Posts

This novel may be short but it packs a punch. Set in rural Ireland in the 80s, Small Things Like These (2021) is an inspirational read about the struggles of the poor and working-class Irish.

A wonderful series for fans of Terry Pratchett's Discworld.

Need a well-written story full of secret plots, ancient magics, and scheming politicians while you wait for the next book in the A Song of Ice and Fire series? Or perhaps you just finished the Mistborn trilogy and crave another high adventure fantasy?

You have to listen to this book. Written and narrated by professional audiobook narrator Julia Whelan, Thank You for Listening (2022) is best on audio for an immersive experience. Filled with witty banter and a variety of voices, this uplifting romantic comedy is sure to boost your mood.

The Rings of Power (2022), on Amazon Prime, is the latest franchise to bring J.R.R.

In an unnamed city, Nadia and Saeed meet and fall in love. As a civil war erupts around them, they flee their homeland. Author Mohsin Hamid uses doors as a way to transport people from one destination to the next, infusing the novel with a hint of magical realism. Exit West (2017) is a contemporary bittersweet love story and a war story from the refugee perspective.

What happens to the places ruined and left desolate by humans? Investigative journalist Cal Flyn travels around the world to find out. Focusing on the outrageous damage we have sustained on our world may seem to make for depressing reading, but Islands of Abandonment (2021) is surprisingly uplifting.

Why bother with people when you could have the perfect companion? In a world where personal computers (or persocoms) have been given human form, that is the question that Chobits - the beautifully drawn, thought-provoking science fiction story by CLAMP - explores.

The fourth installment in the Thor anthology, Thor Love and Thunder (Disney+, 2022), does not disappoint.  Though story craft is sometimes shoved aside to make room for hot button issues, the story is able to regain it's foothold.  It was nice to see Natalie Portman and Tessa Thompson hit it off so well on the screen, it would have been even better to have seen more of that female bonding chemistry.  In the end it is Thor who gets the glory and Natalie Portman's character,&

I have never cared deeply or felt great compassion for a robot. Until now.

An engrossing historical romance featuring spies during the American Civil War. Born into slavery, Elle Burns is now a free woman. In 1862, she goes undercover, working as a slave in the household of a Confederate senator in Richmond, Virginia. She meets Pinkerton Secret Service Agent Malcolm McCall, a Scottish immigrant, and the pair form an uneasy alliance. As their relationship (both professional and personal) grows, Elle and Malcolm must navigate the uneasy world of race, politics, and war. 

The Big Flower Fight (2020) is a British reality show in which teams of florists, artists, and garden designers compete to create stunningly ambitious sculptures matching the theme of each episode. Some of the challenges the contestants face include making a giant throne using only edible plants, making a dress entirely out of flowers, and recreating a scene from a fairytale.