Reading with Steph

BOOK TITLE: Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing AUTHOR: Matthew Perry GENRE: Bio           272 pages     Feb 2025 BLURB: In an extraordinary story that only he could tell, Matthew Perry takes readers onto the soundstage of the most successful sitcom of all time while opening up about his private struggles with addiction. Candid, self-aware, and told with his trademark humor, Perry vividly details his lifelong battle with the disease and what fueled it despite seemingly having it all. MY REVIEW:   Well written by Matt, and so very sad in that he seemed better when he wrote it, and could not put it down.   Knowing how it actually ended makes the whole book even sadder….His storytelling is candid, often humorous, and at times heartbreaking, giving readers a raw glimpse into the challenges he faced behind the scenes of his iconic career. The memoir is not just a recounting of his life but also a powerful reflection on his jo...

 January 2025 books BOOK TITLE: The Marriage Portrait AUTHOR:  Maggie O’Farrell GENRE: Historical Fiction   355 pages BLURB: Florence, the 1550s. Lucrezia, third daughter of the grand duke, is comfortable with her obscure place in the palazzo: free to wonder at its treasures, observe its clandestine workings, and devote herself to her own artistic pursuits. But when her older sister dies on the eve of her wedding to the ruler of Ferrara, Modena and Reggio, Lucrezia is thrust unwittingly into the limelight: the duke is quick to request her hand in marriage, and her father just as quick to accept on her behalf. MY REVIEW: The Marriage Portrait by Maggie O’Farrell is an exquisite work of historical fiction that blends beauty, mystery, and deep emotional resonance. Drawing inspiration from the painting of Lucrezia de' Medici, the wife of Alfonso d'Este, O'Farrell weaves a rich tapestry of love, power, and self-discovery that will captivate readers from start to ...