πŸ‘ΆπŸ‘ΆπŸ‘ΆπŸ‘Ά: Beyond That, the Sea, by Laura Spence-Ash

Beyond That, the Sea
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

πŸ‘ΆπŸ‘ΆπŸ‘ΆπŸ‘Ά: The Trouble with You, by Ellen Feldman

The Trouble with You
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

πŸ‘ΆπŸ‘ΆπŸ‘ΆπŸ‘Ά: All My Rage, by Sabaa Tahir

All My Rage
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

πŸ‘ΆπŸ‘ΆπŸ‘ΆπŸ‘Ά: After Annie, by Anna Quindlen

After Annie

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

πŸ‘ΆπŸ‘ΆπŸ‘ΆπŸ‘Ά: Listen for the Lie, by Amy Tintera

Listen for the Lie
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

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

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


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

πŸ‘ΆπŸ‘ΆπŸ‘Ά: Take My Hand, by Dolen Perkins-Valdez

Take My Hand
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

πŸ‘ΆπŸ‘ΆπŸ‘ΆπŸ‘ΆπŸ‘Ά: How to Stand Up to a Dictator, by Maria Ressa

How to Stand Up to a Dictator
"𝑾𝒆 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒃𝒆𝒆𝒏 π’π’‚π’–π’ˆπ’‰π’Šπ’π’ˆ 𝒂𝒕 π’Žπ’†π’Žπ’†π’” 𝒂𝒏𝒅 π’‡π’π’“π’ˆπ’†π’•π’•π’Šπ’π’ˆ 𝒐𝒖𝒓 π’‰π’Šπ’”π’•π’π’“π’š. 𝑬𝒗𝒆𝒏 𝒐𝒖𝒓 π’ƒπ’Šπ’π’π’π’ˆπ’š, 𝒐𝒖𝒓 π’ƒπ’“π’‚π’Šπ’π’” 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒕𝒔, 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒃𝒆𝒆𝒏 π’”π’šπ’”π’•π’†π’Žπ’‚π’•π’Šπ’„π’‚π’π’π’š 𝒂𝒏𝒅 π’Šπ’π’”π’Šπ’…π’Šπ’π’–π’”π’π’š π’‚π’•π’•π’‚π’„π’Œπ’†π’… π’ƒπ’š 𝒕𝒉𝒆 π’•π’†π’„π’‰π’π’π’π’π’ˆπ’š 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 π’…π’†π’π’Šπ’—π’†π’“π’” 𝒐𝒖𝒓 π’π’†π’˜π’” 𝒂𝒏𝒅 π’‘π’“π’Šπ’π’“π’Šπ’•π’Šπ’›π’†π’” 𝒕𝒉𝒆 π’…π’Šπ’”π’•π’“π’Šπ’ƒπ’–π’•π’Šπ’π’ 𝒐𝒇 π’π’Šπ’†π’” 𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒇𝒂𝒄𝒕𝒔, π’ƒπ’š π’…π’†π’”π’Šπ’ˆπ’."

Wow. This book.

"π‘­π’“π’†π’†π’…π’π’Ž 𝒐𝒇 𝒔𝒑𝒆𝒆𝒄𝒉 𝒅𝒐𝒆𝒔 𝒏𝒐𝒕 π’Žπ’†π’‚π’ π’π’Šπ’„π’†π’π’”π’† 𝒕𝒐 π’”π’Žπ’†π’‚π’“ π’“π’†π’‘π’–π’•π’‚π’•π’Šπ’π’ 𝒂𝒏𝒅 π’“π’–π’Šπ’ π’„π’“π’†π’…π’Šπ’ƒπ’Šπ’π’Šπ’•π’š. π‘­π’“π’†π’†π’…π’π’Ž 𝒐𝒇 𝒔𝒑𝒆𝒆𝒄𝒉 π’Šπ’” 𝒂 π’“π’†π’„π’π’ˆπ’π’Šπ’•π’Šπ’π’ 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆 π’“π’Šπ’ˆπ’‰π’• 𝒐𝒇 π’‚π’π’šπ’π’π’† 𝒕𝒐 π’”π’‘π’†π’‚π’Œ π’‰π’Šπ’” 𝒐𝒓 𝒉𝒆𝒓 π’Žπ’Šπ’π’… 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒆𝒙𝒑𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒔 𝒂 π’„π’π’π’•π’“π’‚π’“π’š π’—π’Šπ’†π’˜ π’˜π’Šπ’•π’‰π’π’–π’• π’ƒπ’†π’Šπ’π’ˆ π’π’ƒπ’‹π’†π’„π’•π’Šπ’π’π’‚π’ƒπ’π’†."

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.

"π‘¬π’—π’†π’“π’šπ’˜π’‰π’†π’“π’† π’Šπ’ 𝒕𝒉𝒆 π’˜π’π’“π’π’…, π’”π’π’„π’Šπ’†π’•π’Šπ’†π’” 𝒂𝒓𝒆 π’ƒπ’†π’Šπ’π’ˆ 𝒇𝒆𝒅 𝒂 π’”π’•π’†π’‚π’…π’š π’…π’Šπ’†π’• 𝒐𝒇 π’π’π’π’Šπ’π’† π’—π’Šπ’π’π’†π’π’„π’†, 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒏𝒔 π’Šπ’π’•π’ 𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒍-π’˜π’π’“π’π’… π’—π’Šπ’π’π’†π’π’„π’†. π‘½π’†π’“π’”π’Šπ’π’π’” 𝒐𝒇 π’˜π’‰π’Šπ’•π’† π’“π’†π’‘π’π’‚π’„π’†π’Žπ’†π’π’• π’•π’‰π’†π’π’“π’š 𝒂𝒓𝒆 π’”π’‘π’‚π’“π’Œπ’Šπ’π’ˆ π’Žπ’‚π’”π’” π’”π’‰π’π’π’•π’Šπ’π’ˆπ’” π’‡π’“π’π’Ž π‘΅π’π’“π’˜π’‚π’š 𝒕𝒐 π‘΅π’†π’˜ 𝒁𝒆𝒂𝒍𝒂𝒏𝒅, 𝒕𝒐 𝒕𝒉𝒆 π‘Όπ’π’Šπ’•π’†π’… 𝑺𝒕𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒔, π’‘π’π’˜π’†π’“π’Šπ’π’ˆ 𝒕𝒉𝒆 π’“π’Šπ’”π’† 𝒐𝒇 𝒖𝒔 π’‚π’ˆπ’‚π’Šπ’π’”π’• π’•π’‰π’†π’Ž, 𝒐𝒓, π’Šπ’ 𝒂 π’˜π’π’“π’…, π’‡π’‚π’”π’„π’Šπ’”π’Ž. π‘»π’‰π’Šπ’” π’Šπ’” π’‚π’π’ˆπ’†π’“ 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒉𝒂𝒕𝒓𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒄𝒐𝒂𝒍𝒆𝒔𝒄𝒆 π’Šπ’π’•π’ π’π’–π’•π’“π’‚π’ˆπ’†, 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒏 𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒏𝒔 π’Šπ’π’•π’ π’Žπ’π’ƒ 𝒓𝒖𝒍𝒆."

Read 12/27/23

πŸ‘ΆπŸ‘ΆπŸ‘Ά: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, Suzanne Collins

The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes
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 upπŸ™ˆ! 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


πŸ‘Ά: Red, White & Royal Blue, by Caset McQuiston

Red, White & Royal Blue

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 doorπŸ™ˆ! 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

πŸ‘ΆπŸ‘ΆπŸ‘Ά: Children of the Catastrophe, by Sarah Shoemaker

Children of the Catastrophe
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

πŸ‘ΆπŸ‘Ά: Atonement, by Ian McEwan

Atonement

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

πŸ‘ΆπŸ‘ΆπŸ‘ΆπŸ‘Ά: Dreamland Burning, Jennifer Latham

Dreamland Burning
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

πŸ‘ΆπŸ‘ΆπŸ‘Ά: The Guest List, by Lucy Foley

The Guest List
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

πŸ‘ΆπŸ‘ΆπŸ‘ΆπŸ‘Ά: The Rumor Game, by Thomas Mullen

The Rumor Game
What a timely novel. Truly, it could've been written about this day and age, considering some extremist movements taking place in our nation. However, the story takes place in 1943, at the height of the unease about the US entering WWII. Strangely, this is one of 3 books I have read this past week that took place in the USA during or shortly after WWII, and it has been fascinating to see how the US handled rising tensions of the time - not so dissimilar to today's strategy, tbh. Although I have always assumed the US was strongly united in their views during this period in history, I learned from these novels and further research that this couldn't be further from the truth.

Mullen did a fantastic job writing this story from a dual third-person limited POV. I appreciated him throwing in the history of both the pro-fascist and the anti-semitic movements of the time through the eyes of the protagonists. It seems as though Mr. Mullen really did his homework as we take the journey with Anne, a determined reporter, and Devon, a rather licentious FBI agent in this combined historical fiction/murder mystery novel.

I loved that it took place in Boston! Having been born in MA, and later spending every summer in the area, I felt drawn to the setting and immigrant characters. Mullen's character development was very well done.

If you're looking for an enlightening read that gives readers hope that the US can pull through even the most divided and trying times (such as we find ourselves now), look no further!

So grateful to partners, Minotaur Books and NetGalley for this gifted review copy.

Read 2/27/24

πŸ‘ΆπŸ‘ΆπŸ‘ΆπŸ‘Ά: My Side of the River, by Elizabeth Camarillo Gutierrez

My Side of the River
This memoir brought back so many memories for me! Growing up in Tucson, as a daughter of immigrants, I literally felt so much of what this author went through. I remember never fitting in, always feeling the need to prove myself as an "American," never having the nice clothes my "friends" at school had. I vividly remember shopping at a store called Pic 'n' Save for necessities and "slightly imperfect" clothes. I also remember never wanting anyone to know that my Dad took on a second job at Burger King just to make ends meet.

Despite it all, I also knew that my family always had my back, I recognized how much they had given up for a better life for me, and I respected their incredible work ethic. Success in school was of utmost importance for me to attend college and secure a good job.

However, Elizabeth had it so much worse than I did. The rising anti-immigrant sentiment in this country has been at an all-time high during her youth. My experiences in Tucson occurred 2 decades prior to hers, so the stigma back then was much less prevalent. Also, my parents were able to obtain their green cards under an immigration system that seemed to favor Western European immigrants. Eventually, they were naturalized, so we never lived with the fear of them being deported.

Elizabeth's reality was much more indicative of what immigrants go through every single day in this country today. The path to citizenship is much more obscure, making it difficult for families to remain together in the US despite their children having been born in this country. Her story is incredibly important, and one that must be taken into account as immigration reform takes center stage.

Many thanks to partners, St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for this gifted review copy. And thanks a ton Elizabeth Camarillo Gutierrez for the insight, the Tucson memories (the Rillito River analogy was πŸ”₯πŸ”₯πŸ”₯), and the truth.

πŸ‘ΆπŸ‘ΆπŸ‘ΆπŸ‘ΆπŸ‘Ά: The Women, by Kristin Hannah

The Women
I am absolutely speechless. 𝑻𝒉𝒆 π‘Ύπ’π’Žπ’†π’ by Kristin Hannah takes readers on a journey alongside the women of the Vietnam War. This novel was absolutely stunning, completely devastating, and incredibly overwhelming, in the most awe-inspiring way. It broke me, and awoke me, and left me raw with emotion.

Readers follow sweet Frankie (Frances), an all-American girl from a wealthy California suburb. Hoping to follow in her brother's footsteps and hoping to make her family proud, she enlists in the Vietnam War as a nurse, only to discover the gruesome reality that is Vietnam. The world that she returns to is just as unforgiving, and Frankie is left bereft, held afloat only by the other brave women who were at her side during the war.

This story will leave you astounded, but with a renewed sense of gratitude for the unsung heroes who fought wars for our country, especially the women who were never recognized or respected as an integral part of these wars. These individuals upheld the beliefs that our freedom is of utmost importance and fought with valor and bravery for each and every one of us.

Many thanks to partners, St Martin's Press and NetGalley for sharing this gifted review copy with me.

Read 2/6/24

πŸ‘ΆπŸ‘ΆπŸ‘ΆπŸ‘ΆπŸ‘Ά: The Smallest Part, by Amy Harmon

The Smallest Part
I know, you've heard it time and again from me: Amy Harmon is the best author out there. I speak the truth, my friends. This is the one author that writes so well that I leave my bias against romance at the door and step right in. Normally, I scoff at "friends to lovers" romance, but I savored every page of this book! I didn't even mind the "door cracked open" love scenes because they are tasteful, not cringe-worthy... the reader can just feel the true love in these moments. Each of her novels have a depth that is unmatched, and this work of art is no exception.

There are some twists and serendipitous moments that I would normally roll my eyes at in other novels, but @amy.harmon.author just makes these instances organic, and just so beautiful. The love between best friends, Noah, Mercedes, and Cora is palpable, and once again, I was fully immersed in the story, in the heartbreak, and in each moment. I loved the representation in this novel: the Mexican family and their strong faith traditions with Mercedes' music that brought me back to my youth, and as always, quotes that make my heart skip a beat.

Bravo, Amy HarmonπŸ‘πŸ‘πŸ‘! What a sublime story, as always. And what a perfect story for Valentine's Day!

Read 1/27/24

πŸ‘ΆπŸ‘ΆπŸ‘ΆπŸ‘Ά: The Wharton Plot, by Mariah Fredericks

The Wharton Plot
I'm always a sucker for a good historical fiction story set during the Gilded Age. All the money, glitz, and glamour provide such a rich setting for rich people behaving badly! And Mariah Fredericks definitely nailed it with this novel!

I honestly didn't expect a murder mystery when I picked this one up - those aren't the type of novels I gravitate toward. However, Ms. Fredericks really kept me glued to the pages with this one. Of course, as soon as I finished this novel, which is based on a true story, I went down a rabbit hole researching all of the characters she touched on - what a fascinating group she brought together in this book!

And who doesn't love a story about authors! I've honestly never even heard of Edith Wharton or David Graham Phillips until nowπŸ™ˆ, so I was certainly captivated.

Looking for a book filled with intrigue and suspense based on a true story about two authors? Here's your ticket!

Many thank to partner, Minotaur Books and NetGalley, for this gifted review copy!

Read 1/23/24

πŸ‘ΆπŸ‘ΆπŸ‘ΆπŸ‘ΆπŸ‘Ά: Lessons in Chemistry, by Bonnie Garmus

Lessons in Chemistry
Although I'd heard SO MUCH about this book published last year, and I knew it got all the accolades, it still took me FOREVER to get to! When I finally got around to reading it, I just couldn't put it down!

It was 100% buzzworthy! What a fabulous book with amazing characters and the sweetest story. How I adored Elizabeth and Calvin's love story. How I relished their view of the world.

It was also completely unpredictable, which always makes for an excellent read! As I heard many a time, pick this one up, it is so worth your time. And the AppleTV series is excellent as well, even though the storyline was changed around a bit🀷🏻‍♀️.

Read 10/30/23

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πŸ‘ΆπŸ‘ΆπŸ‘ΆπŸ‘ΆπŸ‘Ά: The One Hundred Years of Lenni and Margot, by Marianne Cronin

😲Oh. My. Wowzas. πŸ’―This. Book. Was. Magnificent. πŸ‘If you are looking for a book with absolutely all the feels, then this is ...