Book Review: "Starter Villain" by John Scalzi

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve looked at this book and thought about reading it. The cover cracks me up every time, so I took the plunge.

This is a creative book that is wacky as hell. Charlie used to be a happily married business journalist. Now he’s a divorced substitute teacher living with his cat in his late father’s house, which his siblings would like to sell from under him. He dreams of taking over the neighborhood pub—if only he can get $3.4 million.

Then he learns that his Uncle Jake, whom he hasn’t seen since he was 5, has died. There are lots of people who are happy he’s dead (once they’re sure he’s not faking it). It turns out that Uncle Jake was a billionaire, but his fortune wasn’t entirely legitimate.

Charlie suddenly finds himself in charge of his uncle’s super-villain empire. Now, he’s the target of all of those who wanted Jake dead. Figuring out what to do isn’t easy, but he can’t just hide out in his uncle’s secret volcano lair, can he? Luckily he has intelligent cats who can type, unionized (and foul mouthed) dolphins, and a few dangerous masterminds on his side.

“A stupid villain threatens, Charlie. A smarter villain offers a service.”

The book started out fairly normal but it gets crazier and crazier as the plot unfolds. I’m always amazed at the creativity of writers who can think of wild stories like this. I enjoyed it—although at times I felt like it was trying too hard—and thought it was a great change of pace from the heavier books I usually read.

Book Review: "The Lodge" by Kayla Olson

“…once you start falling, it’s nearly impossible to stop—you pick up speed, and you might flail a little to course-correct, but at the end of the day you find yourself in over your head.”

Alix is an entertainment journalist who has just landed a huge job, ghostwriting the memoir of Sebastian Green, one of the lead singers of the hugely popular boy band True North. She used to write about True North when the band was together, and in fact, she was the last person to interview the other lead singer, Jett Beckett, before he disappeared without a trace.

To ensure Alix has a quiet place to write the book as quickly as possible, Sebastian arranges for her stay in a penthouse apartment at a cushy ski lodge in Vermont. She spends hours transcribing Sebastian’s voice memos into a narrative, but she has so many questions and can never reach him to get clarification.

To take a break from writing, Alix starts spending time with her neighbor from the penthouse apartment next door. Tyler, the incredibly sexy, romantic ski instructor, awakens feelings in Alix that had remained dormant since she and her ex-boyfriend broke up. She can’t tell Tyler whom she’s writing about, and it appears that Tyler has some secrets he’s not ready to share either.

When a blizzard hits Vermont—a colossal storm called Yeti—it brings with it a storm of paparazzi and gossip. And while Alix is an excellent writer, even she can’t script the revealing of long-held secrets and hurts that follow.

This was a fun story and a sweet, clean romance. I wasn’t surprised with what transpired but that didn’t detract from my enjoyment. While I know her character played a role in advancing the plot, Alix’s sister drove me crazy, and I could’ve done without her completely. But overall, this was a book with characters to root for and a story that made me smile.

Book Review: "In Gad We Trust: A Tell-Some" by Josh Gad

From the first time I saw him stumble onto the stage in The Book of Mormon, I’ve been a fan of Josh Gad’s. Whether seeing his face or just hearing his voice (as Olaf in Frozen), his presence in a show adds laughter and heart.

I’m always fascinated by funny people and what makes them tick. Where did their sense of humor and desire to make people laugh come from?

For Gad, his “radioactive-spider-bite-inception moment” was in kindergarten, when his mother threw his father out of the house for being unfaithful to her.

“The trauma of going from a full family unit to a broken household in a matter of minutes was fairly earth-shattering to me, but it would also set me on a course to become the entertainer I would one day be.”

What I enjoyed about this “Tell-Some” was the combination of Gad’s humorous asides and times when he addressed things that affected him emotionally. He talks about his parents’ divorce, his struggle with his weight and self-image, and what it felt like to become a father in the midst of his career trajectory starting to rise.

I don’t read a lot of memoirs, particularly celebrity memoirs, but there’s something about Gad that reminds me of myself. (In the fat Jewish kid who desperately wanted to show all of his doubters how talented he was way, not the Tony-nominated actor way.) It definitely revealed his complexity and served as a reminder that you never know what a person is going through just by looking at them!

Now…do you want to build a snowman?

Book Review: "Tell Me What You Did" by Carter Wilson

When you see that two of your friends said that this will be one of their favorite books of the year, you get it as soon as it is released. Now I can see what they mean!!

“See, that’s the thing about trauma. You never get to quit it. You never get to walk away from it and rediscover the innocence and joy you felt just before The Thing happened.”

Poe is the host of a popular true crime podcast, one in which people anonymously confess the crimes they’ve committed. She doesn’t guarantee that these “guests” won’t face arrest or prosecution, but the opportunity to unburden themselves to an unseen audience seems to outweigh any potential downsides.

Her most recent guest seems strangely familiar to her but she cannot seem to place him. Then he makes a shocking claim: he murdered Poe’s mother. Of course, Poe knows that can’t be true, because the man who murdered her mother is already dead. And because Poe killed him.

This man has information that only the real killer would know. Did Poe unknowingly kill an innocent man? And when the alleged murderer demands that Poe record his interview live—and she must confess to her own crime—she starts to wonder what is true and what is a lie.

I’ve said before that I think the whole podcast angle in thrillers has been played out, but it really worked here. This is a story of regret, revenge, fear, guilt, and courage under fire. Carter Wilson had me hooked from the first page and I completely devoured this book. I couldn’t wait to see how everything tied together.

Book Review: "Here Beside the Rising Tide" by Emily Jane

Happy Pub Week to this whimsical, wacky book! Thanks so much to Hyperion Avenue and NetGalley for the advance copy.

“Life was a losing battle, really. Everything else out there in the vast beyond was so lifeless and empty. Mostly, a person had to look away. But there came a moment, or many moments, when a person had to extract their proverbial head from the sand and set aside their screens and remove their headphones and stand witness.”

When she was 10, Jenni and her new best friend Timmy were having an incredible summer on Pearl Island. They spent countless hours on the beach and in the water, setting off fireworks, and simply enjoying the freedom of not having any responsibility. They even helped a strange sea creature make its way back to the ocean. But suddenly, Timmy disappeared one day when they were in the water, and no one knew what happened.

Now, at 40, Jenn is the bestselling author of a smutty romance/action series. She’s also in the midst of a divorce from her self-help-book-addicted husband, with their two children caught in the crossfire. Her next book is overdue and she needs to escape, so she rents a beach house on Pearl Island for the summer, hoping she can keep her soon-to-be-ex at bay.

One night a familiar-looking boy comes out of the water. He says his name is Timmy, and he needs Jenn’s help to save the world. And things get totally crazy: shark attacks, sea monsters, even the return of the adorable sea creatures from their youth. At the same time, Jenn is attracted to a sexy contractor while trying to finish her books.

This is part sci-fi, part coming of age novel. It’s definitely all over the place, but it has such an enormous heart. I felt like it ran a bit longer than it needed to—there were lots of excerpts from Jenni's books and her husband’s self-help books that I could’ve done without. But Emily Jane drew me in with her storytelling for sure.

Book Review: "Eleven Numbers" by Lee Child

When I picked up this story by Lee Child, the last thing I expected was math. At least I didn’t have to solve any equations!

Nathan is a mathematician and a university professor. He’s well known in his field, but mathematicians aren’t quite celebrity material. So needless to say he’s tremendously surprised when he gets a call from the White House, telling him that his help is needed.

“He was a very able mathematician. But there were fifty others in the world just as good. Maybe a hundred. His publication history was competitive. He had contributed to all the important journals. But so had fifty others. Maybe a hundred. His debut had been his PhD thesis. Groundbreaking, really, but in a field no one was interested in. Nothing about him stood out.”

He is flown to a meeting at the National Security Agency—a meeting attended by a famous mathematician and the President of the United States, as well as two intelligence officers. When Nathan is shown a series of 11 equations, he determines that they are part of a computer security algorithm. The correct numerical sequence is a powerful tool: it controls access to Russia’s nuclear arsenal.

The person who created the algorithm is a famed Russian mathematician. The President and his security team want Nathan to meet this man to try and get feel for which of the 11 equations will allow them the access they need. So they get Nathan an invitation to attend a mathematics conference in Russia, and he should be able to meet the man. But nothing goes quite like expected.⁣

This was very different than anything else of Lee Child’s that I’ve read. There were more twists than I was expecting, but it was a little dry. Or maybe it’s my phobia about math…

Book Review: "A Gentleman's Gentleman" by TJ Alexander

This was a fun Regency romance with a twist. Thanks so much to Vintage Books and NetGalley for the advance copy!

Lord Christopher Eden has no use for many things that other men of his station desire. He’d rather spend time with his elderly butler and cook than socialize with other people his age, and beyond them, he doesn’t need other servants. He is perfectly happy caring for and riding his horse, spending his free time with his books.

But when he finds out from his solicitors that his late father’s will requires he must marry before he turns 25, it throws his life into chaos. Given that he’s not attracted to women, and as a trans man, has secrets he has kept from most everyone, he can’t imagine he’d be able to make a wife happy.

But in order to ensure his family’s legacy isn’t destroyed, he must go to London for the season and find a wife. He also has to appear to have all of the trappings a man of his station requires, so he must hire a valet to take with him to London, a task he asks his solicitor to handle. And James, his new valet, is exceedingly handsome (although fixated on the traditional role of a valet), which complicates things further.

Christopher and James start becoming friends once they navigate Christopher’s need for privacy. But when they get to London, tensions start to rise, as Christopher has to find a woman to marry. And both men are sharing secrets which could change it all.

I am a fan of TJ Alexander’s books and I definitely loved the concept of this story. It is just the slowest of slow burns and I really wanted things to happen quicker. But I really enjoyed the characters.

The book will publish 3/11/2025.

Book Review: "Other People's Weddings" by Maisey Yates

Poppy has carved out a successful career as a designer of wedding cakes. She loves helping couples come up with the perfect cake to complement their special day, even if her own romantic life has been less successful.

If there’s a downside to her success, it’s that he is always there. “He” meaning Ryan, the photographer who seems to be at every wedding she is. Ryan has hated her since they were 12, and the animosity between them has intensified into adulthood. He always seems to be present in her moments of weakness, and she always seems to make things worse between them.

When Poppy’s best friend Quinn gets engaged, Poppy is excited. She’s also a bit envious and a bit sad, because Quinn will be moving across the world to New Zealand with her soon-to-be new husband. For someone who has dealt with abandonment issues most of her life, losing her best friend may be more than Poppy can bear.

But before she can completely fall apart, she has a cake to make. And then she learns that the wedding will be in New Zealand, and Quinn and her fiancé want everyone in the wedding party to spend two weeks there. Poppy is excited to be the maid of honor…and guess who is the best man? (If you guessed Ryan, you’re right!)

Poppy can’t seem to shake Ryan. He’s even on her flight to New Zealand. But the more she deals with the jumble of emotions she’s feeling about Quinn’s wedding and impending move, the more she realizes that maybe she doesn’t quite hate Ryan after all. Maybe the tension they feel doesn’t stem from mutual dislike?

This was a cute story—a predictable enemies to lovers rom-com but fun all the same. I actually felt like the enemy thing was fairly one-sided for a while, with Poppy being the instigator of their arguments, and that annoyed me a little. But overall, this book explored a lot of issues and it really was sweet.

Book Review: "Penitence" by Kristin Koval

I had such FOMO from everyone who got to read this early, so I was excited that Celadon Books and NetGalley gave me an advance copy. This was a fantastic debut novel!

Angie and David Sheehan’s lives are completely upended when a tragic, shocking murder occurs in their home. They turn to Martine, a lawyer in their small town of Lodgepole, Colorado, to defend their family. But Martine is more than just another lawyer in town—she used to be best friends with Angie’s mother and is the mother of Angie’s first love, Julian.

Julian and Angie were part of a tragedy that occurred when they were teenagers, a tragedy which left them feeling sad and guilty nearly every day. It was the strain of this tragedy and the façade they had to keep up that ultimately doomed their relationship. It’s been nearly 15 years since they’ve seen one another.

Now, Julian is a criminal lawyer in NYC, and Martine asks him to come home and help her with the case. Julian’s return unearths emotions, secrets, and regrets long kept hidden, yet his expertise is truly needed.

This is a book about the weight of secrets and guilt, and the ripples these cause for many. It’s also a story about shared tragedy and how we can never truly move beyond it, no matter how hard we try.

Kristin Koval said in her author’s note, “Getting to forgiveness is often hard, but it can also be profound and even beautiful.” This is so skillfully illustrated in this book, which shifts from the late 1990s to the late 2010s. I’ll be thinking about this book for a while.

Book Review: "Leave the Girls Behind" by Jacqueline Bublitz

“There are just so many ways, Ruth thinks, for a girl to disappear.”

When Ruth-Ann was 7 years old, her best friend Beth was kidnapped and later found murdered. The perpetrator was Ethan Oswald, music teacher and church choir director.

As Ruth grew older, she remained haunted by Beth’s murder and became obsessed with true crime websites which talked about Oswald. Ruth is convinced that Oswald was actually responsible for the deaths of other young girls across the country, but no one—not even the police—bought her theories.

When another young girl goes missing from Ruth’s Connecticut hometown, she starts becoming obsessed again. She believes that all those years ago Oswald had help in committing his crimes, and perhaps that person is responsible for the latest disappearance.

Ruth becomes single-minded in her focus on finding Oswald’s accomplice. Her search for answers takes her across the globe and connects her with three women, one who might be the person she seeks. But in order to figure out the truth, she’ll have to accept her own truths as well.

I was drawn into this story pretty quickly, and while the pacing was a little uneven at times, I couldn’t tear myself away. I enjoyed this take on the amateur detective trope, and while I’m not always a fan of paranormal storylines, this worked for me. Lots of twists and some unlikable characters, but a compelling mystery for sure.

Book Review: "Andromeda" by Therese Bohman, translated by Marlaine Delargy

I really don’t read much literary fiction because quite often, it makes me feel dumb and unsophisticated. I love beautiful storytelling and I love being moved by books, but for some reason, much of the literary fiction I’ve read left me wanting more.

Those thoughts were in the back of my mind when reading Andromeda, which was originally published in Swedish. This was definitely a character-driven book, although you don’t learn the main character’s name until halfway through. And even while the book spans a number of years, not much really happened.

A young woman takes her first steps into the world of publishing by becoming an intern at a well-known Swedish publisher. Her supervisor, Gunnar, is a venerated man, and she both admires and fears him.

Through the years, she picks up more and more responsibility and her relationship with Gunnar shifts and changes. Is it mutual respect? Embracing the power dynamic between them?

Maybe it’s because the book was translated from another language, but I found the writing really dry. I wanted something more from the plot, some drama, some powerful moment, but I didn’t get that. I think I’ll stick with the genres I enjoy.

Book Review: "Promise Me Sunshine" by Cara Bastone

Of the last several books I’ve read, 3 were ARCs and all were 5-star reads. Thanks to The Dial Press and NetGalley for the advance copy of this book!!

Ever since her best friend and roommate Lou died, Lenny has been barely hanging on. She’s not eating, she’s barely sleeping, and the thought of going back to their apartment—in which all of Lou’s stuff is still where she left it—has Lenny on the verge of hysteria.

Lenny can’t even handle a full-time job; all she can do are short-term babysitting arrangements, because there’s no real commitment. Her latest gig, watching the daughter of a hard-working single mom, is terrific—Lenny really connects with young Ainsley, and it takes her mind off her own problems, if only for a bit.

The only drawback is that Ainsley’s uncle Miles, a brooding handsome yet grumpy man, hangs around whenever Lenny is there. He seems to find fault with everything Lenny does—how she dresses, what she feeds Ainsley, etc. But it turns out Miles isn’t being critical: he can see that Lenny is grieving, and he understands grief and trying to move past it all too well.

Once Lenny lets her guard down a bit, Miles makes her a deal. He’ll help her cross everything off her “live again” list if she can help him build a relationship with Ainsley and her mother, Reese. (He always seems angry and standoffish when he’s around them.) Little by little, Lenny realizes she can still grieve Lou while rebuilding her life—and maybe there’s even some romance in store.

This was just so beautiful. It’s definitely an emotional read but Lenny, Miles, and all of the other characters are so complex and dynamic. I’ll read anything that Cara Bastone writes!!

The book will publish 3/4/2025.

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: "Cross My Heart" by Megan Collins

”…the beginning was so blindingly beautiful, it kept me from seeing the end.”

Rosie believes in love, in happy endings. After a broken engagement, she works in her parents’ bridal shop, helping others achieve their dream weddings. But she wholeheartedly believes there’s someone out there who’s right for her.

After receiving a heart transplant, Rosie is grateful to be alive and is grateful to the donor whose heart she now has. With the help of a friend who works in the hospital, she’s figured out that her heart donor was Daphne Thorne. Daphne was a college professor and the wife of famed thriller author Morgan Thorne, a local celebrity in Rosie’s town.

Rosie follows Morgan on social media and has read his books. The two begin corresponding via an anonymous service for transplant recipients and donor families. The more Rosie learns about Morgan and Daphne, the more she becomes convinced that she is the right person for Morgan. She has his wife’s heart, after all.

As she becomes more infatuated with Morgan and feels he understands her, she also starts hearing rumors from those who believe Morgan might’ve been responsible for his wife’s death. She’s determined to figure out the truth before letting herself fall for Morgan completely. But nothing is quite what it seems.

I was hooked on this book from the very first page. The concept of the book and the shifting perspectives were both really compelling, and I loved how Megan Collins kept me guessing. While I did figure out one twist pretty early on, I couldn’t wait to see how everything was tied up. It was quite a read!

Book Review: "The In-Between Bookstore" by Edward Underhill

Darby moved to NYC to go to college and put some distance between him and Oak Falls, his small Illinois hometown. As a trans man, getting a fresh start was exactly what he needed, away from those who looked down on him.

Now, as he nears 30, he’s just lost his job, his rent is increasing, and he’s feeling rudderless. It feels like all of his best friends are making progress in their lives, while he’s not. When he learns that his mother is planning to sell his childhood home and move into a new condo, he decides to move back to Oak Falls.

So much has changed in Oak Falls since Darby left. But one thing hasn’t: In Between Books, the store where he worked in high school. In fact, when he goes into the store, the new releases and the newspapers are all from 2009. And the kid behind the counter seems so much like Darby at 16…could it be Darby?

As Darby tries to connect with his teenage self, he also tries to figure out where his life went off track, and how to fix it. He also encounters Michael, his best friend while growing up, whom he hasn’t seen since their friendship ended dramatically before Darby left Oak Falls.

I love time travel and time loops, and how characters learn from the past. But this book never really took off for me. I didn’t really feel like Darby learned much, and I felt like everything in the book was left fairly unresolved.

Edward Underhill has written three YA books that I’ve enjoyed, so I was looking forward to his adult debut. I like the way he writes, so hopefully his next book will have more of a spark for me.

Book Review: "The Shots You Take" by Rachel Reid

This was so fantastic! Thanks so much to Carina Adores and NetGalley for the advance copy of the book.⁣⁣

⁣⁣ The last person Riley was expecting to show up at his father’s funeral was Adam, his former best friend and hockey teammate. Twelve years had passed since they’d seen each other, and the last time they spoke, Riley told Adam he wanted him out of his life.⁣⁣

⁣ What they had was so much more than a friendship. Yes, they shared an immense love for hockey, but their relationship was a physical one as well. And while Riley knew he was in love with Adam, Adam was afraid to acknowledge his feelings. It was easier to pretend it only happened when they were drunk or in the heat of the moment following a game.⁣⁣

⁣⁣ Adam’s arrival in the small town of Avery River, Nova Scotia causes quite a stir. Even though he retired from hockey, he’s still favored to be inducted into the Hall of Fame. But his career achievements aren’t nearly as important as trying to help Riley through his grief—and letting him know how much he regretted denying his true feelings when they were younger.⁣⁣

⁣⁣ Not only does Riley have to deal with his grief about his father’s death, but Adam’s return reminds him of the anger and sadness he had tried to put behind him. But he’s never stopped loving Adam, although he tries everything not to allow himself to be vulnerable again.⁣⁣

⁣⁣ I love Rachel Reid and the way her books are fun, emotional, steamy, and heartfelt. What was fantastic about this book was that the main characters are more mature—in their late 30s or early 40s—so there was a gravity to the story that really worked. I loved it!⁣⁣

⁣⁣ The book will publish 3/4/2025.⁣⁣

Book Review: "The Business Trip" by Jessie Garcia

Ugh. I really was excited about this book, although I had seen mixed reviews. It just didn’t work for me at all.

Jasmine is finally ready to escape her abusive relationship. She’s saved her money and plans to sneak away in the middle of the night. Her first destination is Denver, but she’s eager for a fresh start.

Stephanie is the news director for a television station. She’s heading to San Diego (through Denver) for a conference.

Even though they’re from the same town and wind up on the same flight to Denver, Jasmine and Stephanie have never met. Yet it’s not long before both women text their friends about meeting a man—the same man—and each says they’re falling in love. Soon after, their texts become less frequent and then stop altogether.

Stephanie’s friends and colleagues start to dig into her texts and suspect that something isn’t right. Jasmine’s friend wonders what might’ve happened to her, too. All signs point to the man they both say they met. But what happened?

I thought this started out really strong, alternating between Stephanie and Jasmine’s stories. But then the story is taken over by a bunch of peripheral characters, those connected to the two women, and then the final section lays out exactly what happened. (So much telling, not much showing.) There are some twists that I saw coming, some I didn’t which required complete suspension of disbelief, but overall, I was really let down.

Book Review: "Dungeons and Drama" by Kristy Boyce

This was such a fun, sweet read! I’m always a sucker for fake dating rom-coms, but when you throw in a high school musical and some gaming, how can I resist?⁣

⁣ Maybe Riley should’ve thought twice about taking her mother’s car and driving her and her best friend a few hours away to see a production of Waitress. She didn’t get a ticket or get into an accident—she just didn’t have her license yet.⁣

⁣ Now she’s grounded for a while, and her parents can’t trust her to stay home alone at all. So as punishment, she has to work at Sword and Board Games, her dad’s game store. She’s not into gaming, and she believes the store was one of the reasons her parents got divorced. Needless to say, this will be torture.⁣

⁣ Her coworker (and classmate) Nathan takes an instant dislike to Riley, and she’s no fan of his either. But when her ex and his new girlfriend show up at the store, she has to pretend she doesn’t care, so she says she has a new boyfriend: Nathan. While at first, Nathan refuses to pretend they’re dating, Riley convinces him that their “relationship” will make the gamer girl he’s crushing on jealous.⁣

⁣ At the same time, Riley’s high school announces they’re canceling the annual musical for budgetary reasons. But Riley sees the musical as an opportunity to develop her skills as student director. How can she convince the school board not to cancel?⁣

⁣ I really flew through this book. The characters were so appealing and enjoyable and the fake dating trope is a favorite of mine. You can bet I’ll be picking up the next book in the series!⁣

Book Review: "Moody's Grumpy Holiday" by Lane Hayes

Yes, I know that the holidays are over. That doesn’t mean I’m done with my holiday reads! There’s still snow on the ground here, so I’m good.

Hudson’s engagement ended and he’s honestly not that heartbroken. After spending some time at the fancy California beach resort where his honeymoon was supposed to be, he’s ready for a fresh start. And investing in the Oak Ridge Ranch seems to be the solution.

On the way to the ranch, Hudson decides to do a little sightseeing in nearby Christmas Town, known for their year-round tree and apparently some of the best chicken noodle soup you’ve ever tasted.

While waiting for some soup, Hudson visits Moody’s Marvelous Bah Humbug Bookshop and is immediately intrigued by Moody, the store’s adorable, nerdy owner. Moody is no dummy; he can’t take his eyes off the handsome cowboy that walked into his store. But there’s no way he could be interested in someone like him, right?

Not only is Hudson attracted to Moody, who uses phrases like “two shakes of a lamb’s tale,” but the more he gets to know him, the more he realizes what his heart has been missing. But strangely enough, even though Moody lives and works in Christmas Town, the month of December is his least favorite. He truly embodies the “bah humbug” in his store’s name. Can Hudson help change that?

This was sweet, funny, and romantic, and boy howdy, it was super HOT!! I love how both characters grew through the book and the way they interacted with the supporting characters. All in all, quite a festive story!

Book Review: "Holmes is Missing" by James Patterson and Brian Sitts

Having devoured the first book in this series, Holmes, Marple & Poe, you can bet I snapped up the second book as soon as it hit stores! This really is a great series and now we’ll see how long it takes for Book 3 to come out.

Brendan Holmes, Margaret Marple, and Auguste Poe are best friends and private investigators who have become the talk of NYC after their success solving a few cases. (It doesn’t make them popular with the police, however.)

The latest case they become involved in deals with the kidnapping of six babies from the nursery of a NYC hospital. The families want to hire the trio to find their babies, but they’re not at full strength, as Holmes has been away dealing with a personal issue. And even though he agrees to help with this case, he makes it very clear he wants out of the business afterward.

As they try and figure out what happened, they discover that the kidnappings are related to other cases, both in the U.S. and the U.K. But what ties all of these incidents together, and what’s the motive behind them? It seems like it’s only a matter of time before more children are kidnapped.

Meanwhile, Holmes encounters an amateur detective who tells of a fascinating set of cases. But it’s not long before he realizes that the cases are real, and there’s more danger afoot, which could land closer to home. And Poe has problems of his own, mainly dealing with Police Detective Helene Grey.

I love these characters and how well they play off one another. Marple, in particular, proves to be a total badass in this book. There’s pulse-pounding action and great banter, and I couldn’t put this down.

Book Review: "I'll Come to You" by Rebecca Kauffman

This book is one of those slice-of-life novels that is more character-driven than plot-driven. And much like everyday life, it is made up more of quiet moments than overly dramatic ones.

Spanning the course of one year (1995), I’ll Come to You is the story of a family, connected by blood and marriage. Ellen is recently divorced and doesn’t really understand why her marriage ended. She gets set up on a date—which convinces her she’s not ready for another relationship—but it does spark a friendship.

Meanwhile, Ellen’s son Paul and his wife Corrine are expecting a baby, after a long period of trying to get pregnant. They are understandably nervous about what’s to come and how their lives will change.

Corrine’s mother, Janet, is one of those women who is always finding something to complain about, some instance in which she gets less than others. Her husband Bruce is facing a health crisis that she’s been less than forthcoming about with her children.

Corinne’s brother Rob is a car salesman who is navigating a divorce and watching his twin sons grow up differently than he would have raised them. Rob’s penchant for lying, a habit he’s had since childhood, has eroded his relationships with his family, and one person in particular.

I think Kauffman’s storytelling is excellent. She created a web around which all of these characters revolve, and there’s enough nuance to keep it all interesting. I thought this book had an Anne Tyler-esque feel to it, in that Tyler specializes in creating irascible characters who wind up somewhat endearing.

Book Review: "Truly, Madly, Deeply" by Alexandria Bellefleur

“If some relationships were doomed from the start, why ever put your heart on the line? Why risk it?”

Truly (her actual name) is a bestselling author of queer historical romances. When she is invited to give relationship advice on a popular podcast, she’s reeling: her 6-year relationship just ended when she found her fiancé with another woman.

Her cohost for the podcast is Colin, the incredibly sexy brother of the podcast creator. Colin is a divorce lawyer, and his views on romance completely contradict Truly’s, and infuriate her, too. She’s so irritated by Colin that she walks out on the podcast in the middle of recording.

Imagine her surprise when Colin reaches out to apologize and ask for a second chance. She enjoys making him beg, plus she can’t help but fantasize more than a little about him, so she agrees. As they get to know each other better, their insults turn into playful flirting, and the sexual tension grows more intense.

Truly is attracted to Colin, but she’s not in the right headspace for a relationship, especially when she learns her parents are on a trial separation. But Colin breaks down every argument, and she realizes how good it feels to have someone care about her this strongly, and to feel the same way. Is it too good to be true?

Y’all, this book is S-T-E-A-M-Y!! I really enjoyed the characters—Truly’s parents and her best friend cracked me up—and the banter is both hysterical and hot. I’ve been a fan of Alexandria Bellefleur’s books for a while, and this was another good one.

Book Review: "Pictures of You" by Emma Grey

I had hoped to get this one in before the end of 2024, but better late than never! I had heard that you’re better off going into the book without knowing too much about it, so I did that. And what an incredibly powerful, emotional book this was!!

“Life twists and turns and things you never imagined possible strike in an instant. Suddenly you’re on a totally different path.”

Evie wakes up in a hospital bed. She cannot figure out how she got there. When she is told that she had been in a car accident which killed her husband, she is baffled; in her mind, she’s 16 years old. She doesn’t even recognize pictures of her husband, let alone being married.

When she runs into Drew, her best friend from high school, she thinks he’s an Uber driver. But he agrees to help her try to figure out what happened to the people she remembers—and little by little, he helps her recall certain things about her life and her marriage.

“What makes things true? I can imagine a whole world of experience missing from my memory, but if I don’t remember it, did it ever happen? Aren’t we meant to be the sum of our experiences?”

I’m a fan of Emma Grey, having loved her last book, The Last Love Note. This book definitely could be triggering for some, so do check the warnings before reading. Some of the twists I saw coming, some I was surprised by, but this really moved me.

Book Review: "The Perfect Home" by Daniel Kenitz

Wyatt and Dawn Decker are reality TV darlings. Their home renovation show, The Perfect Home,” is a cable favorite, and viewers love the way the two balance each other out—Wyatt’s handsomeness and goofy Southern charm, and Dawn’s sensibility and nurturing instincts.

Dawn would gladly trade her pseudo-celebrity status for motherhood. When tests reveal that their problems conceiving are related to Wyatt’s low sperm count, he tries an experimental fertility drug. Dawn gets pregnant with twins fairly quickly, and while Wyatt supposedly weans himself off the drug, he starts having mood swings, anger issues, and periods of unpredictability.

When Dawn uncovers Wyatt’s horrifying plan to create a tragedy which will raise their ratings and increase their celebrity, the only thing she can think to do is take the twins and flee. But Wyatt, the more popular member of the couple, turns the public against her and paints himself as the victim. Even her closest friends are convinced by Wyatt’s allegations.

With nowhere to turn and no one to count on for support, Dawn must find new allies if she has any chance of holding on to her children. But it’s going to require dredging up the past—both hers and Wyatt’s—and finding help in the unlikeliest of places.

What do you do when the person you loved turns into a monster, someone you don’t even know? How can you convince everyone that they’re being manipulated to believe you’re the problem? How do you know whom you can trust?

I liked the set-up of the story and enjoyed the reality show aspects. I found Wyatt’s about-face really disappointing and once the book focused more on his manipulating people to believe Dawn was a danger, I lost interest in the book. Given that I didn’t like the book version of Gone Girl (but loved the film adaptation), I should’ve known to avoid a book marketed as "Fixer Upper meets Gone Girl”!

Book Review: "How to Sleep at Night" by Elizabeth Harris

At a time where the tiniest thought of politics is enough to make me cringe, I chose to read a book that had a political campaign at its core. And I really enjoyed it, so, yay me!

Ethan and Gabe have been together for years, since Gabe was a senior in college and Ethan was a few years older. They’re happily married, raising a young daughter named Chloe. Politically, Ethan has becoming more conservative, while Gabe has remained progressive all these years.

One night, Ethan tells Gabe he’d like to run for Congress—as a Republican. He believes that being gay, married, a former Democrat, makes him an even more appealing candidate. But he’ll only run if Gabe agrees, so of course, Gabe supports his husband’s ambitions.

Meanwhile, Ethan’s sister Kate—a political reporter for a newspaper—longs to regain the passion for, and fulfillment with, her job. But two things—her brother’s nascent political campaign and the return of Nicole, a woman she loved in college—threaten to upend her. And Nicole, bored with her suburban life and her passionless marriage, tempts Kate with a second chance at romance.

As Ethan’s campaign gains momentum, Gabe starts feeling more and more out of sync with his husband’s ideas. He hates the fact that everyone seems to assume he feels the same way as Ethan about the issues of the day. This cognitive dissonance causes more tension in their marriage and the campaign.

This was tremendously compelling from the very start. I’ll admit I didn’t find any of the characters all that sympathetic, but I was completely invested in their lives, and wondered just how Elizabeth Harris would tie everything up. What a great debut novel!!

Book Review: "The Romantic Tragedies of a Drama King" by Harry Trevaldwyn

Thanks so much to Wednesday Books and NetGalley for the complimentary advance copy of this book!

Patrick (call him “Patch”) is ready for an amazing school year. The thing he’s most looking forward to is finding a boyfriend, one whom he can take to Prom. The challenge is, the only openly gay boys in school are dating each other. So what now?

And then two boys arrive at the first drama club meeting of the year. Peter, an American from New York (fabulous) moved to England to live with his best friend Sam’s family. Patch is determined that one of them will be his boyfriend. (He’s fine with either of them.)

The thing is, Patch is full of personality. Maybe too full? He desperately wants to make a good impression on Peter and Sam but mostly winds up tripping over his words and embarrassing himself. The quest to get one of them to be his boyfriend gets more complicated when Sam doesn’t appear to like Patch, and Peter (who is bi) starts dating Tessa, Patch’s former friend and current nemesis.

As Patch tries to negotiate matters of the heart without tripping over himself, he has his devoted best friend Jean to confide in, as well as Ms. Beckett, a former teacher he’s appointed his life coach. He also relies on his mother’s self-help books, but they’re not particularly helpful in his case.

Patch is one of the most hysterically vain and egotistical characters who made me laugh at every turn. (To try and land the lead role in Sweeney Todd, he decided to shadow some barbers, for example.) This is a fun and sweet book about being yourself no matter how wacky and annoying you might be.

The book will publish 1/28.

Book Review: "The Three Lives of Cate Kay" by Kate Fagan

This book was utterly fantastic. Hard to believe that this early in 2025 I’ve found a book that will be one of my absolute favorites, but there’s no doubt.

Cate Kay has written an explosive bestseller called The Very Last. It’s being marketed as “The Road, but a beach read.” The movie adaptation has already been lined up.

But Cate Kay doesn’t exist. It’s a pseudonym for Cass Ford, which isn’t even her real name. Her story, however, is one of friendship, love, found family, dreams, fear, guilt, and second chances.

This book is essentially Cate/Cass’ memoir, but she’s asked many people who’ve touched her life to share their memories, since each played a part. From her childhood best friend Amanda to those involved in creating the Cate Kay story, as well as those who had her heart, it’s fascinating to get their perspectives.

I’ve seen the book be compared to The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, but apart from the similarity in titles and the sexual orientation of the main characters, I don’t see it. This deserves to stand in its own spotlight.

There were so many moments in this book that took my breath away. While Kate Fagan has written several books, this is her debut novel. It is really just so good and will be so memorable.

Book Review: "Sea Change" by Gina Chung

One of my goals for 2025 is to read more books I own. Like many of you, I’m sure, I have lots of books at home that often get passed over for shiny new things, so I’m definitely going to try and shop from my stacks a bit more.

When I bought Sea Change, I’ll admit I was drawn in by the octopus on the cover. I was still riding the high of loving Remarkably Bright Creatures, so I was looking forward to another story about a relationship between the main character and an octopus.

I was wrong.

Ro’s life isn’t going the way she thought it would as she entered her 30s. Her boyfriend broke up with her to train for a space mission to Mars, her always-prickly relationship with her mother has grown into estrangement, and she probably has a drinking problem. The one thing that brings her solace is her job at an aquarium in the mall.

Ro enjoys spending time with Dolores, a giant Pacific octopus. She feels that Dolores gets her, plus the octopus was one of the last things her marine biologist father found before he disappeared on a trip when Ro was in high school.

When the aquarium sells Dolores to a wealthy private investor, Ro goes into emotional freefall. She misses her boyfriend even though she wasn’t the best girlfriend, she barely speaks to her childhood best friend, and she doesn’t know how to pick herself up and pull her life together.

This was a depressing book, and Ro isn’t the most sympathetic of characters. The book jumps around in time a lot, and other than Ro’s brief time with Dolores, there wasn’t much in the book that really grabbed me.

Book Review: "Holmes, Marple & Poe" by James Patterson and Brian Sitts

Many thanks to my friend Mandy for putting this series on my radar. What a fantastic and fun book this was!

Brendan Holmes, Margaret Marple, and Auguste Poe are best friends and private investigators in New York City. Beyond the connection of their last names to famous people, their pasts are untraceable. Are these even their real names?

Whatever their background is, however, there’s no denying their investigative abilities. And when the trio is able to solve a missing person’s case before the police even have an inkling of what happened, their PI firm suddenly gets much busier.

NYPD Detective Helene Grey is both intrigued by the three investigators and irked that they always seem to be a step ahead of the police, and they’re not eager to share their findings. But even when she forbids them to get involved, they seem to find a toehold into a case, and information breaks their way. So she realizes it may be easier to join them, since she can’t beat them.

The trio finds itself in the middle of an assortment of cases—art fraud, kidnapping, the discovery of multiple skeletons beneath the city streets. They always try to have each other’s backs, but sometimes what faces each of them is more formidable.

I really thought this was a great book. It was full of twists and action and the characters are far more layered than I would have expected. The second book in the series just came out and you can bet I’ll be snapping that up!

Book Review: "Martyr!" by Kaveh Akbar

“Can you imagine having that kind of faith?” Cyrus asked. “To be that certain of something you’ve never seen? I’m not that certain of anything. I’m not that certain of gravity.”

This book was on lots of critics’ and Bookstagram friends’ 2024 best-of lists. I had meant to read it last year but didn’t get around to it, so it was my first read of the new year.

The son of Iranian immigrants, Cyrus grew up under the specter of grief. When he was an infant, his mother was killed when her plane was inadvertently shot down over the Persian Gulf. His father, who worked at a farm killing chickens, died shortly after Cyrus left for college.

A recovering alcoholic and addict, Cyrus wants to be a poet and fancies himself a provocateur. He becomes obsessed with martyrs (unsurprisingly) as a topic for his poetry, and is drawn to a terminally ill artist whose final work is spending the rest of her life in a museum.

He also is inspired by his uncle, who was shattered by his time in the Iranian military. His uncle used to dress as the Angel of Death and ride through the battlefields, so that vision would be the last thing dying soldiers saw. And when Cyrus finds a painting of his mother in an art gallery, he realizes that all he was told about her may not be true.

Kaveh Akbar is a poet, so it’s not surprising that his prose is really beautiful. I just felt like the book was really disjointed; the narration shifted among many characters and between past and present. This was tremendously thought-provoking, however.

Book Review: "Variation" by Rebecca Yarros

This was really good and really intense. Nothing like a powerful, all-consuming love story to get the blood pumping!

“Messy is good, love. Messy is where the best parts of life happen. You don’t have to be in control at all times. It’s okay if you fall apart. I promise I will be right here to put you back together if you just let me.”

Allie is an exceptionally talented ballerina. Her sisters are also dancers, and they all exist under the critical eye of their mother, who never achieved her own ballet dreams. She expects nothing but perfection at every second, and will tolerate no distractions from the achievement of the goals she has set for her daughters.

When Allie is injured during a performance, she goes to her family’s summer house to recover. The last thing she expects is to see Hudson again. Hudson, her best friend growing up, and her one true love. The one person she always hoped to see yet cannot bear to, even years later.

Hudson, a rescue swimmer for the Coast Guard, has one regret in life: that he left for basic training without saying goodbye to Allie. He has loved her since he was 17, and her absence from his life has haunted him ever since. When his niece Juniper asks for his help finding her biological parents, he enters Allie’s orbit again. Can they pick up where they left off years ago? And could that survive the secrets that both have kept hidden?

I’m a huge fan of Rebecca Yarros’ storytelling. There’s so much to love about this book—secrets, lies, family dysfunction, rivalry, drama, and some serious steam. I was hooked from the very first page, and while Juniper was very manipulative, I still enjoyed this book immensely.

Book Review: "Something Close to Nothing" by Tom Pyun

“Adulthood isn’t a fairy tale; long-term relationships don’t play out like a Hallmark movie. Relationships are primarily about having shared goals, like creating a family. You have to be in it for the long haul.”

Winston (Wynn) and Jared have been together for a number of years now. Jared is the responsible one; Wynn recently quit his corporate job to become a hip-hop dancer. But they’re about to take a major step: flying to Cambodia for the birth of their baby girl via a surrogate.

The thing is, Wynn isn’t so sure he wants to be a father. Jared may already be planning for their second child, but Wynn can’t imagine being tied down, forced to take care of a baby and give up his dreams. As they get ready to board the plane, Wynn flees, leaving Jared alone with no explanation.

Jared can’t believe that Wynn didn’t tell him sooner that he didn’t want a baby. But Jared desperately wants to be a father, so he makes the trip on his own and his mother meets him in Cambodia, where they await the birth of his daughter.

As Jared deals with the rigmarole of surrogacy in a foreign country and then settles in back at home in San Francisco with his new daughter, Wynn is trying to find himself and get started on his new dance career. Jared devotes himself to fatherhood while Wynn auditions for a singer’s comeback tour and teaches dance in different countries. Both think the other is self-centered and wonder if they made a mistake, but try to get on with their lives.

Neither character is entirely likable, but you can see how they are both right and completely wrong for one another. This is a book about what it feels like to realize you need to grow up, and how you don’t have to give yourself up to be with someone else. It’s both a funny and sad story, and very thought-provoking.

The Best Books I Read in 2024...

Happy first day of 2025! Can't believe we're at the start of another year. I'm excited about what the next year will hold, and truthfully, I'm not sad that 2024 is gone. It was an up and down year for me—I had some health issues early on, plus I got laid off from my job and was out of work for a few months, and because of that I struggled with my depression. But through that difficult time, I kept reading.

Despite not having any real goal for reading in 2024, I wound up surpassing my highest number of books read. In 2024, I read 375 books (three more than I've ever read since I've been tracking this), so needless to say, whittling that list down was tremendously difficult. At first pass, I identified 68 books I really loved, but I knew that wouldn't fly. So I narrowed it to a top 25 and then 15 more that were still too good to leave out.

As always, I'd love to know your thoughts on this list as well as your favorite reads of 2024!

The Top 25

1. Somewhere Beyond the Sea by TJ Klune: As difficult as narrowing my list down, there was no contest for my favorite book of the year. I never thought Klune would write a sequel to one of my most favorite books, The House in the Cerulean Sea, but it was an absolute home run. It’s a book about love, courage, overcoming trauma, the power of family and friends, and it is populated with some of the most incredible characters.

2. Funny Story by Emily Henry: Emily Henry is an absolute auto-buy author for me. Her books have an incredible way of making me feel multiple emotions simultaneously. They fill my heart (and often fill my eyes with tears) and they definitely make me smile, if not all out laugh. Her most recent book is no exception.

3. The Other Side of Now by Paige Harbison: I tend to love Sliding Doors-type books, and this one really wowed me. It's a book about friendship, love, found family, loss, guilt, and second chances, and I haven't stopped thinking about it since I read it. To be released 6/3/2025.

4. The Return of Ellie Black by Emiko Jean: Tension-filled and twisty, this is fantastic. The characters were really complex and will stick in my head. It’s quite dark, and it may be triggering for some, but Emiko Jean has written a thriller with a heart, a book which makes you think.

5. Four Squares by Bobby Finger: What an absolutely fantastic, moving, hopeful book this was. It’s the story of friendship, love, loss, chosen family, fear, and hope, as well as the power of connection. The book shifts back and forth between the 1990s and 2022-23. It’s sometimes sad, sometimes funny, and just absolutely beautiful.

6. What Happened to Nina? by Dervla McTiernan: This was one of my most anticipated books in the first quarter of 2024, and it blew my expectations out of the water. McTiernan ratchets up the suspense and tension little by little until you need to race through the book to see how everything gets resolved. It’ll make you sad and angry, and keep you on edge.

7. Madwoman by Chelsea Bieker: Clove (which may or may not be her real name) has some secrets about her life that she has kept hidden from nearly everyone. But when she receives a letter from a woman’s prison in California, her carefully built façade starts to crack. What will she do if her secrets are revealed?

8. Most Ardently: A Pride & Prejudice Remix by Gabe Cole Novoa: As many of you know, I love a good retelling, and boy, did I absolutely love this one! Elizabeth Bennet chafes under the expectations of society and her mother, who want her to choose a suitable man to marry. But Elizabeth would rather live her life as Oliver, and cannot imagine life married to someone who wants to suppress his true identity and his spirit. This "remix" hit all the right notes!

9. Four Weekends and a Funeral by Ellie Palmer: This had everything I love in a rom-com: emotional depth, banter, terrific supporting characters, even a little steam. It had me laughing at times and crying at others, and having lost one of my best friends nearly 3 years ago, it hit close to home in parts. What a fantastic book.

10. You Should Be So Lucky by Cat Sebastian: Much like her last book We Could Be So Good, I love how Cat Sebastian built a slow-burn romance between two men despite the fears and possible repercussions of the 1960s. This was such a fantastically moving story, full of emotion, hope, fear, and far more acceptance than I would’ve imagined.