Like a whisper inside me each and every day: THE ME I USED TO BE.

The Me I Used to Be by Kristan Higgins
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is a lovely story of friendship and loss.

Audrey, Micah, Jasmine, and Beck were known as the Core Four; they grew up incredibly close. They spent their high school years together, with much of their time at Audrey's farm, where they were deeply loved and mothered by her mom, Dr. Kate. But right after graduation, a horrible accident tears the Core Four apart. Now it's their 25-year high school reunion and Audrey has asked her friends to come back together at the farm one last time. She has something to tell them--she has early onset dementia and intends to end her life before it worsens.

The story flashes between the group's adventures and times in high school and their present-day lives. We see how none of them are as happy as they felt in their Core Four days. It's easy to get lost in their lives and Higgins depicts their emotions and worries incredibly well. Each woman has a lot to deal with, honestly! There's a wonderful side plot with Audrey and her stepdaughter that especially tugged at my heartstrings.

This isn't always an easy story to read, but it's a great exploration of friendship, forgiveness, and grief.

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley and Lake Union Publishing in return for an unbiased review.



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Should have seen the warnings signs: THE DYING LIGHT.

The Dying Light by Ann Cleeves


I adore the Matthew Venn / Two Rivers series for many reasons. One is the fact that Ann Cleeves excels at writing characters, writing people. She delves into the why: what makes people tick and work. Her books may not always be driven by constant action, but you keep reading as each page reveals more about our characters and what and why led them to be killed (or to kill).

And, Matthew Venn is one of my favorite detectives. I love his steady nature that also comes with a quiet, lingering insecurity, making him relatable and human. I love that he's not all ego and brash anger, like so many crime solvers, but intelligence and thoughtfulness. And I love the relationship between him and his husband Jonathan, which is portrayed honestly and lovingly.

This is an excellent mystery, which kept me guessing the entire time. We get a multi-POV story, including Matthew, his colleague Jen, and Catherine, a wealthy woman who has just lost her teenage daughter, Hannah, to an apparent murder. Both Hannah and her friend Lottie are found dead at the family's country home, and it's up to Matthew and team to determine why--with added pressure as Hannah's father is high up in politics.

There's a small cast of characters, and each is well-drawn, often with a potential motive. Cleeves does a good job of playing up the small-town versus big city rift and how it's affected locals in Devon. As with every Venn tale, there's so much more going on than "just the mystery," making it a complex, nuanced tale that will keep you flipping the pages. 4.5 stars.

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley and Minotaur Books in return for an unbiased review. Look for the U.S. version in September 2026!


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Deep in my heart you’d been hiding out: TRUST FALL.

Trust Fall by Lynn Painter
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book gives off Gossip Girl vibes, if GG had a bit more heart.

Julia lives a content life in Nebraska with her twin brother and parents. Then a mysterious benefactor leaves their fortune to her family, with a few strings attached: including the fact that they must move to NYC, live in his brownstone, and Julia and her brother must attend a posh private school there.

She meets Damion, a wealthy kid with a bit of an attitude. In part because Julia's benefactor was his beloved uncle, who did not leave Damion or his entitled parents anything. Damion vows to find out what happened and becomes Julia's math tutor.

This one took a bit to get its footing; for a bit, it swung a little too far with the whole "Damion is a misogynistic jerk" bit, making it a little hard to root for him, while keeping Julia as a complete doormat who is too scared to trust/love again after a breakup. When the story pushes out of those tropes and lets us get to know our main characters a bit better, it picks up.

Damion and Julia definitely have chemistry, helped along by some excellent slow burn banter. Meanwhile, I'm reading and feeling terrified of how mature these wealthy high school kids are, out partying, drinking, and attending fabulous balls (no regular prom here!). There is also a lot of intense, intense feelings, though I suppose that's par for the course for teens!

The story explores grief and loss in a thoughtful manner, as we watch Damion working through the passing of his uncle. His growth arc was much needed to turn him into a love interest worthy of sweet, kind Jules.

This is a great book for a YA audience, filled with passion and intensity and lots of NYC (and Nebraska!) vibes.

I received a copy of this book from Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers and Netgalley in return for an unbiased review.

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We got the life that we wanted: SO IT GROWS.

So It Grows by Andie Burke


This is a cute story, but with a slightly weird premise that I shall not reveal as I believe it's a bit of a spoiler. Felicity has inherited a plant shop in Kansas from her aunt. She's still trying to figure things out, but all is complicated by the popularity of the mac and cheese restaurant next door, run by chef Nicholas Holm-Bozic. Nic's restaurant threatens the sanctity of Felicity's shop--and he gets under her skin like no one else. Unfortunately the two will have to work together to try to save both their shops against some machinations from city hall.

This story has a sloooow burn start. If you've read any of Andie Burke's other books, you'll see some interconnected characters, including references to Aunt Jeannie, Marshall, Courtney, Thea, and more. That's kind of fun!

As Felicity and Nic spend more time together, we learn how Felicity has always felt too much, while Nic is recovering from a difficult childhood and the pressures of his father. The two share some good banter, and we get a lot of references to plants and food!

The writing felt a bit choppy, without fully developed characters, and I was a bit thrown by the overall premise, but the book really picks up in the second half and had me quite invested. It also makes some excellent points about mental health and sexual assault. 3.5 stars.

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley and St. Martin's Griffin in return for an unbiased review. Look for SO IT GROWS in September 2026!

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And bid her world goodbye: IT'S NOT WHAT YOU THINK.

It's Not What You Think: A Novel by Clare Mackintosh


An excellent, twisty thriller from Mackintosh!

Nadeeka is convinced her new boyfriend, Jamie, is cheating on her. He's been acting shifty and secretive lately. She overhears a woman's voice on the phone when she calls home, so rushes back to confront him. But she's too late: Jamie is already dead, brutally murdered.

What follows is a very thrilling story, with lots of plot turns to keep you guessing! There are a few truly shocking ones and a few that I had suspicions about. No matter what, it's best to go into this one blind so you can enjoy all the surprises. It's well-written and captivating.

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley and Sourcebooks Landmark in return for an unbiased review. The U.S. version releases in September 2026!

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Even though this freedom feels a lot like treason: THE BURNING LIBRARY.

The Burning Library by Gilly Macmillan
My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

Well, this is a very cloak and dagger story, focused on bookish puzzles, manuscripts, and secret societies that trace their origins back for generations. I love Macmillan's writing, but this book is a bit different from some of her more traditional thrillers. Honestly, it was rather "too smart" for me at times with its clever puzzles and ancient texts. We follow Dr. Anya Brown, who has been recruited to translate manuscripts at a very selective university. Little does she know that the Fellowship of the Larks, a secret society run by women, is behind her hiring. The Larks and their rival society, the Kats, have differing ideas on how women should obtain power--and both societies will do just about anything to obtain the manuscripts and texts they believe establish their power and supremacy, as well as those who can translate these texts.

This story is a bit complicated and hard to keep track of at times, with so many characters, references to ancient times, and puzzles to solve. Still, it certainly kept me reading. Anya is easy to root for and she has a strong relationship with her husband, Sid, who is truly pulled into all of this without any warning! Macmillan gives us an intelligent, informative, and well-researched story and it highlights how far people will go for what they believe and to have power. It provides some excellent insight in how society looks at women and bestows them power. It's all a little scary honestly.

If you love puzzles and deciphering ancient texts, you'll love this story. 3.5 stars.

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley and William Morrow in return for unbiased review.

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We've come full circle, all the way 'round: THE THOROUGHBREDS.

The Thoroughbreds by Elin Hilderbrand
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This series is so ridiculous yet incredibly bingeable. Centered around wealthy high school students at boarding school, it reads like a soap opera. Add in the constant name dropping of pop culture items and hot places and it can sometimes be a bit much.

But the Hilderbrand and Cunningham excel at pulling you into the story--and while there's fluff and intrigue, there's also heart. Rich kids are still people, and some of these kids are dealing with serious issues and topics. Many from book #1 are back, and I was particularly glad to see Charley and Davi again. We also have a new girl, Pippa, who is riling up the sixth-formers. Most of the teachers still seem a bit inept (looking at you, Rhode!) and poor Head of School Audre is making some bad decisions...

Still, I can't lie, I devoured this one like the guilty pleasure that it is, even if I rolled my eyes from time-to-time. 3.5 stars, rounded up.

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley and Little, Brown and Company in return for an unbiased review.

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