Gatsby Link Round-Up

I covered a LOT of ground in six short weeks. In case you missed out on any of the Gatsby love, here's a link round-up.

Gatsby's Girl by Caroline Preston

The Chosen and the Beautiful by Nghi Vo

The Great Gatsby: A Graphic Novel Adaptation by K. Woodman-Maynard

Beautiful Little Fools by Jillian Cantor

Self-Made Boys: A Great Gatsby Remix by Anna-Marie McLemore

The Great Gatsby: The Limits of Wonder by Richard Lehan

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

The Annotated Great Gatsby - 100th Anniversary Deluxe Edition

Green Light: A Gatsby Cycle

The Great Gatsby: A Party Primer by Jennifer Adams, illustrated by Alison Oliver

Gatsby The Cultural History of the Great American Novel by Bob Batchelor

Gatsby on Screen

BONUS! Make your own blackout poetry HERE

Gatsby on Screen

I watched all the Gatsby movies (except the now-lost silent film from 1926) so you don't have to! Just kidding, I'm not a movie reviewer and find it difficult to sit through movies (even though I can sit and read a book in a day, go figure) so I'm often very grumpy and narrow-minded with my interpretations. Still... here they are! Agree? Disagree? Leave a comment!

2013

Over the top. The cinematic swoops, overly bright lighting, and cartoonish sharpness made me think of David LaChapelle photographs, which I know have their fans but just look garish and AI-generated to me.

I think the music was too much and the dancing was so jerky that it should have just gone all out as a musical.

I grew up watching the Robert Redford and Sam Waterston version, so I'm biased, and I also don't like Tobey Maguire or Leonardo DiCaprio, so that furthers my bias, but I just don't like this version. That said, I'm glad it was made since it showed a different take on things, and it brought the book back into the spotlight (more than it being required reading for most high schoolers does). Tobey Maguire as Nick just seems so... empty. He seems like the most clueless, sheltered man ever. I got sick of his blank, dumbfounded stares by the first Gatsby party. I have always been intrigued by Nick as a narrator but this movie makes me hate him and question his intelligence in every way. He's intolerable.

2002

I didn't know what to expect with this interpretation... mostly since it's just 97 minutes, and the previous Gatsby flicks I've seen (1974 and 2013) seem entirely too long. Honestly, I was excited to see how the story would unfold when there was a time constraint.

I think this was actually a good movie. I say actually because, in reading reviews, I see criticism for it not being Gatsby enough and not being hip-hop enough. I can agree with both of those takes, but it was pretty refreshing in my mind. There were some nice liberties taken (I mean, there's a homeowner's association involved!) and a good twist regarding the death at the end that kept me interested.

2000

Janet and I watched this and posted reactions on Bluesky on April 12th. I'd previously seen the first half hour or so... yes, that's all, despite owning the DVD. I can't focus on movies for some reason, even if they do include Paul Rudd. This one was well done and concise and I enjoyed all of the actors, so it became my first place Gatsby version after our watch party.

1974

This is the version I grew up with. I remember watching this and The Natural and developing the biggest crush on Robert Redford - what a dreamboat! I thought Sam Waterston was the best Nick until I saw the Paul Rudd version, but I think they capture the same essence. That said, I can't stand how Mia Farrow acts as Daisy, though I do think she's very Daisy-like. Overall, the movie just seems a bit too long to me, so after seeing the 2000 A&E version, that became my new favorite and this was demoted to second place. Still a solid offering, though.

If I could mix and match them to make my own all-star movie, I would choose:

Joel Edgerton - Tom Buchanan

Mira Sorvino - Daisy Buchanan

Paul Rudd - Nick Carraway

Robert Redford - Jay Gatsby

Elizabeth Debicki - Jordan Baker (a bit Zoey Deschanel though)

Isla Fisher - Myrtle Wilson

Gatsby The Cultural History of the Great American Novel by Bob Batchelor

 Gatsby: The Cultural History of the Great American Novel by Bob Batchelor

This book was published in 2014 (by Rowman & Littlefield, I have to shamelessly announce because they also published my first book), so a lot of it focuses on The Great Gatsby 2013 movie, which is... not my favorite, but I'll address the movie specifically later.

But this book isn't about the movie - it puts Gatsby in context throughout history, academia, and more. It starts by covering Fitzgerald's life and the process of writing this classic, and then covers eras as the book went in and out of popularity. Batchelor relates the book to the American Dream in different iterations, dives into the romantic aspect, and addresses greed.

Like the novel itself, this is a book I could come back to time and time again and find something new. I already maxed out the library holds (on my card and my son's!) just to spend enough time with it for an initial read. It could be a textbook for a course studying the cultural context of Gatsby... and you know I'd take that class!

Here's the official blurb from the publisher, which explains it more concisely than I can:

In Gatsby: The Cultural History of the Great American Novel, Bob Batchelor explores the birth, life, and enduring influence of The Great Gatsby—from the book’s publication in 1925 through today’s headlines filled with celebrity intrigue, corporate greed, and a roller-coaster economy. A cultural historian, Batchelor explains why and how the novel has become part of the fiber of the American ethos and an important tool in helping readers to better comprehend their lives and the broader world around them.

A “biography” of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s masterpiece, this book examines The Great Gatsby’s evolution from a nearly-forgotten 1920s time capsule to a revered cultural touchstone. Batchelor explores how this embodiment of the American Dream has become an iconic part of our national folklore, how the central themes and ideas emerging from the book—from the fulfillment of the American Dream to the role of wealth in society—resonate with contemporary readers who struggle with similar uncertainties today. By exploring the timeless elements of reinvention, romanticism, and relentless pursuit of the unattainable, Batchelor confirms the novel’s status as “The Great American Novel” and, more importantly, explains to students, scholars, and fans alike what makes Gatsby so great.

The Great Gatsby: A Party Primer by Jennifer Adams, illustrated by Alison Oliver

 

The Great Gatsby: A Party Primer by Jennifer Adams, illustrated by Alison Oliver

I've been a big fan of BabyLit books since my son was a baby. We had several: Frankenstein, Alice in Wonderland, and Jabberwocky.

I was so excited to see a version for The Great Gatsby even though my son is way too old for them, now! Honestly, I still enjoy them. I love seeing what lines or ideas Adams picks for the books, and the way Oliver illustrates them to convey the meaning of the original text, while making it interesting for younger eyes.

Frankenstein is about body parts, so can you guess what The Great Gatsby is about? Planning and hosting a party! It's so cute and I think it's a fun way to share the story with little kids. They can read the real book later and have their eyes opened, ha!

Countess of Harleigh Mystery Series by Diane Freeman

A Lady's Guide to Etiquette and Murder

Read for Cozy Mystery Book Club and really drawn in by the sassy, independent heroine. I’m picky about historical fiction and wasn’t sure how this one was going to hit me but I think the historical elements were just enough to keep the story in a specific place in time while letting the characters and mystery shine. Looking forward to reading more of this series.

A Lady's Guide to Gossip and Murder

I read the first book in this series for Cozy Mystery Book Club and was hooked! I’m picky about historical fiction, but this is… very gently historical, I would say. It’s so easy to slip into the past and join Frances in this world. I thought this was a great second installment with a very interesting case and loved seeing how Frances rose to the challenges.

A Lady's Guide to Mischief and Murder

Book three was a bit slow for me at the start, but the last fourth was fascinating. In my opinion, there were too many minor characters introduced in passing that ended up being suspects. Because of this, it was hard to keep them straight and try to figure out what was going on re: the crime. However, it didn't really matter because there was no way the reader could have solved the crime along with Frances, which was kind of disappointing because that's my favorite part of cozy mysteries. However, the ending was good enough that I'll definitely keep reading the series and hope this was a lull.

A Fiancee's Guide to First Wives and Murder

After a lackluster third installment, I really enjoyed this book. I liked the progression of the relationship between George and Frances, and liked seeing more of Aunt Hetty. It was also nice that Alicia Stoke-Whitney made a reappearance and developed her character a bit more. I got a bit of Irena’s backstory and family confused throughout the first part of the book, but overall it was a good story and great mystery.

A Bride's Guide to Marriage and Murder

This might have been my favorite book in the series yet! I love seeing more of Frances’s family - they’re all really unique characters. After some of the suspects blending together in the previous two books, this crime and everyone involved really stood out and had me hooked. There were lots of potential suspects yet the reader was able to solve things along with Frances and George.

A Newlywed's Guide to Fortune and Murder

I like that Frances and George are growing together and I like seeing how they work together, but this book was a miss for me. I think all the side characters being a previously unknown family made it harder for me to feel invested in the mystery. I did like how Aunt Hetty stepped up again - she's possibly my favorite character!

An Art Lover's Guide to Paris and Murder

This book was so fun! Frances and George finally get to go to France... but not for the wedding trip they expected. I loved getting more of George's family involved and thought the case and its surrounding drama was probably the best yet in this series. I can't wait for the next installment since this book will most likely change a lot of what happens in the future.

Green Light: A Gatsby Cycle is OUT!

I'm thrilled to announce that my hybrid chapbook, written with Janet Dale, is out today!

Green Light: A Gatsby Cycle offers a striking reimagination of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, told as a collaborative chapbook of found poetry and flash fiction. Using only the first page of each chapter from the novel, Dale and Renner craft a fresh meditation on the classic story—one that explores a boy’s struggle to break free from the place that made him, questioning the very notion of the American Dream.

The authors create a seamless dialogue with Fitzgerald’s work, transforming familiar passages into something entirely new. Each flash fiction piece and poem reflects themes of ambition, yearning, and the pursuit of freedom, while offering a thoughtful exploration of the literary masterpiece.

You can buy a copy directly from me and get it delivered in a shiny green mailer along with a book cover postcard and sticker. 

In the meantime, add it as "Want to Read" on Goodreads and The StoryGraph, then share your thoughts when you've read it.

The Annotated Great Gatsby - 100th Anniversary Deluxe Edition

 

The Annotated Great Gatsby - 100th Anniversary Deluxe Edition

I couldn't resist this gorgeous book. It's the original story, commentary, and almost a textbook, all in one. Okay, textbook might not sound appealing, and I don't really mean it that way. But there's so much information to help put the story and the writing process in context.

There's so much in this book that I haven't even made it all the way through yet, but check out the details from Penguin Random House:

• A new introduction by Amor Towles, bestselling author of Rules of Civility and A Gentleman in Moscow
• A corrected text of Gatsby based on Fitzgerald’s composite manuscript, working galleys, and personal copies 

• Restored American spellings and emendations made by Fitzgerald throughout the book’s life 
• 13 annotated letters between Fitzgerald and Gatsby’s star editor Maxwell Perkins 
• A detailed chronology of Fitzgerald’s life and career, plus extensive explanatory and textual notes 

Here's just a sample of the page layouts, with the original text there to read, but also sidebars about F. Scott himself or details about that time, things he mentioned in the book, etc.

I think this is a must-have for any Gatsby fan, or anyone who loves history, or anyone who loves reading classics and putting them in context. Above all, it's also a gorgeous book.

I Need You to Read This by Jessa Maxwell

I Need You to Read This by Jessa Maxwell

Alex Marks moves to New York City hoping for a fresh start—just a quiet life with her copywriting job. But when she hears about the murder of her childhood hero, Francis Keen, everything changes. Keen wasn’t just any journalist; she was the beloved voice behind Dear Constance, a famous advice column. Her death shocks everyone, but the killer was never caught.

On a whim, Alex applies to take over the column, never thinking she’ll actually land the job. But once she does, strange letters start showing up at the office, making her wonder—why hasn’t the murderer been found? And could her new boss, the powerful editor-in-chief Howard Dimitri, have something to do with it?

As Alex digs deeper, she realizes she’s not just uncovering Keen’s secrets—she’s stirring up ghosts from her own past. And the closer she gets to the truth, the more dangerous things become. Can she solve the mystery before she ends up just like Francis Keen?

I loved the premise of this book. It felt almost comfortable and literary at first, before unsettling things came into play. One slight pet peeve was that I felt like Lucy was too obvious - not who she was necessarily, but how she fit in. I think that reveal came a bit too early and was too heavy-handed. 

Overall the book was a page-turner and I wasn’t sure who did what until the end.

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

I have never reviewed this one because I read it before Goodreads existed and never thought to go back and cover my bases. This was required reading my junior year, and is one of the few required books I actually read. (I have always been a bookworm but argue that there's a difference between reading what I want and required reading, so I often skipped out on anything beyond CliffsNotes for schoolwork.)

When I read this in high school, I loved the language. It was gorgeous, so descriptive I could picture it all. After struggling through dry, long books, this felt refreshingly contemporary. Since that initial reading, I've re-read it several times and always find something new to appreciate. Even now, reading critiques of the book along with spins and retellings, I keep noticing qualities I never noticed on my own.

I'm proud to have my own version of this story (in a way, since it uses some of the original language) out in the world. At least, it's coming soon - on April 10, 2025, the 100th anniversary of the original.

Want a signed book?

I'm excited to have a limited stock of books ready to send to YOU!

This page has direct links to buy copies of my books through PayPal. 

You can request a personalization, or I'll just sign it with my name... or try to be witty like David Sedaris, if you're lucky!

Green Light: A Gatsby Cycle orders include a book cover sticker and postcard!

Won't Be By Your Side orders include a custom book plate!

Black Cake by Charmaine Wilkerson

Black Cake by Charmaine Wilkerson

My mom recommended this book after she read it, so I went in not knowing what it was about and didn’t read the blurb to know what to expect. All my mom said was that she liked how the POV jumped around. I’m hit or miss with that type of storytelling, so I kind of wanted to keep my expectations blank beyond knowing that.

I’m not sure if knowing what it was about would have made a difference at all, but I loved this book. The different POVs absolutely worked, and I loved getting to peek into everyone’s mindset. Being able to get into the mother’s head—and her past—kept the story moving more than it would have just “listening” to the recordings. Can’t wait to read the author’s next book - and watch this series on Hulu!

The Great Gatsby: The Limits of Wonder by Richard Lehan

The Great Gatsby: The Limits of Wonder by Richard Lehan

I don't think I've ever read a critical book that wasn't for school, and I wasn't sure what to expect from this one, nor did I know what I'd get out of it. But it was amazing, and a lot of it opened my eyes to new layers in the classic text.

My favorite section was Chapter 12, Seeing and Misseeing: Narrative Unfolding, which breaks down the book's timeline. I also appreciated the chapters breaking down characters, including George and Myrtle Wilson. After reading Beautiful Little Fools by Jillian Cantor, applying those women's backstories to these straightforward interpretations was incredibly interesting.

While the book does focus on The Great Gatsby, the author also draws parallels between that and Fitzgerald's other works when there are common themes or character traits, so it gives you a broad scope of his writing. I took notes to create a suggested reading list as well.

I knew a fair amount about Fitzgerald's inspiration for the story, which this book addresses, but it also discusses some of his influences and, again, that helped me create a suggested reading list. I think it will be fun to check out some of these other authors (some I've read, some I haven't) and see if I can notice the commonalities myself.

There is also more general information, like this, from Chapter 3, Critical Reception:

It is hard for a reader today to realize that when F. Scott Fitzgerald died in December 1940, all of his books were out of print, including the fourth printing of The Great Gatsby, the 1934 Modern Library edition, which Random House had let go out of print because it was not selling well. Today The Great Gatsby sells over three hundred thousand copies a year, and over three hundred critical essays have been written about it since Fitzgerald's death.

(This book was published in 1990, for context.)

I'd be interested in seeing how many copies are sold annually now, how many more critical essays (and books) have been written, and, in the spirit of my upcoming chapbook, Green Light: A Gatsby Cycle, how many books and retellings it has inspired. 

Perhaps it's time for me to dive into a rabbit hole...

Self-Made Boys: A Great Gatsby Remix by Anna-Marie McLemore

Self-Made Boys: A Great Gatsby Remix by Anna-Marie McLemore

I wasn’t sure what to expect when I started this book. I hadn’t read any of the remixes in this series (by different authors), but I love retellings and spins on the classics, so I was excited to see what happened. 

I was really impressed with how this interpretation stayed true to the original in so many ways, especially considering both Gatsby and Nick are trans, many characters are LGBTQIA+, and it’s written for young adult readers. That meant some of the relationships were toned down, and of course the violence at the end of the book is different. 

It doesn’t detract though; it helps this book standalone, though I would recommend reading it after the original for older readers, and would hope that younger readers would feel inspired to read the original after they finish this one.

Beautiful Little Fools by Jillian Cantor

Beautiful Little Fools by Jillian Cantor

This book might now be one of my all-time favorites. WOW. I love anything Gatsby, and I’m always intrigued by retellings, whether it’s something inspired by a book or from a different point of view. 

Cantor reimagines The Great Gatsby from the women’s points of view: Daisy, Jordan, and Catherine, Myrtle Wilson’s sister. There’s also a detective thrown into the mix, a new addition since the book focuses on trying to solve Jay Gatsby’s murder. 

It stands alone (I would compare it to Big Little Lies and books along those lines, honestly), but it’s fun to see the little mentions of things that were in Fitzgerald’s original - whether they’re used as-is or seen through a different lens considering the POV of this book. 

There was also a nod to Harold Bloom that made me smile. I can’t recommend this one enough.

I do have one nitpicky remark that I'll hide under a spoiler tag...

The Great Gatsby: A Graphic Novel Adaptation by K. Woodman-Maynard

The Great Gatsby: A Graphic Novel Adaptation by K. Woodman-Maynard

This graphic novel adaptation is a stunning way to revisit The Great Gatsby. Woodman-Maynard’s watercolor illustrations seamlessly blend with Fitzgerald’s words, capturing both the extravagance and the eerie, dreamlike quality of the original. 

The imagery takes on a life of its own—sometimes literally—which adds a fresh layer to the classic. 

That said, it’s an adaptation, so while it beautifully distills the novel’s essence, it’s best enjoyed alongside the full text. The author’s note explains this well, but if you’re just looking for a visually rich Gatsby experience, this one’s a treat.

How to Love a Black Hole by Rebecca Fishow

How to Love a Black Hole by Rebecca Fishow

I reviewed Rebecca Fishow's latest collection for MicroLit Almanac - read it here!

How to Love a Black Hole is a haunting, profoundly emotional collection that explores the fragility of human relationships, the weight of trauma, and the search for meaning in a world often defined by contradictions. Each story in the collection leaves a lasting impression, lingering in the mind long after you turn the final page. Fishow’s writing is surreal yet grounded, rich in symbolism and vivid description that blurs the lines between reality and the supernatural.

The Chosen and the Beautiful by Nghi Vo

The Chosen and the Beautiful by Nghi Vo

If you love The Great Gatsby in any form, The Chosen and the Beautiful is a fascinating twist on the classic. 

Nghi Vo reimagines Jordan Baker as a queer, Asian adoptee navigating the glittering excess of the 1920s—while also wielding a quiet, eerie magic. The fantasy elements aren’t in-your-face but woven subtly into the story, letting you catch them as you go. It’s dreamy, sharp, and just the right amount of haunting—a fresh take on a world that already feels otherworldly.

56 Days by Catherine Ryan Howard

56 Days by Catherine Ryan Howard

I always thought I would hate a book about covid and lockdown but I guess… we’re far enough from it now (while possibly being on the cusp of another?) that it almost seems… quaint?

I’m sure that’s not the right word but it almost fits.

The memories of everything shutting down, the quiet cities, and uncertainty of interacting with others works so well to establish an unsettling premise here. Add in the possible romance and moving in with someone you’ve been on just a few dates with and the stakes are certainly high!

I think the twists were really good because you think you have one figured out, then the rug is pulled out from beneath you right at the end. And not in an underhanded way - you have all the information all along, it’s just not what you expect. I liked the time jumps and how more was revealed each time.

The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year by Ally Carter

The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year by Ally Carter

Once I started seeing this book everywhere, I knew I needed to give it a try. I was surprised to see it was classified as romance at the library, considering the title and book summary. Once I read it, I got a bit of the romance aspect, but it was pretty light and behind closed doors. It made me think of what an Emily Henry cozy mystery might be.

I really enjoyed the writing and the brief interludes of the police transcript. Randomly jumping to Ethan’s POV halfway through, and then sporadically after that, kind of threw me off. I feel like he would mention things and the reader would get them, then he’d mention them again later to Maggie and, while I understand why it was that way, it just felt repetitive as a reader and I would have rather had new reveals instead of reliving the elevator scene several times. However, I loved this overall and want to read more by the author.

Gatsby's Girl by Caroline Preston

Gatsby's Girl by Caroline Preston

This was originally posted on my original blog, AllisonWrites, on 6/12/2008.

I've wanted to read this since I saw it in bookstores two years ago (note: 2006?! Wow!). I have this thing though, about buying new copies of books by authors I'm not in love with. I'll buy dozens of used books I've never even heard of, but at $.50 a pop that's not a big deal. Also, since I'm a huge fan of paperbacks (so portable!) it's hard for me to justify shelling out $20+ for a hardback book.

I FINALLY got it from the library last week! And read it! And really liked it! I'm glad I didn't buy it in hardback (is that mean?) but it was enjoyable. My main issue was that I pretty much hated the main character. She's the stereotypical kind of girl I can't stand, and maybe that was the problem - she was a stereotype. But I find that a little hard to swallow since she was based on a real person. Fictionalized, yes, but based in fact. It was hard for me to feel anything for her, so the whole time I was reading I felt a little distanced from the story. But I fell in love with the main character's sister and, of course, F. Scott himself. So it was weird to be rooting against the main character of the book.

Some great lines:

"The soothing chatter of men and the smack of balls floated over from the seventh fairway."

Ok, I KNOW fairway means golf course, which means golf balls. But the way it was worded is questionable.

"The baby girl was bald except for a fringe of black eyelashes - just like me."

I know it means the baby looked like her, but doesn't it sound as if the mom is bald except for a fringe of black eyelashes?!

It seems like an editor shoulda-woulda-coulda caught those two sentences and re-worded them. There were a few other confusing sentences too that kind of jolted me out of the story with a giggle.

Some (actually) good lines too. It won't make much sense out of context (they're at a Hawaiian-themed costume party), but this made me laugh and re-read the whole scene.

"'But I'm keeping this,' he said, patting the scarf around his middle. 'The fringe will quiver when I tango.'"

"'What would have happened if I'd turned right instead of left, if I'd picked the writer instead of the aviator? I've always wondered.'" - THAT, ladies and gentlemen, gave me chills. After reading the whole story up to that point, I had been wondering the same thing. And when you sit and think about it, how all these little decisions add up to change your life... it's monumental.

Exciting Announcement! New Book on the Horizon

I'm excited to announce that my second fiction collection is coming out April 10th!

Does that date sound familiar? It should, because it's the 100th Anniversary of The Great Gatsby! And since this book is inspired by that classic, it only seemed fitting to release it on that landmark publication date.

The book is now in public domain, so Janet Dale used the first page of each chapter to create found poetry (aka blackout poetry) and I used a sentence from the first page of each chapter to write an entirely new flash fiction piece.

Though we worked independently, things came together nicely and we can't wait for you to read the finished product in just six short weeks!

The Babysitters Coven by Kate Williams

The Babysitters Coven by Kate Williams

I’m a huge Babysitters Club fan so The Babysitters Coven had a more grown-up and modern (and WITCHY) twist on it that was right up my alley. I loved how it introduced the world and the characters so we were getting to know their powers along with them. The ending was so action-packed that I really just wanted to see it as a Netflix series so I could watch it all play out. 

After reading this book, I looked it up and was surprised to see that it was a re-release (apparently?) because the initial reception wasn't so hot. Publishers Weekly mentions that the slang, pop culture references, and political stances could make it seem dated, but those didn't stand out to me. Also, I still think 1999 was 4 years ago, but still. 

Complaints from Smart Bitches Trashy Books include that the narrator is "wildly insecure but also extremely judgmental" and that the book "tries VERY hard to sound teen-like while not sounding teen-like at all." Again, I feel like not noticing these issues probably speaks very clearly about where I am in life, ha, but honestly, the book rang true for me. As true as witchy babysitters can be, anyway. 

Kirkus Reviews said the humor was not funny at all (I laughed to myself many times) and that it was a ripoff of Buffy (which I have never seen) so yeah... I guess all of that just fuels my argument that this was a good read for me but might not land for you, unless you're a lot like me. (And if so, sorry, it's miserable, isn't it? Ha.)

The biggest bummer is that my library only has book one. However, I think I’ve got to get this series to read them all. I can’t wait to see how things progress!

You Feta Watch Out by Linda Reilly

You Feta Watch Out by Linda Reilly

I read the first four books in this series in the fall and had to wait for this one to be released. I got it for Christmas but just read it in February due to my never-ending TBR and library checkouts.

It was good timing because I needed a cozy escape from reality, though, and this did the trick! I think this book progressed the side storyline of Carly and Ari nicely and it felt like that story was happening organically. Too often the romantic storylines of cozy mysteries either feel forced or rushed. While Carly and Ari are pretty innocent overall, I buy the sweetness and their relationship journey overall. I hope the series continues so we get to see their wedding, which should be happening soon!

I also love how the other characters are becoming more dimensional, for he most part. I loved getting to see more of Carly's sister, Norah. I also loved the development of Nina, and hope to see more from her. Suzanne seemed a bit pulled back this book, and I wonder if she's going to go away in the next, or if something's going on in her life she didn't really address... (Yes, I know it's fiction, but c'mon, I'm invested!) It was interesting to have some new players in this mystery, but I have to say I loved Grant coming back for the holidays. I'd read a side series starring him, even if it focused on food and music instead of mystery.

Overall, I think this was a great fifth book in the series. It was cozy, moved the overarching story along, and made me want to read more. I've recommended this series to a lot of people who seem to enjoy it as well, so give it a try!

Storytime Activity Ideas for Lefty by Mo Willems and Dan Santat

Lefty by Mo Willems, Illustrated by Dan Santat

My son and I are both left-handed (like Dan Santat) and love Dan Santat illustrations (...like Dan Santat, surely?) so I wanted to read this book with him. He's a bit too old for it now, but there are some interesting facts in there that he loved learning to share with his (right-handed) friends. 

It's a fun book and I can picture reading it aloud in a classroom or library, like all Mo Willems and Dan Santat books! 

Activities I would do as a librarian would include: 

• polling the class or storytime group to see who is left-handed and who is right-handed
• tracing hands on paper and coloring them (for younger kids) or drawing things that make you you (for older kids)
• giving them a word to try and write with both their left and right hands
• draw the same picture with both left and right hands
• toss beanbags into a basket with left and right hands

What activities would you incorporate into a storytime or lesson using this book? What have you tried? I'd love to hear how it went!

For the Love of Writing

This blog is mostly book reviews but there's an overlap between reading and writing so I wanted to share my Substack, For the Love of Writing, launching today!

The monthly newsletter will include my thoughts on things related to reading and writing, and I'll also recommend a book (well, at least one!) per issue, so check it out and subscribe so you don't miss a thing!

The Record Shop Mystery Series by Olivia Blacke

I love finding a new cozy mystery series. Vinyl Resting Place was the January pick for Cozy Mystery Book Club. I love how the choices are always the first book in a series so you don't have to get up to speed with several books to join in on the discussion. Plus I love getting a chance to discover new authors and get invested in a series. My last home run from the book club was the Grilled Cheese mysteries.

Vinyl Resting Place

Was this book written just for me? I mean, records, coffee, and a mystery, yes please. Not to mention the song title puns used for the special brews Juni created in the shop! Speaking of the main character... I loved Juni and her sisters and the mystery of her uncle and all his associates. I thought it was really well done in terms of characters. The mystery itself wasn’t what I was expecting because I thought the reader would get all the clues to try and solve the mystery themselves, and that wasn’t possible (unless I missed something?), but it was still a fun ride with good twists. I definitely want to read more in this series.

A Fatal Groove

I loved the premise of this series but the first book didn’t quite grab me. I’m glad I gave Blacke another chance though, because this book ROCKED. I feel like she hit her stride here, or maybe it’s just because more townspeople were introduced and the story felt more rounded than the first mystery. I think the clues were better in this one too, and while there were plenty of potential suspects, I felt like I got to the resolution along with Juni, which I didn’t get from the first book. Can’t wait for the next! My favorite parts of both the first and second book in this series are definitely the song title/coffee puns - they're SO good.

Rhythm and Clues

The third book was such a satisfying resolution (for now???) to this series. I think I liked the second book best of all, but this one nicely wrapped up that love triangle (a bit late for my tastes but hey) and had a really interesting crime. My favorite part of the second book was seeing more of the community, and this takes that idea and runs with it, showing more of the town and local businesses. I feel like there weren’t enough coffee/music puns, though, which is just one reason I hope Blacke continues this series eventually. Six months in Cedar River isn’t enough!