In The Solarium

  *Possible Spoilers, Read with Care. 5/5 ⭐ Fresh starts, new friends, and friendly spiders? This speculative fiction from Rachel Harrison gives new meaning to taking back your magic.  Play it safe Annie has just moved to a new town to start a new job all in an attempt to move on from from her longtime boyfriend who recently dumped her. And at first all is well. Better than well as the townspeople are kind and welcoming and the town itself quaint and picturesque. What could be better.  She even makes a new friend that helps her move on and start living for herself. Sophie, the elegant, strange, and intimidating woman who happens to live in a mansion in the woods. She recognizes something in Annie and takes her under her wing. The two form a bond that continues to grow as Annie learns what it means to truly live for herself.  I devoured this story in one day. In just a few hours while I was at work and in between helping patrons. It was so good that I recommended it t...

5/5  ⭐ *Potential spoilers ahead, read with care.  This was so much more than I could have ever imagined. It left me in a state for days after finishing where all I could do was think about it. It consumed me.  The Change  follows three women Nessa, Harriet, and Jo. All at different stages in their lives but come together with a common goal to right the wrongs that led to the death of an unidentified teen that the police seem keen to ignore.  Not all is well in this picturesque coastal town as the women dig deep and investigate they are met with threats, danger and new friends.    Nessa hears the voices of the dead, Harriet grows more than one might think in her wild gardens, and Jo can channel her anger and rage into something fiery. And together they force to be reckoned with that this town is just not ready for. These changes all come about with 'The Change' or menopause. Or if you are Blanche Devereaux, "The Curse."  I was cautiously optimisti...