Nov 21 2025

Tantalizing Tales — November 2025 — Part Two

(assuming you count last week’s Gift Guide as its own separate beast, which I’m choosing to do here!)

Is anyone else taking advantage of the pre-Black Friday sales? Or are you being stubborn like me and choosing to wait till the day itself in case there are really good deals, literally or figuratively, lying in store for us? Regardless, keep this next selection top of your shopping list! I adored the first book in Vanessa Kelly’s Emma Knightley mystery series and am only sorry that the sequel didn’t come in time for me to secure a place for it on my review list.

That said, if Murder At Donwell Abbey is even half as good as Murder At Highbury, then readers are in for a treat indeed. Ms Kelly reimagines Jane Austen’s Emma Woodhouse as an amateur sleuth who must solve the murders she keeps coming across now that she’s happily settled down with her husband George. Unfortunately for her ongoing peace of mind, someone else in her immediate family is looking to get settled as well, in this second book of the series. To Emma’s less-than-delight, her hypochondriac father announces his engagement to, of all people, Miss Hetty Bates.

But something even worse than domestic mismatch happens when Emma’s hardworking lady’s maid Prudence is found dead, presumably from an accidental fall. Emma, however, suspects that something far more sinister is afoot. In her pursuit of justice for Prudence, will she put her own life at risk?

Emma is, perhaps weirdly, my favorite of Jane Austen’s heroines, as I’ve slowly come to accept and appreciate the similarities between us. I love what Ms Kelly has done with her and with the entire world in which she lives, extrapolating fairly from the original book for entertainment that is at once riveting and convincing. And honestly, of all the Austen heroines we know, who but clever and meddlesome Emma would be best suited to succeed at amateur sleuthing?

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Nov 20 2025

The Spiritual Meaning Of Birds Oracle Deck by Arin Murphy-Hiscock

Can’t decide whether it’s better or worse for me to review this deck this week rather than next, which contains the US’ foremost holiday nicknamed for a bird, lol.

Regardless, it was nice to be able to finally get this deck to the top of my queue. While I originally received it in May, my review backlog has been sheer nonsense. That delay did, however, give me time to not only better vibe with the deck but also to compare the readings I did when I first got it with the readings I did last night, paired as well with a Tarot deck (but more on that later.)

I’ll admit that my first impression of this deck was not the greatest. Perhaps it was just the readings I got from it originally, but it seemed hyper-focused on domestic issues, as if this was the perfect deck for the sedate and home-loving. Tho I suppose that that is the kind of person who is the target audience for a deck about the Spiritual Meaning of Birds, particularly when the majority of said birds are the kind most commonly encountered in North America and Europe.

And there’s nothing wrong with that, especially since the illustrations are primarily Audobon-based. This is a very tastefully illustrated deck, from the green and white card backs to the beautiful renditions of birds and plant life throughout the deck and its accompanying guidebook. The deck itself is sturdy and oversized: while I generally prefer my oracle cards closer to Tarot-sized, I didn’t find this deck so large as to be unwieldy. The cards shuffle nicely and aren’t too slippery, tho have a tendency to bend when left on their own. That doesn’t bother me, but I’ve heard enough grousing about decks not lying flat from others to feel that it warrants mentioning in this review.

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Nov 19 2025

Are You A Friend Of Dorothy? by Kyle Lukoff & Levi Hastings

subtitled The True Story of an Imaginary Woman and the Real People She Helped.

Hand to God, I did not know that the Dorothy of this saying wasn’t a real person! I always assumed it was an allusion to Dorothy Gale, the heroine of The Wizard Of Oz so iconically portrayed by Judy Garland in the seminal 1939 movie. Ms Garland herself was a gay icon and ally, while the role of Dorothy — someone who was able to escape her repressive black and white life for a Technicolor world with people who understood her — has spoken to queer people ever since her screen debut.

But the “Dorothy” of Are You A Friend of same is much more complex than that, as this vividly illustrated picture book shows us. Despite allusions to both the fictional Dorothy Gale and the very real Dorothy Parker, the Dorothy of this saying was really just a codeword that helped gay people find community in places that were often hostile, if not worse, to their very existence. Kyle Lukoff relates the 20th century (and beyond) history of queer existence and acceptance in language that’s clear and accessible for advancing readers, and makes the hunt for Dorothy feel as gripping as a spy thriller — which it occasionally was!

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Permanent link to this article: https://www.thefrumiousconsortium.net/2025/11/19/are-you-a-friend-of-dorothy-by-kyle-lukoff-levi-hastings/

Nov 18 2025

Exo by Colin Brush (EXCERPT)

Hello, dear readers! Today, we have a thrilling excerpt for you from a debut novel that expertly melds a future Earth devastated by climate change with a compelling murder mystery, featuring an octogenarian sleuth.

Our heroine Mae Jameson is no Miss Marple tho. Thirty years ago, she returned to a hostile Earth, determined to find a former lover. Now she ekes out a living on a planet that has turned against humanity, its oceans having turned into an annihilating liquid entity known as The Caul. Every living creature approaching its shores is irresistibly compelled to enter. . . and is never seen again. Scientists, some of the few inhabitants left, work in facilities seeking to understand and stop the Caul, and perhaps pave the way for humanity’s return from the orbital habitats and moon colonies where they presently live in exile.

Carl Magellan is a rogue scientist whose obsession with The Caul outstrips what others might consider both sense and decency. When Mae discovers his notes on the origins of the killer oceans, she’s plunged deep into the heart of a dangerous conspiracy. Someone believes that they can use the secret of the Caul to shape humanity’s future, and they aren’t afraid to kill to keep control of it.

Read on for a glimpse into Mae’s life, as her past and present collide before plunging her into a mystery perhaps only she is uniquely equipped to solve!

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Nov 17 2025

Love Languages by James Albon

This tender depiction of love and how it can help transcend the barriers of language is a wonderful slow-burn romance that feels almost autobiographical — even if some of the slow burn means that the romance itself doesn’t feel so much felt as described.

But that’s almost to be expected in a book centered on words and language barriers. James Albon does a phenomenal job of describing, as perhaps only a graphic novelist can, the rivers of words that swirl around lonely, awkward expatriates trying to make connections in foreign countries. His main characters, Sarah and Ping, feel somewhat like islands isolated in the stream of camaraderie forged by those who do share fluency. The way they come together is heartwarming, and a lovely ode to the power of love to bridge all obstacles.

Sarah has a vaguely described but well-remunerated job in Paris, where she’s moved to from London. She’s always been a bit of a loner, but the college bro vibe of her department doesn’t help her make friends, especially as they’re assigned increasingly ridiculous and futile tasks to salvage the company’s reputation. She spends her time when not at work trying to learn French and roaming the streets of Paris, battling her feelings of isolation by desperately reminding herself that she probably just needs to try harder.

After an unpleasant encounter with a duo of street mimes, she’s approached by Ping, another young woman pushing a stroller with a baby in it. Ping is sympathetic, despite not having much French or English. She is, however, fluent in Cantonese, being from Hong Kong. The two women slowly build up a friendship as they work at understanding each other’s languages, and eventually build up to something more.

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Nov 16 2025

What Feasts at Night by T. Kingfisher

What Feasts at Night by T. Kingfisher

The problem with telling a story, of course, is that you already know that I’m telling you about something significant that happened. It’s not as if we sat down together and you said, “Alex,” tell me a tale where you had a pleasant trip to your homeland and the worst menace you faced was the amount of paprika the Widow put in the sausages.” No, you wanted a proper hair-raiser and here I am, trying to tell you one, whoever you are. (p. 69)

Alex Easton, sworn soldier of Gallacia and first-person narrator of What Feasts as Night as well as What Moves the Dead, delivers that meditation about halfway through the novella, when they are well past the unpleasant trip part and my hairs, at least, were rising in alarm.

Easton and their* batsman Angus have left the delights of Paris for the dank, dark days of a rural Gallacian autumn. Miss Eugenia Potter, an Englishwoman and noted mycologist who attracts adjectives like “redoubtable,” provided crucial advice and support during the events chronicled in What Moves the Dead. The climate of Gallacia being particularly suitable for many types of fungus, Easton has offered Miss Potter the use of a family hunting lodge as a base for a period of research. Angus and Easton have come back from Paris to serve as translators and cultural interpreters. One problem has already arisen even before any of them arrive.

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Permanent link to this article: https://www.thefrumiousconsortium.net/2025/11/16/what-feasts-at-night-by-t-kingfisher/

Nov 14 2025

Tantalizing Tales — Holiday Gift Guide Edition

Is it too early to start making lists for holiday gift-giving? Not if you’re a planner like I am! And let’s be honest, I just keep a perpetual year-round list that I add and subtract from as occasions come and go. I do strongly believe that good gift-giving is an art, and that one should Be Prepared. Why yes, I was a Girl Scout, why do you ask?

Anyway, in the spirit of giving, here are some really great collections and books to keep in mind with the holiday season and massive sales just on the horizon!

First up is Mindworks, a fascinating compendium of speculative short fiction from celebrated author Neal Shusterman. Perfect for any fan of both the author himself and of quality science fiction and fantasy writing, this volume contains nearly all of his published shorter work to date. Whether dealing with a pizza delivery from the underworld or a time-warping attic, a dolphin with lofty ambitions or a hot tub with something monstrous lurking just beneath the bubbles, there are plenty of inventive, thought-provoking stories perfect for fans of Black Mirror or The Twilight Zone. There are also four brand new stories included, two of which are set in his bestselling Arc Of A Scythe universe.

To add to your gift-giving options, Mindworks will be publishing on November 18th in three simultaneous first editions. There’s a standard hardback edition and a deluxe paperback which, in this printing, will come with stained and stenciled edges, as well as French flaps. There’s also a limited edition deluxe hardback that comes with slipcase, ribbon marker and stenciled, sprayed edges. Each volume of this collector’s edition is also signed and numbered by the author himself!

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Permanent link to this article: https://www.thefrumiousconsortium.net/2025/11/14/tantalizing-tales-holiday-gift-guide-edition/

Nov 13 2025

The Paper Bridge by Joelle Veyranc & Seng Soun Ratanavanh

translated into English from the original French by Katy Lockwood-Holmes.

What a gorgeous, glorious book! I’ve been so bowled over by the art in children’s books of recent years, but this may be by far the best illustrated picture book I’ve ever had the privilege of reading.

Most of the credit goes, ofc, to Seng Soun Ratanavanh. She uses watercolors on paper and cardboard before applying the traditions of kirigami and photography to build her images, to absolutely stunning effect. The story helps tremendously, as both it and the illustrations fuse to create the perfect piece of art.

That story is the tale of two communities in opposition, who learn how to get along due to the pluck and ingenuity of young Anya. The inhabitants of Paperlee Village live a simple life despite everything in their town, including themselves, being made of paper. When strong winds begin arriving out of season, the villagers begin to worry. They’re used to accommodating for inclement weather, but winds year-round would devastate their livelihoods and very lives.

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Nov 12 2025

Mapping The Interior by Stephen Graham Jones

Extremely happy I could finally fit in some thematic reading for National Native American Heritage Month, especially with Emily beating me to it with her terrific review of the Turtle Island cookbook!

And in a not insignificant way, Mapping The Interior reminded me very much of a shorter, scarier and way darker version of one of my favorite books by a Native American writer, Tommy Orange’s There There (tho MtI was published in its original form the year before TT. This review is of the latest edition of MtI, published earlier this year.) Both books share in common a wonderfully sprawling presentation of time and the experience of life as a series of connections, tho MtI injects the element of supernatural horror for an even more heart-wrenching take on family ties and generational trauma.

Junior lives with his mom and younger brother Dino in a modular home on the flatlands. Mom moved them there because she said she wanted a better life for them than they could find on the reservation, where Junior’s father tragically died not long before Mom packed them up and left. Despite her best intentions and efforts tho, life is still hard for their small family of three. Dino has a learning disability and is failing to thrive, tho Junior does everything he can to protect his little brother from bullies on the bus and at school.

When Junior spies a shadowy figure moving through their home at night, he’s convinced that it’s their dead father. But how did their dad get here, all these miles away from the rez, in a place he’s never seen before? Perhaps more importantly, what does he want with them now?

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Permanent link to this article: https://www.thefrumiousconsortium.net/2025/11/12/mapping-the-interior-by-stephen-graham-jones/

Nov 11 2025

The Tutor by Courtney Psak (EXCERPT)

Hello, dear readers! Today we have a taste of a domestic thriller set in one of the wealthiest neighborhoods of Florida. Told from the points of view of three generations of women, The Tutor is a novel about the dark side of privilege, the long shadow of family, and how far some women will go to protect who and what they love. It unpacks legacy, motherhood and identity in one gripping read.

Rose is a dedicated wife to her husband Grant, and devoted mother to her son James. Having recently moved to a grand mansion in glamorous Palm Beach, Rose is keen to do whatever she can to help James fit in to his new life.

As part of these efforts, she hires a tutor to help James with his academics. Isabel is young, smart and beautiful. Not only does she get along with James, she gets results. But when Isabel starts getting a little too close for comfort, Rose can’t help but think that Isabel is looking for more than just tutoring. Can Rose uncover exactly whom she’s let into her house, or will this turn out to be an irrevocably deadly lesson?

Read on for a tantalizing preview from the point of view of our main protagonist Rose, as she tries to settle into her new life, with all its attendant guilt:

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