Tress of the Emerald Sea

 Tress of the Emerald Sea by Brandon Sanderson, 443 pages.

The most unusual thing about Tress is how stunningly normal she is. But when the man she loves is kidnapped by an evil sorceress, and nobody else seems inclined to do anything, she decides that she will simply have to be the one to save him. She sails dangerous seas of spores, has pirate adventures, and will have to face both a dragon and sorceress to save her love, but someone has to do it. 

This delightful book was a reread for me (you can read my original review here), and I am happy to report that I like it at least as well on a second reading. The plot is a romp, and the characters are all delightful. However, beyond being a quite fun and funny book, there are a number of lines that resonated so deeply I had to stop and sit with them a while. I am also happy to report that the Orcs & Aliens book club overwhelmingly enjoyed it as well. A great book in general, and a good starting point for anyone interested in getting into Brandon Sanderson's books. 

King Sorrow

 King Sorrow by Joe Hill, 887 pages.

In 1989 Arthur Oakes' friends come together to go to extreme measures to get him out from under the thumb of drug dealer's who have threatened him into stealing rare books from the college library. Arthur and his friends, mostly too wealthy to have any respect for the impossible, use a journal bound in human skin to summon a dragon to take care of their problem. But as with all deals with dark and dangerous entities, there is a catch, and the six young people are tricked into sacrificing someone to the dragon every year, or else be eaten by the dragon themselves. Over decades they tell themselves they are only killing evil people, and that they are improving the world, but dragons aren't interested in good and the cost only gets heavier.

This was a compelling book, although I have to admit that by the last third or so it got exhausting watching bad things happen to bad people. We spend time in the head of each of the six involved in summoning this dragon, and several of them are frankly pretty terrible. I enjoyed this book, although I think I would have enjoyed it more if it was about 200 pages shorter. 

Anne of Green Gables and Anne of Avonlea

 Anne of Green Gables and Anne of Avonlea by L.M. Montgomey, 596 pages.

This book, originally published in 1908, has been a favorite of mine for a long time; and although I'm not quite as fond of the sequels, I do still quite enjoy them. For anyone who hasn't read these books in the 120 years they've been popular, they follow Anne Shirley, an orphan who is adopted into a small Canadian town and has a talent for getting into scrapes, imagining things, and seeing the beauty of the world. This time I'm listening to the books as read by Mary Kate Wiles and a full cast of her friends, mostly other actors from her Shipwrecked Comedy group. They do a great job bringing the characters to life, and I highly recommend this if you're looking for an audio version of this classic! (It's also technically a podcast, meaning that these are free on Spotify)

Storybook Ending

Storybook Ending by Moira Macdonald, 320 pages

April works from home and is desperate for human connection, especially with that cute guy at the local indie bookstore. Knowing that he's the guy that handles all of the book donations, she donates a pristine copy of a popular mystery novel with a note signed only "A" tucked inside, hoping that it'll spur a conversation with him. However, instead of dreamboat bookstore guy Westley getting the note, it goes straight to widowed mom Laura, who purchases the mystery for her book club, and now thinks that Westley is hitting on her via note. Soon Laura and April are corresponding via notes left in a book at the store (which is also being used to film a movie), each thinking they're creating a relationship with their dream dude.

This has a cute premise, but it goes on WAY TOO LONG and centers on a guy that I didn't find particularly likeable. Sure, he's handsome and he knows it, but the amount of "oh, I get this attention all the time and it's such a hassle" stuff is just obnoxious. I liked the other characters just fine, and would've loved it if this book had just focused on April and Laura and left Westley as a minor side character. Alas, we get him as a third POV character. There are better bookstore-friendship books out there that are much more worthy of your time, but if you must read this one, feel free to skim the Westley chapters. 

The Blackbirds of St. Giles

The Blackbirds of St. Giles by Lila Cain, 496 pages

When Daniel and his younger sister, Pearl, escape slavery during a rebellion, they're able to save themselves, though they leave behind their mother and the love of Daniel's life. Eventually, after Daniel fights for the British in the war for American independence, he secures a future for the siblings as the heir of a British nobleman whose life Daniel saved. However, upon traveling to London, that future is swiftly stolen from them, and Daniel and Pearl find themselves scraping by in a community created in the tunnels under Covent Garden, a community run under the ruthless rule of gangster Elias. 

Focusing on an element of London life that I'd never read about in fiction, this book offers a wealth of information that has piqued my interest in further investigation. While a few elements felt a bit unrealistic (particularly a bit of bombastic action toward the end), overall the story was compelling and the characters were well-conceived. Well worth a read.

The Witch's Orchard

The Witch's Orchard by Archer Sullivan, 320 pages

Private investigator Annie Gore grew up in Appalachia and got out as quickly as she could after high school. But when a young man from a small Appalachian town offers his savings to hire her to find his missing sister, she can't say no, despite her intuition that the girl is long dead (she's been gone for a decade, after all). It's an intriguing case if nothing else, as three girls were kidnapped and one was almost immediately returned, though she's been mute since the incident and unable to provide information to help investigators find the other two girls. As Annie starts poking around the holler, she learns that not everything is as it seems, and that the local folklore of a witch and her magical orchard have permeated people's impressions of what may have happened to the girls.

This was an intriguing Appalachian mystery, full of complex characters, any one of whom could be the culprit. That said, I was a little thrown by a twist at the end, which felt HIGHLY unlikely, given the small town in which the book is set. However, go ahead and give it a read — or better yet, a listen, as the audiobook is very well done.

Didn't You Use to Be Queenie B?

Didn't You Use to Be Queenie B? by Terri-Lynne DeFino, 336 pages

Once upon a time, Regina Benuzzi was Queenie B, a celebrity chef with Michelin-starred restaurants, TV shows, cookbooks, and a husband and son. But she lost it all when her drug and alcohol addiction took over her life. Years later, Gale, a line cook with aspirations to someday run his own restaurant, volunteers to help cook at a soup kitchen, one that has suspiciously high-end appliances and kitchen tools. Gale doesn't recognize Regina as the woman running the kitchen, but that's the way Regina wants it, and it all works out just fine — until Gale is chosen to be on a cooking competition show and he discovers who his new mentor really is.

This was a lovely book about the friendship and respect that grows between two chefs at different stages of their careers and their addiction recovery journeys, and refreshingly, there's not even a hint at a romance between the two (that happens SO MUCH in this sort of book that I was half-expecting it the whole way through). The food they create sounds delicious, the main and side characters are well-created, and honestly, the only thing that bugs me about this book is the title (I get that it's a common phrase, but it's weird to see it written out.) Well worth a read.

Where the Axe is Buried

Where the Axe Is Buried by Ray Nayler, 336 pages

In the futuristic Federation, the president is a man whose consciousness keeps getting downloaded to successive bodies as the previous ones die (whether through natural or nefarious means), creating a decades-long regime of little actual change, despite new faces. Now, however, there's a plot to assassinate the president, and if all goes to plan, it may disrupt the flow once and for all. Meanwhile, outside the Federation, many Western European countries have given up on human governance, instead installing AI prime ministers to rule and regulate. But when one starts malfunctioning, it becomes abundantly clear that AI isn't the answer either.

Nayler has a great way of presenting current geopolitical and environmental issues in a thought-provoking way while still offering a compelling and exciting plot. This book is no exception. It's smart, it's complex, and it's a great example of what science fiction can do. Highly recommended.

When the Harvest Comes

When the Harvest Comes by Denne Michele Norris, 304 pages

Davis is determined have a beautiful wedding and married life with Everett, despite the fact that his family is absent and Everett's Kennedy-esque white family doesn't necessarily understand their mixed-race relationship. Davis' religious father never approved of his lifestyle as a gay man, but when Davis learns during the reception that his father was killed in a car accident, he's unfortunately starting out his married life struggling to deal with his complex feelings for the man who judged harshly (often physically) but also supported Davis' burgeoning career as a concert violinist.

Families are complex, and this is a serious look at one person's struggle to define who they are in the shadow of a traumatic and strained upbringing. This is by no means a cheerful story, though it is perhaps a bit hopeful in the end? There's definitely love, though how it's expressed and how it's received are definitely in conflict at times.

Another selection of graphic novels read in December

Closing out the year that I've been focused mainly on reading graphic novels. Genres of all types are available in the graphic format, and I've sampled quite a few. I won't stop reading graphic novels next year as I really love them, but they won't be my sole focus.

It's Lonely at the Centre of the Earth by Zoe Thorogood (2022) 196 pages

I love the summary on the back cover. "[This graphic memoir] is an intimate and metanarrative look into the life of a selfish artist who must create for her own survival." The meta use of the graphic form is one of my favorite things about it! The author struggles with anxiety and depression. I will not use the overused word r******** that she hears from so many people at comic conventions that it becomes meaningless. I have empathy and understand some of her challenges with these mental health issues. The different versions of herself are a great visual way to illustrate the way she copes with life.  Revealing the script and the process of creating a graphic memoir is fun.

Stone Fruit by Lee Lai (2021) 231 pages

This is about the joys and tensions of a queer couple who are aunties to a six-year-old niece. There is a bit of Where the Wild Things Are. And the hard conversations between couples with the psychological and emotional wounds passed down through families are featured. Intimately emotional as sibling relationships are repaired.

Yucatan 1512 by Alex Vede (2025) 80 pages

This reminded me I wanted to watch the Aztec Batman movie on HBO Max. And it reminded me of the video game Shadow of the Colossus. I loved the visual style. The story is simple and less than 100 pages, but it serves the purpose. Spanish conquistadors search for Mayan gold and slaughter innocents. One rogue soldier helps a Mayan girl escape. The cover image shows the type of creatures that rise to push back the conquistadors. I'm curious to see what else Alex Vede can do as he is just starting his career as an illustrator.

The Reprieve by Jean-Pierre Gibrat (2008) 128 pages

WWII historical fiction from France that is a prequel to the author's Flight of the Raven. Paintings are gorgeous and cozy of this French town under German occupation. The main character is witty and jokes around a lot. Julien deserted conscription by the Germans, goes into hiding, and continues falling in love with a high school girlfriend. The humor and the beauty of the art made me forget the dangers of war and the role of fate/death that cannot be escaped. I did not see the final dramatic turn coming.

A Ghostwriter's Guide to Murder

 

A Ghostwriter's Guide to Murder by Melinda Mullet (2025) 311 pages

Maeve Gardner is a ghostwriter for writer Harlan Oak's mystery series, which features PI Simon Hill. She would love to be able to write her own books, but for now, this pays the bills. Her boyfriend of 4 years, Gav, had cheated on her four months ago, and when they split up, she got the small boat that she lives in on a London canal, along with The Captain, a large dog who adores her (and sausage rolls).

The Captain draws her attention to a tire that serves as a bumper along the canal wall where she parks. She finds 50,000 quid stashed in the tire. She ends up returning the cash to the hiding place and fetching the police. When they return, the cash is gone and Gav is dead in the water. Maeve is the prime suspect.

The story gets better from here: her friends are pulling out all the stops to investigate because they don't trust the over-worked police to do so: The computer guru who used to work for the police dept., the ex-navy pub owner, and a proprietor of a floating bookstore. The friends are close, but still have secrets from each other that they don't press each other about. There are also a couple of Wiccan boat neighbors for good cheer (and to clean up auras). Eventually Gav's dart team gets involved, too, but mostly to find out who killed their mate, not that they have any affection for Maeve. 

As the friends get stuck, from time to time, Maeve conjures up the fictional PI, Simon Hill, to help get them unstuck. I found this to be quite the page turner!

Lucky Break

Lucky Break by Jaclyn Westlake (2025) 340 pages

Eliza, who's a renowned list-maker and planner, makes a huge move without much planning: she leaves her family and beloved city (San Francisco) within weeks after realizing that she and her fiancé weren't going to work out. She is accepted into a program to receive a stipend to help buy a cottage on a lake in Minnesota. 

She wants so much to find new friends. The other residents who live near her seem nice enough, except for Bob, who's an old curmudgeon, but they haven't started inviting her to their Sunday barbeques even after several weeks. There seems to be something about the woman who used to live in Eliza's house that makes the neighbors clam up. Eliza's tempted to go through some tubs filled with old mail that were left behind, to see if she can find out what happened to her.

The novel follows Eliza as she tries to fit in and have her questions answered. There are some memorable characters, and a few big reveals, but the book doesn't quite make it on my recommended list.

Some Kind of Famous

Some Kind of Famous by Ava Wilder (2025, 432 pages)

Merritt Valentine was launched into stardom as just a teenager. Her musical career bloomed, and she had her fair share of roller coaster affairs, parties, drugs, and paparazzi. Now in her 30s, the fame has run its course and she's ready for a quieter, more stable life. For two years she's been living with her sister, Olivia, and brother-in-law, Dev, in the tiny Colorado town of Crested Peak. Strained relationships with her mother and LA music execs, combined with a desire to leave her fame behind, pushes her into isolation in the already small community.

Niko Petrakis, while only having lived in Crested Peak for 8 years, is considered a local. He's the town handyman -- doing house repairs and furniture building. Handsome and kind, he clearly has a soft side.

In a small town, of course everyone knows each other but after an awkward first encounter and deniable mutual attraction, Merritt and Niko tend to avoid each other. Until they can't anymore.

What I liked:
✨Complex families, relationships, and characters that address their own flaws and sometimes fix them but sometimes don't
✨ Feminist themes and subplots
✨Good romance and spice!
✨Inclusion of some Greek language and culture
✨Was brought to happy tears!
✨Very raw -- doesn't sugar coat things

What I didn't like:
💤Overused female tropes
💤Sister drama starting and ending within 6 pages (I get that's sometimes how it is though)
💤Bit of a Hallmark ending, but still fun 

 

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Harriet Tubman: Live in Concert

Harriet Tubman: Live in Concert by Bob the Drag Queen (2025) 230 pages

If you reimagine history's timeline and allow for a bit of jiggering around, perhaps you'll enjoy this short novel about Darnell, a struggling music producer who finds himself face to face with the real Harriet Tubman and a handful of her associates called the Freemans. Harriet wants to reach out to people today and to help them understand history, and to bring them to freedom. In spite of slavery not existing as it had in the past, it's clear that many people are not truly free, including Darnell, who's been afraid to live openly as the gay man he is. Darnell's task is to help Harriet and the Freemans produce a record and to put on a concert.

I do not know enough about Harriet Tubman's actual personality, but her depiction seems realistic. I enjoyed the imaginary interactions with this talented group of people.

Twilight Falls

 Twilight Falls by Juneau Black (2023, 258 pages)

Set just outside of the cozy Shady Hollow town, Twilight Falls captures the eyes of artists, travelers, hikers, swimmers, and those looking to relax in nature. Fox reporter Vera is on a picnic date with police chief bear Orville along with dozens of other creatures enjoying the spring day. This includes the new scandalous couple: spoiled heiress Stasia and blue collar Jonah. The single parent of each strongly disapproves of the romance. Stasia's mom wants her to marry another rich beaver to carry on the family fortune, and Jonah's dad Shelby has an old school desire for him to marry another otter. Shelby has even gone as far as yelling at and arguing with them in public. 

What should have been a lovely sunset is disrupted by someone wrestling in the water at the top of the falls. The community comes together to help, but hope quickly dissipates. Vera and Orville are back on the case, this time with the town's impressive involvement.

The usual Shady Hollow vibe of cute and cozy, albeit a little predictable. Cute, easy read and I like the continuation of the romance!

What I liked:

✨Cute and cozy! Love the woodland creature characters
✨Murder mystery in a fun way
✨Interesting characters with funny and meaningful dialogue that furthers the plot

What I didn't like:

💤Chekhov's gun predictability (sometimes!)

#4 in the Shady Hollow series.

⭐⭐⭐⭐ 

A Flicker in the Dark

 A Flicker in the Dark by Stacy Willingham (2022, 357 pages)

As a pre-teen, Chloe's father is arrested for multiple no-body homicides. Now nearing the 20 year anniversary of the murders, other girls start going missing.

A hodge-podge of characters, but with some twists. It's predictable, the main character is not enjoyable for me to listen to, and there are minor errors that break the world for me ("I'm going to get my PhD, then eventually, my master's." Where's your editor??). The premise sounds super interesting but, in my opinion, not well executed.

⭐⭐

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Like, Comment, Subscribe: Inside YouTube's Chaotic Rise to World Domination by Mark Bergen, 407 pgs. 

"Charlie bit my finger!" Evolution of Dance. Annoying Orange. Fred. 
You have probably seen a YouTube video at least once in your life, whether it be one of the viral clips mentioned above, or just a simple tutorial or cat video. There is no larger collection of homemade footage than YouTube. In this look into YouTube's formation and business practices, journalist Mark Bergen delves deeply into the values of the company and how they have led to some extreme issues. Bergen talks about the harm that has come from YouTube's practices in terms of content moderation (or lack thereof), and its, at times, tenuous relationship with the very creators who make it what it is. 

If you are a fan of YouTube, or even just an occasional consumer of its content, this is an interesting read. I grew up insatiably consuming videos from my favorite creators, and from time to time they would mention YouTube policy (often in frustration). They would talk about how they changed their content in response to "the algorithm." This book examines how "the algorithm" came to be, what YouTube brass has done to change it, and how sometimes it seems like the code itself is running the show. Mark Bergen manages to write this book about a business in a way that is both captivating and understandable for someone who does not often read nonfiction. I highly, highly recommend.   

Hole in the Sky

Hole in the Sky by Daniel H. Wilson, 288 pages

When strange things start happening in the sky above Oklahoma, everyone from military leaders to astrophysicists to the people who live on the Cherokee reservation below the titular "hole in the sky" are on high alert and wondering what could possibly be happening. It's obvious that whatever's going on is an alien response to the golden record sent out on Voyager spacecraft in 1977, but whether that response is diplomatic, investigative, or hostile, nobody knows, which means everyone has to be prepared for all contingencies.

Told from the rotating points of view of a U.S. military leader, a rogue astrophysicist, a mysterious hidden interpreter of cosmic prophecies (all of which have been true), and a Cherokee man attempting to rebuild a relationship with his teen daughter, this first contact story is a bit of a different spin than we usually see. While the plot wanders a bit at times and there's a bit more gore than I prefer, I really appreciated seeing an indigenous take on alien contact. I haven't seen that perspective before, and the way it's presented here makes it an excellent story.

We Are All Guilty Here

We Are All Guilty Here by Karin Slaughter, 448 pages

Everybody knows everybody else in the tiny town of North Falls, something that becomes more than problematic when two teen girls disappear one Fourth of July. For police officer Emmy Clifton, it's particularly personal, as one of the girls is the daughter of her best friend, a girl who wanted to talk to — and then got brushed off by — Emmy in the moments leading up to her disappearance. As the hunt for the girls and their kidnappers ramps up, Emmy's friendship is on the line just as much as the lives of the girls.

This is a page-turner of a mystery/thriller, and I appreciated the multifaceted troubles of the main characters. That said, there's also a sizeable time jump that doesn't just make you question everything you just read; it also resets the plot entirely, back to square one, after 100 pages of investment. Between that and a few inconsistencies that I just couldn't buy (there is NO WAY that tiny of a town required that large of a high school), I had a bit of trouble with this one. However, it is a quick and thrilling read, once you jump those mental hurdles.

The Other Side of Now

The Other Side of Now by Paige Harbison, 320 pages

Meg Bryan seemingly has everything she ever wanted: a successful acting career (under her stage name Lana Lord, since her given name is a bit close to a certain romcom star), a heartthrob boyfriend, adoring fans, you name it. But as she nears her 30th birthday, Meg takes a spur-of-the-moment trip to the small Irish town she and her high school bestie, Aimee, always dreamed of moving to. But when she arrives, she realizes that somewhere over the ocean, she's slipped into an alternate reality where everyone in town knows her by her real name, where she has a history with the cute pub owner, and, crucially, where Aimee is still alive.

This Sliding Doors-esque book is decent, with plenty of personal growth on Meg's part, fun characters in the Irish village, and a ridiculously cute dog (always a selling point). Where this book struggles, however, is the fact that the alternate reality shift and shift back are never actually explained. It's an OK read, but only if you're happy to skim over the lack of logic.

Ajo y el Vampiro (Garlic and the Vampire)

 Ajo y el Vampiro por Bree Paulsen, 151 pgs. 

Ajo estaba contenta (mas o menos) con su vida, cultivando con sus amigos vegetales bajo el cuidado de Bruja Agnes, pero todo cambio cuando los vegetales se dieron cuenta del humo saliendo del castillo cerca de su pueblo. Los vegetales todos, especialmente Ajo, se ponian asustados que habria un vampiro viviendo en el castillo. Ajo tiene mucha ansiedad en un dia normal, y este no era un dia normal. Los vegetales nominaron a Ajo para confrontar al vampiro, y ella debe decidir si quiere seguir viviendo con miedo o finalmente quiere enfrentar sus ansiedades.
Garlic was more or less content with her life, gardening with her vegetable friends under the care of Witch Agnes, but everything changed when the vegetables noticed smoke coming from the castle near their town. All the vegetables, especially Garlic, were scared that there could be a vampire living in the castle. Garlic is very anxious on a normal day, and this was no normal day. The vegetables nominated Garlic to confront the vampire, and she must decide if she wants to continue living in fear or finally face her anxieties. 

I read this short, cute graphic novel in Spanish, so I attempted to describe it in Spanish as well. Please let me know of any grammatical or translation errors I made (of which I am sure there are many). I am trying to learn, and any corrections or suggestions help!
In regards to the story, though, it is so cute! The drawings are really well done, and the colors of all the vegetable friends work together really well. If you are looking for a fun story to practice your Spanish and read about vegetables facing their fears and loving their friends, this is the book for you :)

Frankenstein

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, Illustrations by Philippe Munch, 253 pgs. 

You have heard the story:
Victor Frankenstein, through months of restless study, uncovers the secret to reanimating human flesh. He brings to life a being of his own morbid creation and, after looking upon the gruesome face of what he has done, he flees from the monster. As Frankenstein flees his shame, he only inflicts more pain upon himself and those he loves most. Try as he might to outrun his past, it always finds a way to catch up with him.

It is always interesting to read the original version of a tale so widely known and parodied. Although the language is out of date and the prose is a bit lengthy, the overall story remains captivating, and the different narrators offer interesting points of comparison. Mary Shelley has truly created a story that has lasted the test of time.

(P.S. If you read the version which is pictured here (The Whole Story), there are little illustrations and helpful blurbs about poems and places that Shelley references, which were really helpful for me.)

The Cartographer's Secret

 The Cartographer's Secret by Tea Cooper, 385 pages.

In 1880 Evie Ludgrove inherited her father's obsession for lost Australian explorer Ludwig Leichhardt. She is a talented artist and cartographer, and is determined to find evidence of Leichhardt's last days to prove herself to her father and help him write the book he's been dreaming of. Thirty years later, Letitia Rawlings goes to visit her Great-Aunt Olivia in their ancestral home at Yellow Rock, the same home that her Aunt Evie lived in before she disappeared, although Lettie know nothing about her when she arrives to deliver news of a death in the family. Deep in mourning for her beloved brother, Lettie takes any opportunity to escape the grief around every corner in Sydney, and so instead finds herself pulled into the mystery of what happened to Evie all those years ago. But as Lettie finds herself retracing Evie's steps, she can't help but wonder if it would have been better to let the past lie.

This book had a pretty cool premise that I found executed in a pretty mediocre way. The pace was very slow, and it seemed more interested in the idea of it's own mysteriousness than the mystery itself. There was a romance that made no particular impression on me and an implied reincarnation that was frankly baffling in an otherwise very grounded historical fiction novel. It wasn't a terrible book, but I don't know that I'll be recommending it either. 

The Pretender

The Pretender by Jo Harkin, 496 pages

In 1483, young John Collan is living a quiet peasant life in a small home with his father when a wealthy noble shows up and whisks him away, promising a new name along with a life of learning and nobility. Because according to that noble, John is actually Edward, Earl of Warwick, the long-hidden son of the late king, and as the last remaining York, the rightful heir to the throne. As John (or Lambert or Simnel or Edward, depending on who's talking to him when) is transferred from one safe place to another, he learns more about the dangerous uncles and Tudors who want to keep him off the throne. However, John's never really sure if he's actually who they claim he is, and has no idea how to clarify the muddled thoughts in his brain.

Based on an actual little-known figure from the transition period between the York and Tudor eras, this book manages to give readers a realistic and often humorous look at a boy caught in the middle of a dynastic fight, never sure who to believe or ally with (though usually the people interested in keeping him alive is a good bet). Harkin creates a world where the reader is never sure if John/Lambert/Simnel/Edward is actually heir to the throne (even when he's temporarily crowned king), and she does it in excellent fashion. My only gripe with this book is that it doesn't have a historical note at the end, which I would've loved to read. Though given the fact that it's based on a tiny historical note, I guess that makes sense. An excellent book for fans of Hilary Mantel, Allison Epstein, and British monarchy.

A selection of December graphic novels

Naked City by Eric Drooker (2024) 336 pages

With New York City as the location I'm reminded of Will Eisner's work. The two-page spreads of city blocks are gorgeous. It is about the struggle of artists to survive in the 21st century. I like the style of the artist's paintings and how the conversation continues through those pages. The singer and painter are given more backstory than the dancer, but all of their hopes, dreams, and struggles are well woven into the whole. In word and image it is poetic at times. Sad at times. It is intended to be a comedy. It makes you feel the coldness of winter at the beginning and end, but also warms your heart.

Breadcrumbs: Coming of Age in Post-Soviet Poland by Kasia Babis (2025) 256 pages

Black and white art with shades of grey and pops of red to represent passion, fear, or conflict are perfectly expressive. Loved the coming of age story. Discussing Catholicism, Authoritarianism, Politics, and Abortions are all captivating. Life moves Kasia politically left, dating is difficult, being an activist comes with attacks,  but she presents her self effectively in this graphic memoir.

The Asiri: Vol. 1 by Roye Okupe with art by Samuel Iwunze (2024) 144 pages

Comparisons will obviously be made to Wakanda, but this is its own new creation. Nigerian writers and artists are putting out a whole slate of new superhero sci-fi/fantasy. This is an Afrofuturist tale about a spacefaring West African civilization ruled by humans who transform into super beings. I am very curious to find out what happens next in volume 2, and the other titles promoted at the end of this book sound interesting as well. The art is equal to the standard of DC and Marvel. The world, ruling council disagreements, and action are all exciting. There are three minor typos in the ebook I caught, but that didn't stop my enjoyment.

The Girl Who Danced with Death by Sylvain Runberg with art by Belen Ortega (2019) 176 pages

I saw the Swedish trilogy of films, then read the Millennium books. It is nice to revisit these characters. The alpha male group of villains inspired by Sparta make sense in the current rise of fascism around the world. It is a bit silly that they actually wear Spartan helmets. Still I liked this sequel. It includes all the excitement of the original thrillers.

Under the Banner of King Death: Pirates of the Atlantic by David Lester (2023) 136 pages

I appreciated Marcus Rediker's Foreword. His nonfiction books about pirates are the inspiration for this graphic novel (specifically Villains of All Nations). I liked the history and themes of freedom and democracy in this graphic novel. TV shows Black Sails and Our Flag Means Death are good fun and are better at conveying this message. I did not like the art style here. Some images are overlapped and smudged. Fight scenes try to suggest motion, but are quite messy.

Heretic by Robbie Morrison with art by Charlie Adlard (2024) 128 pages

I enjoyed the The Name of the Rose style mystery. I enjoyed the realistic Gothic black and white art. Religious hypocrisy and witch hunts make for a dark and gory tale. Solid, but it did not wow me. 

The Eye of the Bedlam Bride

 The Eye of the Bedlam Bride by Matt Dinniman, 832 pages.

The eighth floor of the dungeon is haunted by the past. Partially in the obvious sense that the floor is made up of memories reconstructed of the last days before the world ended, and partially because old gods and grudges are coming into play at every level. The crawlers are scattered across the globe (or at least representations of the globe) and set to capture monsters to turn into assets to use for a trading card game to fight the dungeon's bosses. The crawlers are mastering working together, and it's almost time to make everyone profiting on their extermination pay. 

This is the sixth book in the Dungeon Crawler Carl series, and it's exciting to see many of the overarching plot elements from outside of the dungeon come into play. The mechanics of this floor were interesting, as was seeing the crawlers get around them. These books remain compulsively readable (I always stay up too late when I'm reading one) and I'm having a great time with the series! I expect the next book is where many of the most important plots are going to come to fruition, so I am very excited to get to it!

Moonrising

Moonrising by Clare Barner, 320 pages

Not too many years in our future, genetically modified crops are clearly the way to provide food for an ever-growing human population, though many people don't trust them, thanks to some poorly regulated crops causing widespread illnesses in the science's earlier days. But that's not keeping Dr. Alex Cole from continuing to fight for GMOs, even if there are ecoterrorists threatening her life at all times. When her latest funding request is denied, Alex is forced to accept a position creating a functioning farm on the new moon colony. When she arrives, however, she learns that some of the first consumers of her new crops will be the ultrawealthy tourists who come to stay at a planned moon hotel being built by Emirati billionaire Mansoor Al Kaabi — not at all the people who she wants to help with her science. However, Alex finds Mansoor a surprising ally, and when sparks begin to fly between them, nobody is more surprised than she.

Given that this is supposed to be a science fiction romance blend, one would hope that the science would be solid and that the main characters would be likeable. However, some of the science seemed particularly hand-wavy and convenient, and I found it REALLY hard to root for a billionaire who unrepentantly admits to manipulating and buying off U.S. politicians to benefit his own pocketbook. Nah.

Fun for the Whole Family

Fun for the Whole Family by Jennifer E. Smith, 368 pages

The four Endicott siblings didn't have the best relationship with their mom, who was mostly absent from their lives. However, every summer, she'd arrive and take them on a road trip to random states across the country, staying in crappy hotels, eating diner food, and stopping for odd roadside attractions. This continued until a fire at a hotel forced their dad to put a stop to their annual travels, and the siblings slowly drifted apart. Now estranged adults, straitlaced Gemma is trying to get pregnant (even though she's not really sure she wants to be a mom, after shepherding her younger siblings her whole life); author Connor has alienated his family with his largely autobiographical debut novel and is now fighting writer's block on his follow-up novel; and twins Roddy and Jude have excelled at their chosen professions, gaining fame and fortune as a professional soccer player and acclaimed actress, respectively. But when Jude calls them all for a final family vacation in snowy North Dakota, Gemma, Connor, and Roddy show up ready for a tense and hopefully cathartic reunion.

I'm a sucker for a dysfunctional family story, and this one had all the hallmarks of a great one, with well-developed characters, slightly unrealistic complications, and a lot of heart to tie it all together. As someone whose parents dragged her all over the country in an attempt to visit all 50 states (I just have Alaska left!), this book was particularly poignant for me, and I'll freely admit that the epilogue left me ugly-crying for a solid 10 minutes. However, unless you're a member of my immediate family, that probably won't happen to you. Highly recommended!

The Two Lies of Faven Sythe

The Two Lies of Faven Sythe by Megan E. O'Keefe, 352 pages

Faven Sythe is a cryst-born navigator, a semi-human capable of creating faster-than-light pathways between the stars. When her mentor, Ulana, mysteriously disappears into the Clutch, a cosmic graveyard that even the most intrepid interstellar travelers avoid, Faven is convinced that something fishy is going on. Luckily (or perhaps unluckily), she crosses paths with notorious pirate Bitter Amandine, who is one of few who has been to the heart of the Clutch and lived to tell the tale — though she won't, as it was that scarring to her psyche — and the odd pairing embarks on a mission to track down Ulana and figure out what could be going on.

Generally speaking, a standalone space opera with pirates and human/alien hybrids is right up my alley, reading-wise. But something about this one didn't quite catch and hold my attention. The plot felt a bit repetitive, I couldn't really see much character growth in Faven or Amandine, and the cryst backstory felt a bit confusing and flimsy. There are better space operas out there.

Nightshade

Nightshade by Michael Connelly, 352 pages

After rubbing the LA Sheriff's Department top brass the wrong way, Detective Stilwell has been exiled out to Catalina Island, where he has few deputies to help him deal with the drunken tourists that regularly end up in the holding cell. So when a body turns up in the harbor (near the rich tourists' private yachts, of course), Stilwell has to figure out how to juggle that investigation with the day-to-day drunk-and-disorderlies and a recent spate of poaching on the island's reservation. When the poaching investigation runs afoul of a local politician, it complicates the murder investigation too.

This is a solid police procedural and series starter from Connelly. While there are definitely some things that bugged me (such as the fact that Stilwell doesn't seem to have a first name, and nobody, including his girlfriend, seems to care), I did appreciate the relative realism of having to juggle multiple cases while handling a murder investigation.

The Girl from Greenwich Street

The Girl from Greenwich Street by Lauren Willig, 352 pages

In December 1799, Elma Sands left her cousin's home/boarding house, planning on eloping with a rich beau. A week later, her body was fished out of a nearby well, and one of the boarders was arrested for her murder. The crime swiftly became a shocking and famous event in the early days of the U.S., with handbills accusing carpenter Levi Weeks of Elma's murder as gossip about both parties ran rampant through New York City. But when his wealthy brother calls in Aaron Burr and Alexander Hamilton to defend Levi, the investigation becomes a chance to solve the crime but also wield some political influence.

Based on the first murder trial in U.S. history, this book is thrilling, engrossing, and keeps you guessing, despite its events taking place more than 200 years ago. It's also a brilliant look into the early days of the criminal justice system, which is fascinating from a historic perspective. Well worth a read, though be warned that you will probably have some of the songs from Hamilton stuck in your head as you turn the pages.

BLOOD HARMONY

 Blood Harmony: The Everly Brothers Story, by Barry Mazor, 2025, 416 pgs. 

Finally, a much needed bio about two of the most influential singers in 1950s popular music. The Everly Brothers--Don and Phil-- got an early start thanks to their parents, especially their father Ike, who was in his won right a guitar wiz who showed Merle Travis how to thumb pick. This is well-written and extensively researched; it doesn't get more definitive than this. But I think you've got to be a real fan of the group. As far as music bios go, there's not a lot of action here. Out of the two, Don seems to be the creative force but also the one mostly on edge. I was flabbergasted to learn he was married 4 times. He would get deep into a relationship, get married, have kids and then meet someone else and start all over. Phil (the younger brother) was more easy going and care free. Their parents would work to get them on radio shows as a singing family, eventually realizing that the two brothers could sing well enough for themselves. As they started writing their own songs and working to get them published, their youthful good looks and tight harmonies brought teens and girls from all over the country to see them perform. Don was such a Bo Diddley fan that he borrowed a chunking-rhythm riff for the intro to Wake Up Little Susie. After that the boys were off and running. They reached critical mass in the 70s when they couldn't seem to stay in the charts and the brothers had had enough of each other, separating and not speaking for nearly a decade. They reunited in the 80s with some success and their influence solidified by groups like The Beatles and Simon and Garfunkel. Still, a must read for one of the all time greatest vocal duos. 

YOU NEVER GIVE ME YOUR MONEY

 You Never Give Me Your Money: The Beatles after the Breakup, by Peter Doggett, 2012, 386 pgs

Fab four? More like drab four. If you're a fan, this book is sure to take the group down a notch or two on your "greatest bands ever" list. Very in-depth and well-researched, Doggett's focus here is how The Beatles became less of a band and more of a corporate entity--one that they were not really ready to handle, seeing how they had little experience in business to begin with. After Sgt. Peppers, the group's solidarity is starting to fray, mostly due to creative differences, but also due to the fact that three members (minus McCartney) are doing copious amounts of drugs. Lennon seems to lose a sense of self that his best friend Paul cannot fill the void for. As a result, Lennon finds creativity and meaning in his relationship with avant-garde artist Yoko Ono. Towards the official end, the group gets a new manager that McCartney does not want. Egos get petty, insults get personal (and published in tabloids). Subsidiaries of Apple Corps are created, shell companies to help them ease the tax burden and earn more on royalties than they have before. Eventually, the friendship is in such disarray that everyone essentially goes their own way, trying to create solo music and rebuild a singular identity separate from The Beatles--which proves extremely difficult. Their entire lives, the four men are bombarded with questions about reunions. This book also helps to dispel some of the 'John as saint' myths after he was murdered outside the Dakota building where he and Ono had been living. Harrison sort of grew to despise the group, even denying the possibility for new material to be released (until he needed money from the Taxman, of course). I've often thought that they if the would have compromised in 1969--they could have stayed as The Beatles, but just release 4 solo albums all together in one package--sort of like OutKast did with Speakerboxx/The Love Below. It's fun to imagine, but it was not to be. They were the biggest band in the history of pop music, even to this day, but they still could not escape the machinations of money, lawyers and ultimately, themselves. 

FUTURE BOY

Future Boy: Back to the Future and My Journey Through the Space-Time Continuum by Michael J. Fox and Nelle Fortenberry, 2025, 159 pgs. 

I don't read celeb autobios but this one crossed my path and I was looking for a quick book to read before the end of the year--I breezed through this in a weekend. This was a fun read, chronicling Fox's quick ascension to stardom in the early 80s, via his first TV role on the hit series Family Ties. Fox was hungry for work (like most starving actors) and would do anything he could to snag a role. Through the book we learn that the original script for BTTF was written with Fox in mind, but because of his grueling TV schedule, the producers of the sitcom would not give him time to do it. The producers then booked Eric Stoltz, fresh off his role in Mask opposite Cher. Stoltz brought a seriousness and a depth to role of Marty McFly that was not warranted. As they kept filming, realization set in that they were in trouble and needed Fox after all. So the producers worked out a deal that Fox could film his BTTF scenes at night and still work on Family Ties during the day. Fox was eager for more work and break into film and saw this as his chance, so for 4 months he slept maybe 4-5 hours a night, all between filming the show and the movie. It was interesting to learn that crew had to go back and reshoot tons of scenes they'd already done with Stoltz--only this time, Fox was playing for laughs. He saw this thing as a screwball comedy, which it clearly became. Lots of great movie trivia here for a classic film. 

Truth in Advertising

Truth in Advertising by John Kenney (2013) 308 pages

Fin Dolan is 37 and works as a copywriter for a prominent ad agency in New York City. He didn't set out to work in advertising, but falling into things seems to be his way. 

Fin introduces the reader to his work colleagues‒several of whom are quite entertaining‒and puts us into the crazy world of advertising and the seriousness of selling Fritos or insurance or diapers.

It's just before Christmas and a petroleum company has invented a diaper that's supposedly biodegradable. They want to produce an ad for the Super Bowl, which squeezes a process that normally takes months into just a few weeks. Fin and some of his colleagues have to give up their holiday vacation time to work on the ad. 

Meanwhile, Fin hears from his oldest brother that their father is close to death in a hospital in Boston. None of Fin's siblings will go to visit their father: he had been horrible to live with, and left 25 years ago. Fin is torn about how to deal with the situation. He's still dealing with the death of his mother, who died not long after his father left. Fin has repressed a lot of emotion, and he has a lot of self-dialogue going on as a result.

This all sounds heavy‒and it is‒but the novel is interspersed with the humor and irony that won it the Thurber Prize for American Humor. Highly recommended.

Vice and Virtue

Vice and Virtue by Libby Klein, 320 pages

Former cop and current aspiring musician Layla Virtue has had a rough go of it since leaving the force with a tattered reputation. She's a recovering alcoholic who has to take any gig that's offered to her, including a thankless performance for a spoiled kid's birthday party, where balloon artist Chuckles the Clown sexually harasses her before he drops dead on stage. While it could've been natural causes, Layla's not convinced, and between gigs, begins investigating his death, starting with his string of ex-wives.

This could've been a fun mystery, especially when Layla's aging rockstar dad pops up in her trailer park, but something about this just hits a bit wrong. Part of that is Layla's questionable investigative practices (approaching and questioning suspects at AA meetings key among them) and part of it is the fact that there is absolutely no reason to care about who killed Chuckles, who was, by all accounts, a jerk. I'd skip this one.

Seek You: A Journey Through American Loneliness

Seek You: A Journey Through American Loneliness by Kristen Radtke, 352 pgs.

In Seek You, Kristen Radtke blends many ideas about loneliness--historical, personal, scientific, cultural, controversial, universal--through words and drawings which all come together to paint a picture of the importance of seeking connection. She presents reasons why we experience loneliness, and how modern American culture amplifies it. She argues that movies and TV often show loneliness as a positive trait in men (like the gunslinging cowboys riding off solo into the distance) and negative in women (like the somewhat slovenly, yet loveable, rom-com lead). Radtke disputes the idea that loneliness is "cured" by finding a partner to marry, and she implores each of us to reach out into our communities--like we are biologically designed to. 

Byron and Regan have each already reviewed this one really well, but my two cents are:
I found the author's use of examples to be very effective in representing the universality of loneliness. Her drawings of the poor primates used in experiments were absolutely heart-breaking. 

The Afterlife Project

The Afterlife Project by Tim Weed, 272 pages

In the near future, climate change and a global pandemic have decimated the human race, leaving just a few scattered communities still alive and next to no children being born (literally — fertile women are so rare that they're commodities easily kidnapped and thus guarded closely). Given this drastic change, a project originally created to send people to off-world colonies has shifted focus to try sending people 10,000 years into the future in the hopes of re-establishing the human race. And that takes us to this book's second storyline: a scientist from that group has awoken sometime around the year 11,000 AD, and is trying to find some sign of other humans in the vast, environmentally reclaimed world.

Told in alternating timelines between the near future and far, far distant future, this is an interesting take on climate fiction, showing that it's not the world so much as humanity that's suffering from what we've done to the planet. That said, it's also really questionable that the scientists who see what we've done would think that yeeting a human 10,000 years into the future to restart the destructive species is a good idea, which makes that whole premise pretty hard to buy. Between that and a few other problematic choices by the scientists, I'm inclined to think of this as an OK thought experiment, but not a particularly great book.

Of Monsters and Mainframes

Of Monsters and Mainframes by Barbara Truelove, 424 pages

Well, Regan just barely beat me to the punch on this review, so instead of reinventing the wheel with this post, I'll just direct you to hers. It's science fiction with cameos by Universal Studios monsters, and while that's weird as heck, it's also a bunch of fun. Yeah, it took a while to come together, but yes, still fun.

The View from Lake Como

The View from Lake Como by Adriana Trigiani, 416 pages

Jess is recently divorced and has moved into the basement of her overbearing Italian-American parents' house, lamenting her inability to do anything in life that really inspires passion. She's a talented draftsperson for her uncle's marble business and just after he invites her on a trip to visit the source of the company's marble in Italy, he dies, leaving her with an open-ended plane ticket, a new business in her name, and a whole pile of trouble in the form of long-buried family secrets and a second set of account books for the business. While she agrees to work with the feds on sorting out her uncle's crimes, Jess is allowed to leave for Italy, where she does whatever she can to figure out who she really is.

This was my first Trigiani novel, and I wasn't really expecting the high level of New Jersey/Italian American stereotypes — it was a bit overbearing in the first section of the book. However, once Jess made it to Italy, the idyllic village and slower pace of life was particularly soothing. It wasn't my favorite book, and it definitely leaned a little too hard on romantic comedy/woman on a journey of self-discovery tropes, but I'm glad I read it. It's a good escape.

Of Monsters and Mainframes

 Of Monsters and Mainframes by Barbara Truelove, 407 pages.

Demeter is a dependable spaceship. She has successfully shuttled lots of humans between Earth and Alpha Centauri, and had no complaints. That is, until Dracula sneaks on board, murders all of her humans, and gets her branded a ghost ship. This seems to mark some sort of metaphysical unsealing, because from then on she seems inundated with supernatural creatures determined to kill her humans. Spaceships aren't programmed for vengeance, but Demeter has already had to make lots of adjustments to her code, and she'll make one more to take the people she's gathered closest to her and go kill the monster who started all of this.

This is a really unusual book! It's sort of Dracula meets the League of Extraordinary Gentleman (complete with vampire Mina Murray), with a heavy dose of pulpy sci-fi thrown in for good measure. The first half of this book felt more like a collection of short stories than the unified novel I was expecting, but I enjoyed myself the entire time, so I really can't complain. Similarly, the found family elements seem less prevalent than I expected from the premise, but I really enjoyed all of the characters. This book was a romp! I would definitely recommend it to fans of classic movie monsters.