This month, I am spotlighting a series of books by popular inspirational author, Shelley Shepherd Gray. Gr*Spoilers ahead for the rest of the series!*
This month, I am spotlighting a series of books by popular inspirational author, Shelley Shepherd Gray. Gray has written over 70 novels, including three novels in a series titled “Dance with Me”.
The author shared in the notes at the back of the book that she was inspired to write these books as a result of her own experience taking dance lessons. The series takes place in Bridgeport, Ohio, and follows the lives of three sisters who were separated in their early childhood years, unaware of the existence of the others until adulthood.
Shall We Dance is the first book and it is written from the oldest sister’s point of view. Shannon Murphy is the one who discovers as a result of DNA testing that she has two siblings. She convinces her two sisters to move to Ohio where she is just starting a dance studio in an old brick building in the center of town. The story starts as the sisters are meeting for the first time.
Shannon had dreams of becoming a professional dancer until an injury sidelined that career.
Instead, she finds fulfillment and love in teaching dance classes to kids and adults. One of her first students is a police officer, Dylan Lange, who comes to take lessons after losing a bet with his buddies. As the dance lessons progress, so does the relationship between Shannon and Dylan. Each chapter of the book starts with a quote about dancing and themes of family and community are woven into this book.
The second title in the “Dance with Me” series is called Take the Lead and its main character is Traci Lucky. Traci is a police officer with the Bridgeport Police Department and the new partner to Dylan from the first book. Traci had a challenging upbringing as a product of the foster care system.
While on the job, Officer Lucky meets a young, pregnant woman in need of medical care. Traci takes her to the local hospital and meets Dr. Matt Rossi, who comes from a big, Italian family and is an OB-GYN. Officer Lucky and Dr. Rossi work together to support Gwen in her pregnancy and develop feelings for each other along the way.
Save the Last Dance is the final book in the series and it profiles sister Kimber’s story. Kimber Klein is the youngest sister and was adopted by a wealthy family in New York. Kimber has built a career as a model before joining her sisters in Ohio. Kimber realizes that fame and money don’t equal happiness.
While parts of her life in New York haunt her, she finds purpose in volunteering at a local school and helping her sister run her dance studio. Kimber also meets and falls in love with Gunnar, who is in the process of adopting a teenager from the foster care system.
If you enjoy sweet romances and happy endings, I highly recommend this series!
Flower Crowns and Fearsome Things is my latest foray into Amanda Lovelace’s fairytale and folklore-inspired poetry. While*As always, spoiler warning!*
Flower Crowns and Fearsome Things is my latest foray into Amanda Lovelace’s fairytale and folklore-inspired poetry. While this volume was on the shorter end, I still enjoyed it and found that many of its poems resonated with me.
“Who said you can’t/Wear a flower crown/& still remain/A fearsome thing?”
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The main mythology Flower Crowns and Fearsome Things draws from is the story of Persephone (also known as Kore), the goddess of spring and of the underworld. (view spoiler)[A complex and fascinating dichotomy, Persephone’s story is one of my favorites from Greek mythology, and I was thrilled that Lovelace was channeling Persephone in her poetry here. (hide spoiler)]
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The symbolism here is fairly obvious in that spring can be associated with the traditional notion of femininity, that of being beautiful, yet delicate. Yet, Persephone also has a tougher side of her, in that she helps to oversee the underworld, no doubt getting a full look at death in all its forms.
There’s a bunch of dualities here, whether it’s in Persephone having her toes both in feminine and masculine realms (her husband, Hades, is the king of the underworld and the primary god of death) and in the creation of life and its death. She is part of the cycle from beginning to end.
“When they drag you through hell/Do not simply accept it/Do not just give in/Go on & reign over the very flames that were meant to be your end/Wear them as a crown”
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I have really come to enjoy Lovelace’s modern take on classical mythology and folklore. I think the main message here is that—surprise, I know—women are complex people, defying the simple nature often ascribed to them by misogynistic views of traditional femininity.
I have been meaning to get back into poetry for a while now. The Princess Saves Herself in This One is the first entry of poet Amanda *Spoiler alert!*
I have been meaning to get back into poetry for a while now. The Princess Saves Herself in This One is the first entry of poet Amanda Lovelace’s “Women Are Some Kind of Magic” series.
This volume was the perfect segue back into poetry for me, and like Amanda Gorman (another awesome poet who happens to share the first name of the author of the book I’m discussing), it will definitely stick around in my brain, hopefully planting seeds of inspiration for my own writing, poetry or otherwise.
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Why do I have the feeling that this book left a mark on me?
Well, for starters, Lovelace tackles her own inner experience, whereas Amanda Gorman’s poetry tackles the collective trauma of a whole nation in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and its accompanying economic downturn. Both explorations of the internal and external are equally valid and powerful. Both explore complex topics and make the reader think. Really think.
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The Princess Saves Herself in This One is an incredibly brave and vulnerable look into Lovelace’s life, where she experiences sexual assault and the neglect inherent in her upbringing. Things no child should have to go through. (view spoiler)[Her mother dies of cancer and another sister perishes by her own hand—all of this happened to her before the age of 19. (hide spoiler)] So heartbreaking.
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But this book is also about hope. This volume’s very existence is a testament to the author’s healing.
By the end, the princess has escaped her tower and slain (most of) her dragons.
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While no one should ever have to suffer to grow, that’s what happened to Lovelace, and she’s moving forward. She can’t change her past, but she uses what she’s learned—particularly self-love—to turn the tables on her trauma, which wants her to believe life isn’t worth living, that she deserves a good life.
We all know the story: rich guy marries a beautiful, financially-challenged much younger woman and then rich guy ends up dead.
Well, The Second Wife bWe all know the story: rich guy marries a beautiful, financially-challenged much younger woman and then rich guy ends up dead.
Well, The Second Wife by Miranda Rijks is basically this, except for there’s some twisty turns that had me pointing my very unmanicured finger at the wrong person, almost until the end!
It was fun, it was salacious, and I really started to care for the characters--even the “bad” ones.
This is the first time I’ve read Miranda Rijks, and I think I’ve found my next go-to author! She’s got an impressive list of psychological thrillers with nice ratings. Give it a go and maybe she’ll also be your next go-to author!
This is what happens when I get really into a new book series: I finish the first two books in quick succession and then have to wai* Spoiler alert! *
This is what happens when I get really into a new book series: I finish the first two books in quick succession and then have to wait for the third book that isn't coming out until later this year! (And of course there was quite the cliffhanger after the latest one, and I have to sit here and stew about what might happen next in the concluding volume.)
Why am I like this?!
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I found Blood of Troy, the second entry in Claire M. Andrews' "Daughter of Sparta" series, to be better than the first (and I thought the first book was good).
In Daughter of Sparta, we see Daphne go on a quest to save Olympus itself and narrowly succeed. A year later, she continues to build a hero's reputation for herself (despite being a non-Spartan-born citizen, a mothakes) through her fighting prowess, overcoming opponents twice her size on a regular basis.
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Although, Daphne remains haunted by the trauma of her quest a year ago, so she's a bit off, and the people who care about her are concerned and try to help in their own ways.
Of course, we know that the gods aren't done with Daphne. Early on in Blood of Troy, they command her to become personal guard to Queen Helen of Sparta, a seemingly innocuous errand. (Yes, that Helen, "the face that launches a thousand ships," etc. We'll get to her in a bit.)
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(view spoiler)[ Anyone who knows Greek mythology knows the gods are fickle and cagey when it comes to their secrets, so the reader and Daphne both know that there's something more to Daphne's new mission. People like myself (a huge mythology nerd) who are familiar with stories of the Trojan War may have better-educated guesses. Hint, hint! (hide spoiler)]
Before I get ahead of myself, Daphne must prove herself worthy in a contest of athleticism and wits, retrieving a prize before anyone else in order to gain herself the job of Shield of Helen. (Spoiler alert, she does!) That title secured, to the detriment of her brothers' pride, (view spoiler)[ (I became very annoyed with Daphne's brothers in this book, as it seemed like a woman being ambitious, even if it was their (obviously) skilled sister, was this truly awful thing and reflected poorly on their honor) (hide spoiler)] she finds that things aren't what they seem between King Menelaus and Queen Helen from day one. (Fun fact, King Menelaus is a foreign-born king. Helen is the one that's a born Spartan.)
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Andrews is very sympathetic to the character of Helen (rightly so), who seems to be remembered primarily as a pretty prize to be fought over and won by men. I have this bone to pick not only with the story about Helen, but most other classical Greek mythology as well in how girls and women are frequently treated.
So, in Blood of Troy, we see a very unhappy, abusive marriage, with Helen on the receiving end of verbal and physical abuse. (view spoiler)[ Daphne herself gets whipped as punishment at one point in the book when the two sneak away from the palace. (hide spoiler)]
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Spoiler alert: Menelaus is an awful person, not treating Helen with the respect she deserves. I think Helen might've left the marriage if not for the daughter they have together, Hermione. As a result, Helen frequently finds ways to assert herself and enjoy life when she feels that the palace she lives in is her prison.
I loved the friendship that develops between Queen Helen and Daphne, both strong women in their own right. Daphne becomes very protective of Helen, both inside and outside her capacity as Shield.
Anyways, a big meeting between King Menelaus and other Grecian monarchs goes predictably sour, and Daphne finds herself fleeing with Queen Helen and the Trojan envoy after one faction tries to kill them.
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So, the city of Troy becomes Helen's and Daphne's new home, just as the war drums start to beat. Ostensibly, it's about punishing troy for "kidnapping" Helen, but there are various dark forces at work here. (See book one for more details.)
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As war comes to Troy, Daphne is recast as "Traitor of Sparta" as she fights to protect her queen in the midst of a war that is more than it seems. The gods are always playing games, and there's a price to be paid.
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I won't say anymore, because I don't want to ruin the cinematic reading experience that is Blood of Troy, and its predecessor, Daughter of Sparta!
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Greek mythology nerds and general readers alike will enjoy this series. Just give it a try!
I think about Africa like I used to think about the Internet: vast, complex, distant. I want to dive in, but I don't know where to start. This book isI think about Africa like I used to think about the Internet: vast, complex, distant. I want to dive in, but I don't know where to start. This book is a good place to dip your toes.
The author acknowledges the stereotypes early on and puts their truths in context:
The warfare: Deadly tribal conflicts waged within borders drawn a century ago by colonialists without regard for history.
The safari: Great geographical landscapes populated with exotic creatures and vegetation that draw throngs of tourists.
The famine: Dusty villages and their fly-covered malnourished residents that make perfect targets for well-meaning Westerners, whose attempts at aid often do more harm than good.
While those are part of the African portrait, of course there's much, much more.
Dipo Faloyin's approach is both informative and jovial. I never felt like I was reading from a travel brochure, but I also never felt like I was being lectured. His writing mixes cultural self-awareness with sharp humor.
He devotes a chapter to his hometown of Lagos, Nigeria, which he describes as having the population of New York, London, and Uruguay. The city is cramped, hectic, and noisy, and its 22 million residents wouldn't have it any other way.
Much of the book serves as a corrective to misconceptions about the African diaspora, including addressing the White Savior complex prevalent in Western countries.
In one notable section he revisits the Kony 2012 movement that went viral a decade ago and shed light on the negative effects of well-meaning but misguided attempts to interfere on behalf of "poor helpless Africans."
In a lighter moment, Faloyin points out the time the Internet skewered British celebrity chef Jamie Oliver after he took culinary liberties with Nigeria's beloved joloff rice dish. The scandal trended for a moment in 2014 as #jollofgate.
I read this book during a dark time of cultural crises in which even whether we can talk about race is controversial.
It's an indisputable fact that at certain times in global history some white folks treated some black folks badly. That doesn't make me ashamed for my race, it makes me ashamed for humanity.
But I don't take history personally. I learn from it.
This book will be our Goodreads Book Club selection for January. To secure a copy and read along with us, please look for 4.5/5 stars *Spoilers alert!*
This book will be our Goodreads Book Club selection for January. To secure a copy and read along with us, please look for the book within our catalog or Libby. Happy reading!
Considering the subject matter of I’m Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy, I feel like saying I “enjoyed” the book isn’t as appropriate as I found the book heartbreaking and heartwarming in equal measures.
This book won the 2022 Goodreads Choice Awards in the biography category, and I can see why, as I’m Glad My Mom Died is a powerful, poignant read.
Jennette McCurdy is most well-known for her roles as a child actress in iCarly and Sam and Cat. I remember watching iCarly when the show was running, and it was one my favorites at the time. McCurdy’s Sam was one of my favorite characters, and I truly had no idea what was going on behind-the-scenes. I’m Glad My Mom Died reveals Jennette’s struggles with acting, when she felt like she was only in the profession because it was her mother’s dream, not hers.
(view spoiler)[At the time, McCurdy’s mom had cancer and was dying. (hide spoiler)] Jennette loved her mother and allowed herself to be started on the path to stardom at the age of six, to make her happy and gain her approval. Seeing her mom happy at her success was supposed to be enough.
“She wanted this. And I wanted her to have it. I wanted her to be happy. But now that I have it, I realize that she’s happy and I’m not. Her happiness came at the cost of mine. I feel robbed and exploited.”
Of course, when you’re not in the job you want, you can’t stuff down the negative feelings forever. McCurdy came to resent the hold her mother had on her and their increasingly toxic relationship as mother and daughter.
She increasingly becomes anxious, shameful, and self-loathing as she struggles to tell her mother that acting isn’t what she wanted to do with her life. These feelings manifest in various self-destructive behaviors like eating disorders, addiction, and risky romantic relationships.
“Mom didn’t get better. But I will.”
The book starts with Jennette in her mother’s hospital room, where she lay dying from cancer, and Jennette then recounts everything that led up to that point.
I’m Glad My Mom Died is heartbreaking, full of dark humor, but also cautiously optimistic, as Jennette discovers therapy and is working towards getting better.
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As someone who struggles with mental illness and is in therapy, I’m Glad My Mom Died is incredibly refreshing for its candor, which is telegraphed from the start by the book’s title and cover design.
A romance book club that is men only? And not just normal men, but famous athletes, musicians, and some of Nashville’s other elite. Yes, this concept A romance book club that is men only? And not just normal men, but famous athletes, musicians, and some of Nashville’s other elite. Yes, this concept is as entertaining as it sounds!
Gavin Scott is a famous baseball player who is married to Thea, and the two of them have young twin girls together. Their marriage has been slowly falling apart when one revelation from Thea creates a horrible reaction from Gavin.
That reaction is the straw that breaks the camel’s back, and she asks for a divorce.
As soon as he moves out, he realizes everything he had, and he knows he needs to fix it. Who better to help than the Bromance Book Club?
The Bromance Book Club is a group of men who read romance books to learn how to save their relationships and learn how women generally want to be treated.
“Romance novels are primarily written by women for women, and they’re entirely about how they want to be treated and what they want out of life and in a relationship. We read them to be more comfortable expressing ourselves and to look at things from their perspective.”
When Gavin messes up his marriage, the book club swoops in and forces him to read a romance novel that mirrors his current situation to help him learn how to fix himself and then his relationship.
You get two romance books in one and they are both great reads!
Gavin’s character keeps us rooting for the relationship because even though he was reluctant to change at first, he really grows throughout the book.
Thea is a strong, independent woman who learns that she doesn’t need a man to be happy and successful. If she does want a man in her life, it is because she loves him, not because she relies on him. She holds her ground when Gavin spends the entire book trying to win her back and it’s fun to experience her trying to avoid her truly swoon-worthy husband.
We need more books in this world where an already-established couple has to work to save their relationship! This one delivered, as cheesy as it was. Gavin is the book-husband that us romance lovers dream of…and that wink got me every time!
Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin won the 2022 Goodreads Choice Awards in the fiction category, so I had to see for myself if I enjoyed it. (Spoiler alert: I did!)
This book has the most compelling exploration of love in all forms, whether it is friendship or a romance. Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow is primarily about three people that came together to start a video game company.
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The book tracks the progress of these three friends, who develop deep and meaningful relationships with each other as they design and promote video games over a span of thirty years. There is something special that comes with a collaborative art project of any kind, whether it is in video games or painting or writing or any kind of art. Zevin does a good job of showing us how bonds can be forged within and outside of the creative process.
Two of the three co-founders met as kids in a Cambridge, Massachusetts hospital. Sam was in the hospital because a car accident (view spoiler)[that took his mother’s life (hide spoiler)] left him with a crippled foot that needs constant surgery. Sadie encounters Sam in the hospital’s video game room (view spoiler)[Sadie is there with her family because her sister, Alice, is being treated for cancer (hide spoiler)] and the two become fast friends.
However, just as fast as the two strike up a friendship, things go south, leading to a separation that lasts for years. (view spoiler)[ It is revealed that Sadie used her time with Sam at the hospital playing video games to also count towards her community service project. Not surprisingly, Sam is hurt by this, and he cuts off all contact between the two after he finds out from Alice about Sadie’s timesheets. (hide spoiler)]
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Sam and Sadie don’t encounter each other again until they both are in college, at a train station in a very lucky chance meeting. (view spoiler)[ I don’t know about you, but this seemed a bit cliché, like a scene from a rom-com. (hide spoiler)] They rekindle their friendship and embark on a dream project of theirs: to create their own video game.
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Sam’s roommate, Marx, becomes their manager, dealing with practical matters, while Sam and Sadie are set free to be game designers. Over a tense summer, requiring personal sacrifices on all fronts, they complete their first video game, Ichigo, and are catapulted into sudden fame.
At 25 years old, Marx, Sam, and Sadie have their own company, Unfair Games, and are rich beyond their wildest dreams, and overjoyed to have more resources at their disposal to create the video games they have always wanted to.
“‘What is a game?’" Marx said. "‘It's tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow. It's the possibility of infinite rebirth, infinite redemption. The idea that if you keep playing, you could win. No loss is permanent, because nothing is permanent, ever.’”
This is where it gets interesting, because just as they are achieving fame and high status, Sam and Sadie start to clash over the creative vision of the company. Both are highly ambitious, Sadie especially, because the video game industry doesn’t have too many women in leadership positions. (This remains the case.) Things deteriorate between the two, providing the underlying emotional conflict that drives the characters as they are navigating life changes, from fame to romance to moving to start again somewhere new.
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California, naturally, is where their game company is headquartered (Silicon Valley, anyone?), and is the location in which most of the emotional and relationship drama takes place. It truly hurt to watch Sam and Sadie have constant miscommunications that drove them apart for significant portions of the book, even though the reader knew how much they continued to care for each other even as they were apart.
Marx, ever the peacemaker, tries to get the two to reconcile, with mixed results. Not only does he care about both Sam and Sadie, but their conflicts are putting Unfair Games in jeopardy.
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A compelling story with compelling characters, one does not need to know much about video games to enjoy Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow. Zevin is mostly exploring here the emotional connections and life journeys of each character, and only cursorily goes over the creative process in video game designing in a way that is not overwhelming.
I won’t reveal anything else to allow others to read the book and come to their own conclusions.
Two staff members wrote reviews for this book. Happy reading!
Jeremy's review
3.5/5 stars
“…[S]pecies of hyperintelligent octopus…”
Two staff members wrote reviews for this book. Happy reading!
Jeremy's review
3.5/5 stars
“…[S]pecies of hyperintelligent octopus…”
This phrase, from the first sentence of the publisher’s marketing description, was all I needed to know in order to decide that I needed to read this book.
I’ve been fascinated by octopuses (yes, that is the correct plural form, feel free to @ me) ever since doing a report on them in a grad school level course I audited a number of years ago.
An unfortunate side-effect of this, however, was that I kept finding myself wanting to love the book more than I actually did, despite coming away with a sense that I would greatly enjoy having a conversation with the author.
The story is set in an undefined but relatively near future, in which the line between nation-states and corporations has all but completely disappeared and applications of artificial intelligence (AI) are both widespread and varied.
There are three primary point-of-view (POV) characters, each in a separate plotline: Dr. Ha Nguyen, a marine biologist hired to study the octopuses; Rustem, an AI hacker, and Eiko; formerly an aspiring programmer, now a slave worker.
Additionally, each chapter opens with an excerpt from one of two books written by two of the characters: Dr. Nguyen or Dr. Arnkatla Minervudottir-Chan, who had created the world’s one and only extant android, Evrim.
It has been written of octopuses that they are the nearest thing to intelligent alien life that we can meet on this planet, and this book runs with this idea. While this sort of ‘first contact’ is used to examine philosophical concepts such as consciousness, the same themes are simultaneously put to the test through the human interactions with varying levels of technology: drones, AI, and Evrim.
And therein lies both the strength and weakness of this novel – this sort of intellectual food-for-thought is compelling enough for some of us (raises hand), but while stuff does happen, nobody would describe this as plot-driven storytelling. Could provide plenty of fodder for a very particular sort of book discussion group, but I do wonder about its broader appeal.
Cora's review
*Spoiler alert!*
My heart already wants a sequel to The Mountain in the Sea, but my head says that maybe it's better as a stand-alone. This conflict will continue for some time, because I truly enjoyed The Mountain in the Sea.
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"That was one of the keys, Ha knew, to understanding them. That lack of control from the center, that feedback from limbs, that pure embodiment of mind. They were not trapped in a skull, controlling everything from behind a sheath of bone. They were free-flowing, through the entire body. Not a ladder--a ring. A neural ring moving signals from limb to limb to mind, back again. A distribution loop through the whole body. A whole consciousness that could become parts, and then whole again. A whole consciousness that could become parts, and then whole again. It was one of the many problems Ha felt she would have no time to solve."
My co-worker read this book out of his fascination for the octopus. His review, plus the concept reminding me of Adrian Tchaikovsky's Children of Ruin, (view spoiler)[featuring a species of sentient, space-faring octopus (hide spoiler)] sealed the deal for me.
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The Mountain in the Sea takes place in a very plausible future, filled with AI, political intrigue, and conflicts over how best to preserve precious ecosystems from destruction. This book probably isn't for everyone, as it's not as plot-driven as space-opera sci-fi as much as food-for-thought, philosophical sci-fi. I enjoy me some philosophical sci-fi that makes me view the world differently after I finish reading it, seeing humanity reflected in the eyes of another species, android or otherwise.
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(No, not that kind of android!)
Not that the story isn't interesting, but I thought I'd be honest about the kind of sci-fi we're dealing with here. Also, there's a bit of time-switching between characters, so that may be disorienting, but I promise that the story manages to fit together decently.
Despite these caveats, the characters were interesting and well-developed, particularly the villain, (view spoiler)[ a militant environmental protection group, very much anti-humanity (hide spoiler)] and that's why I kept reading.
It ended up being a fascinating what-if scenario of what happens when humanity encounters another self-aware species, and how we'd react, particularly considering the context we and this book live in, the climate crisis and political instability. Based on the story, I'd say the results are definitely mixed!
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"It was easier to pretend that Altantsetseg was an individual, that all of her choices were her own, than to admit that Altantsetseg was a part of them. That all of them were, in fact, bound together so tightly that they formed a single entity, incapable of functioning--incapable of surviving--without all of its interlocking parts in place."
I won't say too much more about The Mountain in the Sea, except for, if you're a sci-fi fan, I think you'll enjoy this one, and maybe think about humanity and our world differently. For better or worse.
“Choosing to be curious is choosing to be vulnerable because it requires us to surrender to uncertainty. We have to
4/5 stars *Spoilers warning!*
“Choosing to be curious is choosing to be vulnerable because it requires us to surrender to uncertainty. We have to ask questions, admit to not knowing, risk being told that we shouldn't be asking, and, sometimes, make discoveries that lead to discomfort.”
Atlas of the Heart is a 2022 Goodreads Choice Awards winner in the category of nonfiction. Upon it winning the category, I was curious as to why it had received the most votes, and now I know why!
In a time of climate crisis, ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, and economic woes, society has made talking about mental health somewhat mainstream. Although much stigma remains for those who suffer mental health conditions, I think perhaps that we might be in a time where we want to explore the domains of emotional and mental health. As in, I think we all want to rediscover how to connect with people, after a few years of being physically isolated from one another.
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"I want this book to be an atlas for all of us, because I believe that, with an adventurous heart and the right maps, we can travel anywhere and never fear losing ourselves."
After all, no matter if you're extroverted or introverted (raises hand) or somewhere in between, humanity is a social species. Personally, I find myself re-evaluating the relationships in my own life, and I think that was part of what I really liked about Atlas of the Heart. I could use some more emotional intelligence, and I genuinely learned a great deal from the book.
I listened to the audiobook version of the book, and the author I think did a great job, making sure to repeat passages that she thought were key. As I was listening, I was often doing chores and sometimes my mind can wonder during that process (because I often find chores just so boring and mind-numbing), so that repeating and emphasis was very helpful and much appreciated.
She did her best to bring psychological terminology down to earth, but I admit I really needed the repeats and the asides, so that I really understood what she was saying before moving on to the next chapter, because they definitely built on each other.
So, there are 87 emotions that humans experience. (view spoiler)[I think I know of at least 10 emotions, so this large number surprised me (hide spoiler)]. However, the 87 emotions are grouped together into categories by how similar they are, with unexpected nuances in related emotions, such as envy and jealousy, or empathy and compassion.
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Brown puts names to experiences I have had that mix a variety of emotions. Names and language in general provide useful anchors, and I think Brown recognizes this and puts it to great use. I also think that language intercedes to make the mysterious less scary, and there's nothing more scary for me than peering at the dark side of my emotional life. Emotions like anger, contempt, and disgust that I tend to shove down. But bringing them to the table and examining them makes them less scary and alien, and they are good indicators of when you need to make some sort of change.
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This whole discussion was made more relevant and relatable by talking about her own process of learning as she conducted research over the years in topics such as empathy and connection. It made me feel less alone in my learning journey, as there were places where I got overwhelmed by the scope of emotional experiences covered here. Brown is a gentle, patient, and understanding guide as we navigate uncharted waters.
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I think this may be a book that I will end up buying in its print edition, because of how good a reference this is. I also have heard how good the illustrations are in the regular book, and I wish to experience those as well.
As a proud Midwesterner (born in Michigan and currently living in Wisconsin), I will admit that my review is a bit biased.
However, Th*Spoiler alert!*
As a proud Midwesterner (born in Michigan and currently living in Wisconsin), I will admit that my review is a bit biased.
However, The Midwest Survival Guide by comedian and podcast host Charlie Berens, is an absolute gem! With contributions from many writers and inspired by Charlie's trips around the country, everything from Midwestern culture to its hidden travel gems are explored in humorous detail.
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You could tell that this book was proudly Wisconsin-centric, as many jokes were made about the state of Illinois, and its professional football team, "da Bears" (the Chicago Bears), chief rival to the Green Bay Packers. (As a Packer fan, I especially enjoyed this.)
I didn't listen to this one on audio, but having gone to one of Berens' shows in La Crosse, I could definitely hear his accent as I read it. (I had a grand time!)
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"Turns out the oceans regulate temperatures and are too big to push around weather-wise. So, when the West and East Coast landscapes try to act up, the Pacific and Atlantic usually quickly put them back in check...In Sioux Falls and Steubenville, however, it's come what may...Sans oceans in the Midwest, it gets extra hot in the summer and extra cold every spring, fall, and winter, and the weather just kinda does whatever it wants all day long. No telling what tomorrow--or the next hour--will bring."
(This quote comes from a section titled: "The Weather: Like a Box of Chocolates")
I felt especially seen when the unpredictable weather of our part of the country was brought up. I can attest to having to wear (or bring with me in the car) multiple layers in case it starts getting hot or starts to rain or sleet.
In the winter, I make sure to pack snowpants and winter boots, and always have an umbrella in my car ready to go. I don't put away the snow and ice scraper back into the trunk until May. Matching your clothes becomes less imperative in the face of unpredictable meteorological conditions.
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"2,462,000 BCE to 650,000--On the Rocks: Giant glaciers say, 'Let me squeeze right past you der' and move over a continent, flattening every mountain in their path, creating thousands of lakes of various sizes, and establishing a chill in the air that's still freezing pipes and hearts today."
(Quote from a section titled: "Midwest History")
Every the history nerd, another part of The Midwest Survival Guide that I really enjoyed was the section on Midwestern history, starting with that gem of a quote from 2,462,000 BCE, when the landscapes we know and love in Wisconsin and elsewhere were shaped.
From the indigenous peoples that originally inhabited the land to the present day, I learned a considerable amount of history not covered in detail in school, such as the first Midwestern city. Established in 1144, this first city, named Cahokia, was inhabited by 20,000+ Native American people.
The illustrations made the reading experience even more enjoyable for me. I picked up on the various bottles of ranch hidden on page corners or within much larger images throughout the book, in a humorous nod to the omnipresent, all-purpose condiment that's not just for salads, mind you.
While The Midwest Survival Guide leans hard into Midwestern stereotypes, it is done in a way that's not condescending to either Midwestern or non-Midwestern people. It gave me greater understanding of the cultural context my siblings and I were born into, explaining family gatherings in a way that confirmed I wasn't crazy that goodbyes took hours or that "uff-da" is a valid, multi-purpose exclamation of frustration or even sympathy with peoples' bad luck.
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If you need a laugh and a break from the 24/7 bad news flood, The Midwest Survival Guide is your book!
Daughter of Sparta is the first entry in Claire Andrews' "Daughter of Sparta" trilogy. It takes the classic Greek tale of Daphne and A*Spoiler alert!*
Daughter of Sparta is the first entry in Claire Andrews' "Daughter of Sparta" trilogy. It takes the classic Greek tale of Daphne and Apollo and gives it a bit of a feminist spin, recentering Daphne as a Spartan-trained warrior called upon by the gods to save Olympus.
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Nine mysterious objects of importance have been stolen from Olympus and the gods' powers are fraying as a result. (view spoiler)[ Turns out the nine "objects" are actually the nine Muses. (hide spoiler)] Daphne is tapped by Artemis to recover these nine artifacts before it is too late, and Apollo is to guard her on the quest.
Unable to refuse the gods, as they hold the fate of her best friend (Lykou) and her brother (Pyrrhus) in their hands (view spoiler)[Pyrrhus has been transformed into a deer, and Lykou, into a wolf (hide spoiler)], Daphne must use her fighting prowess and wits to overcome the odds stacked against her.
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I have to confess that I was not familiar with the tale of Daphne and Apollo, but after I finished reading Daughter of Sparta, I did a little Internet digging! I am glad the author put a more feminist spin on the tale, as Greek myths like these tend to end badly for women caught up in the cruel games of the gods.
The original myth of Daphne and Apollo is no exception to this rule. As someone who enjoys Greek mythology (among many other mythological stories), I have always had this bone to pick with its treatment of girls and women.
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Daughter of Sparta does have the common YA tropes of enemies-to-lovers and "chosen one," but I think they were handled decently here. Daphne gets to shine here as the main heroine of the story, and I enjoyed watching her kicking ass and taking names in Greece, where women don't have as many rights as their Spartan counterparts and must wear veils in public. (I guess too much hasn't changed in that regard, as misogyny still remains rampant, despite the progress we have made since Ancient Greece.)
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As previously mentioned, I grew up reading and truly enjoying the "Percy Jackson and the Olympians" and "Heroes of Olympus" series by Rick Riordan. (The movie adaptations of the books I refuse to speak about.) I am happy to announce that I discovered another Greek mythology-steeped story with a kick-ass hero(ine) at its center in Daughter of Sparta. I look forward to reading the next two entries in this series!
Have you ever gone shopping for something and felt like you got a good deal?
The Eighty-Dollar Champion relays the compelling story of a Dutch immigranHave you ever gone shopping for something and felt like you got a good deal?
The Eighty-Dollar Champion relays the compelling story of a Dutch immigrant to 1950s America and a discarded Amish plow-horse that was on a truck heading to slaughter.
Fascination with all things horses was high in the Cold War era of the 1950s-1960s.
The right man, Harry deLeyer, and the right horse, Snowman, combined to inspire and delight all across America and beyond.
Harry's backstory and his ability to recognize opportunity, observe, persevere, and work hard allowed for the great fit between him and Snowman. And what a gem Snowman was.
The horseman first saw gentleness and intelligence in the animal's eyes and took a chance on him. The workhorse would be just right for riding lessons at the Knox School on Long Island.
As the author states:
"Some horses are born to be teachers, and Snowman had a true vocation for his new profession."
Yet, that find on the truck bound for the glue factory had so much more to offer.
I highly recommend taking a chance on this book and galloping through this amazing tale!
Harry deLeyer, Snowman, and their appreciative public all got a good deal out of their chance meeting at that 1956 horse auction in Lancaster County, PA.
A great companion to the book is a docufilm, Harry and Snowman.
When the spirited goldfinch Mirabelle meets Michael, an eleven-year-old piano prodigy who just can’t bring himself to play, the fantastic trills of frWhen the spirited goldfinch Mirabelle meets Michael, an eleven-year-old piano prodigy who just can’t bring himself to play, the fantastic trills of friendship, mystery, and adventure unfold.
Lively-paced narrator Mirabelle’s personality is as bright as her sunshiny feathers, and she longs to become a star. She discovers Michael, who presents as East Asian, through the music room window when he comes to study with the renowned Mr. Starek, an emigrant from Poland and retired concert pianist.
But in order to prepare for the upcoming Chopin Festival, despondent Michael must face within himself that which is holding him back, the realities of painful loss and uncertain beginnings. Mirabelle helps him do just that.
The prose is as lyrical as the themes, and Broach creates a flowing narrative with golden reflections. When Mirabelle feels transformed—as though the song is singing through her, she says—by her musical connection with Michael and joins his music for their first duet, she says:
“Am I still made of bones and skin and feathers? No. I am only song.”
Award-winning Broach, who wrote Shakespeare’s Secret, When Dinosaurs Came with Everything, and Masterpiece, weaves into her story a wealth of information on birds and artistic geniuses such as Polish composer Frédéric Chopin, French author George Sand, and French painter Eugene Delacroix.
Chopin’s missing piano adds just the right touch of suspense.
An author’s note (she holds a graduate degree in history) helps distinguish between historical fact and fiction, and Broach encourages readers to follow their curiosity and do their own research as well.
While Duet may be geared for readers ages 8-12, I can attest from my enjoyment of it that it’s great for all ages—especially those interested in a sassy mix of historical fiction, music, and mystery. Broach’s latest invention celebrates the unique ways we each find to sing—and the journey through which we turn our individual notes into the harmony of collective song.
Egon was always my favorite Ghostbuster, and anyone who loves Harold Ramis should read this book! Violet Ramis-Stiel does a phenomenal job detailing tEgon was always my favorite Ghostbuster, and anyone who loves Harold Ramis should read this book! Violet Ramis-Stiel does a phenomenal job detailing the life of her dad and the close bond they shared.
This book reads less like a memoir and more like an invitation into a very loving, unusual, and sometimes dysfunctional family.
With any biographical work, you have to be aware of the motivations of the writer and how they approach their subject, but Ramis-Stiel does a good job at painting a portrait of her dad from a very loving and honest perspective.
I think I was drawn to this book because of just all the news lately about worrying trends in book bans nationwide. (Although, this is an issue worldwide as well!)
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I was sad to see a story in the headlines recently about a small-town library in Michigan (Jamestown Township, MI) potentially having to close because fiscal year funding for its operation was voted down.
This got me thinking about books even more than usual, about what censorship and restricting access can to do a community. On a personal note, as a child, libraries were always my sanctuary, wherever I went. I can't imagine not having had libraries growing up.
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Banned Books: The World’s Most Controversial Books, Past and Present is an accessible, illustrated handbook to books that have been banned for one reason or another from classical fiction to contemporary fiction and nonfiction.
Divided into different historical eras, each book features an image of its cover and an explanation as to why the book was banned or contested in its time.
Its central message, encapsulated in the introduction, is that censorship tends to do more harm than good. Part of learning is critical thinking, in which one considers all the views on a subject and comes to an informed position. This is hard to do when books are banned or restricted.
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Not to mention, an informed electorate is crucial for any democratic system of government!
My experience of working in a library and seeing diverse groups of people come through on any given day is that books are critical not only for the accumulation of knowledge (you know, occupational or school learning, or just for curiosity), but for seeing each other (that is, people of other backgrounds/experiences) and seeing yourself.
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I think this is especially true for marginalized groups, such as women, people of color, and LGBTQ+ individuals. Content geared for these groups are seeming to come under increased scrutiny, for ideological, political, or religious reasons.
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The problem is if people don’t see books representing their lived experience on the shelves or in a digital resource collection, that just helps to further marginalize and Other them. (Okay, I’ll step down from my soapbox now.)
While I wished that some of the history was fleshed out a bit more, Banned Books not only gives an important primer on the history of banning books and censorship, but a new reading list for its readers! It’s a great, quick read for a general audience.
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Happy reading!
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-Cora
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“The immune system is the most complex biological system known to humanity, other than the human brain.”
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I think it’s safe to say that
“The immune system is the most complex biological system known to humanity, other than the human brain.”
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I think it’s safe to say that all of us to some degree, since the COVID-19 pandemic started in 2020, have an elementary knowledge of immunology (the study of the immune system).
Terms often tossed around in the news were (are) “antibodies,” “antigen,” “immunization,” and even “cytokine storm.”
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The book Immune: A Journey into the Mysterious System that Keeps You Alive is a gorgeously illustrated cliff-notes lesson on the immune system that will help you make connections between the latter word-salad from above, such as:
“An antigen is a piece of an enemy that your immune system can recognize.”
Meaning that artificially inducing immunity through vaccination introduces your body to say, the COVID-19 virus antigen (its unique molecular signature), so it can prepare defenses against the virus when you encounter it in the wild. (One of the most amazing things to me about the immune system is that it produces “memory cells” after an infection or vaccination, that “remember” a very specific antigen and can help the immune system respond more effectively next time.)
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Or, you may have heard “antigen” in the context of the early COVID tests, which look for viral antigens from your nasal swab to determine if you have COVID and you must quarantine for a while. (I gotta say, some of those sampling techniques are like having your brain poked. Not fun!)
To counter antigens and build up defenses against intruders, the immune system uses “antibodies,” which are just proteins with chemical puzzle pieces that match up to a specific antigen in an enemy (bacteria, virus, parasite, etc.) in order to destroy it.
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So, I ended up coming out of the book with remembering “antigen” and “antibodies” in the context that they are adversaries, e.g., antigens=bad guys; antibodies=good guys.
When the book was discussing how your immune system responds to viruses, I couldn’t help but continue to think of COVID, and how if the immune system responds too strongly to a virus, it could kill you. (I was glad that the book had its own chapter devoted to COVID-19.)
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I think that’s a strength of Immune, that it helps readers to get an overview of important concepts like immune responses, without getting too much in the weeds and overwhelmed, by using accessible, scientific language combined with the exploration of real-life (relevant) cases.
Because the book is so engaging, once you got past some of the essential vocabulary surrounding the cellular players in the immune response, I couldn’t stop reading it. (Well maybe that’s just me nerding out. But still!)
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“The best way to kill a lot of viruses is to destroy infected cells, and the viruses inside them. Let us pause for a moment to appreciate the magnitude of what we are talking about here. Your immune system needs to be able to kill your own cells. Your immune system has an actual license to kill you.”
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The above quote recognizes the extremely fine balance the immune system must walk. Immune cells (like T cells or macrophages) release “cytokines.” (Yes, I wasn’t about to forget cytokines. They’re an important piece of the puzzle.)
Cytokines basically are released by whatever immune cells are responding to an infection, leading to inflammation, which is basically a chemical signal for reinforcements, attracting the big guns needed in serious fights (such as Killer T Cells, a satisfyingly simple and logical name given to a cell whose purpose is, well, to kill invading enemies).
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Basically, the immune system is made up of a whole bunch of non-thinking parts of you (cells, proteins, molecules, etc.), that use various cytokines to communicate with each other. The more cytokines released, the more urgent the cells picking up the cytokine signal react, revving up the immune response.
Okay, this is where I get to the other term I mentioned in the beginning: “cytokine storm.”
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In certain severe cases of COVID-19, an excess release of cytokines kicks the immune system into overdrive against the virus. The immune system is very powerful, but is usually good at tempering its reactions, so as not to accidentally kill you.
However, not everyone has the exact same immune systems, and some are more predisposed to overreacting to a viral infection for whatever reasons (scientists think genetics is part of it, but not the complete picture) not understood too well currently.
(view spoiler)[ Viruses are sneaky little things, and will use your cells to disguise its presence, forcing the immune system to target any of your cells that are carrying the virus. Out of all disease-causing organisms mentioned in the book, viruses scared me the most. They’re fascinating, but mostly terrifying! (hide spoiler)] When the immune system gets too revved-up, its more likely to cause life-threatening complications.
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COVID-19 usually infects the lungs. So, that can lead to difficulties breathing (inflammation releases fluids into the infected area) as some areas of the lungs are swamped with fluids, and eventual organ failure. All very, very horrifying, and awful.
Overall, I experienced more excitement and wonder than dread when learning about the immune system in Immune. It makes me even more thankful for my own immune system and appreciative of the heavy lifting it does to keep me alive (it may be the most graceful part of me, a very, very clumsy person), with a crucial assist from vaccines. (Shout-out to both!)
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Give Immune a try! It’s a fascinating look into a system whose herculean work you don’t have to think about often when it’s going right.
Being a grandparent has enriched my life in so many ways, including the books I read. Being on the lookout for children’s books to share with my grandBeing a grandparent has enriched my life in so many ways, including the books I read. Being on the lookout for children’s books to share with my grandsons, who have also become quite avid readers, I have discovered that children’s books can be very enjoyable for adults as well.
A children’s book (a novel) that I recently spotted is Wait Till Helen Comes by Mary Downing Hahn. Since my grandsons are old enough to handle a thriller, and with Halloween coming soon, I gave this book a read.
It is a creepy story. The main characters are children, so that adds vulnerability for these kids doing things that adults would probably avoid. This book is a good read for adults too, and I rate this book 4 stars!
I hadn’t read this author before although had seen her books circulate througWe have two reviews for this book
Krystal's Review:
Rating: 4 stars
I hadn’t read this author before although had seen her books circulate through the library frequently and heard from others that she is a good writer. Can’t say this is a book I would have chosen myself as I am not a huge sports fan. This was my book club's pick so I was game.
It took me a little while to get into this book as there was a lot of tennis lingo and the main character isn’t that overly likeable. Taylor Jenkins Reid however did a great job of character development and before long I was wondering what was going to happen next. Reid did a wonderful job with her characters and world building. Creating Carrie and all of her rivals, I thought for sure it was based on a real tennis player.
While this was a book with A LOT about tennis, it was also a book about determination, perseverance, relationships, social and emotional growth. This book taught me quite a bit about tennis but really made me think a lot with regards to social interaction and relationships. I would definitely recommend this book; it was an unexpected surprise for me. I look forward to reading more books by Taylor Jenkins Reid.
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Cora's review:
**As always, spoiler warning!**
“My ambition has long felt oppressive. It is not a joy—it is a master that I must answer to, a smoke that descends into my life, making it hard to breathe. It is only my discipline, my willingness to push myself harder, that has been my way through.
But right now, I can feel that my intuition is lacking.”
Carrie Soto is Back is a comeback story inspired by the lives of Venus and Serena Williams, two real-life tennis champions.
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While Carrie Soto comes off as an abrasive personality and ruthless competitor—earning her the nickname of “Battle Axe” on the tennis court—I still found her a fascinating character.
I loved that she got her own story, because she seemed kind of one-dimensional in Malibu Rising, as the “other woman” cheating with Nina Riva’s husband. That was her only part to play, and it didn’t feel right.
Carrie Soto is Back tells what happens when Carrie makes the decision to come out of retirement to defend her Grand Slam titles record against rising star Nicki Chan. She has given her all to be the best tennis player in the world, and is eager not only to protect her record, but also prove that she has not gone soft at age 37 (I guess that’s considered old in professional tennis).
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To get back into winning shape, Carrie agrees to her coach (and father) Javier’s suggestion to train with her old flame Bowe Huntley, who also has something to prove before retiring from tennis forever.
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(view spoiler)[ I could see the enemies-to-lover trope coming from a mile away, but Reid makes their budding friendship and eventual romantic relationship interesting, as they both drive each other to their limits, physically, mentally, and emotionally in the quest to be the best. Because of the way Reid executes it, making it more of a side plot, than the main plot (which is way more interesting), it barely disrupted the flow of the narrative. (I even found myself rooting for them to stick together at the end.) (hide spoiler)]
“It’s almost midnight, and the party is only just about to begin. We all have been waiting—I have been waiting—for the men’s final to end. The party can’t start until then.
The finalists were Andrew Thomas and Jadran Petrovich, neither one of whom would set a record by winning. We live in a world where exceptional women sit around waiting for mediocre men.”
Without spoiling too much of the story, I’ll just say that this novel was a wild ride that kept me on the edge of my seat and rooting for Carrie to prove her haters wrong.
It also taught me a bit about tennis, a sport that I do not know much about and do not follow closely like professional football!
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Definitely worth the read for fans of Taylor Jenkins Reid, but also a more general reading audience.
La Crosse County Library
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