REVIEW: The Family Man: Blood and Betrayal in the House of Murdaugh by James Lasdun

 

Alex Murdaugh has been in the news lately and I thought that I would read another book that took us through what is shaping up to be his first trial, written by James Lasdun, a New Yorker journalist from England who takes us through his journey through the South to research this book. 

As you may, or may not know, this family was royalty in the Low Country of South Carolina for over 100 years. They were among the powerful civil attorneys and prosecutors in their area. But that all came crashing down when Alex is alleged to have killed his wife, Maggie, and son Paul. This was just the tip of the iceberg as he was purchasing drugs and embezzling millions of dollars from his personal injury clients.  Violence of this magnitude is absolutely unfathomable - he literally shot his son's head off. One of the hardest parts of the evidence for him was video from Paul's phone that puts him at the kennels with them minutes before the homicides are supposed to have occurred (and his corresponding lies - he wasn't there according to him). 

Lasdun does a masterful job of researching this book and meticulously unwinding the twine of Alex's lies.  He is also masterful in his portrayal of Alex - he essentially makes Alex out to be the kind of sociopathic manipulator that would rob you blind in a heartbeat while pretending to be your best friend. That being said, it didn't really add much to what has already been written about this case. 

Definitely worth the read and I'm looking forward to the next trial. 

Links I love

 

This is a big weekend for us! My son is graduating from High School!!!!  We're so proud of him but I'm also crying and a wreck.He's my oldest so there's a lot going.  Luckily he'll be attending school in state so he won't be so far away.

• Dishes that are popular because of TV shows. 
• Marilyn Monroe's library contained four hundred books.
• 5 thrillers set in Boston.
• This couple lives in a yurt year round.
• Ana Gasteyer talks about stuff, including her favorite books. 
• The Dyatlov Pass mystery.
• Serena is back.
• The best historical fiction of 2026, so far.
• Why reading is the best thing you can do for your brain.
• Marjane Satrapi has passed away at the unfathomably young age of 56.
• The healing power of a really good grudge.
• Must read cozy mysteries for the beach.
• The recent targets of book banning.
• Why we still need book festivals. 
• There's a new museum opening under the Lincoln Memorial. 
• Reading trends to look out for this summer. 
• Celebrity book club picks for June, 2026.
• 7 cold cases that still can't be explained. 
• Thrillers about marriage.
• Anthony Head, (Giles in Buffy) has died at the age of 72.
• Who knew that bedazzling is good for your mental health.
• This drink is good for heart health.
• Was Walt Disney really frozen under DisneyLand?
• Vintage photos of when the Knicks won the championship back in the 70's. 
• Sounds from the 90's that we Xennials all know. 
• AI is ruining children's books. 
• Brushing teeth before or after coffee?

I'm currently reading Book of Lives by Margaret Atwood and listening to Are You Mad at Me? by Meg Josephson (which I hope will teach me something that I can use!). For podcasts, I'm listening to American Scandal, Women and Crime, the TED Radio Hour and 99% Invisible.

If anyone has a favorite podcast please leave them in the comments. I'm always looking for more to listen to on my walks and during workouts. 

Please visit my PangoBooks store!

REVIEW The Book Club for Troublesome Women by Marie Bostwick

 

I read this for my book club - which is wonderful because I have been wanting to read it forever. This is an uplifting work of historical fiction about women who want more, decide to pursue it and support each other in these endeavors even as the America of the 1960's tells them they couldn't. It was so nice. 

The main character is Margaret Ryan and when we first meet her, she has won a writing contest from a women's magazine and is hired to write a regular column as a result. She is pigeonholed into writing what her (male) editor tells her, her husband is pissy about her not having more time for the care of the family (because why would he help?!) and her paycheck is actually less than minimum wage. The job also somewhat sparks the "Betty Friedan Book Club" (the first book they read is, you guessed it, The Feminine Mystique). There are three other women in the club - Charlotte, Bitsy and Viv. Charlotte is a woman who is prescribed Miltown, a tranquilizer, by her male psychiatrist and struggles in her marriage with her cheating husband. Viv was a combat nurse and is Margaret's best friend and neighbor.  Bitsy is an avid horse lover who wanted to be a vet and is also a neighbor. 

I loved that it addressed issues of race and class: Viv meets a black Army nurse who was barred from going overseas in WW2. Margaret is denied the ability to open a checking account without her husband's signature.  It's CRAZY. 

I LOVED this book. I wanted to be best friends and a member of the Betty's book club.  The story was thoughtful, warm, and very subtly insightful about how stifling the 1960's actually were. The characters were well written and showed a lot growth over the course of the book and I could not put this book down.

5/5 

REVIEW: The Ten Year Affair by Erin Somers

 

There has been a lot of chatter on this book so I wanted to check it out for myself. I blew through it in like three or four days.  It was really great.

Cora and Sam meet in a baby group. Cora is married, happily she believes.  Her husband, however, seems to disappoint her at every turn - he spends his free time smoking a lot of pot on the porch while the kids sleep and that carries over into the bedroom. He's failing at work and so she's picking up the slack everywhere, and she's miserable while doing it.  Sam is married as well - to a high achieving spouse who is a lawyer and also believes he's happy, but is he?  It's almost like he is emasculated, or feels that way, right from the get go. So when the two meet at the baby group, they are instantly attracted to each other. Cora believes that Sam listens to her in ways that her husband does not. They become fast friends and then decide to bring their spouses into the mix. 

Cora, however, begins to fantasize about what an affair between them would look like. In that timeline, they are seeing each other while in the "reality" timeline, they refrain.  Things in that alternate timeline become super serious super fast. The timelines remain distinct at first, with the reader bouncing between the two, but then they blur together until there is only one timeline.

I really liked this book but it is INTENSE. Their relationship spans ten years of wishing and longing, until the trigger is pulled. The book is VERY readable and Somers has created real and flawed characters.  They are absolutely relatable.  SO good and the way that the timelines are slowly blurred is absolutely brilliant. Highly recommend. 

REVIEW: Theo of Golden by Allen Levi

 

This book took me, and the publishing world, by surprised.  Candidly, I wasn't expecting to like it and worried that it would be completely smarmy and self righteous. It was self published in 2025 but only really took off this year. The story follows Theo, an elderly man who travels to Golden, a small town in Georgia. He visits the local coffeehouse, where he sees portraits of the townspeople on the wall. The artist is also a local artist - said artist lives in Golden as well. Theo decides to purchase the portraits and distribute them to the subject of the portraits. With each meeting, he collects their stories and they are inspired by his kindness.

What I loved about this book is that it deals with several important themes:  the importance of slowing down and observing, being kind, loss and grieving and love among others and it does so in a captivating way. I loved Theo as a character - his background is very mysterious but what he does for the people he comes into contact with is very laudable and to be admired.  It's a timely reminder of the importance of kindness.  I did wish that there was some conflict or other tension, which would have made the book more interesting,  and I could have done with less of the religious stuff, but those were both minor, nit picky things on my part.

I flew through this book in about two days. Definitely worth the read and I may read it again to make sure I caught everything!

Links I love

 

I saw my pulmonologist on Monday - and I have an echocardiogram scheduled on June 10.  Hopefully nothing to see here but better to be safe than sorry. Yesterday we were in Worcester, MA for NEIRA's. My daughter's boat qualified but unfortunately my son's did not. 

Thank you to all our service members for protecting us!

• Goodreads has summer reading lists galore!
• What does Costco do with unsold appliances?
• Boston has its first non alcoholic cocktail bar.
• Why you dream about what you do.
• What's the best type of exercise to lower blood pressure? i'm also a fan of just minimizing or dealing with stress!
• The Guardian has published its list of the 100 best novels of all time.
• Horror books where the town is the main character.
• Taiwan Travelogue won the International Booker. 
• Family centered thrillers and mysteries. 
• The 2026 McKitterick Prize Shortlist.
• Having trouble focusing on your book? Try immersive reading.
• Why do planes dim the lights on takeoff and landing?
• Literary thrillers set in Italy.
• Why you shouldn't feel guilty for being well read. Is feeling guilty for this actually a thing?
• Why do different types of bottled water taste differently?
• Pizza Hut has a reading challenge. Here is the official link.
• The best mysteries and thrillers for Truce Crime podcast listeners (like me). 
• 25 books that capture this American moment. 
• If you're traveling to Kentucky, here is a reading list for you. 

Currently reading two books: Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett and Theo, Golden by Allen Levi.  Listening to To the Moon and Back (almost done!) and podcast - Your Own Backyard and Women and Crime. 

Please browse in my Pangobooks store. 

Links I love

 

Last weekend was REALLY busy!  We were at NEIRA's for rowing and, while no hardware ws brought home, our boats did really well and all of our rowers should be proud of that!

• I'm going to listen to this artist's music to see if I like it. 
• How generational sagas help readers to set roots. 
• Time Anxiety and what it is.
• The man who reads books for a living - I'm jealous.
• Ten thrillers set in the near future.
• This seems like a fun way to determine your next read.
• Why the Pope quoted Gandalf in his speech on AI.
• 19 books to read this summer.
• Books for people that are fascinated by museums.
• Songs inspired by True Crime cases.
• Spotify audiobooks is paying off.
• Best beach reads for this summer according to NY Times.
• Pacific Island historical fiction books.
• Summer mystery books.
• 7 novels featuring a book within a book.
• 5 takeaways from the new colorectal screening guidelines.
• New Yorker's best books of 2026 (so far). Esquire also has a list as does the BBC. 
• 5 mysteries set in the wilderness.
• Knox County, TN has banned Alex Haley's Roots.
• There's a 2700 year old ceramic Roman cup that has been found.
• Sharks have tested positive for drugs, including cocaine.
• Celebrity mugshots that became embedded in our culture.
• Oprah has a summer list up.
• Hudson Williams has pretty good taste in books. 
• May's bet reviewed non-fiction and fiction.
• The best books on soccer. 

Please visit my Pangbooks store!

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.