Category: Nonfiction

Review: Waco Rising: David Koresh, the FBI, and the Birth of America’s Modern Militias by Kevin Cook

November 14, 2025

The siege of the Davidian compound in Waco, Texas is an event that I have heard mentioned before, but I knew nothing about. From the very beginning, I was hooked on this cult and the events surrounding the siege against them.  As someone who had never heard of The Branch Davidians, or even the Seventh-Day … More Review: Waco Rising: David Koresh, the FBI, and the Birth of America’s Modern Militias by Kevin Cook

Review: All That Is Wicked: A Gilded-Age Story of Murder and the Race to Decode the Criminal Mind by Kate Winkler Dawson

November 9, 2025

As someone who has a psychology degree with a minor in criminal justice, I found this investigation into Edward Rulloff fascinating, especially since I had never heard of him. Edward Rulloff was a psychopath who was tried multiple times for the murder of his wife and child, and speculated about other family members, and eventually … More Review: All That Is Wicked: A Gilded-Age Story of Murder and the Race to Decode the Criminal Mind by Kate Winkler Dawson

Review: A Haunted History of Invisible Women: True Stories of America’s Ghosts by Leanna Renee Hieber and Andrea Janes

November 8, 2025

This was an interesting look at ghost stories featuring women. This collection is broken down into sections (Maidens, Witches, Mothers, Jezebels, Madwomen, etc.) and takes you through the history of the person and where they haunt.  Quite a few of the women ghosts in this were ones I had heard of before, like the Winchester … More Review: A Haunted History of Invisible Women: True Stories of America’s Ghosts by Leanna Renee Hieber and Andrea Janes

Review: Fuzz: When Nature Breaks the Law by Mary Roach

November 7, 2025

TW: animal deaths I didn’t know what to expect when I jumped into this book but this was an informative and fascinating look at how humans and nature interact. This covers things from street monkeys in India, to bears breaking into houses, the controlling of invasive animals, and how to deal with dangerous trees. I … More Review: Fuzz: When Nature Breaks the Law by Mary Roach

Review: Ghostland: An American History in Haunted Places by Colin Dickey

October 24, 2025

“A haunted house is a memory palace made real: a physical space that retains memories that might otherwise be forgotten or that might remain only in fragments. Under the invisible weight of these memories, the habits of those who once haunted these places, we feel the shudder of the ghost.”  Ghostland takes a look at … More Review: Ghostland: An American History in Haunted Places by Colin Dickey

Review: Replaceable You: Adventures in Human Anatomy by Mary Roach

October 19, 2025

The body is the most complex machine in the world and because of that you cannot easily replace what breaks. This book goes over various surgeries, research, and trials that are working to replace various parts of the body. Each chapter discusses a different topic of the body, like skin graphs, human and animal organ … More Review: Replaceable You: Adventures in Human Anatomy by Mary Roach

Review: Over My Dead Body: Unearthing the Hidden History of America’s Cemeteries by Greg Melville

October 18, 2025

This book takes you through eighteen different historical cemeteries and discusses how they shaped the funeral industry. It also discusses how the funeral industry has changed over time, including current changes that are happening, and what the future of death might include.  This was a very interesting look at the history of these cemeteries and … More Review: Over My Dead Body: Unearthing the Hidden History of America’s Cemeteries by Greg Melville

Review: In the Mouth of the Wolf: A Murder, a Cover-Up, and the True Cost of Silencing the Press by Katherine Corcoran

September 16, 2025

“A society without truth is a scary place to live.” When the murder/assassination of Regina Martinez happened I was only twelve and wasn’t watching/keeping up with the news. So everything about this case and investigation was new to me and I found it to be fascinating, and scary.  Regina Martinez was a journalist in Veracruz … More Review: In the Mouth of the Wolf: A Murder, a Cover-Up, and the True Cost of Silencing the Press by Katherine Corcoran

Review: How Fascism Works: The Politics of Us and Them by Jason Stanley

September 15, 2025

“The most telling symptom of fascist politics is division. It aims to separate a population into an “us” and a “them.” This was a very informative book about what fascism is, how it works, and examples throughout history. I learned a lot from this book, especially in understanding how the United States got to this … More Review: How Fascism Works: The Politics of Us and Them by Jason Stanley

Review: The League of Lady Poisoners: Illustrated True Stories of Dangerous Women by Lisa Perrin

September 13, 2025

This was an interesting look at poison and the women who have used it to kill. This book includes a primer that goes over the basics of poison, then each chapter is organized by the women’s motives. Also the author is up front in stating that the majority of these women are white because she … More Review: The League of Lady Poisoners: Illustrated True Stories of Dangerous Women by Lisa Perrin

Review: Cannibalism: A Perfectly Natural History by Bill Schutt

September 8, 2025

As soon as I saw this book I knew it was one I wanted to read. This was a fascinating look at cannibalism in humans, animals, and insects. While this seems like a book that would discuss cannibal serial killers, it doesn’t and the author explains early on why he doesn’t cover that topic. I … More Review: Cannibalism: A Perfectly Natural History by Bill Schutt

Review: Briefly Perfectly Human: Making an Authentic Life by Getting Real About the End by Alua Arthur

August 30, 2025

“You are seen. You are heard. Your life matters. Your death will too.” Alua Arthur is a death doula and helps provide end of life support to her clients. This book takes us on a journey of her life and career, while teaching us the importance of thinking about your own death and what you … More Review: Briefly Perfectly Human: Making an Authentic Life by Getting Real About the End by Alua Arthur