Saturday Miscellany—1/11/25

Odds ‘n ends about books and reading that caught my eye this week. You’ve probably seen some/most/all of them, but just in case:
bullet Can You Guess the Book Titles from These Emojis? Test your knowledge of classic novels and contemporary bestsellers —Let’s start off the week with something silly. It’s also proof that I cannot communicate in emojis. I got none of these.
bullet Why reading out loud is important—something more for the “do audiobooks count?” nonsense (hat tip: booklistfordays)
bullet Craig Johnson’s Next Novel Drops May 27, Was Inspired By Cowboy State Daily Story
bullet There’s a New Version of Hamlet Staged in Grand Theft Auto—I initially rolled my eyes at this (but was going to include it only for the excuse to post the headline), but on third or fourth thought…I’m a little intrigued.
bullet Why I’m making 2025 my year of dead-tree books
bullet Raven’s 2025- The Year of ‘Read Like Nobody’s Watching’… —This is the approach we should all approximate
bullet Bookish Goals in 2025—good, SMART goals
bullet My 2025 Bookish Ins and Outs—wise plans
bullet Presenting the Picture Prompt Book Bingo Challenge for 2025 —After telling myself to cut back on challenges this year, I see this one–which looks like it coule be fun to try.
bullet Five Fantasy Bookstores and Libraries I’d Love to Explore—yeah, I would spend time in these
bullet Plot Pet Peeves—I cannot imagine anyone (other than authors/publishers, apparently) arguing aginst any of Krysta’s points.
bullet The 12 Best Sci-Fi Novels of the Last 10 Years—According to Collider and Reddit, anyway. Although, having read 5 of these, I’m inclined to believe them.
bullet Trying and Failing to Figure Out “Escapism” in Books—some good thoughts from Molly Templeton (as one expects) and others.

It’s the Time of Year for Best of Lists like these to embiggen your 2025 TBRs (or to give you fodder to think about).
bullet Celeste at A Literary Escape listed Favorite Books Published in 2024 and Favorite Backlist Reads of 2024
bullet My Top 10 Ten Books of 2024 and My Top Ten 10 Books for Children 2024—from Left on the Shelf (the latter defintely added to my TBR)
bullet From Worlds Unknown’s 2024 Wrap Up – A Year in Books + What’s Coming in 2025

A Book-ish Related Podcast episode (or two) you might want to give a listen to:
bullet Fiction Fans 2024: Year in Review—a fun look back at their year that was
bullet The Conversation with Nadine Matheson M.W. Craven: Luck, Crime Writing and Life Lessons—I would’ve gladly listened to a few more hours of them talking shop.

To help talk about backlist titles (and just for fun), What Was I Talking About 10 Years Ago Week? (a mostly great week for reviewish posts and new releases)
bullet The Gods of Guilt by Michael Connelly
bullet Us by David Nicholls
bullet Food: A Love Story by Jim Gaffigan
bullet And I noted the releases of Golden Son by Pierce Brown, Firefight by Brandon Sanderson, Foxglove Summer by Ben Aaronovitch, The Witches of Echo Park by Amber Benson, As Chimney Sweepers Come to Dust by Alan Bradley

This Week’s New Releases that I’m Excited About and/or You’ll Probably See Here Soon:
bullet Adrift in Currents Clean and Clear by Seanan McGuire by Seanan McGuire—The latest Wayward Children book is everything you want, as I tried to say recently.

An image of a woman searching through shelves of books over the words 'The person who doesn’t read lives only one life. The reader lives 5,000. Reading is immortality backwards. - Umberto Eco'

My Favorite Crime/Mystery/Detective/Thriller Fiction of 2024

2024 Favorite Crime Fiction
Finally, we’re at the end of my 2024 wrap-up. Thanks for sticking with me for so long! (assuming you have). I read /0 books I put in the category of “Mystery/Detective Fiction/Crime Fiction/Thriller” last year (and there are a couple of multi-genre novels that could beef that number up a bit), 33% of my reading last year. So I have to consider it apart from everything else when I put together my Favorites Lists, or just about everything else would get ignored. Even if I went with a Top 20 instead of a Favorite 10, maybe 5 books from the previous lists would’ve made it along with all of these. Maybe.

Once again, I’ll note that I limit my lists to things I read for the first time. Yes, there are some names on here that have been on a couple of these lately. Under half the list. Er, maybe half the list. I don’t want to look. No more than 50%. Most of those names will likely show up in the years to come. I might have to retire some authors from consideration.

As always, re-reads don’t count for these lists.

(in alphabetical order by author)

Cover of My Darkest Prayer by S.A. CosbyMy Darkest Prayer

by S.A. Cosby

Is this as good as Cosby’s later works? No. But it’s dynamite–and you can see (especially looking back) the potential in this gritty and grim work. (and what is as good as his later works, anyway?) Nathan Waymaker is a former Marine and an ex-sheriff’s deputy (his resignation is pretty dramatic). He operates as an unofficial fixer and investigator for various people in the community–when a notable local pastor is killed. His church leadership wants answers that the sheriff’s department doesn’t seem to want to find.

So Nathan starts looking. And finds a lot of things he wishes he didn’t. And the pastor’s attractive daughter (which he’s pretty glad about). But mostly he finds things he doesn’t–hopefully he can find a way out with his life intact.

5 Stars


Cover of The Big Empty by Robert CraisThe Big Empty

by Robert Crais

My original post
Sure, there’s a little recency bias going on here (I just read this two-and-a-half weeks ago), but I’m pretty sure it’d end up on this list no matter when I read it. It’s Crais at the top of his game. Pike as an avenging angel and would-be protector of the weak. Elvis making friends and enemies wherever he goes. Chen coming through with the goods when he needs to (while being whiny and offensive). The case doesn’t go where anyone thinks it will. And the prose is so sharp and smooth that you don’t want to finish the book.

5 Stars


Cover of The Mercy Chair by MW CravenThe Mercy Chair

by M.W. Craven

My original post
If I do retire something from this list, it’ll likely be Craven and his Poe and Tilly series. But I don’t see that happening because I love talking about them so much.

This book is dark. Which is saying something for Craven. It’s also sweet. And funny. Buuuuut, mostly it’s dark.
We start off with Poe in a therapy session, of all things. And he starts describing the ins and outs of his latest case–with all the strange twists and turns it takes him along.

There’s also someone shadowing Poe during the investigation as a performance audit (and that doesn’t go well for anyone). Poe determines quickly that the killer he’s has some major baggage–physical and spiritual abuse, likely some sexual abuse. And the way this is all discovered is pretty nasty. The more Poe and Tilly uncover the worse it seems and the need for Poe to get some therapy becomes more and more clear.

But the book never stops being entertaining or suspenseful. The characters are who we’ve come to know and love (or at least enjoy). They may be rough shape and pushed to their limit. But they’re Poe, Tilly, and Estelle.

Craven is the best around, this is just more proof.
5 Stars


Cover of The Last King of California by Jordan HarperThe Last King of California

by Jordan Harper

This is just a gorgeously written novel. The fact that it’s filled with criminals, low-lifes, and people more descipible than that doesn’t change that. Luke Crosswhite drops out of college and returns to his family’s home to live with his aunt and uncle, the closest thing he has to parents since his father is doing time for a murder that Luke saw him commit. Luke’s given up on going straight, he’s essentially resigned to taking up the family business.

He picked a bad time for it, his family is under attack from a bloodthirsty boss who wants to take over their territory and has essentially declared war on all criminals in their part of the state.

And, well, things get worse from there.

4 1/2 Stars


Assassins AnonymousAssassins Anonymous

by Rob Hart

My original post
Action. Comedy. Heart. This has it. Mark (and his cat) are on a global hunt to find out who sent a Russian hitman into his 12-Step meeting to kill him. It should be noted (as you can guess from the title) that this meeting is of Assassins Anonymous. Not a smart place to try to kill people, it likely won’t go well for you.

Mark has been out of the life for a year or so. Why does someone want him dead? How can he stop them while not killing anyone, maintaining his “sobriety”?

Hart does so many things well in this book, I can’t wait for the promised sequel so I can spend even more with Mark and the rest of his support group.

4 1/2 Stars


Cover of Spook Street by Mick HerronSpook Street

by Mick Herron

My original post
What can one say about Mick Herron and the Slough House series that countless others haven’t before–and better? This was harrowing and haunting, with twists I didn’t see coming. And I really can’t do better than that.

4 1/2 Stars


Cover of The Kill List by Nadine MathesonThe Kill List

by Nadine Matheson

After a little stumble in book 2 of this series, Matheson comes back on fire with this entry.

25 years ago, one of Anjelica Henley’s friends was killed by a serial killer, who was arrested by the man who became her mentor when she joined the police. Then the convictions were overturned, her mentor was found to have corrupted evidence, and the killings have started up again.

It’s up to Henley and her team to stop them and get the right person arrested this time.

There’s heart-breaking character moments–related to and separate from–this case. The mystery is beyond twisty. Matheson handles all of it with confidence and ease. It was just a pleasure from start to finish.

4 Stars


Namaste Mart ConfidentialNamaste Mart Confidential

by Andrew Miller

My original post
Who hasn’t read too many noir novels about amateur PIs who are also grocery store clerks trying to make it in stand-up or writing to investigate the disappearance of a lingerie store employee? You might as well try one more.

What doesn’t this book have, really? First off—and it’s easy to forget this, but you shouldn’t—it’s noir. Then you have a slice of L.A. life in 2013, and boy does it feel like it. There’s some comedy. There’s some satire. There’s commentary on the rise (and growing acceptance, it seems) of polygamous LDS groups. There’s some drama. There’s some over-the-top action movie-style gunfights. There’s a splash of politics. There’s more than a little commentary on the nature of celebrity. There’s some actual sweetness through one of the smaller arcs. You’ve got Armenian mobsters. Ex-actors turned business executives. Ex-actors turned artists. Grocery store clerks and very odd customers (just that part of the novel alone could be turned into a decent sitcom). A strange Scientology-esque group.

But the important thing to know going in—it all works. This jumble of seemingly incompatible ideas/topics that Miller brings to the table fit together in a way that feels natural. It’s like one of those cooking competition shows where the contestants are handed a bunch of ingredients that no one in their right mind should put together and they make something that gets that gets the approval of experienced chefs and restauranteurs. Miller ain’t getting chopped for this meal.

4 1/2 Stars


Cover of We Solve Murders by Richard OsmanWe Solve Murders

by Richard Osman

My original post

This was just so good, really. At this point, it’s not quite as good as Osman’s other work—primarily because nothing had the emotional weight that the gang at Cooper’s Chase seems to find in their adventures. But the potential is there for this series to equal it. And, really, considering the tone of this one, that kind of punch might have felt out of place or contrived.

It might not have had the emotional weight, but the comedy was stronger (and more obvious). I’m not going to complain about that.

Osman is on a heckuva streak. I hope it continues.

4 1/2 Stars


Cover of City on Fire by Don WinslowCity on Fire

by Don Winslow

Don Winslow starts the trilogy that marks his retirement by giving us a retelling of The Iliad set in warring mob families in Providence, RI in 1986. As one does.

I was sucked into this so much that I forgot it was The Iliad and couldn’t understand why one group fell for such an obvious trap (and boy, did I feel dumb when it clicked for me). That’s part of the magic of this book, you don’t realize it’s a story you know that well because Winslow is just that good.

This broke my heart, it made me angry, and it got me talking back to the characters who were doing reckless, impetuous things driven by hubris and misplaced loyalty. And I wanted more. (It’s a good thing there are two more books in the series I should’ve read by now)

Stunningly good work.
4 1/2 Stars


A few books that almost made this list, and I want to be sure to mention one more time:
Nobody’s Hero by MW Craven (My original post); The Late Lord Thorpe by Peter Grainger, Gildart Jackson (Narrator); Another Girl by Peter Grainger, Gildart Jackson (Narrator) (My original post); Smoke Kings by Jahmal Mayfield; and Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone by Benjamin Stevenson.

A Few Thoughts on The Bang-Bang Sisters (Audiobook) by Rio Youers, read by Kristen Sieh: Rock and Roll!

Cover of The Bang-Bang Sisters by Rio YouersThe Bang-Bang Sisters

by Rio Youers, Kristen Sieh (Narrator)

DETAILS:
Publisher: HarperAudio
Publication Date: July 16, 2024
Format: Unabridged Audiobook
Length: 15 hrs. 23 min.
Read Date: January 3-8, 2025

What’s The Bang-Bang Sisters About?

I’m not even going to try to pretend to be able to summarize this, so I’m going to copy and paste the official description:

Meet the Bang-Bang Sisters: Brea, Jessie, and Flo. Together, they’re a kick-ass rock band with an unbreakable bond.

But that’s only half the story. Offstage, they’re highly skilled vigilantes, traveling the country in their beaten-up tour van to exact justice on criminals who have slipped through the system. Part rock stars, part assassins, they’re a force to be reckoned with.

Drawn by a tantalizing lead, the sisters head to Reedsville, Alabama—a city crawling with destitution and corruption—where they close in on a notorious serial killer known as “the wren.” But they soon discover that they have walked straight into a trap set by Chance Kotter, a ruthless mobster with a personal vendetta.

Bruised and beaten, the sisters find themselves at the mercy of Chance and a sadistic game of survival that will pit them against each other: Forty-eight hours. One city. Three sisters. Only one of them can survive.

Full of gripping action and shocking twists that come at a breakneck pace, The Bang-Bang Sisters is a relentless, edge-of-your-seat thrill ride that will leave you breathless.

What did I think about The Bang-Bang Sisters?

I’m afraid if I spend my usual amount of time talking about this (or trying to come up with something coherent to say), I’m going to put it off for too long, and maybe overexplain. So let’s just go with this:

It captures the spirit of music and live performance (and inter-band dynamics) as…well, any rock novel I can think of.

You have a serial killer equal to Francis Dolarhyde.

You’ve got a violent, kill-or-be-killed, “game” as nasty as The Hunger Games, without the love triangle.*

You’ve got a violent, kill-or-be-killed, “game” as nasty and detailed as Chain-Gang All-Stars without the redeeming social commentary.

You’ve got a rich Southern guy as fat as Boss Hogg, as corrupt as Johnny Stagg, as weasely as Gríma Wormtongue.

You’ve got three great women characters with all the style, skill, and general badassery as The Deadly Viper squad.

Throw it all into a book with the violence level equal to—if not greater than—Kill Bill, Vol. 1.

It’s got the pacing of a classic rock song—with occasional bursts of speed metal.

It’s fast, it’s furious, it’s bloody, it’s raw emotion, it’s dangerous. It is so much fun. It is Rock and Roll.

If you can handle that combination, you’re in for a great ride. If one part of the above doesn’t appeal to you? Skip this.

I thought this was great, I hated to walk away from it every time I had to. Kristen Sieh’s narration was precisely what this book needed.

By the time the book ended, I felt like you do after a great concert—elated, a little worn out, and riding a high you don’t want to come down from.

* There is a love triangle, but it’s a good kind—it’s a supportive, sororal triangle.


5 Stars

Irresponsible Reader Pilcrow Icon

My Favorite Non-Crime Fiction of 2024

My Favorite Non-Crime Fiction of 2024
Back when I started this site, I knew the content would be largely “genre”-oriented. I’d have wagered the content would be roughly 1/3 Mystery/Detective fiction, 1/3 Urban Fantasy, and slightly less than 1/3 SFF, with “non-genre” fiction, humor, and non-fiction being enough to make my one-thirds just an approximation (honestly, if you asked me what I read regularly, that’s pretty much how I’d describe it today). Actual numbers show that’s wrong—it’s typically almost 40% Crime/Thriller Fiction, the rest of fiction is around 30% combined. This is just a long-winded way to get to these two points: because Crime Fiction takes such a big chunk of my reading, it gets its own “Favorite” list, but none of the others really garner enough numbers for their own.

When it comes to this particular list of favorites this year, it was tough to continue after the first cut. But no one wanted to read my top 30 (well, I didn’t want to put it together, anyway). I got it down with a little effort. So here’s my list of 10 favorite non-Crime Fiction Novels of 2024. Hopefully, you will find something here to tempt your.

As always, re-reads don’t count—only the works that were new to me.

(in alphabetical order by author)

Cover of No Two Persons by Erica BauermeisterNo Two Persons

by Erica Bauermeister, read by a full cast

My original post
For those who don’t know, this is a series of interconnected short stories about a novel. From the struggles the author had getting it written, to it being “discovered” by an overwhelmed reader at an agency, to the audiobook narrator, to readers, booksellers, and others who came into contact with it. We get a look into their lives before and after the novel enters their orbit.

And I loved it. I loved it so much that the day after I finished the audiobook that I borrowed from my library I went and bought the hardcover because I needed it on my shelf just to feel better.

I can’t promise anyone else will react to the book the way I did–or that I will react to it when I read it again. But yeah…I loved this thing.

4 1/2 Stars


The Tainted CupThe Tainted Cup

by Robert Jackson Bennett

My original post
This was the first (non-beta) novel I read in 2024 and it was also the first book I gave 5 stars to (odd how that worked out). It takes the Nero Wolfe/Archie Goodwin dynamic, changes it up (Wolfe becomes a woman who stays inside for different reasons, gives the “Archie” a different explanation for his memory, etc.), and shoves it into a Fantasy world. And this fantasy world is so different than one I’ve run into before, so full, so well-developed, so intricate and “lived in” that it blew my mind from our introduction to the world through the end of the novel.

The magic, the science, the architecture…all of it was…I’m running out of believable superlatives to use here. And don’t get me started on the wonderful characters–from the detectives to the killer to the suspects to everyone else.

Possiby the best book I read all year–if not, it’s close enough that almost everything else was a let-down.

5 Stars


Cover of The Blacktongue Thief by Christopher BuehlmanThe Blacktongue Thief

by Christopher Buehlman

My original post
About the time I started the above, I finished this. Clearly 2024 was going to be a good year of Fantasy for me. I talked about the audiobook yesterday, so let me try to focus on the story.

You’ve got an irreverent thief, the kind of guy that other thieves don’t trust (which actually makes sense, honor among thieves has to be the dumbest idea….but I digress), a knight on a (probably) doomed mission, some strange magic and…forget it. You need to do this yourself.

It’s just bonkers. The book is fun, the dialogue is spot-on, the stories are harrowing, tragic, and gripping. It’s the whole package.

4 1/2 Stars


Cover of The Olympian Affair by Jim ButcherThe Olympian Affair

by Jim Butcher

I haven’t written anything about this yet because I’m just too overwhelmed and the words can’t come out right. I loved being back in this world. I was surprised and wonderfully entertained by this story and the way it all played out (even the parts you could see coming). There’s a death that probably needed to happen, and I’ll think about forgiving Butcher for it someday (long before I forgive him for the big one in The Dresden Files).

I like the new characters (at least the ones I should), I loved catching up with our old friends. I enjoyed the whole thing. I know some people aren’t crazy about the space the new characters took compared to some of the old ones, and I get that–but the story was so fun!

4 1/2 Stars


Cover for The Legendary Mo Seto by A. Y. ChanThe Legendary Mo Seto

by A. Y. Chan

My original post
Speaking of fun…here’s Mo (Modesty) Seto and her story. In my original post, I said, “I had about as much fun as is permitted by law while reading this.” And I still remember it that way.

You’ve got martial arts, you’ve got a fantastic underdog, you’ve got a funny and caring grandfather/grandfather figure, you’ve got family tension, you’ve got strange history, you’ve got a movie set and tall the nonsense entailed by that, you’ve got a treasure hunt (of sorts), and a great cast of characters.

Chan brought it all to life and actually has me eager to get my hands on the sequel. And I shouldn’t be this excited about a new MG novel, but I am.*

* Not because I’m some sort of snob, or that I look down on MG books. I’m just 4 decades too old to be that excited.

4 Stars


Cover of The Space Between Worlds by Micaiah JohnsonThe Space Between Worlds

by Micaiah Johnson

My original post
This is, simply, a stunning SF novel. It’s a stunning novel with no genre label necessary. It’s so beautifully written. The worldbuilding and SF-sciency stuff is so good that you wonder why it took until 2021 for someone to use it. I can’t believe it’s a first novel.

I don’t know what else to say. Go read my original post where I at least have some more room to babble. Just go get it.

4 1/2 Stars


Cover of The Last Shield by Cameron JohnstonThe Last Shield

by Cameron Johnston

My original post
If I start on this one, I don’t know when I’ll stop. So I’ll just copy some of what I’ve already said.

The Publisher’s description of this novel starts off with, “A gender-flipped Die Hard set in a mysterious castle.” And that’s absolutely what the book is—is that description reductionistic? Yes. Is it apt? Also, yes. But it’s also so much more than that summary. (but what a great elevator, pitch, right?)

It’s is a heckuva thrill-ride. Like its cinematic predecessor, the action in this novel is top-notch. It’s not non-stop, there are moments of reflection, of exhaustion, of trying to figure out how to survive—much less succeed against this force. The set-up to the main action also takes longer than you might think (but you should really just relax and let Johnston do his thing, it’s all important and helps establish what comes later). I was hooked almost immediately—and while I wondered when the “Die Hard” part of the book would kick in, I really didn’t care. I was having a good enough time with Briar, Alaric, and the rest.

But, boy howdy, when the action kicked in? What was a perfectly enjoyable book got so much better. Johnston can write an action scene—whether the action is hand-to-hand, bladed weapon against something else, supernatural-based…you name it, he can handle it with panache and aplomb. It’s well paced—with just enough downtime between fight scenes for you and the characters to be ready for the next. Once the book builds up enough steam, forget it—you’re not going to willingly put it down.

It’s not all about swords, shields, axes, and spells, however. There’s real growth—and real injury (and not just physical)—to be seen in several other characters. No one survives this time unscathed in one way or another.

Just pasting in these paragraphs, I’m ready to set everything aside and re-read it.
4 1/2 Stars


Charm City RocksCharm City Rocks

by Matthew Norman

My original post
It’s a love story. It’s a story about a father and a son. A son and his mother. It’s a story about music and its power. It’s a story about second (and third and fourth) chances. It’s a tribute to Baltimore.

It’s charmingly told. It’s sweet (but not overly). It will make all but the most jaded smile. Actually, I noted earlier that “I think the best way to sum up my reaction to the book is that I noticed that every time I put the book down for some reason, I was grinning. Not because I set the book down, but it just made me happy.”

4 1/2 Stars


Christa Comes Out of Her ShellChrista Comes Out of Her Shell

by Abbi Waxman

My original post
One of the worst-kept secrets on this here blog over the last few years is that I’ve become an Abbi Waxman fan, I’m almost guaranteed to rave about her books. And of the four I’ve read, three deserve (and the other was a really strong read, if not rave-worthy). So of course, she’s going to show up here.

The first 87 pages of this book might have been my favorite 87 pages this year. That trend might have continued, but I wrote that note then. Everything just worked.

Christa is more abrasive than your typical Waxman protagonist, which was a nice change. But the rest are just about who you’d find peopleing her other works.

A couple of scenes between a couple could’ve faded to black a little earlier for my prudish taste. But outside of that, I was in hog heaven as I read this.

4 1/2 Stars


Cover of Project Hail Mary by Andy WeirProject: Hail Mary

by Andy Weir

Why didn’t I read this the day the hardcover arrived in my mailbox like I’d intended to? I’ll never know. I’ll regret it for quite a while, though. I spent a lot of time castigating myself for that choice as I read this.

But the important thing is that I read this. Yes, Ryland Grace is like a friendlier, less-sweary Mark Watney. But who cares? I’ll live in Watney’s head again. The jumping around in the timeline nature of this book made it different enough to keep it from being The Martian-but-different. The type of calamity that put Ryland out in space by himself is so far removed from a mission to Mars that it’s hard to compare it to.

The stuff on Earth was tense–even as we know how it’ll end (or at least that it’ll result in Ryland in space), you’re gripped. And then once he’s there? It’s just so great.

I won’t even talk about the way the ending hit. It’s just too much for a paragraph. I admit I loved The Martian more, but that’s solely because I read it first, so PHM had to compete with it. Were the situation reversed, I’d be saying that Watney is almost as great as Ryland.

It’s a must-read for SF readers or not. (unless you didn’t enjoy Weir’s other work. Then you’d better stay away.)

5 Stars


A few books that almost made this list and that I want to be sure to mention:
Return of the Griffin by JCM Berne (My original post), Blood Reunion by JCM Berne (My original post), Shadow of Hyperion by JCM Berne, The Tenacious Tale of Tanna the Tendersword by Dewey Conway & Bill Adams (My original post), and Buddy the Knight and The Queen of Sorrow by Peter David (My original post).

My Favorite Non-Fiction Books of 2024

My Favorite Non-Fiction Books of 2024
My 2024 Wrap-up continues and now we’re on to the Non-Fiction list. While I liked a number of works that didn’t make this list, I felt strange calling them a “favorite.” So, we have 9 instead of the nigh-obligatory 10. These are the ones that stuck with me through the year; the ones I cited in conversation; that I thought about when reading something else or watching something on TV. Yeah, there’s some overlap between this list and the audiobook list from yesterday—lately, most Non-Fiction books I work through are in audiobook format. So it makes sense, even if it makes this post seem like an echo.

As always, I only put books that I’ve read for the first time on this list. I don’t typically return to NF books (outside of looking up things for one or three points), but occasionally I do—for example, The Pleasures of Reading in an Age of Distraction by Alan Jacobs would get a permanent spot on this list, were it not for this rule.

(in alphabetical order by author)

42: The Wildly Improbable Ideas of Douglas Adams42: The Wildly Improbable Ideas of Douglas Adams

edited by Kevin Jon Davies

My original post
This collection of material from the 60 boxes of personal artefacts, compiled by a longtime collaborator is moving (which I didn’t expect), funny (duh), strange (more duh), and fascinating (of course). I found this to be mind-bogglingly delightful. Which is pretty much what I expected, true. But there’s expecting to appreciate a book and then getting to experience it and discover that you were right. It’s is kind of a doubling of pleasure.

If you’re a fan of Adams, you’re going to find at least one thing here that will interest you more than you anticipated. If you’re a big fan of Adams, you’re in for a treat. He was the hoopiest of hoopy froods, and this book gives you a glimpse into just how hoopy that is.

5 Stars


Cover of Comedy Book by Jesse David FoxComedy Book: How Comedy Conquered Culture–and the Magic That Makes It Work

by Jesse David Fox

I ended this book thinking if Fox doesn’t know something about stand-up comedy, it’s probably not worth knowing. That doesn’t mean I agree with all of his opinions about it, but, wow. It’s like listening to an encyclopedia of stand-up. He talks history, he talks current stars, political humor (and the role of comedic news programs), lowbrow, how minority comics can help their communities–and how those communities can make new comics, he talks about some big names, some big names that fell apart, cancel culture (and how long that’s been a thing. Hint: ages.). He runs the gamut with insight, wit, and some third thing that I can’t think of at the moment, but is impressive.

4 1/2 Stars


Cover to Mystery Science Theater 3000: A Cultural History by Christopher J Olson and Matt FoyMystery Science Theater 3000: A Cultural History

by Matt Foy and Christopher J. Olson

My original post
This is the second year in a row that I’ve had a book about MST3K in my favorites. This is the more academic version of the book I featured last year, essentially. It’s geared more toward media studies and the impact the show has had on culture–media culture, in particular, as well as Internet commentary–as it was/is shaped by it.

I felt smarter after reading this, appreciated the show in a new angle or two, and was driven to watch an episode or three. (sure, it’s not a perfect book, it gave me an allergy to the term “intertextuality” for a couple of months)

4 1/2 Stars


Cover of Soundtrack of Silence by Matt HaySoundtrack of Silence: Love, Loss, and a Playlist for Life

by Matt Hay

WOW, this was fascinating. Both the way he talked about music, referenced music, did his best to pound certain songs and sounds into his brain so that when we went deaf, he’d be able to play them in his brain–such a great idea, you couldn’t help but get inspired by that.

And then when he describes the medical treatments, the agonzing process of ups and downs he went through to work on the tumor/side effects? It got even better–and I couldn’t stop talking about it. Hay describing this in his own voice adds so much to it all.

I’m so, so, so glad I listened to this one. (I don’t remember why I only gave it 3 1/2 Stars, I won’t argue with past me, but present me would rate it higher. Maybe you have to sit with it for awhile.)

3 1/2 Stars


The Body's KeepersThe Body’s Keepers: A Social History of Kidney Failure and Its Treatments

by Paul L. Kimmel, M.D., read by Lane Hakel

My original post
I have been learning about Kidney Disease, Transplants, Dialysis as an interested observer since my 20 year-old-son was 3 days old. But listening to this book made me feel like I’d never heard of any of it those things before. Granted, Kimmel focuses on other types of Kidney Disease (seemingly every other kind than he had), but still, a lot of what he wrote applies.

Just hearing about the early work on what we now call dialysis made this book worth it. (looking at a dialysis machine in 2024 and thinking about those passages is a little freaky). But then again, so is almost every chapter.

I have referenced this book in my own thoughts, conversations with family, friends, and coworkers so many times since I listened to it that I feel like I owe the author/narrator some royalties, and if I don’t move on to the next book on this list, I’m going to end up writing another 8 paragraphs on this book.

4 Stars


Cover of Red Dead's History by Tore C OlssonRed Dead’s History: A Video Game, an Obsession, and America’s Violent Past

by Tore C. Olsson

My original post
Fantastic idea for a class. Fantastic idea for a book. Taking a look at the historical setting and historical accuracy of a game that had the reputation of realism is so smart. It’s not a critique (generally), it’s an exploration of all the things that are shown, giving the background, showing all the things it got right (and would’ve got righter if they’d changed the year). Showing the ways that the real history was even worse–and occasionally better–than the game depicts.

It does so in an engaging way, too. American History buffs and/or video game aficionados should give this a read. Or people who get the appeal of either, but don’t have the energy for them (like me).

4 Stars


The Secret Lives of Booksellers and LibrariansThe Secret Lives of Booksellers and Librarians:
Their Stories Are Better Than the Bestsellers

by James Patterson and Matt Eversmann; Read by: Tom Force, Nancy Peterson, Jenn Lee, Jennifer Pickens, Amy Jensen, Deanna Anthony, Jane Oppenheimer, Susan Hanfield, Marni Penning, Daniel Henning, Rob Reider

My original post
Is this an overly-romanticized look at bookselling/being a librarian? Yes. Do I care? Not one whit.

This is an inspiring and entertaining look at the people who connect others with the books they want or need—whether they realize they want or need them or not. For a booklover, this is great to hear. They sound like what you want them to sound like.

The big problem with this book is that you’re going to fight the impulse to quit your job and go get your MLS or start working as a clerk in a bookstore as soon as you finish (or by the mid-point). As downsides go, it’s a pretty tame one, but it’s there.

4 Stars


Cover of Making It So by Patrick StewartMaking It So

by Patrick Stewart

My original post
I think I said it all yesterday (oops, should’ve left a little something) or in my original post. So, I’ll just repeat myself.

First off, any audiobook narrated by Patrick Stewart is worth your time. And then some. That’s a given, right?

When it’s him recounting events from his life–especially when he makes it clear that he was in the wrong, or foolish, or less-than-ideal in some way? It makes it even better.

I was captivated, I hung on to every word (as much as I could while working/driving). I annoyed my family (only some of who are fans of some of his work, the others don’t really care one way or the other) by retelling the stories. Oddly, none of them found them as entertaining as I did. Not that it stopped me…

If you’re a fan of any one of Stewart’s roles, it’s worth the listen just to hear him talk about that role. If you like multiple roles, you’ll have even more fun. If you listen to the whole thing, you’ll be a fan of the man, not just the actor.

4 Stars


Cover of Planet Narnia by Michael WardPlanet Narnia: The Seven Heavens in the Imagination of C. S. Lewis

by Michael Ward, read by Nigel Patterson

I honestly don’t know if a week has gone by since last January that I haven’t thought about this book (probably, but not many). One of my reading goals for the year is due to it (more on that soon). I don’t know that I accept Ward’s thesis (which I won’t restate here, go click on the links above). I do know that I can’t discount it. I also know I’m not smart enough to go further than that, I also don’t know Lewis well enough to argue one way or the other.

I discovered new depths to the beloved series here, regardless of what I think of Ward’s argument. It inspired me to think about this series more. I also clearly need to re-read the first two-thirds of his Space Trilogy (and to actually read the last third) as well as some of Lewis’ other work.

It’s dense. It’s thorough (at least it seems to be). It’s provocative. It’s absolutely worth your time, and I probably should’ve given it more stars just because of the space it’s taken in my brain since.

3 1/2 Stars

My Favorite Audiobooks of 2024

My Favorite Audiobooks of 2024

I’m about 30 hours behind with this 2024 wrap-up. Hopefully, I can pick up the pace so we can move on to 2025 soon. But for now, let’s talk about my favorite Audiobooks. How do I keep this from being just a rehash of my other year-end lists? By focusing on the audiobook experience over the content. What was it like to listen to it? How engaging was it, how did the narrator do? Was it a good match in terms of tone, content, and performance? All of these books are/were good—but the audiobooks are a bit better because of the narrator and the rest of the people involved in the production.

As always, re-reads don’t count for these lists.

(in alphabetical order by author)

Cover of No Two Persons by Erica BauermeisterNo Two Persons

by Erica Bauermeister, read by a full cast

My original post
I don’t want to say that I had low expectations going into this, but they certainly weren’t high. But by the end of the first of the interconnected short stories, I was really hooked on it and wasn’t ready to move on. The second story didn’t do much for me…until I was convinced it was far more intersting (and the new narrator was just about perfect), and I didn’t want it to end. A phenomenon I repeated almost every time the story/narrator switched. The cast and Bauermeister’s text together turned me into a raving fan.

4 1/2 Stars


Cover of The Blacktongue Thief by Christopher BuehlmanThe Blacktongue Thief

by Christopher Buehlman

My original post
First, Buehlman is a dynamite narrator. He brought this to life in a way that few could. This is a great fantasy story filled with characters you don’t come across all the time. There’s a strange and sweet love story as a subplot that blew me away. The magic, the worldbuilding, the protagonist’s voice. . . just about everything made this possibly the best audiobook I listened to last year.

4 Stars


Cover of the audiobook for Erasure by Percival EverettErasure

by Percival Everett, Sean Crisden (Narrator)

The first half of this blew me away. The second half was almost as good. But Crisden’s narration kept me hooked the whole time. This satirical look at books, critics, academia, and more in the middle of a family story was nothing like I expected and almost never failed to impress.

4 Stars


Cover of Comedy Book by Jesse David FoxComedy Book: How Comedy Conquered Culture–and the Magic That Makes It Work

by Jesse David Fox

This really just feels like you’re sitting down with an acquaintance who knows a lot about comedy and enjoys talking about it. Fox’s delivery–as well as his material–is like cat nip to a comedy nerd. I love hearing stand-ups talking about performing, writing, and reacting to other comedians–this was very similar to it. I mis-read a description of the book before I picked it up and expected it to be something like Ken Jennings’ book on humor. I was a little disappointed when I saw that wasn’t it–but I got over it quickly. This was just a blast to listen to.

4 1/2 Stars


Another GirlAnother Girl

by Peter Grainger, Gildart Jackson (Narrator)

My original post
Serena Butler takes center stage here and her UC work makes this entirely different from any of the other books in this series. The level of danger she’s in for significant portionns of the book is also a change of pace for the books. Jackson’s narration somehow conveyed that danger credibly, while remaining the steady and calm presence that he fills Kings Lake Central with.

I know it’s probably not a suprise to find a Grainger/Jackson collaboration on this list–they keep showing on it. But they keep belonging on it.

4 Stars


The Body's KeepersThe Body’s Keepers: A Social History of Kidney Failure and Its Treatments

by Paul L. Kimmel, M.D., read by Lane Hakel

My original post
A Social History of medical treatment of many kinds of Kidney Disease doesn’t really sound like a gripping listen. So the fact that it’s showing up here should underscore just how impressed I was with this. Hakel keeps the listening experience accessible and interesting–even when the text seems just to be a list of names and acronyms. He maintains the appropriate tone and seriousness to the subject, but with simple and subtle changes in inflection and so on to help maintain the listener’s engagement, while helping the little flahses of personality that Kimmel shows shine through.

Also, man, I learned so much…I probably annoyed everyone in my family with sharing little bits and pieces over and over.

4 Stars


Cover of Marvel: What If . . . Wanda Maximoff and Peter Parker Were Siblings by Seanan McGuireMarvel: What If . . . Wanda Maximoff and Peter Parker Were Siblings

by Seanan McGuire, read by Allyson Voller

A Spider-Man story written by McGuire? Take my money, please. Sure, I’ll put up with some Wanda Maximoff stuff (I never really dug her outside of the movies/show, but I never disliked her, either). But in the hands of Voller and McGuire I became a fan. There wasn’t enough Spider-Man for my taste, but I didn’t miss him. And the Doctor Strange content was a great bonus. There’s a case to be made for this being my favorite version of the Web-head, actually. Peter with a sister is a great spin on the character–and this version of Wanda is pretty cool, too. Voller sold me on the heart of the story in a way I may not have been sold had I read this on paper.

4 Stars


Cover of Making It So by Patrick StewartMaking It So

by Patrick Stewart

My original post
First off, any audiobook narrated by Patrick Stewart is worth your time. And then some. That’s a given, right?

When it’s him recounting events from his life–especially when he makes it clear that he was in the wrong, or foolish, or less-than-ideal in some way? It makes it even better.

I was captivated, I hung on every word (as much as I could while working/driving). I annoyed my family (only some of who are fans of some of his work, the others don’t really care one way or the other) by retelling the stories. Oddly, none of them found them as entertaining as I did. Not that it stopped me…

If you’re a fan of any one of Stewart’s roles, it’s worth the listen just to hear him talk about that role. If you like multiple roles, you’ll have even more fun. If you listen to the whole thing, you’ll be a fan of the man, not just the actor.

4 Stars


Cover of I Hope This Finds You Well by Natalie SueI Hope This Finds

by Natalie Sue, read by Nasim Pedrad

I haven’t written anything about this yet, which really bugs me. Was the story predictable? Almost completely. Was the “hook” hard to believe? Yes. Did I enjoy this more than I expected to, even with only moderate expectations? YES.

Nasim Pedrad gets a lot of credit for that (I just now looked her up, and realized I’m a fan of her acting work, no surprise she pulled this off so well). No two ways about it. But Sue’s text, characters, and the way she told the predictable story provided Pedrad the material necessary to get that credit.

Sue’s pacing wasn’t at all what I expected, reaveals happened earlier than I thought they would, the complications were handled in ways I didn’t necessarily see coming, and the resolution wasn’t nearly as tidy as I predicted. And Pedrad had me beliving I was listening to/reading each person.

I thought this would be a nice diversion, and would’ve been satisfied with it. But I got invested pretty easily and didn’t check out until it was over. This also features one of my favorite protagonists of the year. I wish we could hang out sometime.

4 Stars


Cover of Zero Stars Do Not Recommend by MJ WassmerZero Stars Do Not Recommend

by MJ Wassmer, read by Stephen R. Thorne

I really don’t know if I’d have stuck with this if I read it in print. But the combination of Thorne and Wassmer kept me going–and I’m so glad I did.

It is funny–both in highbrow and lowbrow ways (well, maybe midbrow and lowbrow). The action is great. The satire is insightful and pointed in just the right ways. The emotional beats were just spot-on. The protagonist is…I don’t even know what to say. I listened to an interview with Brett Goldstein about casting Jason Segal in Shrinking because you need someone you can love even when he does horrible things. Well, if they make a movie based on this book, Segal had better be the first call they make. Or Thorne–because he pulled it off. I was pulling for Dan Foster the whole while, even when he was being a whining jerk (or worse)

This was simply pure entertainment from beginning to end–and it easily couldn’t have been.

4 Stars


WWW Wednesday—January 8, 2025

After a two-week break, we’re back to WWWing on Wednesdays. This is basically a recap of my year thus far.

WWW Wednesdays Logo

This meme was formerly hosted by MizB at A Daily Rhythm and revived on Taking on a World of Words—and shown to me by Aurore-Anne-Chehoke at Diary-of-a-black-city-girl.

The Three Ws are:
What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you’ll read next?

Seems easy enough, right? Let’s take a peek at this week’s answers:

What are you currently reading?

Cover of The Pleasures of Reading in an Age of Distraction by Alan Jacobs Cover of The Bang-Bang Sisters by Rio Youers
The Pleasures of Reading in an Age of Distraction
by Alan Jacobs
The Bang-Bang Sisters
by Rio Youers, read by Kristen Sieh

I knew this was my third time reading The Pleasures of Reading, but what I didn’t realize until yesterday when I was logging it I realized that the first time was in 2015 and the second was in 2020. So clearly, I have a start on my 2030 TBR.

As far as The Bang-Bang Sisters? I don’t know what to say…WOW is about as much as I can say with 12% left to go.

What did you recently finish reading?

Cover of Robert B. Parker's Buried Secrets by Christopher Farnsworth Cover of Charlotte Illes Is Not a Teacher by Katie Siegel
Robert B. Parker’s Buried Secrets
by Christopher Farnsworth
Charlotte Illes Is Not a Teacher
by Katie Siegel

I was apprehensive about a fourth author taking over Jesse Stone, but Farnsworth made a believer out of me. I hope he sticks around for a while.

The second installment in the Not a Detective series is a lot of fun.

What do you think you’ll read next?

Cover of Pushing Ice by Alastair Reynolds Cover of The Boys of Riverside by homas Fuller
Pushing Ice
by Alastair Reynolds
The Boys of Riverside: A Deaf Football Team and a Quest for Glory
by Thomas Fuller

I’m a little intimidated by Pushing Ice, the January selection for the SF Book Club. I’ve heard good things about it, but it is a heavy-looking 550+ pages.

I’ve heard some good things about Fuller’s book, looking forward to the change of pace (and, hopefully, a good book, too)

What goodies are you starting your year with?

PUB DAY REPOST: Adrift in Currents Clean and Clear by Seanan McGuire: Water Loves Falling

Cover of Adrift in Currents Clean and Clear by Seanan McGuireAdrift in Currents Clean and Clear

by Seanan McGuire

DETAILS:
Series: Wayward Children, #10
Publisher: Tordotcom
Publication Date: January 7, 2025
Format: eARC
Length: 160 pgs.
Read Date: December 16-18, 2024
Buy from Bookshop.org Support Indie Bookstores

What’s Adrift in Currents Clean and Clear About?

One of the advantages (and, to be fair, aggravating parts) of this series is that each book can be from anywhere on the series timeline. Here in the tenth installment, we get the origin story of someone that we got to know in the third book (Beneath the Sugar Sky). Reality itself is wibbly-wobbly in this series, why not timey wimey?

We meet Nadya at birth—where a young Russian woman who is not ready to be a mother is rushing to give her up—even before she’s freaked out that Nadya is missing an arm. As we watch Nadya growing up, she doesn’t really seem to care about the arm she never had. But when a couple of Americans come to adopt a disadvantaged Russian child, it starts to become a factor in her life.

She’s not comfortable with her new life in the States (yet?), but when a prosthetic arm is imposed on her (in the name of help—see below), she’s made to feel incomplete as well as Other. Her only solace is the pond a short walk from her adoptive parents’ home where she can watch turtles—an animal that has long fascinated her.

Before she knows it, she falls through a Door and ends up in a world she doesn’t understand or recognize (but really isn’t that much stranger than the change from a Russian orphanage to a Colorado suburb).

The Lost and the Lonely

I probably shouldn’t have—but I laughed when she got the “Be Sure” message. It’s in a seemingly-cruel place, but it was original and it meant the story was progressing. I also found her Door rather intriguing.

But better than that was the way her arrival in Belyrreka, the Land Beneath the Lake, was explained to her. Sometimes people come to Belyrreka* because a hero is needed to do something. But sometimes, it’s just that someone isn’t at home in their world and they need a place to fit in. Nadya is the latter, so it seems. Given that most of the children we’ve seen go through a Door to do something heroic, it’s nice to see this option.

This doesn’t mean she’s incapable of heroism, or of doing something important. It just means that she probably ended up in Belyrreka because she belonged there more than on Earth.

This is really a slice-of-life story. We just get to see how Nadya lives and matures in a place where she feels that she belongs, with family, friends, and a purpose. Yes, in the back of our minds, we know that something is going to happen and she’s going to end up at Eleanor West’s Home for Wayward Children. But until then… This novella is like the years between Aslan coronating the Pevensies and the fateful hunt for the White Stag—nothing heroic, nothing particularly notable. Just…life. Regular, ordinary, day-to-day life.

Well, “ordinary” in a world that’s described as Beneath a Lake, where everyone is underwater to one degree or another (breathing without gills), full of talking animals, and where a river can magically endow people with gifts/obligations. So it’s a loose use of the word “ordinary.”

* And by implication, other worlds

I’m Not Entirely Sure This One is Fair

Many of the children we’ve met—particularly if we’ve met their parents, too—aren’t all that fond of their parents. They’re critical of them (even before their Doors appear, definitely afterward). By and large, I’ve been with the children in their critiques and evaluations of the parents—even when it’s clear that the parents are doing their best (which doesn’t happen as often as it should).

I’m not convinced that Nadya is entirely fair when thinking about the adults in her life. Her appraisal of the orphanage staff (at least after they arranged for her to get adopted) is harsh when they really just did what they could to help her get out of the orphanage (which she sees, but attributes it to less-than-altruistic ends). Her parents really don’t understand her (beyond the language) and are clumsy at best in their attempts to help her fit into Colorado. It’s hard to tell how much of the assessment of their motivations and attempts comes from the omniscient narrator and how much is Nadya’s. But really, I think whoever is doing the assessing could be more charitable (without giving blanket approval).

Particularly her adoptive father—I really get the sense that his affection is real and that in time, he’d have become what she needs. I’m not so sure about his wife, however… On some level, they are trying to make life better. But her ideas of better and what needs improved differ.

Now, Nadya is a prepubescent child yanked out of the only home she ever knew, brought to another country and culture without warning (or consent), and forced into a mold and environment that she’s unprepared for. So, sure, she’s going to be less than charitable—it’s justified and understandable. I just wish the narration did a slightly better job of showing that.

So, what did I think about Adrift in Currents Clean and Clear?

That aside…I loved Nadya. Getting to know her like this was great.

This is a book about home. About acceptance. About finding your place in the world, with people who “get” you, who care about you, and who want the best for you—even if that best doesn’t necessarily make a lot of sense to them.

It’s nice, it’s comforting, and it’s reassuring to see Nadya find this for herself and getting to enjoy it for as long as she does. Yes, it’s hard to see her end up back in the “real world” knowing that means some misery before Eleanor comes to her (at least partial) rescue.

There’s a little less whimsy to this novella than many of the other installments in the series—outside of the construction of the world. But if I had to tag this with any description, I’d probably use “cozy.” If I didn’t know this series, I’d assume it would belong with Travis Baldtree or S.L. Rowland. Maybe Heather Fawcett. But I do know better—this series continues to transcend easy categorization. Wayward Children is its own subgenre.

McGuire brings the emotional depth that Nadya and her story need. Belyrreka is a great world that operates on its own (self-aware) logic—it’s a place I’d love to visit (assuming I wouldn’t panic at the whole living underwater thing, which I can’t promise), but wouldn’t want to live. But McGuire brings it to life and fills it with people I wish I could get to know more.

This is definitely one of the stronger books in this series that is on a great roll lately, I commend it to your attention. As with just about every book in the series, it can be read as a stand-alone or as an entry point (but I strongly encourage reading at least Every Heart a Doorway before any of the others). I was sad when it ended—not because of the way it ended, I just wasn’t ready to move on. I predict I won’t be alone in that.

Now, excuse me…I need to go figure out a way to cram in a re-read of Beneath a Sugar Sky to my schedule.

Disclaimer: I received this eARC from Tordotcom Publishing via NetGalley in exchange for this post—thanks to both for this.


4 1/2 Stars

This post contains an affiliate link. If you purchase from it, I will get a small commission at no additional cost to you. As always, the opinions expressed are my own.
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MUSIC MONDAY: “Modern Nature” by Sondre Lerche & Lillian Samdal

Music Monday logo

Music Monday's originated at The Tattooed Book Geek's fantastic blog and has shown up hither, thither, and yon since then.

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Grandpappy’s Favorites of 2024

Grandpappy's Corner Favorite Picture Books of 2024I’ve posted favorite Picture or Children’s books before, but now that I’m a Grandfather, I’m thinking about these things more. So, it’s not unusual for me to read these kinds of books, but I’m doing more of it. I fully expected this post to be larger this year–but there were fewer new-to-me reads and many, many re-reads (which I really should’ve anticipated). Anyway, here are the books that really stuck with me and struck me as ones to keep talking about.

I practically guarantee these will tickle you and/or warm your heart.

As always, re-reads (or re-re-re-re-re-re-re-re-reads) don’t count for these lists.

(in alphabetical order by author)

Cover of Panda Pat and the Rat Called Cat by Neil Ballard, Steven Nosov Panda Pat and the Rat Called Cat

by Neil Ballard, Steven Nosov (Illustrator)

My original post
It’s a fun story elevated by the eye-catching illustrations. There’s a little bit of a lesson—maybe even two—but nothing that will hit you over the head with the moral if you’re not in the mood to focus on it with your listener.

Also, whoever did the typesetting/interior design should get some kudos—it pops off the page in just the right way.

Ballard indicated that a sequel is in progress—I’ll gladly grab it when I see it.

Good characters, a nice story, and there’s no way the little reader in your life doesn’t like the art

3 Stars


Cover of How Dinosaurs Went Extinct: A Safety Guide by Ame Dyckman, Jennifer HarneyHow Dinosaurs Went Extinct: A Safety Guide

by Ame Dyckman, Jennifer Harney (Illustrator)

My original post
I picked this up in the bookstore while looking for something else—the cover image/title grabbed me, and when I flipped through it quickly, I just knew we needed it on our shelves. I dug the art and what little I skimmed appealed to me. When I got home and sat down to read it, I saw that my first impression was spot-on.

The jokes are great. I love the style of art—it just explodes off the page. You’re able to talk about common sense safety/manners in a way that a toddler will be able to have fun with (and hopefully learn from). What’s not to like?

4 Stars


Cover of Under the Barnyard Light by Carla Crane Osborne, Brandon DormanUnder the Barnyard Light

by Carla Crane Osborne, Brandon Dorman (Illustrator)

My original post
The others on this are silly and goofy. This isn’t–this isn’t a good or a bad thing. This is a good one to wind down with. (I tend to favor the ones that get a kid ramped up, this is because I’m a grandfather, winding down is someone else’s gig)

But still, I enjoyed this–it’s a quiet book, it’s a calming book. Between the atmosphere, the soft edges of the art, and the way the text carries you along–I imagine this is going to be a bedtime favorite for many.

The art combines realism with a style that will appeal to the younger readers. The colors might not be bright enough and the art “loud” enough to get the youngest readers, but he’ll draw in those north of two (I think).

3 Stars


Cover of How to Babysit a Grandpa by Jean Reagan, Lee Wildish How to Babysit a Grandpa

by Jean Reagan, Lee Wildish (Illustrator)

My original post
It’s a really creative idea. The execution is spot-on as well. Fun, adorable art. There’s something to appeal to all ages. I wouldn’t have minded another 2-4 pages just to fill things out a bit. But this is a fun one–and it’s one the Grandcritter likes, too (our tastes don’t overlap too often yet), so that’s a bonus.

4 1/2 Stars


Cover of Cover of How the Grinch Stole Christmas! by Dr. SeussHow the Grinch Stole Christmas!

by Dr. Seuss, read by Walter Matthau

My original post
Obviously, this isn’t a first read. But it was a first listen. Bending (to the breaking point) one of my own rules, but…oh well.

Walter Matthau’s gravely, grouchy voice brings a different vibe to this story than the TV special does which makes it a winner in my book (nothing against the special, I’m just saying I like the change). His delivery of Seuss’ lines is just fantastic.

It’s a winning combination that I’m looking forward to returning to annually.

5 Stars

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