Monday Mini-Reviews: Something New, Something Old

 Abby Jimenez has become a must-read author for me.  I had bought her books for a few years before ever actually cracking one open, and once I did, I quickly devoured her backlist. 

This book came at a good time for me.  Work has required too much of my brain power recently and I've found it hard to concentrate on reading.  

The Night We Met was a good choice of a story to get caught up in.  

Larissa's life is full of challenges, and has been for years.  Her father has managed to set up credit cards in Larissa's name creating a huge debt that she is slowly trying to dig her way out of.  She lives with her mom since she can't afford a place of her own, and she is constantly hustling.  Her boyfriend Mike seems to be the one good thing that has happened to her.  

But as Larissa gets to know Mike's best friend, Chris, she begins to realize that she enjoys spending time with Chris more than anyone else- including her boyfriend.  

Without spoiling things, there are a few parts that I found a little hard to believe, but I wouldn't say that it made me dislike the story at all.  I feel like you know going into Jimenez's books where things will take you, and that was true with this one.  

This past weekend I also picked up a backlist book I've had hanging around for quite a while (16 years!).  

I always enjoy Jodi Picoult's books, but there are times when I just am not in the mood for one, or when I am "saving" a book because if I read it, it will no longer be something I can experience for the first time.

After 16 years of a sitting on a shelf, I'm not sure which is true for House Rules.

But this is a solid novel by Picoult that is told by several narrators and centers around Jacob, an eighteen year old boy with Aspergers who is fixated on crime scenes and forensics.  When his tutor disappears and her body is found a short time later, Jacob is suspected of her murder. But many people don't seem to understand that Jacob is very literal about everything and that he struggles socially.  What are hallmarkers of Aspergers make him appear guilty.

Some of this novel is written in Jacob's perspective which gives readers a better understanding of where his thought process is.  Because I have read so many books by Picoult, I never thought that Jacob would be found guilty.  But, I also couldn't figure out how Picoult was going to conclude things.  The ending, as is also typical of Picoult's books, was one I didn't foresee.

This is one that would make a great book club choice. It also reminds me of Defending Jacob by William Landay.  And, it also happened to be a perfect pick for kicking off Autism Awareness Month. 

Friday Five: Easter Weekend

I am so happy to have a three day weekend.  Our new couch arrived on Thursday; it was sitting outside in the driveway when I got home from work - and despite it raining on and off all day, it actually was only outside for a brief span of time when it wasn't raining. 

We spent the evening getting everything out of boxes and put together.  The rest of the house is trashed right now as we still have two pieces of furniture we need to get rid of, and books stacked up in several places since one of the things we moved was a bookshelf.  Eventually things will come together, but it's not happening immediately.

The girls are all home for Easter as well.  Holidays are definitely not the same as when they were little - no egg decorating or Easter egg hunt, and the Easter baskets don't have very much in them anymore.  But, it is also nice to have things be a little less work.

I've told my self repeatedly that I am not buying anything, and then I look online and see so many great things that I want to wear.  Here is what caught my eye this week:

 

1.  Linen Blend Bias Cut Skirt

2. Raw Seam Sweater Tee

3.  Pilcro Short-Sleeve Smocked Tee

4.  Bandana Print Bucket Hat

5.  Straight Hem Zig-Zag Shirt

5.  100% European Linen Structured Blazer

6.  Club de Lecture Sweatshirt

7.  Gola Firefly Sneakers

8.  Offline by Aerie Cool Down Quarter Zip Waffle Sweater

9.  Mya Smocked Jersey Shirt

10.  Maeve Textured Cotton Jumper

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

Waiting on Wednesday: Beneath A Broken Sky

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: Beneath A Broken Sky due out Joshua Moehling

Due out: May 26, 2026

Synopsis taken from Amazon:

From award-nominated and USA Today bestselling author Joshua Moehling comes a tense, atmospheric thriller about one detective's search for a mysterious killer in the chaos following a deadly storm…

Detective Ben Packard has put down roots in the small town of Sandy Lake. A difficult thing to do; it's a hot, miserable summer, and a tornado has swept through causing irreparable damage. Trees are felled, homes destroyed, and people are desperate. Worse, the storm has also blown in a group of storm chasers with something to hide.

Then a woman is killed in her home. The mother of a gay boy and unpopular among the locals for the hell she recently raised at school when the administration refused to punish a group of students who were bullying her son, there's almost too many suspects to count. 

But to Packard, the case hits close to home. And when someone from his past shows up on his doorstep out of the blue, he realizes he'll have to confront the reality of navigating life as a gay man in a small town bent on tradition, no matter the cost.

The heat suffocates. The violence simmers. Before the summer is out, someone else will die.

Friday Five

TGIF!  This has been one of the most stressful weeks of my school year.  On Wednesday I had to reinterview for my job.  Without going into too much detail, the interview itself was bizarre, only focusing one minor portion of my job.  We were evaluated using a rubric that we didn't even know about, and three of the five interviewees had their building administrator there (I wasn't one of them with an admin present).  To say I'm feeling less than confident would be an understatement.  

It's a good thing I can still find time to shop online.  Here are my picks for this week, and I'm hoping next week is less stressful.  

 1.  Darla Buckle Slide Sandal

2.  The Tammy Pearl Drop Earrings

3.  Fate Boat Neck Sweater

4.  Seersucker Smocked Shirt

5.  Remy Ruffle Collar Buttondown Shirt by Pilcro

6.  Fashion Icons

7.  Short Sleeve Floral Smocked Top

8.  Cotton Twill Knot Button Jacket

9. Viscose Blend Tunic Dress

10.  Astrid Tassel Loafer

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

Waiting on Wednesday: Calamity Club

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: Calamity Club by Kathryn Stockett

Due out: May 5, 2026

Synopsis taken from Amazon:

Gripping, funny, heartbreaking, and hopeful, The Calamity Club is the story of a group of unbreakable women in 1933 Mississippi, as they fight to claim what’s rightfully theirs—Kathryn Stockett’s first novel since the #1 bestselling phenomenon The Help.

It’s been over a year since Meg’s beloved mother failed to come home one Christmas Eve. Since then, the eleven-year-old has been one of the unadoptable “big” girls at The Orphan in Oxford, Mississippi. There, in the face of the disdain and cruelty of the chairlady who runs the orphanage, she fights each day to keep her wits sharp and her spirit unbowed.

In the final, sweltering weeks of the summer, Birdie Calhoun, unmarried and opinionated, arrives in Oxford with the unpleasant task of asking her socialite sister to help the struggling family she’s left behind. Her sister has married into a wealthy, old family and has taken pains to conceal her humble Delta roots. But as the Depression tightens its grip, it becomes clear that her dreams may have been built on an unsteady foundation. With her banker husband worryingly absent, she drifts around his once-grand family home as her imperious mother-in-law clings to a fantasy of bygone days.

When Birdie meets Charlie, a woman with nothing left to lose, their fates—and Meg’s—converge with those of a band of undaunted, disreputable women as they form an audacious plan to take back control of their lives. But in a place and time where hypocrisy is rife, where women’s freedom is fragile, and where making an enemy can have calamitous consequences, will the price they pay for their outrageous risk-taking be too high?

Bold, heartwarming, and bracingly funny, The Calamity Club is an unputdownable story about the many ways female agency can be thwarted, and of those determined to take it back, no matter the cost.

Non Fiction Tuesday: Five Star NonFiction: No One's Coming

 

Kevin Hazzard's newest book, No One's Coming, is one I devoured over the weekend.  

Hazzard takes his time setting the stage and providing enough background to the situation: Americans with ebola trapped in Africa, needing an emergency rescue in order for them to have a chance at survival.

We learn about the company, Phoenix Air, that was created to transport dangerous materials around the world.  And we learn about the doctors and volunteers who are waging a war against the deadliest ebola outbreak in history and their desperate need for rescue.

Once the action begins, this is a page-turner.  I have read The Hot Zone by Richard Preston and am fascinated by the ebola virus, so reading about the most recent outbreak and its impact on the people it infected is a topic I continue to be curious about. Add to that the high stakes rescue and the people willing to take risks on a daily basis, and this book only gets better.

If you need some great nonfiction in your life, this is a book that will appeal to readers of all ages. 

 

Monday Mini-Reviews: Spring Break Edition

Reading in the first part of 2026 has started out slow.  I've read really good books, but with job uncertainties (again) I have found it hard to focus on reading.  Even though I still don't know what will happen to my job next year, I did manage to finally get lost in some really great books during my week off.

Upward Bound by Woody Brown is going to be one of the best books I read in 2026.  Brown was the first nonverbal autistic person to graduate from UCLA, writing this entire novel with his adapive technology.  Upward Bound is a daycare for adults with a variety of disabilities. Chapters are narrated by the various people who spend their days there, from residents to workers.  Brown shines a light on a portion of the population that are often ignored, giving voice to them.  I will be recommending this book to everyone for a long time.

Lake Effect by Cynthia D'Apris Sweeney begins in 1977 with Nina who receives a copy of the famous book The Joy of Sex from a recently divorced friend. Nina starts to examine her own marriage, which seems to be missing something.  When she and the next door neighbor begin a relationship, the lives of both families are changed forever.  And and decades later, Clara, Nina's daughter still has not managed to reconcile with her mother's decisions.

The Foursome by Christina Baker Cline is a fascinating fictionalized version of the marriages of Chang and Eng, the Siamese twins who settled in North Carolina in the 1800s.  This entire novel is told from the perspective of Eng's wife Fanny.  I've long been curious about these men and the fact that despite being conjoined boht married and had ten and eleven children apiece.  I absolutely devoured this one.

So Old, So Young by Grant Ginder is perfect for anyone who has a friend group from college that they remain in touch with through decades.  If you liked The Four Seasons on Netflix, this is also a book for you. Told over the course of twenty years and five different parties, we see how the friendships of six college friends change over time.

It Girl by Alison Pataki- I can count on Pataki for interesting historical fiction and this is no exception.  Evelyn Talbot is the first Gibson Girl, her likeness is so familiar that she is a celebrity.  Evelyn finds herself taken advantage of by a vaiety of powerful men, and even in the middle of what was referred to as the crime of the century.  

Celestial Lights by Cecile Pin - this story starts on the day of the space shuttle Challenger explosion, also the day Ollie was born.  Decades later Ollie is in space himself, a mission that is taking him away from his family for years. This novel moves back in time as Ollie remembers various events in his life that has led him to this place.  Although I've seen this one listed as science fiction, it feels more like realistic fiction and had a good mix of space/character development that I thoroughly enjoyed it.  

I really couldn't have asked for better reading this past week, but I've got plenty of other great books to choose from.  

Friday Five

 Spring break has been uneventful and full of time to basically do nothing. I started strong by completing a few cleaning projects early in the week, but mostly I let myself read a lot of amazing books and sleep in.  Little Sister was home from college for the week, so we took a day trip to Minneapolis to see one of her best friends who attends the University of St. Thomas and do a little shopping. 

I found plenty online to pique my interest.  Enjoy!

1.  Willow Quinn Sandal

2.  Opal Rollneck Knit Sweater

3.  Striped Pointelle Scalloped Neck Sweater

4.  Military Jacket

5.  Lou and Grey Double Stripe Pintucked Luvstretch Wide Leg Pants

6.  Tencel Ruffle Front Shirt

7.  The Ultimate Wide-Leg Pant in Airy Denim

8.  Relaxed Voile Puff Sleeve Top

9.  Ruffle Hem Slip Skirt

10.  Imperfect Women

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

Waiting on Wednesday: Dolly All The Time

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: Dolly All The Time by Annabel Monaghan

Due out: May 26, 2026

Synopsis taken from Amazon: 

If they start by pretending, can they end with something real?

Dolly Brick has never met a problem she couldn’t solve. Not when her mom left when she was twelve, and not at thirty-nine when she moves with her son back to Whitfield, Rhode Island for the summer to keep her dad and brother from losing the family home.

So when she comes across Stewart Whitfield—annoyingly handsome scion of the Whitfield family—with a flat tire and at the wrong end of a very public, very humiliating breakup, it’s in her nature to help. But Stewart’s proposed arrangement ends up being more than either of them bargained for, because as public dinners and high society benefits turn into sunset boat rides and kisses that hit her bloodstream like a ghost pepper, Dolly starts to feel something more than helpful. She’s never relied on anyone besides herself, can she really start now?

Friday Five

 Spring break is just a day away - and by some bizarre twist, I was already at work by the time we received a phone call for a two hour delay.  And then a short while later school was called off for students, and teachers would have a work day.  We aren't unaccustomed to snow days, but today there is a wind warning - and more importantly several schools had a transformer blow which means they are without power. 

So, I'm cleaning off my desk, filing things that have piled up, and even enjoying visiting with some colleagues, which hasn't happened much since I am running around from building to building.

1.  RD Style Kellie Denim Trim Cardigan

2.  Gigio Short Sleeve Puff Sleeve Blouse with Peter Pan Collar

3.   3D Floral Bonnie Dress

4.  Women's Long Sleeve Mariner Johnny Collar Polo

5.  Maggie Ruffle Neck Cardigan

6.  Design History Short Sleeve Stitched Cardigan Sweater

7.  Organic Cotton Cropped Cardigan

8.  Jayla Leather D'Orsay Slingback Dress Pumps

9.  Tag and Initial Necklace

10.  The Midi - I love this new challenge that I spend a few minutes each day.

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