Two people in two days told me to read The Midnight Library, and I'm rather glad they did. I'm also glad that I listened to them. What's The Midnight Library about? This unique, thought-provoking novel by Matt Haig maintains a "road not taken" approach. It's about a suicidal woman, Nora, who's magically transported to the "midnight library," a place where each book contains the story of the life she could have lived if she had...
I never really think of December as a spooky time of year. But, author Cassandra Parkin manages to change that with her book The Winter's Child. What's The Winter's Child about? The Winter's Child is full of twists and turns, ghostly premonitions and ghastly visions as main character Susannah waits for her long-lost -- and possibly deceased -- son to return to her on Christmas Eve. Soon, Susannah starts seeing things that...
It took me a long time to write my book review of My Dark Vanessa. Much longer than it took me to read the book, which I drank up as quickly as I could. Author Kate Elizabeth Russell's novel is exquisite, which is an odd thing to say for a story about such a delicate topic, but it's true. The writing in My Dark Vanessa is haunting, beautiful, and lyrical from the get-go. The book pulls you right into its troubling depths. ...
I'm pretty sure that Party of Two is not author Jasmine Guillory's best work. I know, I know: that's a pretty bold statement to make right off the bat. Guillory’s first book, The Wedding Date, made huge waves when it published a few years ago, but I never got around to reading it. I picked up Party of Two because it was the only Guillory title my library had on hand during COVID quarantine. Given all the fuss surrounding the author and her...
Looking for a beach read that goes a little deeper than your typical rom-com? Enter Musical Chairs by Amy Poeppel. What's Musical Chairs about? This wonderful novel is about friends and family whose lives intertwine when they’re all brought together under (or very near to) one roof over a Connecticut summer when nothing goes as planned—in both good and bad ways. The majority of Musical Chairs follows Bridget and Will, who...
I uttered "What the fuck?" an unprecedented number of times while reading Bunny. That’s pretty much the only reaction you can have to this novel by Mona Awad. It's a complete What the actual eff??? ride from beginning to end. What's Bunny about? Bunny takes place at a prestigious art school. There’s a pack of hoity-toity, grad school women there who behave like middle schoolers; they roam around in a pack, affectionately...
A friend with whom I regularly chat about books warned me against reading Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine. We have similar reading tastes -- she's the one who introduced me to Things You Save In A Fire -- and she said she couldn't get into the book, despite all the positive hype around it. As a result, I delved into Eleanor Oliphant with a slightly closed mind and a heavy bout of skepticism. And, to be honest, I wasn’t greatly intrigued...
If you've ever wondered what sex between Bill and Hillary Clinton may be like -- because, of course you have! -- well, wonder no further, readers. Just pick up a copy of Rodham. Images of Hill and Bill, albeit younger versions of them, in every sexual position imaginable now occupy more space in my brain than I once thought possible. Thanks for that, Curtis Sittenfeld. What's Rodham about? Despite the fact that I had to poke...
I want to tell you what reading An American Marriage by Tayari Jones did to me: it blew the doors of my understanding of white privilege wide open. Those doors will never be shut again. I read An American Marriage in the wake of George Floyd’s murder. With a few exceptions, most of my reads are written by white women. This isn’t a purposeful decision, but it’s a trend I’ve noticed over the past few years, so I’ve decided to diversify...
Love is in the air, Tartlets! Happy Valentine's Day! I originally wasn't planning to post anything today, but after scrolling through Instagram last week, I saw lots of "Literary Love Stories" and "Love Story Lists" being posted by book bloggers. I loved the idea and decided to jump on the bandwagon. This month's Quick Look Books list features modern love stories. We all know the great, classic love stories, like Wuthering Heights *swoon* and...
