REVIEW: Black Dahlia by William Mann

 

I'm obsessed with True Crime, if you couldn't tell.  This was and is the OG true crime mystery and still hasn't been solved. It has been, in my opinion, a long time coming as it is very victim centered and works to debunk the victim blaming that has occurred for decades. 

For those of you that don't know, Elizabeth Short has been identified as the Black Dahlia - a woman that was found bloodless and bisected at her torso (and obviously dead) in a grassy lot on a very cold January morning in 1957 in Los Angeles. In writing this book, Professor Mann has relied upon documents that he got through FOIA requests which included but are not limited to autopsy reports, grand jury transcripts and police reports.  In writing this book, the author hopes to humanize Elizabeth, although he cannot give us any further ideas as to who may have committed this horrible act. Ms. Short's means were particularly limited - she was one of four girls that was being raised by a single mother in Medford, MA after her cruel father left the family.  In the wake of World War II, she was one of many young girls that migrated to LA hoping to break into Hollywood. She often left behind debts in rooming houses and relied upon men to buy her lunch at the lunch counters. Her teeth were terrible, and she often fixed them with melted wax poured into her mouth. 

What I really loved about this book was how it captured the LA of the turn of the century and really attempted to humanize the victim.  His book focuses less on who the killer was and actually focuses on SHort's last months in an effort to assist in figuring out who she was. It also was an encyclopedia of mess-ups on the part of the LAPD, including officers that go rogue and failures to account for certain suspect's and their alibis.  

I very much enjoyed this intriguing and well researched book, and appreciated the perspective that it provided.  Definitely a much needed take on an approximately 80 year old case. 

Links I love

 

It finally started to get cold this weekend. We had our first frost advisory and I had to turn the heat on. I was hoping to get to November before doing it but here we are.  I got tagged for my surgery which is on Thursday.  Things are starting to feel really real now. I am scared mostly that I won't wake from surgery, at least in the immediate future, and long term, that it has actually spread to multiple body parts.  

• No one expected Leo to be Pope, except those who knew him as Bob.
• Just short of it's 200th  birthday, a natural history museum shuts down.
• Some of these look good.
• Five funny science fiction books.
• According to some editors, these are the best movies to watch during spooky season.
• Some "dad jokes" that will leave you in stitches.
• The Nobel Prize in Medicine goes to three scientists who were researching brain activity.
• Nine novels about people that are the poorest people in the room.
• Michael Douglas in the limelight.
• 11 contemporary books perfect for autumn reading.
• 7 smells that defined fall in the 1980'a.
• Locations from horror books that you can actually visit.
• Here is the National Book Award shortlist for poetry and the shortlist for fiction. The list for translated literature is also out.
• Oprah has selected her latest book club read.
• Epistolary thrillers that let the evidence do the talking.
• On the life and death cycles in Sylvia Plath's work
• The best new historical fiction coming out this month.
• Best epics for for those that like fantasy books.
• 18 books about librarians.
• Why does the Headless Horseman carry a pumpkin?
• Decline in reading is the main threat tMusto the EU book trade.
• The Kirkus book awards for 2026 have been announced.
• Thrillers most famous lawyers.
•  Must read historical mysteries of the fall.
• The biggest scary movies for each year in the 80's.

I am currently reading A Box Full of Dreams by Simone St, James - it's her most recent and has the perfect creepy vibes for right now.  I'm listening to This is Me: A Reckoning by Hayden Pannetiere and is narrated by her, which is very odd given her recent, tragic death.

REVIEW The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

 

I read this book in high school and loved it and that feeling still remains after this reading. I picked this book up because my daughter is reading this and wanted to be able to talk about it in a more in depth way.  The narrator of this book is Nick Carraway, Gatsby's neighbor, although he is definitely from a different socioeconomic class than Gatsby is. At the beginning of the novel, Nick has only heard of Gatsby and his parties. Everyone seems to have been to one. One night Nick gets invited to a party and it absolutely changes his life. We learn about a man whose reputation really outshines his substance. He is rumored to have studied at Oxford, been a war hero and has so, so many outlandish stories.  But when we get down to it, we learn that Gatsby is tragically flawed and that is his undoing.

Although some might find the plot slow, I didn't feel that way at all.  The prose and tension building is beautifully written. It really makes you sit back and really re-assess your priorities in life (much much less than a cancer diagnosis is but there we are). Its deconstruction of the American Dream is absolutely brilliant.  This novel, though short, definitely deserves its status as the great American novel. 

I am selling my copy - you can find it here. 

REVIEW The Thoroughbreds by Elin Hilderbrand

 

This is the sequel to the Academy which came out last year I believe.  The characters from last year are now Seniors, worried about SAT's, college applications and graduation. Additionally, the teens we met last year are also going through some interesting experiences.  The Golden couple - Charlie and East - are fighting a lot. The star QB - Dubs - and his go to wide receiver/best friend are seemingly estranged. ANd there's a new day student - Pippa Sacks - is really upsetting the social landscape at the boarding school. And the Dean is also dealing with financial issues.Over the summer, the school somehow lost like 7 million out of its operating budget. 

This book was exactly what I needed to read after reading about white supremacy in the last book that I reviewed. This is fast, frothy and light, but also kept my interest. Who doesn't like a boarding school novel? Especially in the fall? I enjoyed how the book took apart the college application process as well as the life at a boarding school.  There never really was a moment where I thought that the book should move more quickly, the pacing was pretty good. What I didn't not particularly like is that everything seemed to resolve too neatly.  They were sometimes abrupt. However, that being said, it's still a very compelling read and I would recommend it. 

If you like Elin Hilderbrand, I'm selling an autographed copy. If you are a Pangobooks member, you can also make me an offer.  

REVIEW: American Reich by Erich Lichtbau

 

A co-worker told me about this book first, which put it on my radar and then I read about it on NPR and thought that it was a sign that I needed to read it so I got it from my library. This book looks at the simmering growth of white supremacy in Orange County, CA through the lens of the 2018 murder of Blaze Bernstein, a gay Jewish man, by Sam Woodward, a high school classmate Neo-Nazi. It also incorporates other cases (more superficially) and the history of white supremacy in the United States.  Sam Woodward was part of a shadowy Neo-Nazi group called the Atomwaffen Division and he lured Bernstein out, then stabbed him 28 times before hiding his body in a local park. Woodward was ultimately convicted of the homicide in 2024 and is currently serving a life sentence for the crime.

This book was as fascinating and essential as it was shocking and disheartening to me. It details the surge of Neo-Nazism in the last decade and clearly links that surge to the presidencies of Donald Trump, whose statements have seemingly provided permission for these groups to operate openly, as opposed to in the shadows that were previously in. This book not only details the history but also discusses the number of murders linked to these groups that never actually reach the national news media. It was truly shocking. This book was truly engrossing, well written and necessary. Lichtbau has clearly done his research and has made that research accessible to all in this book. It is a valuable expose of the far right that everyone should read regardless of your political persuasion. Run out and get this one ASAP.

Links that I loveree

 

These past few weeks have begun to feel like autumn.  I love this weather!  Autumn is my favorite time of year. I now switch between hot and iced coffee depending on my mood - in late spring and summer I prefer just iced coffee.

On the cancer front, I have a lumpectomy scheduled for October 15 and I have had genetic testing, which has revealed that I do NOT have any of the genes, or gene misfirings, that cause breast, uterine, ovarian or cervical cancer.  This is very reassuring.  

On the reading front, I have met my Goodreads goal of reading 75 books this year!  Everything else is now icing on the cake!  

• 10 classic novels that are the perfect fall read. 
• Kyle Maclachlan reflects on working with David Lynch.
• Cardio v. strength training for heart health.
• Are these stressors speeding up your aging process?
• Four books that complicate motherhood.
• 8 quiet books to read to block out the noisy world. 
• The real story behind the "witches" of England. On a related note, why English law used hanging to punish witches while Scottish laws used burning.
• Exercise after cancer.t 
• Obama's new podcast is the best kind of book club.
• What is healing fiction?
• October 2026 BOTM selections.
• Kit Harrington's favorite books.
• 6 mysteries set in the early historical period.
• The ten states with the worst weather.
• Top song from every year of the 70's.
• This book is on my nightstand!
• Parental rage is real, but NPR can help with some ideas to control it.
• People think of everything.
• America's best student podcasts
• First novel prize shortlist has been announced.
• 5 horror novels set in Georgia written by Georgian authors. And five horror novels set in country grand mansions. Tis the season.
• The best James Baldwin books.
• 92 cozy fall reads.
• Naps and longevity - is there a link?'
• The True story behind the Widower (which is on Netflix),
• 14 movies to look out for in the fall
• Four books for you to read if you enjoyed Practical Magic.
• Books that the author wishes that she had as an undocumented child.
• Libraries in Kentucky are seeing more books checked out with the cell phone bans.
• Secret lives of men who read romance novels.
• A 1700 year old Egyptian tomb has been discovered. This has always been really fascinating to me.
• 20 best books to read in October, according to Kirkus. And 20 books to read for book lovers, again according to Kirkus.
• Books to read if you haven't read any books as a fully formed adult.
• The finalists for the 2026 Circador prize. 
• This little guy was found on Cape Cod.
• Some books to look forward to this fall from NPR.
• 9 suspense books with unforgettable settings. 
• Books recommended by Ms Magazine.

I am currently reading Black Dahlia and listening to Greenlights.

REVIEW: Sisters of the Midnight Sun by Rebecca Wright Stevens

 

Not going to lie, I have an obsession with True Crime. This is the story of the 1993 murder of 2 sisters in the Northernmost point of Alaska. Their bodies were discovered in one of the sisters' homes. The bodies appeared to have been moved and a sexual assault seemed to have occurred. Ms. Stevens, one of the local Public Defenders, was assigned to represent one of the main suspects in the case. Her legal journey with him forms a bulk of the basis of the memoir, although she recounts her life living in Alaska as well (which is also absolutely fascinating).  As such, it is a penetrating, memorable and amazing memoir of her time in the Arctic Circle. 

What I found most fascinating was the tension between the American justice system, which ensures rights to a defendant such as a jury trial, rights of confrontation and due process and rights to privacy whereas the Iñupiaq method is infinitely older and requires that the community be involved in determining the fate of the Accused. If the community determines that the Accused is guilty, then retribution could be swift and fatal. It could also include banishment to the tundra which is also fatal. 

This is a tremendously skilled and intriguing narrative.  Stevens does a wonderful job in weaving her own narrative of her time in Alaska with her job as a Public Defender there. I loved how she described her feelings towards representing her client as well as the location. I also enjoyed learning about the tension that existed between the two cultures and gained a deeper appreciation of indigenous culture as well as the struggles that pervade it.  This was a fascinating, well paced and important book. Highly recommend.

REVIEW: A Hymn for Life by Gisele Pelicot

 

I heard about this amazing woman and her memoir on a podcast that I listen to regularly. Some of the research that was done was taken from this book. This book is part memoir and part social commentary - it incorporates flashbacks to her time in the infamous "Pelicot" trial, which was horrifying, by all accounts. It also incorporates commentary on her interpersonal relationships with all of the people in her life - from her husband, to her children and her friends. 

For nearly a decade Ms. Pelicot was regularly drugged by her husband such that she would become unconscious.  While she was unconscious, her husband would assault her and then have at least 72 other men come over to sexually assault her while she was passed out. His crimes were only uncovered after he was arrested for "upskirting" women at the local shops and his computer revealed evidence of the crimes committed against Gisele. This memoir also chronicles her journey to healing, dealing with the trauma and, ultimately, holding him and the other offenders be held accountable. A big part of this was her decision to waive her right to privacy at the trial - in France, sexual assault victims have the right to a closed trial so that their privacy is protected but Ms. Pelicot decided to waive that.

I was so happy that I first heard about this story, in depth, through her memoir and in her own words. It was refreshingly candid and open and vulnerable.  I highly respected her candidness and strength in coming forward. It was a remarkably well written and fast paced memoir that drew me in.  I literally sped through it. The reduction in the complexity of her writing makes the book accessible and aids the narrative. I felt like I was having coffee with her as she was describing what happened to her.  

This is a must read as it brings a tragically common form of sexual assault to the forefront. 

REVIEW: Self-Hep for Serial Killers by Asia MacKay

 This is actually the second book in the series, which began with A Serial Killer's Guide to Marriage, although I somehow didn't know this at the time that I selected the book from the library.  The first book introduced readers to the marriage of Hazel and Fox, and this book continues with their story. It is split into five parts: Mindfulness, Self-Sacrifice, Boundaries, Resilience, and Positivity, all of which are meant to be ironic.  Each section opens with a quote by a famous mommy blogger that is intended to be inspirational - she's an influencer after all - and the second quote is from Hazel, which demonstrates the starkness of parenting. 

Foxand Hazel really are in no position to give parenting advice as they bring their four month old to dispose of a body. We learn quickly that Fox is experiencing performance anxiety because he recently botched a kill and is seeing a therapist. Hazel also doesn't feel like she fits in with the other moms at her school so she is going through something very similar emotionally. In the course of their killing and living their lives, they have somehow managed to draw the attention of a dangerous and lethal group to their doorstep so the couple needs to get their poop in a group and FAST as it's not just about surviving in suburbia but it's about fighting for their lives.

What I loved about this book is that it is a tongue in cheek, very witty and satirical look at serial killer teams. I found myself laughing out loud multiple times in this novel, much to the chagrin of my teenage daughter (as I would read in public and would embarrass her). It was a quick, easy and intriguing read, that kept my attention and was a really nice break from the serious stuff I had been reading (about a mass killing!). This novel is definitely worth the read.

Links that I love=

 

I apologize for missing last week.  Things have been quite hectic around here.  I'm trying to be better while also preparing for my upcoming treatment.

If you would like to do something for me, I have an Amazon wishlist.

• Examples of memoirs.
• Some good gothic mystery novels.
• It's fat bear week apparently.
• Why so many cities have Spanish names.
• The witch cake that Salem residents use to detect witchcraft
• There's a new book about Princess Diana penned by her brother.
• Some apple recipes for the fall.
• The Booker Prize shortlist this year is writing at its best.
• An emergency dig is going on in Alaska to save artifacts before next storm.
• 5 weird crime novels set in the Australian suburbs.
• The letter that Hemingway wrote to F Scott Fitzgerald about self doubt.
• A new Romeo and Juliet adaptation is coming out. I loved the Claire Danes/Leo DiCaprio one, which still holds up BTW.
• George Lucas new museum opens.
• This is interesting.
• Ethan Hawke's favorite books.
• Books where the main character may be a psychopath.
• Which big fall book should you read?
• 6 real places that inspired F Scott Fitzgerald.
• Acting is doing according to Willem Defoe.
• Are work and brain health connected?
• There's an adaptation of Atmosphere in the works.
• The best true crime of September, 2026.
• Encyclopedia Brown and the ethics of amateur sleuthing.
• Seven books that reimagine how trauma is told.
• Booksellers are sounding the alarm.
• Every Great Gatsby adaptation mixed.
• Most popular Halloween candy in each state.
• Facts about the Unabomber.
• One nightstand with Nick Robinson.
• The best of the Booker List 2026

REVIEW The Killer and Frank Lloyd Wright by Casey Sherman

 

I saw this book and was intrigued - the famous architect and a killer?  This was a true crime book that I could get behind. However, I was kind of disappointed because the killer part of Wright's life was only a little slice of the book - instead of taking a deep dive into it, it was a small part of the book.  The book, however, was still completely fascinating.

The book starts with biographical history - Sherman writes about Wright's childhood  and the time that he spent on a family farm in Wisconsin (which was had a large impact on him - he hated it and ran away!). During his college years, he realizes that he infinitely preferred the urbanity of Chicago and knew that he wanted to be an architect. While in Chicago, he is able to charm himself into the orbits of wealthy, influential people and also marry a woman that was significantly younger then him - Kitty was, if I remember correctly, 17 at the time of her marriage to Wright. Kitty and Frank have four children in short order and she is responsible for raising them, while Wright earns money (except that he spends more than he makes). Ultimately, Frank meets Mamah Cheney - who, even though she is married to another man and has children of her own with him - is Frank's soul mate and they end up carrying on a not very well concealed affair. During a trip to Europe, the tabloid press picks up the story since Frank is quite famous at this time, and Kitty, who refuses to consent to a divorce, uses the press to her favor. 

Upon the couple's return to the States, Frank and Mamah go to Wisconsin to live at Taliesin in Wisconsin, where the couple's severely mentally ill cook, Carlton, kills a number of people at the ranch (including Mamah and her children) and burns it down.   This is the crux of the book,

I enjoyed learning about Frank Lloyd Wright even though I had initially picked up the book expecting a true crime read.  His architecture changed the landscape of American homes and landscape, so it was good to learn more about him.  However, I felt like the title was a bit misleading as that part of the book was only a small slice of things.  Sherman clearly researched the book thoroughly and the book itself doesn't get bogged down in dry prose.  

Definitely pick it up - worth the read. 

Links I love

 

I have had a very tough week.  I have been diagnosed with breast cancer.  We are still in the staging phase although the testing that I have had shows some positive signs.  It is very slow growing and signs point to it being responsive to hormone suppression therapy. I learned on Friday that I'm a clinical stage 1, which is the best place that I can be with this diagnosis.  Of course, it could change once pathology has the chance to do their thing after surgery.  It has been quite a ride so far.   I found the concerning part myself during a self exam. Please, please, please do your self-exams and encourage the women in your life to do theirs because it literally could have just saved my life.

I'm thinking of starting a blog about my journey. I'm also creating a cancer fighting playlist.  If you have any suggestions, please let me know. Cancer has chosen the wrong girl!

• Literature program gets funding!
• 60 years later, Star Trek lives long and prospers.
• How literature has wrestled with 9/11.
• There is a new Carrie adaptation coming up.
• My mind has been on fighting lately so here are some books about global protest movements.
• Best non fiction books of the century so far.
• I'm looking forward to this.
• Pulitzer prize winning biographies and autobiographies.
• NPR has some suggestions for fall tv viewing.
• I didn't even know they were together.
• Oprah's book club turns 30,
• Some movies coming out this fall.
• The most anticipated crime and thriller releases coming out in the fall.
• Celine Dion is back in action.
• The Legend of the Legend of Sleepy Hollow.

I am currently reading Sisters of the Midnight Sun and listening to Wayward Girls,

REVIEW The Sisters by Jonas Hassen Khemiri

 

This book is certainly long but it didn't feel long to read at all.  It is an epic novel about three enigmatic sisters and a young man's relationship relative to them. It is specifically about the Mikkola sisters - Ina, Evelyn and Anastasia - and a young man named Jonas (the author perhaps) who has lived his life being completely obsessed and enthralled by them, living in their orbit but hoping eventually to live in their world. It spans decades of time - it starts at one year and then the time covered goes down. It also spans a multitude of places - Sweden, Tunisia and New York to name a few. 

I absolutely loved the characters and couldn't get enough of them. They were so real and the narrator (Jonas) was subtly placed as the observer.  It simply added to the story in a way that was not heavy handed and was absolutely subtle. What I additionally enjoyed was how it absolutely captured the messiness of marriage. One of the sisters visiting their mother as an adult was absolutely haunting and stays with me even now. 

Definitely worth the commitment!

Links I love

 

This has been quite a week here. My son started his first day of classes at college this week and my daughter is doing driver's ed! I owe you at least two reviews - they should be out next week.

• If you like memoirs, here are some to try.'
• Scots, historical fiction and more.
• The books that shaped you in high school.
• 14 new books that will help you ease your way into fall.
• Your guide to Dolly Parton's crime movies.
• What is true crime literature?
• 28 pictures of people posing at the WTC prior to 9/11.
• The significance of dogs in literature.
• The trailer for East of Eden is here.
• Gothic Horror set across the Globe.
• Gloria Steinem has passed away. Later in life, she found herself free from gender constraints.
• What the heck?
• The benefit of reading over coffee can sharpen your focus all day.
• Where to start if you are interested in reading books by Emily St. John Mandel.

I hope everyone has a good week.

Links I Love

 

This was a big week in our house. School started, my son moved into college and my daughter started driver's education!  CRAZY I tell you. In memory of Tim Cruise, I rewatched Clue - which I LOVED as a child.  

• Five page turning crime books involving nature.
• What can the ghost of Sylvia Plath teach us about grief?
• The Kirkus short list prize finalists are out.
• The book club picks this month.
• Some fantasy/sci fi mystery books.
• 5 mysteries that blend cozy, horror and romance.
• We lost Tim Curry too. An Ode to Tim Curry's Pennywise..
• 6 common pets in medieval times. 
• The most popular album in the year you graduated from high school.
• Some books that explore women's horror fiction.
• 7 great horror novels set in the American South.
• How Dolly was mourned. 
• 15 books that the folks at Electric Literature loved from this summer,
• I would also break into fisticuffs over Anne PAtchett
• 15 novels featuring dogs.
• Finalists from the 2026 Kirkus award have been announced. 
• Check out these supplements if you're like me and over 40 trying to build muscle. 

Have a great week!

Rest in peace, Dolly.

 

Dolly Parton, a national treasure, has passed away at the age of 80. The world has lost a phenomenal force - I admired her for her brains, class, talent, and her fight to increase literacy among children.  

Dolly, thank you for all that you have done for us and for trying to make this world a better, kinder place.  I hope that  you find peace in heaven.  Godspeed.

REVIEW: Whistler by Ann Patchett

 Ann Patchett is quickly becoming a favorite author of mine. I loved The Dutch House and Whistler is also a new favorite of mine.  In the nature of full disclosure, I love literary fiction about families and this is most assuredly what this novel is.  

This novel focuses on the relationship between Daphne Fuller and Eddie Triplett, who are a daughter and stepfather with a love that transcends trauma, a divorce and a weird twist. They reunite after a span of 45 years at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in what is one of the most serendipitous moments that I can remember. The precipitating event was a car accident on a snowy road that left both Eddie and Daphne trapped inside and a divorce very shortly thereafter which Daphne believes is her fault (I mean, Eddie crashed the car with her inside and they could have died, so it's a reasonable assumption). We learn about Eddie and Daphne during dialogue between the characters that contain vague references and flashbacks to the actual accident.  I LOVED this - it was perfect in keeping me interested and wanting to know more, the pacing was on point and, as usual, Patchett's writing is just lovely.

I felt like the characters were very real and relatable characters.  They were well developed and I found myself often nodding along with them and their statements. The whole book also felt just very...KIND and it shown in how the characters interacted with each other. I loved the themes of love within families and how that can look differently to different people within different relationships or even within the same relationship.  It is also about second chances.

I cherished this lovely book and I hope that you will too.  

Links I love

 

This weekend we spent time in the Lakes Region of New Hampshire and just relaxed.  I have a lot of stuff going on in my mind right now so it was a welcome relief.  I've been doing a lot of reading too. 

• Lindsey Clancy's trial highlights the gaps in treating post-partum psychosis.
• The best crime fiction of 2026. 
• The new ACOTAR book covers are out!
• Mass. passed a right to read law.
• Dark Academia reads for the book club for fall.
• Did smartphones really kill reading?
• Tom Hanks may star in a movie adaptation of Theo of Golden.
• The LT Governor in Texas is coming for the books.
• 60 of the most anticipated books of the upcoming fall.

I hope that everyone has a great week!

REVIEW: Japanese Gothic by Kylie Lee Baker

 

This was  the first book by Kylie Lee Baker that I've ever read and I can't wait to read her other books. When I think of Gothic horror, I think of fever dream, death, unhappiness, hallucinations and all the things. This book had EVERYTHING. 

First and foremost - the setting. Absolutely spooky - it's a Japanese cottage in the middle of the woods - near an ocean or maybe not.  I wasn't ever entirely clear. And the characters?!  To die for (literally and figuratively). They were absolutely fascinating and I was drawn into them. They were beautifully written, as was the storytelling.  Ms. Baker uses a dual timeline narrative to tell the story, which was very effective in keeping my head spinning and me on my toes. However, when the two timelines finally collide, you better watch out!  

The themes that were explored also very much hit hard for me. The novel dives deeply into themes surrounding perception, regret, mistakes and the role that the land/property plays in holding onto the atrocities that are committed upon them. It points out the consequences of our choices and how the place bears witness, often holding onto it. The writing itself is beautiful. It's lucid, flowing and super easy to get lost in.  I found that chapters would go by before I remembered that I had to get ready for work. 

This is a novel that will warrant a second reading for me so that I can pretend to maybe understand more the novel and I look very much forward to her other novels. 

REVIEW American Fantasy by Emma Straub

 

In this novel, we follow Annie, who is a 50-something recent divorcee who is going on her first ever celebrity cruise featuring the bank Boy Talk (which reminded me of NKOTB). Her sister, Katherine, was the real superfan and Annie intended to go with her, but Katherine broke her leg so couldn't attend. Annie is, therefore, on her own. She's paired with a roommate named Maira, who is a veteran Boy Talk cruiser and helps Annie learn the ways of the cruise. The members of Boy Talk also play a role, and are seriously stock characters. Keith Fiore is the one that we get to know the best. 

I just couldn't get into this book.  I appreciated that Straub was exploring themes related to aging, fandom and life changes, but the whole thing felt very superficial, flat and rushed. I didn't feel like Annie had an arc at all and was kind of just there, exploring things without having any agency or learning anything. At all. Nothing big or cathartic happened in this book. At all. I kept expecting something to happen that would inspire change and introspection on the parts of the characters but there wasn't really anything like that. It wasn't even a romance.  

Skip this one.  Not worth your time. 

Links I love

 

The first week back from vacation is always a little bit rough.  I have a couple of big deadlines coming up. I did my first spin class in a while as well.  Tired me out.  I am getting better at getting strength workouts in.  I'd like to get more walks in though.

• NPR staffers recommend their favorite non fiction books of the year so far. 
• What Ancient Romans watched at the Colosseum in addition to Gladiator fights.
• Barack Obama is hosting a new book podcast.
• New BIPOC memoirs to read this summer. 
• 7 things every 90's bookstores had.
• Ancient myths, historical retellings and retellings from around the world.
• The biggest reading clubs are reading these books. 
• 7 novels that explore the dark side of Academia.
• 7 common misconceptions about the Manson family murders.
• Novels that use the ocean as their setting.
• Books that inspired Bruce Springsteen.
• Where to start with Marisa de los Santos.
• Taxi drivers rarely die of Alzheimer's related stuff.
• Some of the best photos from this year's total solar eclipse.
• Books that will make you feel things.
• The Harlem Trilogy is being made into films. 
• 14 books to read if you're going to South Korea.
• The best books set in the publishing world.

I'm currently listening to The Secret Lives of Murderers' Wives and reading David Copperfield and  Japanese Gothic

I hope that everyone has a great week.

REVIEW: Ironwood by Michael Connolly (Book 2 of the Catalina books)

 

I have enjoyed Michael Connelly - I need to catch up on the Bosch books, but I'm up to date on Sergeant Stillwell and the Catalina books! From the first page, Sergeant Stillwell is in it.  He's at an airstrip scene where two of his deputies are jeopardized and it goes full throttle from there. 

As background or explanation, an Ironwood tree has a single root that spawns often multiple, beautiful trees. And somehow, it manages to encapsulate Stillwell, who is exiling in Catalina. He still loves the island, its people and the people that he works with - he would never have thought that he was going to be into community policing but here he is. So when the particular tragedy at the center of this book happens it's as close to devastating for him as anything he has experienced to date. As a result of that tragedy, Stil is relegated to the substation but really? Do you think he's actually going to listen? HECK NO. When he starts cleaning out the lost and found, he locates a backpack that belonged to a girl that went missing while hiking on the island many years prior.  Once he reports that to the mainland, the Cold Case unit becomes involved including fan favorite Renee Ballard (who is a badass in her own right). He gets invovled in that investigation AND manages to deal with run of the mill stuff on the island as well as get to the bottom of the tragic events that landed him, supposedly, on the bench to begin. 

I LOVED  this book. I brought it to the beach with me when I went on vacation and finished it the same day that I started it. It is VERY fast paced  and readable - it kept me hanging on wanting to know more and of course, the characters are AMAZING and memorable. Stil is one of my favorites because he wants to do the right thing and nothing is going to stop him.  Be prepared, there is a lot going on with three major cases (an story lines) going on at the same time. I had a chart to help me keep track so it didn't bother me, but if you get easily thrown by that then it might not be the book for you. 

I am certainly looking forward to the next installment. Keep it coming!

REVIEW: The Strength of the Few by James Islington

 

This novel is the second book in The Hierarchy Trilogy by James Islington and picks up where The Will of the Many left off. Vis is still reeling from what happened in the last book and the government is barely hanging on. The novel immediately splits into three separate narratives and introduces two new storylines populated by a completely new set of characters. The three storylines take place in three worlds that look completely different from each other but all starring Vis (in different situations of course). The first storyline is the one we read about in the first book, the second involves Vis waking up in a rural area that is very quiet and the third involves Vis waking up in a third world that literally burns his lungs as he breathes. Vis clearly is meant to explore different facets of his personality in each world and by the end, he is somewhat successful, I guess. 

I did not like this book as much as I liked the first one.  The fragmentation was disconcerting and not cohesive (although if that was the author's goal then it worked brilliantly). The pace and momentum were not as compelling as in the first novel so the narrative seemed to lag in parts. I attribute the lack of momentum to the choppiness of moving in between three distinct storylines - I wanted to learn more about the original Vis, instead of the one in the country or hell. And I didn't get that so I was majorly disappointed. I enjoy Islington's writing style, but even that seemed to get lost in the transitions between the three storylines. 

Having said that I'm hoping that the last book in the trilogy will be better.  I'm committed to finishing out this series, and if you are and haven't read this book yet, please make sure your expectations are in the right place. I don't know that I would have finished this book if I didn't want to finish what I started. 

Links I Love

 

This week, we were visiting with family in Sag Harbor. I even took a surfing lesson!  That has been on my bucket list so it was so great. As a 47 year old I never thought I would be able to do that but here we are. I finished one book and am halfway through David Copperfield.  I promise reviews are upcoming. 

• The August 2026 BOTM selections are out.
• Some Egyptian mythology books.  I can't wait to read the Odyssey, which I know is Greek but is still mythology.
• Why an 85 year old has spent her last years reading the Ancient Classics.
• The Defense Department wants to ban hundreds of books.
• A man used a civil war artifact as a paperweight - but it could have exploded.
• 13 new books to get you through the end of summer.
• How the Miss America pageant ignited a discussion over beauty, race and power.
• NPR staffers and their favorite books of the year so far.
• 7 memoirs about finding close relatives later in life.
• Why am i not shocked by this?
• Ten best new books to read in August.
• This man survived both Hiroshima AND Nagasaki.
• The best US Colleges for long term career success. 
• 7 movies that you may not know were Stephen King adaptations.

Have a great week!

Links I Love

 

Happy Sunday everyone!  This upcoming week, I'm visiting family in NY so I likely won't be blogging all that much until we return. I sorely needed this vacation.

• ADHD looks different in women and poses unique health risks. 
• The lessons learned from Twin Peaks.
• The best Heist and con artist books.
• The time Johnny Cash started a prison riot at San Quentin.
• LA Public Library unveils the largest pop up book.
• The best books about understanding American politics. 
• Dr. Fauci's diary entries from the pandemic are released. Guys, that was six years ago already.
• Leila Slimani's interview with Fresh Air.
• Why you wake up earlier as you get older.
• Dolly Parton's favorite books.
• Booker Prize longlist is here. 
• 5 great books inspired by Greek mythology.
• What is weird girl fiction?
• How the rise of Mystery podcasts has fueled the True Crime memoir genre. 
• FIFA couldn't get more sketchy, but apparently it has. And then it was scrapped.
• How do you get out of a reading slump?
• This vitamin deficiency may be why you lose muscle with age. 
• 7 novels set on islands. 
• 6 narrative non-fiction reads that are like fiction.
• The best new cozy fantasy books. 
• The tragedy of loving Sylvia Plath. 
• 8 things every living room had in the 1980's.
• President Obama releases his summer reading list. He always has great selections. 
• Meet the woman stunt performer who doubled Matt Damon in the Odyssey. 
• The 7 most charming Main Streets in the US.
• Books with unreliable narrators. 
• 7 phrases that come from Greek mythology.
• 7 books that imagine what happens after singularity.
• How reading became sexy.
• OMG.
• Another tragic historical event is being resurrected by the Shoshone to educate us. 
• Kirkus' 20 best books to read in August.

I am listening to Judy Blume: a Life and I am LOVING it.  I grew up reading Judy Blume (Are You There God, it's Me, Margaret, and the Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing books - which cracked me up and Blubber).  My only wish is that she had written a book about Margaret going through perimenopause and menopause cause Lord knows her readers need it right now.  I'm finishing up The Strength of the Few by James Islington (book 2 of the Hierarch Trilogy) and plan on reading David Copperfield and Demon Copperhead while on vacay.

Please visit my Pangobooks store. I even have a code you can use.

REVIEW American Rambler: Walking the Trail of Johnny Appleseed by Isaac Fitzgerald

 

This book has been all over the place and seemed interesting, so I grabbed it. I hadn't read Fitzgerald's earlier book, Dirtbag, Massachusetts (although it's on hold for me at the library!). Fitzgerald is obsessed with Johnny Appleseed (whose legal name was John Chapman) and I guess this makes sense since both hail from Leominster, MA. In the process of searching for an American hero, Fitzgerald found himself.

Fitzgerald, I think, was naturally drawn to this hero.  His parents were hikers and storytellers (the best kind of parents I think) and Fitzgerald was also, I suspect, drawn to the roaming of Appleseed given that Fitzgerald himself was unhoused for quite some time. Life was complicated by his mother's mental illness, and his parents' stormy relationship. That being said, I loved this writer's search for himself in his search for the true story of a legend.  He didn't actually WALK it though, buying a better of a car to make it through and catching a ride home when he was in Massachusetts, having been unable to hack the weather. 

The book often digressed, which I enjoyed, but if that would annoy you, I would stay away. I love digressions because I think they show insight into people, but most people don't understandably. I loved reading about the history of the areas, the time periods and the things that Fitzgerald encountered but my absolute FAVORITE parts were the parts where Fitzgerald described meeting and interacting with some good, solid and authentic people along the way. In these interactions, it becomes quickly clear that he's learning about himself and that is beautiful. I enjoyed seeing and experiencing Fitzgerald be pushed beyond his comfort zone. Fitzgerald also has a sense of humor that makes you snort or chuckle so loudly that the people around you look, openly, at you in a funny manner (not even the side eye!!). 

This book is one for the ages and I can't wait to read his first as well as see what he's got coming. 

REVIEW The Correspondent by Virginia Evans

 

I have heard so many good things about this epistolary novel and all of it was well deserved.  The person corresponding is Sybil Van Antwerp, a septuagenarian that has lived a very full and dramatic life. She is a divorcee, sister, mother, friend, lawyer (retired)-and I felt like, initially, I had met a ton of women like her. She came across as privileged with an opinion on EVERYTHING that she would share bluntly no matter whether you asked for it or not. However, I grew to be really fond of her because she was just so....human?  Flawed?  Trying her best and yet failing?  Relatable for sure.  Sybil literally word vomits everything about her life, all of her opinions and her observations, and secrets to whoever she comes across (friends, famous authors, customer service reps - everyone is fair game). 

We learn that she is slowly going blind - which is scary and devastating for her - and she's also getting anonymous letters that are threatening and stalker-ish. Sybil, as a result, is forced to reflect upon a very, very tough and shameful part of her past.  At the same time, she's dealing with a rift with her daughter that is threatening to become permanent. 

There were a lot of things that I adored about this book, but the thing I adored the most was Sybil's (and her friends) ending letters with discussion about what they're reading.  Made me add things to my TBR list to be frank. I loved that this book seemed to excel in conveying that life and all of its calamities are in shades of grey. There is very little that is black and white.  I also really enjoyed the subtleties in how things unfolded. Evans was masterful in this.  I, as a reader, had to really pay attention to figure out what was going on and I am fully intending to read it a second time because I'm fairly certain that I missed stuff the first go around (and I'll do it gladly, this book was that good). It was absolutely delightful to see Sybil begin to open up and confront the painful memories of her past.  She became courageous over the course of the novel, confronting not only past painful issues but current ones too. 

Please, drop what you're doing and go get this novel.  It was wonderful. 

Links I love

 

I'm very glad it's Friday. It's been a week.  I have some work stress and am not sleeping well in part due to the stress but also because my shoulder has been hurting me when I'm lying down flat. :(  I wonder if it's inflammation from rowing.  

1. So distressed that you can't think straight? Use these skills.
2. Romance books recommended by NPR staff.
3. This book sounds interesting.
4. Literary Fiction to read with your book club.
5. Why we need more women centric re-telling's of The Odyssey. 
6. 6 must read books that will strengthen your character. 
7. The 2026 First Novel Prize long list has been released!
8. Jimothy is now in Dungeons and Dragons. Here's the story about Jimothy.  Do yourself a favor and Google "jimothy the racoon."  You won't regret it. 
9. The lives of princesses in Egypt. 
10. Inside the campaign that acquitted Karen Read. 
11. Set your crime novels in this city.
12. Rebecca Solnit on the Western Tradition of silencing women. 
13. How the USWMNT staff get their athletes ready for the World Cup.
14. 7 household items every Greek household owned. 

I hope that everyone has a good week.  Please don't forget to visit my Pangobooks store.

REVIEW: The Will of the Many by James Islington

 

If I had to classify this book, I'd classify it as dark academia - it reminded me a lot of Lord of the Flies that meets The Secret Stranger with a bit of Harry Potter thrown in for good measure.  The main character is Vis, a teenage ousted prince whose kingdom has "civilized" (aka invaded and taken over) by The Hierarchy, a Roman/Greek type of society where its members engage in a pyramid structure of "will ceding." The lower classes are at the bottom of the pyramid and they cede their wills to those that occupy the higher levels, with the few at the top getting will from the thousands of people below them. The ones who receive the will receive tremendous physical benefits, but the ones that cede their will suffer terribly in the process.  It's an awful caste system that is reminiscent of apartheid or slavery. Vis, an orphan on top of being ousted, is adopted by a prestigious family and sent to "The Academy" by his adoptive father in order to investigate his adoptive uncle's death.

This lengthy novel is VERY ambitious. There are themes of colonialism and capitalism, nepotism, definitions of family and friends (i.e. how do you define them?), loyalty and revenge.  In spite of taking these own in a heavy handed manner, Islington is subtle in how he presents these, and the book is action packed, making it both exciting and interesting.  I didn't lose interest, that's for sure. Vis, and many of the other characters, are very complex.  Vis especially has to struggle with anger, scars and a strong moral compass that compels him to do the right thing in spite of the odds and pressures being put on him.  I often forgot that he was only 17 in the book (he turns 18 at one point).

There are a lot of training montages in this novel and the vast majority of the book occurs in an academic setting so if that's not your favorite, then stay away. Otherwise, pick this up! I couldn't put it down. 

REVIEW: Marilyn and Her Books: The Literary Life of Marilyn Monroe by Gail Crowther

 

Who knew that Marilyn had approximately 400 books in her personal library that she religiously moved with her to home after home? I certainly didn't know that the perhaps most famous icon of our time was such an avid reader.  And her association with writers certainly didn't stop with the written word - not only did she marry Arthur Miller, but through him and independently she met and interacted with numerous other writers of her time. Gail Crowther in this book delves deeply into Marilyn's personal collection and her impressive program to educate and cultivate her mind after dropping out of high school. She was hungry for knowledge and stopped at nothing to read and she read everything that she could get her hands on. 

Dr. Crowther did an immaculate, well researched deep dive into this topic.  She clearly thoroughly researched her subject and, apparently, had the support of the estate in researching and writing this book.  It contains not only information about her books, but tidbits about her life in the hopes of illuminating readers about who Marilyn was beyond the image that the studios forced her to portray.  Marilyn Monroe was clearly highly intelligent, intellectually curious and, sadly, particularly troubled.  The book itself is a fast and interesting read - it took me 2 to 3 days to read and moved quickly.  

I LOVE reading about and learning about what people read because I believe it offers us insight into them and their personality, interests and values. This book gave me insight into the person behind the facade, making the book a well worth read.