I read this book as part of the Norton finalist packet.
I love a middle grade books, and this one is a treasure. Benny barely knew his famous, recentlyI read this book as part of the Norton finalist packet.
I love a middle grade books, and this one is a treasure. Benny barely knew his famous, recently-deceased grandpa, Ignacio Ram铆rez, but now he's living in the man's Miami mansion. He, his parents, and his brother and sister are fresh transplants from Los Angeles. His older sister is a fantastic dancer, while his little brother goes so deeply into his acting roles that he barely breaks character for weeks. Benny feels like the untalented one in the family, a veritable imposter at the creative arts magnet school his parents now teach at. But now Benny is the only one who can see and speak with the ghost of his Abuelo. His grandfather was booted out of the afterlife, told he has unfinished business on Earth, and he's now certain that business is to make Benny a trumpet-playing star. Benny, in awe of his arrogant and domineering Abuelo, now has to navigate a new school, a new talent (kind of), and a family in turmoil.
This is such a sweet book. It's a bit cringey at times, as Benny does things that make you go, 'Oh no!' but fortunately those bits don't go on for long, as the book takes some nice, surprising turns. I really love the loving nature of his family--the depictions of the relationships feel complicated and real....more
This is a book club read for April 2025. I found it a fantastic read--lush prose, deep characterizations, and a plot that delivers surprise after surpThis is a book club read for April 2025. I found it a fantastic read--lush prose, deep characterizations, and a plot that delivers surprise after surprise as everything fits together in the end. ...more
I read this novella as part of the Nebula finalist packet.
This is a fascinating, deeply-researched work about the return of mammoths, mammoth poachersI read this novella as part of the Nebula finalist packet.
This is a fascinating, deeply-researched work about the return of mammoths, mammoth poachers, and ultimately, humanity, awful and redemptive in turns. The first chapter disoriented me a bit because I had no grasp of what was gong on, but I soon found the groove....more
I read this as part of the Nebula finalist packet.
First of all, major trigger warnings on this book for child abuse throughout, as well as a hefty warI read this as part of the Nebula finalist packet.
First of all, major trigger warnings on this book for child abuse throughout, as well as a hefty warning on animal abuse (though that is justified, within the context of the book). That said, this book is extremely well written, impenetrably dark, and often heartwarming in turns. Fourteen-year-old Cordelia has long been subject to her mother's whims--not simply abusive behavior, but being controlled like a puppet through magic. When her mother sets her sights on marrying into wealth that will better place Cordelia for her own future marriage, Cordelia finds an incredible new ally: Hester, the landowner's disabled sister. Hester has a sense of the evil around her brother's new beau, who she calls Doom, and deep sympathy for the obviously terrified, sheltered Cordelia.
I'm familiar with the "Goose Girl" story this is inspired by, but beyond a few elements, the plots are nothing alike. This book shocked me with its dark turns. There's a deep level of both psychological and body horror to be found here, but it's not all grim and dark. There is a beautiful found family aspect as well. ...more
I read this novella as part of the Nebula finalist packet.
This sci-fi queer rewrite of the classic Count of Monte Cristo is fantastically written, darI read this novella as part of the Nebula finalist packet.
This sci-fi queer rewrite of the classic Count of Monte Cristo is fantastically written, dark, and thought-provoking. It's also infuriating, as horrendous racism fuels the profound injustices suffered by Virika Sameroo. Honestly, it didn't take long for me to cheer for her just burning the whole universe DOWN. I can readily see why this made the finalists....more
I borrowed this book from my local library. It's currently a Norton Award finalist.
A gripping start, fascinating far-future Korean-inspired civilizatI borrowed this book from my local library. It's currently a Norton Award finalist.
A gripping start, fascinating far-future Korean-inspired civilization, and awesome giant robots make this a quick read, but I was left frustrated by a predictable plot and a main character who became increasingly foolishly brash as the book continued. I enjoyed the first half much more than the last half. ...more
I borrowed this book from my local library. It's a current finalist for the Norton Award.
I've loved Cypess's other creative reinventions of fairy taleI borrowed this book from my local library. It's a current finalist for the Norton Award.
I've loved Cypess's other creative reinventions of fairy tales, and this one is also a delight. The tale retells in Rapunzel in a fresh way through the viewpoint of Rapunzel's younger sister, Cinna. She has never known Rapunzel, as her big sister was spirited away by evil fairies before she was born. Even so, she frequently writes letters to Rapunzel and hides them in her room; Cinna is cosseted and friendless these days, her mother the queen often cold and callous as she prepares her daughter to someday assume the throne of the Borderlands. That includes lessons on just about everything, including how to utilize their family's magical hair. When Rapunzel is abruptly rescued and returns home, Cinna is thrilled--mostly. But her sister is nothing like she expected, and Rapunzel has only been given three days of grace to visit the human world.
This was such a fun book, with many surprises along the way. The narrative explores issues like sisterhood and changing expectations and neurodiversity (because Rapunzel does cue that way) without being heavy-handed. ...more
I've enjoyed CoCo's other work, but this is my first time delving into this series. It says a lot about the hI received an advance copy via NetGalley.
I've enjoyed CoCo's other work, but this is my first time delving into this series. It says a lot about the high quality of the writing that I had no problem at all getting immersed in the mystery and characters even though this was #13 in the series.
Allie runs a fudge shop on Mackinac Island. She's preparing to wed Rex, a local police officer, in a wedding that involves a public picnic and her dogs and everyone they know on the island. Complicating matters: Allie finds a local woman dead outside of the library, her long-time rival sobbing nearby with a blood-soaked rock on the ground. Complicating matters even more: Allie's elitist socialite mother shows up 2 weeks before the wedding, with other snobbish family in tow, determined that her only child will have a "proper wedding," meaning designer everything, a fancy venue, and family only. Allie needs to balance her own precarious mental health with a tricky murder investigation as the clock ticks down to her big day.
This book was such incredible fun. I've wanted to go to Mackinac Island since I was a teenager, thanks to the old movie Somewhere in Time, and I really want to try their famous fudge. This book, and this series, is probably providing the island with a tourism boost, as I want to go there even more now. Allie is a great, sympathetic character, and I love Rex and so many other cast members--but not her mother. Good grief, but the scenes with her mother gave me the kind of anxiety that most readers probably get from a horror novel. That helped contribute to a fast and breezy escapist read, which is just what I needed this week!...more
I read this book because it's a Norton Award finalist.
In this cute, breezy secondary fantasy, Lusi can see and talk with ghosts. Only her big sister MI read this book because it's a Norton Award finalist.
In this cute, breezy secondary fantasy, Lusi can see and talk with ghosts. Only her big sister Marsi believes her--everyone else in her family and town thinks she's lying. When their manipulative Uncle threatens to marry off Marsi, the two sisters run away--and find a dragon, more ghosts, and whole new lives.
This was an enjoyable read with an inclusive, diverse cast and an innovative take on necromancy that works well for middle grade....more
I read this as part of the Nebula finalist readings.
Lost Ark Dreaming is a fascinating piece of near-future scifi set after a climate disaster floods I read this as part of the Nebula finalist readings.
Lost Ark Dreaming is a fascinating piece of near-future scifi set after a climate disaster floods Africa. Refugees survive in five reinforced towers strictly demarcated by class. An alert on a below-water level brings together three administrators, forcing them to confront their society, their faith, and their future. The writing is masterful, the characters incredibly deep. The very ending, however, felt abrupt and unsatisfying for me....more
I borrowed this book from the library. It's a book club read for March.
I have never read Danielle Steel before, and I'm left wondering if this book isI borrowed this book from the library. It's a book club read for March.
I have never read Danielle Steel before, and I'm left wondering if this book is like her others, and if so, why has she seen such wild success? A science fiction book featuring aliens to more relatable to me than this tale of an in-demand New York City wedding planner and her ridiculously wealthy clients. The book is poorly edited. Descriptions are redundant, the same lines repeated in a baffling way. The viewpoint floats from character to character without warning and is confusing at times. There wasn't even much romance, the sex not showing up on the page until the end, and there was little of it, with sparse descriptions. The prose itself is simple and lacks rhythm.
The one positive I can say is that it's a fast read. Thank goodness. ...more
This is the kind of gentle, soothing read needed these days. Writer Helen Hoover and her artist husband, Ade, moved to the far-remote Minnesota woods This is the kind of gentle, soothing read needed these days. Writer Helen Hoover and her artist husband, Ade, moved to the far-remote Minnesota woods across a lake from Canada. This book covers over a decade of their time there in the 1950s and 1960s, where they dealt with severe poverty to start, making-do without a car and even getting scurvy due to malnutrition. They are there to live in harmony with nature, as much as they can; the mice in the cabin are named and fed, and the deer and groundhogs are regular companions. They resist electricity and indoor plumbing, but the ways of man encroach on them, with deer hunting season an especially dangerous time for the two of them and the deer they love.
This is an intimate portrait of a time and place and two people trying to find peace in a turbulent world....more
Three storylines featuring resilient women are the focus of this unique book. In 2019, a young Australian womI received an advance copy via NetGalley.
Three storylines featuring resilient women are the focus of this unique book. In 2019, a young Australian woman, Lucy, awakens, choking the ex-boyfriend who recently betrayed her. She flees to a remote coastal town where her older sister lives, to find her missing. Meanwhile, Lucy is plagued by intense dreams about two sisters from Ireland in 1800 who are unjustly loaded onto a prison ship destined for Australia--and judging by the art in the household, her sister has been having the same dreams for years. Lucy struggles to understand herself, and begins reading through her sister's diary, discovering deep family secrets.
This is an engaging book, but a frustrating one in some regards, as the ending doesn't deliver much in the way of surprises. The title alone is a big giveaway about what is going on, and Lucy's big revelations are transparent incredibly early, though it takes her a long time to put pieces together. The diary format didn't work well, either, as the entries were nothing like believable diary entries.
There was a lot to like, though. The characters are very well done, and the deep insights into Australia's colonial history were disturbing and enlightening. I can see this being a major book club read in the coming years....more
I received an advance copy via NetGalley. Also, the author is a friend, and I've highly anticipated this book!
A haunting study of grief, death, and thI received an advance copy via NetGalley. Also, the author is a friend, and I've highly anticipated this book!
A haunting study of grief, death, and the complexities of "moving on," Dawson posits an incredible lighthouse on the brink of Chicago and Lake Michigan. There, a station master on guard for over one hundred years, since the Fire, helps spirits make it to the nearby Veil each night. Nera is his daughter, raised among the dead, but never fully alive--not until a living woman named Charlie stumbled into the liminal space as she searches for her dead sister. A dark threat looms in the city beyond and the lighthouse itself seems to be failing, raising the stakes as the two women gradually fall in love.
This is a beautiful book. Some moments and lines are especially heart-wrenching. While the general themes resemble T.J. Klune's Under the Whispering Door, this is a very different book, and powerful in its own right....more
I read this borrowed out-of-print novel for a book club read.
Oh boy. Where to begin? Par Lagerkvist apparently won the Nobel Prize for other work. BasI read this borrowed out-of-print novel for a book club read.
Oh boy. Where to begin? Par Lagerkvist apparently won the Nobel Prize for other work. Based on this book, quite frankly, I am baffled. This story is only 148 pages long (thank goodness), but very little actually happens, though Barabbas--the man whose life was spared when Jesus Christ was crucified instead--wrestles with deep spiritual questions based on what he has seen and experienced. The psychological study is well done, but drags at this length. My copy is the "movie version," advertising for the epic with Anthony Quinn as the lead; I can only imagine it has a radically different plot.
This book also reminds of me other 1950s historical fiction books I read years ago that are very male-centered. In the case of this book, only Barabbas and a few other men have names. The women are mere tokens for sexual pleasure ("the fat lady") and martyrdom ("the hare-lipped girl"). Barabbas's own mother was gang-raped and then given to a brothel, and then birthed Barabbas in the street (how he knows that much of his dark history is unclear).
All this criticism stated, though, I think this will be an interesting book to discuss in the club. I'm especially interested in what the elderly pastor who suggested this book will say, because he always brings some thought-provoking insights. I don't have to like a book to learn something from it, and I'm hopeful for that outcome....more
Loading...
