Month: October 2025

Thank you, NetGalley, for this book.

I was old enough to remember the Waco siege and what a massive debacle it was. And I have watched various documentaries about it, but this is the first book I’ve read about the situation and the leader of the Branch Dividians.

The book covers the entire life of David Koresh, who was born Vernon Howell. Vernon was mostly awkward, unliked, and unwanted. His grandmother loved him, but he was born out of wedlock into a Seventh-day Adventist family. His mother loved him, but from a distance. He had learning disabilities and just never fit in, except at church.

Religion was formative for Vernon, but as he grew up, his views became more extreme, leading him to change his name and become the leader of an already-established cult. Not much surprised me about the Davidians and the siege, as I’ve learned so much already, but this book did a great job of covering it, as well. As hard to read as this book was due to the tragic ending of so many lives, it was well-researched and interesting.

Thank you, NetGalley, for this book

This book was a light, easy charming read about a failing bakery in France and the mystery behind its magic.

Edith moves to France on a whim after seeing an ad in a paper asking for help. However, the job isn’t as wonderful as she was hoping. The owner is grumpy, the town is small and isloated, but as Edie discovers, has its hidden charms.

Edie makes friends with more people, finds a good guy, and uncovers some of the bakery’s magical secrets. This book was good. Sweet, full of delicious pastry descriptions, and easy on the palate.

Thank you, NetGalley, for this book.

This book is easily one of the best I’ve read this year. I managed to get a copy on audio, which was superb. Most audiobooks are just fine to listen to, but the outstanding narrator really brought this story to life.

The unnamed biracial protagonist recently lost his teenage son unexpectedly then realizes his estranged white grandfather left a plot of land to his son. The narrator, since his son passed, now inherits the land. As he travels to this land by the ocean, he fully intends to sell the property for a hefty sum. But as the land is inspected, he learns his plot was a former plantation.

The best part about this book was really the blur between what the narrator perceives as real vs what he’s imagining. He also has to reckon with his past relationship with his own Black father and his son. This beautiful book pushed the hard topics of the narrator’s life to the forefront of his mind. And as a reader, we are along for this journey of a man finding himself while dealing with not just his past, but the past of his ancestors.

Thank you, NetGalley, for this book.

Suzie has schizophrenia and is attempting to live a normal life by attending college without being medicated. She has a great boyfriend and a supportive roommate, but as the voices in her head grow stronger, Suzie listens to them and ends up getting expelled due to her actions.

Suzie flees her safe home, goes on the run, and ends up in Las Vegas with the “mole people” who live in underground tunnels. Suzie, now addicted to drugs, must find out how to survive with these people, the voices in her head, and the itinerant lifestyle.

This book was the bare minimum of a plot. There wasn’t much depth, and it used convenient plot devices. Overall, fine, but not one I recommend.

Thank you, NetGalley, for this book.

This quick read is about two brothers, Thad and Hazen, who live in a remote cabin near Yellowstone. They spend most of their time hunting, fishing, and doing various odd jobs to earn money. When a man offers them a lot of money for an easy but dangerous task. Thad is level-headed, constantly worried about bills, while Hazen is happy to take on any task, no matter how legal it may or may not be.

Once they embark upon the dangerous task, things, of course, do not go as planned, and they have to deal with the aftermath. This book was really simple with beautiful descriptions of the landscape, but it’s not one I will think much about now that I’ve finished it.