Book Buzz

Episode 122 - Air date: Oct. 5, 2025

JESSICA:

Hi, this is Jessica Russell. I’m the assistant director of collection services at Sno-Isle Libraries. And welcome to Book Buzz.

Today's two reading recommendations are a romantic collection of short stories and a sci-fi graphic novel.

First, we’re going to hear from Madeline, librarian at the Marysville Library, for an anthology that weaves together many types of relationships. Take it away, Madeline.

MADELINE:

“Someplace Generous,” from Bellingham’s newest romance publishing imprint, Generous Press, is a lush and delightful collection of short stories.

Like a lot of readers, I’m someone who loves the idea of romances, but I often feel put off by surprise patriarchy vibes appearing in my love stories. But no such bummer appears in this anthology. All twenty-two of the stories in “Someplace Generous” are radical, unique, and everyone is saying “yes.”

Some of the stories are off the wall: there’s one about a workplace flirtation between a reporter who evades death and the assassin trying to take her out. Some are dreamy and emotional: my favorite was about a sex worker who helps a client contact her lost lover via séance. And some are just so, so tender, like the one about two disabled girlfriends growing closer as they spend a cozy afternoon attending to each other’s medical needs.

This book has the range. It’s rare to find a collection with such a diverse array of writers and characters, with so many kinds of love represented. And it's an absolute blast to read! I can’t wait to read what Generous Press comes out with next, and its debut collection “Someplace Generous” certainly has something for every romance reader.

JESSICA:

Thanks, Madeline! It’s refreshing to find multi-dimensional diverse characters written by diverse authors.

Next, let’s hear about a story that plunges readers into a strange yet familiar world, from Emily, library associate at the Marysville Library. Over to you, Emily.

EMILY:

“Griz Grobus” is a fantastic example of Simon Roy’s uncanny skill for original science fiction worldbuilding. This detailed graphic novel effortlessly immerses us in what feels like a very lived-in human colony on an alien planet. We can see aesthetic influences from Cultural Revolution-era China and Mesoamerica mixed with symbols from Nordic and Catholic religions, but this civilization is removed enough to have its own history.

The story itself starts with an ambitious academic sneaking a vital part for a long-dormant automaton out of a remote mountain village. After eagerly reviving the ancient, tank-sized robot, she soon learns why it was left to corrode.

A parallel storyline takes shape through a heroic fable. On the eve of a legendary battle, the spirit of a war god is summoned into the body of a mortal warrior — just a much smaller and fluffier warrior than expected.

As Roy entwines these narratives together, we get a sense of just how much time has passed since humans settled here, especially as the current society lives atop technological relics they no longer understand. It’s that implication that humanity has traveled far enough to forget things we’ve yet to learn that makes this book so intriguing.

JESSICA:

Thanks, Emily! That sounds like an incredible mix of epic imagination and rich detail.

Our recommendations this week are: “Someplace Generous” edited by Elaina Ellis and Amber Flame, and “Griz Grobus” by Simon Roy.

Join us next time, when we’ll explore more great reading recommendations — interesting books you can find at your favorite local bookstore or at your local library.

Until then, I’m Jessica Russell from Sno-Isle Libraries.

Thanks for joining us for Book Buzz on KSER.