Treasured History by Cindy Bell

Last month, I listened to the unabridged audio version of Treasured History by Cindy Bell, which was well narrated by Sara Morsey. Treasured History by Cindy Bell is the third cozy mystery novel in the 'Dune House Series'. 

Treasured History by Cindy Bell is a short, light listen and was a perfect pick after listening to Therese Raquin by Emile Zola last month. I adore cozy mystery novels! Treasured History was a good cozy mystery novel. I enjoyed this cozy novella much better than the first two novellas in the series.

The storyline for Treasured History is fun and engaging. I liked the main characters quite a bit. It was also a bit more tricky to guess the killer this go around as there were more red herrings and characters to choose from than in the previous novellas.

Below is the publisher's summary for Treasured History by Cindy Bell from Chirp's website:

Dune House, a stunning old house right on the beach, is finally ready to be reopened as a bed and breakfast. Best friends, Suzie and Mary, are very excited that their hard work has paid off and the opening weekend has finally arrived. They are even more excited that they have guests booked in on opening day.

But before the B & B is officially opened Mary is distracted by a surprise guest and Suzie is distracted by her blossoming romance with Paul. When their guests do arrive they get more than they bargained for. Not only do they have to accommodate a very pretentious guest and an unusual guest but there is a problem with the plumbing.

Then someone is found murdered. With the reputation of Dune House to protect, Suzie and Mary want the murder solved quickly so they do a little investigating of their own to speed up the investigation.

What secrets does the history of Dune House hold that could lead to murder?

I am giving Treasured History by Cindy Bell a rating of 3 stars out of 5 stars.

Until my next post, happy reading!!

Mapping the Interior by Stephen Graham Jones

 

I listened to the unabridged audio version of Mapping the Interior by Stephen Graham Jones, which was nicely narrated by Shaun Taylor-Corbett.

I have mixed feelings regarding the books written by Stephen Graham Jones. I read and disliked The Only Good Indians by Stephen Graham Jones, but I enjoyed Night of the Mannequins despite the fact that it was different than I thought it would be. 

So, Mapping the Interior is my third read by Stephen Graham Jones. I didn't love this novella, but didn't hate it either. Maybe, this just means that Stephen Graham Jones's writing just isn't for me.

As far as Mapping the Interior goes, it falls into the indigenous horror genre. There is a lot of suspense as to what is truly happening  and why. Several key indigenous themes throughout make Mapping the Interior an eerie read with a horrific ending.

I asked Google Gemini to flush out the key themes for Mapping the Interior by Stephen Graham Jones. See below:

Stephen Graham Jones’s 2017 novella Mapping the Interior blends Indigenous horror with psychological trauma. The story follows Junior, a twelve-year-old Blackfeet boy who catches a glimpse of his deceased father walking through their modular home in full fancy-dancer regalia.

Grief and the Mythologizing of Absence

Junior barely knew his father, who died under mysterious circumstances when Junior was very young. Instead of grieving a real person, Junior constructs an idealized myth of a protective figure. His desire for guidance causes him to ignore the entity’s increasingly parasitic nature, highlighting how unresolved grief distorts judgment and turns memory into a dangerous force.

The Horror of Paternal Duty and Cycle of Harm

The father's ghost presents itself as a guardian, but keeping him anchored requires devastating sacrifices from the living—specifically targeting Junior's younger brother, Dino. Jones explores how generational trauma operates under the guise of family loyalty, forcing children to endure harm to preserve a patriarch's memory.

Displacement and Domestic Space

The modular home acts as a physical manifestation of dislocation and poverty. By literalizing the title, Junior attempts to "map" the house's interior, discovering impossible dimensions inside a cheap structure. This mirrors the experience of off-reservation displacement—trying to carve out identity and cultural connection inside space designed to be impermanent and featureless.

Cultural Identity and Perverted Ritual

Traditional Indigenous practices, such as the father's fancy dancing and ritualistic protection, become twisted into something predatory. Rather than providing spiritual grounding, the ritual elements become violent demands, critiquing the impulse to blindly weaponize tradition without accountability.

Below is the publisher's summary for Mapping the Interior by Stephen Graham Jones found Chirp's website:

The New York Times bestselling author of The Only Good Indians and The Buffalo Hunter Hunter, Stephen Graham Jones, brings readers a spine-tingling journey through a young boy’s haunted home. Winner of the 2017 Bram Stoker Award for Long Fiction!

“A triumph. So emotionally raw, disturbing, creepy, and brilliant.”
—Paul Tremblay, New York Times bestselling author of Horror Movie

Walking through his own house at night, a young boy thinks he sees another person stepping through a doorway. The figure reminds him of his long-dead father, who drowned mysteriously before his family left the reservation. When he follows, it he discovers his house is bigger and deeper than he ever knew.

The house is the kind of wrong place where you can lose yourself and find things you’d rather not have. Over the course of a few nights, the boy tries to map out his house in an effort that puts his younger brother in the worst danger, and puts him in the position to save them … at a terrible cost.

I'm giving Mapping the Interior by Stephen Graham Jones a rating of 3 stars out of 5 stars.

Until my next post, happy reading!!

What Moves the Dead by T. Kingfisher

I listened to the unabridged audio version of What Moves the Dead by T. Kingfisher, which is well narrated by Avi Roque. I'd had this horror/fantasy novella on my reading wishlist for a while. I'm glad I finally listened to What Moves the Dead by T. Kingfisher as it was really good. 

What Moves the Dead is a retelling of Edgar Allan Poe's, The Fall of the House of Usher. What Moves the Dead is also the first novella in the 'Sworn Soldier' series. If you enjoy reading books and novellas that fall into the horror and fantasy genres and are also into a retelling of a classic story, then this book may be for you. The storyline, plot, and characters are fun! This book is most definitely worth the hype.

Below is the publisher's summary for What Moves the Dead by T. Kingfisher found on the Goodreads website:

From the award-winning author of The Twisted Ones comes a gripping and atmospheric retelling of Edgar Allan Poe's classic "The Fall of the House of Usher."

When Alex Easton, a retired soldier, receives word that their childhood friend Madeline Usher is dying, they race to the ancestral home of the Ushers in the remote countryside of Ruritania.

What they find there is a nightmare of fungal growths and possessed wildlife, surrounding a dark, pulsing lake. Madeline sleepwalks and speaks in strange voices at night, and her brother Roderick is consumed with a mysterious malady of the nerves.

Aided by a redoubtable British mycologist and a baffled American doctor, Alex must unravel the secret of the House of Usher before it consumes them all.

I'm giving What Moves the Dead by T. Kingfisher a rating of 4 stars out of 5 stars. 

Until my next post, happy reading!

The Ballad of Black Tom by Victor Lavalle

I've noticed that I've been on an unconscious mission to read new to me authors this year... That is until now! I think the main reason I am reading more books by new to me authors this year may be due to borrowing more books from the public library via Hoopla. Additionally, I've been given books by other readers and also book recommendations. Many of these books are written by new to me authors.  I'm also discovering new to me authors from a book club I've been participating in at my public library.

Victor Lavalle is a new to me author. I chose to listen to the unabridged audio version of The Ballad of Black Tom by Victor Lavalle, which is narrated by Kevin R. Free via Hoopla. I primarily chose this novella because it's short and also because it was "one of NPR's Best Books of 2016, winner of the Shirley Jackson Award, the British Fantasy Award, the This is Horror Award for Novella of the Year, and a finalist for the Hugo, Nebula, Locus, World Fantasy, and Bram Stoker Awards."

I enjoyed the writing and storyline for The Ballad of Black Tom. But I wasn't overly impressed with it. Sure, I enjoyed listening to The Ballad of Black Tom as it is well narrated, but I didn't find this novella stellar enough to be worthy of its hype by NPR and the awards and award nominations.

Below is the publisher's summary for The Ballad of Black Tom by Victor Lavalle, which I discovered on Amazon's website:

One of NPR's Best Books of 2016, winner of the Shirley Jackson Award, the British Fantasy Award, the This is Horror Award for Novella of the Year, and a finalist for the Hugo, Nebula, Locus, World Fantasy, and Bram Stoker Awards

People move to New York looking for magic and nothing will convince them it isn't there.

Charles Thomas Tester hustles to put food on the table, keep the roof over his father's head, from Harlem to Flushing Meadows to Red Hook. He knows what magic a suit can cast, the invisibility a guitar case can provide, and the curse written on his skin that attracts the eye of wealthy white folks and their cops. But when he delivers an occult tome to a reclusive sorceress in the heart of Queens, Tom opens a door to a deeper realm of magic, and earns the attention of things best left sleeping.

A storm that might swallow the world is building in Brooklyn. Will Black Tom live to see it break?

I am giving The Ballad of Black Tom by Victor Lavalle a rating of 3 stars out of 5 stars.

Until my next post, happy reading!!

Night of the Mannequins by Stephen Graham Jones

 

I read The Only Good Indians by Stephen Graham Jones back in 2022. This was the first book I read by Stephen Graham Jones and I wasn't that impressed despite all the rave reviews I'd heard about his writing.

I decided to give Stephen Graham Jones's writing another try after hearing glowing reviews for Night of the Mannequins.

I listened to the unabridged audio version of Night of the Mannequins by Stephen Graham Jones, which is splendidly narrated by Gary Tiedemann. This is a super quick listen at 2 hours, 59 miunutes.

Night of the Mannequins by Stephen Graham Jones is a horror/coming of age novella. Additionally, if you enjoy books with unreliable main characters, then this is the read for you as Sawyer is definitely an unreliable narrator and main character. Also worth noting, I don't think this novella is actually classified as a young adult read, but it felt like one to me.

This Night of the Mannequins is a fun read for sure. It is short and quick. I enjoyed it as it is a different take than I thought it would be on the topic. The real horror isn't what you think it'll be.

Below is the publisher's summary for Night of the Mannequins by Stephen Graham Jones:

WE THOUGHT WE'D PLAY A FUN PRANK ON HER, AND NOW MOST OF US ARE DEAD.

One last laugh for the summer as it winds down. One last prank just to scare a friend. Bringing a mannequin into a theater is just some harmless fun, right? Until it wakes up. Until it starts killing.

Luckily, Sawyer has a plan. He'll be a hero. He'll save everyone to the best of his ability. He'll kill as many people as he needs to so he can save the day. That's the thing about heroes - sometimes you have to become a monster first.

I am giving Night of the Mannequins by Stephen Graham Jones a rating of 4 stars out of 5 stars.

Until my next post, happy reading!!!

Sour Candy by Kealan Patrick Burke

 

Sour Candy by Kealan Patrick Burke has been on my radar for awhile. I hadn't added this horror novella to my reading wishlist or anything and didn't have any plans to read actually.

However, I was looking for a quick read and had stumbled upon Sour Candy by Kealan Patrick Burke while scrolling around on Hoopla. After reading the publisher's summary and discovering that the audio edition of Sour Candy was 2 hours, 36 minutes in length, I figured why not make this my next read? After all, Sour Candy sounded like an interesting read.

Well, Sour Candy is definitely an interesting read. It's a work of contemporary fiction with a focus on horror and suspense. The author is good at building suspense and creating a slow, but steady pace for this novella. I found myself hooked immediately while reading the first chapter and wanted to see where this book lead me.

For the full storyline, read the publisher's summary below. For me, Sour Candy is all about whether the main character, Phil Pendleton, is sane or mental ill. Did he really have an otherworldly/paranormal experience that lead to his demise or was he dealing with mental health issues? The ending makes it look like the events that occurred weren't all in Phil's head, but really did happen.

If you've read Sour Candy by Kealan Patrick Burke, I'd be curious to read your thoughts about this novella.

Lastly, it's worth noting that I listened to the unabridged audio version of Sour Candy by Kealan Patrick Burke, which was wonderfully narrated by Andrew Gibson.

Below id the publisher's summary for Sour Candy by Kealan Patrick Burke:

At first glance, Phil Pendleton and his son Adam are just an ordinary father and son, no different from any other. They take walks in the park together, visit county fairs, museums, and zoos, and eat together overlooking the lake. Some might say the father is a little too accommodating given the lack of discipline when the child loses his temper in public. Some might say he spoils his son by allowing him to eat candy whenever he wants and set his own bedtimes. Some might say that such leniency is starting to take its toll on the father, given how his health has declined.

What no one knows is that Phil is a prisoner, and that up until a few weeks ago and a chance encounter at a grocery store, he had never seen the child before in his life.

I am giving Sour Candy by Kealan Patrick Burke a rating of 3 stars out of 5 stars.

Until my next post, happy reading!!

We Had to Remove This Post by Hanna Bervoets

I had We Had to Remove This Post by Hanna Bervoets on my reading wishlist for quite a while. I finally read the hardback edition earlier this month. This novella is a quick read at 138 pages. I wasn't sure what I was expecting with this novella when I first started reading it. However, it most definitely packs a punch and sends a powerful message about the perils employees face while work in stressful environments.

We Had to Remove This Post highlights the impact of social media in general and the working conditions of social media content moderators, which feels like an important topic to examine. 

The fictional employees featured in We Had to Remove This Post watch videos during their shifts at a company named Hexa. During their shifts, employees decide whether the videos they watch are allowed to be posted online or are taken down due to the video's content. 

The employees view some pretty horrific things while watching these videos. Over time, the employees seem to be effected by post-traumatic stress disorder due to watching videos during their shifts. Some of the employees turn to alcohol and drug use/consumption to cope with stress caused by viewing the views, some deal with insomnia or other sleep disturbances/issues due to watching these videos, and some display other disturbing behaviors.

We Had To Remove This Post is told through the point of view of Kayleigh. Kayleigh works at Hexa and so does her girlfriend, Sigrid. The focus is on Kayleigh's time at Hexa, how working at Hexa effects her negatively, how the work effects Sigrid and their relationship, and the effects on other employees too.

I think the author does a fantastic job describing the horrors of being a social media content moderator for such a social media company! I cannot imagine watching horrific video after video after video for hour after hour after hour over weeks and months. It must wreak havoc on one's psyche.

As much as the author does a fabulous job in describing the horrors of being a social media content moderator, it was all too much. Plus, parts of this novella were boring and felt disjointed. Maybe this is because We Had to Remove This Post is a translated work?

Below is the publisher's summary for We Had to Remove This Post by Hanna Bervoets from Amazon's website:

Kayleigh needs money. That’s why she takes a job as a content moderator for a social media platform whose name she isn’t allowed to mention. Her job: reviewing offensive videos and pictures, rants and conspiracy theories, and deciding which need to be removed. It’s grueling work. Kayleigh and her colleagues spend all day watching horrors and hate on their screens, evaluating them with the platform’s ever-changing terms of service while a supervisor sits behind them, timing and scoring their assessments. Yet Kayleigh finds a group of friends, even a new love—and, somehow, the job starts to feel okay.

But when her colleagues begin to break down; when Sigrid, her new girlfriend, grows increasingly distant and fragile; when her friends start espousing the very conspiracy theories they’re meant to be evaluating; Kayleigh begins to wonder if the job may be too much for them. She’s still totally fine, though—or is she?

I am giving We Had to Remove This Post by Hanna Bervoets a rating of 2 stars out of 5 stars.

Until my next post, happy reading!!

She Had Glass Eyes by C.S. Schiavone

I received a FREE copy of the ebook edition of She Had Glass Eyes  by C.S. Schiavone from Booksirens in exchange for an honest review.

She Had Glass Eyes by C.S. Schiavone was a recently released novella as of October 20, 2025 and is 73 pages in length. This novella fits into the gothic, historical, fantasy, and horror genres. 

I liked the premise of this novella and the story's summary, which is why I chose to read and review it. I also enjoyed the unreliable leading female character, Deliverance (Dilly) Edvance, in She Had Glass Eyes as well. 

She Had Glass Eyes is set in England in the mid-1800s. It has a bit of a Frankenstein feel to it. Essentially, you have an inventor named Dr. Joseph Faber, who has created a mechanical marvel named, Euphonia, that simulates human speech. While on public display, most of the general public recoils from Euphonia, but not Dilly. Dilly's fascinated by Euphonia... Actually, Dilly's obsessed with Euphonia and dreams about her nightly. Dilly likes the idea of creating an army of mechanical beings. Dilly looks forward to working with Dr. Faber in the future with regards to Euphonia and that is wrought with strife. I won't go into a deep dive into Dilly and Dr. Faber's working relationship towards the end of She Had Glass Eyes, other than to say it does not bode well for all.

As far as the writing goes and the overall plot development in She Had Glass Eyes, I was less than impressed. I felt like She Had Glass Eyes could have been so much better!! I'm kind of surprised with all the glowing online reviews for She Had Glass Eyes.

Below is the publisher's summary for She Had Glass Eyes by C.S. Schiavone from Amazon's website:

When Dr. Joseph Faber unveils his eerie invention in 1846 London—a mechanical marvel that simulates human speech—the public recoils. But one witness listens too closely.

Deliverance Edvane, a solitary undertaker with a mind sharpened by disdain, sees in the invention not horror, but possibility. What begins as fascination soon spirals into obsession, as she plots to take the machine for herself. Darkness stirs in the spaces between invention and insanity in this chilling tale of machines, madness, and the dangerous echo of a voice not quite human.

I am giving She Had Glass Eyes  by C.S. Schiavone a rating of 2 stars out of 5 stars.

Until my next post, happy reading!!

The Christmas Pearl by Dorothea Benton Frank

 

Yes, I realize it's a bit early for a Christmas themed read when Halloween hasn't even passed yet.

I was looking for a short and quick read and The Christmas Pearl by Dorothea Benton Frank fit the bill perfectly. I listened to the audio version of this novel, which was delightfully narrated by Celia Weston. You may recall that Celia Weston is the actress who played Jolene Hunnicutt on the television series, 'Alice'.

I enjoyed the storyline, pacing, and plot for this novella. It's a nice, lightweight read for the Christmas holidays. My only major complaint regarding The Christmas Pearl is that it could have had a bit more depth/development to it. But I think that would have required it to be a full length novel vs novella.

Below is the publisher's summary for The Christmas Pearl by Dorothea Benton Frank from Chirp's website:

Theodora is the matriarch of a family that has grown into a bunch of truculent knuckleheads. While she’s finally gotten them all together in South Carolina to celebrate, this Christmas looks nothing like the extravagant, homey holidays of her childhood.

What happened to the days when Christmas meant tables groaning with home-cooked goodies, over-the-top decorations, and long chats in front of the fire with Pearl, her grandmother’s beloved housekeeper and closest confidante?

Luckily for Theodora, a special someone who heard her plea for help arrives, with pockets full of enough Gullah magic and common sense to make Theodora’s Christmas the love-filled miracle it’s meant to be.

I am giving The Christmas Pearl by Dorothea Benton Frank a rating of 4 stars out of 5 stars.

Until my next post, happy reading!!

The Encantadas by Herman Melville

 

I've wanted to read a novel written by Herman Melville for quite sometime. Melville's novel, Moby Dick, seemed a bit too daunting too start with. 

So, I decided instead to listen to the unabridged audio version of The Encantadas by Herman Melville, which is decently narrated by Mark Owen. The Encantadas is the first thing I've read by Herman Melville.

The Encantadas by Herman Melville is a novella with a listening time of 2 hours, 30 minutes. 

The Encantadas is a set of sketches that read like a travelog about The Galapagos Islands. I wasn't impressed with The Encantadas at all. The first half of this novella is so boring that I almost gave up on this novella entirely. The second half of The Encantadas was the most interesting part of this novella. However, I still feel like The Encantadas wasn't really worth my reading time.

Below is the publishers summary for The Encantadas by Herman Melville, which I discovered on Chirp's website:

The Encantadas (or Enchanted Isles), is a series of ten descriptive sketches, and a reminiscence from Melville’s sailor days revealing the ecologically pristine Galapagos Islands as both enchanting and horrifying. Containing some of Melville’s most memorable prose, The Encantadas were a critical success at a time when Melville’s fortunes were down. After publication, the New York Dispatch cited the chapters as universally considered among the most interesting papers of that popular Magazine, and each successive chapter was read with avidity by thousands. The reviewer called the sketches a sort of mixture of ‘Mardi’ and ‘Robinson Crusoe’–though far more interesting than the first named work.

I'm giving The Encantadas by Herman Melville a rating of 2 stars out of 5 stars.

Until my next post, happy reading!!

Gold Fury by Kieren Westwood

 

I read the paperback edition of Gold Fury by Kieren Westwood, which is a flash fiction novella and roughly 75 pages in length. Kieren Westwood is a YouTuber and writer and even editor. I've enjoyed watching quite a few videos on Kieren Westwood's YouTube channel regarding writing and they're good. So, I had high hopes for Gold Fury as I like reading novellas. I was also interested in seeing how a flash fiction novella would play out in real life. Plus, Gold Fury had been shortlisted for the Bath novella-in-flash award.

What are my thoughts about Gold Fury after reading it? I liked the short chapters. Each chapter felt like I was looking at one of those old time Polaroid snapshots in that each chapter focused on particular characters and situations that helped propel the story forward. It was like each snapshot was a pice of the puzzle that propelled the storyline forward. Each separate chapter built on the next the chapter, but not in the normal way I am use to a story being told. Gold Fury is a unique reading experience for sure and artistically done.... However, Gold Fury wasn't really my thing. I just didn't like it as much as I hoped I would enjoy reading it.

Below is the plot summary for Gold Fury by Kieren Westwood from the Goodreads website:

Gold Fury is a short novella of flash fiction, tracing twenty moments in the journey of a stolen car as it moves through the criminal landscape of a rural town. It was shortlisted for the Bath novella-in-flash award 2020. "They guy told me to run and not look back, and he had a gun." "Yes, that's all I know. I already told you what he looked like." "Yes, that's my car, a gold Plymouth Fury 1970." "Why would you be looking through my letters? It's my personal property. It had nothing to do with what happened." "I wasn't trying to blackmail anyone." NO ONE RUNS FOREVER.

I am giving Gold Fury by Kieren Westwood a rating of 2 stars out of 5 stars.

Until my next post, happy reading!

All Systems Red by Martha Wells

 

I listened to the unabridged audio version of All Systems Red by Martha Wells, which is narrated by Kevin R. Free. I wasn't a fan of Kevin R. Free's narration of this work, so probably won't seek out other books he has narrated.

Listening time for All Systems Red by Martha Wells is 3 hours, 17 minutes making it a very quick read for me!!

All Systems Red by Martha Wells is short, science fiction novella that's been on my reading wishlist since 2018 or 2019. I was thrilled to have finally listened to All Systems Red recently as I was intrigued by the storyline.

All Systems Red by Martha Wells has a lot of positive reviews and seems to be really well received by many readers. All Systems Red also won both the 2018 Nebula Award for Best Novella and the 2018 Nebula Award for Best Novella. So with its intriguing storyline, the fact that it had won two major literary awards and had been nominated for other literary awards, and is well liked by readers, I wanted to read All Systems Red. 

What I loved about All Systems Red is that it is told through the perspective of a cyborg who has been able to override its original programming and is essentially autonomous. However, its creators do not know this and the cyborg (who calls itself, Murderbot) still works as a SecUnit, a security unit, that has been designed to to protect humans on research missions. I enjoyed reading how human like Murderbot seems to be in many ways, especially after more time spent interacting with other human beings. Murderbot actually loves watching soap operas, which I found humorous. I also loved the world building for All Systems Red as well as the character interactions and how the humans respond to the cyborg once they find out it is autonomous.

However, with all the hype and accolades surrounding, All Systems Red, I was hoping to love it as much as other readers did. But, alas, I didn't love it like I hoped I would. This doesn't mean that I didn't enjoy reading All Systems Red. I did like it, but just didn't love it.

All Systems Red by Martha Wells is also the first book in a series. I do not intend to continue reading the series.

Below is the publisher's summary for All Systems Red by Martha Wells, which I found on Chirp's website:

All Systems Red is the first tense science fiction adventure novella in Martha Wells’ series The Murderbot Diaries. For fans of Westworld and Ex Machina. All Systems Red by Martha Wells begins The Murderbot Diaries, a new science fiction action and adventure series that tackles questions of the ethics of sentient robotics. It appeals to fans of Westworld, Ex Machina, Ann Leckie’s Imperial Raadch series, or Iain M. Banks’ Culture novels. The main character is a deadly security droid that has bucked its restrictive programming and is balanced between contemplative self-discovery and an idle instinct to kill all humans. In a corporate-dominated spacefaring future, planetary missions must be approved and supplied by the Company. Exploratory teams are accompanied by Company-supplied security androids, for their own safety. But in a society where contracts are awarded to the lowest bidder, safety isn’t a primary concern. On a distant planet, a team of scientists are conducting surface tests, shadowed by their Company-supplied ‘droid - a self-aware SecUnit that has hacked its own governor module, and refers to itself (though never out loud) as “Murderbot.” Scornful of humans, all it really wants is to be left alone long enough to figure out who it is. But when a neighboring mission goes dark, it’s up to the scientists and their Murderbot to get to the truth.

I am giving All Systems Red by Martha Wells a rating of 3 stars out of 5 stars.

Until my next post, happy reading!!

Ajax Penumbra 1969 by Robin Sloan

 

After recently listening to Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan, I decided to listen to the unabridged audio version of Ajax Penumbra 1969 by Robin Sloan and narrated by Ari Fliakos.

Ajax Penumbra 1969 by Robin Sloan is the prequel to Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore and is a novella. This is a fast read! I enjoyed reading about Ajax Penumbra's life prior to his life in Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore. And once again, Ari Fliakos does a great job narrating this novella. 

If you loved reading Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan, I think you'll enjoy reading Ajax Penumbra 1969 by Robin Sloan too.

Below is the publisher's summary for Ajax Penumbra 1969 by Robin Sloan I discovered through Chirp's website:

From Robin Sloan, author of Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore, the story of Mr. Penumbra’s first trip to San Francisco—and of how he got entangled with the city’s most unusual always-open enterprise…It is August 1969. The Summer of Love is a fading memory. The streets of San Francisco pulse to the sounds of Led Zeppelin and Marvin Gaye. And of jackhammers: A futuristic pyramid of a skyscraper is rising a few blocks from City Lights bookstore and an unprecedented subway tunnel is being built under the bay. Meanwhile, south of the city, orchards are quickly giving way to a brand-new industry built on silicon.But young Ajax Penumbra has not arrived in San Francisco looking for free love or a glimpse of the technological future. He is seeking a book—the single surviving copy of the Techne Tycheon, a mysterious volume that has brought and lost great fortune for anyone who has owned it. The last record of the book locates it in the San Francisco of more than a century earlier, and on that scant bit of evidence, Penumbra’s university has dispatched him west to acquire it for their library. After a few weeks of rigorous hunting, Penumbra feels no closer to his goal than when he started. But late one night, after another day of dispiriting dead ends, he stumbles across a 24-hour bookstore, and the possibilities before him expand exponentially …

I am giving Ajax Penumbra 1969 by Robin Sloan 5 stars out of 5 stars.

Until my next post, happy reading!!!

My Mortal Enemy by Willa Cather

 

I recently listened to the unabridged audio version of My Mortal Enemy by Willa Cather and narrated by Nancy Peterson. Listening for this novella published in 1926 is two hours.

I had never read anything written by Willa Cather before 2024, so I decided to give one of her shorter works a try first. I was enthralled with the plot summary and looked forward to listening to My Mortal Enemy. 

Although I found My Mortal Enemy to be a quick read with an overall engaging storyline, I found the ending to be dissatisfying. I was also left wondering what the title meant to the author as well as for the main character. I had to do some online digging for my answers. In the end, I simply found My Mortal Enemy by Willa Cather to be an okay read.

Below is the plot summary for My Mortal Enemy by Willa Cather from Chirp's website:

From the Pulitzer Prize–winning author who wrote My Ántonia! In early 20th-century America, a woman leaves her fortune behind to elope with the love of her life. But instead of entering a life of freedom, she and her husband face regret after regret. Performed by an Earphones Award–winning narrator.

I am giving My Mortal Enemy by Willa Cather a rating of 2 stars out of 5 stars.

Until my next post, happy reading!!

Top Ten Tuesday - Top Ten Quick Reads/Books to Read When Time is Short

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme hosted by Jana @ That Artsy Reader Girl. Top Ten Tuesday was originally created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.

The following short reads are ones I have enjoyed. Maybe you'll find some gems below too!

1. Gentlemen Prefer Blondes by Anita Loos (84 pages)

2. The Birds by Daphne du Maurier (75 pages)

3. The Lottery by Shirley Jackson (30 pages)

4. The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman (64 pages)

5. The Fire Next Time by James Baldwin (130 pages)

6. Convenience Store Woman by Sayaka Murata (116 pages)

7. Primates: The Fearless Science of Jane Goodall, Dian Fossey, and Biruté Galdikas by Jim Ottaviani (144 pages)

8. Killer Fashion: Poisonous Petticoats, Strangulating Scarves, and Other Deadly Garments Throughout History by Jennifer Wright (56 pages)

9. Crap Taxidermy by Kat Su (96 pages)

10. Embroideries by Marjane Satrapi (134 pages)

Funny Bunnies by Ann Omasta

While I was on vacation the week of April 16th, I listened to the unabridged audio version of Funny Bunnies by Ann Omasta for free via Ann Omasta's YouTube Channel. Click on the above link to listen to the above novella for free as well.

Funny Bunnies is the third installment of 'The Pet Set' series and is a contemporary romance novella. Listening time is approximately an hour and 12 minutes.

I've read a couple of other things written by Ann Omasta before with mixed feelings. I think that Funny Bunnies may be my last read by her. Funny Bunnies is narrated well enough, but the storyline was not that exciting, nor engaging enough to captivate me. In fact, the storyline was rather boring and too simplistic. The dialogue and interactions between characters was dull as well.

Below in the plot summary for Funny Bunnies by Ann Omasta that I found on Amazon's website:

Hope Montgomery has no doubt that she is the right person to become the next mayor of her beloved town, Nestlebrook Cove. She and her sweet pet, Honey-Bunny, won’t let anything stand in their way––especially not the current mayor––as they sway voters to their side.

Mayor Michael Snow loves his town, his job, and his country. He has big plans for growth in his thriving community, and he’s not going to let Hope or her cute little cottontail rabbit stop him.

Hope and Michael are vying for the same elected position. Neither is willing to admit to the dazzling spark of attraction simmering just beneath the surface between them. Will they find a solution that makes them both happy? The town’s snuggly bunnies may have to insist on it.

I am giving Funny Bunnies by Ann Omasta a rating of 1 stars out of 5 stars.

Until my next post, happy reading!!

The Torment of Rachel Ames by Jeff Gunhus

 

The Torment of Rachel Ames by Jeff Gunhus is another audiobook that has been on my radar for a long time now. I finally decided to listen to the unabridged audio version this month as a way too ease into the Halloween spirit.

I think the storyline/plot summary is what initially drew me to The Torment of Rachel Ames by Jeff Gunhus. Overall, I felt this novella missed the mark in terms of how the storyline was executed. Early on, I became disinterested in what was happening to the main character and where the story was headed. To be honest, I almost gave up on this audiobook a couple of times. The last few chapters were the most captivating in my opinion.

Listening time for The Torment of Rachel Ames by Jeff Gunhus is 4 hours, 21 minutes. I did not like Lisa Stathoplos as a narrator, so I will try to avoid audiobooks with her as a narrator in the future.

Below is the summary for The Torment of Rachel Ames by Jeff Gunhus from Audible:

Suffering from writer's block, novelist Rachel Ames escapes to a lake cabin to calm her mind and regain a sense of herself. The location is perfect. Isolated. Beautiful. Inspiring. It even comes with a good-looking landlord who shows an interest in her. But she can't shake the sense that something terrible has followed her to the lake, something just beyond her consciousness, something out on the edge where the sounds of a raging fire and sirens linger whenever she slows down to listen. Determined to make the cabin work, she tries to settle in and give her new life a chance. But when strange things begin to happen around her, she wonders if she's made a terrible mistake. As the darkness that's followed her manifests itself in inexplicable ways, her concept of reality is stretched thin and she realizes nothing at the lake is what it seems. As she fights to survive with her sanity intact, she understands too late that the location she's chosen for herself is far from perfect.

I am giving The Torment of Rachel Ames by Jeff Gunhus a rating of 2 stars out of 5 stars.

Until my next post, happy reading!!

Hearts in Darkness (Hearts in Darkness Duet Book 1) by Laura Kaye

Hearts in Darkness (Hearts in Darkness Duet Book 1) by Laura Kaye has been on my reading wishlist for quite a while now. I've heard wonderful things about this novella and its follow up book. So, earlier this month when I found myself in the mood for a short, fun contemporary romance read, Hearts In Darkness fit the bill.

I enjoyed reading the ebook edition of Hearts in Darkness (Hearts in Darkness Duet Book 1) by Laura Kaye very much. In the story for Hearts In Darkness, we find the two main characters, Makenna and Caden, coming into contact with each other for the very first time as Makenna enters an elevator. Before they each have the chance to get a closer look at one another, Makenna and Caden find themselves trapped inside a dark elevator for several hours... Hence, the start of a romantic relationship that most likely would have never happened otherwise!

During the several hours Makenna & Caden are trapped inside the pitch black elevator, we learn more about them through the conversations they have to pass the time waiting to be rescued. What else are two strangers going to do with their time stuck together? We learn a lot about them, including the usual things like each other's name, what they do for a living, etc. But something about being trapped in the dark, inside an enclosed space with a total stranger, breaks down major barriers between Makenna and Caden. They let their guard down and start sharing more and more personal details about themselves that they otherwise probably wouldn't be doing with someone they just met... Mostly likely, they wouldn't have given each other the time of day if they had seen each other before the elevator went pitch black and moved about their daily lives instead.

Long story, Makenna and Caden fall for each other romantically during their time tapped in the elevator. But what will happen when the lights come back on? Will they still feel that same attraction for each other? The answer is yes! But honestly, I liked the interaction between them best during their time spent in the elevator verses their time spent together afterward.

Overall, I liked the plot, characters, and story for Hearts in Darkness (Hearts in Darkness Duet Book 1) by Laura Kaye. Some of the dialogue and plot details didn't ring true, but these factors were only a minor detractor for me.

Below is a summary for Hearts in Darkness (Hearts in Darkness Duet Book 1) by Laura Kaye from Amazon:

Two strangers...

When accountant Makenna James finds herself stranded in a pitch-black elevator, she can’t help but wonder about the stranger stuck with her. All she noticed about him before the lights went out was a dragon tattoo; all she knows now is his sexy, gruff voice in the darkness.

Four hours...

Caden Grayson is inked, pierced, scarred on the inside and out—and terrified of the dark for reasons he’d rather not remember. Trapped in his worst nightmare, only the sweet voice of the red-headed beauty distracts him from his fear. And, oh, man, as the hours pass and the darkness heats up, that’s nothing compared to her touch.

One pitch-black elevator...

He’s all rough edges and she’s pin-striped skirts, but in the darkness they open up and reach out without any preconceptions to hold them back. But as attractions grows and sparks fly, will they feel the same when the lights come back on?

The Hearts in Darkness Duet Continues with LOVE IN THE LIGHT!

I am giving Hearts in Darkness (Hearts in Darkness Duet Book 1) by Laura Kaye a rating of 4 stars out of 5 stars.

Until my next post, happy reading!!

Suspended Sentences (Three Novellas) by Patrick Modiano

 

Quite frankly, I'd never heard of French writer, Patrick Modiano, until he won the 2014 Nobel Prize for Literature. Over the years, I've had this desire/fantasy to read at least one book written by every Nobel Prize for Literature winner... But I haven't actually made an action plan to execute this particular reading goal. But alas, I digress!

So during the week in which Bastille Day fell (July 14th) this year, I decided to listen to the unabridged audio version of Suspended Sentences (Three Novellas) by Patrick Modiano and narrated by Arthur Morey, Sean Runnette, and Bronson Pinchot. Listening time for Suspended Sentences (Three Novellas) by Patrick Modiano is 6 hours, 37 minutes.

I thought Suspended Sentences (Three Novellas) by Patrick Modiano was a good introduction to his work. Each novella in this collection seems almost autobiographical in nature, deals with the main character looking back over their life at a specific time period/set of events that took place, and some sort of mystery/mysterious element/event as well. These novellas seem to primarily focus on one's memories of the past. 

I enjoyed Suspended Sentences (Three Novellas) by Patrick Modiano overall, but I am not sure I'll gravitate towards another one of Modiano's novels in the future.

Below is the summary for Suspended Sentences (Three Novellas) by Patrick Modiano from Audible:

In this essential trilogy of novellas by the winner of the 2014 Nobel Prize in Literature, French author Patrick Modiano reaches back in time, opening the corridors of memory and exploring the mysteries to be encountered there. Each novella in the volume - Afterimage, Suspended Sentences, and Flowers of Ruin - represents a sterling example of the author's originality and appeal, while Mark Polizzotti's superb English-language translations capture not only Modiano's distinctive narrative voice but also the matchless grace and spare beauty of his prose.

Although originally published separately, Modiano's three novellas form a single, compelling whole, haunted by the same gauzy sense of place and characters. Modiano draws on his own experiences, blended with the real or invented stories of others, to present a dreamlike autobiography that is also the biography of a place. Orphaned children, mysterious parents, forgotten friends, enigmatic strangers - all appear in this three-part love song to a Paris that no longer exists.

Shadowed by the dark period of the Nazi Occupation, these novellas reveal Modiano's fascination with the lost, obscure, or mysterious: a young person's confusion over adult behavior; the repercussions of a chance encounter; the search for a missing father; the aftershock of a fatal affair. To listen to Modiano's trilogy is to enter his world of uncertainties and the almost accidental way in which people find their fates.

I am giving Suspended Sentences (Three Novellas) by Patrick Modiano a rating 3 stars out of 5 stars. 

Until my next post, happy reading!!

Upright Women Wanted by Sarah Gailey

I had Upright Women Wanted by Sarah Gailey on my reading wishlist for quite a while. I finally read the ebook edition of this novella last month during Women's History Month.

I really enjoyed reading Upright Women Wanted by Sarah Gailey. It's described as a 'pulp western' novella by the author and is set in the USA in the near future after society has collapsed into a military state. 

Upright Women Wanted by Sarah Gailey deals with queer identity and how fascism/fascist governments can control the flow of information within a society, etc. This novella focuses mainly on queer identity and what that means for the main character, Esther Augustus. Esther is a young woman who runs away to escape being forced into an arranged marriage by her father to an older man she does not love. 

To make matters worse, Esther has witnessed the hanging of her secret lover, Beatriz. Beatriz was hung for deviance and for possession of unapproved materials prior to the start of Upright Women Wanted. Before Beatriz had been hung, she had been betrothed to the older man that Esther found herself betrothed to after Beatriz's public hanging. 

Esther becomes a stowaway on a wagon belonging to the female librarians that deliver approved reading material by the state throughout the region. These female librarians are considered to be morally upright women. Esther feels shameful about her queer identity based on the approved reading material she has read over the years about queer identity. She is hoping to become a morally upright woman like the librarians. Little does Esther know what's really in store for her. Let's just say, Esther has a change in perspective by the end of Upright Women Wanted!!

Below is a 54 minute video I discovered on YouTube where the author, Sarah Gailey, reads the 1st chapter of Upright Women Wanted. Sarah also discusses how she came to write Upright Women Wanted. I thoroughly enjoy hearing authors discuss their books/writing, so I hope you enjoy watching this video as much as I did.

 

Below is the plot summary for Upright Women Wanted by Sarah Gailey from Amazon:

In Upright Women Wanted, award-winning author Sarah Gailey reinvents the pulp Western with an explicitly antifascist, near-future story of queer identity.

“That girl’s got more wrong notions than a barn owl’s got mean looks.”

Esther is a stowaway. She’s hidden herself away in the Librarian’s book wagon in an attempt to escape the marriage her father has arranged for her―a marriage to the man who was previously engaged to her best friend. Her best friend who she was in love with. Her best friend who was just executed for possession of resistance propaganda.

The future American Southwest is full of bandits, fascists, and queer librarian spies on horseback trying to do the right thing.

I am giving Upright Women Wanted by Sarah Gailey a rating of 4 stars out of 5 stars.

Until my next post, happy reading!!