Book: Mostly Human Resources

 Book: Mostly Human Resources

Author: Grace Viall

Pages: 352

This is my 198th read for the year

What Amazon Says:

Working in human resources was not what Alexys had in mind when she joined Entity, the private company that categorizes and manages the world's cryptids.  But after her dad was killed on the job as a Warden in the Appalachian Mountains, she was filled with noble ideas of carrying on his legacy - from a safety of a desk.  Alexys dreams of climbing the corporate ladder while managing the Appalachian Wardens and sparring with Nic, the frustrating (and annoyingly attractive) Director of Research and Cataloging.  When one of Alexy's new Wardens goes missing after inquiring about a mysterious and highly dangerous monster, her chances of promotion disappear along with him.  Determined to save her career - and to shield the Warden's family from the trauma she experienced after losing her father on the job - she marches off into the monster - infested wilderness to find him herself.  Meanwhile, Nic, with ambitions of becoming the youngest Entity employee to discover a new monster, follows Alexys on her hunt.  But the work nemeses are about to discover why the Appalachian Mountains are the last place you want to find yourself after dark.  Among mountains older than bones, the jackalopes and ghouls are the least of their worries.

Stars: 3 

Book: All My Mothers

 Book: All My Mothers

Author: Joanna Glen

Pages: 480

This is my 197th read for the year

What Amazon Says:

Story of one girl's journey to find her birth mother, and her realisation that mothers - and family - can be discovered in the most unexpected of places.  London, 1980s.  Though she has a comfortable, privileged life, Eva Martinez-Green is deeply unhappy.  The only child of an emotionally absent mother and a physically absent father, Eva has grown up in a cold, unloving house.  But Eva is convinced that all is notas it seems.  Why are there no baby pictures of her?  Why do her parents avoid all questions about her early years?  When her parent's relationship crumbles, Eva begins looking for a different, better life: a proper family, a perfect mother, and importantly, real love.  Her desire to find where she belongs leads Eva on a journey spanning years and continents - and, along the way, she meets women who challenge her idea of what a mother should be, and who will change her life forever.  

This was a good book.  I wasn't sure about it at first - the main character is obsessive about her past, but it smooths out and starts to flow well.  I like the pace of the book.  This was a complaint by a few people in the comments on Amazon, but honestly - I felt like it spanned a lot of years at a really good pace.  No overwiting just to make the book longer felt right for this one.

Stars: 4

Book: Something is killing the children

Book: Something is Killing The Children

Author: James Tynion

Pages: 512

This is my 196th read for the year

What Amazon Says:

When the children in a sleepy Wisconsin town begin to go missing, all hope seems lost.  Most children never return, and those that do have terrible stories of terrifying creatures that live in the shadows.  But even monsters fear the mysterious stranger that arrives shortly after.  She believes the chidlren and claims to be the only who sees what they can see.  Her name is Erica Slaughter.  She kills monsters.  This is all she does, and she bears the cost because it must be done.

This was a good series.  I have been wanting to read it for a year, and after I read another of Tynion's graphic novels, I decided to take the leap.  Well written.  Very bloody.  Looking forward to the second omnibus.

Stars: 4.5

Book: Old Man's War

 Book: Old Man's War

Author: John Scalzi

Pages: 320

This is my 195th read for the year

What Amazon Says:

John Perry did 2 things on his 75th birthday.  First he visited his wife's grave.  Then he joined the army.  The good news is that humanity finally made it to the stars.  The bad news is that, out there, planets fit to live on are scare - and alien races willing to fight us for them are common.  So: we fight.  Far from Earth, the war has been going on for decades: brutal, bloody, unyielding.  Responsible for protecting humanity, the Colonial Defense force doesn't want young people; they want people who carry the knowledge and skills of decades of living.  You'll be taken off Earth, never to return.  You'll serve 2 years in combat.  And if you survive, you'll be given a homestead of your own on a hard-won planet light years from home.  John Perry is taking that deal.  He thinks he knows what to expect.  But the actual fight is far, far harder than he can imagine - and what he will become is far stranger.

This was a pretty good book.  I have read all of John Scalzi's recent books, and do not know how I missed this Old Man's War series.  So far it is a 7 books series.  It was well written and the story flowed well, but you could tell this was a first book.  He is a very talented author, and was from the start, but missing was the Scalzi semi-humor to all of his books that I have come to love.  This one ends on a cliff hanger - not sure I will continue this series, but we shall see.  I am interested in where it is going.

Stars: 4 

Book: How to Kill a Guy in 10 Dates

 Book: How to Kill a Guy in 10 Dates

Author: Shaliee Thompson

Pages: 368

This is my 194th read for the year

What Amazon Says:

When Jamie Prescott and her best friend Laurie attend a speed-dating event, Jamie expects to meet a roster of mediocre men and indulge in some street food afterwards.  She doesn't expect one of her dates to have his throat slit at their table during a blackout.  After the lights come back on, and there are more bodies on the floor, it becomes clear that dating can be a very dnagerous pastime.  Armed with makeshift weapons and Jamie's extensive knowledge of what NOT to do in a slasher, the remaining speed daters try to find an exit while the killer adds to their body count.  As the night progresses and Jamie comes face-to-mask with the murderer, she begins to suspect they are committing the slayings to woo one of the daters and turn them into a real-life Final Girl.  But Jamie has other plans, and as she fights for her life, she can't help but find herself ensconced in a love triangle with 2 of the other survivors.  Will she make it through the bloodshed to find her Happily Ever After?  Or does this machete-wielding psychopath have another ending in mind?

Stars:3 

Book: I See You've Called In Dead

 Book: I See You've Called In Dead

Author: John Kenney

Pages: 320

This is my 193rd read for the year

What Amazon Says:

Obituary writer Bud Stanley isn't really living his best life.  He's fallen into a funk after a divorce.  (She left him for another man, who, in fairness,was far more interesting.  He's not doing his job well. He's given up on dating.  And he's about to be fired for accidentally publishing his own obituary one mildly drunken night (thought technically the company can't legally fire a dead person).  As Bud awaits his fate at work, he does the only logical thing: He goes to te wakes and funerals of total strangers to learn how to live again.

This was a pretty good book.  I liked the main character.  At first I thought it was going to be mostly humor, but in the end it was a feel good story.  Glad I read this one.

Stars: 4.

Book: Is This A Cry For Help

 Book: Is This A Cry For Help

Author: Emily Austin

Pages: 304

This is my 192nd read for the year

What Amazon Says:

Darcy's life turned out better than she could have ever imagined.  She is a librarian at the local branch, whileher wife Joy runs a book binding service.  Between the 2 of them, there is no more room on their shelves with their ample book collections, various knickknacks and boobles, and dried bouquets. Rounding out thier ideal life is 2 cats and a sun-soaked house by the lake.   But when Darcy receives the news that her ex-boyfriend, Ben, has passed away, she spirals into a pit of guilt and regret, resulting in a mental breakdown and medical leave from the library.  When she returns to work, she is met by unrest in her community and protests surrounding intellectual freedom, resulting in a call for book bans and a second look at the branch's upcoming DEI programs.  Through the support of her community, colleagues, and the personal growth that results from examining her previous relationships, Darcy comes into her own agency and the truest version of herself.  

I almost DNF this book.  I forgot I read this author's other book - Everyone in This Room Will Someday Be Dead.  This book was not good.  And prechy.  Skip.

Stars: 2