“What did she mean with not very dangerous? ‘Mais faites attention aux requins-marteaux.’ Pay attention to the what now” The Sex Lives of Cannibals: Adrift in the Equatorial Pacific (2004) and Getting Stoned with Savages: A Trip Through the Islands of Fiji and Vanuatu (2006) have long been my go-to recommendations for self-deprecating but insanelyContinue reading “HEADHUNTERS ON MY DOORSTEP – J. Maarten Troost”
Author Archives: Tommi Powell
UNDER THE DOME – Stephen King
“The pink stars are falling,” Aidan said. “They make lines behind them. It’s pretty. It’s scary. Everyone is watching. No treats, only tricks. Hard to breathe. He calls himself the Chef. It’s his fault. He’s the one.” I was in middle school when I read my first Stephen King novel. I selected Tommyknockers. And whileContinue reading “UNDER THE DOME – Stephen King”
PEONY IN LOVE – Lisa See
“Ghosts, like women, are creatures of yin – cold, dark, earthy, and feminine.” I’d never read Lisa See before, but a friend consistently sings her praises. When I saw Peony in Love (Random House, 2007), I snatched it up, and it’s sat patiently in my TBR pile for ages. Until now. I knew nothingContinue reading “PEONY IN LOVE – Lisa See”
WOLVES OF EDEN – Kevin McCarthy
Kevin McCarthy is an Irish thriller writer, so I was quite intrigued when I read the blurb for Wolves of Eden (W.W. Norton & Company 2019), a novel set in the American West during Red Cloud’s War. The novel is a war story and a mystery. It is brutal and brilliant. And it isContinue reading “WOLVES OF EDEN – Kevin McCarthy”
MEXICAN GOTHIC – Silvia Moreno-Garcia
This one is likely going to be long and full of spoilers. If you intend to read Mexican Gothic (2020 Random House) by Silvia Moreno-Garcia and don’t want spoilers, just tiptoe on out. I’ll wait. Okay. Mexican Gothic was one of the most anticipated reads of the summer, and its gorgeous cover was everywhere;Continue reading “MEXICAN GOTHIC – Silvia Moreno-Garcia”
THE CUBAN AFFAIR – Nelson DeMille
Nothing is off limits when it comes to my shelves, but “military thrillers” aren’t really on my radar. As such, it’s not really surprising I’ve never read Nelson DeMille before. A library book sale, a bright cover, and a husband who likes thrillers brought The Cuban Affair into my home. As with all thrillers ofContinue reading “THE CUBAN AFFAIR – Nelson DeMille”
A COURT OF THORNS AND ROSES – Sarah J. Maas
Many cultures have the “marriage to a beast” type tales – intended as warnings and preparations for arranged marriages for children and as a bit dirtier stories for adults. “La Belle et la Bête” (Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot de Villeneuve, 1740) is perhaps the heart of the most commonly known tale, but it was influenced by earlierContinue reading “A COURT OF THORNS AND ROSES – Sarah J. Maas”
MEN AND DOGS – Katie Crouch
Katie Crouch’s Men and Dogs (2010) drew my attention because of the title and the cover. While the cover meets the aesthetic of Crouch’s first novel, Girls in Trucks, (which I have not read) neither it nor the title suit this novel and I’ve been trying to reconcile the disconnect since reading the first chapter.Continue reading “MEN AND DOGS – Katie Crouch”
THESE GHOSTS ARE FAMILY – Maisy Card
Maisy Card’s debut novel, These Ghosts Are Family ( Simon & Schuster – 3/3/2020), is quite possibly my most favorite read of this crazy year; I don’t typically give stars, but I’m giving this novel an entire galaxy. The novel is told in a fragmented way that brings to mind the oral tradition of story-tellingContinue reading “THESE GHOSTS ARE FAMILY – Maisy Card”
WHITE ELEPHANT DEAD – Carolyn Hart
Cozy mysteries aren’t something that oft find themselves in my TBR. It’s not that I don’t enjoy them, it’s just that they’re not typically something I pick up. As luck would have it, I did pick up several in last year’s library sale at the fairgrounds, and Carolyn Hart’s White Elephant Dead (1999) is theContinue reading “WHITE ELEPHANT DEAD – Carolyn Hart”
A Girl Named Tommi 