Rachel Reads & Reviews

The Seventh Veil of Salome Review

1950s Hollywood: Every actress wants to play Salome, the star-making role in a big-budget movie about the legendary woman whose story has inspired artists since ancient times. So when the film’s mercurial director casts Vera Larios, an unknown Mexican ingenue, in the lead role, she quickly becomes the talk of the town. Vera also becomes…

rachelbeerwoman

October 31, 2025

Reviews

#biblicalretelling, #historicalfiction, #latinas, #oldhollywood, #penguinrandomhouse, #rachelreads&reviews, #silviamorenogarcia, #theseventhveilofsalome, #women’sfiction
Dear Canada

Much like it’s US counterpart, Dear Canada features the fictional diaries of pre-teens, and some teens during important moments in Canadian history. Since we have no education about events happening north of our borders, this was an educational primer for me. It was super interesting what events were the same, and what were unique to…

rachelbeerwoman

October 24, 2025

Book Suggestions, Book/Author Highlight

#barbarahaworthattard, #canadianhistory, #carolmatas, #dearcanada, #gillianchan, #historicalfiction, #janandrews, #janetlunn, #janetmcnauaghton, #jeanlittle, #julielawson, #karleenbradford, #katherinebradford, #marshafochukskypuch, #maxinetrotter, #norahmcclintock, #perrynodelman, #rachelreads&reviews, #rubyslipperjack, #sarahellis, #scholastic, #sharonstewart, #susanaihoshi
Book Highlight: For the Rest of Us

From Lunar New Year to Solstice, Día de Los Muertos to Juneteenth, and all the incredible days in between, it’s clear that Americans don’t just have one holiday. Edited by the esteemed Dahlia Adler and authored by creators who have lived these festive experiences firsthand, this joyful collection of stories shows that there isn’t one…

rachelbeerwoman

October 23, 2025

Book/Author Highlight

#a.r.capetta, #abdinazemian, #aditikhorana, #anathology, #anewday, #candacebuford, #corymccarthy, #dahliaadler, #diadelosmuertos, #diverse, #diversereads, #diverseromance, #diwali, #eid, #eidwithoutaplan, #elijah’scomingtodinner, #habarigani, #hillcountryheartbeat, #hinduholidays, #holi, #holihail, #honorthedeadtohonortheliving, #islamicholidays, #jewishholidays, #juneteenth, #karunariazi, #katherinelocke, #kellyloygilbert, #kosokojackson, #kwanzaa, #laurapohl, #lunarnewyear, #makingupishardtodo, #merrychrismukkahloser, #natashadiaz, #nowruz, #p.s.Idon’tloveyou, #preetichhibbier, #quilltreebooks, #rachelreads&reviews, #ramadan, #sonorareyes, #thereturn, #thisishowit’salwaysbeen, #tisthedamnseason, #valentine’sday, #wintersolstice, #worldholidays, #YA
The Taylors Double Review

This is going to be a unique as The Taylors are two novels, one middle-grade, one YA by two different authors focusing on the same group of friends as they navigate love and friendship through their namesake, Taylor Swift. So let’s start with Calonita’s. Taylor (aka Teffy to her family) is terrified to start middle…

rachelbeerwoman

October 20, 2025

Reviews

#comingofage, #contemporaryromance, #elizabetheulberg, #jencalonita, #middlegrade, #rachelreads&reviews, #realisticfiction, #scholastic, #taylorswift, #thetaylors, #thetaylors:lovestories, #YA
Top 5 Magic Attic Club

Perfect since there are five girls in the Magic Attic Club. What is it, you may ask? Released in the mid-90s, the Magic Attic Club was a brand of dolls with accompanying books and accessories encouraging kids to embrace their imagination and friendship. Apparently they were very popular back then because I found a wiki…

rachelbeerwoman

October 18, 2025

Top 5

#alisonridestherapids, #fantasy, #heathertakesthereins, #keishadiscoversharlem, #knickerbockercompany, #l.e.williams, #lowergrade, #magicatticclub, #megan’smasquerade, #ninaalexander, #rachelreads&reviews, #rosefacesthemusic, #sherricoopersinykin, #trishamagraw, #zoelewis
Bedeviled

“Mom always said my dad is the devil. I never knew she meant it literally!” All Angel’s father (a.k.a. the Devil) wants is to be a part of her life. And in return he has the power to give her anything she wants—including popularity and a date with her long-time crush, Cole Daniels. But Angel…

rachelbeerwoman

October 15, 2025

Book Suggestions, Book/Author Highlight

#bedeviled, #carefulwhatyouuwishfor, #daddy’slittleangel, #fantasy, #humor, #lovestruck, #middlegrade, #rachelreads&reviews, #scholastic, #shanipetroff, #thegoodthebadandtheuglydress
Girls Survive P2

Thanks to the wonder of Hoopla (available to anyone who has a library card so hop on it), I’ve been given the chance to finish the rest of the Girls Survive series so let’s get to it. This batch of books are historical events I already know of thanks to class/Dear America so I didn’t…

rachelbeerwoman

October 8, 2025

Book Suggestions, Book/Author Highlight

#1600s, #annfightsforfreedom, #capstonepublishing, #constanceandthedangerouscrossing, #girlssurvive, #goldrush, #historicalfiction, #juliegilbert, #lenaandtheburningofgreenwood, #lowergrade, #lucyfightstheflames, #lusitania, #mayflower, #nikkishannonsmith, #pennyandthetragicvoyage, #rachelreads&reviews, #sarah’sjourneywest, #trianglefactoryfire, #tulsaracemassacre, #undergroundrailroad, #ww1
Whatever After

As I may have mentioned, besides being a year of historical fiction, I’ve also decided to dive into some nostalgia. Whatever After came out back in 2012, and I only got through the first seven books before dropping it. So it was interesting to see how the story evolved since I last picked it up.…

rachelbeerwoman

October 7, 2025

Book Suggestions, Book/Author Highlight

#fantasy, #fracturedfairytales, #rachelreads&reviews, #sarahmlynowski, #scholastic, #whateverafter
Kelly Yang Interview

Kelly Yang is the award-winning author for kids and young adults with popular titles such as the Front Desk series, Parachutes, Little Bird Laila, and more. She graciously took the time to answer my questions about her work, and share what’s coming next. Enjoy! 1. When did you feel ready to start pitching your own…

rachelbeerwoman

October 6, 2025

Interview

#comingofage, #contemporaryfiction, #frontdesk, #littlebirdlaila, #parachutes, #picturebooks, #rachelreads&reviews, #scholastic, #YA
Seeing Stars Review

*I received this free ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review.* Mona Mashad grew up on camera, with millions of fans around the world tuning in to see her every move. Nothing was off-limits: not her first pimple, her first crush, and definitely not the death of her father, Mashad family patriarch…

rachelbeerwoman

October 1, 2025

Reviews

#candicejalili, #cominofage, #contemporaryromance, #disneyhyperion, #hollywood, #mashadfamily, #rachelreads&reviews, #seeingstars, #YA