Read this if you could use a quick, realistic thrill!
*Sensitivity warning - contains discussion of rape.

Book Summary:

Sometimes, enough is enough…

Debbie Mullen is losing it. For years, she has compiled all of her best advice into her column, Dear Debbie, where the wives of New England come for sympathy and neighborly advice. Through her work, Debbie has heard from countless women who are ignored, belittled, or even abused by their husbands. And Debbie does her best to guide them in the right direction.

Or at least, she did.

These days, Debbie’s life seems to be spiraling out of control. She just lost her job. Something strange is happening with her teenage daughters. And her husband is keeping secrets, according to the tracking app she installed on his phone. Now, Debbie’s done being the bigger person. She’s done being reasonable and practical. It’s time to take her own advice.

And now it’s time for payback against all the people in her life who deserve it the most.

From #1 New York Times and international bestselling author Freida McFadden comes a biting, subversive thriller about what happens when women finally choose to take justice into their own hands – with killer results.

Considered Reads Summary:

Debbie moves through life in flawless execution. Hosting an advice column for a local paper and perfecting her role as wife and mom, you’d never suspect she carries an extremely traumatic past with her - until life turns upside down. Her husband and daughters become troubled in their unique ways, and flash backs of an ugly past arise making Debbie feel it’s her responsibility to take action and control in order to protect her family, and herself.

McFadden is a fan favorite with her genius twists and turns throughout stories and the cast that narrated the Dear Debbie audiobook did NOT disappoint! This book in particular was found to be more realistic, therefore sucking you into the story and painting a vivid picture as you endlessly turn pages.

Audience Match: Freida fans and anyone looking for a relatable, gluttonous thriller.

Quiet Question: What historical narratives have you been carrying and know it’s time to shed?

Mood: Suspicious

Pacing: Fast

Our Rating: 4.0 - I loved the realistic characters and really enjoyed this book, however in my opinion I do not think this was her best book.

Favorite Quote:

“You can’t reason someone out of a mindset they didn’t reason themselves into.”

Comparable Titles:

• The Perfect Son - Freida McFadden

• The Mad Wife - Meagan Church

• My Husband’s Wife - Alice Feeney

Read this if you’d like to escape to the Amalfi Coast while pondering difficult life decisions.

Book Summary:

In the wake of her debut novel’s breakout success—and a very painful public divorce—Charlotte Williams-Jackson has something to prove. With her second novel overdue, she’s scrambling to hold it together. But her focus is rocked when she discovers that her childhood wasn't as it seemed—and she has a tween half-sister who's been orphaned in Italy.

Alongside her best friend, Sloane, and Sloane’s charming brother, Julian, Charlotte ventures to the Amalfi Coast to meet her sister. She would never turn her back on family, especially since this girl doesn’t have anyone else, but between her looming deadline and her entire identity being flipped upside down, it’s a lot. Determined to rebuild her life, Charlotte must confront the relationships she’s held dear—and the loss of those she thought she had but didn't—forcing her to question everything she understood about herself and the bonds that shape a family.

Considered Reads Summary:

All characters in this beach read have transformative news they are digesting and attempting to navigate. Charlotte is dealing with a pending divorce to a narcissist, finding out her life has been a lie, and has a new sibling with a big problem. Sloane needs to decide if her marriage is at a loss due to differing viewpoints on important topics. Julien is delivered a diagnosis that will alter his future in a way he’s not prepared for all the while reclaiming a dormant love he’s held for someone off limits. Lilly, a pre-teen well beyond her years, is being dumped on strangers since her mother’s recent passing while trying to manage her emotions on all the changes she’s lived.

Novak writes beautifully complex characters in descriptive scenes who are each dealing with deep, serious life changing situations. You’ll appreciate the easy writing and beautiful Italian setting that is sure to bring a sense of nostalgia if you have ever visited the Campania region of Southern Italy.

Audience Match: Romance and beach readers alike who love a good happily ever after.

Quiet Question: How much are you willing to sacrifice for love?

Mood: Both heavy and light.

Pacing: Fast

Our Rating: 4.5 - I thoroughly enjoyed this one, but the formatting on the ebook could have been better. There were often moments when the story bumps forward and it’s a bit confusing, making you re-read dialogue and between some paragraphs; a bit of extra spacing would have tremendously helped to let the reader know there’s a time jump.

Favorite Quote:

“Just because something’s broken doesn’t make it worthless.”

Comparable Titles:

• One Italian Summer - Rebecca Serle

• From Scratch - Tembi Locke

• To Sicily With Love - Jennifer Probst

Book Excerpt 🎙️:

Read this if you’d like to escape and fall in love with ALL the main characters.

Book Summary:

Good things happen at the lake. That’s what Alice’s grandmother says, and it’s true. Alice spent just one summer there at a cottage with Nan when she was seventeen—it’s where she took that photo, the one of three grinning teenagers in a yellow speedboat, the image that changed her life.

Now Alice lives behind a lens. As a photographer, she’s most comfortable on the sidelines, letting other people shine. Lately though, she’s been itching for something more, and when Nan falls and breaks her hip, Alice comes up with a plan for them both: another summer in that magical place, Barry’s Bay. But as soon as they settle in, their peace is disrupted by the roar of a familiar yellow boat, and the man driving it.

Charlie Florek was nineteen when Alice took his photo from afar. Now he’s all grown up—a shameless flirt, who manages to make Nan laugh and Alice long to be seventeen again, when life was simpler, when taking pictures was just for fun. Sun-slanted days and warm nights out on the lake with Charlie are a balm for Alice’s soul, but when she looks up and sees his piercing green gaze directly on her, she begins to worry for her heart.

Because Alice sees people—that’s why she is so good at what she does—but she’s never met someone who looks and sees her right back.

Considered Reads Summary:

Alice Everly and her Nan are both in need of an escape after some challenging life events. Alice agrees to care for her grandmother over the summer at the lake house Nan has frequented for a lifetime. Alice is no stranger as she spent a teenage summer here before, souveniring a life-changing photograph. After arriving and a few days of settling in, she begins to feel nostalgic yet hopeful for a new chapter once returning to reality in Toronto. Alice has some complicated emotions to work through and starts to realize they are getting a lot more complex after befriending the neighbor, Charlie Florek.

Alice and Charlie are two drastically opposite, yet similar beings. As they unearth a linear narrative in the most unique of ways they unexpectedly find themselves caring for the other in a more intimate nature. Will Alice and Charlie end up together in the end?

Fortune filled this perfect summer read with plenty of drama, fun, touching moments, and poignant characters and scenes that will tug at your heartstrings.

Audience Match: Romance readers looking for an escape from reality.

Quiet Question: What do you need in order to push past comfort zones?

Mood: Playful and fresh

Pacing: Medium

Our Rating: 4.5 - I’ve seen this book marketed numerous times since the day it was published. I kept passing on entertaining adding it to my TBR list thinking “it’s just another typical contemporary fiction/romance book”. With summer fast approaching and a catchy title with gorgeous cover art, it popped up on my screen once again and this time I couldn’t ignore it. I was in need of an easy, fun read after finishing some pretty heavy hitters, so I decided to cave. I’m so glad I did. I think this is one of the only books where I’ve fallen head over heels with all main characters (including the antagonist).

Favorite Quote:

“It’s one of the most terrifying things we all do. Allow people to see us without all our protective layers.”

Comparable Titles:

• Every Summer After - Carley Fortune (the first in the series)

• This Book Made Me Think of You - Libby Page

• Say You’ll Remember Me - Abby Jimenez

Book Summary:

Christie Tate had just been named the top student in her law school class and finally had her eating disorder under control. Why then was she driving through Chicago fantasizing about her own death? Why was she envisioning putting an end to the isolation and sadness that still plagued her in spite of her achievements?

Enter Dr. Rosen, a therapist who calmly assures her that if she joins one of his psychotherapy groups, he can transform her life. All she has to do is show up and be honest. About everything—her eating habits, childhood, sexual history, etc. Christie is skeptical, insisting that that she is defective, beyond cure. But Dr. Rosen issues a nine-word prescription that will change everything: “You don’t need a cure, you need a witness.

So begins her entry into the strange, terrifying, and ultimately life-changing world of group therapy. Christie is initially put off by Dr. Rosen’s outlandish directives, but as her defenses break down and she comes to trust Dr. Rosen and to depend on the sessions and the prescribed nightly phone calls with various group members, she begins to understand what it means to connect.

Group is a deliciously addictive read, and with Christie as our guide—skeptical of her own capacity for connection and intimacy, but hopeful in spite of herself—we are given a front row seat to the daring, exhilarating, painful, and hilarious journey that is group therapy—an under-explored process that breaks you down, and then reassembles you so that all the pieces finally fit.

Considered Reads Summary:

Our main character is a flawed being, and like most of us humans she hides the ‘ugly’ parts from others, resulting in increasingly painful shame and zero meaningful relationships. Christie’s journey starts by attending a 12 step program for an eating disorder, eventually building to multiple sessions of weekly group therapy in search of finding ways to truly being known and loved. We journey alongside Christie through highs and lows as her relationship with her therapist, group members, and self strengthen. Dr. Rosen helps Christie understand the underlying unmet need she’s been carrying with her since childhood and patiently encourages her growth until she’s able to find what she’s looking for on her own time and readiness.

Tate wrote this memoir with a twist of playfulness and wit tied to the darkness she experienced. She weaves heavy subjects in an easily digestible manner, making this an easy entry for someone just beginning to read self-help flavored books.

Audience Match: Those who are looking to be seen in their struggles.

Quiet Question: Do you have at least one person in your life, if not a community, that will accept and support each piece of you without question?

Mood: Emotionally chaotic.

Pacing: Fast

Our Rating: 3.75 - A quick read that balances heavy topics with humor. I did wish there was a bit more depth to it as it felt a bit surface level. Nonetheless I would suggest this page turner for a first time self-help read!

Favorite Quote:

“When you agree to keep someone’s secret, you hold their shame.”

Comparable Titles:

• The Tell: A Memoir - Amy Griffin

• Good Morning, Monster - Catherine Gildiner

• Maybe You Should Talk to Someone - Lori Gottlieb

After contemplating my strengths, expertise, and passions I decided that memoir and personal essay would become my main focus due to my passion for connection and finding value in other peoples powerful stories through lived experiences. Soon after, Amy announced her book was publishing at just the right time in my journey. It’s an affordable read so I thought I’d give it a shot.

Book Summary:

Still buying the starving artist myth? Burn it — and get paid.

The gatekeepers told you poverty was noble so that you’d shut up and stay cheap. Ready to write your way out of the lie designed to keep you small, obedient, and broke?

If you’ve ever felt trapped in a writing career that pays in “exposure” or pocket change, this is your permission slip to demand more. Much more.

Amy Suto went from broke in the Hollywood trenches to becoming booked out as a seven-figure writer, bestselling author, and creator of a top 30 Substack newsletter. In Write for Money and Power, she shows you exactly how she did it — and how you can too, even if you’ve never made a dollar from your writing before.

Whether you’re a freelancer, a ghostwriter, a novelist, or any kind of writer with bills to pay and a vision to realize, this isn’t another “believe in yourself” pep talk. It’s a real, grown-up plan to make money and grow your personal power with your writing.

If you’d rather make history than excuses — keep reading.

In Write for Money and Power, You’ll Learn How To…

Crush the lie that artists should be broke with history’s real examples (Michelangelo invoiced like a boss, Shakespeare co-owned the damn theater.)
Follow Amy's 12-month roadmap to build your writing empire. This is the exact plan she'd use to go from $0 to building a seven-figure writing empire from scratch.
Rewire your brain for seven figures. Learn the pricing scripts, positioning plays, and simple mental models that allow you to generate money and power from your words and your laptop.
Build a ghostwriting business that screams luxury. Trade cheap words for six- and seven-figure projects — and what film schools and gatekeepers are scared for you to find out.
Grow a paid newsletter empire. Own your audience, write on your terms, and unlock the freedom of predictable, reader-funded income.
Self-publish like a tycoon. Who needs permission to publish? It’s time to own your work. Taylor Swift bought back her masters. Brandon Sanderson pocketed $41 million on his self-published book launch on Kickstarter. Now? It’s your turn.
Scale without burning out. Learn the systems, daily rituals, and non-negotiable boundaries that turn chaos into cash flow.
Write from anywhere — on the couch, a coast, or a café in Rome.
Why is this book different?Because this isn’t “wait your turn” advice — it’s how to skip the line.

Amy shares the exact systems she used to turn her writing into a seven-figure, work-from-anywhere biz.

Still skeptical?

“But I’m a total beginner.” Great. This book exists to make sure you don’t stay one. All you need is the willingness to bet on yourself.

“But no one will pay that much for writing.” Amy’s clients do — and so do so many other clients and readers. This book is here to build your confidence and smash your limiting beliefs so you can step into your power and charge more than you ever thought was possible.

Considered Reads Summary:

A how-to/self help book for writers that’s extremely affordable and loaded with great outlines for step by step guides on how to start planning a successful freelance writing business. I found the writing to have a lot of repetitive fluff, especially in the introductory chapters, lacking more detail or examples I craved. The contents in the meat of the book is very helpful for someone just starting out on this journey and worth the $0.99 Kindle version instantly available.

Suto had some good points to make and is deeply encouraging throughout, sharing her previous experience in film writing to motivate and acting as a living example of what is possible. She mentions using AI to help write the book and how we should be both ethical and transparent when using AI for our writing. Suto doesn’t explain how exactly she used it for this read and though I haven’t read any of her other books, I felt with the language used it could have possibly been fully written with AI. I am all for using AI for our benefit in research, organization, and even some light editing (not to replace a professionally trained editor), however it would be very disappointing to find out that the book was written using artificial intelligence.

Audience Match: For beginning writers who love entrepreneurial mindsets.

Quiet Question: What does a rich life look and feel like to you?

Mood: Encouraging

Pacing: Fast

Our Rating: 3.75 for the solid framework provided that can be of substantial help for one not sure where to begin!

Favorite Quote:

“Focus feels risky because it makes failure visible.”

Comparable Titles:

• We Need Your Art - Amie McNee

• Six Figure Freelance Writer - Amy Suto

I started looking for books to gain different perspectives and came across this glorious book. It’s slowly changing my life for the better. If you can relate to my story in any way I invite you to read this one. Together we can take the steps toward internal freedom.

Book Summary:

"Nothing gives church folk anxiety quite like the subject of sex. And that's why in Shameless, Pastor Nadia sets out to reclaim the conversation for a new generation. In the spirit of Martin Luther, Bolz-Weber calls for a reformation of the way believers understand and express their sexuality. To make her case, Bolz-Weber draws on experiences from her own life as well as her parishoners', then puts them side by side with biblical narrative and theology to explore what the church has taught and about sex, and the harm that has often come as a result. Along the way, Bolz-Weber reexamines patriarchy, gender, and sexual orientation with candor but also with hope--because, as she writes, "I believe that the Gospel can heal the pain that even the church has caused."

Considered Reads Summary:

Reviewing a subject consisting of high complexities, this book challenges common conservative religious biblical interpretation. The author discusses the histories and extremes of what is taught in many churches and then opens reader eyes to a different possible translation of the word, one that carries more care and attention for our humanness and well being. One that celebrates our uniqueness as individuals, a word that doesn’t demand restriction out of fear of losing control. Reviewing a balancing act of addiction and restriction, we explore what a healthier symmetry may exhibit.

Bolz-Weber uses experience, humor, and facts, pulling research from older articles and theology to help explain her defense. She examines when and why religion was indoctrinated into politics in the United States and raises questions of when the aspect of control came into the analysis and conclusion during review of the written word. She pushes for better conversations and teachings for children so they establish a healthier relationship with sexuality. This work taps into critical thinking skills and gets you questioning just how deep the negative impact goes.

Audience Match: Anyone curious how being raised in a conservative religious upbringing may have affected you in unrecognized ways.

Quiet Question: If the Christian churches were to change their messaging around sex, could it better benefit how we see our own sexuality and interact with others who differ from ourselves?

Mood: Angry, witty, and optimistic.

Pacing: Medium

Our Rating: 4.5 - Relatable and spoken with intentional gentle acceptance.

Favorite Quote(s):

“We can only really know and be known when we show how life has marked us. I never really feel a connection to someone until they have shared with me the lumpy, broken, or even petty parts of themselves. Our pain and failure - the things we so often try to hide, the things that create shame, the things that scar - are what give us texture. And without texture, there is nothing for others to connect to.”

“There is a cost to trying to deny pain, to trying to deny ourselves the process of grieving. Eventually our bodies must process it, and there will be, in the end, an emotional balloon payment that comes due.”

Comparable Titles:

• Pure - Linda Kay Klein

• Holy Hurt - Hillary L. McBride

• Hell Bent - Brian Recker

Hello you!

I hope I’m finding you excited for the warmer weather upon us! Spring has officially sprung and our Q2 pick’s cover art fits right in with the mood. I am choosing non other than The Correspondent! If you read the book review I posted back in February you’ll know it’s one of my all time favorite novels and what I think is the perfect choice. The book had a little bit of everything making it appealing for most readers, and on top of gifting a mix of emotions it was also one of the best written books I’ve stumbled upon, a perfect piece of thought provoking literature - just what the purpose is for this space.

In case you’ve missed them, I send out Story Insights on the books I carefully select to indulge in, those are posted twice a month on Wednesday! You can find the story insight for The Correspondent here.

PA!!! You are able to choose which publication sections you want to receive from my Substack if you do not want to receive them all (i.e. if you love my book reviews, but don’t care to read personal essays, etc)! To opt in to specific sections on a Substack publication within Substack under the "Subscriptions" section, you can toggle on/off the email notifications for individual sections created by me, the author, allowing you to curate your inbox.

Happy spring reading and please reach out if you have any suggestions you would like to see!

Marisha x

Read this if you crave a heartwarming, easy and relatable read that leaves you wanting more.

Book Summary:

Twelve stories. Twelve months. Once chance to heal her heart...

When Tilly Nightingale receives a call telling her there’s a birthday gift from her fiancé waiting for her at her local bookshop, it couldn’t come as more of a shock. Partly because she can’t remember the last time she read a book for pleasure. Mainly because Joe died five months ago…

The gift is simple – twelve carefully-chosen books from Joe, one for each month, to help her turn the page on her first year without him.

Tilly sets out on a series of reading-inspired adventures that take her around the world. But as she begins to vlog her journey, her story becomes more than her own. With help from Alfie, the bookshop owner, her budding new following and her friends and family, can Tilly’s year of books show her how to love again?

Considered Reads Summary:

After losing her husband Tilly Nightingale is navigating a newly found grief and barely surviving. She’s lost her sparkle and anything she’d normally find enjoyable is no longer, when her late Joe decides to intervene. Gifting her a year of books through a local bookshop, Tilly moves through each month stronger as she begins processing her suppressed emotions, unexpectedly connecting with others who have walked a similar path, and partaking in activities only Joe was fond of - finding her light slowly resurfacing.

In parallel, the bookshop owner, Alfie, is also navigating a loss and conflicting emotions and thoughts of his future. They both become overly fond of one another and the relationship begins to blossom. Once intense emotions start stirring, Tilly isn’t sure she’s ready to move on. As Tilly nears the end of year one, she starts to worry what life will look like without Joe’s lifeline of notes to look forward to, but knows in her heart she has something just as special on the other side of her fears.

Page writes such fun loving, relatable characters in vibrant settings with the perfect amount of suspense and fun making this novel unforgettable.

Audience Match: Bibliophiles and rom com/slow burn fans alike.

Quiet Question: Is there anything you are quietly grieving that would help if you shared it with others?

Mood: Grief finds a new energy.

Pacing: Fast

Our Rating: 5.0 - I loved this heartwarming easy read, even though it’s a hefty one I flew through it in 5 days, finding it hard to put down and leaving me wishing for more.

Favorite Quotes (impossible to narrow down, they are all so good):

“Because she loves books. She wanted to discover new authors who would someday become someone’s favorite author. To put stories out there that would help people switch off or understand themselves more clearly through meeting a character just like them.”

“Maybe this is what books do, she thinks, whether stories is real or imagined or poems compiled in one place for people to flick through and search of what they need. They offer something universal but allow you to find your own meaning among the words. They are for everyone and yet they are for you too.”

“I’ve had moments when I’ve wondered what the point of all this is. But we’re still here. And I think we owe it to him, and ourselves, to live. Nothing can take away your memories. But it’s OK to make new ones too.”

“Tilly‘s grief has always felt so earth-shattering, so new. And yet looking at Rachel, she realizes that all around her there are people carrying their own losses, their own scars, even if you can’t always see them.”

“But it’s OK to feel happy and sad at the same time. Very few moments involved just one emotion. That’s life, isn’t it? It’s messy.”

“But the truth is you have always had everything you need - these books were just to remind you of that. You were kind and curious and strong stronger than you know.”

“The right book in the hands of the right person at exactly the right moment can change their life forever.”

Comparable Titles:

• The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry - Rachel Joyce

• Love Letters at the Borrow a Bookshop - Kiley Dunbar

• The Borrowed Life of Frederick Fife - Anna Johnston

Book Summary:

A troubled young mother yearns for a shot at redemption in this heartbreaking yet hopeful story from #1 New York Times bestselling author Colleen Hoover. After serving five years in prison for a tragic mistake, Kenna Rowan returns to the town where it all went wrong, hoping to reunite with her four-year-old daughter. But the bridges Kenna burned are proving impossible to rebuild. Everyone in her daughter’s life is determined to shut Kenna out, no matter how hard she works to prove herself. The only person who hasn’t closed the door on her completely is Ledger Ward, a local bar owner and one of the few remaining links to Kenna’s daughter. But if anyone were to discover how Ledger is slowly becoming an important part of Kenna’s life, both would risk losing the trust of everyone important to them. The two form a connection despite the pressure surrounding them, but as their romance grows, so does the risk. Kenna must find a way to absolve the mistakes of her past in order to build a future out of hope and healing.

Considered Reads Summary:

After a series of troubling decisions resulting in an act of fear and confusion, Kenna makes the worst mistake of her life, concluding in five years’ prison, the loss of her beloved boyfriend Scotty, and the haunting of her fault in unpredicted ways. While in prison Kenna gives birth to their child and is immediately stripped away from her newborn. Once she is released, Kenna returns to Scotty’s hometown in attempt to reconcile with his parents and meet her 5 year old daughter, Diem. She unexpectedly runs into Scotty’s best friend, Ledger, on day one and there is instant attraction between the two that becomes a real threat to the purpose they both bear. As Ledger gets to know Kenna’s truths, he risks everything to prove Kenna’s worthiness.

Hoover creates emotionally complex and relatable characters in all of her novels all while creating easily digestible stories. There’s no surprise this is another page-turner determined to bring tears to your eyes.

Audience Match: Romance fans and those who enjoy book to screen adaptations.

Quiet Question: When a grave mistake is made by others, how quick are you to judge before knowing the full story?

Mood: Remorseful

Pacing: Fast

Our Rating: 4.75 - A quick, easy, and touching read with relatable characters. A quarter point off for the slight ick that Ledger’s viewpoint of Kenna brought at times.

Favorite Quote(s):

“There are people who find peace in forgiveness, and then there are others who look at forgiveness as a betrayal.”

“So, you decide right now, right here. Are you gonna live in your sadness or are you gonna die in it?”

“It was a stark realization that no matter how much you love someone, you can still do despicable things to them.”

“Who tf am I to make that kind of judgement?”

Comparable Titles:

• The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo - Taylor Jenkins Reid

• Where the Crawdads Sing - Delia Owens

• Verity - Colleen Hoover

Book Summary:

As a sensational celebrity libel trial unfolds, a young woman at the periphery secretly wields the power to make or break the case. But with her own hidden past, will she dare to speak up?

Everyone is watching. Only one person knows the truth.

The whole country has been riveted by the Beloved TV star and national treasure Anna Finbow, standing in court, accusing her daughter’s therapist Jean Guest of brainwashing her daughter Mary for her own financial gain. Jean insists Mary’s traumatic memories arise from her upbringing and her time studying at a prestigious art school in Rome; wounds only Jean’s therapy can heal. But as the trial unfolds, it’s Augusta “Gus” Bird, Anna’s former employee—a seemingly insignificant bystander, a nobody—who holds the key to unraveling the tangled web of lies and deceit.

What really happened to Mary in Rome? And if her memories can’t be trusted, how will they ever uncover the truth behind her estrangement? Twisty and propulsive, In Her Defense is a compulsively readable debut for fans of Lucy Foley and Laura Dave.

Considered Reads Summary:

Gus is a ceramicist who has a complicated relationship with her family. Becoming estranged with her parents due to deep shame she suffers resulting from a school incident, she makes way from London to secure a residency in Rome to practice her art.

In Italy, Gus meets both Jean (who becomes her confidant and therapist) and Mary, a painter who she secretly falls in love with eventually mistaking Mary’s need for friendship, with desire. Mary has her own strenuous relationship with her parents - a relatable crossroad for the girls who live societally opposite backgrounds. Jean also grapples with her own issues of manipulation that’s brought out over time. Gus and Mary form a close relationship and eventually Gus introduces Mary to Jean, hoping she can help Mary process buried traumatic memories of her past. Gus’ insecurities get the best of her and when intimate attention is offered to her, Gus creates deep reliances on those people building an obsessive dependence that repetitively turns unfavorable. Eventually, she is alienated from those she trusts most and ugly truths are brought to light.

Malicka wrote this novel with care and a significant weaving of the human complexities that push and pull us as we navigate the world with our ever-changing thoughts and emotions. This is pleasantly complex fiction if you dare take the time to peer beyond what’s on the surface of the story.

Audience Match: Those who take interest in psychology or look for relatable characters with consequential flaws.

Quiet Question: If we were to communicate some of our unspoken inner knowings, how could it change how our life plays out?

Mood: Sorrowful and sympathetic.

Pacing: Medium

Our Rating: 4.0 - I didn’t grasp much thrill in this psychological thriller and the story evolved quite slowly, not pulling me fully in. Despite the negatives, the writing is good and the climax is solid. Though a bit surprising, I was expecting more from the ending. All in all I liked it, but didn’t love it.

Favorite Quote:

“But do you adore you? That’s the bigger question. That’s the part that needs work.”

Comparable Titles:

• The Guest List - Lucy Foley

• The Lying Game - Ruth Ware

• The First Time I Saw Him - Laura Dave (in my TBR pile!)

Book Excerpt 🎙️:

Read this if you want to feel all different types of emotions in one reflective, well written novel.

Book Summary:

“Imagine, the letters one has sent out into the world, the letters received back in turn, are like the pieces of a magnificent puzzle. . . . Isn’t there something wonderful in that, to think that a story of one’s life is preserved in some way, that this very letter may one day mean something, even if it is a very small thing, to someone?”

Filled with knowledge that only comes from a life fully lived, The Correspondent is a gem of a novel about the power of finding solace in literature and connection with people we might never meet in person. It is about the hubris of youth and the wisdom of old age, and the mistakes and acts of kindness that occur during a lifetime.

Sybil Van Antwerp has throughout her life used letters to make sense of the world and her place in it. Most mornings, around half past ten, Sybil sits down to write letters—to her brother, to her best friend, to the president of the university who will not allow her to audit a class she desperately wants to take, to Joan Didion and Larry McMurtry to tell them what she thinks of their latest books, and to one person to whom she writes often yet never sends the letter.

Sybil expects her world to go on as it always has—a mother, grandmother, wife, divorcee, distinguished lawyer, she has lived a very full life. But when letters from someone in her past force her to examine one of the most painful periods of her life, she realizes that the letter she has been writing over the years needs to be read and that she cannot move forward until she finds it in her heart to offer forgiveness.

Sybil Van Antwerp’s life of letters might be “a very small thing,” but she also might be one of the most memorable characters you will ever read.

Considered Reads Summary:

Sybil Van Antwerp was adopted at a very early age and being a bit of an introvert she best communicates through letter writing with many people from all ages and walks of life. Sybil is a stubborn, thoughtful, and eccentric being. She speaks without a filter which sometimes can cause unintended harm to the innocent reader, but the message is always coming from the pureness of her heart in her mission to tell the truth above all else.

As you gather a deeper understanding of her character, Sybil is confronted with several pieces of life-changing information that draw out both her curiosities and insecurities. Towards the end of her life, she confesses her darkest secret of all, following with a deep sense of reflection and introspection exhibiting just how much she has personally grown. This is an emotionally complex body of work reinforcing the importance of self-analysis in the relationships we take part in over the course of our lives.

Evans writes this novel with intentional eloquence and wit, taking ordinary moments and forming them to become deeply impactful. It seems she may have meticulously composed the structure of the letters into a rhythmic and fluid movement, capturing you if not within the material itself, in the motion.

Audience Match: Those who enjoy finding relatable characters and find solace in how the character(s) moves through the imperfect contents of life.

Quiet Question: What repercussions do the smallest decisions we make have on others?

Mood: Heartfelt

Pacing: Fluctuates between medium and fast paced.

Our Rating: 5.0 - I was immediately drawn to this book, as one is, by the title and book cover. Once I realized it was on the Best Seller list I knew it was probably going to deliver the impact I was after…and now here I sit, after turning the last page with an aching heart, relishing and reflecting in the many emotions it stirred within. If you are currently enjoying our Q1 pick, you won’t want to miss this masterpiece.

Dare I say, I think this is my favorite book I have ever read.

Favorite Quote:

“Remember: words, especially those written, are immortal.”

Comparable Titles:

• I Will Always Write Back - Caitlin Alifirenka & Martin Ganda with Liz Welch

• Heart the Lover - Lily King

• The Bright Years - Sarah Damoff

Book Summary:

Beth and her gentle, kind husband Frank are happily married, but their relationship relies on the past staying buried. But when Beth’s brother-in-law shoots a dog going after their sheep, Beth doesn’t realize that the gunshot will alter the course of their lives. For the dog belonged to none other than Gabriel Wolfe, the man Beth loved as a teenager—the man who broke her heart years ago. Gabriel has returned to the village with his young son Leo, a boy who reminds Beth very much of her own son, who died in a tragic accident.

As Beth is pulled back into Gabriel’s life, tensions around the village rise and dangerous secrets and jealousies from the past resurface, this time with deadly consequences. Beth is forced to make a choice between the woman she once was, and the woman she has become.

A sweeping love story with the pace and twists of a thriller, Broken Country is a novel of simmering passion, impossible choices, and explosive consequences that toggles between the past and present to explore the far-reaching legacy of first love.

Considered Reads Summary:

A poignant story centered around Beth, an English countryside village girl, across the span of her life loving and losing those she cares about most in an array of angles. Starting with her life as a child and moving into and through adulthood we see Beth’s courage through all her hardships. Consisting of multiple significant plot twists filled with yearning, regret, and second chances, her character shows us how great losses in life can effect future decisions, the implications of psych on loved ones we adore, and desires moving forward.

Hall beautifully rotates between different past and present viewpoints, feeding the story with more suspense as the characters unravel before you. A heartfelt delight you’ll feel for days ensuing.

Audience Match: Readers who enjoy love triangles, what-if’s and life-altering sacrifices.

Quiet Question: What pain would you be willing to bury in order to protect another and why is that the best way to handle the situation?

Mood: Wistful

Pacing: Medium to Fast

Our Rating: 5.0 - I read this with such ease and curiosity, this novel really was a delight and had me entirely engulfed in the pages, feeling like I was part of the story rather than an observer looking in.

Favorite Quote:

“I find myself in this situation often: managing other people’s awkwardness around my grief, my loss.”

Comparable Titles:

• Wild Dark Shore - Charlotte McConaghy (another favorite of mine from 2025)

• All the Colors of the Dark - Chris Whitaker

• The River is Waiting - Wally Lamb

Book Summary:

In We Need Your Art, Amie McNee calls artists and aspiring artists of all kinds to do the work they’re meant to create.

Using her own experiences and the inspiration she’s shared with her legions of followers on Instagram, Amie guides you on why we need your art and how you can make it happen—starting with a two-week reset plan to help you kick-start your creative habit. This isn’t about writing your great novel in a month or painting a masterpiece in a flurry of inspiration. Rather, this process is about practicing small, sustainable creative steps every day over time—five hundred words of writing each day, a pencil sketch every evening—so that you avoid burnout, produce consistent, reliable content on your own terms, and begin to see yourself as an artist.

With frank and empowering conversations on the many issues creatives face, including impostor syndrome, perfectionism, procrastination, and the inner critic, as well as invitations to coronate yourself and celebrate your ambition, Amie provides the framework and encouragement you need to begin to take your art seriously. Each chapter also includes journal prompts that help you apply what you have learned to your new life.

We Need Your Art is a revolutionary reprogramming of everything we have been taught and told about being a creative, removing the shame and fear we may feel at dubbing ourselves artists and inviting us to create proudly, with celebration. This book is a warm hug, a pep talk, the wise teacher you always wanted, the loving parent you needed, and the fire in your belly that you need to get roaring.

Considered Reads Summary:

It’s quite simple once you take away all the negative self-talk: create a plan, show up, do the necessary work, keep consistencies, repeat affirmations, and be realistic avoiding burnout to create purposeful art the world needs. We Need Your Art is not only highly supportive, but also has yielded scientific evidence woven in, that creativity positively impacts lives and holds meaning. The author also provides some insight into psychological aspects and behaviors which are influenced and generously provides a plethora of journal prompts for the necessary internal work needed to overcome road blocks.

McNee assertively and motivationally paints the full picture for us, the reader, to understand the reasons why we may be stuck, why the matter is serious, and generously provides a comprehensive list of steps to immediately start to incorporate into every day life.

Audience Match: Creatives that need a boost of inspiration or guided reflection.

Quiet Question: What internal dialogue do you have with yourself that is hindering your potential as a creative? What can you do to shift your mindset, habits, and time to make improvements?

Mood: Unapologetically encouraging.

Pacing: Medium (due to the nature of asking for your reflection.)

Our Rating: 5.0 - The book was like a friend I didn’t realize I needed.

Favorite Quote:

“Society needs more art. It needs to be bursting at the seams with art. Art is one of the most important tools we have for self development.”

Comparable Titles:

• The Creative Act - Rick Rubin

• Show Your Work! - Austin Kleon

• Big Magic - Elizabeth Gilbert

Book Summary:

The true story of an all-American girl and a boy from an impoverished city in Zimbabwe and the letter that changed both of their lives forever.

It started as an assignment. Everyone in Caitlin's class wrote to an unknown student somewhere in a distant place. All the other kids picked countries like France or Germany, but when Caitlin saw Zimbabwe written on the board, it sounded like the most exotic place she had ever heard of--so she chose it.
Martin was lucky to even receive a pen pal letter. There were only ten letters, and forty kids in his class. But he was the top student, so he got the first one.

That letter was the beginning of a correspondence that spanned six years and changed two lives.

In this compelling dual memoir, Caitlin and Martin recount how they became best friends --and better people--through letters. Their story will inspire readers to look beyond their own lives and wonder about the world at large and their place in it.

Considered Reads Summary:

Two teenagers, one American, one Zimbabwean - the unlikeliest of friends become just that through a school pen pal system. Lifestyles severely contrast sitting on either extreme, yet both authors embody the courage to expose their most vulnerable selves. Over time these best friends mature and blossom together, becoming what feels like family and significantly impacting each other’s future.

Alifirenka and Ganda reveal not only how they influence each other’s lives, but also the affect on family and friends surrounding them. The ending of each chapter is a cliffhanger in the most beautiful way, leaving us sitting with inspiring aspiration.

Side note: You hear stories and see photos everywhere in this digital age, but reading a memoir and becoming entangled in the authors’ lives, understanding on a deeper level what life looks like growing up in the western world and in parallel growing up in a slum, inches today’s reality into a more personal awareness.

Audience Match: For those who may be lacking hope in humankind or life, anyone who is curious for more insight on other cultures, and/or a person who might appreciate some encouragement.

Quiet Question: The story quietly questions how we pay kindness to strangers and just how far we are willing to go in an act of kindness.

Mood: Emotional yet inspirational.

Pacing: Fast

Our Rating: 4.75 of 5 - Some parts of the communication where the relationship was deepened was missing at times for me. I also found the way it was written to sound like Caitlin’s parents might feel a bit of savior complex at times, though I’m sure that wasn’t the intention and the selflessness from everyone was ultra inspiring.

Favorite Quote:

“People are so scared of what they don't know.”

Comparable Titles:

• The Correspondent - Virginia Evans (this is on my TBR list and I am itching to get to it!)

• Paper Things - Jennifer Richard Jacobson

• Crying in H Mart - Michelle Zauner

The first read has been selected and this book encapsulates both of those things! I devoured this book in 2 days and I cannot wait to hear your thoughts. I am so excited to announce our Considered Read for Q1 is (drumroll please…..)

In case you missed the first newsletter that went out on the 7th, I have started sending out Story Insights on the novels carefully selected to indulge in, those will be released on Wednesdays! The story insight for I Will Always Write Back will be arriving to your inbox next week.

Happy reading and please reach out if you have any suggestions you would like to see!

Book Summary:

With its historic charm and picture-perfect library, the Maple Sugar Inn is considered the winter destination. As the holidays approach, the inn is fully booked with guests looking for their dream vacation. But widowed far too young, and exhausted from juggling the hotel with being a dedicated single mom, Hattie Coleman dreams only of making it through the festive season.

But when Erica, Claudia and Anna—lifelong friends who seem to have it all—check in for a girlfriends’ book club holiday, it changes everything. Their close friendship and shared love of books have carried them through life's ups and downs. But Hattie can see they're also packing some major emotional baggage, and nothing prepares her for how deeply her own story is about to become entwined in theirs. In the span of a week over the most enchanting time of the year, can these four women come together to improve each other’s lives and make this the start of a whole new chapter?

Considered Reads Summary:

This is a heartwarming story about the ebbs and flows of life and relationships set in the quaintest inn, complete with a perfect holiday setting. The story shares perspectives within every relationship type - from friends, acquaintances, community, family, and romantic. I found myself relating to each of the main figures in some way: Anna with her deep sense of purpose and fulfillment in life adding to the sureness in her relationship; Claudia navigating both a recent job and long-term relationship loss leaving her questioning her career direction and future; Erica with her fierce independence that’s challenged once she learns a family secret; and Hattie with a giant loss that’s left her juggling the meaning of family and her passion for hospitality.

Morgan writes with playful humor and character relatability seamlessly intertwining each life, creating an ease and fondness for every journey witnessed. Although troubles and deep emotions are present this novel is a light, fun read.

Audience Match: Anyone who’s going through a major life shift, enjoys happy endings, or is drawn to easy reads centered around overcoming adversity.

Quiet Question: As you witness the characters navigating the common narrative, the work indirectly brings up internal questioning of how you deal with or support those dealing with life uncertainties, challenges, and change.

Mood: Empathetically hopeful.

Pacing: Slow to medium paced.

Our Rating: 4.25 of 5 - It had me invested enough to continue turning pages, exploring dynamically different relationships between characters wondering what would happen next.

Favorite Quote:

“Change was unavoidable. Hattie thought, and it was better to embrace it than fight it. Better to see the future as an opportunity rather than a threat.”

Comparable Titles:

• Bourbon & Blizzards at Snow Ranch - Persis Lassiter

• One Day in December - Josie Silver

• Beach Read - Emily Henry

Book Summary:

In a small back alley in Tokyo, there is a café which has been serving carefully brewed coffee for more than one hundred years. But this coffee shop offers its customers a unique experience: the chance to travel back in time.

In Before the Coffee Gets Cold, we meet four visitors, each of whom is hoping to make use of the café’s time-traveling offer, in order to: confront the man who left them, receive a letter from their husband whose memory has been taken by early onset Alzheimer's, to see their sister one last time, and to meet the daughter they never got the chance to know.

But the journey into the past does not come without risks: customers must sit in a particular seat, they cannot leave the café, and finally, they must return to the present before the coffee gets cold . . .

Considered Reads Summary:

This literary fiction read is filled with a hint of whimsy and multiple protagonists. Each of the four lives we focus on throughout the chapters has their own reason for desiring time travel - provided by a special chair found in a small Tokyo cafe, however there’s a catch: there are rules around choosing to time travel that can be life threatening and quite disappointing. They each must be presented with the rules of time travel and decide if it is still worth pursuing knowing what’s at stake. We get to know many different personalities, but there is an all encompassing prudence that is practiced from all main characters. Each individual learns that although solidifying their decision to travel doesn’t result in changing the future events, it will undeniably create inner peace for themselves and affect oncoming decisions.

Kawaguchi’s character building is emotionally moving as we watch each story unfold, realizing that internal narratives are oftentimes harsher or a touch off from reality. It will make you question your own narrative and leave you pondering your own decisions. A light, yet touching read.

Audience Match: Someone who might be questioning a major decision they’ve recently made, anyone who enjoys learning from different perspectives in life, or those who enjoy heartfelt, touching works. A bit sad, but a bit uplifting all in the same.

Quiet Question: The book quietly asks, how you are showing up in your current relationships and what can you change to improve those connections?

Mood: Somber, yet uplifting. The ending however, left me emotional.

Pacing: Slow

Our Rating: 3.75 of 5 - I wished for the pacing to be a bit faster so I didn’t become bored within the dialogue at times. Quality however, was there.

Favorite Quote:

“Water flows from high places to low places. That is the nature of gravity. Emotions also seem to act according to gravity. When in the presence of someone with whom you have a bond, and to whom you have entrusted your feelings, it is hard to lie and get away with it. The truth just wants to come flowing out. This is especially the case when you are trying to hide your sadness or vulnerability. It is much easier to conceal sadness from a stranger, or from someone you don’t trust.”

Comparable Titles:

• What You Are Looking For Is in the Library - Michiko Aoyama

• The Lantern of Lost Memories - Sanaka Hiiragi

• The Midnight Library - Matt Haig

There are a million book clubs out there to join, but many a time I’ve gone on a quest only to become very overwhelmed, still not finding one that aligns well enough (although, RBC comes pretty close).

The goal is for this space to be a source of recommended reading suggestions for book lovers alike, and although I will be writing and publishing more reviews in total, I’ll be aiming for one book every quarter worthy of my praise for “suggested reading”. This won’t be your average book club, this will be a specially curated list that hopefully delivers just what you are craving.

As I work on the first suggestion for the new year, I’ll leave you with a list - some of my absolute favorites that have made a forever impression!

I’d love to build this into a community of sorts, a very low key community that demands nothing from you and aims to inspire. I’ll be asking you for feedback from time to time!

If you are in the same predicament or enjoy the same kind of reads, we should get on the same page (see what I did there?)!