The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid. I’ve read Malibu Rising and Atmosphere by Reid, and while her writing is phenomenal and her characters complex, something about those books never quite worked for me—perhaps the plots. So I approached The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo with hesitation.

I nearly put it down early on because Monique never felt like she had much narrative drive; she seemed more an observer than a participant, carried along by Evelyn’s story. That never fully changed for me. While Monique is stronger by the end, her arc feels secondary, raising the question of whether she is truly the protagonist at all—or whether that role belongs to Evelyn. And if so, would Evelyn have been capable of change without wealth and fame?

Despite these reservations, I did enjoy the book in the end. Evelyn is undeniably fascinating—a woman who embodies strength, ambition, and fierce loyalty to those she loves, unburdened by many of the anxieties that so often constrain women. Would I want to be her? Absolutely not. But she is a character worth learning from. This novel convinced me to read Reid again.

Still Life, A Fatal Grace, The Cruelest Month — Louise Penny’s Chief Inspector Armand Gamache series. I’d never read them, despite having shelved them countless times at the library over the years. As a fan of Michael Connelly’s Harry Bosch, I finally decided to give Inspector Gamache a try. These books are beautiful. The language is beautiful. The art and poetry references are beautiful. The mysteries are properly convoluted and surprising, and the characters are interesting and complex. Ruth Zardo has to be my favorite.

My one small complaint is that I always have to wait too many chapters before Gamache arrives. And because my library didn’t have the fourth book, I had to request it from another library — and with the snow we’ve had recently, I’ve been forced to read other books while I wait. Such hardship.

Lula Dean’s Little Library of Banned Books by Kirsten Miller. Loved it. Funny and truthful. Nazis and Critical Race Theory, drag queens and cheerleaders, good ol’ boys and a movie star. It’s a satire that throws every stereotyped Southerner into the same story and somehow comes out the other side with something hopeful and humane.

Some of my favorite quotes: “When you have everything, the only luxury left is taking things away from others,” and “Stories are the most powerful things in this world. They can mend broken hearts, bring back good memories, and make people fall in love,” and “Gather as much knowledge as you can, because information is power. And choosing how to use it is freedom. The more you know, the freer you will be.”

I now have a new list of books to read from the banned titles referenced in the novel. I’ve read some of them—though maybe they deserve a refresh—and many I haven’t read at all. I was genuinely disappointed to discover that All Women Are Witches: Find Your Power and Put It to Use doesn’t actually exist. I wanted to read that one.

I’d also argue that most people banning books haven’t bothered to open them. During the 2024–2025 school year, PEN America recorded 6,870 instances of book bans across 23 states and 87 public school districts.

Our library—and I personally—stand against book banning. You can decide what your own children read (though rebels will defy you and read anyway), but you don’t get to decide what other children will read.

The Busybody Book Club by Freya Sampson. Any book that can logically bring up Star Wars, Shakespeare and Bridgerton has my vote for a great read. This was such a fun mystery! Great twists. Characters to hate and to love. Romance and book clubs. And a wardrobe I’m jealous of. 🙂

Murder Runs in the Family by Tamara Berry. Everyone was a suspect at one point or another and I had no idea how it was going to come together at the end, but it was a fun ride getting there.