Bittersweet! I‘m so excited for today‘s book mail of Don Winslow‘s latest book, City in Ruins. I‘m also sad that Don is retiring from writing. City in Ruins is his final book and the third installment in the Danny Ryan trilogy. I received my signed copy of City in Ruins from The Poisoned Pen, an independent bookseller, in Scottsdale, Arizona. They included a collectible set of three poker chips representing each book title in the trilogy. 🌵

A Mirror Mended by Alix E. Harrow is book two in the Fractured Fables series. I recently read the first book and decided to take the plunge into the second novella. This time, Alix has written an adult rendition of the Snow White fairytale. I liked the alternative perspective Alix told in this story. I also think she wrote an ending that is definitely more applicable to readers.

Full review at https://abookandadog.com

A Spindle Splintered by Alix E. Horrow is a great novella for fans of a fairytale reimagining of Sleeping Beauty. Alix takes a historic fairytale and turns it into a modern telling of the story. The conclusion of the story was terrific. A satisfying, yet unexpected ending, with a beautiful revelation. I love seeing characters grow.

Full review at https://abookandadog.com

This has a lot going on! There‘s history, a love story, a death mystery, and the paranormal. Kate returns to her parents‘ home on the lake to recover from her marriage recently ending. She finds a woman‘s body that has washed upon the shore. Once the police arrive, they discover the woman is wearing a vintage nightgown and wrapped within is an infant. No one knows the identity of the woman.

Full review at https://abookandadog.com

Joseph-Beth Booksellers in Lexington, Ky. hosted an author event with Steven Hale in conversation with attorney, Tom Griffiths. Steven just released his book, Death Row Welcomes You. I wrote about my experience on my blog: https://abookandadog.com/author-events

Jay Shetty shares about his upbringing to his college years. He explains why he chose to head to India to become a monk, where he devoted the next three years of his life. As Jay takes the reader through each of the concepts, he explains how he learned the concept during his time as a monk. He also makes each concept very relatable regardless of a person‘s demographics or spiritual beliefs. 🕉️

Full review at https://abookandadog.com

A perfect day for book mail delivery! I purchased a signed copy of Scott Carson‘s Lost Man‘s Lane from The Poisoned Pen, an independent bookseller, in Scottsdale, Arizona. I would love to have attended the author event but I‘m grateful to have such a beautiful signed first edition.

For those of you who don‘t know, Scott Carson is a pen name for Michael Koryta.

Astor is perfectly written and excellently researched by Anderson Cooper and Katherine Howe. The book follows the Astor family tree, illustrating members of each generation for their contributions or strains on the family legacy. Every chapter was stimulating. Anderson writes with such authenticity and appropriately placed humor, which makes the story engaging and fascinating.

Full review at https://abookandadog.com

Did I really need to add another series of books to my ever growing TBR? Of course I did! I have seen a lot of praise for Gregg Hurwitz‘s Orphan X over the years and I‘m so glad I took the plunge! I loved everything about this book! The story is fascinating! The writing is outstanding! My favorite trait of Evan‘s is that he‘s a meditating assassin!

Full review at https://abookandadog.com

Lisa Jewell has become a favorite author! Adrian is at the center of what he perceives to be a very amicable, layered family in this novel. The story opens with Maya, Adrian‘s third wife, fatally stepping in front of a bus in the early morning hours. There is no clear conclusion whether Maya‘s death was an accident or suicide. As Adrian grieves the loss of his third wife, family secrets begin to emerge.

Full review at https://abookandadog.com

Unsolved mysteries are always intriguing for me. The tragic disappearance of Amelia Earhart is one of those captivating mysteries. This is a short story about A. E.‘s disappearance in 1937. Portions of the story are told from A.E.‘s perspective while flying. Lizzie, age 15, hears A.E.‘s distress call. Excited to learn that A.E. is alive and asking for help when everyone else fears A.E. is lost at sea. ✈️

Full review at https://abookandadog.com

Years ago, I was browsing in a used bookstore with my husband. He discovered this first edition for $5. This novel left me feeling much the same emotions as The Crossing. There are moments of heart wrenching despair and utter sadness. McCarthy knows how to build hope for the reader, but I wasn‘t fooled this time. I knew any moments of joy or excitement were going to be met with devastating grief.

Full review at https://abookandadog.com

I seldom intentionally try to solve the mystery when reading a book, and try to just sit back and enjoy the ride. This is one of those books that automatically put my brain into solving mode. I didn‘t trust any of the characters and felt suspicious towards just about everyone. By the conclusion, I was right and wrong! And I loved it! There were unexpected layers and satisfying twists.

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I‘m trying to be better at bailing on books I‘m not that crazy about or are ‘just okay.‘ As Long As We Both Shall Live by Joann Chaney started out well. Two timelines and a husband likely killing his wife. The lives of the investigating detectives became part of the story, it got confusing, and less interesting for me. A little more than 25% in and I decided it was time to move on.

Full review at https://abookandadog.com

Cormac McCarthy‘s scene descriptions and character development pulled me right into the emotional story of The Crossing. It‘s an emotionally heavy read, filled with tragedy and suffering. While also being a beautiful story. I suppose I have this reaction because McCarthy repeatedly offers hope in the story but doesn‘t quite deliver. There isn‘t a man on horseback riding off into the sunset in this ending.

Full review at https://abookandadog.com

I finally made it to the final Jack Reacher installment in the series written solely by Lee Child. Blue Moon exceeded my expectations. Reacher continues to be an invincible character, willing to take on two villainous gangs. He also wins the affection of a waitress tired of the tension and injustice in her town. Reacher‘s brief love affairs continue to entertain.

Full review at https://abookandadog.com

I am new to Edith Wharton‘s writing and wasn‘t sure where to begin. I read that Ethan Frome is a reader favorite so I decided this was a good place to start. I truly enjoyed this novella and look forward to reading more of her work. I liked her writing style: her descriptions of scenes and ability to weave an interesting, timeless tale.

Full review at https://abookandadog.com

As I started reading From a Buick 8 by Stephen King, I couldn‘t keep my mind from thinking about one of his earliest novels, Christine. These novels turn out to be quite different from one another. The Buick 8 is also a creepy and bizarre piece of machinery that only King can create.

Full review at https://abookandadog.com

Imagine Living (book 2), set in 1980, follows Robyn, from tagged book. She‘s 16, doing her best to navigate the cards life has dealt. Circumstances unexpectedly change for Robyn and she decides to be homeless rather than return to a toxic home environment with her mom. Once I had the opportunity to immerse myself into Robyn‘s story, I couldn‘t put the book down until I finished.

Full review at https://abookandadog.com

The more I grow in age and maturity, I am gaining an understanding of my relationship with anxiety. The authors of this amazing book offer many helpful suggestions that stand apart from other resources b/c they explain how the amygdala works and how the tools will work on the amygdala. For me, understanding how the brain works makes all the difference in applying their suggestions.

Full review at https://abookandadog.com

This story pulled at my deepest, strongest heart string…dogs. Watchers is an incredible story. I listened to the audiobook every chance I had. The characters are more than likable, they are lovable. The only thing more scary than the monster are the people who created it. This novel filled my heart and entertained my brain. This is not only one of my favorite Koontz books, it‘s easily an all-time favorite.

Full review at https://abookandadog.com

For me, short stories are a challenge to enjoy. I‘ve analyzed my struggle and concluded that‘s because most of them are too short. For instance, with Paul Tremblay‘s short story, In Bloom, I was completely sucked into the beginning. The ending was abrupt. I wish there was about 1-2 more hours, just to expand the story a bit more. I‘ll keep trying short stories; always in hope to read a gem!

Full review at https://abookandadog.com

Blame by Jeff Abbott is a uniquely plotted psychological thriller. It‘s filled with suspense, a neighborhood full of people keeping secrets, and a lot of suspicion. The deeper I got into this book, the less characters I trusted. Everyone was a suspect!

Full review at https://abookandadog.com

A beautiful, sunny day for the delivery of my signed first edition of The Bad Weather Friend by Dean Koontz. Thanks to The Poisoned Pen, an independent bookseller in Scottsdale, Arizona, I am enjoying this cool cover with stunning endpapers!

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If you‘re looking for an excellent mystery with suspense, betrayal, and corruption, I highly recommend The Ruin by Dervla McTiernan. It‘s the first installment of the Cormac Reilly Mystery series. I purchased the audiobook from Audible. I loved the beautiful narration by Aoife McMahon. I could listen to her all day! 

Full review at https://abookandadog.com

Several years ago, I listened to the podcast, Books on the Nightstand, religiously. One of the hosts, Michael, raved about how much he loved The Twelve Lives of Samuel Hawley by Hannah Tinti. I completely understand why he was so enamored by it. It‘s a 5🌟book for me! There are so many layers to this story: grief, survival, identity, change, friendship, love, and family. It‘s deep and wonderful.

Full review at https://abookandadog.com

Courage. It‘s what Virginia and Violette harness as they navigate life during the war in Sisters of Night and Fog by Erika Robuck. It‘s a nice, long read that alternates between the lives of these women as they navigate the changes in their young lives that are significantly impacted by the invasion of the Nazi‘s. I purchased the audiobook from Audible. Narration by Caroline Hewitt is amazing!

Full review at https://abookandadog.com

When I started listening to this audiobook, Caffeine, by Michael Pollan, I was a bit worried I was going to be left feeling guilty about my caffeine consumption. As you can tell from the picture, I love tea: tea bags, loose leaf tea, various flavors/seasons, and a variety of caffeine levels. Pollan tells the history of caffeine, impact on our bodies, and our caffeine culture. ☕️🫖

Full review at https://abookandadog.com

I understand why this book has received so many accolades. A Good Marriage by Kimberly McCreight is a great suspenseful thriller with many layers of secrets kept by ALL of the characters. I liked how the story is told from so many different perspectives. Many of the secrets are dark and people‘s reasons for keeping their secrets added to the complexity of their role in the story.

Full review at https://abookandadog.com

These prism glasses allow me to read in bed without straining my neck. Where have these beauties been all my life? 👀

For my review and more photos please visit my biblio boutique blog https://abookandadog.com/biblio-boutique/valuu-lazy-glasses

John Grisham ventures into a different style of legal thriller with Camino Island. I loved the dreamy setting of Camino Island with the ease of coastal living, the lifestyle of the writers, and frequent dinner parties. All of the characters were likable, even the ones with an element of suspicion lurking throughout the story.

Full review at https://abookandadog.com

I‘m a fan of Horowitz. Unfortunately, I bailed on this one. The narrator was pleasant; however, I had difficulty discerning which character was speaking. It became tiresome and required too much effort. I would probably be better off reading this one in print.

Full review at https://abookandadog.com

Original painting pictured by artist, PoeSoul Studio, is available at https://poesoulstudio.com

I don‘t recall how The Ghosts of Eden Park by Karen Abbott got on my radar. Probably from a social media outlet or one of the many bookish emails arrive to my inbox daily. I was intrigued by the book as I enjoy true crime stories. While I can identify a lot of strengths for this book, it was just okay for me. Bootlegging is not a crime that interests me very much.

Full review at https://abookandadog.com

T is for Trespass is another great installment of the Alphabet series by Sue Grafton. Kinsey Millhone‘s elderly neighbor is injured during a fall prompting her to offer assistance and engage the help of family. Meanwhile, a sociopath is stealing the identity of Solana Rojas so that she can work private caregiving jobs and take advantage of the elderly.

Full review at https://abookandadog.com

Next Year in Havana is a love story. It‘s not just a romantic story of people falling in love, it‘s a story about one‘s love of country, culture, history, and family. Chanel Cleeton delivered a fascinating first book to The Cuba Saga series.

Full review at https://abookandadog.com

I never know where a novel by Stephen King is going to take me and that‘s what I love about his story telling talent. In the Institute, King introduced fascinating concepts that made my skin prickle. He developed theories I hope stay in the realm of fiction. The story is suspenseful; the last 100 pages were intense! I couldn‘t stop reading until I finished the book.

Full review at https://abookandadog.com

If you fear what lurks underneath your bed at night, this story will make your fears seem like a fairy tale. When Marcus was a child, his father blamed the boogeyman who lives under the bed for killing his mother. He warned Marcus to leave all of the lights on in the house, or the boogeyman would get him. Marcus didn‘t really believe any of his father‘s survival suggestions, but he never forgot them.

Full review at https://abookandadog.com

I was drawn to this because I grew up in Ohio. The simple title of the novel had me feeling nostalgic and intrigued. This is a book I struggled to connect with in the beginning and as I neared the end, I knew I was going go miss these characters. It‘s a heavy read with a lot of graphic descriptors that convey the shocking realities for these four traumatized characters. Markley is an incredible writer.

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This is an excellent holiday-themed thriller! At roughly five and a half hours of listening time, this story is packed with suspense and layers of one woman‘s life. I loved how the pieces kept falling together while leaving me with more questions and suspicions. The story is intense and frightening at times, while filled with hope, forgiveness, and love that are staples of the holiday season.

Full review at https://abookandadog.com

This is my first time reading this classic story. The new Audible Original production is free to members! I was immediately struck by this wonderful story. I understand why so many readers express significant love for Anne and the gorgeous setting of Prince Edward Island. I truly adored Anne and her wild adventures. Audible‘s production is amazing!

Full review at https://abookandadog.com

I started listening to James Taylor in the early 1990‘s, so when Audible offered this short memoir, I didn‘t hesitate adding it to my library. He openly shares about his upbringing and family dynamics. It‘s interesting to hear him talk about committing himself to a psychiatric hospital and heroin addiction. The audiobook is well produced. He sings portions of his songs that correspond to the stories.

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This makes for a great holiday read when you‘re looking for a story set at Christmas with a murder mystery to solve. At university, a group of friends created the Masquerade Murder Society. Their final Christmas Masquerade took place 12 years ago when one member of their group disappeared. The Society comes together for another Christmas-themed party - the Twelve Days of Christmas.

Full review at https://abookandadog.com

Satisfyingly working my way through the Rosato and Associates series with book number 9. Mary DiNunzio is hired pro bono to represent the estate of Amadeo Brandolini, an Italian immigrant. Amadeo‘s son wants to sue for reparations. At the beginning of World War II, Amadeo was placed in an Italian-American internment camp. This murder mystery story also reads like a historical fiction novel.

Full review at https://abookandadog.com

This book is a cute cozy mystery with a holiday theme. The characters are likable and the mystery is satisfying. There‘s a lot of humor with a serious plot twist.

The small town is getting ready for the Winter Festival. Mae has a car accident due to a recent snowfall on the curvy roads that puts her in a coma. The man in the bed next to her doesn‘t survive.

Full review at https://abookandadog.com

I love discovering new-to-me authors and that‘s exactly what happened with this novel. I was hooked on this story from the very beginning! Ann‘s writing is engaging and fascinating. She made me fall in love with her characters. Hildy Good is a well-respected, successful real estate agent. Her adult daughters organized an intervention because Hildy drinks too much. We meet Hildy upon her return from rehab.

Full review at https://abookandadog.com

I‘m so grateful that Jenny Lawson continues to share her gift of humor as she opens-up to readers about coping with depression and anxiety. In Broken, she keeps inquiring minds up to date with stories of hilarious life moments that had me laughing until I cried. She also shares very serious stories that drive home the real struggles of depression. I appreciate her transparency and advocacy for all people.

Full review at https://abookandadog.com

Set in a downtown Cleveland bank. There are two story lines, 20 years apart. In 1998, Iris, an engineer assigned to survey an abandoned bank for a potential renovation. As Iris begins exploring, she immediately observes the building has been frozen in time. In 1978, Beatrice, a 16 yr old living with her aunt as an escape from her nightmare family. The aunt coaches Beatrice on getting a job at the bank.

Full review at https://abookandadog.com

This has been on my radar for quite a while and I‘ve seen lots of glowing reviews. I‘ve been cautious about reading it because I didn‘t think I would like it. I finally decided to try it after seeing positive comments about it on X. I was wisely advised that I wouldn‘t know if I liked it, until I gave it a try. I gave it a fair shot by listening to 1 hour and 20 minutes before I pulled the plug. 😏

Full review at https://abookandadog.com

This is incredible. I didn‘t know much about the plot when I started reading, which I think best suited my experience. My personal challenge while reading is that I kept comparing it to how much I loved The Goldfinch, and this didn‘t quite rise to that level for me. I reminded myself to manage my expectations and when I was able to do that, I became immersed in the story.

Full review at https://abookandadog.com

I am thrilled to join the club of readers who have enjoyed Rebecca. The elegant writing and fascinating story were a true pleasure. The opening chapters were beautifully written and had me mesmerized while also curious about this place called Manderley. After I finished the book, I immediately reread the first couple of chapters. It felt fitting, as the beginning was just as significant as the ending.  

Full review at https://abookandadog.com