Let's Call Her Barbie by Renee Rosen (2025)A fictionalized look at the creation of one of the world's most recognizable and famous toys, the Barbie doll. I really enjoyed this historical fiction novel, which tells the story of Ruth Handler, co-founder of Mattel, and Jack Ryan, an engineer at Mattel, and how they worked together (and sometimes against each other) to bring the doll to the masses. Rosen acknowledges in the book's Author's Note that Barbie's history is a bit controversial and murky in places, so she has taken some liberties with the story, but there are definitely aspects based on fact. I think many readers will enjoy the character of Ruth, who, while tough and even mean at times, also wanted to create something that would allow little girls to dream bigger than they ever imagined. 4 stars
Lizbet is ready for a fresh start in Nantucket and that involves reinvigorating the defunct Hotel Nantucket into a luxury spot, and the story follows her, the employees, and the guests over the hotel's first summer. I enjoyed the descriptions of the hotel and some of the shenanigans that the guests and employees got up to. A haunting in the hotel was a fun inclusion, although I wish the ghost herself didn't play such a large role in the story. There are a lot of characters to keep track of, but they were all so distinct, so it wasn't a huge deal. A couple of reveals at the end felt a bit nonsensical and outlandish, but I guess it did wrap up everything in a neat little bow. 3.5 stars
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