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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Stumble in the void to find there's no one there: HOLLOW BONES.

Hollow Bones by Jodi Picoult
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was such a quintessential Jodi Picoult book. It's filled with complex familial relationships and ties into tense subject matters. And, it's completely spellbinding, featuring her trademark twists.

Molly is the Chief of the Center for Emergency Preparedness and Response at the Rhode Island Department of Health. It's a mouthful of a title, especially for a young woman under 30. But thanks to COVID, she's been fast-tracked to her role. Molly loves being prepared and weighing the risks of basically everything. Her husband, Jesse, is older; an experienced detective and polygraphy expert. Molly lost her mom, Eloise, in the 9/11 attacks, and Jesse lost his sister when they were both teens. As a result, both Molly and Jesse are fearful of losing those they love. Their entire lives have been shaped by their loss and grief.

The story alternates between the past and present, allowing us to learn more about how Jesse and Molly met and then flashing back even further, to the events leading up to Eloise's death. The format is incredibly effective, especially with multiple POV changes, so you slowly learn more details about all our characters. It's good to go into this book with few details and just let the story happen.

As always, Picoult gives us a well-researched story, rife with facts and statistics about 9/11. She delves into tough topics, such as the post-COVID friction between the government and public health officials and the limited resources given to such organizations. She also gives us a strong portrayal of mental illness, particularly post partum psychosis--such an important and under-discussed diagnosis.

At its heart, this is a story about motherhood, family, and friendship. It illustrates how easy it is to fear losing those we love--and how tenuous life really can be. And it forces the reader to explore whether living in fear or living life fully is the best reaction to this fragility. 4+ stars.

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley and Ballantine Books in return for an unbiased review.

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To see my sister laid into the ground: BETH IS DEAD.

Beth Is Dead by Katie Bernet
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Beth March is dead, and there is no shortage of suspects, including her beloved sisters.

The four March sisters are famous thanks to their father's book, Little Women, which exploited their lives for literary fame. The book also killed off Beth, devastating her and making her both a fan favorite and a joke.

Beth is Dead excels at weaving in the original themes of Alcott's tale with a refreshed, rather graphic story. It plays on the tropes and stereotypes, accentuating certain traits of each sister. Meg is at Harvard, Jo is trying to hang on to a publishing deal, Beth is exploring boarding school for musical study, and Amy is reeling from a fight with Beth the night she died.

The problem is that the book goes too far, taking these character traits off the rails and eventually turning everyone into caricatures. The plot gives off whiplash, veering from one suspect to the next every chapter, without taking the time to fully the develop the characters, or allowing us time to care about any of them.

The book depicts what happened to Beth via flashbacks as the sisters conduct their (wild, uninformed, emotional) investigations. There are definitely moments that I loved, but overall this wasn't my favorite. 2.75 stars.

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

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The windows of my soul are made of one way glass: LOVE ME LIKE A ROCK SONG.

Love Me Like a Rock Song: A Novel by Shelly Jay Shore
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I love Shelly Jay Shore's writing and how they always come up with original stories that expertly portray queer Jewish identity.


Singer-songwriter Delilah has just had her wedding called off by her fiancée, Sam. Complicating things is the fact that she and Sam work together as a well-known musical duo. About to record her own solo album (filled with love songs about Sam), Delilah decides to take their planned honeymoon solo and use the time to write a whole new record. As she begins, she picks up a hitchhiker: Emmett. But Emmett just happens to be a golem, a creature from Jewish folklore made out of clay and designed to serve their master. Emmett's master is now dead and they have been ordered to return to their origins (aka disappear).


It sounds wild but Shelly Jay Shore has the ability to make the mystical both believable and fun. The more time Delilah and Emmett spend together, the closer they become. The story explores Delilah's history of mania, deftly looking into how mental illness can affect relationships (and life).


This is such a wonderfully queer story--with many of their road trip stops, the duo explore queer landmarks, meet other queer people, and immerse themselves in queer stories. As they do, Emmett comes to learn more about themself, unearthing an identity hidden by years of serving a harsh master.


Shelly Jay Shore gives us a captivating and complex queer story that explores Jewish identify and folklore, the concept of places as memory, and the importance of self-acceptance. Delilah and Emmett are not your typical couple, but this book benefits from its original storytelling that still captures humanity at its heart.


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

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Love is the rhythm of two hearts beating: LOST AND FOUND.

Lost and Found by Tarah DeWitt
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This is the third book in the Spunes, OR series; the novels are interconnected but can be read on their own. You'll apparently know a bit more about Silas if you read them all but I survived (I have read book #1, but don't remember it well).

Honestly, the subject matter of this book is a little weird. Bea's best friend, Merritt, passes away and wills her eggs to Bea. (Truly.) A horribly grieving Bea decides to use IVF to get pregnant using Merritt's eggs. Her own family disapproves and Bea has to rent her place out to save money for the IVF. She winds up living with Silas, a longtime friend. A handsome firefighter who has survived a terrible accident, Silas is going through his own "stuff." The two agree to be friends only, but while living together... it's hard to keep to that pact.

This story has a ton of emotional depth and sooo much focus on grief. It is not a lighthearted romance in any shape or form. Bea and Silas are certainly cute together, but they are, in many ways, not the focus of the story. Through flashbacks we learn about Merritt and Bea's childhood friendship, which, honestly is quite toxic. Not only does Merritt seem to expect Bea to bear her child, she spent most of her living life keeping Bea and Silas apart, as Merritt had a crush on him and if she couldn't have him, neither could Bea. But in Bea's eyes, Merritt can do no wrong.

All of this makes it hard to connect to Bea and root for her. Silas is sweetheart and you love him pretty quickly, but hate that he's been strung along all this time. This is a very touching romance but not always an easy story to read. 3.5 stars

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley and St. Martin's Griffin in return for an unbiased review.

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When this world feels crazy I'll always fight for you: WHERE HE LEFT ME.

Where He Left Me: A Novel by Nicole Baart
My rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

I couldn't put this tense read down!

Sadie, a professor and aspiring writer, and her husband, Felix, an astronomer, move to his childhood home--a dilapidated place in the middle of nowhere, as part of their sabbatical. The house is old, filled with memories of Felix's unhappy childhood, and isolated. When Felix doesn't return home from a business trip, Sadie has no idea what to do, especially as a major storm looms. Then she spots weird images on the security cameras and soon, strangers show up in her greenhouse.

As the storm intensifies, Sadie must try to survive--and find Felix. Doing so unearths some secrets about her husband that she may not want to know.

This is such a well-written story that's part mystery, part character-driven tale. It's incredibly claustrophobic, with the snow sealing Sadie in her home. Both she and the reader feel trapped and slightly terrified. The tension ratchets up at the book goes on, with secrets and surprises piling on. Yet this story is touching at times, with emotion at its core.

I really enjoyed this creepy and suspenseful yet fascinating thriller.

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley and Atria Books in return for an unbiased review.

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