Review: Obstetrix

Obstetrix by Naomi Kritzer
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Obstetrix by Naomi Kritzer is a novella-length page turner! A radical religious group goes to extreme lengths to get care for their community, especially the population of pregnant women. The story is told from the point of view of the OB/GYN forced to help them. It's very tense. I also appreciated having a menopausal main character who is dealing with hot flashes in a crisis situation. Been there, done that, have the soaked nightgown. Very relatable! I won't give any more away but to say that if you like a thriller with religious cults, you should read this.

View all my reviews

Review: Hagitude: Reimagining the Second Half of Life

Hagitude: Reimagining the Second Half of Life by Sharon Blackie
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Hagitude: Reimagining the Second Half of Life by Sharon Blackie is a different take on menopause.  It is part memoir, part mythology lesson.  Blackie embraces the concept of the hag as a life choice for middle-aged/elder women.  She would not approve of using senior there.  She explores the depiction of older women through the ages and how we can take what is often a negative stereotype and spin it into something positive.  She intersperses the history and myth with tales from her own life that have led her on this journey.  Best read while wearing a caftan and drinking a cup of tea.  

View all my reviews

Review: The Crone Zone: How to Get Older with Style, Nerve, and a Little Bit of Magic

The Crone Zone: How to Get Older with Style, Nerve, and a Little Bit of Magic by Nina Bargiel
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The Crone Zone: How to Get Older with Style, Nerve, and a Little Bit of Magic by Nina Bargiel is worth reading for the illustrations alone.  Just kidding although they are fantastic.  I've always known I would be a crone.  Even when I was younger, I liked to wear a caftan, preferred the company of animals over people, and read lots of books on witchcraft.  When I saw this book, I knew it was for me.  I am in my crone era!  I live woods-adjacent with my animal familiars.  I discovered that Ross has a caftan section.  A whole section!  I bought two...for now.  So while The Crone Zone didn't have a lot of revelations for me, it was enjoyable to read the insights of a fellow crone and know I am in good company.  It is also nice to embrace the positive aspects of aging.  Be yourself, unapologetically.  I also liked that there is not just one way to crone.  You can mix it up!  This is perfect for the aspiring crone, somebody looking for a mid-life pick-me-up, or the seasoned crone who wants a laugh.

View all my reviews

Review: The Mystic and the Missing Girl: A Mystery

The Mystic and the Missing Girl: A Mystery by Vikki VanSickle
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Full Disclosure: I received an Advanced Reader's Copy of The Mystic and the Missing Girl: A Mystery by Vikki VanSickle from Minotaur Books via NetGalley.  This book will be published around September 8, 2026.

The Mystic and the Missing Girl: A Mystery by Vikki VanSickle is sort of cozy mystery adjacent.  When Drew moves back to her home town to take over the shop her aunt left her, she gets involved in solving a cold case that her aunt had also tried to solve using her mystical gifts.  I share Drew's love of whipped cream-topped beverages and tarot cards.  I enjoyed the witchy elements of the story and the shop.  It seemed like a cool place. Fun characters and perfect small-town drama. There are some hot guys, but this isn't really a romance-type of book.  I felt it had the potential for a sequel or a series.  

Bonus points for having a shop cat!

View all my reviews

Review: The Bachelorette Party

The Bachelorette Party by Camilla Sten
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The Bachelorette Party by Camilla Sten is the first novel she has written in English on her own.  She usually writes in Swedish and then has a translator do the English version.  I never would have guessed.  That fun fact aside, The Bachelorette Party is a locked-room type of mystery except the room is an island.  There are also two bachelorette parties involved.  The first ends in an unsolved murder mystery that inspires a guest of the second to try to figure out whodunnit when she has an opportunity to go to the island under similar circumstances.  I have never done when of these types of bachelorette parties, but I do like a yoga retreat and going to an island for that sounds fun.  Getting murdered for doing either sounds less fun.  

View all my reviews

Review: Follow Me

Follow Me by Elizabeth Rose Quinn
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I wasn't sure how I would feel about Follow Me by Elizabeth Rose Quinn.  I am not a mom (to humans) or into influencers of any type.  Surprise!  I was sucked in from the very beginning and could barely put this book down.  The mom influencer retreat was giving culty vibes.  The main characters are twin sisters, Chiara and Adrienne.  Chiara is a mom of twins.  Adrienne is a single, party girl.  Drugs aside, my life is probably closer to Adrienne's, and I would also approach any coMOMunity with a heavy dose of skepticism.  When Chiara goes missing at the retreat, Adrienne tries to infiltrate the group to find out what happened.  By this point, I was fully invested.  Was this really a cult or just terrible stereotyping???  I admit that some parts felt a little campy, but I absolutely enjoyed them!

View all my reviews

Review: The God of the Woods

The God of the Woods by Liz Moore
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I have somewhat complicated feelings about The God of the Woods by Liz Moore.  I thought the writing was great.  I liked that there are two mystery separated by time told from various perspectives.  Siblings go missing years apart.  Several suspects but no good answers.  They come from a rich family who seem to be covering something up with their money and trying to focus blame on working class people.  It did feel a little too long and convoluted.  I started to confuse people at a certain point.  Some unnecessary plot points added to make figuring everything out more complex.  Still overall a good read.

View all my reviews

Review: The Break-Up Retreat: A Novel

The Break-Up Retreat: A Novel by Camilla Sten
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Full Disclosure: I received an Advanced Reader's Copy of The Break-Up Retreat: A Novel by Camilla Sten from Minotaur Books via NetGalley.  It will be published in June 2026.

I really enjoyed reading Camilla Sten's debut novel, so I was super excited when I had a chance to read an advanced copy of The Break-Up Retreat: A Novel.  More than 20 years ago, when I was going through a terrible break-up, I thought it would be genius to start a retreat for women getting over a broken heart.  Apparently, I am not the only one who has thought about this concept.  Admittedly, I was thinking of a more positive environment than the retreat in this book.  

Sten's break-up retreat is borderline culty.  No surprise that in this high control environment things start to go very wrong.  An investigative journalist goes undercover at the retreat to look into the mysterious disappearance of a former participant.  To do that, she has to confront some of her own relationship demons.  While I found the mystery/thriller aspect great, I really got into the treatment methods and the social media postings about the retreat philosophy.  I could have read a whole other book just about that because the psychology bits are intriguing. If you like a somewhat locked room mystery, cults, or psychological thrillers, check this out!

Bonus points for the way the advertising was weaved into the posts just like you see in real life.  It was perfect.

View all my reviews

Review: They Tried Their Best

They Tried Their Best by Kimlyn Stanyon
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Full Disclosure: I received an Advanced Reader's Copy of They Tried Their Best by Kimlyn Stanyon from the author via NetGalley.  The book is available now.

I don't always read books just because of their cover, but I did in the case of They Tried Their Best by Kimlyn Stanyon.  It is a beautiful cover!  Yes, I was swayed by the dogs.  I have a type.  This is a novella that is billed as experimental and weird.  I didn't find it that weird at all.  That may say something about me. As a single woman, I could completely relate to the interactions the narrator has with the men in her life.  That part felt very real.  It probably isn't a bad idea to think about building a bunker now too.  There is a twist that I won't give away.  I think that might be the "weird" part.  I liked it.  I appreciated the illustration at the end.  Cute!  If you are looking for something different that you can read in a sitting or two, check this out.  It is cozy dystopia.

Bonus points for Honey, Boo, and not selling out your best friends to save yourself. That would have been my condition too.  

View all my reviews

Review: If You Tame Me

If You Tame Me by Kathie Giorgio
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

If You Tame Me by Kathie Giorgio drew me in with the promise of an iguana.  It is right there on the cover!  That's all I needed.  I like animals.  I like all animals.  I have considered having an iguana, some other lizard, or an amphibian.  They are interesting.  I have always been afraid I would not be able to keep them alive.   Then along comes Audrey who convinced me that a middle-aged, single woman living in Wisconsin can have an iguana.  There are also parakeets in this book.  I love birds and have had parakeets.  They are a joy.  Maybe I will also get parakeets again. I digress.  There is more to this story than the animals.  Audrey is facing a lot of the issues that women of an age living in today's world are facing.  She has younger friends who don't see these issues the same way she does and is trying to understand them.  Been there.  There were a few things that I thought Audrey was maybe a little too sheltered or naive about or maybe that was just a reason to explain these things for an audience who might not be hip to what single life is currently like.  There is some romance in this book.  If you are not a big romance person (I am definitely not), you can still enjoy this.  

View all my reviews

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.  

View all my reviews

Review: Kills Well with Others

Kills Well with Others by Deanna Raybourn
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Kills Well with Others is the second book in the Killers of a Certain Age series by Deanna Raybourn.  While you could pick this book up independently, I highly recommend reading the first book first so you get acquainted with the characters and how they came to be where they are when this book opens.   That said, these books are a lot of fun if you don't mind a bit of blood and action.  Some people might grossly underestimate these women because they are of a certain age.  That is a huge mistake.  Their adventures are very entertaining.  I only wish I had half their survival skills.  But maybe not if it means other people want to kill me.  I can only hope that in a few more years, I will still be spry enough to potentially be recruited as an assassin.   

View all my reviews

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.  

View all my reviews

Review: Annie Bot

Annie Bot by Sierra Greer
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I listened to the audiobook version of Annie Bot written by Sierra Greer and narrated by Jennifer Jill Araya simply because that was the version the library had available.  I think it would be great in any format.  The story is more than just some guy falling in love with his android.  There have been similar concept pieces, but Annie Bot is really about Annie and her journey of self discovery.  The guy could be anybody.  Or maybe he couldn't.  Because he is who he is, Annie has developed in a certain way.  Annie doesn't have the benefit of seeing red flags like other women.  I couldn't help but want to tell her to RUN.  Not everybody has that luxury, especially when you are considered property.  Lots to think about with this one.  Would also love to see a sequel.  

View all my reviews

Review: Cut and Thirst

Cut and Thirst by Margaret Atwood
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Cut and Thirst is an Amazon Original Story by Margaret Atwood.  This was a fun story.  Of course, it is well-written.  It's Margaret Atwood!  I can get behind a story where the main characters delight in cheese and revenge.  These are a few of my favorite things.  You can also finish it in one sitting.  Perfect!  Pairs nicely with cheese.

View all my reviews

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. 

View all my reviews

Review: Karma Is a Cat: The True Stories of Meredith Grey, Olivia Benson, and Benjamin Button Swift

Karma Is a Cat: The True Stories of Meredith Grey, Olivia Benson, and Benjamin Button Swift by Farrin Jacobs
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Full Disclosure: I received an Advanced Reader's Copy of Karma Is a Cat: The True Stories of Meredith Grey, Olivia Benson, and Benjamin Button Swift by Farrin Jacobs from Ten Speed Press via NetGalley. It should be published on January 7, 2025.

Karma Is a Cat: The True Stories of Meredith Grey, Olivia Benson, and Benjamin Button Swift by Farrin Jacobs is the PURRfect book for the Taylor Swift fan and/or the cat lover.  Some might think this is a children's book, but I thoroughly enjoyed it even though I am 50 years old.  Now, some might say I am a bit biased as I am a Swiftie and a bit of a cat lady myself.  However, I think I looked at this book through an impartial and critical lens.  It was so fun!  The illustrations by Katty Huertas are fantastic and really capture the spirit of this precious trio and their mother. Yes, I read it in one sitting.  Yes, I did go back to look at parts of it again and to enjoy the illustrations. Yes, you should buy a copy for the Swiftie(s) in your life.  They will thank you.  

View all my reviews

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.

View all my reviews

Review: Black Sheep

Black Sheep by Rachel Harrison
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Black Sheep by Rachel Harrison checked so many of my boxes!  Taylor Swift references, making bad choices with bad boys, religious cult, and horror films.  The main character has spent her life trying to escape the fundamentalist religious group she grew up in. It is not that they are bad people, but she just can't find any way to share their beliefs. She can't help being curious though when she receives a wedding invitation for a childhood friend and decides to go back.  I did mention bad decisions, didn't I?  I recommend not reading any summaries before you read the book because it might spoil a really important point.  This is like if horror met chick lit and had a baby with all the best qualities.  Read it!


View all my reviews

Review: The Writing Retreat

The Writing Retreat by Julia Bartz
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The Writing Retreat by Julia Bartz was a spectacular thriller.  If you favorite author of all time invited you to spend a month at a very exclusive writing retreat at their remote home with the chance to have your book published at the end, you would go wouldn't you?  Who would turn that down?  Some people might even kill for that chance.  Sure said author is an eccentric character who writes gothic horror and lives a life that reflects that.  The house itself has a ghastly history and may house a demon.  This isn't Stephen King and his corgis although it did give me The Shining vibes.

The main story is interspersed with excerpts from the book being written during the retreat so it is like getting two books in one.  Each story is crazy good in its own way.  Another book not for the squeamish! 

View all my reviews