When It All Began

My love for reading began when I was young. I was lucky enough to have a mom who not only encouraged reading but made sure I always had books at my disposal. It started with monthly trips to our local Barnes and Nobel bookstore. I remember my mom taking us to the biggest book store I had ever seen and telling my younger sister and I that we could each choose two books - the only caveat being that one book had to be what she deemed "educational" in value (I threw myself into historical fiction books). The other book could be one of our choosing and my sister and I gravitated toward R.L. Stine or The Baby-Sitters Club. Oh how I looked forward to those monthly trips!

Soon, I was reading through the two books much quicker than one monthly visit to the next and my mom had to find other ways to quench my reading thirst. That was when she introduced us to our local library. The library was as big as the bookstore but the books available didn't cost us a penny and I could check out up to 10 at a time. I was in heaven! My mom valued reading so much that she made it a requirement of any of the baby-sitters or nannies we had over the years - they were expected to take us to library each week.

I might not have recognized it at the time but my mother was instilling a life-long love of reading in me through these routines and opportunities to surround myself with books and reading material. I LOVED going to the library (I still do!) It was a place of refuge for me. When I was in high school and struggling socially, the library was the one place I could go that offered solace. I wasn't expected to put on a face for others or extend myself outside of my comfort zones...I could just be. I struggled with anxiety and depression during those years but always found comfort within the four walls of the library.

Today, as a mom, I've tried to instill the same love of reading and learning within my own daughter...providing her the same opportunities that my mom gave me. We take our monthly trips to Barnes & Nobel and we frequent the local libraries every week. She's found the library to be not only a place to find books that interest her, but also a place that offers other opportunities to inspire her creativity through hands-on activities and classes.

If I hadn't become an educator, I would have definitely enjoyed being a librarian! 

A Podcast for Readers

I have loved podcasting for quite sometime. The idea of sharing a passion with a larger audience, connecting with like-minded individuals, and getting people excited about the things you like and want to share out about has always been something I wanted to do. However, being an introvert always caused me to doubt whether or not my opinions would be accepted, valued, or even wanted.

One day back in 2021, I decided to jump head first into the world of podcasting. I had been inspired after attending a summer professional development session on the topic, and the presenter had made it sound so easy to get out there and just start recording. He even emphasized as much - who cares if no one listens at first, he had said. You podcast for you and others will eventually follow. So I took his advice to heart and started a podcast for the non-profit I volunteered with.

It was a learning experience - one that, to this day, I will admit to not having mastered. I'm always trying to make it better. I love recording a session, sharing my thoughts, talking about things that excite me. It doesn't bother me that I'm still growing my followers.

I love that I have the opportunity to talk about books and reading and all the things in between - it brings me so much joy...even more so when it's done with others who "just get it"! 

If you're interested in more of my recommendations or just want to listen to relatively short episodes where I chat with fellow book lovers, check out my new podcast.

Book Review: "When Grumpy Met Sunshine" by Charlotte Stein

“When Grumpy Met Sunshine” by Charlotte Stein is a cute, slow-burn romantic comedy. Mabel, a plus-size ghostwriter, has been hired to help ex-footballer Alfie Harding get his memoir written, after unsuccessfully working through a slew of other writers.

After a photo of the two together lands them in the middle of a social media frenzy, a fake relationship between Mabel and Alfie ensues. It’s no surprise when the fake relationship starts generating feelings between the main characters, as the two get cozy over several dates and work sessions where Alfie begins to divulge truths about himself he hasn’t been able to admit to anyone else. 

I absolutely love that this book showcases a plus-size female lead that got her HEA with a hunky football player at the end. I would have loved to see more character development on Mabel’s end; typical to other stories with similar premises, Mabel couldn’t believe that a “guy like him would like a girl like her” - mainly based on her size. Her insecurities were present throughout much of the storyline and were only diverted once she knew she had Alfie’s love. I would have loved to see a stronger, more confident FMC. 

I also loved the banter between Alfie and Mabel. It was quick, witty, and even self-deprecating at times but it had me laughing out loud. You can see how the two would begin to have feelings for one another when the conversations and teasing came so easily.

Finally, I loved that Alfie’s memoir was essentially a love letter to Mabel. Readers could see that these two - who were sometimes delusional in thinking there weren’t any feelings there - were clearly falling in love with one another. It was definitely slowwwww burn but completely worth the wait when Alfie and Mabel finally came together. 

If you’re looking for your next grumpy/sunshine, fake dating/workplace romance read, you’ll want to read this book. The banter between the main characters will hook you but the romance and inevitable love story between two main characters will keep you rooting for them long after the book is over.

Book Review: "The Woman Inside" by M.T. Edvardsson

“The Woman Inside” follows Bill Olsson, a recently widowed man, who is struggling financially to keep a roof over his daughter’s head and decides to rent out her bedroom to local law student and aspiring judge Karla, in order to help with expenses. Karla works part-time as a house cleaner for Steve and Regina Rytter, a very wealthy couple who we learn pretty early on in the book have been murdered.

Through a series of interviews with local law enforcement and story told from multiple viewpoints between Bill, Karla, and Jennica (a woman who starts dating Steve after meeting through a dating app), we start to get a picture of the fractured life of the Rytters and the strange dynamics at play between Steve and his wife. Karla learns early on that Steve is controlling and obsessive, and she begins to doubt his true intentions with his sickly wife. Meanwhile, we learn that Steve is out and dating while his “sick” wife remains under lock and key at home; meanwhile, Jennica - Steve’s new interest - has no idea he’s married and begins to develop major feelings for him. 

Tensions are brought to a head when Karla confronts Regina and unloads her suspicions about Steve. The events that follow are shocking but readers are finally able to piece together the pieces of the murder of the wealthy couple. 

I found several of the characters were hard to connect with; the only one I really felt for was Karla who was struggling with her own familial trauma and turmoil with her addict mother, and then making lasting connections with classmates in law school. I wanted to dislike Jennica because she was complicit in the affair with Steve (granted, she didn’t find out about Regina until the very end - but still) and she was literally falling in love with the villain of this story (and not in a good way!) Bill’s wallowing and grief might have been forgivable, but it began to jeopardize the well-being of his daughter and his ability to provide for her.

“The Woman Inside” is a thrilling, page-turner of a mystery that culminates in a double-murder and with a killer you won’t anticipate. Although the writing and characters left much to be desired, the general plot/story captivated me enough to want to find out who killed the Rytters!

Book Review: "Lease on Love" by Falon Ballard

“Lease on Love” by Falon Ballard is a roommates/friends-to-lovers, age-gap, slow-burn romance tale. The story follows Sadie Green, a financial analyst living in NYC. When she’s passed up for a promotion she’s spent the better part of the last six years working for (having it go instead to the boss’ green son-in-law - who she’s expected to train), she has some choice words with her boss which ultimately leads to her dismissal. Dejected and unemployed, Sadie goes out with her besties, in the hopes of drowning her sorrows in delicious cocktails and drunken karaoke escapades. Sadie finds herself swiping right on a dating app later that evening - after six years of putting work first, she’s made the decision to go on a date!

Fast forward to date day - Sadie arrives at the predetermined location and finds nerdy Jack, complete with a Lord of the Rings shirt and large framed glasses (not Sadie’s usual cup of tea!) Sadie learns from Jack that instead of swiping right on the dating app as she thought she had done (during her drunken daze the other evening), she had expressed interest as being Jack’s new roommate on the “Roommate” app instead. Not one to turn down an opportunity to save money (damn those student loans!), Sadie visit’s Jack’s Brooklyn brownstone and falls in love with the space immediately. 

The story continues to follow Sadie and Jack as they start to befriend one another and Jack is quickly accepted into Sadie’s group of New Yorker friends. Sadie finds herself falling in love with her landlord, but Jack expresses wanting to take things slow and doing right by Sadie; he’s been grieving the loss of his parents for the last seven years and isn’t sure he’s ready for a relationship. Sadie navigates trying to find a part-time job while investing in running her own small business as a florist, operating from Jack’s kitchen and newly remodeled garden. 

I enjoyed the authenticity that Ballard brought to Sadie’s character. She cursed like a sailor, was often self-deprecating but in the same breath could also be sarcastic and witty, and struggled with self-doubt constantly when she was seeing small successes in her new professional endeavors - things I think I connected with on a personal level. Jack’s character could have been developed a little more thoroughly - I felt that his backstory remained a mystery for the better part of the book. 

“Lease on Love” is a quick, fun, rom-com read that’s funny and inspiring. With relatable characters, witty banter, a swoon worthy love story,  and set in an idyllic Brooklyn neighborhood, this book is highly recommended for fans of Emily Henry and Beth O'Leary!

Book Review: "A Fragile Enchantment" by Allison Saft

Allison Saft crafts a Regency England-inspired fantasy world, reminiscent of Bridgerton, with her new book, “A Fragile Enchantment.” With a love story as devastatingly romantic as Kate and Anthony’s, readers will be enchanted with protagonist Niamh and her spell-binding creations in this YA fantasy romance. 

Niamh, a popular seamstress/dressmaker who imbues enchantments in all of her wares, is hired by the Prince Regent and commissioned to complete wedding wear for his younger brother, the groom, Prince Kit Carmine, and his betrothed, Infanta Rosa. Niamh quickly finds herself getting acquainted with court politics, as tensions are brought to a head between Machlish staff and the Prince Regent, who is desperately hiding something from his brother and the rest of the court. Niamh is propositioned by Lovelace, an anonymous gossip rag writer (again, reminiscent of Lady Whistledown) to help uncover the intentions of the Prince Regent and groom. Amidst the broiling pressures of an impending conflict between Machlish workers and the Crown, Niamh finds herself drawn to Prince Kit, despite her efforts to stay away. 

Saft crafts a bewitching novel that delivers on tropes romance readers crave: enemies to lovers, grumpy/sunshine, and forbidden love. Saft’s lyrical writing adds an additional layer of whimsy to this tale, that it’s difficult not to get swept away in this story of longing and intrigue. (Niamh’s final creation - the groom’s wedding cloak - and all of her intentions that were weaved into it had me misty-eyed!) The author also expertly intertwines themes of mental health, addiction, systemic oppression, and familial trauma, while never losing focus of the love story between Niamh and her prince.

“A Fragile Enchantment” is a must-read for Bridgerton fans and romance readers alike who are looking for a heart-felt, magical tale about love overruling duty.