The Irresponsible Reader - I Read (a lot) and then Rant, Rave and maybe Review

WWW Wednesday—August 26, 2026

On August 26, 2026

In Books, Currently Reading, News/Misc., WWW Wednesday

I don’t have much to say, really. But it’s National Dog Day (as I posted about earlier), so why I don’t I share a picture of the girls that steal my spot on the bed, demand more than their share of my food, drive me nuts by barking at nothing, and generally make my life better every day.

Dog #2 Dog #2

This meme was formerly hosted by MizB at A Daily Rhythm and revived on Taking on a World of Words—and shown to me by Aurore-Anne-Chehoke at Diary-of-a-black-city-girl.

The Three Ws are:
What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you’ll read next?

Seems easy enough, right? Let’s take a peek at this week’s answers:

What are you currently reading?


The Killer’s Mark by M.W. Craven	Parks and Rec: The Underdog TV Show That Lit’rally Inspired a Vision for a Better America by Jennifer Keishin Armstrong	The Road to Tender Hearts by Annie Hartnett, read by Mark Bramhall

There’s knowing before you start that you’re almost certainly going to love a new M.W. Craven book. Then there’s actdually getting to experience it. The latter is far, far better. I considered not going back to work tomorrow after starting The Killer’s Mark at lunch.

Am enjoying Armstrong’s look at Parks and Recreation, and the antepenultimate chapter (that I read last night) is better than the previous chapters combined.

Oh, I’m liking Hartnett’s latest far more than I expected to. I’m not that far off from the landing, and she seems to be sticking it. Bramhall’s narration is top-notch, too.

What did you recently finish reading?


Wool by Hugh Howey	Ms. Mebel Goes Back to the Chopping Block by Jesse Q. Sutanto, read by Eunice Wong

Wool was everything you want in a dystopian novel. I’m not sure I was in the right mood for a dystopian novel, however.

Sutanto’s latest has all the heart and verve you expect. Some good laughs, too.

What do you think you’ll read next?


Everybody Wants to Rule the World Except Me by Django Wexler	The Politician by Tim Sullivan, read by Finlay Robertson

I’ll be closing out my 20 Books of Summer and the Dark Lord Davi duology with my next read. Looking forward to both.

It’s time for the next DS Cross novel, and I’m eager for that, too.

We’re in the last stretch of August. How’s your month’s reading been?

These Dog Days Aren’t Over

By HCNewton

On August 26, 2026

In Books, Dogs, Fiction, News/Misc., Non-Fiction

(Updated and Revised 8/26/26)

It’s National Dog Day, the annual celebration of “all dogs, mixed breed and pure. Our mission is to help galvanize the public to recognize the number of dogs that need to be rescued each year and acknowledge family dogs and dogs that work selflessly each day to save lives, keep us safe and bring comfort.” So it seemed like a good day to post another version of this. And yes, I rushed to post a couple of things yesterday so I’d have them for this 🙂

the text 'These Dog Days Aren't Over' over a series of pictures of dogs This was a hard post to come up with a name for‡. Essentially, this post came from a comment not too long ago about being hesitant to read books about animals if the reader doesn’t know if they survive the book. I get that, I absolutely do. I still bear the scars of Where the Red Fern Grows and Marley and Me (sure, that wasn’t that long ago, but the wound still stings). So, for readers like my correspondent, here are some perfectly safe books prominently featuring dogs!

I plan on updating this regularly at least annually, perhaps more often. So by all means, chime in with comments about Dogs I’ve forgotten about/haven’t encountered yet!

Non-Fiction

bullet Life Lessons by Titan as told to Melaney Taylor Auxier—accompanied by photos of this very good boy, Titan teaches some life lessons. He teaches about friends, making mistakes, eating well, being grateful, that sort of thing. (my post about it)
bullet The Particulars of Peter by Kelly Conaboy—this is a collection of humorous essays giving Conaboy the opportunity to rave about her dog, Peter. In her eyes, Peter is a perfect dog, and as you read this, you’ll be tempted to agree. (my post about it)
bullet Olive, Mabel & Me by Andrew Cotter—Cotter’s charming book describes his life with the two dogs that rocketed to international stardom (and brought him along). (my post about it)
bullet My Life as a Dog by L. A. Davenport—Davenport’s short little book about the relationship between the author and his dog, Kevin, a black and tan, pure-bred dachshund. It focuses on what the two of them did over two days and then a weekend selected from the years they spent together. (my post about it)
bullet Dogtology: Live. Bark. Believe. by Jeff Lazarus—Humans are so obsessed with their dogs, we’ve devoted so much time, energy, and work into them that it’s become a religion, with humans essentially worshiping their pets. This book is a look at that devotion and the rituals and beliefs that accompany it. It’s technically humor, but a lot of it seems pretty on-target. (my post about it)
bullet What the Dog Knows: The Science and Wonder of Working Dogs by Cat Warren—Warren basically covers three topics: there’s the science and history of using working dogs (of all sorts of breeds, not to mention pigs(!), birds, and even cats) to find cadavers, drugs, bombs, etc.; there’s the memoir of her involvement with cadaver dogs via her German Shepherd, Solo; and anecdotes of other cadaver dogs and trainers that she’s encountered/learned from/watched in action. (my post about it)
bullet What the Dog Knows Young Readers Edition by Cat Warren, Patricia J. Wynne—The above book adjusted for younger readers, with some great illustrations. It’s not dumbed-down, just adjusted. (my post about it)

Fiction

bullet All the Best Dogs by Emily Jenkins—A great MG novel about a bunch of kids and their dogs who interact at a dog park. (my post about it and its opening paragraphs)
bullet Fancy Dogs by Tini Malina, Tammi Reichel (Translator)—a Picture Book gives a peek behind the curtain of the lives of a “fancy dog”? And are they just as silly and mischief-bound as their lower-class cousins? (short answer: yes) (my posts about it)
bullet Frida, The Good Dog by Daniel J Breen, Jeff Ross (Illustrator)—this is a cute picture book about a very good dog named Frida (that was self-evident, I guess). It’s a quick and adorable read.
bullet Mace Reid K-9 Mystery series by Jeffrey B. Burton—A Dog Trainer/Cadaver Dog Handler and his dogs get involved in serial killer cases. Warning: Like many heroes in action novels, most of Mace’s dogs get beat up/injured. Some pretty badly. (my posts about it)
bullet Suspect by Robert Crais—One of my all-favorite books, a cop with PTSD gets assigned to the K-9 Unit and works with a dog fresh from Afghanistan combat. (my post about it) The pair also plays a major role in The Promise.
bullet Sharp Investigations by E.N. Crane—A series of comic investigations about an Ex-MP and her K-9 partner in Ohio. Both are pretty skilled and are walking disasters at the same time. (my posts about them)
bullet Pug Actually by Matt Dunn—Doug, a loyal pug, plays cupid for his owner. This is a cute rom-com with a charming canine narrator. (my post about it)
bullet Stepdog by Nicole Galland—A love story where the major impediment to happily ever after is her dog (a gift from her ex). (my post about it)
bullet Milton Makes a Move by Jonathan Graziano, Dan Tavis (Illustrator)—an adorable Picture Book following Milton as he travels to a new country to start a life with his new person and gets up to all sorts of adventures. (my post about it)
bullet Noodle Conquers Comfy Mountain by Jonathan Graziano, Dan Tavis (Illustrator)—This picture book is about Noodle’s search for a place to spend the day where he can have all his needs met: to be able to smell nice smells, see his Jonathan, watch for a snacking opportunity (or several), and—most importantly—feel comfy. Impossible to not like. (my post about it)
bullet Noodle and the No Bones Day by Jonathan Graziano, Dan Tavis (Illustrator)—This picture book relates the origin of the Internet Craze and the wonderful, photogenic pug behind it. (my post about it)
bullet Kay-9: The Robot Dog by J.M. Gulmire—maybe doesn’t belong on this list (see: “Robot”), but it’s too cute to leave off on a technicality. What’s an inventive boy to do when his very supportive mother won’t let him get a dog because she’s horribly allergic? Why, build one with an incredibly lifelike AI. Obviously. (my posts about it)
bullet Oberon’s Meaty Mysteries by Kevin Hearne (Audiobooks narrated by Luke Daniels)—Oberon, the scene-stealing Irish Wolfhound from The Iron Druid Chronicles narrates this series of novellas (my posts about it)
bullet Double Dog Dare by Dave Kellett—a wonderful collection of comic strips from the long-running webcomic Sheldon (www.SheldonComics.com) focused on dog humor. Most of them focus on Sheldon’s Dog, Oso the Pug and his friend Digby the Dachshund. (my post about it)
bullet Neah Bay series by Owen Laukkanen—Lucy is a dog who is trained by prisoner Mason Burke, who has to track her down when he gets out. She’s a service dog for Marine Vet Jess Winslow. Lucy connects the two humans in her life and helps to keep them safe when a corrupt deputy comes after Jess. (my post about it)
bullet Pupposites Attract 1 by Hono Natsuna, Matt Trayvaud (translator)—This manga is the story about the beginning of a relationship—two really. Boy walking dog meets girl walking dog. The dogs (one very small, one very large) become good friends and their humans? Well, something starts between them, too. It’s as cute as you can imagine. (my post about it)
bullet I Thought You Were Dead by Pete Nelson—I’m not sure how to sum this one up in a sentence. It’s a pretty typical novel about a troubled writer with a romantic life and family in shambles. But his dog is the thing that makes all the difference. (my post about it)
bullet Chet and Bernie books by Spencer Quinn—Bernie Little is a PI in Phoenix. Chet’s his four-legged partner and the series narrator. It’s too much fun to miss. (my posts about it)
bullet The Right Side by Spencer Quinn—”a deeply damaged female soldier home from the war in Afghanistan becomes obsessed with finding a missing girl, gains an unlikely ally in a stray dog, and encounters new perils beyond the combat zone.” (my post about it)
bullet Woof by Spencer Quinn—The beginning of an MG series about a with a penchant for trouble and her dog. (my post about it)
bullet A Tail of Mystery by Paul Regnier—this is the first novel in a series about a journalist who moves back to his small hometown, develops the ability to communicate with his dog, and starts solving cozy murders. No, really. It’s a great time, I can’t wait to read more in this series. (my post about it)
bullet Andy Carpenter books by David Rosenfelt—Andy Carpenter is New Jersey’s best defense lawyer and a devoted dog owner. He helps run a rescue shelter, too—and almost every client he takes as some sort of connection with a dog. These books aren’t dog-centric like the others on this list, but they’re dog-heavy. (my posts about it)
bullet The K-Team books by David Rosenfelt—a spin-off from the Andy Carpenter series. This features a PI team made up of Andy’s wife/investigator, Laurie; the near super-heroic Marcus; and Corey Douglas, a freshly retired K-9 officer. His canine partner, Simon Garfunkel, comes along, too. Simon Garfunkel doesn’t play a giant role in the books, but he gets at least one good action scene per book. (my posts about it)
bullet Voyage of the Dogs by Greg van Eekhout—SF for all ages about a team of dogs on a long-distance space flight. (my post about it)

Supportive Roles

These dogs aren’t as significant a presence in their books as the prior group, but they’re important enough to mention.

bullet Mouse from The Dresden Files by Jim Butcher. (my posts about it)
bullet The Midnight Plan of the Repo Man by W. Bruce Cameron and the sequel Repo Madness by W. Bruce Cameron— (my posts about it)
bullet Edgar from the Washington Poe books by M. W. Craven. (my posts about it)
bullet Rutherford from The TV Detective series by Simon Hall (my posts about it)
bullet Oberon from the Iron Druid Chronicles by Kevin Hearne . (my post about it)
bullet Back After This by Linda Holmes (my posts about it)
bullet Ruffin from the I. Q. series by Joe Ide . (my posts about it)
bullet Dog from the Walt Longmire books by Craig Johnson (my posts about it)
bullet Purvis (and Beau) from The Good Kill by John McMahon (my post about it)
bullet Trogdor from The Golden Arrow Mysteries by Meghan Scott Molin (my post about it)
bullet Mingus from The Drifter by Nicholas Petrie (my post about it)
bullet The World Entire by Jo Perry
bullet Cherry Baby (my post about it)
bullet Herbert and Daisy from Adult Assembly Required by Abbi Waxman (my post about it)

Books with paws on both sides of the line

Some books that belong on this list, but might be a bit too close to not fitting on it for some readers
bullet The Best Dog in the World edited by Alice Hoffman —A collection of essays by novelists about dogs in their life. The book’s subtitle, “Essays on Love,” tells you all you need to know about them. (my post about it)
bullet Lessons From Lucy by Dave Barry—there’s a strong “my beloved dog is old and will die soon-vibe throughout this (it’s the whole point), so some may want to avoid it. But the focus is on what Barry is learning from his aging but still full-of-life dog. (my post about it)
bullet This Dog Will Change Your Life by Elias Weiss Friedman with Ben Greenman—Friedman is probably better known as The Dogist on various social media programs where he features pictures of dogs he meets around whatever city he happens to be in at the time (typically NYC). This book talks about some of the dogs he’s met, some dog charities and organizations he’s encountered, the way some dogs have changed the lives of people he’s known, and some general thoughts on dog-kind in general.
bullet Max Boucher Mysteries by Troy Lambert—Max used to be with the Seattle Police, but became a P.I. after the deaths of his wife and daughter. Because of the events of the first novel, Max gains a reputation as an animal detective. Particularly specializing in missing/kidnapped dogs. Most of the dogs in the series get out okay, but some are injured or worse. (my posts about it)
bullet Stray Ally by Troy Lambert—this is an action novel featuring heroics from several dogs working alongside a special ops soldier to try to stop a white supremacist group from launching a terrorist action. Some dogs are hurt, and a few die along the way. (my post about it)
bullet Dead is … series by Jo Perry—the canine protagonist in these mystery novels is a ghost, so there’s a dog death involved. But we meet her as a ghost, so she won’t die (again) in the series. (my posts about it)
bullet Dogtripping: 25 Rescues, 11 Volunteers, and 3 RVs on Our Canine Cross-Country Adventure by David Rosenfelt—For various and sundry reasons, the Rosenfelts decide to move their home and dog shelter from California to Maine. As anyone who’s had to get a dog (or a toddler) into their vehicle for a drive across town can imagine—getting 25 dogs moved across the country is a logistical nightmare. In Rosenfelt’s capable hands, if “tragedy plus time equals comedy,” “nightmarish logistics plus time” does, too. The shelter specializes in senior dogs, so not every dog mentioned or featured lives, but that’s not the focus of the book. (my post about it)
bullet E. B. White on Dogs—if this isn’t every short piece or letter White wrote mentioning dogs, it’s so close as not to matter. Some are witty, some are touching, some are somewhere in between. There are even a few written from the point of view of his dog! Sadly, this does include a eulogy for one dog, a few other mentions of canine mortality, so it can’t make the main list. (my post about it)
bullet Lessons from Tara by David Rosenfelt—a sort-of-sequel to the above. Inspired by the death of their dog, Tara, the Rosenfelts now operate a no-kill shelter for senior dogs. This is the story about the origins and day-to-day of that life. There’s discussion of Tara’s death, and he has to cover the end of days for dogs, but it’s not the focus of the book. It’s one some will want to avoid, but you probably shouldn’t. (my post about it)

‡ I brainstormed this a bit with my family, and I enjoy sharing some of those titles that didn’t make the cut, just because I enjoy their creativity:
bullet These Dogs Didn’t Go To Heaven/Not All Dogs Go to Heaven implies these dogs aren’t wonderful creatures, and that’s a solid loser
bullet No Kleenex Required too vague, and not necessarily true, they’re just not required because of a death
bullet The Best Bois
bullet Books Where the Author isn’t A Heartless Bastard (Looking at You, Marley and Me) too long, and boy howdy, does it seem my son has bigger issues with the book than I did
bullet Books that Even PETA Would Be Okay With
bullet Books for the Vegan in You suggests the dog books I don’t mention are in favor of eating them…
bullet Paw Patrol I’m almost confident my daughter’s now-husband suggested this as a joke, for his sake, I’m assuming it was
bullet Pawfect Dog Stories I refuse to resort to that kind of joke

(Images by S K from Pixabay and josmo from Pixabay)

The Last Rift Dragon by Shami Stovall: Dragons and All the Other Good Parts

By HCNewton

On August 26, 2026

In Book Tour, Fantasy, Fiction

The Last Rift Dragon

by Shami Stovall

DETAILS: 
Publication Date: July 17, 2026
Format: e-Book
Length: 340 pg.
Read Date: August 18-19, 2026

What’s The Last Rift Dragon About?

We meet Richter Whitlock on the final day of his training to be a Knight of the White Fog—the force that are bonded to dragons to defend the city of Bridgehaven in the ongoing war against the city of Whettin. Richter’s parents had been killed in this war while serving as Knights and he’s eager to join the ranks and take up their battle.

The first step is passing the final tests and then getting to select a dragon egg, so that he can care for it during the final weeks before the dragon hatches and he can bond with it. bond with it when the dragon hatches. He and most of his cohort pass their exams and get their eggs. After their bonding, these Knights will have their own magic enhanced by their dragons.

Tragedy—along with human depravity and duplicity—strikes, and before he really understands what’s happening, the stakes get higher for Richter and the others. (I knew something was coming, but I was about as prepared for it as Richter is).

He and the others have to bond with their dragons—and take some major risks along the way—to try to stop the latest incursion to save their city. But will it be enough?

Lex

Second only to a couple of the dragons (including his), my favorite character in this book has to be Valex Thorn—better known as Lex, Richter’s brother in all but name and genetics. This guy is Samwise Gamgee, but more positive. Samwise Gamgee as played by Leslie Knope, maybe.

I liked him from the get-go, and it didn’t take long for me to care more about what happened to him and his dragon than Richter and his (although, given the first person narrator of it all, I’m not that worried about him).

I can’t say too much about him now, because I’m saving it for a post this Friday—but come back for it, will you? Let me just say for now that Lex is fun, he is the beating heart of the story, and my budding Stovall fandom will come to an abrupt termination if anything bad happens to him.

The Magical Creatures

So the primary magical creature this book focuses on are dragons. I don’t need to explain why this is a good thing to have as a focus. Actually, I don’t know if I can—but since I was knee-high to a grasshopper, I’ve just known that dragons are cool in the same way that I know that peanut butter and jelly sandwiches should not be underestimated by anyone. And here we have several types of dragon—and once the rift dragon shows up, what Richter, the Knights, and the Church know about dragons expands.

On the other side we have vessrik.

…giant magical centipedes with ebony exoskeletons as dark as a starless night. They had massive pincers and hundreds of skittering legs that came straight from a feverish nightmare.

We get some more description elsewhere, but that’s enough to put the idea in your mind (and, yes, there’s an illustration a little bit after that—just in case the description didn’t make you feel like something was crawling up your back).

Richter also tells us,

Vessrik didn’t have red blood— their insides were a mix of dark blue and green. Their bleeding always looked nightmarish to me, but then again, everything about vessrik made me queasy.

You and me both, buddy.

These vessrik are ridden by the opponents of Bridgehaven, and not only are they creepy in concept—they’re deadly when deployed. If the Knights of the White Fog and the church in Bridgehaven are correct, dragons are sent by the Heavens, and I’m sure that vessrik are from the Bad Place.

But wait, there’s more! Not only do we have these cool critters—we get some great fight scenes between them. Dragon v. dragon (feral dragon vs. sentient dragon) and dragon vs. vessirk. Those scenes are some truly “nature, red in tooth and claw” kind of thing. These are powerful creatures doing great violence toward each other and Stovall depicts it so well—you just never know how those scenes are going to play out. Except that they’ll be worth your time.

Why did I pick this up? Why did I keep reading?

I picked this up because The Write Reads asked for tour volunteers—and I’ve been wanting to read more Stovall, so it seemed like a good opportunity.

I kept reading because it’s one of the fastest reads I’ve had this year. Not fast as in “time spent reading”—that’s not really a compliment, and because I’ve read plenty of novellas, so it wouldn’t be accurate. Fast as in smooth, Stovall just sweeps you along with her storytelling and the pages melt away. I was consistently about 20% further along than my mental tracker had me. If not for work and sleep, I’d have done this in one sitting comfortably. You just get into the story, and everything else is gone. This came up in a conversation, and another blogger said much the same thing—so I feel safe in advertising this as a feature.

But also—fighting dragons. Come on, who isn’t going to keep reading?

The Driving Force

In comparison to some of the other characters we meet, the Knights of the White Fog show the appeal and power of a sense of duty. A sense of responsibility. They believe in their duty enough that they’re eager to live by it—sure, they sometimes get distracted from that. But a good reminder gets them back on track—because they don’t see their duty as an obligation, but an opportunity to serve their city and its citizens. And by doing so, they serve the Heavens.

They don’t hold everyone to their standards—not everyone can be a Knight. Some are called to bake, to serve the church, to buttle, and so on. The duty of the Knights is to make sure they can do so in safety.

Some novels would take the opportunity to show some Knights chafing at their duties, finding ways around them or to fulfill the spirit rather than the letter of the law. And I can and do enjoy those. Here, however, we see what it’s like for diverse group of people commit to a common set of principles and respect each other (while not really appreciating their background or personality).

Call me a sap if you will, but I love it.

So, what did I think about The Last Rift Dragon?

This book left out all the bits of fantasy novels that slow things down—yes, I wouldn’t have minded a bit more detail here and there—but Stovall has no time for that kind of thing. We get the essentials, the headline-making moments, and we just glaze over the day-to-day life kind of bits. Not that the text is neglecting anything; it’s just prioritizing things. I recently finished Howey’s Wool (as an example), and I kept thinking, “Stovall wouldn’t have given us this chapter.” Neither is a better approach; they’re just very different. Stovall is assuming a lot for her readers—we understand the idea of dragons bonding with a human (she does add her particular tweaks), that we have a mental image of a typical Fantasy world (again, she has her own spin), and so on, whereas Howey had to invent an entire world from the ground up.

It’s an efficient approach to story-telling that works well here. While reading, I was reminded of the conceit of The Princess Bride novel, that it was “the good parts” from the original S. Morgenstern text. Well, Stovall just gave us “the good parts.”

Would I have liked to see a bit more about the motivation for a couple of characters? Yes. Would I have liked a bit more about the religious/political war between the two cities? Oh, yeah. Do I need them to enjoy this novel and for it all to work? Nope. Not at all.

I’m a little disappointed we didn’t get more from the adult knights, but it’s a YA novel; it makes sense that we focus on the young adult characters. I enjoyed them all, and am more annoyed with Stovall for a couple of deaths than I should be for the time I spent with the characters because they had so much promise. Sure, that was intentional—she needs you to be riled up by the deaths, but that doesn’t mean I have to like it.

There’s a lot that can be done with this series in terms of character, world-building, and action. Even if the war between the cities is resolved in a book or two—the series could really keep going with what has been set up. That’s vague, but I don’t want to give too much away. I don’t know that there’s a Shannara-length saga here, but we could easily be in Dragonlance territory. *

The action scenes are top-notch. They’re fast-moving and furious—whether we’re talking about characters racing away from feral dragons, dragon v. dragon conflict, human v. human conflict, or human and magical creature(s) versus human and magical creature(s) conflict, Stovall nails each of the scenes both in terms of the actual action and the emotional impact on reader/character.

Lastly—and this is the big selling point for many—the dragons themselves. Whether we’re talking about their particular abilities, their appearance, or their personalities, they’re just great. Not a one of these is a cookie-cutter, they’re all distinct from each other, and I want novellas starring them individually. I’m going to call out Lex’s dragon, Diamond, here specifically. I want to adopt her. I think she’d like my dogs, and they’d probably like her. Not only is she great, but the relationship she and Lex have is adorable, and not what I’m used to seeing in dragon-human bonds.

In a nutshell, The Last Rift Dragon is a fast-moving, rich Fantasy novel featuring compelling characters, fantastic action, and some of the best Dragon characters I’ve read in a while. Stop reading me (just for a while, mind you—I need the views) and go read the novel.

* I should fact-check myself there, but I’m not going to. It feels right. Especially if you only focus on the Weiss/Hickman Dragonlance books.
note

This post contains an affiliate link. If you purchase from it, I will get a small commission at no additional cost to you. As always, the opinions expressed are my own.

My thanks to The Write Reads for the invitation to participate in this tour and the materials they provided, including the novel.

BOOK SPOTLIGHT: The Last Rift Dragon by Shami Stovall

By HCNewton

On August 26, 2026

In Book Tour, Fantasy, Fiction

This morning, I’m very pleased to welcome The Write Reads Ultimate Tour for Shami Stovall’s Time-Marked Warlock. In addition to this Spotlight, my post about the book will be coming along a little later. Be sure check out https://twitter.com/WriteReadsTours over the next week and change to see other people saying (probably) great things about the book.

Pilcrow

Book Details:

Title: The Last Rift Dragon by Shami Stovall
Genre: Fantasy
Age Category: Young Adult
Release date: July 20, 2026
Length: 340 pages

About the Book:

The City of Bridgehaven is under attack.
The nation to the west intends to murder Bridgehaven’s last three remaining dragons, rendering them extinct. They’ll stop at nothing to crush the eggs, flay the dragons, and burn Bridgehaven to the ground.

But Richter Whitlock is determined to make sure that doesn’t happen. He joins the Knights of the Silver Fog—individuals dedicated to protecting Bridgehaven, and the dragons, at all costs—in the hopes of caring for a fragile dragon egg, so that one day he may bond and fight back.

But there are traitors in Bridgehaven, and enemies are circling close.

If Richter hopes to save his home, and his egg, he’ll have to master his magic, learn to craft magitech, and become one of the greatest Knights anyone has ever seen…

Book Links:

Amazon Canada ~ Amazon US ~ Amazon UK ~ Goodreads ~ The Story Graph

About the Author:

Shami Stovall is a multi-award-winning author of fantasy and science fiction, best known for her Frith Chronicles and Chronos Chronicles series. Before she was author, Stovall taught history and criminal law at the college level, and loved every second.
When she’s not reading fascinating articles and books about ancient China or the Byzantine Empire, Stovall can be found playing way too many video games, especially RPGs and tactics simulators, or hanging with John 3 and John 4.

Author Links:

Website ~ Twitter ~ Facebook

My thanks to The Write Reads for the invitation to participate in this tour and the materials they provided.

Double Dog Dare by Dave Kellett: Borks, Sniffs, Naps, and Chuckles.

By HCNewton

On August 25, 2026

In Comics, Dogs, Humor, Non-Fiction

Double Dog Dare:
A Canine Comics Cavalcade

by Dave Kellett

DETAILS:
Series: Sheldon Comics 
Publication Date: 2026
Format: Paperback
Length: 163 pg.
Read Date: June 22, 2026

What’s Double Dog Dare About?

This is a collection of comic strips from the long-running webcomic Sheldon (www.SheldonComics.com) focused on dog humor. Most of them focus on Sheldon’s Dog, Oso the Pug and his friend Digby the Dachshund.

Most are stand-alone 1 (occasional 2)-page comics of 1-6 panels. A few back-to-back pages are on a theme–but there are three distinct sections of stories/topics: Batpug, a series about the adventures of a crime-fighting dog; The Hodgepode Dog Lodge–a series involving a dog shelter abandoned by its human worker; and Naming Types of Dog Barks (my favorite).

The topics covered involve lots of napping, barking, sniffing things, eating habits, flatulence, and the various ways dogs pass messages to each other on walks.

What did I think about Double Dog Dare?

I used to buy a lot of comic strip collections–Bloom County, The Far Side, Calvni and Hobbes, Doonesbury, etc. And I cannot tell you how many times I’ve read each collection that I have–but I really haven’t done that since the mid-90s. With one exception–Sheldon Comics. I’ve even Kickstarted a few (like this one).

I mention that because kicking back for a while this weekend, working my way through this new collection, reminded me of that. I was just immersed in the good times–strip after strip, and every few pages I’d think, “Oh, this is the gem of the collection”–only to revise that opinion 3-5 pages later. So, yeah–there are several gems scattered throughout the book. And even the ones I wouldn’t rank as highly are pretty solid and worthy of at least a smile.

I am solid in the appraisal that the last comic is the most heartwarming.

It’s a lot of fun, you don’t need to be a Sheldon reader to enjoy this particular batch (although you may end up as one). The humor is appropriate for all ages and would be found amusing by all as well.

I had a blast with it and assume any dog lover would, too.

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Grandpappy’s Corner: Milton Makes a Move by Jonathan Graziano, Dan Tavis (Illustrator): One Pug’s Big Adventure

By HCNewton

On August 25, 2026

In Dogs, Grandpappy's Corner, YA/MG/Children's Books

Milton Makes a Move

by Jonathan Graziano, Dan Tavis (Illustrator)

DETAILS:
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books
Publication Date: August 4, 2026
Format: Hardcover
Length: 32 pg.
Read Date: August 24, 2026

Overthinking Things…

This post may come across as me slighting Graziano’s previous two books. At least that’s my fear. It should not be read in that way—Noodle and the No Bones Day and Noodle Conquers Comfy Mountain are delightful and charming books that I enjoyed and have read multiple times. Any comparisons between them and this should only serve to highlight how much I enjoyed and appreciated this book and how much I think Graziano has grown as a writer.

What’s Milton Makes a Move About?

As his legions of followers know, Graziano spent some time without a dog after Noodle, and then adopted Milton. This is his story about coming from Brazil to stay with his new person.

It’s framed as an adventure for the dog—full of travel, discovery, and learning to trust someone to take care of him (and taking care of him in return). It shows how Milton was brave to take on new challenges—even when scary things were happening around him (like thunderstorms).

Let’s Talk about the Art for a Minute

The art is just cute. Practically peak cuteness. I wish I could think of another word here, but that’s all that comes to mind.

Tavis gets to strut his stuff a little more in this book than in the Noodle books due to the differing personalities of the pugs. Milton likes being outside, playing with other animals (even if he should know better about some of them), he goes places, he moves a lot. And while Noodle may have done some of that, essentially he was a homebody, so there wasn’t a lot to do with him.

But we get to see Milton chase a skunk, play with bunnies, get close to a bear. Even inside the house, there’s more action to be found. And Tavis takes advantage of that and has a lot of fun—giving everyone who reads this (or reads it to someone) plenty to look at. When we see Milton on the airplane, I thought that was likely going to be the visual highlight of the book—but it wasn’t. The detail, the little bits of humor he scatters throughout the illustrations are just great.

So, what did I think about Milton Makes a Move?

The Noodle books focused on Noodle’s search for comfort, his patented “No Bones” days, and so on. This is about a younger pug exploring the new world around him—so it’s a different tone.

Not only that, but Graziano fills the book with a little more humor, some great descriptions, as well as some real sweetness.

When Milton is awakened during his first night in his new home by thunder, we’re told:

Alarmed, he let out a large BOOF. (A boof is like a woof, but quieter and more boof-like.)

“More boof like” just made me cackle. Anyone who’s had a small dog has a pretty good idea what that sound is like. It’s one I miss—if only because my larger dogs can’t be bothered with a small sound. I don’t think Graziano would’ve gone for something like that before, but he’s growing as an author and getting more confident. So he does some things like that.

I don’t know that all his adult fans will appreciate the feel of movement in this book—Noodle was about comfort and vibes, Milton’s about sweetness and play. But I see this book attracting more young readers than the previous did.

And even if I’m wrong—I had a great time reading this, and will enjoy doing so again. I hope we get several more books about Milton and his new friends.

This post contains an affiliate link. If you purchase from it, I will get a small commission at no additional cost to you. As always, the opinions expressed are my own.
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MUSIC MONDAY: “Cold Beverage” by The Infamous Stringdusters ft. G. Love

By HCNewton

On August 24, 2026

In News/Misc.

The Irresponsible Reader's Music Monday logo

Music Monday's originated at The Tattooed Book Geek's fantastic blog and has shown up hither, thither, and yon since then.

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Crownfall by Michael Vadney: Magic, Technology, Tyranny, and Revolution.

By HCNewton

On August 24, 2026

In Fantasy, Fiction

Crownfall

by Michael Vadney

DETAILS:
Publication Date: March 17, 2026
Format: Paperback
Length: 501 pg.
Read Date: August 8-11, 2026

What’s Crownfall About?

For as long as most people can remember, the island of Burunt was politically independent—but its neighbors kept getting closer, and the island’s government opted to join an Empire. How that particular government came to power isn’t necessarily the cleanest or prettiest story.

This is particularly true for a certain ethnicity, the Draumer. The Draumer have existed in this world always, and are largely accepted in much of it—but not in Burunt anymore. There, they’ve been stripped of everything, hunted down, and locked up away from everyone else. The Draumer possess mystical/magical abilities that make them stand out from others, and are easy to demonize them over—and the Viceroy has made a campaign of it. Many have left Burunt, many have been incarcerated (at best). And then there are a handful like Kyndel Heim, the first character we meet—he’s on the street, thieving to survive. Kyndel also dreams of murdering the Viceroy in revenge for the suffering he’s brought to his people.

Amara, excuse me, Lady Amara is the last representative of a noble house. Her family’s wealth had been built on exporting and importing goods—following the death of her father, Amara’s mother, Dhonya kept the family’s business going. Until age-related dementia robbed her of her ability to do so, but she did a great deal of damage to the family’s business before anyone realized what was going on. Amara has now stepped up; she’s stopped the bleeding—but can she rebuild in time to stave off the debtors nipping at her heels?

Lastly, we have Major Jelert Egarro—an Imperial engineer of some renown and a lot of ability. He chose to be transferred away from the capital—and its proximity to power and access—to come to Burunt for one reason only. There’s a ban on the invention and development of weapons. The first time you read that, you like him—and worry for him. The second time he says that, you really start to worry about him. By the third time…well, you know it won’t be long before he and the reader learn what’s happening with his projects. The only question is what he’s going to do about it.

Take these three and toss them into a political system dominated by power struggles, deception, simmering rebellious movements, and deadly consequences for everyone involved, and you’ve got yourself one exciting read.

Why did I pick this up? Why did I keep reading?

I picked this up because of some of the online buzz around it and the essay I talk about below. I was curious about Vadney’s goals and the story sounded pretty cool.

I was relieved, I have to say, when the characters came across as older than they appear (to my eyes, anyway) on the cover—which helped me get invested, somehow. But really after the second chapter from each POV, I was well and truly invested. I wanted a better understanding of the magic system that Kyndel’s throwing around; I wanted to see how Amara’s work and planning and scheming played out, and I wanted to see if Jelert’s idealism was able to remain intact. As more characters got involved, my investment grew.

And then, boy howdy, when the big surprise weapons were unveiled..forget it, I had to finish.

What does this book tell us about humanity?

I feel pretty solid about this take, after I outlined it, I noted that the back cover opens with the words, “Trust is the hardest lesson.”

Because trust was, if not the dominant theme, it was close enough that you’d be forgiven if you called it that. Trust you should exercise and extend, and trust that you shouldn’t have.

Almost every moment of this novel (and, I suppose you can say this about other novels, but this one stands out to me on this point) hinges on exercising trust—showing a moment of vulnerability, withholding confidence, deciding to go one way or the other. In a city built on mutual distrust, on fear of the Viceroy and his government—that’s really a brave act.

And throughout the city you can tell that there are a lot of people trusting/distrusting each other. Because that’s what societies are based on. You can’t live in peace for long without trusting someone or something. Humans are trusting creatures. It doesn’t always go well for us as such—as many citizens of Burunt can testify, but it’s often rewarding. And nothing can happen—nothing lasting, anyway—without it. As many other citizens of Burunt can also testify.

Nobledark in Practice

Earlier this year, Vadney wrote an essay, The Rise of Nobledark Fantasy and What It Says About Us Right Now, that I just loved. It sounded great, it resonated with what I want to see in a novel (pretty much in any genre).

And I still think that.

But in practice, Crownfall felt like…Fantasy. It really didn’t strike me as that much different from any Fantasy that I can recall, other than most Grimdark or Cozy. This is not a bad thing—there’s a reason I read Fantasy. I like Fantasy that reads like the Fantasy I read as a kid/teen (or as an adult), with similar outcomes and motivations.

Maybe I’m missing the nuance, the fine points that make Nobledark similar to “traditional” (for lack of a better term) Fantasy. It wouldn’t surprise me to learn that, actually. But I wouldn’t mind someone coming along and pointing it out to me.

So, what did I think about Crownfall?

I thought the opening chapters were a little rough. It almost felt like Vadney was just trying to get some basics about the island and the characters established so he could get on to the story, which is what he was more interested in. And I get that impulse—and once he’d established all that, the novel picked up and the writing that bugged me disappeared.

This is one of those novels that built up momentum early and then took off—but even after things got moving, it continued to build up speed. Vadney really didn’t seem to have any brakes installed on this runaway train. Which could’ve led to disaster. In this case, however, it just made for a nail-biting read up until the last few pages. It absolutely worked. Seriously, there’s a 100+ page run leading up to the quiet pages at the end, that will knock your socks off.

While there are no truly “good” characters in this novel—there are a lot of people trying their best, and while you will question a lot of the decisions they make, you will want success for them. On the other side, there are some easily identifiable “bad guys”—if not fully evil, they’re only out for themselves and care not for who they have to destroy to get their way. And there are a significant number of people caught in the middle, some tragically so—reduced to mere tools of one side. Those are the clear victims of everything going on, and if you have anything but pity for them…you should probably read it again.

On the whole, readers are going to identify who’s who in that categorization (even if you end up phrasing it differently, you’ll know what I’m talking about)—the characters will take some time coming to the right conclusions on that point. Some might call this a simplistic way for Vadney to lay things out—I think it’s just straightforward storytelling that doesn’t have to rely on that kind of twist. You get just what you think to you get character-wise, not necessarily plot-wise.

I just realized that I didn’t touch on this world—the mix of magic and tech, Vadney’s rather smooth way of showing it to the reader and explaining enough to get grounded in the world without anything feeling like an infodump. If I had a little more time, I’d add a few paragraphs about that—and I probably should. But my pillow is calling, so this will have to do: top-notch world-building, and it’s a place I wouldn’t mind getting to spend some more time in.

There’s some lightness, a hint of romance, and some good moments of friendship. There are big betrayals, disasters, and events you don’t see coming—which are all great to read. When you populate those situations with characters you’re rooting for (and against) with a plot that moves like a bullet train, you’re in for a good time.

I recommend this—I think you’ll enjoy this, reader. And you’re going to start looking for Vadney’s next novel, too.

This post contains an affiliate link. If you purchase from it, I will get a small commission at no additional cost to you. As always, the opinions expressed are my own.

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The Restoration of All Things by Benjamin Vrbicek: Hope In The End

By HCNewton

On August 23, 2026

In Non-Fiction, Theology/Christian Living

The Restoration of All Things:
How the Promise of Christ’s Return Brings Us Comfort Today

by Benjamin Vrbicek

DETAILS:
Publisher: Baker Books
Publication Date: June 23, 2026
Format: eARC
Length: 176 pg.
Read Date: July 12-26, 2026

What’s The Restoration of All Things About?

So, I grew up in the shadow of The Late Great Planet Earth, even if the churches my parents attended weren’t big on preaching about eschatology (phew!) Hal Lindsey was the default position. And it terrified me—even as little as I understood. As Larry Norman put it: “Life was filled with guns and war / And everyone got trampled on the floor / Children died, the days grew cold / A piece of bread could buy a bag of gold.” There’s nothing there that sounds appealing. Chick Tracts and related comics about The End didn’t help, either. Frankly, the last thing I wanted was Jesus to return—I knew I was supposed to, but I didn’t want to go through all that.

As I got older, I started to understand that the Scriptures—from both Testaments—didn’t speak that way of The End. Yes, there are some warnings—some stark warnings about it, particularly from our Lord’s mouth. But also, there were all these promises—Earth would be renewed, the groanings of creation would be answered, justice would be established (for the first time post-Fall), suffering would be ended. I’m not talking about some “pie in the sky after you die”—but real change, real restoration on the and of the Earth.

It’s this that Vrbicek writes to remind his readers of. Possibly to inform them of it for the first time—but it largely doesn’t read that way. For those who get weighed down by the world and their circumstances, those who face the end with trepidation for one reason or another (including childhoods—or adulthoods—like mine), Vrbicek wants us to remember that typically, the writers of Scripture point to the End with hope, with confident expectation, even longing—that all things will be restored.

So, what did I think about The Restoration of All Things?

The concluding chapter is called “Loving His Appearing.” This is pretty much the call of the book—to take seriously the warnings, to take even more seriously the promises of Christ, to take seriously the problems and struggles of a world broken by sin—and to love His anticipated return. He’s clear that this should be the goal no matter what one’s eschatology is (although he suggests it’s easier as an amillennial). Then he goes on to give a solid list of reasons to love that appearing.

The book as a whole, is a solid work. Vrbicek isn’t trying to introduce a revolutionary understanding to anything—he’s just trying to blow off a layer or two of tradition and extra-biblical culture of dust off of classic understandings. But more than that, he’s trying to remind his Christian reader of the “main and plain” teachings, to focus on that, rather than to get distracted by the details of this or that eschatological topic. He will return. He will judge. He will restore all things—creating a new heavens and a new Earth for his resurrected people.

It’s that we should long for, should anticipate—should love.

I do think his section on the imprecatory Psalms could use some re-working, if not a reconsideration, it’s just not that convincing of an approach (while better than most, it’s not as good as others). That’s my major criticism of the book as a whole—and if we’re just talking about a few paragraphs, likely a couple of pages at best—that says a lot about the book as a whole, no?

In contrast, the primary thing I appreciated about this book is how Vrbicek kept returning to the Gospel. Reminding us of the heart and character of the Judge. Of the assurances we can draw from the gospel when it comes to considering things like death and the afterlife. To considering our approach to hardship and suffering in this life. And all the other topics. We’re all really good at thinking in terms of X prophecy and how it might be fulfilled, Y promise and what we should anticipate, and so on. But we need reminders like Vrbicek’s to tie X prophecy to the gospel, Y promise to Christ’s work, and so on.

Without resorting to—or slipping into—any type of triumphalism, Vrbicek gives one of the more encouraging books on the future and eschatology I’ve read in a while. The goal isn’t rescue from this life, or to get to heaven—it’s to look with sure hope to the restoration of all things. I recommend you grab this book and enjoy the reminder.

Disclaimer: I received this eARC from Bethany House via NetGalley in exchange for this post which contains my honest opinion—thanks to both for this.

This post contains an affiliate link. If you purchase from it, I will get a small commission at no additional cost to you. As always, the opinions expressed are my own.
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Saturday Miscellany—8/22/26

By HCNewton

On August 22, 2026

In Books, News/Misc., Saturday Miscellany

Odds ‘n ends about books and reading that caught my eye this week. You’ve probably seen some/most/all of them, but just in case:
bullet Secondhand book sales are booming. Is it because of AI?
bullet Tracking the Tide of Language Change—I’m not sure I completely follow this (need more detail), but this is pretty cool. Part 1 of the interview with Bryan A. Garner, Are You an Informed Prescriptivist? is also worth the time.
bullet “POP!” It’s the funniest crime novel of the year. And maybe the most bitter.—Nick Kolakowski gives a one paragraph review that concinves me to pick up the book and then posts an interview with the author, Angel Luis Colón, that solidifies that idea.
bullet Standup Comedian imagines a conversation between William Faulkner and Cormac McCarthy.
bullet Indie Features: Science Fiction—Cozy with Books kicks off new series of posts.
bullet Omaha Public Library’s Museum of Forgotten Bookmarks is just great.
bullet Nearby Garden City library brings you a Private tour of Garden City Public Library with James Patterson!

My favorite sentence/passage/phrase (or two) that I read this week:
“None of this made sense, but we were alive, for now at least, and we had each other, and that was something.”—The Dungeon Anarchist’s Cookbook by Matt Dinniman

To help talk about backlist titles (and just for fun), What Was I Talking About 10 Years Ago This Week?
bullet One of the Few by Jason B. Ladd
bullet Chasing Freedom by Marina Fontaine
bullet The Phantom Tollbooth (Audiobook) by Norton Juster, Norman Dietz
bullet Hammered (Audiobook) by Kevin Hearne, Luke Daniels
bullet And I mentioned the releases of: Rise the Dark by Michael Koryta; Dead to Rites by Ari Marmell; The Eternity Fund by Liz Monument; and Invasive by Chuck Wendig

This Week’s New Releases that I’m Excited About and/or You’ll Probably See Here Soon:
bullet Pop! by Angel Luis Colón—”a deliciously dark and funny organized crime thriller for every assistant who’s wished they could take out their incompetent boss”

image source: @becs_a_bookworm on Instagram