The First Date Prophesy

The First Date Prophesy by Kate and Danny Tamberelli (2023) 327 pages

Lucy and Rudy are both in their early thirties and living month to month without great jobs and definitely not finding partners. When Lucy gets back onto the dating website HeartThrobs after a particularly bad first date, she sees Rudy's profile and recognizes him as a child star from a TV series and decides to give him a chance. Rudy, meanwhile, gets onto the same site after his own annoying date: someone who approached him after one of his music gigs in a bar. He finds Lucy's profile. They end up meeting in a restaurant featuring Elvira, the oldest psychic in New York. The date ends up etched in their memories because of the old woman's prophesy for them, which seems like it's positive. However, the old woman is unable to finish before she collapses.

After that unsettling experience, Lucy and Rudy decide to hang out with each other to see if their relationship has a chance of success. They go to each other's job gigs and meet each other's friends. They like each other a lot, but they are each reluctant to take the relationship to a physical level, fearful of possible heartbreak.

Watching them as their friendship and job prospects progress, waiting to see if they can be successful together, is a fun trip, complete with eccentric secondary characters, weird situations, and of course, a crisis point.

Hears of Oak by Eddie Robson

 

I do not know how I feel about this book! I have 15 different opinions. It's a dimestore Piranesi, but also Westworld-meets-Truman Show- meets Alien. But the style is much like Star Trek: The Original Series.  Our story takes place in a walled kingdom made entirely of wood. A king lives in a tower, out of touch with his people, his only advisor a talking cat. Below, an architecture professor meets a mysterious woman that triggers realizations about life beyond the walls. Of course, the two stories eventually converge.  I seemed to go through a cycle of different reactions, including "huh?" "Okay, I think I see" and "meh?".  On the one hand, I appreciated that I had no idea where the author was taking me. On the other hand, a lot of problems were solved with a hand-wave and it lacked the sort of texture that immerses you in a sci-fi or fantasy story. I don't read much of this sort of thing, but it was definitely interesting.

Lady Tremaine

Lady Tremaine by Rachel Hochhauser, 352 pages

Most of us are familiar with the story of Cinderella, who is forced to be a servant for her stepmother, Lady Tremaine. This book takes that familiar story and reimagines it from the stepmother's point of view, and in much the same way that Wicked made a sympathetic, three-dimensional character of the Wicked Witch of the West, Lady Tremaine paints the titular character with many shades of gray, helping put us in her shoes, attempting to find good matches for her daughters and stepdaughter, despite having no husband or income. It's a great read for fans of fairy-tale retellings, or for anyone who thought there might be more to the villain's story.

Dungeon Crawler Carl vol. 1

 

Dungeon Crawler Carl vol. 1 by Matt Dinniman, Tevagah, and Laurel Pursuit Studios, 320 pages.

Chasing his ex-girlfriend's cat through the snow is the only thing that saves Carl's life when aliens crush every structure on the surface. Carl follows a stairway underground that leads him to Dungeon Crawler World, the universe's premier game show and exceptionally lethal death game. Carl better learn the rules of this new world fast, because any mistake could be deadly. 

I was skeptical of this graphic novel of the popular book, not because I don't like the books, but because I suspected this would mostly be a simplified version of the novel I already read with the addition of some occasionally gnarly art. However, I decided to give it a try when it came across the desk at the library, and I'm glad I did! The art here is very expressive, and conveys the action and feelings of the characters very well in a way that felt like it was actually adding something to the original. They also showed a lot of restraint with illustrating the grosser elements of the source material, which I appreciate a lot. I will probably read more of these as they come out! 

The Serpent in Heaven

The Serpent in Heaven by Charlaine Harris, 304 pages. 

 

 This 4th entry in the Gunnie Rose series doesn't actually contain the titular Gunnie Lizbeth Rose, but rather her little sister Felicia. Felicia has been studying at the Grigori Rasputin school in the Holy Russian Empire, although not being taught the kind of magic she wants because nobody there thinks her capable of it. However, when danger comes to the school in the form of Felicia's past, she will have plenty of chances to prove herself. 

 Unfortunately, this is by far the weakest book in the series. This is partially because Felicia is a much weaker than Lizbeth, but not entirely. I also found the hand of "people making nonsensical decisions to make the plot work" to be extra heavy this book, and I had a hard time telling the difference between when 15-year-old Felicia was jumping to crazy conclusions and when those nonsensical conclusions were somehow true. This was weak enough that I'm not sure I will continue the series, but the next book is back to Lizbeth and the fantasy western concept that caught my interest in the first place, so I may give it another chance. 

The Odyssey

 The Odyssey by Homer (751/2000), 541 pages

Like many folks, I picked up The Odyssey to read it before watching the movie. I had a long car ride ahead of me and decided to use the time to listen to the audio version. I had read snippets of The Odyssey in school, but remembered very little of it. I had forgotten how encapsulated each chapter/section of the book is. I wish I could tell you the translation I listened to, but I could not find the details anywhere on the title information page provided by Libby. It seemed like a fair translation and, overall, I did enjoy the saga. At some points I wish there was more elaboration to an event and others less so. I am, though, looking forward to seeing it on the screen and it visually coming to life.

Sunny Figures it Out

 Sunny Figures it Out by Jennifer and Matthew Holm. 224 pgs. © 2025

Book #6 in the series, the most recent (my daughter says a new one is coming out next year). Sunny is older and trying to figure out romance by reading old Harlequin romance novels she finds at a thrift store. Her friend Deb explains the rules of dating--what boys should and shouldn't be doing (carrying your books, giving you their jacket, etc). but it doesn't feel right to Sunny and her boyfriend Tony. They're more like good friends who are forcing a relationship. Eventually she realized she's not like her friend Deb and has no interest in growing up too fast. 

Witch Hat Atelier Vol. 1

 

Witch Hat Atelier Vol. 1 by Kamome Shirahama (trans. Stephen Kohler), 204 pages.

Coco has been in love with magic her whole life, but everyone knows that witches are born, and Coco was not born with that gift. After a tragic mistake proves to Coco that she can do magic, because anyone can if they know the secret of it, she must learn to master it if she has any hope of reversing her terrible mistake. This volume covers the beginning of Coco's new life in a magic atelier with other apprentices. 

This is a stunningly beautiful manga. The art is self-indulgently gorgeous, and many normal panels are as elaborate as the art that is usually used for chapter covers. Additionally, the world is interesting, and I am intrigued by both the characters and the magic. I was brought into this series by the recent animated adaptation, but I believe I may continue with the books as well.

Sunny Makes Her Case

Sunny Makes Her Case by Jennifer and Matthew Holm. 224 pages. © 2024

Book #5 in the series. Ok, this has been my favorite so far. Sunny is helping out more around the house and arguing with her mom, who says she should grow up to be a lawyer. She tries out for the cheerleading squad and doesn't make the cut, but she doesn't dwell on it too long. With her D&D friends out of town, Sunny and her friend start a debate club and win first place at the championships. The funniest bit in this is when she wants to dress up nicer for the next debate, like the debate kids from the prep school. She goes to mall and picks out a pant-suit and a briefcase, which I guess was high working-woman fashion at the time. Sunny's friend also admits he likes her and asks her out on a date. 

Robert B. Parker's Cheap Shot

Robert B. Parker's Cheap Shot by Ace Atkins (2014) 308 pp

Facing a 2000-mile road trip I loaded up on books on CD to keep my attention while navigating the boring interstates.  How could I miss with an author named Ace Atkins? And, of course, I was familiar with Robert B. Parker’s fictitious Boston bad-boy, Spenser. The story is preposterous – a pro football player’s son kidnapped by many potential perpetrators and many motives. The cast is seemingly endless and includes Spenser’s longtime sidekick Hawk, and a new addition, Zebulon Sixkill, aka Z.  The writing is lively, albeit hackneyed, and the production is saved by the narrator, veteran actor Joe Mantegna, who has an uncanny ability to come up with a distinctive voice for each character. I’m a grump. Parker is passé.  When an author dies, don’t get a shiny new scribe to churn out the same (dated) formula stories – RIP Spenser.

Sunny Makes a Splash

 Sunny Makes a Splash by Jennifer and Matthew Holm. 224 pgs. © 2021

Book #4 in this series, another great entry. Actually this and the 5th book have been my favorites. Here Sunny is a little older, exiting7th grade, and gets a job working the snack counter at the pool. She also gets to watch the romantic relationships unfold between the lifeguards...it's better than watching General Hospital. The book makes lots of humorous references to actual things in the 1970s and it makes me chuckle to think kids are learning about The Price is Right and fluffernutter sandwiches from this. Sunny takes her first job seriously and eventually musters up the courage to jump off the high-dive at the pool. This kid is growing up fast, watch out world. 

Winter Counts

Winter Counts by David Heska Wanbli Weiden (2020), 325 pages 

You may remember that I just finished Wisdom Corner by Weiden and did not realize it was volume 2 in the Virgil Wounded Horse series. I have now read the first volume and, honestly, like it more. Virgil is the local enforcer for the Rosebud Indian Reservation and is roped into helping squash the nascent heroin trade infiltrating the Reservation. I appreciate Weiden's informational look into Reservation life and the issues they are facing. I love learning more about the tribes and their customs. I did have one major issue regarding his nephew, but don't want to give spoilers. Additionally, this is listed as a thriller, and, like, Wisdom Corner, I would consider it a crime novel - it moves way to slow for thriller status. 

The Infinite Sadness of Small Appliances

The Infinite Sadness of Small Appliances by Glenn Dixon, 224 pages

After his wife, Edie, dies, Harold lives alone in his longtime home, supported by his Smart Home system and the sentient appliances managed by it. Edie was once a piano teacher, though she spent her dying days in bed, listening to Harold read classic books to her. However, not too long after Edie's death, the AI grid that runs society begins to start pushing Harold out of his family home, and the sentient appliances work together to hatch a plan to keep Harold from being forced into an assisted living home.

Told from the point of view of Scout, the sentient Roomba, this book is a meditation on the decline of humanity as we increasingly rely on technology, as well as a pointed look at how we treat the elderly. And somehow, it's also some weird mashup of The Brave Little Toaster and all of the humans-turned-furniture in Beauty and the Beast. It's a lovely little story though, and well worth some rumination.

Inharmonious

Inharmonious by Tammye Huf, 382 pages

Thousands of Black men signed up to fight for the U.S. during World War II. This book tells the story of three of them: Benny, Lee, and Roscoe. Light-skinned Benny is accidentally enlisted as a white man in the segregated army, where he gets treated better than his lifelong friends, but also lives in fear that he'll be discovered. Lee was a troubled teen in a secret relationship with Benny's sister Cora and has enlisted to prove to her family that he's worthy of her. Their friend Roscoe enlists, and in order to ensure her security after the war, Roscoe marries Cora, despite neither of them wanting the marriage. The book follows all three men through their different experiences during the war, and afterward, as they try to rebuild their lives, with varying degrees of success.

Benny, Lee, and Roscoe each have a very different WWII experience, and the combination of all three paints a vivid portrait of the way that Black soldiers were mistreated during and after the war. Throw in Cora and her female friends' experiences, and it's almost as if Huf was determined to show the full spectrum of the injustices inflicted upon Black Americans during that era. While I appreciate her aim and definitely think that it needs to be talked about more, part of me feels like this would be a stronger book if it had a bit more focus on just one or two of the main characters. As written, it wasn't always easy to distinguish the three male main characters until quite a way into the book. Still, a worthwhile read, especially in such a racially divided city as St. Louis.

Lost in the Summer of '69

Lost in the Summer of '69 by Eliza Knight, 400 pages

Eleanor was once a musician who stopped performing when she became a mother, and now, as she's facing down a diagnosis of dementia, she realizes that a California music festival might be her last chance to live her dream. Unfortunately, she doesn't tell her daughter, Leanne, about her spur-of-the-moment decision to fly across the country, and it's only after Leanne and her daughter Nora hear Eleanor singing on the radio that they realize where she's gone. So instead of hanging out with her friends before going off to college, Nora embarks on a cross-country road trip with Leanne to find Eleanor and bring her back home.

Set during the summer of 1969, this book is full of pop cultural nods to the era, as well as the clash between Leanne and Nora's generations. And while it's not the most believable book around, it's still a fantastic story of three generations of women finally learning to understand, love, and communicate with each other. It's quirky, it's fun, and I highly recommend it.

Sunny Rolls the Dice

 Sunny Rolls the Dice By Jennifer and Matthew Holm. 224 pgs. © 2019

Third book in the Sunny series and the main character seems in a better place. This time Sunny's older brother has joined the Navy and is straightening his life out. She's in 7th grade with a new best friend when the two girls start hanging out with a group of boys who are into playing Dungeons and Dragons. Sunny really starts to enjoy the game but her friend is more interested in dating and dances and tries to low-key shame her out of kid things. Eventually, she learns to accept herself, even if that means losing her friend.  These are fast enjoyable reads. Plus they're upping my page count for the month :) 

The Odyssey

The Odyssey by Homer, translated by Emily Wilson (2018), 582 pgs. 

Odysseus has caught the attention of the gods--for better or for worse. Zeus rages against Odysseus's mission to get back to Ithaca after the Trojan War, crushing his ship and stranding him for years on Calypso's island. Athena takes note of his intelligence, and convinces Zeus to let him free. Poseidon wrecks his ship again, the sun god kills his men, and Hermes delivers the souls of his enemies to Hades. As Odysseus makes his way back to his family, he faces many trials. At home, his wife, Penelope, and son, Telemachus--now an adult after so long apart--face their own battle against a group of raucous and increasingly belligerent men who have taken over the family's estate with the demand that Penelope marry one of them. This epic journey can end no other way but in violence. 

I am so grateful to have been able to read this translation of The Odyssey by Emily Wilson--the first translation published by a woman! Dr. Wilson starts with a comprehensive introduction to this massive work, including explanatory information about what is to come and background as to why she made certain translatory decisions. This section is chock-full of details and can take a while to get through, but it is well worth it, and once you begin reading, the actual Odyssey is a breeze. Dr. Wilson has translated the ancient text into a relatively easily accessible work for anyone with an interest in Greek mythology to dive right into. If you have not read The Odyssey yet--or even if you have--Dr. Wilson's version is a great way to get into it. 

Swing it, Sunny

Swing It, Sunny by Jennifer and Matthew Holm. 224 pgs © 2017

The second from this series. Sunny spends her days helping around the house, getting frustrated at school and hanging out with her best friend, watching General Hospital. Her troublesome brother has been sent to a military academy and is angry at the world. Sunny is excited to see him when he comes from Thanksgiving dinner but he takes out some of his anger on her, hurting her feelings. A new friend has moved in next door who is on the twirling squad at school. She shows Sunny how to twirl and is an encouraging influence. While she frets over losing the connection to her older brother, her Grandpa reminds her that sometimes you can't fix people, you just have to hope for the best. Eventually, her brother seems to come back to his senses. 

Sunny Side Up

 Sunny Side Up by Jennifer and Matthew Holm. 244 pgs, © 2015

Another read from my daughter who is really into this graphic novel series. Sunny is a good natured, plucky 10 year old girl growing up in the mid to late 70s. She's sent to stay with her grandfather in his retirement community in Florida for the summer. As the story moves forward, you realize she was sent away so that her parents could deal with her older, difficult teenage brother, who is getting into drugs and trouble. Sunny misses home and is also worried about her brother. She's bored at the retirement community most days, but makes a friend who introduces her to comic books and they make extra change scooping up golf balls from the pond when the alligators aren't nearby. Captures the frustration and tiny joys of being this age fairly well. 

Tracks by Robin Davidson

 

Tracks by Robin Davidson, 288 pages

Tracks is a pretty standard travel book originally published in 1995. The author, an Australian woman, moves to Alice Springs and learns to handle camels. She then walks across the Western Australian wilderness with four camels and a dog.  I found the book to be pretty good, but I like a story about a solo trip even if it's a little predictable. Of course the people that solo trekkers meet along the way are some of the most interesting parts of the story.  Some aspects of animal husbandry seem harsh to those of us who are not farmers. So reader discretion is advised on that topic.

In The Days of My Youth I Was Told What It Means to Be a Man

 In The Days of My Youth I Was Told What It Means to Be a Man: A Memoir by Tom Junod, 416 pgs. © 2026

Tom Junod is a fantastic writer from the golden age of magazines. His 1998 article about Mister Rodgers was adapted into a movie with Tom Hanks. In this book, which really reads like 3 different books, Junod dissects his tumultuous relationship with his father Lou--a successful handbag salesman in the 1960s who also led something of a double-life as a rat-pack inspired philanderer. He croons Sinatra, hosts cocktail parties, goes on long trips, etc. As different as the author feels from his father, he can't escape his larger than life shadow. Eventually, Lou dies and the story moves from memory lane into something else--Junod playing detective for the next decade, uncovering his father's clandestine affairs and family secrets. All this leads Junod to discovering in his early 60's that he has a sister he never knew about. The book then pivots again into him developing that relationship. I was apprehensive reading a memoir about someone I didn't really know that much about, but the writing here is top notch. I'm flummoxed at the use of the title, which is a lyric from a Led Zeppelin song, but the band and lyric make no appearance whatsoever. Lou Junod was a Sinatra fanatic, wouldn't a better title have been Strangers in the Night? My Way?  Still, the book is a bit overdeveloped and would've benefited from better editing. But a good read if you're into father/son relationships and digging into the past. 

Interior Chinatown

Interior Chinatown by Charles Yu (2020), 270 pgs. 

Pan out on Chinatown. See the streets bustling with activity, with people performing the roles of their daily life. Zoom in. Close-up on Willis Wu in the background, today playing Generic Asian Man. Willis has always been an extra, an unnamed Asian character on the call sheet, but he longs to become the mystical Kung Fu Guy, the pinnacle of roles here in Chinatown. Casting for Kung Fu Guy is competitive--it is the role Willis sees all his peers aspiring toward--but Willis knows his time is coming soon. As he performs his role in Black and White, the long-running cop show offering bit parts, he meets someone who changes his career trajectory--and his life. Perhaps Willis does not have to play these roles forever. 

This book is masterfully written. The lines between performance and reality are blurred from the start, and the confusion that readers feel in discerning between the two mirrors that of the characters. Charles Yu weaves history and stereotypes and intersectionality all into a narrative somehow through metaphor and plain direct language. Readers cannot ignore the message of the harm in believing in and contributing to the propagation of these "roles" that Asian American people feel they must play in order to make it. Highly, highly recommend

It's Not Her

It's Not Her by Mary Kubica, 352 pages

Courtney thought the family trip to the lake was going just fine until she woke to find her brother and sister-in-law murdered in their cabin. To make things worse, her teenage niece is missing, and her nephew managed to sleep through the whole thing. As Courtney works with local authorities to search for her niece and figure out who killed her relatives, she discovers that things weren't quite as rosy as they seemed, and the list of suspects could include just about everyone.

Interspersed with flashback chapters from the missing niece's point of view, this thriller certainly keeps the reader guessing and the plot zooming along. The problem comes when all the cards are finally on the table and we learn exactly what happened, as the culprits feel a bit random (did the author throw names in a hat and pick someone out? It's possible!). I read this a few weeks ago, and I honestly couldn't remember the particulars until I looked it up. So maybe pass on this one. (Unless you really want to read every book about a missing teenage girl, then sure, add this to your TBR for completion's sake.)

The Storm

The Storm by Rachel Hawkins (2026), 277 pages 

As the title suggests, a storm, plays a prominent role in this ok thriller. Set in St. Medard's Bay, Alabama, it follows the lives of three generations of townspeople who have survived (or not) the frequent hurricanes that hit the area. One in particular saw the death of a well-known politician's son and now a journalist has shown up to investigate what might have actually happened. This is one of those books that feels like it was really written to be a Netflix limited series. The visuals sound amazing, but the actual story is a bit contrived and not super engaging. It was a fine, quick read, but it lacked any real depth.

Mississippi Solo

 

Mississippi Solo: A River Quest by Eddy Harris, 256 pages.

This memoir, published in 1988, follows Harris' solo journey down the Mississippi River in a canoe. Along the way Harris connected not only with the river itself, but with the incredible variety of people who make their home on it. Harris has a real talent for connecting with strangers, and these thoughtful, meaningful connections provide just as much substance to the book as the misadventures of a novice canoeist who had no idea what he was getting himself into. I read this book too slow to attend the book discussion, which is a shame, but I am still so glad I decided to finish it anyways. This is exactly the kind of thing I want in a memoir, and I fully expect to read it again. I'm excited to see how this book converses with Life on the Mississippi, which I am embarrassed to admit I am also behind on. 

How to Hold Someone in Your Heart

How to Hold Someone in Your Heart by Mizuki Tsujimura, 224 pages

Ayumi has the unique ability to reunite a living person with a dead person for just one night, during the full moon. There are very specific rules for this process, but since he inherited the ability from his grandmother, he's connected countless people to their lost loved ones, while still holding down a full-time job as a toy designer. 

This book follows Ayumi through several episodes related to his supernatural ability, as he questions many of the ideas and emotions that helping these people brings up. It's the second book in this series, though it's not necessary to read the first one to enjoy this one. This type of episodic, gentle, introspective Japanese novel is becoming very popular, and this one is an excellent example if you'd like to read one that has more of a solid through-line of plot.

An Artful Dodge

An Artful Dodge by Karen Odden, 368 pages

Kit is a talented thief, able to steal jewels off of the neck of a woman without her noticing, and works in an all-female gang to ply her trade. It's not safe though, and Kit is determined to get herself and her younger sister (who has thankfully found a job in service at an aristocratic home) away from the lifestyle. Unfortunately, vengeful former thief Maggie takes over the gang, and forces Kit to take part in a heist that threatens their lives and freedom.

This is an excellent historical heist, with the perfect blend of action and atmosphere that bring 1870s London and the threat of prison (or being shipped off to the penal colony of Australia) to life. The characters are compelling, the plot is just twisty enough, and I can't say enough good things about this. Highly recommended!

The Correspondent

 

The Correspondent by Virginia Evans, 285 pages.

Sybil Van Antwerp has always made her most meaningful connections through writing. She has spent her very full life writing letters to anyone who struck her fancy: loved ones, authors whose work she enjoyed, professional correspondence, and anyone else who cares to write. Much to her displeasure, being in her 70s does not stop life from continuing to change, and even feelings she has kept buried for decades will not lie in peace. 

Despite the crushing popularity of this book, I'm afraid I found it pretty dull. I am usually a big fan of epistolary novels, but I think I would have liked this one better if it had some sort of anchor point, aside from Sybil herself. It did feel very realistic, with correspondence often drying up and not particularly connecting. I did like Sybil, flawed though she was, and the writing itself had a lot of verisimilitude, I only wish there was anything at all in this book that had hooked me. I know many people enjoy this book, but I don't myself understand the hype. 

There Be Dragons Here

 

There Be Dragons Here by S.L. Rowland, 288 pages.

For nearly a century Hilda Flintbreaker journeyed on adventures in every corner of the continent with the adventuring party Stone & Splendor. But for the last several decades, Hilda Rockfall has had a much smaller kind of adventure, marrying and raising children and grandchildren. But when the last of her old adventuring party dies and leaves her with an outlandish request, Hilda is set for one last adventure to spread his ashes on a mountain in dragon territory. Her granddaughter, a war goat, and a dragon broodling all come together to make the adventure of a lifetime. 

This was the coziest, most wholesome book. Unlike some books of that description, it had a solid plot that felt exciting but not necessarily frightening. There was a lot of emotional heft to it, and the novel managed to deal in a meaningful way with grief without feeling heavy. I really enjoyed it, and would recommend it for an emotionally-driven fantasy novel.  

Wisdom Corner

Wisdom Corner by David Heska Wanbli Weiden (2026), 320 pages 

Somehow it missed me (and several others) that this is actually Book 2 in the Virgil Wounded Horse series. So, as I will be doing that shortly - go read Winter Counts first. 

Virgil Wounded Horse is a former enforcer/vigilante for hire on the Rosebud Reservation where he resides. He is trying to shake that lifestyle, but a murder on the Reservation and potential gang activity from the neighboring Pine Ridge Reservation are pulling him back in.  

Overall, I enjoyed the book. It is touted as a thriller, but the pacing does not lend it to that. It more of a slow burn. Weiden does an excellent job of portraying current Native life on a Reservation, but sometimes bogs the story down with too many side-details and historical notes. I find these details very interesting, but others will find them distracting. As always, though, I will forever feel angry for how Native Americans were/are treated on their own land. 

 

The River is Waiting

The River is Waiting by Wally Lamb (2025), 466 pages 

This is a tough read. Corby is struggling as a husband and father. He recently lost his job and is sliding into alcohol and drug addiction. Through his own actions, he causes a family catastrophe and ends up in prison. The novel follows his journey through prison, personal reckoning, and family reconciliations. It is a hard, sad story and not the book to read if you aren't in a mentally decent place.

Voted Most Likely to Murder

Voted Most Likely to Murder by Lacey Moone (2026) 294 pages

Belinda Bishop is an outspoken daughter of a cop and a real estate agent. Her parents now run a small cottage rental and RV park in their small town in Nova Scotia. Belinda is back home working with them after her attempts to make a living by journalism haven't worked out. She reluctantly goes to her class reunion and catches up with both good friends and her former best friend—now enemy—Jolene. 

They are not the only ones with issues. There's a moment when things get heated on the dance floor, when classmate Andy, a big flirt, starts lecturing Trawler about his treatment of Trawler's wife, Jolene. It's awkward, and even more so when Belinda and her friend Stevie stumble onto Andy's dead body later. When Jolene is deemed a person of interest in the murder, Belinda and Stevie try to help clear Jolene's name, which is tricky because of Belinda and Jolene's rocky relationship.

The murder investigation by the three women has a solid foundation, but they keep getting in the way of the real investigators in the police force. The story flowed well, but the outspokenness and sometimes impulsiveness of Belinda was a bit much at times. Enjoyable in spite of that.

The Last Contract of Isako

 The Last Contract of Isako by Fonda Lee (2026) 528 pages

This is my first book by Fonda Lee. The synopsis of this standalone sci-fi adventure caught my attention. I love samurai movies, so a legendary swordswoman in the future on a planet gradually being terraformed and controlled by corporate interests is an intriguing twist on the genre. On this planet, Aquilo, in the future, humans are in a strict hierarchy and are divided over terraforming taking top priority to make the planet more habitable or trying to re-establish contact with Earth (which was lost centuries ago). Stay in the corporate hierarchy, with a wide gulf between the rich and the poor, or look outward toward exploration and potential better opportunities? Isthmus Isako is our heroine. Everyone has a personal name of a plant, animal, or geographic feature from old Earth and a kith name, or family name, on Aquilo. Isako and everyone with the same sort of job as her, an atier, operates with a modified Bushido code and fights with longknives. Their job is part bodyguard, part espionage, and all about strategy. The rich and powerful who control the corporations and govern the domed habitat of multiple cities have the means to transfer their brains into synthetic bodies when they reach 80 or 90 years old. This ruling class calls in second stage, while everyone under them tends to call them jarbrains. In this world, Isako's contract surprisingly changes hands and she is sent on a final mission to dig up dirt on an executive of a gas production corporation pushing to be nominated to the highest Board of Directors. This man, in his 70s, is young for the recent second stage transfer operation he went through. His atier, Dragonfly Martim, was mentored by Isako. Martim is a young overachiever just beginning his career, who suddenly supposedly dies of a drug overdose... Isako knows something is wrong with this reported cause of death and turns her final mission into an investigation of Martim's death. About a quarter of the book changes perspective to show us Martim's life. Then we return to Isako's point of view to wrap it up. I liked the action and the surprises and the cautionary future sci-fi world presented.

Mathematics without apologies

Mathematics without apologies: portrait of a problematic vocation by Michael Harris (2015) 438 pages

A mathematical memoir and creative writing exercise is not as odd as it might sound. Abstract math is the bailiwick of fast-thinkers living in a very esoteric world. Popular science and math books abound and Harris gets credit for NOT making it all about him. The book is arranged in stand-alone chapters, each illustrates a concept or personality which the layperson can (or may) relate to. I was flummoxed by the chapter on the use abstract math in the novels of Thomas Pynchon – specifically Against the day and the allusion to automorphic forms and conic sections. Harris points out that reviewers of Pynchon’s work often prefaced their critiques with the acknowledgement that they know no math -- sad. Recommended to those enjoy a non-linear reading adventure.

Call Me Ishmaelle by Xialolu Guo, 446 pages

 

 

This is kind of a playful retelling of Moby Dick, but with a new protagonist. Ishmaelle is a teenage girl posing as a young man who sets out on a ship very similar to the Pequod. While correcting the all-maleness of Moby Dick, it gives a lot of characters a new look with more cultural understanding. None of that contributed to me not feeling this one. Usually I like a lighthearted romp into a beloved classic (looking at you, Jasper Fforde). But it was just too long, and the protagonist was devoid of personality to a startling degree.

Ruby Falls by Gin Phillips, 368 pages

 

 

Others have summarized this one, so I’ll skip that part. I like this one pretty well! While technically a mystery, it didn’t really have that tone or fit into any of the endless flavors or subgenres. Just a solid realistic historical fiction. And there's plenty here for you if you just...like rocks. Will definitely seek out more by this author.

The Sound of a Wild Snail Eating by Elizabeth Tova Bailey, 190 pages

 

This is one of those memoirs that isn’t strictly a memoir, and contains just interesting things that the writer has found out researching a topic. In this case, the story vacillates between the author’s own experience with a chronic illness and her relationship with a snail that a friend brings her for company, and interesting snail facts about snails in nature and pop culture. Kind of a subgenre that could be called “We’re Not So Different, You and I”. This as a pretty good quick little read. No real complaints about it, but nothing earthshattering. Alternate title could easily be Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Snail Sex but Were Afraid to Ask.

Automatic Noodle by Annalee Newitz, 163 pages

Others on our blog have summarized this one very well, so I’ll skip that part. I had tried the audiobook of this one a while back, but found that it required more attention than I was willing to give in that moment. Inspired by the reviews of my coworkers, I gave it another shot and am glad I did. It’s hard to find something that finds the sweet spot of wholesome but not saccharine, and I think this did that very well. The pacing of revealing with the world in the story was excellent, but I’m not sure that there was a whole lot going for it after that. The approach to social issues that it touched on seemed a little on-the-nose...but overall it was a very fun quick read.

Rivers of London

 

Rivers of London by Ben Aaronovitch, 392 pages

Probationary Constable Peter Grant is hoping for any permanent assignment that saves him from a position in the bureaucracy department, and a ghostly witness to a strange murder proves to be just the ticket for getting into a much more interesting department. Peter finds himself under Inspector Thomas Nightingale, who is currently the whole department handling supernatural problems around London, the police's single wizard. Peter is pulled into the politics of rivers and casting spells, even as the gristly murders keep multiplying. 

While it was nice to get back into urban fiction, which was at one point a lot of what I read, I don't know that I'm jumping to recommend this book in particular. The general consensus among the Orcs & Aliens book club was that Peter was a bit of a boring protagonist, and there's a fair bit of sexism that isn't surprising for a book published in 2011 by a fifty-year-old man, but did make it less enjoyable. Part of me is curious to see where some of the settings open paths go, but I'm unlikely to continue the series. 

A Single Thread

 A Single Thread by Tracy Chevalier (2019), 336 pages

Violet Speedwell finds herself, at 37, to be a "surplus woman". The year is 1932 and many young men have lost their lives in the Great War. Instead of remaining home with her difficult, embittered mother, she strikes off on her own as a typist in a neighboring town. Life is difficult and lonely and Violet finds herself drawn to a society of broderers (women who embroider kneelers and cushions for churches). There she finds friendship and company. 

This was an interesting book as I knew very little about broderers and found the subject quite interesting. The novel also delves into Cathedral bell ringers and the mechanics behind that trade (also interesting). The story itself, though, was just ok. While I appreciate Violet's struggle for autonomy and self-sufficiency in a time where women were expected to be married, she wasn't that likeable of a character. But, if I had survived the Great War and lost so many people I loved, I might not be particularly likeable either. 

The Burn Line

 

The Burn Line by Jonathan Sims, 384 pages.

Five passengers on the London underground share what seems to be a normal journey on the tube, rendered especially unpleasant by a historic heat wave. But if the trip was normal, why can none of them shake the feeling that something terrible and unnatural happened? The feeling is impossible to shake, and only grows stronger as they feel themselves being stalked, and as strange and not-quite explicable events keep happening around them. The five individuals have nothing in common but their commute, but they will have to come together if they want any chance of survival.

This book had a bit of a slow start. There was a lot of characters telling us they felt uneasy, with very little actually happening on page. However, Jonathan Sims excels at character writing, and I think the split perspective style, cycling through the whole cast, definitely added to the book. Once it hit its stride it was engrossing, and I really enjoyed how it all came together. I don't know if I would call this Sims' strongest work, but I did enjoy it, and would recommend it as a fun bit of summer horror.

This book is scheduled to be released on 8/25/2026. 

June Totals

 A special welcome to new blogger Sarah!

My TBR is getting truly out-of-hand friends

Annie: 2 books, 648 pages

Byron: 4 books, 1029 pages

Jan: 6 books, 1931 pages

John: 2 books, 1529 pages

Kara: 4 books, 1328 pages

Kevin: 3 books, 1472 pages

Regan: 12 books, 3551 pages

Sarah: 3 books, 685 pages

Tracey: 8 books, 3071 pages 

Totals: 44 books and 15,244 pages

Beyond Magenta

Beyond Magenta: Transgender Teens Speak Out by Susan Kuklin (2014) 182 pages

This book was published over 12 years ago, but the information still seems fresh. The author interviews six teens, going into their lives and when they became aware that they didn't match up with their assigned-at-birth gender, and how they and their families navigated after that. Some of the young people are male-to-female, some are female-to-male, one was determined to be intersex. Some have families that accept them, some do not. The soul-searching that these young people go through to try to figure out who they are is difficult.

Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451 [graphic novel]

 

Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451 The Authorized Adaptation by Tim Hamilton (2009) 149 pages

Somehow I'd missed reading Ray Bradbury's dystopian novel from 1953. This graphic novel version caught me up in no time. It's a timely subject for those reeling from book bans. Guy Montag is a fireman, but fireman means something quite different in his time: he helps burn books of those who are found to have them. He meets a young woman in his neighborhood while walking home one night, and his conversations with her make him start questioning everything he sees and knows. Good book, which makes me want to read the original. 

Go Gentle

Go Gentle by Maria Semple (2026) 365 pages

Adora Hazzard has gone through a lot to get where she is, but feels she has been saved by philosophy ‒ in particular, Stoicism. Now she has a job with benefits, unusual for a philosopher. She works at the Lockwood Library in NYC where she researches and writes, and also provides moral training for the 11-year old twin sons of Lionel and Layla Lockwood. She and her 15-year-old daughter live nearby in an old building, where the 7th floor is increasingly inhabited by "The Coven," women who share food, transportation, and most of all, moral and physical support for each other as they grow older. What more could Adora want?

Throw in a few monkey wrenches: a strange delivery coming to the library, a man who contacts Adora for help getting a message to Layla Lockwood without being observed, and the destruction of some famous art pieces around the world, along with the reawakening of Adora's wish for sexual intimacy, and who knows what will happen!

The surprising plot, the good dialogue, and the delightful characters make this a fine read. Some of my favorite characters turned out to be Adora's daughter, Viv, and the Lockwood twin sons. Plus I learned/relearned a bit of philosophy in the most palatable way.

The Last Hour Between Worlds

The Last Hour Between Worlds by Melissa Caruso, 432 pages

I first read and blogged about this book just about a year ago, and I'm still wild about this wackadoodle slipstream/multiverse magical mystery. I love the characters, the complex world that the author created, and I'm very interested in where this story goes next. Super good, though it's nearly impossible to describe. Read it, and then come talk to me.

The Girls Before

The Girls Before by Kate Alice Marshall, 320 pages

When Audrey was a teenager, her ex-best friend Janie went missing, and nobody looked for her. Janie was almost 17 and it wasn't unheard of for her to disappear for a few weeks without anyone noticing or caring when she returned, but this time, she completely vanished. Close to 20 years later, Audrey still can't forgive herself for not seeking out her ex-friend, and now volunteers for search and rescue missions any time she can. When the latest disappearance occurs, Audrey sees some disturbing similarities to Janie, from the age and description to the girls' obsession with a local witch of legend.

I liked that this book was largely from the point of view of someone on the search and rescue team, and I REALLY liked that the dog survived (phew!), but some of the twists played out a bit oddly, and I'm honestly having trouble remembering the details of this one. So it's good for a quick thrilling read, but don't expect it to stay with you.

The One Hundred Nights of Hero

 The One Hundred Nights of Hero by Isabel Greenberg (2016) 224 pages 

I read this on Libby. I like the color scheme of the art and the fantasy of this setting, an alternate land called Early Earth. "In the tradition of the Arabian Nights" is the perfect way to summarize this book. The author is British so cheeky describes the sense of humor in these feminist folk tales. Cherry and Hero outsmart the wicked suitor, Manfred, like Shahrazad delayed the vengeful Sultan, with stories. Hero wins over the guards and others with her stories in a world where women are supposed to be illiterate and powerless. She subverts all expectations.                        

The Treasure of the Sierra Madre and B. Traven

 The Treasure of the Sierra Madre by B. Traven (1935) 313 pages

I listened to the audiobook on Hoopla narrated by three voices. I love the movie version from 1948 and have been curious to check out the source material. The book has a lot more background information, but not about the three main gold prospector characters. Instead, the author paints a picture of Mexico, its bandits, its socio-religious conditions, and other backstories about people craving gold. The plot with Dobbs, Curtin, and Howard is nearly identical to the movie. Howard is the knowledgeable old-timer. Dobbs and Curtin first meet on an oil drilling contract and then go searching for gold in the mountains. Trust and saving each others' lives eventually devolves into paranoid distrust and murderous intentions. Dobbs, in particular, has an epic descent into madness over his greed for gold.

B. Traven: Portrait of a Famous Unknown by Golo (2024) 144 pages

This graphic nonfiction is translated from French. I was curious to learn more about the author of The Treasure of the Sierra Madre. The enigma, B. Traven, remains an enigma. He used many pseudonyms through the years. Golo uses Traven's novels to piece together what his life experiences might have been. It gets into the weeds of German politics between WWI and WWII. One of his novels is about the terrible conditions working shoveling coal on a steam ship, and so, it is thought it is based on his lived experience, a job that allowed him to escape Germany and the rise of Naziism. When he begins living in Mexico I was much more engaged in the life story. He wrote many novels set in Mexico. The art of the graphic novel is fairly busy (especially on the color montage pages), so I didn't find much clarity about the man.