The Halloween Tree by Ray Bradbury

Title: The Halloween Tree

Author: Ray Bradbury

Publisher: 1972

Genre: YA Fantasy

Pages: 160

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: 

Join the shadowy Carapace Clavicle Moundshroud as he takes eight trick-or-treaters on an unforgettable journey to find their missing friend, Pip. Travel through space and time, from the tombs of ancient Egypt to the gargoyles of Notre-Dame Cathedral, all the way to the cemeteries of Mexico on el Día de Los Muertos, the Day of the Dead. Is Pip still alive? And if so, can his friends save him from a ghastly fate before it’s too late?

Somehow I had never read this story until this year. I finally picked it up and read this in one afternoon with a cup of tea. I love this twisty tale exploring Halloween through cultures and the years. I loved the story of following the gaggle of boys to rescue their friend Pipkin. Moundshroud is the the best character and I really wish we had a bit more of him. This is definitely the book for young kids that want to be scared. Even I got the chills at a few parts. Such a fun experience.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Bird Box by Josh Malerman

Title: Bird Box

Author: Josh Malerman

Publisher: Ecco 2014

Genre: Horror

Pages: 305

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Perpetual - NPR Horror; Seasonal TBR

Something is out there . . . 

Something terrifying that must not be seen. One glimpse and a person is driven to deadly violence. No one knows what it is or where it came from.

Five years after it began, a handful of scattered survivors remain, including Malorie and her two young children. Living in an abandoned house near the river, she has dreamed of fleeing to a place where they might be safe. Now, that the boy and girl are four, it is time to go. But the journey ahead will be terrifying: twenty miles downriver in a rowboat—blindfolded—with nothing to rely on but her wits and the children’s trained ears. One wrong choice and they will die. And something is following them. But is it man, animal, or monster?

Engulfed in darkness, surrounded by sounds both familiar and frightening, Malorie embarks on a harrowing odyssey—a trip that takes her into an unseen world and back into the past, to the companions who once saved her. Under the guidance of the stalwart Tom, a motely group of strangers banded together against the unseen terror, creating order from the chaos. But when supplies ran low, they were forced to venture outside—and confront the ultimate question: in a world gone mad, who can really be trusted?

I’ve been meaning to pick this one up for years now and I finally got around to it this month. Right away we are plunged into the uncertainty of Malorie’s world without sight. We start to piece together the story between the past and the present in alternating chapters. We slowly learn how Malorie ended up in the situation she is in. The tension just builds and builds and builds. Just like Malerman’s other works, we are treated to his use of atmosphere to create the main horrors of the stories. I loved the unknowns within this novel. I loved finding out what happened to all the other people in the house. I loved seeing Malorie struggle with her own decisions. I wasn’t the biggest fan of the ending. It felt too neat and tidy after all that tension. I’m not debating about reading the second book in the series and/or watching the movie version.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Portrait of a Scotsman by Evie Dunmore

Title: Portrait of a Scotsman (A League of Extraordinary Women #3)

Author: Evie Dunmore

Publisher: Berkley 2021

Genre: Romance

Pages: 426

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Unread Shelf; Seasonal TBR

London banking heiress Hattie Greenfield wanted just three things in life:
1. Acclaim as an artist.
2. A noble cause.
3. Marriage to a young lord who puts the gentle in gentleman.

Why then does this Oxford scholar find herself at the altar with the darkly attractive financier Lucian Blackstone, whose murky past and ruthless business practices strike fear in the hearts of Britain's peerage? Trust Hattie to take an invigorating little adventure too far. Now she's stuck with a churlish Scot who just might be the end of her ambitions....

When the daughter of his business rival all but falls into his lap, Lucian sees opportunity. As a self-made man, he has vast wealth but holds little power, and Hattie might be the key to finally setting long-harbored political plans in motion. Driven by an old desire for revenge, he has no room for his new wife's apprehensions or romantic notions, bewitching as he finds her.

But a sudden journey to Scotland paints everything in a different light. Hattie slowly sees the real Lucian and realizes she could win everything--as long as she is prepared to lose her heart.

I started this book loving the characters and the premise. I was so very into the storyline until about 40% of the way through. It started to get very repetitive for me and I really started to lose interest. My main issue is how Lucian continues to treat Hattie even after they are married, and especially after they have sex. I get the enemies to lovers trope. I get the one bed trope. My issue is fundamentally how he treats her. He’s okay with having sex with her, but cannot have a simple conversation without becoming antagonistic and condescending. I just could not take it. Sure, Hattie is a bit spoiled, but she consistently shows so much compassion for people that it was hard to have Lucian treat her like a child. The dichotomy did me in. I just could not root for their relationship at all. I had high hopes at the end that the big decision would stick, but then we get him showing up all ready to profess his love. I just couldn’t buy it. very disappointed in how this one worked out. It didn’t get my all the warm and fuzzies that I want from my historical romances.

A League of Extraordinary Women

• #1 Bringing Down the Duke

• #2 A Rogue of One’s Own

• #3 Portrait of a Scotsman

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Bloody Chamber by Angela Carter

Title: The Bloody Chamber and Other Stories

Author: Angela Carter

Publisher:

Genre: Horror

Pages: 176

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Perpetual; Seasonal TBR

In The Bloody Chamber , Carter's famous collection of deeply unsettling stories inspired by fairy tales, a Beauty is turned into a Beast and Little Red Riding's grandmother is stoned to death as a witch; a young music student is swept off her feet in Paris by a middle-aged aristocrat and transported to his ancestral abode to re-enact the story of Bluebeard against a sumptuous fin de siècle background; a British soldier on a cycling holiday in Transylvania in the summer of 1914 finds himself the guest of an alluring female vampire. By contrast, in Wise Children, Carter's last novel), the comic, the bawdy and the life-enhancing prevail. An irrepressible elderly lady recalls the many colorful decades she and her sister spent as vaudeville performers - a tale as full of twins and mistaken identities as any plot of Shakespeare's. The early collection, Fireworks , reveals Carter taking her first forays into the fantastic writing that was to become her unforgettable legacy. The Everyman's Library omnibus gathers the best of Angela Carter in one astonishing volume.

I finally read this collection of short stories! And really, it’s a gem of the horror genre. We get a collection of stories that take classic fairy tales and turn them on their heads. The horror is subtle at times, but that makes it all the more terrifying. “The Bloody Chamber” is of course the story of Bluebeard, but we get such tension and buildup to the reveal that it makes it seem like a completely new story. I loved the vampire story as a new viewpoint on the undead in a crumbling mansion. Over and over, I was awed at the atmosphere and tension that Carter created within each short story. I really felt like I was right in the story experiencing the horror first hand. Beautiful and horrific collection!

Next up on the TBR pile:

Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo

Title: Crooked Kingdom (Six of Crows #2)

Author: Leigh Bardugo

Publisher: Henry Holt and Co. 2016

Genre: YA Fantasy

Pages: 561

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Seasonal TBR

When you can’t beat the odds, change the game.

Kaz Brekker and his crew have just pulled off a heist so daring even they didn't think they'd survive. But instead of divvying up a fat reward, they're right back to fighting for their lives. Double-crossed and badly weakened, the crew is low on resources, allies, and hope. As powerful forces from around the world descend on Ketterdam to root out the secrets of the dangerous drug known as jurda parem, old rivals and new enemies emerge to challenge Kaz's cunning and test the team's fragile loyalties. A war will be waged on the city's dark and twisting streets—a battle for revenge and redemption that will decide the fate of the Grisha world.

Oh yes! I was hoping for an action packed end to the story of these six misfits. And we got one. I feel even more for Kaz as he tries to rescue Inej and make the various parties pay for their crimes. I loved attempting to figure out his plan before it was fully revealed. I loved how he connected even more with many of the characters, specifically Wylan, love them together! Beyond Kaz, we finally get to see the other characters come into their own power and identity. There are plenty of heartfelt moments throughout the book that keep me emotionally connected through the various action sequences. I am so in love with the this duology. And we get a tantalizing appearance from Nikolai that should lead into his duology. It’s on my list for later this year! I am sad to leave Kaz, Inej, Jesper, Wylan, Nina, and Matthias, but it was a good ending.

Six of Crows:

• #1 Six of Crows

• #2 Crooked Kingdom

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Guide by Peter Heller

Title: The Guide

Author: Peter Heller

Publisher: Knopf 2021

Genre: Thriller

Pages: 272

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Seasonal TBR; Modern Mrs. Darcy

Kingfisher Lodge, nestled in a canyon on a mile and a half of the most pristine river water on the planet, is known by locals as "Billionaire's Mile" and is locked behind a heavy gate. Sandwiched between barbed wire and a meadow with a sign that reads "Don't Get Shot!" the resort boasts boutique fishing at its finest. Safe from viruses that have plagued America for years, Kingfisher offers a respite for wealthy clients. Now it also promises a second chance for Jack, a return to normalcy after a young life filled with loss. When he is assigned to guide a well-known singer, his only job is to rig her line, carry her gear, and steer her to the best trout he can find.

But then a human scream pierces the night, and Jack soon realizes that this idyllic fishing lodge may be merely a cover for a far more sinister operation. A novel as gripping as it is lyrical, as frightening as it is moving, The Guide is another masterpiece from Peter Heller.

I’m really surprised about how much I have really enjoyed Peter Heller’s books. Heller writes in a beautiful lyrical manner creating a full atmosphere to sink into. Once we dive into the atmosphere, I have really enjoyed learning more about what has happened to Jack since The River. Plus, we get a wonderful tension filled mystery. I sped through this story desperately needing to see what would happen next. Definitely a thrill ride for this month.

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Woods are Always Watching by Stephanie Perkins

Title: The Woods are Always Watching

Author: Stephanie Perkins

Publisher: Dutton Books 2021

Genre: YA Thriller

Pages: 238

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Seasonal TBR

Bears aren’t the only predators in these woods.
Best friends Neena and Josie spent high school as outsiders, but at least they had each other. Now, with college and a two-thousand-mile separation looming on the horizon, they have one last chance to be together—a three-day hike deep into the woods of the Pisgah National Forest.

Simmering tensions lead to a detour off the trail and straight into a waking nightmare … and then into something far worse. Something that will test them in horrifying ways.

TW: Sexual Assault

Another teen thriller from Stephanie Perkins. I was hoping this was going to be fun spooky-ish read. forOctober. Unfortunately, I got a mixed bag on this one. I liked the first half focusing on the relationship between Neena and Josie. Once Josie becomes injured, the tension increases, but my enjoyment decreased. The villains were too focused on the sexual assault. I could not deal with the sexual talk and it really knocked off stars for me.

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Wallflower Wager by Tessa Dare

Title: The Wallflower Wager (Girl meets Duke #3)

Author: Tessa Dare

Publisher: Avon 2019

Genre: Romance

Pages: 369

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Seasonal TBR

Wealthy and ruthless, Gabriel Duke clawed his way from the lowliest slums to the pinnacle of high society—and now he wants to get even.

Loyal and passionate, Lady Penelope Campion never met a lost or wounded creature she wouldn’t take into her home and her heart.

When her imposing—and attractive—new neighbor demands she clear out the rescued animals, Penny sets him a challenge. She will part with her precious charges, if he can find them loving homes.

Done, Gabriel says. How hard can it be to find homes for a few kittens?

And a two-legged dog.

And a foul-mouthed parrot.

And a goat, an otter, a hedgehog . . .

Easier said than done, for a cold-blooded bastard who wouldn’t know a loving home from a workhouse. Soon he’s covered in cat hair, knee-deep in adorable, and bewitched by a shyly pretty spinster who defies his every attempt to resist. Now she’s set her mind and heart on saving him.

Not if he ruins her first.

I must admit that Penny is not my favorite of the quartet of ladies featured in this series. I just am not charmed by her antics. But I must say that Gabriel is one of my favorites. I loved his rags to riches story and his lost boy personality. I guess he needed someone like Penny to bring him out into the open. I loved their romance bits and the appearances by the side characters (especially the banter between Ash and Chase). I didn’t necessarily love Penny’s narration parts. Still, it was a very enjoyable Regency romance. Now I have to wait for the last book in this quartet.

Girl Meets Duke

• #1 The Duchess Deal

• #2 The Governess Game

• #3 The Wallflower Wager

• #4 The Bride Bet

Next up on the TBR pile:

We Begin at the End by Chris Whitaker

Title: We Begin at the End

Author: Chris Whitaker

Publisher: Henry Holt and Co. 2021

Genre: Fiction

Pages: 368

Rating: 2/5 stars

Reading Challenges: 

Duchess Day Radley is a thirteen-year-old self-proclaimed outlaw. Rules are for other people. She is the fierce protector of her five-year-old brother, Robin, and the parent to her mother, Star, a single mom incapable of taking care of herself, let alone her two kids.

Walk has never left the coastal California town where he and Star grew up. He may have become the chief of police, but he’s still trying to heal the old wound of having given the testimony that sent his best friend, Vincent King, to prison decades before. And he's in overdrive protecting Duchess and her brother.

Now, thirty years later, Vincent is being released. And Duchess and Walk must face the trouble that comes with his return.

I just really disliked this book. We (mostly everyone else) picked this one as a book club book. Almost immediately, I knew that this would not be the book for me. I really dislike books that focus on tragic lives. Those books where everything is just so bleak. I really struggle to get into those types of books. I often find that there are no likable characters or at least none that I can really root for. Everyone is just so desperate. That is this book. The random seeming twists to the plot did not do me any favors in connecting to the story and characters. And I thoroughly disliked Duchess. She did not talk or act like a 13 year old. At times, she was very much like a child of 8 and at other times she was too adult. She very much annoyed me. And if I have to hear someone refer to themselves as an “outlaw” more time, I might scream.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Foundation's Edge by Isaac Asimov

Title: Foundation’s Edge

Author: Isaac Asimov

Publisher:

Genre: Science Fiction

Pages: 398

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Perpetual - NPR Scifi

At last, the costly and bitter war between the two Foundations has come to an end. The scientists of the First Foundation have proved victorious, and now they return to Hari Seldon’s long established plan to build a new Empire on the ruins of the old. But rumors persist that the Second Foundation is not destroyed after all—and that its still-defiant survivors are preparing their revenge. Now two exiled citizens of the Foundation—a renegade Councilman and a doddering historian—set out in search of the mythical planet Earth . . . and proof that the Second Foundation still exists.

Meanwhile someone—or something—outside of both Foundations seems to be orchestrating events to suit its own ominous purpose. Soon representatives of both the First and Second Foundations will find themselves racing toward a mysterious world called Gaia and a final, shocking destiny at the very end of the universe.

Oh goodness! This book brought together so many threads that have been building for many books. We get to see a big confrontation between the First Foundation, Second Foundation, and another mystery group. The plot is very fast paced (especially the last 50 pages). The characters are intriguing and interesting. I loved seeing all the reveals and twists as we learn who these characters actually are. We get all the interesting conversations about the past and the future. This book does not make any sense without reading all the previous books, but it was a great payoff for all the pages. I cannot wait to read the final book in this epic series.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Spell or High Water by Scott Meyer

Title: Spell or High Water (Magic 2.0 #2)

Author: Scott Meyer

Publisher: 47North 2014

Genre: Sci-Fantasy

Pages: 442

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges:

The adventures of an American hacker in Medieval England continue as Martin Banks takes his next step on the journey toward mastering his reality-altering powers and fulfilling his destiny. 

A month has passed since Martin helped to defeat the evil programmer Jimmy, and things couldn’t be going better. Except for his love life, that is. Feeling distant and lost, Gwen has journeyed to Atlantis, a tolerant and benevolent kingdom governed by the Sorceresses, and a place known to be a safe haven to all female time-travelers. 

Thankfully, Martin and Philip are invited to a summit in Atlantis for all of the leaders of the time-traveler colonies, and now Martin thinks this will be a chance to try again with Gwen. Of course, this is Martin Banks we’re talking about, so murder, mystery, and high intrigue all get in the way of a guy who just wants one more shot to get the girl.

Another pretty fun scifi fantasy romp through time and space. After the big reveals at the end of the first book, I was hoping that we would get to see Atlantis and more of Gwen. Thankfully that has happened in this book. I loved seeing Gwen and Martin’s relationship developed as well as different sides of Philip. I was less excited about the Jimmy storyline. I did enjoy seeing the trials and tribulations that Miller and Murphy went through, Jimmy was still very annoying. He became even more annoying once he arrived in the past. That storyline was really lacking. Thankfully the murder mystery in Atlantis more than made up for that lack.

Magic 2.0

• #1 Off to Be the Wizard

• #2 Spell or High Water

• #3 An Unwelcome Quest

• #4 Fight or Flight

• #5 Out of Spite, Out of Mind

• #6 The Vexed Generation

Next up on the TBR pile:

In a Holidaze by Christina Lauren

Title: In a Holidaze

Author: Christina Lauren

Publisher: Gallery Books 2020

Genre: Romance

Pages: 336

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges:

It’s the most wonderful time of the year…but not for Maelyn Jones. She’s living with her parents, hates her going-nowhere job, and has just made a romantic error of epic proportions.

But perhaps worst of all, this is the last Christmas Mae will be at her favorite place in the world—the snowy Utah cabin where she and her family have spent every holiday since she was born, along with two other beloved families. Mentally melting down as she drives away from the cabin for the final time, Mae throws out what she thinks is a simple plea to the universe: Please. Show me what will make me happy.

The next thing she knows, tires screech and metal collides, everything goes black. But when Mae gasps awake…she’s on an airplane bound for Utah, where she begins the same holiday all over again. With one hilarious disaster after another sending her back to the plane, Mae must figure out how to break free of the strange time loop—and finally get her true love under the mistletoe.

A lovely fun romance set at Christmas. I know that I’m a bit early for holiday reads, but I got on a contemporary romance kick and decided to read it now. I really did enjoy this novel. It was fairly light and breezy with some fun moments and a sweet romance. I love Maelyn’s chaotic energy throughout her various Groundhog Day days. I really loved many of the side characters and the focus on Maelyn’s found family. I wasn’t completely in love with Andrew myself and kept waiting for some big twist, but it didn’t come. I can’t quite place why I didn’t love Andrew; maybe we didn’t get of his personality? I wasn’t totally there for their romance, but it was a decently fun romance book.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Second Foundation by Isaac Asimov

Title: Second Foundation

Author: Isaac Asimov

Publisher:

Genre: Science Fiction

Pages: 304

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Perpetual - NPR Scifi

The Foundation lies in ruins—destroyed by a mutant mind bent on humanity’s annihilation. But it’s rumored that there’s a Second Foundation hidden somewhere at the end of the Galaxy, established as insurance to preserve the knowledge of mankind. Now a desperate race has begun between the survivors of the First Foundation and an alien entity to find this last flicker of humanity’s shining past—and future hope. Yet the key to it all might be a fourteen-year-old girl burdened with a terrible secret. Is she the Foundation’s savior—or its deadliest enemy?

This was such a ride! We’re immediately thrown back into the chaos of the power struggle between the First and Second Foundations. We finally get the reveal of where the Second Foundation is based (How did I not see that? Obvious and yet such a surprise.) and we meet the First Speaker ( I did not see that coming!). Thankfully we get to follow a fun and adventurous young lady, Arkady, throughout the galaxy to seek the answers to all the big questions. After that whirlwind of a book, I cannot wait to see what happens next. Who will emerge at the leaders of the galaxy? Will they ever figure out that Earth is the home planet of us all? I’m so close to the end.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Off to Be the Wizard by Scott Meyer

Title: Off to Be the Wizard (Magic 2.0 #1)

Author: Scott Meyer

Publisher: 47North 2014

Genre: Sci-Fantasy

Pages: 277

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges:

Martin Banks is just a normal guy who has made an abnormal discovery: he can manipulate reality, thanks to reality being nothing more than a computer program. With every use of this ability, though, Martin finds his little “tweaks” have not escaped notice. Rather than face prosecution, he decides instead to travel back in time to the Middle Ages and pose as a wizard.

What could possibly go wrong?

An American hacker in King Arthur's court, Martin must now train to become a full-fledged master of his powers, discover the truth behind the ancient wizard Merlin…and not, y'know, die or anything.

J downloaded this audio book for our road trip enjoyment. He has read the entire series and has been wanting me to read them too. This is a fun and delightful medieval magical romp featuring a very silly, but likable main character. I loved the scenes of typical life in medieval England and the random side characters. The “exorcism” scene was my absolute favorite! I was laughing so hard. The ending battle with Merlin was a bit overwrought in places, but I do love the reveals of Jimmy’s plan. This was a quick listen and perfect for our road trip mindset.

Magic 2.0

• #1 Off to Be the Wizard

• #2 Spell or High Water

• #3 An Unwelcome Quest

• #4 Fight or Flight

• #5 Out of Spite, Out of Mind

• #6 The Vexed Generation

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Governess Game by Tessa Dare

Title: The Governess Game (Girl meets Duke #2)

Author: Tessa Dare

Publisher: Avon 2018

Genre: Romance

Pages: 385

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges:

The accidental governess

After her livelihood slips through her fingers, Alexandra Mountbatten takes on an impossible post: transforming a pair of wild orphans into proper young ladies. However, the girls don’t need discipline. They need a loving home. Try telling that to their guardian, Chase Reynaud: duke’s heir in the streets and devil in the sheets. The ladies of London have tried—and failed—to make him settle down. Somehow, Alexandra must reach his heart . . . without risking her own.

The infamous rake

Like any self-respecting libertine, Chase lives by one rule: no attachments. When a stubborn little governess tries to reform him, he decides to give her an education—in pleasure. That should prove he can’t be tamed. But Alexandra is more than he bargained for: clever, perceptive, passionate. She refuses to see him as a lost cause. Soon the walls around Chase’s heart are crumbling . . . and he’s in danger of falling, hard.

Another fun Regency romance. I was totally invested in Alex and Chase right from the start. I loved their dynamic and their banter. I especially loved the inclusion of Daisy and Rosamund as very important characters to the story. I love how Tessa Dare writes banter between characters. That is really what keeps me coming back time and again to this genre. The steamy scenes were not anything particularly different or new, but they definitely got the job done. I can’t wait to pick up the next book in this series.

Girl Meets Duke

• #1 The Duchess Deal

• #2 The Governess Game

• #3 The Wallflower Wager

• #4 The Bride Bet

Next up on the TBR pile:

Neon Gods by Katee Robert

Title: Neon Gods (Dark Olympus #1)

Author: Katee Robert

Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca 2021

Genre: Romance

Pages: 386

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: 

Society darling Persephone Dimitriou plans to flee the ultra-modern city of Olympus and start over far from the backstabbing politics of the Thirteen Houses. But all that's ripped away when her mother ambushes her with an engagement to Zeus, the dangerous power behind their glittering city's dark facade.

With no options left, Persephone flees to the forbidden undercity and makes a devil's bargain with a man she once believed a myth...a man who awakens her to a world she never knew existed.

Hades has spent his life in the shadows, and he has no intention of stepping into the light. But when he finds that Persephone can offer a little slice of the revenge he's spent years craving, it's all the excuse he needs to help her—for a price. Yet every breathless night spent tangled together has given Hades a taste for Persephone, and he'll go to war with Olympus itself to keep her close...

Hmmm.. Overall, I enjoyed this contemporary romance. I have always enjoyed the myth of Persephone and Hades. It was nice to see a contemporary version of the story. I liked the connection between the two main characters. The occasional appearance of Hermes was a delightful inclusion. I very much enjoyed the steamy scenes. Although I warn you that they are very open door. Nothing I haven’t read before, but very open door. Be forewarned. I would have liked the author to be a little less on-the-nose about the who each character is and I don’t quite understand the logistics of the River Styx. But overall, I really did enjoy the book. Another book as part of my slightly lighter weight September reads.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Four Hundred Souls edited by Ibram X. Kendi and Keisha N. Blain

Title: Four Hundred Souls: A Community History of African America, 1619-2019

Edited By: Ibram X. Kendi and Keisha N. Blain

Publisher: One World 2021

Genre: Nonfiction - U.S. History

Pages: 453

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Seasonal TBR

The story begins in 1619—a year before the Mayflower—when the White Lion disgorges “some 20-and-odd Negroes” onto the shores of Virginia, inaugurating the African presence in what would become the United States. It takes us to the present, when African Americans, descendants of those on the White Lion and a thousand other routes to this country, continue a journey defined by inhuman oppression, visionary struggles, stunning achievements, and millions of ordinary lives passing through extraordinary history.

Four Hundred Souls is a unique one-volume “community” history of African Americans. The editors, Ibram X. Kendi and Keisha N. Blain, have assembled ninety brilliant writers, each of whom takes on a five-year period of that four-hundred-year span. The writers explore their periods through a variety of techniques: historical essays, short stories, personal vignettes, and fiery polemics. They approach history from various perspectives: through the eyes of towering historical icons or the untold stories of ordinary people; through places, laws, and objects. While themes of resistance and struggle, of hope and reinvention, course through the book, this collection of diverse pieces from ninety different minds, reflecting ninety different perspectives, fundamentally deconstructs the idea that Africans in America are a monolith—instead it unlocks the startling range of experiences and ideas that have always existed within the community of Blackness.

This is a history that illuminates our past and gives us new ways of thinking about our future, written by the most vital and essential voices of our present.

This book has been my slow-but-steady for the past two months or so. There is so much information packed into these essays. To properly focus on the essays, I only read one or two a day until I got the end. Many of the facts presented in the book I knew from my college classes. The authors both conveyed the information and the devastating emotions and after effects of the events presented. This is a hard book to read, but absolutely essential to understand the state of our country today.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Foundation and Empire by Isaac Asimov

Title: Foundation and Empire

Author: Isaac Asimov

Publisher:

Genre: Science Fiction

Pages: 320

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Perpetual -

Led by its founding father, the psychohistorian Hari Seldon, and utilizing science and technology, the Foundation survived the greed and barbarism of its neighboring warrior-planets. Now cleverness and courage may not be enough. For the Empire—the mightiest force in the Galaxy—is even more dangerous in its death throes. Even worse, a mysterious entity called the Mule has appeared with powers beyond anything humanly conceivable. Who—or what—is the Mule? And how is humanity to defend itself against this invulnerable avatar of annihilation?

A bit uneven, but this book has furthered the saga so much! I am desperate to know what happens to the Foundation and to the Second Foundation. I cannot wait until the secrets of Star’s End are revealed. For this book, I had to settle for seeing how Foundation centered on Terminus rose to the the status of a Galactic Empire. We get to see the big confrontation between the Foundation and the Old Empire. Very interested within the larger saga of the galaxy.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Injection Vol. 3

Title: Injection Vol. 3

Author: Warren Ellis, Jordie Bellaire, Declan Shalvey

Publisher: Image 2017

Genre: Graphic Novel

Pages: 120

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: 

An archaeological dig in Cornwall has gone very wrong, very quickly. And Maria Kilbride has her hands full already, as the effects of the Injection begin to dig in. So Brigid Roth, her old comrade from the CCCU, gets hired to go to a stone circle in the middle of a moor, under a granite tor, to find out why a ritual murder might have torn a hole in the world.

What is the Cold House?

We’re back to the very strange dip into the supernatural while following Brigid’s adventures. I think she is my favorite out the five so far. I loved her approach to information and tackling the unknown. Plus, we get some great folklore and a very interesting archaeologist. I cannot wait to read more in this series. Unfortunately, it looks like this series has not continued to be written.

Injection Vol. 2

Title: Injection Vol. 2

Author: Warren Ellis, Jordie Bellaire, Declan Shalvey

Publisher: Image 2016

Genre: Graphic Novel

Pages: 120

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: 

Consulting detective Vivek Headland, originally of the group that caused the release of a haunted artificial intelligence into the world, lives and works in New York, dealing with all the strangeness that very strange city can throw at him. But a case involving a stolen ghost and human deli meat causes him to call for help, as the details of the investigation reveal a new battleground between humanity and The Injection.

Oh I see! Every trade focuses on one of the people who created the Injection. This time, we get more insight into Vivek Headland and his very unusual life. I loved learning more about Vivek and more about what they created. The revelation of the ham sandwich was very disturbing.