Review - Young King

Title:  Young King

Author:  Lerone Martin

Publisher:  Amistad

Genre:   Memoir

Format:  Kindle ARC

No. of Pages:   432

Date of Publication:   May 5, 2026

My Rating:   4 Stars

DESCRIPTION:

From a preeminent King scholar, the origin story of the man, minister, and civil rights hero who would lead the nation and change the world.

We know who Martin Luther King, Jr. became, but who was he at the beginning of his life? How did his youth inform his outlook and his approach to activism and service?

Before Martin Luther King, Jr. was a civil rights leader, the recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize, and a global hero, he was an emotional boy, and a middling high school student devoted to fashion, dancing, and dating. As he headed to college, he left the Jim Crow South for a summer job that would test his oratory skills preaching in the tobacco fields of Connecticut and ultimately give him a sense of hope for a life of racial peace and harmony.

Lerone A. Martin, Centennial Professor at Stanford University and the Faculty Director of the Martin Luther King Institute, traces the youthful roots of this legendary American to reveal the makings of a mighty force. Filled with revelations and written with compassion, Young King offers a new understanding of the influential preacher and activist’s emotional life, his youthful confusion about his future and career direction, his inspiration to fight for justice, his teenage missteps, and his first revelations of courage. As American undergoes another era of turmoil and change, this powerful biography offers encouragement for readers at a similar moment of life and provides an understanding of how greatness comes to light.

Martin illuminates both King’s weaknesses and the social failures that shaped him, including the brutal racism he endured growing up. This vital and essential work is a testament to how history shapes a leader.

Young King includes rarely seen black-and-white photographs of an adolescent MLK from his high school days and college years.

Link to purchase the book

MY THOUGHTS:

As someone who deeply enjoys American historical biographies, I found that Lerone A. Martin’s extensive research beautifully illuminates the life of Martin Luther King, Jr. Backed by an impressive array of documentation and footnotes, the biography recounts King’s life from his youth onward, detailing the pivotal life experiences that ultimately led to his involvement in the Civil Rights Movement. Crucially, the book also explores the lives of King’s parents, showcasing the profound social and religious upbringing that shaped him into the leader he became.

Having previously held only a limited knowledge of King's early life, I found the deep dive into his family background, as well as the immense influence of his parents, church, and community, to be incredibly enlightening. Furthermore, the author doesn't water down the harsh realities and difficulties King faced growing up in the segregated South.

Because it is so dense with research, direct quotes, and deep historical context, it isn't always a breezy, smooth read. However, Young King is a thoroughly worthwhile one. The impact King made on American history should never be forgotten, making this biography a truly essential read.

Many thanks to Amistad and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

Review - Little Wonder

Title:  Little Wonder

Author:  Sophie Chen Keller

Publisher:   Ballantine  Books

Genre:   Asian Literature

Format:  Kindle ARC

No. of Pages:   352

Date of Publication:   June 16, 2026

My Rating:   4 Stars

DESCRIPTION:

A musical prodigy and his mother spend years searching for each other in this beautiful novel of hope, perseverance, and love.

A SWEEPING NOVEL FROM JENNA BUSH HAGER’S NEW VENTURE, THOUSAND VOICES.

Song is a nobody—just a food delivery worker from a village in Northeastern China—but her son, River, is a little wonder. 

At the age of four, he toddled to a piano and tapped out his favorite song. At eight, he mastered Liszt's three Liebestraume; at ten, he blazed through the complete set of Chopin's études. And at every step, through the valleys of loss, illness, and poverty, Song is there to light his way—until finally, at the age of eleven, River is invited to study with a preeminent teacher in Beijing.

But in the chaos of Beijing Railway Station on the busiest day of the year, Song faces every mother's nightmare: She loses her grip on River’s little hand and is unable to find him after a desperate, harrowing search. 

Over the next days, weeks, and eventually, years, Song and River fight to forge a path back to each other as they carve out new lives that carry them farther apart. An evocative exploration of a mother’s love and a son’s yearning, Little Wonder takes us on an extraordinary journey through a modern Beijing that pulses with the music of humanity and its impossible—and impossibly brave—hopes. 

As every musician knows: You start in one key. You wander to other keys, strange and distant places. But in the end, you always come back home.

Link to purchase the book

MY THOUGHTS:

Song and her son River are on their own. They are traveling from the countryside to Beijing. Despite the hardship of the journey, Song is determined to give River, a musical prodigy, every advantage. Poverty may seem to be all they know, but their bond and River’s flawless musical ability prove they have far more. 

Sadly, at a busy Beijing train station, the pair are separated. What follows is a years-long separation as mother and son are lost to one another. Desperation is powerful, as they are each forced to survive in an unfamiliar and unforgiving world. 

Despite the sadness that runs through by both Song and River’s journeys, this ia a beautifully-written story, enhanced by a lyrical and poetic tone. Survival becomes central to both of their lives as they struggle to endure while never giving up hope of finding each other again. Even in Song’s absence, River’s exceptional musical gift continues to grow and evolve. 

This is a heartbreaking yet deeply moving novel, filled with emotional moments throughout. At its core, however, the story carries even a deeper message about resilience, hope and the unbreakable bond between a mother and child. 

Many thanks to Ballantine Books and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Sophie Chen Keller is the author of LITTLE WONDER and THE LUSTER OF LOST THINGS, which was also released in Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom, and the Netherlands. Her first publication came at the age of fifteen, with a short story in Glimmer Train literary magazine. A classically trained pianist, she was born in China and raised in California; after graduating from Harvard, she lived in New York City and Beijing before moving to Germany, where she currently resides with her husband and two children.

Web | Twitter

Review - The Last Time We Saw Her

Title:  The Last Time We Saw Her

Author:  Jaclyn Goldis

Publisher:   Atria

Genre:   Mystery & Thrillers

Format:  Kindle ARC 

No. of Pages:   368

Date of Publication:   June 16, 2026

My Rating:   3 Stars

DESCRIPTION:

A long-buried disappearance and a long-lost treasure both reemerge over a summer in Portugal’s remote Azores in the new thriller from the critically acclaimed author of The Chateau.

Ten years ago, a group of teenage American summer campers came to São Miguel, an island in the lush and isolated Azores archipelago, for a rugged five-week hiking and heritage trip . But on what became the camp’s last summer in São Miguel, a clue surfaced related to a local legend of buried treasure. Lore had it that, along with vast monetary value, the treasure would turn everything in the finder’s life to gold. The summer devolved into a frenzied treasure hunt, and culminated in the disappearance of “it girl” camper, Sydney Azulay. Sydney was never seen again, rumored to have been murdered, and the treasure never found.

Now, a decade later, Sydney’s father is finally hosting a memorial service on São Miguel, and Sydney’s closest circle returns to honor her memory. Those who make the trip are her fellow campers, including Olivia, Sydney’s sister, once deemed the most likely to have been involved in Sydney’s disappearance; the aloof, handsome Aiden, the supervisor of their trip; and Jules, the counselor so close to her campers she was like another best friend. They’ve also all agreed to participate in a documentary probing what really happened to Sydney. But not everyone has innocent motives for returning to the island all these years later.

The group reunites in paradise and retraces their old haunts, hiking along crater lakes, strolling the town’s charming cobblestone streets, and submerging in thermal hot springs. But amidst the reunion, there are eerie sightings of a woman on the island who looks just like Sydney. And when the documentary filming reveals new, explosive truths, and fresh hints resurrect the tantalizing treasure hunt, the group begins to implode. Old feuds and betrayals reignite—and then one of them turns up dead.

Which means that a murderer has surfaced…again.

Link to purchase the book

MY THOUGHTS:

The setup of this psychological thriller by Jaclyn Goldis has the feel of a documentary-style format. The story is centered around a woman’s disappearance. A group of friends and family gather for an exclusive get-together, but when one of the guests suddenly goes missing, the event quickly unravels. As clues emerge, secrets and lies begin to surface within the group.

Although the book starts off slowly, the multiple viewpoints and shifting timelines gradually build into a solid and engaging story. One central question begins to take shape: is this group truly as close-knit as it initially appears, or is there a fragility beneath the surface that could expose far more than any of them would want revealed?

I have a real fondness for locked-room mysteries, and this closed-circle setting made the story especially captivating. While friendship and loyalty are present, it is the darker undercurrents beneath those relationships that become most intriguing as the narrative unfolds. This is my second read by Jaclyn Goldis, and I found myself fully engaged throughout.

\Many thanks to Atria and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Jaclyn Goldis is a graduate of the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, and NYU Law. She practiced estate planning law at a large Chicago firm for seven years before leaving her job to travel the world and write novels. Follow her on Instagram and Twitter @jaclyngoldis.

Web

BLOG TOUR - The Fish and Chip Shop Detectives and the Campervan Murder

Title:  The Fish and Chip Shop Detectives and the Campervan Murder

Author:  Jenny Kane   

Publisher:  Hodder & Stoughton

Series:  The Fish and Chip Shop Detectives #2

Genre:   Cozy Mystery

Format:  Kindle ARC

No. of Pages:   362

Date of Publication:   June 11, 2026

My Rating:   4 Stars

DESCRIPTION:

Don't miss the next instalment in the Fish and Chip Shop Detective Agency Series, available to pre-order now!

It's been a busy summer for the Fish and Chip Shop Detectives as they get drawn into their next investigation, hook, line and sinker...

The bustling streets of Mousehole are home to Robbins' Fish and Chip Shop, where Maggie and Ryan dish up the best fried goods Cornwall has to offer - and solve a crime or two.

When a villager is found dead, Maggie and Ryan rapidly find themselves deep in a new mystery.

But as the case unfolds, it becomes clear that something strange is simmering beneath Mousehole's serene surface. The enigmatic owner of the chip shop, Mr Robbins, is nowhere to be found. And when Maggie and Ryan search his campervan home, they find it already unlocked and completely ransacked...

Where is Mr Robbins? Is his disappearance linked to the murder? As the fish and chip shop detectives face a boatload of questions, can they catch the killer before someone winds up dead?

The Fish and Chip Shop Detectives
Forty-eight-year-old Maggie is a lover of puzzles. When she's not working at Robbins' Fish and Chip Shop, she can be found on her sofa, nursing a cup of tea and solving the latest mystery thrown at the detectives in Death in Paradise, Midsomer Murders and more. Maggie's found a firm friendship with Ryan, a newcomer to Mousehole. When he's not busy sleuthing, Ryan enjoys nursing a pint at The Mariner pub. Together, Maggie and Ryan serve the best fish and chips - and solve crimes as The Fish and Chip Shop Detectives.

The Setting
Mousehole is a picturesque fishing village in Cornwall, known for its scenic harbour, winding streets, and tiny sandy beach. It's also home to Robbins' Fish and Chip Shop, the only chippy in town. Tourists and locals alike enjoy a battered cod whilst admiring the calm waterfront. And if you want a side of gossip with your food, make sure you get to the chip shop at exactly 6 o'clock, where you'll find local pensioner Harry, who is always up for a natter…

Link to shop the series

MY THOUGHTS:

The Fish and Chip Shop Detective Agency series is proving to be an absolute delight. Just as entertaining as the first book, this second installment delivers another charming mystery filled with memorable characters, humor, and plenty of intrigue.

The story once again centers on Maggie Tyson and Ryan Stepney, an unlikely but effective pair of amateur sleuths who work at Robbins’ Fish and Chip Shop. Maggie would much rather spend her time solving crossword puzzles than investigating crimes, and she is especially hopeful that her newly formed Crossword Club will be a success. However, mystery seems to have a way of finding her.

Having already demonstrated a knack for solving murder, Maggie and the much younger Ryan soon find themselves drawn into another investigation when a local villager is found dead. As they begin digging into the case, matters become even more complicated when their boss, Mr. Robbins, suddenly vanishes. They begin their search at his campervan home, where they discover signs that it has been thoroughly ransacked. Maggie and Ryan can’t help but wonder whether his disappearance is linked to the murder.

With very little to go on, the pair must navigate village gossip, hidden secrets, and increasing danger as they work to uncover the truth. Along the way, they discover that their seemingly idyllic community may not be quite as picture-perfect as it appears.

What a fun series this has been so far! Jenny Kane skillfully blends friendship, humor, and mystery into an engaging cozy read. The chemistry between Maggie and Ryan continues to shine, and the charming village setting adds to the appeal. I am already looking forward to the next installment in the series.

Many thanks to Hodder & Stoughton and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

Review - The Calamity Club

Title:  The Calamity Club

Author:  Kathryn Stockett

Publisher:   Penguin

Genre:   Historical Fiction

Format:  Kindle ARC

No. of Pages:   656

Date of Publication:   May 5, 2026

My Rating:  5 Stars

DESCRIPTION:

In 1933 Oxford, Mississippi, Prohibition is on the wane, and the Great Depression is tightening its grip. Poor and rich folks alike have fallen on hard times, even as the old social order remains. For women on the margins, the options are few and the price of dignity and self-determination is unbearably high.

Eleven-year-old Meg, one of the unadoptable “big girls” at the Lafayette County Orphan Asylum, fights each day to keep her spirit unbowed. Birdie, unmarried and outspoken, has come to Oxford on a mission to ask her social-climbing sister to help the struggling family she’s left behind. And Charlie is a woman with a past, running low on luck but driven by fire, fury, and grit. When their fates converge, they come up with an audacious plan to take back control of their lives. Together, they form an unlikely sisterhood—but in a place and time where hypocrisy is rife, women’s freedom is fragile, and making an enemy can have dire consequences, will the price they pay for their outrageous risk-taking be too high?

The Calamity Club will make you laugh, cry, and cheer—an epic testament to resilience, friendship, and the fierce, funny women who know that calamity can be the spark of new beginnings. This is Kathryn Stockett at her most confident, heartfelt, and hilarious—the triumphant return of one of the most beloved storytellers of our time.

Link to purchase the book

MY THOUGHTS:

The Calamity Club takes place during the depths of the Great Depression in 1933, with Oxford, Mississippi serving as the backdrop for this captivating and heartfelt story. The novel follows three remarkable women whose lives are shaped by hardship, determination, and hope.

First, there is eleven-year-old Meg Lefleur, a spirited and determined child who has been deemed unadoptable and lives in an orphan asylum. Then there is Birdie Calhoun, who arrives in Oxford seeking much-needed financial assistance from her wealthy sister. Finally, there is Charlie, a woman who has endured more than her share of adversity and continues to fight for a better future.

As the lives of Meg, Birdie, and Charlie begin to converge, they devise a plan that offers them the opportunity to take control of their destinies. Together, they form a sisterhood built on friendship, courage, and resilience. Calling themselves the “Calamity Club,” these women challenge the prejudices and limitations that have followed them throughout their lives.

Found family is one of the novel’s strongest themes, woven seamlessly into explorations of economic hardship, motherhood, social class, and women’s rights during the Depression era. Although discrimination and inequality are ever-present, the story is balanced with warmth, humor, and heart. Ultimately, hope and resilience shine through as the true victors.

What an amazing story! This is Kathryn Stockett’s sophomore novel, and it is every bit as powerful and compelling as The Help. With unforgettable characters and an inspiring message of friendship and perseverance, The Calamity Club is a novel that will stay with readers long after they’ve finished reading it.

Many thanks to Penguin and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Kathryn Stockett was born and raised in Jackson, Mississippi. After graduating from the University of Alabama, she moved to New York City, where she worked in magazine publishing and marketing for nine years. Her first novel, The Help, has sold over 15 million copies worldwide.

Web

Review - A Cruise to Die For

Title:  A Cruise to Die For

Author:  Heather Graham

Publisher:   MIRA

Genre:  Mystery & Thrillers

Format:  Kindle ARC

No. of Pages:   330

Date of Publication:   April 7, 2026

My Rating:   3 Stars

DESCRIPTION:

Special agents face deadly, uncharted waters in this tense romantic thriller 

Special Agent Chloe McMurray has been asked to do many things in the name of her job. Going undercover on a cruise ship leaving from her home port of Miami, however, is a new one. Not only that, but she’s tasked with posing as the wife of her federal counterpart, Special Agent Wesley Law. 

Their investigation? A string of murders and suicides across three states that seem unrelated, until they uncover a deadly technological connection. Every victim was an expert in technology and had some connection to Milestones, a megacorporation with ties to many industries...including the cruise industry. 

Chloe and Wesley must successfully go undercover as tech employees on the ship hosting the ten-year anniversary of the Milestones cruise company. A tough ask when the two have never met before. They’ll infiltrate the technology events, investigate their fellow passengers and try to uncover what’s really going on. 

However, danger is never far behind. Their killer can use tech to do the job without lifting a finger, and at sea, there’s no escape if their covers are blown.

Link to purchase the book

MY THOUGHTS:

Come on over to the high seas for Heather Graham’s latest novel, A Cruise to Die For. Special Agent Chloe McMurray has been assigned to pose as the wife of another Special Agent, Wesley Law. While this isn’t the first time the pair have worked together, their careers have largely taken them in different directions.

Chloe and Wesley are investigating a series of suspicious deaths that have occurred across several states. The only apparent connection is that each victim has ties to a cruise line owned by the powerful corporation Milestones. Boarding one of the company’s ships undercover, the agents hope to get to know the employees and determine whether one of them might be responsible for the murders.

What they uncover is far more complex than they anticipated. There appears to be a sophisticated technological scheme appears to be at the center of the mystery. This scheme may hold the key to understanding both the motive behind the deaths and the identity of the killer.

Danger lurks around every corner for Chloe and Wesley. Not only must they contend with a potential murderer, but they also find themselves up against technology that seems to have a mind of its own. The stakes continue to rise as they race to uncover the truth before becoming victims themselves.

Alongside the suspense, Graham weaves in a slow-burn romance between Chloe and Wesley. The growing attraction between them adds warmth and depth to an already engaging mystery, making for a well-balanced blend of romance and suspense.

Many thanks to MIRA and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

New York Times and USA Today best-selling author Heather Graham majored in theater arts at the University of South Florida. After a stint of several years in dinner theater, back-up vocals, and bartending, she stayed home after the birth of her third child and began to write, working on short horror stories and romances. After some trial and error, she sold her first book, WHEN NEXT WE LOVE, in 1982 and since then, she has written over one hundred novels and novellas including category, romantic suspense, historical romance, vampire fiction, time travel, occult, and Christmas holiday fare. She wrote the launch books for the Dell's Ecstasy Supreme line, Silhouette's Shadows, and for Harlequin's mainstream fiction imprint, Mira Books.

Heather was a founding member of the Florida Romance Writers chapter of RWA and, since 1999, has hosted the Romantic Times Vampire Ball, with all revenues going directly to children's charity.

She is pleased to have been published in approximately twenty languages, and to have been honored with awards frorn Waldenbooks. B. Dalton, Georgia Romance Writers, Affaire de Coeur, Romantic Times, and more. She has had books selected for the Doubleday Book Club and the Literary Guild, and has been quoted, interviewed, or featured in such publications as The Nation, Redbook, People, and USA Today and appeared on many newscasts including local television and Entertainment Tonight.

Heather loves travel and anything have to do with the water, and is a certitified scuba diver. Married since high school graduation and the mother of five, her greatest love in life remains her family, but she also believes her career has been an incredible gift, and she is grateful every day to be doing something that she loves so very much for a living. 

Web

Review - Beneath

Title:  Beneath

Author:  Ariel Sullivan

Series:   Rebirth #1

Publisher:   Ballantine Books

Genre:   Dystopian 

Format:  Kindle ARC

No. of Pages:   464

Date of Publication:   March 24, 2026

My Rating:   4 Stars

DESCRIPTION:

Hundreds of years before the Illum ruled supreme, humanity risked everything to rebuild after a devastating war in this explosive dystopian romance and prequel to Conform.

Twenty-three-year-old Sasha Cadell knows time is running out in the underground city, filled with survivors of the nuclear fallout six years ago. She works in the Expansion Sector, trying to escape the memories of those she lost. Her bleak existence is upended when Tristian Hayes, a stunningly handsome, frustratingly determined commander of the Force, recruits her to join him and his elite team of soldiers as they embark on a secret mission to the surface.

Sasha is thrust into brutal training with stakes far beyond mere survival. The fate of the remaining humankind depends on their success—or failure. As she confronts her own demons, Sasha finds both allies and foes in the training program, as well as a sizzling attraction between her and Tristian that threatens the walls she’s built around her heart.

But under the surface, secrets and deception run as rampant as illnesses. And not everyone will survive the rise of a power more terrifying than anything they’ve ever known.

Link to shop the series

MY THOUGHTS:

Dystopian novels are something that I enjoy because of the speculative nature of them. This book takes place six years after a devastating nuclear war. Humanity is mostly extinguished, but the survivors that remain are now living underground in a city called Haven. This book focuses on Sasha Cadell, a woman whose life has completely turned upside down. She is devastated by the loss of her family, and is now living a life of hard labor. There is something notable about Sasha. She has become known as “Death’s Angel” because of her wonderful compassion for dying patients. Perhaps it is this that led to her recruitment into an elite military unit.

It is known as Unit Seven, and Sasha begins her training. The missions are brutal and have purpose, to find whatever resources that might be left to save Haven from extinction. While supplies are running thing, and despite hard work at play, Sasha soon develops a bond with the man that recruited her, Tristian Hayes, introducing a romantic element to this intriguing story. 

Beneath is the first book in Ariel Sullivan’s Rebirth series, and is actually the prequel to Conform, a book that I am very much looking forward to reading. Sullivan has written a wonderful story, one wrapped in dystopian science fiction, found-family, suspense and the slow-burn romance between Sasha and Tristian.  

Many thanks to Ballantine Books and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Ariel Sullivan lives in Connecticut with her husband and two sons, as well as their two French bulldogs. Growing up a military brat, Ariel moved every two years and was a perpetual new kid; she often observed from the outskirts, where a deep love of reading was born.

When she isn’t writing, Ariel loves to read everything from poetry to psychology, bake with her sons, listen to live music and travel.

Web