The Teller of Small Fortunes

The Teller of Small Fortunes by Julie Leong, 336 pages

Tao has long been estranged from her mother and stepfather, choosing to wander the countryside telling "small fortunes" instead of facing a constrained life of magical education. As an immigrant, she's gotten odd looks as she travels farther from the border to her homeland, but it never really bothered her. Still, when an almost-former thief and a man looking for his kidnapped daughter join her on her travels, she welcomes the company and security they provide. Soon they pick up an apprentice baker and a vaguely magical cat, and begin searching for the man's kidnapped daughter in earnest. However, interference from government magicians and the threat of war with Tao's home country force Tao to return home and face her fears with her estranged mother.

This is a lovely found-family cozy fantasy, and just right for an escape from *waves hands broadly at the world*. Did it all make a lot of sense? Not necessarily. But it sure was fun anyway. Definitely reading more of Leong's books.

The Stand-In Dad

The Stand-In Dad by Alex Summers, 368 pages

Meg is newly engaged to Hannah, and since Hannah is always traveling for work, Meg has to do the wedding planning by herself. It would be great if Meg's mom showed any interest in helping out, but unfortunately, she's still hoping Meg will reunite with her high school boyfriend (who's as gay as Meg is). When florist David finds Meg crying in his shop, he vows to help her achieve her wedding dreams, in part because his own parents rejected him for coming out. Soon Meg and David are inseparable, despite their new friendship, and Meg learns that family doesn't necessarily mean blood relatives.

There's always something nice about found-family stories, and this is definitely that, as both Meg and David find people in the neighborhood to support them as people and business owners. That said, there's a mismatch between the realism of Meg and David's family stories (and David's business challenges) and the wishful-thinking insta-love of their friendship — as wonderful as David's partner might be, the amount of time and money that he spends on someone he literally just met while his business is on the verge of going under... well, I just couldn't buy it, nor could I see how David's long-suffering partner could either. A quick read and an OK story.

The Fellowship of Puzzlemakers

The Fellowship of Puzzlemakers by Samuel Burr, 361 pages

In the late 1970s, crossword puzzle maker Pippa Allsbrook hosted the first meeting of the Fellowship of Puzzlemakers, an organization that, over the course of the next 40+ years, would become a safe haven and almost a commune for puzzlemakers of all sorts. Jigsaw artists, hedge-maze creators, riddle writers, math puzzle makers,  trivia book authors and pub quiz emcees, even guys who make those ingenious wooden puzzle boxes. All were welcomed in the Fellowship. Even Clayton Stumper, a baby who was left in a hatbox on the front step of the Fellowship's communal home in 1991 and raised by the older residents. However, when Pippa dies, she leaves 25-year-old Clayton a series of puzzles that will help him discover who he really is.

Told in alternating chapters between Clayton's current quest for the truth and the early days of the Fellowship (and sprinkled with the puzzles Pippa leaves behind), this book is a love letter to family of all sorts, to puzzles, and to self-discovery. It was a lovely read, and I highly recommend it.

How to Age Disgracefully

How to Age Disgracefully by Clare Pooley, 337 pages

On her 70th birthday, Daphne decides that her years of being a virtual recluse are over, and she's going to try to make some friends to help her enjoy her older years. An advertisement for a new senior social club at the local community center seems to be just the ticket, especially at the first meeting, when Daphne realizes that her fellow members are anything but stereotypical old people. There's Art, a failed actor-turned-shoplifter, and his best friends, a former paparazzo named William; anonymous yarn-bombing activist Ruby; and former truckdriver and five-times-over widow Anna. (Oh, and Pauline, a former headmistress who doesn't much figure into the story for reasons revealed early on in the book.) When the council decides that the community center's needed repairs are more than they can halfheartedly justify, the seniors team up with the nursery school to fight the demolition, with uproariously funny results.

The characters in this book are fantastic, and all are well developed, from Daphne (who I kinda want to be when I grow up) to single teen dad Ziggy to the surprisingly talented mutt named Maggie Thatcher. I loved reading about this community, and I'll be heartily recommending this to everyone. 

Cascade Failure

Cascade Failure by L.M. Sagas, 405 pages

Jal is a genetically enhanced former Guild ranger on the run when he ends up on Ambit's Run, a Guild-adjacent ship with a tiny crew made up of AI Captain Eoan, medic/mechanic Nash, and grouchy old soldier Saint, the latter of whom happens to be an old friend from Jal's past. The Ambit crew isn't sure if they can trust Jal (and vice versa), but when they receive a distress call from an otherwise dead planet, they put aside their differences to rescue programmer Anke, the sole survivor on the planet. She has evidence of a conspiracy to destroy populated worlds in the name of commerce, and as expected, there are people after her who are determined to stop her from revealing the truth. The crew and visitors of Ambit's Run are soon on a mission to save themselves, and various unsuspecting planets, complicated by the fact that they don't know who to trust, including each other.

I love a good space opera, especially one with a found family like the one found in this book. I loved the characters and their unique flaws, and while the overall plot made sense, there were a few portions where I was a bit confused as to who was playing against whom. But it's a fun book, and I'll look forward to reading the next book in this series, which is due out later this year.

The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches

The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna, 318 pages

Mika Moon is a witch, and loves her magical abilities. What she doesn't love is the loneliness that comes with being a witch. Because it's common knowledge (among the handful of witches that live across Britain, anyway) that too many witches together for too long makes big magic happen and that almost always draws negative attention from non-witchy people. So when Mika is invited to move into a remote house and be a magical tutor three young witches who are being raised by normal folks, Mika is equal parts wary and intrigued.

This is a magical warm hug, much like T.J. Klune's lovely House in the Cerulean Sea. I love the witches, I love the non-witchy people they live with, and I really love Mika's distinction between "nice" and "kind." This is the very definition of a comfort read.

Chilling Effect

Chilling Effect by Valerie Valdes, 434 pages

This was our January Orcs & Aliens read, and it featured a fantastic found family on a space ship, an intergalactic mafia, ancient tech that nobody can explain, some possibly psychic cats, a guy that just CANNOT take no for an answer, and alien planets that featured everything from mind-controlling alcohol-brewing monks to dinosaurs that need their own soap opera. In other words, this book was a ton of fun to read, and a ton of fun to discuss!

A Pale Light in the Black

A Pale Light in the Black by K.B. Wagers, 421 pages

OK, I read this back in May of 2020 (which seems like a lot longer ago than it actually is), and re-reading my review of the book then, I can't say that my opinion has changed. I still love it, and I can't wait to chat with the Orcs & Aliens about this tonight! Also, I really need to get around to reading the second book in this series.