Slayers of Old

Slayers of Old by Jim C. Hines, 352 pages

When they were teens, Jenny, Annette, and Temple were all Chosen Ones, tasked with defeating evil as a hunter of Artemis, a half-succubus, and a wizard, respectively. But now they're all much older and have put their battle days behind them, choosing to run a secondhand bookstore in Salem. Of course, evil has decided it's not quite done with them, and when locals start summoning ancient magical creatures, the trio must get back in the saddle to once again vanquish demons and secure the safety of Salem.

Blurbs about this book describe it as "Buffy the Vampire Slayer meets The Golden Girls," and boy howdy, is that correct. It's a ton of fun, and has lots of nods to the Slayer, though knowing Buffy isn't a requirement for enjoying this book. A great time and hopefully the first of many featuring Jenny, Annette, and Temple.

How to Be Perfect

 How to Be Perfect: The Correct Answer to Every Moral Question by Michael Schur, 304 pages.

This hugely approachable introduction to moral philosophy is by Michael Schur, who also created both The Good Place and Parks and Recreation, shows I have not seen. As this was pitched to me as sort of an "extended reading" for the The Good Place, being an extension of the philosophy research Schur did for that show, I was a little worried about that, but I ended up being very glad I picked it up! Schur mostly digs into three major philosophies (Aristotelian Virtue Ethics, Utilitarianism, and Deontology) with smaller detours into several other secular moral frameworks. 

Schur does a really great job not only contextualizing information about these frameworks, but also showing how they can applied, as well as all of their respective weak points. It is also extremely funny. I listened to the audiobook, which is read by the author with cameos from a handful of his actor friends, and I really can't recommend it highly enough. Schur's delivery regularly had me cracking up a little, which isn't necessarily the most common reaction to ethical quandaries. I feel that I should also clarify how completely approachable this book is. It starts with addressing the ethical question "Should I punch my friend in the face for no reason?" and builds only gradually to the stickier questions. Schur always prioritizing presenting the philosophies in an easy to understand way, so that the audience's thinking power can be devoted to evaluating them rather than struggling to understand the concepts themselves. Overall, an easy to digest piece of nonfiction that still feels very enriching, I highly recommend it. 

To Be or Not To Be: A Chooseable-Path Adventure

 To Be or Not To Be: A Chooseable-Path Adventure by Ryan North, 368 pages.

This extremely funny book turns Hamlet into a choose-your-own-adventure story with three playable characters and dozens of endings. There's an astounding amount of creativity in this book, and I was often completely blindsided by the directions it was possible to take the story in. Be Hamlet's father, decide revenge is for suckers, spend your afterlife hanging out with dinosaur ghosts. Be Ophelia, go on a single's cruise to England, invent the wingsuit and fight terrorists. Be Hamlet and become a pirate captain. Be Hamlet and Ophelia going through a training montage to become ninjas. There are also helpful little skull markers if you want to follow the path of the actual play. 

In addition to the crazy plots and cool illustrated endings, I really enjoyed how conversational this book was. The author was definitely a character, which allowed for some especially fun use of the medium. I would definitely recommend flipping through this book, for Shakespeare fans especially, but honestly I think it's funny enough that most people would enjoy it. 

Jane and Dan at the End of the World

Jane and Dan at the End of the World by Colleen Oakley, 368 pages

Jane and Dan won a raffle for a reservation at one of the fanciest restaurants in the country, so that's how they're planning on celebrating their 19th anniversary. Unfortunately, that's also when Jane decides to tell Dan that she wants a divorce. After all, she's being ignored by their kids, she has no real direction in life, and she's pretty sure Dan's cheating on her. But even her plans for this announcement go wrong, as not long after being served their tiny first course of snooty food, a group of militant climate change activists takes everyone in the restaurant hostage. What ensues is a bitingly funny crime scene, full of inept hostage-takers and police officers, miscommunications, and even a bit of self-realization. It's hilarious, it's action-packed, and definitely a bunch of fun.

Apprentice to the Villain

Apprentice to the Villain by Hannah Nicole Maehrer, 358 pages

In this sequel to Assistant to the Villain, the action picks up right where the first book left off — with the titular Villain in the king's custody, his assistant, Evie, seemingly dead, and all hope for an evil future lost. However, Evie isn't dead, and is instead adopting the Villain's cunning evil ways to save him, and thwart the king's plans regarding magic and their homeland of Rennedawn. 

Really, the book makes very little sense if you haven't read the first one (or if you've forgotten most of the first one, like I did), though if you look past the plot (which has Evie and the Villain traipsing all over the place in search of Evie's magical mom while also dealing with awkward encounters with their families), the characters are fun and funny, especially Evie's sister Lyssa. There's also a LOT of romantic tension between Evie and the Villain, to the point that I wanted to reach into the book and slap them both upside the head. Romantic tension is all well and good, but I think this took it too far. Will I read the third book when it comes out? Yeah probably. But I won't be looking for highbrow literature when I do.

When the Moon Hits Your Eye

When the Moon Hits Your Eye by John Scalzi, 336 pages

Everything is going along hunky-dory when suddenly the moon turns into cheese. That's the basis of this silly yet surprisingly thought-provoking new novel by John Scalzi. Each chapter is a day in the lunar cycle, and follows a wide-ranging collection of people, from NASA astronauts whose moon missions are suddenly "on hiatus" to evangelical Christians who assume that the moon's sudden cheesiness is the result of the devil to feuding brothers who own rival Wisconsin cheese shops to a billionaire playboy who's determined to be the first person to eat moon cheese. It's frivolous fun, full of weird (and strangely believable?) science and lots of fictional insanity, which makes it an excellent distraction from real-life insanity. Highly recommended for fans of Scalzi's Kaiju Preservation Society and Starter Villain, as well as anyone who loves cheese and astronomy.

*This book will be published March 25, 2025.

Red Side Story

Red Side Story by Jasper Fforde, 438 pages

Picking up immediately after the events of Shades of Grey, this book finds Eddie and Jane trying to navigate the tricky insane politics and regulations of East Carmine, and quickly, as they're both accused of murdering a high-ranking official-to-be. As they attempt to escape justice (they did kinda kill the guy, after all, though he had it coming), they're also investigating the unexplained (and getting themselves in more trouble, of course), and preparing for the upcoming Jollity Fair.

This is such a strange strange world that Fforde has created, and reading Shades of Grey first is a must. Even reading them back-to-back, however, doesn't really make anything make any more sense, though I suppose that's kinda the point of the books. They're fun and odd and if a third book comes out in 15 years (which is the timespan between these two), I'll happily read that one too.

Shades of Grey

Shades of Grey by Jasper Fforde, 390 pages

Eddie Russett lives in purposefully antiquated caste-based world where your position depends solely on which color (yes, singular) you can see, with Purples riding high and mighty at the top. As a Red, Eddie is just a step above the drudge-working Greys, and when his innovations in queuing dare to challenge the infallible Rules, he is given a humility inducing task (chair census) and is sent to the rural East Carmine as punishment. However, once he arrives, Eddie's natural curiosity starts getting him noticed (and not necessarily in a good way) by the local prefects, as he finds more and more things that make him question the Rules.

This is a ridiculously difficult book to explain, and the paragraph above only captures a tiny sliver of the absurdity of this novel. Eddie's world is also full of references to deadly swan attacks and ball lightning, a distinct lack of spoons, and regular Leapbacks, which are governmental mandates to destroy anything too modern or technological. Like all of Fforde's books, this one is silly, smart, and too creative to be believed. It's also one of my favorites, and I was well overdue for a reread, especially since the long-awaited sequel came out last year and I have yet to read it. But guess what's up next!

Finder

Finder by Suzanne Palmer, 392 pages

Loner Fergus Ferguson calls himself a "finder," but for all intents and purposes is a a repo man, thief, and general con man for hire. A mission to reclaim a stolen ship takes Fergus to a backwater outpost where power is split between five kingpins (one of whom stole the ship) and mysterious Asiig alien ships routinely pass by, striking fear into the hearts of all the people who live out there. Of course, this mission cannot go as planned, and soon Fergus finds himself wrapped up in the local politics and actually caring about the lives of others.

I first read this book back in early 2020, and reread it for Orcs & Aliens. My thoughts then still hold up now: it's a fun, funny, well-created space heist. Now, however, it's also the first in a series of 4 (so far), which means I have some catching up to do!

Bury Your Gays

Bury Your Gays by Chuck Tingle, 294 pages

It's a longstanding Hollywood trope that LGBTQ characters don't get happy endings. So when the suits at the studio behind Misha's long-running TV show tell him to either cut the queer storyline or kill off the characters, Misha's disappointed, but not particularly surprised. However, Misha also has an Oscar nomination, which gives him a bit more leverage (just a bit though, as it's for live action short, not one of the big categories). Or so he thinks. But before long, the monsters from Misha's horror movies are coming to life and stalking him, and Misha's trying to save not just his beloved show but also himself and his friends. There is definitely something strange afoot...

Somehow this horror novel manages to have complex relatable characters, skewer the entertainment industry, and comment on the threats of emerging technology while being truly scary and also funny? I don't know how Tingle managed to swing it, but this is quite the feat, and I absolutely loved it.

A New Lease on Death

A New Lease on Death by Olivia Blacke, 325 pages

Cordelia died a few months ago, but she hasn't left behind the tiny apartment she loved so much (she didn't leave it much when she was alive — why start now?). New tenant Ruby was grateful to get a fully furnished apartment, though she hasn't been able to keep the plants alive. When the guy across the hall turns up dead, ghostly Cordelia and Gen Z Ruby team up to solve his murder.

This was a surprisingly fun and funny mystery novel. The author clearly spelled out the rules of ghost/human interactions, which made the whole thing easier to believe and created some fun hurdles. I also appreciated that both Cordelia and Ruby brought their own skills and talents to the investigation. I loved it, and I'll happily read more in this series when it comes.

How to Become the Dark Lord and Die Trying

How to Become the Dark Lord and Die Trying by Django Wexler, 419 pages

For reasons unknown, Davi is stuck in a time loop wherein she is tasked with defending humankind against the Dark Lord, and after more than 200 unsuccessful tries (read: she literally died trying), Davi has had enough. On try 238, she decides to become the Dark Lord instead of fighting him/her/them, and while it takes her a few short lives to get the hang of it, Davi learns that she has a knack for leading a horde of orcs and other wild beings.

This is a fun, raunchy, irreverent fantasy novel, full of pop culture references and snarky humor. It may throw off those new to the genre (as there isn't really a great explanation for the Earth-centric pop culture references other than Davi musing that she "must've come from Earth at some point"), but for others, this is will be a welcome goofy adventure. Read it if you liked Dreadful, Soon I Will Be Invincible, Hench, or other novels with a fantasy antihero. 

The Witchstone

The Witchstone by Harry H. Neff, 462 pages

For four centuries, the Drakefords have been caught under a horrific curse that slowly turns them into monsters. They've given up hope of ever breaking the curse when lazy demon Laszlo, their curse's official Keeper, pops up at their remote home with a plan to break the curse in six short days. Of course he has ulterior motives (he's a demon after all), but Maggie Drakeford — a teenager who is just starting to show signs of the curse-caused transformation — is willing to do whatever she can to save her already-monstrous father, herself, and her younger brother, Lump (actually George, but hey, it's what he calls himself). A whirlwind trip around the world in search of magical items guarded by horrid creatures ensues, as does an unlikely friendship between Laszlo and Maggie.

I loved this book, which somehow has both Percy Jackson and The Guncle vibes (but also with demons). The characters are fantastic, particularly Laszlo's shark-headed buddy Clarence and the aforementioned Lump, and the twists kept me guessing until the very end. (Also, a shoutout to that fantastic cover!) Highly recommended to fans of urban fantasy, lazy antiheros, and bumpkins with gumption. 

Dreadful

Dreadful by Caitlin Rozakis, 349 pages

When dark wizard Gavrax wakes up in his workshop at the beginning of this book, all he knows is that something went wrong with a magical working, as nothing else — not his name, where he is, what's going on, anything — can be found in his memory. After a bit of fumbling about the castle (hey, he has a castle!), he learns that he recently kidnapped a princess for a dark magic working with three other wizards, though he naturally has no clue as to the purpose of the upcoming event. Also, he's not so sure he really wants to be as evil as he apparently was before the memory-wiping disaster, and this might be a good time to turn over a new leaf, morality-wise.

This is an enjoyable book that pokes fun at dark wizard stereotypes, toxic masculinity, and even the hero tropes of fantasy. For a debut novel, it's lovely, and I look forward to seeing what else Rozakis has to offer in the future.

Wishful Drinking

Wishful Drinking by Carrie Fisher (2008) 163 pages

I listened to a second short audiobook written and narrated by Carrie Fisher. This one is a memoir and she said she pulled together the stories she told in a one-woman stage production about her life also called Wishful Drinking. I used the word "outrageous" to describe the portion of her life fictionalized in Postcards from the Edge, but that word is better applied to the entirety of her life remembered in this book. And she admits that some of her memories are gone due to electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) she has received for her mental health. Fisher was in her 50s when she recorded this and her voice sounds rougher. She shares a lot about her drug use and recovery. She tells about her frustrations with George Lucas. She reveals much about living with famous parents. She also confesses about her dating life, which is often crude. Despite her pain and struggle to recognize reality vs. Hollywood fiction she is able to looks at life with humor.
 

Postcards from the Edge

Postcards from the Edge by Carrie Fisher (1987) 226 pages

Carrie Fisher herself narrates the semi-autobiographical novel on audiobook, and I borrowed it through Hoopla. It starts with the character Suzanne Vale in drug rehab, then continues with her trials and tribulations dating and working as an actress in Hollywood in the '80s. There are few jokes, but there are outrageous situations. Suzanne has a funny, neurotic way of looking at the world. She draws some weird and humorous similes. Next I'm curious to see the movie starring Meryl Streep based on this.
 

Barb The Last Berzerker Series

 Barb the Last Berzerker Series: Book 1, 2 & 3 by Dan Abdo and Jason Patterson, 784 pgs. (total)

This is a really fun, easy-to-read-graphic series that follows a plucky, courageous heroine in a wacky, make-believe land. Barb is the last Berzerker, basically modeled off vikings and knights who go around protecting fairies and gnomes from goofy monsters. On her quest, Barb befriends a Yeti named Porkchop who becomes her sidekick. The dialogue is snappy and frequently funny without being smarmy. The world of Bailiwick comes under fire from the evil wizard Witch Head and it's up to Barb and her cast of zany monsters to save the world. Along the way,  Barb makes good choices to save people others won't save, stop bullying in all its monster forms, and show mercy and kindness to all. My daughter loved this series so I had to read it too and it's really great, a lot of great lessons and jokes for 1st-3rd grade kids. Recommended for kids and parents.  

A Walk in the Woods

A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson, 284 pages

In this excellent memoir/natural history book, Bryson recounts his experience hiking the Appalachian Trail. Starting at Springer Mountain in Georgia with the goal of reaching Mount Kahtadin 2,198 miles away in Maine, Bryson and his pal Stephen Katz embark on a journey for which they are woefully unprepared. The book tells of their mishaps and unlikely small victories, and the oddballs and good Samaritans they meet along the trail. Woven throughout is a history of the trail and the wilderness it traverses. Because the book was published 25 years ago, some of the facts and figures are a bit outdated, but it's still an excellent read. I listened to the (excellent) audiobook on a cross-country trip with my dad, and we both found it hilarious, horrifying, suspenseful, and astounding in turn. A fantastic story, wonderfully told.

The Fourth Bear

The Fourth Bear by Jasper Fforde, 378 pages

In the second (and sadly last) of Fforde's Nursery Crime books, Inspector Jack Spratt and his colleague Mary Mary are riding high off the success of their Humpty Dumpty murder investigation (detailed in The Big Over Easy) when a reporter who was investigating an exploded championship cucumber goes missing. Since that reporter is named Goldilocks and was last seen at the forest home of a bear family, the case falls squarely within the purview of the Nursery Crime Division, and Jack and Mary are on the case. Throw in a misguided theme park based on the Battle of the Somme, a powerful multinational company that has its fingers in EVERYTHING, Punch & Judy living next door, and a self-healing automobile, and you've got a classic Fforde story.

Like with The Big Over Easy, this is a gajillionth-time reread, and I still love it. I'd forgotten how meta this book gets — Mary and Jack make lots of references to plot devices and the author, all of which go over the heads of the other characters — but it makes perfect sense if you've read Fforde's Thursday Next series. This is just  smart, silly fun in book form, and it's perfect for breaks from The Tale of Genji.

Flight Risk

Flight Risk by Cherie Priest, 312 pages

Seattle homicide detective Grady Merritt is looking for his dog at Mount Rainier National Park when the formerly lost pooch returns with a human leg. Meanwhile, psychic karaoke queen and travel agent Leda Foley gets hired by a man who would like her to use her psychic abilities to track down his missing sister. But as it turns out, their cases are connected and the odd-couple investigators must once again work together to solve their linked mysteries.

The first book in this series, Grave Reservations, was one of my favorite books of 2021, so I'm not at all surprised that this one is just as delightful. I feel like I could read about Leda and Grady's investigations for ages, so I'll happily devour whatever Priest throws at us next.