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The Anti-Heroes

The Anti-Heroes by Jen Lancaster

Dr. Emily Nichols is a former eco-crusader who has ended up in academia and is not sure how her life got so bland. Her best friend, Liv Bennett, is a real estate agent who is a chronic people pleaser and is not living her best life because of it. When they witness an attempted robbery at their local coffee shop, they are impressed by the bravery of a yoga mom who confronts the thief. Through this experience, they end up in a mysterious class called Fearless, Inc, where the instructor Zeus wants to help them overcome their fears.

The story of women who are stuck in some way and need to find a way to speak their truth and stand up for themselves is not new, but the way the theme is addressed in this novel is so fun and engaging that I found myself eager to pick the book up again each time. There were a lot of humorous moments along with the opportunities for growth that Emily and Liv experience along with the other members of their class.

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Colorful Diamonds & Geometric

I am a big fan of the artist Josie Lewis and have collected several of the puzzles that feature her artwork. I recently completed these two and loved them. They are both 500 pieces and from Buffalo Games.

The first one is Colorful Diamonds. This one was really enjoyable and is just so pretty with the gradient.

The second one is Geometric. This one was quite a bit harder than I thought it would be. The greens and blues were especially difficult since they appear on both the left and right sides of the image. I did have to sort by shape to finish it up. I still really enjoyed it and love the way it looks finished.

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What I’m Reading – June 2026

What I’m Reading Now

The Midnight Train by Matt Haig (The Midnight World #2) – This is billed as a magical, time-traveling love story from the world of The Midnight Library (which I loved).

What I Recently Finished

  • Lies and Other Love Languages by Sonali Dev
  • The Wedding Setup by Sonali Dev (short story)
  • In Your Dreams by Sarah Adams (Rome Kentucky #4)
  • Lift Me Up by Milly Johnson (short story)
  • Jigsaw by Jonathan Kellerman (Alex Delaware #41)
  • The Anti-Heroes by Jen Lancaster
  • Emma of 83rd Street by Audrey Bellezza (For the Love of Austen #1)

What I Added to my TBR

  • A Wind Turned Dark with Burning by Mercedes Lackey (Elemental Masters #19)
  • The General Hospital by Anne Buist (Menzies Mental Health #3)
  • The Slow Cooker Supper Club by Sue Heath
  • A Bookshop Summer by Stephanie Butland
  • Sari, Not Sari by Sonya Singh
  • Zoe Brennan, First Crush by Laura Lee Piper
  • The Next Best Fling by Gabriella Gamez (Librarians in Love #1)
  • Kiss Me, Maybe by Gabriella Gamez (Librarians in Love #2)

TBR Stats/Goal Updates

  • I currently have 177 books on my TBR. Of these, 8 are nonfiction and 169 are fiction.
  • I have read 31 books so far in 2026. My goal is 100, so I still a bit behind. It’s okay if I don’t meet my goal, though. My reading ebbs and flows depending on my mood and circumstances.
  • I have not finished any nonfiction books so far in 2026. My goal is 6.
  • I ended my Kindle Unlimited subscription. I read 15 books and had 1 DNF during the time I had KU.
  • Here are some more stats from StoryGraph:
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Princess on the Pea

Princess on the Pea is a 1000-piece puzzle from Enjoy. I believe their images are all AI generated. I was drawn to this image because of the colorful bedding and the story it is associated with, the fairy tale The Princess and the Pea.

As I was putting the easier sections together, I noticed that the image was a bit fuzzy, but that became really apparent when I got to all of the green pieces. They took forever! An earlier me would have given up at that point, but current me decided to push through. I put a good show on the TV and spent a couple of evenings painstakingly trying the pieces one by one, and eventually it came together.

I do really like the finished image, even though close up it is fuzzy. This one is going in the swap pile instead of on the shelf, however, as I do not want to do it again!

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Week in Review: May 31, 2026

As Mental Health Awareness month comes to a close, I wanted to share an update on my own mental health. For those who do not know, I have Bipolar 2 and I am also autistic.

I have been going through a difficult time the last few months. I started to feel easily overstimulated by social events and to feel restless when working or even sometimes relaxing. It got to the point where it took all of my energy to get through my workday, and I had to force myself to keep appointments for myself and my son. I stopped doing anything outside of what was absolutely required, even switching to watching church online.

After some research, it seemed I might have been experiencing autistic burnout, which is usually the result of spending years masking to fit in with neurotypical people. Not everything fit this explanation, but a lot of it did. After allowing myself a lot of time to rest, I started feeling like I wanted to be involved in social activities again, but I still had the sense that it would be too much for me.

Earlier this week, I met with my psychiatrist and I shared with her what I have been dealing with. She asked a lot of questions that didn’t make sense to me at first, but then she shared her suspicion that my symptoms might be related to a medication I was taking. We talked about some options and decided to gradually switch over to a different one and see how that helps.

I am still tapering off the first med, but I do feel a glimmer of hope that things could get better. I am thankful for a mental health professional that understands autism as well as mental health issues and can help figure out what is going on and offer a path forward.

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Good Morning

Good Morning is a 500-piece puzzle from Reverie, and the artist is Anna Seed. I love this adorable image! The colors on the pieces are muted, which is a nice change from all of the colorful puzzles I have been doing lately. I also read on Anna’s Instagram that the design on the quilt is telling the story of how the mouse and the frog met, picking strawberries. So sweet!

Reverie puzzles are quite a splurge, but the quality is impressive. The boxes are lovely and the pieces come in a drawstring cotton bag. They have a smooth matte finish and fit together beautifully. Because of that, they do take a bit more effort to take apart, but the upside is that you could carry the finished puzzle around the room without it coming apart if you wanted to.

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Recent Reads in Crime Fiction

I don’t read a wide range of crime fiction, but there are a few authors that I always read when they have a new book out.

Stolen In Death by J.D. Robb came out in February and is book 62 of her In Death series. This series is my favorite because the main character is a woman and because it is set in a futuristic New York City. I love the way Eve Dallas looks at the world and how she tracks down the killers. There is an interesting array of supporting characters as well.

Jigsaw by Jonathan Kellerman also came out in February and is book 41 in the Alex Delaware series. Alex Delaware is a child psychologist who specializes in child custody cases and also consults with the LAPD, specifically with Detective Milo Sturgis. I enjoy the psychological intricacies of the cases Alex gets pulled into, and I really like the characters of Milo and Alex’s partner Robin.

Revenge Prey by John Sandford came out in April and is book 36 of the Lucas Davenport series. Lucas Davenport is a member of the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension who does things his own way at times. I also enjoy the books with Virgil Flowers and Lucas’ daughter Letty.

I hope all three of these authors keep writing for a long, long time!

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Home of Fashion

Home of Fashion is a 1000-piece puzzle from Penny Puzzle, and the artist is Gaia Marfurt. This was my first experience with both Penny Puzzle and Gaia Marfurt, and I was so pleased with it. I was captivated by the image when I first saw it online, and it was even more beautiful in person. 

Every time I look at it, I am struck by the way the artist has captured the light on the buildings. I also love the colors, especially the pink building and the different shades of blue on the roofs. 

This was a truly exceptional experience and I am definitely going to be doing more from this brand and this artist. 

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Recent Reads from Sonali Dev

Sonali Dev has become one of my favorite authors, and I have recently read a novel and a short story of hers. The novel, Lies and Other Love Languages, is the story of Vandy Guru and her daughter Mallika. Vandy Guru is an advice columnist who is struggling with grief after the loss of her husband, and her daughter Mallika is an aspiring choreographer who is struggling to find her niche. The story also involves Vandy’s estranged childhood friend Rani Parekh and the secrets that tore them apart.

The book moves back and forth between the past and the present day until finally the story merges near the end of the book. Sometimes all that switching is difficult for me to follow or engage with, but I didn’t have any trouble with this one and was interested in both storylines. I was most invested in Vandy and Rani but gradually connected with Mallika as her character was fleshed out more and more. I also really liked the ending.

The Wedding Setup is a short story about Ayesha Shetty, a young woman who has thrown herself into the family business after the death of her brother. At her best friend’s wedding, she runs into an old flame while trying to avoid a doctor her mother is trying to set her up with. It was cute but mostly predictable, but I did enjoy the little twist at the end.

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The Sewing Shed

The Sewing Shed is a 1000-piece puzzle from Ravensburger, and the artist is Steve Read. I got this puzzle a few weeks ago from a friend of a friend who lives about an hour away. Shortly after, I received an envelope in the mail with several puzzle pieces – one for this puzzle and a few for the other puzzle he gave me. I was expecting that it might still be missing pieces, so I was pleasantly surprised when it ended up being complete. 

This was a nice challenge. A few areas were a bit dark, and I did have to sort by shape about two-thirds of the way through. But I love all the colorful fabrics and sewing notions, and I especially love the little cat curled up next to the sewing machine.