Audiobook Review: Once Upon a Time by Elizabeth Beller

Genre: Biography/Audiobook

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio

Pub. Date: May 21, 2024

Source: Personal Copy

My Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

 

 

Goodreads says, "A quarter of a century after the plane crash that claimed the lives of John F. Kennedy Jr., his wife Carolyn, and sister-in-law Lauren, the magnitude of this tragedy remains fresh. Yet, Carolyn is still an enigmatic figure, a woman whose short life in the spotlight was besieged with misogyny and cruelty.

Amidst today’s cultural reckoning about the way our media treats women, Elizabeth Beller explores the real person behind the tabloid headlines and media frenzy. When she began dating America’s prince, Carolyn was increasingly thrust into an overwhelming spotlight filled with relentless paparazzi who reacted to her reserve with a campaign of harassment and vilification.

To this day, she is still depicted as a privileged princess—icy, vapid, and drug-addicted. She has even been accused of being responsible for their untimely death, allegedly delaying take-off until she finished her pedicure. But now, she is revealed as never before.

A fiercely independent woman devoted to her adopted city and career, Carolyn relied on her impeccable eye and drive to fly up the ranks at Calvin Klein in the glossy, high-stakes fashion world of the 1990s. When Carolyn met her future husband, John was immediately drawn to her strong-willed personality, effortless charm, and high intelligence. Their relationship would change her life and catapult her to dizzying fame, but it was her vibrant life before their marriage and then hidden afterwards, that is truly fascinating.

Based on in-depth research and exclusive interviews with friends, family members, teachers, roommates, and colleagues, this comprehensive biography reveals a multi-faceted woman worthy of our attention regardless of her husband and untimely death."

 

Many people believe they know Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy based on what the tabloids highlighted, but she was so much more than that. Once Upon a Time by Elizabeth Beller explores Carolyn's childhood, formative years, career, and her relationship with John Kennedy Jr. If you want to learn more about Carolyn, her motivations, and the triumphs and struggles she experienced, this biography will help you appreciate her more deeply. It also sheds light on the challenges she faced with the media in the latter part of her life, evoking sympathy for her situation. Elizabeth Beller’s Once Upon a Time is a compelling biography of Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy, a misunderstood woman who was truly larger than life.
 
This debut biography starts with Carolyn's childhood, and it examines her relationship with her formidable mother, her sisters, and the often complex relationship with her father. As a teen, she was well-liked, popular, and often a little too social, which had her mother start her in a Catholic school instead of the public school in the neighborhood. Her mother remarried a successful doctor, so Carolyn's life was a bit more affluent after their marriage, and she lived in a nice house in New York. She attended Boston University, and the biography takes us through her college years, and I was surprised to find out she majored in education. This was just one of the interesting tidbits that challenged my original ideas on Carolyn.  
 
Always drawn to fashion, she ends up working at Calvin Klein and works her way up the ladder. Beller dives into some of her fashion and how that evolved through the years. At Calvin Klein, this is where she meets John F. Kennedy Jr., and then her life is forever changed. Once Upon a Time takes us through their first meeting, the dates, breakups, more dates, and eventual engagement. I adored the details surrounding their secret wedding on a private island, how she navigated the Kennedy family, and eventually how she deals with the overbearing media scrutiny. The last quarter of the book mainly focuses on how the tabloids destroyed Carolyn's sense of peace, and she couldn't deal with it in a healthy way. She was constantly portrayed horribly, and it wore her down. Readers can help but feel sympathy towards her and see her in a different light.
 
What inspired me to dive into Once Upon a Time was watching a few episodes of Love Story on FX, which is based on this book. I'm glad I made that choice because the biography filled in some gaps that the show couldn't fully explore. Was it the best written biography? No, it did feel repetitive at times and hyper-focused on Carolyn's looks, but if you're a fan of Love Story, I recommend picking up a copy of Once Upon a Time. Even though we know the sad ending, I still enjoyed learning more about Carolyn. It evoked a strong sense of 90s nostalgia, which I relished in! Also, I appreciated Carolyn as more than just a fashion icon. I hope she is remembered for her full legacy.
 
Are you a fan of Love Story? Do you want to read Once Upon a Time? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.  

 

Blog Tour and Giveaway: Rescue Clickity Clack

 

Some of my very favorite books to share with young readers are about the ocean and sea life. I especially love to highlight these stories as summer approaches and the beach calls. I’m also drawn to picture books with a rhythmic, read-aloud quality and a deep appreciation for nature and marine life. That’s why I’m excited to showcase Rescue Clickity Clack: A Fun Interactive Wordplay to Save a Crab’s Day! by Debra Pehrson Haun. Kirkus Reviews calls this book “a vibrant introduction to marine biology with charming illustrations,” and I think it would be a wonderful addition to any home library. I know my two little beach bums would have loved this interactive picture book!

 

Learn More About the Book:

 

Rescue Clickity Clack: A Fun Interactive Ocean Wordplay to Save a Crab's Day!

Written and illustrated by Debra Pehrson Haun

Ages: 1-5 | 32 Pages

Publisher: BookBaby (2026) | ISBN: 979-8-9889223-1-5

Publisher’s Book Summary: "Clickity Clack, a young crab, finds himself lost and stuck in some yucky muck. He wants to get back home, but he knows he will need help to guide him. Every page turn is a new adventure to brave the waves as you rock, pop, tickle, and wiggle your way through the seas in this captivating multisensory interactive rhythmic adventure where sea stars, vibrant fish, sea turtles, hermit crabs, and a whale join in the fun. Clickity Clack celebrates being home by clicking and clacking his claws with his new friends and his Mom and Pop. Fun facts about all the sea creatures add to the educational value in this rocking, rolling, interactive, rhythmic wordplay sea adventure. BRAVE THE WAVES—YOUR ADVENTURE AWAITS!"

 

You can purchase your own copy of Rescue Clickity Clack at Barnes & Noble, BookBaby and Amazon. Also, to learn more about Debra Pehrson Haun visit her website and connect with her on Facebook and Instagram. 

 

The Giveaway:

 

I've partnered with Debra Pehrson Haun to host a giveaway to celebrate the publication of Rescue Clickity Clack. Enter for a chance to win a splash-tastic prize pack inspired by Rescue Clickity Clack! Four lucky winners will receive a signed hardcover copy of the book plus a small plush crab, and one grand prize winner will receive two toddler t-shirts featuring a crab and sea star design, a signed hardcover copy of the book, and two small plush crabs. Giveaway ends April 27, 2026, at 11:30 PM Mountain Time. Good luck!

Can't Wait Wednesday: Down with the Shipmans

Can't Wait Wednesday is hosted by Wishful Endings and helps us spotlight upcoming releases we're eagerly anticipating.   

 

Down with the Shipmans by Meg Mitchell Moore

Pub. Date: June 2, 2026

 

Goodreads says, "From the bestselling author of Mansion Beach, a summery drama following three sisters who return to their childhood home, each with their own secret, perfect for readers of Sandwich and Pineapple Street.

It’s the week after Fourth of July, and the Shipman sisters are returning to their picturesque summer home on the New Hampshire coast for what they believe is a family reunion, the first without their late mother. However, their tranquil setting quickly becomes a stage for drama when their father, Calvin, drops the bombshell news that he plans to sell the cherished beach house. 

Mae, the youngest daughter, who has a newfound penchant for attracting trouble, is distraught, already dealing with her own emotional scars and a problematic rescue dog. Natalie, the middle sister and social media darling known for her seemingly idyllic life as a tradwife, is equally anxious, especially since her flawless public image is on the verge of imploding. Meanwhile, Jordan, the eldest, a high-powered crisis communications expert, is ready to be rid of the house so she can tend to her own professional disaster.
As old memories are stirred up and the sisters navigate both the packing of the house and their personal crises, the arrival of Calvin’s new wife pushes Jordan, Natalie, and Mae to decide how far they’re willing to go to preserve the Shipman bond. 

A delicious summer read that explores the enduring power of family and sister connections, Down with the Shipmans is a humorous, heartfelt reminder that home is not a place, but the people who love you, no matter how imperfectly."

 

Get ready for all these great beach reads coming out! Meg Mitchell Moore's summer reads are always high up on my list. Have you added Down with the Shipmans to your summer TBR list yet? 

 

Audiobook Review: Culpability by Bruce Holsinger

Genre: Adult Fiction/Audiobook

Pub. Date: July 8, 2025

Publisher: Spiegel + Grau

Source: Personal Copy

My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

 

 

Goodreads says, "When the Cassidy-Shaws’ autonomous minivan collides with an oncoming car, seventeen-year-old Charlie is in the driver’s seat, with his father, Noah, riding shotgun. In the back seat, tweens Alice and Izzy are on their phones, while their mother, Lorelei, a world leader in the field of artificial intelligence, is absorbed in her work. Yet each family member harbors a secret that implicates them in the accident.

During a weeklong recuperation on the Chesapeake Bay, the family confronts the excruciating moral dilemmas triggered by the crash. Noah tries to hold the family together as a seemingly routine police investigation jeopardizes Charlie’s future. Alice and Izzy turn strangely furtive. And Lorelei’s odd behavior tugs at Noah’s suspicions that there is a darker truth behind the incident—suspicions heightened by the sudden intrusion of Daniel Monet, a tech mogul whose mysterious history with Lorelei hints at betrayal. When Charlie falls for Monet’s teenaged daughter, the stakes are raised even higher in this propulsive family drama that is also a fascinating exploration of the moral responsibility and ethical consequences of AI.

Culpability explores a world newly shaped by chatbots, autonomous cars, drones, and other nonhuman forces in ways that are thrilling, challenging, and unimaginably provocative."

 

 

When the Cassidy-Shaw family is on their way to their older son Charlie's lacrosse tournament, and their autonomous family van collides with an oncoming car, their lives are impacted irrecoverably. Charlie, a seventeen-year-old, was "driving" the van at the time when the accident occurred with his father, Noah, sitting shotgun. In the back were sisters Alice and Izzy, along with their mother, Lorelei, who was working on her laptop as she holds a prominent position in the tech world of AI. The accident killed the people in the oncoming car and left the Cassidy-Shaws with various injuries, but they all survived the crash. Afterwards, they decide to escape to the Chesapeake Bay to recuperate at a rental house. But they can't escape the crash and the problems that have come up due to the complexities of the accident, as the car is considered autonomous. Charlie, a lacrosse star with a college scholarship, is now being investigated for this crash, and his parents are being dragged into it, as he is a minor. During their week on the bay, more secrets float to the surface about the crash, what each passenger saw, and the ramifications of it. To complicate matters further, their neighbor on the bay is a prominent tech guru, Daniel Monet, and Charlie starts to hang out with his teenage daughter. Plus, Lorelei seems to know him as they are in the same work circles, and what should have been a quiet week on the bay turns out to be filled with drama. Bruce Holsinger's Culpability is one of the smartest books I've read in a while. The audiobook was thought-provoking, compelling, and one of my favorites of the year.
 
The Cassidy-Shaw family is tragically flawed, but that is what I found most compelling in Culpability. Each family member is dealing with their own issues, and slowly, the issues come to the surface. I also felt like each character wasn't exactly likable and I was frustrated with their choices from time to time, but that is what made the story a page turner. Lorelei is brilliant, but is hiding something from her husband. Meanwhile, readers are wondering why Noah wasn't just driving the car? Why put Charlie at the wheel? What were Alice and Izzy texting about in the car, and did they notice anything before the crash? These are all questions that come up, and slowly Holsinger reveals this to his readers.
 
What was most compelling about Culpability was the AI storyline. Yes, this is a family drama, but the story also begs readers to think about AI. What are the implications of AI? What are the moral ethics surrounding AI and an autonomous car? Whose fault is it in an accident like theirs? It's a smart read that definitely got me thinking, and because of this, it would make for an excellent book club book as it lends itself to much discussion.
 
Culpability is one of my favorite audiobooks of the year. I really enjoyed the family drama, the beach house setting, and the moral questions that it poses. I will definitely read more of Holsinger's novels in the future. Have you read Culpability? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below. 

 

Book Review: Kin by Tayari Jones

Pages: 368

Genre: Adult Historical Fiction

Pub. Date: February 24, 2026

Publisher: Knopf Doubleday

Source: Personal Copy

My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

 

Goodreads says, "Vernice and Annie, two motherless daughters raised in Honeysuckle, Louisiana, have been best friends and neighbors since earliest childhood, but are fated to live starkly different lives. Raised by a fierce aunt determined to give her a stable home in the wake of her mother’s death, Vernice leaves Atlanta at eighteen for Spelman College, where she joins a sisterhood of powerfully connected Black women and marries into an affluent family. Annie, abandoned by her dissolute mother as a child, and fixated on the idea of finding her and filling the bottomless hole left by her absence, sets off on a journey that will take her into a world of peril and adversity, as well as love and adventure, and culminate in a battle for her life.

A novel about mothers and daughters, about friendship and sisterhood, and the complexities of being a woman in the American South, Kin is an exuberant, emotionally rich, unforgettable work from one of the brightest and most irresistible voices in contemporary fiction.

 

It's the 1950s in Honeysuckle, Louisiana, where Vernice (Nicey) and Annie have bonded over their trauma. Both young women are without mothers. Nicey is being raised by her aunt Irene, as her mother was murdered, and Annie's mother left her as an infant, so she is being raised by her grandmother. As they navigate their teens and adult life together, their bonds are forged even more strongly. Nicey, who is a little more subdued, has the opportunity to go to Spelman College and make something of herself. There, she meets a lot of different black women who inspire her to change her life and leave Honeysuckle behind. Annie, meanwhile, always searching for her mother, Hattie, decides to embark on an adventure of sorts with friends to Memphis, where her mother was last spotted. Annie's journey is anything but calm, with a lot of ups and downs along the way in the Jim Crow South. No matter what obstacles are thrown their way, Nicey and Annie still find one another, even if their paths take them in opposite directions. Kin by Tayari Jones is a brilliant novel that almost reads like a modern classic; it's vivid, compelling, and a master class in character development.
 
From the beginning of Kin, I was struck by the strong friendship between Nicey and Annie. Although they have very different personalities, they complement each other well. Nicey’s life takes her to an affluent Black community in Atlanta, where she is focused on finding a advantageous marriage. In contrast, Annie embarks on a road trip to Memphis, navigating through the turbulent South. This journey brings attention to Southern culture as well as the realities of the Jim Crow era.

I was truly impressed by Jones's character development; it was brilliant! The characters and the Southern setting came alive on the page. Whether Nicey was mingling with the wealthy in Atlanta or Annie was walking along a sweltering dirt road in the Deep South, I felt as though I were there. Additionally, the alternating points of view between Annie and Nicey further developed their characters. Despite their geographical distance, the story intricately tied both women together, as their friendship and shared childhood strongly drew them back to one another.
 
This is my first novel by Jones, but it won't certainly be my last. I adored Kin and thought it was written beautifully. It reminded me of a classic in the best way possible. Have you read Kin? Are you a fan of Tayari Jones? Let me know in the comments below.