Jul 17 2025
I was digging myself out from the bottom of the 270 or so emails in my inbox when I came across this press release announcing the recent death of acclaimed and accomplished author Martin Cruz Smith: ~~~~~~~ We at Simon & Schuster are saddened by the death of Martin Cruz Smith, who passed away peacefully …
Permanent link to this article: https://www.thefrumiousconsortium.net/2025/07/17/martin-cruz-smith-1942-2025/
Jul 16 2025
I have become even more time blind than usual lately, and am woefully behind on any emails that may be reminding me of voting deadlines. Nevertheless, I’m glad that I’m finally getting a chance to look at this year’s Hugo nominees, beginning, as is tradition, with Best Short Story! And, as is tradition, let’s start …
Permanent link to this article: https://www.thefrumiousconsortium.net/2025/07/16/hugo-awards-2025-best-short-story-nominees/
Jul 15 2025
So it’s weird sometimes, when I’m trying to review the first book in a series where a large part of the plot revolves around a mystery. There’s a very delicate balance that authors have to hit in order to make the book feel both satisfying for the reader and like we really need to read …
Permanent link to this article: https://www.thefrumiousconsortium.net/2025/07/15/hourglass-by-barbara-mazzi/
Jul 14 2025
Aside: this is the second zombie-related book I’ve read in a row, how odd for the middle of July! It’s Halloween and the normally quiet graveyard by Honey Hills is abuzz. Literally, as strange creatures begin to rise from the tombs and wend their winding way through town. Could these flying apparitions be… bees? But …
Permanent link to this article: https://www.thefrumiousconsortium.net/2025/07/14/the-zombees-by-justin-colon-kaly-quarles/
Jul 11 2025
Hey, I’m on Jeopardy! today. I had a really great time (as you can probably tell if you watch what is, in my entirely biased opinion, one of the best regular season episodes you’ll ever see) but it’s super cut into my reading time, unsurprisingly. So I wanted to make sure in this round-up column …
Permanent link to this article: https://www.thefrumiousconsortium.net/2025/07/11/tantalizing-tales-july-2025-part-two/
Jul 10 2025
In all earnestness, the teenaged narrator of this affecting novel desperately needs sports. A sport, any sport: even a sedentary bookworm like myself can recognize that the kid has too much energy and too few healthy outlets. The kid in question is Armie Bernal, the son of two semi-famous writers who divorced when he was …
Permanent link to this article: https://www.thefrumiousconsortium.net/2025/07/10/the-agonies-by-ben-faulkner/
Jul 09 2025
with colors by Michael E Wiggam, and letters by Simon Bowland and Charles Pritchett. When was the last time I sat down and enjoyed a teen comedy that wasn’t primarily another genre, be it mystery or romance or fantasy? Student Government has a bit of all of those, but is primarily just a warm-hearted coming-of-age …
Permanent link to this article: https://www.thefrumiousconsortium.net/2025/07/09/student-government-by-dave-justus-lilah-sturges-joe-eisma/
Jul 08 2025
Hello, readers! I have a treat for you today especially if you, like me, could use a little more romance in your lives. I’m so pleased to be able to offer you an excerpt from Ellie K Wilde’s latest novel Only Between Us, a highly-anticipated, steamy and whip-smart romance set in the world of Oakwood …
Permanent link to this article: https://www.thefrumiousconsortium.net/2025/07/08/only-between-us-by-ellie-k-wilde-excerpt/
Jul 07 2025
The midpoint of the year has come and gone, and here we are, looking forward and back on a specially scheduled day to showcase what’s just come out and what we’re looking forward to next! Top of the pile is Martha Grimes’ latest Richard Jury novel, The Red Queen. This twenty-sixth novel in a series …
Permanent link to this article: https://www.thefrumiousconsortium.net/2025/07/07/tantalizing-tales-july-2025-part-one/
Jul 02 2025
Hello, dear readers! We have an excerpt from a retelling of a tale out of legend for you today, a surefire treat for fans of Ancient Briton. As the third book of Giles Kristian’s Arthurian Tales begins, the Saxons are now the lords of Britain. Yet the bards still sing of Arthur: In our darkest …
Permanent link to this article: https://www.thefrumiousconsortium.net/2025/07/02/arthur-by-giles-kristian-excerpt/
Al Singh
Doug Merrill
Doreen Sheridan
Emily Lauer
John Pitzel
Lars N. Goldschlager
Laura Eilers
Professor X
Robert Maedgen
Sylvere Ap Leanan
The Shire