Savvy Verse & Wit

Review: This Book Made Me Think of You by Libby Page (audio)

Shauna — Fri, 18 Sep 2026 14:03:19 +0000

This Book Made Me Think of You by Libby Page, narrated by Zadeiah Campbell-Davies, is a solemn and heartwarming read that explores unexpected grief and joy in coming out of that darkness. Tilly Nightingale has lost her husband, Joe, but when she receives an unexpected gift from him — a year of books — she’s […]

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Review: Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus (audio)

Shauna — Thu, 17 Sep 2026 14:01:34 +0000

Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus, narrated by Miranda Raison, explores the constraints women in STEM faced in the 1960s, even in California. The protagonist, Chemist Elizabeth Zott, is a single mother who finds herself on a television cooking show, Supper at Six, to make ends meet, but this is no ordinary cooking show on […]

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Wilde Readings Recap

Shauna — Thu, 10 Sep 2026 14:03:03 +0000

There are occasions where you leave your comfort zone and discover another community of like-minded poets and readers. In Columbia, Md., the bookstore Queen Takes Book is the home of Wilde Readings, which is supported by the Howard County Poetry & Literature Society (HoCoPoLitSo). Don’t let this modest storefront fool you. Inside is a wonderland […]

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Review: The Other Beautiful People by Caroline Bock

Shauna — Tue, 08 Sep 2026 14:03:20 +0000

The Other Beautiful People by Caroline Bock is poignant look at the people behind the movies, cable television, and more, and like the movies they purvey, their stories are complex and deeply emotional. Amy Greene is our protagonist, and her multi-layered past is never far from her present. As the head of marketing at Cinema […]

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Wilde Readings: Sept. 8 at 7 p.m.

Shauna — Tue, 01 Sep 2026 14:01:52 +0000

For those in Maryland, D.C., and Virginia, consider joining me and poet Henry Crawford at Wilde Readings on Sept. 8 at 7 p.m. for a poetry reading and book signing. I’ll be reading from my book, Echoes Carry. If you haven’t come to my readings yet, this is your opportunity to grab an autographed copy […]

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Review: The Memory Police by Yōko Ogawa (audio)

Shauna — Wed, 05 Aug 2026 14:02:45 +0000

The Memory Police by Yōko Ogawa, translated by Stephen Snyder and narrated by Traci Kato-Kiriyama, is a harrowing look at memory loss and trauma on a dystopian, unnamed island where the police ensure that the items that disappear remain forgotten. A young woman, whose father had been an ornithologist, saw the joy evaporate from his […]

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Review: Swimming With Ghosts by Michelle Brafman (audio)

Shauna — Mon, 27 Jul 2026 14:02:01 +0000

Swimming With Ghosts by Michelle Brafman, narrated by Hillary Huber, Scott Brick, Sophie Amoss, and Pete Cross, is a insider look at summer swim leagues and the families that run them and are consumed by them. River Run swim club is Gillian Cloud’s legacy and where her father became famous for swan dive, but there’s […]

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From Book Review Blog to Author Website: Where the Echoes Gather

Shauna — Thu, 23 Jul 2026 14:01:40 +0000

My old domain, Savvy Verse & Wit, has a new look. What started out as a blog on blogger and a place where I talked about poems I was reading in magazines (not even reviewing books yet) is now my author website. With the forthcoming publication of Echoes Carry from Beltway Editions, I had begun […]

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Review: The Mall by Megan McCafferty (audio)

Shauna — Wed, 15 Jul 2026 14:00:06 +0000

The Mall by Megan McCafferty, narrated by Caitlin Kelly, features a big-brained socially inept teen, Cassie Worthy, in 1990s New Jersey. Cassie has a post-high school plan, and part of that plan is landing a prime job at the Parkway Center mall, a move to New York City for college with her boyfriend, and living […]

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Review: Rules for Aging and Larceny by Julia London (audio)

Shauna — Mon, 13 Jul 2026 14:01:55 +0000

Rules for Aging and Larceny by Julia London, narrated by Christina Moore, is a tongue-in-cheek Ocean’s Eleven. Frances Deluca isn’t your typical 70-year-old retiree looking for a life of leisure. In fact, she goes full tilt in everything she does, which is probably why her competitive nature gets her booted from the pickle-ball team. She’s […]

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