The Neighborhood Dames is compelling historical fiction by Laura Stanfill that captivated me from the very beginning. It champions fierce female friendships, creativity and music, defying societal norms and expectations, and journeys of self-discovery. What is The Neighborhood Dames about? The Neighborhood Dames is set in early 1900s and 1920s New Jersey. We meet main character Violet right after her father dies in a mysterious fire at...
I finished reading The Water House. But, I wished I’d DNF’d it. I kept hoping it would get better. It didn’t. Sigh. What’s The Water House about? Billed as a modern twist on Jane Eyre and Rebecca, The Water House is set in 1960s Nigeria. It follows Celia, who was sent to reform school as a young girl after she was accused of drowning her brother. After Celia graduates, she moves to “the city” for a job as a rather unskilled...
I didn’t know quite what to expect when I accepted an ARC of Something Followed Us Home: Tales of Latiné Horror. As you know, I love reading all different types of horror. While I’ve enjoyed novels by authors Cynthia Pelayo and Leopoldo Goût and Isabel Cañas, there are a lot of authors that I've never heard of contributing to this collection of short stories. I’m super glad I took a chance on Something Followed Us Home. It contains some...
Everyone is Lying to You made me really glad that I never “made it big” as a blogger or influencer. This book by Jo Piazza is the kind of story that makes you take a deep breath, look around at your most-likely-average-but-lovely-life, and think: “Jeez. This ain’t so bad after all.” It’s also a book that I could not put down. What’s Everyone is Lying to You about? Everyone is Lying to You is a #tradwife murder...
It’s been awhile since I read a rom-com that I actually enjoyed. I’m happy to say that Looks Perfect by Jessica Siskin has broken my string of disappointing romance reads. I really enjoyed this sweet, heartfelt, and satirical novel about a fashion influencer whose life goes a little off the rails while trying to make everything “look perfect.” What’s Looks Perfect about? Meet Stella Lerner, a fashion designer with grass roots...
Small Wonders: A Field Guide to Life’s Quiet Joys is a delightful little book of musings, observations, reminders, and other happy nonsense. This nonfiction book is by Jennifer Shoop, who I’d never heard of but maybe you have. She’s the founder and author of the daily lifestyle blog, Magpie. Despite being a blogger myself, I don’t follow too many other blogs. But I saw Small Wonders’ beautiful book cover on Instagram, then saw it was...
I was super excited to read A Botanist’s Guide to Tradition and Treachery: A Saffron Everleigh Mystery by Kate Khavari. Look at that gorgeous book cover! The main character’s name is Saffron Everleigh, which just sounds so lovely. And the premise of a 19th century female botanist on an archelogical expedition was giving me all sorts of Evie/Rachel Weisz/The Mummy vibes. But, after getting halfway through the book, I DNF’d it. Saffron...
I picked up Sandwich expecting a breezy story about a coastal mansion with sweeping ocean views and lots of "rich people problems." Kinda like Pineapple Street on the New England Coast. Maybe there'd be an heiress who'd fallen in love with caterer she's forbidden to marry, or something along those lines.
Umm, NO. Sandwich is the exact opposite of everything I expected. In the best possible way.
IT IS SO FREAKIN' GOOD!!!!!!
What’s...
I know I’m pretty late to the party, but I finally read The Housemaid by Freida McFadden. It’s a NY Times bestseller, and it recently was made into a movie starring Amanda Seyfried and Sydney Sweeney. And I thought that The Housemaid was just… all right. What’s The Housemaid about? The Housemaid is a psychological thriller about Millie, a recently released ex-convict who takes a job housekeeping at a rich couple’s fancy...
Taylor Jenkins Reid’s Atmosphere gave me a reverance for outer space. Like, I looked up observation conservatories near me. Because, now, I want to visit them.
When I told my husband this -- a man who's tried to get me interested in all things "space" for years -- he summed up Atmosphere's effect the best: "That’s some damn good writing."
But are we surprised? TJR continually puts out novels like The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo and...
