We Are All the Same in the Dark

 

We Are All the Same in the Dark

By Julia Heaberlin

We Are All the Same in the Dark…aren’t we?

This book is a mystery wrapped in another mystery, layered with secrets, lies, and hate, all tangled in gossip, judgment, and obsession. It’s the kind of story that digs in and for me…kept me turning the pages.

I needed a book to hold me this weekend. Last Monday at 4 a.m., I was woken by shouting and gunshots. Twenty minutes later, my building was swarmed by police. A black sedan appeared, yellow crime tape went up, and then a coroner’s van. I heard it all. Traumatic. It turned out to be a crime of passion…my neighbor, someone I barely knew but who had always been kind in passing, was gone. I felt sadness, shock, and the weight of fragility. Coupled with everything else in my life, I craved a book to lose myself in, tucked safely at home. My sweet friend, Ginger, sent me this one. I loved the title, and as it turned out, it was a thriller, a crime novel, and exactly what I needed.

Small-town Texas cop Odette Tucker has never escaped the shadow of what happened ten years ago…the disappearance of Trumanell Branson (that name just sounds like someone from Texas), the quintessential girl-next-door, the town’s golden girl. Posters still scream for her return, and gossip points to Wyatt, Trumanell’s brother, as everyone’s prime suspect. Now, Wyatt discovers a strange, one-eyed girl alone in a field. What does he know? What does Odette know? Secrets, secrets, everywhere.

And dandelions…why dandelions? I looked them up: resilience, hope, joy, new beginnings, childhood innocence, the beauty of nature. It felt fitting, quietly symbolic amidst all the darkness.

There’s a paragraph I had to earmark:

"Strangers are powerful. They can mark you in twenty seconds. They can rob you at gunpoint, so you never feel safe again. They can mention you’re pretty at a party when no one else ever has, and then you don’t kill yourself that day or maybe any other day. It’s like a diamond tossed out of a car window you were lucky enough to catch."

Odette is that stranger for the narrator…she gave her an eye, a piece of paper, a lifeline. The paragraph ends hauntingly: “She is why I still exist, which is exactly why I need to find out why she no longer does.”

The words Odette passes along on a small piece of paper: tender, resilient, strong, resourceful, kind, empathetic…are the words inherited from a father to a daughter, from that daughter to a runaway. Wouldn’t we all be lucky to be described that way?

We are all the same in the dark. Angel’s mother used to whisper that when tucking her in. In the dark, all that remains is our soul.

And then there’s reality. 4 a.m. and gunshots. One in a trailer park might not register beyond the local radar…or in a small town, be quickly forgotten. But for me? It shakes the world awake. For a moment, it could have been a car backfiring, or even a minor earthquake (I’ve had five in the past two weeks).

I don’t usually gravitate toward crime thrillers, but I really enjoyed this one. I didn’t guess whodunnit…I wasn’t even close.

It all comes together in the end. The story is suspenseful, devastating, and utterly engrossing. And yet…even after the last page, questions linger. Who truly hides behind the masks of small-town faces? And how dark must a secret be before it consumes everything?

My friend Ginger said to pass the book along so if anyone would like to read it, let me know and I’ll send it to you.

 

The Almanack of Naval Ravikant

 

The Almanack of Naval Ravikant

Curated by Eric Jorgenson

For weeks, it felt like all Vanessa talked about was Naval. Naval said this…Naval said that. Who in the heck is Naval?

She has spent hours listening to his podcasts, sent me screenshots of highlighted passages, and she and Chandler filled their evenings watching his YouTube interviews. Eventually, I caved…I bought The Almanack.

Self-help books aren’t usually my thing. Vanessa devours them; I tend to read ten pages at a time before they quietly migrate to my DNF pile. Still, I opted for a hard copy. I like the idea of being able to flip back to meaningful passages and the profound statements…if there are any, and the lines that spark an audible ah-ha.

I was immediately drawn to the simplicity of the cover. After weeks of hearing about Naval’s wisdom and insights, I was genuinely curious to dive in.

What stood out to me most is Naval’s holistic view of success. He doesn’t frame wealth as purely financial. Instead, he argues that true success requires building both material wealth and inner peace. The book centers on creating financial freedom through life skills, leverage, and long-term thinking…while equally emphasizing mindfulness, contentment, and clarity.

One of his core philosophies is that wealth and money are not the same. Money is how we transfer time and value; wealth is what works for you while you sleep. Equally compelling is his belief that happiness is a choice, and a skill. It isn’t simply the byproduct of financial achievement; it’s something that can be cultivated intentionally.

He also makes a strong case that judgment is the single most important skill in business and in life. Good judgment compounds. Each sound decision builds upon the last, creating exponential returns over time.

I appreciated learning that he’s a voracious reader. He speaks often about how reading can dramatically improve your life. On that point, I wholeheartedly agree.

One idea that truly resonated with me was his advice on major life decisions: marriage, career moves, relocating. His rule is simple: If you can’t decide, the answer is no. There’s clarity in that. And when faced with two equal options, choose the path that’s more painful in the short term. Growth rarely comes from the easy route.

I didn’t pick up this book searching for financial insight. I’ve always felt wealthy in the ways that matter most: friendships, relationships, enoughness (is that a word?). For me, the most compelling chapters were the ones on happiness.

Overall, the book isn’t groundbreaking. But as Vee and I often say…it’s common sense. The truth is, common sense isn’t always common. Exercise. Build wealth. Value your time. Be kind. The simplicity of the message is part of its strength.

I enjoyed it more than I expected, and I would recommend it to anyone looking for practical, grounded guidance on living a more intentional and fulfilling life.

 

The Only One Left

 

The Only One Left 

By Riley Sager

Hope’s End is a 36-room coastal gothic mansion perched on cliffs where the Atlantic crashes below…it is totally dramatic, eerie, and dripping with history.

Every character has their own take on the past, but the real story is Lenora Hope, now in her 70s, the sole survivor of a family murdered 54 years ago. Townspeople never believed her innocence, turning her into a living legend…or nightmare.  She was reduced to a creepy little song sung by everyone:

At seventeen, Lenora Hope
Hung her sister with a rope
Stabbed her father with a knife
Took her mother’s happy life
“It wasn’t me,” Lenora said
But she’s the only one not dead

Enter Kit McDeere, reluctantly taking a job as Lenora’s caregiver. Lenora is paralyzed and mute from strokes, and Kit’s last patient died on her watch…so yeah, she’s desperate for work. Things get creepier when Kit learns the previous caregiver vanished without a trace.

Would you stay? She does.

Lenora finally decides to reveal her story via typewriter, slowly unraveling decades of mystery. The suspense is real, the twists are plenty…

But, let’s be honest: pretending to be an invalid for decades? Waiting decades for revenge on your sister…as a “prank”…mind blown. Some of the plot twists are equal parts thrilling and head-scratchingly absurd.

Despite the eyebrow-raising moments, I liked the gothic chills, dark secrets, and enough suspense that it kept me turning pages.

Just don’t ask me to explain Lenora’s life choices.

 

Theo of Golden

 

Theo of Golden

By Allen Levi

I’ll begin with the cover, because I love it. A single feather…simple, quiet, and beautiful. I collect feathers myself; I always pick them up when I see them. Years ago, someone once told me my spirit guide was a great Indian Chief who drops them for me. I’ve always loved the idea that feathers are left as symbols of growth, transition, freedom, and survival. While I’m not entirely sure what the feather represents for this book, I can’t help but see all of those meanings reflected in Theo’s journey.

The premise is simple. One spring, an elderly man named Theo arrives in the small Southern town of Golden. He is a man of mystery…wealthy, polished, originally from Portugal, and yet deeply private about his past.

Theo spends his days wandering around the town until he stumbles upon The Chalice, a local coffee shop. Lining the walls are nearly one hundred pencil portraits drawn by a local artist. Most customers pass them without a second glance. Theo does not. He stops. He studies them. Then he does something unexpected: he decides to buy them, one by one.

But he doesn’t keep them.

Instead, Theo tracks down the subjects of the portraits…ordinary townspeople who have no idea they’ve been drawn and gifts each person their image. What follows is a quiet ripple effect of kindness that transforms the town, and Theo himself, in ways that feel both intimate and earth-shattering.

I loved the concept…the generosity, the unexpected responses of the recipients, and the way the town slowly shifts. The novel feels like a study in human vulnerability. Through these stories, you come to realize that grief and joy are not opposites, but neighbors.

At times, the pacing felt a bit slow, and I think the story could have been shorter. Still, I truly appreciated the ending. You do eventually learn who Theo is, what brought him to Golden, and why he carried so many secrets, and that resolution made the journey worthwhile.

We could all learn something about how he lived…one focused on being curious, living humbly, listening intently…being generous.  If we did…perhaps we could change a town…or a stranger’s life…maybe a friend’s…or even our own.

The God of the Woods

 

The God of the Woods 

by Liz Moore

524 Pages of Mystery and Memories

I had no idea this book was 524 pages when I started.  My new Kindle didn’t make that obvious, and I’m still figuring out all its functions. Needless to say, it was a commitment and I stayed up way too late Saturday night in order to finish it.

The God of the Woods is a murder mystery wrapped in a rich family drama, set against the backdrop of a kids’ summer camp. And for me, that camp setting took me back. I grew up going to Camp Eberhart on Corey Lake in Michigan, where Vanessa and I met our best friend, Katie. Camp was magical, and my memories there remain some of the most treasured. Most recently living in Indiana, I’d spend summers at Katie’s family cottage on Corey Lake...one of my favorite places on earth. We’d just hang out, chat, watch sunsets, and take photos on the dock. (I have the exact same sunset photo multiple times a year…it’s a little inside joke.)

Now, Katie’s daughters go to Camp Eberhart, and we still embarrass them, paddling across the lake just to wave furiously while they ignore us. Some things never change.

Moore’s novel takes that nostalgic, slightly mischievous camp feeling and spins it into something much darker. The third rule of Camp Emerson? “When lost, sit down and yell.” I don’t remember the rules at Camp Eberhart back in the ‘70s, but Moore’s camps feel vivid, alive, and eerily authentic.

The story unfolds across two timelines, two mysteries, and a sprawling cast of characters, all wrapped in secrets that ripple across generations.

1961: Eight-year-old Peter “Bear” Van Laar IV disappears while hiking with his grandfather near the family’s Adirondack estate, Self-Reliance. Despite an extensive search, he is never found.

1975: At Camp Emerson, the girls in the cabin awaken to discover 13-year-old Barbara Van Laar, Bear’s younger sister, born after his disappearance, is missing from her bunk.

Are the Van Laars cursed? Or is this merely tragic coincidence? Multiple perspectives invite readers to explore different truths…or perhaps uncover that there is no single truth at all.

For me, the camp setting was a portal back to my own childhood…campfires, sing-alongs, sneaking around after dark, swimming, horseback riding, and spooky stories under the stars. Moore’s descriptions bring Camp Emerson to life in a way that feels both nostalgic and suspenseful.

At times, the book’s length and multitude of characters made it feel slow, but the payoff…the twists and revelations at the end, made it worth it.

SPOILERS AHEAD:
I was stunned by the Van Laars’ cover-up for Alice. They didn’t seem to like her, so why not let the police know it was an accident? Was it about reputation? A secret affair? And one final question: who led Tracy out of the woods? The book never reveals who…leaving one last mystery lingering.

Overall, I enjoyed the book.  It kept me up way past my typical bedtime…I liked the dual timeline, the mystery, the family secrets, the summer nostalgia and the eerie magic of the woods.

 

Heart the Lover

Heart the Lover 

by Lily King

I bought a Kindle. I’m not quite sure what I’m going through, but first Audible and now a Kindle...clearly something is happening. It showed up two days ago, and honestly, it’s adorable. Small, lightweight, and easy to use. I immediately set it up and downloaded Heart the Lover by Lily King.

It’s an easy, quick read, but one that stirred up memories of my college years, early adulthood, and the life decisions that shape who we become. Rather than focusing on one sweeping romance, the book traces the emotional terrain of relationships, friendships, ambitions, and regrets over the course of three decades. That long view is what makes the story feel so honest and resonant.

The storyline captures how people change...and how they don’t. The characters’ lives unfold in ways that feel natural and unforced, shaped by choices made in youth and the consequences that follow them into middle age. I especially loved how the novel moves through time, allowing us to see how relationships evolve, fracture, and sometimes reveal truths that were buried for years. There’s a quiet power in watching the truth emerge slowly and inevitably by the end.

While the book contains love, it isn’t a traditional love story. It’s more emotional than romantic, more reflective than idealized. Heart the Lover is about longing, honesty, and the complicated ways people hold onto the past while trying to move forward.

Sometimes you just need an easier read...something that helps you turn the pages. I really didn’t enjoy the last book I read, so I needed something that I did. I think my favorite part of this book was its realistic passage of time and life itself...the stuff that comes with living a life.

Stone Yard Devotional

 Stone Yard Devotional 

by Charlotte Wood

What did I just read?

Painful. Confusing. And honestly, not for me.

I’m not even sure how I came to reading it but I didn’t get it. I wanted to stop reading several times, but I kept going, mostly out of stubbornness and the hope that it might eventually get better.

My advice? Don’t even start.

I'll save you the time and do my best to provide a recap:  The book is a quiet, deeply contemplative novel centered on an unnamed woman who, in quick succession, divorces, loses her mother, quits her job with an endangered species organization, and finds herself at the beginning of the Covid shutdown. In response to all of this upheaval, she retreats to a remote religious community of cloistered nuns in rural Australia.

If you’re expecting tension, momentum, or even a compelling narrative…you won’t find it here.

Instead, the novel drifts…many times. There is a truly horrendous mouse plague that receives an extraordinary amount of attention…far more than I felt it deserved…and the graphic detail became distracting and gross rather than meaningful. There’s also the return of the bones of a nun murdered thirty years earlier, which causes disruption within the community, and the presence of a once-famous, scandal-tainted nun who attended high school with the narrator and endured a brutal, shame-filled upbringing.

All of this feeds into what the book is really doing: an introspective meditation on guilt, unresolved grief, forgiveness, and how, or whether, it’s possible to live meaningfully in the world after loss. On an intellectual level, I understand that this is what Wood is aiming for. On a reading level, I found it heavy, slow, and emotionally distant.

Ultimately, Stone Yard Devotional feels less like a novel and more like a prolonged meditation on life itself…on letting go, grieving, and the elusive nature of forgiveness. For some readers, that may be profound. For me, it was tedious and overwrought, with far too much time spent on mice and not enough on making me care.

If you like quiet, philosophical fiction and don’t mind ambiguity or discomfort, perhaps you will enjoy it. I just did not.