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Is it a book? Is it a podcast? I dunno. There’s nothing here that hasn’t already been said elsewhere, but I did like the reminder of why it’s important to learn about Freeman and his extremely successful crusade to make lobotomy one of the most used procedures, despite mounting evidence of the damage it caused.
It was Vera's idea to buy the Itza. The "world's most advanced smart speaker!" didn't …
I’m rounding up to 5 because FINALLY a horror book written by a dude I actually enjoyed! Bonus points for Kubrick references. Extra bonus points for what I think is commentary about generational trauma/violence but some of those points taken away for not really being clear and maybe not even being there? I’m not sure what was going on, and that’s kind of a problem. There’s a bit of a Stephen King issue happening there. Anyway, it was very fun, very creepy, and I think there’s potential for some interesting conversations to come out of reading it. That last thing alone is enough for me to add a star.
This book was so weird. Haha. I think most readers are going to hate it. I kind of loved it though. I don’t think it’s really YA. It’s actually more like lit fic, and it reminds me of films and art I’ve seen that explore what it means to be a woman with elements that seem like they come from fairytales, but are so much weirder than that. This fits in with some of the weird horror we’ve been seeing lately, but it’s more of a romance than a horror, where the romance focuses more on partnership than lust or desire, although there’s plenty of that as well. I don’t think we have a category for this book, which means it’s going to be hard for it to find an audience. I for one found the experience of reading it to be strange but worthwhile.
A man returning home finds himself instead on a decades-long journey through the nature of …
Part of me wants to give this book 5 stars because it is actually a little but clever, but a much larger part of me can’t do it because it feels like a gimmick. I’m not sure there was ever a moment where I thought something really profound had been said in an interesting way. Maybe it’s the translation. In any case, it’s still very interesting and it’s short enough that the annoying things don’t get too annoying, and it does end ip having something interesting to say about identity.
I had very low expectations for this. Obviously, I was wrong. I’m guessing I based that on a synopsis that went something like this: when the man Annie expected to marry breaks up with her, she moves to a tiny town where she makes a friend who helps her -a woman previously defined by her relationship to a man - learn to enjoy being on her own. Too many books with a set up like that end up overly misandristic. This one doesn’t. But honestly this book ended up being so much fun I don’t think I would have minded if it went that route. This is probably the best witch-oriented book I’ve ever read, even though I think certain elements mean it still should be categorized in a genre I don’t tend to like (it’s very chick lit). I may be adding an extra star because I enjoyed it …
I had very low expectations for this. Obviously, I was wrong. I’m guessing I based that on a synopsis that went something like this: when the man Annie expected to marry breaks up with her, she moves to a tiny town where she makes a friend who helps her -a woman previously defined by her relationship to a man - learn to enjoy being on her own. Too many books with a set up like that end up overly misandristic. This one doesn’t. But honestly this book ended up being so much fun I don’t think I would have minded if it went that route. This is probably the best witch-oriented book I’ve ever read, even though I think certain elements mean it still should be categorized in a genre I don’t tend to like (it’s very chick lit). I may be adding an extra star because I enjoyed it despite those elements, but given that I will probably be referencing this book as an example I don’t hate, I think that star is well earned.
Protesters: “time to go!”
Counter protestors: “Everthing’s fine!”
If you have to shout “everything’s fine” at a protest than it’s almost certain everything is not fine.
I also need to give a shout out to Nalini’s “Jenga Limit” theory. Several of her “applied sociologist” quips were amazing, but that was the best one.
I really want to give this 5 stars but it’s just not quite there. Very close. Absolutely amazing political satire that made me laugh out loud several times towards the end. It takes a long time to get going, though.
How this didn’t make the Booker short list this year is beyond me. I didn’t read it all the way through, I dipped in and out - which the format allows for - but I was still blown away by almost every line I did read. I hope to return to it and read it fully but I think this is one of those books I will look back on as a reminder of what life was like, especially as a woman, in 2022.
Leah is changed. Months earlier, she left for a routine expedition, only this time her …
More of a 3 star book but I’m bumping up a star because I think if it’s read as a metaphor for all marriages, rather than just a story about one marriage, it’s rather profound. I’m choosing to read it that way. If you read it the other way…. It’s kind of boring. The style is familiar and at this point, almost cliche. That’s not so great. But it’s short enough that I don’t mind as much as I would if it had taken more of my time. It’s a decent book. I could see recommending it as a good introduction to contemporary literary fiction, if nothing else. It has just enough innovation going on to make it a little more interesting than other options.
'A dazzling fairytale' Stephanie Garber, on Six Crimson Cranes
A dragon's kingdom. A star-crossed love. …
Rating for younger teens: 5 stars
Rating for adults: 3.5 stars? Maybe?
I’m not going to claim that this duology is the best YA I’ve ever read, but it’s pretty great. I think it’s strength is to have a girl at the center who never really shirks her attachments to others. While there are conflicts with family - her father, her stepmother, even her brothers on occasion - there is always a sense of love for them. I also like that, especially in the second book, the romance never takes over. She is allowed to care for male characters outside of her family, and she remains as strong in her affection for them as she does her own family, but she isn’t entirely defined by any of those relationships. It’s rare to see any of that in YA these days. I’m also glad to see a female protagonist who gets …
Rating for younger teens: 5 stars
Rating for adults: 3.5 stars? Maybe?
I’m not going to claim that this duology is the best YA I’ve ever read, but it’s pretty great. I think it’s strength is to have a girl at the center who never really shirks her attachments to others. While there are conflicts with family - her father, her stepmother, even her brothers on occasion - there is always a sense of love for them. I also like that, especially in the second book, the romance never takes over. She is allowed to care for male characters outside of her family, and she remains as strong in her affection for them as she does her own family, but she isn’t entirely defined by any of those relationships. It’s rare to see any of that in YA these days. I’m also glad to see a female protagonist who gets to be female. She asks for and receives help along the way, but remains independent. In other books those things are treated as mutually exclusive. So I’m not necessarily recommending this for other adults, but for younger teens, this duology has a lot of good qualities.
Ten years ago outside Browning, Montana, four Blackfeet shot some elk, and then went on …
Ok I struggled. Like a lot. I nearly went with three stars. Part of me wants to give it only two. This was waaaaayyyyy harder to read than it should have been. There’s just… too much writing. Lol. The parts that were good were really good, definitely innovative, and had something to say (despite the gore). But man….. too much. It could have been half the length it is and it would have been so much better. I don’t think I could recommend this to many people. Stephen King fans might like it though….
All Reia ever wanted was freedom.
Known as a harbinger of bad omens and blamed …
I discovered I apparently have kindle unlimited, and will have it for a couple months (I must have pushed a button) and this cover caught my eye. Nothing new or surprising, but if you wanted a spicy romance with demons (some of them are scary)…. Here you go.
Even through the roar and effervescence of the 1920s, everyone in New York has heard …
So far this book has my vote to win the Booker this year (as if anyone cared). I imagine the structure of this book would frustrate a lot of readers but I think that’s it’s biggest strength. There’s not a lot in the story that will surprise anyone, at least anyone who isn’t inclined to believe the myth making surrounding the “great men” of history. There’s so many subtle digs at the machinery that creates those myths, ingeniously executed. We learn the most in Ida’s book, where she grapples with her own willingness to play a part in it. Don’t suspend your disbelief with this book. Be a cynic. Think critically. But be patient. Let the book do it’s work. I very much doubt this book is for everyone, but it’s a worthwhile adventure if you’re open to it. Ñ
I tried. I don’t care enough.
“They'd known the end times were coming but hadn’t known they’d be multiple choice.”
Joey …
3 stars but still recommending it! I really thought this was going to be at least a four star read but it didn’t quite get there. I enjoyed the speculation about what the near future might hold. I see this book as a story about the time before dystopia fully takes hold, and how a plucky group of youngsters try to use their positions in the institutions leading the world there to avoid the final plunge. It’s all about subversion and potential revolution. Although there are mentions of a climate crisis, the story is most interested in a how social media might evolve in this proto-dystopian world, and the many permutations - pure entertainment, unapologetic product promotion, and even political movements - it might take. I’m not sure it quite gets to where it wants to go. There’s a joke about 1/3 through about a self help seminar the protagonist …
3 stars but still recommending it! I really thought this was going to be at least a four star read but it didn’t quite get there. I enjoyed the speculation about what the near future might hold. I see this book as a story about the time before dystopia fully takes hold, and how a plucky group of youngsters try to use their positions in the institutions leading the world there to avoid the final plunge. It’s all about subversion and potential revolution. Although there are mentions of a climate crisis, the story is most interested in a how social media might evolve in this proto-dystopian world, and the many permutations - pure entertainment, unapologetic product promotion, and even political movements - it might take. I’m not sure it quite gets to where it wants to go. There’s a joke about 1/3 through about a self help seminar the protagonist calls “Desi Power Chakra” (if you don’t know what desi is look it up before reading this book). It has to do with making your enemies think you’re friends and being three steps ahead of everyone, and that idea plays into the climax. But it seems the book might be three steps ahead of itself. So many things are brought up and almost get to something, but nothing gets resolved or returned to once the plot moves past it. It’s a shame because if any one of those themes had come to a resolution, I would likely have had only good things to say about the book, even if a few were still left floating. But to not use any of them seems like a lack of structure. Perhaps that’s meant to reflect the state of India, the constant push towards revolution and innovation but so much remaining the same. If it was intentional, it didn’t work for me. Still there was a lot of interesting ideas and I’m sure I’ll be thinking about it for a while.
