Space Station Halcyon – “Now Under New Management!” by Matthew C. Lucas

June 10, 2026 By Leave a Comment


Space Station Halcyon – “Now Under New Management!” by Matthew C. Lucas
Publisher: Sky Dog House
Genre: Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Action/Adventure
Rating: 5 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Welcome to Space Station Halcyon!
(Management is not responsible for anything that happens to you)

Joey Mumbai’s down on his luck and over his head. To pay off his gambling debts, he’s forced to run an old space station at the end of the galaxy as a “legitimate business” for the mob. All Joey has to do is make money—and not attract any attention. But Space Station Halcyon is like a floating death trap, with a rage-filled manatee, a psychotically cheerful computer, and a sports bar that may or may not be possessed.

When a government code inspector and her enforcerbot drop by the station, Joey must bluff, bribe, and connive his way through interstellar bureaucracy, laser gun fights, and the worst beer in the galaxy. Can Joey turn his derelict station and degenerate crew into something resembling legality? Or is the whole place going to explode in a cloud of code violations? Or maybe both?

Sometimes bureaucracy is the best place to begin.

I adored Mr. Lucas’ tongue-in-cheek sense of humor, especially when it came to the ridiculous aspects of a workplace whose rules sometimes didn’t make any sense at all. Joey would have had nothing to do with Space Station Halcyon if he could have helped it, so the fact that he was stuck dealing with a neglected space station filled with a motley crew of loyal workers, human and otherwise, made all of the hoops he needed to jump through even funnier.

There were hints that this may be the beginning of a new series. While I don’t know for certain if or when the second book may be en route, I enjoyed the way the characters were introduced, especially when it came the first few employees that Joey met when he arrived at his space station. The descriptions of them were vivid, engaging, and often hilarious, but also left plenty of opportunities for further development. This isn’t always an easy balance to strike, so I must tip my cap to the author for making me care about Sherrod, Auntie, Daryl, and Natalie so much already as I learned what roles they played onboard and why each of them was vital to the future of the station as a whole. At no point was this more true than when things began going terribly wrong and they had to band together to try to figure out a solution.

The logic of this tale reminded me of Douglas Adam’s work. It had a dreamlike quality that made it impossible for me to stop reading, but it also made sense within the context of Joey’s zany adventures as a character who, to be honest, had not always made the most honorable choices in the past and who had a lot of growing up to do even thought he was technically already an adult. I loved seeing how he responded to things that generally wouldn’t be expected to occur and how he maybe even started to mature a little as a result of him stepping up to improve how this station was run.

Space Station Halcyon – “Now Under New Management!” was thrilling.

Filed Under: Reviews, Science Fiction/Fantasy Tagged With: , , , ,

Along the Trail by Kaci Curtis

June 8, 2026 By 2 Comments


Along the Trail by Kaci Curtis
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Genre: Historical, Young Adult
Rated: 5 stars
Review by Rose

In 1847, Winnie and her family are traveling west to start a new life in the Oregon territory. While many in their wagon train fret over river crossings, disease, and encounters with Native tribes, she relishes the unexpected freedom of life on the trail.

Threatened by storms, wild animals, and outlaws, Winnie must rely on the bonds she’s made and all she’s learned in order for them to make it to Oregon alive. She also must decide if she is ready to risk forming an attachment to Hal, the cowhand who has a knack for showing up just when help is needed, or whether she will emulate Mae, the free-spirited daughter of their trail guide.

I thoroughly enjoyed this look into the past as Winnie and her family make the long and perilous journey from their home in Missouri to the promise of free land in Oregon. It’s obvious the author has done her research about the struggles and tribulations the new settlers experienced, but you never feel beat over the head with the research. Instead, it’s skillfully woven into the story as enhancements, helping the reader really become immersed in the experience. I loved the little telling experiences she shares with us (like making butter as they traveled by hanging up fresh milk under the wagon).

It’s been a long long time since I’ve studied about the Oregon Trail, so it was a good reminder of what the people who came before us endured as they set out for a better life.

The story was so good, I finished it in one sitting. I appreciated seeing Winnie grow from a girl of seventeen into a woman over the five months they traveled. And to see the strength the entire family gained on the trip. There were times when things would happen that would make me hold my breath wondering how things would work out. There were times my eyes misted over some of the experiences the group they traveled with faced.

I highly recommend this book to everyone who is interested in the history of our country and how the west came to be settled.

Filed Under: Reviews, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Devourer by R.M. Sayan

May 29, 2026 By Leave a Comment


Devourer by R.M. Sayan
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Horror, Historical
Rating: 5 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Somewhere off the coast of Peru, 1879.
Half a world away from home, Bo is rescued from a shipwreck by the crew of the Ayar, a ship manned by runaways and deserters with a mute captain and an enigmatic first mate. But mutiny festers in the bilge, and between luck spells and sea dragons, surviving on the high seas becomes a matter of ‘kill or be killed’ — eat or be eaten.
What is a captain to a god?
What is a god to a cook?

Anything can happen on the open sea.

I enjoyed the way the horror storyline was gradually introduced. This started out as a fairly typical shipwreck and rescue tale with only a few vague hints of what was to come. The further I read, though, the more Bo understood that something odd was happening on the ship that rescued him. His slow realization of the truth was nearly as interesting as the principled stand he took against doing something that all of the other sailors thought was perfectly acceptable.

Speaking of taking a stand, I liked how understated Bo’s moral dilemma was. The author trusted their audience to understand why Bo felt so uneasy and, later on, what was at stake if he disobeyed his conscious. By focusing on the horror and speculative fiction elements of the tale, the author left plenty of room for readers to come up with their own interpretations of what was happening and why Bo’s choices mattered so much.

The ending was what ultimately convinced me to select a five-star rating for this piece. It was well written, and I especially adored how all of the hints from earlier scenes, particularly the ones that were so subtle it was easy to overlook them entirely, coalesced together into something filled with eldritch themes. Readers who have spent any time travelling on water, especially in cramped quarters or under even mildly unpleasant conditions, may find a few interesting tidbits here about the quiet but chilling feeling of feeling trapped on a ship with days to go until one touches land again.

Devourer made me yearn for a sequel.

Filed Under: Horror, Reviews, Science Fiction/Fantasy Tagged With: , , , ,

One Night of Passion by Elizabeth Boyle

May 22, 2026 By Leave a Comment


One Night of Passion by Elizabeth Boyle
Publication: Avon Books
Gene: Historical, Romance
Rating: 5 stars
Reviewed by Mistflower

They Met At London’s Notorious Cyprian’s Ball . . .

Georgiana Escott has one night to find the perfect man to ruin her and leave her with a tattered reputation so she can avoid an arranged marriage to an aging, despicable roue. With a misstep, she tumbles into the arms of the disgraced and dashing Lord Danvers. But Georgie doesn’t know that the lover she has enticed to follow her into the night and the stranger she holds responsible for her misfortunes are in the same . . .

When Lord Danvers find himself entangled with a tempting Cyprian, his secret mission to expose a dangerous spy goes awry. Yet once he starts to unmasked this bewitching lady, he realizes the seductress who claims his heart may be the traitor he seeks. Mistrust makes them adversaries in a perilous game—but how can he dismiss his obsession with her when one night of passion entwined their lives forever?

I haven’t been inspired to write a book review in almost a year. I’ve read many books since then, but none made me want to sit down and tell people why they absolutely should read it—until now. I just finished One Night of Passion by Elizabeth Boyle, a library find that completely swept me away.

I feel like I’d been starving for a book like this without even realizing how hungry I was until I started reading it. Once I opened this thirst-quenching novel, I couldn’t put it down for fear of going back to the reading slump I’d been stuck in before. Even after finishing the epilogue, I still didn’t want to close the book—and by then it was 2:00 in the morning with my alarm set for 6:00 a.m. for work.

To be fully transparent, I’ve been lazy about sitting down to write reviews lately. I debated whether I really wanted to spend the time and mental energy writing one, but this book compelled me to do it because it was just that good.

The storytelling felt like watching a movie without commercials—smooth, immersive, and impossible to pause. The plot flowed effortlessly, pulling me from one chapter to the next. When I finally did force myself to put the book down for the night, I ended up dreaming about the hero, Captain Danvers. I honestly can’t remember the last time I read a hero worthy of the title “book boyfriend.” He was handsome, intelligent, romantic, and brave—the kind of character that makes you want to be rescued by him yourself.

The heroine, Georgie, was equally entertaining. She was every bit the lady who could pack a punch—quite literally. She was a delightful damsel in distress who made me laugh out loud several times throughout the story. I found her personality incredibly relatable because of her strong will and determination once she set her mind on something.

And the chemistry between Georgie and Captain Danvers? Absolutely palpable. Their witty banter was one of my favorite parts of the novel, especially because of the timing and circumstances in which it happened. Watching their romance slowly evolve was pure delight.

The character development throughout the entire cast was wonderfully done. The mix of heroes, villains, and morally questionable characters all played important roles in the constantly twisting plot. I know I already said it, but I truly could not put this book down—even though I knew I should because it was a work night. I was completely riveted, turning pages nonstop with every new revelation. The storytelling made me feel like I was part of the adventure myself. I never once felt sleepy because there was simply no good stopping point.

One of the strongest parts of the story was how unpredictable it was. I had absolutely no idea who the traitor was. Near the end, I was reading faster and faster, second-guessing every theory I had—and in the end, it wasn’t who I expected at all.

The epilogue tied everything together perfectly with a beautiful finishing touch. I loved this entire journey from beginning to end and felt compelled to recommend it to others immediately. This is absolutely a “keeper shelf” book for me—one I can easily see myself rereading a second or even third time.

The best part? I discovered this is the first book in the Danvers Family series. I honestly can’t believe my luck finding it in the library’s honor book section. I will definitely be reading the rest of the series.

Filed Under: Reviews, Romance Tagged With: , , , , ,

Murder in the Locked Library by Ellery Adams

April 30, 2026 By Leave a Comment


Murder in the Locked Library by Ellery Adams
Publisher: Kensington Cozies
Genre: Cozy Mystery, Contemporary
Rating: 5 stars
Reviewed by Snowdrop

Welcome to Storyton Hall, Virginia, where book lovers travel from near and far to enjoy the singular comforts of the Agatha Christie Tea Room, where they can discuss the merits of their favorite authors no matter how deadly the topic . . .

With her twins, Fitzgerald and Hemingway, back in school, Jane Steward can finally focus on her work again—managing Storyton Hall, and breaking ground on the resort’s latest attraction: a luxurious, relaxing spa named in honor of Walt Whitman. But when the earth is dug up to start laying the spa’s foundation, something else comes to the surface—a collection of unusual bones and the ragged remnants of a very old book. The attendees of the Rare Book Conference are eager to assist Jane with this unexpected historical mystery—until a visitor meets an untimely end in the Henry James Library. As the questions—and suspects—start stacking up, Jane will have to uncover a killer before more unhappy endings ensue . . .

To begin with, I love this Ellery Adams series, Book Retreat Mystery. This special weekend at Storyton Hall involves rare books and everything associated with them. One attendee is the book doctor and can bring many ill-treated books back to good health. Another attendee knows how to make paper, while others are collectors. They are all interesting, and they all have their quirks.

Although I think Ellery Adams writes good plots, I must say that Storyton Hall itself, full of much history and mention of so many recognizable books, is so fascinating that I’m lost in it every time. However, with Jane’s young children, there is always some humor and definitely some talk about good food too. Maybe a better way to explain it is that while these stories are definitely for biblionuts, oops bibliophiles, every part of Storyton Hall and its characters steep you in bookish things. I wish I could go there. No, wish I could live there.

Filed Under: Mystery/Suspense, Reviews Tagged With: , , , ,

The Extraordinary Dreams of Cynthia Peabody by Lynne Marshall

April 29, 2026 By Leave a Comment


The Extraordinary Dreams of Cynthia Peabody by Lynne Marshall
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: LGBTQ, Paranormal, Contemporary
Rating: 5 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Mysterious portals, inexplicable abilities, intergenerational friendship, and a reluctant hero who just might be off her trolley!

Cynthia Peabody can’t sleep. Recently widowed, her future seems a dreary blur. While practicing meditation techniques to fight insomnia, she discovers a mysterious portal in her backyard through which her dreams are shockingly realistic.

She runs to her neighbor for help after a dream about a dog leads to a real dog in her yard. The next-door teen offers to be the dog walker, and a surprising friendship develops. Juniper’s natural sincerity influences Cynthia to reevaluate her grumpiness.

While dealing with complicated grief along with her life turning toward the supernatural, Cynthia’s doctor’s report brings lousy news. What else can go wrong? She’s desperate for answers.

Pouring out her heart to her husband’s memory, she fears the only logical explanation is that she’s gone mad. But people in her hometown need help, especially a certain next-door teenager. Wishing she’d had someone looking out for her when she was young, Cynthia will do whatever it takes to protect the vulnerable, even if it means risking her life.

Perfection isn’t necessary so long as there’s genuine effort.

Cynthia’s complex personality and character development made me wish we could be neighbors. She was sweet and kind, but she also had a stubborn streak and a tendency to project her traumatic past onto others that kept me interested in how she might work on these flaws in the future. Knowing more about her past helped to explain the person she had become, metaphorical warts and all.

The magical realism was subtle enough to make this tale a little tricky to classify as far as genres go. This is something I always enjoy discovering in new author’s work due to how many different types of readers it can attract. I shared Cynthia’s opinion on why her dreams seemed to repeatedly come true in her waking life, but there was also plenty of space for other interpretations as well given how much nuance was included in the clues about what was happening to her.

I adored the found family and cross-generational aspects of the storyline as well. The protagonist built some incredible friendships as she mourned her husband, including some with people who were young enough to be her children or even grandchildren. Some of the funniest scenes were the ones exploring the social, technological, and pop culture differences between various generations as what is familiar and comforting to a 75-year-old woman will not always resonate with someone in their 40s, much less a teenager (and vice versa). These scenes were gentle and gave the characters so many opportunities to bond.

The Extraordinary Dreams of Cynthia Peabody was a beautiful and memorable story that I didn’t want to end. While I don’t know for sure if there’s a sequel in the works, I’d sure like to read it if one is ever published.

Filed Under: Other, Reviews Tagged With: , , , , ,

The Artificial Elephant by Eric J. Hull

April 28, 2026 By Leave a Comment


The Artificial Elephant – stories of loss, magic, and hope by Eric J. Hull
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: Sci-Fi/Fantasy, LGBTQ, Horror, Paranormal, Romance, Holiday, Contemporary, Historical
Rating: 5 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Character-driven literary speculative fiction for readers who crave haunting emotional payoffs.

A boy grieves the impossible beast that healed him. A house searching for its lost family. A vampire steals back her lovers’ tears. A scavenger hunt gone hilariously awry. Two lovers dancing at the end of the world.

Ghosts. Love. Winter. Hope. These 22 stories of fantasy, science fiction, and horror cast flickering light against the crowding darkness. They embrace the transformations between grief and love, kindness and bitter fate.

Sometimes the line between facts and feelings is paper thin.

In “Christmas Lights,” a smart house searched for its missing family for many years. I loved the fact that this was written from the perspective of a building instead of a human one. It was a unique way to frame the storyline and made me wonder if the house would ever find out what happened to the parents and two children who had once lived there. The twist ending was as poignant as it was logical for this universe as well.

Katie was a three-year-old girl whose body grew so impossibly cold she couldn’t eat anymore in “Katie Dreams” because any food or liquid she tried to consume froze solid when it was moved too close to her. I was nearly as fascinated by the scientific attempts to understand and reverse her condition as I was by her mother’s response. The strong emotional bond between them made this something I couldn’t possibly stop reading until I knew how it ended. In my opinion, memorable science fiction begins with the relationships characters have with each other before anything unusual occurs, and I would have happily read a full-length novel about Katie’s family and how they coped.

A teenager’s grief for his dead sister took on a new form in “Charcoal.” As he recalled a few of their shared childhood memories during his last few days at home, strange things began happening that were as bittersweet as they were inexplicable. This was a beautiful metaphor for how gut-wrenching it is to say goodbye to someone who died far too young in life, and the plot worked just as well on that level as it did when read from a paranormal perspective.

What ultimately convinced me to give this collection a five-star rating was the breadth of characters and experiences that were included here. I wish I had the space to mention all of them in my review as there were so many other gems to discover that included genres ranging from romance to horror. It takes talent to imagine such a wide variety of characters, all of whom remained distinct in my mind.

The Artificial Elephant – stories of loss, magic, and hope was exactly the sort of diverse speculative fiction I enjoy reading, and I can’t wait to see what Mr. Hull comes up with next.

Filed Under: Horror, Reviews, Romance, Science Fiction/Fantasy Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

The Dark Hours by Michael Connelly

April 27, 2026 By Leave a Comment


The Dark Hours by Michael Connelly
Publisher: Orion (Hachette UK)
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 5 stars
Reviewed by Fern

There’s chaos in Hollywood at the end of the New Year’s Eve countdown. Working her graveyard shift, LAPD detective Renée Ballard waits out the traditional rain of lead as hundreds of revelers shoot their guns into the air. Only minutes after midnight, Ballard is called to a scene where a hardworking auto shop owner has been fatally hit by a bullet in the middle of a crowded street party.

Ballard quickly concludes that the deadly bullet could not have fallen from the sky and that it is linked to another unsolved murder—a case at one time worked by Detective Harry Bosch. At the same time, Ballard hunts a fiendish pair of serial rapists, the Midnight Men, who have been terrorizing women and leaving no trace.

Determined to solve both cases, Ballard feels like she is constantly running uphill in a police department indelibly changed by the pandemic and recent social unrest. It is a department so hampered by inertia and low morale that Ballard must go outside to the one detective she can count on: Harry Bosch. But as the two inexorable detectives work together to find out where old and new cases intersect, they must constantly look over their shoulders. The brutal predators they are tracking are ready to kill to keep their secrets hidden.

It’s mid-pandemic and detective Renee Ballard has noticed the department is going through quite a change. Called out to a murder on New Years Eve and also helping out on what appears to be a serial rapist with the Sex Crimes unit, Renee doesn’t want to lose the murder when she finds her case links back to a much older case – an open case – from Harry Bosch’s time. Can they work together again to solve both their cases?

I’m a longtime fan of Bosch (more than twenty years now) and love seeing him retired but still in action with Ballard. I feel Connelly manages to really blend the old and the new with this book and I also admit I enjoy the dynamic now between Bosch and Ballard – they’ve really found a good groove to give them both their independence but also a trust and working relationship that works for them both. I found it a joy to read.

I also enjoyed the reality and Covid additions. It felt there was enough there to be real and truthful without delving too deeply or harping on about the pandemic years. I feel Connelly did a really good job with this balance and reality too.

Readers looking for a modern and realistic police murder mystery with an excellent plot and relatable characters should absolutely give this a try. While I feel the book can absolutely be read as a standalone I do think more emotional attachment might be felt for readers who have at least a few of the previous books under their belts.

A solid and well written mystery. Recommended.

Filed Under: Mystery/Suspense, Reviews Tagged With: , , , , ,

Dead Ground by M.W. Craven

April 20, 2026 By Leave a Comment


Dead Ground by M.W. Craven
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 5 stars
Reviewed by Fern

Detective Sergeant Washington Poe is in court, fighting eviction from his beloved and isolated croft, when he is summoned to a backstreet brothel in Carlisle where a man has been beaten to death with a baseball bat. Poe is confused – he hunts serial killers and this appears to be a straightforward murder-by-pimp – but his attendance was requested personally, by the kind of people who prefer to remain in the shadows.

As Poe and the socially awkward programmer Tilly Bradshaw delve deeper into the case, they are faced with seemingly unanswerable questions: despite being heavily vetted for a high-profile job, why does nothing in the victim’s background check out? Why was a small ornament left at the murder scene – and why did someone on the investigation team steal it? And what is the connection to a flawlessly executed bank heist three years earlier, a heist where nothing was taken . . .

DS Washington Poe and analyst Tilly Bradshaw are in court, fighting his eviction from Poe’s beloved croft home. Before the verdict can be made, they are both whisked away in a flurry of secrecy to a brothel where a murder with important ramifications has occurred. Can Poe and Tilly work out the complexities of what’s happened without stepping on too many feet?

I have been greatly enjoying this series and absolutely loved this book. Poe and Tilly are both very different characters but I adore how well they work together and their skills mesh and compliment one another. I also particularly love how there is a great working and friendship chemistry between them – bot no hint of sexual tension or “more” which is rare in this sort of dynamic and I really love it.

There is a good cast of strong secondary characters that I also find enjoyable – but the plot and complexities revolving around the various moving parts here is where I really feel the author shines. I found it clear from the beginning that there were multiple layers to everything and watching both Poe and Tilly connect everything and unveil the next layer down was just a pleasure. Nothing came too easy for them but – equally important to my mind – nothing felt beyond reach or like there would need to be a bending of realistic to make something occur. I thought the plot and author walked a good line between complex but realistic.

Readers who enjoy mysteries and in particular British based police procedural style settings should absolutely enjoy this book. While I personally love them all and would happily start back at the beginning of the series I feel the plot and story is well encapsulated within this book and it’s not strictly necessary to have read any of the previous books – but why deny yourself? This is an exceptional series and one of my absolute current favourites, do yourself a favour and go back to the beginning and enjoy the full ride. Highly recommended.

Filed Under: Mystery/Suspense, Reviews Tagged With: , , , ,

Movie Review: One Life

March 30, 2026 By Leave a Comment


One Life
Writers: Lucinda Coxon, Nick Drake, and Barbara Winton
Director: James Hawes
Starring: Anthony Hopkins, Lena Olin, and Johnny Flynn
Publisher: BBC Film, Warner Bros. Pictures
Genre: Nonfiction, Historical
Rating: 5 Stars (10 Stars on IMDB)
Reviewed by Astilbe

Sir Nicholas ‘Nicky’ Winton, a young London broker who, in the months leading up to World War II, rescued over 600 children from Nazi-occupied Czechia (then called Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia).

How a society treats refugees is of utmost importance.

The dual storyline worked really nicely, especially later on as Sir Nicholas Winton began to open up about what he was doing at the beginning of World War II as Jewish people were being demonized by the Nazis and helping them required taking great personal risks. I knew only a few basic facts about the trains filled with children that were evacuated from German-occupied Czechoslovakia back then, and I was eager to learn more about how those rescue missions worked and what might have happened to the kids who were sent to England for safety during that war.

One of my favorite things about this film was how much attention it paid to the men and women who worked alongside Sir Winton to save 669 predominantly Jewish children from near certain death. He couldn’t have done such a massive job alone even if it was originally his idea due to the many hours of work involved in every case, so I was glad to see so much teamwork being portrayed as they all raised funds, arranged transportation, found foster families, and otherwise spread the word about this humanitarian crisis.

I loved the complex portrayal of the protagonist, especially in the scenes set in the 1980s as he reflected on both his successes as well as what he considered his failures to be. Other viewers should discover for themselves exactly what he regretted, but seeing how hard he was on himself only made me like him even more. He was a kind and gentle man who struggled to accept the term hero despite all that he had accomplished on what honestly appeared to be a shoestring budget and a schedule that never left enough time for all he wanted to do.

One Life was a beautiful and sobering snapshot of a critical mission and the man who made it happen.

Filed Under: Miscellaneous Musings, Movie Review, Television Show Tagged With: , , , , ,
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