In the Weeds by B.K. Borison (★★☆☆☆)
Print • Library • Contemporary Romance • 2022
Short synopsis: Burned out by life as a social media influencer, Evelyn returns to the last place she felt like herself—and to the farmer who isn’t sure he can trust her not to leave again.
How much did I dislike this book? When I finished the epilogue and saw there was a second epilogue, I said, “Oh hell fucking no,” and snapped my Kindle shut. I adored two other novels by this author, so I was excited to read this one, but omg, it was just so boring. The characters had zero chemistry, the plot never felt remotely believable, and the ending made me roll my eyes so hard. It had none of the charm and coziness of Lovelight Farms or the banter and spark of First Time Caller. It was just a bland romance, and if this had been my first BK Borison book, I wouldn’t have understood the hype. Skip this one, friends!
How to Seal Your Own Fate by Kristen Perrin (★★★☆☆ 1/2)
Audiobook • Libby • Mystery • 2025
Short synopsis: After a local fortune-teller is murdered, a woman investigating the mystery uncovers long-buried secrets that connect to her great-aunt’s decades-old search for the truth behind a deadly crash.
This is the second book in a mystery series set in a small English countryside town, the first one being How to Solve Your Own Murder. I really enjoyed that first novel and thought the second novel was… fine. It was the kind of “brain candy” book where I didn’t feel like I needed to concentrate too hard while I was listening to it. Even if I missed something, I was sure I would figure it out along the way. For me, this is a pleasant reading experience. I don’t want all my books to be like this, but every now and then, I like an uncomplicated book with likable characters and an easy-to-follow plot. It’s not a standout, but it’s a fun way to pass the time.
All the Way to the River: Love, Loss, and Liberation by Elizabeth Gilbert (★★★★★)
Print • Owned (author signing) • Nonfiction • 2025
Short synopsis: In this deeply personal memoir, Elizabeth Gilbert traces how an unexpected friendship became the love of her life—and how heartbreak ultimately led to profound self-discovery.
I did not expect this book to have such a profound effect on me. I hadn’t heard much about Elizabeth Gilbert’s latest release when I bought a ticket to her author talk in Tampa. Then I started hearing about all the controversy surrounding the book, and I found myself less excited to read it. I went to the event, fell deeply in love with Liz because she is so damn charismatic, and then put the book on my shelf to wait for the right moment. And hoo boy, was this the right moment. This memoir is about many things, but at its heart, it’s about Gilbert’s sex and love addiction and the codependency that shaped so much of her life. AKA, the very thing I’m working through in therapy right now!
This book was a revelation. Gilbert writes with her signature blend of vulnerability and insight, crafting sentences that stop you in your tracks. It’s about the joy of finding the love of your life, but also how addiction, abuse, and unimaginable grief can utterly ruin you. I won’t judge a single thought Gilbert had during her partner’s cancer battle. Much has been said about the section where she contemplates killing her partner to end her suffering. For me, I found it utterly heartbreaking and incredibly courageous for Gilbert to share these thoughts, knowing it would change the way people saw her. I’m not here to argue with you if it did change the way you view her. I’m just saying that it landed differently for me.
I have a feeling this will be one of my favorite books of 2026 because it touched me so deeply. It reminded me why I love Elizabeth Gilbert’s writing so much and captured the grit, complexity, and rawness of grief in such a profound way. I’m so grateful she wrote this memoir because, at this point in my life, I truly needed it.
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