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Alex 📚Bookstagram

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Book Reviewer in Central MA 📚
Wine and Coffee lover 🍷☕️

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REMAIN by M. Night Shyamalan & Nicholas Sparks

Did I pick this up solely because the movie adaptation starring Jake Gyllenhaal is coming in February? Yes. 😂 But I’ll admit, my curiosity was already there. M. Night Shyamalan is involved, and I’ve enjoyed some of his work, so I was intrigued to see what this had in store.
I’m also not a Nicholas Sparks reader. I was a fan when I was younger, but I haven’t been interested in his books throughout my adult years. So going into this, my expectations were…pretty low.
And yet, I was surprisingly entertained.

The story follows Tate, an architect who travels to Cape Cod to build a summer home for his best friend. He’s also struggling with the loss of his sister, Sylvia, who he was incredibly close to. Before she died, Sylvia told Tate that she could see spirits who were still tethered to the world of the living, and that this gift runs in their family. Naturally, Tate doesn’t believe her.
That is, until he meets Wren.

While staying at a bed and breakfast on the Cape, Tate encounters the mysterious Wren, and the more time they spend together, the more her complicated past begins to surface. Her history with the people in town is tangled up in jealousy, greed, resentment, and betrayal. Tate soon realizes that uncovering the truth about Wren’s past may be the only way to help her before it’s too late.

This wasn’t a perfect book by any means, but I enjoyed it. It’s part supernatural love story, part mystery and suspense, with just enough light horror to give it an eerie edge.
What surprised me most was just how entertaining it was. I went in with fairly low expectations and ended up getting a ghost story with more depth than I expected. It’s a quick, atmospheric read that feels especially fitting for this time of year, and now I’m even more curious to see how it translates to the big screen.

#bookreview #fallreading #booktoscreen #bookstagram #remain by @gray__pages

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6 days ago

DISSECTION OF A MURDER by Jo Murray

I love a good thriller where nothing is as it seems. It can be a real cliché if it isn’t pulled off right, but DISSECTION OF A MURDER absolutely does, in my opinion. This propulsive legal thriller had me questioning everyone. 👀

Leila Reynolds is finally handed her first murder case, and it’s a big one. The victim is a well-respected judge whose death has sent shockwaves through the legal community. The problem? Leila is nowhere near experienced enough to handle a case like this. But her defendant insists that she, and only she, can represent him.
And if inexperience weren’t enough of a challenge, Leila has two even bigger problems: her client refuses to talk about what actually happened that night, and she’ll be facing the most ruthless prosecutor she knows in court: her husband, Julian. To make things even more complicated, Julian was also Leila’s mentor and taught her everything she knows.
Watching Leila navigate this impossible situation was SO much fun. She is anything but helpless, and just when you think she might finally have a handle on the case, someone from her past resurfaces to terrorize her with secrets she desperately wants to keep buried.

This is one MESSY story, people. It’s smart as hell, twisty, and completely addictive. Basically the definition of TRUST NO ONE. There were a few twists I genuinely didn’t see coming, and I absolutely flew through this one.

I love a good legal thriller, especially one with some bite to it, and this one delivered. I honestly find DISSECTION OF A MURDER to be underrated, and I’m surprised I don’t see more about it. If legal thrillers are your thing, definitely add this one to your list.
Also, this would make a GREAT limited series. Someone needs to get on that.

#bookreview #bookstagram #dissectionofamurder #legalthriller by @gray__pages

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11 days ago

WE ARE ALL GUILTY HERE by Karin Slaughter

I had only read PRETTY GIRLS previously, which I liked but didn’t love, so I went into WE ARE ALL GUILTY HERE not knowing what to expect. But WOW, this was SO much better for me, and now I’m definitely looking forward to reading more from Slaughter!

This is the first book in her newest police procedural series, following Officer Emmy Clifton in the small town of North Falls.
When two teenage girls disappear during the town’s fireworks celebration, the entire community is thrown into chaos. One of the missing girls is the daughter of Emmy’s best friend, and Emmy had turned her back on her just hours before she vanished.
Determined to make amends and bring her home, Emmy starts digging into the disappearance. But the deeper she gets, the more shocking secrets she uncovers about her small town…and the people she thought she knew.

This was a PROPULSIVE, edge-of-your-seat read. The writing is fantastic, and despite being over 400 pages, I was completely engaged the entire time. There was always something happening, another secret to uncover, or another question that kept me turning the pages.
And while I had my issues with PRETTY GIRLS, this book was a completely different experience for me. I really enjoyed it!

I’m interested in seeing where this series goes. One important note: Karin Slaughter’s books tend to be DARK and graphic, so definitely check those trigger warnings before picking this one up. This is absolutely not an author for the faint of heart!

If you’re a fan of dark, twisty, fast-paced police procedurals, this one might be worth adding to your TBR. 📚

#bookreview #bookstagram #karinslaughter by @gray__pages

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16 days ago

🍁 F A L L S T A C K 🍁

Happy Sunday! It’s officially starting to feel like Fall here in New England, and I couldn’t be happier. 🍂 Cozy sweaters, crisp mornings, changing leaves, and, of course, a whole new stack of books to get lost in. So, in the spirit of the season, I thought I’d share a few books I’m hoping to get to this Fall!

This stack has a little bit of everything, from cozy, quintessential Fall vibes to some darker, spookier reads.
Fall is one of my absolute favorite times of year to read, so I’m really looking forward to this stack (and to FINALLY reading The Da Vinci Code…I know, I know. Apparently, no one is later to the party than me! 😂).

If you’ve read any of these, I’d love to hear your thoughts! And tell me—what’s on your Fall TBR this year? 📚🍂

#fallreading #fallbookstack #bookstagram #seasonalreading by @gray__pages

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19 days ago

THE BOOK OF MAGIC by Alice Hoffman

A much anticipated, witchy return to the world of the Owens women! 🖤🔮

In this sequel to the beloved classic, PRACTICAL MAGIC, we’re reunited with three generations of Owens women: Sally, Gillian, Jet, Franny, and Sally’s two grown daughters, as they discover that the centuries-old curse they thought they had finally escaped may not be gone after all. Now, they’ll have to come together to break the curse once and for all……and save one of their own.

My favorite in the series is still THE RULES OF MAGIC (although, to be fair, I haven’t read MAGIC LESSONS yet!), but I enjoyed this one. There was something so wonderful about stepping back into the world of the fiery and fiercely loyal Owens women. Alice Hoffman’s magical, atmospheric writing made this such a charming read, and it felt like the perfect book to kick off the fall season.

Like many people my age, I grew up loving the movie Practical Magic, so I’m especially glad I read this just in time for the long-awaited Practical Magic 2, which is based on this book. It made returning to the Owens family feel even more nostalgic and special.

#practicalmagic #practicalmagic2 #bookreview #bookstagram by @gray__pages

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a month ago

📫 B O O K M A I L 📫

A HUGE thank you to @kensingtonbooks for sending along this lovely ARC!

This is some MUCH-anticipated book mail for me! 📚✨ I’ve been very vocal about just how much I love Charlie Donlea’s books, so I’m incredibly honored and excited for the opportunity to be an early reader of his upcoming release, BEHIND EVERY FACE.

Quick Premise: Oliver Whitaker has made a career bringing the world’s rich and powerful to their knees in his crafty exposes. However, Oliver’s profession is about to become personal. His brother was found dead and Ollie thinks he knows who’s holding the smoking gun. Given his reputation and close relation to the departed, a target is quickly put on Ollie’s back. As he races to avenge his brother and stay alive, he skirts around this den of vipers in an elusive dance that will keep you hooked until the final page.

I have absolutely no doubt this is going to be another hit for me, and I cannot wait to dive in!

#bookmail #bookmailisthebestmail #charliedonlea by @gray__pages

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a month ago

GOOD PEOPLE by Patmeena Sabit

Thanks so much to @crownpublishing for sending me this gifted copy!

This was such a unique reading experience, and definitely one that kept me guessing about what was really going on throughout.

The story follows the wealthy Sharaf family, who came to America from Afghanistan as refugees with nothing and eventually built a prosperous life for themselves. But when tragedy strikes the family, they suddenly find themselves at the center of the court of public opinion. Were the Sharafs really the picture-perfect family they appeared to be, or were they anything but? And what actually led to this tragedy?

One thing that really stood out to me was the format. The entire story is told through interviews with people who were connected to the Sharaf family in some way. We get all of these different accounts, opinions, rumors, and perspectives, and often, they completely contradict one another. The more I read, the more I realized just how difficult it can be to separate fact from hearsay when everyone has their own version of what happened.

The story also does a great job exploring the influence of the media and news outlets on public perception, as well as how quickly community gossip can take on a life of its own. Everyone has an opinion, everyone thinks they know what happened, and suddenly those opinions start to feel like facts.
By the end, I had almost as many questions as I did answers, but I actually think that was the point. The conflicting accounts made the story feel incredibly real, almost like one of those cases you hear about on the news where everyone has a theory, but no one really knows the whole truth.

A fascinating and thought-provoking look at perception, gossip, race, media influence, and just how complicated the idea of “good people” can really be.

#bookreview #bookstagram #goodpeople #endofsummerreads by @gray__pages

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a month ago

WHISTLER by Ann Patchett

I’ve read a few books by Ann Patchett over the years. I really enjoyed BEL CANTO, while THE DUTCH HOUSE and TOM LAKE were both just okay for me. But after reading WHISTLER, I’m convinced this may be her masterpiece.

This is a quiet, deeply moving story about Daphne, a woman in her fifties who unexpectedly runs into her former stepfather, Eddie, whom she hasn’t seen since he and her mother divorced when Daphne was just nine years old. The two shared a deep bond during her childhood, and Eddie left a lasting impact on the person she would become. When they see each other again decades later, that connection comes rushing back, and Daphne has no intention of ever allowing herself to be separated from her once-father figure again.

At its heart, WHISTLER is a story about the choices we make, the choices that are made for us, and the ways those choices continue to shape us long after we’ve made them. It’s about family, love, loyalty, regret, and the complicated ways relationships can endure even after years apart.
This is not a plot-driven novel by any means, but I found it incredibly compelling. Patchett creates such unforgettable characters that I became completely immersed in their lives. I honestly haven’t felt this invested in a group of characters in a long time. I didn’t want this book to end, and I already know Daphne, Eddie, and the rest of these characters will stay with me for a very long time.

A quiet, beautiful, character-driven novel that completely surprised me, and without a doubt, one of my top reads of the year. I’ll be thinking about this one for years to come.

#bookreview #bookstagram #annpatchettauthor #whistler by @gray__pages

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2 months ago

THE DOG STARS by Peter Heller

“Life and death lived inside each other. That’s what occurred to me. Death was inside all of us, waiting for warmer nights, a compromised system, a beetle, as in the now dying black timber on the mountains. And life was inside death, virulent and insistent as a strain of flu. How it should be.”

The story follows Hig, one of the few people to survive a devastating flu pandemic that has killed nearly everyone he knew, including his wife and friends. Now living with his beloved dog, Jasper, in the hangar of a small abandoned airport, Hig spends his days flying his 1956 Cessna and trying to survive in a world that has been completely altered. When he picks up a random transmission over the radio, he begins to wonder if there is still something, or someone, out there. Following that faint signal leads him to discover both better…and much worse…than he ever could have imagined.

I’ve read a few books by Peter Heller now, and while I’ve generally enjoyed them, I’ve never quite loved one. Unfortunately, I felt much the same about THE DOG STARS. It’s a good story, and it certainly kept me engaged, but I found the writing to be overly descriptive at times, which made the pacing feel slower than I would have liked.

It also reminded me quite a bit of Cormac McCarthy’s THE ROAD, with its bleak post-apocalyptic landscape and focus on survival, isolation, and what remains of humanity after everything has been stripped away. But for me, THE ROAD was ultimately more compelling and, surprisingly, more heartfelt. I wanted to feel more deeply connected to Hig and the other characters, to really feel the weight of what they had endured and the magnitude of their circumstances. That emotional connection never quite came for me here.

Still, I’m glad I finally picked this one up. There’s a lot to appreciate about Heller’s writing and the world he creates, and I did enjoy the journey overall. But was it the win of the year for me? Not quite. A solid read, just not one that will stick with me quite as much as I’d hoped.

#bookreview #thedogstars #bookstagram by @gray__pages

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2 months ago

MAKE NICE by Ryan Effgen

Many thanks to @aaknopf for providing me with a gifted copy!

I had seen this book being praised by many trusted sources in the book world, so I really wanted to love it. Unfortunately, it ended up being a DNF for me at 37%. And that is certainly NOT because I think this is a bad book. The writing is strong, and I can definitely see the comparisons people have made to the vibes of THE WEDDING PEOPLE, which I loved. I agree with that…..to a point. I typically adore books published by Knopf, as they’re one of the publishers I read and review most often. Ultimately, though, it just wasn’t the right book for me right now. Perhaps I’ll set it aside and revisit it somewhere down the road.

What was the last book you DNF’d simply because you were just not feeling it at the moment?

#summerreads #bookstagram #bookreview by @gray__pages

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2 months ago

ORDINARY GRACE by William Kent Krueger

ORDINARY GRACE is a quiet, reflective novel rather than an action-packed thriller, relying much more on its depth, atmosphere, and beautifully layered characters, and that’s something Krueger does exceptionally well.

The story follows thirteen-year-old Frank Drum, the son of a Methodist minister, as he comes of age in 1961 Minnesota. Over the course of one unforgettable summer, Frank is forced to confront murder, suicide, loss, and other heartaches that shatter the innocence of childhood and force him to grow wise beyond his years.

This was definitely a slower read than what I’m looking for right now, but that doesn’t mean I didn’t appreciate it. There’s something about the quiet, almost haunting atmosphere of this story that gives it a weight that stays with you. I can absolutely see why so many consider it a modern classic of its genre.

It won’t be a favorite of the year for me, but I have a feeling this is one of those books that will continue to linger in my mind long after I’ve finished it. And having enjoyed William Kent Krueger’s work before, I can’t deny that he is truly masterful at his craft

#bookreview #bookstagram #williamkentkrueger #comongofage by @gray__pages

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2 months ago

UNDER THE FALLS by Richard Russo

PUB DATE: 8/11/26
Thanks so much to @aaknopf for my gifted ARC!

If there’s one thing Richard Russo does better than just about anyone, it’s writing about small towns. There is something so authentic and lived-in about his settings and characters that makes every return to his work feel like coming home.
UNDER THE FALLS feels like Russo stepping slightly outside his comfort zone. While it still delivers the character-driven small-town drama he’s known for, it also weaves in elements of slow burn crime story and thriller, making for an interesting departure from his more familiar style.

The story follows musician Tyler Sinclair, who left Stone Mountain at eighteen with no intention of ever returning. Eighteen years later, Tyler’s band, named after his hometown, brings him back for a one-night-only benefit concert in support of an old friend. But Tyler’s homecoming isn’t welcomed by everyone, and the past he’s spent years trying to outrun quickly begins catching up with him.

I’ll admit I was left with a few unanswered questions by the end, particularly regarding the motivations behind some of the characters’ actions (I’ll spare you the spoilers). At times, the story felt a little uneven, and it doesn’t quite reach the heights of Russo’s very best work. Even so, I still found myself thoroughly enjoying it. His writing style is present throughout, and there’s something incredibly comforting and familiar about the way he captures the complexities of small-town life.

Maybe it’s because I’ll happily read anything Richard Russo writes. Maybe it’s because I’m a sucker for stories centered around small-town drama. Or maybe it’s because EMPIRE FALLS remains one of my all-time favorite novels, making him one of my favorite authors. Whatever the reason, I continue to believe he is one of the very best at writing richly developed, character-driven stories, and UNDER THE FALLS is another enjoyable example of that talent.
While this won’t rank among my favorite books of his, I genuinely enjoyed my time with it and am already looking forward to diving deeper into his backlist this Fall. by @gray__pages

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2 months ago