Susan

Intense, claustrophobic, emotional, riveting, and mysterious—Rachel Paris delivers a fully developed family drama packed into just 321 pages. Alternating perspectives between Skye, a Turner family member by marriage, and Mei, the police investigator assigned to the case, heighten the tension. Each chapter shifts the reader’s focus—from privileged insider to critical observer—deepening the mystery.

This book will challenge and surprise you with twists you think you see coming, turns you never expected, and reveals that make See How They Fall the ultimate beach read—dangerously addictive and impossible to put down.

What a fun adventure and insightful romance woven around a solid mystery. Add in a strong thread of LGBTQ+ history, and you’ve got a story that speaks to the many dimensions of queer love—with legacy and laughter in equal measure. This is a book that doesn’t just celebrate identity; it celebrates joy, banter, and the ache of finding your way through rivalry into resonance.

There’s a certain shine here, too, that straddles the line between rivals-to-lovers and something a bit more tender. It’s clever, it’s a little messy, and it’s richly sincere without ever losing its wink.

Kathryn Nolan is officially on my radar—and I’m already looking for clues about what her next book is.

Thank you Net Galley, Entangled Publishing and Amara Books for the copy I read

A soul-soothing beach read with heart, humor, and a tribute to found family.

This was a solid 4-star read—well-written, escapist, and emotionally grounding. What I loved most wasn’t just the drama, mystery, or seaside backdrop, but the vibrant relationships among the women and children who made the Beach House a home. This is chosen family in all its nuanced, everyday glory.

The author herself calls the book "an ode to female friendship and the ways in which it enhances our lives,” and she absolutely delivers. The drama and mystery beyond the Beach House—the men, the town, the swirling community—offer lively context, but never pull focus from the women and children at the story’s heart.

And then came the mention of Little Women. That moment made me pause, smile, and realize: this book celebrates the same timeless values—friendship, independence, joy-in-adversity. But here, it’s about modern women and their children reminding us that those ideals never age. They grow, evolve, and take root in every generation that chooses to love, fight, and build together.

This book doesn’t just feel like summer—it reminds you of the best summers you’ve ever had.

This book didn't demand my attention, it invited me in and captivated me. This is the best women's fiction because it’s not just about romance—it’s about reclamation, and the sacred work of learning to belong to yourself. At its center are three souls, each drawn to a place that remembers more than it reveals. One is shaped by the sea, fluid and knowing. One is claimed by the land, grounded and fierce. The third is tethered to a house full of echoes—of history, of grief, of unspoken grace. And all around them: salt and stone, song and silence.

The beauty of Port Anna lies not in its twists, but in its texture. In the way love here is not a rescue, but a recognition. In how healing arrives softly—not as a climax, but as a tide. And in how the past doesn’t haunt, but holds, gently urging the characters—and maybe the reader, too—toward release. I wish I could say more. But this finely crafted story is so layered, so delicately interwoven, that even praise feels like a risk of revealing too much. I hope this reflection might be Anna’s kind of magic: a lighthouse beam that lets you find your way.

If you haven’t met Brittany Kelly’s books yet, brace for charm, chaos, and chemistry.

Brittany Kelly has done it again and created an utterly enjoyable, bingable, and downright laughable read that had me snort-laughing at everything Abby did to get Luke to break up with her—before he could dump her.

And this brief summary of Relationship Goals doesn’t come close to telling you everything, but honestly? Why ruin the fun of a finely crafted, banter-filled book. Kelly has a unique ability to take an idea that sounds like it should tip into farce and somehow keep it anchored in the realm of implausible plausibility. I don’t know what kind of magic she’s using, but it works.

The characters—Luke, Abby, and even the supporting cast—are full of messy, endearing flaws, motivations, and real-world emotions. You’ll cheer them on like old friends. When I finished the final page, it felt like hanging up the phone after a three-hour catch-up with someone I’ve known forever.

Thank you Brittany Kelley, Berkley and NetGalley for sharing this arc with me.

Luke is the perfect grump. Abby’s dreams, wit, and neurodivergence hit close to home for me—I saw so much of myself in her.

I read this book in two sittings because it was not just easy and entertaining—it was written with the kind of care and skill that lets you soar inside the author's imagination. Brittany Kelly is an auto-buy author for me, and this book proves she’s transitioned from indie darling to mainstream standout without losing the presence, empathy, and narrative spark that earned her a place at the top of my shelf.

You can’t beat a book that ends with: "I think I’m happy. It’s been a while, but I’m getting to know what that feels like again."

That final note, carrying an overture to future stories, offers a satisfying resolution while leaving room for more.

Much has been revealed about Jin’s world. And Kadrin, who I am half in love with, has grown into a force to be reckoned with from all that he has learned and experienced in these two books. His Talentlessness, introduced in Book One, has revealed itself to be a defining strength—a door through which his empathy empowers him. When stopped on the street after an attack, a woman calls for help, and Kadrin feels an unexpected relief—he’d rather be using his own two hands than drowning in Council paperwork. That moment solidifies his identity as someone who stands for action over status, revealing the man that both Jin and Yi-Nereen were the first to recognize—and which Lee always hinted at to the reader. This is the man that brought these characters together, allowing each to be their truest self.

Their relationship—strained and uncertain at the end of Road to Ruin—continues evolving in Flight of the Fallen in ways that defy convention. This isn't a simple romance between Jin and Kadrin—it’s a polyamorous bond, complex, shifting, and deeply felt. Jin isn’t just caught between desire and duty; she’s navigating a love that refuses to be confined by rules or tradition. She lives and loves as she always has—true to herself, never confined by convention. The emotional stakes aren’t just about who chooses whom—but about what it means to truly belong to another in a world built on division.

Jin remains the lovable rogue with an uncontainable heart, and Screech? He’s back—with surprises of his own. Banter and longing, angst and action weave together in a narrative that demands you turn the next page.

This story grows out of its predecessor—it’s not a standalone, but a natural evolution. It answers lingering questions, bringing Jin’s relationships into sharper focus. The characters step fully into themselves, making this book even more satisfying than Book One—as great duologies should.

This was too vast a story to fit into a single volume. Lee masterfully crafts a balance between tension and resolution, allowing the journey to unfold with the ending she always had in mind.

I will absolutely be reading more by Hanna Lee—her skill and imagination are as expansive, intriguing, and unpredictable as Jin’s love life.

Hanna Lee has crafted a wonderfully creative and imaginative duology with The Megabike Courier. In Book One: Road to Ruin, she builds a vivid world fueled by Mana Energy, a powerful force that has created a caste-like system—separating the Talented from the Talentless.

For those gifted with Talent, life comes at a cost. The people have Talent to harness Mana—fueling their abilities yet binding them to a world of strict rules and sacrifice.

For those gifted with Mana, life comes at a cost: they must live within walled communities, forsaking those without magic. Exile is the only alternative. The divide is even sharper for Talented women of childbearing age—closeted from the world and either gifted or sold into marriage to strengthen the diminishing magical population.

Into this world emerge three characters—each fighting for their freedom and love: Jin-Lu – A rogue Magebike Courier delivering contraband and secret love letters. Princess Yi-Nereen – A powerful Shield Caster, desperate to escape before her arranged marriage. Prince Kadrin – Talentless but heir to the neighboring city, holding on to a forbidden childhood love.

The tensions rise as Jin-Lu is pulled deeper into their lives—not just as a courier, but as something more. Her growing connection with both Princess and Prince turns unexpectedly romantic, twisting the story’s emotional stakes.

And just as the road begins to blur between loyalty and desire, Flight of the Fallen arrives—not as a standalone, but as an essential continuation. The first book threw me onto the road with Jin, and now, the ending has guaranteed I’ll stay there—uncertain whether I’ll launch into a fast-paced roar, weave down a pothole-ridden highway, or spill from an unseen obstacle.

Either way, I will be back because I need to see how Jin’s story will end and what the real lure is that calls to her in that last paragraph— beckoning her on, with an almost siren-like call just over the horizon, between desolate waste and mana laced lightening storm

This was just a fun and purely escapist summer read—the kind of book that practically demands sunscreen smudges on its pages. Childhood rivals turned reality-TV “Showmance” lovers? Absolutely. This is the best kind of ‘90s Lifetime made-for-cable rom-com energy: heartfelt, hilarious, and comfortingly over-the-top in all the right ways.

The premise is rock solid, the writing is immediate, and Alice’s voice pulled me in from the start. Her life felt relatable—student debt? Check. Caregiving for a parent while navigating hospitals, emotions, and uncertainty? Big check. Getting dumped on national TV and then fake-dating your childhood nemesis for a million-dollar prize? Okay, maybe no check there—but it was wildly entertaining.

And the chemistry? 🔥 Alice and Daniel own every scene they share. Their banter feels alive, electric with history and friction, and you can’t help but root for them even when they’re trying to out-snark each other. Their romance is framed beautifully by a soft undercurrent of mystery—just enough intrigue to keep the pages flying and your heart engaged.

I also adored the inter-chapter notes from the show—the snippets from crew members and producers add clever texture, expanding the world while giving voice to the spectacle around the central couple. It’s smart, playful, and deepens the emotional stakes of the reality show chaos.

Here’s the thing: Alice Chen’s Reality Check isn’t here to rewrite your worldview—it’s here to hand you a fruity cocktail, throw some shade (the beach kind and the bantery kind), and let you root for a romance that knows exactly what it is. Breezy, bright, and unapologetically fun.

If you’re in the mood for something that goes down easy but sparkles with personality—something that lets you devour a hundred pages in one sitting while grinning at the page—this is it. This book has a fresh, infectious voice, and I loved the energy in every word. Kara Loo & Jennifer Young have coined “Showmance,” and I think I’m hooked.

Thank You NetGalley and Quirk Books for this fun read.

This is the truest modern romance—frenemies to lovers, built on tension, truth, and the slow, intentional act of discovering love. A story that asks: What if resistance is the first step toward connection?”

One of the most extraordinary things about reading is how it offers instant intimacy: the chance to meet anyone, anywhere, anywhen—and understand them. Stories let us enter lives radically different from our own, and still recognize the shared desires, drives, fears, and hopes that make us human. That’s why representation in storytelling isn’t just a checkbox—it’s a bridge. It invites us into someone else’s lived experience and shows us that emotional truth isn’t bound by identity, but shaped by it—offering space to recognize the parts of ourselves we hadn’t named yet, while celebrating what makes us beautifully unique.

And that’s why Behind Frenemy Lines deserves both applause and scrutiny. Zen Cho sets out to tell a story about workplace power dynamics, emotional constraint, cultural identity, and romantic tension—all filtered through the overlapping worlds of law and love.

Kriya Rajasekar is ambitious, magnetic, and professionally cornered. After an inappropriate advance from her mentor-boss at a conference, she invents a fictional boyfriend to deflect attention—only to have her rival, Charles Goh, mistakenly assigned that role in a well-meaning but misguided intervention. What begins as a defensive charade becomes a slow-burning entanglement, sharpened by proximity and softened by quiet revelation.

Charles isn’t your typical romantic lead. He narrates his chapters like a deposition—clipped, formal, emotionally distant. In early scenes, his POV reads like redacted testimony: precise, rigid, almost like a screenplay for a courtroom drama. Cho’s stylistic choice mirrors his inner restrictions brilliantly, though it comes at a cost. For readers like me—who view dialogue as the heart’s translator—it can feel like a wall. Clever, yes. But emotionally withheld to the point of disconnection.

Kriya, by contrast, commands the page with vitality and clarity. Her narration draws you in like a moth to flame, and it’s through her lens that Charles’s carefully curated persona begins to soften. Their wonderfully friction-fraught relationship chips away at his walls—not in melodrama, but through humor, awkward gestures, and quiet empathy. Honestly, he’s the most Darcy-esque character I’ve read in years: all fumbles, blushes, and lawyerly deflections. And while his initial stiffness frustrated me, the gradual emergence of his emotional depth eventually earned my investment.

This novel tackles heavy themes: sexual harassment, cultural flattening, and the pressure to package identity as palatable. And it does so within a narrative that’s bold, sometimes uneven, and quietly experimental—but ultimately worth wrestling with.

I’m so glad I was gifted this book—if not, I might’ve made the mistake of putting it back on the shelf. The story’s emotional power reveals itself through Kriya’s vibrant entrance and her meet-cute with Charles on the steps of the wrong office building.

My Best Advice: Stick with Charles, and you’ll discover—as Kriya and I did—something unexpected behind the legalese. In this book, the romance isn’t built on flirtation, but on resilience. And once again, that age-old refrain proves itself: we only begin to truly know someone when we set down our assumptions and simply see.

Though Jo and Lauren met by chance with a deadline on their day, their hope for a future refused to be framed as something fixed—what they longed for was something more, something all humans want... tomorrow.

A Place for Us is one of those rare books that lodges itself in your heart, making space for lives lived in the historical margins to shine proudly and unapologetically. Told in an intimate and emotionally rich voice, Patricia Greyhall chronicles the frustrations, resilience, and deep love of two women—Jo and Lauren—who must fight to be together, not only against the people in their immediate lives but also against the broader forces of bureaucracy, culture, and time.

Set against the backdrop of the late 20th century—after the watershed of Stonewall but long before full societal acceptance—this novel captures a period of both progress and constraint. The 1980s in particular were marked by growing visibility and painful resistance, and Greyhall weaves that complexity into Jo and Lauren’s journey with grace. Their love isn’t just a personal story—it’s shaped by the world in which they dared to live it. And their hope isn't framed as something radical, but something human.

Although the novel spans a wide arc of time, these years apart are far more than a frame—they allow readers to witness the depth of Jo and Lauren’s bond as it withstands distance, societal shifts, and personal trials. In parallel, the story traces the evolving arc of LGBTQ history, highlighting how both love and identity are shaped by changing landscapes. It’s a portrait not just of longing, but of endurance, quiet hope, and the belief that joy—however deferred—can still arrive.

Greyhall’s storytelling is undeniable, and her structural choices give Jo and Lauren’s relationship the full gravity of LGBTQ+ history across continents. Unlike many stories that remain rooted in the U.S., this novel moves through the UK, France, and Canada, offering an understated yet powerful reflection on national cultures and the quiet endurance of queer love. It’s not a polemic—it’s a portrait of two intelligent women navigating the world as it is, yearning for the simple, human right to love and live like everyone else.

Though the connection between Jo and Lauren is undeniably intimate, Greyhall handles their relationship with the emotional depth of classic women’s fiction—more lingering glance than open door. Their love unfolds with subtlety, giving space for readers of all kinds to feel the resonance without ever veering into graphic terrain. This novel also offers a gentle path for readers who may be new to LGBTQ+ stories—inviting them in not through confrontation, but through empathy, clarity, and the kind of intimacy that transcends identity.

This isn’t a romance in the traditional genre sense—it’s a decades-spanning emotional odyssey grounded in character and culture.

The story begins in a London pub in 1981, where Lauren and Jo meet—not with fireworks, but with a quiet, knowing. Lauren is still stepping into her identity; Jo, more secure in her own, carries the quiet confidence of lived experience. Their meeting carries a bittersweet immediacy—something glimmering and rare that must end, like the pub’s closing bell. What follows is a decades-long connection defined by longing, distance, and the soul-deep ache of the almost.

Can a current romance ever match the resonance of someone who speaks your heart’s native language? That’s the haunting question that lingers as Jo and Lauren find themselves again in 2003—older, bruised by toxic relationships, but still tethered by something true. And yes, they do earn their HEA in 2006—but not without the hard-won battles to live life on their terms, to fight for joy, and to claim the one thing that always eluded them: a place to be.

This is a book everyone should read. It offers powerful insight into Jo and Lauren’s lives and refuses to reduce "Love is Love" to a slogan or a bumper sticker. In this story, love is being, loving, and daring to imagine joy. And really—why should it ever be harder than that?

Thank you to She Writes Press, GetRed, and Kate Rocks for connecting me with this book. All thoughts on this book are my own

"Just head for that big star straight on. The highway's under it; it'll take us right home."

Blonde Dust begins with this epigran, spoken by Guy as played by Clark Gable, which provides a perfect frame for this movies timeless story of loss, isolation, regret, and resurrection. Arthur Miller wrote these words, and the connection to his then-wife, Marilyn Monroe, echoes through The Misfits—a reflection of a true lost soul searching for home. And this thread is picked up de Roseny to use for her characters in this compelling and equally mythic story that expertly weaves fact, fiction, philosophy and experience into one young woman's journey to recapture her dream.

This intertextuality—between fiction, script, biography, and social history—creates a layered experience in Blonde Dust. de Rosnay’s novel doesn’t just engage with Marilyn Monroe’s legend; it blends the myth with the story of World War II War Brides and Immigration to shape a story that feels like a beautiful Cinderella retelling. The result is haunting, yet slightly blurred story—rooted in transformation rather than deep character study.

There is something haunting about Marilyn Monroe portrayed here—a woman disappointed in life and love, searching for direction, while acting as a pole star for those around her.

And in Blonde Dust, Tatiana de Rosnay breathes life into a Marilyn who inspired Pauline, a young woman whose journey echoes that same desperate search to recapture her true self. The daughter of a GI bride from Paris, Pauline finds solace in Nevada’s deserts and wild stallions. But teenage Pauline’s world shifts when she becomes a mother, leaving her dreams of vet school behind—until Mrs. Miller arrives to film The Misfits and reminds her that dreams are meant to be pursued.

Pauline journey anchors the story, but the supporting characters—especially her mother and stepfather—remain distant, leaving missed opportunities for deeper exploration dispite their being so well drawn and integral to moment in her development. The novel hints at these dynamics but never fully explores them, leaving gaps that function more like Shakespearean asides than fully realized arcs.

This is a book that has stayed with me, just like the imagery here—sharp, layered, unforgettable. The themes of power, survival, and transformation weave through the storytelling, and I can’t stop thinking about it.

India Hayford has written a Southern Gothic novel that lingers long after its closed.

Thic novel isn’t just truthful in its portrayal of powerlessness—it’s curiously empowering. The characters, forced to live within confines they didn’t choose, slowly and intentionally regain control over their lives.

Be prepared—this book is raw. It is emotionally challenging, & at times, I had to put it down just to process what I’d read and brace myself before jumping back in. But the power of Hayford’s writing and the compelling friendships—Genevieve, Mercer, Wreath, and Jezzie—drew me back quickly. I couldn’t leave them long. And yes, part of me kept reading to witness justice—yes, that divine karmic turn of Fate you just have to write with a capital ‘J’—finally plays out.

This isn’t just a Keeper; this book has earned pride of place on my Ask Me About This Book Shelf. It has rocketed to my Top Ten List of 2025, and honestly, I can’t picture a book knocking it off.

The dialogue and banter between Genevieve—and, well, everyone—sparks and crackles on the page. She has so much energy to spare, she even jump-starts her cousin’s family in their quest to reclaim their individuality. You’ll laugh, cry, hurt, and cheer as you follow her journey—but more than anything, you’ll be reminded of what writing can do for you and to you.

This novel explores the fictionalized life of Isabella, Cervantes’ illegitimate daughter—someone I had no idea existed until I studied The Life and Works of Golden Age Spain and Miguel de Cervantes. His daughter may not have garnered much attention in literary discussions of the late 1980s, but what about his wife? His sisters? His niece? These women played vital roles in Cervantes’ life—paying off his gambling debts, keeping his household stable enough for him to write, smoothing the edges of his satire, ensuring his place in courtly circles, and most astonishingly, working themselves to the bone to gather ransom money so he would not be sold into war slavery. Their sacrifices allowed Cervantes to exist as history remembers him today, yet that same history has virtually erased these women’s own achievements.

And it is here that Martha Bátiz breathes fresh life into these forgotten women, illuminating the profound impact they had on one of the most celebrated authors in literary history—the man hailed as the father of modern Spanish, author of the bestselling novel of all time and the most widely read and studied—El ingenioso hidalgo don Quixote de la Mancha.

Although their roles were restricted by the confines of a deeply patriarchal society, the presence of these women in Cervantes’ life shaped the environment that allowed him to produce one of the most enduring works in literary history. And although their influence cannot be clearly established, as Bátiz shows in her fictional rendering, their reading of early drafts suggests a level of engagement with his ideas, even if their direct impact on the text itself remains unrecorded.

Beyond her deep knowledge of Cervantes and the women who surrounded and inspired him, Bátiz crafts an immersive portrayal of their world. A Daughter’s Place doesn’t simply present historical facts; it transports readers into Golden Age Spain, organically revealing its customs, constraints, and struggles. This ability to make history feel lived rather than lectured is what makes historical fiction extraordinary—it’s time travel with emotional resonance.

Bátiz masterfully encapsulates the paradoxes of culture and custom, bringing them to the forefront of Don Quixote—a work that, at first glance, appears to be exclusively male. But the once-quieted women now speak, reclaiming their space in history, even if only through the lens of historical fiction. As readers lift the mantilla, demanding presence and revelation, the true depth of literature is unveiled

Austin Taylor’s Notes on Infinity City is a fresh summer read and an intriguing addition to a modified Science-in-Fiction format, blending intellectual depth with romance.

This novel reminded me of classic science fiction—the kind that feels ripped from the headlines, grounded in possibility and plausibility. This is where Taylor’s talent shines. Her ambitious, intellectually rigorous storytelling thrives on its intricate exploration of time, biotech, and human ambition. As someone drawn to layered narratives, I appreciated how the structure mirrored the infinity loop—looping back on itself in a way that reinforced its thematic weight. However, the repetition slowed the narrative pace and often felt like a restart.

Despite its sharp execution and strong premise, I found myself more intrigued by the logic than emotionally connected to the characters. Taylor’s science background shines through, but it creates a distance—her storytelling feels precise, but less visceral. The novel’s structural repetition, though fitting for the motif, grew tedious at times. However, the strength of the story—and the intrigue of where the characters would ultimately land—kept pulling me back.

While Notes on Infinity City is an impressive debut, its heart felt just out of reach. A thought-provoking read, but one I engaged with more as an observer than a participant. That said, Taylor’s talent, imagination, and storytelling are undeniable, and I’ll definitely be back for her next work

This is a book that feels real, reflecting the lives and experiences of far too many. Told in a voice that pulls me back to my first read of Joseph Heller’s Catch-22, Dunn crafts a narrative that mirrors our world today—where Heller’s work captured the absurdity of World War II’s battlefront overseas, Dunn turns his lens toward modern life. Both authors shine a light on the quirky individuals who populate our world, exploring how their experiences shape them. Both demand the reader examine what drives these people—making us laugh, then pause, then ponder, and finally challenging us to reconsider what we think we know.

What I love about Dunn’s style is how he layers an allegorical quality into his satire, drawing inspiration from Geoffrey Chaucer’s storytelling tradition and the biting wit of Jonathan Swift—but with a distinctly American twist. With character names like Punxie Tawney, Hamilton Chance, and Sam the Man—you can't miss the humor and connection Dunn is drawing. He uses history as a launching point—not just to explore national identity and the American thirst for personal freedom, but to demonstrate that storytelling has long been a vehicle for capturing the desires and needs of a people within a single moment.

This book will grip you from page one to The End. Dunn’s ability to craft a story within a story—his characters acting as storytellers themselves—makes this novel feel both timeless and mythic. It reaches deep into the past while illuminating our pinpoint present, showing that this is about so much more than one man in the mountains making whiskey. It explores the inner need we all have to define ourselves in the face of everything thrust upon us.

To the end, Dunn crafts a narrative that not only reflects a moment in time but forces the reader to confront the very questions that shaped America as a young republic—the tension between personal liberties and government authority, the lasting consequences of rebellion, and even, in retrospect, the Founding Fathers themselves—not as untouchable icons, but as flawed men grappling with the weight of nation-building.

Funny enough, I first picked up this book because of a misread of the title—I thought I was about to dive into a work of historical fiction chronicling the Whiskey Rebellion of 1794. What I found instead was something far more expansive: a novel that interrogates our personal and collective struggles with identity, freedom, and the stories we choose to listen to as well as those we tell ourselves

I loved this book. Full stop!

A Fate Inked in Blood pulled me in with a masterful blend of history and magic—though magic plays a pivotal role, it’s woven into the Viking Era with such restraint and authenticity that it feels like a seamless extension of reality, rather than myth. Jensen crafts a unique, immersive magical system with care, detail, and consistency, making this a world I could truly step into and inhabit.

Then there’s Bjorn. From the moment he emerges from the fjord, he steals every scene. He is the epitome of a Book Boyfriend—protective yet never overbearing, a true partner in Freya’s journey to becoming a Shield Maiden. Their dynamic is built on respect and equal footing, with Bjorn offering counsel rather than controlling her choices. He has her back, and she has his… until the shocking turn that sets the stage for Book Two’s cliffhanger ending.

Intense. Immersive. Unputdownable. A Fate Inked in Blood grabs you by the hand and pulls you deep into Freya’s world—and it won’t let go.

Haley has written such an impressive and empathetic book—her understanding of self-talk, vulnerability, and personal growth is unmatched. She doesn’t just ask you to reflect; she invites you to discover yourself. As she shares passages from her own journals, your confidence grows, and suddenly, you’re seeing life with fresh eyes—ready to embrace your dreams.

Review of Everything is Fine Here by Iryn Tushabe

Aine Kamara is on the brink of adulthood, preparing for her university exams—a time that should be filled with hope and ambition. But in modern Uganda, where shifting religious ideologies clash with personal identity, Aine is forced to question where she truly belongs.

The tension in her home is palpable. With her sister Mbabazi—an OBGYN and fertility specialist—returning from Canada with her secret girlfriend, Achen, Aine witnesses firsthand the painful divide between love and societal expectation. The conflict between mother and daughter fractures the family, leaving Aine feeling frightened, angry, and lost, unsure of which paths remain open to her.

After a pivotal life-altering event, Aine runs away, seeking refuge with Mbabazi in the city—where she discovers her own first stirrings of romance and passion. But as she navigates this unfamiliar world, she must ask herself: How far can she go in her quest for independence? What is permissible for her as a young college woman? Must she leave not just her home, but her country, to truly discover who she can be?

This novel transported me to Uganda, immersing me in landscapes, flavors, and traditions I had never experienced firsthand but felt deeply through Tushabe’s masterful storytelling. Her prose is vivid, powerful, and compelling, seamlessly balancing intimate struggles with broader cultural conversations.

I adored how this book grounded me in Aine’s world, while reminding me that I was, in many ways, a visitor—an observer to experiences that were both deeply specific and universally resonant. Through nuanced dialogue and cultural touchstones—like the Ekitaguriro, the cow dance—Tushabe created moments of pure cultural exchange, inviting me to not just read, but learn and engage.

And in those moments, I found myself thinking—just as Achen does—Why must someone abandon their home, so rich in heritage and joy, simply because of who they love?

Filled with complex, unforgettable characters and themes that linger long after the last page, this is the kind of novel that demands reflection. It’s not just a story; it’s an experience—one that would make a beautiful summer book club read, where conversations about identity, belonging, and freedom could unfold in all their depth.

I loved that Prose's writing style for Molly had a wonderfully quirky style that celebrated her individuality and uniqueness and her way of seeing the world. Exciting, original, inviting, and utterly delightful it was pure pleasure watching Molly grow and explore who she is and follow her developing her strength and confidence through this book. This books was the perfect way to wrap up the series, not only did we get to see a Happily Ever After Moment for Molly, but so many reunions and resolutions to the dramatic points that have been developing throughout the series. Questions about Gran's past with Molly and before have been resolved and all with the authors signature style and a humor as well as the deep emotional connection to the characters that moves these books from simple cozy style beach reading to a series I will long keep on my shelves. There are surprises and twists, as always, and good tugs on my heartstrings as in the story that is half told in Grans's voice about her past thought the secret diary and half from Molly who is solving the mystery that connects these two amazing women together forever.

This book was not just well written with amazing characters and vivid clear writing, but it made me stop reading and just think about so many things that I took for granted in my life. In following the life of LeMei and her daughter Lin in this multi-generational novel I saw not only life in China through the latter part of the 20th Century, but my own world in the US and Canada through new eyes. This is a story of women searching for their identity and selfhood dispute everything that was put in their way. LeMei faces growing up in 1960s Shanghai coming into conflict with limitations of her society. This leads her to cultivate in her daughter, Lin, a need to find freedom in the West, especially after the events she experiences in Tiananmen Square and to discount what China can offer. But this too has limitations for Lin, first in the US and then Canada, as she is seeing that what was sold to her via Western ads. This is a story of women seeking a Home that will allow them discover the Present and Future while celebrating the Past. This is a story of learning to have faith in oneself, to recognize the perils of immigration, of the mother daughter connection, and to that connection that we feel to our homeland. Touching on many heavy real life situations, this book is both intensely personal and wonderfully symbolic, bringing together the goddess who is The Immortal Woman, and a celebration of what makes us each an Immortal Woman in our own right.

This is a book that I will be keeping on my shelves and returning to.Thank you to @suchangwrites for this amazing book! To @houseofanansi and @tandemcollectiveglobal this #giftedbook

This was a delightfully engrossing read and one that once I feel into it I could not put down. This book has all the hallmarks that I long for in a Romantasy book and all done in an original way. Think of this combination Enemies to Lovers, Morally Grey MMC, Snark and Banter, Forced Proximity Possessive Lovers and did I mention Pirates, Fae, and Vikings? This is a unique story of a beautifully detailed world and lovers who do take that title seriously. The spice in this book is just right but it high and will leave you fanning yourself when the moment arises, all the tension and the banter between Livia and Erik truly was setting the stage for The Moment.

This is my first book by LJ Andrews and it will not be my last!

I was thrilled to receive Harry Bliss's graphic memoir You Can Never Die. This was a book that made me smile at the love, joy and wonder that Penny, the authors dog, brought too his life and I often found myself sitting back and reflecting on my own fur friends that have graced my life like Penny and Junior did his. But this book is more than just the story of Penny and Harry, although her presence in this book brings such life and wonder to both written text and cartoons, but this is also a journey of Harry becoming the person that he shares so humorously and honestly with the reader, a life that has had both bitter and sweet qualities. Bliss has a unique and insightful way of cutting right to the heart of life in these short, poignant, and insightful essays in the same way that his cartoons do. I have been clipping his work from The New Yorker's pages for years. With an eye for both the art of a moment, reproduced beautifully and in full color, he has an almost Zen like way of using brevity to make you reflect and consider an almost unstated argument. This book as a whole had me pondering the power of life to shape us and left me considering how we can also need to have a good laugh at ourselves, together this all reminds me that we have to grab life and live it -- for that is where we truly find the Love of Life.

This book is a beautiful marriage of art, argument, philosophy, and life story. Its is a celebration of the happy, the sad and all the messy chaotic fun that shows a life well lived and reflected on.

Thank you @celadonbooks for sharing this beautiful hardcover with me. This book spoke to me at such a deep level and I will admit I shed some sad tears at memories that are bittersweet, laughed at moments that were too adorable not to, and just enjoyed reading about the experiences, and people, that made Harry Bliss.

#newyorkercartoons #harrybliss #harryblisscartoon #bookmailisthebestmail #bookmailmonday #bookmail #bookphoto #memoir #graphicmemoir #doglover #dogart #petparent #petparents

Lyra Parish is an author who is known for exceeding my expectations in writing not only some of the wittiest banter, the most delightfully charged relationships, but packaging it all together with the most wicked sense of humor. But now she has added something new to her list of accomplishments: redefining my favorite trope, enemies to lovers, and creating my newest favorite microtrope - mortal enemies to soulmates. Billie and Asher are perfect sparing partners and they prove the saying that "Revenge is an act of passion".

The Billionaire Situation Series has been an amazing read from Book One, The Wife Situation, but The Boss Situation has set the bar even higher for the next book, but I know that Parish always reaches that mark and this book proves that she will not only meet that challenge by surpass it.

Phoebe has been passed over for a major promotion but when Fate, in the from of Foster Martin's Will, steps in to bequeath her the position of director of a museum In Serendipity Springs she jumps at the chance to turn her life. But she was never expecting her objective job of dealing with the historical past to be spun wound by the arrival of 60 year old mail in a magical time bending mailbox. Meeting Jay Martin, Foster's son, local historian and writer begins to connect her to the letters and the mystery of the romance Dear Heart and Smitten Kitten. This was a great slow burn romance that shared so many connections between the past and present. I loved that Jacobson used a handwriting font to reflect the time when the letters were written and the text bubbles for the texting between Phoebe and Jay. This book is filled with so much emotion and humor both which show how powerful love Is and the connection that it brings between people, not to mention how Love can endure no matter what stands in its way. If you are looking for a story that will draw you in with just the right amount of mystery and intrigue to keep you wondering about the ending, with all the sweet romance to remind you why romance is always and will always be a bestseller, then you don't want to miss this standalone romance!