⭐️⭐️⭐️ Julia Child had a larger-than-life story even before she held a whisk, so a WWII spy novel based on her early years sounds like a five-course feast. Sadly, this one tastes more like reheated leftovers. The Secret War of Julia Child follows a fictionalized version of Julia on a covert mission in the Asian theater, but the story strays so far from history it stops feeling like her life and starts feeling like an ordinary action caper wearing her name tag. If you know a bit about Julia—and I’ve cooked, read, and studied her world for years—you’ll likely raise an eyebrow at the liberties taken. This Julia frets endlessly about her […]
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A Math Whiz, a Stray Teen, and One Badly Timed Road Trip
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️☆ (3.5 stars) Jojo Moyes packs a car full of lovable misfits in One Plus One and sends them on a chaotic road trip that feels like her version of Little Miss Sunshine. Jess Thomas is a single mom doing the best she can with two kids who come with their own quirks: Tanzie, a math prodigy with a bright future if someone can pay for it, and Nicky, a shy teen dealing with bullies and a serious lack of confidence. When Jess crosses paths with Ed Nicholls, a troubled tech guy with more guilt than charm, the four of them wind up on a journey that’s equal parts frustrating and sweet. The story […]
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The Diary That Lied: A Wild Story of Deception and Cultural Panic
⭐⭐⭐⭐ I read Go Ask Alice when I was in my early teens and it scared the living daylights out of me. When I read Unmask Aliceand learned that it was all a hoax, I was angry. Rick Emerson pulls back the curtain on how Go Ask Alice exploded in 1971, reshaping the young adult genre with its brutal depiction of sex, psychosis, and teenage self-destruction. Marketed as the real diary of a middle-class addict, the book terrified parents, hardened LSD’s reputation, and helped fuel the momentum of the War on Drugs. Here’s the kicker: it was all the invention of author Beatrice Sparks, a serial con artist who turned tragedy into profit. Emerson paints […]
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A Historical Vision in Silk… with a Few Snags
⭐⭐⭐✨ 3.5 stars rounded up to 4 A Dress of Violet Taffeta follows the rise of fashion icon Lucy Duff-Gordon, and the narrative unfolds through her eyes and those of Celia, her young assistant, who claws her way up from serving as a scullery maid to running much of the operation. Their dual viewpoints give the story texture—Lucy brings the glamour, while Celia shows the grit behind the gowns. The novel is rich in historical color, and I appreciated the glimpse into the early days of haute couture. Still, I wish the author had stayed truer to Lucy’s real-life spirit. She was a powerhouse, but here she sometimes feels softened, […]
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Don Winslow Bows Out with a Bang
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ I literally couldn’t put down City in Ruins. Don Winslow caps off both his Danny Ryan trilogy and his career with a knockout of a finale that’s equal parts brutal, beautiful, and heartbreaking. Former dockworker and Irish mob soldier Danny Ryan has transformed into a Las Vegas casino mogul, swimming in wealth and respectability. Life finally seems golden—he has a son he adores, a woman he might love, and enough money to last several lifetimes. But when Danny tries to buy a prime piece of real estate to build his dream resort, he stirs up a hornet’s nest of corrupt Vegas power brokers, a ruthless FBI agent bent on revenge, […]
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A Brilliant and Explosive Finale to the William Warwick Series
Jeffrey Archer ends his William Warwick saga with End Game, a masterful thriller set amid the tension and spectacle of London’s 2012 Olympic Games. When Britain wins the bid to host, the celebration is cut short by an international conspiracy to launch a devastating attack that could throw the world into chaos. Commander William Warwick and his Scotland Yard team must outthink a network of ruthless operatives in a race against time—from London’s crowded streets to the shadowy halls of power—to stop the assassin before the Games begin. Archer is in top form here, blending political intrigue, espionage, and human drama with his signature precision. The pacing is relentless, the […]
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Rapp in the Crosshairs of Love and War
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Denied Access wraps up the early Mitch Rapp arc with full force. We’re back to his rookie assassin days, right where Kill Shot left off. The CIA is wobbling after the fall of the Soviet Union, Congress is circling with budget scissors, and interim director Thomas Stansfield is trying to keep the whole agency from sliding into the ash heap. Meanwhile, a major Moscow sting has blown up in spectacular fashion, costing the CIA its most valuable Russian asset. And guess who gets called in to clean up the mess? But Rapp isn’t just fighting for the flag here. When his girlfriend Greta’s family is targeted and a chilling package arrives […]
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Dust, Secrets, and Stalled Dreams
3.5 stars rounded up to 4 Pay Dirt Road drops you into a small Texas town where the sun is relentless and everyone knows each other’s business. Annie McIntyre has come home after college with no real plan, which already feels like defeat. When a former coworker is murdered, she gets pulled into her grandfather’s private investigations work. The early chapters move slow, and some of the personal conflict feels cooked up just to keep the pot bubbling. But Samantha Jayne Allen’s writing gives the setting real texture. You can feel the heat, the empty fields, the heavy quiet. Annie’s struggles with identity, belonging, and disappointment feel real, which keeps […]
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Small Town, Big Hearts, Impossible to Forget
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Fredrik Backman has a way of writing that makes you feel like you’ve known his characters your whole life. The Winners brings us back to Beartown, a place weighed down by old wounds, fierce loyalty, and hockey that means more than a game. It’s the final chapter in this world, and it lands with real force. Backman understands what makes people tick. He doesn’t dress up feelings or try to impress. He simply lays them out, and somehow they go straight to your chest. The way he writes about grief, pride, fear, and love feels so true you almost forget you’re reading fiction. There were moments that made me […]
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Krueger at His Best in Apostle’s Cove
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️½ rounded up to 5 After reading all twenty installments of the Cork O’Connor series, I can honestly say Apostle’s Cove might be my favorite yet. William Kent Krueger has once again struck that perfect balance between taut suspense and heartfelt storytelling. When Cork’s son reopens a decades-old case—one Cork himself helped close—it forces father and son to confront guilt, justice, and the murky space between right and wrong. Krueger’s signature blend of mystery, spirituality, and small-town Minnesota atmosphere shines here. The northwoods come alive with his evocative prose, and the characters—flawed, loyal, and deeply human—carry the emotional weight of the story. The dual timeline keeps the tension sharp, revealing secrets one […]
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