Year: 2012
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DNF: Pygmy and The Darlings
Rarely do I take the time to write about books I didn’t finish reading. These books aren’t terribly written or anything, they’re just not for me. Pygmy by Chuck Palahniuk I’ve always been a huge fan of Chuck Palahniuk. I never got around to reading Fight Club (enjoyed the movie),…
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The Best Reads of 2012
2012 has finally come to a close. There was no apocalypse! So now it’s time to review my favorite books of 2012. Not every book in this list was published in 2012. Some are review copies and some of them are from my personal collection. The Lost Guild series by…
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Holiday Grind by Cleo Coyle
Holiday Grind is the 8th book in the Coffeehouse Mystery series by Cleo Coyle. This Christmas-themed installment is the perfect read for cold winter nights—alongside a latte or cup of coffee, of course. In Holiday Grind, Clare investigates the death of a jolly neighborhood Santa Claus (named Alfred “Alf” Glockner)…
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The Secret of the Nightingale Palace by Dana Sachs
The Secret of the Nightingale Palace takes readers on a cross-country road trip from New York to San Francisco with 35-year-old Anna and her grandmother, the eccentric and fashionable Goldie Rosenthal. An artist who recently lost her husband to leukemia, Anna is surprised when her estranged grandmother Goldie calls, requesting…
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November by Georges Simenon
This book is called November because the story takes place during the month of November. It sits at a short 185 pages, but oh so good! November is about a tragedy involving a family of four—the mom, the dad, and their adult children Olivier and Laure. Laure is the narrator…
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Nursing Home Ninjas by Al Stevens
Nursing Home Ninjas is a cozy mystery novel by Al Stevens. 87-year-old Marvin Bradley lives in a nursing home, but still has his wits about him. In fact, Marvin is so perceptive he’s noticed many other nursing home residents are sporting bruises and other noticeable injuries. Unfortunately, none of the…
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It Takes Two to Strangle by Stephen Kaminski
It Takes Two to Strangle is the 1st book in the Dabbling Detective mystery series by Stephen Kaminski. Former pro baseball player Damon Lassard has just moved to a small town near Arlington, Virginia called Hollydale to be near his single mom. Damon’s baseball career has left him financially secure,…
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With Apologies to Mick Jagger, Other Gods, and All Women by Jane Rosenberg LaForge
Jane Rosenberg LaForge writes lots of of short stories, personal essays, and poetry. There’s a poem in here called, “Before Elton John Was a Faggot.” I wonder if the woke mob came for her after that one. “With Apologies…” is dark, depressing, cynical, and beautiful. The author’s poems remind me…
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Castaways by Brian Keene
Castaways is basically a horrifying version of the show Survivor. In Castaways, a group of reality show contestants are competing against one another to be the last person standing on a small island. In the style of Survivor, contestants vote for the person they want banished from the island. The…