Annie Knows Everything by Rachel Wood
Rating: 4 Stars In a nutshell: Annie works in tech and is about to be laid off when she works with her friend in HR to see if she can slot into another role. She’s not qualified, but maybe she can make it work. And also perhaps learn how to not blow everything up? Best for: Fans of workplace AND family drama. Those who are looking for a fun, easy read. Quote that made me think: N/A Why I chose it: The author started a […]
The Long Walk by Stephen King
Cliff Young, a 61-year old sheep farmer, won the first ever Sydney to Melbourne ultramarathon in 1983. He did it by running slowly but most effectively and by sleeping only for two hours during the first night when his competition slept for six hours. Eventually, he skipped sleeping altogether. He won the race by a landslide and also set a new record. His stamina was forged in the 1930s when he run for days finding and gathering sheep in the Australian wilderness. Effectively, he had […]
The Stranger by Albert Camus
Or as I’d call it, “Bartleby the Scrivener, only with murder”. Years ago, I read Albert Camus’ The Plague (frighteningly enough, during Covid, which is a perfect time to read a book about the mass deaths and utter hopelessness an epidemic can cause) and had always been curious about reading this. Now that I have, I have to say I preferred The Plague, mostly because all I can muster up as an opinion on The Stranger is that I read it and didn’t hate it. […]
A Timid Lady was Turned into an Ugly Cat, but on the Verge of Fainting is Picked up by the Most Fearsome Military Duke, vol. 1 by otori, Ema Okadachi, Kou Kusaka
I enjoy reading very specific and long titles, but I’ve never wanted to read beyond the name until I saw A Timid Lady was Turned into an Ugly Cat, but on the Verge of Fainting is Picked up by the Most Fearsome Military Duke by otori, Ema Okadachi, and Kou Kusaka. The title is very accurate. Marie is the oldest daughter of some viscount and doesn’t have much going for her. The story tells us she’s fat and plain – meaning she looked exactly like the […]
Turn Right for Terror by James Cooper
A few days ago, I read the novelette Turn Right for Terror by James Cooper on Reactor, which is a magazine I intend to read much more than I do. And I liked it a lot. While visiting her mother at a nursing home, Ellen sees an actress from her childhood comfort show. So she says hi. Turn Right at Terror was an episodic weird horror show from the 60s. At some point it’s described as Boschian. Rose Ward played a character named Bird Dog, […]
Forevr by Brian Brown
Recently I have read two books that have given me a gut punch for all the right and wrong reasons. Forevr (yes, that is how it is spelled) by Brian Brown, is one of them. After reading Brown’s book I said to myself: DAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANG (but I didn’t say Dang)! What the heck was that? I think I needed to take a dramamine pill before reading. I mean how do you process a thoughtful, dark, a bit sad, a bit too could happen, semi-humours ride through […]
