Friday Review: The Toll by Cherie Priest

My rating: 4 of 5 starsState Route 177 runs along the Suwanee River from Fargo, Georgia to the Okefenokee swamp. Titus and Melanie Bell are newlyweds on their honeymoon trip to a rented cabin where they plan to do some canoeing in the swamp. According to the GPS map, there are six bridges along their … Continue reading Friday Review: The Toll by Cherie Priest

Born From Fire (The Longview Chronicles #1) by Holly Lisle

My rating: 3 of 5 starsThe Longview is a spaceship operated by a mysterious "Owner" who uses it to transport criminals slated for execution. The story is told from two alternating viewpoints. One is one of the Longview crew, and the second is one of the prisoners. Between them, we start to get a glimpse … Continue reading Born From Fire (The Longview Chronicles #1) by Holly Lisle

Friday Review: Chapel of Ease (Tufa # 4)by Alex Bledsoe

My rating: 4 of 5 starsIn this fourth installment of Bledsoe's Tufa series, Matt Johnson, a young New York actor, auditions for a musical called "Chapel of Ease." He gets the role, and becomes friends with Ray Parrish, the play's author. As rehearsals progress and momentum builds for the opening night, strange things begin to … Continue reading Friday Review: Chapel of Ease (Tufa # 4)by Alex Bledsoe

Friday (Movie) Review: Dr. Strange in the Multiverse of Madness

I saw it on Monday. Overall, I enjoyed the movie. It wasn't quite as good a Dr. Strange property as the first movie, and the plot was a bit scattered and built on a lot of emotional baggage carried by both Strange and the Scarlet Witch that sometimes felt a bit off balance. There were … Continue reading Friday (Movie) Review: Dr. Strange in the Multiverse of Madness

Friday Review: The Killing Fog (Grave Kingdom #1) by Jeff Wheeler

My rating: 3 of 5 starsIn this first in a series fantasy novel, Wheeler uses an Asian-inspired setting and characters to tell a story of revenge, faith, and honor. The main character, Bingmei, is a young girl who has uncharacteristic white hair, a sign that is considered a disease, and instills fear in most people. … Continue reading Friday Review: The Killing Fog (Grave Kingdom #1) by Jeff Wheeler

Friday Review: Girly Drinks: A World History of Women and Alcohol by Mallory O’Meara

My rating: 3 of 5 starsI was eager to read this from the moment I heard about it. I do like a good cocktail, beer, or wine, and have taken up amateur mixology as a hobby. So, to find a book that tells the history of women and alcohol made it an anticipated read. And … Continue reading Friday Review: Girly Drinks: A World History of Women and Alcohol by Mallory O’Meara

Friday Review: The MVP (Galactic Football League #4) by Scott Sigler

My rating: 4 of 5 starsIn this fourth installment in Sigler's GFL series, Ionath Krakens team ship, the Touchback, has breached the territory of the Prawatt race in an attempt to escape pirates. They are captured by the Prawatt and are facing execution for trespassing in the Prawatt territory. Quentin manages to maneuver his way … Continue reading Friday Review: The MVP (Galactic Football League #4) by Scott Sigler

Friday Review: Street Freaks by Terry Brooks

My rating: 4 of 5 starsAshton Collins is a somewhat sheltered teen living with his father, a corporate engineer, in the future megacity of Los Angeles. Home alone with just the household robot servants, Ashton receives a cryptic message from his father urging him to get out of the house, go to the dangerous Red … Continue reading Friday Review: Street Freaks by Terry Brooks

Friday Review: Red Rising (Red Rising Saga #1) by Pierce Brown

My rating: 3 of 5 starsWarning: There may be some minor spoilers in this review.Darrow is a Red, the lowest caste in a color-coded Martian system. He is a miner, a laborer who has been told his entire life that he and his fellow Reds toil to make the surface of Mars a livable place … Continue reading Friday Review: Red Rising (Red Rising Saga #1) by Pierce Brown

Friday Review: Piano Lessons: Music, Love, and True Adventures by Noah Adams

My rating: 4 of 5 starsAt 52 years of age, Noah Adams, NPR host and news reporter, decided to buy a piano and learn to play. This lovely little book chronicles his first year as a piano student, with all the ups and downs, triumphant moments and frustrating setbacks. It's also a love story to … Continue reading Friday Review: Piano Lessons: Music, Love, and True Adventures by Noah Adams