Severina

Wednesday Reading Meme

severina2001 — Wed, 10 Jun 2026 04:01:37 GMT

What I Just Finished Reading: Three books this week, but alas two of them were stinkers. I read Allison Hewitt is Trapped by Madeleine Roux, A Symphony of Echoes by Jodi Taylor, and In The Great Quiet by Laura Vogt. Reviews below.

What I'm Reading Right Now: I just finished the Vogt book, so I'll start my next one tomorrow.

What I'm Planning to Read Next: I still didn't get to Mickey, the cat non-fiction book, but I'm kind of feeling T. Kingfisher right now. Paladin's Grace might be up next.

90. Allison Hewitt is Trapped by Madeleine Roux

Bookstore employee Allison blogs about her experience when she’s trapped at the store during the onset of the zombie apocalypse.

This one started out fine. Allison sketches amusing descriptions of the coworkers and customers trapped with her, and the initial chapters of navigating regular-now-undead customers and trying to survive while blogging were fun.

But of course, Allison and the gang can’t *stay* trapped, and once they venture out into the world things start to fall apart. Introductions to new characters are uneven and their personalities shift on a whim, transitions between settings are abrupt and clunky, and insta-relationships form out of a wisp of smoke. Zombies are practically just an annoyance, and only become a threat when the plot demands it.

I didn’t end up liking many of these people much, though Dapper the dog can stay.

Dates Read: Jun 01 to 03, 2026
Page Count: 353

2 out of 5 stars

+ Lost Challenges Penguins - author initials in EMPEROR (38/46)
+ Crazy Challenge Potluck - with zombies (35/50)
+ Crazy Challenge Deck of Cards - blue collar job/job not requiring a degree (04/52)
+ ATY Summer Challenge - GR rating between 3 and 3.99 (500 points - 900/5000 total)

91. A Symphony of Echoes by Jodi Taylor

In the second book in the series, Max and the gang at St. Mary’s have to deal with villain Ronan on multiple fronts, including the future and during the reign of Mary, Queen of Scots.

The book starts off a bit scattershot, with a quick trip back to Jack the Ripper’s last known kill, a farewell to a regular from book one, and then a jump to the future. Leon and Max are made to go to a wellness center/therapy home/psych ward (?? I don’t know) after those future events, for reasons that made absolutely no sense to me. And then Max pulls the ol’ tried and true “stomping off and leaving instead of talking things out” trope which is SO annoying, *especially* when she knows Leon’s been traumatized by said events.. I get that she's got a temper, but COME ON.

So it takes about midway through the book for it to really get going and the actual storyline to start, involving Ronan attempting to alter history by ensuring that Mary, Queen of Scots gets the throne of England. Things get fun there, and I liked their interactions with royalty, ladies-in-waiting, and the general populace. Everybody seemed to finally come to their senses and the story ended on a good note, so it earned back a star from me.

Also! They rescued dodos, who apparently grockle and are not the brightest, and I think I love them. More dodos!

Dates Read: June 05 to 07, 2026
Page Count: 327

4 out of 5 stars

+ Lost Challenges Penguins - brown cover (39/46)
+ Crazy Challenge Potluck - historical fiction (36/50)
+ Crazy Challenge Deck of Cards - each title word in NINE OF SPADES (05/52)
+ ATY Summer Challenge - title begins with letter in STRAWBERRIES (200 points - 1100/5000 points total)

92. In The Great Quiet by Laura Vogt

A woman is determined to make it on her own during the Oklahoma Land Rush of 1893.

Growing up in Kansas, Minnie has a reputation for fearlessness. And when she learns that women can own their own land if they participate in the land rush, she sets her sights on that goal. In some ways this is the story I hoped it would be: a woman proving her independence, learning both to rely on herself and to accept the kindness of others, having scrappy and dangerous adventures in a rugged landscape.

BUT. Minnie is just so damned unpleasant. It’s clear she’s also running from something in her past, and so we just get endless hints about that, which honestly I didn’t care enough to know what it was because Minnie was so annoying that yes, no DOUBT she’d pissed someone off. She’s also needlessly and consistently rude to the one person who tries to help her.

And then there’s whole little subplot about how the earth itself and the ghosts of women past are speaking to her and warning her about things, and encouraging her to go on. And there’s endless flowery sentences about the grass and the trees and blah blah blah. I’m done.

Dates Read: June 08 to 09, 2026
Page Count: 315

2 out of 5 stars

+ Lost Challenges Penguins - building on cover (40/46)
+ Crazy Challenge Potluck - historical fiction (37/50)
+ Crazy Challenge Deck of Cards - includes someone famous (06/52)
+ ATY Summer Challenge - title begins with letter in ICE CREAM (200 points - 1300/5000 total)

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Wednesday Reading Meme and a little update

severina2001 — Wed, 03 Jun 2026 15:18:29 GMT

This has been a weird week. I pulled something, I guess, in my neck or shoulder area because I can't sleep for more than 2.5 hours without waking in pain. I usually sleep sitting up/slouching/lounging in my big chaise because my bed is shit, so maybe I've cricked my neck doing that. It goes down into my arms so when I was out at the good thing of the weekend -- the library book sale woot woot -- I could barely pull my little granny buggy when it was empty. I slept on my bed last night and the shoulder/neck seems fine if I stay on my back... of course, after a while my lower back doesn't like that. /whine whine whine

The book sale was great, if long! It was in a neighbouring city so it took me 1.5 hours to get there (a walk to the bus stop plus 2 buses) and then the wait to get in was 1 hour and 10 minutes. I spent my time almost entirely at the .25 paperback tables because by the time I got in I was just too sore to move around. (I know, /whine whine whine some more.) I ended up with 17 books for $4.00!

In retrospect I realized that I should have just shoved anything that looked halfway decent into my bag and walked out of there with 50 books, it was just that much of a steal. Lesson learned for next year. ALSO, when I was waiting for my return bus at the stop I could still see the line, which by then was only about a 15 minute wait. Another lesson learned, next year go a little bit later.

Anyway, Wednesday Reading Meme:

What I Just Finished Reading: Only two books this week: The Poppy Fields by Nikki Erlick and Escape! by Stephen Fishbach. Reviews below.

What I'm Reading Right Now: I'm about halfway through Allison Hewitt is Trapped by Madeleine Roux, which started out fun and a bit different but is a bit of a slog right now. Hoping it'll pick up again.

What I'm Planning to Read Next: I'm picking up four library books today, so I think it'll either be Mickey, which is a non-fiction about a cat, or First Last Kiss a m/m book in honour of Pride month.

88. The Poppy Fields by Nikki Erlick

Three strangers decide to travel together to an experimental grieving facility.

Ellis Jones has invented a grief therapy involving putting people in medicinal comas. When they awaken, the hard edges of their grief have been smoothed away… except in those who suffer the side effects, Our three main characters have differing reasons for wanting to make the journey to the Poppy Fields,, all of which are revealed early on in the novel. As delays mount, though, friendships form and motivations change.

The problem is that there’s never any surprises. Each of the decisions the characters make are telegraphed from the start. I did really like Ava and her little dog PJ, but that’s not enough to get through the book, which is a bit of a slog. It’s mostly a discussion on the nature of healing from grief, and I just think the main premise doesn't really hold up. I couldn’t “debate” both sides when one side was (to me) so ridiculous.

Dates Read: May 26 to 30, 2026
Page Count: 307

3 out of 5 stars

+ Lost Challenges Penguins - author initials in NORTHERN (36/46)
+ Crazy Challenge Deck of Cards - author initials in TEN OF SPADES (03/52)

89. Escape! by Stephen Fishbach

A washed-up reality show veteran heads back to the jungle.

I was always a big fan of Survivor and author Fishbach appeared on the show twice, once making it to the finals. I looked forward to the insider knowledge he could bring to a novel set in the reality TV world.

But oh, what a mess. A lot of the secondary characters are too easily paralleled with actual Survivor contestants (Carl and his distinctive beard and roar mimic Rupert, for example) and Fishbach peppers in actual phrases he used in the show (“gastrointestinal distress” is a well known one) and rumours from its past seasons (someone offering sexual favours for food.) And there’s plenty more examples. So I found all of that offputting from the start.

Every character is unlikable, and it’s just so difficult to want to spend time with people you actively dislike. He strives hard for analogies or metaphors that are new, and they come off cringey and strained. And the plot gets more and more unhinged and absurd until if I took off a star for each ridiculous moment this review would be in the negatives.

Such a disappointment. Also, warning for animal death that is unapologetic and almost blase.

Dates Read: May 30 to June 01, 2026
Page Count: 447

2 out of 5 stars

+ Lost Challenges Penguins - character goes climbing (37/46)
+ Crazy Challenge Potluck - over 400 pages (34/50)
+ ATY Summer Challenge - features hiking/walking (400 pts – 400/5000 total)

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Wednesday Reading Meme

severina2001 — Wed, 27 May 2026 17:26:27 GMT

I've started a new challenge! Since my current ones are winding down, I started the Deck of Cards challenge at Crazy Challenge Connection at Goodreads. This one is a teeny bit different: each card has an assigned prompt, and once you have all your cards you have to work on the five in your "hand" before you can move on. Then once you've completed a prompt for one of the cards in your hand, you then shift the next card into the deck into that spot. Something new!

What I Just Finished Reading: Busy week! I read 3 novels, 3 novellas, and 1 short story. I'm busy today so I'm not going to list them here, but reviews below.

I also DNFed Day of the Triffids by John Wyndham. I know, I know, it's a classic, but I was sooooo bored.

What I'm Reading Right Now: I've just started The Poppy Fields by Nikki Erlick, about three people traveling to an experimental retreat that promises to scrub away your grief while you sleep. It's interesting so far.

What I'm Planning to Read Next: Next will be Escape! by Stephen Fishbach, who is a two-time Survivor player who had written a fictional book about... a reality TV show that takes place on an island. Hmmm.

81. And To All A Good Bite by David Rosenfelt

Andy defends a man accused of killing the rich art collector he suspects of causing a fire that killed his girlfriend.

During the fire, Jeff wasn’t able to get to the top floor to save his girlfriend, but he did save a puppy whom he named Rufus, which is of course how he knows Andy. Andy takes care of Rufus while he’s on the case, which is… kind of boring. Andy figures the fire the year before is connected to the crime, but it takes a while to connect the dots. Meanwhile, there’s not really any fun banter and my oh my, are they ever getting blase with Marcus’ death count. (Though that impressive display was probably the best part of the book.)

This is the last currently published tale (with another due in July) and I’m disappointed.

Dates Read: May 19 to 21, 2026
Page Count: 296

3 out of 5 stars

+ Crazy Challenge Potluck - dog on cover (32/50)

82. Gringos and Flamingos by Scott Nelson

A Kiwi and his wife travel through South America.

In this short and sparse non-fiction tale, Scott and his wife travel through Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia. While Scott is a decent writer, I felt like I’d been thrown into about chapter 4 of the story. No lead-up to how they got there, no idea who anybody is, just right into a trek from one dirt poor village to the next, with references to The Book (still don’t know what travel guide they were using.)

Some parts of the book were really interesting, like visiting church catacombs in Lima or getting a tour of a working prison by one of the actual prisoners. But mostly it’s a progression through overwhelming squalor and poverty, where dead dogs litter the roadside and people defecate in the dirt. And the travels felt exploitive, as the author basically admits he realized at the end of the book.

Date Read: May 22, 2026
Page Count: 117

3 out of 5 stars

+ Lost Challenges Penguins - set in Peru (32/46)

83. Unknown Caller by Lisa Unger

A crisis hotline worker thinks she is being stalked by someone from her past.

Charlie is a suicide prevention style worker who had a tragic event in her past. This short story jumps between her time in high school when she was struggling with friendships and loneliness and the current day, when a caller seems to know her secrets.

At first I was super hyped for this because I could envision a couple of really good possible twists. But in the end Ms.Unger went with a pretty straightforward and extremely predictable story that was telegraphed from the get-go. I knew exactly what was going to happen, so I was very disappointed. The overall message also came across as very preachy.

Date Read: May 22, 2026
Page Count: 66

2 out of 5 stars

+ Lost Challenges Penguins - title starts with U (33/46)

84. Hot for Slayer by Ali Hazelwood

A centuries-old vampire finds herself stuck with an amnesiac slayer.

This is such a fun little story. Vampire Ethel has been around for hundreds of years, but she’s retained her playful spirit and joy for (un)life. Slayers are trained for years and made immortal to hunt vampires, and this particular slayer named Lazlo has been on Ethel’s case for centuries. When he gets hit in the head he can’t remember who he is, and before you can say “enemies to lovers,” well…

I absolutely adored exuberant Ethel and her quick-thinking escapes, and the initial part of the story and her growing friendship with Lazlo I also loved. Things got a little pear-shaped for me when Lazlo started getting all up in Ethel’s space. I can tend to find that “big guy crowding smaller person” thing creepy if not done right, and with this being a novella there just wasn’t the set-up for it. Other than that, I really enjoyed this one.

Date Read: May 22, 2026
Page Count: 94

4 out of 5 stars

+ Lost Challenges Penguins - red cover (34/46)

85. Lift Me Up by Milly Johnson

A woman finds the course of her life changed due to an encounter on an elevator.

Tam is acting director of a grocery chain when the board of directors brings in an outside (male) source for the actual job. She expects to be fired, only to discover that he admires her work. His compliments and a renewed friendship from her past find Tam contrasting her former life as a free-spirited boho type with her now buttoned-down and bland life with clout-chasing family and a controlling fiancee.

I really liked Tam as a compassionate, savvy businesswoman and had a hard time reconciling that Tam with the meek version of herself at home. Though I suppose that’s the point, that women don’t realize the slow progression of control and justify the actions instead of seeing it for what it is. It still made some sections of this novella hard to stomach. The feel-good ending really worked, but I could have done without the final resolution between Tam and her boss, which I felt really diluted the point of her empowerment.

Date Read: May 23, 2026
Page Count: 128

4 out of 5 stars

86. Detour by Jeff Rake and Rob Hart

Astronauts returning from a groundbreaking trip to Titan find things are subtly different on Earth upon their return.

If you’ve ever debated whether it was really Berenstein Bears and not Berenstain Bears, this is the book for you! Billionaire Jack Ward is working with NASA to send an exploratory vessel to Titan in hopes of colonization. Among them are three astronauts, an untrained astrophysicist, and two civilians: Ryan, who saved Jack from an assassination attempt, and Stitch, the laidlack winner of a lottery to go into space.

All of the six are so different, and I loved them all. (Well, maybe not Mike.) We follow their home lives and prep, their friendship, and eventually the found family that they become. But weirdness abounds when they get home. Ryan’s wife is missing her appendectomy scar, for one thing.

The six are desperate to find answers, and the conspiracy grows and grows, and so does the tension. Expertly written, this had me on the edge of my seat.

Warning: this is the first book and the sequel doesn’t come out until January, so there is no resolution here. I’ll be on that January waiting list, though!

Dates Read: May 23 to 24, 2026
Page Count: 296

5 out of 5 stars

+ Crazy Challenge Potluck - published 2025 or 2026 (33/50)
+ Crazy Challenge Deck of Cards - wealthy character (01/52)

87. The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith

Mma. Precious Ramotswe uses her inheritance to open the first ladies’ detective agency in Botswana.

There are no crazy mysteries or wild twists here. Just a sweet, gentle story about a proud woman who loves her country, who made bad choices early in life and is resolved not to repeat them, who stands up for herself and for others, and who relishes her independence as a newly minted detective. I loved Precious.

There’s something about this book that is so relaxing. I just sunk into the slow rhythm of the prose that matched life in Botswana, and I enjoyed the mostly straightforward cases that Precious took on. This was a nice change and I quite enjoyed it.

Dates Read: May 24 to 25, 2026
Page Count: 235

4 out of 5 stars

+ Lost Challenges Penguins - set in Africa (35/46)
+ Crazy Challenge Deck of Cards - character who is father of at least one daughter (02/52)

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Wednesday Reading Meme

severina2001 — Wed, 20 May 2026 15:15:17 GMT

What I Just Finished Reading: Four novels this week: Cat on a Hot Tin Woof by Spencer Quinn, Where The Heart Is by Billie Letts, Three Bags Full by Leonie Swann, and Boring Asian Female by Canwen Xu. Reviews below.

What I'm Reading Right Now: The final (as of now) book in the Andy Carpenter series, And To All A Good Bite by David Rosenfelt. It's been 32 books!

What I'm Planning to Read Next: There's a short story/novella theme at a monthly challenge at Challenge Factory this month, so I've been trying to clear out the short stuff on my Kindle. So next up I will probably tackle a couple of novellas and short stories from there.

77. Cat on a Hot Tin Woof by Spencer Quinn

Chet and Bernie are on the trail of a missing celebrity cat.

Oh Chet, how I’ve missed you so! Chet the Jet continues to be the best dog narrator on the planet as he and Bernie search for Miss Kitty, a viral video star who makes her owner tons of cash on a social media app. Chet is none too happy to be searching for a cat, his opinions on them well known, but he of course continues to adore everything about his beloved Bernie, always “the smartest guy in the room” (and the one with the best eyebrows, and of course the sweetest uppercut.)

There’s some really fun Chet tangents in this one, a so-therefore that he comes up with all on his own, some delicious steak tips, and a pretty harrowing moment for Chet that had me on the edge of my seat. The resulting reunion with Bernie was beautifully written.

If I could rate the book based on Chet’s awesomeness alone, it would have 17 stars. But alas, there’s a mystery plot in there too, and that’s where it fell short. The reader shouldn’t have to look up what tailings and REEs are because it’s not explained at all in the book, and there were too many distractions to make the mystery compelling.

Dates Read: May 12 to 14, 2026
Page Count: 307

4 out of 5 stars

+ Around the Year in 52 Books - Prompt 33 indigenous character (52/52) - COMPLETE!
+ Lost Challenges Penguins - dog on cover (29/46)
+ Crazy Challenge Potluck - cat on cover (28/50)

78. Where The Heart Is by Billie Letts

Pregnant 17-year-old Novalee ends up living in a Walmart when she’s abandoned by her useless boyfriend.

The story actually focuses on the next seven or eight years of Novalee’s life, in a heartwarming if unrealistic look at found family. And since found family is practically my favourite thing, I came happily along for the ride as Novalee found a community to take her in and help care for her child. The world opens up to her due to the friendship and love of these people, and I enjoyed watching her blossom.

Along the way we also follow the life of Novalee’s ex, who seems to get a good chunk of the bad luck she’s always worried about. Yeah, he’s not a good guy but the author did seem to enjoy covering him in misery. In fact, to me it seemed like the author almost had an obsession with throwing in a bunch of awful events to traumatize the secondary characters, and they just weren’t needed. That was the one that marred the book for me.

Dates Read: May 15 to 16, 2026
Page Count: 388

4 out of 5 stars

+ Lost Challenges Penguins - orange cover (30/46)
+ Crazy Challenge Potluck - standalone (29/50)

79. Three Bags Full by Leonie Swann

When their shepherd is murdered, his sheep set out to find the killer.

I’m a huge fan of the Chet and Bernie books by Spencer Quinn, mysteries told from the point of view of a dog. So I was stoked and ready for a mystery told from the point of view of sheep, and the premise sounded great.

Unfortunately, it just didn’t come together for me. I mean, it’s fine. But I expected humour and whimsy and something really different. And while there was some humour, generally it all fell flat. The sheep are, dare I say it, kind of boring. And the mystery didn’t really hold up either. There are multiple little pieces that don’t really connect that are left dangling, such as an encounter in which a person’s life is threatened and then… suddenly all is well, and we don’t know why. And there are actually two crimes, and there is no resolution at all for one of them.

I’m rating this average, and have no plan to continue to the next book.

Dates Read: May 16 to 17, 2026
Page Count: 377

3 out of 5 stars

+ Crazy Challenge Potluck - book in a series (30/50)

80. Boring Asian Female by Canwen Xu

Elizabeth’s only goal has ever been to get into Harvard Law School, and when she is rejected while wealthy and pretty Laura Kim gets accepted, she becomes obsessed.

Elizabeth’s mind is a sticky web, and the reader gets stuck and is unable to escape in this great debut novel. She is obsessed not only with Laura but with the idea of being rich, to prove to her absentee father and those she left behind in her small town high school that she is better than them… because Elizabeth views everything in percentiles. And since she rates herself in the 90th percentile for intelligence, she just can’t figure out how Laura could “beat” her.

Elizabeth evaluates everyone and everything only for how they can help her achieve her goal. Is she a sociopath? I’m beginning to think so. And the twisty turns her mind takes to justify and explain her actions become more and more unhinged as time goes by. I was definitely along for the ride.

Dates Read: May 17 to 19, 2026
Page Count: 328

5 out of 5 stars

+ Lost Challenges Penguins - character gets a bill (31/46)
+ Crazy Challenge Potluck - published 2025 or 2026 (31/50)

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Wednesday Reading Meme

severina2001 — Wed, 13 May 2026 04:01:51 GMT

What I Just Finished Reading: Busy, busy, busy. Five books (though two of them were short) and two short stories. I read One Year After and The Final Day by William R. Forstchen, Dogged Pursuit by David Rosenfelt, Crossroads by TW Piperbrook, The Doll's House by Lisa Unger, The Replacement by Liv Constantine, and We Burned So Bright by TJ Klune. Reviews below.

I also had one DNF, Chain Gang All-Stars. The concept was interesting: future American for-profit prison system in which murderers can choose execution or to fight gladiator style in hopes of release if they make it three years. But the writing itself was so strange. It felt like he was trying too hard to be different, both in terms of his writing style and his characters, who then felt like CHARACTERS and not real people. And then the author also used footnotes to explain the terms he was using instead of incorporating it naturally into the text. I just hated the style so much I couldn't keep reading it.

What I'm Reading Right Now: OMG YOU GUYS, CHET IS BACK! I'm just starting the newly released Chet & Bernie mystery, Cat on a Hot Tin Woof. Oh Chet, I've missed you so!

What I'm Planning to Read Next: I think next might be Where The Heart Is by Billie Letts, about a young pregnant girl abandoned at a Walmart.

70. One Year After by William R. Forstchen

Sequel to One Second After, the story picks up in small town North Carolina as the residents continue to deal with the effects of an EMP.

This one starts out a little dry with a bit too much technical info, but it doesn’t take long for it to get rolling. The stakes are high this time: town leader John Matherson has an offer to join the new federal government. It could be a chance to influence things from within, but with the local representative wanting to draft their young people into a new army, things sound fishy.

I was on the edge of my seat during a great action sequence involving a prop plane and an Apache helicopter, and then brought to tears by the town coming together in the aftermath of a vicious battle. This was a real page-turner that kept me up late to get to the conclusion. Loved it.

Dates Read: May 05 to 06, 2026
Page Count: 302

5 out of 5 stars

+ Lost Challenges Penguins - character eats eggs (22/46)
+ Crazy Challenge Potluck - book in a series (24/50)

71. Dogged Pursuit by David Rosenfelt

It’s a trip to the past as we rewind to the start of Andy’s defense practice.

Well, this was fun! Mr. Rosenfelt gives us a prequel to the series, with Andy’s first murder defense – and yes, it involves a dog. Of COURSE it does! When Andy goes to adopt Tara at the shelter she’s bonded with another little dog, who is being held because his owner has been arrested for murder. What starts as simply a request to get the owner to temporarily sign over custody to Andy leads to Andy taking his case.

We got to not only meet Tara for the first time, but also see Sam’s first cybercrimes and Andy and Laurie’s meeting when he hires her. Charlie’s is a new bar in town but Andy’s still stuck paying the bill. It really did feel like a return to old school Andy, with lots of fun banter in this one and a case that wasn’t all tied up in local mobster politics. Had great fun with this one, but I wished for more Tara bonding.

Dates Read: May 07 to 08, 2026
Page Count: 280

5 out of 5 stars

+ Lost Challenges Penguins - man wear a tuxedo (23/46)
+ Crazy Challenge Potluck - book in a series (25/50)

72. Crossroads by TW Piperbrook

The characters from the prequel and the first book find each other in this installment, in which more info about the zombie outbreak is revealed.

I guess the best word I could find to describe this book is workman-like. It does the job it sets out to do, but there’s certainly no bells and whistles. Nothing has surprised me about the characters, who we only know on a surface level, or the plot. And the zombies simply aren’t very scary. I did appreciate the attempt at some nuance for one of the bad guys.

I’ll read the next book in the series and then decide if I want to continue on.

Date Read: May 09, 2026
Page Count: 130

3 out of 5 stars

+ Lost Challenges Penguins - under 150 pages (24/46)

73. The Doll’s House by Lisa Unger

When a widow and her daughter move in with mom’s rich new boyfriend, things are not quite as they seem.

I’ve read a few other Unger short stories and really enjoyed them, but had always felt that they could have been expanded. Since then I’ve read one of her novels and not been impressed, so I’m wondering if she’s great at putting together the punchy moments and not so good with linking them together and making them flow properly?

*shrugs* Well, anyway, this is another of her fast-paced short stories and it zooms along nicely, setting up creepy Kirin and his AI-controlled mansion, goopy in love mom Jules, and suspicious teen daughter Scout. I would have loved some of the linkage that I was talking about. How much better would the story be if Scout didn’t make insta-friends to help her investigate, or if Jules’ arc happened more slowly and naturally?

This one was over-the-top and a little crazy, but I still enjoyed it quite a lot.

Date Read: May 09, 2026
Page Count: 97

4 out of 5 stars

+ Lost Challenges Penguins - character eats pasta (25/46)

74. The Replacement by Liv Constantine

An actress in recovery from addiction mentors the starlet on her new movie.

We hit all the tropes on fast forward in this extremely predictable short story. The cardboard cutout characters act precisely as we expect them to, and the supposedly twist ending is telegraphed about a mile wide. I only read the whole thing because it was so short.

Date Read: May 10, 2025
Page Count: 48

2 out of 5 stars

+ Lost Challenges Penguins - character who is bold (26/46)

75. The Final Day by William R. Forstchen

The survivors of the EMP blast get chilling news from the new government and don’t know who to trust.

This third book of the series (and what I presume was meant to be the conclusion) has the small community of survivors finally getting some rudimentary electricity running and setting up communication lines with neighbouring towns. But it all could come crashing down when news that the new federal government may take drastic measures to thwart their effort reaches them.

This was a great installment. The characters are so well drawn that when they are in danger I truly feel for them. Now I was feeling particularly sensitive today because of a personal matter but still, one particular event when John and his wife were in danger actually made me teary-eyed! The action sequences were really well written.This is war, and not everyone is going to make it out alive. I get completely invested, which then makes the toll that those scenes take on the characters even more emotional.

And though there’s danger from the outside, the dangers from within are also never forgotten. Hunger, lack of proper medical supplies and equipment, and a bitterly cold winter all lay in wait for the survivors.

Date Read: May 11, 2026
Page Count: 348

5 out of 5 stars

+ Lost Challenges Penguins - set in a cold setting (27/46)
+ Crazy Challenge Potluck - involving survival (26/50)

76. We Burned So Bright by TJ Klune

With a black hole about to end all life on Earth, two husbands in their 70s set out on a road trip to fulfil a final promise in the days they have left.

This was heartwrenching, heart-pounding, amusing, emotional and everything in between. Don and Rodney have been together for 40 years, and have gone through all of it together, the joys and the sorrows. Now on this last trip together, they’ve got a three-week deadline to make it cross-country. Though the reason they were going was pretty clear to me from the onset, the details will pull your heart out.

Along the way they meet a cross-section of humanity trying to figure out how to navigate these last days. Some of these encounters had me tense and worried, some had me smiling at curmudgeonly Rodney and ever-patient Dan. By the end I just wanted these two wonderful men to have peace.

Throughout the book there’s several instances of Rodney always being the protector, and in the final paragraphs that was illustrated in a way that felt so real and right that it made me cry.

Thank you, TJ Klune.

Date Read: May 11, 2026
Page Count: 169

5 out of 5 stars

+ Lost Challenges Penguins - character attracts a mate (28/46)
+ Crazy Challenge Potluck - less than 200 pages (27/50)

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Wednesday Reading Meme

severina2001 — Thu, 07 May 2026 02:10:02 GMT

What I Just Finished Reading: Another good week for reading. Trying not to stress over lack of work results in lots of reading time. Three novels, one novella, and a short story: The Infinite Sadness of Small Appliances by Glenn Dixon, The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman, The Ghostwriter by Julie Clark, The Fall of the House of Usher by Edgar Allen Poe, and The Cost of Living by David Moody. Reviews below.

I also DNF'ed The Summer Girl by Jenny Blackhurst. I got 1/3 of the way through and it was just overall bland. Bland characters, bland plot, bland prose.

What I'm Reading Right Now: I'm 1/3rd through One Year After by William R. Forstchen, a sequel about EMPs that explode over various countries and the aftermath. It gets a little bogged down in the details, but I'm interested.

What I'm Planning To Read Next: I've got three other library books out and one waiting to be picked up. I should really focus on one of those. Maybe The Poppy Fields by Nikki Erlick. We'll see.

65. The Infinite Sadness of Small Appliances by Glenn Dixon

A group of sentient appliances band together to save the humans they love.

Somehow this story manages to be creepy-dystopian and cozy all at once. The story centers around a little roomba vacuum who is new to the household and refuses to accept the status quo. She gives herself a name (Scout) and a gender, dares to speak without first being spoken to, and wants to fight back against the all-powerful Grid which controls every aspect of their lives, both human and appliance.

I loved seeing Scout moving beyond her programming through her love of music and her attempts to understand human emotions. And the interaction between all the non-human members of the household was wonderful, as well as Scout’s growing friendship with a little neighbourhood boy.

All in all, this tugged at my heartstrings in all the right ways.

Dates Read: April 29 to May 01, 2026
Page Count: 257

5 out of 5 stars

+ Around the Year in 52 Books - Prompt 51 - published in 2026 (50/52)
+ Lost Challenges Penguins - between 150 and 300 pages (17/46)
+ Crazy Challenge Potluck - published in 2026 (20/50)

66. The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman

A group of seniors in a retirement community run a social club looking at unsolved murders, and are kind of thrilled when there’s an actual murder in their midst.

Joyce, Elizabeth, Ibrahim, and Ron are our senior detectives, and each one is a delight. They’re all individually fun and unique, and getting to know them is the true joy in the book. Not that the murders (yes, there ends up being more than one) are incidental, but the fun is in the way the folks figure things out, the way they work together, and especially the friendship that they develop with the two local detectives working the case. The crime-solving turned out to be a little too convoluted, but I was fully invested with all the relationships and absolutely loved the way a few of the revelations played out. I hadn’t figured out a thing, either.

I definitely want to continue this series. If only there were more hours in the day!

Dates Read: May 01 to 04, 2026
Page Count: 382

5 out of 5 stars

+ Lost Challenges Penguins - character eats fish (18/46)
+ Crazy Challenge Potluck - mystery (21/50)

67. The Ghostwriter by Julie Clark

The estranged daughter of a horror writer suspected of killing his siblings as a teenager returns home to ghostwrite her father’s memoir.

Nothing is quite as it seems in this brilliant novel. Memory is elusive at the best of times, playing tricks on us and fooling us. It’s worse for novelist Vincent, who is suffering from an Alzheimer's-like illness that renders him sometimes confused and hallucinatory. His daughter Olivia is left trying to decipher what are truths, lies, and misremembrances as she delves into the story of his childhood.

The novel is told in current time as Olivia works, and as she uncovers clues from the past – a diary, some home movies – the voice of Poppy, Vincent’s murdered sister, takes us back to the mid-70s and gives us more information from her point of view. Twists and turns about, and somewhere in all these hints is the truth, and it’s up to practically the last pages before it’s all revealed.

Loved the writing and the depth to all the characters.

Dates Read: May 04 to 05, 2026
Page Count: 359

5 out of 5 stars

+ Lost Challenges Penguins - setting that is hot (19/46)
+ Crazy Challenge Potluck - mystery (22/50)

68. The Fall of the House of Usher

A man visits his crazy friend who then basically murders his own sister, except with 4000 more ridiculously over-written and mind-numbingly boring words.

I guess classic gothic fiction is not for me.

Date Read: May 05, 2026
Page Count: 37

1 out of 5 stars

+ Lost Challenges Penguins - author initials in ANTIPODES (20/46)

69. The Cost of Living by David Moody

A British family isolates at home during a zombie-like apocalypse.

Stuart and Gabby have just moved into a house that is perhaps a bit beyond their means on a new development. But when a new disease spreads across the globe and the world is overrun with zombie-like creatures whose only goal is to spread the disease, they hole up in their new house and try to make it to the end.

I enjoyed this one because Stuart is an everyman who is trying to do his best for his family and who ends up, perhaps understandably, making drastically wrong choices in aid of that goal. The relentless nature of the zombies is always creepy to me, and the desperation of son Nathan in particular was well written and realistic.

I liked the double meaning of the title, and overall enjoyed the book. I just found it a little too repetitive.

Date Read: May 05, 2026
Page Count: 173

4 out of 5 stars

+ Lost Challenges Penguins - blood on cover (21/46)
+ Crazy Challenge Potluck - set in Europe (23/50)

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Wednesday Reading Meme

severina2001 — Wed, 29 Apr 2026 23:19:43 GMT

What I Just Finished Reading: Four books this time, and a 75% success rating. Woot woot! I read Just One Damned Thing After Another by Jodi Taylor, Exiles by Mason Coile, Zero Stars, Do Not Recommend by MJ Wassner, and Furiously Happy by Jenny Lawson. Reviews below.

What I'm Reading Right Now: I just started The Summer Girl by Jenny Blackhurt. No great surprises so far, but we'll see what's in store.

What I'm Planning to Read Next: I've got the ebook of The Thursday Night Murder Club by Richard Osman on my Kobo and it has to go back to the library in a week, so I'll hop onto that one next. Then, over at one of Challenge Factory's monthly challenges, the prompt is "book under 150 words" and I happen to have 2 novellas and 2 short stories on my Kindle, so hopefully on the weekend I can get to those and really shoot that book count up. :D

61. Just One Damned Thing After Another by Jodi Taylor

In the not-so-distant future, a ragtag group of historians at a secret institution use time travel to discover what really happened in the past… but they’re not alone out there.

This is a fun if crazily disorganized introduction to St. Mary’s and its unconventional group of scientists and historians. Our main character is Madeleine Maxwell, aka Max, who is new to the organization and so we discover everything through her eyes. The jumps back in time are fun – in this first book of the series they visit the construction of Westminster Abbey and the time of the dinosaurs, among other things. Meanwhile, there’s also bad guys afoot.

I had plenty of fun with the book but it does have its flaws: the pace is a bit too frenetic, and not enough depth to the many, many characters. The author adds in some serious life moments that just don’t fit the narrative and are ultimately brushed off by the characters or seemingly forgotten about anyway.

But I feel like ultimately this is a popcorn book. You can basically just enjoy the ride and not sweat the rest. This is the first of a long series and I’m planning to continue.

Dates Read: April 20 to 23, 2026
Page Count: 335

4 out of 5 stars

+ Lost Challenges Penguins - character shows some skin (13/46)
+ Crazy Challenge Potluck - set in Europe (16/50)

62. Exiles by Mason Coile

The initial team sent to a new Mars outpost discovers bedlam upon their arrival. The robots that were to guide them have gone rogue, chosen names, and well exceeded their programming. Something is attacking the outpost, but is it a missing bot or an alien entity?

Dana Gold is one of the three astronauts and the only woman on the team. Unfortunately, I felt that the pace just dragged and the lack of description, I guess I would say, meant that I never felt I was connecting with Gold or her environment. She was as sterile as Mars.

The ending made me think – I felt it was fairly ambiguous, which I liked – but for it to have the impact it should have the story needed depth. I find that’s often a problem with short novels. It’s almost like it’s a summary of a story instead of truly immersing the reader into the world.

Dates Read: April 23 to 25, 2026
Page Count: 214

4 out of 5 stars

+ Lost Challenges Penguins - character called Alex (14/46)
+ Crazy Challenge Potluck - involving robots (17/50)

63. Zero Stars, Do Not Recommend by MJ Wassmer

When the sun disappears while he’s on vacation, resort goer Dan must decide if he’ll try to escape the island or lead a rebellion.

You’d think that the sun exploding would be an incentive to work together, but noooo. It doesn’t take long before the rich folks in Building A have taken charge, and set about ruling the island with an iron fist. Disobey at your peril.

It’s difficult to manage a light-hearted and funny apocalypse, but Mr. Wassmer pulls it off. Dan is sarcastic and funny, and most decidedly does not want to be a leader, but he’s literally thrust into the role and fumbles his way through, mostly because his girlfriend Mara is the brains behind the outfit. She’s feisty and empathetic, and the secondary cast of characters are relatable and have dimension as well. And when things get serious, the tone shifts enough that the reader is drawn in and feels the tension. It’s a lovely balance.

I halfway guessed the ending, but that’s okay. Getting there was too much fun.

Date Read: April 26, 2026
Page Count: 371

5 out of 5 stars

+ Lost Challenges Penguins - set on an island (15/46)
+ Crazy Challenge Potluck - standalone (18/50)

64. Furiously Happy by Jenny Lawson

This is a series of stories from the author’s life loosely grouped around her mental illness. There are some comical moments but it quickly just becomes a bunch of “look at how kooky and quirky I am” type stories. I appreciate the message of living life to the fullest in the moments when you can, so my annoyance may simply be a me problem. Also, some of the things she suggests involving animals, even though I know they’re jokes, are just not funny to me. Her husband Victor must be a saint.

Dates Read: April 27 to 28, 2026
Page Count: 325

2 out of 5 stars

+ Around the Year in 52 Books - Prompt 46 - not a novel (49/52)
+ Lost Challenges Penguins - face on cover (16/46)
+ Crazy Challenge Potluck - other animal on cover (19/50)

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Wednesday Reading Meme

severina2001 — Wed, 22 Apr 2026 20:16:09 GMT

What I Just Finished Reading: Three books this week: The Good Samaritan by John Marrs, The Crossing Places by Elly Griffiths, and The Rules of Magic by Alice Hoffman. The Crossing Places is the rose between two thorns. Reviews below.

What I'm Reading Right Now: I'm about halfway through Just One Damned Thing After Another by Jodi Taylor, about time traveling historians. It's fun.

What I'm Planning to Read Next: I'm under a flood of books right now. Exiles by Mason Coile just came in on an ebook hold at the library, so I have to get to it next to free it up for the next person. Same with Wolf Worm by T. Kingfisher, where a physical copy is just waiting for me to pick it up, also from a hold, also with people waiting. So those will be my next two for sure.

58. The Good Samaritan by John Marrs

Laura, thirty-something married mom of three, volunteers at a hotline where people call to unburden themselves of their worries to a non-judgemental outsider. Unfortunately, those that get Laura on the phone have no idea that they’re dealing with a sociopath.

The first third of the book was creepy, with tension building as Laura, the epitome of the unreliable narrator, takes us through her life and the months she spends grooming her latest victims for suicide. There’s enough hints for the reader to know that there is a lot we don’t know about her home life, just enough to keep us on edge and ratchet up the tension.

The book loses its flow when a second POV takes over, and then completely goes off the deep end in the final third. What starts as a premise rooted at least tangentially in the real world becomes a ridiculous, over-the-top schlockfest. The horrible epilogue just put the rotten cherry on this disaster.

Dates Read: April 14 to 16, 2026
Page Count: 399

2 out of 5 stars

+ Lost Challenges Penguins - black cover (10/46)
+ Crazy Challenge Potluck - thriller (13/50)

59. The Crossing Places by Elly Griffiths

Ruth Galloway, an archaeologist, is brought in to help the investigation when bones are discovered that police fear may belong to a missing little girl. Though they turn out to be Iron Age bones, Ruth continues to help DIC Harry Nelson.

There were so many things I loved about this book, and some of them are of the ‘appearing simple but in actuality complex’ variety. The first is the effortless way the author sprinkles in the information the reader needs, from archaeological terms to character backgrounds. Especially with the former, the dialogue felt natural and realistic. I also loved that Ruth is independent and loves her own company, adored her love of her cats, and loved that all of the relationships also developed realistically.

My initial dislike of Harry changed to loving him as she filled in more of the character. I’m looking forward to seeing how everything turns out between them in future novels. Ruth grew on me too, from a sort of cliche in the first few chapters to a more nuanced person.

It’s difficult to explain, but I liked the normalcy of this world. These felt like real people doing real things. No, they felt like real adults doing real things. I just enjoyed being in that world of competence and non-craziness.

Dates Read: April 17 to 18, 2026
Page Count: 303

5 out of 5 stars

+ Lost Challenges Penguins - 1st letter of location in IUCN (11/46)
+ Crazy Challenge Potluck - recommended book (14/50)

60. The Rules of Magic by Alice Hoffman

SPOILERS AHEAD!
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I’m not even sure how to sum this up. Three overindulged and annoying magical children are made to fear love by their elders?

Franny, Jet, and Vincent are teenage witches in the 1960s. They’re told there’s a curse on their family so that whoever they love will die or come to some kind of bad end.. Jet is 16 when she “falls in love” with a boy who she meets with, by her own estimation, 20 times before tragedy befalls him. We’re meant to believe this was the love of her life and she mourns him for all her days. I mean, most 16 year olds fall in love three times before lunch, but whatever.

Then there’s Franny, who keeps pushing her boyfriend away and then gets pissed off when he actually starts dating someone else. They do end up together and thwart the curse by... never admitting to anyone else that they love each other? And living apart? Ohhhhkay.

Brother Vincent is a gross little horndog who is fucking everything that moves at 14 and then spends some time selling black magic curses. He’s a bit older when he finally realizes he’s gay (mmmkay) and in the end, he and the boyfriend live happily ever after.

Soooo, what I get from this is that there is no goddamn curse. There’s just a bunch of paranoid weirdos who freak out their kids for no reason. There’s never been a curse. Sometimes bad things happen and people you love die. And sometimes good things happen and you get to grow old together. The End.

Also, the whole book is a “tell”.

Dates Read: April 18 to 20, 2026
Page Count: 463

2 out of 5 stars

+ Lost Challenges Penguins - yellow cover (12/46)
+ Crazy Challenge Potluck - new to me author (15/50)

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Wednesday Reading Meme

severina2001 — Wed, 15 Apr 2026 18:51:26 GMT

What I Just Finished Reading: Five books this week: Rescue Dog Tales by Mikael Lindnord, Happiness Falls by Angie Kim, Too Old For This by Samantha Downing, The Forgotten Book Club by Kate Storey, and The Onset by TW Piperbrook. Reviews below.

What I'm Reading Right Now: I'm close to halfway through The Good Samaritan by John Marrs. This MC is eeeeevil.

What I'm Planning to Read Next: I got 7 more books out of the library today.. it's an addiction. LOL One of the monthly challenges that I do has a prompt this month of "water on cover" so I will probably try to choose one of two that fits that prompts, either Zero Stars, Do Not Recommend or The Crossing Places

53. Rescue Dog Tales: The Story of Arthur and Sixteen Dogs Who Found Forever Homes
by Mikael Lindnord

Positive tales about the joys and struggles of dog rescue.

Arthur is the scrappy little dog that joined adventure race Mikael on his race in Ecuador, and was adopted by Mikael and taken to Sweden, as chronicled in Arthur: The Dog That Crossed a Jungle to Find a Home. This book updates his story, telling of his fame and travels to promote the book, as well as some health struggles that the poor little guy faced.

It also shares a bunch of stories of international dog rescue, with a smattering of local rescue stories too. There are two blind dogs rescued in Ireland who now live in Sweden. And Teddie, an abused dog who travelled from Spain to Finland for his forever home, who was terrified of everything… except cats.

All of the stories will warm your heart.

Dates Read: April 07 to 08, 2026
Page Count: 203

5 out of 5 stars

+ Around the Year in 52 Books - Prompt 29 - vacation book (45/52)
+ Lost Challenges Countdown - Prompt 6 - read 6 books published in 2023 or earlier (06/06 - 52/55 total)
+ Lost Challenges Penguins - author’s initials in “MacQuarie Island” (05/46)
+ Crazy Challenge Potluck - dog on cover (09/50)

54. Happiness Falls by Angie Kim

A father disappears and the only witness is his special needs son, who is unable to communicate.

I wish I liked this more, because the underlying mystery is great. When dad Adam goes missing, his family discovers he was hiding… a lot. So there’s multiple mysteries within the book, as the family tries to piece together what exactly Adam was up to in the weeks and months prior to his disappearance. I also adored the character of Eugene, whose dual diagnosis of autism and Angelman syndrome leads to both challenges and triumphs.

But the book gets bogged down by its own pretentiousness. And yes, the linguistics and some of the philosophy do tie into the plot, but they take up entirely too much of the book. I don’t need to hear daughter Mia go into so many tangents. They got in the way of the mystery, which is why I was there at all.

Mostly though, I felt that the depth of the writing exceeded what the characters were realistically capable of. Mia and her brother John are supposed to be 20. Eugene is only 14. I am sure it’s a rare 14 year old and not very many 20 year olds who are as wildly intelligent, well-read, and eloquent as this bunch. It took me repeatedly out of the story. These simply are not real people.

Dates Read: April 09 to 10, 2026
Page Count: 387

3 out of 5 stars

+ Around the Year in 52 Books - Prompt 22 - Korean or Korean-diaspora author (46/52)
+ Lost Challenges Penguins - character who is noisy (06/46)
+ Crazy Challenge Potluck - new-to-me author (10/50)

55. Too Old For This by Samantha Downing

A serial killer is forced out of retirement when someone starts investigating her past.

Lottie is 75 years old, and spends her time gossiping at the church bingo and wondering if she ought to get that hip replacement her doctor is recommending. Until a documentarian shows up at her house wanting to do a story on the murders she was “wrongfully accused of” many years ago, and old reflexes kick in. Now she’s got a body to get rid of… and that’s just the start.

This is such a fun and clever novel. Lottie’s crimes make such logical sense to her own mind that I couldn’t help being swept along, wanting her to succeed no matter how many barriers – and people – got in her way. Dark humour abounds, but Lottie herself is calm, cool, and mostly collected. I loved the little subplot with Jaxon the telemarketer, who is a very lucky young man.

This one is a compulsive page-turner. Couldn’t put it down!

Date Read: April 11, 2026
Page Count: 395

5 out of 5 stars

+ Around the Year in 52 Books - Prompt 47 with this/that/those in title (47/52)
+ Lost Challenges Countdown - Prompt 7 - read 7 books published in 2024 or 2025 (06/07 - 53/55 total)
+ Lost Challenges Penguins - character who is aggressive (07/46)
+ Crazy Challenge Potluck - protagonist who is 50+ (11/50)

56. The Forgotten Book Club by Kate Storey

A widow joins the book club her late husband had founded.

The general idea here is sound: through her new found family at the book club, Grace learns not only more about her husband and how to deal with her grief, but life lessons for her daughter and grandson as well.

In reality it’s a bit treacly and a bit clunky, especially at the start, in its themes of ADHD, depression, and mental illness. But the message is so heartfelt that I found myself forgiving the book for being a bit overzealous in the message. In the end, watching everyone come together to expand the book club and raise money for good causes is such a feel-good story that I was grinning and happy to be a part of it.

My one quibble is this: the bookstore owner mentions at the beginning of the book that there’s no judgement, one can read whatever they like and they are happy to hear everyone’s thoughts… but then every book mentioned is Important and Literature and Has A Message. Where’s The Lemon Meringue Pie Murder or Apocalypse of the Dead? Even the person who admits to reading romance novels likes historical ones that are routinely acclaimed in that genre. I wanted someone to be devouring bodice-rippers or vampire smut!

Date Read: April 12, 2025
Page Count: 310

4 out of 5 stars

+ Lost Challenges Countdown - Prompt 7 - read 7 books published in 2024 or 2025 (07/07 - 54/55 total)
+ Lost Challenges Penguins - set in England (08/46)
+ Crazy Challenge Potluck - protagonist who is 50+ (12/50)

57. The Onset by TW Piperbrook

Food contamination leads to the start of a (maybe) zombie like apocalypse.

The infection starts in rural New Mexico, where a shop owner gets caught up with an infected person and flees for his life, hooking up with two young guys traveling on business and a woman that’s been searching for him. She picked the wroooong day for a road trip. The action is frenetic. The author really needs to slow down and make sure everything is clear.

The prequel featured, to my memory, your pretty basic zombies. In this book, they’re more stealthy and are able to do things like hide. And possibly drive? I’m going to assume this is Version 1 and perhaps they degenerate into Version 2. These books are short enough, so I’ll read the next book at least to find out.

Date Read: April 13, 2026
Page Count: 116

3 out of 5 stars

+ Lost Challenges Countdown - Prompt 8 - read 8 books from the same genre (08/08 - 55/55 total) – COMPLETE!
+ Lost Challenges Penguins - 2nd book in a series (09/46)

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Wednesday Reading Meme

severina2001 — Wed, 08 Apr 2026 07:11:36 GMT

What I Just Finished Reading: Three books and a novella this week: How To Seal Your Own Fate by Kristin Perrin, The Paradise Problem by Christina Lauren, Foster by Claire Keegan, and Happy Place by Emily Henry. Reviews below.

I also had two DNFs. Don't Let The Forest In by CG Crews is filled with overly florid purple prose. I gave up at 20%. And Something To Talk About by Samantha Baca is not the quickest book I've ever DNF'ed -- that honour still goes to Little Women -- but it did only take me two chapters. Just a cringe-worthy attempt at banter with absolutely no lead up to the characters.

What I'm Reading Right Now: I'm almost done a short book, Rescue Dog Tales by Mikael Lindnord.

What I'm Planning to Read Next: I think next will be Happiness Falls by Angie Kim. It sounds really interesting, and it'll also knock off two Goodreads bookmarks and a Gridlock space. :)

49. How To Seal Your Own Fate by Kristen Perrin

When fortune-teller Peony Lane shows up at the manor and then is found dead in the solarium, amateur sleuth Annie Adams is once again drawn to solve a mystery from her aunt Frances’ past.

Unlike the first book, in which the reader and Annie are learning the events of the past as we read Frances’ journals together, in this book the journal is missing… so the reader “reads” the journal, but Annie is struggling to piece things together without its crucial information. It’s really the only way the book could work, but it does interrupt the flow of the story.

The mystery itself is a little convoluted, but I do love the journal entries. Annie kind of reminds me of a modern-day Nancy Drew, so earnest and young. I feel like she came into her own in this story. But it’s Frances and her life that really carries the story along for me. I’d love a book from her POV, not just looking back at her journals. I also did enjoy that this is a self-contained story, but it did cleverly set up not only the next book but several future ones as well.

Dates Read: April 01 to 04, 2026
Page Count: 386

4 out of 5 stars

+ Around the Year in 52 Days - Prompt 44 - symbol of death on cover (42/52)
+ Lost Challenges Countdown - Prompt 7 - read 7 books published in 2024 or 2025 (04/07 - 48/55 total)
+ Crazy Challenge Potluck - set in Europe (06/50)
+ Lost Challenges Penguins - character gets a ring (01/46)

50. The Paradise Problem by Christina Lauren

Liam Weston, cut off from his wealthy family, enters into a marriage of convenience for cheap student housing. Five years later, however, his inheritance relies on passing off Anna, who he hasn’t seen in years, as his devoted wife.

This time it’s the fake marriage trope, turned a little on its head since Anna and Liam are technically married. With Liam’s sister’s wedding on a private island in Indonesia, the fam insists that Liam and Anna attend. Hijinks of course ensue as Anna, a struggling artist, has a crash course in the life of filthy rich.

I absolutely adored Anna. She was realistically funny, honest, and completely relatable. Liam was a bit more of an enigma, but I felt that was in character – he was closed off by his upbringing and a harder nut to crack. The banter in this one is delicious and adorable. I particularly enjoyed Anna’s relationship with Liam’s niece. It hit just the right note of authenticity.

The only thing that hit a wrong note for me was the absolute awfulness of pretty much every rich person we meet. Even the not-so-bad ones are still pretty bad for not standing up for the little people that the truly awful ones treat so badly. Perhaps if they’d been toned down a little they wouldn’t have felt like such caricatures.

Dates Read: April 04 to 05, 2026
Page Count: 340

4 out of 5 stars

+ Around the Year in 52 Books - Prompt 08 - set in Asia, Australia, or Africa (43/52)
+ Lost Challenges Countdown - Prompt 7 - read 7 books published in 2024 or 2025 (05/07 - 49/55 total)
+ Lost Challenges Penguins - character over 6’ tall (02/46)
+ Crazy Challenge Potluck - standalone (07/50)

51. Foster by Claire Keegan

A young girl in rural Ireland is brought to stay with an aunt and uncle she doesn’t know during her mother’s pregnancy.

This is a beautiful, heartwarming, and heartbreaking novella. Narrated by the nameless child, the reader must rely on the language and what’s left unsaid to get the full story. The child has clearly been neglected by her poor parents; just how far that negligence may slip into abuse is left up to the reader to decide. That plus her family’s poverty means that she is woefully unused to simple care and love, and it is with tentative steps that she grows while fostering with her aunt and uncle.

Both stories that I’ve read by Ms. Keegan have been novellas. And while I appreciate the sparseness of the language and the lyrical way in which she writes, I also long for more. I’m of two minds on the ending.

Date Read: April 05, 2026
Page Count: 62

4 out of 5 stars

+ Lost Challenges Countdown - Prompt 6 - read 6 book published in 2023 or earlier (04/06 - 50/55)
+ Lost Challenges Penguins - set by the water (03/46)

52. Happy Place by Emily Henry

A newly separated couple decide to keep their parting a secret during a week-long vacation with friends.

It’s Harriet and Wyn who have to keep up the ruse, and the story alternates between the years of friendship and love between them all and their present-day vacation.. I only wish I liked their friends more! You know those people that you see in public, who are so self-absorbed that they don’t realize that when they started cackling with laughter and swinging their arms in circles they scared the hell out of some little old lady and almost smacked another person in the face? That is this group of friends. So when they were in a big group they became annoying to me very quickly.

But the main story of Harriet and Wyn navigating their relationship kept my interest, even though Harriet’s issue was clear from the beginning, as well as how to resolve it. I could still buy that it took HER some time to get there. She gives depth to the main characters, and the setting of a Maine lobster fest was fun.

Dates Read: April 06 to 07, 2026
Page Count: 388

4 out of 5 stars

+ Around the Year in 52 Books - Prompt 52 - related to one of Santa’s reindeer [Cupid for romance] (44/52)
+ Lost Challenges Countdown - Prompt 6 - read 6 books published in 2023 or earlier (05/06 - 51/55 total)
+ Lost Challenges Penguins - character caught in rainstorm (04/46)
+ Crazy Challenge Potluck - standalone (08/50)

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Wednesday Reading Meme

severina2001 — Wed, 01 Apr 2026 18:03:41 GMT

What I Just Finished Reading: Four books and a short story this week: The More The Terrier by David Rosenfelt, Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt, The Price of Honey by Liane Moriarity, Close Your Eyes and Count to Ten by Lisa Unger, and The Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren. Reviews below.

What I'm Reading Right Now: Just started How to Seal Your Own Fate by Kristin Perrin.

What I'm Planning to Read Next: I went through and made note of what prompts I had left for Around the Year in 52 Books, then checked what on my TBR matches the prompts, and then further checked to see which of those are available at my local library (without needing a transfer) or on ebook. So now I've got a whole organized list for that, plus Gridlock books, plus my Dusty Bookshelf picks.

So I've got plenty to choose from, but if nobody picks for me at Give Me 5 and I have my druthers, it'll probably be The Paradise Problem by Christina Lauren, because I enjoyed The Unhoneymooners so much.

44. The More The Terrier by David Rosenfelt

When Murphy the terrier shows up on Andy’s doorstep, the little dog leads him to another wrongfully accused murderer.

I’m sad to say that this one just did not work for me. There was no banter, no fun, no cleverness. Once again the crime tied into the mob and international shenanigans, and I’m just tired of that trope. While I didn’t guess the murderer, I did figure out what tied in and what didn’t. This one was just a little boring.

Dates Read: March 25 to 27, 2026
Page Count: 299

3 out of 5 stars

+ Around the Year in 52 Books - Prompt 16 - character same/similar to one in Clue (37/52)
+ Lost Challenges Countdown - Prompt 7 - read 7 books published in 2024 or 2025 (02/07 - 44/55 total)
+ Crazy Challenge Collection Potluck - Dog on cover (02/50)

45. Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt

A woman emotionally stunted by grief forms a friendship with the octopus at the aquarium where she works.

This was a wonderful, heartwarming and tender novel. Tova’s son drowned thirty years ago, at the age of 18, and a combination of her stoic Swedish background and her natural tendencies mean that she still feels his loss deeply yet hides her pain. Marcellus, meanwhile, is the clever octopus at the aquarium where Tova cleans nights, and whom she discovers trapped in cords after he’s escaped his tank. Her rescue of Marcellus leads to their bond.

I absolutely loved Tova. She speaks to all the fish as she passes their tanks, and she is respectful of everyone. Her loneliness bleeds through the page, as well as her determined lack of acknowledgement of it. Her story is twined with that of Cameron, a newcomer to town in search of his dad, and Ethan, the nosy yet lovably generous shopkeeper with a crush on Tova. I appreciate that the main characters are all flawed: they felt like real people to me.

The understated relationship between Tova and Ethan was so lovely. How nice to have a reminder that your chance for love doesn’t end simply because you have some wrinkles. Some of the chapters are also told from Marcellus’ point of view, and I adored this brilliant big fellow who worked so hard to communicate and help Tova. And his special hidden treasures!

A really lovely story.

Dates Read: March 27 to 28, 2026
Page Count: 362

5 out of 5 stars

+ Around The Year in 52 Books - Prompt 10 - award winning book (38/52)
+ Lost Challenges Countdown - Prompt 5 - read 5 standalones (05/05 - 45/55 total)
+ Crazy Challenge Potluck - other animal on cover (03/50)

46. The Price of Honey by Liane Moriarity

In this short story set in the future, a tech billionaire’s widow comes to some life-changing revelations.

Honey Barnett joins her late husband’s three ex-wives at his funeral. And despite the brevity there was such depth of characterization for all four women, five if you include the Uber driver who takes Honey to the cathedral. It’s Honey who takes center stage though, as she works through her thoughts with the help of the wives and begins to rediscover her own worth. Great ending, too!

Date Read: March 28, 2026
Page Count: 34

5 out of 5 stars

+ Around the Year in 52 Books - Prompt 48 - something edible in title (39/52)

47. Close Your Eyes and Count to Ten by Lisa Unger

YouTube influencers gather on an isolated island for a monetary game of Hide and Seek.

I’m a big fan of competition reality shows. I thought that this book, which sounds like a combination of Survivor and Mr. Beast, would be right up my alley. Unfortunately, it falls flat in a lot of ways.

The premise just doesn’t work. I know how many people it takes to run these events, so having a crew of three plus host? No. Having only three contestants? No. There’s one contestant who doesn’t show – but no reason to include that in the story. There’s a backstory about the main contestant, Adele, whose husband embezzled money from his company and has gone on the run, that ultimately has nothing to do with the main story and served no purpose. The resolution there is super clunky and makes little sense. And I don’t know much about video games, but the mechanics there seemed wonky to me as well.

I almost feel like this should have gotten two stars, except there was an interesting story buried in there somewhere. It’s just that the plotting was all over the place. If a good editor had tightened the story and the author had done more research, I feel like this would have been so much better.

Dates Read: March 28 to 29, 2026
Page Count: 376

3 out of 5 stars

+ Around the Year in 52 Books - Prompt 5 - want to read because of something read in 2025 (40/52)
+ Lost Challenges Countdown - Prompt 7 - 7 book published in 2024 or 2025 (03/07 - 46/55 total)
+ Crazy Challenge Potluck - thriller (04/50)

48. The Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren

When a bad buffet incapacitates a bride and groom, the battling duo of the wife’s sister and the groom’s brother go on their non-refundable honeymoon.

Yes, it’s the ol’ enemies to lovers trope, but it’s done so well. Olive has felt judged by Ethan from the get-go, and the barbs they exchange are truly clever and funny. In fact, the banter is the best part of the book, and it flows quite naturally from both characters. Of course, once on the honeymoon they have to keep up the ruse, especially when Ethan’s former girlfriend and Olive’s new boss are among the guests, and they find themselves less playacting and more falling for each other.

I enjoyed that the misunderstandings were kept to a minimum, and for the most part the couple used their words to overcome any differences. I also loved the description and interaction of Olive’s large and loving family. Coming from a small clan myself, it made me kind of long for that kind of overwhelming love and support. I could also commiserate with wanting to support family coming from both sides of the aisle.

Dates Read: March 30 to 31, 2026
Page Count: 400

5 out of 5 stars

+ Around the Year in 52 Books - Prompt 50 - bird on cover (41/52)
+ Lost Challenges Coundown - Prompt 6 - read 6 books published in 2023 or earlier (03/06 - 47/55 total)
+ Crazy Challenge Potluck - female author (05/50)

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Wednesday Reading Meme

severina2001 — Wed, 25 Mar 2026 16:53:01 GMT

What I Just Finished Reading: Not as successful this week. Finished off the Under The Breaking Sky series, read one crackified short fic in Tantrum by Rachel Eve Moulton, and then spent four days trying to get into Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone by Benjamin Stevenson before giving it up as a lost cause. Reviews below.

What I'm Reading Right Now: I just gave up on that Stevenson book, so I haven't picked up another yet.

What I'm Planning to Read Next: I need a comfort read, so it's back to David Rosenfelt and The More The Terrier.

41. Blind Hate by Nick Clausen

Big happenings in the penultimate novel.

Clausen paid homage to the master, Stephen King, by naming his deaf character NIck in honour of King’s hero from The Stand. And he uses another King technique to trim the fat in a really tense, lengthy sequence of chapters in this book. He kept the pace frenetic, kept me on edge, and yet layered in some really nice emotional moments. Well done.

We’ve got some more info about the bad guys, and our heroes only have one more book to tie up all the loose ends and give us a hopeful ending. Not sure how he’ll manage it in 200 pages, but I’ll give it a go.

Date Read: March 18, 2026
Page Count: 188

5 out of 5 stars

+ Lost Challenges Countdown - Prompt 8 - read 8 books from the same genre (06/08 - 41/55 total)

42. Blind Evil by Nick Clausen

The conclusion of the Under The Breaking Sky series.

There was a lot to wrap up in the series, and I can’t say the author fully succeeded. But he did bring things to a fairly cohesive close for all the main players. I was particularly happy with fitting and satisfying ends for some characters (Tommy, Anton), less satisfied with other (Mark), and some felt forgotten altogether (Alicia). The overall “this is happening worldwide” arc certainly didn’t get a conclusion, but there’s an epilogue pointing things in a hopeful direction.

On the bad side overall: far too much sexual assault trauma in the backgrounds of the female characters. It’s a cheap and easy device, and readers should expect better. The way to get rid of the ghosts seems sanctimonious and preachy, and still doesn’t align with who the bad guys are, which was really never completely explained.

On the plus side overall: really good action sequences and ability to maintain the tension. The book has quick, short chapters with cliffhanger endings, which is good at keeping the reader wanting to get to the next chapter. But when Mr. Clausen gives himself time to breathe and lets the action expand, it’s much more effective. That’s when the great emotional beats happen.

Date Read: March 19, 2026
Page Count: 201

4 out of 5 stars

+ Lost Challenges Countdown - Prompt 8 - read 8 books from the same genre (07/08 - 42/55 total)

43. Tantrum by Rachel Eve Moulton

What in the ever-lovin’ hell was that?

Thea is a mom of three who is convinced her new daughter is a monster. This appears to be true when the 13-week-old starts walking, talking, and takes a bite out of her brother with her full set of teeth.

So then other things happen, that I can’t really talk about with spoiling. But trust me when I say that things just get more and more bizarre. It turns out that Thea had an abusive childhood and has a lot of repressed rage. So I’m assuming all the weirdo stuff that happens is supposed to be a metaphor for her trauma and feminism and taking back her power and being reborn and blah blah blah, and it all reads like a pretentious women’s lit creative writing project that should have been graded a C.

Stay far away.

Date Read: March 20, 2026
Page Count: 192

1 out of 5 stars

+ Around the Year in 52 Books - Prompt 36 - primary character who is female 40+ (36/52)
+ Lost Challenges Countdown - Prompt 5 - read 5 books that are standalones (04/05 - 43/55 total)
+ Crazy Challenge Connection Potluck - New to Me Author (01/50)

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Wednesday Reading Meme

severina2001 — Wed, 18 Mar 2026 23:27:25 GMT

What I Just Finished Reading: A combination of a free weekend, not being able to sleep for more than 4 hours a night, and a series with quick reads and short word counts led me to reading 7 books this week: Dog Day Afternoon by David Rosenthal, Vagabond by Tim Curry, and 5 books in the Under The Breaking Sky series by Nick Clausen. Reviews below.

I also had one DNF, Marsha by Tourmaline. Just poorly written, repetitive, and with no narrative flow.

What I'm Reading Right Now: I'm hoping to finish the series by the weekend. I'm reading Blind Hate now, and there's only one book left in the series after that.

What I'm Planning to Read Next: I think I'll move to a Gridlock book next. Maybe Everybody in My Family Has Killed Someone by Benjamin Stevenson.

34. Blind Fury by Nick Clausen

The immune struggle to stay clear of the rampaging affected and the government looking to round them up for experimentation.

This picks up right where the last book ended. Our immune characters are physically all over the place, and while the book makes some strides to get them together it also splits some of them up. Despite the large cast of characters it’s a rollicking fast-paced crazy action tale, and I’m enjoying every minute of it. Our heroes are not only trying to deal with the rampaging murderous infected, but this time there’s bad guys out to get them as well. It feels a bit old-fashioned and a bit popcorn action movie.

The author ends almost every chapter with a cliffhanger, which can be a little annoying at times. But the chapters are short so you’re not left hanging for long. Anyway, it was an effective way to keep me reading, that’s for sure.

I made myself a little cheat sheet to stick into my reading journal of where the characters were left off, since their fates are left hanging and I may forget details before I get to the next book.

Dates Read: March 11 to 13, 2026
Page Count: 300

5 out of 5 stars

+ Lost Challenges Countdown - Prompt 10 - read 10 books from any series (06/10 - 34/55 total)

35. Dog Day Afternoon by David Rosenfelt

Marcus enlists Andy’s help when a young man Marcus mentors is arrested for mass murder.

A fast-paced and easy-to-follow entry to the series. Nick, our accused murderer, has a flimsy alibi. But his love of dogs and Marcus’ endorsement is enough for Andy. There’s clues a-plenty and I was able to figure out some of the mystery, though not how it all tied together. I was happy for a return of the Bubelah Brigade (minus two members who have moved to Florida) and was pleased that Marcus at least spoke briefly, though I’d hoped he’d have a bigger role.
We really need a book featuring Marcus!

Loved the chilling little epilogue ending.

Dates Read: March 13 to 14, 2026
Page Count: 304

5 out of 5 stars

+ Around the Year in 52 Books - Prompt 20 - related to today (34/52)
+ Lost Challenges Countdown - Prompt 10 - read 10 books from any series (07/10 - 35/55 total)

36. Vagabond by Tim Curry

Memoir.

Mr. Curry hits the highlights of his life in this fast moving autobiography, from a few quick chapters of his early years to his appearances on stage, film, TV, and voice work, and his later stroke. There’s no celebrity gossip or details about his love life, and the most he’ll give is the suggestion that some actors were less tolerable to work with than others. It did feel very honest and straightforward, with a breezy, conversational style. His assistant/ghostwriter certainly got his voice right because I felt like I could hear him narrating in certain parts.

It was lovely to reminisce about some of his classics, and delightful to hear that one of his favourites to work on was Muppet Treasure Island. This book brought back a lot of great memories, from listening to his albums on my portable record player, an image ripped from a Rocky Horror book on my bedroom wall, many RHPS showings, and dragging my friends to the theatre trying to see allll the endings of Clue.

Is it wrong that I wanted just a littttttle bit of gossip?

Date Read: March 14, 2026
Page Count: 281

4 out of 5 stars

+ Around the Year in 52 Weeks - Prompt 19 - related to yesterday (35/52)
+ Lost Challenges Countdown - Prompt 3 - read 3 books with one-word title (03/03 - 36/55 total)

37. Blind Fear by Nick Clausen

As the crack in the sky gets bigger and lasts longer, it becomes more of a struggle for both the immune and non-immune to resist its effects.

Our heroes are mostly still separated and in a world of hurt. One of the manifestations of the crack is hallucinations (or are they?) of dead loved ones, who will use any tactic to get the living to either look into the sky or hurt the people around them. This especially causes trouble for newcomer Nick, whose deafness means he doesn’t realize his companion is communicating with her dead boyfriend, and Gina and Thorn both find themselves on the brink after unsettling encounters.

The cast of characters is a bit too unwieldy and the brevity of the books means we don’t get to spend enough time with them. But the tension is ratcheted up to the max, and this instalment was able to surprise me a few times, so I can’t seem to fault it.

Onward to book 4.

Date Read: May 15, 2026
Page Count: 215

5 out of 5 stars

+ Lost Challenge Countdown - Prompt 10 - read 10 books from any series (08/10 - 37/55 total)

38. Blind Pain by Nick Clausen

Our survivors wrestle with their demons, and we’re given a little hint as to the origins behind the crack in the sky.

The story takes a lurching step sideways in this instalment, with Fritz – well, I don’t want to ruin it for anyone, but he’s certainly not the same person. I’m not sure I like this development. And as more and more survivors are alternately tormented or helped by their ghosts, we’re left to wonder if there are two powers at play here. The characterizations can veer pretty wildly here, from the accuracy of what kids are like when they’re bratty to the over-the-top-ness of the redneck family that Melissa encounters.

I like the imagery of the varying degrees of adeptness that blind display when in hiding. Sometimes they’re like cats behind a curtain, or an elephant trying to hide behind a pole. And sometimes they get it right, those sneaky buggers.

Dates Read: March 15 to 16, 2026
Page Count: 240

4 out of 5 stars

+ Lost Challenges Countdown - Prompt 10 - read 10 books from any series (09/10 - 38/55 total)

39. Blind Hope by Nick Clausen

Midway through the series and things are getting a bit unraveled.

The survivors continue to struggle with their demons, with Mark taking a big downturn for the worst. This is the Mark from the beginning of the series, and considering not much time has gone by in this apoca-world, this version of him feels more authentic, if offputting, then the virtuous Mark we’ve seen in the last few novels. I know that he’s probably the main “hero” and will gain redemption, but I pretty much want him to die.

In the world of the bad guys, Fritz is making headway on… something. There’s a lot of people and an airplane hangar and plans are apparently afoot. Melissa should have rethought about hanging with this dude.

This book feels a lot choppier than the rest. Considering they’re so short there’s plenty of space to expand the world-building, give us smoother transitions between locations, and especially fill in the backstory from one of John’s previous cases that apparently holds the key to the breaking sky. Events are mentioned as if the reader should already know about them, but I’m clueless.

This was the most disappointing installment, but I’m in for the long haul. Three more to go.

Date Read: March 16, 2026
Page Count: 180

3 out of 5 stars

+ Lost Challenges Countdown - Prompt 10 - read 10 books from any series (10/10 complete - 39/55 total)

40. Blind Fate by Nick Clausen

Tommy’s going off the deep end, John is one lucky dude, and Melissa probably deserved that fate.

Well, there is a LOT of ridiculousness in book 6, yet somehow it was quite enjoyable. Chief among the craziness is a ghoulish baby. Seriously, why do so many books and movies feel they need to add a monster/zombie/inhuman baby? It’s never a good idea. The premise is also completely unravelling – I’m not sure the explanations given for the breaking sky and the ghosts matches with the physical manifestation of what the affected blind people and Fritz/Franz can do, never mind the aforementioned ghoulish baby.

So with John’s miraculous survival, Tommy’s repetitive ghost, and a cracked out plot, why did I enjoy it so much? I mean, this whole series is pure schlock, but I guess this one was pretty entertaining schlock.

Date Read: March 17, 2026
Page Count: 197

4 out of 5 stars

+ Lost Challenges Countdown - Prompt 6 - read 6 books published in 2023 or before (02/06 - 40/55 total)

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Wednesday Reading Meme

severina2001 — Wed, 11 Mar 2026 12:07:19 GMT

What I Just Finished Reading: Four books this week, with varying degrees of enjoyment. I read John by Cynthia Lennon, The Last House on Needless Street by Catriona Ward, Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik, and Contamination Zero by TW Piperbrook. Reviews below.

I also had my third DNF of the year, Pemberley: Mr. Darcy's Dragon by Maria Grace. If you're going to add dragons to anything it should be fun and whimsical and joyous (or dark and brooding and apocalyptic.) This was just boring. 50% in and literally nothing had happened.

What I'm Reading Right Now: I just started Marsha by Tourmaline, about the life of trans activist Marsha P. Johnson.

What I'm Planning to Read Next: It'll probably be whatever is picked for me at Give Me Five, but if there's a delay there I will probably go with Blood Slaves by Markus Redmond next.

30. John by Cynthia Lennon

After the sanitized version of her life published in the ‘70s, Twist of Lennon, John’s first wife finally comes clean about the truth behind their decade long relationship.

Though this memoir came out in 2005 this was the first I’d picked it up, and I was happy to discover that Cynthia was more honest this go-round in talking about her life with John Lennon. I did recognize many of the ‘60s era stories from Twist of Lennon. And while John was well-written, I also found it soooooo incredibly frustrating to read. The issues with exposing the warts and all to the relationship is the knowledge that she did nothing to protect herself and her son while it was happening, and the frustration comes in from seeing her, 37 years after their divorce, 25 years after his death, STILL DEFENDING HIS ACTIONS.

The man physically (once) and mentally/emotionally (regularly) abused her and she comes up with justification after justification. His behaviour left her walking on eggshells to appease him and traumatized their son, but she always has an excuse for it. And I get the issues of being an abused wife *at the time* and the way it can psychologically damage you, but I’d truly hoped that with distance she’d be able to see that she was not the one at fault, that there is only so much one can blame on childhood trauma, and that she deserved better.

Dates Read: March 03 to 05, 2026
Page Count: 322

4 out of 5 stars

+ Around the Year in 52 Books - Prompt 27 - non fiction (30/52)
+ Lost Challenges Countdown - Prompt 3 - read 3 books with one-word titles (02/03 - 30/55 total)

31. The Last House on Needless Street by Catriona Ward

The last house is occupied by a troubled man, a beloved cat, and sometimes the man’s daughter. Years before the man was a suspect in the disappearance of a little girl at the lakeside. How they are connected is the basis for this absolutely phenomenal story.

I couldn’t put this one down. And sadly I can’t tell you anything about it because one iota of information would spoil the whole thing. I will only say this: the story has layers upon layers, and you must stick with it to peel them back and get to the truth.

It’s a story of strength and survival. I’m kind of in awe of the mind that came up with it.

Dates Read: March 06 to 07, 2026
Page Count: 342

5 out of 5 stars

+ Around the Year in 52 Books - Prompt 18 - location in title
+ Lost Challenges Countdown - Prompt 2 - read 2 books with a title of 5 or more words (02/02 - 31/55 total)

32. Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik

Three women take their destiny in their own hands in a land beset by endless winter and a capricious tsar.

Miryem is a moneylender’s daughter who proves adept at the job; Wanda is an abused child; and Irina is the plain daughter of a duke. None have good prospects in the world, and all three work to wrest control from the men who would decide their fate. A mix of feminism/woman power, the medieval world and the fantasy land of the fae, I wanted to absolutely love this. Unfortunately, I found it a little… boring.

The writing style is just emotionless. I don’t really know how the characters *felt* at all. And
Miryem and Irina are both too good. Because they always know the right thing to say or the correct action to take, they read as Mary Sue’s. I fail to see why they would want anything whatsoever to do in their “love interests”.

Only Wanda and her family kept my attention. I loved watching her and her brothers grow and shine.

Dates Read: March 08 to 10, 2026
Page Count: 465

3 out of 5 stars

+ Around the Year in 52 Books - Prompt 42 - set in an isolated location (32/52)
+ Lost Challenges Countdown - Prompt 6 - read 6 books published in 2023 or before (01/06 - 32/55 total)

33. Contamination Zero by TW Piperbrook

The zombie apocalypse starts in small town Arizona.

This is the first of a series of short novels. This one clocks in at only 92 pages, so it jumps straight into the action with our first victim who quickly multiplies into dozens more. Family man cop Dan is desperately searching for his daughter, while his coworker is up to no good.

There’s a little intrigue to set this one a bit apart from other zombie novels, but other than that it’s your pretty basic story, with plenty of intestine pulling, spewing bodily fluids, and head-shots. The brevity means that it’s almost all action but that was fine by me. Dan was okay and I’m happy to stick around and see where the story goes from here.

Date Read: March 10, 2026
Page Count: 92

4 out of 5 stars

+ Around the Year in 52 Days - Prompt 26 - Z in title or author name (33/52)
+ Lost Challenges Countdown - Prompt 10 - read 10 books from any series (05/10 - 33/55 total)

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Wednesday Reading Meme

severina2001 — Wed, 04 Mar 2026 20:12:48 GMT

What I Just Finished Reading: It feels like I should have accomplished more, but I did get through 2 books and 1 novella: Twas The Bite Before Christmas by David Rosenfelt, Fang Fiction by Kate Stayman-London, and Isolation by David Moody. Reviews below.

What I'm Reading Right Now: I'm about 20% into John by Cynthia Lennon. While it's nice (wrong word) to see that she finally came clean about her life with him, I also want to smack her in the head for even putting up with an iota of the abuse he gave her.

What I'm Planning to Read Next: I want to finally get to Pemberley: Mr. Darcy's Dragon next, but I also have library books waiting to be picked up. Decisions, decisions...

27. Twas The Bite Before Christmas by David Rosenthal

Volunteer and dalmatian owner Derek turns out to be ex-gangbanger Bobby, and someone has discovered his cover under witness protection and set him up for murder.

I must admit, I struggled with this one. Everything just felt a little flat. There was no zing to the dialogue, the home life was the same (Laurie likes Christmas, Andy tucks Ricky into bed, dogs are walked) and all the secondary characters just played their normal parts without any pizazz. I was kind of bored. And the mystery was entirely too convoluted, involving multiple criminal factions. I guessed the big reveal pretty early into the story, too.

This is book #28 of the series so no doubt things get a bit rote at this point. think Mr. Rosenthal really needs to mix things up.

Dates Read: February 23 to 27, 2026
Page Count: 295

3 out of 5 stars

+ Around the Year in 52 Books - Prompt 39 - related to Agatha Christie (mystery) (27/52)
+ Lost Challenges Countdown - Prompt 2 - read 2 books with a title of 5 words or more (01/02 - 27/55 total)

28. Fang Fiction by Kate Stayman-London

A woman struggling with her past and obsessed with a vampire novel series discovers that the vampires in the books are real.

Ugh, I gave this three stars and I already feel like I rated it too highly. The thing is, I wanted to love it. It should have been fun and campy and ridiculous. But it’s honestly just all over the place in terms of tone and character.

All the main characters in the book are supposed to be 29 years old, but they act and sound like they are in their teens, maaaaaaybe first year of college would be stretching it. And that includes the 100+ year old vampires. Their obsession with the vampire series, including writing essays about how the vampires are real and reading the books “dozens if not HUNDREDS of times”, is also something more fitting for teens. Teens with no lives.

Tess, our heroine, had left school years before after a sexual assault and has cut herself off from her old life and relationships. I mean, this backstory simply *does not work* in a book like this. There could be DOZENS of reasons why Tess had to leave school abruptly. Why does it have to be rape? Every time it comes up – which is constantly – it changes the entire tone of the story. It’s like a needle scratch on a record.

On the plus side, there is some fun banter and pop culture references, and I really enjoyed Octavia, the female vampire. She was the only character who didn’t feel completely like a romance novel caricature.

Yeah, I rated this too high.

Dates Read: February 27 to March 03, 2026
Page Count: 387

3 out of 5 stars

+ Around the Year in 52 Books - Prompt 6 - related to blood, sweat, or tears (28/52)
+ Lost Challenges Countdown - Prompt 9 - read 9 books by female authors (09/09 complete! - 28/55 total)

29. Isolation by David Moody

Novella about the downfall of an emotionally stunted young man during the zombie apocalypse.

Keith has no life of his own, and spends his days taking care of his drunk father and working in data entry. Then the apocalypse hits, and he’s got to deal with his emotional traumas as well as the end of the world. That’s a lot to fit into 131 pages, and it ultimately is too much for this book or author to capture.

So his missing mom is glossed over, there’s no attempt to find any depth to his emotional issues, any musings over why and how the apocalypse happens is a non-event, and even the threat of the zombies themselves are mostly irrelevant. Both versions of Keith, as an ineffectual victim and as a condescending ass, make sense due to his conditions but because of the brevity of the novella his rapid descent seems to come out of nowhere.

Date Read: March 03, 2026
Page Count: 131

3 out of 5 stars

+ Around the Year in 52 Books - Prompt 43 - involving survival
+ Lost Challenges Countdown - Prompt 8 - read 8 books from the same genre (05/08 - 29/55 total)

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Wednesday Reading Meme

severina2001 — Wed, 25 Feb 2026 20:36:02 GMT

What I Just Finished Reading: Another good reading week with four more books: Uprooted by Naomi Novik, Flop Dead Gorgeous by David Rosenfelt, The Country Under Heaven by Fredrick S. Durbin, and Blind Rage by Nick Clausen. Reviews below.

What I'm Reading Right Now: I just started another Andy Carpenter book, Twas the Bite Before Christmas by David Rosenfelt.

What I'm Planning to Read Next: Next up should be Fang Fiction by Kate Stayman-London. It's a Gridlock book and it was picked next over at Give Me Five.

23. Uprooted by Naomi Novik

A wizard and his fledgling student struggle to hold back the advance of a malevolent forest.

It’s hard to describe this book to people when you have to explain that The Wood is the bad guy. But yes, this forest is alive with evil intent… though you’ll have to read the book to find out why. You’ll get no spoilers from me.

I enjoyed the interplay between wizard Sarkan and Agnieska, who only discovers her magic when she joins him in his fortress. Agnieska is easy to like, an average girl who never expected to find herself caught up in magic and royal intrigue, but whose innate talents guide her. Sometimes she did get a bit MUCH as it was Agnieska and not nearly-immortal 100+ year old Sarkan who usually came up with the spells to fight the evil, though I get that it was because her magic was more instinctual and because she had a strong tie to the Wood.

Sarkan is prickly and, yes, verbally abusive at the beginning. Which imo is actually pretty realistic. Try living over 100 years with unimaginable power, no friends, and no one who will ever push back at you, and now think (if you are getting on in years like me) how annoying you as a regular person can find teenagers these days… and yeah, I get why Sarkan initially has no patience for Agnieska. He’s also been run ragged for all his years trying to fight the Wood alone, so I cut him some slack.

I loved the magical system, the world-building, the secondary characters (Kasia for the win), and the beautiful fairytale fantasy of it all. And the ending made me happy.

Dates Read: February 16 to 19, 2026
Page Count: 449

5 out of 5 stars

+ Around the Year in 52 Books - Prompt 14 - related to a Van Gogh painting (23/52)
+ Lost Challenges Countdown - Prompt 03 - read 3 books with one-word titles (01/03 - 23/55 total)

24. Flop Dead Gorgeous by David Rosenfelt

Andy defends an old high school friend, now an up-and-coming actress.

I liked that there were some small changes to this entry in the series. Andy’s client finally got bail, for one, another benefit to being rich and famous. Sam again got to go into the field, and there was a brief appearance by bajillionaire Robby Divine. I really love Robby’s character. Would love to see him take center stage in a story some time. Laurie got to be especially badass in this one.

The plotting was good and the pace was excellent, and I could follow along easily. The disappointment here was the revelation of the murderer… or moreso, how the murder fit into the rest of the novel. I had guessed correctly (yay me) but I wasn’t sold on how it all wrapped up.

Date Read: February 19, 2026
Page Count: 304

4 out of 5 stars

+ Around the Year in 52 Books - Prompt 41 - mystery or true crime (24/52)
+ Lost Challenges Countdown - Prompt 10 - read 10 books from any series (04/10 - 24/55 total)

25. The Country Under Heaven by Frederic S. Durbin

After being injured in battle, an American Civil War vet is beset by visions and drawn to places where the wall between worlds grows thin.

This started out well, with the author drawing me immediately into the piece and evoking perfectly the tone and cadence of the era. Unfortunately, as the novel progressed it proved to be more a series of vignettes with no underlying story tying it all together. Though Mr. Durbin tries to accomplish this via a strange creature that his MC, Ovid Vesper, sees following him throughout the story, the device just feels flimsy. And though the story is peppered with such creatures as dragons, giant bees, and spider-pigs, there is never any sense of urgency or fear in those sections. It feels like reading a diary entry rather than a thrilling adventure.

And Mr. Durbin is also one of those authors that refuses to use quotation marks. That affectation only makes the book more dry and more stuffy. The characters’ emotions are so muted and I felt that I never shared in them.. I really think that if you’re not Cormac McCarthy, this style convention just makes no sense.

Dates Read: February 20 to 21, 2026
Page Count: 331

2 out of 5 stars

+ Around the Year in 52 Books - Prompt 11 - history or historical fiction (25/52)
+ Lost Challenges Countdown - Prompt 7 - read 7 books published in 2024 or 2025 (01/07 - 25/55 total)

26. Blind Rage by Nick Clausen

A strange ‘crack’ in the sky renders anyone who looks at it blind and murderous.

This is the first of a long series called Under The Breaking Sky, and I got the whole set free on Kindle. I wondered what I was getting myself into, and was pleasantly surprised to find this a strongly plotted and gruesome tale. The story takes place in Denmark, which is unusual enough for this Canadian, and follows the POVs of several immune people as the destruction ramps up worldwide. Among them are Gina, who is a single mom with twins, and cop John. But it’s not always easy to root for everyone – Mark is a self-absorbed businessman cheating on his pregnant girlfriend.

The pace is excellent, with many fast-paced action sequences mixed with moments to let the survivors (and the reader) breathe. The book follows the initial two days of the event, and still manages to let the “ragers” evolve and the stakes get a little higher. The characterization is really good too, with everyone having unique voices and attributes.

It ends on a cliffhanger, so be ready to get the set if you want to take the plunge.

Dates Read: February 22 to 23, 2026
Page Count: 369

5 out of 5 stars

+ Around the Year in 52 Books - Prompt 01 - genre that begins with A, T, or Y (apocalyptic) (26/52)
+ Lost Challenges Countdown - Prompt 8 - read 8 books from the same genre (post-apocalyptic) (04/08 - 26/55 total)

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Wednesday Reading Meme

severina2001 — Wed, 18 Feb 2026 19:04:29 GMT

What I Just Finished Reading: Another verrrrry slow start to my work week meant lots of reading. I finished four books: Postmortem by Patricia Cornwall, Nine Goblins by T. Kingfisher, Battle of the Bookstores by Ali Brady, and Santa's Little Yelpers by David Rosenthal. Reviews below.

What I'm Reading Right Now: According to my Kobo, I'm 64% into Uprooted by Naomi Novik. As I was reading a couple things seemed very familiar, so I looked back in my journal and sure enough, I'd read it in 2015. LOL I don't remember what's going to happen, so that's a good thing.

What I'm Planning on Reading Next: Next will probably be The Country Under Heaven by Frederic S. Durbin, simply because it's due back at the library soon.

19. Postmortem by Patricia Cornwall

Medical examiner Kay Scarpetta tries to help find a serial killer who is terrorizing Richmond, Virginia.

My, how times have changed. The first thing that struck me about this novel is how archaic it seemed. Computers and DNA matching are both newfangled new things that people are struggling to understand. Everyone lights up at work, and Kay blithely gives her ten year old niece wine on multiple occasions. Those were the most jarring things that just wouldn’t fly today.

The second thing that struck me was how much I disliked the MC. Kay sees misogyny *everywhere*. She just comes across as paranoid. She drifts off into thought in the middle of conversations and doesn’t hear what’s been said. She’s also one of those homophobes who insists she isn’t a homophobe because she has a gay friend – in this case Wingo, a helper who she muses she wouldn’t have hired if she’d known he was gay.

The one person she constantly disparages as misogynistic (he’s not) and for his unkempt appearance is Marino, a hard-boiled detective type that’s handling the case. And he’s the one character I liked! He’s authentic, willing to pivot if his first instinct doesn’t pan out, and he’s smarter than Kay.

As for the murders, the whole thing is pretty straightforward. In the end, the reveal was very disappointing. This is the first of a verrrrrrry long series. I’m not sure I’ll continue it.

Dates Read: February 10 to 13, 2026
Page Count: 448

3 out of 5 stars

+ Around the Year in 52 Books - Prompt 37 - includes a science topic
+ Lost Challenges Countdown - Prompt 10 - read 10 books from any series (02/10 - 19/55 overall)

20. Nine Goblins by T. Kingfisher

After ending up behind enemy lines, goblin Sergeant Nessilka must lead her bumbling but loyal band to safety.

Delightful is the word that best sums up this magical little novella. The world building is top notch, and Ms. Kingfisher introduces a plethora of fantastic characters. Nessilka and her brood all have distinctive personalities, as do all of the different stripes of creatures that show up throughout the book. Elf Sings-To-Trees is a veterinarian to the beasties that other elves don’t want to touch, and thus finds himself helping unicorns, trolls, gargoyles, and also that cute little raccoon that lives on his hearth. I particularly loved the nature of the trolls, so fun!

This is my favourite Kingfisher story yet. I only wish it had been longer so I didn’t have to leave this fascinating little world behind!

Date Read: February 14, 2026
Page Count: 154

5 out of 5 stars

+ Around the Year in 52 Books - Prompt 9 - number in title (20/52)
+ Lost Challenges Countdown - Prompt 9 - read 9 books by female author (07/09- 20/55 overall)

21. Battle of the Bookstores by Ali Brady

Rival bookstore managers compete to be the last manager standing when their stores are due to merge.

I’m not a big romance fan but I chose this book to meet a challenge requirement, hoping for something like Emily Henry (the one romance writer whose banter I adore.) Let me tell you, Ms. Brady ain’t no Emily Henry.

Nothing about this felt even remotely real. The characters acted like, well, characters in a book. They reacted because the plot demanded it, not because their actions felt realistic to the character. I mean, Josie, the “literary” bookseller, doesn’t know that Stephen King had an immensely popular book called 11/23/63? She doesn’t know that there’s really no S. Morgenstern who wrote the original Princess Bride? Come on, now.

Then she has Ryan, the “romance” bookseller, explaining romance tropes to Josie. I can get where Josie maybe wouldn’t know what “knotting” is, but to not know standard tropes is again getting ridiculous. And it means that Brady is telling the reader what we already know. It was just so frustrating.

The banter (she has Ryan even muse on it using that term) is awkward (one might say non-existent) and the more earnest prose is cliched and over-the-top. AND at least 100 pages could have been cut. Ugh. I think I’ll stick with Emily Henry.

Dates Read: February 14 to 15, 2026
Page Count: 431

2 out of 5 stars

+ Around the Year in 52 Books - Prompt 24 - either frothy or gothy (21/52)
+ Lost Challenges Countdown - Prompt 9 - read 9 books by female authors (08/09 - 21/55 total)

22. Santa’s Little Yelpers by David Rosenfelt

A volunteer and former inmate caring for a litter of puppies is arrested for murder, and it’s Andy to the rescue!

This was a great entry in the Andy Carpenter series. Client Chris is a former lawyer who was previously set up for an involuntary manslaughter charge, and Andy thinks that his current predicament is tied to both that and one of his former cases. I liked the logical way that everything was laid out in this one, offering multiple options for the reader to figure out how it all tied together. Not enough Marcus, but I did love that Sam got to out “in the field” in this one.

And yes, I even partially figured out the mystery! Go me!

Dates Read: February 15 to 16, 2026
Page Count: 296

5 out of 5 stars

+ Around the Year in 52 Books - Prompt 49 - 2nd book for fave prompt [part of a series] (22/52)
+ Lost Challenges Countdown - Prompt 10 - read 10 books from any series (03/10 - 22/55 total)

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Wednesday Reading Meme

severina2001 — Wed, 11 Feb 2026 19:52:32 GMT

What I Just Finished Reading: It feels like I was busier than this, but I only finished two books last week: A Sociopath's Guide to a Successful Marriage by MK Oliver, and The Age of Miracles by Karen Thompson Walker. That one was suggested to me by someone here quite some time ago, so thank you, whoever you were. Reviews below.

I also had my two DNFs of the year, both at around the 25% mark. All The Bright Places by Jennifer Niven. It's about two teens dealing with death, but I felt ZERO empathy or sympathy for them. Violet (whose sister died in a car accident) comes across as a shallow, entitled brat. Finch (depressed? I have no idea why he wants to kill himself) is manipulative (he implies that he will embarrass Violet in class unless she agrees to let him come to her house) and simply annoying. I hated these damn kids.

I also DNFed Wanting Daisy Dead by Sue Watson, which I had got free from Amazon Prime free reads. Twenty years after Daisy's murder her "friends" are invited to a party. Each friend is fake and mean girl-ish. The thing keeping them at the party is ridiculous. And a quarter into the book literally the only thing that happened was each character musing, Oh no, I hope this mysterious party host doesn't reveal the thing that happened 20 years ago. I just didn't care. The murderer should have offed them all.

What I'm Reading Right Now: I'm about 1/5th into the first Kay Scarpetta mystery, Postmortem by Patricia Cornwall. I've never read any of these. I'm sticking with it, though there's not much compelling about Scarpetta and a bit to find annoying.

What I'm Planning to Read Next: Give Me 5 has been pretty slow lately, I'm still waiting on someone to pick from there. If no one picks, I'll probably go with Pemberley: Mr. Darcy's Dragon in hopes for some fun, even though it's been at least 30 or so years since I've read Pride & Prejudice.

17. A Sociopath’s Guide to a Successful Marriage by MK Oliver

Lalla Rook is intelligent, cunning, and yes, a sociopath (though she’s studied facial expressions so she can fake it.) And she’s not about to let her past or the intruder she just killed stand in the way of her further upward mobility.

This book is just as deliciously, darkly comic as the title suggests. Lalla is the perfect antihero. She knows what she wants and she sets out to get it – and she’ll do anything to succeed. She’s an expert manipulator and just when I thought things were going to go pear-shaped for her, she managed to pull another win out of her fashionable sleeve. I loved the evolution of her To Do lists!

What I think also made the book is that a character like this could be flat and one-dimensional. But occasionally Lalla did feel a spark of emotion, a little tug of love that set her cold, dead heart beating, and that saved her from caricature and gave the book the depth it needed.

This is probably not for everyone, but I absolutely loved it.

Dates Read: February 03 to 06, 2026
Page Count: 375

5 out of 5 stars

+ Around the Year in 52 Books - Prompt 40 - punctuation mark in title (17/52)
+ Lost Challenges Countdown - Prompt 5 - read 5 books that are standalones (03/05 - 17/55 total)

18. The Age of Miracles by Karen Thompson Walker

A young girl navigates life through what may be the end of days.

Julia is 11 years old on the day that the Earth starts slowing its rotation. As the days lengthen, the magnetic poles change, plants and animals die off, and Julia is struggling through her own changes: crushing on a boy, losing and gaining friendships, and leaving the simplicities of childhood behind. Choosing Julia to narrate her coming-of-age during the first few years of “the slowing” is a great choice because the story doesn’t get bogged down in technicalities. No one knows why the slowing happened. That’s enough for Julia, and for the reader.

And anchoring the story tightly on Julia’s family and circumstances lets us emotionally connect with the dangers through them. We see crop failures through Julia’s mother’s hoarding; the danger of prolonged sun exposure through one of Julia’s late night excursions at a time when daylight and night time each stretch 20 hours or more.

I’m not sure I buy that humanity could survive through something like this, but I could put that aside for the sake of a great story.

Dates Read: February 08 to 10, 2025
Page Count: 272

5 out of 5 stars

+ Around the Year in 52 Books - Prompt 15 - book you’ve wanted to read for a long time (18/52)
+ Lost Challenges Countdown - Prompt 9 - read 9 books by female authors (06/09 - 18/55 total)

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Wednesday Reading Meme

severina2001 — Wed, 04 Feb 2026 18:36:54 GMT

What I Just Finished Reading: Three books and a short story, so I had a pretty good week. I read Warm Bodies by Isaac Marion, The Sleep Tight Motel by Lisa Unger, Rats by James Herbert, and Breakers by Edward W. Robertson. Reviews below.

What I'm Reading Right Now: I'm about halfway through A Sociopath's Guide to a Successful Marriage by MK Oliver, which is as darkly humorous as I'd hoped.

What I'm Planning to Read Next: I'll put a mix of Gridlock and Dusty Bookshelf picks for February up on Give Me 5, and let someone pick. :)

13. Warm Bodies by Isaac Marion

When a zombie protects a young woman, it starts a series of events that could change the world.

While I’m normally a traditionalist when it comes to zombies (mindless, relentless, slow preferred but I’ll accept the fast ones), there are some exceptions to my rule. I really enjoyed the movie made from this novel some years back, but somehow hadn’t thought to look for the book until now. I’m glad I did, because it’s the same basic story but much richer.

R, the zombie, has a rich and detailed inner life. And the zombies have a loose society of sorts. They bond together in family groups; there’s a hierarchy that they obey, with the “boneys” at the top of the pyramid. And they enjoy eating brains because it gives them a little peek into the humanity of the person they’ve killed. When R kills Perry, he gains his memories of his love for a young lady named Julie, and he just can’t kill her too.

I really enjoyed the details of the zombie experience in this novel because it’s told from such a strong, intelligent point of view. R is such a great character! And I loved the growing evolution of both R and the other zombies as their experiences changed them. Julie is also a strong female character, which can be hard to find in this type of novel.

A fun and unique take on Romeo and Juliet, and a different perspective on the zombie genre makes this a winner.

Dates Read: January 27 to 30, 2026
Page Count: 241

5 out of 5 stars

+ Around the Year in 52 Days - Prompt 45 - connected to Bohemian Rhapsody (“just killed a man”) (13/52)
+ Lost Challenges Countdown - Prompt 8 - read 8 books in the same genre (post apocalyptic) (02/08)

14. The Sleep Tight Motel by Lisa Unger

An abused woman fleeing her boyfriend finds refuge at a highway rest stop.

This is a short story that packs a pretty big wallop. We learn Eve’s story over her drive to and stay at the Sleep Tight Motel, whose welcoming owner Drew is a far cry from the controlling, abusive partner she’s fleeing.

The setting and atmosphere are great. The motel with its isolated location, its secrets, and the thick fog rolling in sets the stage for a super creepy story. Drew is just nice enough to worry about whether his intentions are entirely honest, and Eve is a flawed but sympathetic protagonist. And I did not see the great ending coming at all.

Date Read: January 30, 2026
Page Count: 50

5 out of 5 stars

+ Around the World in 52 Books - Prompt 34 - window on cover (14/52)
+ Lost Challenges Countdown - Prompt 9 - read 9 books by female authors (05/09 - 14/55 total)

15. The Rats by James Herbert

London is under siege when a new breed of mutant rats starts attacking people.

This is technically a reread for me. I remember reading it as a teenager in the ‘80s, and a particular scene of a man trying to escape the rats in a theatre has lived on in my brain ever since. Decided to track it down, and was pleased to discover there are actually two sequels as well!

Also pleased that my memories of enjoying the book stood the test of time. Yes, it’s a product of its age, in that its sole female character is “girlfriend of protagonist” and the dialogue is a bit stilted, but boy oh boy, those rat attacks. Herbert is so skilled in his writing of those vignettes within the larger story – despite the characters only appearing briefly, he gives them a rich background so we feel we know them, only to (often) send them spiralling into the jaws of those damn rats.

Grisly and creepy and fun, with a killer ending.

Dates Read: January 30 to 31, 2026
Page Count: 212

4 out of 5 stars

+ Around the Year in 52 Books - Prompt 32 - between 100 to 250 pages
+ Lost Challenges Countdown - Prompt 10 - read 10 books from any series (01/10 - 15/55 total)

16. Breakers by Edward W. Robertson

A deadly plague that wipes out most of the world turns out to be the precursor to an alien invasion.

The book switches back and forth between two POVs. In New York, Walt spirals out of control and decides to walk to L.A. in a weird tribute to his dead girlfriend, while on the opposite coast Raymond and Mia hunker down in a mansion. The first half of the book really sets up the two sides, and while it can be slow moving I found getting to know the characters very interesting. Walt is too self-absorbed and prone to violence to be the antihero the book is aiming for. Raymond and Mia are more conventional heroes.

The book does its best to touch on bigger picture questions, like how far you will go to defeat the enemy, how much of yourself and your morality you’re willing to sacrifice, and what it means to be human, albeit not quite successfully. The action scenes can also be a bit hard to picture, and the slow start leads to a rather rushed ending.

So yeah, this one has some issues, but overall I enjoyed the story quite a lot. There are many sequels so I plan to check out the next one.

Dates Read: February 01 to 02, 2026
Page Count: 299

4 out of 5 stars

+ Around the Year in 52 Books - Prompt 28 - related to resistance, rebellion, or revolution (16/52)
+ Lost Challenges Countdown - Prompt 8 - read 8 books from the same genre (post-apocalyptic) (03/08 - 16/55 total)

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Wednesday Reading Meme

severina2001 — Wed, 28 Jan 2026 20:21:52 GMT

What I Just Finished Reading: 3 books this week, though one was crazy short. I read Silent Bite by David Rosenfelt, The Water Lies by Amy Meyerson, and The Tale End: Stories From the Vet by Beth Rice. Reviews below.

What I'm Reading Right Now: I just started Warm Bodies by Isaac Marion, which so far is just as good as the movie.

What I'm Planning to Read Next: I got two more library books out (trying not to over-order like I have been lately) and the Dusty Bookshelf/Finish What You Started picks are tomorrow, so it'll be something from those. Probably.

10. Silent Bite by David Rosenfelt

Andy defends Willie’s former cellmate, newly charged with murder.

I’m of two minds with this entry in the Andy Carpenter series. On one hand, it introduced a ton of current murders, several old crimes, one out-of-town killing, *and* the local streetgangs, all of which muddies the waters and results in far too many timeframes, suspects and shenanigans to deal with. That frustrates me. On the other hand, the plot stayed pretty simple… so simple, in fact, that for the first time in 26 AC books I clocked the killer right away. So I basically have to split the difference and give this one four stars.

Dates Read: January 20 to 25, 2026
Page Count: 296

4 out of 5 stars

+ Around the Year in 52 Books - Prompt 7 - character who appears in more than one book (10/52)
+ Lost Challenges Countdown - Prompt 04 - read 4 books from any series already started (04/04 complete! - 10/55 total)

11. The Water Lies by Amy Meyerson

After hearing that her daughter has supposedly suffered an accidental death, a mom travels to Venice Beach to investigate and discovers her daughter’s strange link with a toddler and his pregnant mom.

This was a great little mystery that kept me guessing throughout. The author does a great job of setting up little unsettling clues about several people in the narrative, so I kept jumping back and forth in trying to figure out who the killer was and how the characters were connected. The area of the Venice Beach Canals becomes its own character in the story as well. The sidewalks are narrow, the houses are wide open to see inside, and yet within this wide-open anyone-can-see vibe there are still so many secrets. I enjoyed Tessa’s character arc and growth, and seeing her come into her own power felt liberating.

Dates Read: January 25 to 26, 2026
Page Count: 347

5 out of 5 stars

+ Around the Year in 52 Books - Prompt 17 - set in the wellness or beauty industry (11/52)
+ Lost Challenges Countdown - Prompt 9 - read 9 books by female authors (03/09 - 11/55 total)

12. The Tale End: Stories From The Vet by Beth Rice

Short book of “funny” tales from a vet’s receptionist.

Each short book tells a story that’s supposed to highlight something comical that happens at the vet office. From birds who swear to a cat with French-speaking owners to a dead spider, none of them are funny. The writing style is also awkward and repetitive. I gave this one an extra star because at least it was a relatable – as a former call taker myself, I too had to deal with the customer who insists you know the address or phone number of the “pharmacy by the yellow house”, but in my case it was the “famous donut shop by the street with the trees.”

Date Read: January 27, 2026
Page Count: 58

2 out of 5 stars

+ Around the Year in 52 Books - Prompt 13 - author’s 2nd book (13/52)
+ Lost Challenges Countdown - Prompt 9 - read 9 book by female authors (04/09 - 12/55 total)

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Wednesday Reading Meme

severina2001 — Thu, 22 Jan 2026 02:37:19 GMT

What I Just Finished Reading: Another busy week. Lots of work last week and then on Saturday my sis treated me to a pedicure and foot massage (first time ever, so amazing) and then we went for a late lunch. So I only managed two books last week, both by Chuck Wendig: The Staircase in the Woods and The Complete Double Dead, contained his first published novel, Double Dead and a later follow-up short story, Bad Blood. Reviews below.

What I'm Reading Right Now: I had to jump ahead on the Andy Carpenter series but the book I was lacking finally came in, so I'm reading Silent Bite by David Rosenfelt.

What I'm Planning to Read Next: I have three more library books that are due soon and I'm never going to be able to get to them all. I will probably go with Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver because I know two other people are waiting for it. I can try to spend a lot of time reading this weekend, and then possibly renew the other two. I definitely over-borrowed this month.

08. The Staircase in the Woods by Chuck Wendig

Old friends reunite after twenty years to discover what happened to the fifth member of their group, who climbed to the top of a mysterious solitary staircase in the woods in their teens and disappeared.

I must admit, it took me a while to get really invested in this one. The friends-as-teenagers are pretty obnoxious, and the adult versions aren’t much better. I didn’t like any of them, and it’s hard to spend time with people you don’t like. Things pick up significantly when they climb the staircase and begin their search for lost Matty. There’s a few gruesome scenes, and then a lot of truly creepy moments. The friends show some vulnerability, and I began to really care for them and root for them. A truly great ending capped off what turned into a fantastic book.

Dates Read: January 12 to 17, 2026
Page Count: 388

5 out of 5 stars

+ Around the Year in 52 Books - Prompt 30 - two books from same author: most recent work and something from backlist (most recent) - (08/52)
+ Lost Challenges Countdown - Prompt 5 - read five books that are standalones (02/05 - 08/55 total)

09. The Complete Double Dead by Chuck Wendig

A vampire awakens to discover that the zombie apocalypse has occurred while he slept.

Coburn’s been a vampire for 50 years, and though he paints himself as a badass he also admits that he usually lets his victims live and seeks out the bad guys in our midst. He’s a bit of a Dexter with fangs. And with most of his food source now undrinkable, he finds himself playing shepherd to a small group with a special girl whose blood may hold a cure.

This was a really fun, action-packed book with a smart and sarcastic anti-hero, a lot of zombie gore, the requisite bad humans, and a quest that takes our team from New York to California. I loved the secondary cast of characters, with sweet Ebbie being my favourite. And if I could do without the sort of mystical bits, well, it IS a book about zombies and vampires. I’m not going to complain.

Also? There’s a little terrier named Creampuff. Five billion extra stars for Creampuff.

This book features Wendig’s original story, Double Dead, which is his first published novel, as well as a later-written short story, Bad Blood. I didn’t love the short story quite AS much, but it was just a little bonus so it doesn’t factor into my rating.

Dates Read: January 18 to 19, 2026
Page Count: 427

5 out of 5 stars

+ Around the Year in 52 Books - Prompt 31 - two books from same author: most recent work and something from backlist (backlist) - (09/52)
+ Lost Challenges Countdown - Prompt 8 - read 8 books from the same genre (post-apocalyptic) (01-08 - 09/55 total)

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Wednesday Reading Meme

severina2001 — Wed, 14 Jan 2026 16:49:21 GMT

What I Just Finished Reading: I got off to a great start to the year with another four books last week. Of course, now work has started up again so I expect my reading speed with drop. Glad to be finally making some money again, though. I read Dog Eat Dog, Best in Snow, and Holy Chow, all by David Rosenfelt, and then Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir. Reviews below.

What I'm Reading Right Now: I'm about 75 pages into The Staircase in the Woods by Chuck Wendig. So far I dislike all four protagonists, so I hope they start showing some good qualities soon.

What I'm Planning to Read Next: I'd been searching for an older Chuck Wendig book, Double Dead, about a vampire who wakes up to discover that the world has been overcome by zombies. Sounds TOTALLY like my type of story. *fingers crossed* I would check Amazon periodically just in case, and used book stores, and finally it showed up in an Amazon search. I'm guessing maybe they just reissued it on Kindle, and I got lucky. Eager to read it next.

04. Dog Eat Dog by David Rosenfelt

A man doesn’t let the knowledge that he’s wanted for murder stop him from helping a dog being abused by his owner.

Matt is the man in question, who has only recently discovered that his DNA was found at the scene of a crime from two years prior. Andy steps in to help, because anyone who risks his future to help a dog has to be innocent in Andy’s book, right? The action this time shifts to Maine, where Matt has been extradited, and so brings in some new blood in the form of attorneys, cops, and bad guys. The change of scenery is refreshing, and though there’s a lot of moving parts everything comes together nicely and is easy to follow. I felt the foreshadowing was good in this one because I was able to pick up on several things. Go me.

On the fun side, Rosenfelt drops his own name again – this time, Laurie is excited to see her favourite author in the pub. Apparently he lives in Maine. Heh. Also, Andy & Laurie end up adopting the abused dog, bringing their household total up to three.

Dates Read: January 07 to 08, 2026
Page Count: 298

5 out of 5 stars

+ Around the Year in 52 Books Prompt 03 - prompt that didn’t make the list [MC has a pet] (03/52)
+ Lost Challenges Countdown Prompt 04 - read four books in any series already started (01/04 - 04/55 total)

05. Best in Snow by David Rosenfelt

Andy takes the case when Tara digs up a dead body in the snow, and a local reporter is arrested for the murder.

Andy takes the case as a favour to newspaper editor Vince, who had been mentoring the young reporter until a fake story got him canned from the paper. The mystery in this one is tangled up in local politics and the mafia, which are simply boring to me. The hints to solve the mystery also seemed to be a bit too specialized: Andy gets a clue from remembering something that was said by a character from The Godfather movies. See above re: mafia, boring.

I just couldn’t find much to hold my interest in this one. Even Andy’s usual snark was a bit annoying. *sigh*

Dates Read: January 08 to 09, 2026
Page Count: 310

3 out of 5 stars

+ Around the Year in 52 Books Prompt 12 - cover text that is not white or black (05/52)
+ Lost Challenges Countdown Prompt 04 - read four books in any series already started (02/04 - 05/55 total)

06. Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir

A disgraced scientist turned junior high teacher is humanity’s last chance to survive when he’s sent on a daring space mission.

I must admit, the story started out shaky for me: a bit too much technical jargon and some eye-rolling-ness at Ryland Grace’s initial entry point into the mission. But hey, if I can believe Bruce Willis and co. got conscripted to save the world in Armageddon, I can go with the flow here, right?

I’m glad I stuck with it, because the focus quickly shifts to a story of profound friendship and found family. The story alternates between flashbacks of what led Grace to the mission and his current state, and I enjoyed both his unexpected depth, the surprising way he was assigned to the flight, and his personal growth. There were parts of the story that had me cheering for him and his cohort Rocky, who I absolutely adored.

In the end there was still maybe too much tech-speak, but the dry humour, love and pure joy in the story overrode it.

Dates Read: January 09 to 10, 2026
Page Count: 476

5 out of 5 stars

+ Around the Year in 52 Books Prompt 23 - with a road trip or long journey (06/52)
+ Lost Challenges Countdown Prompt 5 - read 5 books that are standalones (01/05 - 06/55 total)

07. Holy Chow by David Rosenfelt

When a wealthy friend of the Tara Foundation is murdered, Andy takes the case and defends her stepson.

MARCUS SPEAKS! You have no idea how happy this made me. The joke of Marcus’s mumbles has long worn off, and the guy is clearly beyond capable and highly skilled. Those talents don’t come from nowhere. I hope that this marks a new beginning for Marcus and he can take a more active role in the proceedings.

Mr. Rosenfelt is back on track here, with a rejuvenated Andy and a case that is complex but doesn’t get bogged down in the minutiae. The gang’s all here, including Sam’s Bubeleh Brigade and even Eddie showing up at the jail, though I don’t think the guy has any lines. I enjoyed Andy’s sarcasm this time around.

As usual, I picked the wrong killer. Good thing I’m not a detective.

Dates Read: January 11 to 12, 2026
Page Count: 297

5 out of 5 stars

+ Around the Year in 52 Books - Prompt 38 - part of a series (07/52)
+ Lost Challenges Countdown - Prompt 4 - read four books from any series already started (03/04 - 07/55 total)

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A New Year in Books Begins... (and Wednesday Reading Meme)

severina2001 — Wed, 07 Jan 2026 19:57:33 GMT

A new year and a fresh start! I love the beginning of the year, getting all my reading journals set up, joining new challenges, making plans.

This year I thought I'd share what challenges I'm working on.

So, the first one is one that I join every year at Goodreads is Around The Year in 52 Books. Prompts are suggested and voted on by members during September to November of the previous year. I like that there's usually a few prompts that "force" me to read genres I wouldn't normally consider, or push me to get creative to fill a prompt. Sometimes that works out great and I discover new authors that I love, and sometimes it lets me know not to venture further into that genre (westerns, I'm looking at you.)

This year I also joined The Lost Challenges 2026 Countdown. There's no great challenges on this one, but sometimes I just enjoy ticking off a box. :)

I also often talk about the sub-groups that help me to narrow down what I write. One of those is Crazy Challenge Collection Unlock that TBR Gridlock. In this group, you post a grid of at least 30 books listed in columns and rows, and once a week the mod selects a square (eg. Row 3, Column 5) and whatever is in that space in the grid is your book for that week. You just read them whenever you like, but I'm trying to stay on top of it as much as possible.

I also participate in The Challenge Factory's Dusty Bookshelf and Finish What You Started group. For DB, you post ten books and the mod assigns a partner to choose 1 to 3 of them for you to tackle that month. For FWYS, you post six series that you're working on, and someone chooses one for you to focus on for that month. I LOVE these groups because they help me to narrow things down when there's too many choices!

OH. And there's also The Challenge Factory's Give Me Five, where you list five books and someone picks the next one for you to read. I usually combine that with Gridlock and DB/FWYS picks. It currently has the 3 books someone picked for me to read at DB, the next Andy Carpenter, and the most recent Gridlock book. It's been stalled since after Christmas, though. I keep having to swap books out as I read.

Looking forward to a good reading year. :)

Wednesday Reading Meme

What I Just Finished Reading: I had a great start to the year with three 5-star reads: Funny Story by Emily Henry, Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan, and The Warehouse by Rob Hart. Reviews below.

What I'm Reading Right Now: I've just started Dog Eat Dog by David Rosenfelt. I had to skip ahead one book in the Andy Carpenter series because the next one is stuck somewhere in transit in my library system. Andy Carpenter was the FWYS pick for me this month, so I ordered the next four from the library. :)

What I'm Planning to Read Next: Provided no one picks different at Give Me 5, I think it'll probably be Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir.

01. Funny People by Emily Henry

After being abruptly dumped by her fiance Peter, librarian Daphne finds refuge as the new roommate of Miles, whose girlfriend Peter left her for.

I felt a little tentative about this one at first. While Ms. Henry’s signature banter between the leads was on point and made me chuckle out loud more than once, there was something a little icky about how fast Daphne and Miles started falling for each other. But by the midway point it all started to feel more realistic.

Daphne has spent her whole life feeling let down by most of the people she loves, and she sublimated her entire existence to fit into Peter’s world. Watching her take steps to have her own friends and her own life was heartening. She and Miles are very different people, but they learn to blend their lives in a way that works for them both.

I also really enjoyed all the scenes that take place in the library. In fact, I got a little teary-eyed at the Read-A-Thon. Silly, I know. But there was just something about found family and community coming together to make it work even around setbacks that just felt wonderful, and worth struggling for.

Dates Read: January 01 to 03, 2026
Page Count: 387

5 out of 5 stars

+ Around the Year in 52 Books Prompt 35 - part of action takes place in public building (01/52)
+ Lost Challenge Countdown Prompt 9 - read 9 books by female authors (01/09 - 01/55 total)

02. Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan

A man struggles with what steps to take when he discovers abuse at a local convent.

A brilliant, multi-layered story that packs a punch in its pages. Bill Furlong’s 16-year-old unwed mother in Ireland was ostracized by her family at news of her pregnancy, but her kindly Protestant employer keeps her on and helps her raise the baby. Now Bill is 40 and has five girls of his own, a hard worker with a coal business who yet struggles with the monotony of his life and worries for his daughters’ future, especially when he discovers what appears to be abuse at the local convent.

In a village in Ireland in 1985, the church’s hand is everywhere. Bill is a good man, in some ways a simple man, but over the course of the month leading toward Christmas he finds himself questioning his past and reexamining the things he thought he knew about himself and his life.

Beautifully written, the village feels like a character of its own and the dialogue is such that I could hear the soft lilting Irish accent in my head. The pacing is perfect, and the characters precisely portrayed with a minimum of fuss. Little things convey much in this story and there is so much grace in the prose.

Date Read: January 03, 2026
Page Count: 70

5 out of 5 stars

+ Around the Year in 52 Books Prompt 02 - cover is primarily red, green, or blue (02/52)
+ Lost Challenges Countdown Prompt 09 - read 9 books by female authors (02/09 - 02/55 total)

03. The Warehouse by Rob Hart

In the near-future, workers live and work in behemoth warehouse cities owned by Cloud, a corporation that has taken over most functions in a desolate USA.

The story focuses on Zinnia, who is seeking a job at Cloud for nefarious purposes, and Paxton, an inventor who was forced out of business by Cloud. It’s a world overheated by climate change, and where small towns have dried up literally and figuratively, local businesses unable to compete with Cloud, forcing people into crowded cities. Cloud markets itself as a family, but it’s just as corrupt as any power-hungry corporation.

The story is fast-paced and all the characters are interesting. The obstacles faced by Zinnia and Paxton are unfortunately all too real. There are a couple of surprising turns of events that caught me off guard.. And the more pages I turned, the more I felt we were also almost on a collision course for a similar future. That, too, was all too real.

Dates Read: January 03 to 06, 2026
Page Count: 358

5 out of 5 stars

+ Around the Year in 52 Books Prompt 04 - new-to-you author (03/52)
+ Lost Challenges Countdown Prompt 01 - read one book by a male author (01/01 - 03/55 total)

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Wednesday Reading Meme and My Reading Year in Review

severina2001 — Wed, 31 Dec 2025 13:56:11 GMT

HAPPY NEW YEAR! I'm so excited to see the back of this year. I hope the new one brings amazing things for all of us.

What I Just Finished Reading: A mad dash to reach my goal, but I did it. Five book this week: We Used to Live Here by Marcus Kliewer, Book Lovers by Emily Henry, Famous Last Words by Gillian McAllister, Service Model by Adrian Tchaikovsky, and Automatic Noodle by Annalee Newitz. Reviews below.

What I'm Reading Right Now: I won't be reading anything else today. I haven't slept yet, so I plan on a nap, catching up on some reality TV (I still have two episodes of Traitors Ireland to watch, and the next episode of Fallout is out today.)

What I'm Planning to Read Next: I have two library books out of the eight that I got out for the holidays still to read, so I want to tackle those first. I will probably start with the other Emily Henry book, Funny Story. I'd like to start my New Year off with something light-hearted and with fun banter.

146. We Used To Live Here by Marcus Kliewer

Things begin spiralling out of control for a new homeowner when she lets former residents take a look around the house.

This is a supremely creepy, supremely weird, amazing novel. Charlie and Eve are house flippers who buy an old remote house in the middle of nowhere. When Thomas and his family want to look around, just for “15 minutes”, Eve reluctantly lets them in. And as their visit continues, strange things begin happening. Room items and dimensions keep changing. Eve sees strange figures in the attic and the basement. There’s a mysterious man in a cabin in the woods.

The author is brilliant at layering in so many weird occurrences and keeping the reader on their toes. Is it a parallel world, a haunting, the Mandela effect, ghosts, shapeshifters, or just Eve’s own paranoia? The effect is truly unsettling and the reader never really gets a definitive answer, which makes it all the more creepy.

Also super cool are all the extra dimensions in the book. Some chapters ends with morse code which, when decoded, gives the reader a message and some additional spooky info. Another message is revealed using certain capitalized letters.

Dates Read: December 20 to 23, 2025
Page Count: 312

5 out of 5 stars

147. Book Lovers by Emily Henry

A control-obsessed agent spends a month in a small town to appease her sister, only to find herself falling for Charlie, the big city editor she’d clashed with in New York.

This is a fun little take on all the romance tropes out there. Nora is the steely agent, who always puts job above everything, even her own needs. Her younger sister Libby is the recipient of Nora’s attention and affection, but she wants Nora to live a little and thus creates a checklist of things for Nora to do on their small town adventure, including wear flannel, date a local, and save a small-town business. Ms. Henry writes banter like nobody’s business. There were a few times during Nora’s quick-witted dialogue with Charlie that I actually laughed out loud. The play on the tropes is amusing, and there’s a little bit of a mystery to keep you engaged as well.

This one was a winner for me.

Dates Read: December 24 to 27, 2025
Page Count: 337

5 out of 5 stars

148. Famous Last Words by Gillian McAllister

A woman tries to figure out what happened when Luke, her normally mild-mannered husband, takes hostages at a warehouse.

This one starts out with a bang, as we’re thrown almost directly into the action. Something felt off about the beginning for me, though. While I was fully invested in hostage negotiator Niall, Luke’s wife Cam felt somehow uncooked. She was more two-dimensional and I wasn’t fully invested in her.

If a reader is patient, though, it takes until about halfway through the story before the mystery truly begins. There are hints that things are not as they seem, and I enjoyed trying to follow the clues. I’m pleased to say that I figured out a big clue before Cam did. I also continued to enjoy Niall, a man taking successful steps to deal with what he believes are failures in job and home life.

Date Read: December 28, 2025
Page Count: 326

4 out of 5 stars

149. Service Model by Adrian Tchaikovsky

A valet robot kills his master, but cannot find a logical reason in his memory for doing so. A trip to Diagnostics in the outside world reveals the state into which things have fallen, and set him on a quest.

Cleverly written, darkly humorous and yet with a serious undertone, this is a fantastic book. Charles, the robot in question, has been attending to the needs of his master, following a series of outdated and confusing orders that his programming won’t let him change. After the murder, he is stripped of his valet name and title when he heads out into the world. There he discovers that a catastrophic decline has occurred. Joined by a companion, the Wonk, he sets out to find a new home and a purpose to his life.

I loved the POV of a robot trying to make judgement calls without explicit programming, and the clever way he is able to maneuver the more he learns. The robots he encounters are alternatively amusing and heartbreaking, and the author does a great job of giving non-sentient beings a true sense of feeling and emotion. I was invested up to and including the fantastic ending.

Dates Read: December 29 to 30, 2025
Page Count: 373

5 out of 5 stars

150. Automatic Noodle by Annalee Newitz

Abandoned robots decide to open their own noodle restaurant.

In the years following a civil war between California and the rest of America, robots are given personhood in the new California republic. But they still don’t have all the rights of citizens, and when our heroes wake up after a forced six-month shut-down and find the crooked owners of the restaurant that employs them have fled, they take matters into their own hands. Or hand-like facsimiles.

I feel like there’s a good story hidden in here, but the author didn’t know which way to take it and so it tries to be all things to all people, and succeeds at none. She tries to deal with the long-term effects of war on the psyche and PTSD, while using the robots as stand-ins for the historical (and current) issues of Blacks, immigrants, and homosexuals, while also hinting at body autonomy and gender non-conformity, aaaaaaaaand then also aiming for a “cozy” vibe in the actual running of the restaurant. It’s too much. Picking a lane and sticking with it would be good, and then expand the story so we get an actual ending. There’s plenty of room in that word count.

And for the robots, it really felt like she was desperately grasping at a TJ Klune “Cerulean Sea” vibe, and failing miserably. It actually annoyed me.

Dates Read: December 30 to 31, 2025
Page Count: 168

2 out of 5 stars

My Reading Year in Review

Total Books Read: 150

My goal for the year was 150, and I got there today. That included reading 350 out of 365 days this year. The first day that I missed reading was the days right around my operation in July. I ended up missing 5 days then. The rest were scattered through August, September, and November, with another block of 4 missed days in December during a crazy work period.

Of the books that I read, 78 were library books. Assuming that I would have bought those books on Amazon at the kindle price, getting them from the library saved me $1,183.36 this year! Of the remaining books, 19 of them were books that I purchased (Amazon sales, library book sales or thrift stores) for a total of $57.04, or about $3 per book!

32 of the books I read this year were also holdovers from those library book sales and such that I purchased in 2024. I really wanted to make a concerted effort to get through all of those this year, and I made great progress. I only have 1 physical book and 1 ebook left over from 2024.

My page count is 44,906 pages, and the books were split almost evenly between ebook (78) and physical (72).

My average rating is 3.8 stars
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Wednesday Reading Meme

severina2001 — Wed, 24 Dec 2025 06:31:22 GMT

What I Just Finished Reading: Busy week. The last mad rush of files before everything dries up at Christmas, lunch and shopping with my sis and brother-in-law, and a trip to the library to ensure that I'm well stocked up over the holidays. Only managed to read two short books this week: What We Love Die Hard by Kim Taylor-Foster and Frankie by JM Gutsch and Leo Maxim. Reviews below.

I also had two DNFs. The first was from last week but I forgot to mention it: Once Upon A Time in Hollywood by Quentin Tarantino. Loved the movie, but it doesn't translate well to book form (at least not with Tarantino writing it.)

This week I DNF'ed Flash Fire, the second book in the Extraordinaries series by TJ Klune. I really enjoyed the first book, but the second one was bringing in a lot of heavy themes like defund the police and racial profiling, which just really didn't fit into a generally lighthearted story about a gay teen and his superhero boyfriend.

What I'm Reading Right Now: I'm about halfway through We Used to Live Here by Marcus Kliewer, and it is very odd and creepy and addictive. I'm still not entirely sure what the hell is going on.

What I'm Planning to Read Next: I took a couple of Emily Henry books out of the library because I'd read another of her books last year or the year before, and it was fun and frothy and I'm in the mood for that. So I think my next read will probably be Book Lovers.

144. Why We Love Die Hard by Kim Taylor-Foster

Die Hard is my favourite movie and Bruce Willis my favourite actor, and this was a fun, quick little look at what makes the movie so special. The author clearly enjoys the film, and I even learned a few things. There is a little bit of padding throughout, especially in a long section that compares DH to a string of classic cowboy movies. There’s also a few dubious facts: according to the author, Live Free or Die Hard is the “most highly regarded of the sequels.” Now, don’t get me wrong, I adore LFoDH, but I’m pretty sure that sentiment is not universal.

If you’re already a big fan, you’re not going to find anything new here. Quotes are pulled from DVD extras. But if you’re already a big fan it also makes a nice addition to your Die Hard collection, and it’s illustrated with beautiful artwork throughout.

Date Read: December 18, 2025
Page Count: 136

4 out of 5 stars

145. Frankie by JM Gutsch and Leo Maxim

A street cat changes the life of a despondent writer.

In this short novel told from the POV of Frankie, a scrappy tomcat, animals can talk. While they’re quite verbose with each other, they choose not to speak to humans. Frankie would love to, but he can’t understand the strange reactions it prompts. The last time he tried, noticing a woman who had dropped something and asking, “Excuse me, madam, are those your Hoover bags,” the lady had run away screaming.

In this case, he’s hungry and tired and when he sees Richard Gold standing on a chair and playing with a decidedly large and thick rope, which he appears to be tying around his head, Frankie decides to intervene. And somehow from there he decides among his friends, including a squirrel and a three-legged Dachshund, that he will become Gold’s Purpose in Life.

It’s a sweet, mostly comical story with Frankie’s digressions and neighbourhood adventures, within the quite serious backdrop of depression. The point of view voice never wavers and is a delight. My only criticism would be that it would have been nice to see the relationship between Gold and Frankie develop a little more to give the ending more weight.

Dates Read: December 18 to 20, 2025
Page Count: 178

4 out of 5 stars

I have to read five more books before the end of the year to make my goal. I HAVE FAITH.
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