Weekly Reads May 15-June 6

 


Children's

Siggy the Soccer Dog by Brian Frederick  - A nice book about a dog playing for Manchester United.  Really cute, provided you at least tolerate United.

Taino Tales: The Legend of Coqui by Vicky Weber (Taino Tales #2) - A good retelling of the story.


Comics

FCBD Hollow #1 - This is a retelling of Sleepy Hollow but with a lesbian couple. There are some nice details with the character design.  I actually want to read more of this.

DC Graphic Novels for Young Adults Sneak Peak: Swamp Thing Twin Branches - I didn't like the art work for this one.

The Stone King  by Kel McDonald - a wonderful fantasy adventure.  The main character rides a hound called Hey You.

FCBD Suicide Squad King Shark - I thought it was okay.

Dark Crisis #0 (DC FCBD) -  I enjoyed the Flash story in this one.

Uneducation VOl 1 by Jason Eaglespeaker - an account of the residential school system in Canada.  It is a good book, but I advise getting a physical copy as the formatting for the kindle is a bit off.

HBO Max Raised by Wolves #1 - kinda makes me want to watch the series

Adam: Legend of the Blue Marvel  - I really like the idea behind this - a Black Superhero during the 1960s, but it lets all the female characters in the book down, including fridging the wife of the title character.

Ice Cream Man Vol 2 - Individual stories, the first was weak - the rest pretty strong.

Fantasy

All The Horses of Iceland by Sarah Tolmie - While the plot is a little predictable, Tolmie writes good horse.  The plot is about a man from Iceland traveling to the FarEast.

The Hex Witch of Seldom by Nancy Springer - Not a bad book.  I like how the hint of romance played out in this one.

Fiction

The Stone Face by William Gardner Smith - This is the NYRB Classic reissue of what was an out print book.  The focus is a Black man who lives the US to live in Paris where he discovers how the French treat Algerians.  Beautifully written and should be more widely read.

Gourmet Rhapsody  by Muriel Barbery - a book about a horrible man dying.  

The Faces by Tove Ditlevsen - a short novel about a children's author and her family life.  If you read Ditlevsen memoirs, you will wonder about an autobiographical connection.

The Bandit Queens by Parini Shroff - a solid debut.  Read a full review here

History

The Somme: Into the Breach by Hugh Sebag-Montefiore - recount of the battle using first hand sources.

American Demon by Daniel Stashower - an account of a serial killer being hunted by Eliott Ness.  Read the full review here

Winston Churchill: His Times, His Crimes by Tariq Ali  - a look at the ramifications of some of Churchill's policies.  See full review here

Mystery

A Caribbean Mystery by Agatha Christie (Miss Marple #10) - for some reason the cover of my edition has a cruise ship, which is strange because Marple is not on a cruise.  Watch Miss Marple kinda flirt.

At Bertram's Hotel  by Agatha Christie (Miss Marple #11) - not all is as it appears at this hotel.  Marple comes across as a little too judgmental here.

Nemesis by Agatha Christe (Miss Marple #12) - This was nice.  Marple has to re-open a case after a dead friend's request.  

Sleeping Murder by Agatha Christie (Miss Marple #13) - This installment find Miss Marple helping a young couple dealing with a eighteen year old murder

Non-Fiction

The Uncollected Essays of Elizabeth Hardwicke by Elizabeth Hardwicke -  a variety of essays by the esteemed writer.  Do you know she wrote about true crime?

We Own This City  by Justin Fenton - the book that is basis for the HBO series.  Fenton writes well.

Gastro Obscure by Ciecly Wong -  a travel guide for foodies.  Bouncing meatballs anyone?

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