Tag: literature
-
Book Review: The Oxford Guide to Scandal and Lies by Kate Westbury
A lot of the recently published novels that I am reading, whether it is historical fiction, cozy mystery, or contemporary fiction, don’t seem to be particularly well-written. The Oxford Guide to Scandal and Lies (The Oxford Guide #1) by Kate Westbury is a paradox for me. It is well-written, but the plot and character connection…
-
Booker Prize News!
Delighted to see one of my most favorite authors nominated – again – for the Booker Prize! See my review of this amazing book at https://michelleardillo.com/2026/04/06/book-review-the-things-we-never-say-by-elizabeth-strout/ Read the books longlisted for the Booker here https://thebookerprizes.com/the-booker-library/prize-years/2026
-
Continental Breakfast for Two, si’l vous plait…
If you could have dinner with any fictional character, who would it be? “Only in England is the coffee so atrocious. On the Continent they understand how important it is for the digestion that it should be properly made.” The Big Four, Hercule Poirot on English coffee Before I retired from teaching middle school English,…
-
Book Review: Go Gentle by Maria Semple
First of all, thank you to Goodreads and the publisher, G. P. Putnam & Sons, for the hardback copy of this book, complete with the beautiful dust-jacket color photo of what appears to be the Venus de Milo, a stunning piece of art on display in the Louvre in Paris. Be careful, though, in this…
-
Book Review: Let’s Not Go Overboard Here by Erica Hendry
First of all, many thanks to NetGalley, Grand Central Publishing Hardcover, and Erica Hendry for the ARC of this book just recently published (June 2, 2026). While I loved receiving this ARC of a debut novel, I don’t think I am the target audience for Let’s No Go Overboard Here by Erica Hendry. This book…
-
Book Review: The Masala Chai Mystery Club by MJ Soni
This cozy mystery should get an award for inclusivity! It ticks off all the boxes: gender, ethnicity, age, disabled/abled, economic status, it’s all in there. Was it too much? Maybe. At the beginning it was a whole lot being thrown at the reader. I’ve seen reviews that say the first 20% or so was slow…
Michelle Blanchard Ardillo 