“The Woman Who Breathed Two Worlds” followed the life of Chye Hoon, a strong-willed Nyonya girl who becomes the matriarch of her mixed-heritage family in early 20th-century Malaysia. “When the Future Comes Too Soon” picks up shortly after where “The Woman Who Breathed Two Worlds” left off, with the death of Chye Hoon. Now the […]
Read more "“When the Future Comes Too Soon” by Selina Siak Chin Yoke"I read many of Kelly Baker’s essays about her transition away from academia on Vitae when they first came out, so of course I had to read them all when they were published as a collection. In “Grace Period,” Baker chronicles her–frequently bitter, angry, and desperate–transition out of academia to the alt-ac world. It’s hard […]
Read more "“Grace Period” by Kelly J. Baker"A group of comedians, all either on their way up or on their way down, is invited to a fellow superstar comedian’s private island for a mysterious project. But the project, it turns out, is killing them. Like all good comedy, “Ten Dead Comedians” is light fare, but with a definite bite. It’s less haha-hilarious […]
Read more "“Ten Dead Comedians” by Fred van Lente"The CEO of a couture bridal company, Janey is forced by her partner/best friend to go on leave when she is photographed eating (gasp!) in public, and told she can’t return to work till she loses thirty pounds. Bored and desperate, she plunges into the world of fad diets and fitness crazes. What results is […]
Read more "“Fitness Junkie” by Lucy Sykes and Jo Piazza"State Counsellor Erast Petrovich Fandorin is called to action again! Terrorists have conducted a daring murder using his identity as a disguise, and both professional duty and personal pride demand that he find them and bring them to justice. But as he goes deeper into the world of revolutionaries, collaborators, and double agents, he finds […]
Read more "“The State Counsellor” by Boris Akunin"“The Bucket List” is like “Twilight,” except backwards. Misfit college student Leah Clarke falls wildly in love with Damon, a gorgeous, charming neighbor who overcomes his scruples and returns her affection, showering her with love, devotion, and a luxurious, jet-setting lifestyle. Only instead of being immortal, he has a terminal illness. This is a daring […]
Read more "“The Bucket List” by Emily Ruben"How to define Paramore? Are they pop? Rock? Something else entirely? To be honest, I had always thought of them as catchy rock light, and liked them (or didn’t) on a song-by-song basis. “After Laughter” is the first album of theirs that I’ve listened to as an entire album; with that caveat, I’ll boldly claim […]
Read more "“After Laughter” by Paramore"Soon, soon, “The Breathing Sea” will be released! Well, in a month or so. Meanwhile, here’s the cover for Part I, produced by Alan M. Clark.
Read more "Cover Reveal for “The Breathing Sea Part I”!"Impoverished laborer Ombima steals from his employer’s garden in order to put food on his family’s table. This action leads to his involvement in a forbidden affair, and a downward spiral into greed, jealousy, and backstabbing. That synopsis notwithstanding, “Forbidden Fruit” is less a tightly plotted tale of lust and revenge, and more a brief […]
Read more "“Forbidden Fruit” by Stanley Gazemba"A fascinating melange of WWII “aviation lit” (to coin a term) and hard sci-fi, with a side of metaphysics and fantasy, “Fata Morgana” is a unique book. It’s not exactly something I would normally read, but I found it extremely interesting nonetheless. Somewhat to my surprise, since I was expecting sci-fi, the book starts off […]
Read more "“Fata Morgana” by Steven R. Boyett and Ken Mitchroney"
E. P. Clark: Author, Book Reviewer, and All-Around Literary Handiwoman 