Tag: book-reviews

13th Annual First Book Of The Year

Published on by Sheila (Book Journey)9 Comments

Are you ready?

First Book is a long tradition that I have had long before I started sharing it with others to join in.

For me, there was always something fun about choosing the first book I would read in the New Year. It could be an old favorite I have been hoping to re-read, it could be a long awaited read that has been on my shelf or on my radar for far too long…. it could be just released…. or hundreds of years old…

You may ask – “Why is that a big deal, Sheila? I mean, it’s just another book. It’s just another day.”

Is it?
IS IT?

The why is… I like traditions. I like having something special to look forward to and over the holiday weeks – even more so because, honestly, it keeps my mind busy during what for many of us can be harder days.
And ( yes, there is more…) I enjoy seeing what others choose for their first book, and from what I hear, a lot of you like to see the books as well. For some, this becomes a reading list of sorts… it may remind you of a book you meant to read, and forgot about, or introduce you to a new book you were unaware of.
I enjoy seeing the variety as well if there is a title or two that many have on their list to kick off 2026.

Does it mean you are reading through the night, crossing over from 2025 to 2026? Cool – but no… only if you want to 🙂 It means that you are reading this between the years, or it is the first book you are picking up in 2026. Refer to the rules above.

Here is how to participate:

  1. Choose your book
  2. 2) Send me the pic of you with the book
  3. You have many choices of how to send:

a) Fill out the form

b) email me ( Put 1st Book in the subject line so I don’t miss it)

c) Text me if you have my number

d) Private Message me on Facebook

And – please, when you send in, send a picture of you with the book. It’s fun, and it makes for a great collage of readers all over the world 🙂
Here are some (not all) from last year to give you the idea:

Hope to see what YOU are planning for your first book of 2026 😀

Maybe In Another Life by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Published on by Sheila (Book Journey)2 Comments

Hannah Martin’s twenty-nine years have not been without bumps. After living in many cities (and many jobs), Hannah moves back to her hometown to stay in her best friend Gabby’s guest room.
In celebration of Hannah’s return, a fun evening out leads to an encounter with her ex-boyfriend Ethan. When Gabby says it is time to go, minutes later, Ethan offers to drive Hannah home as well…
And…


I’m sure you know the name Taylor Jenkins Reid…I mean, she’s like another great Taylor – like Taylor Swift- hit after hit after hit. Her books, The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, Daisy Jones and the Six, Malibu Rising, Carrie Soto is Back, and of course, the newest one, Atmosphere, have been some heavy hitters… and as I have said before – I started reading her when her books were more chick lit… so this makes this review interesting…

First, I must have had some sort of brain malfunction, as for some reason, when looking for my next listen, this popped on my radar, and I thought it was a new book by Reid. Fun, I thought it looked like she was going back to her writing roots….And… honestly did not catch it was an older title until I went on Goodreads this morning and see that I had already marked this as read in 2015.
*sigh*
In my defense… I’m sure I do not recall a lot from 2015, so let’s just call this a new read to me, as I recall nothing.
That true confession of a forgetful reader out of the way, listening to this book was unique and interesting. In alternating chapters, Hannah’s story continues with her going home with Gabby AND – going home with Ethan. The books split into two very different story lines, continuing what would have happened in both choices.

Do you recall those old choose-your-adventure books where you decided what choice was made before you turned the page and then followed that outcome? Kinda like that.

Honestly, it’s hard to explain how I felt about this book other than agreeing a little less than my 4-star review of 2015. While definite points for uniqueness, on audio, some of the chapters felt a little repetitive… and admittedly, as there are big outcomes due to each choice, I found that at times I was a bit confused (could have been audio vs book).
In the end, I liked it.

Rated: 3 out of 5
Read Author Before: yes
Read Author Again: Yes she has quite a few of the newer titles that I have not read yet

Book Club Worthy – mmm… I think so. A big discussion could be about choices we make and paths not taken ( we enjoyed this very much in Summer House) … and of course… There would be cinnamon rolls 🙂

Gone Before Goodbye by Reese Witherspoon and Harlan Coben

Published on by Sheila (Book Journey)8 Comments

How do you not read this book? Two fan favorites in one! ~Sheila

Maggie McCabe has been to the top of the mountain with an incredible career as a highly skilled surgeon – living by her rules …
Until one day, she wasn’t.
When life takes a turn, Maggie’s time on the mountain is now a landslide of having her medical license revoked, more debt than she can dig herself out of, and a low that she has never experienced before.
When a plastic surgeon/old colleague connects her to an elite group who value her skills, offering Maggie a chance to not only clear all her debt, but have more money than she has ever had, it is impossible to pass on the offer. This is her olive branch, and she has to take it. All she has to do is keep everything quiet – she can not tell friends or family where she is going or what she is doing.
Halfway across the globe, Maggie enters a state-of-the-art personal hospital room for her to use and a world of insane luxury she could have only imagined. Maggie fully plans to uphold her end of the agreement – but when the patient she is working on disappears, and Maggie finds things are not adding up and she is now on the run.

Photo from the Book Expo In New York
You all know I have a soft spot for Harlan… for that matter, Reese as well. Finding these two writing a book together… BRILLIANT.

I listened to this one on audio and enjoyed a different spin on a thriller that had a medical background. I enjoyed Reese’s narration and found the storyline to be unlike anything I have read/listened to.
I was engaged all the way through – admittedly not my favorite ending nor my favorite setting … but again…
It’s Harlan and it’s Reese!!!!

Little background if you are not familiar with Harlan Coben – first, he usually writes alone. I have been reading him since my 20s, and one of the few authors I can say that I have always enjoyed. I refer to him as a lighter version of Dean Koontz.
What I love about this author is that I have read him for 3 decades, and to see his Netflix movies based on his books is so exciting – AND a True Crime CBS Series that will launch on January 7th called Final Twist.

https://youtu.be/EXNOkyYfupI

Rated: 3.75 out of 5
Read Author Before: Yes!
Read Author Again: Yes

The Quiet Librarian by Allen Eskens

Published on by Sheila (Book Journey)10 Comments

Hana lives a quiet life in Minnesota and likes it that way.

Yet when she becomes aware that her best friend has been murdered, Hana knows her past has come to pay an unwanted visit.

Thirty years ago, Hana was someone completely different. She was a teenager growing up in war-torn Bosnia, and her name was Nura Divjak. When her entire family was murdered before her eyes, Nura was thrown into a war she did not want, and a side of her emerged in ways no one could foresee.
Now her past is coming, and the only way to survive is to bring Nura back. No matter what the cost.

A long-time fan of Allen’s books, I was excited to get my hands on this book and purchased it this past May at the Words by the Water author event I helped the Friends of the Brainerd Public Library with.
Of course, as it often happens, the book went to my TBR stack and hung out there until this past month when the Bookies Book Club chose it for their November read. I have to say, I am glad I waited – reading this with a group of 17 ladies made for a much richer experience.

Admittedly, for myself, it was a heavier read than I was planning on. I’m used to a different style from Author Allen Eskens, and at first, I personally struggled engaging with the book. Let’s just say – Bookies to the rescue. After talking with a few of our members over the past few weeks and hearing things such as “I can’t put it down,” “I can’t wait to get back to it!_, “Usually when a book goes back and forth, I like one storyline better than the other, but in this case – I love both!”, as well as “The book is making me think of my own life and where I was at in the early to mid 1990’s and how different my life was…” And a personal favorite comment,
“This is why I joined this book club. To read books like this that I would have never picked up on my own.”

Last night (November 11th, 2025), 15 of us sat in the front room of my house to enjoy a glass or two of wine, delicious food ( we had both Sarma ( a Bosnian dish of cabbage leaves stuffed with beef and spices in a tomato sauce) and Burek ( Hana’s favorite dish – a dough filled patry with beef, potato, onion and spices) as well as so mnay other delicious dishes. The Burek was my attempt, and while it says to roll it in a pastry in a tube shape and then roll up, my dough did not bend well, so tube Burek it was 🙂

Overall – great discussion – very high ratings from the group – on a scale of 1 to 5, the average rating out of the 15 present was 4.75. A crazy high overall rating, and it honestly speaks volumes of positivity about this book. It’s nice to have an engaging read that is not necessarily the easiest, but is definitely a book to consider.
And yes, eventually, I too fell into the rhythm of the read and ended with a personal rating of a 3.75… it was very different than what I was expecting and took me a bit to get into (busy time of year for me too, and I know that contributes) – I am glad I read it.

Rated: 3.75 out of 5
Read Author Before: Yes, and I recommend!
Read Author Again: Yes
Book Club Worthy: Yes! This is an excellent discussion book. Most of us were alive during the Bosnia war ( I was a young mom at the time) – it hits a little different when it is during your lifetime and you can recall where you were during that period of your life, as well as admittedly how little ( we anyway) knew about this war or how little we followed it.

Like Eskens? Be sure to check out The Life We Bury

The Husbands by Chandler Baker

Published on by Sheila (Book Journey)4 Comments

Nora and Hayden are married with one child. Nora, who is up for a partnership in her firm, is under a lot of pressure juggling her career, a child, a home, and all the things in between.
Hayden is a good husband, but does not pick up on the clues of his wife’s exhaustion. He goes to work and comes home to relax or go to the garage to work out, while Nora’s evening has just begun, with picking up their daughter, preparing dinner, reviewing her workload, and keeping up with the house. With Nora pregnant with their second child –

Something has to give.

Wth the new baby coming, Nora and Hayden are looking for a larger home to accommodate their growing family. They seem to find what they’re looking for in an exclusive suburban Neighborhood, just outside Austin, Texas. The area is called Dynasty Ranch, and Nora notices that the husbands in this area seem incredibly supportive, helping out happily with household chores, taking on duties with the kids so the wives can have a break, go out to lunch with a friend, or have a spa day – what is in the water here, and where can Nora sign up?

When one of the local residents, whose husband had died recently in a house fire, wants to hire Nora and have her file a wrongful death lawsuit, while not Nora’s area of expertise, it does create an opportunity to bring in a big client to her firm, which may very well sweeten the pot for her to make partner.
What could possibly go wrong?

The old adage, When something is too good to be true, it probably is, is perfect for this book.
There is a lot of fun here. I enjoyed Nora and could appreciate what she was dealing with – and I found the supporting characters to be well developed- I could picture the neighborhood and these strong women with doting husbands.

A definite refreshing page turner, I wanted to know what was going on in this interesting little neighborhood with a Stepford Husband vibe.

Rated: 4 out of 5
Read Author Before: Yes – Author of The Whisper Network ( also good)
Read Author Again: Yes
Book Club Worthy: Yes! SO much to unpack here – the roles of husbands and wives in a marriage, wages between women and men, the old idea of a woman’s place, sharing personal stories on relationships, your own, your parents, your grandparents – how the roles have changed.

House of The Seven Gables by Nathaniel Hawthorne

Published on by Sheila (Book Journey)5 Comments

Thank Goodness for Book Club ~Sheila

A Curse. A mysterious Death…or two. A Haunting. The sins of one generation layer upon the Pyncheon family as they navigate the legacy of the family’s and a home, violent past.
The grand house ( which does exist) is built on a piece of cursed land – cursed by the previous owner when he refused to sell to Colonel Pyncheon.

The Colonel has his ways and scoops up the property to make a grand home, but it seems the curse may have landed correctly as the Colonel dies the day the home is finished. And so it continues – curses, greed, sins, and secrets …

Where will it all end?

This was selected as our October Classic read for the Bookies Book Club. Admittedly curious about the book, as a few friends and I toured this estate in 2022 while in Salem, and always a fan of a good mystery, I was ready to dig in.

Then I opened the book…

Oofta. It read like a textbook. Between the book and I downloaded the audio as well, I slugged my way through this heavy read of lofty descriptions of the house and the colors …
And well… I was so curious about where the book club would land on this.


As we neared the book club date, I was hearing from some of the members that they had given up on it, one opted for the movie instead, and some never got a hold of the book… so I was really wondering what the book club would be like.
Well, we met last night, and actually, it was a nice discussion. For those who finished it, while admittedly a windy read of over detailing, they were able to pick out the story and get to the heart of the book, bringing my flat rating of a zero ( seriously… nothing in this book stuck with me) to a 1 rating, and an appreciation of what makes this book work.
A few of the Bookies had read The Scarlett Letter (also by this author), stating that the writing of that book was easier to digest.

Overall Bookies rating from those who finished was 2.25 – now bad when you consider an average read is a 3. The review definitely gave me more of an appreciation for the book. And as always – the Bookies bring a little something something to the discussion, including a few that dressed the era ( well played!), the gingerbread men cookies as sold in Hepzibah’s shop, fruits and fresh bread, cold cuts, cheeses, and crackers, and more. If this group knows one thing to be true, we can pretty much make a good time out of anything. 😀

And for those interested, a few pics from the House of Seven Gables Tour in 2022:

Have you read this book?

Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt

Published on by Sheila (Book Journey)11 Comments

I found this one… relatable ~Sheila

Tova Sullivan, now in her 70s, has been the evening cleaning woman at Sowell Bay Aquarium for the past two years. A widow as well as having lost her 18-year-old son thirty years ago when he disappeared from his boat, Tova’s coping mechanism of choice is to keep her mind busy.
While the aquarium at night is not all that exciting, Tova finds herself becoming more and more interested in Marcellus, the Giant Pacific Octopus, whom she has caught more than once attempting (and succeeding) to get out of his tank during the night hours.

No one would ever imagine exactly how smart Marcellus is, but Marcellus knows things… he knows how to read people. He may be old, but he is whip smart and picks up on Tova’s heartache and the chapters in her life she can not quite close with so many unanswered questions. As Marcellus pieces together what happened to Tova’s son, he must use every skill he has to unearth the truth before it is too late.

“Humans. For the most part, you are dull and blundering. But occasionally, you can be remarkably bright creatures.” – Remarkably Bright Creatures”
— Shelby Van Pelt

Honestly, I dragged my feet on this one.
While fellow readers shared over the past few years how amazing this book was, I could not wrap my head around a talking octopus… and was not sure how much suspended belief I could pour into a book like this.

I know I know… me? The Queen of Imagination and What Ifs, struggling with what I thought the book was going to be like. Believe me – I’m disappointed in myself too.

FINALLY… while looking for that next read/fix, I decided to give it a try. So glad I did…. for naysayers such as myself in this particular instance – knock it off. It’s not so much that Marcellus is talking; it’s that we know his thoughts. It’s actually a brilliant idea by the author to write a book from this perspective.

While Marcellus is who we get to know first in the book, rightfully so, as you have to know Marcellus and his capabilities for the rest to fall into place, the book is also about Tova, and some of the other people we meet who work at the Aquarium.

I don’t want to say too much as this story unfolds beautifully in ways that are best discovered on your own. This book is worth all the praise you may have heard – READ IT or LISTEN to it ( the voice of Marcellus is fantastic!)
Netflix will have a film adaptation of this book coming in 2026 – but do not miss the experience of the book.

Rated: 4.75 out of 5
Read Author Before: No – this was her first book
Read Author Again: She is writing a second book around the same topic with other creatures, and I am interested
Who Should Read This: YOU! Anyone and everyone… It’s a beautiful story that I think touches us all a little differently, as there is so much in this book to reflect on
Book Club Worthy: Yes! Great topics, on love and loss, doors that open where we did not know doors existed, so so much….


The Invisible Husband of Frick Island by Colleen Oakley

Published on by Sheila (Book Journey)7 Comments

A fun and plausible read! ~ Sheila

Frick Island is a tiny town in the middle of Chesapeake Bay with residents who like to keep their business to themselves. Piper Parrish among them.
When Piper’s husband, Tom’s crab boat capsizes, and his body is not found, the young “maybe” widow goes right about life as though Tom is still there… making his breakfast, walking him to the dock in the mornings, meeting him in the evening, and of course their standard Friday night date at The One Eyed-Crab.

When Anders Caldwell, want-to-be podcaster with an actual audience, is given an assignment on Frick Island to cover the annual Cake Walk Fundraiser, he is less than pleased. How are assignments like this going to put him on the map? But Anders finds that he has stumbled onto a much more interesting story, not only about Piper’s eccentric behavior of talking to a husband who is not there, but also watching all the residents of Frick Island pretending Tom is there as well for Piper’s sake. Business owners waving and saying good morning to Tom, acknowledging him right alongside Piper…. well… to Anders… this may be the story that will give him a name.


This is one of those books that has been in my peripheral vision… but for whatever reason, I did not pick up. Don’t pretend you don’t know what I mean… I’m sure you do it too 😀 As much as we may want to read ALL THE BOOKS. You can’t… and I know… It’s heartbreaking.


So many books… so little time….

So… looking for my next listen this summer as I go about my weekly cooking, cleaning, gardening… I chose TIHOFI. And… not disappointed.

My time on Frick Island was enjoyable! Piper is interesting and likable, and the book allows you to explore many outcomes….
Is Tom alive?
Do the residents of Frick Island know something I do not?
Does Piper know something that no one else does?
Is Piper crazy … or crazy in grief?
OR… Or… is something much bigger going on?

Well… I’m not telling. I will tell you, it’s worth a pick up. This is a pleasant, easy, and fun read. And this seems ( at least from my experience) to be Coleen Oakley’s pattern as an author – good books with a touch of fun… as I experienced when I read The Mostly True Story of Tanenr and Louise

Rated: 3 out of 5
Read Author Before: Yes
Read Author Again: Most likely
Who Should Read This: Anyone who enjoys a fun, interesting read that’s not heavy. This is the perfect time of year for Frick Island.

The Stranger In Her house by John Marrs

Published on by Sheila (Book Journey)7 Comments

Connie connects with a local non-profit to help with odd jobs around her mother, Gwen’s home. As Gwen has dementia, Connie tries to balance her life with the time she spends with her mom and the pursuit of her career. While Connie pops in to check on her mom and to help with cleaning, some of the bigger jobs, such as yard work and home repair, are too time-consuming, and she is grateful for Helping Hands’ mission to send volunteers to assist with chores for the elderly.
Paul, a volunteer from Helping Hands, is kind, easy to talk to, and easy on the eyes, and her mom seems to like him.

But things change quickly as Paul comes to Gwen’s more often than needed, making Connie feel a little awkward, almost like she is intruding when she comes over to help with cooking and cleaning. And Gwen, too, is changing; she dresses up more, wearing makeup and laughing… laughing like Connie has not heard in years. When Paul finds himself between homes, he moves in with Gwen and begins to shut Connie out, both figuratively and literally.

When Paul tells Connie that he can handle the cooking and cleaning, and there is no need for her to stop by, and when the locks to the house are changed, Connie desperately wants to reach out for help – but it’s his word against hers as Paul has put his charm on the neighbors as well, and has not done anything legally wrong. But Connie knows… something is not right, and she has a limited time to do something about it.

Have you read John Marrs? If you like the psychological twists of McFadden, I look at Marrs as the King of the double… no… TRIPLE twist. From my experience with his books, there comes a point where he has you, and you are blown away… and really the book – the story could end there and you would be all like…. “Damn….that was amazing” –
But wait, there is more!

Marrs, from my experience, catches you in the twist where something is revealed that changes everything….
And then…
Within the same book …
He does it again.
And sometimes…. again

The Stranger In Her House, while a bit out there ( a few too many – uhhh… that couldn’t happen) was still crazy wild to read because, honestly, in this world we live in – crazy crazy things DO HAPPEN…. even when we are dumbfounded as to how.

I did enjoy this book on audio… fully engaged in how this would all work out in the end, and not once, not twice, but even a third time surprised….

Well played Marrs.

Rated: 4 out of 5
Read Author Before: Yes
Read Author Again: Yes, I enjoy his style of writing
Who Should Read This: Fans of McFadden and psychological thrillers for sure, knowing that Marrs can be a bit darker (IMO). If you like your books to be crazy wild puzzles – here you go 😀


Beach Read by Emily Henry

Published on by Sheila (Book Journey)2 Comments

A fun little romp – I laughed out loud many times- Sheila

January Andrews is the best-selling author of happy ending romance reads. She loves things to come together and end well, and her readers love her for it.

Augustus Everett is an acclaimed author of literary fiction. His books are deep and insightful, and don’t always end well. His readership is massive.

When January finds herself in a beach house for three months trying to write her next read, despite the writer’s block that has her publicist checking it a little too often, she is shocked to discover that Augustus is in the Beach House next to hers – apparently suffering from the same thing.

One night, they make a pact. They will switch genres. January will learn how to write literary fiction under Augustus’ guidance, and Augustus, in turn, will write a rom-com. The first one to sell their book will receive public recognition from the other.

But bringing out the underlying reason that January needs things to end happily, and trying to get Augustus to lighten up and have some fun, may be a bigger undertaking than either of them bargained for.

Not my typical go-to read, but after finishing Wally Lamb’s new book that ripped me up in so many ways – I needed a palate cleanser, and this one, with a fun cover and a subject line I enjoy ( books that talk about books are almost always a plus!) was the one I picked up.

This book did the trick. Not heavy and appropriately titled, I enjoyed the fun engagement between the two protagonists… several times while listening, I laughed out loud.

“New phone… who dis?” 😛

If looking for an easy, enjoyable read, don’t hesitate to pick this one up.

Rated: 3 out of 5
Read Author Before: I have and recently!
Great Big Beautiful Life
Funny Story
Read Author Again: most likely 🙂