Laurel
I am going to classify this as a personal growth starter book. Blackson's narrative is compelling, but also self-serving. The book offers many stories of people breaking free of what is holding them back to live fully and authentically. It mentions several methods of therapy and self-work that a person can use to get to this point. However, Blackman offers no actual ways to do these things.
The book is entirely anecdotal focusing on Blackman's life story, personal breakthroughs, and the breakthroughs of his clients through his immersion experience in India - which would not work if you had not done a lot of self-work BEFORE going.
I also found most of the narrative to be a little self-congratulatory of all the people that he has helped and, at times, pretty misogynistic.
That said, this is a good book if you need a jumpstart to your personal growth journey. It has a myriad of self-work options so you know where to start. The stories of the people contained within are sincere and compelling. You just have to wade through Blackman's guru-like ego to get there.
I don't read poetry often, but am trying to get back into it. I LOVED this book of poems. It focuses on centering women in well-known fairy tales and folklore. The poems are mostly about self-empowerment, heartache, the ills of patriarchy, and the experience of being a woman.
Gill's poems are beautiful. I will definitely come back to this one when I need some self-love.
This is classified as a fantasy and while there is a magical feel to it - it is not fantasy in the traditional sense of the word - as in, no elves, dwarves, or magical creatures; It's more... Game of Thrones without the dragons and white walkers. However, it does have the journey with a troupe and political strife of an epic fantasy.
The main character is a prince who finds himself ripped from his chosen path into the position of king when his father and brother are unexpectedly killed during a raid on a neighboring kingdom. He is not anyone's chosen king for a warrior kingdom as he has a birth defect that resulted in a missing/disfigured hand - making it practically impossible for him to successfully wield any weapon. He chose the life of a scholar instead.
I can't say much more without spoilers. I enjoyed this book. It is the first of the Shattered Sea Trilogy and I will at least read the next book. There are a few twists, some of which actually surprised me - some of which definitely did not. I also like that the protagonist features a person with a disability - and while it is not ignored, it is also not central to the story or ever something that needed to be “fixed”. He simply needed to figure out ways to approach life differently from the way he was raised.
Downside- the main character is also slightly whiny in a Frodo style of he knows he needs to succeed, but he complains a lot on the way.
Overall, it is not one of my new favorites and I can only see recommending it to the fantasy die-hards. But overall, an interesting and engaging read.
If you're triggered by books that mirror current events, this is not the book for you. Goldilocks is a Sci-fi set in an apocalyptic world. It takes place in the timeframe before most sci-fi books begin; the moments when humans need to expand into the rest of the universe to survive.
Earth is dying due to climate change and war. Women's rights are slowly (not so slowly) being stripped. There is hope on a new planet, named Cavendish. A team of five women is determined to be the first on the planet and “steal” the Atalanta and the pioneer ship to the new world.
This is a slow-burner of a book. But I really enjoyed it. The trigger warning is that it is all too real. I can see how our current state of affairs both nationally and internationally can lead us to this not-so-distant future. It's terrifying and motivating.
Thematically, the book addresses climate change, women's rights, capitalism, technology, politics, pandemics, and class inequities. It does a wonderful job of weaving together a picture of how all of these things feed into the other, for good or evil. To note - this book was written in 2019 - before the COVID-19 pandemic, a billionaire tech company went to space, and the recent supreme court decision on Roe vs. Wade, making it all the more terrifying and impressive.
Honestly, I think if you remotely like science-fiction or dystopia, you should read this; but it is also just a good book that I would recommend.
“The purpose of learning isn't to affirm our beliefs; it's to evolve our beliefs.” (pg 26)
This should be required reading for everyone. Adam Grant, organizational psychologist, Wharton Professor, and well-known author explores the power of changing your mind and re-thinking your opinions. Grant also helps explore how we can have non-judgemental discussions that help start the re-thinking process for others.
Today's world of algorithms and demonizing changing our minds or opinions has created echo-space chambers where we are afraid to and can be berated for re-thinking things. Grant challenges this idea and promotes surrounding yourself with differing perspectives, not cutting them out of your life. He presents the data on being okay with and even excited about being wrong and viewing it instead as an opportunity to learn. Grant also gives 30 actionable ways to add re-thinking into your approach to life.
We have forgotten the beauty of not knowing everything and the beauty of learning. I think this book is an important reminder of how important these things are.
Read it.
I honestly went into this book expecting a simple romance. I was pleasantly surprised to discover it had a sci-fi element to it. It is also a book that is easily just as much about friendship and found families as it is a romantic relationship - in some ways it is about those things more.
On its surface, it is exactly what you'd expect. A young woman who moves around often and has kept people at a distance as a way of protecting herself from loss, moves to New York to get lost in the endless people. She ends up finding a misfit crew of people in her roommates and a job at the local (and long-established) diner. She also meets a mysterious woman, Jane, on the subway with whom she develops a flirtation/crush during their passing moments on the train.
This book has an extremely loveable cast of characters. It is LGBTQ+ friendly. Mostly, it's just a fun read. If you're looking for a feel-good, easy read this summer, this book is perfect. It even made me cry at some point. I would definitely recommend it for anyone looking for a book about found family, or a good romantic comedy with a touch of science fiction.
This is a leadership/personal development book. It tells the reader how to promote an environment of ethical honesty. In other words, how to disagree and coach people honestly and productively without being seen as a tyrant and giving them the space to disagree with you as their boss.
I have mixed feelings about this book. I like the environment she is helping the reader to create and appreciate the concept, even though the examples she uses (like most leadership books) are from pretty unethical companies (the billion-dollar tech companies of silicon valley). However, it is a people over money first system and valuing individuals' strengths approach.
The book does offer helpful anecdotes from the author's extensive experience that helps to illustrate the benefits of “radical candor” and the drawbacks of not being honest (even in the name of kindness). I like that she is upfront about her career missteps as a manager. There are also actual tools to help someone learn the skill and create it in their own workspace.
My concerns are minor, but there. The first is that her primary research sources are all journalistic articles about scholarly research. This is concerning because there are many examples of journalists twisting or misinterpreting scholarly research to the benefit of their article. She mentions one in particular, which I know has been disproven - The Coddling of the American Mind - an article which basically says millennials were never given criticism as children and so entered college and the world incapable of dealing with any sort of setback. (As a millennial I can tell you this is NOT true and that as a generation, we are probably the most criticized for problems that aren't even our fault. In fact, we're now being blamed for the two generations after us as well). In defense of this article, she used an example of a professor who had one female student who couldn't/wouldn't take criticism and she somehow became the symbol of how all millennials AND women act. This led to the topic of my last concern - Scott states that gender politics need to be forgotten... like it's an actual option to simply decide your workplace will not be dealing with gender bias. Basically, she oversimplified a complex systemic problem that can be simply eliminated from a workplace. She also supported some very basic stereotypes that play into gender bias, while stating gender politics has no place in the office. Overall, I don't believe this came from any ill intent, she simply missed the mark on the reality of how complicated the two issues are.
I did learn from the book and don't regret reading it. It was also not the best or most inspiring leadership book I've read. But, I have a feeling the author and I have some very different motivators and values so that ultimately makes sense.
I like the concept of this book. The execution left something to be desired. A steampunk novel set in the time frame of the wild west in a city described as “what would be Seattle”, the story is told in first-person narrative by Karen Memery. Karen is a sex worker in what would have been a higher-class house.
My main issue with this book is that it didn't know what it wanted to be and tried to cover too many plotlines and then connect them. There's a serial killer, political espionage, conspiracy to gain land and power, revenge plots, human trafficking, and love affairs. It was simply a lot for a book that was not all that long. At some point, each connects to the other, but the story really could and should have tried to focus on one nefarious plot at a time; it ended up being convoluted.
Some good things are that the characters feel real and are diverse. The book is LGBTQ+ friendly and passes the Bechdel test. The world is rich and described well. The gadgets are fun. And some of the characters are based on historical figures.
It isn't a waste of time if you want to read it, but I won't be recommending it either.
There is a lot to unpack in this book. I'm classifying it as modern gothic. It has all the elements, a remote location, murder, potential ghosts (but not in a fantasy/horror way), a building that has its' own dark energy/history.
Set in the 60s and 70s (my best guess, I don't think the book tells you the year, but I could have just forgotten), Brundage tells the story of two families whose fates seemed intertwined in more than one way as soon as the Clares move into the old Hale farm in a remote upstate New York town. The book begins with George Clare finding his wife murdered in their home. To quote the Goodreads description, “A rich and complex portrait of a psychopath and a marriage...an astute study of the various taints that can scar very different families, and even an entire community.” I can't say it better than that, so I won't.
I enjoyed the book, but it will not become one of my favorites. At certain points, I found the characters to be too extreme a character stereotype that it could be hard to believe them to be real. However, if you're a fan of gothic and noir - this book is worth checking out. Brundage does a very good job at weaving the story together and painting a picture.
Food-themed cozy mystery that left me with a lot of questions. Overall, this book had too many holes for me to handle. I also found the majority of the characters flat and unrealistic. However, the food sounded amazing and made me hungry. Recipes are included in the book - so it may be worth the buy just for those.
I have had this book on my shelf for years and started it for banned books week, got distracted, and finally finished it in December. It is a good book, but a hard read. As a book that launched the true-crime novel, I understand why. Though a little dry, Capote brings the town, its inhabitants, and the murderers to life. I feel as if I know the people and what they went through. The story is, obviously, horrific.
In Cold Blood tells the story of the brutal murders of the Clutter family in Holcomb, Kansas. It talks about the day leading up to the murders, the hunt for the killers, and the life story of the killers. It is raw, detailed, and heartbreaking; it is also definitely worth the read.
This is not a page-turner, but somehow the reader is drawn in. I am glad I finally read it, and if you haven't - I do recommend it. It's well worth the read.
I have to confess this book took me over a year to read; I started it in Sept. 2020. So it might be an understatement to say it is not a fast read. True to form, most of this book is a study of characters and society told in first-person narrative with some gothic elements. The characters and scenery are rich and extensively described, all leading to a plotline that occurs primarily in the third volume. And in true Bronte style, the reader's heart is ripped out at the very last moment.
I have no other way to describe this story except to say it really is a narration of the life of the protagonist - Lucy Snowe. Lucy is a gentlewoman with no means and no family. The story is a reflection of this struggle, which, for its time, is something rarely focused on in novels (unless it's written by the Bronte sisters). It is the story of the protagonist finding her way in a world that is not made for her - and how she comes to find friends, old and new, a means of supporting herself, and her place in the world. Villette is the name of the french hamlet in which the story is set.
The only other item I want to address, mostly because I have not seen anyone else talking about it - is that this novel singlehandedly has the most creepy child I have ever read. The child is not meant to be creepy, but she is. Tiny Polly is absurdly precocious in a way that is flat-out disturbing and slightly pedophilic. I have not had an image of a child be so haunting...ever. Thankfully, she grows to be a much less disturbing adult.
I had high hopes for this one. It is on all the lists. It does have some helpful perspectives and techniques to offer. It also perpetuates some problematic topics - mainly, toxic positivity and fatphobia. The book is full of contradictions about self-worth and what makes a person worthless (to be fair, Jones never says anyone is worthless). The whole book is, love yourself, but never be really satisfied with yourself. It also makes the assumption that “success” is based on career and - though not specified - wealth.
All that aside - there are some helpful, albeit basic, tips for learning to be your authentic self and helping a person narrow down and focus on what they want to do and what they need to do to get there. The book is not all bad. It is filled with anecdotes from other women who offer different perspectives on the topic being discussed - some more helpful than others.
I think, overall, this book could really help people if you read it aware that there are some very problematic viewpoints and some contradictions to the purpose. It should be noted that it was published in 2017 - at which point some of the things mentioned had not yet been broadly understood to be fatphobic or toxic. I can only hope that Jones has done some serious unlearning on these topics in the years since.
It isn't a book I'd recommend, but I don't warn against it either - if you can read it with a critical eye and only focus on what is helpful for you. Which- you should probably do with all personal development books anyway.
I had high expectations for this book. Having really enjoyed Swanson's The Kind Worth Killing, I was looking forward to this one. I was disappointed. The more I thought about this book the less I liked it... and the less I like The Kind Worth Killing on reflection. Mainly because the basic orchestrations of the two books were exactly the same.
I can't tell you too much of why I didn't love this book without spoiling it and as it's a thriller I'm going to do my best to not spoil it. I will say that it expects the reader to suspend reality a few too many times, the way Swanson depicts women is... not great, and the narration often feels thrown together to make the outcome work.
I'm not saying don't read this, but I also wouldn't rush to make sure you do. There are many other better thrillers out there.
Well this is basically a teen romance with a ghost at it's bare bones. But it is also a story of siblings, friendship, grief, and learning to move forward. I am not going to lie, for most of this book I was pretty unimpressed and then the last couple chapters had me sobbing. Not sure what happened except that it did manage to tap into how truly important the sibling relationship can be and how completely lost you can feel when you lose someone you love.
The basis of this story is that a young teen's older brother dies unexpectedly - after a fight, which she (of course) blames herself for. The first day of school after he dies, she comes home to find his ghost. The rest of the book takes place four years later - she still sees his ghost, has removed herself from all her former friends and spends her afternoons hanging with ghost brother. Until an old friend moves back to town and through a couple ways reminds her that she deserves to and needs to live.
This is a young adult book, well written and not wholly original - but it does manage to tug on the heart strings so I'm going to say it's worth the read, if it's up your alley.
“Without language, there are no beliefs, ideology, or religion. These concepts require a language as a condition of their existence.” - John E Joseph
A non-fiction book about the influence of language on cults of all caliber - by which I mean, from Jonestown deal cults to the language of a wellness social media influencer or boutique fitness studio. I found this book really interesting. It explains the different ways language and phrasing can influence the brain and how we react as well as dispels some myths about who is susceptible, to what degree, and the myriad of factors that can make someone join and stay in a cult of any kind. I also appreciate that Montell does not state that all “cultish” groups of every kind and level are automatically detrimental. There are some advantages to creating cultures using “cultish” language - as long as there is a ritual stopping point and no high exit costs, etc.
Overall if you're into language and how it's used, this is a really interesting book. Especially if you also have a fascination with cults of all kinds, as I do. I recommend it.
Just Us: An American Conversation by Claudia Rankine
I will start by saying this book should be required reading. While very intense, it is an important perspective and voice and presented in a way that is extremely thought-provoking.
This is the third installment of a trilogy by Rankine (I was unaware of this until after I finished the book, so will be backtracking to the other two at some point). The book is non-fiction; a collection of poetry and essays on white supremacy. Rankine uses her poetry and essays to spark a conversation on the experiences she has had living in a system that is built on white supremacy. She gives her own, lived examples of unconscious bias, assumed entitlements, microaggressions, and trends that are or could be perceived as results of how American society is built and functions.
Whether I agree or understand will all her viewpoints, every single one made me think harder about what and why I believe and do things. It provoked me to do more research on cultural phenomena and history and to more closely examine the world around me and how my own experiences/actions have played into it.
I highly suggest everyone read this. It is not an easy read, but an important one.
Fun YA retelling of the Arthurian Legends. This is book one of a series, though I don't know how many there will be and it was published this year.
Merlin's twin children have the gift of magic, but Emry has the potential to be great....if only she were a boy. Her brother is summoned to the castle to be the next court wizard for Arthur and she ends up needing to go in his stead, disguised as him.
The plot is pretty trite, but then this is one of the oldest tales so there aren't a lot of ways to surprise a reader left. The take on the characters is fresh and the timeline is not true to the original, so it is a very loose retelling.
However, it was fun to read, kept me interested, and made me laugh. I'll read the next one if I remember to when it comes out.
What a fun book! I have always enjoyed the movies and should have picked up on this long ago. The book takes a lot longer to build up and focuses a lot on the science and theories that support why the park gets out of control so quickly. It also heavily discusses the pros and cons of progress at all costs - especially when ethics are forgotten in favor of profit.
The movie is a good adaptation and I'm glad I'll still be able to enjoy them. Outside of digging into the science more, the main differences are that it's much more gruesome, and the characters relate to each other differently. In many ways, the book is much scarier than the movie. It is definitely more intense.
If you like the movie, or if you don't, read the book. It's a good one.
This book is marketed as a tool set to help introverted leaders be the best leader they can without compromising who they are.
However, it is condescending and gives the most basic business skills - like introverts need to be fixed. The author makes it clear she believes introverts are basically socially inept and lost. Her leadership strategies are basically - be extraverted, but give yourself time to recharge.
I wanted a book about how to help me shine in a world built for extroverts, Not a book about how to fake extraversion. Being an introvert is a core part of who I am, a part I like. I don't want or need to change it.
This book was not good. In fact, it was bad. Really bad. The characters were shallow and unrealistic. The plot was full of holes and timelines that didn't make sense. It was extremely predictable. Everything just lacked depth.
The first chapter was gripping, but it was the best part of the book. I liked the concept, a serial killer recreating Salvador Sali paintings, but the execution was not there.
The dialogue read like a bad detective novel, which, to be fair, it was.
There are seven of these books and I can't understand why.
I strongly recommend you don't waste your time.
All I can say is, read it.
This is a beautiful retelling of the Iliad from Patroclus' point of view. Instead of the tale of glory and fall of Achilles, this is the story of the people. The characters are complex and real, as are the relationships.
I simply enjoyed it. It is, obviously, not super happy or uplifting, but it is beautiful.
Read it.
A fantasy murder mystery with fae creatures. I was simply underwhelmed. This book was not all that original plot-wise. An easy read, but predictable. I won't be reading the rest. Overall.... Meh.
It's very Dresden Files, Anita Blake, and Iron Druid reminiscent. If you're a fan of those series, this might be one for you to check out.
Young adult epic fantasy. I really enjoyed it. It was cute and full of powerful women - which is more rare than it should be in this genre.
Different types of magic are featured, though they are mostly nature based and powered. The main character has very strong wild magic which allows her to “talk” to, control, heal, and connect with animals.
I recommend it, especially for middle school / high school age. But I don't believe in age limits on good stories, so if you're looking for a lighter epic fantasy, this one will fit.