A Marvelous Life: the Amazing Story of Stan Lee by Danny Fingeroth
Publication Date - November 5, 2019
3.5 stars
I will admit that while being a Marvel movie enthusiast, I have never really been a reader of comic books. This book was definitely entertaining and Stan Lee is a charming and interesting subject. While the author did work with Lee at Marvel, he a times felt like just a fan writing a book (which he probably is as well), which took away some of the depth. Overall, maybe I wasn't completely the right audience yet I still found it to be a fun read. I received a digital ARC of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Tuesday, October 29, 2019
Galvanizing Essay Collection
The Witches are Coming by Lindy West
Publication Date - November 5, 2019
5 stars
This essay collection is honestly life-changing. I devoured this book and let the emotions; anger, despair and hope wash over me as I did so. I feel as though all the feelings that have pulsed through many of us these past few years are elegantly, succinctly and passionately portrayed in West's writing. I received a digital ARC of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Publication Date - November 5, 2019
5 stars
This essay collection is honestly life-changing. I devoured this book and let the emotions; anger, despair and hope wash over me as I did so. I feel as though all the feelings that have pulsed through many of us these past few years are elegantly, succinctly and passionately portrayed in West's writing. I received a digital ARC of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Sweet Holiday Read
We Met in December
by Rosie Curtis
Publication Date – November 5, 2019
4 stars
Alex and Jess get the dream opportunity to live in the
Nottingham neighborhood in London for an extremely affordable price. When they first meet, the sparks are
immediate and they form a close friendship but Alex also forms a confusing
attachment to one of their other housemates.
This book is the year that follows and their evolving friendship, other
relationships and their job struggles.
This is from both of their points of views, which I enjoyed
tremendously, and is just really cute and enjoyable. This would be a great holiday read. I received a digital ARC of this book through
NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Sane or Insane?
The Great Pretender
by Susannah Cahalan
Publication Date – November 5, 2019
4.5 stars
Susannah Cahalan is known for her book Brain on Fire about her experiences with symptoms of mental illness
due to an immune disorder. This one
delves deeper into the field of psychology and psychiatry, studying the infamous
study done by Dr. David Rosenhan that was influential in dismantling the asylum
system. This book definitely started out
as one thing and morphed into something much greater and more important. Cahalan deftly establishes the problems with
the current state of mental health and how we got here. Well researched and written, I look forward
to witnessing the impact of this book. I
received a digital ARC of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest
review.
Tuesday, October 22, 2019
Krakauer Essays
Classic Krakauer: Essays on Wilderness and Risk by Jon Krakauer
Publication Date - October 29, 2019
4 stars
I am always up for anything that Jon Krakauer writes, so when I heard about this upcoming book of essays I requested it immediately. These are fairly old pieces so a bit outdated, but I still enjoyed every one and they are of the quality that I have come to expect from Krakauer's writing. He's simply the best I've read at capturing the personalities of those people that live lives entrenched in risk and adventure. I received a digital ARC of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Publication Date - October 29, 2019
4 stars
I am always up for anything that Jon Krakauer writes, so when I heard about this upcoming book of essays I requested it immediately. These are fairly old pieces so a bit outdated, but I still enjoyed every one and they are of the quality that I have come to expect from Krakauer's writing. He's simply the best I've read at capturing the personalities of those people that live lives entrenched in risk and adventure. I received a digital ARC of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Tuesday, October 8, 2019
Libraries During The Civil Rights Era
Freedom Libraries: The Untold Story of Libraries for African Americans in the South by Mike Selby
Publication Date - October 15, 2019
4 stars
Civil rights activists during the sixties traveled to dangerous and highly segregated southern towns in order to register voters and increase literacy. One of their initiatives was the creation of Freedom Libraries. These libraries would not only offer access to books but also serve as a place for gathering, learning and literacy. The work was dangerous and many volunteers paid with their lives. I think any book that reminds us of our horrific history is important and this laid out just some of the atrocities inflicted on the African American community and civil rights activists. This book does often introduce snippets of stories and then skip to the next quickly which is confusing at times, however it is still one that I recommend.
Publication Date - October 15, 2019
4 stars
Civil rights activists during the sixties traveled to dangerous and highly segregated southern towns in order to register voters and increase literacy. One of their initiatives was the creation of Freedom Libraries. These libraries would not only offer access to books but also serve as a place for gathering, learning and literacy. The work was dangerous and many volunteers paid with their lives. I think any book that reminds us of our horrific history is important and this laid out just some of the atrocities inflicted on the African American community and civil rights activists. This book does often introduce snippets of stories and then skip to the next quickly which is confusing at times, however it is still one that I recommend.
Biography of a Dystopian Classic
On Nineteen Eighty
Four: a Biography by D.J. Taylor
Publication Date – October 15, 2019
3.5 stars
I read George Orwell’s 1984
several years ago and was struck by its clear sighted look at government gone
wrong. This book is not just a biography
of Orwell but of the book itself, with details about his movements and frame of
mind prior to writing, his personal life during writing and the publication
process surrounding it. I thought this
was an interesting look at writing and how the author’s personal experience
play into the plot and structure of the story.
I will admit that I found it dragged at times, even though it is a relatively
short book, however, for fans of 1984,
this is a great supplementary read. I
received a digital ARC of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest
review.
Olive is Back
Olive, Again by
Elizabeth Strout
Publication Date – October 15, 2019
5 stars
I honestly believe Olive Kitteridge may be my absolute
favorite book character. I feel as
though through the course of Elizabeth Strout’s books, we have gotten to know
Olive both from her perspective and from the perspective of a multitude of
other characters which has made for a more well-rounded character. This book is also about aging, and coming to
terms with who we have been, and the relationships we have had. This book is just so good but I definitely
recommend reading Olive Kitteridge
first. I received a digital ARC of this
book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Friday, October 4, 2019
Heartbreaking Reality
American Epidemic: Reporting From the Front Lines of the Opioid Crisis
Edited by John McMillian
Publication Date - October 22, 2019
4.5 stars
This collection gathers newspaper reports, excerpts from recent books, magazine articles and scholarly research on the current opioid epidemic. The result is utterly heartbreaking. I keep reading about the current crisis, not because I am intimately involved but to remain empathetic to those that are. These essays follow addicts, police officers, counselors and family members as they deal with an often hopeless situation. The issues are so complicated and mostly everyone is just trying to do the best they can with the resources available. There are so many great books being published on the opioid crisis, but this is comprehensive collection on the current reporting. I received a digital ARC of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Edited by John McMillian
Publication Date - October 22, 2019
4.5 stars
This collection gathers newspaper reports, excerpts from recent books, magazine articles and scholarly research on the current opioid epidemic. The result is utterly heartbreaking. I keep reading about the current crisis, not because I am intimately involved but to remain empathetic to those that are. These essays follow addicts, police officers, counselors and family members as they deal with an often hopeless situation. The issues are so complicated and mostly everyone is just trying to do the best they can with the resources available. There are so many great books being published on the opioid crisis, but this is comprehensive collection on the current reporting. I received a digital ARC of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Tuesday, October 1, 2019
The Fury of Teenage Girls
The Furies By Katie Lowe
Publication Date - October 8, 2019
3 stars
A private school with a troubling history, a newcomer with a tragic past and a mentor teacher who likes to study magic, this book attempts a. mix of the Craft and the Secret History with middling results. The plot and writing are entertaining, my main problems lies with the characters who aren’t just unlikable but uncompelling. The main character had really horrible things happen that were just glossed over and I found that I just didn’t really care that much. I received a digital ARC of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Hope in Leaving
Unfollow: A Journey From Hatred to Hope by Megan
Phelps-Roper
Publication Date – October 8, 2019
4.5 stars
Living in a college town, I have witnessed the Westboro
Baptist Church’s picketing with revulsion and honest confusion (how are they
pulling this stuff from Christianity and do they not have lives?). So, I went into this with some amount of
trepidation. This ended up being one of
the most fascinating and step by step accounts of how someone is indoctrinated
into a religious cult, the slow dawning of realization, the leaving and the
afterlife that I have ever read. She is
a very good writer and while the numerous scripture quotations could be slow
going, it also demonstrates how someone who grew up in this environment could
use them as validation. In the end this
is a hopeful book and one that promotes healthy conversation. One of the most amazing facts of Megan’s
story is that it is some of her fiercest Twitter detractors that end up
becoming her friends which demonstrates. the power of open minds and open
conversations. I received a digital ARC
of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Indefinable Book
The Grace Year by Kim Liggett
Publication Date - October 8, 2019
3 stars
This is a strange book and I am having a hard time coming up with a way to express my opinions on it. About a community where the young women are sent away into the woods for a year to lose their magic, it has huge Lord of the Flies vibes and initially had me excited with its mean girls and strange behaviors. However, the early momentum loses steam and instead it turns into a strange romance with pacing issues and almost no backstory. I really liked the main character at the beginning but then she was so afraid of all the other girls and it didn't quite make sense. I guess in conclusion, I liked the idea of this book more than it's execution and I'm eager to see what other readers have to say about it. I received a digital ARC of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Publication Date - October 8, 2019
3 stars
This is a strange book and I am having a hard time coming up with a way to express my opinions on it. About a community where the young women are sent away into the woods for a year to lose their magic, it has huge Lord of the Flies vibes and initially had me excited with its mean girls and strange behaviors. However, the early momentum loses steam and instead it turns into a strange romance with pacing issues and almost no backstory. I really liked the main character at the beginning but then she was so afraid of all the other girls and it didn't quite make sense. I guess in conclusion, I liked the idea of this book more than it's execution and I'm eager to see what other readers have to say about it. I received a digital ARC of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Reclaiming the West
Erosion: Essays of Undoing by Terry Tempest Williams
Publication Date - October 8, 2019
4 stars
I made the mistake, when I first started this book, of trying to read through the essays quickly. In doing this, I not only missed out on the author's beautiful writing but the message began to feel repetitive. Once I slowed down, savoring one or two essays in a sitting, I really starting to connect emotionally with the writing. Two in particular; "The Council of Pronghorn" and her interview with Tim DeChristopher are mesmerizing. Even read spread out some of the essays still felt redundant, but this is a collection I will be thinking about for months to come. I received a digital ARC of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Publication Date - October 8, 2019
4 stars
I made the mistake, when I first started this book, of trying to read through the essays quickly. In doing this, I not only missed out on the author's beautiful writing but the message began to feel repetitive. Once I slowed down, savoring one or two essays in a sitting, I really starting to connect emotionally with the writing. Two in particular; "The Council of Pronghorn" and her interview with Tim DeChristopher are mesmerizing. Even read spread out some of the essays still felt redundant, but this is a collection I will be thinking about for months to come. I received a digital ARC of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
The French Resistance in WWII
Escape from Paris: A True Story of Love and Resistance in Wartime France by Stephen Harding
Publication Date - 10/8/2019
3.5 stars
Joe Cornwall was a gunner during World War II when his plane went down over occupied France. Through a series of brave resistors, he found his way to the apartment of the Morins and into a brief romance with their daughter, Yvette. I enjoyed reading this, especially about the brave French Resistance. This was a relatively short nonfiction account and I actually was not as interested in Joe's story, but it is worth reading in order to get the story of the Morins and all of their associates. I received a digital ARC of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Publication Date - 10/8/2019
3.5 stars
Joe Cornwall was a gunner during World War II when his plane went down over occupied France. Through a series of brave resistors, he found his way to the apartment of the Morins and into a brief romance with their daughter, Yvette. I enjoyed reading this, especially about the brave French Resistance. This was a relatively short nonfiction account and I actually was not as interested in Joe's story, but it is worth reading in order to get the story of the Morins and all of their associates. I received a digital ARC of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
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