Wild Dark Shore

 

“Wild Dark Shore” by Charlotte McConaghy
Published by Flatiron Books
 
Well, this is another one in which my rating is lower than others.  So many people loved this book, but I just found it to be OK.  I think part of the issue for me was the descriptiveness related to the seeds.  I know the seed bank itself plays a large part in the storyline, but I found myself skimming through paragraphs about the seeds themselves.  Some would call it beautiful writing, but to me it seemed like unnecessary fluff to lengthen it from a novella to a novel.  Obviously, just my opinion though.
 
Side note – this is my 100^th book read in 2025 (62 physical / 38 audio).
 
Finished 12/21/25 – 3/5 stars
 
#wilddarkshore #charlottemcconaghy #flatironbooks #botm

Becoming

“Becoming” by Michelle Obama
Published by Crown
 
The United States has had many First Ladies come and go but Michelle Obama is by far my favorite so far.  Politics aside, she is not only a strong, well spoken, intelligent woman, she is kind, compassionate, and down to earth.  She strove to provide her daughters with as normal a life as possible, outside of the limelight.  She also strove to help all children live healthy lives and provided opportunities for them to see their own potential.  In this autobiography she shares with us her childhood in Chicago, her courtship and marriage with President Obama, their family life, and of course, her job as First Lady.  I listened to the audio that she narrates herself but also had a copy of the physical book to be able to see all the pictures.  I definitely recommend it.
 
Finished 12/12/25 – 4/5 stars
 
#becoming #michelleobama #crown #2025reads

The Attic Child

“The Attic Child” by Lola Jaye
Published by William Morrow / Harper Collins
 
This isn’t just a powerful book, it is an emotional one as well.  And beautifully written too.  It is the story of two young children and the people they become.  One is a young boy taken from his home in the Congo, brought to the UK to become a gentleman’s companion, only to later be locked in an attic and forced to become a servant.  The other is a young girl who loses both her parents and is then locked away in the same attic by her stepmother about a century later.  They both must find a way to escape, struggle to find their self-worth, and to find love for themselves so that they can then love others.  Their struggles will take you through a multitude of emotions.  And although I enjoyed both storylines, I absolutely love the Dikembe/Celestine character.  He pulled on all the heartstrings and I believe he will stay with me for a long time.
 
Finished 12/11/25 – 5/5 stars
 
#theatticchild #lolajaye #williammorrow #botm #2025reads

These Silent Woods

 
“These Silent Woods” by Kimi Cunningham Grant
Published by Minotaur Books
 
This book has all the feels - sympathy, empathy, compassion, fear, trepidation, gratitude, love, loss, joy…. the list is long.  And the setting is gorgeous – rustic cabin in the woods, in the middle of nowhere.  My family had a very similar cabin we would go to every summer and absolutely loved the peace and quiet of nature all around us.  We weren’t hiding out from the law though, so a much different experience in that sense.  In this story, a man loses his partner in an accident and her parents try to have their infant daughter taken away by the authorities.  What does he do?  He takes her to hide away, living in isolation for years.  Their father, daughter bond is so strong and healthy, and he will do whatever is needed to protect her and keep them safe.  I loved it and highly recommend it.
 
Side note – some of the genres tied to this are mystery and horror, but it is neither of those.  It is suspenseful, but there’s no real mystery and it’s definitely not a horror.
 
Finished 12/5/25 – 4/5 stars
 
#thesesilentwoods #kimicunninghamgrant #minotaurbooks #2025reads