Midlife Abecedarian by Melissa Fite Johnson. These gorgeous poems were as vivid as snapshots. Some were beautiful and content, some were emotional, and all were wonderfully written. This is a collection I’ll return to again and again. It’s such a nice reminder that it’s okay to be content with where you are and what you’re doing in life.
Brevity: A Flash Fiction Handbook by David Galef. My craft book of the month. This is a fantastic guide to flash fiction and could absolutely be a textbook (or crash course!). But even if you’re an experienced writer, it’s interesting to see things broken down, and there are examples of every genre/style/approach discussed, plus prompts, so it’s really immersive and helpful.
Just Like the Other Girls by Claire Douglas. I liked “The Wrong Sister” by this author so I wanted to try another. This one was sooooo slow, but once the book picked up in the last third or fourth, it was interesting. I figured out the twist at that point, after having an inkling that wasn’t 100% correct, but it was still suspenseful. If the first half was drastically chopped down, this would have been a fantastic book.
Kidnapped at Birth? by Louis Sachar. Re-reading Sideways Stories made me want to read more Sachar, and I’d never read Marvin Redpost books, though I vaguely remember his name from seeing books on the shelves. This was a really cute kid’s book and makes me want to read more about Marvin.
Hello Girls by Brittany Cavallaro and Emily Henry. This was a pretty unbelievable read, but it pulled me in and kept me turning pages. I found it hard to swallow that the girls were really just 17 and 18. I remember being that age and drinking and thinking I was so mature, but I just didn’t really buy it here. I think it all worked out the best way it could without feeling like a letdown.
The Meaning of Mariah Carey by Mariah Carey and Michaela angela Davis. Daydream was the first CD I ever bought, but I drifted away from Mariah in middle school and beyond, so it was really interesting to read more about her. It was alarming how much of her experience mirrors Britney Spears, yet I feel like society has more empathy for Britney and considers Mariah stuck-up/entitled/a diva. I liked reading her story and it made me want to listen to all those albums I missed because she shared interesting insights into the songwriting and recording processes.
We Won't All Survive by Kate Alice Marshall. This was a decent page-turner. I like reality shows and thought the premise was interesting, and not all of my predictions came true, so that’s nice for a thriller. I’ve read others by this author and will try more because I like her ideas and writing style, even if they’re not all home runs for me.
Murder by the Book by Lauren Elliott. I read this for Cozy Mystery Book Club (click the link to watch the discussion on YouTube). It was compelling for sure… but I was not a fan of the writing style. Every movement and line of dialogue was so stilted that I never felt immersed in the story. I was always painfully aware that I was reading a book. There was also a LOT going on… I felt like some of the mysteries could have carried through to another book or two in the series. It was also really dramatic and didn’t feel cozy because of that. I wasn’t a fan of the romance either - it felt like a high school crush, and the characters all acted like teenagers despite being in their late 20s/early 30s and owning businesses. I like the concept of the rare book heist and the cool book and tea shops, but everything else was too detrimental so I won’t continue reading this series.
It's Not Her by Mary Kubica. I read this book in less than 24 hours. At first, I wasn’t sure I’d like it because the beginning wasn’t too compelling and seemed to be a lot of repetition with just a smidge of new info revealed. However, it picked up quickly with the alternate POVs and had a great twist. I didn’t see it coming and especially loved the extra twist at the end, though I had my suspicions there for a minute.