What Kind of Paradise

 

Author: Janelle Brown

Publisher: Penguin Random House

Publication date: June 10, 2025

Thank you Random House and NetGalley for the e-arc! 

Jane and her father live in an isolated cabin in the middle of the Montana woods. Jane’s father is always worried that a shady government agency is coming to get them. He considers himself an anti technology truth-teller and “they” don’t want his voice heard. When her father is getting ready to go on one of his mysterious trips, Jane convinces him to take her too. He takes her to Seattle and what happens there turns Jane’s life upside down. She learns her entire existence has been a lie. 

I loved Jane! She smart and vulnerable. She goes from a quiet isolated life centered around her father to getting caught up in his horrific crime. She sets out for San Francisco to find her mother and find answers to who she really is. The story is set the mid 1990s just a the burgeoning internet is taking hold. It was a walk down memory lane with all the references to early internet life. Anyone besides me old enough to remember chat rooms?

It was interesting to watch as is Jane plunged into the world she had little to no experience with and how she grows. She has to learn how to navigate living in a big city, get a job, and make friends. 

This is an all round great mash up of mystery/thriller and historical fiction. The plot, pace, the characters, the settings are all top notch. Janelle Brown really knocked it out of the park with this book. What Kind of Paradise comes out June 10. Just go ahead and preorder it now because it’s a perfect beach read. My verdict: loved it 😍 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

#crimefiction #mysterybooks #thrillerbooks #bibliofile #reader #readinglife #alwaysreading #booksbooksbooks #bookish #bookrecomendation #bookworm 

#booklover #bookstagram #whatkindofparadise #janellebrown #penguinrandomhouse #historicalfiction 

About the Author 

Janelle Brown is the New York Times bestselling author of the novels I’ll Be You, Pretty Things, Watch Me Disappear, All We Ever Wanted Was Everything, and This Is Where We Live, with What Kind of Paradise coming in June 2025. Her books have been sold in two dozen countries around the world. Pretty Things - named a Best Book of 2020 by Amazon - is currently being adapted for television by Peacock and Fifth Season.

Her journalism and essays have appeared in The New York Times, Vogue, Elle, Wired, Self, RealSimple, The Los Angeles Times, and numerous other publications. Previously, she worked as a senior writer at Salon, and began her career as a staff writer at Wired during the dotcom boom years, working on seminal Web sites like HotWired and Wired News. In the 1990s, she was also the editor and co-founder of Maxi, an irreverent (and now, long-gone) women’s pop culture Webzine.

A native of San Francisco and graduate of UC Berkeley, she has since defected to Los Angeles, where she lives with her husband Greg and their two children.

The Talent

 

Author: Daniel D’Addario

Narrator: full cast

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio

Year: 2025

Thank you @simon.audio for the gifted audiobook. Appreciate it! 

The Talent follows a group of actresses through Hollywood’s awards season. They reflect on their careers. They gossip. They have secrets. They have imagined slights and conflicts with each other. They all want to win the golden statute.

The main characters are pretty much cliches. One is a grand dame of the industry. Another is an anxiety filled alcoholic. There’s a former child tv star breaking into movies and wanting to be taken seriously. There’s a British actress trying figure out life in L.A. Finally, there’s another older actress who has a reputation for being a little unconventional, especially with her choices of roles. 

I had high hopes for this debut novel. I think I expected too much. I thought this was going to be a juicy and gossipy behind-the-scenes beach read. It wasn’t. I found the main characters to be so bland and uninteresting that I really didn’t care about any of them. I had a hard time keeping track of who was who. The audiobook had a full cast narration which helped, but none of the characters really stood out. The ending of the book was abrupt. I should have been on the edge on my seat to see which actress would win. The ending just kind of fizzled out. I’m sure readers who love the red carpet and award shows will enjoy this one, but it just wasn’t for me. My verdict: 😐just ok. 

QOTD: What’s your favorite movie? 

I have a lot of favorites including Star Wars, The Martian, Saving Private Ryan, and Rear Window. 

#bibliofile #reader #readinglife #alwaysreading #booksbooksbooks #bookish #bookrecomendation #bookworm 

#booklover #bookstagram #audiobook #audiobookstagram #audiobookreview #audiobookrec 

About the Author

Daniel D’Addario is chief correspondent at Variety. He has won awards from the Los Angeles Press Club for profile writing and for political commentary and is among the moderators of Variety’s Actors on Actors video series. He was previously the television critic for Variety and for Time. A graduate of Columbia University, he lives with his husband and two daughters in Brooklyn.

I Might Be in Trouble

 

Author: Daniel Aleman

Narrator: Vikas Adam

Publisher: Grand Central Publishing 

Year: 2024

What would you do if you woke up one morning with a dead guy in bed next to you? 

David is a down on his luck author. His debut novel was a hit, but his second book was panned. He’s single, lonely, broke, and desperate. He needs a brilliant idea for his next book and he needs it fast. David hooks up with a sexy stranger he meets on a dating app. They hit it off and party the night away. David wakes up the next morning to find the guy dead next to him in bed. And David’s recollection of the night is fuzzy because he drank a lot. Instead of calling 911, he calls his agent Stacey. Her solution sounds easy- they’ll just put the dead guy back in his hotel room. It’ll look like the man passed in his sleep and no one will be the wiser. What could go wrong?

This is a dark and funny novel. Don’t except slapstick comedy like Weekend at Bernie’s. This is more satirical. But it also tackles loneliness, grief, the feeling of being an outsider within your own family, and the crushing weight of your dreams possible slipping away. David is a complex and interesting main character, but for me the star of the novel is his agent Stacey. Her quips had me laughing out loud and a lot of credit goes to narrator Vikas Adam for that. His performance is top notch. I really want a prequel about Stacey’s adventures in publishing. This book is going to end up on my top books of the year list. My verdict: loved it! 😍

Let’s play predictive text: If I found a dead body in my bed I’d____. 

If I found a dead body in my bed I’d hide it in the fridge. 🥶

#crimefiction #mysterybooks #thrillerbooks #bibliofile #reader #readinglife #alwaysreading #booksbooksbooks #bookish #bookrecomendation #bookworm 

#booklover #bookstagram #librarybook #lovemylibrary

#audiobook #audiobookstagram #audiobookreview #audiobookrec 

#danielaleman #vikasadam #grandcentralpublishing 

About the Author

Daniel Aleman was born and raised in Mexico City. A graduate of McGill University, he is passionate about books, coffee, and Mexican food. After spending time in Montreal and the New York City area, he now lives in Toronto, where he is on a never-ending search for the best tacos in the city.

Florida Palms

 

Author: Joe Pan

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Publication date: July 22, 2025

Thank you Simon & Schuster and Netgally for the e-arc. 

Set during the 2009 recession, Florida Palms is the story of three friends who get pulled into a drug running operation. 

Recent high school grads Eddy, Cueball, and Jesse are restless and directionless. Good jobs are scarce. Cueball’s dad is an ex-con biker who teams up with his former boss to put together an organization to manufacture & ship a new designer drug. Cueball and Eddy are recruited to deliver the drugs, while Jesse works on the manufacturing side. The drug operation is supposed to be a brotherhood, but the boys quickly find themselves surrounded by danger and violence. 

I liked the premise of this book, but the execution wasn’t for me. I thought it would be a lot grittier and more southern noir. Instead I found it too verbose with many of the characters pontificating for far too long. Every time that happened, it brought the story to a screeching halt for me. There were things about the book I did like especially Eddy and Cueball. There was action and intrigue as the bosses fought for control of the organization. But ultimately, this wasn’t a favorite. My verdict: just ok 😐

Florida Palms is out July 22. 

QOTD: what’s your go to reading spot? Mine is usually a recliner on the living room but when the weather’s warm, I like to read out on our deck. 

#crimefiction #mysterybooks #thrillerbooks #bibliofile #reader #readinglife #alwaysreading #booksbooksbooks #bookish #bookrecomendation #bookworm 

#booklover #bookstagram #netgalley 

About the Author

Joe Pan is the author of five poetry collections, his work has appeared in such publications as the Boston Review, Hyperallergic, the New York Times, the Philadelphia Review of Books, and Poets & Writers, and has been profiled in the New York Post, Publishers Weekly, the Rumpus, and the Wall Street Journal. Joe is the founding publisher and editor-in-chief of Brooklyn Arts Press, a small press honored with a National Book Award in Poetry, and is publisher of Augury Books, honored with a Lambda Literary Award in Lesbian Poetry. With his wife he co-founded Brooklyn Artists Helping (BAH), which serves unhoused populations with sleeping bags, backpacks, and goods. Florida Palms is his first novel. 

The Year of Living Constitutionally

 

Author: A.J. Jacobs

Narrator: A.J. Jacobs

Publisher: Penguin Random House Audio

Year: 2024

My book club’s choice this month is A.J. Jabcobs’ The Year of Living Constitutionally. He writes about his year long quest to follow the Constitution‘s original meaning. This is a fascinating, educational, and often humorous dive into one guy’s attempt to get into the mindset of the 18th century foundering fathers and how the document should be interpreted today. 

Some of his attempts to live as closely to the original meaning of the Constitution included asserting his right to free speech by writing his opinions on parchment paper with a quill & ink and then handing out them out to strangers on the street. He used beeswax candles at home in place of lights. He exercised his Article I right by writing to Congress to request a letter of marque to become a privateer (which is kind of a government sanctioned pirate). He bought a tricorn hat & joined a Revolutionary War reenactment group. He also consulted with scholars, lawyers, and historians about the Constitution and read a mountain of books and documents about the Constitution. He discusses the disagreements the founders had when writing it and their compromises. He looks at the question of how the Constitution should be interpreted today-as it was originally written or as a living document whose interpretation should change with the times. Thomas Jefferson thought the Constitution should be rewritten every few years. Jacobs also notes how difficult it is to change the Constitution. Jacobs breaks down the heady thoughts and 18th century language and makes it more accessible for today’s readers. Jacobs narrates the audiobook himself and he’s very funny. 

I think I learned more about the Constitution from this book than I learned in school. No matter what side of the aisle you sit on or if you’re just trying to make sense of current events in America, I highly recommend this book. It’s definitely thought provoking, fascinating, informative, and inspiring. 

#librarybook #lovemylibrary#audiobook #audiobookstagram #audiobookreview #audiobookrec #livingconstitionally #nonfiction  #theconstitution #yearoflivingconstitutionally #penguinrandomhouseaudio 

About the Author 

A.J. Jacobs is an author, journalist, lecturer and human guinea pig. He has written four New York Times bestsellers that combine memoir, science, humor and a dash of self-help. Among his books are The Know-It-All, The Year of Living Biblically, and Thanks a Thousand, in which he travels the globe to thank everyone who had even the slightest role in making his morning cup of coffee. He is a contributor to NPR, The New York Times, and Esquire, among others. He has given several TED talks, including ones about living biblically, creating a one-world family, and living healthily that have amassed over 10 million views.

Tell Me What You Did

 

Author: Carter Wilson

Publisher: Poisoned Pen Press

Year: 2025

Poe Webb hosts a popular true crime podcast where the guests anonymously confess crimes they’ve committed. When a creepy and somewhat familiar man appears on her show, Poe’s world is turned upside down. The man claims to have murdered her mother years ago because he knows something about the murder that only Poe knows. It can’t be true because Poe killed the man who murdered her mother. Didn’t she? 

Tell Me What You Did by Carter Wilson is dark, twisty, and suspenseful. It sucked me right in. I really liked the premise of Poe’s podcast. I thought it was a different take from the usual trope of “true crime podcaster solves cold case.” The story also has a shifting timeline that adds to the suspense. The pace steadily builds the tension as the creepy guy turns the table on Poe and makes her confess. This is a book you’ll binge because you just can’t put it down. My verdict: 😍 loved it! 

QOTD: any plans for this weekend?

I’m going to a free matinee at our local movie theater of Detour, a film noir classic from 1945. 

#crimefiction #mysterybooks #thrillerbooks #bibliofile #reader #readinglife #alwaysreading #booksbooksbooks #bookish #bookrecomendation #bookworm 

#booklover #bookstagram #librarybook #lovemylibrary #tellmewhatyoudid #carterwilson #poisonedpenpress #suspensebooks 

About the Author

Carter Wilson is the Publishers Weekly and USA Today bestselling author of ten award-winning psychological thrillers. His works have earned starred reviews from all major trade publications, have been optioned for television and film, and his 2025 release Tell Me What You Did was selected by Barnes & Noble as a national monthly pick. Carter is also the host of the Making It Up podcast and founder of the Unbound Writer company, which provides coaching services, writing retreats, and online classes. 

The Medusa Protocol

 

Author: Rob Hart

Publisher: Penguin Random House

Publication date: June 24, 2025

The erstwhile assassins from Assassins Anonymous are back for another adventure and trying not to kill anyone. In The Medusa Protocol, Astrid stops showing up to the group’s support meetings. Turns out, Astrid has been kidnapped and is being held in a prison on a remote island. Mark, Astrid’s sponsor and formerly the world’s deadliest killer, mounts a rescue operation. But can they succeed without killing anyone? 

Author Rob Hart once again delivers a fast paced, action filled, and humorous thriller. This time around, we learn more about Astrid’s background along with the why and how she became an assassin. This can be read as a stand alone book, but I think reading this series in order is a better option if possible. There’s enough information in this one to get the gist of the first book, but the added context of knowing the plot of the previous book would definitely provide better understanding. This is a fun and entertaining read. I’m already looking to the next installment. My verdict: 👍🏻 really liked it! 

The Medusa Protocol publishes June 24 so preorder it or add it to your wishlist now. Thank you Penguin Random House and NetGalley for the e-arc! 

QOTD: predictive text time: The medusa protocol is_____

The medusa protocol is a very powerful tool for making sure you have a good time. 

#crimefiction #mysterybooks #thrillerbooks #bibliofile #reader #readinglife #alwaysreading #booksbooksbooks #bookish #bookrecomendation #bookworm 

#booklover #bookstagram #themedusaprotocol #robhart #netgalley #penguinrandomhouse

About the Author

Rob Hart is the author of Assassins Anonymous, The Paradox Hotel, The Warehouse, and the Ash McKenna crime series, and the co-author of Scott Free with James Patterson. He’s worked as a book publisher, a reporter, a political communications director, and a commissioner for the city of New York.