Month: December 2022

Serena’s Review: “Murder at the Royal Botanic Gardens”

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Book: “Murder at the Royal Botanic Gardens” by Andrea Penrose

Publishing Info: Kensington Publishing Corporation, September 2021

Where Did I Get this Book: audiobook from the library!

Where Can You Get this Book: Amazon | IndieBound | WorldCat

Book Description: One advantage of being caught up in a whirl of dress fittings and decisions about flower arrangements and breakfast menus is that Charlotte Sloane has little time for any pre-wedding qualms. Her love for Wrexford isn’t in question. But will being a wife–and a Countess–make it difficult for her to maintain her independence–not to mention, her secret identity as famed satirical artist A.J. Quill?

Despite those concerns, there are soon even more urgent matters to attend to during Charlotte and Wrexford’s first public outing as an engaged couple. At a symposium at the Royal Botanic Gardens, a visiting botanist suffers a fatal collapse. The traces of white powder near his mouth reveal the dark truth–he was murdered. Drawn into the investigation, Charlotte and the Earl learn of the victim’s involvement in a momentous medical discovery. With fame and immense fortune at stake, there’s no shortage of suspects, including some whose ruthlessness is already known. But neither Charlotte nor her husband-to-be can realize how close the danger is about to get–or to what lengths this villain is prepared to go…

Previously Reviewed: “Murder at the Queen’s Landing“

Review: This has been a series of highs and lows for me. While I love the detailed historical insights that come with these mysteries, I’ve also been befuddled by overly complex mysteries and an ever-increasing cast of characters. That said, I enjoyed the last book quite a bit, and I’m still thoroughly on board with keeping up with the series. Is my investment in Charlotte’s and Wrexford’s relationship a large part of that? Yes, what of it?

While Charlotte and Wrexford’s love for one another has never been in question, Charlotte is increasingly concerned about the burdens of marriage that will soon be hers to bear. Regardless of the equality and freedom that Wrexford has worked so hard to ensure for her, Charlotte will still be a Countess, and with that comes certain responsibilities to society. And where can her work as a satirical artist fit into this increasingly all-encompassing role. With all of these thoughts plaguing her, Charlotte is almost relieved to stumble upon yet another murder mystery, this one throwing the two into the mysterious world of medical science and recent discoveries that could change the face of medicine.

While there have been ups and downs in other areas of the stories, there is no question that Penrose is a devoted researcher. Each books does a deep dive into unique aspects of this particular time period and thoroughly expands on the intricacies involved. This one tackles recent discoveries in medicine and pharmaceutical science. But it doesn’t stop with just discussing changes to treatments and understanding of certain illnesses and their effects on the body. Penrose dives into how, even in this time period, control over these sorts of discoveries is understood to hold an enormous potential for wealth and power. I really enjoyed learning all about this, and thought the mystery itself regarding this topic was complicated and engaging.

Which leaves us with the rest of the book, which is where I struggled a bit more. For one thing, this is book number five in the series. At this point, I generally think authors should trust that readers have either read the previous books or are the sorts of reader who are fine jumping into a series where they don’t know all of the details. Instead, Penrose picks the worst of the options and spends a significant portion of the beginning of the book reintroducing the, now large, cast of characters and how their relationships weave in and out. Not only does this all just feel like unnecessary page filler, but it delays the start of the actual plot and sets up the pacing to fail. I’m not sure what the thinking was with this decision, but I think it hurt the book fairly significantly right off the bat.

From there, other than my interest in the actual subject of the mystery, I struggled to feel the same connection to our main two characters. Charlotte was especially frustrating, spending huge chunks of this book stuck in an indecisive swirl of anxiety. And by the end of the book, it didn’t feel like any of this time spent on these emotions contributed to much change for her character or much of a character arc at all. Wrexford, too, felt very bland. While I wasn’t as actively frustrated with his story, there was also just wasn’t much there for him. Again, what character arc or growth did he experience in this book, cuz I really couldn’t find any.

Overall, I found this to be disappointing entry into the series. The chemistry between Charlotte and Wrexford seemed pale in comparison to previous books, and both character individually felt flat. It is still a well-researched, interesting mystery. But without its main character providing any emotional stakes, the whole thing felt rather deflated and more of a trial to get through than other entries.

Rating 7: Fairly disappointing, the interesting historical aspects weren’t enough to make up for the lackluster character arcs.

Reader’s Advisory:

“Murder at the Royal Botanic Gardens” isn’t on any Goodreads lists yet, but it should be on Historical Mysteries and Thrillers Featuring Women.

Kate’s Review: “American Vampire: Volume 5”


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Book: “American Vampire: Volume 5” by Scott Snyder, Rafael Albuquerque (Ill.), & Dustin Nguyen (Ill.)

Publication Info: Vertigo, March 2013

Where Did I Get This Book: I own it.

Where You Can Get This Book: WorldCat | Amazon | Indiebound

Book Description: In the first story, series mainstays Skinner Sweet, Pearl and company return to Hollywood in the ’50s during the Red Scare. In a time where America was on the lookout for the next Communist threat, was the real danger something far more insidious? A major turning point in American Vampire lore begins here!

In the second tale, familiar face and vampire hunter Felicia Book is “retired” from vampire hunting when she gets called back into action to track down and kill the most powerful vampire of all time. The hunt takes our heroes through post-war Europe, behind the Iron Curtain and into the heart of Russia to track this deadly enemy…

Writer Scott Snyder (Batman, Swamp Thing) and artist Rafael Albuquerque bring together even more threads to the complex tapestry that is the world of American Vampire.

Review: When it came time to pick up “American Vampire: Volume 5” for this re-read, I remembered that I liked this volume a lot the first time I read it, but didn’t really remember why. So I was wondering if taking it on again almost ten years later was going to be a different experience, as lord knows I’ve already had some perspective shifts in the first four volumes. But almost immediately upon jumping in I realized that there was a reason I liked this volume so much, and it was pretty evident that was going to be the case once again.

Our first big story is set in 1950s Europe, with Felicia Book and her son Gus (both living more normal lives due to the supposed ‘cure’ for vampirism she got at the end of her last major arc) spending their time in France. When Felicia is approached by her former VMS boss Hobbes asking her to help the group track down a stolen Dracula (yep, THAT Dracula, the long dormant leader of the Carpathian vampires) she gets pulled back into a job she left behind because Gus is now being compelled by the notorious Count. Felicia continues to be my favorite character in this series, and I loved seeing her fight tooth and nail to keep her son safe, while also feeling lots of resentment about being pulled back into the Vassals at behest of her old friend and boss. I also think that Snyder did a good job of bringing in Dracula without making it hokey or, frankly, stupid. It’s certainly not the first time a modern vampire story has brought Dracula into the fold, but it’s a successful way to bring him in because it feels unique but also rooted in the source material, but also doesn’t overwhelm. Watching Felicia, Hobbes, Gus, and other unlikely allies track down Dracula in ways that mirror the way Dracula is tracked down in the original novel is just fun (I especially like the way that they bring in a Renfield character as well as substituting Soviet soldiers for glamored peasantry), and it all leads to a significant shift in Felicia’s and Gus’s storyline. I’m always happy to spend time with Felicia and Gus, and this really puts them at the forefront of their lovely mother/son relationship.

The other big story is back in the U.S. and has Pearl and Skinner (gag) at the forefront, and brings them back to her origins as an American Vampire in Hollywood. Now it’s the 1950s and Hollywood is undergoing the Red Scare, and Pearl and Sweet are recruited to investigate studio execs and other power players who may be harboring vampires. Pearl, however, is also contending with her husband Henry’s coma, as his attack at the end of her last arc has left her worried that she’s going to lose him. The relationship between Pearl and the absolutely sweet and wonderful (but mortal) Henry has been such a mainstay in this series, but time has been aging Henry while Pearl has stayed youthful, and his mortality is oh so very clear right now. I have always loved Pearl and Henry, and as the series has gone on Snyder has subtly addressed the elephant in the room of how she will ultimately have to say goodbye just due to the reality of their situation. I couldn’t give less of a fuck about how Skinner fits into all of this, though I do admit that I DO enjoy seeing a sire and his fledgling team up, especially after she believed she killed him during WWII. On my first read of this I remember really resenting the fact that Skinner is actually kind of tolerable in this arc, but because it’s mostly due to Pearl and their connection I guess I’m going to allow it. That said, he’s still so static and boring in his malevolence. It was just nice seeing Pearl be able to deal with the baggage there at least a little bit, while also revisiting the trauma that started it all back in Hollywood and the cesspit it is. The women continue to be the shining stars of the series, and, like Felicia, Pearl finds herself at a crossroads by the end of this volume. But hers is far more melancholy.

This was the best volume yet. Snyder both brings things to proper ends, but also opens new doors with more possibilities on the horizon. Keep Pearl and Felicia in the spotlight, “American Vampire”. They continue to be amazing in their complexity and resilience.

Rating 9: The strongest volume yet, with many things coming to conclusions and other things just beginning.

Reader’s Advisory:

“American Vampire: Volume 5” is included on the Goodreads lists “Vertigo Titles: Must Read Comic Books A-E”, and “Best Adult Vampire Books”.

Serena’s Review: “The Poison Season”

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Book: “The Poison Season” by Mara Rutherford

Publishing Info: Inkyard Press, December 2022

Where Did I Get this Book: Edelweiss+

Where Can You Get this Book: Amazon | IndieBound | WorldCat

Book Description: Leelo has spent her entire life on Endla, coexisting with the bloodthirsty Forest and respecting the poisonous lake that protects her island from outsiders who seek to destroy it. But as much as Leelo cares for her community, she struggles to accept that her younger brother will be exiled by his next birthday, unless he gains the magic of enchanted song so vital to Endla.

When Leelo sees a young outsider on the verge of drowning in the lake, she knows exactly what she’s supposed to do. But in a moment that will change everything, Leelo betrays her family, her best friend, and Endla by making an unthinkable choice.

Discovery could lead to devastating consequences for both Leelo and the outsider, Jaren, but as they grow closer, Leelo realizes that not all danger comes from beyond the lake—and they can only survive if Leelo is willing to question the very fabric of her society, her people, and herself.

Review: This is one of the few new YA fantasy books coming out this month, so of course I have to read it. But I’d like to think that I would have picked it up either way. For one thing, the cover is eye-catching. For another, I do love stories about creepy woods. Add a creepy lake and you’re really humming!

Leelo has grown up knowing one thing: that it is only by the protection of a bloodthirsty forest and a deadly lake that her people have found a refuge in a world that fears their song magic. With this protection comes steep cost, however. Those born on the island who do not have the power of song must be banished, for their own, and their community’s, protection. With this cruel fate coming for her own young brother, Leelo is forced to confront the harsh realities of her world. And when she meets a foreigner who accidentally finds his way onto her island, her questions condense into one, life-changing choice.

While much of this book will feel familiar to readers of YA fantasy, there was a lot a lot to enjoy, as well. The setting itself is very thoroughly described, something that is crucial given the role that both the poisonous lake and the magical forest play in the story and Leelo’s people’s culture and history. Early on, we have a few scenes that depict the harsh nature of this world, and its people. It’s difficult to imagine the circumstances that would lead to this type of society forming, but the book does a decent job of creating a plausible backstory for it all. Once the brutality of nature has been established, the book switches to what turns out to be its primary focus: the nature of family, loyalty, and the sometimes unhealthy versions of love that can be found therein.

I was particularly interested in these themes as they specifically dealt with the relationships between sisters (or cousins who practically grew up as sisters). Leelo grows up in a family group comprised of her mother and her brother, as well as her aunt (her mother’s sister) and her female cousin. It’s immediately clear that not all is well with this family. Indeed, much of the story is about all of the family trauma that makes up this small group, both traumas from the past that are still impacting these characters today, and the current events, such as Leelo’s brother’s imminent banishment. As the story progresses, we learn more and more about the past events that shaped these women’s stories. It’s an excellent exploration of the dark sides of love and family devotion. Love doesn’t conquer all, and indeed, can sometimes make people do terrible things.

For me, this was the heart of the story. As such, I was much less invested in the romance. It was fine, all things considered. In fact, given the structure of the book, I’m impressed at how well the love story avoided the instalove snake pit. But because I was so much more invested in Leelo and her family’s story, I did find myself less interested in Jaren’s chapters. They weren’t bad, by any means. Just not where my focus tended to linger.

As far as the plot and story, this book is fairly predictable. Most people can likely guess most of the late-game reveals. This was especially true of the secrets regarding the Endlan’s history and the nature of the forest and lake. There were a few more twists and turns as far as the family secrets and outcomes, which is probably for the best as these aspects were also the strongest of the book overall. But even here, nothing was incredibly shocking. But that’s also ok! I don’t need to be surprised and shocked with every book I read. Instead, this book accomplishes what it sets out to do: provide an enjoyable YA fantasy story that focuses on the darkness that can be found at the heart of people, even those who may love us most.

Rating 8: Atmospheric and lush, this story weaves its themes of family trauma and darkness through the lens of a bloodthirsty forest and poisonous lake. Dark in all of the best ways!

Reader’s Advisory:

“The Poison Season” can be found on these Goodreads lists: Poison in the Title and YA Flower Covers.

Kate’s Review: “Wash Day Diaries”

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Book: “Wash Day Diaries” by Jamila Rowser & Robyn Smith (Ill.)

Publishing Info: Chronicle Books, July 2022

Where Did I Get This Book: I own it.

Where You Can Get This Book: WorldCat | Amazon | Indiebound

Book Description: Wash Day Diaries tells the story of four best friends—Kim, Tanisha, Davene, and Cookie—through five connected short story comics that follow these young women through the ups and downs of their daily lives in the Bronx.

The book takes its title from the wash day experience shared by Black women everywhere of setting aside all plans and responsibilities for a full day of washing, conditioning, and nourishing their hair. Each short story uses hair routines as a window into these four characters’ everyday lives and how they care for each other.

Jamila Rowser and Robyn Smith originally kickstarted their critically acclaimed, award-winning slice of life mini comic, Wash Day, inspired by Rowser’s own wash day ritual and their shared desire to see more comics featuring the daily lived experiences of young Black women. Wash Day Diaries includes an updated, full color version of this original comic—which follows Kim, a 26-year-old woman living in the Bronx—as the book’s first chapter and expands into a graphic novel with short stories about these vibrant and relatable new characters.

In expanding the story of Kim and her friends, the authors pay tribute to Black sisterhood through portraits of shared, yet deeply personal experiences of Black hair care. From self-care to spilling the tea at an hours-long salon appointment to healing family rifts, the stories are brought to life through beautifully drawn characters and different color palettes reflecting the mood in each story.

At times touching, quiet, triumphant, and laugh out loud funny, the stories of Wash Day Diaries pay a loving tribute to Black joy and the resilience of Black women.

Review: It’s that time of year again, when the Goodreads Choice Awards showcase a number of well loved books, and I am confronted with titles that I had either never heard of, or titles that I had seen in passing but had forgotten about for one reason or another. “Wash Day Diaries” by Jamila Rouser falls solidly in the latter category, as I am certain that it had crossed my path once or twice before I clicked open the ballot for Best Graphic Novel. So given that I like to try and catch up on popular titles, and given that my current goal is to read more graphics (as they fell by the wayside a bit this year), I snagged an eBook of this for my Kindle and read it in about an hour one afternoon. And I definitely understood why it was on the ballot this year!

Overall I thought that this was a fun and incredibly charming collection of stories about four Black friends who are all dealing with various ups and downs in their lives as seen through their hair care days. I think that slice of life stories can be hard to do, especially when they are on the shorter side, but Rowser overall does a good job of letting the reader get to know each character and really get a feel for who they are with each entry. Be it Kim, who is setting aside all her time and other worries (namely an aggressive ex lover), or her roommate Cookie who is working through issues with her grandmother, or Nisha who has found herself in a love triangle, or Devene who is battling mental health issues, “Wash Day Diaries” looks at four Black women on their hair washing days and gives us an idea of who they are, and how much they all care for each other. All of the stories are short, and they have varying degrees of action to them, but they all paint a clear portrait of modern day Black womanhood for these four friends who are ride or die for each other.

There are always going to be limitations with slice of life stories such as these, ones that I myself tend to feel more just because I really love details and a wide breadth of exploration in stories, but for the most part I wasn’t put off by these things when I think in other contexts I might have been. It just goes to show that Rowser had a clear idea and overarching theme that connected through them all, and having a huge part of that being the vast experiences within Black womanhood and Black joy was really positive. Lord knows there need to be more stories about these things.

And I really enjoyed the artwork by artist Robyn Smith. I liked the designs of all the characters, I really liked the color palate, and I highly enjoyed the details that came out when focusing on the different Black hair styles that our characters had.

(source)

I highly suggest checking out “Wash Day Diaries”. It’s a quick read that has a lot of heart, and I am very interested in seeing what Jamila Rowser does next.

Rating 8: A slice of life collection built upon multiple arcs of four best friends, “Wash Day Diaries” is a tribute to Black hair, Black womanhood, and Black friendship.

Reader’s Advisory:

“Wash Day Diaries” is included on the Goodreads lists “Black Alt/Indie Comics”, and “Plus Size & Mid Size Rep: Comics and Graphic Novels”.

Book Club Review: “Interpreter of Maladies”

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We are part of a group of librarian friends who have had an ongoing book club running for the last several years. Each “season” (we’re nerds) we pick a theme and each of us chooses a book within that theme for us all to read. Our current theme is “Book Bingo” where we drew reading challenges commonly found on book bingo cards from a hat and chose a book based on that.  For this blog, we will post a joint review of each book we read for book club. We’ll also post the next book coming up in book club. So feel free to read along with us or use our book selections and questions in your own book club!

Book: “Interpreter of Maladies” by Jhumpa Lahiri

Publishing Info: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, April 1999

Where Did I Get This Book: The library!

Where You Can Get This Book: WorldCat | Amazon | Indiebound

Book Bingo Prompt: A book with AAPI main characters.

Book Description: Navigating between the Indian traditions they’ve inherited and the baffling new world, the characters in Jhumpa Lahiri’s elegant, touching stories seek love beyond the barriers of culture and generations. In “A Temporary Matter,” published in The New Yorker, a young Indian-American couple faces the heartbreak of a stillborn birth while their Boston neighborhood copes with a nightly blackout. In the title story, an interpreter guides an American family through the India of their ancestors and hears an astonishing confession. Lahiri writes with deft cultural insight reminiscent of Anita Desai and a nuanced depth that recalls Mavis Gallant.

Kate’s Thoughts

It’s not often that book club takes on a literary tale, so this time around we were stretching our limits with Jhumpa Lahiri’s well beloved short story collection “Interpreter of Maladies”. I’m someone who does try to tackle literary fiction every once in awhile, and this had been on my list, so I was excited to finally check it out, short stories aside. As we all know, short stories and I don’t always get along, but I like to think that I am game when it comes to book club! And overall I definitely appreciated the acclaim this book has, and how important it was when it first came out.

As always, I will focus on the stories I liked best. The first one that really stood out to me was “When Mr. Pizada Came to Dine”. This one is told from the perspective of a little girl whose family opens up their dinner table to a man named Mr. Pirzada, who is in the U.S. for research and away from his wife and daughters who are still in Pakistan. As our narrator gets closer to Mr. Pirzada, she learns about the conflict he left at home, as well the divides between India and Pakistan, and the Civil War and ongoing conflict going on between Pakistan and India that leaves Mr. Pirzada wondering how his family is doing. This one is through the eyes of a child, but definitely conveys the emotional conflict that the family friend is going through, as well as conveying a coming of age understanding about a life that she has never known, but is happening across the world. I was very invested in Mr. Pirzada and his family, and thought that the emotional beats were well achieved. The other story that really stood out was “This Blessed House”, which is the story of Sanjeev and Twinkle, newlyweds who are settling into their new home in Connecticut. As they look through the house they keep finding Catholic symbols and objects, and while Twinkle is tickled, Sanjeev is more and more frustrated with her fixation. I thought this one had some very funny moments, but I also liked the examination of a newly married couple who are still getting to know each other, and perhaps realizing each other’s foibles.

There were other well done stories in this collection, and I found Lahiri’s writing style and gifts for imagery to be stark and very engaging. It has a lot of difficult themes, from family strife to racism to trauma and loss, but they all come together in the end to make a well realized and melancholy collection of experiences of Indian Americans from all backgrounds and back stories. While I still have a hard time with short story collections based on my own personal biases wtih the format, I thought that “Interpreter of Maladies” did a really good job of stringing them together even without making direction connections. I’m glad that we tackled it, because it gave me the push to actually check it out!

Rating 8: A well written and melancholy collection of stories about love, loss, culture, and identity, “Interpreter of Maladies” is lyrical and powerful.

Book Club Questions

  1. Do you have a favorite story in this collection? What was it about that story you liked?
  2. This book has a lot of themes involving love and marriage. What were your thoughts on the different romantic relationships in the various stories?
  3. The immigration theme in this book has a focus on struggle and difficulties to adjust to a new culture and home. Do you think that a lens of struggle is seen as much in stories about the immigrant experience these days as opposed to twenty years ago?
  4. What did you think of the writing style in this book? Did you feel that it connected the stories together well?
  5. Who would you recommend this book to?

Reader’s Advisory

“Interpreter of Maladies” is included on the Goodreads lists “South Asian Fiction by Women”, and “Immigrant Voices (Fiction)”.

Next Book Club Pick: “Travellers Along the Way” by Aminah Mae Safi

Serena’s Review: “The Lies of Locke Lamora”

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Book: “The Lies of Locke Lamora” by Scott Lynch

Publishing Info: Spectra, September 2006

Where Did I Get this Book: audiobook from the library!

Where Can You Get this Book: Amazon | IndieBound | WorldCat

Book Description: An orphan’s life is harsh—and often short—in the mysterious island city of Camorr. But young Locke Lamora dodges death and slavery, becoming a thief under the tutelage of a gifted con artist. As leader of the band of light-fingered brothers known as the Gentleman Bastards, Locke is soon infamous, fooling even the underworld’s most feared ruler. But in the shadows lurks someone still more ambitious and deadly. Faced with a bloody coup that threatens to destroy everyone and everything that holds meaning in his mercenary life, Locke vows to beat the enemy at his own brutal game—or die trying.

Review: I’ve seen this book popping up on “best of” fantasy lists for quite some time. Likewise, it has been languishing on my TBR list for years now. But, as December is always a really slow time of year for new books, I figured now was the time to get to this one. I also found a very good audiobook version at the library with a narrator who I’ve always enjoyed listening to. I don’t have a lot more to say about the audiobook version in particularly, so I’ll just preface the entire review with a general recommendation to try out this version if you enjoy audiobooks as a whole.

If one can call an orphan “lucky,” Locke Lamora is it. Having escaped the tragic fate of many such children, he grew up under the tutelage of a master con artist and now runs his own gang of thieves and tricksters. So deep are their cons that even the renowned gangster lords who rule the streets are unaware of just how successful Locke’s small band really is. But, in the midst of what should be one of their biggest takes yet, things begin to unravel beneath Locke’s feet. And as the noose slowly tightens, Locke must face his most cunny adversary yet.

This was a really enjoyable read! As I said earlier, the narrator did a fantastic job, his style very much emphasizing the excellent dialogue written for all of the characters. The story plays out in a rather unique way, with a lot of time jumps and such. Which means that as the story continues, we’re slowly piecing together Locke’s life up to this point, how he gained the skills he did, and how he formed the friendships that are at the heart of his existence. However, we also don’t get all of the information. For example, there is a love interest who is repeatedly referenced. But we never see this character, not in the flashbacks and also not in the present. It’s an interesting and bold choice, to have so many references that are just left hanging until the next book. Personally, as this book felt full to the brink as it was, I was fine with this choice. But it could nag at other readers to a certain extent.

There were also interludes between certain chapters which told various stories and histories of this world. I found these to also be very interesting. I’m not sure if the physical book had a map or any sort of glossary, but I would say this was the one area where I struggled with the audiobook version. While all of this extra detail added flavor and texture to the world, very much making it feel like a living, breathing place, I also struggled to keep track of all of the locations and people. This is very much a high fantasy story, and with that comes a whole bunch of new words and names, which added to some of my struggles.

I really enjoyed the story and action found in this book. There were definitely a few shocks and twists, especially around the midway point of the book, that really threw me off of what I had thought was the direction of the story to come. But I also struggled a bit with some of these plot points. This book is going on twenty years old, at this point. Which means there have been a lot of “brilliant thief” books to come out since. And I’ve read a bunch of them. That being the case, I kept having expectations of certain characters and certain plot twists, and kept feeling a bit let down when things resolved in a different way. Like I said, I think this is very much a “me” issue and comes from having read books like this that, in the twenty years since this book was written, have pushed the boundaries on this sort of story. So while much of this is perfectly good and still very enjoyable, there were aspects of it that felt a bit dated, particularly to those who have read books like this before.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. I would recommend it to most high fantasy readers, especially those who like action-packed stories full of twists and turns.

Rating 9: Witty and clever, much like its titular character, this book is definitely deserving of its placement on many “best of” fantasy lists!

Reader’s Advisory:

“The Lies of Locke Lamora” can be found on these Goodreads lists: Thieves and The anti-hero in fiction.

Kate’s Review: “Love in the Time of Serial Killers”

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Book: “Love in the Time of Serial Killers” by Alicia Thompson

Publishing Info: Jove Books, August 2022

Where Did I Get This Book: The library!

Where You Can Get This Book: WorldCat | Amazon | Indiebound

Book Description: Turns out that reading nothing but true crime isn’t exactly conducive to modern dating—and one woman is going to have to learn how to give love a chance when she’s used to suspecting the worst.

PhD candidate Phoebe Walsh has always been obsessed with true crime. She’s even analyzing the genre in her dissertation—if she can manage to finish writing it. It’s hard to find the time while she spends the summer in Florida, cleaning out her childhood home, dealing with her obnoxiously good-natured younger brother, and grappling with the complicated feelings of mourning a father she hadn’t had a relationship with for years.

It doesn’t help that she’s low-key convinced that her new neighbor, Sam Dennings, is a serial killer (he may dress business casual by day, but at night he’s clearly up to something). It’s not long before Phoebe realizes that Sam might be something much scarier—a genuinely nice guy who can pierce her armor to reach her vulnerable heart.

Review: Maybe this is going to be a year end tradition for me on the blog, in that I am once again reviewing a romance novel when that isn’t usually the genre I tackle around these parts. But like last December and “The Love Hypothesis”, I just had to talk about a romance that has a lot of aspects that speak to me! Let me count the ways.

  • It’s a slow burn romance with a vague enemies to lovers beginning.
  • Our main character is snarky and weird and oh so relatable to me.
  • There is a VERY CLEAR CUT TRUE CRIME THEME.

In the words of Junji Ito’s “The Enigma of Amigara Fault”, “IT WAS MADE FOR ME!!”

“Love in the Time of Serial Killers” really felt like it was written with an awkward weirdo like me in mind, and it made for a breezy and fun read. I really loved the mix of forced proximity (as our protagonists Phoebe and Sam are new neighbors after she has moved into her recently deceased father’s home) and enemies to lovers (as Phoebe is instantly paranoid that Sam is a malicious predator because he offered her help without any invitation). Throw in the fact she’s getting her Ph.D with a focus on true crime as a genre and its impact on readers and creators alike and suddenly it finds a way to feel fresh. The dialog is fun and snappy, the characters are all enjoyable and easy to like, and the various obstacles that obviously have to get in the way of Phoebe and Sam are high stakes enough they feel weighty without feeling melodramatic and sappy. I really liked the banter between Phoebe and Sam, and I thought that the build up to their eventual romance was perfectly paced with the right kind of weird tension that makes the build up all the more delightful as we get to a steamy and sexy pay off.

But it was Phoebe’s characterization and character growth that really sold this book for me. Phoebe is written in such a way that I found her to be very engaging, endearing, and, in a lot of ways, SUPER relatable. Phoebe has a fixation on true crime as a genre, and her dissertation is on the genre itself and how people interact with it. She is also a bit anxious, has a distrustful and snarky disposition, and has a hard time being vulnerable because of past traumas and experiences related to her childhood and her parents super acrimonious divorce. I loved seeing her slowly learn to stop seeing everyone and everything through a true crime lens, and loved seeing her not only open up to Sam (whom I also really liked), but also to the younger brother she hasn’t seen much of since the divorce, and to an old friend whom she had a complicated falling out with.

But the other thing I really appreciated is that Thompson never really shames Phoebe’s interest in true crime or makes it into something so problematic she has to ‘learn a lesson’ about why her interest is bad. I think that with true crime being so ‘in’ right now (though honestly, true crime has ALWAYS been popular in American culture) there certainly is a lot to be said about consuming other people’s tragedies, but this can be done without making those interested seem like psychopaths in their own right, and Thompson does walk that line pretty well. Yes, Phoebe needs to relax a little bit, and yes, her interest in true crime is rooted in other issues in her life she hasn’t quite dealt with, but she’s never portrayed as bad or malicious for her fascination. And I really liked that angle (probably because I feel like Phoebe and I have a lot in common when it comes to hyperfocusing on true crime due to other baggage in our lives).

“Love in the Time of Serial Killers” is a frothy and fun romance with a little bit of edge. I wholly enjoyed it and if you’re looking for a fun cute read for the upcoming holidays, this might be a good choice!

Rating 8: Cute, quippy, and oh so relatable to my true crime interested self, “Love in the Time of Serial Killers” is a fun rom com for fans of a slow burn love story with quirky weirdos at the heart.

Reader’s Advisory:

“Love in the Time of Serial Killers” is included on the Goodreads list “2022 Contemporary Romance Releases”.

Serena’s Review: “A Fire Endless”

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Book: “A Fire Endless” by Rebecca Ross

Publishing Info: Harper Voyager, December 2022

Where Did I Get this Book: Edelweiss+

Where Can You Get this Book: Amazon | IndieBound | WorldCat

Book Description: East and West. Humans and Spirits. Breccans and Tamerlaines. The Isle of Cadence has always held itself and its residents in a tenuous balance. But now Bane, the spirit of the North Wind, has pushed everyone and everything in his path off-kilter in a bid to claim dominion over all.

In the West, Adaira struggles to adjust to the more brutal, bitter ways of life among the Breccans. Striving to find her place in the clan, she swiftly realizes that it just might be the last role she desires to hold. And while magic blooms effortlessly for the Breccans in the west, the spirits continue to suffer beneath Bane’s harsh power, felt in every gust of wind.

In the East, Jack is adrift without Adaira until he sings to the ember-weak fire spirits, acquiring a dangerous mission he never expected. One that is destined to lead him westward. Likewise, Torin and Sidra are consumed by a new mystery as sickness spreads first amongst the crops, and then to the people of the Tamerlaine clan. While Sidra desperately searches for a cure, Torin dares to strike a bargain with the spirits—a precarious folly anytime, but especially now as the days grow darker.

With the island falling further out of balance, humans and spirits alike will need to join together to face Bane, and Jack’s gift with the harp will be called upon once more. Yet no one can challenge the North Wind without paying a terrible price, and the sacrifice required this time may be more than Jack, Adaira, Torin, and Sidra can bear to pay.

Previously Reviewed: “A River Enchanted”

Review: I was really surprised by how much I enjoyed “A River Enchanted” last year. Not being overly familiar with the author or super blown away by the fairly standard-sounding description, I found myself blazing through it in only a few days, gobbling up everything it had to offer. That being the case, the second book was facing the much more challenging task of now living up to the expectations set in the first one. Not to mention, December, for some reason, is always the slowest time of the year for fantasy title releases, so any book that comes out this month has to carry a lot of weight as one of my few new release reads of the month!

Not only is the land divided, with the Tamerlaines suffering from low magical but a plentiful land and the Breccans just the opposite, plenty of magic but harsh living conditions, but Adaira and the bard, Jack, find themselves, too, separated shortly after their marriage. For her part, Adaira must try to find a place for herself alongside a family she never knew and in a land she barely understands. And Jack stumbles upon a mystery that may require a sacrifice greater than he ever could have suspected. As they work to heal the land, they uncover a long hidden history that may be the key to it all.

I really enjoyed this sequel. Having largely resolved the two main romances in the first book, this story takes on themes of reimaging how one sees oneself in the world. All four of our main characters must grapple with this question in certain ways when their primary role is shaken out from beneath them. Adaira’s is obviously the most extreme seeing her relocated to an entirely new land that comes hand-in-hand with an entirely new family who has different views on ruling and leadership. Adaira’s journey is one of grappling with two versions of herself and finding a way forward that calls upon the strengths she already possessed while drawing forth new, unknown wells of strength. Jack’s journey is, perhaps, a bit more straightforward, but his choices and the mysteries around the magical power of music serve an ever growing role in the story.

This story also travels beyond the limits of the material world, with various peeks into the moving pieces in the land of spirits. Again, as the story progresses, we get more and more information on the history behind the powerful king and his influence over the other spirits. This story is definitely a slower tale, with much of the focus being on these inner character arcs and how those overlap the mystery of the Breccans and the Tamerlaines. Towards the middle, the action does pick up some more, which I found to be a bit of relief, as their was potential for things to drag with Jack and Adaira separated for too long and too many mysteries layered on top of each other.

I also really enjoyed the exploration of the relationship between parents and their grown children. Both Adaira and Jack are thrust into a situation where they are meeting parents they never knew before. With that comes a very different relationship than one built from infancy. For Adaira’s part, she must grapple with finding a place for the family she few up and loved dearly but who passed away, and this new family she never knew and barely understands, but who are now here and wanting her to be one of them. These questions were all handled in a very real-feeling way, with understanding of both the joys that can be found there but also the very real challenges and pitfalls.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. Both this one and its predecessor are by no means action-packed stories, so they are largely going to appeal to readers who enjoy atmospheric stories that emphasize the inner journeys of the characters. Those who enjoyed the first book should definitely check this one out, as I think its a worthy conclusion of what turned out to be a very solid fantasy duology.

Rating 8: Centering around themes of family and self-discovery, this was a perfect conclusion to an excellent fantasy duology.

Reader’s Advisory:

“A Fire Endless” isn’t on any Goodreads yet, but it should be on Original Stories . . . a Breath of Fresh Air.

Kate’s Review: “A History of Fear”


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Book: “A History of Fear” by Luke Dumas

Publishing Info: Atria Books, December 2022

Where Did I Get This Book: I received an eARC from NetGalley.

Where You Can Get This Book: WorldCat | Amazon | Indiebound

Book Description: Grayson Hale, the most infamous murderer in Scotland, is better known by a different name: the Devil’s Advocate. The twenty-five-year-old American grad student rose to instant notoriety when he confessed to the slaughter of his classmate Liam Stewart, claiming the Devil made him do it.

When Hale is found hanged in his prison cell, officers uncover a handwritten manuscript that promises to answer the question that’s haunted the nation for years: was Hale a lunatic, or had he been telling the truth all along?

Unnervingly, Hale doesn’t fit the bill of a killer. The first-person narrative that centers this novel reveals an acerbic young atheist, newly enrolled at the University of Edinburgh to carry on the legacy of his recently deceased father. In need of cash, he takes a job ghostwriting a mysterious book for a dark stranger, but has misgivings when the project begins to reawaken his satanophobia, a rare condition that causes him to live in terror that the Devil is after him. As he struggles to disentangle fact from fear, Grayson’s world is turned upside-down after events force him to confront his growing suspicion that he’s working for the one he has feared all this time—and that the book is only the beginning of their partnership.​​

A History of Fear is a propulsive foray into the darkness of the human psyche, marrying dread-inducing atmosphere and heart-palpitating storytelling.

Review: Thank you to NetGalley for sending me an eARC of this novel!

In the wide wide swaths of horror sub genres, many of which I tread in and out of as I go on my reading adventures, there are two that I don’t really prioritize based on my own personal preferences. The first is literary horror. It’s not that I don’t like literary horror, it’s more a visceral response that I have that is similar to cinema that uses the phrase ‘elevated’ horror; specifically that I feel like when something is bragged to be literary horror, it implies that genre horror is ‘less than’. That’s a chip on my shoulder, one hundred percent. The other is any horror that involves The Devil, and THAT is based on the fact that I have rage triggers involving Satanic Panic, and that I also just don’t believe in The Devil as The Adversary. So perhaps it was weird that I wanted to read “A History of Fear” by Luke Dumas, which is billed as literary horror about a man who claims the Devil made him murder a friend. But I guess I was feeling daring, because I requested this book and therefore committed to it. And honestly, I’m glad I took the chance, because even as two sub genres that don’t work well for me, this one did work!

There is always an undercurrent of ambiguity in this novel that adds to the disorientation and unease, due to a few different factors. The first is that the majority of the POV is through the eyes of Grayson Hale, a man who was convicted of murdering a fellow student and blaming it on the devil. As the reader reads the pages, there is already a sense of unreliability, as it is unclear as to whether Hale actually did run afoul the Devil through D.B., the man who wants him to write a book about the Devil in Scotland, or if he is a very disturbed individual who was in actuality battling against more metaphorical demons. The second is that there are snippets of interviews and commentaries from an outside party of a reporter named Daniela, who so intrigued with the tale and Hale’s memoir that she sets out to try and figure out just what DID happen. I liked how we would get Hale’s perspective, and then have it picked at and added to by Daniela’s notes. Is he really being tormented by a mysterious ‘D.B.’ who was employer turned villain? Is he really seeing flying demons? Or is it all a part of a childhood fear of the devil that has come to fruition because of untreated mental illness? It makes for a very well rounded and multi faceted tale, and makes it so the reader is both put off by Hale, but for many, many reasons finds reasons to pity him. I really loved how it allowed for bit revelations to be sprinkled in without feeling overreached in the main narrative. And on the flip side, it also means that the reader can have the rug yanked out from under their expectations.

As for horror elements, Dumas approaches it from a few different ways. As Hale’s paranoia grows, the dread really builds, and we have descriptions of shadowy beings lurking in Hale’s periphery, as well as winged beasts that he is certain are stalking him and attacking him. There are, of course, devil themes and demon themes as well, but as someone who isn’t particularly scared by the idea of The Devil it wasn’t really this main horror trope that put me off and set my teeth on edge. It was more the question of whether or not Hale is actually perhaps losing his grip on reality, and how his life experience and childhood memories of trauma and isolation and self loathing can wreak so much havoc. I would say that “A History of Fear” is very much a ‘literary’ horror novel in the sense that Dumas experiments with narrative structure and various subversions of elements, but it’s also because at its heart a meditation on what ‘evil’ is, and how it manifests in very real ways.

“A History of Fear” is a chilling read for a dark winter night. It will leave the reader with questions and doubt, and will get under one’s skin because of it.

Rating 8: A haunting, ambiguous, and ultimately tragic literary horror novel that oozes malice and unease.

Reader’s Advisory:

“A History of Fear” is included on the Goodreads list “Bring on the Creepy!”.

Highlights: December 2022

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It’s that time of year where everything speeds up as we barrel towards holiday plans and the end of the year. The snow has fallen and the temperatures have dropped, and holiday lights have gone up around our neighborhoods and temptations of Christmas cookies and promises of Hanukkah latkes are ever present. And there are, of course, new books we are looking forward to!

Serena’s Picks

Book: “A Fire Endless” by Rebecca Ross

Publication Date: December 6, 2022

Why I’m Interested: I really enjoyed “A River Enchanted” when I read it last December. And then, of course, it ended on a pretty big cliffhanger, with our recently married couple separated and each now dealing with huge revelations regarding their own parents and family history. The story also set up a looming conflict in the magical realm, where a powerful Fae lord has his eyes firmly on our young musician and his burgeoning abilities. I’m also excited to see how the book deals with these two divided and warring lands. There’s a lot to pack into this second book, but I have high hopes!

Book: “The Poison Season” by Mara Rutherford

Publication Date: December 6, 2022

Why I’m Interested: I’m always thrilled to find original fairytale fantasies. And this one is checking a lot of boxes! Leelo lives on a island with her entire family and community, surrounded on one side by a poisonous lake and on the other by a bloodthirsty forest. But what seems like horrors to others are seen as protection by these people who fear the outsiders on the other side. But when Leelo meets one of these outsiders, a young man who accidentally made his way to this strange island, she begins to question all that she knows of her people’s history. Color me intrigued!

Book: “Anastasia”

Publication Date: December 6, 2022

Why I’m Interested: I mean, I think the title says it all for this one! I have a special place in my heart for the animated “Antastasia” movie, it was definitely one of the most re-watched movies my sister and I agreed on. This story is blurbed as not only being the happily-ever-after story of this tragic character, but also a classic enemies-to-lovers romance. It’s also chocking in at a whopping 850 pages….what?? I honestly had to double check that number when I first saw it, but it seems right! So, this could either be one of those situations where you get more of a good thing or…filler city? I’m excited to find out!

Kate’s Picks

Book: “A History of Fear” by Luke Dumas

Publication Date: December 6, 2022

Why I’m Interested: We all know that when it comes to horror sub-genres, demonic possession of religious horror aren’t super high on my ‘must read’ lists. But I was definitely intrigued by the description of “A History of Fear” by Luke Dumas, if only because I do love a moody unreliable story that has a lot of ambiguity attached to it. And this book is clearly going to fit all those bills, given that it’s a fictional ‘memoir’ of a man who murdered a classmate while he was studying in Edinburgh and insisted that the Devil made him do it. The premise alone is enough to catch my attention, but you throw in Scotland and a lot of potential personal angst and I am caught hook, line, and sinker.

Book: “Witcha Gonna Do?” by Avery Flynn

Publication Date: December 6, 2022

Why I’m Interested: Yeah, okay, so romances aren’t usually the genre I cover here (though that hasn’t stopped me before and it won’t stop me going forward!), but this one just sounds cute as heck! I do love a fun witch story, and I do love a bantery and sexual tension filled enemies to lovers romance, and “Witcha Gonna Do?” sounds like it hits both of those themes, and how! A magic-powerless witch has to team up with a maddening but hot rival to try and save her family from a curse, and as they butt heads a certain attraction also starts to bloom. It just sounds like fun escapist romance, and I am hoping to check it out!

Book: “The Ingenue” by Rachel Kapelke-Dale

Publication Date: December 6, 2022

Why I’m Interested: While I’m not totally sure that my heart can take it right now given the implied thematics at hand, this was a book that caught my eye through promotions at ALA back in June. After Saskia, a child piano prodigy, returns to her childhood home as an adult after her mother’s death, she finds out that her mother left the house to a man from her past that had a dark impact on her life. As she tries to parse through what happened to her and the path it set her on, she has to keep from falling apart or letting her long kept secrets out. Again, it sounds like one I may need to wait on until I’m in a certain headspace, but the comparisons to both “My Dark Vanessa” and “The Queen’s Gambit” are admittedly very fascinating.

What books are you looking forward to this month? Let us know in the comments!