Welcome to the forty-fourth book review of fifty-three. As you know, I used to provide freelance book reviews to several review companies. It was a great experience that introduced me to new authors and their wonderful books. Each week this year, I’m opening my Weekend Coffee shares with a link to a review I’ve provided. Reviews are three stars or higher. The genres range from picture books to fiction and nonfiction titles.
Children of Ruin
The author is Adrian Tchaikovsky
Published in September 2020
The publisher is Pan Macmillan
Available in Audiobook, eBook, Hardcover, and Paperback (576 pages)
Alien Invasion Science Fiction | Colonization Science Fiction | First Contact Science Fiction (Books)
If we were having coffee, I would ask where my sci-fi readers are. Have you read Children of Ruin? What did you think of it? I’m not a sci-fi reader, and I struggled with this book. I would like to try reading something else in the sci-fi genre; can you recommend something?
If we were having coffee, I would share a picture of a dill pickle pizza. I mentioned trying it for the first time a couple of weeks ago, but I forgot to photograph it. So I had it again, and here it is. I ordered this pizza from a different restaurant, and it differs from my first dill pickle pizza. The first one was loaded with pickles. It had cheese, sauce, and Parmesan. This pizza in the picture had no Parmesan, fewer pickles, but included bacon crumble. Both were tasty.
If we were having coffee, I would share a couple of pictures from Halloween. We celebrated with a movie marathon of scary movies. My husband went to bed before ten. My older son made it till just before midnight. I dozed off sometime after midnight, and when I woke around five in the morning, my younger son was on movie number six. It was a fun night.
If we were having coffee, I would share that this week’s biggest adventure is that my oldest son started his first job. He’s only sixteen. I prefer he doesn’t work and focuses on school, but I also realize that he’s at that age where he wants to build independence. Plus, wanting to work is a good thing. The deal he and I made is that as long as his grades don’t suffer because of work, I support his choice to earn an income. I’m proud of him. Oh, I almost forgot to mention that he made me a table in shop class. It’s for my coffee and book. I was near tears when he gave it to me. It was so thoughtful.
Now, how was your week?
By Shari Marshall (2026)
