Saga Press | Book Chatter

Not with a Bank book cover.

Not with a Bang
By Temi Oh
S&S/Saga Press, July 14, 2026, 352pp.

The Short of It:

Doomsdayers rejoice.

The Rest of It:

The Minton family has had a rough go of it. Marcus loses his job and becomes obsessed with stockpiling resources and digging a doomsday bunker for his family. As his family watches his antics, the family slowly falls apart.

Two daughters and their mother watch in horror as a cataclysmic event turns their world upside down. A magnetic force arrives on the wedding day of the eldest daughter, throwing everyone into panic mode. Anything metal is picked up and tossed, including body piercings, surgical devices, and the like. Bodies lie strewn everywhere, and one daughter has gone missing.

With the family torn apart and scattered in different locations, the bunker Marcus built is not useful at all. Instead, it becomes a target for those who want what is inside. Marcus prepared his family for survival but failed to think twice about boasting about his supplies, ultimately putting everyone at risk.

As each family member does what they can to survive, their internal thoughts keep them moving forward through a situation where a resolution is not immediately apparent.

What was great:

Pacing
Authenticity
Briar’s point of view

Overall, this was quite readable without being dark or depressing. I wanted more of the family’s interactions before they were split apart. I think that would have lent a more personal note to the story. No matter how you imagine the world ending, the way civilization falls apart within minutes is, I fear, accurately depicted.

Recommend.

Source: Review copy provided by the publisher.
Disclosure: This post contains Bookshop.org affiliate links.

Valet
By J.P. Lacrampe
Simon & Schuster / Saga Press, June 2, 2026, 272pp.

The Short of It:

Entertaining and at times, sweet.

The Rest of It:

Cy is a techbot and artificial companion to his thirty-something owner, Grayson. His primary mission is simple in theory: find Grayson a girlfriend and motivate him to do something productive with his life. In practice, it turns out to be far more challenging, and often hilarious.

Grayson is a genuinely likable guy, but he drifts from one interest to the next without any real desire to settle down or commit to a direction. His wealthy mother believes Cy is the solution to that problem. Adding to the pressure, Cy is required to report Grayson’s progress back to her. Success matters because Cy’s utility score depends on it, and one major mistake could leave him headed for the junk pile.

The real strength of this story is the relationship between Cy and Grayson. Their conversations about dating, ambition, and life in general are funny, charming, and surprisingly heartfelt. Despite being a robot, Cy comes across as genuinely invested in his master’s happiness and well-being, which gives the story a lot of warmth.

My main issue is that not much actually happens. There is a subplot involving some shady business that adds a welcome dose of excitement, but I found myself wishing there was more of it. The characters are strong enough to carry much of the book, but a more substantial plot would have made the story even more compelling.

Overall, I enjoyed this one largely because of the characters. Grayson and Cy make a memorable duo, and I ended up caring about Cy far more than I expected, which is impressive considering he’s essentially a robot.

I’d read this author again.

Source: Review copy provided by the publisher.
Disclosure: This post contains Bookshop.org affiliate links.

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