Welcome to Notes from the Shelf
Thoughtful reviews. Curated reads. Literary love.
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Book Review: Beautiful Ugly
This post contains spoilers. This post also contains affiliate links. If you buy through Bookshop.org, I may earn a small commission—at no extra cost to you. Thanks for supporting the blog and indie bookstores! Beautiful Ugly by Alice Feeney is a 320-page thriller set on the Isle of Amberly, a tiny Scottish island. Author Grady…
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Five Books I’ve DNF’d and Why
As I’ve gotten older, I find it more beneficial for me to stop reading a book that I’m not really feeling. Perhaps it’s the wrong time to read it, and I’ll pick it up later to read anew, but I no longer push myself to get through books that don’t pull me in. There’s already…
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Book Review: To Shake the Sleeping Self
This post contains spoilers. This post also contains affiliate links. If you buy through Bookshop.org, I may earn a small commission—at no extra cost to you. Thanks for supporting the blog and indie bookstores! To Shake the Sleeping Self by Jedidiah Jenkins is a 336-page memoir. Jedidiah takes the reader with him on his bike…
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Book Review: On the Come Up
This post contains spoilers. This post also contains affiliate links. If you buy through Bookshop.org, I may earn a small commission—at no extra cost to you. Thanks for supporting the blog and indie bookstores! On the Come Up by Angie Thomas is a 464-page Contemporary Fiction YA (Young Adult) novel. The story is a coming-of-age…
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Book Review: Reincarnation Blues
This post contains spoilers. This post also contains affiliate links. If you buy through Bookshop.org, I may earn a small commission—at no extra cost to you. Thanks for supporting the blog and indie bookstores! Reincarnation Blues by Michael Poore is a 374-page magical realism/fantasy novel. The story follows Milo, a soul who has lived almost…
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Book Review: The Last Thing He Told Me
This post contains spoilers. This post also contains affiliate links. If you buy through Bookshop.org, I may earn a small commission—at no extra cost to you. Thanks for supporting the blog and indie bookstores! The Last Thing He Told Me by Laura Dave is a 307-page thriller mystery novel. This is the blurb from the…
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Hi, I’m Sara!
By day, I’m a packaging engineer; by night (and any spare moment in between), I’m a devoted book lover who always has a story close at hand. Whether I’m curled up at home or traveling with a book in my bag, reading is how I explore, unwind, and connect.
Notes from the Shelf is my space to share thoughtful reviews, curated recommendations, and literary commentary across genres—especially fantasy, romance, and nonfiction. But I’m a firm believer that every book has its reader, so you’ll find a wide variety here, from buzzworthy bestsellers to underrated gems.
This blog isn’t just about what I’m reading—it’s about building a community of curious, passionate readers. My goal is to inspire, challenge, and entertain through honest reviews and engaging bookish content that sparks discovery and conversation.
You can explore and purchase many of the books I feature through my Bookshop.org profile. I earn a small commission (at no extra cost to you), and your support helps indie bookstores and keeps this blog thriving.
If you’d like to support my work as a reviewer and writer, you can also buy me a coffee. Every bit goes toward creating more content and reaching more readers.
Thanks for being here and happy reading!
Notes from the Shelf 