I’m not a big science fiction reader, and I made my way through this one very, very slowly. It felt very disjointed at first and I struggled to stick I’m not a big science fiction reader, and I made my way through this one very, very slowly. It felt very disjointed at first and I struggled to stick with it. But the last 100 pages were wonderful and made me glad I’d hung in there. Le Guin is clearly brilliant, her vocabulary and facility with language is impressive, and her commentary on gender and identity are insightful. There was a lot to appreciate for sure, but I can’t say that I just loved it. Glad to have finally read this author though....more
This is a delightful, quick little book of short stories about Maud, an 88 year-old murderer who artfully disposes of people she finds troublesome. ThThis is a delightful, quick little book of short stories about Maud, an 88 year-old murderer who artfully disposes of people she finds troublesome. This amusing set of murder stories was a perfect fit for one of my last Read Harder Challenge prompts, a genre book in translation, and was published in English this year. What fun!...more
So many feelings. Nabokov’s prose is exquisite and the narration of the audiobook by Jeremy Irons is perfect. But I found it incredibly difficult to bSo many feelings. Nabokov’s prose is exquisite and the narration of the audiobook by Jeremy Irons is perfect. But I found it incredibly difficult to be stuck in Humbert’s foul brain for the duration of the book. This was my third try at it, and I did finally manage to finish this time. But I feel like a need to scrub that monster out of my head....more
I absolutely loved this! I was looking for a western for a prompt on the Read Harder Challenge. I was not all that excited about it and started a coupI absolutely loved this! I was looking for a western for a prompt on the Read Harder Challenge. I was not all that excited about it and started a couple and bailed. Then a fellow Rioter recommended this one and I got the audiobook from the library. And to my surprise, I finished in no time and it is definitely one of my favorite books this year.
A teenage boy and his younger sister join up with a mysterious stranger, a preacher, and an old hunting dog to track a panther through the canyons of Texas. It is just marvelous. Highly recommend....more
When a dead body is discovered on a historic plantation in Louisiana, Caren, the property manager ends up thrust into a web of unraveling mysteries. CWhen a dead body is discovered on a historic plantation in Louisiana, Caren, the property manager ends up thrust into a web of unraveling mysteries. Caren and her daughter are both in danger as the shocking murder unearths connections to her family’s past. This is a great character-centered mystery that also touches on post Civil War, reconstruction era history and modern day racism. Great audio....more
March: Book One is a graphic novel that focuses on John Lewis’s childhood and early years in the Civil Rights movement during the 1950s and his role oMarch: Book One is a graphic novel that focuses on John Lewis’s childhood and early years in the Civil Rights movement during the 1950s and his role organizing sit-ins at segregated lunch counters in Nashville. Definitely will finish the set. What an engaging, wonderful way to learn about a fascinating man....more
Beautiful writing. You can tell Riggs was a poet. This is an unvarnished and candid memoir of living with terminal cancer. She perfectly captures the Beautiful writing. You can tell Riggs was a poet. This is an unvarnished and candid memoir of living with terminal cancer. She perfectly captures the tug-of-war between living in the present and acknowledging the nearness of death. Putting sentimentality aside, she is forthright in sharing her journey from diagnosis through decline, her desperate longing for more time with her young sons and husband and her attempts to prepare them all for inevitable separation. A wonderful writer gone too soon....more
This novel is told in multiple voices and features a wide range of Native American stories from characters in Oakland, California. Each chapter is narThis novel is told in multiple voices and features a wide range of Native American stories from characters in Oakland, California. Each chapter is narrated by a different character, but the stories are meticulously interconnected as they all converge at the upcoming Big Oakland Powwow.
My exposure to Native American stories has been limited to reservation settings. This book focuses entirely on urban Native American characters, so that was really interesting to me. Tommy Orange gives voice to so many facets of this experience that I hadn’t considered.
I’d read Upstream, a book of Oliver’s essays, and knew I wanted to read some of her poetry. This is a lovely collection, and a perfect choice when I nI’d read Upstream, a book of Oliver’s essays, and knew I wanted to read some of her poetry. This is a lovely collection, and a perfect choice when I needed to redirect my brain and heart towards goodness and peace and gratitude....more
This was my choice for the true crime prompt for the Read Harder challenge. I never read this kind of thing because I get freaked out easily. But thisThis was my choice for the true crime prompt for the Read Harder challenge. I never read this kind of thing because I get freaked out easily. But this was a good choice. The details are all there but it was not gratuitously graphic. I like how Capote tells the story from so many angles, avoiding sensationalism. And because the case was solved, we get the whole story....more
I liked the first book enough to keep going with this series. But this second book is so much better. It continues its focus on Binti’s inner life, buI liked the first book enough to keep going with this series. But this second book is so much better. It continues its focus on Binti’s inner life, but the plot really takes off in this one. Okorafor starts digging into the issues that was hoping would get further exploration, and I will definitely read the final book.
What baffles me is why this was published in the three short installments. It feels like the first book could have been edited down and combine all three parts into one book....more
I chose this for one of my Read Harder picks, the first book in a YA series. Sci-fi is so not my thing, but I did like this. It deals with substantialI chose this for one of my Read Harder picks, the first book in a YA series. Sci-fi is so not my thing, but I did like this. It deals with substantial issues - identity, racism, conflict between cultures. The interior journey of the main character is the focus. In some ways the plot doesn’t really start until you’re at the end. I have some questions about how some things are handled, but clearly I need to keep going to see how they are addressed....more
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