FICTION
All the Colors of the Dark by Chris Whitaker
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
What a gorgeous book! Yes, it has some ghoulish subject matter, & as the title suggests, that’s what makes the colors shine all the brighter. Just wow… Patch & Saint’s friendship & the ways in which it shapes their lives is a gift to fiction.
“People talk about one life…one chance. But I reckon a single life is made up of a dozen or more roles and responsibilities. I can count the versions of myself like friend and foe. Mistakes are the detours that remind you of the true way, Saint. To love and be loved is more than can ever be expected, more than enough for a thousand ordinary lifetimes.” (287)”
The Midnight Feast by Lucy Foley
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I read this book over 2 vacation days. I actively tried to resist the temptation to read full throttle, often purposefully put the book down to do something else, but the book won: it’s that good, & the ending is almost fully satisfying, although my heart hurts for one character who probably doesn’t need to feel guilty. ‘Nuff said 🙂
Also, it reminded me some of Foley’s earlier book, The Guest List, & The Club by Ellery Lloyd, though the comparisons only go so far as this book truly stands on its own.
The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Charlie’s letters to his “Dear Friend” read like more insightful & honest letters than those written by “Dear Evan Hansen.” In just one year of high school, Charlie & his friends experience the fullness of teenage life. The book is real & funny & depressing &, in the end, healing & hopeful.
Slow Dance by Rainbow Rowell
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Shiloh & Cary forever <3
The Three Lives of Cate Kay by Kate Fagan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars – 3.5 stars
It took me a bit to get into the story because I had trouble following the shifting characters/chapters, but once I got it, I was hooked. The way Annie’s life & Cate’s book connect was a highlight, although the happy ending might have been a little too perfect, albeit satisfying.
NONFICTION
The Power of Fun: How to Feel Alive Again by Catherine Price
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
An almost perfect book for my 2025 Year of Play!
4.5 stars, only a .5 star down for repetition based on her first book, How to Break Up with Your Phone. It’s important stuff, screens are fake fun & designed to yank us down all the rabbit holes, but we could have had one deep-dive on the subject rather than two.
Otherwise, this book will be a touchstone for me going forward. Her distinction between hobbies/passion projects (solitary activities we enjoy on our own) & True Fun (Playful Connected Flow) will definitely be a guiding factor for my life moving forward.
The Let Them Theory by Mel Robbins
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Skimmable. Mel has a lot of good things to say &, though I wish I had this book when I was in a toxic work situation, I’m grateful it came to me now.
MEMOIR
Gender Queer: A Memoir by Maia Kobabe
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
An artistically-rendered memoir SO enlightening for people who don’t share this experience
This Changes Everything: A Surprisingly Funny Story About Race, Cancer, Faith, and Other Things We Don’t Talk About by Tyler Merritt
My rating: 4 of 5 stars – 3.5 stars
What do race, cancer, & faith have to do with each other? A whole heckuva lot when they coincide in the author’s Black body. Merritt has a lot of good, important things to say, & some sections were a little silly (intentionally, to balance the serious subjects) & a little TMI as they related to his cancer & its side effects, but it’s still worth your time. I recommend Merritt’s audiobooks, which sound like listening to a friend tell you his stories.
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