This Week At Silver's Reviews

Already the last week of January.

Hope to see you.

 

Spotlight of Anne of a Different Island by Virginia Kantra

PHOTO CREDIT:

TYPORAMA
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ANNE OF A DIFFERENT ISLAND

VIRGINIA KANTRA

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ALL INFORMATION IN THIS POST IS TAKEN FROM AN E-MAIL FROM ANNA VENCKUS PUBLICIST | BERKLEY|AND PENGUIN RANDOM HOUSE'S WEBSITE

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It brilliantly combines a classic retelling with an imaginative original story as it follows an Anne of Green Gables aficionado whose life suddenly begins to seem a little too similar to that of her fictional hero. 

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January 20, 2026

Berkley

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PRAISE FOR ANNE OF A DIFFERENT ISLAND:

“Virginia Kantra’s masterful reenvisioning of beloved novels from our youth will have readers cheering. Fresh, delightful, and funny, the perfect, contemporary homage to Anne of Green Gables.”—Kristan Higgins, New York Times bestselling author of Look on the Bright Side

“Full of wisdom, love and longing, Anne of a Different Island is the perfect tonic (or cordial!) for readers seeking romance and hope, and a wonderful homage to the spirit of Anne Shirley herself.”—Natalie Jenner, USA Today bestselling author of Austen at Sea

“This charming modernization of a children’s classic is sure to suit readers of Kristan Higgins or Carly Fortune and should have nostalgic appeal for Anne of Green Gables fans.”—Library Journal

**PRAISE TAKEN FROM

THE PUBLISHER'S WEBSITE**

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ABOUT ANNE OF A DIFFERENT ISLAND:

A woman learns to be the heroine of her own life in this heartfelt novel inspired by Anne of Green Gables by New York Times bestselling author Virginia Kantra.

She believed life could follow a plotline—until the story she was living unraveled.

Anne Gallagher has always lived by the book. Anne of Green Gables, that is. Growing up on Mackinac Island, she saw herself as her namesake: the same impulsive charm, the same wild imagination, even the same red hair (dyed, but still). She followed in Anne Shirley’s fictional footsteps, chasing dreams of teaching and writing, and falling for her very own storybook hero.

But when a string of real-life plot twists—a failing romance, a fight with the administration, and the sudden death of her beloved father—pulls her back to the island she once couldn’t wait to leave, Anne is forced to face a truth no story ever prepared her for. Sometimes, life doesn’t follow a script.

Back in the house she grew up in, Anne must confront her past and the people she left behind, including Joe Miller, the boy who once called her “The Pest.” It’s time to figure out what she wants and rewrite her story to create her own happy ending. Not the book version. The real one.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

New York Times bestselling author Virginia Kantra is the author of almost thirty novels.

She is married to her college sweetheart, a coffee shop owner who keeps her well supplied with caffeine and material.

They make their home in North Carolina, where they raised three (mostly adult) children.

She is a firm believer in the strength of family, the importance of storytelling, and the power of love.

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SOCIAL LINKS:

Website

Instagram

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Such a Clever Girl by Darby Kane

I thought the Tanners were all dead, how can Aubrey be here?

Aubrey, Marnie, Hanna, and Stella, along with a few others are summoned to the reading of the will of Xavier Tanner.

Marnie was in the house when the murder happened.  Hanna walked out with a blood-covered knife.  Stella was Aubrey's psychiatrist.

Did any of them have something to do with the murder?  Sure looks like it.

As the three women were having a meeting, a man appears and says he is writing a book about the  Tanners, and he is interested in talking to all of them about the incident since they were there.

Then a body is found in the garden and secrets come out and not just about the body.

SUCH A CLEVER GIRL has a lot of characters which makes it confusing, but you will finally get it all sorted out.

That did detract from the storyline for me even though each chapter was labeled with the name of the person who was talking and it was much too long.

If you can get through the length and confusion, the ending wraps it up. 

3/5

Thank you to the publisher for a copy of the book.  All opinions are my own.

Friendly Fill-Ins - 2/23/2026

                                                 

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FRIENDLY FILL-INS:

1. I feel like ______ whenever I think about _________.

2. January is a good month to _________.

3. ______ is nonnegotiable in my life.

4. I could give up ______ as long as _______.

  MY ANSWERS:

1.  I feel like laughing whenever I think about the time I sat on a pie at Thanksgiving.

2.  January is a good month to stay inside.

3.  Kindness is nonnegotiable in my life.

4.  I could give up chocolate as long as I can have some caramels.

 

Spotlight of Leyla's House by Zülfü Livaneli

PHOTO SOURCE:
TYPORAMA
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LEYLA'S HOUSE

Zülfü Livaneli

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ALL INFORMATION IN THIS POST IS COURTESY OF ANNIE RINALDI | ASSOCIATE PUBLICIST | OTHER PRESS 

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Tradition, modernity, displacement, and human connection collide in internationally bestselling author Zülfü Livaneli’s latest.

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January 20, 2026 

Other Press Trade Paperback Original

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PRAISE FOR LEYLA'S HOUSE:

"An elderly woman is uprooted from her home in this compassioate novel from Livaneli (Disquiet)...Livaneli takes a wide-angle view, showing how Ömer and Necla have betrayed not just Leyla but the mansion’s history as a safe haven for refugees from the Yugoslav Wars. Along the way, he capably explores the meaning of home and the importance of shelter, particularly in Leyla’s deep-seated attachment to the estate and Ömer’s chastising by his devout Muslim father, who views the eviction as a sin. It’s a satisfying morality tale."–PUBLISHERS WEEKLY

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ABOUT LEYLA'S HOUSE:

Evicted from her Istanbul mansion, an elderly aristocrat forms surprising new connections across class and culture in this colorful, nuanced novel about old and new money, the Ottoman Empire, and modern Turkey.

The last living member of a great Ottoman family, the refined yet sheltered Leyla finds herself homeless and vulnerable when her house is sold by the bank to a business tycoon and his ambitious wife. Forced out of this historic mansion on the bank of the Bosphorus, Leyla is rescued and taken in by Yusuf, the son of her family’s former gardener who has become a journalist. She follows him to a modern, cosmopolitan district of Istanbul where she discovers a world of artists and outcasts alongside Yusuf’s partner, Roxy, real name Rukiye, a hip-hop singer. Despite initial hostility, a real friendship gradually develops between these two very different women.

When Leyla’s old home is emptied of its furniture, a hidden family history resurfaces thanks to the discovery of a photo revealing the old lady’s uncanny resemblance to a British officer. Could Leyla be the product of an illegitimate union between an Ottoman woman and an Englishman?

With a marked sense of romance, this vibrant novel displays all the layers of a society where social classes as diverse as the former Ottoman aristocracy, the nouveau riche, and the Turks who returned after immigrating to Europe coexist. I hope to stay in touch with you about possibilities for it.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR AND TRANSLATORS:

About the Author:  Zülfü Livaneli is Turkey’s best-selling author and a political activist. Widely considered one of the most important Turkish cultural figures of our time, he is known for his novels that interweave diverse social and historical backgrounds, figures, and incidents, including the critically acclaimed Bliss (winner of the Barnes & Noble Discover Great New Writers Award), Serenade for Nadia (Other Press, 2020), Disquiet (Other Press, 2021), The Last Island (Other Press, 2022), The Fisherman and His Son (Other Press, 2023), On the Back of the Tiger (Other Press, 2024) and My Brother’s Story, which have been translated into thirty-seven languages, won numerous international literary prizes, and been turned into movies, stage plays, and operas.

About the Translator:  Brendan Freely was born in Princeton in 1959 and studied psychology at Yale University. His translations include Two Girls by Perihan Mağden, The Gaze by Elif Şafak, and, with Yelda Türedi, Like a Sword Wound by Ahmet Altan.

About the Translator:  Yelda Türedi was born in Mersin, Turkey, in 1970 and studied chemical engineering at Boğaziçi University. Türedi has co-translated Ahmet Altan’s Like a Sword Wound and Love in the Days of Rebellion.

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SOCIAL MEDIA:

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All The Little Houses by May Cobb

 

We meet the powerful Anderson family who always get what they want and the Swifts who are new to the town and a family that is old-fashioned.

Nellie Anderson and Jane Swift immediately form a dislike for each other.

Nellie hates Jane because she is beneath her, but all the guys are attracted to her.

Jane tries to break out from her old-fashioned family.  

These two clash as well as others in this character-driven read that seems like a daytime soap opera.

What happens in this town?  

Well…infidelity, lies, betrayals, jealousy, secrets, a murder and a whole lot more.

Which characters fall under all those categories?

Find out in this detailed, drama-filled read for those who are fans of "people" conflict. 

It actually didn’t catch my interest until around 70% because of all the soap opera feel going on, but WOW on that last scene.

There has to be a sequel, and I will be looking forward to it.

 

The last 30% and especially the ending is raising up my rating from a 3/5 to 4/5.

Thank you to the publisher for a copy of this book.  All opinions are my own.

Spotlight of Such Sheltered Lives by Alyssa Sheinmel

PHOTO SOURCE:
TYPORAMA
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SUCH SHELTERED LIVES

ALYSSA SHEINMEL

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ALL INFORMATION IN THIS POST IS TAKEN FROM SIMON AND SCHUSTER'S WEBSITE.

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For fans of Nine Perfect Strangers and The Midnigt Feast, a moody, atmospheric psychological suspense set in the secretive world of celebrity rehab centers.

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January 20, 2026

Atria/Emily Bestler Books 

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PRAISE FOR SUCH SHELTERED LIVES:

“Fast paced and utterly addictive, Such Sheltered Lives pulled me immediately into its world of privilege, pampering, and long-protected secrets.”– Alafair Burke, New York Times bestselling author of The Note

“A searing look at intense wealth and all the things money can’t buy, with characters that didn’t leave my mind and a setting so lush I felt like I could crawl inside it. Truly stunning.”– Danielle Valentine, New York Times bestselling author of Delicate Condition

“Atmospheric… employs some shrewd sleight of hand to keep the pages turning.”– Publishers Weekly

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ABOUT SUCH SHELTERED LIVES:

Rush’s Recovery promises its wealthy guests the utmost discretion. But when a body is discovered, how long can the center’s secrets stay buried?

Tucked among the pristine beaches and lavish manors of the Hamptons sits Rush’s Recovery, a rehabilitation center where ultra-high net worth clients can seek treatment away from prying eyes and paparazzi.

The center’s latest guests have just arrived: Lord Edward of Essex, a British aristocrat fighting his black-sheep status and a painful addiction; Amelia Blue Harris, the daughter of a 90s rock legend struggling with an eating disorder; and Florence Bloom, a pop star trying to lay low after her latest tabloid scandal.

Each has been promised the highest standard of care, from daily therapy and a live-in chef to acupuncture sessions and a personal care manager, available 24/7. Just so long as they stay in their private cottages and never interact with the center’s other guests.

But these three self-destructive B-listers have no intention of playing by the rules. No amount of cold plunges and talk-therapy can prevent Florence’s illicit flirtation with a staff member, or keep Amelia Blue and Lord Edward from sneaking out to wander the snow-covered grounds at night.

Celebrities check in to Rush’s Recovery to protect their privacy, but the darkest secrets may lie in the center’s own history—and not every guest will be checking out alive.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

PHOTO BY:  JP Gravitt

Alyssa Sheinmel is the New York Times bestselling author of several novels for young adults, including A Danger to Herself and Others, The Castle School for Troubled Girls, and Faceless. Such Sheltered Lives is her adult debut. Alyssa grew up in Northern California and New York and currently lives and writes in New York. 

Follow her on Instagram @AlyssaSheinmel or visit her online at AlyssaSheinmel.com.

**AUTHOR PHOTO AND BIO TAKEN FROM THE SIMON AND SCHUSTER WEBSITE**

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SOCIAL MEDIA:

Website

Instagram

Goodreads