Harvey emphasizes the urgency of the need for change and offers age-appropriate examples to help build young advocates equipped to work toward racial equality. "What strategies will help our children learn to function well in a diverse nation? What roles do we want them to play in addressing racism when they encounter it? How do we equip them for these roles? How do we talk about race honestly with our children, which means naming white privilege...?" Harvey explores how to move from one-dimensional, "we are all equal," colorblind platitudes to the slightly more full statement "we should all be equal, we all have equal worth, but we don't yet all experience equality" and further, to showing children how to actively partner in achieving racial justice. Through providing age-appropriate examples and specifics, Harvey delves into how to be "committed to equity and justice while living in a society that is not only racially unjust and deeply segregated, but which privileges your racial group at the same time," and she notes that we have the capacity to effect change--if we overhaul some traditional tools and frameworks in favor of equipping white children to be part of the change. "We are a nation in crisis. Creating a different future requires that we tell the truth about that." With the goal of bringing up children "who are able, engaged, and high-functioning when it comes to matters of race, diversity, and, most important, anti-racism," Harvey notes regarding the work required to achieve racial justice, "we have a long way to go, but we can go." Harvey is specific and practical throughout the book, and she provides a series of valuable messages that are important to explore. What did you think? This book can go hand in hand with other excellent examinations of race, racial injustice, and effecting change such as So You Want to Talk About Race, White Fragility, and many others. I read this while meeting regularly with a group, and it inspired some important discussions. Any other books on the topic of race that you found illuminating and useful? #race, #nonfiction, #parenting, #politicssocialjustice

01 Goddess in the Machine Goddess in the Machine is not just a gorgeous cover. I'm not too far into this yet, but Lora Beth Johnson already has me hooked by the premise and the voice. Teenage Andra finally wakes up after being cryogenically preserved for a century-long journey to a new planet. She's a little creaky and sore, sure, but she's ready to be reunited with the team, which includes her mother and the rest of her family, plus many others involved in the complex project. They'll begin the work of bravely populating and building a new life on this planet. Except...Andra soon realizes she wasn't sleeping for 100 years. She was asleep for 1,000. The people, terrain, and language are not what she studied for or expected, everyone she knows has already lived and died--oh, and the general population, whoever they are, thinks she's a goddess, and they've been waiting excitedly for her to wake up and save them. See my full review here. #fantasyscifi, #youngadult, #series, #postapocalypticdystopian, #robots, #timetravel 02 Beach Read ​ Is it fair for a person (me) with particular requirements for light fiction (ideally: not too outlandish of a hook and premise, characters who follow somewhat logical steps in their lives, inner voices that feel real, human connections that warm my heart, and a little romantic something-something) to continue reading light fiction while kind of expecting disappointment? Yes. Yes, it is. Because I think Emily Henry's Beach Read is going to be a major gem on the light fiction-escapism-pandemic-era reading list. It took five (short) chapters to take off for me, but I am in for this. Beach Read meets my criteria above, it's sweet and funny, it's about writing and books, there are wonderfully faulted love-crossed main protagonists, and a sexy-playful-obsession-maybe-heartbreak-then-love seems to be brewing. Henry has made me laugh repeatedly out loud, and I have a suspicion that she might bring me to tears at some point and I won't hate it. #lightfiction, #heartwarming, #booksaboutbooks 03 A Good Girl's Guide to Murder ​ It's been years since a local young woman, Andie Bell, was murdered by Sal Singh. But Pippa Fitz-Amobi is becoming convinced that Sal didn't do it after all. What happens if the real killer is still on the loose--and what if the murderer finds out Pippa is stirring up suspicion about what really happened? Is this kind of a young adult fiction version of the Serial podcast? I'm really hoping so. I recently mentioned this book in the Greedy Reading List Six Newish Young Adult Mysteries I Want to Read. This one went straight to the top of my young adult mystery reading list. And, ahem, it's due back to the library momentarily, so I will be reading and reviewing it promptly! #youngadult, #mystery What are you reading now? The mix of different genres I read concurrently are usually reactive--a result of my library hold list timing or incoming advance reader copies. But I do like having wildly disparate reading adventures going on at once. Are you a one-book-at-a-time reader, or do you dabble with reading different types of books at once?

Dear Emmie Blue is satisfying, heartwarming escapism without inspiring any irritation at too-convenient or outlandish events. This is a lovely light summer read I recently mentioned in my Greedy Reading List Three Wackily Different Books I'm Reading Right Now. I'm happy to tell you that this one lived up to its strong start. Sometimes in order to delve into a light fiction book I find that I have to suspend my disbelief about human behavior. But letting go of expectations about realistic cause and effect in order to buy into a romantic setup (see my review of What You Wish For) is far more difficult for me than suspending my disbelief to buy into the outlandish or supernatural aspects of a romantic but otherwise truly oddball book (see my review of My Lady Jane). Lia Louis's Dear Emmie Blue doesn't require the reader to do much, if any, LA-LA-LA-ing and taking deep breaths while outrageous events are taking place. Characters are appealingly faulted, and sometimes selfish and foolish. Unlikely bonds are forged and reforged. There's a love triangle that I adored. The setup of how the best friends met (Emmie released a balloon with a message when she was young, and Lucas, who shares the same birthday, just happened to find it across the ocean) is cute as a framework and didn't irritate with its almost cinematic convenience, although its significance pales compared to the real meat of the story. Emmie takes some time figuring out whether she deserves happiness. A couple of cutie-pies, a long-lost family member, and some friends who are like family help her find clarity in what she wants and how to get it. This is satisfying escapism without causing any snappishness at too-easy or outlandish events. Everything that goes smoothly, I wanted to happen. Also, the characters of Fox and Rosie are gloooooorious. You can see something brewing there from a mile away, but that didn't diminish my joy in the least at their banter and how their relationship grows and changes. What did you think? Lia Louis has written another book, Somewhere Close to Happy, described as "a laugh-out-loud funny yet heart-breaking novel about first love and second chances, with a satisfying mystery at its heart." It sounds like more excellent lighthearted escapism, and I definitely plan to give it a try. #heartwarming, #lightfiction, #fourstarbookreview

This is charming, with quirky characters, but it felt like a middle-grade book to me. Especially during Pandemic Times, one of the genres I find myself gravitating toward listening to is young adult fantasy. I think the pacing and the fantastical worlds lend themselves well to audiobook form. (And again, I really need to stop saying "books on tape" because I am not currently living in the 1980s.) Daniel Henning as the narrator is able to differentiate between many voices in T.J. Klune's book that require unique handling, and I loved listening to the story through his interpretation. At the start of The House in the Cerulean Sea, Extremely Upper Management sends lonely, steady, pushed-around Linus, a case worker for magical children in orphanages, to a mysterious, small-scale home for children that seems like it's at the (beautiful) end of the earth. Linus is expected to report back with details about what Arthur Parnassus, the mysterious master on site, is really up to with his unusual charges. But stolid Linus may be pushed past the limits of his beloved rules and regulations, because upon arrival, he finds out that the children are not only magical, but potentially dangerous: they include a gnome, a sprite, a wyvern, an unidentifiable green blob, a were-Pomeranian, and the Antichrist. Plus there is something mysterious about both the caretakers of the children and island, like maybe something magical also! The premise is excellent, and the book is charming. The characters are wonderfully quirky. There's extensive emphasis on being who you are and in accepting others, telling the truth and being kind, and in the fulfillment of actually forming the future you've wished for. Klune shows that we can be held back by fear of what we don't understand, or by a fear of either recognizing what we want or a fear of pursuing a need for our general happiness. (Am I too grumpy if I share that the repeated "you're perfect just the way you are" messages might have had more impact for me if they'd been shown at times rather than told to me so frequently?) Now for the implausibility: There's repetitive (and after a time, for me, unconvincing) stated confusion about Linus's affection for and distraction by Arthur. Unbelievably wise people and creatures also have unlikely levels of great understanding of the big picture, as well as of Linus as a person and the different life he should be living. Linus ultimately shows himself to have depth and personality and affection, but Arthur's declarations about liking Linus just the way he is more so than anyone he's ever met--while Linus seems at that point to be proving himself an average rule follower without much imagination--feel premature and too convenient. It felt like a middle-grade novel to me, but it's marketed as a book for adults. There's love, but it is chaste (lots of gazing into each other's eyes and touching faces); there's one use of the B-word (in a moment in which human--actually creature--rights are threatened); and the themes of acceptance and the clarity of their presentation feel appropriate for young readers. You can see much of the story coming, but it's satisfyingly heartwarming. Showing characters sharing classic oldies music tastes with the Antichrist was one of my favorite parts. What did you think? I listed T.J. Klune's The House in the Cerulean Sea in a post last week called Three Wackily Different Books I'm Reading Right Now. I kept fully imagining this to be a British story because of the tone and setup of the city and office for Linus, but Henning's narration didn't bear that out, and now that I've finished I can't find any reference to its being so. Must have been just me. #fantasyscifi, #LGBTQ, #youngadult, #threestarbookreview

01 I Killed Zoe Spanos I'll admit that this cover hooked me at first look, but the premise of this story is similarly irresistible. Anna arrives in a sleepy Hamptons village to be a nanny, but the community has recently been rocked by the disappearance of a young woman, Zoe Spanos. Strangely, Anna looks a lot like Zoe, so she's faced with the village's pain and suspicion everywhere she goes. By the end of the summer, Anna has delved into Zoe's disappearance and has attempted to untangle the truth of what happened. Eventually she herself confesses to having hurt Zoe. But not everyone is satisfied with her shaky story. #youngadult, #mystery 02 The Last Confession of Autumn Casterly ​ In Meredith Tate's newest book, Ivy and her wonderfully nerdy friends play in the school band and love board games. But her older sister Autumn is into a darker scene, and when Autumn is abducted by people connected to a drug ring, Ivy must plunge into the sinister underbelly of her sister's life to try to save her. If Ivy can unravel the snarl of dangerous clues and uncover the secrets Autumn's been keeping, maybe she'll be able to help her sister survive. #youngadult, #mystery, #siblings 03 A Good Girl's Guide to Murder ​ It's been years since a local young woman, Andie Bell, was murdered by Sal Singh. But Pippa Fitz-Amobi is becoming convinced that Sal didn't do it after all. What happens if the real killer is still on the loose--and what if the murderer finds out Pippa is stirring up suspicion about what really happened? Is this kind of a young adult fiction version of the Serial podcast? I'm really hoping so. #youngadult, #mystery 04 Mad, Bad, & Dangerous to Know Samira Ahmed offers two story lines of young women separated by centuries. Khayyam is in Paris with her parents, but her boyfriend has probably broken up with her and she didn't get into the college she wanted, and she'd just like to wallow. Two hundred years in the past, Leila is a young Muslim woman struggling to survive. As Khayyam eagerly discovers more of Leila's mysterious history, she begins to grow and change in this feminist coming-of-age story. #youngadult, #mystery, #historicalfiction, #dualstoryline 05 All Eyes on Her Tabby and Mark were dating. They went into the woods, but only Tabby came out again. L.E. Flynn presents a story told in everyone's point of view besides Tabby's, a tale in which her best friend, her sister, her ex-boyfriend, and her enemy attempt to cobble together what they think happened--and to assert that they know Tabby and her motivations best. "A frenzied psychological thriller, superbly paced." ―Booklist, starred review #youngadult, #mystery 06 The Inheritance Games ​ Avery is in high school, and all she's focused on is getting a scholarship and getting out of town. But when billionaire Tobias Hawthorne, a stranger, leaves his fortune to her, her life becomes a lot more complicated--and a lot more dangerous. She must move into the house to claim her inheritance, but Hawthorne's surviving relatives are bitter, determined to prove her a con woman--and they're still living in the house. Hawthorne has set out riddles and puzzles Avery must solve before coming into the money that could save her--or will the search for answers destroy her first? This is the first in the Inheritance Games series by Jennifer Lynn Barnes, who also wrote The Naturals series. #youngadult, #mystery, #series Any young adult mysteries you've enjoyed lately? There are many recent-ish young adult mysteries that sound intriguing, and I had a little trouble narrowing down this list. Where was this embarrassment of young-adult-mystery riches when I was actually a young adult? Thank goodness for Lois Duncan (Stranger with my Face!) or I would have been completely out of luck.

The playful and absurd are presented as everyday occurrences, and supernatural events are regularly intermingled with detective work with a twist. In this first book of Kevin Hearne's new (published last week) Ink & Sigil series, patterns and inks have power; hobgoblins are insufferably mischievous but in rare cases redeemable; all manner of creatures coexist in and visit our world (although humans are generally unaware of this); and some unknown creature or group with power and greed is compromising the sacred old ways. Hearne offers a playful, action-packed, magical, layered modern-day London. Al MacBharrais is a widower (who adored his wife) who uses unconventional methods to right wrongs, to ferret out those betraying his craft's secrets for nefarious purposes, and to protect those he is loyal to. The book takes a turn into real-life, weighty issues such as human trafficking, government corruption, and gun control, while the characters' banter and affection for each other keeps you rolling right along. I thought this was great. The playful and absurd are presented as everyday occurrences, and supernatural events are regularly intermingled with detective work with a twist. There's also lots of attitude and sass. The Scottish speech patterns were fantastic (but what a job for the copy editor!). The backtracking to the start of Nadia's involvement in the situation is wonderful; other brief side stories (Iron Druid, for example; or how Al processes patience/personal space/snappish behavior/frustrations) felt somewhat beyond the scope for the moment. And is the man foraging in the woods in the white suit (who I therefore pictured as Tom Wolfe) going to come back in the next book? If not, what the heck was that about? (I wonder if these might be Iron Druid Chronicles references that I'm missing since I haven't yet read those books.) I received an advance reader copy of this book from NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group in exchange for an honest review. What did you think? The tone of the book often reminded me of The Epic Crush of Genie Lo by F.C. Yee, which I also loved. A minor but delightful reference: Al suggests Terry Pratchett books to the newly reading hobgoblin in what feels like a perfect book-recommendation-within-a-book moment. This title was recently listed in the Greedy Reading List Three Offbeat Series I Just Started and Love. #mystery, #fantasyscifi, #series, #LGBTQ, #fourstarbookreview

This one was slow going in the middle, but Wells provides a fantastically unique point of view, and this series is perfect science-fiction escapism. This fifth book in Martha Wells's Murderbot series (this is the first full-length book in the set) starts off strong: it's funny and poignant and odd and wonderful, as usual. SecUnit is grumpily and charmingly obsessed with keeping its people safe and with not being touched or talked to about feelings. And it is watching a new show, MedCenter Argala (and gleaning tips about holding conversations and performing medical techniques by watching it), although The Rise and Fall of Sanctuary Moon remains its favorite. I hate that I'm even typing this after my gloriously high expectations, but the middle of this book was so slow for me, it was tough for me to get through. I love Murderbot, and I would have read this book even had I known this going in, but the logistics, planning, ongoing "how do we access the system" types of debates, and technological ruminations throughout the middle of the story bogged me down beyond the point where I was able to feel engaged. Later in the book, the gems that make this series so unexpectedly poignant and funny and delightful shine yet again. SecUnit shows begrudging feelings, there are meaningful human-bot connections and surprisingly (to Murderbot, if no one else) strengthened loyalties, there is more of Wells's fantastically understated robot banter, there's action with wonderful deadpan asides from our hero, and there's some unanticipated mentoring of and by various parties that I adored reading about. Plus, ART is back! Oh, ART! It does not act like itself for much of the book, which is with good reason but is also somewhat unsatisfying. But there's enough room for ART to show its awe-inspiring battle readiness and its tender side too--and it does some human-worthy panic cleaning (and ordering everyone to throw the mess into the recycler) before important guests arrive on the ship, which was so funny to me. What did you think? If you're in for another installment of Murderbot (here are my glowing reviews of the first three installments and here is my gushing take on the fourth), this one is for you. These are short books with a fantastically unique point of view, and they're perfect escapism. It was slow going there for a while, but I'm in for the next one. This book was mentioned in my Greedy Reading List Three Wackily Different Books I'm Reading Now. #robots, #fantasyscifi, #series, #offbeat, #uniquePOV, #LGBTQ, #threestarbookreview

I loooved this witty, romantic, action-packed steampunk novel--the first in a series--from Gail Carriger. Gail Carriger's Parasol Protectorate series takes place in Victorian London, and the immensely appealing, practical, fearless character of Alexia Tarabotti navigates danger and helps achieve justice by using her smarts, eschewing societal tradition and traditional limits on women, and sometimes inconveniently needing to demonstrate her ability to neutralize the supernatural abilities of werewolves, vampires, and other creatures. In Soulless, the gruff Lord Maccon is a mesmerizing werewolf who is aware of Alexia's lack of a soul. They drive each other batty and couldn't be a more unlikely pair--or will opposites attract? Professor Lyall is one of my favorite characters, as is Lord Akeldama, a fantastic, over-the-top, preternaturally calm yet gossipy and matchless character. There are puns, innuendos, and there's wonderful banter, romance, sexy supernatural relations, and lots of action here. Plus the bloody Queen of ENGLAND. I loooved this witty, romantic, action-packed steampunk novel from Gail Carriger. What did you think? Carriger has written five Parasol Protectorate series books and a short prequel, so if you're up for this one, you've got books and books ready to binge read. This book was part of the Greedy Reading List Three Offbeat Series I Just Started and Love. #historicalfiction, #fantasyscifi, #LGBTQ, #series, #fourstarbookreview

Harper is appealingly centered despite upheaval in her life, but I didn't feel emotionally drawn into her experiences as a doctor who cares deeply about her patients. Harper's memoir begins when her marriage is ending and her medical career as an ER doctor is beginning. The moment-by-moment layering of the issues she must deal with in the ER are fascinating. However, this juggling act is explored most fully in the beginning of the book. She offers long soliloquies of wisdom to patients who have shared something about their own situations--including patients who are actually intended for other areas of the hospital, such as psychiatry or rehab. These are shared as encounters in which she hears versions of life stories and imparts her condensed wisdom (to paraphrase one instance of her shared advice with someone she's just met: going through rehab will be hard but you will want to be a better person so you'll be able to do it), and the exchanges sometimes feel unlikely, maybe because of their presentation as longish speeches. The sentiments and connections that are shared by doctor and patient are heartwarming, however. I felt more that I was being told things about Harper's life than that she was allowing me into her story. She mentions a deep love affair but we don't see any vulnerability or moments shared, only the dissolution of the relationship because of stalking and threats from his ex-girlfriend. Harper recounts her childhood with an abusive father and her journey toward finding her own peace. She manages some beautifully generous forgiveness separate from feeling any requirement for deep change from him, and she notes feeling "the freedom of knowing that another person's journey had little to do with my own." Forgiving his brokenness, she says, was "no big deal. And yet, it was everything." Harper is appealingly centered and in touch with her feelings. She has many methods of grounding herself and finding peace--yoga, burning incense, meditation, healthy eating. She is a big proponent of complementary and alternative medicine (acupuncture resolved her allergies). Regarding finding her own peace and self-fulfillment in her life, despite its being somewhat at odds with where she'd once envisioned herself being at this point (she's had multiple job changes; she's on her own; she does not yet have children), Harper says with a refreshing liberation, "I, too, knew instinctively to stop fighting for my life and begin allowing it." What did you think? I do like a doctor's reflections on life and meaning and the tenuousness of existence. Another doctor's memoir that came to mind as I read this book (a memoir that connects faith and science in a memoir that made me cry) was I've Seen the End of You: A Neurosurgeon's Look at Faith, Doubt, and the Things We Think We Know by W. Lee Warren. #memoir, #threestarbookreview

This is a fascinating, disturbing, heartbreaking, and ultimately hopeful book. Hidden Valley Road is the true story of a family with twelve children, six of whom are ultimately diagnosed with schizophrenia. It’s absolutely meticulously researched and riveting. (I had requested the audiobook but when it came up, I didn’t remember at first what the book was about; the beginning reads like fiction.) Robert Kolker retraces the lives of Mimi and Don through their young marriage, their conflicts in ambition (he clings to hopes of promotion within the military system; she craves culture and urban stimulation impossible for a military family stationed in mid-twentieth-century Colorado Springs), and the births and upbringing of their ten boys followed by two girls. Over time, the eldest boys begin to fracture the family with their unrelenting violence, destruction, and constant tension. One by one, six siblings develop mental illness. For many years Mimi desperately insists on keeping the family’s troubles private, clinging to the preservation of her idea of a perfect family. (It’s noted that at the time, some significant blame for mental illness was typically laid at the feet of the mother—nurture over nature--and chalked up to her choices and missteps). But there’s no permanently hiding the wandering, ranting, furious young men. The family descends into chaos; there is secret abuse, and there is always the dark, disturbing force of unchecked mental illness shaping the lives of all involved. Eventually some of the boys are attended by mental health professionals and begin a cycle of living in and out of hospitals, undergoing various standard therapies of varying effectiveness, and being subjected to more experimental treatments. The oldest of the sisters is sent away to live out her school years as a privileged guest of wealthy family friends; the younger remains fully enmeshed in the darkness of instability, terror, and abuse. One sister remains linked to the family, and as an adult she continues to try to assist ill siblings and her frail parents; the other distances herself as much as possible. Kolker explores the issues of duty and escape, especially as related to the two daughters, presenting the situation with sympathy and understanding for both sides. The scientific community studying schizophrenia locks onto the family; with the help of the brothers and their now-willing parents, researchers begin to pick apart genetic factors that might contribute to schizophrenia. The vast amount of genetic material from the family--both those affected by and those free from mental illness—begins to bear out valuable breakthroughs in understanding and treatment. The significant advancements wouldn’t have been possible without the genetic material from and the cooperation of the Glavin family, and Kolker explores the scientific ins and outs in a manageable way for the reader. Hidden Valley Road is a fascinating, disturbing, heartbreaking, and ultimately hopeful book. What did you think? Whew! This one took something out of me, but I thought it was definitely worth reading. #nonfiction, #dysfunctionalfamily, #fourstarbookreview

Fascinating and excruciating to read. Stevenson and his like-minded colleagues are true heroes. It was excruciating to read some of the realities of our exceptionally unjust justice system, skewed against people of color and those without the means to effectively represent themselves. In Just Mercy, Bryan Stevenson recounts his efforts (along with those of his Equal Justice Initiative colleagues) to assist some of the countless incarcerated people in dire and heartbreaking situations--whether they are on death row after wrongful incarceration; on death row or imprisoned for life after being tried and convicted while children, but punished as though they were adults; incarcerated but should never have been placed in prison due to mental illness; or facing death after patently subpar and cursory trials, sometimes hinging on incorrect evidence or corrupt setups that occurred years or decades earlier. Equal Justice Initiative (EJI) steps in and finds some success in chipping away at some of the many, many cases where the lawyers can potentially free people and make differences in lives--people who often emerge from prison with the complications of impaired health, community prejudice, and general difficulty adjusting to life beyond cell walls. Along the way, Stevenson and EJI also doggedly manage to change some important laws that stop the imprisonment of minors in adult prisons and minors imprisoned for life; create the PREP program to help those incarcerated for long periods to reenter society with support; and build Montgomery's Legacy Museum: From Enslavement to Mass Incarceration. Fascinating and excruciating to read. Stevenson and his like-minded colleagues are true heroes, and the issues he raises may make readers uncomfortable, but they're all worth looking at under a microscope and demanding the many changes in the legal system that are warranted. What did you think? I listened to this one as an audiobook and found it really powerful to hear Stevenson narrate. #nonfiction, #race, #politicssocialjustice, #fourstarbookreview

01 Dear Emmie Blue This is a lovely light summer read so far. Sometimes I find that I have to suspend my disbelief about human behavior in order to delve into a light fiction book. But somehow, letting go of expectations about realistic cause and effect in order to buy into a romantic setup (see What You Wish For) is far more difficult for me than suspending my disbelief to buy into the outlandish or supernatural aspects of a romantic (see Soulless and My Lady Jane) or otherwise oddball book. So far, Lia Louis's Dear Emmie Blue doesn't require the reader to do much, if any, LA-LA-LA-ing and taking deep breaths while outrageous events are taking place. Characters are appealingly faulted, and sometimes selfish and foolish. Unlikely bonds are forged and reforged. There's a love triangle that I adore, and the setup of how the best friends met (Emmie released a balloon with a message when she was young, and Lucas, who shares the same birthday, just happened to find it across the ocean) is cute as a framework, although its significance pales compared to the real meat of the story. Emmie is figuring out if she deserves happiness, and a couple of cutie-pies, a long-lost family member, and some friends who are like family may just help her do it. (Click here for my full review of Dear Emmie Blue.) #lightfiction, #heartwarming 02 Network Effect: A Murderbot Novel ​ Boy oh boy, this fifth book in the series is so very good so far. Funny and poignant and odd and wonderful. SecUnit is obsessed with keeping his people safe (and has a new favorite show)! If you're in for another installment of Murderbot (here are my glowing reviews of the first three installments and here is my gushing take on the fourth), this one is living up to all of my glorious Murderbot expectations so far. These are short books with a fantastically unique point of view, and they're perfect escapism. I lurv them, and this one is really, really good so far. #robots, #fantasyscifi, #series, #uniquePOV 03 The House in the Cerulean Sea ​ I like to listen to fantasy books for young readers, and so far Klune's book and the narrator for the audiobook (I really need to stop saying "books on tape," which is not a thing anymore, self) are solid, entertaining efforts. Extremely Upper Management sends lonely, steady, pushed-around Linus, a case worker for magical children in orphanages, to a mysterious, small-scale home for children that seems like it's at the end of the earth. Linus is expected to report back with details about what Arthur Parnassus, the mysterious master on site, is really up to with his unusual charges. But stolid Linus may be pushed past the limits of his beloved rules and regulations, because he's juuuuust found out that the children are not only magical, but dangerous: a gnome, a sprite, a wyvern, an unidentifiable green blob, a were-Pomeranian, and the Antichrist. What about this book am I not expecting to love? Nothing, that's what. #fantasyscifi, #LGBTQ, #youngadult What are you reading now? These three books are a pretty weird combination for concurrent reads, so I couldn't resist a post. I have high hopes that they'll keep up their respective excellent starts, and I'll report back with full reviews.

I'd toyed with starting a book blog for a long time because of my bossy feelings about the books I read; my outrageous to-read book list of thousands of titles; my double- and sometimes triple-stacked bookshelves; the fact that many of my favorite conversations seem to end up being about books; and the lists of book recommendations I'm often making for the people I love who love books. And, funny story, it turns out that being quarantined for weeks and feeling mildly delirious during a pandemic was precisely the kooky set of circumstances that led to my actually doing it. I think They generally advise just this type of situation for the optimal mastering of technical skills and organizational results. So, here is The Bossy Bookworm. I hope it will entertain you, whether you're a casual reader looking for a promising next book to read or a reading-obsessed person who mostly would prefer to be greedily reading, planning out lists of your next reads, or talking about either the books you're reading or the books on your to-read lists (or both). Please let me know what you think. Amy (The Bossy Bookworm)

More wonderful character-driven science fiction by Blake Crouch. Blake Crouch's Barry Sutton is a NYC detective looking into a suicide. Helena Smith is a neuroscientist creating technology to preserve memories and allow people to relive them. People like the victim Sutton is investigating are told that their vivid recollections of their life’s memories are not real, and that they’re actually mentally ill, suffering from False Memory Syndrome. When they encounter loved ones from their memories who are now living alternate lives, in many cases they are unable to cope with their conflicting realities. While Sutton begins digging into what’s real and what’s a lie, Smith works feverishly to preserve memories and reality. Together, they have to identify and confront dark forces that might be manipulating—and destroying—the minds and the framework of society as we know it. I cared so much about Sutton and Smith and their mission. Recursion is more fantastic character-driven science fiction from Blake Crouch, and I found this sooooo good, unexpected, sweeping, and compelling. What did you think? Have you read any books by Blake Crouch? Dark Matter is another of his that I found fascinating. I'm all in on his books! This was also listed in my Greedy Reading List Six Riveting Time-Travel Escapes. #timetravel, #mysterysuspense, #fantasyscifi, #fourstarbookreview

I only wished this were longer so I could spend more time in Sheldon's head and in his company. I adored it. Sheldon Horowitz is 82 and lives with his granddaughter and her husband in Oslo. He witnesses a murder and snatches his young great-grandson to flee the police and the bad guys. Oh, how I loved Derek B. Miller's Norwegian by Night. I found myself reading it slowly so I could savor it. I only wished it were longer so I could spend more time in Sheldon's head and in his company. I adored it. There's an unusual mix of adventure and heartwarming self-examination in this debut. I’d forgotten that there was a second book in this series, American by Day, which I now recall that I very much want to read. What did you think? Have you read any of Miller's books? He also wrote a very different book, The Girl in Green, about a British journalist and an American private twenty years after they're linked by Gulf War events. This book is listed in the Greedy Reading List Six Captivating Nordic Stories. #nordic, #heartwarming, #series, #fourstarbookreview

01 Pride of Eden Taylor Brown is also the author of The Gods of Howl Mountain, which I loved and thought was a dark, brooding, beautiful book. ​ Pride of Eden just might be the literary fiction version of what I think Tiger King sounds like: exotic animal rescue, a wildlife sanctuary, and settings ranging from an island off Georgia to Africa to Baghdad to the Okefenokee Swamp. Brown crafts colorful characters without resorting to caricature. I can't wait to see what the heck this book is all about. 02 Rodham ​ Curtis Sittenfeld offered a fictionalized version of a first lady's personal history in An American Wife, which I loved, and I thought her short story collection You Think It, I'll Say It was a #fivestarbookreview. Sittenfeld has a fascinating way of turning situations on their heads. ​ In Rodham, Sittenfeld imagines the trail HRC might have blazed if she'd broken up with Bill and forged ahead solo, led by her iron determination and unfailing ambition. 03 We Are Called to Be a Movement ​ I don't have any excuse for not having already read this short (it's 96 pages) sermon by Reverend William J. Barber except that, as usual, everything is due back to the library at once, and I'm plowing through the books I don't own. ​ In We Are Called to Be a Movement, Barber makes an impassioned case for change and a "moral revival," and emphasizes that we are all called to be part of the movement. 04 A Witch in Time ​ From the publisher: "A young woman in Belle Epoque France is cursed to relive a doomed love affair through many lifetimes, as both troubled muse and frustrated artist." ​ In A Witch in Time, Constance Sayers is offering us historical fiction, witches, and repeated reincarnation. Yes to all of this. If I don't like this book, then I just won't know what to believe anymore. Plus, just look at the beautiful, spooky cover. 05 The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes ​ This prequel to the Hunger Games trilogy follows Coriolanus Snow through the tenth Hunger Games as he's tasked with the humiliation of mentoring the tribute from District 12. ​ I'll read anything Hunger Games-related, but I admit I'm apprehensive about The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. Can Collins make loyal Hunger Games readers feel anything besides fury and contempt for anyone named Snow? 06 My Best Friend's Exorcism ​ I've had this on my wish list for a while and decided to perk up my personal pandemic times by owning it. Grady Hendrix is also the author of The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires, which I really liked. You should really know up front that this 1980s gem of a cover has amazing fake scratches and wear marks on it as though My Best Friend's Exorcism has already passed lovingly hand to hand through your entire grade at school. What have been your favorite pandemic-era book buys? Having an excess of books to read makes me feel safe in a somewhat irrational but cozy-at-home way. I didn't actually need to add books to the multi-layered bookshelf supply over here to achieve "excess of books" status, but I love having these new-to-me titles ready for my reading. Consider visiting Bookshop.org to support independent booksellers if you're adding to your pandemic-era book hoard by buying online. And please let me know what you're reading!

01 Recursion In Blake Crouch's Recursion, Barry Sutton is a NYC cop looking into a suicide. Helena Smith is a neuroscientist creating technology to preserve memories and allow people to relive them. People like the victim Sutton is investigating are told that their vivid recollections of their life’s memories are not real, and that they’re actually mentally ill, suffering from False Memory Syndrome. When they encounter loved ones from their memories who are now living alternate lives, in many cases they are unable to cope with their conflicting realities. While Sutton begins digging into what’s real and what’s a lie, Smith works feverishly to preserve memories and reality. Together, they have to identify and confront dark forces that might be manipulating—and destroying—the minds and the framework of society as we know it. I cared so much about Sutton and Smith and their mission. Blake Crouch writes character-driven science fiction that I love (Dark Matter is another of his that I found fascinating.) This was sooooo good, unexpected, sweeping, and compelling. #timetravel, #mystery, #fantasyscifi, #fourstarbookreview 02 Here and Now and Then ​ Kin Stewart was a time-traveling secret agent in 2142. He was stranded in the 1990s when a mission went wrong. Now he lives life as a regular guy; he works in IT, he’s happily married, and he has a beloved daughter. They have no idea about his past, which is just how he wants it. When he begins to have memory loss and other odd symptoms, he realizes it’s linked to his past time travel. Then a rescue mission arrives decades too late, to bring him to 2142 and back to another life with another family. Stewart would have to break all the rules of time travel to attempt the impossible: preserve the existence of his daughter in his current reality without destroying everything else. In Here and Now and Then Mike Chen masterfully explores: Is the past set in stone or is it malleable? Which half of Kin’s dual life is most true or immediate or valued? How much physical turmoil can one body take before giving in? What does a hero do when honesty requires putting his life at risk, yet is also essential to save it? I loooved this. Chen writes a deeply felt warring of emotions and conflicting responsibility and duty. I adore a character-driven science-fiction tale. Also, time travel! This totally hit the spot. #timetravel, #fantasyscifi, #alternatereality, #fourstarbookreview 03 In Five Years ​ Dannie is on the path to achieving her five-year goals in spectacularly efficient fashion. She goes to sleep satisfied, but wakes up in another life: a strange apartment, a different boyfriend, and an alternate set of choices behind and before her. And perhaps most confusingly of all, in this second life she's lost some of her original, lifelong, rigid plans for her future, yet she's happy. Very very happy. She returns to her original reality, but Dannie can’t shake the possibilities and uncertainty created by what felt like an actual, temporary shift in her existence. What happened? But more importantly: What does that vastly different set of circumstances and her satisfaction within it mean about how she can and should live her life? Serle's In Five Years totally hit the spot for me, and it also wasn’t exactly what I expected. The setup seems like it’s a romance, but it’s really a story about loyalty and devoted friendship without easy or saw-it-coming resolutions, and not everything is as it seems. I loved it. #timetravel, #alternatereality, #heartwarming, #fourstarbookreview 04 The Ten Thousand Doors of January ​ January has lived with Mr. Locke as his ward since her beloved, offbeat father disappeared during a trip to acquire artifacts for the wealthy man’s collections. Her father has since been presumed dead, and Locke keeps her safe and cared for, if without affection. But she is growing older and is looking for answers about her father’s disappearance. When she finds a mysterious book her father had acquired, it shows January unlikely possibilities about her existence and the world at large that it’s difficult to process. When she uncovers unwelcome truths about Locke and her circumstances, she has no choice but to forge into the frightening unknown. Alix E. Harrow has crafted a lovely adventure through different wonderfully imagined worlds (including the early 1900s home base). The Ten Thousand Doors of January also explores the wondrous bravery but sometimes dark and destructive forces surrounding the explorers and collectors venturing through worlds and the wanderers desperately searching for home. Also, let's all please stop and admire this gorgeous cover for a moment. I received a copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. #timetravel, #alternatereality, #fantasyscifi, #fourstarbookreview 05 The Bone Clocks ​ Teenager Holly Sykes is suddenly drawn into the world of “the radio people,” people whose voices she heard as a child. She disappears from her family and leaves behind a tragic mystery, while in her forays through new worlds she attracts dangerous powers to her. David Mitchell's The Bone Clocks is a set of six intriguing tracks through time that are full of surprises and interconnected through Holly and her various threads of reality. There are links to other Mitchell books and characters if you're paying attention, but the book can stand alone. I can say with certainty that I've never read a book quite like this before. A full genre shift around page 400 would normally make me want to throw a book through the window. But here it works somehow. This was strange and compelling. #timetravel, #alternatereality, #fantasyscifi, #fourstarbookreview 06 All Our Wrong Todays ​ There are flying cars in the alternate reality of this book. Flying cars. I think you should know that going in, because it’s not the only awesome thing, but it is one of the awesome things in Elan Mastai's All Our Wrong Todays. Our main protagonist Tom makes a decision that strands him in our version of the world, which feels like a dystopia to him. He encounters alternate versions of his loved ones and universe, which are jarring but grow on him. He strikes out to explore time and place in an effort to figure out which reality to preserve. Mastai provides a fascinating story with time travel, alternate realities, love, loss, humor, bravery, and moments that made me laugh out loud. I didn't always follow the logic as laid out in the book--the supposed development of time travel itself and how time travelers affect realities--but I loved suspending my disbelief to be part of it. I loved this! #alternatereality, #timetravel, #fantasyscifi, #fourstarbookreview What are your favorite time travel books? I had trouble narrowing down this list, and I love a time travel book in any genre. I'd love to hear about others you love!

01 The Mercies I loved The Mercies. The majority of page time is spent showing the tasks of daily life (and almost-claustrophobic interconnectedness) within a tiny, very northern Norwegian community in the early 17th century. But there are witch hunts at hand, and dabbling in the Sami traditions of runes, poppets, or the playing of drums—or simply being a strong-willed woman helping to feed a village by manning fishing boats when the men are all lost—is enough to lead to terrible consequences. Hargrave allows some light into the darkness and cold in the form of love, and important realizations, and some brutal justice, but ignorance and pettiness lead to other horrific and undeserved consequences. #nordic, #historicalfiction, #witches, #fourstarbookreview 02 Burial Rites ​ Burial Rites is a beautiful, haunting story inspired by the true events surrounding the last person put to death in Iceland, in 1829. Hannah Kent’s book explores the cold, brutal winter as convicted murderer Agnes awaits her execution at a remote farm, living with the family there. They are instructed by the authorities to take her in, but they aren’t happy about it. Agnes befriends a local priest who is sympathetic to her situation, and in time it becomes clear that Agnes and her circumstances are complicated. The landscape is vividly evoked, the characters feel faulted and real, and the story is compelling. I still think about this book from time to time, and I read it years ago. I thought Hannah Kent skillfully captured the setting, the accused's feelings of futility in fighting back, and the panicked realization of those surrounding her that the truth might upend the events already in motion. #nordic, #historicalfiction, #fourstarbookreview 03 The Half-Drowned King ​ The Half-Drowned King by Linnea Hartsuyker is the first in a completed trilogy of the same name that links historical fiction and fantasy and is set in Viking-era Norway. I gave this first book in the series three stars, which for me meant it had promise but didn't knock my socks off. I thought it lagged in the too-extensive discussion of military strategy and felt that the characters didn't always act in accordance with their personalities as they had been laid out by the author. But the detail in and the early thrills and chills of the story held so much promise, and the next two books show positive reader reviews, this series may be worth your while to try. I plan to give the next book, "The Sea Queen," a go. Side note: its cover is just as gorgeously striking as this one. #nordic, #Vikings, #series, #fantasyscifi 04 Norwegian by Night ​ Sheldon Horowitz is 82 and lives with his granddaughter her husband in Oslo. He witnesses a murder and snatches his young great-grandson to flee the police and the bad guys. Oh, how I loved Derek B. Miller's Norwegian by Night. I found myself reading it slowly so I could savor it. I only wished it were longer so I could spend more time in Sheldon's head and in his company. I adored it. There's an unusual mix of adventure and heartwarming self-examination in this debut. I’d forgotten that there was a second book in this series, American by Day, which I now recall that I very much want to read. #nordic, #heartwarming, #series, #fourstarbookreview 05 We, the Drowned ​ I own this book. Therefore I have not read it, despite wanting to, because I am a very greedy person who has too many books on her library hold list, too many prepublication books requested, and too many books she already owns languishing unread like this one. Ahem. The reason I own We, the Drowned is that it is described as “an epic drama of adventure, courage, ruthlessness, and passion by one of Scandinavia’s most acclaimed storytellers.” Carsten Jensen provides epic historical fiction also said to be humorous, and it includes Vikings, seafaring adventure, “nefarious company,” a town run by women, and “a mysterious shrunken head.” Plus, just look at the cover. #Vikings, #nordic, #historical fiction 06 Kristin Lavransdatter ​ I also own this book (this is actually #1-3 of the Kristin Lavransdatter series in one book). And I also have not yet read this book. But obviously we should all read it if we haven’t already, because: Sigrid Undset offers an epic story, first published in 1920, of historical fiction set in fourteenth-century Norway. This book clearly has staying power. The main protagonist Kristin is a headstrong woman, and she escapes a convent for love. Check. Finally, in this “masterwork” of "Norway's most beloved author,” Undset “immerses readers in the day-to-day life, social conventions, and political and religious undercurrents of the period.” I fully expect to adore this. #nordic, #series, #historicalfiction What are your favorite Nordic-set or -focused books? This category could include a lot of other titles. I think I would love the details of a Nordic setting in any genre.

Just settle in and prepare to roll with this unique book--it keeps you hooked the whole way through. After Jason Dessen, a physics professor, is abducted from the street in Chicago, he awakens in a different life, one in which he is not married to his wife and he has no son, but he is welcomed "back" to an existence in which he is a scientific genius. It all feels like a mistake, and an overwhelming, life-ruining one at that. Jason struggles to determine which reality of the multiverse is true and how the hell he might get back to his family. Crouch's Dark Matter is a fascinating blend of action-packed and poignant. Just settle in and prepare to roll with this unique book--it keeps you hooked the whole way through. I cared deeply about the characters, and Crouch's scientific passages don't require you to remember your high school physics to feel entrenched in that element. I plowed through this book to figure out how the heck the main protagonist was going to resolve the situation, if he could. I haven't read a book with anything similar to this premise, and I found it fascinating. I'm all in on Crouch's books now. What did you think? I love an alternate reality story, and I thought this was a smart and lovely one. Crouch also wrote Recursion, which I adored. #fantasyscifi, #alternatereality, #mysterysuspense, #fourstarbookreview

Wow. The positive elements of the story don't come easily, and this makes them even more powerful. This is an unlikely love story with a meth lab backdrop and imperfect players who find happiness and beauty in an improbable bond. I was fascinated by Bryn Greenwood's All the Ugly and Wonderful Things. The book digs down deeply into the disturbing and ugly, and the wonderful and beautiful elements of the story don't come easily. The characters of Wavy and Kellen (an ex-con with a heart of gold!) will captivate you. Greenwood's skillful unfolding of the often brutal story, the characters' many layers, and the varied truths of each drastically different perspective are so powerful, I think this book is going to haunt me for a long while. What did you think? Greenwood is also the author of The Reckless Oath We Made, which I also loved. I'm in for anything she writes at this point. #fourstarbookreview

Bennett's characters often make questionable choices, sometimes with grim consequences. Nadia is growing up without a mother in San Diego with a distracted father, but there's a Greek chorus-type voice of The Mothers from her church that know what's going on and weigh in on Nadia's decisions and their merits throughout the book. Plus they bring casseroles. Bennett's characters often make questionable choices, sometimes with grim consequences, and there's an underlying a sense of the characters' often feeling unmoored and overwhelmed. Luke is a boyfriend who acts too immaturely to rise to the level of commitment and steadiness Nadia yearns for. Pious Aubrey emerges as an unlikely source of friendship and loyalty when Nadia needs it most. When Luke makes risky choices and destroys his chances to play his beloved football, then ends up with Aubrey, it's tough to take. The main players have to stick to their lies about their past to preserve their fragile present-day lives, and more poor choices abound and threaten to upend everything again. Nadia eventually returns, and at the end, the Mothers speculate about her situation and motivation but don't have answers. The voices of the Mothers were a strength of the book to me, as well as Aubrey's evolution as a character. The book was essentially made up of characters' mistakes, lies, consequences, and disappointments. As I read I just kept thinking, People, please please please try to make better choices. What did you think? Bennett also wrote a very different book, The Vanishing Half, which I found powerful and fascinating. #threestarbookreview

The first book in the Winternight trilogy, this is a Russia-set, ancient-feeling, dark fairy tale of a story. The first book in Katherine Arden's Winternight trilogy, The Bear and the Nightingale is a Russia-set, ancient-feeling, dark fairy tale of a story that takes place within a small village and follows an extended family. Pitting "true believers" against dark, feared forces turns what the village believes to be good and pure on its head. Remembering the old ways, defiance, and bravery triumph over righteousness, blind obedience, and attempts at wielding selfish power over those you can. A few elements (tying the original appearances of the dark force to later more fully realized appearances, for example) meandered along and I thought they might have been shored up more fully. But the writing was ethereal and practically brought a chill to my skin as I was reading about the snow and cold danger. And the main protagonist Vasilisa and conflicted priest were irresistible characters. What did you think? I'm a sucker for a Russia setting, and Arden brings the landscape to life here. Vivid magic and adventure round out the wonderful story. The other books in the trilogy are just as excellent, The Girl in the Tower and The Winter of the Witch. #fantasyscifi, #series, #youngadult, #russia, #fourstarbookreview

Young Griz is tough as nails and determined and wonderful. I thought this was fantastic. And there may be no law left except what you make of it, but if you steal my dog, you can at least expect me to come after you. If we’re not loyal to the things we love, what’s the point?... That’s a kind of death, even if you keep breathing. The thief came and shattered what was left of young Griz's life. Now Griz and his dog are making their way through the world. Griz is capable of fury and revenge, but also great love and loyalty, bravery, and creativity. He's a fantastic character I loved. This great book by C.A. Fletcher was tough to read at times because of the frequent reckless, life-and-death, sometimes ill-advised decision-making in a postapocalyptic world. Fletcher somewhat frequently hints at later events in the book in the middle of early scenes, which added to my anxiety. But the main protagonist Griz is tough as nails and determined and wonderful, and things do ultimately improve in satisfying ways. I thought this was fantastic. What did you think? I loved being on the edge of my seat while Griz made his way in an unforgiving world. This book is part of my Greedy Reading List Six Fantastic Dystopian and Postapocalyptic Novels. #postapocalyptic, #dystopian, #youngadult, #fourstarbookreview

Trust Greenwood to bring to life another intriguing situation with unique characters. I love love loved Bryn Greenwood's character of Gentry. I don’t have a sense of whether he is a plausibly realistic reflection of a man on the autism spectrum or not, but Greenwood has built him to be a dedicated, solid, fierce, funny, practical dreamer. One of the best characters—voices and all—I’ve read in ages. I would have read an entire book about Gentry just walking around, but the book weaves together internal struggles, times of waiting, emotional anguish, and action and danger. Zee is tough, sometimes cutthroat, emotionally distant by necessity, and often desperate, but always ambitious—especially regarding helping those she cares about. It was tough to read as Zee made questionable choices throughout The Reckless Oath We Made and as many of the joyful elements of the book unraveled. Gentry’s mom is a wonder, but her ability to keep things in perspective and forgive after the crescendo of damaging events felt so angelic as to make me question how realistic it all was. Clearly I’m jaded. But it didn’t make a difference since I was all in anyway. I’m glad I didn’t know a lot about this book going in, just that I was fascinated by Greenwood’s All the Ugly and Wonderful Things and that I trusted Greenwood to bring to life another intriguing situation with unique characters, which she did. I received an advance copy of this book through NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam in exchange for an honest review. What did you think? Did you think Gentry's black-and-white point of view and hyperfocused attention to embodying the characteristics he admired allowed him to actualize the role of a hero? #fourstarbookreview

Vasya is an irresistibly and wonderfully strong and defiant main protagonist, and Arden includes lots of offbeat details. This second book in Katherine Arden's Winternight trilogy follows Vasya's continued adventures and challenges as an irresistible heroine in a Russia filled with magic and eerily dark elements at work. Arden also provides sparks of hope amid the bitter cold swirl of atmosphere she brings to life on each page. Vasya is a young woman now, and she must consent to an arranged marriage or enter the convent--but Vasya never follows the rules. Instead, she disguises herself as a boy and ingratiates herself to the Grand Prince of Moscow. When she discovers that the kingdom is in peril, our favorite fourteenth century teenage heroine must put herself at risk to try to save everyone. Vasya is an irresistibly and wonderfully strong and defiant main protagonist, and Arden includes lots of offbeat details. I listened to the audiobook of this mystical fairy tale-folk story (and I loved the narrator Kathleen Gati so much that I listened to the final book in the trilogy as well). What did you think? All three books in this series held up for me in a big way. I loved immersing myself in Vasya's world. The Bear and the Nightingale is the first in the series, and The Winter of the Witch is the final book in the trilogy. #fantasyscifi, #russia, #youngadult, #series, #fourstarbookreview

Warren digs deeply into the realities of doubting his faith, God, his life’s work, and his vision of an afterlife. This book made me cry on an airplane. Repeatedly. Warren’s life story, both personal and professional, and his push and pull between faith and science, was more complex and deep than I’d anticipated. His experiences as a neurosurgeon, in the war, with his divorce and his remarriage, his beloved blended family, and his unimaginable loss all inform his explorations of doubt, resilience, hope, and joy as related to his faith. Watching his up-and-down, sometimes wonderfully messy self-discovery take shape through this book was a beautiful thing. I wondered if his answers would be too easily reached or too pat, but Warren digs deeply into the realities of doubting his faith, God, his life’s work, and his vision of an afterlife. In I've Seen the End of You: A Neurosurgeon's Look at Faith, Doubt, and the Things We Think We Know, Warren admits when he’s a mess, and instead of simply telling readers how to find their way out of tragedy and keep going, he shows us the zigzag of a route he himself took, admits that there are many opportunities to feel defeated, and notes that it’s easy to understand why doubt and rage and disbelief emerge in the face of enormous pain and tragedy. There was just a little bit of repetition at times, but I read an advanced reader copy, so this may well have changed. I could immediately think of several people to give this book to. I received an advance copy of this book from WaterBrook and Multnomah and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. What did you think? Because it's also a doctor's memoir, I can't help comparing this to The Beauty in Breaking. The authors both provide honest reflections about their work's meaning in their lives, although the tones of the books are very different. #memoir, #faith, #fourstarbookreview

I love a peek at a secret world, and here Walder offers fascinating glimpses of her life as a CIA and an FBI agent. I love a peek at a secret world, and in The Unexpected Spy, Tracy Walder offers fascinating glimpses of her life as a CIA and an FBI agent, including training details, political machinations, significant and rankling discrimination. She explores her own glowing pride in doing her job well and protecting others from danger—even when anyone without security clearance remained necessarily ignorant of the invaluable nature of the work and the imminent risks avoided. Her evolution into her present-day self and current profession was satisfying to witness as well. Printing the redactions as strikethrough text of the equivalent length to what was omitted jarred me at first, and I wondered about this approach, but as the book went on, this method made sense and worked for me. I would’ve liked this to be twice as long with even more more more detail! St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley provided me with an advance reader copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. What did you think? I love a behind-the-scenes nonfiction spy book! Another book that's quite different in tone but is an excellent look into Cold War-era spy goings-on is The Spy and the Traitor by Ben Macintyre. Do you have books along these lines that you loved? #nonfiction, #memoir, #spy, #politicssocialjustice, #fourstarbookreview

This is a wonderfully paced and recounted Cold War-era true story of spy intrigue, paranoia, bravery, and twists and turns. The Spy and the Traitor is a wonderfully paced and skillfully recounted Cold War-era story of spy intrigue, paranoia, bravery, and the twists and turns that led Oleg Gordievsky, a double agent for Britain’s MI6, to be appointed Resident in the KGB—and to ultimately help end the Cold War. Ben Macintyre deftly traces the webs of deceit, greed, bravery, and the desire for heroic glory that build to the book's climax. He does an excellent job of immersing the reader in Cold War-era mindsets, priorities, and sometimes paranoia. The behind-the-scenes communications that were made possible by Gordievsky's insights into the Soviet leadership's motivations and fears are fascinating. This information sharing afforded the West the ability to defuse strained and high-stakes relations, possibly averting large-scale disaster on multiple occasions. *Spoiler* This may not be an enormous spoiler, since Gordievsky would not have lived (or at the very least been able to share his tale) if he had not escaped from Russia before being identified as a double agent. The buildup to this escape is appropriately tense, and Macintyre illustrates how the important mission was reliant on minute details and exact timing, clear heads, and outrageous improvisation. Macintyre handles all of this thrilling explanation with skilled hands. The extrication from Russia (and the use of a British diplomat’s baby as a distraction) reads like suspenseful fiction. What did you think? Macintyre's nonfiction book was wonderful; it really read to me like fiction. I was hooked the whole way through. Another nonfiction spy book I found really interesting was Tracy Walder's memoir, The Unexpected Spy. #nonfiction, #russia, #politicssocialjustice, #spy, #fourstarbookreview

This was the type of book I could’ve stayed up all night reading. I was totally hooked. This was the type of book I could’ve stayed up all night reading. I was totally hooked. Kim Liggett's The Grace Year is a Lord of the Flies-esque situation of trapped girls who devolve into paranoia, mayhem, fury, and destruction--with a wonderfully strong and imperfect heroine trying to upend the situation. The ending sections glossed over some major issues: consorting with the gruesomely brutal enemy; the prospect of folding back into the world that created the horrific system of oppression, control, torture, and death—even with a promise in place of potential change; and hurried emotional movement past the loss of a beloved character. But there’s hope for the slow but significant evolution into a new era. The teen girls’ “magic” and its perception by the girls themselves (and especially by the men and women in their society) was haunting. What did you think? This book brought to mind another young adult dystopian book in which the power of young women is brought into intense focus, The Power by Naomi Alderman. This book is on my Greedy Reading List Six Fantastic Dystopian and Postapocalyptic Novels. #youngadult, #dystopia, #fantasyscifi, #fourstarbookreview

Nazemian takes the reader to a powerful time in NYC through the experiences of characters that I cared about. Abdi Nazemian's Like a Love Story is set during the late 1980s AIDS epidemic and is wrapped in the music, culture, activism, fear, and ignorance in NYC at that time. Reza is originally from Iran and gains a new stepfamily in New York, where his eyes are opened to new possibilities and the terrifying and thrilling idea that he could ultimately live an honest life as a gay young man. There’s lots of (warranted) Madonna worshiping; a wise, fiery, kind older mentor in all things gay culture and in fighting for what’s necessary; a love triangle; many references to classic movies and music; an education in crucial gay culture elements; and love, betrayal, bravery, and heartbreak. Nazemian takes the reader to a powerful time in NYC through the experiences of characters that I cared about. What did you think? In a way, this feels like a complementary read to Rebecca Stead's The List of Things That Will Not Change, which follows the main protagonists's gay father and partner and takes place in present-day New York City. #youngadult, #LGBTQ, #fourstarbookreview

This hit the spot. Although you can see some of the big plot events coming, Center makes the journey so enjoyable that you just don’t care. This hit the spot. Katherine Center's Cassie is a tough-as-nails firefighter who has closed herself off emotionally to protect herself. Her life is orderly and regimented and under control. Clearly everything is about to be upended so that Cassie is forced to alter her plans and careful schedule and figure out how to come through it all. Although the reader can see some of the big plot events coming in Things You Save in a Fire, Center makes the journey so enjoyable that you just don’t care. This is a quick read that addresses serious matters—betrayal, loyalty, duty, trust, and love, with a little sleuthing and romance to round out things. There is a surprisingly limited amount of actual firefighting, with one notable exception, but many other firefighter duties, training, and chains of command are made clear, so that it’s obvious Center did her homework on this front. I really liked her writing style and will be reading more by her. What did you think? Have you read this one, or others by Center? I read What You Wish For but it didn't draw me in as much as this one. #lightfiction, #heartwarming, #fourstarbookreview

This is the third and final book in Katherine Arden's strong, fanciful, often wonderfully dark Winternight trilogy. Set in fourteenth century Russia, complete with rich folklore, conflicts between those who follow the old gods and those who follow the new, and Vasya's gloriously persistent bravery, even when anyone with any sense would be tempted to give up altogether. The weight of the world is on Vasya's shoulders in this book as she attempts to survive while saving the magical Morozko, her beloved horse, and Russia itself. Katherine Arden finishes out the trilogy in typical mesmerizing fashion, with her usual masterful balance of magic, religion, love, passion, family duty, adventure, and search for meaning—and all with a main protagonist who’s your basic badass young Russian witch finding herself and Handling It all over the damn empire. I listened to the audiobook, narrated perfectly by Kathleen Gati. What did you think? This book follows the other books in the series, The Bear and the Nightingale and The Girl in the Tower, both of which were excellent as well. I highly recommend this series. #russia, #fantasyscifi, #youngadult, #series, #fourstarbookreview

Fowler touches on big, intriguing issues related to guilt and innocence and race, but I felt as though she didn't ultimately dig as deeply into them as I wanted her to. I really enjoyed Fowler's book A Well-Behaved Woman. However, this book didn't feel real and true to me in the same way. The strengths to me here were the issues Fowler explored starting about two-thirds of the way through the story--the incredible power of allegations, the guilty-until-proven-innocent nature of accusations, the impossibility of ever eliminating the shadow of such charges, and the generally intensely difficult and unfair factors related to race and racism that underlie all of the late events of the book. But many of the other elements in this book frustrated me, whether because they felt too deliberately constructed, because they were said to be true yet felt too unjustified within the story, or because they just rang untrue for me, drawing me out of the story. The outdated views of women, purity, careers, and education expressed repeatedly and in detail by Juniper's family may still be held by some people, but to my mind they are so far beyond typical in the South or anywhere in the U.S. that I kept imagining the book was set decades ago (yet the smartphones place the story as more modern). Fowler tells us repeatedly that the measured character of Xavier has an enormous and uncontrollable interest in Juniper, but I never truly believed it. This connection just didn't seem to fit, and we weren't shown plausible reasons for it. He was mentally already checked out of town in favor of his amazing future as a musician and his college scholarship, and he's soaking up the last few months of summer with his friends. Despite being told there was a romance between Xavier and Juniper, the basis of this romance just didn't seem to be built at all--not even as an irrepressible animal attraction or some illogical draw. It was difficult for me to read passages in Juniper's often-naive, sometimes creepily culpable ignorant point of view. She didn't seem intelligent (or, again, alluring enough for an educated young man like Xavier, who purports to love her mind as well as her looks). She came off to me as childlike and not inspiring Helen of Troy passion, devotion, or even Xavier's spare time. There's a "we" (the neighborhood) voice that shares gossipy neighbors' thoughts, some omniscient revelations, and that hints extensively at trouble to come with Brad (the repeated foreshadowing about this element made me feel as though Fowler didn't think the reader was intelligent enough to catch on without heavy-handed hints). Most frustrating of all for me was that Brad was such a hateful bad guy with immature, revolting, entitled, horribly disturbing thoughts, tendencies, and speech. He was ultimately too easy to detest, without any depth or gray areas, so that he seemed a caricature of a villain. Fowler touches on some big, intriguing issues about guilt and innocence and race--not to mention how crises bring out the true colors of those involved--but I felt as though she didn't ultimately dig as deeply into them as I wanted her to. NetGalley and St. Martin's Press provided me with an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. What did you think? I think the issues Fowler raises are fascinating and disturbing and definitely worth exploring. What did you think of how Fowler presented them? #race, #threestarbookreview

I had a tough time with the implausible details but appreciated the strong female characters and the cobbled-together family of sorts that seems destined to succeed. The premise of Chelsea Baker's Godshot hooked me: a California cult, with followers desperate for even the most misguided hope and leadership during a drought, a broken mother-daughter relationship, and elements of misogyny, battle for control of the self, and the strong female fighting spirit. But each detail was more over the top than the last. I found this book difficult to read because so much of it felt implausible, yet the tone did not feel farcical or campy. Gold glitter rains down on the congregation during the low-tech church services (no one looks up to see the leader's daughter doing this until the main protagonist peers up, late in the book); the bible is rewritten with the cult leader Vern's name in place of Jesus', the congregation is forbidden from securing food or supplies from neighboring towns, so that rather than drink water they only drink (and baptize in) soda. I don't doubt that people exhibit blind faith and are willing to go to extremes, and that this is especially possible during times of desperation, but the presentation of each element of Vern's rule and followers and community made them feel distracting and unlikely. On the side there are the various sinister yet cartoonlike quirks of the dangerously faulted grandmother Cherry regarding dressing up taxidermied animals, revolting personal hygiene jobs tasked to her granddaughter, and covering her bald head with jelly and soda. For me, the strongest and most cohesive part of the story came toward the end, with a search and some resolution, strong female characters, and a cobbled-together family of sorts that seems destined to succeed. Catapult and NetGalley provided me with an advance publication copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. What did you think? I can roll with outlandish details, and I love a quirky story. This one didn't ultimately work for me, though. The blind devotion to a faith and a flawed faith leader reminds me somewhat of Amy Jo Burns's book Shiner. #cult, #dysfunctionalfamily, #twostarbookreview

These are quick, engrossing reads that are perfect escapism. My smart friend Kathy mentioned these books on social media and was correct that these are fantastic. All Systems Red, Artificial Condition, and Rogue Protocol are quick, engrossing reads that are officially novellas and, for me, are perfect escapism. I can't bring myself to review these in a lot of detail because I personally adored jumping in without knowing what to expect. The basics as laid out in All Systems Red are that Murderbot (a nickname it has given itself) is a droid for hire who has always worked security and fought when necessary to protect its clients and their interests. Its employers don't know that Murderbot has hacked its own system and is self aware. It's impatient with humans and other droids, and it would prefer to watch the endless hours of media it's been able to download into its system. When it's drawn into complicated situations, Murderbot shows a reluctant, grumpy ability to care for others and a desire to develop its own sense of duty and sense of self. In Artificial Condition, Murderbot confronts its dark past and sets out to uncover the truth of disturbing events it was involved in around the time it went rogue. It also makes a robot friend and ally in ART, a research transport vessel. Rogue Protocol tracks Murderbot's travels to look into the goings-on of the questionable and mysterious group GrayCris. Yet again Murderbot must deal with humans' fallibility and messy emotions and needs. I was delighted by these books, and I love each one more than the last. My only criticism is that each is too short and is over before I'm ready for it to end. If you think you might want to read these, just know that you do. I gave all of these four stars. For my review of the fourth book in The Murderbot Diaries, Exit Strategy, click here. What did you think? I tore through the first three books in this series with glee and am saving the other two that are already published (I believe there are seven planned) to savor. #robots, #fantasyscifi, #series, #fourstarbookreview

Atlantic City just before WWII, with its giant hotels, piers, and general hubbub, is the backdrop for the story of a few summer months in the life of an extended family. This lovely debut from Rachel Beanland starts off with some rough events, and frankly I had a little bit of a time coping with them because I’d already become attached to the characters. The Atlantic City setting just before WWII, with its giant hotels, piers, and general hubbub, is the backdrop for Florence Adler Swims Forever, the story of a few summer months in the life of an extended family--including a stolid patriarch and matriarch, a free-spirited daughter, a spunky and fantastic granddaughter Gussie, a daughter with another grandchild on the way, a deadbeat son-in-law, and family friends to round out the group. There’s an undercurrent of concern about Hitler and his increasingly punitive behavior toward Jewish families’ businesses and emigration in Germany. I loved watching the book’s events unfold—even if I could predict some of them. Anything that was wrapped up a little too neatly didn’t bother me at all; I was all in and satisfied. I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley and Simon and Schuster in exchange for a review. What did you think? Beanland based some of the basic events of her debut novel on her ancestors’ experiences, which I thought was fascinating but didn't realize until the end. This book is listed in my Greedy Reading List My Six Favorite Summer 2020 Reads. #historicalfiction, #oldnewyork, #WWII, #fourstarbookreview

Luna has a unique and lovely voice and is an irresistibly odd bird of a twelve-year-old girl. I just loved This Is All He Asks of You by Anne Egseth. Luna has a unique and lovely voice and is an irresistibly odd bird of a twelve-year-old girl. She is facing her mother’s decline in health and exploring her own identity and meaning in her life, and she shapes her sometimes practical but often mystical thoughts and reflections through writing letters to her father, who she has never met, in the conversational tone of a pen pal writing to someone who will love her and her words unconditionally. Luna stumbles into encounters that shape her life dramatically, in unorthodox and heartbreakingly meaningful ways. I simultaneously wanted to scoop her up and take care of her and to follow the lead of this wise-beyond-her-years, intensely spiritual young person. I received a copy of this book through John Hunt Publishing and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. What did you think? I'm dying to talk about this book. Sometimes reading a book from the perspective of a young protagonist is heartbreaking in a way that I love. Oh, Luna! This book made my Greedy Reading List of My Six Favorite Summer 2020 Reads. #comingofage, #heartwarming, #faith, #nordic, #fourstarbookreview

There are not many surprises here, but Center offers great escapism. There are not many surprises here, but Center offers great escapism into a close-knit Galveston, TX, community of beloved teachers, students, and friends with an ending you can see coming but are glad to see take shape all the same. Much of this didn’t hold together for me. There were so many lapses in logic, absurd occurrences, and nonsensical details that I was distracted from what I love most about Center’s writing, her great dialogue and characters who are full of heart. I loved how much heart was in this story but found myself distracted by my disbelief. I just didn't believe the characters would do and say the things they did. I received a prepublication copy of this book from St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. What did you think? I felt far more connected to and caught up in Center's Things You Save in a Fire. Have you read other books by Center? How do you think this one compares? #heartwarming, #lightfiction, #librarian, #Texas, #threestarbookreview

Female detective Bridie sets off on a desperate search for a missing child in Victorian London--and must also confront her own dark memories and past. Jess Kidd offers a creepy, dark mystery tale gloriously steeped in details of Victorian London and seedy, sordid characters, all built on a framework of heroes with heart. Along with the kickass, whip smart, savvy, kind, and irresistible Bridie are her striking and unfailingly loyal sidekick Sadie; Ruby, who is both a tender tie to her hardscrabble past and a devoted and helpful apparition. Various depraved and frighteningly cruel characters help drive the story of Things in Jars and add to the mystery. Oh, and a mysterious, dangerous, but tragic child-creature-mermaid necessitates detective work and a desperate search through London and the countryside beyond, as well as through Bridie’s own messy memories and past. Bridie is a strong female protagonist, and Things In Jars offers solid historical fiction details of Victorian London, which I love, within a creepy mystery with dark twists and turns. Yes on all counts! The audiobook reading by Jacqueline Milne was wonderful. What did you think? Another book I really liked recently was A Curious Beginning, and it shares some of these elements of historical fiction, mystery, and badass female protagonist--although that book has more humor and this one is a little darker. #mysterysuspense, #gothicnoir, #ghosts, #femaledetective, #historicalfiction, #mermaids, #fourstarbookreview

"A stirring call to conscience and consciousness in white brothers and sisters." DiAngelo spells it all out (or at least as much as she can in one book; she has written other titles as well) for anyone interested in exploring "the unchanging variable" of whiteness in "the equation of race" and how white people might choose to better understand, acknowledge, and name racism, as well as learn to be open to hearing people of color's experiences and feelings surrounding racism as one step in interrupting racism. The foreword (by Eric Dyson, a Georgetown professor, author, and preacher) and the author's introduction are excellent and set the stage and tone for the rest of the book, which builds logically bit by bit and includes exploring where we are as a society whose separation benefits white people, "the collapse of whiteness into national identity," myriad reasons why we're in this position, and how white people can serve an essential role in shifting racial inequality and injustice. DiAngelo, a sociologist and facilitator focused on racial and social justice, explains issues essential to the productive understanding of the past and current racial situation, including a basic history lesson of race and power. She draws on specific anecdotes from her extensive experiences with white and Black people in anti-racism workshops and through her facilitation of discussions of race. The issues she explores include the self-perpetuating white institutional power structure; the general and long-term white tendency to not discuss or acknowledge race; the differences between prejudice, discrimination, and racism; and how "white women's tears" derail the productive work of anti-racism. She dives into how to talk about race and racism with a person of color (and, more importantly, listening without defensiveness), how "the antidote to guilt is action," and that the goal for white people is not perfection, but to always be learning and to build racial stamina: "the ability to talk, listen, and [begin to] repair." That was a lot of semicolons. But there's much more practical, eye-opening material here; DiAngelo has packed a ton of essential knowledge into a must-read for all white people in the United States. White Fragility is so valuable, specific, and important, it's a book that's worth underlining like crazy while you internalize the lessons and directives DiAngelo lays out. What did you think? Have you read or are you reading this or other books on race and anti-racism that you recommend for a better understanding of history, white privilege, institutional power structures, or related issues? So You Want to Talk About Race by Ijeoma Oluo is wonderfully actionable, and Raising White Kids: Bringing Up Children in a Racially Unjust America by Jennifer Harvey feels valuable so far too. #nonfiction, #race, #politicssocialjustice, #fivestarbookreview

I loved this book in which Zelda has to figure out what it means to live her own legend. Zelda is in her twenties and lives with her older brother Gert, who, she notes, some people call a thug. She is a stickler for the Rules of the House, sets herself a daily Word of the Day, and follows highly structured routines—on certain days she finds her own way to the community center where she and other young adults with challenges and disabilities play and learn social and practical skills; on certain other days she visits the library; twice a week she visits her trusted therapist, Dr. Laird. Zelda is obsessed with Vikings. (This is, clearly, awesome.) She uses Old Norse words in her speech and thoughts; she frequently mentions bravery, combat, wisdom, and other elements of Viking legends to anyone she encounters; and she models her life after the factors she considers essential to a Viking legend. Zelda carries on a heartbreakingly candid, one-way correspondence with the author of her favorite Viking reference book, “Kepple’s Guide to the Vikings,” and in her messages to him, she explains her modern-day dilemmas and ruminates on how to resolve them in proper Viking fashion. She’s eager to learn how to be more independent, and she’s so smart and accurate with so many of her pure and good instincts and actions, it just makes your heart swell. She’s also gloriously selfish and flawed and impatient sometimes. But there’s a dark undercurrent throughout When We Were Vikings: when she becomes caught up in sketchy business of her brother’s, Zelda finds that her situation is a lot more complicated than sorting out her love life with Marxy from the community center, playing matchmaker with Gert and his wonderful ex Annie, or securing a job at the library. She has to figure out what it means to live her own legend, and whether she can save Gert or even save herself. Zelda's often black-and-white point of view and lack of social subtlety are presented as affected by her condition of mild fetal alcohol syndrome. Her pinpoint focus on morality, bravery, and what is right (which is beautifully spot-on and also makes your heart ache) often reminded me of characters' points of view that are similarly hyperfocused and black-and-white in The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime, Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine, and The Reckless Oath We Made. I loved this. The characters, the story arc that isn’t too easy but leaves you in a promising place after all, and the dialogue—love love love. This is Andrew David MacDonald's first book. I'm all in for the next one. What did you think? If you've read it, what did you think? What did you think of Zelda's point of view? Do you think the condition that has helped shape Zelda and her life was presented in a plausibly realistic way? #comingofage, #siblings, #uniquePOV, #Vikings, #heartwarming, #fourstarbookreview

Oluo offers specific steps we can take toward "talk[ing] our way to understanding...and using that understanding to act." Oluo is specific in her approach here; each chapter is crafted around a potential race-related statement you might encounter that may be loaded, unfair, unfounded, and/or fraught with racism, followed by rebuttals that might continue or redirect the conversation based on facts. She wrote this book and continues to write "in the hopes that what I write and say, and what others write and say, will inform and inspire action." So You Want to Talk About Race is based on promoting conversation and communication, and Oluo aims to provide step-by-step measures for awareness, sensitivity, opennness, and honesty. She explores sitting with discomfort, listening to experiences different from your own, and becoming informed about the many issues that affect race relations--including the numerous complicated intersectionalities that shape the experience of race. She notes that "almost nothing is completely about race" but that race is an "interwoven...piece of the machine." To that end, at the end of each chapter she provides constructive measures a reader can take: asking questions about the status quo, taking a role in shifting policies, or capably managing errors of fact in conversations. There are, necessarily, some common threads between this and White Fragility by Robin DiAngelo; for example, noting the desire to remove the pressure on people of color to be walking Google sources for experience and history lessons; recognizing fallibility in often-traditional colorblind approaches to race; and how guilt can paralyze and prevent productive action and change. I took extensive notes; it started teetering on the edge of transcribing. Oluo wrote So You Want to Talk About Race to "help people fight the systemic oppression that is harming the lives of millions of people of color," and she provides a book that pays meticulous attention to the conversation pitfalls that can prevent progress, as well as the facts and goals that can promote understanding and change. "The way we vote, where we spend our money, what we do and do not call out--these are all pieces of the system." Oluo offers specific, sometimes small steps we can take toward "talk[ing] our way to understanding...and using that understanding to act." What did you think? Have you read this book? What did you think of it? Chapter Nine was regarding the N-word, and I continue to think about the fact that Oluo felt it necessary to include that. There's so much to unpack here. #race, #nonfiction, #politicssocialjustice, #fourstarbookreview

The detail and thrills and chills of Viking-era Norway held so much promise, I'll give the next book in the series a try. The Half-Drowned King by Linnea Hartsuyker is the first in a completed trilogy of the same name that links historical fiction and fantasy and is set in Viking-era Norway. I gave this first book in the series three stars, which for me meant it had promise but didn't knock my socks off. I thought it lagged during the extensive discussion of military strategy and felt that the characters didn't always act in accordance with their personalities as they had been laid out by the author. But the detail in and the early thrills and chills of the story held so much promise, and the next two books show positive reader reviews, this series may be worth your while to try. What did you think? I may give Hartsuyker's next book, The Sea Queen, a go. Side note: its cover is just as gorgeously striking as this one. This book is mentioned in the Greedy Reading List Six Captivating Nordic Stories. #nordic, #Vikings, #series, #fantasyscifi

I loved the vivid setting and the strong women who find themselves in the middle of this early seventeenth century witch hunt. I loved The Mercies. The majority of page time is spent showing the tasks of daily life (and almost-claustrophobic interconnectedness) within a tiny, very northern Norwegian community in the early 17th century. But there are witch hunts at hand, and dabbling in the Sami traditions of runes, poppets, or the playing of drums—or simply being a strong-willed woman helping to feed a village by manning fishing boats when the men are all lost—is enough to lead to terrible consequences. Hargrave allows some light into the darkness and cold in the form of love, and important realizations, and some brutal justice, but ignorance and pettiness lead to other horrific and undeserved consequences. One standout for me was the strong women in the face of men's abuses of power and physical cruelty. The setting was vivid and I often think back to Hargrave's richly described landscape. What did you think? This is Hargrave's first book for adults, but she has several other young adult and children's books I'd love to read. This book is part of the Greedy Reading List Six Captivating Nordic Stories. #nordic, #historicalfiction, #witches, #fourstarbookreview

Mitchell takes us through the twists and turns of a fictional psychedelic British sixties band on its rocky rise to popularity. In Utopia Avenue, Mitchell takes us through the twists and turns of a fictional psychedelic British sixties band on its rocky rise to popularity, particularly through exploring its members' crises, joys, fears, and triumphs. It could have felt a little too abstract to read about the inspiration for made-up lyrics and melody, instrument technique, and imagined musical highlights on stage. (The fictional band focus reminded me, in a good way, of Daisy Jones and the Six.) But Mitchell handles all of this deftly and made me care about a singer connecting with an audience, the cathartic heartbreak-writing of songs, and the magic spark of a performance. Utopia Avenue contains endless imagined cameos, fictional adventures, and gems of wisdom from real-life musicians like David Bowie, Joni Mitchell, Jerry Garcia, and members of the Rolling Stones, as well as authors and artists--not to mention wild parties, betrayals, leaps of faith, breakups, and tragedy. But Mitchell expertly builds the four band members--Jasper, Elf, Griff, and Dean, plus their beloved manager Levon--into rich characters you're rooting for through their individual ups and downs as well as through the triumphs and setbacks of the band Utopia Avenue. If you like Mitchell's beautiful, offbeat, sometimes meandering and tough to pin down stories, you'll love this almost 600-page book. You zigzag with characters through bizarre alternate realities at times (whether due to a schizophrenic mind, being possessed by an evil being, or hallucinogenic drug effects). As always, there are references to other parts of the David Mitchell universe, such as: Horology! (It's not included to the extent it is in The Bone Clocks, but it's essential to one character's continued existence.) Marinus and Jacob de Zoet make appearances, and the links to other books felt cozy, like I was coming home to more very welcome Mitchell madness and delving into another layer of his imagination. Mitchell doesn't provide too easy or neat of an ending, but it feels fitting and left me satisfied. A really captivating book that kept me intrigued throughout. I received an advance copy of this book through NetGalley and Random House in exchange for an unbiased review. What did you think? I really want to talk to someone else about this weird and wonderful book. (Jasper! Elf! Imagined Jerry Garcia conversations!) Have you read it? This book made the Greedy Reading List for My Six Favorite Summer 2020 Reads. #historicalfiction, #london, #fourstarbookreview

I loved suspending my disbelief for Mastai's fascinating story of time travel, alternate realities, love, loss, humor, bravery, and moments that made me laugh out loud. There are flying cars in the alternate reality of this book. Flying cars. I think you should know that going in, because it’s not the only awesome thing, but it is one of the awesome things in Elan Mastai's All Our Wrong Todays. Our main protagonist Tom makes a decision that strands him in our version of the world, which feels like a dystopia to him. He encounters alternate versions of his loved ones and universe, which are jarring but grow on him. He strikes out to explore time and place in an effort to figure out which reality to preserve. Mastai provides a fascinating story with time travel, alternate realities, love, loss, humor, bravery, and moments that made me laugh out loud. I didn't always follow the logic as laid out in the book--the supposed development of time travel itself and how time travelers affect realities--but I loved suspending my disbelief to be part of it. I loved this! What did you think? This is Mastai's first and only book so far. I'm dying for another one. Interestingly, he also writes for the TV series "This Is Us." This book is on my Greedy Reading List Six Riveting Time-Travel Escapes. #alternatereality, #timetravel, #fantasyscifi, #fourstarbookreview

This gem from Mitchell is a set of six intriguing tracks through time that are full of surprises. Teenager Holly Sykes is suddenly drawn into the world of “the radio people,” people whose voices she heard as a child. She disappears from her family and leaves behind a tragic mystery, while in her forays through new worlds she attracts dangerous powers to her. David Mitchell's The Bone Clocks is a set of six intriguing tracks through time that are full of surprises and interconnected through Holly and her various threads of reality. There are links to other Mitchell books and characters if you're paying attention, but the book can stand alone. I can say with certainty that I've never read a book quite like this before. A full genre shift around page 400 would normally make me want to throw a book through the window. But here it works somehow. This was strange and compelling. What did you think? Mitchell is one of a kind, and I love it. Another book I loved of his was Utopia Avenue, and it was completely different in tone but also wonderfully David Mitchell-level intriguing. This book is part of my Greedy Reading List Six Riveting Time-Travel Escapes. #timetravel, #alternatereality, #fantasyscifi, #fourstarbookreview

Harrow explores the wondrous bravery and the sometimes dark and destructive forces surrounding collectors venturing through worlds and the wanderers desperately searching for home. January has lived with Mr. Locke as his ward since her beloved, offbeat father disappeared during a trip to acquire artifacts for the wealthy man’s collections. Her father has since been presumed dead, and Locke keeps her safe and cared for, if without affection. But she is growing older and is looking for answers about her father’s disappearance. When she finds a mysterious book her father had acquired, it shows January unlikely possibilities about her existence and the world at large that it’s difficult to process. When she uncovers unwelcome truths about Locke and her circumstances, she has no choice but to forge into the frightening unknown. Alix E. Harrow has crafted a lovely adventure through different wonderfully imagined worlds (including the early 1900s home base). The Ten Thousand Doors of January also explores the wondrous bravery but sometimes dark and destructive forces surrounding the explorers and collectors venturing through worlds and the wanderers desperately searching for home. Also, let's all please stop and admire this gorgeous cover for a moment. I received a copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. What did you think? I love the explorer setup, and Harrow doesn't shy away from exploring the cruelties and cutthroat selfishness of white men acquiring treasures from other cultures and places. Harrow has another amazing-sounding book coming out in October 2020, The Once and Future Witches. This book is part of my Greedy Reading List Six Riveting Time-Travel Escapes. #timetravel, #alternatereality, #fantasyscifi, #fourstarbookreview

This alternate-reality story is really about loyalty and devoted friendship, it doesn't fall back on easy resolutions, and not everything is as it seems. I loved it. Dannie is on the path to achieving her five-year goals in spectacularly efficient fashion. She goes to sleep satisfied, but wakes up in another life: a strange apartment, a different boyfriend, and an alternate set of choices behind and before her. And perhaps most confusingly of all, in this second life she's lost some of her original, lifelong, rigid plans for her future, yet she's happy. Very very happy. She returns to her original reality, but Dannie can’t shake the possibilities and uncertainty created by what felt like an actual temporary shift in her existence. What does that vastly different set of circumstances and her satisfaction within it mean about how she can and should live her life? Serle's In Five Years totally hit the spot for me, and it also wasn’t exactly what I expected. The setup seems like it’s a romance, but it’s really a story about loyalty and devoted friendship without easy or saw-it-coming resolutions, and not everything is as it seems. I loved it. This book is part of my Greedy Reading List Six Riveting Time-Travel Escapes. #timetravel, #alternatereality, #heartwarming, #fourstarbookreview

Kin Stewart will have to break all the rules of time travel to preserve the existence of his daughter without destroying the world. Kin Stewart was a time-traveling secret agent in 2142, but he became stranded in the 1990s when a mission went wrong. Now he lives life as a regular guy; he works in IT, he’s happily married, and he has a beloved daughter. They have no idea about his past, which is just how he likes it. When he begins to have memory loss and other odd symptoms, he realizes it’s linked to his past time travel. Then a rescue mission arrives--decades late--to bring him to 2142 and back to another life with another family. Stewart would have to break all the rules of time travel to attempt the impossible: preserve the existence of his daughter in his current reality without destroying everything else. Within the world of Here and Now and Then, Mike Chen masterfully explores: Is the past set in stone or is it malleable? Which half of Kin’s dual life is most true or immediate or valued? How much physical turmoil can one body take before giving in? What does a hero do when honesty requires putting his life at risk, yet risking his life is essential to saving it? I loooved this. Chen writes a deeply felt warring of emotions and conflicting responsibility and duty. I adore a character-driven science fiction tale. Also, time travel! This totally hit the spot. This was also listed in my Greedy Reading List of Six Riveting Time-Travel Escapes. What did you think? I especially love how Chen explores Kin's emotions in both of his realities, his warring loyalties, and how the future and past can work together. I can't wait to read his book A Beginning at the End, published in early 2020. #timetravel, #fantasyscifi, #alternatereality, #fourstarbookreview