The Song of Achilles. Madeline Miller. 2012. Ecco. 369 pages. [Source: Kindle Unlimited.] Madeline Miller’s take on Greek mythology might become my new favorite genre. I was first introduced to her through Circe, and it was a no-brainer when I connected that she also wrote The Song of Achilles. My reading was a hybrid of ebook and audiobook, and neither disappointed. The Song of Achilles is told from the perspective of Patroclus, an “orphaned” prince who finds himself exiled to Phthia. Here, king Peleus takes Patroclus in as a foster child of sorts, and Achilles makes him a companion. The book then follows the pair as Achilles leans into family legacy and training as a soldier. Along the way, they forge a bond that few truly understand, but (most) respect nonetheless. Much of the book takes place during the Trojan War. I’ve seen depictions of the war and its causes over time, but Miller gives an easy-to-understand overview of how exactly these two find themselves square in the middle of the battle, with Achilles as a central part of the struggle not only among the Greeks but also in the battles. It is here that Miller’s writing was most compelling;…

Death by Spiced Chai. Alex Erickson. 2022. Kensington Cozies. 320 pages. [Source: ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.] Sometimes the smallest things intrigue me, and Death by Spiced Chai  pulled me in from its title because it’s one of my favorite drinks.  What I hadn’t expected was that I’d be starting a series in book ten, and I happen to be one of those (un)fortunate souls who needs all of the backstory. So I started back at one, with Death by Coffee, which introduces Krissy Hancock, her new bookstore of the same name, and the cast of characters that makes up the small town of Pine Hills, Ohio. Throughout the series, she finds her way into the middle of murder investigations and is an unlikely, yet effective, detective who simultaneously fumbles her way through romance, friendship, and establishing a life half a country away from home. In Death by Spiced Chai, Krissy instead finds herself on the wrong side of the law. A series of mysterious incidents have the townsfolk turning against and her already shaky reputation on the downswing. When she ends up suspected in the murder of a bookstore cafe customer with whom she was seen arguing only…

Where’s the Fun in Forever. Ashley. 2023. 98 page. [Source: Kindle Unlimited.] A vacation fling always makes for a fun, and hopefully enticing, story. In Where’s the Fun in Forever, Moira and Chance find themselves vacationing on a beautiful Hawaiian island and connect through a series of extremely unfortunate events. While they’re away from home hoping to escape the drudgery of their daily lives, they also can’t seem to stay out of each other’s paths. Both decide to take a chance (no pun intended) to open themselves up to new adventures and experiences, and the result is a passionate fling neither expects to extend to the mainland. Of course things are rarely that simple, so the core of this story is about what brought the two to Hawaii in the first place and later questions what’s next for the pair. Much of the focus is on Moira — her backstory, her relationships, and her changing needs. This isn’t to say that Chance was completely ignored, but he wasn’t given the same depth of backstory or character development she was. At times, it felt that Chance was more of a driver for Moira’s growth and it wasn’t always reciprocated in his…

The House of Eve. Sadeqa Johnson. 2023. Simon & Schuster. 384 pages. [Source: Public library.] In her latest release, Sadeqa Johnson skillfully weaves together the lives of two women, seemingly worlds apart, whose paths eventually cross, leaving both forever changed. The resulting story is one that explores the lengths one will go to for acceptance and the pursuit of their happiness. It’s 1949. In Philadelphia, 15-year-old Ruby fights nonstop obstacles to obtain a prestigious scholarship that she knows are her only path out of poverty. In Washington, D.C., Eleanor is a focused undergraduate at Howard University who’s determined to make the most of her opportunity in a city far from home. Both find themselves in tempted by relationships that threaten to derail the carefully laid plans they’ve created for themselves. Ruby finds herself getting close to a neighborhood Jewish boy whose family isn’t as open-minded toward her as he is. Eleanor faces a similar situation, with a med student who comes from the “right” family with the “right” background, something she doesn’t share. For both, the book explores how they navigate their environments in their attempts to create stability and a sense of belong for themselves. Johnson has a way…

The Two Lives of Sara. Catherine Adel West. 2022. Park Row. 320 pages. [Source: Public Library.] The Two Lives of Sara opens with the titular character musing about her new life. Having fled Chicago only months prior, she’s still adjusting to life in Memphis, not only as a newcomer in the community but as a new mother as well. Her son, Lebanon, is a responsibility she’ll take, but bringing herself to connect with and love him is a task almost too much to bear because of what he represents to her. As she gets her bearings, she joins a tight-knit group of residents who make their home in The Scarlet Poplar, a boarding house run by Mama Sugar. To say Sara has trauma is an understatement. She is reminded constantly of her abusive life in Chicago, and is still grieving the loss of relationships with her loved ones. Much of this book felt like watching Sara try to settle into her new community and while simultaneously fighting against the feeling of trust and safety among people who came to care deeply for her and Lebanon. She spends a lot of time and energy resisting relationships and the possibility of building…