Christina Henry is prolific. Horseman is her second novel of 2021, following the fantastic Near the Bone, which is one of my favorite novels of the year so far. With Horseman, she is back to reimagining stories, and this time The Legend of Sleepy Hollow is getting the esteemed Henry treatment. Teenage Ben is orphaned, … Continue reading Review – Horseman: A Tale of Sleepy Hollow, by Christina Henry (Berkley Books)
Book Review – A Touch of Jen, by Beth Morgan (Little, Brown & Company)
I almost don’t want to give anything away about A Touch of Jen, the explosive debut novel from Beth Morgan. My advice to those who have not read it is to stop reading this review right now, avoid reading any plot descriptions, and just start reading the book. I’ve said this before, but I’m a … Continue reading Book Review – A Touch of Jen, by Beth Morgan (Little, Brown & Company)
Short Story Update
The Saddest Short Story Ever Written Yesterday, I read the saddest short story I've ever read in my life, so I need to share the details with you. I found this little gem in The Persephone Book of Short Stories, which features a wealth of gorgeous stories by well-known and little-known female writers. I urge … Continue reading Short Story Update
June Check In
June been rough with a capital UGH. I can’t even nail down why it has been difficult, it just has. Most of my energy has gone into being a mother, and coping with the increasing demands of my day job (I’m an Executive Assistant at a publishing company, and I bloody love it). There was … Continue reading June Check In
May 2021 Round-Up
Here’s the list, with a quick five-word summary: Because of You - Dawn French (Penguin) - Funny, entertaining, French is wonderful.Vulnerability is My Superpower - Jackie E. Davis (Andrews McMeel) - Honest, beautifully insightful, colorful comics.Piranesi - Susanna Clark (Bloomsbury) - Cosmic madness in Manchester, maybe?Two Besides: A Pair of Talking Heads - Alan Bennett … Continue reading May 2021 Round-Up
“It rubs the lotion on its skin…”
WARNING: This post contains teeny-weeny plot details for The Last House on Needless Street by Catriona Ward, and Near the Bone by Christina Henry. I didn’t mean to read two books with themes of abduction and abuse back-to-back, but I did. Here are my highly scientific findings: I finally read The Last House on Needless … Continue reading “It rubs the lotion on its skin…”
February 2021 Reading Round-Up
If you’re just interested in the list, let’s kick off with that. The Atmospherians, by Alex McElroy (Atria Books, released May 18, 2021)Happening, by Annie Ernaux (Seven Stories Press)Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day, by Winifred Watson (Persephone Books)The Voice in my Ear, by Frances Leviston (Jonathan Cape)The Twisted Ones, by T. Kingfisher (Simon & … Continue reading February 2021 Reading Round-Up
Book Review – The Last Good Man, by Thomas McMullan (Bloomsbury)
I am an absolute sucker for unsettling tales set in weird little pockets of England, as I am from a very odd bit of northern England. I particularly enjoy stories of weird rituals, or backwards societies, similar to The Wicker Man, or Midsommar. Stories that are slightly unnerving, because they are dangerously on the cusp … Continue reading Book Review – The Last Good Man, by Thomas McMullan (Bloomsbury)
My 2021 Book Picks
Well, this is all very exciting, isn't it? New page design, new domain name, same bookish content! Welcome, if we've never met before. Lovely to meet you. Let's get right to it. I spent a lot of 2020 reading, in order to block out the nonsense. And given how the first week of January is … Continue reading My 2021 Book Picks
My Top 2020 Reads
I’ve read a lot this year. To escape from the madness of reality? Yes, absolutely. So, in no particular order, here are my favorite books that were released in 2020. Things in Jars - Jess Kidd A strong central female character, a strange kidnapping, and a thoroughly entertaining ghost? Sign me up! Also, a love story … Continue reading My Top 2020 Reads
California Reading 