December Round-Up

I felt like I was in a reading slump for most of the month, but it doesn't really look like it... It just wasn't as enjoyable of a reading month as usual. I finished a few series, though, and got some inspiration from Lily King like I always do when I re-visit Writers and Lovers.

The Mystery of Locked Rooms by Lindsay Currie. This was a fun, adventurous read, but I felt like the problems the main character and her friends had felt really tacked on just to give the story depth. There was also a lot of detail in some scenes, then the book would totally skip over some major action just to get them to the next room/plot point. Younger readers who like Mr. Limoncello, Book Scavenger, etc, would probably like this.

The Cure for What Ales You by Ellie Alexander. This was a major book in terms of the background story of Sloan’s history, but I found it a bit tough to follow. I couldn’t piece together everything she was discovering about people from her past and have it make sense, so it fell flat for me.

The Tattered Cover by Ellery Adams. This one took a bit for me to get into, and I’m not 100% on board with Nora and McCabe moving forward for some reason, but I’m so invested in the series that I’m sure it’ll work out and I’ll be fine with it. This one felt a bit scrambled to me, but that might have just been my mindset as I was reading it. I felt like it wasn’t as rooted in the town or bookstore this time for some reason.

Heart the Lover by Lily King. I LOVE Writers & Lovers so when I heard this was connected, I knew I had to read it. King’s writing is fantastic and though the ending seemed a little overwrought, that final line SENT ME. I immediately got out my copy of Writers & Lovers to re-read (it’s been 4 years!).

Writers & Lovers by Lily King. This is my third read of the book and it never fails to put me in such a comforted state of mind, as strange as that may sound. Something about the writers surrounded by writers fuels my creativity. This time I was reading it to better understand how Heart the Lover fit in but it still conveyed the same mood and got me writing.

Convenience Store Woman by Sayaka Murata. This book was interesting until incel Shiraha came into play. His rants were too realistic and repetitive, so I had to skim a lot of his sections. The resolution definitely improved my thoughts of the book, but I was much more intrigued by the essay included at the end that spawned the book idea. I like the concept of the romantic relationship with the store more than the overall novel itself.

Rest Ye Murdered Gentlemen by Vicki Delany. I’m not a huge Christmas fan but liked the idea of this Christmas town and thought I’d give the book a try to get in the spirit. However, it fell flat for me. The main character felt like a paper doll in her actions and reactions. And she had two men pursuing her but didn’t seem to care, and it wasn’t really played up much, despite basically being the cliffhanger at the end of the book. It wasn’t compelling enough for me to want to continue the series.

Death in Castle Dark by Veronica Bond. I heard there was a new third book in this series so I wanted to re-read the first. This is SO cozy to me - I love the mystery dinner theater concept, and set in a castle makes it that much better. This is one I'll definitely re-read again.

Castle Deadly, Castle Deep by Veronica Bond. This one didn’t pull me in as much as the first. I thought Nora’s relationship drama seemed kind of middle school and immature, and that dragged on for most of the story. Some of the twists were good though, so the ending redeemed the book overall.

Sky Daddy by Kate Folk. I wanted to read this book because the title made me laugh and I was curious about how the concept would play out, but damn did it become my favorite read in December 2025! I read it in about a day and keep thinking about it. I wish it had gone on longer just because I want to immerse myself in Linda’s world more, but I have to say the ending is PERFECT and I would be so angry if it ended any other way.

Death at a Castle Christmas by Veronica Bond. This was a bit too sweet for me. It felt like it was more of a clean romance than a cozy mystery. The ending seemed especially over the top, with everyone getting engaged for Christmas? After dating six months? I also felt like the storyline of the men trying to find treasure in the castle was a bit too similar to the last book, which is disappointing. I’d read another installment if it went back to “seeing” the murder mysteries performed in the castle - I think there could be 3 or 4 unique storylines around that concept and I wouldn’t think it was too played out.

Mrs. Wilson's Affair by Allyson Reedy. I wanted to love this one. It’s no secret I love Gatsby and retellings, and I was interested to see things from Myrtle’s point of view. But this was a real struggle to get through. Most of it was Myrtle’s interior thoughts, and I get that happens when you’re isolated and having an affair, but they were SO repetitive. Then there were weird little asides that made me all too aware I was reading a book, like “Since Myrtle wasn’t present enough to recount the details, here they are:” and “The sins, for the uninitiated or the merely forgetful, are:” Some of it was also really heavy-handed, like after showing Myrtle thinking of two things, it literally says “One symbol actually there; the other imagined.” You’ve got to trust the reader to pick up on these things. Way too much telling rather than showing. I think affairs have so much potential for emotions and guilt and hopefulness and I didn’t feel any of that here.

Always Happy Hour by Mary Miller. I’ve been wanting to read more short stories and this collection interested me with Miller’s Mississippi proximity. I like her writing a lot but the stories were pretty depressing, which I understand can be the point and “the vibe” and that’s fine! But so many were little glimpses of bad relationships with bad boyfriends and it became hard to tell them apart after a few. I like the narrators and would like to see them in different situations instead of always centering men.

Save the Cat! Writes a Novel by Jessica Brody. I’ve been reading the YA version of this book but read the OG (well, not the REAL original, but still) for a Sisters in Crime book club-type discussion. It’s really helpful to learn how the same story beats can work in so many different ways to help you ensure your idea is complete enough for a novel.

November Round-Up

Absolutely Normal Chaos by Sharon Creech. After re-reading Walk Two Moons, I wanted to read this one because I never realized it came before Sal’s story! I loved getting more insight into Mary Lou and recognizing some of the things mentioned in the second book - drastically different writing style and storyline compared to Walk Two Moons though!

A Good Hard Look by Ann Napolitano. This book instantly transported me back in time to Milledgeville. I loved getting a peek inside Flannery’s life, and I love how everyone's lives twisted together. This book is the epitome of literary fiction to me - getting to know everyone at a leisurely pace and letting it build until it all unwinds. It gave me Tom Perrotta vibes in a way. Read more here.

The Collected Regrets of Clover by Mikki Brammer. This might be one of my new favorite books. I was totally immersed in Clover’s world and really identified with her in so many ways, probably more than any other character I’ve “met.” I loved the different ideas around death and how Clover kept notes for the people she worked with. I thought the romance was a bit rushed and too romance-novel-y, but overall this was so good that I’ll admit maybe I’m just jealous of what she found in the end. Read more here.

A Daughter's Guide to Mothers and Murder by Dianne Freeman. I love this series and read the first seven installments earlier this year. I was looking forward to this one, even though I skipped the novella that came before it (but read it after). Thankfully, it all stands on its own, and it was nice to revisit these characters. However, I didn’t find the mystery too compelling - I think the characters involved with the murder were too much on the periphery, so the stakes felt too low. Still a quick, cozy read, though, and I’ll continue on with the series.

George and Frances Roll the Dice by Dianne Freeman. This was a good novella to satisfy the “honeymoon” need for George and Frances without devoting a whole book to it. I understand it was a novella but everything felt a little flat and rushed to me; however, that could be because I just read book 8 and was kind of rewinding to read this, so I already knew some bits that came next, and the rest was like fitting puzzle pieces into things I had seen in book 8.

Death on Tap by Ellie Alexander. I didn’t love this one as much as the first in The Body in the Bookstore series but I love the cute little town and the mysteries that seem like they’ll span more of the series, so I’m definitely going to read a few more. It felt like the main mystery in this book was resolved way too cleanly, though, right at the end, after being dragged out and looking at so many other suspects. More of the story focused on the cheating husband (which got a bit repetitive) than the mystery. But I like the cliffhanger of Sloan’s past, so that’s the main reason I’ll read on.

The Twits by Roald Dahl. I read this as a kid and vaguely remembered the Twits themselves, but not the whole story. I wanted to re-read it before watching the movie. The Twits are disgusting and the description of Mr. Twit’s beard almost made me stop reading, but I love the Muggle-Wumps and how they outsmarted the Twits in the end.

Kinsey and Me by Sue Grafton. I’ve read this one before but didn’t remember much, so it was time to revisit. I LOVE the Kinsey Millhone short stories - quippy and satisfying in terms of the mystery. Some of the personal stories were really hard to read, and after a few I had to take a break because they really got me down. It strikes me how literary Grafton’s writing really was though - those stories seem like things we could have read in some college English/writing courses.

The Sherlock Society by James Ponti. This was such a fun read - I love that the grandfather was part of the crew. I think all the characters are unique and fun and would recommend this to younger readers - plus *I* want to see what happens later in the series!

The Unwedding by Ally Condie. Was this a thriller? It didn’t play up the suspense, though the potential was there. Instead, it felt like I was ambling around the rainy resort with Ellery, and not in a good way, like we were solving the mystery together. Instead, it felt like I was stuck following her around even though I wanted to be doing anything else. That said, I did feel like I needed to finish this book once I started it, so I guess that’s on me. Read more (with spoilers) here.

Vladimir by Julia May Jonas. This book reminded me of Miranda July’s All Fours in many ways, mostly that I enjoyed reading it overall but don’t know what to think of it now that it’s done. I initially thought the twist at the end that brought it all down was overkill, but I think it’s fairly realistic and can’t think of another way for things to have played out. But overall, I kind of have the feeling of, “Okay, I read that.” It didn’t change me, it’s not something I’ll re-read, but I’m not angry I read it and I like the author’s writing enough to read another book by her, which I think is a favorable review overall.

Perfect Little Children by Sophie Hannah. This story was not compelling enough for a novel for me. A novella, maaaaybe. I initially found the concept interesting but it dragged on way too long, the suspense seemed low stakes, and it took forever to get a resolution. And that resolution was not particularly thrilling or dangerous to me, so by the end, I felt like I’d read all that for nothing.

The Pint of No Return by Ellie Alexander. The first book was somewhat meh to me, but interesting enough to make me want more of the characters and town. The second book definitely pulled me in, and I’m invested in the series now. I especially like Alexander’s overarching series mystery of Sloan’s parents.

Beyond a Reasonable Stout by Ellie Alexander. I think this was my least favorite murder in the series so far, but I did like how it all came to a head without being the typical cozy mystery “risky” resolution. I also love how the brewery is developing.

Without a Brew by Ellie Alexander. This has been my favorite mystery yet in this series. I think it was really interesting how it all came together and it kept me guessing the whole time.

October Round-Up

The Secret, Book & Scone Society by Ellery Adams. I’d heard of this series but the cover seemed pretty bland to me so I never picked it up. However, I needed a new ebook to read and this was available, so I gave it a try. I’m so glad I did! I love the depth and diversity of the characters and how their friendship began to form. I liked the mystery as well, and though I don’t typically like books that end on a blatant cliffhanger, I’ll allow it this time because I’m definitely going to keep reading it.

The Stillwater Girls by Minka Kent. This was a Kindle Unlimited read that kept me turning pages and had an interesting premise, but overall, it felt too… happy and light for a thriller. Everything was going well until the “twist” - I guess it’s possible for a woman to have such a traumatic birth that she forgets about it, and forgets her baby was kidnapped? I was rolling my eyes reading it but if it happened to someone, I won’t invalidate them. It was just too convenient in this book though, and completely glossed over. You’d think that would open up even more trauma, but Nicollette totally rallied and it was only an issue for like… three pages? Also the two isolated teens that she took in totally adjusted and there was no struggle with integrating them into her house, etc. I just didn’t buy it once those storylines converged. I think there was potential to make it interesting and thrilling but this didn’t deliver.

The Whispered Word by Ellery Adams. I’m loving this series! Each mystery is so interesting and has great twists that I don’t think of but don’t seem hokey or manufactured.

Things We Never Say by Caitlin Weaver. This book was interesting and well-written. Each POV felt different to me, and I feel like I got to know the characters. The ending seemed pretty rushed though.

Graphic Rage by Aubrey Hirsch. I was so excited to read this book! It’s like doomscrolling but fact-based, and it’s a book instead of a screen! So while it did make me angry because of the subject matter of feminism and politics, I love the illustrations and how everything has a source.

Such a Good Family by Caitlin Weaver. After reading the author’s other book, I was expecting an interesting story and good writing. But a lot of these sentences seemed grammatically incorrect (in the ebook anyway, hopefully it was a transcription/formatting issue??) and the story was pretty bland. It was too similar to her other book so I kept getting the characters mixed up. As with the other book, the ending here was really rushed and glossed over.

Sandwich by Catherine Newman. This book made me laugh out loud in some places, so I appreciate that. But it felt like it meandered on way too long. I was sick of Rocky about ¾ of the way through. Everything was also a bit too cutesy, quippy, and easily resolved. Then the ending dropped one bomb that was just totally glossed over in a way I feel Rocky wouldn’t, so I finished the book feeling really unsettled and unsatisfied.

Also was NOT a fan of all the flashbacks because of how it seemed crucial to know when they came in Rocky’s life, but never quite added up for me since most happened during their week at the beach (with a few fall situations to flesh it out, I suppose). Some summers Jamie is 4 and Rocky is pregnant. But another summer Jamie is four and Willa is a baby. And then there’s a fall when Jamie is five and Willa is not yet two. I guess technically Willa being not quite two could mean she was also not yet a year? But later there’s yet another summer when Jamie was four and Willa was not quite one. I kept highlighting them, determined to put together the timeline, but it’s so convoluted. The thing is, just hinting at the time period would have been enough because Rocky later tells Willa when these things happened - and that’s crystal clear. But having random sections start with the specific timing totally pulled me out of the book and made me try to calculate it myself.

Here are some of the wordings:

• When Jamie was three and I was very pregnant with Willa

• “...Jamie when he was four. I was pregnant…”

• “...a memory of Jamie at four, Willa a baby in the sling…”

• The summer Jamie was four and Willa was not yet one

• The summer Jamie was five and Willa was not yet two

• The summer Jamie was six and Willa was not yet three

As I said, I guess some of them could be possible, depending on the birthdates, but it was just so specific that I felt like I NEEDED to pay attention to it, so I did, and it didn’t really add up, pulled me out of the story, and just seemed like too much. Call me nitpicky but it is what it is.

The Book of Candlelight by Ellery Adams. Absolutely love the new characters introduced here, but the mystery felt a bit disjointed. Still felt cozy, though, and made me eager to read the next to ensure some of the new additions stuck around.

Ink and Shadows by Ellery Adams. This has been my least favorite installment in the series. The mystery wasn’t compelling to me and I felt like the women speaking out against “witchcraft” and banned books went silent way too easily compared to how things would have escalated in real life.

The Vanishing Type by Ellery Adams. I liked this a bit more than the last installment in the series but it still wasn’t my favorite. I do love McCabe and Bobbie being more active characters though.

Paper Cuts by Ellery Adams. I was glad to see some of Nora’s past coming after her in this book. After sharing the secret, then Bobbie coming into play, I thought something more would have to happen. This was a really good one, it felt a bit more dramatic and realistic than cozy, in a good way though. A series staying on the same level would get boring, so I appreciate how this mixed things up.

The Little Lost Library by Ellery Adams. This mystery was fun and made me wish I could see the little books Nora found! I also really liked the “A Rose for Emily” vibes with a twist.

That's Not My Name by Megan Lally. For being a suspense novel with a ticking bomb, this book was really slow to me. I didn’t care about either of the characters and thought the final twist, while not completely expected, didn’t really have much of an impact on the overall story for me.

The Body in the Bookstore by Ellie Alexander. I loved this one! The cute town pulled me in and the mystery festival had me hooked. I love the idea of solving her best friend’s death as a thread tying the books in the series together - definitely makes me want to read more.

The Face on the Milk Carton by Caroline B. Cooney. I read this whole series as a kid and was obsessed. Re-reading it was… not the same experience. I think part of it was that the ebook was formatted strangely, but the story jumped around a lot and focused way too much on random ideas (Denim and Lace anyone?) while glossing over really major emotional moments. I can see how it would be compelling for a younger reader (since it worked for me!) but the writing isn’t up to par compared to how it was in my memory.

Secondhand Spirits by Juliet Blackwell. Read for the Cozy Mystery Book Club. It took me a bit to get into this book because the character seemed a little flat at first, but by the last third of the book, I was hooked! Definitely interested in reading more.

Boom Town by Nic Stone. I love that Stone is writing for adults, and this is so well done. A lot of YA authors try for adult books but it’s just YA with a 27-year-old protagonist who acts 17… (Looking at you Holly Jackson, sorry). But Stone’s characters feel adult and the story was really compelling. Unfortunately, I feel like it’s a lot of build-up (excellent suspense) just to totally gloss over the critical action and the emotional beat that should have ended the book. I think even 10 extra pages - 5 for the climax and 5 for the emotional ending - would have completely elevated this book.

The Book Club for Troublesome Women by Marie Bostwick. I wanted to read this one based on the title alone, and went in blind otherwise. I like some historical fiction, and this era is one of my sweet spots. The characters made me think of my grandmother so I could really get into the story (and get outraged by a lot of the constraints that are becoming all too real once more). Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech. I read this book a lot as a kid and still have my (aging, brittle) copy. My kid is reading it for school and while I remember the end, I wanted to revisit it. It always made me cry and this time was no exception. It’s still oh-so-good.

Monthly Round-Up: September 2025

Back to the Garden by Laurie R. King. This was my first Laurie R. King book and I’ve already requested more from the library. I love her writing style and this story really pulled me in. The time jumps were well done and both storylines intrigued me, which can be rare for me in a dual timeline book.

Forget Me Not by Stacy Willingham. I really liked the tangled storylines in this book. I never would have guessed the ending, so that was satisfying. The twists felt earned also, not just thrown in to shock the reader. I like Willingham’s writing style and will read her others.

She's Up to No Good by Sara Goodman Confino. This was a random read thanks to a Kindle ad, but the writing style was effortless and pulled me in immediately. Evelyn’s storyline was my favorite; I found Jenna a bit frustrating in terms of her indecisiveness and lack of personality. 

Edam and Weep by Linda Reilly. These are truly cozy for me, which made the extreme overuse of the word “garbed” (like 5-6 times in the whole book, which seems excessive for a rare word, especially with 3 in the first several pages and 2 on one page!) really stab my brain. Still thought it was a good book to keep the series moving though.

Lockdown by Laurie R. King. This is my second King book and I still really like her writing style, and liked all the assorted POVs throughout the day. However, the ending really ruined it for me. This WAS written in 2017, so I’ll give it some grace considering how much more commonplace school shootings have become these days. But the idea of nothing really happening once he’s shooting AND the kids taking down the shooter just had me rolling my eyes. It’s not that I don’t believe it, necessarily, I just hope it’ll never happen that way considering how terrible it could have turned out. I know, I know - it’s fiction, but it’s too real these days so it didn’t land for me.

A Flicker in the Dark by Stacy Willingham. This is my second Willingham book and I really liked it. I thought I had the twist pegged (well, down to two possibilities) but then it was something different, and then something different, and even though one of my possibilities was technically right, the way I’d thought of it was wrong, so I loved how this kept me guessing. The final image was also a beautiful ending, and I appreciate that it wasn’t a 100% happy or even satisfactory ending.

All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven. This was a re-read for me because I want to watch the movie on Netflix but didn’t remember enough. I remembered loving it in 2015 - 5 stars, rave review, the works. But re-reading it now, after the ways the country has changed since then, raising a son and seeing how Finch acts with Violet, being so pushy… It didn’t sit right with me. I know it’s not the point of the book but the way he kept going after her, making comments about wanting to kiss her and all that, really rubbed me the wrong way. Is it supposed to be ok because of his mental illness? Or because she eventually gave in and fell in love with him? I don’t think so. I see him as manipulative and pulling her into his orbit just to leave and fuck her up even more. Sure, he’s depressed and trying to feel things, but I just can’t stomach it in the current climate. I compare the book and movie here.

All the Dangerous Things by Stacy Willingham. This seemed different from Willingham’s other books and was unbearably slow in many places for me. I felt like the flashback scenes were repetitive - each felt exactly the same and I felt like I was drowning in that swamp, too. And the current time was also really slow and seemed to reiterate the same ideas over and over. The last fourth was good though, and I was glad it didn’t wrap up in the way it seemed like it had been chugging toward the whole book.

Party of Liars by Kelsey Cox. This reminded me of Big Little Lies overall, with the unknown dead person established right away, then multiple POVs building up to what happened, with all of them being possible suspects and victims. Even the twist with one of the male characters reminded me of Big Little Lies, but I’m not mad about it. It was an interesting book that pulled me in and entertained me, so I’d read more by this author.

The Book of Lost Hours by Hayley Gelfuso. I wasn’t sure what to expect with this one besides time travel. I saw it on a “New Releases” newsletter and wanted to give it a try. I’m glad I did. It was really interesting, the idea of memories stored in a library, plus who would want to destroy them and why. And, since it dealt with some WWII history, it seemed especially relevant today, unfortunately. I love how everything twisted together. The ending was a bit too pure for me because I think there should have been a bit more disruption based on everything that came before, but it didn’t ruin it. Full post here.

Only If You’re Lucky by Stacy Willingham. This was my least favorite Willingham book. All the characters were annoying and the question of what happened wasn’t compelling enough for me to care. I pushed myself to finish it and felt like everything that happened in the last fourth of the book was just thrown together for drama.

Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret by Judy Blume. Re-read 9/23/2025. I read this countless times as a kid and several times as an adult and always love it. Blume effortlessly captures the tween voice. I re-read it this time because I’d just watched the movie and thought it stayed pretty true to the book, but wanted to check myself. It really did! I think it’s one of the best book-to-movie I’ve seen. Full post here.

The Perfect Boyfriend by Ava Roberts. This had a great concept and the twist made it more unique than other AI romance books I’ve read, but that’s the only good thing I can say about it. The writing was AWFUL. I was hoping the twist was that ALL the characters were AI based on how they talked and thought, but instead I’m just thinking (hoping) the book was AI-generated. It was the most bland, flat book I’ve ever read. The characters were all different versions of the same person - I genuinely couldn’t tell the mother and daughter apart. There was no emotion, no depth to any of them. Think your husband’s cheating? Eh, that barely makes an impact and is totally swept under the rug. But making a smoothie? Two paragraphs, please! There was no rhyme or reason to what concepts were expanded on and what was glossed over.

Against the Currant by Olivia Matthews. Read for the September Cozy Mystery Book Club. I love culinary cozies and have a secret dream of opening a bakery despite not being an amazing baker myself, so I loved Lyndsay’s character. I feel like a lot of things were repeated: the bakery smells, the support and closeness of the family, the suspects and their motives. I don’t think things need to be spelled out that much. And there were a lot of relatives introduced very quickly that didn’t play big roles in the story, but I do understand that might be setting things up for later in the series. Overall, the book pulled me in and gave me the clues I needed to solve the case along with Lyndsay, so I liked it and would read more of this series. (This was my initial review. After the book club discussion, I changed my tune a little. See my full post here.)

Starring Sally J. Freedman as Herself by Judy Blume. Along with Margaret, this is one of Blume’s books that I re-read most in childhood. I loved Sally because I also imagined stories and acted them out while playing and I hadn’t seen that represented in a book until I read this one. Something made me think of it recently and I wanted to re-read it. It still held up and was really engaging to me. Full post here.

Parents Weekend by Alex Finlay. I love a good thriller but this one didn’t quite do it for me. There was an interesting premise but the missing students were so flat that I didn’t feel the suspense of needing to find them. The focus was more on the parents’ drama (and almost all were cheating, yawn) and while that was interesting, it wasn’t the point of the book, so wrapping up the case at the end felt more like a reminder that THIS is what I should have been paying attention to. I felt like the students’ POVs inserted periodically came later when the author possibly realized the story wasn’t enough about them going missing, because they seemed really random and a bit heavy-handed about what had happened in the past to get them to this point.

The Ex-Wives Club by Sally Hepworth. I love Hepworth’s literary fiction/early books, but her venture into thrillers hasn’t landed as strongly for me. This was a quick short story but again, I found the lack of depth keeping me at arm’s length. I didn’t care about any of the characters and while the premise is interesting, it felt more like reading a news story than a short story or novella.

A Good Girl's Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson

A Good Girl's Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson. Going in, this one felt too familiar, like maybe I had read it and DNF before? But I couldn’t find proof of that, so I figured it just seemed similar to other YA true crime/cold case/podcast type books. I stuck with it and got completely obsessed. I thought one of the murderers was incredibly obvious and was surprised they weren’t a suspect all along, but the other took me by surprise. The ending was perfect and definitely made me eager to read the rest of the series.

Good Girl, Bad Blood by Holly Jackson. Second books usually feel like a placeholder between the first and third of a trilogy but this one held its own. I thought it was a really good mystery and I love how it pulled in some details from the first book that hadn’t even registered for me. For a teenager solving crimes the police can’t (or won’t), I feel like this is realistically written, especially considering emotions Pip feels after all she’s been through.

As Good As Dead by Holly Jackson. I thought this was a really satisfying end. The first third or even half maybe was VERY repetitive with what Pip was thinking and feeling regarding her trauma. I get that what happened is major and will change a person but for the sake of fiction, I think it could have been cut and handled better. It felt like Jackson was trying to meet word count with those sections. However, how Pip evolved feels really natural and I think the ending was just right.

The show was a slog for me to get through. I'll be honest and say movies are really hard for me to focus on. I usually wander away, either physically or mentally, about 30 minutes in. But shows, somehow, are easier for me to focus on. That wasn't the case here, though. Maybe because I'd already read the book and really enjoyed it, so I knew the story and the suspense didn't work on me?

Also, while I thought all the actors were just-right picks for the characters, Pip seemed a bit young in her actions on the show. In many scenes, it seemed like she was just bumbling along, stumbling upon things rather than following clues and leads like she did in the book.

Monthly Round-Up: August 2025

The Business Trip by Jessie Garcia. Interesting premise and kept me turning pages. The twist wasn’t that shocking, but I also didn’t expect it. It almost seemed a bit over the top, but overall I think it worked.

Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid. I started reading this one in the library as soon as my hold came in and finished it the next day. Full review here.

Not Quite Dead Yet by Holly Jackson. Interesting premise but not my favorite of Jackson’s so far. I feel like the sentence structure got really repetitive and left me skimming a bit because everything felt too in Jet’s head and the thoughts were redundant. Full review here.

Five Survive by Holly Jackson. I think A Good Girl's Guide to Murder might be it for me re: Holly Jackson because I wasn’t impressed by Not Quite Dead Yet or Five Survive. I like the premise of both, and if they were each about 200 pages max, I think they’d be amazing. Full review here.

Woman on the Verge by Kim Hooper. This book had me hooked from the beginning. I love Hooper’s writing style. I picked up on two of the POVs fairly quickly and loved how that worked out. Once the diary came into play, I spent a portion of the book 90% sure Elijah and Nicole were half-siblings. His mom was a feminist professor, her mom left to pursue education… I was actually really interested in how that would play out, so the true resolution was a letdown. It felt like a cop out, like it was all just a dream. I don't think the real cause and "solution" were handled very realistically either. Overall, the writing made this book stand out to me. The way the author addresses caring for aging and dying parents, grief, mothering, mothering a husband, etc. It was all so spot-on and made me feel really understood. I’ll seek out more from her.

The Dime Museum by Joyce Hinnefeld. The Dime Museum is one of those rare collections that somehow manages to feel both expansive and deeply intimate. Each story stands beautifully on its own, yet as the book unfolds, you realize you’re also being drawn into something much larger: an intricate mosaic of intersecting lives. Read the full review here.

The Woman in Cabin 10 by Ruth Ware. Re-read this because I wanted it fresh on my mind as I read the second Lo Blacklock book. It wasn’t as bad as I had started thinking of it over the years (lumping it in with The Girl on the Train) but it didn’t stand out as very interesting, thrilling, or suspenseful to me on a re-read, either.

The Woman in Suite 11 by Ruth Ware. This was better than Cabin 10 in my opinion, but it took about ½ the book to make me think so. The beginning was really slow and I was worried it would just be a strange re-hashing of the first book because the same characters popped back up. Even the overall storyline seemed really similar, but since it focused on the same woman, I guess that can be excused. I wouldn’t re-read it, and I wouldn’t read a third Lo Blacklock book, but it was probably a satisfactory sequel for those who wanted it.

Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry. I’m not a romance reader but I’ve appreciated the escape of Emily Henry books, so I figured I’d read this one and see what it was about. But oh my Taylor Jenkins Reid!! What was this??? Full review here.

The Ghostwriter by Julie Clark. I’ve read three other Julie Clark books and loved them and, as a ghostwriter myself, I was really looking forward to this one. Unfortunately, the best part about it was the design on the page edges. The story was boring and never grabbed me, so it seemed to slog through. The twists were somewhat revealed through other POVs before they had a chance to make a big impact, so the whole book felt rather dull to me. However, one I didn’t like compared to three I really did… I’ll definitely give her next book a chance and hope for the best.

Goodbye, Vitamin by Rachel Khong. This book gave me Shannon Olson and Melissa Bank vibes. Those books that are ambling thoughts, not a truly cohesive narrative, no definite ending, but you're so glad to be along for the ride. This book was especially poignant, with strong emotions relating to family, relationships, aging parents, and just being human. Full review here.

The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin. This was recommended to me after I reviewed the Winston Breen series, which involves figuring out puzzles to solve a larger mystery. I liked the layers of mystery to this book: who was the “wrong” person, who was Barney Northrup really, who was the murderer, then the other mysteries that came up throughout the story. Full review here.