Big Dumb Eyes

 Tell me a story... that will make me laugh

Big Dumb Eyes: Stories from a Simpler Mind by Nate Bargatze

Publication date: May 6, 2025

Date read: June 20, 2025

Audiobook read by the author

In his highly-anticipated first book, Nate talks about life as a non-genius. From stories about his first car (named Old Blue, a clunky Mazda with a tennis ball for a stick shift), life as a Southerner (Northerners constantly ask him things like, do you believe in dinosaurs?), and his first apartment where a rat chewed a hole right through the wall to how his wife keeps him in line and so much more. 
 Nate’s book is full of heart and it will make readers laugh out loud and nod in recognition, but it probably won’t make them think too much.

Sometimes I just need a good laugh, and Nate Bargatze is always good for that. Comedian memoirs are some of my favorite audiobooks in general, especially when read by the author, and this one did not disappoint. 

If you're unfamiliar with Bargatze's stand-up at this point, he is a self-depreciating southern comedian, his comedy is clean, and he has a deadpan delivery. He's around my age (early 40s), so a lot of the references about growing up in "the nineteen hundreds" really resonate with me. 

There's not a lot I can say about the book - it's a lot like his stand-up: chapters dealing with one particular story about his life. His delivery on the audiobook is great. If you've seen his stand-up specials, his book follows a very similar structure. And while some stories he has covered in his routines, a lot of what is in the book is new material, so you won't be bored even if you've watched everything already. 

I can't recommend this book enough to anyone who needs a good laugh. Bargatze is a wonderful comedian, and this book is appropriate for younger readers as well as adults. (Some of the stories about marriage obviously won't resonate with the younger readers, but there is nothing really inappropriate to worry about, aside from some mentions of child physical abuse.) Highly recommended.

Rating: 5/5 stars

Content warning: child physical abuse

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book.

Only This Beautiful Moment

 Tell me a story... about understanding our family

Only This Beautiful Moment by Abdi Nazemian

Publication date: May 9, 2023

Date read: July 25, 2023

2019. Moud is an out gay teen living in Los Angeles with his distant father, Saeed. When Moud gets the news that his grandfather in Iran is dying, he accompanies his dad to Tehran, where the revelation of family secrets will force Moud into a new understanding of his history, his culture, and himself. 1978. Saeed is an engineering student with a promising future ahead of him in Tehran. But when his parents discover his involvement in the country’s burgeoning revolution, they send him to safety in America, a country Saeed despises. And even worse—he’s forced to live with the American grandmother he never knew existed. 1939. Bobby, the son of a calculating Hollywood stage mother, lands a coveted MGM studio contract. But the fairy-tale world of glamour he’s thrust into has a dark side. Set against the backdrop of Tehran and Los Angeles, this tale of intergenerational trauma and love is an ode to the fragile bonds of family, the hidden secrets of history, and all the beautiful moments that make us who we are today. 

I will preface this review with two things:

1) I read this book two years ago and am just now putting the review in my blog. (I'm trying to get caught up on a few older reviews). So this review will not be as detailed as some newer reads will be.

2) I listened to an audiobook that was a synthesized audio narration. It was my first time trying this format - not my favorite. I obviously much prefer actual voice actors reading a book. The inflections are often wrong with a synthesized voice, which took me out of the story a little bit. But I'm sure the current narration of the audiobook is wonderful. 

I had previously read Like a Love Story by this same author and really liked that book, so I was excited to try this one - I was not disappointed. Nazemian has a way with taking a tough topic and writing about it in a way that is teen-appropriate without dumbing anything down or sugar-coating the hard parts. Where Like a Love Story tackled AIDS in the late-80s, early 90s, Only This Beautiful Moment addresses revolution and being openly gay in a country where safety is an issue. 

This story is told from the point of view of three different characters in three different timelines, and while I was sometimes anxious to get back to a specific plot point, there weren't any stories that I didn't like listening to. All of the characters were well-written and complex, not always likable, but they always felt like they were reacting in ways that were real. 

I really liked this book and thought that it was a wonderful addition to diverse reads in young adult fiction. I highly recommend it to anyone who likes generational stories or who wants to learn a little more about Iran and its past. 

Rating: 4/5 stars

Content warning: homophobia, hangings (mentioned), violence against the gay community (mentioned), emotional manipulation of child by their parents, police violence against peaceful protestors, racism, deportation

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book.

A Drop of Corruption

 Tell me a story... of a secret worth killing for

A Drop of Corruption (Shadow of the Leviathan #2) by Robert Jackson Bennett

Date published: April 1, 2025

Date read: May 26, 2025

Audiobook read by Andrew Fallaize

In the canton of Yarrowdale, at the very edge of the Empire’s reach, an impossible crime has occurred. A Treasury officer has disappeared into thin air—abducted from his quarters while the door and windows remained locked from the inside, in a building whose entrances and exits are all under constant guard.
To solve the case, the Empire calls on its most brilliant and mercurial investigator, the great Ana Dolabra. At her side, as always, is her bemused assistant Dinios Kol. Before long, Ana’s discovered that they’re not investigating a disappearance, but a murder—and that the killing was just the first chess move by an adversary who seems to be able to pass through warded doors like a ghost, and who can predict every one of Ana’s moves as though they can see the future.
Worse still, the killer seems to be targeting the high-security compound known as the Shroud. Here, the Empire's greatest minds dissect fallen Titans to harness the volatile magic found in their blood. Should it fall, the destruction would be terrible indeed—and the Empire itself will grind to a halt, robbed of the magic that allows its wheels of power to turn.

Ana and Din, together again. I just need to state upfront how much I love these books. I hope this series continues on for a long time. 

If you haven’t read my review of A Tainted Cup, I’ll reiterate a few points: 

1. Andrew Fallaize is an incredible narrator for these books. He makes the characters come alive and often makes me forget that he’s the one reading all of the characters. Din and Ana seem so individual that I find it easy to get lost in the narration and forget that it’s one man reading both parts. 

2. This book is fantasy and a mystery and a buddy cop comedy all rolled into one. I’m still not sure how the author does this without it getting silly or lost, but the plot flows incredibly smoothly and no genre seems out of place among the others. 

I also really enjoyed that, now that we’ve had our introductions to the main characters, we were now able to get a little more in depth into their backstories and personalities. Din’s reasons for doing what he’s doing and what he hopes to achieve one day make him an even more likable and interesting character. And Ana is still Ana - enigmatic and quirky and funny and brilliant… and just as much a mystery as always. Although the peek into her backstory at the end is a fun treat (no spoilers!) 

My one negative about this particular story is that a lot of new characters were introduced during this journey, and I did find it a little difficult keeping some of the secondary characters straight in my head. This may have just been my own problem, though. And I can’t say that my occasional confusion really took away from my enjoyment. 

Overall, this is such a wonderful book. A thrilling mystery, kind of creepy and fascinating fantasy world building, and fun character interactions. There’s something for everybody here. I also wouldn’t let the fantasy genre title put anyone off from reading it - it’s awesome for those who like the genre, but it’s a great mystery novel regardless. Highly recommended to all mystery and fantasy readers. 

Rating: 5/5 stars

Content warning: murder, gore/body horror, racism (fantasy), slavery 

Note: language

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book. 

The Tainted Cup

 Tell me a story... about a mystery and a monster

The Tainted Cup (Shadow of the Leviathan #1) by Robert Jackson Bennett

Publication date: February 6, 2024

Date read: August 2, 2024

Audiobook read by Andrew Fallaize

In Daretana’s most opulent mansion, a high Imperial officer lies dead—killed, to all appearances, when a tree spontaneously erupted from his body. Even in this canton at the borders of the Empire, where contagions abound and the blood of the Leviathans works strange magical changes, it’s a death at once terrifying and impossible. Called in to investigate this mystery is Ana Dolabra, an investigator whose reputation for brilliance is matched only by her eccentricities. At her side is her new assistant, Dinios Kol. Din is an engraver, magically altered to possess a perfect memory. His job is to observe and report, and act as his superior’s eyes and ears. As the two close in on a mastermind and uncover a scheme that threatens the safety of the Empire itself, Din realizes he’s barely begun to assemble the puzzle that is Ana Dolabra—and wonders how long he’ll be able to keep his own secrets safe from her piercing intellect.

Featuring an unforgettable Holmes-and-Watson style pairing, a gloriously labyrinthine plot, and a haunting and wholly original fantasy world, The Tainted Cup brilliantly reinvents the classic mystery tale.

I first want to commend the work of Andrew Fallaize on the narration. One of the best audiobook readers I’ve come across. His ability to make the characters so unique is incredible - it’s easy to forget that Ana and Din are read by the same person. 

I absolutely loved Din as a character. He is both relatable (in that he often has no idea what Ana is thinking, just like us) and fascinating with the abilities that he does have. And despite being modified to have these special abilities, he still gives off the Everyman vibes that make him such a likeable character. I also think that his interactions with Ana are some of the most endearing moments and often incredibly funny. 

Which brings me to the author’s ability to write a story that manages - all at the same time - to be a really fascinating mystery, a cool fantasy with the kind of world-building that plops you effortlessly into the mix, and a really funny buddy cop story. It’s a wonderfully fun read. 

The mystery included in this story is also well-constructed. It’s a full plot, with twists and turns and buildup that would be commendable in just a standard mystery/thriller. But throw the fantasy world elements in as well makes it doubly impressive. 

One of my top reads of 2024. Recommended to anyone who enjoys a good mystery… or a good fantasy. I don’t even think you have to be frequent readers of both genres; there’s enough of either to keep you entertained. 

Stay tuned for the next post and the review of the sequel. 

Rating: 5/5 stars

Content warnings: body horror, physical assault 

Note: language

Thank you to NetGalkey and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book. 

The Angel Maker

 Tell me a story... where the future may be written by a killer

The Angel Maker by Alex North

Publication date: February 28, 2023

Date read: November 16, 2024

Audiobook read by Rosalie Craig

Growing up in a beautiful house in the English countryside, Katie Shaw lived a charmed life, until the day a violent stranger changed the fate of her family forever. Years later, still unable to live down the guilt surrounding what happened to her brother, Chris, and now with a child of her own to protect, Katie struggles to separate the real threats from the imagined. Then she gets the phone call: Chris has gone missing and needs his big sister once more. Meanwhile, Detective Laurence Page is facing a particularly gruesome crime. A distinguished professor of fate and free will has been brutally murdered just hours after firing his staff. All the leads point back to two old cases: the gruesome attack on teenager Christopher Shaw, and the despicable crimes of a notorious serial killer who, legend had it, could see the future.

This is my first mystery by Alex North; I've heard mixed reviews of his books, and while I can see where the reviews are coming from, I really enjoyed this one.

The one difficulty of this book is that there are a lot of characters to keep in order. The book jumps around from present day with Katie and the Detective to a past storyline with the serial killer. They do all tie together quite well, but I did find that keeping track of some of the characters did get a little tricky. Particularly, one storyline involving two babies, I found slightly hard to follow, although by the end I did know what was going on. I do, however, want to add the disclaimer that I did read this in audiobook format, and that some of the slightly confusing bits may have been easier to follow if I had been reading it on the page. 

I also really enjoyed the slightly open-ended nature of the ending. While all of the major plot points are tied up and explained, the question about whether or not the killer could actually know the future is a little more vague. I wish I could elaborate here, but that would lead to spoilers, and I think it's more fun to follow along blind. 

The characters were sometimes frustrating in this book, but in the way that many mystery book characters are: making stupid choices and keeping stupid secrets. Katie in particular did a lot of things that annoyed me, but I liked her more than I disliked her. And I thought the secondary character were all quite interesting. 

Overall, this is a slightly heavy but fun mystery/thriller that I do recommend to fans of this genre. The large number of characters and storylines to follow do make it a slightly slower read than many in the thriller genre, but I thought the payoff was worth it. I'll definitely be reading more by this author soon.

Content warning: child murder, suicide, drug addiction, child abduction

Rating: 4/5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book.

Strange Folk

 Tell me a story... about the dark side of magic

Strange Folk by Alli Dyer

Publication date: August 6, 2024

Date read: November 10, 2024

Audiobook read by Megan Tusing, Suehyla El Attar-Young, and Kitty Hendrix

Lee left Craw Valley at eighteen without a backward glance. She wanted no part of the generations of her family who tapped into the power of the land to heal and help their community. But when she abandons her new life in California and has nowhere else to go, Lee returns to Craw Valley with her children in tow to live with her grandmother, Belva. Lee vows to stay far away from Belva’s world of magic, but when the target of one of her grandmother’s spells is discovered dead, Lee fears that Belva’s magic may have summoned something dark.

Another tough one for me to rate. I actually had this as an ebook, and found it to be very slow going. I kept putting it down to read something else, but I was intrigued enough by the plot that I wasn't about to DNF. I wanted to know what happened. In the end, I switched to audiobook and found that a much easier go and am glad I finished it. 

This book is full of unlikable characters, including our narrators, which I think is why I had such a hard time at the beginning. The majority of the book is from Lee's POV, and she just honestly wasn't that fun to read. The plot, however, kept me coming back. 

I liked the question about whether or not Belva's magic was real, as well as the mystery of why people kept ending up dead. I obviously won't give anything away, but I liked the way it ended. 

This book is hard for me to recommend, because I did enjoy it and thought the ending was worth the slow start. But at the same time, it's hard to recommend a book to someone and say that the last 25% is great, but the first 75% is kind of a slog. So I do recommend it to someone who's looking for a slow burn mystery with a good payout, but definitely not to those who want their mysteries action packed. 

Content warning: animal death, pedophilia (adult with teenager), drug use/overdose, alcoholism, murder, child physical abuse

Rating: 3.5/5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book.

Fire Weather

 Tell me a story... about how climate change is affecting forest fires

Fire Weather: A True Story from a Hotter World by John Vaillant

Publication date: June 6, 2023

Date read: November 6, 2024

Audiobook read by Alan Carlson

In May 2016, Fort McMurray, the hub of Canada’s oil industry and America’s biggest foreign supplier, was overrun by wildfire. The multi-billion-dollar disaster melted vehicles, turned entire neighborhoods into firebombs, and drove 88,000 people from their homes in a single afternoon. Through the lens of this apocalyptic conflagration—the wildfire equivalent of Hurricane Katrina—John Vaillant warns that this was not a unique event but a shocking preview of what we must prepare for in a hotter, more flammable world.

Reading this book just a few months before the recent California wildfires started, it definitely gives me a different outlook on what we're going through right now as a country. 

This is a difficult book to rate and review, because it's not an easy read; it is a heavily researched, dense book. I can't say that I was enjoying myself while reading it, but what I can say is that I learned a lot and it left me with a lot to think about. This is the kind of book that can get away with being a little long-winded, because it's research-heavy and not supposed to be about plot or characters.

I really liked that the book dealt with not just fires, but with climate change in general. I think that most people could stand to read this book, especially those who question whether climate change is real. (I'm not going to get political in this - or any - review, but there is no question that there are those who don't believe that climate change is a problem.) This book is scary because of what it implies that we will be seeing in the years to come. 

I definitely recommend the audiobook for this one, simply due to the dense research and heavy subject. Vaillant doesn't talk over the reader's head and you don't need an advanced degree to understand what he's talking about, but I can just say that, in my personal experience as a reader, this is the kind of book that I usually get more out of in audio form. 

I do recommend this book to all readers, simply because the topic is so prescient. It's not an easy read, but it is an important one. 

Content warning: forest fires, death

Rating: 4/5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book.

Maybe Once, Maybe Twice

 Tell me a story... about figuring out your own happiness

Maybe Once, Maybe Twice by Alison Rose Greenberg

Publication date: October 3, 2023

Date read: July 12, 2023

Maggie Vine’s life is going extra-medium. At 35 she’s pursuing her dreams of being a singer and being a mother―though neither is successfully panning out. So when Garrett Scholl―stifled hedge fund manager by day but electrifying aspiring rock singer by night―comes to her 35th birthday party with the intention to kiss Maggie senseless, it feels like one piece might click into place. Except he’s engaged to someone else, and Maggie knows she won’t fit into the cookie-cutter life he’s building for himself. Enter Asher Reyes. Her first boyfriend from summer camp, turned into heartthrob actor, he’s lived a successful yet private life ever since he got famous. When a career-changing opportunity is presented to Maggie after her reconnection with Asher, it feels like everything―music, love, family―will fall into place. But her past won’t let her move on without a fight.

Romance books seem to be pretty hit or miss for me, although even the worst ones mostly have at least some redeeming parts to them. I'm not saying that this book was one of the worst ones, but while there was a good amount that I did enjoy about this one, there was just also a lot that I did not like. I'm sure that there are some readers who love the trope of the protagonist who is just in love with the absolute worst person and makes bad decisions along the way, and if that's you it's okay! And in that case, you might love this book. But the main character pining after the horrible douchebag who treats her like crap just doesn't do it for me.

In addition, this book was just too long. It came in at 336 (which isn't horrible for a romance novel), but it really should have been cut down to about 250 pages. There is a drawn out reveal of a past mistake that was compelling at first, but then just became annoying. 

And I'm not saying the book is irredeemable, because most of the plot actually flows pretty well and is interesting. I liked the romance between Maggie and her childhood boyfriend, Asher. I also, at first, was not on board with the way that the book was ending, but it turned in a way that I ended up liking. I think that Maggie had some serious soul-searching to do after all of her life choices, and I liked the way it played out.

Overall, an okay romance, but there were too many bad decisions and drawn-out plot points for my taste. Fans of the trope of the girl falling for the wrong guy and having to find herself might like this one more than I did, but it really just wasn't for me. 

Content warning: suicide, absent parent, consensual sex between teenagers, sexual assault

Rating: (a weak) 3/5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book

Blink

 Tell me a story... about facing your past

Blink by Christopher Sebela, Nick Filardi, and Hayden Sherman (Illustrations)

Publication date: May 16, 2023

Date read: March 25, 2023

Wren Booker was three when she was found alone and covered in blood on the streets of New York. Since that day, she’s been haunted by the childhood she can't remember…until decades later when she finds a cryptic website streaming multiple CCT feeds from strange rooms in a ruined building. Something clicks, setting off hidden memories that lead her back to a place she’s seen in lifelong nightmares. Hunting for answers, Wren breaks in and finds herself lost in the camera-filled dark mazes of a decayed social experiment known only as BLINK...which she quickly discovers is not abandoned at all.

I was intrigued by this comic, mostly because of the cover artwork, so I decided to give it a shot.

First, the negative: this storyline was confusing! A downside of science fiction can often be a convoluted, confusing plot, which is what this comic suffered from. The idea behind it was intriguing, and the story was actually super creepy in a lot of places, which was great - but the story as a whole was just too hard to follow. Add in a lot of dark pages (atmospheric, sure, but sometimes hard to tell what's going on), and it just didn't work for me. [Example - it took me until page 83 to realize that Wren was female. Oops.]

The positive: The art was really fascinating. Non-traditional formatting on a lot of pages, and just really cool imagery throughout. A comic book can live or die based on the art, and I thought this art was great. I would definitely seek out these artists in the future. And I did really like the idea behind the story, so I might even read more by Sebela, even though this specific story didn't work for me. 

Overall, I felt that this was a big shot by these creators and that it just didn't quite make it. The artwork was amazing, though, so if you're open to a bit of weird sci-fi in your comics, it's a quick read and could be worth checking out. 

Rating: 2.5/5 stars

Content warning: night terrors, death of parents, blood, graphic violence, body horror

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book.

The Christmas Countdown

Tell me a story... of finding your holiday spirit

The Christmas Countdown by Holly Cassidy

Expected Publication date: October 22, 2024

Date read: July 12, 2024

All Callie wants for Christmas is to hibernate. She's still reeling from being dumped by her childhood sweetheart, and under no circumstances will she go home for the holidays considering her ex will be right next door with his new, perfect partner. Callie is officially in grinch mode, but her meddling sister, Anita, won’t let her give up on life, love, and Christmas quite so easily. So Anita stages a Christmas intervention for Callie with a homemade Advent calendar challenge—cheerful tasks to push Callie out of her comfort zone and into the holiday spirit, inspired by a childhood tradition. Callie reluctantly plays along, but when she comes face-to-face with a charming baker who just might be the spoonful of sugar she needs, her strict rules on love and the holidays are tested. As they strike a deal to do the activities together, could the twenty-four little doors on Callie’s Advent calendar not only open up one, but two closed-off hearts?

You know how sometimes, after you've had a long, stressful day, you just want to sit back with a hot chocolate and throw on the latest Hallmark Christmas Romance and unwind? Well, that's what this is, except in book form. 

There's nothing super complex in this story, and it's incredible predictable, and pretty cheesy (the two towns mentioned are Fallbrook and Pineville, which are just about as eye-rollingly Hallmark as you can get). And yet, it's also all pretty adorable and like a sweet little hug after a tough day. 

I liked both main characters a lot - they were both sweet and fun and I enjoyed Callie's clumsiness. Marco is just the perfect sweet guy who comes to her rescue, but isn't pretentious about it. The "villains" of the book - Callie's ex-boyfriend, Oliver, and her boss, Grant - are just as horrible as they need to be, but never feel truly over the top. (Grant's sexism made me so mad, though!). 

Overall, this is just a cute Hallmark Christmas romance that's an easy read for when you're feeling stressed or trying to get into the holiday spirit. Not the kind of book if you're looking for surprises or a lot of substance, just an enjoyable, predictable romance. Recommended for readers who love romance, and especially for those who look forward to Hallmark Christmas movie season every year. 

Rating: 4/5 stars

Content warning: sexism, gaslighting

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book