April thoughts...

April 5th will see nationwide protests with regard to the Trump administration’s unconstitutional behavior pushing beyond the limits of what executive action legally allows. The administration’s attacks on judges, journalists, law firms, trans folk, and anyone else who defies their behavior should disturb anyone who cares about the future of US democracy. He is already discussing not leaving office at the end of this, his second term which has been increasingly autocratic and defying the principle of three equal branches of government. The Executive, Legislative, and the Judicial branches are equal and are designed to keep each other in check. A president is not a monarch with no limits on his power.

It is disturbing to hear him threaten long term allies Canada and Denmark and Panama with war, as he cozies up to dictators and takes Russia’s side over Ukraine’s, and spreads outright lies: saying that Ukraine started the war with Russia is blatant rewriting of history. And the tariffs are starting needless trade wars with our allies and will only end up hurting not only the US economy, but that of the world. So messed up on so many levels. And yet idiots are still supporting him and his enablers. I do think it will backfire on the GOP. As more and more people tire of seeing their investment accounts shrink, and prices increase, ultimately it is going to badly hurt the GOP’s future. Unfortunately many people’s lives will be hurt in the meantime.

April Reading

The Purple Fantastic Book of the Month

Nepo

Nepo was a great read. I was fully engaged and towards the end I could not put the book down. I appreciated how the book explored our society’s obsession with celebrity and our disregard for those without. I cared about the characters and the plot was not formulaic and was not predictable. Although it does wrap up the primary mystery, it does leave a bit hanging for the sequel… which I will impatiently await.

* * * * *

In the rain-drenched Los Angeles of 2233, Shayan “Shy” Soraya lives under the shadow of a legend—because he’s a clone of one. Although the world envies his status as a “nepo baby,” Shy feels suffocated by the life that’s been scripted for him. Yet the spotlight only grows harsher when a viral video captures him fending off armed kidnappers.

Hailed as a hero by the city’s elite, Shy breaks his talent agency’s strict rules and befriends Agustín—a teen from the slums, home to the city’s oppressed and largely neurodivergent working class. Their shared determination to uncover who orchestrated the attack pulls them into a conspiracy more dangerous than either could have imagined.

As Shy’s bond with Agustín deepens, unsettling parallels between their lives begin to emerge. Could Shy also be neurodivergent—something Hollywood would never allow? Wrestling with his identity, he realizes the secret he has buried may have already put him in far greater peril than he ever knew.

With time running out, Shy and Agustín must expose the truth before the system swallows them both.

A neuropunk thriller about stardom, identity, and the cost of becoming who you truly are.

The Purple Fantastic Steam Rating gives this a 1 out of 5. This book is not steamy. There is reference to same gender attraction, and that’s about it.  You can read more about the Steam Ratings on the About Page.

Description

In the rain-drenched Los Angeles of 2233, Shayan “Shy” Soraya lives under the shadow of a legend—because he’s a clone of one. Although the world envies his status as a “nepo baby,” Shy feels suffocated by the life that’s been scripted for him. Yet the spotlight only grows harsher when a viral video captures him fending off armed kidnappers.

Hailed as a hero by the city’s elite, Shy breaks his talent agency’s strict rules and befriends Agustín—a teen from the slums, home to the city’s oppressed and largely neurodivergent working class. Their shared determination to uncover who orchestrated the attack pulls them into a conspiracy more dangerous than either could have imagined.

As Shy’s bond with Agustín deepens, unsettling parallels between their lives begin to emerge. Could Shy also be neurodivergent—something Hollywood would never allow? Wrestling with his identity, he realizes the secret he has buried may have already put him in far greater peril than he ever knew.

With time running out, Shy and Agustín must expose the truth before the system swallows them both.

A neuropunk thriller about stardom, identity, and the cost of becoming who you truly are.

Additional information

book-author

M. T. Anderson

Format

Audiobook, Kindle Books, Paperback

Language

English

Publisher

Pantheon

Pages

241

Year Published

2024

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