JG (Introverted Reader)'s bookshelf: read en-US Mon, 28 Apr 2025 12:39:06 -0700 60 JG (Introverted Reader)'s bookshelf: read 144 41 /images/layout/goodreads_logo_144.jpg <![CDATA[Feral Creatures (Hollow Kingdom #2)]]> 56222779 In this stunning follow-up to Hollow Kingdom , the animal kingdom's "favorite apocalyptic hero" is back with a renewed sense of hope for humanity, ready to take on a world ravaged by a viral pandemic (Helen Macdonald).

Once upon an apocalypse, there lived an obscenely handsome American crow named S.T....

When the world last checked in with its favorite Cheetos addict, the planet had been overrun by flesh-hungry beasts, and nature had started reclaiming her territory from humankind. S.T., the intrepid crow, alongside his bloodhound-bestie Dennis, had set about saving pets that had become trapped in their homes after humanity went the way of the dodo.

That is, dear reader, until S.T. stumbled upon something so rare - and so precious - that he vowed to do everything in his power to safeguard what could, quite literally, be humanity's last hope for survival. But in a wild world plagued by prejudiced animals, feather-raising environments, new threats so terrifying they make zombies look like baby bunnies, and a horrendous dearth of cheesy snacks, what's a crow to do?

Why, wing it on another bighearted, death-defying adventure, that's what! Joined by a fabulous new cast of animal characters, S.T. faces many new challenges plus his biggest one parenthood.]]> Kira Jane Buxton 154912983X JG (Introverted Reader) 0 3.67 2021 Feral Creatures (Hollow Kingdom #2)
author: Kira Jane Buxton
name: JG (Introverted Reader)
average rating: 3.67
book published: 2021
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/28
shelves: fiction, audio, animals_fantasy, dystopia, fantasy, humor, z_author_american, series_to_continue, currently-reading
review:

]]> <![CDATA[A Superior Death (Anna Pigeon, #2)]]> 6583436 Park ranger Anna Pigeon returns, in a mystery that unfolds in and around Lake Superior, in whose chilling depths sunken treasure comes with a deadly price. In her latest mystery, Nevada Barr sends Ranger Pigeon to a new post amid the cold, deserted, and isolated beauty of Isle Royale National Park, a remote island off the coast of Michigan known for fantastic deep-water dives of wrecked sailing vessels. Leaving behind memories of the Texas high desert and the environmental scam she helped uncover, Anna is adjusting to the cool damp of Lake Superior and the spirits and lore of the northern Midwest. But when a routine application for a diving permit reveals a grisly underwater murder, Anna finds herself 260 feet below the forbidding surface of the lake, searching for the connection between a drowned man and an age-old cargo ship. Written with a naturalist's feel for the wilderness and a keen understanding of characters who thrive in extreme conditions, A Superior Death is a passionate, atmospheric page-turner.]]> 310 Nevada Barr 1101043555 JG (Introverted Reader) 0 4.15 1994 A Superior Death (Anna Pigeon, #2)
author: Nevada Barr
name: JG (Introverted Reader)
average rating: 4.15
book published: 1994
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/28
shelves: fiction, mystery, series_to_continue, z_author_american, z_setting_us, currently-reading, kindle
review:

]]> <![CDATA[A Walk in the Park: The True Story of a Spectacular Misadventure in the Grand Canyon]]> 199798198
The Grand Canyon is an American treasure, visited by more than 6 million people a year, many of whom are rendered speechless by its vast beauty, mystery, and complexity. Now, in A Walk in the Park , author Kevin Fedarko chronicles his year-long effort to find a 750-mile path along the length of the Grand Canyon, through a vertical wilderness suspended between the caprock along the rims of the abyss and the Colorado River, which flows along its bottom.

Consisting of countless cliffs and steep drops, plus immense stretches with almost no access to water, and the fact that not a single trail links its eastern doorway to its western terminus, this jewel of national parks is so challenging that when Fedarko departed fewer people had completed the journey in one single hike than had walked on the moon. The intensity of the effort required him to break his trip into several legs, each of which held staggering dangers and unexpected discoveries.

Accompanying Fedarko through this sublime yet perilous terrain is the award-winning photographer Peter McBride, who captures the stunning landscape in breathtaking photos. Together, they encounter long-lost Native American ruins, the remains of Old West prospectors� camps, present day tribal activists, and signs that commercial tourism is impinging on the park’s remote wildness.

An epic adventure, action-packed survival tale, and a deep spiritual journey, A Walk in the Park gives us an unprecedented glimpse of the crown jewel of America’s National an iconic landscape framed by ancient rock whose contours are recognized by all, but whose secrets and treasures are known to almost no one, and whose topography encompasses some of the harshest, least explored, most awe-inspiring terrain in the world.]]> 512 Kevin Fedarko 1501183052 JG (Introverted Reader) 0 4.22 2024 A Walk in the Park: The True Story of a Spectacular Misadventure in the Grand Canyon
author: Kevin Fedarko
name: JG (Introverted Reader)
average rating: 4.22
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/28
shelves: nonfiction, travel, biography_memoir, science, visual_media, z_author_american, z_setting_us, history, currently-reading
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Lola va a la escuela (Spanish Edition) (Lola Reads)]]> 54366504 Spunky Lola embarks on a new adventure--the first day of school!

Lola and her family prepare for the first day of school the night before, then get up early, take pictures, and head to class. Lola puts her things in her cubby, chooses her activities, reads, plays, and has a snack. Before she knows it, it's time to sing the good-bye song and rush into Mommy's arms for a warm reunion. A comforting, cheerful read that demystifies the school day for preschoolers and kindergarteners.]]> 32 Anna McQuinn 1623541727 JG (Introverted Reader) 4 4.00 Lola va a la escuela (Spanish Edition) (Lola Reads)
author: Anna McQuinn
name: JG (Introverted Reader)
average rating: 4.00
book published:
rating: 4
read at: 2025/04/28
date added: 2025/04/28
shelves: fiction, read_in_2025, to_review, 4_stars, contemporary_fiction, childrens, visual_media, z_author_irish, translations
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Raven Boys (The Raven Cycle, #1)]]> 15755025 “There are only two reasons a non-seer would see a spirit on St. Mark’s Eve,� Neeve said. “Either you’re his true love . . . or you killed him.�

It is freezing in the churchyard, even before the dead arrive.

Every year, Blue Sargent stands next to her clairvoyant mother as the soon-to-be dead walk past. Blue herself never sees them—not until this year, when a boy emerges from the dark and speaks directly to her.

His name is Gansey, and Blue soon discovers that he is a rich student at Aglionby, the local private school. Blue has a policy of staying away from Aglionby boys. Known as Raven Boys, they can only mean trouble.

But Blue is drawn to Gansey, in a way she can’t entirely explain. He has it all—family money, good looks, devoted friends—but he’s looking for much more than that. He is on a quest that has encompassed three other Raven Boys: Adam, the scholarship student who resents all the privilege around him; Ronan, the fierce soul who ranges from anger to despair; and Noah, the taciturn watcher of the four, who notices many things but says very little.

For as long as she can remember, Blue has been warned that she will cause her true love to die. She never thought this would be a problem. But now, as her life becomes caught up in the strange and sinister world of the Raven Boys, she’s not so sure anymore.]]> 416 Maggie Stiefvater 0545469791 JG (Introverted Reader) 3 3.96 2012 The Raven Boys (The Raven Cycle, #1)
author: Maggie Stiefvater
name: JG (Introverted Reader)
average rating: 3.96
book published: 2012
rating: 3
read at: 2025/04/25
date added: 2025/04/28
shelves: fiction, read_in_2025, kindle, to_review, 3_stars, challenge_southern_lit_7, fantasy, paranormal, romantic, young_adult, z_author_american, z_setting_us, southern_lit
review:

]]> Razzmatazz: A Novel 122657059 New York Times Bestseller

Repeat New York Times bestselling author Christopher Moore returns to the mean streets of San Francisco in this outrageous follow-up to his madcap novel Noir.

San Francisco, 1947. Bartender Sammy “Two Toes� Tiffin and the rest of the Cookie’s Coffee Irregulars—a ragtag bunch of working mugs last seen in Noir—are on the hustle: they’re trying to open a driving school; shanghai an abusive Swedish stevedore; get Mable, the local madam, and her girls to a Christmas party at the State Hospital without alerting the overzealous head of the S.F.P.D. vice squad; all while Sammy’s girlfriend, Stilton (a.k.a. the Cheese), and her “Wendy the Welder� gal pals are using their wartime shipbuilding skills on a secret project that might be attracting the attention of some government Men in Black. And, oh yeah, someone is murdering the city’s drag kings and club owner Jimmy Vasco is sure she’s next on the list and wants Sammy to find the killer.

Meanwhile, Eddie “Moo Shoes� Shu has been summoned by his Uncle Ho to help save his opium den from Squid Kid Tang, a vicious gangster who is determined to retrieve a priceless relic: an ancient statue of the powerful Rain Dragon that Ho stole from one of the fighting tongs forty years earlier. And if Eddie blows it, he just might call down the wrath of that powerful magical creature on all of Fog City.

Strap yourselves in for a bit of the old razzmatazz, ladies and gentlemen. It’s Christopher Moore time.

“Smart and funny and all sorts of raunchy in the best way.� � San Francisco Chronicle]]> 10 Christopher Moore 0063246163 JG (Introverted Reader) 3 3.69 2022 Razzmatazz: A Novel
author: Christopher Moore
name: JG (Introverted Reader)
average rating: 3.69
book published: 2022
rating: 3
read at: 2025/04/23
date added: 2025/04/28
shelves: audio, fiction, humor, narrators_i_like, z_author_american, z_setting_us, read_in_2025, to_review, 3_stars, fantasy, historical_fantasy, lgbtq
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Magic Marks the Spot (The Very Nearly Honorable League of Pirates #1)]]> 17693446 Admiral Westfield sucked in his breath and released it in a tremendous gust. “My dear,� he said, “let me be clear: You are a young lady. You will not tell silly tales and you will never be a pirate.�

Hilary Westfield has always dreamed of being a pirate. She can tread water for thirty-seven minutes. She can tie a knot faster than a fleet of sailors. She particularly enjoys defying authority, and she already owns a rather pointy sword. There’s only one problem: The Very Nearly Honorable League of Pirates refuses to let any girl join their ranks of scourges and scallywags.

Girls belong at Miss Pimm’s Finishing School for Delicate Ladies, learning to waltz, faint, and cursty. But Hilary and her dearest friend, the gargoyle, have no use for such frivolous lessons—they are pirates! (Or very nearly.)

To escape from a life of petticoats and politeness, Hilary answers a curious advertisement for a pirate crew and suddenly finds herself swept up in a seafaring adventure that may or may not involve a map without an X, a magical treasure that likely doesn’t exist, a rogue governess who insists on propriety, a crew of misfit scallywags, and the most treacherous—and unexpected—villain on the High Seas.

Will Hilary find the treasure in time? Will she become a true pirate after all? And what will become of the gargoyle?
]]> Caroline Carlson 0062293419 JG (Introverted Reader) 4 4.02 2013 Magic Marks the Spot (The Very Nearly Honorable League of Pirates #1)
author: Caroline Carlson
name: JG (Introverted Reader)
average rating: 4.02
book published: 2013
rating: 4
read at: 2025/04/16
date added: 2025/04/28
shelves: audio, fantasy, fiction, middle_grade, adventure, humor, z_author_american, read_in_2025, to_review, 4_stars, just_plain_fun, narrators_i_like
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Terror of the Southlands (The Very Nearly Honorable League of Pirates, #2)]]> 20306792
There is only one thing to do—find a daring mission worthy of her fearless reputation. With the help of first mate Charlie, finishing-school friend Claire, and the self-proclaimed intrepid gargoyle, Hilary sets sail on a swashbuckling expedition that may or may not involve a kidnapped Enchantress, bumbling inspectors, a mysterious group called the Mutineers, and—the most terrifying thing of all—a High Society ball.

Caroline Carlson brings just as much rollicking fun, laughter, and action to this second book of the Very Nearly Honorable League of Pirates as she did with the first, Magic Marks the Spot.]]> 336 Caroline Carlson 0062194364 JG (Introverted Reader) 0 4.17 2014 The Terror of the Southlands (The Very Nearly Honorable League of Pirates, #2)
author: Caroline Carlson
name: JG (Introverted Reader)
average rating: 4.17
book published: 2014
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/28
shelves: to-read, fiction, audio, adventure, humor, just_plain_fun, narrators_i_like, overdrive_pdx, overdrive_sd, overdrive_bil, series_to_continue, z_author_american
review:

]]> The Overstory 40180098 The Overstory is a sweeping, impassioned work of activism and resistance that is also a stunning evocation of - and paean to - the natural world. From the roots to the crown and back to the seeds, Richard Powers’s twelfth novel unfolds in concentric rings of interlocking fables that range from antebellum New York to the late twentieth-century Timber Wars of the Pacific Northwest and beyond. There is a world alongside ours—vast, slow, interconnected, resourceful, magnificently inventive, and almost invisible to us. This is the story of a handful of people who learn how to see that world and who are drawn up into its unfolding catastrophe.

A New York Times Bestseller.]]> 502 Richard Powers 039335668X JG (Introverted Reader) 3 4.10 2018 The Overstory
author: Richard Powers
name: JG (Introverted Reader)
average rating: 4.10
book published: 2018
rating: 3
read at: 2025/04/15
date added: 2025/04/28
shelves: fiction, award_winners, historical_fiction, z_author_american, z_setting_us, kindle, read_in_2025, to_review, 3_stars, gave_away, contemporary_fiction
review:

]]> Genius of Place 11434413 496 Justin Martin 0306819848 JG (Introverted Reader) 3 3.50 2011 Genius of Place
author: Justin Martin
name: JG (Introverted Reader)
average rating: 3.50
book published: 2011
rating: 3
read at: 2025/04/13
date added: 2025/04/28
shelves: nonfiction, biography_memoir, kindle, read_in_2025, 3plus_stars, history, challenge_nonfiction_12, z_setting_us, z_author_american, civil_war, to_review
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Yumi and the Nightmare Painter]]> 203579052 #1 New York Times bestselling author Brandon Sanderson brings us a gripping story set in the Cosmere universe told by Hoid, where two people from incredibly different worlds must compromise and work together to save their worlds from ruin.

Yumi comes from a land of gardens, meditation, and spirits, while Painter lives in a world of darkness, technology, and nightmares. When their lives suddenly become intertwined in strange ways, can they put aside their differences and work together to uncover the mysteries of their situation and save each other’s communities from certain disaster?]]> 384 Brandon Sanderson 1250899702 JG (Introverted Reader) 0 4.34 2023 Yumi and the Nightmare Painter
author: Brandon Sanderson
name: JG (Introverted Reader)
average rating: 4.34
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/28
shelves: to-read, fiction, covers_i_like, fantasy, own, owned_to_read, romantic, z_author_american
review:

]]> Disney's - Sleeping Beauty 4077674 96 Walt Disney Company 157082018X JG (Introverted Reader) 5 4.15 1959 Disney's - Sleeping Beauty
author: Walt Disney Company
name: JG (Introverted Reader)
average rating: 4.15
book published: 1959
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2025/04/27
shelves: own, childrens, fairy_or_folk_tale, fantasy, fiction, 5_stars
review:

]]> From the Corner of His Eye 236212
Now, in From the Corner of His Eye, Koontz brings together his most powerful themes to draw readers into a spellbinding world made by a master at the top of his form -- a story rich in triumph and tragedy, joy and terror, love, hate, and profound meaning, played out by perhaps the most unforgettable cast of characters he has yet created.

Bartholomew Lampion is born in Bright Beach, California, on a day of tragedy and terror, when the lives of everyone in his family are changed forever. Remarkable events accompany his birth, and everyone agrees that his unusual eyes are the most beautiful they have ever seen.

On this same day, a thousand miles away, a ruthless man learns that he has a mortal enemy named Bartholomew. He doesn't know who Bartholomew is, but he embarks on a search that will become the purpose of his life. If ever he finds the right Bartholomew, he will deal mercilessly with him.

And in San Francisco, a girl is born, the result of a violent rape. Her survival is miraculous, and her destiny is mysteriously linked to the fates of Barty and the man who stalks him.

At the age of three, Barty Lampion is blinded when surgeons reluctantly remove his eyes to save him from a fast-spreading cancer. As the growing boy copes with his blindness and proves to be a prodigy, his mother, an exceptional woman, counsels him that all things happen for a reason, that there is meaning even in his suffering, and that he will affect the lives of people yet unknown to him in ways startling and profound.

At thirteen, Bartholomew regains his sight. How he regains it, why he regains it, and what happens as his amazing life unfolds results in a breathtaking journey of courage, heart-stopping suspense, and high adventure. His mother once told him that every person's life has an effect on every other person's, in often unknowable ways, and Barty's eventful life indeed entwines with others in ways that will astonish and move everyone who reads his story.]]> 622 Dean Koontz 0553801341 JG (Introverted Reader) 5 3.84 2000 From the Corner of His Eye
author: Dean Koontz
name: JG (Introverted Reader)
average rating: 3.84
book published: 2000
rating: 5
read at: 2007/06/01
date added: 2025/04/14
shelves: fiction, horror, z_read_in_2007, 5_stars, z_author_american, z_setting_us, mini-review
review:
This was probably one of my favorite Dean Koontz books so far. The characters were fantastic. I miss reading about them already! Although I do have to say that inside Junior Cain's mind was a very uncomfortable place to be. I hated the way he twisted absolutely everything. But he was a pretty "good" bad guy. I loved all the good guys. They became so real that there's a small part of me that wishes I knew them! This was just a great book with amazing characters.
]]> Lola en la biblioteca 4357673
Disfruta con Lola de este homenaje a los libros y a las personas que los aman.]]> 32 Anna McQuinn 1580892132 JG (Introverted Reader) 4
I am a lot of years away from weekly library visits with my mom and sister but this cute little book brought the memories back. Any reader will relate to Lola's excitement. Rosaline Beardshaw's illustrations are fun and I like that they're drawn from Lola's perspective below the library counter.

Highly recommended.]]> 3.93 2006 Lola en la biblioteca
author: Anna McQuinn
name: JG (Introverted Reader)
average rating: 3.93
book published: 2006
rating: 4
read at: 2025/03/19
date added: 2025/04/09
shelves: fiction, read_in_2025, 4_stars, bibliophiles, childrens, contemporary_fiction, translations, visual_media, z_author_irish, mini-review
review:
Lola and her mommy go to the library once a week. We tag along on a typical visit.

I am a lot of years away from weekly library visits with my mom and sister but this cute little book brought the memories back. Any reader will relate to Lola's excitement. Rosaline Beardshaw's illustrations are fun and I like that they're drawn from Lola's perspective below the library counter.

Highly recommended.
]]> Lola le lee al pequeño Leo 17075064
¡Los hermanos pequeños dan mucho trabajo, pero la atenta y dispuesta Lola está a la altura de esta tarea!]]> 24 Anna McQuinn 1580895980 JG (Introverted Reader) 4
Rosalind Beardshaw's artwork is bright and fun. I particularly liked the picture of Lola reading to Leo from her potty chair as he got his diaper changed. Poor mom! She has her hands full! I also like that the pictures are from Lola's point of view, so if she's standing, the perspective is about counter height and the adults are cut off somewhere around the knees. We're immersed in her small world.

Highly recommended.]]> 3.77 2011 Lola le lee al pequeño Leo
author: Anna McQuinn
name: JG (Introverted Reader)
average rating: 3.77
book published: 2011
rating: 4
read at: 2025/04/06
date added: 2025/04/09
shelves: fiction, read_in_2025, 4_stars, childrens, contemporary_fiction, translations, visual_media, z_author_irish, bibliophiles, mini-review
review:
Lola is such a good big sister in this cute little picture book. She goes through the many aspects of little Leo's average day with a book in hand, ready to read the appropriate book to her little brother for any situation, be it diaper changes, feeding, or bedtime. Young bibliophiles will relate to her.

Rosalind Beardshaw's artwork is bright and fun. I particularly liked the picture of Lola reading to Leo from her potty chair as he got his diaper changed. Poor mom! She has her hands full! I also like that the pictures are from Lola's point of view, so if she's standing, the perspective is about counter height and the adults are cut off somewhere around the knees. We're immersed in her small world.

Highly recommended.
]]> Beastly Bones (Jackaby, #2) 26173411 I've found very little about private detective R. F. Jackaby to be standard in the time I've known him. Working as his assistant tends to call for a somewhat flexible relationship with reality . . .

In 1892, New Fiddleham, New England, things are never quite what they seem, especially when Abigail Rook and her eccentric employer, R. F. Jackaby, are called upon to investigate the supernatural. First, members of a particularly vicious species of shape-shifters disguise themselves as a litter of kittens. A day later, their owner is found murdered, with a single mysterious puncture wound to her neck. Then, in nearby Gad's Valley, dinosaur bones from a recent dig go missing, and an unidentifiable beast attacks animals and people, leaving their mangled bodies behind. Policeman Charlie Cane, exiled from New Fiddleham to the valley, calls on Abigail for help, and soon Abigail and Jackaby are on the hunt for a thief, a monster, and a murderer.]]> 6 William Ritter 1501901362 JG (Introverted Reader) 0 to-read, fiction 3.94 2015 Beastly Bones (Jackaby, #2)
author: William Ritter
name: JG (Introverted Reader)
average rating: 3.94
book published: 2015
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/09
shelves: to-read, fiction
review:

]]> The Map (Jackaby, #1.5) 26590408 56 William Ritter 1616205849 JG (Introverted Reader) 0 3.88 2015 The Map (Jackaby, #1.5)
author: William Ritter
name: JG (Introverted Reader)
average rating: 3.88
book published: 2015
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/09
shelves: to-read, fiction, kindle, series_to_continue, fantasy, mystery, young_adult, z_author_american, overdrive_nc
review:

]]> Jackaby (Jackaby, #1) 38720223 “Miss Rook, I am not an occultist,� Jackaby said. “I have a gift that allows me to see truth where others see the illusion--and there are many illusions. All the world’s a stage, as they say, and I seem to have the only seat in the house with a view behind the curtain.�

Newly arrived in New Fiddleham, New England, 1892, and in need of a job, Abigail Rook meets R. F. Jackaby, an investigator of the unexplained with a keen eye for the extraordinary--including the ability to see supernatural beings. Abigail has a gift for noticing ordinary but important details, which makes her perfect for the position of Jackaby’s assistant. On her first day, Abigail finds herself in the midst of a thrilling case: A serial killer is on the loose. The police are convinced it’s an ordinary villain, but Jackaby is certain it’s a nonhuman creature, whose existence the police--with the exception of a handsome young detective named Charlie Cane--deny.

Doctor Who meets Sherlock in William Ritter’s debut novel, which features a detective of the paranormal as seen through the eyes of his adventurous and intelligent assistant in a tale brimming with cheeky humor and a dose of the macabre.]]> 8 William Ritter 1622314832 JG (Introverted Reader) 4 Jackaby and I am here for it.

Abigail is a worthy Watson to Jackaby's Holmes, filling in the gaps that he overlooks. As a newcomer to America and magic, she tells the story of the serial killer loosed in New Fiddleham in a way that fills in all the details for the reader who is new to this world too.

The mystery and fantasy blend together in a way that kept me listening intently. Nicola Barber's narration was mostly a joy to listen to, but for some reason she read Jackaby's dialog with a very odd, stilted, over-emphasized accent. It was a bit jarring. Maybe there was a description of his speech that I missed, but I found this decision to be misguided.

I had a lot of fun listening to this book and I'll be sure to read the next one. I'm just not sure that I'll listen to it.]]> 3.49 2014 Jackaby (Jackaby, #1)
author: William Ritter
name: JG (Introverted Reader)
average rating: 3.49
book published: 2014
rating: 4
read at: 2025/04/01
date added: 2025/04/09
shelves: fiction, audio, fantasy, mystery, z_author_american, young_adult, historical_fantasy, read_in_2025, 4_stars, covers_i_like, narrators_i_like, series_to_continue, reviewed, to_blog
review:
A detective with seemingly-impossible powers of observation meets the fantasy world in Jackaby and I am here for it.

Abigail is a worthy Watson to Jackaby's Holmes, filling in the gaps that he overlooks. As a newcomer to America and magic, she tells the story of the serial killer loosed in New Fiddleham in a way that fills in all the details for the reader who is new to this world too.

The mystery and fantasy blend together in a way that kept me listening intently. Nicola Barber's narration was mostly a joy to listen to, but for some reason she read Jackaby's dialog with a very odd, stilted, over-emphasized accent. It was a bit jarring. Maybe there was a description of his speech that I missed, but I found this decision to be misguided.

I had a lot of fun listening to this book and I'll be sure to read the next one. I'm just not sure that I'll listen to it.
]]> Soon I Will Be Invincible 35403409
Fatale, a gleaming technological marvel built by the NSA as the next generation of warfare, is living in Boston, watching TV and listening to the police scanner. A woman of skin and chrome with a long silver ponytail, she's given the chance every super heroine dreams of: to join a once-famous group of beautiful young heroes, newly reunited to stop Dr. Impossible.

In alternating chapters, we see Dr. Impossible plan his comeback, and we watch the good guys - Fatale, Damsel, Blackwolf, Feral, CoreFire - come together in the face of unspeakable evil.

Featuring a cast of superheroes and supervillains with remarkably human emotions who inhabit a world strangely similar to our own, this is an outrageous adventure with a literary bent - a smart take on power and celebrity, glory and responsibility, and those old standbys, truth and justice.]]> 10 Austin Grossman 1598875027 JG (Introverted Reader) 3
My problem is that the story is told almost entirely in flashbacks from the book's present. So it comes across as "This thing is happening but I'm going to reflect on what happened in my past..." and then there's a big info dump. Or, "I didn't know the members of my superhero team well so I decided to watch a 4-hour documentary about them and this is what I learned..." followed by another big info dump. And it was hard, at least for me, to keep up with what was happening in the past and what was happening in the present. Maybe there were better cues in the print version but I was a bit lost on audio. I'm not an editor and I don't know what would have made this work better but my gut feeling is that this should have been two books; one with all the characters' origin stories and past interactions, and then another with the present-day events. I think that could have worked. But then that might have undermined the "aging super-villain looking back on his past" theme. I don't know. I just know that there was promise that wasn't quite met.

The narrators gave great performances. Paul Boehmer's indefinable yet faintly aristocratic accent fit the villain's voice well. Coleen Marlo perhaps read a bit too distinctly at times but her tones and energy were a great fit for her character.

There is definitely an audience for this book, but it really wasn't me. I like superhero movies but don't read superhero comics. Perhaps that demographic would enjoy this more.]]> 3.44 2007 Soon I Will Be Invincible
author: Austin Grossman
name: JG (Introverted Reader)
average rating: 3.44
book published: 2007
rating: 3
read at: 2025/03/22
date added: 2025/04/09
shelves: fiction, audio, read_in_2025, 3_stars, science_fiction, z_author_american, reviewed, to_blog
review:
The premise of this book sounds like a lot of fun and I should have loved it. But the execution fell a bit flat for me.

My problem is that the story is told almost entirely in flashbacks from the book's present. So it comes across as "This thing is happening but I'm going to reflect on what happened in my past..." and then there's a big info dump. Or, "I didn't know the members of my superhero team well so I decided to watch a 4-hour documentary about them and this is what I learned..." followed by another big info dump. And it was hard, at least for me, to keep up with what was happening in the past and what was happening in the present. Maybe there were better cues in the print version but I was a bit lost on audio. I'm not an editor and I don't know what would have made this work better but my gut feeling is that this should have been two books; one with all the characters' origin stories and past interactions, and then another with the present-day events. I think that could have worked. But then that might have undermined the "aging super-villain looking back on his past" theme. I don't know. I just know that there was promise that wasn't quite met.

The narrators gave great performances. Paul Boehmer's indefinable yet faintly aristocratic accent fit the villain's voice well. Coleen Marlo perhaps read a bit too distinctly at times but her tones and energy were a great fit for her character.

There is definitely an audience for this book, but it really wasn't me. I like superhero movies but don't read superhero comics. Perhaps that demographic would enjoy this more.
]]> The Princess and the Goblin 960392 The Princess and the Goblin tells the story of young Princess Irene and her friend Curdie, who must outwit the threatening goblins who live in caves beneath her mountain home. Macdonald’s pioneering use of fanstasy as a literary medium had a great influence on Lewis Carroll, J. R. R. Tolkien, and Madeleine L’Engle, all great admirers of his work, which has remained popular to this day. "I write, not for children," he wrote, "but for the child-like, whether they be of five, or fifty, or seventy-five."This edition includes illustrations by Arthur Hughes.]]> 240 George MacDonald 0679428100 JG (Introverted Reader) 4
This sweet little fairy tale is very much a product of its time. The princess is too good to be true, the servants are a little stupid, and the 12-year-old boy working in a mine is happy as a lark. Isn't this the natural order of the world?

But if you overlook the problematic social norms, young Princess Irene is a sweetheart who tries to be good and kind to everyone and keep her promises and be brave and true and faithful. Young Curdie, the miner boy, is clever, a good son, and a loyal subject. I liked them both.

The story moves a little slowly but I feel that most classic fantasies do.

The artwork by Arthur Hughes is a little hard to see in my copy, which I think has something to do with the style of the art, but it is still charming.

I didn't exactly love this but I am glad that I read it. I finished it thinking that Irene and Curdie's story felt unfinished, so I was pleasantly surprised to find that there is a second book about this pair. I've already checked it out from the library because I do want to see how their story ends.]]> 3.97 1872 The Princess and the Goblin
author: George MacDonald
name: JG (Introverted Reader)
average rating: 3.97
book published: 1872
rating: 4
read at: 2025/03/17
date added: 2025/04/09
shelves: fantasy, classics, middle_grade, fiction, z_author_british, read_in_2025, 3plus_stars, adventure, challenge_classics_club, to_blog, reviewed, visual_media
review:
3.5 stars rounded up

This sweet little fairy tale is very much a product of its time. The princess is too good to be true, the servants are a little stupid, and the 12-year-old boy working in a mine is happy as a lark. Isn't this the natural order of the world?

But if you overlook the problematic social norms, young Princess Irene is a sweetheart who tries to be good and kind to everyone and keep her promises and be brave and true and faithful. Young Curdie, the miner boy, is clever, a good son, and a loyal subject. I liked them both.

The story moves a little slowly but I feel that most classic fantasies do.

The artwork by Arthur Hughes is a little hard to see in my copy, which I think has something to do with the style of the art, but it is still charming.

I didn't exactly love this but I am glad that I read it. I finished it thinking that Irene and Curdie's story felt unfinished, so I was pleasantly surprised to find that there is a second book about this pair. I've already checked it out from the library because I do want to see how their story ends.
]]> At Bertram's Hotel 6768595
If you turn off an unpretentious street from the Park and continue a little way down a quiet street you will find Bertam's Hotel on the right hand side. Bertram's Hotel has been there a long time - dignified, unostentatious, and quietly expensive. It has been patronised by the higher echelons of the clergy, dowager ladies of the aristocracy up from the country, girls on their way home for the holidays from expensive finishing schools.

Bertram's in fact, is the very height of respectability. Is it a little bit to good to be true? That is what Miss Jane Marple soon begins to wonder ... Miss Marple as is well known, always suspects the worst - and she claims, she is usually right.

It is Miss Marple's destiny to stumble across violence and mystery. Her brief stay at Bertam's Hotel soon presents her with a most complex and baffling puzzle.

In the pleasure she gives to readers of all ages, in the lustre and popularity she has given to the crime novel in our time, Agatha Christie stands alone. Here, as skilful, tricky and compulsively readable as ever, is the latest full length novel from the most outstanding crime novelist of all.]]> 253 Agatha Christie JG (Introverted Reader) 0 3.00 1965 At Bertram's Hotel
author: Agatha Christie
name: JG (Introverted Reader)
average rating: 3.00
book published: 1965
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/05
shelves: fiction, mystery, unrated, z_author_british, z_setting_uk
review:

]]> You Are Here 201465867
Michael is coming undone. Adrift after his wife's departure, he has begun taking himself on long, solitary walks across the English countryside. Becoming ever more reclusive, he’ll do anything to avoid his empty house.

Marnie, on the other hand, is stuck. Hiding alone in her London flat, she avoids old friends and any reminders of her rotten, selfish ex-husband. Curled up with a good book, she’s battling the long afternoons of a life that feels like it’s passing her by.

When a persistent mutual friend and some very unpredictable weather conspire to toss Michael and Marnie together on the most epic of ten-day hikes, neither of them can think of anything worse. Until, of course, they discover exactly what they’ve been looking for.

Michael and Marnie are on the precipice of a bright future . . . if they can survive the journey.]]> 368 David Nicholls 0063394057 JG (Introverted Reader) 0 3.97 2024 You Are Here
author: David Nicholls
name: JG (Introverted Reader)
average rating: 3.97
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/01
shelves: to-read, audio, fiction, contemporary_fiction, overdrive_nc, overdrive_pdx, overdrive_az, overdrive_sd, overdrive_chs, overdrive_ak, overdrive_bil, romantic, z_author_british, z_setting_uk
review:

]]> <![CDATA[River of Teeth (River of Teeth, #1)]]> 39336068
Other true things about hippos: they are savage, they are fast, and their jaws can snap a man in two.

This was a terrible plan.

Contained within this volume is an 1890s America that might have been: a bayou overrun by feral hippos and mercenary hippo wranglers from around the globe. It is the story of Winslow Houndstooth and his crew. It is the story of their fortunes. It is the story of his revenge.
4 hrs 4 min]]> 5 Sarah Gailey 1541492463 JG (Introverted Reader) 3
And while it was fun to explore this alternate version of history, it just didn't quite work for me. I think that largely comes down to the fact that this is a duology of novellas when it should really be one slightly long work. I listened to the audio book but the print editions are about 150 pages. That's not much time for world-building, character development, and a hippo caper (I know! It's not a caper!). I liked the characters in the time that I got to spend with them, but there just wasn't enough. The main plot is mostly tied up but some big questions are still unresolved at the end.

There's also a "big reveal" abut 75% in that just left me scratching my head. I had known this since maybe the 25% mark. I felt pretty confident that the character it affected had practically said this same exact thing. So why is it a big surprise to him now? It just seemed inconsistent.

The narrator was great on his own but he had a grab bag of accents to handle. He did his best with mixed results.

This was a fun idea and it was largely fine, I just had bigger hopes for it. I don't think I'll read the next book.]]> 3.43 2017 River of Teeth (River of Teeth, #1)
author: Sarah Gailey
name: JG (Introverted Reader)
average rating: 3.43
book published: 2017
rating: 3
read at: 2025/03/10
date added: 2025/03/22
shelves: fiction, western, z_author_american, lgbtq, audio, read_in_2025, 3_stars, z_setting_us, animals_fantasy, historical_fantasy, to_blog, reviewed, challenge_covers
review:
This premise really grabbed my attention. Hippos in the Mississippi River? And this was ? Okay, I'm hooked.

And while it was fun to explore this alternate version of history, it just didn't quite work for me. I think that largely comes down to the fact that this is a duology of novellas when it should really be one slightly long work. I listened to the audio book but the print editions are about 150 pages. That's not much time for world-building, character development, and a hippo caper (I know! It's not a caper!). I liked the characters in the time that I got to spend with them, but there just wasn't enough. The main plot is mostly tied up but some big questions are still unresolved at the end.

There's also a "big reveal" abut 75% in that just left me scratching my head. I had known this since maybe the 25% mark. I felt pretty confident that the character it affected had practically said this same exact thing. So why is it a big surprise to him now? It just seemed inconsistent.

The narrator was great on his own but he had a grab bag of accents to handle. He did his best with mixed results.

This was a fun idea and it was largely fine, I just had bigger hopes for it. I don't think I'll read the next book.
]]> <![CDATA[The Bookshop on the Shore (Kirrinfief, #2)]]> 42282602
A grand baronial house on Loch Ness, a quirky small-town bookseller, and a single mom looking for a fresh start all come together in this witty and warm-hearted novel by New York Times bestselling author Jenny Colgan.

Desperate to escape from London, single mother Zoe wants to build a new life for herself and her four year old son Hari. She can barely afford the crammed studio apartment on a busy street where shouting football fans keep them awake all night. Hari's dad, Jaz, a charismatic but perpetually broke DJ, is no help at all. But his sister Surinder comes to Zoe's aid, hooking her up with a job as far away from the urban crush as possible: a bookshop on the banks of Loch Ness. And there's a second job to cover housing: Zoe will be an au pair for three children at a genuine castle in the Scottish Highlands.

But while Scotland is everything Zoe dreamed of--clear skies, brisk fresh air, blessed quiet--everything else is a bit of a mess. The Urquart family castle is grand, but crumbling, the childrens' single dad is a wreck, and the kids have been kicked out of school and left to their own devices. Zoe has her work cut out for her, and is determined to rise to the challenge, especially when she sees how happily Hari has taken to their new home.

With the help of Nina, the friendly local bookseller, Zoe begins to put down roots in the community. Are books, fresh air, and kindness enough to heal this broken family--and her own...?]]> Jenny Colgan 0062934368 JG (Introverted Reader) 4 The Bookshop on the Corner, so I was looking forward to listening to the second one. I didn't realize until I started it that it's not a direct sequel; Nina, the first book's protagonist, makes some appearances but she's mostly in the background. This is very much the story of Zoe, a new character.

The Bookshop on the Shore was quite a bit darker than the first book. There are scenes of a character cutting and mental health is a definite theme. I felt that it was handled with sensitivity, but others might disagree. Nina really doesn't come off well in this book, which was a bit startling, considering how much I liked her in the first book. She's dealing with some of her own issues in the background, but she's really not nice.

Zoe and her son Hari are delightful though. Zoe is trying so hard as a single mom but the cards are stacked against her. She's hired as a nanny for three children whose mother has abandoned them. Zoe does her best to be their Mary Poppins but they really are not welcoming. Still, I loved any scenes that featured Patrick, the youngest child. And Scotland and Loch Ness are practically characters themselves, they're described so beautifully. I've read quite a few books by this author now, and she always makes me want to visit whatever corner of Scotland she's describing.

If you've read the synopsis, you can probably guess who Zoe's romantic interest is. Even though I found it predictable, I wish there had been more time spent on it. I felt that it almost happened out of the blue. And I wish they had more page time together, instead of everything happening right at the end.

Speaking of the end, I was so ready to find out how everything wrapped up that I finally sat down with my phone and just listened to this book for a couple of hours while mindlessly tapping away at my coloring app. I believe that's a first for me!

Eilidh Beaton's narration is beautifully done. I don't think I've listened to any books she's read before but I'll be seeking her out in the future.

I reservedly recommend this to readers who aren't going to be upset by the issues of mental health, abandonment, and substance abuse. Zoe and Hari are charming and I'm happy to have spent several hours in their company.]]> 3.67 2019 The Bookshop on the Shore (Kirrinfief, #2)
author: Jenny Colgan
name: JG (Introverted Reader)
average rating: 3.67
book published: 2019
rating: 4
read at: 2025/03/03
date added: 2025/03/22
shelves: fiction, contemporary_fiction, romantic, z_author_british, z_setting_uk, audio, read_in_2025, 4_stars, narrators_i_like, to_blog, reviewed, challenge_covers
review:
I truly enjoyed the first book in the loose Kirrinfief series by Jenny Colgan, The Bookshop on the Corner, so I was looking forward to listening to the second one. I didn't realize until I started it that it's not a direct sequel; Nina, the first book's protagonist, makes some appearances but she's mostly in the background. This is very much the story of Zoe, a new character.

The Bookshop on the Shore was quite a bit darker than the first book. There are scenes of a character cutting and mental health is a definite theme. I felt that it was handled with sensitivity, but others might disagree. Nina really doesn't come off well in this book, which was a bit startling, considering how much I liked her in the first book. She's dealing with some of her own issues in the background, but she's really not nice.

Zoe and her son Hari are delightful though. Zoe is trying so hard as a single mom but the cards are stacked against her. She's hired as a nanny for three children whose mother has abandoned them. Zoe does her best to be their Mary Poppins but they really are not welcoming. Still, I loved any scenes that featured Patrick, the youngest child. And Scotland and Loch Ness are practically characters themselves, they're described so beautifully. I've read quite a few books by this author now, and she always makes me want to visit whatever corner of Scotland she's describing.

If you've read the synopsis, you can probably guess who Zoe's romantic interest is. Even though I found it predictable, I wish there had been more time spent on it. I felt that it almost happened out of the blue. And I wish they had more page time together, instead of everything happening right at the end.

Speaking of the end, I was so ready to find out how everything wrapped up that I finally sat down with my phone and just listened to this book for a couple of hours while mindlessly tapping away at my coloring app. I believe that's a first for me!

Eilidh Beaton's narration is beautifully done. I don't think I've listened to any books she's read before but I'll be seeking her out in the future.

I reservedly recommend this to readers who aren't going to be upset by the issues of mental health, abandonment, and substance abuse. Zoe and Hari are charming and I'm happy to have spent several hours in their company.
]]> Mairelon the Magician 17983725
But there is something odd about this magician. He isn't like the other hucksters and swindlers that Kim is used to. When he catches her in the act, Kim thinks she's done for--until he suggests she become his apprentice. Kim wonders how tough it could be faking a bit of hocus pocus.

But Mairelon isn't an act. His magic is real.]]> 312 Patricia C. Wrede 1466847913 JG (Introverted Reader) 3
While I read, watching the characters' errors and the over-the-top coincidences pile up, I couldn't help thinking that this felt a bit reminiscent of The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde. It's been 25+ years since I read that play, but I think there's an influence here.

There's definite promise in the premise of this book, but I find that I'm not interested enough to add the second novel to my to-read list. There's nothing wrong with Mairelon the Magician; it just isn't memorable to me. If it appeals to you, it's certainly worth a read though. ]]> 4.19 1991 Mairelon the Magician
author: Patricia C. Wrede
name: JG (Introverted Reader)
average rating: 4.19
book published: 1991
rating: 3
read at: 2025/03/04
date added: 2025/03/22
shelves: fiction, fantasy, z_author_american, young_adult, kindle, read_in_2025, 3_stars, historical_fantasy, mystery, z_setting_uk, historical_mystery, reviewed, to_blog, challenge_covers
review:
I love the Enchanted Forest Chronicles by Patricia C. Wrede but this book fell a little flat to me. The characters felt just a bit generic. The plot, while purposefully veering into the absurd, is also not something that's going to remain in my memory for long.

While I read, watching the characters' errors and the over-the-top coincidences pile up, I couldn't help thinking that this felt a bit reminiscent of The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde. It's been 25+ years since I read that play, but I think there's an influence here.

There's definite promise in the premise of this book, but I find that I'm not interested enough to add the second novel to my to-read list. There's nothing wrong with Mairelon the Magician; it just isn't memorable to me. If it appeals to you, it's certainly worth a read though.
]]> <![CDATA[Down the Great Unknown: John Wesley Powell's 1869 Journey of Discovery and Tragedy Through the Grand Canyon]]> 10411433 Drawing on rarely examined diaries and journals, Down the Great Unknown is the first book to tell the full, dramatic story of the Powell expedition.

On May 24, 1869 a one-armed Civil War veteran, John Wesley Powell and a ragtag band of nine mountain men embarked on the last great quest in the American West. The Grand Canyon, not explored before, was as mysterious as Atlantis—and as perilous. The ten men set out from Green River Station, Wyoming Territory down the Colorado in four wooden rowboats. Ninety-nine days later, six half-starved wretches came ashore near Callville, Arizona.

Lewis and Clark opened the West in 1803, six decades later Powell and his scruffy band aimed to resolve the West’s last mystery. A brilliant narrative, a thrilling journey, a cast of memorable heroes—all these mark Down the Great Unknown, the true story of the last epic adventure on American soil.]]> 548 Edward Dolnick 006176034X JG (Introverted Reader) 4
I kind of wanted a book that was about Powell's entire life but I didn't really see anything like that at my libraries. I was most interested about his trip down the Colorado River and through the Grand Canyon anyway, so this was a fine substitute.

I will never raft the Colorado River, and especially not the section through the Grand Canyon. That was my biggest takeaway. The descriptions of the rapids and the power of the water were terrifying.

But this was a truly interesting book. I honestly couldn't wait to read more about Powell and his crew every night. The fact that the first European team to raft the Grand Canyon was led by a Civil War veteran with only one arm and practically no experience on the water is mind-boggling to me. The entire group was made up of novices! Sure there were some "mountain men" who were used to living off the land but that knowledge doesn't lend itself to reading rapids and finding the best way through them. Holy smokes.

The author takes a lot of tangents on the river journey. I'm a tangential thinker and storyteller myself so it didn't bother me but his style might not be for everyone. There were sections about the Battle of Shiloh, where Powell lost his arm, that segued into the state of medicine and infection control at the time. There were interviews with today's river guides who know the river like the backs of their hands. There was some history of the areas they were passing through and some then-current events. It all added up to an interesting whole for me.

If you like reading about explorers doing the seemingly-impossible, this book is a great choice. But if you're planning a rafting trip down the Grand Canyon and you're feeling a little hesitant about it, maybe wait until after your trip. ]]> 4.00 2001 Down the Great Unknown: John Wesley Powell's 1869 Journey of Discovery and Tragedy Through the Grand Canyon
author: Edward Dolnick
name: JG (Introverted Reader)
average rating: 4.00
book published: 2001
rating: 4
read at: 2025/03/18
date added: 2025/03/22
shelves: nonfiction, kindle, read_in_2025, 4_stars, biography_memoir, challenge_nonfiction_12, exploration, history, travel, z_author_american, z_setting_us, reviewed
review:
John Wesley Powell caught my attention when my husband and I visited the Grand Canyon in 2013. I would periodically think that I should read a book about him and then I would forget about it. When we visited Lake Powell and Horseshoe Canyon in Page, AZ a few months ago, I decided that it was finally time to learn more about this explorer.

I kind of wanted a book that was about Powell's entire life but I didn't really see anything like that at my libraries. I was most interested about his trip down the Colorado River and through the Grand Canyon anyway, so this was a fine substitute.

I will never raft the Colorado River, and especially not the section through the Grand Canyon. That was my biggest takeaway. The descriptions of the rapids and the power of the water were terrifying.

But this was a truly interesting book. I honestly couldn't wait to read more about Powell and his crew every night. The fact that the first European team to raft the Grand Canyon was led by a Civil War veteran with only one arm and practically no experience on the water is mind-boggling to me. The entire group was made up of novices! Sure there were some "mountain men" who were used to living off the land but that knowledge doesn't lend itself to reading rapids and finding the best way through them. Holy smokes.

The author takes a lot of tangents on the river journey. I'm a tangential thinker and storyteller myself so it didn't bother me but his style might not be for everyone. There were sections about the Battle of Shiloh, where Powell lost his arm, that segued into the state of medicine and infection control at the time. There were interviews with today's river guides who know the river like the backs of their hands. There was some history of the areas they were passing through and some then-current events. It all added up to an interesting whole for me.

If you like reading about explorers doing the seemingly-impossible, this book is a great choice. But if you're planning a rafting trip down the Grand Canyon and you're feeling a little hesitant about it, maybe wait until after your trip.
]]> Open Carry (Arliss Cutter #1) 51805751 ALASKAN CRIME, AMERICAN JUSTICE
Ěý
Raised in the swamplands of Florida, U.S. Marshal Arliss Cutter is a born tracker. After enlisting in the military, fighting in the Middle East, and working three field positions for Marshal Services, Cutter is sent to the icy wastelands of southeast Alaska. Three people have disappeared on Prince of Wales Island.
Ěý
Two are crew members of the reality TV show, Alaska Adventure Jobs. The other is a Tlingit Indian girl who had the misfortune of witnessing their murders. Cutter’s job is to find the bodies, examine the crew’s footage for clues, and track down the men who killed them. Easier said than done. Especially when the whole town is hiding secrets, the trail leads to a dead end—and the hunter becomes the prey . . .
Ěý]]> 207 Marc Cameron 0786038950 JG (Introverted Reader) 0 4.20 2019 Open Carry (Arliss Cutter #1)
author: Marc Cameron
name: JG (Introverted Reader)
average rating: 4.20
book published: 2019
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/22
shelves: to-read, fiction, mystery, overdrive_ak, overdrive_bil, overdrive_nc, overdrive_pdx, overdrive_az, overdrive_sd, overdrive_chs, overdrive_esc, overdrive_cda, overdrive_nefl, thriller, z_author_american, z_setting_us
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Three Apples Fell from the Sky]]> 51551602 An unforgettable story of friendship and feuds in a remote Armenian mountain village

In an isolated village high in the Armenian mountains, a close-knit community bickers, gossips and laughs. Their only connection to the outside world is an ancient telegraph wire and a perilous mountain road that even goats struggle to navigate.

As they go about their daily lives � harvesting crops, making baklava, tidying houses � the villagers sustain one another through good times and bad. But sometimes all it takes is a spark of romance to turn life on its head, and a plot to bring two of Maran's most stubbornly single residents together soon gives the village something new to gossip about...

Three Apples Fell from the Sky is an enchanting fable that brilliantly captures the idiosyncrasy of a small community. Sparkling with sumptuous imagery and warm humour, this is a vibrant tale of resilience, bravery and the miracle of everyday friendship.]]> 231 Narine Abgaryan 1786077310 JG (Introverted Reader) 0 4.05 2015 Three Apples Fell from the Sky
author: Narine Abgaryan
name: JG (Introverted Reader)
average rating: 4.05
book published: 2015
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/22
shelves: to-read, fiction, historical_fiction, overdrive_nc, overdrive_pdx, translations
review:

]]> The Sun Down Motel 57594495
Upstate New York, 1982. Viv Delaney wants to move to New York City, and to help pay for it she takes a job as the night clerk at the Sun Down Motel in Fell, New York. But something isnĘĽt right at the motel, something haunting and scary.

Upstate New York, 2017. Carly Kirk has never been able to let go of the story of her aunt Viv, who mysteriously disappeared from the Sun Down before she was born. She decides to move to Fell and visit the motel, where she quickly learns that nothing has changed since 1982. And she soon finds herself ensnared in the same mysteries that claimed her aunt.]]> 11 Simone St. James 0593165799 JG (Introverted Reader) 4
The audio book publisher wisely decided to hire two narrators, one to read each woman's story. I liked both narrators, though I have to admit that I thought the one who read Viv's sections sounded a bit too old for a 20-year-old. But I enjoyed listening to her and will seek out more of her work in the future.

This is mostly a crime novel/thriller, but there are some paranormal elements thrown in. I liked the way they added to the dark, creepy atmosphere, but readers who like to stick to the hard facts might not appreciate them.

The ending surprised me, so I'm mentally boosting this up to 4.25 stars. It's not quite a 4.5 but it deserves a little extra. I tend to have a good idea where a book is going from pretty early on, so I give the author credit for that.

Sensitive readers might want to steer clear. There are descriptions of some pretty violent murders and mentions of rape.

If you're in the mood for a thriller/horror novel, give this one a try, especially on audio. I'll definitely be reading more of this author's work.]]> 3.83 2020 The Sun Down Motel
author: Simone St. James
name: JG (Introverted Reader)
average rating: 3.83
book published: 2020
rating: 4
read at: 2025/03/15
date added: 2025/03/21
shelves: thriller, paranormal, fiction, audio, read_in_2025, 4plus_stars, horror, multi_timeline, mystery, narrators_i_like, twisty, z_setting_us, z_author_canadian, reviewed, to_blog
review:
This is the rarest of novels for me--it has a dual timeline and I enjoyed both of them equally. That almost never happens. I'm usually impatient to finish up with the "weaker" one to get back to the one that interests me more. That was not the case here. I was always eager to check back in with the character telling the next bit of the tale.

The audio book publisher wisely decided to hire two narrators, one to read each woman's story. I liked both narrators, though I have to admit that I thought the one who read Viv's sections sounded a bit too old for a 20-year-old. But I enjoyed listening to her and will seek out more of her work in the future.

This is mostly a crime novel/thriller, but there are some paranormal elements thrown in. I liked the way they added to the dark, creepy atmosphere, but readers who like to stick to the hard facts might not appreciate them.

The ending surprised me, so I'm mentally boosting this up to 4.25 stars. It's not quite a 4.5 but it deserves a little extra. I tend to have a good idea where a book is going from pretty early on, so I give the author credit for that.

Sensitive readers might want to steer clear. There are descriptions of some pretty violent murders and mentions of rape.

If you're in the mood for a thriller/horror novel, give this one a try, especially on audio. I'll definitely be reading more of this author's work.
]]> <![CDATA[Elf On The Shelf Girl Light Doll With Bk]]> 20329405 32 Carol V. Aebersold 0984365176 JG (Introverted Reader) 3 4.31 2007 Elf On The Shelf Girl Light Doll With Bk
author: Carol V. Aebersold
name: JG (Introverted Reader)
average rating: 4.31
book published: 2007
rating: 3
read at: 2024/11/17
date added: 2025/03/21
shelves: fiction, no_review, z_read_in_2024, childrens, christmas, holiday, own, visual_media, 3_stars, z_author_american
review:

]]> Summer Rental 10114760
Ellis, Julia, and Dorie. Best friends since Catholic grade school, they now find themselves, in their mid-thirties, at the crossroads of life and love. Ellis, recently fired from a job she gave everything to, is rudderless and now beginning to question the choices she's made over the past decade of her life. Julia--whose caustic wit covers up her wounds--has a man who loves her and is offering her the world, but she can't hide from how deeply insecure she feels about her looks, her brains, her life. And Dorie has just been shockingly betrayed by the man she loved and trusted the most in the world…though this is just the tip of the iceberg of her problems and secrets. A month in North Carolina's Outer Banks is just what they each of them needs.

Ty Bazemore is their landlord, though he's hanging on to the rambling old beach house by a thin thread. After an inauspicious first meeting with Ellis, the two find themselves disturbingly attracted to one another, even as Ty is about to lose everything he's ever cared about.

Maryn Shackleford is a stranger, and a woman on the run. Maryn needs just a few things in no questions, a good hiding place, and a new identity. Ellis, Julia, and Dorie can provide what Maryn wants; can they also provide what she needs?

Mary Kay Andrews' audiobook is the story of five people questioning everything they ever thought they knew about life. Five people on a journey that will uncover their secrets and point them on the path to forgiveness. Five people who each need a sea change, and one month in a summer rental that might just give it to them.
Summer Rental is one of Library Journal 's Best Women's Fiction Books of 2011.

This program includes a bonus interview with the author.]]> 12 Mary Kay Andrews 1427212740 JG (Introverted Reader) 4
But they're all in tough places in their lives. Ellis was recently downsized, Julia's disenchanted with her modeling career, and Dorie's just not her normal perky self. With Ellis and Dorie worried about money, Dorie seizes on the opportunity to rent out the extra bedroom on the top floor of the house to a perfect stranger she meets in a diner one day, Madison. But Madison has troubles of her own.

So this wasn't one of my favorite MKA novels (that would have to be one of the Savannah books), but it was still a fun little escape. It was wonderful to hear about August on the Outer Banks as I drove around in the last gray days of winter, wondering if there was really a sun up there somewhere.

I loved Ellis, Julia, and Dorie--from a distance. Ellis is a control freak and she was pushing my buttons at the beginning. Julia is pushy in her own way and too nosy for her own good. Dorie is a sweetheart though. And Madison is so bristly and quiet that I even felt like she was pushing me away--and we find out her story very early on. But they felt like a real group of old friends in the way that they laughed and fought and told it to each other straight.

Ty, the next-door neighbor, is a dreamboat of a man. He's not perfect either, being entirely too stubborn for his own good, but I was happy to "watch" him from afar.

This is the second book I've listened to that was narrated by Isabel Keating and I really like her. She doesn't go overboard with the voices but I can always tell who's talking. She just has a great speaking voice.

There were a couple of things that I didn't like though. The first is the big romance. It just happened waaaaay too fast. Don't get me wrong--I do love my happily-ever-afters, but this was faster than the speed of light! The other thing is that the author didn't quite capture the feel of the Outer Banks for me the way that she captures the feel of Savannah. The women could be on any Southern beach. The Outer Banks are a special place but I couldn't tell it from this book. Or maybe it's just that I'm a North Carolina girl and overly sensitive!

Those two things aside, this was a perfect escapist read that will have you ready to grab your girlfriends and head to the beach.]]> 3.56 2011 Summer Rental
author: Mary Kay Andrews
name: JG (Introverted Reader)
average rating: 3.56
book published: 2011
rating: 4
read at: 2013/04/11
date added: 2025/03/20
shelves: romantic, southern_lit, audio, fiction, z_read_in_2013, reviewed, 4_stars, z_author_american, z_setting_us, narrators_i_like, contemporary_fiction
review:
Old friends Ellis, Julia, and Dorie have rented a beach house on the Outer Banks of North Carolina for a month. They've realized that their lives are moving along quickly and they want to spend some time together again. Ellis makes the arrangements and they all show up for a lazy vacation for the month of August.

But they're all in tough places in their lives. Ellis was recently downsized, Julia's disenchanted with her modeling career, and Dorie's just not her normal perky self. With Ellis and Dorie worried about money, Dorie seizes on the opportunity to rent out the extra bedroom on the top floor of the house to a perfect stranger she meets in a diner one day, Madison. But Madison has troubles of her own.

So this wasn't one of my favorite MKA novels (that would have to be one of the Savannah books), but it was still a fun little escape. It was wonderful to hear about August on the Outer Banks as I drove around in the last gray days of winter, wondering if there was really a sun up there somewhere.

I loved Ellis, Julia, and Dorie--from a distance. Ellis is a control freak and she was pushing my buttons at the beginning. Julia is pushy in her own way and too nosy for her own good. Dorie is a sweetheart though. And Madison is so bristly and quiet that I even felt like she was pushing me away--and we find out her story very early on. But they felt like a real group of old friends in the way that they laughed and fought and told it to each other straight.

Ty, the next-door neighbor, is a dreamboat of a man. He's not perfect either, being entirely too stubborn for his own good, but I was happy to "watch" him from afar.

This is the second book I've listened to that was narrated by Isabel Keating and I really like her. She doesn't go overboard with the voices but I can always tell who's talking. She just has a great speaking voice.

There were a couple of things that I didn't like though. The first is the big romance. It just happened waaaaay too fast. Don't get me wrong--I do love my happily-ever-afters, but this was faster than the speed of light! The other thing is that the author didn't quite capture the feel of the Outer Banks for me the way that she captures the feel of Savannah. The women could be on any Southern beach. The Outer Banks are a special place but I couldn't tell it from this book. Or maybe it's just that I'm a North Carolina girl and overly sensitive!

Those two things aside, this was a perfect escapist read that will have you ready to grab your girlfriends and head to the beach.
]]> <![CDATA[Jade City (The Green Bone Saga, #1)]]> 43587154 JADE CITY is a gripping Godfather-esque saga of intergenerational blood feuds, vicious politics, magic, and kungfu.

The Kaul family is one of two crime syndicates that control the island of Kekon. It's the only place in the world that produces rare magical jade, which grants those with the right training and heritage superhuman abilities.

The Green Bone clans of honorable jade-wearing warriors once protected the island from foreign invasion--but nowadays, in a bustling post-war metropolis full of fast cars and foreign money, Green Bone families like the Kauls are primarily involved in commerce, construction, and the everyday upkeep of the districts under their protection.

When the simmering tension between the Kauls and their greatest rivals erupts into open violence in the streets, the outcome of this clan war will determine the fate of all Green Bones and the future of Kekon itself.]]> 540 Fonda Lee 0316440884 JG (Introverted Reader) 0 4.06 2017 Jade City (The Green Bone Saga, #1)
author: Fonda Lee
name: JG (Introverted Reader)
average rating: 4.06
book published: 2017
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/10
shelves: to-read, fiction, fantasy, overdrive_nc, overdrive_pdx, overdrive_az, overdrive_sd, overdrive_chs, overdrive_ak, overdrive_bil, overdrive_esc, overdrive_cda
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Order of the Pure Moon Reflected in Water]]> 45166076
A bandit walks into a coffeehouse, and it all goes downhill from there. Guet Imm, a young votary of the Order of the Pure Moon, joins up with an eclectic group of thieves (whether they like it or not) in order to protect a sacred object, and finds herself in a far more complicated situation than she could have ever imagined.]]> 176 Zen Cho 1250269245 JG (Introverted Reader) 0 3.60 2020 The Order of the Pure Moon Reflected in Water
author: Zen Cho
name: JG (Introverted Reader)
average rating: 3.60
book published: 2020
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/10
shelves: to-read, fiction, covers_i_like, fantasy, lgbtq, overdrive_nc, overdrive_pdx, overdrive_sd
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Lackadaisy: Volume #1 (Lackadaisy, #1)]]> 7362781
Times change. Laws change. People still want booze.

For the better part of a decade, hidden beneath the inconspicuous Little Daisy Cafe, the city's best-kept secret has slaked the thirst of a prohibition-wearied populace.

Lackadaisy.

Unfortunately, the once raucous and roaring speakeasy now rests at a crossroads, its golden age seemingly at an end. Lackadaisy's remaining loyalists are left with few options.

But with all the cunning, tenacity, and sly ingenuity they can muster, they might just have a chance.

And if that doesn't work, fire does.]]> 96 Tracy J. Butler 0981959903 JG (Introverted Reader) 0 4.47 2008 Lackadaisy: Volume #1 (Lackadaisy, #1)
author: Tracy J. Butler
name: JG (Introverted Reader)
average rating: 4.47
book published: 2008
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/10
shelves: to-read, fiction, animals_fantasy, fantasy, graphic_novels, historical_fantasy, to_find, visual_media
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Littered with Trouble (A Whiskers and Words Mystery #1)]]> 59771163
Well, almost. She definitely didn’t dream about a dead man showing up in her alley.

Found with no identification, the police plaster the man’s face everywhere, along with the name of her bookshop, inundating Lou with negative press before she can even open. Worse, Lou was one of the last people to see him alive, and she didn’t even get his name.

Worried the mystery man’s family is left without the answers she so desperately needed in her husband’s death, Lou tries to help find the man’s identity. On closer inspection, she realizes her conversation with the mystery man was full of clues. Starting with a confusing book page he left behind, Lou follows the trail.

If she can solve this mystery, her bookstore might have a chance at being known for something more than murder.]]> 212 Eryn Scott JG (Introverted Reader) 0 4.32 2022 Littered with Trouble (A Whiskers and Words Mystery #1)
author: Eryn Scott
name: JG (Introverted Reader)
average rating: 4.32
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/07
shelves: to-read, fiction, cozy_mystery, mystery, to_find, z_author_american
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Broken Circle: A Memoir of Escaping Afghanistan]]> 42945699 An emotional and sweeping memoir of love and survival—and of a committed and desperate family uprooted and divided by the violent, changing landscape of Afghanistan in the early 1980s.

Before the Soviet invasion of 1980, Enjeela Ahmadi remembers her home—Kabul, Afghanistan—as peaceful, prosperous, and filled with people from all walks of life. But after her mother, unsettled by growing political unrest, leaves for medical treatment in India, the civil war intensifies, changing young Enjeela’s life forever. Amid the rumble of invading Soviet tanks, Enjeela and her family are thrust into chaos and fear when it becomes clear that her mother will not be coming home.

Thus begins an epic, reckless, and terrifying five-year journey of escape for Enjeela, her siblings, and their father to reconnect with her mother. In navigating the dangers ahead of them, and in looking back at the wilderness of her homeland, Enjeela discovers the spiritual and physical strength to find hope in the most desperate of circumstances.

A heart-stopping memoir of a girl shaken by the brutalities of war and empowered by the will to survive, The Broken Circle brilliantly illustrates that family is not defined by the borders of a country but by the bonds of the heart.]]> 282 Enjeela Ahmadi-Miller 1503958779 JG (Introverted Reader) 3
Then the Soviet tanks rolled into Kabul. Enjeela's family was torn apart. Her mother fled the country with three of her children; Enjeela's father chose to stay in Afghanistan with the others. Eventually, even her patriotic father had to admit that conditions were too bad to remain in the country. He hired a guard to help Enjeela and her siblings across the border while he stayed behind. Enjeela shares her family's long fight to be reunited in this memoir.

Hmmm. It's hard to write reviews of memoirs that don't exactly work for you, isn't it? I don't want to discount someone else's life experiences. But I personally felt there were some serious issues with the writing.

Enjeela and her family experienced a terrifying journey when they left Afghanistan. They had nothing with them except the clothes on their backs and the money hidden in their shoes. They had to cross war zones, towering mountains, and international borders without proper documentation. I respect their journey and can't even begin to fathom the fear and the hardships they faced.

But the amount of detail that Enjeela shares stretches credulity. She was born in 1975 and the Soviets invaded in late 1979, so she was four years old at that point. Yet she waxes philosophical about her country when she sees the tanks. The timeline gets very fuzzy from there. The journey took literally years and ultimately culminated with her immigration to the United States in 1986, at the age of ten or eleven. So we've got an awful lot of detail for someone who was between four and eleven years old. Maybe the stress and terrifying experiences left details etched in her mind or maybe she's incorporating stories she's heard older family members share. Maybe the ghost writer wanted to add more "exciting" details to someone's childhood recollections. Or maybe I'm just too skeptical.

There were more things that just didn't feel right. Enjeela is very much the leader in any decisions she and her siblings make together, despite being the youngest child in her traveling group. And then most of her siblings all but disappear from the narrative once they reach India. There are moments of very introspective, insightful reflection along the journey, and they're presented as memories of Enjeela's thoughts at the time. They just didn't ring true as the thoughts of a child of her age. Maybe they're simply Enjeela's thoughts now as an adult but it was jarring to read these words from the perspective of a child.

Again, I am not discounting the actual journey this family undertook by any means. I hope I would have even half their strength and fortitude if I ever found myself in a similar situation (heaven forbid). I just feel that the author may have been a bit too young during these events to complete an entire memoir. A novel based on her and her family's experiences with an afterward sharing their personal story may have been a better choice.]]> 4.09 2019 The Broken Circle: A Memoir of Escaping Afghanistan
author: Enjeela Ahmadi-Miller
name: JG (Introverted Reader)
average rating: 4.09
book published: 2019
rating: 3
read at: 2021/09/06
date added: 2025/03/06
shelves: kindle, biography_memoir, nonfiction, z_read_in_2021, 3_stars, immigration, z_setting_afghanistan, z_setting_india, covers_i_like, reviewed
review:
The second-youngest of eight children, Enjeela Ahmadi-Miller began life in a progressive Afghanistan. Women worked outside the home and wore whatever they chose. Her father worked at the US Embassy and life was good.

Then the Soviet tanks rolled into Kabul. Enjeela's family was torn apart. Her mother fled the country with three of her children; Enjeela's father chose to stay in Afghanistan with the others. Eventually, even her patriotic father had to admit that conditions were too bad to remain in the country. He hired a guard to help Enjeela and her siblings across the border while he stayed behind. Enjeela shares her family's long fight to be reunited in this memoir.

Hmmm. It's hard to write reviews of memoirs that don't exactly work for you, isn't it? I don't want to discount someone else's life experiences. But I personally felt there were some serious issues with the writing.

Enjeela and her family experienced a terrifying journey when they left Afghanistan. They had nothing with them except the clothes on their backs and the money hidden in their shoes. They had to cross war zones, towering mountains, and international borders without proper documentation. I respect their journey and can't even begin to fathom the fear and the hardships they faced.

But the amount of detail that Enjeela shares stretches credulity. She was born in 1975 and the Soviets invaded in late 1979, so she was four years old at that point. Yet she waxes philosophical about her country when she sees the tanks. The timeline gets very fuzzy from there. The journey took literally years and ultimately culminated with her immigration to the United States in 1986, at the age of ten or eleven. So we've got an awful lot of detail for someone who was between four and eleven years old. Maybe the stress and terrifying experiences left details etched in her mind or maybe she's incorporating stories she's heard older family members share. Maybe the ghost writer wanted to add more "exciting" details to someone's childhood recollections. Or maybe I'm just too skeptical.

There were more things that just didn't feel right. Enjeela is very much the leader in any decisions she and her siblings make together, despite being the youngest child in her traveling group. And then most of her siblings all but disappear from the narrative once they reach India. There are moments of very introspective, insightful reflection along the journey, and they're presented as memories of Enjeela's thoughts at the time. They just didn't ring true as the thoughts of a child of her age. Maybe they're simply Enjeela's thoughts now as an adult but it was jarring to read these words from the perspective of a child.

Again, I am not discounting the actual journey this family undertook by any means. I hope I would have even half their strength and fortitude if I ever found myself in a similar situation (heaven forbid). I just feel that the author may have been a bit too young during these events to complete an entire memoir. A novel based on her and her family's experiences with an afterward sharing their personal story may have been a better choice.
]]> <![CDATA[500 Miles from You (Kirrinfief, #3)]]> 53066550
In London, the gentle Cormac is a fish out of the water; in Kirrinfief, the dynamic Lissa finds it hard to adjust to the quiet. But these two strangers are now in constant contact, taking over each other’s patients, endlessly emailing about anything and everything. Lissa and Cormac discover a new depth of feeling…for their profession and for each other.

But what will happen when Lissa and Cormac finally meet�?]]> 432 Jenny Colgan 0062911244 JG (Introverted Reader) 0 3.73 2020 500 Miles from You (Kirrinfief, #3)
author: Jenny Colgan
name: JG (Introverted Reader)
average rating: 3.73
book published: 2020
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/06
shelves: to-read, fiction, contemporary_fiction, overdrive_nc, overdrive_pdx, overdrive_sd, overdrive_chs, overdrive_bil, overdrive_esc, overdrive_cda, overdrive_nefl, romantic, series_to_continue, z_author_british, z_setting_uk
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Winter Lost (Mercy Thompson, #14; Mercy Thompson World, #20)]]> 201182779 Mercy Thompson, car mechanic and shapeshifter, must stop a disaster of world-shattering proportions in this exhilarating entry in the #1 New York Times bestselling series.

In the supernatural realms, there are creatures who belong to winter. I am not one of them. But like the coyote I can become at will, I am adaptable.

My name is Mercy Thompson Hauptman, and my mate, Adam, is the werewolf who leads the Columbia Basin Pack, the pack charged with keeping the people who live and work in the Tri-Cities of Washington State safe. It’s a hard job, and it doesn’t leave much room for side quests. Which is why when I needed to travel to Montana to help my brother, I intended to go by myself.

But I’m not alone anymore.

Together, Adam and I find ourselves trapped with strangers in a lodge in the heart of the wilderness, in the teeth of a storm of legendary power, only to discover my brother’s issues are a tiny part of a problemĚýmuch bigger than we could have imagined. Arcane and ancient magics are at work that could, unless we are very careful, bring about the end of the world. . . .]]> 416 Patricia Briggs 0593439007 JG (Introverted Reader) 4
A few notes about the things that I liked.

I like that Adam and Mercy were largely on their own and essentially investigating a closed room mystery. I enjoy their dynamics with the pack and the broader community but it was nice to see them relying almost completely on their own talents.

There are some reminders of the larger story arcs but this mostly felt like a welcome break from all of that.

I'll be curious to see if any of this ties into later books.]]> 4.36 2024 Winter Lost (Mercy Thompson, #14; Mercy Thompson World, #20)
author: Patricia Briggs
name: JG (Introverted Reader)
average rating: 4.36
book published: 2024
rating: 4
read at: 2025/02/01
date added: 2025/03/05
shelves: fiction, fantasy, romantic, series_to_continue, z_author_american, z_setting_us, paranormal, kindle, read_in_2025, 4_stars, mythology, mystery, challenge_covers, to_blog, reviewed
review:
I don't have a whole lot to say about the books in this series at this point. You're either a fan or you're not.

A few notes about the things that I liked.

I like that Adam and Mercy were largely on their own and essentially investigating a closed room mystery. I enjoy their dynamics with the pack and the broader community but it was nice to see them relying almost completely on their own talents.

There are some reminders of the larger story arcs but this mostly felt like a welcome break from all of that.

I'll be curious to see if any of this ties into later books.
]]> <![CDATA[Somewhere Beyond the Sea (Cerulean Chronicles, #2)]]> 199415552 Somewhere Beyond the Sea is the hugely anticipated sequel to TJ Klune’s The House in the Cerulean Sea, one of the best-loved and best-selling fantasy novels of the past decade. Featuring gorgeous orange sprayed edges!

A magical house. A secret past. A summons that could change everything.

Arthur Parnassus lives a good life built on the ashes of a bad one.

He’s the master of a strange orphanage on a distant and peculiar island, and he hopes to soon be the adoptive father to the six dangerous and magical children who live there.

Arthur works hard and loves with his whole heart so none of the children ever feel the neglect and pain that he once felt as an orphan on that very same island so long ago. He is not alone: joining him is the love of his life, Linus Baker, a former caseworker in the Department In Charge of Magical Youth. And there’s the island’s sprite, Zoe Chapelwhite, and her girlfriend, Mayor Helen Webb. Together, they will do anything to protect the children.

But when Arthur is summoned to make a public statement about his dark past, he finds himself at the helm of a fight for the future that his family, and all magical people, deserve.

And when a new magical child hopes to join them on their island home—one who finds power in calling himself monster, a name that Arthur worked so hard to protect his children from—Arthur knows they’re at a breaking point: their family will either grow stronger than ever or fall apart.

Welcome back to Marsyas Island. This is Arthur’s story.

Somewhere Beyond the Sea is a story of resistance, lovingly told, about the daunting experience of fighting for the life you want to live and doing the work to keep it.]]> 400 T.J. Klune 1250881218 JG (Introverted Reader) 4
In my review for The House in the Cerulean Sea, which is short but heartfelt, I wrote, "I think my heart just grew three sizes." I don't know how Mr. Klune pulled it off, but my heart just grew again.

I'm not a crier. I truly hate crying. And yet on page 23, I found myself swiping at tears. This family and these children are just so funny and they care so fiercely for each other and they accept each other just as they are, unconditionally. They aren't perfect by any means but they're kind. And in a world that hasn't felt kind for a while now, it did my heart so much good to read about people being kind to each other.

This book has a fairly large cast, which I sometimes don't have patience for, but each character is distinct. I don't have any trouble remembering who is who. It's been four or five years since I read the first book but there were enough hints given, while avoiding an info dump, that I was able to pick back up without any trouble.

These children and the adults who love them have all experienced trauma to varying degrees. Their world is just as judgmental and close-minded as ours is. But they've found their community and each other and they're healing and learning to trust. They're changing minds around them. It's not an easy process, and there are some dark moments, but it's happening.

I'm a little torn about the ending, which is the reason for 4.5 stars instead of 5. Part of me loves it but another part of me wishes that things could be a little different. Maybe things will be different in future books? If there are future books? (Please let there be future books).

Whether you read fantasy or not, if you need a book to give you a glimmer of hope, if you feel like part of a community that's been demonized and marginalized by people who can't be bothered to learn anything about you, if you love someone who's been marginalized, just do yourself a favor and read this. Know that there are plenty of us out here who accept you as you are. Please don't give up.]]> 4.07 2024 Somewhere Beyond the Sea (Cerulean Chronicles, #2)
author: T.J. Klune
name: JG (Introverted Reader)
average rating: 4.07
book published: 2024
rating: 4
read at: 2025/02/25
date added: 2025/03/05
shelves: fiction, kindle, read_in_2025, 4plus_stars, characters_i_love, covers_i_like, fantasy, feel_good, humor, lgbtq, social_justice, z_author_american, challenge_covers, reviewed, to_blog
review:
4.5 Stars.

In my review for The House in the Cerulean Sea, which is short but heartfelt, I wrote, "I think my heart just grew three sizes." I don't know how Mr. Klune pulled it off, but my heart just grew again.

I'm not a crier. I truly hate crying. And yet on page 23, I found myself swiping at tears. This family and these children are just so funny and they care so fiercely for each other and they accept each other just as they are, unconditionally. They aren't perfect by any means but they're kind. And in a world that hasn't felt kind for a while now, it did my heart so much good to read about people being kind to each other.

This book has a fairly large cast, which I sometimes don't have patience for, but each character is distinct. I don't have any trouble remembering who is who. It's been four or five years since I read the first book but there were enough hints given, while avoiding an info dump, that I was able to pick back up without any trouble.

These children and the adults who love them have all experienced trauma to varying degrees. Their world is just as judgmental and close-minded as ours is. But they've found their community and each other and they're healing and learning to trust. They're changing minds around them. It's not an easy process, and there are some dark moments, but it's happening.

I'm a little torn about the ending, which is the reason for 4.5 stars instead of 5. Part of me loves it but another part of me wishes that things could be a little different. Maybe things will be different in future books? If there are future books? (Please let there be future books).

Whether you read fantasy or not, if you need a book to give you a glimmer of hope, if you feel like part of a community that's been demonized and marginalized by people who can't be bothered to learn anything about you, if you love someone who's been marginalized, just do yourself a favor and read this. Know that there are plenty of us out here who accept you as you are. Please don't give up.
]]> <![CDATA[Small Odysseys: Selected Shorts Presents 35 New Stories]]> 58328442 “Lovers of the short story, rejoice! There’s something for everyone in this anniversary collection . . . The collection makes the argument that time and again, it is stories that save us.”Ě�—BooklistĚý

Thirty-five literary luminaries come together in this stunning collection of all-new works.

A must-have for any lover of literature, Small Odysseys sweeps the reader into the landscape of the contemporary short story, featuring never-before-published works by many of our most preeminent authors as well as up-and-coming superstars.

On their journey through the book, readers will encounter long-ago movie stars, a town full of dandelions, and math lessons from Siri. They will attend karaoke night, hear a twenty-something slacker’s breathless report of his failed recruiting by the FBI, and travel with a father and son as they channel grief into running a neigh­borhood bakery truck. They will watch the Greek goddess Persephone encounter the end of the world, and witness another apocalypse through a series of advertise­ments for a touchless bidet. And finally, they will meet an aging loner who finds courage and resilience hidden in the most unexpected of places—the next generation.

Published in partnership with beloved literary radio program and live show Selected Shorts in honor of its thirty-fifth anniversary, this collection of thirty-five stories captures its spirit in print for the first time.

FEATURING
Rabih Alameddine * Jenny Allen * Lesley Nneka Arimah * Aimee Bender * Marie-Helene Bertino * Jai Chakrabarti * Patrick Cottrell * Elizabeth Crane * Michael Cunningham * Patrick Dacey * Edwidge Danticat * Dave Eggers * Omar El Akkad * Lauren Groff * Jacob Guajardo * A.M. Homes * Mira Jacob * Jac Jemc * Etgar Keret * Lisa Ko * Victor LaValle * J. Robert Lennon * Ben Loory * Carmen Maria Machado * Juan Martinez * Maile Meloy * Joe Meno * Susan Perabo * Helen Phillips * Namwali Serpell * Rivers Solomon * Elizabeth Strout * Luis Alberto Urrea * Jess Walter * Weike Wang]]> 314 Hannah Tinti 1643751999 JG (Introverted Reader) 0 3.79 2022 Small Odysseys: Selected Shorts Presents 35 New Stories
author: Hannah Tinti
name: JG (Introverted Reader)
average rating: 3.79
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/05
shelves: to-read, fiction, anthology, own, owned_to_read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Hiroshima Diary: The Journal of a Japanese Physician, August 6-September 30, 1945]]> 116203 238 Michihiko Hachiya 0807845477 JG (Introverted Reader) 0 4.29 1955 Hiroshima Diary: The Journal of a Japanese Physician, August 6-September 30, 1945
author: Michihiko Hachiya
name: JG (Introverted Reader)
average rating: 4.29
book published: 1955
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/04
shelves: to-read, nonfiction, biography_memoir, history, translations, to_find, z_author_japanese, z_setting_japan, world_war, physical_library_esc
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Bakery Dragon (The Bakery Dragon, #1)]]> 205307705 The heroic taleĚýof a tiny dragon with a heart of gold and a taste for baked treats! A scrumptious picture book for fans of funny fairytales and fantastic beasts.

Ember has always been different from the other dragons. His fearsome roar sounds more like a polite sneeze, and when he breathes fire, the villagers just pat his head and say awwww.

Ember fears he’ll never collect a respectable hoard of gold until a chance encounter with a baker causes his fortunes to turn (and his stomach to grumble). As the little dragon soon discovers, the gold you make is way better than the gold you steal—and gold that is shared? That’s best of all.

Magic shimmers on every page of author-illustrator Devin Elle Kurtz'sĚýfeel-good story that celebrates baked goods, dragons, and generosity in equal measure. Filled with adorable illustrations, this is a perfect read aloud for bedtime or brunchtime!]]> 42 Devin Elle Kurtz 0593710967 JG (Introverted Reader) 0 4.51 2024 The Bakery Dragon (The Bakery Dragon, #1)
author: Devin Elle Kurtz
name: JG (Introverted Reader)
average rating: 4.51
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/04
shelves: to-read, fiction, childrens, fantasy, visual_media, z_author_american, to_find, physical_library_esc, physical_library_sd
review:

]]> <![CDATA[A Fellowship of Bakers & Magic (Adenashire, #1)]]> 195213451
In the heart of Adenashire, where elvish enchantments and dwarven delights rule, human baker Arleta Starstone works twice as hard at perfecting her unique blend of baking with apothecary herbs. So, when her orc neighbor (and biggest fan) secretly enters her creations into the prestigious Langheim Baking Battle, Arleta faces a dilemma. Being magicless, her participation in the competition could draw more scowls than smiles. And if Arleta wants to prove her talent and establish her culinary reputation, she'll need more than just her pastry craft to sweeten the odds.

Though Arleta may not yet believe in herself, she makes her way to Langheim―with the help of a very attractive woodland elf―and competes. While on a journey of mouthwatering pastries, self-discovery, heartwarming friendships, and potential romance, Arleta will have to decide whether winning the Baking Battle is the true prize after all. But win or lose, her adventure is only beginning�

Although this book is part of a series it can only be read as a standalone. Escape to Adenashire for a delightful cozy fantasy where every twist is a treat and every turn a step closer to home.]]> 313 J. Penner JG (Introverted Reader) 0 3.89 2023 A Fellowship of Bakers & Magic (Adenashire, #1)
author: J. Penner
name: JG (Introverted Reader)
average rating: 3.89
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/04
shelves: to-read, fiction, fantasy, romantic, to_find, physical_library_sd
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Attack of the 50-Ft. Cupid (Franny K. Stein, Mad Scientist, #2)]]> 47819 pure Lab. He's also part poodle, part Chihuahua, part beagle, part spaniel, part shepherd -- and all thumbs.

Franny is fuming. She doesn't even need an assistant. What's she supposed to do with a good-for-nothing one like Igor?

And things get even worse when a giant, fifty-foot, arrow-shooting cupid starts causing trouble all over town. Franny knows it's up to her -- and only her -- to save the day. Or is it?

]]> 112 Jim Benton 0689862962 JG (Introverted Reader) 0 4.15 2004 Attack of the 50-Ft. Cupid (Franny K. Stein, Mad Scientist, #2)
author: Jim Benton
name: JG (Introverted Reader)
average rating: 4.15
book published: 2004
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/04
shelves: to-read, childrens, fiction, humor, science_fiction, series_to_continue, visual_media, z_author_american, to_find, physical_library_sd, physical_library_esc
review:

]]> Skating Wild on an Inland Sea 146314287
Two children wake up to hear the lake singing, then the wind begins wailing � or is it a wolf? They bundle up and venture out into the cold, carrying their skates. On the snow-covered shore, they spot tracks made by fox, deer, hare, mink, otter � and the wolf! In the bay, the ice is thick and smooth. They lace up their skates, step onto the ice, stroking and gliding, and the great lake sings again.

In her signature poetic style, Jean E. Pendziwol describes the exhilarating experience of skating on the wild ice of Lake Superior, including the haunting singing that occurs as the ice expands and contracts. Accompanied by Todd Stewart’s breathtaking illustrations, this book will make us all long to skate wild!]]> 32 Jean E. Pendziwol 1773067044 JG (Introverted Reader) 0 4.25 Skating Wild on an Inland Sea
author: Jean E. Pendziwol
name: JG (Introverted Reader)
average rating: 4.25
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/04
shelves: to-read, fiction, childrens, to_find, visual_media, z_author_canadian, z_setting_canada, physical_library_sd
review:

]]> The Hotel Balzaar 203796571 In a wise and magical follow-up to The Puppets of Spelhorst, Kate DiCamillo revisits the land of Norendy, where tales swirl within tales—and every moment is a story in the making.

At the Hotel Balzaar, Marta’s mother rises before the sun, puts on her uniform, and instructs Marta to roam as she will but quietly, invisibly—like a little mouse. While her mother cleans rooms, Marta slips down the back staircase to the grand lobby to chat with the bellman, study the painting of an angel’s wing over the fireplace, and watch a cat chase a mouse around the face of the grandfather clock, all the while dreaming of the return of her soldier father, who has gone missing. One day, a mysterious countess with a parrot checks in, promising a story—in fact, seven stories in all, each to be told in its proper order. As the stories unfold, Marta begins to wonder: could the secret to her father’s disappearance lie in the countess’s tales? Book two in a trio of novellas bound by place and mood—with elegant line art by Júlia Sardà�The Hotel Balzaar masterfully juggles yearning and belief, shining light into every dark corner.]]> 160 Kate DiCamillo 153622331X JG (Introverted Reader) 0 4.27 2024 The Hotel Balzaar
author: Kate DiCamillo
name: JG (Introverted Reader)
average rating: 4.27
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/04
shelves: to-read, fiction, fantasy, middle_grade, modern_fairy_tale, to_find, z_author_american, visual_media, physical_library_sd
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Liselotte & Witch's Forest, Vol. 1 (Liselotte in Witch's Forest, 1)]]> 28219402 192 Natsuki Takaya 0316360198 JG (Introverted Reader) 0 3.56 2012 Liselotte & Witch's Forest, Vol. 1 (Liselotte in Witch's Forest, 1)
author: Natsuki Takaya
name: JG (Introverted Reader)
average rating: 3.56
book published: 2012
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/04
shelves: to-read, fiction, fantasy, graphic_novels, young_adult, z_author_japanese, to_find, physical_library_esc
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Library Wars: Love & War, Vol. 1 (Library Wars: Love & War, #1)]]> 7338243
Iku Kasahara has dreamed of joining the Library Defense Force ever since one of its soldiers stepped in to protect her favorite book from being confiscated in a bookstore when she was younger. But now that she's finally a recruit, she's finding her dream job to be a bit of a nightmare. Especially since her hard-hearted drill instructor seems to have it in for her!]]> 192 Kiiro Yumi 1421534886 JG (Introverted Reader) 0 3.96 2008 Library Wars: Love & War, Vol. 1 (Library Wars: Love & War, #1)
author: Kiiro Yumi
name: JG (Introverted Reader)
average rating: 3.96
book published: 2008
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/04
shelves: to-read, fiction, fantasy, dystopia, graphic_novels, romantic, young_adult, z_author_japanese, to_find, physical_library_esc, physical_library_sd
review:

]]> Night and Day 210999992 Following the highly acclaimed Nocturnes and Night Music, Night & Day is filled with eerie surprises and dark delights.

Night & Day takes us from the dusty shelves of an uncanny library filled with fictional characters to a bunker deep beneath the earth where scientists seek revenge on old Nazis, from an English marsh haunted by a mother and her son to a country house where a grieving widower finds comfort from a most unlikely source.

Concluding with the author's account of how an obscure horror film brought him closer to his lost father, and how nostalgia can help to keep us sane, this is a collection that will move, entertain, and keep you reading late into the night.]]> 368 John Connolly 1668081679 JG (Introverted Reader) 0 3.46 Night and Day
author: John Connolly
name: JG (Introverted Reader)
average rating: 3.46
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/04
shelves: to-read, fiction, anthology, horror, paranormal, to_find, z_author_irish, physical_library_sd
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Lore Olympus: Volume Six (Lore Olympus, #6)]]> 195888453
“We have to make an example of her.�

Chaos reigns in Olympus as Zeus publicly declares Persephone a traitor and issues a warrant for her arrest. But Hades defies his brother’s decree, sheltering Persephone in the Underworld—and as the pair spend more time together, they are able to speak openly about their pasts. The goddess of spring admits the truth behind the bloody secret that led to Zeus’s ire, and the king of the Underworld shares the trauma he suffered at the hands of his power-hungry father, Kronos.

But as Hades and Persephone’s relationship grows stronger, others begin to fall apart. The bond between Hades and Zeus is stretched to its limit, threatening to fracture the peace between their realms. Persephone and Artemis’s friendship hangs by a thread as the goddess of the hunt slowly uncovers the vile truth about her twin, Apollo. A line is being drawn in the heavens, putting everyone’s loyalties into question as all the gods are forced to choose sides.

And as the cracks in the foundation of the pantheon spread, something darker and more earth-shattering might soon be released. . . .

This edition of Smythe’s original Eisner Award–winning webcomic Lore Olympus features exclusive behind-the-scenes content and brings the Greek pantheon into the modern age in a sharply perceptive and romantic graphic novel.

This volume collects episodes 127�152 of the #1 WEBTOON comic Lore Olympus .]]> 432 Rachel Smythe 059359908X JG (Introverted Reader) 0 4.49 2024 Lore Olympus: Volume Six (Lore Olympus, #6)
author: Rachel Smythe
name: JG (Introverted Reader)
average rating: 4.49
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/04
shelves: to-read, graphic_novels, fantasy, mythology, romantic, z_author_new_zealander, fiction, retold_stories, series_to_continue, visual_media, to_find, physical_library_esc, physical_library_sd
review:

]]> Of Wolves and Men 743936
Humankind's relationship with the wolf is the sum of a spectrum of responses ranging from fear to admiration and affection. Lopez’s classic, careful study has won praise from a wide range of reviewers and improved the way books on wild animals are written. Of Wolves and Men explores the uneasy interaction between wolves and civilization over the centuries, and the wolf's prominence in our thoughts about wild creatures. Drawing upon an impressive array of literature, history, science, and mythology as well as extensive personal experience with captive and free-ranging wolves, Lopez argues for the wolf's preservation and immerses the reader in its sensory world, creating a compelling portrait of the wolf both as a real animal and as imagined by different kinds of men. A scientist might perceive the wolf as defined by research data, while an Eskimo hunter sees a family provider much like himself. For many Native Americans the wolf is also a spiritual symbol, a respected animal that can strengthen the individual and the community. With irresistible charm and elegance, Of Wolves and Men celebrates careful scientific fieldwork, dispels folklore that has enabled the Western mind to demonize wolves, explains myths, and honors indigenous traditions, allowing us to understand how this remarkable animal has become so prominent for so long in the human heart.]]> 320 Barry Lopez 0684163225 JG (Introverted Reader) 0 4.22 1978 Of Wolves and Men
author: Barry Lopez
name: JG (Introverted Reader)
average rating: 4.22
book published: 1978
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/04
shelves: to-read, nonfiction, science, to_find, visual_media, z_author_american, physical_library_esc
review:

]]> Gorillas in the Mist 232577 One of the most important books ever written about our connection to the natural world, Gorillas in the Mist is the riveting account of Dian Fossey's thirteen years in a remote African rain forest with the greatest of the great apes. Fossey's extraordinary efforts to ensure the future of the rain forest and its remaining mountain gorillas are captured in her own words and in candid photographs of this fascinating endangered species. As only she could, Fossey combined her personal adventure story with groundbreaking scientific reporting in an unforgettable portrait of one of our closest primate relatives. Although Fossey's work ended tragically in her murder, Gorillas in the Mist remains an invaluable testament to one of the longest-running field studies of primates and reveals her undying passion for her subject.]]> 326 Dian Fossey 061808360X JG (Introverted Reader) 0 4.15 1983 Gorillas in the Mist
author: Dian Fossey
name: JG (Introverted Reader)
average rating: 4.15
book published: 1983
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/04
shelves: to-read, nonfiction, biography_memoir, to_find, visual_media, z_author_american, z_setting_rwanda, science, physical_library_sd
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Land of Lost Things (The Book of Lost Things #2)]]> 101145628
Phoebe, an eight-year-old girl, lies comatose following a car accident. She is a body without a spirit, a stolen child. Ceres, her mother, can only sit by her bedside and read aloud to Phoebe the fairy stories she loves in the hope they might summon her back to this world.

But it is hard to keep faith, so very hard.

Now an old house on the hospital grounds, a property connected to a book written by a vanished author, is calling to Ceres. Something wants her to enter, and to journey - to a land coloured by the memories of Ceres's childhood, and the folklore beloved of her father, to a land of witches and dryads, giants and mandrakes; to a land where old enemies are watching, and waiting.]]> 358 John Connolly 1668022281 JG (Introverted Reader) 0 3.84 2023 The Land of Lost Things (The Book of Lost Things #2)
author: John Connolly
name: JG (Introverted Reader)
average rating: 3.84
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/04
shelves: to-read, fiction, fantasy, series_to_continue, to_find, z_author_irish, fairy_or_folk_tale, overdrive_az, physical_library_esc, physical_library_sd
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Narrow Road Between Desires (The Kingkiller Chronicle, #0.6)]]> 157265081
From dawn to midnight over the course of a single day, follow the Kingkiller Chronicle's most charming fae as he schemes and sneaks, dancing into trouble and back out again with uncanny grace.

The Narrow Road Between Desires is Bast's story. In it he traces the old ways of making and breaking, following his heart even when doing so goes against his better judgement.

After all, what good is caution if it keeps him from danger and delight?]]> 240 Patrick Rothfuss 0756419182 JG (Introverted Reader) 0 4.01 2023 The Narrow Road Between Desires (The Kingkiller Chronicle, #0.6)
author: Patrick Rothfuss
name: JG (Introverted Reader)
average rating: 4.01
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/04
shelves: to-read, fiction, visual_media, to_find, fantasy, z_author_american, physical_library_esc, physical_library_sd
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Tigerbelles: Olympic Legends from Tennessee State]]> 79743331 288 Aime Alley Card 1493073885 JG (Introverted Reader) 0 4.40 2024 The Tigerbelles: Olympic Legends from Tennessee State
author: Aime Alley Card
name: JG (Introverted Reader)
average rating: 4.40
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/04
shelves: to-read, nonfiction, to_find, sports, history, z_author_american, z_setting_us, physical_library_sd
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Miss Leavitt's Stars: The Untold Story of the Woman Who Discovered How to Measure the Universe (Great Discoveries)]]> 756573


Almost forgotten is the Harvard Observatory "computer"—a human number cruncher hired to calculate the positions and luminosities of stars in astronomical photographs—who found the key to the mystery. Radcliffe-educated Henrietta Swan Leavitt, fighting ill health and progressive deafness, stumbled upon a new law that allowed astronomers to use variable stars—those whose brightness rhythmically changes—as a cosmic yardstick. Miss Leavitt's Stars is both a masterly account of how we measure the universe and the moving story of a neglected genius
]]> 176 George Johnson 0393051285 JG (Introverted Reader) 0 3.57 2005 Miss Leavitt's Stars: The Untold Story of the Woman Who Discovered How to Measure the Universe (Great Discoveries)
author: George Johnson
name: JG (Introverted Reader)
average rating: 3.57
book published: 2005
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/04
shelves: to-read, nonfiction, biography_memoir, science, z_author_american, z_setting_us, to_find, physical_library_esc
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Rise of the Dragon: An Illustrated History of the Targaryen Dynasty, Volume One]]> 60636502 This lavish visual history—featuring over 180 all-new illustrations—is a stunning introduction to House Targaryen, the iconic family at the heart of HBO’s Game of Thrones prequel series, House of the Dragon.

For hundreds of years, the Targaryens sat the Iron Throne of Westeros while their dragons ruled the skies. The story of the only family of dragonlords to survive Valyria’s Doom is a tale of twisty politics, alliances and betrayals, and acts both noble and craven. The Rise of the Dragon chronicles the creation and rise of Targaryen power in Westeros, covering the history first told in George R. R. Martin’s epic Fire & Blood, from Aegon Targaryen’s conquest of Westeros through to the infamous Dance of the Dragons—the bloody civil war that nearly undid Targaryen rule for good.

Packed with all-new artwork, the Targaryens—and their dragons—come vividly to life in this deluxe reference book. Perfect for fans steeped in the lore of Westeros, as well as those who first meet the Targaryens in the HBO series House of the Dragon, The Rise of the Dragon provides a must-have overview for anyone looking to learn more about the most powerful family in Westeros.]]> 352 George R.R. Martin 1984859250 JG (Introverted Reader) 0 4.26 2022 The Rise of the Dragon: An Illustrated History of the Targaryen Dynasty, Volume One
author: George R.R. Martin
name: JG (Introverted Reader)
average rating: 4.26
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/04
shelves: to-read, fiction, fantasy, to_find, visual_media, z_author_american, physical_library_esc, physical_library_sd
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Lewis and Clark Journals: An American Epic of Discovery]]> 271994
All their triumphs and terrors are here—the thrill of seeing the vast herds of bison on the plains; the tensions and admiration in the first meetings with Indian peoples; Lewis's rapture at the stunning beauty of the Great Falls; the fear the captains felt when a devastating illness befell their Shoshone interpreter, Sacagawea; the ordeal of crossing the Continental Divide; the kidnapping and rescuing of Lewis’s dog, Seaman; miserable days of cold and hunger; and Clark's joy at seeing the Pacific. The cultural differences between the corps and Native Americans make for living drama that at times provokes laughter but more often is poignant and, at least once, tragic.]]> 497 Gary E. Moulton 0803280394 JG (Introverted Reader) 0 4.21 2003 The Lewis and Clark Journals: An American Epic of Discovery
author: Gary E. Moulton
name: JG (Introverted Reader)
average rating: 4.21
book published: 2003
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/04
shelves: to-read, nonfiction, classics, history, exploration, to_find, z_author_american, z_setting_us, physical_library_sd
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Giant Days, Vol. 6 (Giant Days, #6)]]> 34466860
Eisner Award nominee John Allison (Bad Machinery, Scary Go Round) and illustrators Max Sarin and Liz Fleming welcome you back to Sophomore year in Giant Days Volume 6, collecting issues #21-24 of the critically acclaimed series.]]> 112 John Allison 1684150280 JG (Introverted Reader) 0 4.23 2017 Giant Days, Vol. 6 (Giant Days, #6)
author: John Allison
name: JG (Introverted Reader)
average rating: 4.23
book published: 2017
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/04
shelves: to-read, graphic_novels, to_find, contemporary_fiction, z_author_british, z_setting_uk, series_to_continue, physical_library_sd
review:

]]> <![CDATA[We Are the Troopers: The Women of the Winningest Team in Pro Football History]]> 59801718 Discover the unlikely story of the Toledo Troopers, the winningest team in the National Women's Football League, who won seven league championships in the 1970s—and gain full access to the players and key figures in the organization.

Amid a national backdrop of the call to pass the Equal Rights Amendment, the National Women’s Football League was founded as something of a gimmick. However, the league’s star team, the Toledo Troopers, emerged to challenge traditional gender roles and amass a win-loss record never before or since achieved in American football. The players were housewives, factory workers, hairdressers, former nuns, high school teachers, bartenders, mail carriers, pilots, and would-be drill sergeants. Black, white, Latina. Mothers and daughters and aunts and sisters. But most of all, they were athletes who had been denied the opportunity to play a game they were born to play.
Ěý
Before the protests and the lobbyists, before the debates and the amendments, before the marches and the mandates, there was only an obscure advertisement in a local Midwestern paper and those who answered it, women such as Lee Hollar, the only woman working the line at the Libbey glass factory; Gloria Jimenez, who grew up playing sports with her six brothers; and Linda Jefferson, one the greatest, most accomplished athletes in sports history. Stephen Guinan grew up in Toledo pulling for his hometown football team, and—in the innocence of youth—did not realize at the time what a barrier-breaking lost piece of history he was witnessing.ĚýWe Are the TroopersĚýshines light on forgotten champions who came together for the love of the game.]]> Stephen Guinan 154916337X JG (Introverted Reader) 0 4.58 We Are the Troopers: The Women of the Winningest Team in Pro Football History
author: Stephen Guinan
name: JG (Introverted Reader)
average rating: 4.58
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/04
shelves: to-read, nonfiction, sports, z_author_american, z_setting_us, to_find, physical_library_sd
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Library of Souls (Miss Peregrine's Peculiar Children, #3)]]> 41044147 An army of deadly monsters.
An epic battle for the future of peculiardom.

The adventure that began with "Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children" and continued in "Hollow City" comes to a thrilling conclusion with "Library of Souls."

As the story opens, sixteen-year-old Jacob discovers a powerful new ability, and soon he’s diving through history to rescue his peculiar companions from a heavily guarded fortress. Accompanying Jacob on his journey are Emma Bloom, a girl with fire at her fingertips, and Addison MacHenry, a dog with a nose for sniffing out lost children.

They’ll travel from modern-day London to the labyrinthine alleys of Devil’s Acre, the most wretched slum in all of Victorian England. It’s a place where the fate of peculiar children everywhere will be decided once and for all.]]> 465 Ransom Riggs 1594747784 JG (Introverted Reader) 0 4.16 2015 Library of Souls (Miss Peregrine's Peculiar Children, #3)
author: Ransom Riggs
name: JG (Introverted Reader)
average rating: 4.16
book published: 2015
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/04
shelves: to-read, fantasy, young_adult, series_to_continue, fiction, to_find, physical_library_esc, physical_library_sd
review:

]]> Every Little Kindness 56708232
When one act of kindness sparks another, anything is possible! As a girl searches for her lost dog, a simple act of generosity ripples into a wave of good deeds. In the course of a single day, each considerate action weaves lives together and transforms a neighborhood for the better.

This wordless story, told in beautiful illustrations reminiscent of a graphic novel, demonstrates how every little kindness, shared from person to person, can turn a collection of strangers into a community, and—even though we might not always see it—make the world a more vibrant and compassionate place to be.

SHOWS CHILDREN WHY KINDNESS By demonstrating how each kind act leads to another, this heartfelt book shares an important message with children that even small actions can have a big effect.

EASY TO Told entirely in wordless illustrations with pops of color for every good deed, anyone can enjoy following this simple yet powerful story and appreciate the wisdom it shares.

INCLUSIVE CAST OF This book features characters of all ages, ethnicities, and backgrounds, showing how a diverse community comes together to care for one another.

INTERNATIONAL Created by award-winning Slovenian artist Marta Bartolj, this story offers a perspective on kindness that resonates in any country.

Perfect

� Parents
� Educators
� Fans of wordless picture books]]> 72 Marta Bartolj 179720792X JG (Introverted Reader) 0 4.40 Every Little Kindness
author: Marta Bartolj
name: JG (Introverted Reader)
average rating: 4.40
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/04
shelves: to-read, fiction, childrens, to_find, physical_library_sd
review:

]]> <![CDATA[I Know Who You Are: How an Amateur DNA Sleuth Unmasked the Golden State Killer and Changed Crime Fighting Forever]]> 63032536 269 Barbara Rae-Venter 0593358902 JG (Introverted Reader) 4 I'll Be Gone in the Dark by Michelle McNamara a few years ago, not realizing that the Golden State Killer hadn't been caught at the time that book was published. That was an excellent book and I highly recommend it if you're a fan of true crime. It goes into quite a bit of detail about the gruesome murders and rapes though.

I wanted to fill in the last few steps that led to this horrible serial killer finally getting caught so I picked up I Know Who You Are.

Ms. Rae-Venter wisely chooses not to cover ground that Ms. McNamara had covered so well in her book and focuses instead on her own part of the story. It is absolutely amazing to me that she and her team tracked down this man who had evaded capture for 40-some years in 63 days. Days. She is quick to point out that the officers, medical examiners, forensics workers, and others kept this cold case alive and laid the groundwork for his eventual identification and prosecution. She just happened to be in the right place with the right skills at a time when technology finally provided the tools to track this man down.

She describes some of his crimes a bit, so this book still isn't for the faint-hearted.

There's only so much she could write about her role in finding the Golden State Killer though and it was not enough to fill a book. She decided to write about the first criminal case she solved as a volunteer investigative genetic genealogist. A detective asked her if she could help a 30ish-year-old woman who was abducted as a child and who had no idea where she came from. Ms. Rae-Venter not only tracked down her identity, but also helped an adopted man find his birth family in the process, and identified a different serial killer. She wrote about that serial killer and a few of her other complex criminal cases as well.

I am generally more oriented toward words than visuals (give me a step-by-step description of how to do something with a picture or two and I am much happier than I am watching a YouTube tutorial), but I have to admit that I wish there were some graphics. I followed along well for the most part but the last case she details is so complex, I don't really have any idea how she found the guy. I don't know how practical this would have been but some basic family trees and the relevant branches would have been a lot of help, even with generic names like "Grandparent 1." Readers who rely on visuals more than I do may struggle.

She alludes several times to the ethics of using someone's DNA on a genealogy site to solve a criminal case. She doesn't really dig into that topic until the last chapter and even then she doesn't have a lot to say. To her, the ends mostly seem to justify the means. And when you're looking at a notorious case like the Golden State Killer, I have to agree. But where is the line? She writes about how privacy policies on family history sites have changed, making her work harder, but granting more privacy to their users. This topic could (and probably does) fill a book on its own. I'm glad she included it but part of me wishes there had been a more in-depth discussion. That isn't her purpose in writing this book though.

This is an excellent follow-up to I'll Be Gone in the Dark and an interesting look at investigative genetic genealogy. True crime fans should definitely give it a try. I can even see it being a good fit for the right book club. I feel that it could lead to some fascinating discussions.]]> 4.23 2023 I Know Who You Are: How an Amateur DNA Sleuth Unmasked the Golden State Killer and Changed Crime Fighting Forever
author: Barbara Rae-Venter
name: JG (Introverted Reader)
average rating: 4.23
book published: 2023
rating: 4
read at: 2025/02/23
date added: 2025/03/04
shelves: nonfiction, biography_memoir, science, true_crime, z_setting_us, kindle, read_in_2025, 4_stars, challenge_nonfiction_12, ethics, reviewed, challenge_covers
review:
I listened to I'll Be Gone in the Dark by Michelle McNamara a few years ago, not realizing that the Golden State Killer hadn't been caught at the time that book was published. That was an excellent book and I highly recommend it if you're a fan of true crime. It goes into quite a bit of detail about the gruesome murders and rapes though.

I wanted to fill in the last few steps that led to this horrible serial killer finally getting caught so I picked up I Know Who You Are.

Ms. Rae-Venter wisely chooses not to cover ground that Ms. McNamara had covered so well in her book and focuses instead on her own part of the story. It is absolutely amazing to me that she and her team tracked down this man who had evaded capture for 40-some years in 63 days. Days. She is quick to point out that the officers, medical examiners, forensics workers, and others kept this cold case alive and laid the groundwork for his eventual identification and prosecution. She just happened to be in the right place with the right skills at a time when technology finally provided the tools to track this man down.

She describes some of his crimes a bit, so this book still isn't for the faint-hearted.

There's only so much she could write about her role in finding the Golden State Killer though and it was not enough to fill a book. She decided to write about the first criminal case she solved as a volunteer investigative genetic genealogist. A detective asked her if she could help a 30ish-year-old woman who was abducted as a child and who had no idea where she came from. Ms. Rae-Venter not only tracked down her identity, but also helped an adopted man find his birth family in the process, and identified a different serial killer. She wrote about that serial killer and a few of her other complex criminal cases as well.

I am generally more oriented toward words than visuals (give me a step-by-step description of how to do something with a picture or two and I am much happier than I am watching a YouTube tutorial), but I have to admit that I wish there were some graphics. I followed along well for the most part but the last case she details is so complex, I don't really have any idea how she found the guy. I don't know how practical this would have been but some basic family trees and the relevant branches would have been a lot of help, even with generic names like "Grandparent 1." Readers who rely on visuals more than I do may struggle.

She alludes several times to the ethics of using someone's DNA on a genealogy site to solve a criminal case. She doesn't really dig into that topic until the last chapter and even then she doesn't have a lot to say. To her, the ends mostly seem to justify the means. And when you're looking at a notorious case like the Golden State Killer, I have to agree. But where is the line? She writes about how privacy policies on family history sites have changed, making her work harder, but granting more privacy to their users. This topic could (and probably does) fill a book on its own. I'm glad she included it but part of me wishes there had been a more in-depth discussion. That isn't her purpose in writing this book though.

This is an excellent follow-up to I'll Be Gone in the Dark and an interesting look at investigative genetic genealogy. True crime fans should definitely give it a try. I can even see it being a good fit for the right book club. I feel that it could lead to some fascinating discussions.
]]> ¡Diez manzanas en la cabeza! 43463931 "Look! Ten apples up on top! We are not going to let them drop!"

Since 1961, Dr. Seuss's Ten Apples up on Top has been helping preschoolers learn to count and read simultaneously. Simple illustrations and even simpler rhymes make this apple-balancing competition between a dog, a tiger, and a lion a fun, easy place to practice sight words and phonics. Siblings can even take turns reading phrases like "Seven apples up on top. I am so good they will not drop." The inevitable tumbling crash is a great climax for busy toddlers to enjoy, and parents will appreciate the cooperative lesson the last page offers.

A beginning Beginner Book, this ingenious story uses a vocabulary of only 75 different words. Combining brief and funny stories, easy words, catchy rhythm, and lively illustrations, Beginner Book are an ideal way to introduce the joys of reading to children!

With his unique combination of hilarious stories, zany pictures and riotous rhymes, Dr. Seuss has been delighting young children and helping them learn to read for over fifty years. Creator of the wonderfully anarchic 'Cat in the Hat', and ranked among the world's top children's authors, Dr. Seuss is a global best-seller, with nearly half a billion books sold worldwide.

Target Audience: Preschool to early reader]]> 72 Dr. Seuss 1984894978 JG (Introverted Reader) 4
If I've read this book in English, I don't remember it. It was a lot of fun and the illustrations were cute. I suspect the rhyming did not flow quite as well in Spanish as it does in English, but that could just be me. It has to be really difficult to translate Dr. Seuss though. Still, this is a fun book, no matter what language you read it in!]]> 4.50 1961 ¡Diez manzanas en la cabeza!
author: Dr. Seuss
name: JG (Introverted Reader)
average rating: 4.50
book published: 1961
rating: 4
read at: 2025/02/22
date added: 2025/03/04
shelves: fiction, read_in_2025, 4_stars, animals_fantasy, childrens, fantasy, humor, just_plain_fun, translations, challenge_translation_4, visual_media, z_author_american, poetry, classics, mini-review
review:
I decided to give an early reader book written in Spanish a try to test my limited abilities. They aren't quite up to this standard (I had to look up a lot of verbs) so it's picture books for me for a while.

If I've read this book in English, I don't remember it. It was a lot of fun and the illustrations were cute. I suspect the rhyming did not flow quite as well in Spanish as it does in English, but that could just be me. It has to be really difficult to translate Dr. Seuss though. Still, this is a fun book, no matter what language you read it in!
]]> Cometh the Hour 227833661 Cometh the Hour is the penultimate book in the Clifton Chronicles and, like the previous novels - all of which hit the New York Times bestseller list - showcases Jeffrey Archer's extraordinary storytelling with his trademark twists.

It opens with the reading of a suicide note, which has devastating consequences for Harry and Emma Clifton, Giles Barrington and Lady Virginia. Giles must decide if he should withdraw from politics and try to rescue Karin, the woman he loves, from behind the Iron Curtain. But is Karin truly in love with him, or is she a spy?

Lady Virginia is facing bankruptcy, and can see no way out of her financial problems, until she is introduced to the hapless Cyrus T. Grant III from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, who's in England to see his horse run at Royal Ascot.

Sebastian Clifton is now the Chief Executive of Farthings Bank and a workaholic, whose personal life is thrown into disarray when he falls for Priya, a beautiful Indian girl. But her parents have already chosen the man she is going to marry. Meanwhile, Sebastian's rivals Adrian Sloane and Desmond Mellor are still plotting to bring him and his chairman Hakim Bishara down, so they can take over Farthings.

Harry Clifton remains determined to get Anatoly Babakov released from a gulag in Siberia, following the international success of his acclaimed book, Uncle Joe. But then something unexpected happens that none of them could have anticipated.]]> Jeffrey Archer 142726693X JG (Introverted Reader) 4
I listened eagerly, as I always do, but this is probably one of my least favorite books in the series. I questioned why some minor plots were included and one character's arc had me mentally trying to figure out exactly how old she is and whether her story made any sense at all.

Since this is the next-to-last book, trailing story lines are getting wrapped up. Some felt a bit too easily wrapped in a bow, I have to admit. But others have me a little excited. Do I finally see justice approaching for our antagonists? I think I might! They've taken some hits here and there but they seem to always come back, more devious than ever. I'm hoping for a big knockout blow!

I love Alex Jennings's beautiful narration and highly recommend these books on audio.

Start this series if you're in the mood for some high drama in a generational family epic. They're a fun way to pass the time.]]> 4.00 2016 Cometh the Hour
author: Jeffrey Archer
name: JG (Introverted Reader)
average rating: 4.00
book published: 2016
rating: 4
read at: 2025/02/19
date added: 2025/03/04
shelves: audio, fiction, read_in_2025, 4_stars, narrators_i_like, z_author_british, z_setting_uk, z_setting_us, z_setting_russia, z_setting_germany, historical_fiction, to_blog, reviewed
review:
I see this series as a little bit of a guilty pleasure. They feel a bit soap opera-ish to me, with the inevitable cliffhanger at the end of each book, unbelievable coincidences, and very convenient timing. Don't take this as a critique because it's a format that absolutely works for me when I want a fairly fast-paced easy read.

I listened eagerly, as I always do, but this is probably one of my least favorite books in the series. I questioned why some minor plots were included and one character's arc had me mentally trying to figure out exactly how old she is and whether her story made any sense at all.

Since this is the next-to-last book, trailing story lines are getting wrapped up. Some felt a bit too easily wrapped in a bow, I have to admit. But others have me a little excited. Do I finally see justice approaching for our antagonists? I think I might! They've taken some hits here and there but they seem to always come back, more devious than ever. I'm hoping for a big knockout blow!

I love Alex Jennings's beautiful narration and highly recommend these books on audio.

Start this series if you're in the mood for some high drama in a generational family epic. They're a fun way to pass the time.
]]> Island of the Blue Dolphins 41044096 Scott O'Dell's Newbery Medal-winning classic is a gripping tale of survival, strength, and courage. Based on the true story of a Nicole�o Indian girl living alone on an island off the coast of California, Island of the Blue Dolphins has captivated readers for generations.

On San Nicolas Island, dolphins flash in the surrounding blue waters, sea otter play in the vast kelp beds, and sea elephants loll on the stony beaches. Here, in the early 1800s, a girl named Karana spent eighteen years alone.

Karana had to contend with the ferocious pack of wild dogs that killed her younger brother, constantly guard against Aleutian sea otter hunters, and maintain a precarious food supply. Her courage, self-reliance, and grit has inspired millions of readers in this breathtaking adventure.

As Smithsonian magazine put "For kids all over the country, reading the book in language arts classes, Karana is a powerful symbol of their growing independence. Through her, they can imagine themselves making their way in the world alone--and thriving."]]> 194 Scott O'Dell 0547488890 JG (Introverted Reader) 4
I know this book is a classic and an award winner but in all honesty, it would have upset me as a kid. I was never into realistic survivalist books, preferring fantasy instead. So Karana's abandonment, a few deaths in her community and family, and some animal deaths would have wrecked me.

As an adult, I can step away from that a bit. The book is loosely based on the real life story of the . I learned about her when my husband and I visited Channel Islands National Park back in very early 2020 and was curious to read more about her.

Her story is so sad to me. As an introvert, I joke about never wanting to see people again but I can't imagine actually experiencing it.

O'Dell gives us a taste of what her life might have been like, but he chose to write her story as if she were a young teen when she was forgotten (In reality, she was an adult). Her fear and loneliness, her sorrow when her people left. I felt as if I were on that beautiful, isolated island with her, sharing in her small victories and worrying over her setbacks.

I have to admit that a part of me questions if it was appropriate for a white man to write about a Native American woman and her belief system and way of life. I don't know the answer to that, though I feel that he approached his subject with empathy and compassion. Mostly I'm glad history hasn't forgotten her the way she was forgotten in real life, even if she primarily lives on in the pages of a historical fiction book written for children.

Island of the Blue Dolphins isn't going to be a suitable choice for every reader (see my first paragraph) but I still recommend it to those who find the synopsis interesting. ]]> 4.02 1960 Island of the Blue Dolphins
author: Scott O'Dell
name: JG (Introverted Reader)
average rating: 4.02
book published: 1960
rating: 4
read at: 2025/02/16
date added: 2025/03/04
shelves: fiction, kindle, read_in_2025, 3plus_stars, adventure, animals_real-istic, award_winners, challenge_covers, challenge_classics_club, challenge_classics_12, classics, historical_fiction, middle_grade, z_author_american, to_blog, reviewed
review:
3.5 stars rounded up.

I know this book is a classic and an award winner but in all honesty, it would have upset me as a kid. I was never into realistic survivalist books, preferring fantasy instead. So Karana's abandonment, a few deaths in her community and family, and some animal deaths would have wrecked me.

As an adult, I can step away from that a bit. The book is loosely based on the real life story of the . I learned about her when my husband and I visited Channel Islands National Park back in very early 2020 and was curious to read more about her.

Her story is so sad to me. As an introvert, I joke about never wanting to see people again but I can't imagine actually experiencing it.

O'Dell gives us a taste of what her life might have been like, but he chose to write her story as if she were a young teen when she was forgotten (In reality, she was an adult). Her fear and loneliness, her sorrow when her people left. I felt as if I were on that beautiful, isolated island with her, sharing in her small victories and worrying over her setbacks.

I have to admit that a part of me questions if it was appropriate for a white man to write about a Native American woman and her belief system and way of life. I don't know the answer to that, though I feel that he approached his subject with empathy and compassion. Mostly I'm glad history hasn't forgotten her the way she was forgotten in real life, even if she primarily lives on in the pages of a historical fiction book written for children.

Island of the Blue Dolphins isn't going to be a suitable choice for every reader (see my first paragraph) but I still recommend it to those who find the synopsis interesting.
]]> <![CDATA[This Was a Man (The Clifton Chronicles, #7)]]> 29241855
In Whitehall, Giles Barrington discovers the truth about his wife Karin from the Cabinet Secretary. Is she a spy or a pawn in a larger game?
Harry Clifton sets out to write his magnus opus, while his wife Emma completes her ten years as Chairman of the Bristol Royal Infirmary, and receives an unexpected call from Margaret Thatcher offering her a job.

Sebastian Clifton becomes chairman of Farthings Kaufman Bank after Hakim Bishara resigns for personal reasons. Sebastian and his wife Samantha's talented daughter, Jessica, is expelled from the Slade School of Fine Art, but her aunt Grace comes to her rescue.

Lady Virginia is about to flee the country to avoid her creditors when the Duchess of Hertford dies, and she sees another opportunity to clear her debts and finally trump the Cliftons and the Barringtons.

In a devastating twist, tragedy engulfs the Clifton family when one of them receives a shocking diagnosis that will throw all their lives into turmoil.]]> 416 Jeffrey Archer JG (Introverted Reader) 0 4.29 2016 This Was a Man (The Clifton Chronicles, #7)
author: Jeffrey Archer
name: JG (Introverted Reader)
average rating: 4.29
book published: 2016
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/01
shelves: to-read, fiction, audio, historical_fiction, narrators_i_like, overdrive_pdx, overdrive_az, overdrive_sd, overdrive_chs, overdrive_ak, overdrive_bil, overdrive_esc, overdrive_cda, overdrive_nefl, series_to_continue, z_author_british, z_setting_uk
review:

]]> The Beatryce Prophecy 56311471 A magical medieval tale from two masters, Newbery Medal-winning Kate DiCamillo and Caldecott Medal-winning Sophie Blackall � a fantastical meditation on fate, love and the power of words to spell the world.

We shall all, in the end, be led to where we belong. We shall all, in the end, find our way home.

In a time of war, a mysterious child appears at the monastery of the Order of the Chronicles of Sorrowing. Gentle Brother Edik finds the girl, Beatryce, curled in a stall, wracked with fever, coated in dirt and blood and holding fast to the ear of Answelica the recalcitrant goat. As the monk nurses Beatryce to health, he uncovers her dangerous secret � one that imperils them all.

And so it is that a girl with a head full of stories must venture into a dark wood in search of the castle of a king who wishes her dead. But should she lose her way, Beatryce knows that those who love her � a wild-eyed monk, a man who had once been king, a boy with a terrible sword and a goat with a head as hard as stone � will never give up searching for her. And to know this is to know everything.]]> 247 Kate DiCamillo 1536213616 JG (Introverted Reader) 0 4.26 2021 The Beatryce Prophecy
author: Kate DiCamillo
name: JG (Introverted Reader)
average rating: 4.26
book published: 2021
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/28
shelves: to-read, fiction, to_find, historical_fiction, middle_grade, visual_media, physical_library_esc, physical_library_sd
review:

]]> Mata Hari's Last Dance 25813965
Paris, 1917. The notorious dancer Mata Hari sits in a cold cell awaiting freedom…or death. Alone and despondent, Mata Hari is as confused as the rest of the world about the charges she’s been arrested on: treason leading to the deaths of thousands of French soldiers.

As Mata Hari waits for her fate to be decided, she relays the story of her life to a reporter who is allowed to visit her in prison. Beginning with her carefree childhood, Mata Hari recounts her father’s cruel abandonment of her family as well her calamitous marriage to a military officer. Taken to the island of Java, Mata Hari refuses to be ruled by her abusive husband and instead learns to dance, paving the way to her stardom as Europe’s most infamous dancer.

From exotic Indian temples and glamorous Parisian theatres to stark German barracks in war-torn Europe, international bestselling author Michelle Moran who “expertly balances fact and fiction� (Associated Press) brings to vibrant life the famed world of Mata Hari: dancer, courtesan, and possibly, spy.]]> 288 Michelle Moran 1476716382 JG (Introverted Reader) 0 3.54 2016 Mata Hari's Last Dance
author: Michelle Moran
name: JG (Introverted Reader)
average rating: 3.54
book published: 2016
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/28
shelves: to-read, fiction, to_find, historical_fiction, z_author_american, z_setting_france, z_setting_germany, z_setting_india, world_war, z_setting_indonesia, physical_library_sd
review:

]]> The Trouble with Twins 23734476 Kate DiCamillo meets Lemony Snicket in this darkly comic novel about two sisters who learn they are each others' most important friend.

Imagine two twin sisters, Arabella and Henrietta—nearly identical yet with nothing in common. They’re the best of friends . . . until one day they aren’t. Plain and quiet Henrietta has a secret plan to settle the score, and she does something outrageous and she can’t take it back.

When the deed is discovered, Henrietta is quickly banished—sent to live with her eccentric great-aunt Priscilla on Chillington Lane, where black cats roam the dark rooms and tonight’s menu is fish-head stew! Suddenly life with pretty, popular Arabella doesn’t seem so awful.

And, though she’s been grievously wronged, Arabella longs for her sister, too. So she hatches a plan of her own and embarks on an unexpected journey to reunite with her other half.

The Trouble with Twins is an adventure and a comedy—a tale of the power of unlikely friendships, the bond between sisters . . . and the way a bit of mischief sometimes sets everything right.]]> 208 Kathryn Siebel JG (Introverted Reader) 0 3.74 2016 The Trouble with Twins
author: Kathryn Siebel
name: JG (Introverted Reader)
average rating: 3.74
book published: 2016
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/28
shelves: to-read, audio, to_find, middle_grade, fiction, adventure, z_author_american, physical_library_sd
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Houseguest and Other Stories]]> 38458438 122 Amparo Dávila 0811228215 JG (Introverted Reader) 0 3.58 2018 The Houseguest and Other Stories
author: Amparo Dávila
name: JG (Introverted Reader)
average rating: 3.58
book published: 2018
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/28
shelves: to-read, anthology, horror, fiction, translations, z_author_mexican, to_find, physical_library_esc, physical_library_sd
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Girl Who Fell Beneath Fairyland and Led the Revels There (Fairyland, #2)]]> 13538708
Fans of Valente's bestselling, first Fairyland book will revel in the lush setting, characters, and language of September's journey, all brought to life by fine artist Ana Juan. Readers will also welcome back good friends Ell, the Wyverary, and the boy Saturday. But in Fairyland Below, even the best of friends aren't always what they seem. . . .]]> 258 Catherynne M. Valente 0312649622 JG (Introverted Reader) 0 4.17 2012 The Girl Who Fell Beneath Fairyland and Led the Revels There (Fairyland, #2)
author: Catherynne M. Valente
name: JG (Introverted Reader)
average rating: 4.17
book published: 2012
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/28
shelves: to-read, series_to_continue, fantasy, middle_grade, fiction, to_find, visual_media, physical_library_esc, physical_library_sd
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Renegade Magic (Kat, Incorrigible, #2)]]> 7824314 Is Kat’s untrained magic strong enough to prove she has what it takes to be a true Guardian? Find out in this second book of Stephanie Burgis’s Regency-era fantasy trilogy.

Nowhere in England is safe from the mischief and magic of Kat Stephenson.

With her eldest sister finally married, it seems things are settling down for Kat. But when a scandalous accusation threatens her second sister Angeline’s prospects, Stepmama swiftly whisks the family away to Bath in an attempt to outrun the gossip and engage Angeline to a respectable suitor. Meanwhile, Kat’s utter lack of ladylike propriety has prompted the powerful Lord Ravenscroft to expel her from the Order of Guardians before her training has even begun!

Anger and exile aside, Kat knows something is not quite right about Lord Ravenscroft. And when her foolish brother Charles unwittingly invokes the furious force of Sulis Minerva at the King’s and Queen’s Baths, endangering vulnerable cousin Lucy and himself in the process, it’s up to Kat to rescue her family, find Angeline a proper husband, and prove she has the true dignity of a Guardian.]]> 336 Stephanie Burgis 1416994491 JG (Introverted Reader) 0 4.11 2011 Renegade Magic (Kat, Incorrigible, #2)
author: Stephanie Burgis
name: JG (Introverted Reader)
average rating: 4.11
book published: 2011
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/28
shelves: to-read, series_to_continue, fantasy, middle_grade, z_author_american, z_setting_uk, to_find, physical_library_sd
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Superlative: The Biology of Extremes]]> 42191986 Welcome to the biggest, fastest, deadliest science book you'll ever read.

The world's largest land mammal could help us end cancer. The fastest bird is showing us how to solve a century-old engineering mystery. The oldest tree is giving us insights into climate change. The loudest whale is offering clues about the impact of solar storms.

For a long time, scientists ignored superlative life forms as outliers. Increasingly, though, researchers are coming to see great value in studying plants and animals that exist on the outermost edges of the bell curve.

As it turns out, there's a lot of value in paying close attention to the "oddballs" nature has to offer.

Go for a swim with a ghost shark, the slowest-evolving creature known to humankind, which is teaching us new ways to think about immunity. Get to know the axolotl, which has the longest-known genome and may hold the secret to cellular regeneration. Learn about Monorhaphis chuni, the oldest discovered animal, which is providing insights into the connection between our terrestrial and aquatic worlds.

Superlative is the story of extreme evolution, and what we can learn from it about ourselves, our planet, and the cosmos. It's a tale of crazy-fast cheetahs and super-strong beetles, of microbacteria and enormous plants, of whip-smart dolphins and killer snakes.

This book will inspire you to change the way you think about the world and your relationship to everything in it.]]> 384 Matthew D. LaPlante 1948836211 JG (Introverted Reader) 0 3.95 2019 Superlative: The Biology of Extremes
author: Matthew D. LaPlante
name: JG (Introverted Reader)
average rating: 3.95
book published: 2019
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/28
shelves: to-read, to_find, science, nonfiction, z_author_american, physical_library_esc
review:

]]> Mighty Jack (Mighty Jack, #1) 27414475
What starts as a normal little garden out back behind the house quickly grows up into a wild, magical jungle with tiny onion babies running amok, huge, pink pumpkins that bite, and, on one moonlit night that changes everything…a dragon.]]> 208 Ben Hatke 162672265X JG (Introverted Reader) 0 4.15 2016 Mighty Jack (Mighty Jack, #1)
author: Ben Hatke
name: JG (Introverted Reader)
average rating: 4.15
book published: 2016
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/28
shelves: to-read, fiction, fairy_or_folk_tale, graphic_novels, middle_grade, z_author_american, retold_stories, to_find, physical_library_esc, physical_library_sd
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Devil Amongst the Lawyers (Ballad, #8)]]> 7371382
Eager for a new cause celebre to capture the public's imagination, they were counting on reports of horse-drawn buggies, run-down shacks, children in thread-bare clothes--all of the stereotypes of mountain life. But among them is Carl Jennings, an 18-year-old mountain boy on his first job. An eager, honest journalist, he reports accurately--describing telephones, electricity, gas stations, and coal company executives.

So when their reports conflict, Carl is condemned, while the seasoned journalists perpetuate the myths of country life--and Erma Morton's guilt or innocence is literally sold to the highest bidder--a wronged woman on trial sells papers. Soon, it is not the murder that is of interest: but the vultures attracted by the deaths. In the midst of all this, Carl continues to search for the truth, relying on his younger cousin, Nora--gifted with the "sight"--for help.

A stunning return to the lands, ballads and characters upon which she made her name, Devil Amongst the Lawyers is a testament to Sharyn McCrumb's lyrical and poetic writing.]]> 320 Sharyn McCrumb 0312558163 JG (Introverted Reader) 0 3.57 2010 The Devil Amongst the Lawyers (Ballad, #8)
author: Sharyn McCrumb
name: JG (Introverted Reader)
average rating: 3.57
book published: 2010
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/28
shelves: to-read, fiction, appalachia, own, owned_to_read, southern_lit, z_author_american, z_setting_us, to_find, physical_library_sd
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Something Red (Something Red, #1)]]> 15015028
An intoxicating and spirited blend of fantasy, mythology, and history, Something Red features the most fascinating of characters including shapeshifters, Irish battle queens, Norman knights, Templars, pilgrims, Saracens, a Lithuanian noblewoman, warrior monks, strong - even dangerous - women, and ten murderous mastiffs, as well as an epic snowstorm that an early reader described as "one of the coldest scenes since Snow Falling on Cedars"]]> 336 Douglas Nicholas 1451660227 JG (Introverted Reader) 0 3.59 2010 Something Red (Something Red, #1)
author: Douglas Nicholas
name: JG (Introverted Reader)
average rating: 3.59
book published: 2010
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/28
shelves: to-read, fantasy, historical_fantasy, historical_fiction, to_find, z_author_american, z_setting_uk, physical_library_sd
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Murder on the Mind (Jeff Resnick Mystery, #1)]]> 9513316
Now, Jeff is haunted by unexplained visions of a heinous crime—a banker, stalked, killed, and eviscerated like a ten-point buck. When Matt Sumner’s murder is discovered, a still-recovering Jeff realizes this was what he had seen. Jeff must not only convince himself of his new-found psychic ability, but also his skeptical brother Richard Alpert. Since Sumner was Richard’s banker, both brothers have a stake in finding out what happened. With Richard’s reluctant help, Jeff’s investigation leads him to Sumner’s belligerent family and hard-nosed business associates, none of whom want him snooping around.

When Jeff discovers a second victim, he knows he must relentlessly chase his quarry even if it means risking his brother’s life.]]> 567 L.L. Bartlett 1452455589 JG (Introverted Reader) 0 3.59 2005 Murder on the Mind (Jeff Resnick Mystery, #1)
author: L.L. Bartlett
name: JG (Introverted Reader)
average rating: 3.59
book published: 2005
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/28
shelves: to-read, nook, own, owned_to_read, mystery, fiction, paranormal, z_author_american, overdrive_az
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Autobiography of Martin Luther King, Jr.]]> 8934241 0 Martin Luther King Jr. 0759520372 JG (Introverted Reader) 0 4.47 1986 The Autobiography of Martin Luther King, Jr.
author: Martin Luther King Jr.
name: JG (Introverted Reader)
average rating: 4.47
book published: 1986
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/28
shelves: to-read, nonfiction, biography_memoir, own, owned_to_read, nook, z_author_american, z_setting_us, to_find, physical_library_sd
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Learning to Die in Miami: Confessions of a Refugee Boy]]> 9192141 0 Carlos Eire 1400119510 JG (Introverted Reader) 0 3.00 2010 Learning to Die in Miami: Confessions of a Refugee Boy
author: Carlos Eire
name: JG (Introverted Reader)
average rating: 3.00
book published: 2010
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/28
shelves: to-read, nonfiction, biography_memoir, z_author_cuban, z_setting_us, to_find, physical_library_esc, physical_library_sd
review:

]]> Lost & Found 9539092 A girl finds a bright spot in a dark world.

A boy leads a strange, lost creature home.

And a group of peaceful creatures cedes their home to hostile invaders.

Shaun Tan, with his understates voice and brilliant draftsmanship, has proved that he has a unique imaginative window to our souls, and an unparalleled ability to share that opening with pictures and narratives that are as unexpected as they are deeply true.

Originally published in Australia, these three beloved and acclaimed tales were never widely available in the U.S. Now for the first time, The Red Tree, The Lost Thing, and the John Marsden classic The Rabbits are presented in their entirety with additional new artwork and authors' notes. Together they tell a tale that will leave no reader unmoved, about how we love and find what matters most to us.]]> 128 Shaun Tan 0545229243 JG (Introverted Reader) 0 4.20 2011 Lost & Found
author: Shaun Tan
name: JG (Introverted Reader)
average rating: 4.20
book published: 2011
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/28
shelves: to-read, graphic_novels, fiction, fantasy, to_find, physical_library_sd
review:

]]> Anne Frank: The Biography 2622677 Anne Frank: The Biography, originally published in 1998, still stands as the definitive account of the girl who has become "the human face of the Holocaust." Biographer Melissa MĂĽller drew on exclusive interviews with family and friends, on previously unavailable correspondence, and on missing diary pages that she discovered to create a nuanced portrait of her famous subject. Full of revelations, MĂĽller's richly textured narrative returned Anne Frank to history, portraying the flesh-and-blood girl unsentimentalized and so all the more affecting.
Ěý
In the decade since the book appeared, much new information has come to light: letters sent by Otto Frank to relatives in America as he sought to save his family, the identity of other suspects involved in the betrayal of the Franks, and important details about the family's arrest and subsequent fate. Revised and updated, this is an indispensable volume for all those who seek a deeper understanding of Anne Frank and the brutal times in which she lived and died.]]> 403 Melissa MĂĽller 0805087311 JG (Introverted Reader) 0 4.33 1998 Anne Frank: The Biography
author: Melissa MĂĽller
name: JG (Introverted Reader)
average rating: 4.33
book published: 1998
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/28
shelves: to-read, nonfiction, holocaust-genocide, biography_memoir, world_war, to_find, physical_library_sd
review:

]]> <![CDATA[What We Knew: Terror, Mass Murder, and Everyday Life in Nazi Germany]]> 547036 What We Knew offers answers to these most important questions. Combining the expertise of Eric A. Johnson, an American historian, and Karl-Heinz Reuband, a German sociologist, What We Knew is the most startling oral history yet of everyday life in theThird Reich.]]> 464 Eric A. Johnson 0465085725 JG (Introverted Reader) 0 4.00 2005 What We Knew: Terror, Mass Murder, and Everyday Life in Nazi Germany
author: Eric A. Johnson
name: JG (Introverted Reader)
average rating: 4.00
book published: 2005
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/28
shelves: to-read, holocaust-genocide, nonfiction, history, world_war, overdrive_pdx
review:

]]> Beauty 1017971 What if the fairy tale came true?

In this bittersweet love story, it isn't Beauty who needs to discover the man inside the Beast—but the man himself.

When Alix Miller takes off for a remote spot in New Hampshire to paint a portrait of the reclusive aristocrat, Leland Crompton, nothing has prepared her for what's in store. The housekeeper is unnerving. The castle-like house—with its massive chimney, mullioned windows, and ironwork gate with wrought-iron roses—gives her chills. And Lee himself is disfigured by a rare, genetic disease.

In the long hours of work that follow, deep in the wintry woods, Alix discovers that beneath Lee's exterior lies a remarkable man, a man she could come to love. The problem lies in convincing Lee.]]> 209 Susan Wilson 0752804472 JG (Introverted Reader) 0 3.60 1996 Beauty
author: Susan Wilson
name: JG (Introverted Reader)
average rating: 3.60
book published: 1996
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/28
shelves: to-read, fantasy, fairy_or_folk_tale, fiction, to_find, physical_library_esc
review:

]]> The 13th Hour 6406146 338 Richard Doetsch 1439147914 JG (Introverted Reader) 0 3.84 2009 The 13th Hour
author: Richard Doetsch
name: JG (Introverted Reader)
average rating: 3.84
book published: 2009
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/28
shelves: fiction, to-read, to_find, thriller, physical_library_sd
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Walking with the Wind: A Memoir of the Movement]]> 27550
Written with charm, warmth, and honesty, Walking with the Wind offers rare insight into the movement and the personalities of all the civil rights leaders-what was happening behind the scenes, the infighting, struggles, and triumphs. Lewis takes us from the Nashville lunch counter sit-ins to the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama, where he led more than five hundred marchers on what became known as "Bloody Sunday." While there have been exceptional books on the movement, there has never been a front-line account by a man like John Lewis. A true American hero, his story is "destined to become a classic in civil rights literature." (Los Angeles Times)]]> 496 John Lewis 0156007088 JG (Introverted Reader) 0 4.59 1998 Walking with the Wind: A Memoir of the Movement
author: John Lewis
name: JG (Introverted Reader)
average rating: 4.59
book published: 1998
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/28
shelves: to-read, nonfiction, to_find, biography_memoir, physical_library_esc
review:

]]> House of Leaves 24800
Of course, neither Pulitzer Prize-winning photojournalist Will Navidson nor his companion Karen Green was prepared to face the consequences of that impossibility, until the day their two little children wandered off and their voices eerily began to return another story—of creature darkness, of an ever-growing abyss behind a closet door, and of that unholy growl which soon enough would tear through their walls and consume all their dreams.]]> 710 Mark Z. Danielewski JG (Introverted Reader) 0 4.11 2000 House of Leaves
author: Mark Z. Danielewski
name: JG (Introverted Reader)
average rating: 4.11
book published: 2000
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/28
shelves: to-read, fiction, to_find, physical_library_sd
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Black Flower: A Novel of the Civil War]]> 2893225 266 Howard Bahr 0805054456 JG (Introverted Reader) 0 3.64 1997 The Black Flower: A Novel of the Civil War
author: Howard Bahr
name: JG (Introverted Reader)
average rating: 3.64
book published: 1997
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/28
shelves: to-read, fiction, civil_war, historical_fiction, overdrive_az
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Devil's Highway: A True Story]]> 6987216 This important book from a Pulitzer Prize finalist follows the brutal journey a group of men take to cross the Mexican border: "the single most compelling, lucid, and lyrical contemporary account of the absurdity of U.S. border policy" (The Atlantic).

In May 2001, a group of men attempted to cross the Mexican border into the desert of southern Arizona, through the deadliest region of the continent, the "Devil's Highway." Three years later, Luis Alberto Urrea wrote about what happened to them. The result was a national bestseller, a Pulitzer Prize finalist, a "book of the year" in multiple newspapers, and a work proclaimed as a modern American classic.]]> 200 Luis Alberto Urrea 031604928X JG (Introverted Reader) 4 4.08 2004 The Devil's Highway: A True Story
author: Luis Alberto Urrea
name: JG (Introverted Reader)
average rating: 4.08
book published: 2004
rating: 4
read at: 2025/01/22
date added: 2025/02/18
shelves: nonfiction, kindle, read_in_2025, to_review, 4plus_stars, history, immigration, politics, z_setting_mexico, z_setting_us, beautifully_written, biography_memoir, true_crime, challenge_covers
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Pickleball Is Life: The Complete Guide to Feeding Your Obsession]]> 60410017
Pickleball is the fastest growing sport in America. Easy to learn, but impossible to master, it’s no wonder that nearly 5 million people nationwide have picked up their paddles and taken to the court. But people aren’t just dabbling in this up-and-coming activity, they areĚý obsessed; some hit the court as many as five, six, even seven times a week. As Vanity Fair put it, pickleball has “won over everyone, from Leonardo DiCaprio to your grandparents.â€�

Pickleball Is Life is the first book of its kind celebrating the weird and wonderful world of pickleball. It will take readers on a journey from the sport’s quirky origins to its modern-day cult following. Along the way, visual info graphs and illustrations will share even more pickleball knowledge, including etiquette tips, a DIY court, obscure rules, and pointers for (good-natured) trash talk.ĚýAlso included are interviews with members of the three founding families from Bainbridge Island who are still very much involved in the sport and its growth.

People of all ages, athletic abilities, and backgrounds have fallen in love with pickleball. Sure, it’s a good workout, but it’s also a cheerful way to interact with others—something folks crave now more than ever. So, whether they’re uninitiated or obsessed, this book will help readers find even more to love about the world’s greatest sport.]]> 152 Erin McHugh 0063272156 JG (Introverted Reader) 3
I'm not an athlete. I've never really played any racquet sport. My husband tried to teach me to play tennis several years ago but I think we tried that in the early spring and I am most definitely of the belief that winter is only good for staying inside where it's warm. Tennis quickly fell by the wayside.

So I don't have much of baseline knowledge to work with here. I found the brief section about the rules confusing. I think they'll make more sense once I'm actually on a court. The history of the birth of the game was cute, with interviews with a couple of the people whose dads invented it. The rest was a little off-putting, to be honest. Are people truly this obsessed with pickleball? There's a section of inspirational quotes where the word pickleball has been inserted where life originally was. There's a section about cocktails with pickles. There's a section about trash talking. It's all a bit much and doesn't leave me excited to try my hand at the game.

The illustrations by Jackie Besteman are cute and I suspect that true pickleballers will find it to be a fun little gift book to browse through but beginners should hope for a different option at their libraries.]]> 3.73 Pickleball Is Life: The Complete Guide to Feeding Your Obsession
author: Erin McHugh
name: JG (Introverted Reader)
average rating: 3.73
book published:
rating: 3
read at: 2025/01/20
date added: 2025/02/18
shelves: nonfiction, read_in_2025, reviewed, 3_stars, gift_books, pop_culture, sports, z_author_american, visual_media, challenge_covers
review:
My husband thinks we might enjoy learning pickleball together so, being me, I headed to the library to find a book to get an idea what he was getting me into.

I'm not an athlete. I've never really played any racquet sport. My husband tried to teach me to play tennis several years ago but I think we tried that in the early spring and I am most definitely of the belief that winter is only good for staying inside where it's warm. Tennis quickly fell by the wayside.

So I don't have much of baseline knowledge to work with here. I found the brief section about the rules confusing. I think they'll make more sense once I'm actually on a court. The history of the birth of the game was cute, with interviews with a couple of the people whose dads invented it. The rest was a little off-putting, to be honest. Are people truly this obsessed with pickleball? There's a section of inspirational quotes where the word pickleball has been inserted where life originally was. There's a section about cocktails with pickles. There's a section about trash talking. It's all a bit much and doesn't leave me excited to try my hand at the game.

The illustrations by Jackie Besteman are cute and I suspect that true pickleballers will find it to be a fun little gift book to browse through but beginners should hope for a different option at their libraries.
]]> Run: Book One 57600413 First you march, then you run. From the #1 bestselling, award–winning team behind March comes the first book in their new, groundbreaking graphic novel series, Run: Book One

“In sharing my story, it is my hope that a new generation will be inspired by Run to actively participate in the democratic process and help build a more perfect Union here in America.� –Congressman John Lewis

The sequel to the #1 New York Times bestselling graphic novel series March—the continuation of the life story of John Lewis and the struggles seen across the United States after the Selma voting rights campaign.

To John Lewis, the civil rights movement came to an end with the signing of the Voting Rights Act in 1965. But that was after more than five years as one of the preeminent figures of the movement, leading sit–in protests and fighting segregation on interstate busways as an original Freedom Rider. It was after becoming chairman of SNCC (the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee) and being the youngest speaker at the March on Washington. It was after helping organize the Mississippi Freedom Summer and the ensuing delegate challenge at the 1964 Democratic National Convention. And after coleading the march from Selma to Montgomery on what became known as “Bloody Sunday.� All too often, the depiction of history ends with a great victory. But John Lewis knew that victories are just the beginning. In Run: Book One, John Lewis and longtime collaborator Andrew Aydin reteam with Nate Powell—the award–winning illustrator of the March trilogy—and are joined by L. Fury—making an astonishing graphic novel debut—to tell this often overlooked chapter of civil rights history.]]> 152 John Lewis 141973069X JG (Introverted Reader) 4 March to Run. The Voting Rights Act and the Civil Rights Act were finally passed at the end of March: Book Three but that doesn't mean that the struggle is over.

The book feels a little chaotic to me but it's about a chaotic time and alliances and boundaries are constantly shifting. The Civil Rights Movement has gotten some much-needed laws passed but getting them enforced is proving almost impossible. Some people have moved onto the next logical step--running for office. They encounter variations of the same racist obstacles and road blocks that they've been fighting for so long.

I keep writing more but this review keeps turning into a summary so I'm going to stop here. Many of us probably believe that once those two acts passed, everything was magically better. I recommend this book to show readers that in some ways, the real fight was just beginning.]]> 4.30 2021 Run: Book One
author: John Lewis
name: JG (Introverted Reader)
average rating: 4.30
book published: 2021
rating: 4
read at: 2025/01/06
date added: 2025/02/18
shelves: graphic_novels, biography_memoir, history, politics, social_justice, nonfiction, 4_stars, read_in_2025, southern_lit, z_author_american, z_setting_us, reviewed, challenge_southern_lit_7, challenge_nonfiction_12, challenge_covers
review:
There's a lot going on here as John Lewis transitions his life story from March to Run. The Voting Rights Act and the Civil Rights Act were finally passed at the end of March: Book Three but that doesn't mean that the struggle is over.

The book feels a little chaotic to me but it's about a chaotic time and alliances and boundaries are constantly shifting. The Civil Rights Movement has gotten some much-needed laws passed but getting them enforced is proving almost impossible. Some people have moved onto the next logical step--running for office. They encounter variations of the same racist obstacles and road blocks that they've been fighting for so long.

I keep writing more but this review keeps turning into a summary so I'm going to stop here. Many of us probably believe that once those two acts passed, everything was magically better. I recommend this book to show readers that in some ways, the real fight was just beginning.
]]> <![CDATA[Pleased to Meet Me: Genes, Germs, and the Curious Forces That Make Us Who We Are]]> 46121773 Why are you attracted to a certain "type?" Why are you a morning person? Why do you vote the way you do? From a witty new voice in popular science comes a clever, life-changing look at what makes you you.

"I can't believe I just said that." "What possessed me to do that?" "What's wrong with me?" We're constantly seeking answers to these fundamental human questions, and now, science has the answers. The foods we enjoy, the people we love, the emotions we feel, and the beliefs we hold can all be traced back to our DNA, germs, and environment. This witty, colloquial book is popular science at its best, describing in everyday language how genetics, epigenetics, microbiology, and psychology work together to influence our personality and actions. Mixing cutting-edge research and relatable humor, Pleased to Meet Me is filled with fascinating insights that shine a light on who we really are--and how we might become our best selves.]]> 336 Bill Sullivan 1426220561 JG (Introverted Reader) 4 4.06 2019 Pleased to Meet Me: Genes, Germs, and the Curious Forces That Make Us Who We Are
author: Bill Sullivan
name: JG (Introverted Reader)
average rating: 4.06
book published: 2019
rating: 4
read at: 2025/01/24
date added: 2025/02/18
shelves: nonfiction, science, z_author_american, kindle, read_in_2025, to_review, 4_stars, humor, challenge_nonfiction_12, challenge_covers
review:

]]> The Songs of the Kings 114455
Throwing off the heroic values we expect of them, Barry Unsworth's mythic characters embrace the political ethos of the twenty-first century and speak in words we recognize as our own. The blowhard Odysseus warns the men to not "marginalize" Agamemnon and to "strike while the bronze is hot." High-sounding principles clash with private motives, and dark comedy ensues. Here is a novel that stands the world on its head.]]> 352 Barry Unsworth 0393322831 JG (Introverted Reader) 0 3.76 2002 The Songs of the Kings
author: Barry Unsworth
name: JG (Introverted Reader)
average rating: 3.76
book published: 2002
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/17
shelves: to-read, fiction, historical_fiction, mythology, to_find, physical_library_sd
review:

]]> Seeing a Large Cat 7986309 0 Elizabeth Peters 0446571199 JG (Introverted Reader) 4
One of the characters I loved comes to us through a small sub-plot that felt unnecessary though. The only point I could see was to provide a bit of whimsy appropriate to the time period and to bring this character to the cast. I feel sure we'll see more of her in future instalments.

With this sub-plot, it did feel like there was a bit too much going on, though Amelia handles it all capably, as she always does, and it wasn't confusing. It was just a bit...much.

The younger generation of Ramses, Nefret, and David get a chance to share their own side of the story for the first time here. I really liked seeing what they were up to through their own eyes. The plot construct that introduced their narrative was a bit clumsy to me but I overlooked it.

Amelia is always far ahead of her time in her insistence on being treated as an equal partner to Emerson, but I really liked this zinger she came out with when speaking of a new acquaintance: "I do not doubt he has a low opinion of women too. Gallantry is often a cloak for contempt."

I've liked some books in this series more than others but I consistently recommend it. I love the characters and the setting and there's really not anything more that I ask from my light reading.]]> 3.88 1997 Seeing a Large Cat
author: Elizabeth Peters
name: JG (Introverted Reader)
average rating: 3.88
book published: 1997
rating: 4
read at: 2025/01/06
date added: 2025/02/17
shelves: fiction, historical_fiction, historical_mystery, humor, z_author_american, z_setting_egypt, mystery, kindle, read_in_2025, 4_stars, reviewed, challenge_covers, challenge_cozies_7
review:
The ninth entry in the Amelia Peabody series is another solid mystery with the usual delightful characters against the backdrop of Egyptian archaeology in its most famous heyday. The author introduced some memorable new characters who I either appropriately loved or loathed, as intended.

One of the characters I loved comes to us through a small sub-plot that felt unnecessary though. The only point I could see was to provide a bit of whimsy appropriate to the time period and to bring this character to the cast. I feel sure we'll see more of her in future instalments.

With this sub-plot, it did feel like there was a bit too much going on, though Amelia handles it all capably, as she always does, and it wasn't confusing. It was just a bit...much.

The younger generation of Ramses, Nefret, and David get a chance to share their own side of the story for the first time here. I really liked seeing what they were up to through their own eyes. The plot construct that introduced their narrative was a bit clumsy to me but I overlooked it.

Amelia is always far ahead of her time in her insistence on being treated as an equal partner to Emerson, but I really liked this zinger she came out with when speaking of a new acquaintance: "I do not doubt he has a low opinion of women too. Gallantry is often a cloak for contempt."

I've liked some books in this series more than others but I consistently recommend it. I love the characters and the setting and there's really not anything more that I ask from my light reading.
]]> <![CDATA[The Men Who United the States: America's Explorers, Inventors, Eccentrics and Mavericks, and the Creation of One Nation, Indivisible]]> 17349092 The acclaimed New York Times bestselling author of Atlantic delivers his first book about America: a fascinating look at the men whose efforts and achievements helped unify the States and create one cohesive nation

"History is rarely as charming and entertaining as when it's told by Simon Winchester."-New York Times Book Review

For more than two centuries, E pluribus unum-Out of many, one-has been featured on America's official government seals and stamped on its currency. But how did America become "one nation, indivisible"? What unified a growing number of disparate states into the modern country we recognize today? In this monumental history, Simon Winchester addresses these questions, bringing together the breathtaking achievements that helped forge and unify America and the pioneers who have toiled fearlessly to discover, connect, and bond the citizens and geography of the U.S.A. from its beginnings.

Winchester follows in the footsteps of America's most essential explorers, thinkers, and innovators, including Lewis and Clark and their Corps of Discovery Expedition to the Pacific Coast, the builders of the first transcontinental telegraph, and the powerful civil engineer behind the Interstate Highway System. He treks vast swaths of territory, from Pittsburgh to Portland; Rochester to San Francisco; Truckee to Laramie; Seattle to Anchorage, introducing these fascinating men and others-some familiar, some forgotten, some hardly known-who played a pivotal role in creating today's United States. Throughout, he ponders whether the historic work of uniting the States has succeeded, and to what degree.

Featuring 32 illustrations throughout the text, The Men Who United the States is a fresh, lively, and erudite look at the way in which the most powerful nation on earth came together, from one of our most entertaining, probing, and insightful observers.]]> 496 Simon Winchester 0062079603 JG (Introverted Reader) 0 3.83 2013 The Men Who United the States: America's Explorers, Inventors, Eccentrics and Mavericks, and the Creation of One Nation, Indivisible
author: Simon Winchester
name: JG (Introverted Reader)
average rating: 3.83
book published: 2013
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/15
shelves: to-read, nonfiction, history, overdrive_pdx, overdrive_sd, overdrive_chs, overdrive_ny, overdrive_cda, z_setting_us
review:

]]> The Kamogawa Food Detectives 227833842 The Kamogawa Food Detectives is the first book in the bestselling, mouth-watering Japanese series, for fans of Before the Coffee Gets Cold.

What’s the one dish you’d do anything to taste just one more time?

Down a quiet backstreet in Kyoto exists a very special restaurant. Run by Koishi Kamogawa and her father Nagare, the Kamogawa Diner serves up deliciously extravagant meals. But that's not the main reason customers stop by . . .

The father-daughter duo are 'food detectives'. Through ingenious investigations, they are able to recreate dishes from a person’s treasured memories � dishes that may well hold the keys to their forgotten past and future happiness. The restaurant of lost recipes provides a link to vanished moments, creating a present full of possibility.

A bestseller in Japan, The Kamogawa Food Detectives is a celebration of good company and the power of a delicious meal.]]> Hisashi Kashiwai 0593863860 JG (Introverted Reader) 3
It's a cozy, gentle read with lots of descriptions of Japanese food (and even one Italian dish) that probably leave real foodies drooling. That's not me so I missed a lot of the appeal of the book.

The format felt a bit thin to me. It was heavy on telling and light on showing. In every chapter, a customer walks in, eats some surprisingly good food, and asks the detectives to find a dish with a strong memory attached. There's a lot of description of the memory and the dish. The customer leaves and trips over the cat (Seriously. I don't know what was up with that cat). There's a chapter break and then Mr. Kamogawa tells the customer how he found the dish as he serves it up. I would have preferred to tag along, so to speak, as he traveled around the country doing his research.

I enjoyed Hanako Footman's narration. She has a melodious voice that fit the feel of the narrative well.

I did start thinking about what dishes I would ask a food detective to unearth for me and I had a good time reliving some fond memories and excellent dishes. It really is amazing how strongly food, memories, family, and friends are tied together.

If you're a foodie in search of a relaxing read, this would be a good choice for you. I won't continue reading further in the series though.]]> 4.25 2013 The Kamogawa Food Detectives
author: Hisashi Kashiwai
name: JG (Introverted Reader)
average rating: 4.25
book published: 2013
rating: 3
read at: 2025/02/09
date added: 2025/02/15
shelves: audio, fiction, read_in_2025, 3_stars, challenge_translation_4, contemporary_fiction, cozy_mystery, feel_good, mystery, narrators_i_like, translations, z_author_japanese, z_setting_japan, reviewed
review:
I'm not a foodie but my husband is so I thought he would like this book as a road trip listen.

It's a cozy, gentle read with lots of descriptions of Japanese food (and even one Italian dish) that probably leave real foodies drooling. That's not me so I missed a lot of the appeal of the book.

The format felt a bit thin to me. It was heavy on telling and light on showing. In every chapter, a customer walks in, eats some surprisingly good food, and asks the detectives to find a dish with a strong memory attached. There's a lot of description of the memory and the dish. The customer leaves and trips over the cat (Seriously. I don't know what was up with that cat). There's a chapter break and then Mr. Kamogawa tells the customer how he found the dish as he serves it up. I would have preferred to tag along, so to speak, as he traveled around the country doing his research.

I enjoyed Hanako Footman's narration. She has a melodious voice that fit the feel of the narrative well.

I did start thinking about what dishes I would ask a food detective to unearth for me and I had a good time reliving some fond memories and excellent dishes. It really is amazing how strongly food, memories, family, and friends are tied together.

If you're a foodie in search of a relaxing read, this would be a good choice for you. I won't continue reading further in the series though.
]]> <![CDATA[Doomsday Book (Oxford Time Travel, #1)]]> 181507721
But a crisis strangely linking past and future strands Kivrin in a bygone age as her fellows try desperately to rescue her. In a time of superstition and fear, Kivrin—barely of age herself—finds she has become an unlikely angel of hope during one of history’s darkest hours.]]> 593 Connie Willis JG (Introverted Reader) 3
I liked this book but didn't love it.

There is an element of found family throughout all aspects of the book and I always like stories with that trope. But I tend to struggle a bit with multiple timelines. At least this one took place over the span of a few weeks so I could easily remember when I was, but I always strongly prefer one plot over another. I sort of slog through one in little more than an effort to get to the parts I like. This was no different, but I was surprised that I preferred the story set in the book's present.

It took quite a while for things to get going, and when they did, Kivrin's experience in the past was so grim. I have to say that it brought a very dark period in human history to life for me in a way that other books set in a similar time haven't. It's one thing to read about humanity-defining events in a textbook but I felt like I lived through this. Hats off to Ms. Willis for that but I felt traumatized.

I had to keep rechecking the copyright date of the book (1992) because there's a localized disease outbreak in the book's present and the author's descriptions of what happened were prescient. Everyone is unaccountably worried about toilet paper supplies. People who don't understand science in the least are behaving as if they have PhDs. Protestors are protesting the most random things. Conspiracy theories are flying. Officials who don't know anything about anything are making life harder for everyone. Visiting Americans are screaming about their civil liberties being violated (I'm American so I can agree with this). It all sounded so very much like what happened in the real pandemic that I just couldn't convince myself that the book was published almost thirty years earlier. I frequently say that people are people, no matter where you go, but I guess the same is true no matter when you are too.

The Doomsday Book won all kinds of awards when it was published, so I'm obviously in the minority. If you generally like both parts of a dual-timeline book equally and like a slow pace more than I do, I think you'll like it. I'll read more of Connie Willis's books (I love her collection, A Lot Like Christmas), but I don't plan to continue with this series. ]]> 4.24 1992 Doomsday Book (Oxford Time Travel, #1)
author: Connie Willis
name: JG (Introverted Reader)
average rating: 4.24
book published: 1992
rating: 3
read at: 2025/02/13
date added: 2025/02/15
shelves: fiction, science_fiction, z_author_american, historical_fiction, kindle, multi_timeline, z_setting_uk, read_in_2025, award_winners, 3plus_stars, to_blog, reviewed
review:
3.5 Stars.

I liked this book but didn't love it.

There is an element of found family throughout all aspects of the book and I always like stories with that trope. But I tend to struggle a bit with multiple timelines. At least this one took place over the span of a few weeks so I could easily remember when I was, but I always strongly prefer one plot over another. I sort of slog through one in little more than an effort to get to the parts I like. This was no different, but I was surprised that I preferred the story set in the book's present.

It took quite a while for things to get going, and when they did, Kivrin's experience in the past was so grim. I have to say that it brought a very dark period in human history to life for me in a way that other books set in a similar time haven't. It's one thing to read about humanity-defining events in a textbook but I felt like I lived through this. Hats off to Ms. Willis for that but I felt traumatized.

I had to keep rechecking the copyright date of the book (1992) because there's a localized disease outbreak in the book's present and the author's descriptions of what happened were prescient. Everyone is unaccountably worried about toilet paper supplies. People who don't understand science in the least are behaving as if they have PhDs. Protestors are protesting the most random things. Conspiracy theories are flying. Officials who don't know anything about anything are making life harder for everyone. Visiting Americans are screaming about their civil liberties being violated (I'm American so I can agree with this). It all sounded so very much like what happened in the real pandemic that I just couldn't convince myself that the book was published almost thirty years earlier. I frequently say that people are people, no matter where you go, but I guess the same is true no matter when you are too.

The Doomsday Book won all kinds of awards when it was published, so I'm obviously in the minority. If you generally like both parts of a dual-timeline book equally and like a slow pace more than I do, I think you'll like it. I'll read more of Connie Willis's books (I love her collection, A Lot Like Christmas), but I don't plan to continue with this series.
]]> <![CDATA[Another Year of Wonder: Classical Music for Every Day]]> 60571408 Year of Wonder, award-winning broadcaster, journalist and violinist Clemency Burton-Hill continues her mission to demystify and open up the world of classical music to everyone, offering up one extraordinary piece of music to listen to every day of the year.]]> 464 Clemency Burton-Hill 1472259386 JG (Introverted Reader) 0 4.60 Another Year of Wonder: Classical Music for Every Day
author: Clemency Burton-Hill
name: JG (Introverted Reader)
average rating: 4.60
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/12
shelves: own, nonfiction, history, biography_memoir, currently-reading
review:

]]> A Promised Land 55361205
In the stirring, highly anticipated first volume of his presidential memoirs, Barack Obama tells the story of his improbable odyssey from young man searching for his identity to leader of the free world, describing in strikingly personal detail both his political education and the landmark moments of the first term of his historic presidency—a time of dramatic transformation and turmoil.

Obama takes readers on a compelling journey from his earliest political aspirations to the pivotal Iowa caucus victory that demonstrated the power of grassroots activism to the watershed night of November 4, 2008, when he was elected 44th president of the United States, becoming the first African American to hold the nation’s highest office.

Reflecting on the presidency, he offers a unique and thoughtful exploration of both the awesome reach and the limits of presidential power, as well as singular insights into the dynamics of U.S. partisan politics and international diplomacy. Obama brings readers inside the Oval Office and the White House Situation Room, and to Moscow, Cairo, Beijing, and points beyond. We are privy to his thoughts as he assembles his cabinet, wrestles with a global financial crisis, takes the measure of Vladimir Putin, overcomes seemingly insurmountable odds to secure passage of the Affordable Care Act, clashes with generals about U.S. strategy in Afghanistan, tackles Wall Street reform, responds to the devastating Deepwater Horizon blowout, and authorizes Operation Neptune’s Spear, which leads to the death of Osama bin Laden.

A Promised Land is extraordinarily intimate and introspective—the story of one man’s bet with history, the faith of a community organizer tested on the world stage. Obama is candid about the balancing act of running for office as a Black American, bearing the expectations of a generation buoyed by messages of “hope and change,� and meeting the moral challenges of high-stakes decision-making. He is frank about the forces that opposed him at home and abroad, open about how living in the White House affected his wife and daughters, and unafraid to reveal self-doubt and disappointment. Yet he never wavers from his belief that inside the great, ongoing American experiment, progress is always possible.

This beautifully written and powerful book captures Barack Obama’s conviction that democracy is not a gift from on high but something founded on empathy and common understanding and built together, day by day.]]> 768 Barack Obama 1524763187 JG (Introverted Reader) 4
I miss Obama in the White House, I really do. Reading his thoughts and decision-making processes, his deliberations, his efforts to reflect many voices from many backgrounds in his policies–I just miss that stability, inclusiveness, and thoughtfulness.

That said, I’ll start with my one complaint. At 703 pages (751 with the index), the book is entirely too long. Seriously. Just cutting descriptions of all the people with smaller roles to play would have significantly trimmed the page count. Beginning with his presidential campaign rather than his first campaign for the Illinois Senate in 1996 would have helped as well. I realize the earlier campaigns helped shape his later platform but in a book of this size, that part felt expendable.

That said, seeing recent world events from a seat of such power as described by a man of such intelligence was fascinating. The book doesn’t have a very linear timeline because Obama takes care to present the history and facts of each incident, all the options he weighed, and the reason for his ultimate decision. It left me wishing that all the noisy analysts and “commentators� on the news would just sit back and let decision makers share this kind of thinking all the time. I realize that this format only gives Obama’s viewpoint but I was able to follow and evaluate his arguments myself. I would welcome one person on the opposing side sharing their thoughts as well. No grandstanding for ratings or polls, just the facts. Oh well. As long as politicians and other public personalities can gain money and/or power with ridiculous sound bites, that will remain a dream.

Obama tried to be fair and own his mistakes. If he messed up, he said so. If he mentioned tactics that Republicans used that he disliked, he typically pointed out that Democrats use the same tactics when it suits them.

That said, it was refreshing to get his fairly blunt thoughts on a lot of people and events. I howled when he writes that he asked Rahm Emanuel during the Deepwater Horizon spill “What does [James Carville] think I’m supposed to do? […] Put on my fucking Aquaman gear and swim down there myself with a wrench?� He gently pokes fun at Putin’s uber-masculine image. (Remember the shirtless horseback riding photo?) He’s upfront that he thinks the Bush administration left the country in disarray although he also gives them credit for anything he feels they did correctly. He makes it clear that he feels the entire Republican platform is simply to stand in the way of any legislation Democrats want to pass, with no real thoughts of their own about how to address issues of national importance. I was surprised by the candor after watching Obama carefully weigh his words for so long as President.

I’ll wrap this up before my review gets as long as the book.

You already know if you’re drawn to A Promised Land or not. We don’t all share the same political viewpoints and that’s okay; a healthy democracy has room for all rational voices. I do highly recommend it to interested readers. I have a greater appreciation for all that Obama handled and a deeper understanding of his decisions. Buy it instead of checking it out from the library if you can afford that option though. I wish I had been able to take my time and savor Obama’s thoughts and actions without feeling the library deadline looming over me.]]> 4.32 2020 A Promised Land
author: Barack Obama
name: JG (Introverted Reader)
average rating: 4.32
book published: 2020
rating: 4
read at: 2020/12/16
date added: 2025/02/12
shelves: kindle, nonfiction, z_read_in_2020, 4_stars, biography_memoir, history, politics, social_justice, z_author_american, z_setting_us, reviewed
review:
Barack Obama reflects on his entry into politics, his Presidential campaign, and the first two years of his presidency.

I miss Obama in the White House, I really do. Reading his thoughts and decision-making processes, his deliberations, his efforts to reflect many voices from many backgrounds in his policies–I just miss that stability, inclusiveness, and thoughtfulness.

That said, I’ll start with my one complaint. At 703 pages (751 with the index), the book is entirely too long. Seriously. Just cutting descriptions of all the people with smaller roles to play would have significantly trimmed the page count. Beginning with his presidential campaign rather than his first campaign for the Illinois Senate in 1996 would have helped as well. I realize the earlier campaigns helped shape his later platform but in a book of this size, that part felt expendable.

That said, seeing recent world events from a seat of such power as described by a man of such intelligence was fascinating. The book doesn’t have a very linear timeline because Obama takes care to present the history and facts of each incident, all the options he weighed, and the reason for his ultimate decision. It left me wishing that all the noisy analysts and “commentators� on the news would just sit back and let decision makers share this kind of thinking all the time. I realize that this format only gives Obama’s viewpoint but I was able to follow and evaluate his arguments myself. I would welcome one person on the opposing side sharing their thoughts as well. No grandstanding for ratings or polls, just the facts. Oh well. As long as politicians and other public personalities can gain money and/or power with ridiculous sound bites, that will remain a dream.

Obama tried to be fair and own his mistakes. If he messed up, he said so. If he mentioned tactics that Republicans used that he disliked, he typically pointed out that Democrats use the same tactics when it suits them.

That said, it was refreshing to get his fairly blunt thoughts on a lot of people and events. I howled when he writes that he asked Rahm Emanuel during the Deepwater Horizon spill “What does [James Carville] think I’m supposed to do? […] Put on my fucking Aquaman gear and swim down there myself with a wrench?� He gently pokes fun at Putin’s uber-masculine image. (Remember the shirtless horseback riding photo?) He’s upfront that he thinks the Bush administration left the country in disarray although he also gives them credit for anything he feels they did correctly. He makes it clear that he feels the entire Republican platform is simply to stand in the way of any legislation Democrats want to pass, with no real thoughts of their own about how to address issues of national importance. I was surprised by the candor after watching Obama carefully weigh his words for so long as President.

I’ll wrap this up before my review gets as long as the book.

You already know if you’re drawn to A Promised Land or not. We don’t all share the same political viewpoints and that’s okay; a healthy democracy has room for all rational voices. I do highly recommend it to interested readers. I have a greater appreciation for all that Obama handled and a deeper understanding of his decisions. Buy it instead of checking it out from the library if you can afford that option though. I wish I had been able to take my time and savor Obama’s thoughts and actions without feeling the library deadline looming over me.
]]> <![CDATA[The Unidentified: Mythical Monsters, Alien Encounters, and Our Obsession with the Unexplained]]> 51216215 America's favorite cultural historian and author of Ghostland takes a tour of the country's most persistent "unexplained" phenomena

In a world where rational, scientific explanations are more available than ever, belief in the unprovable and irrational--in fringe--is on the from Atlantis to aliens, from Flat Earth to the Loch Ness monster, the list goes on. It seems the more our maps of the known world get filled in, the more we crave mysterious locations full of strange creatures.

Enter Colin Dickey, Cultural Historian and Tour Guide of the Weird. With the same curiosity and insight that made Ghostland a hit with readers and critics, Colin looks at what all fringe beliefs have in common, explaining that today's Illuminati is yesterday's Flat the attempt to find meaning in a world stripped of wonder. Dickey visits the wacky sites of America's wildest fringe beliefs--from the famed Mount Shasta where the ancient race (or extra-terrestrials, or possibly both, depending on who you ask) called Lemurians are said to roam, to the museum containing the last remaining "evidence" of the great Kentucky Meat Shower--investigating how these theories come about, why they take hold, and why as Americans we keep inventing and re-inventing them decade after decade. The Unidentified is Colin Dickey at his curious, wry, brilliant in his analysis, yet eminently readable.]]> 320 Colin Dickey 0525557571 JG (Introverted Reader) 4
I’m not quite sure what I expected when I downloaded this book from the library but it’s not exactly what I got. Not that I’m complaining; this book is absorbing. My review keeps turning into a book report because I want to discuss so many of the ideas I just read!

I knew this was nonfiction about the worlds of cryptozoology, alien encounters and other unexplained phenomena. I think I expected it to be more of a collection of those encounters. Instead, the author delivered a few such stories followed by the well-researched history of the surrounding beliefs, that particular time in history, pertinent mini-biographies, and the ways that believers internalize and protect these modern myths.

The author began with an explanation that science and religion co-existed well enough (with some periods of upheaval) until sometime in the 1800s. Citizen scientists were able to observe the world and make important discoveries. Science was fairly accessible to anyone who was interested. But as equipment got more expensive and the body of scientific knowledge grew infinitely larger and more esoteric, science became the purview of universities and well-funded labs. And these institutions effectively shut out the laypeople. Since so many scientific discoveries happened behind closed doors, a new kind of belief system started to take shape.

“The history of the world has been filled with cranks, but a certain breed of crank began to emerge in the nineteenth century, one who borrowed from science when convenient and rejected it when it wasn’t.�

And these “cranks� began to put forth their own wild amalgamations of scientific theory and imagination.

For example, in the late 1800s, spiritualism had a widespread following. Concurrently, a theory arose in the scientific community that there was a lost continent, Lemuria, that sank beneath the Indian Ocean. Eventually, popular culture conflated the two. Stories of surviving Lemurians living in tunnels underneath Mount Shasta in northern California and spreading spiritual enlightenment to believers began to spread. (Incidentally, am I the only person who’s never heard of them?) Dickey details the ways the two beliefs worked together to shape this legend and provides details about the people who had the largest influence on the Lemurian legends. It’s all pretty fascinating. Of course the scientific community eventually rejected/disproved the theory of a lost continent of Lemuria as theories of continental drift and natural selection gained traction but that didn’t matter to true believers.

Perhaps one of the most interesting aspects of the book is Dickey’s explanation for the persistence of so many of these fringe beliefs in the face of so much evidence that completely contradicts it.

“Why does proselytizing sometimes increase, rather than decrease, when a group is presented with unequivocal disconfirmation of their beliefs? Why does a believer in any kind of stigmatized knowledge, when presented with unequivocal evidence to the contrary, reentrench those beliefs further? Festinger, Riecken, and Schachter argue that once you’ve irrevocably begun down a path, it becomes increasingly harder to admit you’re wrong, and you’ll increasingly distort the facts and adopt ever more fantastical ideas rather than change course.�

I found these arguments intriguing given today’s political climate. So many of us want to believe fake news that reinforces our own preconceptions, even in the face of mountains of evidence to the contrary.

“Trying to disprove any of these beliefs—or really, any conspiracy—is frustrating and foolhardy. A scientific fact will quickly be refuted by a flurry of data, often from a wide range of sources; topics will change, and if you debunk one belief, another will quickly be brought up. Soon enough, it becomes apparent that what matters is not what this person believes but that the person believes: the belief itself is the badge, the identity, and the details of it are of minor consequence. These beliefs seem to satisfy the believers in some deep and pleasing way, and that pleasure is more important than their truth or falsity.�

And that may be the aspect of the book that surprised me the most. In my mind, we can broaden studies of people who believe in these fringe sort of paranormal stories, for lack of a better umbrella term, to include believers in conspiracy theories of all types. So I found myself reading about Bigfoot and suddenly highlighting passages that seemed to describe my rabid politically-entrenched Facebook friends. I didn’t expect that, to say the least.

Mr. Dickey disproves and dismisses many popular legends throughout the book but he circles back around in the end to point out that genuinely inexplicable events do happen. For instance, an upstanding woman reported a “meat shower� in Kentucky in the late nineteenth century and a respected town official corroborated her account. No one’s theories, then or now, fit the facts. And society, even those looking for exactly this kind of think, has largely forgotten this occurrence. Why is that? When we’re collectively searching so hard for incidents that put a little magic back into our rational world, why do we discard the truly inexplicable? The author doesn’t profess to know the answer to that question.

This combination of modern mythology, history, biography, and science provides an interesting look into popular fringe beliefs. I recommend this for those with a taste for both the unexplained and real history. It’s a fascinating cultural study that explores many nooks and crannies of history of which I was unaware.]]> 3.64 2020 The Unidentified: Mythical Monsters, Alien Encounters, and Our Obsession with the Unexplained
author: Colin Dickey
name: JG (Introverted Reader)
average rating: 3.64
book published: 2020
rating: 4
read at: 2020/10/11
date added: 2025/02/12
shelves: kindle, nonfiction, z_read_in_2020, 4_stars, covers_i_like, history, science, z_author_american, z_setting_us, z_setting_uk, z_setting_nepal, reviewed
review:
The Unidentified presents popular modern legends and inexplicable events and then provides the historical and scientific context that helped create each myth. The book becomes an exploration of humanity’s fascination with unsolvable mysteries and our need to know that there is something more in the world than science would have us believe.

I’m not quite sure what I expected when I downloaded this book from the library but it’s not exactly what I got. Not that I’m complaining; this book is absorbing. My review keeps turning into a book report because I want to discuss so many of the ideas I just read!

I knew this was nonfiction about the worlds of cryptozoology, alien encounters and other unexplained phenomena. I think I expected it to be more of a collection of those encounters. Instead, the author delivered a few such stories followed by the well-researched history of the surrounding beliefs, that particular time in history, pertinent mini-biographies, and the ways that believers internalize and protect these modern myths.

The author began with an explanation that science and religion co-existed well enough (with some periods of upheaval) until sometime in the 1800s. Citizen scientists were able to observe the world and make important discoveries. Science was fairly accessible to anyone who was interested. But as equipment got more expensive and the body of scientific knowledge grew infinitely larger and more esoteric, science became the purview of universities and well-funded labs. And these institutions effectively shut out the laypeople. Since so many scientific discoveries happened behind closed doors, a new kind of belief system started to take shape.

“The history of the world has been filled with cranks, but a certain breed of crank began to emerge in the nineteenth century, one who borrowed from science when convenient and rejected it when it wasn’t.�

And these “cranks� began to put forth their own wild amalgamations of scientific theory and imagination.

For example, in the late 1800s, spiritualism had a widespread following. Concurrently, a theory arose in the scientific community that there was a lost continent, Lemuria, that sank beneath the Indian Ocean. Eventually, popular culture conflated the two. Stories of surviving Lemurians living in tunnels underneath Mount Shasta in northern California and spreading spiritual enlightenment to believers began to spread. (Incidentally, am I the only person who’s never heard of them?) Dickey details the ways the two beliefs worked together to shape this legend and provides details about the people who had the largest influence on the Lemurian legends. It’s all pretty fascinating. Of course the scientific community eventually rejected/disproved the theory of a lost continent of Lemuria as theories of continental drift and natural selection gained traction but that didn’t matter to true believers.

Perhaps one of the most interesting aspects of the book is Dickey’s explanation for the persistence of so many of these fringe beliefs in the face of so much evidence that completely contradicts it.

“Why does proselytizing sometimes increase, rather than decrease, when a group is presented with unequivocal disconfirmation of their beliefs? Why does a believer in any kind of stigmatized knowledge, when presented with unequivocal evidence to the contrary, reentrench those beliefs further? Festinger, Riecken, and Schachter argue that once you’ve irrevocably begun down a path, it becomes increasingly harder to admit you’re wrong, and you’ll increasingly distort the facts and adopt ever more fantastical ideas rather than change course.�

I found these arguments intriguing given today’s political climate. So many of us want to believe fake news that reinforces our own preconceptions, even in the face of mountains of evidence to the contrary.

“Trying to disprove any of these beliefs—or really, any conspiracy—is frustrating and foolhardy. A scientific fact will quickly be refuted by a flurry of data, often from a wide range of sources; topics will change, and if you debunk one belief, another will quickly be brought up. Soon enough, it becomes apparent that what matters is not what this person believes but that the person believes: the belief itself is the badge, the identity, and the details of it are of minor consequence. These beliefs seem to satisfy the believers in some deep and pleasing way, and that pleasure is more important than their truth or falsity.�

And that may be the aspect of the book that surprised me the most. In my mind, we can broaden studies of people who believe in these fringe sort of paranormal stories, for lack of a better umbrella term, to include believers in conspiracy theories of all types. So I found myself reading about Bigfoot and suddenly highlighting passages that seemed to describe my rabid politically-entrenched Facebook friends. I didn’t expect that, to say the least.

Mr. Dickey disproves and dismisses many popular legends throughout the book but he circles back around in the end to point out that genuinely inexplicable events do happen. For instance, an upstanding woman reported a “meat shower� in Kentucky in the late nineteenth century and a respected town official corroborated her account. No one’s theories, then or now, fit the facts. And society, even those looking for exactly this kind of think, has largely forgotten this occurrence. Why is that? When we’re collectively searching so hard for incidents that put a little magic back into our rational world, why do we discard the truly inexplicable? The author doesn’t profess to know the answer to that question.

This combination of modern mythology, history, biography, and science provides an interesting look into popular fringe beliefs. I recommend this for those with a taste for both the unexplained and real history. It’s a fascinating cultural study that explores many nooks and crannies of history of which I was unaware.
]]>