Books

My June Reads

Not my strongest reading month. I’ve been in a longtime reading slump so it’s been challenging to pick up books sometimes. The two books I enjoyed in June did ended up to be a favorite (5 stars!) so hopefully there will be more great beach reads in July!

MazelTov by Eli Zuzousky

DNF

I badly wish I could like this book more — it does have beautiful writing. I just couldn’t get into the book.

The Love Haters by Katherine Center*

FAVORITE

You never can go wrong with Katherine Center — none of her books have disappointed me! I absolutely loved The Love Haters. We meet Katie, a filmmaker who was sent to Florida to do a video of Coast Guard rescue swimmer, Hutch. He was disappointed that her boss, who happens to be his brother didn’t show. It’s a fun lighthearted romance read! I giggled thru the book — didn’t want to put it down.

Abigail and Alexa Save The Wedding by Lian Dolan*

DNF

I started reading this book in May and it was difficult to pick it back up. I couldn’t get engaged with the book, unfortunately!

Mansion Beach by Meg Mitchell Moore*

FAVORITE

As a New Englander fan of Meg Mitchell Moore’s books (all of her books take place in New England), I was thrilled to dive into the latest set in Block Island, Rhode Island. We follow three women Nicola, Juliana and Taylor who are spending the summer on Block Island. I loved how this book was a nod to The Great Gatsby — my all time favorite classic! The book was hard to put down as there were plenty of drama! Taking place in Block Island also added the charm and the coastal summer life. It’s a fun and entertaining beach read that you must pick up this summer!

How are the books rated:

Favorite — LOVED the book / Couldn’t put it down!

Highly Recommend — Great book / Enjoyed.

Liked — Good book / Liked it while reading, but will not remember.

DNF — Did Not Finish / Do not recommend.

No Rating — I do not give ratings on sensitive subject/memoirs.

Books with * were advanced reader copies received from NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions are my own.

What I Read in May 2025

All books for May were 4 stars! I enjoyed them all and can’t wait to finally start the beach reads in June!

Broken Country by Clare Leslie Hall

HIGHLY RECOMMEND

We are taken to the rural English village in the 1960’s. Beth and Frank lives on their farm, when one day Frank’s brother shot a dog chasing after the sheep. The dog owner was Beth’s first love, Gabriel. This is a read about love triangle and a murder mystery. If you’re in a reading slump, this is the book for you! It reads like a thriller and kept me invested. I’m excited that this book is already signed to be adapted into a movie with Hello Sunshine (Reese Witherspoon’s company).

Maine Characters by Hannah Orenstein*

HIGHLY RECOMMEND

I couldn't wait to dive into this book! Taking place at a lake house in Maine, two half-sisters meet for the first time after their father’s unexpected passing. They spent the summer together, getting to know each other and to make decisions about the family lake house. I LOVED it!!! I love any books taking place in New England. This book also was referred as “The Parent Trap”, but with adults. I was intrigued as that is one of my favorite movies. Sure enough, I could see why! While both sisters could be flawed at times, the complicated family drama was entertaining. The author did excellent job of describing the lake too. I enjoyed this book and would highly recommend!

Courtroom Drama by Neely Tubati Alexander*

HIGHLY RECOMMEND

The title immediately grabbed my attention. We meet Syd who was selected to be on the jury for a high profile court case. Syd bumps into her old childhood best friend/crush Damon. Damon also was selected for jury. They have to be sequestered together with no access to outside world (phones taken away, no TV/news, etc). I was glued! Each chapter title had a court term with definition which I loved that. The book was described as Legally Blonde x Jury Duty meets The Real Housewives. That’s exactly what it was! The book was very enjoyable and entertaining — I couldn’t put it down.

How are the books rated:

Favorite — LOVED the book / Couldn’t put it down!

Highly Recommend — Great book / Enjoyed.

Liked — Good book / Liked it while reading, but will not remember.

DNF — Did Not Finish / Do not recommend.

No Rating — I do not give ratings on sensitive subject/memoirs.

Books with * were advanced reader copies received from NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions are my own.

My April 2025 reads

My reads started off strong for April. I finally had my first DNF (actually 3!) for 2025. It’s ok to not finish a book if it’s not your style. Don’t waste time reading a book if it doesn’t do anything for you. I’m looking forward to May when there’s a lot more of new releases and soon it’ll be summer reads season!

The Wandering Season by Aimie K. Runyon *

FAVORITE

I absolutely loved this read! Veronica works in the restaurant industry and recently found out that she has been adopted. Her family chips in on a month long vacation for Veronica to Ireland, France, Italy and Denmark. Those countries were in her DNA so she went to learn about her ancestors. This was such a beautiful story and inspiring. It was very relatable and a sprinkle of magical realism made it fun!

The Love We Found by Jill Santopolo

HIGHLY RECOMMEND

We were introduced to Lucy and Gabe in the first book The Light We Lost. In this book, it is 10 years later and Lucy has to make some decisions that could be life-changing. Lucy is still coping from what happened (can’t mention it because spoilers!) in the first book as well. As I said about the first book, it is a beautiful story about true love. I was nervous about the sequel ruining the first book, but happily enough I was proven wrong. I really enjoyed this book so much!

The Fisherman’s Gift by Julia R. Kelly

DNF

As beautiful the synopsis sounded… I couldn’t get into the writing style.

The Wedding Dashers by Heather McBreen

DNF

I read about 3 chapters and couldn’t get engaged into this story (pun intended).

Confessions by Catherine Airey

DNF

As much I wish I could say that I liked this book — it had a strong start but then I just didn’t care anymore to continue reading.

The Griffin Sisters’ Greatest Hits by Jennifer Weiner *

LIKED

The book is about sisters, Cassie and Zoe Grossberg who became the famous Griffin Sisters (band) in early 2000’s. The band broke up after a year because of a tragedy. The sisters never spoke to each other again. 20 years later, Zoe’s daughter seeks out the truth about what happened with Griffin Sisters. It was a slow start but the pacing picked up mid-way. What I enjoyed was the 2000s nostalgia and girl bands. The complicated history of Griffin Sisters was a lot but written well. This book is packed with emotions and lessons!

The Dinner Party by Brenda Janowitz

HIGHLY RECOMMEND

Taking place at Passover, The Golds Family are hosting a seder dinner where one of their daughters is bringing her boyfriend’s family. The family happens to be The Rothschilds — really well known in New York City. This is a fun family drama read! Very enjoyable and bingeable. It was the perfect timing to pick this up for Passover this month. I’ve loved all of Janowitz’s books — she never disappoints!

Gandolfini: Jim, Tony, and the Life of a Legend by Jason Bailey *

NO RATING

As a huge fan of The Sopranos, I was intrigued to read this upcoming release about James Gandolfini. I throughly enjoyed the interviews with people from Gandolfini’s life. It was very detailed and intriguing. I liked that the people interviewed were from every project he’s worked on. The author did excellent job of research and putting this book together. It flowed so smoothly and I was glued! This is how all biography books should be like.

How are the books rated:

Favorite — LOVED the book / Couldn’t put it down!

Highly Recommend — Great book / Enjoyed.

Liked — Good book / Liked it while reading, but will not remember.

DNF — Did Not Finish / Do not recommend.

No Rating — I do not give ratings on sensitive subject/memoirs.

Books with * were advanced reader copies received from NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions are my own.

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My Favorite Connecticut Indie Bookstores

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Independent Bookstore Day is taking place on the last Saturday of April. Many indie bookstores will host their own celebrations on this day with prizes, discounts, fun things for kids, etc. We are fortunate to have so many amazing bookstores in Connecticut and beyond!

What I love about the indie bookstores is the personal interactions with the booksellers, curated book selections based on the location of the bookstore, the charm, its unique personality. There are some bookstores that I could easily stay there all day long!

Here are my top favorites:

RJ Julia’s — Madison

This is the most stunning bookstore I’ve been to in Connecticut. I admire the dark wood, wood flooring and the green shelves. The selection is impressive.

Book Barn — Niantic

This is the Mecca of used books and they have three locations through out Niantic. I always have to plan an entire day for this outing!

Hickory Stick Bookshop — Washington

I always have to visit this bookstore whether I take a day trip up to Washington. It is very cozy bookstore. They have a special Gilmore Girls selection!

Syd’s Book Shack & Boutique — Madison

This used books bookstore is very inviting and has beautiful views of the marshes behind the store. The book selection is always impressive and great priced. I also love their mission of helping nonverbal kids with technology.

Westport Book Shop — Westport

I have been a long time fan of Westport book sales so I was thrilled when they opened this used books shop. Very organized, their used books almost always look like-new!

Black Rock Books — Bridgeport

The cutest little bookstore! I’m obsessed with the logo which has a lighthouse in it. Of course, I picked up a shirt! I love how they have a used books cart at discounted prices.

Montgomery & Taggert — Chester

The only romance bookstore in Connecticut. It has all the best romance books that you’ll want to read!

A special shout out to my local bookstores in Mystic:

Bank Square Books — Mystic

The bookstore has its charm and plenty to pick from!

No Other Books Like This — Mystic

A great used-books store with plenty to pick from. The shop has an impressive selection of antique/rare books. It’s worth a pop in, especially to say hi to the shop dogs!

Alice’s Little Haunted Bookshop — Mystic

It’s a small shop but perfectly curated selection. If you’re a fan of Halloween and anything spooky, you’ll enjoy this bookshop.

There are plenty more of bookstores across Connecticut that didn’t make the list. I haven’t been to all of them yet, but that’s a goal I’m willing to try to accomplish! Hope you enjoy the wonderful indie bookstores in Connecticut!

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8 Libraries You Must Visit in Southeastern CT/RI

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Happy National Library Week! I have such a huge appreciation for the libraries. I have been a bookworm dating back to my childhood days. Due to my deafness, I wasn’t able to hear information, books gave me that access. I learned so much through books about the world, people, cultures and beyond.

I still utilize libraries to this day. One thing that I love about Southeastern Connecticut is that there are so MANY libraries and some are in historical buildings. Where I grew up, I only had one library in a rural town. I’m amazed at how many there are within half hour of Mystic, CT so I’m sharing some of my favorites that you must visit:

WESTERLY LIBRARY & WILCOX PARK — WESTERLY, RI

This is a beautiful library overlooking a park. Keep an eye out for their book sales over the summers - they have a great selection. This time of the year is definitely the best to visit the park, all of the trees and plants are blooming. I always make this an annual spring trip!

WHEELER LIBRARY — NORTH STONINGTON, CT

In a former schoolhouse, this library is gorgeous. Especially the upper level. When you walk in Wheeler Library, there are two lions statues guarding the doors (reminds me of NYC Public Library!). Also the best part? There’s a year-round book sale in the cellar, all profits go back to the library. The staff here is so friendly, I would go back there just for them alone!

STONINGTON FREE LIBRARY — STONINGTON, CT

You can’t miss this library situated in the middle of the green, right as you enter the borough. Go inside and see the gorgeous upper level combined with regal columns and amazing floors. When the weather is beautiful, they have an outdoor patio where you can read or work at the table.

MYSTIC NOANK LIBRARY — MYSTIC, CT

One of the most beautiful libraries! Since it was a sea captain who built this, you can see nautical touches throughout the library. I love the exterior details… those green moldings! I also admire the carved oak ceiling! Cat lovers, this will be the one for you - there are two library cats that lives there. I always have to visit with them every time I drop in. The interior detail is just stunning, especially the green banker lamps which reminds me of the ones at Boston Public Library.

BILL MEMORIAL LIBRARY — GROTON, CT

Located right next to Fort Griswold, this beautiful small library is worth a peek. The interior details are stunning, wood paneled ceilings and the iron cast doors! Despite it being probably the smallest library, it is very cozy.

BILL LIBRARY — LEDYARD, CT

Yes, you read that right - there is another library in the area with the same name. If you read up on the history - there is a family connection with both. There is a walkable sidewalk from the library into Ledyard Center.

NEW LONDON PUBLIC LIBRARY — NEW LONDON, CT

Situated in Downtown New London, on the corner of State Street and Huntington Street. The historical library is surrounded by other historical buildings — the oldest courthouse across the street, Garde Art Centers and more.

PHOEBE GRIFFIN LIBRARY — OLD LYME, CT

I enjoy my visit there as it is perched on Main Street in Old Lyme, where there are nearby businesses to check out. The library also has a book sale cellar opened on Wednesdays and Saturdays.

There are more libraries in the area that I didn’t include. I always make sure to visit libraries on my day trips or travels. It’s amazing to see the variety of details and structures. I am forever grateful that libraries exist in today’s world!

What I read in March 2025

March was a better reading month! As I was busy bingewatching TV series for January and February, I only bingewatched one show for March — ‘Below Deck’ (I’m anxiously waiting for boating season to start!). I focused more on reading especially with many books coming out this spring. Hooray!

Nobody’s Fool by Harlan Coben *

FAVORITE

Harlan Coben is an auto-buy author for thriller reads. I’ve never NOT liked any of his books. Nobody’s Fool is second in the Sami Kierce series but can be read as a standalone. Sami Kierce recalls when he went backpacking in Spain and woke up to his girlfriend dead next to him in the bed. Only he has no idea what happened. 22 years later, she shows up out of the blue to his class. He investigates two cases in this book which takes us on a very suspenseful journey! The storytelling is amazing and keeps you engaged. The last sentence blew my mind!

Kissing Kosher by Jean Meltzer

FAVORITE

I saved this book for Purim and it was the best decision! Kissing Kosher is a backlist title from my favorite Jewish author, Jean Meltzer. This book was amazing as we meet the grandkids of two rival kosher bakeries in Brooklyn, NYC. Avital suffers from a health condition which I appreciated the chronic pain representation. Ethan gets a job at the rival bakery to attempt stealing their babka recipe. It’s a fun read and officially one of my favorites of 2025!

Long Bright River by Liz Moore

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

With the release of Long Bright River TV series on Peacock, I had to read the book before I watched it (I prefer to read before watching any book adaptions!). It’s a mystery read taking place in Philly, PA focused on the opioid issues. Mickey is a police officer who also has a sister, Kacey that is addicted to drugs. Kacey disappeared around same time of multiple murders so Mickey investigates about her well-being. It was a slow burn gripping read and kept me glued!

In Gad We Trust by Josh Gad

NO RATING

I only know Josh Gad as the voice of Olaf (the dancing snowman!) from Frozen movie. This memoir was very intriguing and interesting! He tells his life stories in a chronological order from his childhood to adult years. I binge-read it in a day. I enjoyed his humor and the Hollywood gossip. I could honestly say this was one of the best celeb memoirs I’ve read.

The Dark Hours by Amy Jordan

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

A debut novel taking place in Ireland — I’m sold! It’s a slow burn mystery read about Garda Detective Inspector Julia Harte who came back out from her retirement. She caught a serial killer in 1994, only to have similar murders occur again 10 years later. She assists the current guards to find the culprit. I really enjoyed this read — it was very well written and good pacing! I’m hopeful that the author will publish more books in the future.

Harlem Rhapsody by Victoria Christopher Murray

FAVORITE

First of all — the beautiful cover! I’m a fan of the author who previously wrote The Personal Librarian and First Ladies with Marie Benedict. Murray really captured the magic of Harlem Renaissance in this historical fiction read. The main character centers around Jessie Redmon Fauset, who was a literary editor for a magazine that uplifted Black writers such as Langston Hughes, Countee Cullen and Nella Larsen. W.E.B. Du Bois is also in the book as the owner of the magazine that Fauset worked for. I binge-read this book in a day. I always enjoy learning more about history!

The Light We Lost by Jill Santopolo

HIGHLY RECOMMEND

The sequel to this book [The Love We Found] recently came out so I wanted to read the first book. We are introduced to Lucy and Gabe who meets on September 11, 2001 during the attacks. They met again a year later and fell in love. Only Gabe gets his dream job offer — photographing in the Middle East. This is a beautiful read about true love. It’s raw and powerful — the ending made me teary-eyed!

How are the books rated:

Favorite — LOVED the book / Couldn’t put it down!

Highly Recommend — Great book / Enjoyed.

Liked — Good book / Liked it while reading, but will not remember.

DNF — Did Not Finish / Do not recommend.

No Rating — I do not give ratings on sensitive subject/memoirs.

Books with * were advanced reader copies received from NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions are my own.

my latest reads for February 2025

February was another slow reading month. I wish I could’ve read more but I admit that I watched more of TV — binge watching Blue Bloods (so sad that it’s over!), Sweet Magnolias and Love is Blind (don’t know why… I’m a sucker for reality TV). Hoping to tackle my TBR (to be read) pile in March!

Last Twilight in Paris by Pam Jenoff *

HIGHLY RECOMMEND

I previously read Pam Jenoff’s The Woman with the Blue Star. It was a powerful read so I was thrilled to see this new release.

In this historical fiction read, Louise found a necklace in a box that was marked with a department store in Paris. Turned out that the store was Levitan, a store that once served as a Nazi prison. There are things she investigated into linking to her past, including a friend who mysteriously passed away.

It was a very captivating read. I appreciated the author’s note in the back of the book. It’s amazing how you think you’ve learned about WWII to read books like this and realize that there’s still so much to learn.

Unlikely Story by Ali Rosen

HIGHLY RECOMMEND

This was the perfect read for around Valentine’s Day. A cute rom-com read taking place in NYC + London.

Nora is a therapist who fell in love with someone she’s never met. She writes for an advice column and the guy known as ‘J’ edits for her. All of their interactions have been through emails/digitally. Meanwhile, Nora meets her new neighbor Eli and starts to get to know him.

I enjoyed the adorable banter and it had a strong You’ve Got Mail vibes!

BearTown by Fredrik Backman

??

This book has sat on my TBR (to be read) list for a long time. I figured with it being winter and the book revolved around hockey — no better time to read it.

In this small town, we meet the people that make up Beartown. The hockey team is about to go to the semi-finals and have a good chance of winning. Unfortunately a violent act happened and it affected the entire community.

This may be the first book that I have no idea how to rate. I disliked it so much but was it the content? The writing was beautifully done but there were so many unnecessary details. I don’t know.

We Are Made of Stars by Rochelle B. Weinstein *

HIGHLY RECOMMEND

I’ve been hearing about Rochelle Weinstein’s books for the last year. I have yet to read any so I was excited to pick up my first book of hers.

We are transported to an inn, where we meet 10 people - the inn owners, 3 couples and a mother/daughter duo who are guests. They all went on a getaway to the inn carrying a lot of secrets and lies.

Whoa, what a whiplash. It was a slow start, I struggled to get all characters straight but then the drama! I couldn’t put the book down.

Johnny Careless by Kevin Wade

FAVORITE

It was perfect timing to read this book. I had just finished binge watching the Blue Bloods TV show. Kevin Wade is the writer/producer of the TV show. He wrote this book during the pandemic.

We follow Police Chief Jeep who lives on Long Island — they had just discovered a body that happens to be Jeep’s childhood best friend, Johnny.

I throughly enjoyed this crime procedural read - it was very bingeable. It reads like a long episode of Blue Bloods in a book, so if you’re a fan of the show, you’ll love this!

How are the books rated:

Favorite — LOVED the book / Couldn’t put it down!

Highly Recommend — Great book / Enjoyed.

Liked — Good book / Liked it while reading, but will not remember.

DNF — Did Not Finish / Do not recommend.

No Rating — I do not give ratings on sensitive subject/memoirs.

Books with * were advanced reader copies received from NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions are my own.

January 2025 reads

January was a good month with mostly 4 stars books! I kicked off 2025 with a 5 stars read. I also focused reading a lot of ARC’s (advanced reader copy) that I received via NetGalley (website) this month. Many great books are coming out this year! I’m looking forward to them.

Love you a Latke by Amanda Elliot

FAVORITE

Taking place in Vermont, we meet Abby who owns a coffee shop. Her town is hosting the first-ever Hanukkah festival. Abby has been put in charge of the festival since she is Jewish. Seth is the other Jewish local who enjoys going to the coffee shop every morning. Abby needs inspiration to plan the festival and Seth needs help to get his mom to stop playing matchmaker. Abby visits Seth’s parents in NYC and is in a fake relationship with Seth. I enjoyed the Hanukkah festitives in NYC and the description of the food — I literally could smell it! This is officially my favorite Hanukkah themed read!

Unspoken Things by Adrienne Young *

HIGHLY RECOMMEND

Adrienne Young is one of the best storytellers. All of her books have been AMAZING. This newly released, A SEA OF UNSPOKEN THINGS was beautifully written. There were twists and secrets! It’s one of those books where my mind was reeling trying to figure it all out. It is an emotional packed mystery/thriller taking place in a small town read. The bond between the twins, whew! You never can go wrong with Adrienne Young!

What Happened to the McCrays? by Tracey Lange *

HIGHLY RECOMMEND

I am a big fan of Tracey Lange’s books. Her beautiful storytelling and family saga books are always an enjoyable read. This newly released book was no different. It was a beautiful read, VERY emotional. I was invested in the story of Casey and Kyle from the beginning to the end. I’m in awe how Lange has the ability to make the story flow so perfectly. This book has a lot of hope, love, family connections, strong small town community and many more. Highly recommended to read!

Never Planned on You by Lindsay Hameroff *

HIGHLY RECOMMEND

I was excited to read another book from Lindsay Hameroff! NEVER PLANNED ON YOU introduces us to Ali, a wedding planner who hooked up with a British guy named Graham years ago and they also got matching tattoos. Ali bumps into Graham years later when she is planning his wedding. This rom com read was so fun and lighthearted. I enjoyed all the pop culture references in the book (the nostalgia!) and the humor. I couldn’t put down this book! You’ll want to put this on your TBR - perfect read for Valentine’s Day.

The Girls of the Glimmer Factory by Jennifer Coburn *

REALLY LIKED

Jennifer Coburn did it again with a very well-researched historical fiction book. It was a gripping read about Theresienstadt, one of the camps during WWII that created propaganda films. The films were shared with the public that the Jews were thriving in the camps. I wasn’t familiar with Theresienstadt so it was educational read for me. I liked how there were two different POVs. I did found it to be slow at the beginning, but I knew it would be worth it to continue. I’m glad that I did because it is a compelling book. It was tough to read too!

How are the books rated:

Favorite — LOVED the book / Couldn’t put it down!

Highly Recommend — Great book / Enjoyed.

Liked — Good book / Liked it while reading, but will not remember.

DNF — Did Not Finish / Do not recommend.

No Rating — I do not give ratings on sensitive subject/memoirs.

Books with * were advanced reader copies received from NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions are my own.