Goodreads

Release date: June 17, 2025

Publisher: Ballantine

Genre: Non fiction

Synopsis:

Low-rise jeans, butterfly clips, The Lizzie McGuire Movie, and Paris Hilton’s nights out. The early 2000s were a time of major moments in fashion, media, celebrity culture, and especially music. The aughts saw female artists, specifically pop stars, make up more than half of the highest-grossing musicians of the decade—the only time in the history of recorded music. Artists such as Britney Spears, Avril Lavigne, Taylor Swift, Rihanna, and Beyoncé were leading the charge—their success not only reflecting a new investment in female-led music, but also major cultural changes.

In Hit Girls, Nora Princiotti examines how these artists built the modern music industry by redefining its relationship to genre, technology, and celebrity. She unpacks when Brit wore pigtails and opened the bubblegum floodgates for Christina Aguilera and Jessica Simpson to run through them, leading to the emergence of Avril, P!nk, and Paramore as a (no-less-poppy) punk antidote to the first wave of pop. Innovations in technology lead to the rise of EDM, as artists like Rihanna experimented with sound while artists like Ke$ha and Katy Perry embraced the “party anthem.” Along the way, Princiotti explores how celebrity evolved alongside the shift in media from tabloids to MySpace to Instagram and how Taylor ultimately created one of the largest, most dedicated fandoms the world has ever seen.

With passion, energy, and a slew of fun facts, Hit Girls shows how this decade of pop became a major cultural signifier continues to have a lasting impact today.

Review:

From Beyoncé and Britney Spears to Kelly Clarkson, Lady Gaga, Taylor Swift, and more, Princiotti breaks down the major players and their impact with humor, heart, and a deep appreciation for the genre. While the book doesn’t necessarily unearth new information or shocking revelations, it’s not really trying to. Hit Girls thrives in its nostalgic glow, inviting readers to revisit the music, the moments, and the memories with fresh eyes.

I enjoyed the authors writing style, it feels like catching up with a pop savvy best friend; casual, funny, and full of enthusiasm. It’s as if you’re sitting on the couch together, reminiscing about middle school dances, CD booklets, and the MTV Video Music Awards. The tone is light, fun, and totally bingeable, perfect for anyone who wants a joyful, slightly sparkly break from heavier reads.

Hit Girls might not offer groundbreaking insight, but it doesn’t need to. It’s a celebration, not a thesis, and for fans of 2000s pop, it hits all the right notes.

Overall rating: 3.5/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.

Release date: June 17, 2025

Publisher: Atria/Emily Bestler

Genre: Mystery/Thriller

Synopsis:

An English professor’s deadly past comes back to haunt her in this chilling and sexy thriller from #1 New York Times bestselling author Vi Keeland.

As a college English professor, Elizabeth looks forward to the start of each new semester teaching her creative writing seminar. At least until she reads chapter one of The Reckoning, a tale about a high school senior who has an affair with her teacher. To anyone else it would be the beginning of a great page-turner, but to Elizabeth it is the beginning of the end.

She knows this story. It’s all familiar because she lived it. The girl in the story was her best friend Jocelyn, and Elizabeth knows exactly how the story will end—with the professor dead. Because she was the one who killed him.

Someone knows what Elizabeth did twenty years ago and her secret is about to be exposed, but who is the mystery student submitting the chapters? In an effort to find out, Elizabeth returns to her Louisiana hometown where it soon becomes clear that no matter how many years have gone by, she can’t escape her past.

Review:

Vi Keeland is best known for her contemporary romances, but in her latest, she takes a darker turn and absolutely nails it. This was a fast paced, cleverly plotted thriller that had me hooked from the very first chapter. It’s smart, gripping, and laced with just enough spice to raise your pulse between the twists. The final chapter? Absolutely jaw dropping.

Though there’s some spice woven in (mild for romance fans, potentially spicy for thriller readers), it’s never the focus. Instead, the emotional intensity and unsettling themes, particularly around abuse and grooming, take center stage. The author handles these darker elements with care, using them to deepen the story rather than shock.

If you’re in the mood for a thriller that blends emotional weight with page turning suspense, Someone Knows is a standout. Smart, addictive, and unexpectedly powerful, I’m a huge fan of the authors thriller journey! 

Overall rating: 4.5/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.

Goodreads

Release date: June 10, 2025

Publisher: Atria/Emily Bestler

Genre: Contemporary Fiction

Synopsis:

The “absolutely hilarious” (Real Simple) Amy Poeppel delights once again with a charming new novel about a house swap gone wonderfully awry.

Perfect strangers Lucy and Greta have agreed to a house swap—and boy, are they going to regret it.

Lucy’s hometown of Dallas has gone from home sweet home to vicious snake pit in the blink of an eye after her son makes a mistake he can’t undo. And Greta’s beloved flat in Berlin is suddenly up for grabs when her husband Otto takes a dream job in Texas without even telling her. In their rush to leave town, Lucy and Greta make a deal, pack their bags, and—thanks to martinis, desperation, and some very rusty German—have absolutely no idea what they’re getting themselves into.

Trading Southern charm and barbecue for European sophistication and schnitzel, the two women get a lot more than a change of scenery as they move into each other’s houses, neighborhoods, and lives. Greta and Lucy’s husbands are no help: Otto is winning over his colleagues, swimming laps in the backyard pool, and rooting for the Rangers, while Lucy’s husband is doing a six-month stretch out west, either in a NASA biosphere or in jail, depending on who you ask. Meanwhile, Greta’s daughter Emmi and Lucy’s son Jack get tossed into each other’s orbits, where they both discover secrets they can’t ignore.

When Greta’s biggest career achievement—the buzzworthy purchase of a Vermeer at auction—is thrown into question and Lucy’s past with a hot Viking named Bjørn invades her present, the two women need each other in ways they never could have imagined. Through jet lag, culture shock, suspiciously nice neighbors, and scandals that refuse to be left behind, Lucy and Greta will have to decide if they can ever go home again.

Review:

Amy Poeppel has such a knack for writing smart, funny, and heartfelt novels, and Far and Away is no exception. I love her style, her humor always hits the mark for me, and this one had me laughing out loud while also tugging at my heart.

The premise of a house swap with a total stranger is both terrifying and fascinating, and the author uses it to set the stage for some hilarious, chaotic, and totally original moments. The story is packed with family drama, long buried secrets, and unexpected twists, but it never feels heavy. Instead, it’s the fun kind of chaos; messy, unpredictable, and full of heart.

If you love character driven stories with a strong emotional core, sharp humor, and a lot of heart, definitely add this one to your list. It’s the perfect blend of drama and comedy, I was genuinely sad to say goodbye to these characters. 

Overall rating: 4/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.

Goodreads

Release date: June 3, 2025

Publisher: Sourcebooks Landmark

Genre: Mystery/Thriller

Synopsis:

Ghostwriter Olivia Dumont has spent her entire professional life hiding the fact that she is the only child of legendary horror author Vincent Taylor, famous not only for his novels but for being the prime suspect in the brutal slaying of his siblings. On the brink of financial ruin, Olivia reluctantly agrees to ghostwrite her father’s last book, not realising she will be forced to reckon with the ghosts that live at the centre of her family.

Review:

This book had such a compelling and unique premise, an estranged daughter reconnecting with her possibly murderous father after years apart to ghostwrite his final book? Talk about original and intriguing! I was immediately hooked by the setup. The cold case murders of Olivia’s aunt and uncle are shrouded in mystery, and the lingering questions kept me turning the pages, eager to uncover the truth.

While the story unfolds at a slower pace( it’s definitely a slow burn) I found myself invested enough to stick with it. There were a few moments where the plot dragged a bit, but overall, it maintained my interest. What really worked for me was the seamless blend of family drama and true crime style mystery. The emotional tension between Olivia and her father added a personal layer that complemented the investigative aspect of the plot. The writing itself was strong, with well drawn characters and a moody, suspenseful tone that suited the story perfectly.

If you enjoy slow building suspense with complicated family dynamics and a haunting cold case at its core, this one is worth picking up.

Overall rating: 4.5/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.