We have eclectic tastes, but love to share what we’ve liked… or didn’t so much. We have no vested interest other than hoping to continue to receive advance reader copies from a variety of publishers. Scan through these short reviews to find something that appeals. We strongly encourage purchases through Bookshop.org, which shares proceeds with your designated local book store. My tastes (Beth speaking here) run toward mysteries, so you’ll see a lot of those. But I also like anything other than hardcore romance. After all, romance can be a great plot device, but as the central theme I personally think it’s usually overrated. In any case, check these out!
Death in the Deluge, by Brian Thiem, Severn River Publishing, 2026, reviewed 8/5/26.
The latest in Thiem’s Mudflats Murder Club series, Death in the Deluge places retired Oakland PD detective Sean Tanner and his fellow law enforcement retirees in the midst of both a series of murders and an oncoming hurricane in his recently adopted South Carolina lowcountry home. Working under the watchful eye of detective sergeant Charlotte–Charlie–Nash, they race against time and the incoming hurricane to prevent the next victim’s death. This one’s a quick, easy, predictable read for those times when you want something crime-oriented but not so grim. If you like this one, there are several others to check out as well.
Mr. Yay, a novel by Emily Jane, Hyperion Avenue, 2026, reviewed 7/27/26
A great read when you’re in the mood for something simultaneously realistic and completely off the wall. Early 20s Bradford fights his intransigent sense of failure when a random dog pops (literally) into his life, leading him from Ohio to a partnership with his BFF in LA. The resulting rap duo, Mr. Yay, manages to bring light and life to both Brad and the world through their off-the-charts antics and willingness to accept the coexistence of multiple realities. Even Brad’s therapist finds hope through Brad’s journey.
The River Muse, a novel by Laura Resau, Harper Muse, 2026, reviewed 7/4/26.
I was determined after the first few pages not to like this novel. Woman with young child escapes emotionally abusive relationship and finds solace in the French countryside. What’s new and insightful about that? How would the resolution be more than the obvious? Yet I became hooked, though gradually–just like the story unwinds. Letters from the protagonist to herself provide “just in time” background as the story grows in intensity, dovetailing the moment of flight with the resolution of Eva’s dilemma–all with the river (La Chanson, the song) as a supporting character.
Knave of Diamonds, a novel by Laurie R. King, Bantam, 2025, reviewed spring 2025.
Can you tell from the photo that I’m a Laurie King fan? Her series featuring Mary Russell, aka young wife of Sherlock Holmes, takes another twisting path in Knave of Diamonds, revealing more about Mary’s black-sheep-of-the-family Uncle Jack and his role in the disappearance of the Irish Crown Jewels. Juggling competing loyalties, Mary is forced to find cunning ways to support and honor her allegiances to her uncle and to her husband.
The Unfolding: Poems, by Rosemerry Wahtola Trommer, Wildhouse Poetry, 2024, reviewed fall 2024.
In The Unfolding, Rosemerry Wahtola Trommer groups her poems into four categories, each headlined by a self-created word that expresses emotions not caught in existing vocabulary: verilujah, sorrom, samunion, and pangloria. This is a volume that can be read through from cover to cover or you can hop around to find something that speaks to moment. Rosemerry finds a way to allow for the deepest sorrow while at the same time celebrating those tiniest of moments, a skill I found comforting after losing my son Steven to suicide (she, too, experienced this same kind of loss). Beyond this book, Rosemerry offers an emailed poem of the day and hosts workshops through Evermore and other venues online and in person.
Pecan Flats Ranch 