Remote Control by Nnedi Okorafor

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Is the genre of Sci-Fi Fairy tale a thing? Because this book is that. Somehow full of magic but also the lessons of good science fiction, of humans challenging nature in a way they shouldn’t…actually, now I’m realizing that most folklore and fairy tales have a lot in common with science fiction short stories, like the Twilight Zone…

This book is short but packed with story, the journey of a girl possessed by a power she struggles to control. Balancing using it for good and the temptation to use it for intimidation.

The Book No One Wants to Read by Beth Bacon

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


This had us laughing out loud at the desk. It would make for a great read aloud – it reminded me a lot of The Book with No Pictures. It has lots of very clever moments that even the most reluctant reader will find hard not to smirk at as the book BEGS you to pretend to read it, to just feel wanted.

In: A Graphic Novel by Will McPhail

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I followed McPhail on social media after stumbling across his New Yorker comics on Tumblr one day. I loved the style, the humor, everything – so when it was announced he would be publishing a book, I needed to read it.

“IN” is a beautiful story, filled with that same humor and quirky style that makes McPhail’s art so instantly recognizable. Nick’s journey is one that many of us can identify with, that longing for connection with all the people around us but trying to figure out how to start the conversation, how to get in.

Not to be cliche, but I laughed and I cried more than I thought I would at a black and white graphic novel.

Fugitive Telemetry by Martha Wells

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Another short book filled with action, adventure, mystery and humor. Murderbot is one of my favorite series and this one might be the best so far, with enough twists and turns in the plot to keep me guessing but also plenty of moments that made me chuckle and Murderbot suffers through working with humans and their ridiculous ways.

Pistouvi by Merwan

My rating: 2 of 5 stars


I don’t get it.

Like, I kind of get it, but not really? I feel like there was a moral or lesson or something in this story but by the last page, I was just confused and frustrated by it all. Which is unfortunate because the artwork is SO CUTE!

Don’t bother reading this, just flip through and enjoy the artwork. Ignore the text and whatever the story thinks it is. It wants to be a Studio Ghibli style adventure through childhood to adulthood but ends up being a feathery mess.

I started my binge read of Jeff Lemire’s thriller/horror/scifi series ‘Gideon Falls’, reading volumes 1-3 at the end of the month. Just as freaky and disturbing as the first time. The series ended in late 2020 so I wanted to read it all at once to get the full effect of all the twists and turns rather than picking up the latest issue and hoping I remembered (I wouldn’t have…it’s far too wild of a ride). I’ll type up my series thoughts next month once I know how it all ends.