Tag Archives: love stories

The Love Song of Miss Queenie Hennessy

Posted on April 6, 2026 by smellincoffee

The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry by Rachel Joyce was one of my favorite books of 2024, and I’ve been meaning to read its sequel for some time now. I thought Read of England as appropriate an occasion as any. … Continue reading →

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The People on Platform 5

Posted on April 2, 2026 by smellincoffee

You don’t talk to the people on the platform, or on the train. You sit in silence, lost in your headphones or your phone or even a book. But what happens when the man sitting opposite you suddenly begins choking … Continue reading →

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The Authenticity Project

Posted on March 30, 2026 by smellincoffee

Imagine, dear reader, that you encountered an obviously abandoned composition notebook in a cafe or library, and picked it up to find an invitation to tell your darkest secrets and fears. What would you say? That’s the premise of The … Continue reading →

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The Great Gatsby: Dramatized

Posted on January 9, 2026 by smellincoffee

As ifThe Great Gatsby needed more drama! LA Theater Works’ The Great Gatsby is a condensed audio adaptation (2 hours) of Fitzgerald’s original that focuses primarily on the relationships between Nick Carraway, Jay Gatsby, Jordan Baker, Tom Buchanan, and — … Continue reading →

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Strange Weather in Tokyo

Posted on January 3, 2025 by smellincoffee

There’s no resisting that cover! Tsukiko is a young woman on the cusp of middle age, not far from sailing into her forties. One night at her local sake bar, she puts in a order for snacks and hears an … Continue reading →

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Frank and Red and Arthur and Maddy and —

Posted on December 20, 2024 by smellincoffee

This week I’ve read three books about lonely old men finding connection. I already posted a review for The Borrowed Life of Frederick Fife, but here are two more. They were both absolutely lovely, and featured friendships and connection across … Continue reading →

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The Borrowed Life of Frederick Fife

Posted on December 17, 2024 by smellincoffee

Frederick Fife is a warm-hearted old soul who’s something of the polar opposite of say, Ebeneezer Scrooge: he has the milk of human kindness in every vein and flowing out of his ears, but he’s penniless and soon to be … Continue reading →

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Firefly: Lifesigns + SciFi Prompt 7

Posted on November 7, 2024 by smellincoffee

SciFi Month prompt #7 is, “What’s your favorite SF book read in the last year”, which is easy: Influx by Daniel Suarez. The ending was too “make this a movie, you guys, Michael Bay will make it EPIC”, but the … Continue reading →

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A Prophet Without Honor

Posted on September 30, 2024 by smellincoffee

A Prophet Without Honor without a doubt one of the more interesting alt-history novels I have ever read, in part because it is told not through a straight narrative, but via a collection of excerpts from letters, journals, telegrams, and … Continue reading →

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The Secret Life of Albert Entwhistle

Posted on September 26, 2024 by smellincoffee

Albert Entwhistle has had the same routine for years: he goes to work, making his rounds as the village postman while carefully avoids any prolonged conversation, and then he goes home to spend the evening watching TV with his cat … Continue reading →

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