Man this book is good. Bradley writes the history with a pervasive urgency that makes these 50-ish year old events seem new and crucial, and the way hMan this book is good. Bradley writes the history with a pervasive urgency that makes these 50-ish year old events seem new and crucial, and the way he tells the stories -- of the UMWA abandonment of its members, of the union's corruption, of Yablonski's doomed campaign for change, of the pursuit of his killers -- makes them thrilling. One of the best niche history books I've read in a very long time, and one with an importance that extends far beyond unions and mining.
Thanks to NetGalley and WW Norton and Co. for the ARC....more
I'm not sure what I expected from this book, but in the end I found it somewhat disappointing and conventional. Though there's a very good chapter of I'm not sure what I expected from this book, but in the end I found it somewhat disappointing and conventional. Though there's a very good chapter of the abandonment of southern Blacks in 1877 + the Supreme Court's gutting of the Reconstruction amendments, Bellesiles often uses a very strange definition of "equality," insisting that during the Civil War the majority of Americans believed in racial equality, something which, given the racism of both regions of the country both during and after the war, is absurd on its face. (Since Bellesiles takes Lincoln tipping his cap to a Black man as evidence of his assertion, I think it's safe to say that the "equality" he sees was superficial at best.)
Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC....more
Attempting to cover 500 years of history in a single volume is ambitious, no matter the topic, but Eric Jay Dolin does an impressive job of being bothAttempting to cover 500 years of history in a single volume is ambitious, no matter the topic, but Eric Jay Dolin does an impressive job of being both thorough and efficient in his examination of five centuries of American interactions with hurricanes. There are the expected jaw-dropping numbers and mind-blowing photos, but Dolin also effectively incorporates the history of forecasting into his book, alongside personal stories that help illustrate the impact of each storm he examines. A Furious Sky is engaging throughout, and often viscerally upsetting in its discussion of the costs of -- and responses to -- storms. Perhaps most impressively, Dolin comfortably engages with the political tensions surrounding a number of the storms, foregrounding accuracy of reporting over concern about offended people who object to the fact he's reporting (be it about Katrina, Maria, or a number of earlier storms).
Thanks to NetGalley and W.W. Norton for the ARC....more
What a glorious book this is! The Africa-inspired world in which Ifueko sets her story is a living thing, full of heat (and extreme cold) and noise anWhat a glorious book this is! The Africa-inspired world in which Ifueko sets her story is a living thing, full of heat (and extreme cold) and noise and nausea and beauty, and it's an absolute delight to explore it with her characters. At the center of this incredible settling is an independent, curious, determined girl with ferocious agency and great passion for truth and justice and the people she loves. Honestly, it's all just wonderful -- spectacular writing, an inspiring-as-hell main character (who is sincerely revered by her male friends even as she resists acknowledging her own power, something YA lit needs a hell of a lot more of), and a stunning magic system so confidently drawn that you never question it for a moment.
TL;DR: So, it turns out that Jordan Ifueko is pretty darn good at this writing thing.
Thanks to NetGalley and Amulet Books for the ARC....more
RTC, but this is very good, albeit harrowing at times -- I thought of The Yellow Wallpaper a lot, particularly during the book's middle section (whichRTC, but this is very good, albeit harrowing at times -- I thought of The Yellow Wallpaper a lot, particularly during the book's middle section (which is a big compliment, obv). Another ridiculously impressive work from a first-time novelist.
Thanks to NetGalley and Farrar, Straus and Giroux for the ARC....more
The opening of The House in the Cerulean Sea gives no hint of what's ahead. It's office-bound, and our main character Linus is surrounded by awful peoThe opening of The House in the Cerulean Sea gives no hint of what's ahead. It's office-bound, and our main character Linus is surrounded by awful people and terrible situations; such is their unpleasantness that it's difficult to get through, at times. BUT. The moment the story and Linus leave the office and the city and go to the house of the title, everything changes. From that point on, the book is glorious -- it's sentimental, ferociously weird, extremely gay, and just profoundly, deeply lovely. After the first third or so, I was half in tears virtually the entire time I was reading, such was the simple generosity and profundity of the relationships and growth on display.
It's a very special book. Read it immediately, please.
I absolutely adored the first half of this book with its focus on regional history, the realities of economic inequity, and vivid dActual rating: 3.5.
I absolutely adored the first half of this book with its focus on regional history, the realities of economic inequity, and vivid descriptions of the relevant areas of West Virginia and people living there. The second half, however, was dominated by memoir, which I found much less appealing. While the mere act of writing a memoir could be considered self-indulgent, I tend to find the practice troubling only when it's inserted into the story of another. This was the case with David Grann's Killers of the Flower Moon, the last chapter of which left behind what had been an excellent history to focus on Grann himself, and it is very much the case here, where Eisenberg inserts no only her history with the region she's exploring, but also her experiences and life since then into the true crime-ish story she's been crafting. While her life is certainly compelling at times, the assumption that it deserves equal standing alongside the murders she's set out to explore -- and the context she's so determined to provide -- is dubious at best. This is no doubt a matter of personal taste, and writers and reviewers for whom I have tremendous respect have praised The Third Rainbow Girl to the skies; in total, I suppose, it just wasn't for me.
Thanks to NetGalley and Hachette Books for the ARC....more
It's hard for me to find the right words to explain how great Steel Crow Saga is -- I can describe it, certainly, but no description will be able to eIt's hard for me to find the right words to explain how great Steel Crow Saga is -- I can describe it, certainly, but no description will be able to encompass the book's multi-layered emotional punch, or Krueger's remarkable ability to simultaneously tell both huge and tiny stories. His world is one made up of brown people, cultures with connections to what we think of as those in Asia, India, and the Middle East; this alone is refreshing and notable, given how few fantasy books are willing (even now) to not center white, western culture. Similarly, none of the cultures sees heterosexuality as compulsory; the causal dropping of phrases like "his husband" into historical tales remains incredibly powerful. Not only are the cultures clearly differentiated by things like dress, traditions, and language, but they also have totally different types of magic, differences which, in many cases, lead to profound racism in a world full of colonialism, war, and hate. Our main characters are all from different cultures and, in the space of less than a week, are forced to learn to deal with one another (at first in pairs and then in larger or mixed groups), and to address their own prejudices, assumptions, and mistakes.
What's most impressive about all of this, however, might just be the way Krueger is able to make his story feel deeply relevant without hitting the reader over the head with it, and without sacrificing any of the world he's created. Without this grace, the story would be far less powerful but, as it is, there are times when it's almost overwhelming (in a good way).
TL;DR HOLY CRAP IT'S SO GOOD YOU GUYS.
Thanks to Random house and NetGalley for the ARC....more
Ford does a nice job of making his main character a mouthy teenager without doing the whole THIS IS A TEEN LOOK AT HOW TEEN SHE IS! thing that far tooFord does a nice job of making his main character a mouthy teenager without doing the whole THIS IS A TEEN LOOK AT HOW TEEN SHE IS! thing that far too many YA author do. The supporting cast, too, are largely compelling and, while it's never fun to spend even fictional time with a psychopath, big bads aren't always very appealing. Away from the characters, the story movies ridiculously fast, and just when you think it's finally calming down, something else blows up (either literally or figuratively), a reality which makes The Girl Who Could Move Sh*t with her Mind a lot of fun to read. My only major issue was the way the main characters viewed romantic relationships, largely because I couldn't tell whether or not Ford expected us to accept/support her thinking (if so, yikes). That said, I did find it distracting how often British spellings and words were used. Since the story was set in LA and no one we met wasn't either American or Mexican, it was really jarring to see word/spelling choices that could easily have been adjusted so they more smoothly came from the mouths/minds of the people in the book.
Thanks to Orbit Books + NetGalley for the ARC....more
There's a sub-genre of gay romance in which the path to the story's happy ending is laid out in neon from the start, but that's not Actual rating: 3.5
There's a sub-genre of gay romance in which the path to the story's happy ending is laid out in neon from the start, but that's not a complaint -- it's great to read stories in which good triumphs, and with the people who are traditionally marginalized at the heroic center. Going Off Script is very much one of these stories, and it's a light, enjoyable read, chock full of LGBTQIA+ representation, and featuring a very welcome non-white love interest.
Thanks to Swoon Reads + NetGalley for the ARC....more
A day might come when it's not worth mentioning that a book is full of people who aren't white and features characters who aren't straight, but that dA day might come when it's not worth mentioning that a book is full of people who aren't white and features characters who aren't straight, but that day isn't here yet, so I'm still going to say that it was wonderful to dive into a fully formed, fantastic world without a white face in sight. The characters are morally grey and fully developed, and the story builds at a gradual-yet-inexorable pace. Yes, the big twist could been seen coming from hundreds of miles away, but it doesn't really matter -- the anticipation was fun, and the climax of the story remained very effective.
**spoiler alert** There's a lot going on here -- three different timelines, one a novel-with-in-a-novel and the two others many decades apart -- but T**spoiler alert** There's a lot going on here -- three different timelines, one a novel-with-in-a-novel and the two others many decades apart -- but Talley manages them well. The characters are distinct without losing their crucial connections, and Talley does a nice job of throwing in a big twist just as things begin to feel predictable. My issues with the book could ultimately be simply a matter of taste, but it puts me off when writers throw in very 'now' references (to the Danica Roem campaign, for example) because they feel like shortcut attempts to Connect with the Kids of Today, and I really struggle to accept depictions of the world in which essentially everyone is queer (I would love to live in one, but the reality is that we don't). In addition, the main character is deeply unlikeable for much of the story, treating everyone around her incredibly unfairly and regularly disrespecting all of them. I suppose one could make a case for the fact that this is the way a kid struggling with major stressors might act, but the eventual shift from that state to what is essentially flawless self-awareness and insight is pretty unconvincing.
TL;DR An engaging read on a rarely explored topic, undermined by some frustrations.
Thanks to Harlequin Teen and NetGalley for the ARC....more
I am flummoxed by the early "too long, couldn't get into it" reviews for this book. Yes, it's long, but my god -- the worldbuildingActual rating: 4.5.
I am flummoxed by the early "too long, couldn't get into it" reviews for this book. Yes, it's long, but my god -- the worldbuilding is unrestrained in its ambition, shit is happening all the damn time, it's dark as hell and, often, is fully of nasty surprises. I can't remember the last time I yelled "... THAT MOTHERFUCKER" (and assorted variations thereof) at a book once, let alone multiple times. By which I mean: it's exciting and gratifying in a delightfully shameless, pulpy way and, overall, pretty damn great. My only real complaint is that the sex scenes seemed a bit cliche and same-y, but I'm starting to realize I react that way to basically all sex scenes, so this could well be a 'it's not you, it's me' situation.
Anyone who digs fantasy stories driven by badass ladies who make their own decisions and don't bow before anyone should read the hell out of this book and get excited for the two more (!!!) that are coming.
Thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Fire for the ARC....more
It takes maybe two pages of one of Megan Abbott books to start feeling that familiar creeping dread, by which point you're already Actual rating: 4.5.
It takes maybe two pages of one of Megan Abbott books to start feeling that familiar creeping dread, by which point you're already hooked. This was very much the case with Give Me Your Hand, another story of a relationship between adolescent girls and its many, usually shattering, consequences. And my use of the word 'another' there isn't derisive -- it's what Abbott writes about, and she does it very, very well. The interesting thing about this particular effort is that the reader often knows what's going to happen before the characters do, and yet it doesn't matter at all. As is often the case with Abbott, the telling and means of discovery are far more important than the events that take place, so being able to anticipate those events offers the reader little protection. My only complaint is that one element of the postscript ties things up a little bit too neatly, but even with that flaw, the book is nearly impossible to put down.
Thanks to NetGalley and Little, Brown and Company for the ARC....more
I'm a little surprised by how much I enjoyed this -- Cliff's voice is great, and the breakneck pacing of the story and the lives therein is compellingI'm a little surprised by how much I enjoyed this -- Cliff's voice is great, and the breakneck pacing of the story and the lives therein is compelling and, against all odds, seems realistic. Alternately fun and very compelling.
Thanks to Disney Book Group and NetGalley for the ARC....more
I loved this fucking book, internet. It is, as they say, EVERYTHING, and every girl between like 11 and 17 needs to be assigned to read it somehow.
OkI loved this fucking book, internet. It is, as they say, EVERYTHING, and every girl between like 11 and 17 needs to be assigned to read it somehow.
Ok, let me back up. For the first 1/4 or 1/3 of Moxie, I was pretty cynical. Things were painfully on the nose -- a boy who repeatedly says "but ... not all boys!", cartoon villain football players, one dimensionally sexists authority figures and institutions, etc, etc -- but as the book developed, so did its depth. Most importantly, its central female characters are wonderful, from Vivian and her pining for the days of riot grrls who desperately immerses herself in Bikini Kill without really knowing why, to her friends old and new, to Emma, the school's perfect cheerleading, spreadsheet-making flower. At its core, Moxie is a story of these girls finding their power, first learning to face the world on their own and then, gloriously, learning that they're not actually alone, not even close. (I wouldn't admit it out loud, but just writing that gives me chills.)
I'm a teacher who's around teen girls all the time, and I've got a 10-year-old niece who is creeping up on that world with alarming speed. And all of them -- every single one -- need to know about the power they have. They need this book.
Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan for the ARC....more
Though the presence of realism in a book about Spiderman might seem irrelevant at best, it's in fact the greatest strength of Miles Morales. As he shoThough the presence of realism in a book about Spiderman might seem irrelevant at best, it's in fact the greatest strength of Miles Morales. As he showed in All American Boys (among others), Reynolds has a real gift for writing real people in real situations, having real conversations; Miles and those who surround him are no different. It must be a difficult task to seriously address socioeconomic inequality, racism, and violent crime within what is essentially a supernatural YA story, but Reynolds pulls it off without a hitch, and it's great.
Thanks to NetGalley and Disney Book Group for the ARC....more
From the first page, this book is completely bananas in a wonderfully joyous, unhinged way. I can't tell you how gratifying it is to read a book in whFrom the first page, this book is completely bananas in a wonderfully joyous, unhinged way. I can't tell you how gratifying it is to read a book in which supernatural stuff happens and the main female character, rather than responding with some version of "OMG, he's so hot, I'm going to just stick around despite all the oddness because hot!" heads for the hills because "HOLY SHIT EVERYTHING IS SO WEIRD AND WRONG WRONG WRONG." Add to that Genie's wonky confidence and wholly individual personality, and the book is a hell of a lot of fun. In addition to an engaging (did I mention bananas?) central plot, the story is shot through with myth and legend, anchored firmly in Chinese history and folklore. It's great to read a book that is so effortlessly #ownvoices, particularly when it feels like nods to marginalized identities and stories are increasingly token rather than sincere and well-rounded.
TL; DR: Recommended. Like, a lot.
Thanks to NetGalley and Abrams Kids for the ARC!...more
From what I can tell this is O'Sullivan's debut novel, a fact which makes its easy, natural rhythms even more impressive. She tells an individual, heaFrom what I can tell this is O'Sullivan's debut novel, a fact which makes its easy, natural rhythms even more impressive. She tells an individual, heartfelt story about one family's experience fleeing Katrina in a low-key, restrained manner that seems counterintuitive but is, in fact, the perfect vehicle through which the reader can get to know Evangeline and her world. In a lot of ways, the rhythms of the book echo those of Evangeline -- she's still a kid but, even in crisis, she's contained and instinctively confident, moving slowly toward her dreams with only occasional doubts.
Evangeline is a delightful character, and those around her are equally sharply drawn, from her friends (both in ATL and Louisiana) to her family, particularly a cousin in New Orleans, her sister, who struggles mightily with the changes wrought by Katrina, and her grandmother, who O'Sullivan manages to render a wise, gentle matriarch without allowing her to collapse into cliche.
I'm doing a terrible job really describing this book so here's the tl; dr version: it's quietly, gently, comfortably great....more
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