Musings of a Literary Wanderer

Monday, May 25, 2026

Little Free Library Sightings: The Jersey Shore Edition, Part 5

It's always fun to see a Little Free Library "out in the wild!" I love to spot them, browse their selection, leave a book if possible, and then look them up on the official website, because sometimes they have interesting stories to go along with them! There's also an app you can download to find local Little Free Libraries where you can even "check in" to keep track of the ones you've visited! We recently took our yearly visit to Cape May, and I came prepared with a bag of books I wanted to donate and a list of the LFLs I wanted to see. On previous trips to the area, I've checked in at a lot of the LFLs, but there were some I hadn't seen yet and a couple new ones, too!

#220844 at the Boarding House Cape May - This is a new LFL right around the corner from our VRBO, and I loved the sentiment, "As a space that welcomes thousands of guests annually we find ourselves thinking about things we often forget to pack when heading off on a vacation at the beach. A good book on the sun soaked beaches of Cape May happens to be one of those things. We rescue books that others have tried to send to landfills, guests have finished and want to share the story they’ve just enjoyed and some good reads of our own. Whether you’re visiting or local we hope our little free library helps bring you joy. Remember, Life can be hard, your vacation shouldn’t be. The Boarding House Cape May Crew."

#60660 - This LFL was located in West Cape May and as you can see, it was quite well-stocked!

Although this LFL has an official charter, it wasn't on the map in the app. It's located at the Emlen Physick Estate, a historic property in Cape May, and we came across it while attending a craft fair.

This is another LFL that has an official charter but isn't listed on the app map. We were visiting the Cape May Kiwanis Club open house and saw this one, so of course I had to leave a book for my fellow Kiwanians! Their clubhouse is also a historic property, recently renovated, so this LFL is a nice addition!

#164950 - Charlotte's LiBerry is located in North Wildwood and we stopped by after visiting the Hereford Lighthouse nearby. The owner was actually touching up the library for the season (hence the open door and empty interior!). She told me the library is named for their cat, Strawberry. I gave her a book to put in when it's done!

Friday, May 22, 2026

Recent Reads

Party of Liars by Kelsey Cox (2025)

Sophie's dad is throwing her a massive Sweet 16 party at his recently renovated historic home, but with several troubling relationships coming to a head, the party ends in tragedy. This one was kind of a mixed bag for me. I think the author did a great job setting up these difficult interpersonal dynamics, with Sophie's divorced parents, a nanny that seems a little off, a stepmom dealing with fears about new motherhood, and Sophie's best friend, who feels like she doesn't quite fit in anymore. We get different POVs of the party as we follow several characters during the evening, and it definitely piqued my curiosity as to who would be killed and why. Where it went downhill for me was in two areas - first, the author incorporates almost a haunted house vibe, with a tragic backstory for the property and hints at a ghost, but it never quite fits. Also, the reader comes to learn quite late in the story about a deeply disturbing relationship that's been hidden, and it kind of just made me feel icky about the whole story. 3.5 stars

Too Old For This by Samantha Downing (2025)

A serial killer is brought out of retirement when people start knocking on her door, asking too many questions and bringing up old cases. Lottie is not your typical serial killer - she's a little old lady who plays bingo with her church friends. But Lottie has a checkered past, and although she hid things really well, someone has potentially put the pieces together. This was a fun read! Lottie is smart, really smart, and always trying to think 5 steps ahead. When a documentary maker appears on her doorstep, wanting to ask questions about some unsolved murders that Lottie was previously implicated in, her old reflexes kick in. Although at times this got a little outlandish and unbelievable, I really liked Lottie. She also has some stuff going on in her personal life involving her son, and I appreciated that more humanizing element to the story. 4 stars

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Wednesday, May 20, 2026

Can't-Wait Wednesday: The Chateau on Sunset

Can't-Wait Wednesday is hosted by Tressa at Wishful Endings and helps us spotlight upcoming releases we're eagerly anticipating!

The Chateau on Sunset

Natasha Lester

Expected publication date: June 2, 2026

Epic Love. Tragic Loss. Beautiful Friendship. The entrancing story of an orphan who grows up surrounded by the beautiful and the broken in the world's most infamous hotel.

After her parents' deaths, Aria Jones is sent to live with her reclusive starlet aunt at the Chateau Marmont, the hotel on Hollywood Boulevard with a notorious reputation.

Left alone to wander the hotel, Aria sees everything-all the ways people wheel and deal for fame. But the Marmont isn't meant for young girls with big hearts, and Aria discovers an insidious secret that will haunt her childhood.

As she matures, she finds solace in the hotel's library. Her sole goal is to be as inconspicuous as possible. Until one day, the hotel is sold to mysterious rock star Theo Winchester and his troubled daughter, Adele. Will Aria realise there's more to life than being invisible?

Captivating from its very first page, The Chateau on Sunset blends the beloved Jane Eyre story with the rich and colourful history of the entertainment industry from the 1950s to the 1970s. - from Goodreads

Friday, May 15, 2026

Author Tea with Sally Hepworth

Michele and I recently attended our first book event of the year - an author tea with Sally Hepworth to celebrate the release of her new book, Mad Mabel! The event was hosted by the Princeton Public Library and held on the grounds of the Historical Society of Princeton in their restored historic barn. This was Sally's last event during her US book tour before heading home to Australia!

The event consisted of Sally in conversation with local author Megan McCafferty. They talked about all the usual stuff - the inspiration behind the book, the characters, and Sally's writing process. Sally was super charming and very funny! There was a short time allowed for an audience Q&A.

After the talk, we all lined up outside to meet Sally and get our books signed!

We were near the end of the line, but Sally still talked with us for a few minutes and got up to take a picture with us (she got up for everyone, which showed some serious commitment!). She was so nice and made everyone feel so special.

I'm so glad we got to go to this event and look forward to the next one!

Wednesday, May 6, 2026

Blog Break!

Hi, all! I'm taking a belated "spring break" from the blog to enjoy some family time and (hopefully!) good weather. Thanks for stopping by, and I look forward to talking books again soon!

Monday, May 4, 2026

Michele's Monday Picks #95

Angela is so generous to let me pop in with my series, Michele’s Monday Picks! I’m not a blogger or bookstagrammer, but I love getting excited about new releases with the rest of you. Here I’ll be sharing new books I’m really looking forward to!

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Rebel Heiress

By Amalie Howard

Expected Publication: May 19, 2026

From Goodreads:

A young heiress must disguise herself to attend a prestigious, all-male university, where she unexpectedly falls for her handsome tutor, in this swoony historical romance by the USA Today bestselling author of Queen Bee.

Lady Rosalin Chen has a secret—she isn’t as vapid as she pretends to be. In fact, she’s a computing genius and smarter than most of her peers in the ton, including her own cousin, Ansel. It’s a secret she’s kept for years, not that hiding her intelligence has done her any favors in the marriage department.

In fact, after several dismal social seasons in London, she’s practically considered a spinster. With little to lose, she decides to set her sights on getting a proper education rather than finding a husband. Disguised as Ansel, who truly could be her twin, she attends Cambridge University while he galivants around Europe on a secret Grand Tour.

There Rosalin crosses quills with the Trinity College’s mathematics prodigy and her tutor Tarik St. Clair. For the first time in her life, Rosalin is genuinely intrigued by a boy. His mind seems to be as sharp as hers. Unfortunately, as a commoner, Tarik doesn’t fit her parents’ expectations. But what if he could? What if she concocted one more audacious plan that could raise his station and finally take her off the market? She just has to hope that her lies don’t catch up to her.

I have loved this whole series so far and the cover is stunning! Do you think you’ll be picking this one up?

Friday, May 1, 2026

Month in Review: April 2026

Whew, April was so busy! My birthday was at the beginning of the month - not gonna say how old I am now (I cringe!), but it was a good day with my guys, despite having to work a bit! My in-laws came over for Easter and Henry had a fun time doing his egg hunt. For Henry and his cousins, their big joint Christmas gift was to see a movie in the theater together, and when The Mario Galaxy Movie came out, we knew it would be perfect! We were actually able to get a private AMC theater - I thought it was going to be a tiny room since it was only meant for up to 20 people, but it was actually huge! Like, at least 60 seats and looked just like a normal theater. The kids all had a great time, even if they didn't sit for the whole movie, and it was Henry's first time in a movie theater, so that was exciting! The April 15 tax deadline came and went, and my company generously gave us the two days off after the deadline, so we got a nice 4 day weekend. Tom and I decided to officially join Kiwanis, so we attended a couple events and meetings. Tom ran his first 5k, which was really fun! Henry and I were at the finish line to cheer him on. Henry started tball this month; I have to admit, the first couple practices were stressful for me. Henry's attention span is like nonexistent, so he didn't participate that much, and I am "that mom" on the sidelines trying to get him to pay attention. I want him to join in with the other kids and have fun, but also be safe! Wandering the infield kicking dirt is unfortunately a good way to get hit with the ball! But, he did much better at his first game, got some good hits and even played the field a little, and Tom did a great job coaching! I enjoyed the game much more than practice - it was nice hearing all the parents cheering for everyone!

The Books