The Real, Honest, Word on Books
By Emma Straub This book is about a family that is comprised of…mostly adults. If we are considering age only, because mentally – well, we all have our days. The book centers on sixty-eight year old Astrid Strick, who reevaluates her life priorities after seeing an acquaintance of hers get hit by a school bus…
By Deanna Raybourn This book is the first in the annals of one Veronica Speedwell, a well-travelled, Victorian lepidopterist who speaks her mind and enjoys carnal pleasures when not on her native soil. That being said, for the entirety of this adventure she stays on the shores of England, though speaks of her experiences with…
By Monica Hesse This book is about the Holocaust, mostly in the aftermath of liberation after WWII. It follows the path of Zofia Lederman, who was moved from various camps and separated from her brother, Abek. The plot is her trying to find him after she is released from the hospital tending her own injuries,…
By Afia Atakora This book is about mother and daughter “Conjure Women” on a plantation spanning the period before, during, and after the Civil War. Miss May Belle, the mother, and Miss Rue, the daughter, have to lead the other slaves and eventually, free people, through medical and theological crossroads. They encounter difficult births, contagious,…
By Carol J Perry If you don’t know about cozy mysteries – get ready for some awesome, effortless, readernip! Cozy mysteries are usually cheap (like $7.99), they keep you occupied without a lot of brainpower (like Netflix), and they are usually series, so once you get into one, you don’t even need to learn a…
By Celeste Ng This book is about a very affluent family that becomes intrinsically involved in the lives of an artistic, nomadic, single mother and daughter who become their tenant. The Richardsons, led by matriarch Elena, are comprised of four children who enjoy the wealth provided by their lawyer father and journalist mother in the…
By Stephanie Wrobel This book is about a case of Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy where fortunately, the victim is saved in time. The perpetrator, her mother in this case, is sentenced to jail time, mostly due to her daughter, Rose Gold, testifying against her in court. I am always intrigued/abhorred by these cases – again,…
By Genevieve Cogman This is the latest installment in The Invisible Library series. If you love reading – this is the series for you! The main character is a Librarian, a super spy who is tasked with stealing tomes from different worlds to keep the balance between order and chaos. There are understandably lots of…
By Lucy Foley This is a murder mystery/thriller that is definitely a slow burn. It’s more murder mystery until the end when the twists start coming fast, but warning – it takes a bit to get into. Seven friends have made a tradition of spending New Year’s Eve together (rather lavishly) since their time at…
By Cassandra Clare This is the first in a brand new series, The Last Hours, from the juggernaut of YA Fantasy: Cassandra Clare. She weaves a wonderful blend of historical fiction and magical fantasy in this promising saga. It is set in the same universe as her classic series, The Mortal Instruments, but about a…