Doreen Sheridan

Professional book critic, amateur cellist, full-time polymath. Occasional game designer, perpetual game enthusiast. Mom of 3. Arsenal till I die. I like a good story. My other mystery reviews can be found here: https://www.criminalelement.com/author/dvaleris/

Most commented posts

  1. Deathless (Leningrad Diptych #1) by Catherynne M. Valente — 12 comments
  2. A Memory Called Empire (Teixcalaan #1) by Arkady Martine — 7 comments
  3. Sweet Tea by Piper Huguley — 7 comments
  4. I Was Told There’d Be Cake by Sloane Crosley — 6 comments
  5. Busting Vegas by Ben Mezrich — 5 comments

Author's posts

Tantalizing Tales — July 2024 — Part Two

Hello, readers! It’s the last Friday of July (howwwwwwww?!) so here’s my roundup of amazing books that just published these last two weeks that I haven’t had the time to read yet but really really want to! First up, we have a literary mystery debut from a librarian with a PhD in funeral studies. Ruby …

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Permanent link to this article: https://www.thefrumiousconsortium.net/2024/07/26/tantalizing-tales-july-2024-part-two/

The Düngeonmeister Random Monster Generator: A Mix-and-Match RPG Flipbook by Jef Aldrich & Jon Taylor

I love getting all the Dungeonmeister game aids: they’re always a super fun and creative way to throw my Dungeons & Dragons players a curveball to help keep things fresh! This random monster generator was no different. It’s based on a very cool flipbook concept, where the bulk of the book after the first 25 …

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Permanent link to this article: https://www.thefrumiousconsortium.net/2024/07/25/the-dungeonmeister-random-monster-generator-a-mix-and-match-rpg-flipbook-by-jef-aldrich-jon-taylor/

Afro Unicorn: The Land of Afronia, Vol. 1 by April Showers & Ronaldo Barata

Interestingly, it says “text by Terrance Crawford” in the credits as well, and I’m not sure exactly what that means. Credit where it’s due, tho? So this is a cute story that champions black representation in children’s fantasy, particularly of the cute anthropomorphic fantastic beast variety. Afronia is a magical land in the stars populated …

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Permanent link to this article: https://www.thefrumiousconsortium.net/2024/07/24/afro-unicorn-the-land-of-afronia-vol-1-by-april-showers-ronaldo-barata/

Echoes Of Memory by Sara Driscoll (EXCERPT)

Hi, readers! This week, we have a terrific excerpt from a new standalone thriller, Echoes Of Memory by Sara Driscoll. After surviving a terrible attack, Quinn Fleming has recovered in every way but one—her ability to retain new memories. Now, months later, it appears to the outside world as if the San Diego florist’s life …

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Permanent link to this article: https://www.thefrumiousconsortium.net/2024/07/23/echoes-of-memory-by-sara-driscoll-excerpt/

Witch’s Business by Diana Wynne Jones

Also known in some markets as Wilkins’ Tooth. I’m joining my pal Emily for A Year Of Diana Wynne Jones, a project she recently started where she and other interested readers go through the entire DWJ oeuvre over the course of a year. I decided to dip in and out as books were available to …

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Permanent link to this article: https://www.thefrumiousconsortium.net/2024/07/22/witchs-business-by-diana-wynne-jones/

The Mimicking Of Known Successes by Malka Older

On the plus side, with this I’ve finally read all the nominees for Best Novella for the 2024 Hugos! That said, what a strange set of entries for this year. As Doug has opined elsewhere, this was not a good year for the category Jo Walton considers an excellent barometer of the speculative fiction zeitgeist. …

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Permanent link to this article: https://www.thefrumiousconsortium.net/2024/07/19/the-mimicking-of-known-successes-by-malka-older/

Shubeik Lubeik by Deena Mohamed

And with this I’ve completed the reading for the 2024 Hugos nominees for Best Graphic Story! And what a way to round out the category! It won’t topple Wonder Woman Historia: The Amazons from the chokehold that book has on first place, but it sure comes close. Shubeik Lubeik is the Arabic for, essentially, “your …

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Permanent link to this article: https://www.thefrumiousconsortium.net/2024/07/18/shubeik-lubeik-by-deena-mohamed/

Life Does Not Allow Us To Meet by He Xi

translated into English by Alex Woodward. I guess I should start by attempting to summarize this story, but it’s just so weirdly — if not outright poorly — written (or perhaps translated? I’m sorry for throwing you under the bus here Mr Woodward but this story was just so bafflingly not good) that I don’t …

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Permanent link to this article: https://www.thefrumiousconsortium.net/2024/07/17/life-does-not-allow-us-to-meet-by-he-xi/

The Three-Body Problem, Part One by Cai Jin, Ge Wendi, BO MU & Caojijiuridong

a graphic adaptation of Liu Cixin’s bestselling sci-fi novel of the same name, which I adored. This, tho… I very much did not love this. A large part of the problem with this adaptation of The Three-Body Problem is the fact that it strips out much of Mr Liu’s writing save the dialog, which was …

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Permanent link to this article: https://www.thefrumiousconsortium.net/2024/07/16/the-three-body-problem-part-one-by-cai-jin-ge-wendi-bo-mu-caojijiuridong/

Thornhedge by T Kingfisher

God, reading this book was such a relief. After struggling through three of the other Best Novella nominees for the Hugo Awards 2024, it was nice to finally read a book that felt like it was written by a professional who gives a shit about her audience. Now I’m a sucker for fairytale retellings, so …

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Permanent link to this article: https://www.thefrumiousconsortium.net/2024/07/15/thornhedge-by-t-kingfisher/