Book Review: Mickey 7 by Edward Ashton

 Mickey 7  is a well known smash hit made into a motion picture.  

Of COURSE --I'd never read it.  But having chosen the theme of Outer Space, it seemed like a good year to pick it up, and  because it isn't the latest media darling, the audio book was available immediately at my local library, 

Overall, I'm not sure how I feel about it. The premise is fascinating, Mickey Barnes is an Expendable.  A person who's sent out on dangerous missions that only a human has the dexterity or decision making skills to carry out.  If Mickey perishes, they have a way to regenerate him with memories and personality intact.   

         Mickey joined up to escape an unpleasant situation on his home planet, but now that he's been regenerated a few times, he had to admit that this life is a challenge. Left for dead at one point, he actually survives, and comes back to his bunk to find that Mickey 8 has already been regenerated. As one might imagine,  this creates a great deal of comedic problems, and thought provoking situations. 

     I liked this novel.  I admit, I did not LOVE this novel. The writing is good, and the premise is fantastic, and original.  What I didn't like is that the characters were kind of flat overall.  Given that this is an action/plot based kind of a book, it makes sense, but I still wanted maybe a bit more. 

I will definitely be reading more from this author, but I'm not sure I want to read more of the Mickey 7 series.  It was a solid OK.  I suspect if I was a 17-22 yr old man it would have been perfection. 

Have you read this series or seen the film?

 STATS

First Published :  2023

Pages: 330

Available as an Audio Book : Yes  

Trigger Warnings:  poverty, racism, classism, bugs, medical issues, body horror, supernatural creatures

(this is not a full list, read responsibly)

 

 

Book Review: Wolf Worm by T. Kingfisher

 T. Kingfisher is such a curious author to me. The way that she does horror is unique.  It's not at ALL Splatter-punk, or Slasher style, but instead it sort of creeps up on a reader as they are sinking into a gorgeously described setting. Once you hit the shock factor, you're so far in you don't quite know how you got there!  

When I saw  A new book on audio on Netgalley, I hit that request now button very very quickly. Thanks to Macmillan audio/TOR Nightfire  for this advanced copy. I ATE THIS BOOK UP.   

I was not at all disappointed. 

Wolf Worm is the story of  Sonia Wilson.  She's 30 years of age, orphaned by her father in 1899 and unmarried.  With very few prospects, and being entirely fed up with a lucky posting teaching spoiled girls watercolor painting, Sonia bravely answers an ad for a scientific illustrator in North Carolina. With Sonia as the primary narrator, the entire lush North Carolina woods come alive through her artistic eyes. After settling in with some mild foreshadowing of creepy things to come, Sonia enjoys the company of the other house residents and community. Of course, there wouldn't be a story if unusual things didn't start to happen.  As a naturalist, she immediately clocks odd animal behavior, and as time unfolds her curiosity leads her to a rather grim discovery. Despite wanting to simply avoid the facts she's discovered, Sonia finds a way to press on. Although the novel has disturbing moments, an underlying message at the conclusion is that it's possible to overcome dark and sinister plotting even without all the proper tools and training. 

Although I did feel the reveal and action came a little late in this novel, I very much enjoyed Wolf Worm. It had a good balance of the quaint and delightful with the weird and gruesome. Kingfish just knows how to create an atmosphere, hold the attention and bring things to boil impeccably. I love the writing style and it's consistency across her novels despite telling wildly different tales. 

  I am a little bit sad that this novel isn't out until March 2026.  Although it doesn't really touch directly on our current times, the underlying discussion of Sonia initially ignoring what was obviously odd and unusual, and eventual addressing the horrific situation head on was quite thought provoking for me.  I could see that no matter what Sonia had done from day to day she could still make a strong impact when she made a choice to do so. 

This book was narrator by Mary Robinette Kowal.  This was my first time with her as a narrator. Overall, her usual narration voice is ultra-clear making the novel flow seamlessly.  She did do some voice alteration for various voices that I did not enjoy much, but that said, even the alternative voice pitching for other characters- the reading remained clear. I suspect others will find the alternative voices very appealing! 

Highly recommend placing this one on the TBR! 

STATS

First Published :  Coming March 2026

Pages: 288

Available as an Audio Book : Yes  9 hrs 14 min 

Trigger Warnings:  poverty, racism, classism, bugs, medical issues, body horror, supernatural creatures

(this is not a full list, read responsibly)

 

Book Review: Crooked Plow by Itamar Vieira Junior

 Crooked plow was not on my radar.   I saw a new novel from this author on Net Galley and decided instead of requesting the new novel that perhaps I should explore Crooked Plow- on audio from my local library. This is an award winner, winning the Brazilian LeYa Award and in 2024 it was shortlisted for the International Booker Prize.  I did remember seeing some reviews for this in 2024 and then... it seemed to fizzle out.  I fully took advantage of that fizzle and found that the audiobook was immediately available from my library! 

This is a novel that I probably won't soon forget for many reasons. 

   This story is set in an Afro-Brazilian farming community living on Fazendas.  While technically these Fazendas were basically plantations, the post slavery situation resembled strongly the sharecropping situation in the US  after the Civil War and Emancipation. Folks were free to leave, but the technicalities really left them in poverty and with few options. 

Our story opens with two sister's exploring their Grandmother's secret luggage and enduring an event so traumatic that one sister loses her ability to speak.  Readers watch the two sister's grow and navigate life within their limited choices. Their lives, intertwined with their relatives and with the land, serve as a way for the author to also bring forward the changes that Brazil, and particularly the Sertao area of Bahia Brazil was facing, as tenant farmers grappled with their relationship to the land and their rights as tenants. With relevant themes of generational poverty and trauma, economic and racial injustice and the power of community, it's no wonder this book sparked interest.  I found the writing to be engaging, and the multilayered, multigenerational story to draw me in.  The non-linear style was slightly confusing to me, but I suspect that was because I chose an audio version and the division between chapters where the time switches did occur were not very clear via audio. 

  I found the descriptions of the Jare religious ceremonies to be particularly engaging, and I do want to learn more about this area and time- although passively- i admit, as in, I am more attuned and sensitized to this and will likely prick up my ears if the topic comes up.  Rather than say, going to the library to do a deep dive into the topic.  

  One thing that fascinated me is that the author, a man, chose to center his tale primarily around the lives of women. He writes a great deal about women's work, relationships and struggles, as well as the role of children in the lives of women. I'm always a little skeptical about men writing main character women, though it can be done well.  in this case, I feel that he did capture what life was like as a woman in these areas - essentially - it was a hard row to hoe- with a crooked or straight plow. I do not feel like he really captured the inner lives of women, however, so that area, was sort of flattened, but with so much going on in the novel, I didn't really feel that it was missing, as introspection wasn't the main point as far as I can tell.  I did get that there was a deep respect for women and childbearing, but it seems to be limited to this. Again, given the scope of the novel, there wasn't room for more exploration.  I should note that this book is also a translated work, so some of the spark and meaning may not have hit just right. 

     Overall, I enjoyed this book, and will likely read more from this author.  I don't know that it would reach my top 12 for the year, but I think it's an excellent piece of fiction- again another I'd recommend for book clubs - lots of themes and history to discuss, as well as all the relationships, revenge, and resilience that a reader may want. 

STATS

First Published  6/2023 (English edition) 

Pages: 288

Available as an Audio Book : Yes

Trigger Warnings:  Domestic violence, poverty, misogyny, child death, 

(this is not a full list, read responsibly)  

 

Book Review: Inner Space By Jakub Szamalek

   I picked up Inner Space on Audio from my library  mostly because of my 2026 Outer Space reading theme.   I can say.. this was a VERY good read. 

This fit nicely into so many of my goals as a piece of translated fiction, so I dove in immediately.

   For me this qualifies as Hard Sci-fi with a slice of messy relationships. Please do not mistake that for this novel being some sort of romance.  There are relationships, some romance and sex, but if you are looking for a happy ending, a couple rediscovering that each is their North Star, or that sort of novel, this will not hit the mark. 

If, however, you are looking for an intense, broody, slow burn/build thriller type novel with a side of horror, and human psychology-you will want this to earn a place on the TBR. 

No Spoilers Summary- because they are simply dreadful.  

In one of the final joint travel missions to the ISS American and Russian Astro/Cosmonauts head to the International Space Station. At the start, things feel awkward.  The crew is known to be somewhat poorly matched. Once established on the station, an ammonia leak is noted.  While not dangerous, the inability of the crew to locate and repair the leak leads to an increase in the already brewing tension. Soon, everyone is suspect. The location creates a bit of a unique huis clos - or closed door mystery situation. For me I felt the ISS itself became somewhat of a character itself, as all it's nooks, crannies and oddities are explored and exploited- ratcheting the tension up even more. As the crew commander investigates, directives are hurled into space from various parties and readers are invited to both explore the realities of life in space, human nature and tendencies, and solve a perplexing mystery. 

Szamalek  and translator Beresford clearly know their Space details, and I found the descriptions of life aboard the space station to be particularly fascinating. Indeed when I tune in to ISS news, the astronauts always look cheerful, and excited to be participating in their mission activities- but we can never really know their inner thoughts, frustrations and triumphs. Szamalek takes us into this mindset with interesting perspectives and through processes about motivation, dedication and exploration.  I admit, as a superfan of the Space Based Romance...the author's very well researched descriptions of life aboard the ISS have dampened my desire for my own space based romance, and I'm starting to believe all Space based romance should be reclassified as "Fantasy" rather than Sci Fi!  In a way, it makes me appreciate the romance all the more as I can now see how otherworldly it really is.  

Overall, I highly recommend. Szamalek tread a thin line- creating a thriller that engages, in a hyper realistic situation with extremely relatable characters.  The afternote from Kasia Beresford the translator was additionally very interesting as the background work to fully translate this novel is made clear for all readers. 

I hope more readers pick this up- as I want to talk about it more! 

STATS

First Published  7/2025

Pages: 352

Available as an Audio Book : Yes

Trigger Warnings:  violence, homophobia, descriptions of blood, bodily fluids, intense isolation, misogyny, psychological distress, hostile situations

(this is not a full list, read responsibly)  

Book Review: Irehide by DeAndrea Pete

 Irehide is a novel that's been out since October 2025.  I saw the cover on NetGalley and, although I am not doing many ebooks this year, the cover and the premise drew me in!  I'm very appreciative of the author and NetGalley for providing me with a review copy to read and review for you! 

Irehide sits firmly in the historical fiction/romance genres, but it really more firmly falls into that odd genre "women's fiction".  This is most assuredly a book that so many book clubs would enjoy as there are so many themes and relevant ideas to unpack- set within a very engaging romance between two somewhat broken characters, Florence and Ben. 

     With no Spoilers- (hopefully)  Irehide is set against the backdrop of 1968 America, a time of great change and strife. Our main characters are essentially two sides of a coin, with their determination to be more than the status quo bringing them together. 

Florence is an ambitious young black woman who is making her way in a world that would rather minimize her to an expected stereotype. She's determined to not settle in life, even as she knows this determination may make her life more challenging. Despite her determination, Florence, like many people, experiences lots of second guesses, as opportunities present. She's walking on a tightrope as she navigates her life. 

Ben, on the other side, has been raised with all advantages, and all expectations placed on him.  He sees the injustice in the world and is determined to use his position to balance out some of this- regardless of the costs to his personal and professional life.  A new veteran of the Vietnam war, he's faced a lot and is ready for change.  He makes many mistakes attempting to be a changemaker, and in many ways, finds himself also walking on a similar tightrope- though decidedly with a more cushioned fall- should he fall. 

As this pair orbit each other, coming closer and closer with each rotation, I was on the edge wondering the age old question- Would LOVE be enough to overcome backgrounds, social expectations and norms, and personal forces designed to pull them apart? 

Obviously you'll want to read to find out! 

I can say that the ending was quite satisfying. 

This is a well crafted novel - that does contain some minor pacing issues which were easily overcome.  Recommended if one is looking for historical romance with nuance, book club reads, indie authors or just a good story in a somewhat unique time setting.

 STATS

First Published : 10/07/2025

Pages: 336

Available as an Audio Book : No. 

Trigger Warnings: racism, sexism, bullying, violence  (not a complete list- be responsible!)

Book Review: The Manor of Dreams by Christina Li

 Wow.  WOW.   Wow. 

I really enjoyed this book by Christina Li.  I am not entirely sure that the way it is being marketed is helping it succeed.  This really isn't a mash up of Mexican Gothic and The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo. It is also NOT "brimming with romance" So... I feel like a lot of readers who were looking for those two items were mightily disappointed.  I'm still wondering exactly where the romance was in the room with us. 

    This really is a literary fiction novel with elements of horror, mystery and magical realism. It is very well constructed, engaging and the plot unfolds well.  I really enjoyed the audiobook as well. 

No Spoiler synopsis:  Two estranged families must come together for the reading of a will of a famous, but mysterious and reclusive relative. In a surprise, one family inherits the lion's share; the other feels they must contest the will, leading to both families occupying the family mansion for some times.  During this time, readers move between two timelines, which reveal the past and the present as the week in the mansion evolves. 

  Within 352 pages, there is a lot to unpack. 

***** Alert- Spoilers ahead**********

There is discussion of immigration to the United States, family expectations, the "American Dream" , power dynamics in relationships of all sorts, Motherhood,  generational trauma, and history, and quite a lot more. This would be a good book for a book club because it is very accessible for many readers. Although the story seems somewhat unique- The themes all have threads that almost any reader can pick up and find relatable. 

So I enjoyed this novel, felt it was very well written and constructed overall and I gave it 4 stars. 

The only thing I do find kind of strange is that... AGAIN SPOILER ALERT....  

We have a sentient garden. It has killer plants. 

Also in the past 5 years we have had Mira Grant's Overgrowth,  and  Eat the Ones you Love by Sarah Maria Griffin, which also contain sentient plants that quite invade people's personal space. I find that coincidence kind of strange  but I did enjoy all three of these books, so I suppose with a few more it can become it's own  Plant horror genre. 

So do I recommend?  YES.  If you want some modern day drama tied up with the past, combined with some creepy magical plant elements, this is a great one to read.  Just check your triggers! 

STATS

First Published  May 2025

Pages: 352

Available as an Audio Book : Yes

Trigger Warnings:  violence, murder, theme of abuse and loss, Supernatural killers, child death, Domestic violence, racism, classism.

(this is not a full list, read responsibly)  

Book Review: Galloway by Louis L'amour

 So I needed to read a book from the 1970's  for a reading challenge. 

This is indeed the first time that my library has sort of let me down.  My friend and I decided we wanted to read some of the old Harlequin romances from that era, just to compare them to contemporary ones. 

Did I find anything from that era in the library?  No.  No I did not. 

I did find several Classics  of good literature written in 1970, but I really didn't any of the more "popular" style literature, except for... Louis L'Amour. 

So I thought, Cowboy romance has been kind of a favorite of mine, so I might enjoy Louis L'Amour.  

As a kid, my Dad made fun of this writer quite a bit and so I of course shunned him, but here we are, its a new era and a new day, AND I needed to finish my January reading challenge.  It turns out Libraries don't really preserve this type of pop fiction, and of course there are space concerns and no one really wants to read what used to be contemporary fiction that often. 

   SO I read Galloway. 

I didn't really like it.  I did enjoy L'Amour's folksy writing style as it was kind of easy to read and enjoyable. 

Galloway tells the tale of two brothers who head West to start up some cattle ranching, but somehow along the way, one is captured by Native Americans, and just manages to escape with no clothing whatsoever.  Through his wits, he somehow steals an Elk kill from some wolves, wisely shares some of the kill with the wolves, and then proceeds to make multiple pairs of moccasin type shoes which he can magically make overnight.  Eventually he comes upon a town, and makes his way back to his brother.  There they encounter the Dunns who are hell bent on running them out of town as they want to have a cattle empire. The Dunns and Sackitt's battle it out a bit and of course Galloway and his brother come out on top.  L'Amour does employ a cool literary  device where the wolf continues to appear here and there throughout the novel, and in the end saves the brother's life. 

    I am unsure why I disliked this so much.  In part it might have been because I HAD TO FIND A BOOK FROM THAT ERA.  It also may be that it was a book from the middle of the series.

So my foray into Louis L'Amour is now definitely over. Nothing particularly wrong, but also nothing particularly compelling to keep me interested in going back.  

Read at your own discretion! 

 STATS

First Published : 1970

Pages: 176

Available as an Audio Book : YES  (~ 5HRS) 

Trigger Warnings: violence, poor representation of Native American persons  (not a complete list- be responsible!)

Book Review Discordance: The troubled history of the Hubble Constant. By Jim Baggott

Many thanks to Oxford university Press and Recorded books for an advanced Listener copy of Discordance by Jim Baggott! 

This is my year to read about outer space and when I saw this audiobook on offer at net Galley, I jumped at it! 

  As I've already noted, I am not a math or physics genius, but I do have a bit of an obsession with outer space, and while I know I won't ever be an arm chair Cosmologist, I know I certainly LOVE to learn more as I toddle along. 

  Now, with no spoilers--- can one really spoil a non-fiction book? We are given the story of the Main main character, the Universe. Making cameo appearances are the Big Bang Theory, Afterglow radiation or Cosmic Microwave background radiation, Cosmic inflation and the Lambda-CDM model.  Side Characters of note include: The Hubble Telescope, multiple scientists, The Space Shuttle, The ALMA Observatory (Atacama Desert), Apache Point observatory, (and more), the Supernova Cosmology project,  the JPL Cosmology Group, and so many more.  Supporting roles go to Dark matter and Dark energy (yes, we can't see you, but it seems you might be there, maybe...) Redshift, the strange and charm quarks (and yes the other top and bottom ones too) and gravitational lensing.  There's more, but as any good Academy award winner will note, we are grateful to all players, too numerous to mention.  

  In this account of humans moving closer and closer to deducing the full nature of the universe and all that it encompasses, Dr Baggott introduces readers to the basic physics of Cosmology.  Readers learn about models and ideas, generally accepted concepts of the universe, and key phenomena and building blocks (equations/theories and computations) that hold our concepts of the universe together. 

   As a complete lay person, I will note that there is quite a bit of math, and a few times, I did experience a few flashbacks to my ill fated Astronomy 101 college class.  Baggott intersperses some amusing thoughts, comments or stories in between all the math so I did remain engaged. He is particularly adept at describing the "space drama" regarding a possible "new physics" without going completely off the rails. 

  I did enjoy this listen. I can't say I recommend it for my Library Book Club - as we are diving into Remarkably Bright Creatures this month, and this is definitely not in the same book universe if you will. 

I can recommend it for space enthusiasts, students and readers who want to be challenged as they read. For me, it was definitely worth my time. I feel it answered some of my questions as to why humans aren't just travelling the universe as Bester's Demolished Man predicted back in 1953!

 STATS

First Published : 1/22/2026

Pages: 336

Available as an Audio Book : YES  (~ 9 HRS) 

Trigger Warnings: Math  (not a complete list- be responsible!)

BooK Review: Psycho Fae by Jasmine Mas

 So after reading a bit of a science-y book, I was pretty excited to find that I had been approved for an Advanced Listener Copy for Psycho Fae by Jasmine Mas. 

I buddy listened to it with a friend who also had the advanced copy. 

WE LOVED IT. 

LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVED IT. 

This novel is not great literature, at all. It's awesome, fun, current and a wild ride of entertainment. 

In this installment - our main character Sophie, who's just learned she can shift into an enormous Saber Tooth Tiger, is swept into the Fae Realm with her Alpha entourage. There,. they must compete in some deadly fae games in order to survive. 

I will say that I had guessed at Sophie's discoveries about herself and her origins, well before they were revealed and that I did feel like maybe this could have been a few chapters shorter, but overall, I just really enjoyed this one. While I guessed at Sophie's discoveries, I was not prepared for where the band of found family ended up, and I am highly amused that this somehow ended up being both a paranormal romance and now kinda mafia romance... I mean... who would have thought? 

The book has been out for some time, but this narration is special as it brought together several of the big names in Romance narration, like Jeremy York, Teddy Hamilton, Mollie Stark and Jaime L. Smith. Not to forget Tyler Donne and Stella Ripley.  As there are so many male characters in the novel, and many of them behave very similarly throughout the novel, having the different distinct voices did help me to distinguish them. I definitely recommend the audio version, as the inflections just really just capture each bit of snark, and suggestion throughout the read. 

Am I excited for Psycho Beasts?  Well, YES.  yes I am .   I hope I can wait until March! 

STATS

First Published : 1/13/2026

Pages: 374

Available as an Audio Book : YES  (~ 11 HRS) 

Trigger Warnings: violence,  references to childhood trauma/abuse, blood, death, grief, medical situations,  (not a complete list- be responsible!)

Book Review: Space Oddities By Harry Cliff

  This is my first Non-Fiction book of the year, and one that falls into my outer space theme for 2026. 

I did love it!  I learned a lot, and laughed a bit, and felt like I had my mind blown a few times as well! 

Dr. Cliff is an experimental physicist at CERN and also well known as a science presenter.  This second fact is probably the most important, as Cliff was able to hold my attention, even while discussing a great deal of very complicated math. 

     Cliff describes an evolving debate in Physics, Cosmology, Astronomy and I suppose "science" in general, revolving around the "Standard model" of  physics.  Now, I took Astronomy 101 back in the day at the University of Rochester.  Secretly, I hoped against hope that I would be discovered as a savant of the stars. 

     I WAS NOT A SAVANT OF THE STARS.  That remains the most difficult class I ever took.  I pity the instructor for having to teach all of us, who could not reliably learn how to calculate the distance of a star from another fixed point.  As a group we were dismal. As an individual, unfortunately, I was also dismal, and sadly, the class did nothing to spark my actual interest in the stars, planets and the universe.  I could not really grasp the calculation, (not totally surprising as I had never had a class in trigonometry or calculus etc) and the instructor, as I recall, wasn't able to really communicate in any compelling way how amazing this was that we could sit in a classroom and  with reasonable assurance we could know distances, mass, composition of objects so far away in the universe. 

I gave up on being a universe savant, but never really gave up on being curious. 

Harry Cliff was able to engage my sloth-brain, teach me something and have me thinking about current issues in physics with some excitement! 

In this very readable book, Cliff helps readers understand one of the current hot debates in cosmology.  The Standard Model faces challenges from new data coming from the James Webb Telescope- and other sources. There is disagreement within the world of physicists from various disciplines on the rate of expansion of the universe. I admit, I am always kind of confused about the whole idea of the universe constantly expanding, expanding to where? It's a mind bending concept. 

   As a lay person, I have been captivated by the JWST images.  I was a bit deflated to learn that they are often cleaned up by artists, but, even so, they are still so compelling and interesting.

Take a look here at a few Slide shows from JWST 

Cliff discusses in fairly easy to understand terms the work being done by various teams to decipher data, how the data is obtained, cleaned, used and discussed. He provides what seems to be a fairly even handed view of the current debate, the research teams, and their processes, while teaching a bit of physics for use dismal folks on the side. 

  Overall, I really enjoyed this book which provided just the right amount of detail to make my brain work, but not so much that it shut off. I know that I'm going to have my ear tuned for more news of the Standard Model and it's challengers in the future.  I did the audio book which was read by the author, which I found to be a bit charming. I felt like I was just sitting in his office, asking a lot of questions and very much enjoying his explanation of the beauty and charm quarks...and how they shape my world completely. I was amused that he did provide a "trigger warning" for some of the maths! 

I enjoyed this book, I felt like I'm much more in the know now about things and I am definitely looking to read more on the debate and will be looking for more news from this area. 

STATS

                                                First Published : 3/26/24

Pages: 288

Available as an Audio Book : Yes ~ 8 hrs 

Trigger Warnings: Math, complex view of the universe (not a complete list- be responsible!)

Book Review: Swimming With Manatees by Bill Bennett

 This is clearly a passion project of Bill Bennett, an independent author. 

 I would like to thank NetGalley for the advanced digital copy to read and review. 

I was initially attracted by the title and attractive cover, as well as the Florida setting. I do love a Florida setting.  In addition, I did hope to finish this in 2025 as part of my water theme, but I got... Water logged with books, so here we are in January. 

We're given the Story of Ava Martinez, a tough and savvy detective  who is somewhat new to the force she's working on in the Everglades area of Florida. This case is personal, because in a small town, almost everyone knows everyone. 

Readers experience multiple points of view as they read and unravel the mystery of who killed multiple people, and why. The author brings in current uses and interest in marine life as a source of new medical treatments, and was able to hold my attention with some action scenes interspersed with cerebral sleuthing. 

The book is written with a heavy heavy noir style which many descriptions ending in a comparison.  This is an area which Bennett excels. It was repetitive, but I did enjoy reading the prose which took me right into the nostalgic feel of Noir novels and films from days gone by. 

That said, I did not fall in love with any of the characters- I could see how the author attempted to cobble in a backstory - especially for Ava Martinez, but unique as her backstory was, it didn't seem to really influence her current character or do anything to make her seem more real. I found her partner to be much more interesting, and that partner perishes early on!

The mystery of the murders revolves around a fascinating plot of the possibility of new biologics for disease treatment.  For most readers, this is going to be great.  For me, given my career, there were some errors that made it seem less real, but again, that has to do with my familiarity with the subject at hand. 

   I did think that it was a bold move for this male author to chose to create a female main character with a very specifically Hispanic/Latina name. To his credit  ( or discredit?) the only thing female or Hispanic/Latina about this character is the name.  I feel like the book could have had a male main character with the name of John Smith and it would have felt the same.  

So is this a book for everyone?  I suspect there are readers out there who will find this to be a good read. Unraveling the mystery was quite fun, and I enjoyed the description of the Everglades. Other readers may find it a bit difficult to follow, and to be somewhat tedious with heavy prose. 

STATS

First Published : 10/30/2025

Pages: 479

Available as an Audio Book :  No

Trigger Warnings: violence, blood, medical situations, murder, guns,  (not a complete list- be responsible!)

Book Review: Squib by Helen Harper

 Big Thanks To Tantor Audio for an advanced listener copy of Squib by Helen Harper.

Squib is a novel I'd recommend for anyone who wanted to dip into paranormal romance, but was not sure how they really feel about PNR!  It is an excellent, palate cleanser novel after a heavy read, and although there was some violence, and mentions of a possible war in the future, this really fell very heavily into the realm of Cozy Paranormal Fantasy/Romance. 

Mallory is a squib, a person with no magic.  She's chosen to live in Coldstream which is full of magic, and she's happy there. A ray of sunshine, she has a business of trading in information and secrets.  Mallory does not accept cash payment, just payment in favors, which seems quite clever, but I did wonder all along how she managed to eat.  After all, it would take loads of time to settle on a grilled cheese sandwich sized secret every time one want one.  Anywhooo-  Mallory is well regarded and has a great business going in this magical town.  

All this changes rapidly with a chance encounter with Alpha Werewolf  McTire.  He's obviously an Alpha and a bit bossy.  Mallory is more of a free spirit, but at her core, she's a business woman, so when he proposes a business deal, she accepts.  She's to find him his perfect First Mate. Tricky business as the First Mate is somewhat akin to a "First Lady" and must meet a lot of requirements. 

As Mallory and McTire spend more time together, sparks fly - but  will Mallory and McTire fan the flames or dim them?  You'll want to read to find out!  Mallory is fun, sunny, smart and sassy.  McTire is of course broody and bossy and prone to impulsive behavior. 

I did find the town of Coldspring to be enjoyable to read about. There's magic, and lots of magical creatures all going about daily lives, which was well done and a lot of fun.  To me the book did read a bit like a Young Adult novel - and I thought it was one until that one last scene!  I think this is likely appropriate for todays 16-18 year olds and beyond.  

  This cozy Paranormal romance was narrated by award winner Ruth Urquhart.  I was delighted to find out that she is a real human who was nominated  for a Voice Arts Award, as there was some discussion on the interwebs about AI use for narration of this book and I do not support synthesized voices in finished copies of books.   Her accent was charming, and I really found that the narration flowed, making this book an "easy listen" for me. 

I will say, personally, I am not a fan of the cover. It has an AI look to it, and no cover designer is specifically listed.  It is very possible this is a real graphic design art work. I have reached out to the author on her page and will update if she gives me an artist to credit.  

 UPDATE:  The cover was done by a Creator "Covers by Juan"   Juan appears to specialize in romatasy style covers, and looks like he offers a lot of pre-made covers that are adaptable to a variety of books.  

It is specifically noted that they " Do not use AI generated images".  I still can't say that I like this cover, even with this additional information.   But it is bright and colorful, and will likely appeal to others! 

STATS

First Published : January 13, 2026

Pages: 298

Available as an Audio Book : YES (~8.5 hrs) 

Trigger Warnings: violence, blood, medical situations, Paranormal sexual situations  (mild) , magical situations, lack of coffee,   (not a complete list- be responsible!)

Book Review: Nasa's Pioneer and Voyager Missions: : The History and Legacy of the First Space Probes to Explore the Outer Solar System and Beyond

  So, I feel... funny about reading a book written by  "Charles Rivers Editors" 

But I did read it,  and to be completely fair, it was... fine. 

My 2026 theme for reading is outer space, and as I was looking at my local library's selections for Space and beyond, this popped up. 

As an audio book it looked to be about 3 hours long, so I thought, why not.   I had some concerns that this would be some sort of AI generated mess, but realized it was put out in 2019 so it is LESS likely to be that. 

It felt like listening to someone read me the encyclopedia. There were literal lists of tools put into orbit on these missions.  It contained none of the excitement or joy or any feeling that the teams working on these missions must have involved. It did however, contain a large amount of information about these missions, which was very educational to me. 

And additionally, I learned about the Slingshot effect - or gravity assist, used to make these missions a success. 

 I admit, I didn't entirely understand it from this book, but a few youtube videos later, I got the gist of it, and I can say now that I think a lot of folks out there writing Space based romances, should maybe possibly pick up some of these, very short and not extremely exciting summaries. This one detail alone, would make so many of these novels- so many that involve space travel- so much more realistic and also kind of cool- - I mean - THE SLINGSHOT EFFECT?  that title is  made for a romance novel.  

Will I be purposely perusing the Charles River Editor's multiple short volumes on a variety of topics?

NOT A CHANCE.  

This was frankly, an accident on my part.  It worked for me, as I feel I gained a lot of info in a short amount of time, but... as a reading experience, it was not particularly interesting. 

STATS

First Published :2019

Pages: 144

Available as an Audio Book :  Yes (~ 3 hr) 

Trigger Warnings: Some discussion of political events occurring around the same time as these missions, discussion of Presidential assassination (Kennedy) 

Not a full list, please read responsibly. 

Book Review Crow Lake By Mary Lawson

   This was an audiobook I picked up via  NetGalley/Brilliance publishing. 

Crow Lake  seemed to fit in with my water theme perfectly. I did not realize this was basically off the backlist, but it seems it was originally published in 2002, so though it is with a new narration by Amelia Sargisson, I think I can still consider it a "beat the back-list" novel! 

This was a debut novel for Mary Lawson!  This is a story set in the Canadian Shield region of Northern Ontario

he story is centered around Kate coming home for her nephew's birthday celebration. As she travels, readers are taken on a journey through memory of her childhood growing up in the Canadian Shield area of Ontario in a farming family. Kate and her brother's were suddenly orphaned, and this event altered their life trajectories. As the youngest Kate was very attached to her brother Matt who loves nature and shapes her own interests, as she becomes a zoologist as an adult. Set against the background of Crow Lake - a small town where everyone knew everyone, the tightly told drama unfolds. As Kate returns home, she must face the facts that she can return to the people she loves, but that they , like her, are not static and things have changed, for better and for worse.

I enjoyed this novel. The writing was direct and elegant in it's simplicity. Amelia Sargisson is the narrator, and she narrated in a clear voice that did not detract from the story line. I felt immediately immersed, within the narration.

This book is sort of quintessential literary fiction. It read a bit like historical fiction at this point, having been first published in 2003. For me the main theme might be how "you can't go home again" and of course, while, one can almost always return to a physical home location, the setting and the persons associated with home are never static..

 This would be an EXCELLENT choice for Book clubs! 

STATS

First Published :2002

Pages: 320

Available as an Audio Book :  Yes (8 hr 34 min) 

Trigger Warnings: mental health, parental death

Not a full list, please read responsibly. 

 

 

2025 Reading Wrap Up

 I had an AMAZING reading year in 2025. 

The rest of the year was, not at all amazing, but I am very glad I landed a new job in this very tough market. It was Fate, Kismet or Providence, I suppose. 

 As far reading. 

My Final Total number of Books Read is a whopping 207

This is unprecedented for me, and I feel I need to add in a caveat that a few of these were really more "short stories" that were packaged as books. 

That said, I still traversed multiple worlds through books and I had a great time doing it.  I enjoyed book clubs and book buddies and meeting readers of all sorts all year long! 

My 2026 Theme was Water.  I read books about the way water changed history, the way our climate is affecting water, oceans, rivers and storms. I've read books which had little to do with water, but had water in the title, and some having everything to do with water that did not initially even hint at it. 

Total Water Books:  39  or 18%

I have to admit, I had a lot of DNF's I am not sure that in the end, I loved my water theme, but I definitely read several books in translation that had water titles and that broadened my perspectives. 

Total Books with Diverse authors and themes: 

Diverse Author/Theme: 65  or 34%  

So, next year, I'm going to try to up that a bit.  I have to admit I'm not starting off too strong in that realm, so feel free to fire off some suggestions. 

Books in Translation: 14  Just 7% 

Soooo, will be looking for more books in translation. I've started on one already but I know I really have to keep on that metric if I want to include more. 

Overall, I feel like this was a fairly successful year. I am hopeful that next years reading theme of Outer Space will find me reading a lot on the topic, and the fact that there are loads of Space based romance will help.  While there is water based romance, I am not really one for people in love hanging out by the pool books, so it didn't seem to bump up the numbers. 

Next year I think I will also track what I complete on Audiobook and which reads are advanced copies from publishers!   I have a load of them over at Net Galley so lets see how that goes! 

 I've stayed at that 33% of reads being diverse reads, so for 2026, I'm going to modestly aim for 40%

As for Books in translation - whew.  Maybe 20% 

What are your reading goals? Do you seek out a certain type of author or book?  How do you choose!  

 

 

Book Review Love Galaxy By Sierra Branham

 It's kind of a lucky coincidence that the first book I finished this year fits fairly well into my new 2026 theme of "Outer Space" 

I did start it some time ago, but since it was an advanced reader copy in E book form, it took me... some time to read.  Eyeballs. 

This book is coming out in May 2026, so you may want to pre-order it if it strikes your fancy.  I was attracted to this amazing cover, and I am a sucker for Space Opera.  This is a book for young adults, and I think it will be most meaningful for those aged 15-18.  As an old adult, I enjoyed this read. 

Many Many Thanks to DAW Astra House publishing for the Advanced E copy. 

Interestingly, the UK cover looks like:

    Which do you prefer?  I'm definitely for cover one in this case. 

    Without any spoilers- Our protagonist is Artemis, or Temmi- who's a whip-smart and "world weary"  young lady working as a trash collector on a poisoned planet. She's got a plan but that plan isn't exactly working. A chance encounter lands her on an intergalactic dating show where royals and other political personages from their empire find matches.  This year, contestants are dating the twin Prince and Princess. Artemis is brought on as a personality,  and she's not sure about this, but feels she could leverage this opportunity.  She soon learns that there's a lot more going on than just sailing dates on the beach. Everyone has an angle, and she's not sure she will survive. 

     There's a lot to love in this Sci-Fi Fantasy thriller with murder, and mayhem, angst and yearning among contestants, and loads of reality show style drama. 

As a debut for Young adults, this is a stunner.  Branham captures the things that capture the imagination of the young adult reader without teetering into the "adultier"  adult issues which would be less accessible or appropriate. This is a fine line to walk and she's really nailed it. 

    As a Sci-Fi novel the world building is a bit weak.  This tends to fall more into a novel that has a space background, but doesn't quite immerse the reader in that world.  As an example, at one point our main character refers to a mouse and a lion- both creatures that clearly do not exist in the setting- so it would be unlikely to be the first things popping into a spacers head.  This sort of thing took me right out of the outer space world, but probably won't bother other readers.  

My second observation is that the pacing was a bit... uneven. The beginning hooked me right away, but then it took me a few weeks to read the next section as it sort of dragged on and on with a myriad of details about the dating show, contestants, dates and apparel choices. There is a reader that will LOVE this section, but that reader wasn't me, I was at a point about halfway through the book where I was hoping things would just "wrap up" and suddenly when I was about at the 3/4 mark, things changed and we jumped, warp speed into a total adventure not involving beach dates, or snarky contestants and I was entranced.  The ending, is a BRUTAL cliffhanger. 

Will I read the next book- YES yes and YES.  I am actually very excited and hopeful and can't wait to see what happens next for Temmi and her crew.  Like any good reality show- I have THEORIES. Lots of theories.  

SO... I'm going to need you all to read this one so we can make those predictions. 

PRH notes that this book will be perfect for readers who enjoy Everina Maxwell, and as a reader who loves Maxwell's novels, I agree. 

STATS

First Published :May 2026

Pages: 416

Available as an Audio Book : Hopefully! 

Trigger Warnings: Environmental issues, alcohol use, drug use, murder, unintentional murder, stealing, cheating, Not a full list - please read responsibly.

2026 Bookish In's and outs!

   We all know it's a New Year! 

We have a new 2026 Color from Pantone - frankly speaking, I hope Cloud Dancer has a pit of a purple or blue tinge, but no, the name is much nicer than the varied shade of white color. 

Here's  to a bland off white new year that we are going to pretend is amazing, right then....

What are some things that are IN for me for 2026? 

In terms of my reading? 

 Things that I'm going to continue to do  or try to incorporate into my reading. 

1. I'm going to continue to read diversely. Across genres. I'm going to continue to read Indie authors, and authors that don't look like me, or love like me, or live like me. I'm also going to pick up some books written by folks who do look, live, and love like me, because balance is important. 

2. I'm going to continue to read socially.  I'm going to continue my book clubs and buddy reads. I'm going to continue to post about and chat about books! 

3. Read on themes.  Using the themes in past years has really led me to discover new books and ideas, so of course I want to continue that. 

4. DNF  whenever I feel the need.  I do not understand slogging through a bad book when there are so many good ones out there. 

Vachon, J., photographer. (1938) Newspaper reading room of public library. Omaha, Nebraska. Nebraska Douglas County United States Omaha, 1938. Nov. [Photograph] Retrieved from the Library of Congress, https://www.loc.gov/item/2017762724/.

Things I'm going to try NOT to do in 2026:

1. Overconsumption of ARCs on NetGalley.  I get offered a lot of ARCs. Initially this was so flattering I took all of them!  Now I try to be more selective, but still occasionally find myself basically "adding to cart:" on ARCs, making it hard to get them all reviewed in a timely manner.  I sometimes also do this with the library taking home 8 books- instead of the two I will probably finish in the loan period. I am especially going to limit my Non Audio arcs, because my eye issues make me a slower reader than a listener.

2. Avoid Social Media Hot Takes.  When a creator is in need of content, It's a pretty common thing to see them throw up a post about "AUDIO-books are reading" which then almost always garners a bunch of others jumping in the comments to discuss, and other creators then posting the same "hot take" hoping for similar views.  I'm going to not participate.  I won't post these true lukewarm takes, and I won't be reposting, commenting or discussing them. I'm hoping to promote more unique content this way.  We shall see. I love a good HOT TAKE, but "audiobooks are reading" is about the coldest Hot take there is out there. 

What are your plans for 2026 for reading?