Some of the new titles hitting shelves this week are:
Beneath the Mountain by Luca D'Andrea
The Wolves of Winter by Tyrell Johnson
The Woman in the Window by A. J. Finn
In the Shadow of Agatha Christie ed by Leslie S. Klinger
The Cruel Prince by Holly Black
Gunslinger Girl by Lydsay Ely
Between the Blade and the Heart by Amanda Hocking
Don't Cosplay With My Heart by Cecil Castellucci
New on DVD:
Battle of the Sexes
American Made
An ordinary man can... surround himself with two thousand books... and thenceforward have at least one place in the world in which it is possible to be happy. ~Augustine Birrell
Sunday, December 31, 2017
Monday, December 25, 2017
Merry Christmas!
Wishing all of you a very safe and happy holiday season!
Hope you're enjoying great food, great company, and great reading!
Sunday, December 24, 2017
Christmas Reading List: Ghost Stories for Christmas
So today I'm changing it up just a little. There is this cool Victorian tradition of telling ghost stories on Christmas Eve, something I learned about and adopted a few years ago after the fabulous Laura Benedict released Haunted Holidays: 3 Short Tales of Terror. The little collection features a tale by Benedict herself as well as one by Carolyn Haines and one by Lisa Morton. All three are Christmas themed and all three are fantastic!
For tonight's reading, I'm diving into Michael McDowell's The Elementals. This is one I've had in my TBR for a while and tonight seems like the perfect night to read it. Plus, it's on the short side so I'll be able to read around our family Christmas Eve festivities.
If you're looking for some ghost stories of your own to read, the folks a Biblioasis have released a selection of classic shorts for just this purpose. Each is available in an illustrated paperback (about the size of your wallet) or eshort and includes Charles Dickens's "The Signalman", Edith Wharton's "Afterward", W. W. Jacobs's "The Toll House", E. F. Benson's "How Fear Departed the Long Gallery", A. M. Burrage's "One Who Saw", Marjorie Bowen's "The Crown Derby Plate", and M. R. James's "The Diary of Mr. Poynter".
I should note that all of these are in the public domain. I've no doubt you can find some if not all of them through Project Gutenberg if you so desire.
For tonight's reading, I'm diving into Michael McDowell's The Elementals. This is one I've had in my TBR for a while and tonight seems like the perfect night to read it. Plus, it's on the short side so I'll be able to read around our family Christmas Eve festivities.
If you're looking for some ghost stories of your own to read, the folks a Biblioasis have released a selection of classic shorts for just this purpose. Each is available in an illustrated paperback (about the size of your wallet) or eshort and includes Charles Dickens's "The Signalman", Edith Wharton's "Afterward", W. W. Jacobs's "The Toll House", E. F. Benson's "How Fear Departed the Long Gallery", A. M. Burrage's "One Who Saw", Marjorie Bowen's "The Crown Derby Plate", and M. R. James's "The Diary of Mr. Poynter".
I should note that all of these are in the public domain. I've no doubt you can find some if not all of them through Project Gutenberg if you so desire.
Saturday, December 23, 2017
Christmas Reading List: A Lot Like Christmas by Connie Willis
Connie Willis is, apparently, a big fan of Christmas. So much so that she's put together a collection of short SFF Christmas tales for all of our reading pleasure.
Note, some savvy readers may say, "But Becky, she already had a collection so now there are two!" Technically yes, but A Lot Like Christmas is actually an expanded edition of the older collection.
Here's a bit about the book from Goodreads:
This new, expanded edition of Miracle and Other Christmas Stories features twelve brilliantly reimagined holiday tales, five of which are collected here for the first time.
Christmas comes but once a year--which is too bad, because the stories in this dazzling collection are fun to read anytime. They put a speculative spin on the holiday, giving fans of acclaimed author Connie Willis a welcome gift and a dozen reasons to be of good cheer.
Brimming with Willis's trademark insights and imagination, these heartwarming tales are full of humor, absurdity, human foibles, tragedy, joy, and hope. They both embrace and send up many of the best Christmas traditions, including the Christmas newsletter, Secret Santas, office parties, holiday pageants, and Christmas dinners (both elaborate and spare). There are Rockettes, the best and worst Christmas movies, modern-day Magi, Ghosts of Christmases Past, Present, and Yet to Come--and the triumph of generosity over greed. Like the timeless classics we return to year after year, these stories affirm our faith in love, magic, and the wonder of the season.
Stories included:
- Miracles
- All About Emily
- Inn
- All Seated on the Ground
- In Coppelius's Toyshop
- Adaptation
- deck.halls@bought/holly
- Cat's Paw
- Now Showing
- Newsletter
- Epiphany
- Just Like the Ones We Used to Know
Note, some savvy readers may say, "But Becky, she already had a collection so now there are two!" Technically yes, but A Lot Like Christmas is actually an expanded edition of the older collection.
Here's a bit about the book from Goodreads:
This new, expanded edition of Miracle and Other Christmas Stories features twelve brilliantly reimagined holiday tales, five of which are collected here for the first time.
Christmas comes but once a year--which is too bad, because the stories in this dazzling collection are fun to read anytime. They put a speculative spin on the holiday, giving fans of acclaimed author Connie Willis a welcome gift and a dozen reasons to be of good cheer.
Brimming with Willis's trademark insights and imagination, these heartwarming tales are full of humor, absurdity, human foibles, tragedy, joy, and hope. They both embrace and send up many of the best Christmas traditions, including the Christmas newsletter, Secret Santas, office parties, holiday pageants, and Christmas dinners (both elaborate and spare). There are Rockettes, the best and worst Christmas movies, modern-day Magi, Ghosts of Christmases Past, Present, and Yet to Come--and the triumph of generosity over greed. Like the timeless classics we return to year after year, these stories affirm our faith in love, magic, and the wonder of the season.
Stories included:
- Miracles
- All About Emily
- Inn
- All Seated on the Ground
- In Coppelius's Toyshop
- Adaptation
- deck.halls@bought/holly
- Cat's Paw
- Now Showing
- Newsletter
- Epiphany
- Just Like the Ones We Used to Know
Willis also includes her own lists of favorite Christmas movies, stories, and TV episodes, if you're looking to double down on the Christmas themed entertainment!
Friday, December 22, 2017
Christmas Reading List: The Usual Santas
Short stories are definitely the way to go when things get crazy and I've got two short story collections I'm diving into this week. The first is The Usual Santas a new mystery anthology out from Soho.
Here's a bit about the book from Goodreads:
Eighteen delightful holiday short stories by some of your favorite Soho Crime authors!
This captivating collection—which features bestselling, and award-winning authors—contains laughs aplenty, the most hardboiled of holiday noir, and heartwarming reminders of the spirit of the season.
Nine mall Santas must find the imposter among them. An elderly lady seeks peace from her murderously loud neighbors at Christmastime. A young woman receives a mysterious invitation to Christmas dinner with a stranger. Niccolò Machiavelli sets out to save an Italian city. Sherlock Holmes’s one-time nemesis Irene Adler finds herself in an unexpected tangle in Paris while on a routine espionage assignment. Jane Austen searches for the Dowager Duchess of Wilborough’s stolen diamonds. And other adventures that will whisk readers away to Christmases around the globe, from a Korean War POW camp to a Copenhagen refugee squat to the streets of Thailand.
Here's a bit about the book from Goodreads:
Eighteen delightful holiday short stories by some of your favorite Soho Crime authors!
This captivating collection—which features bestselling, and award-winning authors—contains laughs aplenty, the most hardboiled of holiday noir, and heartwarming reminders of the spirit of the season.
Nine mall Santas must find the imposter among them. An elderly lady seeks peace from her murderously loud neighbors at Christmastime. A young woman receives a mysterious invitation to Christmas dinner with a stranger. Niccolò Machiavelli sets out to save an Italian city. Sherlock Holmes’s one-time nemesis Irene Adler finds herself in an unexpected tangle in Paris while on a routine espionage assignment. Jane Austen searches for the Dowager Duchess of Wilborough’s stolen diamonds. And other adventures that will whisk readers away to Christmases around the globe, from a Korean War POW camp to a Copenhagen refugee squat to the streets of Thailand.
This collection features favorite Soho authors like Helene Tursten, Sujata Massey, Stuart Neville, Cara Black, and more. A perfect read for any mystery fan!
Thursday, December 21, 2017
Christmas Reading List: The Deal of a Lifetime by Fredrik Backman
Yesterday's pick was a little longer, but Fredrick Backman's The Deal of a Lifetime is certainly short enough to squeeze in between meal planning and shopping - or baking and snacking! It's quite the perfect accompaniment for tea and cookies, in my opinion.
Here's a bit about the book from Goodreads:
It all begins with a father telling a story to his son on Christmas Eve. But this isn’t your typical Christmas story. The father admits to his son that he’s taken a life but he won’t say whose—not yet.
One week earlier, in a hospital late at night, the man met a five-year-old girl with cancer. She’s a smart kid—smart enough to know that she won’t beat cancer by drawing with crayons all day, but it seems to make the adults happy, so she keeps doing it.
As the man tells his son about this plucky little girl, he slowly reveals more about himself: while he may be a successful businessman, idolized by the media and his peers, he knows he failed as a parent. Overwhelmed by the responsibility of fatherhood, he took the easy way out and left his wife and little boy twenty years ago to pursue professional success. Now he is left wondering if it’s too late to forge a relationship with his son, who seems to be his opposite in every way—prizing happiness over money, surrounded by loving friends in a cozy town where he feels right at home.
Face to face with the idea that something is missing, the man is given the unexpected chance to do something selfless that could change the destiny of the little girl in the hospital bed. But before he can make the deal of a lifetime, he needs to find out what his own life has actually been worth in the eyes of his son. And so, he seeks him out and tells him this story…
If you haven't read Fredrik Backman yet, this is your chance to find out what all the fuss is about!
Here's a bit about the book from Goodreads:
It all begins with a father telling a story to his son on Christmas Eve. But this isn’t your typical Christmas story. The father admits to his son that he’s taken a life but he won’t say whose—not yet.
One week earlier, in a hospital late at night, the man met a five-year-old girl with cancer. She’s a smart kid—smart enough to know that she won’t beat cancer by drawing with crayons all day, but it seems to make the adults happy, so she keeps doing it.
As the man tells his son about this plucky little girl, he slowly reveals more about himself: while he may be a successful businessman, idolized by the media and his peers, he knows he failed as a parent. Overwhelmed by the responsibility of fatherhood, he took the easy way out and left his wife and little boy twenty years ago to pursue professional success. Now he is left wondering if it’s too late to forge a relationship with his son, who seems to be his opposite in every way—prizing happiness over money, surrounded by loving friends in a cozy town where he feels right at home.
Face to face with the idea that something is missing, the man is given the unexpected chance to do something selfless that could change the destiny of the little girl in the hospital bed. But before he can make the deal of a lifetime, he needs to find out what his own life has actually been worth in the eyes of his son. And so, he seeks him out and tells him this story…
If you haven't read Fredrik Backman yet, this is your chance to find out what all the fuss is about!
Wednesday, December 20, 2017
Christmas Reading List: Seven Days of Us by Francesca Hornak
Day three of my Christmas reading, leading up to the big day itself is Seven Days of Us by Francesca Hornak. If you're looking for a dysfunctional family read, this is the one for you.
Here's a bit about the book from Goodreads:
It's Christmas, and for the first time in years the entire Birch family will be under one roof. Even Emma and Andrew's elder daughter--who is usually off saving the world--will be joining them at Weyfield Hall, their aging country estate. But Olivia, a doctor, is only coming home because she has to. Having just returned from treating an epidemic abroad, she's been told she must stay in quarantine for a week...and so too should her family.
For the next seven days, the Birches are locked down, cut off from the rest of humanity--and even decent Wi-Fi--and forced into each other's orbits. Younger, unabashedly frivolous daughter Phoebe is fixated on her upcoming wedding, while Olivia deals with the culture shock of being immersed in first-world problems.
As Andrew sequesters himself in his study writing scathing restaurant reviews and remembering his glory days as a war correspondent, Emma hides a secret that will turn the whole family upside down.
In close proximity, not much can stay hidden for long, and as revelations and long-held tensions come to light, nothing is more shocking than the unexpected guest who's about to arrive...
Here's a bit about the book from Goodreads:
It's Christmas, and for the first time in years the entire Birch family will be under one roof. Even Emma and Andrew's elder daughter--who is usually off saving the world--will be joining them at Weyfield Hall, their aging country estate. But Olivia, a doctor, is only coming home because she has to. Having just returned from treating an epidemic abroad, she's been told she must stay in quarantine for a week...and so too should her family.
For the next seven days, the Birches are locked down, cut off from the rest of humanity--and even decent Wi-Fi--and forced into each other's orbits. Younger, unabashedly frivolous daughter Phoebe is fixated on her upcoming wedding, while Olivia deals with the culture shock of being immersed in first-world problems.
As Andrew sequesters himself in his study writing scathing restaurant reviews and remembering his glory days as a war correspondent, Emma hides a secret that will turn the whole family upside down.
In close proximity, not much can stay hidden for long, and as revelations and long-held tensions come to light, nothing is more shocking than the unexpected guest who's about to arrive...
I don't know about you, but this book sounds super fun and I can't wait to dive in!
Tuesday, December 19, 2017
Christmas Reading List: Pride and Prejudice and Mistletoe by Melissa de la Cruz
It's the second day of my Christmas Reading List and I'm featuring this little gem by Melissa de la Cruz - and it's another retelling!
Here's a bit about the book from Goodreads:
Darcy Fitzwilliam is 29, beautiful, successful, and brilliant. She dates hedge funders and basketball stars and is never without her three cellphones—one for work, one for play, and one to throw at her assistant (just kidding). Darcy’s never fallen in love, never has time for anyone else’s drama, and never goes home for Christmas if she can help it. But when her mother falls ill, she comes home to Pemberley, Ohio, to spend the season with her dad and little brother.
Her parents throw their annual Christmas bash, where she meets one Luke Bennet, the smart, sardonic slacker son of their neighbor. Luke is 32 and has never left home. He’s a carpenter and makes beautiful furniture, and is content with his simple life. He comes from a family of five brothers, each one less ambitious than the other. When Darcy and Luke fall into bed after too many eggnogs, Darcy thinks it’s just another one night stand. But why can’t she stop thinking of Luke? What is it about him? And can she fall in love, or will her pride and his prejudice against big-city girls stand in their way?
Here's a bit about the book from Goodreads:
Darcy Fitzwilliam is 29, beautiful, successful, and brilliant. She dates hedge funders and basketball stars and is never without her three cellphones—one for work, one for play, and one to throw at her assistant (just kidding). Darcy’s never fallen in love, never has time for anyone else’s drama, and never goes home for Christmas if she can help it. But when her mother falls ill, she comes home to Pemberley, Ohio, to spend the season with her dad and little brother.
Her parents throw their annual Christmas bash, where she meets one Luke Bennet, the smart, sardonic slacker son of their neighbor. Luke is 32 and has never left home. He’s a carpenter and makes beautiful furniture, and is content with his simple life. He comes from a family of five brothers, each one less ambitious than the other. When Darcy and Luke fall into bed after too many eggnogs, Darcy thinks it’s just another one night stand. But why can’t she stop thinking of Luke? What is it about him? And can she fall in love, or will her pride and his prejudice against big-city girls stand in their way?
This latest from de la Cruz is for adults but it's also a slim little read, perfect for hectic holiday reading!
Monday, December 18, 2017
Christmas Reading List: The Afterlife of Holly Chase by Cynthia Hand
Hi, all! I've been quiet of late - lots to try and catch up on before the year is out! Plus, now, I'm apparently sick. Yay!
I think I might have mentioned before, but I generally avoid holiday themed books. I almost never get to them before the holiday in question and then it seems like I'm supposed to wait another year for the holiday to roll around before I try again. Well, this year I'm aiming to get to some Christmas-themed books and I'm going to share one of those titles with you each day leading up to Christmas.
First up, The Afterlife of Holly Chase by Cynthia Hand. Here's a bit about the book from Goodreads:
On Christmas Eve five years ago, Holly was visited by three ghosts who showed her how selfish and spoiled she'd become. They tried to convince her to mend her ways.
She didn't.
And then she died.
Now she's stuck working for the top-secret company Project Scrooge--as the latest Ghost of Christmas Past.
Every year, they save another miserly grouch. Every year, Holly stays frozen at seventeen while her family and friends go on living without her. So far, Holly's afterlife has been miserable.
But this year, everything is about to change. . . .
I think I might have mentioned before, but I generally avoid holiday themed books. I almost never get to them before the holiday in question and then it seems like I'm supposed to wait another year for the holiday to roll around before I try again. Well, this year I'm aiming to get to some Christmas-themed books and I'm going to share one of those titles with you each day leading up to Christmas.
First up, The Afterlife of Holly Chase by Cynthia Hand. Here's a bit about the book from Goodreads:
On Christmas Eve five years ago, Holly was visited by three ghosts who showed her how selfish and spoiled she'd become. They tried to convince her to mend her ways.
She didn't.
And then she died.
Now she's stuck working for the top-secret company Project Scrooge--as the latest Ghost of Christmas Past.
Every year, they save another miserly grouch. Every year, Holly stays frozen at seventeen while her family and friends go on living without her. So far, Holly's afterlife has been miserable.
But this year, everything is about to change. . . .
As you can tell, this is a YA retelling of A Christmas Carol and it's been getting good reviews so far. It was even recommended on one of the Bookriot podcasts I listen to - but my foggy cold filled head won't let me remember which. So you should listen to them all!
The Afterlife of Holly Chase is out now if you want to read along with me!
Monday, December 4, 2017
What I'm Reading: The Paris Secret by Karen Swan + a Giveaway
Good morning, everyone! Today I'm a stop on the TLC blog tour for Karen Swan's The Paris Secret.
Apologies, readers, my work load has been such that I haven't been able to finish reading this one, much as I've been dying to! So rather than my usual homemade synopsis, here's a bit about the book from Goodreads:
Somewhere along the cobbled streets of Paris, an apartment lies thick with dust and secrets: full of priceless artworks hidden away for decades.
High-flying Fine Art Agent Flora from London, more comfortable with the tension of a million-pound auction than a cosy candlelit dinner for two, is called in to asses these suddenly discovered treasures. As an expert in her field, she must trace the history of each painting and just who has concealed them for so long.
Thrown in amongst the glamorous Vermeil family as they move between Paris and Antibes, Flora begins to discover that things aren't all that they seem, while back at home her own family is recoiling from a seismic shock. The terse and brooding Xavier Vermeil seems intent on forcing Flora out of his family's affairs - but just what is he hiding?
Apologies, readers, my work load has been such that I haven't been able to finish reading this one, much as I've been dying to! So rather than my usual homemade synopsis, here's a bit about the book from Goodreads:
Somewhere along the cobbled streets of Paris, an apartment lies thick with dust and secrets: full of priceless artworks hidden away for decades.
High-flying Fine Art Agent Flora from London, more comfortable with the tension of a million-pound auction than a cosy candlelit dinner for two, is called in to asses these suddenly discovered treasures. As an expert in her field, she must trace the history of each painting and just who has concealed them for so long.
Thrown in amongst the glamorous Vermeil family as they move between Paris and Antibes, Flora begins to discover that things aren't all that they seem, while back at home her own family is recoiling from a seismic shock. The terse and brooding Xavier Vermeil seems intent on forcing Flora out of his family's affairs - but just what is he hiding?
A few years ago, a story broke about an abandoned apartment in Paris packed full of art and other sundries. The apartment had been locked up since WWII and untouched until three years after the owner's death. And of course upon hearing the story I was immediately intrigued. (You can read bit about it here.) And I wasn't the only one, Karen Swan was inspired by that very same story in writing The Paris Secret.
With the exception of a few details, Swan's imaginings of the story behind the apartment are much different than the reality. The story is set around Flora Sykes, who has been brought in to research and determine the value of items discovered within the apartment. The daughter of a former chief auctioneer at Christie's, Flora has art in her blood. But Flora doesn't really expect to find any real treasures. And yet, that's pretty much exactly what she finds! And the stories behind those treasures...
At one point, Flora muses over the fact that no one ever discovered the apartment was abandoned in all the time before it was opened. It's a thought I had as well - the building (real and fictional) must have had excellent security! In fact, the boon begins with the apartment being broken into (again different from the real story, which I understand was that the owner's death prompted opening of the apartment).
I love Swan's version. I love the rich and vibrant details of the story and the art. And I love the mystery she's built around an already fascinating tale, making it completely her own!
And now for the giveaway! I've got one copy to give away to one lucky reader here. To enter, simply fill out the Rafflecopter below before Monday, December 18. Open US only.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
To see more stops on the tour be sure to check out the official TLC tour page here.
For more on Karen Swan you can like her on Facebook and follow her on Twitter.
Purchase Links: HarperCollins | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
And now for the giveaway! I've got one copy to give away to one lucky reader here. To enter, simply fill out the Rafflecopter below before Monday, December 18. Open US only.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
To see more stops on the tour be sure to check out the official TLC tour page here.
For more on Karen Swan you can like her on Facebook and follow her on Twitter.
Purchase Links: HarperCollins | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
Sunday, December 3, 2017
New Releases 12/5/17
Some of the new titles hitting shelves this week are:
Anatomy of a Scandal by Sarah Vaughan
Persepolis Rising by James S. A. Corey
The Girl in the Tower by Katherine Arden
Insidious Intent by Val McDermid
Year One by Nora Roberts
Alive in Shape and Color ed by Lawrence Block
Three Daughters of Eve by Elif Shafak
Not Safe After Dark by Peter Robinson
Plague Land by Alex Scarrow
New on DVD:
Despicable Me 3
Better Watch Out
American Assassin
Anatomy of a Scandal by Sarah Vaughan
Persepolis Rising by James S. A. Corey
The Girl in the Tower by Katherine Arden
Insidious Intent by Val McDermid
Year One by Nora Roberts
Alive in Shape and Color ed by Lawrence Block
Three Daughters of Eve by Elif Shafak
Not Safe After Dark by Peter Robinson
Plague Land by Alex Scarrow
New on DVD:
Despicable Me 3
Better Watch Out
American Assassin
Saturday, December 2, 2017
Pre Pub Book Buzz: Unbury Carol by Josh Malerman
Oh, what!? There's a new Josh Malerman coming out! Well, it's a few months down the line, but I can't possibly contain my excitement any longer.
Here's a bit about the book from Goodreads:
Carol Evers is a woman with a dark secret. She has died many times . . . but her many deaths are not final: They are comas, a waking slumber indistinguishable from death, each lasting days.
Only two people know of Carol’s eerie condition. One is her husband, Dwight, who married Carol for her fortune, and—when she lapses into another coma—plots to seize it by proclaiming her dead and quickly burying her . . . alive. The other is her lost love, the infamous outlaw James Moxie. When word of Carol’s dreadful fate reaches him, Moxie rides the Trail again to save his beloved from an early, unnatural grave.
And all the while, awake and aware, Carol fights to free herself from the crippling darkness that binds her—summoning her own fierce will to survive. As the players in this drama of life and death fight to decide her fate, Carol must in the end battle to save herself.
The haunting story of a woman literally bringing herself back from the dead, Unbury Carol is a twisted take on the Sleeping Beauty fairy tale that will stay with you long after you’ve turned the final page.
Here's a bit about the book from Goodreads:
Carol Evers is a woman with a dark secret. She has died many times . . . but her many deaths are not final: They are comas, a waking slumber indistinguishable from death, each lasting days.
Only two people know of Carol’s eerie condition. One is her husband, Dwight, who married Carol for her fortune, and—when she lapses into another coma—plots to seize it by proclaiming her dead and quickly burying her . . . alive. The other is her lost love, the infamous outlaw James Moxie. When word of Carol’s dreadful fate reaches him, Moxie rides the Trail again to save his beloved from an early, unnatural grave.
And all the while, awake and aware, Carol fights to free herself from the crippling darkness that binds her—summoning her own fierce will to survive. As the players in this drama of life and death fight to decide her fate, Carol must in the end battle to save herself.
The haunting story of a woman literally bringing herself back from the dead, Unbury Carol is a twisted take on the Sleeping Beauty fairy tale that will stay with you long after you’ve turned the final page.
Unbury Carol is due out from Del Rey in April.
Wednesday, November 22, 2017
Garden of Lamentations by Deborah Crombie
Good morning, everyone! Are you ready for Thanksgiving tomorrow? I know I am.
Today I'm a stop on the TLC blog tour for Deborah Crombie's Garden of Lamentations, the 17th installment in her Duncan Kincaid/Gemma James series.
When a young girl is found dead in one of Notting Hill's private gardens, Gemma James isn't initially part of the investigation. She soon learns, though, that the girl was both a full time nanny and a part time babysitter and model for a good friend. At first, as a favor for her friend, she only accompanies her to offer condolences to the family. But soon, Gemma finds herself drawn into the case.
Meanwhile, Duncan has learned that his former boss is back in the office and is on the hunt for answers. Still reeling from the loss of a fellow officer, Duncan has never had an explanation about why he was transferred so suddenly out of his former position. It appears his suspicion of corruption at the Yard might be on point, cryptically confirmed by the very same old boss. But when that man is attacked just moments after meeting with Duncan, he realizes the issue is much deeper than he'd initially thought. And now he wonders if his family is at risk.
I love this series! If you're looking for a fantastic set of mysteries with characters you can root for and a deep backlist to keep you busy, Deborah Crombie's series is it!
I've mentioned in past reviews of series installments that you can read these out of order, but (fair warning) each one does link directly to the one before. In this one, there are a lot of threads that tie back to To Dwell in Darkness. A lot! And of course by diving straight in here you do miss a lot of the backstory of these characters and their relationships.
And yet, I feel comfortable saying that the worst would be potential spoilers for the previous novel. The plotting and pacing of each new book is always stellar and Crombie pays ample attention in each new book to further developing her characters and their stories, so there is plenty to fall in love with even if you are new to the series. Enough to hook you and make you want to go back and read those earlier books!
If you want to start the series from the beginning, the series list is:
A Share in Death
All Shall Be Well
Leave the Grave Green
Mourn Not Your Dead
Dreaming of the Bones
Kissed a Sad Goodbye
A Finer End
And Justice There is None
Now You May Weep
In a Dark House
Water Like a Stone
Where Memories Lie
Necessary as Blood
No Mark Upon Her
The Sound of Broken Glass
To Dwell in Darkness
Garden of Lamentations
To see more stops on the tour be sure to check out the official TLC tour page here.
For more on Deborah Crombie and her work you can visit her website here. You can also like her on Facebook and follow her on Twitter.
Purchase Links: HarperCollins | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
Today I'm a stop on the TLC blog tour for Deborah Crombie's Garden of Lamentations, the 17th installment in her Duncan Kincaid/Gemma James series.
When a young girl is found dead in one of Notting Hill's private gardens, Gemma James isn't initially part of the investigation. She soon learns, though, that the girl was both a full time nanny and a part time babysitter and model for a good friend. At first, as a favor for her friend, she only accompanies her to offer condolences to the family. But soon, Gemma finds herself drawn into the case.
Meanwhile, Duncan has learned that his former boss is back in the office and is on the hunt for answers. Still reeling from the loss of a fellow officer, Duncan has never had an explanation about why he was transferred so suddenly out of his former position. It appears his suspicion of corruption at the Yard might be on point, cryptically confirmed by the very same old boss. But when that man is attacked just moments after meeting with Duncan, he realizes the issue is much deeper than he'd initially thought. And now he wonders if his family is at risk.
I love this series! If you're looking for a fantastic set of mysteries with characters you can root for and a deep backlist to keep you busy, Deborah Crombie's series is it!
I've mentioned in past reviews of series installments that you can read these out of order, but (fair warning) each one does link directly to the one before. In this one, there are a lot of threads that tie back to To Dwell in Darkness. A lot! And of course by diving straight in here you do miss a lot of the backstory of these characters and their relationships.
And yet, I feel comfortable saying that the worst would be potential spoilers for the previous novel. The plotting and pacing of each new book is always stellar and Crombie pays ample attention in each new book to further developing her characters and their stories, so there is plenty to fall in love with even if you are new to the series. Enough to hook you and make you want to go back and read those earlier books!
If you want to start the series from the beginning, the series list is:
A Share in Death
All Shall Be Well
Leave the Grave Green
Mourn Not Your Dead
Dreaming of the Bones
Kissed a Sad Goodbye
A Finer End
And Justice There is None
Now You May Weep
In a Dark House
Water Like a Stone
Where Memories Lie
Necessary as Blood
No Mark Upon Her
The Sound of Broken Glass
To Dwell in Darkness
Garden of Lamentations
To see more stops on the tour be sure to check out the official TLC tour page here.
For more on Deborah Crombie and her work you can visit her website here. You can also like her on Facebook and follow her on Twitter.
Purchase Links: HarperCollins | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
Tuesday, November 21, 2017
Guest Post by Christy Carlyle
Hi, readers! Today I have a special treat, I'm hosting author Christy Carlyle, author of How to Woo a Wallflower! Before I hand things over to Christy, here's a bit about the book from Goodreads:
An Unconventional Wallflower…
Clarissa Ruthven was born to be a proper lady, but she’s never wanted to live up to the expectations her late father set. Determined to use her inheritance to help the less fortunate women of London, she’s devastated to learn that she won’t be inheriting anything until she marries, a fate she has no interest in. Unwilling to let go of her plans, Clary works at Ruthven Publishing for Gabriel Adamson, a man who’s always hated her. She’s always returned the feeling, but as she begins to turn her family’s publishing company upside down, she finds herself unable to forget her handsome boss.
Never Follows the Rules…
Gabriel Adamson believes in order. He certainly doesn’t believe Clary should be sticking her nose in the publishing company, and she definitely has no business invading his every thought. But Gabe soon finds he can’t resist Clary’s sense of freedom or her passionate kisses and he starts to crave everything she’s willing to give him.
Especially When It Comes to Love…
When Gabe’s dark past comes back to haunt him, he’ll do anything to make sure that Clary isn’t hurt…even if it means giving up the only woman he’s ever loved.
I relate to wallflowers in fiction. Could be because, way back in the Stranger Things era, I kind of was one.
If you time traveled back to the 1980’s, you’d find me somewhere in the cluttered rush of a high school hallway. I wasn’t the cool girl or the super fashionable one. I was bookish and bespectacled, though I did have an elaborately decorated locker.
There weren’t any fancy balls in my life, no Empire gowns or chairs at the back of a room full of elegant dancers. I was just quirky. I didn’t fit in any of the cliques that existed at my high school. Maybe I was a bit of a loner. I certainly never got an invite to the prom.
Maybe that’s why I’ve never defined wallflowers as the shy unassuming girl, but the unique one. Sure, she might prefer books to most people, or be awkward when she means to be eloquent, but there’s more to every wallflower, and she’ll surprise you every time.
I think of wallflowers on a continuum that includes Molly Ringwald’s Andie in Pretty in Pink every bit as much as Anne Elliot in Jane Austen’s Persuasion. Take the time to notice an unappreciated young woman, and you might just find someone who’s fierce and clever and as interesting as any heroine ever written.
History—where the marriage plot rules and women who didn’t conform to society’s expectations were likely to be scorned or overlooked— isn’t the same as historical romance. Romance is the ideal place to celebrate the wallflower who no one expects to be fabulous. In historical romance being unusual isn’t a curse. It’s an opportunity to shine.
So, who are a couple of my favorite recent quirky, unconventional wallflowers in historical romance?
Lisa Kleypas gave us a perfect example in one of my favorite books this year, Devil in Spring. The story opens with Lady Pandora Ravenel sitting in a chair at a ball, bored out of her mind. Oh, so relatable. And we soon find that Pandora isn’t shy or meek. She’s loyal, stubborn, and bold. And once the hero actually takes the time to notice her—let’s just say, in an odd situation—he can’t stop noticing how unique and appealing she is. Pandora is the quintessential unconventional wallflower.
Lily Maxton’s recent The Rogue’s Conquest gave me a wallflower to love too. Eleanor Thompson is more interested in entomology than etiquette, and she’s bold enough to go and present her paper at a men’s scientific society—in disguise, of course. And, of course, former prize fighter James MacGregor notices her, including her faulty disguise, and does what a rogue should never do. He becomes bewitched by a wallflower.
In my latest book, How to Woo a Wallflower, I loved allowing my quirky heroine to revel in all of her uniqueness. Clary Ruthven was the girl in the back of the ballroom who nobody asked to dance, partly because she has no intention of conforming to society’s expectations. Despite being the daughter of an etiquette book writer, she’s a natural born rebel and never follows the rules, especially when it comes to matters of the heart. She’s not your typical Victorian lady, but she’s one of my favorite wallflowers.
Who are your favorite literary wallflowers?
An Unconventional Wallflower…
Clarissa Ruthven was born to be a proper lady, but she’s never wanted to live up to the expectations her late father set. Determined to use her inheritance to help the less fortunate women of London, she’s devastated to learn that she won’t be inheriting anything until she marries, a fate she has no interest in. Unwilling to let go of her plans, Clary works at Ruthven Publishing for Gabriel Adamson, a man who’s always hated her. She’s always returned the feeling, but as she begins to turn her family’s publishing company upside down, she finds herself unable to forget her handsome boss.
Never Follows the Rules…
Gabriel Adamson believes in order. He certainly doesn’t believe Clary should be sticking her nose in the publishing company, and she definitely has no business invading his every thought. But Gabe soon finds he can’t resist Clary’s sense of freedom or her passionate kisses and he starts to crave everything she’s willing to give him.
Especially When It Comes to Love…
When Gabe’s dark past comes back to haunt him, he’ll do anything to make sure that Clary isn’t hurt…even if it means giving up the only woman he’s ever loved.
The fact that this one involves a woman working in publishing, makes it all that much more appealing to me!
And now, over to Christy!
The Perks of Being a Wallflower in Historical Romance
by Christy Carlyle
I relate to wallflowers in fiction. Could be because, way back in the Stranger Things era, I kind of was one.
If you time traveled back to the 1980’s, you’d find me somewhere in the cluttered rush of a high school hallway. I wasn’t the cool girl or the super fashionable one. I was bookish and bespectacled, though I did have an elaborately decorated locker.
There weren’t any fancy balls in my life, no Empire gowns or chairs at the back of a room full of elegant dancers. I was just quirky. I didn’t fit in any of the cliques that existed at my high school. Maybe I was a bit of a loner. I certainly never got an invite to the prom.
Maybe that’s why I’ve never defined wallflowers as the shy unassuming girl, but the unique one. Sure, she might prefer books to most people, or be awkward when she means to be eloquent, but there’s more to every wallflower, and she’ll surprise you every time.
I think of wallflowers on a continuum that includes Molly Ringwald’s Andie in Pretty in Pink every bit as much as Anne Elliot in Jane Austen’s Persuasion. Take the time to notice an unappreciated young woman, and you might just find someone who’s fierce and clever and as interesting as any heroine ever written.
History—where the marriage plot rules and women who didn’t conform to society’s expectations were likely to be scorned or overlooked— isn’t the same as historical romance. Romance is the ideal place to celebrate the wallflower who no one expects to be fabulous. In historical romance being unusual isn’t a curse. It’s an opportunity to shine.
So, who are a couple of my favorite recent quirky, unconventional wallflowers in historical romance?
Lisa Kleypas gave us a perfect example in one of my favorite books this year, Devil in Spring. The story opens with Lady Pandora Ravenel sitting in a chair at a ball, bored out of her mind. Oh, so relatable. And we soon find that Pandora isn’t shy or meek. She’s loyal, stubborn, and bold. And once the hero actually takes the time to notice her—let’s just say, in an odd situation—he can’t stop noticing how unique and appealing she is. Pandora is the quintessential unconventional wallflower.
Lily Maxton’s recent The Rogue’s Conquest gave me a wallflower to love too. Eleanor Thompson is more interested in entomology than etiquette, and she’s bold enough to go and present her paper at a men’s scientific society—in disguise, of course. And, of course, former prize fighter James MacGregor notices her, including her faulty disguise, and does what a rogue should never do. He becomes bewitched by a wallflower.
In my latest book, How to Woo a Wallflower, I loved allowing my quirky heroine to revel in all of her uniqueness. Clary Ruthven was the girl in the back of the ballroom who nobody asked to dance, partly because she has no intention of conforming to society’s expectations. Despite being the daughter of an etiquette book writer, she’s a natural born rebel and never follows the rules, especially when it comes to matters of the heart. She’s not your typical Victorian lady, but she’s one of my favorite wallflowers.
Who are your favorite literary wallflowers?
About the author: Fueled by Pacific Northwest coffee and inspired by multiple viewings of every British costume drama she can get her hands on, USA Today bestselling author Christy Carlyle writes sensual historical romance set in the Victorian era. She loves heroes who struggle against all odds and heroines who are ahead of their time. A former teacher with a degree in history, she finds there's nothing better than being able to combine her love of the past with a die-hard belief in happy endings.
Huge, huge thanks to Christy for being here today. And huge thanks to her fabulous publicist for setting this up!
My own favorite literary wallflowers, the wife in Rebecca and Jane of Jane Eyre!
How to Woo a Wallflower is the third in the Romancing the Rules series and is out on shelves now.
Sunday, November 19, 2017
New Releases 11/21/17
It's slim pickings this week because of the holiday, but here goes. Some of the new titles hitting shelves this week are:
Poison by Galt Niederhoffer
Winter of Ice and Iron by Rachel Neumeier
The Magic Misfits by Neil Patrick Harris
New on DVD:
The Hitman's Bodyguard
Birth of the Dragon
Valerian
Leap
Poison by Galt Niederhoffer
Winter of Ice and Iron by Rachel Neumeier
The Magic Misfits by Neil Patrick Harris
New on DVD:
The Hitman's Bodyguard
Birth of the Dragon
Valerian
Leap
Saturday, November 18, 2017
Pre Pub Book Buzz: Artificial Condition by Martha Wells
Say it with me now, Murderbot! Murderbot! Murderbot!
When I started Martha Wells's All Systems Red earlier this year, I really didn't know what I was in for. Yes, the description sounded fun but I was new to Martha Wells. Aside from the fact that I've loved just about every Tor.com novella thus far, I didn't really know what to expect.
Readers, it was oh, so freaking fabulous! And now, the second installment in Martha Wells's Murderbot Diaries is probably the sci fi title I'm most looking forward to at this very moment! Here's a bit about the book from Goodreads:
It has a dark past – one in which a number of humans were killed. A past that caused it to christen itself “Murderbot”.
But it has only vague memories of the massacre that spawned that title, and it wants to know more.
Teaming up with a Research Transport vessel named ART (you don’t want to know what the “A” stands for), Murderbot heads to the mining facility where it went rogue.
What it discovers will forever change the way it thinks…
When I started Martha Wells's All Systems Red earlier this year, I really didn't know what I was in for. Yes, the description sounded fun but I was new to Martha Wells. Aside from the fact that I've loved just about every Tor.com novella thus far, I didn't really know what to expect.
Readers, it was oh, so freaking fabulous! And now, the second installment in Martha Wells's Murderbot Diaries is probably the sci fi title I'm most looking forward to at this very moment! Here's a bit about the book from Goodreads:
It has a dark past – one in which a number of humans were killed. A past that caused it to christen itself “Murderbot”.
But it has only vague memories of the massacre that spawned that title, and it wants to know more.
Teaming up with a Research Transport vessel named ART (you don’t want to know what the “A” stands for), Murderbot heads to the mining facility where it went rogue.
What it discovers will forever change the way it thinks…
This one doesn't come out until May, but you can tide yourself over until then by reading the first one if you haven't yet. Trust me, you want to - you're in for a huge treat!
Friday, November 17, 2017
The Missing by C. L. Taylor
Good morning, everyone! Today I'm a stop on the TLC blog tour for C. L. Taylor's The Missing.
It's been six months since Billy went missing and not a day goes by that Claire doesn't try to find him. Her family is falling apart and the police seem to have given up, but she refuses. She knows, without a doubt, that he's out there somewhere. All she wants is for her family to be together again, the way they used to be.
The public are sure the family is involved. It's always the way, isn't it? But Claire is just as certain her family can't have had anything to do with Billy's going missing. But as more time goes by, Claire begins to realize her own family is full of dark secrets.
The Missing is a dark and twisty read. It clocks in at almost 500 pages, but it moves along at a super fast pace.
Of course part of the pacing is the mystery about Billy's disappearance. Claire drives the story along with her relentless search for answers, taking the reader right along with her as she attempts to comb through Billy's world. Any minute clue she can find leads her down another path, all in an attempt to find answers.
But Claire's having blackouts. The first happens not long into the story, just a day or so after the six month appeal on tv. She's with a friend, when the friend makes a comment about moving on and next thing she knows, she's waking up in a B&B her family used to visit when her sons were young.
Of course one black out would be worrisome, but then it happens again.
Meanwhile, her family is literally falling apart. Her nineteen-year-old son is drinking, his relationship with his live in girlfriend is rocky, and Claire finds out both he and her husband are keeping things from her.
The Missing kept me guessing right through to the end!
To see more stops on the tour be sure to check out the official TLC tour page here.
For more on C. L. Taylor and her work you can visit her website here. You can also like her on Facebook and follow her on Twitter and Instagram.
Purchase Links: HarperCollins | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
It's been six months since Billy went missing and not a day goes by that Claire doesn't try to find him. Her family is falling apart and the police seem to have given up, but she refuses. She knows, without a doubt, that he's out there somewhere. All she wants is for her family to be together again, the way they used to be.
The public are sure the family is involved. It's always the way, isn't it? But Claire is just as certain her family can't have had anything to do with Billy's going missing. But as more time goes by, Claire begins to realize her own family is full of dark secrets.
The Missing is a dark and twisty read. It clocks in at almost 500 pages, but it moves along at a super fast pace.
Of course part of the pacing is the mystery about Billy's disappearance. Claire drives the story along with her relentless search for answers, taking the reader right along with her as she attempts to comb through Billy's world. Any minute clue she can find leads her down another path, all in an attempt to find answers.
But Claire's having blackouts. The first happens not long into the story, just a day or so after the six month appeal on tv. She's with a friend, when the friend makes a comment about moving on and next thing she knows, she's waking up in a B&B her family used to visit when her sons were young.
Of course one black out would be worrisome, but then it happens again.
Meanwhile, her family is literally falling apart. Her nineteen-year-old son is drinking, his relationship with his live in girlfriend is rocky, and Claire finds out both he and her husband are keeping things from her.
The Missing kept me guessing right through to the end!
To see more stops on the tour be sure to check out the official TLC tour page here.
For more on C. L. Taylor and her work you can visit her website here. You can also like her on Facebook and follow her on Twitter and Instagram.
Purchase Links: HarperCollins | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
Thursday, November 16, 2017
Anne of Green Gables Deluxe Edition Giveaway
Happy Thursday, all! Today I have a special treat for all you "Anne with an e" fans. The good folks over at Penguin have just released a brand new, deluxe edition of the L.M. Montgomery classic and it is gorgeous!
Here's a little bit of info from the publisher:
If you’re anything like me, you grew up reading and loving Anne of Green Gables, the classic coming-of-age tale by L.M. Montgomery. For more than a century now, Anne has been a literary icon—clever, scrappy, and imaginative, a heroine for the ages whose journey continues to capture the hearts of readers everywhere.
This fall, Penguin Classics is excited to publish a brand new deluxe edition of Anne of Green Gables, featuring a foreword by the New York Times bestselling author J. Courtney Sullivan (Maine, Commencement, The Engagements) and an introduction by L.M. Montgomery scholar Benjamin Lefebvre. This new publication also features reviews and a selection of early writing by Montgomery about the process of creating the book, along with stunning cover art by Siobhán Gallagher, whose artwork has been featured in US Weekly, Lenny Letter, Bustle, and more.
Mark Twain once described Anne as “the dearest and most lovable child in fiction since the immortal Alice,” and The New York Times calls the novel, “a Canadian cultural export matched only by hockey and the Mounties.” Since its original publication in 1908, Anne of Green Gables has sold more than 50 million copies and has been translated into 36 languages. Anne’s tale is a celebration of fierce individualism, and the power of the families we create, rather than the ones we are born into.
Here's a little bit of info from the publisher:
If you’re anything like me, you grew up reading and loving Anne of Green Gables, the classic coming-of-age tale by L.M. Montgomery. For more than a century now, Anne has been a literary icon—clever, scrappy, and imaginative, a heroine for the ages whose journey continues to capture the hearts of readers everywhere.
This fall, Penguin Classics is excited to publish a brand new deluxe edition of Anne of Green Gables, featuring a foreword by the New York Times bestselling author J. Courtney Sullivan (Maine, Commencement, The Engagements) and an introduction by L.M. Montgomery scholar Benjamin Lefebvre. This new publication also features reviews and a selection of early writing by Montgomery about the process of creating the book, along with stunning cover art by Siobhán Gallagher, whose artwork has been featured in US Weekly, Lenny Letter, Bustle, and more.
Mark Twain once described Anne as “the dearest and most lovable child in fiction since the immortal Alice,” and The New York Times calls the novel, “a Canadian cultural export matched only by hockey and the Mounties.” Since its original publication in 1908, Anne of Green Gables has sold more than 50 million copies and has been translated into 36 languages. Anne’s tale is a celebration of fierce individualism, and the power of the families we create, rather than the ones we are born into.
In other words, if you're an Anne fan, you definitely want this book!
Thanks to Penguin, I am offering up one copy of this new edition to one of you lucky readers. To enter, simply fill out the Rafflecopter below before Monday, December 4. Open US only and no PO boxes please.
Wednesday, November 15, 2017
Sourdough by Robin Sloan
Lois Clary is a programmer. Her job is just one of many at General Dexterity, working to make robot arms as good as the real thing. But the long days and lonely nights have left Lois with a twisted up stomach and no real friends.
All of that changes when she finds the Clement Street Soup and Sourdough menu taped to her door. They serve two things: a spicy soup or a spicy sandwich, which you can order as a combo (double spicy) that comes with sourdough bread for dunking. And it's amazing! Life changing amazing! Lois orders so often the brothers who run Clement Street Soup and Sourdough call her their #1 eater.
But then the brothers announce that they're leaving, their visas have run out. Before they go, though, they gift Lois with their starter - a living, breathing thing that needs to be cared for an fed! It's the start of a new adventure for Lois, one that'll change her life in ways she couldn't imagine!
Lois, who's never baked and has barely managed to keep a cactus alive, has to take care of a sourdough starter. But it's not just any sourdough starter. This one has to be kept happy and fed like any other, but she's also been instructed to play it music. And the bread that results from this starter, when Lois tries her hand, has faces in it!
But it's a magnificent bread, one that Lois shares and eventually sells. But the bread, and the brothers who gave it to her, have an odd history. Chaimen and Beoreg call themselves Mazg, something Lois has never heard of and can't really find anything about online. In an age when everything is available online!
This is such a lovely book! There's really no better word to describe it, it's just absolutely delightful! And it's weird - the kind of book that doesn't really easily fit into a category. Annalee Newitz listed it on this Sci Fi and Fantasy list, so Imma go with it being sci fi. And it does certainly have elements of that, not least of which is the market that Lois eventually becomes part of, which is focused on new innovation in food. But again, genre aside, it's a feel good book that I'm certain will appeal to anyone looking for a read that'll give them the warm and fuzzies!
This was another audio book for me and I just adored it. The narrator, Therese Plummer, was fantastic - wry and charming and the perfect embodiment (through voice, obvs) of Lois. Not only that, but the audio includes the music of the Mazg.
Whichever way you choose to read it, print or audio, Sourdough is unique and fabulous. Definitely one I highly recommend!
All of that changes when she finds the Clement Street Soup and Sourdough menu taped to her door. They serve two things: a spicy soup or a spicy sandwich, which you can order as a combo (double spicy) that comes with sourdough bread for dunking. And it's amazing! Life changing amazing! Lois orders so often the brothers who run Clement Street Soup and Sourdough call her their #1 eater.
But then the brothers announce that they're leaving, their visas have run out. Before they go, though, they gift Lois with their starter - a living, breathing thing that needs to be cared for an fed! It's the start of a new adventure for Lois, one that'll change her life in ways she couldn't imagine!
Lois, who's never baked and has barely managed to keep a cactus alive, has to take care of a sourdough starter. But it's not just any sourdough starter. This one has to be kept happy and fed like any other, but she's also been instructed to play it music. And the bread that results from this starter, when Lois tries her hand, has faces in it!
But it's a magnificent bread, one that Lois shares and eventually sells. But the bread, and the brothers who gave it to her, have an odd history. Chaimen and Beoreg call themselves Mazg, something Lois has never heard of and can't really find anything about online. In an age when everything is available online!
This is such a lovely book! There's really no better word to describe it, it's just absolutely delightful! And it's weird - the kind of book that doesn't really easily fit into a category. Annalee Newitz listed it on this Sci Fi and Fantasy list, so Imma go with it being sci fi. And it does certainly have elements of that, not least of which is the market that Lois eventually becomes part of, which is focused on new innovation in food. But again, genre aside, it's a feel good book that I'm certain will appeal to anyone looking for a read that'll give them the warm and fuzzies!
This was another audio book for me and I just adored it. The narrator, Therese Plummer, was fantastic - wry and charming and the perfect embodiment (through voice, obvs) of Lois. Not only that, but the audio includes the music of the Mazg.
Whichever way you choose to read it, print or audio, Sourdough is unique and fabulous. Definitely one I highly recommend!
Tuesday, November 14, 2017
Artemis by Andy Weir
It's Artemis release day!!!
Jazz Bashara lives on the moon. She wasn't born there, children under a certain age aren't allowed to live on the moon because it affects their development, but she's lived there most of her life. And she owns the place! Not literally, but she knows all the nooks and crannies and is one of the top smugglers in Artemis. She can get you pretty much anything you need. Which is how she ends up getting tangled up in a job that's much bigger than anything Jazz could ever have imagined. Now, with people gunning for her on all sides, she'll have to execute a masterful crime in order to set things right and save her own skin!
I loved Jazz! She's a little different from Mark Watney, but probably just as smart. She doesn't have the discipline, that's for sure. She does know how to think her way out of a problem, though, so they have that in common.
Jazz is a troublemaker. She's been told from day one that she's gifted and smart, but she wants no part of it. She just wants to do her thing and be on her own. And she pretty much is, but not necessarily by choice, as we come to learn.
Artemis is a small community. Made up of domes named after famous astronauts. And the domes are divided, somewhat, by class. Jazz doesn't live in the worst, but she doesn't live in the best either. Her living quarters, all she can currently afford, are little more than a cubby with a bunk and a little storage space. Her dream is to save up enough to buy a place that'll allow her the privacy of her own bathroom!
Which is why she takes on a job that's highly illegal and definitely dangerous. And while Jazz is a bit reckless, she was spunky and snarky, the kind of character I most enjoy!
Artemis is fun - high stakes, lots of action, and the same super accessible hard sci fi as The Martian. I read it in one sitting, quite happily. At least until it was done and I realized I'd have to wait that much longer for another read from Andy Weir. Ah, the plight of a book junkie!
Jazz Bashara lives on the moon. She wasn't born there, children under a certain age aren't allowed to live on the moon because it affects their development, but she's lived there most of her life. And she owns the place! Not literally, but she knows all the nooks and crannies and is one of the top smugglers in Artemis. She can get you pretty much anything you need. Which is how she ends up getting tangled up in a job that's much bigger than anything Jazz could ever have imagined. Now, with people gunning for her on all sides, she'll have to execute a masterful crime in order to set things right and save her own skin!
I loved Jazz! She's a little different from Mark Watney, but probably just as smart. She doesn't have the discipline, that's for sure. She does know how to think her way out of a problem, though, so they have that in common.
Jazz is a troublemaker. She's been told from day one that she's gifted and smart, but she wants no part of it. She just wants to do her thing and be on her own. And she pretty much is, but not necessarily by choice, as we come to learn.
Artemis is a small community. Made up of domes named after famous astronauts. And the domes are divided, somewhat, by class. Jazz doesn't live in the worst, but she doesn't live in the best either. Her living quarters, all she can currently afford, are little more than a cubby with a bunk and a little storage space. Her dream is to save up enough to buy a place that'll allow her the privacy of her own bathroom!
Which is why she takes on a job that's highly illegal and definitely dangerous. And while Jazz is a bit reckless, she was spunky and snarky, the kind of character I most enjoy!
Artemis is fun - high stakes, lots of action, and the same super accessible hard sci fi as The Martian. I read it in one sitting, quite happily. At least until it was done and I realized I'd have to wait that much longer for another read from Andy Weir. Ah, the plight of a book junkie!
Sunday, November 12, 2017
New Releases 11/14/17
Some of the new titles hitting shelves this week are:
Artemis by Andy Weir
Into the Drowning Deep by Mira Grant
Future Home of the Living God by Louise Erdrich
City of Brass by S. A. Chakraborty
The Paris Secret by Karen Swan
Creatures of Will & Temper by Molly Tanzer
After the End of the World by Jonathan L. Howard
The Library at the Edge of the World by Felicity Hayes-McCoy
End Game by David Baldacci
Oathbringer by Brandon Sanderson
The Woman in the Camphor Trunk by Jennifer Kincheloe
Beasts of Extraordinary Circumstance by Ruth Emma Lang
Fragments of the Lost by Megan Miranda
Goldeline by Jimmy Cajoleas
Whichwood by Tahereh Mafi
New on DVD:
Wind River
Atomic Blonde
Artemis by Andy Weir
Into the Drowning Deep by Mira Grant
Future Home of the Living God by Louise Erdrich
City of Brass by S. A. Chakraborty
The Paris Secret by Karen Swan
Creatures of Will & Temper by Molly Tanzer
After the End of the World by Jonathan L. Howard
The Library at the Edge of the World by Felicity Hayes-McCoy
End Game by David Baldacci
Oathbringer by Brandon Sanderson
The Woman in the Camphor Trunk by Jennifer Kincheloe
Beasts of Extraordinary Circumstance by Ruth Emma Lang
Fragments of the Lost by Megan Miranda
Goldeline by Jimmy Cajoleas
Whichwood by Tahereh Mafi
New on DVD:
Wind River
Atomic Blonde
Thursday, November 9, 2017
The Power by Naomi Alderman
Imagine if our history was different. If women held power rather than men. If matriarchal societies were the norm and men were viewed as the nurturing caregivers. Naomi Alderman has done just that, imagined a world where an event flips the current hierarchy as we know it making men vulnerable and leaving women in control.
Roxy was one of the first. Two men came for her mother - Roxy wasn't supposed to be home. And while Roxy hid, something blossomed inside her. Something she could use against the men to save her mother.
Allie, orphaned and left at the mercy of a family who never should have had a child, uses her power to free herself. Guided by the voice in her head, she makes her way to a safe place - a place where her own voice becomes a guiding light for other girls just like her.
Margot is one of the first who learns that the young ones can pass it on, awakening it in older women. She keeps her power secret even as her own daughter struggles to control the unpredictable ebb and flow of electricity that runs through her. Margot can't let her own talent slip, she's in a position to effect real change, but only as long as she isn't viewed as a threat.
And then there's Tunde. On break from college when a girl uses the power on him. When he next witnesses it, during an incident at the grocery store, he catches it on camera and becomes one of the leading names documenting the shocking events now taking place all over the world.
Each of their stories intertwines, telling a story within a story. A "fictional" take on how Neil and Naomi's world came to be. And even as Naomi has trouble imagining a time when men were soldiers and maybe even rulers, Neil stands by his story.
Naomi Alderman is a co-creator and writer of Zombies, Run!, which is actually what first caught my eye with regards to The Power. That and comparisons to The Handmaid's Tale, amongst other accolades.
It's an interesting statement piece. A book within a book and set in a world that's the opposite of the one we currently inhabit. And it begins with "Naomi" stating that a world where men were in charge would surely be a more peaceful one!
Certainly the world in The Power is not a peaceful one by any means. The power itself awakens in women and proves to be tied to a skein along their collarbones. And while a small number of women never develop the power, the majority do and use it to enact change. And yet, Alderman's story is one where power itself is the big bad. Regardless of who has it, it's twisted and turned until the very forces fighting against corruption become corrupt themselves.
It's a dark story, to be sure, and a pretty brutally violent one as well. And things don't necessarily come to a nice neat ending for any of our main characters. But it's also a powerful and thought provoking read as well, one that's earned Alderman heaps of praise so far. (It's been out for some time but was just released in October here in the States.)
I actually listened to this one in its entirety on audio. Overall I think the main narrator, Adjoah Andoh, did a pretty good job, affecting different accents and tones for each of the varying characters. (If you're an avid audiobook listener, Andoh also reads Chimamandah Ngozi Adichie's Americanah and Ann Leckie's books, amongst others.) There were also fun audio guide outtakes from the museum of cataclysmic history.
Roxy was one of the first. Two men came for her mother - Roxy wasn't supposed to be home. And while Roxy hid, something blossomed inside her. Something she could use against the men to save her mother.
Allie, orphaned and left at the mercy of a family who never should have had a child, uses her power to free herself. Guided by the voice in her head, she makes her way to a safe place - a place where her own voice becomes a guiding light for other girls just like her.
Margot is one of the first who learns that the young ones can pass it on, awakening it in older women. She keeps her power secret even as her own daughter struggles to control the unpredictable ebb and flow of electricity that runs through her. Margot can't let her own talent slip, she's in a position to effect real change, but only as long as she isn't viewed as a threat.
And then there's Tunde. On break from college when a girl uses the power on him. When he next witnesses it, during an incident at the grocery store, he catches it on camera and becomes one of the leading names documenting the shocking events now taking place all over the world.
Each of their stories intertwines, telling a story within a story. A "fictional" take on how Neil and Naomi's world came to be. And even as Naomi has trouble imagining a time when men were soldiers and maybe even rulers, Neil stands by his story.
Naomi Alderman is a co-creator and writer of Zombies, Run!, which is actually what first caught my eye with regards to The Power. That and comparisons to The Handmaid's Tale, amongst other accolades.
It's an interesting statement piece. A book within a book and set in a world that's the opposite of the one we currently inhabit. And it begins with "Naomi" stating that a world where men were in charge would surely be a more peaceful one!
Certainly the world in The Power is not a peaceful one by any means. The power itself awakens in women and proves to be tied to a skein along their collarbones. And while a small number of women never develop the power, the majority do and use it to enact change. And yet, Alderman's story is one where power itself is the big bad. Regardless of who has it, it's twisted and turned until the very forces fighting against corruption become corrupt themselves.
It's a dark story, to be sure, and a pretty brutally violent one as well. And things don't necessarily come to a nice neat ending for any of our main characters. But it's also a powerful and thought provoking read as well, one that's earned Alderman heaps of praise so far. (It's been out for some time but was just released in October here in the States.)
I actually listened to this one in its entirety on audio. Overall I think the main narrator, Adjoah Andoh, did a pretty good job, affecting different accents and tones for each of the varying characters. (If you're an avid audiobook listener, Andoh also reads Chimamandah Ngozi Adichie's Americanah and Ann Leckie's books, amongst others.) There were also fun audio guide outtakes from the museum of cataclysmic history.
Wednesday, November 8, 2017
The Fifth Petal by Brunonia Barry
In 1989, Salem was the site of a horrendous crime. It was Halloween and three women were brutally murdered, left in the same location the bodies of the accused witches were left all those centuries ago. There was a suspect, a woman found walking Salem's streets seemingly out of her mind. There was also a survivor - a little girl, the daughter of one of the victims.
Today the crime is still unsolved. But the crime is never far from peoples' thoughts. And when the suspect in that very same case is accused of murder once again, it's all the local police chief can do to keep a woman he knows is innocent out of prison. Things are further complicated with the girl who survived, now grown, returns to town. The spitting image of her dead mother, it's only a matter of time before the real killer realizes who she is.
Brunonia Barry's latest absolutely screams fall. Of course it should, it begins in Halloween. But the atmosphere she's built throughout the story is all cool breezes, crackling leaves, and the scent of cider!
Rose Whelan was a respected historian in Salem until that Halloween in 1989. She and three other women went down to the place the bodies were left after the Salem witch trials to consecrate the grounds. Note, it's not the final resting place. Apparently all the bodies disappeared shortly after their execution. Rose's one goal was and has been to identify the hanging tree from those very trials. A tree, not a gallows, and a location very much different from the one history says it is. But the events of that night have left her a literal shell of the woman she once was, rambling about banshees and death.
Callie remembers the night her mother was murdered, but she was just a child. She was told, in the wake of the event, that Rose had died. And so she had no reason to return to Salem at all until Rose is accused of murder once again. It's the news report of the incident that reveals the fact that Rose is still alive!
And so Callie returns to Salem. Callie has a touch of mysticism about her, so she fits right in. Especially amongst the women at Towner Whitney's tearoom. But Towner's husband, the local police chief, worries that too many people knowing Callie's true identity could be a real danger to the woman. He knows Rose Whelan is no killer, but he also knows that the fact she's been a scapegoat for so long has clearly made whoever did the killing comfortable in knowing they'll never get caught.
As Halloween turns to Thanksgiving and beyond, the town is in an uproar over Rose. Which means tensions are getting pretty high in Salem. Barry builds that suspense quietly, giving readers a chance to get to know the characters and ease into the story. There's always an underlying worry about the inevitable end of the story, but it creeps throughout rather than overwhelming the tale.
The attention to Salem history and the characters themselves is something I really appreciated in this one. And again, that atmosphere. I could almost taste the tea at Towner's tea room! It all makes for a compelling read and a great mystery, that's for sure!
If you're familiar with Barry's work, you'll see some familiar faces within the pages of her latest. Zee Finch of Map of True Places is Rose Whelan's (the accused woman) therapist and of course there's Towner Whitney of The Lace Reader. The Fifth Petal is, however, a complete stand alone. It's my understanding, too, that Barry's next book will actually take place prior to The Fifth Petal in the Salem timeline.
Today the crime is still unsolved. But the crime is never far from peoples' thoughts. And when the suspect in that very same case is accused of murder once again, it's all the local police chief can do to keep a woman he knows is innocent out of prison. Things are further complicated with the girl who survived, now grown, returns to town. The spitting image of her dead mother, it's only a matter of time before the real killer realizes who she is.
Brunonia Barry's latest absolutely screams fall. Of course it should, it begins in Halloween. But the atmosphere she's built throughout the story is all cool breezes, crackling leaves, and the scent of cider!
Rose Whelan was a respected historian in Salem until that Halloween in 1989. She and three other women went down to the place the bodies were left after the Salem witch trials to consecrate the grounds. Note, it's not the final resting place. Apparently all the bodies disappeared shortly after their execution. Rose's one goal was and has been to identify the hanging tree from those very trials. A tree, not a gallows, and a location very much different from the one history says it is. But the events of that night have left her a literal shell of the woman she once was, rambling about banshees and death.
Callie remembers the night her mother was murdered, but she was just a child. She was told, in the wake of the event, that Rose had died. And so she had no reason to return to Salem at all until Rose is accused of murder once again. It's the news report of the incident that reveals the fact that Rose is still alive!
And so Callie returns to Salem. Callie has a touch of mysticism about her, so she fits right in. Especially amongst the women at Towner Whitney's tearoom. But Towner's husband, the local police chief, worries that too many people knowing Callie's true identity could be a real danger to the woman. He knows Rose Whelan is no killer, but he also knows that the fact she's been a scapegoat for so long has clearly made whoever did the killing comfortable in knowing they'll never get caught.
As Halloween turns to Thanksgiving and beyond, the town is in an uproar over Rose. Which means tensions are getting pretty high in Salem. Barry builds that suspense quietly, giving readers a chance to get to know the characters and ease into the story. There's always an underlying worry about the inevitable end of the story, but it creeps throughout rather than overwhelming the tale.
The attention to Salem history and the characters themselves is something I really appreciated in this one. And again, that atmosphere. I could almost taste the tea at Towner's tea room! It all makes for a compelling read and a great mystery, that's for sure!
If you're familiar with Barry's work, you'll see some familiar faces within the pages of her latest. Zee Finch of Map of True Places is Rose Whelan's (the accused woman) therapist and of course there's Towner Whitney of The Lace Reader. The Fifth Petal is, however, a complete stand alone. It's my understanding, too, that Barry's next book will actually take place prior to The Fifth Petal in the Salem timeline.
Tuesday, November 7, 2017
Bonfire by Krysten Ritter
I think every book person longs for those reads that are so fantastic that you just have to tell everyone about it. A book so good you have to shout it from the rooftops! Krysten Ritter's debut, Bonfire, was one of those books for me.
First off yes, that Krysten Ritter. Known for her roles on Jessica Jones, Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23, and (my favorite) Veronica Mars. And given I'm a fan, Bonfire made my must have list as soon as it was announced. And while I hoped, as is the case with any book, that I would like it, it turns out I actually quite adored it!
Abby Williams left Barrens, Indiana after graduation and never planned to return. But, ten years later, working as an environmental lawyer, she finds Barrens calling her home once again.
Optimal Plastics took a dying town and breathed new life into it. They've given money for new additions to the local school, for a brand new community center, and, of course, employ a massive number of locals. But when a farmer complains that his crops are suffering because of tainted water, he places the blame right at the feet of Optimal. And his isn't the only complaint. Which is where Abby and her team come in.
For Abby, though, it's much more than just the current claims against Optimal. When Abby was a senior, a fellow group of classmates began exhibiting strange symptoms. In the end, the girls responsible convinced everyone it was all fake, but the leader of the so called prank disappeared shortly after. Abby always wondered what happened to Kaycee Mitchell, but returning to Barrens has turned that wondering into obsession. Especially when she convinces herself Kaycee might have been telling the truth about her illness and that Optimal could have been the cause.
Bonfire is a great mystery but it's more than that too. It's a story about a girl facing her past.
Abby wasn't popular. She was actually bullied by Kaycee Mitchell and her friends, which is part of the reason she left in the first place. But her home life wasn't great either and her drive as a lawyer is at odds with her almost overwhelming desire to avoid her father at all cost.
So she's there for work, and it's not an easy job investigating a company that can basically do no wrong in the eyes of most of the community, she's reunited with the very people she didn't get along with in school, and avoiding her father is out of the question. We soon learn, too, that Abby turns to the bottle a little too quickly when under stress - and returning the Barrens is nothing but!
And that's all in the beginning of the book. As we get deeper into the story, we learn much more about the town Abby grew up in and the secrets that have been buried there for so long.
Bonfire is an abandon everything read. A book that sucks you in and demands that you finish it in as few sittings as possible. I know, because I would have finished in one sitting but obligations tore me away! So it took me two sittings. But don't think it wasn't on my mind every second I was away from it! Ritter's story invaded my brain and actually hasn't left it. And now I want all of you to read it and love it too!
First off yes, that Krysten Ritter. Known for her roles on Jessica Jones, Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23, and (my favorite) Veronica Mars. And given I'm a fan, Bonfire made my must have list as soon as it was announced. And while I hoped, as is the case with any book, that I would like it, it turns out I actually quite adored it!
Abby Williams left Barrens, Indiana after graduation and never planned to return. But, ten years later, working as an environmental lawyer, she finds Barrens calling her home once again.
Optimal Plastics took a dying town and breathed new life into it. They've given money for new additions to the local school, for a brand new community center, and, of course, employ a massive number of locals. But when a farmer complains that his crops are suffering because of tainted water, he places the blame right at the feet of Optimal. And his isn't the only complaint. Which is where Abby and her team come in.
For Abby, though, it's much more than just the current claims against Optimal. When Abby was a senior, a fellow group of classmates began exhibiting strange symptoms. In the end, the girls responsible convinced everyone it was all fake, but the leader of the so called prank disappeared shortly after. Abby always wondered what happened to Kaycee Mitchell, but returning to Barrens has turned that wondering into obsession. Especially when she convinces herself Kaycee might have been telling the truth about her illness and that Optimal could have been the cause.
Bonfire is a great mystery but it's more than that too. It's a story about a girl facing her past.
Abby wasn't popular. She was actually bullied by Kaycee Mitchell and her friends, which is part of the reason she left in the first place. But her home life wasn't great either and her drive as a lawyer is at odds with her almost overwhelming desire to avoid her father at all cost.
So she's there for work, and it's not an easy job investigating a company that can basically do no wrong in the eyes of most of the community, she's reunited with the very people she didn't get along with in school, and avoiding her father is out of the question. We soon learn, too, that Abby turns to the bottle a little too quickly when under stress - and returning the Barrens is nothing but!
And that's all in the beginning of the book. As we get deeper into the story, we learn much more about the town Abby grew up in and the secrets that have been buried there for so long.
Bonfire is an abandon everything read. A book that sucks you in and demands that you finish it in as few sittings as possible. I know, because I would have finished in one sitting but obligations tore me away! So it took me two sittings. But don't think it wasn't on my mind every second I was away from it! Ritter's story invaded my brain and actually hasn't left it. And now I want all of you to read it and love it too!
Monday, November 6, 2017
The Wife Between Us by Greer Hendricks & Sara Pekkanen
Good morning, readers! Today I have a special treat for you, I'm part of an early blog tour for the upcoming thriller, The Wife Between Us by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen.
Nellie is about to be married and couldn't be happier. Richard is everything she's ever wanted in a man. He's kind and caring, and soon he'll be her husband. But the nagging feeling that she's being watched won't go away.
Vanessa loves Richard in spite of their divorce. And she's tried to move on. She's living with her aunt and has even started a new job. But when she hears that she's been replaced, she won't sit idly by.
First off, this book isn't what you think it is. And that's half the fun!
Nellie is a preschool teacher who is looking forward to marriage. Richard is older, but the age difference doesn't matter, they love one another and Nellie is certain they'll be happy together.
Vanessa is a broken woman. She can't believe her husband is already getting married again and it's affecting her deeply. She drinks, she misses work, she becomes obsessed with ensuring this new marriage doesn't happen.
Hendricks and Pekkanen have created a seamlessly woven thriller full of unexpected twists. And each one came as a complete surprise! And that's in spite of my efforts throughout the book to predict exactly what each twist was going to be and when it was going to hit.
This is a book I definitely don't want to give away too much about. Like I said, the twists are half the fun. Know this, though, The Wife Between Us is a whiplash paced read that you'll absolutely gobble up. Once you start, there's pretty much no setting it down until you get to the end and find out the truth about the story!
The Wife Between Us is due out January 9 from St. Martins.
Nellie is about to be married and couldn't be happier. Richard is everything she's ever wanted in a man. He's kind and caring, and soon he'll be her husband. But the nagging feeling that she's being watched won't go away.
Vanessa loves Richard in spite of their divorce. And she's tried to move on. She's living with her aunt and has even started a new job. But when she hears that she's been replaced, she won't sit idly by.
First off, this book isn't what you think it is. And that's half the fun!
Nellie is a preschool teacher who is looking forward to marriage. Richard is older, but the age difference doesn't matter, they love one another and Nellie is certain they'll be happy together.
Vanessa is a broken woman. She can't believe her husband is already getting married again and it's affecting her deeply. She drinks, she misses work, she becomes obsessed with ensuring this new marriage doesn't happen.
Hendricks and Pekkanen have created a seamlessly woven thriller full of unexpected twists. And each one came as a complete surprise! And that's in spite of my efforts throughout the book to predict exactly what each twist was going to be and when it was going to hit.
This is a book I definitely don't want to give away too much about. Like I said, the twists are half the fun. Know this, though, The Wife Between Us is a whiplash paced read that you'll absolutely gobble up. Once you start, there's pretty much no setting it down until you get to the end and find out the truth about the story!
The Wife Between Us is due out January 9 from St. Martins.
Sunday, November 5, 2017
New Releases 11/7/17
Some of the new titles hitting shelves this week are:
Bonfire by Krysten Ritter
The Missing by C. L. Taylor
Overneath by Peter S. Beagle
Jade City by Fonda Lee
Mrs. Osmond by John Banville
The Revolution of Marina M. by Janet Fitch
The House of Unexpected Sisters by Alexander McCall Smith
Wonder Valley by Ivy Pochoda
The Midnight Line by Lee Child
The End We Start From by Megan Hunter
Beasts of Extraordinary Circumstance by Ruth Emmie Lang
Follow Me by Sara Shepard
Retribution Rails by Erin Bowman
This Mortal Coil by Emily Suvuda
Devil in Ohio by Daria Polatin
The Becoming of Noah Shaw by Michelle Hodkin
Eight Days on Planet Earth by Cat Jordan
Renegades by Marissa Meyer
The Speaker by Traci Chee
New on DVD:
Ingrid Goes West
Cars 3
The Glass Castle
Bonfire by Krysten Ritter
The Missing by C. L. Taylor
Overneath by Peter S. Beagle
Jade City by Fonda Lee
Mrs. Osmond by John Banville
The Revolution of Marina M. by Janet Fitch
The House of Unexpected Sisters by Alexander McCall Smith
Wonder Valley by Ivy Pochoda
The Midnight Line by Lee Child
The End We Start From by Megan Hunter
Beasts of Extraordinary Circumstance by Ruth Emmie Lang
Follow Me by Sara Shepard
Retribution Rails by Erin Bowman
This Mortal Coil by Emily Suvuda
Devil in Ohio by Daria Polatin
The Becoming of Noah Shaw by Michelle Hodkin
Eight Days on Planet Earth by Cat Jordan
Renegades by Marissa Meyer
The Speaker by Traci Chee
New on DVD:
Ingrid Goes West
Cars 3
The Glass Castle
Wednesday, November 1, 2017
Sci Fi Month!
You guys, I didn't know Sci Fi month was a thing! And it's definitely a thing I need right at this moment. I was literally trying to pick my latest read last night and pondering over multiple SF reads. I figured whichever one I picked (Artemis, with the help of some votes) it would kick off a sci fi binge - and now I have the perfect excuse.
Sci Fi month is being hosted by Lisa and Imyril - you can find the sign up page at the link I've provided for Imyril. And I found out about it thanks to Tammy at BooksBonesBuffy.
As I mentioned, I'm starting the month with Andy Weir's latest, Artemis. I also have An Unkindness of Ghosts by Rivers Solomon, some Expanse titles to get through (in anticipation of the upcoming release of Persepolis Rising in December), and a slew of other possibilities this month.
I do have some non sci fi related scheduled posts this month as well, but it will be overwhelmingly science fiction up in here this month and I'm super stoked!
A few lists to get you started if you want to read along:
This list courtesy of Annalee Newitz and arstechnica is a smorgasbord of science fiction she says will get you through the holidays! (I have most of these on hand and will be reading through them for sure!)
This list from the Verge is a mix of science fiction and fantasy they say you should read in November.
Oh, and there's an official Twitter account, @scifimonth, to follow along as well!
Sunday, October 29, 2017
New Releases 10/31/17
Some of the new titles hitting shelves this week are:
The Usual Santas ed by Peter Lovesey
The Trouble with Twelfth Grave by Darynda Jones
Two Kinds of Truth by Michael Connelly
The Dark Intercept by Julia Keller
Hiddensee by Gregory Maguire
Alone by Cyn Balog
Otherworld by Jason Segel & Kirsten Miller
Beasts Made of Night by Tochi Onyebuchi
The Empress by S.J. Kincaid
New on DVD:
The Dark Tower
Kidnap
The Usual Santas ed by Peter Lovesey
The Trouble with Twelfth Grave by Darynda Jones
Two Kinds of Truth by Michael Connelly
The Dark Intercept by Julia Keller
Hiddensee by Gregory Maguire
Alone by Cyn Balog
Otherworld by Jason Segel & Kirsten Miller
Beasts Made of Night by Tochi Onyebuchi
The Empress by S.J. Kincaid
New on DVD:
The Dark Tower
Kidnap
Thursday, October 26, 2017
Start Without Me by Joshua Max Feldman
It's Thursday, y'all!
Today I'm a stop on the TLC blog tour for Joshua Max Feldman's Start Without Me.
Adam is pretty fresh out of rehab and visiting home for the first time in quite a while. In truth, it's the first time he's even been invited home in a year. It's Thanksgiving and, as it turns out, the pressure of the holiday is almost too much for him to handle. Which is why he bails.
Marissa has just arrived on a flight from Seattle. A flight attendant whose job is a bitter point of contention between herself and her husband, she's supposed to pick up and drive to her in-laws' for the holiday. But she's less than enthused. More so when she discovers she's pregnant - and the baby isn't her husband's.
Adam and Marissa cross paths at an airport restaurant - Adam determined to return to San Francisco and put the barely missed disastrous holiday behind him and Marissa stalling as long as she can before driving to Vermont. Their fateful meeting brings them together as they both struggle with expectations and suspected disappointments they both feel are inevitable.
Thanksgiving is such a strange holiday. Like Christmas, it's a holiday that comes with a lot of built up pressure and potential anxiety. Depending on your situation, like our characters, you may have waited all year to reconnect with extended family over turkey and fixings. But it's like the ice breaker considering Christmas falls just one month later.
For Adam, as mentioned, it's his first time home for some time. He's sober and has given up his career as a musician in exchange for a safer, more controllable job at a bank. It's a life of order and routine, which is what he needs to keep from falling back into drinking.
Marissa doesn't have much of a relationship with her own mother, something we learn more about as the story progresses. And her relationship with her husband and her in-laws is tense. In fact, as we meet her she's receiving an apology text from her husband regarding an argument they'd been having when she left for her last flight. An argument it turns out her husband has gone over with his own mother, who just happens to be a divorce attorney. Try unpacking all that baggage!
At the outset, it seems almost strange that Adam and Marissa would connect, and yet it doesn't. Neither wants to be alone with their problems, even if they wouldn't admit it to themselves. And both of them need a shoulder to cry on, or just another set of ears to hear them out.
Start Without Me takes place over the course of just one day, making the read both quick and propulsive. And in spite of what my synopsis might lead you to believe, it's not a particularly heavy book. Instead, it's a book that's easy to sink into and incredibly easy to relate to. No, I've not been where either Adam or Marissa are, but in each of them Feldman has created a character that feels intensely real, making it easy to sympathize with them and want to see their story through.
To see more stops on the tour be sure to check out the official TLC tour page here.
For more on Joshua Max Feldman and his work you can visit his website here. You can also like him on Facebook and follow him on Twitter.
Purchase Links: HarperCollins | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
Today I'm a stop on the TLC blog tour for Joshua Max Feldman's Start Without Me.
Adam is pretty fresh out of rehab and visiting home for the first time in quite a while. In truth, it's the first time he's even been invited home in a year. It's Thanksgiving and, as it turns out, the pressure of the holiday is almost too much for him to handle. Which is why he bails.
Marissa has just arrived on a flight from Seattle. A flight attendant whose job is a bitter point of contention between herself and her husband, she's supposed to pick up and drive to her in-laws' for the holiday. But she's less than enthused. More so when she discovers she's pregnant - and the baby isn't her husband's.
Adam and Marissa cross paths at an airport restaurant - Adam determined to return to San Francisco and put the barely missed disastrous holiday behind him and Marissa stalling as long as she can before driving to Vermont. Their fateful meeting brings them together as they both struggle with expectations and suspected disappointments they both feel are inevitable.
Thanksgiving is such a strange holiday. Like Christmas, it's a holiday that comes with a lot of built up pressure and potential anxiety. Depending on your situation, like our characters, you may have waited all year to reconnect with extended family over turkey and fixings. But it's like the ice breaker considering Christmas falls just one month later.
For Adam, as mentioned, it's his first time home for some time. He's sober and has given up his career as a musician in exchange for a safer, more controllable job at a bank. It's a life of order and routine, which is what he needs to keep from falling back into drinking.
Marissa doesn't have much of a relationship with her own mother, something we learn more about as the story progresses. And her relationship with her husband and her in-laws is tense. In fact, as we meet her she's receiving an apology text from her husband regarding an argument they'd been having when she left for her last flight. An argument it turns out her husband has gone over with his own mother, who just happens to be a divorce attorney. Try unpacking all that baggage!
At the outset, it seems almost strange that Adam and Marissa would connect, and yet it doesn't. Neither wants to be alone with their problems, even if they wouldn't admit it to themselves. And both of them need a shoulder to cry on, or just another set of ears to hear them out.
Start Without Me takes place over the course of just one day, making the read both quick and propulsive. And in spite of what my synopsis might lead you to believe, it's not a particularly heavy book. Instead, it's a book that's easy to sink into and incredibly easy to relate to. No, I've not been where either Adam or Marissa are, but in each of them Feldman has created a character that feels intensely real, making it easy to sympathize with them and want to see their story through.
To see more stops on the tour be sure to check out the official TLC tour page here.
For more on Joshua Max Feldman and his work you can visit his website here. You can also like him on Facebook and follow him on Twitter.
Purchase Links: HarperCollins | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
Wednesday, October 25, 2017
Queso!: Regional Recipes for the World's Favorite Chile-Cheese Dip by Lisa Fain
Readers, you may wonder if you (or I) need a cookbook full of cheese dip recipes. I would have to say yes. But then again, I'm a bit of a queso fiend!
Lisa Fain, aka the Homesick Texan, has a brand spanking new cookbook out and it's devoted entirely to the ooey gooey goodness that is queso. Cheesy, meaty, and even vegan, Fain's cookbook has it all.
It's interesting, and maybe a little eye opening, to realize that queso as I know it is such a Tex-Mex thing. Fain talks about moving from Texas to New York and discovering that the prevalence of even the basics for making queso were much less abundant in NYC in those days. It's also interesting to learn that there really is so much variation in the dish when traveling from region to region, even within Texas itself. And Fain explores all of those varieties!
The book begins with a breakdown of the basics - chiles and cheese and the abundance of difference choices between the two. Fain then jumps into a history of the dish, outlining some of the earliest references and recipes.
The recipes range from, as I mentioned, traditional cheese, tomato, and peppers variety akin to the Ro-Tel we all know and love - thanks to Lady Bird Johnson herself (though Fain notes the Johnson recipe calls for cheddar, which doesn't quite melt the way you want for true queso - and her note on that recipe makes sense as well) - to runnier saucier versions (the Arkansa Cheese Dip, for example). There are also thicker varieties like the Van Horn Chile Con Queso, which called for Muenster cheese, and Queso Fundido with Squash Blossoms.
There's a whole chapter on quirky quesos that includes the likes of Austin-Style Vegan Queso (for those who can't eat cheese and miss the wondrous concoction), a Chilled Chile Con Queso with Avocado (courtesy of an El Paso Junior League cookbook that calls for cottage cheese!), and even an Indian Queso with Jalapeño Chutney.
There are quesos with meat in them too. Like the Choriqueso with chorizo mixed in, Queso with Beef Picadillo, and Boudin Queso that even has a recipe for homemade boudin (which I've not tried because we have ours shipped home from Louisiana).
In addition to the queso, there are accompaniments as well - Tortilla Chips and Puff Tostadas (which are AMAZING with queso), homemade Pickled Jalapeños, which you need to make the bean dip part of the Bean Dip Queso, and Chile Jam (aka Pepper Jelly) for a surprising Green Chile & Cream Cheese Ice Cream Sundaes recipe. And then there are recipes for using the queso!
In the time since I got my hands on a copy, I've tried at least half a dozen varieties. My garden this summer produced just enough poblanos, anaheims, and jalapeños that it made sense to try a new recipe just about every weekend - I mean, I had to spread them out so I didn't catch too much flak for eating cheese dip every day. I totally would have otherwise :) The Damn Good Queso which claims to be a copycat version of a taco joint's famous queso and includes recipes for both a Green Chile Salsa Verde, Guacamole, and Fiery Red Salsa (which is amazing by itself too) is in my top two. Amazingly, or not, my favorite one so far is the queso base for the Bean Dip Queso!
Whether you're a fan of the traditional tailgating variety we all know and love or queso fundido. Whether you like yours spicy or mild. And whether you prefer it with meat, veggies, seafood, or straight up cheese only, Fain has something for you.
There are, if you're interested, a few recipes out in the wild that you can try. Fain herself has shared the Chili Parlor Queso on her blog. You can also check out this Houston Chronicle article, which includes four recipes!
Lisa Fain, aka the Homesick Texan, has a brand spanking new cookbook out and it's devoted entirely to the ooey gooey goodness that is queso. Cheesy, meaty, and even vegan, Fain's cookbook has it all.
It's interesting, and maybe a little eye opening, to realize that queso as I know it is such a Tex-Mex thing. Fain talks about moving from Texas to New York and discovering that the prevalence of even the basics for making queso were much less abundant in NYC in those days. It's also interesting to learn that there really is so much variation in the dish when traveling from region to region, even within Texas itself. And Fain explores all of those varieties!
The book begins with a breakdown of the basics - chiles and cheese and the abundance of difference choices between the two. Fain then jumps into a history of the dish, outlining some of the earliest references and recipes.
The recipes range from, as I mentioned, traditional cheese, tomato, and peppers variety akin to the Ro-Tel we all know and love - thanks to Lady Bird Johnson herself (though Fain notes the Johnson recipe calls for cheddar, which doesn't quite melt the way you want for true queso - and her note on that recipe makes sense as well) - to runnier saucier versions (the Arkansa Cheese Dip, for example). There are also thicker varieties like the Van Horn Chile Con Queso, which called for Muenster cheese, and Queso Fundido with Squash Blossoms.
There's a whole chapter on quirky quesos that includes the likes of Austin-Style Vegan Queso (for those who can't eat cheese and miss the wondrous concoction), a Chilled Chile Con Queso with Avocado (courtesy of an El Paso Junior League cookbook that calls for cottage cheese!), and even an Indian Queso with Jalapeño Chutney.
There are quesos with meat in them too. Like the Choriqueso with chorizo mixed in, Queso with Beef Picadillo, and Boudin Queso that even has a recipe for homemade boudin (which I've not tried because we have ours shipped home from Louisiana).
In addition to the queso, there are accompaniments as well - Tortilla Chips and Puff Tostadas (which are AMAZING with queso), homemade Pickled Jalapeños, which you need to make the bean dip part of the Bean Dip Queso, and Chile Jam (aka Pepper Jelly) for a surprising Green Chile & Cream Cheese Ice Cream Sundaes recipe. And then there are recipes for using the queso!
In the time since I got my hands on a copy, I've tried at least half a dozen varieties. My garden this summer produced just enough poblanos, anaheims, and jalapeños that it made sense to try a new recipe just about every weekend - I mean, I had to spread them out so I didn't catch too much flak for eating cheese dip every day. I totally would have otherwise :) The Damn Good Queso which claims to be a copycat version of a taco joint's famous queso and includes recipes for both a Green Chile Salsa Verde, Guacamole, and Fiery Red Salsa (which is amazing by itself too) is in my top two. Amazingly, or not, my favorite one so far is the queso base for the Bean Dip Queso!
Whether you're a fan of the traditional tailgating variety we all know and love or queso fundido. Whether you like yours spicy or mild. And whether you prefer it with meat, veggies, seafood, or straight up cheese only, Fain has something for you.
There are, if you're interested, a few recipes out in the wild that you can try. Fain herself has shared the Chili Parlor Queso on her blog. You can also check out this Houston Chronicle article, which includes four recipes!
Tuesday, October 24, 2017
Spotlight: Lilac Lane by Sherry Woods
Good morning, readers! Today I'm a stop on the TLC blog tour for Sherryl Woods's latest with a spotlight on Lilac Lane.
Here's a bit about Lilac Lane from Goodreads:
At the heart of Lilac Lane is Keira Malone, who raised her three children alone after her first marriage broke apart, and who, after years of guarding her heart, finally finds love again. But that love is short-lived when her fiancĂ© suffers a fatal heart attack. Grieving and unsure of what’s next, Keira agrees to move from Dublin to Chesapeake Shores, Maryland, to spend time with her daughter, Moira, and her new granddaughter, Kate, as well as to help her son-in-law, Luke, with his Irish pub, O’Briens
Not wanting to live underfoot, she rents a charming cottage on Lilac Lane, replete with views of the ocean and her neighbor’s thriving garden—not to mention views of the neighbor himself. The neighbor is none other than Bryan Laramie, the brusque and moody chef at the pub, with whom Keira is constantly butting heads. But things get real when Bryan’s long-lost daughter, whom he hasn’t seen since she was a baby, shows up out of the blue. As Bryan and Keira each delve into their pasts, reopening wounds, the rest of the town is gearing up for the Fall Festival Irish Stew cook-off, and making no bones about whose side they’re on. It’s Kitchen Wars meets This is Your Life—a recipe for disaster…or a new take on love?
You won’t want to miss this epic return to Chesapeake Shores, a place we’re betting you’ll want to stay forever.
Here's a bit about Lilac Lane from Goodreads:
At the heart of Lilac Lane is Keira Malone, who raised her three children alone after her first marriage broke apart, and who, after years of guarding her heart, finally finds love again. But that love is short-lived when her fiancĂ© suffers a fatal heart attack. Grieving and unsure of what’s next, Keira agrees to move from Dublin to Chesapeake Shores, Maryland, to spend time with her daughter, Moira, and her new granddaughter, Kate, as well as to help her son-in-law, Luke, with his Irish pub, O’Briens
Not wanting to live underfoot, she rents a charming cottage on Lilac Lane, replete with views of the ocean and her neighbor’s thriving garden—not to mention views of the neighbor himself. The neighbor is none other than Bryan Laramie, the brusque and moody chef at the pub, with whom Keira is constantly butting heads. But things get real when Bryan’s long-lost daughter, whom he hasn’t seen since she was a baby, shows up out of the blue. As Bryan and Keira each delve into their pasts, reopening wounds, the rest of the town is gearing up for the Fall Festival Irish Stew cook-off, and making no bones about whose side they’re on. It’s Kitchen Wars meets This is Your Life—a recipe for disaster…or a new take on love?
You won’t want to miss this epic return to Chesapeake Shores, a place we’re betting you’ll want to stay forever.
This is the fourteenth book in Woods's beloved Chesepeake Shores series.
To see more stops on the tour be sure to check out the official TLC tour page here.
For more on Sherryl Woods and her work you can visit her website here. You can also like her on Facebook and follow her on Twitter.
Purchase Links: Amazon | Books-A-Million | Barnes & Noble
To see more stops on the tour be sure to check out the official TLC tour page here.
For more on Sherryl Woods and her work you can visit her website here. You can also like her on Facebook and follow her on Twitter.
Purchase Links: Amazon | Books-A-Million | Barnes & Noble
Sunday, October 22, 2017
New Releases 10.24.17
Some of the new titles hitting shelves this week are:
The It Girls by Karen Harper
Strange Weather by Joe Hill
The Tethered Mage by Melissa Caruso
The Beautiful Ones by Sylvia Moreno-Garcia
The Rooster Bar by John Grisham
The First Day by Phil Harrison
The Afterlife of Holly Chase by Cynthia Hand
Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds
Calling My Name by Liara Tamani
The Glass Spare by Lauren Destefano
New on DVD:
War for the Planet of the Apes
Annabelle Creation
The It Girls by Karen Harper
Strange Weather by Joe Hill
The Tethered Mage by Melissa Caruso
The Beautiful Ones by Sylvia Moreno-Garcia
The Rooster Bar by John Grisham
The First Day by Phil Harrison
The Afterlife of Holly Chase by Cynthia Hand
Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds
Calling My Name by Liara Tamani
The Glass Spare by Lauren Destefano
New on DVD:
War for the Planet of the Apes
Annabelle Creation
Friday, October 20, 2017
Christmas at Little Beach Street Bakery by Jenny Colgan
Good morning, readers! Today I'm a stop on the TLC blog tour for Jenny Colgan's latest, Christmas at Little Beach Street Bakery.
It's Christmas season on Mount Polbearne and Polly is determined that everything will be perfect. Unfortunately, everything seems to be going against Polly's careful plans. First, there's a wee issue with her best friend and her best friend's husband (who also happens to be Huckle's best friend) and a secret Polly has been trusted with regarding said issue. Then, a storm cuts the island off, leaving Polly stranded on the mainland through the holiday. As tensions rise and fights break out, it begins to look as though Christmas will be ruined beyond repair!
At this point in their story, Huckle is thinking about what's to come and Polly is digging in her heels. Which also makes for more tension as the little issue with Kerensa and Reuben grows to its inevitable climax. There's holiday drama, family drama, relationship drama, oh, so much drama! Oh, and there's baking too. Lots, as is to be expected!
Of course Christmas isn't ruined. But as the story progresses and things get more fraught, it's easy to see why Polly would worry. And yet, as a reader familiar with Colgan's work, I wasn't worried on bit!
Colgan's stories are always such a delight and returning to Mount Polbearne for the third part of Polly's and Huckle's (and Neil's!!!) story was so much fun!
If you're in the mood for a light and breezy, sweet as pie read, you can't go wrong with any of Jenny Colgan's titles!
To see more stops on the tour be sure to check out the official TLC tour page here.
For more on Jenny Colgan and her work you can visit her website here. You can also like her on Facebook and follow her on Twitter.
Purchase Links: HarperCollins | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
It's Christmas season on Mount Polbearne and Polly is determined that everything will be perfect. Unfortunately, everything seems to be going against Polly's careful plans. First, there's a wee issue with her best friend and her best friend's husband (who also happens to be Huckle's best friend) and a secret Polly has been trusted with regarding said issue. Then, a storm cuts the island off, leaving Polly stranded on the mainland through the holiday. As tensions rise and fights break out, it begins to look as though Christmas will be ruined beyond repair!
At this point in their story, Huckle is thinking about what's to come and Polly is digging in her heels. Which also makes for more tension as the little issue with Kerensa and Reuben grows to its inevitable climax. There's holiday drama, family drama, relationship drama, oh, so much drama! Oh, and there's baking too. Lots, as is to be expected!
Of course Christmas isn't ruined. But as the story progresses and things get more fraught, it's easy to see why Polly would worry. And yet, as a reader familiar with Colgan's work, I wasn't worried on bit!
Colgan's stories are always such a delight and returning to Mount Polbearne for the third part of Polly's and Huckle's (and Neil's!!!) story was so much fun!
If you're in the mood for a light and breezy, sweet as pie read, you can't go wrong with any of Jenny Colgan's titles!
To see more stops on the tour be sure to check out the official TLC tour page here.
For more on Jenny Colgan and her work you can visit her website here. You can also like her on Facebook and follow her on Twitter.
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