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...
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...
The Last Lady B is trying to be "Jane Austen meets The White Lotus." Julia Quinn of Bridgerton fame blurbed the book, and it promised a witty historical romance with a Gothic twist.
Brace yourself, Tartlets: these are all rather lofty comparisons.
This book isn’t nearly as exciting as The White Lotus. And, it’s not nearly as “I burn for you” as season one of Bridgerton.
And, nothing about The Last Lady B is similar to Jane Austen except...
I waited a long time to read The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon. At least, it feels like I did.
This historical fiction novel published in December 2023, and I started seeing its beautiful book cover appear on Instagram not long after. Everyone who recommended it to me told me it was a great “winter read.”
I love me a good seasonal read, so even though my library had the book in stock somewhere around June 2024, I held off. I wanted to read...
I loved absolutely everything about Bees in June. It’s a magical, uplifting, endearing, and charming story. Think Waitress meets Midnight at the Blackbird Café. With bees.
What’s Bees in June about?
Bees in June is about Rennie, a young woman stuck in an unhappy and increasingly abusive marriage. Rennie needs to find meaning in her life after her newborn son passes away and her husband withdraws from their relationship. When she...
Given that James was recently awarded a Pulitzer Prize, I figured it might be a good time to post my book review of this reimagined masterpiece by Percival Everett.
This one is worth the hype, Tartlets.
What’s James about?
James is a retelling of Mark Twain’s The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn from the point of view of the enslaved man Jim (James), who accompanies Tom and Huck along their adventures in the original Twain story. We...
Smoke on the Wind is the perfect read for #cozygirlsummer.
This novel by Kelli Estes is set in the glorious Scottish Highlands. It transports you to a land steeped in ancient Celtic folklore and mystery; a starkly beautiful landscape amidst rolling fog; and fires burning in the hearth after long country walks.
Are you looking for a summer read that's not set on a sun-drenched tropical island? Then run to your nearest bookstore to pick up Smoke...
Broken Country by Clare Leslie Hall is the hot new book in town. It’s being compared to Where the Crawdads Sing, and it was the March 2025 pick for Reese’s Book Club. I’m sure a movie adaptation is in the works, whether we’ve heard of it or not.
What did I think of Broken Country? I liked it. But, I didn’t love it. It’s no Where the Crawdads Sing, I’ll tell you that much. Let’s get into it!
What’s Broken Country about?...
I’m just gonna say it: The Paris Express is my least favorite Emma Donoghue novel. *cries*
But I’ve loved so many of this author’s books that I suppose she’s allowed a clunker here and there, right?
Right???? *sigh*
What’s The Paris Express about? The Paris Express is a multi-POV novel (yep, another one) about people aboard a fast-moving train traveling across France that is – not a spoiler – doomed to crash. It’s based on a...
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...
