Weyward by Emilia Hart

August 4, 2025

Weyward by Emilia Hart

Kate flees from her abusive partner to a cottage she inherited from her great aunt Violet, who lived there from the 1940s until her death. While living there, Kate finds writings from a woman named Altha, an earlier ancestor who was tried as a witch in the 17th century.

This book should come with a warning, several actually. Plenty of sensitive subjects and triggers including domestic abuse, animal abuse, violence against women, rape and sexual assault, obsession, humiliation, pregnancy termination, and violence in general, so reader, be warned. Three interconnected stories set in different times. I was much more interested in Altha and Violet's stories that in Kate. I've read enough variations of Kate's story to be over it. Yeah, men suck and they've been treating women like shit since time began. It was hard to read a whole book where there is one good male characters (Graham, Violet's brother) and only two women characters who haven't been abused by men (Kate's mother and her friend Emily). Also, magical realism is just not my thing. It does have a beautiful cover.

Weyward was the original form of weird, as in the Weird Sisters or witches in Macbeth. The first editions of Macbeth used weyward instead of weird.

The Ghostwriter by Julie Clark

August 3, 2025

The Ghostwriter by Julie Clark

Olivia Dumont is a ghostwriter, working with the rich and famous to craft memoirs that can be marketed as being written by the famous subject. But she is blackballed and her career has tanked after being sued for publicly slandering a fellow ghostwriter. About to lose her home to pay the settlement and legal fees, she is desperate for work and agrees to take on the memoir of a famous horror writer who was accused of murdering his two siblings. Now, 50 years later, he claims he is ready to reveal what really happened. The only problem is, the writer is Olivia's father who she has been estranged from for two decades.

Slow moving. It takes Olivia a looooong time to get to the heart of her father's manuscript. Ultimately unsatisfying, as there is no real resolution to the mystery. A cast of unreliable narrators and unlikeable characters. It does have a cool cover graphic.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an eARC for review.

Sisters of Fortune by Esther Chehebar

August 1, 2025

Sisters of Fortune by Esther Chehebar

Nina, Fortune, and Lucy Cohen are sisters. They live in an insular community of Syrian Sephardic Jews in Brooklyn. Fortune is engaged to be married and while Saul isn't the man of her dreams, she knows he will provide a stable comfortable life for her. Youngest sister Lucy is a high school senior dating a man in his 30s (which her parents don't think is inappropriate - go figure), while oldest sister Nina, still single at 26 and considered to be past her "sell-by" date, is trying to break out of her restrictive life.

I'm not usually a fan of women's fiction but this was an interesting look at a community I knew nothing about, a group of Sephardic Jews originally from Syria who all settled in the same Brooklyn neighborhood, which is what I enjoyed a lot more than the constant family drama. The ending felt rushed: there is no resolution to Fortune's flirtation with the grocer's son, and Nina does a 180 as soon as a potential husband appears on the horizon, falling back instantly into all the stuff she hated. Plus, Lucy's perfect marriage is already starting to show cracks, as she notices how her much older husband enjoys talking with her college educated sister and her friends, and her high school friends who attend college have already moved past her. Lots of discussion about the importance of food in their culture and traditions. If you like women's fiction, this will probably appeal to you.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an eARC for review.

Pathogenesis: a History of the World in Eight Plagues by Jonathan Kennedy

August 1, 2025

Pathogenesis: a History of the World in Eight Plagues by Jonathan Kennedy

A history of the world and our species based on the evolution of bacteria and viruses. As the author notes, most of what we call history is based on the exploits of a few "great" white men and how they shaped the story, much of which is wrong. The ultimate life form turns out to be microorganisms. Some of the plagues he discusses are not what you expect, like poverty and obesity. Recommended for readers who enjoy science-based nonfiction.

Julie Tudor is Not a Psychopath by Jennifer Holdich

July 27, 2025

Julie Tudor is Not a Psychopath by Jennifer Holdich

Julie Tudor is 49 years old and has found the love of her life in Sean, her 25 year old coworker at the large financial services company where they both work. But he doesn't know that. All he knows is that she makes him uncomfortable. Julie knows that she and Sean are star-crossed, meant to be together until a young woman named Xanthe starts work at the company and throws a wrench into Julie's plans. But Julie isn't about to settle for anyone coming between her and Sean, so she decides it's time to take decisive action.

Oh, Julie, you are definitely a psychopath. Julie has a flirtatious relationship with reality at the best of times. Her unique world view and interior monologue kept me turning the pages - I felt like my mouth was hanging open in disbelief half the time. I admit I felt sorry for Julie when her coworkers were making fun of her and she didn't realize it, while at the same time cringing at some of the things she did. It's a fast read that is perfect for vacation or beach reading, dark, disturbing, creepy and funny all at the same time. If there is a more unreliable narrator out there, I don't know who it is. There are hints of animal cruelty, so sensitive readers should be warned. I could see this becoming a miniseries on Netflix. Love the cover art!

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an eARC for review.

The Bewitching by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

July 26, 2025

The Bewitching by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Minerva is a graduate student at a New England university, dependent on scholarships and on-campus jobs to afford staying there. She is originally from Mexico, and there is a history of witchcraft passing down through her family from her great-grandmother Alba. Minerva loves horror fiction and become fascinated by an obscure horror writer who attended the same university. While researching the writer's life and work, Minerva becomes aware of strange forces haunting the campus and the town.

Not your typical story of witches and warlocks. Three main characters: Alba, Beatrice, and Minerva, each with her own timeline, which can be a little confusing. Overall creepy, dark, and atmospheric. I am not a huge horror fan (although I read more horror than I think I do), but I really enjoy Moreno-Garcia's modern gothic fiction. I could not put this one down. Will appeal to readers who enjoy horror mixed with folklore and multigenerational stories. 4.5 stars

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an eARC for review.

Death at a Highland Wedding by Kelley Armstrong

July 26, 2025

Death at a Highland Wedding by Kelley Armstrong

Time traveling detective Mallory Armstrong has been stuck in 19th century Scotland for almost a year, working as the assistant to mortician Dr. Duncan Gray, the mixed race illegitimate son of an upper middle class family. She and Duncan are invited to the wedding of his best friend's sister at her fiance's highland hunting lodge. There is tension among the wedding guests and also with the locals, which only escalates when one of the guests is found murdered on the estate grounds. Instead of being a country holiday with friends, Mallory and Duncan find themselves tying to save the groom from the gallows.

The fourth book in the Rip Through Time series. The author gives enough background that this can be read as a standalone mystery if you haven't read the previous mysteries in the series, or if you're like me and it's been a while since you read the last book. Successfully evokes the customs, attitudes, and class distinctions, as well as police methods of the time. I loved how Mallory almost melted into a puddle when one of the characters finally shows up in a kilt. Looking forward to the next book in the series. Recommended for readers of historical mysteries like the Sebastian St. Cyr or the Lady Julia Grey mysteries, or the Outlander historical series.

Many thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for providing an eARC for review.

Hunting lodge in the Scottish highlands

The Enchanted Greenhouse by Sarah Beth Durst

July 22, 2025

The Enchanted Greenhouse by Sarah Beth Durst

After using an illegal spell to create a sentient spider plant, librarian Terlu Pena was punished by being turned into a wooden statue, on display in the magical library as a warning to the rest of the staff not to dabble in the spells that they curated. But she hadn't meant any harm - she was just lonely. Nevertheless, the magic court decided to make an example of her. She stood on a pedestal in the library, frozen in place until one day, she wakes up to find herself in a winter forest on an island with no idea how she got there. Not only that, there is an enchanted greenhouse that is slowly dying, and a handsome gardener who expects Terlu to fix the greenhouse.

Charming cozy fantasy, not exactly a sequel to The Spellshop, more like a companion piece that provides the backstory of the librarian who made Caz the sentient spider plant. Terlu was the only character in the first book whose story was not resolved, so I'm glad the author decided to focus on her in this book. The greenhouses are marvelous creations, as are the green winged cat and the tiny dragons that act as pollinators. Themes are loneliness, forgiveness, and healing. The author has planned two or three more books set in this world. Another beautiful cover, too.

Many thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for providing an eARC for review.

A magical greenhouse

Marble Hall Murders by Anthony Horowitz

July 21, 2025

Marble Hall Murders by Anthony Horowitz

After breaking up with her partner Andreas, editor Susan Ryeland returns to London to take up her career as a freelance editor. She is hired by a small publisher, and to her dismay, she is asked to edit the newest Atticus Pund mystery, a continuation of the late author's mystery series by a younger somewhat unstable writer. Susan hates the series but she needs the job, so she agrees to work with the author, hoping she isn't going to be putting her life in danger. Again.

The third and possibly the last book in this series. This one was long, over 500 pages, and some of the descriptions could have been eliminated or shortened. I clocked Elaine a lot sooner than Susan did. Or maybe I'm just suspicious by nature. It will help if you've read the two previous books before taking up this one, since there are references to characters and the solution to the mystery in the first book.

Crouch End, London, where a lot of the action in the novel takes place

Small Mercies by Dennis Lehane

July 19, 2025

Small Mercies by Dennis Lehane

Mary Pat Fennessy spent all her life living in a housing project in South Boston. She raised her children there the same way that she was raised, with the belief that the Irish of her South Boston neighborhood were better than other people. The residents of South Boston have always lived a certain way and they want things to stay that way, and they want those they consider to be outsiders to stay out. But it's 1974 and change is coming whether they want it or not, and they can't stop it, beginning with the integration of the local high school that they all attended and that their children now attend. Mary Pat's daughter Jules is one of the students affected by the plan to bus white students to a Black neighborhood, but when Jules disappears just days before busing is supposed to begin, Mary Pat's focus switches to finding her daughter, whatever it takes. 

Gritty, violent, compelling. Dennis Lehane a great writer, no question. Mary Pat is not always a likeable character - she has a lot of hateful beliefs. But she is a bad ass who will fight for her child, even though you know she is on a collision course with disaster. Filled with morally ambiguous characters, class struggle, hypocrisy and broken dreams, it's a story of bigoted violent adults raising bigoted violent children. Sensitive readers should take note that there are scenes of violence, and brutality, child abuse, racism, drugs, crimes against women. Will appeal to fans to Don Winslow and Jeffery Deaver.

Busing protest in South Boston in the 1970s

The Last Days of Night by Graham Moore

July 16, 2025

The Last Days of Night by Graham Moore

A young lawyer, Paul Cravath, is drawn into the hundreds of lawsuits that Thomas Edison brought against George Westinghouse, claiming patent infringement. Westinghouse didn't claim to invent the light bulb or electricity, but to have improved on Edison's design to the point that it was a different invention. Westinghouse claimed his alternating current was safer and more reliable, while Edison continued to champion direct current.

Let me lead off with this: there is a scene of animal cruelty at about the midpoint of the book that I found extremely upsetting. It is historically accurate: Edison's spin doctor actually performed these demonstrations publicly, so animal lovers and dog lovers in particular may want to skip these pages. The opening scene in the book is also disturbing, as is the description of the first execution by electric chair at about the 2/3 mark which is extremely brutal.

With that said, this is historical fiction based on the Edison vs. Westinghouse lawsuits, which was the war between direct current and alternating electrical current (alternating current prevailed as safer and more reliable and is used for power grids today, while direct current is used for batteries and electronic devices - this isn't a spoiler, go look it up in Google or Wikipedia).

There are quotes at the beginning of each chapter, many of them from Bill Gates and Steve Jobs, which makes it almost impossible for the reader not to draw comparisons between the Edison/Westinghouse electric war, and the Microsoft/Apple technology battle a century later. Nikola Tesla gets in on the action too. Around page 105, there is a good explanation about how alternating current works and why it is less likely to kill you than direct current. Overall the characters are interesting and well-developed. Chapters are short, which makes the narrative a little choppy. Recommended for readers who enjoy historical fiction with a scientific slant.

Examples of two of the first light bulbs

Old School Indian by Aaron John Curtis

July 12, 2025

Old School Indian by Aaron John Curtis

Suffering from a rare autoimmune disease that will kill him within two years, Abe Jacobs returns to his family home on the reservation where he grew up. Abe dreamed of becoming a poet, but after his work was rejected by a number of publishers, he quit writing. He hasn't lived on the reservation since he left for college 25 years earlier, but now, desperate for a cure or at least something that will send the disease into remission, Abe agrees to allow his great uncle Budge to try to heal him, who teaches him that healing is not possible without hope and knowing yourself. 

There is a lot to unpack here. It's not a light read or a happy book, although many of the characters handle their situations through humor. Themes include family, cultural identity, tradition, mortality, various kinds of loss, and survival. Food plays a large role, in the ceremony of preparation, as an offering or tribute, and the act of gathering for meals. Lovely language and writing. In addition to telling a story, the author also describes trauma inflicted on indigenous peoples: forced sterilization, relocation and segregation, loss of culture, sexual violence. There are graphic descriptions of violence and sex, so more sensitive readers should be warned.

You should be aware of an organization called Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women that publicizes the violence committed against Native American women and girls, and tracks their cases. In North America, about 16% of all missing or murdered women and girls are Native American, while they make up only 4% of the population.

A Native American healing ceremony

Like Mother, Like Mother by Susan Rieger

July 10, 2025

Like Mother, Like Mother by Susan Rieger

Lila Pereira is an unconventional mother, focusing on her career as the executive editor of a major newspaper and leaving the raising of their daughters to her husband Joe and household help. But her youngest daughter Grace yearns for a regular mother who goes to PTA meetings, bakes cupcakes and takes her to soccer practice. After Lila's death, Grace receives a letter that Lila left her, telling her to go find out what really happened to Lila's mother, who disappeared when Lila was a toddler. Grace realizes how little she actually knows about her mother's family and wonders if you can ever know yourself if you don't know your past.

Part 1 is Lila and Joe's story, and I loved it. But the last 2/3 of the book is mostly about Grace, the youngest daughter, a real whiner and completely unlikeable, probably the least interesting character in the book. When I first started reading it, I thought it would appeal to readers who enjoyed Ann Patchett or Ann Napolitano, but the last two thirds morphed into something more like Sally Rooney, with a bunch of characters under 30 who are completely self-centered and unaware (putting your life on hold for five years to start a podcast???? Or "I can't ask her to marry me until she gives me the signal"???? What does that even mean????). It takes until around the 85% mark for the search for Lila's mother to begin, and then it is anti-climatic. Disappointing.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an eARC for review.

Dead of Summer by Jessa Maxwell

July 6, 2025

Dead of Summer by Jessa Maxwell

After 12 years, Orla O'Connell returns to Hadley Island, her childhood home, to get her family's old house ready for sale. She left the island after her best friend Alice mysteriously disappeared. Orla is shocked to find her teenage crush David Clarke is in residence at his family's summer home, along with his beautiful girlfriend Faith. But David is busy with work, leaving Faith plenty of time to snoop around and investigate the town and David's family.

A quick read, the kind of thing you can read/skim in one day. Atmospheric, although somewhat predictable and it dragged at times. Familiar themes: rich nasty family, poor girl with secrets in her past hooking up with a rich guy, a woman return to her hometown after years away, small town with suspicious residents who know everyone and their business, odd local man who is a natural target, lots of secrets. The characters were all shallow and unlikeable, the narrators somewhat unreliable. The premise appealed to me since I usually like a cold case mystery, so I was disappointed in this one. Suitable for a beach or poolside read, or an at-home read when it's 90+ degrees outside and you're stuck in the house.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an eARC for review.

Apprentice to the Villain by Hannah Nicole Maehrer

July 4, 2025

Apprentice to the Villain by Hannah Nicole Maehrer

Evie Sage, the Villain's perpetually optimistic assistant, is back, keeping him organized and off-balance. Their battle against the king's efforts to take over all the magic in the kingdom continues, while also managing their somewhat unruly families. Evie learns valuable new skills: fighting with a magic dagger, negotiating with magical beings, search and rescue, hanging up severed heads in the Manor's foyer. It's all in a day's work for the apprentice to the Villain. 

Sequel to Assistant to the Villain, another romantasy that is a lot of fun, if a bit longer than it needs to be. After a brief prologue that is largely unnecessary, the story picks up where the previous book ended, so I suggest you read the first book before starting this one. A number of readers complained that it wasn't as good as the first book (happens frequently with sequels, especially when they are bridging to or setting up the next book). Good supporting characters, especially Kingsley the frog with his signs. Themes include morally ambiguous characters, opposites attract, The Office in a fantasy setting, workplace romance/flirtation, snarky humor. The slow-burn flirtation continues. Yes, we are all wishing that Evie would jump Trystan already, because we're pretty sure he's not going to take the first step. Be sure to take a good look at the cover art on both books - lots of fun images.

Looking forward to the third book, coming out in August. If you enjoy this series/style, while you wait for the next book, go read The Spellshop by Sarah Beth Durst or Legend and Lattes by Travis Baldree.

Fun for the Whole Family by Jennifer E. Smith

July 1, 2025

Fun for the Whole Family by Jennifer E. Smith

The four Endicott siblings have been estranged for several years. When sister Jude, a well-known actress, summons them to meet in North Dakota on short notice, they are all curious enough about why, that they drop what they are doing to travel there in the middle of winter. 

Disappointing. Based on the title font and colorful cheerful cover and the blurb that it was “joy-filled,” I was expecting a happier story. Instead it was a tear-jerker with uber drama. There was enough foreshadowing that I had a pretty good idea where the plot was going, although it took a long time and loads of stupid ideas to get there. I know a lot of readers really liked this book and the travel sections were okay, but overall I found it depressing, especially the ending. 

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an eARC for review.

The Really Dead Wives of New Jersey by Astrid Dahl

June 30, 2025

The Really Dead Wives of New Jersey by Astrid Dahl

Eden Bennett is the producer of Garden State Goddesses, a reality show based around a group of rich women who spend all their time sniping at each other, when they’re not treating everyone else like crap. 

Another mystery based on reality TV, this one on a franchise like the Real Housewives. Usually I enjoy books that are campy and have quirky characters, and this sounded like it would be a fun read. But it was a real slog and I skimmed most of the book. I’m not a fan of reality TV, and I don’t watch the Real Housewives but I know the basic formula. Nothing really happened for the first 2/3 of the book, then finally one of the characters got murdered. Can’t get those hours back. Not recommended.

Many thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for providing an eARC for review.

The Real Housewives of New Jersey, who aren't anymore housewives than I am

Love Letters to a Serial Killer by Tasha Coryell

June 29, 2025

Love letters to a serial killer by Tanya Coryell

Hannah is a 30-something woman working at a dead end job and searching for direction in her life. The guy she thought was her soulmate dumps her, her BFF gets engaged, and she’s on probation at work. After four women’s bodies are found in Atlanta and a man is arrested, Hannah becomes obsessed with following the story through social media sites and connects with other true crime junkies. On a whim, she begins corresponding with William, the accused man, figuring that he’s in prison in another state and can’t hurt her, right? When she loses her job, she decides to go to Georgia for the trial, only to find there are a bunch of other women there, like groupies. But when another woman is murdered during the trial, the case is dropped, and Hannah and William move in together. What could possibly go wrong? 

You know right from the start, from the minute you read the title and see the cover art, this is going to be full of bad decisions and it’s not going to end well. Just accept that and move on. The accused serial killer is a lawyer, handsome, wealthy, and charming - big surprise, right? - think Ted Bundy (those of you who are under 40 can google his name). Hannah, the main character, is a brainless idiot, TSTL, no question about it, trying to figure out if William is the killer after they move in together. I was pretty sure where the story was going, and at 85%, found out I was right. If I had escaped from/been released by/been rescued from a serial killer, especially one that I knew was still out there, I would have PTSD for the rest of my life. 

(There is a name for the syndrome where women are attracted to violent criminals and men in prison: hybristophilia. It seems like the more violent the crime, the more women are attracted. Hannah displays aggressive hybristophilia, where a woman actually makes contact with the prisoner and tries to help them, combined with boredom over her mundane life, the appeal of a long distance relationship, and the whole fantasy of the situation. It’s more common than you would expect, and there are a bunch of websites for prisoner dating. I am SO creeped out.) 

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an eARC for review.

Ted Bundy, the stereotypical charming handsome serial killer

My Friends by Fredrik Backman

June 26, 2026

My Friends by Fredrik Backman

Four friends spend the last summer of their childhood together, taking refuge from their brutal home lives, giving each other a reason to dream, to love, to go on. One of the teens paints a picture that turns out to be a true work of art. Twenty-five years later, another teenager with a desperate background is determined to discover the story behind the painting. 

The latest novel from one of my favorite authors. It’s about bad ideas and everlasting friendship, the kind of memories you can only make with your friends when you are 14. A beautiful and heartbreaking coming of age story. Just go read it.

An old ocean pier, a place to make memories

Disappoint Me by Nicola Dinan

June 26, 2025

Disappoint Me by Nicola Dinan

Max is a lawyer, part-time poet, and a mixed race trans woman. At 30 years old, after a break up with her longtime boyfriend, she falls down a flight of stairs at a New Year’s Eve party (and she wasn’t even drunk). Upon waking up in the hospital, she thinks it’s time to stop partying, settle down and be an adult. But she isn’t sure how to go about it. After she meets a man named Vincent, a British-Chinese man, she thinks she may be on the right track, but Vincent has his own set of baggage.

Someone described this as sad girl lit, which is pretty accurate. The main character, Max, is a mixed race transgender woman in a new relationship with a British-Chinese man. Both have their share of baggage (there are several scenes in the story of people packing suitcases), causing Max to wonder if we should judge people by who they are today or who they were in the past. Adulthood should come with a warning label. Complex themes include love, loss, identity, trans people, race, millennial angst. Love the cover. 

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an eARC for review.

Pile of baggage, just like the people in this book

North Woods by Daniel Mason

June 25, 2025

North Woods by Daniel Mason

In the 18th century, a young couple flee from a Puritan village, and build a small cabin in the woods. Over the next few centuries, a variety of people call it home across the cycles of time, history, and nature.

Humans come and go, nature is forever. Lovely book, the story of a house and the surrounding land and the people who called it home. If someone asked me what the book is about, I would have a hard time explaining it. The narrative is a blend of stories, poems and songs, letters, news stories - some sections are more compelling than others. I loved the author’s two previous books so I wasn’t surprised to be sucked in immediately by this one. I recommend the audiobook, which has a full cast reading the various sections. Recommended for its beautiful writing to readers of literary fiction, although readers who prefer a more straightforward plot will probably not enjoy it.

An 18th century Massachusetts farmhouse

The Lighthouse at the Edge of the World by J. R. Dawson

June 20, 2025

The Lighthouse at the Edge of the World by J. R. Dawson

At the edge of Chicago, there is a Station with a lighthouse that guides the dead to the afterlife. Nera is the daughter and apprentice of Harosen, the ferryman who takes souls across Lake Michigan to the Veil, the entrance to the afterlife. Their dogs guide the souls to the Station and stay with them as they cross over, but some souls don’t want to leave the station, choosing to wait for a loved one. Others fear even beginning the journey, becoming wandering Haunts. When a living woman named Charlie is somehow able to cross the portal to the Station looking for her dead sister, Nera is forced to confront how little she knows about the Station, the city, and her own life.

Let me start by saying, the dogs are the best part! I really wanted to like this more than I did. The first half went quickly, but the second part dragged. Charlie is looking for her dead sister but it takes forever for her to actually get started, and then she gets her answer in one sentence. The waystation is wonderfully creative, as are the dogs and the souls waiting for loved ones. Marketed as a queer fantasy about love and grief, which I think is a fair description. Fans of TJ Klune’s Under the Whispering Door may enjoy it, but I found this to be far darker. Klune’s novel is much sweeter and warmer. 

Many thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for providing an eARC for review.

The pumping station out in Lake Michigan - I wonder if this gave the author for the idea of a gateway to the afterlife out in the middle of the lake

Catalina by Karla Cornejo Villavicencio

June 19, 2025

Catalina by Karla Cornejo Villavicencio

Catalina is a senior at Harvard, an aspiring writer who has worked a variety of unpaid internships, trying to figure out where she belongs. Born in Ecuador, she was sent to the United States to live with her grandparents following the death of her parents. Searching for love and romance, Catalina harbors a secret that can impact her future.

DNF at 51% - this was all over the place. It was like the author had a bunch of different stories that she just lumped together into one long stream of consciousness piece with no real plot or storyline, just a "year in the life." Did not care for the main character - extremely self-focused with no character growth, immature and pretentious at the same time. Actually, I didn't care for any of the characters. FYI, this is NOT dark academia - dark academia is Donna Tartt's The Secret History and others like it. The subject matter is important (the experiences of the undocumented living in the U.S., South American history and culture) so it's unfortunate that I found it so unreadable. Fans of the style of Sally Rooney or Dolly Alderton will probably enjoy it.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an eARC for review.

Ecuador

Assistant to the Villain by Hannah Nicole Maehrer

June 17, 2025

Assistant to the Villain by Hannah Nicole Maehrer

Evie Sage needs to find a job to help support her family right away. Desperate, when the local evil overlord (conveniently if not very creatively known as The Villain) offers her a job as his personal assistant, she agrees to work for him. She is amazed at how fast she grows accustomed to severed heads hanging from the ceiling and stray fingers on the floor. But someone is trying to kill the Villain, and by extension, Evie and the other people who work for him. 

The first book in a trilogy, a romantasy filled with mystery, humor, and a hot male protagonist (and who doesn't love a hot male protagonist?). Like The Office in a fantasy setting. After a while, I did want to yell at Evie and Trystan to find a bed and get on with it already. Perfect for a hot summer afternoon or vacation reading - strictly entertainment, it's not going to strain your mind. Cliffhanger ending, so be warned that you may have to continue on with the series.

The modern fantasy office

Dust Child by Nguyen Phan Que Mai

June 11, 2025

Dust Child by Nguyen Phan Que Mai

Forty years after the Viet Nam war ended, the country is still feeling the after-effects of a senseless war. The story follows three characters: Dan, an American veteran suffering from PTSD who fathered a child with a Vietnamese bar girl, and returns to Vietnam about 40 years later with his wife to try to find the woman and their child; two Vietnamese sisters, Trang and Quynh, who became bar girls during the war to support their family; and Phong, a mixed race man who is a “dust child” fathered by a Black GI, who desperately wants to find his father so he can move his family to the United States. 

A look at the aftermath of the Viet Nam war from a different perspective, that of those left behind to deal with the consequences, told from three different POVs. The Viet Nam war is the background here. A dust child is a mixed race child, the illegitimate child of a Vietnamese woman and an American soldier. Thousands of American GIs left behind these dust children, who were often discriminated against and denied basic human rights. Many of these children were abandoned or given away by their mothers, who feared retaliation from the Viet Cong for associating with American soldiers (which thankfully did not happen). While the children of white GIs suffered, children of Black GIs were treated far worse. I found the character of Dan, the American veteran, to be the least appealing. Themes and triggers include PTSD, exploitation of women, sexual abuse, poverty, and racial discrimination. Recommended for readers who want an alternate perspective on a controversial war.

Ho Chi Minh City, formerly Saigon, in the 21st century

A Conventional Boy by Charles Stross

June 7, 2025

A Conventional Boy by Charles Stross

Welcome to Camp Sunshine. It rains a lot. Specializing in cult deprogramming, Camp Sunshine is part of The Laundry, the government department that defends Great Britain from occult threats. Most residents stayed a few months, were rehabilitated, and returned to society. But Derek has been there since 1984, when he was rounded up with some of his mates as part of the Satanic Panic, since they were avid Dungeons & Dragons players, and therefore cultists. Due to what was essentially a clerical error, it took the government too long to realize he was just a harmless nerd, and by that time he was institutionalized. But after many years at Camp Sunshine, Derek gets his hands a local newspaper with an announcement that DiceCon, an annual gaming convention, would be coming to one of the local towns. Derek decides that no matter the consequences, he is going to DiceCon. 

Part of the Laundry Files series. I haven’t read any of the series because it seemed like it was a little too science-geeky (don’t get me wrong, I have nothing against geeky types since I lean toward the nerdy myself), but this was so entertaining that I am rethinking that. Derek has been incarcerated at Camp Sunshine, a cult deprogramming center, for over 20 years, and he interprets everything through a gaming lens, quickly finding a gaming parallel to any unfamiliar situation (enthusiastic women with big boobs trying to sell him something? Obviously a Wandering Monster encounter). Creative and entertaining, recommended for sci-fi/fantasy/horror readers who like a little humor in their reality. 

If you don't know what the Satanic Panic was, look it up on Google and spend a couple of hours down the rabbit hole.

Many thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for providing an eARC for review.

Nerds, er, fans at a gaming convention

The Correspondent by Virginia Evans

June 4, 2025

The Correspondent by Virginia Evans

Sybil is a lifelong letter writer, even in the modern age of email. She is divorced, a mother and grandmother, and a retired lawyer. She has a disease that she is hiding from her children, that is causing her to lose her eyesight. Sybil is enjoying her retirement until she is asked to speak at the funeral of her former law partner. Following the funeral, she begins receiving anonymous hate mail from a disgruntled litigant.

I loved this! It is definitely the best book I’ve read so far this year. It’s literary fiction and completely written in the form of letters. Sybil and I would have gotten along well since I’ve read all the books that she mentions in her letters. Blindness seems to be a metaphor for a lot that is going on in the novel. Will appeal to readers who enjoy Ann Patchett and Fredrik Backman. Highly recommended.