The narrator of this fascinating novel has been hired by unknown interests to infiltrate a commune in the French countryside. Her vivid voice and sociopathic tendencies make this a particularly compelling read, especially as she reads the secret correspondence between the commune leader and a local cave-dwelling hermit, whose musings on Neanderthals, Homo sapiens, and humanity's place in the universe slowly affect her own perspective.

Set in Ireland in 1985, this story has the feel of a more distant past. Bill Furlong is a husband and father who has worked his way up to ownership of a small company that delivers coal throughout the area. When he stumbles upon a mistreated girl in the coal bin at the local convent, he must decide whether he will face the truth or look away. I'm glad my book club chose this brief, powerful book--I doubt I would have read it otherwise.

Ever since their mother's death, Opal has fought tooth and nail to protect her little brother Jasper. She's even willing to brave the rumored horrors of Starling House if it means money for his school fund. This gripping fantasy blends fairy tale elements with the gritty details of growing up poor in a small mining town in Kentucky. As a Kentuckian myself, I may be a bit biased, but I couldn't put this one down.

An idealistic group leaves Earth behind to found a colony based on principles of peace. They face challenges and hardships as they struggle to survive, including contact with a sentient plant that may want to control them and with the remnants of a past civilization, but the most serious threats come from within. I picked this up after it was mentioned in The Light Eaters by Zoe Schlanger--I'll definitely read the next book in the series!

Myra, the oldest of the three living Agarwal children, has withdrawn to a remote Scottish island where she hopes to establish a luxury resort. When her family joins her there to celebrate her parents' anniversary, secrets emerge that threaten their happy facade.This extra twisty thriller was like an Indian version of Succession, with family dynamics that get less healthy the clearer they become. Have to say, I did not see that ending coming!

This extraordinary book toggles between the life of Zelu, daughter of Nigerian immigrants & author of a surprise SF bestseller called Rusted Robots; and the story of a post-human landscape populated by rival factions of robot intelligence. Confined to a wheelchair since a childhood accident, Zelu must navigate the publishing industry and her relationships with a loving family that never quite understands her. A brilliant look at the power of story

The author was inspired to write this SF horror thriller during his own stint at the South Pole. When a microbe infects the station, Dr. Rajan Chariya must find a way to survive as one resident after another succumbs. This novel does an excellent job bringing the setting to life, with a wide cast of characters and some truly creepy twists. The similes are a bit over the top sometimes, as is the violence, but the author was clearly having a blast.

I picked this up on a whim based on a blurb on the cover from author Jeff VanderMeer. A thoughtful and compelling account of Christopher Brown's effort to convert an abandoned lot full of concrete debris and an underground oil pipeline into an unconventional home. Told in brief vignettes and sketches rather than in a linear storyline, Brown's paean to unbridled nature made me yearn for spring and time to work on my chaos garden.

This was just the dragon battle romantasy I needed to escape reality, at least for a while. Book 3 in the Empyrean series opens with Violet and Xaden intent on finding more dragons like Andarna, capable of helping protect the Continent as the wards threaten to fail. Secrets are revealed as the darkness constantly threatens to overwhelm them. I will admit to losing track of the large cast of characters (who's Lynx again?) but that's a minor quibble

A ship of imprisoned dissidents arrives on an extrasolar labor camp and research station known as Kiln, victims of the authoritarian Mandate regime and its insistence on adherence to orthodoxy. Arton is a biologist and finds the native ecology fascinating, even as he learns more about its effects on contaminated humans. A gripping and inventive account of resistance in the face of an authoritarian regime and the power of truth in the face of lies.

Ragle Gumm spends most of each day entering a newspaper contest, submitting his guess as to where the "Little Green Man" will appear next on a grid. Every day, he wins. As Ragle questions the meaning of his repetitive existence, he also begins to question reality itself. Why is he famous? Why does he seem to be the center of the universe? Published in 1959, this was a quick and intriguing read.

This was an unsettling, painful story of childhood trauma, family secrets, and a house that haunts the siblings who've escaped it. When their parents go missing, Ezri, Eve & Emannuelle gather in Dallas for the first time in years. Ezri finds the bodies of their parents, an apparent murder-suicide. The truth about their complicated relationship with their mother and each other gradually comes to light, as does the horrifying truth about their home.

What an extraordinary book! I absolutely loved this fascinating deep dive into the world of animal perceptions. How amazing it must be to see in shades of ultraviolet, to sense the electric fields of flowers, to use an internal magnetic compass to find your way, to sense vibrations in the earth--it is humbling and awe-inspiring to glimpse the scope of what we don't understand and to imagine what it's like to perceive the world in unexpected ways.

I love Kate Atkinson and was thrilled to see there was a new entry in her Jackson Brodie series. When Brodie is hired to find a missing painting, he enlists the help of detective Reggie Chase. The trail leads them to Burton Makepeace, the estate of an aristocratic family who've turned to hosting murder mystery themed evenings for extra cash. Wry humor and uniquely human characters make this a delightful read, as expected from this brilliant series

I loved The Overstory so much that I tried to lower my expectations while reading this novel about a Canadian diver & ocean scientist, the founder of a wildly successful social media platform, & the inhabitants of a remote island, the proposed site for a seasteading venture. The novel is strongest when describing connections to the natural world, although the revelatory ending made me reassess my view of certain subplots. A thought-provoking read.

I read this for book club and found it absolutely fascinating. The author travels far and wide to learn about the many ways plants confound our expectations and to speak with scientists engaged in cutting edge research to better understand what enables plants to recognize kin, communicate, deploy toxins against enemies, react to sound, and deploy extraordinary camouflage. A thought-provoking read for fans of Entangled Life by Merlin Sheldrake.

This fascinating novel follows the narrator's encounters with Gaustine, a man out of time who seems to have experienced the past firsthand. Together they establish time capsule therapies for patients with dementia, only to see the countries of Europe become collectively seduced by the past. A non-linear narrative where nothing is certain, not Gaustine's reality, the narrator's memory, or the nature of the past--not even time itself.

I've read a lot of post-apocalyptic fiction and climate change dystopias. This book might be the bleakest thing since The Road, yet somehow even worse because more grounded in our current reality. I have an 18-year-old daughter, and seeing Sen go through such an excruciating ordeal as humanity dies around her was nearly unbearable. An AI subroutine charged with recording Sen's life is changed by the experience, but that's hardly consolation enough

In this brutal near-future dystopia, water rights are the difference between life and death for cities in California, Arizona and New Mexico, and the powerful are willing to kill to keep their share. In the deadly ruins of Phoenix, Angel, an enforcer for Nevada and the "water knife" of the title; Lucy, a journalist caught up in the story; and Maria, a teenage Texan refugee, struggle to survive in a world of betrayal. Dark and all too plausible.

In this timely memoir, Ambassador John Sullivan tells the story of his eventful tenure at the U.S. Embassy in Moscow during a time of increasing tension, Covid lockdowns, diplomatic expulsions, and ultimately culminating in the invasion of Ukraine and the death of Sulivan's beloved wife, Grace. Sullivan is an engaging storyteller with an eye for the humorous moments in what could be a very sober recounting of a serious turning point in history.

This engrossing novel, set in a near future Great Britain ravaged by climate change and resultant terrorism, follows Cass, a loving but dangerously pliant young wife and mother, as she tries to keep her children safe in an increasingly unpredictable world. Her husband Nathaniel is a real piece of work, entitled, manipulative and absent when it counts. An all too plausible depiction of a world on fire and one woman's effort to find her place in it.

In Austin in 1987, 13 year old Deecie goes missing. In Maine in 2011, Bee, who grew up in the same neighborhood as Deecie, is struggling to adjust to life with a newborn. Unfortunately, the style of this book, where nearly every sentence is heavy with meaning, just made me irritated & impatient. Characters repeatedly stop each other from saying anything that might be meaningful. The revelations, when they finally arrive, are weirdly anticlimactic.

Anyone reading this has probably already read the first three Southern Reach novels and so has some idea what to expect: a trippy mind-bending story, this time set in the days before the Forgotten Coast became known as Area X. It was a fascinating read, but I have to admit the first thing I did after closing it was to find a reddit thread discussing what it all might mean. Immersive and vivid, but not a light read!

I read this for book club, and while it doesn't rise to the level of Steinbeck's later more well-known works, it has a historical significance that makes it worth reading. Jim, a young man searching for meaning, joins Mac, an experienced activist, in an effort to organize a strike among apple pickers in 1930s California. The novel focuses on the mechanics of the strike rather than the interior lives of characters, but presents a vivid picture.

In dystopian 2052 London, Cuthbert is an elderly Flot addict with serious mental health issues, classified as Indigent by a heartless government. He believes the animals in the zoo, one of the last on Earth, are calling to him for help and he resolves to let them go. A wild fever dream of a book, achingly sad in its depiction of Cuddy's childhood and the tragic death of his older brother. Remarkable and heart-breaking, wondrous and surreal.

This book came out in 2020, before the violence of January 6, and provides a clear-eyed and methodical look at the attempted autocracy of the first Trump administration. Gessen examines the normalizing of the unthinkable, the ways in which Trump strips words of meaning and drags the media along in his wake. Vital reading for anyone interested in understanding how we got here and what is likely to come next. I wish I'd read it sooner.

In this unsettling novella, the narrator receives a memoir recounting the experiences of a cleric in a tiny Swiss town, where everyone is an aspiring writer. Their literary ambitions draw the attentions of a devil in the form of a publisher, who sets up shop in the insular community and proceeds to turn them against each other. A rather sinister look at the power of story.

This deeply affecting novel follows an older couple who decide to undertake their own small campaign of resistance against the Nazi regime in 1940s Berlin. Otto and Anna leave postcards throughout the city, hoping to inspire others to resist. They are not particularly heroic and their efforts are almost entirely ineffectual, yet their decision to choose decency over the vile corruption around them is ultimately incredibly powerful. Unforgettable.

"The postwoman Eva Kluge slowly climbs the steps of 55 Jablonski Strasse."

#FirstLineFridays
@@ShyBookOwl

I love China Mieville's work (Embassytown, The City in the City) and I was intrigued to see what his collaboration with Keanu would look like. It took a minute to get into it, but once I did I was hooked. Unute, aka B, is an ageless warrior who regenerates after each death. A partnership of convenience with a US special forces team allows him to direct his "rage fugues" but his true purpose is unknown, even to him. Absorbing and mysterious.

Dawn, aka Aurora, daughter of a Montana cowgirl/outlaw and a dyed in the wool Communist spends her childhood in St. Petersburg and her teen years riding horses out west. She ends up in DC for the Bonus Army march, in Chicago for the 1933 World's Fair, and ultimately in Magnitogorsk, Russia, where she catches the eye of Stalin's secret police. Fascinating and at times harrowing, this is a story that demands the reader's full attention.

Another excellent entry in the Renee Ballard series. When Ballard's car is broken into at the beach, she goes after the perpetrators, resulting in a situation more complicated than she could have imagined. Meanwhile, DNA evidence pops up that could break open a legendary cold case. Tension builds as Ballard navigates her management, the volunteers at the Open/Unsolved Unit and her off the books investigation. Harry Bosch would approve.

In this engrossing story of profound grief and supernatural visitations, Constance turns to a spiritualist to assuage her mother's overwhelming despair after her younger sister dies. When she subsequently learns of a mysterious bequest, Constance feels compelled to uncover the truth about a mystery at its heart. The author deftly portrays the novel's Victorian setting as well as the desperation and despair of a woman trapped by her circumstances.

Annabel, Chloe, Esther & Tanya are surprised to receive an invitation from Poppy, the girl they bullied in their school days, offering a paid vacation on a private island to celebrate her impending nuptials. It soon becomes clear that Poppy has not forgotten their past cruelties, & that each of the four has secrets of her own. A dark & twisty story of revenge that follows familiar tropes, but vividly describes Poppy's torment and its consequences.

This final book in the Indian Lake trilogy finds Jade Daniels back in Prufrock, Idaho, the scene of multiple massacres. Now a history teacher, Jade has barely a moment of peace before violence begins to bubble up around her. More witness than participant, Jade tries to sit this one out if only the world would let her, while still churning out horror movie references to make sense of the unfolding nightmare. A bloody resolution to a gripping series

When Mallory, a young heroin addict in recovery, is hired to babysit 5-year-old Teddy, she hopes it will be a new start. As Teddy's drawings become increasingly dark and elaborate, showing technical skill far beyond his years, Mallory becomes convinced something supernatural is at work, but will anyone believe her? A tense, highly readable and fast-paced thriller--with illustrations! The pictures really brought the story to life.

Miranda, an actor turned college theater professor, lives a life consumed by pain. A bad fall has left her with a body she can no longer count on for anything but torment, while those around her question whether it might just be all in her head. Things take a turn when Miranda meets three strangers at a local pub. They offer her a chance to direct the Shakespeare play of her dreams and let the doubters know how real her pain is, but at what cost?

In this horror novel, Miriam Black is cursed with the ability to see the death of whoever she touches. She roams the country scavenging from those about to die, resigned to witnessing their fates, coping with cigarettes, alcohol and poorly chosen men. One particularly unfortunate choice puts her in the sights of a ruthless psychopath. Definitely not for the squeamish--Miriam is creatively foul-mouthed & the violence when it comes is hyper-violent.

In this fascinating noirish novel, Domingo, a young man who scavenges trash in the vampire-free zone of Mexico City, gets caught up in a deadly war between rival vampire families when he meets Atl, a young vampire on the run. Atl is the descendent of high priestesses who defended Aztec temples, her enemies a gang of vicious newcomers. Unique and intriguing world-building, vivid characters and a distinctive setting made this an exceptional read.

1. Not yet! I finally started putting decorations up yesterday.
2. Mexican vampire noir

#Two4Tuesday
@TheSpineView

In this second book of the series, Calla has accomplished her goal at a terrible cost; now she must find a new destiny. While the first book established certain rules around the ability to jump into another body, this book explores the cheat codes: sigils that permit the user to do the impossible. While not perfect, the series is inventive and intriguing enough that I'll definitely read the next installment whenever it comes out.

I read this for genre book club (the theme: books about books). It was an entertaining if somewhat contrived read. Liv works as a cleaner for reclusive best-selling author Essie Starling. When Essie dies suddenly, Liv is tasked with finishing her final novel, under one condition--she must keep the assignment secret. Her writing empowers Liv but strains her marriage, already feeling pressure from financial difficulties and an impending empty nest.

Inventive and detailed world-building make this a fascinating read, although it gets overly complicated at times. Ahilya is the sole archeologist in her society, which is dominated by the architects, who have the power to manipulate plants and keep their floating city in the sky. Her husband Iravan is a senior architect, a secretive position that has created distance between them. A gripping tale of survival, power and a marriage in trouble.

It took me a long time to finish this one for some reason, although the concept was an intriguing one: looking back at the trends and events of the 1990s that foreshadowed or contributed to our political culture today. Having lived through that decade, it was interesting to see what I remembered, had forgotten, or never knew about David Duke, Pat Buchanan, Ross Perot, Ruby Ridge and many other key elements of the decade.

Jess and Storey, experienced and capable outdoorsmen, are on a hunting trip in the remote woods of Maine when they stumble on scenes of destruction that leave them reeling, unsure where to find safety or means of escape. As the danger becomes clear, Storey focuses on returning to his family while Jess faces his memories of love, regret and loss. Grounded in the beauty of the natural world, this searing novel will stay with me for a long time.

In this tightly plotted disaster thriller, a pilot suffers a fatal heart attack, causing a commercial airliner to crash into a nuclear power plant outside a small town. The staff at the plant and the town's emergency responders face impossible decisions as they struggle to avert a catastrophe. A riveting story of duty versus family, the value of an individual life versus the public good, and risk management versus a true worst case scenario.

Ostensibly about time travel, this novel's real focus is the effects of generational trauma and parental neglect. Ursa makes a new life for herself in California, her ability to travel into her own past a gift that draws followers to her remote home. Her son Ray escapes, yet when his daughter Opal displays the same talent, it threatens to destroy their family. Ursa is truly awful, and her form of time travel seems more like a trap than a gift.

This fast-paced near-future thriller follows Logan Ramsay, the son of a brilliant geneticist responsible for triggering a devastating global famine. To atone, Logan has joined an agency that targets illegal gene editing, but when a raid leads to mysterious changes in Logan's DNA, he faces a choice that could determine the fate of the world. An intriguing and cinematic read.

June Hayward, a struggling novelist, takes advantage of the sudden death of her very successful friend Athena Liu to steal an unpublished manuscript. As June narrates the story of her rise to fame, it is clear her self-absorption and hubris will lead to disaster. The true feat of this gripping novel is that the author manages to humanize June, despite her many, many flaws, while Athena remains a mystery, seen only through the eyes of others.

This tense thriller follows Edwin and Gabriela, two young undocumented employees at a chicken processing plant, as well as Luke and Mimi, the plant manager and his wife. When Edwin impulsively kidnaps Luke and Mimi's baby, Tuck, all four are drawn into a fraught struggle, Edwin's delusional dreams versus Luke's cold need for control. A good read, although the ending felt a little forced; the chicken plant descriptions could qualify as horror.