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...
I almost said "no" to reading and reviewing 16 Forever by Lance Rubin. This YA novel is a mix of speculative fiction and romance, with a lot of 50 First Dates meets Groundhog Day vibes.
And I'm really glad I said YES to reading this one.
What’s 16 Forever about?
In 16 Forever, Carter Cohen wakes up on the morning of what should be his 17th birthday—only to find that he’s regressed overnight and thinks it’s now his 16th birthday. He...
I really wanted to like The Ex-Boyfriend’s Favorite Recipe Funeral Committee. Yes, despite its unnecessarily long title. (Anyone else getting The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society flashbacks???)
This Japanese novel by Saki Kawashiro (translated by Yuka Maeno) has food, it has healing, and it has community. The description of the book even reminded me my women’s fiction novel, Desserted, that I still hope to find a home for:...
First of all, many thanks to author Gail Priest for reaching out to me about her novel Soul Dancing. Gail’s a loyal Tartlet, and she offered to send me a review copy of her book since she knows I love women’s fiction and supernatural stories.
Well, Gail, let’s remove all the suspense – I loved Soul Dancing. I’m so glad you sent it my way!
What’s Soul Dancing about?
We meet elderly main character Shirlene at the very beginning of...
I’m announcing it right now: the book of the summer is The Amalfi Curse.
Tartlets, I devoured this new novel from Sarah Penner in a little over one day. I could not put it down, and I adored every page of this literary blockbuster.
What’s The Amalfi Curse about? The Amalfi Curse introduces us to modern-day Haven, a nautical archaeologist (aka, a scuba diver who loves exploring shipwrecks) who’s sent on a diving expedition off the coast...
It’s rare when a new literary voice stops me in my tracks, but that's exactly with The Continental Divide did.
There seem to be more debut books than ever these days, and I’m often left wondering how certain people ended up getting voted into the literary field of acceptance. Bob Johnson is a debut author who 100% deserves to be published. His book of short stories is a wonderful example of what great writing can do for you – or, do to...
There’s nothing bad about Pineapple Street. But... there's nothing great about it, either.
My book review today is for a novel that was getting all the buzz when it came out in 2023. Pineapple Street was a GMA Book Club Pick, and it was nominated for not one, but two Goodreads Choice Awards: Readers' Favorite Fiction and Readers' Favorite Debut Novel.
After such illustrious praise, I cracked open Jenny Jackson's debut novel with great...
I tried, Tartlets. I really, really tried to get into Real Life and Other Fictions.
This women's fiction book by Susan Coll totally seemed like one I would enjoy. I mean, The Mothman’s in it! We all know supernatural stuff is right up my alley. And, there’s a dog in the book. Animals are the best. The main character's a struggling writer and novelist, and I can completely relate to that.
Despite all this and so much else recommending this...
I love me some good women’s fiction, and Dear Eliza by Andrea J. Stein hits all the right notes.
What’s Dear Eliza about?
Dear Eliza follows Eliza Levinger, who, on the day of her father’s funeral, is given a letter that was written by her late mother. Inside the letter is the bombshell news that Eliza’s biological father isn’t the dad she just laid to rest.
Still unhealed from her mother’s passing ten years before, Eliza finds...
