The Anniversary by Alex Finlay
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I loved this book!
I’ve read many books by Finlay but this one stands out for me. It’s a mystery, there are twists and turns, but also there’s slow-brewing love. There are two main characters that are interesting and stay with you and that you find yourself rooting for.
If you’re just looking for dislikable main characters and unreliable narrators and crazy insane twists, this might not be the book for you (though it has plenty of those). I think this book was more interesting, and I found myself getting more and more invested each year on the next anniversary.
Loved it.
with gratitude to netgalley and St. Martin’s Press | Minotaur Books for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
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June Baby by Shannon Garvey
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
My favorite novels are the quiet novels where it’s a slice of life moment and the characters are just driving the story. June Baby, is the story of Ruth who lost her mom at 17 and is consumed by grief. Unable to help her, her dad ships her to stay with an artist, Diana, on Block Island for the summer. Ruth and Diana and her nephew Charlie spend every summer together for many years.
It’s ten years later, and Ruth still spends her summers on Block Island. She’s drifting and struggling. She and Charlie haven’t seen each other in a while and Diana passes away. She leaves behind items and a letter for Ruth. Secrets that change Ruth’s life and shift her perspective.
This is a novel about found family, love, secrets, sacrifices and how and if we can ever pick up the pieces of our life after a monumental loss. It’s beautiful and touching.
with gratitude to netgalley and Random House for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review
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The Lack of Light by Nino Haratischwili
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I usually don’t like books that are compared to other popular books. it feels like a recipe to be disappointed. But in this case I think the comparison to Ferrante is apt. This story of four friends in Georgia whose lives intersected and wrapped themselves around each other is beautiful, heart-wrenching and deeply truthful with some really tough moments.
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Always Remember: The Boy, the Mole, the Fox, the Horse and the Storm by Charlie Mackesy
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
These books are my very favorite. Soft, gentle and loving. Beautiful images, wonderful messages. What more could you want to start the year?
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Enormous Wings by Laurie Frankel
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I started 2025 with an excellent book and I am so grateful to end it with another excellent book. Laurie Frankel’s writing is a treasure. Her characters always stay with me and this book is no exception.
She does not shy away from harder topics and I expect this one will be polarizing because there’s so much about abortion in this story. It’s about a 77-year old who gets pregnant and lives in Texas where a woman is not allowed to get an abortion. This is the kind of story I love the most, it’s not about the plot or settling, though both play a role, especially the old folk’s home where she lives, but it’s about the characters.
It’s about Pepper and Moth and her two new and good friends, her ex who lives in the same home, her three children who each process the news differently. Her grand-daughters. Even her doctor and the doctor’s team. There are a lot of unforgettable characters in this story. It’s hard not to fall in love with each of them.
Frankel’s writing is so strong. So funny. so insightful. so tender. so beautiful and so so heart wrenching all at once. A new book from her is the best gift and a perfect way to end this year.
with gratitude to Henry Holt and Co. and netgalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review
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Ode to the Half-Broken by Suzanne Palmer
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
It took me a while to get into this story but by the end, I loved every single character and just did not want the story to end. There’s so much goodness in this story. So much about humans and friendship and war and racism and greed. The world building is beautiful and so much attention is paid to every detail. One of the ways I gauge a book is how much time is spent building the side characters and this book does not disappoint. Every character you meet along the way, small or large, leaves something with you.
And the main characters, oh the main characters, there is so so much to love here. Every one of them is magical and multi-layered. Even though there’s a rich plot and rich setting in this novel, it’s the characters that are the most magical, in my opinion. They will stay with me for a long, long time.
Loved this one.
with gratitude to DAW and netgalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review
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Still Life by Louise Penny
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This was my first Louise Penny. Even though it was hard to follow on audio with so many characters being introduced, I really enjoyed it and think it would make a great movie. Aha! just looked it up and there is a movie. Off to watch 🙂
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A Guardian and a Thief by Megha Majumdar
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
3.5 stars
Interesting story. I thought it had a great start and was thought provoking all the way but then the ending left me confused. It felt like it was unfinished somehow….
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Too Old for This by Samantha Downing
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
3.5 stars
I picked this up earlier this year but wasn’t in the mood for it. This week, I kept looking for other books and finally decided to pick this up again. I’m glad I did. It was fun and entertaining.
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Good Intentions by Marisa Walz
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This book was an experience. The whole book feels tense as Cady starts unraveling with the death of her twin sister.
The thing that’s unnerving is that the unraveling is slow and steady and feels almost like it could totally happen to anyone. She starts letting go of all the bits of her life she worked hard to build. Her business, her marriage, and becomes obsessed with this woman who experienced grief on the same day she did.
She becomes obsessed. She starts lying, she descends so far in that it becomes impossible to find her way back. And this book is narrated so well that it keeps you wondering where this can possibly go.
And then that ending. Oh the ending….you’ll have to listen to it yourself to find out.
with gratitude to Macmillan Audio and netgalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review
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The Death of Us by Abigail Dean
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
incredible on audio. truly can’t recommend enough.
this is a really hard to read and sad story about a marriage that falls apart after a truly horrible incident. the wife tells the story from the past, the husband tells the story of the present when the criminal is finally caught. It’s a character study. It’s quiet and hard to read. but really really excellent. one of the best I read this year.
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Wild Animal by Joël Dicker
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
also took me a while to get into this one. i don’t know if it’s my attention span or these books are hard to listen to. either way loved the way it came together and kept me on my feet the whole time.
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projects for twenty twenty-six
projects for twenty twenty-five
projects for twenty twenty-four
projects for twenty twenty-three
projects for twenty twenty-two
projects for twenty twenty-one
projects for twenty nineteen
projects for twenty eighteen
projects from twenty seventeen
monthly projects from previous years
some of my previous projects
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