A Well-Read Tart

A Food and Book Lover’s Blog

AUNT DIMITY’S CHRISTMAS Book Review

I had mixed feelings as I was reading Aunt Dimity’s Christmas. When I started reading the book, I wasn't quite sure I was going to post a review for it. In the end, this well-meaning story is one I wanted to share with you all for the holiday season.    What's Aunt Dimity's Christmas about? Aunt Dimity's Christmas isn't my first book in this Cotswolds crime-solving series, so I knew a little bit of what I was getting myself into with this...

GHOSTS: A NOVEL Book Review

Ghosts: A Novel is not actually about ghosts. Not one little bit.  Yes, I was disappointed at first. I do love my supernatural horror. However, this book ended up being so darn fantastic that I ended up not missing the "ghosts" at all.     What's Ghosts: A Novel about? Ghosts is a bittersweet, funny, sarcastic, hopeful, and honest portrayal of navigating single life in your 30s and all that it brings. Like, pressure to find a partner....

HOUR OF THE WITCH Book Review

Even though I read Hour of the Witch last year, it seems I've waited for good time to post my book review.  I'm not going to get too political here. But, if you're a woman -- particularly one of child-bearing age and means -- you're probably feeling a little limited these days.  But, geez. After reading Hour of the Witch and meeting Mary Deerfield, who hails from Puritan Boston, I'd say we ladies of the 21st century have it pretty darn...

THE COTTAGE ON PUMPKIN AND VINE and THE BAKESHOP AT PUMPKIN AND SPICE Book Reviews

Tartlets, it’s Two-fer Tuesday! The Cottage on Pumpkin and Vine and The Bakeshop at Pumpkin and Spice are set in the same enchanting world of Moonbright, Maine, so I thought it'd be fun to do a dual book review today.   Never judge a book (completely) by its cover LOOK AT THESE BOOK COVERS. And these titles! With the fall season in full swing, how can you resist something with “pumpkin” or “spice” in the title? Obviously, I couldn't,...

THE DROWNING KIND Book Review

The Drowning Kind has made me SO happy that I didn't buy a house with a pond. Or, a lake. Hell, even a pool. Because I am legit now a little creeped out by all bodies of water and what may be lurking beneath the surface.    What's The Drowning Kind about? This supernatural horror story is a mix of contemporary and historical fiction. It follows two main characters. There's present-day Jax, who returns to her Vermont family home after...

RECIPE FOR A PERFECT WIFE Book Review

The quickest way to dissolve a marriage is with secrets and lies. Both abound in Recipe for a Perfect Wife.  This bold, thought-provoking, and heartfelt novel by Karma Brown captured me right from the start with its recipes, its gardening advice, and its setting in the New York suburbs – all the things an in-her-late-30s woman like myself enjoys.    What's Recipe for a Perfect Wife about? In Recipe for a Perfect Wife, you have Nellie,...

GHOSTER Book Review

Ghoster isn't a book I'd normally gravitate toward, but I’m glad I picked it up. A fellow Bookstagrammer who rarely steers me wrong when it comes to thriller recommendations put this Jason Arnopp novel on my radar. Sure enough, Arnopp's clever writing sucked me into the story right away.    What's Ghoster about? The premise of Ghoster is intriguing: main character Kate is suddenly “ghosted” (translation: abandoned) by her boyfriend...

LOVE LIKE THAT Book Review

Love Like That is the perfect book for when you don't have time to read an entire novel.     What's Love Like That about? Author Emma Duffy-Comparone’s collection of short stories is about imperfect women dealing with imperfect love in all its forms. The heroine of each story is flawed – humorously, pathetically, worryingly -- but always relatable. You may not identify with every situation portrayed in Love Like That, but you’ll...

THE LOST VILLAGE Book Review

The Lost Village is an excellent example of why I really, really dislike organized religion. Of course, I fully understand and acknowledge that not every religion turns into a cult. But the framework is there, and The Lost Village makes you realize just how easily the tide can turn with the right (or wrong) person to lead it. Despite that, I love a good cult story and an atmospheric creepy thriller. This debut novel by Camilla Sten delivers...

SURVIVING SAVANNAH Book Review

It took me a few chapters to get drawn into Surviving Savannah, but once I did, I couldn’t put this book down. Settle in, Tartlets, because this book review is going to be a little longer than usual. This bittersweet, fascinating historical fiction novel left me with two things: 1) a hardened resolve to never, ever, ever take a cruise 2) a need to know more about the real story behind the Pulaski steamship disaster...