The Murderbot Diaries by Martha Wells

 I read through this series in less than a month and have pre-ordered the next installment. Murderbot forever! This series was a breath of fresh air. Wells introduces us to a world where corporations run the galaxy and robots are their mere servants. It's a world we can fathom but a world so unlike our own.

We begin with Murderbot on assignment with a group of humans on a remote planet. She's the Secbot for the group where she runs security and attempts to keep her humans safe...but they find another group that's been murdered and they barely survive and only with Murderbot's help. The thing that no one realizes is that Murderbot has overridden its governor module, so no one can order it to do anything. And yet it finds itself caring about these humans but does not know how to really socialize or interact with them...I can relate...

The next books take us on various missions of Murderbot as it tries to hide from the company that will take it back and scrap it for junk, as well as figure out why it became Murderbot in the first place...

Excellent series and I can't wait for more. Murderbot is anxious, moody, and depressed, yet it cares and keeps going and doing what needs to be done. Should we all be so lucky to have bots like it in our lives.

Book Review: Leviathan Falls by James S.A. Corey

 Leviathan Falls (Expanse #9) by James S.A. Corey

Publisher's Summary:

The Laconian Empire has fallen, setting the thirteen hundred solar systems free from the rule of Winston Duarte. But the ancient enemy that killed the gate builders is awake, and the war against our universe has begun again.

In the dead system of Adro, Elvi Okoye leads a desperate scientific mission to understand what the gate builders were and what destroyed them, even if it means compromising herself and the half-alien children who bear the weight of her investigation. Through the wide-flung systems of humanity, Colonel Aliana Tanaka hunts for Duarte’s missing daughter. . . and the shattered emperor himself. And on the Rocinante, James Holden and his crew struggle to build a future for humanity out of the shards and ruins of all that has come before.

As nearly unimaginable forces prepare to annihilate all human life, Holden and a group of unlikely allies discover a last, desperate chance to unite all of humanity, with the promise of a vast galactic civilization free from wars, factions, lies, and secrets if they win.

But the price of victory may be worse than the cost of defeat.

My Thoughts:

I did it! The final installment of this incredible series is finished. It's sad but satisfying. I have grown to love these characters so much. I'm sad to see them go but I am happy with the ending and where the characters went by the end.

The authors really took their time to understand a future that isn't completely utopian for humanity with each (like Star Trek) but one that still has hope and faith in humanity to keep plugging along and trying do its best with the ups and downs along the way.

Holden with his eternal optimism and hope, Naomi learning how to lead and accept herself and her life choices, Alex and finding his family, and Amos? well...Amos stays Amos.

I am really sad that Amazon cancelled the show before the last three books were finished. It's a travesty.

Week-in-Review: Van Gogh Art Experience, Snow, DH Birthday, and Happy Saint Patrick's Day...

Well, I'm pleasantly surprised at how busy we've been this month. A couple of weeks ago we visited the Van Gogh Art Experience at our local museum and it was amazing! I could sit through multiple experiences of various artists. It really transforms their art and their lives into something beautiful. I had no idea the different types of art Van Gogh produced. And having them tell us about where he was living and what life was like for him through his letters and then showing his art was, yes, definitely an experience. I highly recommend these art experiences. I think more are being produced so I'm excited to come back for other artists.

DH had his 49th birthday last weekend! Whew. Next year is the big 5-0. We kept it pretty simple. We ate out as a family and he wanted Coldstone ice cream cake. This weekend we're keeping the celebration going with friends.

We even made it up into the mountains for a quick overnighter for another friends birthday. Lots of snow up there as well.

A happy post Saint Patrick's Day. We don't do much but I do like to make bangers and mash and soda bread and to wash it all down with some stout! 

This last weekend was a goodbye to our neighbors and good friends who are moving on to Florida. I am so, oh so sad but very excited for their new adventure.

We also enjoyed a nice outing with some good friends to a new wine bar. We took the train up and enjoyed a nice relaxing evening trying new wines and enjoying gelato before heading back to our kids. These friends will also be moving in a few months out-of-state 😭

We are looking forward to Spring break in two weeks. It’ll be a stay-cation but looking forward to a few hikes and seeing some local things that we haven’t done because of the pandemic.

G helped make family-style crème brulee

And happy Spring 🌷🌺 Our crocuses and tulips are sprouting!

Currently Reading 

Enlightenment Now: The Case for Reason, Science, Humanism, and Progress by Steven Pinker

Free Speech: A History from Socrates to Social Media by Jacob Mchangama

Immune: A Journey into the Mysterious System that Keeps You Alive by Philipp Dettmer

The Once and Future King by T.H. White

The Icepick Surgeon: Murder, Fraud, Sabotage, Piracy, and Other Dastardly Deeds Perpetrated in the Name of Science by Sean Kean

Babylon’s Ashes (The Expanse #6) by James S.A. Corey

The Warmth of Other Suns: The Epic Story of America's Great Migration by Isabel Wilkerson

Read

Tree of Life: The Incredible Biodiversity of Life on Earth by Rochelle Strauss / 2004 / 40 Pages / Paperback / Science

My Thoughts: This is a lovely nonfiction book for kids. Great illustrations and easy-to-understand definitions and descriptions and ways to help the earth locally.

Black Heroes of the Wild West by James Otis Smith / 2020/ 60 Pages / Paperback / History

My Thoughts:

Three stories in a graphic novel format about black historical figures in Old West. Great stories and lots of extra information to put the stories into context. 

Drive (The Expanse #2.6) by James S.A. Corey / 2012/ 30 Pages / Kindle / Sci-fi

My Thoughts:

Great short story that talks about the origins of the Epstein drive and the man who invented it in The Expanse universe.

Woke Racism: How a New Religion Has Betrayed Black America by John McWhorter / 2021 /  224 Pages / Hardcover / Nonfiction

My Thoughts:

Interesting thoughts from John McWhorter. I've always enjoyed his books on language as a fellow language nerd. Not his best but still worth the read.

Nemesis Games (The Expanse #5) by James S.A. Corey / 2015 / 536 Pages / Paperback / Sci-fi

My Thoughts:

Another great book in the Expanse series. Really enjoyed diving into the Roci's crew this time around instead of adding new characters and perspectives.

Serafina and the Seven Stars by Robert Beatty / 2019 / 352 Pages / Paperback / Library / Fantasy

My Thoughts:

This is book four of the Serafina series. I read them all with G. Don't know if there will be another in the series. This one did not disappoint.

Maus I: A Survivor’s Tale: My Father Bleeds History by Art Spiegelman / 1986 / 159 Pages / Paperback / Graphic Novel / History

My Thoughts:

I've been meaning to read this one for years. So glad I finally got to it. It's a devastating story but also brilliantly told about his father's experience of World War II and surviving the Holocaust. He also draws and writes about grief and trauma and how it continues to influence generations after. Just absolutely brilliant. Please read!

Self-Compassion: The Proven Power of Being Kind to Yourself by Kristin Neff / 2011 / 320 Pages / Paperback / Psychology / Self-Help

My Thoughts:

This one took me about 2 1/2 months to read because of how much learning and exercises there are to do! It's a powerful book and one I'll be referencing often. Highly recommended!

Movies Watched:

Witness the bloody origin

The King's Man (2021) (HBO Max and Hulu) Directed and written by Matthew Vaughn. Starring Ralph Fiennes, Harris Dickinson, Djimon Hounsou, and Gemma Arterton.

My Thoughts:

I really liked the first one except for the ending...the second was still interesting...this one was even less so. Meh.

Fresh (2022) (Hulu) Directed by Mimi Cave. Written by Lauryn Kahn. Starring Daisy Edgar-Jones and Sebastian Stan.

My Thoughts:

This one premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in January and I can see why. It's a horrific story which I thought was going to be a bit more comical than horrific. But I still really really enjoyed it even though I doubt I'll ever watch that again. Watch if you are into Indie Horror!

Growing up is a beast

Turning Red (2022) (Disney+) Directed by Domee Shi. Written by Domee Shi, Julia Cho, and Sarah Streicher. Starring: Rosalie Chiang, Sandra Oh

My Thoughts:

We watched this as a family! It was wonderful. We all really enjoyed it. Funny and heartfelt. This one digs into puberty and all the changes that come with it, including what that means for parental relationships and even friendships. Brilliant as always.

TV Watched:

I finished off Star Trek: Discovery. Still catching up on The Expanse. But mainly I've been watching basketball, both NCAA and NBA.

I hope to get a better handle on my updates come April!

Joining up with Deb from Readerbuzz and her Sunday Salon.

Not So Quick End-of-2021 Update...

I don't have much of an excuse other than life really got away from me starting in October with the death of my father-in-law...whew. I kept my head above water just by doing what needed doing and unfortunately writing on my blog fell by the wayside. I am slowly crawling my way back into it! Yay me. 

But I have to pare down. I enjoy my Cat Thursday posts so I'll try to keep those going each week and then an end of week post...which may be every other week depending on the week. Something doable for a little while and then hopefully I'll get my groove back! lol.

We are looking forward to G's 13th birthday! What? I can't believe how time flies. He wants money to get a new game for his VR, something to physically open, and sushi for dinner. Can't complain about that. I even asked him if he wanted me to bake him a cake and he told me he'd rather have an ice cream cake...so I don't even have to do that! He is going to have a friend over for a sleepover and pizza. So I will bake him some birthday cupcakes!

Now onto my end of 2021 update...

I read 119 books in 2021. 

39 were children's/middle/young adult books. 

35 non-fiction books.

11 were classics (as well as modern).

39 were by non-white authors.

Over half were by women. 

I had a great reading year. I don't know if I'll read as much as I did last year. Only time will tell. 

Favorite reads: These are the ones that just stood out as I looked back over my list.

• The End of Everything: Astrophysically Speaking by Katie Mack. Her down-to-earth style of how the universe could literally end was fun and so fascinating. I love to get a few astronomy books in a year and this one was top.
• The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey. Just what I needed for one of my first reads of the year. A haunting yet beautiful tale in the Alaskan frontier.
• The Sun Down Motel by Simone St. James. The way she blended two time lines and how they finally meet was really quite something. Her bits of magic throughout are also haunting. 
• Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants by Robin Wall Kimmerer. A beautiful and lyrical memoir and combining all of this knowledge together to connect ourselves to each other, the earth, and everything else.
• Cultish: The Language of Fanaticism by Amanda Montell. I loved everything about this book from the big cults to the little ones...I'm looking at you CrossFit and Peleton...it combined my love of language and cults all in one.
• Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir. I loved this book so much. So much heart and humanity and sciencing the shit out of everything.
• The Memory Thief and the Secrets Behind How We Remember: A Medical Mystery by Lauren Aguirre. This one opened my mind up on how certain type of drugs can affect our memories and also philosophically memories literally make us who we are and without them who are we? Loved how she combined science and a real medical mystery to discuss it all.
• My Heart Is a Chainsaw by Stephen Grahame Jones. This was brutal, poignant, and so lovely. His sequel comes out this fall! Eeek!
• The Premonition: A Pandemic Story by Michael Lewis. An open wound on how we didn't respond to the pandemic and he exposes the system and how it really is setup for failure. Brutal but needed.
• The Last House on Needless Street by Catriona Ward. I've been telling everyone to listen to this mind-blowing novel! Do it. The less you know the better.

Favorite Movies and TV shows: This one is really hard but I'll do my best...

• Free Guy: I was pleasantly surprised at how good this was...lots of philosophical stuff on free will and destiny and love.
• Black Widow: Loved everything. Funny and full of action.
• The Night House: Can Rebecca Hall do wrong? Well, maybe but this one was a knockout. Layers of grief, horror, all the stuff of nightmares.
• Midnight Mass on Netflix. So so creepy and quite the philosophical reversal. Loved it. It's one I'll rewatch yearly or close to it.
• Loki on Disney+. Disney is killing it with their TV shows from the marvel world.
• Luca. Hands down one of the best movies all year.
• Mare of Easttown on HBO was sooooo good.
• A Quiet Place II. Fantastic sequel. Can't wait for the final instalment!
• The Investigation: HBO docudrama on the investigation of Kim Wall's murder. Brilliant.
• Promising Young Woman: Brutal but I couldn't look away.
• Nomadland: Raw and just so human and beautiful. It's a must-see.
• Wolfwalkers: I lied this one is at the top or just under Luca.
• Sound of Metal. Brilliant performance by Riz Ahmed.
• Summer of Soul (...or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised): Best documentary. It's on Hulu. Go watch it now.
• Mayday. Such a great film. Beautiful and haunting Indie.
• Ted Lasso on Apple. That is the feel-good TV series of a life-time.

That was a mouthful!

We all had a great Solstice, Christmas, and New Year's Eve. We met up with our friends in an Air Bnb for a few days to celebrate and see each other! It's been two years! They moved up to Washington a few years ago and so we've made an effort to get together at least once a year but then the pandemic... So it was great to see them again. The weather was terrible and the drive even worse but it was worth it. I think we'll try Spring or Fall instead next time!

Our snowed in status all week!
Playing games and getting crazy
Teenagers, anyone? lol

Books read in January:

Where the Dead Go to Die by Aaron Dries and Mark Allan Gunnells/ 2016/ 197 pages/ Kindle
Goodreads Summary:
There are monsters in this world. And they used to be us. Now it's time to euthanize to survive in a hospice where Emily, a woman haunted by her past, only wants to do her job and be the best mother possible.

Post-infection Chicago. Christmas.

Inside The Hospice, Emily and her fellow nurses do their rounds. Here, men and women live out their final days in comfort, segregated from society, and are then humanely terminated before fate turns them into marrow-craving monsters known as ‘Smilers.’ Outside these imposing walls, rabid protesters swarm with signs, caught up in the heat of their hatred.

Emily, a woman haunted by her past, only wants to do her job and be the best mother possible. But in a world where mortality means nothing, where guns are drawn in fear and nobody seems safe anymore – at what cost will this pursuit come? And through it all, the soon to be dead remain silent, ever smiling. Such is their curse.

This emotional, political novel comes from two of horror’s freshest voices, and puts a new spin on an eternal topic: the undead. In the spirit of George A Romero meets Jack Ketchum, Where the Dead Go to Die it is an unforgettable epilogue to the zombie genre, one that will leave you shaken and questioning right from wrong…even when it’s the only right left.

It won't be long before that snow-speckled ground will be salted by blood.
My Thoughts:
I really enjoyed this take on the zombie genre...what if the incubation time took a really long time to "turn" people into actual brain-eating/wanna-eat-your-flesh creatures? This world it took them a little bit of time to realize this so a lot of almost-zombies died in the process, which upset their families, which in turn upset the politicians, etc. 
We join this world through Emily and her daughter and a special hospice facility where the turned go to live out their last days before they are "humanely killed" before they turn into the zombies we all know and "love." Lots of questions get brought up about what happens if we get too complacent about the monsters under our beds...? 
My only complaints are it was just too short. It really was a small slice into this world and I wanted more, more, and more. Also, the story takes place in the U.S. but the terms were British soooo...that also threw me out of the story. So I was left a bit disappointed overall. But I would still recommend it to anyone who loves a good zombie story. 

Leviathan Wakes by James S.A. Corey /2011/ 561 pages/ Paperback
Goodreads Summary:
Humanity has colonized the solar system—Mars, the Moon, the Asteroid Belt and beyond—but the stars are still out of our reach.

Jim Holden is XO of an ice miner making runs from the rings of Saturn to the mining stations of the Belt. When he and his crew stumble upon a derelict ship, the Scopuli, they find themselves in possession of a secret they never wanted. A secret that someone is willing to kill for—and kill on a scale unfathomable to Jim and his crew. War is brewing in the system unless he can find out who left the ship and why.

Detective Miller is looking for a girl. One girl in a system of billions, but her parents have money and money talks. When the trail leads him to the Scopuli and rebel sympathizer Holden, he realizes that this girl may be the key to everything.

Holden and Miller must thread the needle between the Earth government, the Outer Planet revolutionaries, and secretive corporations—and the odds are against them. But out in the Belt, the rules are different, and one small ship can change the fate of the universe.
My Thoughts:
This is my third reading. And it is still as good as the other two times. Great start to space opera that is the world of The Expanse. The TV show on Prime is really great as well and the series and the books are both great and different in their own ways. So if you love sci-fi that is more on the dramatic side this one is for you.

Serafina and the Splintered Heart by Robert Beatty/ 2017/ 357 pages/ library
Goodreads Summary:
The storms are coming....

Something has happened to Serafina. She has awoken into a darkness she does not understand, scarred from a terrible battle, only to find that life at Biltmore Estate has changed in unimaginable ways. Old friends do unthinkable things and enemies seem all around.

A mysterious threat moves towards Biltmore, a force without a name, bringing with it violent storms and flooding that stands to uproot everything in its path. Serafina must uncover the truth about what has happened to her and find a way to harness her strange new powers before it's too late.

With only days to achieve the impossible, Serafina fights to reclaim herself as the Guardian of Biltmore, friend of Braeden, daughter of her Pa, and heroine of the Blue Ridge Mountains and all the folk and creatures that call it home.
My Thoughts:
This is the third book in the Serafina series. G and I have been reading them together and we both love them! Serafina and friend Braeden get into all sorts of troubles and this book is no different. Serafina's soul and body have been ripped into pieces by black magic and it's up to her, Braeden, and new friends and old foes to get her back together again and defeat the evil sorcerer. Beatty provides a haunting and beautiful background in the Blue Mountains at the turn of the 20th century. Great characters and mysteries abound. 

T: The Story of Testosterone and How it Dominates and Divides Us by Carole Hooven/ 2021/ 357 pages/ Scribd
Goodreads Summary:
Testosterone: Misunderstood. Mythologized. Controversial.

A Harvard evolutionary biologist debunks the myths and cultural stereotypes surrounding testosterone and reveals its far-reaching effects on gender and sexuality, sports, relationships, and many more aspects of our everyday lives.

The biological source of virility and masculinity has inspired fascination, investigation, and controversy since antiquity. From the eunuchs in the royal courts of ancient China to the booming market for “elixirs” of youth in nineteenth-century Europe, humans have been obsessed with identifying and manipulating what we now know as testosterone. And the trends show no signs of slowing down—the modern market for testosterone supplements is booming. Thanks to this history and the methods of modern science, today we have a rich body of research about testosterone’s effects in both men and women.

The science is clear: testosterone is a major, invisible player in our relationships, sex lives, athletic abilities, childhood play, gender transitions, parenting roles, violent crime, and so much more. But there is still a lot of pushback to the idea that it does, in fact, cause sex differences and significantly influence behavior.

Carole Hooven argues in T that acknowledging testosterone as a potent force in society doesn’t reinforce stifling gender norms or patriarchal values. Testosterone and evolution work together to produce a huge variety of human behavior, and that includes a multitude of ways to be masculine or feminine. Understanding the science sheds light on how we work and relate to one another, how we express anger and love, and how we can fight bias and problematic behavior to build a more fair society.
My Thoughts:
Loved this book. She's very clear and concise. She provides tons of science and the stories behind them. She doesn't have all the answers nor does she try to. But it's an open discussion with the science to begin. One of my favorite science books I've read in a long time.

Pride and Prejudice: An Annotated Edition by Jane Austen and edited by Patricia Meyer Spacks/ 2010/ 442 pages/ Hardcover
Goodreads Summary:
'Vanity, not love, has been my folly'

When Elizabeth Bennet first meets eligible bachelor Fitzwilliam Darcy, she thinks him arrogant and conceited; he is indifferent to her good looks and lively mind. When she later discovers that Darcy has involved himself in the troubled relationship between his friend Bingley and her beloved sister Jane, she is determined to dislike him more than ever. In the sparkling comedy of manners that follows, Jane Austen shows the folly of judging by first impressions and superbly evokes the friendships, gossip and snobberies of provincial middle-class life.
My Thoughts:
Reading an annotated edition of Pride and Prejudice was pure joy! So many little insights into the culture and archaic words. And insight into what Austen might have meant with certain phrases or reasons why certain characters may have said or done certain things. Pure joy. This is one that will be reread time and again!
Caliban's War by James S.A. Corey/ 2012/ 595 pages/ Paperback

Goodreads Summary:
We are not alone.

On Ganymede, breadbasket of the outer planets, a Martian marine watches as her platoon is slaughtered by a monstrous supersoldier. On Earth, a high-level politician struggles to prevent interplanetary war from reigniting. And on Venus, an alien protomolecule has overrun the planet, wreaking massive, mysterious changes and threatening to spread out into the solar system.

In the vast wilderness of space, James Holden and the crew of the Rocinante have been keeping the peace for the Outer Planets Alliance. When they agree to help a scientist search war-torn Ganymede for a missing child, the future of humanity rests on whether a single ship can prevent an alien invasion that may have already begun . . .
My Thoughts:
This is the second book in The Expanse series and it's almost as good as the first! Lots of action and two new characters that I love! Yes.

Joining up with Deb from Readerbuzz and her Sunday Salon.

Book Review: Dare to Know by James Kennedy

Dare to Know by James Kennedy

Published (expected): September 14, 2021 by Quirk Books

Genre: Sci-fi, Thriller

Format: ARC paperback, 304 Pages

I received an ARC copy for free from Quirk Books in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Science has evolved enough to find thanatons or death particles. The rich pay millions to find out when they'll die. Sapere Aude is formed and big bucks are to be had and our protagonist Willy is at the top of his game...well, until he isn't. Pretty soon the middle class can afford to know they'll die and eventually does anyone really, I mean really wanna know?

The algorithm to predict one's death involves a lot of training at first but soon even Willy's job is doable by the grunts. He's soon out of a job. He's still in love with his long ago ex-girlfriend. And his marriage is over and his two boys want nothing to do with him. He's not supposed to predict his own death...that is until a freak accident convinces him to do it. What ensues forces Willy to rethink everything he's ever known and he's running out of time to save himself and quite possibly the world.

I absolutely love the premise of this sci-fi thriller. Big philosophical questions explored through science fiction. I feel like he was trying to be Blake Crouch and unfortunately, he is not. His characters and world-building really fall flat. I honestly had a hard time caring about Willy and the two-dimensional humans he interacted with. It felt like a short story that was bloated for a full-length novel. It had some serious promise but it just wasn't executed well in the end.

I hope his next book has a little more girth to his characters and world. I love his ideas and I loved how he used philosophy and physics to build his story. I'll keep my eye out.

Mini Book Reviews: The Trespasser, Project Hail Mary, The Searcher...

The Wife Upstairs by Rachel Hawkins

Published: January 5th, 2021 by St. Martin's Press

Genre: Retelling, Psychological thriller

Format: Audiobook, 9 hours and 10 minutes, Scribd

Rating: 3 Stars

Publisher's Summary:

Meet Jane. Newly arrived to Birmingham, Alabama, Jane is a broke dog-walker in Thornfield Estates—a gated community full of McMansions, shiny SUVs, and bored housewives. The kind of place where no one will notice if Jane lifts the discarded tchotchkes and jewelry off the side tables of her well-heeled clients. Where no one will think to ask if Jane is her real name.

But her luck changes when she meets Eddie Rochester. Recently widowed, Eddie is Thornfield Estates’ most mysterious resident. His wife, Bea, drowned in a boating accident with her best friend, their bodies lost to the deep. Jane can’t help but see an opportunity in Eddie—not only is he rich, brooding, and handsome, he could also offer her the kind of protection she’s always yearned for.

Yet as Jane and Eddie fall for each other, Jane is increasingly haunted by the legend of Bea, an ambitious beauty with a rags-to-riches origin story, who launched a wildly successful southern lifestyle brand. How can she, plain Jane, ever measure up? And can she win Eddie’s heart before her past—or his—catches up to her?

With delicious suspense, incisive wit, and a fresh, feminist sensibility, The Wife Upstairs flips the script on a timeless tale of forbidden romance, ill-advised attraction, and a wife who just won’t stay buried. In this vivid reimagining of one of literature’s most twisted love triangles, which Mrs. Rochester will get her happy ending?

My Thoughts:

I can't get away from any Jane Eyre retelling. I am a sucker! It was different for sure. But it didn't quite have that Jane Eyre feeling for me, though. But it has quite an ending and I liked the twist.

Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir

Published: May 4th, 2021 by Ballantine Books

Genre: Sci-fi, Action-adventure

Format: Hardcover, 476 pages, Library

Rating: 5 Stars

Publisher's Summary:

Ryland Grace is the sole survivor on a desperate, last-chance mission--and if he fails, humanity and the earth itself will perish.

Except that right now, he doesn't know that. He can't even remember his own name, let alone the nature of his assignment or how to complete it.

All he knows is that he's been asleep for a very, very long time. And he's just been awakened to find himself millions of miles from home, with nothing but two corpses for company.

His crewmates dead, his memories fuzzily returning, he realizes that an impossible task now confronts him. Alone on this tiny ship that's been cobbled together by every government and space agency on the planet and hurled into the depths of space, it's up to him to conquer an extinction-level threat to our species.

And thanks to an unexpected ally, he just might have a chance.

Part scientific mystery, part dazzling interstellar journey, Project Hail Mary is a tale of discovery, speculation, and survival to rival The Martian--while taking us to places it never dreamed of going.

My Thoughts:

This is in my top five this year if not higher! I loved everything about this book. I can't wait to reread it on audio. There are a few parts that will come alive once I can hear it. I hope they make this one into a movie as well.

Lots of science discussion in this one. But I loved that. I didn't understand everything but I loved the way he walks himself through it. This one gave me hope for humanity after reading it. That can only be a good thing.

Arsenic and Adobo (Tita Rosie's Kitchen Mystery #1) by Mia P. Manansala

Published: May 4th, 2021 by Berkley

Genre: Mystery

Format: Paperback, 336 pages, Libary

Rating: 3 Stars

Publisher's Summary:

When Lila Macapagal moves back home to recover from a horrible breakup, her life seems to be following all the typical rom-com tropes. She's tasked with saving her Tita Rosie's failing restaurant, and she has to deal with a group of matchmaking aunties who shower her with love and judgment. But when a notoriously nasty food critic (who happens to be her ex-boyfriend) drops dead moments after a confrontation with Lila, her life quickly swerves from a Nora Ephron romp to an Agatha Christie case.

With the cops treating her like she's the one and only suspect, and the shady landlord looking to finally kick the Macapagal family out and resell the storefront, Lila's left with no choice but to conduct her own investigation. Armed with the nosy auntie network, her barista best bud, and her trusted Dachshund, Longanisa, Lila takes on this tasty, twisted case and soon finds her own neck on the chopping block…

My Thoughts:

I enjoyed this introduction into Tita Rosie's Kitchen Mystery series. It wasn't more than it needed to be. We have a couple of love interests for the future! We've got an amateur sleuth who can cook! The author includes several recipes to try at the end of the book. I tried out the adobo chicken and it was super yummy! I will make it again.

The Trespasser (Dublin Murder Squad #6) by Tana French

Published: October 4th, 2016 by Viking

Genre: Crime Fiction

Format: Kindle, 464 pages, Own

Rating: 3.5 Stars

Publisher's Summary:

Being on the Murder squad is nothing like Detective Antoinette Conway dreamed it would be. Her partner, Stephen Moran, is the only person who seems glad she’s there. The rest of her working life is a stream of thankless cases, vicious pranks, and harassment. Antoinette is savagely tough, but she’s getting close to the breaking point.

Their new case looks like yet another by-the-numbers lovers’ quarrel gone bad. Aislinn Murray is blond, pretty, groomed to a shine, and dead in her catalogue-perfect living room, next to a table set for a romantic dinner. There’s nothing unusual about her—except that Antoinette’s seen her somewhere before.

And that her death won’t stay in its neat by-numbers box. Other detectives are trying to push Antoinette and Steve into arresting Aislinn’s boyfriend, fast. There’s a shadowy figure at the end of Antoinette's road. Aislinn's friend is hinting that she knew Aislinn was in danger. And everything they find out about Aislinn takes her further from the glossy, passive doll she seemed to be.

Antoinette knows the harassment has turned her paranoid, but she can’t tell just how far gone she is. Is this case another step in the campaign to force her off the squad, or are there darker currents flowing beneath its polished surface?

My Thoughts:

I have officially read all of the Dublin Murder Squad series! Until she writes another one...

I enjoyed the themes of how everything isn't how it always seems and how people can surprise us in good ways in the end. But it was a bit of a long stretch where I didn't quite like the way the book was going. Her main character Antoinette was absolutely dreadful. I didn't feel like she was an actual human being that interacted with the world. She was just too much. I don't think French gave her a fair shake. She seems to give the men fair shakes in her books but the women? Not so much. 

Plot was a bit stretched as well. But overall, I liked the overall feel of the book rather than the actual plot or the main protagonist. It is a worthy series. I hope she writes more.

The Bombay Prince (Perveen Mistry #3) by Sujata Massey

Published: June 1st, 2021 by Soho Crime

Genre: Historical Fiction, Mystery

Format: Hardcover, 360 pages, Library

Rating: 3.5 Stars

Publisher's Summary:

India’s only female lawyer, Perveen Mistry, is compelled to bring justice to the family of a murdered female Parsi student just as Bombay’s streets erupt in riots to protest British colonial rule. Sujata Massey is back with this third installment to the Agatha and Mary Higgins Clark Award-winning series set in 1920s Bombay.

November, 1921. Edward VIII, Prince of Wales and future ruler of India, is arriving in Bombay to begin a four-month tour. The Indian subcontinent is chafing under British rule, and Bombay solicitor Perveen Mistry isn’t surprised when local unrest over the royal arrival spirals into riots. But she’s horrified by the death of Freny Cuttingmaster, an eighteen-year-old female Parsi student, who falls from a second-floor gallery just as the prince’s grand procession is passing by her college.

Freny had come for a legal consultation just days before her death, and what she confided makes Perveen suspicious that her death was not an accident. Perveen, who strongly identified with Freny—another young Parsi woman fighting hard against the confines of society’s rules and expectations—feels terribly guilty for failing to help her. Perveen steps forward to assist Freny’s family in the fraught dealings of the coroner’s inquest, and when Freny’s death is ruled a murder, Perveen knows she can’t rest until she sees justice done. But Bombay is erupting: as armed British secret service march the streets, rioters attack anyone with perceived British connections and desperate shopkeepers destroy their own wares so they will not be targets of racial violence. Can Perveen help a suffering family when her own is in danger?

My Thoughts:

I loved the first two in this series. But The Bombay Prince just didn't quite live up to the first two. It could be that Perveen is a little more confined in this one. She's back home with her parents and working under her father. The restrictions placed on women really come out in this one. And while her romance heats up a tad in this one...it felt a bit forced. I feel like this book was a way to get to her other stories that will move along Perveen's story. It felt a little rushed to me. But I am hooked and will continue on with the series.

The setting in 1920s India is also fabulous. Lots of history and ideas are presented. It makes me want to read more Indian history during this time. Overall, a great series.

The House of the Scorpion by Nancy Farmer

Published: First published 2002 by Atheneum Books for Young Readers

Genre: Dystopia, Young Adult

Format: Paperback, 380 pages, Own

Rating: 3.5 Stars

Publisher's Summary:

With undertones of vampires, Frankenstein, dragons' hoards, and killing fields, Matt's story turns out to be an inspiring tale of friendship, survival, hope, and transcendence. A must-read for teenage fantasy fans.

At his coming-of-age party, Matteo Alacrán asks El Patrón's bodyguard, "How old am I?...I know I don't have a birthday like humans, but I was born."

"You were harvested," Tam Lin reminds him. "You were grown in that poor cow for nine months and then you were cut out of her."

To most people around him, Matt is not a boy, but a beast. A room full of chicken litter with roaches for friends and old chicken bones for toys is considered good enough for him. But for El Patrón, lord of a country called Opium—a strip of poppy fields lying between the U.S. and what was once called Mexico—Matt is a guarantee of eternal life. El Patrón loves Matt as he loves himself for Matt is himself. They share identical DNA.

My Thoughts:

G really enjoyed this one. I think he liked it better than I did. I liked it but didn't love it. There are some hard ideas in this series. I think that's good. We had some discussions while reading. But I also felt there were a lot of things in this book that were glossed over or made less horrifying because it's young adult. But it's still an interesting dystopia that focuses on what makes someone human? Is it nature versus nurture? Both? Her series is a fun exploration.

The Searcher by Tana French

Published: October 6th, 2020 by Viking

Genre: Mystery

Format: Hardcover, 451 pages, Library

Rating: 4 Stars

Publisher's Summary:

Retired detective Cal Hooper moves to a remote village in rural Ireland. His plans are to fix up the dilapidated cottage he's bought, to walk the mountains, to put his old police instincts to bed forever.

Then a local boy appeals to him for help. His brother is missing, and no one in the village, least of all the police, seems to care. And once again, Cal feels that restless itch.

Something is wrong in this community, and he must find out what, even if it brings trouble to his door.

My Thoughts:

I loved all the things in this newest book by French. What are the codes we live by? When don't they work? Life has all that gray in-between stuff and French explores this by having an ex-cop from America in Ireland trying to figure out why his code doesn't always work.

We see how his relationship with his daughter and his marriage fell apart because he did what he thought was the right thing...

The character development between Cal and Trey was also delightful. They both felt real and their budding dad/kid relationship felt hard-earned and genuine.

Just a really well done novel on life not always being what you expect and all that "gray" in between it all.

Mini Book Reviews: Adulthood Rites, Imago...

Adulthood Rites (#2 Xenogenesis) by Octavia Butler

Published: 1988 by Aspect

Genre: Sci-fi, Dystopia

Format: Kindle, 277 Pages, Own

Publisher's Summary:

In this sequel to Dawn, Lilith Iyapo has given birth to what looks like a normal human boy named Akin. But Akin actually has five parents: a male and female human, a male and female Oankali, and a sexless Ooloi. The Oankali and Ooloi are part of an alien race that rescued humanity from a devastating nuclear war, but the price they exact is a high one the aliens are compelled to genetically merge their species with other races, drastically altering both in the process.

On a rehabilitated Earth, this "new" race is emerging through human/Oankali/Ooloi mating, but there are also "pure" humans who choose to resist the aliens and the salvation they offer.These resisters are sterilized by the Ooloi so that they cannot reproduce the genetic defect that drives humanity to destroy itself, but otherwise they are left alone (unless they become violent).

When the resisters kidnap young Akin, the Oankali choose to leave the child with his captors, for he the most "human" of the Oankali children will decide whether the resisters should be given back their fertility and freedom, even though they will only destroy themselves again.

This is the second volume in Octavia Butler's Xenogenesis series, a powerful tale of alien existence.

My Thoughts:

I loved the world-building and the philosophy behind this series. It's a way to explore what makes us human and who deserves to be treated as such. I enjoyed Akin's journey as he struggles to understand humans and the Oankali and how he fits into this new society.

Imago (#3 Xenogenesis) by Octavia Butler

Published: 1989 by Aspect

Genre: Sci-fi, Dystopia

Format: Kindle, 224 Pages, Own

Publisher's Summary:

The stunning conclusion to a postapocalyptic trilogy about an alien species merging with humans—from “one of science fiction’s finest writers” (TheNew York Times).
Human and Oankali have been mating since the aliens first came to Earth to rescue the few survivors of an annihilating nuclear war. The Oankali began a massive breeding project, guided by the ooloi, a sexless subspecies capable of manipulating DNA, in the hope of eventually creating a perfect starfaring race. Jodahs is supposed to be just another hybrid of human and Oankali, but as he begins his transformation to adulthood he finds himself becoming ooloi—the first ever born to a human mother. As his body changes, Jodahs develops the ability to shapeshift, manipulate matter, and cure or create disease at will. If this frightened young man is able to master his new identity, Jodahs could prove the savior of what’s left of mankind. Or, if he is not careful, he could become a plague that will destroy this new race once and for all.

My Thoughts:

A fantastic conclusion. I thoroughly enjoyed Butler's thoughtful story on whether humanity can change and if not, whether or not we're worth saving...

Stranger Planet by Nathan W. Pyle

Published: June 16th, 2020 by Morrow Gift

Genre: Humor, Graphic Novel

Format: Ebook, 144 Pages, Scribd

Publisher's Summary:

In this eagerly awaited sequel, Nathan takes us back to his charming and instantly recognizable planet colored in bright pinks, blues, greens, and purples, providing more escapades, jokes, and p h r a s e s.

Nathan mixes his most popular Instagram comics with more than thirty original works created exclusively for this second volume to explore four major topics: traditions, nature, emotions, and knowledge. He inducts new and longtime fans into a strangely familiar world and its culture, from “cohesion” (marriage) to “mild poison” (alcohol) to the full lyrics to “The Small Eight-Legged Creature” (sung to the tune of The Itsy-Bitsy Spider).

Bright, colorful, and whimsical—yet charmingly familiar—Stranger Planet is out-of-this-world fun.

My Thoughts:

So funny!!! If you haven't read the first in the series go check it out. It's just such a great look at the weirdness that is humanity! And the second one is not any different. He'll never run out of things to make fun!

The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas

Published: first published in 1844

Genre: Action/Adventure

Format: Ebook, 1276 Pages, Scribd

Publisher's Summary:

Thrown in prison for a crime he has not committed, Edmond Dantes is confined to the grim fortress of If. There he learns of a great hoard of treasure hidden on the Isle of Monte Cristo and he becomes determined not only to escape, but also to unearth the treasure and use it to plot the destruction of the three men responsible for his incarceration. Dumas’ epic tale of suffering and retribution, inspired by a real-life case of wrongful imprisonment, was a huge popular success when it was first serialized in the 1840s.

My Thoughts:

I was surprised at how lively and fun the book was! I was expecting it to be a bit more droll like Les Mis...I'd call this a French Soap Opera! 

The thing that stuck out most with me is how much Dumas' ties Dantes' revenge to God's Wrath aka Vigilante Justice that's sanctioned by God. Not until the end does he question even a little bit about what he has done as part of his revenge. There are a couple of casualties that he did not plan along the way. But he makes it up by helping others along the way...I like that twist. Usually it's "revenge is a dish best served cold." And how revenge truly never works. Which I think is mostly true. But yeah it was just fun to see this side of it. Fun escapism. The baddies get their just desserts!

There is also a theme of memories and remembrance throughout the book. Of course, Dantes remembers; he is exacting his revenge slowly and carefully. The ones who are his friends ponder and remember their past and remember him. The enemies are the ones who only remember once the "guillotine" has dropped.

Overall, I really enjoyed reading it and glad I finally took the time to do so this year!

I also recently watched the movie done in the early 2000s...It was OK. But they switched it up and used the whole "revenge is a dish best served cold" idea. Irritated me. They took out key characters and completely changed the ending. But what do you do when you only have 2.5 hours to get in a 1200+ book! I'd like to see a limited series done.

*Read for Back to the Classics challenge and The Classics Club challenge

Mini Book Reviews: Broken Harbor...

Faithful Place by Tana French

Published: July 13th, 2010 by Viking

Genre: Mystery

Format: Kindle, 416 Pages, Own

Rating: 4 stars

Publisher's Summary:

Back in 1985, Frank Mackey was nineteen, growing up poor in Dublin's inner city and living crammed into a small flat with his family on Faithful Place. But he had his sights set on a lot more. He and his girl, Rosie Daly, were all set to run away to London together, get married, get good jobs, break away from factory work and poverty and their old lives.

But on the winter night when they were supposed to leave, Rosie didn't show. Frank took it for granted that she'd given him the brush-off--probably because of his alcoholic father, nutcase mother, and generally dysfunctional family. He never went home again.

Neither did Rosie. Everyone thought she had gone to England on her own and was over there living a shiny new life. Then, twenty-two years later, Rosie's suitcase shows up behind a fireplace in a derelict house on Faithful Place, and Frank is going home whether he likes it or not.

Getting sucked in is a lot easier than getting out again. Frank finds himself straight back in the dark tangle of relationships he left behind. The cops working the case want him out of the way, in case loyalty to his family and community makes him a liability. Faithful Place wants him out because he’s a detective now, and the Place has never liked cops. Frank just wants to find out what happened to Rosie Daly-and he’s willing to do whatever it takes, to himself or anyone else, to get the job done.

My Thoughts:

Another excellent mystery that's heavily character-driven rather than plot-drive from Ms. French. Her plots don't quite make a lot of sense but I still enjoy my way getting there. Mackey and his family came alive for me. I loved getting a better sense of his history and what has made him tick. I loved her exploration of families. How messy and complicated they are and why. Sometimes I had to set the book down because the dysfunction felt a little too familiar...

Bridge of Souls by Victoria Schwab

Published: March 2nd, 2021 by Scholastic Press

Genre: Horror, Middle Grade

Format: Hardcover, 304 Pages, Own

Rating: 4 stars

Publisher's Summary:

Where there are ghosts, Cassidy Blake follows...unless it's the other way around?

Cass thinks she might have this ghost-hunting thing down. After all, she and her ghost best friend, Jacob, have survived two haunted cities while travelling for her parents' TV show.

But nothing can prepare Cass for New Orleans, which wears all of its hauntings on its sleeve. In a city of ghost tours and tombs, raucous music and all kinds of magic, Cass could get lost in all the colourful, grisly local legends. And the city's biggest surprise is a foe Cass never expected to face: a servant of Death itself.

Cass takes on her most dangerous challenge yet...

My Thoughts:

This is another fantastic instalment by Schwab. Loved reading about Cass and her antics in New Orleans. How her parents are still clueless about her supernatural abilities. But I love her friendships and how she solves each problem with help. And of course, her kitty is always super cute!

Broken Harbor by Tana French

Published: April 28th, 2013 by Penguin

Genre: Mystery

Format: Hardcover, 450 Pages, Library

Rating: 3.5 stars

Publisher's Summary:

Mick “Scorcher" Kennedy is the star of the Dublin Murder Squad. He plays by the books and plays hard, and that's how the biggest case of the year ends up in his hands.

On one of the half-abandoned "luxury" developments that litter Ireland, Patrick Spain and his two young children have been murdered. His wife, Jenny, is in intensive care. At first, Scorcher thinks it's going to be an easy solve, but too many small things can't be explained: the half-dozen baby monitors pointed at holes smashed in the Spains' walls, the files erased from the family's computer, the story Jenny told her sister about a shadowy intruder slipping past the house's locks. And this neighborhood—once called Broken Harbor—holds memories for Scorcher and his troubled sister, Dina: childhood memories that Scorcher thought he had tightly under control.

My Thoughts:

The plot was a bit better in this one. But...overall, this one wasn't as good as I was hoping but she still knows how to pack a punch. And such a different take from her other books, taking on class and the economic downturn on the global scale but especially in Ireland. I also enjoyed getting to know Scorcher Kennedy that we were introduced to in "Faithful Place." I love that she fleshes everyone out eventually. Everyone's a bit different and I love that she can write them so vividly. It's another great reason to read this series since she doesn't focus on one detective each book. I'd say one of the big explorations in this one is despair and the horrors one can do when there are no lights at the end of the tunnel.

The Secret Place by Tana French

Published: September 2nd, 2014 by Penguin Books

Genre: Mystery

Format: Kindle, 541 Pages, Own

Rating: 4 stars

Publisher's Summary:

A year ago a boy was found murdered at a girlsʼ boarding school, and the case was never solved. Detective Stephen Moran has been waiting for his chance to join Dublin’s Murder Squad when sixteen-year-old Holly Mackey arrives in his office with a photo of the boy with the caption: “I KNOW WHO KILLED HIM.” Stephen joins with Detective Antoinette Conway to reopen the case—beneath the watchful eye of Holly’s father, fellow detective Frank Mackey.

With the clues leading back to Holly’s close-knit group of friends, to their rival clique, and to the tangle of relationships that bound them all to the murdered boy, the private underworld of teenage girls turns out to be more mysterious and more dangerous than the detectives imagined.

My Thoughts:

French takes on teen girls in an upper crust boarding school. While the dialogues of the teens weren't especially convincing, the emotions were. And the plot. This is one where I could see it. It seemed plausible. And I just learned French puts a bit of supernatural stuff into each of her books based off of Celtic myth/folklore. This book had it the most abundant, which wasn't my favorite. But overall, I liked the plot and the teen emotions exploration. I wasn't a big fan of the detectives...but they came through in the end. 

The Luminous Dead by Caitlin Starling

Published: April 2nd, 2019 by Harper Voyager

Genre: Sci-fi, Horror

Format: Kindle, 432 Pages, Own

Rating: 4 stars

Publisher's Summary:

A thrilling, atmospheric debut with the intensive drive of The Martian and Gravity and the creeping dread of Annihilation, in which a caver on a foreign planet finds herself on a terrifying psychological and emotional journey for survival.

When Gyre Price lied her way into this expedition, she thought she’d be mapping mineral deposits, and that her biggest problems would be cave collapses and gear malfunctions. She also thought that the fat paycheck—enough to get her off-planet and on the trail of her mother—meant she’d get a skilled surface team, monitoring her suit and environment, keeping her safe. Keeping her sane.

Instead, she got Em.

Em sees nothing wrong with controlling Gyre’s body with drugs or withholding critical information to “ensure the smooth operation” of her expedition. Em knows all about Gyre’s falsified credentials, and has no qualms using them as a leash—and a lash. And Em has secrets, too . . .

As Gyre descends, little inconsistencies—missing supplies, unexpected changes in the route, and, worst of all, shifts in Em’s motivations—drive her out of her depths. Lost and disoriented, Gyre finds her sense of control giving way to paranoia and anger. On her own in this mysterious, deadly place, surrounded by darkness and the unknown, Gyre must overcome more than just the dangerous terrain and the Tunneler which calls underground its home if she wants to make it out alive—she must confront the ghosts in her own head.

My Thoughts:

This was gripping! I read this for April's Spring Into Horror readathon and boy oh boy. It delivered. Sci-fi horror that can make me feel claustrophobic. It felt like a combo of Alien and The Descent. Two of my fave horror films of all-time. And add in some lesbian romance and boom. I really enjoyed this one. There were only a couple of places where it dragged but overall an engaging story and one I wouldn't mind returning to.

Floating Staircase by Ronald Malfi

Published: October 2010 by Leisure Books

Genre: Horror

Format: Kindle, 448 Pages, Own

Rating: 4 stars

Publisher's Summary:

Soon after Travis and his wife move into their new house by the lake, he becomes convinced the house is haunted. Is it the ghost of a child who was murdered there years before - or is there a deeper mystery?

My Thoughts:

This is my first book by Malfi. I also read this one for my Spring Into Horror readathon. I'll definitely be returning to another of his books soon. 

Travis and his wife move into a secluded home by his brother. He soon becomes convinced the house is haunted. He begins to become obsessed with the house, the history, and the ghost. As he delves in, it brings up his own baggage from when he was a child and the death of his little brother. I really enjoyed the exploration of grief and obsession. How do we process all of that? It's one of the reasons I love horror. We can explore all of this stuff in interesting ways. 

*all images taken from Goodreads.com

Read in part for Spring Into Horror Readathon.