Stephany Writes

Categories: Books

What I’m Reading (6.1.26)

We did it, baby! I have a Five-Star Trifecta for you today, and these books couldn’t be more different from each other!

Democracy Awakening: Notes on the State of America by Heather Cox Richardson (★★★★★)

Audiobook • Libby • Nonfiction • 2023

Short synopsis: From historian and author of the popular daily newsletter Letters From an American, a vital narrative that explains how America, once a beacon of democracy, now teeters on the brink of autocracy — and how we can turn back.

I’ve been reading Richardson’s daily newsletter since the start of the second Trump presidency, and it has been a balm to my soul. She has such an accessible writing style, and I love the way she continually ties back what’s happening right now with our past. Shit’s been messy for a long time! This book was released in 2023 after the first Trump presidency, and it starts with everything that happened during that time and the impact it had on our society as a whole. Then, she brings you all the way back to the founding of the U.S. to explain how we got to where we are today. It’s not just because of Trump, but due to a system that was set up to slowly veer us toward authoritarianism. This book was excellent, and I think Heather Cox Richardson is one of the most important voices today.

We Could Be So Good by Cat Sebastian (★★★★★)

E-Book • Libby • Historical Romance • 2023

Short synopsis: When a closeted reporter, Nick, is tasked with babysitting the bumbling heir, Andy, to a newspaper dynasty, an unlikely friendship blossoms into a forbidden romance that could cost them both everything in 1950s New York.

This book was the goddamn sweetest. Essentially, it’s a friends-to-lovers romance, but there’s also this coming-of-age element as Andy realizes he’s queer as he begins falling for his best friend. The setting was perfection, and you can really feel the grittiness of 1950s NYC and the very real consequences of being queer during that time. There’s a beautiful found family aspect to the story, along with some surprisingly affirming support from family members you might not expect. And how the love blossomed between Andy and Nick! I was basically a puddle of mush. They were so goddamn cute together, and I spent the entire book rooting for them to get their happy ending because they truly deserved it. Beyond the romance, there’s plenty going on. Nick is investigating a story about corrupt cops while grappling with the fact that his own brother is a police officer, and Andy is trying to learn the newspaper business before taking over from his father. All of these elements work together so well, creating a rich, layered story that never lost sight of the romance at the heart of it. I loved this novel so much, and was a little sad to say goodbye to Andy and Nick when I finished it.

James by Percival Everett (★★★★★)

Print • Owned (indie bookstore) • Literary Fiction • 2024

Short synopsis: Recasting a familiar American tale through Jim’s eyes, this novel follows an enslaved man’s desperate quest for freedom and family as he journeys down the Mississippi River with Huck Finn.

This book was straight-up brilliant. When I finished it, I just stared off into space for about 10 minutes, thinking about the plot and all the ways Everett plays with our assumptions about enslaved people. It’s deeply subversive, especially in how it explores the trope of the uneducated enslaved person. In this novel, James—and many of the other enslaved characters—are constantly code-switching to protect themselves: speaking with proper grammar around one another and adopting a simplified dialect around white people. As James himself says in the book, “White folks expect us to sound a certain way and it can only help if we don’t disappoint them.” Juxtaposing this with the way many Black people today code-switch in the opposite direction, yet often for the same reason—protection—is masterful storytelling.

This isn’t exactly a retelling of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, which I barely remember anyway. Instead, it gives Jim agency, history, and a voice. It reminds us that the stories we tell about history rarely capture the full scope of human experience because they’re often told from the perspective of white people. James challenges us to reconsider what we think we know about enslaved people and the assumptions we’ve absorbed from generations of storytelling. More than anything, this novel is a reminder that every person has an inner life. They have people who love them, ideas worth fighting for, dreams for the future, and a history worth remembering.

I didn’t expect to love this book as much as I did because award winners don’t typically work for me. But Percival Everett is a phenomenal storyteller, and every accolade this book has received feels well deserved. This is a must-read.

What are you reading?

Categories: Books

What I’m Reading (5.26.26)

Anatomy of an Alibi by Ashley Elston (★★★★☆)

Audiobook • Spotify • Thriller • 2026

Short synopsis: When a troubled woman impersonates a wealthy socialite for one night so they can each uncover the dangerous secrets surrounding the socialite’s husband, the plan spirals into chaos after he’s found murdered and only one of them has an alibi.

I had such a good time with this thriller! Aubrey and Camille were fantastic main characters, and I loved their strange partnership. Thrillers don’t always give you characters you genuinely want to root for, but I was fully invested in both of them. The story had lots of great twists, and I never felt completely sure who to trust or whether I was dealing with an unreliable narrator. (The author played with the “unreliable narrator” trope in such an interesting way!) The novel dealt with some heavy themes, including domestic abuse, grief, and corruption, in the midst of trying to find out who murdered Camille’s husband, and it did it all without slowing down the story. The ending was a standout for me, tying back to the core of the story in such a unique, fascinating way. I loved it!

This Story May Save Your Life by Tiffany Crum (★★★★☆)

Print • Owned (Book of the Month) • Thriller • 2026

Short synopsis: When a beloved podcast host discovers his co-host and her husband missing alongside a cryptic memoir draft, he must unravel their hidden secrets while evading suspicion himself before their real-life survival story turns deadly.

I had such a weird reading experience with this book because I genuinely couldn’t decide if it was genius or completely ridiculous. (I’m leaning towards genius.) I found myself staring into space after finishing it, trying to process what I’d read. The writing really stood out to me, especially how distinct Joy’s memoir excerpts felt from the rest of the book. The excerpts were noticeably less polished and a little more pedestrian, which was likely an intentional contrast that worked really well for me. I also loved Benny and Joy as main characters; Benny, in particular, was lovable and easy to root for, while Joy balanced him out perfectly. Joy’s severe narcolepsy added another layer that made the story feel unique, and I thought the author did a great job exploring how deeply a condition like that can shape someone’s life. While the podcast angle is starting to feel a bit overdone in thrillers, this one managed to feel fresh enough to stand out, and the ending totally caught me off guard! Overall, it felt like something new for the genre, and I think this is a book I can safely recommend to thriller lovers.

The Pumpkin Spice Cafe by Laurie Gilmore (★★☆☆☆ 1/2)

Print • Owned (from a friend) • Contemporary Romance • 2023

Short synopsis: After inheriting the beloved Pumpkin Spice Café in the cozy small town of Dream Harbor, optimistic city girl Jeanie clashes with grumpy local farmer Logan—only to find unexpected sparks brewing between them.

This book felt like it was written by AI. There was just something… disingenuous about it? None of the characters felt real, and neither did the town of Dream Harbor. (Please tell me how a cafe and a bakery can be sustainable in a small town.) It all felt a little too cutesy and unrealistic. And maybe that was the point? Maybe Laurie Gilmore just wanted to create a town that would never exist in the real world, and that’s okay. It just didn’t work for me. I wanted more realness from the characters, and I really wanted to feel the spark between Jeanie and Logan, but the whole book left me feeling deflated. Somehow, I have more books in this series on my bookshelf (gifted to me), so I’ll probably try to read another one to see if the writing improves. But this book has a 3.36 rating on Goodreads, and I can definitely understand why.

What are you reading?

Categories: Books

What I’m Reading (5.18.26)

Kin by Tayari Jones (★★★★☆)

Print • Owned (Target) • Historical Fiction • 2026

Short synopsis: In the wake of their mothers’ absences, two best friends from small-town Louisiana follow dramatically different paths—one into privilege and power, the other into a dangerous search for belonging that could cost her everything.

This book was a masterclass. The writing was so beautiful that I kept stopping to reread certain lines because they took my breath away. (Something that has never happened to me before!) Jones did such an incredible job immersing me in the world of Niecy and Annie, and there was such a strong sense of place, no matter where the girls were living—their hometown in Louisiana, Spelman College, or a farm being run as a brothel. The characterization was especially strong, and even when the characters frustrated me or made choices I didn’t love, I was still totally invested in them because Niecy and Annie felt so real and fully formed. That said, there is just something holding this back from being a 5-star read for me. I can’t even fully explain what it was, just that I felt like something was missing for me emotionally. Still, it was an exceptional read, with so much to say about family, sisterhood, and being a Black woman in the Jim Crow South.

In Your Dreams by Sarah Adams (★★★☆☆ 1/2)

E-Book • Libby • Contemporary Fiction • 2025

Short synopsis: When a burned-out chef returns to her Kentucky hometown to help open a farm-to-table restaurant with her brother’s best friend, long-buried feelings, family tension, and second chances force them both to decide whether love is worth the risk.

Sarah Adams is such a hit-or-miss author for me, and this one somehow managed to be both at the same time. I love a good brother’s best friend/longtime crush romance, and this book definitely delivered on that front, but my biggest issue was Madison. While I related to the whole “leave your hometown chasing something bigger only to realize you miss home” feeling (that was my college experience!), and I appreciated how the book explored Madison’s struggles with anxiety after working under a toxic chef in her previous restaurant job, there was something about her personality that never fully clicked for me. She didn’t feel like a real person, and I could never get a grasp on her character. I also struggle with Sarah Adams’ writing, since it tends to lean a little too cheesy and cutesy. Overall, it was a fine romance and I’m glad I finished out this series, but I don’t know if it’s a series I would wholly recommend.

The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion, Vol. 3 by Beth Brower (★★★★☆)

Audiobook • Hoopla • Historical Fiction • 2020

Short synopsis: The third volume of Emma’s journals follows our delightful protagonist as she teams up with her cousin Archibald for the annual Julius Caesar scavenger hunt.

This is the first full-length novel of the Emma M. Lion series, and I had the best time with my new BFF. The scavenger hunt was hysterical and Emma’s insights into this weird world were a delight to read. There is a romance brewing in Emma’s world, and it gives me butterflies! I continue to adore this series and while I’m going to take a little break from it to listen to a few other audiobooks in my queue, I’m so looking forward to picking it back up soon!

What are you reading?

Categories: Books

What I’m Reading (5.11.26)

Best Offer Wins by Marisa Kashino (★★★★☆)

Print • Owned (Book of the Month) • Thriller • 2025

Short synopsis: After losing 11 bidding wars, Margo becomes dangerously obsessed with securing her dream home before it hits the market—crossing boundaries that threaten to unravel her job, her marriage, and her life.

Unhinged is the only way to describe this book. I devoured it in a single day during my reading retreat. I have never gone through the house-buying process (nor ever wanted to own a home in the obsessive way Margo does), but I’m going to assume some people may find Margo relatable (at least in the beginning), especially those trying to buy a house in a competitive market. However, as the book progresses, Margo becomes increasingly unhinged, unlikable, and almost impossible to root for. And yet, there’s something compelling about the extreme lengths she’ll go to get her dream home. This book was full of twists and turns I didn’t see coming, so if you’re looking for a “WTF did I just read?” experience, this is the book for you!

Animal Magnetism by Jill Shalvis (★★★★☆)

E-Book • Libby • Contemporary Romance • 2011

Short synopsis: Lilah Young never expected a passing-through pilot like Brady Miller to upend her carefully guarded instincts, but their undeniable pull challenges both her roots and his resistance to staying.

This was a reread for me (I first read it in 2016), and revisiting a 2011 romance in 2026 is… interesting. And while it may not be fair to judge this book through a modern lens, some of Brady’s behavior is a bit misogynistic, and Lilah could be a bit of a pushover at times. That said, this book is a super quick, uncomplicated read (I finished it in about 24 hours post–reading retreat), and while it lacks the emotional depth you see in a lot of contemporary romances today, it’s still an easy story that delivers a good time.

The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion, Vols 1 and 2 by Beth Brower (★★★★☆)

Audiobook • Hoopla • Historical Fiction • 2020

Short synopsis: In 1883 London, Emma M. Lion chronicles her life at Lapis Lazuli House alongside her eccentric cousin, formidable aunt, and a cast of delightfully odd neighbors.
Everyone on Goodreads seems to be reading this series, so I finally had to give it a try, and I was not disappointed. The first two books in the series are written as novellas (under 150 pages), and the audio for both is under 8 hours. Since I listened to them back-to-back, I thought I would review them as one unit. These novellas are incredibly fun, with a lovable heroine in Emma. I want to be her friend! I’m so glad I have six more books in this series to read and that the author is planning on writing more. I want to stay in Emma’s charming world forever and ever.

What are you reading?

Categories: Books

April Reading Wrap-Up

Books Read

(4/6) Lake Effect by Cynthia D’Aprix Sweeney (★★★★★ – audiobook, Libby, 2026) – a beautiful story about the powerful effect secrets and lies can have on a community, but also how healing forgiveness can be

(4/7) Dream On, Ramona Riley by Ashley Herring Blake (★★☆☆☆ 1/2 – print, indie bookstore, 2025) – a romance about a regular person and a celebrity falling in love that didn’t impact me in any special way

(4/8) Black Cake by Charmaine Wilkerson (★★★☆☆ – print, Book of the Month, 2022) – when Byron and Benny’s mom dies, she leaves behind a recording that tells the story of her life

(4/12) The Mysterious Affair at Styles by Agatha Christie (★★★☆☆ – print, indie bookstore, 1920) – Christie’s debut! This mystery is about a wealthy matriarch who is poisoned and the silly Belgian detective who figures out the murderer. 

(4/13) The Love Haters by Katherine Center (★★★☆☆ – print, Book of the Month, 2025) – a contemporary romance featuring the grumpy/sunshine trope that just didn’t work for me

(4/14) How to Solve Your Own Murder by Kristen Perrin (★★★★☆ – audiobook, Libby, 2024) – when Annie’s great-aunt dies mysteriously, it’s up to her to solve her murder in order to gain an inheritance

(4/17) The Appeal by Janice Hallett (★★★★☆ – print, indie bookstore, 2021) – an inventive mystery involving text messages, police transcripts, emails, and more; you’re not only solving the murder, but also trying to figure out who got murdered, too.

(4/18) First-Time Caller by B.K. Borison (★★★★☆ – print, Book of the Month, 2025) – a contemporary romance following a radio host and a single mom who have both given up on love

(4/18) Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke (★★★★★ – print, Book of the Month, 2026) – a tradwife wakes up one day to find she’s living in the 1800s. Is it a conspiracy, a bad dream, or something else entirely?

(4/18) Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt Dinniman (★★★☆☆ – e-book, Libby, 2020) – a litRPG book that I would have never picked up on my own, and had a fairly good time while reading it

(4/18) Best Offer Wins by Marisa Kashino (★★★★☆ – print, Book of the Month, 2025) – unhinged thriller alert! This book was insane in the best possible way.

(4/21) Animal Magnetism by Jill Shalvis (★★★★☆ – e-book, Libby, 2011) – a reread from a beloved romance author about a pilot-for-hire and an animal rescuer falling in love

(4/22) The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion, Vol. 1 by Beth Brower (★★★★☆ – audiobook, Hoopla, 2020) – a cute novella about a woman writing journal entries about her new life in a small English town in the 1800s.

(4/25) The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion, Vol. 2 by Beth Brower (★★★★☆ – audiobook, Hoopla, 2020) – the second novella in the Emma M. Lion series, which I loved just as much as the first.

(4/27) Kin by Tayari Jones (★★★★☆ – print, Target, 2026) – a beautifully written book about two best friends whose lives diverge dramatically after high school

(4/29) In Your Dreams by Sarah Adams (★★★☆☆ 1/2 – e-book, Libby, 2025) – a little on the cheesy side at times, but a cute romance that deals with trauma, identity, and family

(4/29) The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion, Vol. 3 by Beth Brower (★★★★☆ – audiobook, Hoopla, 2020) – the first full-length novel in the Emma M. Lion series, and omg, I just love this series so much!

Book Stats

  • # of books read: 15 (and 2 novellas)
  • # of pages read: 5,596
  • Genre breakdown: fiction (7), romance (5), mystery/thriller (4), science fiction/fantasy (1)
  • Format breakdown: print (9), audiobook (5), and ebook (3)
  • Fastest read: Best Offer Wins (1 day)
  • Slowest read: Kin (9 days)
  • Star average: 3.8

Superlatives

  • The best book I read in April: Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke
  • My favorite romance in April: First-Time Caller by B.K. Borison
  • The book I thought I would love more than I did: Dream On, Ramona Riley by Ashley Herring Blake
  • The book I only read because book club made me: Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt Dinniman
  • The book with the strongest sense of place: Lake Effect by Cynthia D’Aprix Sweeney

Reading Miscellaneous

Unread Shelf Project | April prompt: A book with a color in the name: I went with Black Cake, which I added to my Book of the Month box earlier this year due to some recommendations. It was fine, but not a standout for me. (Books it beat out: Yellowface, A Spool of Blue Thread, and Violet Thistlewaite Is Not a Villain Anymore.)

Where I traveled this month: In the United States, I visited California, Washington DC, Idaho, New York, New Hampshire, Florida, Maryland, Louisiana, Georgia, and Kentucky. I also traveled to Jamaica and, again, to many places in the U.K., including London, Essex, and Yorkshire.

DNFs: My second month in a row with zero DNFs!

Something I learned from my reading: I learned about black cake, which is something I had never heard of before reading the book with the same name. Honestly, it sounds really delicious!

What’s Coming Up in May

Here are some of the books I’m going to try to get around to reading in May:

  • James by Percival Everett – This book was everywhere a few years ago, but I’ve yet to read it. I’m going to give it a try this month!
  • The Ending Writes Itself by Evelyn Clarke – I heard about this book on Shelf Respect, and it’s a book that’s so in my wheelhouse, it isn’t funny. Then, it was a Book of the Month selection in April! I’m excited to sit down with this one soon.
  • Good People by Patmeena Sabit – This book is getting a ton of buzz and I moved it up my TBR list because of that.
  • Problematic Summer Romance by Ali Hazelwood – I wasn’t sure if I was going to read this romance, but I heard enough rave reviews that I’m going to at least give it a try.
  • In the Weeds by B.K. Borison – This is the second book in Borison’s Lovelight Farms series. I loved the first one so, so much, and I hope the second one lives up to the hype.

What was the best book you read in April?