Thank you to Net Galley and St. Martin's Press for an advanced copy of "The Guest" by B.A. Paris in exchange for an honest review. 

Folks, B.A. Paris is BACK with another mind-bending read. Saying this read is WILD doesn't even begin to cover the ride I was on while reading this. A whole cast of characters full of selfish secrets, and well, I can't tell you what happens but buckle up friends!!

Speaking of characters, I loved Paris' complex characters. And since she's the queen of the plot twist, well, these complex character get even more complicated. You'll be able to follow along just fine, because the logic is top-notch. It's actually unbelievable that Paris is able to craft such a wicked tale and keep all the pieces together. 

I can't wait for ya'll to read this one!

PS - See content warnings. 

"I'd forgotten how charming he could be, how disarming."

Prepare to be blind-sided! "The Last House Guest" is a very exciting read by Megan Miranda. It's a decently-paced story with timeline hops and many characters, which keeps it moving. 

But seriously, I was completely caught off guard at the end. (And I love it when that happens). In fact, most of my book club was caught off guard and we spent about 20 minutes re-reading different sections and trying to piece together various clues (how did you write this, Megan?!). With different characters appearing and disappearing, Megan can throw us off the scent!

This book takes place in a seasonal town on the coast of Maine. Throughout the different events that unfold in the book, you can get that tourist season/off-season vibe for sure, and that was fun to read. I don't think the story would be quite the same if it wasn't a seasonal town. 

Overall, a very fun and twisty read! 

"She doesn't understand what it means to love books so passionately, that you would die without them, that you would simply stop breathing, stop existing."

Kristin Harmel's "The Book of Lost Names" is brilliant and a story that will stick with me for a while. Starting with character development, absolutely top-notch. I could feel the emotions through the pages of every character. Even a character like Eva's mom, who may not act as you'd wish, you can understand why because of Kristin's wonderful writing. 

I enjoy historical fiction, especially WWII books, and this unique take from the perspective of a librarian turned forger was fascinating. I didn't know too much about the stolen books either and finding out that this was a real part of history, and German librarians today still have tons of stolen books is mind-blowing. 

I couldn't put this book down. Every bit of it was perfect, from the dual timeline, the literary references, and the plot twist at the end!! Speechless, bravo Kristin!

Thank you to @netgalley and @celadonbooks for an advanced copy in exchange for a review!

🏝️I was so excited to be transported to a remote Greek isle in Alex Michaelides latest thriller, “The Fury”. We start off by being introduced to our unreliable narrator, Elliot, who takes us on a crazy journey with Lana, an ex-movie star, and her privileged friends.

I loved the characters, especially Lana and Elliot. Honestly, the two of them are kind of made for one another in my mind. I also really enjoy reading books with hot mess characters, and I’d classify these as bat shit cray 🫠

The setting was perfect and once I found out what “the fury” was 🤩🤩🤩 yes, Alex! So good. Also, murders on a remote island, or any desolate location, are my cup of tea.

Lastly, the unreliable narrator was so good. Elliot read honestly, he didn’t have it all together and I felt that through the pages.

I only rated this 4.5 stars because I liked Silent Patient and The Maidens better, and I needed that little differentiator.

Simplicity Parenting is one of my favorite parenting books to date! It was filled with thought-provoking tips and ideas for raising children, everything from getting your child to eat more food to helping their social and emotional well-being blossom. all while keeping the theme of simplification at the top of mind. 

I've thought about simplification often in the most recent months, I guess the most recent years if I'm being honest. If you've ever gone through the possessions of someone who has passed on, you probably understand that previously mentioned feeling. When does stuff become too much?

One benefit of simplification leads to fewer choices - I hadn't thought about this much, but when I read through the impact in the book, well we all just sound silly, because I am this "too many choices" parent at times:

It's maddening! I have to say, I started this book in late 2023, November ish, and this "choices" section is something I recognized in myself immediately and I stopped asking my child for his opinion on these matters. A 5-year-old should not need to make all of these choices every single day just for me to pack his lunch.  

While this book goes through some layers of simplification that are too extreme for my taste (i.e. I am not going to get rid of the TVs in our home), it offers other perspectives which I believe are all valuable. So no, I don't need to get rid of TVs, but my husband and I can set a realistic screen schedule/limit with our child as we see fit. 

I feel as though I'm rambling a bit, but I have one more point to share - urging your children (and yourself) to find the beauty in an ordinary day. I've started using that exact language, as in "Today is going to be an ordinary day and we're spending it together. We may hang out at home all day, we might go for a walk, maybe we'll go out to eat, but it's ordinary and we're going to enjoy it." This mindset alone has helped all of us. 

There are plenty more highlights and valuable insights in this book - if you're looking for some additional perspectives on parenting, I highly recommend picking up "Simplicity Parenting."