Adelaide Smith is about to get serious about her law school exams, when she gets a letter informing her that her father is the King of Montovia who isAdelaide Smith is about to get serious about her law school exams, when she gets a letter informing her that her father is the King of Montovia who is seriously ill. King Max would like to meet his only daughter before his death. After doing some research by calling some of her mom's friends (her mom died a few years ago), Adelaide discovers this may not be a crazy hoax and agrees to go visit the man her mom refused to ever talk about. King Max and some of his advisors make it clear they would love to see Adelaide on the thrown if the king's missing brother can't be found. The only other option is the wife the king was pressured to take by his father and her son from a previous marriage. It is easy to see that Queen Johanna is not pleased with a long lost daughter showing up and threatening her son's chances at the crown. She has plans, and she's used to getting her way. Adelaide had no plans to make waves, she just wanted to get to know her father, someone she's been curious about all her life. But the lawyer in her won't get pushed around, and she can also tell when someone is up to no good.
This has a little more palace intrigue and action than your typical cozy Christmas read. It starts off a little like The Princess Diaries meets Hallmark Christmas, but it might be a little too much mystery and thriller for the Hallmark channel. It is still a feel good read. Carlson also naturally weaves in elements of Christian faith, primarily King Max and Adelaide trusting God to direct their futures and next steps for Montovia. There is a bit of a love interest for Adelaide in a young member of their version of parliament who is assigned the task of showing Adelaide around Montovia. But the romantic love takes a backseat to Adelaide falling in love with her father and the country of Montovia. Montovia is a made up country that is next to Austria and speaks English and German and holds similar traditions; it provides a charming Alpine/German-ish Christmas setting.
Notes on content: Language: None Sexual content: Nothing beyond a kiss. Violence: Someone is treated poorly, deprived of freedom and food. King Max is dying of a liver disease. Adelaide's mother died in a car accident. Ethnic diversity: White American and white Germanic. LGBTQ+ content: None Other: Kidnapping and plots to kidnap or kill others....more
Marin hasn't been home for Christmas in 8 years, ever since the love of her life, Max, broke her heart. She's thrown herself into her job and now she'Marin hasn't been home for Christmas in 8 years, ever since the love of her life, Max, broke her heart. She's thrown herself into her job and now she's up for a big promotion to be the host of Good Day Denver but someone else is an equally good candidate. Their boss has given them a Christmas competition to see who can drum up the best content. Marin is going home and sharing all the delightful small town Christmas things from Pleasant Valley, Illinois, and how her mother, aka the Queen of Christmas, makes the holiday special. The cameras are rolling, she knows this series of stories is going to win her her spot, but when she knocks on her parents' front door the last person she expects opens it. Max. He's also visiting for the holidays. And he just might ruin all her plans.
We get to see half of this novel from Max's perspective too, and why he broke up with Marin all those years ago. Yes, this had a lot of Hallmark Christmas vibes, but if you pick this up I'm guessing you're expecting that kind of thing. It was cute and funny and also at times touching.
Notes on content: Language: None Sexual content: Nothing beyond a kiss. A rumor starts that Max and Marin are sleeping together but they aren't. Marin's parents are flirty with each other and say suggestive (but still appropriate for company) things to each other at times. Violence: Past deaths of some people in an accident come up. Ethnic diversity: It sounded like most of the town was white. LGBTQ+ content: None that I remember Other: One of the events Marin is invited to do is a cocktail competition and she gets drunk. She knew she didn't handle alcohol well, but was stubborn and didn't listen to herself or friends and she suffers for it. The lesson appears to be learned....more
A slice of life manga about a tiger and wolf who are unlikely friends and bonded over ramen.
I don't understand the appeal of this manga. Mita Jiro andA slice of life manga about a tiger and wolf who are unlikely friends and bonded over ramen.
I don't understand the appeal of this manga. Mita Jiro and Yanagi Kagetora seem like 2 guys who need to get a life. They go to work, occasionally do things like go to the beach, but their lives revolve around food. It was also confusing about whether Yanagi was the doctor or if that was his brother??? Either way, I didn't like that he's constantly smoking on page (and especially if he is the doctor). They also have friends who go to the beach to ogle women and seem rather shallow. Not my cup of tea. I won't be reading any more in this series.
Notes on content: Language: A handful of minor swears. Sexual content: As mentioned, the guys ogle some female characters in bikinis at the beach. Violence: None Ethnic diversity: Humans are Japanese LGBTQ+ content: There's speculation about whether the tiger and wolf (both male) are a couple or not. Other: Lots of smoking on page....more
A collection of short adventures with various members of the secret society of cats slowly taking over the world and recruiting humans to their side tA collection of short adventures with various members of the secret society of cats slowly taking over the world and recruiting humans to their side through what appears to be normal cute kitty activities. This volume also explores some of Doggoman and his sister's adventures, and the hamsters' society efforts as well.
Anything Pandania puts out promises to be a feel good, cozy, delightfully diverting read. The humorous twist on typical situations with pets never gets old. And the illustrations are adorably cute.
Notes on content: Language: None Sexual content: None Violence: None (unless you're anti-cat toy destruction) Ethnic diversity: People are Japanese. LGBTQ+ content: None specified Other: Cuteness overload....more
Souichiro and his wife retired to the countryside, fulfilling her dream of a quiet life. But she died soon afterwards. At that time, their cat transfoSouichiro and his wife retired to the countryside, fulfilling her dream of a quiet life. But she died soon afterwards. At that time, their cat transformed into a much larger, mythical, two-tailed cat to better keep Souichiro company. They make food together, venture to new places, and enjoy a slower pace in the country.
This is a quiet little slice of life manga with a touch of fantasy. It's a very calm and relaxing read with everyday little adventures. I like the artwork of the Japanese countryside. There's a lot of focus on the meals they make, so you probably don't want to read this one hungry.
Notes on content: Language: None that I remember Sexual content: None Violence: One death from non-violent causes in flashbacks. Ethnic diversity: People are Japanese LGBTQ+ content: None Other: Some exploration of grief after the death of a loved one. ...more
Shady Hollow is preparing for the Winter Solstice. Everyone is excited for the big tree reveal and decorating party, but when the town goes to see thiShady Hollow is preparing for the Winter Solstice. Everyone is excited for the big tree reveal and decorating party, but when the town goes to see this year's tree it is gone. But how does a giant evergreen just disappear, and who would want to steal their tree? Vera Vixen, star reporter, is on the case.
A cozy little non-violent Christmassy mystery for the Shady Hollow residents. This felt like it came right after the first or second book as Vera and Orville aren't super close yet, it's her first winter in the community, and he's still a deputy (I'd label as 1.5 or 2.5 not 3.5).
Notes on content: Language: None that I remember Sexual content: None Violence: None Ethnic diversity: They are all animals, and only one (the Panda) seems to have an ethnic background LGBTQ+ content: The inn owners are a m/m chipmunk couple. Other: Greed and selfishness prove to be behind the theft....more
While Lana is in California, Megan has been watching her pug Kikkoman. They are both going a bit stir crazy after all the snow, so Megan takes Kikko tWhile Lana is in California, Megan has been watching her pug Kikkoman. They are both going a bit stir crazy after all the snow, so Megan takes Kikko to the Noodle Shop just to get out of the house. But when Kikko sneaks out of the shop Megan and Kimmy have to do some sleuthing to find out where Kikko could have gotten to. And swear everyone to secrecy to keep this little adventure hush hush from Lana.
This was a light-hearted mini-mystery for Megan and Kimmy to solve sans-Lana. Kikko definitely gives them a bit of adventure, and readers a lot of entertainment.
Notes on content: Language: None that I remember Sexual content: None Violence: None Ethnic diversity: Megan is white, Kimmy and others at Asian village are Asian American. LGBTQ+ content: None specified Other: Poop puns as Kikko leaves them a certain trail....more
A tongue-in-cheek survival guide for avoiding death by gnome attack (and warning how they are plotting against you).
I thought this would be a bit funnA tongue-in-cheek survival guide for avoiding death by gnome attack (and warning how they are plotting against you).
I thought this would be a bit funnier than it actually was. The concept is humorous, the photos were a good addition, it just didn't strike me as super funny. I'm sure in the hands of the right person, this could be their favorite book ever. It would be a good example for HS or university classes of satire.
Notes on content: Language: 4-6 swears Sexual content: None Violence: Imaginative scenarios of how garden gnomes could do you in and/or you could make preemptive attacks. Ethnic diversity: Humans are really described. LGBTQ+ content: None Other: In the hands of very naive/gullible readers, this could possibly spark paranoia....more
A collection of comics that are humorous what ifs about Bible stories, Christian religious puns, etc.
This was a mixed bag. Some were horrible puns. SoA collection of comics that are humorous what ifs about Bible stories, Christian religious puns, etc.
This was a mixed bag. Some were horrible puns. Some were actually funny. And some were right on the border of being potentially offensive. If I could give half stars this would be a 2.5 rating for me. Ok, but I'm glad this was donated and I didn't spend any money on it....more
A collection of comics featuring Garfield, Odie, Jon, and Liz (with occasional cameos from lesser characters like the spider).
There are a couple moreA collection of comics featuring Garfield, Odie, Jon, and Liz (with occasional cameos from lesser characters like the spider).
There are a couple more coffee comics than normal, but a good mix on a range of topics that covers a year's worth of seasons and will appeal to just about any age reader. A nice, light, diverting read for the week of getting back in school mode.
The Crystal Clear Detective Agency is a little lacking in clients of late. Almost as bad as Luke is lacking in good story opportunities. His boss has The Crystal Clear Detective Agency is a little lacking in clients of late. Almost as bad as Luke is lacking in good story opportunities. His boss has him writing pet bios! A rash of burglaries around Crystal Falls gets Luke, Kenny, and Luke's mom hopeful that maybe the police will bring them in, but they find out the new baker in town is also a private detective and they hired her instead! Thankfully, the chief is desperate enough to get this crime spree solved he'll allow a second private detective agency in to help too. Now it feels like a competition to see who can get a break in the case first.
Another fun time with Luke, Bandit, (and Kenny, Luke's mom, and Brooke too). I figured out who done it before Luke and Bandit, but it was still an entertaining mystery. Regnier shines with witty dialogue and quirky characters, though. The mystery is just the icing on the cake.
Notes on content: Language: None Sexual content: Nothing beyond a kiss Violence: One person dies of a heart attack off page. Ethnic diversity: Most characters are white. LGBTQ+ content: None specified Other: There's some clash between a new wealthy family in the neighborhood and the locals. Some crazy driving/car chases....more
WWII has brought both heartache and newfound freedom for Aleida van der Zee Martens. She had to leave her home in the Netherlands, but a Nazi plane shWWII has brought both heartache and newfound freedom for Aleida van der Zee Martens. She had to leave her home in the Netherlands, but a Nazi plane shot her abusive husband during their escape and freed her from his clutches. Before he died, her husband gave their son to British strangers without her knowledge. Heartbroken, Aleida now works with the Ministry of Health in London encouraging mothers to let their children be evacuated and checking in on evacuees to see how the children are fairing. She is also keeping an eye out everywhere she goes for a little boy with no fingers on his right hand, her little boy Theo. Asthma has kept Hugh Collingwood out of the frontlines, but he isn't one to let that stop him. He's doing his part as a reporter with the BBC who does enthralling live reports on the wireless. He has the struggle of trying to keep the public informed of what is going on while not leaking any important information to the enemy in the process. His paths cross with Mrs Martens during his reporting as she volunteers with the ARP. Soon they are investigating some murders of people they both know. They are also trying to navigate the challenges of their own jobs, figuring out their relationship, and finding Aleida's missing son.
I really appreciate the way Sundin makes her characters feel very realistic. They aren't perfect, they have flaws and hardships, but that causes them to turn to the Lord for help (though not always right away). This is the first of her books that involves a murder mystery element. For the first half of the book that isn't the main point, but it becomes vital to figure out in the last half as the body count increases. The mystery parts were well done and kept me guessing. Hugh and Aleida are likable characters and good for each other. Sundin obviously did her research about WWII in London, she really made it come to life.
Notes on content: Language: None Sexual content: Nothing beyond a couple kisses. Violence: There are a couple murders off page, people dying in the war both on and off page (descriptions of gore are kept to a minimum). And an attempted murder on page. Bombings in London are somewhat described (mostly property damage). Ethnic diversity: Aleida is Dutch, Hugh is British, one of Aleida's co-workers is Indian, some of the other reporters are from America or France. LGBTQ+ content: None Other: Some asthma attacks are vividly described. Aleida's husband is verbally abusive (and it is hinted physically too). He ignores their son because of his birth defect. ...more
Overworked young man Takumi and his cute little dog Leo find themselves suddenly transported to an entirely different world where Leo is suddenly hugeOverworked young man Takumi and his cute little dog Leo find themselves suddenly transported to an entirely different world where Leo is suddenly huge and apparently a revered and rare silver fenrir. When Leo dispatches an orc Takumi is convinced they are no longer in Japan, and even moreso when Leo saves a young woman from another orc in the woods. Lady Claire is eternally grateful, and doubly so when they also help her find the plants needed to treat her sister's illness. Just where is Takumi, and is magic really real here? The end of the book has a text-only story of how Takumi found and saved Leo as a puppy (and why he accidentally named her a boy's name).
This was cute and a lot of fun. Takumi disarms people without realizing it, is kind and eager to help. Leo is a delightful huge ball of fluff who seems to understand human speech in the magical world. They are like a knight and noble steed finding their way in a new world. And when Lady Claire realizes they really have no clue about her world, she's a very gracious host. Definitely will be looking into getting more of this series.
Notes on content: Language: 5 minor swears. Sexual content: None Violence: Leo attacks and kills an orc (which looks like a giant, bipedal pig) and it isn't really bloody. Some street rats threaten Lady Claire and Takumi but Leo quickly intimidates them without things coming to actual violence. Ethnic diversity: Takumi is Japanese, Claire and her household appear to be of European-like descent. LGBTQ+ content: None Other: Leo was abandoned as a puppy and Takumi rescued her in the nick of time or she would have died. ...more
Mops and her crew are on a mission to stop a war from spreading (or getting more complicated). But peace keeping missions on planets that have never hMops and her crew are on a mission to stop a war from spreading (or getting more complicated). But peace keeping missions on planets that have never had contact with the outside world are touchy things, and on top of that, Mops has learned that she's slowly going feral.
I don't know if it was because I was listening to this, or if the plot was extra zany, or if it was because I spread it out so long, but I could not get into this volume and I didn't find it anywhere near as funny as the first 2. (Also, Mops is out of commission for a while, and I missed her.) I ended up just finishing it to finish it, not because I cared about the characters or what was going on (I even had to rewind twice because I forgot what the point of certain side trips were in all the zaniness).
Notes on content: Language: I lost track of the f-bombs. Lots. Sexual content: There are some lewd comments, no sex scenes. Violence: There are a couple battles with some injuries and fatalities. Ethnic diversity: The humans come from a variety of ethnic backgrounds, Indian, Greek, Hispanic, etc. based on names. Lots of variety in aliens too. LGBTQ+ content: Some of the aliens have interesting reproduction behaviors that aren't the typical Earth ones. Other: Mops is succumbing to a plague that renders her feral....more
Mischief Night has come to Shady Hollow. Vera and most of the rest of the Shady Hollow residents are enjoying the decorations the town has brought outMischief Night has come to Shady Hollow. Vera and most of the rest of the Shady Hollow residents are enjoying the decorations the town has brought out, the treats they gift each other, and the harmless pranks of the evening. But a dampener settles over the festivities when Orville and Vera discover the next day that a young squirrel, Hannah Brown, never came out of the woods after the kids' game of hide-n-seek the evening before.
This is lightly atmospheric but not harrowing, and in fact ends quite charmingly. I like how this little Shady Hollow story explores how local myths/legends can evolve from kernels of truth. The one in this story is the local spook, Creeping Juniper, who is the favorite local character parents weave into cautionary tales and creatures put in spooky campfire stories. This was a quick and delightful read. It is always nice to visit Shady Hollow again.
Notes on content: Language: None Sexual content: None Violence: Nothing worse than a sprained ankle. Ethnic diversity: All of the characters are animals and most seem to have European/American cultural notes (except the panda). LGBTQ+ content: None Other: A child is missing for over 24 hrs but (view spoiler)[she is perfectly fine other than a minor injury, and well cared for by a surprisingly kind character (hide spoiler)]....more
A fantasy adventure based on Scandinavian history.
I helped edit/give feed back on this one during its formative stages so it has been a few years and A fantasy adventure based on Scandinavian history.
I helped edit/give feed back on this one during its formative stages so it has been a few years and I know the book changed a bit since then so I won't say much about it. You just have to read it to find out for yourself. I did like the Medieval Scandinavian background as so few fantasies base their historical parts on that region and period. (Tolkien borrowed their mythology and language but not history so much.)
Notes on content: No language, nothing beyond a kiss, there were fight scenes but nothing overly graphic on page....more
Join Muco and Mr. Komatsu for another 4 seasons of adventures as Mr. Komatsu (and Muco) break in a new intern, Tamaki, at the glass blowing factory (wJoin Muco and Mr. Komatsu for another 4 seasons of adventures as Mr. Komatsu (and Muco) break in a new intern, Tamaki, at the glass blowing factory (who happens to be scared to death of dogs).
A delightful time spent with Muco, her silly antics, Mr. Komatsu and friends, and the new intern. This volume managed to make me laugh out loud when Muco unintentionally scares Tamaki off a roof (thankfully, there's lots of snow to catch him). We get to learn some more of Ushiko's background in this volume too. (Especially learning how he went from the skinny baseball player to the hefty guy he is now.) This series may be one of the funniest mangas currently being released.
Notes on content: Language: I think I remember 2 minor swears. Sexual content: None Violence: None Ethnic diversity: The people are Japanese (but from different regions of Japan) LGBTQ+ content: None specified Other: An accidental fall without injury. Character struggling with fear of dogs....more
An astronaut who was selected to join an international team to explore a strange phenomenon, a possible wormhole to other universes, relates how he caAn astronaut who was selected to join an international team to explore a strange phenomenon, a possible wormhole to other universes, relates how he came to be wandering the halls of this strange place, what he's found there, and how it is slowly (or not so slowly) changing him.
I have never read anything by Tchaikovsky before, though I've always wondered what his stuff was like. So when I saw this novella was part of the Audible plus free offerings this month and looked somewhat interesting, I decided it was a great opportunity to try out his work. The astronaut is a bit of an unreliable narrator. This takes a common trope in scifi (view spoiler)[astronaut crew goes to space and someone goes crazy and starts killing them off (hide spoiler)] and spins it to make the narrator the one it's about. The setting for this is utterly unique, and I enjoyed that. I haven't read about a wormhole like this ever before (they have to walk through it to get to other places, and it is quite the trek). I appreciated the creativity of the writing and the author did an impressive job narrating the audiobook himself too (with multiple accents!), so I will definitely be trying out some more of his books.
Notes on content: Language: A scattering of mild swears and about 6-7 strong swears (both British and American). Sexual content: No sex scenes. At one point the narrator wonders if aliens he comes across are looking at crude visual material, but he's just speculating and no details. Violence: The narrator gets quite hungry and desperate for food and goes from scavenging dead aliens to killing sentient beings for food. Alien creatures kill some astronauts and one scene is a bit gorily described (think of a scene from the movie Aliens) Ethnic diversity: The astronaut crew comes from all over the planet. LGBTQ+ content: I don't remember anything Other: Isolation leading to insanity is part of the story. The narrator resorts to (view spoiler)[cannibalism (hide spoiler)]....more
A collection of comics about librarians, authors, readers, book characters, and various other tangentially-related bookish things.
The title comes fromA collection of comics about librarians, authors, readers, book characters, and various other tangentially-related bookish things.
The title comes from one specific comic and doesn't really indicate how many comics are about librarians. There were many more comics about authors than librarians, so perhaps Gauld should have made one extra comic about Revenge of the Authors (though half the time it is about the struggle to write, so maybe even Would-Be-Authors would be more apropos). A good number of these comics came from during the pandemic, so they document satire on Covid life (which will someday be fascinating to future generations I'm sure). For those who lived through it, these comics can now be both a reminder of how far we've come and what we made it through. As a librarian and avid reader, I most enjoyed the comics that were about librarians or reading or book buying or his clever twists of well-known titles or imagined author inspiration (the Jane Austen potential opening lines for Pride and Prejudice was hilarious). Hand this to your favorite bookish person and they will likely enjoy it quite a bit.
Notes on content: Language: No swearing Sexual content: There's a comic about elements of a story an author can add and two are related to romance but nothing graphic or explicit. Violence: Deaths in books or violent ends of characters are eluded to but nothing graphic in illustrations really. Ethnic diversity: A wide array of authors from various backgrounds are referenced, illustrations are black stick figures so that doesn't really come into play. LGBTQ+ content: None specified Other: Some consumption of alcohol and smoking in a few comics....more
Maxine Justice is trying to reinvent herself into a big time attorney and show the firm that released her to save their own faces that they made a misMaxine Justice is trying to reinvent herself into a big time attorney and show the firm that released her to save their own faces that they made a mistake. But she underestimated their reach. Her night court appearances to cover the bills backfire big time and she actually loses money on the job. She's being evicted from her house and she can't pay her assistant (and can't survive without him). In the midst of these dire straights comes an offer that seems too good to be true. Some clients who claim to be aliens want her to broker a deal with the UN. They will give humanity a serum that will cure all genetics-related diseases and in turn they want 30% of the Earth's gold reserves. They've also set up Maxine in an executive suite in one of THE prime skyscrapers in town and given her an advance that solves all her immediate problems. Maxine is 90% sure they are insane and that there's a catch, but at this point she's desperate.
The plot in this does have twists and turns and eventually Maxine is in a court case that will determine the fate of the future of all humanity, but it takes 90% of the book to get there. For the most part, it is following Maxine around trying to show her old bosses they made a mistake and also winning the appeal of that night court case (and maybe uncovering some corruption in the process). Maxine likes arguing and is all about making money and winning cases more than caring for the people around her, which is some of the point of the story line. She has to learn to be a bit more kind and caring and principled. She is actually required to meet with a court therapist, an android Christian therapist, who she talks to frequently and adds depth to the story and her personal growth. It was an entertaining read but not as sharp witted as I was expecting, and sometimes the twist and turns in the various court cases were a touch hard to follow. And you have to wait for Maxine to be more likable. I don't know of any other scifi court case stories off the top of my head, so this does fill a void and offers something for the courtroom drama fans who like scifi. It was a good 3.5 star read for me but not mind blowing in my opinion...but courtroom drama is not my first choice in movies or books so take that with a grain of salt. I did appreciate the originality in this spin on first contact.
Notes on content: Language: None Sexual content: None. (It is mentioned that Maxine had a fling with the son of her former boss but absolutely no details.) Violence: There's potential for quite wide-spread violence, but the only thing described is one of Maxine's clients who got banged into a door by a rough security guard and has a black eye. Ethnic diversity: Based on his name, Maxine's assistant Kenji is of Japanese American descent. Maxine visits Guatemala and meets a doctor there. There's not a ton of visual descriptions of characters that I remember. LGBTQ+ content: None specified. Androids abound in the world and seem to usually adopt a he or she pronoun. Other: Big pharma does not like the idea of people being cured of diseases and there's a plot to reintroduce illnesses via the mail. Maxine faces at least 2 court cases that are not fair....more
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