Review: The Game Is Murder

The Game Is Murder by Hazell Ward
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The Game is Murder by Hazell Ward is like going to a murder mystery party in book form.  It is quite trippy though!  I thought this book was a lot of fun as it points out many of the mystery novel tropes.  It also plays with reality, and you aren't quite sure what is going on.  There are definitely red herrings.     Everything you need to solve the mystery is in the book.  However what is really going on might remain a mystery!

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Review: Platform Decay

Platform Decay by Martha Wells
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Platform Decay is the eighth book in The Murderbot Diaries series by Martha Wells.  I recommend reading all of the books because they are fairly short, and it will give you a good sense of who the characters are in this one.  You could read this as a standalone, but I think you would wonder why you should care about some people.  

As always, Murderbot is hilarious and deadly.  I like the addition of having Murderbot check in their emotions periodically.  I was often, "same Murderbot same."  I love seeing the growth in Murderbot's character.  Also, how often can you read a book that is essentially a sci-fi thriller with incredible violence and belly laugh at the same time?

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Review: Lessons from Cats for Surviving Fascism

Lessons from Cats for Surviving Fascism by Stewart Reynolds
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Lessons from Cats for Surviving Fascism by Stewart Reynolds is a very timely work.  You can learn a lot from observing cats.  Unlike dogs, cats have somehow learned to coexist with people without completely losing their connection to their wild ancestors. Cats are the original disruptors.  Reynolds keenly points out a number of their natural behaviors that make them perfect models of anti-fascist behavior.  If you are currently despairing about the fate of our nation and wondering what you can do, take some tips from our fellow felines as observed by Stewart Reynolds.  You might be inspired to action, or at least, you will have a good laugh.  

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Review: The Official We Do Not Care Club Handbook

The Official We Do Not Care Club Handbook by Melani Sanders
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The Official We Do Not Care Club Handbook by Melani Sanders is a companion piece to Melani's online videos of the We Do Not Care Club meetings.  If you are not already familiar with the We Do Not Care Club and are a person perimenopause, menopause, or post-menopause, I highly encourage you to look them up.  I also urge you to get this book.  I got the ebook, but I think a hard copy would be better because it is interactive.  Also, you may want to make copies of the badges and things like that in case you start your own club or just award yourself.  If you are someone who may one day have to experience menopause, you might also want to read this to prepare yourself.  It may not make sense now, BUT IT WILL.  I am putting you all on notice right now that I am a card-carrying member, and I do not care anymore. Thank you.

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Review: How to Invent Everything: A Survival Guide for the Stranded Time Traveler

How to Invent Everything: A Survival Guide for the Stranded Time Traveler by Ryan North
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

How to Invent Everything: A Survival Guide for the Stranded Time Traveler by Ryan North is written as a reference guide for someone who took a time machine into the past and got stuck and now needs to rebuild civilization (as we know it).  However, this book could come in very handy in the future in case we need to rebuild civilization (as we know it) due to some major catastrophic event.  I suggest buying a hard copy and putting it in your bunker, safe room, or fire/water-proof safe.  You are not going to speed read your way through this. You also don't even need to read it in order.  You read the parts you need when you need them.  It will tell you if you need to read another section to accomplish your goal.  This is a very comprehensive distillation of just about everything.  Even without a background in engineering or basically many skills, I feel like I could take on the challenge of building a whole new world.  It is also done with humor which makes getting through the really dense parts easier.  

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Review: Fancy Dogs

Fancy Dogs by Tini Malina
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Full Disclosure: I received an Advanced Reader's Copy of Fancy Dogs by Tini Malina from NorthSouth Books via NetGalley.  This book will be published around October 6, 2026.

Fancy Dogs by Tini Malina is considered a children's book but is delightful for anyone who loves dogs.  I enjoyed it so much I recently read it to another friend while we were on the phone together.  That friend is also not a child, and we had quite a good time with hit.  Whether you know a child who likes dogs or just anyone who does, this is a nice uplifting gift.  

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Review: Three Bags Full

Three Bags Full by Leonie Swann
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Three Bags Full is the first book in the Sheep Detective Story series by Leonie Swann.  They did just make it into a movie (which I haven't watched).  You can read this as a standalone.

When their shepherd is murdered, his flock takes it upon themselves to solve the mystery because they feel they owe it to him for being good to them.  Also, they are a little afraid of ending up on the butcher's block if they don't.  They can tell that not everyone has their best interests at heart.  The sheep are fun and interesting characters.  We get to delve into their inner lives and back stories.  They all bring something to the table to help solve the mystery.  While it is mostly funny, it was also sad.  Whether people believe it or not, animals do grieve.  There were some very touching moments.

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Review: The Crone Zone: How to Get Older with Style, Nerve, and a Little Bit of Magic

The Crone Zone: How to Get Older with Style, Nerve, and a Little Bit of Magic by Nina Bargiel
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The Crone Zone: How to Get Older with Style, Nerve, and a Little Bit of Magic by Nina Bargiel is worth reading for the illustrations alone.  Just kidding although they are fantastic.  I've always known I would be a crone.  Even when I was younger, I liked to wear a caftan, preferred the company of animals over people, and read lots of books on witchcraft.  When I saw this book, I knew it was for me.  I am in my crone era!  I live woods-adjacent with my animal familiars.  I discovered that Ross has a caftan section.  A whole section!  I bought two...for now.  So while The Crone Zone didn't have a lot of revelations for me, it was enjoyable to read the insights of a fellow crone and know I am in good company.  It is also nice to embrace the positive aspects of aging.  Be yourself, unapologetically.  I also liked that there is not just one way to crone.  You can mix it up!  This is perfect for the aspiring crone, somebody looking for a mid-life pick-me-up, or the seasoned crone who wants a laugh.

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Review: Penny: A Graphic Memoir

Penny: A Graphic Memoir by Karl Stevens
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

If you like cats in the least bit, you will want to read Penny: A Graphic Memoir by Karl Stevens.  The illustrations are great, but Stevens really gets at the inner life of Penny.  If you have or have had a cat, you have probably wondered what they were thinking.  Cats are often enigmatic.  This is a fun exploration of the cat mind.  

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Review: A Parade of Horribles

A Parade of Horribles by Matt Dinniman
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A Parade of Horribles is the eighth book in the Dungeon Crawler Carl series by Matt Dinniman.  You do need to read these books in order, but I guarantee it is worth the investment.  You will look at the number of pages and say NO WAY AM I READING 784 PAGES!  Then, you will start reading, finish, and be sad that there are not 784 more.  Seriously.  These books fly by so fast even when I force myself to put them down because I don't want to finish because I don't want to wait however long until the next one and I have to do things like sleep and eat.  

We are now at the 10th floor of the dungeon.  It is like the most twisted and deadly version of Mario Kart you can imagine.  If you survive, you get a brief respite to participate in a celebration on the extremely short 11th floor.  There is a parade!  Yay?  I remember making floats for parades when I was in high school.  Good luck, Donut!  Also not sure why everyone has an aversion to peach-flavored beer.  Of all the things to be tortured with, it doesn't sound that bad.

Bonus points for Penelope and all the other critters that make an appearance in this book. I don't think I could choose a biological mount because I would be too worried about their safety to race.  

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Review: The Silent Appeal

The Silent Appeal by Janice Hallett
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Full Disclosure: I received an Advanced Reader's Copy of The Silent Appeal by Janice Hallett from Atria Books via NetGalley.  This book will be published around August 2, 2026.

The Silent Appeal is the second book in The Appeal series by Janice Hallett.  There is also a Christmas story that features the same characters so really, three books? Doesn't really matter how many.  You will want to read them all.  I recommend reading in order too since there are references to the previous stories in this one.  Since they are mysteries, you probably want to reduce the number of potential spoilers.  Janice Hallett writes some of my favorite books.  They are mysteries with plenty of humor and interesting characters while also written in an epistolary way so you are getting multiple perspectives while having to piece together everything.  And because everyone has their own perspective, their conclusions may not be reliable.  I find it fun to draw up my own theories.  Because there are also multiple mysteries, we don't know which one we are actually trying to solve until almost the end.  Can't recommend this book enough!

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Review: The Porcelain Sisters

The Porcelain Sisters by Daryl Gregory
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Full Disclosure: I received an Advanced Reader's Copy of The Porcelain Sisters by Daryl Gregory from Tachyon Publications.  This book will be published around October 2026.

I haven't read everything Daryl Gregory has written (yet), but I have immensely enjoyed what I have read.  When the opportunity came up to read this new piece, I was very excited.  The Porcelain Sisters feels like it could be part of a bigger story.  When I read the acknowledgements, I learned that it really is.  Maybe there will be more adventures with these sisters.  Creepy dolls, French witches, a magical cat and crow, there is a lot packed into this story.  Isabel might take umbrage at my characterization of the dolls as creepy, but as someone who collected porcelain dolls for awhile (they are staring at me as I write this), I stand by my assessment. While this is horror, it is also quite funny.  I love Gregory's sense of humor and so many amazing pop cultural references for those of us of a certain age. 

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Review: Thrilling Tales of Modern Men: Stories

Thrilling Tales of Modern Men: Stories by Danny McBride
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Full Disclosure: I received an Advanced Reader's Copy of Thrilling Tales of Modern Men: Stories by Danny McBride from Random House via NetGalley.  This book will be published around June 23, 2026.

Admittedly if I just saw the title, Thrilling Tales of Modern Men, I would snort and pass this right up.  Who needs to hear more about what men do?  Not this woman.  However, I saw that it was written by Danny McBride.  Now, that changes things!  I am a big fan of McBride's sense of humor, and I figured this book would be chock full of it.  It was.  I could almost hear McBride's voice reading the dialogue.  This is a collection of short stories, so you don't have to read them in order or even read them all.  If you have enjoyed any of Danny McBride's TV shows or movies, you owe it to yourself to get a copy of this.  You will laugh.  You may also groan because you might know some of these guys in real life.

Bonus points for the cover. That tiger is absolutely perfect!

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Review: Actress of a Certain Age: My Twenty-Year Trail to Overnight Success

Actress of a Certain Age: My Twenty-Year Trail to Overnight Success by Jeff Hiller
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I read, rather than listened to, Actress of a Certain Age: My Twenty-Year Trail to Overnight Success by Jeff Hiller only because it was the version that came off hold from the library first. I think the audiobook version would be great. I don't usually reread books but I would make an exception to listen to this one. If you don't know who Jeff Hiller is, shame on you. You need to get HBO or HBO Max or Max or whatever they call it RIGHT NOW and watch Somebody Somewhere. I will wait...

I love that show so much because I feel like it gets me. I grew up near Lockport, IL where it was filmed. I moved away, saw the world, and now I am back in the Midwest finding my place. It gets me! I wanted to be besties with Joel and now Jeff. I love getting in my steps! But this book is not all about the show or Joel. It is about Jeff and the amazing, hilarious, and delightful person that he is. He should be in all the things because I would watch the hell out of them. When I lived in New York, I went to a debate on Flight vs. Fight specifically because Jeff was on the panel. Can you guess which side he defended? If you read this book, you would know. Have I convinced you yet? Seriously, watch the show, read or listen to the book. You will thank me later.

Bonus points for mentioning my favorite banana pudding place in NYC. And no, it is not Magnolia Bakery!

Extra bonus points for having the same taste in memoirs that I do. Every chapter I was like, I read that one and that one, yep, that one too.

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Review: Cat Tales

Cat Tales by Herbert S. Rolfes
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Full Disclosure: I received an Advanced Reader's Copy of Cat Tales by Herbert S. Rolfes from the author via NetGalley.  This book has already been published.

Cat Tales by Herbert S. Rolfes is exactly what the title suggests.  It is a collection of short stories told from the perspective of cats.  The book is broken up into different sections including cats of famous people and cats with occupations.  I really liked the pet store cat.  Each story is fairly short.  They appropriate for most ages.  You don't have to read them in order.  You can read whatever tickles your fancy for the moment.  If you like cats and wish they could talk, give this a read.  It was very fun, and the illustrations are super cute.

Bonus points for being about cats.  That's enough to earn extra points.

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Review: How to Be Okay When Nothing Is Okay

How to Be Okay When Nothing Is Okay by Jenny Lawson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Full Disclosure: I received an Advanced Reader's Copy of How to Be Okay When Nothing is Okay by Jenny Lawson from Penguin Life via NetGalley.  This book is set to be published on March 31, 2026.

How to Be Okay When Nothing is Okay by Jenny Lawson is slightly different from the other books or articles you may have read from Jenny.  Although it does include humor and stories of her life, this is more of a companion for you when times are tough and you need a pick-me-up or to know someone cares about you.  Because Jenny does care about you.  She knows as well as anyone what it can be like when the darkness starts to take over.  The book is segmented to address different times of not being okay.  The introduction of each part will give you examples of when it might be a good time to read that section.  The really nice thing is each "chapter" is fairly short, so you can pick it up and read it in a few minutes to get that refreshing burst you were looking for.  The timing of this book also feels like a gift because even if you don't feel like you have mental health struggles, you may still feel like nothing is okay right now.  This book will remind you that you aren't the only person who feels that way.  

Bonus points for giving the animals in our lives the credit, and snacks, they deserve.

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Review: Toto

Toto by A.J. Hackwith
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Toto by A.J. Hackwith might be my favorite version of the Wizard of Oz stories.  Don't come at me.  It is updated to a more modern time and told from the perspective of Toto.  It was so fun!  I still would have loved it even without the pop culture references.  Toto has always been my favorite character in the Wizard of Oz.  It is about time they got their own book!  And like any good little dog, Toto has big aspirations.  Toto is very funny too!  Whether you like the Wizard of Oz or animals, I think you will like this book.

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Review: The Kaiju Preservation Society

The Kaiju Preservation Society by John Scalzi
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The Kaiju Preservation Society by John Scalzi is the right book at the right time.  It is the pop song of books that we all need right now.  Or at least, I needed it right now.  I had it with a side of Taylor Swift.  I came to John Scalzi backwards (and in heels) by reading Starter Villain.  Anyone who could write that book is my kind of writer.  The Kaiju Preservation Society is also my kind of book.  I'm all about animal preservation.  I was excited to learn about what it would take to save Kaiju.  I have held a top secret clearance but do not do food delivery, so I'm not sure how I get into this gig, but if KPS is hiring, please give them my name.  I like that there are smart people in the book, but you don't have to be that smart to understand anything going on.  I also like that it reinforces my belief that all billionaire tech bros are douchebags.  

If you need to escape from our current reality for a couple of hours or days, check this out.  It was delightful from start to finish.  

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Review: Tartufo

Tartufo by Kira Jane Buxton
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

If you saw the movie, The Truffle Hunters, you will want to read Tartufo by Kira-Jane Buxton.  If you didn't see the movie, but you like charming towns, quirky characters, amazing animals, and/or food, you will want to read Tartufo.  This book made me so hungry.  So much talk of delicious Italian food, I was ready to spend a small fortune on a truffle.  

Set in a dying, small Italian town, you might think this book would be depressing.  Instead, there is a lot of warmth and heart.  There is definitely something to be said for wanting to maintain a close-knit community even if it means you can't have all the shiny, fancy big city stuff. Some of the town folk might be a bit odd, but you still want good things for them.  I could spend several books with them.  

Bonus points: As much as I enjoyed the humans, Buxton excels with the animals.  Al Pacino, the truffle dogs, the donkey that was almost mayor...brilliant!  Those were my favorite parts of the book.  

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Review: Moonlight and Magic

Moonlight and Magic by Darynda Jones
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Moonlight and Magic is the fourth book in the Betwixt & Between series by Darynda Jones.  I listened to the audiobook narrated by Traci Odom.  I definitely recommend reading at least one other book in the series before this one for a couple of reasons.  The first reason is the books really do build upon one another so you lose something if you skip around or over any of them.  The second reason is this book focuses a bit more on Annette, the best friend of the main character of the series.  I'm glad she got her own story, but if you started here, it would make less sense.  As to whether you should lister to it or read it, up to you.  My library only had the audiobook, so that's what I went with.  

Moonlight and Magic has plenty of the spicy romance and humor that you get with a Darynda Jones book.  We learn more about Annette and what is going on with her own magical journey.  I'd be really careful about crossing her.  A lot of things that can heal you can also kill you.  If she offers you a coffee, definitely do not drink it no matter how caffeine starved you may be.  Now we just need a book five!

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