Hello Stranger

Hello Stranger by Katherine Center (2023) 320 pages

Sadie's finances are tight and she lives in her art studio, which she calls her hovel. However, she has just qualified for a prestigious competition in which she needs to paint a portrait within six weeks. She's totally psyched up about it, hoping to increase her income beyond the Etsy paintings she does for a living.

However, a crisis leads to medical tests in which a brain lesion is found. She's advised to have it removed as soon as possible, to avoid seizures or even a stroke. Unfortunately, after the surgery, she has a condition called acquired apperceptive prosopagnosia, also known as "facial blindness," which often, but not always, goes away in two to six weeks. Sadie cannot recognize anyone's face; facial features are all chopped up. She's in a panic because she can't even recognize the faces of her best friend or family. Plus painting faces is how she makes her living, and how she hopes to win the substantial prize that the winner of the portrait competition will be awarded.

The story covers Sadie's panic over the facial blindness as well as her learning to navigate the world, using cues other than people's faces. Her relationship challenges include her father, stepmother, and her stepsister. And there are a couple of love interests which creep in, making for an interesting story since she cannot see the faces of the men she's interested in. As time clicks down, and her facial blindness hasn't faded, what does that mean for her future?

Death and the Dancing Footman

 

Death and the Dancing Footman by Ngaio Marsh  360 pp.

The wealthy Jonathan Royal invites a variety of guests to his country estate for the weekend. However, the guests are ones with grudges and/or other reasons to dislike each other. Royal claims to have hopes the weekend will resolve the disagreements but that is suspect. Multiple attempts on the life of one guest, Nicholas Compline occur and he attempts to leave the gathering but is thwarted by the massive snowstorm that hit the area. When a murder finally occurs, halfway through the novel, it is William Compline, brother of Nicholas, who is the victim. Everyone suspects the foreign doctor who has continually insisted his innocence. The large cast of characters gives a multitude of possible victims and perpetrators. I thought about creating a scorecard to keep track of everyone. The arrival of Inspector Roderick Alleyn, who makes his way through the snow from a nearby home where he is conveniently staying with his wife, artist Agatha Troy, sets the real investigation in motion. There is a lot going on in this mystery but it's a bit of a slow starter.

The Flatshare

The Flatshare by Beth O'Leary (2019) 325 pages

Tiffy needs an inexpensive place to live. It's apparent that her ex-boyfriend is not coming back after she hears he's engaged to someone else. She learns about a small flat where she and the owner would share the premises, just not at the same time. She would get it on evenings and weekends, and the owner (Leon) would get it 9-6 on weekdays, since he works the nightshift as a hospice nurse. Against the judgment of her friends, she goes for it. She never even meets Leon ahead of the agreement; his girlfriend Kay handles the deal.

Tiffy and Leon write Post-It notes to each other on a regular basis, and learn about each other by the notes and by catching details in the apartment. (For example, did he have his coffee and wash his cup, or was he so rushed that he left it unfinished?) Eventually, they learn about each other's relationships: Tiffy's ex-boyfriend, Justin, starts showing up unexpectedly at events that he shouldn't know about. Now that she seems to be fine without him, he appears to want her back. As Tiffy puts distance between herself and Justin, she has feelings that he was gaslighting her, making her look like she had a bad memory and bad judgement. Leon's girlfriend, Kay, is fine, but she doesn't have faith in the innocence of Leon's younger brother, Richie, who was found guilty at a trial less than a year ago. Leon is tied in knots about Richie and doesn't know what to do, whether he can save up enough money to get him an appeal.

Eventually Tiffy and Leon actually meet in person, in a embarrassingly funny way, and then their relationship goes to a new level. This write-up doesn't begin to catch the flavor of the book, but suffice it to say, it's funny and deep and satisfying all the way through, with secondary characters that are fabulous.

Shubeik Lubeik

Shubeik Lubeik by Deena Mohamed (2022) 528 pages

Regan and Kara previously reviewed this on the blog.

"Your wish is my command." We've all heard a genie say that. If your wish is to be told many stories, this graphic novel is for you. It was originally three volumes in Arabic. I loved the art work and adapted pretty quickly to reading right to left. With multiple flashbacks there are more than just three stories about how three first-class wishes sold at Shokry's kiosk are used. There are two parts to Aziza's story, when she is young and when she is middle aged. Mostly it is about the lack of justice for the poor in the Egyptian justice system. There is one really in depth story about college student Nour's mental health (with a brief tangent about the talking donkey) in part two. Part three is so good! We get a history lesson from the perspective of Abu Shokry, Shokry's father, covering 1954 to 1980, then with Shokry carrying on to 2020. Shokry, the kiosk owner, is a giving person and wants to help others. His father's generation taught him that devout Muslims do not use wishes, so he really agonizes over the last first-class wish that hasn't sold. Hagga Shawqia is a regular at Shokry's kiosk, and we learn much more about her from her friends and family as she nears the end of her life. There is tragedy and triumph. She is such a fascinating character, a "gutsy gal." We check in with Aziza and Nour. The book subverts the traditional end with a darkly hilarious bow on the talking donkey story too. This was such a fun read.
 

Neighborhood Watch

Neighborhood Watch by Sarah Reida, 320 pages

In the neighborhood of Oleander Court, homes and lawns are perfectly maintained (by hired help, of course), the "book club meetings" are just excuses to gossip and drink wine, and everyone is in everyone else's business. But when a string of murders starts taking out the most judgmental and vapid of the residents, those who remain have a choice: turn toward each other to help solve the crime, or turn on one another to weed out the riff-raff. Can't have it both ways and survive...

There's something wonderful about reading this book and seeing the most horrible people get their comeuppance. The woman who assumes that the Asian American neighbor must not understand English, the lady who reacts to her housekeeper's family emergency with dismay that she may have to wash her own dish for once, the nosy neighbor who thinks the lesbian couple next door needs to stop "flaunting" their lifestyle... it's schadenfreude at its finest. While I have a few minor quibbles with how one character's past life is portrayed, I can see this becoming a very popular book. Perfect for anyone who's ever received a passive-aggressive note about lawns, trash cans, or noise from a neighbor.

In my time of dying: how I came face to face with the idea of an afterlife

 In my time of dying: how I came face to face with the idea of an afterlife by Sebastian Junger (2024) 162 pages

A quick read (very important if you are close to death) by an author known for living fast and hard. Junger is a masterful writer and this little volume is no exception. Junger came close to death in his 50s due to a rare congenital “plumbing defect” and although he describes his ordeal in minute detail his focus is on the apparition he experiences.  He sees his deceased father beckoning as his vital signs fall and, writer that he is, he explores the scientific/philosophical/religious basis for this vision. At this he fails. His interviews with his various doctors and experts in near-death experience lead him to no definitive conclusion. However, there is still a lot that is worthwhile packed into this book. Junger, whose journalism has often been dispatches from conflict zones – notably his book War – includes a number of larger-than-life (should that be death?) anecdotes that are actually more terrifying than his brush with death. I was impressed with this short volume, a great writer tackling an impossible topic and not being afraid to bare his unquantifiable experience.

Bride

Bride by Ali Hazelwood, 399 pages

As the daughter of the leader of the Vampyre Council, you'd think Misery would have a pretty great life of leisure. But instead, she's spent most of her 25 years living among the Humans, first as a collateral hostage and later because she couldn't feel comfortable back in Vampyre territory. Now her ruthless and distant father is using her as another kind of hostage, marrying her off to Lowe, an Alpha for the Weres. Yup, once again, Misery is stuck in a dangerous situation in the midst of longtime enemies of her people. But this time, Misery has a motive of her own for venturing into Were territory — and while she seems to disgust her new husband, Lowe also seems to be a much kinder and more honorable person than she ever expected.

I don't really read much paranormal romance, but this seems to be a good one, and perfect for fans of the new romantasy genreblend who want a little more spice and fewer dragons. There's a degree of the annoying "oh just talk to each other already" trope that permeates this book, though the whole "our species are mortal enemies" thing explains that away pretty well. I'd only caution fans of Ali Hazelwood's other romances, which are pretty funny and free of werewolves — this one is a bit of a swerve from her past books.

My Sister's Keeper

My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Piccoult (2004) 423 pages

Anna is thirteen. When her older sister, Kate, was two, Kate was diagnosed with leukemia. Kate survives the first part of her crisis, but if she would happen to need stem cells in the future, no one in the family is a match for her. At that point, her mother suggests that she and her husband have another child, a product of invitro fertilization whose genes indicate is a perfect match for helping Kate, if needed in the future. That child is Anna. Anna's cord blood cells are saved at birth, and they do help Kate fight the leukemia. Eventually, Anna is brought in to give blood cells and bone marrow. Kate, now age 16, is suffering from kidney failure, and her only hope is a kidney donation. Anna finds an attorney to help her file a lawsuit to allow her to be the one to decide her medical future, to give her the final say.

The story takes place over the course of about ten days, with numerous flashbacks into the past, along with a glimpse into the future at the end. The story's viewpoint alternates around each of the major characters, giving us their viewpoints. One just doesn't know how this family is going to survive the strain. It's an excellent treatise on an important topic, reminiscent of a few real-life stories that touch on its theme.

Lost Ark Dreaming

Lost Ark Dreaming by Suyi Davies Okungbowa, 178 pages

As the rising ocean temperature caused the Atlantic to swallow up more and more coastline in Lagos, thousands of Nigerians moved into The Fingers, five skyscrapers poking up out of the ocean itself. A few hundred years later, and the tallest, Pinnacle, is the only one left, and its residents are strictly separated by the Uppers, the Midders, and the Lowers, the latter of whom live on the levels that are literally underwater. When a Lower level experiences a wall breach, two Midders are sent down to investigate and make sure that nothing (either water or dangerous sea creatures) come through. However, they soon find themselves making decisions and learning things they never would have thought possible.

This is Okungbowa's first dive into science fiction, and oh, it's so good. His story is sculpted in equal parts by Nigerian politics, climate change, and creation mythology, which combine to make a short but thought-provoking tale reminiscent of Rivers Solomon's The Deep and An Unkindness of Ghosts (which are very very different, but somehow both apply here). It's well worth a read.

Never Rescue a Rogue

Never Rescue a Rogue by Virginia Heath (2022) 361 pages

In book two about the Merriwell sisters, set in the early 1800s, we learn that Diana Merriwell has no interest in tying herself down to a man; only she and her boss know that she is the writer of a column that investigates wrong-doers in London. They keep her identity secret to protect her, and to allow her to continue collecting information that people assume is for the newspaper's gossip column.

Meanwhile, Giles, the best friend of Diana's brother-in-law, finds himself in a bad situtation. Giles is the son of a Duke and he has the reputation of a rogue. His heritage is in doubt, which puts his inheritance and his ability to be a quiet do-gooder at risk. Diana decides to help him, since she is so good at fact-finding.

Their friends and family have been trying to get them together for a while, but they keep resisting, which leads to a number of humorous moments as they meet regularly to share progress on their project. The outcome might be somewhat predictable, but the path is filled with blockades, as well as humor.

Never Fall for Your Fiancée

Never Fall for Your Fiancée by Virginia Heath (2021) 358 pages

This book is the first of three books about the Merriwell Sisters, all set in the early 1800s in England. (Of course, doing things backwards as I often do, I read the third book first, but I liked it well enough to want to read the first two.) In this book, Minerva Merriwell, the oldest of three sisters, is noticed by a wealthy young Earl, Hugh Standish, when he sees her trying to get an employer to pay her for her work and being rebuffed. He intervenes successfully and she is grateful for his help. 

Hugh's mother and her friends have been sending many young women to him in an attempt to find him a suitable wife. In order to get them off his back, he tells his mother that he has found a young woman named Minerva, who is quite fictional. When Hugh learns that the young woman he has assisted just happens to be named Minerva, he takes her into his confidence. Now that his mother is coming to visit, he asks the real Minerva to pose as his fiancée for a few weeks, and that he'll pay her for her help.

Minerva has two younger sisters, and it is a package deal. Hugh even sends for a team of seamstresses to outfit the young women properly, and along with his butler, he tries to teach them how to behave so that they pass as young women of upper class. Hugh coaches Minerva on the fictional details that he has included in his letters to his mother. Will Minerva (and her sisters) be convincing enough to satisfy Hugh's mother?

This book is a fast, enjoyable read.

Wolves of Winter

Wolves of Winter by Dan Jones, 416 pages

A year after they were sent across the English Channel to fight the French, a motley crew of soldiers/thugs called the Essex Dogs is ready to go home. They're weary, battle-worn, and a few men lighter than they were when the arrived. But King Edward has other plans, sending his troops to capture Calais, a heavily fortified port city that is unlikely to fall quickly. As they settle in for a LONG siege, the Dogs must contend with personal demons, camp sickness, and a never-ending parade of lords who won't pay them for their work.

This is the second book in a planned trilogy (following Essex Dogs), and I didn't read the first book, as I was told this one stands alone well. And while yes, I could definitely get the feel for soldiers trapped in a stalemate situation — which is very well told — I also felt like there were gaps in the relationships and character motivations that I may have understood better if I'd read the first book. That said, if you're interested in military-focused historical fiction and want to read about something pre-20th Century, this series, set during the Hundred Years War, is probably a good option. Just make sure you read Essex Dogs before you pick up this one.

The Midwich Cuckoos

 

The Midwich Cuckoos by John Wyndham 240 pp.

In the small British town of Midwich, a strange silver object appears causing everyone to become unconscious. A day later the object is gone and the people revive. Soon, no matter their marital status, all the women of the town find themselves pregnant. The government has kept the strange occurrence and the unusual children a secret. The children born of this strange event are like no other. In addition to their strange, golden eyes, their aging is accelerated, becoming teenagers after only eight years. They also possess telepathic mind control powers that soon prove to be dangerous. How are the ordinary citizens of this ordinary town to deal with the scary prospect of being taken over by the children that are not their own. The book was written in 1957 and was made into a television series in 2022. I listened to the audiobook which was expertly performed by actor/author Stephen Fry. It's intriguing, disturbing, and classic science fiction of its time. 

Mad Honey

 Mad Honey by Jodi Picoult and Jennifer Finney Boylan (2022, 464 pages)

In a small New Hampshire town called Adams, high schoolers Asher and Lily are falling in love. They both have single mothers who escaped abusive men. Asher's mom, Olivia, is a beekeeper and Lily's mom, Ava, is a park ranger.

During a fight, Asher decides to come over to Lily's to speak in person. Instead, he finds her dead at the bottom of the stairs. Asher is then arrested for her murder, and we follow along with the two families during the arrest and trial through Olivia's and Lily's point of view. Olivia starts to wonder if Asher inherited some of his father's aggression; and Lily wonders if she can really fit in in Adams, or anywhere.

I would have liked this book a lot more had it not included detailed romance and sex scenes of two kids. I personally just don't enjoy reading it, but I understand it's an important piece to have in some books. The story itself was really interesting, and I loved almost all of the characters. It was really interesting to hear about the details of beekeeping, too!

★★★☆☆

Gender Queer

Gender Queer: A Memoir by Maia Kobabe (2019) 240 pages

Jan reviewed this previously.

I loved the art and story of this graphic memoir. The world cannot be simplified down to a binary understanding. The author shares intimate details about eir body and gets deep into eir psyche figuring out eir self-identity. It is a heartfelt journey about a specific person's identity. It is a wonderful guide to pronouns and the wide array of human gender identity, if you are open to learn. This is one of the titles often targeted in recent book bans around the country. Book bans, in my mind, are about conformity and avoiding topics that are, in truth, key to understanding the full diversity of the human experience. I hope people keep reading this book. Maia's family loves er, yet still makes mistakes in mis-gendering er. Society has a long way to go in not assuming a gender, forcing a gender presentation, or threatening humans who do not fit in their binary understanding.
 

The Wishing Game

The Wishing Game by Meg Shaffer (2023) 286 pages

Lucy Hart has fallen for Christopher, a little boy whose parents have died, but she doesn't have the financial resources to adopt him or to even foster him. She sells crafts she makes online, in addition to having a job as a kindergarten teaching assistant. She has been saving for 2 years, but still has only $2,000, not enough to move to a better apartment or to get a used car, both required by the foster agency.

One of the things that Lucy and Christopher do together is to read books by Jack Masterson, a famous author of a children's series, the Clock Island books. He hasn't published a new book for 6 years, but then he announces a contest for those who can solve a riddle. The only people who can solve this riddle are children who actually ran away from home and found Jack Masterson on Clock Island, off the coast of Maine. Lucy is one of the four former children who found Jack and his grumpy illustrator, Hugo Reese, this way.

The four adults qualify, and are invited to Clock Island to compete in a series of games and puzzles, often related to the stories from the author's previous books. The first one to get ten points earns a prize: the only copy of Jack's new book, which the winner can keep or sell to the highest bidder. If Lucy wins, then she can afford to adopt Christopher.

Once I got past Lucy's bleak past and iffy future, and the tragedy of Christopher, as well, the story grabbed me and I loved the way it played out.

Coconut Drop Dead

Coconut Drop Dead by Olivia Matthews, 281 pages

Lyndsay Murray opened the Spice Isle Bakery just a few months ago, but she's already gathering quite a following for her Caribbean-inspired treats. With a booth at the annual Caribbean American Heritage Festival, she's hoping she can continue to grow the business, while also having fun soaking in the festive atmosphere. But when a local reggae singer is killed at the festival, Lyndsay finds herself doing whatever she can to help find the killer, and heal the community.

This is the third book in this series, and while the characters do reference the events of the first two books, it's not necessary to read them to follow the story here. I loved the tight-knit Murray family, the glimpse into Brooklyn's Caribbean American culture, and of course the mouthwatering treats served by the bakery. I'll happily read more of these books (and make the recipes at the end of this one!).

Death in the Details

Death in the Details by Katie Tietjen, 280 pages

Maple Bishop is struggling to make ends meet following the death of her husband during World War II. She's trained as a lawyer, but hasn't been able to secure a job in her small town because she's a woman. Really, all that keeps her going are her miniatures, the dollhouse replicas of homes in her neighborhood. But when a local man turns up dead, Maple realizes that her miniatures, paired with her photographic memory, may be able to help solve the man's murder, even if the sheriff doesn't want her meddling with the investigation.

Inspired by Frances Glessner Lee — whose "nutshell" recreations of crime scenes helped give birth to modern forensic investigation — this is kind of a mystery, but it's really more of a historical fiction novel with a quirky and determined heroine. If you're a fan of Amy Stewart's Kopp Sisters series (starting with Girl Waits With Gun), this one should be right up your alley.

The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida

 The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida by Shehan Karunatilaka, 400 pages.

Maali Almeida wakes up dead, which even by his standards is a lousy way to start the day. What's worse is that he has no idea how he got that way, or why his body is being dismembered and thrown into Beira Lake. In life he was a war photographer, an arranger of meetings, a gambler, and a closeted gay man in 1990 Colombo, so the list of people who could have potentially wanted him dead and his body disposed of isn't exactly short. His ghost has only seven days to answer these mysteries, as well as to lead the people he loves most to the photos he had tucked away to rock a nation being torn apart by civil war, terrorist activity, and government corruption.

This is a pretty depressing book. Which isn't exactly surprising given the setting, but it bears saying anyway. The protagonist is dead from the beginning, as are a whole lot of other ghosts, and it is absolutely full of gruesome and unfair deaths. It is also a higher context book than a lot of the other world literature I've been reading this year, and I do feel like there's an assumed amount of knowledge about Sri Lanka that I didn't have going in. All that being said, this is a very well constructed book. Being dead allows for a pretty wide perspective, and the fact that it was told mostly in pretty short vignettes was a great decision. I also found the mystery pretty compelling, although it wasn't quite as prominent as I might have thought it would be. Finally, I was pleasantly surprised to find this book, and Maali in particular, less misanthropic than I was afraid it would be, especially by the end. This is not a light read, but I would say it is a good one.

Spin the Dawn

 Spin the Dawn by Elizabeth Lim, 392 pages.

Maia Tamarin has always dreamed of being a Master tailor like her father, but by tradition that path is not open to women in A'Landi. But when her ailing father is summoned to the palace she feels she has no choice but to take his place, and is thrown into a high stakes competition for the longed for role of imperial tailor. A contest with impossible tasks, followed by an even more impossible quest, pushes Maia to her limits and helps her unlock power she never thought she had. It's a shame it can only help her so much when she begins to question what she really wants. 

The blurb for this book describes it as "Project Runway meets Mulan" and I would say that's very accurate to the first half of the book, although it doesn't oversell the great fairy tale energy throughout this book. It reminded me quite a bit of the second half of the myth of Cupid and Psyche, but it is also strongly inspired by Asian mythology, with Chinese and Korean elements being especially prominent. I found the world very rich and the story compelling. It felt in some ways like a retelling, but also like an original story. The book definitely felt like it ended halfway through the story, so I will likely be picking up the sequel more quickly than I had anticipated. Luckily it's available, so I don't have to hold it against the book and instead get to be excited to read the ending.

Foursome

Foursome: Alfred Stieglitz, Georgia O'Keeffe, Paul Strand, Rebecca Salsbury by Carolyn Burke  419 pp.

This historical account of four artists at the forefront of art in the early 20th century focuses in large part on photographer Alfred Stieglitz and the influence he had on getting photography recognized as an art form. Stieglitz's various art galleries featured all types of art including that of Georgia O'Keeffe, his sometime model, painter, and later wife. Photographer Paul Strand was a protégé of Stieglitz who later transitioned to motion pictures. Rebecca "Beck" Salsbury, who married Strand, was a painter of mediocre success which improved after switching to reverse painting on glass. The Stieglitz-O'Keeffe marriage was unusual in that they generally spent many months apart while working on their respective arts. The large difference in their ages and Stieglitz's philandering also affected the marriage. Strand and Salsbury later divorced but remained friends. These four personalities merged and clashed throughout the  decades between the 1910s and Stieglitz death in 1946. Strand, O'Keeffe, and Salsbury remained friends and shared gallery shows until her death in 1968. Strand died in 1976 and O'Keeffe outlived them all until 1986 in spite of multiple health problems. This book was informative but rather dry.

Oscar Wilde and the Murders at Reading Gaol

 

Oscar Wilde and the Murders at Reading Gaol: A Mystery by Gyles Brandeth  327 pp.

This is one of a series of mysteries featuring Oscar Wilde. I doubt I'm going to read the other books. This one takes place during the time Wilde was imprisoned for his homosexuality which was illegal in England at the time. Reading Gaol was strict with all prisoners in solitary cells, a rigid schedule, and prohibitions against prisoners talking to each other at any time. The section where Wilde is held included a convicted poisoner, an elderly & sickly prisoner, an Indian hijra (eunuch transvestite), a dwarf, and the murderer who was immortalized in Wilde's poem "The Ballad of Reading Gaol." After the violent death of one of the guards, prison officials enlist Wilde's help in solving the murder. The assumption was that Wilde would be good at this because he was a friend of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. The story is farfetched and somewhat convoluted with the murderer not being "caught" until after Wilde was released from prison. I found this book difficult to finish because it was so unbelievable.

The Tainted Cup

The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett, 410 pages

Din is an apprentice to quirky investigator Ana, who prefers to spend her time alone and often blindfolded (because she's like that). So when a government official is found dead in a horrifying manner in a local prestigious home, Ana sends Din to investigate alone, despite the fact that he's never been to a murder scene before. Because Din is also an engraver, someone who has been genetically altered to remember everything he sees, hears, smells, and feels. But as Din and Ana investigate the disturbing murder, they discover that a much larger plot is afoot, involving one of the Empire's most wealthy and powerful families, as well as the corps of engineers that keep the Empire safe from attacks from ocean-dwelling leviathans.

The murders and investigation are well-plotted, Ana is a fantastically Sherlockian character, and the rest of the characters are complex and compelling. Meanwhile, the worldbuilding (which includes magical plants, fantastical beasts, and a well-thought-out political structure) is finely created, and ripe for more stories of Din and Ana. So is this book a mystery? Is it a fantasy? Let's call it both, and enjoy it either way. I can't wait to read more in this world.

(Also, I would be A-OK if you judge this book by the cover, as both the cover and the book's contents are excellent.)

The Hot Zone

 The Hot Zone by Richard Preston (1994, 300 pages)

Hidden all over the world are incredibly infectious and fatal diseases, waiting to make the jump from non-human animals to humans. Filoviruses, including Ebola and Marburg, started spreading to humans in known cases in the 1970s. At least two people contracted Marburg after visiting Kitum Cave in Kenya, which was also later identified as a possible origin point for HIV. These viruses are known to cause quick and violet deaths, with continuing spread from the blood and vomit of those infected to the ones caring for them. The book gives backgrounds and initial known cases for the filoviruses, and tells the story of a 1989 outbreak of something in a primate research facility near Washington, D.C.

I thought this book was well written, although its age can be evident at times. Richard Preston is thorough and includes his own anecdotes along with scientific facts. Absolutely terrifying and sad, and includes depictions of graphic deaths as a warning.

★★★★☆

Raiders of the Lost Heart

 Raiders of the Lost Heart by Jo Segura (2023, 368 pages)

Note: This summary contains spoilers!

I want to start out with saying that I hate writing negative reviews. I know authors work really hard and pull lots of creative muscles. I wanted this to be fun and cute, and parts of it were. But the absurdity unfortunately took away from that.

The gist you need to know if you haven't read it is that two rival (but friend) archaeologist professors, Ford from Yale and Corrie from Stanford, are digging in Mexico for a lost famous warrior and his knife.

These people are SO unprofessional and unrealistic. Now I like campy. But from the very beginning, Ford sends for Corrie to join him on a dig. But, he stays anonymous and she doesn't know where she's going or who she's digging with, with THREE DAYS' notice. What?!? What in the tenure track is this?

This book contains wild things like Ford grabbing a venomous snake right as it goes to bite Corrie; his mom needing life saving treatment which the hospital won't administer unless he pays $30,000 immediately? (just go into medical debt like the rest of us, dude), then Corrie grabs the phone from him and pays it with her credit card; Corrie having some odd supernatural sense about where unknown archaeological sites are; nearly every named character having a crush on her; the dig site having forged papers by a well known smuggler that Ford somehow didn't recognize; Ford being stabbed IN THE STOMACH, left in the MIDDLE OF THE JUNGLE, and somehow surviving. I could go on.

There are also so many little twists that I have whiplash. 

I did like some of the romance bits (enemies to lovers, pretending to kiss so they don't look suspicious, other tropes I unapologetically enjoy, etc.), and the setting was fun. I like the opposite personalities of the characters. I would love to read this author's future books perhaps if the writing matures a little.

★★☆☆☆

42 reasons to hate the universe

42 reasons to hate the universe: (and one reason not to) by Chris Ferrie, (2024) 289 pp

Bleak science humor is the focus here (with numeric apologies to the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy) featuring a potpourri of terrifying vignettes explained with a comedic rude attitude. Some of the essays are only to be feared/hated on a cosmological time scale and others are staring us in the face – you know, the existential threats, like climate change and nuclear annihilation. The material appears to be a compilation of reworked podcasts and blog posts by the Australian author and his collaborators, leading to a bit of redundancy and uneven quality. I’m going out on a ‘galactic’ limb and pretend that the author has an additional motive, informing the reader that the universe is complex and requires critical analysis, albeit, not too seriously. Not for the faint of heart, this explosive tome is best read in small increments – a binge is not recommended – or so says the author.

Funerals Are Fatal

Funerals Are Fatal by Agatha Christie (1953) 213 pages

Another old mystery with Hercule Poirot starts out with a family together for the funeral of the oldest brother, Richard Abernethie, who had been in iffy health, although his doctor expected him to last a couple more years. Richard leaves his estate to his remaining brother (who seems to be an invalid most, but not all, of the time) and to a nephew and 2 nieces, with portions of the estate to support his sister Cora and the widow of one of his brothers until they die. After the funeral, Cora‒who's a bit of an eccentric‒makes the statement that of course Richard was murdered, which shocks the group. When Cora is found dead a couple days later, her words are taken more seriously.

It's too late to consider the possibility that Richard was murdered because his body has been cremated. His attorney, Mr. Entwhistle, starts nosing around, contacting the remaining family members, until he collects enough information to make almost every family member (and spouse) look like a suspect. Then he calls in his friend Poirot, who poses as a possible buyer of the estate, in order to see what else he can learn. As always, a surprising ending, even for someone who has read this book before! 

Murder on the Links

Murder on the Links by Agatha Christie (1923) 224 pages

I re-read an oldie featuring Hercule Poirot, along with his friend Arthur Hastings, who tells the story. Poirot receives a letter imploring him to come to an estate in France, where a man, Paul Renauld, thinks his life is in danger. Poirot and Hastings immediately head there, but when they arrive, the man is already dead, found stabbed in an open pit on a golf course. They are told that two foreigners tied up Renauld's wife in the middle of the night and took Renauld away after he was unable to give the men "the secret." The solution to this murder involves a possible connection with Santiago, Chile (where the man resided for some time), a possible mistress or two, along with a son who quarreled with his father before leaving at the father's request to attend to business in Santiago.

Poirot spars with the young French detective on the scene, each of them thinking that the detective work of the other leaves much to be desired. Poirot keeps trying to figure out why this case reminds him of another one, many years ago. Hastings finds himself wondering why Poirot is not digging in the dirt for clues, as the French detective is. The plot keeps adding alternative possibilities as more is learned, making it difficult to figure out "who done it," especially after another dead body is discovered. But in the end, after a bit of an estrangement between Poirot and Hastings, of course Poirot has figured it out. And all ends well.

Funny Story

Funny Story by Emily Henry, 387 pages

A year ago, Daphne moved to a small town in Michigan with her fiance, Peter. She didn't know anyone except for Peter's friends, but managed to find her dream job as a children's librarian at the town's small library. Daphne's wedding was just a few weeks away when Peter returned from his bachelor party confessing that he's in love with his lifelong best friend, Petra. And, oh yeah, Daphne needs to move out, because Petra's moving in. With no friends of her own, Daphne goes to the one person she knows has room to spare — Petra's ex, Miles. When Daphne and Miles receive matching invites to Peter and Petra's wedding just a few months later, they decide to pretend to be madly in love, to show their exes that they're just fine without them, thankyouverymuch. But somewhere along the way, pretending to date starts feeling real.

Fake dating is a tricky romance trope to pull off, and the setup for this situation is a bit hard to believe, since Daphne and Miles know absolutely nothing about each other before living together. The book is good and I'd recommend it to Emily Henry's legion of fans — the relationship develops well and their hang-ups definitely seem plausible — it's just that initial setup that seems a bit awkward to me. But I'll happily accept that it's a "me" thing.

Walkaway

Walkaway by Cory Doctorow, 491 pages

In the not-too-distant future, the gap between the wealthy and the working class has grown to the point that some people who see no chance at ever retiring or finding happiness while working have decided to simply walk away from capitalist society and into the rural areas of the world, creating communities based on helping each other out, using skills when and where needed, and rejecting all of the bartering, money, and competition that defines "default" society. Walkaway follows three young adults who make the decision to walk away, exploring the places they go, the people they meet, the technology that makes walkaway communities possible, and the inherent danger of throwing off the yoke of a consumer/capitalist society. It's an intriguing thought experiment, and while it wasn't a quick read by any means, I enjoyed the thoughtful care Doctorow put into creating this world that is somehow both beyond anything imaginable and disturbingly realistic. I can't wait to see what the Orcs & Aliens make of it tonight!

Charlie's Good Tonight

Charlie's Good Tonight: The Life, the Times, and the Rolling Stones: the Authorized Biography of Charlie Watts by Paul Sexton  344 pp.

I never had the chance to see the Rolling Stones with Charlie Watts playing drums. He died just one month before the "No Filter" tour resumed after being postponed for Covid. St. Louis was the the first date of the revived tour. The concert opened with photos of Charlie throughout his career with the Stones and the crowd in the Dome went wild. After that, the Stones came out and expressed their thanks for our response saying they weren't sure what the reaction would be. That being said, here is my review of the book.

Charlie Watts was born during World War II. After the war his family lived in Wembley in one of the prefab houses that was built after the Blitz (the origin of his nickname "The Wembley Whammer").  He began drumming at thirteen when he became a big fan of jazz. His first snare drum was a banjo head he removed the neck. After working various odd jobs, he began training and working in graphic design all the while drumming for various groups in his free time. Even though he was the most unlikely musician to be a Rolling Stone, Charlie finally joined them in 1963.

Watts, who was known for his OCD, kept his possessions, including his many collections of vintage items, and his wardrobe in perfect order. While the rest of the band could frequently be found in jeans and t-shirts, Charlie wore his impeccable, custom made suits which he laid out in his hotel room at every stop on whatever tour they were doing. He made the most of the millions he earned with the group, owning real estate, investing in thoroughbred race horses which was his wife, Shirley's passion, and collecting classic automobiles which he didn't drive but liked to sit in. (Charlie had no driver's license.) 

When the Stones were not touring or recording, Watts spent his time performing jazz with other musicians for special events and occasional tours. He also survived a bout of throat cancer in 2004. His cause of death was not announced but Keith Richard mentioned cancer.

Sexton's biography covers all the important parts of Charlie's life but is occasionally dry. I listened to the audiobook read by the author who really needed someone to tell him to slow down. I sounded like he was trying to finish as fast as possible.

Ghost World & Monica

Ghost World by Daniel Clowes (1998) 80 pages

A slim story in eight chapters. Friends Enid and Becky have finished high school and spend their time making snide, sarcastic observations about the people in their town and programs on TV. It was adapted into a 2001 movie, which I watched after reading this. The movie changes a lot, and I only gave it 3 out of 5 stars. Minimizing the character John Ellis was good. Minimizing their friend Josh from school was not a good decision. There is a lonely character, who places a wanted ad in the paper to meet a woman, and the girls play a prank on him. This character is played by Steve Buscemi in the movie. Buscemi, or his agent, or a close producer friend must have been the one to make the deal to turn this into a movie because this character is hugely expanded. He almost has as much screen time as Enid's character. It becomes less about Enid and Becky as their friendship grows apart, but that is one of the strongest parts of the graphic novel.

Monica by Daniel Clowes (2023) 106 pages

A portion of the Goodreads synopsis says, "Monica is a multilayered masterpiece in comics form that alludes to many of the genres that have defined the medium — war, romance, horror, crime, the supernatural, etc. — but in a mysterious, uncategorizable, and quintessentially Clowesian way." I see the influence of the different genres, but I would not call this a masterpiece. I found it weird and disturbing.

I'd Like to Say Sorry, but There's No One to Say Sorry To

 I'd Like to Say Sorry, but There's No One to Say Sorry To by Mikołaj Grynberg, 160 pages.

Mikołaj Grynberg is a psychologist and photographer who has spent decades collecting and publishing oral histories of Polish Jews, and all of that context is extremely clear in this first foray into fiction. These stories are all extremely short, generally around three to five pages, and told in the first person. The speakers are extremely varied, from anti-Semitic Poles to the children of Holocaust survivors. All of the stories feel intensely grounded in reality, and work together to form a wide and richly textured portrait of Jewish experiences in Poland. 

I was extremely impressed with this book. I found the writing subtle and impactful, and was impressed by the depths of works that were so extremely short. Despite it's very small size this is not a light book, but I would say it is absolutely worth reading. 

The Frame-Up

 The Frame-Up by Gwenda Bond, 352 pages.

Ten years ago Dani Poissant sold out her magical art their mother to the FBI and left behind their little family of magical art thieves. Now, a decade later Archer, the shadowy and mysterious partner who caused the rift between her and her mother (and whom she was never allowed to meet), comes to her and offers her everything she could want if she manages to pull of a theft from the impregnable Fortress of Art. The Fortress of Art was her mother's obsession, and there's no way she would be able to rob it without an inside connection, which Archer provides by setting her up as head of security after the old one's unfortunate heart attack. The timeline is tight and trust is fragile between Dani and her old crew, but none of them can seem to say no to the challenge. 

This is another book that seemed extremely up my alley and which I unfortunately don't feel like lived up to its promise. For a situation we are constantly told it very fraught, there is very little tension in the actual plot. There is also a whole lot of (allegedly very limited) time dedicated to a love triangle between Dani, her teenage sweetheart on the thieving squad, and the shockingly kind owner of the Fortress of Art. While this was less tedious than it could be due to a lot of mutual respect, I still don't think it necessarily made the book stronger. Overall this is a pretty fun, light book with heists, magic, and a very good dog, although I do feel it was too lacking in substance to give a stronger recommendation.

Tom Lake

Tom Lake by Ann Patchett (2023) 309 pages

The pandemic of 2020 works its way into another story: Lara, who had a brief career as an actor, had known Peter Duke (who became a famous actor), meeting him at Tom Lake, a summer stock theater in Michigan. Now, though, in 2020, she's the wife of a cherry farmer, and she and her family are picking cherries as fast as they can. The pandemic has cut the number of workers at the farm, but the cherries can't wait. Lara's three daughters, all in their twenties, are back at home because of the pandemic, and are pumping her for her past while they work. The young women are amazed that not only was their mother an actor in plays, commercials, and a movie, she worked with and knew Peter Duke quite well.

The story switches back and forth between the life of twenty-something Lara and the present. We also get to know the girls, one of whom wants to be an actor, too, and can't believe her mother just gave it up. Another daughter is working towards her veterinary degree, and the oldest is happy working on the farm with her parents, living with her sweetheart in a small house on the property.

I found the novel to be extremely engaging. The characters feel real. Highly recommended.

Jade War

 Jade War by Fonda Lee (2019, 608 pages)

This is the sequel to Jade City, which Kara reviewed after it was an Orcs and Aliens book club book.

For those who are unfamiliar with the series, this is a low-fantasy world similar to Earth. Of the indigenous population on the island Kekon, there are typically two groups: the Abukei, who are immune to the effects of jade mineral; or green bones, who can wear it to achieve supernatural heightened senses and physical power. Only Kekonese can handle jade, the rest are prone to illness and even death with too much exposure.

The island is ruled by green bone clans. Typically hereditary positions, so families rule for generations. The No Peak clan, run by the Kaul family, have been getting back on their feet after a couple major deaths in their ranks. The rival Mountain clan is run by the heir-less Ayt family. They have agreed to a precarious truce in violence, but continue to attack each other through media and business ambushes.

I absolutely love this series. It's got a good mix of romance (although I'm not typically a fan of the sex scenes) and interesting personal relationships, crime, politics, and a fun fantasy element. I can't really predict what's going to happen next, and there's a lot of emotion. The whole idea of jade being a rare and supernatural element is unique. The inclusion of mafia-like clans keeps the reader on their toes. And the characters are sincere and likeable, despite their violent tendencies. I actually liked this book more than the first, maybe it's because I'm more invested. Highly recommend this series to anyone wanting more of a complex series!

★★★★★

One of Us Knows

One of Us Knows by Alyssa Cole, 336 pages

When this book begins, Kenetria Nash comes to after six years of absence from her consciousness. While she's been MIA, her headmates Della, Solomon, Keke, Empress, Mesmer, and Lurk have been running their collective body, dealing with the pandemic and losing their job and home. When Ken comes back, however, she's heading toward a new job as caretaker of a historic castle on a remote island. It's a strange job to be sure, even more so when Ken arrives and discovers that the castle is exactly like the building she and her headmates share in their shared consciousness. Something is definitely wrong here, and Ken has no idea how to even begin figuring it out.

I'm always wary about books that use disassociative identity disorder (multiple personalities) as a primary plot device, as there's a long history of the disorder being sensationalized and it's tricky to get right in fiction. That wariness holds true with this one, as it's confusing (intentionally) and the diagnosis is what leads Ken and her headmates to be imperiled in the book. There are some who would find this fascinating, I'm sure, but I can't say this is one I'll be recommending widely.

Close to Death

Close to Death by Anthony Horowitz, 419 pages

The fictional version of Anthony Horowitz is working on his fifth book detailing a murder case solved by PI Hawthorne, but this time, he's writing about a closed case from earlier in Hawthorne's career. This particular case was the murder of hedge fund manager Giles Kenworthy, a horrible neighbor in the small gated community of Riverside Close. After annoying his neighbors for several months, Kenworthy was found dead just inside his home, and while the murder weapon points to a specific neighbor (there's only one that owns a crossbow, after all), the neighbors are all keeping their lips sealed and Hawthorne was convinced there was more to this mystery than it seemed.

I haven't read the first four Hawthorne books, but Horowitz once again uses his book-within-a-book trope in this one, somewhat less successfully, in my opinion, given that the case is a long-closed one instead of ongoing as the fictional Horowitz writes it. I don't know that the "modern day" bits about faux-Horowitz's writing and investigating process really add anything to what's an excellent mystery on its own. My suggestion: give this one a read, but feel free to skim anything that isn't the murder and Hawthorne's investigation.

Ms. Marvel: The New Mutant

Ms. Marvel: The New Mutant by Iman Vellani and Sabir Pirzada (2024) 120 pages

I've loved Kamala Khan/Ms. Marvel's adventures since reading G. Willow Wilson's ten volume run of graphic novels. Kamala is a Pakistani-American teen in New Jersey navigating school, home, and superpowers. The Marvel TV show is pretty great too although it is not lifted directly from the stories on the page. Now the young star of the show, Iman Vellani, with one of the writers from the show, is given the chance to write the script for a new comic adventure. Kamala's family isn't present for much of this adventure, since she is going to New York City for a summer college program. Her best friend Bruno tags along, and their platonic relationship is one of the best, consistent things established from the beginning of the characters. The origin of Ms. Marvel's powers keeps revealing new layers. There is an element of mutant in her so she has now joined a group of X-Men. There is a new wave of anti-mutant prejudice across campuses led specifically through the science corporation that owns the university where Kamala is preparing herself for the next chapter of her life. Through her nightmares, with science and heroics reliably at hand, Kamala lives to fight another day.
 

Shakespeare: The man Who Pays the Rent

 Shakespeare: The man Who Pays the Rent by Dame Judi Dench with Brendon O'Hea  373 pp.

I wish this book had been around when I was reading Shakespeare in school. This is not your boring, literary tome. Dame Judi recalls her abundant career performing in 19 different plays of the Bard, some more than once as different characters. Her insights into the plays are extensive as are her takes on the different actors and directors she worked with. Of course, interspersed are anecdotes about problems, mistakes, and amusing occurrences in the plays themselves. She is honest about mishaps like tripping over her skirts, forgetting her skirt, drying up on her lines (rarely), unplanned and uncontrollable laughter at wrong moments. The book uses a question & answer format during most of it, with Brendon O'Hea asking the questions to spark Dame Judi's memories and commentaries but the lion's share is clearly her thoughts. Occasionally they disagree on aspects of the plays and have small debates. I listened to the audiobook which is performed by Barbara Flynn, Brendan O'Hea, and Judi Dench. Flynn sounds remarkably like Dench and Dame Judi mainly reads various quotations from the plays. I enjoyed this book much more than I thought I would.     

City of Last Chances

 City of Last Chances by Adrian Tchaikovsky, 500 pages,

Pressure builds in the city of Ilmar as it sits uneasily under occupation by the Palleseen Empire, who seek to bring "perfection" to the whole world. But the City of Bad Decisions has never taken easily to perfection, and factions all through the city are being brought near the boiling point, a tension that is pushed over the edge when a Palleseen official is killed in The Anchorwood, the mysterious and mythic passage to other worlds.

This book is structured in a very interesting way that I feel really furthers its premise. Each chapter is told from a new perspective, giving the reader an extremely thorough view of the city as a whole. Eventually six or seven characters emerge as really significant recurrent characters we come back to repeatedly, which allowed me to really invest in individual characters in addition to the plot and the city. The whole cast of criminals, activists, zealots, priests, foreigners, and everyday people was very engaging to me, and despite being a longer book with a broad focus I never found myself bored. This is the second book by Adrian Tchaikovsky I've read, and I've been extremely impressed by the craft of both so I definitely plan to read more by this author.

April totals

True fact: Kara actually
*does* have a TBR bookcase.

Byron: 5 books, 2456 pages

Hammy: 7 books, 2785 pages

Jan: 7 books, 1940 pages

John: 2 books, 603 pages

Kara: 17 books, 5755 pages

Karen: 5 books, 1627 pages

Regan: 4 books, 1502 pages

Total: 47 books, 16,668 pages

The Guncle Abroad

The Guncle Abroad by Steven Rowley, 320 pages

Four years after his niece Maisie and nephew Grant came to stay with him for the summer, actor Patrick O'Hara finds himself once again in charge of his niblings. But this time, they're gallivanting about Europe in the weeks leading up to the wedding of Patrick's brother to an uber-wealthy Italian woman. Maisie and Grant aren't too keen on the idea of their father getting remarried, and understandably are worried that their stepmother will try to replace their mom, who died just before that summer with Guncle (gay uncle) Patrick. So while he's escorting them through London, Paris, Salzburg, and Venice, Patrick's also trying to teach Maisie and Grant the many ways people can show love for one another — including allowing their dad to get married again.

This book can't be read without reading The Guncle first, but good lord, they're both excellent books, so get on that already! In the opening pages, I was a bit concerned that this was going to be a retread of the first book (but in Europe!), but my fears were quickly assuaged, and this became an absolutely delightful read. Read The Guncle and then read this. It's fantastic.

*This book will be published May 21, 2024.

Legends & Lattes

 Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree (2022, 296 pages)

The rare and unprecedented Scalvert Stone comes from the skull of a Scalvert queen. It's supposedly magical, bringing good fortune to its owner. It's also warrior orc Viv's newly acquired loot from her latest bounty hunting job. It was the final key she needed to start a new life, leaving blood and violence behind, to settle in the town of Thune for peace and coffee. She hopes the stone will provide her with the luck she needs to run a successful business in a place that's never even hear of coffee.

After buying an old livery, she finds a contractor. They build the coffee shop from the ground up. They turn the old stalls into booths, the loft into a bedroom. There's space for a kitchen, the coffee bar, and guests. She hires an employee and is ready for opening day! The town is skeptical at first, but eventually falls in love with Viv's lattes and cinnamon rolls. But as a newcomer to town, there are some shadows lurking that need more from her than a morning boost.

This is a very cute and cozy book! I would call it fluffy -- not too much action or character development, but fun. I did find myself invested in the shop and characters. The romance falls a little flat, but I appreciate its inclusion. I really liked the way it made me feel so connected to the shop, like it was my own project. Those who enjoy D&D might enjoy this!

★★★☆☆

Including the cool UK cover that I like more!

You can read both Kara's and Regan's reviews of the book on the blog!

The Kamogawa Food Detectives

 The Kamogawa Food Detectives by Hisashi Kashiwai (trans. Jesse Kirkwood), 201 pages.

Father and daughter pair Nagare and Koishi run both the (extremely hidden) Kamogawa diner and the attached Kamogawa detective agency. The detective agency doesn't solve crimes, rather it uses Nagare Kamogawa's police detective background to track down the details of dishes from client's memories and recreate them perfectly. This series of six related vignettes follow clients requesting these services for all manner of reasons. 

This book sounds extremely cozy, and it is that, but unfortunately I found it a bit of a letdown overall. Mostly because I found it very repetitive. In each chapter the client: struggles to find the restaurant and isn't sure it's the right place, enjoys a meal that is vividly described in the diner, follows the hall back to the detective agency and comments on the food photos on the walls, gives an extremely vague description of the food they're looking for with a couple of mysterious details, and Koishi says this will be a difficult one. Then we come back a couple weeks later and Nagare describes what all of the mysterious half-remembered details meant and how he successfully recreated the dish, then the client leaves and Koishi and Nagare plan their own dinner. I also found that the prose reminded me a lot of a middle grade book, which made the book a very quick read, but didn't particularly impress me. I suspect this book might be more enjoyable if I knew more about the very specific regions and dish brands we spend a lot of time on, but overall I'm afraid this one was a bit disappointing for me, especially since it seemed so precisely like the kind of book I would be interested in. I do think people looking for a tidy and low stakes book might enjoy it as an easy and relaxing read.

Meet Me in Mumbai

 Meet Me in Mumbai by Sabina Khan, 352 pages.

This book is written in two acts. The first follows Ayesha, who is completing her last year of high school in America, far from her family in Mumbai. In a whirlwind few months she falls in love, gets pregnant, and finds herself alone and making the most difficult decision of her life. After much agonizing she decides to give the baby up for adoption to preserve both her own reputation and that of her family, and after even more agonizing she chooses to return to Mumbai.

Eighteen years later her daughter, Mira Fuller-Jensen, is feeling increasing tension between her Indian heritage and the white Texas culture that she's been raised in. When she finds a letter from her birth mother asking her to meet her in a certain place in Mumbai on her eighteenth birthday (a few short months away) she is determined to meet her, and hopes desperately this might finally help her figure out who she really is. 

I found the first half of this book very emotionally compelling, and I was deeply invested in Ayesha. Which made it pretty disappointing when I couldn't say the same about the second half, especially since that was the part of the story I was expecting to be more interested in. Too much of Mira's story tonally read more like an after school special about understanding other people, and I found the emotional drive to be pretty flat. It's also interesting that meeting her parents did in face lead to self-understanding, which was a shallow enough development I had a hard time buying it. Overall I would still say this is a fine book, but I enjoyed the author's The Love and Lies of Rukshana Ali much more.