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Powell's Staff:
Five Book Friday: In Memoriam
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Every year, the booksellers at Powell’s submit their Top Fives: their five favorite books that were released in 2023. It’s a list that, when put together, shows just how varied and interesting the book tastes of Powell’s booksellers are. I highly recommend digging into the recommendations — we would never lead you astray — but today...
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Brontez Purnell:
Powell’s Q&A: Brontez Purnell, author of ‘Ten Bridges I’ve Burnt’
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Rachael P.:
Starter Pack: Where to Begin with Ursula K. Le Guin
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Customer Comments
Dieveney has commented on (24) products
Ready Player One
by
Ernest Cline
Dieveney
, September 24, 2015
This dystopian novel is both a realistic view of our future and a love letter to the past, specifically the John Hughes, Atari, Goonies 1980s version of the past. In a world where everyone spends their time plugged into a virtual reality simulator, friends are only known by their avatars and travel means teleporting from one virtual planet to another. When a billionaire dies, leaving his fortune as the prize winnings in a video game challenge, a plucky teen named Wade Watts, AKA Parzival is willing to risk anything to win the prize, including physical danger, celebrity, and friendship. Suspenseful, laugh out loud funny, and charming it’s a cross between Charlie and the Chocolate factory, The Westing Game, and Goonies, not to mention the most fun I’ve have adventuring in a novel in a long time.
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Luckiest Girl Alive
by
Jessica Knoll
Dieveney
, July 23, 2015
Although widely touted as the next “Gone Girl”, this book deserves great praise on its own merits and the only similarity to “Gone Girl” is that it is a fascinating study of identity and authenticity. Ani FaNelli is all about reinvention and has succeeded in turning herself in the perfect person to fit into her perfect job and perfect Manhattan apartment she shares with her perfect fiancé. But keeping up this superficial persona is exhausting especially because she’s continually haunted by events in her past that she can’t escape. The only way she’s been able to show the world that those events haven’t defined her, is by becoming someone else. The author does a beautiful job of dropping clues regarding the mysterious event and even though you’ll have it figured out long before the story is told, the book is impossible to put down until you experience every heart pounding moment. Likeable despite herself, Ani’s forced to make impossible choices that while you may not agree with her decisions, they are understandable and relatable, and you’ll find yourself caring for this broken girl more than she’s able to care for herself.
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At the Waters Edge A Novel
by
Sara Gruen
Dieveney
, June 24, 2015
The search for the Loch Ness monster becomes an allegory for the search for authenticity. A young couple estranged from their family tries to repair family ties with a trip to wartime Scotland for recorded proof of Nessie. They end up revealing much more of themselves than they expect and the search for truth is the overwhelming theme. Riveting and with a building pace, this search for monsters is my favorite summer read this year.
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A Desperate Fortune
by
Susanna Kearsley
Dieveney
, May 30, 2015
A Desperate Fortune Is a sweeping adventure and romance with two strong protagonists living centuries apart. Sara Thomas, is hired to solve a cipher that hides the text on a nearly 300 year old diary written by a young Scot Mary Dundas. Sara, diagnosed with Asperger’s, struggles to find her own place in the world as she becomes absorbed into the mystery of Mary’s life. Mary Dundas, a Jacobite exile living in France is struggles with issues of abandonment and a desire for adventure as takes a fascinating journey with hilarious and strange companions. Susanna Kearsley fans will recognize her style of threading parallels between the lives of her two main characters not to mention the recurring Jacobite themes. While the direction of the story was completely unpredictable, the ending was incredibly satisfying. Definitively worth a read!
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Darkest Part of the Forest
by
Holly Black
Dieveney
, February 21, 2015
I began reading the Darkest Part of the Forest on my commute to work yesterday and after chapter 1, I started considering the merits of calling in sick and spending the day reading. Like Holly Black’s other novels, this is about relatable teenagers in extraordinary circumstances. Fairfold is a pretty normal town except for the strange fairy prince asleep in a glass coffin in the middle of the woods who is used primarily as a tourist spot and sometimes dance floor at high school parties. That’s not to say, other strange things don’t occasionally happen and residents of Fairfold find it helpful to turn their socks inside out and tuck a bit of iron in a pocket before leaving home, just in case. This is a lightning fast page turner and a great adventure where the knight in shining armor is not at all who you might expect.
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The Cure for Dreaming
by
Cat Winters
Dieveney
, February 09, 2015
What I love most about Cat Winters’ novels is that she’s not afraid of detail. So while the novel might be full of mystical and imaginative circumstances, her characters are firmly planted in reality. The Cure for Dreaming captures the world of 1900 Portland Oregon so beautifully that you can ride down the streets with suffragist and bicyclist Olivia Mead and feel fully immersed in the historic atmosphere. Inspiring and timely, The Cure for Dreaming addresses the silencing of women’s voices and the diminishing of their dreams. A story with a fantastic message wrapped up in a very entertaining adventure about a young woman trying to find her way in the world. Olivia Mead is studious, shy, funny, ambitious, brave, and the kind of role model I’d like to share with the young girls and women in my life but certainly would appeal to a reader of any gender.
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My Notorious Life
by
Kate Manning
Dieveney
, December 29, 2014
I picked this book at random looking for a fun interesting read and was thrilled to find such a captivating, no holds barred, timely story that I'm surprised it wasn't on everyone's "Best Of 2013" list last year. Based on a notorious midwife of 19th century NY, Kate Manning takes us on a journey full of adventure, Dickensian waifs, orphan trains, and the struggle to create something from nothing. As if that weren't enough, it is a striking portrait of the fight women face to achieve their ambitions and autonomy. Although the story takes place in the Victorian era, the narrative is a stunning contribution to the present conversation regarding equal rights and women's healthcare.
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Longbourn
by
Jo Baker
Dieveney
, November 15, 2014
Jane Austen’s most well known heroine Lizzie Bennett was famous for her long walks and muddy petticoats but no one stopped to consider the maid who had to scrub the mud off those boots and petticoats until her hands were raw and sore. While the Bennett sisters are dealing with affairs of the heart, Sarah their housemaid has dreams of her own and they include being noticed by anyone and less laundry. I’m not a fan of revisiting favorite Jane Austen characters in sequels or retellings, but this has very little to do with the Bennett sisters and everything to do with being trapped in a life of drudgery and trying to find a way to happiness. Not to say this is a dark tale, in fact Sarah is a plucky hopeful heroine who feels like maybe the most real of all the characters at Longbourn. No need to be a Jane Austen fan to enjoy this well researched and entertaining novel but if you are a perennial Pride and Prejudice reader, this book will add lovely new layers to the story.
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Dr. Mutter's Marvels: A True Tale of Intrigue and Innovation at the Dawn of Modern Medicine
by
O'Keefe Aptowicz, Cristin
Dieveney
, November 13, 2014
I didn't expect this to be such a page turner but I literally read cover to cover in a matter of hours. While I expected it to be mostly about Dr Mutter’s famous collection of marvels as displayed in the Philadelphia museum, it was much much more. A biography of a incredibly forward thinking compassionate brilliant doctor, the history of medical schools in America, the invention of plastic surgery and anesthesia and every other essential treatment that brought humanity to healing. Definitely the most fascinating biography I’ve read in a very long time but also one of the most entertaining books I’ve read this year. This is definitely going to be my go to holiday gift for everyone this year.
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Season of Storms
by
Susanna Kearsley
Dieveney
, October 22, 2014
1920s actress Celia Sands mysteriously disappears on opening night of a production written especially for her. Fast forward 80 years and another actress named Celia Sands has been invited to play the role of a lifetime or at least the role of her namesake in the same production set in a gorgeous Italian Villa and previous home of the original Celia. The play has never successfully been produced due to its “Scottish Play” like curse but an aspiring actress can’t pass up the chance to play the lead even if she’s not sure she’ll make it to opening night herself. Enter a eccentric cast of characters including a handsome but brooding producer and grandson of the original playwright as well as some rather entertaining theatrical folks ready to put on a show. Susanna Kearsley has been one of my favorite authors for so long due to her loveable characters, gorgeous landscapes, and clever mysteries. While this novel is one of her first, it definitely captures the magic of her later books.
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The Sea House
by
Elisabeth Gifford
Dieveney
, October 22, 2014
A gorgeous character study wrapped around a historic mystery where the most compelling character is the incredible Hebrides islands. Ruth moves to historic Sea House, on the remote and mysterious Scottish islands and almost immediately uncovers an ancient skeleton of what appears to be a mermaid child. Fighting demons from her past, she throws herself into uncovering the identity of this child. Flash back 130 years and Stephen, local vicar and owner of the Sea House is diving into his own obsessive research of the identity of mermaids. Told in alternating chapters, these characters demonstrate the challenges we face unless we turn and embrace the past. When the third voice Moira begins to tell her story, prepare to be immersed until the book is finished. There’s nothing supernatural about this beautifully researched novel, just very very good storytelling.
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Death Struck Year
by
Makiia Lucier
Dieveney
, June 08, 2014
A Death-Struck Year is a fast paced and captivating story of contagion and epidemic in 1918 Portland Oregon. The story takes place mostly over a period of days, when the Portland joins in on the Spanish Flu epidemic that struck thousands a blink of an eye. Historically accurate and highly detailed, this story was heart wrenching and suspenseful but with lovely moments of heroism and humanity. I read the book straight through in 2 hours and would recommend the book to anyone. Portland is represented with love in this book but every city in America shared a similar experience in these dark times.
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Impossible Lives of Greta Wells
by
Andrew Sean Greer
Dieveney
, February 26, 2014
In the midst of devastation, Greta Wells decides if she can't change her circumstances, she'll reset her brain with shock therapy. The result is not at all what she expects as she wakes up the next morning as herself but a hundred years in the past. This fascinating story asks, who would we be if we'd been born into another time. Greta gets the impossible opportunity to view her life choices from an outsiders perspective and the chance to perhaps choose her future. Sometimes heartbreaking but ultimately uplifting, with a great cast of characters and fantastic atmosphere, I highly recommend this quick but exciting read.
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This House Is Haunted
by
John Boyne
Dieveney
, October 21, 2013
Just in time for Halloween, John Boyne’s spooky Dickensian thriller is perfect reading for spooky autumn evenings. Eliza Caine has no idea what’s in store for her when she accepts a position as governess at mysterious Gaudlin Hall after the tragic death of her father. The horrors begin immediately upon her arrival and continue at a persistent pace while Eliza desperately searches for answers. Full of suspense, chilling encounters, tight lipped villagers, creepy children, and old fashioned horrors, This House in Haunted will keep you thrilled and entertained.
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(1 of 1 readers found this comment helpful)
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The Cuckoo's Calling: Cormoran Strike 1
by
Robert Galbraith
Dieveney
, July 24, 2013
By now we all know that Robert Galbraith is a pseudonym for the great J.K. Rowling and you certainly can feel her characteristic rhythm and humor in the writing. She is her usual dazzling self at creating flawed yet extremely likeable characters. Private investigator Cormoran Strike is a little rough around the edges but clever enough that I was happy to follow him around while he uncovered the clues to find out what happened to the supermodel Lula. Something I have in common with his very loveable temporary secretary Robin. I hope this is just the beginning of our adventures with this fun cast of characters and this first mystery is certainly worth your time.
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In the Shadow of Blackbirds
by
Cat Winters
Dieveney
, June 24, 2013
Incredibly well researched, In the Shadow of Blackbirds is not only chilling because of the spiritualism and ghostly photographs that haunt its pages but the because the horrors lurking in real life 1918 are enough to give one nightmares. An incredibly clever and realistic telling of everyday life during the Spanish Flu pandemic where neighbor's bodies are piling up in the lawn and all the eligible young men are being shipped home from the trenches in boxes. Thank goodness for the captivating and highly entertaining heroine Mary Shelley who brings light to the harrowing subject. May keep you up flipping pages or for other reasons.
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At Somerton 01 Cinders & Sapphires
by
Leila Rasheed
Dieveney
, June 23, 2013
Do not judge this book by its cover! This is not Gossip Girl like the cover implies but more of a Downton Abbey upstairs/downstairs with a Cinderella theme. That said, you'll also enjoy political unrest, suffragettes, and more cases of forbidden love than is reasonable. Sweet, charming and lots of fun! Now to wait for the sequel.
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Absolutist
by
John Boyne
Dieveney
, June 17, 2013
Weeks later I'm still haunted by this brilliant novel. It is the story of friendship and loss during WWI and John Boyne shockingly immerses the reader smack dab in the filth and degradation of the trenches. But really, at its heart, this is a story of principle and whether standing up for one's beliefs is worth the incredibly high cost, because to be an absolutist is to allow no concession. Disturbing and heartbreaking this book will stick with you.
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Painted Girls A Novel
by
Cathy Marie Buchanan
Dieveney
, May 31, 2013
A fictional story of the van Goethem sisters who were the real girls behind Degas iconic paintings of weary ballerinas and his sculpture of the Little Dancer. Dark, chilling, and hopeless like the lives of the poor in Paris at the end of the 19th century this book is absolutely engrossing and heart wrenching. The author does a brilliant job of creating fully developed characters to which you become quickly attached and places them in situations that keep you entranced and flipping the pages. Absolutely fascinating!
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Wildflower Hill
by
Kimberley Freeman
Dieveney
, May 31, 2013
A story of resilience, reinvention, and hope. Tragedy afflicts the lives of both Emma and her grandmother Beattie in these parallel stories told decades apart. They struggle to pick up the pieces of their shattered lives and as each story unfolds you intently wish for Beattie to triumph over overwhelming obstacles and hope Emma can use her grandmother's lessons to prevent her repeating history. Heartbreaking and inspiring! Fans of Kate Morton and Susanna Kearsley are sure to enjoy.
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Wicked & the Just
by
Jillian Anderson Coats, J Anderson Coats
Dieveney
, January 19, 2013
The Wicked and the Just was not at all what I expected and I was astonished by this fantastic and fascinating book. It seems a charming coming of age story set in medieval Wales with unpretentious dialogue and amusing characters, but swiftly and surprisingly becomes a fast paced politically charged thriller. If this is J. Anderson Coats debut, I can't wait to see what she gives us next.
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Night Circus
by
Erin Morgenstern
Dieveney
, January 15, 2013
The Night Circus is the most extraordinary book I've read this year. Each chapter adds to this multi-tented circus full of the most astonishing sights and endearing characters. Time is fluid, reality is suspended, and magic is real. I was heartbroken to see the book come to an end.
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Uninvited Guests A Novel
by
Sadie Jones
Dieveney
, January 14, 2013
The Uninvited Guests is the strange juxtaposition of endearing drawing room farce and a creepy gothic horror. I started reading for the mystery but grew to adore the very flawed but very funny characters. Sadie Jones does a brilliant job of taking a familiar setting and twisting it enough to give you chills. An incredibly fun read!
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Secret Keeper
by
Kate Morton
Dieveney
, December 23, 2012
May require extremely late night reading as it is impossible to put down until every little secret is uncovered in Kate Morton's finest and most gripping mystery to date. It takes her character Laurel fifty years to be brave enough to uncover the secret behind the shocking crime she witnessed as a teenager, a crime committed by her own mother. With roots in the London blitz this is a suspenseful story of secrets and how the keeping of them colors our lives and has far reaching and permanent impacts on those around us.
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