Where the Truth Lies

 
“Where the Truth Lies” by Katherine Greene
Published by Crooked Lane Books
 
This is definitely a page turner murder mystery.  Initially you are given two unnamed males as suspects.  By the middle of the book, you have confirmation of who those 2 individuals are but by then you’ve added a couple more names to your suspect list.  You have to wait until almost the very end to confirm your suspicions though. (I got it right this time)
 
This is the 2^nd book I’ve read by Katherine Greene, and I greatly enjoyed them both.  There were times that this story made me quite angry due to the mistreatment of some female characters, both verbally and physically, but it’s part of the character development of a fictional story so it’s OK.  This might not be the book for you if you think those types of scenarios would be triggering for you though.  If not an issue, I highly recommend it.
 
Thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for the complimentary copy of this book.  As always, the opinions expressed in this honest review are completely my own.
 
Finished 3/16/26 – 4/5 stars
 
#wherethetruthlies #katherinegreene #crookedlanebooks #netgalley

Too Good to Be True

 
“Too Good to Be True” by Carola Lovering
Published by St. Martin’s Press
 
I have conflicting opinions about this book.  I like the way it was written from three points of view, using journal entries to tell parts of the story.  I dislike the characters, completely (although that’s not always a bad thing).  I like the suspenseful feel it has throughout but dislike the ending because it’s too “wrapped up in a bow” for my liking.  With all that said, I did enjoy reading it.  The things I like about it outweigh the things I dislike, and my curiosity kept me turning the pages.  So, although I’ve mixed opinions, I still recommend it.
 
Finished 3/12/26 – 3.5/5 stars
 
#toogoodtobetrue #carolalovering #stmartinspress #botm

A Gathering of Old Men

“A Gathering of Old Men” by Ernest J Gaines
Published by Random House
 
What an incredible and powerful book!!!  You have a group of older black men standing up to make a right from prior wrongs, with nothing to lose.  You have a young white man standing up to make a change, with everything to lose.  Then of course you have the racists in town….enough said there.  But you also have a sheriff caught in the middle, who understands where both sides are coming from, trying to keep the peace.  And throughout, you have the bond of friendship and family prevalent.  The story takes place in a matter of hours, with stories of the past thrown in, and all of it is significant.  All of it with lessons to learn.  The story takes place in the 70s and was published in the 80s but, unfortunately, I feel it should continue to be a must read all these many years later.  I would love for it to be taught in high school literature classes but I’m guessing the dreaded “N word” would keep it out of some schools.  It is used throughout the book, but it is used properly both historically and contextually and the author is African-American so I don’t see an issue with its use.  Granted, I’m a white woman so I don’t know that my opinion matters in that sense.  Regardless, I highly recommend this book.  If you haven’t read it yet – go read it.  If you have, go read it again.  It is a story that needs to be read and understood.
 
Finished 3/8/26 – 5/5 stars
 
#agatheringofoldmen #ernestjgaines #randomhouse #5starread
 

A Far-Flung Life

 
“A Far-Flung Life” by M. L. Stedman
Published by Scribner
 
I truly loved the majority of this book.  There are pieces of some of the storylines I didn’t like, I sometimes felt there were too many side stories, and I felt it dragged a bit in the middle, but even with that said, the writing is beautiful and the character development is great making it a solid 4.5 star read for me.  I highly recommend it.  It definitely won’t be a book for everyone, due to some of the relevant topics that I can’t give away here, but I feel like the majority of people will love it and want everyone to get their happy endings.
 
Thank you to NetGalley and Scribner for the complimentary copy of this book.  As always, the opinions expressed within this honest review are completely my own.
 
Finished 3/5/26 – 4.5/5 stars
 
#afarflunglife #mlstedman #scribner #netgalley

Where the Girls Were

 “Where the Girls Were” by Kate Schatz
Published by The Dial Press / Penguin Random House
 
This is a great piece of historical fiction about a time in the United States when women’s rights were quite weak, sex-ed wasn’t very informative, and illegal abortions were killing young girls.  A time when unwed pregnant girls, no matter the circumstances, were sent away to “homes” to hide, have their babies, give them up, and return home as if nothing happened, to never speak about it again.  These girls were forced to experience pregnancy and labor without guidance or the support of their family or friends, to give up their children sight unseen without any emotional support or therapy.  My heart goes out to all woman who went through this experience – I hope you have found a way for your heart and mind to heal.
 
The book itself is very well written.  During a time in which abortion is again illegal in many states, this book could have been quite political, but it’s not.  It’s a story of an 18-year-old girl who has a world of opportunities in front of her, becomes pregnant, and suddenly has no say in her future.  Her freedom is stripped from her to the point she’s not even allowed outside.  It’s heartbreaking but yet, as her baby grows inside her, she grows as an individual.  It’s a combination of historical fiction and coming of age story and I highly recommend it.
 
Thank you to NetGalley and The Dial Press (Penguin Random House) for the complimentary copy of this book.  As always, the opinions expressed within this honest review are completely my own.
 
Finished 2/27/26 – 4/5 stars
 
#wherethegirlswere #kateschatz #netgalley #thedialpress #penguinrandomhouse

Saoirse

 
“Saoirse” by Charleen Hurtubise
Published by Celadon Books
 
I stayed up late to finish this one because I was fully invested in the main character and needed to know what the future held for her.  She had a very complicated and unsafe childhood that she eventually escaped by stealing someone else’s identity and fleeing the United States for Ireland.  Living a lie, never knowing when your true identity might be revealed, is a stressful life, but she is able to find some peace through art.  And that art tells part of the story…. her past.
 
I greatly enjoyed this book and highly recommended it.  It’s fairly short with only about 250 pages, but there’s no fluff within those pages.  It’s solid read that will keep you turning the pages, wanting to continue the story.
 
Thank you to NetGalley and Celadon Books for the complimentary copy of this book.  As always, the opinions expressed within this honest review are completely my own.
 
Finished 2/19/26 – 4.5/5 stars
 
#saoirse #charleenhurtubise #netgalley #celadonbooks

My Friends

“My Friends” by Fredrik Backman (translated by Neil Smith)
Published by Atria Books
 
What a treasure of a book!  I love the characters, the story, and the way it’s told.  Plus, it’s just absolutely beautifully written.  It a book to be enjoyed by all – male, female, young and old.  I think everyone will find a small piece of themselves in at least one character.  I highly recommend it.
 
Also, I don’t annotate books when I read, but on a rare occasion I’ll jot down a quote that made a strong impression.  That happened 3 times while reading this book, so I have to share them….
 
“I’m not worried you’re going to die.  I’m worried about you being dead.  I’m worried about being alive without you.” (page 106)
 
“You can’t love someone out of addiction, all the oceans are the tears of those who have tried.” (page 215)
 
“In a library.  You don’t have to put up with reality there.  It’s as if thousands of strangers have given away their imaginary friends, they’re sitting on the shelves and calling to you as you walk past.” (page 306)
 
Finished 2/15/26 – 5/5 stars
 
#myfriends #fredrikbackman #atriabooks #5starread