Review: The Enigma Challenge: A Novel

The Enigma Challenge: A Novel by S.C. Godfrey
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Full Disclosure:  I received an Advanced Reader's Copy of The Enigma Challenge: A Novel by S.C. Godfrey from Viking Penguin via NetGalley.  This book is due to be published on August 11, 2026.

If you like puzzles, ciphers, or cryptograms, I strongly suggest reading The Enigma Challenge by S.C. Godfrey.  This story scratches the same itch as books like The Da Vinci Code or shows like the Amazing Race.  The title alone piqued my interest.  I was delighted to find that it was about a mysterious, global puzzle challenge that has a prize to die for.  My favorite part were the puzzles that S.C. Godfrey included and the explanations of how to solve the various types of ciphers.  Yes, I tried to figure the answers out myself before reading on.  I had trouble putting this one down because I couldn't wait to get to the next location, the next puzzle.  I'm also hoping there is a next book.

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Review: The Last Session

The Last Session by Julia Bartz
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The Last Session by Julia Bartz was very unique and unexpected.  I thought this was going to be a mystery about a wellness cult, but it turned out to be a lot more than that.  It gets very trippy, delving into the interconnectedness of beings and reincarnation.  There were more twists than I anticipated.  Sometimes, I wasn't even sure what was "real" anymore.  If you are looking for something different and like culty things, you should get this book a go.

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Review: Gingerbread

Gingerbread by Helen Oyeyemi
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

It felt very meta making and eating gingerbread while reading Gingerbread by Helen Oyeyemi.  I didn't even intend to do that.  It was serendipitous.  I have also been experimenting with what I put in it to make sure I get the right combo.  Gingerbread inspired me to try honey instead of maple syrup.  It was a good idea!  

Gingerbread is a modern fairy tale.  You can see the nods to classic fairy tales throughout the story. Magical realism is not always easy to follow.  You have to be comfortable letting go of certain structures to let the story bloom.  Once I let go, I enjoyed it much more.  I also can't promise that I won't force a loaf of gingerbread on you the next time I see you. 

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Review: The Indigo Room

The Indigo Room by Stephen Graham Jones
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The Indigo Room by Stephen Graham Jones is part of the Shivers Collection of Amazon Original Stories.  It stands alone, so you don't need to read the rest of the collection if you don't want to.  This was not nearly as gory as I have come to expect a Stephen Graham Jones book to be.  It goes fast, and the end is a surprise.  I snickered at the representation of office life.  There is always that one person who never seems to have to work on Fridays.  

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Review: America Obscura: An Explorer's Guide to the Hidden Wonders of the United States

America Obscura: An Explorer's Guide to the Hidden Wonders of the United States by Atlas Obscura
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Full Disclosure: I received an Advanced Reader's Copy of America Obscura: An Explorer's Guide to the Hidden Wonders of the United States by Atlas Obscura from Ten Speed Press via NetGalley.  This book will be published around October 20, 2026

I am a huge fan of the Atlas Obscura website, so when I saw this book, I knew I would have to read it.  If you like to travel off the beaten path in the United States, this book is for you.  When I travel, I don't want to go to the regular tourist destinations.  I want some place quirky, some place fun, or some place where I won't run into a million other people and wait in super long lines.  I want a place that is going to give me a good story to tell.  An example: I once did a road trip to visit holy sites for alternative, non-mainstream religions.  I had the best time!  America Obscura gave me a bunch of ideas for future road trips.  It is organized by part of the country and state.  Interesting sites are grouped sort of in categories.  The published book will also include maps. It is bright, colorful, and fun!  Even if you don't plan to travel a lot, this is a great coffee table type book to get people talking.  Plus, you can learn about some of the crazy things that inspire people!

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Review: Follow Me

Follow Me by Elizabeth Rose Quinn
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I wasn't sure how I would feel about Follow Me by Elizabeth Rose Quinn.  I am not a mom (to humans) or into influencers of any type.  Surprise!  I was sucked in from the very beginning and could barely put this book down.  The mom influencer retreat was giving culty vibes.  The main characters are twin sisters, Chiara and Adrienne.  Chiara is a mom of twins.  Adrienne is a single, party girl.  Drugs aside, my life is probably closer to Adrienne's, and I would also approach any coMOMunity with a heavy dose of skepticism.  When Chiara goes missing at the retreat, Adrienne tries to infiltrate the group to find out what happened.  By this point, I was fully invested.  Was this really a cult or just terrible stereotyping???  I admit that some parts felt a little campy, but I absolutely enjoyed them!

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Review: The God of the Woods

The God of the Woods by Liz Moore
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I have somewhat complicated feelings about The God of the Woods by Liz Moore.  I thought the writing was great.  I liked that there are two mystery separated by time told from various perspectives.  Siblings go missing years apart.  Several suspects but no good answers.  They come from a rich family who seem to be covering something up with their money and trying to focus blame on working class people.  It did feel a little too long and convoluted.  I started to confuse people at a certain point.  Some unnecessary plot points added to make figuring everything out more complex.  Still overall a good read.

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