Professional book critic, amateur housewife, full-time polymath. I like a good story. My other mystery reviews can be found here: https://www.criminalelement.com/author/dvaleris/
Oct 02 2023
subtitled 1 Couple, 98 Days, 1400 Miles On Europe’s GR5. At age 57, Kathy Elkind and her husband decided to take 2018 off from “real life” and take a 1400 mile hike following the Grande Randonnee Cinq across the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg and France. Her travelogue is absorbing, observant and honest, and we have an …
Permanent link to this article: https://www.thefrumiousconsortium.net/2023/10/02/to-walk-it-is-to-see-it-by-kathy-elkind-excerpt/
Sep 29 2023
I am extremely boring with my relentless crowing over the fact that I read all of Agatha Christie’s published works the year I was 13, but one thing about having done that is it 100% sticks in your head when kids play a pivotal role in her proceedings (hello, the magnificent Crooked House.) Hallowe’en Party …
Permanent link to this article: https://www.thefrumiousconsortium.net/2023/09/29/from-page-to-screen-halloween-party-by-agatha-christie/
Sep 27 2023
The best time to enjoy tales of pirates is when you’re a kid, when it’s all about the romance of the high seas, with no thought as to the terror, rapine and death left in the wake of these often exceedingly violent criminals. I mean, who doesn’t dream of sailing away from their troubles, swaggering …
Permanent link to this article: https://www.thefrumiousconsortium.net/2023/09/27/potatoes-for-pirate-pearl-by-jennifer-concepcion-chloe-burgett/
Sep 26 2023
with colors by Mat Lopes, backup colors by Chris O’Halloran, and letters & design by Good Old Neon. This is easily one of the most intelligently artistic graphic novels I’ve ever had the pleasure of reading. You don’t have to be an art history major to enjoy this book but a passing familiarity with the …
Permanent link to this article: https://www.thefrumiousconsortium.net/2023/09/26/art-brut-vol-1-the-winking-woman-by-w-maxwell-prince-martin-morazzo/
Sep 25 2023
Vivian Van Tassel is an angry young teen. Part of this is justified: her mom recently died and she blames herself. But as we quickly learn, Vivian has had a temper for a while (and as a parent, I’m genuinely concerned that she’s never been in therapy for this, either before or after what happened …
Permanent link to this article: https://www.thefrumiousconsortium.net/2023/09/25/vivian-van-tassel-and-the-secret-of-midnight-lake-by-michael-witwer/
Sep 21 2023
What a vast and welcome improvement on the tepid first volume! In fairness, that compliment applies strictly to the story, as Pablo Tunica’s art has been excellent from the very beginning. His illustrations are as consistently kinetic and majestic and grotesque as the sea and its inhabitants, truly leaning in to the weird, hardscrabble nature …
Permanent link to this article: https://www.thefrumiousconsortium.net/2023/09/21/sea-serpents-heir-book-two-black-wave-by-mairghread-scott-pablo-tunica/
Sep 19 2023
for When You Don’t Want to Carry Around a Library, as its subtitle suggests. I ordered this handy little zine when I backed Gerta Oparaku Edy’s Divine Deco Tarot on Kickstarter. I loved how the deck was inspired by both Art Deco and by the author’s Albanian heritage, but was a little disappointed that there …
Permanent link to this article: https://www.thefrumiousconsortium.net/2023/09/19/a-pocket-guide-to-tarot-card-archetypes-by-abbi-clark/
Sep 18 2023
I finished this terrific graphic novel and said out loud, “They should turn this into a movie!” Honestly, it’s the kind of story that I love to see on film: beautiful, visual, meaningful. Bonus for having an editor who can pace it better than my reading speed does, and a director who knows how to …
Permanent link to this article: https://www.thefrumiousconsortium.net/2023/09/18/not-a-new-york-love-story-by-julian-voloj-andreas-gefe/
Sep 15 2023
Children are, at once, natural simplifiers and complete over-complicaters, so books like this charming title are totally up their alley, as our anthropomorphic cast uses the power of teamwork to make sure that they’re all fed and happy. Bambi Edlund opens her picture book with a list of all the things you’ll need to make …
Permanent link to this article: https://www.thefrumiousconsortium.net/2023/09/15/how-to-make-a-peanut-butter-sandwich-in-17-easy-steps-by-bambi-edlund/
Sep 13 2023
I’ve been a big fan of Christin Brecher’s since her debut novel, Murder’s No Votive Confidence. The series that that book kicks off upends the (culinary) cozy formula in the best possible way, and is a must-read for me. I’m not actually sure if she’ll be writing any more of that series tho, as her …
Permanent link to this article: https://www.thefrumiousconsortium.net/2023/09/13/photo-finished-by-christin-brecher/
Al Singh
Doug Merrill
Doreen Sheridan
John Pitzel
Lars N. Goldschlager
Laura Eilers
Professor X
Robert Maedgen
Sylvere Ap Leanan
The Shire