Book Review

Everyone This Christmas Has a Secret

Casey

Everyone This Christmas Has a Secret feels less like a full third installment in Benjamin Stevenson’s Ernest Cunningham series and more like a holiday special — something Stevenson and Ernest both lean into openly. It’s noticeably shorter than the first two books, and Ernest even frames it as a kind of “Book 2.5.” That framing works surprisingly well, especially since this entry feels more original than Everyone on This Train is a Suspect, which leaned a little too hard into Murder on the Orient Express territory for my taste.

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Book Review

Tell Me How It Ends: An Essay in Forty Questions

Casey

Tell Me How It Ends may be brief, but it packs a lasting impact. Luiselli’s writing is sharp, direct, and emotionally resonant — never overblown, always purposeful. Every page matters. Structured around the forty questions children face in immigration court, the essay centers their voices while laying bare the inadequacy of a system meant to judge their futures.

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Book Review

The Humans

Casey

Going into The Humans, I thought I was in for a quirky, alien-point-of-view look at humanity. And while that’s technically what I got, it ended up being so much deeper than I expected. This book is humorous, yes — but also contemplative and quietly profound. What starts off as a clever concept slowly transforms into a moving meditation on love, identity, and what it means to be human.

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Book Review

Listen for the Lie

Casey

Let me start by saying: if you’re torn between reading and listening to this one, go with the audiobook. I did both, and I’m so glad I did — January LaVoy and Will Damron are fantastic, especially in the podcast segments, which feel like a true-crime show come to life.

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Book Review

This is Going to Hurt: Secret Diaries of a Young Doctor

Casey

I was curious if this book would analogize to my work as a CPA in the US. Obviously the medical stuff and life-or-death nature of the job doesn’t correlate at all. Despite the view of many corporate executives, a private company’s financial statements aren’t saving lives. No one dies if we don’t issue an audit on time. However, there are a lot of life lessons that can be gained from this book.

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Book Review

The Chain

Casey

I am not a parent of humans. And since there were no animals harmed in the writing of this novel, I feel compelled to point out that my review may seem a little… um… harsh. So just bear that in mind as you read on.

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