tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24280465204060336432024-03-05T21:31:05.702-08:00The BlistThe stuff I readgenericwhitegirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02659321711307469282noreply@blogger.comBlogger188125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2428046520406033643.post-25769833057513398022024-03-04T19:47:00.000-08:002024-03-04T19:47:20.925-08:00Slenderman: Online Obsession, Mental Illness, and the Violent Crime of Two Midwestern Girls by Kathleen Hale<div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzER90FFqYyWdzy01qq7WoAAaE2civUlwL4yP9Cq36aFcZwgmIFYp-0CPv31-PGiK5BWsRoD00u3Rj3YBtHSD17S4X3cKs5EQZ9boNguT1jwtQF_Sq3RJl0DyF0g3MgOL7Triw9MqgjVzNC_BFd4QYLlbBJ990L9ZXQE8UJeJqfRmzXGHFhrOSJ82aHG-P/s281/Slenderman.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="281" data-original-width="180" height="281" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzER90FFqYyWdzy01qq7WoAAaE2civUlwL4yP9Cq36aFcZwgmIFYp-0CPv31-PGiK5BWsRoD00u3Rj3YBtHSD17S4X3cKs5EQZ9boNguT1jwtQF_Sq3RJl0DyF0g3MgOL7Triw9MqgjVzNC_BFd4QYLlbBJ990L9ZXQE8UJeJqfRmzXGHFhrOSJ82aHG-P/s1600/Slenderman.jpeg" width="180" /></a></div><br />In 2014, in Wisconsin, a young girl was nearly killed. There were a number of reasons this case was unusual, but among the top were that it was perpetrated by two 12-year old girls and that the apparent motive revolved around the fictional and internet-famous Slenderman.</div><div><br /></div><div>While this sounds fascinating, it was less about Slenderman and more about the delusions kids can talk themselves into. What was more relevant is the fact that one of the two girls was experiencing undiagnosed schizophrenia at the time. It was a perfect storm of mental illness, impressionable underdeveloped brains, and a fascination for the macabre that culminated in the near death of 12-year old Peyton Lautner on her twelfth birthday.</div><div><br /></div>This true-crime novel is told mostly from the perspective of one of the offenders, Morgan Geyser. This is due, in part, to the Geyser family's willingness to work with Kathleen Hale on the book. But Hale still does her research and provides an in-depth account of the events leading up to, during, and after the attack. But because of the fact that Lautner's family didn't work directly with Hale, her perspective and struggles through these events are not as prominent as the experience of the offenders. <div><br /></div><div>With that in mind, I found Hale's analysis of Geyser's experience in custody terrifying as a parent. The roadblocks Geyser faced in getting medical care were an additional tragedy that is probably all too common in any U.S. detention system. And depending on your personal beliefs, you may also find it tragic that two 12-year old girls were interrogated without legal counsel and found to be tried as adults for their crimes.</div><div><br /></div><div>You may go into this one thinking you'll learn about a horrific crime, but you'll also come away with a horrifying look at our criminal justice system, especially for juveniles.</div><div> </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>genericwhitegirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02659321711307469282noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2428046520406033643.post-74141616869959436922024-03-02T15:53:00.000-08:002024-03-02T15:53:15.751-08:00In An Absent Dream (Wayward Children #4) by Seanan McGuire<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRwdJeLFAiam_pD7VxkPl-oYmjW0NDK3liIwuWYKt1iub0LlhgDKlu_iGmPkqy2iHeigv0wI1axH5JtkYhC-clCJr862S-OMqYIEDjkHAXYTBEzgs75FbCF2yPmKFeumRqK2q70VLMtjzQoXMU4oKbYzNasENhF6MKoq3ohlFhl_EdkG9HkKY34bN3RF7F/s1000/In%20An%20Absent%20Dream.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="667" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRwdJeLFAiam_pD7VxkPl-oYmjW0NDK3liIwuWYKt1iub0LlhgDKlu_iGmPkqy2iHeigv0wI1axH5JtkYhC-clCJr862S-OMqYIEDjkHAXYTBEzgs75FbCF2yPmKFeumRqK2q70VLMtjzQoXMU4oKbYzNasENhF6MKoq3ohlFhl_EdkG9HkKY34bN3RF7F/s320/In%20An%20Absent%20Dream.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><br />If you aren't familiar with this series, it begins with Every Heart a Doorway, a novella about Eleanor West's Home for Wayward Children. West runs a boarding school for children who have been to other worlds and returned unable to readjust to regular life. Every Heart a Doorway introduces a lot of children who have traveled to these worlds, but doesn't really flesh out individual stories.<div><br /><div>McGuire's subsequent books explore these individual stories. One of the great things about this series is that you don't really have to go in order. While there are some threads between books, you really can read them as stand-a-lone books.</div><div><br /></div><div>In an Absent Dream is the story of Katherine. She's a rule-following girl who always listens to adults and does what is expected of her. Her father is her elementary school's Principal. And because of this, Katherine finds it hard to make and keep friends and feels disconnected with her family. One day, she strays from her normal path home and finds a door in the trunk of a tree. Of course she decides to see what is inside.</div><div><br /></div><div>Beyond this door, Katherine discovers the Market, which has rules that must be followed based largely on fair value and making and keeping agreements. As a young child, she is given leeway in the agreements she makes and others are allowed to take on debt she incurs. She develops a friendship with another girl and is mentored by a mother-like figure during her visit, which eventually ends.</div><div><br /></div><div>Upon returning to the normal world, Katherine, who now goes by her surname, Lundy, tries to adjust to normal life. The mystery of her disappearance is an open secret by those around her, except to maybe her father, who seems to know something about her experience. </div><div><br /></div><div>As she grows older, Lundy travels back and forth between worlds, learning more about the Market and the importance of paying back debts, including those her dear friend took on during Lundy's first visit. But Lundy also develops a deeper relationship with her sister, and subsequent visits to the market are interrupted as Lundy travels back to keep commitments to her family. Lundy knows however, that the flexibility given children by the Market will soon fade and she will eventually be forced to decide between the two worlds. </div><div><br /></div><div>In An Absent Dream is a short story about another world that might not be perfect, but might be just what Lundy is looking for. It's interesting and dark and fun to read about, but I feel that there is a certain spark that is missing that could elevate this book to a higher level. I'm not sure what exactly it is: that the books are too short to dig deeper, or that the Market isn't a world that speaks to me. </div><div><br /></div><div>One of my criticisms about Every Heart a Doorway was that the individual stories weren't fleshed out enough so I appreciate these individual stories. While I feel there could be a lot more said about Lundy's world, I think what we got was just enough to get the point across in this short story.</div></div>genericwhitegirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02659321711307469282noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2428046520406033643.post-45399835259719539542024-02-19T10:56:00.000-08:002024-02-22T20:45:29.173-08:00Blindsight by Peter Watts<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqAWnSne8sBYXQZjIDANde1e70kU-VkwVu4IsvrUMM5_3AR0_JOjlvm8i8PQRgvKck5OVj2Ay3XRANQ7jeL1tpsBs_dOxgir1jFK_UKtHLuXKWlqt-1ZlHzue25QzaJN7owfCxJIIhyB9Roq2kC7RQPl3psrU_lVEmTU0ohAM635KREGrO-VQDg7qZiPwA/s275/Blindsight.jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="275" data-original-width="183" height="275" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqAWnSne8sBYXQZjIDANde1e70kU-VkwVu4IsvrUMM5_3AR0_JOjlvm8i8PQRgvKck5OVj2Ay3XRANQ7jeL1tpsBs_dOxgir1jFK_UKtHLuXKWlqt-1ZlHzue25QzaJN7owfCxJIIhyB9Roq2kC7RQPl3psrU_lVEmTU0ohAM635KREGrO-VQDg7qZiPwA/s1600/Blindsight.jpeg" width="183" /></a></div><br />This book was so good, I read it twice. And I don't mean, I read it years ago and wanted to read it again. No, I read it (or rather, listened to it) about a week ago, finished it feeling I hadn't retained much, and then immediately re-read it. <p></p><p>On the first go, I was constantly confused about what was going on and who the various characters were. I couldn't even really say what the basic plot was. This probably isn't making my case that this is a good book, and I wasn't feeling that way either. But despite this, I realized I was never bored while listening, and I liked a lot of the ideas I heard, it was just so dense with information that anytime I tried to multitask, I'd miss something (one of the pitfalls of listening to my books instead of reading them).</p><p>So I checked some blogs online, brushed up on the basic plot and characters, and tried again. This time, I focused on really paying attention, cut out the multitasking, and it paid off.</p><p>Blindsight is a hard science fiction book, written in 2006 by Peter Watts. It's full of interesting concepts like, well, blindsight, first of all, which is the ability to perform a task without consciousness. An example given in the book occurs when a person is temporarily blinded, yet is able to react to visual stimulus. <a href="https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20150925-blindsight-the-strangest-form-of-consciousness" target="_blank">This article,</a> from the BBC, explains the concept much better: </p><p><span style="letter-spacing: -0.36px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">"Just how many of our decisions occur out of our awareness, even when we have the illusion of control? And if the conscious mind is not needed to direct our actions, then what is its purpose? Why did we evolve this vivid internal life, if we are almost 'zombies' acting without awareness?"</span></span></p><p><span style="letter-spacing: -0.36px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">This quote could have been pulled directly from Watts' book. In fact, he also brings up the concept of zombies in a similar context. Watts explores consciousness as an abnormal, evolutionary quirk. Perhaps, humans are flukes of nature, slowed by our sense of self. Could there be intelligent life that isn't self-aware? What benefit to survival does consciousness actually provide?</span></span></p><p><span style="letter-spacing: -0.36px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Watts also includes concepts of AI, the observer effect, von Neumann machines, Turing machines, game theory, and even vapirism.</span></span></p><p><span style="letter-spacing: -0.36px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">All is presented in the context of a society that is a few years away from achieving a single consciousness. The need for bodies is fast in decline - people can upload themselves to "heaven" while their bodies lay in storage, sex in the first person is considered old-fashioned, body modifications include brain treatments and tweaks, and alterations abound that basically turn people into biomachines.</span></span></p><p><span style="letter-spacing: -0.36px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Our narrator, Siri Keeton, underwent a hemispherectomy as a child to treat epileptic seizures. The debilitating surgery took most of his ability to have emotions, but enabled him to become a synthesist - someone who takes vasts amounts of complex information and relays it to others in a coherent way. </span></span></p><p><span style="letter-spacing: -0.36px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">In 2082, the fireflies came. The world was awash in light due to alien probes that surrounded Earth and took a picture of its entire surface. Earth responded by sending Siri and four others (not including their backups, who would remain in stasis unless needed), to follow a signal believed to be coming from a comet. Blindsight begins with the crew waking up five years into their journey, having gone off course, and severely overslept.</span></span></p><p><span style="letter-spacing: -0.36px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Their ship is Theseus, which is described anthropomorphically and run by an AI captain. It has some kind of user interface that all the crew can interact with called ConSensus that allows them to upload and share information and communicate remotely. Theseus's AI communicates exclusively with Jukka Sarasti, a vampire who has been resurrected from the Pleistocene era, to command the crew. There is also Isaac Szpindel, the biologist and physician, who can hear X-rays and see in shades of ultrasound. Then there is Amanda Bates, whose military background provides expertise relevant to the ship's and crew's physical security. Finally, we have the "gang of four." This is a person who had multiple personalities induced - the primary personality being Susan James, a linguist. Also inhabiting the same body is Michelle (another synthesist), Sascha (I'm not sure of her specific role), and Cruncher, a male who mostly stays in the background, well, crunching data.</span></span></p><p><span style="letter-spacing: -0.36px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The crew can all be considered altered in various ways, so much so, a normal person wouldn't be able to comprehend interactions between them, which might occur in various languages and even without known language, which would seem nonsensical to a layperson. "No real scientist would allow their thoughts to be hamstrung by conceptual limitations of a single language...It's just that once you get past a certain point, formal speech is too damn slow!" So it is Siri's job to observe and understand everyone's intentions and relay this information back to mission command. </span></span></p><p><span style="letter-spacing: -0.36px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Theseus travels to Big Ben, a quantum particle as heavy as 10 jupiters. There they encounter Rorshach, a sort of civilization? Factory? Well, they're not so sure, so they attempt to make contact. Unfortunately for them, Rorshach is rife with radiation that means any forays into its environs result in radiation sickness, which can include physical symptoms such as blindness, tumors, and eventually, death, but also psychological symptoms reminiscent of hauntings, loss of self, and possession. Each trip to Rorshach requires the crew to spend time in the ship's medical bay, healing from the effects of their trip. And then they do it all over again.</span></span></p><p>If you're still with me in this review, it means you're finding these concepts as fascinating as I did. I'd recommend this book to you with one caveat - it's dense and requires your full attention. Save yourself the second read-through and pay attention the first time around. You'll be better for it.</p><p>And for some extra fun, check out Watts' <a href="https://rifters.com/echopraxia/theseusmission.htm" target="_blank">website</a>. He has extra content relevant to the book as well as some of his novels available in their entirety. I checked out Blindsight and found there were notes and references that provided fun information like a primer on vampires and the physiology of the aliens encountered. I'm kinda annoyed that wasn't a part of my audiobook. I also found some great art made for various versions of the book, and learned there is a sequel to Blindsight, called Echopraxia, so it was definitely worth a look.</p>genericwhitegirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02659321711307469282noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2428046520406033643.post-58770155984083687672024-02-03T13:56:00.000-08:002024-02-03T13:56:06.660-08:00The September House by Carissa Orlando<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgynwNBVUKrVfNbKxBc5ehvKwPAoh6lO7JnN7AK7eoSLw3E7BBOz7L1ZbMTqeie88Y6I3qEP7Q6Y9TGq0xNBoPB_vMg18xRSNg44oYoylicBWPWIlroExAlsDC9rnY2tmMR8iT1yQA8D6i4UfNGAYRh58vv8nUJv40rC8lPewm-rQlUvshUkE4rfodIZbMu/s1000/The%20September%20House.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="662" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgynwNBVUKrVfNbKxBc5ehvKwPAoh6lO7JnN7AK7eoSLw3E7BBOz7L1ZbMTqeie88Y6I3qEP7Q6Y9TGq0xNBoPB_vMg18xRSNg44oYoylicBWPWIlroExAlsDC9rnY2tmMR8iT1yQA8D6i4UfNGAYRh58vv8nUJv40rC8lPewm-rQlUvshUkE4rfodIZbMu/s320/The%20September%20House.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>Have you seen the show Ghosts? It's a campy sitcom about a woman who sees ghosts in her house and has learned to live with them. This is kinda like that, but a lot more macabre, and a lot more funny!<p></p><p>If it isn't bad enough to live in a haunted house, try living in this haunted house in September! The ghosts act up more than usual, the walls bleed profusely, and forget about sleeping, with all the moaning and screaming. But Margaret is resigned to this. She's learned to adapt, ignore, and tolerate all the goings on. She's tried the usual remedies: priests, microfiche research, ouija boards, digging up bones, and more. But eventually things go back to the way they were, and of course, there's always September.</p><p>Take Elias, for example. The boy who doesn't speak but howls, and bites if you get too close. Margaret has learned to just treat him like a plant, narrating her life around him, while expecting no response in return. And it works! Unless she gets too close of course, but shame on her for crossing his boundaries. Margaret understands that if she follows the rules, bites will be kept to a minimum. </p><p>In this way she has managed to figure out what triggers each ghost. If you don't want the upstairs bedroom ghosts to crawl out of the fireplace, don't start a fire! Easy! And sometimes avoidance is best, which is the case for Master Vale, who lives in the basement. The Bible pages attached to the back of the door seem to be doing the trick, as long as the door stays boarded up. </p><p>By playing by the rules, Margaret has learned to coexist in this crowded house. But her husband, Hal, isn't quite as understanding and leaves. And this is news that she can only hide from her daughter, Katherine, for so long. Eventually, Katherine insists on a visit to figure out where Hal went. Unfortunately for Margaret, this is in the middle of September, when even the best behaved ghosts find themselves relieving their anxiety by rearranging the furniture a la poltergeist style:</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9A52K031levpVlR3I8f4HMmOiBAv0Pm5sbmVe0WHYc4Skwr5rPbfDxw95LWJ70-BbfR6NdrYUnS4c_ZVpo-tlrOPwmvNDtsDx_u6U-pmXt3C9sCTm1aFDAQSyEjD8xv0PvvFOI5IX4V-aJ9eF5yZqIiG9-LEoUtS2X1QXIL7yppbm_dCqECo0pwM-HZDH/s311/poltergeist.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="162" data-original-width="311" height="162" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9A52K031levpVlR3I8f4HMmOiBAv0Pm5sbmVe0WHYc4Skwr5rPbfDxw95LWJ70-BbfR6NdrYUnS4c_ZVpo-tlrOPwmvNDtsDx_u6U-pmXt3C9sCTm1aFDAQSyEjD8xv0PvvFOI5IX4V-aJ9eF5yZqIiG9-LEoUtS2X1QXIL7yppbm_dCqECo0pwM-HZDH/s1600/poltergeist.jpeg" width="311" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>Unfortunately, this also means the door to the basement has to get unboarded, in order to avoid more questions about what's...down there. <p></p><p>What's great about this book is how a lot of what goes on can have an alternate meaning to an outside observer: Frederika, the helpful housekeeper, likes to make tea for Margaret. But all Katherine knows is that the stove is on and left unattended constantly. Or Katherine will catch Margaret talking, seemingly to herself. And signs that Margaret sees as other worldy messages are seen as meaningless noise by Katherine, who grows increasingly worried for her mother as she observes more and more bizarre behavior.</p><p>Just like the plot of a typical sitcom - misunderstanding abounds and hilarity ensues, with a touch of horror mixed in. This is a great read that will keep you entertained the entire time.</p>genericwhitegirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02659321711307469282noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2428046520406033643.post-8770130028143482332024-01-31T19:00:00.000-08:002024-01-31T19:00:28.726-08:00The Candy House by Jennifer Egan<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTSHXdVLI6NczgIXT0D6FCSTQULbpVTxKa-wG59n51gismXdHu4AfJSGiD22auRHvi_qHU4vnCQ4dXLfgRcMDSWMaFTDy6mGjqke9_i5VNtpmLZ63v6KTlCmBwBLgcT8kXZGvO66931JR63nsKSrfP6HTTcv0pE2HrmmLNPc8tIR-FiO-wcBaTtN_pYKyy/s1000/The%20Candy%20House.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="663" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTSHXdVLI6NczgIXT0D6FCSTQULbpVTxKa-wG59n51gismXdHu4AfJSGiD22auRHvi_qHU4vnCQ4dXLfgRcMDSWMaFTDy6mGjqke9_i5VNtpmLZ63v6KTlCmBwBLgcT8kXZGvO66931JR63nsKSrfP6HTTcv0pE2HrmmLNPc8tIR-FiO-wcBaTtN_pYKyy/s320/The%20Candy%20House.jpg" width="212" /></a></div><br />This book made me kinda mad. But it's partially my fault. Apparently it's a sequel and I'm not sure how I didn't know that going in. For those who live under a rock, like me, Jennifer Egan wrote A Visit From the Goon Squad. Did you know there's a sequel to that? Yeah yeah.<p></p><p>I'm not convinced you need to read one to get the other though. Based on Egan's style of writing, which is to say, eclectic. There are a multitude of characters with loose connections to each other. So much so that I made a lot of notes about who was who and how they knew each other. Turns out that didn't really matter because I'm not sure there's really a plot. Or if there was, I completely missed it.</p><p>Let me try to explain it like this...let's say you want to know the story of the Three Little Pigs. I'll start with a chapter on the son of the man who harvested the straw one of the pigs used for his house. You might get excited reading about this man, whose life sounds beguiling. But the next chapter will then be about the aunt of the wolf and how she went on a trip that resulted in her meeting her mate and having a pup who occasionally hung out with his cousin when they were little. Then I might write a chapter about one of the pig's adventures that involved a wolf trying to blow his house down, but it won't be obvious that is what is actually happening. Maybe there will be an entire chapter written in emails (which is kinda fun) about one of the pig's kids trying to meet them via a seven degrees of Kevin Bacon scheme. But you won't realize it's the pig's kid because there are too many characters mentioned to keep track of, even though you took COPIUS notes about who was who. All the time you're thinking, "What about the other two pigs and how it all ends? Wait, what was this story about again?"</p><p>That's kinda how I felt during and after reading this book. I just couldn't get into it and I'm not sure I even know what the story was about. And here's what I thought the story was about - a future where people could download all their memories with the option to upload them to a collective consciousness. So you could search specific dates, people, or events, and benefit from the memories of anyone who experienced that thing. Sounds INTRIGUING, right? If you want to know more about that, I wouldn't recommend this book.</p>genericwhitegirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02659321711307469282noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2428046520406033643.post-80835281247527452962024-01-31T18:26:00.000-08:002024-01-31T18:26:33.566-08:00Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp2FDm6eulqL5cxn69eYtanTj8k3lyhu56b8yWhcvZVoDXBjdteFQWIKB3Izp7hf9nkgH0Nikm-WAVpYKkb5Wv-SFG7SVpyNFqx62SrKtSKwR_HV90oRet23P4Rp5R2D9aWheB1cr3L9kavcFTwyok6flgnkMI8SpdTPUPkolUEsOjIMFWIAPHhL34diSq/s1000/Speak.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="667" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp2FDm6eulqL5cxn69eYtanTj8k3lyhu56b8yWhcvZVoDXBjdteFQWIKB3Izp7hf9nkgH0Nikm-WAVpYKkb5Wv-SFG7SVpyNFqx62SrKtSKwR_HV90oRet23P4Rp5R2D9aWheB1cr3L9kavcFTwyok6flgnkMI8SpdTPUPkolUEsOjIMFWIAPHhL34diSq/s320/Speak.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>"Your words are kindling, twigs covered in wax, soaked in lamp oil, sticky with tar. Your breath is a match, scratching along sandpaper... Whisper break the silence, one word, then two...with every word spoken a loud victory. The words burst into flames, the silence, broken."<div><br /></div><div>This imagery from the novel's foreward was so powerful and poetic, and the story hadn't even started yet! But what a great story it is, and beautifully told - even though one doesn't think of freshman year of high school as an ideal setting. And for Melinda Sordino, it certainly isn't. The summer before high school, Melinda's life changed when she was raped at a party. She called the police for help, but couldn't find the words to describe what happened. Her silence did nothing to dispel rumors that she ratted on the party. Melinda grew deeper into depression and isolation as the year progressed, barely able to speak more than the minimum to interact with others. </div><div><br /></div><div>Melinda's world around her slowly falls apart, a symptom of the inner turmoil she faces. Her friends, new and old, abandon her. Her relationship with her parents is strained. And her grades suffer, except in art class, where she is tasked with a project based on a randomly chosen object, a tree.</div><div><br /></div><div>Besides all of this, Melinda still experiences the usual high school dramas: finding a place to belong, making friends, keeping friends, and what activities to participate in. And the story is told from Melinda's perspective in short, aptly-titled segments that focus on different aspects of her life and the life many of us have faced in those formative years. </div><div><br /></div><div>Besides being an accessible, easy to read story, there were also a lot of symbolic nuggets that were fun to discover, including an ironic high school classroom discussion about symbolism in Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter. One student defiantly declared that authors don't use symbolism, at least in the way the high school teacher believed (I remember having a similar conversation about The Great Gatsby!), and the class was quickly assigned an essay on the use of Hawthorne's symbolism. "That's what you get for speaking up" laments Melinda, a further reinforcement of the benefits of silence. </div><div><br /></div><div>Although afraid to speak and interact with others, Melinda still has a clear voice in the novel. She's a great narrator and you'll root for her the entire way, while maybe realizing she is someone you know - an acquaintance, a friend, or even yourself. Her story is the story of so many people that must be told, and in the end, Melinda finds a way to tell it.</div>genericwhitegirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02659321711307469282noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2428046520406033643.post-64371241350158278952024-01-29T19:27:00.000-08:002024-01-29T19:27:40.347-08:00Sundial by Catriona Ward <div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyx-v32zIAW8uaRRet2hliwpiyMprgYG9_q0cHcBVd_S2SzIX2USuY4qJLbmexlcMBNFOse7rRApsflSo2emG4Tn8iUsBYxHcSlYNOYf2fz_hst20ymxpbHglSr1JCBiUUin6TVqSclz5-3qfDaLEH2Oe7wkhG_mmRD_rFby1wvlr5hO_V59OgMmdbR9JI/s1000/Sundial.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="663" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyx-v32zIAW8uaRRet2hliwpiyMprgYG9_q0cHcBVd_S2SzIX2USuY4qJLbmexlcMBNFOse7rRApsflSo2emG4Tn8iUsBYxHcSlYNOYf2fz_hst20ymxpbHglSr1JCBiUUin6TVqSclz5-3qfDaLEH2Oe7wkhG_mmRD_rFby1wvlr5hO_V59OgMmdbR9JI/s320/Sundial.jpg" width="212" /></a></div></div><div>We all have roots - and good, bad, or something in the middle, there's always something to learn from them. Whether it's understanding why you are the way you are, or recognizing that history is repeating itself and trying to stop that, or even trying to glean new information that might help you moving forward, it all comes back to where you began. And for Rob, that's Sundial.</div><div><br /></div><div>Rob grew up with her sister on Sundial, a ranch where their father and his wife hosted college students that ran experiments designed to influence dogs' behavior via an implanted chip in their brains. There's really no good way to transition from that last sentence, so I'll just say that living isolated on the ranch, home-schooled, and only peripherally interacting with the students, Rob's experiences inform her views as an adult. And when she starts noticing disturbing behavior from her daughter, Callie, Rob feels it's necessary to take Callie to Sundial, to teach her about Rob's upbringing. Oh, and to dig up (literally and figuratively) family secrets that she thought she had left behind.</div><div><br /></div><div>The cover shown here says Stephen King found the book terrifying. It's not quite as literally terrifying as it is figuratively. Let's just say I'm not sure I would reach for this book first, if terror is what I'm looking for. It's more mystery, some thriller, and a little bizarre. But honestly, I feel like there are other mysteries that are more mysterious, other thrillers more thrilling, and other premises more deliciously bizarre than what is offered here. </div><div><br /></div><div>This was a slow-burn for me. It took me awhile to get into, and I have to admit, I didn't enjoy this book as much as I enjoyed Ward's other book, The Last House on Needless Street. I didn't feel as invested in the characters in this one. Maybe Ward was too successful in making them unlikeable, so I didn't care as much about them, which, unfortunately, affected how I felt about the book as well.</div>genericwhitegirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02659321711307469282noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2428046520406033643.post-24028775263229891402024-01-20T17:47:00.000-08:002024-01-20T17:47:10.288-08:00The Turn of the Screw by Henry James<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyGo-YRWOnd0samWInkUJQvz9rSPylLHEwDLJxQmsXVZ8EdH4UoyXXm4dkrCF1a9zE44Poh73w5a0elLxJtpMefTCAy-YuG2Bf-lwAQhQPvWiZFKIIly7usV-KWFmQFGhpcLpkxfKy0iE2JT6FWSObp0xFnRYEZ2a9NbPfrtVqigl3byv24mdB7IFk4wDZ/s2117/The%20Turn%20of%20the%20Screw.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2117" data-original-width="1275" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyGo-YRWOnd0samWInkUJQvz9rSPylLHEwDLJxQmsXVZ8EdH4UoyXXm4dkrCF1a9zE44Poh73w5a0elLxJtpMefTCAy-YuG2Bf-lwAQhQPvWiZFKIIly7usV-KWFmQFGhpcLpkxfKy0iE2JT6FWSObp0xFnRYEZ2a9NbPfrtVqigl3byv24mdB7IFk4wDZ/s320/The%20Turn%20of%20the%20Screw.jpg" width="193" /></a></div>This period thriller is from 1898 and is about a governess who is hired by a man to care for his niece and nephew. The governess begins the job with excitement, but soon experiences disturbing events and believes ghosts of deceased employees are coming for the kids. <p></p><p>This novella was adapted from serial installments in the magazine Collier's Weekly. It was interesting to read a ghost story from over 100 years ago and see how similar it is to modern-day ghost stories, but in a Victorian setting. Having said that, it took quite a bit of concentration for me to stay focused on the plot. As can be expected, the language was antiquated and at times difficult to follow, especially during the more narrative parts, as opposed to parts with dialogue.</p><p>There is enough ambiguity to the story to guide the reader to multiple conclusions. Ultimately, we read about a bad situation made worse, but what makes it worse can be argued. Is it ghosts? A trick of the mind? Abnormal biology? Whatever it is, events unfold much as they would when something, already over-tightened, experiences one more turn of the screw. </p><p>At the end of the day, there are plenty of ghost and horror stories out there that will leave you at lot more scared and interested than this one. But if you have a thing for Victorian culture and old-fashioned writing, maybe pick this one up.</p>genericwhitegirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02659321711307469282noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2428046520406033643.post-761846246720039512023-07-01T17:07:00.000-07:002023-07-01T17:07:09.536-07:00The Immortalists by Chloe Benjamin<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikzGrFPDX0Cptw0CEjSVDaH0eZvN1TNjn_OekNdl2wB8tssTrLZ8FQ6vzBZnC__cqgsfae_bIkKzImmgZCQmXec7PffP3AKs4bz4uXagnxOK8IzzxwJ3YT1tcRUYngoa95nI5oRFyrgWah3d1jMvsJXYaYi6-5FYOwfEeKNXeOs95d_V8-MZ04x0_jCbap/s1000/The%20Immortalists.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="663" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikzGrFPDX0Cptw0CEjSVDaH0eZvN1TNjn_OekNdl2wB8tssTrLZ8FQ6vzBZnC__cqgsfae_bIkKzImmgZCQmXec7PffP3AKs4bz4uXagnxOK8IzzxwJ3YT1tcRUYngoa95nI5oRFyrgWah3d1jMvsJXYaYi6-5FYOwfEeKNXeOs95d_V8-MZ04x0_jCbap/s320/The%20Immortalists.jpg" width="212" /></a></div><br />If you knew the day you would die, how would that change the way you live? Chloe Benjamin explores this idea in her second novel about four siblings who, in New York in 1969, learn just that. Simon, Klara, Daniel, and Varya sneak off to see a fortune teller whose gift is knowing your death date. After they each learn how long they'll live, we hear about their separate stories.<p></p><p>At 17, Simon leaves New York for San Francisco with his sister Klara, who is 19. Klara has dreams of becoming a magician, following in the footsteps of her grandmother. Simon doesn't realize his dreams until he moves to San Francisco, where he can live more openly as a gay man. He begins dancing at a club, and then takes ballet in order to improve his dancing. There he meets Robert, and they live as a couple in the height of the AIDS epidemic in the 1980's.</p><p>Klara, also in San Francisco, pursues her dream of performing magic shows. She starts from the ground up, with simple card tricks and illusions and works her way up to performing at the Mirage in Las Vegas. </p><p>Daniel becomes a doctor, and meets an FBI agent who is asking questions about the woman Daniel and his siblings met so many years ago. </p><p>Varya works in research, trying to find out the key to a long life. But her research is interrupted when she meets someone asking questions about her past. </p><p>Although their lives diverge and seem to separate pretty quickly after their childhood, they still deal with the same issues - like their mother - Who will stay home to care for her? Who deserves her love the most? Will they break free of the superstitions and rituals they see her carry out? They also each have a dream that is sidelined in some way - whether it's mental illness, disease, revenge, or their own self. And together they deal with the knowledge of their fate and the question of whether knowing this directed their life choices, or if their life choices brought them closer to their fate. </p><p>I listened to the audio book, so I'm not sure I can separate how much was the writing versus the narrator, but this book had a lyrical quality to it that was transcendent. I loved reading about each sibling and was disappointed when one person's section ended, but then found myself equally enraptured with the next. Each person's story was interesting in and of itself, but the bigger questions raised about things like fate and legacy took it to another level. </p>genericwhitegirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02659321711307469282noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2428046520406033643.post-72324488761353420112023-06-25T14:16:00.000-07:002023-06-25T14:16:17.625-07:00Or Else by Joe Hart<p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNSVIiC3NAPr9AjtCTR8_D60ijibYe2FRaynqqiI0dhvgX0EQpAE6b03mudte269-o8cvz62y8m2ZgZU99ivTf1bdrjCyIo-7qXig5rzukQbq8GKv47EGJlVtTIlI4HgiHVyo_tsz1Gxpq4H7bxnT66d-pbuCdmJFAov582GsUZnuzF_-ViYnBzaKDVPpv/s275/Or%20Else.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="275" data-original-width="183" height="275" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNSVIiC3NAPr9AjtCTR8_D60ijibYe2FRaynqqiI0dhvgX0EQpAE6b03mudte269-o8cvz62y8m2ZgZU99ivTf1bdrjCyIo-7qXig5rzukQbq8GKv47EGJlVtTIlI4HgiHVyo_tsz1Gxpq4H7bxnT66d-pbuCdmJFAov582GsUZnuzF_-ViYnBzaKDVPpv/s1600/Or%20Else.jpeg" width="183" /></a></div>I've read a few of Hart's books and enjoyed them enough to see what else was at my library. Or Else came up, so I gave it a go. <p></p><p>This mystery/thriller is about Andy, who is having an affair with his neighbor and childhood friend, Rachel. But then Andy receives a threatening note to stop the affair...Or Else. See how that works?</p><p>Then Rachel's husband is murdered and she and her kids disappear. Because there wouldn't be much of a book otherwise, Andy decides he is the best person to solve these mysteries and doesn't cooperate with the police. </p><p>What I liked most about Hart's other books is what I felt was lacking in this one. In And the Sea Called Her Name and The Exorcism of Sara May, Hart creates sinister moods that pervade throughout the story. And there was a supernatural element to each that give the story just a little nudge into the fantastical and unique.</p><p>Or Else is much more grounded and realistic and probably my least favorite of the three. But it's fine if you like mysteries or thrillers. There wasn't anything that overtly turned me off to the book, so I'll probably check out Hart's other reads - but it didn't have the dark undercurrent in his other books that left me delightfully unsettled. </p>genericwhitegirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02659321711307469282noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2428046520406033643.post-69616682420581502182023-06-24T15:29:00.001-07:002023-07-01T17:25:22.495-07:00Word by Word by Kory Stamper<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLn3xVDOURSpmuI8bRnmdjVMWst8iK_Nq4h_hV7AnSCUmH3CMIbNxh2uxifah_BkEOVm06X4UXNI0XtX5yV7Gm2R4LgwG85WVDdeuy09Axu0oG-qriJVKUVqcR-6Dt5RPhYHNxMiLgoPAifKX4sKAIe7iOlD4c1S07wMdE4mhsc7XNvbuNX-_x_yjN2A/s810/word%20by%20word.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="810" data-original-width="632" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLn3xVDOURSpmuI8bRnmdjVMWst8iK_Nq4h_hV7AnSCUmH3CMIbNxh2uxifah_BkEOVm06X4UXNI0XtX5yV7Gm2R4LgwG85WVDdeuy09Axu0oG-qriJVKUVqcR-6Dt5RPhYHNxMiLgoPAifKX4sKAIe7iOlD4c1S07wMdE4mhsc7XNvbuNX-_x_yjN2A/s320/word%20by%20word.jpg" width="250" /></a></div>Who would have thought a book about someone who edits dictionaries would be so delightfully engaging? Even better? I listened to the audio book, narrated by Stamper, and her personality and wit shone through the airwaves. Despite her self-deprecating descriptions of lexicographers as solitary, introverted shut-ins who would rather sit in a dark room alone than talk to another human, being in the room with her for this book was a great reading experience. <p></p><p>Stamper regaled me with her stories of how she tackled the word, "took." In what might otherwise be painstaking detail, I was in non-ironic awe of Stamper's description of the system of index cards and makeshift piles she created in her cubicle in order to properly sort and define the many meanings and uses of the word - one of the many troublesome short and ubiquitous words in our language.</p><p>I reveled in how naive I was about the dictionary, always seeing it as an authority on what was or was not a word and what its *actual* meaning was. But Stamper taught me that words are in circulation, first verbally, then informally in writings like letters and notes, and finally more formally in publication. By the time a word is entered in a dictionary, it has been circulating for some time. And the definition is written by lexicographers who catalog a word's various uses and then try their best to parse out the sometimes myriad ways it is used. If anything, dictionaries are an authority on the common uses of words, recording English's evolution through time. </p><p>I listened with rapt attention as Stamper explained how dictionaries are formatted and should be used. She also talks about the social and political backlash that occurs based on things like changing a definition (like marriage) or not changing a definition (like nude).</p><p>And throughout each lesson, she gives tidbits of the etymology of various words that are damn near as interesting as her discussion on the use of swear words in dictionaries. </p><p>Stamper's book will make you think differently about words, and maybe the English language in general. If anyone is an "expert" in the English language, it is all of us, and lexicographers only reflect how words are used by its speakers. This book gives you a lot more confidence to shout out non-words like "irregardless" with wanton disregard for the so-called rules,. You'll feel free of the restraints of the English language and shout to the hills, "damned be the legalists!" You might even be tempted to pick up a dictionary for some light reading.</p><p>Whatever thoughts or actions this book inspire in you, you'll be better for it. </p><p></p>genericwhitegirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02659321711307469282noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2428046520406033643.post-92155970377248521212023-06-03T14:19:00.000-07:002023-06-03T14:19:52.497-07:00The Silent Wife by A. S. A. Harrison<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBJhRigB7hikD84oUudKHkuzCXMwkcJi5_GD3EWpIL0jq6kTO70pXV4e4CfRxdyCzbaPDGnxD4NBxvu2BuM2VxY7DuJ0jAjPYtp9t_8bmZVBK-g8yzBtxGm8JgXVV2vDltKrdAr1lvM4X4jfA8NJKnA3fSJePse6xy2UO_cWz_OkNtCEHtoh63q93t7g/s278/The%20Silent%20Wife.jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="278" data-original-width="181" height="278" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBJhRigB7hikD84oUudKHkuzCXMwkcJi5_GD3EWpIL0jq6kTO70pXV4e4CfRxdyCzbaPDGnxD4NBxvu2BuM2VxY7DuJ0jAjPYtp9t_8bmZVBK-g8yzBtxGm8JgXVV2vDltKrdAr1lvM4X4jfA8NJKnA3fSJePse6xy2UO_cWz_OkNtCEHtoh63q93t7g/s1600/The%20Silent%20Wife.jpeg" width="181" /></a></div><br />Reasons why this book grated on me (mild spoilers but I don't care, you shouldn't read it anyway):<p></p><p><b>Copious boob descriptions. Behold:</b></p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>The twin peaks that strain against the middle buttons of her blouse</li><li>Her soaked T-shirt leaving her as good as naked from the waist up. But even though her breasts were resplendent - small but perfect, with nipples standing up like finials in the pelting rain...</li><li>The nipples inert in the heat of the day</li><li>The way she let it all hang out - breasts rising from their moorings</li><li>Breasts bobbing</li><li>And her breasts - nipples foremost - assert themselves against the soft weave. This is while she's wearing a <i>sweater!</i></li><li>Pretty pair of molehills</li></ul><p></p><p><b>Misogynistic behaviors and expectations:</b></p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Jodi lays out pajamas for her husband. I don't even do this for my 8 year old.</li><li>In the first day we know him, Todd wakes up, is pampered by his wife, ogles his secretary, lights a joint, harasses his mistress, finds it hard to not order a beer at lunch, takes a nap at work, then goes to the gym after work.</li><li>Todd and his best friend lose their virginity together while on a double date in an RV. It's meaningful to them that they shared this "seminal" experience, that one overhead the other's vocal passage into manhood. GAWD!</li><li>How hearing someone's voice wakes up Todd's gonads</li><li>How Todd and Jodi meet after having a car accident. He is a total dick to her and yells at her. Her response is to have dinner with him.</li><li>When Todd is talking to Jodi about his affair and impending fatherhood with his mistress, he says "don't make it hard for me. It's not like I planned this. It's just the roll of the dice. We don't decide everything that happens to us. You <i>know</i> that."</li><li>Mention of Todd's friends being "forced" to take refuge in the adults-only section of the classifieds as a way of <i>not cheating on their wives</i> because, marriage, amirite?</li></ul><p></p><p><b>Other reasons this book seemed off:</b></p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Strange and out of date terminology like calling someone a blockhead, reading the classifieds, and talking about Todd's gonads</li><li>Strange responses, like when Dean finds out Todd is sleeping with Dean's daughter, Dean says "I'll rip your head off, you stinking turd." Is he 12?</li><li>Also, a friend responding "oh dear" when Jodi says her boyfriend of 21 years has gotten someone else pregnant. Spoiler alert, they're not 80 year old women.</li><li>The fact that not one, but two women in the book, wear pantyhose (this book was written in 2013). In fact, Jodi loves them SO much, she even wears them under her jeans. I'm sorry, what?</li><li>When Todd basically accuses Jodi of having an affair with the 15 year old in their building. The point of his jealousy would have been made using literally any other person, but Harrison thinks we need to talk about Jodi having an affair with a 15 year old.</li><li>Also, whenever there are descriptions of the food Jodi makes, it just doesn't sound appetizing. She goes to so much trouble to make hors d'oeuvres and meals that just sound...beige.</li><li>The baby names that are thrown out are just blah.</li><li>This description of a woman that Todd is attracted to: "gaunt with lank hair and hollow cheeks - makes him think of an undernourished child. She has a long torso with a flat chest, jutting hip bones, and a concave belly. Feet like planks but narrow. Eyebrows unplucked." There's also a bit about how Jodi goes limp when they're having sex and it arouses Todd. </li><li>A conversation Todd has with a waitress he's trying to impress where he just starts talking about how his father breaks his mother's arm. This is supposed to show that Todd is sensitive and vulnerable. As expected, the waitress just walks away and then Todd goes into this really cringey shtick: "I'm sure you hear sob stories all day long, and you deserve so much better - a man who can forget about himself and focus on you. Pamper you. Bring you flowers and gifts. Massage your feet when you get off work. Min froken, you iss all day oon da foots and now iss rilly sore." And THIS WORKS!! Just ew.</li><li>Jodi wears a halter dress and sandals to a professional conference.</li><li>The lawyer. Who talks. Like. This. URGH!!!!</li></ul><div><br /></div><div>I was shocked. SHOCKED, when I realized this book was written by a woman. I was also shocked to learn this book was not written in the 80's. I was additionally shocked to learn that this book had a good reception. </div><div><br /></div><div>And if you've read it, I get it. We aren't supposed to like Todd. Fine. In that way this book succeeded. Harrison managed to write a disgusting human. But if it was truly just about making Todd look bad, why does she then have the waitress, for example, show interest in his perplexing effort? It takes me out of the story, because I think, no normal woman would respond to that. </div><div><br /></div><div>The fact that Jodi tries to win Todd back is infuriating as well. Like, why? Not only has he cheated on her, he's going to be a father with his mistress - who's 21 years his junior, and his best friend's daughter. And he's a total dick on a good day. I thought it was a joke or ploy. But no, she wants him back because she is also a terrible human being.</div><div><br /></div><div>Then there's the whole side story about Jodi going to therapy which surfaces an important childhood memory. How this has any bearing on the story at hand, I don't know or care.</div><div><br /></div><div>I felt that the writing of the book was a distraction from the story. It was grating and out of touch and made me want to gouge out my eyes with spoons.</div><div><br /></div><div>I just can't. Please don't read this book.</div><p></p>genericwhitegirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02659321711307469282noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2428046520406033643.post-73512734687830516582023-05-28T10:37:00.003-07:002023-07-02T11:00:53.426-07:00Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI by David Grann <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBDULp6K2lTx5AP_H8nMdHa3W4etFyODVpVCPmNeGbMsnjEyuZw5CV34n0gBZ-cRj_TM91Za3aIifdG1evtK8lX0c856Y_8nfFdU3QcmKYEAdTj-OIJgqmA9jLTxezgnEWMVnsYuHlabcizotRorW_l_iF_8yq4Zvf6adHJoPHamkePVdkflI54vEGSA/s450/Killers%20of%20the%20Flower%20Moon.jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="298" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBDULp6K2lTx5AP_H8nMdHa3W4etFyODVpVCPmNeGbMsnjEyuZw5CV34n0gBZ-cRj_TM91Za3aIifdG1evtK8lX0c856Y_8nfFdU3QcmKYEAdTj-OIJgqmA9jLTxezgnEWMVnsYuHlabcizotRorW_l_iF_8yq4Zvf6adHJoPHamkePVdkflI54vEGSA/s320/Killers%20of%20the%20Flower%20Moon.jpeg" width="212" /></a></div>I came away from this one seeing the forest more than the trees. The overall story is interesting, but I wasn't really interested in the details along the way. At the end of the day, I'm glad I read the book, because this seems like an important story in terms of American history. But I often found my mind wandering while going through it.<div><br /></div><div>Did you know that the Osage Native Americans in Oklahoma were among the (if not THE) richest people in the world in the early 1900's? The Osage were assigned land by the U.S. Government that later was found to be rich in oil. In response to this, the United States passed a law that anyone with 50% or more Osage ancestry had to be assigned a guardian (code for a white man) who was appointed by the court and basically in charge of their finances.</div><div><br /></div><div>This legal racism and exploitation, problematic on its own, also bred all kinds of illegal activity - murders, kickbacks, bribes, corruption, conspiracy. And in the 1920's begin what is known as the Reign of Terror for the Osage, when dozens were murdered for their oil headrights.</div><div><br /></div><div>The book is told in three parts, the first part focusing on the Osage themselves, then moving to the FBI investigation, and finally ending with additional research and theories that David Grann unearthed. This might be one of those books where the movie is more interesting than the book, but you if really want to get facts and details about the actual events, then the book is key. While I'm not going to insist that the book is superior (and it very well might be, as I have yet to see the movie) I'd suggest one or the other, as the story itself is one that should be heard.</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://www.pbs.org/newshour/arts/the-forgotten-murders-of-the-osage-people-for-the-oil-beneath-their-land" target="_blank">Here's an article from PBS </a>(written by David Grann) about the Osage murders, it has some great pictures. Now that I'm thinking about it, these very well might have been in the book, but I did the audiobook so...</div><div><br /></div><div>If you're interested in the upcoming movie, directed by Martin Scorsese, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EG0si5bSd6I" target="_blank">here is the trailer</a>.</div>genericwhitegirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02659321711307469282noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2428046520406033643.post-16988984650584669622023-05-28T10:12:00.001-07:002023-07-02T11:04:59.404-07:00The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0T4inn9dfkyFUJ-LOrw4x28JoecrW39D8v3GYyau6PlVa2r0G9vmKUJ-523EQ9kxdr3BN98oHRabOEz9jOATYe40G-siQ9IUy7idJMAt1xvjrcw7trQxi6WLN3lu4pgZBL5_lkWj0M68xvJM1rh1vHn66isqGoCznDxHFiKNkhwtp18GDPSyqxwGRWw/s500/The%20Very%20Secret%20Society.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="333" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0T4inn9dfkyFUJ-LOrw4x28JoecrW39D8v3GYyau6PlVa2r0G9vmKUJ-523EQ9kxdr3BN98oHRabOEz9jOATYe40G-siQ9IUy7idJMAt1xvjrcw7trQxi6WLN3lu4pgZBL5_lkWj0M68xvJM1rh1vHn66isqGoCznDxHFiKNkhwtp18GDPSyqxwGRWw/s320/The%20Very%20Secret%20Society.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>I must have felt like I needed a book hug, since I chose this one, which was described as a cozy read. I've heard of cozy mysteries and have been curious about the quaint worlds they inhabit. To be clear this is not a cozy mystery, it's a cozy story - a gateway drug of sorts into cozy mysteries. <div> </div><div>This is a story about Mika, a witch who lives in England. Mike meets with other witches, in a sort of bi-monthly support group, but members are discouraged against regularly interacting with other witches, as their power might draw attention. </div><div><br /></div><div>You can see how this might be an issue when Mika is contacted by someone who lives in a house with three young witches, interested in a magical nanny. Apparently her Instagram posts, where she "pretends" to be a witch, haven't fooled everyone. </div><div><br /></div><div>Mika knows having so many witches together could go wrong in a myriad of ways. But without her help, things could be worse. And Mika is intrigued by this strange family - three young adopted girls, a mysterious and famous head of household, and four adults who run things in her usual absence. </div><div><br /></div><div>As advertised, the story isn't offensive, or overly stressful (although <a href="https://cannonballread.com/2023/06/the-very-secret-society-of-irregular-witches-nart/" target="_blank">Nart</a> brings up an important point about how I really glossed over a problematic plot line). There is some drama, but nothing that's too high stakes or heart clenching. So as you might expect, it isn't terribly exciting either. The story was unique enough that it wasn't boring, but I'm not sure I'm a full convert to the genre. I will say, however, that if I feel like I want to read something for the sake of reading, I might turn to these types of books as sort of literary fidget spinners. I could see how the familiarity might turn to investment for a particular series.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>genericwhitegirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02659321711307469282noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2428046520406033643.post-60987438180983860522023-05-26T12:34:00.000-07:002023-12-21T19:18:10.466-08:00Stay with Me by Ayobami Adebayo<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_T0gam_FoaAaUE_gytkGXX4o2YonQ6AyTt3C0Gw7XPWk2nCYrq7oJIddwWIxLLRrou-iTpxWZsUGmjDLBZJ8ig-jyEUYT8tdySHLjxkfOuVZtxCrh-uVP884N7aYuz-bZMW8A8Wois5sB8qWp6sqBtEyrB75a8fW10_zuHmjv_fodfN1JFcoROcPsOQ/s1000/Stay%20with%20me.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="648" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_T0gam_FoaAaUE_gytkGXX4o2YonQ6AyTt3C0Gw7XPWk2nCYrq7oJIddwWIxLLRrou-iTpxWZsUGmjDLBZJ8ig-jyEUYT8tdySHLjxkfOuVZtxCrh-uVP884N7aYuz-bZMW8A8Wois5sB8qWp6sqBtEyrB75a8fW10_zuHmjv_fodfN1JFcoROcPsOQ/s320/Stay%20with%20me.jpg" width="207" /></a></div>This is one of those books about what could very well be about normal life. But it's told in such an engaging and intriguing way. Adebayo is able to take the things that we all deal with - longing, loss, infidelity, belief - and show us how extraordinary we all really are. In a lot of ways, Stay With Me is a mirror reflecting our own desires, shortcomings, and struggles.<p></p><p>We learn this by experiencing the lives of Yejide and Akin, who live in Nigeria in the 1980's. Yejide, and her mother-in-law, want nothing more than for Yejide to have a baby. But Yejide and Akin struggle to conceive. What follows is their story through 3 pregnancies (4, if you include a hysterical pregnancy) told against an almost casual backdrop of a government coup, polite extortion, a visit to a healer to conceive, polygymy, sickle-cell disease, and even possibly murder.</p><p>But to be clear, the book isn't a murder mystery, or a story of how magic can cause miracles, or a tale of what a polygymous marriage is like. It's about two people who met in college, fell in love, got married, and now want a baby. It's about how tradition competes with modernity. How fatherhood isn't necessarily about biology. It's a cautionary tale, much like the folktales Adebayo deliciously weaves in about how people will do almost anything to get what they want, including ruining their own lives. It's also about how the one thing you think you want, might be the one thing that causes you the most pain.</p><p>It's a hearthbreaking, beautifully told narrative that was enhanced by listening to the audiobook, narrated by Adjoa Andoh.</p><p><br /></p>genericwhitegirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02659321711307469282noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2428046520406033643.post-66765221866387513862023-05-18T17:24:00.000-07:002023-05-18T17:24:13.889-07:00The House Across the Lake by Riley Sager<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU-P-F0t4RSHNtOX4iSzoAj9mV2vCBbsu_20tdu9zahI2NRzwHeQM2b_nrmFgsYJZNM7xlSwaxmU2qWORj5l3ZDoivioSnPtCK9aJk4bjaZU0n3JNQfyJAszlK6XpizUbTbUCciiHGI4cO9xHOpDgIq-9Uhbuiii7Hd2bH4Rp2xkfzuNKoL42LZiMTPg/s475/The%20House%20Across%20the%20Lake.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="314" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU-P-F0t4RSHNtOX4iSzoAj9mV2vCBbsu_20tdu9zahI2NRzwHeQM2b_nrmFgsYJZNM7xlSwaxmU2qWORj5l3ZDoivioSnPtCK9aJk4bjaZU0n3JNQfyJAszlK6XpizUbTbUCciiHGI4cO9xHOpDgIq-9Uhbuiii7Hd2bH4Rp2xkfzuNKoL42LZiMTPg/s320/The%20House%20Across%20the%20Lake.jpg" width="212" /></a></div><br />If you haven't tired of The Girl on the Train, or Gone Girl, or The Woman in the Window (which, to be fair, I haven't read), and even Ghost 19, then this is your book! Female narrator? check. Possibly unreliable? Check check. Voyeurism? Triple check. Timeframe shifts from chapter to chapter? checkity check check check. Twists and turns? Hopefully you'll think so like I did - but I'm not one to try too hard to figure things out. I'm just along for the ride.<p></p><p>This one takes place at...wait for it...a lake. The cast of characters was mercifully small enough that I was able to keep track of everyone pretty well. There's the supermodel wife, the aloof husband, the spiraling widow, the dead husband, the hot guy, the helpful neighbor, the cop, the supportive best friend, and the annoying mother. While I feel, for many reasons, this book is formulaic, this is the second book by Riley Sager that I've read that has managed to completely surprise me. Again, not so difficult to do. </p><p>What I liked about this book is that I didn't want to put it down. I liked the characters and the setting. I actually appreciated the detail Sager went into regarding his main character's alcoholism. While I can't speak from experience, so I'm not sure how accurate the depiction is, Sager's descriptions of her physical and, really more emotional cravings and how consuming they were were eye opening to me. Hell, I probably should have listed bourbon as an additional character in this book, given its prominence.</p><p>While this might not be the most realistic tale at the end of the day, it's a fun, quick read.</p>genericwhitegirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02659321711307469282noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2428046520406033643.post-73734087856689409972023-05-15T16:13:00.000-07:002023-05-15T16:13:54.454-07:00Whoever Fights Monsters by Robert K. Ressler & Tom Shachtman<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi41D5gU6jO2xZTa_hRE3gG89GK8KcZ07RNyTl58cYfkqYM5rPD3JE054Ob6A6hnqnRQRr4Oso_SGKeWRQ1gEm_lkCvW-6Ju5mm-Gkij7bzJmpCx0d9NiQwLOmVJjNAyavbo_1cb3FdKbcStapHSd870mbvSzk5RtnyGh8wXhUp4cC8HILyXfJfLLwbjA/s1000/Whoever%20FIghts%20Monsters.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="611" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi41D5gU6jO2xZTa_hRE3gG89GK8KcZ07RNyTl58cYfkqYM5rPD3JE054Ob6A6hnqnRQRr4Oso_SGKeWRQ1gEm_lkCvW-6Ju5mm-Gkij7bzJmpCx0d9NiQwLOmVJjNAyavbo_1cb3FdKbcStapHSd870mbvSzk5RtnyGh8wXhUp4cC8HILyXfJfLLwbjA/s320/Whoever%20FIghts%20Monsters.jpg" width="196" /></a></div>Criminal profiling is a hot topic with maybe the most unglamorous of foundations. Built on the commission of violent sexual homicides and the insights gained from the study of such offenders, the FBI's Behavioral Analysis Unit (formerly the Behavioral Science Unit) was formed nearly 40 years ago.<p></p><p>Robert Ressler is an FBI agent who studied these crimes and criminals and was instrumental in the formation of the BSU, which has inspired countless TV shows and movies like The Profiler, Mindhunter, Criminal Minds, The Silence of the Lambs, The Prodigal Son...and the list goes on.</p><p>Ressler gives history on the unit, which includes the creation of VICAP and the NCAVC. The NCAVC, or National Center for the Analysis of Violent Crime is a department of the FBI that aids law enforcement agencies in the prevention, understanding, and investigation of violent crime. VICAP, or the Violent Criminal Apprehension Program, is a national database available to law enforcement to log and query information about violent crimes. These are resources available to law enforcement that didn't exist when Ressler was first involved in the FBI. Ressler details his career and how these programs were created in part through his work and efforts.</p><p>Ressler's career with the FBI was in the 1970s and 1980s. Little was known about serial killers or serial sexual homicide. Ressler was good enough at his job that he could ask forgiveness rather than permission and accomplish things that would likely get him fired today. This includes backdating memos and interviewing serial killers in prison without official authorization. </p><p>But his efforts paid off. By interviewing offenders like Jeffrey Dahmer, Charlie Manson, and Ed Kemper, Ressler was able to gain insight into what made them, and people like them, tick. His expertise allowed him involvement in aiding numerous cases with his spot on profiles and he was a consultant for various projects, notably with Thomas Harris, author of The Silence of the Lambs. </p><p>Ressler lived in a different time than we are in now, but the BAU endures today. I wonder how it has evolved over the decades and if the analysis of serial killers is as relevant as it is today or if other types of killers, like terrorists and school shooters, have come into prominence in the unit's study. But there's no denying the groundwork Ressler laid and the sheer fascination this book provides in his tales of serial killers from this time.</p>genericwhitegirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02659321711307469282noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2428046520406033643.post-27136649695311669822023-05-14T09:01:00.002-07:002023-05-14T09:10:18.723-07:00Poison Study by Maria V. Snyder<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsEUvR5Rpm5TpvkSnjJW9njuhJWcHVw7MkBbtoMqMR-dUMOw0o-cAscZjIGGMg_wsawjG6lZbf6PI69ywEGiEDHcrfFPBH5ugMUEgwCCZMG0xO0YClcOVlFbuuYhBuPJx3CkJVrtM3LZPzWCtcwWhilBebSJIIwM3t4hKDuKxucJkFPItBjYQ7y6Z0lA/s346/Poison%20Study.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="346" data-original-width="220" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsEUvR5Rpm5TpvkSnjJW9njuhJWcHVw7MkBbtoMqMR-dUMOw0o-cAscZjIGGMg_wsawjG6lZbf6PI69ywEGiEDHcrfFPBH5ugMUEgwCCZMG0xO0YClcOVlFbuuYhBuPJx3CkJVrtM3LZPzWCtcwWhilBebSJIIwM3t4hKDuKxucJkFPItBjYQ7y6Z0lA/s320/Poison%20Study.jpg" width="203" /></a></div><br />This review is a bit reflective of my experience with this book - fragmented and maybe incomplete. I started Poison Study years ago on audio book and for whatever reason, didn't finish until just a few days ago. Excuses aside, the story didn't invest me enough to overcome them.<p></p><p>So what follows will be a really bare-bones review of what this book is about. Poison study is a fantasy novel (and the author's first!) that takes place in Ixia - a society that seems like it's from days past, but might actually be a vision of a future possibility. Yelena is sentenced to death for killing someone, which is illegal regardless of the reason. And I'm sure Yelena had a good reason, I just don't remember what it was.</p><p>But after being imprisoned for a year, Yelena is offered a choice: she can be executed or become the Commander's food taster. From what I can surmise, the Commander is like a governor (or mayor? king? dictator?) of a region that is basically under martial law. Yelena accepts the offer and gets to work learning how to detect the slightest trace of poison in food. In order to keep her from trying to escape, she is administered butterfly's dust, a poison that will kill her in a day if she isn't given the antidote regularly.</p><p>Because Yelena works for the highest official of Ixia, she lives in the...palace?...and hears all the good gossip and is involved in any intrigue to be had. This involves learning to fight, nearly dying, killing people, and falling in love, oh, and there's a bit of magic too.</p><p>I don't know why I didn't strongly identify with this book. Maybe it was the audio book itself. I really didn't care for the music between chapters and I didn't like a few voices the narrator used for some of the characters. I wonder if I would have had a different feeling reading it the good old fashioned way.</p><p>So I'm just meh about this one. All the other reviews I've read on it are glowing, and there are a lot of other books in this series. It might be worth a look if you're a fantasy novel junkee. I'm not, to be fair. But this didn't bring me any closer to being one either. </p>genericwhitegirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02659321711307469282noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2428046520406033643.post-81837612243015154322023-04-19T18:54:00.001-07:002023-04-19T18:54:17.331-07:00The Witch Must Burn (Dorothy Must Die prequel #2)<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwnnSwQi5KirSd5DM718vgkbkop8Q2QqnAbpFB09Nb6v2LsdK_3uM_rGCh2g1k_D3U_zNNqH2rMT7ei-gM3Jmt_WGpYu-jnj1pyzldQ6PxYEuhITBk-9hFbk6nqOU1QTWNbXzhjvM5LmeOYnyowb4faDyBrhJ7xMl_fscsvBryMoNiMkgTSmpoQEOl0g/s500/The%20Witch%20Must%20Burn.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="331" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwnnSwQi5KirSd5DM718vgkbkop8Q2QqnAbpFB09Nb6v2LsdK_3uM_rGCh2g1k_D3U_zNNqH2rMT7ei-gM3Jmt_WGpYu-jnj1pyzldQ6PxYEuhITBk-9hFbk6nqOU1QTWNbXzhjvM5LmeOYnyowb4faDyBrhJ7xMl_fscsvBryMoNiMkgTSmpoQEOl0g/s320/The%20Witch%20Must%20Burn.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>Well color me surprised. I thought this book was about Glinda but it's mostly about Jellia - although she and Glinda spend the book together. So I guess it's a two-fer.<p></p><p>So far, this is the shortest of the Dorothy Must Die series and two prequel novellas at 67 pages. And to be fair, not a lot happens in this book. Jellia is working in Dorothy's palace...I realize "working" might be a misnomer, as she really doesn't have much of a choice at this point, but isn't that how many of us feel in our jobs? And let's be real, some of us have bosses who may resemble Dorothy, if not in a fun, fashion sense, then in an evil, heart of darkness way.</p><p>And Glinda, running a close second in the race for Worst Boss Ever decides to borrow Jellia from Dorothy for a few months for torture sessions and manicures.</p><p>At Glinda's palace, Jellia feels under utilized as a basic servant but as a result meets brooding bad boy Nox and is introduced to the idea of his stormy expressions and the Order. She gets just a small taste of the Order too, at the end of the book.</p><p>And...that's it. On to the next one.</p><p><br /></p>genericwhitegirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02659321711307469282noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2428046520406033643.post-64027061127547201842023-04-09T09:03:00.001-07:002023-04-09T09:03:52.092-07:00No Place Like Oz by Danielle Paige (Dorothy Must Die Prequel #1)<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpAgt5a1fW09UhYKN9nBazvg4fxfVQxQhWRt8-50CCqeQ1yU22_mkIZcbSOgVSrxFXcJTX-W-32weCjVpc6cO285e84OPy3GBQ8dAVFT3DWPYS5VwqY8UFdi25VKxdf8PtUr9-a0j51GU9Q2XzsD-5W10CiBHAKTL9qbox9O8nAWyWGxbq8NnnigAXSw/s500/No%20Place%20Like%20Oz.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="331" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpAgt5a1fW09UhYKN9nBazvg4fxfVQxQhWRt8-50CCqeQ1yU22_mkIZcbSOgVSrxFXcJTX-W-32weCjVpc6cO285e84OPy3GBQ8dAVFT3DWPYS5VwqY8UFdi25VKxdf8PtUr9-a0j51GU9Q2XzsD-5W10CiBHAKTL9qbox9O8nAWyWGxbq8NnnigAXSw/s320/No%20Place%20Like%20Oz.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>This is the backstory on Dorothy after she spent her first time in Oz wanting nothing more than to return to Kansas and then spent her time back in Kansas wanting nothing more than to return to Oz. We begin with Dorothy's infamous (at least to her) 16th birthday party, and are reminded how terrible teenagers are, no matter what universe or timeline you are in. Then Dorothy mysteriously returns to Oz and unfortunately brings Toto, her Aunt Em, and uncle Henry with her. I say unfortunately because not only are Aunt Em and uncle Henry buzzkills for Dorothy, they're buzzkills for me too. I get that they're from a different time and simple, down to earth people, but they were unrealistically annoying. But we don't have to deal with them for too long, if you know what I mean *murderous wink*.<p></p><p>I think it's unfortunate for Toto because he turns into an evil diva and that seems unfair to poor Toto.</p><p>Paige provides insight into Dorothy's relationship with Ozma that leads to the unfortunate mind mush incident. And while the mechanics aren't as fleshed out as they are with Amy in the Dorothy Must Die series, we see Dorothy's transition from magical virgin to becoming accidentally more powerful than Oz's rightful ruler - even though Ozma has access to the oldest, strongest power in Oz. I feel like there is a parallel with people who end up in the emergency room after "accidentally" slipping on the Mrs. Buttersworth bottle, but I could be wrong. </p><p>While I had to push the "I want to believe button" for more than once in this book, I'm already balls deep in this series and will pretty much keep reading even if Mrs. Buttersworth herself flies in a declares she's the Queen of Oz.</p><p><br /></p>genericwhitegirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02659321711307469282noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2428046520406033643.post-72921355161921086012023-04-05T19:18:00.000-07:002023-04-05T19:18:22.102-07:00Yellow Brick War by Danielle Paige (Dorothy Must Die Series, book 3)<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcuCkRrM_LHWM4-BychSXm0JV-JkCqiKBXwfyvgewW5ZNTW8SBOR_159_pOR4VqPk-FvLfbbXQE2kIwU5pDjaW_IXxlZXP5em5w4zYHuaGuLr_-5lLhyit9cFOFa_-PatzO5RFvEXG5D92Dp3sCSIZc_91vgHXNan9MfIlpQa4ia5MAGhChBe6G1531A/s500/Yellow%20Brick%20War.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcuCkRrM_LHWM4-BychSXm0JV-JkCqiKBXwfyvgewW5ZNTW8SBOR_159_pOR4VqPk-FvLfbbXQE2kIwU5pDjaW_IXxlZXP5em5w4zYHuaGuLr_-5lLhyit9cFOFa_-PatzO5RFvEXG5D92Dp3sCSIZc_91vgHXNan9MfIlpQa4ia5MAGhChBe6G1531A/s320/Yellow%20Brick%20War.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>I gotta tell you, this book seems more like a vehicle to get from book 2 to book 4. I don't really remember much about it except that Amy has returned to Flat Hill Kansas and is looking for the first pair of Dorothy's magic shoes (apparently the ruby slippers were her second pair that Glinda used to bring her back to Kansas after returning home). <p></p><p>Amy has returned to her mother, who seems to be doing better without her, but is eager to make up for lost time. She also returns to high school, with Madison, now a mother, and no longer queen bee at the school. Together with Madison and Madison's baby daddy Dustin, they search the high school for Dorothy's first pair of magic shoes. </p><p>I think this book isn't as memorable because half of it takes place in Kansas, where Amy cannot use her magic. A lot of the world-building from the first two books is missing in book 3. And while we get glimpses of characters in Oz, it's really just that. Brief glimpses.</p><p>The second half is a return to Oz and another battle between the good and the wicked. I think it all starts to run together by this point.</p><p>Having said that, I'm invested in the story and was eager to read it each time I picked it up. It just didn't have the surprises of book 1 or the adventures of book 2. Amy had a very focused task in Kansas and returned to another great battle, both of which set up the story for book 4.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>genericwhitegirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02659321711307469282noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2428046520406033643.post-58658607232875754312023-04-05T19:02:00.000-07:002023-04-05T19:02:05.194-07:00The End of Oz by Danielle Paige (Dorothy Must Die Series, book 4)<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR19EyiPt6ILoTqN86gTXR8CPt-E9y_nMcoHInX5VQQm-hsneszF5PaL7Vvim-s5cpNEnhSf4mA8uAaBKnpYzMPXwlV2TqUvrEu5uuq94IOJZtq6GJ-06e4qdV8OGjno0i5XOA0hJ1n5sCBubxkOZSFq9nU--z3PvpF9969b9vKVNnlIPsX2r6S-PhpA/s276/The%20End%20of%20Oz.jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="276" data-original-width="182" height="276" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR19EyiPt6ILoTqN86gTXR8CPt-E9y_nMcoHInX5VQQm-hsneszF5PaL7Vvim-s5cpNEnhSf4mA8uAaBKnpYzMPXwlV2TqUvrEu5uuq94IOJZtq6GJ-06e4qdV8OGjno0i5XOA0hJ1n5sCBubxkOZSFq9nU--z3PvpF9969b9vKVNnlIPsX2r6S-PhpA/s1600/The%20End%20of%20Oz.jpeg" width="182" /></a></div>This is the fourth and final installment of the Dorothy Must Die series. The first three books are dark in their own right, but this book feels a little more so. In book 4, we travel to Ev, land of the Nome King. I'm not familiar with the original Oz books, but if you are familiar with the difference between The Wizard of Oz movie and the sequel Return to Oz, that is the change of pace to which I'm referring. Remember the wheelers? Yeah, I tried to forget them too. And the queen who wore different heads? Uh huh. Although I actually could have used more heads than were actually offered.<p></p><p>Most of this book takes place in Ev, beyond the land of Oz, where Amy, Madison, and Nox find themselves after escaping the Nome King. They travel to...well...are carried by wheelers against their will to Langwidere's castle.</p><p><i>"Oh my god...I hated this movie." </i>-Madison upon seeing the wheelers</p><p>So we learn more about Langwidere and her head collection and get some of her backstory. There is some hiding in tunnels and caves, and then...a wedding. </p><p>One big difference in this book is that the chapters alternate between what is going on with Amy and what is going on with the Nome King's newest prisoner. Of course, there's a big battle at the end, can't not have one of those. And the book resolves, but leaves the door open for more to come.</p><p>Overall, I like these books. Look, I'm not doing any heavy thinking about life or myself because of these books, but they're short, entertaining, and fun to read. Paige also has even more novellas giving backstory on other main characters - Dorothy, the Scarecrow, the Lion, and Tin Man, Glinda, the Wizard, Polychrome, Ozma, and the Order of the Wicked. Will my life change by reading these books? No. Will I read them anyway? Of course!</p><p><br /></p>genericwhitegirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02659321711307469282noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2428046520406033643.post-60711439631671631772023-04-01T12:11:00.006-07:002023-04-02T11:00:56.580-07:00The Wicked Will Rise by Danielle Paige (Dorothy Must Die Series, book 2)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib6Ll5RGLrQxPiXuRMzBq6D_dDF5ZeWNr1ZgQXZVZICwlB4aHdY8VoNbYU_QjXW1ch2plM0MX2gRbt1KSaC1l4tA2oWpWqlyajYuEnSkIihMy7B-IIx9QMg3xO2QRYWEW70mb_5zdMI2FHA5FyuGLZeZD489Ofr9P9Be_Hfmy4bQi6MkIg6k5uGQ6O4g/s388/Front_cover_of_'The_Wicked_Will_Rise'.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="388" data-original-width="257" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib6Ll5RGLrQxPiXuRMzBq6D_dDF5ZeWNr1ZgQXZVZICwlB4aHdY8VoNbYU_QjXW1ch2plM0MX2gRbt1KSaC1l4tA2oWpWqlyajYuEnSkIihMy7B-IIx9QMg3xO2QRYWEW70mb_5zdMI2FHA5FyuGLZeZD489Ofr9P9Be_Hfmy4bQi6MkIg6k5uGQ6O4g/s320/Front_cover_of_'The_Wicked_Will_Rise'.jpeg" width="212" /></a></div>This is an example of where the second installment is better than the first. If you aren't familiar with the Dorothy Must Die series of books, you can read my review of book 1 <a href="http://myblistblog.blogspot.com/2020/03/dorothy-must-die-by-danielle-paige.html" target="_blank">here</a>. <div><br /></div><div>Basically, this is the second book in the Dorothy Must Die series, which tells the story of Amy Gumm, a teenager from Flat Hills Kansas, who finds herself whisked away to Oz. Amy discovers Dorothy is real, and has transformed Oz into a magical wasteland and ruled with an iron fist. Amy has joined forces with other witches to try to stop Dorothy and her entourage consisting of Glinda, the Scarecrow, the Lion, and the Tin Man.</div><div><div><br /></div><div>Book two picks up right where book 1 left off. But unlike book 1, I feel like the pace was better, and we get to see more of Oz - the jungle where Lulu, the monkey queen rules, and Rainbow Falls, home to Polychrome and her fake (but mayby real?) panther/unicorn Heathcliff.</div><div><br /></div><div>Amy also settles into her magical powers more and evolves as a witch. Or maybe she's devolving, as we start to see hints of, well, wickedness creeping into her craft. And as Dorothy begins to tap into the evil of Oz's magic, we travel with her to the shadowlands and see her transformation into a literal magical monster.</div><div><br /></div><div>And Paige doesn't pull punches. There are a lot of characters we say goodbye to in this book, some we like and others we don't. Paige even killed a few characters I was really sad to see go. And I have to hand it to her, she wrote in a few really good battles. I tried reading them as if I was watching a movie and she had some great visuals and moments of flair that were pretty satisfying. I'm actually amazed these books haven't been turned into a miniseries or movie yet (I read on wikipedia the CW was in negotiations, but that was 10 years ago!). Her characters are sassy, colorful, and fun. She has truly evil villains and wicked heroes. And while there were times I rolled my eyes (generally anything to do with the love story arc) overall, I was here for it.<br /><br /></div><div><br /></div></div>genericwhitegirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02659321711307469282noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2428046520406033643.post-50618550864656901942023-03-31T11:03:00.001-07:002023-03-31T11:03:41.034-07:00How to Sell a Haunted House by Grady Hendrix<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLBrpaPB91nuuu925VQR1p3yEA2ZUey3B3jxGD8El84XgGVvUCMAWvGrdZs-ef95GAsRcyYukV0lHSObZR1R3x4PPVPAwCzidbRePAiggHUXMvo576p2Q9yRztOZZamth_XikHwlLKAIOPyS-yiL1A75FEtBoNu3er_mw0GJkyQ6dyjmLahjiN9348hw/s450/how%20to%20sell%20a%20haunted%20house.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="298" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLBrpaPB91nuuu925VQR1p3yEA2ZUey3B3jxGD8El84XgGVvUCMAWvGrdZs-ef95GAsRcyYukV0lHSObZR1R3x4PPVPAwCzidbRePAiggHUXMvo576p2Q9yRztOZZamth_XikHwlLKAIOPyS-yiL1A75FEtBoNu3er_mw0GJkyQ6dyjmLahjiN9348hw/s320/how%20to%20sell%20a%20haunted%20house.jpeg" width="212" /></a></div>So I wasn't a fan of Horrorstor and had no interest in reading more of Hendrix's books, but I couldn't help grabbing How to Sell a Haunted House. I'm not even sure why. Honestly, I think it was just the cover. I mean, maybe we just got off on the wrong foot with Horrorstor and needed a second date to figure out if the chemistry really worked or not.<p></p><p>This may come as a surprise, but this story is about a haunted house. But even worse, it involves puppets and dolls...I think <a href="https://cannonballread.com/2023/03/how-to-sell-a-haunted-house-flimflamingo/" target="_blank">FlimFlamingo's</a> description of "puppet gore" is appropriate. And it doesn't matter if they meant it ironically or not, the effect really is the same, which is to say it's horribly funny. </p><p>What I liked about this book is that it kept me reading and wanting to go back to it when I put it down with the added bonus of ticking a lot of classic haunted house buttons for me. And it had the right amount of campiness - an issue I had with Horrorstor. One of the best chapters involved a funeral with overly zealous puppeteer attendees. And Hendrix knew the genius of this scene, as he reprises the funeral at the end of the book in a fun way that was reminiscent of Michael Rogalski's Horrostor illustrations - one of the best things about that book.</p><p>So I'm on the fence about Hendrix, I didn't really care for Horrorstor, but I liked How to Sell a Haunted House. I wonder if the issue is that I didn't quite get Hendrix's humor. Maybe he's an acquired taste...? I guess I'll have to pick up another one by Hendrix to break the tie and decide if we'll keep dating or not.</p>genericwhitegirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02659321711307469282noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2428046520406033643.post-14034814182604234572023-03-28T17:00:00.000-07:002023-03-28T17:00:06.661-07:00The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNC66xMpuwCdgv47HCe1HrUGTHumOo_3a2iFoVeyPiGl7k6fbYeoIlhHYSdpPI-m980Mq7hxPTxmdZTrNr5wR9LKlMQTfRjg7SVg3Z0O6MTiQcft_lxzDXrdy333aAvrJJptjUArVESaweSfXlSm0llTFC_wZ6rDhFUrfFWFFG2KsUcEWZ8oNK1UI1Fw/s1041/The_Grapes_of_Wrath_(1939_1st_ed_cover).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1041" data-original-width="702" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNC66xMpuwCdgv47HCe1HrUGTHumOo_3a2iFoVeyPiGl7k6fbYeoIlhHYSdpPI-m980Mq7hxPTxmdZTrNr5wR9LKlMQTfRjg7SVg3Z0O6MTiQcft_lxzDXrdy333aAvrJJptjUArVESaweSfXlSm0llTFC_wZ6rDhFUrfFWFFG2KsUcEWZ8oNK1UI1Fw/s320/The_Grapes_of_Wrath_(1939_1st_ed_cover).jpg" width="216" /></a></div>"Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord, he is trampling out the vintage where the grapes of wrath have stored..."<p></p><p>Were you oblivious like me that these were the words in the first line of the Battle Hymn of the Republic? I'm not sure if these are the same grapes Steinbeck is referring to, but there is enough wrath in the world to go around, whether it's the wrath of the Union army during the Civil War or the wrath of the promise of a better life out west.</p><p>Strangely and coincidentally, my mom mentioned she was reading a book about the Dust Bowl just as I was starting Grapes of Wrath. I didn't really know what the Dust Bowl was before I read this book, but when my mom mentioned that her father came to California from Oklahoma in the 1930's and even joked about being an, "Okie," I was a lot more interested in knowing more. She was loving her book so much, she didn't want to get to the end. I, on the other hand, was trudging through Grapes of Wrath one chapter at a time.</p><p>Steinbeck writes about the Joad family, who travel from Oklahoma to northern California, like so many families did in the 1930's, when dust storms destroyed their crops and livelihoods. Promises of work in the fruit orchards lured families west, hoping to start new lives. We take this journey with Tom Joad, his siblings, parents, grandparents, and other stragglers they meet along the way. Their journey is rife with car troubles, death, more car troubles, more death, and camping. So much camping. If you're averse to camping like me, the fact that the Joads rarely bathe and take a mattress from their car to the ground back to their car is only part of the horrors Steinbeck presents.</p><p>Steinbeck intersperses chapters about the Joad family with narrative chapters about the next topic to be broached. For instance, the first chapter is about the dust storms. He writes extensively about how dusty things are, how the dust formed, how the dust darkened the sky, how the dust muffled sound, how the dust settled on everything, how the dust covered the ground. Do you get the idea? You don't, trust me. I remember thinking, "he just spent an entire chapter on dust storms, this is going to be a looooooong book." Then the next chapter was about Tom Joad beginning his adventure. The another narrative chapter, this one about a turtle on the road. It took some getting used to. The narrative chapters were a more general approach to what the Joads were experiencing specifically. I appreciate Steinbeck's ability to paint a picture using these narrative chapters, but it felt more like an academic exercise getting through them, rather than an enjoyable relaxing read. Hence my aforementioned "trudging" comment.<br /></p><p>Overall, I enjoyed reading about the Joads - what ma was going to make for the next meal, where they would camp next, what their next (mis)adventure would be, when they'd get to bathe...And I definitely got a feel for a way of life and a time period I have no knowledge about. While I've read online many things about the book people find offensive, the only thing I picked up on were a few uses of offensive language referring to specific groups of people. While issues surrounding religion, communism, and unions still have the ability to turn people into crazy nitwits today, I think there was a lot less tolerance for what Steinbeck wrote about then than there is now. </p><p>While I don't regret reading the book, would I recommend it? Nah. I think I'll try the one my mom was raving about and see if it's less of a chore to read. </p>genericwhitegirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02659321711307469282noreply@blogger.com0