Odessa by Gabrielle Sher
Gabrielle Sher’s Odessa started from her doctoral dissertation titled “Who Made Us Monsters? Narrative Psychology and The Female Jewish Gothic.” I assume it evolved a lot to go from academic writing to horror novel, but I think the question was answered. The book doesn't explain much. It doesn't … [Read more]
Et Tu, Babe by Mark Leyner
This is going to be short and to the point. I HATED Mark Leyner’s Et Tu, Babe. I had a friend a long time ago who loved Leyner and the title of the book cracked me up. Well, the title was the first and last thing to give me even a twitch of amusement. There isn’t really a plot, per se, just … [Read more]
Platform Decay by Martha Wells
Monthly Keyword 26: Decay Thank you to Tor Books and NetGalley for this ARC. My opinions are my own. This book is out on May 5th, 2026. Murderbot (who has installed a mental health module now, and keeps doing Emotion checks on itself) is on a rescue mission on a large artificial planet … [Read more]
The Rushworth Family Plot: A Mr. Darcy & Miss Tilney Mystery (#4) by Claudia Gray
To condemn the female of the species for frivolity while simultaneously limiting her to frivolity is patently unjust, and yet grievously common. Jonathan Darcy and Juliet Tilney understand each other (and their own hearts) perfectly; it's a pity their families do not. A series of misunderstandings, … [Read more]
The Mysterious Benedict Society: 10th Anniversary Edition by Trenton Lee Stewart; illustrated by Carson Ellis
“Are you a gifted child looking for special opportunities?” So reads an ad in the local newspaper. Dozens of children and are put through a series of increasingly strange and difficult tests, which you the reader get to take along with them. Only four children—two boys and two girls—succeed. … [Read more]
Secrets of Blackthorn Hall: An Illustrated Shadowhunter Novel by Cassandra Clare; ilustrated by Cassandra Jean
When the Blackthorn great-aunt dies, to the surprise of everyone she leaves her house in England to Julian, with the proviso he has five years to fix it up before ownership reverts to the Clave. So off Julian and Emma go to merry old England, to deal with large spiders, piles of dust, gnome … [Read more]
