Regan has written about this one a couple of times, and I already wrote about it once, so I won't retread here. I will simply say that this was a lovely twist on fantasy adventure stories, and while yes, there are definitely things that would probably make more sense if you've read Sanderson's other Cosmere novels (I haven't...yet), it was a blast to read, and the Orcs & Aliens had fun with it.
Abe and Ruth are the epitome of "opposites attract" from the moment they met. She's a free spirit, he's a straitlaced company man, but somehow, they've stuck together for more than 70 years, through times good and bad, with three very different children. Just as they're getting ready to celebrate their 70th anniversary, Ruth discovers that the loose tooth she's dealing with is a sign of something much more malignant. Suddenly, Abe finds himself caring for the woman who has kept everything running smoothly through their whole marriage, while Ruth struggles with her new diagnosis and reliance on others.
This sort of serious family crisis book really wasn't my cup of tea, and honestly, I kept wondering how these two very different people ever got together and stayed together. However, I also know a few people who absolutely loved it, so your mileage may vary.
Babs Dionne is proud of her Acadian roots, and serves as the matriarch to the whole town of Waterville, Maine, helping out and keeping miscreants in line with the help of her coffee klatch of lifelong friends. She's also the leading drug supplier to the area, using those same friends to help keep the business running. When a kingpin learns that Babs has been cutting into his business, he sends a malevolent hitman to take out Babs and any family members who may get in the way.
I'll be honest: it's been a bit since I've read this book and I don't remember a lot of the details of it. However, I do remember chuckling a lot at the dark humor of this Acadian mafia saga. The audiobook was fantastic, and I highly recommend it.
Graceling: The Graphic Novel by Kristin Cashore, adapted and illustrated by Gareth Hinds (2021) 272 pages
Working on a Song: The Lyrics of Hadestown by Anaïs Mitchell, 259 pages.
This is a really interesting look into the song-writing process, but also a look at show development and creative collaboration in a decade-long project. I listened to the audiobook, which I think really heightened the experience, as it is read by Anaïs Mitchell herself. She sings many verses, and overall it feels very personal and enriching. I'm not sure there's much here for anyone who's not a fan of the show, but it is a must-listen for fans.
To Be or Not To Be: A Chooseable-Path Adventure by Ryan North, 368 pages.
In addition to the crazy plots and cool illustrated endings, I really enjoyed how conversational this book was. The author was definitely a character, which allowed for some especially fun use of the medium. I would definitely recommend flipping through this book, for Shakespeare fans especially, but honestly I think it's funny enough that most people would enjoy it.
The Tea Master and the Detective by Aliette de Bodard, 86 pages.
This was the Orcs and Aliens book for last month, and I'm afraid the consensus wasn't very positive. While the Vietnamese-inspired sci-fi setting is new and interesting, the world building was thin enough to leave me constantly confused about basic aspects required to understand the plot. The mystery was also very lacking. Long Chau, the strange customer, is a Sherlock Holmes pastiche that feels derivative rather than interesting. This is pitched like a sci-fi mystery, but the mystery is so deprioritized by the book there are very few clues to engage with, and it doesn't even feel like the most important thing going on to The Shadow's Child. This is my second book read in this universe, and I don't believe I'm likely to try a third.
Gallant by V.E. Schwab (2022, 338 pages)
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Violet Thistlewaite Is Not a Villain Anymore by Emily Krempholtz (2025, 368 pages)
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Josie Marcus and her new husband Ted are house hunting in the St. Louis area. Ted's partner at the veterinary clinic, Christine, inherited a house that seems perfect, except for the kitchen. A gazebo in the yard also needs to be removed. After they buy the house, when the renovations are underway, it turns out that there's a body buried under the gazebo steps, and the body is Christine's hippy-ish sister, Rain, who had lived in the house. After a fight between the sisters some months ago, Rain said she was moving to an ashram in California and hasn't been heard from since then.
Christine is arrested for her sister's murder. Josie is determined to find out who really killed Rain. Rain had a couple of iffy boyfriends who are still in the area. The neighbors are worth getting to know, too, in case they have any ideas.
Meanwhile, Josie's 12-year-old daughter Amelia is having bully problems at the private school she attends. And Josie is busy scouring resale shops for mid-century cabinets and appliances to have fixed up and installed in the kitchen.
The conversations between the characters feel real and the action keeps moving. As a bonus, there are numerous reference to St. Louis landmarks by the native St. Louis author.
