Prairie Fox Reads

      A Game of Retribution: A Study in Power Dynamics, Autonomy, and Divine Consequence Star Rating:   ★★★★☆ (4 out of 5 stars) Disclaimer: I was provided a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher for review purposes. This has not affected the content, objectivity, or analytical stance of this review. Publication and Context Title:   A Game of Retribution   (Hades Saga #2, Hades x Persephone Reading Order #4) Author:   Scarlett St. Clair Publisher:   Bloom Books Publication Date:   First published May 31, 2022 (Current Edition: May 31, 2024) Page Count:   427 pages, Kindle Edition ASIN:   B09GL14D21 Genre:   Fantasy, Romance, Mythology, Romantasy Target Audience:   Adult readers of fantasy romance and modern mythological retellings. Within the current literary zeitgeist, the “romantasy” genre has experienced exponential growth, often serving as a cultural backdrop for exploring modern anxieties through mytholog...

  Book Review:   Remarkably Bright Creatures   by Shelby Van Pelt Rating:   ★★★★½ (4.36 out of 5 stars) Publication and Context Title:   Remarkably Bright Creatures Author:   Shelby Van Pelt Publication Date:   May 3, 2022 Publisher:   Ecco Page Count:   360 pages Format:   Kindle Edition (ASIN: B09BNH4TLW / ISBN: 9780063204171) Genres:   Fiction / Contemporary / Magical Realism / Mystery / Book Club Contextual Backdrop: Released in the spring of 2022,   Remarkably Bright Creatures   became a massive word-of-mouth phenomenon. Pitched to fans of Fredrik Backman’s   A Man Called Ove , the novel tapped into a post-pandemic hunger for stories about community, healing, and unexpected connections. Its defining feature—giving narrative voice to a Giant Pacific Octopus—could have easily become a gimmick, but Van Pelt’s execution elevated it into an award-winning, multi-layered meditation on grief and found family. Purpose and...

  Measuring Deception: A Review of Tremors in the Blood In Tremors in the Blood: Murder, Obsession and the Birth of the Lie Detector , Amit Katwala tells the story of an invention that promised to make deception physically visible. By recording changes in breathing, pulse, and blood pressure, the polygraph appeared to offer police and courts something they had always wanted: an objective method for separating truth from lies. Yet the device never truly measured lies. It measured physiological arousal and depended on an examiner to decide what those bodily changes meant. Nervousness could resemble guilt, while confidence and self-control could disguise deception. Despite this fundamental problem, the polygraph spread through American policing, employment screening, intelligence work, popular culture, and private life. Katwala approaches this history through a combination of true crime, biography, psychology, and technological cautionary tale. At the center are three striking figures...