I hope you’ve been able to find some peace this week.
The Shadower, by Maria and Peter Hoey (published on March 24, 2026)
Lindsey Chung Dates a White Boy!!!, by Asia Miller (published on May 5, 2026)
I love graphic novels. I cannot draw, so I’m constantly in awe of the artistic talents of others. My daughter is also beginning to appreciate comics, and is currently very into Scott Pilgrim. Yay!
The Shadower has a great story, a woman forced to assume another identity and effectively become a spy in a toxic political climate. But the artwork was not to my taste at all. Which made me sad.
Lindsey Chung Dates a White Boy!!! Was more to my taste. The story is a little triggering; the titular white is a manipulative asshole. But the friendship at the heart of the story is lovely, as is Lindsey’s relationship with her overbearing but well-meaning mother.
Cape Fever, by Nadia Davids
I have paused the audiobook of Cape Fever to write this blog entry, but also because it is making me angry. The novel is about the relationship between Mrs. Hattingh and her live-in servant, Soraya, and Hattingh is such an awful woman that I find myself muttering “oh, do fuck off” under my breath quite frequently. Big Rebecca vibes. Very excited to see if Soraya sets fire to Hattingh’s house.
Westward Women, by Alice Martin (published March 10, 2026)
I’m halfway through this one, and it’s getting exciting. A mysterious disease has infected young woman in the US, and they are overcome with a compulsion to head west. Told for various perspectives, this is for fans of The Handmaid’s Tale, and The Shining Girls. A very compelling plot, and I imagine I’ll finish this over the weekend.
The Virago Book of Ghost Stories, edited by Richard Dalby
I finished Samantha Mills’ collection, Rabbit Test and Other Stories, so it’s time for a new short story collection. I’ve dipped in and out of this one over the last ten years or so, but I’m committing to reading the whole bloody thing. First story was by Edith Wharton, The Eyes, which wasn’t vintage Wharton (I’ve linked to my favorite Wharton story below), but enjoyable nonetheless.
My review of Rabbit Test and Other Stories, by Samantha Mills
Read Afterward by Edith Wharton
Watching Neighbours Twice a Day, by Josh Widdicombe
This week, I listened to Josh Widdicombe’s new podcast, Museum of Popular Culture, as it did a deep dive on Mr. Blobby, a bafflingly popular 90s character. It was great, and a must-listen for those who were born and raised in the UK in the 1980s and 90s.
Watching Neighbours Twice a Day treads similar ground, but is expanded. Widdicombe was born about six months before me, so our cultural touchstones are strikingly similar (Ghostwatch, anyone?). I’ve not finished listening to the audiobook yet, but I’ve enjoyed this so far.
That’ll do pig. It’s been another terrifying week in the US. I hope you can find small comforts, and moments of joy, wherever you can.
California Reading 