HEATHER (2026) - Review

HEATHER 
by Caitlin Mullen
My Rating 4 out of 5 Stars 
Available: June 9, 2026

Recently it turns out that I have been stumbling on some rather unusual books. I picked "Heather" to clear my palate because it was a mystery, police procedural, and set in the New Jersey Pine Barrens. It wasn't until 1965 that the Atlantic City Expressway opened and I remembered the old routes from Philly to the shore through the pine scrubs.

SPOILER?: The title of the book appears several times but you have to reach the very end to learn that pine-barren heather is a low-growing native shrub with bright yellow flowers that thrives in the dry, acidic, and sandy soils of the Pine Barrens.

FIRST SENTENCE: "In the minutes after the baby is born the doctor bends low to your ear."

THE STORY: Newly hired police chief, Callie Hauser, has returned to the Pine Barrens of New Jersey. Her first official arrest brings up unexpected memories of what has become a rather old cold case. In 1999 an infant died and twin sixteen year old sisters, Annabelle and Sabrina disappeared. Callie finds it difficult to get anyone to answer questions but she keeps on as she begins to question what is right, what isn't, and where she fits in the picture.

WHAT I THOUGHT: Caitlin Mullen understands the mystery of the Barrens and makes them an  important part of the story. Her characters belong in this environment. She explores the wilderness, history, and isolated local culture of southern Jersey. Perhaps all the twists and wrong turns are necessary, but the story seemed to fly everywhere. People you thought were good were bad and vice versa. One reviewer wrote that she was so invested in the book that she had to read it in one sitting. Mullen does know how to make the reader turn another page.

BOTTOM LINE: RECOMMENDED and I have now added the non-fiction 1968 classic "The Pine Barrens" to my reading list.

DISCLAIMER: A copy of Heather was provided to me by Celadon Books  / NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. 

CURRENTLY READING - October 2026

Disturbing and painful but totally engaging. A new species has been identified and the writer of this book struggles with grief over her mother's death. The world she describes exists for all of us. "The Strangers" was long-listed for the Booker Prize.

 

 

SWITZY (2026) - Review

SWITZY
by Emma Cline
My Rating: 5 of 5 Stars
Available: September 8, 2026

 
As we age, we find more of our family members and friends being diagnosed with dementia. It explains their short-term memory loss and trouble with thinking skills. I chose this book to try to understand why someone would consider euthanasia and what the guidelines are.

FIRST SENTENCE: "It was always nighttime there."

THE STORY: David Hastings, a retired businessman in his 70s, has a final destination. "Switzy" seems less odd when you realize he is heading to Switzerland. Guiding him is Cody, who is his personal assistant on the trip because David's memories are disappearing more and more rapidly. This is his final journey which ends at an assisted dying clinic in Zurich.

WHAT I THOUGHT: This is a devastating novel, beautifully imagined, and written by Emma Cline. The entire story is told through David's diminishing view of the world. It's hard not to respond to David's efforts and confusion with great sadness while reading.

BOTTOM LINE: HIGHLY RECOMMENDED but not for everyone although some readers felt it would work for Book Groups. "Switzy" was longlisted for the 2026 Booker Prize.

DISCLAIMER: A copy of Switzy was provided to me by Random House / NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. 

 

 

2026 BOOKER PRIZE SHORTLIST ANNOUNCED

The winner will be announced on Monday, November 9 at a private reception that will be livestreamed on the Booker Prizes’ socials. 

THE END OF EVERYTHING (Riverhead, October 13) by M. John Harrison (British)
THE DISAPPEARERS (Riverhead) by Marlon James (Jamaican)
BLACK BAG (Zando) by Luke Kennard (British)
MAY WE FEED THE KING (Transit, September 29) by Rebecca Perry (British)
THE THINGS WE NEVER SAY (Random House) by Elizabeth Strout (American)
JOHN OF JOHN (Grove) by Douglas Stuart (Scottish-American)

  

BITTER FRUIT (2027) - Review

BITTER FRUIT 
by Tempest Black
My rating: 4 out of 5 Stars
Available: March 23, 2027

Here's a debut thriller, that's both a police procedural and a psychological suspense mystery, that will add a new author to your reading list.  

FIRST SENTENCE: "When God said let there be light, he used his voice for the first time."

THE STORY: On Easter morning, in an abandoned church in Ireland, a man's naked, decapitated body, is found posed as if kneeling in prayer. Detective Lewan Kane and his department carefully scan the surrounding area and realize not a trace has been left behind.

At the same time Ella Lonan is experiencing hallucinations and worried about her sanity. In one vision she sees Kane and decides to offer her help. Kane has been hiding from his own private problems. Can they work together? 

WHAT I THOUGHT: This is an amazing mystery, well-plotted and well-written. Originally concerned it might be too much of a psychic story, I was wrong. It won me over immediately. The writing is haunting but also brutal. It's hard not to care about the characters.

BOTTOM LINE: RECOMMENDED but not for the squeamish. Many readers rated this book highly.

DISCLAIMER: A copy of Bitter Fruit was provided to me by Little Brown and Company / NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. 

 

BUZZ BOOKS 2026: FALL/WINTER - Review

 

Here's a preview of the best new books for the 2026 Fall/Winter season and it's FREE!

Buzz Books 2026: Fall/Winter, the 26th volume in the popular sampler series, presents readers with an insider’s look at books due out this season—the largest collection to date. At the end of most excerpts, you will find a link to the full galley on NetGalley!

Such bestselling authors as Emma Cline, Edwidge Danticat, Bonnie Garmus, and Barbara Kingsolver are featured, along with Emily St. John, Walter Mosley, and Annie Proulx.

Fiction is broken down into categories such as Notables; Debut authors; and Commercial Fiction. A whole range of non-fiction categories are included as well as several Young Adult titles.

First introduced for the 2012 Book Expo America, the FREE digital Publishers Lunch Buzz Books have become the place for both industry professionals and book lovers in general to discover and read about the books expected to spark high demand BEFORE they are published! After many selections, you have the option to follow a link and request the complete galley copy from Net Galley if you qualify as a 'professional' reader.

Buzz Books 2026: Fall/Winter is available NOW on Amazon! Did I mention it's FREE!

BORING ASIAN FEMALE (2026) - Review

 

BORING ASIAN FEMALE 
by Canwen Xu
My rating: 4 out of 5 Stars
Available: April 28, 2026

When I decided to read "Boring Asian Female" I was looking for a psychological thriller not an "unhinged" dark comedy, however the writing is good and the disastrous plot sweeps the reader along, but it wasn't a comfortable read for me.   

FIRST SENTENCE: "She always suspected she would die young."

THE STORY: The story follows Elizabeth Zhang, a high-achieving Columbia University student who spirals into an obsessive, stalker-like rivalry after being rejected by Harvard Law School for allegedly not standing out. 

WHAT I THOUGHT: What’s the point in being school intelligent if you don’t possess morality or emotional intelligence?  Elizabeth stalks and slanders another student who she decides is the reason she wasn't accepted at Harvard. For me it became too much, when she decides having a baby as an unwed mother will make her more desirable as a law student. The dark humor entered a whole new uncomfortable level.

BOTTOM LINE: RECOMMENDED but not for the squeamish. Many readers rated this book highly.

DISCLAIMER: A copy of Boring Asian Female was provided to me by Berkley Publishing Group / NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.