pamk's Notes
2026
More Than Enough
By Anna Quindlen
In Her Defense (a Reese Witherspoon Book Club Pick)
By Philippa MalickaSo much ick.
Enough
Your Health, Your Weight, and What It's Like to Be Free
By Oprah Winfrey and Ania M JastreboffFascinating look at GLP's
The Light Always Breaks
By Angela Jackson-Brown
The One
By John MarrsInteresting premise and fun read.
Kin
By Tayari Jones
Those Empty Eyes
A Chilling Novel of Suspense with a Shocking Twist
By Charlie Donlea
Good People
By Patmeena Sabit
Wellness
By Nathan Hill
This Is Not about Us
Fiction
By Allegra Goodman
The Undercurrent
By Sarah SawyerSlow burn and not for everyone. I actually really enjoyed the authors speed and building up the angst of childhood trauma.
The Boys in the Light
An Extraordinary World War II Story of Survival, Faith, and Brotherhood
By Nina WillnerI could not have loved this book more. It was such a moving piece of our country’s history, and read like a piece of fiction. The parallels to Nazi Germany and current times in the US were bone chilling.
Bat Eater and Other Names for Cora Zeng
A Darkly Funny, Gory, and Ghostly Horror Novel (Original)
By Kylie Lee BakerI went into this blind, and was bowled over. Didn't expect most of it, but the despicable behavior of human beings destroyed me. The authors note at the end was worth reading.
Sacrament
By Susan Straight- 1/2 stars-there was so much that was wonderful about this book, but there were also some superfluous sections that I skimmed.
2025
Notes on Surviving the Fire
By Christine MurphyI don’t know why more people aren’t reading this or talking about it. I stumbled on it thru NYT review-brutal look at college campus proliferation of rape. I truly loved it until the last 10% didn’t need to end this way…
Workhorse
By Caroline PalmerIt is very difficult to read a book when the main character continually makes bad choices. The cringe-factor was high for this book and I really didn't like anyone in it.
Nobody's Girl
A Memoir of Surviving Abuse and Fighting for Justice
By Virginia Roberts GiuffreBrutal and so difficult to read.
Buckeye
A Read with Jenna Pick
By Patrick RyanGorgeous generational family saga.
The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny
By Kiran Desai“I am trying to write a book, in fact,” said Sonia, “but I feel I am circling the story. I see a glimpse here and there, like a fin, a ripple, but I can’t see the whole beast. I can’t put the center in the center. I wonder if I will have to write all my stories to reveal it”
Quote at the 90% mark of this slog of a book that encapsulates it perfectly for me. It just circled and circled. I stuck with it hoping to discover why it is so highly regarded-never got there.
A Guardian and a Thief
By Megha MajumdarBrutal, but beautifully written.
The Antidote
By Karen RussellThis book caught me waaaay off guard.
King of Ashes
By S a CosbyI have LOVED all of S.A. Cosby's books- but this one did not connect for me.. I did not like the family and how the violence and bloodshed is constant and seemingly justified in this narrative. Not my favorite.
The Road to Tender Hearts
By Annie HartnettSometimes, a book’s characters just resonate. I was sad when this book came to a close as I was invested in these people.
Who Is Government?
The Untold Story of Public Service
Edited by Michael LewisFantastic view of the inner workings of our civil servants. I learned so much, and am in awe of these hard working citizens. As our current administration is destroying these agencies daily, this book will show how this destruction will affect our country.
The Satisfaction Café
By Kathy WangTook me awhile to get thru this due to traveling, but it hits in all the right spots.
Ordinary Girls
A Memoir
By Jaquira DíazLoved bits of this/but felt very disjointed.
The Stolen Life of Colette Marceau
By Kristin HarmelInteresting read, but the amount of coincidences were ridiculous.
We Are All Guilty Here
By Karin Slaughter4.5 ⭐️-good mystery/thriller. A few unexpected twists and turns although subject is difficult.
Atmosphere
A GMA Book Club Pick: A Love Story
By Taylor Jenkins Reid3.5 ⭐️
Her Many Faces
By Nicci ClokeCleverly written from mixed POV’s.
The Compound
A GMA Book Club Pick
By Aisling RawleI could not hate these characters or book more. Ugh-would like that time back.
The Correspondent
By Virginia EvansI could not have loved this book more.❤️Sybil is so layered and all of her relationships were so meaningful. Will be recommending to everyone.
The Poppy Fields (Deluxe Limited Edition)
By Nikki ErlickWas excited to read this after The Measure. It just didn't resonate for me, albeit fascinating idea.
The Martha's Vineyard Beach and Book Club
By Martha Hall Kelly3.5 stars
The Girls Who Grew Big
By Leila MottleyThis book was beautifully written and the characters were vibrant. Such a heart filled story…
The Dark Maestro
By Brendan SlocumbPure fluff and fun!
The Names
A Read with Jenna Pick
By Florence KnappLoved the premise of this book and the writing was beautiful.
Tartufo
By Kira Jane BuxtonMaybe because we just turned from Italy-but I found this tongue in cheek book very charming.
Source Code
My Beginnings
By Bill GatesA bit technical-but really enjoyed the history of Bill Gates life and start of Microsoft.
The Sirens
By Emilia HartConvoluted, messy story line.
The Bright Years
By Sarah DamoffSuch a gut-wrenching family saga.
Heft
By Liz MooreThe loneliness and despair in this book felt so real. Heartbreaking and heartwarming.
Careless People
A Cautionary Tale of Power, Greed, and Lost Idealism
By Sarah Wynn-WilliamsFascinating!
Playworld
By Adam RossThis book took me FOREVER to read-and that is not my norm. It was so easy to walk away from-so much useless information and prattle. Good enough to want to see it wrap up/but not good enough to ever recommend.
The Favorites
By Layne FargoWhy do I get sucked into reviews by people on Instagram? D
Dare I Say It
Everything I Wish I'd Known about Menopause
By Naomi WattsA great starting point for women beginning menopausal journey. Unfortunately, it is not information that is shared regularly with women. I think younger women should read this as well to be prepared for this next phase, and start looking for physicians that are well-versed in women’s health.
Havoc
By Christopher BollenWicked, twisted and very, very dark. However, surprised by many details and was eager to continue reading.
How to Win at Travel
By Brian KellyAs an avid traveler, there were a few tricks and tips that I learned.
We All Live Here
By Jojo MoyesSometimes we need a mindless book, but was so unbelievably predictable.
Show Don't Tell
Stories
By Curtis SittenfeldNot a lover of novellas/short stories-get too involved in characters and then it is over.
The Night Guest
By Hildur KnútsdóttirInteresting premise, but I hate an unresolved ending.
Memorial Days
A Memoir
By Geraldine BrooksResonated.
Pictures of You
By Emma GreyThis book irritated me. The writing was choppy, chapters short and the premise ridiculous.
Great Expectations
By Vinson CunninghamI had such high hopes for this book, and was just disappointed. Felt very disjointed and rambling.
Lula Dean's Little Library of Banned Books
By Kirsten MillerFluffy and satirical look at the problem that we are facing in the US. Fun to listen to!
Brother, I'm Dying
By Edwidge Danticat4.5 ⭐️
And So I Roar
By Abi DaréSad to not give this a higher rating-3.5. I loved her first book, and was so excited to read this. It felt convoluted and just did not resonate like the Girl with the Louding Voice.
When the World Tips Over
By Jandy NelsonI went into this book blind and what a treat it was! I absolutely loved it!
The Mighty Red
By Louise ErdrichI absolutely loved the characters in this book-felt their angst, devotion and integrity.
2024
Martyr!
By Kaveh AkbarThis was beautiful-I completely understand why it is on every top 10 list this year. Will think about fo awhile…
Greta & Valdin
By Rebecca K ReillyDefinitely a slow burn for me-just about gave up at about 30%, but ended up really loving the characters.
Big Lies in a Small Town
By Diane ChamberlainI thought this would be a cheesy book, but was surprised by the depth and thoughtfulness of it.
The House of Doors
By Tan Twan Eng4.5 stars-not quite a 5-but a fascinating read!
Shelterwood
By Lisa WingateCould not get into this book-hated the narration of the character,Olive. I found myself daydreaming thru most of it.
Sandwich
By Catherine NewmanThis is written specifically for my age range-definitely felt a lot of the narrators feels.
Good Material
By Dolly AldertonLots of hype-it was just fine.
When We Were Silent
By Fiona McPhillipsGreat Irish accent with narrator.
The Safekeep
By Yael Van Der WoudenBeautiful debut novel. Interesting story and historical connections.
Intermezzo
By Sally RooneyOutlier review-I am just not a fan. Reading solid page after page with no paragraph breaks, no quotations and one man’s ruminations made me crazy.
The Sequel
By Jean Hanff KorelitzFun read-totally unrealistic, but very enjoyable after The Plot.
The Quiet Damage
Qanon and the Destruction of the American Family
By Jesselyn CookDevastating-and scary as sh*t!
Splinters
Another Kind of Love Story
By Leslie JamisonSooo whiny-hard to relate or like.
All the Summers in Between
By Brooke Lea FosterUgh…so boring! Kept waiting for something to happen. Narration drove me crazy as well-main character Margo sounded like a SNL Kristin Wiig character.
My Husband
By Maud VenturaWow! Dysfunction at a whole new level.
Margo's Got Money Troubles
By Rufi ThorpeWhat a surprise this book was! Wasn't cheesy and enjoyed rooting for Margo.
All the Colors of the Dark
A Read with Jenna Pick
By Chris Whitaker4.5 stars -couldn’t quite give it a 5, but really enjoyed it.
All Fours
By Miranda JulyWhat did I just read??
Very Bad Company
By Emma RosenblumSo bad. Keep trying to read ‘beach reads’ and not finding any wins.
Burn It Down
Power, Complicity, and a Call for Change in Hollywood
By Maureen RyanA lot of infuriating information and well researched,but ultimately too long and wordy.
Sociopath
A Memoir
By Patric GagneAudio version was extremely difficult as the author reads with a ‘breathy’ voice and the volume is up and down the entire time. Frustrating to listen to-subject matter was interesting.
Severance
By Ling MaI hate ambiguity and endings that don't end-hence the 3 stars.
The Last Days of the Midnight Ramblers
By Sarah TomlinsonUgh-I hated this book. The character were flat and never could connect to any of it.
When We Were Sisters
By Fatimah AsgharI think I would have enjoyed this more if I had read it-not listened to it.
The Hunter
By Tana FrenchI was so disappointed by this book; I have always loved all of Tana French’s books. It was so slow and I kept waiting for something to happen. Bonus for audio narrator-great Irish accent.
How to Say Babylon
A Memoir
By Safiya SinclairI always hesitate to give a good book a five star rating, and then I read a book like this one and remember what a true 5 star book reads like. This story captivated me, and the writing was magical.
The Guncle
By Steven RowleyI steer clear of books either covers similar to this typically, but wanted something light while I was cleaning closets. Narration was excellent and story was light and fun, but so predictable.
You Don't Want to Know
By Lisa JacksonA Scooby Doo mystery at best. It was the most tedious reading-sooooo much longer than it needed to be. I have the worst time quitting a book-but after this slog, I will improve!
The Bee Sting
By Paul MurrayVery hard to rate-there were parts that I loved and characters that were easy to root for. But, there were parts that were a slog and hard to finish-too long.
Small Mercies
By Dennis LehaneSuch rich characters and story! Mary Pat is a kick ass protagonist, and narrator was excellent.
Everyone Here Is Lying
By Shari LapenaI had a long hike and wanted to listen to something suspenseful. This started off somewhat interesting, but was so incredibly unrealistic. This retired elementary school teacher has never met a 9 yo “bad seed” with the calculated mind of a psychopath. Ridiculous!
The Wager
A Tale of Shipwreck, Mutiny and Murder
By David GrannNot my normal genre-hard to keep my attention. Listened to it and narrator was WAY over the top. Interesting story-would probably have just enjoyed reading a synopsis.
The First to Lie
By Hank Phillippi RyanMessy and waaaay too improbable.
Just the Nicest Couple (Original)
By Mary KubicaDNF!-and I finish everything! The writing is so poor and it is just painful to read.
Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter
By Tom Franklin3.5 stars
The Elegance of the Hedgehog
By Muriel Barbery3.5 stars- so many wonderful nuggets, but the pretentious undertones were just too much.
Rock Paper Scissors
By Alice Feeney3.5 stars. Hard to review because it kept my attention and I was definitely surprised by some of the twists. However, ‘face blindness’ was just too weird and many implausible pieces to this story. First 75% was slow as well.
The Museum of Failures
By Thrity UmrigarLoved this book and loved Honor as well. Beautifully written and character driven.
Amazing Grace Adams
By Fran LittlewoodGrief and menopause are a wicked combination. Some readers didn’t appreciate Grace-but I really liked and related to her angst.
There Should Have Been Eight
By Nalini SinghSo much extraneous information and kept waiting for something to happen. Characters were unlikable and could not relate at all.
The Mystery Guest
A Maid Novel
By Nita ProseFirst one charmed me-this one, not so much.
2023
Black Sheep
By Rachel HarrisonUgh-stepped out on limb with this one as it was listed on NYT top 10 horror books of the year. Not my genre...
My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She's Sorry
By Fredrik BackmanI loved the sweetness of this book and the message you are inevitably left with, however-the fantasy stories within the stories had me skimming many pages. There are some readers that would love these parts, but I was not one of them.
The Woman in Me
By Britney SpearsSuch a tragic story-very difficult to read. However, I am rating the book and it was truly atrocious writing- and just skimmed over some of the deepest issues.
Hijab Butch Blues
A Memoir
By Lamya HThis was an excellent read-can’t remember where I saw the review, but glad that I read it. This old, straight , white woman learned so much from this vulnerable, young, queer, Muslim woman. There are so many people that should read this book-but unfortunately, they won’t. Thank you for sharing your life and experiences.
The Mitford Affair
By Marie BenedictThis book made me feel dirty as I read it-the adoration of Adolf Hitler by some of these sisters was hard to endure.
The Shards
By Bret Easton EllisDo you remember the SNL sketch when they detail what roads they are driving in LA? This book-same. It was so verbose-lots of skimming to get through.
Funny You Should Ask
By Elissa SussmanEvery now and then-I try to read some romantic comedy-esque book and just end up irritated.
All the Broken Places
By John Boyne4.5 stars-important to remember that this is a piece of fiction.
The Collected Regrets of Clover
By Mikki BrammerThis was a slow burn with a sweet message.
The Only Survivors
By Megan MirandaI was looking for a good car-drive thriller. This was the slooooooowest book-the first 75% is waiting for something/anything to happen.
Hang the Moon
By Jeannette WallsI agree with other reviewers on this one-was looking forward to her new book. The storyline felt convoluted and the characters crowded. I love a book that I feel connected to one or more characters-but never felt that way here. By the end-I just wanted it over.
Really Good, Actually
By Monica HeiseyUgh-read the first 50 pages of this and the rest is more of the same.
Pineapple Street
A GMA Book Club Pick
By Jenny JacksonFascinating look at the 1%-hard to like any of these characters, but was entertained nonetheless.
In My Dreams I Hold a Knife
By Ashley WinsteadDecent storyline-but hard to get past the most unlikable characters-they were awful.
Big Swiss
By Jen Beagin3 1/2 Stars-this book is either wonderful or horrible-I still haven't decided...
One Italian Summer
By Rebecca SerleI don’t remember why I picked up this book-usually I read books based on recommendations or reviews. This character was so unlikable and the premise was ridiculous. The good news? It was easy to skim and dream of blue waters and skies of the Amalfi coast in the midst of winter.
2022
The Last Story of Mina Lee
A Reese's Book Club Pick (Original)
By Nancy Jooyoun Kim3 1/2 stars
The Spanish Love Deception
By Elena ArmasTwo stars was a gift(just feel bad about one star). Insipid-skimmed the majority just to get to the end because I have the affliction of feeling as though I have to finish every book I start. Boring and soooooo predictable.
Finding Me
A Memoir
By Viola DavisRaw, heart-breaking and fabulous all at once. I devoured this book and am mind-blown by Viola Davis.
In Love
A Memoir of Love and Loss
By Amy BloomThought provoking and beautifully written.
Glad You're Here
Two Unlikely Friends Breaking Bread and Fences
By Walker Hayes and Craig Allen CooperRead this as we are seeing Walker Hayes in concert on Friday with our daughter and I wanted to learn a little more about him. Sweet story and interesting insights.
His Name Is George Floyd (Pulitzer Prize Winner)
One Man's Life and the Struggle for Racial Justice
By Robert Samuels and Toluse OlorunnipaThis was fantastic-gave the detailed story of the full George Floyd.
Wahala
By Nikki May4 1/2 stars-really enjoyed this book about 3 Nigerian women and their stories but HATED ending and the last 2 chapters.
We Begin at the End
By Chris WhitakerThis book was a slow burn.
The Stolen Hours
By Allen EskensGreat audio book for a road trip-lots of suspense!
Honor
By Thrity UmrigarSo, so good.
The House in the Cerulean Sea
By Tj KluneMy son and I choose one book for each other to read every year that challenges our choice of genre. The House in the Cerulean Sea was his choice for me this year. It absolutely charmed me. I listened to it as the the reader was SO good. It is a true ‘feel good’ story with characters that I will think about for a long time. The best kind of book is when you are sad when it ends-this is one of those books.
Billy Summers
By Stephen KingRead a few Stephen King books due to my son’s love of his writing. This one was great as there was no supernatural events-just a great story about a former military sniper turned hit man. Character development was thoughtful-enjoyed it.
Find Me
By André AcimanJust no.
Invisible Child
Poverty, Survival & Hope in an American City (Pulitzer Prize Winner)
By Andrea ElliottThis book gutted me.
How Beautiful We Were
By Imbolo MbueI LOVED Mbue's first book, Behold The Dreamers-so was really looking forward to this. It was such a sad view into capitalism and greed and the destruction of an African village. It got a bit murky in parts.
Beautiful World, Where Are You
By Sally RooneyMissed the hype on this book-it was just fine. The characters were so hard to like and to root for. Glad it had a definitive conclusion though as the book seemed to ramble.
Going There
By Katie CouricInteresting look into Katie Couric's life and career. Heads too far to the gossipy side and can be cringe-worthy at points. I loved watching her when my kids were little and was curious. Fun to listen to as she reads.