The Things Gods Break

Title: The Things Gods Break
Author: Abigail Owen
Published: October 21, 2025 by Entangled: Red Tower Books
Format: Kindle, 673 Pages
Genre: Fantasy
Series: The Crucible #2

Recap: After a disastrous clash with the gods, Lyra finds herself imprisoned in Tartarus—the harshest realm in existence, where monsters thrive and the Titans wait behind seven ancient seals. She soon discovers she is the key to those seals, an unwilling prize in a divine struggle that reaches far beyond her own fate.

Surviving Tartarus means enduring trials designed to break even immortals, and each step forces Lyra to confront the power awakening inside her. Above, Hades is prepared to defy the entire pantheon to reach her, risking a war that could upend the balance between gods and titans.

But Lyra’s escape carries a dangerous cost. If she rises from Tartarus, the Titans may rise with her and their return would reshape the world in ways no one can control.

My Opinion: Diving into The Things Gods Break took me a moment, mostly because I did not reread the prior book, and this series drops you right back into a crowd of gods, goddesses, and titans without much hand holding. I spent the first few chapters doing a mental roll call, trying to remember who was who and how they all fit together.

Once that part of the plot settled in, I realized the central storyline is one I don’t usually enjoy. It leans into a genre element that just isn’t my thing, and if you feel the same way, you’ll know exactly what I mean once it appears. That said, the humor and banter are genuinely enjoyable. Those little sparks of wit kept me turning pages even when the pacing dragged.

And it does drag. The book feels longer than it needs to be, with stretches that repeat beats we’ve already covered. More than once, I caught myself wondering if the banter alone was enough to keep me invested. With the first book, I couldn’t read fast enough. This time, I could set it down for days and not feel the pull to pick it back up. When Lyra says, “I’ve lived over a hundred days since then”, I feel you, Lyra; it feels like I have been reading this book for that long.

Then there’s the ending. It comes out of nowhere, not in a twisty, clever way but in a “wait, what just happened?” way. It doesn’t change my overall opinion of the book, but it does make the direction of the final installment clear. But then again, with this author, anything is possible.

In the end, this sequel didn’t capture the same energy or momentum as the first, though the humor kept it from losing me entirely. I’ll still read the third book, but I’m hoping it brings back the spark that made the series start so strong.

A Year of Nothing

Title: A Year of Nothing
Author: Emma Gannon
Expected Publication: January 22, 2026, by Whitefox Publishing Limited
Format: Kindle, Paperback, 130 Pages
Genre: Self-Help
Source: My thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book.

Blurb: After years of writing about work, wellness and productivity, Emma Gannon hit a wall: chronic burnout left her unable to get out of bed. Something had to change.

A Year of Nothing follows Emma's quiet rebellion against the cult of doing. Over four seasons, she steps away from the noise and rediscovers joy in life's simplest pleasures, from dog borrowing and dopamine dressing to relearning how to swim and embracing a child-free life.

This is a gentle, hopeful guide to what happens when you stop trying to fix everything and choose to feel instead.

My Opinion: I’m not entirely sure what drew me to this novel. Perhaps it was the idea of stepping away from life for a year, which is an intriguing concept, although one that most of us can’t realistically afford. In a world where finances, responsibilities, and obligations weigh heavily, the luxury of pressing pause feels out of reach. As Thoreau wrote, many of us live lives of quiet desperation, and while the author’s journey may be more dramatic than that, it still sits on the same spectrum.

I opened the book knowing I’d likely find myself talking back to the author. Gannon’s reflections aren’t extraordinary; they echo the rhythms of everyday life, except hers are cushioned by privileges many readers don’t share. She writes of breakdowns and recovery, but always with the safety net of supportive friends, family, a husband, and the financial freedom to attend retreats, travel, and recalibration. For those without such resources, her words feel distant and perhaps even hollow.

As I read further, I couldn’t help but think about those teetering on the edge of depression or midlife crisis without resources. For those, this narrative might sting. It’s not that Gannon’s struggles aren’t real, but they’re framed within a context of comfort that most readers can only imagine. And yet, people without Gannon’s luxuries still manage to rise each morning, go to work, care for children, and keep moving forward.

The book straddles genres: part memoir, part self-help, with exercises meant to guide readers through their own journey. But I wouldn’t call it sad, or motivational, or even a traditional self-help manual. Instead, it feels like peering through a window, watching someone navigate hardship with support systems firmly in place, while recognizing that resilience looks very different when you don’t have those same cushions.

The Widow

Title: The Widow
Author: John Grisham
Published: October 21, 2025 by Doubleday
Format: Kindle, Hardcover 416 Pages
Genre: Legal Thriller
Source: My thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book.

Blurb: Simon Latch is a lawyer in rural Virginia, making just enough to pay his bills while his marriage slowly falls apart. Then into his office walks Eleanor Barnett, an elderly widow in need of a new will. Apparently, her husband left her a small fortune, and no one knows about it.

Once he hooks the richest client of his career, Simon works quietly to keep her wealth under the radar. But soon her story begins to crack. When she is hospitalized after a car accident, Simon realizes that nothing is as it seems, and he finds himself on trial for a crime he swears he didn’t commit: murder.

Simon knows he’s innocent. But he also knows the circumstantial evidence is against him, and he could spend the rest of his life behind bars. To save himself, he must find the real killer.

My Opinion: *I usually find myself swept up in John Grisham’s storytelling, but this novel was a disappointment. The first 40% dragged with repetitive scenes and little momentum, leaving me bored and wondering when the real story would begin. When the plot finally picked up, I held out hope for a twist or spark of originality, but what unfolded was predictable at best.

From the early chapters, the word “grifter” kept surfacing in my mind when it came to Eleanor. Simon, the main character, on the other hand, openly acknowledged his own greed as her lawyer, and with everything spelled out so plainly, there was little suspense left to carry the novel forward. The question became not “what will happen?” but “how long will it take to get there?” Unfortunately, the answer took far too long with little payoff.

The ending sealed the disappointment. It read like an author who had grown tired of his own story, padding pages until he hit the required count. The supposed reveal was so far out of left field that it felt disconnected from the rest of the narrative, leaving no sense of closure. The only faint hope is that Simon might reappear in another Grisham novel, where his arc could finally find resolution.

I watched an interview with Grisham where he seemed almost disengaged from the book, as if he knew it was subpar, yet smug in knowing readers would buy it anyway. That impression was the final nail in my reading experience, making the novel feel more like a contractual obligation than a work he was proud of.

This should have been a DNF for me, but I kept turning pages out of past loyalty and disbelief in that Grisham would let me down this badly.

Skylark

Title: Skylark
Author: Paula McLain
Expected Publication Date: January 6, 2026, by Atria Books
Format: Kindle, 464 Pages
Genre: Historical Fiction
Source: My thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book.

Blurb: 1664: Alouette Voland is the daughter of a master dyer at the famed Gobelin Tapestry Works, who secretly dreams of escaping her circumstances and creating her own masterpiece. When her father is unjustly imprisoned, Alouette's efforts to save him lead to her own confinement in the notorious Salpêtrière asylum, where thousands of women are held captive and cruelly treated. But within its grim walls, she discovers a small group of brave allies, and the possibility of a life bigger than she ever imagined.

1939: Kristof Larson is a medical student beginning his psychiatric residency in Paris, whose neighbors on the Rue de Gobelins are a Jewish family who have fled Poland. When Nazi forces descend on the city, Kristof becomes their only hope for survival, even as his work as a doctor is jeopardized.

A spellbinding and transportive look at a side of Paris known to very few—the underground city that is a mirror reflection of the glories above—Paula McLain’s unforgettable new novel chronicles two parallel journeys of defiance and rescue that connect in ways both surprising and deeply moving.

My Opinion: The novel unfolds across two distinct timelines: 1664 and 1939–1942. At first, they feel like separate novels stitched together, each compelling in its own right. The 1664 thread follows Alouette, the daughter of a dyer, who is unjustly confined to the Salpêtrière asylum. Her story is harrowing, a portrait of how women’s lives could be crushed under the weight of power misused and medicine weaponized. The later timeline introduces Kristof Larsen, a medical student beginning his psychiatric residency in Paris just as the Nazi occupation takes hold. His path leads him into the resistance, where courage and quiet acts of defiance become his daily custom.

Both narratives are rich with atmosphere and deeply human struggles. McLain explores resilience, identity, and the fragile line between good and evil. She reminds us that history repeats itself and that the fight to preserve one’s humanity is timeless. The novel also forces readers to confront uncomfortable truths about exploitation, particularly of women, within systems meant to heal.

Yet, for all its strengths, the book asks for patience. At the halfway mark, the connection between Alouette and Kristof remains elusive, and the reader is left puzzling over how two stories separated by nearly three centuries will converge. Only in the epilogue, when a skylark etched in stained glass is discovered after the 2019 Notre Dame fire, does the link finally surface, and the reader must remember the beginning pages of the novel.

That reveal, however, feels too little, too late. After investing in two powerful journeys, the conclusion lands abruptly. It offers hope and resilience, echoes of what the novel has already emphasized, but not the deeper resolution the story seemed to promise. I wasn’t looking for a neat happily-ever-after, but I did want something more than repetition.

In the end, Skylark is a novel of courage and endurance, beautifully written in parts, but one whose final note does not reach the heights I was looking for.

Bees in June

Title: Bees in June
Author: Elizabeth Bass Parman
Published: September 2, 2025 by Harper Muse
Format: Kindle, Paperback 352 Pages
Genre: Magical Realism
Source: My thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book.

Blurb: Set against the optimism and excitement of the first moon landing in the summer of 1969, a feat many said was impossible, one woman struggles to achieve something she thinks is impossible--living a happy and fulfilling life.

Rennie King's world isn't at all what she expected when she married the hotshot baseball player from her small town of Spark, Tennessee. Reeling from the loss of her newborn son, she desperately needs the support of her husband, but instead of providing comfort, he is becoming increasingly angry, often turning that anger on her.

When a glowing bee lands beside her, Rennie senses she needs to check on her beloved beekeeper uncle. The bee stirs long-forgotten memories of a childhood lived close to nature, a connection she lost over time. As the summer progresses, she finds both the bees and her uncle advising and encouraging her. While healing from her loss, she gains the courage to break free from the husband who is becoming increasingly violent.

With help from her family, her friends, and of course, the bees, Rennie dares to hope that she can build a happy life for herself and opens a business that could provide a path to independence. But starting over is hard, and as the heat rises that summer, so do tempers, until everything comes to a head the night the astronauts first step onto the moon's surface.

My Opinion: There’s something about bees on a cover or woven into a storyline that always makes me want to pick up the book. Bees in June leans into that fascination, using bees not just as symbols but as literal, sometimes mystical, messengers. There’s even a side conversation between two bees, though it’s never entirely clear if they’re actual bees, spirits, or something else altogether. That ambiguity adds a layer of charm, even if it leaves the reader slightly puzzled.

Set in Tennessee in 1969, at the time of the moon landing, yet the novel feels steeped in the atmosphere of the 1950s, with its small-town rhythms, cultural echoes, and law enforcement that still thinks women are the property of their husbands. At the heart of the story is Rennie, caught in a marriage with Tiny, a man who has been abusive from the start. Rennie’s naïveté and longing to hold onto the love she thought she had blinds her to the truth, even as those around her quietly recognize what she cannot yet admit. This is where the book shines: in its portrayal of family and community, as they patiently wait for someone lost to find the courage to ask for help.

Parman layers the narrative with many threads of abuse and survival, the possibility of new love, the grounding presence of scripture, and the uncanny “woo-woo” sense of knowing the future without being able to explain how. Bees themselves become part of this tapestry, sending messages to those willing to listen, reminding us that love and change can arrive in unexpected forms.

What struck me most was the balance between simplicity and depth. Some readers may call it folksy, but for me, it carried a quiet resonance. Sometimes a book doesn’t need to be grand or polished to hit just right; it only needs to speak to the part of us that still believes in small miracles.

And really, who doesn’t want to believe in the magic of bees and the possibility of change?

Match Me If You Can

Title: Match Me If You Can
Author: Heidi Shertok
Published: October 30, 2025 by Embla Books
Format: Kindle, 416 Pages
Genre: Romance
Source: My thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book.

Blurb: For five years Ashira Wernick has thrown herself into the company her mother built, continuing her work as a matchmaker in the Orthodox Jewish community. But when a small (read: huge) faux pas lands her in hot water with one of the most powerful families in Brooklyn, Ashira's future starts to look a little shaky.

Now, her only hope of saving her mother's legacy is to make the match of the century and she has just the person in mind: New York City's most eligible (and eternally single) bachelor, Caleb Kahn. Her older brother's best friend, and the man she is determined to keep her distance from.

As each match goes from bad to worse, with Caleb seemingly intent on sabotaging every date she sets up, Ashira will need to take a more hands-on approach if she is going to repair her damaged reputation. She just never figured that her heart would be on the line too.

My Opinion: I’ll admit, I was a little nervous going into Match Me If You Can. Heidi Shertok’s debut, Unorthodox Love, set the bar high, and we all know that second books don’t always capture the same magic. But this one? It absolutely delivered.

From the very first chapters, the humor sparkles, the banter feels effortless, and the romance is flirty without ever tipping into excess. What really impressed me, though, was how Shertok weaves cultural insight into the story. Without ever feeling heavy handed, she opens a window into the Orthodox Jewish community, showing how tradition, reputation, and personal longing can collide in ways that are both poignant and relatable. I love it when a book teaches me something new while keeping me entertained, and this one did exactly that.

At the heart of the novel is Ashira Wernick, a matchmaker caught between duty and desire. Her professional role demands she help others find love, yet her own heart is drawn to Caleb Kahn, a former Navy SEAL turned CEO, whose past and present make him both intriguing and complicated. Their dynamic plays out against the backdrop of communal expectations, with the friends to lovers trope adding sweetness and tension. Miscommunication, longing, and the fear of repeating past mistakes all swirl together, creating a story that feels both lighthearted and emotionally grounded.

What makes Match Me If You Can shine is its balance. It’s undeniably a romcom, with humor softening the edges of cultural and personal struggles, but it also carries depth. Shertok reminds us that love isn’t just about sparks, it’s about navigating the spaces between tradition and individuality, and finding joy even when life feels like a string of mismatched dates.

In short, this book is witty, heartfelt, and unexpectedly illuminating. It’s the kind of story that makes you laugh, root for the characters, and walk away with a deeper appreciation for the world it portrays.

The Greatest Sentence Ever Written

Title: The Greatest Sentence Ever Written
Author: Walter Isaacson
Published: November 18, 2025, by Simon & Schuster
Format: Kindle, 80 Pages
Genre: Political Science

Blurb: To celebrate America’s 250th anniversary, Walter Isaacson takes readers on a fascinating deep dive into the creation of one of history’s most powerful “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.”

Drafted by Thomas Jefferson and edited by Benjamin Franklin and John Adams, this line lays the foundation for the American Dream and defines the common ground we share as a nation.

Isaacson unpacks its genius, word by word, illuminating the then-radical concepts behind it. Readers will gain a fresh appreciation for how it was drafted to inspire unity, equality, and the enduring promise of America. With clarity and insight, he reveals not just the power of these words but describes how, in these polarized times, we can use them to restore an appreciation for our common values.

My Opinion: Don’t let this short book mislead you. The Greatest Sentence Ever Written is not something to be read in one quick sitting. This book is where rabbit holes begin. I thought I’d finish it quickly, but every couple of pages, I was off to Google, chasing down people, places, etymology, and context. What was happening at the time? Why was a certain word chosen? By the end, I couldn’t shake the feeling that my English and history education had skimmed far too lightly over these layers.

This book could easily serve as the jumping off point for a college course. I can imagine the classroom discourse: tracing where we started, where we ended, and how hypocrisy, reasoning, and resolution keep circling back. The more we change, the more we stay the same.

The chapter on Jefferson’s “Original Rough Draught” stopped me cold. I kept wondering how differently our Supreme Court might have ruled if those words had been the foundation. And then the final chapter — “The Declaration of Independence, in Congress, July 4, 1776” — felt almost surreal, like stepping into a Twilight Zone episode.

This isn’t a book to read once and shelve. It’s one to keep close, to pull down every few months, and to revisit as a reminder of where our country began. Even 250 years later, tyranny is still a battle we can’t ease up on. Isaacson doesn’t just illuminate a document; he shows how words can shape centuries.

Valleys, Vehicles & Victims

Title: Valleys, Vehicles & Victims
Author: Tonya Kappes
Published: December 1, 2023 by Tonya Kappes Books
Format: Audiobook, 268 Pages
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Series: Camper & Criminals #9

Blurb: The Daniel Boone National Forest is gorgeous in the fall. The leaves have painted the sides of the mountains with yellow, oranges, reds and browns you won't see anywhere else. That's why it's such a popular destination for weddings!

When a wedding party show up at Happy Trails Campground, Mae West is thrilled. She's all things girly and excited to assist the bride in all things southern, which is what the bride is hankering for.

Mae recognizes the parents of the bride when they arrive. They are from her past. The past she's been desperately trying to escape...especially since it was the time she was married to Paul West. This just isn't any couple, it's the owners of the famous Moonbucks Coffee Company.

Determined to get the happy couple married off and on their way, hoping to see some of her past drive off forever, Mae volunteers herself and the Laundry Club ladies to become the wedding coordinators.

The wedding is set to take place in the beautiful wedding barn at the Old Train Station Motel, only Gert Hobson, the owner of Trails Coffee Shop and providing the coffee for the happy couple, has decided there's no way she's going to help out with Tom Moon's daughter's wedding since she claims how years ago Tom Moon STOLE her coffee blend recipe known today as the special Moonbucks blend.

A public fight between Gert and Tom leaves Gert a prime suspect after a member of the wedding party is found dead at the wedding venue. There might not be a happily ever after for the bride to be or Gert Hobson if Mae West and the Laundry Club ladies don't solve the murder before the wedding party's RV rolls out of town.

My Opinion: This series always finds a way to turn everyday events in Normal into something unforgettable, and Valleys, Vehicles & Victims is no different. What should’ve been a simple wedding at Happy Trails Campground quickly turns complicated when Mae realizes she knows the bride’s parents and not in a “oh, small world” kind of way. Their arrival drags up a past she’d rather leave buried, especially since they’re the powerhouse behind Moonbucks Coffee.

The real strain, though, comes from Gert Hobson. She’s proud of her Trails Coffee Shop, but imagine discovering you’re serving coffee to the man who stole your recipe and built an empire off it. When Tom Moon ends up dead, all eyes swing toward Gert, and suddenly the wedding feels more like a crime scene.

From there, the story takes off with family drama, a will that stirs up more trouble than it settles, and Mae once again putting herself in danger despite Hank’s heartfelt plea for her to step back. That push-and-pull between Mae’s determination and Hank’s protectiveness adds a layer of emotion that keeps you invested beyond the mystery itself.

What I love most is how Tonya Kappes balances the suspense with humor and warmth. The pacing keeps you hooked, but it’s the southern charm and quirky characters that make you feel like you’re right there in Normal, sipping coffee and watching the chaos unfold.

The Raven Scholar

Title: The Raven Scholar
Author: Antonia Hodgson
Published: April 15, 2025, by Orbit
Format: Kindle, 667 Pages
Genre: Fantasy
Series: Eternal Path Trilogy #1

Blurb: Let us fly now to the empire of Orrun, where after twenty-four years of peace, Bersun the Brusque must end his reign. In the dizzying heat of mid-summer, seven contenders compete to replace him. They are exceptional warriors, thinkers, strategists—the best of the best.

Then one of them is murdered. We know who did it. We saw it happen. No one else did.

It falls to Neema Kraa, the emperor’s brilliant, idiosyncratic High Scholar, to find the killer before the trials end. To do so, she must untangle a web of deadly secrets that stretches back generations, all while competing against six warriors with their own dark histories and fierce ambitions. Neema believes she is alone. But we are here to help; all she has to do is let us in.

If she succeeds, she will win the throne. If she fails, death awaits her. But we won’t let that happen.

We are the Raven, and we are magnificent.

My Opinion: There must be an unwritten rule that fantasy novels must cross the 600-page mark, whether they should or not, and The Raven Scholar certainly fits the bill. It begins at a crawl, the kind of slow start that tests your patience, but then surges into waves of momentum where I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough, only to ebb again into stretches that felt repetitive. It’s a rhythm of feast and famine, and you have to be willing to ride it out.

The main female character is written as thirty years old, though she often reads much younger, which occasionally pulled me out of the story. Still, the unpredictability of the plot kept me engaged. Just when I thought, “this is getting boring,” the narrative would pivot with a sharp, “oh, didn’t see that coming,” and that push and pull became part of the book’s charm.

What truly saved the experience for me was the humor. Hodgson threads witty banter through the darker themes, and it’s that levity that kept me invested when the imperial intrigue and deadly competition threatened to overwhelm.

The novel explores power, identity, betrayal, and transformation against a backdrop of richly imagined politics, divine factions, and mythic structures. All the familiar high fantasy elements are here: corruption, loyalty, fate, free will, class divides; yet, Hodgson doesn’t just recycle tropes. She twists them, layering the narrative with unexpected turns. Trials, chosen ones, court intrigue, even a murder mystery in a fantasy court; these archetypes are reshaped into something fresh. The reluctant hero, sacred animal factions, unusual POV shifts, and the scholar-as-hero themes all add texture to the story.

Instead of claiming it has “something for everyone,” I’d say The Raven Scholar is a book that demands patience and rewards curiosity. Its length means you’ll inevitably stop to question details: “but what about…” or “wait, how does that fit?” and those pauses aren’t wasted. They become part of the experience, pulling you deeper into the world rather than letting you skim along the surface.

And this is only the first in a planned trilogy. Neema and Cain’s paths remain uncertain, Benna clearly has her own designs for Ruko, and I hope that dear sweet Sol brings even more “magnificence” in the volumes to come.

The Locked Ward

Title: The Locked Ward
Author: Sarah Pekkanen
Published: August 5, 2025 by St. Martin's Press
Format: Kindle, Hardcover, Audiobook 397 Pages
Genre: Psychological thriller
Source: My thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book.

Blurb: Whatever the cause—and everyone has a theory—it's the Crime of the Decade when glamorous Georgia Cartwright, who was adopted as a newborn, is accused of killing the biological daughter of her wealthy, Southern family.

Georgia is locked in a psychiatric institution where the most violent offenders are held while she awaits trial. The only words she whispers when her estranged twin sister Amanda visits are, “I didn’t do it. You’ve got to get me out of here.”

Amanda doesn't trust Georgia, but she can't abandon her in a place so eerie and menacing that it seems to exist in another dimension. Is Georgia the victim of a powerful family that's so depraved murder is the least of their crimes? Or is Amanda being led down a path of madness into the web of a master manipulator?

Nothing is as it seems in Sarah Pekkanen’s The Locked Ward, a shocking psychological thriller about the complex bonds of sisterhood—and what happens when they are stretched to the breaking point.

Some doors in the Locked Ward should never be opened.

My Opinion: A psychological thriller steeped in uncertainty. From the start, I was never sure who to trust, and even by the end, the truth feels deliberately elusive. That tension, whether manipulation or madness, is what drives the story.

Georgia Cartwright grew up branded as the family’s mistake, overshadowed by her stepsister Annabelle, the golden child. When Annabelle is murdered, suspicion falls squarely on Georgia. She’s locked away in a psychiatric institution where safety is fragile and indifference reigns.

Into this setting walks Amanda Ravenel, Georgia’s twin, who was adopted out as a newborn and raised in a different world. Georgia had searched for Amanda, but their first meeting came under ominous circumstances. The sisters’ dynamic is unsettling yet compelling: Georgia will only speak to Amanda, whispering her plea — “I didn’t do it. You’ve got to get me out of here.” For two women who had never met, the sudden bond feels unnatural, but it becomes the fragile thread that holds the story together.

The novel leans into the “rich behaving badly” theme, peeling back layers of privilege, betrayal, and family secrets. The dual POV format adds intrigue, though some plot turns feel overly convenient, and the pacing drags in places. Still, the collision of two very different lives, one raised in wealth, the other hidden away, makes this an interesting exploration of family, truth, and lies.

January LaVoy’s narration brings nuance and energy. She gives Georgia and Amanda distinct voices, capturing fragility, unease, and privilege with subtle shifts in tone. Her pacing and emotional shading elevate the story. She’s always a joy to listen to.

Photograph

Title: Photograph
Author: Brian Freeman
Published: October 7, 2025, by Blackstone Publishing, Inc.
Format: Kindle, Hardcover, 306 Pages
Genre: Suspense
Source: My thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book.

Blurb: Shannon Wells is a private investigator who helps women with nowhere else to go. Last year, a woman named Faith Selby came to Shannon with a strange Find out who I really am.

Shannon soon discovered that Faith was hiding a whole other life, but was unable to penetrate the web of mystery the woman had built around her past. Now Faith is dead. The only clue to who she was and why she was murdered is an old photograph of a little girl in the rain outside a Midwestern motel.

The hunt for answers takes Shannon from the hot beaches of Florida to a remote small town in Michigan as she peels away layer after layer of a shocking cold case that has rippled violently into the present. With each secret she uncovers, the danger around her grows—and forces Shannon to confront the demons hiding in her own past.

My Opinion: I’ve long been a fan of Brian Freeman’s Jonathan Stride series; his pacing, character depth, and grounded suspense always hit the mark. But when it comes to his standalones, I find myself bracing for the woo-woo. There’s usually a paranormal thread woven in, and while I’m open to a little mystery beyond the veil, shadow twins and reincarnation push me into murkier waters.

The premise is undeniably riveting: a long-lost photo surfaces, hinting at buried secrets and lives lived in the shadows. Freeman knows how to hook a reader, and the opening reels you in with promise. But somewhere along the way, the tension starts to fray. Plot turns feel a bit too convenient, as if the story is straining to keep its momentum. Loose ends are tucked into twists that feel more convenient than helpful, and the emotional payoff gets diluted in the shuffle.

That said, there’s something compelling about the layers of deception and the slow reveal of motive. By the halfway point, a careful reader, channeling their inner Agatha Christie, can likely pinpoint the culprit. But the “why” remains elusive, tangled in a web of past choices and hidden truths. It’s this psychological unraveling that gives the book its weight, even if the structure feels a touch convoluted.

If you’re already a fan of Freeman’s standalone style and don’t mind a dash of the metaphysical, “Photograph” might land better for you. For me, it was a mixed bag: intriguing setup, uneven execution, and a finale that left me feeling glad it was over than satisfied. Still, I admire Freeman’s willingness to take risks, even if I’m not always on board for the ride.

The Man Next Door

Title: The Man Next Door
Author: Sheila Roberts
Published: October 14, 2025, by MIRA
Format: Kindle, Paperback, 368 Pages
Genre: Women's Fiction
Source: My thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book.

Blurb: Zona never thought her life was headed this way, but here she is, newly divorced and moving back in with her mom, Louise. After her gambling addicted ex-husband lost all of their savings, including their daughter's college fund, she doesn't really have a choice. She's cutting every coupon she can and she's going to help put her daughter through nursing school, even if it kills her.

This wasn't Louise's plan, either, laid up at home with a broken leg after one unfortunate tumble on the senior singles cruise she'd been looking forward to for months. But if she's going to spend all her time at home, at least she's got her daughter there with her. And there's some hot new eye candy next door to distract them both from their troubles. He appears to be single and just around Zona's age. Could his arrival be the universe making amends for everything it's put her through?

Maybe the universe isn't feeling as generous as Louise hoped. There’s something lurking under that mans surface charm, something…dangerous? And who's the woman they can hear him in all-out shouting matches with on the other side of the fence? When the woman seems to disappear without a trace, imaginations run wild. Or at least, Zona hopes it's just her mother's imagination.

My Opinion: This book was so not what I was expecting and not in a fun plot twist kind of way. Marketed as “Humorous Fiction” and “Women’s Fiction,” The Man Next Door is a second (or maybe third) chance romance masquerading as quirky domestic drama.

We meet Zona, freshly divorced and financially gutted thanks to her ex-husband’s gambling habit. She’s now living with her mother, wrangling a dog, and trying to make ends meet by flipping garage sale finds on eBay and driving for a car app. Sheila Roberts seems determined to cram subplots into this story, as if she’s playing narrative bingo.

Meanwhile, Louise (Zona’s mom) had grand plans for a cruise full of eligible men, but fate had other ideas. She’s now stuck at home, dependent on family, a caregiver, and the man across the street she’s never shown interest in. Naturally, she starts spying on the new neighbor like she’s auditioning for a true crime podcast. I was expecting Rear Window vibes, but what I got was the Hallmark Channel.

The man next door is Zona’s age, and Louise goes full amateur sleuth, jumping to conclusions with the enthusiasm of someone who’s watched too many Dateline episodes. I kept waiting for the suspense to kick in. Instead, the plot meandered into a double-dose of second-chance romance; one for Zona, one for Louise. Because apparently, everyone gets a love story whether we asked for it or not.

The pacing? Glacial. The repetition? Relentless. The payoff? Meh. Honestly, this book could’ve shed 75 pages and still felt padded. If you’re looking for humor, mystery, or even a compelling romance, keep walking. The man next door isn’t worth the peek.

The Incredible Kindness of Paper

Title: The Incredible Kindness of Paper
Author: Evelyn Skye
Published: August 12, 2025 by Atria/Emily Bestler Books
Format: Kindle, 256 Pages
Genre: Magical Realism
Source: My thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book.

Blurb: In elementary school Chloe Hanako Quinn is assigned Oliver Jones as her pen pal. Before sending her letter she also whispers a note into it…and he hears her. It is the beginning of a friendship that blooms into something more—that is, until disaster strikes.

Now more than twenty years later Chloe is a high school guidance counselor in New York City, but life is not what she dreamed it would be as she faces a layoff, rising rent, a situationship, and loneliness. Desperate for encouragement, she gives herself a pep talk via uplifting messages written on yellow origami paper that she folds into roses. When one of the roses accidentally finds its way to a neighbor in need of cheering-up, Chloe, feeling a desire to spread kindness and optimism, begins purposely leaving them around town.

Across the city, Oliver has picked himself up from the rough circumstances that forced him to leave everything behind as a teenager—including Chloe. Now a successful financial analyst, Oliver’s past continues to haunt him. But when the city is suddenly inundated with yellow origami roses, a specific one finds its way into his hands and changes his life forever.

My Opinion: This is the kind of book you reach for when the world feels heavy and you need a gentle reminder that love, especially the enduring kind, can still win. Evelyn Skye’s The Incredible Kindness of Paper is a sweet, heartfelt story that wraps you in warmth and hope. It’s a happily-ever-after read, and sometimes, that’s exactly what we need.

I first discovered Skye through her Crown’s Game duology, which captivated me with its lush fantasy and emotional stakes. So, when I saw her name attached to something new, something that leaned into magical realism and women’s fiction, I was curious. What she’s crafted here feels like a genre blend: part women’s fiction, part young adult, with a dash of magic and a whole lot of heart.

At the center are Chloe Hanako Quinn and Oliver Jones, childhood friends whose bond runs deeper than most. They meet as kids, and it’s clear from the start that their connection is something rare. But life intervenes, tearing them apart before they can even understand what they’ve found. Years later, fate nudges them back together, and the question becomes: can love survive time, distance, and heartbreak?

Skye doesn’t make it easy for them. She throws in all the classic obstacles: misunderstandings, missed chances, emotional wounds, but you never doubt that Chloe and Oliver are meant to find their way back. Their journey is tender, frustrating, and deeply satisfying. Even when the pacing stumbles or the prose repeats a beat or two, the emotional core stays strong.

This story is about resilience, about the kind of love that waits patiently and returns stronger. It’s also about the small magic in everyday life, the kind that lives in memory, in paper, in the quiet moments that shape us. If you’re looking for a feel-good read with emotional depth and a touch of whimsy, this one delivers.

A Special Interest in Murder

Title: A Special Interest in Murder
Author: Mette Ivie Harrison
Published: September 2, 2025, by Severn House
Format: Kindle, 223 Pages
Genre: Amateur Sleuth
Source: My thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book.
Series: An Ada Latia Mystery #1

Blurb: Ada Latia is twenty-four years old. She used to be the youngest millionaire in the cosmetics industry. She used to be married. Now, she spends her time studying ways to communicate with aliens. After all, aliens could not possibly be more cruel or deceitful than other humans.

Ada’s spiteful ex-husband Rex believes autistic people like her are monsters, so she’s not surprised when he calls her to share a clickbait article gleefully shouting that one autistic child has killed another at a special school in Idaho.

Rex just means to hurt her, but when Ada reads the article, it’s not the lies about autism being fake that catch her it’s a disturbing photograph of the dead child. The image of the girl is perfect – too perfect. As if someone has committed a murder, and then carefully staged the scene to cover it up.

Ada reports her suspicions to the FBI, and the case crosses the desk of her old classmate Henry Bloodstone, who invites her to assist him. Ada’s not a trained investigator. It’s painful for her to come up against situations she’s not an expert in. She barely remembers Henry, even though it’s clear that he remembers her. But the death is a mystery – and Ada, who counts murder as one of her special interests, has never learned to let a mystery go.

My Opinion: This book won’t be for everyone, which is not necessarily a bad thing. The novel introduces Ada Latia, a 24-year-old neurodivergent protagonist written by a neurodivergent author, Mette Ivie Harrison. That pairing brings a distinct lens to both character development and narrative structure, one that’s different but also challenging in execution.

The slim page count suggests a lean, focused mystery, but instead, the story gets bogged down in repetition. Tangents and teaching moments, likely meant to illuminate Ada’s perspective, start to feel like reruns. The prose itself is choppy, which might be a stylistic choice to reflect Ada’s thought patterns, but it made for a disjointed reading experience.

From the outset, Ada’s ex-husband Rex makes his presence known, and not in a good way. He’s the kind of character you hope ends up as the victim, but alas, he’s just the messenger, nudging Ada toward a murder investigation involving a school for autistic children. His stance on the case is clear-cut, and not in a way that invites nuance.

As the plot unfolds, it leans heavily on convenience. Clues fall into place too easily, and the mystery loses its grip. Instead of feeling immersed in a whodunit, I felt like I was being walked through a tutorial on autism; well-meaning, but not well-balanced.

I genuinely wanted to engage with what the author was trying to portray. The premise had promise, and Ada’s voice deserved space. But by the 25% mark, I was already contemplating a DNF. Sadly, I didn’t get much further before I set it aside.

The Hamptons Lawyer

Title: The Hamptons Lawyer
Author: James Patterson and Mike Lupica
Published: July 21, 2025 by Little, Brown and Company
Format: Kindle, 393 Pages
Genre: Thriller
Series: Jane Smith #3

Blurb: The Hamptons on Long Island is known for its beautiful beaches, its luxury lifestyle—and its exclusive legal advice.

When Jane Smith takes on a famous celebrity client, she’s armed and with brilliant arguments, hard evidence—and two Glocks.

Yet she’s chased down, shot at, and risks contempt of court. That’s when mounting a legal defense turns into self-defense. Knowing every day in court could be her last, she’s a survivor. For now.

My Opinion: Finding your way to The Hamptons Lawyer might take a moment. The series doesn’t follow a neat title sequence, so if you’re trying to track Jane Smith’s journey, you’ll need to do a little digging. And trust me, you’ll want to start at the beginning. This isn’t a series you can just parachute into. Jane’s backstory, her relationships, and the sheer volume of names and job titles flying around require some orientation. The authors offer a few breadcrumbs, but to really feel the weight of what’s happening here, you need the full arc.

Now, about that writing team. James Patterson is often a “love him or leave him” kind of author, but this series feels different. That difference? Mike Lupica. There’s a sharper emotional undercurrent, a more grounded sense of character. It’s not just about the plot twists (though there are plenty); it’s about the people caught in the storm.

Jane’s cancer isn’t just a subplot; it’s a presence. A shadow that follows her into every courtroom, every confrontation. It’s written with a kind of quiet persistence, never melodramatic, but always there. And the characters around her? They’re not just names on a page. Their connections feel lived-in. There’s a real sense of camaraderie, tension, and history. It’s the kind of ensemble that makes you feel like you’re in the room and not just reading about them.

That said, the book isn’t afraid to get messy. People die. Sometimes gruesomely. But when bad people hurt other bad people, well... it’s not exactly a tragedy. And let’s be honest, the cast was getting a little crowded. A little narrative pruning was probably overdue.

There are quirks, of course. Jane appears to run a law practice without any visible staff. Legal filings appear to happen by magic. But if you can suspend disbelief, the dynamic between Jane and Jimmy more than makes up for it. Their banter is sharp, their loyalty unshakable, and their ability to survive increasingly absurd situations is half the fun.

By the end, most threads are tied up; some with a satisfying snap, others with a gasp. But Jane being Jane, there is always something new that she should say no to, but where is the fun in that?

Assailants, Asphalt & Alibis

Title: Assailants, Asphalt & Alibis
Author: Tonya Kappes
Published: December 1, 2023 by Tonya Kappes Books
Format: Audiobook, 4 hrs 13 min, 174 Pages
Genre: Amateur Sleuth
Series: Camper & Criminals #8

Blurb: Telling stories around a campfire at Happy Trails Campground is very entertaining to The Laundry Club women until one of the story teller's tall tale about murder and alibis comes true, leaving the story teller MURDERED!

Once again, Mae and the Laundry Club ladies find themselves doing things they never thought they'd do while trying to get clues to who or why someone murdered the tourist.

Mae discovers an unheeded warning that will bring the tall tale to life if she can't end the story for good before the killer strikes again.

My Opinion: Mae and her Laundry Club crew, plus her formidable foster mother Mary Elizabeth, pile into a camper and head off on what’s supposed to be a lighthearted treasure hunt in the national park. They're chasing the legend of the John Swift Silver Mine, but what they find instead is a dead treasure hunter or two, no cell service, and a whole lot of trouble.

With Mary Elizabeth suspiciously connected to the deceased, the ladies are left to untangle the mystery themselves. Is it murder? A cursed accident? Or something even stranger lurking in the woods? As Mae digs deeper, she realizes the park holds more secrets than she bargained for and the stakes are higher than just clearing Mary Elizabeth’s name.

This installment in the audio series doesn’t aim for emotional depth or high-stakes drama. Instead, it leans into its strengths: quirky humor, small-town charm, and the kind of banter that makes you feel like you’re eavesdropping on your favorite aunties solving crimes. It’s the perfect companion for folding laundry, scrubbing counters, or cruising down the highway. Think of it as a light, cheeky, and reliably fun palate cleanser between heavier reads.

Fade In

Title: Fade In
Author: Kyle Mills
Published: July 29, 2025 by Authors Equity
Format: Kindle, 331 Pages
Genre: Thriller
Source: My thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book.
Series: Fade #2

Blurb: When ex-Navy SEAL Salam "Fade" al-Fayed steps in front of a sniper's bullet, he assumes that he's reached the end of the road—his death wish has finally been answered.

Instead, he wakes in a hospital. As one of the deadliest operatives in U.S. history, he's now incapable of even standing without assistance. Alone and wanted by authorities, he's destined to spend the rest of his life lying in a prison infirmary.

So when a shadowy organization offers him a new identity and next-generation medical care, he has no choice but to agree. Nothing's free, though. After a grueling rehabilitation, he's drafted into an elite paramilitary unit equipped with cutting-edge military technology. But who's in charge?

A dire threat soon provides the a highly contagious pathogen explodes out of China, and a select group of the world's wealthiest and most powerful people decide that governments are no longer capable of controlling the chaos erupting around the globe. It's a power grab by billionaires who've decided that it's their time to rule.

With panic rising worldwide, the leaders of both democracies and dictatorships prove equally willing to destroy anything and anyone to save themselves. Forced into action before he's fully ready, Fade finds himself at the sharp end of a mission to stop a menace unlike any he's faced before. If he fails, the consequences will be unimaginable. But what if he succeeds?

No one elected the people he's working for. And God sure as hell didn't ordain them. Has he signed on to save the human race . . . or to help quietly enslave it?

My Opinion: I picked up Fade In without realizing it was the second book in a series that started twenty years ago. Honestly, I just saw Kyle Mills’ name and remembered enjoying his Beamon series, so I dove in. Turns out, Mills has been busy with other projects since his catalog is packed with multiple series, collaborations, and continuations of other authors’ work.

This book throws a lot at you. Plot threads come flying from all directions, loosely connected but not always convincingly so. By the halfway mark, I started wondering if some of these storylines were just floating around, waiting for a tether that never quite arrives.

The central premise is that COVID was engineered to target the elderly which feels like it missed its moment. It’s not the only plotline, but it dominates enough to give the book a dated vibe. For readers steeped in this genre, it’s familiar territory. Not shocking, not fresh. Just… fine.

What is fresh, though, are the one-liners. The characters, especially the supporting cast, have a knack for dropping snarky gems that made me smirk more than once. That kind of humor is gold in a thriller, and it kept me turning pages. The pacing is solid, the flow smooth, and I found myself reading in long stretches without losing interest.

But then there’s Fade, the main character. He’s less a man and more a myth, invincible, untouchable, and oddly hollow. I never felt pulled toward him. He’s the kind of protagonist who survives everything but leaves no emotional footprint. If Mills revisits this series in another twenty years, I doubt I’ll be along for the ride. There just wasn’t enough of Fade that felt new or compelling.

Still, if you’re in the mood for a fast-paced read with sharp dialogue and a cast that knows how to keep things lively, Fade In delivers. Just don’t expect the main man to steal your heart.

Crazy Spooky Love

Title: Crazy Spooky Love
Author: Josie Silver
Published: September 2, 2025 by Dell
Format: Kindle, Paperback 320 Pages
Genre: Paranormal
Source: My thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book.
Series: Melody Bittersweet #1

Blurb: In the leafy, charming town of Chapelwick, the Bittersweet family has been a fixture on High Street for as long as anyone can remember. Their rambling black-and-white building houses all three generations of ghost-sensitive Bittersweet women and their business, Blithe Spirits.

On her twenty-seventh birthday, Melody Bittersweet converts the disused back storeroom into her office and opens her own business. Unlike the rest of her family, she’s not taking down messages from ghosts—she’s taking them out.

Soon, the Girls’ Ghostbusting Agency takes on its first a grand old house that won’t sell because a trio of incumbent ghost brothers raise merry hell whenever prospective owners arrive to view it.

It soon becomes clear that there’s a whole heap of unfinished business between the Scarborough brothers—including murder—and Melody isn’t the only one trying to unravel the mystery. Leo Dark, her rakish ex and business rival, is also on the case, along with the TV crew that trails him.

To make matters worse, the sarcastic and skeptical (and annoyingly good-looking) local reporter Fletcher Gunn has his nose in the story as well. Sniffing out a way to publicly discredit the Bittersweets is his favorite assignment—and has absolutely nothing to do with his inability to resist Melody.

With her business on the line, it’s up to Melody to work out the brothers' issues, but can she protect her own very susceptible heart from Fletcher’s charm? Does she even want to?

My Opinion: Josie Silver has long held a cozy spot on my romance shelf. Her stories usually deliver heart, nuance, and characters you want to root for. So, when I saw she was venturing into paranormal territory with Crazy Spooky Love, I was curious. A little rom-com shimmer with a ghostly twist? Count me in.

But from the first few pages, something felt off. The tone was disjointed, the setup unclear, and the protagonist, supposedly 27, read more like a teenager navigating high school drama. I kept going, partly out of loyalty and partly out of hope. After all, authors deserve space to stretch creatively, and I was willing to follow her into new terrain.

Unfortunately, the terrain never quite settled. The language bounced between retro slang and modern references, creating a time-warp effect that was more confusing than charming. The dialogue leaned heavily on teen-style banter, which felt jarring coming from adult characters. And while there were moments of light humor and character appeal, they were buried under layers of overwriting and fluff that begged to be skimmed.

By the halfway mark, I tapped out. The story hadn’t found its footing, and I couldn’t keep pretending it might. What’s worse, I already own the second book in the series, and now I’m stuck in reader limbo. Do I give it a shot and hope for a course correction? Or shelve it and preserve my fondness for Silver’s earlier work?

I genuinely don’t know what happened here. It’s so far removed from the Josie Silver I’ve come to admire that I found myself wondering if she even wrote it. Maybe this was a ghost story in more ways than one.

Murder on the Marlow Belle

Title: Murder on the Marlow Belle
Author: Robert Thorogood
Published: January 16, 2025, by HQ
Format: Kindle, 333 Pages
Genre: Amateur Sleuth
Source: My thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book.
Series: The Marlow Murder Club #4

Blurb: Verity Beresford is worried about her husband. Oliver didn’t come home last night so of course Verity goes straight to Judith Potts, Marlow’s resident amateur sleuth, for help. Oliver, founder of the Marlow Amateur Dramatic Society, had hired The Marlow Belle, a private pleasure cruiser, for an exclusive party with the MADS committee but no one remembers seeing him disembark. And then Oliver’s body washes up on the Thames with two bullet holes in him – it’s time for the Marlow Murder Club to leap into action.

Oliver was, by all accounts, a rather complicated chap with a reputation for bullying children during nativity play rehearsals, and he wasn’t short of enemies. Judith, Suzie, and Becks are convinced they’ll find his killer in no time. But things are not as they seem in the Marlow Amateur Dramatic Society, and this case is not so clear-cut after all. The gang will need to keep their wits about them to solve this case, otherwise a killer will walk free.

My Opinion: If you’re jumping into The Marlow Murder Club, I’d recommend picking a lane: either the books or the TV series. I started with the novels, so the show’s tweaks feel like unnecessary detours. The heart of the story is still there, but the rhythm and tone shift just enough to be distracting if you’re toggling between formats.

This installment is light and easy to follow, even if you opt to change between the written page and the audiobook. It’s not trying to be profound, just a typical whodunnit with one body and a buffet of suspects. The pacing meanders a bit, with stretches that feel more like scenic detours than plot propulsion. But just when I was settling into the idea that this one might coast to a predictable finish, Thorogood pulled the rug out with a twist.

What keeps me coming back isn’t the mystery itself; it’s the Marlow Murder Club ladies. Their banter, their quirks, their refusal to stay in their lane. They’re the glue holding this series together, and their antics still make me smile.

And just when you think the story’s wrapped up, it throws in a final flourish that retroactively ties the chaos together. It doesn’t change the picture much, but it does make it feel more complete.

That said, a few days after finishing, I couldn’t tell you the finer points of the plot. It’s more about the ride than the destination. If you’re here for depth, this isn’t it. But if you’re here for charm, a dash of absurdity, and a trio of amateur sleuths who refuse to quit, you’ll find enough to enjoy.

The Lies They Told

Title: The Lies They Told
Author: Ellen Marie Wiseman
Published: July 29, 2025, by Kensington
Format: Kindle, Paperback, 417 Pages
Genre: Historical Fiction
Source: My thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book.

Blurb: In rural 1930s Virginia, a young immigrant mother fights for her dignity and those she loves against America’s rising eugenics movement – when widespread support for policies of prejudice drove imprisonment and forced sterilizations based on class, race, disability, education, and country of origin – in this tragic and uplifting novel of social injustice, survival, and hope for readers of Susan Meissner, Kristin Hannah, and Christina Baker Kline.

When Lena Conti—a young, unwed mother—sees immigrant families being forcibly separated on Ellis Island, she vows not to let the officers take her two-year old daughter. But the inspection process is more rigorous than she imagined, and she is separated from her mother and teenage brother, who are labeled burdens to society, denied entry, and deported back to Germany. Now, alone but determined to give her daughter a better life after years of living in poverty and near starvation, she finds herself facing a future unlike anything she had envisioned.

Silas Wolfe, a widowed family relative, reluctantly brings Lena and her daughter to his weathered cabin in Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains to care for his home and children. Though the hills around Wolfe Hollow remind Lena of her homeland, she struggles to adjust. Worse, she is stunned to learn the children in her care have been taught to hide when the sheriff comes around. As Lena meets their neighbors, she realizes the community is vibrant and tight knit, but also senses growing unease. The State of Virginia is scheming to paint them as ignorant, immoral, and backwards so they can evict them from their land, seize children from parents, and deal with those possessing “inferior genes.”

After a social worker from the Eugenics Office accuses Lena of promiscuity and feeblemindedness, her own worst fears come true. Sent to the Virginia State Colony for the Feebleminded and Epileptics, Lena face impossible choices in hopes of reuniting with her daughter—and protecting the people, and the land, she has grown to love.

My Opinion: Ellen Marie Wiseman is a new-to-me author, but if The Lies They Told is any indication of her storytelling power, she’s earned a permanent spot on my “must-read” list.

What first drew me in was the subject of eugenics, a dark and often overlooked chapter in American history. But what kept me turning the pages was the way Wiseman wove that history into a deeply human story. The pacing was tight, the characters vivid and raw, and the emotional weight? Unrelenting. I found myself needing to read it in small doses, not because it lagged, but because it hurt.

The opening hit especially hard. My own grandparent came through Ellis Island, and I had no idea of the gauntlet some immigrants faced. Reading about the so-called medical inspections, where people were poked, prodded, and interrogated in a language they didn’t understand, felt eerily reminiscent of something far more sinister. It wasn’t just about health. It was about worth. About who was deemed “fit” to enter and who was cast aside. Families were torn apart by the stroke of a pen, and the idea that someone could be labeled a burden to society by a stranger with a clipboard made my stomach turn.

This book broke me. Again and again. I couldn’t look away, and I couldn’t pretend it was just fiction. Wiseman made me feel every injustice Lena and Silas endured. Every betrayal. Every moment of despair. And when they shattered, I shattered with them.

The pain didn’t end with the final chapter. The author’s note was its own kind of gut punch. In school, we’re taught that eugenics was a Nazi horror. What we’re not taught is that the Nazis took their cues from us. That silence, that omission, is part of the lie.

The Lies They Told isn’t just a novel. It’s a reckoning. And it will stay with me for a very long time.

The Tattered Cover

Title: The Tattered Cover
Author: Ellery Adams
Expected Publication: October 28, 2025, by Kensington Cozies
Format: Kindle 304pgs
Genre: Amateur Sleuth
Source: My thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book.
Series: Secret, Book, & Scone Society #8

Blurb: As the residents of Miracle Springs, North Carolina, select their costumes, plan parties, and get excited for a night of tricks or treats, Nora joins in on the festivities by hosting medium memoirist Lara Luz at the bookstore. Charismatic and compelling, Lara mesmerizes the audience with her life story. Struck by a bolt of lightning as a child, she was pronounced dead only to be resurrected with the ability to connect with those on the other side.

Lara performs a reading for a select group of bookstore patrons when the encroaching storm knocks out the power. In the sudden darkness, howling cold winds intensify, and Lara clutches her heart, collapsing dead without warning. But Nora doesn’t believe she died of natural causes. Not one member of the psychic’s reading group—which includes the town’s widower pharmacist, an urgent care nurse, a mystery author, and even truculent Deputy Hollowell—were admirers of Lara.

Nora confirms this when she stumbles upon Lara’s journal in the aftermath of her death. For within its leathery bound pages are the medium and her clients’ deepest and darkest secrets, written in code. Now, Nora and the Secret, Book, and Scone Society must sift through the suspects and their motives to uncover which one of them is a killer before he or she is tempted to strike again

My Opinion: After a string of underwhelming reads, I reached for something comforting, familiar, and bookish that felt like fall. This novel delivered exactly that. Yes, it’s a little bookgirlie to say I needed a cozy mystery with coffee and pastries, but sometimes you need to lean into the season and let a well-worn series wrap around you like a favorite sweater.

I’ve been with this series from the beginning. The plot structure hasn’t changed much, and the characters feel like old friends who never surprise you, which is part of the charm. Nora remains the heart of Miracle Springs, and while Sheriff McCade might wear the badge, we all know who’s solving the case. The mystery itself gets a bit twisty, and there were moments I felt that I, too, had a concussion, but the plotting stays true to the amateur sleuth formula. You know what you signed up for, and you’re not mad about it.

There’s a quiet sweetness to these books. Friendship, found family, a touch of romance, and the kind of small-town rituals that make you want to linger. Each chapter opens with a quote, and some chapters even drop book titles like breadcrumbs for fellow readers to follow. It’s the literary equivalent of chatting with a bookseller who knows their genres and isn’t afraid to recommend across the aisle.

That said, the pacing lagged a bit. Covering three months felt excessive for a mystery that didn’t demand it. Was it meant to mirror seasonal change? To stretch out the investigation? Or give a pregnant mother time. I’m not sure, but I did find myself wishing for a tighter edit.

Still, this novel was a gentle reset; a palate cleanser between heavier reads. It reminded me why I keep showing up for this series: not for the plot twists, but for the comfort, the community, and the quiet joy of a story that knows exactly what it is.

Circle of Days

Title: Circle of Days
Author: Ken Follett
Published: September 23, 2025, by Grand Central Publishing
Format: Kindle, Hardcover, 704 Pages
Genre: Historical Fiction
Source: My thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book.

Blurb: A FLINT MINER WITH A GIFT
Seft, a talented flint miner, walks the Great Plain in the high summer heat, to witness the rituals that signal the start of a new year. He is there to trade his stone at the Midsummer Fair, and to find Neen, the girl he loves. Her family lives in prosperity and offer Seft an escape from his brutish father and brothers within their herder community.

A PRIESTESS WHO BELIEVES THE IMPOSSIBLE
Joia, Neen’s sister, is a priestess with a vision and an unmatched ability to lead. As a child, she watches the Midsummer ceremony, enthralled, and dreams of a miraculous new monument, raised from the biggest stones in the world. But trouble is brewing among the hills and woodlands of the Great Plain.

A MONUMENT THAT WILL DEFINE A CIVILIZATION
Joia’s vision of a great stone circle, assembled by the divided tribes of the Plain, will inspire Seft and become their life’s work. But as drought ravages the earth, mistrust grows between the herders, farmers and woodlanders—and an act of savage violence leads to open warfare

My Opinion: I was looking forward to this book. The idea of a story rooted in the mystery of Stonehenge had me intrigued. It’s the kind of concept that sparks curiosity and promises something epic. And knowing it came from Ken Follett, I expected to be swept away.

But somewhere around page 130, I realized I wasn’t turning the pages with any urgency. The characters weren’t the problem; they were fine, even likable. What I needed was momentum. A sense of discovery. Something to make me lean in. Instead, the story felt stuck.

It’s disappointing, especially when the premise holds so much potential. I kept waiting for the Stonehenge thread to anchor the narrative in something mythic or mysterious. But that promise never quite materialized; at least not before I set the book down.

This wasn’t a rage-quit. More of a quiet fade. I gave it a fair shot, but in the end, it just didn’t grab me. And with Follett, I know he can deliver better.

The Book of Lost Hours

Title: The Book of Lost Hours
Author: Hayley Gelfuso
Published: August 26, 2025, by Atria Books
Format: Kindle, Hardcover, 400 Pages
Genre: Historical Time Travel
Source: My thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book.

Blurb: Enter the time space, a soaring library filled with books containing the memories of those have passed and accessed only by specially made watches once passed from father to son—but mostly now in government hands. This is where eleven-year-old Lisavet Levy finds herself trapped in 1938, waiting for her watchmaker father to return for her. When he doesn’t, she grows up among the books and specters, able to see the world only by sifting through the memories of those who came before her. As she realizes that government agents are entering the time space to destroy books and maintain their preferred version of history, she sets about saving these scraps in her own volume of memories. Until the appearance of an American spy named Ernest Duquesne in 1949 offers her a glimpse of the world she left behind, setting her on a course to change history and possibly the time space itself.

In 1965, sixteen-year-old Amelia Duquesne is mourning the disappearance of her uncle Ernest when an enigmatic CIA agent approaches her to enlist her help in tracking down a book of memories her uncle had once sought. But when Amelia visits the time space for the first time, she realizes that the past—and the truth—might not be as linear as she’d like to believe.

The Book of Lost Hours explores time, memory, and what we sacrifice to protect those we love.

My Opinion: I finished the novel days ago and it’s still echoing in my head. I’ve been circling around how to describe the experience, since it wasn’t just enjoyable, it was immersive, unsettling, and quietly brilliant.

Hayley Gelfuso pulled off something rare: she took two genres I don’t usually reach for, historical fiction and time travel, and wove them together in a way that felt fresh, emotionally resonant, and surprisingly intimate. The story doesn’t just span eras; it plays with identity, memory, and the slipperiness of truth. You know from the start that the characters’ paths will cross, but the when and how are part of the magic. There’s a slow-burn tension as you begin to sense that each person is more than they appear, and that their fates are deeply entangled.

Yes, some of the twists are easy to spot. But that doesn’t cheapen the experience. Gelfuso knows exactly when to drop a gasp-worthy moment or a quiet revelation that makes you sit up straighter. It’s not about shock, it’s about emotional timing. And she nails it.

This isn’t a book to nibble at. Read it in generous stretches. The shifting timelines and layered character arcs demand your full attention, and the payoff is worth it. You’ll find yourself questioning who’s “good” and who’s “evil,” and just when you think you’ve picked a side, the story nudges you to reconsider.

And the ending? It’s one of those rare finales that makes you flip back a few pages, just to make sure you caught it right. Miss a single phrase, and you might miss everything. It’s the kind of ending that begs for conversation; one you’ll want to dissect with someone else.

Honestly, I wish I could read it again for the first time. That’s the highest compliment I can give.

The World's Greatest Detective and Her Just Okay Assistant

Title: The World's Greatest Detective and Her Just Okay Assistant
Author: Liza Tully
Published: July 8, 2025 by Berkley
Format: Kindle, Hardcover 400 Pages
Genre: Mystery
Source: My thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book.
Series: Merritt & Blunt Mysteries (#1)

Blurb: Olivia Blunt doesn't want to be an assistant detective for the rest of her life. She's determined to learn everything she can from her mentor and renowned investigator, Aubrey Merritt, but the latter is no easy grader.

After weeks of fielding phone calls from parties desperate for the world-renowned detective’s help, a case comes across Olivia’s desk that just might be worthy of Merritt’s skills. On the evening of her sixty-fifth birthday party, Victoria Summersworth somehow fell over her balcony railing to her death on the rocky shore of Lake Champlain. She was a happy woman—rich, beloved, in love, and matriarch of the preeminent Summersworth family. The police have ruled it a suicide, but her daughter Haley thinks it was murder.

Merritt is ever the skeptic, but Olivia believes Haley. Plus, she’s desperate to prove her investigative skills to her aloof boss. But the Summersworth family drama is a complicated web.

Olivia realizes she might be in over her head with this whole detective thing... or she might be unravelling a mystery even bigger than the one she’d started with.

My Opinion: I made it to 17%—about 70 pages—and then tapped out. Not because I’m impatient, but because I kept waiting for something, anything, to spark. A moment of intrigue. A character worth rooting for. A reason to turn the page. But nope. Nothing.

The setup had promise: Olivia Blunt, a lifelong detective fangirl, lands a gig as assistant to the legendary Aubrey Merritt. That should’ve been a recipe for quirky banter, clever cases, and at least one compelling dynamic. Instead, it’s a slow drip of dull dialogue and lifeless scenes. The pacing is sluggish, the tone flat, and the characters? Cardboard cutouts with no emotional pull.

It’s not just that the story moves slowly; it’s that it asks the reader to care without offering anything in return. No tension, no charm, no spark. I wanted to like it. But Liza Tully took a solid concept and buried it under a mountain of missed opportunities.

If you're hoping for a witty mystery with engaging leads, keep walking. This one’s all hype, no payoff.