Play Nice by Rachel Harrison

Twenty years ago, Clio's mom, Alexandra, wrote a moderately successful story about their house being possessed by a demon. She wasn't the best mother and, now that she's dead, Clio is the only one of the three daughters who wants to go to the funeral. She is also the only one who is willing to go back to the house. While there, she finds a copy of the book she had promised to never read. However, there are annotations written directly to her that we get to read along with the book that Alex wrote. It certainly points to the fact that the demon might be real. And Clio is starting to see evidence of that as well.

Three stars

This book came out September 9, 2025

Borrowed as ebook from Libby

Opinions are my own

The Final Problem by Arturo Perez-Reverte

stars

This book comes out February 10, 2026

ARC kindly provided by Little, Brown and Company, and NetGalley

Opinions are my own

Likeable Badass by Alison Fragale

Though women often talk about power and money, the author says to manage status first. The others will follow. The likeable badass will be the person who can walk the tightrope between warmth and power. Fragale recommends finding autheic, effective strategies to shape how your customers and coworkers see you. 

One strategy is to manage your status, to mold wahat others think of you. She talks about four quadrants that are made up of warm/cold on one side and assertive/submissive on another.  Women have ofthen been slotted as EITHER assertive or warm, which has lead many of us to believe those are our only options. However, Fragale defines "likeable badass" as being in the  warm/assertive quadrant. The more you show up as warm and assertive, the more value you are percieved to have. 

Interestingly, "powerless" speech (uncertainty) can be seen as "warmer", even though we are often told that we shouldn't self-deprecate or admit weakness. Other tools include humor, choosing the chair at the head of the table, helping others, being aware of verbal/nonverbal behaviors, and smiling. However, she notes several times that no one needs to do all of these things, find what works for you.

A little repetitive but I didn't actually notice until I started to pull together my notes which means that she was able to frame her examples in different enough ways to add the repetition needed to teach people without making it overbearing.

Four stars

This book came out September 3, 2024

Borrowed as audiobook from Libby

Opinions are my own

Stolen in Death by J. D. Robb

stars

This book comes out September 2, 2025

In Death #61

Follows Framed in Death

Ebook ARC kindly provided by St. Martin's Press and NetGalley

Opinions are my own

January 2026 Rereads

The Hero and the Hacktivist by Pippa Grant

This book came out November 9th, 2018

Girl Band #4

Follows Rockaway Bride

Borrowed as ebook from Kindle Unlimited

Dirty Talking Rivals by Pippa Grant

Three stars

This book came out June 27, 2019

Part of the Bro Code universe

Borrowed as ebook from Kindle Unlimited

Flirting with the Frenemy by Pippa Grant

Bro Code #1

This book came out March 1, 2019

Followed by America's Geekheart

Borrowed as ebook from Kindle

America's Geekheart by Pippa Grant

Four stars

This book came out April 5, 2019

Bro Code #2
Follows Flirting with the Frenemy
Followed by Liar, Liar, Hearts on Fire
Borrowed as ebook from Kindle Unlimited

Liar Liar Hearts on Fire by Pippa Grant

Bro Code #3

Three stars

Follows America's Geekheart

Followed by Master Baker
This book came out March 24th, 2020
Borrowed this as a Kindle Unlimited book
Opinions are my own

The Hot Mess and the Heartthrob by Pippa Grant 

Follows Liar, Liar Hearts on Fire

Followed by Snowed in with Mr. Heartbreaker

Bro Code #4

This book came out January 7th, 2021

Borrowed as ebook from Kindle Unlimited

Snowed in with Mr. Heartbreaker by Pippa Grant

Two and a half stars

Copper Valley Bro Code #5

This book came out January 7th, 2021

Follows The Hot Mess and the Heartthrob

Borrowed as ebook from Kindle Unlimited

The Secret Hook-up by Pippa Grant

Three and a half stars

This book came out August 1, 2024

The Copper Valley Thrusters, #6

Follows I Pucking Love You

Murder With Peacocks by Donna Andrews

Meg Langslow #1

Followed by Murder with Puffins

This book came out February 7th, 2006

Audible book I own

Murder With Puffins by Donna Andrews

Meg Langslow #2

Four stars

This book came out June 15th, 2001

Follows Murder with Peacocks

Followed by Revenge of the Wrought-Iron Flamingos

Audible book I own

Revenge of the Wrought Iron Flamingoes by Donna Andrews

Meg Langslow #3

This book came out October 12th, 2001

Follows Murder With Puffins 

Followed by Crouching Buzzard, Leaping Loon

Audible book I own

Crouching Buzzard, Leaping Loon by Donna Andrews

Meg Langslow #4

This book came out September 6th, 2002

Follows Revenge of the Wrought-Iron Flamingos

Followed by We'll Always have Parrots

Audible book I own

We'll Always have Parrots by Donna Andrews

Meg Langslow #5

This book came out September 6th, 2002

Follows Crouching Buzzard, Leaping Loon

Followed by Owls Well that Ends Well

Audible book I own

Owls Well That Ends Well by Donna Andrews

Meg Langlow #6

Four stars

This book came out March 7th, 2006

Follows We'll Always Have Parrots

Followed by No Nest for the Wicket

Audible book I own

No Nest for the Wicket by Donna Andrews

Meg Langslow #7

This book came out May 8, 2006

Follows Owls Well that Ends Well

Followed by The Penguin who Knew too Much

Audiobook from Audible

The Penguin who Knew Too Much by Donna Andrews

Meg Langslow #8

Three stars

This book came out August 7, 2007

Follows No Nest for the Wicket

Followed by Cockatiels at Seven

Audiobook from Audible

Cockatiels at Seven by Donna Andrews

Meg Langslow #9

This book came out July 8th, 2008

Follows The Penguin Who Knew Too Much

Followed by Six Geese A-Slaying 

Audiobook from Audible

Six Geese A-Slaying by Donna Andrews 

Meg Langslow #10

Three stars

This book came out October 28th, 2008

Follows Cockatiels at Seven

Followed by Swan for the Money

Audiobook from Audible

Swan for the Money by Donna Andrews

Meg Langslow #11

Three and a half stars

This book came out July 21st, 2009

Follows Six Geese A-Slaying

Followed by Stork Raving Mad

Audiobook from Audible

Stork Raving Mad by Donna Andrews 

Three stars

This book came out July 6th, 2010

Meg Langslow #12

Follows Swan for the Money

Followed The Real Macaw

Audiobook from Audible

The Midwatch Institute for Wayward Girls by Judith Rossell

Magdalena "Maggie" Fishbone is being moved from one orphanage to another. She knocked a boy (who, to be fair, was bullying some younger children) off a dock into the water. And for that, she's being sent to the Midwatch Institute for Wayward Girls. Luckily, all is not as it seems. Though the atmosphere is initially dreary, Maggie is somewhat heartened to meet two other new girls, Nell and Sofie. She is even more heartned to meet the director, Miss Mandelay. She has an eye patch and an aluminum leg and is more concerned that the girls learn useful skills than that they are "good."

I read about this on NPR's Best Books and it did not disappoint. 

Four stars

This book came out January 1, 2024

Borrowed as hard copy from library

Opinions are my own

Say Everything by Ione Skye

A pretty deep look into a life many people may believe they already know. There's more introspection in this book than we get in some celebrity memoirs as well as all of the juicy details of her personal life, including the people she's slept with. 

I didn't realize how many things I had watched with Ione Skye in them and that helped draw me in. She definitely had an interesting upbringing and, through some skill, and quite a bit of luck, seems to have avoided the fate of many of the "nepo babies" who she grew up with.

Four stars

This book came out March 4, 2025

Borrowed as audiobook from Libby

Opinions are my own