Stacked for Summer 2025

Stacked for Summer: My 2025 Reading Line-Up Inspired by Fantasy, Mysteries, and Library Challenges ☀️📚👑

Summer reading is my favorite kind of reading: unhurried, wide-ranging, and full of possibility. This year, I’ve curated a list that includes fantasy epics, professional development, beachy mysteries, and titles tailored to the Naperville Public Library’s Amazing Book Challenge. Each book fits a fun category—from “Bookish Books” to “Royal Reads” to “Showbiz Stories.”

So grab your sunglasses and your tote bag—here’s what I’m reading this summer:

🔮 Fantasy Escapes

• Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson
  I’m finally diving into this legendary series with its unique magic system, layered world-building, and thrilling revolution.

• Dragons of Autumn Twilight by Margaret Weis
  Another fantasy classic I’ve been curious about—perfect for a long weekend getaway.

✏️ Professional Development

• The Writing Revolution by Judith C. Hochman & Natalie Wexler
  A reread for me, but every time, I find new gems to use in the classroom to help students grow as writers.

🏖️ Cozy Mysteries & Beach Reads

• A Fatal Booking by Victoria Gilbert
  A coastal inn, a book club, and a mystery—what more could I want?

• Cheddar Off Dead by Julia Buckley
  A punny mystery that combines cheese, clues, and charm.

• Cookies and Scream by Virginia Lowell
  A cookie-cutter mystery that pairs perfectly with a sweet treat.

👑 Royal Reads (one of these)

• The Queen’s Secret by Karen Harper
  A historical novel about England’s WWII queen, full of quiet strength and royal intrigue.

• The Emperor and the Endless Palace by Justinian Huang
  A sweeping new novel with royal overtones and time-bending magic.

🌊 Under the Sea Adventures (one of these)

• A Letter to the Luminous Deep by Sylvie Cathrall
  Mysterious letters, marine science, and sibling secrets.

• The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi by S.A. Chakraborty
  A retired pirate pulled back into action? Sign me up!

🌸 Books in Bloom(one of these)

• Tom Lake by Ann Patchett
  A reflective, lyrical novel about memory, motherhood, and summer theater.

• Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
  Spooky and lush—like Rebecca meets The Secret Garden.

• The Seed Keeper by Diane Wilson
  A powerful story of heritage, family, and the seeds we carry forward.

📚 Bookish Books

• The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michele Richardson
  I’m fascinated by the Pack Horse Librarians of Kentucky.

• The Personal Librarian by Marie Benedict
  The story of J.P. Morgan’s brilliant, secretive librarian.

• The Lost Bookshop by Evie Woods
  A whimsical novel set in a mysterious bookshop.

• The Echo of Old Books by Barbara Davis
  For those of us who believe books have a soul.

🧩 Are You Game? (one of these)

• Board to Death by CJ Connor
  Cozy mystery meets board game café? I’m in.

• The Wishing Game by Meg Shaffer
  A mysterious contest and a chance to change your life.

• The Fellowship of Puzzlemakers by Samuel Burr
  A novel full of riddles, heart, and legacy.

• Cards on the Table by Agatha Christie
  Dame Christie never disappoints—especially with Poirot at the table.

🕵️‍♀️ Dame Detectives

• The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith
  This has been on my to-read list for years—and I’m finally opening it this summer.

👯‍♀️ It Takes Two

• The Personal Librarian (yes, again—it fits this category too!)

• City of Dark Magic by Magnus Flyte
  An eccentric blend of history, alchemy, and romance set in Prague.

🎬 Showbiz Stories

• The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid
  I’ve heard rave reviews. Old Hollywood glamor, scandal, and secrets? Let’s go.

✨ Short & Sweet (one of these)

• The Anthropocene Reviewed by John Green
  Insightful essays that explore humanity through objects, ideas, and feelings.

• Wow, No Thank You by Samantha Irby
  Laugh-out-loud essays with a bite of realness.

• Never Whistle at Night (Indigenous Dark Fiction Anthology)
  Short stories with eerie, cultural depth—perfect for summer nights.

I love that this list mixes deep, thoughtful reads with escapist adventures and cozy mysteries. Whether I’m reading by the lake or in a hammock with iced tea, I know this stack will keep me company all summer long.

What are you reading this summer?
Got a cozy mystery or “bookish book” recommendation? I’d love to hear it.

📖🌻 Until next chapter, I will be...

Still Reading Books

Murder by the Book (Beyond the Page Bookstore Mystery #1) by Lauren Elliott

 

Murder by the Book (Beyond the Page Bookstore Mystery #1) by Lauren Elliott

Review: ⭐⭐⭐✨ (3.5/5 stars)

Lauren Elliott’s debut in the Beyond the Page Bookstore Mystery series, Murder by the Book, introduces readers to Addie Greyborne, a rare books specialist who inherits her aunt’s estate in the quaint town of Greyborne Harbor. Along with the estate, she also inherits a mystery—or several—when strange events and a suspicious death begin to haunt her new life as a bookstore owner.

The setup is classic cozy mystery: a bookish main character, a small town filled with quirky personalities, and a sudden swirl of secrets. Addie is meant to be a smart, capable protagonist, but the book feels a little hoppy—plot points jump from one moment to the next, and some threads feel dropped or underdeveloped. It almost felt like there should have been a prequel to explain some of the background and relationships more thoroughly. Character development, too, remains on the surface. You meet a lot of people quickly, but few leave a lasting impression or feel truly fleshed out.

That said, the concept is appealing. A bookstore setting with a touch of mystery and the promise of deeper literary intrigue is always a draw for cozy mystery fans. While this first installment didn’t quite stick the landing, it has enough charm and potential to keep me curious. I’ll try another in the series and hope it finds its footing.

There are so many cozy mysteries out there that it's easy to move on from ones that don’t fully click, but I’m still intrigued enough to give Addie and Greyborne Harbor another chance.

The Pumpkin Spice Café (Dream Harbor #1) by Laurie Gilmore

 Book Review: The Pumpkin Spice Café (Dream Harbor #1) by Laurie Gilmore

⭐️⭐️⭐️ (3.36 stars)

The Pumpkin Spice Café by Laurie Gilmore arrives on a wave of cozy fall vibes and major social media buzz, promising readers a charming small-town romance set in the idyllic Dream Harbor. The cover and concept—complete with crisp leaves, baked goods, and the allure of new beginnings—drew in fans of seasonal reads in droves. Unfortunately, for many readers, including myself, the story didn’t quite live up to the hype.

The novel follows a city transplant who finds herself working at a quaint café in Dream Harbor, where she quickly crosses paths with a rugged local. Their connection is immediate and intensely physical, but not in a way that feels organic. The instant sexual tension between the two main characters skips over emotional buildup and development, making the relationship feel forced rather than swoon-worthy.

While the setting is undeniably cozy and the premise has great potential, the characters themselves come across as one-dimensional. There’s not much depth or growth, and the interactions often feel more scripted than sincere. As a result, it’s difficult to become truly invested in their journey.

In the end, The Pumpkin Spice Café delivers light, seasonal escapism but falls short of being memorable. It’s a quick, easy read for fall romance fans, but those expecting a deeper story or more nuanced characters might walk away a little disappointed, especially if they were lured in by all the TikTok and Instagram excitement.

Three Dark Crowns by Kendare Blake

 

Book Review: Three Dark Crowns by Kendare Blake

⭐️⭐️⭐️ (3 out of 5 stars)

Kendare Blake’s Three Dark Crowns kicks off a dark and intriguing fantasy series centered around a brutal tradition: every generation, triplet queens are born, each with a unique magical gift—poisoner, naturalist, or elemental. Raised apart and groomed in secret to master their powers, only one can ultimately rule the island of Fennbirn. The catch? She must kill her sisters to do it.

The premise is undeniably gripping, and Blake creates a lush world filled with political intrigue, eerie customs, and bursts of magic. The writing is atmospheric, and the shifting perspectives offer a broad view of the island’s culture and its queens-to-be.

That said, my reading experience was mixed. I wanted to like this and just tear through it, but it was not to be. I struggled with paying attention and staying invested, especially in the first half. I think my biggest issue was that there were almost too many different storylines happening at once. With so many characters and points of view introduced early on, I had a hard time focusing and keeping track of who was who and what mattered most.

That said, there were moments of real promise, and the ending gives just enough of a twist to make me want to keep going. I already own the second book, so I’m going to give it a shot and hope that things click more now that the groundwork has been laid.

This is a series with strong potential, especially for readers who enjoy slow-burn world-building and don’t mind juggling multiple plot threads. If you’re a fan of dark fantasy and morally complex characters, it might be worth sticking around to see how the sisters’ deadly game unfolds.

Due or Die (Library Lover's Mystery #2) by Jenn McKinlay

Maybe it has been awhile since I have read one of these because there were some flaws that I are typical to cozy mysteries but for whatever reason, I found them distracting this time.

In the world of cozy mysteries, I love Jenn McKinlay. The Cupcake Bakery mysteries are some favorites that I enjoy sharing and trading with my mother-in-law. The Library Lover's Mysteries are an obvious choice for me, and as expected, there were times while I was reading this book that I longed to be librarian. Surrounded by books and maybe even some people that actually enjoy reading books. I love that aspect of the main character, Lindsey. She remembers people by the books they read. It is her librarian super power. Lindsey does have some inconsistencies in her character. For example, like all cozy mysteries, Lindsey finds herself investigating the murder of her friend's husband. Like many cozy mysteries, there are a number of suspects because Carrie's husband is not a nice man. As Lindsey chats with possible suspects, at times she is crafty and tactful ( see her discuss with suspect Dale Wilcox) and other times she is completely tactless ( see her discuss with suspect Cylde Perkins).

Another cozy element that appears in all stories is the bad weather or some natural element that causes problems or limits communication. This story it was a snow story. Appropriately so, it was snowing as I was reading this, so I enjoyed that aspect. I found it funny that when Beth and Lindsey go to the library to dig it out. Lindsey refers to it as "excruciatingly boring work." I have shoveled a lot of snow that is not how I would describe it. It does allow Lindsey more time away from work so she can get further drawn into solving the mystery.

The snow also provided more fuel to get the love story going. I find this interesting. For most of the book, Lindsey is weak and mild manner in her deals with heart throb Sully. Ex- military, big reader, and all around nice guy, Sully plays the role to the modern day knight-in-shiny-armor when needed. Either to give Lindsey a ride home from the library because the weather is too bad for her to use her bike or rescue her and friends from being locked in the library storage area. In the budding relationship is no secret to anyone, Sully seems like a solid and likable guy. Lindsey likes him from the previous novel ( Books can be Deceiving). I just found it distracting and unbelievable to that she switches drastically from her heart flip-flopping when he is around to the "he hasn't asked me out so I am going to do what I want" attitude toward the final third of the book. I honestly don't think that was developed enough to be believable.

Overall though, it is a solid cozy mystery. It has love, books, a small town, quirky town people, a pet dog, pick up trucks, a dashing hero, and of course a murder. I enjoyed many of the character besides the main character so that makes it easy to read. Perhaps I am not being fair in my assessment because many of the quirks I have pointed out are what make cozy mysteries enjoyable.

Lastly, for the book lovers out there... the novels mentioned in their book discussion group are A Room with a View by E. M. Forster and Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte. There is even a short book discussion guide for Wuthering Heights.

Now there is another genre of book I love to read... retelling of classics... maybe my next read. 

PLAY ON: Play Challenge in 2015

It is a new year so I feel compelled to start a challenge. Here is one that I think is doable for me right now.

Those who frequently visit my little blog can no doubt observe my passion for plays. Plays are interesting in so many ways. So in the first quarter of next year, I'd like to invite everybody to join with me in this play event/challenge. So here are the rules: The challenge will run for four months, beginning from January 2015. Each month, there will be a monthly theme. A master post will be published shortly before the challenge begins. Participants are expected to read and post a review each month, and post it in the upcoming Master Post. We want to keep the theme wide enough in order to allow everybody huge options. So I'll just split plays into four categories based on the period when they were written and assign each period to each month.
January: Ancient Plays, including Greek and Roman plays
February: Renaissance Plays, including Shakespeare and his contemporaries
 March: Post-Renaissance Plays, anything post Renaissance is allowed. Wilde and Shaw are very welcome
 April: Freebie Plays, if you find any particular playwright interesting during the 3 months, feel free to read another of his/her plays. Or if you want to experiment with other genre or other playwright, you are in.

To sign up for yourself visit Half-Filled Attic.


Here is my plan:
January: Oedipus the King by Sophocles. (seriously, who does not like a play with family drama)
Februrary: Hamlet by Shakespeare (umm... more family drama)
March/ April: Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller (does that count as family drama?)

Let's see how I do.

Scoop to Kill by Wendy Lyn Watson (#2 in series)

Again... I love the cover. I started with Scoop to Kill because I did not have enough time to find I Scream, You Scream (#1 in the series) at the library. I have to tell you I am glad I did. I really enjoyed this book. It is  a perfect summer read. Fast-paced plot, likable characters, and just enough twists to keep you reading. The main character (Tally) runs a local ice cream shop and as the story opens she is attending the Honor's Day activities at the local university where her roommate's daughter (Alice) attends. Of course, a murder takes place... Everyone thinks it is Alice's favorite professor, Emily Clowper, that committed the crime. Naturally it is not that easy, but as Tally gets to know Emily and tries to save her life... she finds herself more and more involved in solving the real mystery of who is responsible for the deaths of Brian and Emily.

Like most cozy mysteries, the sub plots also help engage the reader, and the book ends on a little cliff-hanger regarding Tally's love life. That might make me read more.

The only thing that bothered me was the inconstant attempt at the... shall we say... dialect... of Texans. When one of the characters would use a idioms, I found in jarring. To the point, where I had to stop and re-read it. But it wouldn't stop me from reading another, just a weird quirk that I had to get use too. If I had read my copy and not the library's, I would have underlined them.

Here is the list in the series so far:

1. I Scream, You Scream    '09
2. Scoop to Kill    '10
3. A Parfait Murder    '11