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Where we go when we go to sleep and why we go there is one of the great mysteries of the mind. Why the mind at times refuses to go there, despite the pleading and bargaining of its conscious owner, is a greater mystery still. We know that ever since REM evolved in the bird brain, the third of our lives we spend sleeping and dreaming has been a crucible of our capacity for learning, emotional regulation, and creativity. But the price we have paid for these crowning curios of consciousness has been savage self-consciousness, thought turned in on itself, nowhere more maddening in its mania for rumination than in insomnia — that awful moment when, facing the fissure between your conscious wishes and your unconscious will, you realize that you are helpless against yourself, that there is not a single you pulling the strings of the mind but a tangle of thought and feeling rendering you a troupe of marionettes. Against this already discomposing backdrop, insomnia foregrounds an added cruelty: the more you think about not being able to sleep, the less able to sleep you are, spiraling into anxiety about how the night’s helpless wakefulness will compromise your day. But while lack of sleep does diminish basic functions like reflexes and recall, paradoxically, the brink of sleep can be salutary to creativity: In that liminal space between restlessness and rest, the mind’s organizing principles begin to fray with the fatigue of the day’s conscious labors and unbidden thoughts begin to emerge from the recesses of the unconscious, begin to collide with one another in the seething cauldron of the insomniac’s angst, begin to form the unexpected combinations we call originality. Franz Kafka (July 3, 1883–June 3, 1924) — one of history’s most prolific insomniacs — knew this, celebrated it, relished it. Franz Kafka Throughout his struggles with creative block, Kafka regularly found himself sleepless. Like Patti Smith, who fights insomnia with an imaginative visualization, he would cross his arms and lay his hands over his shoulders, visualizing himself laying as heavy as possible “like a soldier with his pack.” On his good days, he saw his insomnia as a badge of honor for a mind ablaze with thought: “I can’t sleep because I write too much,” he writes in his diary. On his bad days, he felt in it the tension between “the vague pressure of the desire to write” and “the nearness of insanity,” feared it left him too tired for creative work. On one such day, he records: Because of fatigue did not write and lay now on the sofa in the warm room and now on the one in the cold room, with sick legs and disgusting dreams. A dog lay on my body, one paw near my face. But another part of him realized that sleeplessness, rather than a hindrance to his creative vitality, is a function of it, honed on the edges of the night: Sleeplessness comes only because… I write. For no matter how little and how badly I write, I am still made sensitive by these minor shocks, feel, especially towards evening and even more in the morning, the approaching, the imminent possibility of great moments which would tear me open, which could make me capable of anything, and in the general uproar that is within me and which I have no time to command, find no rest. Illustration by Tom Seidmann-Freud from a philosophical 1922 children’s book about dreaming In a passage that suggests the creative impulse may just be our best way of calibrating how much reality we can hold, how much of the pain and rapture of being alive we can bear — what Virginia Woolf called “the shock-receiving capacity” that makes one an artist — Kafka adds: In the end this uproar is only a suppressed, restrained harmony, which, left free, would fill me completely, which could even widen me and yet still fill me. But now such a moment arouses only feeble hopes and does me harm, for my being does not have sufficient strength or the capacity to hold the present mixture, during the day the visible word helps me, during the night it cuts me to pieces unhindered. It is in the liminal times bookending the sleepless night that he discovers the fount of his creative powers: In the evening and the morning my consciousness of the creative abilities in me is more than I can encompass. I feel shaken to the core of my being and can get out of myself whatever I desire. If you are not yet ready to embrace your sleeplessness as a fulcrum of creativity, try Maurice Sendak’s antidote to insomnia; if you are ready to live into your creative powers, take heed in Kafka’s insight into the four psychological barriers between the talented and their talent. donating = loving For seventeen years, I have been spending hundreds of hours and thousands of dollars each month composing The Marginalian (which bore the outgrown name Brain Pickings for its first fifteen years). It has remained free and ad-free and alive thanks to patronage from readers. I have no staff, no interns, no assistant — a thoroughly one-woman labor of love that is also my life and my livelihood. If this labor makes your own life more livable in any way, please consider lending a helping hand with a donation. Your support makes all the difference. newsletter The Marginalian has a free weekly newsletter. It comes out on Sundays and offers the week’s most inspiring reading. Here’s what to expect. 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March is Women’s History Month, a time to reflect on the incredible contributions of women throughout history. Within this month of recognition, March 8th stands out as International Women’s Day (IWD)—a global celebration of women’s achievements and a call to action for gender equality. The theme “Join together for gender equality today for a sustainable tomorrow” reminds us that a just and

Rick Steves is arguably the country’s most beloved travel writer and guide since Mark Twain, and millions know him from his long-running series on traveling through Europe. But his latest book is a departure from his favorite continent, which he shares with viewers and readers of his popular guidebook series. Instead of writing about Paris or Berlin, he turns the mirror around and looks at himself as a 23-year-old recent college graduate who’d been making a living as a piano teacher. SEE ALSO: Like books? Get our free Book Pages newsletter about bestsellers, authors and more During the pandemic, when Steves was as homebound as everyone else, he dug out a detailed journal he’d kept about his 1978 trip along the so-called “hippie trail” from Istanbul to Kathmandu. “I read it and thought, ‘This is actually a treasure, because you can’t do this trip anymore,’” Steves said in a Rick Steves Travel Talks video on YouTube. This was a well-known overland journey of 3,000 miles that involved so many unknowns, discomforts and hardships that relatively few hippies actually attempted it. But Steves had been a hardcore travel junkie since he was young, and he had yearned for years to tackle it. Instead, he spent his summers in Europe every year on a break from his piano lessons. Eventually, though, he said he decided to go for it. On July 14, 1978, Steves set out from Europe on a 56-day epic adventure through 10 countries, joined by his college friend, Gene Overshaw. Luckily for his readers, he kept an astonishingly detailed diary of every aspect of the trip, perhaps foreshadowing his future career as a travel writer. Without much else to do, Steves began the process of editing his journal and making it into a publishable memoir, which was published last month. Upon its release, it soared immediately to No. 3 on the New York Times Nonfiction Best Sellers list, a testament both to his popularity as a travel show host and guide and to the breezy, colorful style of the book, which brings readers along with him as he learns many life lessons that will come to serve him well in the future. Over the decades, Steves has preached fervently to the public about the value of travel to enlarge our horizons, push our brains to think in new ways and bring the world closer. As a young man, Steves travels from one adventure to another in the book and the reader can can see the fledgling travel guru emerge, as he learns the joy of talking to everyday people on the street, even if he can’t speak their language. He also learns to travel on a dime, bedding down nervously in a series of rooms he describes as “filth, bugs, broken windows, cigarette butts stuffed into sooty holes in hotel rooms lit by dangling bulbs.” After a while, he wrote that the two companions decided to up their hotel budget to $5 a night to get a better night’s sleep. Steves and his friend travel mostly by local buses, including an epic journey from Istanbul to Tehran that he described as three miserable days in a bus driven by a man he dubbed “the pirate” who hated Steves on sight. Because they were the last people on the bus, they ended up on makeshift chairs over the wheels – a decidedly uncomfortable way to travel thousands of miles. In those days, there were no formal guidebooks published on how to take the “hippie trail,” and of course no Internet, either. Travel guru Rick Steves with his 2025 book,” On the Hippie Trail.” (photo courtesy of Rick Steves Europe) The two companions just winged it as best they could, talking to fellow travelers and borrowing their notes whenever they were able. Their only written guide was a map they brought with them. Since they were using film to shoot photos – before the digital camera era – they limited themselves to 8-10 shots a day so they wouldn’t run out of film before the end of the trip. After traveling as cheaply as possible through Turkey, Iran, Afghanistan and Pakistan, they finally arrived in India – the destination that Steves had been particularly anxious to see. He described the bouncy “A-class” bus that spent “12 hours winding through treacherous mountain roads to the hidden land of Kashmir. “The bus made good time, considering its age and the condition of the terrain we had to cross. It was 200 miles of almost continuously winding switchback narrow roads spiced with dreadful cliffs, huge falling boulders, local natives, lots of trucks and military vehicles, and constant signs reminding drivers with tacky little rhymes and slogans like, “Drive carefully – your family needs you” or “Better late than dead.” Finally, in Kashmir, the friends rented a houseboat and allowed themselves to relax and rest up. After visiting highlights of India, including the Taj Mahal and going to the holy river Ganges in Varnasi, they traveled on to Nepal, where its capital, Kathmandu, marked the end of the “hippie trail.” “It was the end of the rainbow for hippie travelers back then,” Steves recalled. Some of them just never left, remaining to subsist on marijuana and whatever they could scrounge. Steves himself used weed for the first time on the trip, in an environment where everyone else seemed to be doing it, and today he’s a spokesman for legalized marijuana. Finally, in Kathmandu, Steves and Openshaw collected their belongings, including a mink pelt named “Ringworm” that Steves had purchased along the way and flew back to Europe. But that wasn’t the end of the story. It was only the beginning. Permanently changed by his experience, Steves left the piano job and opened a small travel business that grew and grew. In 1980 – two years after the hippie trail – he published his first book, which is still in print today and on its 40th edition, “Europe Through the Back Door.” Today, he runs a travel emporium – Rick Steves Europe – from his hometown of Edmonds, Washington with 100 employees, selling guidebooks, European tours and accessories like money belts and packing cubes on RickSteves.com. He also offers 100 full-length travel shows on his website from his long-running PBS series. He also has a radio show and a syndicated travel column. Every Monday night, Steves holds a live, online free travel show full of tips with special guests. P.S. For those of you aware of Steves’ recent cancer diagnosis, he has posted on his Facebook page that his treatment is over and, as of this writing, he’s considered cancer-free. Details: “On the Hippie Trail: Istanbul to Kathmandu and the Making of a Travel Writer” by Rick Steves Avalon Travel, Hatchette Book Group, 2025 Price: $30 Related Articles Books | Burbank horror bookstore Dark Delicacies is closing its doors Books | Five books we can’t wait to read in March Books | Where do local booksellers get help when things get tough? Here. Books | Why ‘Origin Stories’ author says being a little ‘invisible’ affords creative freedom Books | Paul McCartney’s next book, ‘Wings,’ is a look back at the group he formed after the Beatles

Book Blogger Hop   This prompt was submitted by Billy @ Coffee Addicted Writer: How much time does blogging take out of your life weekly? Sure, I know technically that Billy is asking something else, but I can’t help but read that as, “How bad is my time management?” First, I’m not counting reading time. That’s a related, but separate, hobby. At least for the purposes of this post–also, it’ll help the hours stay low. Secondly–I’m not sure if I should count time sharing, re-posting, and other social media-type interactions to promote this blog and others. That’s kind-of blogging time. But also, not really. I’ve also been bad about that lately. Ideally, I’d say I spend 30-45 minutes each weekday on that. I’d be happy if I spent a half hour a week on it over the last couple of months. So, now, to the blog. Thirty minutes a day minimum (even when I don’t actually hit “Publish” or “Schedule.”). Three hours a day maximum. That’s 180 minutes-1080 minutes a week. That’s almost part-time job territory on the fuller weeks. I’m really wishing I hadn’t done this math now, he types, shaking a metaphorical and resentful fist in the direction of Coffee Addicted Writer. Fellow bloggers, what’s your weekly time look like? Any tips for me? (other than mainlining more caffeine or writing less) The post Book Blogger Hop: Weekly Blogging Time first appeared on The Irresponsible Reader.

Hello dear readers, Ali Scott’s latest novel, A Heart’s Secret, was released just yesterday, and I couldn’t be more thrilled to welcome her to From Pemberley to Milton today to share an excerpt of this exciting new book with all of you. A Heart’s Secret seems to be is right up my alley! It’s a forced engagement story with a wounded hero and just the right amount of angst to keep me hooked. I already know I won’t be able to put this one down, and I can’t wait to dive into Ali’s fresh and captivating take on Mr. Darcy What about you? Is this the type of book you enjoy too? If so, don’t forget to leave a comment on this post and apply to the giveaway Quills & Quartos is offering Thank you so much for visiting Ali, and thank you Quills & Quartos once more for allowing me to be a part of this celebration! Giving the dog a soft stroke between the ears, Elizabeth stood and went to the doorway to watch the activity in the yard. Just beyond her line of sight, she heard a man’s voice, enquiring as to why his horse was not ready. It was Mr Darcy, his deep voice cutting through the air. A groom muttered an explanation of the mishap, soon followed by the sound of footsteps approaching the stable. Elizabeth fought the urge to groan. Why must he be the one to discover my folly? She ran a hand over her gown in a futile attempt to look respectable. When Mr Darcy appeared in front of her, she decided it was better to poke fun at herself rather than attempt to justify her actions. “Good morning, sir. You find me at a disadvantage. You are dressed for the stables. Regrettably, I am not.” “There was mention of an accident?” Mr Darcy looked aghast. “I trust you are not hurt?” “No, but this little warrior did not escape the fight unscathed.” She gestured towards the small heap of rags and fur that was now sleeping peacefully at her feet. Mr Darcy took a step closer, and as he did, Elizabeth crouched down to move one of the bloodied rags to allow him to take a better look. “He came to my rescue, demonstrating enough bravery for an epic poem or —” She stopped when she glanced at the gentleman and saw that he was ashen; he looked as though he might faint. Moving quickly, she retrieved the mounting block and gestured for him to sit. “It will pass,” he said, waving away her kindness. The pallor of his face suggested he was still afflicted by whatever ailed him, however. “I must insist that you take a seat. I do not trust my strength to catch you if you swoon.” This was said to lift his spirit, and she was gratified to see a smile pass briefly across his face. Fortunately, he took her advice and sat himself gingerly on the block. “Is there anything I might do to help you?” Elizabeth asked. “Has this happened before?” His eyes closed, he nodded. “I do not like…” He gestured in the direction of the terrier. “You do not like the sight of blood?” she enquired gently. He inhaled deeply. “It is not the blood itself, rather the memory it evokes.” Elizabeth stared at him, wondering what terrible circumstance might have befallen him to cause such a strong response. Until now, she had thought of Mr Darcy as unfeeling, yet there was a genuine anguish in his expression, and her generous heart was alive to his pain. “Shall I call for assistance?” A little colour returned to his cheeks. “No. I thank you. Please, do not speak of this to anyone.” “Naturally, I shall not.” Mr Darcy looked at her briefly before lowering his gaze to the floor. He appeared embarrassed, and Elizabeth decided that the kindest thing to do was make light of the situation. “Do you know, this sometimes happens to me?” She sat upon another block beside him. “Usually when someone opens the pianoforte and asks me to perform.” A small grin pulled at his lips. “I find that difficult to believe. I thought all women enjoyed playing a musical instrument.” Arching her eyebrows playfully, she replied, “All women who are proficient do, the rest of us must pretend.” Mr Darcy gave a reluctant huff of laughter at this, and, reaching out with long arms, he found the side of the stable door and pulled himself to his feet. “What do you plan to do with your new companion?” He indicated to the dog without actually looking at it. “You mean David?” Elizabeth gave the sleeping dog a final pat before standing and joining Mr Darcy. “David?” “If you had seen the other dog, you would understand.” “Am I to infer that his opponent was Goliath? Your tiny protector must have been at quite the disadvantage.” “Only in stature. In courage, David has no equal.” Suppressing a smile, Mr Darcy shook his head slowly. “David is not a dog’s name.” “Oh really? Whose name is it then?” “I could not answer.” There was a gleam of humour in his eyes when he added, “But it is certainly not the name for a dog.” His manner of speaking was so familiar and unguarded that she was taken by surprise. It was as though a crack had formed in Mr Darcy’s proud exterior, and she was viewing a different man entirely. Mr FD of Derbyshire has been paying a great deal of attention to a certain Miss B. Has one of England’s wealthiest bachelors finally been ensnared? FITZWILLIAM DARCY HAS A SECRET, one that haunts him at every turn. Against his better judgement, he accepts an invitation to a house party in Hertfordshire where he encounters the beautiful Miss Elizabeth Bennet of Longbourn, whose lively spirits prove a welcome distraction from his sorrowful past. Yet his peace is disturbed by threats to his family and to his good name. Elizabeth is unexpectedly implicated, but should he suspect Elizabeth…or protect her? AFTER THEIR FIRST MEETING at the assembly in Meryton, Elizabeth Bennet is convinced there can be no ruder man than Mr Darcy. But a series of encounters at Netherfield Park forces her to reconsider her opinion of him, and she soon learns that Mr Darcy is a man with hidden depths. WHEN THE MYSTERIOUS ANNOUNCEMENT of their engagement is published in a London newspaper, she has no choice but to place her trust in him. They strike a deal, and suddenly Elizabeth is drawn into a web of deceit. Who is behind the malicious gossip column? What pain lies in Mr Darcy’s past? And what secret lies deep within her own heart? A Heart’s Secret is a forced engagement, wounded hero variation of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. The content is clean and the angst level is moderate. You can find A Heart’s Secret at: Amazon.com Amazon.co.uk and on Kindle Unlimited Quills & Quartos is giving away 1 ebook copy of A Heart’s Secret to one lucky reader who stops by at From Pemberley to Milton. To apply to the giveaway, all you have to do is leave a comment on this post and check our Q&Q’s page where they’ll announce the winner. Good luck everyone!

  Dear friends. Regular readers will know I enjoy a Ross Greenwood.  He writes crime thrillers that have complex plots, realistic and memorable characters, and a bit of humour.  I must confess I don't care for the name of his latest book - it makes it sound like cosy crime, which it certainly isn't. But the story itself is a winner. Join me on the blog tour for Death at Horsey Mere by Ross Greenwood.  PUBLISHER'S DESCRIPTION When a teenage couple go missing, the police aren’t too concerned. Young lovers often make bad choices. Then a body is found near a Suffolk lighthouse, and shortly after, two girls seem to vanish into thin air. Newly promoted DI Ashley Knight knows she has a battle on her hands to keep the public safe, and she’s going to need expert help. Ashley turns to her old protégé, Hector Fade, seconded from The Met to analyse an avalanche of data. But neither Hector nor Ashley are prepared for the chilling connection his work uncovers to the body by the lighthouse. Another victim is found at Horsey Mere and their worst suspicions are realised. A member of an Eastern European gang has gone rogue and is taking lives for fun. When Hector uncovers a pattern in the choice of victim, time is against the detectives to stop the murderer killing again. MY THOUGHTS Death at Horsey Mere is a showcase of Ross Greenwood at his best - there are gritty prison scenes, scenery, human interaction, poignant moments, and organised crime gangs - plus kidnap, prostitution and murder.  This is number four in the Norfolk Murders series but it can be read on its own. Our police investigator is DI Knight and this is her most challenging case yet. It revolves around a  trafficking group who were active in Europe but have since moved to Norfolk and Suffolk.  Another Greenwood character from a different series, Inspector Barton, pops in, which is fun.  I enjoyed the vivid and evocative descriptions of the Norfolk surroundings, having never visited that area.  It's a fast paced and tense thriller with plenty of twists and turns to keep the reader engaged.  ABOUT THE AUTHOR Ross Greenwood has had an eclectic career, ranging from financial advisor to Prison officer. The advent of parenthood and the terrifying rise of Spice in prison led Ross to become a stay -at-home parent and a novelist. Social Media Links Facebook: @rossgreenwoodauthor X:  @greenwoodross Instagram: @rossg555 Newsletter Sign Up: https://bit.ly/RossGreenwoodnews Bookbub profile: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/ross-greenwood Thanks to Rachel Gilbey at Rachel's Random Resources and the publisher for an advance copy in return for a review. MORE FROM ROSS GREENWOOD Death at Paradise Park The Village Killer You May Also Enjoy February 2025 Books  Sharing my posts with these fantastic sites.  For More Mutton Subscribe for 1 email a week from Is This Mutton for an update on posts you may have missed. Find us on Facebook, Instagram, Bluesky

Hello, book friends! For the past few years, I’ve joined many other book lovers in thinking about the role of Amazon in the bookish ecosystem. While I might still love my Kindle, I mostly get my books from the library and as ARCs. When I do buy them, I prefer to lean into alternatives like heading to a physical bookstore or shopping Bookshop.org. But this year especially, more and more book lovers are trying to get even further away from the Amazon ecosystem. And Amazon goes so much further than just selling books. They’ve got a strong hold on the eBook market with the Kindle, plus audiobooks with Audible. And let’s not forget that Amazon owns the popular reading tracking platform, Goodreads. With all that in mind, I wanted to share a list of my personal favorite Amazon alternatives across the board. If you’re thinking about ditching Amazon or just using its products less, I hope this list can help! Best Physical Book Alternatives to Amazon Image via Bookshop.org So, obviously, support your local independent bookstore when you can! However, people don’t use Amazon for the vibe, they do it for convenience. So I’m going to focus on ways to order books online for this one. Free Alternative: If you’re reading on a budget but still want to enjoy physical books, support your local library! Head there when possible and stock up on physical books to enjoy and return. If you’re a socially anxious girlie like me, most libraries let you browse their catalog online and place a hold. You can just walk in, grab the books, and go. Paid Alternative: Here, I love Bookshop.org. They support local bookstores with your online purchase, and they ship pretty fast, too! Shipping will cost you, unlike the Big A, but they do occasional free shipping promotions (especially around Prime Day). Full disclosure: I am a Bookshop.org affiliate, which means the links on the blog offer me a small kickback. However, I only signed up for this because I love Bookshop and use it myself – promise! As of now, Bookshop.org only ships to the US. There is a UK equivalent, Bookshop UK, that ships to England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. I’m unfortunately not too clear on alternatives for other countries but would love to hear recommendations if you have any that I can add! Best eBook Alternatives to Amazon I’m gonna be real with you here – this is probably the hardest one to really find a good comparison for. The Kindle is just a solid ereader, and Amazon likes to be tricky about who they’ll allow to sell ebooks for their devices. Free Alternative: The Libby app is a great way to get ebooks for free from your library, which you can send right to your Kindle. Many libraries are part of this system, making it pretty easy to access a full catalog of free ebooks. Paid Alternative: There’s still not a great solution here as far as I’m aware. Bookshop.org recently added ebooks, but you will need the Bookshop.org ebook app to read them. If you have a tablet as your ereader, this works great, but alas, no Kindles invited. I’ve also heard good things about Kobo, though I haven’t personally used it and it looks like it was acquired by Rakuten at some point, so things might have changed. Kobo offers their own ereader and a vast catalog of ebooks to choose from. Best Audiobook Alternative to Amazon Image via LibroFM Here, I have some solid recs. I keep Audible on my phone to listen to my back catalog, but I haven’t paid for the service in years. Free Alternative: Again, singing the praises of the Libby app here. Great way to get audiobooks for free and support your local library. Paid Alternatives: I adore LibroFM, which is sort of the audiobook version of Bookshop.org. Your audiobook purchases support local bookstores – and yes, you can pick which one! The app works well and they have a pretty extensive catalog, although Amazon has gotten into the “Audible exclusive” game in recent years which is taking a bite out of that in some situations. I will also confess I still use Spotify for audiobooks. I have the subscription for music anyway, even if it’s not my favorite use of my dollars, and I like getting those free audiobook hours as part of it. The catalog is good, and if you choose carefully, you can read a whole book a month. Best Goodreads Alternative Goodreads is, for me, the one that hurts the most. I have years of my reading catalogued on there, and I’m used to the ecosystem. I haven’t gotten rid of my account, but I’m spending the year with some alternatives to see how we go. Thus far, I’ve liked Storygraph best. I tried Storygraph a few years ago, but I didn’t like some of the wonky stuff that happened when I imported my Goodreads data. It’s really nice that they have this option, but I decided to just start fresh this year, and I’m liking the app a lot better this way. I will say, Storygraph took some heat for its use of generative AI to create book summaries, but this feature is now opt-in so you can simply leave it off, which is what I do. I actually really like some of the aspects of Storygraph better than Goodreads. It offers nice little stats breakdowns in pie chart form and I like that the ratings do .5 stars and let you put the moods of the book. Final Thoughts Overall, there are decent options for Amazon alternatives in pretty much every area of your bookish life, if you want them. These are just the ones I know of, so I’d be curious to hear if others have additional recommendations for what they use!

Coming March 25, 2025 Nobody’s Fool (Detective Sami Kierce) Suspense/Thriller 2nd in Series Setting – New York – Spain Publisher ‏ : ‎ Grand Central Publishing (March 25, 2025) Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 352 pages ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1538756358 ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1538756355 Kindle ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0CW1CYLGN Audiobook ASIN B0DHDDS3PT A year after the devastating events that took place in Harlan Coben’s bestselling thriller and #1 Netflix series Fool Me Once, a secret from former Detective Sami Kierce’s college days comes back to haunt him. MALAGA – 2000 Sami Kierce, a young man backpacking in Spain with friends, wakes up one morning to discover he’s covered in blood. There’s a knife in his hand. Beside him, the body of a woman. Anna. Dead. He doesn’t know what happened. He begins to scream. NEW YORK CITY – 2025 Kierce, now a disgraced detective, is teaching night classes when he recognizes a familiar face in the crowd. Anna. It’s unmistakably her. As soon as Kierce makes eye contact with her, she runs. For Kierce there is no choice. He must find this woman and solve the impossible mystery that has haunted his every waking moment since that day. His investigation will bring him face-to-face with his past. Soon, he discovers that some secrets should stay buried . . . Dollycas’s Thoughts Former Detective Sami Kierce is now teaching night classes. It is there that his past from 25 years ago hits him right in the face. A woman he was afraid he killed just walked into his class. He met Anna while he was backpacking in Spain with friends in 2000. His friends moved on and he stayed with her until he woke up one morning with a knife in his hand, covered in blood, and Anna dead. The woman runs from his classroom as soon as he sees her. That moment in Malaga is heavily etched in his memory. Could Anna truly be alive? Is he hallucinating? What really happened that night? He can’t let it go. He has to find her. But he may regret tracking her down. Should the past remain in the past? Could it be dangerous? Will someone else die? Could Sami be killed? Is he putting his wife and young son in jeopardy? Fool Me Once was released on March 22, 2016. It quickly became a favorite Coben thriller. While I remembered much about the story, I was thrilled that Netflix adapted it and released it in an 8-episode limited series last year which I binge-watched a few weeks ago. This not only made the story fresh in my mind, but it also put faces on Sami and the characters who join Sami Kierce in Nobody’s Fool. Sami went through a lot in Fool Me Once, he is no longer a detective but works as a private investigator and teaches a night class in criminology with some very interesting students. He is still in contact with his ex-partner Marty and is married to Molly with an infant son named Henry. Life wasn’t great but they were getting by when his past walks back in his life. Molly and Henry are good for Sami, they keep him grounded as chaos starts to surround him. Their love is palpable and Molly is a treasure. Sami is a smart man with a good heart and when he starts something he intends to finish it, no matter where the clues lead. All the characters in this story are complex and well-crafted. Their interactions feel true and I enjoy the humor and sarcasm I have come to expect in Mr. Coben’s stories. Mr. Coben never disappoints. Nobody’s Fool is full of plotlines twisted together with tons of action and suspense. Kierce has his class working a cold case after the guilty party was released from prison on a technicality. They have also convinced him to let them help with the Anna matter. As much as you try to figure out where the author is taking his characters and us readers, my advice is to just hold on and enjoy the ride because there are twists upon twists, turns upon turns, surprises, and edge-of-your-seat moments that only Harlan Coben can provide. I have to say the unexpected ending threw me for a loop. I had to pick my jaw up off the floor. Wow! Just WOW! Then stay tuned for the cliffhanger. Nobody’s Fool is a fast-paced suspense thriller that blew me away. Another extraordinary story from Mr. Harlan Coben. I hope NetFlix picks this one up too. I already felt like I was watching all the drama, tension, and suspense unfold before my eyes so I would love to see what they would do with it. I also hope we don’t have to wait another 10 years for another Detective Sami Kierce book because I am very intrigued to see where life takes him next. Look for Nobody’s Fool on my Best Reads of 2025. I encourage you to preorder your copy today! I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. Thank you to the author, Grand Central Publishing, and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC. Your Escape Into A Good Book Travel Agent From Amazon About the Author Harlan Coben is a #1 New York Times bestselling author and one of the world’s leading storytellers. His suspense novels are published in forty-six languages and have been number-one bestsellers in more than a dozen countries, with eighty million books in print worldwide. His Myron Bolitar series has earned the Edgar, Shamus, and Anthony Awards, and several of his books have been developed into Netflix original series, including the #1 global hit Fool Me Once, The Stranger, The Innocent, Gone for Good, The Woods, Stay Close, and Hold Tight, as well as the Amazon Prime series adaptation of Shelter. He lives in New Jersey. Find out more about Harlan Coben and his books on his webpage here. This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase using my links, I will receive a small commission from the sale at no cost to you. Thank you for supporting Escape With Dollycas. Giving you options. Support Local Bookstores with Bookshop.org. Nobody's Fool Amazon $ 14.99 Fool Me Once Amazon $ 9.99 The Myron Bolitar Series Deal Breaker: The First Myron Bolitar Novel Amazon $ 7.99 Drop Shot: A Myron Bolitar Novel Amazon $ 6.99 Fade Away: A Myron Bolitar Novel Amazon $ 6.99 Back Spin: A Myron Bolitar Novel Amazon $ 4.99 One False Move: A Myron Bolitar Novel Amazon $ 6.99 The Final Detail: A Myron Bolitar Novel Amazon $ 6.99 Darkest Fear: A Myron Bolitar Novel Amazon $ 6.99 Promise Me (Myron Bolitar Book 8) Amazon $ 7.99 Long Lost (Myron Bolitar Book 9) Amazon $ 7.99 Live Wire (Myron Bolitar Book 10) Amazon $ 7.99 Home (Myron Bolitar Book 11) Amazon $ 7.99 Think Twice (Myron Bolitar) Amazon $ 15.99 Also written by Harlan Coben I Will Find You Amazon $ 11.99 The Innocent: A Suspense Thriller Amazon $ 9.99 Caught Amazon $ 9.99 The Woods: A Suspense Thriller Amazon $ 9.99 Find all of Harlan Coben’s books here. Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Receiving a complimentary copy in no way reflected my review of this book. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.” “As an Amazon Associate, I earn a commission from qualifying purchases.” The post Nobody’s Fool (Detective Sami Kierce) by Harlan Coben #Review @GrandCentralPub @HarlanCoben appeared first on Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book - Great Escapes Book Tours .

This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Bowling Green chapter. Hi! I’m Reagan, and this is my first article for Her Campus. One of my favorite hobbies is reading, so I figured I’d start off writing about that! I really love it when the second book in a series is better than the first, especially when I’ve been waiting for a sequel to be released and it far exceeds the hype when I finally get to read it. So I thought I’d share a few recommendations of series where the sequel is (in my opinion) even better than the first book! Photo by Janko Ferli? from Unsplash Complete Duologies First, we have the Foul Lady Fortune series by Chloe Gong (she’s one of my favorite authors). The first installment, Foul Lady Fortune, is set in 1930s Shanghai and revolves around Rosalind Lang, who is a skilled assassin that is effectively immortal due to an experiment performed on her. But when murders arise in her city, she must team up with another spy named Orion Hong, and they must pretend to be married as a cover. Needless to say (I mean, come on— fake marriage and secret identities), the novel was 5 stars. The sequel, Foul Heart Huntsman, on the other hand, was even better. There was so much angst, and the characters are so fun to read about. Plus, in the second book, some characters from another series Chloe Gong wrote make an appearance… it’s impossible not to love a good crossover. That’s all I can really say without spoilers, so just read the series! Next is the Six of Crows duology by Leigh Bardugo. If you haven’t read this series, what are you waiting for? I dragged my feet for much too long before reading it because I was too stubborn to read such a popular, hyped-up book. After I read the first book, I was upset at myself because I didn’t listen to my friends begging me to read it for so long. It was amazing. Every character was a joy to read about; they were all so complex and relatable in different ways. The plot? The banter? The drama? Fantastic. While reading the second book, Crooked Kingdom, I was stressed the entire time— in a good way— and was constantly texting my friend in all caps. It was a 6-star read (minus chapters 39-40, of course). “Always hit where the mark isn’t looking.” “Who’s Mark?” Leigh Bardugo, Six of Crows Incomplete Series The first currently unfinished series I want to talk about is the Flesh and False Gods series by Chloe Gong! The first book, Immortal Longings, was really good. It’s centered around a city-wide competition where the goal is to be the last player alive. Two players, Calla Tuoleimi and Anton Makusa, have very different reasons for competing in the games, but soon they forge an alliance. The sequel, Vilest Things, gets even crazier than the first. It’s filled with angst, plot twists, and intrigue. I devoured it, and I’m eagerly waiting for Chloe Gong to finish writing the third book. Finally, we have the Assistant to the Villain series by Hannah Nicole Maehrer. This series is a cozy fantasy tale starring a woman named Evie who gets hired (sort of accidentally) by The Villain. Many hijinks ensue, as well as some banter and romantic pining— who doesn’t love a good slow burn? I rated the first book, Assistant to the Villain, 4 stars. After going to the bookstore over the summer with a friend so that we could both buy the second book, Apprentice to the Villain, I embarked on such an enjoyable romp through that novel. I laughed, I gasped, I sent more all-caps text messages. The author crafted up such a lovable bunch of characters, and the setting of the series is vivid and unique. 5 stars from me, and only a little over 5 months until the third book is released! “You just can’t kill people and be pretty. It’s confusing.” Hannah Nicole Maehrer, Assistant to the Villain Thanks so much for reading this article! I could yap all day about books, so expect future literary-themed articles from me. In the wise words of George R.R. Martin: “A mind needs books as a sword needs a whetstone, if it is to keep its edge.” The post Reagan’s Recs: Series Where the Sequel is Better Than the First Book first appeared on Her Campus.

Welcome to my stop on the Great Escapes Virtual Book Tour for High Tea and Misdemeanors (A Tea Shop Mystery) by Laura Childs. Stop by each blog on the tour for interviews, guest posts, spotlights, reviews and more! High Tea and Misdemeanors (A Tea Shop Mystery) by Laura Childs High Tea and Misdemeanors (A Tea ... Read More about High Tea and Misdemeanors (A Tea Shop Mystery) by Laura Childs | Author Guest Post with (2) Print Book Giveaway US 3/18 The post High Tea and Misdemeanors (A Tea Shop Mystery) by Laura Childs | Author Guest Post with (2) Print Book Giveaway US 3/18 appeared first on Christy's Cozy Corners.

This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Queen's U chapter. If you’re like me, you’re tired of the cold weather and the blizzards that take any sense of self you ever had with them. When I was younger the snow felt like a magic blanket. It meant a day off from school and drinking hot chocolate with my mom. But when you’re in the middle of an extremely stressful midterm season and your depression demands you leave the house at least once a day, the snow no longer feels like a gift but a reminder about the temporality of our lives. It’s hard to remember the joy that comes from the snow as it traps and isolates you from the people you love. How does one stop this feeling from holding you hostage, consuming your every thought, and wearing you down into a shell of a person? Photo by Nathan Dumlao from Unsplash By escaping into the world of literature, I force myself to get out of my head, stop ruminating in what can only be described as a very pathetic sadness, and do a simple activity that makes me feel alive again. Reading gives me a break from the terrifying feeling of emptiness that accompanies the cold weather and always provides some much needed perspective in my life. Focusing on the lives of others distracts me from my issues and is a nice way of reminding myself that I am most certainly not alone in my despair, and am not alone in trying to write about it either.  Franz Kafka’s experience with alienation and existential dread gives me a strange sense of community. Joan Didion’s essays about political unrest in the 1960s American landscape evokes an expected eerie emotion, similar to one experienced when reflecting on the current political hellscape. Haruki Murakami’s surrealist novels are filled with lonely characters who escape their own lives through the magical worlds they create. Audre Lorde’s writing about identity, self-expression, and resilience inspires me to live differently and to embrace myself without compromise.  I consume these books with a vigorous lust for a new frame of mind or an adventure that will subdue my own misery, urging every last word to memory only to then reluctantly forget them a few months later. It’s really not as temporary as I make it out to be and as daunting as it may seem, there is comfort in knowing that there are millions of books waiting to be read. Although I may not get a chance to read them all, there is a never-ending pool of knowledge and ideas that I am fortunate enough to have access to, and I am eager to dive right in. João Silas So, despite this winter being one of the harshest ones in recent memory, I suggest you spend your time inside reading something that you’re interested in or have been meaning to read and escape into the world of literature. Let it give you the joy that your childhood self experienced during the first snow of the season. Let it introduce you to new ideas, new people, new versions of yourself, and give yourself a break from any mental anguish you may be experiencing. The post A Literary Escape: Beating The Winter Blues first appeared on Her Campus.

This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at FSU chapter. Classics often get lumped into the boring and difficult-to-read stereotype. I disagree — these books are filled with insightful life experiences and unique perspectives. There’s a reason classic books are still talked about today: they offer timeless advice, go in-depth about human nature, and have undoubtedly influenced modern literature and media. I’ve learned to love the art of reading and cherish the written word of the classics, but I want to highlight prominent female authors of classic novels to celebrate Women’s History Month. These women shaped history through their pens, forever impacting modern works and defying stereotypes of what women can and can’t do. Passing by Nella Larsen With the transition from Black History Month in February to Women’s History Month in March, Passing by Nella Larsen is an important work to highlight. In the novel, Larsen writes about the struggles of being a ‘passing’ black woman married to a racist white man and her struggle with self-identity. Set in the 1920s, the novella highlights the obstacles of American racism and assimilation to discuss intersectionality and race. Larsen was influenced by the Harlem Renaissance Era, which criticized race and promoted a more inclusive society. Passing led to her being the first African-American woman to receive the Guggenheim Fellowship, allowing her to work on her third book. Kindred by Octavia E. Butler View this post on Instagram A post shared by Freedom Futures (@freedomfutures) Octavia E. Butler is a pioneer of the dystopian and social issues genre: in her novel Kindred, there are science fiction elements, yet the overall work is more of a historical fiction set in the early 19th century. Showcasing how deep-rooted racism runs through our society, Butler balances the violence that occurred at the time with narrations of injustices. Labeled the “mother of Afrofuturism,” Butler was an influential author in her discussion of social justice, gender stereotypes, environmentalism, and white privilege in her works. In 1995, she became the first science fiction author to win the MacArthur “Genius” Fellowship. Alongside this novel, I highly recommend her as an author, and her environmentalism dystopian works Parable of the Sower and Parable of the Talents. The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood View this post on Instagram A post shared by Women Student Union (@wsu_fsu) The Handmaid’s Tale is one of my favorite books of all time. A dystopian novel set in 2005, the plot of Margaret Atwood’s hit novel discusses women’s rights and discrimination in a futuristic world where the Republic of Gilead replaces the United States. The Handmaid’s Tale has been heavily discussed in modern politics and government due to the similarities between the book and reality. Atwood is a Canadian writer and poet and is known for her advocacy for feminism, environmentalism, and social justice, as seen through her myriad of works. Winning a multitude of awards for her novels and poetry, including the Booker Prize and the Governor General’s Award, Atwood is acclaimed for her writing and her social advocacy. If you’ve previously read the book or end up reading it, you can join HCFSU and the Women’s Student Union at FSU for Books in Bloom on March 18. During the event, both organizations are collaborating to host a book club discussion about The Handmaid’s Tale. The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton Published in 1920, Edith Wharton created a feminist love story in the Gilded Age by including a male protagonist internally struggling with feminist ideals. Wharton wrote The Age of Innocence to express her feminist thoughts on the flaws and suffering of the upper class during the 19th century, and this novel won her the honor of being the first woman to receive the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction. Wharton was born in 1862, a time when women weren’t supposed to have a purpose beyond getting married and being devoted mothers. Regardless, this did not stop her from writing, and she ended up writing 40 books in 40 years. Living in Paris, France, during World War I, Wharton created a network of charitable organizations and dedicated herself to witnessing the realities of war. She also received the French Legion of Honor for her charity and humanitarian work. Little Women by Louisa May Alcott View this post on Instagram A post shared by cinesmoker (@cinesmoker) Little Women is a brilliant movie and an even better book. Reading this novel reminds any woman that they should pursue their passions despite gender norms, a theme narrating the protagonist’s transformation from childhood to womanhood in the book. Louisa May Alcott wrote this novel based on her sisters; however, during the Civil War, her efforts shifted from writing to nursing. Alcott worked as a nurse at a makeshift hospital in Washington, DC, assisting dying soldiers and doctors with operations. Unfortunately, after contracting typhoid disease, her career as a nurse ended, and Alcott returned to the world of writing. In addition to being an author and nurse, Alcott was a pioneer in fighting for women’s rights. It’s said that she would go door-to-door campaigning for women’s suffrage in Massachusetts. Writing women’s periodicals, Alcott devoted much of her time to the movement and became the first female voter in Concord, Connecticut, in the 1870s. While many of these works have been adapted to film, I’m a book lover at heart, and I believe that it’s much more rewarding to read books. These accomplished and inspiring women fought for what they believed in through the written word, solidifying their place in the literary world. Not only are these books well-written with an admirable cause to spread, but the women behind them pushed the boundaries of gender norms for women today. Want to see more HCFSU? Be sure to like us on Facebook and follow us on Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, and Pinterest! The post 5 Classic Books To Read for Women’s History Month first appeared on Her Campus.

The Spellshop by Sarah Beth Durst Genres: Fantasy, Romance Pages: 376 Rating: Synopsis: Every home needs a little magic... Kiela has always had trouble dealing with people, and as librarian at the Great Library of Alyssium, she hasn’t had to. She and her assistant, Caz, a sentient spider plant, have spent most of the last eleven years sequestered among the empire’s precious spellbooks, protecting the magic for the city’s elite. But a revolution is brewing and when the library goes up in flames, Kiela and Caz steal whatever books they can and flee to the faraway island where she grew up. But to her dismay, in addition to a nosy – and very handsome – neighbour, she finds the town in disarray. The empire has slowly been draining power from the island, and now Kiela is determined to make things right. But opening up her own spellshop comes with its own risks – the consequence of sharing magic with commoners is death. And as Kiela starts to make a place for herself among the townspeople, she realizes she must break down the walls she has kept so high . . . I received a copy of this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. I’d been looking forward to Sarah Beth Durst’s The Spellshop for quite a while, because I do love my cosy reads, and I especially loved the idea of a sentient spider plant being a major character. And Caz certainly didn’t disappoint, and is an excellent sidekick. I also liked what we see of the world, the magic, and of course, the love of books. In the end, I think I felt a bit dissatisfied because it felt like a world created just for the story. Which of course it is, that’s normal, but I mean that I didn’t have a good sense of what lay beyond the story’s edges, and I don’t just mean in terms of a map. I was also a bit meh about the romance, because it felt rushed. It tries to add depth to that with some history between the characters, but it didn’t ultimately ring true to me. Adding the depth didn’t work because, OK, Larran remembers Kiela, but she doesn’t remember him. So things should, at least, have taken more time on her side. I do love Caz, though, and then the addition of Meep. It was a fun read as long as I didn’t think too deeply into it, ultimately. And it is pretty cosy, despite the opening being a flight from a burning capital city during a revolution, and despite some peril for Kiela and another character. Rating: 3/5