(free review copy) If you want a hyper-seasonal cozy mystery, give this one a shot. I was disappointed in the quick wrap-up, though ~ it seemed like t(free review copy) If you want a hyper-seasonal cozy mystery, give this one a shot. I was disappointed in the quick wrap-up, though ~ it seemed like the story was just getting going and then .... it was over. Bonus points for lots of dogs, though.
Started this on August 29, 2024 and since it is a book of daily meditations, I shall be reading it until August 28, 2025. However, I can already tell Started this on August 29, 2024 and since it is a book of daily meditations, I shall be reading it until August 28, 2025. However, I can already tell you that I adore it.
(free review copy) This was such a great premise for a book that I absolutely inhaled it despite a few minor quibbles I had with the structure. I've b(free review copy) This was such a great premise for a book that I absolutely inhaled it despite a few minor quibbles I had with the structure. I've been saying for a long time that none of us need to posting public pictures of our kids online, and as the children of the moms in my generation start getting old enough to speak up, they're in full agreement. This is a perfect light but heartfelt and modern read for anyone who just can't put their phone down when scrolling a feed full of momfluencer content.
A perfectly pleasant, chaste, insta-love story with some relatively dramatic past trauma that the MC is dealing with. An enjoyable, but forgettable liA perfectly pleasant, chaste, insta-love story with some relatively dramatic past trauma that the MC is dealing with. An enjoyable, but forgettable listen.
Loved this so much on audio! And here's the thing - I usually detest this type of book, but it found me at the exact right time and right mood and jusLoved this so much on audio! And here's the thing - I usually detest this type of book, but it found me at the exact right time and right mood and just hooked me. I'm now in my 40's and damn it, I WANT TO BE A FUN PERSON! This book was great for reflection and thoughtful pondering of how I want to spend my time but I loved that it didn't force me to PLAN MORE FUN or anything like that. It helped me realize what I want to prioritize and what habits / hobbies may actually be making my life LESS fun despite being restful.
As someone in a 20-year marriage, this book was such a delight! It's a thoughtful contemplation on what keeps a marriage alive over the years, and whaAs someone in a 20-year marriage, this book was such a delight! It's a thoughtful contemplation on what keeps a marriage alive over the years, and what can potentially break it or reinvigorate it. Readers who can't even bear the thought of infidelity can just go ahead and skip this one, since that's a major premise of the book, but readers with an open mind might be interested to see how this story tackles the concept of opening up a marriage for a finite period. Honestly, though, it's not the opening of a marriage that interested me so much about this book. It was the concept of a long-married couple being able to be completely free to live their dreams - apart - for a finite period, and not have that be a death knell to a marriage. This isn't a romance, and it isn't a light story. It's just a character-driven story investigating the lives of a middle aged married couple, and I loved it.
I just love that Cathy Yardley writes about mature adults in her romances! Age-wise, life-wise, these are just grown-ass people living their realisticI just love that Cathy Yardley writes about mature adults in her romances! Age-wise, life-wise, these are just grown-ass people living their realistic lives and I want more, more, MORE of her work. The PNW island setting and the unique job of the female MC made me so happy. I listened to the audio version and love the male narrator, although the female narrator took a bit of adjusting to.
(free review copy) I'm so very happy that a print review copy of this book just appeared in my mailbox because I may never have paid it any attention (free review copy) I'm so very happy that a print review copy of this book just appeared in my mailbox because I may never have paid it any attention otherwise. Once I realized that it fed my late 90's - early 00's Dawson's Creek love, though, I was ALL. IN. There is an element of magical realism in the book, but because the magical realism takes place tangentially in a world we already know, I was able to fully suspend disbelief and just sink into the story. I was especially able to sink in because the protagonist and all of her contemporaries are 30, rather than teens or early 20's. There was definitely an element of maturity that makes this book appeal to us original DC fans, rather than new viewers. This romance won't be for everyone, but for those of us who debated Dawson vs. Pacey with fervor back in the day, it's a must-read. Personally, I always wanted to be cool enough to covet Pacey, but unfortunately I was just a totally basic Dawson girl all the way. Sigh. This story brought me right back to the end of my HS and beginning of my college years and for that reason, this was a hit.
(free review copy) I'm really starting to enjoy the offerings from Harper Muse - undeniably women's fiction, but not romance, and not Christian. Lots (free review copy) I'm really starting to enjoy the offerings from Harper Muse - undeniably women's fiction, but not romance, and not Christian. Lots of middle aged women and just generally relateable content. Nothing absolutely stellar, but just solidly good, you know? Anyway, this one was a really fun listen, and as the mother of a teenage son myself, I loved that aspect of the story. All the UK road trip content was amazing, and I loved where and how everything ended up. If you're looking for a relatable, happy, fairly unique story, definitely give this one a shot. The audio narration is great.
(free review copy) What an absolute delight! I adore stories about older adults, and this one is just so heartwarming and life affirming. The care hom(free review copy) What an absolute delight! I adore stories about older adults, and this one is just so heartwarming and life affirming. The care home setting was so original and I loved meeting all of the different residents and watching Fred make friends and realize how much value he still had to the world. There was one minor structural thing in the book that knocked this down from a 5 to a 4 for me, but it's a great fit for anyone who loves multigenerational stories featuring found family and very mature characters. I found myself cheering for Fred as he navigated near homelessness and then second (and third!) chances.
(free review copy) Hands down my favorite book by this author! I was riveted the entire time I was reading and absolutely fascinated by the premise of(free review copy) Hands down my favorite book by this author! I was riveted the entire time I was reading and absolutely fascinated by the premise of the story. I think we could all do with a little more living as it were our last day / year on earth …..
Get on your library holds list or preorder this one ASAP!
(free review copy) Whew, this was a heartbreaking story. I love Rendon's Cash Blackbear series, and while this is not part of that series, it is equal(free review copy) Whew, this was a heartbreaking story. I love Rendon's Cash Blackbear series, and while this is not part of that series, it is equally powerful on the topic of the grievous harm done to Native American peoples over the course of history. In this book, essentially a primer on the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW) travesty, this would be an excellent pairing with Warrior Girl Unearthed. At times the writing seems much more "tell" than "show" and the pacing was a bit jarring at times, but the setting was so vivid, the relationships so strong, and the message about the very real horrors of women and girls disappearing every day so necessary, that I'm willing to completely overlook a few structural quibbles. Rendon manages to write about this issue in a way that empowers the women characters rather than exploit those they represent, and brava to her for this feat.
I enjoyed the audio version of this story, although I don't think I found it quite as wildly hilarious as some readers did, mostly because Jolene's paI enjoyed the audio version of this story, although I don't think I found it quite as wildly hilarious as some readers did, mostly because Jolene's pain was just so visceral that it overshadowed the humor. I was just so sad that Jolene was so lonely and hadn't been working with a therapist to overcome her social struggles and overwhelming grief that I saw her actions as desperate rather than amusing. The commentary on office petty politics was entertaining, but also, as someone who has been there - it was a little too close to comfort and I felt so bad for how misunderstood Jolene was.
Wait, what the hell happened? I listened to this entire book straight through and was absolutely riveted and hanging on every word, but still have absWait, what the hell happened? I listened to this entire book straight through and was absolutely riveted and hanging on every word, but still have absolutely no idea what was going on? Does that mean it was smarter than me? Does it mean it was exceptional or horrible? Mind blown but utterly confused....more
"You prefer it without advertising?” she found herself asking. “The thing is, May,” the hum said, “the goal of advertising is to rip(free review copy)
"You prefer it without advertising?” she found herself asking. “The thing is, May,” the hum said, “the goal of advertising is to rip a hole in your heart so it can then fill that hole with plastic, or with any other materials that can be yanked out of the earth and, after brief sojourns as objects of desire, be converted to waste.”
THIS BOOK. I started it before bed last night and just finished it instead of napping this afternoon because I could. not. stop. reading. Kicking myself for not reading it early enough to include in this morning’s newsletter! Stunning and haunting very-near-future commentary on AI, motherhood and environmental endtimes. It's just the perfect mix for me ~ realistic enough to be horrifying, especially regarding surveillance, modern parents' compulsion to track their children, American society's immediate urge to take children from their parents in ridiculous situations, and OMG the nature commentary freaks me all the way out.
(free review copy) I just inhaled this tale of a middle-aged Stockholm couple's marriage imploding, not because of the train-wreck factor, but because(free review copy) I just inhaled this tale of a middle-aged Stockholm couple's marriage imploding, not because of the train-wreck factor, but because getting to read both sides of the situation was such an enlightening experience. So often when we know anything about relationship difficulties we only know one side, so thinking I knew what was going on in the first half of this book and then realizing there was much more to the story was so fascinating. This isn't at all a thriller or suspense story, just a domestic tale as old as time that nonetheless read like the most intriguing thriller ever. Perhaps it's because I have been married for 20 years and also have teenage children, but absorbing and analyzing the dysfunction in, and dissolution, of other relationships really does help me process my own.
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