lorialdenholuta's reviews
563 reviews

Reading the latest installment of the "Twits Chronicles" during an election year was a surreal experience. The antics of my favorite fictional friends got me thinking about what's probably going on behind the scenes in real-life politics everywhere. Clearly, we need to be voting for intelligent, forward-thinking, clear-headed candidates. But until those candidates come along, we must settle for the unbelievably rich, carefree, and rarely sober Cyril Chippinton-Smythe.

Cyril craves diversions to alleviate the boredom of his comfortable, privileged existence. While visiting a local pie shop, he's caught off-guard by love at first sight with Forsythia Oblongata, an activist trying to help the workers in her family's pie factory obtain better pay. Cyril does what any unqualified wealthy man would do: he's taken under the wing of a cutthroat political tutor and runs for office, hoping to win the girl's heart. Unfortunately, his cousin Binky has also fallen in love with Forsythia.

Will Cyril win the race and get the girl? Will the piemakers situation improve? And what about Binky?

I can't forget to mention my favorite character in this entire series, Bentley. He's a steam-powered automaton valet that's been in Cyril's family for generations. Honestly, Cyril wouldn't last ten minutes without Bentley's assistance. If only he could run for office, we'd all be in fine shape.   

Hopefully you've read the previous six books in the "Twits Chronicles" (and the free short story, Uncle Hugo's Crises. The books are not overly long. You can breeze through one in an afternoon. Catch up now and you'll be ready for Twits Hit the Target, available to pre-order now, and due to arrive on December 21st!  

 This new version of the Arthurian mythos shines a light on the women in Arthur's life. Primarily, they are Guinevere, the Lady of the Lake, and his mother and sisters. The story of King Arthur can be very convoluted, sometimes ponderous, now and then confusing. It takes some concentration to keep all the characters and story straight, but this focused look at his life through the lens of the women is by far the easiest to follow version I've yet read.

It's not just about the women though. Of course we learn about Arthur and his life, but Merlin also plays a huge role in the story.

Since this is a graphic novel, the quality of the artwork is important. Through well-crafted watercolor panels, the ancient legends and its people take on a gentle, almost fragile appearance. Landscapes are otherworldly, yet still familiar. A dozen horses carrying the knights of the round table thunders across our view, and even though it's just one panel among six on that page, it's cinematic and feels somehow bigger than it is. Much of the artwork is muted, with lots of greys and frequent use of reds as an accent color. The artist plays with color saturation, crisp lines and dreamlike billowy scenes, as well as utilizing close ups and faraway views. In other words, the careful crafting of the illustrations plays a vital role in the telling of the story.

The book ends with bonus artwork of the ladies and Arthur, as well as brief paragraphs about some of the key locations and artifacts. I appreciated the inclusion of a theory that perfectly explains why the sword was in the stone. I've never heard this one before, and it's already become my preferred explanation.

The book releases on December 31, 2024. Your pre-order will benefit its launch immensely.

My thanks to author Vincent Pompetti and Black Panel Press for allowing me to read a digital advance review copy of this book. This review is my honest and unbiased opinion. 

It’s almost as if Ellie Alexander decided to write a book just for me. After all, I love a good mystery. I’m from the Pacific Northwest. I’m a foodie. The beach is my happy place. I love watching building restorations. In other words, there’s just no way I wasn’t going to read Killing Me Soufflé.

The premise is fun: Two young chefs, Sterling and Stephanie, having received a stellar training at Torte, a bakery owned by chef Juliet, are spreading their wings and flying off to the Oregon coast to revive a flagging restaurant at a seaside resort. Juliet and her family go along to help out and cheer their friends on in this new venture.

There’s plenty of challenges. The fledgling chefs have the jitters. The resort receptionist keeps vanishing. The local seafood supplier isn’t thrilled with the state of things either, and the resort manager? An overbearing nightmare! Guests and some quirky locals who live year-round at the resort add to the mayhem. Oh, and as if she doesn’t have enough challenges, Juliet is pregnant. With twins.

On the flip side of all that mayhem, there’s the setting. Author Ellie Alexander does a wonderful job of describing this breathtaking location on the cliffs above the Oregon coast. It was nice to feel as if I were there once again.

Solving the inevitable murder is fun. The clues are there for sharp eyes to find, and the solution plays out with good pacing. It held my interest to the very end. Oh, and I was amused by the parallel of a death by falling (not going to say who, why, where, you need to read the book!), while chef Stephanie struggles with the fear of a falling… soufflé.

This is the 20th book in the Bakeshop Mystery series, but the first that I’ve read. It was easy to drop into Juliet’s ongoing life and find my footing in the Bakeshop world, though Juliet’s pregnancy meant little to me and wasn’t an important part of the storyline. But, I’m sure readers who have been following her adventures through 19 previous books have a deeper connection to the personal aspects of her life.

I’d happily read more of the Bakeshop Mystery series, and I recommend you do, too. If you choose to start with Killing Me Soufflé, you’ll be just fine. If you’re a completionist, why not join me in bouncing back to the first book? I’ll be picking up Meet Your Baker quite soon.

My thanks to Ellie Alexander, St. Martin’s Press, and NetGalley for allowing me to read a digital advance review copy of this book. This review is my honest and unbiased opinion. 

 I will admit that fantasy is not my most-read genre. For me to give a fantasy story five stars is a big deal, but Thorns Among Shadows earned every one of them. I was actually startled when the story ended, because I didn't realize I'd devoured it so quickly.

There's a lot to like. Flipping the traditional roles and having the girl save the prince was refreshing. And she didn't just luck into it - Meira had to really work hard to find and rescue the love of her life, Prince Gaelen. And the prince didn't ruin the effort by trying to negate or diminish her accomplishments. This really is a power couple, well matched and complimentary to each others strengths and weaknesses.

Author Ally Kelly's writing skills are top-notch. The writing flowed like silk. I wasn't pulled out of my immersion in the story even once due to awkward writing, typos, or formatting errors. It's clear that she's put in the work to ensure that readers are given a well-crafted story. As a bonus, there's also a short story after the main one.

I also want to mention her involvement with a writing community called Worldsmyths. As a writer myself, I know the importance of being able to collaborate with other writers, and recruit them to help with feedback and advice during the writing process. The way she describes Worldsmyths impressed me a lot. Ally Kelly writes what she's passionate about and has the support of others who share those passions. What a great way to live your life! 

 The cookbook leads with "Top Ten Tips for Creating your own Copycat Recipes." which is a deep dive into solid advice to help you develop your own copycat recipes. I felt as if I was being accepted into a secret society of copycatters. There's some fantastic stuff here; don't skip it!

And there's no skimping on recipes, either. There's 101 of them and all are marvelously photographed. I found the "Lunchtime" section to be the most tempting. I'll admit it, I love me some Arby's, so I want to try the Arby's beef and cheddar recipe, along with the Arby's sauce - both with my own extra modifications to drive down the sodium and sugar.

Everyone has their own reasons for wanting to duplicate restaurant food at home. Some enjoy the challenge. Some don't live within easy reach of a favorite restaurant. Some are trying to keep the cost down. And some, like me, need to eliminate as much sodium and processed sugar as possible. I'm always on the lookout for fun foods we can make without blowing up our diets. Cooking from scratch means I can easily leave out the salt, and I can swap out the sugar for one of the many excellent substitutes now available to us.

Subway's "Homemade Footlong Bread" is definitely on my to-try list. Recently I've been attempting a copycat recipe for Jimmy John's sub buns. We miss our Jimmy John's fix. I haven't yet found a recipe that works for us yet, though - maybe we should be looking at this Subway bread solution.

Now, confess. Let's see a raise of hands from everyone who was hoping and praying for a copycat McDonald's Shamrock Shake. You're in luck - it's here!

My thanks to Favorite Family Recipes, Shadow Mountain Publishing, and NetGalley for allowing me to read a digital advance review copy of this book. This review is my honest and unbiased opinion. 

I’m not sure what I was expecting from this book, but what I got was an extensive reference guide that shed a massive amount of light on the plight of women wishing to join the medical profession in the Victorian era. As the stories of the struggles of individual notable women were told, we learn a lot about what it was like to be a female in need of medical help back then, as well.

It was a lot of information to take in, but treated as a reference book to be returned to again and again, “The Cure for Women” should find a home on the bookshelves of everyone from historians to authors to medical students and professionals to feminists and perhaps most importantly, men. Everyone can learn from the past and this is important history.

My thanks to Lydia Reeder, St. Martin’s Press, and NetGalley for allowing me to read a digital advance review copy of this book. This review is my honest and unbiased opinion. 

 As a fan of Terry Pratchett's version of Death, I was easily pulled into this story by the blurb's promise of death cheating hijinks and hilarity. And as a former cubicle dweller and lifelong fearer of taxes, it really was inevitable that I'd give this story a go.

I found it to be everything the blurbie promised... and more! Once I'd explored the 'fish out of water' hilarity of Death trying to blend in with humanity while learning how to drive his unwished-for new body and grappling with an endless flood of robocalls regarding his extended warranty, the author deftly raises the stakes. The story expands into a tale of epic proportions. The latter part of the book is filled with genuine beauty, heartbreak, passion, and determination.

Can a book start out as a sitcom and end with interesting answers to the big questions about life? Yes. Yes it can. And as a bonus, you'll gain a deeper understanding of cats and their place in the universe. 

 Picking up right where The Dragon Eater left off, J. Scott Coatsworth’s The Gauntlet Runner continues the story of Raven, Aik, Silya, and Spin. Oh my gosh, Spin! But I’m getting ahead of myself. Aik is searching for Raven, Raven is settling into an entirely new phase of his life, Silya – now the Hencha Queen – is Gullton-bound, trying to help her people. And Spin… Holy heck, Spin!

No, I’m not going to tell you anything more about Spin, that’s a reveal that I won’t spoil for you. But I will say that this breathtaking fantasy trilogy has just stepped into the Science Fiction camp, while keeping the other foot firmly planted in Fantasy. Wowie.

As our trio of protagonists walk separate paths, each striving toward their personal goal, we readers are treated along the way to a deeper exploration of the planet Tharassas. The worldbuilding is expansive, interwoven, and seriously twisty. Humanity’s place on Tharassas isn’t what we think it is. I mean, it isn’t even what everyone on Tharassas thinks it is. But Raven’s well on his way to figuring it out. As the author slowly reveals a secret that the planet has put up with for a very long time, we start to learn the history behind everyone and everything’s place and purpose.

I was pleased to see that second banana Aik got a starring role in his own adventure this time, one I got thoroughly immersed in. It’s a real thrill ride that never lets up, and is magnificently described for us gapemouthed readers.

But enough about plotlines. I also want to talk about character development. Raven, Aik, and Silya are teenagers, with all the complex tangles of joy, confusion, agony and discovery that is a part of growing up. The author may throw them into astounding situations, but he never loses sight of the fact that our would-be heroes aren’t even adults yet. And that makes their trials and tribulations all the more meaningful.

An afternote about what’s coming next: I’m savoring the anticipation of reading the third book of this trilogy, The Hencha Queen. The title tells me this will be Silya’s story, but it’s also going to need to bring the trilogy to a conclusion. Considering how many questions still need to be answered and how many situations need to be resolved, it’s a lot to ask of one book. But I’ve come to trust J. Scott Coatsworth. I know he has a passion for both science fiction and fantasy. I also know he’s actively engaged in his local LBGT+ community, provides a huge amount of support to queer authors, and as I’ve seen in this series, writes realistic queer characters. I have faith that the last leg of the journey will be satisfying.

This review first published at SciFi.Radio. 

Fun True Fact: When looking at a coat of arms, the right side is the Dexter, and the left side is the Sinister. The Dexter side is considered to be more honorable than the Sinister side. Keeping that in mind, it’s no surprise that while John Sinister may be our protagonist, Dexter, a mechanical cat, steals the show at every turn.

The action pivots on the wealthy Chard family, and the source of their fortune, Chard Mechanical, an engineering company that builds airships and dabbles in wacky inventions. As John tries to learn the factory’s secrets in order to solve the murder of the owner’s son, he gets more and more tangled up with the Chard’s circle of family and business associates.

What brings this all to life is the author’s gleeful use of quaint, period-acceptable language, John’s gawking astonishment at new technology, and genuinely engaging and fun side characters.

And then there’s the cat. Dexter is 90% steam-powered mechanical and 10% sarcasm. He’s smart as a whip and sarcastic to the max. But he’s also got heart (it’s probably clockwork). Don’t waste too much time wondering how Dexter works, just roll with it and enjoy his antics.

I love steampunk. I’ve been into it for a very long time now. Many books in the genre these days have leaned away from the frippery and gadgetry to focus on romance, horror, apocalypse aftermath, supernatural.. the darker the better. That’s not a bad thing if the story is good, but for me, Dexter and Sinister was a breath of fresh (albeit sooty) air. It reminded me of that childlike joy so many of us felt the first time we saw a computer keyboard steampunked, or tried on our first pair of goggles. It’s a new-ish book that feels wonderfully old school. I enjoyed it immensely.

 I noticed other reviewers expected a lighthearted romp, based on the book’s cover. This is a fine lesson in NOT judging a book by its cover. Our Ill-Mannered Ladies, while quite prim and proper in appearance, are anything but. In the Regency Era, women were treated as less important than men. If the trio of adventures in this book are based in some truth, women were treated horribly, often to the point of torture and even death.

The stories are dark, revealing the worst aspects of Regency men’s behavior. But, this is balanced a little by the inclusion of a good man with a sympathetic heart, who believes in the value of women. You won’t recognize this at first, as he’s a character that’s not fully revealed at our first meeting. This was one of my favorite aspects of the book. the slow revelation of a truly good and worthy man.

But back to our Ill-Mannered Ladies. 42-year-old twin sisters Lady Augusta and Lady Julia Colebrook are close enough to share ‘twin language’, with the ability to exchange entire sentences via a meaningful look. They are also financially independent and quite capable of looking after themselves.

Together, they fight crime!

Okay, that was flippant, but really, they do. Specifically, crimes against helpless women committed by men who believe their gender makes it all right to do so. This book follows their exploits during three adventures. Each deals with different situations featuring ladies in distress, though I found the sister’s cunning plans to be very similar in each story. This didn’t detract from my interest in the stories, it was just something I noticed.

I mentioned earlier that these stories are a bit dark. They need to be in order for the women’s plights to be meaningful. I must caution though, the final story is *very* dark, and to my mind goes completely overboard with the use of a certain substance that all humans produce but are usually not compelled to wallow in. My goodness. The digging of a short trench and a daily bucket of water would have solved the problem right away. But the author clearly felt the need of some shock value to underscore the horrors of the situation.

That aside, I was quite absorbed by the lives and adventures of the two sisters, and all the women who benefitted from them. Also, I’m a big fan of the Victorian era but my knowledge of the Regency era has lots of gaps. In particular, I liked learning about sealing wafers. I knew about sealing wax, but wafers were new to me, and now I love them. So practical! Go google them and see for yourself.