Kids, Wait Till You Hear This! Liza Minnelli

I didn't know much about Liza Minelli before this book but found her stories fascinating. Did she talk about many, many, many times about how her family had an illness and it was substance abuse? Yes. But she is raw and honest and reads the book herself which is a delight. I hadn't realized she was a part of the fashion show at Versailles and that moves a book about that evening up on my TBR list. 

Four stars

This book came March 10, 2026

Borrowed as audiobook from Libby

Opinions are my own

Stop Letting Everything Affect You by Daniel Chidiac

This was a very short, straightforward book. Because the topics tend to be broad, not everything will apply to everyone, but like most self-help books, you take the bits that can help, and leave the rest behind. Nothing was really new and some parts were weirdly framed as if training people on how to weaponize therapy rather than actually learning from it. 

The religion thrown in without warning was a bit abrupt. I don't mind, just like some context before I'm already into the book.

Two and a half stars

This book came out July 1, 2025

Borrowed as ebook from Libby

Opinions are my own

We're All Going to Die Tonight! by Veronica Bane

The debate team is driving to their Airbnb after a disastrous meet. Avery is feeling like she's the one who lost the competition. But her musings also introduce us to the other characters riding in The Death Van (so named because it looks like a kidnapper's van.) When a tire blows out, they have to walk the rest of the way. 

The airbnb does not provide the shelter that they had hoped. Instead, two of the teens are attacked, two of the teachers are missing, and someone dies. 

I suspended a lot of disbelief and just want along with the story and that helped me to enjoy this book quite a bit.

Four stars

This book comes out September 15, 2026

ARC kindly provided by Random House Children's Books and NetGalley

Opinions are my own

We Chase Shadows by Richard Osman

A dead bodyguard? What is a person to do? Especially someone who isn't... exactly... on the right side of the law. Well, you might call We Solve Murders. Which works out well because it's been a long time and they haven't had a client. So Vern is a godsend. Maybe. He's also got an enemy named Jakob Eriksson. Vern says it's definitely not him, but someone sure is trying to make it seem like Eriksson is the Big Bad. 

It turns out that Esteban, the dead guard, won't be the only pereosn to die in this book. He's not even the only person to get shot. What does that mean for Amy, Steven, and Rosie? Well, in addition to some characters from the last book, Adam (Amy's husband/Steve's son), Felicity (the office admin/former talent agent), Tony (Steve's best friend/Felicity's beau), Marco (security at a Florida airport), Ernesto (Interpol/former lover of Rosie), and Trouble, Steve's cat who helps solve the mystery. 

Action-packed and including world travel, this book takes a little bit of time to get into. It ended up being very good but, even with starting off with a murder, takes some time to get to the story. 

Four stars

We Solve Murders #2

Follows We Solve Murders

This book came out September 15, 2026

ARC kindly provided 

Opinions are my own

The Dark Lord's Guide to Honeymooning (and Other Acts of Tyranny) by Tiffany Hunt

I'm going to say this up front: this book was SO long. I always forget to look at the total number of pages until I am far enough into the book to wonder when the end is going to be. The overall length on this one surprised me. I feel like it could have been tightened up a little bit as the informaiton in some places felt extraneous. Given the number of times this book could have ended, this could have also been split into a book and a novella. 

Kazimir and Arabella are very much still in the honeymoon phase of their relationship. And on their honeymoon as well. They are battling their way across the country and almost immediately pick up an old acquaintance (friend?) of Arabella's. And he's not the only person from one or both of their past's that they'll have to confront. Even worse, they can't spend two seconds together to clear up a misunderstanding that goes on for far to long in this book. 

Three stars

Guides to Villainy and Love #2

Follows The Dark Lord's Guide to Dating (And Other War Crimes)

This book comes out September 8, 2026

ARC kindly provided by Scarlett Press and NetGalley

Opinions are my own

The Girls Who Beat the Odds by Maj. Gen. Mari K. Eder

A really interesting book that explores women who excelled at various sports and whose name may or may not have been forgotten by time. Eder covers a number of different sports including tennis, diving, skating, and more. She also weaves in the history of the sport, sometimes telling how it was invented or why it became popular. 

The storytelling is a bit factual at times rather than weaving a story but I enjoyed learning about a number of different women who paved the way for other women to join the sports. 

Four stars

This book comes out September 8, 2026

ARC kindly provided by Sourcebooks and NetGalley

Opinions are my own

A Ghost's Guide to Haunting a Witch (And Other Bad Decisions) by Sharon Ibbotson

stars

This book came out September 10, 2026

ARC kindly provided by NetGalley and Joffe Books

Opinions are my own