Many thanks to my friends at @henryholtbooks for the #gifted copy of this book.

 

“Regardless of how they get made, family is a force to be reckoned with.”

 

Full of warmth and brimming with humor.  This one gets ALL THE STARS.  It’s a true standout and a definitive must read.  

 

Be forewarned: This is the kind of book you want to sink into and soak up.  The characters are divine.  The writing is superb.  Those nuggets of wisdom are annotation worthy.  

 

BUT.  It’s practically impossible to put down.  Those cliffhangers at the end of chapters!  The laugh out loud moments.  The antics that you have to see through.  This book creates the best kind of internal conflict… Do I speed read?  Do I savor?  

 

Astutely observed and full of wisdom, Frankel excels at creating a fresh perspective from complex subjects.  Never heavy handed.  Always uplifting.  

 

In this book about adoption, I found a beautiful examination of family- in all varieties- that resonated deeply.  The messy and the complicated.  The challenges and the hardships.  But most fervently, it’s a portrait of overwhelming love and consistent “I show up for you” support.  

 

This book was meant for discussion!  Reading it with @rachelle and @reading amplified the fun and accentuated the poignant details.  

 

This book stole my heart!  Part love letter, part fun romp.  Family, Family is the full package.  

 

➡️ Don’t skip the author’s note!

character driven family drama that easily captivates.  Review to come.  

Many thanks to my friends at @bookclubfavorites @scribner and @simon.audio for the #gifted copies of this book.  

 

“The first weapon I ever held was my mother’s hand.”

 

Raw.  Visceral.  Heart wrenching.  

 

I closed the pages of this book and felt the need to sit with Annis.  Ward’s portrayal here is searing and brutal.  A young, enslaved girl fighting to exist.  

At times, it felt like too much.  And yet, that is exactly what made it such an adept depiction. 

 

Throughout Annis’ harrowing journey, she turned inward where the spirit world provided what her natural world could not… a sense of connection, a sense of freedom.  

 

This juxtaposition where hope and remembrance were unconstrained amplified the barbarity of her day-to-day life.  And yet, it didn’t always work.  In some scenarios, it felt clunky and counterproductive.  

 

Though maybe, ultimately, that’s the point?  Life as a slave must have felt similarly.  Complicated.  Messy.  Hard.  

 

Ward’s poetic prose is not to be rushed.  This is a slower paced read, no doubt.  But it’s also eloquent and lyrical and striking, making this harrowing journey a richer experience for the reader.  

 

This one begs for discussion, and I’m so glad I had @book_wine_and_thinker to unpack it with.  

 

🎧 There’s a certain emotional punch found when an author narrates his/her own work.  And here, Ward embodies both the beauty and brutality within her words.  Her voice encapsulates Annis with searing honesty and authentic ownership.  

 

 

 

Absolutely BRILLIANT. A favorite book of the year. Review to come.

Many thanks to my friends at @simonbooks and @simon.audio for the #gifted copies of this book.  

 

Secrets and betrayal!  

 

When a US Senator is killed, CIA agent, Amanda Cole, realizes that the tip she received from a low-level Russian agent was true.  A quick promotion thrusts her into a high stakes game involving Russia and Afghanistan, and it’s not long before she realizes an old CIA case of her father’s ties in... somehow.   

 

I loved seeing the script flipped in this spy thriller, with a focus on competent, strong females in the lead.  Main character, Amanda, is partnered with Kath, an older agent with experience and connections.  The two women, complex and multifaceted, showcase exactly why females shouldn’t be counted down even in a male dominated field.  

 

The timeline jumps between the current situation with Amanda at the helm and the past, where her father’s secretive career unfolds.  The intersection of the two prove that the past is never really gone and forgotten.  

 

This read started off strong… bustling with energy.  Somewhere along the way, it lost some steam, potentially needing a bit of an edit.  But the relationship between Amanda and Kath kept me engaged.  And I hope to see more of them in the future!  

 

🎧 Tinged in suspense, the narration by Amanda Dolan truly shined, showcasing the adventure and emotion.  Though well executed, the jumps in the storyline sometimes made it hard to follow on audio.  Still, I enjoyed the listen.  

Hysterical and heartwarming.  This is a fun romp full of festivity.  

 

From the laugh-out-loud hysterical opening page, I was hooked.  

 

This book works in each format it takes on.

 

As a holiday read, it brims with spirit.  From sleigh rides to gift shopping to egg nog (and more!), this family knows how to celebrate.  

 

As a family drama, the Collins are a tightknit and complicated bunch.  The dynamics between the siblings, the parents, the kids… it all felt so relatable.  And it was heartwarming to see them rally together (and overcome when necessary). 

 

As a love story, it hits all the right notes:  witty, spicy, sweet, swoony.  This was a slow burn second chance romance that I rooted for.  The flashbacks to the early days of the relationship proved they had steamy chemistry, while the present-day communication focused on honesty and forgiveness, creating a strong foundation for a future.  

 

🎧 This book is a must LISTEN.  The FMC was well narrated by Maxine Mitchell.  BUT… drum roll please… the MMC is narrated by Joe Arden.  <swoon>.  What that man’s voice can do to me!  I was putty in Eli’s hands, and I blame Arden’s soft growl.  

 

Many thanks to my friends at @doubleday and @prhaudio.com for the #gifted copies of this book.  
 
Gripping.  Horrifying.  
 
There is no romantic seafaring adventure to be found here.  It’s a tumultuous and terrifying narrative full of twists and improbability.  It reads like a well plotted mystery full of darkness and desperation rather than the meticulously researched tour de force of narrative nonfiction it is.  Truth is stranger than fiction, no doubt.  
 
But beyond the harrowing details of shipwreck, murder, and survival, this becomes a story about the stories we tell.  To ourselves.  To others.  And in turn, the power those stories have to shape us… and history as a whole.  
 
🎧 I partnered the audiobook and print.  Dion Graham’s narration added veracity to the read.  But the inclusion of maps and photos in the print copy made it a necessary companion.  

Many thanks to my friends at @macmillan.audio for the #gifted copy of this book.

 

HAVE MERCY!  Move over Uncle Jesse.  Stamos has stollen my heart.  

 

Careening down Rodeo Drive.  A few too many to be behind the wheel.  Tourists shouting, “pull over!”  But just who is that man in the driver’s seat—Blackie Parrish?  Uncle Jesse?  Dr. Tony Gates?  Maybe it’s a mere caricature.  

 

Stamos opens his memoir recalling one of the worst moments of his life— in dire need of mercy, though mostly from himself.  At 51 years old, his one-time catchphrase became a cry for help.  

 

Part confession.  Part entertainment.  Stamos shares a broad variety of stories, from ones that bare his soul to ones that had me starstruck or bowled over with laughter.  He’s candid, self-deprecating, and transparent.  

 

There is so much more to Stamos that I realized!  Beach Boy enthusiast and band member.  Top selling Emcee for Cabaret.  Disney fanatic.  Beyond that ageless, pretty boy face and meticulously coiffed hair, there’s real depth, endearing quirks, and enviable talent.

 

But it was the stories he told about connections (his mom, Don Rickles, Bob Saget, his wife…) that really made this book stand out.  

 

What a genuine memoir!  I laughed, and I cried.  And I became a John Stamos fan for life.  

 

🎧 I partnered my *signed* copy (😍) with the audiobook.  Narrated by Stamos, he brings his written word to life.  The emotion in his voice brought genuineness to the details, and his celebrety impressions throughout the book were hilarious and spot on.  Listening to Stamos tell his own story felt like sitting with an old friend over coffee.

 

“If you get a chance to sit for a spell with someone you love don’t get up to quickly, stay a while, linger, indulge, savor. Order the cake.”

 

 

Breathtaking and immersive.  

 

This is my absolute favorite kind of read. I savored every word.  I clung to the characters.  I reveled in the magic.  I found myself totally swept away with June’s story… completely lost within the curse and the romance.  

 

It’s the way Young spins a yarn.  Her writing is exquisite, and the prose is lyrical, no doubt.  But it’s more than that.  It’s as though each word is enchanted to speak directly to the heart. 

 

What starts as a mystery develops into an intergenerational tale of the pull of family and the importance of finding one’s place in the world.  

 

The Farrow women are vividly depicted.  Each is intricately crafted in complex detail.  There’s a fierce thread of loyalty that runs through the generations which produces a bond that transcends time.  It’s that connection that June harnesses in her determination to end the curse that’s plagued her lineage.   

 

Set amongst the Blue Ridge Mountains, I was fully transported to this small North Carolina town.  Walking amongst the flower fields.  Watching the horse gallop in the side yard.  The scenes unfolded with cinematic detail and the pages brimmed with atmosphere, making me feel as though I was right there in that time and place.  

 

And beyond the mystery… beyond the journey of self-exploration, there is a love story for the ages.  It’s the tenderness of first love combined with the maturity of love that withstands hardship.  It was everything I was longing for.  

 

The Unmaking of June Farrow is an all-around achingly beautiful tale.  One that will stay with me.  

 

🎧 Narrated by Brittany Pressley, I delighted in partnering the audiobook with my print copy.  A proper southern accent can be hard to get just right.  But here, Pressley nails it.  Not too sweet with just the right amount of musicality.  Listening to her felt like I was back home amongst friends and family.  

*With news of The American Museum of Natural History (amongst others) closing Native American exhibits in response to new policies regarding Indigenous artifacts and remains, I find myself thinking of the warriors, like Perry, who never gave up on bringing their ancestors home.  (January 2024)

Many thanks to my friends at @macmillanusa @mackidsbooks and @macmillan.audio 

 

Riveting. Powerful. Important. 

 

“Everything is connected. The past. The future. The beginning and ending.” 

 

There’s a deep respect and abiding love found in the way Anishinaabe author, Boulley, writes about her culture.   There’s an equally powerful passion found in the way she amplifies the horrifying issues that continue to plague the Indigenous nations.  

 

As 16-year-old Perry relentlessly fights to bring home Warrior Girl and other Anishinaabe ancestors, Boulley constructs a riveting narrative focused on stolen Indigenous artifacts and remains.  But when Perry’s friend goes missing, it becomes apparent that the fight for repatriation isn’t just one for ancestors, highlighting the epidemic of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG).   

 

This book was an immersion into the beauty of Ojibwe beliefs and the honor they bestow upon ancestors.  It was also a riveting examination on the effects of colonialism and the ongoing injustices Native Americans face. 

 

The storytelling is poignant and powerful, and the writing is poetic and vivid.  Boulley skillfully weaves this gripping tale together with a strong voice, crafting an unforgettable read that I could not put down.  

 

This is my favorite kind of read:  one that challenges as well as it entertains.  A true must read.  

 

🎧 Sisseton Wahpeton Dakota narrator, Isabella Star LeBlanc took on this role for a very personal reason.  “I want my Ojibwe relatives to hear themselves in this.”  (Bookpage). And that is apparent all the way through her narration.  LeBlanc brings authenticity and passion to this performance.  There’s a lyrical rhythm to the way she incorporates Oijbwemowin and English.  Her performance effortlessly breathes life into this story.