The Murder at World's End

The Murder at World's End by Ross Montgomery, 336 pages

It's 1910, and Halley's Comet is about to pass Earth once again. Like any astronomical phenomenon, the conspiracy theories about the end of the world are running rampant. But Viscount Conrad Stockingham-Welt thinks he has a plan to survive the coming apocalypse — he will seal all of his guests, family members, and staff into their rooms at Tithe Hall, making the island-based manor airtight, and they will all emerge unscathed after the comet has passed. Everything goes to plan at the beginning, but when the rooms are unsealed in the morning, Conrad is dead, shot through the eye with a crossbow bolt. With no way for investigators to access the manor and the murderer still afoot, new footman Stephen Pike teams up with the viscount's oft-ignored Aunt Decima to solve the murder.

This book was just plain delightful. The murder could not have happened to a more deserving fellow, the sleuthing was well-paced and intriguing, and the set-up for the whole thing was fantastic. And the sleuths themselves! Foul-mouthed and science-minded Decima was an excellent partner to wary Stephen (whose past stint in jail makes him a prime suspect, and thus spurs him to solve the crime), and they were an excellent contrast to Inspector Jarvis, the bumbling fool sent to officially investigate. This was a light and fun take on the classic locked-room mystery, and I can't wait to read more from Montgomery.

Unshelved

Unshelved collections by Bill Barnes and Gene Ambaum

Library Mascot Cage Match: an Unshelved Collection (2005), 120 pgs. 

Book Club: an Unshelved Collection (2006), 120 pgs. 

Frequently Asked Questions: an Unshelved Collection (2008), 135 pgs.

Have you ever wished for a comic about libraries? Well it already exists in the form of Unshelved, a web comic which ran from 2002-2016. These strips, created by librarian Gene Ambaum and cartoonist Bill Barnes, include everything from the mundane, everyday situations that occur in the public library, all the way to the most absurd. If you can't get enough of your library, give these comics a read.

There are some real gems in here and a few duds (as is to be expected in a few years worth of weekly comics). Overall, though, most strips hold up pretty well and are still relatable to daily life in the library! (Thankfully not the jokes involving the nudist patron.)

Limetown

 Limetown by Cote Smith, Zack Akers, and Skip Bronkie, 290 pages.

In this prequel to the popular podcast, a teenage Lia Haddock becomes obsessed with finding the truth about Limetown, and the 300 people who disappeared from it. Meanwhile, many years earlier, her Uncle Emile gets pulled deeper into the web of the shadowy scientists who are integral to the mystery.

Unfortunately, this turned out to be a prime example of an unnecessary prequel. Many of the events here either weaken or completely contradict the events of the original podcast. It also feels like it is hardly the genre, lacking any real tension. It works a little better as a standalone book, but the fact that it's a prequel means that the ending isn't particularly satisfying. I would probably give this one a skip, definitely check out the Limetown podcast though, which does still hold up. 

Anatomy of an Alibi

Anatomy of an Alibi by Ashley Elston, 352 pages

Camille's life looks pretty sweet from the outside, but behind closed doors, she's pretty sure her wealthy and powerful attorney husband Ben is hiding some pretty dirty secrets, though he also keeps pretty close tabs on her, so she doesn't know how to find out for sure. Aubrey's life was rocked a decade ago when her parents were killed by a drunk driver, and has recently come to suspect that Ben knows something about it. As both of them seek answers, Aubrey pretends to be Camille so that Camille can spy on Ben, and they can finally get to the bottom of things. Unfortunately for them both, Ben turns up dead during that same period, adding to their questions and casting them both as suspects in Ben's murder.

Told with alternating points of view and timelines, this twisty thriller keeps the reader guessing, slowly revealing more and more layers of deception and criminal activity. I can honestly say that I had no idea how this book would shake out, though when all the cards were on the table, they made sense. That's not always an easy thing in this sort of book, but I think Elston manages it well.

Catch Her If You Can

Catch Her If You Can by Tessa Bailey, 336 pages

Eve first saw Madden when they were in high school, and while she was immediately attracted to him she didn't speak up, letting her best friend's crush on Madden keep her away from him, even though he was obviously attracted to Eve. Now adults, Eve has taken over her late father's strip club and rebranded it as a burlesque venue (though she's still fighting the stigma of her father's business) and has taken in her niece and nephew while their mom goes to rehab. Meanwhile, Madden just got called up to catch for the Yankees. Still harboring a crush on his longtime friend, Madden offers to marry her so that Eve and her niblings have health insurance and some financial stability. While Eve agrees to the platonic plan, her stipulation that they remain friends (and spouses only for the financial benefits) doesn't hold up very long as their mutual attraction soon becomes abundantly clear.

This was a quick, spicy read, but it is far from my favorite romance novel this year. There's something off about Eve and Madden's relationship, and Eve seems like she needs therapy, not a relationship with the dude she's been pining over for years. Meh.

Yesteryear

 Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke (2026), 400 pages

I was really looking forward to reading this book. As the "Tradwife" trend has hit the social conscious, I was interested in Burke's take on it. The novel centers around Natalie a strong-willed, strong-opinionated woman who orchestrates a marriage to an unmotivated husband that, thankfully, comes from family money. Natalie is a very unlikeable character who pretty much hates everyone who is not her. This is not to say she isn't clever as she manages to secure a family, a farm, and significant online following who love viewing her dream-like country life. Mid-way through the novel, though, she wakes up in the late 1800s. She now has to actually live the rustic live she portrays on Instagram. 

I was very much looking forward to this part of the novel as I loved the PBS series of shows that threw modern day folk back in time. Regrettably, Burke didn't capitalize on this and the novel became a confusion of thoughts and snippets in time that leave the reader lost and bewildered. The supporting characters are lackluster and predictable. There is no growth for Natalie and, in the end, the book is just sad and depressing.

Velveteen vs. The Consequences of Her Actions

Velveteen vs. The Consequences of Her Actions by Seanan McGuire, 608 pages.

This book collects the second half of Seanan McGuire's Velveteen Vs stories. Velveteen has defeated Super Patriots, Inc. and now she has to live in the changed world she's created. Or rather she doesn't, since first she has to fulfill her promise to the Seasonal Lands. But trouble keeps brewing while Vel is away, and happy endings are often not as simple as they look.

This book was definitely weaker than the first volume for me (which I reviewed here last year). There is so much playing with altered timelines, reality warping, and memory modification that it became extremely hard to keep track of what anyone knew or thought they knew. The rules of reality didn't seem that consistent, especially in regards to the seasonal lands which are presented as sort of a global average of ideas about seasons, but which in reality seem to have no real influences outside of America. I also found that the many omniscient musings on superheroes was more disruptive than enriching. All that being said, I do still really like these characters, and McGuire does a really good job exploring all of the things they could be. This collection manages to be a take on superheroes that is somehow both conventional and original. Overall, I definitely have criticisms, but it is still a good option if you're looking for a modern superhero novel. 

*This book is scheduled to be released on 5/31/26. 

Hamnet

Hamnet (2020) by Maggie O'Farrell, 320 pgs. 

Hamnet was eleven years old--he pulled practical jokes with his twin sister, Judith; he got on his older sister's nerves; he avoided his responsibilities; he laughed; he played. Hamnet was smart--he took after his father, the Latin tutor, in that way. Hamnet was generous and thoughtful, like his mother. Hamnet was here...and then he wasn't. 
This is the story of a family of individuals coping with a terrible loss and contemplating the legacy that Hamnet left behind. 

The characters of this tale truly make it what it is. Hamnet is the driving force behind this story, but Agnes--his mother--is the heart. Maggie O'Farrell does a wonderful job describing a powerful, self-sufficient, interesting woman at the center of this family--a nice change from the typical narrative centering of the man of the house (especially in historical focus on this family in particular). O'Farrell paints a picture of the life Agnes led and the connections she felt to nature and to those around her. And the other members of the family each get their moments in the sun as well. Every character feels complex and real. This is truly a magical story of love and survival and legacy. (Even better than the movie!!)

If on a Winter's Night a Traveler

 If on a Winter's Night a Traveler by Italo Calvino (trans. William Weaver), 278 pages.

This labyrinthine postmodern novel is an experience, and an experience that is difficult to describe. It follows you, the reader, as you go to a book store and pick up a copy of Italo Calvino's new book, If on a Winter's Night a Traveler, getting invested in the story only to realize that the story cuts off abruptly, and also isn't that book at all. The book continues to follow you, the reader, as he (who is still you) tries desperately to hunt down the end of the book as again and again every lead turns out to be yet another book you will never see the end to, in a twisting narrative of love, censorship, translation, and storytelling. 

It is nice sometimes to read a book that really feels like it requires all of my attention. This book is definitely a piece of art, juggling pronouns and realities with a slight-of-hand that feels fluid and puzzling, always inviting the reader (you the real reader, not the reader you) into deeper consideration of the nature of books, and perhaps also self. And if all of this is very confusing, so is the book! This is my second Italo Calvino novel, and both gave me a similar feeling to looking at a really good painting at a museum. They also both took me months to read despite being relatively short books. I would highly recommend this book, especially for anyone craving a challenge, but don't go into it expecting a fun and easy read. 

I also want to take a second to give major props to William Weaver. I cannot imagine how hard it must have been to translate a book playing with language this precisely, all in addition to mastering 10 different voices for 10 different incomplete books. Truly a staggeringly impressive work of translation. 

My Friends

My Friends by Fredrik Backman (2025)

Louisa is turning eighteen and has been in foster care for almost all of her life. Her very best (and only) friend, Fish, had to leave foster care when she turned 18, and she has died, leaving Louisa untethered. Her only recourse is art. Especially that of an artist using the name C. Jat, who has a painting he had made as a teenager that became famous, called "The One of the Sea." Louisa has carried a postcard photo of that painting for years, and she is determined to see it in person. What she does not expect is that by sneaking into the venue where the painting is up for auction, she has changed her life. First, she's thrown out of the venue and ends up meeting a homeless man behind a church. But the man is not homeless after all, and when his anxiety-filled friend tries to find Louisa later, an adventure begins, with a tapdance of personalities.

Louisa learns the history of the painting created 25 years before, and much more. Abusive home lives of some of the people in that history don't kill the joy that the friends of the artist feel when they are together. I felt tension, needing to see how things worked out 25 years ago, and wondering how things would turn out in the present/future. This is a great story with some philosophy added for dessert.

Strange the Dreamer

 Strange the Dreamer by Laini Taylor, 544 pages

Lazlo Strange had been dreaming of the city of Weep, lost 200 years, since her was a boy in the orphanage. He kept dreaming of it as a junior librarian, making the study of it his life's work, although nobody respected his obsession with a fairy tale. When emissaries arrive from the city, real and present, Lazlo learns the secret that stole the city 200 years ago, and that stole it's true name when he was a child. The shadow of Weep's darkest days hangs over it, days of gods and monsters, and Lazlo will do anything to help them be free.

This is an intensely magical book. Laini Taylor's prose is rich and vivid, and it brings a dreamy, magical world to life. It is a book that deals with a lot of dark subject matter, while still believing that the world is beautiful and people are good. I love the characters and the world, and I enjoy how twisty the story can be. This is a hugely underrated book, and I definitely recommend it. 

Run: Book One

 Run: Book One by John Lewis and Andrew Aydin with art by Nate Powell and L. Fury (2021) 152 pages

This continues in the same style as John Lewis' graphic trilogy March, which I enjoyed. Well researched and intensely dramatic. Covers the three years John Lewis was chairman of SNCC, but the book is not just concerned with SNCC business. The coverage of events is broadly about the changes in the Civil Rights Movement during the mid-60s.

Wolvers

Wolvers by Taylor Brown, 320 pages

Ever since men started raising livestock at ranches in the western United States, they've been at war with the wolves, and those who would protect the threatened predator species. Frustrated by the fact that his grandfather lost his ranch due to a fine from killing a protected wolf, Trace takes a job from a some wealthy ranchers to track and illegally kill One-Eleven, the matriarch of the pack that's closest to their land. However, after a run-in with a pro-wolf vigilante nearly kills Trace, he switches alliances, only to find that the wealthy ranchers have replaced him, and are now set on killing both Trace and One-Eleven.

Told from three points of view — Trace, his replacement/would-be assassin, and One-Eleven herself — this story is suspenseful, thought-provoking, and unexpected. I loved the nuance with which Brown explains the rancher vs. wolf situation without ever being too informational or preachy. The only thing that really bothered me was the sexual relationship between Trace and the woman for whom he works in the second half of the book, which felt awkward and unnecessary in an otherwise excellent book.

The Midnight Taxi

The Midnight Taxi by Yosha Gunasekera, 336 pages

After a no-show on a scheduled pickup, Sri Lankan-American taxi driver Siri is about to head home for the night when she decides to take one last fare to the airport. Only problem is that once she arrives at JFK, the fare is dead, stabbed in the chest in her locked taxi at some point along the way. With the help of her public defender, Siri must solve this murder before her arraignment just days away. 

The setup of this book is excellent, and I loved the look into Sri Lankan culture, life as a NYC taxi driver, and the harsh truths of an immigrant falsely accused of a crime. That said, I didn't think the mystery plot really held together particularly well, as there were several things that were left hanging (including a giant snake that we're, what, just supposed to forget about??). A decent read, but not the best mystery around.

Sorcery & Small Magics

Sorcery & Small Magics by Maiga Doocy, 416 pages

I first blogged about this slow-burn romanticish fantasy novel in December 2024, and I loved it then. I still love it today on a second reading, and I was delighted to find that the Orcs & Aliens book group also loved it. The magic system, the relationships, the complex and confusing political world... all of it is fascinating and made for great conversations. Alas, the second book in this series has yet to be released, but you can bet I'll read it as soon as it's available!

Walking with Sam: A Father, a Son, and Five Hundred Miles Across Spain

Walking with Sam: A Father, a Son, and Five Hundred Miles Across Spain by Andrew McCarthy (2023), 256 pages

Those of a certain age will remember Andrew McCarthy the actor. Evidently, he has also become a decently well-known travel writer. I read this for a couple of reasons: 1. I had a huge crush on Andrew when I was a teenager and 2. I am currently virtually walking the Camino de Santiago (through one of those fun challenge apps). 

This is nice memoir. There is nothing earth-shattering but, if you are a parent with children who are about to leave the nest, it will likely resonant with you. Who hasn't wanted more time with their child, especially when you know how fleeting it is? I give McCarthy credit for being honest in all the feelings we have as parents from fiercely loving our children to wishing they would just grow up already. He is reflective in his parenting and, who among us doesn't have regrets? I 100% see my children in Sam. He is the self-involved teenager growing into his awareness of the larger world and his place in it. 

The novel has also made me realize how much I do not want to actually walk the whole trail. I completely understand why people do, but I am not that person. At most, I would walk the last 100 kilometers. Sam rightly has bitterness towards these folks as this is the minimum you can do to get certified for completion, but, alas, this is all I would do and still be pretty proud of it. 

Ms. Mebel Goes Back to the Chopping Block

Ms. Mebel Goes Back to the Chopping Block by Jesse Q. Sutanto, 304 pages

At 63, Mebel has been a trophy wife to a successful Singaporean businessman her whole life. So when he leaves her for their much-younger private chef, Mebel's despondent and desperate to get him back so that she can continue living the life to which she's become accustomed. Best way to do that? Enroll in culinary school (the one closest to the Hermes store in Paris, of course) and learn to cook, which can't be that hard, right? Armed with Louis Vuitton trunks full of designer clothes and a bit of chutzpah, Mebel heads to Paris... only to learn that she's accidentally enrolled in the school's British campus, which is in a tiny village near Oxford.

This was a charming book full of humor, nuance, and great character development for Mebel. I loved her relationship with her fellow culinary students and the way she connected with them, despite differences in age, race, and skill. I also really appreciated the way Sutanto showed the relationship with Mebel's son and his family, and the way that gender roles expectations can be passed down generationally, just through observation. For such a funny book, this took on some fairly serious topics quite well. Highly recommended!

*This book will be published April 28, 2026.

Two graphic novels for fans of the movie Sinners

If you are a fan of Ryan Coogler's 2025 movie Sinners, these two graphic novels have elements that you might enjoy.

The Smell of Starving Boys by Loo Hui Phang with art by Frederik Peeters (2017) 112 pages

I don't fully understand what happened in this story, least of all the meaning of the title, which is used twice by one character. Still, if you were a fan of the movie Sinners, and one of many who want a further story exploring the Choctaw vampire hunters who are chasing Remmick, this might fill that niche. Instead we have Comanche who are fighting supernatural threats in 1872. The story is definitely dispelling the heroism of whites in the pre-settler American West. Our protagonists are a perverted surveyor who considers the West virgin land to be taken, a scam artist gay photographer, and a young woman disguised as a boy to escape her patriarchal family. There is a vampiric bounty hunter, wild mustang stampedes that are like natural disasters, and a silent Comanche in touch with the supernatural forces at play. The large format hardcover has gorgeous art with lots of horizontal vistas. Translated from French.

Bluesman by Rob Vollmar with art by Pablo Callejo (2008) 208 pages

This story is structured like a traditional twelve bar blues song, with three sections each made of four chapters. There is woodcut style artwork, which fits the late 1920s setting. Two itinerant musicians, Ironwood and Lem, are looking for a place to perform as well as room and board. Racial tensions lead to murders in a rural cabin and Lem, who is innocent, must go on the run. The middle section gets into the investigation of the crime scene. There is a black Sheriff of the county, who is trying to see justice done even as rich and powerful whites call on mob violence. Lem falls in with some railroad hobos, but the mob and the Sheriff stay on his trail. Some historical analysis of blues musicians is interspersed in the story. The dramatic thrills would also be appreciated by fans of Sinners.

Coffin Moon

 Coffin Moon by Keith Rosson, 320 pages © 2025

This was ultimately a fun return to the vampire genre, could've been shortened to be more like a novella but it kind of gave off Stephen King short story vibes. It almost felt like a title in search of a story, nothing really new was added to this horror genre overall, but I could see it making a half-way decent Netflix series. 

The Re-Do List

The Re-Do List by Denise Williams, 432 pages

After a VERY public breakup with her longtime boyfriend, Willow just wants to hide away. Thankfully, she gets the opportunity when her brother Cruz asks her to dog-sit while he's deployed overseas. To make sure his sister's doing OK, Cruz asks his best friend Deacon to routinely check in on her. As Deacon and Willow talk through her recent breakup, she decides to make a "re-do" list for all of the things that she only ever experienced with her ex. Some are pretty innocuous, some are a bit spicier, and when Deacon volunteers to help Willow check some items off her list, he doesn't realize that he's soon going to be tempted to break the promise he made to Cruz to keep his hands off Willow.

There's usually something questionable about a happily-ever-after happening in a rebound situation, and on paper, that's what this looks like. However, Williams deftly avoids the trap of centering Willow's personal growth around yet another man — that's specifically addressed in a conversation between Willow and Deacon, with Willow stating that she's doing these things for herself and Deacon is simply supporting her. Similarly, Deacon's personal growth as someone medically discharged from the military coming to grips with his new (and unwilling) veteran status is his growth, and just happens to work well with his future with Willow. All in all, this was an excellently done romance, with complex characters and ridiculously loveable dogs. Two thumbs enthusiastically up!

The Secret of Secrets

 The Secret of Secrets (Robert Langdon #6) by Dan Brown, 677 pages

I wanted to like this book, I really did. I love codes, intricate details and mysterious settings. I love learning interesting historical details. But I found this one to be TOO MUCH. Can we not have a conversation that doesn't include an esoteric detail in almost every sentence? The concept of the book was interesting and Brown has a way of convincing you of the believability of the far-out idea. Unfortunately, I feel he has fallen into the movie trap and has written for the screen and not the reader. To me, his Langdon novels have become formulaic and I am not sure I will read any more of them if they continue on in this vein. They have run their course.

Djinn Patrol on the Purple Line

 Djinn Patrol on the Purple Line by Deepa Anappara, 347 pages.

Jai dreams of being a detective, like the ones he sees on Police Patrol and the other crime shows he obsesses over. When a classmate goes missing it is of course very scary, but it's also an opportunity to convince his friends Pari and Faiz to be his assistants in solving the mystery. But as more children go missing from their basti (an Indian slum), Jai is forced to confront that things are not as simple as they are on tv. The police take bribes, but refuse to help, and nobody outside the basti seems to care about the children. Slowly, fear and suspicion begins to infest their basti as the stakes get ever more personal.

Anappara is an Indian journalist, and this novel is inspired by events that she covered professionally. This expertise helps her to build an immersive community that makes the horrors of the book resonate harder. Jai is also a masterful perspective character. Jai is nine years old, and Anappara does a really great job capturing his voice in a way that felt very believable and enriched the book. This is not a happy novel, but it is deeply compelling, and I would recommend it. 

The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny

 

The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny by Kiran Desai (2025), 670 pages

"The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny is the sweeping tale of two young people navigating the many forces that shape their country, class, race, history, and the complicated bonds that link one generation to the next."

First, this book is beautifully written. Desai has a writing style that perfectly captures the little thoughts and judgements we all have but don't say out loud. Through her characters she captures all the complexities each generation faces and how they are challenged in subsequent ones. I feel all of us can relate in some way to the pressures and expectations our parents (inadvertently or not)  put on us while also subconsciously (or not) doing the same thing to our own children. 

The downside to the book is that the characters are not particularly likeable. Many times, I just wanted to shout "get over yourself and move on". But they didn't and for over 600 pages we delve into their every thought. Weirdly, though, there are some blaring holes that I actually wished the author would have dug more into. The book is a paradox. 

Violet Thistlewaite Is Not a Villain Anymore

Violet Thistlewaite Is Not a Villain Anymore by Emily Krempholtz, 368 pages

Violet Thistlewaite was once the Thornwitch, a powerful henchwoman to a now-defeated mega-villain, and now that she's released from his influence, she's determined to put the Thornwitch behind her and live a quiet and peaceful life as a florist. She soon settles in the small village of Dragon's Rest, renting a shop, a room, and half a greenhouse from alchemist-turned-apothecary Nathaniel Marsh and his musician sister. Nathaniel doesn't understand why anyone in town would want a florist around, and doesn't hide his disdain at her "silly" business. But as the rest of the town comes to love Violet, Nathaniel can't help but be charmed by her too. Violet's main goal is making sure she doesn't reach for the dark magic she once used, lest she reveal her former life.

This was an adorable cozy fantasy with lovely characters, strong magic, great character arcs, and a wonderfully homicidal houseplant. I loved it, I'll recommend it widely, and I'll happily read more books in Dragon's Rest.

Break Room

Break Room by Miye Lee, translated by Sandy Joosun Lee, 160 pages

Eight random strangers have been sequestered in a generic office building, and forced to share a break room for a reality TV competition show. Why? All eight were nominated by their real-life coworkers because of some annoying thing they do in their company break rooms, whether it's leaving dirty dishes all over the place, using the ice cube trays to make soda ice cubes, stinking the place up with odorous food, or something else. The eight must figure out which of them is the mole, planted by the production company, but as they try to investigate their colleagues, they each discover unsettling things about each other, and themselves.

This was a quick and quirky book, and I'm honestly not sure what I thought of it. I wasn't sure what to expect though, so I guess it met those nonexistent expectations? I was horrified by some of the things they found themselves doing, almost as much as I was by the things that got them sent to the show in the first place. Give it a read if you find yourself with a couple hours to spare — that's all the time it will take.

The Girls Trip

The Girls Trip by Ally Condie, 320 pages

Hope, Ash, and Caro met in a Zoom book club, but soon branched out into their own Zoom meetings to chat and connect with other women going through difficulties in life. Hope is an actress who is losing herself in the glare of the spotlight; Ash has a successful business as a florist, though her success has put a strain on her marriage; and Caro's an anesthesiologist who recently lost a patient and is struggling to find her way back to work. So when Hope suggests meeting in-person for a glamping and hiking trip off the grid, Ash and Caro jump at the chance to connect in real life, and leave their worries behind. However, things don't go as planned, and soon, one of them is missing, leaving the other two second-guessing everything they thought they knew about each other.

For the first 75% of this book, it was compelling, with distinct main characters and a ratcheting sense of tension and distrust. However, the last quarter of the book went a bit off the rails, and the bad guy seems to come out of nowhere, almost like the author picked the character out of a hat. It was particularly disappointing, given how invested I was the rest of the book. I just really wish it had stuck the landing.

The Travelling Cat Chronicles

The Travelling Cat Chronicles by Hiro Arilawa (2015) 277 pages

A stray cat without a name is befriended and later rescued by a man after being hit by a car. The story is told by the cat, whom the man dubs Nana because the cat's tail hooks like the number seven, which in Japan, is nana. Once the cat recovers, he stays with the man, Satoru, in his apartment. He learns that Satoru had been orphaned when his parents were in an accident when he was a young boy, and that he had to give up his cat to go live with his aunt. That other cat was much beloved, and looked much like Nana looks.

The story moves forward when the cat and the man go on the road in Japan, visiting friends that Satoru had made throughout his youth, looking for someone to care for Nana. None of the friends' situations seems right for Nana. Satoru avoids telling people why he's looking for someone else to care for Nana, part of the mystery.

This is a sweet story, not only showing the bond between Nana and Satoru, but between Satoru and his friends, and sometimes between Nana and other animals.

Stay for a Spell

Stay for a Spell by Amy Coombe, 384 pages

Regan recently wrote an excellent blog post that really encapsulates this cozy and wonderful fantasy novel, so I won't rehash what she's already done. I will say that this was comfy, cozy, and just overall wonderful, and I really loved the way things shook out for Tandy. Highly recommended for fans of Travis Baldree, Rebecca Thorne, and anyone who's ever dreamed of living in a bookstore or library. I can't wait to see what Coombe writes next!

The Giant: Orson Welles, the Artist and the Shadow

 The Giant: Orson Welles, the Artist and the Shadow by Youssef Daoudi (2025) 272 pages 

Yes, Orson Welles was a voice actor on "The Shadow" radio program, and that is touched on in this book, but it is more his looming figure with drifting smoke from an ever-present cigar that is the shadow of the title. A thread that carries through this biography is Welles working to finish the film The Other Side of the Wind, a film that was only completed posthumously in 2018. The author/artist hits all the major events of his life and career, but the visual invention allowed by the graphic medium is the real strength of this book. I loved the alien ships of The War of the Worlds, which Welles adapted for radio, being depicted as massive '30s radio microphones. Welles was evidently a fan of bullfighting, so another clever visual is having his shadow play matador to a charging bull with a movie camera head. Behind the scenes anecdotes and Welles' appetite and his wicked humor fill the pages to bursting. Welles appeared in many TV commercials and recognized he acted in many bad movies. "The only thing I want written on my tombstone: 'He never did Love Boat.'" "[His career has] been two percent moviemaking and ninety-eight percent HUSTLING." So much care has been put into the black and white art with yellow highlights.

A Day in the Life of Abed Salama

 A Day in the Life of Abed Salama: Anatomy of a Jerusalem Tragedy by Nathan Thrall, 272 pages.

In 2012 a school bus carrying Palestinian kindergarteners was in an accident on a crowded highway, after which it caught fire. A car accident tends to be the kind of tragedy with only personal levels of blame, but journalist Nathan Thrall explores how the entire history of decades of Palestinian oppression was responsible for this tragedy, and the resulting deaths. Thrall follows the stories of many people to paint a very complete picture, but is most focused on Abed Salama. Abed's entire life was deeply impacted by Israeli occupation, from the denial of his visa to attend college, to becoming one of the 40% of men and boys from the West Bank to spend time in an Israeli jail (the result of a very telling 99.7% conviction rate and a court that wouldn't allow him to even speak in his own defense). All of which is lead-up to his desperate search for his soon after the crash, hindered by military checkpoints and the restricted freedom of movement of all Palestinians. 

This book does an excellent job making the political personal. The people's whose lives who are described are rendered in such vivid detail that it is sometimes hard to remember that this book is not fiction, and that these are real events. Thrall is a talented journalist, and does a good job connecting a large history into a fairly short book. It is also a hard book to read, heartbreaking and infuriating. I had only general knowledge of the history of Palestine, and was completely ignorant of many of things in the mountain of injustices that a people living under occupation were subject to. It also seems important to note that this book was published in October 3rd, 2023, a few days before the region was brought to the forefront of global consciousness, and so does not include any of the devastation of the last few years. I am definitely interested in reading more by this author, and more on Palestine. 

How to Solve Your Own Murder

 

How to Solve Your Own Murder by Kristen Perrin (2024) 358 pages

Annie Adams has a great aunt Frances whom she has never met, but the aunt is helping support her and her mother in a house in Chelsea that she owns, while the aunt lives on her large estate in the English village of Castle Knoll. When Annie is summoned to Frances' home for a meeting, along with Frances' attorney and her late husband's nephew Saxon, no one expects to find Frances dead. She has a sizable estate and her will stipulates that it will all go to either Annie or Saxon if either of them can solves Frances' murder within a week. If that does not happen, the estate will be sold off and the proceeds given to the government. The job of selling the property goes to the attorney's grandson Oliver, who will presumably reap commissions from the sales. If the village detective solves the murder first, the estate still goes to the government.

Yes, Frances was so sure that she would be murdered that this information was in her will. And the evidence shows that she was indeed murdered—by an megadose injection of iron. When she was a teen, Frances had been told by a fortune teller that she would be murdered, and Frances was a believer. She kept a room in her house filled with information about everyone she came into contact with who might possibly become her murderer. There was even one of those murder boards that are seen in police shows, with photos and strings.

The race is on, to see if one of the possible heirs can solve the murder in time. The story dips back into Frances' younger life, via her diary, which Annie found. The diary was immensely helpful in following Frances' thoughts. There are lots of characters to consider, and some surprises, as well as danger. Recommended.

Star Shipped

Star Shipped by Cat Sebastian, 384 pages

For seven years, straitlaced Simon has been one of the leads on a popular science fiction TV show, opposite Charlie, a handsome and chaotic former reality star. After the season ends, Simon's planning on leaving for a serious acting job on Broadway, though he hasn't shared that info with anyone. However, given his standoffishness, Simon's concerned that it will look like he's leaving because he was difficult to work with, so when Charlie offers to help his image with some chummy social media posts, Simon reluctantly says yes. Despite Charlie being everything Simon detests.

This enemies-to-lovers, grumpy/sunshine romance is classic Cat Sebastian, in that it's fantastic, with fully realized characters and a thoughtful consideration of emotional and psychological baggage. Really, my only complaints with this book are that the excuse for the road trip seems a bit flimsy, and the cover makes this look like it takes place in the 1960s (which it most certainly does not). Otherwise, it's fantastic, and I highly recommend it.

Red Memory

Red Memory by Tania Branigan (2023) 283 pages

A stylized history of the Chinese Cultural Revolution as recounted by Guardian newspaper journalist Tania Branigan. This is a harrowing read based on historical facts and the collective and individual traumas of the approximately ten-year reign of terror known as the Cultural Revolution. This is not a retelling of the period, but a series of vignettes exploring the wide variety of horrors inflicted during this time. Branigan attempts to interview a wide swath of participants and victims with mixed results. Obfuscation, lies, mis-remembered incidents and fear of the authorities litter the pages. In addition, the revolving nature of the bureaucratic state frustrates the author. However, in the process she outlines the changing definitions of the Cultural Revolution, the preceding era and the aftermath, i.e., the most recent regime. The horrid nature of the crimes during the Cultural Revolution is astounding – and the attempt to clarify the chaos is an admirable, albeit nearly impossible task. 

Everyone In This Bank Is a Thief

Everyone In This Bank Is a Thief by Benjamin Stevenson, 368 pages

Author-who-unexpectedly-solves-murders Ernest Cunningham has traveled to a tiny Australian town with his fiancée in a last-ditch effort to get a loan to kickstart his private detective business. But while they're there, a bank robbery ensues, and Ernest soon discovers that all ten hostages (himself included) are guilty of some sort of theft, whether it's gold or simply a pen, though he can't quite figure out why or how they've all come together. As Ernest recounts the tale from the small safe in which he's trapped, he lays out all the elements as a way of getting the reader to solve the mystery.

I've read a previous Ernest Cunningham book in the past, and found it incredibly annoying, in large part because of the footnotes scattered through that one (with very few exceptions, footnotes in fiction are the WORST). I picked this one up because I hoped that the heist of it would make it better. This one thankfully doesn't have the footnotes, but Ernest's "I'm smarter than you" vibes are still in full force. I stuck with it until the end because I really did want to know what the deal was, but that was in spite of, and not because of, the first-person narration. Don't think I'll be trying another one of these.

The 7½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle

The 7½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton (2018, 432 pages)

Aiden Bishop is set to wake up in a different body, in the same mansion, experiencing the same day over and over. And every night, he must watch the murder of Evelyn Hardcastle at exactly 11pm. The loop will continue until he can solve it. Within the other people of the castle, he'll find friends, enemies, and clues.

What I liked:
✨ True mystery, I couldn't see a lot of what was coming!

What I didn't like:
💤 The mechanics just don't really make sense 
💤 The world was too hard for me to buy, I feel like I couldn't overlook the setting
💤 Felt like it went on a little long

⭐⭐⭐ 

Sorcery and Small Magics

Sorcery and Small Magics (The Wildersongs Trilogy, #1) by Maiga Doocy (2024, 416 pages)

Grumpy/sunshine magicians, destined to embark on a quest to break a curse? Sign me up!

Leo and Sebastian find themselves closer than they ever wanted to be after a spell mix up. In order to conduct magic, you need a writer and a caster. Leo can change the color of someone's eyes, which seems grand to us, but is not impressive at the school. Sebastian is set to climb the ladder. He takes his magic casting seriously and doesn't want to bother with Leo's silliness and lackadaisical manner. They've thus gained a reputation as rivals at their magic school. Of course, when they're paired up randomly for an assignment, they must work together to then... undo the accident of the assignment.

What I liked:
✨ Charming (pun intended) story
✨ Always love a grumpy/sunshine pair. Well maybe more serious than grumpy but still
✨ Leo makes his own form of magic
✨ He's also hilarious!

What I didn't like:
💤 I do actually think it was well done, but some ambiguity in the end left me wanting more of an answer
💤Some scenes were a bit over the top for me
💤Would really like to see some parts of the world flushed out more in future books! But I don't think it took away from the story

Favorite quote: "After that, I decided to amuse myself by the only means available: the sound of my own voice." 

⭐⭐⭐⭐

All You Knead Is Love

 All You Knead Is Love by Tanya Guerrero, 384 pages.

Alba doesn't want to move to Barcelona with her estranged grandmother, and she feels deeply unwanted. But getting away from her abusive father and distant mother help her bloom in ways she never could have imagined. Alba makes new friends, gets close to her grandmother, and meets an old friend of her mom's, who describes a carefree version of her mother she's never met and ignites in her a passion for bread baking. But things don't stop changing when she gets to Barcelona. As the bakery she's come to love struggles against financial ruin, is this new life truly sturdy enough to build on?

This was a pretty solid middle grade coming-of-age novel. I'm not sure there's a lot here to recommend it to adults, but I do think I would definitely recommend it to middle schoolers. I really liked Alba, and I thought all of the characters were really interesting, even if this may not be the most nuanced book. 

The Vanishing Half

 The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett, 343 pages.

Mallard, Louisiana is a black town obsessed with light skin. The Vignes twins feel crushed by the town, but after they run away from home the identical twins separate and begin leading lives that would be unrecognizable to each other. Desiree goes ends up in Washington DC, where she marries an abusive husband. She eventually runs back to Mallard with her extremely dark-skinned daughter, and learns to survive the life she once fled from. Stella takes a path that is simultaneously safer and more dangerous, passing as white to completely that her own husband and daughter don't know her secret. Many years later, the cousins come back together, and everyone has to reckon with the strange shapes their lives took. 

This book was very interesting, and I can see why it got so much attention when it came out a few years ago. The four perspectives across 40 years allows for a very nuanced examination of race in America. That being said, I do think the first half of this book is stronger than the second. It starts very strong, but then feels as if it just sort of fades out until the book ends. Still, I do think this is worth reading. 

Deep Cuts

Deep Cuts: Six Tales of Struggle, Hope, and Joy Through the History of Jazz, by Higgins, Clark and Perez. graphic novel, 312 pages, © 2024

A coworker introduced this to me. I don't read a lot of graphic novels anymore but I loved the concept for this one. Deep Cuts features six separate stories about jazz musicians at different eras, starting in New Orleans in the early 1900s following a Louis Armstrong-level talent with a clarinet and ending in the late 70s with jazz dwindling in the public imagination. At first, it seems like each story is a separate tale, but by the end you realize the thread connecting all of them is the music. Portrayed in this manner, I think it did a really neat job of highlighting different jazz eras, from ragtime to free jazz, as well as some of the struggles later jazz musicians had with the feeling of selling out. Each story also features different artists so you're getting new stylized visuals in each tale--it's a really cool effect and makes me want to seek out more music related graphic novels. 

The Best We Could Do

 The Best We Could Do by Thi Bui (2017) 329 pages

The graphic memoir is bookended with Thi Bui's pregnancy and pondering the challenges of motherhood. Her family, Vietnamese Americans, oral history makes up the bulk of the book. Digging into her father's boyhood and her mother's girlhood is fascinating. They had very different upbringing. Chapter six through to the end, dealing with the Vietnam war and the author's family becoming refugees, is highly thrilling and heartfelt. Once they've been living in America, Thi's concept of inheriting a Refugee Reflex is vividly conveyed. The art of this memoir is impressively dramatic.

Challenger

 Challenger: A True Story of Heroism and Disaster on the Edge of Space by Adam Higgenbotham (2024) 563 pages

A friend has planned a Jolabokaflod, or Yule Book Flood, book gift exchange for New Years for the past several years. This is the book that was gifted to me this year. It is very in-depth. I appreciated the brief biographies of ALL the major people involved. The engineering of the solid rocket boosters are covered in great detail since the joints where the sections stack together were the main flaw that led to the explosion. Also Higgenbotham spends a good deal of time examining the chain of command and decision-making process of NASA and their contractors. The decision to launch the shuttles through the 1980s often ignored engineers' advice about risky technological problems. The book goes back to the beginning of the space rocket program and shows a pattern that existed since the Apollo 1 disaster in 1967. Then the book covers the Congressional investigation into the 1986 disaster and loss of life. Hope and human achievement is balanced with scientific facts and figures.

Serial Killer Games

 Serial Killer Games by Kate Posey (2025), 384 pages

After reading Chani's review, I wanted to give this book a go. It seemed like a fun concept. It ended up not being what I expected, especially from the title. Chani mentions that it is a bit chaotic and unexpected and I completely agree.  The question is: what is this book actually about? Serial killers? Family? Temp jobs? Genetics? Blow-up dolls? It is all over the place, but, at its heart, it is a love story. Which is fine, but I was kind of expecting some actual serial killer drama. Weirdly, though, it keeps you interested and leaves you with the feeling of confusion of "what did I just read?". 

Delicious in Dungeon vols 9-14

 Delicious in Dungeon vols 9-14 by Ryoko Kui (trans. Taylor Engel), 1256 pages.

This final arc of Delicious in Dungeon follows the party as they finally reach the lowest levels of the dungeon, and find deeply hidden secrets about its basic nature. While previous volumes have dealt a lot with exploration and eating monsters, this gets more deeply into the meat of the plot (if you'll forgive the pun). Reaching the mad mage is only the beginning. 

 This was a very satisfying end to a series I was really enjoying. The twists felt well implemented, and I really liked the arcs for all of the characters. I want especially to shout out volume 14, which allowed the series one slow volume right at the end to wrap everything up in a way that felt very relaxed and complete. This, as much as anything else, really emphasizes what a character focused series this was. Highly recommended as a relatively short, approachable manga to enter the genre through. 

Sorcery and Small Magics

 Sorcery and Small Magics by Maiga Doocy, 416 pages.

Despite his father's aspirations, Leovander Loveage is a writer of only small magics, minor charms to cause fireworks or change people's hair color. Any time he has tried to work great magic it's backfired spectacularly, so he has sworn it off for good. A conviction that is shaken when a magical mix-up involving forbidden magic leaves him compelled to follow the orders of longtime rival and perpetual stick-in-the-mud Sebastian Grimm. As the spells magic tightens the two grow increasingly desperate to break the spell, even as their forced cooperation seems to be irrevocably changing something between them.

This book grabbed me completely right from the start. The magic system, which relies on one person to write magic and someone with different capabilities to do the actual casting, leads to some fascinating character possibilities and world building ideas. I also found Leo to be a really compelling character, expertly balancing humorous deflections with genuine emotional feeling. The adventure is fun, while giving enough of substance to chew on to be really satisfying. I'm only sad that there is no release date for a sequel yet. I'm really looking forward to discussing this one with Orcs & Aliens on Monday!

The Fallen

 The Fallen: The Lost Girls of Ireland's Magdalene Laundries and a Legacy of Silence by Louise Brangan, 368 pages.

The Magdalene Laundries were the last stop for so-called "fallen" women in 20th century Ireland. Any number of things could get a woman committed to a Magdalene Laundry; the most common in the public imagination was becoming pregnant out of wedlock, but in practice many women were committed for cutting school too much, wearing skirts that were too short, aging out of state institutions, or just generally being too "high-spirited." Once a woman entered the laundry they were forced to do hard industrial labor for no wages under conditions that were intensely emotionally abusive, and was not allowed to leave until someone came to claim her or the nuns felt she was reformed. For many of these women, forgotten and hidden away, that time never came. And the Laundries were only one part of Ireland's carcel system, which even as it boasted about its low prison population held around 1% of its population institutionalized. 

After independence, Ireland started on the endeavor of nation building, and hung much of its modern national identity on the purity of its people, and especially its women and girls. This fear that girls could cause the corruption of the nation led to a culture of shame and silence, and droves of young women immigrating or being institutionalized. Brangan does and excellent job tracing not only the full history of the laundries, but also their context in both the past and present. She delves into a history of injustice  that had been intentionally repressed, and attempts to create a more complete record of the truth.

This is, overall, a very approachable work of nonfiction. It highlights several girls who spent time in the laundries through the decades, and uses this human element for both primary source material and a narrative that is easy to digest. Her dedication to context also means that the reader does not need much knowledge of Irish history at all to understand the information being presented. My only major complaint is that Brangan is often not very clear about when events are happening. She will transpose the stories of girls who were in the laundries decades apart on the same page, sometimes making it difficult to trace the evolution of the institution. That being said, I do consider this a very solid history of the Magdalene Laundries, and would recommend it for people interested in Irish history, or women's history.

This book will be published 5/5/2026. 

Stay for a Spell

 Stay for a Spell by Amy Coombe, 384 pages.

Princess Tanadelle is a working princess, spending most of her year on the road cutting ribbons, kissing babies, attending formal dinners, and so forth. The only upside to this unsettled lifestyle is that is gives her plenty of time to read, but when shopping for books to feed this habit in an unbelievably picturesque little town, she instead get cursed to be unable to leave the bookshop until she has unlocked her heart's desire. She is eager to make the most of it as Tandy, humble shopkeep, while her parents are determined to break her curse the traditional way, by sending every available prince to kiss her. But Tandy feels more content in her bookshop, with the people she's coming to know, then she ever has in her royal duties, and she can't help but wonder if her heart's desire is closer than she thinks.

In a purely complimentary way, I don't know if I've ever read a book that was more purely wish fulfillment. What if instead of doing your boring duties you literally can't leave a bookstore? One complete with beautiful old books, comfy but pretty clothes, a magical cat, a lovely garden, and an extremely handsome pirate who won't stop bothering you? In addition to the general coziness of this premise, I thought this book was more generally very well done. Tandy's arc felt emotionally compelling, and I really liked how the princes gave a sense of external progression, in addition to allowing characters to be added slowly and in an easy to process way. Coombe also consistently chose narrative options that I found the most satisfying, which is perhaps praise specific to me, but did help push this book over to 5 stars for me. I highly recommend this as the new ultimate in cozy fantasy.

This book will be published 04/14/2026.