My Bookish Things in 2024 + Goals for 2025

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It’s that time of year again. Wrap-Up season, in which creators across the internet feel the need produce annual report style documents which attempt to justify being in business for the upcoming year by listing their successes in the previous year . . .

Wow, that sounds a bit cynical. That’s actually not how I think of these types of posts, which I actually DO ENJOY READING! It’s important for creatives of any stripe to take stock of their work, and listing accomplishments can be a much needed ego (and motivational) boost when the grind gets you down.

I’ll admit that 2024 did not have the same kind of momentum for me as 2023, in which it seemed like the whole world kind of ‘turned back on’ after (since?) COVID-19. That is not to say 2024 did not have important cultural moments (recent elections come to mind, so does Fourth Wing lol), but in my own little sphere things have been a bit more plodding.

I joined a second book club. Took a few golf lessons (I’m still woefully bad). Bought a new guitar (a CHEAP acoustic which I love), and went to a few concerts. Looking back it seems like nothing too crazy although I’m sure it seemed like a lot as it was happening at the time.

The highlights for me this year were probably the little bit of traveling I managed to throw together in dribs and drabs. I had an amazing time out at the Calvert Cliffs fossil hunting back in September, and a trip to Fonthill Castle in October for a wedding resulted in a really amazing history lesson, and some great finds at a local used book store. Give Henry Chapman Mercer a quick Google. Fascinating dude.

And perhaps the most relevant trip (to what I normally talk about on this blog) was to Deep Creek Maryland for my first ever WRITER’S RETREAT!! We were not able to light any actual fires because of a local fire ban (something to do with too many dry leaves), but I’ll say that the trip really reignited the spark for me as it pertains to writing fiction.

So with that enthusiasm firmly in hand, let’s begin by reviewing my writing in 2024 and see what goals we have for 2025 (reading review and goals will come later on).

Writing in 2024

My goals for 2024 looked something like this:

  • Continue to write a post a week on this blog
  • Finish Klatch of Clans (short story)
  • Revise Like Clockwork
  • Write Greek Mythology inspired short story code named: Stoic Tale
  • Publish these 3 short stories along with all my other short fiction in a collection
  • Revise / rewrite Aegyptosaur
  • Maybe just do a little work on Aegyptosaur 2 since I’m in the neighborhood.

I think I actually managed 59 posts on the blog in 2024, crushing last year’s total of 44 (which my calculator tells me is about 34% more posting!), so I’m very happy with that number. Some blogging that I really enjoyed doing was:

Getting a Bit Nostalgic

I’ve often thought of myself (and likely wrote about myself as such on this blog) as someone who doesn’t really give in to nostalgia. This year, was apparently the collapse of that assumption as 2024 marked the 25th anniversary of many (apparently) formative media experiences in my life — to the point where I’m becoming convinced that 1999 was quite possibly the best year in cinema. Anyway, reviews of two movies from that hallowed era made their way onto the blog, the first celebrating the 25th anniversary of The Mummy (1999), and then later a look at The Matrix.

#Blaugust

This was the first year I participated in #Blaugust and pretty much everything that went along with that was incredible. Just the exposure to a bunch of new blogs and bloggers was worth it on its own (plus everyone was so nice and welcoming), but the event also pushed me to write about some different topics than I’m used to, and it was a fun to get creative in that way (Ironically (or perhaps not) the post which got me thinking about creativity the most was about the Things Do I Do To Stay Creative. We’re getting real meta over here)

I hope I can participate again next year!

Standing With The Banned

2024 was the first year I specifically chose to review a banned book during #BannedBooksWeek. I ended up choosing Ender’s Game which was also an important book for me personally (again with the nostalgia) as it was one of a couple books that really got me interested in Science Fiction during high school (which was not in 1999 however).

I think just looking at the list and seeing what has been banned is an important exercise. I was shocked by many of the titles present.

Fiction Writing in 2024

I accomplished basically zero of my fiction writing goals this year. I’d like to give some worthy excuse for why but each time I try to explain it, I come up empty handed. It seems that unfortunately fiction writing was just not a huge priority for me this year. It’s just the way the cookie crumbled.

That doesn’t mean that I didn’t work on stuff this year however. Some highlights for me were:

  • Writing a flash piece for a friend’s game
  • Writing about 14k of a new novel focused around Griffins
  • Finally getting some momentum going on Stoic Tale which is not finished but probably at least half way done.
  • Completing my first draft of Klatch of Clans.

So, not my most productive year, but progress was still made. As I mentioned before, the writing retreat back in November really kickstarted a few things for me, so I’m hopeful 2025 will be my year!

Anyway, let’s take a look at my reading stats . . .

Reading in 2024

My goals for 2024 as it pertains to reading were as follows

Results here are a bit mixed. I definitely surpassed my number-of-books goal with about 40 books read for the year. A few which stand out for being excellent were:

A few that stand out for not being too great:

I did not catch all the way up with the Cosmere, but I did get slightly further along finishing Shadows of the Self and The Lost Metal. No progress was made in Winternight or Witcher land, and while I didn’t read any more Percy Jackson or books set in Ancient Egypt, I DID read some more dinosaur books with Remnants of Ancient Life for #DinosaurDay and Michael Crichton’s The Lost World for it’s anniversary this year (MOAR nostalgia!)

I think that about wraps up my 2024. Lets take a look at my plans for 2025 . . .

Writing in 2025

It seems somewhat a shame to create completely new writing goals in 2025 when so many goals from 2024 were left incomplete; however, I’ve carried many of these goals year after year for quite some time and in 2024 I’ve started to wonder if I’m not making the progress towards finishing them because perhaps in some way I’ve already outgrown the thing which started them in the first place. This insight came while reading How To Be Everything which suggests that when creatives — the book is in reference to multipotentialites, I’m connecting it to the term creative — get bored or uninspired by a job or project, it’s because they’ve already taken what they need from it, whether it be a skill or expression or feeling.

I’m not giving up on these projects, but I am going to take some time away from them as they are preventing me from pursuing other avenues I find genuinely interesting. For example, my writing group will be undertaking a year-long novel writing challenge this year. I’m excited to participate, but started spinning a bit considering which project I should prioritize and how it would actually work in practice, could I finish my short fiction around it? How would that effect what I was doing on the blog? And my guitar routine? . . . And so I decided to put all that other stuff aside (except the guitar), start a new novel in 2025 and see where it takes me.

I’ll still continue to aim for a post a week on this blog, but mostly my fiction writing goals will look different. The whole thing should look something like this:

  • A post a week on the blog
  • 2,000 words a week (abt 500 per week day) on the 2025 novel

And that. Is. It.

We’ll see if this actually works out, but I figure there is little harm in trying. I can always pivot and work on the old stuff later if things don’t work out.

Reading in 2025

I’ll also be retiring a few goals here, but not nearly as many. With the recent release of Wind and Truth and all my friends buzzing about Cosmere things again, I’m really regretting not having tried harder last year to get through the secret projects before this new release. So I’m doubling down. Onyx Storm comes out at the end of January and after that it’s no sleep til Brooklyn. Cosmere or GTFO until it’s done hahah. Can’t wait.

I forgot to mention this earlier, but something else happened this year which is definitely shaping my forecast for 2025. I ran out of shelving for all my books. Obviously this is not a huge deal, but it really made me look at which items I’ve read and which are just gathering dust. Many of the books I have were never read, many others have been read but were never reviewed here on the blog.

Needless to say, I’ve begun a bit of an unofficial weeding program which I’ll be continuing through 2025. My hope is to have read and reviewed (here) everything that I get rid of. We’ll see if this process actually creates any space on the shelf or just backs me up even more hahah.

With all of that in mind, reading in 2025 should look a little something like this:

  • 35 books read (small increase)
  • COSMERE
  • Reading books I own before buying new ones . . .

That’s a Wrap!

Well, that’s all I have for you this time. Thank you sooo much for reading all the way until the end. Honestly I’m pretty amazed you did. I’m curious what goals you’ve set for the new year and was there anything you want to brag about which happened in 2024? Anything you wish you could brag about but didn’t quite get?

As always please leave your thoughts in the comments. I’m excited to hear how everyone’s year went, and what they’re hoping to do next year!

Until next time!

A Library Thriller That Gets it Right: Laura Sims

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So this book was definitely the sleeper hit of 2024 for me. I’ve generally stayed away from books which take place in libraries because . . . well because I work at a library and despite loving my profession, I don’t really want to be reminded of it during my leisure time.

Of course I never mind coming across a library while reading — it’s after all a pretty common trope in Fantasy (one I thought Arm of the Sphinx did particularly well) — but it somehow just hits different when it’s the primary setting. This is doubly so for fiction without any fantastical elements.

This aversion may also stem slightly from the fact that there are a lot of misconceptions around libraries. What they are and how they function in the modern day. Even otherwise extremely bookish people (and authors) rarely visit them, but it’s a space that everyone has a memory of, either from when they were a child, or in school, or god knows when else, and so they feel like they know it, despite hardly knowing anything about it at all.

Sorry, mini rant over.

How Can I Help You gets PUBLIC libraries “right” (I make this distinction because academic libraries are a whole other scene despite a mostly similar experience). Half the fun of reading this book was uncovering each new seemingly absurd customer interaction, planting my palm firmly on my forehead, and then laughing at the memory of some similar interaction I’ve had with a patron (except the dead bodies, thankfully that has not occurred at my branch).

Combine this with the POV of a failed author, and I don’t know if I’ve ever felt so seen.

But even if you’re not working in the library field (any customer service field really) or trying to write a book, it’s an enlightening look which may shatter a few conceptions held in a rose-colored view.

Strip away these elements — which feel uncannily tailored for me — and the book still presents and engaging cat-and-mouse game between a serial killer and an ambitious, and somewhat selfish librarian. Even by the end, it isn’t really clear who the true protagonist of the story is, and while the reader knows only one can come out on top, finding out who it will be was extremely compelling.

Doreen Sheridan over at Criminal Element describes the book as:

“. . . a compelling take on the complicated relationship between author and muse, as well as the ethics of writing fiction” – Book Review: How Can I Help You by Laura Sims

I love this description because I think it gets at another primary question that’s never far from the reader’s mind while reading: How much of this is true?

I don’t mean to imply that the author ever worked with a serial killer, but Laura Sims thanks her coworkers from South Orange Public Library in the acknowledgements. Jane Toppan, or “Jolly Jane”, was a real serial killer at large between 1895 and 1901. “Friday Guy”, Margo’s favorite porn-watching patron, is unfortunately an all too real stereo type which nearly every library has had to deal with at some point, but did Sims have her own “Friday Guy” which made it into the book?

There are some interviews with Sims out there on the web which I’ve unfortunately not yet had the time to watch, but I’m certainly curious . . .

Give ‘How Can I Help You’ a Read?

Absolutely! As I said above, this was the sleeper pick for me this year. I was somewhat warry of picking up the book because I have always assumed I’d be ‘too close’ to any books set in a library for them to be enjoyable. But boy was that not the case with How Can I Help You. If anything, it added to the effect of an already incredible book.

But this book is still a thrilling and compelling read even if you don’t work in a library/customer service capacity. Sims has mastered the “slow burn” thriller in this cat-and-mouse chase between an unexpected killer, and an even more unorthodox author/librarian. Stir in some real history, and the author’s own background with her subject matter, and you’ve got a book which leaves you with more questions than answers (in the best sort of way).

That’s all I have for you this week. Has anyone read this book already? What was your favorite part? What is the weirdest thing you’ve ever seen go down in a library? Please leave your thoughts in the comments! Looking forward to talking about this one!

(puts on customer service voice): Have a great rest of your day!

Fantasy That Matures With Its Protagonist! ‘In The Hand of A Goddess’ by Tamora Pierce

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I think I actually liked this one a bit more than Alanna: The First Adventure.

Pierce really escalates a lot of the elements present in the first book, but also managed to incorporate some new themes which really raised the stakes quite a bit. One notable escalation was of course in the level of danger present throughout the book. For the first book, the main tension seemed to be that Alanna will be discovered as a girl, and have to give up on her dream of becoming a knight. The final showdown between her, Johnathan, and the Ysandir is perhaps the only scene in which we truly feel Alanna’s life might be at risk.

In the Hand of the Goddess gives us much more in the way of real danger. In the first book, Alanna discovers a sword, in the second book, she’s expected to use it, and seems to do so quite a bit. There are duels to win, and bandit raids to survive; a hunt for a giant wolf, and an actual war. In the Hand of the Goddess still feels very much like part two of a bildungsroman, but Pierce also manages to move the story noticeably towards a more adult form of sword and sorcery.

I love that the story seemed to mature as the character did. The passage of time is certainly more noticeable in this story than in Alanna’s first adventure. I think she’s like 16 or 17 by the time the story begins to wrap up. Jonathan is a bit older. George is even older still.

I’ll admit that George and Alanna’s relationship feels a bit uncomfortable in 2024 because of their age difference. It’s uncertain how intentional this discomfort is on the part of the author, but given what I’ve heard from some friends who have read further in the series, I kind of imagine that it wasn’t something she meant to include? It is hard to say. This book was originally published in 1984 and while I would absolutely assume her views are in line with progressives today, being progressive 30 years ago just looked a little different.

The third — and perhaps final? — thing that stood out to me while reading In the Hand of the Goddess was the novel’s (and Alanna’s) use of magic. Our knowledge of what magic can do in Tortall deepens significantly during this book but I thought it was refreshing that despite this clearer picture, the reader does not really lose the sense of mystery presented by it. Magic in this book does not feel like a system, like you might find in a Brandon Sanderson novel. It does not feel like just another kind of science.

It feels like . . . well like magic.

I think it’s only a small spoiler (happens in the first chapter and is literally part of the title) to say that we meet a goddess in this book, which to my mind was not enough to fit the book into the Godpunk genre, but was highly reminiscent (to me) of ancient Greek myth which I felt had implications not only for the plot but for how magic works in the world. Very late in the book, we also see a kind of sympathetic magic happening which was also quite intriguing. I’m sure this will be explored further in later volumes, and I’m looking forward to tracking this as it progresses.

Give ‘In the Hand of the Goddess‘ a read?

If you enjoyed Alanna: The First Adventure, I suspect you’ll enjoy In the Hand of the Goddess. I loved that the narrative shifts (IMHO) as the story progresses, becoming more and more adult as Alanna ages, to the point where by the end we are very close to leaving the YA genre behind for a more traditional sword and sorcery novel.

That’s all I have for this week. What is everyone else thinking? What were your favorite parts? Please leave your thoughts in the comments. I’m looking forward to talking about this one!

Until next time!

End of the Year Book Tag 2024

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The new year is quickly approaching, but I managed to remember this book tag just in time to squeeze it in before we begin 2025 (oof). I had a blast filling this in last year in 2023 and this year is proving to be quite a bit of fun as well.

As a reminder, I originally found this tag over on Peat Long’s Blog back in 2023. It seems the original was created by booktuber Ariel Bissett

Let’s do it!

Are There Any Books You Started This Year That You Need To Finish?

I’m working through John Dufresne’s The Lie That Tells A Truth right now, but I suspect there is little chance I’ll finish that before the end of the year. I could probably manage to finish Katherine Rundell’s Impossible Creatures though. It’s easy reading and so far, quite a bit of fun!!

Do You Have An Autumnal Book To Transition Into The End Of The Year?

I almost deleted this question cause I’m zero for two when it comes to actually keeping up with the seasons while I read. I recommended Payback’s a Witch and Katherine Arden’s Winternight trilogy in last year’s post. I feel those still hold.

The only book I read THIS year which had good sort of autumn/winter -y vibes was probably We Used To Live Here by Marcus Kliewer. It takes place in the mountains, and a winter snowstorm plays a pretty large role in kicking off the plot. Also it’s scary AF so if you’re looking for a good Halloween read, it’s no trick, you’re in for a treat!

Is There A New Release You’re Still Waiting For?

Not for this year, but I’m looking forward to Onyx Storm releasing on January 21st, 2025. I had a blast reading Fourth Wing and its sequel Iron Flame and am anxious to read the next installment.

Of course, Sanderson’s Wind and Truth (Stormlight 5) came out earlier this month (last week?), however I don’t think I’ll get to it anytime soon as I’ve still not caught up with the Cosmere (despite that being a 2024 goal). Perhaps I can rekindle my dedication during 2025. We’ll see.

What Are Three Books You Want to Read Before The End Of The Year?

If no book club books get in the way, probably:

The second two might seem a bit out of my normal range for the blog, but I can say they are both very IN RANGE for me as a person. I thought it might be fun to reflect that on the blog. Plus Russian Christmas is coming January 7th, and REASONS which will become clear in 2025 (and hopefully pan out) compel me to finally take a look at some Grateful Dead literature which I’ve been meaning to read anyway.

Have You Already Started Making Reading Plans For 2025

My only definitive plans 2025 are to post about Emily Jane’s Here Beside the Rising Tide (the hints are all here) because I have an ARC of that book from NetGalley. I also saw on NetGalley that John Scalzi seems to have another book coming in 2025 so I’ll probably try to read that. I think it’s called When the Moon Hits Your Eye.

And (eternally) getting caught up with the Cosmere.

Tag! You’re it!

This is a book tag after all, so if you’re reading this, consider yourself tagged. But if we’re being specific, I made a few blogging friends this year (thanks #Blaugust), and so I’d like to tag a few:

That’s all I have for you this week! Any bookish things you’re hoping to get done as we barrel towards the new year? Any bookish things I need to just drop everything for and finish before 2025? As always leave your thoughts in the comments, and if you happen to write you’re own end of the year post, please tag me, I’d love to see what you’re up to!

Until next time!

#ReadingAfricaWeek 2024: Revisiting Nnedi Okorafor’s Binti

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There seems to be some confusion, but I have it marked in my calendar that the first week in December is #ReadingAfricaWeek (there may be another one in February?). I’m not really seeing much around the internet about this event for 2024; I’m honestly not sure it’s still a thing, but I’m making it a thing, at least here on A&A.

As I wrote last year when I reviewed The Fine Print by Chinelo Onwualu, all one need do to participate in the event, is spotlight African Literature.

The novella I chose this year seems a bit obvious, but it’s a long-time favorite of mine (Goodreads tells me I’ve read it three times!), and honestly I’m ashamed that I’ve never talked about it on the blog before. That novella, is none other than Nnedi Okorafor’s BINTI !!!

It’s a bit hard to know where to start when reviewing this novella, but it seems appropriate to start with the sense of awe and wonder which Nnedi brings to all of her works. The spaceport Binti must navigate on her first trip away from earth, and the planet-university of Oomza Uni seem particularly good examples. Of course there is the also the floating, space-fairing, warmongering, octopus-jellyfish hybrids known as the Meduse, which attack and encounter Binti on a giant space travelling shrimp.

Nearly every page is like this, just a shock of imagination and artistry, that continues to impress nearly ten years after the first time I read it.

But of course there is more as well. Thematically, the book’s focus is split between capturing — in the most fantastical way possible — the outsider’s experience, and necessary arguments (lessons really) in support of harmony between different peoples and cultures.

Antoinette over at Black & Bookish writes:

“Okorafor’s storytelling is vivid and thorough, and no doubt the the spot on writing of the outsider experience is personal to her. Underneath the action and advanced technologies, this story is the equivalent of an out of body, sci-fi experience in regards to black womanhood.” – “Binti” Reminds Us That We Write Our Own Stories (Book Review)

Even today this is something of a rare thing and certainly an important reason to shout about this book from rooftops.

Give Binti a read?

One hundred times yes! There is plenty of acclaim surrounding this novella already (won a Hugo back in 2016), but for me personally it is a rare kind of story which does everything (effortlessly) right: shows incredible imagination, engages with important themes, and is genuinely just a blast to read.

If you haven’t already, please pick this one up. It’s a great read!

That’s all I have for this week. Who has read this one already? What’s your favorite part? Was there anything which stuck out to you which I missed? Leave your thoughts in the comments. I’m really looking forward to talking about this one!

Until next time . . .

Don’t Sleep on This 80’s Fantasy Classic: ‘Alanna the First Adventure’ by Tamora Pierce

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I probably should have read this one waay before now.

Though I generally (really) hate the idea that there is some magical list of Fantasy and Science Fiction titles which fans of this incredible genre “need” to have read, I can’t wholly dismiss the fact that certain books are just going to serve as a touchstone for more people than others.

Obviously these touchstones are a bit of a moving target, and will vary for people based on their age, gender identity, where they grew up and probably a hundred other factors I don’t even know to consider. This is why it’s good to read broadly both inside and outside of your favorite genre.

Knowing this and actually doing it are quite different things however, and so The Song of the Lioness and Tamora Pierce have for some time held this strange position on my TBR of: almost every woman I know that likes Fantasy is obsessed with these books, I’ll get around to it someday.

I’m glad ‘someday’ finally arrived.

At a first glance, Alanna: The First Adventure might not appear to have much to its credit other than being “first” (for a lot of people) to show a female character partaking in the kind of seemingly standard fantasy adventure that male characters have been enjoying since the dawn of the genre. With character’s like Disney’s Mulan and Game of Thrones’ Arya Stark occupying more recent roles in that space, I wondered if this book’s effect might be somewhat muted for more modern readers.

But as I looked around at different reviews, certain themes really began to stand out as elements which were both unique to Alanna: The First Adventure, and sources of empowerment and triumph for readers of all ages, whether looking back at a beloved classic from their childhood, or reading the story for the first time.

Perhaps the easiest to point out, is the section in which Alanna gets her period for the first time. Simply put, she does not know what to do about it. And not only can she not ask the other squires and knights about it because it will give away her secret, but also what would they know about it anyway.

She is eventually able to seek advice from another woman, and the scene that unfolds is remarkably (refreshingly?) straightforward and seemingly free of any kind of implication not already implied by its inclusion in the first place. As Dina over at SFF Book Reviews says:

“. . . this children’s fantasy book mentions menstruation and just . . . deals with it.” – So Begins the Song of the Lioness: Tamora Pierce – Alanna: The First Adventure

There is clearly a lot here for girls and women to take from the story, but I felt there was also a lot which men and boys could learn as well. As Alanna learns the rules, codes and standards which she must uphold as a knight, a kind of critique of chivalry — and masculinity in general — becomes apparent in the background of events. Alanna’s instructor, Myles, seems especially well positioned to point out such critiques though he’s perhaps not much of a role model (I’m sure there are full posts that could be written about the nuance of Myles’ character).

Finally, I’ll point out that the writing craftsmanship on display here by Tamora Pierce is top-notch. The ideas in this book (as discussed above) are BIG, but I didn’t really find myself hung up on them while reading. I was mostly concerned with what would happen next. I attribute this to Pierce’s mastery of craft. Her prose are easy to read, and straightforward to understand. We might expect as much from a book directed at a younger audience, but what impressed me here was that this direction did not sanitize or dumb down the issues at hand but still managed to present them in ways which were nuanced and most importantly, intensely compelling.

Give ‘Alanna: The First Adventure‘ a read?

Simply put, yes. This book is clearly targeted towards a younger audience but there is a lot here for adults as well. I could see myself suggesting this book to anyone looking to start reading fantasy for the first time as I felt it follows a kind of standard Fantasy genre structure, but with some important subversions of the genre.

That’s all I have for us this week. Has anyone read this one before? What was your favorite part? Did you read this one growing up? Have you read it again as an adult? What stuck out to you?

Leave your thoughts in the comments! Looking forward to talking about this one!

Until next time . . .

Marcus Kliewer’s “We Used to Live Here”: The Scariest Book I’ve Read, Period.

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One hundred percent, THIS was the book I should have been reading back in October instead of Unholy Child. This book is SPOOKY! Part haunted-house book, part . . . psychological thriller? We Used to Live Here is subtle in its genre definition, and even more subtle in its genre subversions.

Really its subtle in everything it does. You think you know what is going on, and even when you pick up on inconsistencies, you never really know what they mean. Part of me wants to spend the time reading this book over and over again trying to understand Kliewer’s methods a writer, but the bigger part of me doesn’t want to ruin the effect.

I did copy down a few sentences from We Used to Live Here as examples of interesting and novel descriptions. A creepy ghost does not simply move across the living room too quickly, it does so with “arachnid speed”. As someone who has had to kill a lot of spiders since moving into my house (I probably need to get that looked at), this really resonated with me. Now imagine how much trouble you’d be in if something human sized moved that quickly (feels like cheating honestly lol).

I’m just gonna drop the full line, cause I feel it really shows the level of craftsmanship that Kliewer brings to his writing:

“It sat there, pin-straight frozen, for one, two, three seconds, and then, with arachnid speed, it darted rightward, vanishing into the distant shadows.” – pg 241.

Yup, time to GTFO!

Other readers who are more experienced with the horror genre might think differently, but I didn’t find much in the way of cliche or common tropes in Kliewer’s work. Most of the situations the main character — Eve — finds herself in felt fresh and genuinely creepy in their own unique way. I’ve never really had a problem with ants . . . I might now. I never really think much about reading or watching scary stories right before bed. This book made me reconsider that position (ultimately I probably still will).

My only gripe with the book, was unfortunately how it ended. Without spoiling it, I’ll just say I think I wanted something with a little more catharsis. But ultimately, the ending that was written is still a “good” ending, well written and because of everything we’ve read before, not wholly unexpected though I might still say it’s a twist. However, I think I just wanted something different.

Give We Used to Live Here a Read?

Absolutely. This is probably one of the scariest books I’ve read, period. I loved the kind of creeping dread prevalent throughout the entirety. And I especially appreciated Kliewer’s mastery of craft on the sentence level, as well his ability to keep the reader hooked chapter after chapter.

I may have written a different ending myself, but ultimately I think the ending that we get is what is right for the book.

That’s all I have for this week. Has anyone read this book yet? What was the scariest part? Please leave your thoughts in the comments! Looking forward to talking about this one!

Until next time . . .

A Great Way to Kill An Hour: Tut’s Lost City Revealed (Review)

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A few weeks back, on November 4th 2024, the world celebrated the 102nd anniversary of the discovery of King Tutankhamun’s tomb. I’ve celebrated the occasion on this blog once before with a review of the movie The Pyramid by Gregory Levasseur, and disliked the movie enough that I figured I might want to pick something a little more factual this time around.

After probing the depths of Ancient Egyptian related content on Amazon Prime, I came across Tut’s Lost City Revealed. I’ll admit that my expectations for this documentary were not very high. The imagery on the title screen looks a bit “ancient aliens” for my taste, with Tut’s infamous death mask sort of photoshopped onto the shape of a pyramid with an eclipse filling the background. It practically shouts conspiracy theory, but a quick google search showed interviews from Zahi Hawass, a seemingly credible and renowned Egyptian archaeologist.

Also, my other option was a show called TUT’S TOXIC TOMB!! I crossed my fingers and hit play on Tut’s Lost City Revealed . . .

Which I found to be a pretty informative and enjoyable documentary.

It centers around the discovery of an ancient industrial district, called Tehen Aten (the dazzling Aten) not far from Tut’s burial chamber. When King Tut was discovered back in 1922, he was surrounded by some 5,000 grave goods including 81 pairs of shoes, some jewelry and many other items which have helped archaeologists piece together a glimpse of what ancient life might have been like for the boy king. However, it was never clear where all the items came from, or who made them. With the discovery of Tehen Aten, Zahi Hawass believes we have the answer to that mystery, and that we finally have a better glimpse into the lives of Ancient Egyptian artisans and commoners during King Tut’s admittedly short reign.

I found the progress of the excavation fascinating, and how they were able to tie discoveries from the dig to other known discoveries from other sites in order to date the city to Tut’s rule. One of the most striking mysteries about this “lost city” is its serpentine, or wavy brick walls, which seem to run all around the city. They do not appear to be common to other Ancient Egyptian settlements although it is apparently quite rare to find full cities such as Tehen Aten because of the way they were constructed — primarily out of mud bricks — which do not really allow for the same kind of preservation as stone structures.

Unfortunately, by the end of the documentary, the mystery of the serpentine walls is essentially unanswered. And since it appears to be a relatively recent discovery — I don’t think a date is listed in the documentary, but I found an online article written by a Sri Lankan newspaper (in October of 2024) which dated the find to 2020 (the documentary is from 2022) — I didn’t find much online to help me verify anything presented in the show, and if any are curious as to what progress has been made since, I couldn’t really uncover much more about it than what was seen in the documentary.

Give Tut’s Lost City Revealed a watch?

Ultimately, this documentary was a pretty solid way to kill an hour. I found myself quickly enthralled with each new discovery, and fascinated by the theories and arguments used to explain how the ancients may have lived based on the evidence uncovered within the lost city.

Unfortunately, the primary mystery of the serpentine wall structures remained unanswered at the end of the documentary, and it was difficult to try to verify any of the assertions made within whether through other documentaries or even scholarly articles (maybe I just don’t know how to look properly).

Caveats aside, I would say this was a pretty enjoyable documentary about a fascinating subject, and overall an excellent way to celebrate the discovery of Tut’s Tomb.

That’s all I have for this week. Has anyone else already watched this one? What was your favorite part? Any other good documentaries I should watch?

See you next time!

More than Gore? I Can’t Yet Tell – A Review of Keanu Reeve’s BRZRKR Vol 1.

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We’re back in the comic book realm this week, which I apparently haven’t visited since July of 2023 when I reviewed Age of Reptiles Ancient Egyptians Issue 2. Wow time is passing quickly.

In any case, BRZRKR caught my attention for several reasons, all of which are basically the same reason, which is that it has to do with KEANU REEVES!! A few months back, during #Blaugust, I posted that The Matrix was something of a formative experience for me and as such, Keanu Reeves is something of an important figure to me. Though I have not written about him (hardly at all) on the blog, I’ve watched a ton of his movies and enjoyed nearly every single one of them.

So I about near lost my mind when I saw he’d written a book with China Mieville, and that a series of related comics (this series lol) had already been out in the world since March of 2021!

I knew when I eventually read through the series, I’d be writing about it here, so I held off pursuing it because I wasn’t sure how much other Keanu content I wanted to work through as reference before jumping in. But then a few weeks ago, The Book of Elsewhere just “fell” into my cart at Target, and I knew then and there I just needed to run this gauntlet. There would always be more time to talk about Keanu on the blog later hahah.

While I had been abstaining from the series, I mostly managed to avoid spoilers, but I could not tune out other’s opinions completely and so when I finally picked up the comic I had an idea that it would be somewhat “R rated” mostly because of gore and violence.

It was way more brutal than I could have ever imagined.

I had thought PRIMAL and Age of Reptiles were vicious experiences. I had thought Warren Ellis’ take on Moon Knight was too violent . . . These stories would cringe and turn away at the violence on offer in BRZRKR.

I’ll admit that I found myself mostly skimming these ultra-violent scenes, not because I’m particularly squeamish, but because they can often become monotonous rather quickly. I was far more interested in the main character’s inner battle, revealed in layers through a kind of “voice over” in which he is interviewed by some kind of doctor or psychiatrist.

The main character, known as B, is seemingly immortal and has existed since man’s earliest days (strong Conan The Barbarian vibes during this part of story). We are slowly given more and more of his backstory, but even so, B’s god-like status lends him a kind of mystique reminiscent of the main character in Neil Gaiman’s Sandman. He is quite compelling.

It seems likely I’ll continue the series and I will be doing so mostly because of this character, B, in who we can see the goal of many stories — immortality — as an unending burden and real tragedy.

Give ‘BRZRKR Volume 1‘ a Read?

I would say yes? But with the HUGE caveat that if you don’t like gore and violence, this one is not going to be for you. So far, the main character B is a compelling mystery and certainly the main draw of the story. Time will tell, but I don’t think there is any unique theme, or new philosophical question that would make it worth pushing through if you are really opposed to gratuitous violence.

I found myself skimming a lot of the scenes, and focusing more on the characters than the liberal use of crimson ink.

As far as BRZRKR being necessary reading for The Book of Elsewhere? I guess we’ll just have to wait and see.

That’s all I have for this week. What are y’all’s thoughts on this one? Too violent? Leave your thoughts in the comments. Looking forward to talking about this one!

Where’s the Horror? “Unholy Child” Promises Chills but Delivers Courtroom Drama

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Boy was Unholy Child a let down.

Assuming I’ve posted this on time, and haven’t been distracted by some other random flight of fancy, Halloween was only a few days ago, and in the entire month leading up to it, I had this kind of vision that I might spend October working my way through a bountiful harvest of spooky reads and creeptastic delights.

I was feeling especially primed and eager after reading What Moves The Dead, and The Fall Of The House of Usher earlier in the year, and though it has been just over two years since I devoured Sarah Gailey’s Just Like Home, that book is never far from mind this time of year.

Also, I’m at a point in my life where the amount of books I own exceeds the amount of shelving I have to house them (despite something like five bookcases), and so rather than purchase something new, I decided to scour my home library and see what spooky treasures I’d left unread.

Unholy Child seemed to fit the vibe perfectly. An old paperback from (I think) 1980, the cover depicts a woman wearing a traditional black habit of a nun, looking mournfully down at her exceedingly pregnant belly.

I think this is another book I swiped from my parents’ shelf somewhere amongst the various moves and clutter-cleaning which we’re all prone to as time passes. Though I don’t remember exactly when I took the book home with me, I remember thinking then — as I did now — that it must be something like a Rosemary’s Baby knock off. Or perhaps even something similar to The Omen.

Unfortunately, I was nowhere even close.

What Unholy Child turned out to be was 400 pages of mildly interesting police procedural, and about 100 pages of courtroom drama.

Where I felt the novel excelled was in its promise — a nun is rushed to the hospital after experiencing a clearly traumatic homebirth but has no memory of the baby (which is missing and eventually found dead) or even of being pregnant — which was a whole heap of wtf is going on?!

Yet after this initial question the novel does little to keep readers on the hook. And with many, many POVs, some running concurrent investigations, I didn’t feel like I was learning some new aspect of the case in each scene, but rather that I kept re-reading the same information over and over again.

Even once I reconciled with myself that I wasn’t going to get any supernatural or paranormal fiction in this book, I was still waiting for a twist . . .

I would say Unholy Child’s most interesting character is probably Meg Gavin, a reporter who becomes somewhat obsessed with the case. She likes vodka sodas, using late 70’s slang, and having meaningless sex.

She’s probably the character with the most defined arc, and probably the piece of the story that comes closest to having something resembling a theme (like you’d learn about in English class). Her plot’s tension revolves around trying to uncover the truth of what happened to the pregnant nun, and as she comes to understand the nun more — how the nun is no longer in control of her own life and really never was — she is able to understand herself better too and sympathize with her. The nun’s entrapment may come from the courts, but for Meg it’s about the patriarchy.

It turns out, the book’s author Catherine Breslin, was also a reporter, and according to her obituary from 2016 (RIP), she covered a real story about a nun accused of killing her child. With this information, its hard not to see Meg as a kind of author stand-in which I actually kind of like for this novel. I haven’t been able to track down any old copies of Ms. Magazine (the publication Breslin wrote for), but it is interesting to think that perhaps a little bit of Breslin lives on as Meg Gavin.

On it’s own, Meg’s journey may have been enough for a compelling read, which is somewhat strange considering she’s ostensibly not the main character of the book. That would be Sister Angela, the nun, who unfortunately is also not even the 2nd most interesting character of the book. I felt that trophy went to Roy Danzinger, (small spoiler) the baby’s father, who has many POV scenes and some semblance of a life outside of the case. But all of this is (IMHO) completely under utilized and ends up seeming to have little bearing on the eventual result of the story.

Then of course there are the points of view of the other nuns, police investigating the crime, psychologists evaluating Sister Angela, doctors and DA’s. The list goes on.

I won’t bog this review down with much more, lest I repeat the very sin I am accusing the book of committing, but I mentioned Sister Angela not being the most interesting character in the book despite it being her story. I’d like to explain this a little further as I think my hang ups here, are a bit of a microcosm of where the whole book struggles.

It is hinted at several times that Sister Angela has some kind of Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID). At face value this should be something I LOVED about this book. Some of my favorite stories incorporate this element into their characters (immediate examples which come to mind are the Marc/Jake/Knight personas in Marvel’s Moon Knight, Tyler Durden in Fight Club, and even Shallan/Veil/Radiant from Stormlight Archive).

But in Unholy Child, I really struggled to enjoy this element of Sister Angela’s character, and it took me a long while to figure out why it wasn’t working for me. The answer here is that Sister Angela is never given any opportunity to confront Gayle (her alter-ego) and take back control of her story. It’s mentioned in the story that because this behavior is a protective measure, it’s unlikely that Sister Angela will ever really even become aware of Gayle and any time spent as Gayle will either just be remembered through the eyes of Angela, or lost completely, which Angela will convince herself is completely normal.

I don’t know much about DID, so I’m not really sure, but I’m assuming the situation is presented in this way because it is more “realistic”; however, it does not make for good fiction which is what this story is. Without that showdown, there is no catharsis. No sense of closure. Nothing to indicate that anything has changed at all and that the last 501 pages weren’t just a complete waste of time.

All of Breslin’s characters felt this way. Roy’s life is really no different at the end than it was at the beginning. In some respects, neither was Meg’s though perhaps she’s made an important revelation. This is how real life works, but not how fiction is supposed to, and ultimately I think it is what made the book so hard to read despite loads of potential.

Give ‘Unholy Child‘ a Read?

Ultimately, I would say you’re not missing much if you skip this one. Not only is it misleading in what kind of story it is supposed to be, but once you understand what it is you’re reading, the novel seems to under deliver on those promises to. Considering this was based off a true story, it’s perhaps understandable that the novel’s shape and plot would resemble ‘real life’ more than a work that was wholly fiction, but I think this one read a little too much like journalism. Compound this with too many POVs, and you’ve got a big book with little impetus to struggle through.

That’s all I have for you today. Has anyone read this before? What are your thoughts? Should it have been written as True Crime instead? How should the nun have gotten pregnant? Immaculate conception? Tryst with the Devil? Leave your thoughts in the comments. Looking forward to talking about this one with everyone!

Until next time . . .