North of Tomboy

 

Author: Julie K. Swanson 

Publisher: SparkPress

Publication date: Sept. 2, 2025

Happy Friday Book pals! Thank you Booksparks and author Julie Swason for the gifted #fallpopup book North of Tomboy which is out this Tuesday, Sept. 2. 

Set in the 1970s, this middle grade novel is the story of 4th grader Jess who’s more comfortable in jeans than dresses and who’d rather play baseball with the boys than play dolls with the girls. When Jess gets yet another baby doll for Christmas, she turns it into the boy she wants to be. Jess names him Mickey and he becomes her alter ego. Here’s the full summary from the publisher: 

Shy fourth grader Jess Jezowski turns the tables on her mom when she’s given yet another girly baby doll for Christmas. This time, instead of ignoring or destroying it, she transforms it into the boy she’s always wanted to be—a brave, funny little guy named Mickey. Making him talk, Jess finally lets the boy in her express himself.

But when Mickey evolves to become something more like an alter ego whose voice drowns out her own and the secret of him escapes the safety of her family, Jess realizes Mickey’s too limited and doesn’t allow the boy part of her a big enough presence in the world. She must find a way to blend him into her—so she can be that side of herself anywhere, around anyone.

Jess tries to wean herself from the crutch of Mickey’s loud, comical persona, and to get her family to forget about him, but she struggles to do both. What will it take for her to stop hiding behind Mickey and get people to see her for who she truly is? Based on the author’s experience growing up on Michigan’s rural Leelanau Peninsula in the ’70s, North of Tomboy includes artwork throughout.

This is an emotional story of how Jess learns to express herself and allow the boy part of herself out into the world. This book really hit home for me because I grew up during the time period of the book and I was a tomboy. I could really relate to Jess wanting to wear pants to school instead of a dress or a skirt and I loved playing and watching sports. 

At first Jess uses Mickey as a stand in to voice her opinions and argue her case for wanting short hair or to not wear a dress. But she eventually realizes that she can’t hide behind Mickey forever. She learns to stand up for herself and to be able to show others who she truly is. After all,  isn’t that what we all want? To be seen for who we are. 

Any exciting plans for the weekend? We’re playing golf with friends this afternoon and then we’ll be watching college football tomorrow. 

About the Author

Julie A. Swanson grew up on Michigan’s Leelanau Peninsula, the setting for this story. As a kid, she enjoyed exploring the great outdoors, building forts, playing pretend games, writing and illustrating poems and stories, woodworking, sports, art, and reading . . . but she could never find books about anyone who was as uncomfortable being a girl as she was, who loved a sport to the extent she did, or who had a Polish last name like hers (Polakowski). So she decided she would one day write those books. Now an author of middle grade and young adult novels, Julie lives in Virginia.

Angel Down

 

Author: Daniel Kraus

Narrator: Kirby Heyborne

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio

Year: 2025

Happy Friday book pals! Thank you so much Simon Audio for the #gifted audiobook of Angel Down by Daniel Kraus! I appreciate it! 

I guarantee this is a truly unique reading experience. This is a genre mashup of WWI historical fiction, literary fiction, moral conflict, survival, and the supernatural. The description of the trench warfare is visceral and you’ll understand why WWI was called the war to end all wars. The narrative is one long stream of consciousness run-on sentence from Private Cyrus Bagger. A con man turned soldier who doesn’t want to be a hero and just wants to survive the war. He is a complex, marvelous and unforgettable character. Bagger and a few other soldiers are sent into No Man’s Land to take care of what they believe to be a fallen soldier. What they find is an angel. Here’s the summary from the publisher: 

Private Cyril Bagger has managed to survive the unspeakable horrors of the Great War through his wits and deception, swindling fellow soldiers at every opportunity. But his survival instincts are put to the ultimate test when he and four other grunts are given a deadly mission: venture into the perilous No Man’s Land to euthanize a wounded comrade.

What they find amid the ruined battlefield, however, is not a man in need of mercy but a fallen angel, seemingly struck down by artillery fire. This celestial being may hold the key to ending the brutal conflict, but only if the soldiers can suppress their individual desires and work together. As jealousy, greed, and paranoia take hold, the group is torn apart by their inner demons, threatening to turn their angelic encounter into a descent into hell.

The concept, the wiring, and the characters are all exceptional. Kirby Heyborne’s narration is outstanding. Bagger experiences the horrors of war and then the wonder of the angel. He goes through so many emotions throughout the book and Hayborne brings it all to life. 

Krause’s masterful storytelling will horrify you, fill you with wonder, make you think, and totally captivate you. This is a must read. 

I’m finally home after being away for three weeks. I have a lot of catching up to do this weekend. What are you up to this weekend? 

About the Author

Daniel Kraus is a New York Times bestselling writer of novels, TV, and film. His novel Whalefall received a front-cover review in The New York Times Book Review, won the Alex Award, was an LA Times Book Prize Finalist, and was a Best Book of 2023 from NPR, The New York Times, Chicago Tribune, and more. With Guillermo del Toro, he coauthored The Shape of Water, based on the same idea the two created for the Oscar–winning film. Also with del Toro, Kraus coauthored Trollhunters, which was adapted into the Emmy-winning Netflix series. His also cowrote The Living Dead and Pay the Piperwith legendary filmmaker George A. Romero. Kraus’s The Death and Life of Zebulon Finch was named one of Entertainment Weekly’s Top 10 Books of the Year. Kraus has won the Bram Stoker Award, Scribe Award, two Odyssey Awards (for both Rotters and Scowler), and has appeared multiple times as Library Guild selections, YALSA Best Fiction for Young Adults, and more. His work has been translated into over twenty languages.

Beneath the Sicilian Stars

 

Author: Lindsay Marie Morris

Publisher: Storm Books

Year: 2025

Thank you Lindsay Marie Morris,  Storm Books and Novel Tours for including me on this book tour for Under the Sicilian Stars! The book is available now. 

The book flows an Italian family divided by WWII. One branch of the family is in America. The other branch  is in Italy. Both families encounter devastating consequences of the war. Here’s the summary from the publisher: 

1941, Pittsburg, California. Sixteen-year-old Annalisa Aiello huddles around the radio with her family when a special announcement shatters her world: Pearl Harbor has been bombed – where her brother is stationed on the USS Arizona. After the United States declares war, Annalisa watches in horror as her father, a Sicilian fisherman, is arrested as an "enemy alien". Grappling with grief and harsh wartime restrictions, Annalisa is forced to undertake an unexpected journey across the country to find her father and uncover the sacrifices of the past.

Meanwhile, in war-torn Sicily, her cousin Alberto navigates bombing raids as ancient fishing traditions crumble around him. But the forces tearing this family apart began decades earlier with a desperate choice made on a Sicilian shore – a secret pact sealed beneath the stars that promised a brighter future across the sea.

As Annalisa searches for her father and Alberto seeks his place in a changing world, they both discover that even in the darkest times, hope for a better future can endure.

This story pulled me right in and I flew through it! There’s family drama, the hardship and devastation of the war, determination, and love. This is an atmospheric and well researched historical fiction novel. It definitely tugged at my heartstrings. The story unfolds through alternating chapters set in the U.S. and Italy and has a steady pace. 

Definitely pick this one up if you’re looking for an emotional journey of resilience, family, and love. 

Do you like historical fiction? Do you have a particular time period you like to read about? 

#beneaththesicilianstars #lindsaymariemorris #stormbooks #noveltours #booktour #historicalfiction #wwiifiction #familydrama 

About the Author

Lindsay Marie Morris is a novelist and journalist. Based in Los Angeles, she brings a dynamic storytelling voice to every project, whether she's crafting historical fiction set in Italy or reporting on health, wellness, travel, and small business for modern readers. A graduate of Marquette University with a B.A. in Communications, Lindsay began her editorial career in magazine publishing, serving as travel editor at Shape magazine before expanding into digital media, editorial project management, and non-profit marketing and communications. Her work has appeared in Forks Over Knives, The Chicago Tribune, and other publications. 

American Sky

 

Author: James Grady

Publisher: Pegasus Books

Year: 2025

Thank you Booksparks, author James Grady, and Pegasus Books for the #src2025 #gifted book!

American Sky follows Luc, a small town Montana teen, through his high school and college years. In that brief time, Luc and the country witness sweeping changes across America. From the JFK assassination, to the moon landing, the Viet Nam War, to Kent State, to the Summer of Love. 

Luc is a great main character. He’s kind of nerdy. He’s not an athlete, but rides the bench for the football team just to prove to himself and others that he’s tough enough. He’s smart, polite, and friendly. His life revolves around school, after school and summer jobs, his friends, and girls. He’s a kid trying to make sense of a quickly changing world and his place in it. 

Grady’s storytelling is powerful and his writing really conveys the frantic feeling of teenage years. The chapters are short. The sentences are even shorter often jumping from an inner thought to spoken dialogue. It gives off big teen energy of trying to think of the right thing to say or do before just blurting something out or making the wrong move. The setting is small town America all the way. Everybody knows everyone’s business, things happen, and certain things never get talked about. And Luc is just trying to figure it all out. 

Pick this one up for:

☮️ a sweeping coming of age story

☮️ a very well written and likable main character 

☮️ the turbulent time period of the 1960s

☮️ a book that perfectly captures a unique moment in time in a country that’s facing uncertain ltimes, the horrors or war, changing social norms, and yet somehow still clings to optimism

☮️ a story about growing up and getting out

Do you read historical fiction? Do you have a particular time period that interests you? 

#americansky #jamesgrady #hisoricalfiction #comingofagestory 

#montana #literaryfiction 

About the Author

James Grady’s first novel Six Days Of The Condor became the classic Robert Redford movie Three Days Of The Condor and the current Max Irons TV series Condor. Grady has received Italy’s Raymond Chandler Award, France’s Grand Prix Du Roman Noir,Japan’s Baka-Misu literature award, two Regardie's magazine short story awards, and been a Mystery Writers of America Edgar finalist. He's published more than a dozen novels and three times that many short stories, been a muckraker journalist, and a scriptwriter for film and television. In 2008, London’s Daily Telegraph named Grady as one of the “50 crime writers to read before you die.” In 2015, The Washington Post compared his prose to George Orwell and Bob Dylan.

Atmosphere

 

Author: Taylor Jenkins Reid

Narrators: Julia Whelan and Kristen DeMurcurio

Publisher: Random House Audio

Year: 2025

Have you heard of this obscure little book Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid? Of course you have. It’s one of the summer’s biggest blockbuster books. I’m sure you’ve already seen a ton of reviews for it and you probably don’t need another. But here’s mine anyway: I loved it. It was one of my most anticipated books this year and it didn’t disappoint. I loved the characters, the plot, the astronaut training, and the love story. 

I started reading it on my kindle, but switched to the audiobook because I have dry eyes and reading for more than 20 minutes at a time is difficult. The audiobook is narrated by Julia Whelan and Kristen DiMercurio. They did a fantastic job bringing the characters and the story to life. Whelan once again proves she the best in the business. The tension and emotion of her performance in the last chapter of the book is intense, exceptional, and heartbreaking. 

Atmosphere gets all the stars from me. This is already on my top ten list for the year. 

Have you read anything this year that you know will be in your top ten for the year? 

About the Author

Taylor Jenkins Reid is the author of the New York Times bestselling novels Carrie Soto Is Back, Malibu Rising, Daisy Jones and The Six and The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, as well as One True Loves, Maybe in Another Life, After I Do, and Forever, Interrupted. Her books have been chosen by Reese’s Book Club, Read with Jenna, and Book of the Month. Her novel Daisy Jones and The Six is now a limited series on Amazon Prime. She lives in Los Angeles.

Code Name Hélène

 

Author: Ariel Lawhon

Narrators: Barrie Kreinik and Peter Ganim

Publisher: Random House Audio

Year: 2020

Happy Monday! Can we make #backlistbookmonday a thing? I’m late to the Code Name Hélène party. I loved Ariel Lawhon’s The Frozen River, so I had to dip into her backlist. 

The book is based on the real life story of Nancy Wake. Nancy, a New Zealander, was a newspaper reporter in Paris in the run up to WWII. After Germany invaded France, she began working to smuggle people and documents out of France. When the Germans placed a bounty on her, she fled to England. There, she trained with the British Special Operations Forces. She was sent back to France and became a leader in the French Resistance. What a life this woman had! 

Lawhon does an excellent job weaving a narrative based on her extensive research of Wake. The story is tense, riveting, and heartbreaking. The audio narration by Barrie Kreinik and Peter Ganim was gripping and kept me engrossed in the story. 

If you somehow haven’t read this yet, do yourself a favor and pick it up ASAP. It’s a good reminder that when the world is a dark and dangerous place, courageous and extraordinary women emerge. 

Who’s your favorite historical fiction heroine—and is she as bad@ss as Nancy Wake?

#codenamehelene #ariellawhon #nancywake #randomhouseaudio #backlistbook #audiobook #historicalfiction #WWIIfiction #paris #marseille #frenchresistance #bookstagram #basedonatruestory #audiobookstagram #librarybook 

About the Author

Ariel Lawhon is an award-winning, critically acclaimed, New York Timesbestselling author of historical fiction. Her books have been translated into over thirty languages and have been Good Morning America, LibraryReads, and One Book One County selections. She lives in the rolling hills outside Nashville, Tennessee, with her husband and four sons. Ariel splits her time between the grocery store and the baseball field.

The Stolen Life of Colette Marceau

 

Author: Kristin Harmel

Narrator: Madeleine Maby

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio

Release date: June 17, 2025

Hooray it’s Friday! Do you like fiction that mixes history and contemporary timelines and spans decades? If so, Kristin Harmel’s upcoming release, The Stolen Life of Colette Marceau, is for you. Thank you Simon & Schuster Audio for the ALC. 

Colette’s mother taught her to be a thief from a very young age. Growing up in Paris during WWII, a teenage Colette and her mother use their skills as jewel thieves to help fund the French Resistance. Then Colette’s mother is arrested and her little sister disappears during the raid along with a priceless bracelet. Decades later, the bracelet turns up in a museum exhibit. If Colette can discover who owns the bracelet, she just may finally find out what happened to her sister 70 decades ago. Here’s the full summary from the publisher: 

Colette Marceau has been stealing jewels for nearly as long as she can remember, following the centuries-old code of honor instilled in her by her mother, Annabel: take only from the cruel and unkind, and give to those in need. Never was their family tradition more important than seven decades earlier, during the Second World War, when Annabel and Colette worked side by side in Paris to fund the French Resistance.

But one night in 1942, it all went wrong. Annabel was arrested by the Germans, and Colette’s four-year-old sister, Liliane, disappeared in the chaos of the raid, along with an exquisite diamond bracelet sewn into the hem of her nightgown for safekeeping. Soon after, Annabel was executed, and Liliane’s body was found floating in the Seine—but the bracelet was nowhere to be found.

Seventy years later, Colette—who has “redistributed” $30 million in jewels over the decades to fund many worthy organizations—has done her best to put her tragic past behind her, but her life begins to unravel when the long-missing bracelet suddenly turns up in a museum exhibit in Boston. If Colette can discover where it has been all this time—and who owns it now—she may finally learn the truth about what happened to her sister. But she isn’t the only one for whom the bracelet holds answers, and when someone from her childhood lays claim to the diamonds, she’s forced to confront the ghosts of her past as never before. Against all odds, there may still be a chance to bring a murderer to justice—but first, Colette will have to summon the courage to open her own battered heart.

Whew! There is a lot going on in this book. This is the first Harmel book that I’ve ever read, so I wasn’t sure what to expect. I really enjoyed the book and her writing style. But are her plots always so over the top? My suspension of disbelief had to work overtime right from the jump. A 90 year old Colette still has the quickness and dexterity to be a pickpocket? You go girl! That Colette is a descendent of Robin Hood and generations of her family only stole from cruel and unkind people to give to those in need? Not one greedy person in that family tree? Ok. There are two other major plot points that wrap up with big bows on top. I don’t want to give any spoilers away, but my brain was like what are the chances? But the story pulled me in and had me riveted. I really enjoyed the book and will definitely recommend it. I liked the dual timeline and Madeleine Maby’s narration is absolutely terrific. This sweeping mix of historical fiction, mystery, and romance comes out June 17. Don’t miss it! 

Any fun plans for the weekend? The only thing I have going on is my book club meeting on Sunday. 

#thestolenlifeofcolettemarceau #kristinharmel #simonaudio #historicalfiction #WWIIfiction #paris #jewelthief #pickpocket #mysterybooks #multigenrebook 

About the Author

Kristin Harmel is the New York Times bestselling author of more than a dozen novels including The Forest of Vanishing Stars, The Book of Lost Names, The Room on Rue Amélie, and The Sweetness of Forgetting. She is published in more than thirty languages and is the cofounder and cohost of the popular web series, Friends & Fiction. She lives in Orlando, Florida.

The Ascent

 

Author: Adam Plantinga

Narrators: Charles Halford and Christine Lakin

Publisher: Grand Central Publishing 

Year: 2024

Happy Friday! Any exciting plans for the weekend? 

Kurt is a former hard charging Detroit cop. Grieving the death of his wife, he goes on a road trip for a change of scenery. When he sees a young girl being lured away by a predator, he steps in to help and beats the guy up. Kurt didn’t know the guy was connected to the corrupt local sheriff. Kurt is arrested and charged. Instead of keeping Kurt in the local lockup until his arraignment, the sheriff sends him to a high security prison. Julie, the governor’s daughter, is a grad student on a tour of the prison as part of a class assignment. While at the prison, the security and communications systems go down, releasing all the prisoners. Mayhem ensues. Kurt helps Julie and two state troopers fight to survive an onslaught of the state’s most dangerous convicts as they try to make their way up to the top floor of the prison to call for help. 

This is an over the top, action packed thriller by author Adam Plantinga. Kurt is a rough and tough guy who’s not afraid of a fight and to mete out his own form of justice. He reminded me of Jack Reacher, but bloodier. The pace is nonstop and I enjoyed the narration by Charles Halford and Christine Lakin. This one reads like an action movie on steroids. Is it believable? Nope. Did I like it anyway? I sure did. Will I read the next book in this series? I sure will. 

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

#booklover #bookstagram#librarybook #lovemylibrary

#audiobook #audiobookstagram #audiobookreview #audiobookrec

#theascent #adamplantinga #grandcentralpublishing #backlistbook 

About the Author

Adam Plantinga is a patrol sergeant with the San Francisco Police Department whose first two nonfiction books— 400 Things Cops Know and Police Craft— have become his calling cards to the world of thrillers. 400 Things was nominated for an Agatha, a Macavity, and was deemed “the new Bible for crime writers” by the Wall Street Journal. Adam’s fiction debut, The Ascent, was published in 2024 and became a USA Today bestseller. Hard Town, his second novel, published earlier this month.