Things Half in Shadow is written by an author that you’ve all heard of.
You’re probably looking at the book cover photo and going, “Nope. Never heard of Alan Finn.” And, I agree: most of you probably haven’t.
But I’m sure many of you have heard of Riley Sager, author of bestselling thriller novels like Lock Every Door, The House Across the Lake, and his latest, Middle of the Night.
Before Sager’s name was everywhere as a prolific...
I’d seen Hello Beautiful by Ann Napolitano circling Bookstagram for almost a year before I read it. This family saga was receiving a lot of hype, and I’ve been disappointed by overhyped books before.
What finally convinced me to read Hello Beautiful were two things: a book recommendation from Just Leave It to the Prose from my writing workshop group, and the fact that the story is loosely based around Little Women.
As you may remember from...
Tartlets, prepare yourself for ALL the things with In the Garden of Monsters by Crystal King. I could not put down this novel that blends historical fiction, fantasy, Greek and Roman mythology, Gothic horror, and so much more into an amazing read.
What’s In the Garden of Monsters about?
In the Garden of Monsters follows Julia, a 1940s art model who takes a job posing as the goddess Persephone for famed artist Salvador Dali. Julia, Dali,...
Meredith, Alone is one of those stories that gives you hope. It’s a book that makes you want to hug the main character when you reach the end.
There's not a very original premise – traumatized woman with a big heart learns to take steps outside of her comfort zones, both literally and figuratively – but author Claire Alexander creates a main character that you’re cheering for the entire time you’re reading.
What’s Meredith, Alone...
Slow Productivity: The Lost Art of Accomplishment Without Burnout is a book that 20-Something CJ wouldn't have looked twice at.
Let's fast forward (quite) a few years to, well, now. CJ's in her early 40s (and apparently speaking in third person). She has a great career and several side hustles that she loves.
And she's exhausted from trying to fit everything in.
So, you better believe she/I clicked Order on bookshop.org and tracked the...
Tartlets, I literally jumped at the chance to receive an ARC of Wilderness Reform by authors (and brothers) Matt Query and Harrison Query. Their first novel, Old Country, is one of my favorite horror novels ever. I will read anything this duo writes.
While I didn’t love Wilderness Reform quite as much, I really enjoyed the story, especially toward the end. Let’s get into it.
Before you start reading, you should know that Wilderness...
Grab a glass of lemonade, settle into your beach chair, and get ready for the lovely summer read that is The Summer Club.
What’s The Summer Club about? The Summer Club by Hannah McKinnon takes place at a generations-old beach club in Massachusetts named Mayhaven. Everything at Mayhaven – along with its members and staff – is going through a summer of change, whether it's ready for it or not.
This contemporary novel has an ensemble...
I regularly attend goat yoga sessions in the summer, so when I heard that Janna Rollins was writing a cozy mystery titled An Escape Goat: A Zen Goat Mystery about a goat yoga retreat gone awry, I knew I had to read this book.
Prepare yourselves, Tartlets, for all the goats, all the yoga, all the foodie fiction, and, yes, for a spot of murder.
What’s An Escape Goat about?
An Escape Goat is about a woman named Callie who opens up a goat yoga...
I really wanted to love Namrata Patel’s newest novel, The Curious Secrets of Yesterday. I absolutely adored Patel’s debut, The Candid Life of Meena Dave. While I didn’t get a chance to read her sophomore book, Scent of a Garden, I was excited when Kaye Publicity approached me about an ARC for book #3.
Unfortunately, The Curious Secrets of Yesterday is getting added to the DNF pile for me. Let’s talk about why.
What’s The Curious...
I wasn’t going to read Horse by Geraldine Brooks. I usually avoid books about animals because I’m terrified of getting attached to said animal, and then of the animal dying at the end.
(Marley and Me, Where the Red Fern Grows – I’m looking at you.)
But something made me pick up Horse. I have absolutely zero regrets.
What’s Horse about?
Horse is about, well, a horse. As you may have guessed. It’s also about so much more than...