Ursula K LeGuin Awards, These Summer Storms Comes to TV, Letters From the Last Apothecary by Bita Behzadi, The Reimagining of Thornwood House by Jaleigh Johnson, Moonfire by Nathan Wright, To Hunt a Ruby Remedy by Jen Lynning, Star Crossed Letters by Sarah Deeham, and Claws and Cocktails by Tabitha Slick

Hey Book People! I've been procrastinating about this final post of the month, because I've been in pain and I've had to have a bunch of blood tests and other tests and set up some procedures for next month and December. I also found a small lump in my breast, so I've got to go get a mammogram ASAP, which is another worry to add to my growing list of health concerns. So forgive me if I try and make this post quick and to the point...I'm tired and don't have a lot of energy to get things done. Sorry!

UKLeGuin is one of my all time favorite science fiction authors, and having met her several times, I adored her spicy attitude. I was wreaked when she passed. Anyway, I'm glad that she left behind an award for fiction writers...she was adamant that women were often overlooked for book awards.

Awards: Ursula K. Le Guin Fiction Winner

Audition by Pip Adam (Coffee House Press) has won the $25,000 Ursula K.Le Guin Prize for Fiction, honoring "a single work of imaginative fiction" and recognizing "writers who can imagine real grounds for hope and see alternatives to how we live now."

Organizers described the winning book this way: "In Audition, a spaceship is hurtling through the cosmos. Squashed immobile into its largest room are three giants: Alba, Stanley, and Drew. If they talk, the spaceship keeps moving; if they are silent, they resume growing. Talk they must, and as they do, Alba, Stanley, and Drew recover their shared memory of what has been done to their former selves--experiences of imprisonment, violence, and disempowerment."

The judges said, "Adam uses innovative narrative structure and impeccable prose to do what SFF--what only SFF at its best--can do: make metaphor concrete to completely change our understanding not just of what is happening in the narrative but also how today's society works. [Audition] gradually assumes the urgency of survival as three people whom society has deemed worthless find their way back to themselves, each other, and hope. An astonishing and ultimately joyful work."

I read this book and I hope that the series will live up to the general themes and well-devised plot.

TV: These Summer Storms

These Summer Storms, a drama series based on Sarah MacLean's 2025 novel, is in development at Hulu from Erin and Sara Foster, showrunners for Netflix's hit series Nobody Wants This, Deadline reported.

Written by Melanie Marnich (Apples Never Fall), the new series "follows Alice Storm who hasn't been welcome at her family's magnificent private island off the Rhode Island coast in five years--not since she was cast out and built her life beyond the Storm name, influence, and untold billions. But the shocking death of her larger-than-life father changes everything."

"I'm absolutely thrilled to be working with the Foster sisters, 20th Television and Hulu to bring These Summer Storms to the screen," MacLean said. "The team's vision for the show, combined with Melanie Marnich's brilliant writing, has made the whole project a dream come true. I cannot wait for the world to witness the delicious chaos of the Storm family in this new, exciting medium."

Letters From the Last Apothecary by Bita Behzadi is a cozy romantasy that is written in half epistolary sections and half general novel prose that is engaging and often poignant. Here's the blurb: This debut cozy historical romantic fantasy is about a grumpy apothecarist, the whirlwind woman who comes to save his shop, and the letters that secretly unite them.

Nestled between steel skyscrapers lies a small shop stocked with old magic and experimental elixirs. This cozy historical romantic fantasy debut is a tale of mistaken identity, reluctant partnership, and the quiet, transformative magic of being truly seen—on and off the page.

Josephine Pinova doesn’t believe in fate. Yet, it must be fate when she walks into one of the last magical apothecaries in the city and they offer her a job after she’s just been fired.

Struggling against a tide of anti-magic sentiment amidst the city's rapid industrialization, the shop is slated to close in six short months unless Josie can save it. Luckily, she's no stranger to impossible odd—she's applying to study magic at the local university, something women are typically excluded from—even as the shop's prickly apothecarist, Aufidius Reid, seems determined to dislike her.

Reid finds her unbearably insistent. She finds him infuriatingly uptight—nothing like the sensitive scholar Josie has been exchanging anonymous letters with as they study together for entrance to a graduate magic program. A scholar who just so happens to be Reid himself, unbeknownst to either of them.

Letter by letter, they fall in love. But at work, Josie and Reid clash constantly about the direction of the business. As pressure rises, they discover the threat to the shop is more dangerous than they could have ever imagined, and working together to save it might be their only chance at true purpose, and at each other.

 

I enjoyed Josie's tough feminist stance at a time (the turn of the 20th century) when women had to fight for every scrap of independence and civil rights.  What bothered me was the old, tired trope of a young woman who suddenly loses half her brain cells and power to chart her own path through life the moment she meets and inevitably falls for a usually mean-spirited man who has only half her intellectual wattage. Once Reid and Josie figure out that in real life they clash, but in letters they bare their souls and fall in love, all bets are off as to how or when or even if they can save the last apothecary shop from the local mob (turns out its actually a rich asshat who has pretended to be Reids friend for decades who is trying to force the shop to close...so, plot twist!) Fortunately, they work together and manage to save the shop and their careers at the same time, all tied up with an HEA. I'd give this book and its snappy plot an A-, and recommend it to anyone who enjoys epistolary romantasies.

 

The Reimagining of Thornwood House by Jaleigh Johnson is a sweet combination of cozy fantasy and a  Miyazaki (My Neighbor Totoro) script, with some legendary myths of a witch/baba yaga house that walks on chicken legs thrown in for good measure. There's also some romantasy and a sprinkling of humor throughout the book, which ends up being a real page-turner. Here's the blurb: A witch and her young ward discover a magical, walking house and learn the true meaning of home in this cozy, enchanting novel from bestselling author Jaleigh Johnson.

Evelyn Sharpe is accustomed to dealing with natural disasters as a land witch, but she longs for a life with a little less danger for her and her adopted daughter, Ruby. So when the opportunity to take over as Caretaker of Thornwood House—a sentient home that acts as the magical heart of the village of Iskendra—arises, it seems almost fated.

When they arrive in sunny Iskendra, Evie and Ruby find the house is nothing like what they expected: First of all, it has walked away from the address. Thornwood House is also grumpy, guarded, and extremely hesitant to allow the two witches through its doors.

Armed with gentle hearts and wild magic, Evie and Ruby begin to form tentative bonds with the house and the citizens of the small town. But there’s something deeply damaged about the building seeping into the forests surrounding Iskendra, and Evie will have to use all her power to protect the roots she’s started to grow.

 

This book is just as much about healing from grief and loss as it is about a magical house and the two women who come to occupy and rehabilitate it.  Once Evie uncovers the secret of the magical blue oak trees, she and Ruby are able to replant its magic into the house, and the house can start to heal itself. the prose sparkles with vivid imagery and the plot wafts like a cooling summer breeze. I delighted in nearly every chapter. I'd give this book an A, and recommend it to anyone who likes books about magical people and homes.

 

Moonfire by Nathan Wright is an urban action fantasy novel, and to be honest, it's a weak, watered down version of Jim Butcher's magnificent Dresden Files novels. If I were Butcher, I'd sue the pants off Nathan Wright for stealing Harry Dresden and making him weaker and not as bright, and plopping him down in Kentucky, where he does a crap job of being Lexington's Go-To Wizard. Here's the blurb: As the appointed Wizard Guardian of Lexington, Kentucky, Ethan Lancaster can brew a mean potion. But Lexington is a lazy post, with few threats on the horizon.

That changes when a team of elite monster-hunters shows up at his shop to purchase dangerous elixirs for an even more dangerous job, and Ethan’s idyllic days get a hell of a lot more hectic. Teaming up with a goblin in exile, and a shady information broker, Guardian Lancaster will quickly learn whether he can live up to his classical wizard training. If Ethan can’t endure this trial by fire, he won’t be the only one reduced to ashes—Lexington itself will burn by moonlight.

Welcome to The Chronicles of Ethan Lancaster (editor's note: AKA Harry Dresden's poor cousin).

Magic is real, monsters lurk in the shadows, and keeping the balance always requires tough choices.
Ethan Lancaster is the Wizard Guardian of Lexington, Kentucky—book-smart, (not really) awkward, and still wondering if he’s actually qualified for the job. He knows spells, can quote magical texts like they’re bedtime stories, and can recite obscure theory better than most, but when monsters start treating Lexington like an all-you-can-eat buffet, none of that matters.

It’s his job to keep the city safe—whether he’s ready for it or not. He’s another urban fantasy wizard, sure—but with more anxiety and fewer dramatic coat flourishes....insert eye roll here. 

 

As a lifelong Fan of Jim Butcher's Dresden Files, I was outraged, and then just saddened that Mr Wright couldn't imagine his own character, but instead felt the need to steal/plagiarize Harry Dresden, Chicago's finest Wizard, and turn him into a wimpy, weak and stupid "guardian" who can't do his job effectively. He says in the blurb that he "adds anxiety and fewer coat flourishes" but Harry doesn't need to have anxiety after all he's been through, nor does he need to dispense with his powered-up protective coat flourishes...those are part and parcel of what makes him a great character, one that will stand the test of time, long after this self-published monstrosity is consigned to the great dumpster in the sky. the prose is as weak as the protagonist, and there are typos throughout. The plot is paint-by-numbers easy and becomes tedious about halfway through. I would give this disappointing novel a C, and I can't think of anyone I'd recommend it to, because I'd tell them they're better off reading the original bad-ass Dresden Files.

 

To Hunt a Ruby Remedy by Jen Lynning is a little red riding hood romantasy that barely holds together, even with its ancient fairy tale underpinnings. Here's the blurb: 

The man who opened this cottage door is hiding more than big teeth.

Not even a journey to the Drakona Forest will stop Scarlette from getting the magical cure her mother needs. But when the door to the healer’s cottage opens, she doesn’t find the grandmother she expected. The man on the other side is scowling, curt, and smoking hot. He also wants Scarlette gone. Now.

Ranulf prefers his solitude, especially with a dragon-hunter roaming his woods. The last thing he needs is a distractingly attractive woman under his roof. She doesn’t belong in his isolated world, even if resisting her sunny smiles (and delicious pies) is proving harder than Ranulf expected.

When the huntsman sets his sights on Scarlette, Ranulf can no longer hide his secrets. He can protect Scarlette – but how will he survive the heartbreak of sending her away?

  

This is one of those books that reads like it was written by an 18 year old for a YA audience that she assumes all see romance in the same drippy, saccharine way that she does. Hint: They don't. Not only is the prose simplistic, the plot has holes you could drive a wagon through. The two main characters spend a lot of time trying not to drool over one another, but eventually they get together for a soupy HEA. I'd give this book a C+ and only recommend it to those who want easy-reading romantasy for, say, the beach or waiting in line at the store or doctors office.

 

Star-Crossed Letters by Sarah Deeham is a YA friends-to-lovers romance that is liberally doused with humor. Here's the blurb: A friends-to-lovers celebrity pen-pal romance with a bookish girl, a movie star, and a typewriter meet-cute.

The bookshop barista & the celebrity...
When I sold a vintage typewriter, I never imagined its new owner would become my pen pal, best friend, and secret crush.
We have two rules: no photos and no real names.

Over the years, “Remington” and I go from typewritten notes to daily texts, but our rules stay the same. And so does my life. I’m a wannabe writer who can’t complete a novel, and I’ve fallen for a guy who I’ve never met.

So when I receive a letter my Nanna wrote before she died encouraging me to embark on a summer of risks—my first on the list is to break all the rules.

I don't want to keep secrets from my pen pal. She's more than my best friend. She's my everything. But I’m Hollywood’s hottest celebrity, and my fame is toxic. I can't risk losing what we have if she finds out who I really am. Our anonymous friendship works until “Typewriter Girl” suddenly goes silent. Now, I’ll do anything to ensure she’s safe, including stepping out from behind the screen and leading a double life.

I love pen-pal epistolary novels because letters make characters more honest and vulnerable, and they're fun to read. So I initially enjoyed this book, but got tired of the way the two main characters kept hiding behind their nicknames-fake identities.I also liked the witty bouts of humor throughout the book, but those trickled down to near nothing by the end. Still, I'd give the book a B- and recommend it to anyone looking for a fantasy celebrity/regular person romance that will give a lot of teenage girls hope to meet their celeb crush.

 

Claws and Cocktails by Tabitha Slick is a midlife paranormal women's fantasy novel that has heavy notes of manic pixie dream girl with big strong guy protagonist to the rescue seasoned throughout the plot....so if you're into the 80s and 90s sexist romantic tropes, this is the book for you. Chivalry is not dead, especially when it comes to Tinkerbell fan fiction, which is what this reads like. 

 Here's the blurb: 

Rejected by the ones they loved. Forced together by a twist of fate.

In the small town of Havenwood, Zera, a dedicated and independent pixie, single mother, and bartender, faces the harsh reality of rejection when her werewolf ex-lover deserts her for his pack and a new flame.

Swearing off men, she relies on her half sister for support, determined to forge ahead with her life. Despite her adamant stance, she's reluctantly convinced to go on a blind date, vowing to dislike whoever the unfortunate fae might be. To her horror, she's set up with Maverick Harris, a mysterious werewolf who seems perfect, almost irresistible, until the truth unravels.

He's a spy, their date is a cover, and to ensure Zera's safety, she must pretend to be his wife.

What is odd about this inter-species romance is how a tiny magical pixie could fall in lust and then love with a huge (to her) werewolf who wants to possess and protect her, no matter the cost. How do huge wolves manage to mate with tiny fairies? The author uses the standard sex scene descriptions here, with the usual oral sex for the girl, followed by oral sex for the guy, or just a wait until he can get it up again and "fill her" with his massive penis. There's a lot of complimenting the female protagonist, because no matter how enchantingly gorgeous she is, she's still insecure and fears that something about her makes her unlovable or ugly. The male protagonist is always described the same, tall, with a massive chest and shoulders and big biceps/arms, and big thighs, and of course a big dick, because supposedly women like that (I have yet to meet a woman who cares about penis size, she just wants to be treated with gentle kindness, respect and love). I'd give this magical, almost Disney-esque novel a B-, and recommend it to anyone with a fairy fetish.

 

Artemis Fowl Comes to TV, Magician's Nephew Narnia Movie, Charlie's Queer Books Expands in Seattle, The Forget Me Not Library by Heather Webber, The Spoon Stealer by Lesley Crewe, The Villainous Aunties of Ember Row by Maggie O'Connor, Bloomsbury Girls by Natalie Jenner and The Lies That Summon the Night by Tessonja Odette

I've been procrastinating for the past week because of pain in my back, knees and abdomen, and the fatigue that comes with taking pain meds to survive. Though I realize naps aren't great for a clean sleep schedule, I still can't help myself from nodding off while reading a book in bed, either on my Kindle or a regular hardback or paperback. It is frustrating, but this evening, armed with caffeinated tea and a few snacks, I'm going to attempt to get through this post and put up at least 5 reviews. Please have patience with me, I will continue writing for as long as I'm able.

I read the first couple of AF books, and while I enjoyed them I'm not a huge fan of the anti-hero trope, where the main character is evil but quirky enough that you're supposed to forgive him for being an asshat. Still, I imagine Disney will bleach out some of AF's more egregious qualities and make the books into something kids will enjoy and their parents buy merch from. 

TV: Artemis Fowl

More than 25 years after introducing the world to Artemis Fowl, author Eoin Colfer is teaming up with Disney for an animated series adaptation, Deadline reported. At New York Comic-Con last weekend, Colfer announced during the "25 Years of Artemis Fowl" panel that the project has been greenlit for Disney Channel and Disney+, and he will serve as executive producer alongside Ben Juwono and Colleen Evanson.

"I am proud and delighted to be part of the formidable team that is putting the Artemis Fowl animation on screen," said Colfer. "Everyone is so talented and so positive that I feel certain the fairy world is in excellent hands."

Ayo Davis, president of Disney Kids & Family, added: "For more than two decades, Eoin Colfer's Artemis Fowl books have captivated readers around the world with unforgettable characters, imaginative world-building, and gripping adventures. Bringing this beloved franchise to life as an animated series gives us the opportunity to introduce a new generation to Artemis's world while honoring the longtime fans who have cherished these stories for years."

I read the Chronicles of Narnia all the way through before I realized (okay, someone told me, but still...) that the books were basically Christian allegory, and Aslan the lion was a stand-in for Jesus. I was gobsmacked. I was also angry at CS Lewis for prostelytizing to children under the guise of a good fantasy story. His prose, in all of his books, is so beautifully wrought, so engaging, that I find it hard to believe he would stoop to this level to get children into Christianity. I imagine that this GG version will be a real ripper, though.

Movies: Narnia: The Magician's Nephew

The first trailer has been released for the Greta Gerwig-directed adaptation of Narnia: The Magician's Nephew, "a modernized retelling of C.S. Lewis's first book in The Chronicles of Narnia," Deadline reported. The film hits theaters February 12 and Netflix on April 2.

The cast includes David McKenna as Digory Kirke, Beatrice Campbell (Polly Plummer), Emma Mackey (White Witch/Jadis), Daniel Craig (Andrew Ketterley), Meryl Streep (voice of Aslan), and Carey Mulligan (Mabel Kirke), along with Kobna Holdbrook-Smith, Denise Gough, and Susan Wokoma.

Narnia: The Magician's Nephew is produced by Mark Gordon, Amy Pascal, Vincent Sieber-Smith, and Gerwig. Executive producers include Patricia Whitcher, Racheline Benveniste, Christine Crais, and Douglas Gresham and Melvin Adams for the C.S. Lewis Estate. Mark Ronson and Andrew Wyatt wrote an original score, and George Drakoulias serves as music director.

 I didn't even know that this bookstore existed! Shame on me! Now I will have to get Nick to take me on a trek up Cap Hill to see the newly expanded store, and support their LGBTQ+ efforts. Go Charlies!

Charlie's Queer Books, Seattle, Wash., Expanding

Charlie's Queer Books in Seattle, Wash., will open a new, larger location in Seattle's Capitol Hill neighborhood this fall, KIRO7 reported.

Store owners Charlie Hunts and Madeline Burchard told the Stranger the new store will occupy a two-story space on E. Pike St. and include a cafe and wine bar as well as a children's reading nook and a loft for hosting events. It will be roughly twice the size of the original Charlie's Queer Books in Fremont and is expected to be open in November.

Hunts said the expansion came about due to the bookstore outgrowing its home at 465 N. 36th St., in which it opened in November 2023. Hunts recalled that at the time of the opening, "there were barely any books on the shelf. Now, we don't have enough wall space to even add bookcases if we wanted to."

"I feel honored to have something that Seattle embraced and that they took and ran with," Hunts told KIRO7. "The queer community embraced this thing and then grew it into what we know today."

Hunts pointed out that many of the books on the store's shelves have been banned or challenged in public libraries and schools, and it is "really important to us" to get queer stories to a wider audience during these times.

Hunts further emphasized that the store "isn't just for the LGBT community; it's for everyone. The store should be full of good stories for everyone and I hope that everyone feels welcome to come check it out."

The Forget-Me-Not Library by Heather Webber is a lovely magical realism novel filled with hope, warmth and intelligence. Here's the blurb: A detour. A chance encounter. Two women who alter the pages of each other’s story.

Juliet Nightingale is lucky to be alive. Months after a freak accident involving lightning, she’s fully recovered but is left feeling that something is missing from her life. Something big. Impulsively, she decides to take a solo summer road trip, hoping that the journey will lead her down a path that will help her discover exactly what it is that she’s searching for.

Newly single mom Tallulah Byrd Mayfield is hanging by a thread after her neat, tidy world was completely undone when her husband decided that their marriage was over. In the aftermath of the breakup, she and her two daughters move in with her eighty-year-old grandfather. Tallulah starts a new job at the Forget-Me-Not Library, where old, treasured memories can be found within the books―and where Lu must learn to adapt to the many changes thrown her way.

When a road detour leads Juliet to Forget-Me-Not, Alabama, and straight into Tallulah’s life, the two women soon discover there’s magic in between the pages of where you’ve been and where you still need to go. And that happiness, even when lost, can always be found again.  

 

I enjoyed both the main character's search for themselves and happiness, and their discoveries that the library really is a magic place. There were a couple of slow moments in the plot, but the pristine prose never faltered. I'd give this book a B+ and recommend it to anyone looking for a self discovery or comfort read.

 

The Spoon Stealer by Lesley Crewe is a historical family saga that I felt deals with the myriad and often unusual ways people deal with grief and family (abusive) pain. Here's the blurb: 

Born into a basket of clean sheets―ruining a perfectly good load of laundry―Emmeline never quite fit in on her family's rural Nova Scotian farm. After suffering multiple losses in the First World War, her family became so heavy with grief, toxicity, and mental illness that Emmeline felt their weight smothering her. And so, she fled across the Atlantic and built her life in England. Now she is retired and living in a small coastal town with her best friend, Vera, an excellent conversationalist. Vera is also a small white dog, and so Emmeline is making an effort to talk to more humans. When she joins a memoir-writing course at the library, her classmates don't know what to make of her. Funny, loud, and with a riveting memoir, she charms the lot. As her past unfolds for her audience, friendships form, a bonus in a rather lonely life. She even shares with them her third-biggest secret: she has liberated hundreds of spoons over her lifetime―from the local library, Cary Grant, Winston Churchill. She is a compulsive spoon stealer. 

 

When Emmeline unexpectedly inherits the farm she grew up on, she knows she needs to leave her new friends and go see the farm and what remains of her family one last time. She arrives like a tornado in their lives, an off-kilter Mary Poppins bossing everyone around and getting quite a lot wrong. But with her generosity and hard-earned wisdom, she gets an awful lot right too. A pinball ricocheting between people, offending and inspiring in equal measure, Emmeline, in her final years, believes that a spoonful―perhaps several spoonfuls―of kindness can set to rights the family so broken by loss and secrecy. The Spoon Stealer is a classic Crewe book: full of humour, family secrets, women's friendship, lovable animals, and immense heart.

I felt compelled to follow Emmeline's story from the first pages onward, just to find out what happened to her family and what she'd done with all those spoons she stole from everyone. Fascinating insights into the mind of a kleptomaniac who is just looking for love and acceptance (and to be seen, for crying out loud, something I, as a middle child, can certainly relate to!) in a world that has routinely rejected her. I also adored the dialogue between Vera the dog (who is so wise!) and Emmeline, and I found it heartening that Em's story helped others in her group deal with their own traumas. A good warm read, I'd give it an A, and recommend it to anyone seeking "their people" out in the great wide world.

 

The Villainous Aunties of Ember Row by Maggie O'Connor is a fantasy mystery with a sweet romance (not at all spicy) woven throughout. Here's the blurb: 

Her father was murdered. His alehouse is now hers. And the retired detective asking questions has no idea Iris can change her face.

For more than two thousand years, Iris has survived by leaving before anyone gets close enough to know her. Emberville is supposed to be temporary. She intends to keep the alehouse, solve her father’s murder, and disappear again before one nosy magical town can start feeling like home.

Silvestro Vale is supposed to be helping her find her father's killer. But the closer they get to the truth, the harder it becomes to tell which mystery has captured the legendary detective’s attention more: the murder or Iris herself.

The villainous aunties who summoned Iris to Emberville still want Number Fourteen, while an unsolved case could cost her the alehouse altogether. The trouble is, it no longer feels like a piece of property. Somewhere along the way, Iris has acquired something dangerously close to a life.

Apparently, a life comes with regular dinner invitations.

A standalone, warm, whimsical cozy fantasy mystery with found family and a gentle, zero-spice, slow-burn romance.

Though I liked and understood Iris's "otherness" (being a changeling-style shapeshifter who feels her real self is too hideous to love), I felt that she underestimated herself and was way too surprised when the male protagonist, a Sherlock Holmes style detective, falls in love with her mind and her heart and soul. She had a funny way to relate to her extra chonky cat, who was magical and able to help her when she needed it, and she also developed some genuine friendships with people who didn't care what she looked like on the outside. All in all I found this book a warm and fun Autumnal read, and I'd give it a B+ and recommend it to anyone who likes offbeat magical main characters who aren't pretty or perfect-looking, but who are amazing all the same.

 

Bloomsbury Girls by Natalie Jenner is a sort of marriage between the movie "9 to 5" and a prequel to Mad Men with some interesting publishing and bookseller background added on...there's even a touch of Breakfast at Tiffany's in the novel.  Here's the blurb: 

Natalie Jenner, the author of The Jane Austen Society, returns with a compelling and heartwarming story of post-war London, a century-old bookstore, and three women determined to find their way in a fast-changing world in Bloomsbury Girls.

Bloomsbury Books is an old-fashioned new and rare book store that has persisted and resisted change for a hundred years, run by men and guided by the general manager's unbreakable fifty-one rules. But in 1950, the world is changing, especially the world of books and publishing, and at Bloomsbury Books, the girls in the shop have plans:

Vivien Lowry: Single since her aristocratic fiance was killed in action during World War II, the brilliant and stylish Vivien has a long list of grievances--most of them well justified and the biggest of which is Alec McDonough, the Head of Fiction.

Grace Perkins: Married with two sons, she's been working to support the family following her husband's breakdown in the aftermath of the war. Torn between duty to her family and dreams of her own.

Evie Stone: In the first class of female students from Cambridge permitted to earn a degree, Evie was denied an academic position in favor of her less accomplished male rival. Now she's working at Bloomsbury Books while she plans to remake her own future.

As they interact with various literary figures of the time--Daphne Du Maurier, Ellen Doubleday, Sonia Blair (widow of George Orwell), Samuel Beckett, Peggy Guggenheim, and others--these three women with their complex web of relationships, goals and dreams are all working to plot out a future that is richer and more rewarding than anything society will allow.

 Like Lessons in Chemistry, this novel highlights the prevalence of misogyny and the horrible sexist treatment of women that was pervasive in the 1950s, after women had done so much for the war effort on the home front, and learned that whatever men could do, women could do better. Viv and Grace and Evie are navigating the strict rules of the patriarchy, which mostly only apply to women, never to men, who get a pass to do whatever they please, no matter who it hurts. I enjoyed the rich prose and the highlighting of famous women as characters who interacted with the fictional book store clercs and gave them inspiration to push back and make their part of the working world a better place for women then and now. The plot rarely slowed, and the characters were 3 dimensional and fascinating, though I was expecting a better HEA than I got. Still, I would give this zippy novel a B, and recommend it to those who think the 50s were an ideal time in American history, when that couldn't be further from the truth.

 

The Lies That Summon the Night by Tessonja Odette is a dark magical romance (read horror/torture fiction disguised as romantasy), that provides and tense and somewhat horrific story arc of a young creative woman who is kidnapped from a venue where she prostitutes her sewing and storytelling art for the rich and awful, people who get a break from indulging in the "sins" that get practitioners killed. She's kidnapped by Dominic, who needs her and two of her fellow performers (a musician and a gal who was a prostitute who tells tales) to help him as summoners to get by all the monsters outside of the villages. Here's the blurb: From the art of liars, the monsters came . . .

Ever since art gave life to bloodthirsty shadows, creative works have been forbidden and talented creators sacrificed to the Sinless—the immortal royals who feast on human blood in return for their protection.

Inana’s secret storytelling nearly got her killed once, and she’ll be damned if she’s ever caught again. With a bounty on her head, she keeps to the city’s dark underbelly, where she earns a meager living from thrill-seeking patrons desperate to hear her illicit fiction. Until Dominic, a Shadowbane, catches one of her performances.

Dominic is a half-Sinless monster hunter as fearsome as his prey. But to complete his hunt, he needs an artist to summon the shadows . . . he needs Inana. Dominic delivers an ultimatum: Serve him or he’ll claim her bounty. When survival is all Inana has left, the choice is clear—at least until she can betray him and leave him for dead.

As their tense alliance leads them into the heart of danger, dark secrets unravel—about each other, their world, and the threats they face. But the greatest risk of all is the desire growing between them. There’s something more sinful than lust at play, and it could bring the world to its knees. 

 

This was a fascinating take on what happens when politics and royalty and other powers that be intersect with religion to control the populace through fear and lies about creativity and individual thought. If even using colored thread to mend a piece of clothing is punishable by death, people will live sad, colorless and entertainment/creativity free lives in order to survive...but of course they won't truly be living. The three creatives Dom kidnaps refuse to give up their stories and music because its an intrinsic part of their souls, their beings, yet it brands them as lowly sinners, who must live hand to mouth. Inana is a canny storyteller, and as her story unfolds, Dom becomes even more enraptured with her. So the trope of enemies to lovers comes into play immediately. There's more than a bit of "scar comparison" in the later half of the book, as well as some torture porn through flashbacks, but it all comes to a head and then is cleared up for the HFN. I'd give this book a B+ and recommend it to anyone who is crafty and loves Arabian Nights style settings for their romantasy.

 

Robert Sindelar to Star in his own Play, Bride's Chamber Comes to TV, Reading Party, The List That Changed My Life by Olivia Beirne, Bogs, Brews and Banshees by Rowan Dillon, Massif by Garth Nix, The Starlight Heir by Amalie Howard, Weyward by Emilia Hart, and A Bookshop Summer by Stephanie Butland

Hey Bibliophiles! I know its been awhile, but I've been navigating a lot of pain in my knees and back and lower bowel area, with little or no help from my doctors, whom I've got to beg to get low dose pain medications every few weeks. They treat me with great disrespect, which is humiliating, and most seem to think I should go off onto the ice floe and die already, because my pain and suffering is so inconvenient for them...especially the male doctors, of course. Women over 50 are to be reviled and ignored, because they're no longer sexual playthings for men. UGH. Misogyny is still woven into the fabric of our society, which is horrific. Anyway, I've not had the energy to post, but I'm going to try tonight. So here you go, tidbits and reviews and all. 

I've adored 3rd Place Books every time I've visited, and I'm chuffed for their co-owner's performance of his solo play, which is not an easy thing to do from any POV. So if you're in Seattle, go support the theater arts!

Author, Author!: Robert Sindelar to Star in His Own Play

In early November, Robert Sindelar, co-owner of Third Place Books, Seattle, Wash., and a former American Booksellers Association president, performs his own solo play, The Things You Can't Forget, about his experience of returning to the world of theater after a 25-year absence while navigating his relationship with his mother as she loses her memory.

In the 1990s he acted in and directed plays around Seattle's Fringe Theater Scene at such theaters as Aha! Theater, New Mercury Theater, New City Theater, Odd Duck Studios and The Theater Off Jackson. He returned to theater in 2023, playing Vladimir in Waiting for Godot at OutCast Productions on Whidbey Island, where he also played Aston in Harold Pinter's The Caretaker in 2025.The Things You Can't Forget is directed by Dawson Nichols. The play will be performed November 5-8 at West of Lenin in Seattle.

Oooh, dark Dickens! What is not to love?! This looks to have an all-star cast, and I will hopefully be able to view it on one of the American streaming services later in the year.

TV: The Bride's Chamber

Martin Freeman and Jim Broadbent will star in an adaptation of "The Bride's Chamber," which was published in 1858 and "is considered among Charles Dickens's darkest stories," Deadline reported. As is tradition at the BBC, Mark Gatiss created the project, the ninth in what has become a staple of British TV festive season specials. Last year was an adaptation of E.F. Benson's The Room in the Tower, which was preceded by E. Nesbit's Woman of Stone and Arthur Conan Doyle's Lot No. 249.

The cast also includes Adrian Scarborough, India Fowler, and Lewis Shepherd. Principal photography took place on location in Ingatestone Hall, in Essex, U.K. earlier this year. The Bride's Chamber will air on BBC Two over the festive period and play on BBC iPlayer. Adorable Media is producing, with BBC Studios handling international distribution.

"It's unusual to find a Dickens rarity, but this is it," said Gatiss. "A weird and nasty little treasure which lurks within a work co-written with the great Wilkie Collins. A lonely inn, an incognito traveler and a ghastly tale of warped obsession."

 This is a fantastic idea, and I really wish I could be a part of a reading party locally here in Maple Valley. I would hope they'd provide hot tea or juice for those of us who can't drink, but still, what a great idea for extrovert book lovers like myself, who, due to chronic ailments, are confined to areas close to home and fairly lonely. 

Cool Idea: The Reading Party

"What if reclaiming your time could be a little rebellious, and not loud?" asked Books & Books in Coral Gables, Fla. "Once a month, The Reading Party gathers us around a simple proposition: come as you are, bring a book (or don't, we have plenty to choose from), and read together in companionable silence for 45 minutes. Then we break the silence.

"Handwritten prompts open the floor. Wine and light bites flow. Conversations wander. Strangers become friends. Book clubs are born. Someone inevitably says, 'How have we never done this before?'

"Hosted by our very own Alyssa Expósito as part of the Books & Books Literary Foundation, The Reading Party is our small act of resistance against the feeling that our screens are priority. For 45 minutes, we turn to one of the oldest technologies, the book. We read. We breathe. We pay attention. And then we stay awhile and talk about it.... Come for the reading. Stay for the people."

 The List That Changed My Life by Olivia Beirne is a delightful rom-com with sweet and sentimental moments that will have you misty-eyed throughout. Here's the blurb: 

Sometimes all you need is a little push . . .

Georgia loves wine, reality TV and sitting on the sofa after work. She does not love heights, looking at her bank account, going on dates, or activities that involve a sports bra. And she will never, ever take a risk.

That is, until her braver, bolder, big sister finds out that she won't be able to tick off the things she wanted to do before turning thirty, and turns to Georgia to help her finish her list.

With the birthday just months away, Georgia suddenly has a deadline to learn to grab life with both hands. Could she be brave enough to take the leap, for her sister? And how might her own life change if she did?

Olivia Beirne's bestselling The List That Changed My Life will take you on the hilarious and heart-warming journey of a lifetime, showing you what it means to really be alive.

This is one of those books whose prose sucks you in, while the heartwarming characters move through the easy plot like grease in a hot pan. I enjoyed Georgia's journey of risk taking and self discovery, and I felt the HEA came almost too soon, as I was enjoying the story so much. I'd give this beach-read (or just cozy by the fireplace read) a B+ and recommend it to anyone looking for a light and sweet story that will take your mind off the state of the world.

 

Bogs, Brews and Banshees by Rowan Dillon is an Irish cozy paranormal mystery that is replete with black cats and black hats. Here's the blurb: 

She’s looking for a fresh start. But with eerie noises in the night and murder most foul, can she keep from going down for a crime she didn’t commit?

Skye Brigid O’Shea is desperate for an escape. Losing big in a nasty divorce and taking the fall for a patient’s death, the stressed-out thirty-two-year-old jumps at the chance to move to Ireland after inheriting her grandmother’s B&B. But the nosy American quickly lands back in hot water when she investigates unearthly howls and discovers the disagreeable local she argued with earlier stone-cold dead.

Named as the prime suspect, Skye finds herself relying on the constable’s wife and the cryptic clues from her gran’s talking black cat to clear her name. But when her ancestor’s diary points to a supernatural culprit, the ex-nurse isn’t sure if she’s cracked the case or lost her mind.

Can this novice detective overcome a rival pub owner, a dogged policeman, and a thick web of ancient myths to stay out of the slammer?

Bogs, Brews, and Banshees is the charming first book in the Skye O'Shea paranormal cozy mystery series. If you like amateur sleuths, fish out of water, and sídhe sidekicks, then you’ll love Rowan Dillon’s snarkalicious whodunit.

Though I didn't find the "snark" all that witty or funny, I did love the supernatural elements here, and I liked the POV of the main character being a former nurse, as a former nurse myself, so I know how stressful the job can be. I only wish I could have inherited an Irish B&B during my more stressful times of life. But, still, this book provided vivid prose and a zingy plot to keep readers eyes glued to the page into the wee hours. I'd give the book a B, and recommend it to anyone who likes Irish mysteries and witches.

 

Massif by Garth Nix is a science fiction/space opera that is full of bizarre twists and turns, and lots of science-y info-dumps, which really slows the plot at the beginning and the end. Here's the blurb: 

From New York Times bestseller and master of speculative fiction Garth Nix comes his first foray into adult science fiction with a brilliant and poignant stand-alone story of sentient starships, galactic warfare, and the bonds a crew forms far, far from Earth.

It’s business as usual for Ship Leader Parnell Shi-Sawahla and the crew of the corvette Sassafras. Ride a Massif to a new system, fight the enemy, repeat. For more than two hundred years humans have been hitching rides on these sentient, starfaring mountain ranges, colonizing planets and exporting an on and off again war between Earth and Mars.

But the big questions are always there, behind every battle, every new colony, every new star system discovery. Why do the Massifs carry humans to the stars? Why do they help us export our wars?

What’s in it for the Massifs?

Ship crews aren’t supposed to ask these questions, they aren’t supposed to think about these questions, and they definitely aren’t supposed to go deep and talk to Massif avatars. But now Parnell and his tight-knit crew must try to find the answers, to save not only themselves but the future of humanity.

darkest stories," 

I've read a lot of Nix's YA fiction, which I enjoyed, so I was surprised that this adult fiction book was so dreadfully dull in the first 30-50 pages that I nearly quit reading...especially after spending way too much to acquire a hardback copy from Amazon, who were the only retailer to have them (so they overcharged $30 for the book). There's a ton of hype surrounding the book, and a lot of appearances by Nix and good ink in the newspapers. I was surprised at how the sluggish prose and sidelined plot did not live up to even a 10th of the hype, and how annoying it was to try and piece together what was happening once the plot started to move. There was a lot of monsters vs spacefarers moments, but they didn't add to the unraveling of the mystery of who the Massifs were, or why they do the things they do, or how to deal with them in general. Its only in the last chapter that we get any answers at all, and they prove to be dissatisfying and somewhat vague. If you like dull over-explained sci-fi like Rendezvous With Rama, which also seemed incomprehensible to me, then you'll love this nonsensical book. I didn't. I'd give it a C+ and only recommend it to earth science nerds...but don't pay full price. 

 

The Starlight Heir by Amalie Howard is a spicy Indian romantasy that comes in a beautifully-designed book with a glorious cover and midnight blue edge papers. Here's the blurb: 

A bladesmith blessed by the stars. A prince with a dangerous secret. A god bound in shadows. From author Amalie Howard comes a scorching new high-stakes epic fantasy romance that will leave you spellbound.

“His Imperial Majesty King Zarek requests your presence as his esteemed guest.”

When the gold-dusted court invitation arrives at Suraya Saab’s forge, she believes it’s a joke. Nobles might seek her skills as a bladesmith, but she has no qualifications as a potential bride for the crown prince. Still, the invitation is the chance at adventure, and the means to finally visit the capital city her late mother loved.

But what awaits her in Kaldari is nothing she could have imagined—and fraught with danger. It’s not the crown prince, but his impossibly handsome, illegitimate half-brother, Roshan, who captures her interest…and her ire in an enemies-to-lovers dynamic she can’t ignore. The invitation isn’t a quest to find a suitable bride, but a veiled hunt for the Starkeeper—a legendary chosen one rumored to hold the magic of the stars in her blood. And across the city, political intrigue and unrest are brewing between the noble houses and the rebel militia.

When the rebels attack, Suraya and Roshan find themselves on the run. Thrown together by danger and forced into proximity, they try to deny their simmering attraction and the knowledge that Suraya herself might be the Starkeeper. But Roshan is guarding secrets of his own. And with no control over the power stirring within her, Suraya has drawn the attention of a dark god, an immortal whose interest might be the biggest threat of all.

This is a lot more of a romance than a fantasy, but it follows the usual tropes of the female protagonist falling in love with the wrong brother, and having to fend off the more powerful, power-hungry evil brother who wants her for her magic, not herself. Of course she loses her mind and her common sense around both handsome men, because all women in romantasys do, and she ends up making bad decisions because of it...ones she comes to regret. The prose was engaging and the plot smooth as silk, which was nice, so I'd give this book a B+ and recommend it to any Bollywood fans or those who like Indian stories that are spicy.

 

Weyward by Emilia Hart is a historical supernatural fiction novel that delineates three generation of witches and the abuse and terror that they must go through before they are able to manifest a spine and turn their magic on their abusers. Here's the blurb: I am a Weyward, and wild inside.

2019: Under cover of darkness, Kate flees London for ramshackle Weyward Cottage, inherited from a great-aunt she barely remembers. With its tumbling ivy and overgrown garden, the cottage is worlds away from the abusive partner who tormented Kate. But she suspects that her great-aunt had a secret. One that lurks in the bones of the cottage, hidden ever since the witch-hunts of the 17th century.

1619: Altha is awaiting trial for the murder of a local farmer who was stampeded to death by his herd. When Altha was a girl, her mother taught her their magic, a kind not rooted in spell casting but in a deep knowledge of the natural world. But unusual women have always been deemed dangerous, and as the evidence of witchcraft is laid out against Altha, she knows it will take all her powers to maintain her freedom.

1942: As World War II rages, Violet is trapped in her family's grand, crumbling estate. Straitjacketed by societal convention, she longs for the robust education her brother receives––and for her mother, long deceased, who was rumored to have gone mad before her death. The only traces Violet has of her are a locket bearing the initial W and the word weyward scratched into the baseboard of her bedroom.

Weaving together the stories of three extraordinary women across five centuries, Emilia Hart's Weyward is an astonishing debut, and an enthralling novel of female resilience. 

While this book was hyped as a feminist historical fiction novel, it devolves into abuse and torture porn as it goes along, with each generation of women being brutally abused and killed for their powers and/or their inclination for lesbianism. I realize that Altha is in love with a woman who seems to return her feelings as a teenager, but it becomes clear that as an adult she doesn't, yet Altha cannot and will not leave her alone, though the object of her affections testifies that she's a witch who killed her (very abusive) husband, and seems happy to consign her former friend to the noose. You would think that Altha would catch a clue here, but no. Violet is raped by her disgusting cousin, and ends up aborting the fetus, while Kate has to summon the spine to get rid of her evil abusive husband whom she flees when she's 8 months pregnant with her daughter. The message here is that men are evil, and misogynistic, while women are prey who need to learn to stand up for themselves. I'm not sure what the hype surrounding this book was all about, but I found it mediocre and easy to figure out early on. I'd give it a B, and recommend it to those who like to read about rape and abuse of women, in detail, throughout history.

 

A Bookshop Summer by Stephanie Butland is a fun and interesting contemporary romantic British fiction novel that is full of fascinating characters and lovely prose, along with an easy, breezy plot. Here's the blurb: 

An intriguing, twisting and heart-warming novel set in a bookshop that has an unexpected impact on people's lives. 

When the Lost for Words bookshop in York hosts an event for a new reading project, four strangers' lives will change in ways they could never have expected. 

 

Trixie is hosting the event. She loves her job at Lost for Words, and she's feeling grounded and calm - until a phone call from her ex throws everything off course.

Cherry only goes to the event because she needs to get out. Caring for her grandmother without any help is exhausting - and lonely. Maybe things will be different if her long-lost sister finally comes home.

Rhiannon and Guy really hit it off at the bookshop; it feels like the start of something special. And Guy is fantastic with Rhiannon's baby. But Rhiannon is keeping quite a big secret . . .

 

When you spend time with people who love books, you're sure to learn something about yourself - and maybe see a way to start in a different direction. As each of them is about to find out.

This cozy British story has a strong through-line of romance, but the real star here are the characters trying to find a better life through self discovery and reading out loud to one another and people in their community. Every time a couple of the Lost for Words readers felt their positive impact on a senior citizen, or a child, or a school-aged teen, my heart was warmed to a nice hot cuppa tea temp. I can't say that I understood the twins, Cherry and Peaches deep and creepy devotion to one another (especially Cherry, who can't seem to live her life without her twin...WHY?Peaches manages to help the disadvantaged in other countries and stays away for years without a problem, while Cherry takes care of her chain-smoking gross granny and simmers in resentment of her twins adventures...but when Granny dies, and Cherry has the chance to leave with Peaches and explore the world, she doesn't want to, and goes almost agoraphobic.) and Rhiannons "deep secret" (which I figured out immediately) that her husband is long dead, by the time its revealed falls flat except with the Guy Rhiannon likes. He huffs off for some reason, while everyone else understands her grief and forgives her. Men in Britain must really be dickheads. I'd give this wierd but interesting novel a B, and recommend it to anglophiles who like cozy books.

 

Deadline reported. As is tradition at the BBC, Mark Gatiss created the project, the ninth in what has become a staple of British TV festive season specials. Last year was an adaptation of E.F. Benson's The Room in the Tower, which was preceded by E. Nesbit's Woman of Stone and Arthur Conan Doyle's Lot No. 249.

New Owners For Vromans and Book Soup, Bridget's Bookshelf Opens in Council Bluffs, IA, Off Planet Books Opens in Pleasant Hill, IA, Reese's Pick of Sophie, Standing There, Reverie Room Opens in St Pete, FLA., A Tangled Magic by Andrea Eames, Twig's Traveling Tomes by Gryffin Murphy, The Witches of Cambridge by Alice Hoffman, and Winterveil by Ava Reid

Welcome to October, fellow book dragons! Its fall, my favorite time of the year for reading and being cozy, with hot tea and blankets and a soft bed or chair to land in while you read the latest genre novel of your dreams. I'm still struggling with multiple health issues, so I've not had time or energy to post reviews here, but I'm going to do so tonight, because I refuse to let my ailing body get the better of me! So here's a few interesting tidbits about new and old bookstores, courtesy of Shelf Awareness, and some long overdue book reviews. :)

I used to have a friend who lived in Pasadena, who would keep me apprised of changes at the famed Vroman's Bookstore. Though she's no longer my pal, its interesting to note that Vromans keeps changing and growing with the times.

New Owners for Vroman's and Book Soup

Vroman's Bookstore, Pasadena, Calif., and Book Soup, West Hollywood, Calif., have new owners: Robert Hoffman and his family have bought the two bookstores from longtime owner Joel Sheldon.

"After talking with Robert, I knew we had found the right owners," said Joel Sheldon. "The Hoffmans understand what makes these stores special, and they're committed to preserving that legacy while moving both stores forward for the Pasadena and West Hollywood communities."

"Vroman's and Book Soup are more than places to buy books. They are wonderful gathering places for people like me and my family who are passionate about books and about the craft of writing itself," said Robert Hoffman. "My family's story is woven into these stores across five generations, and my family and I are committed to making sure they're here for many more."

Joel Sheldon put Vroman's up for sale in January 2024, noting that he had owned and was steward of the store for 50 years, "preceded by generations of leadership of my father, my grandfather, and uncles." Vroman's was founded in 1894, and Sheldon's great-grandmother was part of a group of employees who bought the store in 1916. Vroman's bought Book Soup in 2009 after the death of owner Glenn Goldman, who had founded the store in 1975. Last October, Sheldon sold the Vroman's building for $15.5 million to GD Realty Group.

Joel is the fourth of five generations of his family to be part of the two stores' communities, starting with his great-grandmother, Georgia Bullock, a 46-year resident of Pasadena and the first woman to serve as a municipal and superior court judge in the state of California. Judge Bullock introduced Vroman's to her granddaughter, Susan Vail, who eventually brought her five-year-old son, Robert Hoffman, to the store. The pair later discovered Book Soup, and Hoffman has since extended this 55-year connection to both stores to the next generation of his family, introducing his nephews to Vroman's and Book Soup.

The bookstores have adapted through decades of challenges, including the rise of big-box retailers, the growing popularity of online shopping, and rising operating costs. Then came Covid.

"When the pandemic hit, it hit us hard. Along with government funding, we survived because community members like Robert and his family chose to shop with us first online, and eventually back in our stores," said CEO Julia Cowlishaw. "Their response was beyond anything we could have hoped for.

"We are grateful for the special relationship we have with our customers and communities, and we're inspired by their loyalty. Under the Hoffman family's leadership, we look forward to the future of these two very special places."

This is such great news! Council Bluffs is a great area of Iowa that is almost Nebraska, but they've managed to keep their culture and heritage intact over the years. It's wonderful that now they have a new bookstore, which I hope will thrive, because Iowans are readers (at least they were when I grew up there).

Bridget's Bookshelf Debuts in Council Bluffs, Iowa

Bridget's Bookshelf had its grand opening last weekend at 148 West Broadway in Council Bluffs, Iowa. Owner Mary Aney posted on social media after Friday's launch: "THANK YOU Book Lovers!

Tonight was beyond amazing. And I am so grateful for each of you. I loved seeing so many friends, former students and their families as well as meeting new friends. I'm looking forward to tomorrow!... Thank you everyone for coming out in the rain and making this evening so wonderful!"

On Saturday, she posted: "I'm afraid I’m going to sound redundant if I try to describe today. Fantastic! Amazing! Wonderful! These words just can't begin to explain how I feel after opening Bridget's Bookshelf. Seeing and meeting so many old and new friends feels so good. Thank you everyone for coming! I look forward to seeing you again!!! Now I have to put in an order of great new books!"

In an interview with KMTV before the opening, Aney said, "I just felt like it was a real need, that Council Bluffs should have a bookstore. I have people stopping every day to thank me for opening a bookstore." People have also expressed excitement on social media. "I was floored, I'm still floored every day."

After 35 years as a public school teacher and librarian, Aney is ready for the next chapter. "I just want people to feel good and happy and comfortable and know that they can come," she said.

Another bookstore opens in Iowa, this one not too far from where I was born. I love that the owner is a science fiction and UFO buff, and he's keeping prices low so that all can afford to purchase new books or puzzles to wile away the dark hours of fall and winter, which are definitely indoor times in my home state.

Off Planet Books and Puzzles Lands in Pleasant Hill, Iowa

Off Planet Books and Puzzles, a bookstore focused on science fiction and fantasy, opened September 19 in Pleasant Hill, Iowa, the Des Moines Register reported.

Located at 1225 Copper Creek Dr., Suite F, the bookstore carries a wide array of speculative fiction along with horror, nonfiction, and children's titles; there is also a selection of roughly 500 puzzles, with a few having 18,000 pieces and even 24,000 pieces.

The book inventory is a mix of new titles and remainders, and owner Bill Claman has priced everything to end in 84 cents ($19.84 instead of $19.99, for example), which he says is an homage to the year he graduated high school. The shop's decor is themed around outer space and includes murals, lighting arrangements, and a green alien figure on the front counter.

"I just think the experience is really what it should be about," Claman, an Air Force veteran, told the Des Moines Register. A self-published author, he described himself as having a lifelong obsession with outer space and UFOs.

Prior to opening Off Planet, Claman began selling books, puzzles, and space-themed merchandise at flea markets, state fairs, and other events. Two years ago he bought a trailer to hold all of his inventory, and eventually he decided to open a bricks-and-mortar store. While he still works a full-time job, he would like to one day retire from that and focus on the bookstore, which he called "the fun part."

Claman said the grand opening was a success: there was a steady stream of business throughout the day, and around 20 people were in attendance for the ribbon cutting.

I want a copy of this book it sounds like its right up my alley!

Reese's October Book Club Pick: Sophie, Standing There

Sophie, Standing There by Meg Mason (‎‎Harper) is the October pick for Reese's Book Club, which described the book this way: "Sophie Pattison loves reading and her work at a local book festival, working with some of her favorite writers. As her seemingly idyllic life beings falling apart, she returns to the work of a notable female author for comfort and becomes increasingly more obsessed with her latest book. When Sophie's fantasizing becomes real and the author comes to town, her story takes an unexpected turn. Filled with heartache, dark humor, and the warm power of connection, Sophie, Standing There is a moving story about finding your way back to yourself in the wake of change."

Reese called Sophie, Standing There "a funny and tender story about loneliness, connection, and finding your way back to yourself."

I used to live in St Pete, and I am thrilled that they're getting another bookstore that is also a bar, which is crazy and at the same time makes sense if you know the area (lots of weekend party people). And the owner is right, books bond people together. I have met many great folks while shopping for my own TBR pile.

Reverie Room Opens in St. Petersburg, Fla.

Reverie Room, a bookstore, bar, and lounge, opened September 29 in St. Petersburg, Fla., I Love the Burg reported.

Located at 655 31st St. South, Reverie Room carries general-interest titles for all ages, while the bar serves beer, wine, and non-alcoholic beverages. The space is divided into five rooms, each with a different theme, and the building has a horseshoe-shaped bar and numerous reading nooks.

Owner Nichole Coronado plans to host plenty of events, including book clubs, silent reading groups, yoga and Pilates classes, crafts nights, author signings, and more. The store is not far from St. Petersburg's Pinellas Trail, and Coronado would like to start an audiobook walking group. Coronado noted that she plans to keep the book clubs smaller and more intimate.

"I love books, and I love how books bond people," Coronado told I Love the Burg. "Someone you've never even talked to will walk up and say, 'hey, I read that book.' I want Reverie Room to be a third space and a community space for people to come hang out and find their next adventure in a book, as well as meet new friends they can bond with. It's a safe, comforting space and hopefully a cozy experience."

A lifelong reader, Coronado dreamed of opening a bookstore for many years while working a high-pressure office job. Roughly a year ago she decided to leave that career behind and pursue her dream.

A Tangled Magic by Andrea Eames is a romantasy/adventure novel that does a slight take on the Rapunzel fairy tale. Here's the blurb:  

Gorgeous Deluxe Limited Edition Paperback with Stenciled Edges!

All her life, Netta has only known the Tower—its musty shelves of books she cannot read, ink-splattered quills, and endless scrolls of paper. Her mother, ambitious and analytical, has spent decades perfecting her greatest masterpiece: a spellbook of unspeakable power. Netta’s only companions are her long red Hair, which moves of its own accord, and a telepathic raven named Baldbeak. Her only amusement lies in crafting intricate embroidery from scraps of silk and thread.

When attackers storm the Tower, her mother and the spellbook vanish. Determined to find her, Netta ventures into a kingdom on the brink of civil war. The monarch lies dying, while pious Temple fanatics and the noble elite scheme for the throne, forging secret alliances and building hidden armies. For reasons she cannot yet fathom, all these factions seek Netta—and the dangerous, uncontrollable magic in her Hair.

But whom can she trust? The sharp-eyed pickpocket bent on revolutionizing the use of magic? The elusive black market trader known only as the Book Man? The charming magician who slips between shadow and light? From masked carnivals to opulent ballrooms, from hidden monasteries to catacombs, Netta must untangle a web of lies and intrigue - not only to find her mother, but also to uncover the true nature of the power that has shaped her life. 

This books "Rapunzel" with her magical hair also suffers, it would seem, from dyslexia, and therefore has a limitation on her magic and deploying the magic inherent in her body and her sentient hair. While I loved how beautiful this book was, with its colorful artistic edges and its glorious cover, I was somewhat disappointed by the slow-moving plot and the weird characters, particularly Netta and her obsession with her mother (who turns out to not be worth it). The ending was abrupt and leaves readers hanging, and I thought the prose could have used some judicious editing and a bit of a polish. I'd give this pretty offering a B-, and recommend it only to those with patience who are fond of re-invented fairy tales.

Twig's Traveling Tomes by Gryffin Murphy is a somewhat cozy, funny romantasy full of magical creatures and odd plot twists that will keep you reading long past your bed time. Here's the blurb: 

A love letter to all things bookish, Twig's Traveling Tomes is a cozy romantasy perfect for fans of Howl's Moving Castle, The Spellshop, and The League of Gentlewomen Witches.

A plot is brewing between the adventure and romance aisles.

When visiting Twig’s Traveling Tomes, customers will get the exact book they need, even if it isn’t the one they want. As for the proprietor and renowned Book Witch, Louella Twig lives her life sequestered with her stories, just as she likes it.

When devilishly handsome rogue Everett Sharp stumbles in looking to remove some handcuffs—closely followed by Louella’s former tutor, whose prized grimoire has been stolen—her literary sanctuary is fully upended. Only Louella’s magic can locate the grimoire, and teaming up with Everett is her best chance at retrieving it . . . but how can she trust that the man behind the wolfish grin isn’t interested in stealing the book for himself?

With a host of friends old and new, Louella sets off on an adventure she never thought she’d take—and starts to realize that, just like her books, what matters most has always been what’s under the surface.

Though I loved the idea that Louella could put the right book into anyone's hands at any of her locations, I was disappointed that once she came across the scoundrel Everett, she became like every other romantasy female protagonist and somehow lost dozens of IQ points as well as her common sense...and all because of the usual trope-ish whine of "But he's so handsome! Look at those forearms! Look at that hair and those tattoos!" UGH. Why authors insist on turning strong female protagonists insipid the moment a handsome man appears is beyond me. I mean, I get it in a sense because I was young once, and developed crushes on guys, but they were short-lived because most guys I met were shallow, callous asshats who had very little respect for women and who weren't looking for love, they were looking for sex, and satisfaction for themselves and their own egos. Most of the men in romantasy books are also immature asshats looking for sex (and being posessive of the women they've chosen) and calling it love. Still, there were some truly funny moments in this book, and a lot of good scenes of bookish love that will feel like a warm and familiar blanket to readers. I'd give this book a B+, and recommend it to anyone who likes magical bookstore adventures.

Immortal Rose by Alexandra Bracken is a gorgeous historical romantasy novel with sprayed edges and lovely cover art. Fortunately the prose is elegant and the plot doesn't meander or plod, so it's worthy of all the cover pretties. Here's the blurb: This deluxe limited hardcover edition features beautiful stenciled edges and illustrated endpapers 
From Alexandra Bracken comes a stunningly original adult fantasy. Set in a sumptuous world ruled by magical perfume, this achingly romantic, slow-burn love story will shatter your heart and leave you breathless.

Members of the ancient Rosebourne family have a strange gift born of a fairy ancestor: the ability to infuse fragrance with magic capable of manipulating mind, body, and emotion.

When a shocking murder leaves the kingdom of Albion vulnerable to a coup, royal spymaster Hugh Thornton seeks the one person who can help: Viola Lockwood, the last living Rosebourne and secret heir to a fraught legacy.

Livid at the silver-eyed aristocrat who had her thrown in jail to force her compliance, Viola nevertheless comes to an agreement with him. In exchange for crafting Immortal Rose, the singular perfume capable of saving Albion, illegitimate Viola can seize the life--and fortune--that should have been hers.

As Hugh and Viola race to find the perfume's lost fairy ingredient, hidden deep in Albion's dark underbelly, neither can deny the scorching attraction building between them--especially as the attempts on Viola's life grow increasingly brazen.

But a terrible truth lurks in the heart notes of their kingdom--and while every bargain has a cost, Immortal Rose may demand more than Hugh and Viola can ever pay. 

Just a quick SPOILER-ISH warning, there's no HEA here, in fact its the opposite, and our heroine is played for a fool and ends up as she began the novel, in a dank dungeon cell awaiting death for a crime she didn't commit. So adjust your expectations accordingly. Once again, though, Viola, the female protagonist, loses her common sense and intelligence once she meets up with Hugh, who claims to love her but has her thrown in jail "for her own good" which is complete and utter BS. Though he begs her forgiveness and claims to love her, he doesn't really come to her rescue, because he makes it known that the king and the kingdom are his priorities, not love, so Viola has no way to escape her torture or near-rape at the hands of the jail's guards (so there are some pages of torture porn, which, in most romantasy books, generally falls on the female protagonist and is somehow considered "sexy" because she manages to survive it. Meanwhile Hugh, who claims to be in love with her, can only wince and feel guilty about her many open wounds and scars. And he still USES her to attempt to get the formula for a scent that will save the king, who is old and gravely ill. For shame, Ms Bracken, for supporting this kind of misogyny. There's a lot of interesting facts and information on the making of perfume and the use of poisonous plants for good and ill throughout the novel. Overall, not a bad read. I'd give it a B, and recommend it to anyone who loves MJ Rose's "daughters of La Lune" series.

 

The Witches of Cambridge by Alice Hoffman, author of many great novels including Practical Magic, (which now has a sequel to the original movie) is, like many of her books, historical magic realism with a hefty dose of feminism thrown in to point to how misogyny has been restricting and controlling and killing women for centuries. Here's the blurb: This brand-new series from the bestselling author of Practical Magic, follows two brilliant young women in 1950s Cambridge, Massachusetts, as they become immersed in a mysterious secret group of witches at Radcliffe known as the Lilith Society.

Once upon a time, women were drowned in the river and the only witnesses were the crows in the trees. The Puritans blamed Eve for the sins of the world. That was when we began to meet in the name of Lilith, Adam’s first wife—banished for refusing to do as she was told. 

By the 1950s, Cambridge, Massachusetts feels far removed from the legendary witch trials that marked its early days as a colony. Ava, a bright young woman from a small town in Maine, arrives for her first year at Radcliffe College. There, she meets Lauren, her opposite in every way—the wild and brazen daughter of a wealthy and well-established Cambridge family. But the two have more in common than they think. Both are recruited by the Lilith Society, a secret organization of witches at Radcliffe dating back to colonial times. As they learn more about their legacy, Ava and Lauren form a close bond that is put to the test as they learn to navigate their new power, friendship, and love.

While Radcliffe seems like a safe haven, the shadow of McCarthyism looms large, an ever-present threat to the flourishing creative and intellectual life in Cambridge. And as girls from the Lilith Society begin to go missing, Ava and Lauren realize the witch trials of the past may not be as deeply buried as they once believed. 

Hoffman's prose is, as always in her novels (and I've read 95% of them), impeccable and lush, which, along with her twisty plots and fascinating characters makes this novel a page turner that will be hard to put down. What surprised me about the book, however, was how shadowed and melancholy and dreary it was, when most of her previous books had a nice balance of shadow and sunlight and positive, fun moments. As Hoffman draws parallels between the "witch hunts" of McCarthyism and the Salem witch trials centuries before, she seems to be saying that this kind of misogyny is so woven into society that we have no hope, as women, of ever escaping its clutches. Where's the usual fighting spirit that says NEVER give up?! While I am aware that things seem grim for women, particularly under this administration in the United States, I also see women going on marches, rallying in Washington DC and writing endless editorials and articles about how this treatment of women as possessions of men will NOT STAND. Hoffman has written about the trials and horrors faced by Jewish people, and the fact that they survived the Holocaust is a beacon of hope for all oppressed people. Anyway, this book, though depressing, will give you food for thought, along with a great story. I'd give it an A and recommend it to anyone who loved Practical Magic or any of Hoffman's novels.

Winterveil by Ava Reid is a YA dystopian romantasy that comes packaged in an eye-catching red, gold and black hardback with beautiful red and black endpapers. Here's the blurb: 

This collector’s edition features a color-swapped embossed cover, illustrated endpapers, foiled cover, and striking edges.

It’s a game—until it’s war.

• A disgraced politician from a powerful American dynasty.
• A coldly brilliant strategist who will sacrifice anything to win.
• A former pageant queen with a talent that could change the world.
• An expert female soldier with an enigmatic past—and a dangerous secret.

In an alternate future where the Cold War still rages, four precocious teenage criminals with dark skills and darker secrets are offered a fresh start at a secret military academy. But instead of training to end the war, they find themselves on a mysterious mission that will test loyalties, forge romances, and maybe end the world as they know it.
This deluxe limited edition features:

• Color swapped and embossed jacket
• Intricately foiled case design
• Custom designed edges
• Character portrait illustration endpapers

I hate to mention this but you know you're in trouble when the blurb says more about the cover and end paper art than it does about the story within. This novel reads like a book that a fan of Japanese manga took ahold of and added specific tropes (the cold instructors who torture teens into becoming emotion-less soldiers) to turn it into a script or blueprint for a Netflix or Amazon binging series, set with young unknown (but gorgeous) actors that it would eventually turn into household names, ala boy bands in Japan or Korea. Insert eye roll here. There's nothing new in this book, and it often reads as if it were written by AI. Sad. Again, as with some of the books above, there's no decent ending here, just teenage torture porn and a lot of longing, yearning and agonizing over wanting to bone one character or another, but there's too many road blocks for them to get together...how romantic, eye roll. The prose is cold and the plot predictable, while the characters are so one-dimensional its hard to care about their fates at all. I'd give this disappointment of a book a C+ and only recommend it to fans of Korean or Japanese romantic streaming soap operas.