Two YA Novels-in-Verse

The Poet X cover The Poet X is an award-winning YA novel in verse by Elizabeth Acevedo. It’s told by Xiomara, a young girl from a strict Catholic family making her way through all the feelings and fears that go along with growing up. “…she better not hear about me hanging out like a wet … Continue reading Two YA Novels-in-Verse

The Houses

Catherine House by Elisabeth Thomas was sold to me as gothic-horror, and that may be part of why I was disappointed. For me, it never got creepy enough or weird enough or really came to any sharp point that drew blood or emotion the way you'd expect in a haunted house story. Ines is running … Continue reading The Houses

Two Books of Collective Heroism

The last two books I read had something in common. A group of flawed people each making personal, hard choices to change their society - whether that's a whole galaxy or just where they live. Alone, none of them were successful. It required a community effort. In Empress of Forever by Max Gladstone, Viv is … Continue reading Two Books of Collective Heroism

Shelfie Check – December

Last month, I had grand plans for working on the physical books. The Shelf. What I ended up doing was reading on my phone because of eyestrain. That's been great news for my Kindle app usage and my Libby account! eReads - (click on the title for my full review) The Broken Kingdoms by N. … Continue reading Shelfie Check – December

Book Review: Ctrl Alt Delete

Earlier in the year, PK interviewed Jennifer R. Donohue twice. Once for her self-pubbed debut, Run with the Hunted, and then for her her entry into SFWA. I'm excited to announce she's back (!!) for her charmed third appearance for the sequel, Run with the Hunted 2: Ctrl Alt Delete. With the sequel, Donohue’s voice … Continue reading Book Review: Ctrl Alt Delete

Book & Book

What would it be when you took the Dust of His Dark Materials and covered it in sin? That would be Dan Vyleta's Smoke. Mr. Vyleta has written a Dickensian tale of class structure, ethical theology, and coming-of-age in the most naked and brutal of ways. What if every sinful thought and compulsion you had were … Continue reading Book & Book

Annihilation & Rosewater

Ever read a book and think, wow...this is super a lot like something else I've read, but also super different and they might be cousins or maybe it's more like the Fibonacci sequence in a sunflower and a seashell meeting in a constellation. Annihilation by Jeff Vandermeer This was my second time reading the book. … Continue reading Annihilation & Rosewater

Strange Practice vs. Soulless

If you read enough books, they all start to be family. A second-cousin might remind you of an aunt you met at a party once. You wish you could have a giant reunion to get everyone in the same room to compare faces and laughs. Book vs. Book is as close as I can get … Continue reading Strange Practice vs. Soulless

The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms vs. The Goblin Emperor

You ever read a book and think...wow, this sounds a kinda familiar...like looking into two mirrors at once and watching your otherselves move? Sometimes, you think one of the mirror people is a shard different and you concentrate until you're dizzy to see if you can spot the difference. You get mesmerized by the way … Continue reading The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms vs. The Goblin Emperor

Gilead

I'm reading Gilead by Marilynne Robinson. It had been on my TBR list without any memory on my part of why I put it there. I often don't like to know anything at all about a book before I read it. I won't even read the inside flap. By page 51, I was sobbing. Stories … Continue reading Gilead