Doreen Sheridan

Professional book critic, amateur cellist, full-time polymath. Occasional game designer, perpetual game enthusiast. Mom of 3. Arsenal till I die. I like a good story. My other mystery reviews can be found here: https://www.criminalelement.com/author/dvaleris/

Most commented posts

  1. Deathless (Leningrad Diptych #1) by Catherynne M. Valente — 12 comments
  2. A Memory Called Empire (Teixcalaan #1) by Arkady Martine — 10 comments
  3. Sweet Tea by Piper Huguley — 7 comments
  4. I Was Told There’d Be Cake by Sloane Crosley — 6 comments
  5. Busting Vegas by Ben Mezrich — 5 comments

Author's posts

Bits Of String Too Small To Save by Ruby Peru (AUDIOBOOK EXCERPT)

Readers, I’m so excited to be able to share a new format of excerpt for you! I am, unfortunately, one of those unlucky people who has trouble concentrating on audiobooks and podcasts, but I know a ton of you appreciate the convenience of those mediums. So today, in addition to the usual printed excerpt, I …

Continue reading

Permanent link to this article: https://www.thefrumiousconsortium.net/2024/12/02/bits-of-string-too-small-to-save-by-ruby-peru-audiobook-excerpt/

Tantalizing Tales — November 2024 — Part Three

Three, three fortnightly roundups for the month of November, ah-ah-ah! (That last bit was meant to be laughed a la Sesame Street’s The Count.) And what a coincidence, today’s post falls on Black Friday too! Let’s take a look at some of the delicious books I haven’t yet had a chance to get to reading …

Continue reading

Permanent link to this article: https://www.thefrumiousconsortium.net/2024/11/29/tantalizing-tales-november-2024-part-three/

Smarty The Brain: Stories by Brian S Hamilton

An interesting collection of short stories meant to be read by caregivers to their preschool children, focused on brain/concussion safety. The main character of these ten stories is Smarty, a responsible young brain who knows that making sensible choices for his own safety can only help him in the long run. His foil, after a …

Continue reading

Permanent link to this article: https://www.thefrumiousconsortium.net/2024/11/27/smarty-the-brain-stories-by-brian-s-hamilton/

Nothing Special Vol 2: Concerning Wings by Katie Cook

I love so much how this book features a cute guy named Declan, giving me further excuse to think of my kids’ future stepdad Declan Rice (not that I really need any excuses, lol.) Anyway, Declan Hickey is the focal point of the second volume of the long-running web comic Nothing Special. He and our …

Continue reading

Permanent link to this article: https://www.thefrumiousconsortium.net/2024/11/26/nothing-special-vol-2-concerning-wings-by-katie-cook/

What I Must Tell The World by Jay Leslie & Loveis Wise

subtitled How Lorraine Hansberry Found Her Voice Oh, y’all, I don’t even know why I’m crying. No, actually, I suspect I do: I am shamed, and for once not in a bad way, and challenged by the courage it took for playwright Lorraine Hansberry to follow her dreams and live honestly in an era potentially …

Continue reading

Permanent link to this article: https://www.thefrumiousconsortium.net/2024/11/25/what-i-must-tell-the-world-by-jay-leslie-loveis-wise/

The Ultimate Guide To Dollywood by Erin K Browne

What a delightful way to either plan for a trip to the musical icon’s theme park or to just daydream about eventually going! While this unofficial guide doesn’t go into the history of Dollywood, it’s certainly a loving look at the largest employer in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, near the birthplace of living legend Dolly Parton. …

Continue reading

Permanent link to this article: https://www.thefrumiousconsortium.net/2024/11/22/the-ultimate-guide-to-dollywood-by-erin-k-browne/

Castle Swimmer Vol 1 by Wendy Martin

Y’all, I did not expect to tear up at this sweet and surprisingly substantial look at star-crossed mermen fated by prophecy to lose one another. Kappa is born to be the Beacon. Almost immediately after he hatches from his egg, the God of the Surface informs him that his task is to swim around the …

Continue reading

Permanent link to this article: https://www.thefrumiousconsortium.net/2024/11/21/castle-swimmer-vol-1-by-wendy-martin/

One-Shot Wonders by Sam Bartlett, Beth Davies & Destiny Howell

With the caveat that I’m reviewing the sample set handed out for Free RPG Day 2024, which I must say feels fairly representative of how the book must be as a whole! I’m actually finally coming around to writing a review of this because I got a chance to use a sample for one my …

Continue reading

Permanent link to this article: https://www.thefrumiousconsortium.net/2024/11/20/one-shot-wonders-by-sam-bartlett-beth-davies-destiny-howell/

Cold Snap by Lindy Ryan

I can see what Lindy Ryan was trying to do here, given my steeping in world mythology, but I think it needed a little more explaining so that the average reader can figure out what’s actually going on in this horror novella of guilt and grief. Just a few weeks ago, Derek Sinclaire died, falling …

Continue reading

Permanent link to this article: https://www.thefrumiousconsortium.net/2024/11/19/cold-snap-by-lindy-ryan/

The Weirn Books, Vol 1 and 2 by Svetlana Chmakova

I was so chuffed to receive a delightful box with the first two books in Svetlana Chmakova’s Weirn series just before Halloween! Deeply grateful to JY, an imprint of Yen Press, for sending not only the two volumes but also a cute selection of pens, bookmarks and posters, some of which found their ways into …

Continue reading

Permanent link to this article: https://www.thefrumiousconsortium.net/2024/11/18/the-weirn-books-vol-1-and-2-by-svetlana-chmakova/