Fun for the Whole Family

 

“Fun for the Whole Family” by Jennifer E Smith

Published by Ballantine Books (release date 4/8/25)

 

I highly recommend this one. It’s a family drama, but more so, it’s a family love story showing the bond between four siblings during their highs and lows of life. It tells how they depended on each other while growing up, how (and why) they became estranged for a number of years, and their ability and willingness to forgive and re-bond when given the opportunity. And they were all in need of the opportunity. It also shows that even when they were estranged, they never stopped loving each other. Are the sibling livelihoods as a whole realistic? Not really. Does that matter? No. It’s not about the individual lives they lead. It’s about the relationships between them.  And with the way the chapters are broken up between the past and present, with each character having a voice, you’re able to fully understand each sibling’s point of view and the dynamic between them. Yes, the foreshadowing within the book makes it fairly predictable, but that’s OK because it’s not a mystery.  Overall, I thought it was beautifully done and let me feel all the feelings.

 

Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for the complimentary copy of this book.  As always, the opinions expressed within this review and completely my own. 

 

Finished 3/27/25 – 4/5 stars

 

#funforthewholefamily #jenniferesmith #ballantinebooks #netgalley #2025reads #genxreads

The Death of Vivek Oji

“The Death of Vivek Oji” by Akwaeke Emezi
Published by Riverhead Books
 
The last 50 pages were the best part of this book – very emotional.  It’s an LGBTQ+ book with focus on closeting true identities and relationships due to lack of acceptance from family and the Nigerian culture.  Reading about LGBTQ+ relationships in general doesn’t bother me, but in this book one of the relationships is between first cousins and that is just icky.  Forbidden love is one thing but to me, this is incest, making it hard for me to enjoy it.  You want love and happiness for each of the characters, just not with each other.
 
Finished 3/23/25 – 2/5 stars
 
#thedeathofvivekoji #akwaekeemezi #lgbtqbook #2025reads #genxreads
 

Saltwater

 

“Saltwater” by Katy Hays
Published by Ballantine Books
 
Multiple mysteries, multiple twists, lots of family drama, and plenty of unlikable characters, all set in a beautiful Italian villa.  What it doesn’t have is suspense and deep character development, making it harder to relate to any of them.  Granted, it’s a rich egotistical family so it would be hard to relate anyway.  Overall, I enjoyed the story but truly didn’t like the ending.  I actually wish it had ended a couple chapters earlier.  I simply found the final twists unnecessary, but that’s just my opinion.  If you read it, I’d love to know yours.
 
Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for the complimentary copy of this book.  As always, the opinions expressed within this review are completely my own.
 
Finished 3/19/25 – 3/5 stars
 
#saltwater #katyhays #ballantinebooks #netgalley #2025reads #genxreads

Please Look After Mom

 

“Please Look After Mom” by Kyung-Sook Shin
Published by Vintage Contemporaries
 
I have mixed feelings about this book.  I enjoyed the stories within, however, the way it’s written, I found it confusing at times as to who was narrating the story.  I also found it slow and hard to connect with any of the characters.  Some of these issues could have simply been due to cultural differences or maybe something being lost in translation (originally published in Korean). If you enjoy books centered around family dynamics and relationships, I would say give it a try.  It’s an award-winning novel so obviously others enjoyed it more than I did.
 
Finished 3/12/25 – 3/5 stars
 
#pleaselookaftermom #kyungsookshin #vintagecontemporaries #2025reads #genxreads

I Must Say

 

“I Must Say: My Life as a Humble Comedy Legend” by Martin Short

Published by Harper Audio

 

This book should be listened to rather than read.  With the audio you get to hear his impersonations of others and the voices of his well-known characters.  I just don’t think it would read the same in the written format.  You also get to hear the absolute love he had for his wife through his voice. You can just tell what she meant to him.  I do wish he had waited another decade before writing his memoir though because I would have loved to have heard more about his tour with Steve Martin and his time on Only Murders in the Building. 

 

Finished 3/10/25 – 3/5 stars

 

#imustsay #martinshort #harperaudio #2025reads #genxreads

Peach Blossom Spring

 

“Peach Blossom Spring” by Melissa Fu

Published by Little, Brown and Company

 

I really like the premise of the story and parts of it are beautifully written, however, it dragged in places. It is a multi-generational story that begins when the Japanese invade a province in China in 1938 and ends in the United States in 2005. During that time, you see the strength a mother bears to protect her son, and later, due to the trauma of the past, the lengths a father will go to protect his daughter from it. There is obviously Chinese history and culture throughout it as well. You can even learn a handful of Mandarin words. Overall, I enjoyed the story that took place in China and Taiwan more than the American storyline. I do recommend it if you like historical fiction, cultural fiction, or just enjoy having diversity in your reading journey (which everyone should).

 

Finished 3/7/25 – 3/5 stars

 

#peachblossomspring #melissafu #littlebrownandcompany #botm #2025reads #genxreads

The Lost Passenger

“The Lost Passenger” by Frances Quinn
Published by Ballantine Books
 
This is the story of a woman stuck in a loveless marriage, living with her in-laws who completely loathe her.  When she and her son survive the sinking of the Titanic, she decides to take the opportunity to start a new life in New York under a different name rather than return to the miserable life waiting for her back in England.  What will she do with this new lease on life?  What if someone finds out?  It’s a risk, but one she feels she must take.
 
I thought it was a good read.  Unfortunately, during the first half of the book I had a hard time not picturing the movie Titanic and making comparisons to the storylines.  It didn’t help that one of the side characters was named Rose.  But putting that aside, I thought it flowed well and had good character development.  I did prefer the New York half of the book better than the 1^st half in England though.  It just seemed a little slower at the beginning.  I do recommend it though – I enjoyed it, and it definitely kept my interest.
 
Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for the complimentary copy of this book.  As always, the opinions expressed within this review are completely my own.
 
Finished 2/27/25 – 3.5/4 stars
 
#thelostpassenger #francesquinn #ballantinebooks #netgalley #2025reads #genxreads 

Honor

 

“Honor” by Thrity Umrigar
Published by Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill
 
This is beautifully written.  Even when there are scenes of violence and mistreatment, it is written with a tone of respect and honor.  Within this book, there is forbidden love, Indian culture (both city and rural), and religious conflicts between Hindus and Muslims.  There is faith, hope, and love but also betrayal, corruption, and persecution.  I highly recommend it, not just as a great book, but an educational insight into a culture so different from my own. 
 
If you do pick it up to read, please make sure to also read the author’s essay, “Reclaiming Honor” at the back to gain insight into what real life events inspired her to write it.
 
Finished 2/23/25 – 4/5 stars
 
#honor #thrityumrigar #algonquinbooks #2025reads #genxreads

The Quiet Librarian

 

“The Quiet Librarian” by Allen Eskens
Published by Mulholland Books
 
Don’t let the title fool you – this story is not about books, libraries, or librarians.  The main character may work in a library, living a quiet life in Minnesota, but that is not the story because whereas Hana may be a quiet librarian now, 30 years ago she was Nura, a Bosnian teenager fighting Serbians.  The book is told in dual timelines – “Bosnia - 1995” and “Minnesota - After Everything”.  While in Bosnia she is fighting for her life and revenge.  While in Minnesota, she has to come out of seclusion to try and find out who murdered her best friend.  And are they coming after her next?  There is history, suspense, action, mystery, and a little bit of a love story all thrown together into one great story.  I definitely recommend it.
 
Thank you to NetGalley and Mulholland Books for the complimentary copy of this book.  As always, the opinions expressed within this review are completely my own.
 
Finished 2/15/25 – 4/5 stars (publication date 2/18/25)
 
#thequietlibrarian #alleneskens #mulhollandbooks #netgalley #2025reads #genxreads

Impossible Escape

 “Impossible Escape: A True Story of Survival and Heroism in Nazi Europe” by Steve Sheinkin
Published by Roaring Brook Press
 
This is a YA, and I do hope our youth takes a moment to read it.  It’s very well done and reads more like a novel than a textbook, which is always nice.  I read/listen to a lot of historical fiction and non-fiction related to WWII and the Holocaust and yet I still learned something new from this book.  If you don’t know who Rudolf Vrba is, look him up (or just read this book).  It’s a name everyone should know, and I’m embarrassed to say, I didn’t.  He’s a true hero to many.
 
Finished 2/10/25 – 3.5/5 stars
 
#impossibleescape #stevesheinkin #roaringbrookpress #2025reads #genxreads

The Lincoln Highway

 “The Lincoln Highway” by Amor Towles

Published by Viking

 

I enjoyed this one much more than “A Gentleman in Moscow” by the same author.  Both are very well written with great character development, but I found this storyline to be more entertaining.  Sometimes a book this size will drag in parts, but I didn’t find that to be the case while reading it – I was fully invested the entire time.  And although there are multiple points of view throughout the story, you are still able to have solid connections with the main characters.  I did have to continually remind myself of just how young they were because some are pretty mature for their ages and they are continually thrown into difficult situations.  I definitely recommend it, however, if you have the same pet peeve as me, please know there are no quotation marks.  There are dashes in front of paragraphs with speaking parts that I found helpful though.

 

Finished 2/9/25 – 4/5 stars

 

#thelincolnhighway #amortowles #viking #2025reads #genxreads

Braiding Sweetgrass

 
Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants” by Robin Wall Kimmerer
Published by Tantor Media
 
My daughter recommended this to me and I was skeptical initially, but I really enjoyed listening to it.  I learned new things about plants and animals but what I enjoyed the most was learning about Native American culture and the ways they show respect and give thanks for all living things, which includes plants.  I found it all very interesting.  It’s obviously not going to be a book for everyone, but if you enjoy nature even just a little bit, I think you’ll enjoy it too.
 
Finished 2/3/25 – 3/5 stars
 
#braidingsweetgrass #robinwallkimmerer #tantormedia #2025reads #genxreads
 

Junie

“Junie” by Erin Crosby Eckstine
Published by Ballantine Books
 
I greatly enjoyed this historical fiction.  It is a story of pre-Civil War slavery, focused on house and stable slaves rather than those working in the fields.   As with any story related to slavery, there is some violence but it’s not a regular occurrence throughout the book.  Instead, there is more focus of the family dynamics of both slaves and owners as well as the relationship between the main character, Junie, and her mistress. At times it reminded me of “The Kitchen House”, which I absolutely loved.  This wasn’t quite up to par with that book, so I had to give it a 4 instead of a 5 but I did enjoy it and definitely recommend it.
 
Please make sure to read the Author’s Note at the back of the book once you finish reading it for an insight into her inspiration for writing it.
 
Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for the complimentary copy of this book.  As always, the opinions expressed within this review are completely my own.  The book will be released on 2/4/25.
 
Finished 1/25/25 – 4/5 stars
 
#junie #erincrosbyeckstine #ballantine #netgalley #2025reads #genxreads
 

Bits and Pieces

 

“Bits and Pieces: My Mother, My Brother, and Me” by Whoopi Goldberg
Published by Blackstone Publishing
 
Best audio I’ve listened to in a while!  I don’t know how the written book comes across, but the audio is like sitting down and reminiscing with her.  Her personality just shines through.  She even giggles a little when telling some stories.  I have a feeling some of the audio might be slightly improvised vs reading straight from the book. Regardless, it’s a great listen that I highly recommend.
 
Finished 1/22/25 – 5/5 stars
 
#bitsandpieces #whoopigoldberg #blackstonepublishing #2025reads #5starreads #bookstagram

Good Dirt

 

“Good Dirt” by Charmaine Wilkerson
Published by Ballantine Books
 
I loved this book from start to finish.  This is much more than a family drama.  It is their history, their legacy, and the bond that holds them together.  It is multigenerational, starting with a woman stolen and sold into slavery, continuing with the story of her son and his brother-in-law.  Then the current generation’s story is told in dual timelines – right before a family member is murdered and 20 years after.  And in the middle of it all is a family heirloom with a story of its own.  I loved the settings, the characters, the storylines, and the writing itself.  I highly recommend it.
 
Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for the complimentary copy of this book.  As always, the opinions expressed within this review are completely my own.
 
Finished 1/19/25 – 5/5 stars
 
#gooddirt #charmainewilkerson #ballantinebooks #netgalley #5starreads #2025reads #genxreads #bookstagram

A Little Hope

 

“A Little Hope” by Ethan Joella
Published by Scribner
 
I’m surprised this book isn’t more well known.  The writing is truly beautiful.  Multiple times I would stop and reread a sentence because I enjoyed it so much.  It’s hard to believe that this is the author’s debut novel.  Granted, he’s a college English professor so he should know a thing or two about writing and it’s obvious he does.
 
This book has multiple storylines intertwined within a small town in Connecticut.  Initially it took me a minute to recall who was who when beginning a new chapter related to one storyline that would also reference a character from a different storyline, but it got easier over time as I got to know the characters better.  As the title suggests, the common theme throughout is Hope.  Whether it is dealing with a sickness or grieving a loss, each storyline contains hope for a better future.  There are heartbreaks but there is healing as well.  I definitely recommend this one.
 
Finished 1/15/25 – 4/5 stars
 
#alittlehope #ethanjoella #scribner #botm #genxreads #2025reads

Little Fires Everywhere

 “Little Fires Everywhere” by Celeste Ng
Published by Penguin Press
 
This is a family drama, with lots of drama.  Essentially, every character has some form of past and/or current drama they are dealing with.  Some individually and some together with others.  The common theme across it all seems to be choices made and their consequences.  Is there always a definite right and wrong or is there simply the grey area in between? It makes you ponder what choice you would have made if in their situation. I greatly enjoyed this one – loved both the storylines and the characters.  I just felt that at times it was missing depth. Granted, I think when you have this many characters with storylines, it’s harder to add depth without making the book too long and drawn out.
 
Side note - I found it quite interesting that although the book is told in 3^rd person, the majority of the time the adults (except Mia and Bebe) are referred to as Mr. or Mrs. rather than their first names even though they have their own storylines.
 
Finished 1/8/25 – 4/5 stars
 
#littlefireseverywhere #chelesteng #penguinpress #genxreads #2025reads

More or Less Maddy

 

“More or Less Maddy” by Lisa Genova
Published by Gallery/Scout Press (coming 1/14/25)
 
I’m a huge fan of Lisa Genova so was excited to get my hands on this book.  I’ve read all but 1 of her books and they’ve all been 4 or 5 star reads for me.  This one fell a little short as a 3.5 star read though.  It just didn’t pull me in as much as her other books and I wasn’t able to connect with the characters in general.  I thought the storyline was good, character development of Maddy was good, and as a bonus I learned a little about bipolar disorder.  Although not my favorite Lisa Genova book, I still recommend it.  It’s a good story and might help you understand more of what those struggling with mental health challenges are going through.
 
Because I received an ARC, I’m not sure if there will be trigger warnings in the final print so please know there is a section discussing ways of committing suicide.  If that would be a trigger for someone, I wouldn’t recommend it to them.
 
Thank you to NetGalley and Gallery/Scout Press for the complimentary copy of this book.  As always, the opinions expressed within this review are completely my own.
 
Finished 1/3/25 – 3.5/5 stars
 
#moreoflessmaddy #lisagenova #gallerybooks #scoutpress #netgalley #2025reads #genxreads