Category: Fiction Page 37 of 317

The Ballad of Bonaduke—Episode 31: Cheat by R. T. Slaywood: Buckle Up!

The Ballad of BonadukeThe Ballad of Bonaduke—
Episode 31: Cheat

by R.T. Slaywood

DETAILS:
Series: The Ballad of Bonaduke, #31
Format: Kindle Vella Story
Read Date: August 10, 2023

The shooting is making this difficult!

The Story So Far…

A drunken Michael Bonaduke decides to use a grift (with maybe some sort of magic/magic-like “help”) to win on a scratch-off lottery ticket so he has money to buy more to drink. He pulls off whatever he did, gets his money and some booze and stumbles off into the darkness to drink himself into oblivion so he can start again the next day. He’s hit by dark memories (probably what’s driving him to the drinking) of fire, pleading, and screaming. There’s going to be a price to pay for his grift, and he’s trying to be ready.

He’s abducted by some representatives of a mysterious group who subject him to a test—if he passes, everything will be explained to him (and hopefully the reader, too). He passes—and is brought somewhere for answers, or maybe training, or maybe another test. Time will tell (or things are going to get really annoying). Answers aren’t quick to come—but the mysteries and questions keep piling up.

Things get hairy and Bonaduke leaves and finds himself back in the neighborhood he started from. He takes refuge in a homeless encampment shortly before a police raid. He’s apprehended and finds himself an interrogation room and shortly escapes after using his grift (but with results he didn’t quite intend). He finds himself by a group of squatters who seem to have strapped a woman to a chair for reasons that can’t be good. He attempts to rescue her before he even realizes what he’s doing, and seems to have succeeded—well, the two of them got away from the group anyway—breathing but bruised. They make their way to a fast-food taco joint and Bonaduke really needs to refuel to keep going. He tries, but fails to get food because he keeps passing out. Thankfully, the clerk is the same guy from the liquor store and he both recognizes him and gives him first aid. The woman (Zero) wakes up and shows some abilities of her on as she helps them escape from her captors who’ve tracked her down.

What’s Cheat About?

Zero’s driving the car like a bat out of hell—or at least as much as she can. She’s weaving all over, battering cars of the squatters, and essentially barely keeping them all alive. Something about the way that Bonaduke is playing a video game on the clerk’s phone is impacting them—Zero doesn’t really explain, but this has something to do with what she insisted they believe in the last episode.

Still, Bonaduke isn’t that good at phone games. Then he realizes that he borrowed the phone and his grift is able to kick in.

So, what did I think about Cheat?

I want more details about Zero’s ability—but I realize that a high-speed chase isn’t the best place for a conversation.

This episode was a lot of fun. There’s not much more to say.


4 Stars

Barking for Business by E.N. Crane: Move Over Plum, It’s Time for Cynthia Sharp and Winnie

Barking for BusinessBarking for Business

by E. N. Crane

DETAILS:
Series: Sharp Investigations, #1
Publisher: Perry Dog Publishing
Publication Date: June 1, 2021
Format: Paperback
Length: 307 pg.
Read Date: July 26-27, 2023
Buy from Bookshop.org Support Indie Bookstores


I apologize in advance for all the references to Stephanie Plum that follow. This is sort of like all the people who mention Adams or Pratchett when talking about humor in Science Fiction or Fantasy, even if the styles don’t match. It’s just hard to talk about a character like this and a book like this without mentioning Stephanie.

Also, Crane did that herself when I met her. So she stuck it in my head.

What’s Barking for Business About?

After the latest in a series of successful investigations that double as calamities (you’ll have to read the first couple of chapters to see), Specialist Cynthia Sharp, MP, and her partner, Sgt. Pupperson, are discharged from the Army and return to Cyn’s hometown of Sweet Pea, OH—a very small town that should provide some peace and quiet while they decide their next move.

Before they can even enter the Sharp residence, a neighbor approaches Cyn with a job—someone has been taking money from the church bingo funds and she wants Cyn to put an end to it. Mostly because she can’t say no to this older woman—and because she has nothing else to do—she agrees.

This puts Cyn on a collision course with a military crime, a murderer, some serious gangsters, identity thieves, and more. She also has to deal with a love (lust?) triangle and reuniting with a best friend whose fantastic baked goods could probably prove dangerous to anyone with a weakness for sweets.

Sgt. Winnifred Pupperson

Winnie, as she prefers to be called, is a Belgian Malinois dog that found her match in her K-9 handler. She’s reckless enough to make Chet the Jet look disciplined, is very food motivated (sure, she’s a dog, so that’s a given—but as most dog people know, there are levels—she can sniff out junk food faster than Brenda Leigh Johnson, and is the perfect combination of canine athleticism, furry chaos, and unintentional hilarity.

My only complaint is that there’s not quite enough of her. Cyn leaves her at home too often. Probably a realistic amount—but too much for my taste. Hopefully, in time the people of Sweet Pea accept her presence in places they shouldn’t so she can be in on more of the action.

And You Think Stephanie Plum is Hard on Cars?

Hopefully, this isn’t too much of a spoiler, but it’s so good I have to talk about it.

Early on, Cyn breaks her arm in an understandable mishap. And over the next 240 or so pages, has to keep replacing the cast after catastrophe after catastrophe befalls it.

Somehow, every time, the reaction of the medical staff and the predicament she finds herself in makes me laugh. Every time. I cannot believe how well this recurring joke worked for me (that’s not a slight on Crane—it’s about my sense of humor/patience). You think she’s done with it—and she’s not. In fact, you find yourself wondering how it’ll happen again and looking forward to it.

The Fun Twist of Character

Yes, she’s clumsy. Sure, she’s easily distracted. Her dog handling skills are, um, sub-par. But I tell you what…when it’s crunch time? When things matter? Cyn is sharp.* She is more competent than you expect—piecing together clues, dealing with dangerous situations, and saving the day like the seasoned pro you’d expect from someone just out of the MPs. When that aspect started to really show itself I was impressed. This isn’t about someone flailing about and somehow stumbling on to the truth of the matter (like a certain NJ bond enforcement officer or Inspector Gadget)—it’s about an accident-prone woman who can shine when given the opportunity.

* I know. I know. I’m sorry.

So, what did I think about Barking for Business?

This was just ridiculously fun. It’s hard to come up with more to say than that (obviously, I’ve found a way, but the temptation to just write that sentence and move on was strong).

There’s a little too much peril and action for this to technically be a cozy, I think. But I could be wrong about that. Regardless, it’s in that same zip code. The focus is never really on that—it’s about the puzzle, it’s about the antics of Cyn and Winnie. Cozy fans should feel very at home with it. More than anything, Barking for Business is a comedy—there are few pages that go by without something—a little slapstick, a nice bit of humor in the narration, Cyn saying something she’ll regret, or worse, learning something about her parents that she’ll regret.

Do I worry that the town is too small to keep things happening? Sure. But when their first case starts with money missing from the church’s bingo earnings, it’s obvious that Crane can make much from little. Do I worry that the schtick of the series will get old by book 5 or 6? A little. But I worry that about the premise of several series, and it means that I have at least 4 or 5 more books to enjoy before that happens. For now? I’m just going to shut my pie hole and enjoy the ride.

This is a fast, breezy read that’s full of excitement and humor. It’s the perfect book for people who fondly remember the first few Stephanie Plum books or have ever wondered what it would be like if Miranda Hart or Mindy Kaling wrote crime fiction (possibly co-writing it). I’ve got the second novel on my shelf already and am trying to figure out how to get it read quickly.


3 Stars

This post contains an affiliate link. If you purchase from it, I will get a small commission at no additional cost to you. As always, the opinions expressed are my own.

I’m a Little in Awe Over S.A. Cosby’s All the Sinners Bleed, and Probably Don’t Convey Just How Great It Is, But I Try

This was supposed to go up Monday afternoon, but I just didn’t like what I had then. I’m still not satisfied with this, but I don’t actively hate it, which will have to do.


All the Sinners BleedAll the Sinners Bleed

by S. A. Cosby

DETAILS:
Publisher: Flatiron Books
Publication Date: June 06, 2023
Format: Hardcover
Length: 338 pg
Read Date: July 28-August 1, 2023
Buy from Bookshop.org Support Indie Bookstores

Sheriff Titus Crown

We’re going to start with this character, instead of the plot. He makes or breaks your experience with this book more than anything else.

Titus Crown had a long career in the FBI until he retired and came home to take care of his father after a surgery. (or at least that’s what he tells people). An opening in the office of Sheriff presented an opportunity, and Titus was talked into running by many in the community. He’s now the first black Sheriff of Charon County, Virginia. It looks likely that he’ll be the last one for a while, too.

Electing Titus hadn’t initiated a golden era of racial reconciliation. True, minorities weren’t routinely pulled over for little reason, aren’t beaten, and so on—they’re treated fairly under the law. As are white men. Because Titus knows he has to play it straight—if he acted the way some of his supporters wanted him to, he’d be no better than his predecessors—and there’s no way the county government would let him stay in power. But mostly Titus treats everyone the same no matter their race or financial status because that’s the way he’s built. It’s just not in him to do otherwise.

Sadly, for many of the people that voted for him, that means he’s not the first black Sheriff anymore. He’s blue.

He is smart, controlled, and driven. For him, these are both strengths and curses—his life would be easier if those qualities weren’t so strong in him. Then again, he wouldn’t have accomplished almost everything he has otherwise.

When he’s not doing a thankless job that he wonders why he asked for, he’s trying to keep his girlfriend. He knows he’s not good at long-term relationships, but he keeps trying. He wants to be good at them—or at least better.

The Instigating Incident

I feel okay talking about this because it’s in the book description—I wouldn’t have otherwise (and am very glad I can because I don’t know how I’d have danced around it).

On the two-year anniversary of his taking office, Titus’ relaxed morning is interrupted by reports of an active shooter at the high school. In the midst of the chaos he and his deputies encounter when they arrive on the scene, he learns that one teacher has been killed in a targeted attack. They have a brief conversation with the shooter before his deputies open fire and kill him.

Titus has to calm the public, investigate both the shooter and his deputies, and somehow explain to an old friend why his son is dead at the hands of his department. But first…

What the Novel is Really About…

Until that morning, there’d been two murders in Charon County in the last fifteen years. Following up on something the shooter said, Titus and his deputies stumble onto something that makes the school shooting the least horrible thing imaginable. It turns out that there’d been more than two murders—several more. A serial killer has been active in Charon County for several years.

This is the kind of serial killer that will haunt the dreams of every officer involved in the investigation for the rest of their lives—and more than a few waking hours, as well. There’s the sheer number of victims that happened in this supposedly quiet and peaceful community without anyone noticing. There’s the brutality (a word that somehow feels inadequate) of what was done to the victims. And then they start to learn about the psychology of the killer—and what kind of life must’ve driven him to these killings.

Any of those are likely to leave some scars on Titus and his team—the combination is sure to. And when the killer changes up their modus operandi in reaction to people discovering what they’ve been up to and to discourage Titus? A new level of horror emerges.

Some of the Other Things Going On

On top of all of this are:

  • Too many things with Titus’ father, brother, and religion to talk about.
  • An ongoing investigation into a suspected drug distribution center.
  • An internal investigation into a suspected dirty cop.
  • Pressure from the County Government for Titus to clear all this up before tourist season is even more endangered than it is.
  • Pressure from a group called “The Sons of the Confederacy” to make sure that someone from Titus’ “cultural background” offers them adequate protection from protestors during the upcoming Fall Fest celebration/rally to protect a statue commemorating a Confederate officer.
  • Titus’ last girlfriend, a journalist turned True Crime podcaster who has come to town to report on the killer.

All in all, Titus has to wish that he’d never moved back home.

I’m pretty sure I left some stuff off that list—but this book never feels overstuffed.

So, what did I think about All the Sinners Bleed?

It’s this kind of book that makes me wish I was a real reviewer instead of a fanboy yelling by bookish yawp across the rooftops of the world. This begs for literary analysis. Sparse, but rich, prose that further disproves the notion that genre can’t be the home of good writing. Cosby tackles hard issues—but really doesn’t try to solve them—he merely puts them on display for readers to acknowledge and wrestle with.

It’s also just a cracking thriller that could be read as shallowly as you want and would keep you white-knuckled and racing to the final confrontation. Tricksy writer that he is, Cosby’s style makes that incredibly easy to do—but if you go that way, you miss the richness of this book.

Cosby’s Blacktop Wasteland blew me away as did this one. I wrote:

From the first paragraph that made me sit up and say “Oh, this explains the hype,” to the devastating last line—and all points in between, Blacktop Wasteland is one of those books that a guy can’t describe without seeming hyperbolic.

All the Sinners Bleed starts off more slowly (although the first few lines are dynamite), and it’s last line hits far differently, but the quality in between is just the same. Cosby’s going to knock you out every time you pick up one of his books, he’s just going to come at you from a different direction than last time.

This is not the beginning of a series—but I wish it was. I’d love to spend years with (many of) these people. Instead, we get to join them for one intense period in their lives and in the dark history of their town. That’s more than enough.*

* Also, more crimes like this in Charon County would be stretching credulity in a way that would be difficult to do with integrity.

Hopefully, I’m not over-hyping this book. My rating is one of the easiest 5 stars I’ve ever given. When I finished this book, I texted a friend that “Well, I really don’t have to read anything else this year, right? What’s going to match this?” Cosby’s talked frequently about the impact that some of Dennis Lehane’s early books made on him—there’s at least one yet-to-be-published crime writer out there who will be talking about All the Sinners Bleed in the same way in the years to come.


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, the opinions expressed are my own.

Stray Ally by Troy Lambert: Hang On To Your Hat During This Breakneck Thriller

This is part of my Literary Locals series. Be sure to check out this Q&A with the author about his thoughts on writing in Idaho.


Stray AllyStray Ally

by Troy Lambert

DETAILS:
Series: Dog Complex, #2
Publisher: Unbound Media
Publication Date: September 6, 2019
Format: Paperback
Length: 206 pg.
Read Date: July 7, 2023
Buy from Bookshop.org Support Indie Bookstores

What’s Stray Ally About?

Ex-Special Ops soldier, Todd Clarke, is on his way to an interview for a job he doesn’t need, but can’t turn down–to act as part of the security for the new governor of Idaho at a special event–when a tragedy on the freeway stops him. Next thing he knows, he’s being framed for murder.

Clarke escapes from custody and sets out to hide from the authorities while his wife’s high-priced attorneys do their job. But then a Colonel that Clarke had investigated for Aryan activities (and other malodorous actions) sets U.S. troops out to hunt him down and the gloves have to come off.

Accompanied only by a dog that befriended Clarke after the death of his former owner, he evades capture for a while. Then he realizes what’s going on and has to risk capture–and probably his life–to stop that Colonel and his allies.

The Unanswered Question

At some point, it starts to click with the reader that not only is Sparky a fantastically behaved dog–better than training alone could explain, but it’s fiction–roll with it. But every other dog behaves strangely, too. I’m not going to say more than that.

We are never given an explanation for that. I have a handful of theories–all half-baked and probably wrong. But Lambert really doesn’t even hint at an explanation.

And it works. All sorts of characters–white hats as well as black hats–recognize the behavior, and some even wonder about it. But they all just accept it as something that’s happening. This really helps the reader to roll with it, too. But more than that–the pacing of this book doesn’t really encourage reflection or consideration of plausibility. You’re just trying to hang on to the ride and not get thrown out at the next turn.

In most circumstances, I’d get annoyed and ask for a little more to be given to the reader. But Lambert’s adventure is one of the exceptions. I’d like to be told that one of my hare-brained notions was right–or to be definitively told I was wrong. But honestly? I don’t care. Dog Complex #2 doesn’t need to bother with explaining things–just give me another story like this.

The Most Unbelievable Thing

I’m very tempted to classify this book as a Fantasy novel more than anything else. Sure, there’s the very strange, nigh-unbelievable, and unexplained dog behavior (see above)–but you know what? It’s easy to suspend disbelief and roll with that.

But an African American being elected governor of Idaho in a contemporary story? Come on, Lambert…pull the other one. Add to that a large, multi-ethnic, progressive Christian group gathering to celebrate that election? In Boise? Next to that, it’s time to start talking about the gritty realism of a Terry Pratchett or Douglas Adams book.

Set this in 2070, and I could go with it. Although that’d still be hard to swallow. Set in a 2020-ish world? Forget it. I’m not saying that I’m against that kind of thing happening–I just can’t see it. Sorry.

So, what did I think about Stray Ally?

This was a fast and furious action thrill-ride. A protagonist with a murky past that you know is doing the morally right thing (even if you wonder about some of his methods) up against an obviously evil plan with the odds stacked against him by men on both sides of the law.

You can’t help but root for this guy and love every second of vigilante action.

Large parts of this book felt like a contemporary First Blood–the ex-special ops soldier taking on all-comers and finding a way to win. But then it shifts into just pure action-hero kind of area and is just fun.

Grab a bucket of popcorn and buckle in for a wild ride with Stray Ally.


3 Stars

This post contains an affiliate link. If you purchase from it, I will get a small commission at no additional cost to you. As always, the opinions expressed are my own.
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The Ballad of Bonaduke—Episode 30: Zero Game by R. T. Slaywood: Something’s Afoot!

The Ballad of BonadukeThe Ballad of Bonaduke—
Episode 30: Zero Game

by R.T. Slaywood

DETAILS:
Series: The Ballad of Bonaduke, #30
Format: Kindle Vella Story
Read Date: August 4, 2023

…whatever happens next you have to believe or we’re worse than dead.

The Story So Far…

A drunken Michael Bonaduke decides to use a grift (with maybe some sort of magic/magic-like “help”) to win on a scratch-off lottery ticket so he has money to buy more to drink. He pulls off whatever he did, gets his money and some booze and stumbles off into the darkness to drink himself into oblivion so he can start again the next day. He’s hit by dark memories (probably what’s driving him to the drinking) of fire, pleading, and screaming. There’s going to be a price to pay for his grift, and he’s trying to be ready.

He’s abducted by some representatives of a mysterious group who subject him to a test—if he passes, everything will be explained to him (and hopefully the reader, too). He passes—and is brought somewhere for answers, or maybe training, or maybe another test. Time will tell (or things are going to get really annoying). Answers aren’t quick to come—but the mysteries and questions keep piling up.

Things get hairy and Bonaduke leaves and finds himself back in the neighborhood he started from. He takes refuge in a homeless encampment shortly before a police raid. He’s apprehended and finds himself an interrogation room and shortly escapes after using his grift (but with results he didn’t quite intend). He finds himself by a group of squatters who seem to have strapped a woman to a chair for reasons that can’t be good. He attempts to rescue her before he even realizes what he’s doing, and seems to have succeeded—well, the two of them got away from the group anyway—breathing but bruised. They make their way to a fast-food taco joint and Bonaduke really needs to refuel to keep going. He tries, but fails to get food because he keeps passing out. Thankfully, the clerk is the same guy from the liquor store and he both recognizes him and gives him first aid.

What’s Zero Game About?

Before Bonaduke can get some food or come up with a decent plan for what to do next, the squatters find them and try to invade the restaurant to get the woman back (and probably punish Bonaduke). She wakes up, very conveniently, and takes charge—getting the clerk and Bonaduke to follow her lead pretty effortlessly (but not entirely willingly).

Then things get dangerous and weird.

So, what did I think about Zero Game?

Oh, ho. This is full of things happening. There’s zero naval-gazing or setup for later here (well, a little setup)—it’s about action and the story moving forward. This woman, apparently named Zero, is someone that I want to get to know better. And I think we’re going to get that chance.

Now I’m really annoyed that I took last week off because I could’ve been reading Episode 31 today otherwise. I really want to see what Zero does next.


4 Stars

Real Tigers by Mick Herron: Things Hit Close to Home for the Slow Horses

Real TigersReal Tigers

by Mick Herron

DETAILS:
Series: Slough House, #3
Publisher: Soho Crime
Publication Date: January 19, 2016
Format: Hardcover
Length: 343 pg.
Read Date: May 21-June 2, 2023
Buy from Bookshop.org Support Indie Bookstores

Real Tigers‘ Flap Copy

I don’t like what I’ve come up with to describe the book, so I’m just going to use the flap copy:

London: Slough House is the MI5 branch where disgraced operatives are reassigned after they’ve messed up too badly to be trusted with real intelligence work. The “Slow Horses,” as the failed spies of Slough House are called, are doomed to spend the rest of their careers pushing paper, but they all want back in on the action.

When one of their own is kidnapped and held for ransom, the agents of Slough House must defeat the odds, overturning all expectations of their competence, to breach the top-notch security of MI5’s intelligence headquarters, Regent’s Park, and steal valuable intel in exchange for their comrade’s safety. The kidnapping is only the tip of the iceberg, however—the agents uncover a larger web of intrigue that involves not only a group of private mercenaries but the highest authorities in the Secret Service. After years spent as the lowest on the totem pole, the Slow Horses suddenly find themselves caught in the midst of a conspiracy that threatens not only the future of Slough House, but of MI5 itself.

The Introduction

I absolutely love the way that Herron introduces Slough House and its denizens in each book. It reminds me of the way that Rex Stout’s Archie gives the rundown of Wolfe’s Brownstone and the routine in each book. But Herron’s unique approach to each introduction has really clicked with me and I look forward to this part of the books.

I can see just opening up one of these at random from time to time, reading the description of Slough House, and moving on with just a quick refreshing hit of Herron’s magic.

Roddy Ho

Roddy Ho is a great hacker—that’s clear. He’s probably almost as good as he thinks he is. The level of delusion he has about his desirability to women outdoes even Crais’ John Chen (and that’s saying something)—it’s a fun character trait, even if it is hard to believe that someone can be that clueless about themselves.*

* 5 minutes on social media reminded me of the power of self-delusion. Never mind.

That said…it’s easy between books to remember how fun it is to see him getting verbally smacked around by Lamb or River pressuring him to work, and how good he is at the technical stuff, etc.—but to forget just what wholly unpleasant person he is. I mentioned John Chen before, Chen is helpless and harmless (while being a misogynistic creep). Roddy doesn’t have that veneer of hapless charm that Chen carries—and is a bigger misogynistic creep. I just want to wash my hands after a scene focused on him if it shows him thinking or talking about women. He probably belongs in prison and would’ve ended up there if not for being employed by MI5.

Team Building?

I will say, for a bunch of misanthropic individualists, when it comes to one of their own, the Slow Horses are really good at teamwork. They spend so much time on their own, regretting their own mistakes that landed them in Slough House, dreaming and scheming their way back to Regent’s Park, etc. that they all have a serious bit of tunnel vision. They’re all focused on themselves to the exclusion of pretty much everyone else—but they’re becoming closer to a true team—particularly when one of them is in some sort of jeopardy.

It’s nice to see—and generally funny, because they’re so bad at teamwork. But the bits that they get right—either on the job or off—are heartwarming to see.

As heartwarming as this series gets, anyway.

So, what did I think about Real Tigers?

The way that this book deals with the Dead Lions-aftermath is the best part for me. Obviously, most of that has to do with Lousia, but it’s there for everyone to one degree or another. Yes, these books can be read as stand-alones, but there’s an impact to be felt from the previous novels. The MI5 and political machinations behind all the actions—the twists, double-twists, and triple-twists. I know that’s part-and-parcel for this series, so I’m not complaining about that. It felt off…overdone maybe? The Slow Horses doing their thing was entertaining enough. But the package as a whole felt like a letdown.

Still, I loved reading this book. Herron can put together a sentence like no one else. I can’t imagine there’s something I wouldn’t want to read him describe. Even when I didn’t really connect with the story, I couldn’t stop reading—that’s all down to Herron’s skill and the fantastic characters he fills his books with. I’m not just talking about the Horses, even the characters that you’re going to see for 1-2 chapters feel like they’ve got a depth to them that could sustain a novel.


4 Stars

This post contains an affiliate link. If you purchase from it, I will get a small commission at no additional cost to you. As always, the opinions expressed are my own.

Grandpappy’s Corner: How Did the Hippopotamus Get There? by Sohrab Rezvan, Kyana Mitchell (Illustrator): A Question No Parent Wants to Ask

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How Did the Hippopotamus Get There?

by Sohrab Rezvan, Kyana Mitchell (Illustrator)

DETAILS:
Publisher: Flat Mountain Publishing
Publication Date: Jun 29, 2023
Format: PDF
Length: 40 pg.
Read Date: July 31, 2023
Buy from Bookshop.org Support Indie Bookstores

What’s How Did the Hippopotamus Get There? About?

Sophia is playing outside on the day before her birthday when an escaped Hippopotamus wanders into her yard. Sophia leaps to the only obvious conclusion (for a child)—it’s a birthday gift that appeared a day early. She falls in love immediately—and her dog seems to like him, too—naming him Fred.

Her parents aren’t so sure about this and spend the rest of the book wondering how the hippopotamus got into their treehouse, kitchen, bathroom, fireplace, etc.

And the fun ensues.

Let’s Talk about the Art for a Minute

Kyana Mitchell’s characters are adorable. I started to list a few particulars and ended up naming the whole cast—Sophia, Fred, Sophia’s parents, and Sparky (the dog)—all of them are adorable and full of personality. The illustrations leap off the page and are lively and bright, the details are funny (especially for the 5 and under crowd). There’s no way that these drawings don’t hold a young person’s attention.

Sure, sometimes the perspective is a little wonky—always intentionally, to make the story work (Fred changes sizes all the time). But if you’re reading this book and worrying about things like that, you’re missing the point.

Here’s a sample from the Publisher’s page (there are others, there, too)—if you click on it, you’ll be taken to a larger version:
How Did the Hippopotamus Get There? Preview Page

How is it to Read Aloud?

This is great fodder for a parent who enjoys doing voices as they read—the parents in particular seem like a blast. The text is full of excited utterances and emotion, if you’re in the right mood, it’s going to be so much fun to read.

If you’re tired, you’re going to want to suggest that the child you read to finds something else, because this is going to take some effort to match the book (if you ask me).

So, what did I think about How Did the Hippopotamus Get There??

If Norman Bridwell taught us nothing else, he taught us that a little girl with an oversized pet interacting with normal-sized things is funny. And more funny if the parents aren’t necessarily on board with that. Rezvan and Mitchell have captured that spirit here.

There are no life lessons to be found, there’s no message, and there’s exactly 1 sweet line (and it really is sweet). The rest of it is just ridiculous fun. Which is the biggest thing I look for in a book like this, so color me satisfied.

Recommended.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the Author via BookSirens in exchange for this post and my honest opinion—thanks to both for this.


3 Stars

This post contains an affiliate link. If you purchase from it, I will get a small commission at no additional cost to you. As always, the opinions expressed are my own.
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20 Books of Summer 2023: July Check-In

20 Books of Summer
Here’s a quick check-in for this challenge run by Cathy at 746 Books.

So far, I’ve read 11 of the 20—which puts me 2 behind last year (but 3 ahead of 2021, though). I should read at 2-3 over the rest of this week, so I’m feeling pretty good about where I am. I think I’ll have a week to spare.

Now I’ve only written about four of these books, so I’ve got my work cut out for me if I want to get caught up on these by the end of the Summer. It’s doable, but, I need to get to work on that.

✔ 1. The Curse of the Silver Pharaoh by Pip Ballantine and Tee Morris
2. Spirelli Paranormal Investigations: Episodes 1-3 by Kate Baray
3. The Lemon Man by Ken Bruton
4. The Flood Circle by Harry Connolly
✔ 5. Barking for Business by E.N. Crane
✔ 6. Random Sh*t Flying Through the Air by Jackson Ford (my post about it)
✔ 7. Eye of the Sh*t Storm by Jackson Ford
8. A Sh*tload of Crazy Powers by Jackson Ford
✔ 9. The Ink Black Heart by Robert Galbraith
10. Stone of Asylum by Hilarey Johnson
✔ 11. Proxies by James T. Lambert
12. Teaching Moments by Troy Lambert
✔ 13. Stray Ally by Troy Lambert
✔ 14. Cutthroat Cupcakes by Cate Lawley (my post about it)
15. Shadow Ranch by Rebecca Carey Lyles
✔ 16. Pure of Heart by Danielle Parker (my post about it)
✔ 17. The Worst Man by Jon Rance (my post about it)
18. However Long the Day by Justin Reed
✔ 19. Klone’s Stronghold by Joyce Reynolds-Ward (my post about it)
20. Fuzzwiggs: The Switcheroo by Amy Maren Rice

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

20 Books of Summer '23 July Check In Chart

Klone’s Stronghold by Joyce Reynolds-Ward: Nothing—I mean Nothing—Is What It Seems In This Fantasy

That’s the best of a dozen headlines for this post. Which tells you something about the other eleven.
Joyce Reynolds-Ward participated in a Q&A with me about Writing Near Southwest Idaho earlier this year, and I’ve finally found the time to read one of her novels. She’ll be back this afternoon for a Q&A about this book, but first, allow me to ramble on a bit about it.


Klone's StrongholdKlone’s Stronghold

by Joyce Reynolds-Ward

DETAILS:
Publication Date: June 19, 2018
Format: eBook
Length: 226 pg.
Read Date: July 24-25, 2023
Buy from Bookshop.org Support Indie Bookstores

What’s Klone’s Stronghold About?

A year ago, Reeni escaped her abusive marriage—her ex-husband has turned into a stalker, he’s apparently a man of some status in the community and was able to get her fired from her job as a Special Ed teacher and Reeni’s on the verge of having to move a long way away just to find a new position. To add insult to injury, her family keeps trying to get her to reconcile with her ex.

Two dear friends convince her to attend a music festival with them—they love this band (she enjoys them, but isn’t going to be following them around like Deadheads). It’s a few days away from home, there’s no way that Karl is going to show up here. She needs some time in safety and peace to think about life. And if she happens to have a little fun? All the better.

Of course, it doesn’t work out. Karl shows up with some friends (or henchmen, your call). The band’s security takes care of them while Reeni finds a safe place to hide out. Before Karl had arrived, Reeni had struck up a friendship (or the beginning of one) with one of the security team—a supernatural of some kind. He comes to her with a proposal—he knows a guy who is working with a small group of supernatural people who are socially and educationally delayed, and are in need of a teacher to work on both areas. Due to the nature of their work and abilities, Karl won’t be able to approach her there; and she’ll get paid a very tidy sum if she commits for a few months in this out-of-the-way spot in the Eastern Oregon mountains.

Intrigued by the job—and desperate to get refuge—she agrees.

Because I’m struggling to finish this section, I’m just going to borrow from the official Description:

But things are not as they seem at the Stronghold, from the older proprietors of a nearby store and the Stronghold’s leader Alexander Reed Klone, to Reeni herself. She discovers it’s not just Karl who seeks to control who and what she is, but forces from her past that threaten her present. Can she learn the truth about herself and do what is needed in time to defend the Stronghold?

The Cozy That Could’ve Been

Sure, when Reynolds-Ward wrote this, cozy fantasy wasn’t really a thing (I’m sure it existed, but it was so far under the radar…), so it might not have crossed her mind to do this, but…

If she had abandoned the last 46% or so of the book and had just stuck with Reeni’s work in the classroom for a few months, letting us watch the progress she makes with her charges? I’d have been utterly charmed with it and would’ve likely enjoyed the novel more.

I’m not actually criticizing the last 46% of the book (most of it, anyway)—this is just a rabbit trail of a thought I had while reading this. That 46% results in a perfectly satisfying that I’m recommending, I’m just saying.

Now to try to turn this from an inadvertent criticism to something positive. I was interested in Reeni and her story and I was enjoying trying to figure out what was going on. But it was the moment that Reeni first started working with her students, connecting with them in a way that her employer didn’t see was possible that I got invested in this novel. I started caring about Reeni and her students then. Yes, the rest of the book was exciting, had magic flying about, secrets were revealed, and Big Things happened, etc. But the whole time, the back of my mind was asking—but what about the next week of lessons? When do we get back to that?

So, what did I think about Klone’s Stronghold?

I really could’ve focused on so many things here, Klone’s Stronghold is a target-rich environment for someone looking for things to write about. There’s Reeni’s attempts to escape her bad marriage, and worse husband. There’s her family’s reactions to her divorce (it’s eventually explained, but it makes it worse). There’s a twisting of religion. There’s something to explore with her great friends—new and old. You could go on and on about the supernatural species (or whatever you want to call them). But for various and sundry reasons I have to move on. Also, this could end up being 40 pages long if I let myself. You want a novel to inspire all kinds of rabbit trails for you to follow while reading? Look no further.

There are a couple of moments in the latter half of the book that I’m not sure we needed. Or at least we didn’t need all that Reynolds-Ward gave us. It’s tricky to talk about without spoiling—but it’s in the parts where Reeni is helped to understand what she learns about her background and family. Most of this section is really well done—and it’s all interesting. But parts of this take up a whole lot more space than I think they needed to—it dragged the story down, and didn’t illuminate much. With some trimming I wouldn’t have said anything at all.

Other than that, I found the pacing really well done—there’s a lot that Reeni goes through here—and the rate at which she experienced it and had to figure out how to deal with all she goes through was really well done—not just for Reeni, but for the reader.

There are so many scenes that make you stop and bask in them. Reynolds-Ward puts you in this world, and even when you’re trying to figure out exactly what’s happening because (for example) you haven’t worked out all the various kinds of supernatural beings there are—you can see and understand enough that it doesn’t matter.

I know that this wasn’t intended to be a series (or at least it didn’t become one)—and I don’t want to complain about a stand-alone (phew! Plotlines I don’t have to remember for books on end! I’m not signing up for a multi-year commitment!). But boy howdy, do I wish I could spend more time in this world. The general store (or whatever it should be called) and its owners along with the Stronghold and those that live there have all the makings of a setting you want to return to—even the band would be great to spend more time with.

That said, this was a very satisfying story that absolutely doesn’t end anywhere near where you think it will after the first couple of chapters. (which, incidentally makes it really hard to talk about).

I recommend this for people who want a very atypical fantasy (that brushes against SF, but not really) in a contemporary setting. Readers of Bledsoe’s Tufa novels might resonate with this. It’s a nice breath of fresh air. This is my first novel by Reynolds-Ward, but it won’t be my last (I’ve already got the next one picked out…and probably the one after that, too).


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, the opinions expressed are my own.
20 Books of Summer
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The Irresponsible Reader On…Self-Published Crime Fiction

(updated 7/28/23)
Self-Published Authors Appreciation Week

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. This should be celebrated—it’s definitely appreciated, as we’re trying to show this week.

In addition to the Q&As and Guest Posts I have this week, I’m also continuing my habit of highlighting the self-published works that I’ve blogged about over the last few years—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.

Last, but certainly not least for this week, my apparent specialty: Crime Fiction–vigilantes, police, private eyes, people who have no business at all near a crime…you name it, I love this stuff. This tl;dr list also proves that I was right to break these lists down by genre.

bullet Kind Hearts and Martinets by Pete Adams—a near-to-retirement D. I. with a rag-tag team investigates terror threats, murders, and bike thefts.
bullet Cause and Effect: Vice Plagues the City (my post about it)
bullet Irony in the Soul (my post about it)
bullet Cats, Cannolis and a Curious Kidnapping by Cheryl Denise Bannerman—a mystery writer finds herself the target of a kidnapper and has to employ everything her characters have done to save her own life. Which sounds more dire than this cute novel actually ever achieves. (my post about it)
bullet The City That Barks and Roars by J. T. Bird—Anthropomorphic animals in a 1950s-esque civilization, a pair of detectives hunting for a missing colleague. (my post about it)
bullet Death Stalks Kettle Street by John Bowen—a man with pretty severe OCD is sure that people in his neighborhood are being killed, but the authorities don’t see it–and his turn is coming. (my post about it)
bullet DI Hannah Robbins by Rebecca Bradley—DI Hannah Robbins novels follow Robbins and her team as they solve murders–she’s got a great team and the novels have some of the best hooks around.
bullet The Twisted Web (my post about it)
bullet Kill for Me (my post about it)
bullet Dead Blind by Rebecca Bradley—A Detective adjusting to prosopagnosia (“face blindness”) tries to keep the condition under wraps while leading his team investigating an international organ smuggling ring. Great hook, strong execution. (my post about it)
bullet The Butcher by Nathan Burrows—a darkly comic tale about brothers struggling to keep their farm and butcher shop alive, until they develop a new sausage recipe. (my post about it)
bullet The Shoulders of Giants by Jim Cliff—A rookie P.I. (inspired more by fiction than reality), is on the hunt for a missing college student. (my post about it)
bullet Bad Memory by Jim Cliff—this novella finds Jake Abraham looking into an old closed case and forces it open. (my post about it)
bullet Don’t Get Involved by F J Curlew—a slow burn of a novel about some street kids in Kyiv who find a large amount of drugs and a Scottish teacher in town to help their schools. (my post about it)
bullet Criminal Collective by Russell Day—a collection of short stories and a novella from one of my favorite crime writers. (my post about it)
bullet Jeremy Barnes by Robert Germaux—tired of teaching, Jeremy Barnes becomes a P.I. These books have a very Spenser-vibe to them and are great comfort food.
bullet Hard Court (my post about it)
bullet In the Eye (my post about it)
bullet Small Bytes (my post about it)
bullet Daniel Hays Mysteries by Robert Germaux—Daniel Hays heads the Special Assignment Squad —- a Major Crimes squad set up to help smaller cities in the county around Pittsburgh–hunts down serial killers in these entertaining thrillers.
bullet Small Talk (my post about it)
bullet One by One (my post about it)
bullet DC Smith Investigation by Peter Grainger—I’ve listened to these on audio, but the novels are self-published. Smith is a former DCI who’s voluntarily demoted down to Detective Sergeant so he can actually work cases–in his own idiosyncratic way. There is something indescribably charming about these books, I can see myself re-reading these for years.
bullet An Accidental Death (my post about it)
bullet But For the Grace (my post about it)
bullet Luck and Judgement (my post about it)
bullet Persons of Interest (my post about it)
bullet In This Bright Future (my post about it)
bullet The Rags of Time (my post about it)
bullet Time and Tide (my post about it)
bullet A Private Investigation (my post about it)
bullet The Truth (my post about it)
bullet King’s Lake Investigations by Peter Grainger—I’ve listened to these on audio, but the novels are self-published. This series tells what happens after DS Smith leaves Kings Lake, following those he trained and left as they form the backbone of the new Murder Squad. They’re just as good.
bullet Songbird (my post about it)
bullet On Eden Street (my post about it)
bullet Roxanne (my post about it)
bullet Catch & Neutralize by Chris Grams—Members of a vigilante group that takes down criminals who’ve gotten away with crimes against women and children find themselves in a very hairy situation. (my post about it)
bullet Fatal Forgery by Susan Grossey—as 19th Century British Policing begins to take a new shape, a magistrate’s constable investigates a new kind of financial crime. (my post about it)
bullet DoubleBlind by Libby Fischer Hellmann—a PI looks into suspicious deaths following COVID vaccines while dealing with people who think she’s a wife who ran away from a cult. Eventually, she has to stop and figure out what’s going on with her doppelgänger for her own sake. (my post about it)
bullet The Secret of Rosalia Flats by Tim W. Jackson—following the death of his father, a man returns to his Caribbean island childhood home to look into what happened. (my post about it)
bullet Afton Morrison by Brent Jones—the story of a Children’s Librarian with impulses to become a serial killer. No really. It’s twisted. It’s fun. It has some heart, too.
bullet Go Home, Afton (my post about it)
bullet See You Soon, Afton (my post about it)
bullet Nice Try, Afton (my post about it)
bullet Time’s Up, Afton (my post about it)
bullet Harvested by Troy Lambert—a PI starts looking into a rash of dognappings sweeping across Seattle and uncovers something chilling. (my post about it)
bullet Cutthroat Cupcakes by Cate Lawley—I maybe should’ve included this on the Fantasy and UF lists, too. But Lawley describes these as cozy mysteries, so I’ll stick with that. The owner of an artisan candy shop is arrested by magic police for selling cursed items that have been used to kill someone. It’s a rough way to learn that magic exists. She works with the detective to find the actual killer to clear her name. (my post about it)
bullet Cooking for Cannibals by Rich Leder—an Ex-con trying to go straight, a behavioral gerontologist, and a group of senior citizens get into hot water with an experimental drug and competing criminal organizations. (my post about it)
bullet Let There Be Linda by Rich Leder—I can’t sum this up in a sentence or two–a comic crime novel set in L.A. full of interweaving plotlines. (my post about it)
bullet McCall & Company: Workman’s Complication by Rich Leder—a struggling actress takes over her late father’s P.I. Agency (my post about it)
bullet The Lion’s Tail by Luna Miller, Aidan Isherwood (Translator)—a retired physician turns to a new career as a P.I. An early case turns out to be too much for her to tackle on her own and she recruits some help from people in her neighborhood, creating her own Baker Street Irregulars. (my post about it)
bullet San Diego Dead by Mark Nolan—a modern-day privateer and his dog are on the run from a vengeful drug mob. (my post about it)
bullet How the Wired Weep by Ian Patrick—you’re not going to see me say something negative about a Patrick novel, but this one is special. a Gut-wrenching, taught look at a police informant and his detective handler as they try to take down a local drug lord. (my post about it)
bullet The Warrior Series by Ty Patterson—Once upon a time, I think we’d call these books “Men’s Adventure” novels. Former Delta operative (and some friends) now run a covert-ops group.
bullet The Warrior (my post about it)
bullet The Reluctant Warrior (my post about it)
bullet Dead Down East by Carl Schmidt—a part-time PI gets sucked into investigating the death of his state’s governor (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.
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