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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
mccaly28 has commented on (89) products
Raw Shark Texts
by
Steven Hall
mccaly28
, September 20, 2017
"Some people, they may look like they're in control day to day but if they let themselves go, maybe they're going to fall all the way apart and never put themselves back together." Oh this is a story about loss. You have to hold on - it takes a while to get there. There's a lot of suspending belief and images in the text along the way. But what could be better than a theoretical shark? I was a bit thrown by the Clio story line. There were a couple points I found myself waiting for the plot to move on and I wish that Clio had been more fleshed out instead of a convenient woman character thrown into the story...but Eric's story is a brutal one. This is a different kind of book to begin with. There's no fully dimensional women in this story and it takes a while to get the payoff, yet I think it is a delightful read unlike anything else.
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Only Ever Yours
by
Louise ONeill
mccaly28
, September 20, 2017
"My chest swells with fear and I can hear my voice saying, Yeah, yeah, of course I'll send it, and I know I'm really saying, Please like me, please like me, and I hate myself so much but they're smiling again, and I feel relieved at the same time." First off: do I have problems with this book? Absolutely. There is some suspension of belief and taking the story for what it is. It's not clear to me how the eves can be so altered from the world we live in now and yet teenage boys still sound like typical teenage boys. But that's not the point of this story. Are some things exaggerated? Sure. But the sad truth is it's all based in reality. So many of these feelings of self-loathing and unrealistic expectations are things that we experience as women today. We all know what it feels like to feel pitted against another woman. We all know what it feels like, at some point in our lives, to be told there's things we don't do with the boys. This book talks about those things. The SHAME. And that's something extraordinary. It reminds us that there isn't anything shameful about being a woman - it's just something that's ingrained in us from when we're little. That our bodies or our minds aren't right in some way. So this book just takes all of those things and puts them at a magnified fictional level. And I think it's great. We're reminded that these are young girls - only in their teens. How women are sexualized and infantile-ized regardless of age. It's a book that explores all the hard things about being a teenage girl. About friendships and frenemies and how we get sucked into the patriarchal mindset of seeing women as rivals for men. We see women wanting other women to have choice in a world where choices are made for and about women and not by them. We see a culture that stems from the world we live in. Even the girls names are lower case because they don't matter. The tiny details like this are what make this story so compelling. How quickly things spiral out of control - how young girls are expected to maintain control over themselves and their reputations but of nothing else in their lives. While the story may seem juvenile to some it is the story of a young girl trying to figure things out. And it's a terrifying world to navigate without any autonomy. It didn't go the way I expected (well, for the most part) and I appreciate that. It's not a nice book or a pretty book. It's not strictly allegorical like the Handmaid's Tale and it's not about the women who faced that transition period - this is about their daughters and what happens as women are slowly turned into commodities. It's the kind of story that punches you in the gut and takes time to digest and sits with you. It may be easy to write off the science-fiction aspect of the book as things that would never happen, but everything the eves experience are things women today face - it's just the setting that's different. This is a great book for discussions that I would recommend.
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Things They Carried
by
Tim O'Brien
mccaly28
, September 20, 2017
"The letter covered seventeen handwritten pages, its tone jumping from self-pity to anger to irony to guilt to a kind of feigned indifference. He didn't know what to feel." Oh this book. It sucks you in easily to a world devoid of hope but full of stories. Full of literal and metaphorical stories this book has a little bit of everything. Focusing on Vietnam Tim O'Brien crafts a wonderful and heartbreaking collection of war stories, including examining what makes a war story. This book does a phenomenal job of taking apart trauma and explaining the phenomena of war and loss. He talks about childhood and adulthood and life and death in a way that's dark and enlightening and full of a strange humor that needs to be understood. Really a deep but approachable read.
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The White Donkey: Terminal Lance
by
Maximilian Uriarte
mccaly28
, September 20, 2017
"Marine... I hope you find whatever it is you came here for." This book was definitely worth the wait. As a fan of the comics I was glad to see that the artistry of the book is just as impressive as the dialogue and the story. I was really drawn into the story by the way the images came together. The beige-ness of it all along with how time is portrayed in the story really gives a sense of time and place that stands out. It's also richer than the comics in the sense of a full character arch but with the same dark humor we've come to expect. It's an absolutely beautifully done book that will rip out your heart and needs to be read.
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Disrupted: My Misadventure in the Start-Up Bubble
by
Dan Lyons
mccaly28
, September 20, 2017
"Hubspot requires new hires to sign a document saying you can't divulge trade secrets or confidential information, but my book doesn't contain any of those." I was surprised at how clever and funny I found this book. Maybe because I'm cynical, but I appreciated the blunt honesty and look behind the curtain at a prominent start up. I was particularly surprised to find that Hubspot is indeed a real company and that Dan Lyons actually named names and this book, but the explanation in the epilogue both haunts and makes sense. It sounds like Hubspot went to great lengths to keep this from being published, which suggests that things in this book aren't wildly overreacting. Lyons talks about his time and Hubspot and how he was treated as one of the older employees. It's horrifying, textbook HR 101 stuff that you don't do. He also talks about the start up culture and how a company like Hubspot created a marketing team before they created a product to exemplify how startups work now. It's strange to see not only what Lyons goes through in the office, but his commentary on the larger existence of angel investors and what's expected of start-ups employees. He talks about how he was cut from his previous job because his salary could cover five people just out of college. It shows how competitive the tech world is and how businesses don't necessarily have to be great to survive. I was also surprised that employees took lower wages in exchange for stock options, which means if the IPO fails you're out of luck. The metaphor about the candy wall (and preferring a full paycheck to a wall of candy) is also not lost in this book. It's a story that almost seems too weird to be true, but it's also not surprising that some start-ups are so poorly organized. I was surprised to hear that HubSpot is still open after I read this book. It's an interesting commentary on finding work in a culture that doesn't value age and how the tech industry has changed the way people work.
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War Dances
by
Sherman Alexie
mccaly28
, September 20, 2017
"He sang without irony, for he was a twenty-first century American who'd been taught to mourn his small and large losses by singing Top 40 hits." This is some of Sherman Alexie's best work. While there's a couple stories I didn't love, and if you aren't familiar with Alexie's work the stories on race may seem a little heavy handed, but overall this collection is wonderful. There's lots of memorable lines and striking things that come out of this book. The stories are short enough that they're easy to read but long enough to make a point. Blending fact and fiction, this is an incredible book.
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Grunt: The Curious Science of Humans at War
by
Mary Roach
mccaly28
, September 20, 2017
"You never think about the genitals. Don't give them a single chance to go, 'Aaaah, forget it.'" This is a great book on some of the science that goes into solving problems the military faces from heat stroke to potential shark attacks. I appreciate the sense of humor throughout the book, but also the thoroughness in discussing some of the issues many branches face when creating or testing new equipment. There's also a great chapter on genital restoration and transplants which isn't something normally talked about when it comes to military injuries. How Mary Roach manages to be this insightful and funny is beyond me. The writing is also easy and enjoyable to read, although a few sections made me feel a bit squeamish. If you've ever wondered what a military-grade stink bomb would smell like or how decisions get made on new military equipment, this is the book for you.
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Woman I Kept to Myself
by
Julia Alvarez
mccaly28
, September 20, 2017
"He listened: the next day for English class I was assigned to Miss Ruth Stevenson who closed the classroom door and said,"Ladies, let's have ourselves a hell of a good time!" And we did, reading Austen, Dickinson, Eliot, Woolf, until we understood we'd come to train - not tame - the wild girls into the women who would run the world." This is by far my favorite collection of Julia Alvarez so far. These are great poems about growing about, about identity and family and finding ones self. There's a great poem about writing in ones native language and discovering what that is. I really enjoyed the theme and the writing. It's a short read with a lot of good stuff.
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The Art of the Con: The Most Notorious Fakes, Frauds, and Forgeries in the Art World
by
Anthony M Amore
mccaly28
, September 20, 2017
"Yeah, yeah, it was not a Campendonk. It was from me, yeah, yeah, sure. It was the best one." This is a quick look into the world of art forgery. Although only a handful of specific cases are parsed through in this book, it gives an interesting history and context to how art forgery happens and how many forgeries may be out in the world. It's a well-researched read that's also enjoyable and horrifying to learn the lengths people will go to to cheat others out of priceless pieces. I can't imagine how devastating it would be to spend millions on something and then find out it's a fake. Thankfully there's also a more positive aspect of the book that talks about how organizations are cracking down on forgers to protect buyers and protect the art. There's also a nice history of art in the Boston Public Library and the Sargent's featured there. Overall it's a good read that I learned something from.
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We Are Okay
by
Nina Lacour
mccaly28
, September 20, 2017
"And I think of how time passes so differently for different people." This book is heartbreaking from start to finish. Beautifully written prose and packed with emotional development and twists. It so accurately captures the pain that often comes with friendship and the struggles to bridge gaps of time once they've happened. This story is about loss and is told in such an intimate way. It's hard not to get sucked in and feel for the characters. This is a wonderful story about sadness.
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Woman Warrior Memoirs of a Girlhood Among Ghosts
by
Maxine Hong Kingston
mccaly28
, September 20, 2017
"Whenever she had to warn us about life, my mother told stories that ran like this one, a story to grow up on." Oh this book. This is the kind of book that builds and grows and can knock you off your feet. The prose is beautiful, it covers so many ideas about identity and family, and at times it borders on supernatural wonder. Full of anecdotes and warnings disguised as stories this is a great book about one woman's experience. While it's relatively short and the writing is at times very flowery, it's worth the read.
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Presto How I Made Over 100 Pounds Disappear & Other Magical Tales
by
Penn Jillette
mccaly28
, September 20, 2017
"I didn't know I was a guy who had high blood pressure because he was obese." This is a well-written and mostly delightful book. Penn details his lifestyle changes to lose weight to be healthier. He talks about the typical American diet and how he realized he was unhealthy because of his weight. With his usual dark humor and charm Jillette details joining the "cult" of the potato-only diet for several weeks to cleanse his pallet and start on a journey to be a healthy weight. He shares how much he weighed throughout the journey and what he ate while constantly reminding us he was one person who was under medical observation of a doctor and his results aren't necessarily healthy for anyone else. But it is a fascinating transition to watch and hear some of the behind the scenes stores if Penn & Teller at their shows. I also appreciate that he talks about the cultural aspect of eating and how limiting his diet changed the way he interacted with food and other people. It's an interesting and funny read.
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The Spy
by
Paulo Coelho
mccaly28
, September 20, 2017
"'Change' and 'Change for the better' are very different things." The writing style triumphs over content to make this book such an enjoyable read, but it is a pleasant and surprisingly quick story. Coelho's rich writing brings the famous spy Mata Hari to life and gives her a rich and flowing voice in this book. We see her strength and her fears laid out as well as the response of those around her. We meet a woman determined to shape her own history and make her way in a world that is not kind to women. While I enjoyed the writing I was expecting more from the story. It is essentially Mata Hari giving context to herself despite her death. But there are some wonderful quotes that make you stop and think.
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Whereas: Poems
by
Layli Long Soldier
mccaly28
, September 20, 2017
"Yet the root of reparation is repair." This is an amazing collection that brings insights into the world from the eyes of indigenous experience. Bringing attention to the fact that the president apologized to native tribes - yet this apology was not publicized or given to the tribes formally - and the rest of the inequity that faces native peoples today this collection is wonderful and heartbreaking. The author shares her personal experiences as well as her thoughts and her pain. I really like how Layli Long Solider plays with space and repetition in this collection. This book is absolutely worth a read.
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One Day We'll All Be Dead and None of This Will Matter: Essays
by
Scaachi Koul
mccaly28
, September 20, 2017
"I was learning how to be fun, sure, but the threat loomed: one of the guys here can take it away from you in a heartbeat and it'll be your fault." This book is phenomenal. Scaachi Koul shares what it's like to be a brown woman, a woman finding her way through college and life and whiteness. She shares essays about her identity of being a brown Asian woman, about being hairy, about being afraid of men and getting roofied, about feeling out of place in India but being foreign in the US, about her adorable father and everything in between. Koul has a distinct voice that's funny and honest. She speaks to her experience about being bullied online, struggles women face trying to share their voices in a public space, about her relationship with her parents and the wanting to stay in the house she grew up with while also living an independent life. This book is honest and funny and wonderful. It reminds us that we're not alone, that relationships are hard, and it's okay to talk about your insecurities. It's easy to relate to and Koul has a real talent for sharing her life. This is a book that everyone should read.
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Things We Lost in the Fire: Stories
by
Mariana Enriquez
mccaly28
, September 20, 2017
"But we're not going to die; we're going to flaunt our scars." I received a copy of this book through bloggingforbooks.com in exchange for an honest review. This book certainly lived up to the hype for me. There were more scary stories than I expected. While it's not quite a horror collection, there's certainly chilling implications and frightening stories and darker themes than I expected when I picked up this book. But the stories are each well-crafted and haunting in their own way. There's a variety of women and a variety of stories that come to life in this collection. While none of them are particularly long it's a pretty rich collection that focuses on secrets and women and dark places. Definitely an interesting read.
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Adulthood Is a Myth A Sarahs Scribbles Collection
by
Sarah Andersen
mccaly28
, September 20, 2017
"You have hundreds of notebooks with only like three pages filled." This is a great collection of Sarah Andersen's comics about growing up. A number of these comics are featured on her website or on Twitter but there's some new ones as well. These comics are funny and sweet hitting a soft spot that makes you laugh and makes you think in just a few small panels. It's a great afternoon read to lift your spirits and remind you adulthood is terrifying.
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Piecing Me Together
by
Renee Watson
mccaly28
, September 20, 2017
"Sometimes it feels like I leave home a whole person, sent off with kisses from my Mom, who is hanging her every hope on my future. By the time I get home I feel like my soul has been shattered into a million pieces." Oh this book! This is a wonderful book from the perspective of a young woman in Portland. It captures the struggles of being a woman of color, the feelings of fear that come from watching the news, and navigating being a teenager and finding yourself as well as the importance, and sometimes troubles, of valuable friendships. This book is an amazing expression of the confusion that many young women of color face and the troubles of some nonprofits and programs that have the "white savior" complex. While there could be a bit more development and a bit more clarity on how these characters navigate their struggles, it's a good book for teens and adults alike. Such compelling characters like Jade and Lee Lee give a voice to a perspective that isn't often published. This is an important story about feeling valuable and finding your voice in a world that isn't going to help you do it.
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Divided We Stand The Battle Over Womens Rights & Family Values That Polarized American Politics
by
Marjorie J Spruill
mccaly28
, September 20, 2017
"Looking back over the history off the American women's movement - including the battle for political equality - provides many lessons, one of which is that progress is not linear, but continues as long as women remain determined to bring about change." This is a dense book but important read on the history of women's movements in the US. This book highlights big challenges that both conservative and liberal women faced in rallying votes and being recognized in the two-party system. I learned a number of things from this book which is nice because so many books that examine movements with women rehash the same facts. While this book touches a bit on how the women's movement also overlapped with movements in the LGBTQ community and the civil rights movement, it didn't talk as much about their roles in the women's movement (and how they were discouraged from being involved by both sides of the aisle) as I would have liked. I also didn't realize how politically active the Mormon church was or how some presidents had talked about appointing women in high-level public service positions but never followed through. This book provides some great context for women's movements and how each side had developed.
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The Princess Diarist
by
Carrie Fisher
mccaly28
, September 20, 2017
"I call people sometimes hoping not only that they'll verify the fact that I'm alive but that they'll also, however indirectly, convince me that being alive is an appropriate state for me to be in." This book has a very different tone that the others by Carrie Fisher that I've read. The format is largely different too. While Fisher's other books are self-deprecating and talk about her drug use and her family, this book is really more about her when she was young and filming Star Wars. There's still the dark humor and lots of context, but this book is more full of pain and heartache which caught me off guard. While Fisher opens up about her affair with Harrison Ford, she also opens up about the pain it caused her and examining her relationships with men. Her writing is honest and open and so heartfelt. It's so wonderful to read her thoughts and feelings about the world knowing that even though they hurt her it can help others. This is really a great book that Fisher gifted the world with.
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Allegedly
by
Tiffany D Jackson
mccaly28
, September 20, 2017
"No house where you fear for your life can be considered a home." Oh this book. You can't help but feel for Mary. Between all the injustices she's faced in her life like being accused of murder as a child, sexual assault, being a victim of the foster care system, being raised by a selfish mother, and finding herself pregnant and broke you want her to catch a break. I tore through this book hoping that Mary would get justice and wanting to know how a story like this could end. This is really a great read that will keep you up at night.
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Sex in the Sea: Our Intimate Connection with Kinky Crustaceans, Sex Changing Fish, Romantic Lobsters, and Other Salty Erotica of the Deep
by
Marah J. Hardt
mccaly28
, September 20, 2017
"Just imagine spending your entire adult life in the big city, meeting tons of attractive fellow singles day in and day out, year after year, but having to wait until just before you kick the bucket to have sex. And if that is not torture enough, when you finally get to do it, your only option is to go back to your hometown and lose your virginity with someone from your high school. That's a salmon's sex life in a nutshell." I received a copy of this book through a Goodreads First Reads giveaway. This book is delightfully humorous without being juvenile. I learned a lot about the mating rituals and patterns of various sea creatures from snails to sharks. I also appreciated how this book talks about how over-fishing and climate change are affecting breeding patterns and changing the population of certain marine creatures. It's a funny and educational read. It's the kind of book that makes you stop and think 'maaaaan nature is weird'. It's really a great read that I recommend to anyone interested in what goes on in the ocean and what other creatures breeding patterns mean for us.
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Reminders
by
Val Emmich
mccaly28
, September 20, 2017
"He has to think about it for a while and then he says,"Yes," but the way he says it, I know he doesn't remember the other red bird at all and I don't feel as close to him as I want to feel." This is really a heartbreaking book. Joan is a wonderfully interesting character as she navigates the world with her incredible ability to not forget things. While I found Gavin to be a less compelling, albeit wonderfully flawed character, the relationship of the two works so well in this story. Each deals with their sense of loss and change differently and the result is this sweet story that's hard to put down. While Joan is a bit precocious for her age and the chapters seem to waiver between an emotional depth that makes it easy to forget she's a child and a naivety that leaves the reader to fill their own context, the story through her eyes and Gavin's is a fascinating read. It's both a feel-good and sad story that's definitely worth the read.
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Troublemaker: Surviving Hollywood and Scientology
by
Leah Remini and Rebecca Paley
mccaly28
, September 20, 2017
"It was in my DNA to constantly scan my surroundings, always observing, always making mental notes of the details that would make me the right kind of person." This book is great. I didn't realize that Leah Remini had joined the church of scientology as a child and thus had such a hard time leaving as an adult. I especially enjoyed the audiobook where you can hear how passionate she is about her experiences and how open she is about much the church hurt her. It also feels a bit like having a conversation where you catch up with a friend. This is an incredibly eye opening book about her experience with scientology and why she stayed as long as she did. There's an incredible amount of self-analysis and explanation of why the church was doing what it did to keep her. It was also interesting to hear about her desire to be an actress at a young age and the things she did to make it happen. This book really shares all of her heartache and sadness while talking about some of the terrifying things the church was up to. It is rather lengthy to listen to, but it's really worth it.
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Missoula: Rape and the Justice System in a College Town
by
Jon Krakauer
mccaly28
, September 20, 2017
"The foremost issue for police and prosecutors should be that you have a predator out there. By reporting this rape the victim is giving you an opportunity to put this guy away. If you decline to pursue the case because the victim was drunk or has a history of promiscuity or whatever, the offender is almost going to certainly keep raping other women." This book is heartbreaking and terrible and it's a book that absolutely everyone should read. It's a hard book to listen to. This book is extensive and at times exhaustive in how the justice system treated women in Missoula who reported their rapes and the injustice of it all. This book is painful not just in the graphic way that each assault is recounted and the damage to the women's bodies is cataloged, but in how their cases are handled and how these women coped with the experience and how years in court doesn't change what happened. This book recounts the injustice of the experience as well as the experience of trying a rapist in a criminal or university court. This book is arguably bias in that it sympathizes with the women who reported their rapes by football players in Missoula, however the book presents all the information that's there the same way it was presented to the court and it's hard to understand how this sympathy could be wrong. This book talks about rape in a context of a study as well as the specific cases of these women. It's horrifying to hear from an expert that not only are a small amount of rapists responsible for the majority of rapes meaning the world is full of serial rapists but in cases like Frank and others who agreed to be a part of the study that they didn't consider themselves rapists for having non-consensual sex with unconscious women. This sends home the message of what a truly horrifying act this is and how damaging the experience is for victims of sexual assault. This book also talks about the justice system, or lack of when sexual assault is reported on a college campus, and how both police and courts treat people who report their rapes. To hear that police were referencing outdated false rape report statistics and standing by them isn't encouraging, nor is hearing how the burden of proof exists with the victim to prove they did not consent. We hear how these women are slandered and questioned over and over again for the decisions they made as well as other cases of women in college who reported being raped. This book talks about the effects of rape on the victim, how it can change people and what these women faced for being willing to report their rapists. It makes the connection to PTSD and the physical trauma that came with being sexually assaulted. This is an extensive and well-researched book that presents how cases of rape are often mishandled by the justice system and police. It also gives voices to these women that were mistreated by people they trusted. This book also does a good job talking about the misconceptions of rape - not just the myth that rape is often misreported by women out of spite - and presenting better approaches like tracking rapists the way drug dealers are not just to bring them to justice but to also keep people safer. This book does a great job highlighting where police, prosecutors, universities, and others fall short in supporting victims of sexual assault and ensuring those that commit this heinous crime don't offend again. This is a painful read to hear the lengths people will go to to defend 'boys will be boys' or glorify football players. But it's a necessary read to understand what we should be doing better and recognize the pain these women went through.
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Way I Used to Be
by
Amber Smith
mccaly28
, September 20, 2017
"All you have to do is act like you're normal and okay, and people start treating you that way." This is an honest and wrenching YA book about pain and fear and loss. While there's a few things that bothered me about the book, there's also a lot that's well done. The story starts with Eden facing the trauma that sets up the premise for the book and we watch her spiral from there. This book captures the depression and helplessness that Eden faces and her anger at how no one in her life can, or seems to be trying, to help her. While we understand why Eden begins to act out in an attempt to save herself we also experience the pain of her family, in particular her brother, in watching her change. Overall this is a book that tries to tackle a lot of complex issues and does it well. As a work of fiction this book doesn't speak for all survivors of sexual assault or act as the end all be all of resources but it is a painful insight into an experience many women face.
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Ask the Passengers
by
A. S. King
mccaly28
, September 20, 2017
"Not we love you no matter what but you're our daughter no matter what. Not all that warm, but it'll do." This is an endearing and heartfelt story about family and discovering yourself. Astrid's strange coping mechanisms and desire to fit in in her gossip-ridden school put her in a difficult place of figuring herself out. This book captures the awkwardness of adolescence and figuring out her future. While this story isn't the most original concept, it does a good job in capturing the struggle of labels and how all relationships have their troubles. You can't help but feel for Astrid as she tries to balance the expectations of her family with her wants and the wants of people around her. This is a quick and interesting read that leaves you with some hope.
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Purple Swamp Hen & Other Stories
by
Penelope Lively
mccaly28
, September 20, 2017
"He says, "I'm sorry if you are."" This is an interesting collection of stories. Overall I'd say the collection is 3.5 stars, but there's a nice variety from light hearted to dark and deep. There's a few stories that focus on relationships that started to blur together, but the stories all focus on a sense of justice or discovery. I appreciate that for the most part in these stories things work out in the end. I was also struck by how short many of the stories are and yet how much they convey in just a few pages. This book was a pleasant read.
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The Art of Asking: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Let People Help
by
Amanda Palmer
mccaly28
, September 20, 2017
"I knew what I needed but asking for specific emotional things felt impossible and obnoxious." This is a raw look at the life of Amanda Palmer and what it means to be vulnerable and to be an artist. I really enjoyed hearing her open up about busking in Cambridge and the intimacy between strangers as well as what it means to be an artist and trust your fans. It was also refreshing to hear about how she dealt with her pain and how she shared so much with her fans to deal with her own trauma. I also liked that the audiobook included songs and excerpts from her work. While it did seem to go on a bit about how hard art is which got tiresome since I would consider Amanda successful...it's really an interesting look at how Amanda got to be where she is and how even she doubts herself. She also talks about the use of crowdsourcing to fund art and how she has learned to try to trust her fans as well as her husband. It's a story about intimacy and navigating life while trying to make art. For fans of Amanda it's an interesting read.
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Bone Gap
by
Laura Ruby
mccaly28
, September 20, 2017
"He was tired of everyone believing they knew everything there was to know about him, as if a person never grew. As if a person never changed, a person was born a weird and dreamy little kid with two red lips and stayed that way forever, just to keep things simple for everyone else." Around 4.5 stars. This book wasn't what I expected but it blew me away. With beautiful statements about love and seeing and exploring the road of loss, this book is wonderful. There's magical realism, acts of friendship and fear, and an emotional rollercoaster of a story. It goes to show stories don't always end the way we expect. Especially near the end I was starting to wonder how a story like this could possibly be wrapped up. Bone Gap is a small town full of memorable and heartfelt characters. It's sinister and compelling. Focusing on loss and love and how we undermine ourselves this story unwinds in a way that makes it hard to put down.
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Every Exquisite Thing
by
Matthew Quick
mccaly28
, September 20, 2017
“Here I was telling the truth for the first time and he wanted to erase it, make it not count, with my menstrual cycle.” Matthew Quick has such a distinct way of writing and yet every one of his books is so different from the others it's remarkable how much they speak to the human experience. Told from the perspective of Nanette this story-within-a-story is brilliant and touching. All of Quick's books also have a certain sad streak where I knew nothing good would last and there was going to be some sort of tragedy...but it's so worth the read. While I didn't love the last fourth of the book, there is more resolution than I expected to the story. We read about love and loss and what it means to find yourself. One of the things I liked most about this book is the role of literature and how the characters put so much meaning into the words that they read that it makes this story we're reading more meaningful. It's easy to relate to and get lost in. Quick references a number of real authors and books and leaves them as gems for his fans throughout the book, paralleling the actions of the author he writes about. I actually found (most of) Nannette's actions understandable as a teenager girl as we experience her angst and fear along with her. I was impressed that Quick was able to share the perspective of a young girl so truthfully and so well. It's a quick read (or in my case a quick listen) that unfolds another perspective and additional insight with each chapter. It's more YA than Quick's other books but still worth the read.
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Who Asked You
by
Terry McMillan
mccaly28
, September 20, 2017
"It wasn’t that Hollywood love full of flames and hurricanes and 10 foot waves, it was smooth and steady." This is a great book with delightful characters and depth. While there are some ups and downs that cause some stress, it's been a while since I've "read" a book that is both this wonderful and this real that doesn't leave me with stomach aches. I also enjoyed the different voices for the wide cast of characters. The different perspectives on life and love and changes throughout this book give it a very real feeling. You can't help but want Betty Jean to catch a break and for her family to succeed. The story comes full circle in a way and Betty Jean has some good opinions and perspective on her life. It's a good summer read that isn't quite a beach read but won't leave you feeling hopeless.
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Modern Romance
by
Aziz Ansari and Eric Klinenberg
mccaly28
, September 20, 2017
"Wouldn’t it be cool to be single in a bygone era? Take a girl to a drive in movie, we go have a cheeseburger and a malt at the dinner, and make out under the stars in my old timey convertible. Granted, this might have been tough in the fifties given my brown skin tone and racial tensions at the time, but in my fantasy, racial harmony is also part of the deal." This book is delightfully clever and informative. While the downside of the audio book was I didn't get to see the graphs, I appreciate Ansari's reading of the book. He gives an interesting disclaimer at the beginning about the focus on heterosexual relationships and other missing pieces, but this book includes a wealth of information that made it clear this is a pretty extensive study with real data and humorous commentary. This is a great read about dating and relationships. Ansari's input and interpretation of the data as well as facts from experts like Stephanie Coontz bring this book to the next level. It's also a nice reminder how important emerging adulthood is for development. A fun and interesting read that will make you happy you're taken or help you navigate being single in the modern world.
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The Awkward Thoughts of W. Kamau Bell
by
W. Kamau Bell
mccaly28
, September 20, 2017
"Think: how often do you hear a sentence that you've never heard before?" This book was around 3.5 stars for me. I listened to the audiobook for this book and admittedly I could probably listen to Kamau read the phonebook and be entertained, but this book wasn't quite what I expected. I think what didn't work for me was there wasn't a linear narrative thread throughout the book. While there's lots of variety that I enjoyed from commentary on Kamau's standup to how he and his wife met to essays and behind-the-scenes stories from United Shades and everything in between, the jumping around threw me a bit. I'd also already heard a couple stories included in this book (such as the café story) so it wasn't new and exciting for me. That being said, this is a great read. Kamau takes on racism, parenthood, and talks about his growth as a cis-man. It's an absolute delight to hear a woke man talking about his struggles about using "bitch" in his comedy act and how he learned to navigate many pitfalls of comedy and life. He shares heartfelt and sweet stories along side exhausting stories of his family. I liked hear about young Kamau and the work that he and his wife have done to make the world safe for their daughters. While some of Kamau's stories are a bit wordy, it's worth hearing them out for the laugh and to learn something. It's a good read!
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Moonwalking with Einstein
by
Joshua Foer
mccaly28
, September 20, 2017
"The baseball fanatic structured their recollections around important game-related events, like runners advancing and runs scoring." This is an interesting look at memory and recollection. While I've always sort of laughed at the idea of a mind palace it turns out that it works. This story is shared in first person as we follow the author to learning the key to memory. This book has informative facts and theories about improving memory and why some people are savants. It's a good read that presents some interesting ideas I hadn't heard before. I appreciate the book doesn't get too complex but presents lots of ideas. There is also some cynicism and doubt so it's hard to say if these studies were cherry picked but they do tell a compelling story about how to help us remember more and do it with accuracy.
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Hunger: A Memoir of My Body
by
Roxane Gay
mccaly28
, September 20, 2017
"Something terrible happened, and I wish I could leave it at that because as a writer who is also a woman, I don't want to be defined by the worst thing that has happened to me." This book is raw and honest and painful and wonderful. Roxane Gay opens up about her life and her body and her experiences and talks about the sexual violence women face, the judgment, and everything that comes with occupying space in this world. While some later chapters may feel a bit repetitive, as usual, Gay gives words to feelings that so many people experience but can't seem to share. Her prose is enchanting and her words are haunting. This book captures the dichotomy of justifying your space in the world as a woman and just trying to exist. I so appreciate Gay's openness in talking about race and gender and how they're connected and how they shaped her. And how shame shapes so many of us. I also liked her insights about memory and judgment and holding on to things. It takes immense bravery to open up about the trauma and her coping mechanisms in this book and the something terrible that happened to her. This book is a triumph that should be read.
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Dear Ijeawele, or a Feminist Manifesto in Fifteen Suggestions
by
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
mccaly28
, September 20, 2017
"Teach her that if you criticize X in women but do not criticize X in men, then you do not have a problem with X, you have a problem with women." This book is short and inspirational. Though I wish the reader for the audiobook had been Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie herself this book is powerful. It reads as a letter to a friend on how to raise a feminist daughter. Adichie's strength is in laying out specific feminist how-to's for all genders that encourage equality and gives power - not empowers - women. From expecting partners to be equal in marriage and saying women shouldn't compromise where men aren't expected to compromise to sharing the load of cooking and support this book touches on big pieces of modern life and feminism. Adichie also acknowledges her weaknesses and says she focuses on heterosexual relationships because it's what she knows to speak to. She talks about the importance of questioning cultural norms and why things are the way they are. She encourages equality and strong women. This is a great book that outlines ways we can make a future more equal for everyone. Everyone should read it and consider how these actions would change the world.
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Reincarnation Blues
by
Michael Poore
mccaly28
, September 20, 2017
"It was much harder now, lying in his grave, knowing that he might have lived happily with far less grief than it took to live afraid." I received a copy of this ebook from firsttoread.com in exchange for an honest review. This book was sweet and winding and not quite what I expected. It certainly ebbs and flows, but we follow Milo who keeps dying before he achieves perfection and Death, who prefers to be called Suzie. Their courtship is enduring and dangerous. We see the lives Milo lives and the lives Suzie takes as they struggle to understand perfection and what it means. The book jumps around a bit - it took me a while to understand that time does not move one direction and some lives are in the past while others are in the future. I didn't exactly love the end of the story, but I appreciate what it took to get there. This is a rather enchanting read that explores what it means to sacrifice and love.
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No One Can Pronounce My Name: A Novel
by
Rakesh Satyal
mccaly28
, September 20, 2017
"Comfort is a really underrated thing, Ranjana." I received a copy of this book from a Goodreads first reads giveaway in exchange for an honest review. I started this book during a cross-country move and it took longer than I would have liked to pick it back up. It's an intricate story that unfolds in a slow burn and as you get to know the characters it's hard to put down. It's an emotionally driven story so I can see why others don't like it, but I was drug into the story by Harit and couldn't look back. The characters felt real and likable and it's hard not to feel some tenderness for them in a story full of sadness and loss and finding ones self. Even though I didn't particularly enjoy "Crazy Rich Asians" this book had a similar vibe even if the focus is on Southeast Asians. It's a good refreshing read that will likely leave you smiling.
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We Should All Be Feminists
by
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
mccaly28
, September 20, 2017
"I know a family who have a son and a daughter, both of whom are brilliant at school, who are wonderful, lovely children. When the boy is hungry, the parents say to the girl “Go and cook Indomie noodles for your brother.” Now the daughter doesn’t particularly like to cook Indomie noodles, but she’s a girl, and so she has to." I hadn't realized that this was basically Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's TedTalk, but I'm glad I took the time to listen to it. It's a good introduction to feminism 101 and what it means to truly see women as equals. The author points out examples of sexism - such as expecting women to cook and men to pay for dinner - and how it hurts us as a society. It's also such a relief to hear that there is hope and there are things that we can do to truly reach gender equality. This is an uplifting and short book that focuses on important aspects of feminism and cultural change.
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Exit West
by
Mohsin Hamid
mccaly28
, September 20, 2017
“In the late afternoon, Saeed went to the top of the hill, and Nadia went to the top of the hill, and there they gazed out over the island, and out to sea, and he stood beside where she stood and she stood, and she stood beside where he stood, and the wind tugged and pushed at their hair, and they looked around at each other, but they did not see each other, for she went up before him, and he went up after her, and they were each at the crest of the hill only briefly, and at different times.” This is a winding and lyrical book. Mohsin Hamid's writing is engaging and descriptive and it sweeps you up into the life of Saeed. This is a love story but also a story about war and magic. The world Hamid makes in this story feels real and compelling. It's hard not to root for Saeed and Nadia as they become refugees. It's a sad and hopeful book as we see things fall apart and new things grow. An absolutely fascinating book to listen to.
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Pandoras Lab Seven Stories of Science Gone Wrong
by
Paul Offitt
mccaly28
, September 20, 2017
"Because of these and other studies not a single professional, medical, scientific, or public health organization recommends vitamin C for the prevention or treatment of colds." This is a surprisingly informative and engaging book. While note entirely what I expected I learned a few things so the book is around 3.5 stars for me. This book summarizes some of the controversies around eugenics, DDT, vaccines, and other medical advancements. It's graphic and chilling when talking about how people were experimented on in Nazi camps and how people give their children a kind of bleach hoping to cure their autism. I was a bit surprised that the Tuskegee study didn't appear in this collection. I realize it doesn't totally fit the theme - it wasn't an unintended consequence since it was something intentionally done to people - but since this book talks about the importance of ethics when studying on humans and a scientists responsibility to the public I would think it would at least be mentioned. It's an interesting look at how we've arrived in a world where scientific literacy isn't all that common and what we should know when evaluating studies from the outside.
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The Museum of Intangible Things
by
Wendy Wunder
mccaly28
, July 07, 2015
This book is wonderful and well written. It wanders at times and the fast-paced beginning that throws you into the life of these two teens makes parts of the book seem slow, but it's a testament to tragedy and loss and female friendships in a way that's rarely explored. The emotional depth and poetic description of a manic event sucked me in and care about the characters and their quirks. Sure some things were glossed over and the end felt a little abrupt but the book felt honest and raw.
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Inside Out & Back Again
by
Thanhha Lai
mccaly28
, July 07, 2015
This book was beautiful from start to finish. Capturing this experience was so powerful and wonderful. I think having it be written chronologically made it easily accessible and helped us experience the same confusion and emotions HÀ was experiencing. The little details make the whole story feel so real and capture every devastating part of being new or different and leaving home. I was especially impressed that this book is so poetic while also so being a full story and having character growth and so full of empathy. This is really a great book everyone should read!
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This Is How You Lose Her
by
Diaz, Junot
mccaly28
, July 07, 2015
I was surprised by how much I liked this book. I don't like gratuitous use of the n-word, I don't normally like Junot Diaz's quotation-less style, but I was captivated by this story. I may have a soft spot for it because I like stories that show the lives of people of color and I'm familiar with the difficulties of living in Cambridge, but all the twists and turns are captured here. From the tragedies to the larger sad story about life and survival. I think Yunior was astute and terrible and everything in between. The breadth of characters and their choices felt so real and charming.
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Irritable Hearts: A PTSD Love Story
by
McClelland, Mac
mccaly28
, July 07, 2015
This is another tricky book to rate that is more of a 3.5 star. I haven't read the article the author references in the book and was unfamiliar with the story before reading. This retelling is intriguing and honest and wonderful in that way. Mac so articulates her struggles and the self-consuming cycle that sent her downward. She also talks about the very real struggle women face to seem 'nice' and how hard it is to say no even when you want do. But, for me, at time the narrative drug on. Within the anecdotes of what Mac calls her crazy and the people she was meeting with similar struggles it felt like there were pages and pages just about how awful she felt that weighed down the story instead of giving me a better understanding of what she was experiencing. Overall it's a woman sharing her story in a brave and accessible way.
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Curiosities A Collection of Stories
by
Brenna Yovanoff, Tessa Gratton, Maggie Stiefvater
mccaly28
, July 07, 2015
This is a great collection of short stories that are charming and unexpected. Having each other comment on each story gives it a feel of reading a friend's diary or being invited into a secret world that the three authors made. I think the variety, in voice and content, is what makes this such a strong collection.
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No Normal
by
Wilson, G. Willow
mccaly28
, July 07, 2015
I finally got around to reading Ms. Marvel to get on the band wagon. Overall I have to say it wasn't the best superhero introduction but I liked it. Some of the art wasn't my thing - like the panels where Kamala's face was squished without a nose and I don't understand why she's blonde when she turns into Ms. Marvel but I'm excited to see where the franchise goes. Seeing her come to terms with herself - and realize that doing good is something we have to do - makes it appealing
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Citizen: An American Lyric
by
Claudia Rankine
mccaly28
, July 07, 2015
This book is beautiful and moving. The storytelling within the poetry captures feelings and thoughts that can be so difficult to articulate and does so in such a seamless and accessible way. It's a short and meaningful read.
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Circle
by
Dave Eggers
mccaly28
, July 07, 2015
This book didn't turn out to be the story I thought I would. I expected an anti-capitalist sentiment, something paralleling the idea that if you're not the buyer you're the product and I kept waiting for the other shoe to drop until I realized that wasn't going to be this story. This was more haunting than what I imagined. What's frightening about it is how subtle initial changes are. Jumping from a facebook-like account to willingly being monitored in your own home 24/7 is a bit hard to swallow so having the intervals of small changes that spark the big ones show you how quickly things change. I was surprised how easy the book was to read. As I got to the end I realized that there's only two ways the story could end and I wasn't disappointed. That being said I'm also not sure I understand the whole message of the book. Sure it outlined the importance of individual rights, but that feels like a very vague overview of the book.
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Big Fish
by
Daniel Wallace
mccaly28
, July 07, 2015
I was pleasantly surprised with how different the book is from the movie. It's a lot shorter, a lot less in depth certainly, but I think it also focuses on the relationship between the father and son more. I think it's a good supplement to the movie, but if I were to read it on its own it feels a bit bare bones in terms of this mythical world. It's a short, cute read for sure.
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The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl
by
Issa Rae
mccaly28
, July 07, 2015
I debated between 3.5 and 4 stars because I was surprised how short this book felt but it's a great read. I haven't seen the show before but will definitely check it out now! Funny, clever, and emotionally honest this book sucked me in. There seems to be a trend of awkward people making money off of talking about how awkward they are but Issa Rae's stories are told in a way that doesn't feel gimicky or like she's cashing in on the trend. I was actually hoping for something that talked about the intersectionality of being an introvert and a woman of color and was sort of pleasantly surprised that despite being about an awkward black girl the book is not particularly race heavy. Not only is this book an easy read but it's the kind of book that everyone should read. Maybe I relate to the book a little too much but I thought through the cringe-worthy stories and sense of not belonging it's a great narrative for introverts everywhere. Also the Junot Diaz quote can never be overstated.
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Listen Slowly
by
Thanhha Lai
mccaly28
, July 07, 2015
This is a powerful and wonderful book where the story is less about the main character and more about the story its self. I think I would have liked it more if I'd spaced out my reading instead of getting through it in one weekend. It's the kind of book that you need to take longer to digest even though it's not dense. I was impressed with Mai's slow growth in the overall story and how natural the change felt instead of some overnight realization. As the story unfolded you really get a picture of the loss, suffering, and love the family experienced and all of the feelings that go with it. Although the story is an easy read it is full of lessons for people of any age.
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Red Sorghum
by
Yan, Mo
mccaly28
, July 07, 2015
A friend recommended this book and I was surprised by how dark and graphic it was. I imagine the translation from Chinese contributed to how wordy the book is but I was also fascinated by the descriptions and the way the details within the story unfolded. Despite the horrific content it reads like a story that needs to be told. The structure took some getting used to but both the style of writing and the history is compelling. I mentioned the wordiness but it's also a very visual novel full of details from the red of blood to the red of sorghum that served as a beautiful parallel to the story. The changes in time were a bit confusing but that shouldn't discourage readers from seeing it through.
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Rain Reign
by
Ann M. Martin
mccaly28
, July 07, 2015
This book reminded me of the Case of the Dog in the Nighttime. The child's voice, the perspective, the straightforwardness and explanations in the book and complicated understanding of other peoples emotions and complex situations. It's heartbreaking and wonderful.
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Top Dog The Story of Marine Hero Lucca
by
Maria Goodavage
mccaly28
, July 07, 2015
This is a great book highlighting the role of explosive detection dogs in the modern military and the lives these animals live. By following Lucca from her training we get a picture of the hope that she gave people by doing her job and a sense of what Lucca's deployments were like in a heartfelt story of devotion and love and protection. It's an easy to read book that makes Lucca's story accessible and amazing.
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Too Much Happiness
by
Alice Munro
mccaly28
, July 07, 2015
I wasn't sure what to think when someone recommended Alice Munro's stories to be saying they're simple and delightful but I'll add unexpectedly wonderful to the list. I enjoyed the variety in stories and characters, the twists and turns and range of emotion and situations. The stories are long enough to be interesting and short enough they don't drag and have a hint of how things aren't always how they seem.
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The Book of Strange New Things
by
Michel Faber
mccaly28
, July 07, 2015
I'm still not sure what to think about this book. I was absolutely blown away with how simple and detailed and haunting the whole thing is. We're given just enough to be along for the ride in this story without being overwhelmed with details or world building. It's a fascinating exploration of humanity that doesn't answer all of the questions that it brings up.
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Annihilation (Southern Reach Trilogy #1)
by
Jeff Vandermeer
mccaly28
, July 07, 2015
This book is terrifying and well written. With the right amount of chills and mystery I was sucked in and had to keep reading. The shortness of the novel contributes to the thrilling pace. I'm excited to read more about Area X and hopefully get to the bottom of it all.
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The Girl With All The Gifts: Hungry Plague 1
by
M R Carey
mccaly28
, July 07, 2015
This book is spectacular. I don't want to give too much away but I flew through the book because it kept me guessing until the end.
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True Meaning of Smekday
by
Adam Rex
mccaly28
, July 07, 2015
I had no idea this book would be so good. While it reads more as a kids book (so does Harry Potter) I thought it was a cute and clever adventure. It may take a while to get there at times but the drawings, commentary and colonization, and humor are all on point in this book. I suppose my only complaint is that while the book touches on race and land colonization it doesn't drive the point home with the parallels that the book lays out so neatly. (Also the whole 'you were looking for a white woman?' plot is never really discussed) I was also impressed that for a book directed to a younger audience there's good character development that keeps the plot moving pretty quickly. Sure not everything gets explained but the story ends up where it needs to. Overall there are some memorable characters and lots of humor in the book in a way that makes it an easy and fun read.
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Redeployment
by
Klay, Phil
mccaly28
, July 07, 2015
This book is well written and wonderfully assembled. Using the vignette and short story format the reader gets a variety of perspectives and stories that are fast paced and give us peaks into the lives of individuals in their own words. The book wasn't dense or bogged down with political input, the personal touches of the stories and the reality that's put forward in these perspectives are what make it so great, and it's definitely worth the read. The harrowing recounting of life at war and the intimacy of seeing someone's thoughts without a biased lens or an agenda to tell a certain story is such a fresh perspective and talks about the important things that don't get talked about.
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Infected
by
Scott Sigler
mccaly28
, July 07, 2015
I am not a fan of thrillers or gore but by the time I realized what I'd gotten myself into with this series I was already too invested to put the book down and kept reading. Blood aside I was impressed with how well the book was written from such distinct characters that felt real to the structure that made me want to keep reading. I appreciate that the characters are at times simply characters, not flat props trying to hold the story together or a heavy handed anti-hero statement in the plot, but a depiction of people in terrible scenarios doing terrible things. And frankly I think this is how more Doctor Who episodes should end - it was wrapped up enough I felt like I could sanely sleep but enough interest I knew I'd find the rest of the books.
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Vampires in the Lemon Grove
by
Karen Russell
mccaly28
, July 07, 2015
Beautiful! A great collection of short stories that are both amazing and provocative. Admittedly a few more shied on the horror side that I expected but I was unable to put the book down.
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The House on Mango Street
by
Sandra Cisneros
mccaly28
, July 07, 2015
I think this book is solid between 3.5 and 4 stars. The words are beautiful and the stories are short and enchanting. I liked that the book came full circle by the end but it didn't feel story shaped in the way traditional novellas are. But it is beautifully written and tells a story of coming of age and adulthood.
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Long Mile Home Boston Under Attack the Citys Courageous Recovery & the Epic Hunt for Justice
by
Scott Helman, Jenna Russell
mccaly28
, July 07, 2015
I think this is a tough book to review, and to read, for reasons that other people mention like it was a tragedy that affected a lot of people. With jurors being selected for the trial tomorrow this book feels poignant and hits at the core of what many people were feeling that day within a city like Boston that is known for being both resilient and unfriendly. This book tells the human side of the story with people who were harmed and people who experienced the kindness and the fear the city had to offer. The several chapters of unknowing if there was a real lead, and several false accusations, certainly portrays the anxious tone. My biggest issue was really with how the book just ends. It's hard to end on a positive note or wrap up the tragedy the city experienced but I felt like the narrative just sort of stopped in a way that was a bit abrupt for my taste
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The Martian
by
Andy Weir
mccaly28
, July 07, 2015
I have to say that overall this book was fantastic. There's a few things that I didn't love about it, but it's a great read. First what I didn't like about the book - the shifting in point of view was confusing. There's really nothing that distinguishes when the perspective is going to change and there seemed to be some random perspectives that were in italics that didn't seem to fit. I read the kindle version but there were times I was wondering some things got italicized as action and others didn't. Second, while I'm not one to harp on the personality of characters the overbearing sarcasm at times of Watney when interacting with other characters. Also some of the other characters in general - while there was some good representation it felt like there was a lot of really general female characters and the way that the NASA and JPL staff also felt very superficial and sarcastic in terms of trying to bring a man back from Mars. Granted the story is not about the people back on Earth but there's very little development or perspective from anyone that seems involved with the ground side of the mission and it felt overly comical or forced at times. That being said this book is funnier than I expected. I think the premise was fantastic and even as Watney tried and failed and tried again I was sucked in to the intensity and what was at stake from the start. Sure there are some things that aren't particularly realistic but with the dark humor and facing of our mortality and the idea of achieving human travel to Mars the whole thing ties together so well and really captures the drama of human survival.
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The Girl Who Fell From the Sky
by
Heidi W. Durrow
mccaly28
, July 07, 2015
This is one of the best books I've read in a while. There were a few hangups throughout the book (the shifting of characters and to first and third person as we jump back and forth in time) but the story is heartbreaking, the characters are compelling, and it's a beautiful exploration of identity and history. The prose are wonderful and moved the story along and the whole thing is haunting in a way that sits with you. Young Rachel is certainly the most interesting part of the story with her internal struggle, and the way time passes in the book is quick and sudden, but the way the she moved away from those thoughts (or pushed them down) felt like such a natural portrayal of adolescence and growing up.
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All the Bright Places
by
Jennifer Niven
mccaly28
, July 07, 2015
This book is heart breakingly wonderful. It's a story that has such cute and developed characters and an honest portrayal of mental illness, grief, and the struggles of growing up. While there are parts of the story that are certainly quirky team romance(just a couple small town kids going on adventures to see their state and of course this boy knows exactly how much he needs to push this girl to help her) but both characters are lovable and stunning in their own way. Violet is a well written teenage girl that finds her own way through tragedy. The story is essentially about life and growth and getting through the day to day and everything from the way each character labels their days (Finch counting forward from his low point and Violet counting down to her high point)gave the book an unexpected depth that shows the parallels between them.
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Secret History of Wonder Woman
by
Jill Lepore
mccaly28
, July 07, 2015
I have some mixed feelings about this book. I gave it a high rating because it's obviously well researched and I do love the feminist history the book opens with. However I just find the whole story incredibly weird. From Marston's behavior to his notoriety to the way he treated women and the fact that he was so well promoted by the women in his life. I think having now seen the Harvard area and being able to make those connections (including the castle) have made it interesting, but it was less about Wonder Woman and more about Marston, which I guess I should have expected. The feminist history is fascinating, especially the context of the time of the first feminist movement around birth control. But the book is also repetitive, sometimes mentioning facts like where the concept of Wonder Woman's bracelet came from, and it's repeated again, word for word, in another section. It gives a lot of history to Wonder Woman as a character, but I was hoping to find out more about her transition from 1920's feminist icon to modern DC character. This is not that story. And I can see why a lot if this is "secret" history. If you're looking for stories about Wonder Woman this isn't it, but if you want to know about the origin of the character it's a very thorough presentation.
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Crying of Lot 49
by
Thomas Pynchon
mccaly28
, July 07, 2015
This is a classic I wish I'd read sooner. Capturing a dystopian future (or past?) and reading much faster than 1984 I found this story to be engaging and captivating. While heavily allegorical it's a great story with interesting insights and characters.
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Gabi a Girl in Pieces
by
Isabel Quintero
mccaly28
, July 07, 2015
This book is somewhere between 3 and 3.5 stars. The good: It was cute. I found Gabi endearing, she's a strong female character dealing with very real situations. The parallels she draws in the world around her make a wonderful perspective and I really liked the zine she created along with the unexpected poetry in the book. It also captures the internal struggles of being a teenager and having your younger brother be the favorite. It's an interesting story, it just sort of fell short for me. I think the character arc sucked me in initially and then it reached a point where it plateaued and I expected it to keep going.
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Bird Box
by
Josh Malerman
mccaly28
, July 07, 2015
I read this quicker than expected because it sucked me in. I couldn't put it down because I wanted to find answers. I kept reading not sure if I wanted a happy ending or the gruesome truth behind what was happening. The fact that these things are so vague - and their affect on humans is so terrifying - is part of what was so appealing. Like the Southern Reach trilogy we know our species is being threatened, but we don't know what by, which means we don't know how to stop it, is one of the most terrifying plot lines. The way the Bird Box plays out is chilling and creepy in the best way. At times we feel Malorie's fear and despair along with her desire to survive. The realities feel hauntingly real as we helplessly watch the world plunge into this chaos.
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Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe
by
Benjamin Alire Sáenz
mccaly28
, July 07, 2015
Lyrical indeed! I was blown away with this book from start to finish. It's a refreshing look at puberty and growing up and the things young people in the world face. To have a main character that's so charming, so thoughtful, who cares so deeply about the world to carry this story made it wonderful. Aristotle and Dante capture the easiness and angst of teenagers and how such different people can be meaningful to each other. I felt for the characters and the world they lived in. Everything about this book is so unique and rich from the characters to the writing and the way it makes you think and tells this story so effortlessly.
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Station Eleven
by
Emily St. John Mandel
mccaly28
, July 07, 2015
This book is somewhere between 3 and 3.5 stars. The premise is interesting and I liked that it came full circle. There's some fascinating characters experiencing terrible things. Each character's story is thoroughly explored so I liked how real they felt and how true the story could seem. I was impressed with the range of characters too and how they grew or changed. I also liked the full circle story telling. There were a few places in the middle I felt like the story got muddled and very little was actually happening, but it's an interesting exploration of the human condition and what it means to survive disaster.
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The Tightrope Walkers
by
David Almond
mccaly28
, July 07, 2015
This book is beautiful and poetic and dark. It captures the angst with puberty, growing up, and the many feelings that come with puberty and confusion. It also shows the tragic life of a time in history where many young people were lost in a challenging time. I was really impressed with how this book explored so many relationships between friends and former friends and parents and having dreams that you chase. The dialect was confusing at times and sometimes made things hard to follow but it's a very thoughtful book that's surprisingly easy to read.
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David & Goliath Underdogs Misfits & the Art of Battling Giants
by
Malcolm Gladwell
mccaly28
, July 07, 2015
This book was a phenomenal perspective on strengths and what it means to be an underdog. Malcolm Gladwell tells some excellent stories about resilience and weaves them together in David and Goliath encouraging us to change the way we look at what are considered advantages. He talks about what institutions and governments need to be considered legitimate and in a way that's relevant and understandable.He makes important insights to how we can shape our political and social environments for the better and what it takes for change to be meaningful. Some wonderful insights and great stories to back up his evidence, Malcolm Gladwell presents an enchanting narrative on what 'winning' takes and articulating some of the issues that people face every day. It flounders a bit at the end, I was hoping for a final summary chapter or something else to tie it all together, but the author's enthusiasm is clear and it's a great and quotable book.
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Room
by
Emma Donoghue
mccaly28
, July 07, 2015
I debated between 3.5 and 4 stars. It's a gripping book full of tragedy and sadness but the juvenile writing was repetitive at times. This is an incredible ambitious book. Through the eyes of five year old Jack this gruesome picture is painted. We feel not only the confusion he faces but the torn feelings of betrayal and mania and fear that comes at that age. While it's a clever way to tell the story, and gives enough information for us to glean so many tragic details from, Jack seems awfully precocious for a five year old. The story is fascinating. It has all the suspense and sadness - I was impressed with how much emotion went into the characters and how many feelings they invoke. As aggravating Jack and his fear are he's just a kid, and as justified and consuming as his Ma's feelings are we really get to experience the whole range of their journey.It's a tough emotional story that empathizes with them in a different way.
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An Untamed State
by
Roxane Gay
mccaly28
, July 07, 2015
Roxane Gay captures the trauma, tragedy, and intimacy of close relationships in this story. While people may say this is a difficult book to read it's really a fantastic story about love, loss, and empowerment. The book is certainly dark, and the story captures the darkness and lostness that Miri is feeling. There are passive chapters between the flashbacks and narration but it tells a story that shows how complicated relationships are, and how finicky people can be, and what it can take to be a family. The relationship between Miri and Michael is fascinating and fragile and the story articulates so many things about recovery and friends that aren't often talked about. Also the parallels, between Miri and Michael, between Florida and Haiti, between Miri and her mother, and so many other comparisons really carried through the narrative. We see how much these people change in just a few pages and how different life is for them all by the end. The parallels that Miri draws as well to a 'before' and 'after' mimic the 'before' and 'after' setup of the book that somehow manages to condense so many thoughts on sexual assault, identity, and safety. By not wrapping up everything nicely at the end it's a harrowing, enlightening story that everyone should read.
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Control Point Shadow Ops 1
by
Myke Cole
mccaly28
, July 07, 2015
When I heard this book was about a magical division of the military I knew I had to check it out. The story was pretty much what I expected it to be and more. While the larger story of how some humans turn out be magic unfolds we follow Britton while he figures out his power. He's your scifi hero - the guy who wants to use his powers for good, buck the system, and do it on his own terms. He's a little flip floppy and certainly waxes poetic on what is moral good, but it's a great story about a guy who's lost in a uncertain world and uncertain about himself. The addition of magic to a story that is otherwise familiar adds a new take on military science fiction that's awesome. While some parts of the book are a bit slow, and Britton gets away with a lot, it's definitely worth the read
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Kid Presidents Guide to Being Awesome
by
Robby Novak, Brad Montague
mccaly28
, July 07, 2015
This book was so cute! Being somewhat familiar with Kid President I had an idea of what to expect, but I was still so moved by this book! It's full of warming anecdotes, stories of kids who are changing the world, and inspiration to carry you through the day. It's a quick read that serves as a great pick me up!
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Wildwood: The Wildwood Chronicles, Book I
by
Colin Meloy
mccaly28
, July 07, 2015
I can't get over how impressed I was with this book. Admittedly I have a soft spot being so in love with Portland,but it's such a minor setting for this whole story. First off, I didn't realize this was a book for younger readers. While not quite YA I would compare it to Harry Potter - there are beautiful illustrations and it's something that I not only enjoyed but I'd read to to my friend's kids too. Probably because it was intended for younger audiences I was also impressed with how quickly the plot moved. After reading a string of books that have seemed to drag Wildwood was a refreshing change in pace that made me not want to put the book down. The story is whimsical and requires us to believe a bit but it's wonderful in every way. The characters are compelling - you can't help but root for Prue and I really liked that there's no romantic ties between her and Curtis - the story is truly just two kids out on an adventure. There are also some darker implications throughout the book and you can't help but feel for Prue's parents as well, even if you don't agree with them, and the pain they must have gone through to get there. It's a great first book to a promising series
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Magicians Book 1
by
Lev Grossman
mccaly28
, July 07, 2015
This book rating is more around a 3.5 star for a number of reasons. A lot of this book is setup for the series, it's some fascinating world building but the story reads to me as two books packed into one. I think I would have enjoyed this book more if it hadn't been so hyped to me by other people. After being told that this book is an awesome example of strong women in fantasy...I felt like the characters fell a bit short, particularly the women. Don't get me wrong, I'll at least read the second book since the story was certainly interesting, it has a grittiness and realness that Narnia and Harry Potter don't capture. But it also didn't read as easily as either
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Memory of Love
by
Aminatta Forna
mccaly28
, July 07, 2015
This is a captivating book that shows the breadth of Aminatta Forna's talent. While dark and heartbreaking, the variety of characters and their closely entwined fates show the long and short term effects of war and the different way it sunk into the roots of the community. The story telling is beautiful, the political overtones not overt, the plot winding and at times haunting. It's not a story about war or a country so much as it is about people and their lives that reads in a way that captures it all. Maybe the best way I can describe this book is expansive. In its reach of characters, the ambitious plot, the time it covers, the way it touches on the microcosms of individual lives as well as big picture experience, it's truly a phenomenal read.
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Consider Phlebas: Culture 1
by
Iain M Banks
mccaly28
, July 07, 2015
Overall I was blown away with this book. The way it seamlessly pulls you in to this believable scifi world, the way it reads like watching a Star Wars movie, the way it seemed so real and intriguing. I was surprised how many times I found myself stopping to think how effortless the whole story seemed while packing in so many details and immersing me in the world. However, I found Horza to be obnoxious and overly cocky in a way that made him seem flawless, unbelievable, and of course there had to be a plot about his inability to love and if a woman could change that. Blech. Otherwise the book was good, definitely worth checking out.
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Best of Simple
by
Langston Hughes
mccaly28
, July 07, 2015
I hadn't been introduced to Simple before this but I was impressed by how much this seemingly dated text really resonated with me. While I found the stories uncomfortably stereotypical at times I really enjoyed how Langston Hughes explores race while talking about race - and talking about talking about race too much - in such an accessible way. Simple's points are spot on and he gives a voice to a lot of relevant issues with a dash of humor. I was also surprised by how funny some of these stories were and the way they weaved in tragedy and daily life. Hughes created these wonderful characters (the narrator in fact does very little) and tells a vivid story about life in Harlem through the lenses of these two people. The writing is beautiful, but the finished product of these stories combined is truly impressive and a great read for anyone wondering what made Hughes so unique
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Face
by
Sherman Alexie
mccaly28
, July 07, 2015
Sometimes I go a few months without reading some of Sherman Alexie's work and forget how much I love it. Filled with short stories and poems and prose with his take on life and sex and his father and other poetic things this book is one of Alexie's best collections. Though short, it manages to blend the tragic and the wonderful together in a totally memorable and honesty way. I also really enjoyed the poems that existed as footnotes. There's so many variations in how they could be read, I was really impressed with the approach and thoughtfulness. Really a wonderful collection of brutal tellings and truths.
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More Happy Than Not
by
Adam Silvera
mccaly28
, July 07, 2015
This is another really hard book for me to rate. Over all, I liked it. I was impressed with how diverse the characters how, how the subjects of happiness and identity and sexuality are approached. Halfway through the book when I found myself thinking 'what is even happening?' and I realized how complex and amazing the story really was. I did however find some things annoying, like how Aaron's mom always uses the term 'my son' when she talks to him. But the story is a heartbreaking look at friendship and identity and loss that definitely took me by surprise.
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The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency
by
McCall Smith, Alexander
mccaly28
, July 07, 2015
After loving the HBO adaptation I figured I should read the books too. I think had I read the book first and then watched the show I would have liked the book a little more, but they're both great pieces on their own. These books give more depth to Precious and her delightful detective agency and life. It's a fun book to read that really makes you feel for the characters and puts you into their world. You can't help but root for Precious in this beautifully engaging story.
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