This generational Texas family drama spans decades in their lives from three perspectives— Lillian, her daughter Georgette & ending with her husband Ryan. I sort of wish Ryan‘s perspective had been from someone else‘s though… his actions felt the least authentic to me & his section just wasn‘t as strong as the first two! But, the storyline certainly surprised me at times — but have the tissues on hand as there‘s a lot of heartbreak all around!

This creepy book was extra fun to listen to while in WI since that‘s where it takes place. Julie & James move from the city after James‘ gambling spirals out of control. In a fixer-upper is a small town, at first strange noises & a spying grumpy neighbor seem to be the extent of their troubles. Soon, Julie sports mysterious bruises & hallucinations plague them both. Jemc offers multiple explanations but I wanted something more concrete to satisfy!

Continuing tradition, my cousins & I met to celebrate #IndependentBookstoreDay! We made it to 7 bookstores in one day— our combined haul is (mostly) in the trunk & my personal haul is photographed above! An all over WI adventure & great fun at InkLink Books, Reads By The River, Books & Co, The Bookstore of Appleton & Caramel Crisp Books— we even ducked into 2 Half Price Books (though not indie, I am still desperate for 2 last Sweet Valleys)!

This month‘s #bookclub pick led to a lively discussion! Revolving around grief, this details the brief but devoted marriage between Josh & Lauren. Told in his perspective moving forward from her funeral & hers moving back to the start of their relationship, this structure frustrated me at times because I wanted a stronger foundation for their relationship to share in the grief. But I loved the concept of the letters & tasks— an engaging listen!

I loved Dean‘s debut, so I‘ve been excited for this one since first hearing about it! It‘s a dark book— moving, heartbreaking & slowly riveting as the story unfolds Isabelle & Edward‘s life together. It feels inspired by the real case of the Golden State Killer, but this book isn‘t really about the violent perpetrator & more about the aftermath & impact violence has on their lives & their relationship. Slow at first, but unputdownable by the end!

The Unicorn Club joins the Slenderella Spa, courtesy of new wealthy member, Rachel, who wants the extra entries for the grand prize of spending two days with model/actress Katherine Pierce. Lila learns that any spa purchase gets an entry, so she treats them all to new workout gear. Lila & Rachel both start competing for living the spa‘s exercise & diet regimen but Mandy is suspicious that Katherine isn‘t as healthy as she seems with this program.

I absolutely love this series & what birthday month would be complete without reading at least one book from your very favorite author? This 22nd installment is one that harkens back to earlier novels in the series. Alongside a plot to track down the missing boyfriend of a local Maine artist, the supernatural element of the series particularly shines bright. I think answers we‘ve all been waiting for are taking a front seat at last! Exciting!

I‘ve tried to savor Chamberlain‘s backlog since first discovering her books over a dozen years ago— & now I only have one left in my TBR after finishing this 1996 release. It takes a lightning strike to reunite a grandmother with the granddaughter, Rachel, who left their PA bucolic town amidst the event still traumatic for the town & Rachel. Second chance romance & plenty of family secrets abound in this well performed, but not favorite, listen.

Back from their Caribbean adventure, Lila comes home to the unsettling news that her dad thinks the 75-room Fowler Crest mansion is too big for them & that they‘ll sell, downsizing to a modest 6-bedroom cottage on Secca Lake. Horrified that this will mean less time with the Unicorns who so love her home, Lila goes all out in trying to convince equally snobby Rachel Grant to talk her dad out of buying her mansion. She also uncovers Rachel‘s secret!

Silly, most definitely, but still full of nostalgic fun, I enjoyed this new cozy mystery featuring The Golden Girls. The dialogue rings pretty true to the characters‘ voices & I definitely laughed in a few spots! But there are a few anachronistic moments & the plot‘s not very shocking. I still overall had fun with this one and am curious to see if this series will continue on— I would keep going with it for sure!

Considering the hype for this WWII book, my rather “meh” feelings about it are sure to be unpopular, but I just share in the love for this one… I thought it dragged on, didn‘t maintain suspense, didn‘t really establish the friendship between the three women convincingly & was pretty predictable… I enjoyed the audio performance but maybe I‘ve just read too many books set in this era to be wowed any more? I didn‘t hate it, but really didn‘t love it!

The Unicorns arrived on St. Maurice Island but no one is enjoying their trip! Ellen‘s still juggling the 4 boys each of her friends realized they are crushing on while still keeping her away from surfer Curtis. When the cold shoulder fails, they try to straighten it out with the boys instead of Ellen which backfires & sends an upset Ellen out in a hurricane to get away from them! Eventually it all gets straightened out & ends with love in the air!

Four adult siblings reconnect after a three year estrangement in a small North Dakota town. Gemma, Connor, Roddy & Jude grew up close, as Roddy & Jude found more splashy fame in professional soccer & acting while Connor‘s award winning third novel causes the fight that fractured them. Together again, secrets & truths emerge in this well-written & gripping drama. Plus, all 50 states plus DC are covered here if you‘re desperate for #ReadAroundTheUS!

Dotson‘s debut horror novel certainly provides some new reasons to be scared of the shower drain! Creepy imagery abounds as Sadie starts fresh in the L‘Arpin Hotel with her toddler in tow, escaping from an abusive relationship & still grieving the loss of her first husband. Sadie‘s spiraling thoughts add more practical fears to this creature featureesque Rosemary‘s Baby hotel. Her contradictory actions grate after a while though!

The Unicorn Club hits the high seas in this two book Caribbean miniseries! On a cruise ship full of 13/14 year olds, most of the club‘s looking forward to meeting cute boys & having fun! But Ellen‘s disappointed to be almost immediately ditched & just wants to hang out with her friends— not make new ones! So each Unicorn meets a difference guy to fix Ellen up with—but it‘s soon apparent that their tastes are all different & have developed crushes!

The conclusion of the #FallenGodsTrilogy is a satisfying one! This one also moves slowly at the start, but the last hundred or so pages fly by! I didn‘t predict the ending (and wasn‘t expecting to cry!), but enjoyed the new lands, but the romantic element felt extraneous to me. All in all, I really enjoyed binging this series & hope Kaner sets another trilogy against this lushly detailed land— plus I‘m not ready to say goodbye to these characters!

I was surprised that the pacing for this sequel dragged as much as it did in the beginning— Kaner did an excellent job both world and character building in the first book in this trilogy that I expected to fly through this one! It does pick up immediately after the conclusion of GODKILLER, but it moves slowly until the last surprising quarter of the book which makes me so glad that I don‘t have to wait before reading the conclusion!

I bought the first two books of the #FallenGodsTrilogy last year on Independent Bookstore Day & was excited to binge the whole series! With multiple perspectives, this first book moves a bit slowly, building both the world and the main characters. Tough godkiller Kissen, ex-knight Elo and young Inara with the scene-stealing Skediceth come together here— the unexpected ending makes me so glad that I don‘t have to wait to see what happens next!

Kimberly Haver narrates here, feeling a little disdainful of the 7th grade Unicorns and their immaturity with popping gum & prank calls. When the president of the rival club, Eight Times Eight, abruptly moves, Kimberly‘s flattered by their wooing. The Eights hang out with high schoolers & have invited her to the front row seats for the Johnny Buck concert! When her dad winds up in the hospital, it‘s only her true friends-The Unicorns- who show up!

Saffron & her husband are expecting their first child & renovating the cottage that neither she nor her mother, Lorna, knew about until her grandmother, Rose, went into a care home for dementia. In breaking ground for the kitchen extension, two bodies are unearthed & with multiple perspectives & timelines, the truth slowly unfolds. I wish that the male performer was performed by the woman—his mumbling performance added little here. Solid hook!

Cassidy‘s latest horror novel draws you right in—with a mixture of horrors both large & small. Jess, an actress/waitress in LA, has a horrible night after cleaning the bathroom only to return home to an even stranger disaster that takes her on the run with a young boy she finds in her bushes. Full of surprises, gore & a range of scary imagery (along with some comedic moments to break up the tension), this is well done! Can‘t wait for his next!

Lila Fowler‘s the focus here! Psyched to have gotten an A on her math test, she‘s thrilled her dad is taking her to Chez Francois to celebrate… but when he stands her up for a flight to NYC, she doesn‘t know what to do! Her latest crush—a SVH soccer player— accepts lavish gifts and a date, so Lila thinks nothing of inviting him (with friends) to a Unicorn Club party. Along the way, her shopping spree hits credit card limits & the party goes crazy!

Years ago, I listened to a few episodes of this popular podcast, but overall, I just prefer books, so I was excited to listen to their audiobook! It‘s more about the authors than the murdery topics their podcast focuses on, so I must admit that I was a little disappointed based on my expectations… But, it‘s a quick listen, with surprising cameos, plenty of secondhand material from therapists & certainly well-performed.

It‘s been fun binge listening to the #CyrusHavenSeries! This fourth installment, unfortunately, is probably my least favorite… the pacing feels uneven & while it does address the last lingering questions about Evie‘s past, it‘s a less hopeful book overall & takes on some added darkness with a more politically motivated plot. I am not sure if Robotham will continue the series from here, but I hope so as I‘ve grown to care about the characters!

Mandy Miller narrates again here when Lila brings it to the Unicorn Club‘s attention that Bibi‘s is hosting a Miss Sweet Valley Teen Princess pageant for 13 & 14 year olds. It‘s every Unicorn for themself— except for Mandy who feels like she‘s too skinny & freckled. Upset the way everyone pulls at her, it‘s only Kimberly‘s stage fright that reveals Mandy is beauty queen material after all! A more dated entry to the series for sure!

I really enjoyed this dual timeline story centering around the world of miniatures! In 2024, librarian Tildy discovers a hidden room in her San Francisco library that holds two gorgeous dollhouses—& inside one of them, she finds a miniature portrait of her own mother! In the historic chapters, the life and adventures of the dollhouses‘ creator unfolds. It‘s an engaging read & one that will especially strike a chord in anyone who loved a dollhouse!

What a cute romcom! A quick & genuinely funny read—it opens with romance writer Margot‘s public humiliation between exposure of her granny panties, but also her secret Happily Never After file, detailing unhappy alternate endings to her popular books. Longtime caregiver for her younger sister, Margot‘s resistant to her sister‘s plan for Margot to spend 6 weeks in Alaska at a remote lodge. From the get-go, Margot‘s dropped into an array of tropes!

Ellen Riteman narrates this one— a fun departure from all of the Angels versus Unicorns drama! The daycare center no longer takes children younger than 3, but Ellen‘s neighbor, who is going through a tumultuous divorce with her financially unstable husband, has an unreliable nanny. Ellen agrees to watch Annabel—but it turns out to be much longer than the hour or two she expects! All the girls (plus St. Liz) help—even bringing the baby to school!

The third installment in the #CyrusHavenSeries is another exciting one that I listened to at every opportunity! Evie, now 21, lives with Cyrus. His older brother, hospitalized for decades, is granted release to return home, making Evie uneasy. Meanwhile she accidentally ties Cyrus more personally in the case of a missing woman in a new mystery they wind up working together to solve. The plot may be a little more predictable but still enthralling!

A bit delayed— this sad story of sisters, addiction, murder & grief was my actual last read of March. This #BOTM has been on my shelves for a while & I‘m glad my husband “made” me read it (he wanted to watch the show, but I couldn‘t without reading this first!). The characters, flaws & all, really come to life against the bleak Kensington setting. Though a hefty novel, I read it quickly, appreciating the plot‘s turns! Curious to watch the show!

Both Wakefield twins narrate this one as each club plans the party of the year to prove which club is better. The Unicorns are upset when one of the day care kids says the Angels are the best club; the Angels feel down about Mandy‘s defection back to the Unicorns. The original backyard bbqs fall away to a coincidentally planned fundraiser party for the center. The Unicorns throw a casino theme inside while the Angels have a carnival theme outside!

This #AardvarkBookClub pick has been waiting on my shelves & I had so much fun reading it! I giggled, I even teared up! Gretchen grew up a conwoman & for the last few years she‘s worked as a spirit medium in DC. Her best wealthy client sends her to a MD goat farm to perform an exorcism so that it can be sold… & Gretchen meets not only a grumpy farmer, but her first actual ghost who she can communicate with! I really had fun reading this! So cute!

Ugh… if you are remotely squeamish about bugs, skip this spooky story! Taking place mainly over two days, Margaret follows clues directed from a mysteriously delivered iPhone to try and find the fate of her missing best friend. There‘s also the perspective of someone else tracking down Charity— an uber rich tycoon with his own dark obsessions. Gory & downright icky at times, this quick read is hard to put down but not my favorite of Cutter‘s.

Both Mandy & Lila narrate this one. Lila‘s determined to win Mandy back into the Unicorns & as usual, her first inclination is to buy her way back— not just a brownie sundae at Casey‘s but gold earrings she knows Mandy loves, & in the most ridiculous purchase of Lila‘s so far— she puts in an offer on a house when she learns Mandy‘s made friends with a 7 year old with cancer who can‘t always have his mom there since they live 5 hours north!

The second book in the #CyrusHavenSeries picks up not long after the first— Cyrus hasn‘t stopped looking into Evie‘s past & when a dead detective‘s notes tie to Evie, they are both thrust into fresh dangers. Told in dual perspectives, this one answers many of the questions raised in the first one about Evie‘s tragic childhood. A gripping & well-performed listen, this ends satisfyingly & makes me curious to see where the rest of the series will go!

This month‘s #bookclub pick was undoubtedly the one the least amount of people finished (2/3s did not), but I am not sure why. I thought it was a quick read. Sold into slavery at six years old, Little Flower‘s life certainly goes from one tragedy to the next for most of the book. Linjing, her owner, does grow as a character but not before the reader wants her to receive some of the suffering her jealousy causes. Well-researched & fast paced!

Ellen Riteman narrates this installment which corrects some of the dude ranch errors (Kimberly‘s back to being in 8th grade, & isn‘t the club president). As the only one not vying for the job, Ellen hosts meetings but her parents‘ arguments make everyone uncomfortable. When they announce their intentions to divorce, Ellen uses the Family Day to try to match make her parents back together, & learns the Unicorns are better friends than she thought!

I think this may be Winstead‘s best book yet! I couldn‘t put it down! Narrator Janeway Sharp finds herself falling down a true crime rabbit hole as a distraction from the grief of suddenly losing her father. With a multimedia feel, & inspired by familiar cases with fresh twists, this riveting read is well-plotted & raises questions on amateur sleuthing, mob mentality & the aftermath of loss. Well-written with lifelike characters & genuine emotion!

The Keenan family has lived in the wooded Dahlmouth, VA for 3 years, but their relocation for Rachel‘s opportunity to become chief of police seemed worth the price small town living. More religious, the town hates the blogs & “city writing” of Rachel‘s husband, a pariah in his own family after the fatal car accident he caused that stole the life of their son. Witha reimagining of the fate of the lost Roanoke colony, this spooky tale moves fast.

Kimberly Haver, the newest Unicorn Club president, narrates this one. Her dad pays for the club to spend the weekend at the Sunset Dude Ranch. Kimberly‘s a bit bummed that everyone wants Mandy to come even though she‘s an Angel now, but she quickly forgets that when she meets Herbert, the guitar-playing riding instructor. But the girls can‘t out friendship first as they all vie for his attention— some more successfully than others! Silly & fun!

What a gripping listen! The first book in the #CyrusHavenSeries certainly makes for a thrilling start with enough to start the character development & series plot balanced with a secondary surprisingly satisfying mystery to solve! Psychologist Cyrus is drawn to Evie, a teenager with a horrifically mysterious past & an uncanny ability to detect a lie. They both wind up drawn together in solving the mystery of a teenage figure skater‘s murder.

I enjoyed my #BOTM pick for this month! Fast-paced & entertaining, I read this in practically one sitting! Stava nicely mounts the tension in her debut where Sloane‘s lies add to the unsettling feeling as she inserts herself in the lives of Violet, Jay & Harper. The pace really picks up in the latter half with some real, satisfying surprises (though perhaps not perfectly plausible in the long run). It hooked me & I‘m excited for more from Stava!

Finally Jessica narrates one (though because of the division into Unicorns and Angels, Elizabeth‘s also a narrator here!), which has the two groups still fighting in the aftermath of the election. But it‘s clear that they still miss one another… all the more so when thanks to the daycare, both groups come down with the German measles. Separately quarantined, they try to prank each other & also try not to let on how much they miss each other!

What fun!! Like all time travel books, it‘s best not to get too bogged down in the details (& luckily the quick pace set by the author helps just that). Rabbit Ward has been a time traveling archaeologist for decades, but the last year has been rough as it‘s obvious someone is horning in on his work. An adventure in the 6th century Constantinople provides him with the opportunity to right his first professional misstep & learn about his opponent!

I wasn‘t really sure what to expect from this memoir/travelogue! My first experience with the author, this came out over two decades ago & it would be interesting to see if life on Karabati, a remote equatorial island has changed much. Troost balances coming in with paradise-like expectations & coming to see the somewhat literally sh*tty reality of island life. Watch out for the island dog chapter, but otherwise a truly fascinating listen!

Mary Wallace narrates this sole #UnicornClubSpecialEdition as Kimberly Haver moves back to Sweet Valley & divides the club! Mary‘s planning on running for student body president with all of the club supporting her… until Kimberly runs against her with Lila, Ellen & Jessica backing her, versus Liz, Evie & Maria behind Mary. Teased as a goody-two-shoes, Mary works on a less rebellious plan to reinstate off-campus lunch while Kimberly stirs trouble!

I really loved this blend of rom com & mystery! It had me literally laughing out loud— plus I read it in practically one sitting! The titular character, Pom, is a wealthy heiress in a hotelier family— until her not-so-beloved grandmother winds up murdered, enacting a clause in her will that leaves all assets frozen & Pomona to find a new place to live. She winds up with her old nanny‘s son & together they work to solve the case! Just plain fun!

Historical fiction steeped in magical realism unfolds here in a pre-technicolor Oz of Uz, NE. Beautifully written with multiple perspectives, the story comes from the titular Antidote, a Prairie Witch practiced in banking memories away from their experiencer, Asphodel, a fearless orphan obsessed with basketball & new love , her uncle, a farmer who finds sudden fortune after Black Sunday, Cleo, a New Deal photographer, a scarecrow & a cat!

New Unicorn Club member & its sole 6th grader, Evie Kim, narrates this one where the club once again faces its end— from within! Half of the members start dating new boys while the drama club puts on an original fall play. Evie, the twins & Maria are the singles, blown off for new love (along with the day care kids). When Evie & Liz overhear Rick Hunter‘s sleazy plan to break Mary Wallace‘s heart, it brings the club back together for revenge!

Happy Publication Day! Staples‘ second novel is actually something of a sequel to THIS TOWN SLEEPS— which I wish I had known before diving into this one! I also wish that I had a physical copy instead… the audio performance is great, but with multiple narrators, dates to keep straight & some abrupt, fever dream feeling transitions, I would‘ve preferred being able to more easily flip pages back as needed for reference in this casino based Inferno.