Munichs by David Peace
The first David Peace book I ever read was The Damned Utd. I had no idea I was reading a “David Peace book.” I know that sounds like a weird way to look at it but Peace’s style is so distinct in its repetition, bringing the banal to life whether you want to it to or not. I’ve heard it be described as an “occult” writing style because of the way he hides things within his story. Seems accurate to me. The Damned Utd. was good AND accessible, […]
The Swayze Year: You're Not Old, You're Just Getting Started! by Colleen AF Venable and Meghan Daly
You are never too old to try something new, or to follow your passion. Even if that means you are in your 70s and you want to fly around the world. Even if that means you want to invent ramen noodles as we know them today. Even if you want to paint and are unhoused. Even if you want to write the classic dictionary or thesaurus. Even if you are over the so-called, “Productive Years.” In The Swayze Year: You’re Not Old, You’re Just Getting […]
Family Force V: Book One by Matt Braly
Part Power Rangers, part Transformers, part Voltron and all superheroes and space monsters is how I describe Family Force V: Book One. Matt Braly’s graphic novel (read via an online reader copy, due mid June 2025) will be worth the wait for you or your preteen/teen reader. This coming of age story is one we know (your destiny is forced on you, but you choose the path that takes) is not new, but the way it’s presented is fun, humorous and cute. It is not […]
The Boy From Clearwater: Book Two by Yu Pei-Yun, Jian-Xin Zhou and Lin King
About a month or so ago I read The Boy From Clearwater: Book One by Yu Pei-Yun, Jian-Xin Zhou and Lin King (Translator). At the time I didn’t think I would go onto book two, The Boy From Clearwater: Book Two, but something said I should and located an interlibrary loan copy from my local library. Usually sequels are not as strong as the first book, but while I feel the first book was stronger in many aspects, this second book has strong pieces of […]
Almost Sunset by Wahab Algarmi
Almost Sunset by Wahab Algarmi is a relatable story of trying to balance it all, but with the addition of being a Muslim which many readers (strong 8 to 12-13) might not be familiar with. Overall, things are sweet, fun and informative. However, my score of a 3 is more of a 3.5 as there were a few things I would have liked to know more about and a few arcs in the story were not my favorite. The cover gives you how the illustrations […]
Why We Love Baseball: A History in 50 Moments by Joe Posnanski
Baseball’s status as the national pastime has been called into question more and more over the last few decades, as its own popularity has declined and that of other sports have surpassed it, but there’s almost no question that baseball is the preferred sport among writers. Baseball, with its curious rhythms, obsession with mythology, and opportunities for heroism, seems to speak especially to those with love for a good story. No one loves a good baseball story as much as Joe Posnanski. He’s got a […]
