April 2025 Reads

A good way to boost your reading and absolutely eat books is to find yourself awake in the night hours due to a sundowning dog. 

Annnnyway.

My links are all going to The StoryGraph now, since that's what I'm using instead of GoodReads for tracking (I still have some updates on GoodReads for Netgalley purposes). StoryGraph is Black-woman owned. GoodReads is Amazon owned and fuck billionaires. Please for the millionth time I beg of you, do not buy physical books on Amazon unless they are available literally nowhere else.  

You can find me on StoryGraph here. 

Engrossing Reads

Poetry is Not a Luxury: Poems for All Seasons by Anonymous - Maybe you're familiar with the Instagram account? Loved this collection and its dedication to Audre Lord. Also loved seasonal categories. Thanks to Netgalley for the free advanced copy in exchange for an honest review, pre-ordered to own, book publishes 5/6

Old School Indian by Aaron John Curtis - I don’t think I’ve ever read a book like this, it felt fresh. Harmoniously brutal and beautiful. Loved the writing and the story and the things it made me think about regarding native lives and what we’ve done to them on this soil. Thanks to Netgalley for the free advanced copy in exchange for an honest review, book publishes 5/6

Tell Them You Lied by Laura Leffler - I couldn’t put this down, which is few and far between these days. A constant scrunching up and unraveling of characters and plot. Thanks to Netgalley for the free advanced copy in exchange for an honest review, book publishes 5/26

The Bright Years by Sarah Damoff - For about 30% of this book, I was thinking it was one that was going to build to nothing but be one I enjoyed anyway, because the writing and characters were hitting. 

But the last 45% of the book was like being attacked in the best way possible.  I didn’t know what to expect after a plot trigger point and it was all the things. Like simultaneously being gut punched and also bear hugged. I loved this book and stayed up until 1 on a school night to finish. Appreciate the care the author took in writing about alcoholism and the conflicting feelings that come with loving an alcoholic.  Thanks to Netgalley for the free advanced copy in exchange for an honest review

Heartwood by Amity Gaige - I couldn’t put this down. Read it in a day and stayed up late to finish. Thanks to Netgalley for a free advanced copy in exchange for an honest review 

Kills Well with Others (Killers of a Certain Age #2) by Deanna Raybourn - I'd read 100 books about this crew of osenior female retired hired killers. OCNJ library hardcover

When She Was Gone by Sara Foster - This felt a little like coming in on the second book in a series, but we were caught up on the background quickly. If it was a series, I’d continue with it. Well paced and a little more character focused than a thriller typically is. I liked The story and layers. Thanks to Netgalley for the free advanced copy in exchange for an honest review 

Passed the Time Just Fine

The Thrashers by Julie Soto - Definitely YA but definitely kept me invested. There were some parts that were a little draggy and heavier topics than I was expecting. I'd read an entire other book of JodiJulian even if the genre was different. Thanks to Netgalley for the free advanced copy in exchange for an honest review, book publishes 5/6

Maine Characters by Hannah Orenstein - Lots of old pain and new pain in here. Several characters were difficult to like and made awful decisions but I appreciated their growth throughout. A quick read. 

Thanks to Netgalley via publisher invite for the free advanced copy in exchange for an honest review, book publishes 5/13

Disco Witches of Fire Island by Blair Fell - I love a crew of eccentric characters, which helps when I don't love the main character. I’m not typically a fantasy reader, but was pulled in by the title. No regrets. Deeply weird, funny, and touching as hell at points. A quickly consumed read in a few hours on the beach on Easter. Thanks to Netgalley for the free advanced copy in exchange for an honest review, book publishes 5/6 

Things Left Unsaid by Sara Jafari - I love a book set in the publishing world, and this one had added depth as the main character brought an Iranian woman POV to overlay on that world. I appreciated the UK POV on ethnicity and aggressions in the workplace vs. the American POV I typically see. I also liked the relationship of the two main characters and the writing. Thanks to Netgalley for the free advanced copy in exchange for an honest review

Somewhere Past the End by Alexandria Faulkenbury - I love a cult book and enjoyed the two perspectives. A little slow and trips over itself in spots. Thanks to Netgalley for the free advanced copy in exchange for an honest review, book publishes 5/20

Parents Weekend by Alex Finlay - Lots of moving parts here, and I’m  not sure all of them were necessary.  This could’ve used more of a backstory on some pieces. My least favorite Finlay so far, the pacing felt off in comparison to previous books. Thanks to Netgalley for the free advanced copy in exchange for an honest review, book publishes 5/6

Every Sweet Thing is Bitter by Samantha Crewson - This was a tough read - just awful on awful family shit in here. I  was rooting for Providence. A few lags in the pacing. Thanks to Netgalley for the free advanced copy in exchange for an honest review

Night Swimming by Aaron Starmer - I loved the 90s vibe and the nostalgia of that summer between high school and college which, at this point, is hazy in my mind as best so it was nice to poke at those memories through this book. And a little magical realism never hurt anyone, I've not read a book like it. I wish more time was spent on the friend group dynamic. Definitely reads YA, as that's what it is. Thanks to Netgalley for the free advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Not For Me

Midnight in the Orchard by the Lake by Matthew Sullivan - I feel like I missed something here. Maybe the mysticism is beyond me, or I wasn't in the right mood. This felt slow and confusing. Thanks to Netgalley for the free advanced copy in exchange for an honest review

A Dead Draw by Robert Dugoni - I’m a fan of this series, but this was probably my least favorite. I think The pacing was impacted by the spaghetti western shooting points and all the shooting in general. Thanks to Netgalley for the free advanced copy in exchange for an honest review, book publishes 5/27

Did Not Finish

The Safari by Jaclyn Goldis - Free advanced copy via Netgalley, invite from publisher, book publishes 5/20

Discipline by Marc Avery - Free advanced copy via Netgalley, book publishes 5/27

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What have you been reading?

April and May weekending

April 19-21

MFD coordinated an Earth Day clean up with multiple participant organizations so I went up there and did the lunch run. I also filled out my mail in ballot and dropped it at a box. Sunday was back to the shore for a major rage clean due to getting my period after over eight months not getting it and then falling into an exhausted sleep at 5 on the couch, waking up at 12:30 am and never going back to sleep. Perimenopause is fucked.

Saturday night we met up with old friends in Lambertville on the tail end of Shadfest for dinner at Under the Moon. Food and company were both great. I loved the name of the restaurant and the ambiance. I wish I had a jacket with me LOL. MFD and I were unintentionally matching yet again.

April 26-28

Friday after work I headed back down to the shore and picked up my most useful, best Freecycle score ever - a plastic gate that we can use in the driveway at the shore so the dogs can be out but not run into the street which they do not do but they surely would run after other dogs. We hit the beach and melted into the couch. Saturday I did some upkeep work outside in the driveway, walked a zillion miles doing my errands, celebrated Independent Bookstore Day by patronizing two of my locals including one of my all time favorites which is a used paperback bookstore, found an awesome new shop that is totally my vibe, more beach walking, read two books, and made a clear out the pantry dinner. Sunday walked a zillion more miles, read another two books, ate cookies until I was ill, and beach dog time.

May 3-5

A doing weekend - HomeGoods, new window ACs for bedrooms, touch up painting throughout the house, sorting and organizing under bed bins and other seasonal prep work.

Saturday we got the stair carpet replaced. It was also the spring block party so I got pretzels and that's about it, as it was a working weekend. 

Otherwise reading, snacky dinners, cute dogs, Shittah's third birthday and May the 4th be with you. And a rainy walk. Imagine, rain.

May 10-12

Melissa and Jim and the kids were down, always one of my favorite weekends. And the dogs too, they get so much attention from everyone and Melissa always puts out a spread which they love LOL. It was sunny enough Saturday to sit in the driveway for a bit, paint my toes outside, and hit the beach, staying up by the dunes to block the wind.

After splitting a bottle of champagne for mimosas with Melissa on the beach I got a wild hair up my ass to paint our apartment bathroom bubblegum pink (SW6583 In the Pink) then Sunday I spray painted the hanging baskets (Krylon pistachio).

Sunday I drove to Philly and back for Mother's Day, which included a pop in to TJMaxx where in a miraculous event I had 15 minutes to get in and out and found everything I was looking for with time to spare to go to Sherwin Williams and pick up more paint. A true unicorn of an event. We celebrated Mom and Rich (his birthday was Thursday) and I got the cutest zen pug from my niece and nephew then stopped in to see Gram before heading back to the shore to hang out more with Melissa & Jim.

May 17-19

Friday I was jamming on work by 6:30 am, at Sam's by 8, and a firedrill of a day from then on. MFD's fam arrived and I made cherry cheesecake dip, brownie batter dip, and took a lovely beach walk. Cheers to the fam for dealing with the oven delivery on Saturday since the initial install date of Tuesday was ixnayed due to damage upon arrival. 

Saturday was a working day, I was headed back to Philly before 8 am, talked to Laura the entire ride, unpacked a zillion boxes, packed a zillion boxes, went to three different shipping places (including one where 10 people yelled at me in russian for having so many boxes and the mail lady was like you know everyone hates you, right? yes I know), picked up a shower curtain from HomeGoods on an in and out trip, filled my car up with gas, thought I lost my credit card, and then headed to a work Phillies game. I got free parking thanks to a pin drop from my work BFF, stood the whole time for fear of falling asleep or zoning out, Phils won, and I made it back to the shore at 10:50. I was wired so up until after midnight. Friday and Saturday were both insane Henry Hill days - which is how I reference the bust when he was running all over on precision timing dealing with jam ups at every turn LOL. 

Sunday I was done done. I went to drop off a Freecycle item, picked up carrot cake for Sarah's birthday (her birthday is tomorrow) and sung to her and Maddi's boyfriend on his actual birthday (he got an ice cream cake), and chilled out reading magazines and watching Parks and Rec. MFD was working Sunday so it was his day for back and forth. By 7 pm my racing thoughts had finally ceased, just in time for work to begin again. 

That'll do it. I've been doing reels on Instagram with snippets of the weekend, you can always find them here. 

SMD

 

April 2023 reads

I spent most of this month reading about and plotting travel and a general desire to go a few days without reading in between books but still encountered some good and some not so good.

April reads: 

Engrossing Reads

Great Circle by Maggie Shipstead - This was well written, cleverly connected, and deep - it hit me. Two characters I loved and an intriguing thread throughout. It featured a story within a story which is not always a hit for me and books within this book, which is also not always a hit for me. Yet this was. Thanks to Rose for the rec! OCNJ library hardcover

The Mostly True Story of Tanner and Louise by Colleen Oakley - Is it weird to say a book has chutzpah? This one does. I didn't know anything about it and am surprised I liked it like I did  OCNJ hard cover

Hide (Detective D.D. Warren #2) by Lisa Gardner - Once upon a time (2019), I read another book by Lisa Gardner and D.D. was a character in it. I liked her more than the main character and found there was a series and decided to start reading it. Then I realized that while it was that character's #1, it was the 5th time DD had been in a book, so I had to go back to the beginning, only I started with the second because I found it at my used bookstore, and here we are in 2023 and all that to say I'll read the next DD but am not going back to the first. LOL used paperback, own

The Broken Girls by Simone St. James - This sat on my shelf for YEARS, including all the ones everyone was cycling through it in Show Us Your Books. I finally picked it up and tore through it. Great pacing, very good story. I prefer to read her books during the day LOL Hardcover, own

Reef Road by Deborah Goodrich Royce - This experience felt a little like being on drugs and the book is just beyond your functioning cognitive understanding in your drug induced state until the stories converge. So take from that what you will. LOL used paperback, own

Passed the Time Just Fine

This Bird Has Flown by Susanna Hoffs - Yes, The Bangle. Yes of course I had to read it. It was fine. I liked the music parts of it so much. Lots of sex in it which surprised me but I'm not sure why? Anyway a find read and a novel one - pun intended OCNJ library hard cover

Red Queen by Juan Gomenz-Jurado - I struggled a little getting going which is typical for me with novels that have been translated until I pick up the rhythm. Once that happened, I sped through this. Antonia Scott is a tremendous character and I loved Jon as her sidekick. Quick and intelligent writing. Free copy from Minotaur books, paperback, own

The Second Ending by Michelle Hoffman - I do love a quirky cast of characters that converges, and this book had that. I did think it was a little overstuffed in the beginning but it hit its stride about 40% in and was an enjoyable read Thanks to Netgalley for the free copy in exchange for an honest review

The Lie Between Us: A Thriller by Amanda McKinney - She sent this to me because I read and liked her novel The Widow of Weeping Pines. This was a super quick few hour read digital copy, free from author

Not For Me/Did Not Finish

If We're Being Honest by Cat Shook - Middle of the road as far as family dramas go - I liked the end, but was really annoyed by several characters throughout. And while that is sometimes the point, it started to grate too much here. Thanks to Netgalley for the free copy in exchange for an honest review NFM

Homecoming by Kate Morton - As always, the writing is careful, intricate, and beautiful. As always, the book is 150-200 pages too long and this time the end was not worth it to me. The story within the story was okay here, but the book within the book was absolutely unnecessary. OCNJ library hard cover NFM

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Extra Book Love for two  April occurrences: 

National Library Week 

Independent Bookstore Day 

Both libraries and independent bookstores ensure vital communities.

Library love ALWAYS. One of my lifelong loves.

Amazon and Target are not bookstores and don't need our book money, but the little independent bookstore in the neighborhood that is so much more than just a bookstore IS a bookstore and DOES need our book money even though they cannot afford to give us book deals like Amazon and Target can because they are backed by other revenue. If you are buying books, please buy them from independent bookstores. 

What have you been reading?

Three Things April 2022

Three things that make a lot of sense to me

1. Always having water and a book with me wherever I go

2. Reusable everything over convenience trash

3. Batch cooking

Three things that do not make sense to me

1. Eating meals off of paper plates in your home as the rule, not the exception

2. Being out here on Al Gore's internet and saying you are sick of hearing people's opinions about current events and issues, as if the internet is a place where only opinions on things you give opinions on are allowed

3. Why humans chose taxes and credit scores and 40 hour work weeks out of any damn path. We work more than medieval peasants. What the fuck are we doing out here, fam? Add onto this defending Elon Musk, as if he needs defending or as if you will ever be the same richness and need the same defending. This is not the way and he is not the one.

Three things I’d like to explore 

1. A long road trip, dogs in tow, in which I work remotely along the way

2. DIY YouTube

3. If I can/want to make it through a season using only five nail polishes out of the zillions I own

Three things I have no interest in 

1. Royal family squabbles

2. Side hustles

3. Self help/motivational books

Three things I have more than enough of but always want to buy

1. Hand towels

2. Pretty ceramics and unique dishes/glasses

3. Sunglasses

Three things I am always in search of

1. The perfect lip balm that has color that stays more than three minutes and is hydrating

2. Brown spot corrector that actually works

3. The perfect pillow

Things I've recently checked off of my To Do list

1. Deep clean using cool grout scrubber I got for Christmas 

2. Small spackle spots at the shore

3. Dentist appointment

Things I have had on my To Do list forever

1. Blog posts that contain actual writing. Almost everyone I talk to is not feeling bad, but definitely not feeling like themselves in this world right now, which we communicate to each other in an almost bewildered manner? If that's you, you probably understand why the blog posts sit there, unfinished. Managing existence continues to be more challenging and tiring than it was pre-Covid, and I'm pretty sure as we "return to normal" most of us have no fucking idea what normal should look like for us in daily practice anymore

2. Renew passport

3. Find someone to replace Philly doors

Three things I'm loving right now

1. Sleep

2. The look of everything in bloom - not the feel of it in my head/nose, but the look is on point

3. Back to 1-3 days a month in the office

Three things I'm hating right now

1. Passwords. MF'ing passwords

2. Contractors that won’t get back to me. Are you still in business, MFer?

3. Running for the train

You? 

 

TWTW - April days

Friday I had a big deadline in the afternoon, so I was up working at the asscrack and finaling things out around 1. After that I ran a few errands to pick something up at Home Depot, peruse TJ Maxx (got the new mat below), and pick up at Target. I got a package from Pam with stickers, bookmarks, & sea glass, which was awesome. After work we sat out back with the dogs and cat and had leftovers for dinner. I was done done done like Bruce here and shut my book to watch What We Do in the Shadows on Hulu. It was funny. I fell asleep on the couch and never went up to bed after I let the dogs out. I crashed on one of the basement couches. 

Saturday Since I was in the basement with the dogs, MFD woke up Saturday thinking it was Night of the Comet. I had leisurely coffee, cleaned out the fridge, and made lists for shore errands. Stores aren't super close down there, so this year my goal was to get everything done in groups every time I was in Philly since things are closer and gas is a million dollars. I hit HomeGoods, TJMaxx, and Homesense, two of which will require returns when I'm up there next week. I stopped at Aldi on the way home, did some shore house paperwork, packed up for shore return, and went back out to Marshalls to return something while MFD made salmon and salad for dinner. I made a batch of spinach muffins and power breakfast muffins to freeze. I was up until 1 am doing I don't even know what. 

Sunday Coffee out back with the crew to start the day. I was at the shore with the dogs by 11:30, cleared out apartment cabinets and reorganized, did a first coat of patch and spackle on the bathroom ceiling in the powder room upstairs and our bathroom ceiling in the apartment downstairs, tried to figure out my drawer pull situation to swap out on some dressers, measured for blinds, and had some delicious rye toast with a ton of butter sitting outside in the driveway in the sun. 

Beach to ourselves season is officially over, and there's an aggressive rent a cop on a quad on the beach zooming back and forth loudly and aggressively between two blocks eagle eyeing everyone, and by everyone I mean me and my two dogs, two people and their photographer on an engagement shoot, and three kids sitting on the pipe. Come on dude. I had a Wawa salad for dinner and finished a book, bed around midnight.

Barreling towards May. Time is a thief.  Except I have lots of stuff coming up with chosen family and I'm pumped!

Show Us Your Books: April 2021

Sometimes Show Us Your Books comes up fast, and sometimes it comes up slow, and sometimes you think it's a week before it actually is. The third is true for me this time. I was prepared last week, which is more advanced preparation for this post than I have practiced in a year. 

Anyhoo here's what I've been reading since the last linkup. 

Engrossing Reads

How We Get Free: Black Feminism and the Combahee River Collective by Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor (editor) - Invaluable reflections of Black women leaders of organizations that cover not only how organizations like Combahee River Collective or AAWDO came to be, but their own activist journeys which provide history lessons we're not really learning elsewhere. These women are power houses and they are brilliant. I liked how it was laid out, it made it easy to read a section and put down for a few days to digest and ruminate on before moving on to the next. Required reading for all, especially those who are white and consider themselves feminists. Paperback, own, purchased from Harriett's Bookshop 

Win (Windsor Horne Lockwood III #1) by Harlan Coben - The #1 in the title has me giddy because it means there will be more. I have long wanted more insight into the mind of Myron Bolitar's best friend, and Harlan Coben is out there granting wishes. I loved the book and consider it a gift to longtime Myron fans. Free copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

The Final Revival of Opal & Nev by Dawnie Walton - Reminiscent of Daisy Jones but its own animal for sure. Opal is an amazing character. Some of the Nev bits annoyed me, but they were worth it for all the Opalness. This felt very real from the start, like was I reading nonfiction? This was super tight for a debut novel. Thanks to Netgalley for the free copy in exchange for an honest review

The Good Sister by Sally Hepworth - Happy publication day to this book 4/13/21! I was drawn in immediately, as Sally Hepworth does. A quick read I was glued to and stayed up late to finish. Thanks to Netgalley for the free copy in exchange for an honest review

The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah - Does she sit and think how can I make this the saddest book ever? Maybe. Serious Kristin Hannah is typically pocked with devastation throughout, but most have some bright spots. This had very few. It was good, but it was sad literally from start to finish. I always read her, but it is beginning to feel like pain is the point. OCNJ library hard cover 

Passed the Time Just Fine

The Dinner Guest by B.P. Walter - This story has good bones. From the perspective of an editor, I would have spread much of the last quarter of the book throughout, which would have made it more delicious, cutting away some other unnecessary stuff. But overall a quick and fun read. Thanks to Netgalley for the free copy in exchange for an honest review. 

You Love Me (You#3) by Caroline Kepnes - It was so nice to read in Joe’s voice again. This was a little circular at times and felt a little long and like there were too many people in it, but I truly love Joe as a character and that remains here. I don't know how much further she can go with him though. Thanks to Netgalley for the free copy in exchange for an honest review

The Mary Shelley Club by Goldy Moldavsky - Today is publication day for this YA novel, a genre I like to dip my toe in from time to time. I requested it because of the title. It turned out to be good! Very quick moving because it didn't go too far below the surface character-wise. A bit of Scream in its attitude. Thanks to Netgalley for the free copy in exchange for an honest review

Margreete's Harbor by Eleanor Morse - If you need a moving plot, this book isn't it. This is character driven literary fiction, you are sitting next to a family for a period of 10ish years in their life. It reminds me of a book that I cannot put my finger on the title of at press time. I liked it a lot, it had a nice cadence. Thanks to Netgalley for the free copy in exchange for an honest review

Not Worth It

A Million Reasons Why by Jessica Strawser -  This book took me almost a week to read, which is quite long for me. Pros-some very interesting what would I do and unexpected elements. I always like that, it keeps me thinking about it after I'm finished. Cons: a bit of overwriting and a little everything including the kitchen sink is in here. It could have been the timing, and I went back and forth about putting it in the category above, but the true test at the end is if I knew my end feeling, would I have read it? The answer on this one is no. Many of you will like it. Thanks to Netgalley for free copy in exchange for an honest review.

Astrid Sees All by Natalie Standiford - This was a quick read and I liked the 80s nostalgia and the near normalization of seediness. The seediness also made it feel a little empty and depressing as seediness will do. It read almost more like a YA novel, which sort of makes sense given the age of the characters? Free copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Lake House by Laura Wolfe - There was a lot of repetition, but also a lot of suspense and I was on the edge trying to figure out what was happening in this horror show. Thanks to Netgalley for the free copy in exchange for an honest review.

Did Not Finish

The Last One Home by Victoria Helen Stone - It pains me to say this about a book written by the author of Jane Doe, but so fucking boring. I could not. Kindle Unlimited copy returned ASAP

Linkup Guidelines:

This link up is the second Tuesday of every month. The next linkup is Tuesday, May 11, 2021. 

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