A classic fantasy series that doesn’t get the attention it deserves The Chronicles of Amber by Roger Zelazny (1970-91) – The children of Oberon have the power to move through, change, and even create worlds in Shadow. Amber, the city that Shadow reflects, contains the Pattern, an ancient labyrinth that gives them their powers. But... Continue Reading →

The Hotel Magnifique by Emily J. Taylor (2023) – Magic is a power both dangerous and feared. The only place that it is controlled is at the Hotel Magnifique, a decadent hotel that appears at random points around the world. If you have enough money, you can enjoy all the opulence of the hotel. The... Continue Reading →

One Summer: America, 1927 by Bill Bryson (2013) – Spanning four months in 1927, the book takes us on a tour of a year with massive historic and cultural significance. Lindbergh crosses the Atlantic and becomes the biggest star on the planet. The biggest flood in American history wreaks devastation through the center of the... Continue Reading →

The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde (1891) – A fashionable young man gets a wish fulfilled when his portrait absorbs all the damage and decay of his decadent lifestyle and age. Painted by his best friend, the portrait has all the painter’s feeling for Gray in it as well. This masterpiece becomes the... Continue Reading →

The Midnight Club by Margot Harrison (2024) – “You are formally invited to a reunion of the Midnight Brunch Club…” Decades after the tragic death of a member of their group, a set of college friends are reunited in the town where it all began. Through the use of a mysterious concoction that the locals... Continue Reading →

The Long Call by Ann Cleeves (2019) - Matthew Venn returns to the seaside in Devon where he grew up. The strict evangelical community to which his family belongs is closed to him now. His duties as a police detective will require that both sides interact when a dead body is found on the beach.... Continue Reading →

Irreverent Prayers – Talking to God When You’re Seriously Sick by Elizabeth Felicetti and Samantha Vincent-Alexander (2024) – Two pastors share their experiences with serious illness, and offer their candid, darkly humorous prayers for making it through. There are a lot of bits of “common wisdom” about illness and prayer that fall flat when a... Continue Reading →

Just One Damned Thing After Another by Jodi Taylor (2013) – Madeline Maxwell needs a change in her life, so when her mentor suggests applying to become an historian at the St. Mary’s Institute of Historical Research, it sounds like the perfect option. What she discovers only after signing on the dotted line is how... Continue Reading →

Redshirts by John Scalzi (2012) – The starship Intrepid’s new batch of new junior officers discovers that their ship has the highest death rate among junior officers in the fleet. With the help of a crewman hiding onboard, they discover the irrational, illogical cause, and create an equally ridiculous plan to fix the problem. Why... Continue Reading →