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 — 10 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

Squirrel Girl: Universe by Tristan Palmgren

Y’all know I’m all in for any Marvel superheroine named Doreen (even if I don’t like squirrels. Shocking, I know, but my brother and I have stories.) Animal-animosity regardless, the best part of the Squirrel Girl titles has always been, for me, how Doreen Green’s positive attitude ensures that she truly is unbeatable. This novel …

Continue reading

Permanent link to this article: https://www.thefrumiousconsortium.net/2022/08/18/squirrel-girl-universe-by-tristan-palmgren/

Maddie And Mabel by Kari Allen & Tatjana Mai-Wyss

I had the pleasure of meeting Kari Allen at ALAAC and loved how she signed my copy of this delightful children’s book with the wonderful message “Share your stories!” But could you expect less from the writer of this affirming series about a pair of loving, if not entirely friction-free, young sisters? Maddie is the …

Continue reading

Permanent link to this article: https://www.thefrumiousconsortium.net/2022/08/16/maddie-and-mabel-by-kari-allen-tatjana-mai-wyss/

The Galaxy, and the Ground Within by Becky Chambers

Oh no, this isn’t the last in the series, is it?! I mean, it’s not a bad way to end it, but there’s still so much more to explore of this amazing sci-fi universe. This installment tells us a bit more of the Rosk war, and further explores the cultures of the Quelin and Akarak …

Continue reading

Permanent link to this article: https://www.thefrumiousconsortium.net/2022/08/11/the-galaxy-and-the-ground-within-by-becky-chambers-2/

Light From Uncommon Stars by Ryka Aoki

Light From Uncommon Stars by Ryka Aoki

As we sprint towards the deadline for Hugo voting and I, for the second year in a row, concede defeat over being able to read all the books in time, I wanted to make sure that I at least got to cover a book Doug was raving to me about (tho I see he hasn’t …

Continue reading

Permanent link to this article: https://www.thefrumiousconsortium.net/2022/08/09/light-from-uncommon-stars-by-ryka-aoki/

Hello Nature Activity Book by Nina Chakrabarti

with the subtitle “Explore, Draw, Color, and Discover the Great Outdoors”. Okay, can I be real? While this is marketed as a children’s activity book, I am 100% keeping it for meeeeeee. I did, ofc, reluctantly offer it up to my children, but my youngest two are still enthralled by their excellent Gail Gibbons’ workbooks …

Continue reading

Permanent link to this article: https://www.thefrumiousconsortium.net/2022/08/05/hello-nature-activity-book-by-nina-chakrabarti/

Giant Island by Jane Yolen & Doug Keith

Yeesh, how was I convinced that this debuted next month and not this one? But hey, here we are now! And here are Ava and Mason, on what seems to be the incongruously named Giant Island, a small islet that they set out to explore with their dog Cooper while Grandpa goes fishing in the …

Continue reading

Permanent link to this article: https://www.thefrumiousconsortium.net/2022/08/03/giant-island-by-jane-yolen-doug-keith/

Zatanna: The Jewel of Gravesend by Alys Arden & Jacquelin De Leon

I was so thrilled to pick up a copy of this and have it signed by Alys Arden at the recent American Library Association’s Annual Conference 2022! I’d never read any Zatanna before, despite being both fascinated by the character and curiously reluctant to read any of her solo books. I figured that a modern …

Continue reading

Permanent link to this article: https://www.thefrumiousconsortium.net/2022/07/29/zatanna-the-jewel-of-gravesend-by-alys-arden-jacquelin-de-leon/

Zara’s Rules for Record-Breaking Fun by Hena Khan

with the loveliest illustrations by Wastana Haikal. Like, I’m not joking, the pictures add so much to an already really terrific story. Bapak Wastana really captures all the different multicultural generations in his line drawings, and I’m wholly in love with them. The story itself far exceeded my expectations from reading just the blurb. Zara …

Continue reading

Permanent link to this article: https://www.thefrumiousconsortium.net/2022/07/28/zaras-rules-for-record-breaking-fun-by-hena-khan/

A Psalm For The Wild-Built by Becky Chambers

Ayfkm with this Eat, Pray, Love but make it sci-fi bullshit?! I saved the Becky Chambers novella for last on my Hugo nominations reading slate because I deeply love her full-length novels, even tho I was not a fan of her last novella, To Be Taught, If Fortunate. I found that effort too serious, too …

Continue reading

Permanent link to this article: https://www.thefrumiousconsortium.net/2022/07/27/a-psalm-for-the-wild-built-by-becky-chambers-2/

The Loud House Back To School Special by The Loud House Creative Team

The Loud Family is back… and back to school! If you need a fun way to help ease your kids into the end of summer and the beginning of a new school year, then there are certainly worse ways than to hand them this collection of short comics inspired by the Nickelodeon series, revolving around …

Continue reading

Permanent link to this article: https://www.thefrumiousconsortium.net/2022/07/26/the-loud-house-back-to-school-special-by-the-loud-house-creative-team/