This Spells Love by Kate Robb

Rating: 3.5 of 5 stars 

Pages: 352 pages
Published: December 2023

This Spells Love is a debut, friends-to-lovers romcom authored by Kate Robb, and I snagged an early release copy from Book of the Month in November, but the book officially releases in December 2023. I think the punnyness of the title won me over. 

The focal point of the story is Gemma Wilde who is grieving over the end of her long-term relationship. To help her recover, her sister, Kiersten, her aunt Livi, and her best friend Dax McGuire meet up at aunt Livi’s for some margarita therapy where they decide to perform a love-cleansing spell that will make Gemma forget all about her down in the dumps love life. The spell is sealed with a kiss from her platonic BFF, Dax. Much to her surprise the spell works, and she wakes up the next morning in a parallel universe where her life is flipped upside down and Dax knows nothing of her other than they work on the same street in Toronto. For the remainder of the book, Gemma struggles to decide if the life she’s been given is one she wants to keep, or if she needs to reverse the spell before the next waning gibbous phase of the moon, which will happen in about a month. But to reverse the spell, she must duplicate all the steps, including kissing Dax. 

The book moves at a fast pace, sometimes too fast for my liking. Some of Dax’s behaviors just seemed incongruent with how men and relationships work in reality. Overall, the plot is predictable and provided an easy read that I finished over the (U.S.) Thanksgiving holiday. I think it was a fair debut for this author. After finishing the book then reading her acknowledgements in the back, I learned she is a part of a so-called SmutFest 2.0 community that she deems “her people.” Had I known this, honestly, I probably wouldn’t have picked up a copy because that’s just not my genre. I guess when it comes to romance, I am more of a Hallmark girl. But to each his own, not every book is for every one. 

My other struggle with this book were some of the under-developed plot holes. Like, why didn’t it work out with her long-term boyfriend? Robb alludes to it when Gemma encounters him in her parallel universe (where he doesn’t know who she is either), but she never fully explains the reasoning. Also, did Aunt Livi know what would happen as a result of the spell. Again, the author alludes to it, but there’s never any resolution. And it all left me wondering. 

Recommendation: If you’re into the hot and heavy, this may just be the book for you. While I would classify it as chick lit, I must offer the disclaimer that it’s best read by fully-cooked chicks. There are many, steamy sex scenes and graphic details about male body parts that I’d rate R on the motion picture scale. Other than that, I’d select this book if you’re looking for some mindless entertainment over a long weekend. 

Until next time ... Read on!

Regardless of whether I purchase a book, borrow a book, or receive a book in exchange for review, my ultimate goal is to be honest, fair, and constructive. I hope you've found this review helpful.

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All the Dangerous Things by Stacy Willingham

Rating: 4.5 of 5 stars 

Pages: 326 pages
Published: January 2023

All the Dangerous Things by Stacy Willingham had been sitting on my physical TBR (to be read) shelf for quite some time. I purchased it December 2022 with my monthly Book of the Month credit, but I didn't get around to reading it until April 2023 when I nominated it for my work book club read. The story centers around Isabelle Drake who literally cannot sleep since her toddler son, Mason, went missing nearly a year prior. This traumatic event has cost her marriage as well as shuteye time. To keep Mason's case alive, Isabelle accepts speaking engagements in hopes that a new clue will come forward to lead her to her son. The book opens at one such event where she is approached by a podcaster who wants to help give her story some exposure by producing a series of episodes (think NYT's Serial podcast). With help from this new avenue, Isabelle begins to recall more about Mason's disappearance and the death of her sister when she was a child, both events leading her closer to the truth. 

This is not my first Willingham read, I thoroughly enjoyed A Flicker in the Dark when I read it in July 2022, which prompted my purchase of her latest book. Willingham is an excellent writer and a mistress of suspense. She captures the reader early only, giving them no choice but to continue reading until reaching the end. While I enjoy a suspense-filled thriller, I also appreciated the other themes the author touched on with respect to motherhood, guilt and a sense of morality (or lack thereof) in personal choices.  

For those who might be wondering: My work book club enjoyed the book, but it was like the third book that involved a missing child so it wasn't received as well as it could have been if we'd selected different topics. 

Recommendation: I highly recommend this book for mystery lovers and armchair detectives who find crime-solving entertaining. The author provides enough red herrings to keep you guessing, but enough valid clues to keep you invested. The book could be triggering for some because it involves a missing child; however, I found the overall plot to be palatable and well executed. I can't wait to see if Willingham writes a third book and if it's also picked up by Book of the Month - which rarely disappoints in its monthly choices. 

Until next time ... Read on!

Regardless of whether I purchase a book, borrow a book, or receive a book in exchange for review, my ultimate goal is to be honest, fair, and constructive. I hope you've found this review helpful.

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A History of Wild Places by Shea Ernshaw

Rating: 4 of 5 stars 

Pages: 354 pages
Published: December  2021

What a wild ride! A History of Wild Places by Shea Ernshaw is mainly mystery, part horror with a touch of the supernatural. The novel begins with Travis Wren, a detective of sorts, who finds missing people. He is hired by the parents of Maggie St. James to locate their adult daughter who has been missing for several years. During his investigation, Travis crashes his truck, and sometime later a member - Theo - of this strange and reclusive community called Pastoral finds the abandoned vehicle with no signs of life around it. Theo and the people who live there exhibit cult-like behaviors and have unrealistic fears about the world around them. The abandoned truck sparks curiosity in Theo to think outside of the Pastoral box, which leads to long-buried secrets being revealed. 

I really can't say much more about this book without giving away too much and detracting from its suspense. It was a very enjoyable read. The author did a good job of creating imagery and making the reader feel as though they are actually in the story. As I read this book, I felt like I traveled to Pastoral myself and at the end I came out of the darkness and into the light. 

Some reviewers have shared that this book is similar to the plot of the movie The Village. I have not seen that movie, but having read about it after I read this book, I can see how similarities are drawn. I think this type of story is best in book form because it's easier to create a sense of confusion with words lending itself to greater suspense. 

Recommendation: I really enjoyed this book, and I would recommend it to any mystery and suspense fan. This is my first read by Ernshaw, but I don't think it will be my last. Book of the Month offered up another good suggestion for me, and I extend that suggestion to you! 

Until next time ... Read on!

Regardless of whether I purchase a book, borrow a book, or receive a book in exchange for review, my ultimate goal is to be honest, fair, and constructive. I hope you've found this review helpful.

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What's Mine and Yours by Naima Coster

Rating: 1.5 of 5 stars 

Pages: 341 pages
Published: March 2021

Book of the Month missed the mark with this recommendation — What's Mine and Yours by Naima Coster. The synopsis does not describe what the book is about, but I can't even tell you what it was about because it was all over the place. The constant switching between perspectives and time periods was ineffective and confusing. There was a lack of character development, and I was sorely disappointed that all of the brown and black people in this book were portrayed in such a negative light. I do not know what Coster was attempting to do, but this whole novel was poorly executed. If BOTM gave refunds, I would ask for one. However, the books are provided at such a discounted rate, I can let this one failure slide. 

Recommendation: I do not recommend this book, and I have nothing more to say beyond that. 

Until next time ... Read on!

Regardless of whether I purchase a book, borrow a book, or receive a book in exchange for review, my ultimate goal is to be honest, fair, and constructive. I hope you've found this review helpful.

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Not A Happy Family by Shari Lapena

Rating: 3.5 of 5 stars 

Pages: 349 pages
Published: July 2021

Not a Happy Family is an aptly-named mystery by Shari Lapena. It is about a very (white) privileged trio of siblings who immediately upon learning their parents have been murdered begin to calculate what benefits they will reap from their untimely deaths. Enter their bitter aunt who is sure their father (her brother) has adjusted his will to include a larger portion for her, and the siblings absolutely lose their mind because instead of inheriting tens of millions, they may only get a few million dollars. The whole plot, while realistic in some circles, was almost laughable. 

Most of the book vacillates between each of the family members providing more information with each short chapter leaving the reader more confused as to who the actual murderer was. You do learn at the end, but it's just beyond that revelation that the author introduces a twist that provides a satisfying ending. 

This book was a Book of the Month Club selection, and it didn't disappoint. My rating is a little low just because I couldn't really relate to the characters and their "problems." But it was an interesting read. I was invested to complete it. The author does a great job creating suspense and intrigue, thus engaging the reader. 

Recommendation: I would definitely recommend this novel as a quick read for mystery lovers. It will keep you guessing until the very end! 

Until next time ... Read on!

Regardless of whether I purchase a book, borrow a book, or receive a book in exchange for review, my ultimate goal is to be honest, fair, and constructive. I hope you've found this review helpful.

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Black Buck by Mateo Askaripour

Rating: 2.5 of 5 stars

Pages: 381 pages
Published: January 2021

I am disappointed to report that it took me a long two weeks to complete Black Buck by Mateo Askaripour. A debut novel about a young black man currently working at one of my favorite places but also searching for himself and striving for success as eventually finds himself in a sales role in bumbling New York City.  

The book opens with Darren Vender living in a Bed-Stuy brownstone with his widowed mother surrounded and supported by his close-knit community. A chance encounter with an exectuive from the top floor of the building where Darren works as a Starbucks barista lands him the opportunity of a lifetime at a start-up company run by that executive. From there Darren transforms into Buck, and the story quickly moves from one unrealistic scenario to another ultimately falling flat. 

While I did appreciate the nods to the culture and how music was incorporated in the first half of the book, I didn't really like the premise of a novel as a sales manual. If I wanted to read a sales manual or a motivational book on how to become a salesperson, I would have done just that - not purchased a novel disguised as one. I think the biggest issue for me was the treatment of women in general, but especially women of color, as characters in the book. They were grossly underdeveloped. And the cherry on top was Soraya being depicted as his ever-devoted girlfriend even though Buck treated her and her father so horribly. I'm all about forgiveness, but I just don't see how any real woman could have forgotten his behavior in the first half of the book to the point that she stuck with him in the end. (Note: This isn't a spoiler. If interested, you'd have to read the book to understand where Buck lands at the end to get my point.) 

Recommendation: I like giving debut authors a chance, especially often overlooked authors of color, and I'm glad I gave Askaripour a chance and read his book all the way through, even the acknowledgements. This book was not my cup of tea (or cup of joe), but he promises his next one won't be anything like this one. So, who knows, I might give his next novel a try.

Until next time ... Read on!

Regardless of whether I purchase a book, borrow a book, or receive a book in exchange for review, my ultimate goal is to be honest, fair, and constructive. I hope you've found this review helpful.

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Goodnight Beautiful by Aimee Malloy

Rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

Pages: 293 pages
Published: October 2020

Goodnight Beautiful by Aimee Malloy was a BOTM selection that I did not purchase, but rather borrowed, from my local library. The story is about newlyweds Sam and Annie who move from New York City to a more suburban area of New York to start their new life together. Sam is an attractive, well-known therapist who sees clients in his downstairs office. Unfortunately, his sessions can be heard via an upstairs vent. Sam also, like many married couples, has some secrets of his own. These all collide and Sam goes missing. 

Oh my word, this was an excellent, twisty read! Tangled with plot lines from Stephen King's Misery, the story is fast-moving and reaches a pretty tidy ending. The thing I liked most about this book is it challenged the reader to question his/her/them preconceived ideas about gender dialect and behavior. 

I don't want to share anymore so that I don't give away any of the juicy plot twists and turns. 

Recommendation: Just go snag a copy for yourself. It's a fun way to spend a few days losing yourself in a story.  

Until next time ... Read on!

Regardless of whether I purchase a book, borrow a book, or receive a book in exchange for review, my ultimate goal is to be honest, fair, and constructive. I hope you've found this review helpful.

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Pretty Little Wife by Darby Kane

Rating: 4 of 5 stars
Pages: 416 pages
Published: December 2020

Pretty Little Wife by Darby Kane (who also writes romance as HelenKay Dimon) was a fast-paced mystery thriller about a young wife who plans the perfect murder of her morally-questionable husband only to find that his supposedly-dead body has gone missing and thrown her plans into complete disarray. 

The story centers around Lila and her husband, Aaron. He commits some pretty horrible acts that triggers his pretty little wife's past and causes her to take dire actions in an attempt to stop him. The only problem is the set-up for her husband's death does not go as planned, and she, of course, becomes the prime suspect target in the lead detective's (Ginny's) eyes. 

I enjoyed the book. It had all the elements of a suspenseful plot. The chapters were really short, some only a page or two long, which for some reason gives books a faster-tone for me. I have noticed this a lot with mystery novels. I think it's intentional to create tension as you turn (or click in ebooks) the pages faster. There was definitely some red herrings in the novel to throw the reader off, but I found it to be somewhat predictable about two-thirds of the way in. The ending introduced at least one character quite randomly, and I'm not sure if that was added after the original manuscript was written. I don't know. It just didn't seem fully thought out to me. Additionally, the ending was wrapped up nicely and quickly, which I found to be a bit of a flaw in such a complex plot. 

Truly, the best parts of the book are when we, as the readers, learn about Lila's backstory as well as the backstory of some of the secondary characters. It gave them depth and made the story more compelling. I do have to say, the strong character of Ginny resonated with me most. This is another excellent selection from Book of the Month, and I'm thankful for the opportunity to have read it upon its release. 

Recommendation: A fun, fast-paced mystery thriller for adult readers, I give this one four stars and offer it as recommended reading for you or your book club discussion. Trigger warnings: violence, sexual abuse

Until next time ... Read on!

Regardless of whether I purchase a book, borrow a book, or receive a book in exchange for review, my ultimate goal is to be honest, fair, and constructive. I hope you've found this review helpful.

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The Girl in the Mirror by Rose Carlyle

Rating: 4.5 of 5 stars
Pages: 304 pages
Published: October 2020

I signed up for the Book of the Month subscription nearly a year ago because the company touts their panel's ability to choose great reads, and for the most part they have not disappointed me. When I added The Girl in the Mirror by Rose Carlyle to my box, I figured it would be good. 

As a read along about these identical twin sisters who separated at the last possible moment in the womb and, as a result, were mirror images of each other (include their internal organs), I found the story to have the makings of a run-of-the mill mystery. As older teens, the sisters' father died and, in a most dysfunctional way, he leaves he entire fortune to the first child (and there are more than just the twins) who marries and produces his first biological grandchild. The "winning" heir cannot share the monies with any of his or her siblings. As the identical twins enter adulthood, they are the oldest and most likely to bear an heir. Summer who has the perfect life with her husband seems in prime position since her twin's, Iris, marriage has recently fallen apart. As luck would have it, Summer calls Iris out to help sail the family yacht back home due to a family emergency and on the way back, Iris finds herself without her twin in the middle of the Indian Ocean. When she makes landfall, she uses the unfortunate opportunity to seize her sister's perfect life and grab the inheritance while she's at it. 

The story is well written. It creates enough mystery to keep the reader invested to the finish, but the thing that makes this book great is the plot twist that literally doesn't come till the last page of the book. It has left many readers, myself included, jaw dropped. You might think throwing in a plot twist at the very end of the book would cheapen its effect, but it does just the opposite. It leaves the reader reeling and trying to figure out how it all happened for days. 

Recommendation: This was definitely a fast-paced, twisty sister novel. If you can get past the technical sailing terms included in  the novel, it's an easy and fun read over a lazy weekend. I highly recommend it. 

Until next time ... Read on!

Regardless of whether I purchase a book, borrow a book, or receive a book in exchange for review, my ultimate goal is to be honest, fair, and constructive. I hope you've found this review helpful.

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Leave the World Behind by Rumaan Alam

Rating: 2 of 5 stars
Pages: 256 pages
Published: October 2020

Leave the World Behind by Rumaan Alam is one of of those books where you love it or you hate it. I hated it. It seemed much longer than its 256 pages and ended with no real conclusion of any kind. The book is basically about a white family of 4 who rent an Airbnb for a vacation away from the city. Upon the first few days of their vacation, the Black owners of the home show up unannounced with news that something very strange is going on in the world that has hindered communication with people in New York and news media to electronic devices. From there, many random things happen that, I suppose, are to illustrate the uncertainty of the situation and how people react in a dire situation. The book goes on like this till the end that isn’t really an end. I seriously thought maybe I was missing some pages. 

This was a Book of the Month add-on selection for me. On one-hand I’m disappointed I spent my money on it, but on the other hand, it was only $9.99. So, membership does have its privileges. 

The over-attention to detail - the droning on and on of grocery list items and non-essential sexual activities just didn’t do it for me. The only reason, and I am so serious when I say this, the only reason I continued to the end is for the upcoming Netflix movie that will star my two favorite actors -  Denzel Washington and Julia Roberts. I have a feeling this will be one of the rare cases where the movie will be better than the book - it has to be! 

Recommendation: Save your time and your coins - just wait for the movie. So little time; so many books. Choose something else.  

Until next time ... Read on!

Regardless of whether I purchase a book, borrow a book, or receive a book in exchange for review, my ultimate goal is to be honest, fair, and constructive. I hope you've found this review helpful.

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Anxious People by Fredrik Backman

Rating: 5+ of 5 stars
Pages: 352 pages
Published: September 2020

I love, love Fredrik Backman. I've read all of his novels (just search his name on this blog), and I think he is one of the most gifted writers in modern literature. He is able to compose sentences in a way that evoke a myriad of emotions. So, it was no surprise that as I read, I found myself pondering then laughing and then tearing up throughout Anxious People. So, what is this book about? If you read it (and please do read it), you will see that even the narrator even has a hard time pinpointing the exact subject matter. But I think overall it's about life and how we deal with it. It's written in a unique way, and in my opinion, it almost reads like a stage play. The best part of the book are the little nuggets of truth Backman hides within this dramedy. Here are some of my favorites - 

Our hearts are bars of soap that we keep losing hold of; the moment we relax, they drift off and fall in love and get broken, all in the wink of an eye. 

Because that was a parent's job: to provide shoulders. Shoulders for your children to sit on when they're little so they can see the world, then to stand on when they get older so they can reach the clouds, and sometimes lean against whenever they stumble and feel unsure. 

She told herself that was why you should always be nice to other people, even idiots, because you never know how heavy their burden is. 

I think you can understand someone without necessarily agreeing with them. 

Have you ever held a three-year-old by the hand on the way home from preschool? You're never more important than you are then. 

Because the people we argue with hardest of all are not the ones who are completely different from us, but the ones who are almost no different at all. 

He was my echo. Everything I do is quieter now. 

If you can do something for someone in such a way that they think they managed it all on their own, then you've done a good job. 

Loneliness is like starvation, you don't realize how hungry you are until you begin to eat. 

That's the power of literature, you know, it can act lie little love letters between people who can only explain their feelings by pointing at other people's. 

It's such an odd thing, the way you can know someone so perfectly through what they read. 

You can't carry the guilt and the shame and the unbearable silence on your own, and you shouldn't have to.

You see what I mean? He just finds the most beautiful ways to say the most basic things. So, back to the book. It's a story about a person at a desperate point in their life who does something they normally wouldn't and the resulting events affect a group of people who happen to be viewing an apartment for sale. Backman provides a bit of back story to each character while taking us through one day they all shared together. It sounds complicated, but the result of this novel is an uplifting work of art. Just go snag a copy! 

Recommendation: This book was definitely written for my generation, but I really think anyone can appreciate the beauty in it. If you have ever considered suicide suffer from anxiety or depression, please consider this book carefully. But note that it contains much hope! And in times like these, we could all use a little of that. 

Until next time ... Read on!

Regardless of whether I purchase a book, borrow a book, or receive a book in exchange for review, my ultimate goal is to be honest, fair, and constructive. I hope you've found this review helpful.

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One by One by Ruth Ware

Rating: 4 of 5 stars
Pages: 372 pages
Published: September 2020

The thing with having a Book of the Month subscription is that you rarely, if ever, run into any bad books. For the month of September, I splurged on three books (read the next 2 reviews or view my reading list to learn the titles). While I finished One by One by Ruth Ware on the last day of a warm summer in Texas, the book took me to the snowy mountains in the French Alps. This was my first read by this prolific mystery/thriller author. The book centers around the employees of this interesting new mobile app that allows users to listen in or "snoop" on what other people, including celebrities, are listening to musically. 

Anyway, the eight employees including the founding (and stock-holding) members of the company go off to the luxurious ski chalet for a team-building retreat. While there, they learn that one of the founders has ulterior business motives for the trip. An unexpected and dangerous avalanche leaves the guests stranded and one by one (get it?), people start dying. The plot has the makings of a classic whodunit, like Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None. The two staff members, Erin and Danny, try to maintain a sense of control while waiting for help to come clear the way, but they are in just as much danger. 

This book was suspenseful enough to keep me turning the pages. Ware does a good job of providing clues to lead you to the killer. I enjoyed her beautiful descriptions of the Alps and the snow. It transported me right there, and when she got to the action, I felt emotions as if I were a character in the book. The only thing that bothered me about this book was the length. I think the last portion including the ski chase could have been removed as it seemed to slow down the overall pace of the novel. 

None of these characters are really that likable, which is odd because the story is. I read this book as a read-along with an online book club, but I think it might be even more fun to read when it's cold outside. 

Recommendation: I would recommend One by One as an intense, fast-paced winter read. 

Until next time ... Read on!

Regardless of whether I purchase a book, borrow a book, or receive a book in exchange for review, my ultimate goal is to be honest, fair, and constructive. I hope you've found this review helpful.

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The Night Swim by Megan Goldin

Rating: 5 of 5 stars
Pages: 352 pages
Published: August 2020

The Night Swim by Megan Goldin was one of my Book of the Month selections for August. The plot centers around Rachel Krall, a former investigative journalist who now headlines a widely popular true crime podcast. In the opening of the book, the reader learns that the protagonist is on her way to a fiction town in North Carolina to cover the rape trial of the town's celebrity athlete who is accused of assaulting a younger teen girl. If this sounds familiar, it's because that part of the plot is very similar to real-life Brock Turner case. On her way to town, a letter is left on the windshield of her car regarding another case that happened 25 years earlier. As the story goes on, we find the two cases intertwined and Rachel in some pretty dangerous situations as her investigative spirit gets the best of her in searching for the truth in both.  

As a fan of mystery thrillers and true crime podcasts, I found this book to be completely captivating. Once I started reading it, I couldn't put it down. When I was forced to, I would open it back up as soon as I had free time to read again. Goldin has done a good job with a very sensitive subject. At times I wondered if she is a survivor of sexual assault in the persuasive stance she took on the topic and how she described the logistical aftermath of a rape and its resulting emotional trauma. Goldin is able to paint a vivid picture with her writing, putting the reader right in the middle of the story. And that cover art is pretty alluring as well, wouldn't you agree?

Recommendation: I would definitely recommend this book, if you're looking for a quick mystery thriller, but beware of emotional triggers. 

Until next time ... Read on!

Regardless of whether I purchase a book, borrow a book, or receive a book in exchange for review, my ultimate goal is to be honest, fair, and constructive. I hope you've found this review helpful.

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The Shadows by Alex North

Rating: 4 of 5 stars
Pages: 336 pages
Published: July 2020

The Shadows by Alex North was my second indulgence from my July Book of the Month subscription service. The synopsis is what prompted me to purchase this mystery thriller. Paul Adams, the protagonist, has returned to his hometown to take care of his ailing mother. Twenty-five years prior Paul's classmate, Charlie Crabtree disappeared after an unsolved murder. Everyone believes that Charlie must be the killer because he disappeared without a trace after the crime. Upon high school graduation, Paul left town and never looked back until he was forced to return and when he does he finds himself drawn right back into the mysterious case again. 

This is the first book I've read by this author. I think he does a good job creating suspense and giving the reader a reason to continue the journey with the narrator. I found the pace of the book to be just right; not too fast, not too slow, and the conclusion a satisfying one. My only critique would be about the issue with Paul and his high school love interest. I don't think the author did a good job of fully developing that twist in the plot. I won't write anymore so as not to spoil this relatively new release. 

I think North is a good writer, and this was a compelling story. It prompted me to purchase The Whisper Man for my August subscription. Review soon to come! 

Recommendation: If you're looking for a mystery with dark tones and intrigue, I'd highly recommend this as your next read. 

Until next time ... Read on!

Regardless of whether I purchase a book, borrow a book, or receive a book in exchange for review, my ultimate goal is to be honest, fair, and constructive. I hope you've found this review helpful.

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The Beauty in Breaking by Michele Harper

Rating: 4.5 of 5 stars
Pages: 304 pages
Published: July 2020

The Beauty in Breaking by Dr. Michele Harper is a beautifully written memoir in which the emergency room doctor shares tales of her life growing up in an abusive home, being educated at Harvard, and her subsequent career in the medical field. I chose this book as one of my July Book of the Month selections. 

Each chapter in this book focuses on a patient or patients that Harper encountered in her career. While protecting confidentiality, she shares the ailment that brought them into the hospital and her treatment plan. That probably doesn't sound any different than what you could watch on a medical drama on TV; however, Harper also digs deeper beyond the diagnosing the patient's illness but learning more about their brokenness. In some cases, she is able to help them beyond a prescription or referral. And then, she shares how sometimes she never knows what happens to a patient once they leave her facility, or in more dire cases, the patient dies. Each story is unique, and Harper approaches each vignette with care and respect. If she heals the way she writes, she is probably an excellent doctor. 

Her overarching message is that we are all broken in some way - physically, emotionally, spiritually, economically. But like a broken piece of pottery, the cracks are what allow the light to shine through. Harper did an exceptional job sharing her life's work and story. The memoir is wonderfully written, and I am simply in awe that someone with such a demanding career was able to make time to also write such a succinct piece of non-fiction. 

Recommendation: While the topics are heavy, the prose is written in such a way that allows the reader to draw from it easily. I highly recommend The Beauty in Breaking. 

Until next time ... Read on!

Regardless of whether I purchase a book, borrow a book, or receive a book in exchange for review, my ultimate goal is to be honest, fair, and constructive. I hope you've found this review helpful.

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Beach Read by Emily Henry

Rating: 4 of 5 stars
Pages: 361 pages
Published: May 2020

A solid 4 stars for Beach Read by Emily Henry. I learned about this book from Book of the Month but snagged a paperback copy during Target's "Buy 2; Get 1" sale this summer.

The story is about two writers, January, who writes romance novels that are happily ever afters and Augustus, who is committed to dark literary fiction. The two genres and writers are as different as their seasonal names suggest (i.e., summer/winter). They have a history with one another dating back to their college days and consider each other literary rivals. Both writers are also at difficult points in their personal lives, suffering from writer's block in their professional ones, and just happen to be living in adjacent beach houses. Their professional troubles lead them to make a bet of sorts, January will write a literary fiction as her next novel and Augustus will write a romantic one for his. This agreement takes them on several adventures togethers, and as you might suspect, a friendship develops.

By the cover, you might think this book is chick lit or a rom-com, and that would be true, there are some steamy scenes. However, the plot much deeper than romance. The personal issues the protagonists are struggling with are very real and somewhat dark. I picked up this book thinking I would get a light read, but I got more than I bargained for and I think it made for a successful story. A reader might be looking for a light, thoughtless read to push through the hot summer days, and there are plenty available. Beach Read is a little heavier, and as a more mature reader I appreciated the mix of light and dark.

The reason for the lacking star is the slow start. It takes awhile for the author to build the story and early on the construction of her sentences made some parts difficult to understand causing me to have to re-read several sentences. I feel like about a third of the way into the book she found her rhythm and the pace picked up for me.

Recommendation: It was a slow start but well worth the finish. A great beach read for my summer quarantine sans the beach.

Until next time ... Read on!

Regardless of whether I purchase a book, borrow a book, or receive a book in exchange for review, my ultimate goal is to be honest, fair, and constructive. I hope you've found this review helpful.

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The Last Flight by Julie Clark

Rating: 4 of 5 stars
Pages: 288 pages
Published: June 2020

The Last Flight by Julie Clark was my June selection from Book of the Month. Book of the Month is a wonderful little subscription service if you enjoy reading physical copies of books, what's more is you often get access to books before they're officially released to the public at large. This was the case with The Last Flight. I am really glad I snagged a copy of this psychological thriller about two women looking to escape their dangerous lives and swap plane tickets at the airport. The premise might seem far-fetched, but after reading the book, people could certainly do this and get away with it. So, you have Claire who is married to a super aggressive and abusive aspiring political giant, and Eva, who is in a seemingly inescapable situation of her own. Their chance meeting at an airport restaurant results in their mutual decision to take on each other's identity for the purpose of a flight. This life-altering event is the nexus of a series of events.

I found this book to be entertaining, insightful, fast-paced and ... simply thrilling. I had to stop myself from wanting to read faster and faster to find out what happens in the lives of these women but also not wanting it to end because I enjoyed the character development and got invested in both of them as well as the overall plot. The story, like a lot of thrillers, is told in alternating perspectives and timelines. I suspect most mystery and thriller authors choose this tactic to create more suspense, and it worked well in this instance. I enjoyed this book so much when I shared what I was reading with my mother she asked if she could borrow my copy when I was finished.

Recommendation: This is a quick, short book that can be read over a nice summer weekend. I promise it will keep you guessing till the very end. The official release date was June 23rd so you should be able to find a copy at your local library now, or purchase your own wherever books are sold.

Until next time ... Read on!

Regardless of whether I purchase a book, borrow a book, or receive a book in exchange for review, my ultimate goal is to be honest, fair, and constructive. I hope you've found this review helpful.

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A Good Marriage by Kimberly McCreight

Rating: 5 of 5 stars
Pages: 400 pages
Published: May 2020

What constitutes a good marriage? If you're looking for the answer, you're not going to find it in this book. However, the novel, A Good Marriage, is a legal mystery full of twists and revelations that keep you turning the page until you learn who the killer is. This Book of the Month Club selection features Lizzie, a former federal prosector who is now working as an attorney in the private sector. She gets a late-night call from her former college mate, Zach, who has been arrested and is the main suspect in his wife's murder. Lizzie reluctantly takes his case and becomes an amateur sleuth in trying to find out what happened to his wife, Amanda. On top of that, Lizzie is having some pretty serious marital problems of her own.

The book is told through the alternating perspectives of Lizzie and Amanda and also includes grand jury testimony and other correspondence to give the reader clues for solving the mystery. Having said that, I was unable to discern the killer until the very end. The author, Kimberly McCreight, included several red herrings in the story that threw me off.

I enjoyed reading this book. I found it to be very engaging, and I think McCreight is a masterful storyteller. There were a couple of elements she introduced that added more suspense to the plot, but I don't think she closed the loop on. These are very minor and don't affect the story greatly. There was also foul language that I don't think added value to the story, and at times, seemed forced. Overall, this was an entertaining read, especially during this time of quarantine.

Recommendation: I give this novel 5 stars. I highly recommend it. Fans of Law & Order might enjoy this book.

Until next time ... Read on!

Regardless of whether I purchase a book, borrow a book, or receive a book in exchange for review, my ultimate goal is to be honest, fair, and constructive. I hope you've found this review helpful.

Read More