Autoimmunity and the Good Girls

"Sister, you were made to rise and heal in this time." ~ 92%

Let me begin this review with a definition and background on myself. In autoimmunity, the immune system gets confused and the body mistakingly attacks its own healthy organs and cells. It can be genetic, triggered by stress or environmental factors. About 80% of people diagnosed with an autoimmune disorder are women. Most common types are rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, alopecia, chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, and Multiple Sclerosis. There is no cure but it is treatable. I was diagnosed with a rare autoimmune disorder three (3) years ago, which prompted my interest in reading any and everything about autoimmunity. So here I am reviewing Autoimmunity and the Good Girls: How Permission to Put Ourselves First Has the Power to Keep Us Well.

Women have been told to be good, put others first, be caretakers and neglect their own needs. This comes at a cost per award-winning filmmaker, activist, and founder of Women Rising, Sara Hirsh Bordo. Lives are compromised and so are immune systems. She funded quantitative research with results showing women raised in caretaker roles (eldest daughters) are disproportionately likely to develop autoimmune diseases.

"The most common reflection women share with me is they had no idea that how they were raised created the body they now live in." ~ 10%

I expected a personal account of the author's own experience with being diagnosed (✔️) along with careful, relevant research supporting the conclusion that firstborn daughters or "good girls" are likely to develop an autoimmune disorder (🫤) and ways to empower or heal in a healthy way (❤️‍🩹). What I got was an author saying we make our own selves sick; being a good girl growing up creates a compromised immune system in womanhood. Who wants to read that?! While lying on my deathbed the last thing I would have wanted to hear was, "You did this to yourself." And I firmly disagree that my body attacks itself because of how I was raised. 

While I appreciate the anecdotes and personal experience that Bordo shared, the tone was very shame-on-you. I fully understand that her experience is not my experience. But there may be readers that take Bordo's word as gospel. This would create the opposite effect of the book's purpose. It lacks an expert's opinion, facts from a medical professional, acknowledgment of other studies, and female empowerment. I was this close 🤏🏾 to DNF'ing but wanted to see if it got better before I stamp it as unrecommended to Bookhearts. I am left uninspired, offended and unheard after reading Bordo's Autoimmunity and the Good Girls. 

Even so, I recognize the effort it takes to release a book and that milestone is worth celebrating. So Happy Early Pub Day to Sara Hirsh Bordo! Autoimmunity and the Good Girls will be on shelves June 2, 2026.

Disclaimer: An advance copy was received directly from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Opinions are my own and would be the same if I spent my hard-earned coins. ~LiteraryMarie

Title: Autoimmunity and the Good Girls
Author: Sara Hirsh Bordo
Published: June 2026
Pages: 304
Edition: Galley
Genre: Health Nonfiction
Rating: 🖤

Nice Girls Don't Get the Corner Office

"These are just vehicles that hold up a mirror in which you can see yourself and identify your opportunities for development." ~ 7%

Stop sabotaging your career and get ahead in the workplace! Yes, I am talking to you, Girl Boss. Ms. Untamed. Ms. Nice Girl. Ms. I Face Challenges that Men Do Not. Do I have your attention? Good. Then so should Dr. Lois P. Frankel.

In this new 3rd edition of Nice Girls Don't Get the Corner Office, Dr. Lois P. Frankel deep dives into unconscious mistakes women make that sabotage their careers. Key word is unconscious. We don't know how to reject the nice girl mentality. We manifest with the best of them but our behavior learned in girlhood could sabotage us as adults. This book will help to take control of your career, speak your mind while being respectful and respected, create a memorable brand, and get that corner office!

Mistake 82: Confusing Leadership with Management

This book (which I have dubbed as Corporate Nonfiction genre) begins with what's happened over twenty years for women in the workplace. We have come a long way but not far enough. Very quickly, the author establishes credibility. She is a former nice girl with kid gloves off. She's older with more insurance to double down on behaviors that impede workplace success. 

It is a lot of valuable information within Nice Girls Don't Get the Corner Office. The author makes it easy to comprehend and points readers to the information most relevant. There is a self-assessment that will direct you to the unconscious mistakes you may make. I started with those chapters first then read the others for purposes of this book review. I confidently report it is spot on with advice I have already started to implement.

Mistake 77: Code-Switching

I've seen this book title floating through the Threads streets among professional women. I'm hopping on the bandwagon in highly recommending it to my C-suite friends and 9-5 baddies. I have highlights and annotations galore, along with passages I will revisit throughout my corporate career.

Happy Belated Pub to Dr. Lois P. Frankel! Nice Girls Don't Get the Corner Office: Revised 3rd Edition is officially on shelves.

Disclaimer: An advance copy was received directly from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Opinions are my own and would be the same if I spent my hard-earned coins. ~LiteraryMarie

Title: Nice Girls Don't Get the Corner Office
Author: Lois P. Frankel, PhD
Published: March 2026
Pages: 353
Edition: Galley
Genre: Corporate Nonfiction
Rating: 🖤 🖤 🖤 🖤

Series Sunday: Murder with a Side of Shrimp and Grits

(Honeybee Diner Mysteries #1) 

"Honeybee's is more than a plate of shrimp and grits. It's more than one meal, one moment, one tragedy. It's history. It's family. It's community." ~ 7%

My Series Sunday pick is Murder with a Side of Shrimp and Grits, the first book in a new cozy mystery series by Skylar Warren. Jessie Haynes swapped her dreams of becoming a journalist in Atlanta for the sizzle of a fryer in her grandmother's diner. She takes feeding the folks of Willow Bluff seriously. So when the mayor drops dead after one bite of the famous shrimp and grits because of a severe peanut allergy, she refuses to let it shatter her grandmother's legacy. All eyes point toward Jessie since she made the grits herself, especially when an empty peanut packet is found in the diner's pantry. Like all small towns, gossip spreads fast while Jessie tries to clear her name.

Welcome to the cozy mystery world, Skylar Warren from Chi-Town! Murder with a Side of Shrimp and Grits is a fair introduction to a new series. The author gave enough background on the main character, Jessie Haynes, to make her familiar and likable. She is a strong Black woman with roots, confidence and good intentions. Unlike other heroines in cozy mysteries, she is directly impacted by the murder and tries to solve it for her family's reputation, not meddling for amateur sleuth fun. 

While I appreciated getting to know all the residents of Willow Bluff (where ere'body knows ere'body), a great majority of the book focused on the community and relationships. Murder, which is usually the focus of a cozy mystery, was like an afterthought. Perhaps this was the author's intent for the first Honeybee Diner Mysteries novel but it caused the story to lag. It was a bit much once you add in the many metaphors, similes and analogies. Whew—it was heavy on descriptions like the grits were heavy on thickness.

"Folks remember how you carry yourself long after they forget the dirt they tried to bury you under." ~ 11%

Nevertheless, I plan to read the next book in the series titled Murder with a Side of Red Velvet. Hopefully it will focus more on the murder mystery and include recipes of the savory food that Jessie whips up in the chef's kitchen. I sure would like to try a piece of peach cobbler or the infamous grits that keeps the townfolk coming back through Honeybee Diner's doors.

Happy Early Pub Day to debut author Skylar Warren! Murder with a Side of Shrimp and Grits will be available Wednesday, May 13.

Disclaimer: An advance copy was received directly from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Opinions are my own and would be the same if I spent my hard-earned coins. ~LiteraryMarie

Title: Murder with a Side of Shrimp and Grits

Author: Skylar Warren

Published: May 2026

Pages: 377

Edition: Galley

Genre: Cozy Mystery

Rating: 🖤 🖤 🖤

Now Then

"Love is freedom...And love is finding home. Again." ~89%

Now Then is a debut novel by NBC News Anchor Morgan Radford. It follows two timelines. Now—1991 Cambridge, MA. Lily is an 18-year-old freshman at Harvard University on a path to self-discovery. She feels out of place having come from humble beginnings with a Cuban immigrant mother and Black American father. Through a budding romance with Vikram and a friendship with her roommate Hana, she navigates college life and adult years.

Then—1957 Havana, Cuba. Marisol is a young woman with dreams of becoming a journalist. One tragic night forces her to flee the Cuban Revolution, leaving her homeland behind with plenty scars. She never revealed what happened until she started writing letters to her daughter, Lily. The written words deliver secrets and help both women discover their identities.  

This novel is clearly written by a journalist at heart. The tone is heavy on factual events, history and social justice. Romance is thrown in to give it a fictional feel. The theme that stands out is the mother-daughter relationship. It is very heartfelt.

A letter written by the mother to her daughter set the mood for the novel. I settled in with an iced tumbler of fresh strawberry lemonade and cold Thin Mints straight from the freezer. Over the course of three days, I read a tale of two very different women that seamlessly weaved together. Until the confusing end. It was a lot of events packed into almost 400 pages and still the author felt the need to wrap it up so tightly that the time jump made no sense. Almost as if the author suddenly remembered the romance trope. It was jarring to the point I thought my ARC was missing a chapter, or at the very least, missing a few pages. But nope, I compared to the official copy and the ending stayed as is. 

Nevertheless, I believe Now Then will appeal to most readers. The mix of journalistic Cuban history and fiction will keep readers engaged.

Happy Pub Day to Morgan Radford! Now Then is officially on shelves.

Disclaimer: An advance copy was received directly from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Opinions are my own and would be the same if I spent my hard-earned coins. ~LiteraryMarie

Title: Now Then
Author: Morgan Radford
Published: May 2026
Pages: 349
Edition: Galley
Genre: Historical Fiction
Rating: 🖤 🖤 🖤

Good Joy, Bad Joy

"Who says your greatest love has to be a romantic one?" ~ 96%

As Joy nears 90 years old, she cannot help but realize the people she has outlived: her husband, family and friends. The only one left standing is her best friend Hazel. That changes when Hazel reveals she only has a few months to live. But she's at peace with the diagnosis knowing she has lived an adventurous, exciting life. It gets Joy to thinking. So many years following the rules, being the good girl and nothing to show for it. And so begins her foray into breaking the rules.

Good Joy, Bad Joy had good lessons about living life to the fullest, appreciating friendships and self-discovery. But in getting to the lessons, it didn't quite deliver a liking to the character. I could not connect with Joy; not because of her mature age but because of her actions. Maybe it's me but an 89-year-old driving way over the speed limit for fun is irresponsible. So is committing a petty crime. You wait until damn near 90 years old to act like an unsupervised teenager? And was it purposeful irony that her name is Joy? Seemed like it based on her little joy, vast regrets. I would have rather read about Joy and Hazel reliving memories of their friendship dating back to eight years old. 

Considering the average rating is 4.3, I am in the minority so don't let my review deter you. What is an okay read for me, may be a good read for you.

Happy Pub Day to Mikki Brammer! Good Joy, Bad Joy is officially on shelves.

Disclaimer: An advance copy was received directly from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Opinions are my own and would be the same if I spent my hard-earned coins. ~LiteraryMarie

Title: Good Joy, Bad Joy
Author: Mikki Brammer
Published: May 2026
Pages: 294
Edition: Galley
Genre: Grown Chick Lit
Rating: 🖤 🖤

Series Sunday: Delusional

(Michael Bennett #18) 

"You don't ever mess with family." ~ 86%

My Series Sunday pick is Delusional, the 18th book in the Michael Bennett series by James Patterson and James O. Born. NYPD Detective Michael Bennett and his new-ish partner Rob Trilling investigate a case that crosses state borders. In New York, there is a series of deadly bombs. In New Jersey, a military base is burglarized for explosives. In Montana, violence and arson take over a small town. There is also an anti-government group that keeps popping up in unexpected places. Oh, and Mary Catherine is expecting their 11th child! Whew—there is a lot going on in this new installment.

Why does it feel like I've read this before? I could easily guess the detectives and killers next steps. I could predict what would happen in the Bennett household, even with ten kids running around and a pregnant wife. The entire time reading Delusional felt like déjà vu. Am I over this series?

"Do you know how hard it is to get people to listen to hard truths?" ~ 91%

Maybe it is time for Patterson to wrap this series up. It is not thrilling as it used to be. Or perhaps it was too many cases to fully develop each storyline so they all lacked in interest. If you are a follower of the Michael Bennett series, then read it for continuity purposes. But if you are new to these authors and this once great character, I recommend you do not start with this one.

Happy Early Pub Day to James Patterson and James O. Born! Delusional will be available August 27, 2026.

Disclaimer: An advance copy was received directly from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Opinions are my own and would be the same if I spent my hard-earned coins. ~LiteraryMarie

Title: Delusional

Author: James Patterson and James O. Born

Expected Publication: August 2026

Pages: 448

Edition: Galley

Genre: Thriller

Challenge: Keeping Up With Patterson

Rating: 🖤 🖤

To All the Boys I've Loved Before

The Graphic Novel

"I want life to start happening. I want to fall in love and I want a boy to fall in love with me back." ~ 93%

The Time Best YA Book of All Time has a new graphic novel adaptation! To All the Boys I've Loved Before is the first book in the beloved series by Jenny Han. Sixteen-year-old Lara Jean Song keeps her love letters in a hatbox. One for every boy she has ever loved (five in all). She pours her heart out in these letters with all the things she would never say in real life. You can probably guess what happens next. The secret letters are mailed and suddenly her love life is very complicated. Can you imagine?!

I am familiar with this series, thanks to my 16-year-old niece that recommended it. So I was excited for the opportunity to review this edition early. I was especially curious on how it would compare to the novel and the movie. Now it is expected that scenes are cut to fit into a graphic novel. However, it seems so much was removed that the story did not flow and seemed abrupt. Majority of the text bubbles were blank so I had to rely on the art for context. Still it felt like a lot was missing, which is unfortunate.

As for the art, the Illustrator did her thang! It was cute, clear, colorful and charming. TATBILB was the first graphic novel that I had the pleasure of reading on my new Kindle ColorSoft. What a treat! The pastel tones fit the vibe perfectly. Lots of soft pinks, baby blues, dreamy teals and muted yellows. A visual reminder this graphic novel is intended for a younger audience.

 

Now is as good a time as any to watch the movie and spin-off series XO, Kitty streaming on Netflix. Gift this graphic novel adaptation to your daughters, nieces or little cousins. 

Happy Early Pub Day to Jenny Han, Barbara Perez Marquez and Akimaro! To All the Boys I've Loved Before: The Graphic Novel will be available Tuesday, May 5.

Disclaimer: An advance copy was received directly from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Opinions are my own and would be the same if I spent my hard-earned coins. ~LiteraryMarie

Title: To All the Boys I've Loved Before: The Graphic Novel
Author: Jenny Han; Barbara Perez Marquez (Adapter); Akimaro (Illustrator)
Published: May 2026
Pages: 168
Edition: Graphic Novel Galley
Genre: Young Adult
Rating: 🖤 🖤 🖤

Series Sunday: Landon & Shay

(Chances #2) 

"Don't throw away your story before you reach your happily ever after." ~ 92%

My Series Sunday pick is Landon & Shay, the second book in the Chances series by Brittainy C. Cherry. Landon doesn't believe in love. Shay likes a challenge. What began as a bet of who can fall in love first, turned into something neither of them expected.

While I enjoyed the return of these two characters in their own love story, it was just okay. Perhaps it is better suited for a young adult audience. I would have been satisfied with a cameo mention of their relationship but after finishing the novel, I understand why it was best told from their point of view. It is a journey of first love, second chances. I recommend Landon & Shay to the hopeless romantics and the Bookhearts that love to carry a pretty book around.

Happy Pub Day to Brittainy C. Cherry! Landon & Shay is officially on shelves.

Disclaimer: An advance copy was received directly from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Opinions are my own and would be the same if I spent my hard-earned coins. ~LiteraryMarie

Title: Landon & Shay
Author: Brittainy C. Cherry
Published: April 2026
Pages: 411
Edition: Galley
Genre: Romance
Rating: 🖤 🖤

Ms. Mebel Goes Back to the Chopping Block

"I don't know if I like spotted dick, is sounding quite unhygienic." ~ 39%

A funny cozy mystery by Jesse Q. Sutanto? Sign me up! 

In this new fiction novel from the bestselling author of the Vera Wong series, we are introduced to a nearly divorced housewife who enrolls in cooking school to win back her husband. Mebel is 63 years old. Retirement should be long-awaited trips, not a husband of more than forty years announcing he's leaving for their 20-something-year-old private chef. But Mebel has the perfect plan to win him back: learn how to cook!

Oh, you want a chef, not a trophy wife? Bet, Mebel said! So she enrolls at the renowned Saint Honoré School of Culinary Arts in France. Then realizes it is really in a small village outside of Oxford. Mebel adjusts and befriends a much younger classmate named Gemma. When Gemma stops showing up for class, Mebel's goal turns into finding out what—or who—caused her friend's sudden disappearance. 

Ms. Mebel Goes Back to the Chopping Block has a clever title and unique premise. I love a good found family trope. The jokes were there, true to Sutanto's writing style. Let this be exhibit fittylem that Sutanto can write the hell out of an older Chinese woman character. I always learn tidbits about Chinese-Indonesian culture while reading her books. Even though this one seemed a bit over the top, it was an enjoyable read.

Happy Early Pub Day to Jesse Q. Sutanto! Ms. Mebel Goes Back to the Chopping Block will be available Tuesday, April 28.

Disclaimer: An advance copy was received directly from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Opinions are my own and would be the same if I spent my hard-earned coins. ~LiteraryMarie

Title: Ms. Mebel Goes Back to the Chopping Block
Author: Jesse Q. Sutanto
Published: April 2026
Pages: 304
Edition: Galley
Genre: Cozy Mystery Romance
Rating: 🖤 🖤

The Rough Side of the Mountain

"Self-awareness is saving grace." ~ 76% 

Before Keisha Lance Bottoms rose to prominence in politics, she was a daddy's girl from the Westside of Atlanta. Beginning with the memory of her father being arrested and taken to prison, going through law school, serving as a judge, elected to City Council and eventually becoming Mayor of Atlanta is quite the story to tell. She could have easily fallen victim to unfortunate circumstances. Instead she held true to self, pursued higher education and excelled. Who knew that little girl sitting on a couch afraid would be appointed to advise the former President of the United States? 

"Whatever anybody else thought of me, I had shared my fullest truth and I was good with it." ~ 65% 

This memoir is not all about her professional success. After stepping away from politics, she faced the details of a campaign-ready life. Addressed what the public didn't see: her dad's drug abuse, the sexual abuse she endured, an eating disorder she developed and an unpolished Southern family. Keisha took the mask off!

The Rough Side of the Mountain is an inspiration to young girls and professional women. Pursue your dream. Stand firm. Do not let your surroundings dictate your future. The rough side of the mountain leads to an authentic life. The originator of "One Atlanta" is proof.

Happy Pub Day to Keisha Lance Bottoms! The Rough Side of the Mountain is officially on shelves.

Disclaimer: An advance copy was received directly from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Opinions are my own and would be the same if I spent my hard-earned coins. ~LiteraryMarie

Title: The Rough Side of the Mountain
Author: Keisha Lance Bottoms
Published: April 2026
Pages: 288
Edition: Galley
Genre: Memoir
Rating: 🖤 🖤 🖤

The Mother-Daughter Book Club

"I need good luck because I'm hosting the first Mother-Daughter Book Club meeting in three years, and it must be assolutamente perfetto." ~ 9%

Four longtime friends and their five daughters make up the Mother-Daughter Book Club (MDBC). It's been a few years since their last get-together so it is an emotional reunion when the finally gather on the shores of Italy's Lake Como. The distance casted shadows and doubt but they are still close readers—of novels, memoirs, secrets and each other. 

The Mother-Daughter Book Club is not what I expected. The easy breezy book cover led me to believe it was a summer light read. Spritzes, second chances and fun secrets. Far from it! A tragedy happens in the beginning and sets the tone for rest of the book. While the characters tried to move past it, the mood of the story did not quite follow along. What also bothered me was the stereotypes of the women (old vs. young) and the unbelievable 60-year-old virgin who is a minister and mother of two (yup, you read that right). 

I only hung in there off the strength of James Patterson's name. Leave the storytelling to the Mister, Susan.

Happy Pub Day to Susan and James Patterson! The Mother-Daughter Book Club is officially on shelves.

Disclaimer: An advance copy was received directly from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Opinions are my own and would be the same if I spent my hard-earned coins. ~LiteraryMarie

Title: The Mother-Daughter Book Club
Author: Susan and James Patterson
Published: April 2026
Pages: 342
Edition: Galley
Genre: Chick Lit
Rating: 🖤

Cleo Dang Would Rather Be Dead

"I didn't expect the casket to be so small." ~ 1%

What a startling first line! And so begins the semi-fictional novel by Mai Nguyen titled Cleo Dang Would Rather Be Dead. Cleo Dang always wanted to be a mother. The day she discovers she's pregnant is the happiest day of her life, especially when she learns that her best friend, Paloma, is expecting too. Together they enjoy their pregnancies and look forward to motherhood. But when they both go into labor, only Paloma comes home with a baby. 

Cleo must navigate life after losing her baby. She tries returning to work early but is forced to take leave. Then she finds work at the most unexpected place: a funeral home. Maybe the best way to honor the dead really is to live.

This is an emotional heartbreaking, side-eyeing read. Never thought I would put those two descriptions in the same sentence but it applies here. The main character is going through a grieving process that leads to disturbing scenes that tugged at my heart strings with empathy. I cannot begin to imagine her loss. I cannot believe how she manages to cope. I cannot do anything but marvel at her strength. Infant loss is heavy. It is triggering. It is tragic. Yet Mai Nguyen did a wonderful job translating her own story to paper in a darkly humorous way. Her portrayal of grief is well written.

Happy Pub Day to Mai Nguyen! Cleo Dang Would Rather Be Dead is officially on shelves.

Disclaimer: An advance copy was received directly from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Opinions are my own and would be the same if I spent my hard-earned coins. ~LiteraryMarie

Title: Cleo Dang Would Rather Be Dead
Author: Mai Nguyen
Published: April 2026
Pages: 272
Edition: Galley
Genre: Dark Humor Fiction
Rating: 🖤 🖤 🖤 🖤

How to Be Okay When Nothing Is Okay

"Don't be afraid to share your journey. It's more beautiful than you know." ~ 8%

The oh-so-witty hilarious Jenny "The Bloggess" Lawson is back with a new memoir titled How to Be Okay When Nothing Is Okay. This book reveals her contradictions. She is a bestselling author full of self-doubt. She is hysterically funny but struggles with depression. And through it all, she keeps going. Even better, she shares how in How to Be Okay When Nothing Is Okay: Tips and Tricks That Kept Me Alive, Happy, and Creative in Spite of Myself.

It's the informational book I didn't know I needed. The advice I longed for. The validation that I am not the only anxious one. A reference for when I'm feeling stuck. Even though I read it entirely with tons of highlights and annotations, I will assuredly revisit How to Be Okay When Nothing Is Okay as needed. Having been diagnosed with an autoimmune disorder, I am cognizant of stress. Jenny Lawson shares tools that are sure to help avoid and address anxiety, depression and chronic illness. 

"That the scars you carry on your body or inside your heart are a mark of courage, a secret tattoo proving that you too faced that beast." ~ 82%

This new book is like an ongoing conversation with Jenny Lawson. The kind where a friend calls on the phone and says, "Girl, guess what happened today..." then proceeds to tell the most funniest story. The more I laugh, the more I think about how relatable it is, then we cackle and find the lesson within. You know, to be prepared for next time. I appreciate her honesty, raw storytelling and thought process during situations. A great resource! Now excuse me while I add to, and search the #yepthisisme hashtag.

Happy Pub Day to Jenny Lawson! How to Be Okay When Nothing Is Okay is officially on shelves!

Disclaimer: An advance copy was received directly from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Opinions are my own and would be the same if I spent my hard-earned coins. ~LiteraryMarie

Title: How to Be Okay When Nothing Is Okay
Author: Jenny Lawson
Published: March 2026
Pages: 288
Edition: Galley
Genre: Memoir
Rating: 🖤 🖤 🖤 🖤

Judge Stone

"It was a harbinger of ill tidings." ~ 5%

All rise and head to the nearest library or bookstore! Fiction Court is in session. Honorable Judge Stone presiding. 

Never did I ever imagine two of my faves from two different forms of art would collab like this. Bookhearts already know that James Patterson is one of my go-to authors. I read just about anything he puts his name on. And Viola Davis? I will watch any and everything she is featured in. How To Get Away with Murder was a recurring Thursday night event in my calendar. So I was super excited to get an advance copy of their literary collaboration, Judge Stone.

In small-town Union Springs, Alabama, Judge Mary Stone is the most respected person. She has two jobs: running her family farm and presiding over cases. But when the most controversial case in the South reaches her docket, her career, livelihood and standing in the community is put on trial. What's causing such a stir? Dr. Bria Gaines is charged with the Class A felony of performing an abortion. On paper, the case is open-and-shut. Ethically, it's not so black and white. It is a choice between life and death that divides the town. 

"How could they put a doctor in jail for helping somebody?" ~ 36%

Judge Stone delivers! Legal drama layered with courtroom shenanigans, politics, ethics and suspense. The characters are far from one-dimensional. The writing is so descriptive that I felt like a spectator in the courtroom, watching it unfold in real time. Every time I set the book down felt like a court recess and I was always ready to reconvene! 

I took my time reading Judge Stone on purpose because of the themes, emotional weight and moral tension. It is fiction that feels close to reality. It tugs on your heart strings and pings your moral compass. Although the ending is neatly wrapped, I'm not ready to adjourn just yet. I would love for Judge Stone to grace more pages in the future. Davis and Patterson have created a strong Black female character that dances to the beat of her own drum, is unapologetically herself, stands tall, and commands justice. 

"The law of FAFO. Fool around, find out." ~ 29%

Need I say more? Judge Stone is easily one of my favorite books of 2026 so far. Please add to your immediate TBR list. For the Bookhearts that prefer audiobooks, prepare yourselves for a treat. I heard it is excellent and narrated by Viola Davis herself. I already know the emotion and intensity in her voice will take this story to another level. The thought gives me goosebumps. Read/Listen to it solo, with a buddy or in a book club; be ready for passionate discussion and heated debates. Judge Stone is the type of book that will leave you thinking about the gray areas long after the last page.

Happy Pub Month to Viola Davis and James Patterson! Judge Stone is officially on shelves.

Disclaimer: An advance copy was received directly from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Opinions are my own and would be the same if I spent my hard-earned coins. ~LiteraryMarie

Title: Judge Stone
Author: Viola Davis and James Patterson
Published: March 2026
Pages: 432
Edition: Galley
Genre: Legal Thriller
Rating: 🖤 🖤 🖤 🖤 🖤

First Lines Friday

"Bria Gaines stood at the back door of the small brick office building she rented in Union Springs, Alabama, population 3,314. She pulled her phone from her pocket to check the time. Six minutes past midnight. They were late."

~ Judge Stone by Viola Davis and James Patterson 

The Power in Surrender

"The real sign of someone who is confident is not how they walk into the room. It's how they change every room they walk into for the better." ~ 53%

It is easy to lose sight of who we are and our purpose in a world that bombards us with distractions. Bestselling author, spiritual leader Sarah Jakes Roberts inspires us in a new book titled The Power in Surrender. She identifies 100 ways to be authentically, unapologetically you in a world of noise while reconnecting with Christ.

Reading The Power in Surrender is like sitting down with a mentor that knows the right words to say at the right time. Written in a daily devotional format, the 100 ways to seize courage, conquer doubt and trust God's plan are easy to digest. The short passages are encouraging, uplifting and challenging. Oftentimes self-help books can be preachy and make you feel like change is an isolated effort. A "you" problem that should be fixed if you do exactly what the author advises. However, while reading The Power in Surrender, I never got the sense I was doing it alone. Sarah Jakes Roberts' warmth and wisdom exude from the page, providing support every step of the way. 

By the time I read the last page, I was excited to acknowledge my growth and surrender to God's plan. No more just making it day-by-day or going through the motions. Time to shut out the noise and embrace a better self in Christ. There is a lot of information packed into 100 devotionals so I will definitely revisit The Power in Surrender as needed. You should too! This book is recommended for Christian women with faith, a desire to grow spiritually and ready to live a life of purpose. 

Happy Pub Day, Sarah Jakes Roberts! The Power in Surrender is now available.

Disclaimer: An advance copy was received directly from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Opinions are my own and would be the same if I spent my hard-earned coins. ~LiteraryMarie

Title: The Power in Surrender
Author: Sarah Jakes Roberts
Published: March 2026
Pages: 224
Edition: Galley
Genre: Christian Devotional
Rating: 🖤 🖤 🖤

The Voice in My Head is God

"Intuition is a powerful voice that guides us. We just need to listen to it." ~ 17%

Grammy Award-winning rapper 2 Chainz (born Tauheed Epps) shares his spiritual journey in a new memoir titled The Voice in My Head is God. If you grew up in the church or you are in tune with the spirit, you know what voice he's talking about. It is the voice that guides you. The unmistakable nudge in the right direction. The unflinching feeling. The strong message you cannot ignore. 

In his most personal work to date, 2 Chainz writes about the higher power that guided his steps to be the man he is today. He writes candidly about being raised by a single mother while his father served time in prison, growing up in College Park, Georgia, earning a basketball scholarship, being in the streets then pursuing a music career. Along the way, he identified the voice in his head as God and began listening. His life really is a testimony!

I just wish it was told better. I had to put the book down a few times. Not from boredom...far from it! There were two things that commanded reading breaks: pure blasphemy and a non-chronological timeline. Sir, explain to me why you think it was the voice of God telling you to not use another drug dealer's scale. Or crediting God for finding your plugs. I have to suspend both belief and faith to accept that an angel on your shoulder whispered such direction, let alone the voice of God. While I appreciated the examples he gave, it also would have read smoother if told in chronological order. He brought up experiences just to say "more about this later." When?! The book is only 200 pages.

"Incredible things can just seem ordinary in the moment." ~ 49%

Celebrity memoirs usually fall into two categories: guarded experiences or raw truths. I applaud 2 Chainz for writing his raw truths, exposing his background for potential judgment and rising to his full potential despite obstacles along the way. He was very forthcoming about his upbringing, the dynamics of his parents, home life and journey to becoming the successful rapper/businessman he is today. From listening to his music and lyrics over the years, I could already tell that 2 Chainz is an articulate, intelligent man. He is both street- and book-smart. This book is a shining example.

The Voice in My Head is in a genre of its own that I've named Trap Christian Nonfiction. It is for readers that believe in God, can appreciate a testimony and need a gentle reminder to just listen!

Happy Early Pub Day, 2Chainz! The Voice in My Head is now available. 

Disclaimer: An advance copy was received directly from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Opinions are my own and would be the same if I spent my hard-earned coins. ~LiteraryMarie

Title: The Voice in My Head is God
Author: 2 Chainz
Published: March 2026
Pages: 224
Edition: Galley
Genre: Trap Christian Nonfiction
Rating: 🖤 🖤 🖤 

Kin

"You didn’t know me from Eve, but you gave me the care that people save for kin." ~ 41%

Kin by Tayari Jones has truly settled into my bones. Weeks later, I'm still thinking about Niecy and Annie—two motherless daughters whose lives unfold in starkly different ways yet remain deeply connected. Niecy is raised by her aunt after the tragic death of her mother. Annie, abandoned as a child, is fixated on the idea of finding hers. Both are on a journey for love, acceptance, sisterhood and survival as Black women in the American South.

Authors like Tayari Jones are the reason I cannot function without fiction. Reading allows me to escape the real world and get lost in someone else's story. Jones writes with such emotion that every choice the characters make feels heartbreaking. I found myself wrestling with difficult questions, toeing the line of ethics and deeply empathizing with these women. How far would I go to protect someone I love? Does family help or complicate matters? When is it time to stop hoping and simply accept the hand we're dealt? How would I navigate the crossroads Niecy and Annie faced? 

"But this is how life works— the women who would be capable mothers, too often don’t want kids. And too many of those with children probably should have just sat that one out. Luckily, most were in between." ~ 3%

Most of all, the story made me grateful for the relationship I have with my own Mama. It is deep, y'all! A central theme is the complex relationship between mothers and daughters. Biologically, we all have a mother, but for Niecy and Annie, other women step in to fill that role. It's what they share and what ultimately bonds them. Just like in real life, there are aunts, grandmothers, stepmoms and chosen family that willingly fill the void. There are cradle friends who become sisters. And as the title so perfectly suggests in a single word—there is kin.

"This kind of I love you was a bell without its clapper, a check with nobody’s cursive name on the bottom, a winter coat without buttons." ~ 73%

I cannot stop thinking about Kin. And that is the mark of a truly powerful 5-star novel. Take my word for it, Bookhearts! The writing is beautiful, as evidenced by my many highlights. It is so descriptive that I could practically smell the freshly-washed bed sheets through the pages, vividly picture the scenes like a movie on the big screen and feel the wetness of tears as if they were falling down my cheeks too. The story flows smoothly as it's told through alternating chapters and letters. I admit that I favored one perspective over the other because of her path of found family.

This is a page-turner but best read slowly. I took my time savoring every word as it settled into my soul. I read so much that most books entertain me for just a few days. Kin stays with me.

Happy Pub Day, Tayari Jones, and congrats on being chosen as Oprah's Book Club first pick of 2026! Kin is now available.

Disclaimer: An advance copy was received directly from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Opinions are my own and would be the same if I spent my hard-earned coins. ~LiteraryMarie

Title: Kin
Author: Tayari Jones
Published: February 2026
Pages: 368
Edition: Galley
Genre: Literary Fiction
Rating: 🖤 🖤 🖤 🖤 🖤

Series Sunday: Cross & Sampson

(Alex Cross #35) 

My Series Sunday pick is Cross & Sampson, the 35th book in the Alex Cross series by James Patterson.

We got another one, fans! Detectives/Best Friends Alex Cross and John Sampson are better together than apart. In this latest installment of the series, Sampson investigates a suspected terrorist attack in DC. Meanwhile, Cross drops everything to look for a missing psychology grad student in North Carolina...his own son Damon! This fast-paced novel takes us across the States from FBI headquarters to DC streets, to off-campus apartments and police stations. Yet somehow, our favorite team of detectives remain tight productive partners.

"Let's walk back that cat." ~ 15%

Cross & Sampson is a bit different than the rest of the series but more like Cross Down which released in 2023. It is primarily written in Sampson's point of view with alternating chapters of Alex Cross written in third person. It was refreshing to hear directly from Sampson, so to speak. It also helped readers take a birds' eye view of Alex Cross' panic and emotions while trying to find his missing son. The ending may have been a little "oh that's it" but I enjoyed the storylines.

It amazes me how the Alex Cross series has over thirty (30) books and it stays consistent. The suspense has not ceased, the intrigue has not faltered nor have the murder scenes lessened. James Patterson, with the help of co-authors such as Brian Sitts, continues to deliver a strong series featuring Black main characters. Don't let the disappointing second season of the TV adaptation of Cross deter you. Read this instead! 

"Never trust the experts." ~ 55%

Happy Early Pub Day, James Patterson! Cross & Sampson will be available tomorrow, February 9.

Disclaimer: An advance copy was received directly from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Opinions are my own and would be the same if I spent my hard-earned coins. ~LiteraryMarie

Title: Cross & Sampson

Author: James Patterson and Brian Sitts

Published: February 2026

Pages: 368

Edition: Galley

Genre: Mystery

Challenge: Keeping Up With Patterson

Rating: 🖤 🖤 🖤 🖤

Love Me Tomorrow

"A writer, a musician, and an artist were in the same room...It sounds like the beginning of a bad joke, but really, it was the start of the best idea ever." ~ 34%

From bestselling author Emiko Jean comes a new rom-com with a moving twist. What if your true love could write to you from the future? Emma Nakamura-Thatcher is 17 years old and cynical about love after her parents' divorce. A simple wish made at a festival—proof that love is real—turns into an adventure. She starts finding notes from someone claiming to be her greatest love writing from the future. It seems like a prank until the notes mention things only Emma would know. But which boy in her life is it?

The premise of Love Me Tomorrow is cute, light-hearted and a good romance read for young adults. Readers will find themselves cheering for at least one of Emma's potential loves. Is it Ezra the musical prodigy, boy next door Theo, or rich handsome Colin? With each letter, Emma tries to uncover which guy is proving his love.

I recommend this novel for high-schoolers. It is truly written for the youngest of young adults. I usually do not mind YA but this was simple with an obvious ending. This is written for those that love fairy tales!

Happy Pub Day, Emiko Jean! Love Me Tomorrow is now available.

Disclaimer: An advance copy was received directly from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Opinions are my own and would be the same if I spent my hard-earned coins. ~LiteraryMarie

Title: Love Me Tomorrow
Author: Emiko Jean
Published: February 2026
Pages: 352
Edition: Galley
Genre: YA Romance Comedy
Rating: 🖤 🖤