Pages and Perks Opens in St. Pete, Fla., What's Eating Gilbert Grape on Stage, Bookstore Romance Day is August 15, Obituary for Mark Singer, The Wicked Sea by Jordan Stephanie Gray, We Burned So Bright by TJ Klune, Seek the Traitor's Son by Veronica Roth, and The Book Witch by Meg Shaffer

It's the end of June, which was a heinously hot month, and we're on to the 4th of July soon, celebrating 250 years of America. I am hoping, however, that July will fly by as fast as June, and August's dog days will also flow by fast, so we can get to my favorite time of year, Autumn, with its cozy vibes, cool temps and beautiful trees (and premiers of shows on streaming services TV). My son is flying up to Canada for vacation during the last two weeks of July, so that will present me with a challenge to navigate that I'm not looking forward to. But regardless, here's to mid-summer and its sunny but swift passing. Reviews below...enjoy!

 

I used to live in St Pete, and there were several great bookstores there. Now another is opening up not too far from where I lived, off 9th and MLK Jr St. For now, though, the bookstore is located in a hotel, the Cordova Inn, which I stayed at once a long time ago. I think a bookstore will be a great addition to the hotel.  

Pages & Perks Launches Pop-Up in Advance of St. Petersburg, Fla., Opening

In advance of its bricks-and-mortar opening in St. Petersburg, Fla., this summer, Pages & Perks Bookstore & More will be inside the Cordova Inn, Patch reported.

Located at 253 2nd Ave. N. in downtown St. Petersburg, the pop-up can be found in the hotel's lobby, next to the coffee shop and bar. Pages & Perks carries a curated selection of general-interest titles for all ages.

"The great part is that people can shop any time there's someone at the front desk of the hotel which is 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. any day of the week," Pages and Perks co-owner Kate Johnson told Patch. "[Cordova owner] Alex Hodges knew we were ready to go and offered up the space in their library as the first permanent home of Pages and Perks."

The bookstore's main location will be a 1,600-square-foot space at 914 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. St. South. In addition to books, it will serve desserts, mocktails, beer, and wine, and events will be a major part of its offerings. Initially, Kate and Ben Johnson planned to have the bricks-and-mortar open in June, but due to ongoing construction, the opening has been delayed to August.

In the meantime, Pages & Perks will have a presence at the Cordova Inn and will be popping up throughout St. Petersburg at other events and markets. Kate Johnson noted that they hope to stay open in the Cordova Inn even after the main store opens.

My family used to be neighbors to the Hedges family (their father and three boys, that is) during the late 60s and early 70s in West Des Moines, Iowa. My brothers, Phil and Kevin, got into all kinds of trouble with Peter and his brothers.

On Stage: What's Eating Gilbert Grape

MCC Theater in New York City revealed the lineup for its 40th anniversary season, including the world premiere of a musical adaptation

What's Eating Gilbert Grape, featuring a book by Peter Hedges (About a Boy), adapting his own 1991 novel, Playbill reported.

Music and lyrics are from Adrian Enscoe, Christopher Sears, Sydney Shepherd, and Regina Strayhorn. Directed by Obie Award winner and Tony Award nominee Anne Kauffman (Mary Jane), What's Eating Gilbert Grape is produced in association with Matt Ross, Dede Harris, and Linda Rubin. Specific dates for the run at the Newman Mills Theater will be announced eventually.

"It's exciting and energizing to celebrate our 40th year with a season of collaborators both new and old, with works that are filled with heart, wit, bravery, and humor," said co-artistic director Will Cantler. "Peter Hedges is one of our longest collaborators and friends, developing the novel What's Eating Gilbert Grape in a series of chapter readings at MCC in 1989. How fitting to come full circle."

Yay for Bookstore Romance Day! I hope some bookstores near where I live here in SE Washington will have celebrations and book discounts on that day!

Save the Date: Bookstore Romance Day Arrives August 15

The popularity of Bookstore Romance Day, which takes place this year on Saturday, August 15, has grown almost as fast as the romance category itself.

Celebrating romance authors and readers, the event was founded by bookseller Billie Bloebaum. The first Bookstore Romance Day was held in 2019, when some 150 independent bookstores participated. Since then, even during the pandemic, more and more bookstores have kept the date every August, with the numbers of participating stores increasing to nearly 600 last year. Almost 700 have signed up so far this year.

The stores are primarily in the U.S. but include some in other countries, with participants last year in Canada, the U.K., and Australia. The stores have a variety of specialties, and include, of course, many of the fastest-growing type of specialty bookstore: romance bookstores. The rest are general stores that have connected with customers who love romances. And the participants comprise all kinds of stores: bricks-and-mortar, mobile, pop-up, online, and more, all of which celebrate Bookstore Romance Day in many creative, heartfelt ways. Bloebaum noted that a big recent increase in participating retailers is from "mobile, pop-up, and online-only stores, especially among the romance-focused stores."

And this year the focus of the day's celebrations is historical romance. "This isn't on purpose, but simply the way things worked out," Bloebaum said. Besides in-store events, Bookstore Romance Day will include virtual programming that will be set soon. Last year's programming ran the Saturday and Sunday of Bookstore Romance Day, featuring separate panels of authors from Sourcebooks Casablanca & Bloom Books, Bramble, and Harlequin; "Humor Is Magical," in which authors focused on humor in fantasy and paranormal romances; "Love Is Queer," celebrating LBGTQ+ voices in romance; a panel "For the Love of Romance," presented by Steamy Lit and featuring romance authors; and "Toy Story," a discussion of sex toys in romance novels.

I used to read Singer's zingers in Talk of the Town in the New Yorker Magazine. I also read some of his profiles...he was a singular wit who always managed to be funny without being mean, or cynical and rude. He will be missed.

Obituary Note: Mark Singer

Mark Singer, a staff writer at the New Yorker magazine "from the age of 23 who extended the magazine's franchise of rich reporting and witty prose about offbeat, complicated and quintessentially American characters," died June 19, the New York Times reported. He was 75. Singer wrote "urbane 'Talk of the Town' pieces... reflected on serious national matters like the Affordable Care Act, and did a hitch traveling the country as the correspondent for the 'U.S. Journal' column."

He was best known, however, for his profiles of subjects like magician Ricky Jay; a set of four doorman brothers in New York; and "a braggadocious real-estate developer, Donald Trump, years before he ran for office," the Times noted.

Singer's books, many of them collections of pieces from the magazine, include Funny Money (1985); Mr. Personality: Profiles and Talk Pieces (1989); Citizen K: the Deeply Weird American Journey of Brett Kimberlin (1996); Somewhere in America: Under the Radar with Chicken Warriors, Left-Wing Patriots, Angry Nudists, and Others (2004); Character Studies: Encounters with the Curiously Obsessed (2005); The Rise and Fall of Bear Stearns (with Alan C. Greenberg, 2010); and Trump and Me (2016).

"He came out of the tradition of A.J. Liebling and Joseph Mitchell and Calvin Trillin, which is to say he combined meticulous reporting and a very distinctive comic voice, which is extremely rare," said New Yorker editor David Remnick.

"Singer's voice is pitched perfectly to the register of the New Yorker: cool and intelligent, with a wry and artful skepticism uncorrupted by cynicism," Jeff Macgregor wrote in the New York Times Book Review. "Neither aloof nor Olympian, he maintains instead an efficient distance from his subjects. He is a terrific reporter, with a receptive ear for dialogue and a painter's eye for the salient detail."

In 1997, Singer was less than excited when then editor Tina Brown assigned him to profile Donald Trump. "Observing him over several months on construction sites, in his Trump Tower office and on a private plane, Mr. Singer concluded that Mr. Trump, in the period before he became a reality TV star, was a man 'who had aspired to and achieved the ultimate luxury, an existence unmolested by the rumbling of a soul,' " the Times noted. "That profile," Remnick said, "got everything about Trump 20 years before he ran for president: the vanity, the casual cruelty, the outsized selfishness. It was all there."

"Trump Solo" was included in Singer's Character Studies collection. After a mention of it in the Times review, Trump wrote a letter to the editor attacking Singer, who, in turn, sent a mock thank-you note to Trump for the publicity, along with a check for $37.82 for the Amazon sales boost.

Trump was not amused. The Times noted that he "returned the letter with an all-caps note at the bottom, reading, in part, 'MARK--YOU ARE A TOTAL LOSER.'" Singer later said that Trump did, however, cash the check, a framed photocopy of which the writer displayed in his apartment. In 2016, Singer expanded and updated his essay into the book Trump and Me.

The Wicked Sea by Jordan Stephanie Gray is a gorgeously produced book with iridescent end papers and a colorful embossed cover. Okay, I admit, the beauty of this YA romantasy book seduced me into buying it. I should have read some online reviews first. Here's the blurb: In this dark and sultry romantasy a mermaid battles hatred—and lust—for the wretched warlock who saved her life. This gorgeous deluxe limited edition features: dazzling gilded edges, gorgeous endpaper art and deluxe effects on the jacket.

Mermaid Zephyra of the Syl dreams of freedom. On the run from a dangerous captor and years of abuse, she’s shed her tail, grown legs, and hidden herself on land in the merrow-loathing kingdom of Mortia, left to steal and barter on the dirty streets. But her freedom is short-lived when she’s caught and sentenced to death by the brutal warlock, Arion Stone. 

Arion is as beautiful as he is cold and deadly, only interested in punishing the merrow he views as evil. He has grown as strong as any warlock might, but at great personal cost ... which can only be remedied by the heart of the God of Death, lost to a fabled kingdom beneath the ocean’s treacherous depths. 

So Arion offers Zephyra a deal she can’t refuse; help him find the mystical heart, and he’ll spare her life. With no other options, Zephyra agrees, entangling their souls and forbidden desires in a magical bargain until death do they part. But Zephyra's past is catching up to her, and the enemy she fled seeks vengeance. If Zephyra and Arion can't learn to fight together—and trust each other—there are worse things awaiting them than just death. Of course, in the wicked sea, everyone has secrets, and no one should be trusted.  

 

Ah, if only this book lived up to the beauty of the actual product, end papers and all...sadly, it devolves quickly into torture porn, with page after page delineating how the two protagonists were held captive or trained by the most vicious and bloody, painful torture, and how, eventually, (of course! Misogyny reigns in these kind of "dark" romantasy books) the female main character comes to like pain and suffering and finds it "sexy" so that when she and the tortured main male lead character have sex, she wants him to hurt her as a turn on...BLECH. 

There was nothing remotely beautiful about the story contained in this book, it was all gore, pain, death and grief. So depressing, in fact that I nearly DNF'd it. The prose was overbearing and the plot sluggish and predictable. I'd give this lackluster book a C, and only recommend it to horror fans who like their romance rough and savage. DO NOT be taken in by the pretty cover!

 

We Burned so Bright by TJ Klune is an apocalyptic LGBTQ fantasy novel that is sad but profound at the same time. Here's the blurb: A heart-wrenching standalone novel by author TJ Klune, We Burned So Bright follows an elder gay couple on an end-of-the-world road-trip.

The road stretched out before them. No other cars, just the headlights on the blacktop. Above, the cracked moon in a kaleidoscope sky.
Husbands Don and Rodney have lived a good long life. Together they’ve experienced the highest highs of love and family, and lows so low that they felt like the end of the world.

Now, the world is ending for real. A rogue black hole is coming for Earth and in a month everything and everyone they’ve ever known will be gone.

Suddenly, after 40 years together, Don and Rodney are out of time. They’re in a race against the clock to make it from Maine to Washington State to take care of some unfinished business before it’s all over.

On the road they meet those who refuse to believe death is coming and those who rush to meet it. But there are also people living their final days as best they know how―impromptu weddings, bright burning bonfires, shared meals, and new friends.

And as the black hole draws near, among ball lightning and under a cracked moon in a kaleidoscope sky, Don and Rodney will look back on their lives and ask if their best was good enough.
Is it enough to burn bright if nothing comes from the ashes? 

 

Though its poignant and sad, Klunes sterling prose and concise, elegant plot will keep readers turning pages into the wee hours. It's not a long book, comprising only 163 pages, but the story is huge, tackling the big questions of "why are we here?" And "What would you do if you only had a few weeks left to live?" Don and Rodney have lived amazing lives together, but even when they think they've failed in raising a schizophrenic orphan, they commit to taking his ashes (he died of a drug overdose), to all the places that he enjoyed going to when he was a kid with Don and Rod. The last place they need to spread some of his ashes is at a Forest station in Washington, so they barely make it there before the world explodes, but they do get it done. I dare you not to get misty-eyed at the end of this book. I'd give it an A, and recommend it to anyone who liked The House on the Cerulean Sea.

 

Seek the Traitor's Son by Veronica Roth is an action/adventure romantasy with way too much savagery and pain to consider it an actual romantasy. For me, if the romance is constantly blunted by pain and suffering, its not romantic, it's horrific. Here's the blurb: An epic, romantic dystopian fantasy begins in Seek the Traitor's Son, from #1 New York Times bestselling author Veronica Roth

Elegy Ahn did not ask for destiny to find her.

She is happy with her life as a soldier, defending her small country from the Talusar, a powerful nation who worships a deadly Fever. A fever that blesses half of its victims with mysterious gifts. (Editors note: the other half DIE in AGONY).

But then she’s summoned to hear a prophecy–her, and the most ruthless of Talusar generals, Rava Vidar. Brought face to face, they learn that one of them will lead their people to victory over the other…but they don’t know which. And at the center of both of their fates: a man. A man that, Elegy is told, she will fall in love with.

In just one day, Elegy’s old life–her job, her purpose, and her future–is over. She and Rava are destined to collide, with the fate of their nations hanging in the balance. And when they do, only one will be left standing.

Elegy intends to make sure it’s her. 

Sadly, both women fall in love with Theren, but he only loves Elegy, though Rava isn't the kind of woman to take NO for an answer. The prose wasn't up to Roth's usual high standards, and the plot became dull and plodding halfway through the book. The ending was a mess, neither HEA nor HFN, and I was disappointed at the treachery and cruelty that seemed to become more of a plot point the longer the story dragged on. I'd give this book a B-, and only recommend it to anyone who likes depressing worlds and lackluster characters.

 

The Book Witch by Meg Shaffer is a fantasy adventure novel that was not quite as bookish as it claimed to be. Here's the blurb: Come along with the Book Witch in this magical and inspiring love letter to reading from author Meg Shaffer.

Rainy March is a proud, third-generation Book Witch, sworn to defend works of fiction from all foes real and imaginary. With her magical umbrella and feline familiar, she jumps in and out of novels to fix malicious alterations and rogue heroes like a modern-day magical Nancy Drew.

Book Witches live by a strict code: Real people belong in the real world; fictional characters belong in works of fiction. Do not eat, drink, or sleep inside a fictional world, lest you become part of the story. Falling in love with a fictional character? Don’t even think about it.

Which is why Rainy has been forbidden from seeing the Duke of Chicago, the dashing British detective who stars in her favorite mystery series. If she’s ever caught with him again, she’ll be expelled from her book coven—and forced to give up the magical gifts that are as much a part of her as her own name.

But when her beloved grandfather disappears and a priceless book is stolen, there’s only one person she trusts to help her solve the case: the Duke. Their quest takes them through the worlds of Alice in Wonderland, King Arthur, and other classics that will reveal hidden enemies and long-buried family secrets. 

 

This novel got really "Meta" about halfway through, and then it broke the 4th wall and became Meta-Meta, and by the end it was just really confusing as to what was reality and what wasn't. I was enjoying the "Thursday Next" aspect of the book, with Rainy jumping in and out of fiction to save it from not existing, when it was revealed that Rainy was/is a character in a book herself. And then it was posed to the reader of the Book Witch that Rainy was informed that someone was reading her story right now! She is surprised, but not too taken aback by all of this, and just goes on to fulfill her mission and be a good protagonist. By the end the reader isn't sure what is going on, whether the story is ending or not. Its very confusing and not at all what I signed up for when purchasing this novel. Regardless, it was an interesting, if bizarre read, and I'd give it a B, and recommend it to anyone who wonders what would happen if they could become a character in their favorite stories.

 

Obituary for Jane Yolen, Women's Fiction Prize For The Correspondent, Lady Macbeth Movie, Final Draft by Elizabeth Spann Craig, The Guncle by Steven Rowley, The Secret of Honeycake by Kimberly Newton Fusco, The Ink that Bleeds by Piper J Drake, and Theo of Golden by Allen Levi

Ah, summer...I'm excited for July and August, which are right around the corner, because they're the final months of summer, and I'm an Autumn loving person. So here's to cooler temps and crisp fall days ahead where you can snuggle beneath a blanket with a hot cup of tea and a good book! 

I met Jane Yolen back in 1993 or 4, before I was married and had my son, and she was a delightfully sharp curmudgeon of an author whose first words to the group meeting her were: "Don't gush over me...I hate groupie behavior." So when I tried to tell her how much I admired her writing and in particular Briar Rose, which was so gorgeous it made me cry, she said "What did I say about gushing?! No crying, either!" She hated what she called "simps" or simpering, sycophantic people. Still, she tolerated us all, and gave a brilliant talk on finding inspiration in the everyday. She will be missed.  (BTW, I read Owl Moon to my son about a million times when he was a toddler, and I cried every time.)

Obituary Note: Jane Yolen

Jane Yolen, who published 450 books "in practically every conceivable genre," died last Thursday at age 87, the New York Times reported, writing that Yolen "never encountered a genre she didn't like; among her early books was a history of kites. Yet running through almost all her writing was a strong through-line of deep psychological insight and a sense of wonder.

Many of her works were fables and folklore, whether retellings of old stories or her own, original tales."She was inspired by the Eastern European Jewish folk stories she heard as a child--her father was born in present-day Ukraine--and by the writers she fell in love with as a teenager, like Robert Louis Stevenson and Joseph Conrad."

Yolen wrote children's books, folklore, fantasy, and science fiction books, and was best known for Owl Moon, illustrated by John Schoenherr, which won the Caldecott Medal; The Devil's Arithmetic, about a Jewish girl who travels in time to the Holocaust in Poland in 1942; two Nebula Award-winning novellas, "Sister Emily's Lightship" and "Lost Girls"; The Emperor and the Kite, illustrated by Ed Young, which was a Caldecott Medal Honor Book; and two series, the Commander Toad and Pit Dragon Chronicles. She published her first book, Pirates in Petticoats, at age 22. Yolen also wrote books with her three children, writer and musician Adam Stemple, children's book author Heidi Stemple, and photographer Jason Stemple.

Among her many awards and honors, Yolen was given a World Fantasy Award for Lifetime Achievement in 2009.

Yolen was also a university professor, songwriter, and editor. In the 1960s, she worked at Gold Medal Books, Routledge, and Knopf. From 1990 to 1996, she had a YA imprint, Jane Yolen Books, at Harcourt Brace. Her 450th, Terror Birds, will be published July 14 by Charlesbridge Moves. The title is illustrated by Celia Lowenthal and is book 2 in the Monsters of Fife series.

I adored this novel, and I am thrilled that its winning awards and getting a lot of good ink via reviews and such. I can only hope that Evans will grace us again with more of her epistolary brilliance.

Women's Prize for Fiction Goes to The Correspondent by Virginia Evans

The £30,000 (about $40,225) Women's Prize for Fiction was won by Virginia Evans for The Correspondent (Crown). Julia Gillard, chair of judges for the fiction award, described the book as "a remarkable novel, with an exemplary combination of originality, excellence and accessibility. It is no mean feat to write a life in letters, but Evans makes this feel effortless, asking the reader to consider the choices we make, whilst elevating an ordinary life in the most heartfelt of ways. The sheer skill required to render an emotionally resonant and engaging work in this format is spectacular. This is a novel that captured our hearts, and should be read and savored by all." (Editor's note: AMEN to that! This was the best book I've read this year!)

The Scottish Play from the Women's POV! Yes, please! I can hardly wait for this movie to debut. Before it does I will hopefully find a copy of the book.

Movies: Lady Macbeth

Production companies Curious Gremlin (The Testament of Ann Lee) and Kari Skogland's new banner Take a Trip Media are developing a film adaptation of Ava Reid's 2024 bestselling novel, Lady Macbeth.

Deadline reported that the screenplay for "the gothic feminist retelling of Shakespeare's play" will be written by Emma Donoghue (Room), with Emmy and BAFTA-nominated filmmaker Skogland (The Handmaid's Tale) set to direct.

"At Curious Gremlin, we have always aimed to share our excitement for telling fresh, bold, and daring stories that trust their audience to embrace new perspectives and sit with complexity," said co-founder Sinan Eczacibasi. "In that spirit, Ava Reid's Lady Macbeth--a ferocious reimagining of the timeless Scottish Play from a fresh and surprisingly overlooked lens--adapted for the big screen by Emma Donoghue, with Kari Skogland in the director's seat, feels like a natural fit for us. We are delighted to be partnering with Take a Trip on this wonderful film and look forward to sharing it with the world."

Final Draft by Elizabeth Spann Craig is a cozy Librarian mystery that was not only short and sweet, it was a great palate-cleanser for some other, heavier novels I've yet to tackle on my TBR. I've read one other book by this author, despite the old saying of "never read a novel whose author name is longer and more prominent than the title." LOL. Here's the blurb: 

Every story has a final draft. This one is murder.

Ann Beckett is finally settling into married life. The cottage renovation is complete, Fitz has claimed his sunroom, and quiet evenings with Grayson have become her favorite part of the day. After the chaos of wedding planning—and murder—she's ready for something resembling normal.

 

But normal doesn't last long in Whitby.

 

When an out-of-town dealer is found dead inside the local typewriter repair shop, Ann is pulled into another investigation. The victim wasn't well-liked—he'd made enemies among collectors, rattled old acquaintances, and been asking questions that made people uncomfortable. Someone in Whitby wanted him gone, and Ann suspects the reason lies buried in the past.

As she digs deeper, Ann discovers that small towns have long memories—and some secrets are worth killing to protect. With Grayson's support and the library community beside her, she'll need to separate old grudges from deadly intent before the killer strikes again.

The prose employed by Craig is clean and easy, and the plot percolates along like a well oiled machine. I was particularly fond of Fitz the kitty, and wished for more scenes with him making his mark on the investigation. But all in all, a nice short (under 300 pages) work that I'd give a B+ and recommend to anyone seeking a light read for the beach or just for the summer.

 

The Guncle by Steven Rowley is a delightful LGBTQ humorous family fiction novel that will give you all the feels. This book has won so many awards, that were I to list them it would take up the rest of the blog space. But it deserves some accolades, as its rare to find a book with a gay male protagonist who is both snarky and sweet, in a story that is heartwarming in the best way. Here's the blurb: From the bestselling author of Lily and the Octopus and The Editor comes a warm and deeply funny novel about a once-famous gay sitcom star whose unexpected family tragedy leaves him with his niece and nephew for the summer.

Patrick, or Gay Uncle Patrick (GUP, for short), has always loved his niece, Maisie, and nephew, Grant. That is, he loves spending time with them when they come out to Palm Springs for weeklong visits, or when he heads home to Connecticut for the holidays. But in terms of caretaking and relating to two children, no matter how adorable, Patrick is, honestly, overwhelmed.

So when tragedy strikes and Maisie and Grant lose their mother and Patrick's brother has a health crisis of his own, Patrick finds himself suddenly taking on the role of primary guardian. Despite having a set of "Guncle Rules" ready to go, Patrick has no idea what to expect, having spent years barely holding on after the loss of his great love, a somewhat-stalled acting career, and a lifestyle not-so-suited to a six- and a nine-year-old. Quickly realizing that parenting--even if temporary--isn't solved with treats and jokes, Patrick's eyes are opened to a new sense of responsibility, and the realization that, sometimes, even being larger than life means you're unfailingly human.

With the humor and heart we've come to expect from bestselling author Steven Rowley, The Guncle is a moving tribute to the power of love, patience, and family in even the most trying of times. 

While I adored GUP, I really hated his siblings, especially Greg, the selfish and idiotic drug/alcohol addict who has to go to rehab because, as his wife is dead, he's the only parent left to raise his two children. So instead of taking on that responsibility, he checks himself into rehab and leaves his children with his gay brother Patrick, and makes sure he knows that there's no alternative, though both Greg and Patrick know that their sister Clara would be glad to take on her niece and nephew for the summer. But Clara is one of those tight-arsed Republican Karens who make everyone around them as miserable, so GUP allows himself to be manipulated into taking the kids (who are both kind of jerks). Though I felt the kids needed a lot more boundaries and discipline, I was Glad that they both learned to love their free-wheeling GUP, and had fun learning the LA lifestyle from him. I felt that GUP treated the kids as smarter versions of lap dogs, fully indulging them when he shouldn't, but I also liked that he seemed to grow more compassionate as the summer wore on (and more responsible, thank heaven). The ending, which was HFN, could have used more work, as it was disjointed and not satisfying at all. Hence, I'd give this book an A-, and recommend it to anyone who enjoys oddball LA/Hollywood sagas.

 

The Secret of Honeycake by Kimberly Newton Fusco is a YA early 20th century family fiction novel that was promoted as middle-grade fiction, when, like the Harry Potter series, it is actually a well told tale that should appeal to teenagers and adults alike. Here's the blurb: Hurricane is quiet while her Aunt Claire is a force of nature with very particular ideas--and a host of Latin sayings to back them up. When Hurricane gets stuck living with her, she retreats into herself...until a series of unexpected friends, including a mangy cat, help her find her voice in a whole new way.
A recipe for The World’s Most Comforting, Twelve-Layer Honeycake: 1 quiet girl named Hurricane, who runs like the wind along the Mighty Atlantic with her old dog Brody-Bear.

1 imperious aunt, who steps up when Hurricane’s world turns upside down.
1 kind-hearted boy, who helps wounded animals (and may smell a little of fish) 1 lonely and flea-bitten cat with a ragged ear and a crooked tail.

1 gentle chauffeur, who knows exactly what to say…and when not to say a thing.Mix them all together in big, fancy house in the city. What you get might surprise you. 

Hurricane is what would be called nowadays "on the spectrum" of autism/neurodivergent. She's smart but doesn't understand most other kids, or society's rules and regulations. BTW, I kept hearing Alanis Morrisette's "One Hand in My Pocket" while I was reading this book, and I think it fits the general theme of the work. I could identify with Hurricane's love of rescuing animals, her need for time to be alone and roam free, and her need for adult understanding, kindness and steadfast empathy. I felt that same kind of loneliness and need for understanding and compassion many times as a child and a teenager. I had an aunt, whom I didn't see often enough (RIP Aunt Barb) who was like Mr Keats, in that she never talked down to me or treated me with anything but kindness...my mother used to sneer at her "laziness" for not wanting to clean and cook like the other women in the family, and gossip cruelly about everyone they knew, but instead spent her after-supper time with her bookish niece, (Me) discussing science fiction and fantasy books, being harassed (by men/boys) as a young or older woman, being a person of size (plus sized) in a world full of diet scams, etc. I felt SEEN by her, and she always left me feeling better about myself and my life, which was quite hard at times. Still, Hurricane was a bit of a snot, and I wish that someone had been able to give her more boundaries and guidelines to help her navigate the world outside. Well written and full of interesting characters and a swift plot, this book deserves an A, and I'd recommend it to anyone who was an "oddball" kid.

 

The Ink That Bleeds by Piper J. Drake is the first in the Mystic Bookstore series. Though its self-published, I found this Pacific Northwest paranormal romantic mystery to be a lot of fun and full of fascinating locales and characters. Here's the blurb: The Mystic Bookstore is keeping a secret. In fact, the whole town is.

Amihan Chanthara is ready for a new beginning when she arrives in the little harbor town of Wolfsound, Washington, nestled in the San Juan Islands. Settling in as the new owner of the town bookstore is easy. Figuring out who killed the bookstore’s previous owner is not.

The town sheriff has asked the sexy, ill-tempered werewolf, Lucien Allard, to help investigate and Ami is torn between heady attraction and irritation as the bookstore continues to be the center of the murder investigation.

Is the killer human or supernatural? Why was the previous bookstore owner murdered? Is Ami next?
Every new friend could be the murderer and even the one theoretical witness can’t tell anyone what happened. Will Ami survive long enough to learn what it means to be chosen by the mystic bookstore as its new Scribe?

 

Drake's  prose is excellent, concise and lyrical, while keeping the rapid-fire plot moving along like a bullet train. I liked the "magic" bookstore, which was a character unto itself, and the werewolf sheriff, as well as Taffy the immortal bookstore Corgi, who kept everyone in line. The book is only 165 pages, yet it felt like the author took us on a full adventure, leaving readers with a very satisfying ending that was heartfelt and made sense of all that had gone before. I'd give this book an A, and recommend it to anyone who enjoys enchanting books set in the PNW.

 

Theo of Golden by Allen Levi is a (somewhat) Christian literary fiction novel that surprised me with its poignancy and wisdom-filled chapters that became more addictive the longer you read them. Here's the blurb: One spring morning, a stranger named Theo arrives in the small Southern city of Golden. He doesn’t explain much about where he came from or why he’s there—but when he visits the local coffeehouse, where pencil portraits of the people of Golden hang on the walls, he begins purchasing them, one at a time, and giving each portrait to the person depicted. In exchange, he asks only for the person’s story. And so portrait by portrait, person by person, secrets are revealed, regrets are shared, and ordinary lives are profoundly altered.

A story of giving and receiving, of seeing and being seen, Theo of Golden is an unforgettable novel about the power of generosity, the importance of connection, and the quiet miracles that happen when we choose kindness and wonder.

 

Though they don't make it too overt, there is more than a little Christian proselytizing in the later chapters, and while it's mild and gentle, it still might be a bit uncomfortable for those who are atheists or from other faiths who read this book. I did find it interesting that this novel was written by a judge/attorney who also claims to be a singer/songwriter (and now, of course, novelist/writer).What an unusual combination of careers. I wasn't really expecting to like this book as much as I did, considering all the good ink and hype that it has gotten, but it turns out this page-turner had plenty of relevance and beauty to bring to the table, and contained stunning prose that moved along the elegantly rendered plot like sugar dissolving in a glass of lemonade. This profound novel is at once a tribute to art and to life, told by an elderly male protagonist whose charming old world ways change everyone around him. It reminded me a little of reading Jonathan Livingston Seagull when I was a teenager, and discovered that books could change you at a soul-deep level, like all great art. Theo of Golden deserves an A, and a recommendation to anyone interested in the intersection of life, art, and the soul.

 

Cool Idea of the Month, Fatherless Day, Legacy of Spies Comes to TV, Badd,Gramm-mar Comedy Series on YouTube, Change of Plans by Sarah Dessen, The Sun and the Starmaker by Rachel Griffin, The Daisy Chain Flower Shop by Laurie Gilmore, and Alchemy and a Cup of Tea by Rebecca Thorne

Here we are already halfway through June, and while its heating up outdoors, its nice and cool indoors as we navigate our way through everything from jury duty (I can't physically attend, since I have to go to the bathroom anywhere from 5-15 minutes, when I'm not napping due to pain meds) to dental payment plans and government health insurance that doesn't cover anything. Fortunately I have an advocate at St Elizabeth's who has been helping me get financial aid to cover my much-needed infusion that helps with my RA and Crohns. Still, my doctors seem to be fighting me in my pursuit of a cheaper, easier biologic medication that doesn't require that I go to the nearest hospital every month. 

Meanwhile, since most of my favorite TV series are on hiatus until the fall (and some are on indefinite hiatus, like Doctor Who...sob, sigh) I have been going through books on my TBR at a rapid pace. So, without further ado, here's some tidbits and reviews.

  

My son will be celebrating Fatherless Day, since his father died last December. We still haven't managed to decant his ashes. Especially since everyone charges to dump them somewhere. I thought the WA state Ferry boats would be cheap and easy, but it turns out that now they charge $150 and you have to buy a specific biodegradable container for the ashes so it won't sit at the bottom of Elliott Bay or nearby waters for a hundred years. 

Cool Father's Day Idea: 'Fatherless Day'

"For all of you out there who don't celebrate the holiday, we present...Fatherless Day," the Painted Porch Bookshop in Bastrop,Tex., posted on Instagram, noting: "(Don't worry, us fatherless employees thought of it, made the display and fully give you permission to laugh.) Whether you want to deep dive and talk about it or just dive into some fiction to forget it, we've got you covered."

The bookshop also shared a pic of its themed display ("Want to talk about it. Don't want to talk about it?"), featuring a sign that says: "Don't have a dad? Us either. 'Us' as in some of us who work here, typing this sign, not the bookstore. Anyway, here are some books."

I love these spy novel/thriller adaptations...and I love Hugh Laurie starring in them. I look forward to seeing this on the BBC or MGM.

TV: Legacy of Spies

Hugh Laurie (The Night Manager) "has landed a mystery role" in his second John le Carré adaptation, the BBC and MGM+'s Legacy of Spies, Deadline reported, adding that "filming is currently taking place and Laurie's role will be revealed soon." The project is is based on le Carré's 1963 novel The Spy Who Came in from the Cold as well as his 2017 novel A Legacy of Spies.

Laurie joins an ensemble cast including Matthew Macfadyen as George Smiley, Dan Stevens as Bill Haydon, Felix Kammerer as Hans-Dieter Mundt, and Agnes O'Casey as Liz Gold. Legacy of Spies comes from The Ink Factory, run by le Carré's sons Stephen and Simon Cornwell.

This sounds like a delightfully funny series that I will eagerly stream. I love screwed up book groups.

Badd, Gramm-mar Comedy Series: 'Technically a Book Club'

Badd, Gramm-mar, a comedy series following a dysfunctional reading group in Los Angeles with a rotating cast of comedians that have colliding perspectives, will appear weekly on YouTube on Tuesdays, beginning June 30. The series was created by Matthew Medney, founder of GUNGNIR Books, the publishing and entertainment venture that publishes everything from graphic novels to prose, each release "designed to challenge convention, spark conversation, and resonate across audiences. Every story is a new frontier."

The rotating cast of Badd, Gramm-mar includes Julia Hladkowicz , Rama Vallury, Raquel Woodruff, Jordan Stidham, former studio exec Donna Dubrow, and "Ad-Man" Cliff Medney. They play readers, failed creatives, intellectuals, romantasy addicts, comic shop lifers, and people still trying to graduate to adulthood.

Each episode centers on a new "book of the week," from science fiction epics and romantasy to literary classics and underground cult favorites. In its first months, the group will review Fourth Wing, The Ministry of Time, Project Hail Mary, and Absolute Batman, as well as GUNGNIR titles Aeon, Existence Equation, Last Breeds, and Deadweight.

Medney commented: "Badd, Gramm-mar began as an experiment to help readers discover great books, but it quickly evolved into something we believed could be a beacon for the book community. What emerged wasn't a book club. It was a collision of perspectives. Every episode brings together five voices from different walks of life and asks them to debate the same story, revealing as much about themselves as the book in front of them. The comedy is real, the disagreements are authentic, and occasionally the insights are of value. While we may be reviewing books on the surface, Badd, Gramm-mar is ultimately a conversation about the cultural zeitgeist. Books remain one of the last great bastions of subcultural identity, where tribes are formed, ideas are tested, and the future of culture is quietly negotiated one page at a time."

 

Change of Plans by Sarah Dessen is a YA romance with cozy mystery vibes, as it takes place in a small town full of characters. Here's the blurb: Finley has always felt most comfortable in someone else’s shadow. Fortunately, she’s got Colin, her magnetic boyfriend, who sweeps her along for activities, friendships, and future plans. Then she goes on a last-minute trip with her distant mom to a family vacation house that Finley didn’t know existed and is now about to be sold.

Her mom was estranged from her own parents and siblings since leaving home for college, and it’s a novelty for Finley to see her aunts and cousins. There’s also the handful of teens who work at the Egg, her aunt’s diner, and make up a found family of their own—including undeniably handsome guitarist Ben.

Then her relationship with Colin goes into freefall, and Finley’s roadmap for life after high school is gone. She has no choice but to live, for the first time, without plans. The longer Finley stays, the closer she gets to the truth about why her mother stayed away—and why she’s brought Finley here now.

And the closer she grows to new friends at the Egg, the more she starts to fall for charmingly awkward, soulful Ben and to realize how much of herself she’s been missing. By the end of the summer, nothing will be the same—for this community or for Finley herself.

 

Finley strikes me as almost autistic in her introversion and desire to stay away from people she's not known for many years, most of whom are part of her carefully crafted plans for the future. Of course, it's all laid at the feet of her "cold and indifferent" mother, who doesn't give her every waking moment of life to support and love her daughter, which is a huge sin in most books, especially ones revolving around teenage girls, who are nasty, resentful, sucking you dry beasts. I believe Finley's boyfriend Colin is the real asshat here, as he dumps her because she's "boring and predictable" with no warning, which is devastating for someone who relies on her carefully laid plans to keep her mental health and life on an even keel. Inevitably, though, there's a kind and gentle (and handsome, of course) guy in the small town who falls for Finley as soon as he sees her, and she falls for him a bit later on. So Finley grows up enough to take responsibility for herself and her feelings, and in so doing rejects the inevitable advances of jerkish ex-boyfriend Colin, while admitting her feelings for Ben. This novel was well-designed, well-written and swiftly plotted. It was also a GMA book club pick. I'd give it a B+, and recommend it to young women seeking a book about growing out of old patterns and plans.

 

The Sun and The Starmaker by Rachel Griffin is a YA folklore romantasy that was delicately written and subtly plotted. Here's the blurb: 

There once was a village so far north that most considered it the top of the world... and in that village, the Sun fell in love with her Starmaker. From the author of The Nature of Witches comes a whimsical and sweeping romantic fantasy.

Nestled deep in the snowy mountains of the Lost Range, the village of Reverie is a small miracle. Beyond the reach of the Sun, Reverie is dependent upon the magic of the mysterious Starmaker: every morning, he trudges across a vast glacier and pulls in sunlight over the peaks, providing the village with the light it needs to survive.

Aurora Finch grew up on tales of the Starmaker's magic, never imagining she'd one day meet him. But on the morning of her wedding, a fateful encounter in the frostbitten woods changes everything. The Starmaker senses a powerful magic within her and demands she come study under his guidance. With her newfound abilities tied to the survival of the village, Aurora is swept away to his ice-covered castle and far from everything she's ever known.

The Starmaker is as cold and distant as the mountain itself, leaving Aurora to explore his enchanted castle alone. Yet the more she discovers about the sorcerer, the stronger their attraction grows, pulling her closer to the secrets he refuses to share. But a deadly frost approaches and Aurora must uncover what the Starmaker is hiding before she is left in an endless winter that even the Sun cannot touch.

This novel is fascinating because it comes from the POV of those humans who sacrifice their lives to bring sunlight to their fellow villagers, allowing them to live and grow crops, while also leaning into the background of these villagers stories about their gods and the gods/human interactions and failings, which are caused by intermingling which is dangerous to both sides. I found it hard to believe that the young female protagonist fell in love so completely with the aged Starmaker that she was willing to go to any lengths to insure his survival, even railing at the god of the sun to bring him magically back from death. Aurora had been, prior to this, sensible and bright, doing everything she could to get her family's crops to survive the unrelenting cold darkness. Somewhere around 2/3rds of the book, Aurora loses her common sense and self preservation and goes all in on loving a person who makes it clear, throughout most of the novel, that he is incapable of loving her because he's so long-lived as to seem immortal, and he's watched too many people he loved die. From his perspective, she's an annoying young woman who needs to learn her role so he can die and finally get some rest. This book is gorgeously made, BTW, with amazing cover illustrations and stenciled edges. Still, it was about 50 pages too long, IMO. I'd give it an A- and recommend it to anyone who enjoys Alaskan or Icelandic folklore.

 

The Daisy Chain Flower Shop by Laurie Gilmore is the 6th book in her Dream Harbor series of rom-com novels of aching sweetness. Here's the blurb: 

The greatest love is the one you never expected to find

Daisy is fed up with being unlucky in love. And since Mayor Kelly declared her beloved flower shop cursed in one of his infamous visions, business has been slow.

Dream Harbor newcomer Elliot has been adjusting to small-town life following his own relationship turmoil. And until now he’s avoided the flower shop at all costs. If the mayor is correct, he doesn’t need any more bad luck in his life.

When he finds himself walking through the door of the Daisy Chain Flower Shop, he doesn’t expect it to be a life-changing moment. But as the petals blossom in the sunlight, might the unluckiest woman in Dream Harbor finally find that love comes when you’re least expecting it?

The Daisy Chain Flower Shop is a cozy romantic mystery with a fake relationship dynamic, a small-town setting and a HEA guaranteed.

Every book in the Dream Harbor series can be read as a standalone.

“A setting that rivals the Gilmore Girls’ Stars Hollow for cozy charm… wonderfully warm and whimsically witty” Booklist

 I agree with the blurb that there are definite GG vibes here, but without the rapid-fire witty dialogue. I loved the "fake relationship" trope, deployed here in a fun way, to allow the townspeople to see that Daisy isn't cursed in love, and also allowing her fake beau a second chance at love and healing. I thought the HEA ending was just a bit too neat, but I still was glad to see it, as I was to read about Elliot and Daisy's future together, though that was very Hallmark-inspired. I'd give this light and sweet novel a B, and recommend it as a beach read this summer for those looking for an easy read and escape literature.

 

Alchemy and a Cup of Tea by Rebecca Thorne is book 4 in the Tomes and Tea cozy fantasy series. I've read every one of these delightful novels, and I can only hope that this isn't the end of the series. Here's the blurb: This gorgeous paperback release features romantic lavender sprayed edges, a beautiful color illustration, and a bonus short story. (Editors note, I never enjoy these "bonus chapters" or bonus short stories, because more often than not they're unsatisfying and feel like an afterthought...blech)

Author Rebecca Thorne brings the Tomes & Tea series to a delightful, cozy close for our beloved lesbian book- and tea- sellers.

Reyna and Kianthe have no trouble commanding the Realm, running a bookshop, or rescuing baby dragons...but can they save their town from the swarming influx of...tourists?!?

On the night of her kidnapping, all Reyna wanted was a relaxing cup of tea. She didn’t expect to be dropped in a hidden prison cell, but what the hells. She’s flexible.

With appropriate fanfare, Kianthe “rescues” her wife...but Reyna’s actually a terrible damsel in distress. Even worse, Reyna's cell was booby trapped with a mysterious alchemy circle. What does a radical alchemist want with the Arcandor’s wife? And why did they think they could get away with this?

While they investigate, another problem surfaces in their hometown. Word of New Leaf Tomes and Tea―and its celebrity owners―has finally spread. Tourists are everywhere, harassing the locals and ruining the charm of Tawney. As their friends struggle with the sudden influx, Kianthe and Reyna have to face a bigger conundrum than rogue alchemists: the fact that closing their bookshop might be the only way to save their town. 

Ki and Rey are a delightful couple, and I've enjoyed following their growing, loving relationship. I also enjoy how Kianthe's magic works well with Reyna's badass swordswomanship, and how the couple always manage to find a way to deal with trouble that is rarely violent but always harmless and usually kind. What I didn't like about this novel was the constant focus on the dragons and baby dragons and griffins. They didn't do much to advance the plot, and they wrought a lot of havoc that Ki and Rey were forced to clean up. Of course, the bad guy here was a madman, and the tourist problem was used as a diversion from dealing with him and his narcissism. I would almost think that it was a diluted statement on the politics of the USA, which is in a terrible state right now due to an immature male narcissist, but you never know with books like this. Fortunately there's a magical and romantic HEA, and alls well that ends well. I'd give this pretty cozy fantasy a B+, and recommend it to anyone who has read the other books in this series.

 

Welcome to Catalina Comes to TV, Honoring Strand Bookstore Owner Bass, Pride Month Bookstore T-shirt, A Pair of Aces is Reese's Pick, Obit for Marjane Satrapi, Swordheart by T Kingfisher, The Midnight Train by Matt Haig, Across the Vanishing Sky by Catherine Cowles, and Nightfall in the Garden of Deep Time by Tracy Higley

 It's June, the start of summer reading, fellow book lovers! Rejoice! Stay out of the carcinogenic sunshine and curl up with a good beach read in your favorite cozy spot in your home, be it bed or big chair.RIP to my best friend Muff Larson, who would have turned 65 on June 1st. I still miss her though she's been dead for 18 years...and it seems like just yesterday. Also, today Anthony Stewart Head, who played Giles the librarian (with wit and wisdom) on Buffy the Vampire Slayer, died of pneumonia, though he was only 72. A number of great actors, authors and musicians have died this year, including (though she was a nurse, not any of the other professions listed) my mother, who died at the end of March. It's only half over and its already been a tough year. At any rate, I've been reading a lot and trying not to let loss get the better of me. Here's my latest tidbits and reviews. 

 

I'm a big fan of Kelley and of the Lincoln Lawyer, so I will definitely be keeping an eye out for this new TV program. 

TV: Welcome to Catalina

David E. Kelley (The Lincoln Lawyer) is adapting another Michael Connelly crime novel, the 2024 bestseller Nightshade, for television. Deadline reported that the project, titled Welcome to Catalina, is in development at HBO Max "under the streamer's model for drama procedurals intended to return each year with sizable orders and moderate cost. The model was introduced by the Emmy-winning medical drama The Pitt, which produces 15 episodes a year."

Written by Kelley, Welcome to Catalina centers on Los Angeles County Sheriff's Detective Stilwell, "who has been 'exiled' to a low-key post policing rustic Catalina Island. But while following up the usual drunk-and-disorderlies and petty thefts that come with his new territory, Stilwell gets a report of a body found weighed down at the bottom of the harbor," Deadline noted.

The Strand Bookstore in New York has long been on my bucket list, and I think it's wonderful that NYC is honoring the former owner of the store by naming a street after him. People who create community through books and bookstores are rock stars, IMO. 

Image of the Day: Honoring Strand Owner Fred Bass

New York City officially renamed part of E. 12th Street at Broadway Fred Bass Way, celebrating the life and work of second-generation Strand Bookstore owner Fred Bass, who died in 2018. Yesterday, Councilman Harvey Epstein and current Strand Bookstore owner Nancy Bass Wyden unveiled the sign together outside the flagship store.

Bass Wyden said, "My father believed deeply in New York City--in its readers, its curiosity, and the communities that make it such a vibrant place. He dedicated his life not only to building Strand Bookstore, but to preserving something he felt was essential: a place where people could discover ideas, stories, and one another."

Epstein added, "Strand Bookstore is woven into the fabric of our community: in my life, from buying birthday presents and family gifts to spending countless hours with my kids browsing shelves, reading books, and picking out books and Strand swag together. It is deeply meaningful to honor the life and legacy of Strand Bookstore owner Fred Bass right here in our neighborhood. As Strand Bookstore approaches its 100th anniversary next year, we recognize the enormous role it has played in shaping New York City's cultural and intellectual life."

YAY Pride Month bookstore shirts, especially in a red state like Texas, land of MAGA idiots.

Cool Idea: Pride Month Bookstore T-shirt

Hyperbole Bookstore in College Station, Tex., has found a creative way to celebrate Pride Month, posting on Instagram: "Happy Pride!! We are so excited to uplift our fellow LGBTQ+ readers, customers, and community partners this month. In celebration, we've created an exclusive, rainbow-tastic Pride version of our Hyperbole t-shirt that we'll be selling all month in the store. We will be donating 100% of the profits to the Trans Education Network of Texas and the Trevor Project, so be sure to visit us this month and grab a shirt to support two wonderful organizations and show your bookish pride!! These will be available in-store all month long (and for our long-distance friends who may want a shirt, please shoot us an e-mail or call during business hours). Happy Pride."

This book is high on my To be Acquired list, so I'm hoping to get a copy soon...Reese usually has good taste in novels.

Reese's June Book Club Pick: A Pair of Aces

A Pair of Aces by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray is the June pick for Reese's Book Club, which described the book this way: "Though they come from vastly different worlds, Polly Adler and Eunice Carter are each trailblazing women in their own right. Eunice Carter, an assistant district attorney for the City of New York, made history as Manhattan's first Black female prosecutor. Meanwhile, Polly Adler spent years building her business to become one of the city's most notorious madams. When Mob boss Lucky Luciano's power and corruption go too far, the two women forge an unlikely alliance to bring him down in a way only they can."

Persepolis was a ground-breaking graphic novel, and I'm saddened by the passing of its author, Marjane Satrapi...I hate the fact that they made her cause of death sound so misogynistic. I doubt, as a feminist, she would have appreciated being seen as someone who died for love of a man. Anyway, RIP. 

Obituary Note: Marjane Satrapi

Marjane Satrapi, graphic novelist, film director, and children's book author, died today, June 4. She was 56.

According to a statement issued by friends and family, "Marjane Satrapi died of sadness a little over a year after the death of Mattias Ripa, her husband and the love of her life." (Swedish producer, actor, and screenwriter Ripa died April 8, 2025.)

Born and raised in Iran, Satrapi studied abroad for a time and then moved to France permanently in her early 20s. She was best known for her graphic novels Persepolis and Persepolis 2, which were originally published in French and then appeared in English, published by Pantheon in 2003 and 2004. The graphic novels featured an autobiographical character and chronicled her difficult childhood and adolescence in the brutal Islamic Republic. The bestselling graphic novels were made into an animated film co-directed by Satrapi that was released in 2007. The film won the Jury Prize at the Cannes Film Festival and was nominated for an Oscar in the best animated feature category.

Cannes Film Festival head Thierry Fremaux said, "Marjane was an extraordinary artist and a charming woman who embodied the joy of creation and the sorrow of exile and painful memories. We mourn her this morning."

Satrapi was also well-known for her film Radioactive, a 2019 live-action biography of Marie Curie that was based on a graphic novel by Lauren Redniss and starred Rosamund Pike.

Satrapi's other work included the graphic novel Chicken with Plums, about how a musician's life falls apart after his wife destroys his violin. Chicken with Plums also was made into an animated feature. Throughout her life, Satrapi remained opposed to the Islamic Republic's repressive cultural and political policies and its subjugation of women. She edited a collection of graphic stories, Woman, Life, Freedom, published in the U.S. in 2024 by Seven Stories Press.

Swordheart by T. Kingfisher is an adventure romantasy that, as with all Kingfisher's other novels, delivers a cracking good read with lux prose while also creating a page-turning plot that will keep you up until the wee hours. Here's the blurb:  

A beautiful hardcover edition featuring turquoise sprayed edges, a foil stamp on the casing, and custom endpapers.

The delightful charm of The Princess Bride meets the delicious bodyguard romance of From Blood and Ashin this cozy fantasy romance from New York Times bestselling author T. Kingfisher

Halla has unexpectedly inherited the estate of a wealthy uncle. Unfortunately, she is also saddled with money-hungry relatives full of devious plans for how to wrest the inheritance away from her.

While locked in her bedroom, Halla inspects the ancient sword that's been collecting dust on the wall since before she moved in. Out of desperation, she unsheathes it―and suddenly a man appears. His name is Sarkis, he tells her, and he is an immortal warrior trapped in a prison of enchanted steel.

Sarkis is sworn to protect whoever wields the sword, and for Halla―a most unusual wielder―he finds himself fending off not grand armies and deadly assassins but instead everything from kindly-seeming bandits to roving inquisitors to her own in-laws. But as Halla and Sarkis grow closer, they overlook the biggest threat of all―the sword itself. 

The relationship between Halla and Sarkis is dreamy and deliciously tense, and the resulting HEA very imaginative. Having read 3 of Kingfisher's other novels (I'm not a fan of horror, so I didn't read the two that were firmly ensconced in that genre), I wasn't surprised at how much I enjoyed this romantic fantasy storyline and its found family undercurrents...there's also a "cozy" atmosphere to the book, which is just my speed of late. I'd give this enchanting novel an A, and recommend it to anyone who likes House on the Cerulean Sea or Travis Baldree's cozy fantasies.

The Midnight Train by Matt Haig is "kind of" a sequel to his bestselling (and popular with book groups everywhere) Midnight Library, which added a refreshing spin to the time-travel fantasy genre. Here's the blurb:  

When your life flashes before your eyes, where would you stop?

No one can change the past, but the Midnight Train can take you there.
The chance to re-live the moments that meant most.
To see what kind of person you really were.

For Wilbur his best days were with Maggie, the love of his life. On his honeymoon in Venice.

Before he gave it all away.

He wishes he could go back and live differently. But to do so risks everything. A magical, time-travelling love story, from the world of The Midnight Library. 

 

That last blurb line is a bit of a misnomer, because this book is different from Midnight Library, in that it was about the choices we make in our lives in terms of how we live them via jobs and family, etc. People at the library are allowed to relive their lives in terms of different choices, only to discover that their original life was the only one worth living. The Midnight Train is about where you stop on the "death" train after you perish, so you can review where your choices took you in the wrong or right direction...and in this case, so the protagonist, Wilbur, can kidnap himself in a dream state and get his past self to realize that his relationship to Maggie, his wife, was more important, in the end, than his greed and pride on building a bookstore empire worth millions. Basically, people over profit. This is not a new idea, I remember back during my childhood hearing adults say "you can't take it with you" about miserly rich people who died alone because they felt that gaining money was more important than caring for and about family. People like that were looked on with pity (and yes, some envy/jealousy by people like my dad who were shallow).  I'd give this book a B+, and recommend it to those who were intrigued by the life choices issues in Midnight Library.

 

Across the Vanishing Sky by Catherine Cowles is an older YA romance with a great deal of added suspense to keep readers turning pages. Here's the blurb: 

The limited deluxe edition includes designed edge pages.

A heart-stopping small town romance from New York Times bestselling author Catherine Cowles, the first in a brand-new series.

He spent a lifetime trying to escape his dark past…but to save her, he'll wade back into the shadows.

Braedyn Winslow never expected to return to Starlight Grove―the town that took everything from her. Not after her best friend, the one who'd sacrificed so much for her, vanished without a trace. But with a young son to raise and a past that won't stay buried, Brae is back…and determined to uncover the truth.

She just didn't count on the brooding, reclusive mountain man living next door.

Dex Archer is the stuff of local legend―silent, rugged, and surrounded by whispers of his and his brothers' violent father. But Brae sees through the scowl and his parentage to the man beneath: fiercely loyal, unexpectedly kind…and just dangerous enough to protect her when someone starts warning her off her search.

The closer she gets to the truth, the harder it is to stay away from Dex. And as things get more perilous, Brae realizes the only person she can rely on is the one man who swore never to trust again.

Only someone isn't happy that Brae has been digging, and they'll do anything to stop her. But Dex? He'll do anything to save her, even slip back into the dark.

 

Brae and Dex's slow-burn romance is very well written, as is the rest of the book, which glides along a swift and decisive plot with rich and detailed prose. The suspense and addictive characters kept me glued to the page, though, at over 400 pages I wasn't expecting to encounter that kind of story arc. There wasn't a cliche in sight, and the author kept the tropes to a bare minimum. I'd give this delectable book an A, and recommend it to anyone who might enjoy a fast-paced romance with suspense and twists and turns galore.

 

Nightfall in the Garden of Deep Time by Tracy Higley is a magical realism novel that didn't quite gel for me, though it had it's moments of lucidity. Here's the blurb: 

You’re invited…to a timeless party in a Secret Garden.
Expect to come back transformed.

Kelsey Willoughby doesn’t have time to pursue her dream of writing a novel. Imagination doesn’t pay the bills, and she’s busy saving her beautiful bookshop from online competition, hotel developers, and the sneaking suspicion that nobody reads anymore.

Not to mention all those voices telling her she doesn’t have talent.

But then the vacant lot of weeds next door starts to shimmer.

When Kelsey stumbles into a luminous nighttime garden party, larger than the vacant lot that holds it and filled with enigmatic guests, she suspects they hold the key to saving the bookshop, and perhaps even to her own mysterious origins.

But answers aren’t forthcoming, not until Kelsey is willing to confront her past, step into her potential, and push deeper into the unknown edges of the garden, where an unexpected journey takes her into a world of dangerous revelation.

With evocative prose and a deeply-embedded mystery, the magical realism of Nightfall in the Garden of Deep Time immerses readers in a delicious adventure of creativity and the arts. A must-read for anyone pursuing a creative life.

This is one of those bizarre books that, just when you think you have a handle on where the plotline is going, it moves in the opposite direction, leaving you scratching your head, wondering what is going on. The prose is dream-like, weaving in and out of moments that weren't linear, but the author gives you no warning that you're not when you thought you were. I sincerely do not agree with the blurb that this book is a must for creative people of any stripe. It would only confuse and depress most of them. The ending leaves much to be desired, as it devolves into a TED talk-like rant on how creatives need to just get on with it, while not really giving them any actual tools to do that. WEIRD. That's the best word I can think of to describe this book. I'd give it a B-, and only recommend it to those who like experimental fiction books, especially ones that are designed to make creatives feel superior to the rest of the human race.

 

East of Eden Comes to TV, My Shelf Books and Gifts to Close, Not Quite Mine by Catherine Bybee, The House at Tyneford by Natasha Solomons, How to Hack a Heartbreak by Kristin Rockaway, Tea is For Trouble by Karen Sue Walker, Mad Mabel by Sally Hepworth, and My Mechanical Romance by Alexene Farol Follmuth

We're just about into June, but I had too many books read stacked up to wait, so I'm going to have to consider this a pre-June review post. There are a number of books I'm anticipating that are coming out this week, so that will add to my TBR stack...and then I will have to wait until mid-month to acquire any more books when I get my SS check. Most of it will be taken up by bills, but I'm hoping to get to some thrift stores and garage sales (and the library sale this weekend) to see if I can pick up some books for under a dollar each.Wish me luck, fellow book dragons!  

 

I read EOE when I was a teenager, and I was disgusted and appalled at Cathy Ames, incestuous pedophile and total dumpster fire of a human being...and a waste of oxygen. It should be interesting to see how they try to excuse her evil behavior and make her into an "anti-hero" in this film. 

TV: East of Eden

A teaser has been released for East of Eden, the Netflix limited series based on John Steinbeck's classic novel that is being adapted by Zoe Kazan, granddaughter of filmmaker Elia Kazan, whose 1955 film version of the book starred James Dean and Jo Van Fleet. "Talk about generational inheritance," IndieWire commented.

The new series stars Florence Pugh, Christopher Abbott, Mike Faist, Hoon Lee, Tracy Letts, Ciarán Hinds, Martha Plimpton, Joseph Zada, and Joe Anders. It is described as a "fresh interpretation of Steinbeck's masterpiece [that] explores the timeless story of good & evil through the multigenerational saga of the Trask family and its chilling, indelible antihero, Cathy Ames." (Editors note: it is common now instead of calling someone an antagonist or an evil character, that film and book people like to use softened language like "antihero" to make the evil character more attractive to readers and viewers...this is complete and utter BS, IMO).

"I fell in love with East of Eden when I first read it, in my teens," Zoe Kazan had said when the project was first announced. "Since then, adapting Steinbeck's novel, the great, sprawling, three-generational entirety of it, has been my dream. More than anything, I have wanted to give full expression to the novel's astonishing, singular anti-heroine, Cathy Ames. Florence Pugh is our dream Cathy; I can't imagine a more thrilling actor to bring this character to life."

Kevin is the author of the children's books, the Totally Ninja Raccoon series. I think its horrible that he's having to close the store. 

From My Shelf Books & Gifts, Wellsboro, Pa., to Close

From My Shelf Books & Gifts in Wellsboro, Pa., will close permanently in the months ahead, NorthCentralPA.com reported.

In a Facebook post, owners Kevin and Kasey Coolidge said they've decided to close the new and used bookstore and have launched a major liquidation sale. Everything in store will be 60% off for store members, while nonmembers will receive 30% off. The store will continue to accept special orders for the time being.

"It's hard to believe the final pages are turning," the owners wrote. "We've loved being your local bookstore, your quiet escape, and the only place in town where you could get a literary recommendation from a feline."

They encouraged customers to continue to support independent, bricks-and-mortar bookstores and not switch to online retailers. And though they did not give an official closing date, they expect to be operating the bookstore until at least mid-July.

Not Quite Mine by Catherine Bybee is a misogynistic romance that has men and women in their trope/stereotypical roles of big overly possessive he-man and fragile woman who only wants love and a baby, because, of course, motherhood is all a woman is good for and can strive for...everything else is meaningless without a baby and a family with your handsome caveman. UGH. If you even have an ounce of feminism in you, this book will turn your stomach. Here's the blurb:  

Gorgeous hotel heiress Katelyn “Katie” Morrison seems to have it all. But when she crosses paths with Dean Prescott―the only man she’s ever loved―at her brother’s wedding, Katie realizes there’s a gaping hole in her life. After the ceremony she gets an even bigger surprise: a baby girl left on her doorstep. Determined to keep the newborn until she learns who her mother is, Katie has her hands full and doesn’t need Dean snooping around…especially when his presence stirs feelings she thought were long gone...

Dean Prescott knows Katie is lying to him about the baby. He shouldn’t care what the woman who broke his heart is up to…and he most certainly shouldn’t still be aching for her. Yet Dean can’t ignore the need to protect Katie―or the desire to be near her every chance he gets. But when he and Katie solve the mystery surrounding the baby, their second chance for happiness could be shattered forever.

What they're calling "protection" in the blurb is lust and misogyny, wherein the male protagonist has the hots for the female protagonist and can't seem to keep it in his pants or off his mind, he must dominate and possess her, and once he discovers she has a child thrust upon her (she can't have children of her own due to "woman issues" that are vaguely explained, and of course which don't keep her from enthusiastically enjoying sex, though its very vanilla sex). He of course assumes because she's a woman, and therefore frail and weak and stupid, that she can't take care of herself, and he must be manly and keep all other suitors away from her, not caring what she wants or needs. He, of course, almost married another woman, and when it comes to light (SPOILER) that this former fiance was pregnant with his child when he left her at the altar, and then left the baby with Katie, whom she felt would be a better mother because Dean revealed he was in love with her (this just didn't seem realistic at all to me, and it made Dean seem like a jackass), Dean ups his stalking ante and proceeds to try and find out what Katie's hiding and who the real parents of the child are...and once he finds out that it's him, he immediately wants to marry Katie and have the three of them be a family. Of course he mentions planning on adopting more kids, which wussy Katie is all on board for, because she loves Dean, and when you love someone apparently you overlook and forgive all their red flags and faults. UGH. Still, the book has fine prose and a rapid-fire plot that will have you finishing the book in an afternoon. I'd give it a B- and only recommend it to women who like "traditional" romances with cis-het characters and sexual tropes.

 

The House at Tyneford by Natasha Solomons is a WWII historical fiction novel with romance interwoven through the plot, though it isn't the focus of the book, as, inevitably, most of the men in the book die during the war. Here's the blurb: Fans of The Forgotten Garden and TV’s Downton Abbey will love this sweeping New York Times bestselling historical novel of love and loss. 
It’s the spring of 1938 and no longer safe to be a Jew in Vienna. Nineteen-year-old Elise Landau is forced to leave her glittering life of parties and champagne to become a parlor maid in England. She arrives at Tyneford, the great house on the bay, where servants polish silver and serve drinks on the lawn. But war is coming, and the world is changing. When the master of Tyneford’s young son, Kit, returns home, he and Elise strike up an unlikely friendship that will transform Tyneford—and Elise—forever.“The House at Tyneford is an exquisite tale of love, family, suspense, and survival. Capturing with astonishing detail and realism a vanished world of desire and hope trapped beneath rigid class convention, Natasha Solomons’s stunning new novel tells the story of Elise Landau, a Jewish Austrian teenager from a family of artists, who is forced to flee her home in Vienna carrying only a guide to household management and her father’s last novel, hidden on pages stuffed inside a viola. Elise hides as a parlor maid in a fine English country estate, but soon she discovers that passion can be found in the most unexpected places. Already a bestseller in Britain, American readers will thrill to The House at Tyneford.”—Katherine Howe

While I enjoyed this story of the bourgeoisie, or middle class Jews of Europe escaping to places like England, where they had to earn a living as servants or in other working class jobs that cared nothing for their skills or expertise as artists, I felt that Elise, a German Jew, was something of an idiot, because, though she was highly educated in Vienna, even after years of living in England, she still had trouble with the English language, and with understanding of the English hierarchy of servants and masters. She seemed to be something of a snob, even without her rich family, and held herself above all the other servants and even her "betters" in the Tyneford household. She was consistently crappy at her job as a maid, and wasn't able to get over her petty sibling rivalry with her sister, who wisely immigrated to America, where there were no bombings or round ups of Jewish people to be killed or placed in death camps. Of course the heir to Tyneford falls in love with her, and she finally succumbs to his charms as well. He inevitably dies in the war, and Elise, ever the social climber, falls in love with his father (I know! Horrible!) and marries him instead. Solomons prose is smooth as silk and flows along a sedate plot that is sometimes barely believable. Still, I'd give this book a B, and recommend it to anyone interested in the immigration of German Jews to England during WWII.

 

How to Hack a Heartbreak by Kristin Rockaway is a rom-com with a women in STEM twist, and though I enjoyed the concept, I felt that the author gave too much priority to the male protagonist, who was a complete jerk for 75% of the book. Here's the blurb: Swipe right for love. Swipe left for disaster. . . . By day, Mel Strickland is an underemployed helpdesk tech at a startup incubator, Hatch, where she helps entitled brogrammers “Hatchlings” — who can’t even fix their own laptops, but are apparently the next wave of startup geniuses. And by night, she goes on bad dates with misbehaving dudes she’s matched with on the ubiquitous dating app, Fluttr. Because she grew tired of bad dates, Mel develops her own app that points out which guys on Fluttr are a red flag and why they're not boyfriend material. Most readers find this book a fascinating and fun read, with one mentioning it's particularly appealing to tech-savvy women. The story receives positive feedback for its twists and turns, and readers appreciate its content, with one noting how it provides insight into women's mental health challenges.   

I felt that it took too long for Mel to develop a spine and go ahead with her own app, regardless of how intimidated and attracted she felt to "dreamy" Alex Hernandez, who is a real misogynistic piece of work. Why these young women in rom-com and regular romance or even romantasy books can't seen to get their brains to work when they're in the presence of a handsome boy, I don't know. Young women need to realize actions speak louder than words, and Alex's actions don't make him attractive at all. I'd give this book a B-, and recommend it to young women in computer programming who are fed up with all the road blocks they face in STEM fields.

 

Tea Is For Trouble by Karen Sue Walker is a haunted tearoom cozy mystery that is short but sweet and full of fascinating characters. Here's the blurb: 

A new life complete with tea, scones, and… murder?

And let’s not forget about the ghost…

When your fiancé breaks up with you on your 49th birthday, what do you do? If you’re April May, you buy a huge Victorian home on a whim and open a tearoom featuring lace tablecloths, exotic teas, and dainty sandwiches. No one told her the house came with a cat in the attic who might just be guarding a treasure. How else to explain people breaking into her house?

From the moment she moves in, nothing goes right, but her problems seem minor when a dead body turns up in her home. Accused of murder, April teams up with a cantankerous bar owner and a feisty, young antiques expert to solve the crime.

And what about the handsome, arrogant chef in her kitchen who no one else can see? She plans to get medical help for what must be a hallucination, but in the meantime, he’s putting a tasty French twist on her menu. If you’ve ever wished someone would remake The Ghost and Mrs. Muir as a culinary murder mystery, this book is for you.

Though I loved the movie "The Ghost and Mrs Muir" I didn't feel that this book was anything nearly as sophisticated or intelligent. Though I did enjoy the oddball characters and the ghosts in the house, as well as April May's ability to accept the French chef ghost in the kitchen and learn to cook from him. I just wish there had been more about the tearoom opening up, and all the delicious delicacies and lovely warm tea that April dishes up now that the murder has been solved and its all behind her. Still, I would give this fun fantasy full of ghosts and magic a B+, and recommend it to anyone who likes cozy ghost stories.

 

Mad Mabel by Sally Hepworth is a women's thriller fiction (though I believe men would enjoy it just as much) with a lot of snark and suspense added to make the plot zing (along with well mannered prose). Here's the blurb: 

From author Sally Hepworth comes a twisty tale of justice, redemption, and one irrepressible woman who’s not done breaking the rules just yet.

Meet Elsie Mabel Fitzpatrick: eighty-one years old, gloriously grumpy, fiercely independent, and never without a hot cup of tea―or a cutting remark. She minds her own business in her quiet Melbourne suburb, until a neighbor turns up dead and the whispers start flying.

Because Elsie hasn’t always been Elsie. Once upon a headline, she was Mad Mabel Waller―Australia’s youngest convicted murderer. But was she really mad, or just misunderstood? Either way, she’s kept her secret buried for decades.

Enter seven-year-old Persephone, a relentless little chatterbox who has just moved in across the road (armed with stickers, questions, and no sense of personal boundaries); Joan, who appears to have it in for Elsie; and a healthy dose of public interest―the cops are sniffing around, and the media is circling like seagulls at a picnic.

So Mabel does what she’s always done best―she takes matters into her own hands.

Is she a cantankerous old lady with a shady past? A cold-blooded killer with arthritis? Or just someone who’s finally ready to tell her side of the story?

Sharp, surprising, and wickedly funny, this is the unforgettable story of a woman who’s spent a lifetime being underestimated―and is about to prove everyone wrong. Again.

I loved nearly all 344 pages of this scintillating novel, complete with a female protagonist who is a senior and isn't some wimpy, whinging pensioner who can't deal with her past and the hard questions lobbed at her by a nosy couple of journalists. I enjoyed her tales of the past, and how she was blamed for things that were not her fault, and railroaded by men into being a convenient scapegoat. It's also worth mentioning that the cover of this book is gorgeous, and that it's a real page-turner...you won't be able to put it down. I'm with Mabel, and I'd give this novel an A, and recommend it to anyone who like Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus. 

 

My Mechanical Romance by Alexene Farol Follmuth is a YA rom-com involving two "engineering" nerds and one young woman who has to do battle with all the misogyny surrounding her in the heavily male dominated field of robotic engineering. Here's the blurb: Opposites attract in this battle-robot-building YA romance from the author of The Atlas Six.

Bel would rather die than think about the future. College apps? You’re funny. Extracurriculars? Not a chance. But when she accidentally reveals a talent for engineering at school, she’s basically forced into joining the robotics club. Even worse? All the boys ignore Bel—and Neelam, the only other girl on the team, doesn't seem to like her either.

Enter Mateo Luna, captain of the club, who recognizes Bel as a potential asset—until they start butting heads. Bel doesn’t care about Nationals, while Teo cares too much. But as the nights of after-school work grow longer and longer, Bel and Teo realize they've made more than just a combat-ready robot for the championship: they’ve made each other and the team better. Because girls do belong in STEM.

In her YA debut, Alexene Farol Follmuth, explores both the challenges girls of color face in STEM and the vulnerability of first love with unfailing wit and honesty. With an adorable, opposites-attract romance at its center and lines that beg to be read aloud, My Mechanical Romance is swoonworthy perfection.

 

UGH, I loathe the phrase "swoonworthy perfection." This isn't the 19th century, people, and most young women in the 21st century have no idea what a swoon even is! Plus, Teo is, as are most men/boys in romances these days, a complete and utter sexist jerk, not at all worthy of an actual swoon. Why? Why can't he accept that a young woman in STEM needs allies and not cruel and mean treatment, along with ignoring Bel's talents that are a huge asset to the team. Even the engineering teacher is a misogynist who sucks up to Teo because he's handsome and wealthy. GROSS. What a pedophilic asshat! He made a weak, half-assed apology to Bel in the end, but its worthless unless he's dismissed from the classroom for favoring male students (especially Teo) over anyone else. And justice is never served to him, which is wrong. Bel should have showed up at the school board with names, dates and a paper trail proving that this teacher was an idiot and a biased creep. Infuriating! Still the prose with clean and crisp, and the plot rumbled along like a well-oiled battle bot. I'd give this book a B, and recommend it to any young woman leaning toward a male-dominated STEM field, who wants to be inspired by a young woman who persists! Never say die, ladies!