September 2024 archive

I, Too, Am Here by Morgan Christie & Marley Berot

Time to take a break from spooky season reads to cherish a book that will mean so much to any immigrant or person of color. Inspired by Langston Hughes’ iconic poem I, Too, this children’s picture book follows a young girl who tries to figure out racism and xenophobia as it’s directed at her family. …

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Permanent link to this article: https://www.thefrumiousconsortium.net/2024/09/19/i-too-am-here-by-morgan-christie-marley-berot/

The Strange Tales Of Oscar Zahn: Volume 1 by Trí Vương

Me while reading this book: Why am I crying?! Me reading the artist’s bio at the end: Oh, because this is one of the creators behind Everyday Hero Machine Boy, which was another extraordinary graphic novel that I also did not expect to make me cry. If you’ve read my last two reviews, you’ll know …

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Permanent link to this article: https://www.thefrumiousconsortium.net/2024/09/18/the-strange-tales-of-oscar-zahn-volume-1-by-tri-vuong/

Goth Parenting by Casey Gilly & Robin Robinson

subtitled The Dark Joys of Raising Baby Bats. Readers, everything is making me emotional recently. Whether it was yesterday’s Camp Twisted Pine stabbing me in the heart again with a pain first inflicted almost a year prior, to today’s wonderful Goth Parenting reinforcing to this tired (and temporarily single) mom that I’m doing okay if …

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Permanent link to this article: https://www.thefrumiousconsortium.net/2024/09/17/goth-parenting-by-casey-gilly-robin-robinson/

Camp Twisted Pine by Ciera Burch

Oh wow, getting into this hit hard. Like Ciera Burch, I never went to sleepaway camp, and wound up writing a book/game on the subject. I designed that roleplaying game on my former best friend, the same way choreographers create dances on certain performers. Unfortunately for me, that person I relied on and trusted more …

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Permanent link to this article: https://www.thefrumiousconsortium.net/2024/09/16/camp-twisted-pine-by-ciera-burch/

Shards of Honor by Lois McMaster Bujold

Shards of Honor by Lois McMaster Bujold

As the fortieth anniversary of its publication approaches, I suppose it’s fair to call Shards of Honor an old-fashioned space opera, although the series it kicked off is open-ended and its most recent work appeared just six years ago. Somehow I missed the Vorkosigan saga when it was becoming a big thing in science fiction …

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Permanent link to this article: https://www.thefrumiousconsortium.net/2024/09/14/shards-of-honor-by-lois-mcmaster-bujold/

Out Of The Drowning Deep by A.C. Wise

“Ooh, more please!” were my exact thoughts on finishing this remarkably dense and deliciously chewy novella. Many years into the future, the gods will reveal themselves on a planet called Bastion, upending faith and religion as humanity knows it forever. Gods are real and angels are real and demons are real, just perhaps not in …

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Permanent link to this article: https://www.thefrumiousconsortium.net/2024/09/13/out-of-the-drowning-deep-by-a-c-wise/

Mindful With Me: Connecting With Your Child Through Daily Mindfulness by Sarah Dennehy

with charming illustrations throughout by Natalie Garber Martin. My middle child has a problem: sometimes when he gets frustrated, even over the most seemingly innocuous of things, he’ll have a crying, screaming, snot-filled emotional meltdown in absolutely no proportion to the triggering incident. This doesn’t happen to either of my other children, who tend to …

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Permanent link to this article: https://www.thefrumiousconsortium.net/2024/09/12/mindful-with-me-connecting-with-your-child-through-daily-mindfulness-by-sarah-dennehy/

Haunt Sweet Home by Sarah Pinsker

I wonder why this was published by sff stalwart tordotcom instead of by its horror imprint, Nightfire, as the also creepy (and just as speculative, if not more so) Crypt Of The Moon Spider was. Regardless, I’m so glad that this novella has been released as a standalone book, perfect as a quick-ish read as …

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Permanent link to this article: https://www.thefrumiousconsortium.net/2024/09/11/haunt-sweet-home-by-sarah-pinsker/

Victoria Thompson, 1948-2024

I just received the sad news that one of my favorite historical mystery authors recently passed away. From the press release: ~~~~~~~ Victoria Thompson, 76, of Long Grove, IL passed away on August 23, 2024 after a years-long battle with cancer. Known by her friends and family as Vicki, she was an award-winning, bestselling author …

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Permanent link to this article: https://www.thefrumiousconsortium.net/2024/09/10/victoria-thompson-1948-2024/

The Totally Not Boring Book Of Feelings by Jolie Taylor & Brandon Dorman

What a delightful way to get kids in touch with their feelings! And this, mind you, is said by someone who has definitely given books about feelings, especially those targeted at kids, the hairy side eye, usually for being too sappy and twee. This collection of roughly 40 poems easily avoids that pitfall, while being …

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Permanent link to this article: https://www.thefrumiousconsortium.net/2024/09/09/the-totally-not-boring-book-of-feelings-by-jolie-taylor-brandon-dorman/