What a mix of emotions looking back at my post from March 11, 2020, linked here, elicited! In that post, I talked about the many benefits I got from walking my dog. We lost Tuukka in January of 2024, and I miss him. I also wrote that post while thinking about my upcoming trip to…
“Why”…Wednesdays
NetGalley Review of Flirty Dancing
title: Flirty Dancing author: Jennifer Moffatt publisher: St. Martin’s Griffin publication date: May 27, 2025 pages: 336 peppers: 2 (on this scale) warnings: drinking alcohol to excess, multiple partners, vomit, death parents (earlier) summary: Archer has been striking out at dance auditions in NYC for long enough that he’s thrilled to get a summer gig dancing…
NetGalley Review of Along Came Amor
title: Along Came Amor author: Alexis Daria publisher: Avon publication date: May 27, 2025 pages: 512 peppers: 3 (on this scale) warnings: divorce summary: The day Ava’s divorce is finalized, she’s at a teacher’s conference and decides to go to the hotel’s bar and let the universe lead her way…which it does, to buying a…
333. Why Join the Line
[You can get the photo above by clicking on it or visiting Unsplash.com.] When my girls were little, I helped to organize a fundraiser for one of the local daycare centers. My friend (Hi, JK!) came up with the great idea of hiring a hot-air-balloon company to give short rides. There were a lot of…
NetGalley Review of The Love Haters
title: The Love Haters author: Katerine Center publisher: St. Martin’s Press publication date: May 20, 2025 pages: 320 peppers: 2 (on this scale) warnings: vomit, near drowning, fatal illness, cheating, binge drinking, death by car crash (described years later), disordered eating summary: In order to save her documentary-film-making job, Katie accepts her colleague’s offer to film a…
332. Why You Don’t Need to be Brave
Sometimes during diving practice, the divers ask a manager or coach to take a video of them trying new dives or working on specific skills. It’s helpful for them to see exactly what’s going on, as dives often feel quite different than they appear. The photo above is the screenshot of the tail-end of one…
NetGalley Review of What If It’s You?
title: What If It’s You? author: Jilly Gagnon publisher: Dell publication date: May 13, 2025 pages: 304 peppers: 3 (on this scale) warnings: none summary: Laurel/Lo has been with struggling musician Ollie for five years, but when she realizes he’s going to pop the question, she freaks out. In her muddle, she heads to her office,…
331. Why You Should Suck at Something New Every Year (Guest Post)
[The essay below is a guest post, with permission from author Guy Kawasaki. I recommend you check out/follow his Substack and podcast.] The beginner’s mindset: your secret weapon for staying sharp. Guy Kawasaki Apr 23, 2025 In a world that’s constantly changing, the ability to learn and adapt is your greatest asset. Trying something new…
NetGalley Review of Give Me a Shot
title: Give Me a Shot author: Gia De Cadenet publisher: Dell publication date: May 6, 2025 pages: 320 peppers: 3 (on this scale) warnings: death of a sister (inpast), bad relationship with parents, highly sensitive person, a fall/injury, grief, domestic violence leading to death (in past) summary: Jess has moved to a new town in…
NetGalley Review of Hotter in the Hamptons
title: Hotter in the Hamptons author: Tinx publisher: Bloom Books publication date: May 6, 2025 pages: 336 peppers: 3 (on this scale) warnings: cancel culture, binge drinking, vomit mentioned (in past) summary: When social media influencer/content creator Lola makes a thoughtless comment that loses her thousands of followers, her media team convinces her to let…