Book Review: All Eyes on Him

Title: All Eyes on Him

Author: Iliana Xander

Publisher: Poisoned Pen Press

Publication Date: December 2, 2025

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

This is a psychological thriller that knows exactly what it wants to be—fast-paced, twist-heavy, and built around a premise that immediately raises questions you need answered.

The setup is straightforward: Natalie's best friend leaves a club with a stranger and ends up in a coma. When Natalie identifies the man as a celebrated millionaire on magazine covers, she goes undercover as his housekeeper to gather evidence. It's a classic thriller framework, but Xander uses it well. The alternating points of view create a sense of unease, and the pacing keeps things moving without feeling rushed.

What worked particularly well for me was the anonymous narrative voice woven throughout. I made assumptions about who was speaking that turned out to be completely off base, and that misdirection felt earned rather than cheap. The reveal genuinely surprised me. Natalie herself is a mixed bag—she takes risks that strain credibility at times, yet somehow the story maintains enough momentum that these moments didn't pull me out of the experience.

The detail about the previous housekeeper going missing adds a layer of menace that elevates the stakes beyond a simple revenge plot. There's real tension in watching Natalie realize she may have miscalculated badly. The secrets stack up in satisfying ways, and the ending brings everything together with clarity and impact.

A big thank you to Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley.  I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Turkey Films 2025

In 2025 I retired after 40 years working at the same company. What an accomplishment. And to honor this achievement, for this year's Turkey Films I am focusing on movies that celebrate retirement or feature key roles for retirees. The Turkey Film blogposts  date back over a decade to the first version in 2011 (check out the "rules" laid out in the first of these annual posts). So, in no particular order, turkey films 2025:

• The Best Exotic Marigold Turkey
• Turkey Torino
• About Turkey
• A Turkey called Ove
• On Golden Turkey
• Grumpy Old Turkeys
• The Turkey List
• Space Turkeys
• The Old Man and the Turkey
• The Straight Turkey
  

Happy and safe Thanksgiving to all!

Book Review: The Marriage Habit

Title: The Marriage Habit

Author: Casey Caston & Meygan Caston

Publisher: Convergent Books

Publication Date: February 3, 2026

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Drawing on fifteen years of data from their Marriage365 app, Casey and Meygan Caston have created a refreshingly practical guide to improve any marriage. Their central premise is simple but powerful: most couples don't need more therapy—they just need better habits.

The book's true strength lies in its actionability. The Castons present ten non-negotiable habits that successful couples use to maintain and repair their relationships, with each chapter concluding with probing questions for discussion and self-awareness:

The 10 Habits:

1. The KNOWN Position - Daily physical connection and eye contact
2. The Weekly Marriage Business Meeting - Aligning on schedules, responsibilities, and priorities
3. Love Lists - Showing love in the specific ways your partner wants
4. The 60-Second Blessing - Daily affirmations and compliments
5. Connection Time - Scheduled weekly fun and laughter together
6. Leverage Your Differences - Appreciating each other's strengths and rhythms
7. The Codeword - Using conflict as an opportunity to grow
8. Unsolicited Apologies - Keeping short accounts and admitting wrongs quickly
9. Head. Hands. Heart. Habit. - The power of forgiveness and repair
10. The sex talk - Great sex starts with great conversations

The chapters on unsolicited apologies and forgiveness particularly stand out for me, with the Castons noting that "an apology is the closest thing marriage has to a magic wand." Their emphasis on curiosity as "the ultimate relationship hack" and their reminder that "progress matters more than polish" create a safe space for couples at any stage to begin improving their relationship.

"The Marriage Habit" offers hope that with intentionality and the right habits, any couple can create the relationship of their dreams.

A big thank you to Convergent Books and NetGalley for providing an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review. 

Book Review: When I Kill You

Title: When I Kill You

Author: B.A. Paris

Publisher: St. Martin's Press

Publication Date: February 17, 2026

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

B.A. Paris knows how to mess with your head, and this book had me second-guessing everything. The creeping paranoia of being watched, the silent phone calls, the unexplained flowers—it all gets under your skin fast.

The novel's initial structure alternates between Nell's current life and her past identity as Elle Nugent. Fourteen years ago, Elle witnessed student Bryony Sanders getting into a stranger's car—a seemingly innocent moment that became the catalyst for murder and obsession. Paris skillfully uses this dual timeline to reveal how one traumatic event can fragment a person's entire life, forcing them to reinvent themselves while never truly escaping the past.

Where the novel stumbles slightly is in Elle's all-consuming fixation on Brett Parker, the man she believes murdered Bryony. While obsession is central to the story's psychological depth, watching Elle's life completely disintegrate—her relationships crumbling, her future collapsing—sometimes felt like it pushed past believability into melodrama. The intensity of her fixation, while compelling, occasionally made me question whether any person would truly sacrifice everything so completely for a case where she had no personal connection to the victim.

Yet this same obsession creates the novel's most fascinating element: how past trauma shapes Nell's inability to form genuine connections in the present. Her relationship with Alex becomes a study in two damaged people trying to build something real while drowning in secrets. Paris excels at showing how the lies we tell ourselves are often more dangerous than the lies we tell others.

The second half shifts entirely to the present, focusing on the central mystery: who wants Nell dead? Here, Paris hits her stride. Just when I thought I'd pieced together the puzzle, she pulled the rug out from under me. The climax arrives with shocking force, revealing connections I never saw coming and transforming everything I thought I understood about the story.

What elevates this beyond a standard thriller is Paris's exploration of identity and reinvention. Can we ever truly escape our past? Does changing our name change who we are? Nell/Elle's dual existence raises questions about whether we're defined by our worst moments or whether redemption is possible when we're haunted by unfinished business.

A big thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley.  I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.