Welcome to the Kokoro Cat Clinic
by Syou Ishida
Cats Are the Best! (6/20/2026)
Welcome to the Kokoro Cat Clinic is the third book in the delightful We'll Prescribe You a Cat series. The book consists of a series of vignettes about people who have been prescribed a cat to help them deal with the difficult problems in their lives. The clinic is mysteriously located and difficult to find, but people who need the services seem to accidentally stumble upon it. The book is set in Kyoto, Japan so we get to learn about life in the city and about different breeds of cats such as Calico, Ragdoll, Tabby, and the beautiful, white Khao Manee which often has eyes of two different colors. I especially enjoyed reading about the different cat behaviors and how difficult it can be to interpret the meaning of these behaviors. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes cats or wants to know more about them.
The Night Hunter
by Natalie Moss
A Dangerous Walk in the Bush (5/30/2026)
Natalie Moss's debut novel, The Night Hunter, will surely keep you on the edge of your seat for hours on end. The setting in the bush of South Africa is both realistic and atmospheric. I've been on wild animal safaris in Africa and the fear and anxiety I felt then returned full force as I read this book. Every once in a while, I had to close the book and walk around just to break the unrelenting tension. You, the reader, are there and filled with dread as the dangerous, wild animals stalk the characters who are on foot after their vehicle crashes. You are there when the dangerous, mysterious people engage in some of the same behavior. This book is a suspenseful thriller that will stay with you long after you have read the last page. I look forward to reading anything else that Natalie Moss writes.
Plant Lady
by Kang Minyoung
A Plant Shop Like No Other (5/28/2026)
The Plant Lady is a book that grabbed me from the first page. A quiet, unassuming woman from out of town opens a plant shop on a deserted street in Dosan, South Korea. She transforms the empty building and adjoining garden into a welcoming, peaceful green sanctuary for people who pass through her doors. But there's more here than meets the eye. As time passes, she not only helps people with their plants, she also has a knack for rectifying some very painful life situations. Men who torture animals, damage plants, abuse children, and mistreat their partners should be warned. Your life may be about to change. This book will appeal to readers who like a thriller and want to burn the midnight oil! Once you start, it's hard to stop until you've read the last page.
Somebody Worth Killing
by Jessica Payne
Unique Killer (4/26/2026)
Somebody Worth Killing is a book that you will speed read. It's a psychological thriller that's fast paced, humorous and the action is propelled by some very morally complex characters. How can that wonderful mom who cooks, cleans, jogs, participates in PTA, and dearly loves her family be a hired assassin? Is it genetic, perhaps an inherited family trait that makes a person feel compelled to kill? Is the killing justified if the targets are truly bad, evil individuals? Is a hired assassin just another type of serial killer? This book hooked me from the first chapter. The plot twists and turns kept me reading into the night. If you like a good mystery with some humor thrown in, you will want to get your hands on this book.
Henry Tudor Must Die
by Jillian Laine
A Better History (4/21/2026)
Henry VIII is probably the best-known English king whom we have all come to know and deplore. History tells us he was greedy, cruel, gluttonous and surely possessed of a most evil heart. He cast off wives without mercy or fear of reprisal from God, the church, the nobility or the common folk. What if his wives attempted to seek revenge and tried to even the score? Henry Tudor Must Die is a fantasy novel that reimagines of the king's marriages and the fates of his dead wives. It is a glorious retelling of royal history that has humor, suspense, magic spells and lots of action. You won't want to miss out on the fun!
The Reimagining of Thornwood House
by Jaleigh Johnson
Cozy Read for a Rainy Day (4/8/2026)
The Reimagining of Thornwood House is a book that I read in one day. I could not put it down. Not only is this a book about an old, interesting house, the house is sentient and has recently taken to running away on chicken legs. What a visual image that creates! The book has a unique storyline and is populated with some of the most interesting characters that I have encountered in fiction in quite a while. The book had been labeled a 'cozy fantasy' so it's not too scary and the main characters are not in mortal danger. It's got romance, good witches, bad witches and lots of kind, regular folks too. The book will be enjoyed by readers who like fantasy and witchcraft.
The Insomniacs
by Allison Winn Scotch
Awake in the Night (3/25/2026)
The Insomniacs is a winner for sure. This is a book about four people who meet in the night and the life changing decisions that they make. It has suspense, interesting characters and a wonderfully unique story to tell. I never really thought about the world inhabited by people who can't sleep at night. These are the people who play competitive online games at 2 AM, meet to talk in all night restaurants, or visit chat rooms to converse with others who are also wide awake when the rest of us are sleeping. This book could actually keep the sleepy reader awake at night quickly turning the pages as this very entertaining story unfolds. I loved it and will definitely recommend it to my friends.
Feast
by Catherine Kurtz
A Tasty Dish (3/21/2026)
Feast is a delicious read on multiple levels. The plot moves along quickly, the characters are engaging, and the food descriptions are ever so sumptuous. The main character, Minha, gets to taste a small sliver of each extravagant dish as it passes by her door on its way to the dining room. Her incredible sense of smell and taste have resulted in her being given the "job" of poison detector for a paranoid duct in late 19th century England. This book has a bit of suspense, a touch of magical realism and a healthy dose of historical fiction. It's a quick read and kept me up late into the night turning the pages. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in that time period, in food and in the tough choices poor women had to make if they were to survive.
The Jellyfish Problem
by Tessa Yang
The Jellyfish Problem (3/5/2026)
The Jellyfish Problem is a book the reader will remember for a very long time. It’s humorous, it’s suspenseful, and it’s oh so much fun to read. I found myself completely caught up in the implausible story of a monstrous, crimson jellyfish which has imprisoned inhabitants on an island off the coast of Maine. The main human character is a marine biologist who knows and loves everything about jellyfish. So, not only is the reader going to be immersed in a rollickingly good story, he/she is also going to learn a whole lot about jellyfish. Who knew they could be biofluorescent or that they are older than dinosaurs and sharks or that the most venomous creature on the planet is a jellyfish? I think this book will appeal to a broad audience, especially those who like a little bit of fantasy, a unique storyline and interesting characters who work their way through love, loss and grief as the story unfolds. I loved it.
Ulysses S. Cat and Other Animals I Have Known
by Scott Simon
Heads Up Animal Lovers (2/24/2026)
Ulysses S. Cat is a very touching series of short narratives about some of the animals that Simon has encountered or thought about during his life. The animals are varied, common and yet unique, ranging from beta fish to sea gulls, dogs and cats, hamsters and octopuses. Daisy, the French poodle and Leona, the cat are family pets whose adventures and foibles are especially delightful. The stories are written in the same voice Simon uses on NPR, clear, engaging and wise. I have been a fan of his radio voice for years and am very happy to now enjoy his writing voice in this wonderful book. Animal lovers everywhere rejoice! This book is for you.
Son of Nobody: A Novel
by Yann Martel
A Classic Revisited (12/29/2025)
Son of Nobody is an amazing read on so many levels. First, the structure of the book with two parallel story lines on the same page above and below a solid, black line, as though narrative above and footnotes below. Second, the retelling of the Trojan War through the eyes of a common soldier as it is being pieced together by a similarly common scholar of the classics. Third, the similar struggles of love, family, grief, and regret that befall both the soldier and the scholar transcend the thousands of years and miles that separate their lives, yet are so common to the human experience. This is a book that the reader will not soon forget. It's a compelling read that will be especially enjoyed by anyone who loves the classics and relishes the idea that perhaps, lost in an ancient trash pile, new stories are still awaiting discovery.
The Midnight Taxi
by Yosha Gunasekera
A Sweet Surprise (11/29/2025)
The Midnight Taxi by Yosha Gunasekera was a sweet surprise. Two women of Sri Lankan descent who barely know each other team up to investigate and solve a murder with the hopes of keeping one of them out of prison. In this delightful book we learn about Sri Lankan food and culture as the duo race through the streets of New York City following clues and interviewing possible suspects. Who would have thought that a taxi driver and public defender could solve a crime, eat lots of delicious food (that I have never heard of) and, at the same time, engage in witty self-dialogue that actually keeps the reader wondering what could possibly happen next. I think anyone who likes murder mysteries will enjoy this book. We can only hope that we find these two teamed up again in another fast moving whodunnit.
When We Were Brilliant
by Lynn Cullen
A Brilliant Book About Two Brilliant Women (10/17/2025)
When We Were Brilliant is a book that allows us to view Marilyn Monroe through an entirely different lens and will change forever what you thought you knew about the cultural icon of the 1950s. Though a novel, the book is impeccably researched and gives the reader a detailed look at the wonderful friendship and collaboration that developed between Marilyn and Eve Arnold, a documentary photographer. Both women become empowered by this relationship. This book shows how Norma Jean Baker created Marilyn Monroe and even refers to her in the third person. We are treated to her humor, wit, intelligence and ability to manage the dialogue and the situation. Eve Arnold was able to capture Marilyn on film, like no other photographer, without the use of retouch, tripod, or studio and with only natural lighting. This book will remind the reader of those written by Marie Benedict and Patti Callahan and would make an excellent book club selection.
The Magic of Untamed Hearts: Wild Magic #3
by Raquel Vasquez Gilliland
Surprise! I Like a Roamnce (9/25/2025)
Not having read the first two books in the Wild Magic series, I was completely unprepared for the third, The Magic of Untamed Hearts. However, I quickly fell under its spell and stayed up late to finish it. This book is fiction, fantasy and sexy romance all rolled into one very impressive narrative. Sky Flores and her sisters each have a unique, special power that enhances their lives, yet can arouse fear and apprehension in the "normal" people who surround them. Sky's special power is her ability to understand and communicate with animals. She appears to be autistic and has great difficulty interacting with other people. Others in the community don't understand her and she certainly cannot figure them out. The book is a delightful journey of self-discovery and confidence building. I think this book would be enjoyed by anyone who likes romance and fantasy. It's quirky, it's unpredictable and it's fun. Now I need to read the other two volumes in the series.
A Club of One's Own
by BookBrowse
This is is a Gem! (7/10/2025)
A Club of One's Own is the new BookBrowse guide for setting up and running a book club. I have been in book clubs for over 25 years and was quite sure this little book would be only marginally helpful but maybe worth a look. What a surprise! It's full of excellent recommendations and general information about the establishment and operation of book clubs. I especially loved the statistics that enabled me to compare our club with others in terms of group size, frequency of meetings, where meetings are held, who leads the discussion etc.
The section on how to word book discussion questions is very helpful and I plan to use the annual Book Club Health Check with my club. This little book is a gem and anyone in a book club should grab a copy. Your club members will thank you!
The Bone Thief
by Vanessa Lillie
BIA Crime Solver (7/2/2025)
In The Bone Thief, indigenous author Vanessa Lillie's lead character is crime solver Syd Walker, an archeologist with the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA). The story moves along quickly as she tries to locate a missing woman and the bones and burial artifacts that have been stolen from a 300-year-old indigenous woman's grave. This book is part thriller, part historical fiction, part mystery and totally entertaining. I certainly learned a great deal about the Narragansett people, both their history and present-day struggles.
The Bone Thief is the sequel to Lillie's novel Blood Sisters. I have already downloaded that book onto my reader and can't wait to get started. I think anyone who likes mysteries and is concerned about the disappearance and murders of indigenous women and girls will be especially drawn to this series.
The Vanishing Place
by Zoë Rankin
The New Zealand Bush is a Scary Place (5/25/2025)
The Vanishing Place
by Zoe Rankin
I was completely absorbed in this tense, atmospheric thriller from the prologue to the last paragraph. The book is set in the remote, dangerous New Zealand bush country and the storyline moves between the present and events that have taken place over the past 25 years. The characters are memorable and slowly become more fully understood as the plot twists and turns and dark secrets are revealed. I read over 100 books a year and this one will certainly rank in this year's top 10 as one that was scary, completely unique and impossible to put down. I definitely recommend this book to anyone who likes thrillers and mysteries and who isn't afraid to stay up late reading long into the night.
The Possession of Alba Díaz
by Isabel Cañas
The Possession of Alba Diaz (4/22/2025)
This book is a riveting, atmospheric blend of Mexican gothic, horror, and historical fiction. Alba Diaz wants to have control of her body and person during the mid 18th Century, a time period when women didn't have much control over anything in their lives. Instead she finds herself fleeing an outbreak of the plague, lost is a silver mine, possessed by a demon and subjected to an exorcism courtesy of the Catholic Inquisition.
This book is filled with tension, dread and even a bit of gothic romance thrown in for good measure. It's also a lesson in the use of mercury for the amalgamation of silver and the deleterious effects of mercury on the human body. This book was my first introduction to the writings of Isabel Canas. I will be sure to read her other novels.
The Possession of Alba Diaz will keep you on the edge of your chair reading long past your bedtime. It's a unique gem.
