Mini reviews from our contributors' recent reads

The Sea Captain's Wife: A True Story of Mutiny, Love, and Adventure at the Bottom of the World by Tilar J. Mazzeo 

From Mhairie

Aside from the (deliberately) reductive title I found this non-fiction enthralling. The Sea Captain's Wife was Mary Ann Patten who, at the age of 19 and in the circumstances she was given, sailed a clipper ship around Cape Horn and safely to harbour, in Winter. And put down a mutiny while doing it. The tale is dramatic enough you'd be hard-pressed selling it to TV. Captain Mrs. Patten laid some strong groundwork for the 19th Amendment while "just doing [her] duty to [her] husband" and yet we don't hear her story anymore. This reads like a novel despite being completely true and well researched. I read it in a couple of sittings. For fans of Maritime settings, Dashka Slater and feminist history.

Content warnings from TheStorygraph: confinement, misogyny, death, terminal illness

Kiki’s Delivery Service by Eiko Kadono, translated by Emily Balistrieri

From Nox

Kiki is my favorite Studio Ghibli movie, so I was incredibly excited to read the book that inspired it! There are a lot of differences between the book and movie, but that’s not necessarily a negative thing. The book is told in a series of vignettes, with the majority of them being different deliveries or tasks that Kiki completes over the course of a year living in the seaside town of Koriko (which, side note, I was so excited to hear the town is called Koriko, as I love a solo TTRPG called Koriko: A Magical Year that is inspired by the book!). You see the town’s attitude about Kiki change, as well as the friends that she makes. I also loved the worldbuilding that was explored more in the book. I highly recommend Kiki’s Delivery Service: the book and the movie!

Content warnings from TheStorygraph: bullying, body shaming, pregnancy, misogyny

Chase Me if You Can By Heather Frances

From Shoshana

I surprised myself by how much I enjoyed this book. The fast-paced, engaging storyline will delight meteorology enthusiasts with the lush descriptions of clouds, tornados, and summer storms. The funny yet emotionally charged moments between Sloane and Wes are balanced by difficult family dynamics that add to the complex relationships. Great for fans of the 2025 Twister movie, Chelsea Curto, and Mason Deaver.

Content warnings from TheStorygraph: sexual content, sexism, chronic illness, car accident, emotional abuse

Hello my friends!!

The secret is out! We are publishing a cozy horror!

The votes are in and this October we will be reading:

What Moves The Dead by T. Kingfisher.

This is a retelling of The Fall of the House of Usher and while the cover looks pretty freaky, the horror elements are light, I promise. It's much more gothic with creepy stuffy thrown in (cause its T Kingfisher!) but for those who are scared of the horror genre, please don't run away! This is also a novella so if you are a fast reader you can absolutely continue on in the series and chat about those books as well!

Hoping this earlier announcement helps you get your hands on a copy in time. Can't wait to discuss it with you on our Discord!