My Friends by Fredrik Backman. A simple story of pure, unconditional love. Simply 2025’s must read. The full Bookies! book review and recommendation is linked below. #Booksky youtu.be/cW-SgsqOpdg?...

After finishing up Flashlight by Susan Choi, I needed some easy reading. So the current read is Snake Eater by Kingfisher. Pretty good so far. #Booksky

Hiddensee by Gregory Maguire. A retelling of the story of Drosselmeier from the Nutracker ballet. Maguire should have brought some of the same fantasy as his great work, Wicked. Unfortunately, he only achieved above average. See why in the link. #Booksky youtu.be/iB21jadbf7Q?...

Krampus: The Yule Lord by Brom is just the right book to add some claw and horn to your Christmas. Far from a simplistic monster book about good v. evil, this novel has heft and depth. Full no spoiler review linked below. #Booksky youtu.be/7oO8602WUak?...

The current read. Flashlight by Susan Choi. Here’s hoping it will not disappoint!

Current read, and what is it about Bachman that just reaches me?

Looking for a nostalgic, funny Christmas read? A story that is not just set at Christmas but is about Christmas? Then look no further than The Best Christmas Pageant Ever by Barbara Robinson. Full review linked below. #Booksky youtu.be/8eMiruegJg4?...

Underworld by Don DeLillo is a smart, challenging read. An exploration of isolation, impermanence and American individualism. Full review linked below. #booksky youtu.be/LCjrsk_QaSg?...

Flowers For Algernon by Daniel Keyes. A poignant exploration of what it means to be truly happy and fully human. A full review is linked here. youtu.be/wU-L9t_Hllc?...

Contrarian, but The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller was made average due to some serious flaws. Before you release the hounds, I explain myself here. 😝 #booksky youtu.be/aRDrtHrlrLE?...

Just finished Our Missing Hearts and it reminded me of how much I enjoyed Fahrenheit 451. It was a pleasure to review that great novel. Review linked here. youtu.be/Gynsawv4KT4?...

Our Missing Hearts by Celeste Ng relates a child’s experience of a dystopian authoritarian government that takes children from “subversive” parents for the greater good of promoting American values. Told from the view of a child. Full review linked here. #Booksky youtu.be/CaUJ2arfPTc?...

The Strength of the Few is James Islington’s exciting addition to the Hierarchy series. Complex, long, but fast paced! The full no spoiler review is linked here. youtu.be/YOUNEO_2174?...

Let’s find out what all the hype was about! 😝

The Devils by Joe Abercrombie is a 5 star read. Morally ambiguous characters, violence, humor and sly wit. Abercrombie once again speaks the poetry of violence. A full no spoiler review linked here. youtu.be/HsoVL2HoEhs?...

Reminiscent of the size and length of The Strength of the Few by James Islington.

This chonk of a 720 page monster is happening right here and right now.

Offered in honor of Veterans Day. The Things They Carried by Tim O’Brien. Pulitzer Prize winning literature and much more than a mere war journal. youtu.be/bXUi_JoC5_I?...

The 2025 Booker Prize Winner! images-us.bookshop.org/ingram/97819...

Ok, next up on my TBR. I’m a bit hesitant, so any thoughts before I dive in?

A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius by Dave Eggers is vibrant in its prose. Eggers’ unique ability to convey sorrow and humor at the same time transcends being a mere memoir. It is a work of profound love. youtu.be/9pLuNEyYD6w?...

Royal Assassin by Robin Hobb is an excellent middle story in the Farseer trilogy. However, it isn’t perfect. I do have some criticisms. Find out here! youtu.be/t0FhW7MqlPI?...

Spent weeks on the hold list at Redding Main Library for this one. I hope it is worth the wait. Is it? #booksky

Currently reading and will publish the review to YouTube on Veterans Day. I read seasonally and by holiday. It forces me out of my normal reading preferences. #booksky

Currently reading so I can publish the review on Veteran’s day!

I’m one of those few who have never read Robin Hobb. And … it was great! Excellent characters and the world building is, brick by brick, excellent. My review of The Assassin’s Apprentice. youtu.be/K7k-F4A-6OA?...

The Exorcist by William Peter Blatty. A great horror novel. The flip side of the horror is a crisis of faith. The two themes play off one another to form an exceptional read. See the review linked below for more & subscribe! #booksky youtu.be/msv_e2L6KGs?...

Now reading as of today. Has anybody read it?

The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson is an atmospheric horror. Hill House haunts in the heart and mind. It acts on you and then within you. A great spooky season read. Find out why at the link. #booksky youtu.be/NNUQZ_4oVWY?...

What happens when your kid is demon possessed? You film it for reality tv, of course! A Head Full of Ghosts by Paul Tremblay puts forward this plot point but squanders the promise of a great story. Find out why here. #booksky youtu.be/n1i4RuFAq5g?...

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley. If you haven’t read it, you should. It’s not what you think. See the link to find out why and maybe try out a “secret “ way to read the novel. #booksky youtu.be/lwi6UpnaUu4?...

Don’t know what to read for spooky season? Jump on this year’s Book Haunt. Start by watching here. #booksky youtu.be/ZHc19dmn538?...

Heart-Shaped Box is Joe Hill’s first novel. Hill answers the question of what occurs when you buy a malicious ghost off the internet. An excellent premise for a novel, & Hill doesn’t waste the opportunity. Find out more at the link! #booksky youtu.be/4ybvlP6DmVI?...

Beloved by Toni Morrison tells the interior story of a woman who escaped slavery but remained a slave to the past nonetheless. A ghost story, but an even larger story on love, freedom, and the haunting of memory. #booksky youtu.be/VhI_kIe_8FQ?...

The Troop by Nick Cutter is atmospheric in its horror. Strong writing preying upon the insecurities, anxieties, and paranoia of preteen boys isolated on an island. Definitely a worthy Halloween read. #booksky youtu.be/v5TIc9P0InE?...

Bury Our Bones In The Midnight Soil by V.E. Schwab is an excellent novel which, on its surface, is a ruthless vampire story. However, it also questions male dominance, freedom, and the costs to oneself in attaining it. See the link. #booksky youtu.be/IuOmvgcJCfo?...

Never Flinch by Stephen King is good but not great. Great storytelling and character crafting. However, the pacing was a bit slow. Just slightly above average and below the standard we expect from King. Complete review linked here. #Booksky youtu.be/gKLJuR2ZhUo?...

It is time for a book haunt! Here’s the list of horror to be read this October. Would love to read your thoughts on any of these novels! #booksky youtu.be/ZHc19dmn538?...

The Bookseller of Inverness by Shona MacLean is a compelling murder mystery set in Scotland in the 1750’s. Here’s deceit, daring, and rebellion during the British occupation. A clever insight into Jacobite rebellion. See the linked review. #booksky youtu.be/SCEejz5r6z0?...

Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury is a compelling story which warns us of the dangers of censorship. Everyone in a free society must, at some point, read this novel. Here’s my attempt to convince you to do so. #Booksky youtu.be/Gynsawv4KT4?...

Another Bookies! Review! The Wolf Den by Elodie Harper. A well-crafted tale of a woman sold into prostitution in ancient Pompeii. A very good character study that perhaps comes a little short of being great. Find out why in the linked review. youtu.be/yWRFYxiLMgU?...

A bit different for me, but I’ve reviewed a fantasy novel. It’s good to read across genre. So … here is my review of Mort by Terry Pratchett. #BookSky youtu.be/Z-UehaQFQxw?...

Wally Lamb presents one of the best written characters that I have ever experienced during a lifetime of reading. This novel is a character study worthy of your time and attention. See the no spoiler video review linked here for more. #BookSky youtu.be/EEgDziwZ3l0?...

Anybody have a book they didn’t like but was still well written? For all the reasons stated in the link, mine is The Sheltering Sky by Paul Bowles. Just wasted talent. #BlueSky youtu.be/_0ZRoOLS5qQ?...

My tbr is sitting at 177 books now. God help me. 😄 #BookSky

I really enjoyed Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid. Looking forward to reading more. For now, however, this is Atmosphere. #Booktwt youtu.be/Am-cLxSwFvQ?...

The Lost Letter by Jillian Cantor is a story of love, loss and resistance during the annexation of Austria into the Third Reich. An exceptional novel deserving of mention. Highly recommended. youtu.be/QCQL-5p3Eog?...

Katabasis by RF Kuang. If the linked review perks up your interest, give the book a try and judge for yourself. I think you’ll like it. youtu.be/8rTL1HEdSb4?...

Katabasis by R.F. Kuang is as good as everyone has been saying. I’m so happy to have read it and now I can put the no spoiler review out to you today! I loved it. #BookSky #BookReview youtu.be/8rTL1HEdSb4?...