Secret Indiana

As a Hoosier I enjoyed reading this fun little travel guide about the weird, quirky, and hidden gems in the state. I was aware of maybe a dozen or so of the locations (I happen to live by two of them) and was really intrigued by the others. Some of the locations were kind of meh, but some were super interesting and I hadn't heard of. Will I go out of my way to visit all these locations? No, but if I am ever near one of them I may pop over (especially if it is one of the free ones). I feel like I am better equipped to win Hoosier Jeopardy now. This is a great little coffee table or bathroom book because you can read a few locations at a time. Each location has a two page spread with photos, the address, a little write up, accessibility features, and information on whether or not it's free. Interesting for sure. Now I know that Indiana is more than the RV capital of the world, we are also the goldfish capital of the world. Who knew?! 

Witchcraft for Wayward Girls

Why did I wait so long to read this book?!?! So freaking good. And I have to give props for Grady Hendrix, a male, for doing such an amazing job writing from the female perspective. His portrayal of young women going through pregnancy and childbirth was done so well and nuanced; so kudos to him! 

Fern is sent to Florida to live in a "women's home" with other young unmarried women while waiting to give birth. This home is where parents send their shameful daughters for a few months as a guise for "going away to camp" or "staying with an aunt for the summer," while in reality they are just waiting to give birth and adopt out the babies. It's the summer of 1970 and the Florida heat is stifling. With no access to news of the outside world and not much to do other than chores, Fern cannot wait for the bookmobile to come. When the librarian gives her a book on witchcraft, she and some of the other girls finally have something important, power. Can Fern and pregnant friends turn things around? Or are they getting involved in something that will place them in even more precarious straights? Delightful, wonderful. I could not put it down!

Made to Be She

This is a complicated review to write. There were a lot of areas I wholeheartedly agreed with and areas that I was appalled at. As a Catholic, one of the things I try to do most, is love thy neighbor. It's easy to judge others, but easy isn't right and we are not the judge, only God is. This book held a lot of judgment toward others - working mothers, divorced women, transgender individuals, non-Christian women, and more. It ruined a lot of the good message the authors were trying to get across. I love that they discussed the harm that the purity culture movement caused, the snares of the beauty industry, and falling into religious ditches. As another reviewer mentioned, some of those chapters could have been greatly expanded and been whole books. The authors chose to dedicate a lot of time however on transgendered men and women and casting judgement their way. Trans women existing doesn't diminish me as a woman. I love that I am a woman. Trans women aren't trying to take my rights away, but you know who is... men. All the time. Another chapter talked about how important it was to be a mother and to stay at home with your children. Well wouldn't that be nice. But in this economy... Come on. Nowhere in that chapter did the authors talk about the rising cost of housing or food. They mention how sad they felt for single mothers ONCE. The rest of the chapter was lamenting how much moms are missing out on by working. What about the dads? They are missing those moments too! If we are called to go forth and procreate in this awful American economy then most mothers will have to work. We unfortunately live in a time that demands that both parents work. We CAN'T have it all. Most women I know would love to stay home but can't. Most women I know would love to have more kids but can't afford to. The authors mention none of that. Another point I took issue with was that the authors villainized every wave of feminism and gave an awful over simplified view of them all. No mention of the benefits we got, only the negative downsides. We can own property, we can have credit cards, we can get custody of our children. They mentioned women getting the right to vote like it was a bad thing because the men should get the vote of the household... but even if that were the case what about unmarried or widowed women?! The final thing I take issue with is the oversimplified science of sex. According to the authors there are only males and females with absolutely NO VARIATIONS WHATSOEVER. However, intersex variations and hermaphroditism demonstrate that sex exists on a spectrum, and in some species, individuals do not fit neatly into a simple male/female binary. So I guess people born intersex can go jump off a cliff? I mean, what the heck. They are people too. Sorry they don't fit neatly in your little box. Not everything is black and white. Love one another. So actually now that I've typed all this out... maybe there wasn't that much good in here. 

We Know Your Secret

This was a fun and quick teen thriller, perfect for the Halloween season. This is essentially a Fear Street novel, but set in the 90s. Two best friends are looking forward to their weekly sleepover on Friday night, not knowing that it will be the last time anything is normal. Lisa and Katie have the house to themselves, two new releases from Blockbuster, pizza, snacks, and Cosmo magazine. Everything is perfect. That is, until they start prank calling people. What starts out as a funny joke, quickly goes dark. Maybe being home alone isn't the wisest move. Told through multiple perspectives, this fun little thriller was cute but could have had another rounds of editing. Some things weren't consistent. That being said it was still a fun little romp that any millennial or child of a millennial will enjoy. 

The Women of Bandit Bend

This was a quick and engaging historical read about two sisters who must learn what it takes to survive on their own. Ivy and Talley pack up and head to Sutton Creek, Colorado in search of their father. They haven't heard from him in months and are concerned about him. When they arrive at his homestead they are appalled at the state of things. The house is barely livable and it looks like the barn is about to fall down. They have to make the homestead livable so the government won't take it back so they decide to put in the work to fix it up and hope that their father will turn up. Unfortunately, calamity upon calamity befalls the sisters. Is someone trying to undermine their claim to the homestead? What really happened to their father? Compelling and quick. This was a satisfying read!

The Irish Goodbye

This was a good Thanksgiving read filled with lots of sibling drama and heartache. It's heavy, but it's short. This could easily be read in one sitting. Three sisters come back home to share a Thanksgiving with their elderly parents. Things have been uneasy in the years since their brother ended his life. There is a lot or hurt and resentment and rather than face it, each of the sisters (and their parents) have pushed down the grief and dealt with is in pretty unhelpful ways. Freshly divorced, Cait is flying in from London with her twins and she has some secrets that she doesn't know how to deal with. Maggie is bringing her girlfriend home for the first time much to the dismay of her staunchly Irish Catholic mother. Alice is feeling overwhelmed and underappreciated. As the one who lives closest to her parents she helps take care of them and her two boys and all she wants is to be seen and get a chance to do something she wants for once. Reunited for the first time in years, this family is about to have a Thanksgiving they will never forget.

Mapping the Interior

Yeesh. This was deeply unsettling and disturbing and I found myself having to reread parts of this novella because I was getting confused as to what was actually happening. I love Stephen Graham Jones but this was not a win for me. A twelve year old thinks he sees his dead father in full fancy dress regalia while sleepwalking. Is his father there to help, or is he there for a more sinister reason? All around upsetting and confusing, but as promised, full of horror. 

A Fever in the Heartland

Man, I really wish this book was fiction. Horrifying, compelling, and SO RELEVENT! Swap out the Ku Klux Klan for MAGA and it reads.... pretty much the same. Wanting Bibles in school, wanting to end immigration, wanting to squash diversity, wanting to take over all levels of the government. Wow. I knew a little about the KKK in Indiana because of a Hoosier history class I took in college. We spent a whole week talking about the Klan's prominence and downfall. This book expanded on that so much. I knew what a piece of trash DC Stephenson was, but to read in detail about the crime and the trial in the mid 1920s. Horrifying. As a Hoosier this is a necessary read. I'm glad Hoosiers eventually came to their senses and the Klan fell away to the shadows. Unfortunately the hate they harbored still seems to be there as evidenced by our divisive politics and fascist leanings. Scary read but so so relevant. 

The Art Thief

This is really a 3.5 star review for me. I was so intrigued and appalled by this book. The gall of some people. I cannot believe that this is a real story. This French art lover/prick spent years visiting museums and galleries all across Europe stealing items and hoarding them in the attic at his mother's house. Stéphane Breitwieser didn't just love art; he coveted art. When he spotted something he wanted he took it. His girlfriend would sometimes help by keeping watch or putting items in her purse, but she didn't get the joy that he got. Over nearly a decade Stéphane stole around 250 items valued around 2 billion dollars. And these weren't crazy heists, he would steal them calmly during open hours. What set him art from literally every other art thief is that he wasn't trying to sell or offload these pieces for money. He just wanted to be able to admire them from home. My takeaway is.... you could get away with a lot in the the 90s and.... what an asshole. 

The Mistake

I honestly think I enjoyed this book more than The Deal! I really enjoyed Logan's storyline and I thought the problems he had with his homelife were compelling and sad. Grace could have been a little more fleshed out as a character, but I am glad she grew a little as the story progressed. This is the second book in the off-campus series but you don't have to read the first one to follow along (you just get some background on some of the friends). John Logan is an elite hockey player at Briar and he has a lot of fun on and off the ice. He enjoys the ladies, but the one he wants the most is taken by his best friend. He is so hung up on her that he is content to bone his way around campus to forget her. That is until he meets Grace. Grace is cute, nerdy, and talks a ton. She's also a virgin. For some reason he finds himself drawn to her and then he goes and ruins it all. Will she ever forgive him? Cute, wildly unbelievable, super sexy, and fun. 

Throne of Betrayal

Local author (Franklin, IN), Brianna E. Wilson has penned a daring and fast paced romantasy novel that will appeal to those who loved strong heroines and brute men with big hearts. Adelaide is her father's only heir and is looking forward to ruling the kingdom of Tellus someday. When her father is accused of poisoning a neighboring kingdom's queen (who also happened to to be her betrothed's mother) war erupts and Adelaide is forced to flee the castle and seek help from an unlikely source; the broody, over-confident brute of a king from Mare. There isn't much known about the mysterious island of Mare; whenever merchant ships travel that way they never return. With no other options, Adelaide must trust this king if she wishes to avenge her father and reclaim the throne. Full of twists turns, shocking reveals, and smoldering slow burn romance; readers will be clambering to read the next book in the series, Throne of Wings and Ash. 

The Gingerbread Bakery

Finally! I have been waiting for Annie and Mac to get together for forever and I am thrilled they finally got to have their moment. It was a little lackluster in my opinion and Annie was WAAAY to unwilling to talk about what happened in their youth. They could have gotten back together like three years ago, but she is the most stubborn person on the planet. Annie and Mac had one magical Christmas together when they were 19 and then he went and ruined it all and left Dream Harbor. Annie has never forgiven him and he won't give up on proving that he is more than his worst mistake. It's a second chance romance set during Christmas. It's cute and emotional but I really was over Annie. Just listen to the hunk already! Cute, cheesy, slightly spice. Give me the next one already!

The Marigold Cottages Murder Collective

This was such a cute cozy mystery and I loved the characters so much! In sunny California there is an idyllic little cluster of cottages filled with a wide assortment of eclectic individuals. Mrs. B is the proprietor of all the cottages and charges a modest sliding scale rent. Ocean is a single mother and artist, raising two teenage children after her wife left her. Sophie is a young theater employing trying to write the perfect screenplay that will help her get her life back on track. Hamilton is a recluse who refuses to leave his house. Lily-Ann is a perfectionist who loves working and organizing. Nicholas is a finance guy with lots of secrets and refuses to mix with the other tenants. Finally, there is Anthony, an ex-con who everyone except for Mrs. B seems suspicious of. When a body is found outside of Sophie's cottage everyone is on high alert. Anthony is quickly arrested but Mrs. B swears up and down that he is innocent. The cottage dwellers decide that they will try to prove his innocence for Mrs. B's sake and their little detecting brings them all closer together. Cute and charming, I didn't see the ending!