A book club style selection about 4 friends that explores platonic love and friendship vs romantic love. It’s a lot of vibes and character development. The characters are relatable and fun to read about. When it comes to plot, it feels a bit more chaotic and doesn’t have a “beginning, middle, end.” I may be the outlier on this one because there are a lot of rave reviews. I found it a bit harder to follow on audio as the narrative switches between first person for one character and another character is 3rd person. I found myself a bit confused as to which character was which early on.
I was a big fan of Maame, and this has a lot of heart, but it is definitely a different kind of novel. Looking forward to whatever Jessica George writes next!
Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan audio for the ALC. book to be published April 6, 2026
Riley has just gotten divorced from her gambling husband Danny. She has lost everything and now has the chance to be a love-in caretaker for Betty, an old lady widow in her 80’s who has been a hermit for the last 60 years.
Betty asks her to look into her 3 best friends from her time at Marquis college- loosely based on Duke. She and her 3 friends showed psychic abilities and were used an experiments for a professor there in the 60’s.
It’s a story that intrigued me, although I found the pacing to be clunky and the ending somewhat disappointing. The beginning and setup was very well done, I was so drawn in by the chapters in the early 60’s.
Three words to describe the main character? Enabler. Loyal. A Mary sue.
Hollywood cast Betty- Lily Tomlin Riley- Zoe Saldana
Thanks to NetGalley and st martins press for the ARC. Book to be published August 4, 2026.
Two alternating POV- Peggy, the wife of an abusive gaslighter, and her 14 year old son Sampson (if you’re wondering if he gets a haircut in the book, yes he does).
This book is highly suspenseful and perfectly written, although it is technically thriller, I have to say it nearly reads like horror in the emotional abuse aspect. While realistic, the way that Drew manipulates and controls both Peggy and Sampson is relentless and horrific. So big trigger warning for emotional abuse. I literally had to stop reading at 60% to skip to the end to make sure Drew got his just desserts. My apple watch told Me I was too stressed out.
So if you want a book that makes you feel something you will absolutely want to pick this one up! Drew is a villainous awful person.
My favorite character? Phoenix. He isn’t introduced until the second half but he has a good back story and a heart of gold.
Three words to describe the main character? Manipulated. Pitiful. Mother.
Hollywood cast Drew- Jared Leto Peggy- Elizabeth Olsen Sampson- Tanner Buchanan (from Cobra Kai)
Thanks to NetGalley and Atria/Emily Bestler for the ARC. Book to be published February 16, 2026
Our Castle Knoll characters are back although not necessarily at Castle Knoll. This was definitely my favorite of the series. I love Kristen Perrin’s writing style of how she lays out a mystery so that you have a chance to figure things out but still feel suspense and surprise. The love story will-they-won’t-they is heating up and I think will continue.
Annie is reconnecting with her mother when there is a murder, her mother Laura’s mentee is found murdered with her heart removed. This reminds Annie of a murder in the 1960’s from her great aunt Laura’s journal about her socialite friend. Two identical murders 60 years apart!
The following narrative is dual timeline- I thought the swinging 60’s chapters were really well done and I liked the setting. Detective Crane is investigating the old murder and Annie the new. I found the ending to be really satisfying!
Thanks to NetGalley and Dutton for the arc. Book to be published April 28, 2026.
This is a special book. Plenty of books try to be mystery/thriller plus romance but one of the two always shines. This is an equally five star thriller alongside a five star romance. And did I mention it’s a debut? I’m blown away. I requested this after seeing several rave reviews and it did not disappoint.
Benny and Joy are podcasters and best friends with incredible chemistry. They’ve never been romantically entangled but it’s because of insecurities. They obviously love each other. The mystery is that Joy and her husband Xander have gone missing and the world is looking for them.
Audiobook is amazing- both performances are stellar. There is a bonus podcast episode and duet narration. I already ordered a trophy copy, I really loved this book. Definitely a Q1 favorite.
Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan audio for the arc. Book to be published March 9, 2026.
Fantastically creepy, suspenseful YA story and a STANDOUT audiobook performance by Kristolyn Lloyd.
Simone is a privileged teen, although her parents divorced due to her mom’s alcoholism, her dad is retired NFL and she has great friends and going to graduate top in her class. The setting is a farm house and lake where people leave old creepy dolls. The plot involves a very old doll possessed by a demon/ghost.
It’s stellar YA, good dialogue and plenty of reveals. I adored the pacing. It’s a great story.
Favorite character? Simone. Very authentic to an 18 year old girl, like able and easy to root for. I felt motherly towards her.
3 ways to describe the main character? Scared. Smart. Devoted.
It’s truly 5 ⭐️audio on performance alone. Her voice acting for the witch and ghost and Greta were soooooo creepy and will give you nightmares (complimentary).
Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan audio for the ALC. book to be published February 16, 2026.
Audrey died due to her heroin addiction two years ago, now, her oddball sister Bea will set us a kennel in business with Audrey’s two best friends from childhood.
The other characters are;
Layla, her single mom is a tv icon. She doesn’t do anything but has an assistant
Tatum, she lives with her boyfriend Ed but she doesn’t love him anymore.
Park Slope itself, which is not just a setting but a character in the story.
I don’t know how else to put this, but this is both extremely well written and poorly structured, maybe the chaotic structure is just not for me. I loved several sentences and they are so great about developing character and showing rather than telling. Some of the analysis and dialogue are great. I can see many people loving this book, it’s really different and unique.
My favorite character? Bea. She’s so weird. I love that they hint at her ASD but specifically say she has no diagnosis. She might be a sociopath or just an odd duck.
Do I recommend it? Maybe. If you like a fever dream type story and intriguing but sometimes unlikable characters.
Thanks to NetGalley and Dutton for the ARC. Book to be published April 13, 2026
A action-rom-dramedy, this book is a mix between Ocean’s 13 and A Killer Kind of Romance. If you like adventure in an Indiana Jones type way, this book is definitely an adventure that doesn’t come up for air.
Erin is an undercover agent for the DSA, an underground CIA/FBI operation that doesn’t have to follow all those rules. After being arrested with her father as a teenager, an agent gives her this life- going from job to job, identity to identity, all undercover. It is as much work as it is witness protection because the mafia that she and her father stolen from is still after her and wants her dead.
In the middle of the night she is whisked to Del Rio to be a nanny in the middle of a mom’s underground high end baby supply operation. There are twists and turns and this is a really fast paced fun story.
The main character in 3 words? Clever. Reckless. Imprisoned.
My favorite character? Her partner Agent Wallace, although he is MIA most of the book.
Recommended? Sure. I liked it, but you might love it. It’s the book equivalent of the queso special at Chili’s. It’s a bit predictable but glorious and full of pizzazz instead of deep meaning. Chow down!
Thanks to NetGalley and Kensington for the ARC. Book to be published April 27, 2026.
“I’ve always hated the expression More than friends, as if romantic love were one step above friendship.”
A deep, meaningful and funny “romance” book that has so much to tell us about identity and love. A YA book that is very true to the voice of Gen Alpha. Shapes of Love challenges our assumptions about romantic love and partnership.
Sasha (stage name Sassy) is just at the crux of stardom and she has found a solid audience. Her campaign year for Best New Artist Grammy, the world is very interested in her love life. She accidentally likes a post potentially outing her as aroace. Although her closest friends know, her producer Shirley and studio does not. As a PR stunt, her manager decides to hire her ex boyfriend and ex best friend Kai for fake dating for 6 months. She also gets a guest role on her favorite show and they meet Asher, a nepo baby with a penchant for partying.
Young Adult books can sometimes be heavy handed in their messaging, but I found this to be very meaningful and plot driven. The characters are wonderful. As a cis middle aged lady, I picked this up to educate myself so I can be a better and more educated ally to our aroace friends. I definitely found myself reading and realizing I have a lot to learn about the aroace community. Shapes of Love is the perfect title to describe all the ways we experience love, connection and partnership. And romantic love is not the only path, just like there’s not only one way into the ocean.
If you enjoy queer YA romance, don’t miss this one!
Thanks to NetGalley and St Martin’s Press for the ARC. Book to be published May 18, 2026.
WOW- extremely intriguing retelling of Cinderella from the viewpoint of her stepmother. This is one of those re-tellings that makes you question history to begin with and how no on eis the villain of their own story. In this version, Cinderella (Ellen) is a little bit dramatic, immature and slightly self-centered- in other words, kind of a typical 16 year old girl. Etheldreda is twice widowed, the first to Henry, her daughters’ father, and the second to Robert, Ellen’s father. He made an interesting and not-great decision about how to handle his estate. All of his money went into a dowry for Ellen that cannot be touched until she is married and it goes directly to her husband once she is married. So Etheldreda has no way to support herself and the 3 girls, although she has inherited the estate she really cannot take care of it.
A bit of a mystery, this book takes awhile before revealing who the true villain is in this story, and it is very much an adult tale with adult themes and language. It reveals with exquisite pacing the challenges and drawbacks of high society in a highly patriarchal system. Lady Tremaine truly is misunderstood, and makes a lot of mistakes being a stepmother but also has their best interests in mind. I wasn’t expecting her to become an amateur detective and to help her daughters and step daughter learn how to be responsible for their choices.
I highly recommend this book for anyone who likes historical fiction and especially if you enjoy retellings. The story is really addictive!
Audiobook review- wonderful performance from Bessie Carter, one of the best in the audio game. I loved her accents and the way that she read the inner dialogue, to be complex and interesting and multi-faceted.
Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press and MacMillan Audio for the ARC and ALC. Book to be published March 3, 2026.
