Book Review: "Receipts from the Bookshop: A Bookseller’s Year in an English Seaside Town" by Katie Clapham

This book was an absolute delight. As someone who managed a bookstore in college and then worked at a Barnes & Noble for a short while, I have lots of anecdotes about customers, book shipments, and everything in between. But Katie Clapham has me beat hands down!

“A bookshop is a mausoleum to a product that refuses to die. Media consumption has evolved beyond recognition in such a short time, but physical books persist against the odds and so the bookshop comes to represent so much more than just another retail unit on the high street. Every day is another triumph against the vision of the town without us; a gap in the shelf of our high street. After all, a town without a bookshop is a tragedy.”

Katie and her mother have been running Storytellers, Inc., an independent bookshop in Lytham St. Annes, an English seaside town, for more than 14 years. The business requires a lot of attention and it’s not always profitable, but there’s a magic in owning a bookshop, particularly when you love to read.

“…if you stumble in on a Friday, you might find me behind the till, drinking a never-ending cup of coffee, ordering books that are mostly for myself and writing down the goings-on that make up the book you’re about to read.”

The book is comprised of Katie’s reflections on a year of bookselling. She touches on her amazingly loyal customers, who often help keep the shop afloat during tough times, as well as those who stumble into the shop and are compelled to make a purchase. She also shares comments from the many who pass by the bookshop on the way to something else. And she relays the enthusiasm of young children (and dogs) who come into the shop.

Katie’s voice is so humorous and warm. I almost felt as if she was sitting near me sharing her anecdotes. If you’ve worked in a bookstore for any appreciable amount of time, you’ll recognize some of her stories. This was really a wonderful read!

Book Review: "Thank You for Remembering" by Emily Harding

“Destiny is real—we just build it ourselves. And in that way, my grandmother was right after all. The magic isn’t what happens to us. It’s that we keep going anyway.”

When Marnie wakes up in the hospital, she has no idea why she’s there. But even worse, she quickly discovers that she has no memories of the last year of her life. She vaguely remembers moving to Boston with her boyfriend Matt, but that’s it.

It turns out Marnie had a traumatic brain injury, which is causing the memory loss. She’s surprised to learn that not only did she and her boyfriend break up and she has her own apartment, but apparently before her injury she got a horrible haircut. And now she has bangs…

She has no idea where she works (or if she even has a job), she can’t unlock her phone or access her ATM card, and apparently, there’s a mouse in her apartment. Luckily, her very handsome neighbor, Ben, helps her get readjusted. He shows her how to get to various places, and tolerates the emotional rollercoaster she finds herself on.

Marnie has apparently kept receipts and movie tickets from her time in Boston, so she tries to figure out what these keepsakes mean. And while her best friend insists it will all lead her back to Matt, she starts to realize that he might not be her happy ending after all. (Any guesses on who might be? 😉)

This was a really sweet and emotional book, and Emily Harding really did her research on how people can be affected by a brain injury. While the dreaded miscommunication trope popped up a few times, I loved the banter between her and Ben. I also found her journey to find her way to be really meaningful and moving.

Book Review: "When They Find Me" by Carter Wilson

When more than one Bookstagram friend tells you that this book is “a banger,” you know I had to request an ARC! And they were not wrong—this was fantastic! Thanks so much to Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley for the advance copy!

Expanse, Colorado is a tiny town of 313 people. It’s the perfect place for people who are hiding from someone or just want to live off the grid. This is where Annie and her daughter Coral have settled, and Annie has done everything she can to ensure that no one knows where they are.

A few years ago, Annie had to kill someone. She’s been looking over her shoulder ever since. She expects that someone will come looking for her one day and try to get revenge, so she’s determined to keep her and Coral safe.

One day, trouble comes calling in the form of an angry old man who calls himself Coyote, and his two adult children, Boone and Riven. They’ve come to Expanse to find the man Coyote insists destroyed his life and tried to break up his family. Riven is ready to kill this man and finally prove her worth to her father.

Annie isn’t expecting Coyote, Boone, and Riven to show up at her door, and she’s definitely not the person they’re expecting to find. But they get locked in a battle of wills, and both Annie and Coyote will do all they can to protect their children. When truths are uncovered, no one will be left the same.

Carter Wilson is an exceptionally talented thriller writer. This was definitely a book which kept me guessing. There was so much tension, so much simmering anger and violence just under the surface. I wanted to applaud when it was done.

The book will publish 11/10.

Book Review: "Paper Ghosts" by Sarah Addison Allen

“Once upon a time, there was a family of witches. But witches, it turns out, are sometimes only women who have been hurt, and are determined not to be again.”

More and more, I realize how much I love magical realism in my books. Sarah Addison Allen is definitely a standout in creating worlds with just a dash or two of magic, but real issues as well.

In the 1970s, Willamena Wester lives in the North Carolina town her family founded. She’s raised by her grandmother and she’s never wanted for anything—except the freedom to be a little rebellious. But her grandmother, rumored to be a witch, knows everything Wills is thinking. All she wants Wills to do is follow the path she’s set for her.

But when a handsome young musician comes to town, his presence shakes everyone up, especially Wills. She falls for him but plans to keep her promise to her grandmother, until one fateful night changes everything.

Years later, following a tragedy, Wills’ son returns home with his young daughter Bailey in tow. Wills is determined to act completely different toward Bailey than her own grandmother did, but at times it’s hard to outrun the pain and regret of your past. And as Bailey grows, she learns many of the same painful lessons, but she’s determined to end the cycle.

I find Allen’s books so captivating, and the Southern settings are always magical in and of themselves. This is a book about fierce love, sacrifice, sorrow, and the choices we make when our backs are against the wall. At the same time, there was a bit of sweetness here too, which I also loved.

Book Review: "The Tide Between Us" by Cem Say

It’s fun to read the books that get lots of hype and publicity, the ones you see everyone else talking about. At the same time, I love stumbling upon a book I’ve never heard of and being taken by complete surprise.

The Tide Between Us definitely falls in the latter category. I’m not even sure how I found it. But this portrait of love, longing, and being truly seen honestly took my breath away. There were so many sentences, paragraphs even, that I highlighted while reading.

“Because you don’t know what missing someone feels like. You’ve never once let yourself do it. Everyone you ever lost, you skipped the missing and went straight to the wall. You built a whole personality out of not needing anyone, and you did it so well you forgot that need is just, a thing people feel. Ordinary people. Every day.”

Emre left Istanbul for an unnamed coastal town. He vowed that he would no longer wait to be seen, to be loved, and he would stop living his life in the margins of others’. At a cafe, he meets Julian, a charismatic older man. There is an immediate attraction but neither knows what their first move should be—if there should be one at all.

Julian has the ability to make people feel like they are the most important to him. But he can only sustain that for so long before he hurts them. His seven-year marriage to Marco is filled with moments of joy and pain, yet neither wants to ask questions they don’t want answers to. As Julian and Emre turn toward each other, both know the gravity of their choices and the inevitability of the end. But how do you distinguish love from feeling seen?

This was an exceptionally beautiful debut novel. The feelings these characters lay bare, the waves of joy, jealousy, pain, and love they experience were so poignant and yet so real. I cannot wait for Cem Say’s next book. I’m so glad I found this.

Book Review: "The Secret Dinner" by Raphael Montes

“There’s death behind every meal. People prefer to shut their eyes to it, but it’s there. Death.”

Wow. This book was WILD! I think I’ll be sticking to salads for a while, but I enjoyed this far more than I expected.

Four childhood friends—Dante, Miguel, Hugo, and Piglet—decide to leave their small Brazilian hometown and head to Rio, to find an apartment in Copacabana. The apartment they find is absolutely perfect and the price is a steal.

As the economic situation in Brazil worsens, their rent skyrockets. And when they’re threatened with eviction, they need to scramble to find a lot of money—fast. So they decide to capitalize on the secret dinner party trend, and host people for gourmet meals that they’ll pay top dollar for. But when Piglet taps into the hunger of wealthy Brazilians for something exotic, their get rich quick scheme nets them more money than they can imagine, yet it sends them down a path of no return.

“People associate madness with evil and rationality with goodness. According to statistics, 12 percent of so-called normal people are criminals, murderers, or dangerous offenders. Meanwhile, only 3 percent of so-called crazy people become involved in serious crimes. That means that normal people kill at a much higher rate than crazy people. If there were more crazy people in the world, there would be less violence.”

The book is definitely gory, so it’s not for the squeamish. But it’s also a fantastic, compelling read, one that makes you wonder how you’d handle the type of desperation the characters found themselves in. I probably will think twice before going over to someone’s house for a meal!!

Book Review: "Hollywood, Ending" by John Green

As someone who stayed up until 2:00 am to finish The Fault in Our Stars the day it was released, I’ve been waiting for a new love story from John Green for a while. This is Green’s first foray into adult fiction, and it was so much more than I expected.

“I figured that in the night sky of my life, Kai Laramie would be one of those shooting stars that streaks across the sky but then burns up almost before you can even get excited.”

Kai and Juniper meet when both are cast in a new movie called Andy Warhol Never Gets Old. Juniper is a former child star who has exceptional talent but a bit of a reputation for being hard to direct. This is Kai’s first movie, and he cannot believe he’s gotten to this point.

Even though much of the moviegoing public doesn’t know who Andy Warhol is anymore, Kai and Juniper’s performances generate star-making buzz. The sky’s the limit for both of them, and they start falling in love. But then the moviemaking machine starts its manipulations, and threatens to destroy everything—including their burgeoning relationship.

“I do not want to want to be loved by strangers, but I do not want to want most of what I want.”

There are sentences, paragraphs in this book that took my breath away. This is an emotional book, with some possible triggers, but it’s an incredibly timely look at the price of fame and the way everyone feels like they own a piece of you. I really loved this.

Book Review: "All Them Dogs" by Djamel White

I felt this book in my soul. Not that I identified with the characters or the violence, but Djamel White’s storytelling was so powerful it grabbed hold of me and didn’t let go.

“He was beautiful. There was no denying it. Nothing would change that. To see past it felt impossible. Hating something beautiful must make your insides shrivel. It made me ugly. It made me see that I’ve always been ugly.”

After he killed a rival gang member, Tony fled his home in Dublin and went to England. He longed for home, but needed to be sure the fury died down before it was safe to return. And when he returned five years later, he discovered one of his closest friends and mentors had been murdered and his other friend has abandoned the gangster life they lived.

Tony gets a job working as an enforcer for a local thug. He mostly picks up drugs and goes after people who owe money. He wants to be more powerful, but even though time has passed since he killed, he’s always looking over his shoulder. And having a very short fuse doesn’t help.

His job is to assist Flute, his boss’ right-hand man. Tony knew of Flute when they were growing up, but he is mystified by this quiet yet brutal giant. And when the two find themselves drawn together, it sets them on a dangerous path, as past and present crimes take their toll.

This is definitely not a book for everyone, and the Irish slang the characters use was tough to follow at first. But this story has so much heart, and even though you know tragedy is impending, I still found myself a bit hopeful. A surprising, beautiful read.

Book Review: "Plant Lady" by Minyoung Kang, translated by Shanna Tan

I really enjoyed this! It’s a little creepy, a little mysterious, and a bit thought-provoking. I’ll definitely be thinking about this for a while.

Yoohee was an office worker who decided to leave her job and open a plant shop. She found space in a neighborhood that didn’t appear to have much foot traffic, but it’s not long before the shop becomes popular, both with customers and on social media.

She cares tremendously about her plants, painstakingly caring for them and ensuring they get the climate and lighting they need to thrive. People visit because they know how much she knows plants, and that she carries many unusual varieties.

But those aren’t the only reasons customers flock to Plant Shop. Troubled women—those frightened or abused or mistreated by men—seek Yoohee’s counsel. She is all too willing to help free these women of the burdens that are causing their unhappiness, fear, even pain. She has tools at her disposal and she’s not afraid to use them.

Yoohee knows how these women feel. At one point, back in her hometown, she fell victim to a young man she believed to be kind and good. The pain of those days has haunted her, so she’s willing to do whatever it takes to help her customers. No one will miss them anyway, right? And if they do, would they ever suspect the owner of Plant Shop?

This isn’t quite a horror novel; it’s more dark literary fiction than anything else. But I was utterly captivated. I wondered if things would get creepier or if Yoohee would get her comeuppance. In the end, though, I cheered her heroism, even if it took a much more sinister tone.

Book Review: "Main, Middle & Gay: A Chef Finds His Place in the World Against All Odds" by Patrick O'Connell

Some of you may know that I’m a huge foodie and utterly fascinated by reading books about chefs, restaurants, and cooking. I also went to culinary school about 25 years ago, so the whole business intrigues me.

All this to say, when I think of the best meals I’ve ever had, Patrick O’Connell’s The Inn at Little Washington is near the top of the list. It’s the most expensive meal I’ve ever eaten but worth every penny. What O’Connell has created in such a small Virginia town is impressive—even more when you realize he never had any formal culinary training.

“Only because I’ve finally arrived at a place where I’m unafraid can buried secrets be exhumed and set free without danger.”

For the chef at the helm of the first U.S. restaurant to receive 3 Michelin stars, O’Connell followed an unusual path. Raised in Maryland, he had a difficult relationship with his father because he was unathletic and effeminate, unlike his brothers. He started working at a restaurant in his teens, and quickly fell in love with the atmosphere as well as the way flavors worked together in the foods he tried.

The book recounts the difficult journey in creating the Inn at Little Washington, as they faced opposition from the town. He touches on the milestones as they created this incredible empire of sorts. And he also touched on the often-rocky relationship with his longtime partner, which nearly destroyed everything they built.

I enjoyed this so much, both because I’ve been to the restaurant and seen interviews with O’Connell before, and because his path was so different than many others. If you’re a foodie, you’ll love reading about the many meals he created—and you’ll probably be hungry, too!

Book Review: "Stitched" by Eli McCann

I love it when books take you to places you’ve never been and expose you to new things. I’ll admit I never thought I’d read a book about the cutthroat behavior around a quilting competition, but this was such fun!

The members of the Ogden Quilters Association are beside itself when they learn that the Simpton Family Quilting Extravaganza will be held in nearby Smithfield, Utah. The competition has never been so close to home before, and they definitely want to make a good showing.

This year’s theme is “I Wish I Knew How to Quilt You: Famous Forbidden Relationships.” With their numbers dwindling due to advanced age (let’s not talk about Terry and the “needle incident “), the OQA is in need of new members. Candace, who owns an empire of fabric stores across Utah, decides to invite her store manager, Byron, and his best friend, Rob, to join.

The addition of two men—albeit gay ones—throws the remaining OQA members into a bit of a tizzy. They’ve never had a man join them before. Do their bylaws even allow it? But it’s not long before they’ve become fully engaged in the gossip, grumbling, and quilting.

As the group focuses on creating the best quilt ever, dynamics within and outside the group threaten its camaraderie. And then word gets out that the Logan Quilters Society, the defending regional champs and an overall menace, are trying to take control of the competition, which sends the group into a frenzy. Can the OQA create a winning quilt, soothe the in-group tensions, and vanquish their nemeses?

This was such a fun and sweet book. It was a beautiful story of found family, friendship, growing older, standing your ground, and realizing what’s most important to you. The characters were so warm—even the curmudgeons—and I just smiled through the whole book.

Book Review: "The Living Realm" by Jordan Tannahill

“Her comment made me wonder, though, whether there were certain places on Earth where the membrane between the past and present, indeed even the future, had been worn thinner than elsewhere. Whether people across cultures, throughout history, had been able to perceive this thinness, both consciously and unconsciously, and if it was because of this that these sites became places of worship, or at the very least places of congregation. Places where we return over and over to be with time, to better perceive its flux, and situate ourselves within its mysteries.”

This was an absolutely gorgeous book. It was moving, powerful, at times elegiacal, and its prose was simply luminous. I’m so thankful I stumbled upon it!!

Europe was experiencing its worst drought in some time. In the midst of this oppressively hot summer, the narrator and his closest friends spend many a day at Teufelssee, a glacial lake in a forest on the edge of Berlin. The lake has always been somewhat of a tourist attraction, while the forest surrounding it has been a popular cruising spot for decades.

One night while cruising, the narrator is taken aback when he sees a man who resembles Lukas, his former lover. But it’s more than a resemblance—this man could be Lukas’ doppelgänger. Yet the strangest thing is that Lukas died more than 30 years earlier.

Even after he loses sight of the man, he is so sure that it was Lukas. But why would he show up so many years later? As he tries to make sense of this sighting and what it means, he starts encountering other former lovers whom he has lost. While his friends worry that he’s losing his mind or suffering from some type of latent survivor’s guilt, he’s determined to figure out what these appearances should symbolize to him.

I found this to be such a compelling book. This is a story about loss, memories, grief, friendship, and found family, but it’s also a fascinating exploration of the thin line that exists between our past and present. I’ll be thinking about this for a long time.

Book Review: "Taipei Story" by R.F. Kuang

TFW an author whose previous work you’ve enjoyed comes out with a new book you’re excited about and it disappoints you. I hate it when that happens. I definitely had high hopes for this!

Lily is a Chinese-American student who just finished her freshman year at Yale. She plans to spend the summer at an intensive language program in Taipei, where she hopes she’ll be able to better communicate in the language of her heritage. While she knows some Chinese, she really wants to become fluent.

Students from all over the world attend this and similar programs. But there are several of her fellow students from Yale in attendance as well, and she’s even rooming with someone she knows. They quickly immerse themselves in Chinese culture, food, and tourist attractions, and revel in the idea of speaking only Chinese while on campus for classes.

But Lily quickly realizes the divide between understanding a language and being able to communicate fully in it. It’s so much more than knowing how to order food or learning idioms. The difficulty of her classes, coupled with tensions with her roommate, leave her feeling alone and adrift.

She learns that her maternal grandfather, who lives in mainland China, has died. She remembers seeing her grandparents when she was younger, but their relationship slowly devolved into periodic phone calls where very little of substance was discussed. As she grieves this loss, she wonders about her grandparents’ lives, asking questions that no one can really answer.

The idea of trying to find your cultural identity when you feel alone is a powerful one. Unfortunately, I felt like the book dwelled far too much on facts about Chinese language, culture, and history, and not enough on Lily’s story. And I didn’t feel that she evolved much throughout the book. Bummer.

Book Review: "The Season of Sinking" by Daphne Woolsoncroft

Daphne Woolsoncroft’s debut thriller, Night Watcher, was one of my favorite books of last year. I eagerly anticipated this one, hoping for another great thriller. I definitely wasn’t disappointed—she kept me guessing from start to finish.

Imogen is shocked to learn that her mother has died unexpectedly. She leaves her life in Seattle to head to Lake Blair, the small Washington town where she grew up. The plan is for her and her twin sister Amelia to pack everything up, put the house up for sale, and get back to their regular lives.

But being home is a difficult experience for Imogen. Not only is she consumed with grief about her mother’s death, but the unsettling feelings of fear that she had when growing up have returned. She never understood why she has recurring nightmares; her mother convinced her it was just her imagination tricking her.

While the police determined their mother’s death was accidental, Imogen wonders if someone else was responsible. But casual remarks from a few of her mother’s friends definitely raise her hackles, so she’s determined to figure out what really happened. And when the house keeps getting broken into, she wonders who is behind all of the chaos.

She reunites with Rory, her high school boyfriend and neighbor. As they tentatively take steps toward rekindling their feelings for one another, Imogen starts having her doubts about him. Why does he keep showing up moments after something happens?

There are a lot of things going on in the book, but it never felt overwhelming. As usual when I read twisty books, I suspect absolutely everyone, and couldn’t wait to see how it all wrapped up. Imogen is definitely more than a damsel in distress.

Book Review: "The A-Listers" by Berlin Wick

Former child star Jace Wilder is going to be starring in one of the most highly anticipated movies of the year. Iron Horizon, based on the story of the rock band with the same name, is unlike anything Jace has ever done. His manager—as well as his controlling mother—are concerned the film might damage his reputation.

His costar in the movie is British actor Lennox Rome, who parlayed being a social media influencer into an acting career. The two actors have never met, but Lennox beat Jace for a film award despite being new to the industry, and they’ve been pitted against each other ever since.⁣

The film traces the band’s story from their start in high school to the two leads falling in love, which ultimately led to their failure. In order to do their story justice, Jace and Lennox must ensure their chemistry and camaraderie are completely authentic.

From the moment they meet, both men feel an unmistakable pull toward the other. But neither has been in a relationship with a man before, and neither really understands what their feelings for one another means. Yet as the tabloids circle, they have to worry about not only hurting their career, but each other as well.

I really enjoyed the chemistry between Jace and Lennox, and there is a lot of steam. However, Jace’s mother is so crazily manipulative, so it really took me out of the story whenever she popped up. I also dislike miscommunication as a trope, and that reared its head a few times in the book. But in the end, the romance outweighed the obstacles, and left me smiling.

Book Review: "Switzy" by Emma Cline

“Disconcerting, this mental ice floe, populated only by David, floating off into the polar darkness. He was sometimes a figure standing on the shore, watching himself float away, and sometimes he was on the ice floe, losing sight of land.”

David, a retired businessman, is on a private plane to London. He sleeps a bit on the flight, but when he gets restless, playing solitaire on his phone soothes him. At times he feels a bit disoriented, but he finds his notebook inside his jacket pocket and it acts as a comfort.

His assistant, Cody, is ever-vigilant, seeing to David’s every need and making sure he rests during the flight. He reminds David of their itinerary—dinner with his daughter in London, visiting her home the next day to see his grandson, a quick trip to France where he will reunite with an estranged high school friend, and then to Zurich.

David is in the throes of Alzheimer’s disease. It is definitely taking its toll on his memories and his mind. One moment he is perfectly cognizant of where he is and why he’s there; the next moment, his mind travels at warp speed, shifting between different times in his life. The gaps between lucidity and confusion are getting shorter and shorter.

This is a powerful story, told in stream of consciousness so it mirrors David’s mind. As he loses his grip on reality, it became more and more difficult to follow, because the narrative kept meandering. If you’ve had someone in your life deal with dementia, you may find this book to be very triggering.

Book Review: "Isn't He Romantic?" by Adib Khorram

I really love Adib Khorram’s books, particularly his Love on the Vine series, focused on three gay childhood friends living in Kansas City. This is the third and final (I’m guessing) book in the series, and I just love these characters! Thanks so much to Forever and NetGalley for the advance copy!!

Talk about a meet-cute! Arya is getting ready to leave a Napa Valley vineyard, where his company has held an event. It’s Ben’s family’s vineyard, and he is trying to avoid his ex-boyfriend when he runs into Arya. He asks Arya if he could kiss him, which turns into a steamy encounter amidst the vines. But in the morning, Arya is gone, without a goodbye.

The last thing Arya is expecting when he’s back home in Kansas City is to run into Ben, who has just moved to be a cellist with the Philharmonic. Not only that, but Ben is on a committee that is planning the Philharmonic’s annual ball, which Arya’s company is producing. They vow to keep things civil and try to be friends.

But when Ben’s ex moves to Kansas City to try and get him back, Ben tells him he’s already moved on—with Arya. The two agree to be fake boyfriends but make some strict rules—no sex and no falling in love. (Eye roll.)

The thing is, Arya doesn’t do relationships. He’s always been happy being his slutty self. With his 40th birthday approaching and his two best friends in serious relationships, he starts to wonder if he needs to change his perspective. But given the dysfunction of his parents’ marriage, how will he know what love is?

I love fake dating stories, and Arya and Ben are just adorable (and hot) together. I so enjoy the way Khorram infuses the characters’ Iranian heritage in these books. I feel like Arya, Ramin, and Farzan have become my friends, and I hope we’ll see them again. Definitely give this series a try—it’s funny, emotional, sweet, and quite steamy.

Book Review: "The Wild Beneath" by Kelly Anderson

This book felt a bit like a cross between Wild Dark Shore, The Scent Keeper, and Where the Crawdads Sing, but with an extra dash of magical realism. It definitely hit me square in the feels.

“How can you put it into words? The push and pull of the tides, the way they never falter. Sails that fill up in the wind. Tracking the sky to stay on course. The massive wave and everything that was taken away.”

Annie was born to the sea. She was raised by her parents on a sailboat, and she learned to swim before she learned how to walk. Sea creatures, sand dollars, and shells were her playmates. Everything she learned was with the sea as perspective, and they rarely came ashore to the small Pacific Northwest town where her father was raised.

But when a tsunami strikes, Annie loses her parents and is left stranded on land, afraid of the very sea that brought her such joy. Her grief is crushing, and although she has her grandmother and Evan, her childhood sweetheart, she doesn’t know how she’ll survive this loss.

Amidst the wreckage she finds a man named Walker. He speaks very little but he emits a hum that only Annie can hear, which gives her visions of the life and heartbeat of the sea. She is torn between Evan, who is dealing with his own grief and only wants to protect her, and Walker, who reminds her of the place she feels most at home. How can she find her way?

Kelly Anderson’s prose is luminous. I found this to be a quietly emotional read and a powerful reminder of all that nature gives us. It definitely requires you to suspend your disbelief a bit, but if you can, and you can handle some of the vagueness of the plot, you’ll definitely find beauty.

Book Review: "The True Confessions of First Lady Freeman" by Deesha Philyaw

Can I get an “amen”? Deesha Philyaw’s first novel is deliciously gossipy, thought-provoking, steamy, and emotional. Having been an enormous fan of Philyaw’s debut story collection, The Secret Lives of Church Ladies, I’m not surprised how good this is. But it’s a lot of fun, too.

“And you know what? I own all the parts that are true. The lies and the lessons. The messes and the mistakes. Because they are the stones that forged the path leading from my difficult past to my beautiful present.”

Scharisse Freeman is the much-younger wife of Rev. David Freeman, pastor of the Hope in Christ Baptist Church, one of the largest Black megachurches in the U.S. Given the age difference and the fact that Scharisse had no real religious background before marrying her husband, it’s taken quite a while for some in the church to warm up to her as First Lady. But she hasn’t let that stop her from using her brand to make millions of dollars.

What she craves more than anything, however, is acceptance from the First Ladies of other churches. Yet a misstep when she was first married has made her a pariah. But when she finally gets an invitation to compete in the First Lady USA pageant, she believes that winning will be her ticket to acceptance.

However, she doesn’t anticipate being in the middle of a huge scandal, which calls her reputation into question. It also highlights the hypocrisy of many so-called devout people, as well as the double standard that exists between men and women where infidelity is concerned. She needs to find her own path and be her authentic self—no matter what.

Schar isn’t always the most sympathetic character, and when miscommunication occurs a few times, I wanted to shake her a bit. But she is a woman who wears her heart on her sleeve, and definitely doesn’t suffer fools! I really enjoyed this.

The book publishes 9/29.

Book Review: "See You Next Tuesday" by Kate Stayman-London

I loved this book for several reasons, but one of them is that it reminded me of what it was like to be excited by a political candidate and be hopeful for the future. Lord knows we could use a lot of that in the U.S. right now!!

Nothing gets Anya more energized than working on a political campaign. She loves helping candidates she believes in, candidates she thinks would make a difference. When she meets Gabe, she is awestruck by his handsomeness, but his ego and what she sees as his lack of principles irritate her to no end.

They keep running into each other, either working in different roles on a campaign, or being brought together by mutual friends. There’s no doubt that they’re attracted to one another, but they can’t be around each other for long before they’re arguing again. They try to at least be friends, but one always makes the other one mad fairly quickly.

The book follows them through more than a decade of working on campaigns—local, state, and national. When they work together for a charismatic woman running for the U.S. Senate, they become friends, and both want more, but they’re too afraid to admit their feelings. Yet the two stand by each other through difficult personal times, and then they finally fall in love.

But when Anya and Gabe both get jobs working for Democratic presidential candidates, suddenly they’re rivals. Anya feels strongly that her candidate is the right one for the country. While Gabe might not feel the exact same way, he knows his candidate is more electable. Can they be opponents at the same time as being lovers?

I really enjoyed the way the book not only portrayed the frenzy, the highs, and the lows of political campaigns, but also how challenging it can be to hold onto yourself. I loved how the book explored grief and moving on, and while Anya could get a little self-righteous at times, I thought she and Gabe had great chemistry.