authentic reviews and insightful interviews for inquisitive readers
A roundup of several smaller reviews I wrote in late summer to fall 2025. Beware of spoilers! Title: What Comes After Author: Katie Bayerl Series: n/a Thank you to Katie Bayerl, Penguin, and NetGalley for allowing me to read a free ARC in exchange for an honest review. Sorry it’s overdue. DNF 31%. The afterlife is the same as life, filled with veiled autocracy, big brother, social media, toxicity and strife, and other familiar bullshit. And so many awful puns. …
Article and Interview by Elise Cooper The Boys in the Light by Nina Willner reads like a novel. This non-fiction book is a story of love, family, devotion, loyalty, courage, and the ultimate triumph of good over evil. Eddie, the author’s father, enjoyed the life of growing up in a middle-class neighborhood in Germany, until the Nazis came to power where he and his family experienced growing antisemitism. Eventually Eddie and his father, Siegfried, a WWI hero, were sent to …
Title: Invisible ADHD: Proven Mood and Life Management for Smart Yet Scattered Women Author: Shanna Pearson Series: n/a My thanks to Shanna Pearson, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley for allowing me to listen to an ALC in exchange for an honest review. Just to provide context, this is advice from a life coach with a degree in psychology—and a service to sell. She does have ADHD herself and understands it deeply. If you’re looking for scientific research, study result discussion, and …
Article and Interview by Elise Cooper Blood on the Wire by Candace Irving brings back Kate Holland and her loving furry partner, Ruger. She is a former US Navy Lieutenant who writes the Hidden Valor series, and the Deception Point Military Detective series. Fans of Ruger get a bonus because there is now merchandise available for purchase at https://store.candaceirving.com/collections/hidden-valor-merch-collection The plot of this book has Kate initially investigating the death of a VA psychologist who was brutally stabbed to death. …
Article and Interview by Elise Cooper Mrs. Endicott’s Splendid Adventure by Rhys Bowen is a gripping novel. No matter what book Bowen writes, readers feel they are taking the journey with the characters and are transported into the setting. The descriptions of the town and its residents are very detailed. Readers meet Ellie Endicott in Surrey, England, during 1938. After raising two grown sons and having devoted her entire married life to catering to her husband’s needs, her husband wants …
Article and Interview by Elise Cooper Murder at Arleigh by Alyssa Maxwell highlights high society drama. This suspenseful plot brings back reporter-sleuth Emma Cross Andrews who must decide if the whispered threats and pranks are not so innocent. The book begins with Emma and Derrick Andrews attending the wedding of her cousin Reggie Vanderbilt and heiress Cathleen Neilson at the Bellevue Mansion, Arleigh. Their hosts are a popular couple, Harry and Elizabeth “Bessie” Lehr. But shortly after the wedding Emma …
Article and Interview by Elise Cooper The Cowboy’s Wedding Proposal and Country Fair Cowboy by Melinda Curtis are charming reads. The stories have romance with a little mystery intertwined. Touching stories of second chances and new beginnings. The Cowboy’s Wedding Proposal’s plot has Tillie Powell facing an insurmountable job as a wedding planner for her cousin Reese, who is a Bridezilla. Now she must also contend with best man Keith Morgan. Six years earlier he had proposed to her and …
Title: And the Crowd Went Wild Author: Susan Elizabeth Phillips Series: Chicago Stars #11 Much thanks to Susan Elizabeth Phillips, Avon, and NetGalley for allowing me to read a free ARC in exchange for an honest review. Also thanks to Jen McGuire at William Morrow for emailing the widget. I really liked this book. Absolutely devoured it. I was leery at first—another Stars book? Another MC involved in Hollywood? Blech. I don’t care about football or Hollywood. I’m gonna hate …
Article and Interview by Elise Cooper On Her Game by Christine Brennan is a portrait of sports phenomenon Caitlin Clark. Brennan has been at the forefront of women’s sports and has been selected multiple times as one of the country’s top sports columnists. Readers will understand why she is a renowned journalist and commentator because she asks tough questions and uses facts for her answers. The book mainly chronicles Clark’s 2024 WNBA rookie season with the Indiana Fever. It follows …
Article and Interview by Elise Cooper Fire Mountain by Dana Mentink is a story that pits survival against impossible odds. It has nonstop action, adventure, some tender moments, and a bit of romance. The story opens with Cullen Landry wakening a long-haul trucker in her crashed rig. Cullen did not flee after being warned of the imminent eruption of Mount Ember where he lives in his cabin. While making sure everything was secure, he sees the crash from his cabin …