Audiobook Review: The Calamity Club by Kathryn Stockett

Pages: 656

Genre: Adult Historical Fiction

Pub. Date: May 5, 2026

Publisher: Spiegel & Grau

Source: Publisher for review

Other Books By Author: The Help

My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

 

 

Goodreads says, "In 1933 Oxford, Mississippi, Prohibition is on the wane, and the Great Depression is tightening its grip. Poor and rich folks alike have fallen on hard times, even as the old social order remains. For women on the margins, the options are few and the price of dignity and self-determination is unbearably high.

Eleven-year-old Meg, one of the unadoptable “big girls” at the Lafayette County Orphan Asylum, fights each day to keep her spirit unbowed. Birdie, unmarried and outspoken, has come to Oxford on a mission to ask her social-climbing sister to help the struggling family she’s left behind. And Charlie is a woman with a past, running low on luck but driven by fire, fury, and grit. When their fates converge, they come up with an audacious plan to take back control of their lives. Together, they form an unlikely sisterhood—but in a place and time where hypocrisy is rife, women’s freedom is fragile, and making an enemy can have dire consequences, will the price they pay for their outrageous risk-taking be too high?

The Calamity Club will make you laugh, cry, and cheer—an epic testament to resilience, friendship, and the fierce, funny women who know that calamity can be the spark of new beginnings. This is Kathryn Stockett at her most confident, heartfelt, and hilarious—the triumphant return of one of the most beloved storytellers of our time."

 

 

Meg Lefleur is down on her luck. Her mother abandoned her around Christmas and left her to fend for herself. The year is 1933, and she finds herself at the orphanage in Oxford, Mississippi, under the "protection" of a mean director who seems to have it out for her. She is counting the days till she gets out of the orphanage. Once she turns twelve, she can head off to the cannery for work; unless, that is, her mother returns for her. That is the hope that keeps her going. Then there's Birdie Calhoun, who has returned to Oxford to visit her sister, Frances, and ask for money. Birdie, and her family live on the Delta, and their house is on the brink of foreclosure. They need some money from Frances who has married into a wealthy family, but once she gets to Oxford, she realizes that things are not what they seem at Frances's home or with her marriage. Birdie crosses paths with Meg as well as Meg's biological mother, Charlie, who has concocted a plan to make enough money to get Meg back, and she lets Birdie in on this plan as she needs money, too. Ultimately, The Calamity Club by Kathryn Stockett is a story about mothers, daughters, community, and the will to survive. It's one of those books that stays with the reader long after the final chapter is read.
 
Stockett creates such dynamic characters; I truly cared about all of them, even if I didn't always agree with their decisions in The Calamity Club. Meg is a spitfire of an eleven-year-old who deserves so much more than being abused in the county orphanage. I desperately wanted her out of there, and to watch how her life intersects Birdie's was also well plotted. Birdie's story was also a compelling one, and she was a character whom I came to enjoy. I wanted her to have her happy ending, too, and as the story progressed, Birdie grew as a person. Lastly, all of the secondary characters who enter the story were memorable and well developed; Stockett did a superb job bringing them to life. 
 
The setting of Oxford, Mississippi, during the Great Depression was outstanding. It's crazy to think that Stockett didn't even live then, because the setting, the atmosphere, the details all jumped off the page in The Calamity Club. It's A+ historical fiction and at times reads like a modern classic; it would make for a great TV show or movie.
 
But be forewarned. The Calamity Club is really, really, really long. I am glad I chose to listen to the audiobook as well as read the novel, as I jumped back and forth. I must be honest that I was drawn to the audiobook more as the narrators brought the characters to life so very well and really helped push the story along when it meandered a bit and slowed down much like a person on a hot, humid day in the south. I do think some parts could have been cut as the story really chugged along in some chapters; nonetheless, despite the slow pacing at times, it was a fantastic read, complete with everything a historical fiction fan could want.
 
If you love historical fiction, don't miss this one this summer. I recommend the audiobook for a more dynamic presentation. Despite its imposing length, The Calamity Club is a memorable read and one of my favorites of the year. 

 

Book Review: Dolly All the Time by Annabel Monaghan

 

Pages: 366

Genre: Romance

Pub. Date: May 26, 2026

Publisher: G.P. Putnam's Sons

Source: Publisher for review

Other Books By Author: It's a Love Story,

Summer Romance, Same Time Next Summer, 

and Nora Goes Off Script 

My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

 

 

 

Goodreads says, "Dolly Brick has never met a problem she couldn’t solve. Not when her mom left when she was twelve, and not at thirty-nine when she moves with her son back to Whitfield, Rhode Island, for the summer to keep her dad and brother from losing the family home.

So when she comes across Stewart Whitfield—annoyingly handsome scion of the Whitfield family—with a flat tire and at the wrong end of a very public, very humiliating breakup, it’s in her nature to help. But Stewart’s proposed arrangement ends up being more than either of them bargained for, because as public dinners and high-society benefits turn into sunset boat rides and kisses that hit her bloodstream like a ghost pepper, Dolly starts to feel something more than helpful. She’s never relied on anyone besides herself—can she really start now?"

 

 

 

Dolly Brick is 39 years old and is a single mother. She spends her days as a kindergarten teacher and works a few side jobs to make ends meet. Her father owns Bricks Fish House on the coast of Rhode Island, but has needed help lately managing the business, the declining house, and her disabled brother. So, with the summer off, Dolly returns home to Whitfield, Rhode Island, to help out. After delivering shrimp to the Whitfield mansion, she runs into Stewart Whitfield, who needs some assistance with a flat tire. Dolly has always been independent and self-sufficient, so she helps him out as he doesn't know what he is doing, and they casually hit it off to the point where Stewart makes the suggestion that she be his pretend girlfriend. He was dumped by his fiancée, and work-wise, this is not a good look; his parents expect more of him, too. Dolly could attend a few events and dinners with him, and he would pay her. Dolly and her family (not to mention the house's leaking roof) need this money, so she accepts. How hard could it be to be wined and dined, plus get some new clothing out of it? The more time Dolly spends with Stewart, though, the more she realizes he is a caring man and an all-around good guy. The lines blur between what is her "job" and what is "real." Annabel Monaghan's Dolly All the Time is a heartwarming romance with lovable characters that you can't help but root for.
 
I always adore Monaghan's characters, and Dolly is no different. I love that Monaghan writes about "older" women who are mature and have real-life issues going on. Dolly is a single mom and is also part of the sandwich generation in that she must deal with her aging dad, his house, and, on top of that, her brother, but she does so with such warmth. The real-life issues Dolly encounters are so relatable that many women in their thirties and forties can see themselves in her. 
 
I was wary of the fake-dating trope in Dolly All the Time, but Monaghan pulls it off beautifully. It really worked for me, and Stewart and Dolly's interactions were believable. Their problems were rooted in reality, and it wasn't far-fetched in the very least.  While it's a nice pipe dream that the richest guy in town sweeps a single mom off her feet, it never felt unrealistic. I adored their blossoming romance and how it evolved. 
 
The coastal setting of Rhode Island makes this a good one for summer reading; there are beautiful dinners, baseball games, sailing, and more. Dolly is there for the summer, so that added to the many reasons why Dolly All the Time is one of the best books of the summer. Monaghan can do no wrong; I loved it!
 
Are you a fan of Annabel Monaghan? Have you read Dolly All the Time? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.  

 

Audiobook Review: My Husband's Wife by Alice Feeney

Genre: Adult Fiction/Audiobook

Pub. Date: January 20, 2026

Source: Personal Copy

Publisher: Macmillan Audio

Other Books By Author: Beautiful Ugly,

Daisy Darker, Rock Paper Scissors and His & Hers

My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

 

 

Goodreads says, "Eden Fox, an artist on the brink of her big break, sets off for a run before her first exhibition. When she returns to the home she recently moved into, Spyglass, an enchanting old house in Hope Falls, nothing is as it should be. Her key doesn’t fit. A woman, eerily similar to her, answers the door. And her husband insists that the stranger is his wife.

One house. One husband. Two women. Someone is lying.

Six months earlier, a reclusive Londoner called Birdy, reeling from a life-changing diagnosis, inherits Spyglass. This unexpected gift from a long-lost grandmother brings her to the pretty seaside village of Hope Falls. But then Birdy stumbles upon a shadowy London clinic that claims to be able to predict a person's date of death, including her own. Secrets start to unravel, and as the line between truth and lies blurs, Birdy feels compelled to right some old wrongs.

My Husband’s Wife is a tangled web of deception, obsession, and mystery that will keep you guessing until the last page. Prepare yourself for the ultimate mind-bending marriage thriller and step inside Spyglass – if you dare – to experience a story where nothing is as it seems.

 

 

Eden Fox, an artist, is starting over with her husband in the sleepy coastal town of Hope Falls. It's the day of her opening at a new art gallery, and she wants to make a good impression on her new community. Before the opening, she goes for a run, as she always does, and leaves her cell phone and belongings behind, except her house key. Once she returns from her run, the key does not work. This has never happened before. When she struggles to open the door, another woman answers it, impersonating her! When she demands to talk to her husband, even he doesn't think she is who she says she is. In a parallel storyline six months prior, Olivia, whom they call "Bird," gets an upsetting terminal diagnosis that upends her life. She finds out she inherited a house from her grandmother called Spyglass in Hope Falls. While at this house, she finds a letter from a mysterious company called Thanatos predicting the exact date of her grandmother's death. Bird, a detective, dives into this mystery surrounding her family. The two stories blend perfectly in Alice Feeney's new psychological/domestic thriller, My Husband's Wife, which is one of the best audiobooks I've listened to.
 
How could readers not feel for Eden Fox once she comes home to someone impersonating her! The deception runs deep, and I was fully on board as she tried to figure out who was impersonating her, whether her husband was in on it, and ultimately why this person had hijacked her life. But things aren't always what they seem in a Feeney novel, and secrets abound. Slowly, readers make a connection between Bird, Eden, Eden's husband, and even more characters that slowly enter the plotline. I will say I was confused at times, but in the best way possible. Feeney kept me guessing; once I thought I knew where the plot was going, she turned the tables on me, and I was back to second-guessing my theories. Feeney truly is the queen of plot twists, and My Husband's Wife has quite a few.
 
My favorite aspect of My Husband's Wife was the listening experience. Not only were the narrators top-notch, but the audio was so immersive. I have never experienced an audiobook like this one before; I loved it! There were sounds to enhance the story, such as footfalls while Eden was running, the sound of windchimes, crashing waves, and more. It was so well done and really enhanced my experience of the story. 
 
If you love a good mystery with some psychological/domestic thriller aspects to it, look no further. Alice Feeney's My Husband's Wife is one of my favorite books of the year and an audiobook that shouldn't be missed. Let me know in the comments if you are a fan of Feeney and if you have read My Husband's Wife.  

 

 

Audio Book Review: The Correspondent by Virginia Evans

Genre: Adult Fiction/Audiobook

Pub. Date: April 29, 2025

Publisher: Penguin Random House

Source: Personal Copy

My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

 

Goodreads says, "Throughout her life Sybil Van Antwerp has used letters to make sense of the world and her place in it. Most mornings around half past ten Sybil sits down to write letters—to her brother, to her best friend, to the president of the university who will not allow her to audit a class she desperately wants to take, to Joan Didion and Larry McMurtry to tell them what she thinks of their latest books, and to one person to whom she writes often yet never sends the letter.

Sybil expects her world to go on as it always has. A mother, grandmother, wife, divorcée, distinguished lawyer, she has lived a full life. But when letters from someone in her past force her to examine one of the most painful periods of her life, she realizes the letter she has been writing over the years needs to be read and that she cannot move forward until she finds it in her heart to offer forgiveness."

 

 

 

 

 

Sybil Van Antwerp has lived a carefully constructed life at first glance. She worked in law for years and lived a fulfilling life with her kids, although she is divorced. However, she gardens, possesses wonderful manners, and, more importantly, has spent her life writing meaningful handwritten letters to friends, work associates, family, and many others. The Correspondent is an epistolary novel, and as readers are privy to her letters, we learn more about Sybil, her relationships, and what makes her tick. The more we know about her, the more readers recognize that her life wasn't as perfect as it may look at first glance, as she was adopted, dealt with a lot of grief and heartbreak, and to this day, has made decisions that haunt her. Virginia Evans's debut novel, The Correspondent, is a fantastic audiobook and certainly one of the best of the year; this book is smart, moving, and surprisingly immersive. 
 
Sybil writes letters to communicate with family and friends, but also to process things herself. Readers are privy to her letters to and from her close friends, her brother, her sister-in-law, and even her literary heroes, such as Larry McMurtry. As mentioned, through these letters, readers learn more about Sybil's past as well as the way she operates. She can be a bit brash, stubborn, and point-blank, but half the time she makes very astute observations. Her life is forever changed when she receives a gift to trace her DNA origins and connect with her possible relatives. This is huge, as she is adopted and has always questioned her parentage, as all she was left with was a letter that her adopted mother shared with her. There's also a person that Sybil is writing to that she never sends the letters to, and slowly, readers piece together this part of the puzzle. 
 
An epistolary novel is hard to pull off, especially one that is absorbing; these days, we don't have time for lengthy letters. It almost seems like an archaic treasure from the past, but I really loved being lost in Sybil's words through her letters. To add to this delight was the superb narration of Maggi-Meg Reed. There was a full cast narration of the audiobook, which truly brought it to life, but the star of the show was Reed; a tremendous job! If you are looking for a thoughtful, absorbing audiobook to close out the year, I urge you to pick up The Correspondent .  

 

Book Review: Under the Stars by Beatriz Williams

 

Pages: 368

Genre: Adult Historical Fiction

Pub. Date: July 29, 2025

Publisher: Random House

Source: Publisher for review

Other Books By Author: A Hundred Summers,

Husbands & Lovers, The Beach at Summerly, 

The Secret Life of Violet Grant, Cocoa Beach, 

Along the Infinite Sea, Tiny Little Thing, The Summer Wives, 

The Golden Hour, and Her Last Flight

My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

 

Goodreads says, "Audrey Fisher has struggled all her life to emerge from the shadow of her famous mother by forging a career as a world-class chef. Meredith Fisher’s glamorous screen persona disguises the trauma of the tragic accident that haunts her dreams. Neither woman wants to return to the New England island they left behind and its complicated emotional ties, but Meredith has one last chance to sober up and salvage her big comeback, and where else but discreet, moneyed Winthrop Island can a famous actress spend the summer without the intrusion of other people? Until Audrey discovers an old wooden chest among the belongings of her estranged bartender father, Mike Kennedy, and the astonishing contents draw the women deep into Winthrop’s past and its many secrets…attracting the interest of their handsome neighbor, Sedge Peabody. How did a trove of paintings from one of America’s greatest artists wind up in the cellar of the Mohegan Inn? And who is the mysterious woman portrayed on every canvas?

On a stormy November night in 1846, Providence Dare flees Boston and boards the luxury steamship Atlantic one step ahead of the law….or so she believes. But when a catastrophic accident leaves the ship at the mercy of a mighty gale, Providence finds herself trapped in a deadly game of cat and mouse with the one man who knows her real identity—the detective investigating the suspicious death of her employer, the painter Henry Irving. As the Atlantic fights for her life and the rocky shore of Winthrop Island edges closer, a desperate Providence searches for her chance to escape…before the sea swallows her without a trace.

In Under the Stars, the destinies of three women converge across centuries, as a harrowing true disaster at the dawn of the steamship era evokes a complex legacy of family secrets in modern-day New England. Williams has written a timeless epic of mothers and daughters, of love lost and found, and of the truths that echo down generations."

It's 1846, and Providence Dare is on the run after the questionable death of her employer. She finds herself escaping via the Steamship Atlantic, but a detective is following her with a warrant for her arrest. She is the only suspect in the death of her employer, Henry Irving, a famous painter. She was the only servant living in the house with him, and rumor has it their relationship was an unprofessional one. Providence is no longer concerned she might be arrested, as there is a major storm coming their way and the passengers are told there is a good chance that the ship won't survive the night. Jump to the present day, and Audrey Fisher is escorting her famous mother, Meredith, back to her hometown on Winthrop Island. Meredith is escaping the glare of Hollywood to dry out at her family's home, and Audrey hasn't been back since she was a little girl. Audrey is also escaping her life since her husband left her, and she subsequently lost their restaurant and their money when he left, disappearing into thin air. While on the island, Audrey encounters her father, Mike Kennedy, who owns the local bar, and must come to terms with their strained relationship. Meredith also has to come to grips with her past and the events that had her running from Winthrop many years ago. Eventually, both plot lines, although they seem disjointed except for the shared location, make sense as Williams weaves the story together expertly. Under the Stars by Beatriz Williams is a page-turner of a beach read that kept me glued to the pages.

I will admit that I didn't care for Providence's storyline at first in Under the Stars. I felt myself gravitating to Audrey and Meredith's story, but once readers get more background regarding Providence, I feel like her story picks up. Readers end up caring about Providence's future and the ship's fate. Although Providence isn't a real-life character, the Atlantic and its wreck are based on the real-life ship that crashed on Long Island. This added to the suspense of the storyline, especially as the connection builds between Providence to the present-day Winthrop.

I really liked Meredith, Audrey, and Mike in Under the Stars. They were such fun characters that I cared about, even if I felt like they didn't always make the best choices. I adored the setting of Winthrop Island; many of Williams's novels take place there, so it was fun to return, not to mention the fact that many of Williams's previous beloved characters make cameos. Thankfully, Williams provides a family tree at the beginning of the novel so readers can make the connections.

If you are looking for a thoughtful beach read filled with historical details as well as some suspenseful moments, look no further. While I didn't enjoy this one as much as Husbands & Lovers, I really liked Under the Stars, and I think Williams's fans will enjoy her latest summer read. Let me know in the comments if you are a fan of Williams and if you read Under the Stars .

 

Book Review: Broken Country by Clare Leslie Hall

Pages: 320

Genre: Adult Fiction

Pub. Date: March 4, 2025

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Source: Personal Copy

My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

 

Goodreads says, "Beth and her gentle, kind husband Frank are happily married, but their relationship relies on the past staying buried. But when Beth’s brother-in-law shoots a dog going after their sheep, Beth doesn’t realize that the gunshot will alter the course of their lives. For the dog belonged to none other than Gabriel Wolfe, the man Beth loved as a teenager—the man who broke her heart years ago. Gabriel has returned to the village with his young son Leo, a boy who reminds Beth very much of her own son, who died in a tragic accident.

As Beth is pulled back into Gabriel’s life, tensions around the village rise and dangerous secrets and jealousies from the past resurface, this time with deadly consequences. Beth is forced to make a choice between the woman she once was, and the woman she has become.

A sweeping love story with the pace and twists of a thriller, Broken Country is a novel of simmering passion, impossible choices, and explosive consequences that toggles between the past and present to explore the far-reaching legacy of first love."

 

 

Beth Johnson lives in a small farming community in England in the 1960s. She had high hopes for herself at one time, but now she exists happily on her family's farm. Her husband, Frank, is a good man who loves her deeply and they have known each other since they were kids. They share a son, Bobby, who is the apple of their eye. However, as the years go by, they lose Bobby to a tragic accident, and Beth has never really recovered. Fast forward a few years and Gabriel, Beth's teenage love, shows up back in town with his son, Leo, in tow. Leo instantly reminds Beth of Bobby and it is heartbreaking. As time passes, she can't keep away from Gabriel and even finds herself taking a job working for Gabriel. The story is interspersed with a 1969 murder trial, leaving readers wondering whose murder it is, as well as flashbacks to Gabriel and Beth's courtship, as well as her life with Bobby. Broken Country by Clare Leslie Hall is a heartbreakingly beautiful novel that will tug on readers' heartstrings.
 
While I didn't always agree with Beth's motives, I was deeply invested in her story. The flashbacks to her relationship with Gabriel were so well done. Their chemistry and shared love leaped off the page. Her love for her son did too, which made his tragic fate extra heartbreaking. So, when Gabriel reenters Beth's life, it's not hard to see how despite her best efforts, she would be gravitating towards him and what they used to have. Also, flashbacks fleshed out what went wrong with Beth and Gabriel's relationship initially, how Beth ended up giving up her dream to become a poet at Oxford, and how she ended up with Frank.

My favorite aspects of Broken Country were Hall's descriptions of the farming community. I loved this tight-knit town and Beth's family. I enjoyed the descriptions of the farm, its animals, and its customs. She truly brought that aspect of the story to life. Additionally, I enjoyed the chapters focusing on the murder trial, which also kept me flipping the pages. I just had to know whose murder it was and what went tragically wrong. Slowly, Hall fills readers in and there are some definite twists in Broken Country.

While I don't typically like love triangles in my novels, this one was done well. It was so heartbreaking and moving, so much so, Broken Country will end up being one of my favorite novels of the year.  Have you read Broken Country? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.

 

 

 

Book Review: The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt

 

Pages: 400

Genre: Non-fiction

Pub. Date: March 26, 2024

Publisher: Penguin

Source: Personal Copy

My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

 

 

Goodreads says, "A must-read for all parents: the generation-defining investigation into the collapse of youth mental health in the era of smartphones, social media, and big tech—and a plan for a healthier, freer childhood. After more than a decade of stability or improvement, the mental health of adolescents plunged in the early 2010s. Rates of depression, anxiety, self-harm, and suicide rose sharply, more than doubling on many measures. Why?

In The Anxious Generation, social psychologist Jonathan Haidt lays out the facts about the epidemic of teen mental illness that hit many countries at the same time. He then investigates the nature of childhood, including why children need play and independent exploration to mature into competent, thriving adults. Haidt shows how the “play-based childhood” began to decline in the 1980s, and how it was finally wiped out by the arrival of the “phone-based childhood” in the early 2010s. He presents more than a dozen mechanisms by which this “great rewiring of childhood” has interfered with children’s social and neurological development, covering everything from sleep deprivation to attention fragmentation, addiction, loneliness, social contagion, social comparison, and perfectionism. He explains why social media damages girls more than boys and why boys have been withdrawing from the real world into the virtual world, with disastrous consequences for themselves, their families, and their societies.

Most important, Haidt issues a clear call to action. He diagnoses the “collective action problems” that trap us, and then proposes four simple rules that might set us free. He describes steps that parents, teachers, schools, tech companies, and governments can take to end the epidemic of mental illness and restore a more humane childhood.

Haidt has spent his career speaking truth backed by data in the most difficult landscapes—communities polarized by politics and religion, campuses battling culture wars, and now the public health emergency faced by Gen Z. We cannot afford to ignore his findings about protecting our children—and ourselves—from the psychological damage of a phone-based life."

 

In the 1980s, children had a play-based childhood. After school and on weekends, they would run outside in their neighborhood, ride bikes, play in a neighbor's yard, explore the park, and there was no way for parents to know where they were. Children simply came back when dusk set in. Childhood looks vastly different for kids today. Parents have trackers on their kids' watches, cell phones, and personal items. Sure, kids today could bike around the neighborhood, but you can track their location and text them in an instant. Then throw in an unhealthy dose of technology, like cell phones and video games and it equals a much different child than a product of the 80s, or even the 90s. Social media changed in 2009 and put people in "defend mode" as there was always an onslaught of opinions. Children are being radically rewired as they interact more with their peers via technology than in actual one-on-one playing outside with the benefits of fresh air and sunshine. Children today are more depressed and anxious than ever before and psychologist Haidt knows why. In The Anxious Generation, he lays out all the reasons why children today are struggling, how technology (mostly the iPhone) has impacted them, and how to avoid it. This book is a must-read for all parents and educators.

 

As a child of the 80s, I see it. I see the changes in kids today, both when I was teaching and as a parent. It's a shame that we don't give children more free reign in their neighborhood (b/c kidnappers! or sexual predators!) but then we let them "run free" on the internet. Haidt argues they should have more freedom to explore outside (discover mode and risky play) and within their neighborhoods than online. He also advises parents to not give their child a phone until high school as it is causing psychological and neurological damage to kids. 

 

On a personal note, I am very against cell phones and probably one of the last moms to not give my twelve-year-old one (I hear I am so not cool and this has made me very unpopular!!), but reading The Anxious Generation is gratifying and validating. Most of my son's friends have phones and this is the problem. When all his friends have them, it's hard for parents to hold out, which is why I was excited to see a new program coming to my younger son's elementary school called Wait Until 8th, where parents vow to not give a phone to their kids until 8th grade. If parents all band together to follow this rule, it will be much easier to hold out and I believe it's due to The Anxious Generation's influence, as well as all the latest research.

 

Haidt also takes a deep dive into all the data to support his claims and lays out how technology has become addicting (even video games) and replaced all the real-life interactions that kids today need. This is especially detrimental during adolescence and when kids go through puberty. The Anxious Generation also covers video games, how social media is harmful (especially to young girls), what is happening to boys' mental health, what schools can do about this, the need for risky play, and how this lack of independence is creating fragile kids. But parents, have no fear because Haidt also explains how to fix this and combat the mental health crisis.

 

I urge every parent and educator to read The Anxious Generation. Yes, it includes a lot of the information that we already know deep down, but it uses data to further illustrate the point and hammer home all the implications. I would recommend reading a physical copy of the book, not the audio, as Haidt includes a lot of charts and helpful graphs.  

 

So, have you read The Anxious Generation? Let me know your thoughts on the book in the comments below.

Book Review: Sandwich by Catherine Newman

Pages: 240

Genre: Adult Fiction

Pub. Date: June 18, 2024

Publisher: HarperCollins

Source: Publisher for review

My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

 

 

Goodreads says, "For the past two decades, Rocky has looked forward to her family’s yearly escape to Cape Cod. Their humble beach-town rental has been the site of sweet memories, sunny days, great meals, and messes of all kinds: emotional, marital, and—thanks to the cottage’s ancient plumbing—septic too.

This year’s vacation, with Rocky sandwiched between her half-grown kids and fully aging parents, promises to be just as delightful as summers past—except, perhaps, for Rocky’s hormonal bouts of rage and melancholy. (Hello, menopause!) Her body is changing—her life is, too. And then a chain of events sends Rocky into the past, reliving both the tenderness and sorrow of a handful of long-ago summers.

It's one precious week: everything is in balance; everything is in flux. And when Rocky comes face to face with her family’s history and future, she is forced to accept that she can no longer hide her secrets from the people she loves."

 

 

Each year, for the past twenty years, Rocky's family rents a ramshackle  cottage on Cape Cod. They have been doing this since the kids were little and now they are in their twenties. Rocky, in her fifties,  has a lot of thoughts regarding life, marriage, her aging parents, her adult children, and what it means to be a woman. Summer at her favorite beach house is the perfect time to think back to summer's past and the secrets that she is still harboring. One thing Rocky knows is that parenting is all about constant change and this summer reminds her of that even more so. Catherine Newman's Sandwich is one of the best books of  the year and if you are a parent or a woman in your 40s or 50s, it shouldn't be missed. It should be required reading!

I adored Rocky from the start. Her witty sense of humor, her outrage at the injustice of things women must endure, and her dedication to her children made me really enjoy her in Sandwich. I think so many women, whether their children are grown or are still young, can relate to all of Rocky's joys and frustrations. Sandwich is filled with flashbacks to when her children were young, which was so relatable and so very laughable at times. In fact, I found myself absolutely cackling with her observations on menopause, marriage, and young children. It felt therapeutic in the sense that I can say no one has written, that I've read in the past twenty years, as honest and raw about what it means to  be a mother, a daughter, and a wife.

But Sandwich isn't all sunny day on the Cape with your family. It includes Rocky coming to grips with her issues as well as a secret she has kept  hidden for years. So, the novel does tackle some difficult topics, but it covers them so well that it never feels heavy since the hefty topics are in between lighter, laugh-out-loud moments.

Sandwich is easily one of my favorite books of the summer, if not the best book of the summer. Newman's writing is outstanding and it reminded me of Patchett in that she can take a slice of life moment and make it so profound. Sandwich should not be missed and I toggled back and forth between the audio, which was narrated by Nan McNamara, who did not disappoint.

My favorite quote from Sandwich that had me nodding: "And this may be the only reason we were put on this earth. To say to each other, I know how you feel. To say, Same. To say, I understand how hard it is to be a parent, a kid."

Is Sandwich on your summer TBR list? Have you read it? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.

 

 

Book Review: Summer Romance by Annabel Monaghan

 

Pages: 368

Genre: Adult Fiction/Romance

Pub. Date: June 4, 2024

Publisher: Putnam

Source: Publisher for review

Other Books By Author: Same Time Next Summer,

and Nora Goes Off Script

My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars 

 

Goodreads says, "Benefits of a summer romance: it’s always fun, always brief, and no one gets their heart broken.

There aren’t enough labeled glass containers to contain the mess that is Ali Morris’s life. Her mom died two years ago, then her husband left, and she hasn’t worn pants with a zipper in longer than she cares to remember. She’s a professional organizer whose pantry is a disgrace.

No one is more surprised than Ali when the first time she takes off her wedding ring and puts on pants with hardware—overalls count, right?—she meets someone. Or rather, her dog claims a man for her in the same way he claimed his favorite of her three children: by peeing on him. Ethan smiles at Ali like her pants are just right—like he likes what he sees. The last thing Ali needs is to make her life messier, but there’s no harm in a little Summer Romance. Is there?"

 

Ali Morris is not in the best place. Her mother died two years ago and she is still grieving. Raising her three kids is difficult, especially when she is going through a divorce from her husband, Pete, who seems to care more about his biking schedule than his kids. She has been in a rut, wearing mostly sweatpants, and hanging out with her geriatric neighbor, until she takes her dog to the dog park and her dog pees on gorgeous Ethan. Ethan and Ali hit it off and this reminds Ali of who she used to be and starts to get her out of her rut. That is until she realizes Ethan is none other than Scooter, her friend's little brother, who was a real pain in the ass in high school. She couldn't possibly date him, right? Scooter seems entirely different than the man before her eyes and he has had a crush on Ali since high school. Ethan is determined to make her take him seriously. Could their romance be something that lasts more than just a summer? Annabel Monaghan's  Summer Romance is beach read gold. I loved every second of this relatable story filled with characters that I actually liked and was rooting for.

Ali is one of my favorite characters of the year. I adored her, along with many of the secondary characters in Summer Romance, which rarely happens in books lately. Most of the characters, other than her ex-husband, were extremely likable. I enjoyed being in Ali's world and as a mom in my 40s, I could relate to her. Monaghan gets women in their late 30s/early 40s better than any writer out there today. How could I not root for Ali and the return to her former self in Summer Romance? I was so happy to watch her relationship unfold with Ethan and for her to gain some confidence back. 

The dialogue was, as usual, done so well and there were some laugh-out-loud moments in Summer Romance. Monaghan's realistic (and hilarious!) dialogue is right up there with Emily Henry and Carley Fortune. Also, Monaghan has created such a happy beach read. I didn't want it to end. Summer Romance is one of my favorite  beach reads of the summer, if not one of my favorite books of the year. I adored Nora Goes Off Script as well as Same Time Next Summer , so it's safe to say Monaghan  is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors. If you love a beach read that is happy, sweet, relatable, and is believable, look no further than Summer Romance. I am convinced Monaghan can do no wrong. 

So, do you plan on reading Summer Romance? Are you a fan of Monaghan? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.

 

Blog Tour: This Summer Will Be Different by Carley Fortune

 

Pages: 320

Genre: Adult Fiction/Romance

Pub. Date: May 7, 2024

Publisher: Berkley

Other Books By Author: Every Summer After

and Meet Me at the Lake

My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

 

 

Goodreads says, "This summer they’ll keep their promise. This summer they won’t give into temptation. This summer will be different. Lucy is the tourist vacationing at a beach house on Prince Edward Island. Felix is the local who shows her a very good time. The only problem: Lucy doesn’t know he’s her best friend’s younger brother. Lucy and Felix’s chemistry is unreal, but the list of reasons why they need to stay away from each other is long, and they vow to never repeat that electric night again.

It’s easier said than done.

Each year, Lucy escapes to PEI for a big breath of coastal air, fresh oysters and crisp vinho verde with her best friend, Bridget. Every visit begins with a long walk on the beach, beneath soaring red cliffs and a golden sun. And every visit, Lucy promises herself she won’t wind up in Felix’s bed. Again. If Lucy can’t help being drawn to Felix, at least she’s always kept her heart out of it.

When Bridget suddenly flees Toronto a week before her wedding, Lucy drops everything to follow her to the island. Her mission is to help Bridget through her crisis and resist the one man she’s never been able to. But Felix’s sparkling eyes and flirty quips have been replaced with something new, and Lucy’s beginning to wonder just how safe her heart truly is."

 

Lucy has spent a lot of time visiting Prince Edward Island as her best friend, Bridget, lives there. What's not to love? A gorgeous island, oysters, sandy cliffs, windswept shores, and Bridget's dreamy brother. It all started when Lucy visited Bridget's family and arrived before Bridget. She went to a restaurant to kill some time and immediately had some major chemistry with the guy shucking oysters. They spend a night together and after the fact, she finds out it's Bridget's brother, who is off limits. Lucy doesn't want to upset Bridget or make their relationship complicated, so she pushes her feelings aside and tries to not let it happen again. As the years go by, and Lucy visits PEI, she finds herself gravitating back to Felix despite their best attempts at staying apart. Lucy could never let their flings be anything real as she pushes Felix away before she gets too close. Fast forward to days before Bridget's wedding and she announces an emergency trip to PEI. Lucy drops her job (she's a florist) and her city life to go to PEI and figure out what is going on with Bridget. Lo and behold, Felix is there to complicate things further. Can their relationship ever be real without sacrificing the great friendship she has with Bridget? Carley Fortune's This Summer Will Be Different is a wonderful summer tale filled with a lot of steamy romance, a gorgeous setting, and a heartwarming story.

I liked Lucy from the start of This Summer Will Be Different. She has a complicated relationship with her own family, so she latches on to her friendship with Bridget as they are more like sisters than friends. I also really liked the fact that she is a florist and all the details surrounding flowers as well as her dreams of owning a flower farm. Also, her relationship with Felix was done so well. The chemistry jumped right off the page and the romance scenes seemed even more steamy than her other novels. I was rooting for Felix and Lucy from the start. Felix is such a great character and one that I really enjoyed. He's pretty much perfect and did I mention he likes books?

The setting of Prince Edward Island was so darn good in This Summer Will Be Different. It made me want to drop everything to book a flight. The seafood, the windswept shores, and not to mention the Anne of Green Gables references---I loved it! I am a huge Anne of Green Gables fan, so this was especially fun, not to mention all the references to Megan Follows and Jonathan Crombie's version of Anne and Gilbert---the best there is!

Fans of Fortune won't be disappointed. If you love a good summer romance, look no further. While this wasn't my favorite of Fortune's (Every Summer After is!), I still really enjoyed it. In the comments below let me know if you plan on reading This Summer Will Be Different and if you are a fan of Carley Fortune.