A Page Before Bedtime

Paper Ghosts by Sarah Addison Allen

2026-05-16T15:04:00.000-05:00

Rating: 3 of 5 stars

Pages: 304 pages
Published: September 2026

I received an uncorrected advanced reader's copy of Paper Ghosts by Sarah Addison Allen via NetGalley. After absolutely loving Other Birds, I was eager to dive into Sarah Addison Allen’s latest novel. The story is about three generations of peculiar, reclusive women who live in a fictional North Carolina town. For many years, the Wester women have harbored secrets that have fueled intrigue, rumors, and fear within their community. When the estranged Wester granddaughter returns home, even more questions surface and long-buried truths begin to rise.

While Allen brings her signature writing style with a touch of magical realism, the story still, unfortunately, didn’t land for me in the same way as Other Birds. This story had an intriguing premise with a vacillating timeline, but the plot felt rushed, and the connection between the earlier time period and the current storyline was not tied together well, leaving many details for me to piece together on my own.

I also struggled with the characters. They felt underdeveloped, and I never found myself root for, or even liking, any of them. The inclusion of a same-sex relationship had the potential to add depth, but instead it felt more like a diversity checkbox than an integral part of the story or the character’s growth or the story arc.

I really wanted to love this book, especially given how much I enjoyed the author’s previous work. I did appreciate her Other Birds easter egg. However, in the end, Paper Ghosts fell flat. Here’s hoping the next release brings back the magic I know Sarah Addison Allen is capable of creating!

Recommendation: While I wouldn't highly recommend this novel, I would definitely recommend the author. Allen's body of work is worth exploring, even if this one missed the mark for me.

Until next time ... Read on!

Regardless of whether I purchase a book, borrow a book, or receive a book in exchange for review, my ultimate goal is to be honest, fair, and constructive. I hope you've found this review helpful.

Grown Women by Sarai Johnson

2026-03-27T17:55:00.012-05:00

Rating: 4 of 5 stars

Pages: 320 pages
Published: May 2024

Grown Women by Sarai Johnson was the monthly author chat selection for the Modern Mrs. Darcy online Book Club, and it immediately pulled me into the lives of four generations of women all bound by tender yet tumultuous mother-daughter relationships. The novel spans several decades, beginning with Charlotte, who is on the cusp of becoming a new mother while facing a difficult situation. From there, we follow a coming-of-age arc as Charlotte raises Corinna and later Corinna raises her daughter, Camille. Each woman navigates traumatic situations, familial secrets, and the complicated work of trying to love one another in a family where silence often speaks louder than words. Midway through the story we meet Charlotte's mother, Evelyn, who adds another complicated layer to the story. With so many intertwined storylines, and three characters whose names begin with the same letter, I occasionally found myself needing to pause and reorient myself.

This is Johnson's debut novel, and I think she handled the weight of these layered themes with care. She writes the bonds between the women with honesty and nuance. I didn't walk away from the book loving every character, but I did walk away believing them. Each woman is written in a realistic and imperfect way. Both the mother's and daughters' unresolved pain shapes their choices and their relationships, leading to truly heartbreaking moments that felt so real.

Though the book explores a great deal of darkness, there is a bit of light. There are moments of connection, clarity, and hope that help break up the heaviness. This quiet strand of hope woven throughout the novel reminds us that healing and maturing is rarely linear. And because of each character's resilience, I did find myself rooting for a peaceful ending for each of them.

Overall, I appreciated the journey of getting to sit with these characters and watch their stories unfold. I believe Johnson did an excellent job of developing them, giving each one's story care and depth. Having said that, after investing the time in reading the book, the ending felt a bit abrupt, almost like a door slamming shut just as I was stepping through. Upon reflection, I realized I had anticipated more closure and more space to breathe after such immersive storytelling.

Recommendation: Grown Women is a powerful, emotionally resonant novel that explores the complexities of mother-daughter relationships with honesty and heart. I would recommend this title to fans of literary fiction, multigenerational sagas, and stories that include both the darkness and the light.

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain

2026-03-07T14:44:00.111-06:00

Rating: 2 of 5 stars

Pages: 327 pages
Published: January 1885

I grabbed a free electronic copy of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain from the Fable reading app as a bit of a homework assignment. I wanted to reread this novel as an adult and in preparation for my virtual book club's upcoming read of James by Percival Everett in the months to follow. Since James reimagines the story from Jim's perspective, I wanted to revisit the original text to gain a better appreciation of the modern retelling. It's been years, OK decades, since I read this book, and approaching it now as a more well-read and more critical reader gave me a very difference experience.

At just over 300 pages, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is not long. It follows the titular character, who is referred to as Huck, as he escapes his abusive (and possibly unstable) father and travels down the Mississippi River with Jim, an enslaved man seeking reunification with his family. On their journey, they meet con men, feuding families, and a series of misadventures. Many literary scholars consider this book the great American novel, praising Twain's use of an engaging plot and sharp satire meant to expose the hypocrisy and moral contradictions of the pre-Civil War era in the United States.

Despite its critical and historical acclaim, I didn't fully enjoy it. The dialect, while intentional by the author, made for a very challenging read. I read the book in small doses - a couple of pages at a time - as I had to remain extremely focused to discern not only what Jim was saying (as a lot of readers have noted) but the speech patterns of Huck Finn, Tom Sawyer, and the other secondary characters. So, as I mentioned it's not a long book, but it certainly felt that way. Beyond the heavy, indistinguishable dialects, I struggled with the stereotypes. Jim is a main part of the story, yet he's frequently reduced to a caricature, often only being use as a plot device to move the story along. I felt he was very underdeveloped and his humanity was sacrificed for the ignorance and antics of Tom Sawyer, Aunt Sally and the like. Yes, the book was written "post-slavery" but still during a deeply unjust period in American history. And frankly, I just don't think Twain, as a white man in the late 1800s, was equipped to tell Jim's part of the story with the respect it deserved.

No spoilers here, but after trudging through more than two-thirds of the book, the ending fell flat for me. The tonal shift, the reappearance of certain characters, and the way Jim's fate is handled did the whole adventure a disservice. I think there was a missed opportunity for deeper reflection and a more meaningful resolution. But again, reading this in 2026, maybe the author simply wasn't capable of delivering that in his time.

Long story short: I didn't enjoy the book, but I am glad I read it. It's a classic for a reason, and I think reading it again will provide a richer experience when I pick up James later this year.

Recommendation: On this blog, I often say, not every book is for everyone, and this is a prime example for me. Twain couldn't tell a Jim's story with proper representation because it wasn't one he lived or was even stood adjacent to. This makes me all the more excited to read Percival Everett's take. I have high hopes his perspective will be more inclusive and attuned to Jim's point of view. More on that later!