Review: The Bear and the Nightingale

The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

2.5 stars
Do not let the quaint, soft focus, idyllic cover fool you -- this is a creepy, blood-thirsty novel, full of woodland creatures, gnomes, goblins, vampires, walking-dead, a frost demon, and a massive bear-like man who feeds on death and fear. Seriously -- Russian folklore/fair-tales are freaky and scary! That being said, Vasya, was a hardass. Like a Russian, magical Wonder Woman. There is a sequel to this book, which normally I would touch -- but Vasya intrigued me. Given enough time away from this -- I could be persuaded to continue her story. Maybe. If I don't have nightmares.

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Review: Al Franken, Giant of the Senate

Al Franken, Giant of the Senate by Al Franken
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Funny, serious, thoughtful, empowering, and now I want to move to Minnesota.

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Review: The Inquisitor's Tale: Or, The Three Magical Children and Their Holy Dog

The Inquisitor's Tale: Or, The Three Magical Children and Their Holy Dog by Adam Gidwitz
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Spiritual, whimsical, thought-provoking, imaginative, creative, masterful storytelling. And while a juvenile fiction book, I think it transcends ages. I'd easily consider it for book club...so much to discuss.

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Review: The Dry

The Dry by Jane Harper
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

An apparent murder-suicide of a young family in the outback of Australia leaves a small town unsettled and looking for answers.
I'm not a mystery reader, so my opinion may be biased. I thought the story, for the most part, was a snoozer. Nothing really happened until the last 100 pages. And even then I'm not sure the "twist" was that much of a shocker. The final moments were alarming, but by then I was ready for it to be over.
I'm still not sure what the Australian definition of "bugger" means.

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Review: Girl in the Blue Coat

Girl in the Blue Coat by Monica Hesse
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

German occupation, Dutch resistance, a case of mistaken identity, hiding Jews, black market intrigue -- of all these elements make an intriguing and page turning YA WWII historical fiction novel. In fact, there were so many twists and turns at the end, I could have easily started the book again, to re-read what I missed the first time. For those who loved Salt to the Sea or Code Name Verity.

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Review: She Persisted: 13 American Women Who Changed the World

She Persisted: 13 American Women Who Changed the World by Chelsea Clinton
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

"Sometimes being a girl isn't easy. At some point, someone will probably tell you no, will tell you to be quiet, and may even tell you your dreams are impossible. Don't listen to them."
My only issue with this book is there are far too few women mentioned.
Persist. Always.

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Review: Words in Deep Blue

Words in Deep Blue by Cath Crowley
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

3.5 stars
This is a hard one to review.
Things I loved: Henry and Rachel's love of books; their letter writing; the bookshop; their deep discussions of poetry and literature; their friendship; her grief over Cal; the final letter from Frederic -- wow, it was beautiful.
Things I didn't love: She was really awful to him in the beginning; Amy; Greg; the overabundance of Fbombs -- like, on every page -- I grew so weary of reading that word.



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Review: The Garden of Small Beginnings

The Garden of Small Beginnings by Abbi Waxman
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

4.5 stars
I only bought this book only because I had a "Cartwheel" coupon from Target that made the purchase a bargain $8. Well worth my literary money.

This is a quaint, witty novel about a woman who is still trying to recover and find balance after the death of her husband. It's about complicated family dynamics and unexpected friends. It's about relationships and overcoming fear. And it's about growth and change -- much like the gardening that anchors the book.

I loved the multiple characters and the sharp, bantering dialogue. It made me want to take a gardening class.

A perfect summer novel.

*Language including the Fbomb


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Review: Dark Matter

Dark Matter by Blake Crouch
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

4.5 stars
A family of three goes on a mind-bending, physics-altering, time-warping, metaphysical journey thorough time and space, and the reader is along for the nail-biting ride. Wow!

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Review: Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI

Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI by David Grann
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Currently, Pawhuska OK is most famous for Ree Drummond, The Pioneer Woman, and her Mercantile Store, that brings as many tourists/shoppers to this small town as it has residents.

But at the turn of the century, Pawhuska was knows for oil. And lots of it. And it was owned by the Osage Indian tribe.

In riveting and engrossing detail, author David Grann, details the nearly systematic elimination of the Osage by Whites because of money. Nothing else. The Osage had it. The Whites didn't. By means of murder, poison, explosion, anything to get the "headrights" to the Osage's land and mineral rights.

Growing up, my dad use to tell me stories of the Osage and their wealth -- one I remember was that when one of their cars would run out of gas, instead of filling up the tank, they'd discard it and buy a new one...true or tale, who knows...but as a Oklahoman, I had a vague knowledge of the Osage wealth. I had no idea that many attempted to kill them off because of it.

An extraordinary book. One I could easily start over from page one and read straight through again.


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