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The Satisfaction Cafe

September 25, 2025

satisfaction

Joan is a Taiwanese woman in America in The Satisfaction Café. Her first marriage, through no fault of her own goes horribly wrong, leaving her destitute and living hand to mouth. She then meets and marries a wealthy, older man. They have their own children before he dies, leaving her very wealthy, but insecure, as the adult children from her husband’s first marriage vigorously ... Read More...

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Filed Under: Book Reviews, Fiction Tagged: book clubs, cultural

July Reading Wrap-Up

July 31, 2025

July

My surprise over the disappearance of July probably comes as no surprise as I seem to lament how quickly the months go on a regular basis now. It's a disconnect from the feeling that we’re years into this president’s term based on the chaos and toxicity. The only thing keeping my poor psyche from exploding is how beautiful July’s weather was—cool, cloudy mornings turning to ... Read More...

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Filed Under: Book Reviews, Feature Tagged: fantasy, mini-reviews, mystery, suspense, thriller

Call Her Freedom

July 24, 2025

call her

A small village in the Himalayan foothills is the setting for Tara Dorabji’s debut novel, Call Her Freedom. Aisha’s mother is a midwife and teaches Aisha all about childbirth and herbal remedies when Aisha is not in school. An outstanding student it’s been her mother’s dream to see her go to university in the city.  But when her mother falls ill the only way to save their ... Read More...

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Filed Under: Book Reviews, Fiction Tagged: cultural, family saga, historical, India, war

The Bright Years

April 29, 2025

bright years

Four generations of one Texas family unfold on the pages of Sarah Damoff’s intimate debut, The Bright Years. What begins with the simple act of falling in love turns into something deeper and more profound as secrets and addiction pull apart the loving trio of father Ryan, mother Lillian, and daughter Georgette (Jet), leaving each to manage the fallout. The novel is told in ... Read More...

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Filed Under: Book Reviews, Fiction Tagged: book clubs, family, literary

Heartwood

April 2, 2025

heartwood

  …the act of walking while carrying the weight of my pack had wrung all the sadness out of me, the sadness for myself and for the world, and that in that moment, I was totally without stress, confusion, or agitation, and that I was perfectly, blamelessly, whole. The trail transformed me. The Appalachian Trail is known as one of the greatest hiking experiences. For many ... Read More...

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Filed Under: Book Reviews, Fiction Tagged: book clubs, literary, suspense

March Reading Recap

March 31, 2025

march reading

Hello, fellow readers! I’m not sure I’ll get to say this again, but despite a completely miserable and toxic month in the news, my March reading was calmly solid. I only had one book I didn't finish, am fully immersed in a fabulous fantasy series, and read six books that were successful (3.5 stars or above).   I have a bit of an unusual situation with this book. ... Read More...

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Filed Under: Book Reviews, Feature Tagged: book clubs, mini-reviews, vacation reading

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