One Death at a Time

By: Abbi Waxman
Published Year: 2025
Publisher: Berkley
Pages: 400

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I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This in no way shape or form influenced my opinion of this novel.

Summary (Provided by Goodreads): When Julia Mann, a bad-tempered ex-actress and professional thorn in the side of authority, runs into Natasha Mason at an AA meeting, it’s anything but a meet-cute. Julia just found a dead body in her swimming pool, and the cops say she did it (she already went to jail for murder once, so now they think she’s making a habit of it). Mason is eager to clear Julia’s name and help keep her sober, but all Julia wants is for Mason to leave her alone.

As their investigation ranges from the Hollywood Hills to the world of burlesque to the country clubs of Palm Springs, this unconventional team realizes their shared love of sarcasm and poor life choices are proving to be a powerful combination. Will secrets from their past trip them up, or will their team of showgirls, cat burglars, and Hollywood agents help them stay one step ahead? Are dead piranhas, false noses, and a giant martini glass important clues or simply your typical day in Los Angeles? And will they manage to solve the crime before they kill each other, or worse, fall off the wagon? Trying to keep it simple and take it easy is one thing—trying to find a murderer before they kill again is a whole other program.

First Impressions

The cover looked like a cute cozy mystery. I also have read a lot of Waxman’s previous books, but they were more along the contemporary fictional lines. I was intrigued that she was testing out a mystery. I do love the cover and think I would’ve picked it up when I was wandering the library or a bookstore.

What I thought

Wow. There was way too much going on in this book.

Natasha Mason, who goes just by Mason, meets Julia Mann, a famous retired actress, at an AA meeting. Julia is court ordered to be there whereas Mason has been going for 3 years. When Mason becomes Julia’s interim sponsor, Julia sucks her into the case of finding out who murdered her old director turned nemesis Tony. Julia is currently the one suspected of the murder since it happened at her house.

I thought this was going to be a cute buddy comedy murder mystery but it just didn’t connect. I never really liked Mason or Julia. I wanted to so badly. Mason felt very flat to me, just repeating lines from AA books. I didn’t fully understand her sobriety journey or what it had to do with the story other than being a way for her to connect to Julia. And I was so annoyed when she would just randomly look at Julia and be like “you need to go to a meeting.” Why? What is Julia getting out of these meetings? Or even what is Mason getting out of these meetings?

Julia I did like a little bit more. She came of as brusque at first, but the more you learned about her the more it made sense. She collected a band of misfits around her which made her more likable, but the jump from Mason being her sponsor to being her right hand gal was a bit quick for me.

I also found that not only were there too many side characters for me to keep straight, but there were too many mysteries. Besides the main murder, there were at least 2 other murders in present day added to one that had happened in the past. Keeping everything straight was way too hard. At one point in the final quarter of the book, one of the characters even makes a Power Point to explain everything they know and how everything is connected. It felt like a way to remind the reader and help them get back into the story and mystery but I was even more confused. I ended up skimming the last 25% of the book because I just wanted to know who the murderer was.

The disappointing part what that the murderer was obvious. The motive was a bit convoluted and I felt like when Waxman was trying to tie everything back together she was making things up as she went. Honestly, I enjoyed the first half of the book. I thought maybe it was the type of series where they had to lay a lot of ground work and I would look forward to them solving more mysteries together in the future. Unfortunately, in the end I didn’t care about anyone.

This book is fine. If you like complex mysteries with a lot going on, you’ll enjoy it. Given that this is Waxman’s first mystery, I would be willing to give another book by her in the genre a chance. I don’t think I would read a second book with these characters though. They just weren’t my cup of tea.

Book Club April 2025- Marrying the Ketchups

By: Jennifer Close
Published Year: 2022
Publisher: Knopff
Pages: 320

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Summary (Provided by Goodreads): Here are the three things the Sullivan family knows to be true: the Chicago Cubs will always be the underdogs; historical progress is inevitable; and their grandfather, Bud, founder of JP Sullivan's, will always make the best burgers in Oak Park. But when, over the course of three strange months, the Cubs win the World Series, Trump is elected president, and Bud drops dead, suddenly everyone in the family finds themselves doubting all they hold dear.

Take Gretchen for example, lead singer for a '90s cover band who has been flirting with fame for a decade but is beginning to wonder if she's too old to be chasing a childish dream. Or Jane, Gretchen's older sister, who is starting to suspect that her fitness-obsessed husband who hides the screen of his phone isn't always "working late." And then there's Teddy, their steadfast, unfailingly good cousin, nursing heartbreak and confusion because the guy who dumped him keeps showing up for lunch at JP Sullivan's where Teddy is the manager. How can any of them be expected to make the right decisions when the world feels sideways--and the bartender at JP Sullivan's makes such strong cocktails?

What I thought

This book stressed me out.

Marrying the Ketchups follows the Sullivan family. They are restaurant owners in Chicago and the story takes place in 2016-2017. It starts right as the Cubs are winning the World Series and into Trump winning his first term as President. The story is told mostly through three points of view, Teddy, Gretchen, and Jane, the three 30 somethings in the Sullivan family. Jane is dealing with the fallout of her marriage, Gretchen just moved back from New York City, and Teddy is struggling to find his place within Sullivan’s.

I think if I had read this book before Trump was re-elected I might’ve felt slightly different about it. Right now, this book was too close to reality. It put me back into that initial space of negativity after the election but at that point there was still some slight hope that things wouldn’t be as bad as they actually were. As a Chicagoan, I did love the references to the city and the World Series. I very much remembered all of the feels during that time and the hope and joy everyone felt.

Besides the timeline being a little bit of a struggle, I also found none of these characters to be likable. This family is dysfunctional with a capital D. The older Sullivan’s are stuck in their ways while the middle Sullivan’s come off as entitled with no real motivation or drive. Gretchen was maybe the most tolerable for me until the final quarter. She definitely has a bit of Peter Pan syndrome and, even though she was 34, acted like she was 18.

The writing is well done and I did enjoy how the story wove so many generations together. However, by the time I got to the final 20 pages or so I was ready to be done. I didn’t quite know where this was ending up and what the point of some of the storylines were. I think if you like reading about drama and dysfunctional families, this is a good choice for you. You also need to be ok being brought back to 2016/early 2017 as it does touch a lot on politics and the tough state of the world at that time.

What Book Club Thought

Seems like we all were on the same page. We enjoyed it and felt it was an easy read but hated pretty much everyone. I do think my memory of the book is a little more positive than my initial impression. We did have a lot of discussion about the characters and how our feelings changed about them as the story continued. It was a fun book to talk about and I am glad it’s one I read with book club. While I may not run around recommending this book, if you are a Chicagoan looking for a book club choice, I would recommend picking this one up. Just maybe wait 4 more years.

Swept Away

By: Beth O’Leary
Published Year: 2025
Publisher: Berkley
Pages: 384

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I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This in no way shape or form influenced my opinion of this novel.

Summary (Provided by Goodreads): Two strangers find themselves stranded at sea together in this epic new love story by bestselling author Beth O’Leary.

What if you were lost at sea…with your one-night stand?

Zeke and Lexi thought it would just be a night of fun. They had no intentions of seeing each other again. Zeke is only in town for the weekend to buy back his late father’s houseboat. Lexi has no time for dating when she needs to help take care of her best friend's daughter.

Going back home with a stranger seems like a perfect escape from their problems. But a miscommunication in the dark, foggy night means no one tied the houseboat to the dock. The next morning, Zeke and Lexi realize all they can see is miles and miles of water.

With just a few provisions on the idle boat, Zeke and Lexi must figure out how to get back home. But aside from their survival, they’re facing another challenge. Because when you’re stuck together for days on end, it gives you a lot of time to get to know someone—and to fall in love with them.

First Impressions

If you’ve read my blog at all, you know that O’Leary is one of my auto-read authors. I read her debut, The Flatshare, in 2019 and loved it. Since then I have read every new book that has come out. I also love the colors on this cover so I absolutely would have picked it up even without being a fan.

What I thought

Loved. Did not disappoint.

Zeke and Lexi decide to have one night of fun. They head back to Zeke’s houseboat for a one night stand but the boat floats out to sea and they end up stuck on the houseboat in the middle of the ocean waiting to be rescued.

One of my favorite things about O’Leary’s stories is that there is always more to them than what you originally see. This books comes off like a silly forced proximity romance, but the characters have such depth and grow throughout their survival. There is also the expected O’Leary twist that hits you in the heart. I was a little disappointed in myself for not calling it sooner.

Zeke is like this perfect man. Well, not in your stereotypical pulled together suave man, but in an emotionally self-aware and willing to change kind of way. He definitely has his flaws but he is so willing to look at them head on and make changes. It was extremely attractive. Lexi is a little rougher around the edges. She’s a bit more damaged and struggles to make growth as easily as Zeke does. I guess my only issue with this book is that I wish there had been a little more exploration into Lexi’s background and issues. Zeke’s were more fleshed out which maybe is why it made his growth feel a little more genuine.

I was so surprised that I enjoyed a book stuck on a houseboat for almost its entirety. I kept expecting to get bored but O’Leary kept it exciting without making it feel unrealistic. It also had an element of a slow burn, even though it takes place over about two weeks. I just truly cannot think of what I’d want more out of this book.

This was a knock out of the park for me. I loved Zeke and Lexi, which is important since the whole book is just the two of them. This might be one of my favorite of her books. It was so unique from many romance centered books I’ve read and I devoured it in 2 days. I still think The Flatshare is the place to start with her novels, but if that one doesn’t strike your fancy you should definitely pick this one up.

The Favorites

By: Layne Fargo
Published Year: 2025
Publisher: Random House
Pages: 448

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Summary (Provided by Goodreads): To the world, they were a scandal. To each other, an obsession.

An epic love story set in the sparkling, savage sphere of elite figure skating about a woman determined to carve her own path on and off the ice

She might not have a famous name, funding, or her family’s support, but Katarina Shaw has always known that she was destined to become an Olympic skater. When she meets Heath Rocha, a lonely kid stuck in the foster care system, their instant connection makes them a formidable duo on the ice. Clinging to skating—and each other—to escape their turbulent lives, Kat and Heath go from childhood sweethearts to champion ice dancers, captivating the world with their scorching chemistry, rebellious style, and rollercoaster relationship. Until a shocking incident at the Olympic Games brings their partnership to a sudden end.

As the ten-year anniversary of their final skate approaches, an unauthorized documentary reignites the public obsession with Shaw and Rocha, claiming to uncover the "real story" through interviews with their closest friends and fiercest rivals. Kat wants nothing to do with the documentary. But she can't stand the thought of someone else defining her legacy either. So, after a decade of silence, she's telling her story: from the childhood tragedies that created her all-consuming bond with Heath to the clash of desires that tore them apart. Sensational rumors have haunted their every step for years, but the truth may be even more shocking than the headlines.

Inspired by the powerful love and hate that fuel Emily Bronte’s classic, Wuthering Heights, The Favorites is an exhilarating dance between passion, ambition, and what it truly means to win.

First Impressions

This book was advertised as Daisy Jones & The Six meets figure skating so I was immediately in. Add the beautiful cover and this book jumped to the top of my list so fast. This might be one of the strongest first impressions a book has made in a long time.

What I thought

This might end up being my favorite book of the year.

Kat Shaw has wanted to be an Olympic ice dancer her entire life. When she and her skating partner/boyfriend get accepted to a camp being held by the best US ice dancer female skater, they feel like it’s going to be their first step towards greatness. But scandal and drama erupt behind the scenes.

The story is told in alternating chapters. The first perspective is Katerina and the second is told as documentary interviews with multiple people’s points of views. I listened to this on audiobook and it was told with a full cast of narrators. I would absolutely recommend listening to this because it’s one of the best audiobooks I’ve listened to, but I’m sure it would be just as good as a physical book.

This is also apparently a retelling of Wuthering Heights. I don’t remember much about Wuthering Heights other than it was a bit nuts, I didn’t like it, and I thought Heathcliff was the worst. After reading this book, I do still think Heath is the worst. I got so frustrated with him in this story, but I didn’t dislike him as much as in the original. He did have some redeeming qualities in the end in this version.

I am a big ice skating fan, so I know there is a lot of drama within the sport. I loved how this story played into that. Johnny Weir, an American male figure skater, voiced one of the skaters in the story. He ends up having a skating gossip blog and he played it so well. I felt like it could’ve easily been real life behind the scenes of the figure skating world.

If you’ve read my blog for a while, you know it’s rare that I can’t predict where a book is going. This story took so many twists and turns I truly had no idea. They would end up at a competition or a certain plot point and I would look down and see I still had like 5 hours left in the book when I thought that’s where the story was going to end. It was so fun to be on this wild ride.

Truly unlike any book I’ve ever read/listened to. I loved all of the characters and didn’t know where this was going next. If you love drama I would highly recommend this book, even if you’re not a figure skating fan. I have already recommended this book to a bunch of people. If you love audiobooks, I recommend checking it out on that but otherwise I’m sure it’s just as good as a physical read.

A Map to Paradise

By: Susan Meissner
Published Year: 2025
Publisher: Berkley
Pages: 352

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I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This in no way shape or form influenced my opinion of this novel.

Summary (Provided by Goodreads): 1956, Malibu, Something is not right on Paradise Circle.

With her name on the Hollywood blacklist and her life on hold, starlet Melanie Cole has little choice in company. There is her next-door neighbor, Elwood, but the screenwriter’s agoraphobia allows for just short chats through open windows. He’s her sole confidante, though, as she and her housekeeper, Eva, an immigrant from war-torn Europe, rarely make conversation.

Then one early morning Melanie and Eva spot Elwood’s sister-in-law and caretaker, June, digging in his beloved rose garden. After that they don’t see Elwood at all anymore. Where could a man who never leaves the house possibly have gone?

As they try to find out if something has happened to him, unexpected secrets are revealed among all three women, leading to an alliance that seems the only way for any of them to hold on to what they can still call their own. But it’s a fragile pact and one little spark could send it all up in smoke…

First Impressions

Meissner has written some really lovely historical fiction. I’ve enjoyed a lot of her stories in the past and love how she writes strong female characters. I was intrigued to read a story about an actress in the 50s. I also loved the cover!

What I thought

This book was not quite what I expected. I thought it was going to be more of a story about the communists and how it influenced Hollywood and instead it ended up being more of a mystery.

Melanie has been blacklisted because her costar was named as a communist sympathizer. As a result, no one in Hollywood will hire her. Carson, her costar, has put her up in a house in Malibu since she’s the reason she can’t get work. Her next door neighbor, Elwood, is a reclusive screenwriter. When Melanie doesn’t hear from him or see him for a few days, she starts to get concerned and sends her maid over to the house to work for Elwood’s sister-in-law to see what is really happening.

I liked the first half of the book more than I liked the second half. The first half talked about Eva, the housekeeper, and what she dealt with as someone who was living in Russian during World War 2 and was now living in America claiming she is Polish. It also discussed Melanie dealing with the reality of being an assumed communist and how it took over her life. Once the story started centering more around June, Elwood’s sister-in-law, and how she had been in love with Elwood and taken care of him, I was less invested.

I found June and her story about being in love with Elwood to be irritating. I also found how she dealt with Elwood to be frustrating. Melanie was the only one in this story who spoke any kind of sense. Eva became invested in June so quickly and projected so much of her trauma on June.

While I was curious about the mystery of whether Elwood was still in the house and if not, where was he, the way it played out was not my favorite. I sided with Melanie a lot more with some of the decisions as opposed to June and found it difficult to be cheering for June in any way.

This book straddled a weird genre of mystery and historical fiction. As a result, it didn’t feel like it filled either of them enough. The mystery was predictable and the historical portion wasn’t in depth enough for what I wanted. I enjoyed some of the characters and the time of the story, but overall this one just wasn’t for me. Meissner’s writing was still well done and enjoyable so I look forward to her next novel.

Code Word Romance

By: Carlie Walker
Published Year: 2025
Publisher: Berkley
Pages: 320

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I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This in no way shape or form influenced my opinion of this novel.

Summary (Provided by Goodreads): Two exes. One mission. A trip she'll never forget...

Max is just your average girl. She works odd jobs, has a soul-crushing amount of debt and just happens to have an uncanny resemblance to Europe's youngest female prime minister, Sofia Christensen . . .

So when the prime minister receives a credible death threat, the CIA approaches Max with a a life-changing amount of money if she pretends to be Sofia on the prime minister's annual Italian trip.

It would be a dream if it weren't for those pesky assassins and Flynn, Max's ridiculously hot handler - the man who broke her heart years and years ago.

With her life now on the line, Max knows she has no choice but to lose herself in the role. But losing her heart to Flynn again? Now that's a risk that she isn't willing to take . . .

First Impressions

The cover is a little meh to me. I don’t love the style of the art but it’s not terrible. I was more intrigued by the title and then the summary to be honest. I love a good twin swap.

What I thought

This book was really cute and kind of gave me vibes of Chasing Liberty/First Daughter vibes.

Max is recruited by the CIA to be a body double or a Prime Minister in a small island called Summerland. They happen to look exactly alike, and the Prime Minister, Sofia, is currently the target of an assassination. When Max accepts the job and shows up to Italy, it turns out that her handler is her ex and first love, Flynn. Now she has to not only avoid being killed, but see her ex for the first time in over 10 years.

Honestly, my favorite part of this novel was the action movie style with Sofia and Max and Flynn. I love the assassination attempts and trying to figure out who was after Sofia and why. I was a little let down by who ended up being behind the attempts as well as how it was figured out. But up until that point I really liked it.

I also did like the chemistry between Max and Flynn. It was interesting to see that they immediately picked up with their feelings from where they had left off, but I guess if you loved someone and never got closure those feelings could still be pretty close to the surface. I didn’t love the reveal for why their relationship ended in the first place. To be fair, I don’t love second chance romances so as far as that goes, the reason was fine. I didn’t feel like they had split due to reasons that were going to ruin a second chance. I was just a little disappointed because it was more of a “Really?” moment.

Max is an interesting character because she’s simultaneously a mess and really together. She knows what she wants but doesn’t quite know how to get it. I did enjoy her roommate because he was a bit silly. But at times that silliness went a little too far. At one point, he slips out of the CIA’s hands and ends up just exploring Rome and I don’t understand how the CIA could be that incapable.

Overall, the story was super cute. I was sucked in pretty quickly and wanted to know that Max, Sofia, and Flynn were going to be ok. There just were some parts that I felt could’ve been fleshed out a little more. I think if you enjoy early 2000’s bait and switch action comedies, you’ll enjoy this one. I just wanted a little more.

Book Club March 2025- The Song of Achilles

By: Madeline Miller
Published Year: 2011
Publisher: Ecco
Pages: 408

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Summary (Provided by Goodreads): Achilles, "the best of all the Greeks," son of the cruel sea goddess Thetis and the legendary king Peleus, is strong, swift, and beautiful, irresistible to all who meet him. Patroclus is an awkward young prince, exiled from his homeland after an act of shocking violence. Brought together by chance, they forge an inseparable bond, despite risking the gods' wrath.

They are trained by the centaur Chiron in the arts of war and medicine, but when word comes that Helen of Sparta has been kidnapped, all the heroes of Greece are called upon to lay siege to Troy in her name. Seduced by the promise of a glorious destiny, Achilles joins their cause, and torn between love and fear for his friend, Patroclus follows. Little do they know that the cruel Fates will test them both as never before and demand a terrible sacrifice.

What I thought

I have seen this book floating around the internet for at least a few years. People rave about it. It has a solid rating over 4 stars on Goodreads. I do enjoy the cover, but every time I read the summary I felt kind of meh. When Meghan picked it for book club, I was excited to finally see what everyone was raving about.

This book follows Achilles and his companion Patroclus from childhood through the Trojan war. I love Greek mythology, but I didn’t know anything about the Trojan war other than the name Helen of Troy and the Trojan Horse. I also know nothing about Achilles other than Achilles Heel/Tendon. I didn’t fully realize this book was a kind of retelling of the Iliad either. I am much more familiar with The Odyssey, so a lot of this story was new to me.

I’ll start with what I loved. I loved learning about the Greek mythology and the history of this war. I had no idea it was over 9 years long! I also didn’t know much about Achilles and how he became a hero, so I enjoyed that part as well.

What I didn’t love was Achilles which is unfortunate. I found him to be self-centered and naïve. I understand he doesn’t want to die, but he ruins so many other people’s lives because of it. I also felt like he didn’t listen to Partoclus at all and took advantage of him multiple times. Patroclus also drove me nuts, though he did grow on my in the second half. When he was a kid he irritated me. I thought I was going to vomit if I had to read about Achille’s “beautiful pink feet” one more time. But once they were in  the war and adults, I enjoyed it more.

I wanted to like this so much more than I did. I found it to be a little slow and I didn’t really like anyone in this story. I don’t know if that’s how I would’ve felt reading the Iliad or what, but it was not my favorite. I didn’t dislike it by any means, but I don’t feel like it’s one I’d recommend. I’m curious about the author’s other book, Circe, and whether that one would resonate with me more.

I’m super curious to hear what book club thinks. We have a good split of Greek Mythology lovers and those who aren’t into it.

What Book Club Thought

Meghan, who picked the book, ended up liking it the most out of the rest of us. One of our book club members said she felt it was really well researched and well done, but something about it just didn’t connect for her. Another member was on the same page as me. She liked the story but found the writing to be lacking. I struggled the most with the characters. I don’t do well when a book has unlikable characters. Overall, most of us gave it a 3/5 stars. I think it was a good book to discuss because we had a lot of feelings. I would recommend this book if you’re a fan of the Iliad and would recommend it as a book club pick. I am curious about her other book and may check it out in the future.

Know My Name

By: Chanel Miller
Published Year: 2019
Pages: 384
Publisher: Viking

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Summary (Provided by Goodreads): She was known to the world as Emily Doe when she stunned millions with a letter. Brock Turner had been sentenced to just six months in county jail after he was found sexually assaulting her on Stanford’s campus. Her victim impact statement was posted on BuzzFeed, where it instantly went viral–viewed by eleven million people within four days, it was translated globally and read on the floor of Congress; it inspired changes in California law and the recall of the judge in the case. Thousands wrote to say that she had given them the courage to share their own experiences of assault for the first time.

Now she reclaims her identity to tell her story of trauma, transcendence, and the power of words. It was the perfect case, in many ways–there were eyewitnesses, Turner ran away, physical evidence was immediately secured. But her struggles with isolation and shame during the aftermath and the trial reveal the oppression victims face in even the best-case scenarios. Her story illuminates a culture biased to protect perpetrators, indicts a criminal justice system designed to fail the most vulnerable, and, ultimately, shines with the courage required to move through suffering and live a full and beautiful life.

Know My Name will forever transform the way we think about sexual assault, challenging our beliefs about what is acceptable and speaking truth to the tumultuous reality of healing. It also introduces readers to an extraordinary writer, one whose words have already changed our world. Entwining pain, resilience, and humor, this memoir will stand as a modern classic.

First Impressions

Honestly, the cover of this book didn’t do much for me. I saw it on a few lists and felt meh. What ended up drawing me to it was hearing multiple people rave about it and saying it was one of the best memoirs they had ever read. So, not the best first impressions, but a good second impression.

What I thought

Holy cow were people right.

Chanel Miller was the victim of rape in 2015 on Stanford University’s campus. It was the case that took the world by storm. Everyone knew Brock Turner’s name but no one knew Chanel’s. His case had such lasting ramifications and ow Chanel has decided to reclaim her story and tell it all.

I listened to this on audiobook because I wanted to hear her story through her voice. I’m sure it is just as powerful as a physical book, but man did the audiobook hit me. I remember this case so clearly. I was not in college at the time, but was well aware of the turmoil and the lax punishment he received as well as the backlash that followed. This all occurred during the height of the Me Too movement.

This book though shows so much more about what Chanel went through. She starts with the night of her rape and you follow her story through multiple trials. I had no idea that her trial lasted over a year and then she had to wait months after that for his punishment. This book infuriated me on her behalf. I wanted to call for Brock’s defense attorney to be disbarred as well as the judge recalled.

This is easily the kind of book to radicalize people and start a movement. Our so called justice system for victims of sexual assault is appalling. It opened my eyes in so many ways and I feel I need to find a way to support the cause. Also hearing even more about how Brock didn’t take any responsibility for his actions infuriates me. I also was disappointed in Stanford and the lack of action they took on the case. Even hearing how they tried to “rectify” the situation afterwards was disappointing.

This book is not an easy one to read but it is a necessary one. It can be graphic at times but man do I want it to be required reading for all high schoolers. The part that breaks my heart is that the people who need to hear this story most probably won’t read it. But hopefully enough of us can that we can pass along Chanel’s story and fight for the rights of sexual assault victims and believe their truths.