Siri, Who Am I?
Paperback | Kindle Edition | Audiobook
By Sam Tschida
Publisher: Quirk Books
Release Date: January 12, 2021

When Mia wakes up alone in the hospital with amnesia, she has only her shattered-screen iPhone to help her piece together who she is, why no one is looking for her, and whether the blunt force trauma to the back of her head she sustained was by accident or inflicted on her by an enemy. Thankfully, her cellphone’s voice-activated Siri app is still accessible and is able to point her in the right direction. Geared up in the yellow Prada cocktail dress she was wearing when she was brought into the ER, a disheveled Mia heads out into the streets of LA to reconstruct her life using clues attained from her social media accounts and phone contacts. Is she rich and famous? Is she a philanthropist or a criminal? Is someone trying to kill her? The more she finds out about her life, the less sure she is that she wants to return to it.

The story of an amnesiac with a massive head wound and possibly the victim of attempted murder who’s roaming around Los Angeles in a designer dress and no money should be a frightening tale. But with a humorous title like Siri, Who Am I?, Sam Tschida sets up her debut novel as an entertaining, lighthearted mystery-adventure.

From a Certain Point of View: The Empire Strikes Back
Hardcover | Kindle | Audiobook
Star Wars: From a Certain Point of View: Book 2 of 2
Multiple Authors and Narrators
Publisher: Del Rey | Random House Audio
Release date: November 11, 2020

Just in time for the 40th anniversary of the greatest science fiction film ever made (sure, that’s arguable, but I’ll gladly argue it) and the greatest sequel ever made (again, arguable, but I’ll still argue it), The Empire Strikes Back, comes a collection of stories of those characters who either never saw any screen time, saw so little that few remember them, or, as you’ll see in this book and review, couldn’t communicate their stories in Earth-bound languages until now. That book? From a Certain Point of View: The Empire Strikes Back (Star Wars), the companion book to that which was written with the same purpose for the previous film.

It’s truly been one helluva year. Our lives have been turned upside down because of a global pandemic and most things we felt were “normal” are not anymore. Thankfully, the act of gift-giving remains the same. And as I always say, a book is a fantastic gift to give and receive. Reading books and listening to audiobooks helped get a lot of people through some frightening times this year, and will continue to do so in the coming months. So why not gift some books to your friends and family to provide some comfort and entertainment while we wait for “normal” to return? This year saw a lot of great releases, including lots of attractive reissues of works from the great J.R.R. Tolkien; plenty of new adventures for Star Trek, Star Wars, The Hunger Games, and The Dresden Files; biographies from the world of heavy metal; some scary, yet fun Yuletide tales; and much much more.

Check out here below our Holiday Geek Gift Guide 2020 for Books, eBooks, and Audiobooks for our favorite holiday gift picks for the readers in your life.

2020 has been a year to remember, of that there is no doubt. But while we have had to learn to social distance and protect one another by wearing masks, one thing has remained consistent: Wizards of the Coast (and others) delivered treasure after treasure throughout this year and it might be the only thing that has kept me sane. New Dungeons & Dragons books and accessories have been released that any player or Dungeon Master will want to add to their collection. Below are a few, and I do mean just a few, of the plethora of items from this pandemic-infested cycle. Undoubtedly, you will find something for a friend or family member, but do not forget to get yourself a little something, too!

Here’s the 2020 Holiday Geek Gift Guide: Dungeons & Dragons Edition.

Echoes of Darkness
Book 2 in the Echoes Trilogy
Paperback | Kindle
By Cheryl Campbell
Publisher: Sonar Press
Paperback release date: October 5, 2020

The war for Earth between the alien Echo Wardens, who want nothing more than to exterminate all humans, and the partnership between humans and their Echo allies continues to rage on. Dani, a unique Echo ally who regens (ability to die and come back to life at a younger age) to a 10-year girl with few memories, still grows to lead offensive missions to take back their cities. Her sights are set on reclaiming Boston, despite a past that is but a fragment of a horrible memory.

Keep reading for more of Echoes of Darkness: Book Two in the Echoes Trilogy by Cheryl Campbell.