Julia Armfield’s debut novel is a slow-burn psychological suspense that examines grief, the unknown, and what lies at the bottom of our deepest, darkest fears of self and our most closely-held relationships.
Our Wives Under the Sea
Am I *that* obvious?
Looking through the list of books I've read so far in 2022, it's pretty obvious that I've got a reading type. Yeah, I'm full-on romance reading. I *could* say that it's research for my own novel, Deckled Edges. (And it is, kind of. But it's also more.) Honestly, lounging my way through this string of... Continue Reading →
Count Your Lucky Stars
Being the fifth wheel in a group of couples is never easy. Ever. And it's certainly not easy for Margot. Her best friend is the mogul behind a Happily Ever After Dating app, and he wants nothing more than for Margot to find her soul mate. Only Margot isn't sure she believes in soul mates.... Continue Reading →
The House in the Cerulean Sea
The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune is the magical, cozy book that you never knew you needed. And you do. You need it. When meek and mild-mannered Linus Baker is sent on a secret assignment to the house on the sea, he plans to be his meticulous self: he'll record his observations... Continue Reading →
The Matzah Ball
Reading The Matzah Ball by Jean Meltzer is like taking a crash-course in Hanukkah, in the best possible way. Yes, there are menorahs. Yes, there are latkes. Yes, there are dreidels. But what Meltzer does effortlessly is make all of the expected aspects of the eight-day festival of lights feel magical. Rachel is the Rabbi's... Continue Reading →
Payback’s a Witch
Have I mentioned how much I love an adult queer romance? Especially one that isn't singularly about coming out? Don't get me wrong, coming out is a HUGE part of queer folx lives, but it's not the only story that queer folx experience when it comes to love. With Payback's a Witch, the first in... Continue Reading →
The Lost Apothecary
If you're looking for a novel that is intelligently written, comes replete with fully-formed characters, features memorable locations, and passes the Bechdel Test, then look no further than Sarah Penner's debut novel, The Lost Apothecary. I think it's well documented that I favor a novel with parallel narratives (see The Ex Talk and anything by... Continue Reading →
The Ex Talk
Coming out of a deep freeze with temps as low as -17F (without the wind-chill factor), the warm fuzzies I felt from reading The Ex Talk by Rachel Lynn Solomn fueled my days - even though I was remiss to leave the cozy cocoon her pages and my sheets had wrapped around me. Solomon captures... Continue Reading →
Luster
As the end of Black History Month approached, I wanted to celebrate the genius of a woman of color. I found this desire's fulfillment in Luster by Raven Leilani, a debut novelist. The back cover touts an ingenue, an artist, a self-loather searching for meaning and love in the hustle and bustle and (roach-infested) frenzy... Continue Reading →
The Gilded Wolves
Savor this book. Let Roshani Chokshi's language roll around on your tongue, and let the underground world of Paris 1880s come to life in your imagination. It's worth it. The Gilded Wolves, a masterful tale of life and death, love and loss, and the inter-workings of The Order, tells the story of five exceptional, though... Continue Reading →
shelly. walston. writes. 