Category: General Fiction/Literature Page 1 of 54

by Shinta Harekawa, translated by John Werry

DETAILS:
Series: Akira Failing in Love, #1
Publisher: VIZ Media LLC
Publication Date: March 10, 2026
Format: Paperback
Length: 216 pg.
Read Date: September 19, 2026

What’s Akira Failing in Love, Vol. 1 About?

Years after they used to walk home from school together, Akira, moves back to the area for high school. Not only does she have plenty of academic goals—she has a detailed plan to get Hajime to fall for her. Sadly, she’s fairly incapable of carrying off any of her goals related to him (to comic effect).

Hajime has been carrying a torch for her for at least as long, and can’t believe she’s back in the same town—and the same school. He can’t figure out why she can’t stand him, but is always looking for ways to impress her, which work about as well as her attempts.

Cute episode after cute episode…the two spend most of the 200ish pages utterly misunderstanding each other and falling more deeply in like for each other. And getting the readers falling deeper in like with them both.

Why did I pick this up? Why did I keep reading?

picked this up because of the Firsty Duelist’s review. It sounded fun.

I stuck with it because it was almost insufferably cute, I really enjoyed watching the repeated mutual blunders—and their strange persistence—through it all.

What did I think about the art?

It looks like what you expect a manga to look like—some incredibly goofy panels, the occasional overly emotive panel—and a few where the characters look very glamorous. The rest? Nice and straightforward.

I want to say that it’s exactly what I expect to see in a manga, but that sounds like I’m stereotyping. It’s exactly what I hope to see in a manga—particularly one that doesn’t feature fighting or robots of any size.

So, what did I think about Akira Failing in Love, Vol. 1?

This is just as charming as you’d want. Firsty talked a lot about adorkable in his post, and it’s fitting.

Actually, you really should just go read his post, he does a better job of talking about this than I am.

This is a low-stakes, high-entertainment, rom-com. Think something starring Michael Cera from 2007/2008 with a less-confident version of Kaitlyn Dever’s character in Booksmart. (just before I hit “publish” I realized they could be awkward high school versions of Brooklyn 99‘s Jake and Amy)

I appreciate the way that Akira’s anxiety is played for laughs—and treated with sensitivity. On the one hand, it drives her toward excellence in every field—which works in academics, does pretty well in athletics, and is a near-total failure in her personal life. It’d have been easy to leave her as a joke, but

The one false note—to me—is that on page 202 Hajime asks himself, “Could it be that I have a crush on [her]?” It’s one thing for him to misinterpret almost everything she says and does—because she’s so adorably inept at it, and he’s even more blind about it. You’d think it’d get old, but somehow it doesn’t. Hopefully somewhere in the next volume or two, they get past this stage and onto some other sort of interaction—but I can probably handle this for at least one more volume. Possibly two.

Regardless—I can definitely tell you to pick this up if you’re in the mood for a quick read that will elicit an “awwww” or two.

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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Pupposites Attract 2 by Hono Natsuna, Matt Trayvaud (translator): The Slow Burn Decelerates

By HCNewton

On September 23, 2026

In Comics, Dogs, Fiction, General Fiction/Literature

Pupposites Attract 1

by Hono Natsuna, Matt Trayvaud (Translator)

DETAILS:
Series: Pupposites Attract, #2
Publisher: Kodansha Comics
Publication Date: October 8, 2024
Format: Paperback
Length: 160 pg.
Read Date: September 19, 2026

What’s Pupposites Attract 2 About?

This continues the story about the beginning of a relationship—two really. Boy walking dog meets girl walking dog. Kiyotaka’s a big guy, a little on the shy side—his dog Monjuro is a little Pomeranian who is nothing but adorable fluffiness and outgoing energy. Chiharu’s a bold extrovert and her Rottweiler, Tsubu, is a gentle giant (who may tend toward a nervousness that feels out of place for such a big guy).

A few chance encounters mark the beginning of a friendship between the two humans—and between the two dogs. The dogs seem to know before the humans do that there’s more going on between them than friendship—or at least that there should be. The relationship hasn’t budged a bit since the first volume, but they’re still cute together. Kiyotaka gets the idea for something they can do together that doesn’t involve almost-chance encounters, and spends some time working up the nerve for it.

Also, his brother and Monjuro may have made a connection on their own with an attractive young lady. The lesson of this series is get off the apps and devote yourself to a yappy Pomeranian.

We also get Monjuro’s backstory.

Translator’s Notes

As with the last volume, following the story, we get some character design sheets and a few pages of translator’s notes which talk about some of the cultural background, explain the dog names (although the story itself does a pretty decent job of that), and things of that nature. Most of the translator’s notes didn’t help me too much—but those that did were great. (and I expect other readers will have the opposite reaction to me) Regardless, it’s a nice tough for people who may not be all that familiar—or familiar at all—with manga.

Like me.

I really appreciate these notes.

A Little Word About the Art

It was good—nothing that blew me away, but I enjoyed it.

The dogs were drawn perfectly—they’re so adorable that you want to take them home—or at least roll around on the ground and play with them regularly.

Hono Natsuna nailed depicting the emotions, both human and canine. Again, there were many scenes where the text really wasn’t needed to tell the story in addition to the art.

So, what did I think about Pupposites Attract 2?

You could tell from the first book that this romance (assuming that’s what it is) would be a slow burn. But, wow, I didn’t expect it to be this slow. They almost seemed to be marching in place rather than advancing for all but a couple of pages. (I don’t know how a good fire metaphor to use there, or I would’ve). Still, watching these two shy folks try to connect is fun.

I would complain about some of the flashbacks. There’s really one important story told in the past, but the jumps back and forth in time didn’t make sense. If it had gone present-past-present, that’d be one thing. Instead, we get present-half of the past-present-the other half of the past-present. The jump to the present didn’t help out the next bit of the past, and it really threw me out of things when we took that second trip backward.

I would’ve liked a little more forward progress–and more of the potential second romance arc (although it looks like #3 could have that). But that’s not the story that Hono Natsuna is telling. This calls for patience–thankfully, treading water with these four is entertaining enough that it doesn’t bother me too much.

20 Books of Summer 2026: Wrap-Up

By HCNewton

On September 1, 2026

In Books, Currently Reading, Fantasy, Fiction, General Fiction/Literature, Mystery/Detective Fiction/Crime Fiction/Thriller, News/Misc., Non-Fiction, Science Fiction, Steampunk, Urban Fantasy

Annabel from AnnaBookBel carries on the work started by Cathy of 746 Books . You can read her kick-off post here .

Phew. By the skin of my teeth–I finished the last book of my 20 at 6pm yesterday. A month ago, I said “I should finish by the end of the month with some wiggle room.” Not a lot of wiggle room, it seems. But at least I didn’t have to stay up to midnight to finish. Even better, I’ve written about fifteen of them. I think that might be my best number in the years I’ve done this challenge–hopefully I can nail the other 5 within a week. All in all…this has been a big success. Thanks to AnnaBookBel for doing this again.

On a semi-related front, but I read six of my Top Ten Tuesday: Books on My Summer 2026 to-Read List (That Aren’t on My 20 Books Challenge) list, too. It’s not the best I could’ve done there–but I’ll take it.

This summer, my 20 were:

✔ 1. The Devils by Joe Abercrombie (My post about it)
✔ 2. Trade of Blood by Robert Jackson Bennett (My post about it)
✔ 3. Eyes of Empire by JCM Berne (My post about it)
✔ 4. Cold Iron Task by James Butcher
✔ 5. Eaters of the Dead by Michael Crichton
✔ 6. Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt Dinniman (My post about it)
✔ 7. Detained: A boy’s journal of survival and resilience by D. Esperanza and Gerardo Iván Morales (My post about it)
✔ 8. What’s Next: A Backstage Pass to The West Wing, Its Cast and Crew, and Its Enduring Legacy of Service by Melissa Fitzgerald and Mary McCormack (My post about it)
✔ 9. Killer Vibes by Jack Friday (My post about it)
✔ 10. Manitou by Glen Gabel (My post about it)

11. Wool by Hugh Howey
✔ 12. Eternal Blades by Vlad V. Imakaev (My post about it)
✔ 13. First Mage on the Moon by Cameron Johnston (My post about it)
✔ 14. Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin
✔ 15. The Shadow Carver by Nadine Matheson (My post about it)
✔ 16. Squeaky Clean by Callum McSorley (My post about it)
✔ 17. Dial A for Aunties by Jesse Q. Sutanto (My post about it)
✔ 18. Crownfall by Michael Vadney (My post about it)
✔ 19. We Be Dragons by Michael Weitz (My post about it)
✔ 20. Everybody Wants to Rule the World Except Me by Django Wexler

How has your summer reading been? If you took part in this, how’d it go? Or if you just had a “we’ll see what comes” plan, how did that work out for you?

20 Books of Summer '26 Chart August Check-in

20 Books of Summer 2026: July Check-In

By HCNewton

On August 4, 2026

In Books, Currently Reading, Fantasy, Fiction, General Fiction/Literature, Mystery/Detective Fiction/Crime Fiction/Thriller, News/Misc., Non-Fiction, Science Fiction, Steampunk, Urban Fantasy

Annabel from AnnaBookBel carries on the work started by Cathy of 746 Books . You can read her kick-off post here.

I only managed 6 books from the list in July–but as busy as I was, I’ll take it. If you count what I’ve accomplished in August already, I have 5.5 to go. I should finish by the end of the month with some wiggle room. Even better, I’ve written about eight of them. That’s an improvement of eight over last month, so I’ll take it. (the version of this post originally scheduled said nine there, but I had to bail on that, alas, it should be up tomorrow)

Not that it matters, but I’ve also read half of my Top Ten Tuesday: Books on My Summer 2026 to-Read List (That Aren’t on My 20 Books Challenge) list, too.

This summer, my 20 are:

My post about it

✔ 1. The Devils by Joe Abercrombie My post about it.
✔ 2. Trade of Blood by Robert Jackson Bennett
✔ 3. Eyes of Empire by JCM Berne My post about it
4. Cold Iron Task by James Butcher
5. Eaters of the Dead by Michael Crichton
✔ 6. Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt Dinniman My post about it
✔ 7. Detained: A boy’s journal of survival and resilience by D. Esperanza and Gerardo Iván Morales
✔ 8. What’s Next: A Backstage Pass to The West Wing, Its Cast and Crew, and Its Enduring Legacy of Service by Melissa Fitzgerald and Mary McCormack My post about it
✔ 9. Killer Vibes by Jack Friday My post about it
✔ 10. Manitou by Glen Gabel

11. Wool by Hugh Howey
✔ 12. Eternal Blades by Vlad V. Imakaev My post about it
✔ 13. First Mage on the Moon by Cameron Johnston My post about it
✔ 14. Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin
✔ 15. The Shadow Carver by Nadine Matheson
✔ 16. Squeaky Clean by Callum McSorley
17. Dial A for Aunties by Jesse Q. Sutanto
18. Crownfall by Michael Vadney
✔ 19. We Be Dragons by Michael Weitz My post about it
20. Everybody Wants to Rule the World Except Me by Django Wexler

(subject to change, as is allowed, but I’m going to resist the impulse to tweak as much as I can).

What do you think of this list? Any warnings—or anything you think I should be really excited about?

20 Books of Summer '26 Chart July Check-in

The Irresponsible Reader On…Self-Published “General” Fiction

By HCNewton

On July 20, 2026

In Books, Fiction, General Fiction/Literature, Miscellany, News/Misc., Self-Published Authors Appreciation Week

(updated 7/20/26)

From the first moment that people did the strange thing of asking me to talk about their books on my blog, I’ve been impressed by the quality of a lot of what’s been published by authors going out on their own, taking all the risks, shouldering all the responsibility, and doing all the work to get their words, their dreams, their blood, sweat, and tears on to the page (paper or electronic). This should be celebrated—it’s definitely appreciated, as we’re trying to show this week.

As part of this week-long celebration, I’m continuing my habit of highlighting the self-published works that I’ve blogged about over the last few years (or meant to blog about, but at least read)—just a sentence or two. Hopefully, this’ll be enough to make you click on the link to the full post. Beyond that, it’d be great if I inspired you to add a few of these to your TBR. Also, be sure you check out the other posts over at the SPAAW Hub.

Today I’m focusing on General Fiction (for lack of a better term)—there’s some Lad Lit, a dash of historical fiction, some humor, a couple of things I don’t know how to categorize beyond “Fiction”, and a bit more. Hopefully, you can find something that tickles your fancy.

bullet Dispatches from a Tourist Trap by James Bailey—Jason (see below) and his mother move from Seattle to a small town in the middle of Washington to stay with her parents as she establishes a life away from her husband. Hilarity and conflict ensue. (my post about it)
bullet The First World Problems of Jason Van Otterloo by James Bailey—an epistolary novel (through emails) from a 13-year-old whose life is turned upside down in 2003 Seattle. A lot of heart and a few laughs. (my post about it)
bullet This Is Who We Are Now by James Bailey—he doesn’t just write YA, Bailey attacks coming-of-Middle-Age, too. This not-so-young man, deals with changes to his parents’ lives, his younger siblings’ successes (and struggles) and coming to grips that his life may not end up just the way he wanted it to.
bullet The Glamshack by Paul W. Cohen—A lifestyle reporter’s obsessive love for a woman and the havoc it wreaks on his life. (my post about it)
bullet Ways And Truths And Lives by Matt Edwards—this is tough to summarize in a sentence, but let me try, because this is more about the internal life. James Dall is a struggling writer and reporter, who is still trying to figure out what he thinks about life, love and meaning. This is about him on the verge of making a big move for his life and career, and those things that move him to it.
bullet The Chronicles of Iona: Exile by Paula de Fougerolles—The first novel in a series about the founding of Iona. Some historical fiction with a hint of Fantasy. (my post about it)
bullet Love Stories by Robert Germaux—based on actual events, the story of a love that might have been, and one that is. (my post about it is forthcoming)
bullet Not Awkward by Matthew Hanover—a young man attends the funeral of his ex’s father and gets roped into staying during shiva in the days leading to his wedding. Nah, not awkward at all. (my post about it)
bullet Not Dressed by Matthew Hanover—Hanover’s (seemingly) effortless charm makes this “romantic comedy of how love goes wrong—and right—when you’re a twenty-something still figuring out how to adult” a real winner. (my post about it)
bullet Not Famous by Matthew Hanover—Hanover’s first novel is about a guy who falls for a socially awkward musician. It will steal your heart. (my post about it)
bullet Not Prepared by Matthew Hanover—a bachelor takes in his eleven-year-old-goddaughter when her mother skips town, and maybe finds love, too. Great stuff. (my post about it)
bullet The Flight of the Pickerings by John Grayson Heide—a heart-warming story about an older couple dealing with dementia and the end of their life together get their world turned upside down when their rebellious teenage grandson comes to live with them. (my post about it)
bullet Didn’t Get Frazzled by David Z. Hirsch, MD—a bildungsroman following a 20-something through his 4 years of medical school: from Gross Anatomy to the verge of residency. (my post about it)
bullet Love and Other Monsters in the Dark by K. B. Jensen—I could probably put this on most of my Self-Published Fiction lists, so I’ll limit it to this one. It’s sort of the same genre as The Twilight Zone—SF, Fantasy, Horror, Crime. Sudden Fiction and Short stories that’ll knock your socks off. (my post about it)
bullet XYZ by William Knight—A mature, old-school programmer has to start his career over at a 21st Century Startup as his family life falls apart in every way imaginable. Clearly a comedy. (my post about it)
bullet Dirt Road Home by Alexander Nader—A lot of charm fills this YA(ish) Coming of Age story about a teen forced to move from Detroit to a small town in Tennessee before graduation. (my post about it)
bullet Coffee and Condolences by Wesley Parker—A widower tries to begin recovering from the deaths of his wife and children by reconnecting with his step-sister and maybe finds love. (my post about it)
bullet Detours and Do-overs by Wesley Parker—A sequel to the next on the list. This follow-up had a lot of heart. (my post about it)
bullet Headphones and Heartaches by Wesley Parker—A teen finds home, safety, and love in a Foster Home, but is torn about leaving his mother behind. One sentence doesn’t do it justice, I simply loved this one. (my post about it)
bullet The Worst Man by Jon Rance—Ollie’s desperately in love with the girlfriend/fiancée of the man who’s been his best friend since childhood. And now he has to be the best man at the wedding he wants to derail. (my post about it)
bullet The Summer Holidays Survival Guide by Jon Rance—an out-of-shape teacher tries to prepare for a half-marathon while surviving the summer with his three kids, a marriage on the rocks, and his father (with dementia) moving in. (my post about it)
bullet However Long the Day by Justin Reed—A Depression-era take on The Prince and the Pauper, an impressive debut (my post about it)
bullet The Crescent and the Cross by Kurt Scheffler— the story of The Battle of Tours (in 732) and events leading up to it, told through the lives of people close to Charles Martel and Charles on the one hand and a couple of the leaders of the Muslim forces involved in the Arab invasion of France. (my post about it)
bullet In Ten Years by Ian Shane—The reductionist description is “A 21st Century When Harry Met Sally“. We watch a couple of college friends over 18 years start to figure out that they’re in love. Hilarious and sweet. (my post about it)
bullet Postgraduate by Ian Shane—When your life falls apart, why not take your college radio show and turn it into an Internet radio show? And then, why not attend a reunion with the old college radio gang, including “The One That Got Away” (because you foolishly dumped her)? (my post about it)
bullet Radio Radio by Ian Shane—A maverick DJ is forced to get creative when a corporate radio management team takes over his station. A love letter to what radio used to be as much as anything else. (my post about it)
bullet The Museum Guide by Nicole Sharp—”A snapshot of life, love and third grade field trippers” in a natural history museum. (my post about it)
bullet The Jackals by Adam Shaw—A local band on the verge of making it big/big-ish falls apart after high school due to a love triangle that shouldn’t have happened. When one member of the band dies, the group has to get together for a funeral and to clean up his stuff. (that’s a bad summary, but best I can do in a sentence) (my post about it)
bullet KA-E-RO-U Time to Go Home by B. Jeanne Shibahara—I’m so glad the blurb contains a one-sentence description because I couldn’t write one: “Desert-dweller Meryl travels to Japan, returns a WWII flag, and brings home an understanding of life that opens her heart for the unexpected.” (my post about it)
bullet Lingering by Melissa Simonson—It’s sort-of SF, sort-of a Thriller, but not really either, so I put this here. This is a novel about grief, about dealing with death—while telling the story about an effort to design an AI to mimic a dead loved one in order to help a survivor cope. (my post about it)
bullet We Be Dragons by Michael Weitz—It’s a trip back to the mid-80s in an Idaho small town. A group of boys spend the summer playing D&D, working, and thinking about girls. A local woman succumbs to Satanic Panic and tries to shut them down. As a bonus, we get several chapters from the game’s POV. (my post about it)
bullet Leveled Up Love by Tao Wong & A. G. Marshall—It’s LitRPG-ish, it’s also a Rom-Com. You mash the two of those together and you get this entirely entertaining and sweet read. (my post about it)

If you're a self-published author that I've featured on this blog and I didn't mention you in this post and should have. I'm sorry (unless you're this guy). Please drop me a line, and I'll fix this. I want to keep this regularly updated so I keep talking about Self-Published Authors.

Visit the SPAAW 2026 Hub to see what other Self-Published Appreciation Posts are out there.
Self-Published Authors Appreciation Week circle logo and the Irresponsible Reader Pilcrow in front of an open book

The 2026 Self-Published Authors Appreciation Week Logo was made by Witty and Sarcastic Book Club

We Be Dragons by Michael Weitz: A Nice Bit of 80s Nostalgia

By HCNewton

On July 20, 2026

In Fiction, General Fiction/Literature, Literary Locals, Self-Published Authors Appreciation Week

We Be Dragons

by Michael Weistz

DETAILS:
Publisher: Rook & Rook
Publication Date: May 23, 2025
Format: Paperback
Length: 438 pg.
Read Date: June 15-18. 2026

What’s We Be Dragons About?

It’s 1986 in Weston, ID, a small town in Northern Idaho, near Moscow (interestingly, that actual town in Idaho with that name is on the southeast corner, and is probably smaller). It’s practically idyllic—wholesome town, solid community where everyone knows everyone and looks out for each other. We focus on a group of six teens in the summer before their senior year, one of the last chances they have to make money for college. Their big concerns are getting to an AC/DC concert, trying to come up with the nerve to ask out a girl, overbearing bosses, and keeping their cars running. Well, and their D&D game.

Which, to their surprise, is becoming controversial—someone in the large church just outside of town has decided to buy into all the hype surrounding the game right then—that it’s Satanic, involves actual demons and spells, and will lead children to a life of destruction, drugs, and deviancy. She’s trying to rile up the city against this kind of thing—and they’re about to become the poster children for this effort.

The book focuses on John Brewer, the DM for the game, who loses his job at the beginning of the summer—thanks to some changes in town. He ends up having to scramble for a job helping with the harvest efforts (and the run-up to them) for a farm a little way out of town, where he and Toff, another member of the group, live during the week.

There are three types of chapters in this book, and I want to attack each of them in turn.

The A Story

There’s the everyday life chapters—the slice of life, the coming-of-age stuff. This is perfectly fine. I do wonder if John acts a little too immature for someone of h is age and place in life (especially compared to his friends). But then again…at that age, how many of us acted like we were supposed to?

The main conflict in these chapters if between John and his boss who is antagonistic toward him from the instant he hires John. Toff tries to keep John and his temper in check (and it mostly works). Jim Henley, the farmer in question, attends the same church as the anti-D&D crusader, but that doesn’t seem to be all of it. There’s something else afoot.

Mrs. Henley and the other adults on the farm seem to be fine with Toff and John—they’re friendly and helpful, taking the boys under their wings to show them what to do. Their basic decency really makes you wonder about Jim.

The Gaming Nights

Then we get the chapters where we see the gang as a D&D session begins or ends. I really loved these chapters—it feels so right. This is what a gaming session should be like—although some of these chapters feature the abrupt interruption of the anti-D&D campaigners breaking up the games in various ways. Those interruptions are not what a gaming session should be like, but the way that the teens and John’s mom react are really good.

Paulette Dickerson keeps interrupting the games—ignoring common manners and private property laws in an unbelievable, yet completely believable, way. Sometimes with an audience, sometimes with just a henchman/hanger on. The police get involved more than once.

These chapters sold me on the book more than anything else—it’s the core of the book. I enjoyed watching the reactions to Paulette and her antics. But more than that, it’s just watching the way the boys play.

The Game POV

If the core of the book is the gaming nights, then the chapters which are told about the game—from the POV of the characters—are the cherry on top. It’s basically scenes from a fantasy novel. We don’t see Truck, Charlie, or Nick—we see the characters Kryger, Domo, Bellator, and the rest—plus all the monsters and hazards that John throws at them.

These chapters are just perfect. I mean, I might not love them if they were in a proper Fantasy novel (I’d need to see more to form an opinion). But in this format? Just love them.

My sole complaint is that there aren’t enough of them.

So, what did I think about We Be Dragons?

I liked the book. I thought the anti-D&D stuff ended well. I thought the character arcs were pretty well resolved. I’m not 100% that the A Story chapters told a story that needed to be told, or had a satisfying/worthwhile conclusion. But, I’m not annoyed by that—and the pluses of this book outweigh that.

It took Weitz a little while to settle into the book—he was trying too hard initially to set the stage, I think. Two detailed descriptions of oil changes in the first 20 pages seems a little overkill. But once he settled into things, that went away. He nails the setting—granted, I didn’t move to the area until 5 years after the events depicted here, but his description jibed with my memories. Once we move past the opening chapters, the writing was smooth and while you wouldn’t ever call this a fast-paced novel, it reads like one.

The two antagonists of the book—Paulette Dickerson and Jim Henley—were a bit too thinly drawn to take seriously. I don’t get where Henley is coming from or his capricious treatment of his workers—why did any of the adults stick with him? Was work that hard to find in the community? Paulette is a good representation of the worst of the Satanic Panic of the time. But she feels as solid as a Hollywood backdrop. I just didn’t believe her (I believed people’s reactions to her, though).

All that said—this is a nice way to spend some time. Weitz does a good job of taking you back to the 80s (especially if you’re familiar with smaller rural towns), and reminding the reader about high school friendships—and, for some of us, that group of geeky guys they could spend quality time with.

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.

Visit the SPAAW 2026 Hub to see what other Self-Published Appreciation Posts are out there.

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In large letters 'Literary Locals' and in smaller 'The Irresponsible Reader' are at the bottom of the image. An image of a book opening and snow-capped mountains rising from between the pages, a stalk of some sort of grain is next to each side of the book, like parentheses.

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The 2026 Self-Published Authors Appreciation Week Logo was made by Witty and Sarcastic Book Club

The Museum Guide by Nicole Sharp: A Literary Stroll through Lives and a Museum

By HCNewton

On July 20, 2026

In Fiction, General Fiction/Literature, Literary Locals, Self-Published Authors Appreciation Week

The Museum Guide

by Nicole Sharp

DETAILS:
Publication Date: June 1, 2024
Format: Paperback
Length: 50 pg.
Read Date: May 2, 2026

What’s The Museum Guide About?

This is a very small novella, so I have to be careful not to say too much. The text on the cover describes the book very well: “A snapshot of life, love and third grade field trippers.”

We follow museum docent Martha Stein as she guides a class of third-graders through a natural history museum. Third-graders + museum = barely-controlled chaos, and we do get to see Martha and the teacher try to maintain that. But as Martha takes them around, the narration pauses to watch a security guard, an event planner, a museum visitor, someone working on a display, and so on.

We see where they are that day—their emotions, the goings on in their life, just a quick glimpse—as if they’re displays at a museum we’re strolling through.

So, what did I think about The Museum Guide?

I’m more afraid to say much here than I was above. This feels like one of those things that the more you talk about it, the worse the subject is for it. To come back to this well one too many times, it’s one of those beautiful displays in a museum that it’s best to just stand and take in rather than to try to talk about. (there’s a scene in Walter Mosley’s Ghalen that captures this wonderfully, where a man just stands in front of a painting for hours, unable to really talk about what he’s seeing)

This novella has none of the zaniness of Sharp’s other work, or really almost any other characteristic of it. However, it does have the same quality of writing, story-telling, and character. How she’s able to draw so many strong characters in a mere fifty pages is something else.

If anything, it’s assuring to see that she has another gear—as delightful as her typical gear is.

I was completely immersed in this and was utterly charmed by it. It was over too soon for my taste (although I couldn’t tell you how it could be expanded/extended without losing something).

The Museum Guide is a very pleasant way to spend an afternoon, and I’d encourage you to get it.

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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20 Books of Summer 2026: June Check-In

By HCNewton

On July 1, 2026

In Books, Currently Reading, Fantasy, Fiction, General Fiction/Literature, Mystery/Detective Fiction/Crime Fiction/Thriller, News/Misc., Non-Fiction, Science Fiction, Steampunk, Urban Fantasy

Annabel from AnnaBookBel carries on the work started by Cathy of 746 Books . You can read her kick-off post here.

I have read 8 of the 20 so far, which is not bad. One of that 8 is the biggest by page count (but probably one of the easiest reads), so I’m feeling pretty good about being able to check this one off the list. Sadly, I’ve written about only…let me check my math here…none of them. That’s not good. I have 80% of a post done for The Devils, but am so busy second-guessing myself that it’s now been 7 days since I meant to post it. Ooops. I think I’ll catch up on those pretty quickly. I hope to, anyway.

Not that it matters, but I’ve also finished one off of my Top Ten Tuesday: Books on My Summer 2026 to-Read List (That Aren’t on My 20 Books Challenge) list, too.

This summer, my 20 are:

✔ 1. The Devils by Joe Abercrombie
2. Trade of Blood by Robert Jackson Bennett
3. Eyes of Empire by JCM Berne
4. Cold Iron Task by James Butcher
5. Eaters of the Dead by Michael Crichton
✔ 6. Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt Dinniman
7. Detained: A boy’s journal of survival and resilience by D. Esperanza and Gerardo Iván Morales
✔ 8. What’s Next: A Backstage Pass to The West Wing, Its Cast and Crew, and Its Enduring Legacy of Service by Melissa Fitzgerald and Mary McCormack
9. Killer Vibes by Jack Friday
✔ 10. Manitou by Glen Gabel

✔ 11. Wool by Hugh Howey
✔ 12. Eternal Blades by Vlad V. Imakaev
13. First Mage on the Moon by Cameron Johnston
14. Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin
✔ 15. The Shadow Carver by Nadine Matheson
✔ 16. Squeaky Clean by Callum McSorley
17. Dial A for Aunties by Jesse Q. Sutanto
18. Crownfall by Michael Vadney
✔ 19. We Be Dragons by Michael Weitz
20. Everybody Wants to Rule the World Except Me by Django Wexler

(subject to change, as is allowed, but I’m going to resist the impulse to tweak as much as I can).

What do you think of this list? Any warnings—or anything you think I should be really excited about?

20 Books of Summer '26 Chart June Check-in

Quick-Take Catchups: The Leftovers from April

By HCNewton

On June 29, 2026

In Audiobook, Fantasy, Fiction, General Fiction/Literature, Mystery/Detective Fiction/Crime Fiction/Thriller, Non-Fiction, Science Fiction

Once again, I’m a few weeks behind on this, but that “To Write About” stack is still calling. Time for me to do a few more of these—emphasizing pithiness, not thoroughness.

Violet Thistlewaite Is Not a Villain Anymore

by Emily Krempholtz, Emma Ladji (Narrator)

DETAILS:
Publisher: Penguin Random House Audio Publishing Group
Publication Date: November 18, 2025
Format: Unabridged Audiobook
Length: 11 hrs.
Read Date: March 31-April 2, 2026

A nice little story about a supervillain (however coerced into it she might have been) trying to go straight and live a quiet life. Naturally, it doesn’t go that well, people learn who she is/was and…things get dicey. It’s a very cozy little story with just a hint of danger. This is primarily a Romance with a streak of Fantasy. Not totally my cup of tea, but a very pleasant book.

Guns of Brixton

by Paul D. Brazill

DETAILS:
Publisher: Fahrenheit Press
Publication Date: November 15, 2025
Format: Paperback
Length: 181 pg.
Read Date: April 15, 2026

This is a dark noir full of insane comedy and violence. Peopled by characters you love reading about and never want to meet the likes of in real life. The various plotlines and character arcs overlap and weave together in a way that is really impressive–and is very typical for this kind of read. Just kick back and enjoy it.

It’s fast and furious read that will make you want more from Brazill. I have to leave it for a catch-up post like this, where I’m forced to be vague, I’d end up telling you too much about it in a full-length post.

My only complaint is that as an American with little (read: no) understanding of FIFA history, I had to hit up a friendly-neighborhood search engine to understand the ending. I’d be clearer there, but I don’t want to ruin anything. It’s worth getting to that point and then learning what it meant–the delayed gratification is still gratifying.

Replaceable You: Adventures in Human Anatomy

by Mary Roach

DETAILS:
Publisher: Penguin Random House Audio Publishing Group
Publication Date: September 16, 2025
Format: Unabridged Audiobooks
Length: 8 hrs., 37 min.
Read Date: April 13-16, 2026

Overall, a really good look at the frontiers of human transplant technology—and other ways to replace broken/sick/malfunctioning human parts. Oh, and hair. There was a lot about hair replacement and the various technologies there.

As is typical for a book by Roach, there’s a lot of good information here. A couple of chapters that don’t seem worth it. Some jokes were winners. Some jokes didn’t seem worth the effort.

Frog and Toad Are Doing Their Best [A Parody]

by Jennie Egerdie, Ellie Hajdu (Illustrator)

DETAILS:
Publisher: Running Press Adult
Publication Date: October 5, 2021
Format: Hardcover
Length: 96 pg.
Read Date: April 17, 2026

As I recall, I always thought that the Frog and Toad were pleasant enough, but needed something more to be something I’d read when there wasn’t anything else handy. Things were similar with my kids and the books. This is a little better—only because it’s updated and vaguely amusing to see the pair in 2020s mode.

The art is as perfect as it could be, like it was by the original artists.

It’s not a must-read, but it’s a quick shot of pleasure.

Worse than a Lie

by Ben Crump

DETAILS:
Publisher: Bantam
Publication Date: February 17, 2026
Format: Hardcover
Length: 368 pgs.
Read Date: April 16-17, 2026

I had huge hopes for this one, expecting that I’d read the series to follow. That is not going to happen. The dialogue is atrocious. The plot was…fine, but executed messily, yet predictably. The bad guys are as evil as evil can be—no subtlety to it at all. Actually, that was one of my notes about the book as a whole—there’s nothing subtle about it. The solution and the aftermath were practically a fairy tale. I really can’t think of anything positive to say. The promising premise deserved a whole lot better.

This Book Made Me Think of You

by Libby Page, Zadeiah Campbell-Davies (Narrator)

DETAILS:
Publisher: Penguin Random House Audio Publishing Group
Publication Date: February 3, 2026
Format: Unabridged Audiobook
Length: 10 hrs., 26 min.
Read Date: April 16-20, 2026

Oh, golly, this book was so heartwarming and sweet. It’s also a great look at grief and the way it lingers in the lives of those affected by death. Primarily it’s a sweet book about a (dead) husband’s love expressed through his wife’s passion for reading. Each month, a book is waiting for her at a local bookstore.

Oh, yeah—this is also a tribute to local bookstores and what they can mean for a community.

Grief, books, love, and bookstores. What more could you want?

A Memory Called Empire

by Arkady Martine

DETAILS:
Series: Teixcalaan, #1
Publisher: Tor Books
Publication Date: February 25, 2020
Format: Paperback
Length: 480 pg.
Read Date: April 20-24, 2026

Oh, there were just so many great ideas packed into this volume. Several layers of political machinations—with two cultures that are new to the reader. A mind-blowing technology that raises all sorts of questions about identity, memory, and life. A character death that makes me mad months later. And a looming threat that’s so far in the background that few characters realize it’s a thing.

I did enjoy it, I’m just not sure how much —but I’m so glad that I read it. I need to find time for book two.

This post contains affiliate links. If you purchase from any of them, I will get a small commission at no additional cost to you. As always, opinions are my own.

Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt: A Wise Captive and Holes in Hearts

By HCNewton

On June 22, 2026

In Fiction, General Fiction/Literature

Remarkably Bright Creatures

by Shelby Van Pelt

DETAILS:
Publisher: Ecco
Publication Date: May 3, 2022
Format: Hardcover
Length: 368 pg.
Read Date: April 28-30, 2026

What’s Remarkably Bright Creatures About?

There’s a widow named Tova, who needs to stay busy to keep the losses in her life from overwhelming her, so she works nights cleaning at a local aquarium.

There’s a thirtysomething man, who’s in a band with an old friend (a band that’s going nowhere fast), he has a series of construction jobs that he tends to lose as fast as he gets them. Cameron is directionless to say the best—he becomes convinced that his father is someone who lives in Northern Washington—not too far (but far enough) from Tova and her aquarium. Cameron sets off to meet him.

There’s a wonderful Scottish grocer named Ethan who has a crush on Tova and who helps Cameron out when he comes through town. I don’t want to say too much about him, but he’s really my favorite human character in this book, so if you’re reading this post and haven’t read the book yet—keep your eye on him, he’s just a delight.

Yes, I said favorite human character. Because the main reason to read this book is the giant octopus on the cover. His name is Marcellus. He was rescued by the aquarium some years back (he would say captured, and he can tell you exactly how many days have passed since his capture). We get snippets of his diary (one wholly composed in his head, but whatever) throughout the book. Marcellus is the hero of the book; he’s a large part of the heart of the book (although, the humans contribute a lot to it, too), and he carries most of the humor.

Why did I pick this up? Why did I keep reading?

I came into work one day, and it was waiting on my desk with a note from a coworker. That seemed like a pretty strong recommendation. I’d seen some online buzz about it, and it seemed promising.

Thankfully, that coworker was willing to wait a year or so for me to get to it (and I really only read it when I did, so I had it read before the movie was released).

I stuck with it because it was a charming and sweet story—and how do you not want to keep coming back for Marcellus’ voice? Or anything to do with Marcellus? You come for the sweet and uplifting story, you stay for Marcellus.

What does this book tell us about humanity?

It’s about the need for a sense of connection. Almost every character we meet (I can think of 5 exceptions) is looking for some kind of connection. For some it’s romance, for some it’s family, for some it’s just a good friendship. For some, it’s unknown—but they know it when they find it.

There really are a bunch of lonely people wandering through this book. Some of them realize that’s their problem, not all of them realize it. Some have ideas how to fix it (or how they want to, anyway). But largely, they’re walking open wounds. And in one way or the other, human connection is the fix.

The exceptions I mentioned earlier? They all have strong connections already—it’s not that they wouldn’t welcome more, but they’re not hungry for it. They’ve got their needs met—and can express that into a concern for others and helping them.

A Quick Word About the Movie

I did get this read a couple of weeks before we watched the movie. It’s not the most faithful of adaptations. They rearranged some of the timeline, they combined things, elided scenes, twisted bits—but I think all of it was justifiable given the medium and the time limits. But they captured the heart of the book, and got enough of the details right to satisfy me.

Also, Sally Field was a great Tova, Alfred Molina was perfect as Marcellus, and Colm Meaney is worth watching in anything.

So, what did I think about Remarkably Bright Creatures?

This is such a sweet, heartwarming book. With just enough humor to add a little kick to it.

I’m not sure that I ever had a moment of suspense about any events in the book. Van Pelt telegraphed everything. Not in a bad way, there was next-to-no suspense involved. The only question was how she was going to execute all the plot points you expected. And how much of Marcellus do we get along the way.

On some Facebook group the other day, I saw someone wondering if they should DNF the book because Cameron was so dislikeable. That’s the entire point of Cameron—to be dislikeable, immature, and even self-centered. If that’s not obvious to you within a scene or two of meeting him, I wonder how much you’re paying attention. It’s his involvement with other characters in the book that gets him out of that and puts him on the road to being a decent person. That’s part of that telegraphing I was talking about Van Pelt doing.

The charm about Cameron is watching him stumble through what Tova, Ethan, and others are doing for him. Not enough time elapses in the book for him to grow up—but he’s on the path. (I don’t think this is a spoiler, see above.)

And Tova? Dear, sweet, Tova. From her introduction on, you just want everything to work out for her. Life has not been easy for her, you want her to find some comfort.

A perfect book? No. But one that satisfies on so many levels.