This issue took me everywhere—from wartime Europe and windswept prairies to glamorous hotels, dangerous spy missions, cozy magical libraries, and pulse-pounding thrillers. I found stories filled with courage, second chances, heartbreak, suspense, romance, and a few books that made me mutter, “Well… that escalated quickly.” There were several standouts this time around, including Mark Helprin’s sweeping naval epic The Oceans and the Stars, Holly Jackson’s wildly entertaining adult thriller debut Not Quite Dead Yet, and Mitch Albom’s warmhearted Twice. I also revisited a literary classic with Willa Cather’s O Pioneers! and discovered a few authors I’ll definitely be reading again. As always, not every book earned glowing praise. A couple left me scratching my […]
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When Your Ex Is Your Handler, Nothing Goes According to Plan
⭐⭐⭐⭐✨ (4.5 stars) The Handler is a sharp, high-octane spy thriller with a killer hook: a disgraced former CIA operative forced back into the field—with his ex-wife as his handler. That alone is enough to grab your attention, but Woodward delivers far more than a clever premise. Meredith Morris-Dale is a talented CIA case officer whose career hangs by a thread after a mission goes sideways. Instead of being shown the door, she’s handed an impossible assignment. A long-embedded CIA mole inside Iran’s uranium enrichment program wants out, and the only person he’ll trust is Meredith’s ex-husband, John Dale. Fired, sidelined, and bitter, John is the last person she wants to […]
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