Review: What Boys Learn

What Boys Learn by Andromeda Romano-Lax
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

WHAT BOYS LEARN by Andromeda Romano-Lax is a suspenseful ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ psychological thriller being released in Jan, 2026 by Soho Press.

Single mother and high school counselor Abby Russo deals with the aftermath of the deaths of two students, and learns that her loner son Benjamin may have known the girls better than she realizes. As she finds out more about the circumstances of their deaths she begins to worry that Benjamin may have been involved in some way.

Abby has always been concerned about how her son was growing up. Worried that he was a loner who didn't fit in, and worried about what he was learning about how men should treat women. She knows something about troubled teens. She had been one herself and still carries the scars of her first-hand experiences with the actions of a teenage boy with little concern for others. Her older brother Ewan has spent many years in prison for his actions as a teenager, and she fears that Benjamin might be headed down a similar path.

Can she navigate between helping and trusting her son, and finding the truth?

The tale is mostly told from Abby's point of view, gradually revealing fears and secrets as the perspective switches between present day and her teenage years. In the latter third of the book the perspective broadens to include present day Benjamin, as the suspense ratchets up and further truths and lies are uncovered.

WHAT BOYS LEARN is suspenseful, thrilling, disturbing and thought-provoking! A fascinating story, providing plenty to think about how and what children, especially boys, are exposed to as they grow and the impact that exposure can have on them and the people around them. Recommended!

Thanks to NetGalley and Soho Press for the early review copy!

#WhatBoysLearn #NetGalley



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Review: M.I.R.E.: Memory Implantation for Rehabilitation and Empathy

M.I.R.E.: Memory Implantation for Rehabilitation and Empathy by Aaron R. Tyler
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Aaron R. Tyler's latest novel, M.I.R.E.: Memory Implantation for Rehabilitation and Empathy, is a visceral, grab you by the throat and squeeze, experience. In this medical thriller monsters are all too human, and the line between hero and villain is thin.

I'll warn you up front. This novel is graphic - Tyler pulls no punches in his descriptions of physical and sexual violence throughout the story. This is intended, I think, to ensure the reader has a more than casual understanding of what far too many victims experience.

Brilliant brain surgeon, Dr. William Stonehurst, has discovered he can cure PTSD by removing the memory of the traumatic event - a blessing for veterans and many others who find their lives severely limited by the trauma they re-experience. His research also leads him to the understanding that those removed memories can be stored and later implanted in another person's brain. He suspects these memories can trigger PTSD in violent criminals and generate empathy for their victims, preventing future attacks.

But Dr. Stonehurst has a secret - his research was inspired by his twin sister who committed suicide due to trauma she continued to experience after being brutally assaulted and raped. He also has a desire to exact vengeance upon her attacker, John Kiel, who got away with the crime on a technicality. When the M.I.R.E. procedure gets approved as a sentencing option for repeat, violent offenders, he may finally get his chance for revenge.

Tyler doesn't shy away from the moral questions raised by M.I.R.E. To say that many of the characters are not nice is an understatement, but do the ends justify the means? Is it appropriate to knowingly inflict PTSD, even on violent criminals, in hopes of preventing future crimes? Is this justice or vengeance... or both? These are questions that Tyler's characters have to find their own answers to, as we all must.

I was kept riveted by this story throughout. It was fascinating, and disturbing. At times I had to put it down to process what I read, or in anticipation of what was to come.

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Review: The End of the World As We Know It: New Tales of Stephen King's The Stand

The End of the World As We Know It: New Tales of Stephen King's The Stand by Christopher Golden
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I recently finished THE END OF THE WORLD AS WE KNOW IT: NEW TALES OF STEPHEN KING'S THE STAND and have to say that I really enjoyed the anthology. I liked some stories better than others but I wasn't disappointed by any of them. For me it was like sharing memories and stories with people I didn't know, even though they grew up in the same neighborhood I did, or went to the same school as me.

Each author delivers a story that contains familiar elements, but brings a unique perspective to the characters, events and aftermath that King first introduced in The Stand. Co-editors Christopher Golden and Brian Keene did a masterful job of pulling these different voices together to create a compelling collection.

Some of my favorites from the book:
LENORA by Jonathan Janz - a wonderful story of loss, redemption and survival that breaks your heart before healing it.

MOVING DAY by Richard Chizmar - I absolutely LOVED the way he not only crafted a new story but also skillfully wove in details from Stephen King original tale.

MAKE YOUR OWN WAY by Alma Katsu - a tale of loss, discovery, resilience and hope, and is the perfect story to wrap up the first section.

GRAND JUNCTION by Chuck Wendig - a story of choices: love or fear; trust or betrayal; hope or despair.

HE'S A RIGHTEOUS MAN by Ronald Malfi - how do you survive when there seems to be no hope? The residents of one small town think they've found their answer, although not everyone agrees. I did not see the ending coming!

THE MOSQUE AT THE END OF THE WORLD by Usman T. Malik - one of several stories in the collection that doesn't take place in the United States. A fantastic tale of the aftermath of Captain Trips on other parts of the world, where local customs, legends and beliefs have their own power.

ABAGAIL'S GETHSEMANE by Wayne Brady and Maurice Broaddus - tells the story of the youthful Abagail Freemantle growing up in Hemingford Home, Nebraska, intermixed with the tale of her time spent "in the wilderness" of Colorado seeking repentance for her sins of pride and arrogance.

THE DEVIL'S CHILDREN by Sarah Langan - explores whether the superflu survivors have really learned any lessons from the experience, and offers an unexpected glimmer of hope for the world.

THE UNFORTUNATE CONVALESCENCE OF THE SUPERLAWYER by Nat Cassidy - a fun read with references/"Easter eggs" to other works by King (including the short story NIGHT SURF), and a possible explanation for the shelter provided to some of the characters in THE STAND.

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