Book Review: Like Water for Chocolate

In well-born Mexican families, tradition dictates that the youngest daughter not marry, but remain at home to care for her mother. Even though Tita has fallen in love, Mama Elena chooses not to make an exception, and instead, arranges for Tita's older sister to marry Tita's young man.

In order to punish Tita for her willfulness, Mama Elena forces her to bake the wedding cake. The bitter tears Tita weeps while stirring the batter provoke a remarkable reaction among the guests who eat the cake. It is then that it first becomes apparent that her culinary talents are unique.

Book Review: Love Machine

Friends. Lovers. Therapists. ‘"Deathbots." AI is taking on unprecedented roles for millions of us every day – but how are these new relationships rewiring us?

Beyond those who are using chatbots for everyday tasks, many are turning to them as friends, mentors and sexual and romantic partners. Some are men who are preparing to adopt children with their AI partners; others are reaching out to companies offering "deathbot" services based on a deceased loved one's text messages and voicemails; others still look to therapy bots to find treatment for their mental health issues.

Book Review: The Pale

Something strange is killing people in The Pale of Settlement—the strip of Western Russia where the Czars let Jews live.

When military hero Sergei looks up from the kid’s body on the street of the captured Polish town under his charge, he’s met with the most terrifying thing he’s seen in years: a flea-bitten orthodox Jew who looks just like him and knows his true name.

When Yankev of Vishanev—down on his luck demon hunter, once powerful kabbalist—looks into the eyes of the brother he thought dead half a lifetime, he’s certain he’s finally back on the path God laid out for him.

When the monsters attack, when the angels speak, when something darker than human violence threatens the Jews of the town with extinction, will these two have what it takes to find their way back to being a family? Will they have what it takes to stop what’s coming?