Book Review: "Play It Again" by Georgia Clark

As teenagers they were inseparable. Four friends—Annie, Lola, Vicky, and Dylan—took their hometown by storm when they starred in a gender-swapped adaptation of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead. It was an incredible summer, but the night the show closed the four were torn apart, and went their separate ways.

Twenty years later, they all have very different lives from what they dreamed of. But when their hometown of Rhodes, NY, gets a less-than-impressive write up in a tourism magazine, the town gets closer to dying out completely. Given that Annie owns a pet grooming place in town, she’s definitely concerned.

All four of them get summoned back to the now-closed playhouse where their fondest memories reside. Jazz, their director, wants to revive their production of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead to hopefully bring some life (and money) back into the town and the theater. Of course, it will only work if all four agree.

The pleasantries of their reunion quickly fade as the memories of the show’s end 20 years ago are revisited. There’s no doubt that the feelings both couples had for one another still linger, but so do secrets, misunderstandings, and emotional wounds. Can they put the past aside to not only save Rhodes and put on a show, but also to see if a second chance is possible?

This was a mostly fun and lighthearted story, full of nostalgia and emotion. I was a theater kid so I definitely enjoyed those aspects of the book. I felt like the pacing got very slow in the middle and I also thought at times the characters’ actions were a little more petty and childish than they should have been.

Book Review: "Into the Blue" by Emma Brodie

It’s been a long while since I felt truly bereft after finishing a book. But Into the Blue captured my mind and my heart so thoroughly, that I actually feel a loss now that I’m done reading it. There was an undercurrent that reminded me a bit of Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow, but this is a story all its own.

It’s the summer before her senior year in high school when AJ gets a job at the local video store. Her plan is to watch her favorite show, a cult comedy from the 1960s called “Astronauticals,” and write fan fiction about the show. She’s surprised to find she’s getting a coworker, Noah, whose family is an acting dynasty, including his aunt Eudora, who starred in Astronauticals.

The two become friends and confide in each other about things no one else knows. As they become acting partners taught by Eudora, they forge a connection—almost an intuition—that deepens their bond. And then one day, Noah leaves town without a word, and leaves AJ to wonder what happened.

Seven years later, AJ is working in production on an HGTV reality show; Noah has become a megastar. Somehow she gets cast in a sci-fi show that will be totally improvised—and Noah is one of her costars. Acting opposite each other reawakens feelings between the two. But every time they try to move beyond their past, they can’t. They go their separate ways, only to reunite again and again, as their career paths intertwine.

“Empathy was not predictive. Being able to feel or even influence a person’s emotions was not the same as being able to influence their actions. Noah’s love for AJ was absolute, his desire to leave her nonexistent, but their future didn’t hinge on Noah’s heart so much as his capacity for uncertainty. For that was the true cost of happiness: never knowing when it might be lost.”

Emma Brodie’s debut, Songs in Ursa Major, blew me away, so I’m not surprised how much I loved this. She is an incredible storyteller, weaving humor, romance, serious steam, and complex emotions. This will definitely be one of my favorite books of the year.

Book Reviews: "Smile for the Cameras" by Miranda Smith

I don’t read a lot of horror because I hate being scared, but for some reason slasher films—particularly the classics from the 1980s and 1990s—work for me. That’s why I was excited to read Smile for the Cameras.

Ella’s big break in the movie industry was when she starred as the Final Girl in the slasher movie Grad Night. It became a classic, spawned many sequels, and made stars of its four leads and the young director.

But while the central role in a movie was a dream come true for Ella, something happened during filming that she’s been haunted by for the last 20 years. She and her costars vowed never to talk about it, and ultimately her guilt became too much to bear. She left the movie industry to care for her terminally ill mother in their upstate New York home.

After her mother’s death, Ella starts thinking about resurrecting her career. While there are a few promising roles she’d love, it seems like the only way she can land one of them is to agree to participate in the reunion documentary marking the 20th anniversary of Grad Night. Her three costars and the director will participate, so despite her trepidations, Ella agrees.

Of course, a reunion means the cast has to return to Blackstone Cottage, a cabin in rural Tennessee where the original movie was set. Ella is on edge almost from the moment she arrives, and while none of her fellow actors wants to talk about the secret they’ve kept hidden, she’s wracked with guilt. And when her costars start to die as they did in the movie, Ella may have to try and be the Final Girl once more.

This was a fun, campy, and slightly creepy read, which really captured the spirit of the 90s slasher movies. I found the ending somewhat anticlimactic, but I enjoyed the twists and turns along the way. This could actually be adapted into a fun movie.

Book Review: "Audition" by Katie Kitamura

So, here’s the thing: I’m a lazy reader. While I read to be entertained, to be moved, to see things from a different perspective, even to learn something new, I don’t want to have to work too hard. Books that are vague, when everything is left to interpretation, rarely resonate with me. I tend to enjoy books that are told in a more traditional fashion.

That being said, if you’re a fan of unorthodox storytelling, of finishing a book with your mind exploding with the possibilities a book raised, you might love this. There’s certainly no doubt that Katie Kitamura is a talented writer.

“What was a family if not a shared delusion, a mutual construction?”

Audition is a novel in two parts. The book opens in a New York City restaurant. Our narrator, a well-known actress, is eating with a much younger man. She is self-conscious because she perceives (or imagines) that people think she paid the man to dine with her. But the truth is, this young man, Xavier, mistakenly believed that he was the actress’ son that she gave up for adoption years ago. (He isn’t. I think.)

The narrator is struggling with a transformative scene in a play she is rehearsing. She cannot seem to grasp it and it causes a tremendous amount of anxiety. And then, suddenly, she gets it. But then in the second part of the novel, everything changes, and you don’t know which part is supposed to be true.

As you can tell, I’m even struggling to describe this book. The lines blur between performance and reality, what is and what could have been. And then, in the last 50 pages, everything is flipped on its head. I haven’t a clue what this really was about, and I hate feeling clueless when I read.

Book Review: "Fun for the Whole Family" by Jennifer E. Smith

TFW you loved a book so much that you had to write a review immediately after you finished. Thanks so much to Ballantine Books and NetGalley for the advance copy of the book!!

The four Endicott siblings—Gemma, Connor, and twins Roddy and Jude—were an inseparable unit growing up. Their mother, an actress dreaming of her big break, left their family but would return for a few weeks every summer to take the four of them on a road trip. The destinations were never exciting but the trips were always memorable—until the events of one trip changed everything.

Now, as adults, it’s been three years since the siblings have seen one another and have barely communicated. But they get a text message out of the blue from Jude—now an Oscar-nominated actress—asking them to meet her in a small town in North Dakota in a few days.

Jude has called her siblings together because she has three secrets to share with them. Each has the potential to upend everything.

At the same time, each sibling is at a crossroads. Gemma, the oldest, who served as a surrogate mother for the others, wonders if she is pregnant—and if she wants to be. Connor, whose last book fictionalized their childhoods and angered his siblings, is divorced and has writer’s block. Roddy, a professional soccer player ready to retire, has the chance for one more season, but hasn’t discussed it with his future husband.

I love family drama, and this book was just so emotionally rich and compelling. The narration shifts between past and present and among the siblings, and the whole story was just so beautiful.

The book will publish 4/15/2025.

Book Review: "The Other Side of Now" by Paige Harbison

Oh my god, I absolutely LOVED this book! I’m so grateful to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for putting this book on my radar and giving me an advance copy.

For as long as she could remember, Meg Bryan (yep, that’s her name) wanted to be an actress. She’s finally achieved stardom on a soap opera-type show called Brilliance under her stage name, Lana Lord.

But while the fame can be great, having to worry about every calorie she consumes and when she’ll need work done again gets tiring. Why doesn’t achieving the goals she has set, getting to live her dream make her happy? After a bit of a breakdown at her 30th birthday party, she decides to run away for a bit, and books a trip to the Irish village where she and her best friend Aimee had planned to attend acting school.

Avalon is everything she dreamed it would be. But strangely, everyone seems to know her here—as Meg. She has a best friend, a dog who seems to know her, and there’s a sexy bartender who is flirty yet irritated with her. When she looks in the mirror, she sees her old self—before plastic surgery, weight loss, and hair styling changed everything.

In Avalon, Meg doesn’t act—she works in a shop. But she often wonders about the path not taken. And when she discovers that in this life, her best friend Aimee—who died when they were younger—is alive, she’s thrown completely. She has no idea how she got here or how long she’ll stay, but is this the right path?

I tend to love these Sliding Doors-type books, but this one just wowed me. Maybe I’m overly emotional because I met one of my best friends 31 years ago today and he’s been gone for nearly three. Whatever the reason, this was amazing.

The book will publish 6/3/2025.

Book Review: "What I Ate in One Year (and related thoughts)" by Stanley Tucci

“Sharing food is one of the purest human acts.”

If you had told me a few years ago that I would absolutely love a book in which someone essentially listed what they ate over the course of a year, I would’ve thought you were crazy. But then again, if it wasn’t Stanley Tucci telling me about his meals, it might not have been the experience this book was.

I fell in love with Tucci’s earlier book, Taste, and also really enjoyed his show, Searching for Italy. There’s just something so appealing about his love of good food, sharing it with family and friends, and mastering the preparation of it, not to mention recognizing the errors he or others made.

A diary of sorts, Tucci recorded what he ate in 2023, sometimes sharing specifics—location, his dining companions, what he thought of the food—and sometimes just being general. At times he’ll talk about why he liked or didn’t like a particular dish; other times he’ll share a memorable anecdote. (Even some recipes!) He and his wife Felicity both love to cook and entertain, and they do a great deal of it in the book.

You won’t want to read this on an empty stomach, especially if you’re a fan of Italian food. Tucci’s literary voice is so clear and direct—he doesn’t beat around the bush when he has something negative to say. Boy, I’d love to grab a meal with him or just talk food!!

“Part of the beauty of a certain dish or a meal is that it is ephemeral. It can be repeated but it will never be the same. Like the performance of a play. The lines and staging will be the same, but the result will always be a little different.”

Book Review: "Right on Cue" by Falon Ballard

Over the last few years, Falon Ballard has definitely become an auto-buy author for me. Her rom-coms have fantastic banter, terrifically memorable characters, and some eye-opening steam. And her latest book is no exception!

Emmy is the daughter of a legendary Hollywood couple. While her own acting career crashed and burned quite early, she’s found happiness as a screenwriter of romantic comedies, although a foray into more serious drama won her an Oscar.

She’s excited that her latest script will be directed by her best friend Liz. But when they’re unable to find an actress suitable to play the leading lady, Emmy is pressed into service. It’s her first acting job in more than 10 years and she’s nervously looking forward to it, especially to act opposite a close friend of hers.

When she arrives on location for the first run-through, she’s met with an unpleasant surprise: her leading man will now be played by Grayson West, one of the sexiest stars in Hollywood and his action films are blockbusters. While any actress should be delighted to have him as her costar, Emmy hates him, as she blames him for her horrible film debut.

As soon as they interact, sparks fly—but not in a good way—and it looks like this may spell disaster for the film. Although there’s no question they’re attracted to one another, is there a way they can get past the tension and save the movie—and maybe even turn film romance into reality?

Book Review: "Summer Stage" by Meg Mitchell Moore

Summer may be over here on the East Coast, but it's never too late for a beach read! I've had this on my stack since it was released in May, but after a succession of chilly, rainy weekends, it seemed to be the perfect time to pick it up. And it definitely hit the spot!

Timothy Fleming has had tremendous success as an actor and director, and has two Oscars and a Tony to show for it. And while opportunities still exist for him in his early 60s, there is at least one whole generation that doesn't know who he is. But life in Los Angeles has been a bit boring lately, so when he is invited by his ex-wife, famed actress Gertie Sanger, to direct a summer production of Much Ado About Nothing on Block Island, where he grew up, he jumps at the chance.

Timothy's sister, Amy Trevino, also had dreams of fame and fortune as a playwright, but instead she packed away her dreams and returned to Rhode Island, to become a teacher (and school play director) and raise a family. She loves her brother but doesn't really understand his life or the way he thinks spending money is the best way to show he cares. And she's always been resentful of the fact that her daughter, Sam, after a stint as a child actress on Broadway and in a Disney program, chose to forego college and move into a TikTok house in New York City.

When Sam leaves the TikTok house suddenly and returns home to Rhode Island, refusing to explain why she left, she quickly finds living with her parents and staying out of the public spotlight tremendously suffocating. She decides to move to Block Island for the summer and live with Timothy, to help out with the play. The incredible beach house that Timothy is leasing for the summer from a childhood friend becomes even more crowded when Gertie comes to stay as well. And then the play becomes even more of a family affair when Timothy hires Amy to be the stage manager.

This was a really enjoyable read, full of family drama, secrets, and romance, all in a beautiful setting. (Now I have to add Block Island to my travel bucket list along with Nantucket.) The characters deal with friction in their relationships with one another, as well as the vagaries of fame, pursuing your dreams, and being happy with the choices you make. I've always loved books that look behind the scenes of theatrical productions, and Much Ado About Nothing is one of my two favorite Shakespeare plays, so that added to my enjoyment of the book.

Crazily enough, this is my first book by Meg Mitchell Moore, but it definitely won't be my last!

Book Review: "Tom Lake" by Ann Patchett

Ann Patchett is one of my absolute favorite authors. I’ve read all of her books—fiction, essay collections, even Truth and Beauty, her memoir about her friendship with the late poet Lucy Grealy. Not only do I love how she writes, but quite often, her books appear tremendously simple, only to surprise you with their depth. Her latest novel, Tom Lake, appears to be the story of a woman sharing youthful memories with her adult daughters, but it’s so much more than that.

When she was young, Lara was an actress of some promise. She had a prominent role in a movie that could make her a star, but its release was delayed, so she got an opportunity to perform in summer stock at a theater company in Michigan called Tom Lake. There she lands the lead in two plays, where she gets to share the stage with a charismatic, talented young actor named Peter Duke, and it’s not long before the two fall into a relationship. After that summer, Peter became a famous actor.

In the spring of 2020, Lara recounts her relationship with her daughters, as they have all returned home to the family’s cherry orchard in Northern Michigan amid the pandemic. Even though some of the story is familiar (and was the cause of much consternation during her oldest daughter’s teenage years), there is much that Lara has kept to herself all this time. Her reminiscences fill the long, laborious days of picking cherries and trying to keep the orchard afloat, and provoke strong emotions and opinions among her daughters.

This is such a gorgeously told story of family, love, memory, motherhood, and recognizing that happiness can come from a path other than the one you dreamed of. It’s also about growing up and finding out about your parents' lives before they were your parents. It’s an emotional story that will stick in my mind for some time.

“There is no explaining this simple truth about life: you will forget much of it. The painful things you were certain you’d never be able to let go? Now you’re not entirely sure when they happened, while the thrilling parts, the heart-stopping joys, splintered and scattered and became something else.”

Book Review: "Thank You for Listening" by Julia Whelan

Thank You for Listening, Julia Whelan's newest novel, is a funny and moving story about a renowned audiobook narrator at a crossroads in her life.

If you’ve been following me for any length of time, you know that audiobooks are not for me. But despite that, even I have heard of Julia Whelan and I know she is very popular among audiobook fans. And how meta is a book about an audiobook narrator by an audiobook narrator?

Sewanee Chester used to dream of being an actress, but when tragedy struck, she put those dreams aside and found some renown as an award-winning audiobook narrator. While the big money is in narrating romance novels, Swan doesn’t buy into the concept of happy-ever-after, especially given the course of her life.

After a steamy encounter while at a convention in Vegas, she starts to think about acting again, particularly as her best friend is becoming a success. But when she finds out that an immensely popular romance author insisted that she narrate her final book—alongside Brock McNight, one of the most popular and mysterious narrators in the industry.

Swan agrees to the project and quickly forges a connection with him through text and email. But as their flirtation intensifies, she’s not sure if she’s ready to bare her soul to someone. And as secrets are revealed just as her life seems to be falling apart, Swan has to decide what path to take—and what dreams are still worth pursuing.

I really thought this was fantastic. There are so many things happening but it was easy to follow and I was fully invested right away. I really loved the characters, especially her relationship with her grandmother and her cohorts. I love books that combine emotion and humor.

Book Review: "Act Cool" by Tobly McSmith

If you want people to like you for who you are, it helps if you show them who you really are. That's the message behind Tobly McSmith's newest YA book, Act Cool.

August dreams of being an actor. But his evangelical parents don’t approve of his being transgender—they just think their daughter is confused—so he goes to stay with his aunt in New York, and he’s able to get an audition for the prestigious School of the Performing Arts.

His mother agrees to let him stay there as long as he promises not to continue transitioning and act like their daughter. August is convinced that he’s a good enough actor to be the person he wants to be in school and with his new friends, and still play the role his parents want him to.

Of course, when you’re playing different roles for different people, it’s hard to figure out who you really are. And the role he chooses to audition for in the school musical further blurs the lines. But who is the real August? What does he want?

This is a great story about finding yourself and your chosen family, as well as a relevant conversation about representation in acting, the question of whether any actor should be able to play any role or if specific roles should only go to actors who live that role in real life—if a trans actor should only play a trans role.

I found Act Cool fun, sweet, poignant, and very thought-provoking, as well as a little sad. I’ve now enjoyed both of Tobly McSmith’s books, including his first, Stay Gold.

Book Review: "Between Perfect and Real" by Ray Stoeve

Between Perfect and Real, Ray Stoeve's debut YA novel, is a poignant, thought-provoking, hopeful look at a teen’s struggle with his identity.

"I think I might be trans."
"I mean, I know I am."
"I think."

From the moment he saw videos of transgender guys on YouTube, Dean knew that’s what he was, why he didn’t feel completely comfortable as a lesbian. And when he gets cast as a “nontraditional” Romeo in his high school’s production of Romeo and Juliet, it makes him long to assume his true identity.

But the realization of who he is causes more stress. His mother barely can handle his being gay and still calls him by his dead name—how will she take this news, when she’s reinforced gender roles for as long as Dean can remember? And what about Dean’s girlfriend, Zoe? Will she still want to be with him if he's male?

As the play approaches, Dean has a lot of decisions to make. And as he struggles with the acceptance of classmates and revealing his truth to those he loves, he seeks help from friends and others who have gone through these same decisions and had the same questions. Dean’s life may never be the same, but isn’t freely being who you are worth it?

This book was really good—it’s funny and sad and angsty and heartbreaking and hopeful all at once. I give Stoeve so much praise for not creating a utopia where everything is perfect for trans kids but also skirting the line that would have turned this book into melodrama, however real that may be, too.

I enjoyed these characters and, as I often do when reading YA, I felt so happy that books like Between Perfect and Real exist for today’s youth. So glad this was part of my Pride Reads this month!!

Book Review: "Good Company" by Cynthia D'Aprix Sweeney

In the new book by Cynthia D'Aprix Sweeney, Good Company, a surprising discovery causes a woman to reevaluate her marriage, her relationship with her best friend, and the path for her future.

Flora and her husband Julian have the type of marriage that people envy, the “real deal.” It hasn’t always been easy. They’ve weathered ups and downs in both of their acting careers, raised a daughter who’s about to head off to college, and they’re looking forward to what’s next.

Then one day in an old filing cabinet, she finds Julian’s original wedding ring in an envelope. The ring he said he lost years ago. What she learns about the ring will cause her to reexamine her marriage, her future, and her relationship with Margot, her best friend.

“She’d lost her husband and her best friend and couldn’t figure out which one she wanted back first—if she wanted them back at all. Here was the rub: to have been chosen—first by Margot, then Julian—to have been plucked from her life into theirs, it had been the greatest fortune of her life...”

Margot, meanwhile, who has been a cast member on a long-running television medical drama, is trying to figure out what she wants next. Flora and Julian have been there for her and her husband for years, through victories and challenges—will all of that go away?

Like she did in her first book, The Nest, in Good Company, Sweeney looks at the way multiple people are affected by an event. It’s narrated by many of the main characters and alternates between past and present.

As I’ve said before, I’m a sucker for some good drama, so I liked this. It’s a little slow at times and the characters aren’t entirely sympathetic, but I was hooked on their crises. (Better than dealing with my own!)

Book Review: "Enjoy the View" by Sarah Morgenthaler

Enjoy the View, the third book in Sarah Morgenthaler's Moose Springs series, makes one thing clear: Every rom-com should have a marmot.

Handsome mountaineer Easton Lockett gets more than he bargained for when he stops for a woman walking down the side of the road, pulling a suitcase. It turns out that she’s no damsel in distress—it’s actress River Lane—and she happened to be in the middle of filming. And Easton ruined her shot. (And he wasn't the only one, so she's even angrier.)

With her acting career on the decline, River is determined to get relevant again, so she decides to film a documentary about the charming little town of Moose Springs, Alaska. One tiny catch: the town and its residents don’t want the documentary to be filmed. But resistance has never stopped River before, so she’s going to shoot the film no matter what.

In an effort to compromise (and spend more time with River), Easton agrees to lead her and her film crew on a climb up Mount Veil, so she can shoot from up there. An experienced climber, River is excited for the challenge—and excited about climbing with Easton. What could go wrong?

Lots of things, of course. With a wayward crew, a lovesick marmot, and bad weather on the horizon, it’s going to take all of Easton’s skill to get them back safely. And if they do make it back, can Easton convince River to put down roots in the town he loves so much? Can two people with wholly different lives find happiness together? (What do you think?)

It’s so good to be back in Moose Springs again. I love the characters Morgenthaler has created—even the animal characters are so appealing!! I so enjoyed getting to see the characters from the last two books, The Tourist Attraction and Mistletoe and Mr. Right, again.

I’ll admit, it took a while for River’s character to grow on me, but I loved the chemistry between her and Easton. I also loved the climbing aspect of Enjoy the View, which added another dimension. (It’s something I will NEVER do, so it was fun to live vicariously through the characters.)

I hope we get to take another trip back to Moose Springs soon!!

Book Review: "Interior Chinatown" by Charles Yu

Charles Yu's National Book Award-winning Interior Chinatown is funny, sharply satirical, thought-provoking, and uniquely told.

Willis Wu doesn’t feel like his life makes much of an impact: he tends to think of himself as “Generic Asian Man.” As an actor, he has played roles as diverse as Disgraced Son, Delivery Guy, Silent Henchman, and Guy Who Runs In and Gets Kicked in the Face. But he dreams of reaching what he sees the pinnacle of success for Asian actors—becoming Kung Fu Guy.

He and his parents live a fairly unremarkable existence in small one-room apartments in Chinatown. Their building is above the Golden Palace restaurant, the hub of the community, where a police procedural called Black and White is in constant production. Willis and his parents and most of the community tend to drift in and out of the series, playing interchangeable parts and hoping their big break might someday come.

As Willis’ star appears to be rising, his consciousness about his role in the world grows. His family history is revealed and illustrates the challenges that Asians have faced since immigrating to America and other places in the world. Suddenly he begins to wonder if what he has dreamed of for so long—becoming Kung Fu Guy—is what he really wants. Is there more?

This is a fascinating, slightly trippy book at times. It’s really funny, as it skewers pop culture and the entertainment world’s treatment of Asians, but it’s also tremendously insightful and sensitive.

At times the book is written as a screenplay, at other times it's more narrative in structure. I’ll admit that there were parts I wasn’t sure were actually happening or if they were in Willis’ mind. But I couldn’t put Interior Chinatown down, and I can totally understand why it won the National Book Award.

Truly a book I’ll remember.

Book Review: "Love Sold Separately" by Ellen Meister

Dana may be close to hitting rock-bottom—if you consider getting fired from Hot Topic because of your attitude to be a bad thing. But the twentysomething aspiring actress is still hoping she'll hit it big. And when her best friend-turned-manager convinces her to audition to be a host for the Shopping Channel, that could be the chance she's looking for.

After she aces the audition and lands the job, she proves on her first day that she's a natural when it comes to selling clothing, jewelry, and accessories on television. But her first day is a bit turbulent, because the star host—a total diva who terrorized everyone—is found dead at her desk. And Dana is the alibi for one of the prime suspects.

Dana tries to settle in to her new job and be a success, but she can't seem to keep her nose out of the murder investigation, especially when she catches a glimpse of the handsome cop in charge. But even though their attraction is mutual, he thinks she's lying to protect a colleague (or is it a romantic interest), while she is determined to uncover the true killer.

In the midst of impressive sales records, Dana has to contend with a ruthless studio executive who doesn't seem to like her, an overly emotional assistant, and colleagues who seem to be sabotaging her while on air. All the while she's juggling her job with a secret acting gig, trying to earn her snobby father's approval, and hoping the detective will fall for her—if only she can keep herself and her friend out of trouble! It's a lot to handle, especially when she's determined not to fail again like everyone expects.

Love Sold Separately is an enjoyable romp through the world of home shopping. It's a little more of a mystery than the rom-com I was expecting from the title, but that didn't bother me. Of course, I'm always a little bit dubious when a person who was getting stoned on the roof of her office building on her first day of work can suddenly investigate a murder, but of course, you have to suspend your disbelief a bit.

I will admit that I've been a fan of QVC for a long time, although I don't watch much anymore. I definitely found this amusing, and it was pretty respectful of the whole home-shopping genre. Dana is a fascinating, flawed character, but it was good to see her come into her own.

Love Sold Separately was a light read, a fun mystery/rom-com combo that was never boring.

Book Review: "The Comeback" by Ella Berman

Ella Berman's debut novel, The Comeback, is powerful and timely.

Grace was 14 when she was plucked out of obscurity in England and cast as a lead in a movie trilogy. She and her family moved to California so she could pursue stardom, something she never had thought of until her classmates were auditioning for the film.

The film’s charismatic director, Able Yorke, finds a muse in Grace. And while he’s able to coax some terrific performances from her, they come with a steep price tag. He controls her every move and when she resists he makes her question herself and her own sanity.

But that’s not all he does to her, and to deal with it she turns to drugs and alcohol and destructive behavior. She thinks she might have found happiness but her past keeps creeping into her life and destroying her relationships. And then after receiving a Golden Globe nomination, she disappears, and goes home to her parents’ house to enjoy the anonymity of everyday life.

Of course, family life doesn’t suit her, as there are resentments there, too. But when she hears that Able will receive a film award and organizers want Grace to present it, she drags herself back to Hollywood, but she has to figure out on whose terms she’s returning. She also has to come to terms with what happened to her and what she wants next. And as much as she has scorched-earth scenarios in her head, she knows she must be realistic as well.

This is a very relevant book given the MeToo and Time’s Up movements, and you know Grace’s story is based on so many real ones. I felt the book's pacing was very slow for a long while, as the narration shifted between past and present. At times it almost felt like we were being kept at arm’s length from getting to know Grace and getting invested in her story, but ultimately the book picked up in pace and emotion.

This is a book that raises so many questions about our culture, and what women are put through everywhere, especially in the entertainment field. It’s very thought-provoking.

Book Review: "The Summer Set" by Aimee Agresti

No one does drama quite like actors and actresses, you know? That's on full display in Aimee Agresti's fun new novel, The Summer Set.

Charlie Savoy was once the hottest actress around. Raised in London where she acted with her famous mother at the Old Globe Theatre, she received an Oscar nomination for her very first film. And then, amidst a gigantic flop at the box office and her own mercurial behavior, her star burned out.

She’s now 39 and owns an art house movie theater in Boston. She doesn’t miss acting. (Or does she?) When a brush with the law gets her sentenced to community service at the summer theater program where she got her start in America, she’s not happy, especially when she finds she’s being reunited with Nick, who is now the program’s artistic director. He's also the man she met at this very same program all those years ago, the man who directed her in that first film. Their pairing was the stuff of legend—and tabloids.

Nick is energized by Charlie’s return and hopes they can start anew. And when Charlie starts acting again, and realizes she never really lost her groove, it’s easy to slip into the old dynamic between her and Nick. But there are three shows to do, the theater program is in danger of shutting down, and a new arrival spells trouble. But are second chances in acting—and love—really possible?

This was fun and soapy and silly and full of drama and I was there for ALL OF IT. Sure it was predictable, but that doesn’t faze me. I do wish the parallel story with young actors was a little more fleshed out, but it was cute, so I can't complain.

Make The Summer Set part of your summer reading—or whenever you like! It's definitely entertaining.

I was fortunate to be part of the blog tour for this book. Thanks to Graydon House Books for making this possible!

Book Review: "Everything You Want Me to Be" by Mindy Mejia

Hattie Hoffman is a talented, intelligent, beautiful high school senior who wants more out of life than her small Minnesota hometown can offer. She dreams of becoming an actress, of moving to New York City just after graduation. She already has a plan, even if she doesn't know anyone or have much money. She has the talent and she has the drive, but no one around her, not her friends or her family, really understand why she wants to leave, nor do they want her to go.

As her high school career comes to an end, her crowning achievement is starring as Lady Macbeth in her school's production of the Shakespearean tragedy. Her opening night performance was fantastic, and for the first time, people actually started to believe she could make it in New York. But what happened after she left the school after the play? How did she end up murdered?

Hattie's small town is rocked by her murder. Things like this just don't happen in this town, which throws Del Goodman, the local sheriff, for a complete loop. Hattie, the daughter of his fishing buddy, is a girl he has known and adored since she was born. As he investigates Hattie's murder, he uncovers as many unanswered questions as he does facts. Was this, as her best friend has suggested, caused by the famous Macbeth "curse," or was someone (or more than person) responsible for snuffing out this promising life?

What Del discovers as he digs deeper into the case is that Hattie was not only a talented actress—she was talented at being exactly who everyone needed her to be. The slightly rebellious yet loyal daughter, the perfect girlfriend, the exceptional student, the patient listener and friend, the talented actress. But who was Hattie really, and was this mercurial nature responsible, at least in some way, for instigating her death?

Everything You Want Me to Be is a fascinating, suspenseful portrait of a girl torn between what she wanted and what she thought everyone else wanted her to be. The book is narrated by Hattie, Del, and Peter Lund, Hattie's English teacher, who is reasonably new to town, and it shifts between the months and days leading up to Hattie's murder and the investigation.

Mindy Mejia throws in lots of twists and turns, and while the cynical, frequent-mystery-reading me suspected absolutely everyone, I really liked how she let the story unfold. This is a tragedy on many levels, and Mejia's storytelling hooks you from the start and doesn't let you turn away until you see how the book ends. I really enjoyed this and would have devoured it a lot quicker was I not cooking Thanksgiving dinner for 30 people this week!

This is definitely a book to pick up, because even though we've seen elements of this plot before, Mejia makes it seem fresh and makes you care about her characters.

NetGalley and Atria/Emily Bestler Books provided me an advance copy of the book in exchange for an unbiased review. Thanks for making this available!