Review: Yesteryear

Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I usually shy away from books marketed as "book club picks." I find I don't always like those books, or I need to wait until all the hype has faded long away before I can pick it up. However, the premise of Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke was really too enticing to pass up. I'm about as far away from being a trad wife as you can get and still have a uterus. I'm even exhausted just thinking about the time they invest to live their lives. Still, I find the idea fascinating. I thought the idea of suddenly waking up in the 1800s was clever. The back and forth in timelines reveals clues of what was really going on behind the curated online content. Nothing is ever as perfect as it seems. You probably won't see the ending coming though. It gets wild!

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Review: Mystery Play

Mystery Play by Elizabeth Kostova
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Full Disclosure: I received an Advanced Reader's Copy of Mystery Play by Elizabeth Kostova from Ballantine Books via NetGalley.  This book will be published around October 13, 2026.

Mystery Play by Elizabeth Kostova is the sequel to The Historian.  I really loved The Historian, so I was super excited to get a copy of Mystery Play.  You can read this as a standalone.  There are some references to things that happened in The Historian, but it won't affect your ability to enjoy this book if you haven't read that one.  Like The Historian, this book is a bit of a time investment.  There is a lot packed in here covering a giant span of time.  At the same time, it is engrossing, and I found that I wasn't ready to finish it when I did.  I am still thinking about it 10 days later and how I wish there was more.  I am doing my best not to give anything away.  There is a lot of time spent in the theatre, especially on Shakespeare.  There are journal entries for those of us who like a story told in various formats and/or points of view.  There are mysterious deaths and some very cool libraries.  Would it be too much to ask for a third book?

Bonus points for loyal canine companions who deserve our undying commitment.  

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Review: Fourteen Days: An Unauthorized Gathering

Fourteen Days: An Unauthorized Gathering by Margaret Atwood
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Fourteen Days is an unusual collection of short stories by 36 authors edited by Margaret Atwood and Douglas Preston.  Douglas Preston provided the overall narration with contributions of so many great diverse authors across all genres.  I liked that you don't know who wrote what unless you skip to the very end and look.  I didn't.  I was so excited to read this.  It is set in New York City at the start of the COVID pandemic which is shortly before I moved there.  That made it all the more meaningful to me.  My building residents did not gather though.  We didn't exchange stories.  The setting did bring up a lot of feelings for me.  My mom died from COVID in a nursing home and having a main character with a father in a nursing home during that period really got to me.  And while the stories are the meat of the book, there are also some mysterious things happening in the building that hint at something bigger going on. 

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Review: The Art of Confidence

The Art of Confidence by Wendy Lee
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Wendy Lee is related to a friend of mine, so I was gifted a copy of The Art of Confidence when it first came out.  Now that I've finished it, I am sorry I didn't read it sooner.  I was hesitant in case I didn't like it.  As it turns out, it is quite good!  The focus on art in general was fascinating.  The inclusion of Chinese art history and culture were a wonderful surprise.  It took me back to studying art in Hangzhou.  And yes, you do basically just copy the masters.  The story follows several characters as their lives intersect.  There are mysteries and misunderstandings.  Some of the men are loathsome but not all male artists are letches apparently.  If you like art, give this a read.

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Review: O Sinners!

O Sinners! by Nicole Cuffy
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

O Sinners by Nicole Cuffy is an intense read.  An investigative journalist gains access to a group that has been labeled as a cult and decides to spend six weeks living with them to do a story.  Present day with the group is intertwined with chapters about a group of American soldiers in Vietnam.  One of them is now the leader of the group, but we can only guess which one.  It also tells you a lot about the mindset of this leader.  There is also a third set of chapters which is a transcript of a documentary about the group and clash with a church in their original location.  It is a lot of information to piece together but very cleverly told.  It did make me want to gather a group of friends and move into a remote area where we focus on enjoying life.  If you like epistolary novels and/or culty stuff, you'll want to read this.  

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Review: Tartufo

Tartufo by Kira Jane Buxton
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

If you saw the movie, The Truffle Hunters, you will want to read Tartufo by Kira-Jane Buxton.  If you didn't see the movie, but you like charming towns, quirky characters, amazing animals, and/or food, you will want to read Tartufo.  This book made me so hungry.  So much talk of delicious Italian food, I was ready to spend a small fortune on a truffle.  

Set in a dying, small Italian town, you might think this book would be depressing.  Instead, there is a lot of warmth and heart.  There is definitely something to be said for wanting to maintain a close-knit community even if it means you can't have all the shiny, fancy big city stuff. Some of the town folk might be a bit odd, but you still want good things for them.  I could spend several books with them.  

Bonus points: As much as I enjoyed the humans, Buxton excels with the animals.  Al Pacino, the truffle dogs, the donkey that was almost mayor...brilliant!  Those were my favorite parts of the book.  

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Review: Summer Fruit

Summer Fruit by Renee Humphrey
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I met Renee Humphrey at a convention recently.  She had Summer Fruit displayed at her table, but the cover made me think "romance" which is not generally my thing.  After talking to her though, I decided to give the book a shot.  She was right that it doesn't fit neatly into any genre.  There is a little bit of romance, some mystery, and wolves.  I was really into the wolves because they don't get a fair shake.  If I had the money Jack, one of the main characters, has, I would also be pouring it into conservation and rescue efforts.  I was also really fascinated by the Nagual mythos.  It does make you wonder a bit why so many cultures have shapeshifters.  The characters in Summer Fruit have flaws, and some are deeply unlikeable.  Most are doing the best they can, but everyone could use some therapy.  If you like wolves, but are somewhat iffy on people, this book may appeal to you.  

My only cautionary note is if you are squeamish about animal suffering like I am, there are a few parts of the book that you may want to speed read through.  It wasn't gratuitous or so much that I had to put the book down, but it is in there.  

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Review: Westward Women: A Novel

Westward Women: A Novel by Alice Martin
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Full Disclosure: I received an Advance Reader's Copy of Westward Women: A Novel by Alice Martin from St. Martin's Press via NetGalley. It will be published in March 2026.  

I will confess that I agreed to read Westward Women by Alice Martin because as a young girl, I used to watch Westward the Women every time it was on television.  I haven't seen it in ages and don't remember if it is problematic, but I was just so fascinated with these women who were compelled to go west no matter what obstacles they encountered.  Westward Women is like a modern, fever dream version of that.  Nobody knows why women get the itch and have to compulsively start heading west.  The same thing that compels them to move also affects them in other ways physically and mentally, making them vulnerable.  Some try to travel in groups or rely on the kindness of strangers to get them where they are drawn to go.  Of course, not everybody they encounter has good intentions.  The story is told from the perspective of a few different women.  All of them are searching for something.  All of them are hoping to find what they are looking for before whatever this thing is completely debilitates them.  Despite what happens, I still found myself wanting to go on a road trip.

Bonus points for Winnie, worth remembering.  

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Review: Best Wishes from The Full Moon Coffee Shop

Best Wishes from The Full Moon Coffee Shop by Mai Mochizuki
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Full Disclosure: I received an Advance Reader's Copy of Best Wishes from The Full Moon Coffee Shop by Mai Mochizuki from Ballantine Books via NetGalley.  This book is set to be published at the end of October 2025.

Best Wishes from The Full Moon Coffee Shop is the second book in the Full Moon Coffee Shop series by Mai Mochizuki.  While there are a few references to the first book, you could read this as a standalone.  If you do though, there might be a few first book spoilers.  If you don't care about that, enjoy them at will!  I will also say that this book might be best enjoyed around the winter holidays.  I couldn't wait that long.  Like the first book, the chapters of this book follow the story of a character and how they end up at the Full Moon Coffee Shop.  There is also a certain amount of overlap in the stories.  Every character learns something and often it is not to assume you know what someone else is thinking or their motivations.  Sometimes, you have to give people the benefit of the doubt.  

I can't decide if the best part of the coffee shop is that it is a cat cafe (IYKYK) or that they don't take orders and custom-make the food and beverages to each specific customer.  I am dying to know what I would get.  Astrology also plays an important part in these stories.  If you have ever wanted to learn more about birth charts and how the planets influence your life, this is a fun way to get a beginner course.  If astrology is not your thing, I would still encourage you to read this if you like animals or an adorable cafe.  I will warn you that I cried at the end.

Bonus points for Rin.  What a wonderful friend!

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Review: The Mysterious Flame of Queen Loana

The Mysterious Flame of Queen Loana by Umberto Eco
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Under normal circumstances, I would never choose to listen to a book written by Umberto Eco because the writing is so dense, but if it is the only version the library has, I have no choice!  The Mysterious Flame of Queen Loana written by Umberto Eco and narrated by George Guidall is the last book of Eco's that I hadn't read.  I have put this one off for so long because I didn't want to have a to be read list absent of his writing.  However, the time had to come at some point.  The Mysterious Flame of Queen Loana reminded me bit of his book, Baudalino.  It is the story of a man, told from his perspective.  In this case, he has lost the memory of who he is and is finding himself again through his interactions with the world.  I didn't really like the main character, but I did find it fascinating to think about the issues he raised in relation to myself.  For example, if you didn't know anything about yourself, but all your friends and family told you that you were XYZ, wouldn't you wonder why or how that came to be and what it said about you?  I did.  That is also what I will miss about not having another new (to me) Eco to read.  He always makes me think on a very deep level.  His work is great brain food.  

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Review: Lessons in Magic and Disaster

Lessons in Magic and Disaster by Charlie Jane Anders
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Full Disclosure: I received an Advanced Reader's Copy of Lessons in Magic and Disaster by Charlie Jane Anders from Tor Books via NetGalley.  The book will be published around August 19, 2025.  You can preorder a copy now.

Lessons in Magic and Disaster by Charlie Jane Anders is a touching story of family and love in its many facets.  While the title tells you there will be magic involved, I found the part about literature to be really compelling.  I loved the quotes that opened the chapters and learning more about female writers in the 1700s. Could we get a copy of the dissertation as bonus content?  I would read that.  If you want a book that sort of hugs you like a warm blanket but also doesn't shy away from the darker side of life, you'll want to check this out.  

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Review: Small Game

Small Game by Blair Braverman
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Small Game by Blair Braverman is great if you are into survival shows or outdoor living.  It follows the story of six people chosen to participate in a survival reality show called Civilization.  They are supposed to survive in an outdoor environment (that could be anywhere) for six weeks with just their wits, expertise, and one carefully selected item.  Everyone has their reasons for being on the show, but not everyone has the same level of ability at survival.  Six weeks doesn't seem like a long time from the outside, but I am pretty sure it would suck.  I'm intentionally avoiding discussing anything further to keep away from spoilers.  I will say, the show doesn't go exactly as planned.  It may also make you think twice about auditioning for Survivor.  

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Review: Women's Hotel

Women's Hotel by Daniel M. Lavery
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Full Disclosure: I received an Advanced Reader's Copy of Women's Hotel by Daniel M. Lavery from HarperVia via NetGalley.  The book is available now.

I was really intrigued by the premise of Women's Hotel by Daniel M. Lavery.  I have read about women's hotels in New York before.  Having grown up in a small town in the Midwest, I often wondered what it would be like to pick up and move to the big city on my own.  I would do that in my own way later, but these women were truly courageous to take such a chance.  Even the concept of women's hotels is so fascinating with their rules to keep women's virtue intact.  Although this is a fictional account about the different women living in one of the hotels, I'm sure it rings true for some who lived it.  You get an interesting array of characters, all drawn to the city for different reasons, and with varying problems and life circumstances.  I would be the woman who secretly has a cat in her room and also a hidden hot plate.  It also made me excited for my next trip to New York!  So much interesting history there to explore!  If you like history, herstory, or New York, you should check this book out. 

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Review: Raising Women

Raising Women by Shannon Waite
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Full Disclosure:  I received an Advanced Reader's Copy of Raising Women by Shannon Waite from the author via NetGalley. This book should be available to the public starting October 11, 2024.

When I read the description for Raising Women by Shannon Waite, I knew I needed to read it.  It is described as an interactive novel about growing into womanhood.  I LOVE LOVE LOVE a choose-your-own-adventure book, game, movie, whatever so this was a no-brainer.  I've also made it into womanhood successfully by many definitions, so how bad could I get it wrong?  Hint: I got it really wrong.  The good news is I could go back and try again.  Reading it on Kindle made it fairly easy to jump to the right section.  Going back was less easy.  This is not a sweet coming-of-age book. You are a teenage girl, but you have to deal with very adult situations and sometimes uncomfortable situations.  Keep that in mind if you decide to gift this book!  I still had a lot of fun ruining my life.

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Review: The Book of Elsewhere

The Book of Elsewhere by Keanu Reeves
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Full Disclosure: I received an Advanced Reader's Copy of The Book of Elsewhere by Keanu Reeves and China Mieville from Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine via NetGalley.

The Book of Elsewhere by Keanu Reeves and China Mieville is based on the BRZRKR comic books created by Keanu.  I haven't read the comic books, but the story sounded very interesting.  This is weird fiction.  You have to be ok with not knowing exactly what is happening in the very beginning. The story will reveal itself with chapters alternating between "present" time and stories from the past that tell the history of Unute aka B.  Not only does B come back from the dead, he also goes into rage states where he becomes a killing machine.  If you don't do well with violence, you might want to skip this.  Although B is the main character, I wouldn't define him as a hero.  He's not necessarily a villain either.  The first few chapters were very slow going as I puzzled things out.  Once it all started to click, the pace really picked up.  You had me at religious fanaticism and pig-worshipping cults!  If you have read the comic books, definitely pick this up.  If you haven't but are looking for something that is an atypical action thriller, give this a go.

Bonus points for incorporating Babe, the immortal babirusa.  Honestly my favorite character.  I could read a whole series just based on Babe's adventures through history.  

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Review: Night Side of the River

Night Side of the River by Jeanette Winterson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Night Side of the River is a collection of short ghost stories by Jeanette Winterson.  The stories are divided up into tech-related, location-related, and person-related and each section include at least one true story that Jeanette has encountered.  You can certainly jump around and read them in any order you like.  I really enjoyed the technology-related stories and Jeanette's true stories the most.  Jeanette thinks about tech and artificial intelligence in the same ways that I do.  I find myself drawn to her writings on that.  The stories are beautiful and not necessarily scary.  It is a good reminder that we all live with ghosts even if they don't manifest themselves in the way we traditionally think about ghosts.  

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Review: The Atmospherians

The Atmospherians by Isle McElroy
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The Atmospherians by Isle McElroy is a satire of cults and the obsession with social media celebrity, particularly wellness influencers.  You may find this published under the name Alex McElroy.  While there is much to laugh about, it is also deadly serious and a bit horrific how on-the-nose it is.  I could see it easily becoming non-fiction.  There is definitely an element that I hope remains fiction, man mobs.  Although these days, anything could happen.  Pairs very nicely with the Conspirituality podcast.

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Review: Rabbit Cake

Rabbit Cake by Annie Hartnett
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Rabbit Cake by Annie Hartnett defies categorization.  It is a story about grief, family, and growing up told with generous helpings of dark humor and lots of animals.  I love how Annie Hartnett features animals in her books.  They are always important characters not just side notes.  The Babbitt family is quirky like all families are.  Elvis, the main character, is a girl I can relate to in a strong way.  She's smart, inquisitive, and loves animals but also fiercely cares about the people in her life.  I somehow managed not to cry until the end of the book.  I'm not sure there ever is enough months to get over the grief of losing someone you really loved.  Then the floodgates opened, and the last chapters were a blur of tears. Knowing that, I would still read it again.  Also, made me want to eat cake, lots and lots of cake.          

Bonus points for Boomer, Ernest, and all the other animals features in this book.  I love them all. 

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Review: The Starless Sea

The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I'm not sure how one begins to describe The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern.  If you are a fan of books and/or doors that lead to a fantasy world, then this is a great book to read.  I loved the literary references, the book gala, the descriptions of New York City, and all of the cats.  Some of the descriptions of the Starless Sea and its environs reminded me of the art of Remedios Varo.  Reading this book is a bit like a fever dream in the best ways.  It is an epic tale.  There are stories within stories  that eventually make perfect sense so if you are wondering why you are suddenly reading a completely different book, hang in there!  All shall be revealed.    

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Review: The Glass Hotel

The Glass Hotel by Emily St. John Mandel
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I didn't read many descriptions before reading The Glass Hotel by Emily St. John Mandel but for some reason I thought it took place in the future.  It doesn't.  With few exceptions, it is firmly set in the 2000s.  It turned out to be nothing I quite expected.  We follow the lives of multiple characters, including a pair of half-siblings who anchor much of the activity because all of the other characters cross paths with them at some point.  It's also a ghost story.  I'm not quite sure who the narrator is although I got the feeling at times that I should know. That I missed a clue.  I've broadened my definition of "ghost."  There's a lot happening in this book.  Some mysteries are solved and others are left open to your interpretation.  And while I felt sometimes that there were too many stories going on at once, the beautifully crafted writing kept propelling me forward.  Read this if you want to know about Ponzi schemes but don't want all the technical details.  I think Emily St. John Mandel's books are also great for music lovers because they always contain some element of musicality.  

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