Mapping the Interior

Yeesh. This was deeply unsettling and disturbing and I found myself having to reread parts of this novella because I was getting confused as to what was actually happening. I love Stephen Graham Jones but this was not a win for me. A twelve year old thinks he sees his dead father in full fancy dress regalia while sleepwalking. Is his father there to help, or is he there for a more sinister reason? All around upsetting and confusing, but as promised, full of horror. 

A Fever in the Heartland

Man, I really wish this book was fiction. Horrifying, compelling, and SO RELEVENT! Swap out the Ku Klux Klan for MAGA and it reads.... pretty much the same. Wanting Bibles in school, wanting to end immigration, wanting to squash diversity, wanting to take over all levels of the government. Wow. I knew a little about the KKK in Indiana because of a Hoosier history class I took in college. We spent a whole week talking about the Klan's prominence and downfall. This book expanded on that so much. I knew what a piece of trash DC Stephenson was, but to read in detail about the crime and the trial in the mid 1920s. Horrifying. As a Hoosier this is a necessary read. I'm glad Hoosiers eventually came to their senses and the Klan fell away to the shadows. Unfortunately the hate they harbored still seems to be there as evidenced by our divisive politics and fascist leanings. Scary read but so so relevant. 

The Art Thief

This is really a 3.5 star review for me. I was so intrigued and appalled by this book. The gall of some people. I cannot believe that this is a real story. This French art lover/prick spent years visiting museums and galleries all across Europe stealing items and hoarding them in the attic at his mother's house. Stéphane Breitwieser didn't just love art; he coveted art. When he spotted something he wanted he took it. His girlfriend would sometimes help by keeping watch or putting items in her purse, but she didn't get the joy that he got. Over nearly a decade Stéphane stole around 250 items valued around 2 billion dollars. And these weren't crazy heists, he would steal them calmly during open hours. What set him art from literally every other art thief is that he wasn't trying to sell or offload these pieces for money. He just wanted to be able to admire them from home. My takeaway is.... you could get away with a lot in the the 90s and.... what an asshole. 

The Mistake

I honestly think I enjoyed this book more than The Deal! I really enjoyed Logan's storyline and I thought the problems he had with his homelife were compelling and sad. Grace could have been a little more fleshed out as a character, but I am glad she grew a little as the story progressed. This is the second book in the off-campus series but you don't have to read the first one to follow along (you just get some background on some of the friends). John Logan is an elite hockey player at Briar and he has a lot of fun on and off the ice. He enjoys the ladies, but the one he wants the most is taken by his best friend. He is so hung up on her that he is content to bone his way around campus to forget her. That is until he meets Grace. Grace is cute, nerdy, and talks a ton. She's also a virgin. For some reason he finds himself drawn to her and then he goes and ruins it all. Will she ever forgive him? Cute, wildly unbelievable, super sexy, and fun. 

Throne of Betrayal

Local author (Franklin, IN), Brianna E. Wilson has penned a daring and fast paced romantasy novel that will appeal to those who loved strong heroines and brute men with big hearts. Adelaide is her father's only heir and is looking forward to ruling the kingdom of Tellus someday. When her father is accused of poisoning a neighboring kingdom's queen (who also happened to to be her betrothed's mother) war erupts and Adelaide is forced to flee the castle and seek help from an unlikely source; the broody, over-confident brute of a king from Mare. There isn't much known about the mysterious island of Mare; whenever merchant ships travel that way they never return. With no other options, Adelaide must trust this king if she wishes to avenge her father and reclaim the throne. Full of twists turns, shocking reveals, and smoldering slow burn romance; readers will be clambering to read the next book in the series, Throne of Wings and Ash. 

The Gingerbread Bakery

Finally! I have been waiting for Annie and Mac to get together for forever and I am thrilled they finally got to have their moment. It was a little lackluster in my opinion and Annie was WAAAY to unwilling to talk about what happened in their youth. They could have gotten back together like three years ago, but she is the most stubborn person on the planet. Annie and Mac had one magical Christmas together when they were 19 and then he went and ruined it all and left Dream Harbor. Annie has never forgiven him and he won't give up on proving that he is more than his worst mistake. It's a second chance romance set during Christmas. It's cute and emotional but I really was over Annie. Just listen to the hunk already! Cute, cheesy, slightly spice. Give me the next one already!

The Marigold Cottages Murder Collective

This was such a cute cozy mystery and I loved the characters so much! In sunny California there is an idyllic little cluster of cottages filled with a wide assortment of eclectic individuals. Mrs. B is the proprietor of all the cottages and charges a modest sliding scale rent. Ocean is a single mother and artist, raising two teenage children after her wife left her. Sophie is a young theater employing trying to write the perfect screenplay that will help her get her life back on track. Hamilton is a recluse who refuses to leave his house. Lily-Ann is a perfectionist who loves working and organizing. Nicholas is a finance guy with lots of secrets and refuses to mix with the other tenants. Finally, there is Anthony, an ex-con who everyone except for Mrs. B seems suspicious of. When a body is found outside of Sophie's cottage everyone is on high alert. Anthony is quickly arrested but Mrs. B swears up and down that he is innocent. The cottage dwellers decide that they will try to prove his innocence for Mrs. B's sake and their little detecting brings them all closer together. Cute and charming, I didn't see the ending!