The Rest is Just Exposition

Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen A Novel

Here's my first review for Jane Austen month! I hadn't read Sense and Sensibility before and I loved it.

Read about it here: open.substack.com/pub/theresti...

#janeausten #senseandsensibility #250anniversary #bookstagram

When the Cranes Fly South by Lisa Ridzén A Novel

This book is an emotional tour de force about the complex and rewarding relationships a person encounters in a lifetime--both human and animal.

Read about it here: open.substack.com/pub/theresti...

#whenthecranesflysouth #fiction #bookstagram #teamprh

Come See Me in the Good Light A Documentary

Get your tissues ready before you watch this absolutely stunning documentary about poet Andrea Gibson!

Read about it here: open.substack.com/pub/theresti...

#comeseemeinthegoodlight #andreagibson #poetry #documentary #booksky

The Lilac People by Milo Todd A Novel

This emotionally complex book looks at the lives of transgender folks before and after World War II in Germany.

Read about it here: open.substack.com/pub/theresti...

#thelilacpeople #5starreview #historicalfiction #queerhistory #community #fiction #bookstagram

Some More West Virginia Independent Bookstores In October, I took a week off from work and spent four days driving around the great state of West Virginia.

I recently got to do some traveling around West Virginia and I visited some new independent bookstores!

Read about it here: open.substack.com/pub/theresti...

#almostheaven #visitwv #independentbookstore #bookstagram

Charlotte, North Carolina Area Bookstores My husband and I took a trip to Charlotte, NC last weekend to see The B-52s and DEVO in The Cosmic De-Evolution Tour.

Last weekend, I took a trip to Charlotte. The trip didn't exactly go as planned, but I still got to go to two awesome bookstores!

Read about it here: open.substack.com/pub/theresti...

#independentbookstore #northcarolina #clt #booksky

If I Stopped Haunting You by Colby Wilkens A Novel

This romance combines a spicy love story with a paranormal mystery. It's the perfect October romance.

Read about it here: open.substack.com/pub/theresti...

#ifistoppedhauntingyou #colbywilkens #fiction #romancebooks #paranormal #mystery #scotland #booksky #ghosts

Compound Fracture by Andrew Joseph White A Novel

I loved this YA thriller that talks about identity, community, and labor history set in West Virginia!

Read about it here: open.substack.com/pub/theresti...

#compoundfracture #ya #thriller #westvirginia #history #minewars #translivesmatter🏳️‍⚧️ #autismacceptance #booksky

Blennerhassett Island Books and Candlelight Tour I got a ticket to go to the annual Harvest Dinner and Candlelight tour at Blennerhassett Island this year, so I decided to do a little reading about the island before my visit.

I went to the Blennerhassett Island Candlelight Tour and Harvest Dinner so I did a little reading about the history of the island before I went.

Read about it here: open.substack.com/pub/theresti...

#blennerhassettisland #history #westvirginia #aaronburr #nonfictionreads #booksky

Empire of Wild by Cherie Dimaline A Novel

I've been seeing this book on a lot of Best of Indigenous Horror lists, so I had to pull it off my TBR. This is a chilling tale about a woman trying to get her husband back and the Métis stories about the Rougarou.

Read about it here: open.substack.com/pub/theresti...

#cheriedimaline #booksky

The Woods Are Always Watching by Stephanie Perkins A Novel

Would you rather be alone in the woods with a man or a bear? This book asks, "Why not both?"

Read about it here: open.substack.com/pub/theresti...

#thewoodsarealwayswatching #stephanieperkins #fiction #ya #horror #thriller #booksky

Cryptid Bits by Jess Simms Short Stories

This is a collection of short pieces formatted like web articles that give a slice of life look into the Fairy District of a large city, where humans and cryptids of all types live together. It is satirical and humourous and a fun, quick read!

Read about it here: open.substack.com/pub/theresti...

Pearl S. Buck Birthplace Hillsboro, WV

The Pearl S. Buck Birthplace is a great place to learn about Pearl S. Buck and her family history.

Read about it here: open.substack.com/pub/theresti...

#pearlsbuck #pearlsbuckbirthplace #history #museums #tours #hillsborowv #booksky

Author Talk with Paige Lavoie Author of the Mothman in Love Series

Last week I got to meet Paige Lavoir at Kanawha County Public Library!

Read about it here: open.substack.com/pub/theresti...

#mothmaninlove #iminlovewithmothman #imengagedtomothman #imgettingmarriedtomothman #author #booksky #publiclibraries

Meet the Author: Meg Cabot Presented by Westerville Public Library

I got to check off a major bucket list item yesterday and meet one of my all time favorite authors last night!

Read about it here: open.substack.com/pub/theresti...

#theprincessdiaries #author #bookishdestinations #booksky

Small Great Things by Jodi Picoult A Novel

This is a complex book about identity and our legal system. I listened to the audiobook, which was narrated by Audra McDonald and I can't recommend it enough!

Read about it here: open.substack.com/pub/theresti...

#smallgreatthings #identity #race #legalsystem #fiction #booksky

Snoopers and Sneakers by Cristina Rouvalis and Lydia Wayman A Novel

This cute middle grade cozy mystery explores friendship and neurodiversity with an emphasis on how great cats are!

Read about it here: open.substack.com/pub/theresti...

#snoopersandsneakers #appalachianbooks #cozymystery #middlegradebooks #autismrepresentation #mustlovecats #fiction #booksky

Make Good Trouble by Jamia Wilson Discover Movements That Sparked Change

This middle grade book looks at youth movements from all over the world that have made good trouble and sparked change.

Read about it here: open.substack.com/pub/theresti...

#makegoodtrouble #jamiawilson #youthmovement #middlegradebooks #booksky

I count law enforcement as part of the criminal justice system, so I was including them in that. There are definitely several stories in the book that went just as you said: law enforcement working to further their own narrative rather than the truth

It was amazing and very scary to me the way evidence was blatantly ignored to fit the narrative the investigators were trying to tell!

Fewer People Are Reading for Fun, Study Finds

You are part of an elite group www.nytimes.com/2025/08/20/w...

Lemony Snicket's Summer Brooding Program For the first time this year, Lemony Snicket (aka Daniel Handler) and Green Apple Books in San Francisco have teamed up to create the Summer Brooding Program.

This year Daniel Handler and Green Apple Books have teamed up to create the Summer Brooding program! I posted an unboxing and now here is a review of all the books. I really enjoyed this program!

Read about it here: open.substack.com/pub/theresti...

#danielhandler #greenapplebooks #booksky

Framed by John Grisham and Jim McCloskey Astonishing True Stories of Wrongful Convictions

This book gives a chilling look at the ways the criminal justice system can punish innocent people.

Read about it here: open.substack.com/pub/theresti...

#booksky #jimmccloskey #framed #nonfiction #criminaljusticesystem #criminaljusticereform #wrongfulconvictions #prison #innocence

Fight to Win by Kim Kelly Heroes of American Labor

This young readers edition of Kelly's previous book Fight Like Hell is a great way to introduce labor history and important US labor leaders to young and old readers alike.

Read about it here: open.substack.com/pub/theresti...

#fighttowin @kimkelly.bsky.social #booksforyoungreaders #booksky

Books and Booze by Beyond the Page Events Year Two!

The Books and Booze Adult Book Fair by Beyond the Page Events was back and better than ever!

Read about it here: open.substack.com/pub/theresti...

#bookfair #bookishdestinations #bookevents #booksky

Thanks for the recommendations! I will definitely check those out!

Argo Books and Lurch Fest Buckhannon and Philippi, WV

Over the weekend I did some traveling and visited a new-to-me indie bookstore!

Read about it here: open.substack.com/pub/theresti...

#booksky #independentbookstores #wvtourism

American Teenager: How Eight Trans Kids Are Surviving Hate and Finding Joy in a Turbulent Age by Nico Lang Book and Author Event

This timely and well written book explores the lives of trans teens in America. Author, Nico Lang, came to my local library to talk about the book.

Read about the book and the event here: open.substack.com/pub/theresti...

#americanteenager #nicolang #nonfiction #booksky

Women Holding Things by Maira Kalman An Art/History/Feminist/Autobiographical Book

This poetic art book looks at all the things women hold both literally and metaphorically.

Read about it here: open.substack.com/pub/theresti...

#art #photography #painting #history #feminism #booksky

The Big Book Nook Lancaster, OH

I visited one more bookstore on my recent trip to Ohio! This store is a non-profit whose proceeds benefit Big Brothers Big Sisters.

Read about it here: open.substack.com/pub/theresti...

#thebigbooknook #bigbrothersbigsistersofsoutheasternohio #bookstore #booksky #nonprofits #usedbooks