Book Review: Burn the Water by Billy Ray

  Billy Ray is maybe best known as the screen writer for The Huger Games films, but he is an author also! 

Burn The Water is his first novel and it's Billed as a YA dystopian romance set in 2425 London. 

With this being my year of reading Water themed books, i saw this on Net Galley and hit the request button so fast. 

Personally, I think this book is perfectly within the realm of an adult/YA novel.  The themes are not "coming of age"  as much as they are "forbidden romance" . One reviewer notes that it felt like a retelling of Romeo and Julie, but I felt like that was really a very surface look at the novel.  The themes are quite different from Romeo and Juliet and though the story is of course similar, it really really...isn't a futuristic Romeo and Juliet. Frankly, I think it's unique and does some great stuff while also hitting some familiar beloved tropes.  

Non-Spoiler "Synopsis" because Spoilers are not the best!  The novel is set in a future London/UK setting where most of the world is underwater. Communications are set back to more ancient times, and most technologic advancements have been lost to the water. Two factions are fighting over the last bit of land available for living. Enter Rafe and Jule- both leaders- but leaders of the different factions. Of course... love is in the air, or in the water as the case may be. These two star crossed lovers are really both desperately tired of this ongoing war and wish for peace, but find it hard to conceptualize how to make that come about. Within this environment, tension is building that threatens to break apart as foreigners appear on their shores.

With Ray's lauded cinematic background, it was not surprise that this novel reads a  bit like a screen play.  For me , this wasn't an issue, and Ray did an excellent job showing and telling at appropriate times.  I felt like this was a bit of cautionary tale for our future, and part plain old against all odds enemies to lovers romance. 

Very much enjoyed this one!  I hope it has great success! 

STATS

First Published : March 2025 

Pages: 304

Available as an Audio Book : not Currently

Trigger Warnings: violence, blood, death, grief, War, Death of child, 

Book Review: A Marriage at Sea by Sophie Elmhirst

   I picked this book up because it went with my water theme and it was on a list of Barak Obama's favorites.  I've honestly never gone wrong with anything off his lists. While they are not all favorites, I've always learned some interesting things and gained insights from them! 

  This book has a lovely cover. I like the whale tail so much even though that particular whale was none too friendly to our protagonists. 

   This is one of those non-fiction reads that seems to be fiction at first blush.  Readers follow Maurice and Maralyn who embark on a journey from the UK to New Zealand- in the 1970's. Maurice is much older than Maralyn, and he's shocked she wanted to marry him.  Based on my read, he was clearly on the autism spectrum- with difficulty giving up routine, and some strong preferences regarding how things should be done etc. Maralyn was more easygoing and able to recognize that her husband wasn't always well liked and thus she was able to smooth the way for him. A sailing trip in itself wouldn't have been much of a story, but mid trip- the couple find their ship damaged by a whale. The ship sinks and they were left to drift for over 100 days.  When finally rescued by a Korean fishing vessel, a media frenzy takes over their lives. I don't want to spoil the story, but it was remarkable how this already unlikely couple worked together to survive this ordeal, heal and return to sailing again. 

  As a reader, I tend to have several books going at one time, and it's rare for me to concentrate on just one, but this one- I found I couldn't put it down and I had it read in 3 days.  I think it's an interesting companion to Moby Dick ( which I've been delving into slowly) as both have an oddly obsessed captain type, a whale nemesis, and a journey undertaken for personal reasons.  While the cover is beautiful, I'm not positive I'd recommend it for gifting, as it might be seen as a commentary on someone else's relationship etc. 

    I found this to be very well written, engrossing, and thoughtful and well worth the time taken to enjoy. 

First Published : 2/2024

Pages: 256

Available as an Audio Book :YES

Trigger Warnings: Animal death, unusual food consumption, starvation  

Not a full TW list, please read responsibly

Book Review: Salt The Water by Candace Iloh

 I listened to this YA novel - a Printz honoree novel while driving around town. It obviously fit into my water theme, or so I thought. In reality, there was very little water in this novel. Despite the cover that really seems to promise quite a lot of water. 

     In short this is a coming of age novel with a bit of a twist. It's strongest point is that the author really really relays what it's like to be a kid, especially one who's grown up in relative safety. Cerulean - our protagonist- is impulsive, with a narrow focus and hasn't been outside of their neighborhood and family much. Living in NYC they know that bad things happen, but they've been brought up in a very stable family. Cerulean is rebellious, and feels all the feelings, and is especially unhappy that their younger sibling gets to attend a special black focused school while they are stuck in the local public school. Cerulean is ready to move to California with friends after graduation, but a conflict with a teacher leads Cerulean to leave school- unnoticed by their parents due to family events that take the focus off the children.  Is Cerulean ready to live off the grid, like they dream of?  You'll want to read to find out. 

Overall, I enjoyed this novel. It is very well written and engaging. The ending to me was a bit open ended and kind of... not want I'd hoped for exactly but, I can see how it would appeal to the young adult readers it's intended for! I can see this being a valuable novel for young adults, and a valuable one for adults who've forgotten what it's like to be a teen in a strange and changing world! 

  First Published : 09/2024

Pages: 288

Available as an Audio Book :YES

Trigger Warnings: medical situations, poverty, bullying, drugs/alcohol, 

Not a full TW list, please read responsibly. 

Book Review: Salvagia by Tim Chawaga

  I was very hesitant to pick this up when I saw it on NetGalley.  The cover was so cool and the premise was good, but would my own expectations get in the way? 

I am so glad I finally hit the request button and even more glad that Simon and Schuster sent me the Advanced Listener Copy.  Another Banger for 2025!

  I did a little digging about and it seems that Tim Chawaga is a debut novelist that works in tech, and does not live in Florida. Despite all that, he captured a lot of what is great about Florida and some of the less great as well. I sunk into this novel, and honestly, I slowed the narration down to the very regular 1.0 speed  because I didn't really want it to end. 

So- interlude to talk about the cover.  The design is credited to Jim Tierney. I peeped at his website and saw a ton of books I'd picked up because of the cover. Seriously!  I guess... if you want to sell me a book, get Tierney to make the cover? 

SPOILER FREE SUMMARY  because spoilers are for losers, and I'm a total winner. 

Triss is living in a future Florida that is mostly underwater. Triss is a diver and brings up thing slike air conditioners for money, but... also Salvagia - which is essentially nostalgic salvage. Just like nostalgic items are valued today for the story attached to them, salvagia increases in value similarly. 

We join Triss and the crew as they salvage a specific shoe, but after some issues with the crew, Triss discovers one of the most powerful family heads chained underwater, dead. This is a problem! The after math of this discovery leads our main character on a adventure all over Florida, with risky diving, even riskier space races with "atmo-breakers", interaction with semi-sentient machines, real estate schemes and more. Triss is caught between the Feds, the powerful Florida "families" and her obligations to her friend who's seeking a third way (you'll have to read to find out about the ways). Can Triss and company carve out a different way of living that is sustainable and free?  Well, obviously you'll need to read to find out. I do hope you'll read! 

   Things I loved about this book and want to highlight? 

- Really solid world building that is easily understood.  Chawaga starts with a foundation that many know well- Florida. On top of Florida an entirely different world is created with just enough of the old mixed in with the new that the reader can easily immerse themselves in this new Florida setting which is a comfortable combination of the old and the new.  

-I never could figure out the gender of many of the characters. This simultaneously bothered me and intrigued me.  I really wanted to know, and then I was left sitting in my thoughts about why was it so important that I know.  I liked that this novel wasn't "about gender"  but without being about gender, still gave me a lot to think about regarding gender in society. 

-Realistic while being futuristic.  I read a lot of romance, and I appreciate the genre because it is predictable to a T. (We get a happy ending, the heroine never dies in the villains clutches etc). In Salvagia I had a few moments when I realized that some places/characters were not going to be revived/reintroduced and as disappointing as it was to my heart, I liked it a lot because indeed, the world doesn't save everyone.

-Mechanical alligator.  Need I say more?  I think not. 

As a person who accidently came to live in Florida and love it for many of it's quirks and weirdness (It could be a little less weird these days!)  I really loved the imagined sunken cities, the salvagia and the typical freedom seeking folx depicted.  It seemed to capture the essence of Florida now and into the future. 

Highly recommend! 

STATS

First Published : August 2025

Pages: 272

Available as an Audio Book :YES

Trigger Warnings: Death, climate issues, blood, medical situations, violence.

Not a fully TW list, please read responsibly. 

Book Review: The Hurricane by RJ Prescott 3/5 Stars

 So, I read this because the title  "The Hurricane" fits nicely into my water theme. 

Does it have anything to do with actual hurricanes?  No. Most assuredly no. 

If I really want to spin it, I could probably discuss how often we use water associated terms to describe non-water events, people, things. I don't think I want to delve into things that deeply. 

This is an average, enjoyable sports romance set in the UK.  There's nothing unique about it at all, and for me, that was actually what made it enjoyable.  My mind didn't have to work with this one.

Emily is a broken fragile girl who remains fantastically attractive and fragile. She's struggling financially but she does have her apparent talent for math going for her as she forges ahead in her mathematics degree. Despite her very bad circumstances, she remains physically attractive and unfailingly kind and nice to every one who approaches her, all the time. 

Cormac O'Connell is an undisciplined boxer who grew up with an alcoholic mother. He's desperately seeking a feeling of home.

One day he seems Emily being kind to a homeless man, and decides she is going to be the one for him. 

And he falls hard and fast. Emily falls hard but requires some convincing. 

Together they become stronger. Predictably, both have huge amounts of emotional intelligence and their relationship quickly become bullet proof. (This is honestly the part that really is not that believable, as most folks packing that much trauma between the two of them would have more communication issues/trust issues etc, but this is a novel, it's ok!) Both of them speak to each other as if they had a degree in "trauma -informed" therapy. This novel which is a series of stand-alone but interconnected romances  was put out in 2016- which I think we can all agree was a very different time. 

I enjoyed O'Connell's obsession with Emily and I enjoyed that it was a welcome obsession. I enjoyed the moments where  together they conquered his horrid mother and her vicious step-father on the way to a happy-ever-after ending. 

Pearl Hewitt reads the novel in the audio book, and I think she did a pretty good job with the narration, though maybe I could have used a bit less of the high pitch. That said, it was a clean and clear narration, and easy to follow. 

  I learned nothing about water! 

Do I recommend?  YES - if you want a spicy contemporary romance about overcoming obstacles. No- if you are looking for anything more nuanced. 

STATS

First Published : February 2016

Pages: 432

Available as an Audio Book :YES

Trigger Warnings: Death, parental neglect, alcohol, SA, poverty, violence, sexual content, family drama, toxic relationships. 

Book Review Waterline by Aram Mrjoian

 

Obviously, it is still 2025 and I am still reading on the theme of Water.  I'm not sure where this is getting me, the theme, that is, but I am definitely picking up books I might have otherwise ignored.  This one was difficult to ignore because of the bright colors used on the cover. 

Secondarily, I wanted to read this because I had a good friend in my first two years of college who was Armenian.  Her mother often discussed this genocide which, of course, I had not heard about. Her mother always reminded us that "You can't give up because you don't know what will happen tomorrow"  this is in very stark contrast to my Mom who would wonder and worry incessantly about what could happen tomorrow. So, it's stuck with me. 

The novel, however... 

Has nothing to do with my college friend beyond the fact that both my friend and the novel characters were both affected by the Armenian genocide. Or maybe, if I spoke with her today I'd find out it had EVERYTHING to do with her, who knows.  

     

    For me this is an astounding work of fiction, that I think, is advertised as something that is maybe isn't. 

What I thought I was going to get- a deep look at the generational trauma of the Armenian genocide and how it affects persons today. 

What I feel I got?- A deep look at grief  and the effects of suicide within a close knit family, with a nod to generational trauma related in this case to the Armenian genocide. 

    Both of these are things worth writing about, but as I read through this book, I definitely felt that they were two different things  and that reviewers were leaning into the historical aspect very heavily, when the book just touches on it as part of the family lore. Mrjoian says that he intended that less than 10% of the novel be focused on the genocide - which I believe he achieved. The genocide itself was like a ghostly spectre sort of hovering about throughout all of the characters we are introduced to- in one way or another.  Reviewers, however, really pushed the genocide connection which lead me to think that I would be getting chunks and chunks of history. 

For me, this was a novel of a portrait of deep grief and the way a family processed this grief in the modern era. The author explores different ways to process (or not process) grief and loss and leaves space for readers to recognize themselves in characters and processes. Some characters drink, others find release in movement (hiking, swimming, sex, exercise classes) while others power forward and only melt down when it all becomes too much. The knowledge of the genocide seeps in at the corners of their minds, and affects the choices they make in grief, but a glaring direct connection isn't present- which is likely the point. Perhaps, generational trauma isn't a sledgehammer exactly, but more of an insidious process that finds us and creates core expectations and beliefs that we'd be hard pressed to explain. 

   This is a worthy read, but I can't say it would be one if you wanted to learn exact details of the Armenian Genocide. The writing is gorgeous and to the point and I'd gladly read another work by Mrjoian any time- but I might check into the topic a wee bit more deeply before diving in!

STATS

First Published : June 3, 2025 

Pages: 288

Available as an Audio Book : yes

Trigger Warnings: suicide, generational trauma, genocide, alcohol and drug use, revenge porn, infidelity, as always this is likely not a complete list, so please read responsibly. 

 

Book Review Esperance by Adam Oyebanji

  Many thanks to Astra Publishing House/Daw books for the gift copy of Esperance to read and review.

  As seems to always be the case for this reader, a great cover sucked me right in! 

Small attempt at a synopsis: Detective Ethan Krol is called to an apartment in Chicago where a father and son are deceased with their lungs oddly full of sea water. Ethan knows this is strange, but he begins his investigation rather normally. Soon, he is swept wholly into the investigation leading him to Providence RI, and Edinburgh Scotland. 

A second story line introduces us to Abidemi Eniola who arrives in England from parts unknown. She hooks up with a modern gal, Hollie Rogers to help her along her way. Abidemi is super smart and has a lot of cool technology that Hollie's never seen, but sometimes seems like she doesn't quite understand how basic things like, airplanes, or pawn shops work. Abidemi states she has inheritances for several people she has to find and Hollie - who's at a loose end- decides to go along for the ride. 

What Hollie doesn't know is that the inheritances are for Descendants of a Rhode Island Merchant and Ship owner from back during slave trading days. 

Chaos ensues. 

Honestly, I did not know it was possible to write a cohesive novel that brought together classic noir detective fiction, supernatural sci-fi elements, Nigerian spirits/spirituality - the concept of debt to be paid (gbese) and historical events, I would have said that this might be a step to far, but somehow Oyebanji has put it all together into a bit of a Cyperpunk, Sci-fi, Detective Noir and Historic fiction novel that reads nicely and makes sense. 

Is this a book for everyone? No, it really is not.  I think it falls into the weird genre for me and will appeal to Sci fi readers, those who like weird stuff and those interested in cybertech.     I expect readers who enjoy Blake Crouch, or Rob Hart would find this appealing! Could it have a wider readership? It could because it's well written and easy to follow! 

STATS

First Published : May 2025

Pages: 432

Available as an Audio Book :YES

Trigger Warnings: Violence, police action, murder, references to slave trade, medical situations, blood, and injury. distant parent, parent death, child death.  As always this is likely not a complete list, so please read responsibly. 

Book Review: They Bloom At Night By Trang Thanh Tran 5/5 Stars

   This novel was a wild ride!  I enjoyed it thoroughly and I think- although it's labeled as YA, it's one that can be enjoyed by adults as well.  2025 is the year for books about plant aliens and plant invasions, and so after reading Overgrowth, and Eat the Ones you Love, I suppose it's not all that odd to be jumping into this novel which heavily features algae. 

There really is just SO MUCH going on in the novel that it's hard to do a spoiler free synopsis  - but I'm going to give it a try! 

Mercy, Louisiana is a typical small coastal town -- but since a hurricane swept through there's been a red algae bloom. Noon - our protagonist and her mom continue to trawl for shrimp and cling to their former lives (sort of) - they stay on the good side of the creepy harbor master by bringing back oddities that are bycatch in their nets. Noon's interested in leaving but her Mom is attached to the area where her father and son(Noon's brother) perished.  

Noon discovers that there's some sort of "monster" on the loose- dragging folks away - and she's drafted into a search and destroy mission with Covey (the daughter of the corrupt harbormaster). As Noon and Covey work to understand what's happing in this post climate disaster time, they also work to come to terms with their identities, experiences and futures. 

This is truly a creepy southern gothic type of novel, with a lot of relatable moments, mixed in with some chilling horror. Addressing themes of identity, ecology, and coming of age, the prose is easy to read and the plot moves forward with very good pacing to a satisfying, but kind of vague ending, which for once, didn't really bother me.   Usually I like a solid conclusion, but in this case, Noon's conclusion is that she's continuing to grow into something unknown, and that she's going to have family and found family by her side, which is a conclusion which worked for me. 

  

STATS

First Published : March 2025 

Pages: 384

Available as an Audio Book : YES

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

Book Review: The Brilliant Abyss by Helen Scales 4/5 stars

 It's been a while since I dipped into some non-fiction!  The Brilliant Abyss was a really good read for learning more about the ocean,  and the life it supports!

Dr. Scales is a marine biologist who is clearly passionate about the ocean, especially the deep ocean - about which- very little is known. 

   I had the audiobook which is read by the author and I really fully enjoyed it. I've clearly been reading a lot of water books, so some of the information wasn't new to me, but I'm no marine biologist so hearing it again, in a different voice was great, it also allowed me to think smugly "I knew that" !

In a very pleasing narrative style, Scales educates readers about the deep ocean and it's creatures, get's readers up to date on the state of the deep ocean and then finishes off with a flourishing call to action, imploring readers to get involved in big and small ways to engage in ocean conservation.  Somehow this is done with out a preachy tone, and it was immensely listen-able for me.

 The one thing that has really stuck with me from this book is that there is a species of snail that uses iron in it's shells. It's called the Scaly-Foot Gastropod and it's shell has one layer made of Iron sulphides.  It is the only known animal to incorporate iron sulphide into it's skeleton!!!  Sadly, even though this marvelous creature lives at deep-sea hydrothermal vents- it is endangered. Efforts to re-coin it's name as a sea pangolin failed as it turns out not too many people know what the regular earth pangolin is. Every time I see an article about the deep sea, there always seems to be some new creature being named or discovered. It's one reason of course we should care to preserve this area, because we don't even know what's there! So many sea organisms have been so useful to humans, that even if one didn't want to preserve this unique deep environment just because it's so cool- the commercial value of new tech and medicines seems to make it a good save.  I promise there's more than a scaly gastropod though! 

Scales educates readers about the deep ocean and it's creatures, get's readers up to date on the state of the deep ocean and then finishes off with a flourishing call to action, imploring readers to get involved in big and small ways to engage in ocean conservation.  Somehow this is done with out a preachy tone, and it was immensely listen-able for me.

  I'd pair this novel up with Richard Power's Playground for a Non-fiction/Fiction Mash up.  For a somewhat more engaging read one might try Susan Casey's The Underworld, but I feel like Scales, being an actual marine biologist - might be a touch more genuine.  Of course, it's easy to read all of these novels. 

  This read is a great gift for ocean lovers and budding marine biologists. 

STATS

First Published : June 2022

Pages: 304

Available as an Audio Book :YES

Trigger Warnings: Climate crisis, death, animal death, 

Book Review: Aqueous by Jade Shyback 4/5 Stars

 Have I been straying from my water theme?  Kinda Sorta. 

When I saw this on Net Galley, I knew it was one for my Water 2025 extravaganza.  I wasn't sure what to expect from this debut novel, as I've had some hit and miss this year indeed.  To be honest, I kind of went into this thinking it might not be that good. We are at the halfway point in my water year, and indeed...some of it hasn't been great. This however, hit me at just the right time! 

For me, this was a hit!  Firstly let's take a moment to appreciate the cover:  It took me a hot minute to discover the cover artist and designer:  Camryn Jette Anderson (Art) and Ashley Sherrif (Design) 

Small synopsis without spoilers: This is a Young Adult Debut novel.  Readers follow Marisol through the final weeks of her last year in school when she will be assigned to a permanent assignment in her undersea settlement. Marisol's been underwater on the Aqueous campus for 10 years, she's happy and well adjusted, and dreams of becoming an elite diver, a dangerous position. Prior to this she was adopted in the chaos of a dying earth above the ocean. She's always felt her mother gave her up so she would be sure to have a better life. As she adjusts into her new adult role, Marisol learns some information about the above world that changes everything. She's unsure of what's to come, but she won't keep silent. We are left with a big CLIFFHANGER and I'm left wanting book two now.

The biggest strength of the novel is the fantastic, detailed worldbuilding. I was fascinated and really enjoyed all of the descriptions of the sea steading pods created to survive climate disaster.  This is not the first underwater city that I've traversed this year (in reading) , but this is the first one I enjoyed. I could entertain a life under the sea if it's like this one! (OK so please, just let's go now!) 

 If there is a weakness, it's in the dialogue. Overall, it is oddly stiff/formal and made me feel like I wasn't really reading/listening to teens talk among themselves, but I was able to suspend my ideas and I told myself that theses were all kiddos who learned to interact "under the sea" and of course their language might be different. In addition, the author clearly enjoys alliteration, and for some this might be annoying. For me, I decided it was a quirk of Marisol, and thankfully it wasn't always present. 

This is a novel that's a bit unique in the YA genre right now. It is a true story for Young Adults. It isn't an adult story that's dumbed down, it's clear it really was meant for the YA audience specifically. I would have LOVED this at age 12 -14.  Marisol and her cohort go through things that kids her age go through, they deal with parents, relationships, confusing romantic (not sexually intimate) situations, and the angst of disappointment as the reality of the unfairness of life creeps into their under the sea community. I really liked that this wasn't a romance disguised as YA, and that the author didn't depend on supernatural powers for her characters development. Because of this, even though the underwater environment was different, I felt that Marisol and her community were very relatable. 

The audiobook is read by the author herself and does included 2 musical numbers which were pretty enjoyable (I usually skip right over any added lyrics /poetry so if I say I enjoyed it, that's a real endorsement).

  

This might not be appreciated by adults, but I think a certain subset of the population will enjoy it and I think it's definitely a very thoughtful book for the YA audience.  It would be great for a reading group as there are lots of themes to talk about: climate, community, gender norms, coming of age, discovering one's purpose, family, the future. I do want to read book 2, and I think this author/story line will only improve with each new installment. 

STATS

First Published : May 2023 

Pages: 204

Available as an Audio Book : YES

Trigger Warnings: ocean creatures, adoption/abduction, Climate crisis, Death of child, death of parent, blood, medical situation,  (not a complete list- be responsible!)

Book Review: Into the Great Wide ocean by Sonke Johnsen 2.5/3 stars

  I read Into the Great Wide Ocean  by Sonke Johnsen  as part of my 2025 Water reading! 

  I - errr- did not love it. I do think however, it's a book for a certain population. 

Dr. Johnsen describes life in the water column of the open sea, an area that is not studied as frequently as areas closer to shore. This is interspersed with stories about how he got started in marine biology and how his career unfolded. 

   I was super excited when the audio book finally came off hold and I dove in rapidly. Johnsen has a bit of a folksy style  and did a fairly good job at interspersing amusing stories from his life at sea and on shore with facts and findings about the deep ocean. Frequently, however, the author's passion for the topic did go fairly deep into the physics of things and as a casual reader I was a bit lost. I can see that if I attended a lecture with Dr. Johnsen as the speaker, I would highly enjoy it, but as a reader, the pages and pages of discussion of some of the drier aspects of things did find me tuning out a bit. So, I personally would not pick this one up again, I suspect Dr. Johnsen would have had a best seller if he had partnered with an author like Susan Casey  who makes her living off sort of translating complex ideas into lay-people understanding. 

That said - If this was a text book for a class I was taking, I would LOVE it.  It brings this part of the ocean to life in a way that a text book typically does not, and it did encourage me to start asking more and more questions about the topics at hand.  If I was a person with a bit of a stronger interest in this topic, I suspect I also would have loved it slightly more.  If I had a teen aged cousin/niece/nephew interested in marine biology, this would be on their gift list. If I ran a book club on the natural world, it might make it to the club list.  For me, I do not do any of those things, so, I was glad to have read and learned some more things about the ocean, and I was also glad to hit the return button for the library. 

So if you fit the bill, this will probably be a great read for you! 

STATS

First Published : October 2024 

Pages: 248

Available as an Audio Book : YES

Trigger Warnings: Oceanic accidents,Sea-sickness, 

May Reading Wrap Up!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

TOP Read for May?  

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

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

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

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

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

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

How do you plan your TBR?  

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

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

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

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

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

Here is Moses-  Harriett Tubman in 1911.

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

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

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

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

STATS

First Published  August 2022

Pages: 224

Available as an Audio Book : Yes

Trigger Warnings:  (violence, murder, Slavery,)

(this is not a full list, read responsibly)

April Reading wrap up!

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

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

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

Let's get into it! 

Statistics!

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

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

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

In the end, I'm  going with 

The River Has Roots By Amal Al-Mohtar

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

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

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

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

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

Buddy Reads: 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Book Review: The Night Birds By Christopher Golden 4/5 stars

 If you are looking for a suspense/thriller novel that doesn't rely on some of the usual thriller tropes and themes, this might be a book for you! 

I was so happy to be approved for the audiobook via Macmillan and NetGalley!  It fits right in to my Water 2025 theme, and, I could not resist the cover at all. 

(Cover art by Peter Bergting and Cover Design by Errick Nunnally)

To be 100% honest, I might have skipped over the title if I hadn't seen the cover. I'm not at all familiar with Christopher Golden, and the firs time I read the description, it... maybe didn't pique my interest, but darn it all, that cover! 

   In short (No spoilers!) Charlie and Ruby used to be an item, but, alas, many good things come to an end. Charlie's working for the state on a research project involving a partially submerge freighter ship with a team of characters who you'll come to love. As often happens in Galveston, a storm is brewing. Charlie's team part ways for the night, with Charlie intending on spending the night on the ship. Arriving at the dock he's confronted with Ruby- a very personal "blast from the past". She needs his help. She's got an infant in tow and obviously, they're running from something. So far this sounds exactly like a lot of thrillers you've read, indeed. I was settling in for this, when the novel took a macabre turn involving some very creepy beings, birds and lots of ritualistic behavior that had me floored. This novel has the suspense and the thrills but also come dripping in gore, pure terror, and dark creatures not of this world. There were some moments when I really felt I needed to look behind me while I was listening to this narration! While there aren't exactly "jump scares" in this gem, there are many moments which had me sort of sucking in a breath. I was surely engaged for all of it. In fact, I finished this in record time because  I HAD TO KNOW! 

  Overall, I had a lot of fun with this wild ride which takes place in a span of maybe 18 hours. It's well written and has a sort of cinematic feel to it, leaving the reader with very little time to catch a breath as the adventure rolls on. 

   The narrators for this adventure are Patricia Santomasso and Sean Patrick Hopkins. I was never distracted by the narration, and felt that they did a great job with the super creepy, gory material! 

  This goes on sale May 6th.  I think it would make a great gift for Mother or Father's day - for the Right Mother and Father. (Mine will be getting some goat's milk soap- but others... might go for this wild ride of grim horror!)  

STATS

First Published  May 2025

Pages: 304

Available as an Audio Book : Yes

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

(this is not a full list, read responsibly)  

Book Review: Not a River by Selva Almada 3/5 stars

  I picked up this short novel, really a novella (104 pages!)  as part of my 2025 Water theme. 

It was shortlisted for the 2024 Booker Prize and has garnered many accolades. 

I was really excited to read it, I'm a fan of sparse prose and so I thought this was going to be precise and insightful. It was precise and - perhaps I missed the insightful part. There was a lot going on in this little volume and I can see it being an important read and discussion for literature classes, but for me... 

it didn't quite do it for me. 

  We have a story of an ill fated fishing trip of sorts, in rural Argentina, which is peppered with lots of flashbacks, making it almost a dual timeline narrative- except it's really more of a multiple timeline, which, was a little bit difficult to follow with the audio book.  This may be one novel that would have been better for me to have the actual book in my hands. Themes that emerged: life and death, masculinity and toxic masculinity, rural life and community, and a touch of magical realism (really not even a touch, a whisper of this) . 

  I do think I'd read more from this author, the writing was very good - I just somehow did not quite engage as I thought I would with the actual plot/storyline, and thus, it left me very happy when it ended. This, I think is a fault of me- the reader- and not the writer. In addition, it is a translated work, so it is not exactly the original and that can change quite a bit for readers.  Indeed the translator notes herself that this was a difficult work to translate due to some slang and idiosyncrasies in the novel. Which made me wonder if a lot of the magic was really lost in translation despite a very serious effort. 

 So, who is this for? People who like really evocative sparse writing, those who want a shorter novel, persons interested in Argentina, students of literature, and those exploring expressions of masculinity. 

While this wasn't for me, I do see the value of this work, it's clear that it is well regarded and I'm not discouraging a read of this novel, but I will say, in the end, this will not be in my top 12 for the year! Have you read this novel?  Please share your thoughts! 

STATS

First Published  May 2025

Pages: 104

Available as an Audio Book : Yes

Trigger Warnings:  Death, misogyny, alcohol, violence

(this is not a full list, read responsibly) 

Book Review Oracle, By Thomas Olde Heuvelt 5/5 stars

 Once in a while, a reader comes across a gem of a novel. One that is wholly unique, thought provoking and emotionally engaging. 

I did not expect to find that in Oracle. But, yet, there it all was! It even has a great cover. 

 Obviously I picked this up because of the oceanic theme. (Water 2025!) I don't think I would have found it otherwise. Oracle, and the first book in the series - Hex- have not been on my radar.  Neither book had a huge presence on TikTok, Instagram or even Booksky. I think I found it while browsing the library catalog on line. I am so glad I did because it was just so fresh and unexpected, delightfully horrific and complex. Just the kind of book a reader can sink their teeth into.

    In short - an ancient ship appears one day in a tulip field, with an old bell tolling that gives a local farmer the creeps.  he knows it's a bad omen. People go in to investigate, but they don't come back out, and all the while the bell tolls. Soon, Government agencies are involved, families are silenced as a rag tag team of folks with different motivations work side by side (but definitely not together) to try to prevent what seems to be impending doom. 

   I am unclear how Heuvelt did it but he managed to put together a cohesive engaging novel combining deep sea oil rigs, ancient Doggerland Mammoths, Smallpox ships  , Vengeful ghosts/oceans, an older cranky quasi-detective, and a somewhat sullen teenage boy.  When described this way, it sounds like an impossible writing prompt.  When read, the reader gets an experience of reading something wholly new.  While Heuvelt draws on history, the story and characters seem to be of his own invention. There is such a good balance of horror, suspense/thrills, and emotion, that it kind of defies being placed into one genre box, and I'd recommend it to readers who read in almost all genres (there's not real romance, so if you are looking for that, this is likely not the one for you.) 

  Will this top my top reads for 2025?  possibly... possibly.  It is in contention!  I have already put all his other books available in the library on hold. 

STATS

First Published : 4/30/2024

Pages: 384

Available as an Audio Book : YES 

Trigger Warnings: parent death, child death, violence, alcohol, drugs, gun violence,  

As always - this is not a complete list, read responsibly!