October 2026 Book Reviews #bookreview #books #amreading #readingcommunity @YvetteMCalleiro

Hello, beautiful readers! October was full of so many fun activities. Every weekend was busy and fun, so my reading was limited. Still, I was able to finish reading one book. Here is my review:

Book Club Confidential: A Novel

by Julie Hatcher

Genre: Women's Humorous Fiction

Pages: 328

Book Blurb:

Once upon a time, friends Tessa, Kate, and Hallie dreamed big. Now they’re all that’s left of a once-thriving book club, meeting weekly to drink wine, talk novels, and quietly wonder how their lives got so small.

Tessa, a lifelong people pleaser, excels at a corporate job she hates, while influencer Kate grows weary of chasing false perfection and true love. Meanwhile, independent Hallie drifts toward a wedding she never really wanted—nursing feelings she’s too afraid to name.

But out of their growing regret comes a decisive pact: For one month, they’ll make every choice boldly, like they’re the protagonists of their own stories. The results are immediate, transformative…and chaotic. Careers stumble. Relationships fumble. Carefully crafted images start to crack.

It turns out, having agency is easier said than done. But with their friendship intact, they each come to grips with their new character arc—and discover what they’ll risk to find their happy ending.

My Review:

Although this book is not fantasy, I really enjoyed it. It reminded me of my two friends and I who have our own book club and get together to talk about the books, bond, and create memories. This book follows three women who are not satisfied with their lives. One of them suggests they transform their lives by become the protagonist of their own life story. At first, everything falls apart for each of them, but slowly, they start creating the lives that truly make them happy.

This book has plenty of feel-good moments and truly celebrates friendships and pursuing one's dreams. I definitely would recommend this book to others.

Have you read any great books lately? I'd love to hear about them below.

What Lies Beneath - #TankaTuesday #Etheree #poem #poetry #poetrycommunity @YvetteMCalleiro

Hello, beautiful readers! Happy day before Halloween! My son is off in college, so my days of trick-or-treating are done (until the grandkids come many, many, MANY moons from now...lol!). Still, I get to enjoy seeing my students come in their costumes today and embrace their creativity and imagination.

For this week's #TankaTuesday, we are focusing on what lies behind the mask. What do we keep hidden from others? I decided to write a stacked/double Etheree with a syllabication pattern of 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1.

(image courtesy of @Loveandiofficial on Pixabay)

What Lies Beneath

the

real me

hides in the

darkest shadows

away from judgement

sheltering hidden truths

only the most trusted friends

catch a glimpse of the rawest me

past rejections, humiliations

have taught me to guard my most precious parts

to protect my heart from bad intentions

maybe one day I'll feel brave enough

strong enough to no longer care

about other's opinions

stand proud of who I am

to reveal what lies

behind my mask

uncover

my true

self

Would you like to write a poem for this prompt? Join us here.

Drifting Apart - #FFFC #TankaTuesday #cinquain #poem #poetry #poetrycommunity @YvetteMCalleiro

Hello, beautiful readers! I am feeling much better, but I still have a lingering cough. It hasn't stopped me from enjoying life. This past weekend was full of fun activities, and the upcoming weekend looks like it will be a repeat. The weather has finally dropped from the 90s to the 80s, and I'm loving it. And today, I'm finally able to make some time to write poetry. 

Today, I'm combining two poetry challenges. The first is Melissa's Fandango Flash Fiction Challenge #399, where Melissa shares the beautiful photo below. The second is #TankaTuesday in which Colleen invites us to write a cinquain and/or a cinquain variation. She asks us to create at least two stanzas, so I wrote a mirror cinquain, which consists of an American cinquain form (2-4-6-8-2) in the first stanza and a reverse cinquain form (2-8-6-4-2) in the second stanza.

(image courtesy of Kaiwen Sun)

Drifting Apart

head high

pure confidence

approval not needed

owning the space with inner strength

fearless

withdrawn

eyes lowered to avoid others

desires no attention

seeks solitude

alone

Would you like to participate in either of these prompts? Click the links below:

Melissa's Fandango Flash Fiction Challenge #399

#TankaTuesday

Birthday Wishes - #W3 #TankaTuesday #Urdu #Abhanga #poem #poetry #poetrycommunity @YvetteMCalleiro

Hello, beautiful readers! It's been a crazy couple of weeks for me, so I've missed out on some poetry. Last weekend, I went with two friends to Cinci '26, JR Ward's book convention. We met some of the actors in the Passionflix series of the book and watched the first episode of season two, which was amazing! We met the author (again) and were able to take pictures with her and the actors. We met other fabulous readers/fans and danced the night away with them and the author on the last night there. It was truly an incredible experience! 

Unfortunately, after three trips last month and being nonstop on the weekends in between, my body has given me a cold to force me to slow down (it hasn't worked well). I'm still busy. Lol!

I went to a brunch with my girl friends this afternoon and have been resting since then, so I thought I'd try to participate in two of my favorite challenges.

The first challenge is the Wea've Written Weekly Prompt #232, where Destiny asks us to incorporate an Urdu word into our poem. I chose to go with Qaraar, which means "a quiet sense of peace - something that steadies you and helps you feel settled." Our poem has to have twelve or fewer lines.

The second challenge is from #TankaTuesday, where Willow asks us to write an Abhanga, which is four lines with a 6-6-6-4 syllabic pattern. Lines 2 and 3 need to rhyme, so the rhyme scheme is abbc. The poem must focus on a specific day in October that is memorable to us.

I decided to write about my mom's birthday. My sister and I went to visit her and my dad this past Saturday to celebrate her 78th birthday. She has had a tough few years with surgeries and auto-immune issues, but she keeps making the best of life, and I admire her for that.

Birthday Wishes

a new year of life, hope

may qaraar fill your days

may you feel loved always

many blessings

Would you like to write a poem for either of these prompts? Click the links below:

Wea've Written Weekly Prompt #232

#TankaTuesday

September 2026 Book Reviews #bookreview #books #amreading #readingcommunity #magic @YvetteMCalleiro

Hello, beautiful readers! School has begun, so my amount of time to read has withered, but I still find time to read when I can. Here are the reviews for this month:

The Imposter's Inheritance (Glass and Steele, Book 9)

by C.J. Archer

Genre: Historical Fantasy

Pages: 300

Book Blurb:

A sordid scandal rocks the Glass household and threatens to ruin Matt's family unless he can suppress it. But after word gets out, and a rare magical coronet is stolen, he and India find themselves scrambling to recover the heirloom and suppress the gossip before reputations are ruined.

To make matters worse, someone is sending threatening letters to the magicians of London, stirring up trouble between the artless and magicians. Tensions are rising, but India and Matt choose not to investigate - until the author of the letters is assaulted.

As if they don't have enough on their plate, Willie is jailed. The reason for her arrest is…complicated.

My Review:

I am really enjoying this series. In this book, India and Matt are trying to find the thief of a magical coronet while maneuvering around entities who have ulterior motives. Willie is being elusive with the detective. Duke is finally getting some attention for himself. 

I like how each book slowly weaves its way through the mystery while revealing new information about subplots in between. The characters are enjoyable and well-flushed out, and I'm enjoying learning more about them. I look forward to reading the next book in the series. :-)

The Inheritance of Solitude: Poems on Hurt & Healing

by Smitha Vinshwanath

Genre: Poetry

Pages: 122

Book Blurb:

A book that explores grief, loss, healing and the strength it takes to begin again. Through heartfelt verses, the collection is a reminder that healing is possible even after life's heartbreaks. Smitha Vishwanath

My Review:

I really enjoyed this book of poetry. Smitha explores loss and grieving through beautiful verses in this book. Though she is expressing her own experiences of the death of loved ones and her healing journey, anyone who has lost a loved one can connect and relate to her words. The stages of grief are explored through her poems, each one described so hauntingly beautiful with her words. I think this would make a wonderful gift to someone who is grieving the loss of a loved one and may even help them on their healing journey.

The Safe Room: A Short Story

by Lisa Unger

Genre: 90-Minute Mystery, Thriller, & Suspense Short Reads

Pages: 63

Book Blurb:

Private investigator Rae Donovan’s relationship with her father is distant to the point of estrangement. But when she learns he’s dying in hospice, she drops everything to be at his side. By the time she arrives, he’s already too far gone to speak, and a doctor says his death is consistent with poisoning.

As she scours his isolated Adirondack home for clues, she discovers a hidden room filled with surveillance equipment, weapons, and a safe full of cash—maybe her father wasn’t the unassuming retiree she’d imagined. Rae must decide whether knowing the full truth about her family is worth the danger of tracking it down.

My Review:

This was a good short story. Rae's estranged father dies unexpectedly. When Rae goes to her childhood home to pack up his things, she discovers a side of him that she never knew existed. Unfortunately, his past puts her in danger. The story was written well. I easily connected with Rae through her inner dialogue and her process of grieving. The plot moved along at a great pace, and I liked the ending. If you are looking for a quick read that will keep you hooked, this one works! :-)

Have you read any great books this month? I'd love to hear from you. :-)

Fine Wine Love - #W3 #villanelle #poem #poetry #poetrycommunity @YvetteMCalleiro

Hello, beautiful readers! I'm going off the grid today. My sister and I are going camping this weekend. I'm looking forward to detaching from technology and being one with nature. Before I leave, I wanted to participate in one more poetry challenge this week.

This challenge comes from Wea've Written Weekly (W3) Prompt #229. Matt Snyder invites us to explore the villanelle form while talking about our favorite beverage. I don't think I've ever used this form. It has five three-line stanzas followed by a four-line stanza. The first three stanzas have an ABA pattern while the last stanza has an ABAA pattern. The first stanza's first and third lines alternate as the closing lines of stanza's 2-5 and come back as the final two lines. So the pattern looks like this:

A1 b A2 / a b A1 / a b A2 / a b A1/ a b A2 / a b A1 A2

(image courtesy of @Alexas_Fotos on Pixabay)

Fine Wine Love

my tongue enjoys a fine, dry wine

though at times I enjoy the sweet

delectable fermented grapes of a vine

a glass or two when I go out to dine

is always a special treat

my tongue enjoys a fine, dry wine

an exhausting day is always a sign

to turn to my favorite retreat -

delectable fermented grapes of a vine

a bubbly is lovely at the shoreline

it takes the edge off the heat

my tongue enjoys a fine, dry wine

it's always nice when the stars align

when my friends and I drink when we meet

delectable fermented grapes of a vine

a glass of dark red takes me to cloud nine

when I relax and put up my feet

my tongue enjoys a fine, dry wine

delectable fermented grapes of a vine

Would you like to write a poem for this prompt? Join us here.

American Bred, Cuban Roots - #TankaTuesday #NationalHispanicHeritageMonth #tankaprose #poem #poetry #poetrycommunity @YvetteMCalleiro

Hello, beautiful readers! This week is flying by, probably because I leave on Friday for a four-day camping trip with my sister. I cannot wait! We will be driving five hours north to camp. We chose a place close to our sons who are in college so they can come and visit us on the weekend. I cannot wait to wrap my arms around my son and my nephew (and their girlfriends...lol!).

Today begins National Hispanic Heritage Month, and as I come from Cuban roots, I wanted to celebrate my heritage. So, since I am the host at #TankaTuesday this week, I encouraged all poets to write about their heritage. The poems are amazing, so I hope you will go to the site and read them. For my poem, I decided to write a tanka prose. 

(created with Bing Images)

American Bred, Cuban Roots

As an Army brat, I grew up on bases around the world. American pride was embedded in my upbringing. A smorgasbord of cultures blended together in each place we were stationed, I didn't really know much about my heritage. I knew my parents were Cuban, but those words were hollow. Sure, we listened to Spanish music, played dominoes, and ate rice, black beans, plantains, and churrasco, but I didn't truly understand my culture. When my dad retired and we moved to Miami, I was an Americanized teenager who wanted nothing to do with my Cuban roots. It wasn't until I had a son of my own that I realized how special my heritage is. Today, I embrace my Cuban American heritage, grateful for the beauty of both.

wide hips, thunder thighs

Latin rhythm with each sway

Cuban roots still hold

my ancestor's precious DNA

proudly connects me to home

Would you like to write a poem about your heritage? Join us here.

Rise, Queen! - #FFFC #W3 #pantoum #poem #poetry #poetrycommunity @YvetteMCalleiro

Hello, beautiful readers! Happy Saturday! The weather isn't great for the beach, so I'm focusing on pampering myself in other ways, including reading and writing.

Today, I'm combining two poetry challenges. The first comes from Melissa's Fandango Flash Fiction Challenge #393, where Melissa shares the image below. It's hard to see in the image, but the message on the phone says, "Social Media seriously harms your mental health."

The second challenge comes from Wea've Written Weekly (W3) Prompt #228, where Reena invites us to write a pantoum. This form creates multiple four-line stanzas, with each stanza carrying forward two lines into the next stanza. The second and fourth lines become the first and third lines, respectively, of the next stanza. The last stanza brings back the opening stanza's third line as its second line and the first lines as the closing line. Hopefully, I did this correctly!

(image courtesy of SOCIAL.CUT)

Rise, Queen!

release your inner queen from her cage

your worth needs no one's validation

embrace the beauty flowing within 

you were meant to be uniquely you

your worth needs no one's validation

peel away the layers of self-doubt

you were meant to be uniquely you

attract the energy you deserve

peel away the layers of self-doubt

embrace the beauty flowing within you

attract the energy you deserve

release your inner queen from her cage

 Would you like to write a poem for either of these prompts? Click the links below:

Melissa's Fandango Flash Fiction Challenge #393

Wea've Written Weekly (W3) Prompt #228

Seasonal Pi-Ku Poems - #TankaTuesday #piku #poems #poetry #poetrycommunity @YvetteMCalleiro

Hello, beautiful readers! Last weekend, I joined my friends for a weekend trip to Charlotte, North Carolina, to watch my friend's son, Cory Cubano, and his teammates play in the Cosmic Baseball League. If you have never watched their games or been to a game, I highly recommend it. It's entertainment baseball, and it is a party from beginning to end. I had such a great time and can't wait to go again. That being said, Charlotte was HOT - even hotter than Miami, if you can believe that! Mother Nature is having vertigo. Lol!

I've felt a bit drained this week. I think between the flying and partying over the weekend and trying to fight off a cold during the week, my body has been functioning at a snail's pace, so I'm just now having a moment to sit and be creative. So, I'm focusing on #TankaTuesday's poetry challenge today. 

Melissa invites us to write a Pi-Ku, which is a three-line poem created in honor of pi (3.14). So, the first line has three syllables, the second has one syllable, and the third has four syllables. She challenged us to write a Pi-Ku (or several) focused on our season (which in Florida is hot...lol!...but I also wrote about autumn).

(image courtesy of @RuslandSikunov on Pixabay)

dew glistens

white

brilliant diamonds

(image courtesy of @Suraajm20 on Pixabay)

sweltering

heat

sweat slides down skin

(image courtesy of @wal_172619 on Pixabay)

summer fades

leaves

embrace the change

Would you like to write your own Pi-Ku poems? Join us here.

Learned Lessons - #W3 #TankaTuesday #tanaga @YvetteMCalleiro

Hello, beautiful readers! I almost missed out on last week's poetry challenges, but I was inspired to write one today. Life is busy as always for me, and I leave out of town this Thursday for a weekend trip, so I'm not sure I'll get to participate in this week's challenges.

I've combined two challenges together to the best of my ability. The first is Wea've Written Weekly (W3) Prompt #226, where Michelle invites us to write a tanaga, which is a four-line poem of exactly seven syllables in each line with an AAAA rhyme scheme. The theme is "Life and Wisdom." She invited us to explore the lessons we have learned from life, our choices, and our experiences.

The second prompt is from #TankaTuesday, where Colleen invites us to use color as a metaphor in our poem. I chose to go with gold which represents power and divine mercy.

I've been struggling with a decision lately. A person from my past who caused me some PTSD is going to be at an event that I'm looking forward to going to, but I just don't know if I can enjoy myself around that person. There is a part of me that is considering not going, but the other part of me doesn't want to give that person any power over me, especially for something that happened many, many years ago. This poem came to me as I pondered on these prompts, and I feel as if my muse is sending me her lesson.

(image courtesy of @TheOtherKey on Pixabay)

Learned Lessons

the bent tree does not cower

to next hurricane's power

past storms left it empower(ed)

it basks in the golden hour

Would you like to write a poem for either of these prompts? Join us here:

Wea've Written Weekly (W3) Prompt #226

#TankaTuesday