Plant Lady
by Kang Minyoung
It Grew on Me (6/22/2026)
Plant Lady was not your typical hero's journey and the title character was not your typical hero. That made the plot very intriguing. The quiet, unassuming Plant Lady turned into a feminist super hero when confronted by abusive men who didn't appreciate plants or the women in their lives. Her weapon of choice and means of disposing of her victims was not only brilliant but ecologically sound. While the story was entertaining, initially I found the sentences to be a bit choppy but I suspect that was caused by the difference in pacing between the original Korean and the translation to English, not the writing itself.
Time Travel for Beginners
by Jaclyn Moriarty
Take Me Back Again (6/22/2026)
This book checked a lot of boxes for me. I love Australia, I love books and literary allusions and I love (well done) books about time travel. Add to that finely drawn characters that I would love to spend time with in real life, a fast pace and an interesting plot and you have a winner. The way the separate plot points came together at the end was brilliant. I enjoyed this book from start to finish. I hope this is the start of a series because I would be happy to visit Anna and her friends at the Time Travel Agency many more times.
The Reimagining of Thornwood House
by Jaleigh Johnson
Excellent Cozy Fantasy (4/14/2026)
A book about a sentient house? Sign me up! I really enjoyed this story. I loved the nods to classic fairy tales (the chicken feet for example) and that the mother/daughter relationship was centered rather than the romantic one (also kudos for a male romantic interest who was supportive of the strong female character). The cast of characters was engaging and plot was well thought out. An excellent book to curl up with for a relaxing night in.
Summer's Never Over
by Darby Bozeman
A DNF for me (4/14/2026)
Maybe it was just too soon to read about a murderous summer camp after the tragedy in Texas last year. In any case, this was a Did Not Finish for me. I did not find the characters engaging or the story line particularly compelling.
The Family Man: Blood and Betrayal in the House of Murdaugh
by James Lasdun
The Anti-Family Man, Alex Murdoch (4/14/2026)
I followed the Murdoch trial in the news and watched the documentaries so i was immediately intrigued by the book. It was a very interesting read. I liked getting some behind-the-scenes details about the investigation and trial and some insight about what the Murdoch family was like. It was very interesting to read about the level of corruption in the local banking and legal communities that was possible simply because of the Murdoch family's long history in the area. Definitely a cautionary tale there. In the same vein, it was uncanny how many people seemed to find it easy to forgive his massive thefts, simply because he was a "good ol' boy" in their eyes.
Feast
by Catherine Kurtz
Beautiful writing (4/14/2026)
A really lovely book. The writing is exquisite - very detailed and descriptive which really lends itself to a story centered on scent and taste. For me, the storyline about everything Minha endured to reach her happy ending was secondary to the beautiful descriptions of the scenery and the food. It was very easy to get lost in the language of the story.
The Jellyfish Problem
by Tessa Yang
The Jellyfish Problem (3/10/2026)
I have to admit, it took me awhile to warm up to Jo and her story but I'm glad I stuck it out. I do wish the author had spent more time on Clementine (who was supposed to be the point of the story) and less time on the sort of love triangle between Nadia, Roger and Jo which I didn't find very interesting or entertaining. Overall, a good read but not character driven as I would have liked.
The Midnight Taxi
by Yosha Gunasekera
Midnight Taxi is a Midnight Snack of a Book (12/22/2025)
This book meets all the requirements of a good midnight snack and who doesn't love a good midnight snack? It's not too big, won't keep you awake all night, it's full of good ingredients (plot, character) and very satisfying. I loved the glimpses of life in NYC, little tastes of Sri Lanken culture, and the friendship between Siri, Alex and Amaya. And as a mom, I appreciated the delicacy with which the author dealt with Siri's relationship with her parents. I enjoyed this book and will be on the lookout for future installments.
The Magician of Tiger Castle
by Louis Sachar
Louis Sacher's Adult Debut (4/2/2025)
It's been years since I read Holes but Louis Sacher's "voice" was immediately and pleasantly apparent in this lovely adult fiction book. The characters were funny and touching all at the same time and utterly relatable. If you loved The Princess Bride you will love this book too. It shares the same combination of wit and poignancy. Highly recommend.
Serial Killer Games
by Kate Posey
A Killer of a Story (1/29/2025)
Serial Killer Games killed it. I loved the twisty plot and the characters. The story kept me engaged from beginning to end. The snarky, sarcastic tone and dialog were hilarious, and the ending was perfection. I hope Ms. Posey intends to be a serial author because I'm dying to read more books from her.
Happy Land
by Dolen Perkins-Valdez
Happy Land, Happy Reader (11/21/2024)
I enjoyed this book. I'm a long time family researcher so I appreciated that this was based on a true story. I loved the woman-centered story lines, and the resiliency the women showed when faced with challenges seemed particularly appropriate right now.
The Very Long, Very Strange Life of Isaac Dahl
by Bart Yates
Short but Very Sweet (5/9/2024)
Isaac may have had a long, strange life but the book about him is short but sweet. I was a little skeptical that a book about a man's life that skips ahead every eight years would tell a coherent story, much less an enjoyable one. I was very wrong. Bart Yates did a masterful job of creating characters who came to life despite the gaps in the timeline. Each chapter presented new characters who added depth to Isaac's story and immediacy to the historical events each chapter depicted. I read the entire book in one sitting and was very sorry when it was finished. This one will go on my favorites shelf.
The Funeral Cryer: A Novel
by Wenyan Lu
If the Author Does Not Care, Why Should I? (2/12/2024)
I'm not sure what the author intended with this book that did not name any of the main characters other than their role in the story (Daughter, Husband, Barber, etc.) but keeping the characters at such a remove was a fail for me. I found it impossible to care about characters that the author did not bother to name or imbue with personality. I did manage to finish the book but the ending felt like the author was just as tired of the story as I was. The book ended abruptly without any sort of growth or resolution for the Funeral Cryer. Overall, a very dissatisfying read.
The House on Biscayne Bay
by Chanel Cleeton
Good but lacking in substance (12/14/2023)
The book was well written but the story was predictable and not all that engaging. I thought having Carmen and Carolina come from Cuba was odd. It didn't feel like that aspect of the story was well researched. If some of the main characters are from a different culture, it would be good to highlight aspects of that culture that are relevant to how the characters handled the events in the story. Overall, the book was okay but I prefer more history in my historical fiction.
The Divorcees
by Rowan Beaird
Midcentury Modern Divorce (11/7/2023)
The Divorcees is a fictionalized account about the "divorce ranches" in midcentury Reno, Nevada. It is well written and the story is engaging. My only criticism is the lack of depth in the women's stories. The difficulties women faced in trying to asset their independence in a male dominated culture at a time when they couldn't even get a credit card in their own name, is mentioned but not fleshed out as fully as I would have liked. I would have liked to have had more in depth in exploring the circumstances that lead the various women to the ranch and how they dealt with the aftermath. More focus on Lois and the other women and less on Greer would have made for a better book.
This Is Salvaged: Stories
by Vauhini Vara
Excellent Writing But The Stories Were Not For Me (8/26/2023)
Vauhini Vara is a talented writer. The writing is descriptive and vividly drawn but I found the stories to be very dark and cynical. I didn't find them humorous or enjoyable. Books are my safe space and this one didn't feel safe at all; I'm sure that appeals to many people but not to me.
Banyan Moon: A Novel
by Thao Thai
Mothers and Daughters (5/8/2023)
Banyan Moon is Thao Thai's debut novel and to some degree, it shows. The book has a compelling storyline but its execution is a little spotty. The overabundance of metaphors, similes and alliteration in the early chapters was jarring: "Her gait was purposeful but pinched. There was something dry and dangerous about her, like flint meeting flint." but that tendency evened out as the story progressed. I liked the way the characters evolved and grew in understanding of themselves and each other even after death. It was also annoying to reach the end of the book with the often alluded to mystery of how Minh bought Banyan House from an "old white woman" and why she felt compelled to keep all the woman's possessions intact, a storyline which seems central to understanding how Minh became the person she was, unresolved. I'm still wondering about that days after finishing the book. In sum, it was a good but not great debut effort. I do think this author will grow into her art and I will look forward to reading her next book.
Mrs. Plansky's Revenge
by Spencer Quinn
Delightful Read (4/4/2023)
Spencer Quinn has created a series worthy character in Mrs. Loretta Plansky. I was a little hesitant about the story at first because it seemed as if Mrs. Plansky was being taken advantage of by ungrateful family members but Mrs. Plansky proved more than able to take care of herself and her great adventure in righting the wrongs done to her and her family was both entertaining and heartwarming. I thought it was absolutely brilliant that Mrs. Plansky's late husband, Norm, was such an important influence for Mrs. Plansky that he became part of the story even though he was deceased. And yet we also saw her move on from Norm's death in important ways too. Overall this was a fun read with characters I hope we will see again in a new series.
Homestead: A Novel
by Melinda Moustakis
I wanted to like it more than I did (1/27/2023)
I really wanted to love this book but I often felt like the author was trying too hard to write great literature to the detriment of just telling a story. The writing was choppy and hard to follow at times; I found the tempo to be very staccato like here: "A testing, a trying, and he reaches the tractor once more. Wipes his forehead with a handkerchief. Dirt in his mouth, and he drinks from his canteen." The short choppy sentences made the reading feel jerky and disjointed. The only character that I really warmed to was Sheila who tried so hard to mother Marie while dealing with her own infertility issues. I did not find either Lawrence or Marie to be particularly likable or sympathetic.
In the Time of Our History
by Susanne Pari
In the Time of Our History (9/16/2022)
I loved this book. The themes of family, culture. loss and exile were so beautifully handled, and the characters are realistically portrayed yet handled with compassion for their faults and weaknesses. The female characters in particular who show their strength and resilience in such individual ways, are very finely drawn. Anahita, who we only see through the eyes of her loved ones, Mitra, and Shireen will stay with me for a long time.
