The Lamb

 

The Lamb by Lucy Rose, 326 pages

First of all, do NOT read this book if you have a weak stomach, it is very graphic, you've been warned. 

This novel follows Margot and her Mama who live in a tucked away cottage in the woods, where they bring in "strays" to satisfy their hunger. As she grows older, Margot begins to question Mama's intentions and morals, especially when the "stray" Eden appears, who Mama takes a romantic interest in. 

This is a horror book, which I don't read many of, especially not cannibal books, but it was recommended to me. I don't regret reading it, because the writing was very interesting, and sad, from Margot's perspective and I was pretty captivated to whole time. However, some parts I had to skip due to the intense descriptions and gore of it all. I wish the ending had been more satisfying. Not sure who I would recommend this to, I guess if you really like horror you might like this! 

The Haunting of Hill House

 

The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson, 246 pages

Paranormal investigator and scholar Dr. Montague wants to investigate supernatural occurrences the old fashioned way, gathering people sensitive to psychic phenomena in an allegedly supernaturally active location for an extended period and taking a bunch of notes. Two young women respond to his invitation; carefree Theodora and sad, lonely Eleanor. Along with the rakish young heir of the house they plan to summer at Hill House, which has claimed more than one life in the past. From first sight the house seems wrong, and this wrongness quickly expands to strange, unexplainable, and terrifying events that may yet claim another life.

This 1959 novel is foundational to the horror genre, and it's truly astounding how far I can see its inspiration spread now that I have read it. The board game Betrayal at House on the Hill is obviously directly inspired, as is Hilltop House from the podcast The Magnus Archives (and I suspect that the Sanderson sisters from Hocus Pocus take their name from heir Luke Sanderson), but more broadly this is clearly the template that launched 100 "strangers exploring a haunted house" stories. Purely on its own merits, I have sort of mixed feelings on the book. There were a lot of elements I would have liked to see more explored, and a lot of hooks that felt like they were going to go somewhere and then never did. I do, however, find myself thinking about it for several days after I finished it, and having a lot of fun trying to pick apart what actually happened. Definitely interesting for a look at one of the pillars of the genre, but I don't know that it's as spooky or character driven as people say.

The Lesser Dead

 

The Lesser Dead by Christopher Buehlman, 362 pages.

Joey Peacock is an adolescent vampire. He's been an adolescent vampire about 60 years. He's spent his decades like any young vampire might: picking up girls in the punk clubs, watching sitcoms in the homes of hypnotized families, keeping up on the latest fashions, and prowling the subway tunnels under NYC. But the city is dangerous in 1978, and the strange undead children prowling the subway are the first sign that it may be more dangerous than he ever expected. 

This was a really cool vampire novel. It was published in 2014, but I had to double check that because it captured precisely the eternally young and cool vampire that was so popular in the 80s, along with some prejudices that also felt very true to the period. It also has the type of ending that sent me reeling, which I will leave it to other readers to discover. I recommend picking up the audiobook, which is read by the author and does a great job capturing Joey's voice.  

Enormous Wings

 Enormous Wings by Laurie Frankel (2026), 304 pages

I wasn't sure what to expect with this book: a seventy-seven-year-old women suddenly find herself pregnant (?!?!?!). 

Pepper has recently moved into a retirement home, found her people, and then found herself pregnant. What to do? I won't give spoilers, but that is a lot of the book. I liked the parts with her new friends in the retirement home, her family, and understanding aging and all that it entails. What I did not care for were the long, lecturing sections on a woman’s right to choose.  Additionally, another person's surprise pregnancy is introduced and it feels very contrived by the author to further make her points about body autonomy. I agree with a lot of her arguments, it just did not make for an enjoyable read. 

Drive Me Crazy

Drive Me Crazy by Lizzy Dent, 368 pages

Chloe has clawed her way to the top of Formula 1, and is ready to finally be announced as the first female team principle. But her billionaire boss chooses to use that same press conference to announce the hiring of the once-great, now-not-so-great driver Matt, who also happens to be an unrequited crush from Chloe's childhood. But as Matt joins the team, sparks begin to fly between the two, and Chloe is forced to prove herself as a Formula 1 boss while also allowing her love life to flourish.

This is a spicy sports romance about a sport I know NOTHING about, which made it intriguing in ways that had nothing to do with the romance. I respect and appreciate that. What I didn't necessarily love about this is the sheer number of times that Chloe says "no, we shouldn't do that" and Matt presses her anyway (and she immediately folds). It doesn't seem to work with her established career focus, and made both of them feel really juvenile in their thinking. That said, I probably will pick up more Formula 1 romances, because I definitely found that bit interesting.

Tsubaki Stationary Store by Ito Ogawa

Tsubaki Stationary Store by Ito Ogawa, 304 pages

Hotako runs a stationary store that she's inherited from her grandmother. Visitors request her services as a scribe, and she drafts letters using words and stationary that almost-magically solve the customers'problems. This is from a sub-genre of cozy Japanese novels where a business or similar instituion solves problems for patrons with intuition and know-how.

I dunno, it was okay. I mainly wanted to try this sub-genre to see what it was about. I could see occasionally being in the mood for something that was realy chewing gum for the eyes (or in this case, the ears, as I listed to the audiobook). But I get the impression that the readers of this type of novel really want predictability and I can't see myself going through a pile of books that are so similar. I recommend it if you want low-stakes, squeaky-clean relaxation. Or if you're into pens?

Blood Over Bright Haven

Blood Over Bright Haven by M.L. Wang, 428 pages

Because I am woefully tardy on blogging about this one, and I have about a zillion other things to blog about, I'm going to direct you to Regan's wonderful post here. She captures the essence of the book quite well, and I share her feelings on this one, especially the bit about how this is what I wish Babel had been.

Eugene V. Debs and Looking Backward

 Eugene V. Debs: A Graphic Biography by Paul Buhle and Steve Max with art by Noah Van Sciver (2019) 128 pages 

A new biography about Eugene V. Debs called American Socialist has just been written by Shawn Gude. I remembered I had a graphic biography of Debs on my reading list. The graphic version has a couple pages of prose giving historical information at the start of each chapter. This provides a nice overview. The graphic biography is more broadly about Socialism's rise and fall in popularity in America than an in depth biography of Debs' life. Debs' central cause was fighting for the labor class and making sure the poor have there basic needs met. He was also anti-war. This much is clear, but I wanted a stronger narrative throughout the book. The final chapter moves past Debs' life and traces his influence on later Socialist movements in America. Maybe the details and complete narrative I crave are present in Gude's new book.

Looking Backward by Edward Bellamy (1888) 222 pages 

I listened to the audiobook on Hoopla. This novel was mentioned as being very popular in Debs' early life. It pushed Americans to imagine a socialist future. A young Mr. West living in the late 1800s is put in a hypnotized sleep and Rip Van Winkle-style wakes up more than a century later. A doctor and his family in the year 2000 finds and wakes up Mr. West. The world and America specifically have become a Socialist Utopia. There is very little plot, but just conversation as the Doctor, or his wife, or his daughter share the political, industrial, educational, social, and economic philosophy of their world. Some aspects of this world resemble the future imagined in Star Trek. Ableism and sexism are still expressed unfortunately, although the author tries to show that there has been progress on these issues. The way the characters speak still feels very 19th century. "It must needs be so." Bellamy does predict a sort of streaming service that allows people to listen to any type of music or the sermons of their preferred preacher from home. The city of Boston is also described with skyscrapers and greenspaces. There is a twist near the end that was not unexpected. The ending was quite powerful as Mr. West takes a more clear-eyed view of the horrors of the social conditions of his late 19th century world. Have we forgotten that Capitalism and Robber barons will never serve the best interests of humanity? Things could be better.

The Last Contract of Isako

The Last Contract of Isako by Fonda Lee, 528 pages

Legendary swordswoman Isako has been the longtime right hand of a captain of industry on the harsh planet of Aquilo. But after her client's unexpected retirement, she's ready to follow him: by walking out of the safety of their habitation and into the frozen wasteland to die of asphyxiation (what, did you think "retirement" meant something cushier?). Instead, she learns that her contract has been given to her client's rival, and before she is able to retire herself, Isako must track down her final apprentice and his client to find out what skulduggery they're up to. This was a really fun samurai-in-space book, full of intrigue, double-crossing, and meditations on work, life, and what we are owed in life. An excellent book!

Some Desperate Glory

 

Some Desperate Glory by Emily Tesh, 438 pages

Every aspect of life on Gaea station is dedicated to avenging the murder of the planet Earth, and Kyr, barely an adult, is one of its most passionate devotees. Then adult assignments come through, and Kyr finds herself unable to stay in her home, instead going out to find her brother with his brilliant but deviant friend and a captive alien. Out in the wider world, Kyr finds that the universe isn't as it was always described to her, and vengeance may be more complicated than she ever thought. 

This book blew me away. I'm still not sure if Kyr is a likable protagonist, but she's certainly a compelling one, and she served this story perfectly. This story is full of twists that make it interesting from an action perspective, and a complex examination of vengeance and reparations that makes it interesting on a thinkier level. I usually like my space operas on the silly side, but this is an ideal example of the more serious side of the genre. I can't wait to talk about this one with Orcs & Aliens tonight! 

When Lemons Give You Life

When Lemons Give You Life by Anna Johnston (2026), 380 pages

Griff (64) is a grumpy, grieving chef who is living in a nursing home. Lisa (51) is his chaotic, estranged half-sister who refuses to give up on their relationship. Both have their personal issues to work through and secrets to navigate, but through love and food they find their way back to each other.

This book is like a Hallmark movie with some pointed societal takes. Griff's partner (and friend of Lisa) has been given a terminal diagnosis and the only way for them to remain together is for Griff to fake dementia and be admitted to the nursing home. Lisa cannot understand why Griff doesn't want a relationship, while simultaneously blocking the traumatic childhood they shared. Through his experiences at the nursing home, Griff realizes the lack of dignity many nursing home patients face and takes steps to remediate it through food. I could go on and on about the societal issues the author tackles (and really, it is too much), but in the end, the book is about relationships, love, and respect. I enjoyed the book, but was also super frustrated by it. 

Turtle Diary by Russell Hoban

Turtle Diary by Russell Hoban, 182 pages

Two turtle-obsessed wierdos- strangers to eachother- long to free the sea turtles of the London Zoo. Fate brings them together and they execute thier plan, but the lessons they take away from the experience are surprising. This book is chock-full of witty inner-monologuing and banter, literary references, and slices of life in 1970's London.

I cannot for the life of me remember if I read something about this book, or just saw it on the shelf and picked it up, but I'm so glad that I did! TD made me feel like a kid in English class in the best way. It was funny and thoughtful and suprising. I love stumbling on to an older gem like this and hope to read more by the author.

A Court of Splintered Harmony

A Court of Splintered Harmony by Sarah J. Mass, 297 pages 

The newest ACOTAR book since 2021, very long awaited. This book served as more of a transitional book for the series, which was a little bit unexpected by many fans, myself included. I did enjoy all of the different POV's from different characters, but it just felt rushed and like a lot was packed into a short book. I am still looking forward to the next book in the series, but this was not my favorite.

 

 

Land

 Land by Maggie O'Farrell (2026), 400 pages

I am not sure what to think of this book. Overall, it felt very Irish. Which, I imagine, was exactly the point. It is an atmospheric, slow-moving tale of a family recently past the Great Famine dealing with repressed horrors, sadness and family/community dynamics while trying to maintain their home during British occupation. O'Farrell does a wonderful job capturing the beautiful landscape of Ireland and the importance of community support while not sugar coating the difficulty of life under British rule. While I enjoyed(?) following the family, it was very hard to connect to them. I am not sure if this is because it was all so bleak or because O'Farrell doesn't delve into them enough for you to establish a deep understanding. After finishing it, I just felt sad. 

October Totals

Byron: 1 book, 144 pages

Jan: 2 books, 613 pages

Kara: 10 books, 3421 pages

Kevin: 2 books, 672 pages

Margaret: 2 books, 734 pages

Regan: 10 books, 2931 pages

Sarah: 6 books, 1600 pages

Tracey: 6 books, 2160 pages

 

Total: 39 books and 12,275 pages

 

The Shrew Detective: The Case of the Pilfered Pearls (Shrew Detective #1): Volume 1 By Margi Preus

The Shrew Detective: The Case of the Pilfered Pearls (Shrew Detective #1): Volume 1 By Margi Preus, 128 pages

A few times a year I like to read some middle-grade fiction. The variety in the market is truly astounding, and nowadays they are usually written to be enjoyed by adult caretakers as well as children. And frankly, I just. freakin. love. shrews.

Minera is the titular shrew detective, visiting her cousin in a large human house. Animals, pets and pests alike, are all suspects when the human family's pearls are....pilfered. The pretty standard detective story is bolstered by shrew facts and opportunities to learn big, fun words.

This was really cute! If you know a kid that likes an animal cast of characters, maybe isn't ready for how violent the Redwall books can be, and loves showing off thier new vocab, check this one out. My only complaint is that it was a bit racist against squirrels.

It Looks Like You in the Dark

It Looks Like You in the Dark by Mathilda Zeller, 288 pages

Chukchi is a tiny and remote Inupiat village in Alaska, and while there are some folks who leave, most of them either stay or return. The only time white men visit is when they're convinced that the nearby mine is full of rich minerals, whether it's gold, lead, or some of the rare earth materials that make up computer processors. And usually, when the greedy white men arrive, death soon follows, usually in the form of the legendary and always hungry kushtuka, a creature that disguises itself as someone you love to lure you to your death. That's certainly what happens in this book, in which a new herd of wealthy white men come into town and slowly win over everyone with their false charm and promises of better jobs at the mine. Everyone, that is, except Tapeesa, who is convinced they're up to no good. When Tapeesa's sister goes missing, she will do anything to get her back, even if it means seeking help from these outsiders, even though she's convinced they have something to do with the disappearance.

This debut novel pulls together so many types of horror -- supernatural and indigenous folklore, capitalism and the terror of being a young woman -- and they're woven together incredibly well, keeping the reader guessing as to what or who the villain actually is. And the remote location only adds to the creeping terror. An excellent book, and I can't wait to see what Zeller comes up with next.

Taxi Dancer

Taxi Dancer by Marivi Soliven, 240 pages

During the Great Depression, Filipino immigrants often found themselves working hard at low-paying service jobs in cities, or traveling up and down the west coast as farm workers. But on the weekends, many of the men found themselves spending all of their hard-earned money on dime dances with white women at taxi dance halls. This story tells of Filipino farmworker Eli who falls in love with dancer Lucinda and plans to run away with her to Washington, where it was legal for them to marry. But before Eli and Lucinda can escape San Diego, the owner of the dance hall where Lucinda works is gunned down and Eli is blamed for the crime.

While we often hear about the migrant workers during the Depression, this was the first time I'd read about the taxi dance halls, and the way in which the strict segregation of the era was breached in these nightclubs. I loved getting a peek into that world, and especially having it presented in such an adventurous way. There were a few coincidences that were a bit too convenient, but I think this is a fantastic look at an element of American history we don't often see in historical fiction.

A Vow Made Twice

A Vow Made Twice by Emma Denny, 432 pages

After his father's death, Ash has officially inherited the title of earl and must marry, despite the fact that he had already made a commitment vow to a partner, who died in battle several years earlier. When he meets young widow Agnes, the pair agrees to a marriage of convenience — Ash will keep the title and lands from one day going to his horrible uncle, while Agnes saves herself from being forced into marriage to an equally horrible family friend — and neither expects anything other than friendship out of the union. When a bandit sets upon them in their travels, however, Ash's past comes back to haunt him, and forces them to re-evaluate everything, including their growing affection for one another.

Denny plays with some familiar historical romance tropes here (marriage of convenience/fake dating, mistaken identity, etc), but with some fresh twists. Ash's past love is a man, Agnes is nonbinary (though she doesn't have the language to properly label herself), and the *spoiler* unexpected reappearance of Ash's long-thought-dead lover *end spoiler* creates a truly tricky romantic situation. Yet Denny handles all of it delicately and deftly. While this is the third book in the series and there are plenty of references to the first two, A Vow Made Twice stands alone well, and only made me want to pick up the first two. It's great to see the representation of this romantic configuration, especially in a historical setting.

Easy Crafts for the Insane: A Mostly Funny Memoir of Mental Illness and Making Things by Kelly Williams Brown

Easy Crafts for the Insane: A Mostly Funny Memoir of Mental Illness and Making Things by Kelly Williams Brown, 288 pages.

The author experiences a truly astounding amount of misfortune in a short amount of time, including hospitalization for mental health, and details how humor and crafting helped her cope.

I feel like there are a lot of books of this type, attempting to "put the fun back in dysfunctional", but I found this to be way better than the myriad of such memoirs circulating. The author's style is easy, and she does take responsibility and learn and grow from these difficulties. This book was not just an exhausting endless tragedy with no point (a la Tara Westover) nor was it more cringy than necessary ( lookin' at you, Jenny Lawson). I appreciated that she limited her stories to those she had a reason to tell, and that for the audiobook she omitted most of the craft instrucitons. It really did have some solid crafting advice, too!

The Half-God of Rainfall

 

The Half-God of Rainfall by Inua Ellams, 96 pages.

When Demi cries, the storms come; when he shoots a basketball, he does not miss. Demi's father is Zeus, and his mother an unwilling mortal Nigerian woman. Demi's great passion is basketball, and when the worshipful admiration of his fans begins to draw the ire of the gods, he and his mother Modupe flee to America. But even there they can't escape the pettiness of the gods, and so must choose to stand against them.

Ellams is a poet, and although this novella is written in prose, you can still definitely tell that is his background. I found the prose powerful, and thought this short book used every page very efficiently. 

The Death of Jane Lawrence

 

The Death of Jane Lawrence by Caitlin Starling, 362 pages.

Jane marries Dr. Augustine Lawrence out of convenience, and if he has an odd condition or two that's no more than she had when she proposed the strange arrangement. Augustine says he must spend every night at his family's crumbling estate, and she must never sleep there. This arrangement is almost immediately broken, and Jane is quickly pulled into the strange and terrifying mysteries of Lindridge Hall, where she learns that her husband is not what he seems, and neither is the world.

This was a delightfully unsettling gothic novel. The synopsis listed Crimson Peak as one of its big inspirations, and there is a lot of that here, especially in atmosphere. However, Starling also engages very consciously with the genre, and plays on expectations about classic gothic novels to subvert them. I was very impressed by this book, even if the end lost me a little. I would still recommend it wholeheartedly, especially for fall. 

Throw Away the Key

Throw Away the Key by Jason M. Hough, 320 pages

Lars Bergman was once part of the CIA's "surreptitious entry team," the group assigned to sneak in and steal, plant, or replace documents or other things during spy operations. But now, he's semi-retired, putting his skills to use as the main locksmith at CIA's headquarters. When a woman near the top of the CIA hierarchy dies and leaves hints that only Lars would understand in her office safe, he begins to suspect that her death is tied to a failed operation from decades earlier.

This is simultaneously a throwback to old-school Cold War spy thrillers and a nesting doll of heists. I loved the twists and turns, as well as the details about locks and how to pick them. Yeah, there are a lot of spy tropes here, but they're done so well. A wonderful escapist novel that you can just sink into. I recommend it for fans of Alma Katsu's CIA thrillers.

These Walls Remember

These Walls Remember by Del Sandeen, 352 pages

When sisters Mickie and Delilah inherited their great aunt's house, they also received their relative's increasingly unhinged artwork from the asylum where she spent her final days. Among the drawings, a note: DO NOT GO INTO THE ATTIC. Yet as Mickie prepares to flip the house for quick sale, Delilah is drawn toward the locked attic door and soon finds herself ascending the stairs. Meanwhile, Mickie starts hearing about mysterious disappearances linked to the house, going back to it's origins in the late 1800s. Before long, there is something pulling at both sisters, begging them to stay at the house.

I'll be honest — I read this book about a month ago and completely forgot about it until I saw it on my list of books to blog about. It wasn't until I looked up the plot summary that bits started to come back to me. So while it was a creepy read while I was reading it, it obviously has no staying power, at least not for me. Which is a shame, because it did offer up a nice Southern gothic haunted house vibe with plenty of generational trauma thrown in. The walls may remember, but I certainly don't.

A Short Walk Through a Wide World

 

A Short Walk Through a Wide World by Douglas Westerbeke, 400 pages.

As a child in Paris, Aubry Tourvel was struck with a strange illness. If she stays to long in one place she starts to bleed, then die. The only thing that holds her illness at bay is travel, so she begins to walk. Over the decades her wanderings take her from the greatest cities to the most remote locations. The only thing that is constant is that she can't stay, and she can't come back anyplace she has been before. Over the decades the world starts to change, as she passes from the 19th century to the 20th. Aubry sees countless wonders, but she sees most of them alone, as she longs to share her strange life with someone, and finally find a place to call home. 

I enjoyed this book a lot. It had a lot of really great set pieces, and Westerbeke did a good job building vibrant, interesting characters even if they were only part of the book briefly. The nested, non-linear stories did a really great job conveying the endlessness of Aubry's travels, as well as the vibrancy of her experiences. My biggest complaint was that the book couldn't seem to decide whether the "why" of Aubry's illness mattered, and I think I would have preferred it go entirely unexplained over the half measures taken towards the end (along with a totally unnecessary bootstrap paradox). Despite a couple of hiccups, I think this is really impressive for a debut novel, and did quite enjoy it. 

Daggerbound

Daggerbound by T. Kingfisher, 448 pages

Learned Edmund is no longer excited by his career as a religious scholar after discovering that his job mainly consists of schlepping artifacts from one temple to another. He's determined that this job will be his last, though he doesn't anticipate being set upon by bandits and grabbing the relic with his bare hands, releasing an warrior cursed to live in the dagger forever. The Dervish, as the immortal and devastatingly handsome warrior calls himself, must serve the bearer of the dagger whether he wants to or not. But as much as he wants to hate his new wielder, the Dervish just can't help but like Edmund for his dorky kindness.

While that first paragraph makes this sound like a romance novel, I'd argue that it's more of a found-family cozy fantasy, as Edmund and the Dervish manage to pick up strays and reforge old friendships throughout their journey to break the Dervish's curse. It's sweet and cozy and a fun story, no matter where you put it on the shelf though.

The Savage, Noble Death of Babs Dionne

 The Savage, Noble Death of Babs Dionne, by Ron Currie (2025), 368 pages

Babs is the matriarch of a Franco-American all-woman crime syndicate in Little Canada (Waterville, Maine). She is a proud French-Canadian American and Catholic. She is determined to keep those identities strong in her rural Maine town. To help her are her drug-addicted daughters and a cadre of like-minded local women. Her stronghold has been noticed by another narcotics gang and things come to a head with devastating(?) consequences. 

This sounded interesting on paper and was a good read, but it could have been a great read. It was nearly impossible to connect with any of the characters and they had few redeeming qualities and the author did not give us enough backstory to sympathize with their current situation. I still don't understand why Babs was so determined to cling to her heritage when we are never given an opportunity to understand why it is so important to her. While French-Canadians were definitely not treated fairly and that was painful as a child, her family did not seem particularly interested in maintaining their cultural background. Babs, while trying to mother the community, seemed to be a pretty terrible mother to her actual children, yet they had a weird loyalty to her. Perhaps if Currie and delved more into Babs rise as the gang leader, it would have been easier to connect to the story as a whole. 

Brooms

 

Brooms by Jasmine Walls and Teo Duvall, 248 pages.

In a 1930s Mississippi slightly more magical than our own, illegal broom races fill the skies deep in the woods. These races are a vibrant gathering place for the people too marginalized for the national races, and an opportunity to win the money to change lives. Billie Mae is the leader of the Night Storms, and is determined to make enough money to get to one of the states where Black folks can legally practice magic. Sisters Mattie and Emma are trying to earn enough money to avoid getting sent to a residential school, a place where their cousin went and came back without her magic. Other members of the Night Storms have their own reasons to race, and as time runs out and the law draws closer, their desperation sends them to the most dangerous race of all. 

This was a really neat book! It draws on a lot of real history and extrapolates from there to make a world the feels real and believable. The art was expressive, and I think it did a good job helping to tell the story. A pretty cool historical fantasy graphic novel, definitely worth checking out. 

Up on Cove Mountain: Adventure, Tragedy, and a Quest for Meaning on the Appalachian Trail

Up on Cove Mountain: Adventure, Tragedy, and a Quest for Meaning on the Appalachian Trail by Early Swift (2026), 368 pages 

I seem to be on a kick of reading novels where middle-aged men revisit an adventure from their youth. Between Mississippi Solo, Walking with Sam and Up on Cove Mountain, I have found the latter to be the most interesting. BUT, if I was likely to actually undertake one of the three treks, it would definitely be the Camino de Santiago (then the Mississippi River with the Appalachian Trail a far third). Why? Because Swift does an excellent job of conveying just how hard and long the trail is. I cannot imagine doing it twice, with the second time being 66 years-old. Swift notes how the trail has changed over 34 years and how climate change has affected the availability of resources (especially water) for hikers. I learned a lot about how people hike the trail, trail culture, and what it means to thru-hike. I thought it meant you did the hike in one long fell-swoop. Apparently, it is not uncommon to leave the trail and come back many times and, as long as you complete it within a year, you are considered a thru-hiker. Swift also touches upon a tragedy that happened during his first thru-hike: the murder of a young couple on the trail. He had interacted a few times with this couple and their murder shocked him and the otherwise insular AT community. While this is an interesting sub-plot, the majority of the book is devoted to what it means to hike the trail and the self-discovery it brings along the way.

The Midnight Special

 The Midnight Special: The Secret Prison History of American Music by Colin Asher, 336 pages, © 2026

This was a great book, just nominated as a finalist for a National Book award. At first glance it seems like this might be a book about great albums inspired by prison but it's actually more of a mediation on policing and incarceration in America and how those systems influence and gatekeep artistic expression. Asher narrows the focus down to five artists, each from a different time period and genre, diving into each person's background and how they came to be ensnared in the carceral system--with the exception of Johnny Cash. Cash's story is the middle of the book as an intentional counterpoint to the other stories as it may surprise readers to learn that he spent less then a week in jail his entire life. Unlike artists like Tupac and Leadbelly, who were forced to rely on their criminal public personas to book performances and sell records, Cash was not beholden to his outlaw persona, despite having similar personal problems as the others in this book--he could always pivot to something else, like supporting Native American rights or singing gospel music--black artists often did not have that luxury. Elmo Hope was an incredible jazz pianist who fell into drugs and, because of New York City's insane Cabaret Card law (which was a legal way of criminalizing black jazz musicians), spent time in Riker's Island, where he recorded an album with the prison band. Perhaps the most unknown artist in the book is Ike White, the only one actually guilty of committing a violent crime. His natural talents as a musician were enough to attract the attention of larger celebrities who were invested in the prison reform movement of the 60s and 70s. He used that interest to help him  record an album in prison, which is now considered a lost soul record. Highly recommended. 

A Divided Duty

A Divided Duty by Seanan McGuire, 400 pages.

 

Toby Daye is finding a new normal in her makeshift family after her baby was born, a normal which may be upended as Rayseline Torquill original term of offense runs up and her mother tries desperately to pull her from October's home (where she has friends and a therapist) to her own domain. Raysel does in fact find herself kidnapped, and Toby has to return to the dark shadows of her past to get her back.

 

This is the 20th book in the October Daye series, and honestly it was mostly fine. I feel like it really needed another pass with the editors. Most of the book felt like rising action, and the payoff felt underwhelming, leaving the pacing sort of lackluster. It's not a terrible book, but if this was the quality of the earlier entries I probably never would have gotten into the series. 

Back After This

 

Back After This by Linda Holmes (2025) 304 pages

Cecily is a producer of audio podcasts for a company that sees its business model failing. Her boss, Toby, sees an opportunity to bring out a series that will help right the sinking ship. Cecily hasn't had a relationship since her last boyfriend dumped her, taking their shared podcast with him. She is being asked to work with relationship coach Eliza Cassidy on a series that will have Eliza setting Cecily up with 20 dates in order to find her a husband. Advertisers are lined up to support this program. It is not what Cecily really wants to do, but she agrees because she will be hosting, it will help save the job of one of her colleagues, and Toby has agreed to let her make a pilot for her own project after this is done.

As the series gets underway, Cecily runs into a guy she doesn't know, and helps him corral a Great Dane who had gotten away from his owner. Later she sees this guy, Will, again and again. He has had his own relationship woes, but he's funny and thoughtful and she is drawn to him, but knows that she needs to take the dating project seriously.

The characterizations are good and the dialogue feels real and is often funny. Readers get the inside scoop on audio project details from the author, who works for NPR. I liked the novel a lot, just as I liked a previous novel of Holmes', Evvie Drake Starts Over.

The Things We Never Say

The Things We Never Say by Elizabeth Strout (2026), 224 pages

I am not sure what to say about this book. I see what Strout was going for; Artie a middle-aged teacher struggles with his life, current political conditions, and what the future entails, but feel she really missed the mark. The book was almost painful to read as it clunkily tried to tackle big issues without garnering a whole lot of compassion and, really, any interest in the characters. I suspect the book would have been more compelling if Strout had written more and deep-dived some of the story lines. As is, it reads as a person trying to get their anger at the current state of the world out too fast and coming across frustrated and malcontent. I would pass on this if I was you.

I Hope This Email Finds You in Hell

 I Hope This Email Finds You in Hell by Mackenzie Reed, 352 pages. 

Brie has felt like a ghost of herself since her parents' deaths, living a sort of sad life as the receptionist for an insurance company, watching reality TV with her favorite coworker (and only friend), and nursing a small crush on her hot boss. But when she sees said boss performing an exorcism on a coworker after work hours, right before her friend and a rash of other women vanish, she forces her way into the rescue mission to hell. 

I'm afraid I wasn't impressed by this one. It's so aggressively by-the-numbers that it felt almost mass produced. Perhaps it's because I'm a little particular about my romance novels, but I found myself rolling my eyes pretty constantly, and some neat set pieces couldn't make up for a weak plot and prose that was very fine. Maybe read this if you want the most expected of romances, but honestly there are better things out there.

Serious Music by Percival Everett

Serious music by Percival Everett, 304 pages. This will be published on March 2, 2027.

Arthur is an African American music major and aspiring composer when circumstances lead him and his friends to serve in WWI. He returns to New York and Washington DC, where he uses his musical talents to fight racial injustice in unvonventional ways. This is standard Percival Everett, with plenty of "what might have been" alternate history and satirized people and institutions. It's not necessary to understand music theory to enjoy the book, but an appreciation for it definitely helps us understand Arthur and how he sees the world.

This was pretty good, at times beautifully written. The first third or so of the book is one of the best WWI narratives I've read (which admiitedly is not many). I'm definitely glad that I read it, though I found it really similar James and some other things I've read. If you like this one or James, I recommend a Everett's collection of western short stories Half and Inch of Water, which is sadly overlooked.

Japanese Gothic

Japanese Gothic by Kylie Lee Baker, 352 pages

In one house, 150 years apart, two young adults are living through their own horror stories. In 1877, Sen is a young female samurai, hiding from the imperial forces when her father takes a monstrous turn, placing her between the danger of her father and the soldiers, either one of whom could kill her whole family. In 2026, Lee has retreated to the same house with no recollection of why or how he killed his roommate, but sure that his father's new home will provide sanctuary from investigators half a world away. When the two meet, they discover that they may be able to help each other, whether it's through searching the archives to find out how and when Sen's family died or helping Lee sort through his untrustworthy memory.

The idea of this book is really interesting, and I thought it played out well. It was definitely atmospheric and creepy at times, and there was true horror as the falsehoods were stripped away. I don't know that it's the best example of the horror genre, as the plot beats were a bit too predictable, but it was definitely an enjoyable read.

The 10:12

The 10:12 by Anna Maloney, 320 pages

Retired art professor Claire was on the titular train between Manchester and London when it was hijacked by a group of armed men. When she encounters one of the hijackers near the restroom, she's faced with a choice: stand by passively or fight back. Claire chose to fight, and for the first half of the book, we have a fast-paced thriller akin to Speed in a train. But once the train reaches London, the pace slows down as Claire navigates the legal proceedings afterward in which she is seen as both a hero and a villain, depending on who's talking. It's an interesting way of presenting a hijack story, and one that I'm not sure I fully enjoyed, especially with the rapid slowdown. Meh.

This book will be published Oct. 20, 2026.

Fallow

 Fallow by Sarah Anderson, 336 pages

Natalie hates working, so when a nurse at the blood bank mentions an experimental job opportunity to be a corporate surrogate with large compensation, she is thrilled. The contract is "simple", Natalie must deliver 7 babies in 10 years for high level women at The Company, so they can have the benefits of motherhood without pregnancy interrupting their work. The benefits seem endless, as Natalie gets to live in a luxury condo with a chef, a housekeeper, a personal trainer and premium healthcare, all provided by the company. In addition, she receives bonus compensation for certain things, like having a natural birth. Between pregnancies, she enjoys her time off and spends the money she earns on things like luxury coats and spa trips. Natalie finally likes working. During her last pregnancy, almost at the finish line of her contract, an unexpected employee issue arises, and everything falls apart. There is really not much else I can say without spoiling it. 

This book is divided into three parts, and I was so invested in the first two parts. The third part is where things started to put me off a bit, as it takes a strange turn and it feels like a completely different book and a completely different main character. The third part was still engaging, and I would still recommend this book, just not what I expected. 

Cultish

 

Cultish: The Language of Fanaticism by Amanda Montell, 310 pages

When he was a young man, Amanda Montell's father escaped from a cult. Growing up hearing his stories instilled in her an above average interest in cults, an interest she channeled into research on what makes a cult, where they draw their power, and what kinds of things unite them. What she found at the key to manufacturing the kind of intense communities and us-vs-them attitudes common in cults is language. She explores not only the kinds of huge and dangerous cults people think of when they hear the word (Jonestown, Heaven's Gate, Scientology, etc), but also the much more normalized organizations that use the exact same tricks of language (MLM schemes, "cult" fitness studies, Instagram spiritualists), giving a very clear picture of how exactly these linguistic traps work, and making it very obvious how easily anyone could fall into a cultish situation. 

I found this book insightful, thoroughly researched, and well-presented. I noted a few times when I was listening that some of the things she describes are also true of literally any close community, but Montell herself is also good at noticing such things and approaching them with nuance. The book is funny and consumable, while still treating serious tragedies with a sense of gravity and respect. I consider myself thoroughly impressed. 

 

Maus I

 

Maus: My Father Bleeds History by Art Spiegelman, 159 pages.

I read Spiegelman's famous graphic novel for the first time recently, and despite hearing plenty about it still found myself described. The comic weaves together his father's experiences during the holocaust with their troubled relationship in the present day, in a way that make both feel eminently personal. Spiegelman doesn't shy away from anyone's flaws, nor does he shy away from the multitude of small, everyday horrors of the holocaust. I'm glad I finally got around to reading this modern classic, and will definitely pick up the second half of the story soon.

Your Song Changed My Life: From Jimmy Page to St. Vincent, Smokey Robinson to Hozier, Thirty-Five Beloved Artists on Their Journey and the Music That Inspired It By Bob Boilen

Your Song Changed My Life: From Jimmy Page to St. Vincent, Smokey Robinson to Hozier, Thirty-Five Beloved Artists on Their Journey and the Music That Inspired It

, 288 pages

The author, a music journalist for NPR, interviews various musicians about how they got interested in music and found their respective styles. I give it an emphatic “meh”. It felt like reading a podcast, and I’m curious why the author created it in this format. It might have been more interesting if the artists included had appealed to a wider range of audiences, and hadn’t been so NPR-coded.

The Fabric of Civilization: How Textiles Made the World by Virginia Postrel

The Fabric of Civilization: How Textiles Made the World by Virginia Postrel, 320 pages

This is nonfiction, a combination of textile history and journalism(ish) regarding how textiles are changing in the present day. The author selects advances in chemistry, commerce, mathematics, and engineering that were driven by economic demand for better textiles. For instance, much of the math that would one day be applied to computer science began as patterns for weaving, and the consumer desire for bright colors that wouldn’t fade with washing led to advances in ancient chemistry.

This was a fun audiobook! It was episodic and the right balance of light-hearted and interesting, which made it ideal for listening while doing chores, etc. I recommend if you’re casually interested in textiles, or enjoy reading Popular Science or Popular Mechanics.

The Undressed Art: Why We Draw by Peter Steinhart

The Undressed Art: Why We Draw by Peter Steinhart, 272 pages

A patron recommended this collection of essays to me a while back. These are reflective musings on how drawing makes us feel, what it does to our brains, and the experiences of people who draw and are drawn.

I give TUA:WWD an emphatic “Sure it’s pretty good, check it out if that’s the kind of thing you like”. I found the most interesting bit to be about how the business of modelling for artists has changed over the years.

Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind

 Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind by Yuval Noah Harari (2011), 512 pages

I started this book many years ago and had a hard time getting into it. Mostly because the first long bit was not particularly revelatory and information I was already familiar with. For reasons unknown (as I was absent that meeting), my book club chose this book for October. So, I have now officially read the whole thing. This book is paradoxically both brief and expansive. You really can't sum up all of humankind in 500 pages, but the author does give you a lot to think about and makes interesting connections on how Sapiens went from foragers to empire builders. It is a fascinating read as it touches upon Sapiens' ability to imagine, develop religion, explore, innovate and potentially self-destruct. I would be curious (and maybe Harari has already written about this) about the author's thoughts in today's current clients. I know he has written a second book and perhaps I will read it, but that came out in 2015 and a lot has already changed. 

Main Characters

 

Main Characters by Bobby Palmer, 398 pages

A story of two people falling in love and their trials of life, but told from perspectives of everyone but the main characters. A barista, a downstairs neighbor, a best friend, a mother… the list goes on. 

This story was great, and the writing was so unique as you never got to read Clara or Seb’s thoughts, making all accounts of their relationship honest and blunt. I really have never read a book like this. It was difficult to support many of the main characters decisions, and as the book went on some parts felt too drawn out and I got tired of their choices by the end. Despite this, the writing was great and other relationships built in the story were beautiful to follow in addition to the main characters relationship. 

The Devil Three Times

 

The Devil Three Times by Ricky Fayne, 416 pages.

When the devil gets to feeling homesick, he asks his brother Jesus to put in a good word for him with their father. Jesus says he's willing to help him out if the devil will help him by putting his efforts to stopping the horror of slavery. So off the devil goes to a slave ship coming over from Africa, where he finds a woman stolen from her home with only the ghost of her dead sister to talk to. Through the generations the devil will go to her and her descendants in their time of need, long after slavery ends (although that does not save them from the racism of a former plantation town in West Tennessee), each generation with unique problems that often too unlike that of their forebears. 

Despite how that summery sounds, this book was a lot more historical fiction than magical realism. It is difficult to summarize, because there are so many characters in this book doing so many unrelated things, with most of the through-line being that they are all family, but I found the historical writing very solid throughout, and it kept me engaged. The synopsis mentions that this book draws on the spiritual traditions and oral history of the Black diaspora; so I picked up the audiobook, and I think it made the experience of reading this even stronger. I definitely recommend it. 

Roots of Madness

Roots of Madness by Stephanie Williams with art by Letizia Cadonici (2026) 144 pages

I am still reading, but I have been struggling to find time to write for the blog here. Roots of Madness is a brand new book that I read in just a couple days, and I had to share my excitement. The synopsis of this book with supernatural horror mixed with  a historical setting inspired by the life of Madam CJ Walker intrigued me. I met the author Stephanie Williams at a recent comic con and have been waiting for this trade paperback collecting the six comic issues into a single book. This year, Williams was nominated for an Eisner Award for writing this and other comics. 

Black generational knowledge about natural medicines have been passed down to character Etta Knight. She grows to love botany and chemistry. Like Frankenstein, she is full of ambition and wants to push the bounds of science despite many people warning her to be cautious. A mysterious Meridian Fellowship offers resources and opportunities to advance her knowledge. "Some knowledge takes time to carry," but Etta feels she is ready. A special plant with healing properties seems to hold a lot of promising applications. Little does she know there is an alien hivemind at work trying to control the situation. I love the art throughout this graphic novel. Many characters' eyes are penetrating in various colors. And the alien tendrils have such a creepiness.

How To Seal Your Own Fate

How To Seal Your Own Fate by Kristen Perrin (2025) 309 pages

Like the first book in the Castle Knoll Murder Mystery series, How to Solve Your Own Murder, this book alternates between the past (1960s) and the present day. In the first book, Annie solved the murder of her mother's aunt Frances, a woman Annie never met, and was bequeathed the estate that Frances and her husband had lived on, Gravesdown Hall.

Annie is now trying to figure out how to fit into the village better, and is approached by Peony Lane, an old woman who had given Frances a fateful fortune years ago. When Peony Lane is later found murdered in Gravesdown Hall, Annie and her friend from London try to solve this case too. Meanwhile, Annie is learning from Frances's diaries about another murder that happened in the past, one which has some connections to the present.

The characterizations are mostly good, although a few are a bit stereotypical. Also, the wrap-up of the murder was a bit too drawn out for my taste. 

There is another book in this series now and I'm a bit torn whether to read it. However, some ureconciled tidbits in Annie's life are tempting me, so it'll probably happen eventually.

Muñeca

 

 Muñeca by Cynthia Gómez, 176 pages.

When Natalia Fuentes hears about Violeta Miramontes strange illness, which left her totally paralyzed shortly after her marriage, she recognizes immediately that it is not a disease, but a curse. She gets herself hired as Violeta's caregiver, hoping to use her long abandoned witchcraft to break her curse and earn some much needed cash. But once Nat is in the house, she quickly learns that things are darker and more complicated than she had guessed, and her growing feelings for the trapped Violeta, rendered into a convenient doll, don't make anything easier. 

I was really impressed by this book. It was creepy and gothic, and it shines in the "metaphor made literal" that gothic literature is so good at. It handled nuance well, Violeta comes from very old Spanish colonial money and Nat is Latina, a dynamic which I haven't seen explored much, and which the setting in 1968 Oakland really highlights. This is Gómez's debut, and I'm really excited to see what else she writes!