Kiss, Marry or Kill: 19

A slightly demented and SUPER FUN book, where to peep the leaves, WFH tips for beating the chill, navigating workplace bullying, the new landscape of kids and sexting

This is my weekly series for subscribers only, where I’ll share things that caught my eye this week in a fun and flirty way (kiss), a sustainable way (marry), or a not-so-good way (kill). And yes, this trendy game is technically “f***, marry, or kill” but we run a family-friendly-ish show around here.

Kiss (things I like right now)

Starter Villain by John Scalzi

I don’t know how I found this (maybe an Audible ad?) but this $6 audiobook was the highlight of my September. If you were a fan of Hollow Kingdom by Kira Jane Buxton, you’ll love Starter Villain’s sh*t-talking dolphins, secret agent cats, and rollicking story of (attempted) total world domination.

Narrated by actor Whil Wheaton, this book was a performance. Charlie, our hapless hero, is close to rock bottom when he discovers his billionaire uncle has died. A representative of the estate asks for one simple favor—and chaos ensues. (The funeral is one of the funniest scenes in a book, ever, and signals exactly what you’re getting into. I laughed out loud several times while running.)

Charlie is clever, good-hearted, and a champion of the underdog. The collective of supervillains are equal parts ridiculous and hilarious. (The Pitch and Pitch was a real treat.) The dolphins left me with at least three new insults I never would have come up with on my own. And then the plot twisted! And twisted! And twisted! Like the icing on a probably-poisoned cake.

My 10-year-old listened to some of this with me, and found it equally delightful. (There are lots of f-bombs, but no adult themes.) If you’re looking for something fun, engaging, and slightly demented, Starter Villain is calling your name.