A funny debut about aliens coming to Earth and how humans handle it. Alien ships begin showing up all over the world and although they aren't sending down death rays and blowing us up or yanking anyone back into the ship, it does cause quite a bit of panic. Some start to hoard paper goods, others buy expensive toys and some pack up everything they own (including the cat) tell the kids they are going to DisneyWorld and then drive across the country in the opposite direction. One guy emerges from two decades in a coma and goes off on a strange road trip with a talking cat and so on. Some of them have a big secret and now they are afraid that they will be called home and they don't want to go. Who knew aliens would love plastic goods, tv, snack food and cats? Fans of the gentler side of aliens like Douglas Adams or Andy Weir and those that show the true genius of cats like MORT(E) will enjoy this. I would totally go to DisneyWorld when the aliens arrive. 4 stars
0 Comments
Late 1700's
Abbas, a young talented woodcarver finds himself behind forbidden palace walls working for a French clockmaker to create wonders for the sultan. They create a mechanical automatron of a tiger eating a man which delights the sultan. When the sultan's kingdom is overthrown Abbas flees and joins a ship's crew to follow his dreams of becoming a master clockmaker under his mentor. When he finally makes it to France he is too late but he does continue on with the clockmaker's daughter. Abbas finds magic and wonder in the world even as he is shunned for his dark skin. It is a historical adventure the likes of Wilbur Smith's seafaring books from the sultan's gardens to London and the British elites passion for all things from the Far East threaded with the ravenges of colonialism, racism and a loss of country. 3 1/2 stars A romcom involving two physicists proving that love and hate can exist between two bodies of matter simultaneously and that honesty does matter even though it is hard to practice. Elsie needs her fake dating gigs to pay for all the expenses her day job as an adjunct professor doesn't cover. When she runs into her client's older brother on the biggest MIT interview of her life she feels like her future career just got put on the bunsen burner. Jack is tough and all wrong for Elsie in theory but in practice their particles keep colliding in a not unpleasant way with lots of friction. Delightfully witty and smart this is another example of breaking the stereotype that intelligent people in science can't be fun and a nod to" you should be who you are and love who you want to love". Her fans will love this and she will bring many more into the Hazelwood universe. 4 stars
A dying town on the Texas coast is the scene of a possible murder. Kate was elderly, it was a horrible storm and the Parson House was in need of repair but did she fall off the balcony or have help? This story balances Southern gothic intrigue and small town politics with the effects of childhood trauma that goes down as easy as sweet tea on a Texas summer day. Lou is confused about her relationship with her girlfriend Heather, her relationship with Kate's kids who used to be childhood friends, and very confused about what really happened in that car crash years ago that changed all of them forever. Small town behavior where everyone knows your business combined with all those underlying secrets and layers of racism make this debut sure to please readers of S.A. Cosby and Stacey Swann's OLYMPUS TEXAS. 4 stars
At the Ospedale della Pieta in 1770's Venice young orphans are housed and educated in music hoping to be chosen to participate in the school's prestigious program. Luisa quietly yearns for the spotlight and attention of the master Vivaldi and puts all her energy into her violin. When a family of means sends Maddalena to the school Luisa's thoughts turn from the violin to this girl wrapped in an air of mystery and freedom until she can think of nothing else. At first it is Luisa who is obsessed with Maddalena but just like the changing of the tides it becomes Maddalena who hungers for Luisa. Maddalena and a mysterious gondolier have made a deal with the devil in the waters and Luisa's talent gets noticed which sets the dominos tumbling. This wish for her friend leaves Maddalena having to pay a high price. Dark gothic overtones set in the romantic setting of Venice make for a haunting story of obsession and dark desire. This will resonate with readers of PLAIN BAD HEROINES and BLOOD AND BEAUTY. 4 stars
After WWI a circus appears made up of wondrous people who delight the crowd before vanishing to another town as quietly as they arrived. The circus is run by The Ringmaster Rin, her wife trapeze artist Odette and manager Maeve. All have magical talents, all are trying to help those who are lost but only Rin is on the run. There is another circus out there run by an egotistical and dangerous man known as the Circus King and he will stop at nothing to find Rin. Rin is able to jump in time and space which allows her to find the next person the circus will reach out to but this knowledge of the future and the horror of war to come haunts her and the others in her care. There is the back story of an ill fated love affair that fits in perfectly. The classic battle of good and evil, acceptance and persecution, freedom and possession - this wonderful debut is as tender and heartfelt as it is violent and frightening. Fans of THE NIGHT CIRCUS, CIRCUS OF WONDERS and LADIES OF THE SECRET CIRCUS will all flock to the big tent for the wonders that await them. 5 stars
S.A. Cosby does not mince words, tolerate racism or sugarcoat a history of violence in his native Virginia. His superpower against this hatred is the mighty pen and once again his words and story seep into your head and stay with you even as you shake your head in disbelief that the world can be so cruel. Former FBI Titus Crown is the first black sheriff in his small town and dealing with a horrific school shooting resulting in the death of a beloved white teacher by a black teen. When the shooter is gunned down this sets off a powder keg. Titus finds proof that the slain teacher was part of a ritual killing spree targeting black children he won't rest until all the these killers are found. Powerful, violent and a sad reminder that not all children are treasured. Titus is a spiritual man but whoever is carving bible quotes into the victims does not serve the same god. He is deeply attached to the town he grew up in and his family but this evil might just break him. Fans of his other books will read this in one sitting as will readers of Southern crime or horror like THE ANGEL MAKER. I listened to the audiobook and loved the narration whose voice is as smooth as sweet tea which got me through the violent parts.
4 1/2 stars Combining the stories of families torn apart by violence with children sent into the arms of strangers in the hope that kindness and compassion would prevail. 1938- Kristallnacht forces a horrible choice that sends six year old Samuel on a journey bound for England, a country where he knows no one and doesn't speak the language. 2019- guerrilla war in El Salvador forces a little blind girl and her injured mother to risk everything on a journey to the U.S. Caught at the border Anita is separated from her mother leaving her at the mercy of border agents in a country where she knows no one and doesn't speak the language. The efforts of truly good people working in a flawed system lead Anita to a distant relative who happens to be quarantined and working for elderly Samual Adler, once the little boy alone in England. Tragic and hopeful at the same time Isabel Allende brings us a story that will resonate with readers of the universal immigrant experience of children in the past and present. 4 stars
The world has gone "grey" a disease causing severe depression leaving the afflicted in a zombie like state. Lily is a scientist like her father who died when she was young. She uncovers a mysterious vessel with a code to finding those who can help end "the grey". Along with Peter, a rock singer who is dying who offers her help, the two jump from one dangerous situation to another one. Time is running out as they try to stop the cult leader named Aunt Jane before she can burn the world down.
Dan Brown meets Matt Haig and Marvel comics this is a surreal thrill ride that speaks directly to what makes us human and willing to keep fighting and searching for answers even when it seems like the world is doomed. 3 1/2 stars The story of the Lincoln family in Springfield as seen through the fresh eyes of Ana, a young Portuguese immigrant who worked in the Lincoln household and became a lifelong friend. Not only do we get a taste for their life in Springfield before the presidential election but also the political climate. Ana is smart and both the Lincolns do their part to help further her studies. She like many others appreciate Lincoln's calm contemplative demeanor and believe in his vision of a unified and just future for all people - all colors and backgrounds. Many others do not feel that way and tension and emotions run high in the city, state and the country. While war looms on the horizon families will be torn apart and neighbors turn away from each other as lines are drawn. Even after the war and the assassination tempers and racial hatred are not only elevated but escalate. Ana and her family will experience grief, joy and healing just as the Lincolns face the same life challenges.
Chock full of real event and well known figures from the debates to underground railroad as well as behind the scenes heroes, this is a deeply moving story spanning decades of the the scars and high cost of war, racism and loyalty. 4 stars |
I love to read good books and share the new books that are available and those that are coming soon
Adult Genres
General Fiction Historical Fiction Thriller / Mystery Fantasy / Sci-Fi Non-Fiction All Adult Genres Other Genres Young Adult Genre Kids Books Genre Follow Kim
Review Archives
April 2024
|