Monday Mini-Reviews: Five Star Read

 

This book has been around for a few months now and although I checked it out from the library a while ago, I had to return it before I got around to reading it.  I'm so glad I didn't just decide to move on to other books and forgetting this one. 

It was so, so good.

Abe and Ruth Warneke are an older couple - Abe just celebrated his ninetieth birthday, and Ruth is a spry eighty-seven.  

This is a beautiful portrait of a marriage- the love, frustration, joy, loss- that spans over seventy years.  From a disastrous first date that left Ruth disinterested in Abe, to a bowling rematch that created an opportunity for Ruth to see Abe a bit differently, this story follows this couple through the years.

And as Ruth faces a health crisis when a loose tooth ends up being something much more (and much worse), the two remain together: solid and still in love.

This is a book that every married couple should read.  There is a lot of wisdom in Levison's story and anyone who has been married for a length of time can relate to Abe or Ruth and different points in this novel.

Waiting on Wednesday: The Vanishing Place

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly feature where I highlight a soon to be released novel I can't wait to read.

This week's pick: The Vanishing Place by Zoe Rankin

Due out: September 16, 2025

Synopsis taken from Amazon:

A shocking murder in the New Zealand bush—and the witness who looks all too familiar—draws a woman back to the very place she swore she’d never return to in this breakneck debut thriller.

A child who ran from the forest.
A woman who must return to it

Growing up with her younger siblings in the unforgiving New Zealand bush, Effie believed their parents had cut them off from civilization because they loved Nature. She never suspected that their reasons might be more menacing. After witnessing a terrifying episode of violence, she escaped the wilderness to forge a life for herself halfway across the globe.

Now, when she learns the only witness to a murder is a little girl who looks just like her, Effie is compelled to return to the scene of her troubled childhood, where the secrets of her upbringing and the terrors of her past come rushing back to the surface. In order to find out once and for all what became of her family—and possibly help this mysterious girl who could be her younger self—Effie must face her greatest fears once more.

Friday Five: My First Full Week Off

 It's a weird feeling to have an entire week off without any real plans.  I know I'm not the most productive if I'm not on a schedule, and that has proved true this week.  I've checked a few things off my list of things I need to get done before school starts in the fall, but I've walked my dogs a lot and read a lot.  Unfortunately cleaning has never seemed very enticing.  

I did find some great things to share with you, and fall clothes will soon be everywhere. Right now I'm going to enjoy the hot days of summer and relax a little longer.

1.  Button-Front Tank

2.  Jodifl Striped 3/4 Sleeves Button Up

3.  Reworked Denim Short Sleeve Shirt

4.  Bibi Lou Jelly Fisherman Sandals

5.  Nike LD-1000

6.  Pintuck Top

7.  Breezy Ruched Top

8.  Bennett Absolution Skyrise Raw Hem High Rise Stretch Bootcut Jeans

9.  The Essex Long Baggy Short

10.  Her Last Broadcast - a new documentary about the disappearance of Jodi Huisentruit in 1995 -the year I graduated from college and was dating a sportscaster at a local station. The disappearance of this young anchor hit especially close to home, and thirty years later, the case has never been solved.

That's it for me this week. What's caught your eye?

Waiting on Wednesday: Something To Look Forward To

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly feature where I highlight a soon to be released novel I can't wait to read.

This week's pick: Something To Look Forward To by Fannie Flagg

Due out: August 19, 2025

Synopsis taken from Amazon:

A tapestry of joyful and startling interconnected stories that celebrate how people from all across America cope with adversity and unexpected changes in a confusing world—from the beloved New York Times bestselling author of Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe

Fannie Flagg once said that what the world needs now is a good laugh. And that is what she gives us in these warmhearted, always surprising stories about people who are finding clever ways to deal with the curveballs life sometimes throws at us.

Velma in Kansas, a loving great-grandmother, struggles to bridge generational gaps with her family. We cheer for Helen, in Ithaca, New York, who takes an audacious course of action when her husband leaves her for a younger woman. In Bent Fork, Wyoming; in Milwaukee, Wisconsin; in Tucson, Arizona; and in towns and cities all across America, people figure out inventive ways to overcome obstacles to happiness. And in Fort Wayne, Indiana, Special Agent Frawley is studying the mysteries of being human from an original perspective.

With her imagination, humor, and great understanding of the human heart, Fannie Flagg holds a mirror up to the foibles, ingenuity, and imagination of people, inspiring us to laugh at the sometimes eccentric, sometimes brilliant ways people cope with, and ultimately prevail over, the challenges of modern life.

NonFiction Tuesday: Coming Soon: The Worst Day

I love adding to my TBR and I also love reading nonfiction.  Here is the latest title I can't wait to read once it's published.

The Worst Day: A Plane Crash, A Train Wreck, And Remarkable Acts of Heroism in Washington, D.C. by Bruce Goldfarb

Due out: December 2, 2025

 

Synopsis taken from Amazon:

Dedicated to first responders and every person who steps up to act when it matters…

More than 40 years before a Black Hawk helicopter collided mid-air with American Airlines Flight 5342 over the Potomac River, a desperate race against time took place nearby in overwhelming conditions.

Washington, DC, was in the grips of a historic snowstorm on January 13, 1982 that gridlocked the city when Air Florida 90 crashes into a bridge jammed with traffic and plunges into the iced-over Potomac River.

6 people survive the crash, clinging to wreckage in the icy river as a Park Police helicopter risks a daring rescue in nearly whiteout conditions. As the rescue is taking place, DC’s Metro system suffers its first fatal derailment nearby, with dozens injured.

In this page-turning drama, journalist and former firefighter/EMT Bruce Goldfarb recreates the harrowing struggles for survival and acts of incredible courage. Told through the eyes of survivors, firefighters, police, and bystanders, many of whom have never before shared their stories, Goldfarb explores the day’s impact on these participants as well as on the resulting aviation and transit safety measures that have protected us over the decades.

Monday Mini-Reviews: Five Star Read: Culpability

 My fantastic summer of reading is continuing.  I am officially done with summer school, so I started off my Monday with a morning walk and some weight lifting.

I ended last week by reading Oprah's new Book Club pick, Culpability, by Bruce Holsinger.  It is worth all the hype and a five-star read for me.

I loved The Gifted School by Holsinger, but I think Culpability may be his best work yet 

The Cassidy-Shaws are a family of five, riding in their autonomous minivan when they are involved in a car accident that kills a retired couple.  Their seventeen-year old son, Charlie was the one behind the wheel, while Noah, his father, was in the passenger seat working on his laptop.  Lorelei, Charlie's mother was also working in the backseat, and his sisters Izzy and Alice were on their phones.  

Each member of this family has reasons for feeling responsible for the accident.  As the story unfolds these reasons are revealed, and a relaxing week in a rental on Chesapeake Bay pushes the family to a breaking point.

Ethics and AI are a focus and this is such a timely story as we continue to rely on AI for more every day - and hear horror stories about the effect it will have on humanity.

Definitely a book club worthy selection; I'm waiting for some of my friends to read it so we can talk it over.

Friday Five

 Summer school is done and I'm free until mid-August.  I am not quite sure what to do with myself. There are plenty of cleaning and house projects and a lot of reading I'm hoping to catch up on.  But it always feels strange to have unscheduled time. 

I'm trying to resist purchasing any more new clothes because I know new fall things will be out any day now.  Here is what I found this week:

1.  Birkenstock Madrid EVA Big Buckle Sandals

2.  Supersoft Fleece Pullover Hoodie

3.  Verdict Low Top Sneaker

4.  Striped Chiffon Ruffle Tie Cuff Blouse

5.  Medium Frida

6.  Gary Jumper

7.  Kammie Ribbed Basic Tee

8.  Brooks Glycerin 22

9.  Quilted Bomber Jacket

10.  My Mom Jayne

That's it for me this week.  What's caught your eye?

Monday Mini Reviews: Quick and Enjoyable Mysteries and Novels of Suspense

 I have still been reading A LOT of books this summer.  One thing that has helped stave off a slump has been turning to some lighter, quick reads in between my five star books.

I either pick up a rom-com or a mystery/psychological thriller and so far that has worked well.

This past week,  I picked up SA Cosby's latest, King of Ashes and thoroughly enjoyed it.  Cosby's novels take me a little longer than some other mysteries; they are tough and gritty and not for the faint of heart. 

Roman has come back home - returning to help his siblings who are left running a crematorium while their father is in a coma after a suspicious car accident.  His younger brother, Dante, has managed to get himself in trouble - owing a huge sum of money to a group of scary young men.  Roman thinks he can help Dante outsmart these guys, and while he does have a few tricks up his sleeves, the trouble Dante has found is bigger than anyone could have imagined.  There were parts of this that made me cringe- plenty of violence that is described in detail.  But Cosby's stories are so well done; I'm already looking forward to his next book.

Party of Liars is another fast paced psychological thriller.  Told by multiple narrators, the chapters are short, and the story moves right along.  Sophie is turning sixteen and her dad and stepmom are throwing her a big birthday party.  Early on (it's even on the inside flap), we know that someone falls from the balcony and dies at the party, and as the story unfolds there are plenty of options for who this could possibly happen to.  Sophie's best friend, Mikayla, isn't as innocent as she appears.  Her stepmom Dani has been dealing with mental health issues since the birth of Sophie's new half-sister.  Sophie's mom has a drinking problem and is still angry about the divorce.  The baby's nanny has a few odd secrets she is keeping as well.  I didn't have everything figured out until closer to the end, and I appreciated the twist that Cox ended the story with.  

I have a lot of Miranda's books on my TBR, but I was surprised to realize that this is my first of hers I've read.  I love a good campus novel, and this story is easy to get into. Beckett grew up as the daughter of professors in a small college town.  After a fire and the death of two young men during Beckett's time there as a student, she leaves the college abruptly -  her roommate and best friend was thought to have been involved in the event.  Now her own daughter is starting college there, and when Beckett receives a strange phone call late one night from her daughter and is then unable to locate her, she returns to the college intent on finding her daughter.  Secrets are revealed about events that happened two decades before and I found myself turning pages quickly.  I enjoyed this one and will be picking up more of Miranda's books soon.

Summer school ends on Thursday, so I'm hoping my summer can soon involve some time spent sitting outside in the sun, reading a book.

Waiting on Wednesday: The Phoebe Variations

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly feature where I highlight a soon to be released novel I can't wait to read.

This week's pick: The Phoebe Variations by Jane Hamilton

Due out: September 23, 2025

Synopsis taken from Amazon:

The acclaimed, New York Times bestselling author of The Book of Ruth and A Map of the World returns with a stunning coming-of-age novel about girls, mothers, and finding one's way in the world.

Seventeen-year-old Phoebe was never interested in her birth family. But on the cusp of her high school graduation, her adoptive mother, Greta, insists on a visit to meet her biological parents and siblings. The encounter is a jolt, a revelation that derails Phoebe.

With the help of her best friend Luna, Phoebe runs away―as far as their friend Patrick O’Connor’s chaotic home, where she hopes to go unnoticed among his thirteen siblings. But when Phoebe asks Patrick to chop off her hip-length hair, she’s suddenly transformed. Patrick’s older brothers can’t help but notice the striking, Peter Pan–like stranger who has suddenly appeared in their midst.

What starts as an adolescent rebellion soon spirals into a whirlwind of self-discovery and unexpected connections. As she grapples with her shifting identity and strained relationships, Phoebe must navigate the tumultuous road out of girlhood and chart a new and unknown course.

Friday Five: A Hoilday Weekend

 I always feel like the 4th of July signifies that summer is going too fast - and school is right around the corner.  I still have one week of summer school left, and although I'll miss seeing my coworkers every day, a break also sounds nice. 

This holiday weekend we have nothing on our agenda. I'm hoping for a little cleaning - and a lot of reading. I continue to find plenty of things I'd love to add to my closet, and some good sales, but I need to stop ordering things and enjoy what I have.  

Here's what caught my eye this week:

1.  Sonya Stripe Ringer Tee

2.  Nike Sportswear Phoenix Fleece

3.  Nova Graphic Tee

4.  Lower Rise Wide Leg Jeans With Tie

5.  The A & F Madeline Crew Sweater Tee

6.  Weekend Collection Open Stitch Wedge Sweater

7.  Hilda Bubble Top

8.  No Iron Short Striped Shirt

9.  Striped Wide Leg Crop Jean

10.  Striped Collared Tie Waist Top

That's it for me this week.  What's caught your eye?