Pearl
Pearl is a pig. A very special telepathic pig. The author, Josh Malerman, also wrote Bird Box. Enough said. If you want a totally original take on horror, pick up Pearl. You won’t be sorry. It’s perfect for a cold autumn evening. 4 stars! Thanks to Del Rey and NetGalleyContinue Reading
Fan Fiction
Fan Fiction is a book about Brent Spiner, who played Data on Star Trek: TNG, written by Brent Spiner. It has a real setting and at least some real characters. It also is fiction, per its title and prologue. Brent is being stalked by a person who represents herself asContinue Reading
The Last Guest
The Last Guest is advertised as an Agatha Christie and Mulholland Drive mashup. While it does have some characteristics of both, it is mostly a slow-paced behind-the-scenes look into the rich movie crowd’s symbiotic relationships. Elspeth is invited to her husband Richard’s fiftieth birthday party at his stunning mansion. SheContinue Reading
The Fly
A fly is born! After breaking out of his shell, literally, The Fly explores his environment. He finds both friends and foes. He also finds adventure. Basically, that’s all a fly can ask for out of life, right? The Fly is a cute look at life from a fly’s (andContinue Reading
Brand Hacks
Want to learn how to increase sales by marketing your product to the people who are most likely to buy it? You could take a semester class in college—like I did. Or you could just read this book. And the only final exam is how well its Brand Hacks workContinue Reading
Sankofa
In Sankofa, Anna’s Welsh mother is dead. Anna’s husband has left her. When Anna finds the journal of the African father she has never met, she is intrigued. Can she make contact with him in West Africa? How will he react to her? Why was he kept hidden from herContinue Reading
Anvils, Mallets & Dynamite
Anvils, Mallets & Dynamite is the definitive story of Looney Tunes. It is well-researched from a multitude of sources. Plus, it is just a fascinating read! The book starts at the beginning of animation in Hollywood with a brief mention of Disney and other animation studios’ styles before jumping inContinue Reading
The Shift
The Shift is about changing your mindset. Instead of using willpower to drive your diet, utilize skillpower to take detailed steps into your weight loss journey. The book discusses how to change your negative self-talk. It also goes over research into how to set habits to make it easier toContinue Reading
Spy X Family Vol 6
Loid is a spy. He has a fake family made up of Yor, the wife who is also an assassin, and Yuri, a first grader, who is also a telepath. In this episode of their story, Loid and his co-worker, Fiona, are the focus. The pair must win a tennisContinue Reading
Nottingham
“England is sick. We are the cure. We steal from the rich. We give to the poor.” So say the Merry Men of Nottingham in this new graphic novel. By graphic, I refer not just to the art, which is beautiful, but also the incredibly bloody depictions of many murdersContinue Reading
On Tyranny
On Tyranny uses examples from European history to show how democracies have fallen in the past. It includes twenty rules to follow here in the US to avoid the same fate. The text is from a book published in 2017. The illustrations are new. Though this book is labeled TheContinue Reading
Babylon Twins
The science fiction book, Babylon Twins, is a strange little tale of human survival amidst a machine-created apocalypse. El and Clo are twin girls. They and their younger brother, Dyre, avoid the machine takeover when their mom escapes with them into the forest. Ten years later, the children are grown.Continue Reading
Grist
I’m sure I wasn’t the only person who early in the pandemic bought more dried beans, lentils and peas than they would eat in a year. I wanted to read Grist because of two sentences in the introduction: “Prep the ingredient instead of the finished dish so that ingredient canContinue Reading
Moriarty the Patriot Vol 5
There are two mysteries presented in Moriarty the Patriot Vol 5. First, there is the conclusion of a locked room mystery set on a train. There is also a complete three-part mystery where the queen asks Sherlock to search for a damaging document. If it is released to the public,Continue Reading
A Sensory History of Ancient Warfare
You’ve read the histories (or watched the BBC shows) about ancient battles. But how did the people on the ground feel? Were they jostling shoulder-to-shoulder in a phalanx? What were the smells, sounds, and sights during the throes of battle? A Sensory History of Ancient Warfare answers those questions. ThoughContinue Reading
Murder at the Christmas Cookie Bake-Off Guest Post
Author Guest Post A Short History of Christmas Cookies I never gave much thought to Christmas cookies until I had the privilege of being asked to write a Christmas cozy mystery as an installment of my Beacon Bakeshop Mystery Series. Of course, I love Christmas cookies. I love making themContinue Reading