This was a fascinating and well-written book. Sometimes books like this are dry and hard to read, but I thought the authors did a good job mixing facts and examples to make this book interesting and very readable. I think most people associate scarcity with money only, but this book is about scarcity in money, time, and even personal relationships and how lacking in those areas takes a toll in every aspect of our lives. They did a good job showing what scarcity in each aspect looks like, and then how to address that scarcity. The phrase “bandwidth tax” was new to me, but I love it and incorporate it in my life now. I recommend this book for anyone that enjoys personal development.

I am a huge fan of JoJo Moyes.

I had no idea what this book was about; I only read it because JoJo Moyes wrote it and I completely understand why it’s a Reese’s Book Club pick. In a nutshell, this is a book about women who deliver books on horseback. She had me at “deliver books.” But it’s not just about books and horses. It’s about love and friendship and discovering who you are and what you are capable of. All of this inside of an amazing story. 5 stars for the characters, the story, and the writing itself.

This was such a fun book! A terrific concept; what if George Washington had become King of the United States instead of our first president? This is the story of our current Royal Family… imagine if we could royal watch the way the Brits do???? SO MUCH FUN! So, I can’t say there was a terrifically intense plot, but this book was fun and a great read. Really looking forward to the next one! Fun books like this are perfect books for quarantine, grab this one if now if you need something fun and light to take your mind off of things.

The cover of the book claims this is perfect for lovers of Big Little Lies. I have to agree. A mixed bag of characters, mystery about the mystery itself, great insights into the relationships that make and break families.. The characters and story bear no resemblance to those of BLL, so no worries there, but when you read it you will definitely get the vibe. One of the things I loved best about the book was the how the perspectives of the mother-in-law and the daughter-in-law were given of the same event. This was a fun, twisty book, but I think her insights make this a four-star instead of just a fun, three-star book for me…. books that make you go hmmmmm.

Ninth House is Leigh Bardugo’s first foray into adult fiction after establishing herself as a wildly successful YA writer. I am a huge fan of her Grishaverse novels so I was super excited to read this when it came out… back in October of 2019. It might not seem like a long time to you, but to have this sitting on my shelf calling to me has been torture. In short, I loved it. The story was compelling; a great mix of magic and mystery, with all of the Yale-house legends thrown in. I thought it was well written in true Bardugo style and I loved the characters. Looking forward to the next one! Highly recommend.

This is the story of Churchill’s leadership during wartime England. As usual, Larson does a wonderful job of weaving the stories of all of the players together to create a compelling tale. It was good, but I didn’t like it as much as Devil in the White City or Dead Wake. The other two stories had a much greater sense of anticipation and foreboding, where this was just a story (albeit with Larson’s excellent writing).

Another Reese’s Book Club pick.

I really enjoyed this book… characters you love and love to hate. Both of the main characters, Alix and Emira, are likeable and annoying in turn. Their choices make you roll your eyes; you want to slap them and hug them in turn. This is a book about race and privilege, and about how events in our youth continue to shape and define us as adults, no matter how vehemently we deny it. Even though this is not an action-driven novel, it is a compelling, well-written, character-driven novel that I recommend for all of my reader friends.

If this had been my first Tana French book, it’s possible I would have loved it. She has a way with words and addresses some relevant topics in interesting ways. But as someone who loves the Dublin Murder Squad books and all of their flawed detectives, this book was slow and painfully hard to read.

Yes, there is a murder. But I swear it takes forever to even get to it. Then it takes forever to identify the victim. All the while, the flawed main character (normally a loved trait of a Tana French books) whines his way through life. The book is not terrible. Tana French has an amazing way with words. I just could not make myself love this at all, and it’s hard to recommend it.

Doing a happy dance!! Found a new author and a new series to love (even if there are only 3 right now)! After the disappointment of The Witch Elm, I was elated to find a series similar to The Dublin Murder Squad. The mystery of a murder disguised as a suicide, a detective with a story of his own, weaving the past and the present together until the mystery is solved… easy to read, likable characters, and open ended without being a cliffhanger. Similar to The Dublin Murder Squad but definitely its own book. If you are looking for a great crime/police series, you’ve found it! ⠀

This is not a book I would have picked on my own. One of my book clubs read it this month and it was a resounding thumbs up.

So, it seems odd to read a book that’s all about smells, but this book is so good. And it’s not really all about smells- don’t let the name fool you. This is a story about relationships, identity and ambition. I loved the main character, Emmaline, and several times my heart broke for her multiple times in the story. The thing that I thought I would hate about the book, “the smell”, was fascinating. How smell anchors people and places, and also how smell can be used to manipulate. My favorite part of the book, though, was the writing. I loved the writing in this book so much I’ve already forgotten the tiny little things that annoyed me about it (and they were tiny). If you love words and how they fit together, read this book.

I used to hate books like this. I ran screaming from any book described as, “Set over the course of five decades.” But I’m older and (in theory) wiser, and so many of my friends recommended The Dutch House that I thought I would eventually give it a try. I decided to go for the audiobook version when I found out that Tom Hanks was the narrator (5 stars for Tom Hanks). This is truly a character-driven story but the characters and the story are absolutely worth it. If you are someone that normally runs screaming from books like this, I absolutely think you should give this one a try.

When you are looking for books for quarantine, grab The Flat Share. This is a PERFECT mind candy book!!! So much fun with a perfect happy ending. Such a rare thing. Although the premise of the book might seem a little creepy to some (instead of being traditional roommates, two strangers take turns sharing an apartment- and a bed), this book is a well rounded story with an enjoyable plot and great characters. It’s quirky and can be frivolous while taking on topics like emotional abuse and an unfair justice system. It never makes light of those topics, it just doesn’t drown you in them. Read this one when you need a feel-good read!

Think Like a Freak is from the authors of Freakonomics, the bestselling book that launched the podcast of the same name and the documentary film, Superfreakonomics. Using the same mix of storytelling and data analysis, the pair claims they can “retrain your brain” and help you think like a freak. No earth shattering revelations necessarily, but it was well written and interesting and I really enjoyed it. Even though this isn’t fun and uplifting, this is a good addition to your books for quarantine because of its ability to help you keep perspective and see things in a new way- very helpful during a global pandemic.

Loved this book! This is another book I grabbed just because so many people were reading and recommending. The description of the book (two women, a grifter and an heiress, brought together in the scam of a lifetime) probably wouldn’t have done it for me on its own, even with words like “compelling” and “page-turner” thrown in. Both Nina and Vanessa were real and relatable, but also foreign and frustrating which made them perfect in this story. The alternating POV structure of the book totally adds to the character of the book, which builds suspense and creates a twisty and, yes, compelling read. It gets a little slow (just a LITTLE) in the middle, but it picks back up and finishes strong.

How long did this sit on my TBR? I will never get that time back.

This is the story about an up-and-coming rock and-roll band in the’70s that will sing to your soul. I loved the format – a biographer attempting to tell the story of why the band imploded just as they were reaching their goals, told through a series of interviews. I loved the characters; they were full and flawed and familiar. And the story. Oh. My. Heart. I have found my other favorite book of 2020 (my first favorite was the Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern- I read it back in March).

Holy wow. If this is on your TBR, move it to the top and read it now. Another Reese’s Book Club pick.