The Ascent

The Ascent by Allison Buccola, 352 pages

Lee grew up in a cult, and when the rest of the group disappeared mysteriously when she was 12, Lee became the sole survivor. For years, she's hidden this background from almost everyone, including her husband, and has tried to move on. But now there's a documentary about the cult on a popular streaming service and someone she thought she lost may have popped back up in her life. Combine that with her strained marriage and her fear of leaving her infant daughter, and Lee is questioning everything she thought she knew.

I honestly didn't think about the fact that I was reading this at the same time the latest rapture was supposed to happen (spoiler alert: it didn't), but that might be because the cultish part of this book didn't play nearly as impactful as I thought it would — I assumed by the title, the cover, the flap copy, etc. that this book would bring the main character back into the cultish fold or at least focus on her attempt to escape that fate. Instead, it's more of a backstory and explanation for her psychoses, while the big twists kinda come out of nowhere and have nothing to do with the cult. It almost felt like the author had a great idea for a character, but didn't really know what to do with her and ended up with a kinda blah plot. Feel free to pass this one by.

Every Step She Takes

 Every Step She Takes by Alison Cochrun, 384 pages.

Sadie Wells doesn't have time for much of anything, but especially not for dating. And after a long list of dates with men with zero sparks (best not to think about why she's 35 and has maybe never been attracted to a man), she's desperate to get away from her life, and spontaneously agrees to take her influencer sister's place on a tour of the Camino de Santiago. When she is convinced the plane is going down she confesses all of her secrets to her seatmate, only to discover (to her horror) that said seatmate is named Mal, and is also on her tour. And also it's a tour specifically for queer women. Sadie has 100s of kilometers of self-discovery before her, whether she feels ready or not.

Alison Cochrun's books never miss for me! I really loved both Sadie and Mal, and the Camino itself wove its way through the narrative beautifully. That being said, I feel like the plot of this one was a little weaker than her standard. Mal agrees to help Sadie recapture the queer adolescence she missed out on, which ends up involving a lot of "practice" dating. Despite the fact that I feel like they were pretty upfront with their feelings at multiple points, the story still treated it like they were secretly pining, which I don't feel like made a lot of sense with what we had seen. Minor believability gripes aside, I still had a great time with this book, which I found both funny and sincere. 

V as in Victim

V as in Victim by Lawrence Treat (1945) 236 pp

This selection from the Library of Congress Crime Classic series is branded as the first police procedural. New York police detective Mitch Taylor investigates a routine hit-and-run which quickly and unexpectedly leads to a murder. Are the cases related? Taylor is determined to find out and he is not averse (unlike his old-school superiors) to pulling in the egg-head crime technician, Jub Freeman, to bolster his case(s). This is not a buddy cop story. The detective and the technician are not best friends or partners; they are doing their jobs and leaning into their respective areas of expertise. This step-by-step crime drama feels a bit clunky as the author fills in the background of the two cops. Unfortunately, there is no humor in this saga and surprisingly little suspense. The story does have a noir feel -- gritty, twisty, and the cast of characters are sordid. But even when the policemen are punched by the suspects (or tempted by the femme fatale) the writing doesn’t ramp up. Being the first of its genre doesn’t add up to being first-rate.

The Only Investment Guide You'll Ever Need

The Only Investment Guide You'll Ever Need by Andrew Tobias (2005; first edition 1978) 287 pages

For a twenty-year-old edition of a 47-year old book, I still found Tobias's investment guide to be quite informative. He speaks plainly and gives plenty of examples to illustrate what he says. He's funny, too. He makes it easy for a newbie to invest by naming mutual funds to consider, and suggests buying two index funds: one that invests in U.S. stocks and one that invests abroad. He also gives a bit of advice on other issues, like estate-planning. I love the section headed "YOU'RE DEAD‒Why didn't you read this first?!"

Tobias is still alive, according to the internet, and it appears that he has a newer edition (2016) than the one I read. The only melancholy thing about his book is that when Tobias speaks of the U.S. government, he speaks as if our government still acted somewhat sanely. I'm not sure how much our of his advice would change if he were to consider the current situation with government taxes, spending, tariffs, the Fed, safety nets, etc.

My Vampire Plus-One

My Vampire Plus-One by Jenna Levine (2024) 368 pages

Amelia is an accountant who knows and appreciates the definitiveness of the IRS tax code. She has given up on romance: she's happy with her job and her friends and her cat, and doesn't want to go through another breakup. The only problem is that her mother keeps pressuring her to date. When Amelia hears that yet another one of her cousins is getting married, and that her invitation will include a plus-one, she tells her mother that she is dating someone, to get her to stop harping on her lack of relationship. But now she needs to find someone willing to pretend to be dating her.

Who else besides Reginald, who appears as the annoying (but funny) dude in Levine's first vampire mystery, My Roommate Is a Vampire. Amelia makes Reginald's acquaintance when he plows into her on the sidewalk outside her office. When she sees him again at a coffee shop, in spite of the fact that she doesn't know him, she asks if he will help her out.

Thus starts their fake dating relationship with the twist: Reginald is a vampire. He actually tells her about it, but she thinks he's joking. Oh, and Reginald is on the run from a gang of vampires who want to kill him for a crime that they think he committed 150 years ago. This novel is a fast and funny read.

A selection of September graphic novels

The Old Guard 3 books by Greg Rucka with art by Leandro Fernandez (2017-2021) 481 pages

Book One: Opening Fire This brought back some memories of watching the movie on Netflix in 2020. A bit gory, but fast paced. Obviously you can read at a slower pace, but I feel like the story doesn't dwell too long on any one thing and keeps the action moving forward. Good job quickly establishing each character.

Book Two: Force Multiplied I really liked this continuation of the story. Andy's flashbacks, the introduction of Noriko, and Booker still being outcast from the group are solid plot elements. Themes of human trafficking and slavery, and whether the immortals work to make the world a better place or cynically view human life with little value are written well by Rucka. I think the art is as good as in the first volume.

Tales Through Time Book 1 Mixed bag. Many writers and artists get to play in different time periods with the Old Guard characters. I liked most of the short stories, but some are less impressive in building the world.

1177 B.C.: A Graphic History of the Year Civilization Collapsed by Eric H. Cline with art by Glynnis Fawkes (2024) 256 pages

Adapted from a prose history book. Very detailed exploration of archeological findings surrounding the Late Bronze Age in the Eastern Mediterranean. Fawkes, the artist, injects funny asides and jokes throughout. This is not for a casual graphic novel reader. Only take a look if you are really interested in archeology or this time period.

Now Let Me Fly: A Portrait of Eugene Bullard by Ronald Wimberly with art by Brahm Revel (2023) 322 pages

Fascinating! And left open-ended for a possible second book illustrating Eugene Bullard's life after WWI. From inside the front cover flap, "Brahm Revel's clear and kinetic art captures moments from Bullard's life with remarkable empathy." The writing is strong too from the framing device to flashbacks in the Jim Crow South and escape to Europe. There is a great kinetic energy to the story. This covers Eugene's childhood, his many odd jobs as a young man, and serving in the French army during WWI. He became the first Black fighter pilot in WWI. I'm finding I really enjoy the quality of everything from publisher First Second.

Pashmina by Nidhi Chanani (2017) 176 pages

For Pri, her mother's homeland, India, can only exist in her imagination. Quick read. I like the story structure and the mix of magic and realism. I wish it was more detailed. Since it is aimed at teens, the shorter length feels a bit rushed. The art is great using both monochrome and color like the Wizard of Oz, except the one Uncle looks like a bobble-head.

Daytripper by Fabio Moon with art by Gabriel Ba (2011) 256 pages

Nonlinear in the best way. Bras is an obit writer for a Brazilian newspaper. Learning of peoples' lives at the point of their death seems like a directionless job for a writer rather than a chance to explore profound themes. Or is it?! The writer and artist, twin brothers, speculate about the choices we make using Bras' life. In diverging timelines, what does Bras' life look like if he died at 32, 21, 28, 41, at 11, 33, 38, 47, or 76. His family and one friend, named Jorge, remain fairly constant. The brothers delve into so much beauty and suffering associated with life by building plots around different unexpected deaths. It is deep and subtle storytelling, keenly felt and at times surreal.

Yours Truly

Yours Truly by Abby Jimenez (2023) 387 pages

Two Emergency room doctors have their issues: Briana is not looking forward to the day her divorce is final; she is also not looking for another long term relationship because she was wounded so much by her husband's cheating. And she's very upset that her younger brother needs a kidney; he's been on dialysis for awhile, and is severely depressed. Jacob has just taken a job with this hospital to get away from another hospital where his ex-girlfriend and his brother work. Jacob wants to convince his large boisterous family that in spite of his long-term anxiety, he is ok about his ex and his brother planning their wedding. Briana and Jacob end up corresponding by handwritten letters during their shifts. Briana agrees to be Jacob's fake girlfriend until his brother's wedding in a few months.

As Briana and Jacob's fake relationship develops, they are (of course) each really smitten with the other, but are convinced that the other has no real feelings for them. Briana does have some real trust issues regarding men. And is Jacob still in love with his ex? A fast read, with a number of fun characters, along with communication mishaps along the way. An added bonus is that we see Jacob deal with his anxiety issues in a believable way.

Murder Takes a Vacation

Murder Takes a Vacation by Laura Lippman (2025) 261 pages

Mrs. Blossom has been widowed 10 years. After she happens to find a winning lottery ticket on the ground, she decides to take a riverboat cruise that originates in Paris. Mrs. Blossom is a large woman who doesn't expect to find romance in her life again, but on her flight to London, she meets Allan, who helps her with logistics and sits near her on the plane. He helps her when she can't make her next flight to Paris, getting her situated on a train the next day, instead. She's starting to swoon over the man, surprising herself. When Allan is found dead, the police find Mrs. Blossom because he had taken a photo of her that he apparently shared with someone via text. Meanwhile, because her last employment was following people for a private detective, she notices that she is being followed. She confronts the guy whom she keeps seeing (Danny) and it's not really clear who he is and whether he can be trusted, especially when he ends up taking the same riverboat cruise that she's on. All she knows is that he tells a story of an antiquity that disappeared long ago that may have some connection to Allan. And that he has a good eye for clothing.

So who was Allan and why did he die? Who is Danny really? And why did her room get searched in Paris, and again on the riverboat? She can't find anything that Allan might have slipped into her luggage.

The novel is a fast read, with characters that resist being pigeon-holed. Mrs. Blossom is a character in Lipmann's Tess Monaghan series. I haven't read any of that series, but it didn't get in the way of enjoying this book.

Ten Days in a Mad-House

 Ten Days in a Mad-House by Nellie Bly, 160 pages

This book, originally published in 1887, is an impressive work of investigative journalism. Nellie Bly, working for Joseph Pulitzer at the New York World, agreed to go undercover at Blackwell Island, a public asylum for poor women. Bly undertook this task despite knowing very little about the insane, which turned out to be a nonissue when it proved startlingly easy to be admitted. Once she was inside she found horrifying levels of abuse and mistreatment, as well as many women who weren't any crazier than she was. 

Despite being nearly 150 years old, this book was very readable and engaging. The last chapter of this book mentioned that these articles got a million dollars designated to improve mental health services in New York, and reading it I can see why it had that sort of impact. It is also really interesting to see this older version of investigative journalism. Bly has huge amounts of both courage and compassion, and both elevate this to a classic work of nonfiction definitely worth the read. 

When Night Breaks

 When Night Breaks by Janella Angeles, 480 pages.

In this sequel to Where Dreams Descend, Kallia finds herself trapped in a world stranger and more magical than she could have imagined. Spectaculore may be over, but the world of magicians she finds herself in isn't any less cutthroat than the world she came from.

This book is very stylish, but I'm afraid that's all I can say for this extremely underwhelming sequel. Despite being presented as the answer to the mysteries of the last book, it doesn't actually answer very many of the open questions, sometimes feeling like it is actively contradicting the first book. I also didn't find the ending of this book, which also concludes the series, very satisfying. This is such an unfulfilling sequel that it makes it harder to recommend the first book, knowing that many of the most intriguing questions won't get any satisfying answers.  

The Hearth Witch's Guide to Magic and Murder

The Hearth Witch's Guide to Magic and Murder by Kiri Callaghan, 448 pages

Changeling Avery Hemlock was sentenced to 500 years of nightmares, but when London's fey notice an uptick in magical murders (they're literally fine on the outside but have plant matter instead of missing organs on the inside), she's pulled out of prison 300 years early to try to find the killer. She ends up pulling her downstairs neighbor, baker Saga, into the investigation with her, especially once Saga's close friends and family get involved in the mystery. Avery isn't allowed to tell Saga about her magical nature, though the longer they work together, the more clear it is that Saga has something magical about her too.

This cozy story mixes together fantasy, romance, mystery, and a few good recipes in a way that's an absolute delight to read. The location of Avery and Saga's apartments at 221 Baker Street keep readers wondering about their connection to Sherlock (was that actually Avery back before her sentencing?), and it's hopefully something that will be explored in future books about Avery and Saga. I know I'll happily read them!

*This book will be published Oct. 7, 2025.

This Princess Kills Monsters

This Princess Kills Monsters by Ry Herman, 416 pages

Melilot is getting really sick of going on her stepmother's quests only to have her stepsisters (who she loves, really she does) complete the tasks easily after she's battled hard to do them. But when her stepmother sends her off to a neighboring land to marry the prince, well, that's one thing Melilot's sisters can't do for her, as much as she wishes they could. But on her way to meet her betrothed, Melilot learns that someone's out to kill her, and not all is as it seems in the kingdom.

This is a feminist take on just about all the Grimm's fairy tales smashed together, and it's ridiculously fun. I loved playing "spot the fairy tale" throughout, as well as the way it centered on the powerful women of the story. A lovely fun read.

Maya & Natasha

Maya & Natasha by Elyse Durham, 384 pages

Born in the midst of the siege of Leningrad in 1941 to a prima ballerina mother, twins Maya and Natasha were destined for dancing greatness. As children, the pair enrolled in the Vaganova Ballet Academy, and fought tooth and nail against their classmates and each other to secure a position with the most prestigious ballet company in the Soviet Union, specifically on its upcoming tour of America. But with the Soviet regime fearing defections of its talented dancers, only one person per family is allowed to tour, pitting the sisters against each other in previously unthinkable ways.

Taking place over the course of several decades, this book explores the complicated relationship between Maya and Natasha, and between artists, their art, and their obligations to the government that sponsors them. It's a cutthroat story, and a compelling one, particularly through a modern lens.

My Best Friend's Honeymoon

My Best Friend's Honeymoon by Meryl Wilsner, 304 pages

Elsie has always let her life be steered by others, going with whatever her parents, her siblings, even her college boyfriend (now fiancé, cuz she thought she should just say yes to his over-the-top public proposal) want to do. But when she learns that her fiance has fully planned the wedding she's been putting off, she realizes that she has to put her foot down. Because he's a good guy, he sends Elsie and her longtime bestie Ginny on what was supposed to be their honeymoon — a week at a tropical queer-friendly resort — to think things over. But while they're there, Elsie learns that Ginny has harbored a crush on her for 15 years and Elsie kinda feels the same way.

The premise to this book is fairly ridiculous, as many romance novels are, but what really made this one not great is the uneven pacing. Like nothing vaguely romantic happens for 100+ pages, and then BAM, 50 pages of sex. I liked the personal growth of both main characters, but I wish their romance had developed a bit more smoothly.

When We Were Real

When We Were Real by Daryl Gregory, 464 pages

Longtime friends JP and Dulin are heading out on a final hurrah (though only JP realizes that): a weeklong bus tour of America's Impossibles, a series of, well, impossible sights throughout the country. These anomalies started appearing seven years ago, when it was announced that we're all living in a simulation (though nobody knows who's running it). Also on the tour are a quartet of cackling octogenarians, a pregnant teen influencer, a rabbi and two nuns who are traveling together, a conspiracy theorist podcaster and his bored son, a professor on the run from Matrix-inspired sociopaths, and a tour guide on her very first tour ever.

I've loved every book I've read by Gregory, and this one may top them all. It's hilarious, thought-provoking, and may get me to finally pick up Canterbury Tales to see how much of an homage this science fiction take is (aside from the obvious, of course — the bus tour company is called Canterbury Trails). I absolutely loved this book, and I'll be recommending it to everyone.

The Sundowner's Dance

The Sundowner's Dance by Todd Keisling, 360 pages

Widower Jerry is looking to move away from the home he shared with his late wife, and when his realtor suggests a community in the Poconos, he figures that's as good a place as any to live out his remaining years. But when he moves in, not everything is as it seems. There are weird noises at night, and raucous parties that seem way out of line for a neighborhood full of retirees. Also everyone looks surprisingly youthful. Obviously, something is up, and Jerry's suspicions are only confirmed when a woman dies on his front yard only to reappear the next day, as vivacious as ever. 

It's nice reading a horror novel with older folks at the center, and I particularly enjoyed the way Keisling melded the supernatural with very real fears of dementia and other late-in-life maladies (and also a skeezy HOA president, because of course). This was very enjoyable, and I'll definitely be checking out more of Keisling's books in the future.

Once Upon a Tome

 Once Upon a Tome: The Misadventures of a Rare Bookseller by Oliver Darkshire, 244 pages.

Oliver Darkshire originally wandered into an apprentice role at Sotheran's, one of the oldest bookshops in the world, mostly out of a lack of direction or any skills marketable at a better paying job. But the atmosphere (and strange cast of eccentrics) built up by Sotheran's in its nearly 300 year existence proved intoxicating, and he ended up staying for many years beyond the one he had planned. 

This book was delightful. I listened to the audiobook (read by the author), and it did an excellent job capturing the personal and lighthearted way that Darkshire told his many stories. It felt a little like a friend telling you about their day at work, with a tendency towards humorous exaggeration. This is the kind of book that serves as a window into a very specific profession, and leaves you happy knowing a little more about the world. A fun, light read perfect for book lovers. 

Mexican Gothic

 Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia, 320 pages.

Noemí Taboada isn't known for being serious. She is a Mexican heiress and a glamorous debutante, flitting between men and other amusements. But when her father receives an unsettling letter from her cousin, Noemí is sent as her father's emissary to make sure she is alright. What she finds is a crumbling mansion way out in the mountains and an equally decaying family obsessed with their own legacy. The house is silent and moldering, and the hostility she feels immediately soon begins to give way to something more ominous. She went to see if her cousin needed an asylum, but she soon starts to wonder if she may as well.

This book was a little slow hitting it's stride, but once it did it was extremely atmospheric and spooky. I enjoyed seeing the pieces come together as the mystery slowly unspooled into something darker and darker. I think this was a really solid choice to kick off my fall reading, and I'll probably read more by the author. 

The Stand-In Dad

The Stand-In Dad by Alex Summers, 368 pages

Meg is newly engaged to Hannah, and since Hannah is always traveling for work, Meg has to do the wedding planning by herself. It would be great if Meg's mom showed any interest in helping out, but unfortunately, she's still hoping Meg will reunite with her high school boyfriend (who's as gay as Meg is). When florist David finds Meg crying in his shop, he vows to help her achieve her wedding dreams, in part because his own parents rejected him for coming out. Soon Meg and David are inseparable, despite their new friendship, and Meg learns that family doesn't necessarily mean blood relatives.

There's always something nice about found-family stories, and this is definitely that, as both Meg and David find people in the neighborhood to support them as people and business owners. That said, there's a mismatch between the realism of Meg and David's family stories (and David's business challenges) and the wishful-thinking insta-love of their friendship — as wonderful as David's partner might be, the amount of time and money that he spends on someone he literally just met while his business is on the verge of going under... well, I just couldn't buy it, nor could I see how David's long-suffering partner could either. A quick read and an OK story.

Head Cases

Head Cases by John McMahon, 352 pages

The FBI's Patterns and Recognition Unit is made up of the super-smart misfits who have managed to screw up elsewhere in the bureau. When a serial killer seems to be killing other serial killers, they're put on the case. However, this one seems to be personal, as the killer knows more about these criminals than the public does, so it's quite possible that the murderer is one of their own.

John already blogged about this one, and I must say, I completely agree with his assessment. It's a fast read, but the story is convoluted and the young slang of one of the characters comes across as grating and forced. There are better thrillers out there.

What Does It Feel Like?

What Does It Feel Like? by Sophie Kinsella, 129 pgs. 

One day Eve is the luckiest girl in the world, walking the red carpet with her family. The next day, she wakes up in a hospital bed without the ability to walk. Even as she recovers from a surgery of which she has no recollection, Eve is surrounded by love. Perhaps she is still lucky.

This book, while short, is jam-packed with emotion. Jodie Picoult writes that this is "the bravest book you'll read all year," and that it is. Sophie Kinsella writes this semi-fictionalized version of her real-life experiences bravely, honestly, and with so much love for her family. I highly recommend to anyone looking for a good cry (sad and uplifting both). 

A Better Man

A Better Man by Louise Penny, 437 pgs. 

A flood is a curious thing; at times it may wash away sins of the past, or it may just deposit them right back to the shore. In the midst of a flood which threatens the smallest Quebecois townships, including beloved Three Pines, Chief Inspector Gamache returns to work, sharing the role of head of homicide with his right-hand man, Chief Inspector Beauvoir. As the two Chief Inspectors navigate their new power dynamic, they receive a plea from a distressed father whose daughter has gone missing. It is a race against time and nature to find out what happened to this woman, and old sins and feelings are bubbling up. The flood will leave nothing untouched.

This fifteenth novel in Louise Penny's Three Pines series is a bit different in a few ways. The investigative team that we know and love takes a more personal approach to this case (maybe too personal). A few different ideas are weaved together using social media, some of which are better fleshed out than others. Secondary story lines with old characters aren't introduced as smoothly as they have been. These differences from previous books in the series result in a Three Pines story that does not feel like Three Pines at all. Everyone we have come to know as smart and capable does something completely out of character--especially many of the women in this book, who are particularly misrepresented. Not my favorite book in the series so far

 

Loose Lips

Loose Lips by Kemper Donovan, 336 pages

After writing a book about her experience solving a murder the year before, the unnamed ghostwriter/narrator of our book gets talked into teaching a mystery-writing seminar on a cruise for aspiring female authors. And of course, this captive audience is full of crazy characters, one of whom is murdered while several others are poisoned, and the ghostwriter once again finds herself investigating.

While this is a better book than its predecessor (The Busy Body) and I loved the twist at the end, I had to suspend a lot of disbelief to get there. OK, but not great, and maybe not the book to take on a cruise.

The Odyssey

The Odyssey by Homer, translated by Emily Wilson, 582 pages

It's been on my to-do list to blog about my read of our 2025 Adult Summer Reading Big Book Challenge for AGES, and then Regan goes and beats me to it. So all I'll say here is this: go read Regan's blog post, and add my second to everything she wrote. It's an excellent, fresh translation and well worth a read.

These Heathens

These Heathens by Mia McKenzie, 272 pages

Seventeen-year-old Doris has dreams of one day leaving the small Georgia town where she lives. When she discovers that she's pregnant, that dream is called into question — unless she can get an abortion. But how can she do that when the town midwife goes to church with her conservative parents? Enter Doris' favorite teacher, who takes her to the Atlanta home of her wealthy childhood best friend, a woman who has offered to pay for the illegal procedure. While she's there and awaiting the doctor, Doris is first scandalized by and then drawn to the influential people who come through the house, civil rights activists and celebrities that she's only read about in the pages of Jet and Ebony. And she's even more shocked to discover that her teacher fits right in. While she still knows she doesn't want a baby, Doris isn't quite sure what she does want, and the changemakers around her make her question everything.

Based loosely on the story of the author's grandmother, this historical fiction novel offers a small slice of life during the the civil rights movement. It's a quiet story without big protests or events, but that only makes it more believable and realistic — after all, life is what happens in the everyday moments between those headline events. Highly recommended.

How to Hide an Empire

 How to Hide an Empire: A History of the Greater United States by Daniel Immerwahr, 513 pages.

In this book Immerwahr goes beyond the popular image of the United States (which is to say, the continental United States), and instead looks at the US's history with colonialism, examining its colonies, territories, and the many possessions that existed in a legal grey area for decades. Immerwahr's lens helps to reframe the history of the United States, demonstrating how there have been parts of the US that existed outside the bounds of statehood practically from the very beginning. Despite being someone who generally considers myself relatively well-informed about history, there was a whole lot in this book I had never heard of, including most of the colonial history of the Philippines and the existence of the guano islands. I was also surprised to learn that anti-colonialism was more frequently a stance taken by racists than anyone else and that the invention of plastic is one of history's greatest anti-colonial forces. 

The only thing that stops me from recommending this book wholeheartedly is that it feels like it loses a lot of focus in the second half. Immerwahr spends an outsized amount of time discussing topics that are only tangentially related to territorial history, such as the angle of screw threads and other manufacturing standards. That being said, I do still think that this is a very worthwhile book, and definitely worth a read for people who want to be more informed of an oft-neglected aspect of our national history. 

Where Dreams Descend

 Where Dreams Descend by Janella Angeles, 464 pages.

Kallia has spent her whole life in Hellfire House, performing as the star masked magician in the mysterious club. But she feels trapped, and the city of Glorian calls out to her across the cursed woods, so when secrets revealed send her life tumbling down she runs to the city and enters a cutthroat competition for magicians. Kallia is the only women in the competition, as female magicians rarely make it to the stage, but she is determined to shine brighter than any of her competitors. Until competitors start to go missing, and she has something much more ominous to worry about. 

This was a fun book! I found it a little frustrating how many problems only existed because everyone steadfastly refused to share any information at all, as well as the 2-dimensional other competitors who mostly seem to exist as strawmen to perform sexism. That being said, it's a very stylish book, and it sets up some interesting questions that will hopefully be answered in the sequel. 

Head cases: a novel

 Head cases: a novel by John McMahon (2025) 341pp

An FBI procedural with a wacky cast of special special agents, aka the Patterns and Recognition (PAR) unit. If you are familiar with Nick Herron’s Slow Horses you will recognize the trope – an assortment of brilliant, but socially flawed investigators who are shunned by the bureaucracy. As in any good who-done-it, the protagonist, Gardner Camden, is embroiled in an odd but believable murder investigation. A killer staged his death in a fire, fooling the agent, only to be murdered years later in a different state. That would seem to be enough intrigue to stitch together a thriller – wrong.  More murders ensue and the plot thickens to include more vigilante style murders.  Short chapters make the read zoom, but the escalating complexity eliminates any sense of realism. I was doubly confused as I was alternating this read with the TV series London Kills, an equally convoluted procedural.

The Odyssey

 The Odyssey by Homer (trans. Emily Wilson), 582 pages.

I realized when perusing this blog that although many UCPL staff members read this book as part of our annual Big Book Challenge, nobody had actually written about it here, so I decided to fill the gap! I imagine most people know the broad shape of the story, as it is nearly 3000 years old. That being said, I was surprised to find how little of this vast, sprawling epic has made it's way into pop culture. It is definitely worth reading the whole thing for yourself, and I don't believe there's a better translation than Wilson's. She does an excellent job capturing the tone and rhythm of the original poem, while also rendering it not only easy to understand, but exciting! 

We are flush with copies of this excellent translation of a classic, and I highly recommend picking it up if anyone missed the discussions this summer.

The House in the Cerulean Sea

The House in the Cerulean Sea by T.J. Klune (2020, 394 pages)

 

Mr. Linus Baker is nothing but a cog in the corporate machine. He has his desk, hovering supervisor, cranky neighbor, and pet cat. As a case worker for the Department of Magical Youth, he helps evaluate government-run homes for children touched by the occult. He does his job and he does it well.

His reward for his hard work? Extremely Upper Management (yes, the official title) assigns him a new case -- a mysterious home on a remote island off the last train stop. There live 6 dangerous children and their caretaker. Mr. Baker's job is to live there for one month and determine the quality of the home, on the children's behalf. His morals will come into question, his comfort zone pushed, and perhaps he might even make a few friends.

This book is very character driven -- it doesn't do a lot of world building. There's no explanation for the magic in the world, or the economy, or the culture, etc. But I don't find it necessarily confusing. It's a fun, heartwarming, go-with-the-flow type of magic which I find charming!

⭐⭐⭐ 

Interstellar Megachef

Interstellar Megachef by Lavanya Lakshminarayan, 400 pages

Saras made a name for herself as a big shot chef on Earth before she snuck off the planet with an invite to be the first Earth-born contestant participate in Interstellar Megachef, a competitive cooking show that asks creative chefs to push the bounds of molecular gastronomy while also pleasing some particularly snooty and critical famous foodies. Given that Earth is the only place still primitive enough to use large pieces of meat and actual fire to cook, Saras has an uphill battle ahead of her. Meanwhile, tech prodigy Serenity Ko is searching for a follow-up innovation to her immersive SoundScape tech, while also getting massively intoxicated whenever she can. When she's forced to take a break to dry out, Serenity gets the bright idea to create simulated flavors, and somehow ends up working with Saras on the project.

This is a really interesting way to look at the future of space exploration and colonization and the attitudes toward our home world that may come with it. While it doesn't take itself too seriously, there's still a lot of commentary on imperialism and microaggressions, balanced with a hearty (and well deserved) dig at food snobbery. This book sets up a series, which I will happily read when it comes out.

These Memories Do Not Belong to Us

 These Memories Do Not Belong to Us by Yiming Ma, 224 pages.

In the not-too-distant future technology allows memories to be shared, as well as sold, manipulated, and distributed. In Qin, the last remaining global superpower that was once known as China, memories can also be illegal. In this book, one man inherits his mother's collection of contraband memories, and time is ticking down until the censors review his inheritance and punish them for possessing them. The memories are sorted into before the war, during the war, and after the war, but all of them call into question the narratives he has been asked to believe his whole life. 

The author describes this as a "mosaic novel" where many chapters that are essentially short stories that come together to form a larger whole. The description of this book says that it's for fans of Cloud Atlas, and I definitely see that comparison. Despite being hardly 200 pages, it feels vast and literary, seamlessly blending genres. My only real complaint is that I wish the frame story felt like it mattered a little more. I would definitely recommend this book widely. 

Tell Me Everything

Tell Me Everything by Elizabeth Strout (2024) 326 pages

Strout's novel continues the chronicling of Lucy Barton's life in the small town of Crosby, Maine, where she and her ex-husband William had gone during the pandemic. This time, the focus is more on her good friend Bob Burgess, whom she often meets to walk and talk. Olive Kitteridge, another of Strout's characters from other novels, also appears. Olive is ninety and she's also a friend of Bob's. She doesn't know Lucy, but she decides she wants to share a story with her, since Lucy is a published author. The relationship between Lucy and Olive is a bit tentative at first, but as the novel progresses, the women continue to meet to share stories.

As much as I liked the two women's stories, I was more intrigued by Bob's life, sketched out in Strout's understated way: his life with his second wife, Margaret, a pastor; his continuing friendship with his first wife, Pam; and his involvement in a legal case where a man seems to be a person of interest in his mother's disappearance. A prominent feature is Bob's friendship with Lucy, who often seems to be the only person who really understands him.

Strout's quiet realism continues to draw me in to her novels.

Sapiens: A Graphic History

Sapiens A Graphic History: The Birth of Humankind (Volume One) by Yuval Noah Harari, David Vandermmeulen, and Daniel Casanave (2020) 245 pages

Harari's book, done in a graphic lit format, is very readable. Harari appears as a character in this book, along with his niece and a number of his colleagues. We learn about the various humanlike creatures that appeared in the world (and where and when), and their strengths and weaknesses, and how homo sapiens outlasted the others. Harari also addresses a number of animal species, and how they evolved and how so many eventually became extinct, many due to mankind's influence.

There are two more volumes in this graphic lit series. I haven't read Hariri's book in the non-graphic lit format, so I can't compare them to each other, but it's likely I'll continue following this very readable historical series.

Countess and The Last Count of Monte Cristo

Countess by Suzan Palumbo (2024) 168 pages 

I listened to the audiobook on Hoopla narrated by Chante McCormick. The opening of the synopsis, "A queer, Caribbean, anti-colonial sci-fi novella, inspired by the Count of Monte Cristo" grabbed my attention right away. It keeps the basic ingredients of Dumas' story, but moves right along at a fast pace without so much flowery language or so many subplots and minor characters. The Haitian Revolution led by Toussaint Louverture is a major inspiration to Palumbo and Louverture is mentioned many times. In outer space, in the future, colonial powers remain problematic with people of color subjugated to labor for commodities that prop up the colonizers. Virika Sameroo follows a similar path to Dumas' character Dantes, but takes on a bigger fight against an Empire rather than simply seeking revenge against the individuals responsible for imprisoning her. I enjoyed this a bit more than the following graphic novel.

The Last Count of Monte Cristo by Ayize Jama-Everett with art by Tristan Roach (2023) 154 pages 

I'm fairly familiar with Dumas' story. I've listened to the novel and Tom Reiss' nonfiction The Black Count. This graphic novel holds very closely to Dumas' story. If memory serves, some of Dumas' phrases are incorporated in the script here. There is a large cast of characters including many characters who appear in disguise under aliases. Having the familiarity that I do with the story was very helpful for understanding the complicated plot. I imagine readers would be confused going into this with a blank slate. Focusing on African characters works well. The solar punk future with major climate change is only a veneer that does little to affect the core of the story. The future tech, really only the way characters are able to disguise themselves, is cool. The colors of the art are bold, but action and dialogue and foreground to background details are sometimes too much to take in. A little more focus could have helped.

Give Me a Shot

Give Me a Shot by Gia de Cadenet, 320 pages

Amateur blacksmith Mo lives a quiet life, teaching blacksmithing at a local folk school when he's not running his auto mechanic shop. Then he meets Jessica, an elite archer who has moved to town to take care of her late sister's things and apparently, to upend Mo's life. Suddenly, the two of them are planning a renaissance faire to help raise funds for the folk school and slowly falling for one another.

This was an OK romance novel. I enjoyed the juxtaposition that Mo was a burly "manly man" who was also extra sensitive to those around him, to the point that his empathy was sometimes a burden to him. However, there were several things I didn't quite buy when it came to this book, which is what has made it fade in the days since I've read it. OK, but nothing new or great.

Funny Story

 Funny Story by Emily Henry (2024, 400 pages)

I admit I was hesitant to try Emily Henry, but I'm glad I did. This was arbitrarily chosen as my first book of hers because it was the first available on Libby (all her books have long wait lists!).

Daphne needed a place to live after her now ex fiancé left her for his lifelong best friend. I mean, I could have told her not to marry this guy -- they had moved in together way too soon and had been together two years total. But anyway, what better place to move into than Miles, now bear with me: her ex fiancé's new girl's ex boyfriend. Sure, they're in the same situation. He has a spare room and needs help with rent. She needs to cope.

Miles is introduced as just some guy. I didn't even think he was the love interest. But as both Miles and Daphne recover from their breakups, they're invited to their exes wedding. To each other. Yuck. And what better way to get revenge is to pretend to be dating? We all know how that works out. The fake glances become real, longing looks. They fake kiss was too good. The weekly dates are causing some feelings to surface.

Suuuuper cute, a little sexy, and fun to read! Obligatory goofy characters and deep familial lore. Great narration from the audiobook reader.

(Minor spoilers) The ONLY reason this didn't get 5 stars is because of the miscommunication trope at the very end. If y'all had just like. Exchanged a couple sentences this all would have been fine! 

The Ex Hex

 The Ex Hex by Erin Sterling (2021, 308 pages)

A solid, quirky romance! Enchanting magic system, funny and lovable characters, a couple with a past. The opening scene is two young cousins accidentally and drunkenly cursing one of their exes with a Bath and Body Works candle. Now they have to find a way to undo it with a cast of funny women, modern ghosts, and an English boy with an jerk of a dad. Meanwhile, perhaps their feelings for each other haven't dissipated as much as they thought. 

Thanks to Erin for recommending it to me, it was a fun listen on audiobook! 

Funny You Should Ask

 Funny You Should Ask by Elissa Sussman (2022, 640 pages)

Cute romance with time swaps between Chani and Gabe's first meeting ten years prior, and the present day.
Chani is a writer covering bright celebrity personalities, and Gabe is Hollywood's newest set of abs. A whirlwind weekend with the big players. Then a goodbye. But wait! Ten years later, Gabe needs a new interview to follow up with his stints in rehab and poor publicity. Enter: Chani Horowitz.

I loved this book for the bits of Jewish representation, including a whole page about people mispronouncing Chani (my daily life). I took away a star because at the very end (MINOR SPOILERS AHEAD)
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There was a single chapter blow up fight over nothing and resolved later in the day. In my opinion, silly and stupid. But otherwise very charming! 

Wooing the Witch Queen

Wooing the Witch Queen by Stephanie Burgis, 304 pages

Queen Saskia is a witch with magical powers galore, which she employs to keep her subjects free from invasion by the neighboring empire. Her efforts and magic take a lot of her time and concentration, so she's not able to do things like plan annual festivals and organize her vast library of spellbooks. So when a so-called "dark wizard" arrives at her door, she assumes he's applying to become the new librarian and hires him on the spot — even though he's actually an imperial archduke seeking refuge from those who would claim his throne on his own and has zero magical training. Calling himself "Fabian" and wearing a mask at all times, the archduke happily takes on the library organization task, and ends up falling for this witch queen that he was long taught to fear, while Saskia can't help her attraction to the mysterious masked librarian.

I always have issues with romance novels where one of the main characters is flat-out lying about who they are, and that definitely bugged me here. (I get why "Fabian" was so reluctant to accurately identify himself, but still.) The backstories for these characters were intriguing though I wish there'd been a bit more to them, and I also had a minor quibble with some dubious consent toward the end of the book. However, the supporting characters and worldbuilding were fantastic, so it may be worth checking out the rest of this series when it shows up.

Hum

Hum by Helen Phillips, 272 pages

This was my second time reading this thought-provoking science fiction meditation on AI, motherhood, invasive technology, and the socioeconomic woes of trying to balance all of those things when you've gotten fired from a job you inadvertently helped make obsolete. My thoughts from my first read haven't changed — this book is still amazing and an incredible example of how science fiction can make us consider the world around us. I can't wait to discuss this with the Orcs & Aliens on Monday!

I Think They Love You

I Think They Love You by Julian Winters, 336 pages

Denz's workaholic dad has just announced his retirement from the family-run, super-successful party-planning business, and even though he's always been a bit flighty and unserious, Denz really wants to be named his father's successor as CEO. To convince the family that he's serious about the commitment that comes with the job, Denz decides to fake a relationship and is somehow forced into asking for help from his ex, Braylon, the man who dated him through college and then broke his heart. But Braylon needs Denz's connections to the mayor to make his own career succeed, so he agrees. Unsurprisingly, given that this is a romance novel, what starts as very fake turns very real when the pair starts to rediscover what drew them together in college.

Combining a second-chance romance with a fake-dating trope is a risky choice in a romance novel, but somehow the flashbacks to the messiness of the characters in college makes it much more believable — neither one was ready for the commitment then, though they certainly are more primed for it now. The flashbacks were a bit confusing at times (it wasn't always clear what was then and what is now), but otherwise this was a lovely contemporary romance.

The King's Shadow

 The King's Shadow: Obsession, Betrayal, and the Deadly Quest for the Lost City of Alexandria by Edmund Richardson, 352 pages.

When James Lewis deserted the East India Trading Company's army, he walked into the desert and kept going until he became one of the first westerners to live in Afghanistan for centuries, and so Charles Masson was born. Masson would take on many roles living in Afghanistan: fake holy man, alchemist, political advisor, and unwilling spy. But the role he took on enthusiastically (and many would say obsessively) was archaeologist, as he relentlessly pursued Alexander the Great and the lost city of Alexandria beneath the Mountains.

This was a completely fascinating history, one of those stranger-than-fiction stories that feels to exciting to be true. Richardson does an excellent job focusing the narrative in a way that is both engaging and informative. This book is impeccably researched, and draws heavily on firsthand accounts from disparate sources. Richardson does an excellent job adding context, so that even with no background knowledge the book is easy to follow. Also, in a rare treat for a 19th century archaeologist, Masson himself was a deeply sympathetic figure, which made it very easy to invest in his story. This book reminds me quite a lot of David Grann's The Wager, so fans of that book would almost certainly enjoy this one, but I would also recommend it highly more generally. 

August Totals

 Annie: 4 books, 1398 pages

Byron: 6 books, 1884 pages

Jan: 6 books, 1812 pages

John: 2 books, 596 pages

Kara: 14 books, 5905 pages

Regan: 11 books, 3374 pages.

Totals: 43 books, 14969 pages