Book Review: Symphony of Secrets By Brendan Slocumb 4.5/5 stars!

 Imagine you're a professor of music and your specialty is a specific composer and their body of work.  Not only do you love this composer's music, you also owe your career to a foundation established by the composer's family in his memory. Indeed, most of your waking moments are connected to this long passed on composer.

Now, imagine that you discover that this composer may not be exactly who he seems to be. What does that do to your own assumptions, your identity and your space/place in the world? Who will the truth benefit? Who will the truth hurt? What might people do to preserve a myth? That is exactly what happens to Bern in Symphony of Secrets! There are a lot of layers in this action packed novel. 

With no Spoilers- (which is so hard for this novel)- Bern is a professor of music focused on a fictional Frederick Delany. Bern loves Delany's music, always discovering something different each time he replays different parts of his work. Bern is given a unique and amazing opportunity to look at and transcribe some newly unearthed compositions by Delany and he jumps at it. As he works, however, he finds that all may not be as it seems.  Slocumb takes the reader on a musical journey between the past and present as Bern unravels as much of the truth as he can discover, while dodging people who would like to keep the past buried at all costs. In the past timeline, the reader is treated to the actual true story of what happened, and for me,  it was delightful to be "in on the secret" so I could form my own thoughts and ideas about a not uncommon situation in the music world! 

  I really enjoyed this novel, but I will say it took me a very long time to read. I had to continually re-borrow it from library.  I'm not sure if it was just because it was in my dreadful month of reading (May)  or if it was because the novel is a bit hefty, but I did finally finish it.  

For me this is the PERFECT Book Club read!  It has action, suspense, a bit of a dip into the world of classical music which may be new, an opening to discuss the roles of women and people of color throughout time, and a narrative that will keep most readers reading (I think my issue wasn't with the book, just with my own May crisis) The author even has a great bunch of discussion questions on his web page. 

Let me know if you've picked this one up- the author has a NEW book out- Dark Maestro- So he's also On tour, so you could catch an event with this author if you're lucky and living in the right area! 

STATS

First Published  January 2024

Pages: 448

Available as an Audio Book : YES

Trigger Warnings:  racism, confinement, institutionalized racism, Mild domestic violence, emotional abuse, alcohol, gun violence, toxic relationship, murder, mental illness, stalking, classism, gaslighting

May Reading Wrap Up!

 May apparently was not a month for me to finish up a load of books.  My Total is 12. 

Kind of a far cry from February's 21 books.  May was a difficult month overall, and it shows that I wasn't really able to complete a lot of books.  I did have several that I just had to return to the library and place on hold again because I couldn't get them finished in the 2 week loan period, so... I did do a bit of soft DNF, because I just couldn't get the book done. It will be available in about 3 more months, and hopefully I won't have forgotten too much plot! 

Like this human, my head was full and I was unable to concentrate on anything that made sense. 

Albertus, D. O., Albertus, M., Farfengo, B., Giles, O. R., Albertus Magnus, S. & Lessing J. Rosenwald Collection. (1490) Opus Philosophie Naturalis. Brescia, Baptista Farfengo, 10 Sept. [Pdf] Retrieved from the Library of Congress, https://www.loc.gov/item/47043534/.

 Despite my small reading, I do think I got a bit more variety in there this month. Let's look at the statistics!

Books in Translation: 1/12 It's a lower number, but I'm still glad to see that one of my books was a translated work! 

Books By Diverse Authors: 58% of the books I read were written by an identified diverse author. Much better than April's 19%.  

Buddy Reads: We started a book , but I failed to finish it.  I have been struggling with print books and leaning heavily on audio and this was a print book so it just.. fell a little by the wayside. 

Book Club: I DNF both the Local Book club book and my own On line Stabby and Smoochy Book Club book. The Stabby Book was in print, and no audio available and I just wasn't finding it to be that great. The Local library club was another tale of a heroic WW2 woman, and I decided after about a chapter that I'd read enough.  (And we see now why I may have only finished 12 books! 

Hugo Awards: I have made progress on reading this year's nominees, so, depending on which one wins, I might have made progress on this goal.

Water Theme:  33% - or 4 books this month fit in to my water theme very nicely. 

I have yet to review two of these for the blog. But, As soon as tumultuous May is finished maybe I can hope right on that! Overall, i was pleased with my mix of non-fiction and fiction about water, and our use of it in life and our stories. 

TOP Read for May?  

I think hands down it's the novel in translation:  Oromay  by Baalu Girma. 

Not only is it an interesting novel which presented me with a unique window into time, but it is one that I wish more people would pick up and read. 

IN very close second was Emily Tesh's  The Incandescent! 

This book was everything I wanted in a grown up world of magic, demons and finding meaning in ourselves and our lives as we navigate adulthood. 

Overall, I had a fun reading month, given that I had some fairly intense home/work life balance stress going on that's kind of very slowly resolving itself. (please send good thoughts) 

I am hopeful for June. Firstly I plan on READING the WHOLE book for my Stabby and Smoochy Book Club!  I'm skipping the library book club book because it looks like hot garbage,  and I am half way through some other books that I'm really enjoying so I'm hoping that will help me tally up some nice reads for June.  I don't really plan the TBR out, I just take what's available at the library. 

How do you plan your TBR?  

Book Review Oromay By Baalu Girma 5/5 Stars

 First Published in Amharic in 1983, (and then banned rapidly after publication) Oromay has now been translated into English in it's entirety.  And as a BONUS - it is now out in a very listenable audio-book as well! 

  I would like to thank both Penguin Random House and Highbridge Audio and of course Net Galley for the Advanced Listener copy.It was an honor to read/listen to this important novel. 

 I  loved this cover, and was so excited to dive into this one.  I had very few expectations, though I admit I did have some, given my personal experiences with Eritrea. 

No Spoiler Summary (because spoilers are just the WORST) - Oromay ( an Eritrean word adapted from the Italian oromai  meaning pointless or finished) tells the story of a fictional journalist's experiences embarking on the Red Star campaign in Eritrea. Set in Asmara, the reader is embedded into all the wild nights, political intrigue and exploits and front line action in what was a long, bitter conflict occurring over decades. Girma was a journalist and it seems this very personal novel is a fictionalized account of the actual Red Star Campaign and true events.  (For those unaware, the Red Star Campaign was a large effort on the part of the Ethiopian Government to eliminate the Eritrean insurgency.) To call this a "historical fiction" novel somehow, seems incorrect, however. It has a much different feel to it, and- overall, I'm not sure what to call it.  It's being sold as a Spy/Thiller, but that somehow doesn't quite capture the essence of this novel.  This is more like autobiographical fiction, rather than historical fiction- and it's autobiographical fiction that the author may have paid for with his life.   It's hard to tell though, what is fact, and what's fiction so, likely best to enjoy as fiction. Oromay surprised me with a compelling narrative of revolution, love and betrayal.  This book was banned (In Ethiopia) very soon after it was published, and Girma himself, vanished soon after, which solidified interest in both the author and the novel itself.  

 I consumed the novel like a sweet delicious coffee. There's treachery, intrigue, gruesome battles, romance, and a dramatic ending that leaves the reader thinking about the nature of life and death for a long time to come. 

The narration was performed by Beru Tessema and it was perfection.  For many English readers- the amount of unfamiliar names with unusual spellings will be daunting. With Beru Tessema,  these all rolled off the tongue naturally and kept the story moving forward.  Some readers may find the way the story unfolds to feel a little slow- but I'm going to encourage readers to stick with it. The sort of slow measured feel seems to reflect how the campaign itself rolled out over Asmara. The novel pulls the reader in deeper and deeper, just as the Red Star officials were pulled into Asmara and Eritrea, not all at once, but slowly over a period of weeks. One warm evening at a time. 

Did I find myself rooting for one character in particular?  Not really- this isn't that sort of novel where a hero emerges out of rubble.  instead, as a reader I found that my understanding of life and death and the choices made in difficult times broadened with each unfurling chapter - making this a rather remarkable piece of fiction.  It is a book in translation - David DeGusta and Mesfin Felleke Yirgu are the translators, and I did have to check a few times to be sure it was a translation. I can't speak to the accuracy, but I can say that it was very readable. 

  For me this novel is as much of a love song to Eritrea, as it is a an anti-war statement.   Oddly, Eritrea was the first place I worked in Africa - kicking off multiple trips across the continent to provide medical education and care over decades. My experiences in Asmara were full of adventure, drama and joy. I was very young and had an incomplete understanding of the politics of the region. (which may be part of the reason I enjoyed my time there so much.) Girma's descriptions of Asmara took me back to the city. His descriptions of night life within Asmara brought back a lot of memories of a city that has strongly held on to some Italian influence. Indeed, I experienced some chills and surprise as I realized the hospital he described was the very same hospital I have worked at- decades later. As is noted in the novel, Asmara is a small place, and to know I'd been in literally the same places gave the novel a bit more meaning as I devoured it.  

  This novel is perfect for book clubs, students, readers of John Lecarre, and Phillip Kerr.  I wish I'd had the opportunity to read it prior to jetting off to Asmara myself, as the conflict there is nuanced and a bit difficult for outsiders to fully grasp. If you're looking for a book in translation, or a book to diversify your shelf- I recommend this as an option!

  

STATS

First Published  February 2025

Pages: 416

Available as an Audio Book : Yes

Trigger Warnings: war, violence, grief, infidelity, body horror, body injury

(this is not a full list, read responsibly) 

Book Review Someon You Can Build a nest in by J. Wiswell 4.5/5 Stars

 Wiswell's Someone you can Build a Nest in  is another Hugo award Nominee. (and OhGosh! It is also nominated for a Nebula Award and a Locus!!!)   I saw this book ALL over Book tok  when it came out and people were loving it. I may have formed some opinions, as many of the popular Booktok Books turn out to be popular mostly due to strong marketing.  After delving into it, I think in part, it was being  marketed by lots of creators that normally market romantasy books and they had a bit of a hard time seeing the nuance in this novel and talking about it, because it is nothing - nothing- like what they described in effusive tones. 

Someone you can Build a Nest In, is a cut above all those romantasies, and romance disguised as fantasy. 

  I was - in equal parts- enchanted and repulsed by the narrative!  Quite a feat for an author!

  A No-spoiler "synopsis"  for those who haven't read this yet.  Our protagnoist is Shesheshen, a very terrifying blob of a monster. She is singular, but for an odd companion - a Blue Bear she has named Blueberry. Society loathes and fears her and spends quite some times looking for ways to repel and eliminate her. After a bad encounter with society, Shesheshen finds herself tended to by a human, and she must reexamine her beliefs about humans, relationships, family and belonging.

Obviously there's "So MUCH More"  but we are keeping things spoiler free here. 

For me, the horror was horror-ing but not in a jump scare kind of way, just more in a way that I found myself entirely ready to gag at some of the great descriptive, evocative writing in the book. Totally creeped me out! I felt like Wiswell did a great job keeping me engaged well through the novel and that the story was well paced.  It left room for thought on issues of identity, relationship, community, and love. 

   The world he built was familiar but also somewhat unique in nature and I thought he struck a nice balance between the two, it was very easy to understand, and as a reader, I appreciated the lack of a very complex magic system that I would need to dissect carefully. 

The conclusion was sort of a soft landing after a book filled with quite a bit of body horror, family trauma and violence, so it's worth sticking around for. 

Wiswell is an interesting author who is living with a neuromuscular disability  which he talks about candidly HERE. 

   So,  overall I've now read 4 of the Hugo nominated novels.  I enjoyed this one, but it was not my favorite. I can see it being the winner, however, because it hit all the right plot points, told a delightfully macabre story without jumping down any long winded rabbit holes. The world was original as was the plot, and it was so very relatable for anyone who's felt like an outsider. 

So do I think this will end up winning?  There's definitely a good chance of it. Have you read this?  Would you nominate it for a Hugo? 

Book Review: The Incandescent by Emily Tesh 10/5 stars

 Yes,  10 out of 5 stars. 

One thing that I think really shows the mark of a good writer is when they are able to tell multiple different kinds of stories and they are all stories that keep me riveted to the page. (or in this case- the headphones!) Emily Tesh is that author.  Their books fall into the Fantasy genre, but each series/book seems to be entirely different.

 In 2024, I read Some Desperate Glory  - Tesh's Hugo Award wining Space Opera.  And honestly, I had a pretty rough go to begin with, and came very close to DNFing the book, but after talking to another reader - I dove in and by the end I was entirely invested.  This Space opera/thriller took on issues of identity, gender, and belonging (and so many other things) within a redemption arc that gave me hope that even very dislikable, rigid people can change. In the end, I loved it. 

When I saw an Advanced listener copy up on Net Galley, I ran for it. 

As a small time Blogger, I was surprised and so excited when the "you're approved" email arrived! 

     I jumped into The Incandescent  with no fore-knowledge of the plot, the story , the general anything.  I actually assumed it might be another set in space novel. 

The cover kind of gave off Sci-Fi Vibes in my brain and I was there for it! 

Nope, Tesh switches things up, taking us on a fantastic journey in a British magical boarding school, where Demon incursions can be unpredictable, and students are as charming and fascinating as a certain other wizarding novel that's fallen out of favor among many for many reasons.  I did indeed feel as reading this, that this novel was perfection for kids who grew up on that certain Wizarding series, and now feel a bit lost as the author has gone off the rails. This novel gives us a grown up magical academia story with all the heart and soul that one could hope for in a novel. (I think it's much better actually, and is in no way an imitation.) Given the widespread reach of the HP novels and the setting of Tesh's novel, I think comparisons are inevitable. It's clear that while the setting is a setting is similar, this is not a "fan fiction" .   After about the first 4 chapters, I realized we weren't all going to be transported to a Space Station and settled in for a read that gave me a distinctly cozy feeling despite not really being a cozy kind of novel exactly. 

     Tesh's tale is told from the perspective of an Adminstrator/Teacher who's in her late 30's.   Frankly, I found this point of view to be completely engaging and entertaining.  As a boarding school student myself, the descriptions and situations that Saffy (our protagonist) and her students and colleagues find themselves in was maybe a bit too on the nose at times!   While my boarding school was most assuredly Non- Magical, I had many moments deep in my own childhood memories. The adult POV felt right as I was easily able to relate to the protagonist without having to remind myself that I was once 12!  

The plot centers around Saffy, her final year students, and Saffy's relationships as well as some truly impressive demonic incursions. Saffy is proud and wears that pride, essentially on her sleeve. She's determined to protect her school- especially because there was a time long ago when she failed to do that.  While there were a few predictable moments, they didn't dissuade me, as I got the wonderful feeling of "I was so right!" when the reveal truly occurred. It offers magical battles, A wily phoenix like creature,  a subtle romance sub-plot, charming and whimsical details (imps occupying copiers and clocks) and a deliciously satisfying ending in which Saffy learns that one can't really go it alone, and indeed, sometimes it's possible to become a danger to what you propose to protect. She's the master at getting out of her own way there at the end! 

The narrator was Zara Ramm. It was well read and her reading of the novel did not distract from the story. I'd gladly listen to her narrate again, She doesn't "do the voices"  and I didn't feel like the narration lacked from that at all. 

   Is this a novel for everyone?  Probably not.   I've already had one negative comment on my video review from a die hard wizarding world fan, ah well... Is it a novel for a lot of people? YES - I think so. I mean, I'm already planning on sending my sister a copy! (She too had the boarding school experience).  

Let me know if you pick this up!   Happy reading! 

STATS

First Published  May 2025

Pages: 432

Available as an Audio Book : Yes

Trigger Warnings:  violence, child death (not on page references to) , grief, infidelity, body horror, body injury

(this is not a full list, read responsibly) 

Book Review: Shallow Waters by Anita Kopacz 3/5 Stars

Anita Kopacz's debut novel Shallow Waters was published in 2022.  I picked it up in 2025 because it fit my Water 2025 theme. 

The cover design is gorgeous, and I really loved that immediately. 

    Kopacz takes us on a adventure that spans the globe, starting in the Oceans of Africa and ending in a trip on the Underground railroad in the antebellum south. 

Readers travel with Yemaya, a goddess who isn't aware that she is a goddess as she searches for her stolen love Obatala. Along the way we meet many characters from history including Harriet Tubman, Ralph Waldo Emerson and (lesser known by Non-Quakers) Richard Dillingham.   In a bit of a mash up of historical figures, mythical figures and real and imagined events. 

Here is Moses-  Harriett Tubman in 1911.

Harriet Tubman, full-length portrait, seated in chair, facing front, probably at her home in Auburn, New York. Auburn New York, 1911. Photograph. https://www.loc.gov/item/2002716779/.

  Overall, I enjoyed this novel. I felt it was inventive, and left room for discussion of so many aspects of American life from that era.  It was interesting to read about historical figures set in an imagined tale.  Kopacz really did capture the dangers of the Underground Railroad  and there were several moments where I was silently shouting "No, Yemaya No!"  as She made her way to the American shores and then further North! 

For me the ending - which had sort of an abrupt epilogue which solved an immediate issue of entrapment didn't quite sit that well.  I'm such a concrete person that the vague alluded to escape from the clutches of the very unlikable, awful, no good plantation owner was disappointing.  I wanted those moments of suspense and the clever escape, alas that was not to be.  I did listen to the sample of book two and found that indeed, we don't really seem to return to how that escape happened.  This is a choice made by the author and although it bothered me, it isn't really a fair criticism of the work-it's more of a personal preference. 

  Overall, well written, imaginative, and engaging. While I did not totally love this one, I would surely read more from this author.  I think she's one to watch.  This work, I suspect is not the best thing she will produce in her career. And if it is, it's not bad at all, it didn't entirely captivate me, but, again, I still want to read more from the author, so who knows. It definitely could be a book for you, my reading pals! Have you read this novel?  let me know what your thoughts are in the comments! 

STATS

First Published  August 2022

Pages: 224

Available as an Audio Book : Yes

Trigger Warnings:  (violence, murder, Slavery,)

(this is not a full list, read responsibly)

Book Review Overgrowth by Mira Grant 5/5 stars

   I requested the audiobook advanced listener copy for Mira Grant's Overgrowth and I could not believe when I was approved! 

I am STILL OVER THE MOON!  Also - I was not disappointed at all. 

  This is likely going to be one of my top reads for the year! I feel like it was a mash up of Beautyland and HG Wells War of the Worlds!

   If you'd like a Spoiler free video review Go Here:  no Spoilers below because Spoilers just SUCK! 

  Imagine you disappeared for 3 days as a child and returned to your family telling them that you'd been replaced by an alien.  You look like you, and act pretty much like you, so of course, people assume the trauma of the event caused this small delusion. Unfortunately for you, you can't help but tell everyone, despite the difficulties it may cause. You think there's no one else like you in the world, but that's ok, because you are the vanguard of an alien race. 

Eventually, your alien people will be coming back for you- but, of course, you don't know when.  This is what happened to Anastasia Miller in Overgrowth.  Anastasia grows up- gets a job and a boyfriend, and is essentially living her best life when the alien bat signal starts to come a calling and making things - a wee bit messy for her and the global community in general. 

This is a first contact narrative with teeth!  There is a touch of body horror, Sci Fi, humor, suspense and a dash of romance in this rapid moving story which had me on tenterhooks wondering what was going to happen next! While the first contact idea, and the nature of the alien were not wholly new - the way that Grant's world is constructed is broadly and wildly imaginative and distinctly unique from other Sci-Fi I've read. I found the building of the alien experience to be entirely creative, engaging and fairly easy to follow despite it going from plants to quasi-Vampires, to dinosaurs at 100 MPH. 

I was particularly enamored with the main character's earthly relationships and the way the FMC explored her evolving emotions and feelings regarding her human people. I especially liked Grant's portrayal of Graham, a trans man, in this book.  While not the main character, and not the main story line, I really liked the diversity shown throughout the novel, without it being an actual novel about someone being a trans person. I have to admit also, the deep love that the characters had for each other, was also masterfully illustrated through the writing. 

 I am hopeful that this will be nominated for a Hugo next year, as it certainly is standing out as an immensely readable and thought provoking novel. 

   

   I did enjoy the audiobook- the narrator was not distracting from the novel and read in a very natural way. 

So... If you're into space aliens, the Little Shop of Horrors, or a good story, this is a book you're going to want to consume in large, meaty chunks. 

Have you  read Overgrowth yet?  It's only a story and as Grant will tell you- as a story, it can't hurt you anymore! 

STATS

First Published  May 2025

Pages: 480

Available as an Audio Book : Yes

Trigger Warnings:  violence, murder, people, people consumption, bullying, body horror, questionable dietary choices, gun violence, fire, mental health, 

(this is not a full list, read responsibly) 

Book Review The Outlaw Ocean by Ian Urbina 4/5 Stars

 The outlaw ocean was a book that i knew would fit the bill for my year long Water theme.  I haven't read very many Non-fiction books, and this one, took me quite a long time to get through, not because it was boring, but because it was long.   At 560 pages, I really did have my work cut out for me. 

This book seems to be the compilation of a lot of work that was published in the NYT - where Urbina worked for many years. During that time he investigated and reported on all sorts of skullduggery that occurs in the oceans primarily because - as we all know- the ocean lives by different rules. 

Urbina tells the tales of a floating medical clinic that operates under the laws of the flag it flies, horrific sea-slavery conditions and situations, real life pirates, and a lot of environmental pain. 

The information shared is done in a narrative style that is plenty exciting and did keep me engaged (kinda... it did take me 2 months to finish the audio-book).  I did feel like I had learned more about the vagaries of life on the ocean, especially in terms of the role of law and how and where it applies. 

Urbina is a wild character - with a Pulitzer for reporting- and indeed he seemed to pursue all leads for his story - including voluntarily going to Somalia for his story ( and predictably - almost perishing- as a former aide worker in E. Africa, as soon as I started to read this I began to wonder about his common sense). My biggest concern was that he seemed to hire a lot of folks and then also put them in the same danger.  Opportunities in Somalia are not super frequent and some of those folks may have felt they couldn't say no, so that entire foray into that area really left me less enthused about the person, but as far as the book- it's education and informative. And,  Of course, common sense may never win a Pulitzer.  He's also had a bit of controversy with some issue with a charity type organization he started that's directly related to this book. Click here for that... 

Despite the controversy- as a book, I would recommend it.  I may not want to participate as a musician in some sort of oceanic scheme, but- as a reader, I don't think this book is in any way misleading.  I learned quite a bit about the ocean, and oceanic law- or lack there - of, and what can be done to help both the ocean and those who's lives are tied to it. 

STATS

First Published  August 2019

Pages: 560

Available as an Audio Book : Yes

Trigger Warnings:  violence, murder, people, animal and environmental abuse, , Environmental crime, more murder, political violence,,

(this is not a full list, read responsibly) 

April Reading wrap up!

 April was a great month for reading, for me! I finished 23 books!  Almost all of them were on audio, so that is also a record for me.  Lately I have been wanting to read actual physical copies of books, but, the audiobooks are so very convenient and have now a lot of amazing narration as well. Still, sometimes, seeing the words in print and being able to go at one's own pace is really nice. 

  I haven't really tallied things up - but I feel like I may have read a little less diversly this month, which is NOT my goal at all. I have been enraptured with what is available on NetGalley lately  and that seems to have taken over. So I've been making friends with books.  A lot of friends.  And also, if you've read a good book by a diverse author, please drop the rec in the comments. Bonus if it is available at many libraries. 

Make friends with books November 13-19 , book week. , 1949. [United States: publisher not identified] Photograph. https://www.loc.gov/item/2015646092/.

Let's get into it! 

Statistics!

Books in Translation: 1/23  I do not have a particular goal of reading a lot of works in translation, but I do find it interesting when I read them, as the story is affected by both the author, the translator and the reader.  This month  I read Not a River by Selva Almada.  I am unsure if it fell flat somewhere in the translation, or if it just wasn't for me, but it did fall into my water theme nicely and I had never read anything by Almada, so now I have. 

Books by Diverse Authors: 19% of my reads were by diverse authors. Definitely a drop from February 57% . Al ot of this was that I was offered books that I wanted to read that weren't by diverse authors. Hopefully in May I will up that a  bit, I am really slipping.  So I've got 5-6 that I'm already starting in May which are by diverse authors, we will see.  I do kind of do a lot of DNF. 

TOP Read for April?  So hard. April was full of amazing reads, some very unusual for me  (Upon a Starlit Tide) and others that were kind of expected, like A Sorceress comes to Call). 

In the end, I'm  going with 

The River Has Roots By Amal Al-Mohtar

The writing was what clinched it.  The story itself was fine, but the musicality of the book really leant itself to reading aloud and thinking about things and overall the entire reading experience was wonderful.   I liked it so much I even made an entire video about it.

I'd recommend this to pretty much anyone. It's one I'd recommend for aspiring writers, just to look at how the author uses words throughout. 

A close second would be  If an Egyptian Cannot Speak English by Noor Naga  

This short novel was quite a surprise for me, I read it and found it to be a little bit on the nose, and sort of off putting in some ways and then boom, the ending was chaotic and wonderful.  I will look for more from this writer. 

Hugo Awards: I made progress on my goal to read the Hugo award wining novels, and finished off Fahrenheit 451  by Bradbury.  This one was a winner especially after The demolished man, which was NOT a winner.  It took me a long time to acquire the next one - apparently another weak one- The Forever Game-  in which a feminine appearing robot is named "Bossy"  so hopefully, I finish that in May. 

Buddy Reads: 

  I finished off  Well, Actually by Mazey Eddings  with my Book Buddy and we both thought it was really fun.  Eddings writes a well paced romance with tension, diverse characters and a lot of relatable and funny moments! 

This one was overall just an enjoyable read (Thank you NetGalley and SMP!) 

Book Club Reads:  This is a bit shameful for me to admit, but even though I lead the Stabby and Smoochy Bookclub... I DNF the last two books!  We choose books by vote and I was outvoted. Since I had so many books from the library and Netgalley, those two just had to go- to me they weren't that great, and I had Noor Naga and Amal El Mohtar competing, as well as the great Ruby Dixon. 

I did read some Ruby Dixon this past month-  Bad Guy  Where readers continue in the Risdaverse, and meet who we think is Crueldon the Ruiner  and Mina, another brave human female. YES... it was as always fantastic, and Narrated by Mason Lloyd, I've audiobooked so much by Mason that the Dog recognizes his voice. 

I recommend Ruby if you are looking for a little Monster Romance. Everyone is always surprised at the quality of  her work.  

What else made up the bulk of this month's reading?

    Looking back I seem to have indulged a bit too much into the romance genre, as well as some Science Fiction- as I'm moving through the Hugo Nominees.  Can't say I recommend that path as "Hitched to the Gunslinger" was OK, but...I think it may have rotted my brain.  I like romance, but I need it to be... better? 

 So.  Let's see if I can do better in May! 

I want more Diverse authors for myself, "better" romance, and I dunno, maybe not to get swayed by every single thing on offer with Net Galley! 

Book Review A Sorceress Comes to Call by T. Kingfisher 4.95/5 stars!

 

Published in August 2024, A Sorceress Comes to Call is a Hugo Award Nominee for 2025 in the Novel category. 

I honestly would never have picked this up if it were not for the nomination.  I've had a bit of a block about T. Kingfisher.  The author is recommended highly by one particular bookseller on TikTok, and honestly- I've picked up or read at least 4 other books that the seller loved that I disliked greatly so, I have actually started to sort of actively avoid anything that seller recommends.  And... Kingfisher comes highly recommended.

Well. In this particular instance... WE AGREE.  T. Kingfisher has a writing style that I LOVE. The entire novel flowed right into my brain with very little effort. This isn't because it had a simple premise or a lack of world building.  A sorceress Comes to Call is full of memorable characters, oddly wonderful geese, and a old world-esque magic system.  

As a short synopsis without spoilers- the reader starts with getting to know Cordelia, the timid daughter of a sorceress, or is she just a very controlling Mother? Cordelia needs to marry a rich gentleman for survival and her Mother is insistent on that.  Mother, with the help of a beautiful horse named Felatta, sets both her and Cordelia up at a stately manor where Cordelia will eventually join ranks with other residents to take back control of her life. 

There was not one moment reading that was a chore. 

Out of the three Hugo nominated novels, I have enjoyed this one the most. It's so not Sci-Fi - it really surprised me.  Let me remind everyone (myself included)  that the Hugo is indeed for both Sci-Fi and Fantasy. No matter who comes away with the prize- Kingfisher deserves all the Kudos.  No regrets on recommending this jewel of a novel. 

STATS

First Published  August 2024

Pages: 336

Available as an Audio Book : Yes

Trigger Warnings:  violence, murder, theme of abuse and loss, Supernatural killers, angry birds,

(this is not a full list, read responsibly)