The Spy Coast is an engaging new thriller and the first installment in author Tess Gerritsen’s The Martini Club book series. Retired CIA operative Maggie Bird’s past catches up to her in the bucolic town of Purity, Maine long after her retirement from the agency. Fortunately, she doesn’t have to face the intrigue alone – other agents who also retired in the area relish the opportunity to give her a helping hand. Continue reading
Documenting the Magic of Reading: The Art of Keeping a Reading Journal
Reading a great book can be a magical experience that introduces you to fascinating characters and transports you to unique settings. But what about after you’ve finished the book? How do you hold onto the insights and emotions that the story evoked? That’s where book journaling comes in. Continue reading
Book Review: The Hotel Nantucket by Elin Hilderbrand
The Hotel Nantucket is light and deeply entertaining, with just the right amount of romance, food, intrigue, interesting characters, food, and the supernatural to make it a page turner. Not just a “beach read”, The Hotel Nantucket is escapist literature that can satisfy your need to immerse yourself in something not so heavy for a while. Continue reading
6 Fun Book Club Ideas to Add More Energy to Your Meetings
Book clubs are a fantastic way to socialize while discussing one of my favorite topics – books! And there are a wide range of book club formats, ranging from serious literary discussions to casual free-for-alls, and everything in between. Continue reading
Book Discussion: The Fellowship of the Ring by J. R. R. Tolkien
The Fellowship of the Ring is the first installment in Tolkien’s beloved Lord of the Rings fantasy novel. First published in 1954, amazing storytelling, memorable characters, epic adventures, and fantastical worlds have rightfully given The Fellowship of the Ring staying power. Continue reading
29 Top-rated World War II Novels for Fans of Historical Fiction
There’s a good reason World War II fiction is such a popular book genre. The war was a classic case of good versus evil, with both heroic and haunting moments to read and write about. Continue reading
Audiobook Review: Ordinary Grace by William Kent Krueger, narrated by Rich Orlow
Ordinary Grace is historical fiction at its finest. Author William Kent Krueger artfully weaves a coming of age story set against the backdrop of one eventful and tragic summer in small town America in 1961. And Rich Orlow is the perfect voice of a man looking back on that summer and describing its influence on his life. Continue reading
Book Review: The River by Peter Heller
The River is a gripping thriller set in the Canadian wilderness that pits two college students against a massive wildfire and a possible murderer. You’ll have a hard time putting down this page turner! Continue reading
My ALS Story and a Call for Support
I remember such random facts about my ALS diagnosis. I asked to listen to 80s music during my MRI and was sentenced to listening to a medley of Madonna tunes. The neurologist’s receptionist called the local clinic to schedule a second opinion for my “AL5” diagnosis (apparently, she wasn’t familiar with ALS, either). I ran into a fellow school mom in the lobby on my way out – could she see the devastation on my face? I spent the first night imagining the best way to kill myself – I was going to die, anyway, I thought, might as well take control of the process and timing. (Fortunately, I rebounded from that.)
I was 45 at the time, physically active and otherwise healthy. Continue reading
Book Review: The Turn of the Key by Ruth Ware
The Turn of the Key is an absorbing mystery set in the Scottish Highlands. Author Ruth Ware is the mistress of creating atmospheric settings, and this time it’s a house that’s part old-school Gothic, part modernity gone wrong. Continue reading
Book Thoughts from Bed 