Book Reviews

By Jenn Marie Thorne
10/4/22
288 pages
$26.99
Tor Nightfire

‘Lute’

Americans becoming European aristocrats is not a new trope; it’s been done throughout literature in a number of different ways. In this lovely, spooky, beautifully written debut, that common plot is twisted and filled with a delicious foreboding.

Nina is an American who falls in love with a British lord on a cruise and is whisked away to a small, delightful island called Lute, where she is able to make not only a home but a family. The idyllic paradise of the island, however, holds a terrifying secret, as every seven years, seven people are sacrificed. This loss secures guaranteed prosperity for the inhabitants, including Nina’s husband for another seven years. The grief and moral conflict of this ritual forms a deep sense of dread throughout the short novel that stuck with me long after I finished the story.

Asking intriguing questions about who we are born to be, who we choose to become, and the terrible prices paid along the way, this was a gripping horror story that made me think. It is perfect for fans of lighter, literary horror. ♦  — Review by Julie Goodrich

By Neil deGrasse Tyson
9/20/22
288 pages
$28.99
Henry Holt and Co.

‘Starry Messenger: Cosmic Perspectives on Civilization’

I’m a science nerd with a starry-eyed, wistful side — an odd combination to be sure. How incredible is it to find that one of my favorite science personalities has a little of that himself? In this small but vastly-scoped book, Neil deGrasse Tyson takes his cosmic view of the world and applies it to small, more Earth-based problems and concerns. His unique, dazzling perspective makes for a series of essays and interconnected observations that enthralled as much as they made me question so many things I thought I knew.

Tyson touches on a wide array of topics and aspects of humanity from a purely scientific view, while still carrying a thread of the humor and humanity that is his trademark. Interspersed are his own observations and personal stories that illuminate not only the science but also the beauty and tragedy that is the human experience. 

This is a book for anyone looking for a trusted guide to some of the thorniest issues facing our society today from justice to climate to politics. There’s a place for science and a place for hope, and there’s no better guide to that perspective than Neil deGrasse Tyson. ♦ — Review by Julie Goodrich