meg reads and reads

Title: The Girls Who Stepped Out of Line Author: Mari K. Eder If you like your World War II history served with incredible stories, mediocre writing, and a jarringly political final chapter, this is your book. The core of this book has undeniable strengths. The historical women profiled are remarkable individuals who lived through extraordinary times, and their accounts are riveting. Eder highlights fascinating figures--some familiar, some entirely new--whose bravery and grit make for compelling reading. However, the writing was never going to be good enough for a five-star rating. The execution leaves a lot to be desired, feeling much more like a padded-out article collection than a polished historical narrative. And if you have a drinking game for every time the phrase "stepped out of line" appears, you will not survive past chapter three. Furthermore, the author loves to issue a rallying cry for us to "hold the line" at the end. Which is fascinating, considering ...

Title: The Wind Through the Keyhole Author: Stephen King A story inside a story inside another story sounds like it should be a mess, but somehow The Wind Through the Keyhole isn't. Stephen King's return to the Dark Tower universe--set between the fourth and fifth books--is surprisingly tight and ended up being one of the most enjoyable trips I've taken through Mid-World. The book starts with Roland and his ka-tet taking shelter from a brutal freezing storm. While they wait it out, Roland tells them about a mission from his youth, when his father sent him and Jamie DeCurry to a small town to investigate a series of murders committed by a shape-shifting creature. Roland would have preferred to take Cuthbert or Alain, but his father chose Jamie instead. We've spent plenty of time with young Roland before, but I enjoyed seeing him dropped in what is essentially a murder mystery. Tracking the creature requires more than being quick with a gun, and the investigation fits sur...

Title: 11/22/63 Author: Stephen King 11/22/63 is more than 800 pages long, which sounds like a commitment until you're several hundred pages in and wondering how you got there so quickly. Jake Epping is a high school English teacher whose friend Al introduces him to a portal hidden in the back of his diner. It leads to the same moment in 1958 every time, and Al has spent years thinking about what could be done with it. His answer is ambitious: stop Lee Harvey Oswald from assassinating JFK. There are rules. Every trip begins at the same point, only two minutes pass in the present no matter how long you're gone, and going back again resets whatever you changed the last time. Al also warns Jake that the past is obdurate. It resists being changed. Jake makes one test run before committing himself to the much larger task ahead. One of his first stops on the main trip is Derry, Maine, not long after the events of It . Richie and Beverly turn up briefly, and Derry is about as welcomin...

Title: Three Ordinary Girls Author: Tim Brady Tim Brady's Three Ordinary Girls brings to light the astonishing, bone-chilling courage of Truus Oversteegen, her sister Freddie, and Hannie Schaft--three teenage Dutch freedom fighters who spent World War II seducing, sabotaging, and assassinating Nazi occupiers and collaborators. On paper, this is an absolute blockbuster of historical non-fiction. These were literal teenagers riding bicycles through the Netherlands with pistols tucked into their coats, carrying out hits for the Dutch Resistance. It should be impossible to make that boring. Yet, somehow, the narrative structure almost manages it. The primary drawback of the book is its execution. Brady's research is undeniably thorough, but the prose often reads less like a propulsive narrative thriller and more like an academic log of logistics. The pacing tends to stall, turning what ought to be heart-pounding, high-stakes undercover operations into a somewhat listless sequence o...

Title: Careless People Author: Sarah Wynn-Williams Sarah Wynn-Williams's Careless People enters the ring as a blistering, tell-all expose of tech-giant arrogance, and for the most part, it lands a heavy blow. The author originally fought hard to join Facebook as an idealistic young international lawyer eager to shape social media's global impact. What follows is a slow-motion descent into corporate disillusionment as the "frog in a pot" reality sets in, kept bubbling by golden handcuffs, stock equity, and basic self-preservation (like needing health insurance--which, honestly, fair). The most satisfying part of the book is watching Wynn-Williams dismantle the reputations of people who have spent years carefully curating their public images. She pulls back the curtain on the rank hypocrisy of "leaning in," exposing how high-minded feminism and performative empowerment routinely dissolved into workplace toxicity, explosive rants, and a culture that turned a bl...

Title: World's End Author: Upton Sinclair World's End was my very first introduction to Upton Sinclair, and it absolutely will not be my last. It is a compelling coming-of-age novel that captures the upheaval surrounding World War I with remarkable historical breadth while never losing sight of the people caught inside it. What makes the novel work is its protagonist, Lanny Budd. Because of his birth and upbringing, Lanny has access to worlds that rarely intersect. Growing up on the Côte d'Azur as an expatriate American, he is equally at home in French salons, English country estates, German castles, and conversations with servants and peasants. Through his eyes, starting as a thirteen-year-old in 1913, we watch society stubbornly deny the impending conflict right up until it ignites, and then navigate the stark realities of surviving it. Sinclair's political leanings are well known, but he resists reducing the conflict to heroes and villains. He weaves in competing per...

Title: Sorry I'm Late, I Didn't Want to Come Author: Jessica Pan As a devoted introvert whose ideal afternoon is one spent in blissful solitude, I approached Jessica Pan's Sorry I'm Late, I Didn't Want to Come with a healthy dose of side-eye. The premise alone--a self-proclaimed shy introvert pledging to spend an entire year acting like an extrovert--sounds less like a self-improvement journey and more like a custom-designed psychological thriller.  I wasn't expecting it to become one of my favorite nonfiction books of the year. What follows is hilarious, deeply relatable, and unexpectedly moving. Most motivational "get out of your comfort zone" books feel like they were written by innate extroverts who simply don't understand the physical drain of a crowded room. Pan, however, writes entirely from the trenches of true introversion. After her closest friends move away, she realizes she's left with the adult version of an almost impossible task:...

Title: The Silent Patient Author: Alex Michaelides Thank goodness for a little cooling-off period, because if I had rated this book the exact second I finished it, it would have walked away with a glowing five stars. But after taking some time to actually sit back, process the whole thing, and let my mind chew on the details, the plot holes started multiplying like gremlins. The initial high definitely dropped. I know I have a few friends who are going to see this three-star rating and wonder what is wrong with me. To be fair, it is a decent thriller, and I can completely see why it's a massive hit for so many people. At the same time, it's just as easy to see why someone would totally trash it. So I am going to park myself right comfortably in the middle. The absolute best part of the book was the final resolution. The buildup to it was fine, though it never truly hit a peak level of suspense for me; a lot of the journey was heavily padded with exposition. It didn't help t...

Title: Under the Dome Author: Stephen King I spent the first few decades of my life actively avoiding Stephen King. While other teenagers were devouring his paperbacks in the school library, I was perfectly content staying in my lane with less "messed up" literature. However, about eleven years ago, I finally decided to see what the fuss was about. This late-blooming curiosity eventually landed me at Under the Dome , a 1,072-page beast that is the literary equivalent of a massive bag of theater popcorn--you know it's not exactly high-brow nutrition, but it's addictive, and you're sure as can be not stopping until you hit the bottom. The setup is delightfully simple: the town of Chester's Mill is suddenly encased in an impenetrable, transparent dome. One minute you're driving to the next town for groceries, the next you're hitting an invisible wall like a confused sparrow. While the government spends 1,000 pages scratching its head on the outside, the t...

Title: Stories of the American Revolution Author: Thomas Fleming Thomas Fleming manages to pull off a neat trick in Stories of the American Revolution by making the birth of the United States feel less like a series of inevitable dates and more like a high-stakes accident. The book is structured as a collection of essays, which admittedly gives it a bit of a polished, simplified feel at times. While individual chapters can feel like mere anecdotes, the collection as a whole builds a compelling case for just how unlikely the American victory truly was. It forces you to realize that the country didn't just happen; it was cobbled together through a messy, intertwined series of events that probably should have failed. One of the most interesting aspects is the way Fleming reevaluates the Howe brothers. He offers a fresh take on their roles and motivations that shifted my own perspective on British strategy. I also appreciated the brief, candid looks behind the curtain of the Constituti...

Title: Firefly Beach Author: Luanne Rice I usually enjoy Luanne Rice, but Firefly Beach was a massive slog. It felt like she was trying to fit every possible misfortune into one story--alcoholism, domestic abuse, diving accidents, and so on--until the plot just felt bloated. Instead of making me feel for the characters, the constant barrage of tragedy was exhausting. It went on for way too long, and the narrative wove in and out so much that I found myself getting genuinely bored in several places. While the plot was a mess, there were a few bright spots. I loved the closeness between the sisters and have always envied that kind of built-in support system. They certainly needed each other, too, since their mother was such a piece of work; it's honestly no surprise why at least two of the daughters turned out the way they did. I also really liked the hero's brother, Sam, and that sweet old dog, Homer. They were the only characters keeping me grounded while everyone else in the s...

Title: The Alpine Advocate Author: Mary Daheim While it is an interesting start to a long-running series, The Alpine Advocate is a bit of a mixed bag. The strongest element is Emma Lord herself; as the owner of the town's weekly newspaper, her involvement in the investigation feels more organic than the typical cozy mystery protagonist who just happens to stumble over a body. Having Chris Ramirez--the estranged grandson of the wealthy Neeny Doukas--staying at her house provides a solid personal stake when Chris's cousin Mark is murdered and Chris becomes the prime suspect. The small-town atmosphere is captured accurately, particularly the suffocating web of local genealogy. Emma has only lived in Alpine for four years, and her comment about needing a family tree just to navigate a social gathering will ring true for anyone who has lived in a tight-knit community. However, the pacing and the sheer volume of "unfinished business" within the Doukas family can feel a bit ...

Title: Duma Key Author: Stephen King Duma Key isn't one of King's more popular novels, and while the length and unconventional rhythm might explain that, I loved it. The scenery is so visceral that I will forever hear the grinding of the shells whenever I think of this story. From the beachfront setting to the sci-fi and paranormal elements, the plot remained completely unpredictable. The standout element of the book was the way King described the act of creation. He captures how art and talent actually feel when they unfold--that burning itch deep down when the muse starts to stir. He nails the way you can lose yourself for hours in the "flow," ending up ravenous, exhausted, or even a little mad. The writing in these scenes was executed extremely well and felt entirely authentic to the creative experience. The story is elevated by flawed characters and a friendship that feels entirely believable. Even when the plot takes its darker turns, the emotional core stays gro...

Title: The Radium Girls Author: Kate Moore If you are looking to try reading more non-fiction, The Radium Girls by Kate Moore is a compelling choice. It is certainly not the most joyful subject, but it is an incredibly interesting and frequently enraging account of a dark chapter in American industrial history. Moore utilizes original interviews, diaries, letters, and court accounts to reconstruct the lives of working-class women hired to paint luminous watch dials for the military. These women were taught to use their lips to point their brushes, effectively swallowing radium with every stroke. Even those who didn't use the lip-pointing method were coated in radioactive dust that they inadvertently carried home to their families at the end of every day. The physical descriptions of the radiation poisoning are harrowing. The narrative tracks a progression of horror where a woman's jaw literally falling apart is only the beginning of the tragedy. The book details a litany of suf...

Title: Bitter Blood Author: Jerry Bledsoe Jerry Bledsoe's Bitter Blood is a haunting, definitive account of a slow-motion train wreck that spans generations and geography. While many entries in the true crime genre leave a reader feeling a sense of somber reflection, this chronicle of the Lynch and Newsom family murders is more likely to leave you in a state of pure, unadulterated fury. What makes the book so terrifying is how "normal" the setting appears. Bledsoe peels back the veneer of Southern social standing to reveal a toxic brew of explosive personalities. Most families have their quirks, but the people in this book take dysfunction to a lethal level. It is a stark look at how easily a facade of respectability can hide something much darker. The central figure, Susie Lynch, emerges not as a victim of Fritz Klenner's influence, but as a master manipulator who controlled everyone and everything her entire life. Bledsoe does a phenomenal job of detailing the trail...

Title: Inky the Octopus Author: Erin Guendelsberger I only write children's book reviews rarely, but here's one. Inky the Octopus by Erin Guendelsberger is a charming retelling of a real-life disappearance that would put Harry Houdini to shame. This cute book is based on the true story of an octopus who decides the aquarium life is no longer for him. It turns out that when a cephalopod wants to stage a jailbreak, he doesn't need a team of specialists--he just needs to be squishy enough to fit through a drainpipe. The story captures the cleverness of octopuses without turning them into cartoons, following Inky as he squeezes through a gap in his tank and makes a break for the floor drain to find the ocean. While the illustrations are engaging, it might be better for older kids in the 1st through 2nd grade range. The rhyme scheme is a bit more sophisticated than your average picture book, and the logic of escape requires a little more focus. One of the highlights is the inclu...

Title: When Things Fall Apart: Heart Advice for Difficult Times Author: Pema Chodron I checked out this book from the library thinking it might be a helpful resource while navigating the heavy grief of divorce. I was looking for a life raft during a turbulent time; instead, I got a handful of thin air and about 100,000 different ways of being told to "change my perspective." The first few pages set this book up as a memoir, which led me to expect personal stories and relatable human experiences. Instead, there is a distinct lack of substance. There are almost no illustrative stories or examples of how the author actually applied her teachings to her own life. This is a major flaw: a memoir should use personal stories to build out its points. Without them, the book just loops the same "change your mindset" advice without ever showing the work. For a book that discusses specific philosophical concepts, it stays frustratingly surface-level. It's full of general ref...

Title: Never Have I Ever Author: Joshilyn Jackson In Never Have I Ever , Joshilyn Jackson brings her signature friendly-but-dark suburban energy to the domestic thriller genre, and for the most part, it's a breath of fresh air. We meet Amy Whey, who has the "perfect" suburban life: the husband, the stepdaughter, the new baby, and the inevitable dark secret. But let's be honest--this is a domestic thriller. If a character in this genre doesn't have a skeleton in their walk-in closet, are they even a protagonist? The book kicks off with a fantastic premise: a mysterious new neighbor, Angelica Roux, crashes book club. Naturally, everyone gets a little tipsy, and Roux suggests a game of "Never Have I Ever" that goes way beyond "never have I ever ghosted a guy on a dating app." Amy, possessing a secret that could ruin her life, is understandably less than thrilled. What I truly appreciated is that Amy isn't your standard, cookie-cutter "sub...

Title: Savannah Blues Author: Mary Kay Andrews I am a sucker for Southern literature. Give me some Spanish moss, a humid mystery, and a glass of sweet tea, and I'm usually a happy camper. When I realized Savannah Blues was leaning into the Southern mystery genre, I was actually pretty excited. Unfortunately, that excitement soured fast. The character development--or lack thereof--was the biggest letdown. Let's discuss Daniel. If the goal was to create a romantic lead who is defensive, quick to anger, and entirely unappealing, then Mary Kay Andrews nailed it. He's a total dud. I'm placing my bets now: Weezie and Daniel aren't making it past Valentine's Day. He has the charm of a sunburned tourist and twice the irritability. Then there's Weezie herself. She was just...silly. Her decision-making skills were questionable at best, and her depth was paper-thin. To top it off, the subplot involving her alcoholic mother felt like it was thrown in haphazardly, as if ...

Title: The Shadow Box Author: Luanne Rice If you enjoy a tension-filled domestic thriller that plays musical chairs with its timeline, you'll find plenty to like here. The story flips back and forth between the main characters and the before and after of the attacks. It certainly kept me engaged with the story and wanting to uncover more of the secrets hidden within the plot. However, I have to be honest: I was waiting for the jaw-on-the-floor kind of plot twist. I wanted to be knocked sideways by a shocking revelation, but instead, the story felt a little safe. At times, the writing felt a bit long-winded and theatrical. I wanted to occasionally skim through some portions because the pacing slowed down. It was a bit easy to see where the breadcrumbs were leading. By the end, I was left with a bit of a "was that all?" feeling. Even though it didn't quite deliver the massive shock I was hoping for, it was still a fun read for the most part! I'd still recommend it b...