Memoir, mystery, and memory-making each take center stage in this trio of book picks. Maggie Smith reclaims her voice with poetic precision, Amity Gaige threads emotional survival through the wilderness of Maine, and Elyce Arons celebrates a friendship that launched a fashion empire. Whether you’re drawn to the grace found amid heartbreak, the twists of a psychological thriller, or the warmth of enduring connection, these stories speak to the soul—and remind us that beauty, healing, and strength are often forged in life’s messiest moments.

Lyrical Truth and Razor-Sharp Reflections

In her memoir, You Could Make This Place Beautiful,
acclaimed poet Maggie Smith transforms personal heartbreak into something luminous. With lyrical vignettes and razor-sharp reflections, she charts the unraveling of her marriage—and the reclamation of her voice.

This isn’t a confessional tell-all—it’s a reclamation story. Smith explores betrayal, motherhood, and the gendered dynamics of caregiving with vulnerability and quiet strength. Her poetic cadence and emotional precision invite readers not just into her story, but into their own.

It’s a compelling read for anyone reconstructing a life or redefining what it means to take up space. Smith’s grace reminds us: beauty isn’t found after the mess—it’s made in the middle of it. GET THE BOOK.

~ Cheryl Benton, New York, aka “the head tomato”

Compelling Characters in this Thriller

If you like thrillers and books with a natural setting, be sure to check out Heartwood by Amity Gaige. The mystery of a missing woman slowly evolves amid themes of wilderness survival, the complexities of mother-daughter relationships, and finding connection in the face of isolation.

The natural world of the Maine woods serves as both a backdrop and a reflection of the characters’ internal struggles. The story revolves around the disappearance of Valerie Gillis, a nurse who goes missing during a daunting hike of the rugged Appalachian Trail. Maine includes the toughest section of the Trail, and as hikers near the end they tend to break down physically or mentally.

The narrative unfolds from three different perspectives: Valerie’s journal entries to her mother; Lieutenant Beverly Miller, the Maine State Game Warden leading the search; and Lena Kucharski, a 76-year-old retired scientist who forages for fresh dandelions, among other edible flora and fauna that grow around the Connecticut retirement community where she lives.

The three main characters are compelling and well-portrayed, all of them devoted professionals. A born caregiver, Valerie is burned out from the unrelenting nursing demands of the pandemic and takes to the trail to heal. She started the trail alone with the logistical support of her husband, Gregory; however, as the hike peels superficial layers away to her very essence, she realizes she doesn’t love him anymore.

Lieutenant Bev, the first female appointed to the Maine Warden Service, must constantly prove herself – to her male colleagues, to the ever-expanding group of searchers, to Valerie’s parents, and, mostly, to herself – all while trying not to be distracted by the news that her own mother is dying in hospice.

Lena is the most interesting of them all, an irritable, intellectual woman who uses a wheelchair because of neuropathy. Gaige writes “She still has her bowels, her grievances, and her obsessions. But she no longer has her legs, nor any fellow feeling, no patience.” She’s unfriendly to the other residents, including a man who loves her, and is estranged from her only daughter and grandchild.

Why is this cranky septuagenarian the star of the plot? She is actively stimulated by her books and the Internet, and, since the pandemic, has kept up a lively correspondence with TerribleSilence whom she met on a social media forum. They bond over their interest in rare ferns and mushrooms but soon turn their foraging skills to the case of the woman lost in the Maine woods hundreds of miles away.

All three women are facing challenges to their family ties, especially the unbreakable bonds between mothers and daughters, lost and found. These ties unravel slowly and are rewoven in the hunt for a lost woman. GET THE BOOK.

~Joan Pagano, NYC, founder Joan Pagano Fitness

A Genuine Tribute to Friendship

We Might Just Make It After All by Elyce Arons is a heartwarming reflection of such a beautiful and meaningful friendship between Elyce Arons and Kate Spade. I did the audiobook of this story, read by the author Elyce Arons, absolutely loved it.  Elyce has the perfect voice for her story; she will make you laugh and cry throughout the story.

Elyce Arons first met Katy Brosnahan (Kate Spade’s maiden name) on their first day of college at the University of Kansas.  Arons had no idea that the girl from Missouri would not only become her best friend but would also change the course of her life.  Katy and Elyce would transfer to Arizona State after their first year.  After they had transferred, they would realize they now had to pay out of state tuition.  Rather than being full time students now, they would need to work full time while also going to school to cover all their expenses.  It was at Arizona State where Katy met Andy Spade, brother of comedian David and fell in love.  They both shared an interest in art and design. Arons would also become a close friend with Andy and remains close with him to this day.

After graduation Arons took a job at a New York department store display firm.  Katy and Andy also moved to New York where Katy became an editorial assistant at Mademoiselle.  Andy and Katy came up with the idea of making handbags and other accessories and asked Arons to join them.  I found it fascinating to learn about how the Kate Spade brand was built and the company was run.  It was very clear that both of these  women had so much respect and love for each other and no jealousy.

Aron’s memoir is a genuine tribute to friendship, creativity, and resilience.  The focus is decades-long bond with fashion icon Kate Spade.  From their college days to cofounding a billion-dollar brand, Arons provides a vivid portrait of these two women navigating the highs and lows of entrepreneurship, personal growth and profound loss.  This book shows the world what a funny, kind and caring person Kate Spade really was, she brought love to so many people during her lifetime.   We can learn something from Kate Spade and Elyce Arons-just how to treat each other, with love, kindness and respect.  I highly recommend this five-star read. GET THE BOOK.

~Francene Katzen, Richmond, VA, advocate for parents of children with drug abuse