Review — The Official Stardew Valley Cookbook by ConcernedApe and Ryan Novak

A picnic on a checked blanket witha farmhouse in the background. The Official Stardew Valley Cookbook
By: ConcernedApe and Ryan Novak
Release Date: May 14, 2024
Publisher: Random House Worlds
Rating:


Cookbooks are more than just their recipes, and The Official Stardew Valley Cookbook certainly has a whole lot of packed into a trim 192-page package. This cookbook is an official cookbook based on the beloved farming-sim game Stardew Valley and is co-authored by Ryan Novak and the video game’s creator ConcernedApe.

Review — The Missing Word by Concita De Gregorio

Two fall leaves against a pink background with cracks running through the picture, making it look like a broken window The Missing Word
By: Concita De Gregorio
Release Date: July 5,2022
Publisher: Europa Editions
Rating:


One of the best explorations of grief, possibly ever written, is Concita De Gregorio’s The Missing Word. Originally written in Italian and translated into English by the fantastic Clarissa Botsford, The Missing Word is the true story of a woman whose two young daughters disappear, never to be seen again. It is a story of desperation and grief, told with all the urgency of a psychological thriller. It is a story that will rip your whole soul right out of your chest, laying everything bare for all to see. And it is a story that I cannot recommend enough.

Review — Cosplay: A History by Andrew Liptak

Front cover of the book Cosplay: A HIstory by Andrew Liptak Cosplay: A History: The Builders, Fans, and Makers Who Bring Your Favorite Stories To Life
By: Andrew Liptak
Release Date: June 28, 2022
Publisher: Saga Press
Received From: Publisher
(All reviews are our own, honest opinions.)
Rating:


Andrew Liptak’s newest work is an incredibly comprehensive, momentous celebration and history of cosplay. Cosplay: A History: The Builders, Fans, and Makers Who Bring Your Favorite Stories to Life is a beautifully realized history of cosplay, largely from the gaze of the science fiction community in the US.

Review — The Red Menace: How Lipstick Changed the Face of American History by Ilise S. Carter

The Red Menace: How Lipstick Changed the Face of American History
By: Ilise S. Carter
Release Date: November 15, 2021
Publisher: Prometheus Books
Rating:


Ilise S. Carter, freelance cosmetics and beauty writer, examines how lipstick in particular and cosmetics at large have influences the changing tides of American history in The Red Menace: How Lipstick Changed the Face of American History.

Review — An Atlas of Extinct Countries by Gideon Defoe

An Atlas of Extinct Countries
By: Gideon Defoe
Release Date: September 3, 2020
Publisher: Europa Editions
Received From: Publisher
(All reviews are our own, honest opinions.)
Rating:


Gideon Defoe brings the life and death of countries that are no more into the hands of readers in a compact volume now available in paperback. Forty-eight countries are outlined in three to five pages, each of which includes a map and some quick statistics.

Review – The Moe Manifesto: An Insider’s Look at the Worlds of Manga, Anime, and Gaming by Patrick W. Galbraith

The Moe Manifesto The Moe Manifesto: An Insider’s Look at the Worlds of Manga, Anime, and Gaming
By: Patrick W. Galbraith
Release Date: June 24, 2014
Publisher: Tuttle Publishing
Rating:


If a look at moe and anime culture is something you’re interested in, The Moe Manifesto: An Insider’s Look at the Worlds of Manga, Anime, and Gaming by Patrick W. Galbraith is book you’ll want to flip through. Galbraith holds a PhD in Information Studies while pursuing a second PhD in Cultural Anthropology. Several other anime and manga nonfiction books have been authored by him as well.

Review- I’ll Be Gone in the Dark: One Woman’s Obsessive Search for the Golden State Killer

I'll Be Gone in the Dark: One Woman's Obsessive Search for the Golden State Killer
By: Michelle McNamara
Website: http://truecrimediary.com/index.cfm?page=about
Release Date: February 27th, 2018
Publisher: Harper
Award: Goodreads Choice Award for Nonfiction (2018)
Rating:


Yes, I’m breaking more standards on our lovely blog to talk about true crime again. This story, however, has some twists and turns as it does focus on the author’s obsession for finding answers about the Golden State Killer.

Review- Stay Sexy & Don’t Get Murdered: The Definitive How-To Guide

Stay Sexy & Don't Get Murdered: The Definitive How-To Guide
By: Karen Kilgariff, Georgia Hardstark
Website: https://myfavoritemurder.com/
Release Date: May 28th, 2019
Publisher: Forge Books
Rating:


I am the first person to admit that my obsession with true crime is a bit extreme and that my love of all things mystery, murder and crime is probably not the best thing for my psyche at time but, hey, it’s my thing. Apparently it is many other people’s “thing” as well seeing as how popular the podcast by the two authors has become and how they published a book about their lives. This isn’t the normal book you’ll see on our blog but as it was one of my most looked forward to and important reads of 2019 here I am reviewing it. Okay? Let’s dive in.

Review – The Psychology of Zelda by Anthony M. Bean

The Psychology of Zelda The Psychology of Zelda
By: Anthony M. Bean (editor)
Release Date: February 19, 2019
Publisher: Smart Pop
Received From: Publisher
(All reviews are our own, honest opinions.)
Rating:


The Psychology of Zelda, compiled by editor Anthony M. Bean, is a nonfiction novel about the beloved Legend of Zelda series and how psychology is utilized throughout the franchise. Each chapter is a separate article by a different author, many of whom are currently researching different aspects of video games.

Review – Lingua Cosmica: Science Fiction from Around the World

Lingua Cosmica: Science Fiction from Around the World
By: Dale Knickerbocker (editor)
Release Date: June 4, 2018
Publisher: University of Illinois Press
Received From: Publisher
(All reviews are our own, honest opinions.)
Rating:


Lingua Cosmica: Science Fiction from Around the World is an academic book. This isn’t a novel or even a generic non-fiction title. This is a book by academics about science fiction writers from countries other than the United States. These authors are giants of the genre, the sort of authors whose works change science fiction in that region.