The Fifth Season

Title: The Fifth Season
Author: N.K. Jemisin
Published: August 4, 2015 by Orbit
Format: Paperback, 468 Pages
Genre: Science Fiction / Fantasy / Dystopian
Series: Broken Earth Book #1

Blurb: Three terrible things happen in a single day. Essun, a woman living an ordinary life in a small town, comes home to find that her husband has brutally murdered their son and kidnapped their daughter. Meanwhile, mighty Sanze -- the world-spanning empire whose innovations have been civilization's bedrock for a thousand years -- collapses as most of its citizens are murdered to serve a madman's vengeance. And worst of all, across the heart of the vast continent known as the Stillness, a great red rift has been torn into the heart of the earth, spewing ash enough to darken the sky for years. Or centuries.

Now Essun must pursue the wreckage of her family through a deadly, dying land. Without sunlight, clean water, or arable land, and with limited stockpiles of supplies, there will be war all across the Stillness: a battle royale of nations not for power or territory, but simply for the basic resources necessary to get through the long dark night. Essun does not care if the world falls apart around her. She'll break it herself, if she must, to save her daughter.

My Opinion: There’s a lot packed into the prologue of The Fifth Season and I wouldn’t blame anyone for setting the book down after those first fourteen pages. It’s dense, dry, and daunting. The appendices at the back don’t help either; they signal that this isn’t going to be a casual read. But for those who press on, there’s a map of the Stillness waiting; a small reward, a hint that this world, however harsh, is worth the effort.

Once you move into the chapters, something shifts. Maybe it’s the book that settles, or maybe it’s you. Either way, Jemisin begins to work her magic. And it’s not the kind of magic that gently pulls you in, it’s the kind that grabs you by the collar and drags you through ash and agony.

Genre-wise, I’m still not sure where this book belongs. Science fiction? Fantasy? Dystopian? It’s all of them and none of them. Jemisin builds a world that defies easy categorization, and maybe that’s the point. The Stillness is a place of constant upheaval—geologically, emotionally, socially—and the narrative mirrors that instability.

Just when you think you’ve found your footing, Jemisin hits you with a new brutality. You’re sideswiped, knocked off balance, and left wondering, “What the rust am I getting into?” There’s shock, surprise, and a relentless stream of “I didn’t see that coming” moments. It’s not just plot twists; it’s emotional whiplash.

The story unfolds through three distinct perspectives:

• Essun, a grieving mother and powerful orogene, searching for her daughter in the wake of her son’s murder.

• Damaya, a young orogene just beginning to understand the terrifying power she holds.

• Syenite, a seasoned orogene on a mission that will unravel everything she thought she knew.

Each voice is unique, compelling, and heartbreakingly human. You’ll try to choose a favorite, but Jemisin won’t let you. Eventually, their stories converge in ways that are both devastating and brilliant, revealing an intricate architecture and the lives within it.

I didn’t see the last hundred pages coming. I read the final fifty with my mouth open, my stomach clenched, and tears streaming. Jemisin did something to me, something I’m still recovering from. And yet, I know I’ll reread this series once I’ve finished all three books. Not just to relive it, but to catch what I missed. Because I know she’s not done with me.

Yes, I’m late to this party. But I’m so glad I showed up. The Fifth Season explores oppression, prejudice, family, loss, and the brutal cycles of destruction and survival. It’s not an easy read, and it’s not meant to be. Book One will sit with you, both physically and emotionally, until you’re ready to face Book Two. And even then, you won’t be ready.

Return to Sender

Title: Return to Sender
Author: Craig Johnson
Published: May 27, 2025 by Viking
Format: Hardcover, 336 Pages
Genre: Western Police Procedural
Series: Walt Longmire #21

Blurb: When Blair McGowan, the mail person with the longest postal route in the country of over three hundred mile a day, goes missing the question becomes—where do you look for her? The Postal Inspector for the State of Wyoming elicits Sheriff Longmire to mount an investigation into her disappearance and Walt does everything but mail it in; posing as a letter-carrier himself, the good sheriff follows her trail and finds himself enveloped in the intrigue of an otherworldly cult.

My Opinion: At least there wasn’t the Mallo Cup woo-woo that pops up in some of Johnson’s earlier entries. This time around, he leaves the supernatural out of it and lets the oddball cult take center stage instead, which somehow feels more grounded, if no less bizarre.

Walt is brought in by a shirttail relative of his late wife to track down a missing mail carrier. She's eventually found, but Walt sticks around. Is it curiosity about the nearby cult? An excuse not to go back and face Cady? Or is there something deeper gnawing at him? Walt hates leaving a job unfinished, sure, but there’s something here that raises the hairs on the back of his neck. And Walt’s instinct rarely lets go until all the questions are answered.

Walt still sees Cady as a 12-year-old, which is understandable, maybe, but not a sufficient reason to resist the idea of her becoming Wyoming’s next Attorney General. When the truth finally cracks through, it’s sobering: Walt would do anything for his daughter, like she for him, but only if it is the best option for all involved. No threats, only personal choices. That moment of emotional honesty lands with weight, and then vanishes. Johnson never speaks about it again. A missed opportunity, perhaps, or a deliberate choice to leave some things unsettled for the next book.

Some of Johnson’s books require brute force to get through; woo-woo fatigue is real, while others make you wish for a few hundred more pages. But what makes this series an automatic buy for me is the dry, deadpan humor that threads through every page.

For me, the beginning ambled along, and then the second half is a full gallop. There are stretches where you forget to breathe, and then he drops a one-liner, about prairie poodles, and you snort-laugh before being pulled back under again. It’s that rhythm that makes Johnson so addictive. He reels you in, lets you catch your breath, then slams you with another twist.

And as this book ends, you assume to know exactly where the next Longmire story will pick up. Until then, Johnson will be off somewhere collecting local anecdotes, catching up on the history, and when he’s done, his own cult following will be there ready to follow Walt down whatever trail comes next.

The long-time readers of this series will be glad to see that all the familiar characters are here, along with a few others from previous books who pop in to see what’s happening and what kind of trouble is brewing.

The Love Haters

Title: The Love Haters
Author: Katherine Center
Published: May 20, 2025, by St. Martin's Press
Format: Kindle, Hardcover, 320 Pages
Genre: Romance
Source: My thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book.

Blurb: Katie Vaughn has been burned by love in the past—now she may be lighting her career on fire. She has two choices: wait to get laid off from her job as a video producer or, at her coworker Cole’s request, take a career-making gig profiling Tom “Hutch” Hutcheson, a Coast Guard rescue swimmer in Key West.

The catch? Katie’s not exactly qualified. She can’t swim—but fakes it that she can.

Plus: Cole is Hutch’s brother. And they don’t get along. Next stop paradise!

But paradise is messier than it seems. As Katie gets entangled with Hutch (the most scientifically good looking man she has ever seen . . . but also a bit of a love hater), along with his colorful Aunt Rue and his rescue Great Dane, she gets trapped in a lie. Or two.

Swim lessons, helicopter flights, conga lines, drinking contests, hurricanes, and stolen kisses ensue—along with chances to tell the truth, to face old fears, and to be truly brave at last.

My Opinion: The Love Haters was my first dip into Katherine Center’s world, and I was surprised since I didn’t expect to enjoy it this much. What I found was a quirky, heartfelt, and emotionally layered story that blends classic romance tropes with genuine character growth and vulnerability.

At its heart, this is grumpy-sunshine done right. Katie Vaughn, a documentary filmmaker with a knack for tripping over her own optimism, isn’t just looking for love; she is looking to keep her job and find something about herself that she likes. Enter Tom “Hutch” Hutcheson, a brooding, self-assured Coast Guard rescue swimmer who’s genetically incapable of watching someone flounder and not stepping in. They’re mismatched in the best way. Hutch is steady and grounded, while Katie’s all sunshine and bungling. Between them is a chemistry that is less about sparks and more about a slow-burning beneath the banter.

What makes this story work isn’t just the romance (though it's adorably fumbly and sweet), but the deep emotional undercurrents. Katie’s journey toward self-acceptance, which is nudged along by her friend Beanie’s body-positive challenge and a self-help strategy she hilariously repurposes, is both funny and tender. Watching her fumble her way to empowerment and turn those insights onto Hutch creates some of the most unexpectedly moving scenes.

Family dynamics also bring real weight. Hutch and his brother Cole carry the scars of losing their parents far too young. Cole’s bitterness toward Hutch, who seems to glide through life with ease, is deep and painful. And when the truth behind their shared trauma finally emerges, it’s a moment that will squeeze a tear out of even the most jaded reader.

Rue, the caretaker who scooped up the broken boys and gave them a home, brings another layer of heart and color to this story. Her backstory? Gasp-worthy. Beautiful. Sad. Hopeful.

Oh, and George Bailey, the terrified Great Dane and Lucky the frog, when you find a friend, you protect your friend. George might be odd in the way he does that, but a friend is a friend.

Katie and Hutch don’t have a traditional meet-cute or a love-at-first-sight trajectory. They stumble, they deflect, they dodge their own feelings until their personal walls start crumbling. It's in those cracked-open moments, full of awkward missteps and vulnerable truths, that they become not just lovers, but partners. Bandages to each other’s bruises.

Katie is hilarious. She could trip into an ant hill and still find a way to make it endearing. Her clumsy charm and resilient spirit carry the story. And Hutch, ever the stoic protector, is there to catch her, sometimes literally.

Amid all the laughs, there's genuine heartbreak and some deep family drama. But Center keeps it balanced, never veering too far from the feel-good vibe. By the end, with its quirky and oh-so-satisfying conclusion, you’re smiling through the sweetness. Who knew hating love would lead to their own love story?

No spice, all heart. A perfect pick for readers craving a warm, romantic escape that won't make them blush but will definitely make them feel.

An Ethical Guide To Murder

Title: An Ethical Guide To Murder
Author: Jenny Morris
Published: January 16, 2025, by Simon & Schuster UK
Format: Kindle, 400 Pages
Genre: Magical Realism
Source: My thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book.

Blurb: Thea has a secret.

She can tell how long someone has left to live just by touching them. Not only that, but she can transfer life from one person to another – something she finds out the hard way when her best friend Ruth suffers a fatal head injury on a night out. Desperate to save her, Thea touches the arm of the man responsible when he comes to check if Ruth is all right. As Ruth comes to, the man quietly slumps to the ground, dead. Thea realises that she has a godlike power: but despite deciding to use her ability for good, she can’t help but sometimes use it for her own benefit.

Boss annoying her at work? She can take some life from them and give it as a tip to her masseuse for a great job.

Creating an ‘Ethical Guide to Murder’ helps Thea to focus her new-found skills.

But as she embarks on her mission to punish the wicked and give the deserving more time, she finds that it isn’t as simple as she first thought.

How can she really know who deserves to die, and can she figure out her own rules before Ruth’s borrowed time runs out?

My Opinion: When I first picked up this novel, I was expecting something else, maybe along the lines of Rupert Holmes’ How to Murder Your Employer. What I got instead was a narrative far more layered: imagine the moral tangle of Nickelback’s “Savin’ Me” video spliced with the eerie notes of Victoria Laurie’s When, then add an ethical dilemma at the top of each chapter like a philosophical pop quiz.

From the moment Thea realizes her ability to see how long someone has to live simply by touching them, you’re hooked. Then the questions start to creep in. What do you do with that kind of knowledge? Can you redirect lifespans? Can you steal years from the villain and hand them to the saint? And if you do… are you playing God, or just playing the odds?

Morris doesn’t hold back. Each chapter opens with a new ethical quandary that forces you to pause and ask yourself what you would do. The bright, cheerful cover may suggest cozy mystery vibes, but what waits inside is a moral tug-of-war. As Thea’s grandfather wisely warns: “Doing a wrong thing for a right reason is still a wrong thing. Especially if you're the one deciding what the right thing is.” That line? It lingers. Right up there with, “just because you can, should you.”

Now, that’s not to say it’s all doom and dread. There are moments of humor, irony, and even dry wit, as you find yourself muttering, “Come on, Thea,” while she ignores red flags that are practically neon. Thea’s desperation to be seen makes her vulnerable, and Sam swoops in with just enough charm to make the reader suspicious. I didn’t trust him from the start. He was moving too fast. The charm is too polished. He found Thea’s weakness and took full advantage of it. Come on, Thea, believe in yourself and stop using a hypocrite as a moral compass.

Watching Thea evolve and how power changes her is stomach-wrenching. As she slips deeper into her role as an avenging angel, wielding mortality as a weapon and justifying her choices, the tension intensifies. Is this still the Thea we first met, or has the power transformed her into something else?

Throughout all of this, Thea balances life math with emotional fallout and giving, taking, and never quite letting the reader know where her finish line is. And then come the reveals. A twist knocks the wind out of you. The answers that click into place are tender and devastating, especially for a girl who never truly felt she belonged after losing her parents.

The ending surprised me, not just once, but twice. Just when I thought the story had neatly tied itself up, Morris tugged on a thread that unraveled even more. And that final passage? Worth it. It reframes the entire story in a way that had me revisiting earlier chapters in my mind.

So don’t let your expectations or the cover steer you wrong; this one’s worth sticking with. An Ethical Guide to Murder asks what happens when moral clarity runs headfirst into personal grief and unchecked power. And long after the last page, you’ll still be chewing on the choices made. And the ones that weren’t.

Badlands

Title: Badlands
Author: Douglas Preston, Lincoln Child
Published: June 3, 2025, by Grand Central Publishing
Format: Audio, Kindle, Hardcover, 355 Pages
Genre: Thriller
Source: My thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book.
Series: Nora Kelly #5

Blurb: In the New Mexico badlands, the skeleton of a woman is found—and the case is assigned to FBI Agent Corrie Swanson. The victim walked into the desert, shedding clothes as she went, and then died in agony of heatstroke and thirst. Two rare artifacts are found clutched in her bony hands—lightning stones used by the ancient Chaco people to summon the gods.

Is it suicide or… sacrifice?

Agent Swanson brings in archaeologist Nora Kelly to investigate. When a second body is found—exactly like the other—the two realize the case runs deeper than they imagined. As Corrie and Nora pursue their investigation into remote canyons, haunted ruins, and long-lost rituals, they find themselves confronting a dark power that, disturbed from its long slumber, threatens to exact an unspeakable price.

My Opinion: If you’re planning a long drive and need something gripping enough to make nine hours feel like ninety minutes, Badlands delivers. I literally laughed out loud when one of the characters mentioned listening to a Preston & Child audiobook during a long trek. Felt like an odd full circle moment.

Once again, the writing team has pairs archaeologist Nora Kelly and FBI Agent Corrie Swanson, two women with wildly different temperaments and skill sets who somehow make a compelling crime-solving duo using skill, sarcasm, and just the right field gear, as they navigate some seriously harsh terrain, both literal and moral, in their pursuit of the truth.

Yes, Homer Watt took his sweet time entering the scene, but once he arrived, the energy shifted in all the right ways. And Skip… Skip just can’t help himself. He’s the kind of character you root for while shaking your head.

Between cults, sacrificial rites, shadowy professors, priceless artifacts, and a buffet of ethically challenged individuals, this novel serves up plenty of intellectual insight, intrigue, and a splash of horror. One of the twists blindsided me in the best way. I’d given little thought to one particular character, and that was precisely the misstep the authors were counting on. Way to go, Preston & Child.

Their ability to describe grotesque scenes with vivid detail might test your gag reflex, but somehow, not including those moments would feel like cheating the reader out of the raw intensity their work is known for. It’s part of their signature that readers are expecting.

What I love most is how this writing team consistently introduces readers to concepts and histories that feel like secret chapters ripped from dusty archives. I left the book not only entertained but curious, diving into rabbit holes I hadn’t even known existed before page one.

When Nora and Corrie are driving the narrative (with Homer hitching a ride now and then), I’m in. The ending? Intense. It grabs you, shakes you, leaves you breathless, and doesn’t quite let go even after you’ve hit the last page.

A Lethal Engagement

Title: A Lethal Engagement
Author: April J. Skelly
Published: April 22, 2025 by Crooked Lane Books
Format: Kindle, Paperback, 336 pages
Genre: Amateur Sleuth
Source: My thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book.

Blurb: 1890. American heiress, Cora Beaumont is celebrating her engagement to Terrance Tristan, the second son of a duke. Their union will solidify Cora's place in British society and put her in a rare position of power, but as they embark on the Lady Air’s maiden voyage to England, Cora soon finds that not everyone in society is accepting of her recent engagement, and tensions fly as high as the airship. When a body is discovered the first night on the ship, with a calling card for Cora on the victim, she’s determined to find the killer hidden among the passengers before they come for her next.

As Cora tries to solve the murder without attracting unsavory attention, her fiancé’s wandering eye may cause even more problems for her position in society. Gossip travels fast aboard the airship and bad news could sink the Lady Air, as well as Cora's own social status, before they reach their final destination. When more bodies are discovered, Cora teams up with her soon-to-be brother-in-law, Nicholas, as they scour the ship for clues. If she fails, it won’t only be her reputation visiting the undertaker.

My Opinion: I knew I was in trouble from the first couple of chapters when nothing grabbed me. I switched to the audiobook, hoping it might redeem the experience, but instead it became white noise. This one was background static with delusions of more. Set in 1890, the book attempts to captivate the reader with a high-society mystery aboard an impossibly massive airship, but the atmosphere feels cardboard and cut-and-paste. It has been arranged that American heiress Cora Beaumont is to marry the son of a Duke, in thanks for some favor her father once arranged for getting the duke out of sticky situations. Predictably, she’s engaged to the unremarkable “spare,” Terrance, while the elder brother Nicholas slides into the brooding helper role and the obvious love interest slot. It’s paint-by-numbers romantic plotting.

The tone flip-flops at every turn. Cora is treated like a disposable ornament in one chapter, then suddenly equals the aristocratic men in the next, as if historical constraints and character consistency just weren’t worth editing for. The period language reads more like checked boxes, while modern vocabulary sneaks in, throwing off the immersion entirely.

Comparisons to Deanna Raybourn and Agatha Christie? Please. That’s wishful thinking. The mystery isn’t compelling, the twists come too late to matter, and by the time the “big reveal” happens, I’d already stopped caring. The writing felt clunky, overstated, and desperate to be clever. Honestly, this needed a ruthless red pen and some tough talk.

Hitches, Hideouts, & Homicides

Title: Hitches, Hideouts, & Homicides
Author: Tonya Kappes
Published: December 1, 2023 by Tonya Kappes Books
Format: Audio, Paperback 170 Pages
Genre: Amateur Sleuth
Series: Camper & Criminals #7

Blurb: Everyone in Normal is excited for the Hoe Down to celebrate the opening of the new Old Train Station motel grand opening.

The evening comes to an abrupt end when a lightning storm knocks out all the power. At least, that's what appears to have knocked out the electricity. But things aren't always as they appear.

Mae West has a way of sticking her nose where it doesn't belong and finds herself in a dangerous situation when she finds a treasure map that leads to more than just treasure... a dead body!

My Opinion: Seven books deep into the Camper & Criminals series and it seems we’ve officially reached the land of rinse and repeat. I’ve enjoyed these cozy mysteries as breezy palate cleansers between other reads and think of them as light and fun popcorn. But this latest installment feels more like stale leftovers.

Kappas leans on her signature formula of quirky small-town, unexpected crimes, and Mae West running circles around local law enforcement, and boyfriend, Hank. This time, we get a Hoe Down, a motel grand opening, a suspicious bank robbery, a conveniently timed power outage, and, naturally, a murder. Sprinkle in some cute pups and the ever-gabby Laundry Club ladies, and voilà! Another installment wrapped up with a bow.

To be fair, the series does a solid job of random onboarding with quick introductions to key characters and town dynamics, so you won't feel lost even if you’re landing in mid-series. But for longtime fans, the narrative pattern is starting to show its wear. It’s like déjà vu with a southern twang.

Rumor has it Hallmark may be eyeing this for adaptation. That tidbit’s been floating around for a while, though, so it’s hard to tell if it's a real possibility or just wishful thinking.

Love on the Brain

Title: Love on the Brain
Author: Ali Hazelwood
Published: August 23, 2022 by Sphere
Format: Paperback, 368 Pages
Genre: Romance

Blurb: Bee Königswasser lives by a simple code: What would Marie Curie do? If NASA offered her the lead on a neuroengineering project - a literal dream come true - Marie would accept without hesitation. Duh. But the mother of modern physics never had to co-lead with Levi Ward.

Sure, Levi is attractive in a tall, dark, and piercing-eyes kind of way. But Levi made his feelings toward Bee very clear in grad school - archenemies work best employed in their own galaxies far, far away.

But when her equipment starts to go missing and the staff ignore her, Bee could swear she sees Levi softening into an ally, backing her plays, seconding her ideas... devouring her with those eyes. The possibilities have all her neurons firing.

But when it comes time to actually make a move and put her heart on the line, there's only one question that matters: What will Bee Königswasser do?

My Opinion: It’s funny. It’s goofy. It’s grounded in glorious miscommunication and the delicious chaos of smart people who can’t read a room. That’s the best way to sum up Love on the Brain. Ali Hazelwood’s spicy dive into enemies-to-lovers with a STEM twist.

This was my second Hazelwood read after Love, Theoretically, and I’m happy to say it delivers the same sharp wit, swoony tension, and heart-squishing charm. Bee Königswasser, a petite neuroengineering nerd who might worship at the altar of Marie Curie if she weren’t busy trying to survive NASA bureaucracy, project sabotage, and the confusing signals coming from her broody co-lead.

Levi Ward is tall, handsome, and radiates frustration behind piercing green eyes. Compared to Bee’s petite, chaotic brilliance, and signature Target dress aesthetic. Levi’s is the epitome of quietly tortured intellect. Bee will poke all his buttons. That mismatch leads to some amusing physical logistics down the line, but Hazelwood makes the journey to that point fun. Their banter alone is worth the price of the book. The email chain between “Marie” and “Shmacademics” is heartfelt in the way that “if they only knew” tugs at you. It’s the kind of dialogue that’ll have readers grinning and shaking their heads.

Just as things begin to move in the right direction, the inevitable wrench is thrown. A failed project. A haunted past. One partner is ready to fight. The other is unsure if she’s even worth the battle. Cue drama. Cue longing. Cue Hazelwood’s signature ability to twist the knife just enough before healing the wound with warmth and connection.

Do I understand the science? Not a clue. Do I care? Nope. That’s not what this book is about, and frankly, that’s not why Hazelwood fans keep coming back. We’re here for the tension, the heart, and yes, the spice. And it’s all there.

If you're into rom-coms with brainpower, snark, and bite, Love on the Brain won’t disappoint. Consider me officially invested in Hazelwood’s STEM standalones.