Humor Me

Humor Me by Cat Shook, 306 pages

From the outside, Presley Fry is on the ramp to her dream job. She's a producer's assistant on a late night TV show (the one she grew up watching), thanks to a leg up from a family friend's husband, who happened to be an executive at the network. But Presley is also dealing with lingering unresolved feelings from the death of her alcoholic mother 18 months earlier, and when she runs into her mom's old friend just before that friend's network exec husband gets named in the #metoo movement, her grief and the friend's stress become a bit too much to bear.

I feel like that's a fairly bad description of a nuanced look at life as a young female professional in New York during 2017. Because that's what this book is. It captures being a 20-something who is in the "putting in the work" part of a career that's eventually going to be amazing. It captures the complex emotions that accompany the death of a loved one that you sometimes didn't like all that much. It captures the confusing dating scene that exists in friends, hookups, and way too many apps. All in all, it's a pretty fantastic book.

American Rapture

American Rapture by CJ Leede, 370 pages

Sixteen-year-old Sophie has lived a very sheltered life, especially since her twin brother, Noah, was taken away at age 12. Her very religious parents forbid her to read the news, watch TV, own a cellphone, or basically do anything aside attending her Catholic all-girls high school. But when a rapidly moving virus sweeps into town, Sophie finds herself suddenly alone in a brand new world where infected people become hypersexual overly aggressive zombies. A young police officer helps her out, and soon the pair have gathered a small group of people (and one dog) that works together to flee both the virus and the religious fanatics who think that the virus is God's plan to rid the world of sin.

The idea behind this book is a solid one — sheltered teen is worried that her burgeoning sexuality is a sign of the devil's infection — and for readers who just want to read some horrific sexual zombie violence (like, the zombies raping victims while they also eat their faces), this certainly has it in spades. However, the execution is a bit off. I didn't really buy that Sophie was Catholic (Evangelical, sure, but Catholic? Nah.) and there were several things she could do that didn't really mesh with a super-sheltered life. However, if you want to read about a really gross trip to all of central Wisconsin's finest tourist traps, this is the book for you. (If you'd rather read something about sheltered people dealing with a pandemic though, pick up When the English Fall by David Williams — it's fantastic.)

The Field Guide

 The Field Guide by Tony DiTerlizzi and Holly Black, 114 pages.

The Grace children move with their mother to their great-aunt's strange and broken-down old mansion. The strange sounds in the walls quickly escalate to worse things at the hands of an invisible tormenter, who just might be a creature from the world of faerie.

I remember tearing through this series as a kid, and given that it's been a whole lot of years, I wanted to see how well it held up. I'm glad to report that it is still a pretty neat kid's book! The illustrations throughout really add to the feeling of the book, and there's a really interesting atmosphere. That being said, this book almost feels like a prologue to the series, as we are only really introduced to the world of faerie in the very last pages. The book reminds me just a little of A Series of Unfortunate Events for slightly younger readers. I would recommend it for middle schoolers or older elementary schoolers with an interest in mythology and unraveling mysteries. 

The Scorpio Races

 The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater, 409 pages.

Every November on the island of Thisby men ride in the deadly Scorpio Races. The mounts are not normal horses, but capaill uisce, carnivorous water horses who eat raw meat and long for the sea. Sean Kendrick is nineteen and a four-time champion who understands the water horses like nobody else. Puck Connolly is a girl who never expected to be the first woman to ride in the race, but she's willing to take extreme measures to get what she needs. 

This was an interesting take on the myth of the kelpie. Stiefvater built a really excellent sense of place into Thisby, and there is a very isolated feeling that suffuses the atmosphere of this book that I think is pretty effective. Although I'm not sure I liked this book quite as much as some of the people who recommended it to me, I did still definitely like it. That being said, I'm not totally sure what kind of reader I would recommend this strange, slow, young adult novel to. 

The Art of Asking

 The Art of Asking; or, How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Let People Help by Amanda Palmer, 339 pages.

This book, which is part memoir and part self improvement guide, is based on the TED Talk of the same title. I was a fan of Amanda Palmer's music, both with The Dresden Dolls and as a solo performer, as well as her blog writing, and both put together made me think that this book (read by the author) would be worth my time. 

It definitely was. In addition to being a very open look at Palmer's life, this is a book about vulnerability. It's a book that believes deeply in the goodness of people, and the power of community. It's the kind of book that encourages courage. I would recommend it widely, and especially the audiobook (which feels like an especially strong recommendation coming from me, who usually struggles with audiobooks). The thirteen minute TED Talk is a great place to start, and if you find yourself interested, consider treating yourself to this book. 

Here One Moment

Here One Moment by Liane Moriarty, 501 pages

On a flight from Hobart to Sydney, an unremarkable older woman stood up from her seat at the front of the plane and began walking toward the back, methodically prediction the age and cause of death of everyone on board. While everyone was shaken, nobody could agree if she was the real deal or just crazy, even after the first person died according to the "Death Lady's" prophecy.

This was an intriguing examination of fate, determinism, free will, and our own obsessive tendencies. At times it was hard to keep track of who was who (it's a LARGE cast of characters, after all) and I kind of wish we'd heard about a few more people at the end, but really, it was an excellent book. I can see why there's such a long wait for the book.

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.

August Kitko and the Mechas from Space

August Kitko and the Mechas from Space by Alex White, 451 pages

I first read this "giant robots from space" book a couple years ago, and my blog post from then still stands. I think I liked it a bit better this time around, though that could be because I had a better idea of what was going on. I'm curious what the Orcs & Aliens say about it tonight!

It's Elementary

It's Elementary by Elise Bryant, 353 pages

Mavis' daughter is one of few Black students at her elementary school, so when pushy PTA president Trisha forces Mavis into chairing the PTA's DEI committee, she's pretty sure she knows the reason why. But her first PTA meeting reveals plenty of juicy gossip, including a bone-shaking feud between Trisha and the new principal. When the new principal doesn't show up for work the next day, Mavis is convinced that Trisha's behind it, and she and the dreamy new school counselor decide to team up to investigate.

I like the general idea of this book — an overworked single mom following her suspicions about an overbearing PTA president and dealing with the casual racism of the other parents while attempting to solve a disappearance — but the author and/or editor needed to pay a bit more attention to the details, as several things came up that distracted me from the story. But it's a decent cozy mystery, and I'll probably read more if there are any sequels.

The Hating Game

The Hating Game by Sally Thorne (2016) 363 pages

Two struggling publishing companies have merged, resulting in a two-boss leadership. Lucy is the uber-assistant to Helene, who is more book-oriented. Joshua is the capable assistant to Richard, who is more finance-oriented. Lucy and Joshua share an office where they face each other all day while they work on their projects. Lucy was ready to be friendly to Joshua, but he came across as cold to her. Their working relationship resembles an ongoing war, where at its calmest, they have staring games. At other times, they've gone to HR, where their problems are well-documented. When the bosses announce a new position of a chief operational officer, both Lucy and Joshua apply for the position.

It's a rom-com where we think we know the trajectory, but will the expected‒and unexpected‒bumps along the way bring this couple together or force one of them to quit their job? The novel was made into a movie, which seems true to the book. I enjoyed both.