aerial view of buildings on mountain near body of water

A Lockdown Cozy to Love

‘The Locked Room’ is timely, atmospheric gem 5/5 Stars I’m breaking my somewhat unwritten rule about not reviewing big name books. But I make exceptions occasionally, and the ending of the new Ruth Galloway installment left me wanting more, so much that it had to go on the list. We’ve had some doozies with the...

Myths come alive in gritty, urban fantasy

Everything from family drama to Greek gods 5/5 stars If you like fantasy that makes you question the world around you, Mark Johnathan Runte’s “Ash,” the start of his Mythos series, is just the book for you. His slightly gritty, urban fantasy is a fantastic read. With everything from family drama and romance to shapeshifters...

close up photography of concrete tombstones

Fear “The Keeper of Night”

Exciting Tale Explores Japanese Myths, Racism My rating: 3 of 5 stars Sometimes you really want to enjoy something, and you keep trying and trying. The beginning of this tale had me sitting in my car, having to peel myself out to go on with my errands (I listened to the audiobook). However, as it...

grey steel grill

An Ode to the Multiverse

“Jailbreak” epic end to Tattler Series One sign of a good book is it leaves you wanting more, even when you know it’s the end. You’ve become so invested in the characters and the world that you’re not quite ready to let go. And that’s exactly what Chad Descoteaux delivered in the last installment of...

Don’t Go Banning My Books

You Should Not Even Try When I was pretty young, a freshman in high school, I had to find something to write a speech on for a class. Around this time, I also learned about Banned Books Week which ends October 2. I was a huge, nerdy, Harry Potter fan way before it was cool....

photography of maple trees

Happy Fall Y’all

Flipping the Page on a New Season I have always loved fall. I’m one of those. Not a Pumpkin Spice Latte lover, but falling leaves and pumpkin décor and a crisp almost chill to the air–it’s the South. We barely get real sweater weather. Is it annoying to put on a sweater in the morning...

cold melting snow winter

Take a journey with “The Crystalline Chronicles”

With Apologies for my Nerdiness 5 of 5 stars If lock down has you jonesing for a good D&D session, then picking up “The Crystalline Chronicles” by Blake R. Wolfe might just be what the doctor ordered. I haven’t been able to sort out playing since my daughter was born almost four years ago, and...

photo of parking for aliens only signage

The Meaning of Words

The Tattler: Cancelled, Not Dead 5 out of 5 stars Sometimes, you read a word and think you know what it means, but are sorely mistaken. Read is an excellent example. We spell it the same way in present and past tense, and you have to examine the surrounding words when you’re reading to understand...

Write a New Story with Tabula Rasa

Inspirational Tale Not for the Light of Heart 5/5 Stars Sometimes the promotional materials for a book prepare you for the pages inside the cover. Other times, you’re left blindsided when the “Jewish” heroine is the most fervent believer in Jesus you’ve ever seen outside of the Bible. Rebecca is a young woman who has...

Self-Care: Good for the Soul and Productivity

Vacations and Quitting Time If you’ve ever been a mom (or any sort of caregiver really) and stepped into a counselor’s office, probably with much protest on your part, you’ve heard about how important “self-care” is. It’s like the buzz-word of the time. Especially during the past year and some change, when the entire world...