en-US Mon, 03 Mar 2025 07:08:25 -0800 60 144 41 /images/layout/goodreads_logo_144.jpg 31450874 272 Janice MacLeod 1250130123 Sherry 0 to-read 4.16 2017
author: Janice MacLeod
name: Sherry
average rating: 4.16
book published: 2017
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/03
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 30315676 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER
Wall Street Journal Bestseller
USA Today Bestseller

Hunches, horse races, and heartbreak

Ten years after Simone Payton broke his heart, all Roscoe Winston wants is a doughnut. He’d also like to forget her entirely, but that’s never going to happen. Roscoe remembers everything—every look, every word, every single unrequited second—and the last thing he needs is another memory of Simone.

Unfortunately, after one chance encounter, Simone keeps popping up everywhere he happens to be . . .

Ten years after Roscoe Winston dropped out of her life, all Simone Payton wants is to exploit him. She’d also like some answers from her former best friend about why he ghosted her, but if she never gets those answers, that’s a-okay. Simone let go of the past a long time ago. Seriously, she has. She totally, totally has. She is definitely not still thinking about Roscoe. Nope. She’s more than happy to forget he exists.

But first, she needs just one teeny-tiny favor . . .

Dr. Strange Beard is a full-length romantic comedy novel, can be read as a stand-alone, and is the fifth book in the USA TODAY bestselling Winston Brothers series.]]> 398 Penny Reid 1942874332 Sherry 4 romance
Ten years later, he’s still carrying a torch for Simone. He hasn’t moved on, emotionally speaking. He’s never had a serious girlfriend or relationship, not through the rest of high school or college. All because he has a super-duper sense of memory that plagues and haunts him—not only about Simone but everyone and everything. I wasn’t totally convinced of this part, but this is where Reid’s masterful storytelling comes into play. As the story continues to unfold, the reader is left waiting and wondering if this dude is going to get his head out of his ass. Wait for it…wait for it…he does.

All the while, Simone is a bad ass FBI agent undercover to investigate the Winston Brothers�� father, Darrell Winston, and the president of the Iron Wraiths MC, Razor Dennings. A string of serial killings have occurred over the past two years, all around the time of the Kentucky Derby—all the circumstantial evidence points to Razor, but with no hard evidence, no conviction. Enter Simone Bad-Ass FBI Payton.

Things get complicated when Darrell admits that he has cancer and needs a bone marrow transplant; Roscoe is a match. Getting Roscoe to agree to assist his abusive father is part of Simone’s mission to help solve the case.

The story is masterful in that it’s cleverly nuanced. Details that are mentioned early on in the novel get stitched and weaved into the story as it progresses. Things you think are irrelevant turn out to be monumental, mostly concerning Roscoe’s super-duper sense of memory. It all comes full circle. (So just hang in there, okay? Okay.)

The story echoes elements of Romeo and Juliette very beautifully. The plot crescendos with a confrontation among Simone, Roscoe, and Razor. (And Roscoe’s second oldest brother, Billy.) Racism is deftly layered into the complexity of the plot, too.

Complaints? Reid describes this book as a romantic comedy on the back cover book blurb. It’s not. Yeah, there are some comedic moments. Some funny one liners tossed out by Simone here and there, but the intricacies of the plot combined with the final, violent confrontation steer it in a different direction altogether. As a result, I wouldn’t classify this book as romantic comedy, but rather a romance with elements of suspense.

Having said that, however, you can trust that Simone and Roscoe get their HEA.]]> 4.07 2018
author: Penny Reid
name: Sherry
average rating: 4.07
book published: 2018
rating: 4
read at: 2025/02/23
date added: 2025/02/25
shelves: romance
review:
What to say about this book? I’m a huge Penny Reid fan (who isn’t, right?). I’d read her grocery list. Seriously. She is a masterful writer. And that really shines here. On the surface, this is a story of Roscoe, the youngest Winston brother, and Simone Payton. Throughout their childhood, Simone and Roscoe were best friends until high school. Roscoe goes out on a limb and confesses that his feelings run deeper than just friendship. Simone rejects him. (He also confesses this while they are both drunk after a HS party, so his timing is awful.) As a result, Roscoe ends the friendship. Distances himself. Zero contact and avoidance become his coping strategy.

Ten years later, he’s still carrying a torch for Simone. He hasn’t moved on, emotionally speaking. He’s never had a serious girlfriend or relationship, not through the rest of high school or college. All because he has a super-duper sense of memory that plagues and haunts him—not only about Simone but everyone and everything. I wasn’t totally convinced of this part, but this is where Reid’s masterful storytelling comes into play. As the story continues to unfold, the reader is left waiting and wondering if this dude is going to get his head out of his ass. Wait for it…wait for it…he does.

All the while, Simone is a bad ass FBI agent undercover to investigate the Winston Brothers�� father, Darrell Winston, and the president of the Iron Wraiths MC, Razor Dennings. A string of serial killings have occurred over the past two years, all around the time of the Kentucky Derby—all the circumstantial evidence points to Razor, but with no hard evidence, no conviction. Enter Simone Bad-Ass FBI Payton.

Things get complicated when Darrell admits that he has cancer and needs a bone marrow transplant; Roscoe is a match. Getting Roscoe to agree to assist his abusive father is part of Simone’s mission to help solve the case.

The story is masterful in that it’s cleverly nuanced. Details that are mentioned early on in the novel get stitched and weaved into the story as it progresses. Things you think are irrelevant turn out to be monumental, mostly concerning Roscoe’s super-duper sense of memory. It all comes full circle. (So just hang in there, okay? Okay.)

The story echoes elements of Romeo and Juliette very beautifully. The plot crescendos with a confrontation among Simone, Roscoe, and Razor. (And Roscoe’s second oldest brother, Billy.) Racism is deftly layered into the complexity of the plot, too.

Complaints? Reid describes this book as a romantic comedy on the back cover book blurb. It’s not. Yeah, there are some comedic moments. Some funny one liners tossed out by Simone here and there, but the intricacies of the plot combined with the final, violent confrontation steer it in a different direction altogether. As a result, I wouldn’t classify this book as romantic comedy, but rather a romance with elements of suspense.

Having said that, however, you can trust that Simone and Roscoe get their HEA.
]]> 213243933 A dynamic and strikingly relevant look at a feminist canon as expansive rather than definitive

A Penguin Classic

For Roxane Gay, a feminist canon is subjective and always evolving. A feminist canon represents a long history of feminist scholarship, embraces skepticism, and invites robust discussion and debate. Selected writings by ancient, historic, and more recent feminist voices include Henricus Cornelius Agrippa, Anna Julia Cooper, Kimberlé Crenshaw, Dorothy Allison, Leslie Feinberg, Eileen Myles, Mona Eltahawy, bell hooks, Sarah Ahmed, Cherrie Moraga, Audre Lorde, The Guerrilla Girls, and many more. With an introduction, headnotes, and an inspired list of multimedia recommendations, Roxane Gay presents multicultural perspectives, ecofeminism, feminism and disability, feminist labor, gender perspectives, and Black feminism. Through the Portable Feminist Reader, readers explore the state of American feminism, its successes and failures, and what feminism looks like in practice, as a complex, contradictory, personal and political, and ever-growing legacy of feminist thought.]]> 672 Roxane Gay 014311039X Sherry 0 to-read 4.67 2025
author: Roxane Gay
name: Sherry
average rating: 4.67
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/18
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 214152206 From rare book dealer and guest star of the hit show Pawn Stars, a page-turning literary adventure that introduces readers to the women writers who inspired Jane Austen—and investigates why their books have disappeared from our shelves.

Long before she was a rare book dealer, Rebecca Romney was a devoted reader of Jane Austen. She loved that Austen’s books took the lives of women seriously, explored relationships with wit and confidence, and always, allowed for the possibility of a happy ending. She read and reread them, often wishing Austen wrote just one more.

But Austen wasn’t a lone genius. She wrote at a time of great experimentation for women writers—and clues about those women, and the exceptional books they wrote, are sprinkled like breadcrumbs throughout Austen’s work. Every character in Northanger Abbey who isn’t a boor sings the praises of Ann Radcliffe. The play that causes such a stir in Mansfield Park is a real one by the playwright Elizabeth Inchbald. In fact, the phrase “pride and prejudice�� came from Frances Burney’s second novel Cecilia. The women that populated Jane Austen’s bookshelf profoundly influenced her work; Austen looked up to them, passionately discussed their books with her friends, and used an appreciation of their books as a litmus test for whether someone had good taste. So where had these women gone? Why hadn’t Romney—despite her training—ever read them? Or, in some cases, even heard of them? And why were they no longer embraced as part of the wider literary canon?

Jane Austen’s Bookshelf investigates the disappearance of Austen’s heroes—women writers who were erased from the Western canon—to reveal who they were, what they meant to Austen, and how they were forgotten. Each chapter profiles a different writer including Frances Burney, Ann Radcliffe, Charlotte Lennox, Charlotte Smith, Hannah More, Elizabeth Inchbald, Hester Lynch Thrale Piozzi, and Maria Edgeworth—and recounts Romney’s experience reading them, finding rare copies of their works, and drawing on connections between their words and Austen’s. Romney collects the once-famed works of these forgotten writers, physically recreating Austen’s bookshelf and making a convincing case for why these books should be placed back on the to-be-read pile of all book lovers today. Jane Austen’s Bookshelf will encourage you to look beyond assigned reading lists, question who decides what belongs there, and build your very own collection of favorite novels.]]> 464 Rebecca Romney 1982190248 Sherry 0 to-read 4.40 2025
author: Rebecca Romney
name: Sherry
average rating: 4.40
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/18
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 212806569 A heartrending and beautiful memoir of sudden loss and a journey to��peace, from the bestselling, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of��Horse

Many cultural and religious traditions expect those who are grieving to step away from the world. In contemporary life, we are more often met with red tape and to-do lists. This is exactly what happened to Geraldine Brooks when her partner of more than three decades, Tony Horwitz �� just sixty years old and, to her knowledge, vigorous and healthy �� collapsed and died on a Washington, D. C. sidewalk.

After spending their early years together in conflict zones as foreign correspondents, Geraldine and Tony settled down to raise two boys on Martha’s Vineyard. The life they built was one of meaningful work, good humor, and tenderness, as they spent their days writing and their evenings cooking family dinners or watching the sun set with friends at Lambert’s Cove. But all of this came to an abrupt end when, on Memorial Day 2019, Geraldine received the phone call we all dread. The demands were immediate and many. Without space to grieve, the sudden loss became a yawning gulf.

Three years later, she booked a flight to a remote island off the coast of Australia with the intention of finally giving herself the time to mourn. In a shack on a pristine, rugged coast she often went days without seeing another person. There, she pondered the varied ways��those of��other cultures grieve, such as the people of Australia's First Nations, the Balinese, and the Iranian Shiites, and what rituals of her own might help to rebuild a life around the void of Tony's death.

A spare and profoundly moving memoir that joins the classics of the genre, Memorial Days is a portrait of a larger-than-life man and a timeless love between souls��that exquisitely captures the joy, agony, and mystery of life.]]> 224 Geraldine Brooks 059365398X Sherry 0 to-read 4.34 2025
author: Geraldine Brooks
name: Sherry
average rating: 4.34
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/08
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 30315673 NEW YORK TIMES, WALL STREET JOURNAL, & USA TODAY bestselling series
Semi Finalist: ŷ������ Choice Awards, Best Romance 2017

All is fair in love and auto maintenance.

Beau Winston is the nicest, most accommodating guy in the world. Usually.

Handsome as the devil and twice as charismatic, Beau lives a charmed life as everyone’s favorite Winston Brother. But since his twin decided to leave town, and his other brother hired a stunning human-porcupine hybrid as a replacement mechanic for their auto shop, Beau Winston’s charmed life has gone to hell in a handbasket.

Shelly Sullivan is not nice and is never accommodating. Ever.
She mumbles to herself, but won’t respond when asked a question. She glares at everyone, especially babies. She won’t shake hands with or touch another person, but has no problems cuddling with a dog. And her damn parrot speaks only in curse words. Beau wants her gone. He wants her out of his auto shop, out of Tennessee, and out of his life.

The only problem is, learning why this porcupine wears her coat of spikes opens a Pandora’s box of complexity—exquisite, tempting, heartbreaking complexity—and Beau Winston soon discovers being nice and accommodating might mean losing what matters most.]]> 393 Penny Reid 1942874316 Sherry 4 romance 4.12 2017
author: Penny Reid
name: Sherry
average rating: 4.12
book published: 2017
rating: 4
read at: 2025/02/08
date added: 2025/02/08
shelves: romance
review:
The writing in this Winston Brothers book is stellar, although it takes awhile to get there. It is so well crafted. It's Beau and Shelly's story and the entire story from character arc to plot revolves around the idea that things aren't always what they seem on the surface. Beau is the affable twin to broody, grumpy Duane. Beau is the one who charms. Smooths things over. Shelly is locked in a dreadful spiral of shame and anxiety that is easily overlooked by her stunning beauty. The two make an odd pair on the surface but as the story unfolds, you realize that things aren't what they seem. This is a masterfully crafted story by Penny Reid that gradually shows you both characters depth, quirks, fears, heartache, and redemptive love. The ending gesture Beau orchastrates for Shelly is just superb.
]]> 212924045 With humor, humility, and awe, one woman attempts to restore 200 acres of farmland long gone-to-seed in the Blue Ridge Mountains, facing her own limitations while getting to know a breathtaking corner of the natural world.

When Paula Whyman first climbs a peak in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains in search of a home in the country, she has no idea how quickly her tidy backyard ecology project will become a massive endeavor. Just as quickly, she discovers how little she knows about hands-on conservation work. In Bad Naturalist, readers meander with her through orchards and meadows, forests and frog ponds, as she is beset by an influx of invasive species, rattlesnake encounters, conflicting advice from experts, and delayed plans—but none of it dampens her irrepressible passion for protecting this place. With delightful, lyrically deft storytelling, she shares her attempts to coax this beautiful piece of land back into shape. It turns out that amid the seeming chaos of nature, the mountaintop is teeming with life and hope.]]> 256 Paula Whyman 1643262173 Sherry 0 to-read 4.06
author: Paula Whyman
name: Sherry
average rating: 4.06
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/06
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 23337872 NEW YORK TIMES, WALL STREET JOURNAL, & USA TODAY bestselling series
Finalist: ŷ������ Choice Awards, Best Romance 2016

Make a deal with the devil and you might get what you want, but will it be what you need?

Jennifer Sylvester wants one thing, and that one thing is NOT to be Tennessee’s reigning Banana Cake Queen. Ever the perpetual good girl and obedient daughter, Jennifer is buckling under the weight of her social media celebrity, her mother’s ambitions, and her father’s puritanical mandates. Jennifer is officially desperate.

And desperate times call for Cletus Winston.

Cletus Winston is a puzzle wrapped in a mystery covered in conundrum sauce, and now he’s in a pickle. Despite being convinced of his own omniscience, extortion by the exalted Banana Cake Queen of Green Valley has taken him completely by surprise. So... what’s a maniacal mastermind to do?

Likely, the last thing you expect.]]> 384 Penny Reid 1942874243 Sherry 5 romance
Enter Cletus Winston, a man with a reputation for being an oddball. But Jennifer knows better, and this is her unsung superpower. She's observant. Since she is a people watcher, she knows that Cletus hides behind this persona to manipulate people to get what he wants. Some of his meddling is well intentioned. Some of it is fairly innocuous retribution for bullies. Most of it is part of his scheme to undermine his father, a member of a notorious motorcycle club, renowned for their illegal activities and abuse.

Jennifer asks for Cletus's help to get out from underneath the thumb of her domineering parents. But she doesn't just ask. She blackmails Cletus into helping her. Shenanigans ensue.

It's a great, great story. If you haven't read any of Penny Reid's stories yet, I highly recommend that you get onboard the Winston Brothers' train. It's totally worth the ride.]]> 4.36 2016
author: Penny Reid
name: Sherry
average rating: 4.36
book published: 2016
rating: 5
read at: 2025/02/04
date added: 2025/02/05
shelves: romance
review:
Holy cow! This book is great! This is Jenn and Cletus's love story. Penny Reid's Winston Brothers series is very popular and for good reason, too. They are masterfully written stories, and this installment especially so. Book Three is witty, laugh out loud spit-chortle funny. The character development is sweeping in its profundity. Jennifer Sylvester is plagued by her Banana Cake Queen title, a persona carefully crafted by her mother. Moreover, she endures her father's blatant emotional and verbal abuse. Despite working 70 - 80 hours for the family bakery, she doesn't draw a salary. At the age of 22, she is penniless, entrapped, and desperate for a way out.

Enter Cletus Winston, a man with a reputation for being an oddball. But Jennifer knows better, and this is her unsung superpower. She's observant. Since she is a people watcher, she knows that Cletus hides behind this persona to manipulate people to get what he wants. Some of his meddling is well intentioned. Some of it is fairly innocuous retribution for bullies. Most of it is part of his scheme to undermine his father, a member of a notorious motorcycle club, renowned for their illegal activities and abuse.

Jennifer asks for Cletus's help to get out from underneath the thumb of her domineering parents. But she doesn't just ask. She blackmails Cletus into helping her. Shenanigans ensue.

It's a great, great story. If you haven't read any of Penny Reid's stories yet, I highly recommend that you get onboard the Winston Brothers' train. It's totally worth the ride.
]]> 46212527 NATIONAL BESTSELLER

Cleo Wade’s second anthology of heartfelt poetry and prose builds on the wisdom of her bestselling book Heart Talk, encouraging you to remain hopeful and harness your personal power to bring positive change into our world.

Where to Begin is perfect for those who are ready to be a part of building a society rooted in love, acceptance, justice, and equality.

From Cleo Wade:

Where to Begin is a collection of the ideas, mantras, and poems I turn to when I feel like I am losing it. I wrote this so that I could put them all in one place when I felt overwhelmed by worry, fear, anxiety, or helplessness.

The words in this book are what stop me from walking away from the problems of the world during tough times. They also help me stay connected to hope during difficult moments and remind me that even on the days that feel the most daunting, I still have the power to show up and do something, somewhere, in some way.

Change-making comes in all sizes. It doesn’t always have to be one big gesture or nothing. As my friend Jenna often says, “The big stuff is the small stuff.�� Your big life is made up of a collection of all of your small moments. Our big world is a made up of a collection of all of our small actions. This book is about where to begin.]]> 192 Cleo Wade 1982138793 Sherry 0 to-read 4.29 2019
author: Cleo Wade
name: Sherry
average rating: 4.29
book published: 2019
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/04
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 219627375 A thoroughly revised edition of the comprehensive guide to building and maintaining a successful career in writing.
��
Writers talk about their work in many as an art, as a calling, as a lifestyle. Too often missing from these conversations is the fact that writing is also a business, and those who want to make a living from their writing must understand the basic business principles underlying the industry. The Business of Being a Writer offers the business education writers need but so rarely receive.

Jane Friedman is one of today’s leading experts on the publishing industry. Through her website, social media presence, online courses, email newsletters, and other media, she helps writers understand how to navigate the industry with confidence and intentionality. This book advises writers on how to build a platform in a way that aligns with their values, how to spot critical mindset issues that might sabotage their efforts before they even begin, how to publish strategically, and what it means to diversify income streams beyond book sales. For this second edition, Friedman has updated every topic to reflect how��the industry has evolved over the past half decade. New features include a section on business and legal issues commonly faced by writers, exercises at the end of each chapter, and a wealth of sample materials posted on a companion website.��

Reaching beyond the mechanical aspects of publishing, The Business of Being a Writer will help both new and experienced writers approach their careers with the same creative spirit as their writing.��Friedman is encouraging without sugarcoating reality, blending years of research with practical advice that will help writers market themselves and maximize their writing-related income. Her book will leave them empowered, confident, and ready to turn their craft into a sustainable career.]]> 408 Jane Friedman 0226838668 Sherry 0 to-read 4.75
author: Jane Friedman
name: Sherry
average rating: 4.75
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/02
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 212388835 Gone with the Wind and A Streetcar Named Desire have cemented her status as an icon of classic Hollywood.

From 1940 to 1960, Leigh was married to Sir Laurence Olivier, and together they were considered the royal couple of British theatre. Indeed, their romance and acting partnerships captured the imagination of the public around the world.

Behind the scenes, however, Leigh's personal life was marred by manic depression which remained undiagnosed until 1953. Largely misunderstood and subjected to barbaric mistreatment at the hands of her doctors, she would also suffer the heartbreak of Olivier's infidelity. Contributing to her image as a tragic heroine, she would die at the age of 53.

Unlike previous biographies, Where Madness Lies begins in 1953, when Leigh suffered a nervous breakdown and was institutionalised. The tragic story unfolds as she tries to rebuild her life, salvage her career and save her marriage.

Featuring a wealth of unpublished material, including private correspondence, bestselling author Lyndsy Spence reveals how Leigh fell victim to the draconian medical practices of the day and suffered due to her circumstances. It's a timely look at just how far we've come since the early days of mental health treatment.]]> 324 Lyndsy Spence 1803994320 Sherry 0 to-read 3.02
author: Lyndsy Spence
name: Sherry
average rating: 3.02
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/01/13
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 214152213
Between 2008 and 2012, Tina Nguyen was a politics-obsessed college student and right-wing activist at Claremont McKenna College. Swept up by conservative rhetoric and promises of paid internships and scholarships, Nguyen was privy to the early days of the movement now known as MAGA.

Now, Nguyen is pulling back the curtain not just on her own story within the alt-right but the full history of the movement, exposing how the right recruits, trains, indoctrinates, and builds entire networks of power to bend America to its nativist will. Based on years of dogged reporting and interviews with countless people—from downing margaritas with the first Breitbart writers to pouring over conspiracy theories sent by COVID-19 deniers and even working for Tucker Carlson in the early days of The Daily Caller �� The MAGA Diaries paints a shocking picture of a shameless movement that will do anything to triumph over the left, even if it means destroying every mechanism of government this country holds dear.

In The MAGA Diaries , Nguyen blows the whistle on these dangerous extremists for the first time, shining a light on the systematized on-ramp for young Republicans. These are the new leaders of the right, and it’s urgent we start paying attention.]]> 288 Tina Nguyen 1982189703 Sherry 0 to-read 0.0
author: Tina Nguyen
name: Sherry
average rating: 0.0
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/01/08
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 18693771 A pioneering researcher transforms our understanding of trauma and offers a bold new paradigm for healing.

Trauma is a fact of life. Veterans and their families deal with the painful aftermath of combat; one in five Americans has been molested; one in four grew up with alcoholics; one in three couples have engaged in physical violence. Dr. Bessel van der Kolk, one of the world's foremost experts on trauma, has spent over three decades working with survivors. In The Body Keeps the Score, he uses recent scientific advances to show how trauma literally reshapes both body and brain, compromising sufferers' capacities for pleasure, engagement, self-control, and trust. He explores innovative treatments—from neurofeedback and meditation to sports, drama, and yoga—that offer new paths to recovery by activating the brain's natural neuroplasticity. Based on Dr. van der Kolk's own research and that of other leading specialists, The Body Keeps the Score exposes the tremendous power of our relationships both to hurt and to heal—and offers new hope for reclaiming lives.]]> 464 Bessel van der Kolk 0670785938 Sherry 0 to-read 4.36 2014
author: Bessel van der Kolk
name: Sherry
average rating: 4.36
book published: 2014
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/01/04
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 3202583
He was everything her heart warned against--an arrogant scoundrel whose rough good looks spoke of savage pleasures. And though Kincaid's scorching kisses fired her blood, she brazenly resisted him... until one rapturous moment quelled their clash of wills, and something far more dangerous than desire threatened to conquer her senses...]]> 358 Julie Garwood 0671670050 Sherry 0 to-read 4.10 1989
author: Julie Garwood
name: Sherry
average rating: 4.10
book published: 1989
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/12/31
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 827412 It happened at the ball.

Where beautiful but bold Lillian Bowman quickly learned that her independent American ways weren't entirely "the thing." And the most disapproving of all was insufferable, snobbish, and impossible Marcus, Lord Westcliff, London's most eligible aristocrat.

It happened in the garden.

When Marcus shockingly—and dangerously—swept her into his arms. Lillian was overcome with a consuming passion for a man she didn't even like. Time stood still; it was as if no one else existed—thank goodness they weren't caught in the act!

It happened one autumn.

Marcus was a man in charge of his own emotions, a bedrock of stability. But with Lillian, every touch was exquisite torture, every kiss an enticement for more. Yet how could he consider taking a woman so blatantly unsuitable . . . as his bride?]]> 382 Lisa Kleypas Sherry 0 to-read 4.09 2005
author: Lisa Kleypas
name: Sherry
average rating: 4.09
book published: 2005
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/12/31
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 30656751 Four young ladies enter London society and band together to each find a husband. Has the third "Wallflower" now met her match?

A Devil's Bargain

Easily the shyest Wallflower, Evangeline Jenner stands to become the wealthiest, once her inheritance comes due. Because she must first escape the clutches of her unscrupulous relatives, Evie has approached the rake Viscount St. Vincent with a most outrageous proposition: marriage!

Sebastian's reputation is so dangerous that thirty seconds alone with him will ruin any maiden's good name. Still, this bewitching chit appeared, unchaperoned, on his doorstep to offer her hand. Certainly an aristocrat with a fine eye for beauty could do far worse.

But Evie's proposal comes with a condition: no lovemaking after their wedding night. She will never become just another of the dashing libertine's callously discarded broken hearts --- which means Sebastian will simply have to work harder at his seductions ... or perhaps surrender his own heart for the very first time in the name of true love.

Librarian Note: Alternate cover for ISBN: 006056251X/9780060562519]]> 368 Lisa Kleypas Sherry 0 to-read 4.13 2006
author: Lisa Kleypas
name: Sherry
average rating: 4.13
book published: 2006
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/12/31
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 14384
After enduring years of torture from the vampire horde, Lachlain MacRieve, leader of the Lykae Clan, is enraged to find the predestined mate he’s waited millennia for is a vampire. Or partly one. Emmaline Troy is a small, ethereal half Valkyrie/half vampire, who somehow begins to soothe the fury burning within him.

Sheltered Emmaline finally sets out to uncover the truth about her deceased parents—until a powerful Lykae claims her as his mate and forces her back to his ancestral Scottish castle. There, her fear of the Lykae—and their notorious dark desires—ebbs as he begins a slow, wicked seduction to sate her own dark cravings.

Yet when an ancient evil from her past resurfaces, will their desire deepen into a love that can bring a proud warrior to his knees and turn a gentle beauty into the fighter she was born to be?]]> 360 Kresley Cole 1416509879 Sherry 0 to-read 4.10 2006
author: Kresley Cole
name: Sherry
average rating: 4.10
book published: 2006
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/12/31
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 21412080 How hot is too hot?

#1 New York Times bestselling author Kresley Cole sets the world of erotica on fire with the scorching debut from her highly anticipated Game Maker series!

Meet the Professional.

Mafiya enforcer Aleksandr "The Siberian" Sevastyan's loyalty to his boss is unwavering, until he meets the boss's long-lost daughter, a curvy, tantalizing redhead who haunts his mind and heats his blood like no other.

He makes the rules.

Grad student Natalie Porter has barely recovered from her first encounter with the dark and breathtaking Siberian when he whisks her away to Russia, thrusting her into a world of extreme wealth and wanton pleasures.

In the game of obsession, two players are better than one.

Yet all is not as it seems. To remove Natalie from an enemy's reach, Aleksandr spirits her into hiding. From an opulent palace in Russia to the decadent playgrounds of the mega-rich in Paris, the lovers tempt each other's boundaries to discover whether their darkest—and most forbidden—fantasies really can come true...

Previously released as The Professional—Parts 1, 2, and 3 as ebook exclusives.]]> 452 Kresley Cole 1476785015 Sherry 0 to-read 4.07 2014
author: Kresley Cole
name: Sherry
average rating: 4.07
book published: 2014
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/12/31
shelves: to-read
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]]> 8534799 New York Times bestseller Kresley Cole comes this gripping tale of a battle-maddenend warrior driven by revenge and the Valkyrie temptress who haunts his dreams.

He Vowed He'd Come For Her...

Murdered before he could wed Regin the Radiant, warlord Aidan the Fierce seeks his beloved through eternity, reborn again and again into new identities, yet with no memory of his past lives.

She Awaits His Return...

When Regin encounters Declan Chase, a brutal Celtic soldier, she recognizes her proud warlord reincarnated. But Declan takes her captive, intending retribution against all immortals—unaware that he belongs to their world.

To Sate A Desire More Powerful Than Death...

Yet every reincarnation comes with a price, for Aidan is doomed to die when he remembers his past. To save herself from Declan’s torments, will Regin rekindle memories of the passion they once shared—even if it means once again losing the only man she could ever love?]]> 515 Kresley Cole 1439136807 Sherry 0 to-read 4.34 2011
author: Kresley Cole
name: Sherry
average rating: 4.34
book published: 2011
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/12/31
shelves: to-read
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]]> 2880715
This is a book no Black Dagger Brotherhood fan should miss—an insider’s guide that will seduce readers as powerfully as the sexy band of Brothers and the world they live in. And also included is an original short story about stars Zsadist and Bella!

This comprehensive guide features insider information on the Brotherhood, their dossiers, stats, and special gifts. Readers will savor interviews with their favorite characters, deleted scenes, exciting material from the J.R. Ward message board and the answers to their burning questions. They’ll learn what it’s like for J.R. Ward to write each installment of the series, and in a fascinating twist, read an interview with the author—conducted by the Brothers. Plus readers will get a sneak peek at the much anticipated next book in the Black Dagger Brotherhood series, Lover Avenged.]]> 478 J.R. Ward 0451225007 Sherry 0 to-read 4.32 2008
author: J.R. Ward
name: Sherry
average rating: 4.32
book published: 2008
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/12/31
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 23129764
She ends on a serious note--because the ultimate problem is the silencing of women who have something to say, including those saying things like, "He's trying to kill me!"

This updated edition of the book feature that now-classic essay as well as Solnit's recent essay on the remarkable feminist conversation that arose in the wake of the 2014 Isla Vista killings.]]> 159 Rebecca Solnit 1608464660 Sherry 4 4.00 2014
author: Rebecca Solnit
name: Sherry
average rating: 4.00
book published: 2014
rating: 4
read at: 2024/10/17
date added: 2024/12/30
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]]> 23337863 NEW YORK TIMES, WALL STREET JOURNAL, & USA TODAY bestselling series

Sienna Diaz is everyone’s favorite “fat�� funny lady. The movie studio executives can’t explain it, but her films are out-grossing all the fit and trim headliners and Hollywood’s most beautiful elite. The simple truth is, everyone loves plus-sized Sienna.

But she has a problem, she can’t read maps and her sense of direction is almost as bad as her comedic timing is stellar. Therefore, when Sienna’s latest starring role takes her to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park she finds herself continually lost while trying to navigate the backroads of Green Valley, Tennessee. Much to her consternation, Sienna’s most frequent savior is a ridiculously handsome, charming, and cheeky Park Ranger by the name of Jethro Winston.

Sienna is accustomed to high levels of man-handsome, so it’s not Jethro’s chiseled features or his perfect physique that make Sienna stutter. It’s his southern charm. And gentlemanly manners. And habit of looking at her too long and too often.

Sienna has successfully navigated the labyrinth of Hollywood heart-throbs. But can she traverse the tenuous trails of Tennessee without losing her head? Or worse, her heart?]]> 389 Penny Reid Sherry 3 romance 4.07 2016
author: Penny Reid
name: Sherry
average rating: 4.07
book published: 2016
rating: 3
read at: 2024/12/30
date added: 2024/12/30
shelves: romance
review:

]]> 44905 336 Natalie Goldberg 1590303164 Sherry 0 to-read 4.21 1986
author: Natalie Goldberg
name: Sherry
average rating: 4.21
book published: 1986
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/12/26
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 59034571 416 Merilyn Simonds 1770416595 Sherry 0 to-read 4.16 2022
author: Merilyn Simonds
name: Sherry
average rating: 4.16
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/12/26
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 53328878 Wordsworth and Coleridge as you’ve never seen them before in this new book by Adam Nicolson, brimming with poetry, art and nature writing. Proof that poetry can change the world.



It is the most famous year in English poetry. Out of it came The Ancient Mariner��and ‘Kubla Khan��, as well as Coleridge’s unmatched hymns to friendship and fatherhood, Wordsworth’s revolutionary verses in Lyrical Ballads��and the greatness of ‘Tintern Abbey��, his paean to the unity of soul and cosmos, love and understanding.��


Bestselling and award-winning writer Adam Nicolson tells the story, almost day by day, of the year in the late 1790s that Coleridge, Wordsworth, his sister Dorothy and an ever-shifting cast of friends, dependants and acolytes spent together in the Quantock Hills in Somerset.


To a degree never shown before, The Making of Poetry explores the idea that these poems came from this place, and that only by experiencing the physical circumstances of the year, in all weathers and all seasons, at night and at dawn, in sunlit reverie and moonlit walks, can the genesis of the poetry start to be understood. ��


What emerges is a portrait of these great figures as young people, troubled, ambitious, dreaming of a vision of wholeness, knowing they had greatness in them but still in urgent search of the paths towards it.��


The poetry they made was not from settled conclusions but from the adventure on which they were all embarked, seeing what they wrote as a way of stripping away all the dead matter, exfoliating consciousness, penetrating its depths. Poetry for them was not an ornament for civilisation but a challenge to it, a means of remaking the world.]]> 400 Adam Nicolson Sherry 0 to-read 3.80 2019
author: Adam Nicolson
name: Sherry
average rating: 3.80
book published: 2019
rating: 0
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date added: 2024/12/26
shelves: to-read
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]]> 687278
�� Using painful emotions to cultivate wisdom, compassion, and courage
�� Communicating so as to encourage others to open up rather than shut down
�� Practices for reversing habitual patterns
�� Methods for working with chaotic situations
�� Ways for creating effective social action]]> 148 Pema Chödrön 1570623449 Sherry 0 to-read 4.27 1996
author: Pema Chödrön
name: Sherry
average rating: 4.27
book published: 1996
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/12/26
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 219849413 A series of interviews with Noam Chomsky, the world's greatest living public intellectual, about the pressing issues of our time

'One of the greatest, most radical public thinkers of our time�� Arundhati Roy

In this illuminating collection of interviews, Noam Chomsky shares his insights on the pressing challenges facing humanity. A Liveable Future is Possible addresses artificial intelligence and the potential for such programs to surpass humans in cognitive awareness; what lies ahead for a world engulfed in a deadly climate crisis; the rise of neo-fascism internationally, and why we should organize across borders to confront it and the striking similarities between Trump and Biden's foreign policies.

Noam Chomsky has been an incomparable model of moral clarity and intellectual courage during his many decades as a scholar, political activist and social critic. A Liveable Future Is Possible is not only an urgent and informative book, it is a call-to-action for those hoping to help carry the torch of one of history’s greatest minds.

‘Chomsky is a global phenomenon . . . he may be the most widely read American voice on foreign policy on the planet�� The New York Times Book Review]]> 278 Noam Chomsky 1405974249 Sherry 0 to-read 3.42
author: Noam Chomsky
name: Sherry
average rating: 3.42
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/12/10
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 31344309
Hope in the Dark traces a history of activism and social change over the past five decades �� from the fall of the Berlin Wall, to the worldwide marches against the war in Iraq. Following in the footsteps of the last century's thinkers �� including Woolf, Gandhi, Borges, Benjamin and Havel �� Solnit conjures a timeless vision of cause and effect that will light our way through the dark, and lead us to profound and effective political engagement.]]> 152 Rebecca Solnit 1782119078 Sherry 0 to-read 3.96 2004
author: Rebecca Solnit
name: Sherry
average rating: 3.96
book published: 2004
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/11/29
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 40611015
It is a time of introspection, of looking inwards. Seasonal sadness; winter blues; depression �� such feelings are widespread in the darker months. But by looking outwards, by being in and observing nature, we can appreciate its rhythms. Mountains make sense in any weather. The voices of a wood always speak consolation. A brush of frost; subtle colours; days as bright as a magpie’s cackle. We can learn to see and celebrate winter in all its shadows and lights.

In this moving and lyrical evocation of a British winter and the feelings it inspires, Horatio Clare raises a torch against the darkness, illuminating the blackest corners of the season, and delving into memory and myth to explore the powerful hold that winter has on us. By learning to see, we can find the magic, the light that burns bright at the heart of winter: spring will come again.]]> 208 Horatio Clare 1783964049 Sherry 0 to-read 3.73 2018
author: Horatio Clare
name: Sherry
average rating: 3.73
book published: 2018
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/11/28
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 36064363 142 Alexandre Dumas 1435154525 Sherry 0 to-read 3.74 1845
author: Alexandre Dumas
name: Sherry
average rating: 3.74
book published: 1845
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/11/28
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 29876528 172 Mark Forsyth 0241267730 Sherry 0 to-read 4.06 2016
author: Mark Forsyth
name: Sherry
average rating: 4.06
book published: 2016
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/11/28
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 25619362
Identical twins Beau and Duane Winston might share the same devastatingly handsome face, but where Beau is outgoing and sociable, Duane is broody and reserved. This is why Jessica James, recent college graduate and perpetual level-headed good girl, has been in naïve and unhealthy infatuation with Beau Winston for most of her life.

His friendly smiles make her tongue-tied and weak-kneed, and she’s never been able to move beyond her childhood crush. Whereas Duane and Jessica have always been adversaries. She can’t stand him, and she’s pretty sure he can’t stand the sight of her��

But after a case of mistaken identity, Jessica finds herself in a massive confusion kerfuffle. Jessica James has spent her whole life paralyzed by the fantasy of Beau and her assumptions of Duane’s disdain; therefore she’s unprepared for the reality that is Duane’s insatiable interest, as well as his hot hands and hot mouth and hotter looks. Not helping Jessica’s muddled mind and good girl sensibilities, Duane seems to have gotten himself in trouble with the local biker gang, the Iron Order.

Certainly, Beau’s magic spell is broken. Yet when Jessica finds herself drawn to the man who was always her adversary, now more dangerous than ever, how much of her level-head heart is she willing to risk?]]> 370 Penny Reid Sherry 4 romance 3.77 2015
author: Penny Reid
name: Sherry
average rating: 3.77
book published: 2015
rating: 4
read at: 2024/11/28
date added: 2024/11/28
shelves: romance
review:

]]> 174255249 Young readers' edition of instant New York Times bestseller Visual Thinking.'We are so lucky to have Temple Grandin' - New York TimesAlbert Einstein, Steve Jobs, Elon Musk and Maya Lin - what do they all have in common? They're visual thinkers. Do you like puzzles, coding and taking things apart? Do you write stories, act in plays, slay at Wordle? The things you are good at are clues to how your brain works. Are you good at maths? Working with your hands? Are you a neat freak or a big mess? Are you a visual thinker?With her knack for making science easy to understand, Temple Grandin explains the different types of thinkers - verbal thinkers who are good with language, and visual thinkers who learn through pictures and patterns. In Different Kinds of Minds, discover all kinds of brains and why we need to work together to create solutions for real-world problems.]]> 224 Temple Grandin 1846048044 Sherry 0 to-read 3.67
author: Temple Grandin
name: Sherry
average rating: 3.67
book published:
rating: 0
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date added: 2024/11/26
shelves: to-read
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]]> 219644499 Feeling overwhelmed? Open when�� stress takes over.
Facing self-doubt? Open when�� imposter syndrome strikes.
Lost your direction? Open when�� you need fresh motivation.

This is the book for life's twists and turns, when being human starts to get complicated.

A must-have companion to Dr Julie's international bestseller Why Has Nobody Told Me This Before?, which taught us the skills to strengthen our future mental health, Open When... is the book to turn to when you find yourself in the eye of the storm.

Within this book are a series of Open When style letters from Dr Julie to help navigate the moments of overwhelm, confusion or self-doubt that we all face when life gets messy.

Offering calm, clarity and a laser focus on the best way forward, each personal letter is followed by real-time tools that will help you re-frame the situation and decide on your next move.

Every chapter covers a new scenario; universal problems that each of us will likely face at some point. So, whether ��dz�’r�� experiencing:

�� Stress
�� Pressure to perform
�� Dealing with difficult people
�� Trying to fit in
�� Making big decisions
�� Arguments with your partner
�� Big emotions causing anxiety

Open When... brings the words you need to hear to get back on the front foot, feeling ready to take on everything life throws your way.]]> 380 Julie Smith 0241664047 Sherry 0 to-read 4.00 2024
author: Julie Smith
name: Sherry
average rating: 4.00
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/11/19
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 209994498 My family was never supposed to meet my fake fiancee.

Except she just walked into my hospital room, looking just as surprised as I am.

All because of one white lie. They think we’ve been together for a year, but I only met her last night.

I panicked after my father didn’t name me as the next CEO of our family’s billion-dollar company. His reasoning was that “I care *too* much about work��. In fact, the whole small town we live in thinks I’m too rigid and too serious.

I just need to convince everyone I can loosen up and enjoy myself.

They might believe the lie, but I know what happens when I get distracted.

Besides, Ivy is too young for me and too bright & optimistic about the world.

It’s only supposed to be for a month. She’ll live with me and I’ll put up with her teasing.

I can’t let myself fall in love with my fiancee no matter how tempting her smart mouth...

But when she calls me “Daddy��, I know I’m ruined for anyone else.

Don't Call Me Daddy is a laugh-out-loud, scorching hot romantic comedy set in a small town in the Appalachian Mountains and is the first in a brand new series following the five Kingsley brothers.


�� Small Town in the Appalachian Mountains
�� Grumpy Billionaire CEO
�� Age/Gap
�� Fake Engagement
�� Daddy Dom/Brat Vibes
�� Grumpy/Sunshine
�� Checklist Adventure
�� Annoyances to Lovers ]]> 470 Jeré Anthony Sherry 0 to-read 3.99
author: Jeré Anthony
name: Sherry
average rating: 3.99
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/11/16
shelves: to-read
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]]> 59816803
For generations, every Frankenstein has found their true love and equal, unlocking lifetimes of blissful wedded adventure. Clever, pretty (and odd) Angelika Frankenstein has run out of suitors and fears she may become the exception to this family rule. When assisting in her brother Victor's ground-breaking experiment to bring a reassembled man back to life, she realizes that having an agreeable gentleman convalescing in the guest suite might be a chance to let a man get to know the real her. For the first time, Angelika embarks upon a project that is all her own.

When her handsome scientific miracle sits up on the lab table, her hopes for an instant romantic connection are thrown into disarray. Her resurrected beau (named Will for the moment) has total amnesia and is solely focused on uncovering his true identity. Trying to ignore their heart-pounding chemistry, Angelika reluctantly joins the investigation into his past, hoping it will bring them closer. But when a second suitor emerges to aid their quest, Angelika wonders if she was too hasty inventing a solution. Perhaps fate is not something that can be influenced in a laboratory? Or is Will (or whatever his name is!) her dream man, tailored for her in every way? And can he survive what was done to him in the name of science, and love?

Filled with carriages, candlesticks, and corpses, Angelika Frankenstein Makes Her Match is the spooky-season reimagining of the well-known classic that reminds us to never judge a man by his cadaver!]]> 364 Sally Thorne 0062912836 Sherry 3 romance 3.31 2022
author: Sally Thorne
name: Sherry
average rating: 3.31
book published: 2022
rating: 3
read at: 2024/11/06
date added: 2024/11/06
shelves: romance
review:

]]> 208145504 A charming and eye-opening exploration of the special relationship between humans and chickens from Sy Montgomery, “one of our finest chroniclers of the natural world�� (The New York Times).

For more than two decades, Sy Montgomery—whose The Soul of an Octopus was a National Book Award finalist—has kept a flock of chickens in her backyard. Each chicken has an individual personality (outgoing or shy, loud or quiet, reckless or cautious) and connects with Sy in her own way.

In this short, delightful book, Sy takes us inside the flock and reveals all the things that make chickens such remarkable only hours after leaving the egg, they are able to walk, run, and peck; relationships are important to them and the average chicken can recognize more than one hundred other chickens; they remember the past and anticipate the future; and they communicate specific information through at least twenty-four distinct calls. Visitors to her home are astonished by all this, but for Sy what’s more astonishing is how little most people know about chickens, especially considering there are about twenty percent more chickens on earth than people.

With a winning combination of personal narrative and science, What the Chicken Knows is exactly the kind of book that has made Sy Montgomery such a beloved and popular author.]]> 91 Sy Montgomery Sherry 0 to-read 3.84 2024
author: Sy Montgomery
name: Sherry
average rating: 3.84
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/11/05
shelves: to-read
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]]> 150246147
Having a seat at the table doesn’t mean that your voice is actually welcome. Knowing something is wrong doesn't mean it's easy to speak up. In fact, there are incentives for many of us to stay silent. Why speak up if you know that it won’t be received well, and in fact, often makes things worse?

In Unlearning Silence , Hering explores how we’ve learned to be silent, how we’ve benefited from silence, how we’ve silenced other people—and how we might choose another way. She teaches how to recognize and unlearn unconscious patterns so we can make more intentional choices about how we want to show up in at home and at work. Only by unlearning silence can we more fully unleash talent, speak our minds, and be more complete versions of ourselves�� and help other people do the same.

With compassion, clarity, and understanding, Hering guides readers through real-life examples and offers a concrete road map for doing this vital and challenging work.]]> 288 Elaine Lin Hering 0593653602 Sherry 0 to-read 4.13
author: Elaine Lin Hering
name: Sherry
average rating: 4.13
book published:
rating: 0
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date added: 2024/11/05
shelves: to-read
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]]> 666215 From the National Book Award-winning author of The Corrections, a collection of essays that reveal him to be one of our sharpest, toughest, and most entertaining social critics

While the essays in this collection range in subject matter from the sex-advice industry to the way a supermax prison works, each one wrestles with the essential themes of Franzen's writing: the erosion of civil life and private dignity; and the hidden persistence of loneliness in postmodern, imperial America. Reprinted here for the first time is Franzen's controversial l996 investigation of the fate of the American novel in what became known as "the Harper's essay," as well as his award-winning narrative of his father's struggle with Alzheimer's disease, and a rueful account of his brief tenure as an Oprah Winfrey author.

"A Word About This Book"
"My Father's Brain"
"Imperial Bedroom"
"Why Bother"
"Lost in the Mail"
"Erika Imports"
"Sifting the Ashes"
"A Reader in Exile"
"First City"
"Scavenging"
"Control Units"
"Mr. Difficult"
"Books in Bed"
"Meet Me in St. Louis"
"Inauguration Day, January 2001"]]> 306 Jonathan Franzen 0312422164 Sherry 0 to-read 3.59 2002
author: Jonathan Franzen
name: Sherry
average rating: 3.59
book published: 2002
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/10/19
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 199347538 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.]]> 416 T.J. Klune 125088120X Sherry 0 to-read 4.17 2024
author: T.J. Klune
name: Sherry
average rating: 4.17
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/10/19
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 53205888 Welcome to Charon's Crossing.
The tea is hot, the scones are fresh, and the dead are just passing through.

When a reaper comes to collect Wallace from his own funeral, Wallace begins to suspect he might be dead.

And when Hugo, the owner of a peculiar tea shop, promises to help him cross over, Wallace decides he’s definitely dead.

But even in death he’s not ready to abandon the life he barely lived, so when Wallace is given one week to cross over, he sets about living a lifetime in seven days.

Hilarious, haunting, and kind, Under the Whispering Door is an uplifting story about a life spent at the office and a death spent building a home.]]> 376 T.J. Klune 1250217342 Sherry 0 to-read 4.11 2021
author: T.J. Klune
name: Sherry
average rating: 4.11
book published: 2021
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/10/19
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 33255827
Former beauty queen, Ashley Winston's preferred coping strategy is escapism. She escaped her Tennessee small town, loathsome father, and six brothers eight years ago. Now she escapes life daily via her Amazon kindle one-click addiction. However, when a family tragedy forces her to return home, Ashley can't escape the notice of Drew Runous- local Game Warden, reclusive mountain man, bear wrestler, philosopher, and everyone's favorite guy. Drew's irksome philosophizing in particular makes Ashley want to run for the skyscrapers, especially since he can't seem to keep his exasperating opinions- or his soulful poetry, steadfast support, and delightful hands- to himself. Pretty soon the girl who wanted nothing more than the escape of the big city finds she's lost her heart in small town Tennessee.]]> 361 Penny Reid 1942874286 Sherry 5 romance
Ashley Austen Winston returns to her home in Tennessee after an eight year absence from her brood of brothers. Her momma has just been diagnosed with terminal cervical cancer. Against that backdrop, she falls for Dr. Drew Runous, a close, trusted family friend. He's a tall, taciturn dreamboat of a man who doesn't pursue her outright because he knows that she is vulnerable with grief. Despite that, or because of it, a relationship blossoms. What develops is an intense, slow burn that doesn't disappoint. You will laugh. You will cry. You, too, will fall in love with Drew and Ashley.

This love story was heartbreaking, intelligent, witty, spunky, all-consuming. A masterfully crafted story, Penny. I am a new fan!]]> 4.23 2014
author: Penny Reid
name: Sherry
average rating: 4.23
book published: 2014
rating: 5
read at: 2024/10/15
date added: 2024/10/19
shelves: romance
review:
Holy shit, y'all. Stop what you are reading and start reading Beauty and the Mustache right now. RIGHT NOW, people. Just go. Get thee hence to a bookstore or purchase an ebook version and download it and start reading it this instant. It it is that good.

Ashley Austen Winston returns to her home in Tennessee after an eight year absence from her brood of brothers. Her momma has just been diagnosed with terminal cervical cancer. Against that backdrop, she falls for Dr. Drew Runous, a close, trusted family friend. He's a tall, taciturn dreamboat of a man who doesn't pursue her outright because he knows that she is vulnerable with grief. Despite that, or because of it, a relationship blossoms. What develops is an intense, slow burn that doesn't disappoint. You will laugh. You will cry. You, too, will fall in love with Drew and Ashley.

This love story was heartbreaking, intelligent, witty, spunky, all-consuming. A masterfully crafted story, Penny. I am a new fan!
]]> 6081529 0 Linda Greenlaw 1863952993 Sherry 2 2.75 2002
author: Linda Greenlaw
name: Sherry
average rating: 2.75
book published: 2002
rating: 2
read at: 2024/10/06
date added: 2024/10/19
shelves:
review:

]]> 57426932 The eternal romance of Beauty and the Beast meets the gothic suspense of Dracula in this erotic dark academia story of epic love from bestselling author RuNyx.

An unusual girl. An enigmatic man. An ancient castle. What could go wrong?

An outcast her entire life, Corvina Clemm is left adrift after losing her mother. When she receives the admission letter from the mysterious University of Verenmore, she accepts it as a sign from the universe. The last thing she expects though is an old, secluded castle on top of a mountain riddled with secrets, deceit, and death.

An enigma his entire life, Vad Deverell likes being a closed book but knowing exactly everything that happens in the university. A part-time professor working on his thesis, Vad has been around long enough to know the dangers the castle possesses. And he knows the moment his path crosses with Corvina, she's dangerous to everything that he is.

They shouldn't have caught each other's eye. They cannot be. But a chill-inducing century-old mystery forces them to collide. People have disappeared every five years over the past century, Corvina is getting clues to unraveling it all, and Vad needs to keep an eye on her.

And so begins a tale of the mysterious, the morbid, the macabre, and a deep love that blossoms in the unlikeliest of places.]]> 456 RuNyx Sherry 0 to-read 3.78 2021
author: RuNyx
name: Sherry
average rating: 3.78
book published: 2021
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/09/19
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 215817801 152 Sherry 0 to-read 4.59 2024
author: American Booksellers Association
name: Sherry
average rating: 4.59
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/09/19
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 60341920
How do you survive life and middle school with an ADHD elephant in your brain?
Kids with ADHD will relate to Andrew’s reactions to everyday and school-related situations, like remembering to turn in homework, staying organized, and making friends. Using practical strategies Andrew learns to manage his ADHD even when his brain sometimes feels “like and overstuffed garbage can, the lid won’t stay on and garbage is falling out all over the floor��, and realizes there is a positive side to having ADHD like creativity, fearlessness and hyperfocus.

Dr. Wilcox’s unique perspective as both a mother and a researcher allow her to discuss, parent to parent, the science behind ADHD from someone living in the trenches, learning to work with Andrew’s ADHD brain. Kristin discusses the significance of various aspects of ADHD and the theory and practices of the education and medical professions related to them, distinguishing inattentive-type ADHD from other subtypes. Two helpful appendices include a means for parents to “diagnose�� the inattentive subtype of ADHD and a list of resources for parents and children with ADHD.

This book provides unique insights into ADHD behaviors and suggests highly pragmatic and successfully implemented strategies for children with the inattentive subtype of ADHD and their parents (with implications for educators and others who work with children with ADHD). A must read for kids with ADHD and their parents.]]> 114 Kristin Wilcox PH D 195735402X Sherry 0 to-read 4.22
author: Kristin Wilcox PH D
name: Sherry
average rating: 4.22
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/09/19
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 180352087 Hi, friend! Welcome to the ADHD club.

You're here because, like me, you've been diagnosed with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder—which, by the way, just might be the worst name for a condition ever—and you're trying to figure out how to make your life a little more manageable. Or because, like my wife, Kim, you love, teach, or work with someone who has ADHD, and you're trying to figure out how to best support them.

The world isn't built for ADHDers, and navigating it can wear us down. But we'll let you in on a little secret: having ADHD doesn't have to be a burden. It can actually be a superpower that propels you to creative heights and allows you to achieve more than you ever thought possible.

We want to give you a new perspective on ADHD, whether it's your own brain or a friend or family member's that you're trying to understand. We hope you come away with strategies you can employ to make things a little easier. (We also hope you laugh out loud, at least once or twice.)

Most of all, we want you to silence that voice that whispers that you're broken or a mess or a failure. None of that is true. You have ADHD—and that makes you awesome.

—Penn Holderness]]> 292 Penn Holderness 1400338611 Sherry 0 to-read 4.21 2024
author: Penn Holderness
name: Sherry
average rating: 4.21
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/09/19
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 111673641 A trans boy searches for a future―and a romance―in which he can live and love openly as himself in this heartrending young-adult reimagining of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, part of the Remixed Classics series.

London, 1812 . Oliver Bennet feels trapped—not just by the endless corsets, petticoats, and skirts he's forced to wear on a daily basis, but also by society's expectations. The world, and the vast majority of his family and friends, think Oliver is a girl named Elizabeth. He is therefore expected to mingle at balls wearing a pretty dress, entertain suitors regardless of his interest in them, and ultimately become someone's wife.

But Oliver can't bear the thought of such a fate. He finds solace in the few times he can sneak out of his family's home and explore the city rightfully dressed as a young gentleman. It's during one such excursion when Oliver becomes acquainted with Darcy, a sulky young man who had been rude to "Elizabeth" at a recent social function. But in the comfort of being out of the public eye, Oliver comes to find that Darcy is actually a sweet, intelligent boy with a warm heart, not to mention attractive.

As Oliver spends more time as his true self, often with Darcy, part of him dares to hope that his dream of love and life as a man can be possible. But suitors are growing bolder―and even threatening―and his mother is growing more desperate to see him settled into an engagement. Oliver will have to choose: settle for safety, security, and a life of pretending to be something he's not, or risk it all for a slim chance at freedom, love, and a life that can be truly his own.]]> 304 Gabe Cole Novoa 1250869803 Sherry 0 to-read 3.96 2024
author: Gabe Cole Novoa
name: Sherry
average rating: 3.96
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/09/19
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 34499185
Joe Kilcoyne is in a desperate place. He guards his secrets and hides from the world for a reason. He's the hottest topic of speculation around Whiskey River, but no one has ever dared to get close to him. That is, until fiery Kelsey comes barging straight into his life.

The last thing Joe needs is for Kelsey to breach his defenses and make him confront his past. But when her sunny, open, and determined personality collide with a haunted man with no idea how to reconnect with the world, the sparks that ignite shock them both.]]> 193 Justine Davis 1945879866 Sherry 3
To Kelsey, our hero is known as Delan. To the local town, he's "Crazy Joe." He's happy with that persona because it allows him to live a solitary life. Turns out he's a writer of a popular series of novels for kids. The main character of these novels--Sam--is based on Declan's experience enduring some pretty horrific child abuse at the hands of his mother.

Here's what's problematic for me. This man--"Crazy Joe" Declan--is deeply troubled by the abuse he endures and yet the power of Kelsey's love and magic vageen seem to cure him of all his ails. I don't buy it. Yeah, they may help him heal but this man would need years of therapy to help him cope with the level of abuse described in his novel. I'm tired of this trope.

The heat level was not spicy enough for me, either, which is a personal preference, not a criticism of Davis's writing.

In the end, it's a well written, nice story. Meh.

Merged review:

I'm grudgingly giving this book three stars. Technically, it's a well written novel. But. It didn't hold my interest. The land and stables our heroine Kelsey uses to operate a horse rescue is suddenly sold. She's unprepared as a result, since she wasn't given any notice beforehand. The hero of the story, a recluse named "Crazy Joe" Declan, is her new landlord, who immediately upgrades her living quarters and allows her to continue her horse rescue operation without moving. All of this financed by a trust fund.

To Kelsey, our hero is known as Delan. To the local town, he's "Crazy Joe." He's happy with that persona because it allows him to live a solitary life. Turns out he's a writer of a popular series of novels for kids. The main character of these novels--Sam--is based on Declan's experience enduring some pretty horrific child abuse at the hands of his mother.

Here's what's problematic for me. This man--"Crazy Joe" Declan--is deeply troubled by the abuse he endures and yet the power of Kelsey's love and magic vageen seem to cure him of all his ails. I don't buy it. Yeah, they may help him heal but this man would need years of therapy to help him cope with the level of abuse described in his novel. I'm tired of this trope.

The heat level was not spicy enough for me, either, which is a personal preference, not a criticism of Davis's writing.

In the end, it's a well written, nice story. Meh.]]> 4.39 2017
author: Justine Davis
name: Sherry
average rating: 4.39
book published: 2017
rating: 3
read at: 2019/06/01
date added: 2024/09/12
shelves:
review:
I'm grudgingly giving this book three stars. Technically, it's a well written novel. But. It didn't hold my interest. The land and stables our heroine Kelsey uses to operate a horse rescue is suddenly sold. She's unprepared as a result, since she wasn't given any notice beforehand. The hero of the story, a recluse named "Crazy Joe" Declan, is her new landlord, who immediately upgrades her living quarters and allows her to continue her horse rescue operation without moving. All of this financed by a trust fund.

To Kelsey, our hero is known as Delan. To the local town, he's "Crazy Joe." He's happy with that persona because it allows him to live a solitary life. Turns out he's a writer of a popular series of novels for kids. The main character of these novels--Sam--is based on Declan's experience enduring some pretty horrific child abuse at the hands of his mother.

Here's what's problematic for me. This man--"Crazy Joe" Declan--is deeply troubled by the abuse he endures and yet the power of Kelsey's love and magic vageen seem to cure him of all his ails. I don't buy it. Yeah, they may help him heal but this man would need years of therapy to help him cope with the level of abuse described in his novel. I'm tired of this trope.

The heat level was not spicy enough for me, either, which is a personal preference, not a criticism of Davis's writing.

In the end, it's a well written, nice story. Meh.

Merged review:

I'm grudgingly giving this book three stars. Technically, it's a well written novel. But. It didn't hold my interest. The land and stables our heroine Kelsey uses to operate a horse rescue is suddenly sold. She's unprepared as a result, since she wasn't given any notice beforehand. The hero of the story, a recluse named "Crazy Joe" Declan, is her new landlord, who immediately upgrades her living quarters and allows her to continue her horse rescue operation without moving. All of this financed by a trust fund.

To Kelsey, our hero is known as Delan. To the local town, he's "Crazy Joe." He's happy with that persona because it allows him to live a solitary life. Turns out he's a writer of a popular series of novels for kids. The main character of these novels--Sam--is based on Declan's experience enduring some pretty horrific child abuse at the hands of his mother.

Here's what's problematic for me. This man--"Crazy Joe" Declan--is deeply troubled by the abuse he endures and yet the power of Kelsey's love and magic vageen seem to cure him of all his ails. I don't buy it. Yeah, they may help him heal but this man would need years of therapy to help him cope with the level of abuse described in his novel. I'm tired of this trope.

The heat level was not spicy enough for me, either, which is a personal preference, not a criticism of Davis's writing.

In the end, it's a well written, nice story. Meh.
]]> 148449287
Mixing history and art, memoir and landscape, A Home for All Seasons is grand in its sweep and intimate in its account of rural life.]]> 336 Gavin Plumley 1838954805 Sherry 0 to-read 3.40
author: Gavin Plumley
name: Sherry
average rating: 3.40
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/09/02
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 57356627
'Reading has saved my life, again and again, and has held my hand through every difficult time'

For as long as she can remember, Cathy Rentzenbrink has lost and found herself in stories. Growing up she was rarely seen without her nose in a book and read in secret long after lights out. When tragedy struck, books kept her afloat. Eventually they lit the way to a new path, first as a bookseller and then as a writer. No matter what the future holds, reading will always help.

Dear Reader is a moving, funny and joyous exploration of how books can change the course of your life, packed with recommendations from one reader to another.]]> 232 Cathy Rentzenbrink 1509891544 Sherry 0 to-read 4.00 2020
author: Cathy Rentzenbrink
name: Sherry
average rating: 4.00
book published: 2020
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/09/02
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 201128898 Thinking on My Feet and simplify their lifestyles in A Year of Living Simply, she turns now to reimagining whatever we consider 'home' - examining her own experiences and expectations, ideals and memories, and considering the views of others living uniquely, extraordinarily, happily. She's gaining insights from some unexpected quarters - including the animal kingdom.

As our time spent in office buildings and other traditional workplaces shrinks forevermore, feeling happy, healthy, productive and content in our homes (be they castles or caravans, flat-shares or farms, fixed or temporary, inner city/out of town/beyond) is more important to get right than ever before. Where the Hearth Is will resonate with all those seeking to make the most of their lives during the many hours we all spend at home - whether it's a case of tiny adjustments while staying put, moving out, living differently or dreaming of building something new.]]> 304 Kate Humble 1783254610 Sherry 0 to-read 4.00
author: Kate Humble
name: Sherry
average rating: 4.00
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/09/02
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 193253662
Revel in the dark side of Victorian and Edwardian England, where visiting a house of strangers becomes a trial of nerve, and rediscovering the past leads you into strange and terrifying places. Melissa Edmundson, a noted authority on supernatural writing from this period and the curator of��Women’s Weird��and��Women’s��Weird 2,��has selected the best of E Nesbit’s short scary��fiction for this new Handheld Classic.]]> 290 E. Nesbit 1912766833 Sherry 0 to-read 4.43
author: E. Nesbit
name: Sherry
average rating: 4.43
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/09/02
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 218042 “The word “love�� is most often defined as a noun, yet�� we would all love better if we used it as a verb,�� writes bell hooks as she comes out fighting and on fire in All About Love. Here, at her most provocative and intensely personal, the renowned scholar, cultural critic, and feminist skewers our view of love as romance. In its place she offers a proactive new ethic for a people and a society bereft with lovelessness.

As bell hooks uses her incisive mind and razor-sharp pen to explore the question “What is love?��, her answers strike at both the mind and heart. In thirteen concise chapters, hooks examines her own search for emotional connection and society’s failure to provide a model for learning to love. Razing the cultural paradigm that the ideal love is infused with sex and desire, she provides a new path to love that is sacred, redemptive, and healing for the individuals and for a nation. The Utne Reader declared bell hooks one of the ��100 Visionaries Who Can Change Your Life.�� All About Love is a powerful affirmation of just how profoundly she can.

Librarian note: There is an alternate cover edition of this book here.]]> 238 bell hooks 0060959479 Sherry 0 to-read 3.89 1999
author: bell hooks
name: Sherry
average rating: 3.89
book published: 1999
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/08/31
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 60165670
Diana Cooper is eighteen, eager to graduate and go to Yale, and too shy to really look a boy in the eye. No one suspects the sexy lingerie hiding under her vintage dresses. No one suspects the dirty fantasies running through her mind.

Brendan and Ian O'Brian, the hot twins next door, are home from UConn for the summer: gorgeous, athletic, basking in popularity. Brendan, the "good twin," attracts everyone with easygoing friendliness. Ian, the "bad twin," leaves a mess of pranks, collisions, girls, and attitude behind.

As kids, the O'Brian twins were practically Diana's brothers. But a year away changed everything. Now, Di can barely handle a hello to Brendan. And Ian �� well, it’s easier to look the other way and pretend she doesn’t see his smirk.

Right before graduation, Brendan breaks the silence to invite Di for a swim. She figures she’ll test the waters, but that night pulls her into the steamiest deep end imaginable. And it’s just the beginning.

Can she dive in and live out her fantasies?

Can she let the past go and learn to trust?

And when no one’s who they seem �� good twin, bad twin, or shy honors student �� will her heart tell a different story?

She’d never admit it. But she might be over her head.]]> 298 Miranda Silver Sherry 0 to-read 3.65 2017
author: Miranda Silver
name: Sherry
average rating: 3.65
book published: 2017
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/08/30
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 55273296
Now, Dr. LePera is ready to share her much-requested protocol with the world. In How to Do the Work, she offers both a manifesto for SelfHealing as well as an essential guide to creating a more vibrant, authentic, and joyful life. Drawing on the latest research from a diversity of scientific fields and healing modalities, Dr. LePera helps us recognize how adverse experiences and trauma in childhood live with us, resulting in whole body dysfunction—activating harmful stress responses that keep us stuck engaging in patterns of codependency, emotional immaturity, and trauma bonds. Unless addressed, these self-sabotaging behaviors can quickly become cyclical, leaving people feeling unhappy, unfulfilled, and unwell.��]]> 329 Nicole LePera 140919776X Sherry 0 to-read 4.40 2021
author: Nicole LePera
name: Sherry
average rating: 4.40
book published: 2021
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/08/28
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 45047384
Linus Baker leads a quiet, solitary life. At forty, he lives in a tiny house with a devious cat and his old records. As a Case Worker at the Department in Charge Of Magical Youth, he spends his days overseeing the well-being of children in government-sanctioned orphanages.

When Linus is unexpectedly summoned by Extremely Upper Management he's given a curious and highly classified assignment: travel to Marsyas Island Orphanage, where six dangerous children reside: a gnome, a sprite, a wyvern, an unidentifiable green blob, a were-Pomeranian, and the Antichrist. Linus must set aside his fears and determine whether or not they’re likely to bring about the end of days.

But the children aren’t the only secret the island keeps. Their caretaker is the charming and enigmatic Arthur Parnassus, who will do anything to keep his wards safe. As Arthur and Linus grow closer, long-held secrets are exposed, and Linus must make a choice: destroy a home or watch the world burn.

An enchanting story, masterfully told, The House in the Cerulean Sea is about the profound experience of discovering an unlikely family in an unexpected place—and realizing that family is yours.]]> 394 T.J. Klune Sherry 4 4.37 2020
author: T.J. Klune
name: Sherry
average rating: 4.37
book published: 2020
rating: 4
read at: 2024/08/16
date added: 2024/08/17
shelves:
review:

]]> 195790597 When Among Crows is swift and striking, drawing from the deep well of Slavic folklore and asking if redemption and atonement can be found in embracing what we most fear.

We bear the sword, and we bear the pain of the sword.

On Kupala Night, Dymitr arrives in Chicago’s monstrous, magical underworld with a perilous mission: pick the mythical fern flower and offer it to a cursed creature in exchange for help finding the legendary witch Baba Jaga.

Ala is a fear-eating zmora afflicted with a bloodline curse that’s slowly killing her. She's just desperate enough to say yes to Dymitr, even if she doesn’t know his motives.

Over the course of one night, Ala and Dymitr risk life and limb in search of Baba Jaga, and begin to build a tentative friendship. . . but when Ala finds out what Dymitr is hiding, it could destroy them both.]]> 166 Veronica Roth 1250855489 Sherry 0 to-read 3.71 2024
author: Veronica Roth
name: Sherry
average rating: 3.71
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/08/10
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 63889384 The acclaimed international food writer and award-winning author of Mastering the Art of Soviet Cooking explores the history and future of six of the world's most fascinating and iconic food cultures--France, Italy, Japan, Spain, Mexico, and Turkey

We all have an idea in our heads about what French food is--or Italian, or Japanese, or Mexican, or.... But where did those ideas come from? Who decides what makes a national cuisine? Anya von Bremzen, award-winning international food writer, has written definitive cookbooks for Russian, Spanish and Latin American cuisine, and delved into the world's great food traditions as a three-time James-Beard-award-winning food journalist. Now, in National Dish, she embarks on a fascinating journey to the heart of six of the world's most storied food traditions, going high and low, from world-famous chefs to people on the street, in search of how cuisine became connected to place.

Paris is where the whole idea of a country's food as its national heritage was first invented, and so it is where Anya must begin. With an inquisitive eye and unmistakable wit, she ponders the invention of the restaurant, the codification of French food, and the tension between the cosmopolitan and locavore tendencies of the modern eater. From France, she moves quarters to Naples, where she comes face to face with the myth and reality of the pizza in the city where it all began, and takes on the Italian-ness of pasta in the bargain. Next is Tokyo, where Anya and her partner Barry explore the mystique of ramen, rice, and the distance between Japan's future and its past. From there they move to Seville, to search for the essence of Spain's tapas culture and sense of community, and then Oaxaca, where culture wars over the pretty dream and the complex reality of postcolonial cultural integration find expression in the form of maize, mole, and mezcal. In Istanbul, a traditional Ottoman potluck with friends becomes a lens on how a great multi-cultural empire defined its food heritage. Finally, they land back in their beloved home in the melting pot of Jackson Heights, Queens, for a Ukrainian dinner centered around borscht, a meal which has never felt more loaded, or more precious.

A book of astonishing range and connoisseurship, National Dish peels back the layers of myth, commercialization, and fetishization around these great world cuisines. In so doing, it brings us to a deep appreciation of how the country makes the food, and the food the country.]]> 352 Anya von Bremzen 0735223165 Sherry 0 to-read 3.51
author: Anya von Bremzen
name: Sherry
average rating: 3.51
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/08/04
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 123979787 320 Emily Van Duyne 1324006978 Sherry 0 to-read 4.24 2024
author: Emily Van Duyne
name: Sherry
average rating: 4.24
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/08/02
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 17675462 “There are only two reasons a non-seer would see a spirit on St. Mark’s Eve,�� Neeve said. “Either ��dz�’r�� 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.]]> 409 Maggie Stiefvater 0545424925 Sherry 3 4.05 2012
author: Maggie Stiefvater
name: Sherry
average rating: 4.05
book published: 2012
rating: 3
read at: 2024/08/02
date added: 2024/08/02
shelves:
review:

]]> 134119076 When mysterious faeries from other realms appear at her university, curmudgeonly professor Emily Wilde must uncover their secrets before it’s too late, in this heartwarming, enchanting second installment of the Emily Wilde series.

Emily Wilde is a genius scholar of faerie folklore who just wrote the world’s first comprehensive encyclopaedia of faeries. She’s learned many of the secrets of the Hidden Ones on her adventures . . . and also from her fellow scholar and former rival Wendell Bambleby.

Because Bambleby is more than infuriatingly charming. He’s an exiled faerie king on the run from his murderous mother and in search of a door back to his realm. And despite Emily’s feelings for Bambleby, she’s not ready to accept his proposal of marriage: Loving one of the Fair Folk comes with secrets and dangers.

She also has a new project to focus on: a map of the realms of faerie. While she is preparing her research, Bambleby lands her in trouble yet again, when assassins sent by his mother invade Cambridge. Now Bambleby and Emily are on another adventure, this time to the picturesque Austrian Alps, where Emily believes they may find the door to Bambleby’s realm and the key to freeing him from his family’s dark plans.

But with new relationships for the prickly Emily to navigate and dangerous Folk lurking in every forest and hollow, Emily must unravel the mysterious workings of faerie doors and of her own heart.]]> 370 Heather Fawcett 0593500202 Sherry 3 4.28 2024
author: Heather Fawcett
name: Sherry
average rating: 4.28
book published: 2024
rating: 3
read at: 2024/07/05
date added: 2024/07/05
shelves:
review:

]]> 25868425 Superheroes. Evil minions. And one hell of a conflict of interest.

Being related to a supervillain isn’t a big deal to Pat West. So what if his mom occasionally tries to take over the world? All Pat wants is to finish university and become an urban designer. That he moonlights as an evil minion sometimes �� that’s just a family tradition.

Then Pat accidentally sleeps with superhero Silver Paladin, otherwise known as reclusive billionaire Nick Andersen. It’s a simple misunderstanding. Pat never means to impersonate a prostitute, honest. But soon Pat is in way over his head, and threatening to fall for the worst possible guy.

When Pat’s mother returns to bring the world to its knees, Silver Paladin races to stop her�� and all of Pat’s secrets threaten to blow up in his face. How can Pat reconcile being a minion with wanting a hero? Will Nick’s feelings for Pat overcome what keeps them apart? Or will they both lose everything?


“Love for the Cold-Blooded�� is a light-hearted jaunt through a world of superheroes and villains, android dolphins, mind control rays, eldritch artifacts stolen from the tombs of ancient gods, and young men loving not wisely, but well.]]> 300 Alex Gabriel Sherry 0 to-read 4.10 2014
author: Alex Gabriel
name: Sherry
average rating: 4.10
book published: 2014
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/07/04
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 31076583 229 Sarah J. Maas 168119631X Sherry 3 3.77 2019
author: Sarah J. Maas
name: Sherry
average rating: 3.77
book published: 2019
rating: 3
read at: 2021/02/12
date added: 2024/07/01
shelves:
review:
Although this novel is well written like all of SJM's books, this one wasn't necessary. It's a 200 page epilogue of domesticity...Feyre & Rhys complaining about lack of closet space and administrative paperwork. Um...you're High Fae. You have paperwork to tend to? Really? By chapter 16, I had heavy eyerolls about yet another description devoted to going shopping in preparation for the Winter Solstice celebration, aka Christmas. In a Court of Wings and Ruin, the set up is yes, they won the war and peace needs to be brokered between the surviving Fae kingdom and humans, but there is still a wayward Bryaxis to hunt and return to its dungeon. There is none of that other than a passing conversation between Az and Rhys of yeah, that task needs to be done but we'll get to it after the Winter Solstice celebration. Annoyed as I am with this installment of ACOTR, I couldn't not read it either. Argh. At least it's a quick read.
]]> 46002342 Me and White Supremacy teaches readers how to dismantle the privilege within themselves so that they can stop (often unconsciously) inflicting damage on people of colour, and in turn, help other white people do better, too.

When Layla Saad began an Instagram challenge called #MeAndWhiteSupremacy, she never predicted it would spread as widely as it did. She encouraged people to own up and share their racist behaviors, big and small. She was looking for truth, and she got it. Thousands of people participated in the challenge, and over 90,000 people downloaded the Me and White Supremacy Workbook.

The updated and expanded Me and White Supremacy takes the work deeper by adding more historical and cultural contexts, sharing moving stories and anecdotes, and including expanded definitions, examples, and further resources.

Awareness leads to action, and action leads to change. The numbers show that readers are ready to do this work - let's give it to them.]]> 238 Layla F. Saad 1728209803 Sherry 0 to-read 4.33 2020
author: Layla F. Saad
name: Sherry
average rating: 4.33
book published: 2020
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/06/29
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 63068790 *A gripping and powerful memoir reminiscent of Notes on a Scandal, An Education and My Dark Vanessa*

'Engaging and engrossing, frank and frankly troubling, Seventeen is a book not easily forgotten' -��Karen Joy Fowler

'​I can’t remember the last time, if ever, a memoir affected me as deeply as Seventeen' - John Boyne

'A��powerful tale of lost youth' - Guardian

'Disturbing, powerful and important'��- The Times

It’s 1992. Like every other seventeen-year-old boy, Joe has one eye on his studies, the other on his social life �� smoking, Britpop, girls. He’s looking ahead to a gap year full of travel and adventure before university when his teacher �� attractive, mid-thirties���� takes an interest in him. It seems like��a fantasy come true.����

For his final two years at school, he is bound to her, a woman twice his age, in an increasingly tangled web of coercion, sex and lies. Their affair, a product of complex grooming and a shocking abuse of authority, is played out in the corridors of one of Britain’s major private schools, under the noses of people who suspected, even knew, but said nothing.��

Thirty years on, this is Joe’s gripping record of the illicit relationship that dominated his adolescence and dictated the course of his life. With a heady dose of nineties nostalgia and the perfectly captured mood of those final months at school, Joe charts the enduring legacy of deceit and the indelibility of decisions made at seventeen.��

'So compelling and shocking that to read it is to have it seared on to you. I felt like I was there. As gripping a memoir as you’ll find' -��David Whitehouse

‘A truly impressive and important book�� - Ali Millar

'A vivid and moving story, grippingly��told' - Alex Renton

'I was addicted to this book' - Lily Dunn

'Gripping [...] a powerful read' - Lucy Nichol]]> 365 Joe Gibson 1398522481 Sherry 0 to-read 4.14 2023
author: Joe Gibson
name: Sherry
average rating: 4.14
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/06/29
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 59468833 Maman was exigeante—there is no English word–and I had the benefit of her training. Others may not be so fortunate. If some other young girl, with two million dollars at stake, finds this of use I shall count myself justified.

Raised in Marrakech by a French mother and English father, a 17-year-old girl has learned above all to avoid mauvais ton ("bad taste" loses something in the translation). One should not ask servants to wait on one during Ramadan: they must have paid leave while one spends the holy month abroad. One must play the piano; if staying at Claridge’s, one must regrettably install a Clavinova in the suite, so that the necessary hours of practice will not be inflicted on fellow guests. One should cultivate weavers of tweed in the Outer Hebrides but have the cloth made up in London; one should buy linen in Ireland but have it made up by a Thai seamstress in Paris (whose genius has been supported by purchase of suitable premises). All this and much more she has learned, governed by a parent of ferociously lofty standards. But at 17, during the annual Ramadan travels, she finds all assumptions overturned. Will she be able to fend for herself? Will the dictates of good taste suffice when she must deal, singlehanded, with the sharks of New York?]]> 69 Helen DeWitt 0811230074 Sherry 2 4.06 2022
author: Helen DeWitt
name: Sherry
average rating: 4.06
book published: 2022
rating: 2
read at: 2024/06/23
date added: 2024/06/23
shelves:
review:

]]> 28285588
We asked Maggie Stiefvater to give us a peek into the scene at 300 Fox Way during the holidays, and what we got back was nothing less than amazing! Read the full bonus Raven Cycle scene!]]> 2 Maggie Stiefvater Sherry 0 to-read 3.55 2014
author: Maggie Stiefvater
name: Sherry
average rating: 3.55
book published: 2014
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/06/19
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 43354163 4 Maggie Stiefvater Sherry 0 to-read 4.26 2018
author: Maggie Stiefvater
name: Sherry
average rating: 4.26
book published: 2018
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/06/19
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 28284684 -Maggie Stiefvater]]> 3 Maggie Stiefvater Sherry 0 to-read 3.92 2015
author: Maggie Stiefvater
name: Sherry
average rating: 3.92
book published: 2015
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/06/19
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 17378527
All her life, Blue has been warned that she will cause her true love's death. She doesn't believe in true love and never thought this would be a problem, but as her life becomes caught up in the strange and sinister world of the Raven Boys, she's not so sure anymore.]]> 439 Maggie Stiefvater 0545424984 Sherry 0 to-read 4.26 2016
author: Maggie Stiefvater
name: Sherry
average rating: 4.26
book published: 2016
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/06/19
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 17378508
Blue Sargent has found things. For the first time in her life, she has friends she can trust, a group to which she can belong. The Raven Boys have taken her in as one of their own. Their problems have become hers, and her problems have become theirs.

The trick with found things, though, is how easily they can be lost.

Friends can betray.
Mothers can disappear.
Visions can mislead.
Certainties can unravel.]]> 391 Maggie Stiefvater 0545424968 Sherry 0 to-read 4.26 2014
author: Maggie Stiefvater
name: Sherry
average rating: 4.26
book published: 2014
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/06/19
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 17347389 439 Maggie Stiefvater 0545424941 Sherry 0 to-read 4.22 2013
author: Maggie Stiefvater
name: Sherry
average rating: 4.22
book published: 2013
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/06/19
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 60657589
Cambridge professor Emily Wilde is good at many things: She is the foremost expert on the study of faeries. She is a genius scholar and a meticulous researcher who is writing the world's first encyclopaedia of faerie lore. But Emily Wilde is not good at people. She could never make small talk at a party--or even get invited to one. And she prefers the company of her books, her dog, and the Fair Folk.

So when she arrives in the hardscrabble village of Hrafnsvik, Emily has no intention of befriending the gruff townsfolk. Nor does she care to spend time with another new arrival: her dashing and insufferably handsome academic rival Wendell Bambleby, who manages to charm the townsfolk, get in the middle of Emily's research, and utterly confound and frustrate her.

But as Emily gets closer and closer to uncovering the secrets of the Hidden Ones--the most elusive of all faeries--lurking in the shadowy forest outside the town, she also finds herself on the trail of another mystery: Who is Wendell Bambleby, and what does he really want? To find the answer, she'll have to unlock the greatest mystery of all--her own heart.]]> 336 Heather Fawcett 059350013X Sherry 3 3.99 2023
author: Heather Fawcett
name: Sherry
average rating: 3.99
book published: 2023
rating: 3
read at: 2024/06/18
date added: 2024/06/19
shelves:
review:
This was delightful. Fantastical. Bizarre (in a good way). I'm scratching my head as I walk away from this book, wondering WTF just happened? In a good way, of course. You gotta read it to believe it.
]]> 176443921
The daughter of a legend finds the love of a lifetime in this passionate, heart-wrenching installment in J. R. Ward’s #1 New York Times bestselling Black Dagger Brotherhood series...

Nalla, the blooded daughter of Zsadist, has led a sheltered life. Protected by her father and the Brotherhood, kept away from the deadly war with the Lessening Society, she is chaffing against the walls of the very safety that has ensured her survival. One night, she gives into her restlessness... and finds herself face to face with a male whose inner darkness rivals even that of her sire’s horrific origins.

Nate is a fighter with nothing to lose- and nothing to live for. Tortured in a human lab as a young, then cursed with immortality, he is all vengeance and no purpose because he cares for no one, not even himself. The Brotherhood know this all too well, and following his deliberate violation of the cardinal rule in the war, they declare him a dangerous liability that must be dealt with.

When Nalla and Nate find themselves fighting side by side, daggers aren’t the only things that fly. A sizzling attraction is ignited, except she knows her sire will never accept him- and on his side, Nate has made a secret bargain to end his immortality. As the enemy closes in, and Nalla realizes she must choose between her mate and her sire... what starts with such passion may well end with eternal sorrow and no chance of a reunion, even in the Fade.]]> 432 J.R. Ward 1982180080 Sherry 3 romance 4.16 2024
author: J.R. Ward
name: Sherry
average rating: 4.16
book published: 2024
rating: 3
read at: 2024/06/08
date added: 2024/06/08
shelves: romance
review:

]]> 36653162
Rome McGuire knew he was in trouble the first time he saw her.

She was sweet and pretty and just about perfect in every way. She was also too young and innocent for the Reapers Motorcycle Club. He did the right thing, and walked away.

The second time, he couldn’t resist tasting her.

Gorgeous and smart, fun and full of wonder, she jumped on his bike and would’ve followed him anywhere. Still, she deserved a shot at happiness somewhere bigger and better than a town like Hallies Falls. Walking away wasn’t so easy that time, but her family needed her and he had a job to do.

When she came around a third time, he’d had enough. Randi Whittaker had been given two chances to escape, and now it was time for Rome to take his.

This time, the only way Randi would be leaving Hallies Falls was on the back of Rome’s bike.

**Every 1001 Dark Nights novella is a standalone story. For new readers, it’s an introduction to an author’s world. And for fans, it’s a bonus book in the author’s series. We hope you'll enjoy each one as much as we do.**]]> 124 Joanna Wylde 1948050226 Sherry 2 romance 3.94 2018
author: Joanna Wylde
name: Sherry
average rating: 3.94
book published: 2018
rating: 2
read at: 2024/05/31
date added: 2024/06/01
shelves: romance
review:
Unfortunately, this did not live up to the promise of the premise. A 1001 Dark Nights promises a lot of spice, and this fell flat. The emotional arc of the FMC Randi was redundant. There was a lot of telling and summarizing instead of showing. Sorry to say, this was an all around disappointment.
]]> 6186264
Bringing together cutting-edge research in psychiatry, neurology, and related fields in an accessible, substantive, original way, Dr. Beck offers powerful methods for solving the problems that beset ordinary people. Using her trademark wisdom, empathy, and engaging style, she connects you with proven, effective strategies that have worked for the hundreds of people she has coached. For those who have found your North Stars, this book will be an invaluable tool to stay the course and overcome obstacles. For those who still feel adrift, it will provide a way to find true North and follow the path of best destiny.

Dr. Beck identifies three stages along the path to recapturing a satisfying ��

������•��"The Stargazer" helps you understand why it is so easy to lose yourself and offers strategies for sighting your North Star��
������•��"The Mapmaker" uses this newly clarified perspective to evaluate your situation and plot a course for upcoming years��
������•��"The Pathfinder" discusses the adventures that may be encountered as you travel along this new life course��

Whether you are seeking better relationships, a more focused career direction, a more harmonious lifestyle, or the achievement of specific fitness goals, the colorful anecdotes, case studies, and exercises in�� Steering by Starlight ��will point the way.]]> 256 Martha N. Beck 1605298646 Sherry 0 never-finished 4.32 2008
author: Martha N. Beck
name: Sherry
average rating: 4.32
book published: 2008
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/05/25
shelves: never-finished
review:

]]> 51152447 The Warmth of Other Suns examines the unspoken caste system that has shaped America and shows how our lives today are still defined by a hierarchy of human divisions.

“As we go about our daily lives, caste is the wordless usher in a darkened theater, flashlight cast down in the aisles, guiding us to our assigned seats for a performance. The hierarchy of caste is not about feelings or morality. It is about power—which groups have it and which do not.��

In this brilliant book, Isabel Wilkerson gives us a masterful portrait of an unseen phenomenon in America as she explores, through an immersive, deeply researched narrative and stories about real people, how America today and throughout its history has been shaped by a hidden caste system, a rigid hierarchy of human rankings.

Beyond race, class, or other factors, there is a powerful caste system that influences people’s lives and behavior and the nation’s fate. Linking the caste systems of America, India, and Nazi Germany, Wilkerson explores eight pillars that underlie caste systems across civilizations, including divine will, bloodlines, stigma, and more. Using riveting stories about people—including Martin Luther King, Jr., baseball’s Satchel Paige, a single father and his toddler son, Wilkerson herself, and many others—she shows the ways that the insidious undertow of caste is experienced every day. She documents how the Nazis studied the racial systems in America to plan their out-cast of the Jews; she discusses why the cruel logic of caste requires that there be a bottom rung for those in the middle to measure themselves against; she writes about the surprising health costs of caste, in depression and life expectancy, and the effects of this hierarchy on our culture and politics. Finally, she points forward to ways America can move beyond the artificial and destructive separations of human divisions, toward hope in our common humanity.]]> 544 Isabel Wilkerson 0593230256 Sherry 0 to-read 4.52 2020
author: Isabel Wilkerson
name: Sherry
average rating: 4.52
book published: 2020
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/05/14
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 75513900 She is the very thing he’s spent his whole life hunting.
He is the very thing she’s spent her whole life pretending to be.

Only the extraordinary belong in the kingdom of Ilya—the exceptional, the empowered, the Elites.

The powers these Elites have possessed for decades were graciously gifted to them by the Plague, though not all were fortunate enough to both survive the sickness and reap the reward. Those born Ordinary are just that—ordinary. And when the king decreed that all Ordinaries be banished in order to preserve his Elite society, lacking an ability suddenly became a crime—making Paedyn Gray a felon by fate and a thief by necessity.

Surviving in the slums as an Ordinary is no simple task, and Paedyn knows this better than most. Having been trained by her father to be overly observant since she was a child, Paedyn poses as a Psychic in the crowded city, blending in with the Elites as best she can in order to stay alive and out of trouble. Easier said than done.

When Paeydn unsuspectingly saves one of Ilyas princes, she finds herself thrown into the Purging Trials. The brutal competition exists to showcase the Elites�� powers—the very thing Paedyn lacks. If the Trials and the opponents within them don’t kill her, the prince she’s fighting feelings for certainly will if he discovers what she is—completely Ordinary.]]> 523 Lauren Roberts Sherry 0 never-finished 4.17 2023
author: Lauren Roberts
name: Sherry
average rating: 4.17
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/05/13
shelves: never-finished
review:

]]> 14061957 Alternative Cover Edition #1

The capital has fallen.

The Darkling rules Ravka from his shadow throne.

Now the nation's fate rests with a broken Sun Summoner, a disgraced tracker, and the shattered remnants of a once-great magical army.

Deep in an ancient network of tunnels and caverns, a weakened Alina must submit to the dubious protection of the Apparat and the zealots who worship her as a Saint. Yet her plans lie elsewhere, with the hunt for the elusive firebird and the hope that an outlaw prince still survives.

Alina will have to forge new alliances and put aside old rivalries as she and Mal race to find the last of Morozova's amplifiers. But as she begins to unravel the Darkling's secrets, she reveals a past that will forever alter her understanding of the bond they share and the power she wields. The firebird is the one thing that stands between Ravka and destruction—and claiming it could cost Alina the very future she’s fighting for.]]> 350 Leigh Bardugo Sherry 0 to-read 3.97 2014
author: Leigh Bardugo
name: Sherry
average rating: 3.97
book published: 2014
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/05/06
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 14061955 Alternative Cover Edition #1

Darkness never dies.

Hunted across the True Sea, haunted by the lives she took on the Fold, Alina must try to make a life with Mal in an unfamiliar land, all while keeping her identity as the Sun Summoner a secret. But she can’t outrun her past or her destiny for long.

The Darkling has emerged from the Shadow Fold with a terrifying new power and a dangerous plan that will test the very boundaries of the natural world. With the help of a notorious privateer, Alina returns to the country she abandoned, determined to fight the forces gathering against Ravka. But as her power grows, Alina slips deeper into the Darkling’s game of forbidden magic, and farther away from Mal. Somehow, she will have to choose between her country, her power, and the love she always thought would guide her—or risk losing everything to the oncoming storm.]]> 435 Leigh Bardugo Sherry 0 to-read 3.81 2013
author: Leigh Bardugo
name: Sherry
average rating: 3.81
book published: 2013
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/05/06
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 10194157 Alternative Cover Edition #1

Surrounded by enemies, the once-great nation of Ravka has been torn in two by the Shadow Fold, a swath of near impenetrable darkness crawling with monsters who feast on human flesh. Now its fate may rest on the shoulders of one lonely refugee.

Alina Starkov has never been good at anything. But when her regiment is attacked on the Fold and her best friend is brutally injured, Alina reveals a dormant power that saves his life—a power that could be the key to setting her war-ravaged country free. Wrenched from everything she knows, Alina is whisked away to the royal court to be trained as a member of the Grisha, the magical elite led by the mysterious Darkling.

Yet nothing in this lavish world is what it seems. With darkness looming and an entire kingdom depending on her untamed power, Alina will have to confront the secrets of the Grisha . . . and the secrets of her heart.]]> 358 Leigh Bardugo 1250048117 Sherry 0 to-read 3.93 2012
author: Leigh Bardugo
name: Sherry
average rating: 3.93
book published: 2012
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/05/06
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 22299763
Kaz Brekker and his crew of deadly outcasts have just pulled off a heist so daring even they didn't think they'd survive. But instead of divvying up a fat reward, they're right back to fighting for their lives.

Double-crossed and badly weakened, the crew is low on resources, allies, and hope. As powerful forces from around the world descend on Ketterdam to root out the secrets of the dangerous drug known as jurda parem, old rivals and new enemies emerge to challenge Kaz's cunning and test the team's fragile loyalties.

A war will be waged on the city's dark and twisting streets - a battle for revenge and redemption that will decide the fate of the Grisha world.]]> 561 Leigh Bardugo Sherry 0 to-read 4.58 2016
author: Leigh Bardugo
name: Sherry
average rating: 4.58
book published: 2016
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/05/06
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 23437156 Alternate cover of ISBN 9781627792127

Ketterdam: a bustling hub of international trade where anything can be had for the right price—and no one knows that better than criminal prodigy Kaz Brekker. Kaz is offered a chance at a deadly heist that could make him rich beyond his wildest dreams. But he can’t pull it off alone...

A convict with a thirst for revenge

A sharpshooter who can’t walk away from a wager

A runaway with a privileged past

A spy known as the Wraith

A Heartrender using her magic to survive the slums

A thief with a gift for unlikely escapes

Six dangerous outcasts. One impossible heist. Kaz’s crew is the only thing that might stand between the world and destruction—if they don’t kill each other first.]]> 480 Leigh Bardugo 1627792120 Sherry 0 to-read 4.47 2015
author: Leigh Bardugo
name: Sherry
average rating: 4.47
book published: 2015
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/05/06
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 200982383 It’s the season
for treason��

The king of Yusan must die.

The five most dangerous liars in the land have been mysteriously summoned to work together for a single objective: to kill the God King Joon.

He has it coming. Under his merciless immortal hand, the nobles flourish, while the poor and innocent are imprisoned, ruined…or sold.

And now each of the five blades will come for him. Each has tasted bitterness―from the hired hitman seeking atonement, a lovely assassin who seeks freedom, or even the prince banished for his cruel crimes. None can resist the sweet, icy lure of vengeance.

They can agree on murder.

They can agree on treachery.

But for these five killers―each versed in deception, lies, and betrayal―it’s not enough to forge an alliance. To survive, they’ll have to find a way to trust each other…but only one can take the crown.

Let the best liar win.]]> 474 Mai Corland 1649376901 Sherry 0 to-read 3.81 2024
author: Mai Corland
name: Sherry
average rating: 3.81
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/05/06
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 150779174
“A timely corrective…Ms. Janega’s witty but merciless dissection of medieval misogyny is a welcome challenge to us to stop recycling the same old prejudices.”―Elizabeth Lowry, Wall Street Journal What makes for the ideal woman? How should she look, love, and be? In this vibrant, high-spirited history, medievalist Eleanor Janega turns to the Middle Ages, the era that bridged the ancient world and modern society, to unfurl its suppositions about women and reveal what’s shifted over time―and what hasn’t. Enshrined medieval thinkers, almost always male, subscribed to a blend of classical Greek and Roman philosophy and Christian theology for their concepts of the sexes. For the height of female attractiveness, they chose the mythical Helen of Troy, whose imagined pear shape, small breasts, and golden hair served as beauty’s epitome. Casting Eve’s shadow over medieval women, they derided them as oversexed sinners, inherently lustful, insatiable, and weak. And, unless a nun, a woman was to be the embodiment of perfect motherhood. In contrast, drawing on accounts of remarkable and subversive medieval women like Eleanor of Aquitaine and Hildegard of Bingen, along with others hidden in documents and court cases, Janega shows us how real women of the era lived. While often mothers, they were industrious farmers, brewers, textile workers, artists, and artisans and paved the way for new ideas about women’s nature, intellect, and ability. In The Once and Future Sex , Janega unravels the restricting expectations on medieval women and the ones on women today. She boldly questions why, if our ideas of women have changed drastically over time, we cannot reimagine them now to create a more equitable future. 11 illustrations]]> 272 Eleanor Janega 1324074469 Sherry 0 to-read 4.14 2023
author: Eleanor Janega
name: Sherry
average rating: 4.14
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/04/22
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 23599075 There is an alternate cover edition for this ISBN here.

"Nothing is a coincidence. Everything has a purpose. You were meant to come to this castle, just as you were meant to be an assassin."

When magic has gone from the world, and a vicious king rules from his throne of glass, an assassin comes to the castle. She does not come to kill, but to win her freedom. If she can defeat twenty-three killers, thieves, and warriors in a competition to find the greatest assassin in the land, she will become the King's Champion and be released from prison.

Her name is Celaena Sardothien.

The Crown Prince will provoke her. The Captain of the Guard will protect her.

And a princess from a foreign land will become the one thing Celaena never thought she'd have again: a friend.

But something evil dwells in the castle—and it's there to kill. When her competitors start dying, horribly, one by one, Celaena's fight for freedom becomes a fight for survival—and a desperate quest to root out the source of the evil before it destroys her world.]]> 406 Sarah J. Maas 1599906953 Sherry 0 4.12 2012
author: Sarah J. Maas
name: Sherry
average rating: 4.12
book published: 2012
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/04/15
shelves:
review:

]]> 176443264 Cultish and host of the podcast Sounds Like a Cult, a delicious blend of cultural criticism and personal narrative that explores our cognitive biases and the power, disadvantages, and highlights of magical thinking.

Utilizing the linguistic insights of her “witty and brilliant�� first book Wordslut and the sociological explorations of her breakout hit Cultish, Amanda Montell now turns her erudite eye to the inner workings of the human mind and its biases in her most personal and electrifying work yet.

“Magical thinking�� can be broadly defined as the belief that one’s internal thoughts can affect unrelated events in the external Think of the conviction that one can manifest their way out of poverty, stave off cancer with positive vibes, thwart the apocalypse by learning to can their own peaches, or transform an unhealthy relationship to a glorious one with loyalty alone. In all its forms, magical thinking works in service of restoring agency amid chaos, but in The Age of Magical Overthinking, Montell argues that in the modern information age, our brain’s coping mechanisms have been overloaded, and our irrationality turned up to an eleven.

In a series of razor sharp, deeply funny chapters, Montell delves into a cornucopia of the cognitive biases that run rampant in our brains, from how the “Halo effect�� cultivates worship (and hatred) of larger than life celebrities, to how the “Sunk Cost Fallacy�� can keep us in detrimental relationships long after we’ve realized they’re not serving us. As she illuminates these concepts with her signature brilliance and wit, Montell’s prevailing message is one of hope, empathy, and ultimately forgiveness for our anxiety-addled human selves. If you have all but lost faith in our ability to reason, Montell aims to make some sense of the senseless. To crack open a window in our minds, and let a warm breeze in. To help quiet the cacophony for a while, or even hear a melody in it.]]> 259 Amanda Montell 1668007975 Sherry 0 to-read 3.45 2024
author: Amanda Montell
name: Sherry
average rating: 3.45
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/04/10
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 41716694
Amanda Montell, feminist linguist and staff features editor at online beauty and health magazine Byrdie.com, deconstructs language—from insults and cursing to grammar and pronunciation patterns—to reveal the ways it has been used for centuries to keep women form gaining equality. Ever wonder why so many people are annoyed when women use the word “like�� as a filler? Or why certain gender neutral terms stick and others don’t? Or even how linguists have historically discussed women’s speech patterns? Wordslut is no stuffy academic study; Montell’s irresistible humor shines through, making linguistics not only approachable but both downright hilarious and profound.]]> 304 Amanda Montell 006286887X Sherry 0 to-read 4.26 2019
author: Amanda Montell
name: Sherry
average rating: 4.26
book published: 2019
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/04/10
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 55338982
What makes “cults�� so intriguing and frightening? What makes them powerful? The reason why so many of us binge Manson documentaries by the dozen and fall down rabbit holes researching suburban moms gone QAnon is because we’re looking for a satisfying explanation for what causes people to join—and more importantly, stay in—extreme groups. We secretly want to know: could it happen to me? Amanda Montell’s argument is that, on some level, it already has . . .

Our culture tends to provide pretty flimsy answers to questions of cult influence, mostly having to do with vague talk of “brainwashing.�� But the true answer has nothing to do with freaky mind-control wizardry or Kool-Aid. In Cultish, Montell argues that the key to manufacturing intense ideology, community, and us/them attitudes all comes down to language. In both positive ways and shadowy ones, cultish language is something we hear—and are influenced by—every single day.

Through juicy storytelling and cutting original research, Montell exposes the verbal elements that make a wide spectrum of communities “cultish,�� revealing how they affect followers of groups as notorious as Heaven’s Gate, but also how they pervade our modern start-ups, Peloton leaderboards, and Instagram feeds. Incisive and darkly funny, this enrapturing take on the curious social science of power and belief will make you hear the fanatical language of “cultish�� everywhere.]]> 309 Amanda Montell 0062993151 Sherry 0 to-read 3.82 2021
author: Amanda Montell
name: Sherry
average rating: 3.82
book published: 2021
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/04/10
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 126062562
When Celaena's scheming master, Arobynn Hamel, dispatches her on missions that take her from remote islands to hostile deserts, she finds herself acting independently of his wishes—and questioning her own allegiance. Along the way, she makes friends and enemies alike, and discovers that she feels far more for Sam than just friendship. But by defying Arobynn’s orders, Celaena risks unimaginable punishment, and with Sam by her side, he is in danger, too. They will have to risk it all if they hope to escape Arobynn’s clutches—and if they fail, they’ll lose not just a chance at freedom, but their lives . . .

A prequel to Throne of Glass, this collection of five novellas offers readers a deeper look into the history of this cunning assassin and her enthralling—and deadly—world.

Included in this volume:
The Assassin and the Pirate Lord
The Assassin and the Healer
The Assassin and the Desert
The Assassin and the Underworld
The Assassin and the Empire]]> 451 Sarah J. Maas 1619632217 Sherry 3 romance 4.16 2014
author: Sarah J. Maas
name: Sherry
average rating: 4.16
book published: 2014
rating: 3
read at: 2024/04/08
date added: 2024/04/09
shelves: romance
review:

]]> 58648147
After saving the demon Fallon in a wine-drunk stupor, all he wanted to do was kill an evil witch enslaving his people.

I mean, I get it, don't get me wrong. But he's dragging me along for the ride, and I'm kind of peeved about it. On the bright side, he keeps burning off his shirt.]]> 260 Kimberly Lemming Sherry 3 romance 3.88 2021
author: Kimberly Lemming
name: Sherry
average rating: 3.88
book published: 2021
rating: 3
read at: 2024/04/07
date added: 2024/04/09
shelves: romance
review:

]]> 90202302 “The first year is when some of us lose our lives. The second year is when the rest of us lose our humanity.�� —Xaden Riorson

Everyone expected Violet Sorrengail to die during her first year at Basgiath War College—Violet included. But Threshing was only the first impossible test meant to weed out the weak-willed, the unworthy, and the unlucky.

Now the real training begins, and Violet’s already wondering how she’ll get through. It’s not just that it’s grueling and maliciously brutal, or even that it’s designed to stretch the riders�� capacity for pain beyond endurance. It’s the new vice commandant, who’s made it his personal mission to teach Violet exactly how powerless she is–unless she betrays the man she loves.

Although Violet’s body might be weaker and frailer than everyone else’s, she still has her wits—and a will of iron. And leadership is forgetting the most important lesson Basgiath has taught her: Dragon riders make their own rules.

But a determination to survive won’t be enough this year.

Because Violet knows the real secret hidden for centuries at Basgiath War College—and nothing, not even dragon fire, may be enough to save them in the end.]]> 623 Rebecca Yarros 1649374178 Sherry 3
The first book in this series, I rated 5 stars. Book Two, however, Imma give it 3 stars. Begrudingly. Here's why. It wasn't up to par as the first book. The first book ends with our fearless FMC, Violet, making a monumental discovery: Her military college, her mother, her government, including the king have been deceiving their citizens, including rewriting history about an evil force that lurks just beyond the wards, which is essentially a magic force field that keeps all the Navaarian citizens safe while keeping the bad guys out. The price: if you are not a Navaarian citizen, then you're screwed. Since you are outside of the protection of the wards, you are at risk of sucuumbing to the evil of the bad guys, who are dark weilders (also known as venim and their 2 legged dragons called wyvern. These wyvern are not to be confused with the "friendly" dragons the Naavarians bond with and use in battle.)

Instead of remaining at the rebel stronghold known as Aretia, Violet and her squad return to the military college, Basgiath. Whhaatt?? This is an unexpected plot twist. Upon their return, school officials try to assassinate Violet and her squad mates b/c they know The Truth and school officials do not want The Truth to be exposed.

In book One, a lot of people hated Violet b/c of her last name. (She is the general's daughter.) Well, now that she knows The Truth, even more people hate her and want to see her dead (along with her squad mates.) It ends up being more of the same. Only now, instead of her fellow students trying to kill her, it's her professors or other school officials. We meet Commandant Varrish who is the Professor Umbridge equivalent, only a lot deadlier. Part One of book Two ends up being more of the same as in book one, which is a series of unfortunate events where someone tries to assassinate Violet.

Violet was insufferable, quite frankly. She learns that every strata of her world from government officials to school professors to her own mother (who is the general) lied to her and yet she carries on and on and on and on....how she can't trust Xaden, the dreamboat MMC becuase he wasn't totally transparent about the rebellion from the beginning. You see, he's known The Truth for a lot longer than her and has been working undergrond to expose it. He wasn't totally sure if he could trust her or not and risk all that he has worked for to carry out a rebellion under the noses of the military college.

Right, right, right, Violet. This is what your obsess over for hundreds and hundreds of pages? Oof.

Part Two of book two is more of the same as book one. Here's what I mean. By part Two, The Truth has been exposed. The rebels decamp from the military college and flee to the rebel stronghold of Aretia. Here, they are gathering supplies and allies to reinforce themselves against an attack from the dark weilders or retaliation from the Naavarian government. Okay. Got it. What do we do? We go off on grueling hikes through mountains where fellow cadets are either injured or die b/c of a mishap just like in Book One and Violet feels an outsized sense of guilt. There's more practice, learning how to weild the power of your dragon. There is a little excursion to an ally where Violet faces down a dark weilder but I'm not sure what the point of this was. Although she's successful defeating this evil dark weilder, I'm not clear what happens to this "important ally" who set her up. Is he punished? Are we still allies? I mean, Xaden threatens the dude, but he gets to live and do...something? Again, what's the point? How does this relate to the current plot or future books?

A former lover of Xaden is introduced in part two and...oof. The jealousy and rivalry between Violet and the ex-girlfriend, Cat, is overdone and so unncessary. Internalized misogyny much? I really disliked this. Like, really, really, disliked this. It was just dumb.

Once we finally get to the last 50 pages of the book, the pace picks back up. Violet's mom sacrifices herself to save everyone, which ok, fine. It was appropriately touching. The attack of the dark weilders are defeated as a result. Even so, things go off the rails.

#1: Jack Barlowe returns. You remember good ol' Jack, don't you, from book One? He's the psychopath who attempts to assassinate Violet multiple times. (He also killed several other cadets without any consequences.) In Book One, Violet used her special powers to kill him, only, he wasn't dead. Turns out, he was mostly dead. For some insane reason, school officials nursed him back to health and it turns out, he's a dark weilder. He's the enemy incarnate living at the military college. School officials have been feeding him an antidote serum to delay? reverse? counteract? the process of turning fully into a dark weilder. Because it's like an infection? I don't know.

Jack Barlowe kills his second dragon at the end of the book, sacraficing his dragon in order to break the wards, the magic force field that allows the dark weilders and the wyvern to attack the military college. Wait. I thought there was a rule in this world that if a human kills a dragon, then the rest of the dragons punish that human? Or if the dragon dies, then the human dies b/c the bond is so great. I mean, Liam died b/c wyvern killed his dragon in Book One. Why haven't those rules applied to Jack Barlowe? Oof.

Heavy sigh. Here we are. The ending of his book was a doozy. Spoiler alert: Xaden is infected with whatever "turns" a person into a dark weilder. This is a stunning revelation.

Despite almost DNF'ing this book several times, I pushed through. Yarros is a very good writer. Her descriptions are vivid. I feel like I'm immersed into the scenes right along side Violet. But I'm not eager to read book 3, either. I will, but it won't be a rush.

So. Meh. ]]> 4.33 2023
author: Rebecca Yarros
name: Sherry
average rating: 4.33
book published: 2023
rating: 3
read at: 2024/04/03
date added: 2024/04/04
shelves:
review:
I made it. I finally made it to the end of this book.

The first book in this series, I rated 5 stars. Book Two, however, Imma give it 3 stars. Begrudingly. Here's why. It wasn't up to par as the first book. The first book ends with our fearless FMC, Violet, making a monumental discovery: Her military college, her mother, her government, including the king have been deceiving their citizens, including rewriting history about an evil force that lurks just beyond the wards, which is essentially a magic force field that keeps all the Navaarian citizens safe while keeping the bad guys out. The price: if you are not a Navaarian citizen, then you're screwed. Since you are outside of the protection of the wards, you are at risk of sucuumbing to the evil of the bad guys, who are dark weilders (also known as venim and their 2 legged dragons called wyvern. These wyvern are not to be confused with the "friendly" dragons the Naavarians bond with and use in battle.)

Instead of remaining at the rebel stronghold known as Aretia, Violet and her squad return to the military college, Basgiath. Whhaatt?? This is an unexpected plot twist. Upon their return, school officials try to assassinate Violet and her squad mates b/c they know The Truth and school officials do not want The Truth to be exposed.

In book One, a lot of people hated Violet b/c of her last name. (She is the general's daughter.) Well, now that she knows The Truth, even more people hate her and want to see her dead (along with her squad mates.) It ends up being more of the same. Only now, instead of her fellow students trying to kill her, it's her professors or other school officials. We meet Commandant Varrish who is the Professor Umbridge equivalent, only a lot deadlier. Part One of book Two ends up being more of the same as in book one, which is a series of unfortunate events where someone tries to assassinate Violet.

Violet was insufferable, quite frankly. She learns that every strata of her world from government officials to school professors to her own mother (who is the general) lied to her and yet she carries on and on and on and on....how she can't trust Xaden, the dreamboat MMC becuase he wasn't totally transparent about the rebellion from the beginning. You see, he's known The Truth for a lot longer than her and has been working undergrond to expose it. He wasn't totally sure if he could trust her or not and risk all that he has worked for to carry out a rebellion under the noses of the military college.

Right, right, right, Violet. This is what your obsess over for hundreds and hundreds of pages? Oof.

Part Two of book two is more of the same as book one. Here's what I mean. By part Two, The Truth has been exposed. The rebels decamp from the military college and flee to the rebel stronghold of Aretia. Here, they are gathering supplies and allies to reinforce themselves against an attack from the dark weilders or retaliation from the Naavarian government. Okay. Got it. What do we do? We go off on grueling hikes through mountains where fellow cadets are either injured or die b/c of a mishap just like in Book One and Violet feels an outsized sense of guilt. There's more practice, learning how to weild the power of your dragon. There is a little excursion to an ally where Violet faces down a dark weilder but I'm not sure what the point of this was. Although she's successful defeating this evil dark weilder, I'm not clear what happens to this "important ally" who set her up. Is he punished? Are we still allies? I mean, Xaden threatens the dude, but he gets to live and do...something? Again, what's the point? How does this relate to the current plot or future books?

A former lover of Xaden is introduced in part two and...oof. The jealousy and rivalry between Violet and the ex-girlfriend, Cat, is overdone and so unncessary. Internalized misogyny much? I really disliked this. Like, really, really, disliked this. It was just dumb.

Once we finally get to the last 50 pages of the book, the pace picks back up. Violet's mom sacrifices herself to save everyone, which ok, fine. It was appropriately touching. The attack of the dark weilders are defeated as a result. Even so, things go off the rails.

#1: Jack Barlowe returns. You remember good ol' Jack, don't you, from book One? He's the psychopath who attempts to assassinate Violet multiple times. (He also killed several other cadets without any consequences.) In Book One, Violet used her special powers to kill him, only, he wasn't dead. Turns out, he was mostly dead. For some insane reason, school officials nursed him back to health and it turns out, he's a dark weilder. He's the enemy incarnate living at the military college. School officials have been feeding him an antidote serum to delay? reverse? counteract? the process of turning fully into a dark weilder. Because it's like an infection? I don't know.

Jack Barlowe kills his second dragon at the end of the book, sacraficing his dragon in order to break the wards, the magic force field that allows the dark weilders and the wyvern to attack the military college. Wait. I thought there was a rule in this world that if a human kills a dragon, then the rest of the dragons punish that human? Or if the dragon dies, then the human dies b/c the bond is so great. I mean, Liam died b/c wyvern killed his dragon in Book One. Why haven't those rules applied to Jack Barlowe? Oof.

Heavy sigh. Here we are. The ending of his book was a doozy. Spoiler alert: Xaden is infected with whatever "turns" a person into a dark weilder. This is a stunning revelation.

Despite almost DNF'ing this book several times, I pushed through. Yarros is a very good writer. Her descriptions are vivid. I feel like I'm immersed into the scenes right along side Violet. But I'm not eager to read book 3, either. I will, but it won't be a rush.

So. Meh.
]]> 122993486 Two sisters roll up their sleeves to run a dilapidated, beach town inn but must learn to work with the locals in this deliciously spicy Sense and Sensibility inspired rom-com by Nikki Payne.

There's never a good time to learn ��dz�’r�� your father's secret second family—especially not at the reading of the will. To add insult to injury, Nora's racy leaked videos just went viral. Nora Dash has got no reputation, no dad, and only a forgotten beach house in rural Maine to her name. There are no other Black people for miles, the place is abandoned, but at least no one will recognize her O face in the backwoods. She and her free-spirited sister Yanne haven’t even knocked the traveling dust off last season's designer boots when the first problem pops up: a fake park ranger giving tours of their property like it's his own—and he’s hotter than the local lobster boil.

Ennis "Bear" Freeman is used to people showing up unannounced on his land. So when a beautiful city girl shows up with the deed to his unofficial headquarters in one manicured hand, he gives it a week before their whole crew packs up and leaves. But it isn't long before they find out they work better together than apart. To his surprise, Nora's damned good for Bear's business, and his own secrets might turn out to be the thing that sends them packing.]]> 400 Nikki Payne 059344096X Sherry 0 to-read 3.60 2024
author: Nikki Payne
name: Sherry
average rating: 3.60
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/03/25
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 60751788 A woman goes head-to-head with the CEO of a corporation threatening to destroy her neighborhood in this fresh and modern retelling of Pride and Prejudice by debut author Nikki Payne.

Liza B.--the only DJ who gives a jam--wants to take her neighborhood back from the soulless property developer dropping unaffordable condos on every street corner in DC. But her planned protest at a corporate event takes a turn after she mistakes the smoldering-hot CEO for the waitstaff. When they go toe-to-toe, the sparks fly--but her impossible-to-ignore family thwarts her every move. Liza wants Dorsey Fitzgerald out of her hood, but she'll settle for getting him out of her head.

At first, Dorsey writes off Liza Bennett as more interested in performing outrage than acting on it. As the adopted Filipino son of a wealthy white family, he's always felt a bit out of place and knows a fraud when he sees one. But when Liza's protest results in a viral meme, their lives are turned upside down, and Dorsey comes to realize this irresistible revolutionary is the most real woman he's ever met.]]> 416 Nikki Payne 0593440943 Sherry 0 to-read 3.75 2022
author: Nikki Payne
name: Sherry
average rating: 3.75
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/03/25
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 45189714
She unearths fascinating histories of communities whose lives were shaped by wool, from the mill workers of the Border countries, to the English market towns built on profits of the wool trade, and the Highland communities cleared for sheep farming; and finds tradition and innovation intermingling in today’s knitwear industries. Along the way, she explores wool’s rich culture by knitting and crafting culturally significant garments from our history—among them gloves, a scarf, a baby blanket, socks and a fisherman’s jumper—reminding us of the value of craft and our intimate relationship with wool.

This Golden Fleece is at once a meditation on the craft and history of knitting, and a fascinating exploration of wool’s influence on our landscape, history and culture.]]> 340 Esther Rutter 1783784350 Sherry 0 to-read 4.10 2019
author: Esther Rutter
name: Sherry
average rating: 4.10
book published: 2019
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/03/24
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 195035784 378 Esther Rutter 1783787961 Sherry 0 to-read 3.94 2024
author: Esther Rutter
name: Sherry
average rating: 3.94
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/03/24
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 62232550 In Twelve Words for Moss, Elizabeth-Jane Burnett celebrates the unsung hero of the plant world with her unique blend of poetry, nature writing and memoir. Making her way through wetlands from Somerset to Country Tyrone, Burnett discovers the hidden vibrancy of these overlooked spaces, renaming her favourite species of moss as she recovers from her grief at her father's death and draws inspiration from the resilience and tenacity of her plant - and human - friends.]]> 172 Elizabeth-Jane Burnett 0141999551 Sherry 0 to-read 3.75 2023
author: Elizabeth-Jane Burnett
name: Sherry
average rating: 3.75
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/03/24
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 181848945
1930. Feeling jittery about her writing career, Sylvia Townsend Warner spots a modest workman’s cottage for sale on the Dorset coast.

1941. Rosamond Lehmann settles in a Berkshire village, seeking a lovers�� retreat, a refuge from war, and a means of becoming ‘a writer again��.

Rural Hours tells the story of three very different women, each of whom moved to the country and were forever changed by it.

In this bold new biography, Harriet Baker vividly recreates the ‘rural hours�� of the writers Virginia Woolf, Sylvia Townsend Warner, and Rosamond Lehmann. We encounter them at quiet moments �� pausing to look at an insect on the windowsill; jotting down a recipe; or digging for potatoes, dirt beneath their nails. Slowly, we start to see transformations unfold. Invigorated by new landscapes, and the daily trials and small pleasures of making homes, they emerge from long periods of creative uncertainty and private disappointment; they embark on new experiments in form, in feeling and in living. In the country, each woman finds her to convalescence and recovery; to sexual and political awakening; and, above all, to personal freedom and creative flourishing.

Graceful, fluid, and enriched by previously untouched archival material, Rural Hours is both a paean to the bravery and vision of three pioneering writers, and a passionate invitation to us to recognize the radical potential of domestic life and rural places, and find new enchantment in the routines and rituals of each day.]]> 368 Harriet Baker 0241540518 Sherry 0 to-read 4.06 2024
author: Harriet Baker
name: Sherry
average rating: 4.06
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/03/24
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 203137900 Most new authors are focusing on learning the WRONG things!

All successful authors have a few things in
✔️ They have published more than 10 books (most have more than 40).
✔️ They have been writing and publishing for more than 3 years.
✔️ They ONLY invest in the right strategies for that stage of their career.

The Truly Successful Author will teach you the processes, strategies, and skills that modern authors use to grow from “I’m a writer�� to “I’m a profitable author�� in the exact order of priority necessary to be successful from Book 1 through retirement.

This includes understanding how
�� weave publishing & marketing into your writing schedule
�� build your author career in just ten to fifteen hours per week, so you can keep your day job and never burn out
�� ALWAYS earn more than you spend on marketing
�� preserve 80% of your author time to focus on writing
�� write and publish four books per year without sacrificing quality
�� streamline your process from idea generation all the way through a successful book launch, so your mind is free to dream up new stories

If you love to write but don’t know how to build an author business . . .
If you see authors publishing book-after-book while you spend years on one novel . . .
If you secretly dream of getting paid to imagine and write the stories you love . . .

The Truly Successful Author was written for you!]]> 181 Maria Secoy 1961330075 Sherry 0 to-read 4.00
author: Maria Secoy
name: Sherry
average rating: 4.00
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/03/24
shelves: to-read
review:

]]>