I noticed Theo of Golden by Allen Levi, on the New York Times list for weeks, read about its jump from a 2023 self-published novel to being picked up by Atria, a Simon & Schuster imprint two years later, and noticed it was a Katie Couric Book Club Pick. None of that enticed me enough. It took word of mouth from a friend telling me how much she liked the book to decide it was time to see why so many people did. I listened to the audio version, narrated by David Morse. At fir

Solitary Walker: A Novel of Mary Wollstonecraft was a gift from my husband. I had heard of her, a writer mostly known for the book, A Vindication of the Rights of Woman, published in 1792. But it wasn’t until I read this historical novel by N.J. Mastro about her struggles and contributions that I understood the impact she made in her thirty-eight years of life. While A Vindication of the Rights of Woman was a manifesto about the social equality of women and a trailblazing s

I first learned about Unread: A Memoir of Learning (and Loving) to Read on TikTok, by Oliver James, from a Substack newsletter and I’m glad I did. While memoirs are not typically my go-to-genre, this one will stay in my consciousness for a long time. I listened to the audio version narrated both by the author, Oliver James, and the main narrator, James Shipply. The book is a candid and inspirational story of a young man who graduated from high school without ever learning t

After seeing this 2017 novel week after week on The New York Times best seller-list, I finally bought a copy three years ago, intrigued to find out why it was so popular. But it got buried in my to-read stack of books until this month when I rediscovered it. Now after reading The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid, I understand why it was, and still is, so popular. Like an eavesdropper, the reader peeks into the life of a fictional Hollywood star, challen

While I’m not a gardener, I am an admirer of those who are, and a recipient of their results be they flowers that brighten my spirit or yummy organic fruits and vegetables that nourish my body. Either way, I wasn’t drawn to this book because of its gardening theme. I was drawn to The Gardener’s Plot: A Mystery by Deborah J. Benoit because it was The Minotaur Books / Mystery Writers of America First Crime Novel Award Winner. I’m currently writing my first mystery series an

It was after I finished reading My Friends by Fredrik Backman , which was recommended by a friend, that I discovered it won the 2025 Goodreads Choice Award for Best Fiction. I can understand why. I found this unusual story about friendship memorable and poignant, and as quick to make me laugh as to cry. The story toggles between what happened twenty-five years ago to four teenagers who found refuge in their bonds of friendship against difficult home situations, to the curr

Contemporary fiction. Family drama. Mystery. When I finished Apples Never Fall by Liane Moriarty , my first question was: What genre was...

Some non-fiction books are educational, thought-provoking, surprising, or eye-opening. Invisible Women: Data Bias in a World Designed ...

The Stoic Challenge: A Philosopher’s Guide to Becoming Tougher, Calmer, and More Resilient by William B. Irvine is a pass-along book. At...

The “wisdom” on my refrigerator has changed through the years. As a young mother, Dorothy Law Nolte’s poem “Children Learn What They...

It saddens me to see the increasing divide in our country. One close friend and I are so different in how we orient to the world we...

What I’ve learned for my life is this: Choices determine results, and our tomorrows tend to be housed in what we do today. With that in...

Sometimes I want a book that makes me laugh or transports me to another world; one that immerses me in a time, place, or situation that’s...

I passed over Lessons in Chemistry, Bonnie Garmus’ debut novel when it came out in 2022. I passed over it when it stayed on the New York...

These are disturbing times. Multiple wars. Natural disasters. Political upheaval. Hateful rhetoric. Random violence. Misinformation...

I picked up Stacey Abrams’ novel, While Justice Sleeps, out of curiosity. I was wondering if someone so well-known in the political arena...

“I was once asked why I don't participate in anti-war demonstrations. I said that I will never do that, but as soon as you have a...

Build the Life You Want: The Art and Science of Getting Happier by Arthur C. Brooks and Oprah Winfrey was my go-to audio book this month....

“That’s my dream,” I overheard her say to a friend in the dressing room next to mine. “But it will never happen.” She added quietly, “I...

The last two weeks in August, I was in the mood for something light to listen to on my morning writing break, typically a walk with views...