Good Company by Kate Christensen

Posted on 02/19/2026 | Leave a comment

Rating: ***** (5/5)

Published: Harper, June 2026

Format: ARC

Genre: Fiction

Source: Publisher

Julia is visiting her alma mater for a book festival.  A moderately successful novelist, she is promoting her recently released memoir, the basis of which is her tendency to foster toxic relationships.  Abandoned by her father as a child and pitted against her two sisters by her demanding mother, Julia has some demons in her past. The weekend of the festival, she meets fellow writer and panelist Ellis Blackwell, and she is almost disarmed by his flattery and flirtation.  Almost.

I enjoyed the alternating chapters of book festival narrative and memoir excerpts.  Beware: Julia has a lot of trauma to unpack.  But she writes like Pat Conroy, which I loved.  She’s eloquent and angry and justified.  I don’t think every reader will appreciate Julia’s blunt candor, but I definitely connected to her on so many levels.  Besides the liberal arts education and English degree, there were the darker concerns (daddy issues, substance abuse, self-sabotage) that were relatable.  It was a well-crafted novel with some heavy themes, but also very complex characters.  Julia felt like a kindred spirit and I really enjoyed the experience.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher.

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Just Visiting This Planet by Neil DeGrasse Tyson

Posted on 02/16/2026 | Leave a comment

Subtitle: Further Scientific Adventures of Merlin from Omniscia

Rating: *** (3/5)

Published: Black Stone Publishing, 2025

Format: Hardcover

Genre: Nonfiction

Source: Personal Collection

Merlin’s first book was novel, clever, and full of interesting tidbits.  His second book was more of the same, but a bit more esoteric and physics-forward.  I didn’t find it as engaging, as Merlin’s responses were going more for humor than useful knowledge.  I definitely didn’t have as many “aha, look what I just learned” moments.  If NdGT ever publishes another Merlin book, I’ll probably skip it.

Book 1 in the series: Merlin’s Tour of the Universe

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The Neighbors are Watching by Aggie Blum Thompson

Posted on 02/14/2026 | Leave a comment

Rating: ***** (5/5)

Published: Minotaur, June 2026

Format: ARC

Genre: Mystery

Source: Publisher

In Caren Costa’s affluent Bethesda neighborhood, image is everything.  The morning after her neighbor’s party, she wakes up with a concussion and no recollection of what happened after she left the party.  Everyone assumes she got blackout drunk, but Caren is determined to clear her name and figure out why someone would want to hurt her.

Finn is a basement apartment tenant in the same neighborhood.  A year ago, his best friend Autumn was shot and killed in the house where she was a live-in nanny.  Autum’s employer is a divorcee renter and a bit of a pariah.  It’s no coincidence that her landlords are the same people who hosted the party where Caren was allegedly drugged.  When people are desperate enough to protect their reputations and their kids’ futures, ruthlessness is the name of the game.

This was a super fun, well-paced read. It wasn’t exactly a domestic thriller; it was more of a suburban drama with an unsolved murder subplot.  The characters and their voices felt authentic, the dialogue was well-written, and the overall plot didn’t feel contrived.  I liked how Caren and Finn connected and supported each other.  I actually enjoyed the petty backstabbing, it was done in a way that didn’t seem tacky.  When you have money to solve your problems, it’s easy to make Caren think she’s losing her mind.  Good stuff!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher.

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A Brief History of The Tudor Age by Jasper Ridley

Posted on 02/10/2026 | Leave a comment

Rating: **** (4/5)

Published: Carroll & Graf, 2002

Format: Trade Paperback

Genre: Nonfiction

Source: Personal Collection

If you ever wondered how people lived during the late 15th and 16th century, this book has everything you need to know.  All aspects of existence during the Tudor era are addressed here – where people lived, what they ate, how they dressed, and what they did for entertainment are just a few.  I enjoyed the more social aspects of the book like clothes, food, and pastimes, more than the administrative details like laws, enforcement, and punishment.  Otherwise, it painted a very comprehensive picture of how an English subject got along during the reign of the Tudor monarchs.

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Lust for Life by Irving Stone

Posted on 02/08/2026 | Leave a comment

Rating: **** (4/5)

Published: Plume, 1934

Format: Trade Paperback

Genre: Historical Fiction

Source: Personal Collection

Irving’s immersive portrayal of Vincent Van Gogh’s life was rich in detail, color, and atmosphere.  As a great work of historical fiction, it was successful, and that’s why this book is so timeless.  As a character study, it just missed the mark.  I felt Vincent’s motivation and desire, but he wasn’t entirely sympathetic. 

I did learn a great deal about the artist’s life.  I didn’t realize how late in life he started painting.  His early twenties were bleak!  As he moves from one locale to another, he encounters a variety of acquaintances and it’s all these secondary characters that keep the plot moving. When he was in Paris, I found myself going down a Google rabbit hole looking up Van Gogh’s impressionist companions.

As he descended into madness towards the end of the book, the question then becomes did he paint himself into insanity or was he a painter because he was insane?  It was descriptive and engrossing and I enjoyed it much more than The Agony and the Ecstasy.

Also by Irving Stone: The Agony and the Ecstasy

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Merlin’s Tour of the Universe by Neil DeGrasse Tyson

Posted on 01/26/2026 | 1 comment

Subtitle: A Traveler’s Guide to Blue Moons and Black Holes, Mars, Stars, and Everything Far

Rating: **** (4/5)

Published: Black Stone Publishing, 2024

Format: Hardcover

Genre: Nonfiction

Source: Personal Collection

This was a clever way to deliver complex concepts in astrophysics in bit-sized morsels.  It’s nonfiction delivered by a fictional character in an advice-column format and the anecdotal nature of the book is quite accessible.  It was an easy two-sitting read and I enjoyed jotting down new-to-me tidbits, like only one in six people live in the southern hemisphere, and Pluto’s demotion had less to do with its size and more to do with its orbit.  It’s fun, simplified introduction to the universe and I’m looking forward to reading the second volume.

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Beach Thriller by Jamie Day

Posted on 01/24/2026 | Leave a comment

Rating: **** (4/5)

Published: St. Martin’s Press, June 2026

Format: ARC

Genre: Mystery

Source: Publisher

Decades after tragedy chased her away from Beauport, Massachusetts, Holly is returning to her family’s summer cottage to settle affairs following her mother’s death. With great reluctance, she settles in to write her next book.  Her mediocre writing career isn’t supporting her financially, so she needs to come up with something exceptional.  Luckily, drama has followed Holly to Beauport – or maybe it never left.

The Carmichaels are the richest family in Beauport and they’ve kept their secrets well-hidden for years. More than twenty years ago on the Carmichael’s estate a freak accident/possible homicide took the life of Holly’s sister Anna, and Holly is unsatisfied with the results of the investigation.  Someone is watching Holly and warning her away from Beauport in sinister ways.  This was an entertaining mystery with many seemingly unconnected threads that came together in the end. 

I liked the spunky teenage runaway, Jade, that Holly takes under her wing.  Jade had come to Beauport to solve her own mystery – the source of a Jade pendant with Beauport, Mass stamped on the back that she found hidden in her parents’ drawer.  Jade’s origin story has more to do with Holly’s past than anyone could realize and the conclusion offered a nice explanation. I enjoyed how the chapters were interspersed with chapters from the book Holly had been writing prior to Anna’s death.  The psychic spin was a little corny, but otherwise, the characters were decent, the locale was atmospheric, the mystery was solid, and I appreciated the idea of a book within the book.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher.

Also by Jamie Day:

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The Dahlia Suite by Carinn Jade

Posted on 01/15/2026 | Leave a comment

Rating: * (1/5)

Published: Atria Books, July 2026

Format: ARC

Genre: Mystery

Source: Publisher

I was initially drawn to this book because of the cover, the title, the locale, and because one of the main characters was a writer.  The story alternates between three women’s first person perspectives.  Paige is hoping for some inspiration for her book while she’s staying at the exclusive Beck Island resort of Suenos.  Actress Lindsay Law is hiding out there after a devastating Oscar loss.  The third character is the resort’s concierge, Gabby.  Oh, and Beck Island used to be owned by Oscar-winning actress Mara Morgan who tragically died when her house burned down.

Get ready for a hot mess.  I knew as soon as they started referencing Zodiac signs and had psychic readings done that this was going to be a bit ridiculous.  I had no idea how bad it was going to be (“divine feminine power,” eyeroll).  Mediums and tarot cards aside, the plot holes and inconsistencies were infuriating.  The way the characters interacted was frustrating, too.  One chapter they are encouraging and empowering each other, the next they are backstabbing and condescending, then they’re besties again. 

If this had been a straightforward murder mystery in a beautiful location, it would have been successful.  But Jade tried incorporating too many elements, including the supernatural mumbo jumbo, and the storytelling was just convoluted and bad.  I literally kept looking up from reading to declare, “This is so stupid.” 

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher.

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When I Kill You by B.A. Paris

Posted on 01/11/2026 | Leave a comment

Rating: **** (4/5)

Published: St. Martin’s Press, February 2026

Format: ARC

Genre: Mystery

Source: Publisher

Nell Masters is an unreliable narrator.  15 years previously, she was Elle Nugent.  Elle witnessed a woman getting in a stranger’s car and the next day that woman was found murdered.  As a potential witness, Elle is sure she identified the stranger and that he is the woman’s killer.  Taking maters into her own hands, her actions have devastating consequences, so devastating that she has to change her name and assume a new identity.

Nell is convinced her past is back to haunt her and that someone who knows who she was is stalking her.  Her paranoia borders on delusional, and the unassuming life she thought she created starts to crack.  But is Nell really being targeted, or is she just being obsessive?

I liked how the first half alternated between Then and Now to establish Elle/Nell’s unreliability.  She becomes suspicious of everyone in her small social circle, even her boyfriend Alex.  When she learns that Alex’s last two relationships ended in tragedy, she becomes even more paranoid and we can’t entirely trust her rationality.  I enjoy British domestic thrillers and though Elle/Nell’s behavior is sometimes exasperating, it was overall entertaining.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher.

Also by B.A. Paris:

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The New Neighbors by Claire Douglas

Posted on 01/04/2026 | Leave a comment

Rating: **** (4/5)

Published: Harper Perennial, February 2026

Format: ARC

Genre: Mystery

Source: Publisher

I love a good British domestic thriller and this was my first encounter with Douglass. I was not disappointed.  She sucked me in to the multilayered story of Lena and her growing suspicion of her new neighbors, the Morgans.  Marielle and Henry Morgan are just a bit too polished and when Lena overhears a conversation between them that she thinks is “sus,” everything they do going forward arouses even more distrust. 

Yes, Lena is a flawed and nosey character with too much time on her hands to snoop on the Morgans.  With her estranged husband having moved out and her teenage son busy with college courses, she takes it upon herself to learn more about the Morgans and the lies she thinks they’re telling. It wasn’t super suspenseful, but it was entertaining to see how wrong Lena was in some aspects and how right she was in others.  I enjoyed how the mystery incorporated Lena’s past as a midwife-in-training and how all the threads tied together in the end. 

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher.

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