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Fiction Genres

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Recently, I got a brain tickle that lead to a Wikipedia search in order to learn more about fiction genres.  For instance, did you know there are eight genres of fiction? And even more sub-genres and the list grows as more subs are coined all the time.  Here's a look at the list: Core Fiction Genres🍎 Fantasy : Uses magic and other supernatural elements, often set in fictional worlds (e.g., The Lord of the Rings ). Science Fiction : Focuses on futuristic science, space travel, and advanced technology (e.g., Dune ). Mystery : Follows a detective or character trying to solve a crime or secret. Romance : Centers on a love story between characters with an optimistic ending. Thriller/Horror : Builds high tension, fear, suspense, or dark scares. Historical Fiction : Takes place during a real past time period with invented characters or events. Contemporary/Realistic Fiction : Set in modern or realistic times with events that could actually happen in real life. Westerns : Set in the ...
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The Flip Side

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As promised in last week's dispatch, I'm about to reveal three books, from my Summer Reading Challenges, that didn't quite meet my bar.  Before I drop the bomb, let me just say that because I didn't find these offerings to my liking or up to my standards, doesn't mean someone else won't.  In fact, as I've said many times, that's why reading is great - while this, that, or the other book might not have been one of my favorites doesn't mean it won't work for the next reader. Now, the explosion -  The Max Revere Series by Allison Brennan, Books 1-5, Notorious , Compulsion , Notorious , Shattered , Abandoned I've read all five books in this series over the course of a few months and rated them higher than perhaps I might have had I spent more time digesting and considering books 1-3.  I was so invested in Max's origin story I found myself riding a wave of positive feelings as I began the last two, Shattered and Abandoned.  In fact, I lingered...
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Summer Reading and Reviews

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Hello Dear Readers!   We are in the dog days of summer and with that long days, more daylight saving time, and the opportunity to read even more books. I've been trying to stay cool during these approaching 100 degree days by holing up inside, enjoying the delicious air conditioning, and reading for two, count them two, Summer Reading Challenges.  One for my local public library, which I've successfully completed and will end this coming weekend.  The other, an on-line venture, that asks the participants to read three books a month.  Easy right?  That's what I thought also, but the more pressing challenge, for me anyway, is to decide which from my towering stack of books to read.  In order to share a bit with you all from my summer reading and brag on a few of my favorites, I've compiled a list of three of my favorites.  Not to be all sunshine and roses, next week I will mention one or two for which I didn't feel the same fondness.  One, you ...
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I'm Back!

Yes, I'm back after a very long hiatus.  What, you might ask, has kept me from engaging with the reading and blogging communities?  In short, my husband and I bought a new home in February and that task has occupied all my reading, contemplating, and writing energy.  Now that things have settled down a smidge, it's time to get back to normal and back to you all.   For this first installment, I'm going with a three prong offensive; one new book, one older book and one I didn't much enjoy. You might say a "newbie, an oldie and ugh".   NEWBIE BOOK: More Than Enough by Anna Quindlen , released on February 24, 2026, Goodreads shows 3.98 stars! I received an ARC of this book from Net Galley, courtesy of Random House Publishing.  I am grateful to them and Ms. Quindlen for the opportunity to read and offer my thoughts on Quindlen’s work. Here's the set-up: “No one knows you like your book club. High school English teacher Polly Goodman can talk about ever...
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Dee Reads Goes to the Festival

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  Texas Book Festival 2025 For the fourth consecutive year, this weekend, Dee Reads will be at the Texas Book Festival in Austin.  My brother, Jay, and I will be on hand for all the 30th Anniversary activities.  Some three hundred authors will join hundreds of readers for a unique and fun-filled weekend.  Here's a look at the busy schedule . This is truly a festival like no other.  Here's a look of some of the previous years' fun. Festival 2022 Featuring the late Nelson DeMille Festival 2023 Featuring Justin Cronin and my brother Festival 2024 We're looking forward to a great weekend.  Hope to see you there.  Don't worry there will be a full report on all festival activities once we return.     HAPPY READING
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Dee's Odds and Ends

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A week ago I reviewed The Faculty Lounge , a book I found meaningful in many ways. This past Monday evening we, my brother and I, had the opportunity to hear the author, Jennifer Mathieu , speak at a library event as part of the Gulf Coast Reads .  For about an hour and a half (just the right amount of time) we were folded into the story with several side notes that helped to flesh out events and make it even more real.  Ms. Mathieu who is a 21 year veteran teacher in the Houston area based this, her first adult novel, on her own experiences teaching in the local area. So many of the back stories and insights were so vivid they made you laugh, cringe, and even get upset at times.  It was a fun-filled evening I would happily repeat.  If you get the chance to attend an author event, don't pass it up!     Just a quick note - the annual Texas Book Festival is just around the corner.  It, too, is certain to be a good time.  What more could you ask fo...
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Dee Reviews The Faculty Lounge by Jennifer Mathieu

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  Like many of my book-loving friends, I belong to a book club at my local library, the Atascocita Branch of the Harris County Public Library north of Houston .  I have been a very happy member of this group, Lit Chat , for about three years and stuck with them through changing leaders, members, and formats.  At the beginning of 2025 we decided to inject a broader base into our reading by not reading the same book each month.  Instead, we read whatever strikes our fancy, bring it and our thoughts to the next meeting for discussion.  I think this method has opened doors to a wider world of reading and discussion.  In fact, it seems to have sparked a larger attendance at our meetings.  The only time we read the same book is during the Month of October for Gulf Coast Reads , a shared reading event promoted by the public libraries in the Gulf Coast area.  This year the book is The Faculty Lounge by Jennifer Mathieu .   I don't say this ab...
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Series Reading - The Couple's Secret by Lisa Regan

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If you've been following my blogging journey at all, you've probably come to realize that I'm a big fan of the mystery/thriller genre.  It's not to say that I read this genre to the exclusion of all else, but a healthy slice of my reading pie is in that realm.  I truly enjoy being on the hunt for a solution; for the bad guy or girl, the process of solving the mystery, and the feeling of satisfaction that comes with a neat and tidy ending.  I love the challenge of pitting my crime-solving skills against our fictional detective heroes.  Sometimes I win, sometimes I'm foiled.  What really gets me invested is when a book kickstarts a story that carries our hero or heroine on through a well-written series.  One of the key elements that gets me hooked on a series is when the main character has a vivid and flawed backstory.  Sometimes it's a troubled upbringing, a drinking problem, relationship difficulties or another human frailty, but it makes the character...
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BOOK ADJACENT

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I know it's been a long time since there's been a new blog post.  Please forgive  my long absence.  I wish I had a good excuse, but "nope".  Nothing lofty, just simple laziness is the truth. So here I am.  Finally!  I hope you are too. You may remember, when I wrote about beginning a blog and what I hoped to accomplish, I mentioned things book adjacent, not strictly books or reviews.  To some extent that goal may have fallen by the wayside.  Let's pick it up with a look at some of my recent (well during the past year) "book adjacent" activities.    Let's take a walk down memory lane, not too far, just back to early March.  One Saturday afternoon found me making a thirty mile drive across Houston to join my people (fellow book lovers) at the Blue Willow Bookshop  for Silent Reading Saturday.  Intrigued?  Yep, I was too.  What I found was a beautiful independent bookstore featuring everything from bestsellers to ha...
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