great fun chatting it up after we read it!

Read 2/29/24

👶👶👶👶: I Am Malala: The Story of the Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban, by Malala Yousafzai

Although we have our own issues here in the US, wow, are we blessed to live in a country where women are not subjugated in such a manner that we are unable to express ourselves and have our own dreams. Kudos to Malala's father for being a good man and a forward thinker, and allowing his daughter to realize her self-worth and power. In a country where he is considered the ultimate head of household, it was key that he allowed this precious girl to grow up feeling valuable. What a contribution to society she made, not only locally, but worldwide. This memoir was a testament to good parenting and the strength women can harness when given freedom to spread their wings and fly.

Read 11/17/23

👶👶👶: Take My Hand, by Dolen Perkins-Valdez

What a story! This historical fiction story was reminiscent of the history I learned from The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks. This story, based on actual historical events, highlights the sad truth in the not-so-distant past, where medical procedures have been done on underprivileged and misrepresented community members without their full understanding or informed consent. These defenseless, helpless patients are subject to loathsome, beyond reprehensible misconduct from misguided individuals in the medical community.

I was taken aback by the lack of ethics that the clinic's white director had in the story - moreover, it shocked me that somehow she felt justified in her actions. This truly underscores the sad truth that has plagued black impoverished populations in our nation. The very people trusted to help are often the ones misleading.

I had no idea this had taken in place in America's heartland. And the more I researched after reading this novel, the more I recognized that this was not an isolated incident. This, and similar situations have taken place in numerous places around the nation - it is not only astonishing, but absolutely appalling.

Some parts of the story were a bit cringe-worthy, as far as the lack of boundaries Civil had. There was a fair amount of inappropriate behavior exhibited by her as she crossed the professional line with both her clients and their father a few too many times..

However, kudos to the author for bringing this injustice to light and allowing us to learn from our tragic history.

Read 11/22/23

👶👶👶👶👶: How to Stand Up to a Dictator, by Maria Ressa

"𝑾𝒆 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒃𝒆𝒆𝒏 𝒍𝒂𝒖𝒈𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒂𝒕 𝒎𝒆𝒎𝒆𝒔 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒇𝒐𝒓𝒈𝒆𝒕𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒉𝒊𝒔𝒕𝒐𝒓𝒚. 𝑬𝒗𝒆𝒏 𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒃𝒊𝒐𝒍𝒐𝒈𝒚, 𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒃𝒓𝒂𝒊𝒏𝒔 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒕𝒔, 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒃𝒆𝒆𝒏 𝒔𝒚𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒎𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒄𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒚 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒊𝒏𝒔𝒊𝒅𝒊𝒐𝒖𝒔𝒍𝒚 𝒂𝒕𝒕𝒂𝒄𝒌𝒆𝒅 𝒃𝒚 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒕𝒆𝒄𝒉𝒏𝒐𝒍𝒐𝒈𝒚 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒅𝒆𝒍𝒊𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒔 𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒏𝒆𝒘𝒔 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒑𝒓𝒊𝒐𝒓𝒊𝒕𝒊𝒛𝒆𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒅𝒊𝒔𝒕𝒓𝒊𝒃𝒖𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒐𝒇 𝒍𝒊𝒆𝒔 𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒇𝒂𝒄𝒕𝒔, 𝒃𝒚 𝒅𝒆𝒔𝒊𝒈𝒏."

Wow. This book.

"𝑭𝒓𝒆𝒆𝒅𝒐𝒎 𝒐𝒇 𝒔𝒑𝒆𝒆𝒄𝒉 𝒅𝒐𝒆𝒔 𝒏𝒐𝒕 𝒎𝒆𝒂𝒏 𝒍𝒊𝒄𝒆𝒏𝒔𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝒔𝒎𝒆𝒂𝒓 𝒓𝒆𝒑𝒖𝒕𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒓𝒖𝒊𝒏 𝒄𝒓𝒆𝒅𝒊𝒃𝒊𝒍𝒊𝒕𝒚. 𝑭𝒓𝒆𝒆𝒅𝒐𝒎 𝒐𝒇 𝒔𝒑𝒆𝒆𝒄𝒉 𝒊𝒔 𝒂 𝒓𝒆𝒄𝒐𝒈𝒏𝒊𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒓𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕 𝒐𝒇 𝒂𝒏𝒚𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝒔𝒑𝒆𝒂𝒌 𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒐𝒓 𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒎𝒊𝒏𝒅 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒆𝒙𝒑𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒔 𝒂 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒕𝒓𝒂𝒓𝒚 𝒗𝒊𝒆𝒘 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒕 𝒃𝒆𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒐𝒃𝒋𝒆𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒂𝒃𝒍𝒆."

If your democracy is important to you, if you think you know everything there is to know about our current political state, and if you can remain open-minded enough to take in this important information, pick up this book NOW. This is a cautionary tale from someone who has lived through the worst, first-hand. There is just so much to learn from this nobel peace prize-winning journalist, Maria Ressa.

"𝑬𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒚𝒘𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝒊𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒍𝒅, 𝒔𝒐𝒄𝒊𝒆𝒕𝒊𝒆𝒔 𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒃𝒆𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒇𝒆𝒅 𝒂 𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒂𝒅𝒚 𝒅𝒊𝒆𝒕 𝒐𝒇 𝒐𝒏𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒆 𝒗𝒊𝒐𝒍𝒆𝒏𝒄𝒆, 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒏𝒔 𝒊𝒏𝒕𝒐 𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒍-𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒍𝒅 𝒗𝒊𝒐𝒍𝒆𝒏𝒄𝒆. 𝑽𝒆𝒓𝒔𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒔 𝒐𝒇 𝒘𝒉𝒊𝒕𝒆 𝒓𝒆𝒑𝒍𝒂𝒄𝒆𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒐𝒓𝒚 𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒔𝒑𝒂𝒓𝒌𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒎𝒂𝒔𝒔 𝒔𝒉𝒐𝒐𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒔 𝒇𝒓𝒐𝒎 𝑵𝒐𝒓𝒘𝒂𝒚 𝒕𝒐 𝑵𝒆𝒘 𝒁𝒆𝒂𝒍𝒂𝒏𝒅, 𝒕𝒐 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑼𝒏𝒊𝒕𝒆𝒅 𝑺𝒕𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒔, 𝒑𝒐𝒘𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒓𝒊𝒔𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝒖𝒔 𝒂𝒈𝒂𝒊𝒏𝒔𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒎, 𝒐𝒓, 𝒊𝒏 𝒂 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒅, 𝒇𝒂𝒔𝒄𝒊𝒔𝒎. 𝑻𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒊𝒔 𝒂𝒏𝒈𝒆𝒓 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒉𝒂𝒕𝒓𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒄𝒐𝒂𝒍𝒆𝒔𝒄𝒆 𝒊𝒏𝒕𝒐 𝒐𝒖𝒕𝒓𝒂𝒈𝒆, 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒏 𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒏𝒔 𝒊𝒏𝒕𝒐 𝒎𝒐𝒃 𝒓𝒖𝒍𝒆."

Read 12/27/23

👶👶👶: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, Suzanne Collins

Talk about a throwback! This series really rebooted the Dystopian genre as we know it today. We had the classics like 1984, Brave New World Fahrenheit 451, The Handmaid's Tale, and The Giver, but nothing had really enticed readers like those for at least 15 years... that is until Ms. Suzanne Collins came along and shook things up with her YA phenomena!

I remember shirking all my responsibilities to read the first three in the series and was absolutely taken with it. Then, to our surprise, Ms. Collins thought to revive the series 10 years later with the fourth installment. And it took me 3 years to pick it up🙈! But when I learned the movie was coming out, I had to read it so I could watch it with my hubby and adult kiddos during Thanksgiving break!

This one was good, but it didn't quite hit like the others for me. The author takes us on a journey into President Snow's psyche as a child and young adult. I think the frustration came with initially rooting for him because I recognized the "why" of his severe personality, but then being let down so quickly by his ultimate decisions. The novel delved deep into nature vs. nurture, thanks to the introduction of some new characters, specifically, Dr. Gaul (Head Gamemaker at the time) and Sejanus Plinth (classmate and fellow mentor). This installment was certainly a dive into complex social and moral dilemmas. And although it wasn't a 5-star for me like the others, it was still quite intriguing!

Read: 12/9/23

👶: Red, White & Royal Blue, by Caset McQuiston

I truly love reading all genres, this just wasn't my bailiwick. I very rarely DNF books, but I just had to call it quits with this one after reading 2/3 of it. And it's not for the reason you may think, so don't @ me! It had absolutely nothing to do with who was in the relationship at all. It was the salacious manner in which the book was written in general. Once they discovered they liked each other, every other scene was an open-door sex scene, and I'm just not into that, no matter who is involved. There was little focus on plot development and too much focus on open-door spice. Close the damn door🙈! On top of that, every other word was F or F-ing when discussing the deed, and I'm just not there. I know plenty of others loved it, so if open-door spice with a litany of obscenities is your thing, more power to you! Call me old school, call me a prude, but thank you, next.

Read 11/15/23

👶👶👶: Children of the Catastrophe, by Sarah Shoemaker

This was a really unique novel. It read like a family drama and then morphed into this massive tragedy. I appreciated the history, since I knew very little about the massacre of the Greeks and Armenians after WWI.

What struck me about this book is what a solid 180° it took, perhaps to drive home the point that everything is fine until it isn't when it comes to rising political tensions. There was so little redemption at the end that it left me completely bereft. I suppose that speaks to the great job that the author did with character development. But, I'll be honest, I really struggled with it. I think because this book toggled between historical fiction and family drama, the massive tragedy at the end seemed to come out of left field.

Thank you kindly, partners, TLC Books and Harper Perennial for this gifted review copy!

        

Read 11/15/23

👶👶: Atonement, by Ian McEwan

So Mr. McEwan's prose is beautiful, no doubt. He writes in an almost melodic manner. However, at the same time, his writing is incongruent - often jumping from one scenario to another without solid transitions. Also, in both of his works I've read, he's managed to throw in a shocker or two just to throw his readers for a loop. So, I can see why he is such a notorious author; his work sticks with his readers. The couple allusions to incest definitely turned me off, and I never formed any kind of bond with the characters. So, suffice to say, although he's not my favorite author, I can understand his lure!

Read 11/3/23

👶👶👶👶: Dreamland Burning, Jennifer Latham

Even though this was a YA novel, it was incredibly well written and very informative. This is one of those books that spurred me to research and learn more about the Tulsa Race Riots that I knew so little about. The fact that 8,000+ black people lost everything they owned to these fires, nearly 6,000 were forcefully detained for over a week, and around 300 were murdered, is just unfathomable. No white perpetrators were ever detained or even faced charges despite it being one of the deadliest race riots in our history. Just to put this into perspective, there were 35 deaths in the Hindenburg tragedy, which occurred 16 years later and was covered in great detail in history books. I am in no way minimizing that tragedy, but that not even one sentence was written on the Tulsa Race Riots even with 9 times the deaths is shocking to me.

What was most significant about this novel was experiencing the parallels between Rowan and Will, separated by over 100 years, but both needing to set aside their own privilege and inbred bigotry to end oppression in their own community. It sent a powerful message, indeed.

Read 10/18/23

👶👶👶: The Guest List, by Lucy Foley

I honestly can't even remember what spurred me to read this novel, as I generally don't gravitate toward murder mysteries, but I guess I was intrigued!

This novel was told in varying timelines, from multiple POVs. This method of storytelling inevitably leads to a feeling of chaos, seemingly by design, as the reader attempts to uncover the truth about "whodunit" from often unreliable narrators. Lots of twists and turns abound - some more predictable than others - and an overall a wild ride.

I liked it, but just didn't LOVE it, probably mostly due to my aversion to murder mysteries, not because of how it was written🤷🏻‍♀️.

Read 8/23