Book Review Sublimation By Isabel Kim

   Ok so, I was NOT PREPARED for the utter delicious-ness of this debut novel. 

Where has Isabel Kim been? 

I feel like this is probably the most impactful book I've read all year.  I keep recommending it to all sorts of people, and I cannot wait for it to come out.  

In fact, my only regret is that when reading this, I wanted desperately to dissect little parts and discuss it with someone else. 

I wasn't  a huge fan of the cover, but it reflects the novel so perfectly, that I now see why it was chosen.  This book is a perfect mix of speculative fiction, science fiction, literary fiction and corporate espionage thriller, all rolled into one. Sometimes this doesn't work, but in this case, it worked so well for me. At the crux of this novel is the familiar question: 

Can a person really ever go home again?  It is an age old question, and one that you'll have to answer yourself at the conclusion of the novel. 

     In short, readers enter in to a near future world where persons can split in two at borders. It doesn't always happen, and in fact it's a bit unpredictable, and messy. These folks often live two separate lives, or later may choose to reintegrate into one individual. We follow two young persons who have "body doubles/" in the US while their "original copy" lives in Korea. As these people navigate desire, and choices regarding separation and integration or re-integration, we are also treated to an expansive family saga, detailed and completely fleshed out technology systems, a bit of an espionage thriller, and a reckoning or what's lost and gained when one leaves home. In addition, the novel gets a bit meta with all sorts of references to the books premise but applied creatively to age old stories from the Bible and Greek myths/poetry. It is quite an accomplishment that this work hung together so cohesively. At every chapter I was kind of turned around with the multiple references that really fit quite perfectly within the narrative!  

This is an excellent Book Club book as it brings up all sorts of topics of discussion: Immigration, Migration, Ethical issues with the use of technology, Family relationships and how they shape our world, Friendships, Personality, and so much more.  

   I was gifted an audiobook copy from Macmillan Audio and I really really recommend that you do choose to use the audio version.  Narrators Major Curda and Michelle H. Lee did a great job giving a clear narration, but what REALLY stands out is the production of the novel. Studio Sound engineeers did an amazing job at translating certain parts of the text in some very specific sound effects which really drew me into the reading and made me feel as if I was experiencing the very thing the narrator was communicating. There was nothing distracting about this, and all the production really served to pull me further into the novel. 

   Even if you aren't a Sci-Fi fan, this is one to put on your list.  Kudos to Isabel Kim, I've been looking up everything else she's got out there all week. 

Many Thanks to Macmillan Audio for the ALC, this was a joy to read. 

First Published :  6/2/26

Pages: 368

Available as an Audio Book :  yes ~ 12 hrs 

Trigger Warnings:  mild violence, mild body horror, (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)  

 

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?

 

Book Review: The Sea Captain's wife, by Tilar Mazzeo

     I did not finish this in time for Non-Fiction November, but I have to say this is a good one, and it's release in early December, makes it a great choice for a reader on your list, as it's unlikely they will have already read it! 

Firstly,  the cover is really beautiful and encompasses the narrative so well. 

    This book falls into the category of non-fiction that reads like fiction.

   Mazzeo explores the life of Mary Ann Patten, and her husband Joshua. Mary Ann married young, and adventurously traveled with her sea captain husband on his clipper ship in the 1850's.  They were bold, and brave and had their entire live ahead of them as they undertook a voyage on the Neptune's Car. 

Currier& Ives. Clipper  ship Three Brothers,tons: The largest sailing ship in the world. , 1875. [New York: Currier & Ives] Photograph. https://www.loc.gov/item/90716156/.

On this voyage, Joshua fell gravely ill, and Mary Ann took over as Captain and navigator all while putting down an attempted mutiny. 

She nursed her very ill husband, and brought the ship safely to the San Francisco harbor looking well and ship-shape. Women captaining ships was not the norm at that time, and this afforded Mary Ann some instant celebrity. 

   After a somewhat lacklustre opening which was maybe too heavy on details we jump right into this story of peril and persistence and it held my attention right to the very end. 

In constructing this book, Mazzeo relied on both maritime journals, and her own expedition of the route Mary Ann followed. Mazzeo freely shares when records were slim, and where some of the narrative relies on customs of the time, rather than exact documented events, making this account feel authentic and real- as we all know that even someone who kept a faithful journal would not enter every detail of their lives. The author brings in the historical context of the Gold Rush, traditional sea-faring, and the politics of the day in a way that supports Mary Ann's history and adds a depth to the narrative that is very satisfying, but still easy to read. 

  It's one of the few non-fiction books that had me shedding a few tears here and there. Well worth a read and an EXCELLENT book club choice. 

   I was extremely fortunate to have both the e-arc and then an audiobook version of the book, and I will say I really enjoyed the audiobook. The book was narrated by Laurence Bouvard who did a smooth clear narration that did not distract from the story. In fact I could see the waves crashing over the ship, and sense Mary Ann's exhaustion at various points in the narration! It does seem to me that I always read some really fine books right at the end of the year, and this one, is definitely one for the year! Loved it and recommend it! 

STATS

First Published :December 2025

Pages: 288

Available as an Audio Book : Yes!

Trigger Warnings: violence, death, disease, 

Not a full list - please read responsibly.

    

Book Club- The SAGA Continues!

 So, readers-  as you know, I joined my local library book club in January.  I had started to feel a little isolated in my community and decided to try it.  I had a pretty rough entry into the club (as detailed here) and I wasn't sure if this was going to be for  me.  There have been some notable crash-outs    and a few books that I regretted reading. 

Below is how I imagine us all reading away....

Carnegie library in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Pittsburgh Pennsylvania, None. [Between 1900 and 1905] Photograph. https://www.loc.gov/item/2007684172  

To be honest, I think for the first 6 months I attended, I really felt like an odd duck.  I am about- on average- 10 years younger than everyone else, and the leader is a bit of a queen bee type who is a bit controlling. She is definitely "in charge". 

But last night, I piled in, having read only 3 chapters of the assigned book. (It was a good one by William Kent Kreuger)  and it was...sort of magical. Immediately when I came in, I was greeted by many of the members with big smiles and I FELT SO WELCOME! 

I had a discussion with two ladies about how much we had enjoyed the book ( my whole three chapters!), another person told about finishing off Project Hail Mary, and immediately offered to loan it out to me.  On the way out, I chatted away with another person, and felt very comfortable overall.  Although these are not people I'd call if I had a flat tire, I have to say I did feel a sense of belonging that I had not had before. I felt like I could actually be myself in the group, which is a rare feeling indeed. 

So... I guess I'm surprised and pleased to say that my persistence with book club has paid off, 10 months later, with book club being an activity that I really look forward to and enjoy.  I'm most excited to nominate 2 books for next year and I am hoping one gets chosen, if not both! I'd recommend a local book club, even if initially you think they aren't reading what you enjoy. It's been such a journey! 

Cheers! 

To

Book Club Saga continues

  I am still attending book club, and honestly, it's grown on me! 

Dwight, M. (1939) Silence / Mabel Dwight. , 1939. [Photograph] Retrieved from the Library of Congress, https://www.loc.gov/item/89710983/.

 I didn't like the look of the novel that was chosen this month (again)  so I just didn't bother to read it, but I still enjoyed attending the discussion. I think I'm wearing down the leader. I've seen her a few times around town and I've noticed her own personal reading is not always the same style as the club's choices, so I feel like MAYBE, I might have misjudged her.   I know she really is passionate about the club- and lately she seems to be a little less prescriptive towards members, so I'm kinda appreciating that. She mentioned to me- very proudly that she had read about 30 books this year. I wisely did not let her know that my books read this year is over 100. My reading is excessive, and I don't think of it as a flex at all!  (Especially considering at least a few belong to a ridiculous "Montana Brides" series... )

Next month we are YET AGAIN hitting historical fiction with one of the thousands of novels about one of the World Wars.  I might give it a go, I might not.  I used to love especially WW2 novels, but these days, I feel like I really really know the outcome and reading yet another story of courage and heroic acts isn't going to get me thinking differently or help me to act in the future. One of the members mentioned last month that they were quite tired of reading about War and I really agree. We've read a lot of books about both wars, and even some more recent wars, so I'm really ready for something different. 

We are only allowed to nominate one book for next year's club, so I'm really debating it.   I think it's going to be something by Elif Shafack.  She's so good, and her stories are pretty compelling. Anyone else have a book club appropriate suggestion? 

   

   

Book Review: We Speak Through the Mountain by Premee Mohamed 5/5 Stars

 Sometimes the middle book in a trilogy is considered the weak one.  If this is the weak one, I cannot wait to read book three!!!! 

 We Speak Through The Mountain picks up right where The Annual Migration of Clouds leaves off.  I highly recommend just reading the two as one novel, because they are novellas, and book two is where this really gains steam. 

(Take a moment to look at this cover!) 

No Spoilers- because spoilers are just wrong. Readers will continue a journey with our main character Reid as she reaches the fabled Howse University. This climate dystopia continues to help readers imagine life after climate collapse; instead of being on the outside looking in, the reader is now taken into the protected domes which had preserved life to pre-collapse times.  We learn some answers to many of the questions raised in the first book.  Reid settles in to university life, although she's uneasy about many things that others seem to accept without question. She's resolute in pursuing her goal to help those outside the glittering protective dome despite strong disapproval from leaders and her peers. When bad news come from home, Reid embarks on a new journey that promises to be full of risky adventure.  (which I am super excited to follow in the next novella!) 

   At the crux of the novella series is an age old conflict between responsibility to self, family and the community overall. This conflict is set in a futuristic, but realistic world which is well imagined and easily understood.  Mohamed's writing remains clear, compelling and cinematic. As I realized I was at "the end" I felt a bit torn away from the setting that I had become immersed in, and I wondered why this hasn't been optioned for film! 

  I really liked this novella, and I think it would be a fantastic one for young adult students to read and discuss. 

I have book three tee'd up thanks to Net Galley  and ECW Press  and I can't wait to come back and (without spoilers...) tell you how it concludes. 

STATS

First Published : June 2024

Pages: 152

Available as an Audio Book : YES

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

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

Book Review Thirsty Ground By Kimber St. Lawrence 4/5 Stars

 Debut Novel Alert!!! 

Thank you to the author and Union Square and Co for the advance reader copy via Net Galley. 

I really have been trying to do only Advance Listener Copies this year because it takes me a touch longer to read a book with my eyes and my reading device has only been working intermittently.  Should I replace it?  Probably, but that is for a different day when I have E-reader money. 

I, have, however, been breaking this rule somewhat more frequently than I expected to and when I saw this on Net Galley, I had to have it.  The cover was just stunning - Shout out to the Balbusso Twins for this lovely cover. 

I mean, come on. The title tells me that water (my 2025 reading theme) is involved, and it's set in space!  This is like kryptonite for me. So... I hit that "request" button and uploaded it into my wonky e-reader. So- Let's get into it! 

Spoiler free synopsis:  (Because spoilers just suck!)

Decades after the Tsimmaon people's original planet became an arid planet, Conway and his friends train to join the elite class of hydro-seekers. He's the best in his class- he thinks, and he's wholly absorbed in the mission. Nothing is going to distract him, not pretty girls, not his friends, and not the hydro-seekers in the classes above him. He wants to be the Hero and he is certain that just one opportunity is all he needs. 

As is... often the case in actual life...things are more muddled.  

After a mission goes awry Conway is injured and left behind. Conway learns to survive in a new environment with new challenges, leading him - and others- to question their core mission and beliefs. 

This is Young Adult Space Opera and I enjoyed it. I had a few moments there at the end where I felt like I might be reading more Marie Lu. (not quite but there were some moments that pulled those same emotions out).   There is treachery, romance, jealousy, betrayal, double crosses, and subterfuge.  St. Lawrence gives the reader epic battles and chases, and a realistic portrayal of disability, while not slipping so far into the YA hero- arc as to become trite. 

There were a few points in the novel that didn't quite hang together as much as I wanted them too and a few chapters of dialogue that could have been more showing than telling, but when I got to the last chapters I was unable to put the book down as I had to know the outcome. And - whooooooo-eeeee

what an outcome. So much revealed in the last few chapters that I did not anticipate or expect. In fact, I was a little breathless with the twists and turns it took!  As a debut novel, it really was very good. 

This would be a fantastic book for YA book clubs (and possibly for certain adult clubs also) 

There's a lot to discuss-

-disability

-relationships

-trust and loyalty

-transformation

-perseverance and hope

-environmental responsibility and choices

and more, but these are the themes that I noted. 

STATS

First Published  May 2025

Pages: 336

Available as an Audio Book : not at this time 

Trigger Warnings:  death, violence, undead creatures, gun violence, spinal injury, 

(this is not a full list, read responsibly)  

Book Club Crash out - the Saga continues....

  Dear Readers- 

  I attended book club again- and I admit I was looking forward to this one.  This Thursday we discussed Martyr!  By Kaveh Akbar 

  This book has had praise after praised heaped on it, It ia National Book Award Finalist, a Barak Obama Pick   and is generally given positive reviews. It addressed a lot of difficult themes - alcoholism and it's aftermath, parental relationships, and more. Honestly, seeing this book as a book club choice- was one reason I decided I should stick with book club.

It turns out that Akbar was a step too far for the majority of my local public library book club.  (It might not be for yours, but for mine...the crash out was...something to witness.) I will say, none of us (myself included) had all the literary tools to really fully discuss this book- not in the way it probably should be discussed. I felt inadequate,  but I noticed that for the discussion leader, she just had a bit of a hard time because she just disliked the book that she herself chose. 

-Firstly there was poetry in the book and she felt it should "rhyme"  and thus, Akbar was not a "good poet" .  Some - not all- women agreed heartily.   She missed the deep long standing tradition of poetry in Iran and Persian culture, and if it had hit her in the face, I am still not sure she could have seen it. There was no way that I could find to quite approach this without kind of going off in some sort of weird academic rant, so.... I did not.  A lot of poetry does not rhyme, and it's good, but requires some sitting with and engagement, and possibly some self reflection. I'm not sure this particular person is up for sitting with one phrase or verse for a day or two, or longer. 

Then, she showed she had really tried to engage with the book  but just couldn't take a step out of herself. She discussed how when her family came to the United States (back in the 1900's - a different time and era) they "assimilated" and she could not- for the life of her -figure out why Cyrus and his father didn't seem to have done so, and wasn't it important to assimilate? One lady started to go on and on about how Martyrs are really supposed to be Catholic saints, and what was this author doing using that term so casually... and this was not going along well. So, I avoided the discussion of saints and martyrs because... I am not Catholic and I don't have saints in my religion and I'm woefully uneducated about those martyrs.  BUT...

How Book club felt that Thursday: 

Bain News Service, Publisher. Instructing Yeowomen. , ca. 1915. [Between and Ca. 1920] Photograph. https://www.loc.gov/item/2014706572/.

    I did step in here and discuss how assimilation was different for people in different eras and that lately many people feel that it's important to acknowledge, and even celebrate differences in language, food choices, and literature and that this is actually part of what makes our country unique. In addition, I discussed that for a person of color, it is hard to fly under the radar as people notice skin color. To my surprise, a lot of people in the room agreed with me, and I was glad of that.  I then went on to discuss how it can be difficult to assimilate when people treat you as "other" because of the color of your skin, and thus there would be a large difference between the experiences of immigrants of color, and also immigrants in different time periods. I also pointed out that while one can change an accent, and a manner of dress, the color of one's skin is not typically changeable.  One woman protested that she "doesn't see color" (and of course she does.) but for the most part, I felt like we as a group did come to an understanding that indeed the immigration experience of Irish folk was quite different from the immigrant experience of Iranians. 

I do not think one can really "compare"  two different waves/times of immigration to decide that one way was "better"  these are just the way things happened. Book club leader conceded that this might just be a good point. 

We then moved on to the issue of addiction and the character was roundly criticized for "not doing anything"  not getting out of the pit. Thankfully someone else spoke up to discuss how difficult it is for addicts to resurrect themselves.  The state I live in has a lot of recovering addicts, and my county especially has the stats to back that up, so I knew- as I surveyed the room that many of these people have someone in their lives that's fought, lost,  - or is still fighting that battle. It was an interesting mix of discussion and it really showed the gamut of beliefs and idea about people and addiction.

Moving on there was a spirited discussion of the mother, the plane crash and the position of women in Iran over time. We concluded that the change in the way women were viewed was very fast and that it might be a lesson for all of us. Then someone complained that the author did not highlight this more - even though this was clearly not the main theme or interest of the book or author.  Every book cannot address every topic, however worthy.  

   Our fearless leader attempted to say that Akbar did not do any "Character Development" with Cyrus and that "he just stayed the same",  for the most part in his struggle.  I had not completely finished the book but I feel like She does not understand that some characters in literature have a Flat character arc, an Anti-arc, and even a Negative Arc. She has said multiple times "our club is interested in deep character development"  (which based on the books we've read is not true) and I think she really wanted to flog poor Cyrus for not having an easily understood arc.  I mean, I get it, - I had some issues with this one as well, but mostly because I was a little slow on the uptake, not because of the book itself. 

In conclusion, she decided that even though some people didn't like the book, she thought the author would be "proud of us" for engaging in conversation about the book.  I had some VERY PRIVATE THOUGHTS about the author and what he might think of a group of middle aged readers attempting to understand a very complex novel with really- not enough tools in our toolshed. (Myself included).  I am not sure "Proud" would be any part of it.  I suspect he's pleased people are reading and interacting with his work, but, I think he'd have to acknowledge that we were never able to get past the triggering things like parental abandonment, addiction, and immigration issues to some of the deeper issues that could be discovered. I feel he would be kind and forgiving, because after all, we did (sorta kinda) try.  

  This is the first book written by a person of color we have read as a book club.  We only have one additional one for the year, and I suspect it's going to be slightly more palatable. Next year, my plan to to get them to read Brendan Slocumb's work, or possibly Elif Shafak.  Both of those novels are (in my opinion) more accessible for readers, and although they address some similar themes, they are presented in a different way, so we shall see. Any other suggestions for a book club book?  

Also WHY do I keep going to book club? Well, I have made a few friends. There were at least 5 out of the 15 there who noted they found Martyr! to be a useful read and that they enjoyed what they got out of it. AND, I feel like I can't wait to sneak in some really good books that will nudge people to new ideas, but not throw them right off a cliff. We shall see!  

The Saga of Book Club Continues

 So I have now attended my third book club. We had a few new members, older women who said they had joined because they like to read and they wanted to make new friends, which is perfection!  I was highly amused when they were asked what they like to read and one lady said, "well I don't like the sex books" which made me think that she definitely DOES like "the sex books"... alas, her favorite genre is... "historical fiction" (of which there are indeed a LOT of historical fiction romances...Hmmm).

For an introvert like me, I did find that this third time was better, I was more comfortable, and relaxed, so I'm glad I continue to force myself into this social experiment of attending something I'm not totally enamored with. I enjoyed sitting next to someone different than last time and she seemed friendly, and is even reading some books I've wanted to read (!!)  so I may actually, make some friends - which is not at all what I expected after my first foray. So YES, it pays to use the library! 

Citation: Federal Art Project, Sponsor. For Greater Knowledge on More Subjects Use Your Library More Often. Chicago Illinois, None. [Chicago: illinois wpa art project, between 1936 and 1941] Photograph. https://www.loc.gov/item/98508155/.

I thought the book we read was terrible.  I could also see that the person who recommended the book we read - loved it with her whole heart and soul and took every criticism as a blow to her soul, so I wisely... just didn't say anything at all.  

   This month's leader was determined to be "different"  so instead of leading a discussion with questions and answers, she essentially quizzed everyone by saying quotes and asking "who said that" which was... interesting, but also felt a little like we were all  in 8th grade and being quizzed by a teacher who wanted to be sure we'd read the assigned reading.  So, if I ever get a chance to lead book club, I think I'll avoid that style.  On the plus side, there was a lot more participation, which is excellent! So, maybe a hybrid.  I do so hope I get to lead book club one day so I can choose an excellent book by a diverse author, and move the club just one click away from the "women's fiction" I have a few books that I think are great for Book club.  Authors like Brendan Slocumb  or Elif Shafak  Both authors tell such compelling tales that are easily discussed in a public forum like a book club. So we shall see. 

 So Book club. I'm still not 100% sold on it. But I'm learning it's more about getting together than actual book discussion, it seems. I'm sticking with it, though I honestly, don't know if I'm going to for more than a year, we'll see! 

Book Review: All the Water in the World By Eiren Caffall 4.25/5 stars

 All the Water in the World is a new novel (published January 2025) that I immediately put on hold at the library. It fit so well into my water theme! It fits well in March- women's month- as the author Eiren Caffall is a woman. AND, the main character is also female AND - the narrator for the audiobook is fantastic Eunice Wong! so... how did I feel about this? 

Well, I really liked this book a lot! I would not have picked it up- but for the water theme, and I am glad I did. (the benefit of having a theme right here..) In Short we have:

-Original plot/narrative

-Coming of age

-Climate fiction  "Cli-fi" if you will

-Great narration   

No Spoiler summary: . 

Nonie is a young girl who has lived most of her life on top of the NY museum of natural History because water has flooded most ground making it less livable and not always safe. She's an unusual child, one that readers may or may not recognize themselves in, depending on the reader.  After a particularly bad flooding, Nonie and her family make a journey north to find drier ground. As one might imagine, the journey is adventure and peril in equal measure, and it's also a bit of a coming of age for Nonie as she must face loss, make decisions, and learns that some things that look safe are really just menace in disguise. 

What happens for Nonie and her family? Well, that would be the spoiler part. 

 This book was inspired by museum curators in Iraq and Leningrad during times of war, who worked to preserve history for future generations.  Interestingly, this really isn't the main focus of the book and I appreciated how the author took that inspiration and then moved into a different, but related direction. Curators preserved items of significance in hopes that future generations would be able to enjoy and learn from them and that the items would remains touchpoints for community.  While Nonie isn't dragging the blue whale up the coast, she's learning and deciding about different ways people can act in times of disaster, and which way might create the most success for everyone involved. 

When I started reading, I was intrigued as the entire setting of the book was quirky and odd, but I wasn't truly invested I kept reminding myself I was just reading for the water theme, but then, suddenly, at about 35-40% in to the book, I couldn't put it down! And to be honest, it was moving a bit slow up to that point, so while the build up and end was great in hindsight, in the midpoint, I wasn't so sure.  I was sneaking in bits of the audio at the oddest times, making sure things were going like I wanted them to for Nonie. ( but oh they didn't always go the way I hoped!)  I enjoyed a tour of the New York area of the future and while the author is not NY based, she had a good grasp of the areas, and I love love loved that!  The plotting was really very good, and the build-up  and crescendo was great- especially as this is a debut novel for Caffall. I have to admit there was a moment when I felt certain that things would not end very well, but the author skillfully brings us to a gentle conclusion that's hopeful but realistic - something we need in our current times. 

This is NOT a 'Romantasy'  and thank goodness for that, it was such a relief to read a book that didn't have a recycled plot. So if you enjoy literary fiction, and are looking for a book that's engaging with the issues of the day and interpersonal dynamics, I highly recommend picking this up.  It is dubbed as a thriller, and I didn't really find it to be thriller-y at all, so if you want a thriller, this probably is not the book for you. There is a gentleness in the writing that is maybe at odds with the topic, but at the same time, for me, just sort of fit the narrative especially coming from a child's POV.  I do recommend the audiobook because Eunice Wong is an excellent narrator, she brings the story to life, no matter what the topic. 

This book does have some mixed reviews, and I suspect people were expecting something more "action-packed" for me the perspective of Nonie was fabulous- and really captured my experiences of being that age (though thankfully I was not living on top of a museum canoeing through the Hudson in dirty foul water)  I hope you'll give this book a try, and let me know your thoughts.  This is one I am definitely suggesting for the book club! 

STATS

First Published 2025

Pages: 304

Available as an Audio Book : YES

Trigger Warnings:  Medical situations, Storms, child death, death, gun violence, parent death, racism,   

(this is not a full list, read responsibly)

Book Review: Half Broke Horses By Jeannette Walls 2/5 Stars

 OK readers, Hot Take incoming in 3,2,1.

I read this book with my library book club. I was prepared to like it, I'd been interested in reading some Jeannette Walls. 

I did not like it. I did not like it at all. 

This is a novel based on the life of the author's grandmother. The Grandmother was poised at a time in history where she could recall both world wars, and was raised in very remote parts of the United States. So, there was a lot of interesting events in the book- the transition from horses to automobiles, introduction of airplanes, women transitioning from the home to some workplaces etc. 

It started out fairly well, Lily is raised in remote West Texas.  She learns to break horses, and manage a small ranch until she's sent off to Catholic boarding school for some "finishing"  which she loves. Unfortunately she then has to return home, because her parents didn't save enough for her full tuition. And thus begins Lily's adventure. She lived in Chicago, got married to an already married man, (annulled) became a school teacher, got fired multiple times and eventually got married, sold hooch from her kitchen during prohibition, and basically got knocked down a lot and got back up. 

         What's not to like? This woman is celebrated as resilient and courageous, but 99 of her 100 problems and set backs, seemed to pretty much start with her.  One thing for certain, this lady never lacked confidence and didn't really doubt herself, and I feel a bit of introspection would have been very sanguine for this woman. 

The second thing that I loathed is there were multiple descriptions of very tough parenting, and teacher disciplining which involved the resilient Lily - an adult, beating a child to the point where she felt she lost control.  When she wasn't beating, she was ignoring, or minimizing pain. This is brushed off as "it was the times" BUT Lily was still the adult in all the situations where she resorted to beating on children and losing control over her own person. People did hit children much more often in the past, but I think it's important to note that it was still violence at that time, even if  "everyone did it" I just cannot see this woman as that resilient and strong, if she had to resort to using a belt on her daughter to gain some sort of control over a situation - so while the writing style was fine, and it was somewhat interesting, I'm not over the brushing of this violence under the rug of "the times".  I'm definitely not interested in any other books by the author. 

If one is interesting in this time frame, roughly there are other books about women on the frontier:  

 May I suggest instead:

Letters of a Woman Homesteader by Elinore Pruitt Stewart, it's not exactly the same time frame, but I'll say it's a lot more interesting than Half Broke horses.

I will say I read the book via Audiobook and it's read by the author.  Even before the main character starts beating on her children, I was off put by the flat and very jarring accent/tone of voice. So if you want to read Half Broke Horses, I'd recommend the print version to avoid that. 

So yes,  I did not like this book. I really took issue with the portrayal of this woman as some sort of paragon of resilience.  She survived, but most of her problems were brought upon by her own making. 

This is just my opinion.  Now, I've got to go to book club and try not to be too critical. We will see how that goes, so stay turned in a few weeks for In-person book club tea! I'll be dishing it right on up!

Source: 

• Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division Washington, D.C. 20540 USA http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/pp.print)

February Reading wrap up!

 Well. February is a short month, but I still managed to finish a whopping 21 books.  I'm not really "trying" to be a power reader, but I admit, the library only having a 14 day loan on a lot of audiobooks has put a bit of a fire under me. 

Credit: https://lccn.loc.gov/98508191

Of course, reading a lot of books at a rapid pace really can ruin the enjoyment and not leave a lot of time for thought.  Lucky for me, some of my choices were purely enjoyment novels and didn't tax my noggin. Others though... Well... lets see what happened! 

Some Statistics!

Books in translation:  2/21  A low number indeed, but that brings my total for 2025 to 5 books in translation, so I've got room for more! 

Books by Diverse Authors: 57% of my reading was a book with an identified diverse author.  I had a bit of help from Black Booksky  over on bluesky for finding books by black authors that I really wanted to read (you can check out Black Booksky too!)  

What was my TOP read? 

Well... after some thought (like about 8 minutes of thought...)

 It's a TIE! (I make all the blog rules so why not!)

I could not decide between Cordova's The inheritance of Orquidea Divina or  Highway's Kiss of the Fur Queen. 

Both books feature a unique narrative featuring magical realism and some introduction into cultures that are not the normative culture that I live within. I have not stopped thinking about either one, and when pressed to really decide, I just couldn't. So there they are.

Non-Fiction- not my favorite genre, but I did read one non-fiction book. 

Black water by David Robertson. This is an interesting memoir of a Creen man growing up unaware of his indigenous heritage. While an important piece of writing, I think I highly preferred Tomson Highway's work of fiction, which just flowed better for me and was much more engaging. 

I started few other non-fiction water books but never quite got into them and they all remain unfinished. 

Speaking of my Water theme! 

Books read for the great 2025 Water theme! 

To be honest,  none of these topped my list for really awesome reads.  I will put of a review for McKinney's Noir book set in a future world where instead of building to the sky, we build down in to the ocean, in just a bit.  This month's Watery reads really had me questioning my choice of themes, but I've since gotten some recommendations, so hopefully my enjoyment level will rise in March! Water City is really worth a read, if you like Noir detective type novels, and it is a series, it was fun, but somehow didn't grab me like I had hoped. 

Advanced Reader Copies :

I was able to read one Advanced reader copy- 

This is the United Planetary Systems Book one To Avenge a Fallen Star.  It goes out on sale on March 25th and I wish Qillana Quinn all the best with the release of her novel. 

This lead me to requesting... errrr... several more books on NetGalley, breaking my Audio only rule and I am sure in March I will regret it. 

Book Club Books: 

 I read one in a series of Sci -Fi that I won't mention on the blog. I enjoyed the book, but the author is problematic  and thus... no discussion of that. 

Within the Stabby and Smoochy Book club, we have been CONSUMED  by The Broken Bonds series by J. Bree 

This isn't great literature, but the pacing is pretty good, and the story is so engaging. I have yet to figure out why we have the insects on every cover, so if someone knows, please let me know! 

We will be finishing off Book six soon and starting a new series or book. So far, a member has suggested  A Broken Blade - the Halfling series and I'm definitely ready for that. As always we love readers at Stabby and Smoochy so, feel free to hop in. Fable is free to join and it's a really responsive reading site with great visuals! 

BUDDY READS:

We loved reading the conclusion to the Ruinous Love Trilogy, it was everything and more.    This was definitely a good time featuring all sorts of things, cocktail olive picks, clowns, fortune tellers, crochet, and LOVE, of course. 

We have started to buddy read an ARC entitled Well, Actually  which we have dubbed "the hot dog book". So far, I think it's super polished and very funny, not sure how/what my reading buddy thinks/feels yet. 

 A book that sort of fell out of all of my "categories"  but deserves a mention is the heist novel Hammajang Luck. 

This book was so excellent on audio, the pacing was great, and it just moved along through a heist, which involved so much trauma, love, found family and trust, that I really found a lot to love about it, I just... didn't love it quite as much as my two tied favorites. 

The only other HUGE accomplishment for me was finishing off Bester's The Demolished Man.  That book has dogged me for months! We have moved on to 1953's Hugo award winner, which is a huge one, and I'll be sure to put up a review when I finish that - let's just say there are Firemen involved. 

The rest are all a blur of romance, space based romance,  and honestly some books that, I dont think I liked enough to want to re-mention them! 

What did you enjoy most in February?  What are you looking forward to in March! let me know in the comments!