The title novel would have worked better as a short story, though--the language was just too draining to sustain for that long.
October 9, 2026 at 5:49 PM
The title novel would have worked better as a short story, though--the language was just too draining to sustain for that long.
Book 68: Stag Dance by Torrey Peters. I have no idea how to review this one. Bizarre and gross and more pig murder than I expected, but also funny with some flashes of really interesting writing and wild characters.
October 9, 2026 at 5:49 PM
Book 68: Stag Dance by Torrey Peters. I have no idea how to review this one. Bizarre and gross and more pig murder than I expected, but also funny with some flashes of really interesting writing and wild characters.
... their affiliations, their nicknames, their eye colors, etc etc. Nona is sweet in a way that I wasn't annoyed with, but I did miss the crankiness of our two former main characters.
October 9, 2026 at 5:39 PM
... their affiliations, their nicknames, their eye colors, etc etc. Nona is sweet in a way that I wasn't annoyed with, but I did miss the crankiness of our two former main characters.
Book 67: Nona the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir. This is the third book in the trilogy that's somehow both easier to read and much more complicated because everyone keeps switching bodies and you have to remember an infinite number of characters...
October 9, 2026 at 5:38 PM
Book 67: Nona the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir. This is the third book in the trilogy that's somehow both easier to read and much more complicated because everyone keeps switching bodies and you have to remember an infinite number of characters...
Book 66: The Massacre at Yellow Hill by C.S. Humble. I suggested this one for book club based on glowing reviews...that do not make sense. The book was fine! But not super well written, we get to all of the action after it happened, and the characters are very rough sketches.
October 9, 2026 at 5:33 PM
Book 66: The Massacre at Yellow Hill by C.S. Humble. I suggested this one for book club based on glowing reviews...that do not make sense. The book was fine! But not super well written, we get to all of the action after it happened, and the characters are very rough sketches.
Or maybe you've never read a book before? Or been in the world? Like 95% of this book could be solved by anyone who has ever seen or interacted with another person, ever, at all.
September 29, 2026 at 1:11 AM
Or maybe you've never read a book before? Or been in the world? Like 95% of this book could be solved by anyone who has ever seen or interacted with another person, ever, at all.
Book 65: The Only One Left by Riley Sager. This is my first Sager. Are they all this nuts? It's so repetitive it's written like someone is second-screening. I guess I mostly see these books at the airport? Maybe if you're reading on a plane, you don't have a memory? Or brain?
September 29, 2026 at 1:10 AM
Book 65: The Only One Left by Riley Sager. This is my first Sager. Are they all this nuts? It's so repetitive it's written like someone is second-screening. I guess I mostly see these books at the airport? Maybe if you're reading on a plane, you don't have a memory? Or brain?
Book 64: What Moves the Dead by T. Kingfisher. A weird retelling of the Fall of the House of Usher, but worse. I've read a few of Kingfisher's novels by now and I just don't think the writing style is for me.
September 29, 2026 at 1:06 AM
Book 64: What Moves the Dead by T. Kingfisher. A weird retelling of the Fall of the House of Usher, but worse. I've read a few of Kingfisher's novels by now and I just don't think the writing style is for me.
.. but also there's enough info to make you understand the context of what's happening and why? This is also based around David Copperfield, so I understand the constraints. I haven't read that since high school--but this made me want to re-read The Poisonwood Bible more.
September 29, 2026 at 1:05 AM
.. but also there's enough info to make you understand the context of what's happening and why? This is also based around David Copperfield, so I understand the constraints. I haven't read that since high school--but this made me want to re-read The Poisonwood Bible more.
Book 63: Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver. I have so many thoughts about this one! Incredibly readable, really compelling protaganist, fun writing style. But man, I do understand the critique of it being 'poverty porn.' Every possible bad thing happens to every character...
September 29, 2026 at 1:04 AM
Book 63: Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver. I have so many thoughts about this one! Incredibly readable, really compelling protaganist, fun writing style. But man, I do understand the critique of it being 'poverty porn.' Every possible bad thing happens to every character...
Book 62: Craft by Ananda Lima. Fine! A novel made up of short stories, of trying to be a New Yoker Brazilian with a complicated family, your own ghost, and also the devil shows up sometimes. I really just wanted a novel about what happens when your mom sees a ghost of you, but old.
September 29, 2026 at 12:57 AM
Book 62: Craft by Ananda Lima. Fine! A novel made up of short stories, of trying to be a New Yoker Brazilian with a complicated family, your own ghost, and also the devil shows up sometimes. I really just wanted a novel about what happens when your mom sees a ghost of you, but old.
Reposted by the jessica berg**
Book 61: Black House by Peter Straub & Stephen King. Sequel to The Talisman, but only sort of connected. Our once-tween-now-retired-cop protaganist isn't the center of the story, but also no one is?
September 20, 2026 at 6:30 PM
Book 61: Black House by Peter Straub & Stephen King. Sequel to The Talisman, but only sort of connected. Our once-tween-now-retired-cop protaganist isn't the center of the story, but also no one is?
Now it's just a Dark Tower novel, but without connection to characters we care about. Actually, I like. the biker gang.
September 20, 2026 at 6:30 PM
Now it's just a Dark Tower novel, but without connection to characters we care about. Actually, I like. the biker gang.
Book 61: Black House by Peter Straub & Stephen King. Sequel to The Talisman, but only sort of connected. Our once-tween-now-retired-cop protaganist isn't the center of the story, but also no one is?
September 20, 2026 at 6:30 PM
Book 61: Black House by Peter Straub & Stephen King. Sequel to The Talisman, but only sort of connected. Our once-tween-now-retired-cop protaganist isn't the center of the story, but also no one is?
This Should be called The Southern Insufferable, Wimpy Wives Non-Supportive Community of White Saviors with Evil Doofus Husbands' Guide to Being Duds at Everything.
September 18, 2026 at 12:31 AM
This Should be called The Southern Insufferable, Wimpy Wives Non-Supportive Community of White Saviors with Evil Doofus Husbands' Guide to Being Duds at Everything.
Book 60: The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires by Grady Hendrix. I think this is the worst book I've read in a while. Like the Retirement Home Massacre novel, I think the author just came up with a great title and then...did a bad job.
September 18, 2026 at 12:30 AM
Book 60: The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires by Grady Hendrix. I think this is the worst book I've read in a while. Like the Retirement Home Massacre novel, I think the author just came up with a great title and then...did a bad job.
...they don't tell the sisters about the mystery of the cursed island they've inherited...I lose interest pretty quick.
September 17, 2026 at 12:02 AM
...they don't tell the sisters about the mystery of the cursed island they've inherited...I lose interest pretty quick.
Book 59: The Insatiable Volt Sisters by Rachel Eve Moulton. This book was so boring. Really fun premise, but if everyone in the book just wanders around saying 'we can't tell these sisters about THE MYSTERY of the cursed island They've Inherited!!!!' and then...
September 17, 2026 at 12:02 AM
Book 59: The Insatiable Volt Sisters by Rachel Eve Moulton. This book was so boring. Really fun premise, but if everyone in the book just wanders around saying 'we can't tell these sisters about THE MYSTERY of the cursed island They've Inherited!!!!' and then...
Book 58: Big Sky by Kate Atkinson. A lot of Atkinson this round. This book is fine, except we spent too long in the minds of the terrible sex trafficking dudes and barely get any of the more-interesting girls-who-mostly-save-themselves. One left in the series!
September 16, 2026 at 2:32 PM
Book 58: Big Sky by Kate Atkinson. A lot of Atkinson this round. This book is fine, except we spent too long in the minds of the terrible sex trafficking dudes and barely get any of the more-interesting girls-who-mostly-save-themselves. One left in the series!
I bet things turn out badly!
August 28, 2026 at 5:44 PM
I bet things turn out badly!
Book 57: Quicksand by Malin Persson Giolito, translated by Rachel Willson-Broyles. A pretty low-stress, no-twists Swedish courtroom drama. Repetitive and also nonsensical: your teen daughter's extemely rich, abusive, older boyfriend attempts suicide so you put her in charge of his mental health?
August 28, 2026 at 5:43 PM
Book 57: Quicksand by Malin Persson Giolito, translated by Rachel Willson-Broyles. A pretty low-stress, no-twists Swedish courtroom drama. Repetitive and also nonsensical: your teen daughter's extemely rich, abusive, older boyfriend attempts suicide so you put her in charge of his mental health?
his name is Piyyut
August 26, 2026 at 1:55 AM
his name is Piyyut
the hedgehog is like, encouraging it. it's a pro-murder stuffed hedgehog.
August 26, 2026 at 1:54 AM
the hedgehog is like, encouraging it. it's a pro-murder stuffed hedgehog.
And by antics, I obviously mean murder, cannibalism, incest, etc etc. It's a weird one.
August 26, 2026 at 12:54 AM
And by antics, I obviously mean murder, cannibalism, incest, etc etc. It's a weird one.
Book 56: Earthlings by Sayaka Murata. Would you look at this cover and think it's one of the most disturbing books you've read in a long time? Well, sure is. Abused girl decides she's an alien in an attempt to cope, meets some likeminded friends, antics ensue?
August 26, 2026 at 12:53 AM
Book 56: Earthlings by Sayaka Murata. Would you look at this cover and think it's one of the most disturbing books you've read in a long time? Well, sure is. Abused girl decides she's an alien in an attempt to cope, meets some likeminded friends, antics ensue?