I Must Betray You - Ruta Sepetys

Found this book at my local library's annual book sale last year and picked it up because I recognized the author's name (from this book I read way back in 2011!). This was a very fast-paced YA historical fiction novel that explores Romania just before the 1989 revolution. The author builds a real sense of the oppressiveness of life at the time, and provides some truly disturbing details. Recommended. 

The Spider Sapphire Mystery - Carolyn Keene

Found this book at a yard sale, and it's a copy from "my era" - the time of my childhood when I was reading every Nancy Drew book I could get my hands on. I may have even had this particular book - I no longer have any of my childhood books, unfortunately, and I can't remember which Nancy Drew books I used to own. It's a definite relic from the past, but I read it in 90 minutes so it was an .... interesting look into the past, ha ha. 

My Friend Anne Frank - Hannah Pick-Goslar

It's more important than ever to remember the stories of those who survived the Holocaust, as they are also telling us the stories of those who did not. This is a really important book - and not just because of the author's link to Anne Frank, who has become a symbol for those who were murdered. Hearing her own heartbreaking story is difficult - I cannot imagine even a fraction of what she endured. Recommended. 

Discovering Moths - John Himmelman

How much do you ever think about moths? I confess I don't think about them too much, except if I am reading after dark near a window, and my cat is stalking the moths who are attracted by the lamplight. A couple years ago I did notice a hummingbird moth visiting some flowers in front of my house, and that was a delightful sighting and also puzzling, as I didn't realize that many moth species are actually active during the day. 

If you would like to learn more about moths, this book is for you. The subtitle says it all: "Nighttime Jewels in Your Own Backyard - Eastern North American Species." This was a really fun and informative book. The writing is great and the author is quite funny. The book features lots of illustrations and a ton of cool color photographs of moths, making it a great reference. It would make a great gift for anyone who is interested in nature, or who likes to watch birds. Recommended. 

Gothic Life - Aurelio Voltaire

Picked up this book at Five Below for $5 a while back, and I was *thrilled.* If you don't know the author, he's a super-talented musician, singer, songwriter, artist, and a bunch of other cool stuff including his great YouTube channel, The Lair of Voltaire. This book is like a printed form of many of his videos, and despite its size, it's stuffed full of wonderful information including step-by-step DIY project instructions, recipes, decor and design ideas, all with a goth twist. It really lives up to its subtitle, "The Essential Guide to Macabre Style." It would be a great gift for that goth in your life, or for anyone who loves Halloween. Recommended. 

On Tyranny - Timothy Snyder

Went out and got myself a copy of this book in January 2025, started to read it, and then inexplicably put it down until now. Maybe it was too close to home at the time? Not that it's any farther from home now, but ... who knows. This is a must-read book for anyone who has open eyes right now. As the subtitle suggests, it's "Twenty Lessons from the Twentieth Century" and it should be required reading. I will definitely be referring to this book. 

Western Lane - Chetna Maroo

Stumbled on this book in Dollar Tree, of all places. It's a small book that was shortlisted for the 2023 Booker Prize, so I figured why not pick it up. It was a fast read but left a lasting impression. It's more of a character study than a plot-driven novel, but the writing was good and I enjoyed it. 

Shutter Island - Dennis Lehane

This book has the distinction of being one of the oldest books on my TBR Pile. It's one of the few remaining (maybe even the last?) books from the Borders Last Day Sales, way back when, when I was like the proverbial kid in a candy store grabbing books left, right, and center for a steep discount. 

I have no idea why I have been putting it off this long. This was quite the page-turner! I read it at a steady clip. The writing is good and the story moves along, and keeps you guessing and wondering. This would be a great read on a longish airplane flight as it would keep your interest. Also a great beach / vacation read. Recommended. 

Raising Hare - Chloe Dalton

What a lovely book. The author's amazing account of her life with a wild hare is a joy to read. As an animal lover, it always brings me joy to hear about a human that protects animals, that respects animals, and that can have a positive close encounter (or in this case, ongoing encounters I guess) with wild animals. And I even added a new word to my vocabulary: leveret, a word I don't ever remember hearing before reading this book. This book would be a great gift for an animal lover. Recommended. 

Real Americans - Rachel Khong (Spoilers?)

I have mixed feelings about this Book Club book. The writing was good but I am not sure what I am supposed to take away from it. The two main characters are so .... meh, so negative, so conflicted, but it's hard to know exactly why in some cases. From the title, I assumed the book would be some kind of exploration of what it means to be a first generation American, or how it feels to grow up in a place where you are in a minority group. Or even what it's like to be "white passing" in the U.S. But ultimately it really wasn't about any of those things? Not sure what to make of this.