REVIEW LA Weather by Maria Ampano Escandon

 

This 2021 book was part of Reese's book club - and I generally enjoy the books she selects. So I picked it up from my local library. This novel tells the story of the Alvarado family as they navigate major life changes - not one of the characters isn't experiencing a major shakeup. When we meet them, Oscar, the patriarch, has become distant, leaving his wife Keila feeling lonely and emotionally abandoned. This has prompted her to threaten divorce, which devastates her three daughters: Olivia, Claudia and Patricia. The girls convince their parents to give it a year before finalizing any decision to divorce. During that year, each member faces major life challenges that we navigate with them. 

Stories about families and relationship dynamics are stories that I'm drawn to. I'm insanely curious about them, so this book was definitely in my wheelhouse and satisfied that itch to some degree.  It wasn't the best novel that I have read that looks at these dynamics though. I felt like the characters were one dimensional and I had a hard time empathizing with any of them (except maybe Dani, who is Patricia's child). There was not a satisfying resolution for any of the characters except for Oscar and Keila, which was frustrating.  No one besides them seemed to actually learn anything or develop at all.  I did appreciate seeing how families were dealing with divorces, but that was pretty much it.  I mean, Escandon literally threw everything she could at this family in addition to divorce: gender/sexuality issues, infertility, cheating, stealing, cancer, you name it.  I found myself thinking: can we just pick like one or two big things and do a deep dive instead of barely scratching the surface on many things?

That being said, it was a pretty quick read, which was good.  

You can skip this one if you'd like!

REVIEW The Last Policeman by Ben Winters

 

I'm going to be completely transparent here - Ben Winters is a local author whose brother I occasionally try cases against.  So when I heard that Ben wrote this trilogy, I was excited to start it because not only do I love reading about places that I know about, but it's written by someone I'm connected to, albeit tenuously.

In this book, the asteroid Maia is on a crash collision with Earth and that collision can't be stopped. Society is falling apart but it's not as bad as you would think although there has been a significant uptick in suicides, people walking away from jobs and people walking away from families to do whatever suits them in the moment. Except for Henry Palace, a detective with the Concord PD who has responded to a suicide call at a local McDonald's.He quickly believes that this was a homicide, not a suicide. 

What I enjoyed about this book is its critique of society when everyone knows they're going to die and the questions it poses.  Henry, for instance, is trying to figure out why someone would commit a MURDER now of all times. I enjoyed how quick paced the novel was and its introspection - you're in Henry's head for the entire novel. He's likeable and a nerd at heart. I also like Winters' writing style - it's precise and quietly humorful (don't blink or you'll miss the humor). I also really enjoyed seeing how different people were reacting to the news that the world was ending - some were pursuing bucket lists, some adrift, some committed suicide and some just did what they loved or were plodding along. This was a great commentary about the value of life and time and the message that I got was that our time was limited so best to enjoy every moment you have.

Definitely worth the read. 

Links I love

 

I hope that everyone had a wonderful Mother's Day las weekend! I have been experiencing a lot of stress and anxiety related to my health and my reading, among other things has suffered so I didn't have any reviews this week and I'm sorry for that. 

1. 6 Historical figures with powerful mothers. 
2. Why do museums make you tired.
3. What does the term "unc" mean?
4. Some dolls that took over the 90's. 
5. Jane Austen and modern detective fiction. 
6. 7 songs you didn't know that Neil Diamond wrote. 
7. The 2026 Edgar Award winners have been announced. The list is here. 
8. The best books on prophecy. 
9. I'm always looking for quick dinners. 
10. 5 historical figures that led double lives. 
11. Best historical fiction of 2026, so far. 
12. How substack became the new book tour.
13. This is a really old dental bridge. 
14. Women are more likely to struggle with these mental health diagnoses. 
15. 6 forgotten mall stores from the 90's.
16. These are some dark moments in kids' movies. 
17. Murdaugh's convictions were reversed (saw that coming!). The full opinion can be found here.
18. This is going to make your commute even worse.
19. 250 for 250 - a booklist from the BPL for the 250th birthday of America. 
20. Shakira is at the World Cup, again. 
21. The real world animals that inspired Star Wars characters. 
22. The Yogurt Shop Murders has been solved. 

I'm currently reading two books simultaneously - Theo of Golden by Allen Levi and The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett and listening to To the Moon and Back.

Please visit my Pangobooks store! And have a great week!

Links I love

 

My week was a rough one - I was in the ER on Friday for chest pressure and shoulder pain.  Thankfully, not a heart attack, but the doctors are still trying to figure out what is going on with my lungs and heart. I had a CT scan with contrast and, aside from them messing up the IV the first time (resulting in contrast going under my skin), it was fine.  I have several nodules on my lungs, I'm inflamed and it looks like my right ventricle is slightly delayed/may be working a bit harder then the rest of my heart. This is really scary.

The rest of the week was fine! The weather is improving and we have had some nice warm days.  

1. "What if They Knew" - mental health workers in NH talk about their experiences with mental health treatment and in general. 
2. One of my new favorite podcasts. 
3. I found a new reading challenge.  20 books of summer has also been announced!
4. Some 90's gadgets that people still miss. I don't miss pagers.
5. Three Mexican foods that have ritual meaning. 
6. Slow and long checkouts at Walmart have shoppers down. 
7. A hobby that is good for the aging brain.
8. Some obscure travel laws that you didn't know existed. 
9. The winners of the 2026 Pulitzer Prize. There are many that I would like to read from this list.
10. Some ideas for dystopian books for you to read if you are interested.
11. Flowers or books - recommendations for mother's day. 
12. On making time to read the classics.
13. Some misconceptions about Cinco De Mayo that Americans still have.
14. 7 things about Star Wars that were inspired by real life events. 
15. 7 novels about dysfunctional but charming families.
16. The oldest cold case ever solved in Massachusetts. 
17. The burnout trap: why the women who never fall apart are the ones that need to stop. 
18. THe best and worst states for working moms. 
19. 5 books about matriarchs and motherhood. 
20. The Deep humanity of Project Hail Mary. 
21. Cozy and romantic mystery series.
22. Trips inspired by books and film.
23. Why it's deadly when older people get pneumonia.
24. Some Asian American and Pacific Islander horror stories you should read. 
25. Scottish bookstores take the high road and increase sales as a result.
26. What's new to streaming (LORD OF THE FLIES FOLKS!!) this week. Some other ideas for things to watch. 
27. Murky murders: the Murdaugh murders. 
28. Books about female migrant workers.
29. This guy fled Pompeii very long ago - guess how they found him?
30. This necklace was given to Anne Boleyn by Henry VIII.
31. What did dogs mean to the ancient Mayans?
32. The 20 most addictive books of 2026 so far.
33. Pugs and libraries? Yes please!

I have questions!  

What are you guys listening to for podcasts? And watching?

What reading challenges to you participate in?

Please visit my PB store!

REVIEW Stay Alive by Ian Buruma

 

Not going to lie, I'm fascinated by the horror of the Holocaust and why  people do what they do, even though it's been 80 years since Hitler killed himself. There seems to be no end to the books about this dark era of world history and this is one of the recent releases. This book is about living in a city in a country where the average  person has absolutely no control over anything. Buruma was inspired by his grandfather, Leo's experience living in the country during this time period. Leo was a Dutch student who was forced to do factory labor in Berlin. Ian combined this experience with interviews, diaries and letters to try to provide us with a snapshot of what it was like to live in Berlin during the bulk of the fighting. 

There were a number of real life "characters" that we meet - Coco Schumann (a Jewish musician who seemed to hide in plain sight playing Jazz music), Lilo (a 15 year old who initially idolizes the Nazis but who then comes to idolize the people who try to assassinate Hitler), Helmeth Von Motke, a dissident Nazi who gets hung and Erich Alenfeld, a Jew who converted to Christianity and remained a German patriot. Of course, we see Goebbels (whose diaries and letters are quoted extensively).

Given the lack of primary resources at Buruma's disposal, he did a magnificent job in providing the intimate details of people's lives and then placing it within the wider context of the war itself. This is by no means a light or easy book as a result, but it is a necessary and intriguing one. He also doesn't gloss over the experience of the city's Jewish population. Their story is woven into the story of the city as Buruma writes it. 

Definitely a must read but give yourself some grace and take breaks if you need it. 

REVIEW Into the Blue by Emma Brodie

 

This book absolutely surprised me. In a good way.  In this novel, we meet AJ Graves and Noh Drew initially as teenagers and we follow them on an improbable journey that begins with them as teenagers in the early 2000's to adults living and working in entertainment In New York City, where AJ is writing for SNL and Noah Drew is a famous actor. 

I LOVED this book and couldn't put it down. It took over my life from the moment I started it until the moment I finished it like three days later. I read it whenever I had a free moment. When Noah and AJ interact, it felt the same way. ALL CONSUMING. The book is chronological, so you don't have to worry about trying to figure out what is happening when and you can focus on AJ and Noah and what's going with them. You experience everything that AJ is experiencing as she experiences it.  And her feelings are absolutely down to earth and relatable. 

For some odd reason, I didn't know that this book was a romance.  But it's not like a typical romance novel. It had me wanting to read more and it wasn't all rainbows and sunshine either.  and yet, I still enjoyed reading about the romance.  I also really loved reading about NYC and the comedy scene, which is also quite an important character as well.I loved the fan communities as well (there are scenes written at those Comic Cons) and I can't help but wonder if Emma Brodie may have attended one or two herself. 

Definitely worth the read (and re-read). It moves quickly but don't let that fool you - this is by no means a fluffy book. The characters and the stories are real and emotional and well worth it. 

Links I love

 

I'm still recovering from the plague.  It's taking way longer than I want it to and then I expected. Whatever I had was really bad. I have to get a chest CT scan and see a pulmonologist, who I hope will help me get my asthma under control again.  Hoping that I kick it soon!

1. Why Carmel-by-the-Sea has banned chain restaurants. 
2. The only two songs that Ringo wrote for the Beatles. 
3. Did Julius Caesar really say "Et Tu Brute?"
4. 5 biggest misconceptions about the Salem Witch Trials.
5. There are two new Rebecca Yarros books coming out this fall. 
6. Seven novels about the secrets women keep. 
7. TikTok made me buy it. 
8. Was Emerson the true father of American literature?
9. Ten memoirs that explore family estrangement. 
10. Books to read if you loved Hamnet.
11. If you're like me and you like True Crime, check out this list of things to stream or read.
12. Novels set in Montreal. 
13. The best books on WW2 in Asia. 
14. This article on The Dark Crystal is golden.
15. Why the Buffalo Sabres play O, Canada at their games. 
16. 8 common myths about Star Wars.
17. The best books about witches and witch hunts. 
18. The book news isn't all bad.
19. The best Wizard of Oz adaptations ranked. 
20. Magic the Gathering has a Hobbit set. 

Nearly done reading Into the Blue (i had to take a break from my WW2 book because it was heavy!) and listening to The Girls (I was also listening to a fascinating podcast about Michael Jackson called Think Twice).

Here is a link to my Pangobooks store. Enjoy!

REVIEW Z: A Novel of Zelda Fitzgerald by Therese Anne Fowler

 

I grabbed this novel because I needed a novel that began with the Letter Z for my Popsugar prompt and had travelled to Montgomery, AL a few years ago for work, where I visited the Fitzgerald home. Zelda has always been somewhat mythologized and I didn't know a lot about her.  The novel is a fictionalized accounting of Zelda's life, beginning with her as a teenager in Montgomery, meeting Scott for the first time at the tail end of World War I. The novel ends with the disintegration of their marriage and Scott's death. 

I really enjoyed getting to know Zelda in this novel.  She's a Southern Belle from a distinguished family, sure, but she's pretty good at not letting people push her around. I was surprised at the things she did when she was living with her parents and then later on when she was travelling with Scott. Her life with her husband was beyond frustrating and I felt mad for her and bad for her at the same time, especially after she had their daughter, Scottie.  It was so heartbreaking. Fowler did a wonderful job making both Zelda and Scott believable characters.  Zelda shown in her own right during this novel, but I could also hear and experience her travails with Scott as they were happening, which is the hallmark of a good novelist. The novel uses solid voices and descriptions that all you to be in the moment with the characters.

The biggest thing that most people associate with Zelda was her mental health break struggles. These seemed to really take off in the later part of her marriage to Scott and this was so in the novel as well.  They didn't seem to manifest for three quarters of the book. However it seems that her physical health and marital struggles caused so much strain on her, that it eventually coopted her mental health as well, causing a break. Even then, I felt that Zelda was portrayed as more misunderstood - she was trying to assert her independence within a marriage to an insecure alcoholic who wanted nothing more than to control her and pigeonhole her into a specific role that he had assigned to her. 

I loved being brought on a whirlwind journey of the 20's and the Jazz Age and learning about this woman from a perspective that I hadn't before considered. 

REVIEW Heartwood by Amity Gaige

 

I needed something a bit quicker and lighter after that last one and I've been wanting to read this one for a while, so I picked it up. This novel focuses on 42-year old Valerie Gillis, a nurse who has disappeared in Maine while hiking the Appalachian Trail a hot minute from finishing on Katahdin, and the gripping search and rescue operation run by Beverly, a dedicated Lieutenant with the Maine Game Wardens (think Fish and Game officer). Beverly was one of the first women hired by the Wardens and, I think, the first woman to become a Lt in the agency. She's dedicated and determined and has been known for finding even the most lost of the lost, but in conducting this search, all of her teams (including flyovers and dogs) have come up empty. It also focuses on 76 year old Lena, a wheelchair bound woman living in an assisted living community that has been estranged from her own daughter, a nurse, for years.From the start there was a sense of urgency that is a subtle undercurrent. Valerie has a limited amount of food and water and isn't a very experienced hiker, so she and the people searching for her know that she is on seemingly borrowed time. As each moment slips by, so do the chances of finding her alive. 

I loved this book. On many levels. I love books set in the wilderness and hiking, both of which are loves of mine.  I've been working on doing all of my 48 4000 footers in NH for years so any book where the wilderness or hiking or both are main characters are a natural draw for me. The way that the book is told - shifting between the perspectives of the three women - is one of my favorite methods of storytelling and is very effective here. The women talk a lot about the hardships that they have suffered that have contributed to who they are as the search goes on - Bev being the first woman (and a tall one at around six feet tall), Lena with the relationship with her daughter and being wheelchair bound and Valerie slowly starving. For me, this was very interesting - I love a good backstory. The relationships between the women and their moms or daughters is also a large character in this novel.

I loved Bev.  I thought that she was compelling and I found myself pulling for her throughout all stages of the novel. The characters were  compelling and the book moved at a very fast pace. I read it in about three days tops. It's a page turner for sure.  

Def give it a shot. 

Links I love

 

I hope that everyone had a good week!  Still mending.,..but I think I'm on the mend.  The doctor said I'm not wheezing or have other weird noises coming from my lungs, which was decidedly NOT the case the last time that I was there so that's good.  Sleep, water and light walking for me until I'm better. I also now hate my inhalers but hey, they're necessary so whatever.  

My son has committed to UNH for college in the fall, so I'm starting to crochet a blanket with him in the school colors. I will hopefully have it done by then!

• Why is everyone so obsessed with Nantucket?
• Billy Joel's favorite and least favorite Billy Joel songs. 
• The best historical novels set in the 1980's?
• 5 defining dramatic tropes that started with Shakespeare.
• 4 reasons to never rent a stroller in WDW.
• Books worth three million dollars surface in NYC.
• These were the most challenged books of 2025.
• Some literary mysteries that take place in the 1980's.
• What actually happens to your brain when you don't sleep.
• 4 theories about Edgar Allen Poe's death that can't be explained. 
• 6 facts about climate change. 
• Check out this article on Labyrinth, the movie. 
• Why is it easier to remember faces than names?
• Has anyone read books by Marian Keyes?
• This looks good.
• How bookstores choose the books they stock.
• Readers still prefer print books - I certainly do. 
• Books with older protagonists. 
• 25 gifts for moms who are also writers. 
• Ten books about neurodivergent characters.
• Want to read more - try these five tips.
• The finalists have been announced for the NYPL's young lions award. 
• Saturday was Indie bookstore day and here are some great ones from around the world.  I love The Bookery in Manchester, NH, Gibson's in Concord, NH, The Little Village Toy and Book Shop in Littleton, NH and Powell's in Portland, OR (I can spend like two days there).
• Solo time in nature is helpful for our health.
• Are you a doomer? I might be.
• Shakespeare's home was hidden in plain sight. For years.
• Was Rex Heuermann's wife in the know?
• One of my favorite local coffee shops is expanding.
• Does your library have its own reading list?
• Book Tok has released its first bestseller list. 
• For those of you that like Haruki Murakami (like I do), he has a new book coming out with a female main character. 

Please take some time to visit my Pangobooks store!

I'm currently reading Z: A Novel of Zelda Fitzgerald by Therese Anne Fowler and listenin to The Girls by Emma Cline. 

REVIEW Nobody's Girl by Virginia Giuffre

 

This posthumously published memoir presents us with a reckoning of trauma and sexual abuse that started when Ms. Giuffre was living with her father and ended with her being caught in one of the biggest sex trafficking rings that we are aware of - the one run by convicted pedophiles and traffickers Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell. Ms. Giuffre reportedly died by suicide just prior to the memoir being published. 

The first half of the memoir details Giuffre's sexual abuse, first at the hands of her father and a family friend, and then at the hands of Epstein and Maxwell, who she meets after fleeing from her home and becoming employed at Mar-a-Lago, of all places. TRIGGER WARNING: this part of the book is horrific and discusses sexual abuse, so tread with caution.

Giuffre is able to escape from Epstein and Maxwell. She marries, has three children and relocates to live in Australia with her husband, their family and his parents. But Epstein and Maxwell's acts are still an insidious part of her life, even as she has seemingly moved onto another life. Giuffre, to her credit, feels called to hold her abusers accountable for what they did to her and to hundreds of other CHILDREN by testifying in court cases, giving interviews and filing lawsuits. 

I was hesitant to read this book because of the content, frankly but I ended up drawn into the book. I read it in two days.  It is a compelling tale of a young woman who is calling out her abusers and how wealthy, powerful people consistently use their privilege to avoid compliance with the law and hurt the children around them. Undoubtedly, Giuffre is brave for the steps that she took in advocating for herself and other trafficking victims and in writing this memoir, but I can't help but wonder at what cost. While writing seems to have arced towards redemption, her death makes me question whether it was truly therapeutic and helpful for her. This shouldn't detract from you reading this memoir - it is an important and well written one, albeit a hard one to read at times.

Definitely read this, but make sure to take care of yourself at the same time. 

REVIEW: Last Night at the Telegraph Club by Malinda Lo

 

This was a really interesting and much more emotionally trying book then I realized it would be when I selected it, but I'm so glad that I did. 

The main character is Lily Hu, a 17 year old girl growing up in 1950's San Francisco Chinatown. She's trying to navigate her romantic feelings for classmate Kathleen Miller and the expectation that she be a good "Chinese girl." In the 1950's being a lesbian and Chinese made people targets of homophobia and discrimination based upon a fear of Communism. However, Lily seems to have found a haven at a lesbian bar called The Telegraph Club. This novel explores Lily's struggles in navigating her coming of age and her identity.

Lily was such an interesting and authentic character.  And boy does she have a lot going on. She has to hide a major part of her identity while also fearing that her family will be deported as a result of the Red Scare, which was in full swing at this time. I loved that she was willing to take realistic risks and the novel offers an intimate look into the lives of people that lived during this time.  The city of San Francisco also plays a large role in this novel and Lo does a tremendous job of situating us in the city itself. 

The relationship between Kathleen and Lily is also pretty realistic. They're both pretty hesitant at first even though its obvious that they are both queer and attracted to one another.  They don't know how to talk about what and how they're feeling because at the time there wasn't really any language to talk about that. 

Malinda Lo did extensive research before writing this novel and lists her sources. Definitely read the Author's note - it's at the end of the novel but I would recommend reading it first so that you can set the novel in it's appropriate historical context. 

LOVED this novel and would highly recommend. 

Links I love

 

I'm still trying to kick this lung issue I have.  UGH, the flu really did a number on me.

• How fan fiction went mainstream.
• On writing about the American rural area.
• What is the best literary film adaptation in the last 50 years?
• Can you grow orange trees indoors?
• The tragic real life inspiration behind Interview with a Vampire.
• The best sci fi movies of the 90's.
• The new Hunger Games Trailer is here.
• Have we been reading Toni Morrison all wrong?
• Why traffic lights are red, yellow and green.
• Songs written by Bruce Springsteen that you didn't know were written by him,.
• 8 books written about characters seeking connection.
• Here's an article about the habits of super readers.
• There's a Fantasy and dark lit bookstore opening in Salem, MA and here's the kickstarter for it.
• An interview with Elizabeth Banks where she talks about the books that have shaped her. 
• Here are the winners for the 2026 Whiting Award for Emerging. 
• This novel on motherhood looks interesting.
• Bob Odenkirk talks about a near death experience.
• New film highlights skiing in Tuckerman's Ravine. 
• I'm a huge true crime fan. Here are this month's new true crime novels. 
• The top ten cities for coffee - in the US.
• 5 locations where tourists outnumber locals. 

I'm currently reading Nobody's Girl by Virginia Jiuffre and listening to Greenlights by Matthew McConaughey. 

Please visit my Pangobooks store!

REVIEW Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow

 

I would describe this novel as a unique take on a love story - but not romance - set in the world of video game design. It's about two childhood friends who become legendary game designers after attending college in Cambridge, MA in the late 90's. 

Sadie and Sam, the main characters, meet for the first time at 11 years old in the game room of a children's hospital in Los Angeles.  Sadie is there because her older sister has cancer and Sam is there because he was in a horrific and tragic car accident that crushed his leg. Almost silently, they bond over Super Mario Brothers, the game that Sam is playing when Sadie first encounters him. Because Sam has emotionally shut down - he hasn't really talked since he got there - the nurses are thrilled that Sadie has gotten him to come out of his shell and ask Sadie to keep visiting with him. Sadie's mother proposes that she use the hours towards her bat mitzvah community service requirement and so Sadie agrees, all the while sneakily getting the nurses to sign off on her hours, which they willingly do. WHile it is transactional, it's also genuine - Sadie is fond of Sam. The storyline spans over 30 years of Sadie and Sam's life and a continent as well, going from California, to college in Massachusetts and back and includes periods of estrangement and closeness. 

This is an intricate novel about male-female  friendship and stories - Sam and Sadie create elaborate video games with intricate stories as we read about their story.  I loved the development of the characters and the relationship between Sam and Sadie, which is also very much a character in the novel.  I also appreciated themes and discussions surrounding cultural appropriation (one of the games they create and develop is called Ichigo, based upon The Great Wave of Kanagawa and yet neither Sadie nor Sam are Japanese). 

I loved this book.  Add it to your library - it's well worth it. 

This book satisfied the Popsugar prompt of a platonic friendship between a guy and girl. 

REVIEW A Court of Silver Flames by Rebecca Maas

 

I needed to get in gear since there are a few new ACOTAR books coming in soon and now I'm up to date. This is the (so far) last book in the popular series by Sarah Maas that has been published and is one of, if not the, best in the series so far.

Nesta is one of the most self destructive and self-loathing characters I've ever met.  She has refused to live with the rest of the "family" (i.e. the inner circle), instead living in a filthy hovel, drinking herself into the ground every night and sleeping with whatever male seems to wander by.  Her self-hatred is through the roof.  She's a character that I thought honestly fitting of the "c" word - nasty all around but particularly to the people that love her and are trying to help her (her sisters in particular).  There were times that I have wanted to reach through the pages, grab her and tell her off. However, in this doorstop novel, I grew to have some more respect for Nesta (actually a great deal), although I cannot say that I like her (I have a hard time getting past the nastiness). She has some major trauma and guilt, both of which she became able to channel into helping other women around her, which really struck a cord with me. Nesta's transformation was quite believable.

The vast majority of this book was spent watching Nesta train with the other women.  That's fine, but be prepared, there are a lot.  I enjoyed the moments that she was working in the library better, but the other montages certainly didn't turn me off. The training, and also meditation, were used as ways to process trauma.  There is a lot about violence towards women in this novel so if that's an issue for you, I would stay away from it. 

I really enjoyed this novel - it's thought provoking and potentially healing, certainly empowering. I am excited to see what happens next and, even though I certainly don't like Nesta, enjoyed getting to see her evolve. 

Links I love

 

I hope that everyone had a good week.  I ended up improving and then feeling worse yesterday - I had to get a chest x ray and luckily it's not pneumonia but I definitely have bronchitis or something.  I'm on a Z-Pac. This has been a long road to recovery.

1. What happens to unsold Girl Scout cookies (didn't even believe that was a thing)?
2. Five expansive horror tales set in New York. 
3. More teens are getting hooked on gambling. 
4. Updates on the wonderful Carli Lloyd, formerly of the USWMNT.
5. What does nitpicking really mean?
6. Should judicial evaluations be made public?
7. How the horrors of dating can lay the groundwork for a good thriler.
8. Some revolutionary stories about and by Arab women. 
9. The best historical fiction books of the century so far. 
10. Some songs that Dolly Parton wrote, that you didn't know she wrote. 
11. Your sarcasm is showing and its history is pretty violent. 
12. Wellness hangouts are the new happy hour. 
13. Indie booksellers name the top books of 2025. 
14. Overrated fantasy novels and what to read next. 
15. 5 Classic novels that almost had different endings. 
16. Some of the best small press books of spring, 2026.
17. Ten fictional professors ranked by plausibility.
18. ALA fights against book banning bill.
19. Need more whimsy in your life? Start letter writing.
20. I could always use help with this.
21. The best horror movies from the 1990's.

Also, THIS!! This was amazing on so many levels and was SO COOL TO WATCH!!!  I was in second grade when The Challenger disaster happened and I'm not going to lie, I totally was on edge until everything was all clear - God Bless our astronauts.

I'm looking for a few new podcasts to listen to - what is everyone enjoying?  I'm currently reading Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin and listening to Not Quite Dead (which has a really great premise).  

Please feel free to visit my Pangobooks store!

REVIEW The Academy by Elin

 

I needed something a bit more fun and a novel by an author that I have enjoyed in the past so I picked this novel.  Cunningham and one of her brothers attended a boarding school instead of public school and Hilderbrand was fascinated by the culture surrounding these settings, so together, they decided to write this book. The book follows students and their teachers at fictional Tiffin Academy, a school in Western Massachusetts and begins on move in day when the community finds that their ranking has jumped approximately 17 spots to number 2 on the rankings list. And to make matters more dramatic, there's a new app that outs people's secrets, which is in addition to the normal drama at any school.

There is a lot going on in this book - there are a lot of characters with a lot of backstory and I had to remind myself to be patient and let the authors pull everything together. It's a typical Hilderbrand book in that it shifts between perspectives, sometimes very, very quickly (which I don't mind at all since it keeps things interesting). I felt that I was there in the setting with the characters experiencing what they were experiencing as they experienced it and the book itself is very, very fast paced so it moved.  I finished it very quickly. I loved that it felt like a Hilderbrand book as I'm generally a fan of hers. 

There is one major thing that I was not a fan of: there is one story line that was begun and wasn't resolved.  I think that this is a two book series so I'm truly hoping that the next book reveals it because I'll be super upset if it isn't. 

Generally solid.  

Links that I love

 

We had some warmer weather here this week but now it's back to being coldish.  I'd like to see more 60's and 70's please.  For those celebrating Easter, I hope that you have a nice holiday!  I am working through the flu currently.  It hit me hard Monday into Tuesday. 

• This emotion seems to play a big role in addiction.
• Study further identifies estrogen's positive3 effects on women's health.
• Three habits to help with stress management - these make sense. 
• These real life women inspired Disney Princesses.
• Anthony Palmini and narrating romantasy audiobook.
• What we know about coffee's impact on the heart is wrong. 
• I may try this practice. 
• Which Disney Princess are you?
• Why do we say "hit the sack?" 
• What do palms symbolize on Palm Sunday?
• Tana French has a new book out.
• The 2026 shortlist for the International Booker Prize.
• Here's an easy looking recipe to try. 
• 5 discontinued easter chocolates that people want back. 
• I like big books and I cannot lie. 
• How addiction became a big motif in crime fiction. 
• Every state's favorite Easter candy.
• Takeaways from the men's tune up World Cup games. 
• 15 short nonfiction audiobooks that are 7 hours or less. 
• 12 dark revenge filled books if you're feeling ragey. 
• The finalists for this year's Lambda Literary Awards.
• For those of you interested in WW2, please check this out.
• This looks fantastic and I want to try!
• If you like Rebecca Yarros, try these books.  If you do ACOTAR, keep reading past the first book. They get better. Promise.
• How much sleep do you really need and is getting too much sleep a bad thing?
• The story behind alpine divorce.

If you can, please gift to this 529 account. I also have a Pangobooks store - visit if you can!

REVIEW I Wish You All the Best by Mason Deaver

 

This book satisfies two of my challenges: the Popsugar Challenge (book where there is a non binary or trans main character) and the Library Love challenge.  I loved this book and I loved that this was the sort of book that Mason Deaver needed when they were a teenager.  So wonderful for me too.  I feel like I learned a lot. The literary world is so much better because this book is here.

I knew that I would love this book when it made me cry in the first few chapters.  It is absolutely nightmarish but not in your face or over the top and it was that subtleness that really got me. Ben DeBecker has been kicked out of his home at Christmas time after coming out to his conservative parents about being non-binary.  He luckily is able to call his older sister, Hannah, who is estranged and had left right after graduating from high school. She jumps into action and picks him up, gets him enrolled in school and gets him a (good) therapist. Ben spends the first part of the book in fear that they will be outed, rejected and have to return to the terrible environment that they were in previously. However, he has a lot of support and some bright lights - Mariam is a non binary social influencer that is very supportive of Ben and Nathan, a young man that Ben meets at his new school. 

This was a very compelling story that captured me and moved quickly. It is so effective in establishing that young, non-binary (or even anyone that has a sexual or gender orientation that is different from what the dominant society says is "normal,") are always experiencing a baseline level of fear and stress - nothing is ever seemingly safe in their world. Every word, action and look is second guessed.  Are they going to be outed? Is the person that learns of their gender or sexual expression going to accept them or be violent or something in between? What would be considered normal questions, are not necessarily normal questions to Ben - they are still trying to figure themselves out and then they have to figure out the world around them, all the while being a teen. 

When I put this book down, I felt much more emotionally and intellectually intelligent. I learned about the non-binary landscape all the while enlightening me on an experience that I never had and helping me to have compassion for people that are going through these difficult transitions in their own lives. I adored this book and would recommend it highly. 

REVIEW: Vladimir by Julia May Jonas

 

Not going to lie, I've had this book forever but I only started reading it because Netflix has released a limited series. THe first line was so promising: " When I was a child, I loved old men and I could tell that they also loved me."

And that legitimately sets the tone for the rest of the novel. The narrator and main character is a female professor in her late 50's at a small liberal arts college in upstate NY. She has a crisis when her older husband, also a professor, is accused of sexual harassment and improper relationships (many of them sexually consummated) by former students of his.  They have always had agreements about boundaries in their relationships but now that everything is so public, the narrator gets her revenge by developing an infatuation with another much younger professor - Vladimir. He's a wildly successful, young and attractive novelist that arrives on campus with his wife and their child. 

I generally enjoyed how the novel started - it was so promising. I enjoyed seeing an older woman embrace her sexuality and who she was.  Her creativity started to blossom after her infatuation started. And I really appreciated how it took on things like relationships - the narrator and her husband seem the most solid even though their boundaries may be questionable, but the gender roles in the relationship are still so strict. She has his dinner on the table for him. Every night. No matter what.  He took care of all the finances. But then we got the last third of the book and things just went completely off the rails in a way that I just couldn't get behind. I honestly wondered if the author felt like me - and just wanted to get to the end of the book in a rush and so ended it the way that she did. 

Not my cup of tea, this one.  Pass on it - you're not missing anything. 

Links I love

 

Last week had a lot going on for me work wise and life wise. At least I have some fun links to share though! I'm listening to Future Boy by Michael J. Fox and reading I Wish You all the Best by  Mason Deaver and The Academy. 

• Memoirs about losing a parent when in childhood.
• The Bell Jar is getting an adaptation with Billie Eilish. There's an adaptation of Tomorrow, and Tomorrow and Tomorrow too!
• This supplement can help in perimenopause.
• What is the Kennedy curse?
• 6 female writers that shaped modern science fiction.
• Why you should consider holding hands during your next fight?
• Morning might be the best time to exercise.
• Ten best books to read with interesting female protagonists. 
• Microwalks and your steps.
• 9 Novels about women in the wild. 
• Because who doesn't need a new podcast to listen to?
• Why readers are taking up Grannycrafts.
• Historical novels set in South Africa.
• The winners of the National Book Critics Circle Awards have been announced. 
• Bridgerton's diversity - what's up with it?
• Cursive is back, but should students be learning it?
• The Inside Literary Prize announces its shortlist. 
• Lift your weights, especially if you're female. 
• 8 coastal cities that look divine. 
• Emotional abuse in college sports.

Please feel free to make a gift to our child's 529 account or visit my Pangobooks store.

REVIEW A Court of Frost and Starlight by Sarah Maas

 

I read this physical book, did not listen to it.  I tend to find listening to non fiction is easier than reading it in some circumstances!  

This book is short for an ACOTAR book, and is a nice respite from the heavier, longer and more action packed other novels in this series. Feyre and Rhys have returned to Velaris to prepare for and celebrate solstice, which is also Feyre's birthday. Everyone is also trying to come to terms with what they had experienced in the prior novel. Most are coping well, except for Nesta, who is a hot mess, seemingly an alcoholic and is having a hard time moving forward. 

I enjoyed this novella. It's like a larger epilogue to the last novel, clears the palate and gets us ready for the next novel. It moved very quickly and was very refreshing - exactly what I needed in the moment that I picked it up. I enjoyed learning about the characters' everyday lives and their everyday struggles.  I also became much more fond of Azriel and Mor, who are hands down my favorite ACOTAR characters. I appreciated how Maas seems to be setting up the next novel, particularly in her chapters surrounding Nesta and Cassian (not going to lie, I'm not a fan of Nesta. At all.). Maas uses alternating points of view in this book, which is different from the prior novels and which was VERY effective in setting up the next book.  It's nice to get to know the other characters in the Inner Circle as well, which isn't something that happens as well when the story is told just from one point of view. 

Generally, I really liked this book. The ACOTAR books seem to get better with each book and I'm looking forward to the next book, as well as the ACOTAR books that are set to be released at the end of the year.

REVIEW The Peculiar Garden of Harriet Hunt by Chelsea Iverson

 

I selected this book to fulfill one of the prompts for the Popsugar Reading challenge of 2026 - which called for one of the books to have a garden playing a seminal role in the novel.  I didn't want to re-read The Secret Garden, so here we are.

Harriet has always been considered odd.  Her father has gone missing and so she ultimately takes advantage of the newfound and unexpected freedom afforded to her by his disappearance. She forges her own path, by hanging out in her own home and tending to her garden. However, when an inspector appears and begins to question her father's disappearance, she becomes acutely aware of how truly vulnerable that she as a woman in the Victorian era is. She puts her trust in people that perhaps she shouldn't have and here we have the conundrum: being caught and trying to solve a mystery.

There's a lot of mystery to cover - what happened to her dad and mom, why a strange man is courting her and what happens to her. The mysteries move very, very slowly in unfolding. I found it to move almost so slowly that I was losing interest. And then we have the answers explode in one very big explosion at the end of the book and by the time that this happened, I honestly didn't care at all. I had lost so much interest and didn't care. The garden was such an instrumental part of the book, but I never really fully understood why and wanted more of an explanation. 

Not a great read and I was happy when I was done.  On to the next!

Links I love

I'm so looking forward to the longer days and warmer weather. And Tulips. I love tulips.

•  Can you name all the sitcom dads?
• What causes spontaneous human combustion?
• Modern day Thelmas and Louise in crime fiction.
• The scandalous story of Lucy Locket.
• What was being a ninja really like?
• Resources for learning about different topics.
• How John Grisham lost his love of baseball. 
• Peanut butter vs almond butter: is one better than the other?
• This years GS cookies, ranked. 
• Finalists for the Lambda Literary awards.
• I love me some True Crime and  these look good. Some of these look pretty good too. 
• This Roman fort was found...in Scotland?!
• Lemon peels...in the sink?
• Some bone healthy foods that no one talks about.
• 6 random facts about the spring equinox.
• Why do airplanes have tiny windows?

I hope that everyone has a great week!  Please don't forget that I have a Pangobooks store that you should check out!

REVIEW: All the Way to the River by Elizabeth Gilbert

 

I was totally on the Eat, Pray, Love bandwagon. Not going to lie.  It's one of those books that I re-read at different times in my life in order to learn something (along with Handmaid's Tale, To Kill a Mockingbird, and Wild by Cheryl Strayed). I was curious to see what this book could teach me, if anything.  And what I learned is that I'm very much like Elizabeth Gilbert in many ways, although I haven't ever had to go through what she had to go through to write this book.

This is a memoir and it is about Gilbert's relationship with Rayya Elias - who Gilbert met, incidentally, because she was Gilbert's hairdresser (yup!), then her closest most bestest friend for many years, and finally her lover/partner until Rayya died from cancer. This includes, BTW, the time that Gilbert was married to her husband from Eat, Pray, Love and Committed era. When Rayya got sick, it seemed that Gilbert figured out that the relationship was romantic, intimate, and sexual (even though she'd been working for years to deny it). Gilbert then left her husband and moved to be with Rayya in order to care for her during her last few months (in a house that Gilbert bought for her essentially). This plan went majorly off the rails when not only did Rayya live longer than the doctors predicted but slid back into a full blown addiction in the last months of her life. She was addicted to heroin, alcohol, you name it and Gilbert was there to not only witness it but to experience the effects of those addictions on their relationship. When I say things got ugly, I'm not really doing it justice because they were U-G-L-Y without any alibi in sight anywhere. It got so bad that Gilbert contemplated killing Rayya and making it look like an accident.  

The story is very well told. Gilbert is a good author if nothing else. It's a love story, a story of passion and obsession, a story about codependency and love addiction, a story about an addict relapsing, a story about grief, a story about confronting the darkest side of your own nature when your life spins out of control.  Rayya is brought vividly to life in technicolor. Having said that, I've come to view Gilbert with a tad sense of skepticism and caution: trust but verify.  I simply can't help but believe that this woman would write anything that she thinks would sell. And maybe this was her complete rock-bottom moment - when her grand passion and co dependency for Rayya led her down so many dark paths that she thought that she would actually kill her.  What I didn't need, was the self helpy, preachy part because guess what?  She's been peddling this stuff for YEARS.  I loved the gritty memoir. I loved reading about what happened with her and Rayya and the ups and downs and her experiences but I could do without the preachiness from someone that, in my humble opinion, hasn't learned from any of the other experiences that she has had and written about.  It also felt really icky and exploitative. Of Rayya and her last days.  

::shrugs:: would I recommend it?  Yes, but go in forewarned and don't be afraid to chuck it if it gets to be too much for you.  

REVIEW Local Woman Missing by Mary Kubica

 

Shelby Tebow, a young and new mother, has gone missing in her upscale Chicago suburb during a late night run. Everyone starts looking at the husband. However, local doula Meredith and her daughter go missing shortly thereafter, which places this theory into doubt. Eleven years after the disappearances, Meredith's daughter has seemingly reappeared and people are trying to figure out what actually happened. The book bounces not only between different perspectives but also be tween different timelines. 

I don't know that I can be as thorough in my review since I don't want to give away too much - this is a thriller and a mystery after all. I felt like the buildup was very well done; however the end was too neatly presented to me with a bow on top and felt very, very predictable. The "villain" was very different in the end, character development wise, than at the beginning although if you're a complete sociopath maybe that isn't too much of a stretch (although I found myself saying - "Oh come ON really?!" a lot). I actually really enjoyed having the perspective of the other child in th e family after his sister disappeared and when she reappeared.  It's often a perspective that gets lost, so I truly appreciated it being there. 

That being said, I wish that I had a better story to follow and buy into. This just didn't do it for me.  I had to suspend my disbelief a bit too much. 

Links I love

 

It's still winter here but it's definitely getting warmer.  I've been so busy at work with getting prepped for things and digging out of the hole that vacation brings. I hope that everyone had a good week.

• Books with strong female leads.
• What the percentage on chocolate actually means.
• While I love having more daylight, daylight savings makes my sleep schedule weird. Here's why we have it. 
• There's a mountain mafia?
• Daniel Radcliffe and fav books/return to Broadway.
• Where to stream all of the best pic nominations.
• Historical fiction about women fighting fascism. 
• The best fairy books for adults.
• Here are the finalists for the 2026 Aspen Words Literary Prize.
• Indies choice lists are here.  
• Why is Anne Boleyn so fascinating?
• Books set in Iran and books about Venezuela.
• ?The books behind the Oscar nominees.
• The Oscars are Sunday night, here is how to watch. 
• The best mystery books of 2026 (so far).
• This was a fun quiz.
• 6 historical figures that died in bizarre ways. Cause you know, I'm morbid. And like history.