My family and I spent last week in Chicago. We stuffed ourselves with good food, saw all the sights (well, a lot of them anyway), and, as is necessary during any vacation I take, visited several bookstores. The picture above is my haul from the trip, and believe me when I say that stack is… Continue reading My Bookish Chicago
Author: Elizabeth Raphael
The Trap by Catherine Ryan Howard
The ending of this book made me furious, and not in a good way. Now, you might be wondering how the hell someone could be furious in a good way. Here’s how the hell. Sometimes, a book (or movie, TV show, etc) might not turn out how you wanted it to. Perhaps you didn’t get… Continue reading The Trap by Catherine Ryan Howard
The Fiction Writer by Jillian Cantor
Olivia Fitzgerald is smarting from the critical failure of her second novel, a reimagining of Daphne DuMaurier’s Rebecca, when she receives an offer to ghost write a book for troubled billionaire hunk Henry Asherwood. She is given precious few details about the project, but with her funds dwindling, and a wicked case of writer’s block… Continue reading The Fiction Writer by Jillian Cantor
I’m Back…Again
I know, I know. Last time, I was gone for 3 months. This time, I was gone for 5. If that trend were to hold, I’d disappear for 7 months after this post, but I promise that will not happen now. I’m not one for New Year’s resolutions—that sort of goal-setting seems fragile and easily… Continue reading I’m Back…Again
I’m Back!
There’s no way to dance around this one, kids, but it’s been almost three months since my last post. Summer was a busy time for my family—camps, vacations, one late-night trip to the ER, physical therapy appointments relating to that ER trip—unfortunately, this site got mentally pushed to the side. You will be glad to… Continue reading I’m Back!
The Last Word by Taylor Adams
I will preface this review by saying I don’t really think that Taylor Adams will kill me. However, as this book is about an author exacting physical revenge against someone who left him a bad review, well, let’s say it gives me pause. Particularly when I tell you that The Last Word is easily the… Continue reading The Last Word by Taylor Adams
It’s Here!
I am going to attempt to promote myself in a more dignified fashion than I had previously and let you all know that the May 2023 edition of Metaphorosis—containing my short story, “The Conch Shell”—is finally here. My story is not being published on the website until May 12th (they release one story every Friday),… Continue reading It’s Here!
Tress of the Emerald Sea by Brandon Sanderson
I’m a big fan of Brandon Sanderson’s—have been ever since I discovered him via The Gathering Storm—but there’s no denying that his work can be emotionally heavy. For example, during a recent Stormlight Archives re-read, I made the mistake of listening to THAT Rhythm of War death scene while out on a walk and ended… Continue reading Tress of the Emerald Sea by Brandon Sanderson
The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab
Have you ever read a book that got much better the second go around? For me, that book is The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue. I liked it the first time, but I admit my reading was a bit colored by how different it was from Schwab’s previous books. This time, however, it was so… Continue reading The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab
The Nest by Cynthia D’Aprix Sweeney
Consider this a review of the first 126 pages, because I just couldn’t make it past that point. It’s not a terrible book—I’ve finished worse—but it never pulled me in. Sure, it starts with a man getting in a car accident because he was driving intoxicated while getting a hand job from a waitress he… Continue reading The Nest by Cynthia D’Aprix Sweeney