I love Abby Jimenez’ books.

The characters are always so relatable, and funny, and getting themselves into the best shenanigans.

This one’s no different.

I loved the Minnesotan setting (why aren’t more romances set in the midwest?), I thought the dating curse plot was so inventive, and the MFC’s background and struggles with mental health were written in such a believeable, caring way.

My only complaint is with my own brain. There are cameos of characters from previous books, and it took me way too long to make those connections.

Thanks to NetGalley and Forever Grand Central Publishing for this delightful ARC.

“What if you thought you murdered your best friend? And if everyone else thought so too? And what if the truth doesn’t matter?“

Gah! This book was so good.

I don’t generally like being scared (I’m already in a daily state of generalized anxiety) but I’d heard such good things.

IT WAS ALL TRUE.

The characters were fleshed out and believable. The pacing and setting were perfect, and the structure (MFC narration, interspersed by bits of the podcast) was novel and wonderful.

I’m new to this author, and she’s got a quite a back-catalogue (with FANTASTY!) so I’m looking forward to searching out more.

Thanks to NetGalley and Celadon Books for this fantastic ARC.

It’s amazing how important it is to read the right book at the right time.

I read this book, the third in the Riley Thorn series, several years ago, and was less than impressed.

Where was I and what was my mental health like in 2022?

I remember being irritated by the immaturity of the primary characters. I became annoyed by the cartoonishness of the secondary characters, and rolled my eyes at the mental gymnastics the reader to perform in order to buy into the plot.

2024? A totally different experience. The characters loveable and quirky. The plot was entertaining.

I like 2024 me better.

Thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks for this ARC.

This short story collection, written by BIPOC authors, is exactly how I like my horror reads served up.

In bite-sized pieces.

I can’t handle a whole book. My bladder can’t take it.

This assembly was fantastic. Tight, and creepy, and mostly open-ended, leaving a tonne to the imagination. The narration was also spot-on.

My only quibble is that THEY DON’T ALL SURVIVE IN THIS ONE.

Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan audio for this creeptastic ARC.

Just when I think I couldn’t love someone more, Dame Judi Dench comes out with a stunning memoir about one of my favourite playwrights.

The book chronicles all Dench’s Shakespearian roles (Cleopatra, Ophelia, Lady Macbeth, etc.), discussing the specific productions and her thought process when crafting the characters.

The audiobook was especially wonderful as Dench recited parts of these roles. It gave me goosebumps.

I’d encourage anyone who thinks they can’t understand Shakespeare to listen to Dame Judi’s narration. Her phrasing and intonation will fill in any gaps of comprehension.

Thanks to NetGalley, St Martin’s Press, and Macmillan Audio for this dramatic ARC.

Naomi Klein is a voice that needs to be heard.

Where the world labels This or That, she points out nuance.
Where the world spouts rhetoric, she preaches community.

The book takes some pretty weighty, polarized topics (climate change, Israel/Palestine, Covid mandates) and, with the utmost clarity and kindness, and calls for understanding

Does the book pinball from topic to topic? Sure. Is the term Mirror World slightly off-putting? Yes. But anyone who can hold tension between the miracle of medicine and science, whilst still side-eying Big Pharma, can lead me just about anywhere.

Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Press UK for this oblique ARC.

“Following the death of her closest friend, Sloane Crosley explores multiple kinds of loss in this disarmingly witty and poignant memoir.“

Years ago I had a friend who lost a child. She and her husband took their daughter home from the hospital, spending time alone with her one last time. I might not make the same choices as my friend, but as someone whose children are all still living, I refuse to judge a mom who doesn’t.

I feel similar after reading this book. What with its honest vulnerability and tender subject matter, I will not be assigning a star-value to her words. I vibe with some. Some, not-so-much. What I can, fully, attest to, is the author’s powerful command of language. Her writing is raw, lyrical, surgical.

If you’ve lost someone to suicide, be gentle with yourself.
If you haven’t, be gentle with the author.

Thanks to NetGalley and Farrar, Strous and Giroux for this weighty ARC.

“Summer is heating up for reluctant psychic Riley Thorn and her handsome private investigator boyfriend, Nick Santiago.”

It’s amazing how important it is to read the right book at the right time.

I read this book, the second in the Riley Thorn series, several years ago, and was less than impressed.

Where was I and what was my mental health like in 2022?

I remember being irritated by the immaturity of the primary characters. I became annoyed by the cartoonishness of the secondary characters, and rolled my eyes at the mental gymnastics the reader to perform in order to buy into the plot.

2024? A totally different experience. The characters loveable and quirky. The plot was entertaining.

I like 2024 me better.

Thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks for this ARC.

“A nice, normal life. Is that too much to ask?”

It’s amazing how important it is to read the right book at the right time.

I read this book several years ago, and was less than impressed.

Where was I and what was my mental health like in 2022?

I remember being irritated by the immaturity of the primary characters. I became annoyed by the cartoonishness of the secondary characters, and rolled my eyes at the mental gymnastics the reader to perform in order to buy into the plot.

2024? A totally different experience. The characters loveable and quirky. The plot was entertaining.

I like 2024 me better.

Thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks for this ARC.

What a wild ride. I think I might have liked this one better than #3.

The pacing was fast and furious, right from the get-go, and I legit LOL’d at the Chubby’s scene.

Full Disclosure: If you have trouble suspending disbelief, this might not be the series for you, (are we really thinking a USB would work after traversing, in its entirety, the digestive tract of a wiener dog?) but for those with a penchant for the ridiculous? Dive in.

I enjoyed the setting (Atlantic City is so GROTTY), the secondary characters (Cam!), and the dog. Did I mention the dog?

Really, the only thing I didn’t love was that Stephen seemed to be growing a conscience. I much preferred him as a reprobate. It’s so much easier to laugh at his misfortune.

A word of caution: You will be totally lost if you haven’t read the previous works, but it’s worth it.

Thanks to NetGalley, St Martin’s Press, and Macmillan Audio for this madcap ARC.