Tag: ARC

• Book Review: This is Not About Us by Allegra Goodman

  

  This is Not About Us by Allegra Goodman (Random House, February 10, 2026) is described as “a kaleidoscopic portrait of a modern American family,” but in some ways, I feel like parts of this story could have been set way back in time. Yes, this story does involve a divorced couple co-parenting their two daughters,…

  michardillo

  December 11, 2025

  books

  Allegra Goodman, Ann Napolitano, apple cake, ARC, book-review, books, Elizabeth Strout, family feud, fiction, food, Jewish culture, Kindle, NetGalley, novel, Olive Kitteridge, Random House, reading, sibling rivalry, sisters, This is Not About Us, Within Arm’s Reach

• Book Review: The Accidental Rewrite by Milly Johnson

  First of all, since this was an offering on NetGalley I assumed this was a brand new, yet to be published book, perhaps by a debut author. Silly me, wrong on all accounts. The Accidental Rewrite was first published in February of 2024 in the UK under the title The Happiest Ever After. And, Milly…

  michardillo

  September 12, 2025

  books

  ARC, author, BBC, book-review, book-reviews, books, Britain, British, cat, debut novel, England, fiction, Fredrik Backman, Goodreads, Harper Muse, literature, Milly Johnson, My Friends, NetGalley, novel, PBS, publishing, reading, The Accidental Rewrite, The Daily Trumpet, The Happiest Ever After, UK, writer, writing, Yorkshire Cat Rescue

• Book Review: Sugar and Spite, An Agatha Raisin Mystery by M.C. Beaton with R. W. Green

  Mystery is by far my favorite genre, and within that genre I tend to gravitate toward cozy mysteries. Add to that a Scottish author and, well, I’m all in. Everyone has a guilty pleasure when it comes to their reading life, and for me, the Agatha Raisin mystery series falls squarely in that court. With…

  michardillo

  August 1, 2025

  books

  Agatha Raisin, ARC, book-review, books, British, cozy mystery, death, England, fiction, food, Hamish MacBeth, M. C. Beaton, Macmillan Publishers, mystery, NetGalley, novel, R. W. Green, Ray Bradbury, reading, Sugar and Spite, The Homemade God, The Quiche of Death, The White Octopus Hotel, writer, writing

• Book Review: The Homemade God by Rachel Joyce

  The Homemade God by Rachel Joyce was recently published on July 8, 2025 by The Dial Press, an imprint of Random House. I was offered this ARC by the publisher because of my interest in and book reviews of several other books published by Random House, such as Hello Beautiful by Ann Napolitano, one of…

  michardillo

  July 21, 2025

  books

  Ann Napolitano, ARC, art, Artist, book-review, books, debut novel, family, fiction, hello-beautiful, Italy, Kindle, Lake Orta, literature, London, Maggie O’Farrell, mystery, NetGalley, novel, painting, Rachel Joyce, Random House, reading, The Homemade God, The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry, writer, writing

• Book Review: The White Octopus Hotel by Alexandra Bell

  NetGalley is a digital platform that provides book people with FREE advance reading copies (ARCs) of books yet to be released in exchange for a review written and posted on their site, on Goodreads, on Amazon, on your own social media. Sometimes you are offered a book, but more often you request a book that…

  michardillo

  July 9, 2025

  books

  #Currently Reading, Alexandra Bell, Amazon, Ann Napolitano, Anne Tyler, ARC, Belle Epoque, book-review, books, death, Del Rey, Elizabeth Strout, England, Eve Shaw, Evie Woods, fiction, France, Goodreads, grief, historical fiction, Kaytee Cobb, Kindle, literature, London, magical realism, Max Everly, Meredith Monday Schwartz, NetGalley, novel, octopuses, Penguin, podcast, Ray Bradbury, reading, realistic fiction, Richard Osman, Swiss Alps, Switzerland, tattoo, teacher, teaching, The Lost Bookshop, The White Octopus Hotel, writer, writing

• Book Review: Rainbow Fish and the Great Escape, written and illustrated by Marcus Pfister, translated by David Henry Wilson

  NorthSouth Books, via NetGalley, graciously offered me an ARC of this children’s book, Rainbow Fish and the Great Escape by Marcus Pfister, translated from the German by David Henry Wilson. Seeing the cover of this book brought on a flood of memories for me. This is book #10 in the Rainbow Fish series, the first…

  michardillo

  June 24, 2025

  books

  ARC, author, book-review, books, children’s books, David Henry Wilson, essays, illustrator, literature, Marcus Pfister, NetGalley, NorthSouth Books, Rainbow Fish, Rainbow Fish and the Great Escape, reading, translator, writer, writing

• Book Review: My Friends by Fredrik Backman

  My Friends (Atria Books, May 6, 2025) is the second book I’ve read by Swedish author Fredrik Backman (translated by Neil Smith). In its almost two months since publication it has garnered a solid average of 4.52 stars in Goodreads with over 45,000 ratings and over 9,800 reviews. At this point, does it really matter…

  michardillo

  June 23, 2025

  books

  A Man Called Ove, abuse, Agatha Christie, AJ Pearce, Ann Patchett, ARC, art, Artist, Atria, book-review, books, death, Elinor Lipman, Elizabeth Strout, fiction, Fredrik Backman, Goodreads, grief, illustrator, Kindle, literature, My Friends, Neil Smith, NetGalley, novel, poverty, reading, translator, writer, writing

• Book Review – Write Through It: An Insider’s Guide to Publishing and the Creative Life by Kate McKean

  I recently registered for a book reviewer’s account with Edelweiss, which is a service very similar to NetGalley where I have typically received the ARCs I have reviewed here on my website. Write Through It by Kate McKean was the first book I requested, for two reasons: (1) I am a little burned out on…

  michardillo

  March 17, 2025

  books, Essay

  Agents & Books newsletter, Anne Lamott, ARC, Big Five, Bird by Bird, book-review, books, Edelweiss, editing, editor, Howard Morhaim Literary Agency, Kindle, literary agent, Louise Miller, MFA, nonfiction, novel, On Writing, publishing, reading, Stephen King, writer, writing

• Book Review: The Best Daddy of All

  Thank you to NorthSouth Books, specifically Marian Hernandez, and to NetGalley for the ARC of The Best Daddy of All, this delightful picture book for young children. I must say that I read this book with a lump in my throat. Author Peter Horn and illustrator Jessica Meserve brought up so many wonderful memories of…

  michardillo

  February 28, 2025

  books, Essay

  ARC, author, book-review, books, children, dads, fiction, illustrator, Jessica Meserve, literature, Louisiana, NetGalley, NorthSouth Books, Peter Horn, picture book, reading, writing

• Book Review: Looking for You by Alexander McCall Smith

  Before there was Match.com, eHarmony.com, or Tinder.com, there were individuals or agencies that “made introductions,” much like the matchmakers of the old days, like Yenta in the famous Fiddler on the Roof. The underlying theme of Fiddler is one of the key words of the musical: tradition. In Alexander McCall Smith’s series A Perfect Passion…

  michardillo

  February 2, 2025

  books, Essay

  A Laborer in the Vineyard of Love, A Perfect Passion Company, Alexander McCall Smith, ARC, Australia, book-review, books, Canada, Cook for You, Edinburgh, fiction, gap year, Goodreads, literature, Looking for You, NetGalley, novel, reading, Scotland, series, writer