★★★☆☆ The second book in Andrew Mayne’s Jessica Blackwood series, Name of the Devil has Jessica investigating the explosion of a small town West Virginia church where the congregation appears to have vanished into thin air.
Author: Flash Mama
The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller
★★★☆☆ In Madeline Miller’s retelling of the Iliad, we see the story of the great Greek warrior, Achilles through the eyes of his friend Patroclus. After being exiled from his homeland, a young Patroclus meets Achilles. We follow Patroclus and Achilles as they grow up, train together, and ultimately, join the quest to capture Troy in honor of the kidnapped Helen of Sparta.
Angel Killer by Andrew Mayne
★★★★☆ Angel Killer has a highly original premise, which is hard to find these days in the crime thriller genre. Just when it seemed like everything has been done and overdone in fiction books about the FBI investigating a serial killer, Andrew Mayne pulls a rabbit out of his hat with this fantastic read.
Not Nice by Aziz Gazipura
★★★★☆ There is such a thing as being too nice. And, according to the author of Not Nice, if you’re someone who is plagued with too much niceness, it is causing you misery in the form of mental anguish and physical pain. In fact, he goes as far as to say your niceness is making … Continue reading Not Nice by Aziz Gazipura
Behind the Curtains at the House of Busatti Headquarters
One of the most inspiring things you can do as an artist is to develop an understanding of and appreciation for the process behind creative pursuits outside of your own field. From analyzing the colors to appreciating the techniques, there is always something new you can take away from experiencing art from different kinds of creators and makers.
The Naturalist by Andrew Mayne
★★★☆☆ Theo Cray, a socially awkward computational biologist, is a suspect in the murder of a former student found dead in the Montana woods. Cray is released once local authorities find evidence that she was mauled by a bear, but he keeps inserting himself into the case and starts making connections to other disappearances.
Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing by Matthew Perry
★★★★☆ I am a huge Friends fan. I loved the show so much that I somehow managed to turn it into the subject of my undergraduate research project in college. The sarcastic Chandler Bing, played by Matthew Perry, was my favorite character on the show.
The Black Velvet Dress by J.E. Clarkson
★★★★★ Women know there’s something magical about finding the right little black dress. But, what happens when the little black dress finds you? J.E. Clarkson’s eerie, 26-page short story revolves around this concept.
Nine Lives by Peter Swanson
★★★☆☆ In this thriller, nine strangers receive a list in the mail with their names and those of eight others. One of the individuals named on the list is a detective and starts becoming concerned the list is a hit list of some sort. And, then these seemingly unconnected people on the list start dying in random ways.
Rocky Mount Mills
In a tradition that harkens back to our dating days, my husband and I have enjoyed many spontaneous day trips over the years. Our most recent trip was to Rocky Mount Mills, a former cotton mill located on the banks of the Falls of the Tar River. My husband had heard about the site from … Continue reading Rocky Mount Mills