Quick Lit August 2025

The Whiskey Robber is Attilla Ambrus, a gentleman thief who couldn’t quite make ends meet, so he turned to robbing banks to supplement his income in 1990s Hungary, all while playing for the biggest hockey team in Budapest. His brazen crime spree goes on for years, which would be unbelievable if he weren’t up against a police team that’s almost too incompetent to be true.
Buy from Amazon Kindle
Buy from Amazon
Buy from Audible.com
Buy from Bookshop
Literary fiction lovers with similar taste encouraged me to give this a try. I was intrigued by the promise of a relational drama (my catnip) set against the backdrop of a little-told chapter of history: the Belfast Blitz, a 1941 series of Luftwaffe air raids that devastated the city. The story focuses on two adult sisters and their mother, as they each privately struggle with confusion and longing in their romantic relationships, against the backdrop of WWII. I especially enjoyed the exceptional attention to historical detail: I lingered over characters' descriptions of their trinkets and diaries, and the way one popped a piece of coal into the crisper to revive tired lettuce.
Buy from Amazon Kindle
Buy from Amazon
Buy from Bookshop
From the publisher: "Charlotte hates the holidays. As a former child actress, she starred in a modern classic of a holiday movie, and its fans won’t let her move on. When an article reveals that she had nixed plans for a reboot, she flees to London to spend the five-week countdown to the holidays with her sister. But the ghosts of Christmas past follow her there when she is recognized by a fan while viewing the extraordinary holiday decorations at Eden Priory, a filming location for the movie. Desperate to escape, she accepts a ride back to London from Graham, the son of the owners. Their family business—and the funds to keep their historic house running—relies on holiday cheer, and Graham knows a visit from a holiday star would bring in more visitors. Now an illustrator, Charlotte accepts a commission to paint iconic holiday movie scenes in London and its environs for Eden Priory, with Graham offering to escort her. But as Charlotte’s chaotic family holiday goes awry, she begins spending more time scouting locations with Graham in 'this sweet holiday treat wouldn’t feel out of place on the Hallmark channel' (Publishers Weekly)."
Buy from Amazon Kindle
Buy from Amazon
Buy from Audible.com
Buy from Bookshop

Buckle Up!

It’s almost time for the Summer Reading Guide. Order now and plan to join us on May 15th for Unboxing—the best book party of the year!

summer reading starts May 16th

Grab your Summer Reading Guide and join us for the best book party of the year!