The Library

This is a twisty whodunnit with Agatha Christie vibes. Six authors across very different genres are invited to spend a weekend in Arthur Fletch’s castle on a private island. Fletch is one of the world’s best-selling novelists. When they arrive, they sign an NDA and learn an explosive secret: Fletch is dead, and there is a contest amongst them to finish his final book. The winner will receive a contract with his prestigious agent, as well as a million dollars. (This is huge, potentially career-changing news for this group of authors as each of them are struggling in some way.) The catch? Their devices have been taken away; they have to finish it on a typewriter, and they have just 72 hours to write their perfect ending. From there, the cozy writing retreat quickly escalates to a murder mystery. I liked this a lot, but it was not a love for me, simply because locked-room murder mysteries are generally not my favorite. But it’s good, definitely worth reading, especially if you are more into mysteries than thrillers! Also, kinda cool: Evelyn Clarke is the pseudonym for authors V.E. Schwab and Cat Clarke.

I read this as background research for my book (a big part will be around a “family business” similar to Estée Lauder) but would recommend it to absolutely anyone. It’s an incredible look at how Estée and her two sons built The Estée Lauder Companies. From starting a brand during the war and taking it from the family kitchen to department stores, to building Clinique, Origins, Prescriptives, and more . . . it’s fascinating. We learn about the Revlon Wars (Charles Revson seems like such a villain; I am dying to read up on everything related to him next!). It gave me great material for the book, but something I forgot about was Lauder’s incredible art collection and his work for The Whitney Museum. I couldn’t get enough! He seems like he was an incredible person and led such an interesting life. I could not get enough and genuinely think that anyone and everyone will love this book. Besides all of the great stories, there is some fantastic leadership (and life!) advice. I highly (highly!) recommend it.

When Olivia Muenter blurbed it, she called it “A love letter to Amy Dunne of Gone Girl,” which a) got me to buy it and b) is completely accurate. This is the sort of book that will keep you up all night (and I really don’t recommend reading it before bed; I couldn’t sleep — the ending was wild!). I mean this as a compliment, of course: dark and twisty is my favorite. I would just recommend starting it earlier in the day because you won’t be able to stop reading. Lillian is, to be clear, very much not a good person. She’s living in Boston and hooking up with Henry, her situationship, who she is certain will eventually fall in love with her. When Henry does not fall in love with her and instead breaks up with her, Lillian loses her mind a little bit. She decides to exact revenge upon him by casting a hex. She expects the hex to ruin his life or maybe cause him to come groveling back. Instead, she wakes up to the news that Henry has been found dead. Did Lillian’s hex work? When Lillian finds herself a prime suspect in his murder case, her life is thrown into a dangerous tailspin. This is dark and funny and very toxic (in the best way). I loved it!

My friend Chassity wrote a book, and it is so wonderful. Truly, the perfect beach read that I think everyone will love (even if you are like me and romance is not always your first choice). It’s heartfelt, cozy, and a joy to read. What I loved most about it was how transportive her writing was. Having visited Harbour Island a few times, it felt like I was right back there again. Bring it somewhere warm, park yourself in the sunshine, and give yourself a few hours to relax and get immersed in Lucy, Jack, and Noah’s world. Lucy (an artist, based in Charleston) has inherited her grandmother’s beloved island house on Harbour Island. She’ll spend the summer on the island, getting the house in order and figuring out what comes next. Upon returning to the island, she finds herself face-to-face with the man she once thought was the love of her life but broke her heart (Jack), and a handsome new love interest (songwriter Noah). Summer on Harbour Island is a blur of parties and dinners. Lucy is invited to be part of a prestigious art show at a photographer’s home (he feels very Slim Aarons adjacent). And she finds herself torn between these two men. Can she trust Jack again? Should she take a chance on someone new?

I am a huge fan of Sarah Pekkanen; I have read all of her books and love them all! This one was a little bit of a departure for her as it has an alternate timeline (it’s partially set in the 1960s), and I loved it! In 1964, a group of four women (who became best friends) became the subjects of a series of parapsychology experiments at the local university. The experiments are conducted by a visionary scientist who believes he’s on the precipice of a historic breakthrough. In the same year, these women each vanish, and the program is shut down. Meanwhile in modern day, Riley Bell is newly divorced and looking for a fresh start. She accepts a caretaker job for Betty, an elderly widow. Betty seems pretty self-sufficient. While confined to a wheelchair, she can do most things on her own. That said, she seems to be stuck in the sixties. There’s no internet or television, no microwave, no cell phones . . . no modern technology whatsoever. Betty is isolated and lonely. Riley becomes determined to help her figure out the truth about her missing friends. As she does this, old secrets come out, and Riley finds herself at the center of a decades-old mystery. I couldn’t put this down. I thought it was really clever and smart (and as with all of Pekkanen’s books, super fun to read!).

This one is for my fellow magazine lovers! I will read anything about the magazine industry, and I absolutely devoured this. It made for a great listen during chores, walks, all the things. Equal parts dishy and informative, this is a history of the Conde Nast magazine empire focusing on its peak, most glamorous heyday (the 80s through the 2000s). We get to know Si Newhouse, Greydon Carter, Anna Wintour, Tina Brown, and the rest of Newhouse’s stable of star editors, photographers, and writers. I found it so interesting to hear the history of some of my favorite publications (Architectural Digest, for example). It’s a behind-the-scenes look at both the rise and fall of Conde, the many politics among the magazines (and their editors), and the impact these beloved magazines had on so many of us. I absolutely loved it. Dishy, fun, and informative — my preferred kind of audiobook!

This was such a special book, I could not put it down. I cried multiple times throughout and loved the ending. It’s so unique and different (and while the books are very, very different, I think fans of Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow will adore this. It’s a romance (not usually my thing), but it’s also got a Hollywood element, a sci-fi element, and some pretty weighty topics around the choices we make and how we hurt others when we try to protect them. That probably sounds vague, but I really don’t want to give anything away. The less you know, the better! Noah and AJ are the very best of friends (on their way to being more), working at a video store and studying acting together. They’ve just had their first kiss when Noah disappears from AJ’s life altogether. Years later, they find themselves on set, working on a new sci-fi show. All of the old feelings are still there, but Noah’s choices haunt them. I’ll say no more. Just read it, you will love it! The only reason I gave it an A- was that I felt like it got a little too long in parts. Otherwise, it was perfect.

This book is a wild ride in the best sense of the word. Natalie Heller Mills is a tradwife (think of Ballerina Farm, pretty much to a tee), living on an idyllic farmhouse ranch with her handsome cowboy husband. Behind the scenes, there are nannies, producers, and industrial-grade appliances . . . but no one needs to know about that! Natalie has the perfect life. She is, in her words, “perfect at being alive.” But one day, she wakes up, and it is the 1800s. Her home and children feel familiar, but her kitchen is warmed by a fire rather than electricity. Rather than snap pretty photos, she’s expected to lug firewood and do the laundry (without a machine) and make bread from scratch. Is this time-travel? A test from God? Has she been abducted? What happened? We go back and forth between past (and… past?) as we get to know Natalie’s childhood, her time at Harvard, and what made her like this. We meet the Angry Women (privileged coastal elites) who hate her, and we meet her husband Caleb’s politician father. Meanwhile, this is not Natalie’s beautiful life. How will she escape and get back to the world she worked so hard to create? I don’t want to give any spoilers, but I am still thinking about the end. It is a fantastic twist that kept me thinking for weeks. I had a book hangover afterward..

People are fanatical about this book, but it was a “like” and not a “love” for me. The first 60-70% were a weird slog, and then it all came together. It’s a family story that I usually love, but it’s just so strange. Bud and Catherine have opened their marriage, and Catherine is dating their neighbor. Meanwhile, their three children all have a lot going on. The eldest daughter (Abigail) is dating a man in his twenties named War Crimes Wes, the middle daughter (Louise) is corresponding online with a terrorist, and the youngest (Harper) is being sent to wilderness camp after becoming a conspiracy theorist. Proceed with caution. The last 10% of the book makes it worthwhile. Ultimately, it goes off the rails (in a really good way) and turns into a little bit of a thriller. If you have the patience and/or like weird and literary, you’ll really enjoy this.

Obviously, it is hard to review one of your closest friends’ books in an unbiased way, but this was an absolute home run for me. It was so well-written and fun to read! Katie and her high school boyfriend Drew were once inseparable, but now they’re more or less strangers. When they were younger, Katie dreamed of being an actress, while Drew wanted to go into politics. They spent hours planning the future, planning to be together always. Things didn’t exactly go as planned. Katie is now Blair Banks, a famous Hollywood actress. Drew has moved back home, where he is the local mayor. Katie has done all she can to avoid going home, but when her sister is put on bed rest, she has no choice but to go home for Christmas. And who is the first person she runs into but Drew? The two eventually find their way back to each other, but don’t know how to make room for each other in their lives. Too much has happened; they’ve moved too far apart. (Or have they?) Famous person/non-famous person is my favorite romantic trope, plus this has plenty of insider-feeling Hollywood moments and glamour. I also adore a second-chance romance where childhood sweethearts find each other again. The characters are endearing, the banter is (much like Becca) witty and clever, and it’s just a joy to read. A big, warm, happy hug. I loved it so so much, even more than her first book!

This has been the book that absolutely everyone is talking about and reading, but I put it off as I worried it would be too sad or upsetting. It’s totally manageable, thanks to truly great writing and storytelling. The book opens at the beginning of the pandemic. Belle Burden and her family (her husband and two daughters — their oldest son is away) are quarantining at their vacation home on Martha’s Vineyard. Belle receives a phone call: “Your husband is having an affair with my wife.” At first, Belle’s husband, “James,” says that the affair meant nothing and apologizes. The next day, he announces he is leaving her. And overnight, just like that, the man she thought was so steady and caring becomes a total stranger. We go back and forth between past and present to learn about Burden’s family lore (she’s Babe Paley’s granddaughter!) and how their relationship began. The book is raw and heartfelt, with beautiful writing. But for me it didn’t feel that sad. Shocking, yes. Sad, less so. I appreciated all of the observations (for example, no longer being invited to dinner parties as she wasn’t partnered up), and some of the wild things that people said to her. It’s unflinchingly honest but (IMO) actually quite kind to her husband. You won’t be able to put it down. I read it in two evenings (both of which I stayed up way too late because I felt like I could not stop reading!!!). I really loved it.

I was surprised by how much I loved this. I couldn’t put it down, and I think that it might be my favorite of all of Rachel Hawkins’ books. St. Medard’s Bay, Alabama, is famous for its beautiful beaches, its deadly hurricanes, and Lo Bailey–the nineteen-year-old accused of murdering her much older lover, Landon Fitzroy, during a 1984 hurricane. Now in modern day, Geneva Corliss owns the Rosalie Inn and learns that a writer (and Lo) is returning to St. Medard’s to tell Lo’s story; she recognizes the financial opportunity for the hotel. Lo claims she’s here to set the record straight, but as time goes on, it becomes clear that Lo’s intentions might be more sinister than they seem. Secrets come out about Lo (some of which affect Geneva), and no one seems to be who they say they are. It’s super twisty and, at times, felt impossible to put down. I really loved it.

This is one of those books that will stick with you for a long time. It’s big-hearted and (extremely!) funny, while also tackling serious issues. Erica Skyberg is 35, recently divorced, and still in love with her ex-wife. She’s also trans–she just hasn’t told anyone yet. In her small South Dakota town, she keeps to herself, teaching at Mitchell High and directing community theater. Then, Abigail Hawkes (the Only Trans Girl at Mitchell) enters her orbit, and everything changes. Erica comes out to Abigail, and the two women begin an unlikely friendship. Abigail is not exactly thrilled about this. She’s busy being a political dissident (and dating the most popular boy at school); she doesn’t have time to guide her teacher through her transition in secret. As their friendship evolves, it comes under scrutiny. Why is “Mr. Skyberg” so friendly with this trans girl!? No one is entirely sure what to make of it. The book has a colorful cast of characters, all very lovable and memorable. There is also a big twist I didn’t see coming. The name “woodworking” comes from the idea that you cannot hide yourself and just disappear into the woodwork. I really loved it. I laughed, I cried, it warmed my heart, and felt like sunshine. I think it would be a great movie!

This book is delightfully unhinged (a compliment, if you weren’t sure). I gobbled it up like candy in just a couple of sittings, and I had to move it off my coffee table while I was working, as its presence was too tempting. . . I wanted to read it! The housing market is crazy (very relatable!), and Margo Miyake is in despair: she and her husband are trying to get pregnant while cohabiting in a too-small one-bedroom apartment. No house = no baby, and Margo’s already 38 years old! When she learns that her dream home is about to be listed, she will do anything to get it. And I mean, anything! A little stalking, some light trespassing… blackmail… becoming so obsessive that she nearly loses her job. It’s worth it, though, for the right house. Right? It has to be. You will cringe a little and feel very anxious (at least I did) as Margo does what it takes. At times, it goes very off the rails, but I loved every minute. I don’t know that I could have read it while I was buying my own house, but now that I’ve done that, I got such a kick out of Margo’s journey. I truly loved this and couldn’t put it down.

This book is a masterpiece, an absolute must-read. Becca recommended it many times, and it took me a little while to read it, but I’m so glad I did. At times, it reads like a fairytale; at others, like science fiction, but it’s completely engrossing and was all I could think about! Caroline was once the fastest woman in the world, holding the world record for the fastest marathon. After an injury leaves her disfigured, she has many surgeries and recovers at a fancy American hospital. There, she meets Finn, the prince of a small nation outside of Italy. But the fairytale is not all she had hoped for; the book opens with her trying to escape (only to land in the arms of her guards). It’s an incredible look at the dark side of royalty, and what it would feel like to be a princess. To not have any control over your body, your schedule, your life. The best part is that it’s inspired by real-life events and princesses who have wanted to escape. I will be thinking about this for a very long time.
 

I absolutely loved this. It helped that I got to meet the author at a dinner and fell in love with her story (publishing her first novel at age 62 after ten years and 180 rejections!). It has very strong Broken Country vibes, beautiful writing, and centers around forgiveness. Lily grew up in the coastal town of Portsmouth, Rhode Island with a close-knit family. As a teenager, she falls madly in love for a boy, identified only as “the boy.” But when something awful happens that pulls them apart, Lily moves on with her life, eventually falling in love for a second time with a renowned ornithologist. Marshall is everything the boy was not: safe and stable, wealthy, older than Lily. When “the boy” appears in her life years later, Lily must confront a traumatic evening in the past (and her lingering feelings for him). Meanwhile, there is a sister story too: Lily’s brilliant sister Jane is a genius with numbers (but struggles with demons and addictions). This is a beautiful book about love, loss, sisterly love, romantic love, and our capacities for love and forgiveness. I could not put it down and thought it was so wonderful. I immediately passed it on to my own mother, who I know will love it too.

This is such a fun and imaginative read–I devoured it! It’s a retelling of Cinderella, through the eyes of her “wicked” stepmother, Ethel. Ethel, aka Lady Tremaine, aka Lady Etheldreda Verity Isolde Tremaine Bramley, is twice widowed and lives in a dilapidated old manor. She has her title, but that is about it. Responsible for her two daughters, a stepdaughter who rebuffs her every attempt at closeness, and a prickly old falcon . . . she must work hard to make ends meet (and attempt to keep up appearances). A royal ball offers to change everything for their family. Ethel must first secure an invite for her daughters (requiring a bit of groveling from her old frenemy, the queen). But after the ball, the story gets extra interesting: she discovers a horrible secret within the royal family and must warn her stepdaughter, Elin. I could not put it down. I thought it was so creative and unique and have been telling everyone I know that it is a must-read!

This was more of a “like” vs. “love” thriller, but it’s still worth the read. Fast-paced, twisty, and honestly? A little bit scary. Courtney is on vacation with her family, staying in a couple of cabins at a lakeside resort. She hears a blood-curdling scream across the way and goes to investigate. There, she finds her traumatized niece . . . and the bodies of her brother and sister-in-law, both brutally murdered. Her nephew is still asleep, and her older niece, Reese, is missing. As she works with the police to figure out what happened (and where Reese went), secrets about their town and family come to light. Courtney begins to wonder if she can trust anyone, even her husband. Alternating between Courtney and Reese’s perspectives, we simultaneously cringe at Reese’s rebellious teenage decision-making and wonder whether Courtney will ever figure out what happened!

This book! Unputdownable. It’s my first A+ read of 2026. It was Reese’s Book Club’s February pick (that’s how I found it), and I can see why, as it’s just incredibly written with amazing storytelling. Anna Finbow is a national treasure and beloved TV celebrity. But now she’s in court, battling her daughter Mary’s therapist Jean Guest. Guest has, in Anna’s words, brainwashed her daughter, causing Mary to become estranged from her family. Jean insists that she’s been there to help Mary through the significant trauma that came from her upbringing. Anna maintains that Jean has planted fake memories in Mary’s head. No one can really say who is telling the truth. We meet Augusta “Gus” Bird, Anna’s former employee. Gus may hold the key to the truth, if only she can be brave enough to stand up. The book is set across the English countryside, Rome, and in the courtroom as we get to know a rather tangled cast of characters, lies, and deceit. I loved how transportive it was; I felt like I was visiting Rome. And qualities of the writing (and the scenery, and the suspense) gave it a bit of a Talented Mr. Ripley vibe. Truly such a fantastic read.

I have been a little critical of Freida McFadden’s work in the past, mostly because of the simple writing style that her books tend to follow. There is little character development, and the writing is direct and to the point. But that’s what it is: a writing style. McFadden is an absolute genius with plot (and manages to crank out a couple books each year), and I bow down to that. This one falls somewhere in the middle in terms of her best and worst. I liked it a lot and read it in just a few sittings. Debbie is a middle-aged advice columnist. She loves her teenage daughters, her husband, and her daughters. But when things seemingly stop going her way, she realizes it’s time to take action against those who have wronged her. There will be no more taking the high road. It’s time to get mad and get even. What follows is a very twisty storyline as she learns to take her own advice. I loved it, and there was a twist that stopped me in my tracks (that doesn’t happen very often!). A very fun read that you can gobble up in a weekend.

If you need something charming and escapist, I can’t recommend this enough. Also, it’s absolutely perfect for fans of The Royal We, a book I’ll always love. Lexi Villiers has built a life for herself that she loves. Now in her second year of a medical residency, she finally feels like her life is going where it wants to. But on New Year’s Day (just as she is about to kiss her best friend Jack), a helicopter lands on the island they are camping on. Out steps her grandmother’s right-hand-man Stewart, delivering tragic news: her father and twin brother have both died in a skiing accident. Lexi is not just any regular girl: she is the granddaughter of the queen, and now she is next in line to the throne. The news brings Lexi back home to London, where she is known as Princess Alexandrina. There, she will greet a conniving uncle and a public that no longer trusts her, having defected years ago. We meet the rest of the royal family, including her sister-in-law, Amira, who harbors an explosive secret. As Lexi (Alexandrina?) navigates being back in the spotlight, she’s not sure who to trust or what she wants. This is fast-paced, fun, and heartfelt . . . I gobbled it up in a couple of sittings.

This has already been picked up to be developed into a TV show! Alice Feeney has been a favorite for a while and I love that she’s having such a big moment right now. (If you saw His & Hers on Netflix, that’s also her work). Eden Fox is an artist living in Cornwall. Tonight is going to be her big break, with her first exhibition! She goes out for a run, but when she returns to her home (called Spyglass), her key doesn’t fit in the door. A woman (who looks a lot like her) answers the door, and her husband is confused–insisting that this woman is Eden and that the (real) Eden is a stranger. Eden tries to figure out what is happening, but it seems that the whole village is turned against her. No one seems to know who she is! Meanwhile, six months earlier, a different woman (Birdy) inherits Spyglass from a long-lost grandmother. Birdy is still reeling from a life-changing diagnosis. She’s discovered a clinic in London that claims to accurately predict a person’s date of death. As Birdy realizes she doesn’t have much time left, she becomes determined to right some old wrongs. The stories intersect in a dazzling, twisty way. Nothing is as it seems, and there are countless secrets and twists. I really enjoyed this and found it unputdownable.

I read this because my boyfriend wanted me to (he has two teenage boys). I thought the title sounded dumb and was like, “Seriously? You want me to feel bad for men!?” He continued to urge me to read it, and I reluctantly agreed. I quickly changed my tune and found that I really enjoyed this book, taking away not only great advice for raising boys but for my own life and career. The premise is that young men in America are in crisis. They’re less likely to graduate from high school, one in seven report having no friends, and often live at home and find themselves exposed and vulnerable to a more toxic version of masculinity. This is obviously terrible for men, but also for women: we can’t flourish if men aren’t doing well, and we certainly don’t need anymore insurrectionists. As Galloway says, “as we know from spates of violence, there is nothing more dangerous than a lonely, broke young man.: He draws from lessons from his own life and the young men he mentors, passing along vulnerable life lessons, stories that are funny and poignant, and tons of great advice. I learned a lot from it and found myself really enjoying the book. I would highly recommend that everyone listen to this; men and women alike.

Petra Rose is a world-famous author whose star has fallen somewhat after viral backlash over her latest film adaptation. Struck with a horrible case of writers block, she heads to a secluded lakeside cabin to find inspiration and reset. Her savings are running out, and she will be in serious trouble if she can’t finish this novel. All seems lost when something disturbing happens in her neighborhood, bringing a handsome detective her way. Nathaniel Saint is exactly who Petra had envisioned as the male lead in her newest book. Her creative juices return, and she finds herself more inspired than she’s been in years. Petra lets Saint in on this, and he offers to help. Their “research sessions” start to get steamy, and Petra finds herself feeling more alive than ever before. But when Saint begins to take his role in Petra’s career a little bit too seriously, Petra starts to get scared. A lot is on the line. I will say no more but this was just okay for me. It started out very slow and got nice and twisty, but I just didn’t enjoy it as much as I’d hoped!