thoughts on books

Author: Angie Miale

  • Destination funeral by Paige harbison

    Another fun time loop magical realism with some light romance elements from Paige Harbison. Four friends go to an island for a funeral and a long weekend, only to learn they have inherited her home. And that long weekend becomes longer than they expect when they keep living Saturday over and over again.

    This was a nice escape from reality and although the time loop felt pretty derivative, there were a few lines that had me laughing out loud. The characters, for me, were mostly one dimensional and I was really hoping for more in the character arc that would have made them develop more. Both individually and as a unit. I was a big fan of her debut novel and perhaps had too high of expectations for this one. I do think it’s worth reading for the writing style and for the setting.

    Also- please be aware she refers to alcohol and drinking excessively in her novels. Not alcoholism or addiction issues, but there are more references to alcohol than in most novels.

    Thanks to NetGalley and St Martin’s Press for the ARC. Book to be published July 20, 2026

  • The burning side by Sarah Damoff

    If you are in the mood for a family saga where nobody’s perfect and relationships are complicated, add this to cart. Also maybe add a package of 9 volt batteries because you’re probably going to want to change all the batteries in your smoke detectors.

    April and Leo have 2 little kids, they are educators. Both of them have some things they’ve never really healed from. They have a fight and decide to divorce.

    That night, their house burns down. Everyone is okay, but they flee to her parents home. Deb and Billy. Billy is newly diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. We learn their origin story. And how he has so much in his brain but the memories are mixed up.

    Absolutely beautiful writing and tender moments. It teaches me that we are all complex. Relationships are more than the sum of two people. Our experiences change us and help us connect. And we all just are dying to be seen. To be understood. To be lived for who we really are. The person my parents know is different than the person my kids know or that my coworkers know. It’s the opposite of codependency theory.

    These CHARACTERS. Just so well done in their imperfection. So hard to write complex family drama well and this one is a quiet beauty.

    Thank you to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster for the ARC. Book to be published June 15, 2026.

  • The house of now and then by Edward Underhill

    As a big fan of The In-Between Bookstore, I preordered this book as soon as it was announced and am thrilled to get the chance to read it early via NetGalley.

    Harlow is spending some time in Cape Cod, although he’s never seen Jaws. A trans man who has just been through a big break up, he needs to get out of Boston and make a great summer. Despite having a phd in history, he has an IT job that pays the bills. There is a vibrant queer community in Provincetown and lots of summer tourism. He pays for a small cottage and doesn’t expect to see several people in his cottage that don’t belong. His professor from 2 years ago, his father, and even his ex. Except, they don’t think they are in the cottage. Harlow’s professor thinks she is in her office, years ago. Harlow’s dad thinks he is in his house and his Ex in their apartment. They keep having the same conversation with Harlow that they had at one point in time.

    If you are thinking, “well, Harlow has to change that conversation, and then they’ll go away,” you are on the right track. It’s hard to do a time slip or time loop magical realism story in a new creative way, and this one has an element of being in a magical cottage. It’s interesting as Harlow learns the lessons he needs to learn, it’s about his character arc and not theirs.

    Just like in “Bookstore,” there is a compelling love interest, Nathan, and some fun queer besties that act as both comic relief and as a way to build Harlow’s character. What makes this one special is the setting, the cat named Sir Duke, and the magical ending we get for the minor characters as well.

    I love Edward Underhill’s writing, but I do think he excels at YA, and the adult books do read like YA only with characters that happen to be in their 30’s. It doesn’t bother me one bit. I think it’s why I love his writing so much.

    Thank you to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for the ARC. Book to be published May 18, 2026

  • brimstone hollow by archer sullivan

    An exciting thriller about a snake handling preacher who died of an apparent snake bite. A small town appalachia setting with many layers; homophobia in the church and the domino effect of that culture, the generational drug problem, the way that everyone in town has a silver F150. Except for the people who have a black F150.

    Annie Gore is back as a private investigator- she works alongside the police but is a detective for hire and has a classic Datsun that she really babies named “honey.” She is hired by a woman whose biological father died and was buried really quickly of a snake bite with no autopsy. She had a dream or vision about him and she doesn’t think it is a coincidence, so she sends Annie to Brimstone Hollow to see if there is anything fishy. There is.

    What I really enjoyed about this story was that there were aspects of the small town that intersected as you would expect, but the characters always had more than they seemed. It was not all pure stereotypes about people in Kentucky, they were complex characters in the area, some by choice and others by circumstance. I loved the fast pacing and how the setting was complicated and nuanced. The characters were engaging and the ending… WOW! I was hooked. I was a fan of the first and now glad I read this as well!

    Thanks to NetGalley and Minotaur books for the ARC. Book to be published August 11, 2026

  • her first lie by lucinda berry

    If you ever doubted if you were a good mom, well, do I have a book for you! Lucinda Berry fans rejoice, this is Berry at her absolute best!

    Our story starts out with Becky giving birth in her college dorm- she just thinks she is having the worst constipation of her life- nope, it is a baby. Then she keeps the baby secret for 2 years. She names her Janie and, as one would expect, she has some trouble managing life as a college student and secret mom. Also, she was relentlessly abused growing up in every possible manner, so she has no examples of good parenting to live by.

    There are some interstitials from a detective trying to determine who are the bodies he is finding buried in shallow graves around a long-time notorious foster care home that was investigated multiple times for physical and sexual abuse allegations. Fun times!

    When all is lost, Becky finds her grandmother Lillian who will solve all her problems. But what will she give up in return?

    Wow, this one is crazy. Lots of drama. I read that the author has a background in childhood trauma, so I know these situations exist and this explains why she writes them so realistically. The book has great pacing and is really easy to follow, even with the time jumps and multiple POV. I was really riveted and read it in one sitting! Despite her faults, I was rooting for Becky and Orion and hoping they could overcome their circumstances. Don’t judge people!

    Thanks to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for the ARC. Book to be published April 21, 2026

  • love and other brain experiments by hannah brohm

    Frances is headed to a new academic conference and is thrilled to be included, but she is very nervous because it is being run by her ex boyfriend, the one who said she would end up a failure and lonely. On the plane she is seated by Lewis, a fellow academic. She soon discovers that he is actually her academic rival Theodore L North who should have credited her on a paper that has been cited 562 times a few years ago. But due to a misunderstanding, her ex’s current girlfriend mistakes Lewis and Frances for a couple. So they decide that since he owes her, they will fake date during the conference so he can alleviate pressure from his family who just so happens to be local and celebrating his brother’s graduation and she can save face with the community.

    This one had a lot of promise and I know some people will love it, but it was not for me. I learned a lot about the academia life, how you don’t put down roots and it is hard to make friends. It seems kind of cut throat without a lot of benefit. Maybe if this is your setting it will help you feel seen, I feel like a lot of the science and professor speak culturally went over my head. At times I felt as though Frances is better off without Lewis I found him to be non confrontational to the point of being a wimp, she kept saying he was brilliant but I didn’t feel the chemistry or understand what she saw in him. So it took me a really long time to get through this and I felt as though I was forcing myself to finish but not really enjoying the story.

    I think I might be burned out on fake dating as a trope as I have read about ten 2026 releases in a row that are fake dating.

    Thank you to NetGalley and Atria for the ARC. Book to be published February 3, 2026

  • Off the record by Sara Goodman confino

    It is Washington, DC, we are with a buttoned up high-powered newspaper publication and our heroine, Judy, has just graduated with a 4.0 from the University of Maryland. Like a good Jewish girl, she lives at home with mom and dad in Silver Springs, but commutes into the city and accepts a position in the typing pool at the second-best newspaper. It isn’t editing, or the sharp reporting she longs for, but at least it isn’t a secretarial job at her uncle’s law firm. Her parents are very invested in her finding a husband and settling down to have kids and make a home with a good Jewish boy. Judy is fine with marriage AT SOME POINT but her priority is making an impact- her writing career comes first! Also it seems like there is no other Jewish folks at the paper at all.

    This is a sparkling and page turning story of international intrigue, the background setting is so intriguing and absolutely engaging. When it comes to Sara Goodman Confino’s books, this is the kind of heartwarming yet flawed strong female character we have come to expect. I found this latest to be lighthearted and sparkling, not exactly YA but written more like a hopeful YA historical fiction can be. This definitely has Hallmark-vibes and there is a sweetness here that I REALLY was craving in the midst of a real world situation that terrifies me daily. There is a little romance and the reveals at the end are positively Pixar-esque. Give me all the wholesome.

    Three adjectives to describe our main character: Determined. Hard working. Intelligent.

    Hollywood cast
    Miss Kelly- Allison Janney
    Judy Greenfield- Hailee Steinfeld
    Jack Fields- Zach Efron

    thanks to NetGalley and Lake Union for the ARC. Book to be published June 9, 2026

  • Rasputin swims the Potomac by Ben fountain

    Rasputin swims the Potomac by Ben fountain

    An absurd satire about Trump’s reelection campaign for a 3rd term and the one that comes to challenge him, WWE Champion Rasputin, who despite being American born, legally changed his name to Rasputin and claims to be the reincarnation of one of the most notorious villains in recorded history. At first Trump and Rasputin are friends. The nation is suffering from a “weeping disease,” officially called conversion disorder which is a more scientific and updated way to say mass hysteria.

    This book’s vibes are like no other.

    This book is wild- but so is the news. Trying to take on the task of political satire at a time when we have breaking news on a daily basis that reads like satire is, well, ambitious. But this – as ridiculous as it seems- is a story that we can’t see where it’s going and it seems relevant at all times. I think this scenario is as likely as any for 2028. Some details are true and some are creatively inserted. I will admit googling a few news items because I didn’t know if they had happened or if they were part of the story. From the blurb I though the president would be called “president mcpresidentface” but he is written, extremely realistically and convincingly, Donald Trump.

    The challenge, I think, is just that this book will appeal more to those that think Trump is a threat to our democracy (which is most of us readers, but not all)… and yet many of us hate him so much that we don’t want to read him as a character in a fictitious story. It just makes me so mad that no one has read this but me I can’t wait to discuss with someone !!!!! I’m fascinated in Rasputin using Christian orthodox imagery as propaganda and his political platform.

    Who knows. Maybe fountain is prescient and the one that will destroy MAGA will be another pawn of political theater.

    I don’t know anyone else who has read this and it was only briefly on NetGalley but I’m so glad I snagged this one.

    Melania’s Character arc… 🤌🤌🤌 chef’s kiss

    Favorite character? Clarence Thomas.

    Thanks to NetGalley and flatiron books for the ARC. Book to be published June 9, 2026.

  • The fall of iris henley by Jennifer graham

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    A Young Adult suspense with several mysteries. The small town in Texas a few months ago was ravaged by an apparent murder suicide. Iris’s boyfriend Rocky and his “side piece” her ex-best friend and recovering addict and former cheerleader Lynnette. Rocky was the quarterback and was found dead of an apparent self inflicted gunshot wound. Then someone posts on “secret” a social networking app, that Iris was guilty of their murder.

    I was definitely very drawn in to the murder mystery, but the main storyline here is who is cyber bullying Iris. Someone is anonymously posting secrets online and accusing her of murder. Oddly the school seems to be on board with bullying her, she gets benched from the cheer team. I found the motivations of people to be really strange, she should have been really upset about her boyfriend being dead and why is he able to also pull these side pieces? Jeez he is a bad person. I feel like these are all ways teenagers don’t really act. And this bullying storyline is kind of unrealistic. I did like the book and I thought the pacing was good, but it was a bit lacking in a couple of ways for me. I liked it, but you may love it.

    Three adjectives to describe the main character? Popular. Controlling. Cold.

    My favorite character? Iris’s sister who is mean and jealous but plays the trombone, which is cool. Not a lot of heartwarming funny or fun characters in this one tbh

    Audiobook review- a fun mystery with lots of twists and reveals. I appreciated the performance. My only critique is that for a book based in Texas SOMEONE should have had a little twang in their accent. These characters sound like they are from Omaha.

    Thanks to NetGalley and MacMillan Audio for the ALC. Book to be published February 24, 2026.

  • The girls before by Kate Alice marshall

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    Audrey is a teacher on a search and rescue mission. She lost her best friend who went missing years ago, and there is a local girl Megan who went missing very recently. In the woods, there is a witchy story about a witch who helps young women in difficult circumstances or she takes them. There is also a local neighbor who is a creepy old dude. There is also a very powerful family with a politician and generational wealth.

    Typically audio is my go-to format for suspense books- they really keep my interest and have great acting. In this case, I sort of struggled. I usually love Marshall’s writing but this one I found hard to follow on audio. There are alternating viewpoint chapters that are at different time periods- not only that but the trapped woman is known as “Stranger” and doesn’t have a name. Marshall’s a masterful storyteller but I think this one will work better with eyeball rather than ears. I really loved the spooky atmospheric setting and the earlier chapters of Audrey which were captivating!

    Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan audio for the ALC. book to be published February 23, 2026