Puck by Samantha Allen

Reviewed by Kristin 

Puck is a queer non-binary thirty-year-old who has made great strides in their career as the producer of “Homewreckers.” Puck is good at their job, and that includes being able to manipulate people. A reality dating show wouldn’t be nearly as much entertainment if the contestants were allowed to find and stay with their true loves, right? Enter the exes, ideally placed to disrupt and blow up relationships. 

Taking a rare break from the show, Puck is attending the wedding of their old best friend and roommate, Mia, to another of their college friend group, Damon. But Mia used to date Zander, Damon’s best friend, and Lena used to have a huge crush on Damon, and Puck takes it upon themself to stop Mia and Damon’s wedding, thus saving Mia from a lifetime of misery. As mentioned before, Puck likes pulling the marionette strings and interfering in others’ lives. 

Impeding Puck’s theatrics is Robyn, the rigidly scheduled maid of honor who is absolutely determined that this wedding will happen. Puck is intrigued by Robyn, despite the obvious problems the attraction creates. 

I absolutely loved this new release from the author of Patricia Wants to Cuddle  and Roland Rogers Isn’t Dead Yet. The characters feel like real people who are trying to find their place in the adult world with relationships, careers, and societal expectations. Mia is trying to fit into Damon’s family’s wealth and status. Zander is newly sober, and making a name for himself as a chef. Puck is Puck, with all the Shakespearean drama their chosen name evokes. 

Puck may start out as a planner and master manipulator, but they learn much during the course of this episode, I mean, book. They grow as a person, and as they say, all’s well that ends well. 

Jane on Her Own: A Catwings Tale by Ursula K. Le Guin, illustrations by S.D. Schindler

 

Reviewed by Kristin 

Book Bingo can make all of us here at the library read outside of our usual fare. I have a square for “…with an animal on the cover” and I was charmed by the juvenile fiction book featuring Jane, a flying cat. 

Jane lives on Overhill Farm with her siblings, all of whom have wings. Big sister Thelma doesn’t know why they have wings. Their mother didn’t have wings, but she still lives back in the city. One day, Jane flies up, up, up, and goes out on her own for some adventures. 

This small chapter book has delightful illustrations. Jane is solid black with yellow eyes, and of course, wings. After a brief brush with fame (and captivity) Jane’s “Homing Instinct” takes her back to reunite with family. 

Of course, there is a happy ending. If there wasn’t, it would have scared this cat lover off before the end of the book. 

Catwings Tales include: 

   Catwings (1988) 

   Catwings Return (1989) 

   Wonderful Alexander and the Catwings (1994) 

   Jane On Her Own (1992) 

   Tales of the Catwings (1996) 

   More Tales of the Catwings (2000) 

   Cat Dreams (2009) 

Seasons of Glass & Iron: Stories by Amal El-Mohtar

Reviewed by Kristin

These stories often read like fairy tales. In the titular story, “Seasons of Glass and Iron”, Tabitha is wearing iron shoes. She must walk and walk until they are worn out, and then begin anew in a new pair. Amira is sitting on a high glass hill, trapped there with a continual supply of golden apples. Only when the iron meets glass do the women find a possible escape.

“Florilegia; or, Some Lies about Flowers” is of Blodeuwedd, a woman who was formed from blossoms and trapped into a loveless marriage. She is more at home communing with the mud, the bees, and the books of the library, than with the life she is expected to lead. As in most tales cleverness prevails, and with El-Mohtar’s skill, in a mere sixteen pages.

“Pockets” finishes the collection, as strange and impossible items appear in Nadia’s pocket. Somewhere between a scientific investigation and a wise librarian, Nadia finds some measure of resolution to her mysterious collection.

This is a hard collection to describe. El-Mohtar does not suffer from using too many words. In almost everything I’ve read from her, she makes every word count. This slim volume contains eighteen writings published in a magazine, anthology, or online between 2008 and 2023. As El-Mohtar notes in the introduction, she saw a lot of life changes in those fifteen years. Each entry serves as a snapshot of that particular time in her life. There is not cohesion between stories, both poems and prose, but for the beauty of the precise words chosen.

Murder by Memory by Olivia Waite

 

Reviewed by Kristin

Imagine if your body was disposable but your mind could live on long beyond a typical lifespan. On the interstellar generational ship Fairweather, that is the new reality. Well, not exactly new, since their journey began three centuries ago. Each person has a memory book and a body, but memories can be uploaded into a new version of their own body when the old one fails, due to aging or accident—or heaven forbid—murder.

Dorothy Gentleman is Fairweather’s detective. After the last time her body wore out, she decided to keep her mind preserved in her book for a while, taking a break from a physical body. Dorothy wakes up knowing instantly that something is wrong. It’s her own consciousness, but it’s not her own body. Since she’s the detective, she sets out to discover exactly what happened.

Dorothy is a delight. With so much lived experience, her personality feels like a middle aged woman. (Note that this comment is meant in an absolutely positive way!) Dorothy’s nephew Rutherford (Ruthie) worked to create the technology needed to keep individuals’ memories and experiences available. He developed memory liquors, meant to bring back sensations of things long left behind on Earth. Think of a sunset or a baby’s laugh, or the scent of ozone during a storm.

Another interesting character is the ship itself, which seems to be a mix of a computer and a sentient being. Dorothy speaks to Ferry (short for Fairweather) and begins to piece together what may have happened in the two years her mind has been shelved without a body.

At only 100 pages, this is a more of a novella, but it was very well written and I look forward to the next in the series, Nobody’s Baby and in March 2027, The Double Dorothy.

The Subtle Art of Folding Space by John Chu

Reviewed by Kristin

An infinite number of universes.

Humans have coded and manufactured “skunkworks” to manipulate and manage physics of these multiple realities. Until things begin to fall apart…

Ellie’s cousin Daniel has found a device in the skunkworks that shouldn’t be there. The alteration is keeping Ellie’s comatose mother alive but it is causing rippling effects that might destabilize more than just this little corner of this universe. Who created this device? Who benefits? Obviously Ellie, but she wasn’t the one to rearrange the workings.

Chris is Ellie’s sister, and she “likes to keep Ellie on her toes” by attempting to assassinate her every few weeks. Or so Chris says.

Daniel is able to manifest his skunkworks analytic data into Chinese comfort food, confusing and fascinating me all the more.

I have to admit that I didn’t understand most of the physics concepts included in this work of science fiction, but I still enjoyed it. Ellie is a very likeable protagonist, and her adventures climbing through the skunkworks kept me reading. Were the skunkworks actual physical buildings, or just coding with visual representation? Even after reading the book, I have no idea! Please, someone else read this and tell me what you think.

I read an ARC provided by NetGalley and Tor Publishing, but that did not influence my opinion in any way. Family connections, generational trauma, and government authoritarianism all combine to make for an interesting read.

Saving Graces by David Robinson

 

Reviewed by Kristin

Cemeteries are the repositories of not only physical remains, but the memories of those who once lived, loved, and mourned losses.

Photographing European cemeteries, David Robinson became aware of the many statues of visibly grieving women. First he questioned whether the statues represented women buried at those locations. Could they be religious figures? Or angels?

These statues, which Robinson soon dubbed the “Saving Graces”, did not appear to fit any of these categories. Many are swooning across graves with their carved clothing in disarray as if they are overwhelmed with grief. Some are reaching up to heaven. Some are turned into themselves. Others appear to be resigned, but still mournful.

In stark contrast, men represented in the cemeteries are usually standing upright, showing a strong moral character, and definitely not showing any emotion which would be perceived as weakness. Women, however, carry the sorrow.

The book contains a brief introduction, foreword, and afterword, with the bulk of the pages letting the captioned photographs tell their own story.

I came across this book while cleaning up books that had been browsed or returned. It is shelved at 730.94 ROB, not a section that I necessarily would think to browse myself. 730 encompasses: “Arts and recreation sculpture, ceramics, and metalwork sculpture, and related arts.” I can appreciate the artistry required to create such sculptures, and I can appreciate the emotions felt by those who commissioned these works.

The Stars Look Like Home by TJ Klune

Kristin was able to read an advance copy of an upcoming TJ Klune book.  Here is her sneak peek review:

Release date January 12, 2027

Reviewed by Kristin

He opened his eyes at two weeks old and his first thoughts were “I…I…am? I…am. I am! I am! I am!” First he was “the boy”. That’s what his mother called him, after all. Weeks later, he decided that his name should be Wolf. Mother said that dogs used to be wolves.  Or maybe Wolf Star. Or maybe even Wolf Immortal Star. Because his mother said he was a star, and stars are forever. Maybe Forever Wolf…

Forever Wolf finally found his humans, and they called him Burke.

Burke is an energetic puppy, a bit mouthy (he has so much to say, and it’s not his fault that the humans can’t understand his language), and absolutely ecstatic about the world around him. Going to a new home is a little scary, but Burke falls in love with his humans almost immediately. Challenges, change, heartbreak, and new loves ensue, as Burke finds the perfect family for him.

TJ Klune is a magical kind of storyteller who can weave a heartrending tale from any point of view, and in this case he has taken the perspective of a dog. In this fantasy world, we get the inside view of a newborn pup who takes a circuitous route to find his perfect place in the world.

I am always amazed at how I am so invested in Klune’s characters. The House in the Cerulean Sea and Somewhere Beyond the Sea are a couple of my favorite books of all time. Under the Whispering Door absolutely made me sob. We Burned So Bright was a road trip across the country in search of what two parents had lost. I could go on…but I will just say that Klune has really found his voice and I will always be looking for more of his writing.

Klune makes a promise at the very beginning to quell the fears of animal lovers everywhere. He says: “The dog does not die in this. Within these pages, he is forever.”

A Grim Reaper’s Guide to Cheating Death by Maxie Dara

 

Reviewed by Kristin

Nora Bird has always been cautious in life. She and her twin brother Charlie lost their parents in an accident when they were six. Nora knows exactly how dangerous life is, and she is well prepared for almost any emergency that might come up. Choking? Nora knows the Heimlich maneuver. Fire? Nora has several routes out of the building. Poison? Nora probably knows all the antidotes you might possibly need.

Charlie, on the other hand, is a little more laid back. He’s more likely to accept rides from suspicious looking strangers and take in stray animals, no matter whether rabies or bird flu is in the offing.

Nora is such an expert on death that she was a natural fit for a career at S.C.Y.T.H.E., Secure Collection, Yielding, and Transportation of Human Essences. She’s an administrative assistant, but she sees every file that goes out to the various agents tasked with escorting newly departed souls to the afterlife. One morning, she sees that Charles Ezra Bird is due to be collected at 11:15 a.m. after a car accident.

Charles Ezra Bird. Charlie.

Nora grabs the file and runs.

Once she has convinced Charlie of the extreme urgency of her mission, Nora leads them off to try to escape death. But, wait! After 11:15 a.m. passes uneventfully and Nora takes a second to breathe, the cause of death in Charlie’s file changes: Choking. (Charlie, put down those Doritos!)

With visions of black clad S.C.Y.T.H.E. agents chasing after them, Nora does her absolute best to protect her brother. They travel to a remote location where they find more than they expected. And yes, the cause of death keeps changing, as Charlie and Nora have more close calls than one might expect on their twenty-sixth birthday.

This was a delightful mystery that kept me guessing to the very end. Plus, there is a foul mouthed parrot named Jessica to add even more comic relief. This is the second in the series, following A Grim Reaper’s Guide to Catching a Killer, but each book has a different S.C.Y.T.H.E. employee as the protagonist, so they can definitely be read as stand-alones. I look forward to the next book due out in November 2026, A Grim Reaper’s Guide to Living Twice.

Wings: The Story of a Band on the Run by Paul McCartney, edited by Ted Widmer

 

Reviewed by Kristin

How many books have been written about The Beatles, individually or collectively, and/or about their post-Beatle musical collaborations? A quick Google search (scroll past the AI overview, because that is likely to be generalized and somewhat inaccurate…) tells me that it is at least thousands, and possibly tens of thousands.

I believe it, because I have read quite a few. Not a thousand, but I have at least 20 on a bookshelf at home. In fact, a friend just gave me a vintage book containing letters written to each Beatle in their heyday, appropriately titled Dear Beatles and compiled by Bill Adler. One I must count among my favorites is Mark Lewisohn’s first volume in his comprehensive trilogy, The Beatles: All These Years: Tune In, published in 2013. We’re still waiting for volume two. Since it took him over a decade to publish the first one, I’m holding out hope. Tune In is worth the read, all 932 pages.

The book I’ve just finished reading is a much shorter 550 pages; Wings: The Story of a Band on the Run is told through a variety of voices as an oral history. Paul McCartney is prominent, of course, but every member of Wings and various people who knew them also have their words recorded. Linda McCartney, Paul’s late wife and Wings member, is quoted many times. Right after Ted Widmer’s editorial introduction, the “cast in alphabetical order” is listed. From photographers to sound engineers to other musicians to family and more, their thoughts are woven together to create a narrative about a band, well, in the famous words of Paul himself, a band on the run.

Interspersed between these voices are descriptions of projects and timelines placing Wings’ work amongst other major world events. Black and white photos are included throughout with a glossy color photo section in the middle. Appendices include band biographies, Wings’ discography, Wings’ gigography (a term I’d never heard, but loved seeing every public appearance Wings made from 1972-1979), and finally a Paul/Wings specific timeline from 1969-1981.

As you may have guessed, I really enjoyed this book. Another amusing thing that ran through my head while reading was my then two-year-old child singing “Band on the RUG” . . . repeatedly. At least we influence our kids’ musical tastes for a while.

Too Old for This by Samantha Downing

 

Reviewed by Kristin

Lottie Jones has gotten away with murder.

Frequently.

Lottie thought her killing days were behind her, until someone starts digging into her past. Lottie is happier just going to church carry-ins and buying gifts for her grandchildren. And, maybe her son and soon-to-be-daughter-in-law will want her to move to their town and babysit the new baby. But in order to live her best life, she can't let her past catch up with her. Thus begins a domino effect of people who are getting in the way of an old woman who knows what she wants and how to get it.

Samantha Downing is rather skilled at making her readers like characters who seem like they should be unlikeable. Even though Lottie has a rather warped sense of right and wrong, there were things about her moral compass that I could totally understand. She had her reasons at the outset of her killing spree, twisted as they might have been. Lottie is rather brutal in her murder and body disposal methodology. She has learned quite a few things over the years.

When an old nemesis appears, Lottie is determined to keep ahead of investigators old and new. She calls upon her skills, using her cunning as well as blunt force to stay in control of her life. All she really wants to do is to live out her years in comfort, and maybe impress the church ladies a little. Lottie is smart, ruthless, and just getting too old for this.

Every Time I Go on Vacation, Someone Dies and No One Was Supposed to Die at This Wedding by Catherine Mack

 

Reviewed by Kristin

Eleanor Dash has made quite a name for herself by simply telling the truth. Well, a version of the truth anyway. Since that fateful trip to Italy a decade ago where she got mixed up in solving crimes, she is now an accomplished author of the Vacation Mystery series. Eleanor thought that changing most of the names except for Connor Smith, the star of her book series and the original star investigator would be a great idea. After all, Connor should be flattered that she used his name and gave him credit. Unfortunately, Connor decides to take it as a chance to usurp a significant percentage of Eleanor’s royalties—for the first book, When in Rome, and every one after. It’s no wonder that Eleanor is ready to kill Connor. On the page, that is.

The second in the series sees Eleanor, sister Harper, actress and best friend Emma, Emma’s fiancé (actor) Fred, and a large cast of characters on Catalina Island off the coast of California, for Emma and Fred’s wedding. Conveniently, Emma and Fred are also starring in the movie adaptation of When in Rome. Keep it in the family, and all that. But a storm is brewing, and not just metaphorically. Eleanor and the entire crew are trapped on Catalina when a note turns up that says, “Someone is going to die at the wedding.”

I listened to both of these titles as audiobooks, so was charmed to see the cover and end pages of the physical books at the library. The covers are realistic cartoon drawings, and the inner end pages look like scrapbook bits and pieces with fun little notes like, “Harper, have you checked the latest forecast? There’s not an ACTUAL hurricane coming to Catalina, is there? That’s, like, fake weather news—right?”

I enjoyed these fast moving stories that were a bit over the top, but still wickedly funny. The characters are very likeable (except Connor; we don’t really like him, but he still hangs around.) Coming in April 2026: This Weekend Doesn’t End Well for Anyone.

Found Recipes: Beloved Vintage Recipes Worth Sharing by Betty Crocker

 

Reviewed by Kristin

Opening this book was like opening a box of recipes from my grandma. These “vintage” recipes run from the 1920s to the 1990s, with strong representation from the mid-century when pre-packaged mixes became more popular for those homemakers who needed to whip up a quick dessert. This book doesn’t lean heavily on mixes, but Bisquick and cake mixes are included as time savers through the decades.

Betty Crocker has an enormous database of their recipes (almost 96,000!) but some of them had fallen through the cracks and had been lost. Over 500 Betty Crocker themed cooking magazines were published between 1972-2014, (see page 62) and as some of these have been rediscovered, the company decided to create this Found Recipes cookbook/history. In some cases, customers shared their memories of long ago meals where no recipe could be found, and Betty Crocker recreated them for a nostalgic taste of the past. Quotes from happy customers are included alongside bits of history and inside looks into the test kitchens.

A few recipes that caught my eye, along with the dates originally created (when available) and page numbers…yes, my tastes lean toward the sweets!

“Oven-Baked Chicken and Biscuits” – 1956 – page 71

“Chocolate Cookie Muffins” – page 117

“Luscious Lemon Loaf” – page 125

“Magic Cinnamon Balloon Buns” – 1969 – page 145

“Cardamom Cookies” – page 177

Those are just a few that sound like they would be fun to make with the five-year-old in my life. Maybe I’ll have to pull out a few of my grandma’s vintage recipe clippings as well, whether they came from Betty Crocker or elsewhere.

Missing Sister by Joshilyn Jackson

This book won't be published until March 3, 2026, but you can put the book on reserve now!

Reviewed by Kristin

Penny is a rookie cop, motivated into the career by the loss of her twin sister Nix five years earlier. At her very first murder scene in an Atlanta suburb, she not only recognizes the male victim as someone who hurt Nix and helped to create the downward spiral which led to her death, Penny then practically stumbles across a blonde woman holding a bloody box cutter.

When the woman cryptically says that the events of the night were all about sisters, Penny is taken aback and allows the woman to flee. Not exactly proper cop behavior, but Penny needs to find out how this murder is connected to Nix.

Penny discovers a slow burn trail of clues which takes the reader through many twists and turns. I didn't see the end coming, although of course I second guessed whether I should have. In this kind of domestic suspense, everyone is a suspect.

Jackson is brilliant at taking the plot in unexpected directions, while maintaining believability in the end. Every time I read one of her books, I feel that she really understands human nature in all its various possibilities. People are complex, and Jackson's characters are multi-dimensional in all the right ways.

I read this as an advanced reader copy (ARC) ebook, and I will look for the audiobook when it is available. Jackson usually narrates her own audiobooks in her distinctive but not overwhelming Southern accent, which I find wonderfully entertaining.

Thanks to Joshilyn Jackson and William Morrow for the ARC allowing me the intense excitement of reading my favorite author’s latest work months early, in exchange for an honest review!

Mrs. Nash’s Ashes by Sarah Adler

 

Reviewed by Kristin

Millie, a former child star all grown up, goes on a pilgrimage to take the remains of Rose McIntyre Nash, her elderly best friend, to be reunited with her one true love. Nothing could go wrong, right?

Wrong.

In the Washington DC airport, flights are suddenly grounded due to a computer glitch. Everyone, and I mean everyone is suddenly scrambling for alternative travel arrangements. Millie is about to share a ride with a stranger (but Mike was so nice and he has dogs at home!) but a grumpy friend of a friend who just happens to have been booted from the same flight steps in, and insists that it won’t be a problem for Millie to ride to Miami with him. Grumpily insists, that is, as is Hollis’ usual temperament.

Enter the olive oil spill on a major highway, dark back roads, a deer, a bed and breakfast, 25 framed Jesuses, and the Gadsley Broccoli Festival.

Hollis is a cynic and doesn’t believe in true love, but there is a spark between him and Millie. In the usual rom-com kind of way, their companionship develops into something more…but what lies in wait at the end of this roadtrip?

The story alternates between Millie’s present predicament, the friendship she shared with Mrs. Nash before her recent passing, and the love story that blossomed in 1944 wartime between a young Rose and Elsie. Both sweet and spicy, this was an enjoyable trip through the country and through the lives of the characters.

Overdue by Stephanie Perkins

 

Reviewed by Kristin

Ingrid and her boyfriend Cory have been together for eleven years, since their literal first day of community college. They have never dated other people, like EVER, and have settled into a life where they are real adults who live together, but haven't actually considered whether marriage is in their future. When Ingrid's sister announces her engagement to a woman she's been dating for a mere two years, Ingrid and Cory decide they should explore their options. In other words, take a month to see other people, and then come back together to either move toward marriage, or...not.

Ingrid is a library clerk in a small branch in a North Carolina mountain town. She enjoys her job, but possibly more because she enjoys working the circulation desk with her co-worker Macon, rather than having a true calling to be a librarian. Macon is her friend, but there has always been something between them and Ingrid's mind goes straight to him as soon as the possibility to date other people opens up. But of course, Macon is way too much of a gentleman to take advantage of her.

Obviously, the story continues with Ingrid and Macon figuring out their feelings, but to say more on that would be a spoiler.

This was good, but could have used some editing for length. The audiobook was almost 13 1/2 hours long, and it dragged on in places. I never was tempted to put it aside, but there were points where I was wondering how in the world Ingrid could take the long way around the metaphorical block AGAIN as her life took several twists and turns. This title is described as the adult debut of a bestselling young adult author, so maybe she (and her publisher) thought that adult books required more.

I do have one very specific issue with something that Ingrid did. While scoping out potential dates in her time away from Cory, she checked to see if the men had library cards, and if so, what were they reading. (At this point, library people should be shocked and appalled!) We would NEVER invade someone’s privacy like that for personal reasons. Borrower records are sacred, and library staff will defend your right to privacy practically to the death. The author’s bio says she used to be a librarian and a bookseller, so I found this very much out of line with what I expected from the main character. Overreaction on my part? Maybe, but you can rest assured that your reading records are safe here at your local library.

I still enjoyed the book with its vivid descriptions of books, libraries, bookstores, plants, food, paint colors, and Edmond the cat. Every book needs a cat.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Run for the Hills by Kevin Wilson

 

Reviewed by Kristin

Madeline Hill (Mad) and her mom have a farm in Coalfield, Tennessee. When a man pulls up to their farm stand one day, Mad assumes he’s just a last minute customer hoping for some produce. But no, Reuben Hill (Rube) tells her that he believes they are half siblings, and that their serial monogamist father may have left a trail of other children across the country from Massachusetts to California. And, oh yeah, would she like to drive across the country with him in a rented PT Cruiser to find the others?

The elder Mr. Hill left Rube’s mother thirty years ago, and Mad’s mother twenty years ago, so it appears that he had a habit of reinventing himself. Was he a writer, a farmer, a soccer coach, or something else entirely? Like a chameleon, he appeared to change professions, wives/partners, and geography whenever he felt the need.

Mad and Rube begin a journey of self-exploration that does much more than take them across state lines. In an attempt to find the answers they seek, they discover more family while uncovering a family history they never knew.

Author Kevin Wilson is the master of crazy happenings; two of his previous characters burst into flames with strong emotions in Nothing to See Here. His humor and wit are biting as well as entertaining. I also enjoyed Now Is Not the Time to Panic where a homemade poster causes ripples of paranoia across the country.

If you’re looking for more road trip fiction, I suggest He Started It by Samantha Downing, The Borrower by Rebecca Makkai, Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel, or Mrs. Nash’s Ashes by Sarah Adler. (Okay, I admit I’m just about to read that last one, but it certainly sounds good. If you get to it before me, let me know!)

Automatic Noodle by Annalee Newitz

 

Reviewed by Kristin

It is a common theme in science fiction: Humans create robots, robots develop sentience, war happens, rogue robots decide to follow their own paths.

In this case, start a business and make noodles.

Staybehind, Sweetie, Hands, and Cayenne are HEEI – “human equivalent embodied intelligence” individuals awakening after being offline unexpectedly for a period of months. They exist in the nation-state of California, which recently liberated itself from the so-called United States. The California Constitution recognized HEEI as citizens, although their legal status can be complicated by pre-war contracts and obligations. And citizens or not, the humans often have preconceived notions when it comes to HEEI and their abilities.

It’s a good thing that Staybehind and friends make a mean noodle.

Authentic Noodle is soon operating and becoming a highly rated restaurant. The orders are pouring in and their stars on the net are going up, up, up! They are filling their order capacity in advance and becoming the hottest lunch in San Francisco. But negative reviews start coming from somewhere, and it appears that they are being attacked by someone who doesn’t like robots. But is this an actual disgruntled human or a targeted campaign from some larger power?

In this near future (2064) novella, the characters are endearing, the tension is palpable, and the noodles are yummy. Automatic Noodle – 5 stars.

Come Fix You A Plate: Food you’ll actually cook from Your Barefoot Neighbor by Matthew Bounds

 Reviewed by Kristin 

I love a good cookbook, even if I don’t cook as much as I once did. This is one of those indulgent books that tells you how to cook good food, and involves ingredients like “1 stick of butter” or “1 block of cream cheese”. I immediately wrote down four recipes and need to add a couple things to my shopping list. 

With funny names like Crock Pot-ato Soup and RotelTisserieVeetaTini and Ain’tChiladas, the cook obviously has a sense of humor. He also promotes charitable organizations close to his heart without being preachy about it. His love of family and friends also comes through in the short narratives accompanying some of the recipes. 

Myrtle’s Pasta Bake sounds a lot like the baked ziti that my husband orders at our favorite local Italian place. Pasta, meat sauce, cheese: I could fix me a plate of that. 

Sweet Potato Casserole isn’t an everyday food at my house, but this one sounds like a delicious variation that might be worth making for the next holiday. I can practically taste it now. 

Sodie Spice Cake is literally what it sounds like. A can of whatever soda you like, a box of whatever cake mix, both dumped over some apple pie filling. I haven’t made a dessert in ages, but I think this would be a big hit next time we have a family gathering. 

But that Chicken Cobbler…I might just make that this weekend. Shredded chicken, any variety of vegetables, biscuit mix, some liquids and that stick of butter—come fix you a plate.

Louisiana Longshot by Jana DeLeon

 

Reviewed by Kristin

Sometimes books seem so over the top that you don’t really have high expectations. Jana DeLeon’s Miss Fortune series had been repeatedly recommended to me, so I picked it up Louisiana Longshot even though the cover and description seemed, well, they seemed to be trying too hard.

The series is set in Sinful, Louisiana with a CIA agent hiding out because an arms dealer has her in his crosshairs. Fortune (the nickname she’s earned as an agent) is lying low pretending to be the heir to a local estate, as well as a librarian and former beauty queen. Since Fortune would rather run three miles before breakfast than tease her hair and have a manicure, the character does not come naturally.

Human remains turn up on Fortune’s property before she can even unpack her suitcases. This immediately attracts the attention of a rather hot young deputy, as well as critters both domesticated and not. What is stereotypical Louisiana if you don’t spot an alligator or two? A group of old ladies, who have more up their sleeves than is apparent, runs the tiny town. Fortunately, (pun intended) the women are happy to take Fortune in as one of their own.

Fortune gets herself into ridiculous situations that had me laughing out loud, but somehow the writing is skillful enough that it didn’t make me throw up my hands and give up. The characters, especially “The Geritol Mafia”, have promises for depths to be revealed as the series continues. And it is a long series—28 volumes so far.

This first in series fit nicely into my Book Bingo card for “a character who is a sleuth” and I will probably return to the series after I get the rest of my card filled. The crazy situations Fortune gets herself into definitely call for a suspension of disbelief, but it’s a nicely done break from reality.

Someone in Time: Tales of Time-Crossed Romance

 

Someone in Time: Tales of Time-Crossed Romance

Edited by Jonathan Strahan

Reviewed by Kristin

With stories by Alix E. Harrow, Zen Cho, Seanan McGuire, Sarah Gailey, Jeffrey Ford, Nina Allan, Elizabeth Hand, Lavanya Lakshminarayan, Catherynne M. Valente, Sam J. Miller, Rowan Coleman, Margo Lanagan, Sameem Siddiqui, Theodora Goss, Carrie Vaughn, Ellen Klages

Reviewed by Kristin

For the past couple of years I have been drawn to time travel tales. Even when I don’t realize a book may contain some really funky timeline shenanigans, I still find them, check them out, read them, and usually enjoy them.

When I saw Someone in Time: Tales of Time-Crossed Romance, I had previously read several books by Sarah Gailey and just one by Zen Cho (Black Water Sister). Since I had recently finished the Cho book and loved it, I checked this out through Tennessee READS where both the ebook and audiobook are available. (Thanks, Tennessee READS!)

The stories are varied, with time travel being accomplished by different characters in many different ways. I enjoyed some of the stories much more than others, but didn’t dislike any of them.

One of my favorites was set in a used bookstore, where a gap in the shelves serves as a connection between a young woman in modern times and a young man in 1914, on the verge of World War I.

Another included another young woman sent back in time to recover a missing scientific paper from a female scientist in the mid-1950s, with surprising and deliciously pleasing consequences.

The collection title is a play on words on the 1975 novel Somewhere in Time (aka Bid Time Return) by Richard Matheson, which was also made into a movie in 1980 starring Christopher Reeve and Jane Seymour.

The characters are diverse and I found the time travel aspects more weighted than the romance, although both are there. This has definitely opened me up to a few new authors.