Recent Reads

 The Only Survivors by Megan Miranda (2023)

A decade ago, a group of students survived a horrific crash when many others perished.  Now, the survivors meet yearly, as the only ones who really know what happened that night.  This year, though, feels different.  As their group gets smaller, Cass, one of the survivors who is trying to distance herself from the group, begins to wonder if something else is going on.  I feel like the premise of this book definitely didn't match the execution.  I liked the dual timeline, with one focusing on the survivor group at their yearly get-together in the present day and the other on the night of the accident.  The past timeline is told in a reverse chronological way, which definitely made for a shocking (yet also wholly unbelievable) reveal but also made me feel confused as to what was happening.  I think this book was trying to be more of a thriller than it actually was.  The reveals didn't necessarily make sense and the whole book felt kind of convoluted.  3 stars

The Write Off by Kara McDowell (2026)

Mars and West met in college, became best friends, and briefly dated, which ended badly.  Now, a decade later, they are both back on campus, attending a book festival as published authors, and they are forced to confront their complicated past.  I loved the college setting of this book, both seeing Mars and West in the past as undergrads and now being back as older adults.  I think McDowell captured that unique setting and feeling very well.  I also enjoyed the behind-the-scenes look at the life of a successful author who is also trying to make a comeback.  I felt the connection between Mars and West, but at times there was a bit too much drama for me.  I get the dynamics between them, but more than once, it felt like things were finally getting on track, just for one of them to abruptly pull the plug.  They both felt a bit immature (and since McDowell mostly writes YA, I get it) and it seemed like there was too much miscommunication and impulsivity.  4 stars

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Month in Review: May 2026

 

May was another busy month!  Henry continued tball - I was very nervous when he refused to play any of the second game, but after that, he was excited to go to practice and his games, and he's doing great!  My sister and I attended a book event with author Sally Hepworth (linked below if you missed the original post!).  We took our annual trip to Cape May with my in-laws.  We had really nice weather and spent a lot of time walking around Cape May, visiting lighthouses, walking the boardwalk, and shopping downtown.  Memorial Day weekend was almost a total washout, so it ended up being a very relaxing weekend for us.  We ended the month with a Somerset Patriots game (our local minor league baseball team).  Henry and Tom got to walk the field with our tball league and Henry saw fireworks in person for the first time - he was so excited, he couldn't stop yelling!

The Books

Too Old For This // Manor for Sale, Baron Included // The Only Survivors // Astrophysics for People in a Hurry

The Honeymoon Cottage // Into Thin Air // The Write Off // Kuleana: A Story of Family, Land, and Legacy in Old Hawai'i

Welcome Home, Caroline Kline

The Posts and Reviews

Michele's Monday Picks #95

Author Tea with Sally Hepworth

Can't-Wait Wednesday: The Chateau on Sunset

Recent Reads

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

Fiction/Nonfiction Quick Reviews: The Hawaii Edition

How are you doing?

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Fiction/Nonfiction Quick Reviews: The Hawaii Edition

 The Guest in Room 120 by Sara Ackerman (2025)

Jan Stanford, founder of Stanford University, flees to Hawaii to escape her enemies for awhile, but she is then found dead at a new hotel.  One hundred years later, author Zoe is attending a writers' conference at the same hotel when she feels compelled to solve the mystery of what actually happened to Jane Stanford.  I had mixed feelings about this fictional approach to the real-life mystery of Jane Stanford's death.  I loved the Hawaiian setting and the inclusion of another POV, a hotel worker named Iliahi, brought a unique perspective to the story.  I thought the writing was pretty stilted, though, and Jane was eccentric to the point of being unlikable.  Zoe's storyline has too much going on (a tragic backstory, a romance, and trying to keep herself anonymous while also making friends at the conference, although the "writer" talk was interesting, to learn more about the publishing industry and how to craft a novel), and the addition of some paranormal activities was a little laughable.  I think the book could have worked much better without it, just being a straight mystery.  3 stars

Kuleana: A Story of Family, Land, and Legacy in Old Hawai'i by Sara Kehaulani Goo (2025)

Journalist Sara Kehaulani Goo's family was granted a portion of land by the Hawaiian king in 1848, near Hana on the island of Maui.  The ancestral land has remained largely untouched, but one year, a 500% increase in the property taxes puts the family's ability to keep the land at risk.  Sara works with her family to figure out how to overcome this, and she ends up connecting more to her family and culture along the way.  I really enjoyed this mixture of memoir and history lesson.  Goo provides a lot of background information on the history of Hawaii and the struggles that native Hawaiians have had in holding onto their land and culture.  To this, she adds her family's personal story of their ancestral land.  At times it got a bit confusing because there are so many family members and transactions to keep track of, and the timeline didn't always make sense.  But, I also enjoyed learning about Goo's efforts to connect more to her Hawaiian heritage.  4 stars

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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!

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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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

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!