Non-Fiction Tuesday: Memoirs on My Radar

 

Often I enjoy memoirs of regular, ordinary people more than celebrities. But every once in a while, a celebrity memoir hits just right - and if I can listen to them narrate their own memoir, I especially enjoy it.

This spring there are two memoirs I'm already planning to read:

You With the Sad Eyes: A Memoir by Christina Applegate comes out on March 3.

Synopsis taken from Amazon:

Unflinchingly honest and darkly funny, You with the Sad Eyes unveils a side of Christina Applegate we’ve never seen, forever cementing her formidable and iconoclastic legacy. 

Christina Applegate came of age on sets and stages, expected to be on time, with lines learned, ready for lights-camera-action. What started as a financial necessity soon became an emotional escape from a tumultuous home life in the infamous Laurel Canyon scene of the 70s and 80s. She rocketed to stardom on the sitcom Married...with Children and went on to captivate audiences in classics like Don’t Tell Mom the Babysitters Dead…, Anchorman, and Dead to Me in her five-decade long career.
 
Then it all stopped. A Multiple Sclerosis diagnosis in 2021 confined her to a king-sized bed and the company of memories she’d rather forget: memories of the self-doubt and body dysmorphia that stalked her meteoric rise, of her mother’s fight against addiction and abuse after her father left, and of the tax life had taken on her body and mind that was suddenly coming due. 
 
Now, at her most intimate and vulnerable, she unveils a story not even those closest to her fully know. She returns to the diaries she kept her whole life, finding the pain matched by joy, the losses mitigated by the extraordinary, and the weight of life lifted by her unrelenting belief that something greater lay ahead. No longer willing to lock herself away and with the perspective only our own mortality can bring, she knew it was imperative to tell it all. 
                   
You with the Sad Eyes presents a remarkable woman and her legacy. In her own words, “I truly believe that books can make people feel less alone. That’s why I’m doing this. You with the Sad Eyes won’t be some big violin scratching for my life. But it will be real. It will be filled with the ups and downs, the humor and grief of life

 
So here I am.
 
Real me.
 
Lots to say.”

And the second memoir I can't wait to read: I Choose Me by Jennie Garth due out on April 14.

Synopsis taken from Amazon:

Beloved actress, designer, and entrepreneur Jennie Garth opens up in this fiercely honest book about pursuing happiness, aging with confidence, and learning to love and prioritize yourself.

Jennie Garth is best known for playing the iconic role of Kelly Taylor in the hit television series “Beverly Hills, 90210.” Now in her 50s, she invites readers into the real story of growing up on screen, facing Hollywood’s impossible beauty standards, and losing—and finding—herself through heartbreak, loss, and the challenge of motherhood. She shares the raw truths of the moments that broke her open and shows the resilience it takes to walk through grief and begin again.

Jennie writes with warmth and candor about learning to quiet the voice that says “not enough,” rediscovering her strength after loss, and daring to take up space, speak her truth, and want more. She opens up about the unglamorous, deeply human moments and finally letting go of the need for perfection and other people’s approval.

Through personal stories, practical advice, and the wisdom earned through her own hard lessons, Jennie lights a path back to self-love and clarity. I Choose Me is for anyone who’s ever felt lost in their roles, struggling to give themselves permission to ask, “What do I want now?” It’s an invitation to honor your own journey, embrace self-care, and believe with compassion that choosing yourself is the bravest, kindest thing you can do.

Monday Mini-Reviews: A Few Books To Add To Your TBR

 

I've read some really strong novels in the past few weeks.  I started 2026 reading more slowly than I would have liked (I blame that on the fact that once again the district I work in is having to cut millions of dollars from its budget and for a second year in a row there will be significant cuts and job reductions; I'm finding concentrating on reading a little difficult as we all wait to hear the budget details that will be rolled out on February 23), but even looking back on what I am reading, I can't complain about the quality.  

Good People by Patmeena Sabit is such a good read.  The Sharaf family looks like they've achieved the American dream, having arrive in the United States with virtually nothing, they now live in a nice house in a good neighborhood and send their children to good schools.  However, their daughter Zorah, has perhaps become too American, refusing to follow her parents rules or the expectations of their culture.  Narrated by the various people that know the Sharafs, we see things from various perspectives, but never from the Sharafs themselves.  So, when something happens to Zorah, readers are left to put pieces of the puzzle together to determine if the happy family was really as happy as it appeared.

Libby Page's This Book Made Me Think Of You was a book that any book lover would enjoy.  Six months after Tilly's husband dies she receives a phone call from Alfie, the manager of The Book Page, a bookstore, informing her that she has a package to pick up.  It turns out that Tilly's husband purchased a book to gift her each month of the first year after his death.  Tilly hasn't read a book in a long time, although she remembers loving to spend her time that way at one point.  But each book which is accompanied by a note from her husband, Joe, seems like a perfect selection and Tilly starts reading again, steps out of her comfort zone, and also finds new friends - and maybe even something more than friendship. This is a book that I read quickly. i loved the various book titles that are interspersed in the story, the bookstore setting, and the way Page showed how important books and reading are.

Sadeqa Johnson's latest novel is another amazing work of historical fiction that chronicles a little known aspect of history.  Told by three narrators: Ozzie, a Black serviceman who is stationed in Europe after World War II, Sophie a teenage girl who has just received a scholarship to a high school which allows her to leave the loveless home she has been raised in, and Ethel, the wife of a military officer who discovers an orphanage full of children who were the product of Black American officers and German women.  These three stories all connect as Ethel not only adopts several children, but also works to get the children adopted by Black families in the United States.  This is a fascinating chapter in history that was new to me, but it is also a well written story that Johnson has researched and managed to create characters to tell about it.  I often will fall asleep while reading, but last night, I stayed up until I had finished this entire book.  

I still have quite a stack of novels I'm excited to pick up, so choosing the next read is always a challenge.  

Friday Five: February Is Flying By

 Unlike January, February seems to be flying by.  We've had a week of unusually warm temps and spring really does feel like it's right around the corner.  

Here's what's caught my eye this week:

1.  Jaze Top

2.  Billie Leather Bomber

3.  AE Big Hug Fleece Henley Sweatshirt

4.  Winter Garden Knit Cardigan

5.  Hooked On You Navy Contrast Stitch Sweater Vest

6.  The Bentley Earrings

7.  Ottoman Turtleneck Sweatshirt

8.  Dress Forum Mini Halter Dress

9.  Nora Tee

10. John and Caroline

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

Waiting on Wednesday: Last One Out

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:   Last One Out by Jane Harper 

Due out April 14, 2026

Synopsis taken from Amazon:

From the New York Times bestselling author of Exiles and The Dry comes a captivating new novel set in a modern ghost town.

Carralon Ridge, a once vibrant village in rural New South Wales, has become a shell of itself, its houses and buildings bought up and left to rot by the mining company operating at its borders. A decade into its slow death, surrounded by industrial noise and swathed in thick layers of dust, the skeletal town is all but abandoned, with just a handful of residents clinging onto what remains.

After years of scorning those who left the Ridge behind as it fell into ruin, Ro never imagined she'd become one of them. But everything changed when she lost her son. Five years ago, Sam vanished while visiting during a break from college, leaving behind a rental car with his belongings inside. Sam had loved Carralon Ridge, and had been working on an oral history of the town to preserve its legacy before it vanished altogether. It wasn't long after his disappearance that the rest of the family began to crumble away too.

But when Ro returns to Carralon Ridge to be with her husband and daughter on the anniversary of Sam's disappearance, she begins to suspect that something important was overlooked in his case. Because while nothing can stop Carralon Ridge from dying, someone seems to want to make sure that its secrets die with it.

NonFiction Tuesday: Reading On Topic

Over the weekend I devoured Unspeakable Things: Silence, Shame, and the Stories We Choose to Believe by Brooke Nevils.  I'll admit that I was stunned when I turned on the Today show back in November of 2017 and learned that Matt Lauer had been removed as the anchor. I wasn't necessarily surprised to hear the reason why, but now, reading Nevils' account, I am more disgusted and appalled by his behavior than I was before. And I never doubted for a moment Nevils' story.

 

While this book does recount Nevils' interactions with Lauer, it is more than that.  It is also about being vulnerable, about how power dynamics work, forgiveness for your own actions, moving forward, and a book that every female should read.  This was easily a five-star read for me and as I was reading, a variety of titles popped into my head as other books that would be of interest if Nevils' was the first book on this topic you picked to read.

Above are four titles I'm recommending for anyone looking for more on this topic.

The First Friday in February

January seemed long, but I'm already able to notice that it is staying light a little longer in the afternoons which is nice.  We're in the transition period for clothing right now.  It's still winter, but spring things are starting to show up online.  Hooray! That means the end is in sight.

Enjoy the things I've found this week:

1.  Fair Isle Crewneck in Vintage Wool

 2.  Berenstain Bears Pajama Pants

3.  Joan Semi Precious Necklace

4.  Madison Floral Embroidered Chambray Button-Up Shirt

5.  Isa Embroidered Sweater

6.  Risen Heart Relaxed Fit Top

7.  Day's End Cotton Linen Striped Pull-On Pants

8.  Women's SlenderSuit Grecian Low Leg One Piece Swimsuit

9.  Jacquard Knit Cardigan

10.  Boucle Sweater Vest

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

Waiting on Wednesday: The Astral Library

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

This week's pick: The Astral Library by Kate Quinn

Due out: February 17, 2026

Synopsis taken from Amazon:

From New York Times bestselling author Kate Quinn comes a gorgeously written fantastical adventure which poses the question: Have you ever wished you could live inside a book? Welcome to the Astral Library, where books are not just objects, but doors to new worlds, new lives, and new futures.

Alexandria “Alix” Watson has learned one lesson from her barren childhood in the foster-care system: unlike people, books will never let you down. Working three dead-end jobs to make ends meet and knowing college is a pipe dream, Alix takes nightly refuge in the high-vaulted reading room at the Boston Public Library, escaping into her favorite fantasy novels and dreaming of far-off lands. Until the day she stumbles through a hidden door and meets the Librarian: the ageless, acerbic guardian of a hidden library where the desperate and the lost escape to new lives...inside their favorite books.

The Librarian takes a dazzled Alix under her wing, but before she can escape into the pages of her new life, a shadowy enemy emerges to threaten everyone the Astral Library has ever helped protect. Aided by a dashing costume-shop owner, Alix and the Librarian flee through the Regency drawing rooms of Jane Austen to the back alleys of Sherlock Holmes and the champagne-soaked parties of The Great Gatsby as danger draws inexorably closer. But who does their enemy really wish to destroy—Alix, the Librarian, or the Library itself?

Non-Fiction Tuesday: Land Rich Cash Poor

I grew up in the 80s on a farm in Iowa, the same farm my mother grew up on with her five siblings.  That background permeates every part of who we are.  I found Land Rich Cash Poor to validate what I've long felt about farm life.  It is hard - back-breakingly hard at times, but also rewarding.  My parents worked to buy my grandparents' farm from them, and as my mom ages and contemplates what will happen to the land when she moves away from her lifelong home, it is hard to even grasp what that loss will feel like.

Reisinger captures this all so accurately as he is a member of a four generation farm family, and has watched his parents and grandparents work hard to preserve the farm that they have all grown up on and worked on.  
 

Anecdotes of tough times - along with some fun times - are included in every chapter.  From their house burning down to a variety of accidents that were suffered, Reisinger's book also explores the economic impact farmers have felt throughout the generations and the ways different legislation has hurt the family farm.

I think this book should be read by the urban dwellers who don't necessarily understand what rural life is like, and as our country is so diverse this book provides a great representation of the families that still are eking out a living in farming.

Monday Mini Reviews: February Releases

 

I've always loved adding to my TBR and I'm constantly looking for books that are going to be published, but I always have too many books I'd like to read and not enough time to get to them. 

This year I'm trying to read a few more of the ARCs I receive from NetGalley before they are released instead of continuing to get further and further behind.

One of my favorite reads in January was Laws of Love and Logic by Debra Curtis.  Lily and her high school boyfriend seem to have a perfect relationship and have big plans for their futures, until his rage at a boy he believes has hurt Lily changes things forever.  But even though decades pass and the two have both moved on with their lives, the love they share in high school is still simmering under the surface.  

This Is Not About Us by Allegra Goodman is a novel in stories featuring various members of the Rubinstein family.  A family tree helps readers understand the relationships between family members and as each chapter shares a small snippet of the family's highs and lows and everything in between.  I love a dysfunctional family novel, but I'm not sure I'd call the Rubinsteins truly dysfunctional; they are a regular family with the normal challenges that life brings.

It's Not Her by Mary Kubica was a fast read.  Courtney, her husband and daughter are on a vacation with Courtney's brother and his wife and three kids. When Courtney's brother and sister-in-law are found murdered in their cabin and the oldest daughter, Reese, is missing, Courtney is desparate to find her niece, but also worried that Reese may have had something to do with her parents' deaths.  This is a page turner, but I found a few things to be rather hard to believe, and I just couldn't quite get past that. 

Despite the fact that February has just started, I am hoping to start on a March release tonight.  The days pass quickly and before I know it, February will be coming to an end.

Friday Five: January Is Finally Coming To An End

I'm always happy for a Friday to roll around.  The weeks do fly by, but there is no time for relaxing this year and I am definitely in need of a break by Friday at 3 PM.  I'm also ready for spring weather; this week has been bitterly cold.  

Here are the things that caught my eye this week:

 

1.  Heart Embroidered Hoodie

2.  Raisonnel Short Sleeve Stripe Sweater

3.  Bailey Rose Fair Isle Toggle Cardigan

4.  Maeve Long Sleeve Diagonal Stripe Sweater

5.  Soft Brushed Bias Plaid Shirt

6.  Hoodie Cardigan with Bow

7.  Oversized Pullove Sweater

8.  Women's Casual Casual Loose-Fitting Round Neck Sweater with Heart Embroidery

9.  Loraine Bit Loafer

10.  Edmund Fitzgerald: 50 Years Below Podcast

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