A while ago I put out a notice that I'm interested in hearing from local authors. Allow me to say how impressed I am by the talent we have right in the Capital Region. If I hadn't been invited to participate in the Times Union's Books Blog section a few years ago, I would have never have known - and that would be a tragedy after reading A Couch Named Marilyn: My Big Fat Mess Called PTSD by Diana Martin. (Niskayuna, NY) This book and I have had our ups and downs. My laptop is

It feels like a luxury being able to step away from all that's going not just in our country, but around the world. I recognize that some need a break, because they're able to take one. If that's you, I've got a book series you're going to love. This is the first series I've read by author Leigh Bardugo and I was really impressed. I hadn't heard of her and I tend to read quite a bit of fantasy. Ms. Bardugo is a #1 New York Times bestselling author of fantasy and the creator o

I read the first book in this series, London Falling by Emma Carr, as my monthly freebie for being an Amazon Prime member and I was pleasantly surprised. I'm normally not a fan of romance, but well, I do miss the city of London so I wanted to see what this series was about. As the title of the first book states, the series is set in London and follows a family called the Rulefords. "American Aimee Kennedy doesn’t think she needs anyone … until she’s stuck with sexy banker, Si

Some how, some way, that video of the woman wearing the Wookie mask came across my social media account again. I may have laughed harder than most because I actually have one. I fell in love with it the moment I put it on and wore it for about an hour and laughed every time I opened my mouth. (If you haven't seen the video, just google "mom wearing wookie mask" and it'll show up.) This past summer during my annual Girl's Weekend I put it on while they were gathered at the fir

The Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard is a post-apocalyptic, Sci-Fi, type of read – but also has a touch of a supernatural element. Thankfully not in the ghost-zombie type of way - I'm so tired of zombies. The best way I can think to describe it is a cross between The Hunger Games series and The Selection series. After finishing it, I still think this is true. The difference is because of the supernatural element and how it comes into play. We learn quickly there are two types of

Local author Chuck Miller has penned a book I was hesitant to read and it's titled Collarworld. "Just beyond the mortal barriers of the Living World is a land where our departed pets wait patiently for their reunion with their beloved masters. In this land – Collarworld – dogs and cats play peacefully with each other, birds fly in sky-painting formations, and horses race for the joy of the moment." In the last six years I've lost two of my furry soulmates, Kramer and Ditto, s

I read this book ages ago, 2004 to be precise, and I'm about to read it again. I'm making some pretty big personal decisions in the near future and in all honesty, I could stand to absorb the inspiration the whole experience provided me the fist time around. I want to talk about a book, or more precisely, the author of a book. It’s titled How to Make Love Like A Porn Star: A Cautionary Tale by Jenna Jameson. It’s an autobiography written by the famous porn star and I wasn’t s

"We believed in the rumor, in the Underground." I'm not quite sure how to write about this novel in order to do it the justice it deserves, which means you should stop reading now, buy it, and sit down to read immediately. The Water Dancer, by Ta-Nehisi Coates, introduces us to the main character, Hiram Walker. Hiram was born into slavery on a Virginia plantation and is the son of the plantation owner and a slave. His mother was sold and he has no memory of her at all - and t

I want to tell you about a book series I really enjoyed, set at Harvard University. The book series I’m recommending this week is by authors Lauren Kunze and Rina Onur, and the first book (and the series as a whole) is titled The Ivy. Having been accepted to Harvard’s summer Philosophy program many years ago, I was immediately intrigued as to how the school would be portrayed from a new student’s point of view. I couldn’t attend because of financial reasons, but all the same,

I saved this one for the closest to Halloween, but it was tough. This book is considered one of the best 'scary' novels for 2019, and I tend to agree. I finished it this morning around 3:30am after being woken up by one of my cats. I couldn't go back to sleep, but thankfully the husband was home so I wasn't alone. The Invited by Jennifer McMahon, is just what you need the week leading up to All Hallow's Eve. Set in Vermont, the novel isn't a typical ghost story where a couple

Girl Gone Smart would like to welcome Patrick to our blog roll! Patrick is an avid reader, musician, and all round cool dude. He doesn't pay for any of the books he reads. Instead, his public library and YouTube provide an endless supply of reading material. He's also partial to audio books so if that's you're thing - he has you covered! Patrick became interested in reading after picking up The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy - and he hasn't stopped since. "Physical books tak

I hit a snafu in my reading schedule. I was supposed to review House of Leaves by Mark D. Danielweski this week but I left my Kindle at a friend’s house. When I pulled over to get gas on the way home, I told my husband. His response was: “OMG! Did you call them? Where did you leave it? I have no idea what you are going to do!” He understood my panic. He gets me. Then during a phone call he said: “If you’re not always reading, does this mean I have to talk to you?” Funny guy.

When I love a book, I can wax lyrical for ages about its ups and downs, but for The Testaments by Margaret Atwood, this is going to be tough

It's not October yet, but for lovers of horror, supernatural, and all things weird, there's no time like the present to start your fall reading. Let me start you off this season with Nyctophobia by Christopher Fowler. When I was a kid, I used to have very strange dreams where I swear I was awake, but still in the middle of a nightmare. I’m not talking about sleep paralysis or night terrors. I’m talking about being fully mobile, getting out of my bed, calling for my Mother, al

Originally published in the Albany Times Union, June 2, 2017. Republished with updates for where to purchase. I was in the middle of reading something mindless, probably having to do with the supernatural, probably the third book in some series when David, a friend on Facebook, told me I should read a book he had recently finished. He had never recommended anything to me before so I figured I should look it up. Once I saw the cover and read the summary, I knew he had been pay

If you're not familiar with the book The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood, then surely you're familiar with the insanely popular show of the same name available on Hulu. It has captured the nation's, the world's, attention because to many women, it's beginning to feel eerily familiar with this administration's completely misogynistic, religiously conservative views. The novel was first published in 1985, and was quickly recognized as a modern classic. In college, it was req

This book was a free book of the month choice from Amazon. I have to admit I've been a bit more than fascinated by both fiction and non-fiction focusing on main characters who have some type of mental disorder, especially after reading Twelve Patients by Eric Manheimer. The perspectives can be so interesting, yet educational at the same time. One of the main characters, Eric Evans, has schizophrenia. We meet Eric at a particularly rough time in his life - his wife leaves him,

Most of you who follow my book reviews are aware of my passion for historical non-fiction. When Carnegie’s Maid was offered up as a free monthly option from Amazon, I had to grab it. I was so glad I did. The only thing with which I was disappointed is that it’s fiction. Though based on any number of people the main character isn't a 'real' person. Confusing it even more, the events are real, other characters are real people, but the story itself isn’t true… but it could be. A

I’ve been involved in quite a few lively debates about the minimum wage being raised over six years for fast food workers. One argument against the raise is: “Machines and computers are going to take over everything we do!” But wasn’t that supposed to happen ages ago in… say... 1984? As I sit here this evening trying to pick a book to discuss, I can’t help thinking about Scott Westerfeld’s book Uglies, the first in the series. It was originally published in 2005 so why am I w

I have a few folks asking me where my most recent book recommendation is, and the problem is I don’t really have one at this very moment because I'm absolutely trapped within 12 Patients: Stories of Life and Death at Bellevue Hospital. Thing is, it's more than just an average read for me, it feels personal so I'm taking my time and learning about myself as well. It's been quite beautiful but also painful. I will write about it eventually. And here's the thing, I want you to r