There are no words to express how much I adore Stanley Tucci. I’m an old lady, so my love for Tucci anI gained five pounds walking to this audiobook.
There are no words to express how much I adore Stanley Tucci. I’m an old lady, so my love for Tucci and his love for food goes way back to Big Night. There’s simply no argument that he excels at his craft (I mean did you guys see Conclave? Holy crap is he great.) But this newfound career as an eatie is simply chef’s kiss. Searching for Italy was a delight, as was his first food memoir Taste, but this one exceeded all of my expectations (and I was smart enough to get it on audio which is really the only way to go, in my opinion). How is it possible for someone to be so unapologetically bougie and yet completely relatable at the same time? This “year in the life” has a little bit of everything. A glimpse into an A-List sort of lifestyle (presented by a true homebody at heart), Tucci’s signature dry wit, entries about friends and family that bring both the LOLz and the feelz. And pasta. So. Much. Pasta. Simply magical . . . .
Today I put away all the culty stabby stuff I have been gobbling up recently and blew the dust off my formHappy Hallmark Holiday to all who celebrate!
Today I put away all the culty stabby stuff I have been gobbling up recently and blew the dust off my former Rom Com loving heart (while keeping my fingers and toes crossed for PG fade-to-black style sexuals instead of the gross-out variety filled with all sorts of overly descriptive encounters). Success! I’ll admit I knew going in that a Sophie Cousens would not be one to fail me, but this little baby was an absolute delight.
Anna and Will are co-workers who seem to be vying for the same assignments at the magazine they work for. When Anna is told she needs to freshen up her column or potentially find herself unemployed she goes along with a plan devised by her children – go on a series of dates with people THEY choose for her. What could possibly go wrong?
I’m telling you I loved every second of this . . . .
We’re talking a little touch of May/December, getting her groove back, enemies to lovers reminiscent of The Hating Game, OH NO THERE’S ONLY ONE BED! – even a grand romantic gesture . . .
As the title states, Lottie Jones has simply been trying to leave her past behind and embrace her inner Captain Murtaugh. She realizes she’s getting too old for this shit and is prepared that the most exciting thing in her life might be facing judgment about her snack offerings at the local BINGO hall. That is, until a nosey rosey journalist shows up declaring she knows who Lottie REALLY is and Lottie has to come out of retirement . . . .
I am an OG Samantha Downing superfan, so take my opinion with several grains of salt because I am 100% biased. She’s freaking fantastic. All of her books have been winners for me and she’s one of the rare few authors I follow on The ‘Gram because I HAVE A MIGHTY NEEEEEEEED when it comes to knowing when/what she’s coming up with next. If you like the stabbies, she’s the most fun.
ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you, NetGalley! ...more
But seriously, though, how long to I have to wait for the next one?????
If you aren’t a fan of Cher, well, then I probably don’t really want to know you because she’s fucking fantastic. This “Part 1” takes you from childhood right up until the point where an encounter with Francis Ford Coppola after one of her shows at her Caesar’s residency in Vegas convinced her to revive her dream of becoming an actor. And you know what eventually happens??????
I walked nine miles one day listening to this audiobook and if that isn’t praise I have no clue what is. Believe it or not, Cher was actually famous before I was even born, but I have been a fan as long as I can remember and loved hearing her story (I also didn’t realize how YOUNG she was back in the Sonny and Cher days). What a remarkable life. I can’t wait to listen to the second half of it.
And for those of you who might not realize how fabulous she is, check out her social media every once in awhile . . .
Really the only complaint I have here is that Cher narrates the beginnings of each chapter and then a long-time friend/business associate takes over the remainder until the next chapter. I think most of us can agree that when choosing a celebrity memoir, we want the celebrity to voice it, but it was so good I’m not deducting any Stars. ...more
Can I tell you how much it stinks that my library hold came around for this one right when we were getting ready to be in the middle of a literal blizCan I tell you how much it stinks that my library hold came around for this one right when we were getting ready to be in the middle of a literal blizzard? Mannnnnnnn, I would have LOVED to know how many miles I could have logged in one go if I had been able to be out on the trails listening to this one rather than hauling tail around the empty floor of the office during my lunch hour in order to humble brag about it on this #walkntalkwednesday.
I knew nearly nothing about Ina Garten before starting this one. I knew she lived in Westhampton. I knew she always wears a chambray shirt (and I love that when someone pitched her an idea of a clothing line she realized it would be a flop since she does not deviate from her standard wardrobe). I “knew” Jeffery from his guest appearances on her show. I knew she is my motivation on Thanksgiving morning when I wake up extra early to drink a cup of coffee by myself and watch her holiday meal episodes before beginning the process of making my own. And I knew the moment I fell in love with her was when she told me . . . .
Even though she is one of the bougiest mofos out there.
What I didn’t know was her job history as a budget analyst under Presidents Ford and Carter or that the Barefoot Contessa was a pre-existing store that she bought when she was burned out from crunching numbers and turned into an entire brand.
I love a good celebrity memoir and this was a good one. She even said the F word a couple of times! Who woulda thunk it?????
If you would have told me one of my first reads of 2025 would be a 600 pager, I would have probably thought you were on crack. I mean not even (a) theIf you would have told me one of my first reads of 2025 would be a 600 pager, I would have probably thought you were on crack. I mean not even (a) the power of Oprah or (b) receiving a free paperback copy for review had convinced me to so far. Behold the influence of . . . .
And my obsession with obtaining a new free coffee mug every year. Per the image snipped above, this year’s recommendations all center around “art” somehow – in this case an artist being one of the main characters.
While my Roman Empire truly remains that nearly every book’s tale to be told can be done so within 350 pages (still true here, even though eventually all the little blippy timehops did come together to make sense and complete the big picture), I still was able to gobble this sucker up in two days. Good news for the Oprah Book Club haters is this is a smarty and not nearly as tragiporn as most of her offerings (Oprah Book Club lovers, back off – I’m one of you and drink that tragic Kool-Aid mix down by the gallon).
At its heart Wellness is the story of a marriage. However, it is also about oligarchs and algorithms and conspiracy theories and manifesting and gray rocks and hot button topics that makes it so very NOW . . . in the best way possible – yet it is a book that I can’t imagine not standing the test of time and being just as memorable 20 or 50 years from now.
Simply put, it is brilliant. Thank you library for helping me finally remove this from my overflowing book cart of TBR options. I have really been missing out.
If you follow me over on the ‘Gram you’ll see my nightly stories consist of what trashy documentary I’m currently imbibing. Lisa Jewell’s newest is foIf you follow me over on the ‘Gram you’ll see my nightly stories consist of what trashy documentary I’m currently imbibing. Lisa Jewell’s newest is for all of you out there who, like me, are obsessed with all things . . . .
If you are like me and were absolutely D.Y.I.N.G. with anticipation for the newest Sally Rooney release only to be severely disappointed, I’m telling If you are like me and were absolutely D.Y.I.N.G. with anticipation for the newest Sally Rooney release only to be severely disappointed, I’m telling you RUN DO NOT WALK and snag you a copy of Talking at Night. Oh be still my little angsty, melancholy, unrequited love lovin’ heart.
When I first saw the preview for the adapted version of The Perfect Couple coming to Netflix I was so stoked because this has truly been th
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When I first saw the preview for the adapted version of The Perfect Couple coming to Netflix I was so stoked because this has truly been the Summer of Hilderbrand for yours truly . . . . but then I actually watched said trailer and realized that I had been thinking of another book in this “Nantucket” series (Swan Song that is about a different rich couple and a party with a potential dead person) and I actually hadn’t read this one at all. So I put my name on the library waiting list along with leventy-twelve other patrons, had a pout and figured by the time my turn came around I wouldn’t even remember this was a television show at all.
But then the publishing gods smiled upon me and I got a freebie paperback in the mail! It’s also still 90 degrees where I live instead of 60 and we had just spent the previous week restaining the deck so I got the kid to haul my ginormo chairs back up the stairs for me and plopped my big ol’ bootie right down for some quality reading. And read I did – cover to cover nearly 500 pages in one sitting.
The story here is about Benji and Celeste’s nuptials to be held at the Winbury Estate on the island. The only problem? Said wedding gets canceled when the maid of honor turns up dead. Then it’s on – figuring out the whodunnit along with the who’s all banging who made this one compulsively readable. Talk about a perfect beachy or poolside (or deckside, obvs) escape. I read this “series” completely out of order and am living proof that they work just fine as standalones. The Chief has a potential crime to solve in each and the characters repeat, but it’s not a series series like the “Paradise” books by Hilderbrand are.
Then I started the show a couple of days later and had to do a little brain re-set because things were apparently not going to be the same. Some stuff was odd – like why a bracelet instead of a thumb ring or why did Celeste become Amelia, but those weren’t a big deal. Also nice to diversify the cast. I didn’t really get why there was a third son that didn’t exist in the book . . . until it was explained. But then they made Greer a Grade-A butthole and I loooooooooooooved Greer in these books so WTF????? Good news is when I attempted the show a second time I effing loved it. Nicole Kidman was absolute perfection as the rich bitch, the added character delivered a twist and the ending was chef’s kiss. The first non-reality garbage program I ever binged. Go me!
ARC provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review....more
If you follow me you are well aware that approximately 97.8% of the time I fail at loving the romance novels everyone else has gone ga-ga for, but not only did Mother Nature smile upon me yesterday by going from literally 92 degrees the day before to low 60s with leaves beginning to instantly drop from the trees, but oh my word I. FREAKING. LOVED. THIS.!!!!!!!!
The hubs and I dropped by the library to pick up one hold (the new Liane Moriarty, if you’re nosey like me) and this title caught my eye on the New and Notable rack (note to authors, it really IS all in the name sometimes). The story here is about Molly and Seth (I’ll pause for a moment to allow you to absorb the fact this author used completely normal human names). The two were high school sweethearts who had a painful split on prom night – never to speak again. Now it’s their 15-year reunion and sparks fly for a one-night stand and a friendly wager on which of five couples will still be together at their 20th class reunion – which just so happens to include the two of them. Obviously the rest of the story progression is the goings on of Molly and Seth over the next five years.
I’m giving this one every Star. The characters were great, the humor was great, the pacing was great, the smexies were juuuuuuuuust a little spicy, but didn’t go into page after page of squicky make me barf detail. Even the third act required break up/make up didn’t irritate me too much. If you love love, definitely check this one out!
I’ve had a lot of success with Peter Swanson’s stuff in the past, so when I saw this on the first come/first served new release shelf at the library II’ve had a lot of success with Peter Swanson’s stuff in the past, so when I saw this on the first come/first served new release shelf at the library I snatched it right up. Then I vaguely recalled it being part of a series and got a little scared, because when it comes to my recollection of something I read literally two days ago I tend to be a little like . . . .
Plus, this was BOOK THREE and I had not read book two, so WTF am I even doing???? Good news is the term “series” is used real loosely here. While the characters repeat from the first you can definitely jump into this as a standalone because enough backstory is provided to fill you in (but also doesn’t spoil anything, which is great because that first one was a Strangers on a Train reboot with several twists and turns).
The story here is about Martha and her traveling salesman husband who she thinks might just be a serial killer. Martha enlists the help of her old college friend Lily to assist in a deep dive into the husband's potential pastime – and that’s all you get because momma don’t provide no spoilsies.
This was super fun and a great way to spend a nice Autumn afternoon while the hubbo hollered at the football playing on the boob tube in the background. I loved the name dropping of books (that wind up on my bottomless TBR), loved that Martha was a librarian so it seemed so effortless and loved that this one was just a little bit of an homage to another Highsmith novel - The Talented Mr. Ripley. I’m a solid Swanson fan and will continue singing his praises....more
I just realized this one doesn’t come out until freaking JANUARY, so please accept my apologies on this super early review. What can I say – I either I just realized this one doesn’t come out until freaking JANUARY, so please accept my apologies on this super early review. What can I say – I either read the ARCs I receive months in advance or I don’t read them at all. Oops.
I was willing to make a deal with a witch to get my hands on this one for several reasons. #1 – Grady Hendrix. I’ve dug several of his previous offerings so I wasn’t about to hit snooze on his latest. #2 – a pregnant girls’ home??? Ummmm, yes please. And #3 . . . .
The penis of America! You set a book in Florida and somehow it just works out that Imma like it.
As I said before, this book is about a group of pregnant girls who have all been sent away “to tend to an ill aunt” which actually is code for Wellwood House . . . .
“You are here for a single purpose, which is to shed your sin and face your future.”
Although strongly encouraged to never disclose any information about their personal lives – so much so that each girl is given a false name to go by – they manage to form the strongest of bonds while each awaiting their due date. Forced to stay out of sight in the confines of the Home, the only thing to look forward to is the visit from the Bookmobile every couple of weeks. And that is where Fern, Rose, Zinnia and Holly are given a special loaner that opens up opportunities they never could have imagined . . . .
Bless me, Father, for I have sinned. I want to make all the smexies with The Priest. I was late to the Fleabag party due to not having a Pr
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Bless me, Father, for I have sinned. I want to make all the smexies with The Priest. I was late to the Fleabag party due to not having a Prime account until a year after “Series 2” had originally aired. But when I finally discovered it, boy did I binge it more than once and I loved it so much I even checked out these “Scriptures” from the library. And then????
Make yourself a little wishlist over at the Internet Book Store of inexpensive treasures like this book and maybe your significant other will feel inclined to surprise you with a delivery every now and then that will turn your frown upside down. This puppy will sit front and center on the bookshelves for sure....more
This was making the rounds on The ‘Gram and I assumed it was an actual true-crime novel (I mean, how else do you excuse that fug cover? I a
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This was making the rounds on The ‘Gram and I assumed it was an actual true-crime novel (I mean, how else do you excuse that fug cover? I assumed Nina was a real person whose story I just hadn’t come across on Dateline or 20/20 yet) so I requested the audio version from the library for my #walkntalkwednesday
Upon starting I discovered it was fictional and oh be still my formerly Nancy Grace addicted heart. I also found out it was going to be delivered via full cast audio!!!!!
Oh but do I love a full cast audio. And oh did I love listening to this. It was just like all the Murder Shows I am so addicted to. You know the ones – you KNOW who did it, really EVERYONE knows who did it, but the laying out of exactly how the whodunit was done still keeps you glued to the TV. This was FAN.TAS.TIC. to listen to.
1989, West Texas. Tolly Diver ventures out of his comfort zone, crashing a house party with his bestie . . . and then some things happen – first, to him and then to six people from his graduating class. This is Tolly’s own story about how he became a Slasher.
Every Star. This is how you write a horror story and someone needs to option the film rights pronto. ...more
Doubling down on everything I said originally having now listened to this as well as reading the Kindle version. Adding I cannot believe this book is Doubling down on everything I said originally having now listened to this as well as reading the Kindle version. Adding I cannot believe this book is only a couple of hundred pages long. Man is it good! And boy do I love sandwiches.
I spend soooooo much time in my reviews declaring “while I wasn’t the target demographic for this one” or “go read reviews by people who actually can relate to this plot/these characters” but I’m here to tell you THIS. STORY. WAS. WRITTEN. FOR. MEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!
Rocky (Rachel, but everyone calls her Rocky), Nick, the kids Willa and James (and James’ long-time girlfriend Maya), and eventually Rocky’s parents Mort and Alice are spending their yearly week at a rental house on Cape Cod. This annual tradition has been going on since the kids were just wee little babies. They’ll eat lobster, get their suntan on while swimming in the Atlantic and looking for hermit crabs, they’ll attend the annual library sale, get ice cream in town – you know, all the typical touristy type things. All while Rocky is in the throEs (edit because the grammar police have pointed out I'm an idiot who doesn't know how to spell) of menopause.
I am a true believer that everyone should read whatever book synopsis, title or even cover (I mean, look at that house!) strikes their fancy. And lord knows I got the FOMO real bad so I read tons of things that I really should have just left on the library shelves. But this might be a case where you end up with a “meh” reaction at best or might actively dislike Rocky if you aren’t experiencing the “joys” of what she’s going through . . . .
“there are still other manifestations that you have never gotten a single rotten whiff of until they’re happening specifically to you. Like the fact that your vagina sweats in the night. It perspires! This same vagina that so stubbornly refuses to produce any other type of moisture that when your gynecologist’s nurse asks if you’re sexually active, you laugh, shrug, make a so-so sign with your hand. “I’m going to put yes for that,” she says, cheerfully. “Some active volcanoes haven’t erupted in fifty years!” Your gums recede. You are covered in weird growths, as if a toddler has gotten a sheet of mole stickers and stuck them all over your breasts and armpits. Everything needs to be biopsied, except for the one under-boob skin tag that has actual tentacles, like an octopus; this is apparently so normal that the mammogram person barely looks when you show it to her—“That’s totally fine!”—but then she puts a festive little donut sticker over it so the radiologist won’t mistake it for a tumor. You have so many nipple hairs and most of them are white now. And your period does a kind of horror-movie swan song as if it is finally realizing its Freddie Krueger aspirations.
As a gal who is willing to practically slit my husband’s throat for daring to ask questions like “why do you have all that underboob sweat????” when we’ve only taken a five minute car ride (in frigid air conditioning, no less) to go get cat litter and a rotisserie chicken from Sam’s Club, Rocky was my type of butthole and now she’s my new best friend.
Allllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll the Stars...more
I spend a lot of time on my #walkntalkwednesdays bemoaning the fact that I can’t seem to find more humorists who deliver the quality of essays as My DI spend a lot of time on my #walkntalkwednesdays bemoaning the fact that I can’t seem to find more humorists who deliver the quality of essays as My Darling David. And then the library recommendation feature finally conjured this one up for me . . .
Due to the combination of the weather breaking, my reluctance to stop listening to this one and it being so short, I ended up starting and finishing it on one monstrous trudge. Ephron was the driving force behind no romance ever being as satisfying in real life as her movie versions were during my coming-of-age and now that I’m in the hellscape which is perimenopause she was here to guide me once again while I “come of age” . . . old age, that is LOL.
Coincidentally, I ended up following this one up with Sandwich - a book also about menopause that even gave a shout out to Ephron’s “Neck.” Highly recommended both! I will 100% be checking out Nora Ephron’s other non-fiction books and plan on giving Heartburn a re-watch as soon as I can find where it is streaming....more
This one delivered all three and let me tell you the squeak I squeaked when this arrived from the publisher as a surprise package with the nicest note saying “we know you have enjoyed this author previously, so we wanted to make sure to get you a copy of her latest release.” How nice is that?
This is the story of Kyle, who has to return home after several years of being away in order to assist his father who is trying to bounce back from a stroke. He also will have to find some resolution with Casey – his ex-wife who he left behind those years ago and who just so happens to live right across the street. Lange’s previous books have been a little more lighthearted than this one, so be forewarned going in this is a little heavier. But oh my the feeeeeeeeels! I am an official superfan and will happily read whatever this author comes up with – whether I am fortunate enough to receive an advanced copy or if I have to be first in line on pub day. So good.
ARC provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. ...more
If asked how she imagined the end of her life, 27-year old Delphie most certainly would not have said choking to death on a microwavable convenience sIf asked how she imagined the end of her life, 27-year old Delphie most certainly would not have said choking to death on a microwavable convenience store burger in her grossest nightgown while watching “The Tinder Swindler.” But that’s how it went down. She definitely wouldn’t have guessed that upon her demise she would find herself meeting up with . . .
Okay, really her name is Merritt and she’s not an elderly chainsmoker, but c’mon how often am I gonna get to use THAT gif?????
Anyway, when Merritt discovers that Dephie is “literally a virgin who can’t drive. Like in the seminal teen romance movie Clueless!” and a glitch in the system delivers her potential soulmate Jonah to Evermore just for a moment, Merritt grants Delphie a 10-day reprieve to return to Earth. If she can find Jonah and he kisses her of his own accord, she can remain alive.
When someone asks me what tropes I like in my Rom Coms, basically the answer is . . . .
I’m going to start this by borrowing the author’s own words and saying to Chris Whitaker . . .
“Can’t you see how beautiful you make tragedy?”
In my house my husband and I often use the turn of phrase “We Got Shawshanked.” If you are familiar with the film The Shawshank Redemption, you most likely have experienced this yourself. It happens less frequently in the time of streaming services, but occasionally we still flip through channels trying to decide on something to watch and run across that movie. Getting Shawshanked starts off innocently enough. You say “oh this is the scene where _____________ happens – I’ll just watch for a minute.” Then two hours later you realize you completely lost time and ended up watching the entire movie.
That’s what happened with this book. I went in completely blind and I’m not going to provide a summary of any sort to anyone reading this, so go to other reviews and risk being spoiled if you dare. I loved both We Begin at the End and Tall Oaks so when I saw this author had a new release I put my name on the library waiting list. Unfortunately for me (but fortunately for Whitaker and his book sales), it was after Jenna already made it her “Read With” selection so I was about eleventy-seven down the list. Luckily I have a great library system who acquired a trillion more copies of this so my wait was nearly non-existent. Then I realized it was 600 pages long – and if you know me you know I will die on the hill that 350 pages is the magic maximum number for nearly everything out there. But I dove in anyway . . . and then it was midnight, I turned the final page and found myself 100% in a bookhangover and mourning the loss of all of my new best friends.
Not only was this an exception to my “ugh this has too many pages” rule, it was an exception to nearly alllll of my personal tics. I loved the multiple viewpoints, I loved jumping from location to location, I loved the cobwebby storylines that eventually came together, I effing LOOOOOVED the youngsters (and that’s only happened like twice this year), I loved the descriptive prose when it was utilized. Everything. I loved everything about this book. I made half a gazillion notes and highlights, but I still have a feeling that should anyone question me about nuanced plot points or any other details in a week I’ll still be like . . .
Kelly (and the Book Boar)
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