Airing My Laundry, One Post At A Time...

Reading is the best!

I do this post every year in hopes that I inspire someone else to read. It truly is magical to jump into another world for a little while. The current one is a bit of a mess.

Click on the title to purchase a copy of any of the books listed!

So here we go.

I was drawn to A Little Less Broken: How An Autism Diagnosis Finally Made Me Whole by Marian Schembari because my son has autism. Marian was 34 when she realized she had autism, and suddenly her quirks seemed to make sense. I appreciated the humor and the way she told her story.

When You Get The Chance by Emma Lord was a fun read--I love the theatre, so reading about Millie and her dreams of being a Broadway star was enjoyable. Would Millie succeed? Or would her introverted father ruin her chances?

Of course nearly everyone knows the Hunger Games series. I had to buy the latest story Sunrise On The Reaping by Suzanne Collins (it'll be a movie in November!) This is about Haymitch and the games he played--and it'll give you an understanding of why be behaves as he does in the original Hunger Games series.

This one is about estranged siblings who return home after their mother dies. They find a VHS tape, play it, and see their father covered in blood. Then there's a dead body and a pact between their parents to get rid of it. So what exactly is the story? Are their parents murderers? Home Is Where The Bodies Are by Jeneva Rose will keep you reading!

Rocky always enjoys the family vacation to the beach. It'll be interesting now since her kids are nearly grown and her parent are...well...old. Plus she has menopausal outbursts, so it might not exactly be a chill vacay. Plus there are secrets. Sandwich by Catherine Newman made me laugh and tear up.

I've always been a fan of Jojo Moyes books. If you've never read Me Before You, you must. You'll cry. Hysterically. We All Live Here wasn't as sad, but still moving. Lila has two daughters, a broken marriage, and an estranged dad who shows up on her doorstep after being gone for 35 years. Plus her stepdad seems to have moved in without even asking and he and her bio dad don't exactly get along. I tend to always like books centered around family and this one was no exception.

If you like a book about a family of cannibals, The Lamb by Lucy Rose is for you. I mean, yes, it grossed me out, but I could not put it down. Margot lies with her Mom in a cabin in the woods and takes in what they call strays. They'll keep the strays warm and safe and then, well, eventually eat them. Then a woman named Eden shows up, and it starts to become dangerous for Margot--Eden has her sights on consuming Margot, and it seems Margot's mom might go along with it..

This was another book about a family--it's told in different points of view and comes together nicely. There's a story about infertility, a man leaving his wife of 40 years...I'll Come To You by Rebecca Kauffman was fantastic.

Allie is an elite ballerina who is constantly judged by her mother. Then she's injured and returns to her summer home to heal. The memories she has growing up there soon begin to take over. Especially when it comes to Hudson. Hudson's niece shows up on Allie's door asking questions about her birth mother and Allie has no choice but to remember what happened in the past. Variation by Rebecca Yarros reminded me of a rom-com and I was hoping for a happy ending. Will it happen? Go read it!

This book is set in 1982 and 2022. In 1982 it's about Dawn who is a young mother. Life isn't as easy as she hopes. In 2022 Heron just receives devastating news from his doctor--he struggles with telling his daughter Maggie--and being honest about some things that happened in the past. A Family Matter by Claire Lynch is another one of those books that squeezes the heartstrings.

This was one of my all time favorite books of 2025. It's about Tova, whose husband has died. To fill the time, she starts working the night shift at an aquarium. She's also trying to cope with the disappearance of her 18 year old son Erik. He went missing 30 years ago on a boat trip. While working, Tova becomes close with Marcellus, a cranky giant octopus. Marcellus wants to help Tova figure out what happened to her son. Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt will make you want to name a sea creature Marcellus and also set everyone in an aquarium free. Read this!

I figured I'd love Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid since I love so many of her other books. I was correct. This one is about NASA in the 80s. Joan is excited to be apart of the program and meets other astronauts--including one she falls for. She bonds with many of the others and everyone looks forward to their futures--but going to space isn't always as easy and safe as one hopes.

Jane is a hopeful playwright living in NYC. She meets Colin and falls fast--but then he breaks it off after their sixth date and she cannot believe it. She has to get him back! Colin begins dating Zoe, who yes, is sweet, but Jane knows she isn't right for him. Jane is determined to make Colin hers--but will she succeed? So Happy Together by Olivia Worley will keep you wondering if Jane will get Colin back. Valentine's Day is approaching, so pick this up as a gift for a book lover.

Cinnamon is a Black woman who hasn't had the easiest life. Daisy is a nineteen-year-old white woman who unexpectedly gets pregnant. She leaves the baby in the park where she knows Cinnamon will find her. Cinnamon does, but wonders if she should even keep the baby. Eventually she does, but then Daisy's racist family finds out and takes Cinnamon to court for the baby--will they win? You Were Always Mine by Christine Pride and Jo Piazza made me tear up a few times. The book is a reminder that family doesn't always mean sharing blood.

Who loves Anne Boleyn? She was a bit of a bad ass. I mean, yes, she eventually lost her head for it, but still. Boleyn Traitor is by Philippa Gregory, who also wrote the bestselling book The Other Boleyn Girl. This book is about Jane Boleyn, who was married to Anne's brother George. She managed to survive the downfall of the Boleyn's and returns as lady-in-waiting to a new Queen Katherine. But when Katherine begins her own downfall, Jane isn't sure she'll be able to escape this time. If you love that crazy Tudor family, this is the book for you!

What would you do if your sister went missing with no trace? It's what happens to Nic's sister Kasey. Kasey's car was found abandoned and the case went cold. Jules Conner was another girl who went missing just as Kasey did--Nic decides to find Kasey's sister Jenna. She is certain the cases are linked and is determined to find out what happened. The Missing Half by Ashley Flowers kept me wondering what happened to the girls. If you like a good mystery, this book is for you!

Does a name change the course of a person's life? It's what The Names by Florence Knapp is about. Cora is in charge of registering the name of her son with Gordon, who is abusive. He wants his son to be named after him. But in one scenario, Cora goes with the name her daughter picks. In another she chooses another, and finally, in the last instance, the boy is named after Gordon. Each name has a different story, some heartbreaking, some moving.

Such Quiet Girls by Noelle W. Ihli is actually based off a true story, which makes it even more creepy. A bunch of kids plus the bus driver are kidnapped and buried in a shipping container under the ground. And they are slowly running out of air. Will they escape? Or will it be a heartbreaking end? This is another intriguing read and yup, I read about the case the book is based off of.

Did you go to a boarding school? I didn't, which is why The Academy by Elin Hilderbrand (and her daughter Shelby Cunningham) was an interesting read. It's about the students and teachers who teach at Tiffin Academy and naturally there is drama when it comes to a bunch of teenagers. Wealthy kids go to Tiffin as well as though with scholarships--and the teachers aren't exactly squeaky clean. Some have crazy pasts.

Okay, so June First by Jennifer Hartmann creeped me out a bit. It's about Brant, who goes through a horrible tragedy as a kid. He loses his parents and goes to live with his best friend, who also has a baby sister named June. Brant promises to always protect June and stays close to her as she grows. And then when she's older, he falls in love with her ?? It weirded me out because they were raised as siblings and it's like...what? I know I was supposed to be like "aw" but I was like "ew." Mind you, it's still a good read, it's just...yuck.

Whew. And those are the books I truly enjoyed in 2025. They are the ones that kept me reading. I cannot wait to pick up new books in 2026!

It's almost the New Year! People generally make resolutions, but I prefer to create a list of things I resolve NOT to do. Join me!

I RESOLVE TO NOT....

Put down the books and join reality. I'd prefer to stay in a fictional world, thanks. This current one is too insane and cruel for me at the moment. Bye. (Need book suggestions? Check these out.)

Turn off the reality shows. Sure, they might be brain rot. But it's hilarious brain rot.

Wish Grey's Anatomy had that first couple of season spark back. The show was SO GOOD and then it just got...meh. And it keeps GOING and nothing really happens anymore. Shonda Rimes, come back!

Stop eating McDonald's. I know I always say this, but it's accurate. And it probably will be forever, because let's face it, that Diet Coke and fries hit just right.

Stop thinking Trump is a convicted felon. He is. And Ice is horrible and most of the people they arrest haven't done half of the awful things mango mussolini has committed. Karma will come for him.

Give up my Diet Coke. I know people make resolutions every year to GIVE UP SODA and I'm like, WHY? If I gave up my Diet Coke, I'd be pretty cranky. Let me drink in peace, thank you.