Broken Nek: Finding the family you never knew you always wanted: by Katie Albrecht and Mary Albrecht Every once in a while, I get an email or message from a self-published/small-press published author asking for a review. Without mainstream publicity, sometimes these messages come from people whose books do not appeal to me, or I […]
Author: Sandra
Sandra is a social worker, reading as much as she can in her spare time! She tries to catch up on reading social science journals, contemporary fiction, the occasional classic, and lots of mystery!
Happy Birthday, Tennessee! Leading Men by Christopher Castellani
Leading Men by Christopher Castellani It’s no secret that I’m a huge fan of Tennessee Williams. The delusional and traumatized Blanche DuBois in A Streetcar Named Desire, the fiery Maggie from Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, the delicate Laura in The Glass Menagerie, and the trapped Catherine of Suddenly Last Summer. These women continue to […]
The Girls at 17 Swann Street by Yara Zgheib
The Girls at 17 Swann Street by Yara Zgheib Animal crackers and cocoa to drink, That is the finest of suppers I think; When I’m grown up and can have what I please I think I shall always insist upon these. –Christopher Morley Anna Roux is a professional dancer from Paris, France who moves to […]
More Than Words by Jill Santopolo
I read Jill Santopolo’s first adult novel, The Light We Lost, and absolutely loved it. I was drawn the to scenery of Columbia University (Go Lions!) and how a relationship can be both strengthened and weakened by shared trauma- in this case, the tragedy of 9/11. More Than Words take us back to New York City, where […]
Lost Roses by Martha Hall Kelly
When I posted a photo on Instagram of Martha Hall Kelly’s book Lilac Girls, I was so excited to see so many people posting their excitement about Kelly’s newest book, Lost Roses, a prequel to Lilac Girls that brings focus to Caroline Ferriday’s mother, Eliza. Here is the Lost Roses cast of main characters: Eliza […]
Lilac Girls by Martha Hall Kelly
Walking up to the main entrance of the Majdanek Concentration Camp, it looks like something out of Star Wars or Planet of the Apes. Little do you know what you are about to encounter once you step in. The horror of the experience is captured in objects- the bins of shoes, the ovens, the shower […]
Fit Men Cook by Kevin Curry
My husband and I are not fans of diets, and we try to live a balanced lifestyle as best we can. That said, long commutes, a distaste for meal prep, and an affinity for ending our days with sweets/wine/beer, etc., have made us feel “bleh.” Not to mention that good food preparation is key for […]
David Bell and My Love of Mass Market Paperbacks
A few weeks ago, I was sent David Bell’s 2015 book Somebody I Used to Know, specifically re-released in mass market paperback format. I had heard many good things about Bell’s thrillers, so I was excited to dive in for my first read of 2019 (okay…I started reading at 10:00pm on Monday the 31st- […]
For Better and Worse by Margot Hunt
It’s been a while since I’ve finished a book in a day, but crummy Chicago weather really helped me sit down with this page-turner. I was a Psychology of Criminal Justice minor in my undergrad years, and a Law Minor in Grad School. I love alllll things legal, and my friend Sara and I can […]
Master of His Fate by Barbara Taylor Bradford
Master of His Fate is a step in a new direction for me. I started reading historical fiction a few years ago, but never quite ventured earlier than the 1920s. Plus, I think it’s fair to add the category of romance (especially as there were spicier scenes that I was not expecting- no wonder Ms. Bradford […]
