Grand Central Publishing Archives

Book Review:: Circle of Days | Ken Follett

Put yourself in the shoes (or lack of them) of our ancestors. Those tribes of people who came before us. Living in rudimentary societies, living off of the land, shaping the most basic of industries we still have at the foundations of our current societies. What were they like? What was important to them? What did they think about and care about and love? We have so few scraps of information about them, and even less context for who they were and how they lived. Stone circles, for example, in the hills of Great Britain.

Circle of Days by Ken Follett Book Cover

In Ken Follett’s newest novel Circle of Days, he explores a possible answer to those questions with several groups of people who lived back then, and left a monument behind that would outlast them, their children, and for many generations beyond. Their most ingenuitive accomplishment that took major feats of persuasion, teamwork, and problem solving the likes their tribes had never before imagined.

What a story.

The world that Follett paints in this novel is colorful and realistic and obviously based in extensive research (considering the plausibility), and also incredibly creative. He uses the vehicle of these ancient times to discuss many attributes of human nature from cruelty, spiritualism, education, control, and love.

The novel follows several casts of characters from different societies: herders, farmers, and forest folk who gathered. In the book they are quite separate, with their own beliefs, cultures, and structures, usually coming together on certain ceremonial days throughout the year. There is a flint miner, a priestess, a herder, a farmer, men and women, powerful and weak. It’s a grand scope of a novel with life and death, sorrow and love, triumph and tragedy.

I loved it, and I’m happy to have so many of Ken Follett’s backlist still to enjoy. If you like historical fiction, you are in for a treat with this one.

Note:: I received an early copy of this book from the publisher through netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Details

Title:: Circle of Days
Author:: Ken Follett
Genre:: Historical Fiction
Publisher:: Grand Central Publishing
Length:: 704 pages
Audio Length:: 19h 13m
Published:: September 23rd, 2025
The Litertarian Rating:: 4-Stars

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Book Review:: The Unraveling of Julia | Lisa Scottoline

Julia, still grieving the loss of her older adoptive parents, finds out she is the recipient of an old Italian villa from a woman she’s never heard of. At first she is convinced it is a misunderstanding, but once she arrives in Italy it becomes clear that there’s been no mistake, and that perhaps Emilia Rossi knew something Julia didn’t.

The Unraveling of Julia by Lisa Scottoline Book Cover

There are many mysteries to uncover in the old Italian villa, about the proprietress and the family that once lived there. Julia begins almost immediately having vivid visions once she arrives that has her convinced there is a tether somewhere there of Julia’s biological family.

Like any good psychological thriller, the lines of reality get a little bit blurry, and almost everything we think we know is constantly in doubt. Who is this woman who left Julia this decrepit property? Did she really have ties to an ancient Italian duchess with a scandalous history? Are either or both of them of any relation to Julia? And why is she feeling so much pressure to sell and leave the past to be buried with the old crone who left it to her?

This book explores something I don’t often encounter in books: a spiritual intuition. Astrology, horoscopes, intuition, and even communicating beyond the veil as a medium. I tend to believe there is a spiritual realm of some sort of which we normally do not have access to. I love the idea that sometimes, under the right circumstances, or with the right people, we can connect over that bridge. If you are fully anti-‘woo-woo’, you will probably not enjoy this book.

While I did really enjoy this story, it didn’t really grab me fully under its spell. Theoretically I really enjoy the idea of this book, but I just wasn’t able to fully sink in the way I like. It might have been a timing issue, or something about trying to juggle so many theories without knowing up from down for so much of the novel. Was it a good book? Absolutely. Will I continue to read every Lisa Scottoline book I can get my hands on? Also yes. If you’re a fan of the ol’ psychological thriller, I think you’ll find a lot to enjoy about The Unraveling of Julia.

Note:: I received an early copy of this book from the publisher through netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Details

Title:: The Unraveling of Julia
Author:: Lisa Scottoline
Genre:: Psychological Thriller
Publisher:: Grand Central Publishing
Length:: 400 pages
Audio Length:: 12h
Audiobook Narrator:: TBA
Published:: July 15th, 2025
The Litertarian Rating:: 3-Stars

If you liked this book, check out…

The Truth About the Devlins | Lisa Scottoline
The Midnight Feast | Lucy Foley
Famous Last Words | Gillian McAllister

Book Review:: Big Dumb Eyes | Nate Bargatze

Nate Bargatze is one of my favorite comedians. His southern boy demeanor, common sense logic, and unhurried delivery are the trifecta of funny. The guy just looks like the underdog, so you root for him, even in the stories you don’t.

Big Dumb Eyes by Nate Bargatze Book Cover

He isn’t afraid of some self-depreciating humor, obviously his book is titled Big Dumb Eyes, but what I love about his act is how gosh dang reasonable it all is. He can tell a story about walking the dog and it’s hilarious. He talks about his first car. I laughed out loud. He talks about a man who worked at a furniture story he may or may not have even met, and I was rolling. Whatever the X factor is, this guy has it.

Now, Nate has famously claimed he is not a reader. He’d ‘like to be’ he says, but books are just ‘so many words’. As such, in his own book, there are breaks. I listened to the audio version, and he plays a little bit of elevator music to cleanse the palette a little bit before jumping into the next story, as to not overwhelm you with all the words. I believe in the hard copy there are several blank pages. Hilarious, and on brand.

I was actually surprised how much I laughed at the stories in this book. Nate’s humor is one of a kind and hearing these stories of his life and childhood was so nostalgic. I’d kill to be a fly on the wall at one of his family’s board-game nights. They sound like a hoot.

I also love how comedy memoirs like this one (and Tina Fey and Amy Poehler are examples of this too), the comedian will tweak the narration to actually acknowledge you are listening to the book instead of reading it on paper instead of strictly reading every single word as it appears in print. If you’re not a big reader, like Nate, absolutely you should still read this…just listen to it instead!

Note:: I received an early copy of this book from the publisher through netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Details

Title:: Big Dumb Eyes
Author:: Nate Bargatze
Genre:: Comedy Memoir
Publisher:: Grand Central Publishing
Length:: 240 pages
Audio Length:: 6h 56m
Audiobook Narrator:: The Author
Published:: May 6th, 2025
The Litertarian Rating:: 5-Stars

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Let it Settle | Michael Gaylon

Book Review:: Nobody’s Fool | Harlan Coben

Nobody’s Fool is my first Harlan Coben novel, and wow – color me impressed! This is the second book in the series led by main character Sami Kierce, and I’m going back to read the origin story that left him off the police force as soon as possible, which is where he finds himself at the beginning of this novel.

Nobody's Fool by Harlan Coben Book Cover

Speaking of origin stories, in a way, this novel is really the exploration of Sami’s. After college, he had a fling with a beautiful woman in Spain, and was ready to give up everything for her, until he woke up beside her bloody body, knife in his hand. He fled, and it was the series of events set off by this experience that led him to becoming a cop in the first place. Now, he sees a woman he knows is her, alive and well and here, and it changes everything.

Not only is this case from Sami’s past coming back to haunt him, but the murderer of his former fiance is being released early from prison, and he’s determined to get justice from that case, too. He has a new baby, and a wife he loves, and though he’s no longer officially a cop, he teaches a criminal justice class that fulfills him. In short, a lot to lose.

What a skillfully written novel! This one had me questioning everything, fully engaged and wondering where the heck it was going to lead next. There are so many moving pieces and so many corners for spooky things to jump out from behind, it was entertaining as hell. If this is the level of mystery and suspense I can expect from Harlan Coben, I’m adding his entire backlist to my TBR! What more can you ask for from a thriller? That feeling is what you search for in this genre, and Nobody’s Fool absolutely delivers!

Note:: I received an early copy of this book from the publisher through netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Details

Title:: Nobody’s Fool (Detective Sami Kierce #2)
Author:: Harlan Coben
Genre:: Mystery/Thriller
Publisher:: Grand Central Publishing
Length:: 352 pages
Audio Length:: 11h 17m
Audiobook Narrator:: Vikas Adam
Published:: March 25th, 2025
The Litertarian Rating:: 5-Stars

If you liked this book, check out…

The Truth About the Devlins | Lisa Scottoline
Wrong Place Wrong Time | Gillian McAllister

Book Review:: Colton Gentry’s Third Act | Jeff Zentner

I haven’t read many (or any?) romance novels based on the male’s point-of-view. Colton Gentry may be the first! For awhile it seemed like everywhere I turned there was another glowing review of this book until finally I was too curious to resist.

Colton Gentry's Third Act by Jeff Zentner Book Cover

Colton Gentry shot down his own country music career with a gun control speech after his best friend was killed in a music festival shooting. His audience doesn’t care (apparently). His label doesn’t care. His wife doesn’t even care. Or, maybe she did, but she was already sleeping with someone else, so if she did care, it was about the wrong things. Now Colton is alone. Broke. Grieving. And trying not to soothe the immense discomfort at the bottom of a bottle.

There’s nowhere he can go but home.

After high school Colt left Kentucky in pursuit of his musical dreams. His high school sweetheart left to pursue hers in architecture. But fate has landed them both back home. Though he broke her heart once upon a time, Luann extends a much-needed sympathetic hand to help him get back on his feet.

This book is chock full of great themes. Friendship, forgiveness, redemption, resilience, courage, sobriety, second chances, and holding firm when you know something’s right or wrong. Colton’s journey isn’t an easy one, but if you’re looking for a book that is ultimately uplifting, you’ve found it here.

Zentner is clearly a talented writer. I was quite impressed several times as I read. However, I was missing a little x-factor spark that would have pushed this book into five star territory. With a goodreads rating of over 4 stars, clearly I’m in the minority there.

Details

Title:: Colton Gentry’s Third Act
Author:: Jeff Zentner
Genre:: Contemporary Romance
Publisher:: Grand Central Publishing
Length:: 400 pages
Audio Length:: 11h 1m
Audiobook Narrator:: Charlie Thurston
Audiobook Publisher:: Grand Central Publishing
Published:: April 30th, 2024
The Litertarian Rating:: 4-Stars