Three on a theme

  • Science fiction and fantasy books about change

    During these times of uncertainty, many of us are looking to our favorite writers for comfort and guidance. For decades, speculative-fiction writers have shown themselves to be especially well-versed in the subject of uncertainty, using their magical worlds to explore social problems and existential questions that complicate our daily lives. Here are three science fiction… Continue reading

  • Imagining Life, Post-Pandemic

    There was a time – two months or so ago – when readers flocked to dystopian fiction so that they might imagine  what strange, dark days might lay ahead. Now that we’re all living through something that feels a bit like sci-fi itself, futuristic fiction is still there to help us envision and contemplate the… Continue reading

  • Films about Obsession Available for Streaming in Kanopy

    These days it’s hard not to be preoccupied with the pandemic. Are you constantly refreshing the news? Stuck on social media? If so, here are three films about obsession to help you get out of your head and into someone else’s. Jake Gyllenhaal, Robert Downey Jr. and Mark Ruffalo are all in peak form in… Continue reading

  • Girl, someone is out to get you

    “Woman in peril” is a plot device as old as time, and one that enjoys continued popularity. In this reader’s opinion, when it’s done well you get a great female character with agency to make her own decisions, fighting to save herself. Here are three suggestions for recent thrillers that follow women as they puzzle… Continue reading

  • Three books about military service in honor of Veterans Day

    Veterans Day is a time for us to pay our respects to those who are serving or have served in the armed forces. To mark the day, consider reading one of these novels or short story collections that portray military experiences during the U.S. wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Bring Out the Dog by Will… Continue reading

  • Defective Detective Departments

    What happens when cranky, poorly motivated or seemingly-incompetent individuals are all sidelined together into a single work unit? They end up solving the mysteries that no one else could, of course. Or, at least, in fiction they do. These books are all the first in series that find professional pariahs taking care of business. The… Continue reading

  • Three Views of Seattle

    Seeing your city through different eyes can be revelatory, bringing to the fore details you may not have noticed. Whether you’ve lived here your whole life, just moved in, or are somewhere in between, pick up one of these books for a new lens on Seattle. Seattle Walk Report Exploring 23 Seattle neighborhoods, Seattle Walk… Continue reading

  • Get Out of the Lake!

    The lake is where you want to be on a beautiful August day, unless you’re a character in a mystery novel. I’m here to tell you that, in my experience as an avid mystery reader, an idyllic remote lake can often double as the scene of a crime. Which is why these mysteries are wonderful… Continue reading

  • Three on a Theme: There’s a Rabbit on Your Book

    Two new novels and one of last year’s fiction gems have an obvious link with a distinct long-eared creature on the cover. What these books really have in common, however, is within their pages of bitingly funny fiction. Rabbits for Food by Binnie Kirshenbaum (May 2019) It’s been ten years since we’ve been treated to… Continue reading

  • Historical fantasy – the best of both worlds!

    I appreciate the way genre designations can make books easier to find, but I confess that I love the bleeding edges where books shade from one genre into another; my current bailiwick is historical fantasy. I find that it brings the best elements of historical fiction – a strong sense of time, place, and culture… Continue reading