#bookblog — Public Fediverse posts

Gathering Memories, Collecting Dust by Fran Abrams

A lifetime of memories restored through poetry dripping with nostalgia
The post Gathering Memories, Collecting Dust by Fran Abrams appeared first on Independent Book Review.
https://independentbookreview.com/2026/09/09/gathering-memories-collecting-dust-by-fran-abrams/

#bookreview #AtmospherePress #autobiographicalpoetry #bookblog #franabrams

Gathering Memories, Collecting Dust by Fran Abrams

A lifetime of memories restored through poetry dripping with nostalgia
The post Gathering Memories, Collecting Dust by Fran Abrams appeared first on Independent Book Review.
https://independentbookreview.com/2026/09/09/gathering-memories-collecting-dust-by-fran-abrams/

#bookreview #AtmospherePress #autobiographicalpoetry #bookblog #franabrams

Gathering Memories, Collecting Dust by Fran Abrams

A lifetime of memories restored through poetry dripping with nostalgia
The post Gathering Memories, Collecting Dust by Fran Abrams appeared first on Independent Book Review.
https://independentbookreview.com/2026/09/09/gathering-memories-collecting-dust-by-fran-abrams/

#bookreview #AtmospherePress #autobiographicalpoetry #bookblog #franabrams

Gathering Memories, Collecting Dust by Fran Abrams

A lifetime of memories restored through poetry dripping with nostalgia
The post Gathering Memories, Collecting Dust by Fran Abrams appeared first on Independent Book Review.
https://independentbookreview.com/2026/09/09/gathering-memories-collecting-dust-by-fran-abrams/

#bookreview #AtmospherePress #autobiographicalpoetry #bookblog #franabrams

Football 🏈 season is upon us. What about those times of the day when there is no game on? When you’ve listened to all the podcasts and watched all the highlights, what then? Well, that is the time for reading about football, of course.

#bookblog 📚 #bookstodon

Football 🏈 season is upon us. What about those times of the day when there is no game on? When you’ve listened to all the podcasts and watched all the highlights, what then? Well, that is the time for reading about football, of course.

#bookblog 📚 #bookstodon

Football 🏈 season is upon us. What about those times of the day when there is no game on? When you’ve listened to all the podcasts and watched all the highlights, what then? Well, that is the time for reading about football, of course.

#bookblog 📚 #bookstodon

Football 🏈 season is upon us. What about those times of the day when there is no game on? When you’ve listened to all the podcasts and watched all the highlights, what then? Well, that is the time for reading about football, of course.

#bookblog 📚 #bookstodon

Football 🏈 season is upon us. What about those times of the day when there is no game on? When you’ve listened to all the podcasts and watched all the highlights, what then? Well, that is the time for reading about football, of course.

#bookblog 📚 #bookstodon

#booksky 💙📚 #bookstodon Scents From the City of Light - my #bookreview for "The Lost Perfumes of Paris" by @christinewells_ Christine Wells, on my #bookblog now. So, we have #olfactoryfiction now? I'm in! #histficreadingchallenge
#2026NewReleaseChallenge #bookX #booktwitter

http://tcl-bookreviews.com/2026/09/09/scents-from-the-city-of-light/

#booksky 💙📚 #bookstodon Scents From the City of Light - my #bookreview for "The Lost Perfumes of Paris" by @christinewells_ Christine Wells, on my #bookblog now. So, we have #olfactoryfiction now? I'm in! #histficreadingchallenge
#2026NewReleaseChallenge #bookX #booktwitter

http://tcl-bookreviews.com/2026/09/09/scents-from-the-city-of-light/

#booksky 💙📚 #bookstodon Scents From the City of Light - my #bookreview for "The Lost Perfumes of Paris" by @christinewells_ Christine Wells, on my #bookblog now. So, we have #olfactoryfiction now? I'm in! #histficreadingchallenge
#2026NewReleaseChallenge #bookX #booktwitter

http://tcl-bookreviews.com/2026/09/09/scents-from-the-city-of-light/

#booksky 💙📚 #bookstodon Scents From the City of Light - my #bookreview for "The Lost Perfumes of Paris" by @christinewells_ Christine Wells, on my #bookblog now. So, we have #olfactoryfiction now? I'm in! #histficreadingchallenge
#2026NewReleaseChallenge #bookX #booktwitter

http://tcl-bookreviews.com/2026/09/09/scents-from-the-city-of-light/

#booksky 💙📚 #bookstodon Scents From the City of Light - my #bookreview for "The Lost Perfumes of Paris" by @christinewells_ Christine Wells, on my #bookblog now. So, we have #olfactoryfiction now? I'm in! #histficreadingchallenge
#2026NewReleaseChallenge #bookX #booktwitter

http://tcl-bookreviews.com/2026/09/09/scents-from-the-city-of-light/

Carbon Zero by Craig W. Stanfill

A provocative dystopian novel about artificial intelligence, human oversight, and the dangerous pursuit of perfect solutions
The post Carbon Zero by Craig W. Stanfill appeared first on Independent Book Review.
https://independentbookreview.com/2026/09/08/carbon-zero-by-craig-w-stanfill/

#bookreview #399orLess #BadRoosterPress #bookblog #CarbonZero

Carbon Zero by Craig W. Stanfill

A provocative dystopian novel about artificial intelligence, human oversight, and the dangerous pursuit of perfect solutions
The post Carbon Zero by Craig W. Stanfill appeared first on Independent Book Review.
https://independentbookreview.com/2026/09/08/carbon-zero-by-craig-w-stanfill/

#bookreview #399orLess #BadRoosterPress #bookblog #CarbonZero

Carbon Zero by Craig W. Stanfill

A provocative dystopian novel about artificial intelligence, human oversight, and the dangerous pursuit of perfect solutions
The post Carbon Zero by Craig W. Stanfill appeared first on Independent Book Review.
https://independentbookreview.com/2026/09/08/carbon-zero-by-craig-w-stanfill/

#bookreview #399orLess #BadRoosterPress #bookblog #CarbonZero

Carbon Zero by Craig W. Stanfill

A provocative dystopian novel about artificial intelligence, human oversight, and the dangerous pursuit of perfect solutions
The post Carbon Zero by Craig W. Stanfill appeared first on Independent Book Review.
https://independentbookreview.com/2026/09/08/carbon-zero-by-craig-w-stanfill/

#bookreview #399orLess #BadRoosterPress #bookblog #CarbonZero

Stop Marketing Your Book. Start Marketing the Question.

"Stop Marketing Your Book. Start Marketing the Question" by Hiliary Amanda is a book marketing resource to help authors angle their social media posts to increase book sales.
The post Stop Marketing Your Book. Start Marketing the Question. appeared first on Independent Book Review.
https://independentbookreview.com/2026/09/07/stop-marketing-your-book-start-marketing-the-question/

#Blog #BookMarketing #blog #bookblog #bookmarketingonsocialmedia

Stop Marketing Your Book. Start Marketing the Question.

"Stop Marketing Your Book. Start Marketing the Question" by Hiliary Amanda is a book marketing resource to help authors angle their social media posts to increase book sales.
The post Stop Marketing Your Book. Start Marketing the Question. appeared first on Independent Book Review.
https://independentbookreview.com/2026/09/07/stop-marketing-your-book-start-marketing-the-question/

#Blog #BookMarketing #blog #bookblog #bookmarketingonsocialmedia

Stop Marketing Your Book. Start Marketing the Question.

"Stop Marketing Your Book. Start Marketing the Question" by Hiliary Amanda is a book marketing resource to help authors angle their social media posts to increase book sales.
The post Stop Marketing Your Book. Start Marketing the Question. appeared first on Independent Book Review.
https://independentbookreview.com/2026/09/07/stop-marketing-your-book-start-marketing-the-question/

#Blog #BookMarketing #blog #bookblog #bookmarketingonsocialmedia

Stop Marketing Your Book. Start Marketing the Question.

"Stop Marketing Your Book. Start Marketing the Question" by Hiliary Amanda is a book marketing resource to help authors angle their social media posts to increase book sales.
The post Stop Marketing Your Book. Start Marketing the Question. appeared first on Independent Book Review.
https://independentbookreview.com/2026/09/07/stop-marketing-your-book-start-marketing-the-question/

#Blog #BookMarketing #blog #bookblog #bookmarketingonsocialmedia

#booksky 💙📚 #bookstodon Alternate Roads to the Abbey - my #bookreview for "The Heiress of Northanger Abbey" by Nancy Bilyeau, on my #bookblog now. Thanks @Tudorscribe for the ARC of this #JaneAusten #fanfiction novel. #histficreadingchallenge
#2026NewReleaseChallenge #CloakDaggerChal #20bos26

http://tcl-bookreviews.com/2026/09/01/alternate-roads-to-the-abbey/

#booksky 💙📚 #bookstodon TCL's #ShortStorySunday - Bowling Me Over Noodles. My #bookreview for "Ramen, Existential Crisis" by Roie Oknin, on my #bookblog now! This self-published #novella was a real surprise! Thanks to the author for sending me his #debut novella. #2026NewReleaseChallenge #20bos26

http://tcl-bookreviews.com/2026/08/30/tcls-shortstorysunday-bowling-me-over-noodles/

#booksky 💙📚 #bookstodon Striking the Right Keys. My #bookreview for "The Typing Lady and Other Fictions" by @ozekiland Ruth Ozeki, on my #bookblog now! This is Ozeki's first collection of short stories! #20bos26 #histficreadingchallenge #2026NewReleaseChallenge #2026BookishBooks

http://tcl-bookreviews.com/2026/08/25/striking-the-right-keys/

The Classics Club Spin #CCSpin #45 pick for TCL! Our lucky winning number for the 45th Classics Club Spin is # (Word)! Come take a look on my #bookblog here, to find out which of the 20 books on my list I'll be reading by Oct 7th?. #ClassicsClub #ccwhatimreading #booksky 💙📚 #bookstodon

http://tcl-bookreviews.com/2026/08/19/the-classics-club-spin-ccspin-45-pick-for-tcl/

A Loti Mixed Nagasaki Summer. My #bookreview for Madame Chrysanthème by Pierre Loti (T-Clémence Aubert), on my #bookblog now. Thanks Espresso Publishing for the book that inspired Madama Butterfly. #2026NewReleaseChallenge #2026BooksInTranslation #TheClassicsClub #20bos26 #booksky 💙📚 #bookstodon

http://tcl-bookreviews.com/2026/08/17/a-loti-mixed-nagasaki-summer/

Unwrap Your Candy by Jesse Miller

A gripping, contemporary echo of Joyce’s Ulysses that bursts with its own creative vigor
The post Unwrap Your Candy by Jesse Miller appeared first on Independent Book Review.
https://independentbookreview.com/2026/08/13/unwrap-your-candy-by-jesse-miller/

#bookreview #bookblog #CommonDeerPress #ExperimentalFiction #indiebookreview

#booksky 💙📚 #bookstodon Stupid Criminals Indeed! My #bookreview for "The Boat House" (Twin Lights #2) by Fern Michaels, on my #bookblog here. Thanks to @KensingtonBooks for the ARC via @NetGalley. #2026NewReleaseChallenge #CloakDaggerChal #20bos26 This is a fun #romance #crime #cozymystery novel.

http://tcl-bookreviews.com/2026/08/11/stupid-criminals-indeed/

#booksky 💙📚 #bookstodon
Agatha Would Be Pleased! My #bookreview for "Death at King's Cross" by Rosanne Limoncelli. This is the 2nd Four Queens of her Crime books. On my #bookblog now, find out why I want to read the first! #histficreadingchallenge
#2026NewReleaseChallenge #CloakDaggerChal #20bos26

http://tcl-bookreviews.com/2026/08/03/agatha-would-be-pleased/

#booksky 💙📚 #bookstodon
She Was One of Them - my #bookreview for "Suzanne" by Michael Sexton, on my #bookblog now. This #biographicalfiction novel is about Suzanne Valadon. Thanks to the author for sending me this book. #histficreadingchallenge #2026NewReleaseChallenge #2026ParisinJuly #20bos26

http://tcl-bookreviews.com/2026/07/24/she-was-one-of-them/

#BookThreads #booksky 📚💙 #bookstodon Gardens of Calm and Turbulence - my #bookreview for When Mikan Road Was Ours by D.K. Furutani, on my #bookblog here. Thanks to @AtriaBooks for the ARC of this debut novel via @NetGalley and @edelweiss. #histficreadingchallenge #2026NewReleaseChallenge #20BOS26

http://tcl-bookreviews.com/2026/07/16/gardens-of-calm-and-turbulence/

Why Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Deserves a True Sequel.

https://dimmajoblog.com/2026/07/09/why-harry-potter-and-the-deathly-hallows-deserves-a-true-sequel/

#BookThreads #booksky 📚💙 #bookstodon
Treading Water or Moving Forward? My #bookreview for "Man Overboard!" a novel by Kathleen Rooney on my #bookblog now. Thanks to @GalleryBooks for the @edelweiss ARC of this very surprising #novel. #2026NewReleaseChallenge #20bos26

http://tcl-bookreviews.com/2026/07/08/treading-water-or-moving-forward/

#BookThreads #booksky 📚💙 #bookstodon A Tough Neighbourhood - my #bookreview for "Brilliant Blue" by Karen Stevens on my #bookblog now! Thanks to Barbican Press for this surprizing collection of #shortstories via @edelweiss about #workingclass Brits. #2026NewReleaseChallenge #20BOS26

http://tcl-bookreviews.com/2026/06/28/shortstorysunday-a-tough-neighbourhood/

#BookThreads #booksky 💙📚 #bookstodon And then there were... Gatsby Clues? My #bookreview for "Death Was Not on the Guest List" by @JenniLWalsh, on my #bookblog now! Thanks Thomas & Mercer for this @NetGalley ARC! #histficreadingchallenge #2026NewReleaseChallenge #CloakDaggerChal #20bos26

http://tcl-bookreviews.com/2026/06/22/and-then-there-were-gatsby-clues/

#BookThreads #booksky 💙📚 #bookstodon Golden Ladies' Xanadu and Don'ts! My #bookreview for "Poppy Montgomery Gets Even" by Gordon Jack on my #bookblog now. Thanks Mysterious Press for the @edelweiss ARC of this #cozymurdermystery novel. #2026NewReleaseChallenge #CloakDaggerChal #20BOS26

http://tcl-bookreviews.com/2026/06/16/golden-ladies-xanadu-and-donts/

#BookThreads #booksky 💙📚 #bookstodon Avenues of Affection, my #bookreview for "Love Lane" by @PNovelistGale on my #bookblog now! A gentle sequel to "A Place Called Winter" about Harry Cane's reunion with his estranged family in England. #histficreadingchallenge #2026NewReleaseChallenge #20BOS26

http://tcl-bookreviews.com/2026/06/10/avenues-of-affection/

#BookThreads #booksky 💙📚 #bookstodon Chasing or Facing the Music? My #bookreview for "Lost in the Summer of '69" by Eliza Knight, on my #bookblog now. Thanks @SourcebooksLandmark for the @netgalley ARC of this rockin' novel #histficreadingchallenge #2026NewReleaseChallenge #WIAN26 #20BOS26

http://tcl-bookreviews.com/2026/06/08/chasing-or-facing-the-music/

Everything She Ever Wanted by Ann Rule

Hello beautiful people! Welcome to a new review! For this review, I get into an Ann Rule true crime book that focuses on the life and crimes of Patricia Taylor, who reigned terror on those around her in the 1970’s. While this wasn’t my favourite Ann Rule book I’ve read so far, it was still an interesting case and well written overall.

People of focus in the book:

Pat Taylor Allanson– Easily the most fascinating and frustrating part of this story. Watching her behaviour escalate over time is honestly disturbing, especially because so many people around her either ignored it, enabled it, or excused it. The deep dive into her life, family, and relationships adds a lot to understanding how everything spiralled the way it did.

Tom Allanson – Pat’s current husband at the time of the crime and an interesting character throughout the story. Ultimately allows his marriage to Pat to push him to do things people could never imagine. Is arrested for the crimes and continues to have a horrifically toxic relationship with Pat for many years.

Walter and Carolyn Allanson – Tom’s parents and not huge fans of Pat. Are murdered in the basement of their home one night, which leads to an exposure of Pat for years to come.

Clifford and Maggie Radcliff – Pat’s parents, who are aggravating people to read about. Defend their daughters’ insanely poor behaviour for years, financially support her, and excuse pretty much everything she does, showing us how this woman ended up this way.

My Review

As mentioned above, Everything She Ever Wanted isn’t a favourite of the Ann Rule books I have read, but it is still an enjoyable, interesting read overall. I did rate the book a 6.5/10, not because of how it was written, but more so the pace and the fact that there are a few unanswered and confusing bits to the book. I appreciated that Ann didn’t play sides or excuse poor behaviour from anyone who was in Pat’s life. She does have sympathy for some things that maybe I don’t, but I can appreciate her ability to be open to presenting all perspectives. I also enjoyed getting to dive into a case I had never heard of before, and it is a bit older, but it is a bit of a slower read and a touch repetitive.

In this true crime story, Ann Rule explores the disturbing case surrounding Pat Allanson and the manipulation, control, and violence that followed her throughout her life. Pat became under the scope of the law when the parents of her husband, Tom, were murdered in their home. Tom, not being Pat’s first marriage and her having a reputation of being a bit of a scammer raise eyebrows of those around her, including her successful in-laws. Obsessed with living a life exactly as she envisions, Pat makes many choices to push herself to the top, crushing the ones who love her under her foot all the while. With no care but to be seen as this amazing, successful, attractive woman, Pat’s crimes come to light in a desperation to be something she’s not. As the book unfolds, it examines not only the crimes themselves, but also the family dynamics, relationships, and warning signs that surrounded Pat for years. Through extensive background and investigation, the story paints a picture of how dangerous behaviour can grow unchecked when the people around someone continually look away.

Overall, this was a really interesting true crime story, especially because it’s an older case I had never heard of before. One thing I always appreciate about Ann Rule’s books is how deeply she dives into the people involved, and this one definitely does that. You don’t just get the crime itself; you get the history, the family dynamics, the relationships, and the environment surrounding everything that happened.

And honestly, that was both one of the strongest and weakest parts of the book for me. The deep dive into Pat’s life was fascinating. Seeing how her parents and the people around her played such a huge role, while also seemingly doing nothing to stop her behaviour, was genuinely disturbing. It becomes this ongoing pattern throughout the book where people excuse things, ignore red flags, or enable behaviour that clearly should’ve alarmed them.

But at the same time, it makes for a pretty exhausting reading experience. Not because the book is bad, but because you spend hundreds of pages watching people fail to intervene in increasingly concerning situations. It’s frustrating in a very realistic way, which I think was probably the point.

The biggest issue for me was the pacing. The book felt very repetitive at times. I understand that a lot of the repeated details and background information were relevant to building the case and understanding the people involved, but it often felt like we were circling the same points over and over again. It slowed things down quite a bit and made parts drag more than necessary. I also felt like certain elements never fully clicked into place for me, particularly regarding Tom and the events at his parents’ house. There’s a lot discussed, but I still finished the book feeling uncertain about exactly what happened there.

That being said, the story itself is undeniably compelling. Even when the pacing lagged, I still wanted to keep reading because the case is just so bizarre and unsettling.

Overall, this definitely isn’t my favourite Ann Rule book, but I’d still recommend it to true crime readers because the story itself is incredibly interesting. Just be prepared for a slower, more detailed read that focuses heavily on the people and psychology behind the case rather than nonstop momentum.

#BookThreads #booksky 💙📚 #bookstodon Where Angels Fear to Tread - my #bookreview for "When No One Else Will by Amanda Skenandore, on my #bookblog now. Thanks @Kensington for the @netgalley ARC of this important, heartbreaking #womensfiction novel. #histficreadingchallenge
#2026NewReleaseChallenge

http://tcl-bookreviews.com/2026/05/30/where-angles-fear-to-tread/

#BookThreads #booksky 💙📚 #bookstodon Trying Time and Time Again. A #bookreview for #MissedConnections by Aimie K. Runyan on my #bookblog now. Thanks @harpermusebooks for the @NetGalley ARC of this #culinaryfiction #womensfiction #magicalrealism #timetravel novel. #OOCZ202 #2026NewReleaseChallenge

http://tcl-bookreviews.com/2026/05/26/trying-time-and-time-again/

#BookThreads #booksky 💙📚 #bookstodon The Classics Club Spin #CCSpin #44 pick for TCL! Stop by my #bookblog now to find out which book on my list will be my next #CCspin #ClassicsClub read, and why I'm looking forward to reading it. #ccwhatimreading for this spin. This time, I got #shortstories!

http://tcl-bookreviews.com/2026/05/24/the-classics-club-spin-ccspin-44-pick-for-tcl/

#BookThreads #booksky 💙📚 #bookstodon A Prime or the Loneliest Number? My #bookreview for "Doubles" by @NoraGold, on my #bookblog now! My thanks to the author for sending me the ARC of this beautiful, thought provoking novella! #histficreadingchallenge #2026NewReleaseChallenge #OOCZ2026 #WIAN26

http://tcl-bookreviews.com/2026/05/10/a-prime-or-the-loneliest-number/

#BookThreads #booksky 💙📚 #bookstodon Not ALL Girls' Best Friend! My #bookreview for "The Hope Keeper" by Heather Webb, on my #bookblog now. Thanks #Sourcebooks Landmark for the #NetGalley ARC of this sparkly #biographical #womensfiction novel. #histficreadingchallenge #2026NewReleaseChallenge

http://tcl-bookreviews.com/2026/05/08/not-all-girls-best-friend/

#Bookthreads #booksky 💙📚 #bookstodon The Gilded, Revolutionary Cages - my #bookreview for "Three Queens" by Rebecca Connolly, on my #bookblog here. Thanks to @ShadowMountn for the #Edelweiss ARC of this fascinating #biographicalfiction novel. #histficreadingchallenge
#2026NewReleaseChallenge

http://tcl-bookreviews.com/2026/04/24/the-gilded-revolutionary-cages/

#BookThreads #booksky 💙📚 #bookstodon Packing and Unpacking with Books. My #bookreview for "The Mountains We Call Home" by Kim Michele Richardson, on my #bookblog now. Thanks @sourcebooks for the @netgalley ARC of this 3rd Troublesome Creek book. #histficreadingchallenge
#2026NewReleaseChallenge

http://tcl-bookreviews.com/2026/04/16/packing-and-unpacking-with-books/

Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir

Hello beautiful people! Welcome to a new review! For this review, I get into Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir, a highly beloved and talked-about science fiction novel. Now, personally, I am not much of a science fiction gal, so I really wasn’t sure what I was going to think. I ended up really enjoying the book (science and math stuff aside) and found the world and the characters to have really shone through, making it such an enjoyable read.

Main Characters:

Ryland Grace: Such an unexpectedly great main character. He’s smart (obviously), but not in an intimidating way. He questions things, messes up, figures it out, and brings a lot of personality to what could’ve been a super technical story. He made this book so much more approachable and, honestly, really fun to follow.

Rocky: I won’t say too much because it’s better to experience it, but one of the best parts of the book. The dynamic here is something I did not expect, and it adds so much heart, humour, and depth to the story.

Eva Stratt: The scientist who creates the mission that Grace goes on often butts heads with Grace on their ideas, but in a respectful, professional way.

My Review

As mentioned, I went into Project Hail Mary not really knowing what I was getting into or if I would like it. I did not expect to love this as much as I did. Sci-fi isn’t usually my go-to, and anything involving heavy math, science, or engineering? Also not my thing. So I went into this a little hesitant, but this book makes it so accessible. I didn’t really understand those aspects of the book, but I also didn’t feel like I needed to to really grasp what was going on in the story. You can feel the characters’ emotions, and that often showed me more than the science and math did. I rated Project Hail Mary a 9/10 rating, and would totally recommend it to people like me who don’t usually check out science fiction, or aren’t usually drawn to those types of stories.

In Project Hail Mary, we follow Ryland Grace when he wakes up alone on a spaceship with no memory of who he is or how he got there. As his memory slowly returns, he realizes he’s on a mission to save Earth from a catastrophic threat that could wipe out all life. As he pieces together what’s happening, the story jumps between past and present, showing how the mission came to be, and how Grace ended up being humanity’s last hope. Along the way, unexpected connections form, and the scope of the mission becomes even bigger than initially imagined. We, the readers, are spun a gorgeous world in space through the eyes of someone who never expected to be up there.

So yes, due to the plot of the book and Grace’s role in it, the book includes a lot of science, math and engineering. Yes, there’s complex problem-solving. But I never felt like I needed to fully understand every detail to stay engaged. The way it’s written keeps things clear enough that you can follow along without getting lost, which made a huge difference for me and how I was pulled into the book. What really pulled me in was how the story unfolded. The connections that are made throughout, especially the ones you don’t see coming, are so well done. It takes things in directions I never would’ve expected, and it just works.

And Grace as a character? Loved him. He carries the story in such a natural way, and you actually enjoy being in his head as everything unravels. He makes the high-stakes, end-of-the-world mission feel personal and grounded.

I will say, it’s a little unsettling how some of the issues in this book don’t feel that far off from real life. Like, it’s sci-fi, but also, not entirely? That added an extra layer of tension for me.

The space aspect was also just really cool. It’s such an out-of-reach concept for most of us, and I loved getting to fully dive into that world and go along for the ride. It felt immersive without being overwhelming.

And the ending? So good. It wrapped things up in a way that felt satisfying and meaningful, which isn’t always easy with a story this big.

I’m also really curious to see how the movie adaptation turns out, whether it sticks close to the book or switches things up a bit.

Overall, this completely surprised me in the best way. Super engaging, surprisingly emotional, and just a really fun (and slightly terrifying) ride through space.

I hope you enjoyed this review! Thank you for checking it out! Feel free to subscribe to the page to be one of the first to know when I release a new review!

#Bookthreads #booksky 💙📚 #bookstodon A Very Irish Story - my #bookreview for "Shibby Magee" by Carrie Kabak, on my #bookblog here. Thanks Corbyn Books and Carrie for offering me the ARC of this truly lovely book. #histficreadingchallenge
#2026NewReleaseChallenge #FridayFiction #FictionFriday

http://tcl-bookreviews.com/2026/04/10/a-very-irish-story/

25 Modern Classics That’ll Actually Wreck You (In the Best Way)

https://findsbydavidblog.wordpress.com/2026/03/30/25-modern-classics-thatll-actually-wreck-you-in-the-best-way/