The Museum of Failures, by Thrity Umrigar
Thursday, September 21, 2023
Book Review and GIVEAWAY: The Museum of Failures, by Thrity Umrigar {ends 9/28}
The Museum of Failures, by Thrity Umrigar
Tuesday, September 19, 2023
Book Review and GIVEAWAY: The Taken Ones, by Jess Lourey {ends 9/26}
The Taken Ones, by Jess Lourey
Saturday, September 9, 2023
Book Review and GIVEAWAY: The President's Wife, by Tracey Enerson Wood {ends 9/16}
Warming to her new role, Edith is soon indispensable to her husband's presidency. She replaces the staff that Woodrow finds distracting, and discusses policy with him daily. Throughout the war, she encrypts top-secret messages and despite lacking formal education becomes an important adviser. When peace talks begin in Europe, she attends at Woodrow's side. But just as the critical fight to ratify the treaty to end the war and create a League of Nations in order to prevent another, Woodrow's always-delicate health takes a dramatic turn for the worse. In her determination to preserve both his progress and his reputation, Edith all but assumes the presidency herself.
Now, Edith must contend with the demands of a tumultuous country, the secrets of Woodrow's true condition, and the potentially devastating consequences of her failure. At once sweeping and intimate, The President's Wife is an astonishing portrait of a courageous First Lady and the sacrifices she made to protect her husband and her country at all costs.
The President's Wife, by Tracey Enerson Wood
Wednesday, September 6, 2023
Book Review and GIVEAWAY - What It Cost Us: Stories of Pandemic and Protest in DC, by Shout Mouse Press Young Writers {ends 9/9}
You’ll meet Faiza, a Muslim high school student, who struggles to celebrate Ramadan during the worst of the COVID-19 shutdowns. You’ll protest with Roman, the only Black student in his class, whose relationships are challenged in the wake of the murder of George Floyd. You’ll face the fraught 2020 election with Dennis, a young Nigerian immigrant, as he questions a democracy that seems to count him out.
By examining the shards of this shattered year, these authors explore “what it cost us” through stories that both acknowledge loss and celebrate what got us through.
What It Cost Us: Stories of Pandemic and Protest in DC
Wednesday, August 16, 2023
Book Review: Jane Doe, by Victoria Helen Stone
Tuesday, August 15, 2023
Book Review and GIVEAWAY: The Stockwell Letters, by Jacqueline Friedland {ends 8/22}
With a particular focus on the predicament of nineteenth-century women who wanted to effect change despite the restrictions society imposed on them, The Stockwell Letters takes a deep dive into the harrowing conditions of the antebellum South and the obstacles faced by abolitionists who fought tirelessly to eradicate slavery. A fast-paced, arresting recounting of America’s not-so-distant history, the story will stay with readers long after the final page.
The Stockwell Letters, by Jacqueline Friedland
Tuesday, August 8, 2023
Book Review and GIVEAWAY: Three Fires, by Denise Mina {ends 8/15}
Three Fires, by Denise Mina
Wednesday, July 26, 2023
Book Review and GIVEAWAY: The Garden of Second Chances, by Mona Alvarado Frazier {ends 8/2}
Her only solace is in her baby, but as Juana struggles to survive the dangers lurking in prison, the threat outside grows even more terrifying. Her husband's furious family wants to take the child away.
With no hope in sight, Juana discovers a glimmer of light in a small patch of earth in the prison yard. As she nurtures the plants, memories of her mother's strength and resilience surface, pushing Juana to fight for her freedom and her daughter's future. This is a story of courage, hope, and determination in the face of impossible odds.
Juana Ivanov seems to have all the cards stacked against her. She barely speaks English. Her father wants nothing to do with her. Her mother-in-law never liked her, and now her husband is dead and everyone has decided she did it. While she knows she didn’t, she has no knowledge of how to prove otherwise, or how to even tell the people who matter.
Luckily she makes friends with another prisoner who is literally incarcerated on charges that she assaulted a police officer during a protest for immigrants’ rights. If anyone gets it, Xochitl does.
Together, they try to navigate finding out the truth about Juana’s husband’s death, while also making it through their time behind bars alive. Prison rules and the other prisoner’s gang rules are often two very different lists of things they can and cannot do without repercussions.
Juana just wants to do what she can to be reunited with her baby and give them the best life together that she can. This touching story gets 3 out of 5 stars and would be recommended for those who appreciate stories about teens and shows or books like Orange is the New Black.
Tuesday, July 25, 2023
Book Review and GIVEAWAY: Alchemy of a Blackbird, by Claire McMillan {ends 8/1}
The formatting of the narration and chapters was especially delightful. A portion of the story would be told, then the description of a tarot card would be provided and linked with a character. Then that character would narrate their portion of the story. Some of the viewpoints of the characters vs. how they seemed to be acting from the overall scene were amusing.
Alchemy of a Blackbird, by Claire McMillan
Monday, July 24, 2023
Book Review: Love & Resistance, by Kara H.L. Chen
And that is the end of her invisible life.
Soon, Olivia joins forces with the Nerd Net: a secret society that's been thwarting Mitzi’s reign of terror for months. Together, they plan to unite the masses and create true change at school.
But in order to succeed, Olivia must do something even more terrifying than lead a movement: trust other people. She might even make true friends along the way . . . if Mitzi doesn’t destroy her first.
What a unique book! Sometimes, the underdogs might get a chance to win, and this is their story. Olivia just can’t keep her mouth shut anymore when the most popular girl in her newest high school makes a racist comment blaming the Asian students for her own less-than-stellar grades. While Olivia initially regrets not holding on to her invisibility, she soon meets the secret Nerd Net, where she’ll find friends and maybe even love.
Besides just teen angst and drama, the story really makes use of Olivia’s interest in government and military strategy and structure. As the Nerd Net made plans of how to "even the playing field" at Plainstown High, Olivia weighed it all against her previous experiences, the lessons her grandfather and mother had taught about navigating the world, and what she had learned through her interest in history and governments.
While not necessarily the expected teen contemplations, Olivia’s assessments and reactions made the book so enjoyable and overall uplifting. The book earned 4 out of 5 stars and would be easy to recommend to any reader who enjoys contemporary YA fiction.
Thursday, July 20, 2023
Book Review and GIVEAWAY: Walking on Fire, by Kathryn Crawley {ends 7/27}
Walking on Fire, by Kathryn Crawley
Sunday, July 16, 2023
Book Review and GIVEAWAY: Murder Under a Red Moon, by Harini Nagendra {ends 7/23}
Murder Under a Red Moon, by Harini Nagendra
Thursday, July 13, 2023
Book Review and GIVEAWAY: The Bridge on Beer River, by Terry Tierney {ends 7/20}
The Bridge on Beer River, by Terry Tierney
Thursday, July 6, 2023
Quick Pick Book Review: Have You Seen Her, by Catherine McKenzie
- Opening lines: "We're losing light!" Ben yells over the whir of the blades. "We need to go!"
I turn to look out over the field to the tree line, taking in the scene of the crime. The dark green conifers, with their exposed lower limbs. The trampled glass. A wrapper from a protein bar tumbling over and over like a gymnast. A dark patch in the dirt that looks like it's tinged by rust.
I can't hear anything but the helicopter's whine, but the screams are still caught in my thoughts—sharp, terrified, then cut out, cut off. - Reason I picked up the book: I'm a big fan of Catherine McKenzie's books—you can read my previous reviews of them here.
- And what's this book about?
A thrilling and timely novel about three women with dark secrets whose lives intersect in the picturesque and perilous Yosemite National Park from the USA TODAY bestselling author of the “propulsive” (Laura Dave, author of The Last Thing He Told Me) Please Join Us.
Equipped with a burner phone and a new job, Cassie Peters has left her hectic and secretive life in New York City for the refuge of her hometown of Mammoth Lakes, California. There, she begins working again with Yosemite Search and Rescue, where a case she worked a decade ago continues to haunt her.
She quickly falls into old patterns, joining a group of fellow seasonal workers and young adventurers who have made Yosemite their home during the summer. There, she meets Petal, a young woman living in a trailer with her much older wife, keeping a detailed diary of the goings on of the park, and Jada, a recent college graduate on a cross-country road trip with her boyfriend, documenting their journey on Instagram.
When these three women cross paths, Cassie’s past catches up with her, and the shocking consequences ripple out far beyond what any could have imagined in this unputdownable thriller from an author who “never fails to impress” (Mary Kubica, New York Times bestselling author). - Recommended for: Anyone who enjoys thrillers or books with a twist.
- Favorite paragraph: Fuck.
My heart is pounding as I check each comment—the original post and three other people who were wondering where I'd gotten to. Question answered, one of them said. Crazy, someone else said. I'm not sure if they meant me or the situation, but I don't care. These women aren't connected to anyone else I know in New York. No one knew I was going to that gym. I paid for my membership in cash and hid my climbing gear at the back of my closet.
But then there's a final comment on the threat that stops me cold.
Should we tell the husband? - Something to know: This was a great thriller read, and the ending really surprised me. I could definitely see it being made into a movie at some point, too.
- What I would have changed: Maybe a little more detailed regarding the ending—it was believable, but I still thought there were one or two plot holes.
- Overall rating: 4 stars out of 5.
- Where can I find this book? Click here to buy on Amazon.
Monday, July 3, 2023
Book Review and GIVEAWAY: A Killer's Game, by Isabella Maldonado {ends 7/10}
One of my lucky readers will win a copy of A Killer's Game!
Monday, June 19, 2023
Book Review and GIVEAWAY: The Belonger, by Mary Kathleen Mehuron {ends 6/26}
The Belonger, by Mary Kathleen Mehuron
Tuesday, June 13, 2023
Book Review and GIVEAWAY: Retribution: A Koa Kāne Hawaiian Mystery, by Robert McCaw {ends 6/20}
Retribution: A Koa Kāne Hawaiian Mystery, by Robert McCaw
Tuesday, June 6, 2023
Book Review: Romantic Comedy, by Curtis Sittenfeld
"What's a song you think is legitimately, non-cheesily romantic?"
"At the risk of being predictable, there's an Indigo Girls song called 'Dairy Queen' that's probably my all-time favorite."
"But isn't that about a relationship that doesn't work out"
"Romance doesn't require a happy ending." Thought I didn't convey it, I was surprised that he knew the song. Fans liked it, but it was no "Closer to Fine."
"Right," Noah said. "But you have to admit it's easier not to be cheesy when you're writing about lost love. Or are your romantic comedies going to end sadly and that's their twist?"
I laughed. "I don't know how they end because I haven't finished writing one yet."
As you may have noticed, I haven't written a ton of reviews here during the pandemic—we can thank my guest writer Becki for holding the fort down, with her guest reviews. However, I'm a huge fan of Curtis Sittenfeld's books, especially Prep, so when I got an early galley of Romantic Comedy, I was excited to read it.
About the book:
But when Sally’s friend and fellow writer Danny Horst begins dating Annabel, a glamorous actress who guest-hosted the show, he joins the not-so-exclusive group of talented but average-looking and even dorky men at the show—and in society at large—who’ve gotten romantically involved with incredibly beautiful and accomplished women. Sally channels her annoyance into a sketch called the Danny Horst Rule, poking fun at this phenomenon while underscoring how unlikely it is that the reverse would ever happen for a woman.
Enter Noah Brewster, a pop music sensation with a reputation for dating models, who signed on as both host and musical guest for this week’s show. Dazzled by his charms, Sally hits it off with Noah instantly, and as they collaborate on one sketch after another, she begins to wonder if there might actually be sparks flying. But this isn’t a romantic comedy—it’s real life. And in real life, someone like him would never date someone like her . . . right?
With her keen observations and trademark ability to bring complex women to life on the page, Curtis Sittenfeld explores the neurosis-inducing and heart-fluttering wonder of love, while slyly dissecting the social rituals of romance and gender relations in the modern age.
"The Night Owls" (TNO) is definitely "Saturday Night Live" in this book. Sally details her job there, and it's pretty fascinating—she watched TNO growing up and finally got a chance to be on the staff, but has now been there about ten years. She's met a ton of celebrities who have hosted the show, and this week the celebrity is Noah Brewster, a pop star.
Sally considers herself a "regular" type of girl, both in status (i.e.: not a celebrity) and in looks, and she's surprised when she and Noah have some chemistry together. After Noah hosts TNO, she almost thinks something may happen, but unfortunately at the after-after party, she says something to him that she later regrets.
Fast-forward to the pandemic (summer 2020) and something surprising happens, in which she reconnects with Noah.
To say anything more would be to include spoilers, but I really loved this book. I started reading it at home on my iPad, then switched to my phone at the gym, because I wanted to see what was going to happen, and I had a 30-minute treadmill walk in front of me. I've been a fan of Curtis Sittenfeld's work for some time now—Prep, the novel I referenced at the beginning of this review, was actually published in 2005—and I knew this novel would be great, and I was not disappointed.
Someone on Goodreads called this novel "the Notting Hill effect," which when you think about it, is not wrong—in Notting Hill, Julia Roberts plays a celebrity and she falls for Hugh Grant, a "commoner," too.
I've been trying to think of who I would cast in a movie production of this—my best picks are below:
- Noah Brewster: Noah Reid (from Schitt's Creek)
- Sally Milz: Sarah Goldberg (from Barry)
- Danny Horst: Seth Rogen
- Annabel: Lily Rose Depp
- Viv: Zoe Kravitz, Meagan Good, Aja King, or Issa Rae
4 stars out of 5.
Click here to purchase on Amazon.