Doreen Sheridan

Washington, D.C., United States

Book Critic at The Frumious Consortium

Professional book critic, amateur cellist, full-time polymath. Occasional game designer, perpetual game enthusiast. Mom of 3. Arsenal till I die. S/H

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Articles

Cooking the Books: Fudge And Marriage by Nancy Coco

1 day ago | criminalelement.com | Doreen Sheridan

Candy maker and hotelier Allie McMurphy has fought for so long to prove to the other inhabitants of Mackinac Island that she’s truly one of them. With her upcoming wedding to local police officer Rex Manning, she’s hoping to finally cement her insider status by holding a potluck reception open to all the islanders – never mind the fact that the only voice stating that she doesn’t belong is the one inside her head.
The Power Fantasy Volume 1: The Superpowers by Kieron Gillen & Caspar Wijngaard

2 days ago | thefrumiousconsortium.net | Doreen Sheridan |Urban Fantasy

with Clayton Cowles and Rian Hughes on letters and design. Am I getting jaded? I love mythologies and the ways that comic books spin up brand new gods and pantheons and legends and dramas, but reading this book — that feels very much like a cross between Kieron Gillen’s prior The Wicked + The Divine (with Jamie McKelvie) and Warren Ellis & Bryan Hitch’s The Authority — I just felt tired. I love when amalgams create something new.
Book Review: The Mailman by Andrew Welsh-Huggins

3 days ago | criminalelement.com | Doreen Sheridan

Glenn and Rachel Stanfield are your average well-off Indiana couple. Both have high-powered jobs and are active parents to their oldest daughter Abby, who’s away at boarding school near Chicago. But things haven’t been quite right between the couple lately. Glenn has been more irritable than usual, and talking about Abby while they’re preparing dinner one night sets him off:“I’m not shouting,” Glenn said, nearly shouting. “And isn’t what you’re saying, is I’ve made things too easy for her?
Book Review: A Long Time Gone by Joshua Moehling

3 days ago | criminalelement.com | Doreen Sheridan

Deputy Sheriff Ben Packard has certainly gone through a lot since returning to Sandy Lake at the behest of its dying sheriff Stan Shaw. Packard just couldn’t say no when his mentor asked him to take on the role of acting sheriff. After Stan passed, Packard was persuaded to run for sheriff himself. He looked like a lock to win, until perhaps his worst deputy was induced to run against him. Unfortunately for Packard, former Deputy Howard Shepard had some powerful backers:And now Shepard was his boss.
Tectiv Vol 1: Noirtopia by Richard Ashley Hamilton & Marco Matrone

6 days ago | thefrumiousconsortium.net | Doreen Sheridan

with Dave Sharpe on letters. What a clever post-apocalyptic spin on the noir genre! Bingo Finder is a scavenger in the utopian farm village of Ellay, venturing into the ruins of urban neighborhoods to find anything that might be worth bartering. On one trip with her best friend Fenn, she finds what, to her, is a veritable jackpot: a treasure trove of books hidden away for decades or more. One with a crumbling cover that says “Tectiv” especially appeals to her, even tho no one else really cares.
Captains Wanted by Andres Schabelman

1 week ago | thefrumiousconsortium.net | Doreen Sheridan

What an odd and interesting metaphysical novel! Told primarily in the second person, this tale of magical realism flits between fantasy, science fiction and the everyday as it explores what it means to truly be in charge of your own life. The “you” addressed in this novel is the frustrated, fake-it-till-you-make-it everyperson (tho tends to skew, in my reading, as male.) Pressured by family to succeed at capitalism, You blow a coveted job interview by being fearful of authenticity.
Cooking the Books: Essence Of Foul Play by Daryl Wood Gerber

1 week ago | criminalelement.com | Doreen Sheridan

Emma Brennan knows that it’s a little ironic that she’s a bundle of nerves ahead of the opening of her new spa, Aroma Wellness, in Carmel-by-the-Sea, California. She and her business are intent on offering serenity and positivity to their clientele, via both traditional spa offerings and services that are more off the beaten track, like aromatherapy and sound baths.
An Interview With Kyle Casey Chu, author of The Queen Bees Of Tybee County

1 week ago | thefrumiousconsortium.net | Doreen Sheridan

In conjunction with the publication of the first book in Kyle Casey Chu’s debut middle-grade duology, The Queen Bees Of Tybee County, we have a fabulous interview to share with you, dear readers! Also known as the drag queen Panda Dulce, Ms Chu was unwittingly thrust into the global spotlight in 2022 when far-right extremists stormed her Drag Story Hour in order to silence her. Undaunted, she is now leveraging her platform to tell even gayer stories. TQBoTC is her first published effort.
Tantalizing Tales - April 2025 - Part Two

1 week ago | thefrumiousconsortium.net | Doreen Sheridan |Tantalizing Titles

Hello, readers! Sorry everything’s been a bit chaotic this week. The funeral of my co-parent’s mom was yesterday and we’ve been doing a lot of family-wrangling, which has eaten up more of my time than anticipated. But at least there are books to escape to and relax in, including some of my most anticipated for the next few weeks!First on this list is W A Simpson’s The Hatter’s Daughter, the third book in the Tales Of The Riven Isles dark fantasy series.
Casey’s Cases, Vol 1: The Mysterious New Girl by Kay Healy

2 weeks ago | thefrumiousconsortium.net | Doreen Sheridan

Oh my goodness, what a smart and funny way to start an advancing reader’s graphic novel series! It’s Casey’s eleventh birthday, and she’s thrilled to be able to open two of her presents before school, saving the rest for her birthday party later on. She’s especially thrilled to discover that she’s been gifted a magnifying glass and binoculars, both of which will help in her quest to be a Super Detective. As she’s waiting for the bus with her frenemy Dina, she spots a new girl arriving.