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 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’ll be the first to admit that Buried Seeds: A Yolanda Ávila Mystery isn’t a typical read for me. It covers WWII-adjacent topics. It’s part of a mystery series (which I’m very selective about reading). And, it navigates a lot of current social and political issues that I tend to shy away from.
But when author Verónica Gutiérrez reached out to me about her book, I was really intrigued by her novel’s premise. (And the fact that she...
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...
The universe works in funny ways. The morning before I started reading The Place Where They Buried Your Heart, I was typing up my notes for a Dark Side of the Word episode. And I wrote down, with much regret, that “nothing really scares me anymore” because I’ve read so many horror novels.
That night, I was awake until 2am reading this new supernatural suspense novel from Christina Henry. And I was totally afraid to get out of bed and...
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...
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 had really high hopes for The Alchemy of Flowers by Laura Resau. This women’s fiction novel promised magical realism, romance, mystery, and lots and lots of flowers. While all these things appear in the book, I still feel there could have been more.
A little more magical realism. A little more suspense. And a lot less romance.
Let’s get into it.
What is The Alchemy of Flowers about?
The Alchemy of Flowers is about mid-forties...
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?...
