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Zhu was once a worthless girl child whose father couldn't even sell her to feed himself and his son. When she is left an orphan she takes on the name and life of her brother whose destiny was for greatness. She lives at a monastery somehow hiding her female past and then begins to form her own destiny as a warrior monk who knows no fear and whose desire for power is only seconded by a desire for the beautiful Ma. This is CROUCHING TIGER meets MULAN and inspired by the founding Emperor of the Ming Dynasty. Power, determination and a belief in greatness no matter what sex you are born. Her beautifully choreographed writing style that is as graceful as watching a martial arts exercise. 4 stars 
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Leigh and her younger sister Callie had a tough time growing up and even though they did something very bad as teens, it had to be done. Years later Leigh is a successful defense attorney. Callie has had a tougher time struggling with addiction and is no longer in Leigh's life. Now someone has popped up from their past and has the power to take it all away from them. Written during the pandemic (it still feels weird to read about wearing masks) the story incorporates COVID and still delivers a one/two punch to the gut which Karin Slaughter is known for. A brutal story of abuse of a child and revenge, this is not an easy story to read but justice is sweet. 4 stars  This is a classic horror tale of why you should never go home again. Nathan, his wife and their teenage son Oliver have just moved back to Nathan's childhood home after his abusive father dies. Something evil has happened around there and it begins to affect all of them. A serial killer who disappears into thin air, a haunted coal mine, a really creepy kid who befriends Oliver, a strange book that shares visions and ghosts galore. This scary tale is reminiscent of early Stephen King and the HAUNTING OF HILL HOUSE. 4 stars  New moms everywhere have issues and insecurities but this is the first time I have ever heard of a mom convinced she is turning into a dog. This unusual debut has moments of absolute clarity for every mom - being constantly woken at all hours by toddlers fists and feet, a husband who is able to escape via business travel, frustrations over putting your career on hold and having it replaced as a caregiver to a stubborn tiny human plus the endless struggle to escape the constant caregiver routine. Believing her canine teeth are getting sharper and the strange discovery of course hair on her neck convinces "the mother" that she is becoming a dog but she finds wisdom in a library book. A weird mix of folklore, motherhood and society's lack of appreciation for mothers - this will appeal to all moms feeling a bit lost in their new role as well as readers looking for a fresh voice . 3 1/2 stars  The classic story of Helen of Troy but with a deeper understanding of the women's role in the male dominated world and how they tried to control their own fate. Helen and her sister grew up knowing their role was to be placed in a marriage that would benefit the family (increase their power or land) and have many children to continue the bloodline. Helen, whose beauty was legendary was a pawn in a power struggle and her sister Klytemnestra was forced to give up her rights to the kingdom to Helen and was bound to Agamemnon. Both sisters married brothers and were caught up in a political hotbed. The story focused on the women's role in this power struggle but also their desires and fears for themselves and their children if they lost. For fans of CIRCE and other stories of the women of Greece told from a fresh perspective. 4 1/2 stars  A couple begins their life together in a gated posh neighborhood in London only to find out that a woman was murdered in their flat. Add to that a mysterious man showing up in their welcoming party and other odd things. The couple's relationship is rocky and it doesn't help that she is living there alone for most of the time. You will look at your neighbors more closely after reading this. I listened to the audiobook which features a first rate narration with just the right suspense and British accent. 4 stars  What happens when you end up as the final girl of the final girls? Lynnette doesn't want to find out but she is in a race to save the other women in her support group for girls that survived horrific events, serial killers and the worst boogymen you can think of. They are anxious, they are armed and they have been private until now but someone has discovered the group and is picking them off one by one. Lynette and the others are badass but are they tough enough to survive and catch the killer before the killer catches them? A lightning paced thriller tailor-made for all those slasher horror movie and book fiends. Even if you have to read it with the lights all on and through your fingers, it is worth it. 4 stars  There is nothing like a serial killer to get your blood boiling and this particular one is most upsetting because he was a Doctor. Dr. Cream poisoned at least ten women over a fifteen year period before he was finally brought to trial in London in 1892. It is always fascinating to see how the police refused to use the new science of forensics which would have solved a great many of these crimes, the Victorian society norms that gave Dr. Cream a multitude of willing victims in search of an abortion and the ease of which a doctor was able to obtain deadly poisons in large quantities. Dean Jobb gives us a fascinating and grisly look at what makes a killer and how he can hide in plain sight making this just the ticket for those fans of THE DEVIL IN THE WHITE CITY, Jack the Ripper and MINDHUNTER. 4 stars  I love Helen Ellis and her style of in your face but with a Southerner's grace of humor. Her essays speak to all ages of women whether you are in that age range, will someday be in that age range or remember how crazy that age was , the end result is always the same- giggle snort laughter. From gaging their dinner guest's sex life, to girl trips, to garage sales these essays speak to women who are not afraid to stare fifty in the face. Every time I read her I want to shout out "Right On Sister"! She is a national treasure, a character and a spokesperson for telling it like you wish you could. Fans of Erma Bombeck, Nora Ephron and Mrs. Mazel rejoice! 4 1/2 snarky stars  This is a destruction story, a creation story and a story of the Earth not as we know it but transformed into something strange. The strong survive and the weak do not but in Matt Bell's strange new world - the strong are regurgitating flesh and DNA to spit out new models of human and animal. Volunteers (who are anything but) arrive out of the destruction to work the fields and fuel the loom. It is where a small army will stage a fight or die trying. The other story is of two brothers, mythical faun creatures in the forest planting apple groves retreating to human form when around others. They are the legend of Johnny Appleseed come to life. Matt Bell's writing gushes forth in a slurry of thoughts and feelings giving the reader a true sense of the confusion and despair that has taken control. Frightening, brutal and freakishly fascinating, this Frankenstein meets climate change is perfect for fans of WestWorld, THE NEW WILDERNESS and the strange stories of Jeff Vandermeer. 4 1/2 stars  |
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