What a beautiful memoir celebrating a family‘s legacy. Sheppard becomes her family‘s historian and recounts their life in Cuba, their exile to the US and what that has meant to all the generations that have followed.

Loved the author‘s attention to detail and research. The chapter about her second trip to Cuba as an adult is especially touching.

Read this!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I have a knack for picking up a book at bedtime that completely sucks me in.

Don‘t be fooled by the cover and title of this book 😅

Nancy and Tina are some fierce women and I loved their stories. I really enjoyed both of their POVs, especially Nancy's.

Loved Lola Akinmade Åkerström's writing and I was especially grateful for the Author's Note at the end explaining her research for the historical events featured in this book.

There are some turn of events in this book that I did not see coming and made me gasp out loud.

Read this!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Current audiobook…

LOVED!!

The way this book took a dark turn at 49% that had me putting it down and just staring at my ceiling multiple times last night…

Friends: I messed up and read this book by one of my favorite authors thinking it was coming out this week so that you can all go and read it…But it is releasing in March 2026!

But, please, please add this to your TBRs!!!! ❤️

Story centers around 2 families and how everyone‘s lives were affected by a decision made by 2 of the parents.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ #arc

This was too bleak. The good parts did not make this story worth it for me.

⭐️⭐️⭐️

Was deep-diving into my Kindle last night and stumbled upon this, started reading a bit to see if I should move it up on my TBR…Haven‘t put it down since!

Also, this cover ❤️

I read this in 2 sittings. It delivered what it promised: A one-day look into Ning's life as a nail salon owner.

Even though this takes place in a nail salon, I feel that if you work, or have ever worked in the service industry you will relate so much to this.

Loved!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Mother/daughter stories seem to be my go-to lately and I‘m not mad about it…

Current audiobook…I have never heard of this woman before I saw this memoir making the rounds, so of course I was curious.

Going into this blind was probably the best choice for me, because WOW

So glad I decided to give this story a second chance!

I did become annoyed a few times with January and Gus, but then something would happen that will keep me there.

LOVED the supporting characters on this (I might love Pete more than January and Gus, tbh).

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Not my pick, but I loved this one, too!

After loving all her other books on audio, time to give Beach Read another chance.

Even with a short story collection, where most were written before his beloved novels, Arriaga‘s narrative is unmatched.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

If you‘re looking for me this Sunday this is where you will find me…This story has me hooked!

*Publishing March 2026* #arc

I felt like I was in a fever dream while reading this. I could feel the restlessness of the FMC while she was just trying to live a life.

Through her words, Nedreaas smacks you right in the middle of this story and never lets you go.

There are a lot of "gasp out loud" moments in this story, but the most shocking to me was the very descriptive self-termination of pregnancy (trigger warning).

3.5⭐️

Wonderful debut! I loved the tension I felt throughout the book as Christine's book tour progressed and she became more entangled with her past without wanting to.

Pham's sprinkles throughout the story about what happened in the past were well-paced and keeps you coming back. The Maine chapters were very interesting and I did not expect that ending.

A great depiction about how relationships can shape a woman‘s life.

4⭐️ Releasing: 1/20/26

Last one to read before the Booker Prize winner is announced on Monday!

This was not on my radar at all but seeing it on the shortlist made me curious.

Tom promised that he would divorce his wife as soon as their youngest left for college after finding out about her affair. He drops off Miri at her dorm and just keeps driving.

This was an interesting book because the ending gives you a lot to think about. It takes a while to find the interesting parts, because not a lot of interesting things happen in the story, but at the end I felt that I was following someone's real life.

3.5⭐️

Next up on audio…Had free credit from Audible and was finally able to get my hands on Arriaga‘s short story collection.

Already listened to the first one and this man never ceases to surprise me.

Every time I finish an Emily Henry book I proclaim: This was my favorite one!

No, but really THIS was my favorite one!

And now…On to give Beach Read a second chance 🫢

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Started really working towards the career and life I‘ve always wanted. It‘s been slow going for a couple of years, but I‘m starting to see results 🤗

#majicmonday Thanks for the tag! @Eggs

April Soto is overwhelmed with her life and takes off on a day-trip to gain some perspective...This turns into the 10-day journey that will shape the rest of her life. When her daughter, Noelle, turns 18 she receives a letter from April detailing her trip.

This story was heartbreaking and beautiful all at once thanks to Alegría Hudes writing.

Read this!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

#arc Pub Date: 11/11/25

Next up on audio…Already invested on this one!

And I didn‘t even read the synopsis 🤭

After not liking Audition but LOVING A Separation, I had to give Kitamura another chance.

The setting for this could not be more perfect, the story, even the MC being an interpreter (I'm an interpreter, also). The way Kitamura was able to capture in such a short book the essence of the work, the life that the MC was entering into, the people she met along the way, it was just perfection.

Loved! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Current audiobook…Giving Kitamura another chance after being so disappointed with Audition.

This is my favorite Emily Henry book that I‘ve read so far.

As always, the banter was so on point!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I‘m not usually a fan of slow-burn, but this one worked for me and kept me coming back to the story.

🌶 was just right!

Looking forward to reading more from this author.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Book club pick, I‘m so behind and library loan expires in about 3 days 😮‍💨

Already intrigued just by reading first 2 chapters.

I went into this audiobook totally blind and was pleasantly surprised that it was about Dahlia‘s life: How she grew up, health challenges, education and becoming a feminist.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Currently reading…The mixed reviews here on Litsy just made me more intrigued 😅

3.5⭐️

The premise of this book is unique and that is what drew me to the story. It started it off strong, but started losing some steam at around 50%.

There were some memorable moments on this that makes the story one that I probably won‘t forget.

Overall, a good story about friendship and motherhood.

Lucille: I hate you…

#arc

I hated it here…

⭐️⭐️

Current audiobook…This one was not really on my radar, but I liked the movie trailer and decided to check it out.

This one is a big fail for me, not holding my attention at all. It saddens me because I had high hopes for this one.

Bailing at 21%

I‘m glad I was sent an ARC copy of this memoir because it introduced me to Ms. Davis‘ life and work.

Her experiences working in Black media gave us a rare unpolished look of what really goes on behind the scenes.

Loved how she feels honest and unpretentious when presenting her life to us throughout the pages.

How she had to constantly fight for space just because she was judged for the color of her (lighter) skin.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Out now!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Pub Date: 11/4/25 #arc

In Palaver, Washington sticks to the same theme as in Memorial, so the book felt familiar and that sometimes is a good thing.

I liked reading this story slowly, it was not trying to take me somewhere I've never been and I felt that I was reading about the lives of people I knew.

The supporting characters on this story were great and I enjoyed following the evolution of those relationships.

👇🏽

Next up on audio…I have such high hopes for this one. I LOVED Babel.

I used to be a Sister Wives fan and I used to get so annoyed with Christine because I felt that she was whiny and jealous all the time.

What I didn‘t see was that she was just fighting for her happiness and the love she was promised but never received.

This memoir made me tear up a few times. I‘m so glad she found the courage to leave and ended up finding her soulmate.

LOVED!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Current audiobook…I used to be a big Sister Wives fan and to be honest, Christine was the one I didn‘t really get.

Listening to her recount her experience is making me look at her in another light and with more empathy.

Loved this audiobook. Took me a little to get into it at first, but when I got the hang of it, I couldn‘t stop.

This was not the story I was expecting but I love how unapologetic and real it felt.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This looked so promising, but I found it hard to keep track of the different POVs, and I felt that when the focus pivots suddenly to a traumatic situation (at about 50%, which is told in a VERY long chapter), and one character‘s experience becomes the central part of the story, the rest of the teammates‘ experiences are pushed to the side.

Bailed at 69% #arc

Having such a wonderful time reading about her life.

Out tomorrow!! #arc

What I mostly liked about this story is that it was very straightforward, even though there are quite a few jumps in the timeline.

István‘s life was a hot mess and I ate this up in less than 48 hours!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

#BookerShortlist

Started this yesterday and I‘m already at 50%. Have to say I‘m enjoying this more than I thought I would!

Giving up at 52%. I was enjoying it for the first 30% or so, but I keep picking this back up and wishing I was reading something else 😅

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ #arc Pub Date: 10/21/25

I've been craving a story like this for a while and I finally found it! The story centers around Maricarmen and her daughter, Nena, as they navigate life in a Puerto Rican project.

Maricarmen falls in love with Rey, the neighborhood's resident musician and bad boy. After Rey is murdered, it is up to Maricarmen to make a life for herself, Nena and Rey's brother, Tito.

👇🏽

I had very mixed emotions while reading this. The most prevalent one was that the story did not move fast enough and that this story was not unique.

This book will not change your life, but it will grow on you if you are patient.

I am glad I did not give up on this one, because I would've missed out on the wonderful descriptions, the travel stories, the love.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ #arc