Category: Fiction Page 2 of 343

(updated and revised this 5/25/26)

I’ve been trying for a few years now to come up with a tribute to Adams. This isn’t quite what I had in mind, but it’s a start. In my mind, this is a work in progress (a multiple-year project), but I’m posting it anyway. Next year’s version will be better—or at least more complete.

Some time in 7th or 8th grade (I believe), I was at a friend’s house, and his brother let us try his copy of the text-based Hitchhiker’s Guide game, and we were no good at it at all. Really, it was embarrassing. However, his brother had a copy of the first novel, and we all figured that the novel held the keys we needed for success with the game (alas, it did not help us one whit). My friends all decided that I’d be the one to read the book and come back in a few days as an expert.

I fell in love with the book almost instantly, and I quickly forgot about the game. Adams’ irreverent style rocked my world—could people actually get away with saying some of these things? His skewed take on the world, his style, his humor…and a depressed robot, too! It was truly love at first read. As I recall, I started re-reading it as soon as I finished it—the only time in my life I’ve done that sort of thing.

Also, I finally understood that song, “Marvin, I Love You,” that I kept hearing on Dr. Demento.

It was one of those experiences that, looking back, I can say shaped my reading and thinking for the rest of my life (make of that what you will). Were my life the subject of a Doctor Who or Legends of Tomorrow episode, it’d be one of those immutable fixed points. I got my hands on the next three books as quickly as I could (the idea of a four-volume trilogy was one of the funniest ideas I’d encountered up to that point in my life), and devoured them. I do know that I didn’t understand all of the humor, several of the references shot past me at the speed of light, and I couldn’t appreciate everything that was being satirized. But what I did understand, I thought was brilliant. Not only did I find it funny, the series taught me about comedy—how to construct a joke, how to twist it in ways a reader wouldn’t always expect, and when not to twist but to go for the obviously funny idea. The trilogy also helped me to learn to see the absurdity in life.

One of the big lessons that HHGTTG taught me was something I didn’t realize for quite some time- I noticed and talked about it, but I didn’t really realize what was going on. Whether in the game, the novel, the TV show, or the radio show (my local library getting those tapes was a revelation)–Adams took several key scenes and put them in different order, almost completely intact (although with some different jokes sometimes). Each time he did that, it was to play to the strength of the various media. I learned later that he did this for a couple of other versions, and then the movie. When it comes to story–you can keep the big items and play with them to get them to serve your aim, without doing any real damage to the core of your story/point. Like I said, it took a while for me to get the vocabulary to describe that–or to spend any time thinking about it beyond, “hey, that’s cool how he did that.” It’s just one of those things that stuck deep in my mind.

Outside of one family member–HHGTTG was my first exposure to an atheist. I mean, I knew they existed–the way I knew Australia existed. I’d read about it in books, maybe seen it on a TV show or something (hey, I was a kid from a small town in Southern Idaho in the 80s). But here was a guy wearing that on his sleeve–but he made a joke about it. Well, he made a few jokes–several by the end of the trilogy (including at least one that undercut them all). I didn’t threaten my young faith or rattle me, it was more of a “huh, so that’s what they’re like.” Nothing scary, just silly. I also have to say–again, sheltered kid from Idaho pre-Internet–that one of those jokes involved someone getting killed at a zebra crossing. It wasn’t until a few reads in that I started to wonder if that was actually a thing, and not another of his Adams’ jokes about a special road crossing for those particular animals. It was a learning experience for me in many ways.

Years later, when the final volume (by Adams) was released, I’d already cemented what I thought about the books from these frequent re-reads. I’m not sure that Mostly Harmless changed things much (except for making me think for the first time that maybe I didn’t want him to write more in this series). His non-Hitchhiker’s work illustrated that he was capable of making you see things in a new light–either with a smile or a sense of regret—even when he wasn’t writing the trilogy, even when he was writing non-fiction. It was never the setting or the genre—it was Adams.

But here on Towel Day—as with most of the time I talk about Adams (but I need to change that), it comes down to where I started—the Trilogy. I read the books (particularly the first) so many times that I can quote significant portions of them, and frequently do so without noticing that I’m doing that. I have (at this time) two literary-inspired tattoos, one of which is the planet logo* featured on the original US covers. In essence, I’m saying that Adams and the series that made him famous have had an outsized influence on my life and are probably my biggest enduring fandom. If carrying around a (massively useful) piece of cloth for a day in some small way honors his memory? Sure, I’m in.

So, Happy Towel Day, You Hoopy Froods.

* I didn’t know it at the time, but Adams didn’t like that guy. Whoops.

Towel Day ’26: Do You Know Where Your Towel Is?

By HCNewton

On May 25, 2026

In A-B, Authors, Calendar Items, Douglas Adams, Fiction, News/Misc., Science Fiction, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

(updated and revised this 5/25/26)

The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy has a few things to say on the subject of towels.

A towel, it says, is about the most massively useful thing an interstellar hitchhiker can have. Partly it has great practical value. You can wrap it around you for warmth as you bound across the cold moons of Jaglan Beta; you can lie on it on the brilliant marble-sanded beaches of Santraginus V, inhaling the heady sea vapors; you can sleep under it beneath the stars which shine so redly on the desert world of Kakrafoon; use it to sail a miniraft down the slow heavy River Moth; wet it for use in hand-to-hand-combat; wrap it round your head to ward off noxious fumes or avoid the gaze of the Ravenous Bugblatter Beast of Traal (such a mind-bogglingly stupid animal, it assumes that if you can’t see it, it can’t see you); you can wave your towel in emergencies as a distress signal, and of course dry yourself off with it if it still seems to be clean enough.

More importantly, a towel has immense psychological value. For some reason, if a strag (strag: non-hitch hiker) discovers that a hitch hiker has his towel with him, he will automatically assume that he is also in possession of a toothbrush, face flannel, soap, tin of biscuits, flask, compass, map, ball of string, gnat spray, wet weather gear, space suit etc., etc. Furthermore, the strag will then happily lend the hitch hiker any of these or a dozen other items that the hitch hiker might accidentally have “lost”. What the strag will think is that any man who can hitch the length and breadth of the galaxy, rough it, slum it, struggle against terrible odds, win through, and still knows where his towel is is clearly a man to be reckoned with.

Hence a phrase that has passed into hitchhiking slang, as in “Hey, you sass that hoopy Ford Prefect? There’s a frood who really knows where his towel is.” (Sass: know, be aware of, meet, have sex with; hoopy: really together guy; frood: really amazingly together guy.)

Towel Day, for the few who don’t know, is the annual celebration of Douglas Adams’ life and work. It was first held two weeks after his death, fans were to carry a towel with them for the day to use as a talking point to encourage those who have never read HHGTTG to do so, or to just converse with someone about Adams. Adams is one of that handful of authors that I can’t imagine I’d be the same without having encountered/read/re-read/re-re-re-re-read, and so I do my best to pay a little tribute to him each year, even if it’s just carrying around a towel. TowelDay.org is the best collection of resources on the day.

In commemoration of this date, here’s most of what I’ve written about Adams. I’ve struggled to come up with new material to share for Towel Day over the years, mostly sticking with updating and revising existing posts. And, this year is no exception. A few years back, I did a re-read of all of Adams’ (completed) fiction. For reasons beyond my ken (or recollection), I didn’t get around to blogging about the Dirk Gently books, but I did do the Hitchhiker’s Trilogy:
The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy
The Restaurant at the End of the Universe
Life, The Universe and Everything
So Long, and Thanks For All The Fish
Mostly Harmless
I had a thing or two to say about the 40th Anniversary of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy
I took a look at the 42nd Anniversary Illustrated Edition of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy

I should also point to a posts I wrote about Douglas Adams’ London by Yvette Keller and 42: The Wildly Improbable Ideas of Douglas Adams edited by Kevin Jon Davies—both are great ways of filling out one’s understanding of Adams and his work. I have to mention the one book that Adams/Hitchhiker’s aficionado needs to read is Don’t Panic by Neil Gaiman, David K. Dickson and MJ Simpson.

If you’re more in the mood for a podcast, I’d suggest The Waterstones Podcast How We Made: The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy—I’ve listened to several podcast episodes about this book, and generally roll my eyes at them. But this is just fantastic. Were it available, I’d listen to a Peter Jackson-length version of the episode.

I’ve only been able to get one of my sons into Adams, he’s the taller, thinner one in the picture from a few several years ago.

I’m trying to pass this on to the next generation as well. Here’s his son, the Grand-critter, from 2 years ago:

You really need to check out this comic from Sheldon Comics—part of the Anatomy of Authors series: The Anatomy of Douglas Adams.

Lit in a Nutshell gives this quick explanation of The Hitchiiker’s Guide:

One of my favorite posts there is this pretty cool video, shot on the ISS by astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti.

Even better—here’s an appearance by Douglas Adams himself from the old Letterman show—I’m so glad someone preserved this:

Love the anecdote (Also, I want this tie.)

Cherry Baby by Rainbow Rowell: Her Course of Love Sure Didn’t Run Smoothly

By HCNewton

On May 20, 2026

In Fiction, General Fiction/Literature, Rainbow Rowel

Cherry Baby

by Rainbow Rowell

DETAILS:
Publisher: William Morrow
Publication Date: April 14, 2026
Format: Hardcover
Length: 406 pg.
Read Date: April 30-May 1, 2026

The tears on Cherry’s cheeks were fat.

In the months after Tom left—and the months after it became clear that he wasn’t coming home—Cherry’s tears had changed.

There were days when her eyes felt so full, the tears ran in rivulets. She’d swear that crying had never felt that way before—that before, she’d cried drops, and now, she cried streams. There must be some science to it, one sort of crying for transient pains and another sort for crippling grief.

What’s Cherry Baby About?

Cherry is a pretty successful marketer in Omaha; her husband was in advertising and did a little webcomic in his spare time. It was semi-autobiographical and had almost no followers. At some point, around the time that they started to see each other, a new character, “Baby” enters the cast (unbeknownst to her). Sometime after that, Tom’s comic caught fire. It was published in book form—and optioned as a film.

Now Tom is in L.A. working on the movie, and Cherry—along with his dog—are still in Omaha. Cherry and Tom are getting a divorce. And Cherry isn’t taking it well.

She’s in full-grieving mode. A few months in, she treats herself. Tom hated concerts, she’s always loved them, and one of her all-time favorite bands will be doing a show in town. So she goes, anticipating a pick-me-up. While there, Cherry runs into Russ—a friend from college. Russ isn’t “the one who got away.” But he is the big “what if” question in her life.

Apparently, the feeling was mutual. Even better, Russ hasn’t read Tom’s comic and knows nothing about it. He’s probably the only person in Omaha who doesn’t connect Cherry and Baby (even her family equates them, which Cherry hates). What could be better?

A solid meet-again-cute. A woman in need of a fresh start. A guy who is almost perfect. What could be better?

Fat Girl Life

A fat girl can’t wait for boys to pluck her like a flower or find her on the beach like a seashell.

Cherry had never been Cinderella. She’d always been the prince chasing down what she wanted. (She’d been a witch, enchanting apples.) She’d had to reach for things. For love. For attention.

Cherry has had nothing but Fat Girl Summers her whole life. And the other three seasons, too. She’s fat—she tells us this from the outset. Her mother and her sisters are, too. It’s not due to laziness, overeating (not that any of them are shy about eating, however), lack of exercise, sedentary lifestyles, or whatever. It’s a genetic thing; their family is just fat. And they’re all okay with it.

Well, they’re more than okay with it. Not quite proud of it, but unashamed is the better word.

And the fastest way to get on Cherry’s bad side is to imply there’s something wrong with it. She’s pretty (possibly more than pretty, it’s hard to judge from the way it’s presented), charming, fun, caring, and fat. In her eyes, she’s the whole package.

And it’s really hard to argue with her (if you wanted to).

This, obviously, has shaped her life—it’s not easy for Fat Girls/Women/Boys/Men in the U.S. She accepts it, realizes how it molded her personality and expectations—but thanks to her mothers and sisters, she’s been able to gain the level of confidence that she can get through it. Not unscathed, but whole.

The Proverbial Door is Ajar

Granted, it’s been a while since I read Rowell—but this is a bit, ahem, spicier than I appreciate. Definitely more than I’m used to with her. The door does close—eventually—on the sex scenes, but it stays open a lot longer than I think it needed to (or opens earlier than it needs to).

But that’s a matter of taste, I realize. And I’m not trying to put down Rowell here, I think I get why she made the decisions she did in this regard. But I’m not suggesting this book to my mother, sister, or daughter (but I wouldn’t discourage their reading it, either).

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

I picked this up because I really enjoy Rowell’s writing (well, I couldn’t make myself pay attention to the fan fiction bits of Fangirl, so I didn’t read the spin-offs, but otherwise…), and I was glad to get a chance to read her again.

I stuck with it because I really liked Cherry and got invested in her life. Also, Rowell’s voice and tone is just so comfortable, there’s no reason to think about stopping.

I’m sure there’s a better way to put it—but comfortable is better than cozy, which I keep using. There’s a warmth, a humanity, and a little bit of humor—and so much heart. You just want to keep reading, no matter what’s happening (or isn’t happening.)

What does this book tell us about humanity?

I think this book has a lot to say about the need to love and the need to be loved—as you are and as the object of your love is. Not as you want them to be, not as they were, but as they are (although as they were does play a role)—and the same for you. Loved as you are, for who you are.

Not just romantic love, either. There’s friend love and family love, too. The book focuses on romantic love, but family love comes in second.

The depictions aren’t always pretty—in fact, in this book, many of them are messy and nasty, with a great sense of “it shouldn’t be like that.”

So, what did I think about Cherry Baby?

Cherry had trusted Tom. She’d taken him for granted—she’d thought that she was supposed to. She’d believed they were a settled question.

Cherry’s family is a nice, vaguely Lutheran, group who want four things for Cherry: 1. to be happy; 2. to get back together with Tom; 3. failing that, to start dating this nice man from their church; and 4. to come back to church (there’s a not-at-all-subtle link between 3 and 4). They’re a loving, close family, but really don’t get what makes Cherry tick. Still, their interactions—in person or in group chats is one of the many, many highlights of the book.

Stevie, Tom’s dog, is another one. She’s a Newfoundland-Great Pyrenees mix, and the cause of a huge increase in lint/hair rollers in Cherry’s budget. She was more dog than Cherry was ready for when Tom got her. And then when he left, the two only had each other. And a great bond was made. Stevie’s chaotic energy is wonderful. And one scene (spoiler: the dog lives) with the two of them toward the end of the book, just about broke me.

The rest of the book is just great. Once we meet Tom (in the book’s present), you understand why Cherry loves him—and why it’s so hard for her to be going through this period. When we see him at the beginning of their relationship, you have a hard time believing they’d go wrong. The romance with Russ could be just the thing to keep her afloat in this dark period in her life—and you can see it working.

But like that one guy said, the course of love never did run smooth. And some roads are bumpier than others. With sharp drop-offs to either side. And maybe some snow.

Still, Cherry’s the kind of person you want to watch navigate that course—so you can root for her, cheer for her, and maybe weep with her.

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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Cover Reveal: Whispers of the Storm and Rising Gale by Z.B. Steele

By HCNewton

On May 19, 2026

In Fantasy, Fiction

I’m very pleased today to pitch in with the Cover Reveal for the new covers of Z.B. Steele’s upcoming Rising Gales and its predecessor, Whispers of the Storm. Steele’s book has received love for multiple years in my Spreading the Self-Pub Love series. And these covers are going to help get more people to pick them up and become fans. These covers are eye-grabbers.

Before we get to the reveals, let’s learn a bit more about the books and the author, shall we? It’ll just take a moment.

About the Books:

Whispers of the Storm

CREDLIN OF THE WOLVES
VANGUARD, LEGEND, ASSASSIN, REAPER

Listen to my story:

I wasn’t always the monster they see me as. Half of the songs they sing are stories of my grandeur. The other half are tales of my misdeeds.

The sad truth is that they’re all true.

So, listen to my tale and learn why it all happened. Learn the reason for the war, the reason for all the death.

Listen to my tale and listen well. I won’t be alive long enough to tell it again.

If you’re buying an e-Book, the cover will update sometime today–and the physical copies will switch soon. So if you want to get a classic, collector’s edition of the original cover–buy now!

Rising Gale

My execution draws near…

The noose beckons. My days dwindle. And still, my story is unfinished.

Tears are left to be shed. Blood has yet to be spilled. Lend me your ear once more to hear of sins and failures. Of swords and shadows. Of violet lightning and black blood.

For it was I who began the war of the gods.

Releases on June 16.

About the Author

Z.B. Steele, a Peachtree City, GA, native, now lives in the Birmingham area with his wife, Gabrielle, and their daughter. When not writing or reading, he can be found drinking, crying, staring into the abyss, or some combination of the three.

Steele loves hip-hop, grunge, RPGs, movies, and anime. He’s “willing to argue, any time, anywhere.”

and now…

The Covers

Click on these to embiggen–you’re going to want to see them.

Kudos to these fine folk for their work on this eye-grabber:
Artist: Jeff Brown
Interior formatting for physicals: Abel Montero

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51% by Matt Witten: The SF-ish Mystery I Wish I Could Get Everyone to Read

By HCNewton

On May 15, 2026

In Fiction, Mystery/Detective Fiction/Crime Fiction/Thriller, Science Fiction

51%

by Matt Witten

DETAILS:
Publisher: Level Best Books
Publication Date: April 28, 2026
Format: eARC
Length: 370 pg.
Read Date: May 4-5, 2026

What’s 51% About?

NYPD, Inc. detective Juke O’Keefe is assigned the case of a woman who was the victim of a murder and left in the street. He wants to find the killer. His partner, a crime marketing consultant, Haylee Navarro, isn’t so sure it’s the right case to take. If for no other reason, she doesn’t think they’ll be able to get much money for the investigation, and given the state of the victim, there are probably not many people who will care that much about finding the killer. Particularly when they find a chip embedded in her, signifying that she’s 51% owned by the syndicates.

If almost every word in that paragraph seems wrong, that just means you’re paying attention. Also, welcome to the dystopia depicted in this book.

Juke’s investigation (because Haylee’s just not that convincing compared to the uncompromising standards he holds himself to) brings the pair into contact with the upper echelons of NYC’s economy, to the poorest corners, working against an AI, and even across the path of a resistance movement on the verge of a significant move.

The Worldbuilding

It’s just exquisite. You could easily just read this for the worldbuilding alone, paying no attention to the plot or characters (outside of how both reveal the world). I remember early cyberpunk being defined as being fifteen minutes in the future—assuming I remember that correctly, Witten has set this novel 7 minutes into the future.

Gen Delta’s sensibilities rule (informally) societal mores, almost(?) everything that is government-provided for us has been privatized, and corporate syndicates “own” percentages of people indebted to them. If you need medical care, go to college, etc. you need to take out a loan which represents a certain percentage of you. If you’re a police officer wanting to investigate a crime, you essentially need to crowd-fund the money necessary for forensics and the investigation. So each detective is partnered not with another detective, but a PR agent who will shoot and promote videos about your case to capture the attention and emotions of viewers to raise that money.

Witten does a great job of explaining this process better than I just did in a non-infodump way.

From the slang to the tech to the finances and beyond—this world feels real, lived in, like a nigh-inevitiable future we’re heading toward.

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

When Witten sent me the description, I was hooked. Particularly in his hands—I just didn’t see how it couldn’t be good.

I kept reading because the execution lived up to the premise—the worldbuilding was great, and the story was just as good. You read just a little bit of this, and you’re going to need to keep going.

What does this book tell us about humanity?

I’m not sure that I have a good answer to this. There’s a lot of ugliness in the book—both corporately and individually. But the one thing that came up time and time again is people realizing how they’ve messed up (in big and small ways), and resolving to try to make a difference to make things better for others. Some do this in little ways—just feeding neighborhood cats. Others put their future at risk to protect an innocent person from wrongful arrest. Things like that. There’s just enough of that to keep you from utter despair as you walk through this world.

Or maybe the message is that Canada is the place to go in North America—as it has been for decades.

So, what did I think about 51%?

At its core, 51% is a murder mystery—yes, there’s a lot of futurism noise, political and social commentary, and the rest. But Juke’s hunt for a killer, the red herrings, the leads that don’t work out, and the race against other factors to make sure the right person is arrested—that’s the focus. And, as Jacked and Killer Story have capably demonstrated that Witten knows his way around a crime thriller.

I think the characters—even those on the side of the syndicates that own people—are well-written and complex (although there are some that are little more than stereotypes, but they’re well executed representatives of the type, so it’s hard to complain about them). There are no wholly straightforward motives; everyone has some shading about them.

The reveal of the murderer was well done, and the way the storylines are resolved is very satisfying.

I had a real blast with this one. I really relished the experience of being in the world and watching Juke’s crusade and Haylee getting pulled along in his wake (but also really not doing that). 51% is the kind of book that makes me wish I had a bigger audience so I could tell more people about it. Go read this thing, you’ll be glad you did.

Disclaimer: I received this eARC from the author in exchange for this post, which contains my honest opinion—which worked out well for both of us, I think.

Out Law by Jim Butcher: A Brief Case Sheds New Light on Harry’s Past

By HCNewton

On May 12, 2026

In A-B, Fiction, Harry Dresden, Jim Butcher, Urban Fantasy

Out Law

by Jim Butcher

DETAILS:
Series: The Dresden Files, #18.75
Publisher: Podium Publishing
Publication Date: May 05, 2026
Format: Paperback
Length: 194 pg.
Read Date: May 5, 2026

Marcone is an asshole.

And I was furious.

But some part of me realized that I would not have been so angry if he didn’t have a point in there somewhere. And I was past the point in my life where I would let my anger direct my reactions.

You know. Mostly.

What’s Out Law About?

Shortly after Twelve Months (or parallel to the last chapter or so), Johnny Marcone shows up at Dresden’s castle to call in a favor. He wants Dresden to help one of his “employees” to go straight.

Dresden knows it can’t be that easy—Marcone isn’t going to square their debts for honorable reasons (he wouldn’t believe that before the revelation in Battle Ground, and there’s no way he will believe that now). But it seems that this man is sincere in his desire to live a “straight” life, and Harry’s not going to walk away from someone trying to turn over a new leaf.

So…Harry’s in, and finds ways to help extricate this man on legal, criminal, and magical fronts. While keeping an eye open for clue’s into Marcone’s real motivation.

So, what did I think about Out Law?

“Kid, there’s plenty of evil out there. No-kidding, black-hat, malicious-as-Maleficent evil. You don’t run into it every day. Most people can’t get there. Most people don’t run into it in a lifetime. But it’s real, and there’s no mistaking it when you find it. Whatever this Creature was, it was the genuine article. I mean, it hit a dog and everything.”

At this point, it’d take a real dud for me to complain about a Butcher novella—I think that’s clear. But I’m not seeing a lot to quibble with here regardless.

This is a direct sequel to The Law, featuring many characters from it. It also feeds into the overall arc of the series—particularly to Changes. For that alone, it’s worth the read. Seeing Felix and Bear in action again helps solidify them in the series post-Twelve Months (we even get a glimpse of the Spice Goyles).

It was satisfying—some good lines, some great actions, and a solid conclusion. Not much more to ask for from a novella. Fans will not want to pass this up.

REPOSTING JUST CUZ: Pug Actually by Matt Dunn: A Rescue Dog Tries to Return the Favor

By HCNewton

On May 7, 2026

In Dogs, Fiction, General Fiction/Literature

Pug Actually

by Matt Dunn

Paperback, 313 pg.
Mira Books, 2021

Read: October 5-6, 2021
Grab a copy from your local indie bookstore!

What’s Pug Actually About?

Julie is in a bad relationship, for the last few years she’s been seeing a married man. You know the type—after a few months, he reveals that fact and keeps promising to leave his wife, but… Oh, he’s also her boss. Even if he wasn’t married, he doesn’t treat her well (and is definitely not a dog person). There’s just nothing good to say about Luke.

But Julie really doesn’t see that. Her dad. Jim, and her best friend, Pryia, do—but they can only say so much. But her other best friend, Doug, decides he’s going to do something about it. He starts looking for suitable matches—he doesn’t understand human attractiveness, so he knows he’s at a disadvantage. Early on, he tries to arrange a “meet cute” by knocking over someone’s coffee in the park, but has to abandon that method.

Then Julie is introduced to a recent divorce, Tom. Doug likes him right away (as does Julie’s dad)—even if he is a (gasp) veterinarian. Doug fakes a limp to get taken to Tom’s office, puts up with dog exercise classes in the part, and generally does everything he can to keep the two meeting up. He also steps up his antagonism toward Luke, to try to make it clear to Julie who he prefers.

Doug is a pug who was rescued by Julie and her dad after the death of Julie’s mom. He decides that rescuing can work both ways—and determines that he’s going to find Julie a better guy than Luke.

Without realizing that’s what they’re doing, Jim and Priya help out—discouraging time with Luke and playing up Tom (or anyone else), Jim even is partially responsible for introducing Tom to her.

Slowly something maybe starts between Julie and Tom, and things definitely (and largely independently from the Tom story) get worse between Julie and Luke. And Doug’s along all the while doing his best to help.

The Very Sweet Subplot

When Jim and Doug take their walks, Jim has a habit of stopping by a coffee shop run by a woman named Dot. Dot’s interest in Jim is about as obvious as Doug being a dog. But Jim’s not ready to see anyone after his wife, so is either oblivious or chooses to be. Tom is actually Dot’s son.

About the time that Tom meets Julie, Jim finally opens himself up to the idea of seeing someone. Watching Dot and Jim’s relationship start is possibly the best part of the book (it certainly comes with less drama and more fun).

Doug as Narrator

Going back to Debora and James Howe’s Harold and up through Spencer Quinn’s Chet, I’ve been a sucker for dog narrators. It’s a weakness, and not one I’m in any rush to lose. Doug is one more in a line of dog narrators that has charmed his way into my heart.

Doug’s rather erudite and educated for a canine writer. Sure, there are human things he doesn’t understand, and a few things that a small pug can’t see. But he’s not as easily distracted as Chet, for example. He’s capable of rattling off a Chinese proverb in Chinese—perhaps because he is a pug, because he doesn’t show an affinity for other languages.

He’s also like every dog I’ve ever met, but especially like the pug sitting next to me, and is always hungry—and a little pudgy (hence the need for the exercise class). And while everyone will talk about his need to lose weight, he’s really good at getting them to give him a treat (or finding some on his own).

I really enjoy everyone spelling V-E-T every time they mention Tom’s profession, although as Doug notes, he can spell. The reliable “Big Stretch!” said by everyone who isn’t Luke when Doug stretches brought a grin to my face (and has made me a bit self-conscious when I do the same to my canine companions).

So, what did I think about Pug Actually?

This is a sweet, cute book. Pug Actually is a pretty standard rom-com, you can see most of the story beats coming, but Dunn writes them in an effective way, so who cares? Adding Doug to the mix adds a layer of charm and humor that help make this more than standard.

There’s a moment near the end that really doesn’t seem necessary to add one last hurdle to the Tom and Julie romance. It soured my wife a bit on the book, but me less so. I see where it was necessary—or at least helpful—to give Doug a couple of more shining moments. But the ending was nice enough to make up for whatever stumble that plot point made.

When he was on the Author Stories podcast, Dunn suggested that there might be a sequel in the works. If one appears, I’ll jump on it.

If you’re in the mood for a pleasant, light read, I recommend this. Even better if you’re in the mood for a rom-com. If you’re a dog lover, it’ll help, but even cat people should find plenty to love here.

3.5 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, opinions are my own.

A Violent Masterpiece by Jordan Harper: This Place is a Crime.

By HCNewton

On May 6, 2026

In Fiction, Mystery/Detective Fiction/Crime Fiction/Thriller

I don’t know what I was thinking requesting this from NetGalley. I have the hardest time writing about Harper’s books. I only managed to get one word posted about his last one—and that’s not enough for NetGalley. So, yeah, this took several days longer than it should’ve. But I can almost live with this.

A Violent Masterpiece

by Jordan Harper

DETAILS:
Publisher: Mulholland Books
Publication Date: April 28, 2026
Format: eARC
Length:TEXT
Read Date: April 27, 2026

The Sequel-ness of the Book

This is a follow-up to 2023’s Everybody Knows, but I really wouldn’t say this is a sequel. It’s more of a shared universe kind of thing. The Venn Diagram of the two novels does have some overlap in terms of characters, locations, corporate entities, and events. But the two novels are entirely self-contained and you don’t need to read Everybody Knows to fully appreciate A Violent Masterpiece.

That said—if you read Everybody Knows and want to know what happens in those situations (or at least many of them) six months down the road—you’ll be satisfied. But honestly, that was such a perfect way to end a novel, if you don’t want to step back in—you’re good.

Similarly, if you read A Violent Masterpiece and think “I’d like to know a little bit about how things got to this point,” Everybody Knows, exists. But you have everything you need in these pages.

Now, with that out of the way…

What’s A Violent Masterpiece About?

Take some characters:

The first is Jake Deal. He livestreams crime scenes, tours of historic L.A. crimes, and more. He used to work for a TMZ-like media company, and he still has the skills to get the dirt on people. He’s given an opportunity to make some good money if he uses those skills on a few targets.

A homeless woman, dealing with some dubious legal charges, who is trapped in an uncaring (at best) system.

A serial killer, the L.A. Ripper, killing women throughout the city. The LAPD isn’t prepared to call the killings related, but the rumor mill and the Internet are more than prepared to.

A former TV star/producer who is (very credibly) accused of any number of sex crimes, who is prepared to start naming names of accomplices and others who are just as guilty (if not more so). If he’s going down, he’s not going down alone.

Kara Delgado, a former barista, who was sucked in by the glamor and glitz—and generous salary—to work for a private concierge company. In that role she’ll procure just about anything someone who has the money wants. She’s not sure that that “just about anything” covers anymore, and is starting to have some doubts about the whole thing (but can she walk away?)

Jake’s former boss at the not-TMZ company. She used to work with the producer. She’s involved with some of the same people that use Kara’s company, too. She finds herself entangled in the legal and financial fallout of the producer’s fall into ignominy.

A defense lawyer—think Mickey Haller in the opening pages of The Lincoln Lawyer (before he starts to make a name for himself and some bigger money). Doug Gibson thinks of himself as the knife you bring to a gunfight—and while he may not win, the prosecution’s case will not walk away unscarred.

Throw these characters, a couple of corporations, other entities and far, far more money than a mortal and comprehend and mix them into the heat of L.A.—with all its lights, parties, action, would-be stars, hangers-on, drugs, wealth, and violence. They’re all on courses that will collide—the questions are, who will survive, what will be made known, will anyone I didn’t just name care, and will anything change?

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

Jordan Harper. ‘Nuff said.

What does this book tell us about humanity?

There are no guys with white hats running to the rescue. The one character here who is tempted in their better moments to regard themselves that way isn’t really—and when pushed just right, falls apart and casts off his morality.

But for many of the characters—our three primary and at least one other (that I will remain vague on), there can come a breaking point. A point where they cannot keep going down whatever destructive/self-destructive, amoral path they’re on and they are and they have to depart from that path and try to balance the scales, make amends, mitigate the evil they see (and may have participated in). They’re relatable, they’re believable—they’re broken and trying to make their way in the world to find a little peace for themselves, and maybe some others, too. They’re not trying to fix every injustice, right every wrong—just maybe not let things get worse in their immediate circle.

Alternatively, I’d like to say that Harper shows how even at their worst, there are glimmers of hope of some people—there are some “villains” that aren’t all bad, there’s a streak of goodness in them, some kindness—even a part of them that regrets the evil they do and they want to turn from it—and just might. I’d like to say that, but no. There are some truly vile, corrupt, and evil people—alone or in concert with others—that are wholly despicable.

That’s fitting for a noir novel. It also seems pretty realistic.

So, what did I think about A Violent Masterpiece?

So yeah, things sound pretty bleak after that last sentence. But here’s the difference between reality—in all of it’s banality, evil, and bleakness—and a Harper novel. Harper’s voice, style, characterization, and dialogue are just beautiful. You can get lost in that, revel in it, enough that you can set aside the depravity from time to time and just focus on that.

I think the pacing of this book is a little faster, a little smoother, than Harper’s previous novels. I’d even say that the primary characters are 1-3% more likable. Although, even as I say that, I want to note that every one of Harper’s novels feel so different from each other that it’s hard to say something like that with any degree of confidence. Even the two that are most related.

This is a book that’s going to haunt me. Probably not to the point that Everybody Knows did, just due to the nature of the last couple of chapters of each.

Political commentary, social commentary, cultural commentary—even pop culture commentary. There’s little that Harper doesn’t put in his sights. And he nails it at every turn.

From the first chapter, it was clear that this was going to be a rollicking read. I found myself in a situation with nothing to do but read for a couple of hours and was able to read the first half of this in one sitting. And despite the situation being resolved, I thought about sticking it out longer so I could finish, no matter what side of midnight it was. It was good to get a breather to mull on the book some—but boy howdy, it’d have been satisfying to gulp it in one.

This is a harrowing look at L.A. and the industries the run it (and the money and depravity they allow to flourish). But it’s not just about L.A.—as the novel reminds us, L.A. is America. Everything that happens in this novel happens all around the country on different scales. We’re swimming in it, it’s just a matter of if we want to see it. Harper holds the mirror up to L.A., to the U.S.A., and to ourselves. The challenge is not to avert our eyes.

This is just a brilliant read.

Disclaimer: I received this eARC from Little, Brown and Company via NetGalley in exchange for this post, which contains my honest opinion—thanks to both for this.

Grandpappy’s Corner: Hey, Al by Arthur Yorinks, Richard Egielski (Illustrator): Maybe a Little Creepy, But Sweet

By HCNewton

On April 28, 2026

In Fantasy, Fiction, Grandpappy's Corner, YA/MG/Children's Books

Hey, Al

by Arthur Yorinks, Richard Egielski (Illustrator)

DETAILS:
Publisher: Square Fish
Publication Date: May 01, 1989
Format: Hardcover
Length: 32 pgs.
Read Date: April 18, 2026

What’s Hey, Al About?

Al is a janitor, and Eddie is his faithful dog. They do everything together–work, leisure, you name it. They live in a cramped apartment in New York. And the quarters might be a little too tight for the two, even as close as they are (Eddie, in particular, seems to want more).

One day, a giant bird offers them a way out–he offers to take the two of them somewhere to get away from all of their lives. That’s a bit much for Al to take in, and he resists. But Eddie puts his foot down, so the next day this giant bird takes them to its home–a floating island in the sky.

Because, of course, it is.

This island is populated by all sorts of various birds best described larger-than-they-should be, and the life seems idyllic.

But, as everything does, there is a cost to this. And it’s not long before the pair learn what it is. Is it too much?

Let’s Talk about the Art for a Minute

Oh, it’s just great. Apparently, Yorinks and Egielski work together a lot–and they should. Egielski’s illustrations are just dynamite. They perfectly capture the story–and they’re attention-grabbing enough that a young reader might not really care about the text, as long as they can flip through the book to look at the illustrations.

The birds are fantastic–and that island (gravity-defying as it may be) looks gorgeous. The emotions–positive and negative–of Al and Eddie are conveyed perfectly.

It’s just great.

How is it to Read Aloud?

It’s fine–there’s nothing dazzling about the text, it’s a solid story that the grown-up reader will be able to make it through just fine while looking at all the art with their younger audience.

So, what did I think about Hey, Al?

Honestly, it seemed a little dark for a couple of pages, given the audience. But I remember kids’ books don’t need to make everything too exciting and happy–kids can handle a little darkness (especially if there’s a happy ending–and spoiler alert, there is one.)

This is just a wonderful book read–full of imagination. It’s one to get your hands on (even if you’re a little “too old” for 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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The Traitor Baru Cormorant by Seth Dickinson: Survive Long Enough to Gather Power. Gather Enough Power to Make a Difference.

By HCNewton

On April 24, 2026

In Fantasy, Fiction

The Traitor Baru Cormorant

by Seth Dickinson

DETAILS:
Series: The Masquerade, #1
Publisher: Tor Books
Publication Date: November 29, 2016
Format: Paperback
Length: 399 pg.
Read Date: April 10-13, 2026

“The tide is coming in,” he said. “The ocean has reached this little pool. There will be turbulence, and confusion, and ruin. This is what happens when something small joins something vast.”

What’s The Traitor Baru Cormorant About?

This is tricky…in brief, the Empire of Masks comes and (mostly peacefully) annexes the island of Taranoke. Social hygienists and others come in to help civilize and educate the inhabitants. Part of that involves teaching their children—Baru Cormorant is one of the (if not the) brightest of the students—and she is told that she can go far in the world. Perhaps even to be part of the Empire’s government. Which makes her study harder.

She knows that the Empire cannot be beaten—especially by her people—militarily. Any change will have to come from within, so she has to earn a position of influence.

After school, she’s sent to be the Imperial Accountant to a region annexed some time before her home was—but there are still many groups trying to rebel and a variety of methods being employed to keep them down.

Baru finds corruption and fraud on all levels—and comes up with a very clever way to throw cold water on the upstarts through a little monetary manipulation.

Then, she’s swept up in a movement on the other side—people from Aurdwynn tired of bowing the knee (literally and figuratively) to the Empire—they want their land back. And Baru ends up acting as one of their leaders in the effort. Maybe she couldn’t help her people, but maybe she can be of service to these?

Things get wild after that.

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

I picked this up because it was the Fantasy Book Club pick for the month. I knew nothing about it beyond that.

Why did I stick with it? Well, for the most part, because it was the Fantasy Book Club pick for the month. The writing was good, Baru was interesting, I liked the opening pages. But honestly—economic manipulation, political games that don’t seem to matter, and auditing the finances of the territory and various Dukes/Duchesses is not my idea of a riveting read.

But somewhere after the halfway point (arguably too late, and this would’ve been a good DNF candidate), things started to pick up. And then the action got a bit brisker, the political maneuvering wasn’t just about backroom deals that added up to little victories—they became about life and death—and not just in a theoretical way. The book kept getting better and better—like the proverbial snowball rolling downhill, getting bigger and faster all the way.

And then Dickinson threw in his twists, and…oh, reader, I cannot tell you how hard I fell for this book.

What does this book tell us about humanity?

First, I’m going to lift two paragraphs from my post earlier this week about Adrian Tchaikovsky’s City of Last Chances (a book I thought about a lot as I read this one)

For one, there’s a great depiction of the utter lack of compassion and naked ambition that can befall those who are convinced they/their group are absolutely correct, the only determiner of what is right/wrong, as they try to elevate/educate/correct another group of people.

On the other side, we have a selfishness and greed that a resistance can give shelter to. “Yes, I want to push back against this oppressive regime—but not so much that it’ll interfere with my art/scholarship/business or cause me any more inconvenience than I’m currently experiencing.”

But that’s a cheat—also, it’s not the biggest thing that stands out to me about this book. This book is a fantastic depiction of vengeance and what it can do to a person. Time after time after time, Baru gets the opportunity to live a decent life, to take some pleasure in things, to trust people (at least some), to work for the betterment of someone—anyone. And she really can’t—at least not for long—because she’s so entirely driven by her mission to change the Empire from within. Nothing comes before that—nothing is equal to that.

This makes her life dark, unpleasant, and unfulfilling, sure. It also makes her a handy tool for those who recognize her single-mindedness. I won’t get into who uses her in this way (or tries to, or sets her on a path to being used this way)—but despite what she thinks—and she really can’t see how easily she lets them do it to her. (or does she?)

I think it’s easy to see Baru and her thirst for vengeance all around us—not to the same degree that often (thankfully). But it’s there. It’s one of the uglier sides of humanity (and there are more than enough of those). And the reflective reader is going to pick up on this.

So, what did I think about The Traitor Baru Cormorant?

Even for the 200 hundred or so pages that I really wondered about this book, I couldn’t deny that Dickinson had writing chops. He captured characters and little moments between them so well. His descriptions were vivid and brought this world to life. And there were just so many quotable lines throughout the book, things like “This is the truth. You will know because it hurts.”

But, the pacing…I just don’t know. I don’t know if enough readers will stick with the political posturing, the economics, the audits, and the like to get to the good stuff. Yes, in retrospect, it’s absolutely worth it. And I can make the argument for him pacing it the way he did. I just don’t know that he should’ve. At one point, he writes about Baru, “She accepted the bargain without understanding the price. A terrible mistake, for an accountant.” I similarly wonder if the price Dickinson asks readers to pay to get to the latter half of the book is a terrible mistake for a writer.

But the book as a whole is just brilliant. For all the twists, turns, and shocks that fill these pages, he plays fair with the audience. Towards the end, there are a few pages where Baru thinks back over what had happened, and Dickinson lays it all out for us so we can see where he’d told us everything we needed to know. He’s like a Golden Age mystery writer, putting all the clues right out in the open for the reader to put together.

I was blown away by this book. Baru is a fascinating character—as are so many others, but I can’t really get into the who and why I find them so fascinating without revealing too much about them. Maybe I’ll be able to write about the survivors after the next book—if more than one or two show up.