This was a miss for me. In 1800s in the Black Swaps of Ohio the Goodenough family struggles to survive with their small apple orchard. The characters are miserable, but at least their spite is interesting. In the second half we follow just one of the children, Robert, to the gold rush in California, as he explores the redwoods there. He feels like an absence of a character. With no depth or distinguishing characteristics besides his emptiness.

I should have reread Grey Wolf before starting this one. Obviously, it is part of a long series, but it is a continuation of the international conspiracy introduced in that book. There were so many details I‘d forgotten. The plot does seem a bit convoluted, regardless. She set other books outside of Three Pines, but I never missed it in the same way I did this time. I will always read her next book in this series, but this one wasn‘t my favorite.

This is the third book in the Harold Fry series. Maureen, his wife, is so tightly wound and closed off from her grief that she‘s a hard character to connect to. But her journey to Queenie‘s garden pulled at my heart in such a deep way. Not all of us grieve publicly, and some hurts are only healed in the most unexpected ways. Her pain is palpable and heartbreaking, but her time away from Harold on this trip is so essential in processing her grief.

In this companion book to The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry, we learn more about the woman who inspired his walk. She's living in a hospice & decides to write out her memories for Harold to read in a letter. From meeting him at work to her unexpected relationship with his troubled son, Queenie's POV unfolds with a quiet, lonely beauty. I loved her description of her sea garden & the unfettered joy she's able to glimpse when David dances.

This book was so frustrating. I wanted to know how it was going to end, but I was also so put out with the characters‘ choices. Joe might be an absolute jerk, but nothing he did would have been possible without her enabling him. I‘m not someone who needs likable characters to enjoy the book, but for me, the plotting was slow and the resolution left me cold. Based on Joe‘s actions, I couldn‘t figure out any real motivation for Joan‘s choices.

There is nature vs. nurture, and then there are the things that shape us because we don‘t have them. For the.Hills children, that absence is their father and when they go on a cross-country road trip to meet each other and confront him, they realize what it means to be family and what home truly is. I absolutely loved this. Each character felt so real and distinct. I was happy to be along for the ride on this adventure.

This enemies to lovers road trip book takes the characters from one national park to another. It was a perfect fit for the trip I just took as we visited many of the same places. It was spicier than I expected, but I loved the characters, former high school rivals, and they way they pushed each other and became a safe place for each other to be vulnerable as they process grief. Recommended if you want a romance that takes place on a trip out west.

I went to Bauman‘s Rare Books during a trip out west last week. It was such a bougie bookstore! First editions, signed copies, a letter from Picasso, it was wild. Everything was behind glass and thousands of dollars. Amazing to see those books, but give me a meandering used bookstore over that any day!

This is 100% inspired by Murder on the Orient Express and because of that, it‘s inevitable to compare the two. It‘s nowhere near Agatha Christie‘s level, and the red herrings abound, but it‘s still a fun romp. This is my first from this author, and I was definitely entertained, though it wasn‘t isn‘t throwing as it‘s inspiration. Definitely a good “locked train” mystery and I loved the main character‘s struggle and ambition.

It‘s the ‘90s & Frida is living in Paris when she writes a bookstore in Seattle to request a book. So begins the correspondence between her & bookseller Kate. This is very much in the vein of 84 Charing Cross Road, which I love. As they correspond they push each other to try new things and expand their horizons. A sweet epistolary novel that was such a fun read. I enjoyed this author‘s Love & Saffron a bit more, but this one was still a delight.

If you ever wondered where Roz in The Wild Robot got her name, this is it. This play written in 1920 about the rise of an army of robots, and the extinction of the human race was revolutionary for its time. It has tons of melodrama, and the one woman in it certainly feels like a fake character that all the men can‘t help but fall in love with, but there are some excellent sci-fi themes about man‘s hubris that stand the test of time.

I think the reason I love this series so much is because with each book we go a little deeper with the characters. We see them mature and learn from their new group of friends they‘ve developed in their old age. And the supporting cast of the criminal Connie, police officers Chris & Donna, Bogdan, Joyce‘s daughter Joann, and Ron‘s grandson Kendrick, just keeps getting better. In this one a weeding, bitcoin & a coded safe take stage. Loved it.

I loved this book as a kid, but it's darker than I remembered. I reread it w/my kids and we were all on the edge of our seats. The author's ability to give the reader empathy for horses is beautiful. We found ourselves reflecting on how people treat animals or those with less power is a true reflection of who they are as a person.

“If we see cruelty or wrong that we have the power to stop, & do nothing, we make ourselves sharers in the guilt.”

I stumbled upon this after reading How to Read a Book. This free verse poetical book is more than 100 years old and includes epitaphs from people from the fictional town of Spoon River. It‘s darker than you would expect, and I loved it. It reminded me of Winesburg, Ohio. Ordinary life is heartbreaking and this book captures that perfectly.

I lost my mom when I was 14 & I can‘t believe it took me this long to find this book. Full of wisdom about how grief stays with you and grows in different seasons of life, this book helped me so much. If you‘ve lost your mom, no matter how old you are, I would highly recommend this. There were so many moments that made me realize I was not alone.

“For the motherless daughter, depending on independence is not nearly as contradictory as it sounds.”

This is my 2nd book by this author & I loved it. I think I enjoyed Practice Makes Perfect more, but I identified with this main character. After her parents die, Emily raised her siblings and worked hard to make sure everyone in her life is taken care of. It‘s enemies to lovers, and a lot of deeper issues like grief and loneliness, and struggling with abandonment issues. The dynamic between the siblings is definitely one of my favorite parts.

At 900+ pages, I think it‘s safe to say the plot was overly convoluted. I still enjoyed every second of it. An unsolved murder in a silver vault, a missing soldier, a decades or cold case in another country, a frantic, postpartum girlfriend, and a neighborhood rocked by a tragic car accident. All the while we are moving forward with Robin and Cormoran‘s stories. Plenty of old history is drudged up as the pair try to work through their feelings.

In 1938 Clover & Jotter were the first women to brave the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon. They were botanists studying & collecting specimens. Unsurprisingly, all emphasis by the press was on the fact that they were women & not that they were scientists. It was not a pleasure cruise, but an exploration into the unknown flora in the area. It's an incredible story.

“A wild place isn‘t one unchanged by humans, it‘s a place that changes us.”

There's so many big concepts to discuss in this one; perfect for a book club. Violet is a recently released prisoner struggling with guilt and grief. Harriet is a widowed woman who leads a prison book club. Frank is a widower attempting to move on to a new future. The concept of forgiveness is a big one. Also, I kept thinking about the motherless daughters in the book: Sophie, Kristy, and Violet. Each one struggles with grief in a different way.

I wanted to love this one more than I did. Tress was such a delight, and this one was very original, but with a different tone. Yumi and the painter find their souls unexpectedly tethered together. As nightmare creatures creep through the city, and they must learn how to fight them. They also need to learn how to depend on others and explore their own passions and freedoms. The book dragged, but I did love the illustrations and the concept.

This author is a comfort read for me and I‘ll always pick up her books. This one follows two friends on a solo trip through Venice, Florence, and Lake Como. One woman is trying to find a better work/life balance. The other is struggle with past trauma impacting her view of the world. Through cooking classes and unexpected kindnesses from strangers, the pair both have breakthroughs in their lives.

Number 10 in the series begins with an Indian woman being murdered. Maisie is on the case while trying to make some big decisions about what to do next in her own life. This is definitely a transition book and it moves the story forward wonderfully. I loved learning more about the woman who was murdered and her strong, vibrant personality. Her fearlessness and uncompromising attitude reminded me of Maisie.

Absolutely horrific. This picks up where book 1 left off, but it is 1000% times darker. Lauren is living with the Earthseed community she's built. Jarret has been elected president based on a platform of "Make America Great Again" & stamp out difference. Sound familiar? That‘s why the vigilante justice that becomes popular is all the more disturbing. It doesn't feel too far from reality. An incredibly painful book to read, but an important one.

Put this on your list for a perfect October read. It‘s a short story that says a lot in just a few pages. When a visitor brings a cursed monkey‘s paw back from his travels and claims it will grant the owner three wishes, he also warns them not to use it. Ray Bradbury cites this as the inspiration for one of his stories in The Martian Chronicles. I‘ll be thinking about this one for a long time.

I loved the first 2 books in this series. Just pure delight. And while there were sections in this one that felt that way, the plot felt too scattered. It was trying to follow so many different character threads and kept jumping around at the worst moments. I loved the different twists in this book, but I just kept finding myself not wanting to pick it up. I‘ll definitely finish the series if there‘s another one, but my expectations will be lower.

Harold & Maureen are an older retired couple in England. When he hears that his old coworker and friend is dying, he decides to walk hundreds of miles to visit her in hospice. That simple premise leads to unexpected friendships & quiet processing of painful past moments. It's not a book with big plot twists, but instead is an introspective novel about how our choices & the people around us shape our world. It was lovely to spend time with Harold.

Stoner‘s life is a quiet one, but it‘s full of inner turmoil. An unhappy marriage, a contentious colleague, a moral dilemma, etc. It reminded me of Jayber Crow. The writing is so raw & relatable, you can't help but see yourself in Stoner's small struggles. And that's the brilliance of this book. It captures the inevitability of life. It's repetition, disappointments & joys. No matter what you face, there are shared experiences that connect us.

The cover makes it look like a frothy romcom, but it hits some big issues hard. Samantha & Xavier fall in love, but she's moving to be a full-time caregiver for a parent w/dementia. It‘s hard to put down & I wanted to read it, but it was also painful & a bit depressing if you're in the midst of a similar situation. The lengths the pair goes to felt a bit ridiculous, but if you can suspend disbelief & ignore the characters' burnout, it's good.

I love this book so much! Rereading it reminded me of how Anne and Captain Wentworth‘s maturity leads to a deeper connection when they are reunited. They better understand life and their own foibles. They appreciate true connection when they find it and learn to trust their own decisions and worth. I loved reading it with @BkClubCare and this gorgeous edition from her full of letters and maps made it even more special. #persuasion2025

I‘m completely in for the series at this point. I love the characters and I‘m always left wanting to spend more time with them. This one deals with an antiques dealer, an online romance fraud, and some imported heroin that goes missing. Just a heads up that there is some major plot surrounding Elizabeth‘s husband and his dementia diagnosis. We are dealing with the heartbreak of that in my own family and so that was a difficult section.

Bradbury is the master of the short story & this collection is one of his best. It follows multiple trips to Mars from earth. There are so many standouts, but Usher 2, depicting a horror house built to trap book banners, & There Will Come Soft Rains, about the fall out of nuclear disaster on Earth, are two of the most memorable. Bradbury has a unique ability to capture fear, innocence, joy, & longing with a simple phrase. He‘s a forever favorites.

Two thoughts on this one, first I loved that it mentioned the piece of art pictured above by Alma Thomas. I just bought tickets to an exhibit of hers for next month! I love when that happens. Second, the way the author talks about the layers of grief, complications of life, & the anger you can still feel at someone even after they‘ve passed it was very real to me. It was a very realistic picture of grief, particularly when you lose someone young.

I can‘t believe I waited so long to read a book by Colwin. This won‘t be my last! This collection of essays covers meals she loves, dinner parties she‘s hosted and attended, and kitchen disasters that haunt her. She writes with warmth and humor and talks about food in such an accessible way. I loved every second of it and will be finding more of her books. If you have a favorite, let me know!

Ignore this atrocious cover & enjoy the delightful book. The badass twins are back for more adventures. A depraved night club, midnight rides to rescue someone, the adventure level is high as the pair try to clear Lord Evan‘s name. I love the strength they show. The depiction of women not having agency over their own lives is both accurate & terrifying. I am begging the designer to represent these characters w/more dignity & less flowing nonsense.

So much fun! This twist on the Bourne Identity takes an identical twin, whose sister is a spy, and gives her amnesia. It was a tad long for what it was, and the “bad guys found us, we need to escape” loop became repetitive. But it‘s definitely entertaining. I‘m curious if anyone has read the sequel and if it‘s worth picking up. If you haven‘t read the author‘s. “Most Wonderful Crime of the Year”, it should be a must for this holiday season.

“The sweet scenes of autumn were for a while, put by, unless some tender sonnet, fraught with the apt analogy of the declining year, with declining happiness, & the images of youth, & hope, & spring, all gone together, blessed her memory.”

“Nor could she help fearing, on more serious reflection, that, like many other great moralists & preachers, she had been eloquent on a point in which her own conduct would ill bear examination.” #Persuasion2025

If you are interested in this one, you‘re probably already familiar with the author‘s comedy. This is more of the same, and I mean that in the best way possible. It‘s an absolute necessity to listen to it on audio though. The author reads it and I feel like his southern drawl and comedic timing are essential for full enjoyment. It gave me some much-needed belly laughs.

Maralyn & Maurice decide to abandon a traditional life, buy a yacht & sale to New Zealand. Their fascinating true story happened in the 1970s. When their ship sinks, they are trapped on the open water for 118 days. I‘ve seen mixed reviews of this, but I couldn‘t put it down. If it had been a novel I might have been pickier, but this is well researched and made for an enthralling read. I like that she includes what happened after they‘re rescued.

Good advice, though most of it wasn‘t really applicable to me. Helpful to have it broken down into work, family come on friend, etc.

“You can‘t control how you feel. But you can always choose how you act.”

“Focusing on what you can‘t control makes you stressed. Focusing on what you can control makes you powerful.”

“That‘s the problem w/so many adults we‘re all focused on getting it perfect, instead of trying. What ever happened to good enough?”

Jess is dealing with her mother's unexpected death when she finds herself the curator of the Museum of Ordinary People. I loved the idea of preserving people's "useless" mementos. I didn't love the predictability of the story. I wish the end didn't rely so heavily of the "big reveal" concept- one for Jess, one for the museum, and one for Alex! But it was still satisfying.

The way I audibly squealed when I opened this package!!! Hand-folded letters in one of my favorite books in the world! Particularly a book where a letter plays a crucial and beautiful role. @BkClubCare you made my whole month with this. You‘re just the best! #Persuasion2025 #Pemberlittens

Kiela and her talking spider plant Caz escape the burning of their great library in the huge city where they live. They find refuge on the island where she was born, along with the spell books they smuggled to safety. They decide to create a jam shop and soon they are surrounded by new friends like the merhorse herder and the local baker. Cozy to the max and a lovely read. (Warning: the book will make you want to eat toast and jam.)

Kind of meh. A woman & her boyfriend decide to go to a remote island to film a reality TV show. When a storm hits, things get dire quickly. It‘s billed as a Agatha Christie-style And Then There Were None story, but doesn‘t deliver. There‘s no cleverness in the deaths & no overarching theme until it‘s tacked on at the end. The characters are black & white with no development. The Guest List is a better choice if that‘s what you‘re looking for.

Backman can reliably make me laugh & cry on the same page. In this novel we meet a young teen girl whose path crosses with a world-famous artist. What unfolds is the story of his teen years & the friends who changed his life. I‘ve read three Backman books this year and his bittersweet tone has matched the melancholy grief in my soul. His books can feel heavy because he doesn‘t shy away from the hard trauma in life, but he always finds the joy too.

The loveliest Lego typewriter from my cousin. 🌼

Reading Jane Austen‘s lovely Persuasion with @BkClubCare in August. Anyone want to join in? No pressure readalong. We‘re reading at our own pace and commenting as you feel like it. It‘s my favorite Austen novel and I‘m thrilled to revisit it. Tag #Persuasion2025 if you post!

A wonderful second book in the series. We watch Roz in the role she was created for as a helper to humans on a farm. We watch her fight to return to her son. And my favorite part, we get to meet her designer! Excited to read the next book in the series.

I truly don't know how to wait for the next book. I thought this one was focused mainly on Hawke's, his boxing match, his unbridled enthusiasm for Stonecrop, etc. but then each person had their time to shine. We learn about Piece's mysterious and heartbreaking childhood. We see Islington relax into his true self in his home, cello and all! Even Emma finds her wildest self in that magical place. There wasn't a second that I didn't love.

I neglected to read this classic for too many years. It's based on the author's mother's experience as a teacher at a mission school in Appalachia. It can be very heavy-handed with Christy & pastor David's "saving" the local people, but it's also a product of its time. I love the doctor's character and his understanding that you can use science and still respect the people and their traditions.

“Truth could never be wholly contained in words.”

A collection of essays about people in public service with the government. Each one is written by a different author (many well-known). Whether it‘s the judicial system, the IRS, or another thankless job, these essays highlight people who have gone above and beyond in their roles. I loved learning a bit more about their lives and pulling the curtain back. Great on audio.