Book Review: Take Me with You by Steven Rowley Title: Take Me with YouAuthor: Steven RowleyPublisher: G.P. Putnam's SonsPublication date: May 19, 2026Length: 368 pagesGenre: Contemporary fictionSource: Review copy via NetGalley (audiobook purchased via Audible)Rating: ★★★★ A poignant, hilarious,…

Top Ten Tuesday: Books I Can’t Believe I’ve Never Read Top Ten Tuesday is a meme hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl, featuring a different top 10 theme each week. This week's topic is Books I Can’t Believe I’ve Never Read. My picks this week include a classic I should have read by now and a bunch of…

The Monday Check-In ~ 6/1/2026 My Monday tradition, including a look back and a look ahead -- what I read last week, what new books came my way, and what books are keeping me busy right now. Plus a smattering of other stuff too. Life. It's June already! Bring on summer sunshine and blue skies! I…

Book Review: The Marriage Portrait by Maggie O’Farrell Title: The Marriage PortraitAuthor: Maggie O'FarrellPublisher: KnopfPublication date: September 6, 2022Length: 355 pagesGenre: Historical fictionSource: PurchasedRating: ★★★★★ Florence, the 1550s. Lucrezia, third daughter of the grand duke, is…

Book Review: Obstetrix by Naomi Kritzer  Title: ObstetrixAuthor: Naomi KritzerPublisher: Tor Publication date: June 9, 2026Length: 208 pagesGenre: ThrillerSource: Review copy courtesy of the publisher via NetGalleyRating: ★★★★ From the Hugo award-winning author Naomi Kritzer comes a tense portrait…

First Lines Friday 5/29/2026 First Lines Friday is a weekly feature for book lovers created by Wandering Words. What if instead of judging a book by its cover, its author or its prestige, we judged it by its opening lines? Here's how to join in: Pick a book off your shelf (it could be your current…

Book Review: Dolly All the Time by Annabel Monaghan Title: Dolly All the TimeAuthor: Annabel MonaghanPublisher: G.P. Putnam's SonsPublication date: May 26, 2026Length: 395 pagesGenre: Contemporary romanceSource: Review copy courtesy of the publisher via NetGalleyRating: ★★★★★ A hardworking single…

Life and art on a phonescreen A little moment of serendipity... My phone lockscreen is set to randomly shuffle photos from my camera roll, changing every hour on the hour. I never know what will turn up... and I like it that way. And when I woke up to start my day yesterday, I found that I had a…

Top Ten Tuesday: My Favorite Books by My Favorite Authors Top Ten Tuesday is a meme hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl, featuring a different top 10 theme each week. This week's topic is My Favorite Books by My Favorite Authors, with the prompt: Pick your ten favorite authors and your favorite book…

The Monday Check-In ~ 5/25/2026 My Monday tradition, including a look back and a look ahead -- what I read last week, what new books came my way, and what books are keeping me busy right now. Plus a smattering of other stuff too. Life. Four day weekend! Due to a holiday this past Friday as well as…

Audiobook Review: My Contrary Mary by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, & Jodi Meadows Title: My Contrary MarySeries: Mary, #1Authors: Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, Jodi MeadowsNarrator: Fiona HardinghamPublisher: HarperTeenPublication date: June 22, 2021Print length: 512 pagesAudiobook length: 12 hours…

Book Review: The Foursome by Christina Baker Kline Title: The FoursomeAuthor: Christina Baker KlinePublisher: Mariner BooksPublication date: May 12, 2026Length: 384 pagesGenre: Historical fictionSource: Review copy courtesy of the publisher via NetGalleyRating: ★★★★★ From #1 New York Times…

Birthstone Book Covers: May = Emerald! I participated in Birthstone Books Covers for the first time in August, and now I'm hooked! Leslie at Books Are the New Black hosts this fun monthly meme -- and since I love anything related to spotlighting amazing book covers, I just had to jump in. The…

First Lines Friday 5/22/2026 First Lines Friday is a weekly feature for book lovers created by Wandering Words. What if instead of judging a book by its cover, its author or its prestige, we judged it by its opening lines? Here's how to join in: Pick a book off your shelf (it could be your current…

Book Review: A Town with Half the Lights On by Page Getz Title: A Town with Half the Lights OnAuthor: Page GetzPublisher: Sourcebooks LandmarkPublication date: April 22, 2025Length: 384 pagesGenre: Contemporary fictionSource: PurchasedRating: ★★★★ For readers of J. Ryan Stradal and The Music of…

Book Review: The Shippers by Katherine Center Title: The ShippersAuthor: Katherine CenterPublisher: St. Martin's PressPublication date: May 19, 2026Length: 336 pagesGenre: Contemporary fictionSource: Review copy courtesy of the publisher via NetGalleyRating: ★★★★ One of the hottest, fastest-rising…

Top Ten Tuesday: Jamie & Claire’s clan: Favorite supporting characters from the Outlander series Top Ten Tuesday is a meme hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl, featuring a different top 10 theme each week. This week's topic is Favorite Secondary/Minor Characters. I've decided to focus on supporting…

The Monday Check-In ~ 5/18/2026 My Monday tradition, including a look back and a look ahead -- what I read last week, what new books came my way, and what books are keeping me busy right now. Plus a smattering of other stuff too. Life. It's been a busy week, both with un-fun (work) craziness and…

My Classics Club Spin book for spring/summer 2026 will be… Earlier in the week, I shared a post with my list of books for the newest Classics Club Spin challenge (see it here), and today, this spin's number was announced. (For those keeping track, it's CCSpin #44, and for me personally, #16!)…

Audiobook Review: Our Perfect Storm by Carley Fortune Title: Our Perfect StormAuthor: Carley FortuneNarrators: AJ Bridel and Jack CoplandPublisher: BerkleyPublication date: May 5, 2026Print length: 420 pagesAudio length: 10 hours 51 minutesGenre: Contemporary romanceSource: PurchasedRating: ★★★★★…

Book Review: Dead Weight by Hildur Knútsdóttir  Title: Dead WeightAuthor: Hildur Knútsdóttir Translated by: Mary Robinette KowalPublisher: Tor NightfirePublication date: May 26, 2026Length: 160 pagesGenre: ThrillerSource: Review copy courtesy of the publisher via NetGalleyRating: ★★★★ An Icelandic…

First Lines Friday 5/15/2026 First Lines Friday is a weekly feature for book lovers created by Wandering Words. What if instead of judging a book by its cover, its author or its prestige, we judged it by its opening lines? Here's how to join in: Pick a book off your shelf (it could be your current…

Book Review: An Ordinary Sort of Evil (A Rip Through Time, #5) by Kelley Armstrong Title: An Ordinary Sort of EvilSeries: A Rip Through Time, #5Author: Kelley ArmstrongPublisher: Minotaur BooksPublication date: May 19, 2026Length: 320 pagesGenre: Historical fiction/mysterySource: Review copy…

Getting ready for the next Classics Club Spin (CC Spin #44; spring/summer 2026) It's time for another Classics Club Spin! Hosted by The Classics Club blog, the Classics Club Spin is a reading adventure where participants come up with a list of classics they'd like to read, number them 1 to 20, and…

Top Ten Tuesday: May Flowers Top Ten Tuesday is a meme hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl, featuring a different top 10 theme each week. This week's topic is May Flowers, with the prompt: This is a companion to the April Showers topic from last month. Interpret however you’d like: books with flowers…

The Monday Check-In ~ 5/11/2026 My Monday tradition, including a look back and a look ahead -- what I read last week, what new books came my way, and what books are keeping me busy right now. Plus a smattering of other stuff too. Life. I had a very nice Mother's Day! Phone calls and flowers from…

Retail Therapy: A round-up of great puzzles It's been quite a while since I've done a shopping post! I try to keep my spending within reasonable limits... and yet, I just can't resist when it comes to gorgeous books and puzzles! Jigsaw puzzles may not be for everyone... but if you have someone in…

Quick Take: The Buffalo Hunter Hunter by Stephen Graham Jones Title: The Buffalo Hunter HunterAuthor: Stephen Graham JonesPublisher: Saga PressPublication date: March 18, 2025Length: 448 pagesGenre: Horror / historical fictionSource: LibraryRating: ★★★ From the New York Times bestselling author…

First Lines Friday 5/8/2026 First Lines Friday is a weekly feature for book lovers created by Wandering Words. What if instead of judging a book by its cover, its author or its prestige, we judged it by its opening lines? Pick a book off your shelf (it could be your current read or on your TBR)…

Audiobook Review: The Body by Stephen King Title: The BodyAuthor: Stephen KingNarrator: Wil WheatonPublisher: William MorrowPublication date: Originally published 1982; new audiobook edition released 2026Print length: 192 pagesAudio length: 6 hours 38 minutesGenre: Coming of age novellaSource:…

Spell the Month in Books: May Spell the Month in Books is a monthly meme hosted by Jana at Reviews from the Stacks. To participate, find a book title that starts with each letter in the month’s name, make a list, share your link, and that’s it! You can share anytime by the end of the month. Some…

Top Ten Tuesday: More, please! Authors I wish had more books for me to read… Top Ten Tuesday is a meme hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl, featuring a different top 10 theme each week. This week's topic is Authors You Wish Were Still Writing Today, with the prompt: These could be authors who have…

The Monday Check-In ~ 5/4/2026 My Monday tradition, including a look back and a look ahead -- what I read last week, what new books came my way, and what books are keeping me busy right now. Plus a smattering of other stuff too. Life. Happy Star Wars Day... and happy May! I'm eager for a month…

Book Review: The Impossible Fortune (The Thursday Murder Club, #5) by Richard Osman Title: The Impossible FortuneSeries: The Thursday Murder Club, #5Author: Richard OsmanPublisher: Pamela Dorman BooksPublication date: September 30, 2025Length: 368 pagesGenre: MysterySource: LibraryRating: ★★★★★…

Audiobook Review: The Poisoned King (Impossible Creatures, #2) by Katherine Rundell Title: The Poisoned KingSeries: Impossible Creatures, #2Author: Katherine RundellNarrator: Samuel WestPublisher: Knopf Books for Young ReadersPublication date: September 11, 2025Print length: 304 pagesAudio length:…

First Lines Friday 5/1/2026 First Lines Friday is a weekly feature for book lovers created by Wandering Words. What if instead of judging a book by its cover, its author or its prestige, we judged it by its opening lines? Pick a book off your shelf (it could be your current read or on your TBR)…

Audiobook Review: Margo’s Got Money Trouble by Rufi Thorpe Title: Margo's Got Money TroublesAuthor: Rufi ThorpeNarrator: Elle FanningPublisher: William MorrowPublication date: June 11, 2024Print length: 304 pagesAudio length: 10 hours 21 minutesGenre: Contemporary fictionSource: Library Rating:…

Top Ten Tuesday: Backlist Books to Read (2026 update) Top Ten Tuesday is a meme hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl, featuring a different top 10 theme each week. This week's topic is a freebie, which means we all come up with our own topics. I've done freebie posts focusing on backlist books a few…

The Monday Check-In ~ 4/27/2026 My Monday tradition, including a look back and a look ahead -- what I read last week, what new books came my way, and what books are keeping me busy right now. Plus a smattering of other stuff too. Life. A friend mentioned that she got some great new jigsaw puzzles…

Book Review: We Burned So Bright by TJ Klune Title: We Burned So BrightAuthor: TJ KlunePublisher: TorPublication date: April 28, 2026Length: 171 pagesGenre: Contemporary/science fictionSource: Review copy courtesy of the publisher via NetGalleyRating: ★★★★★ A heart-wrenching standalone novel by…

Book Review: Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke Title: YesteryearAuthor: Caro Claire BurkePublisher: KnopfPublication date: April 7, 2026Length: 400 pagesGenre: Contemporary fictionSource: LibraryRating: ★★★ My name was Natalie Heller Mills, and I was perfect at being alive. Natalie lives a…

First Lines Friday 4/24/2026 First Lines Friday is a weekly feature for book lovers created by Wandering Words. What if instead of judging a book by its cover, its author or its prestige, we judged it by its opening lines? Pick a book off your shelf (it could be your current read or on your TBR)…

Birthstone Book Covers: April = Diamond! I participated in Birthstone Books Covers for the first time in August, and now I'm hooked! Leslie at Books Are the New Black hosts this fun monthly meme -- and since I love anything related to spotlighting amazing book covers, I just had to jump in. The…

Book Review: Mad Mabel by Sally Hepworth Title: Mad MabelAuthor: Sally HepworthPublisher: St. Martin's PressPublication date: April 21, 2026Length: 348 pagesGenre: ThrillerSource: Review copy courtesy of the publisher via NetGalley (also won a copy in a Goodreads giveaway)Rating: ★★★★★ From New…

Top Ten Tuesday: April Showers Top Ten Tuesday is a meme hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl, featuring a different top 10 theme each week. This week's topic is April Showers, with the prompt: Interpret this however you’d like: rainy day reads, books that make you cry, books that give you happy…

The Monday Check-In ~ 4/20/2026 My Monday tradition, including a look back and a look ahead -- what I read last week, what new books came my way, and what books are keeping me busy right now. Plus a smattering of other stuff too. Life. Happy 4/20 day to all who celebrate. LOL. Not me... but I'm…

Audiobook Review: The Name Game by Beth O’Leary Title: The Name GameAuthor: Beth O'LearyNarrator: Harriet Cains and Arty FroushanPublisher: BerkleyPublication date: April 7, 2026Print length: 379 pagesAudio length: 10 hours 55 minutesGenre: Contemporary romanceSource: Audible (eARC via…

Book Review: Cherry Baby by Rainbow Rowell Title: Cherry BabyAuthor: Rainbow RowellPublisher: William MorrowPublication date: April 14, 2026Length: 416 pagesGenre: Contemporary fiction / romanceSource: Review copy courtesy of the publisher via NetGalleyRating: ★★★★★ Everybody knows that Cherry's…

First Lines Friday 4/17/2026 First Lines Friday is a weekly feature for book lovers created by Wandering Words. What if instead of judging a book by its cover, its author or its prestige, we judged it by its opening lines? Pick a book off your shelf (it could be your current read or on your TBR)…

Book Review: The Book Witch by Meg Shaffer Title: The Book WitchAuthor: Meg ShafferPublisher: Ballantine BooksPublication date: April 7, 2026Length: 320 pagesGenre: FantasySource: Review copy courtesy of the publisher via NetGalleyRating: ★★★★★ She can hop into any novel, she just can’t stay…