Review: The Woman In Me - Britney Spears - October 2023 Some books you read, and some books you simply sit with. The Woman in Me was the second kind for me, and I’m so glad I picked it up. I read most of it on the Intercity bus from Auckland back to Hamilton, still buzzing and a little hoarse from the 5SOS concert the night before. Is there a better way to pass a bus trip home than a cuppa from the stop, a warm jumper, and a book you can’t put down? It’s such an easy read, and I whizzed through it with the countryside rolling past my window. Now, I’ll be honest: I already knew a good deal of what’s in these pages. Like most of us, I’d followed the headlines over the years. But there is a world of difference between hearing a story about someone and hearing it from them. My heart went out to her, truly. By the final chapter I loved her music and loved her even more, and I hadn’t expected that. The book is a brave and astonishingly moving story about freedom, fame, motherhood, surviva...

    Review: Librarian Tales - William Ottens - September 2020 Some books arrive in your life at exactly the right moment. Librarian Tales by William Ottens was a birthday present, and it was the perfect one for a self-proclaimed bookworm and bibliophile like me. This book was written for librarians, by a librarian. It's part memoir, part behind-the-desk confessional, and it doesn't shy away from any side of the job. There's the fun, the ugly, and the endless parade of weird and wacky things we see and get asked. If you've ever worked a library desk, you'll be nodding along, laughing, and occasionally wincing in recognition. And if you haven't, it's a wonderful peek behind the curtain at what librarians really get up to (spoiler: it's a lot more than stamping books). It spoke to me because books and readers' advisory are my true passion. I was that librarian. I had the Dewey Decimal system memorised. I remembered what each customer read so I could h...

Review: Killer Story - The Truth Behind True Crime Television - A Memoir - Claire St. Amant - February 2025 You might already know that alongside running this little corner of the internet, I write a true crime column over at Gothic Bite Magazine ( https://gothicbitemagazine.rip / ) so when Killer Story landed on my radar, it felt less like a happy accident and more like fate. One of my reading goals for 2026 is to tackle at least one non-fiction book a month, and I'm thrilled to say I've been keeping that promise to myself. This memoir? Absolutely the right book at the right time. Claire St. Amant spent nearly a decade working as a journalist and TV producer for heavyweights like 48 Hours and 60 Minutes, chasing the country's most gripping true crime stories. And what I adored about this book is that it pulls back the curtain on a world most of us only ever glimpse through our screens. We see the polished final product,  the dramatic interviews, the tearful families, the ...

Review: The Dead Husband's Cookbook - Danielle Valentine - August 2025 There's something wonderfully cozy about curling up with a book that centers around food, recipes, and the warmth of a kitchen until that comfort turns deliciously sinister. That's exactly what Danielle Valentine serves up in The Dead Husband's Cookbook, which I devoured on the Libby Library App. I'd already fallen for Danielle Valentine's YA thrillers, so I was eager to see what she'd cook up for adult readers. Let me tell you, this didn't disappoint. What makes this book particularly charming is how it weaves actual recipes throughout the story and it's like getting a cookbook and a thriller all in one satisfying package. The book-within-a-book structure reminded me of Catherine Ryan Howard's The Nothing Man, adding layers of intrigue that kept me turning pages late into the night. The premise is absolutely mouthwatering: Maria Capello, a beloved celebrity chef with her ow...

Book Spotlight : Forget The Fairy Tale and Find Your Happiness - Deb Miller - July 2025 Sometimes the most powerful stories are the ones that shatter our preconceived notions about how life "should" unfold. Deb Miller's debut memoir, Forget the Fairy Tale and Find Your Happiness , does exactly that—and it's absolutely magnificent. From the moment I saw that enchanting cover with its whimsical butterfly and magical sparkle trail, I knew this wasn't going to be your typical self-help memoir. Miller has crafted something truly special here: part personal growth guide, part motivational memoir, and—as she puts it—all heart. What struck me most was Deb Miller's brilliant use of Disney princesses as metaphors for her own journey. As someone who grew up believing in the Prince Charming narrative (didn't we all?), I found myself nodding along as she traced the evolution from passive Snow White to independent Moana. It's a framework that's both accessible...

Review: Dinner For Vampires - Bethany Joy Lenz - October 2024 Bethany Joy Lenz, known to millions as Haley James Scott on One Tree Hill , offers readers a raw, heartfelt, and darkly humorous glimpse into her tumultuous journey in Dinner for Vampires . This memoir is more than just a celebrity tell-all—it’s a story of resilience, self-discovery, and faith in the aftermath of manipulation and betrayal. The memoir begins with Lenz’s rise to fame, juxtaposed against her desperate yearning for a sense of belonging. An only child with an independent streak, she found solace in a Bible study group of Hollywood creatives. But what started as a supportive community soon spiraled into a cult-like nightmare known as The Big House Family. Under the control of a manipulative minister and his authoritarian covenant, Lenz was coerced into relocating to a remote compound in the Pacific Northwest, surrendering her freedom, finances, and ultimately, her identity. Through candid storytelling and a sha...

Title: Love Harder A Memoir Author: Monica James Genre: Creative Non-Fiction Release Date: October 23, 2024 BLURB         LOVE. O V E Once upon a time, I looked at love through rose-tinted glasses because love is meant to conquer all, right? However, was I just a hopeless romantic at heart, chasing the proverbial happily ever after? Being a romance author, one may think I know what I’m doing when it comes to love. But I hate to spoil the ending for you, dear reader; love and me, we aren’t friends. And we haven’t been for quite some time. That’s not because I don’t believe in love. On the contrary. And that’s the reason we are here…again. We all have that one person. For me, he caught me unaware, and that’s when life usually screams KEEP UP! And most times, we can’t. If you’ve read Love Hard , then you know how love and I were no longer on speaking terms. But I wrote something which was a sign from the heavens. Or perhaps, hell… I’ve learned that good men are...

Title: Love Harder A Memoir Author: Monica James Genre: Creative Non-Fiction Cover Design: Sommer Stein Perfect Pear Creative Covers Photographer: Michelle Lancaster Models: Monica James & The Unicorn Release Date: October 23, 2024 BLURB         LOVE. O V E Once upon a time, I looked at love through rose-tinted glasses because love is meant to conquer all, right? However, was I just a hopeless romantic at heart, chasing the proverbial happily ever after? Being a romance author, one may think I know what I’m doing when it comes to love. But I hate to spoil the ending for you, dear reader; love and me, we aren’t friends. And we haven’t been for quite some time. That’s not because I don’t believe in love. On the contrary. And that’s the reason we are here…again. We all have that one person. For me, he caught me unaware, and that’s when life usually screams KEEP UP! And most times, we can’t. If you’ve read Love Hard , then you know how love and I were no long...