Recursion by Blake Crouch

Title: Recursion

Author: Blake Crouch

Publisher: Crown 2019

Genre: Science Fiction

Pages: 326

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Library Love; Dancing with Fantasy and Science Fiction - Time Travel

Memory makes reality. 
 
That’s what NYC cop Barry Sutton is learning, as he investigates the devastating phenomenon the media has dubbed False Memory Syndrome—a mysterious affliction that drives its victims mad with memories of a life they never lived.
 
That’s what neuroscientist Helena Smith believes. It’s why she’s dedicated her life to creating a technology that will let us preserve our most precious memories. If she succeeds, anyone will be able to re-experience a first kiss, the birth of a child, the final moment with a dying parent. 
 
As Barry searches for the truth, he comes face to face with an opponent more terrifying than any disease—a force that attacks not just our minds, but the very fabric of the past. And as its effects begin to unmake the world as we know it, only he and Helena, working together, will stand a chance at defeating it.
 
But how can they make a stand when reality itself is shifting and crumbling all around them?

I loved every page of this book! I thought I really enjoyed Dark Matter, but this one was much more nuanced. The storyline is fast pace enough to keep me engaged. The science is explained, but the reader doesn’t need to have a complete grasp of the science to enjoy. The characters are interesting and real. I got about halfway through the book and thought a conclusion was coming. And it was in a sense. But then the book changed direction and really started flying. I will be pushing this book in J’s hands next.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Odds and Ends

Here's my randomness for the week:

• Arthur’s first week of Kindergarten is going well, but may goodness the schedule change is drastic.

• So close to finishing S4 of Lucifer. If only I could find an hour here or there.

• Need to go to the library and pick up holds again. My never-ending task.

• I should make a cake this week. Got a recipe for a lemon pistachio cake that looks pretty amazing.

• The lawn is getting a bit wild.

• I should make a Q and I bucket list for this fall while Arthur is in school.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Lock Every Door by Riley Sager

Title: Lock Every Door

Author: Riley Sager

Publisher: Dutton 2019

Genre: Thriller

Pages: 384

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: UnRead Shelf

No visitors. No nights spent away from the apartment. No disturbing the other residents, all of whom are rich or famous or both. These are the only rules for Jules Larsen’s new job as an apartment sitter at the Bartholomew, one of Manhattan's most high-profile and mysterious buildings. Recently heartbroken and just plain broke, Jules is taken in by the splendor of her surroundings and accepts the terms, ready to leave her past life behind.

As she gets to know the residents and staff of the Bartholomew, Jules finds herself drawn to fellow apartment sitter Ingrid, who comfortingly reminds her of the sister she lost eight years ago. When Ingrid confides that the Bartholomew is not what it seems and the dark history hidden beneath its gleaming facade is starting to frighten her, Jules brushes it off as a harmless ghost story . . . until the next day, when Ingrid disappears.

Searching for the truth about Ingrid’s disappearance, Jules digs deeper into the Bartholomew's sordid past and into the secrets kept within its walls. What she discovers pits Jules against the clock as she races to unmask a killer, expose the building’s hidden past, and escape the Bartholomew before her temporary status becomes permanent.

My Book of the Month selection for July and I’m so glad I picked it. I needed a book that was exactly what I was expecting it to be and this one delivered. I wanted an edge of my seat thriller full of suspense, interesting characters, and a satisfying conclusion. I got it! I read this book in less than 8 hours. It was a ride from page one until the very last page. I loved following Jules as she navigates the horror housed in the Bartholomew. Could not put it down! Now I really need to pick up Sager’s other two thrillers.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Lumberjanes Vol. 8

Title: Lumberjanes Vol. 8: Stone Cold

Author: Shannon Watters, Kate Levh, Noelle Stevenson, Grace Ellis, Brooke Allen, Maarta Laiho, Carey Pietsch

Publisher: BOOM! 2018

Genre: Graphic Novel

Pages: 112

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Graphic Novel

Five best friends at summer camp take friendship to the max when they team up to defeat the strange forces lurking within the surrounding forest.

Excited to have Barney starting their first week at the camp, the Roanokes run over to the Zodiac cabin, only to find everyone turned to stone! Between strange shadows and Diane being back, it looks like April, Jo, Mal, Molly, and Ripley are going to have their hands full trying to find a cure for their friends . . . as long as they don’t look the wrong thing in the eye first.

Oh yeah! We get the return of Diane/Artemis! Loved this adventure featuring a variety of Greek characters and some giant birds. This series is a breath of fresh air. I love dipping back into the lives of the Roanoke girls every once in awhile.

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Mermaid and Mrs. Hancock by Imogen Hermes Gowar

Title: The Mermaid and Mrs. Hancock

Author: Imogen Hermes Gowar

Publisher: Harper 2018

Genre: Fiction

Pages: 496

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: UnRead Shelf; Dancing with Fantasy and Scifi - Set In Our World

One September evening in 1785, Jonah Hancock hears an urgent knocking on his front door near the docks of London. The captain of one of Jonah’s trading vessels is waiting eagerly on the front step, bearing shocking news. On a voyage to the Far East, he sold the Jonah’s ship for something rare and far more precious: a mermaid. Jonah is stunned—the object the captain presents him is brown and wizened, as small as an infant, with vicious teeth and claws, and a torso that ends in the tail of a fish. It is also dead.

As gossip spreads through the docks, coffee shops, parlors and brothels, all of London is curious to see this marvel in Jonah Hancock’s possession. Thrust from his ordinary existence, somber Jonah finds himself moving from the city’s seedy underbelly to the finest drawing rooms of high society. At an opulent party, he makes the acquaintance of the coquettish Angelica Neal, the most desirable woman he has ever laid eyes on—and a shrewd courtesan of great accomplishment. This meeting sparks a perilous liaison that steers both their lives onto a dangerous new course as they come to realize that priceless things often come at the greatest cost.

Another Book of the Month selection that’s been sitting on my shelf for way too long. I picked this one up not really knowing what to expect. Ultimately, I really liked this story involving a merchant, a courtesan, a mermaid, and a real mermaid? However, this really took awhile to get into this story. The first 100 pages are pretty slow moving and are very focused on the Mr. Hancock and Angelica’s separate storylines. Once we get them together, the story really picks up. The writing style is a bit strange. It is written in the style of the late 1800s. Definitely a style that takes some time to get used to, but I did enjoy the writing. Interesting book, but not one that I would recommend to everyone.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Music Monday - New Found Glory "A Thousand Years"

A fun throwback. Love it!

Life Right Now #22

On my bedside table: Lock Every Door by Rile Sager; Recursion by Blake Crouch

On my TV: J and I caught up with Elementary and finished S2 of Game of Thrones. We also threw in a movie and a documentary this week. I solo watched a few more episodes of Lucifer S4.

Listening to: The usual: NPR podcasts, Pod Save America, Currently Reading, What Should I Read Next, From the Front Porch. I also finished To Live and Die in L.A. S1.

On the menu:

• Monday - Shrimp Burrito Bowls

• Tuesday - Coffee Rubbed Pork Loin

• Wednesday - Leftovers

• Thursday - Buffalo Chicken Nachoes

• Friday - Jalapeno Popper Bacon and Bean Soup

• Saturday - Pizza Grilled Cheese

• Sunday - Cheesy Artichoke Pasta

On my to do list: Ummm… guess I need to make a to do list today.

Happening this week:

• Monday - Arthur’s First Day of Kindergarten!!!!!! Q and I have a splash pad park playdate while Arthur is in school.

• Tuesday - Park Playdate with Q; Dentist appointments for both kids

• Wednesday - Q’s Romp n Roll Class; After school park time; Book Club for me

• Thursday - Nothing so far

• Friday - Probably Children’s Museum Day

• Saturday - Crop Day

• Sunday - Crop Day

What I am creating: Absolutely nothing. I really need to get back to being creative this week. I should probably block out some time in the afternoon before we pick up Arthur from school.

My simple pleasures: Laying in bed uninterrupted (seriously, I’ve been so tired); a good cup of coffee savored in the morning; shaved ice

What I’m planning: All the activities with Q while Arthur is in school. We need to establish some sort of weekly routine.

Looking around the house: The boys need to pick up the playroom today. I would like to have it clean before school starts.

Looking forward to: Hearing about Arthur’s first day!

From the camera: The twins moved into the dorm at the Indiana Academy! So excited for this year!

Waiting for Tom Hanks by Kerry Winfrey

Title: Waiting for Tom Hanks

Author: Kerry Winfrey

Publisher: Jove 2019

Genre: Romance Comedy

Pages: 274

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Library Love; Literary Escapes - OH

Annie Cassidy dreams of being the next Nora Ephron. She spends her days writing screenplays, rewatching Sleepless in Seattle, and waiting for her movie-perfect meet-cute. If she could just find her own Tom Hanks—a man who’s sweet, sensitive, and possibly owns a houseboat—her problems would disappear and her life would be perfect. But Tom Hanks is nowhere in sight.

When a movie starts filming in her neighborhood and Annie gets a job on set, it seems like a sign. Then Annie meets the lead actor, Drew Danforth, a cocky prankster who couldn’t be less like Tom Hanks if he tried. Their meet-cute is more of a meet-fail, but soon Annie finds herself sharing some classic rom-com moments with Drew. Her Tom Hanks can’t be an actor who’s leaving town in a matter of days...can he?

Way over-hyped and too cliched for me to enjoy that much. Annie is a very annoying protagonist waiting around for Mr. Right to canter up on his white horse. I just couldn’t with her constant reminders of waiting for “Tom Hanks.” We get it, it’s the title of the book, you don’t have to constantly remind me. Beyond that, Annie acts more like a 15 year old girl than a 27 year old woman. I just couldn’t get over her immature attitude about everything. And the romance wasn’t that great. Possibly could have been better as a YA novel.

Next up on the TBR pile:

I Miss You When I Blink by Mary Laura Philpott

Title: I Miss You When I Blink

Author: Mary Laura Philpott

Publisher: Atria Books 2019

Genre: Memoir

Pages: 276

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Library Love; Nonfiction Bingo - Self-help Title

Mary Laura Philpott thought she’d cracked the code: Always be right, and you’ll always be happy. 

But once she’d completed her life’s to-do list (job, spouse, house, babies—check!), she found that instead of feeling content and successful, she felt anxious. Lost. Stuck in a daily grind of overflowing calendars, grueling small talk, and sprawling traffic. She’d done everything “right,” but she felt all wrong. What’s the worse failure, she wondered: smiling and staying the course, or blowing it all up and running away? And are those the only options?

In this memoir-in-essays full of spot-on observations about home, work, and creative life, Philpott takes on the conflicting pressures of modern adulthood with wit and heart. She offers up her own stories to show that identity crises don’t happen just once or only at midlife; reassures us that small, recurring personal re-inventions are both normal and necessary; and advises that if you’re going to faint, you should get low to the ground first. Most of all, Philpott shows that when you stop feeling satisfied with your life, you don’t have to burn it all down and set off on a transcontinental hike (unless you want to, of course). You can call upon your many selves to figure out who you are, who you’re not, and where you belong. Who among us isn’t trying to do that?

A real mixed bag here. I just didn’t connect to Philpott or her life even though we share a lot of similarities in our lives. Most of the essays came off as “let me tell you how to live” instead of a more personal sharing of struggles. I felt like the author came across as very condescending at many points throughout. I just really couldn’t connect with Philpott and wanted her to stop telling me what to do. Just really didn’t connect at all to this one.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Back to School Videos

As dumb as this looks, you know we will watch it…

Love these videos.

Loved the documentary. Now I need to see this!

Hmmm… maybe

Period fantasy may be my weak spot.

I cannot wait!

This looks gorgeous and disturbing… Must see

Goodness. This season is going to be hard…

You know I must see this!

Warning… gore ahead

Dark Matter by Blake Crouch

Title: Dark Matter

Author: Blake Crouch

Publisher: Crown 2016

Genre: Science Fiction

Pages: 342

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Lirbary Love; Literary Escapes - Illinois

“Are you happy with your life?”

Those are the last words Jason Dessen hears before the masked abductor knocks him unconscious.

Before he awakens to find himself strapped to a gurney, surrounded by strangers in hazmat suits.

Before a man Jason’s never met smiles down at him and says, “Welcome back, my friend.”

In this world he’s woken up to, Jason’s life is not the one he knows. His wife is not his wife. His son was never born. And Jason is not an ordinary college physics professor, but a celebrated genius who has achieved something remarkable. Something impossible.

Is it this world or the other that’s the dream? And even if the home he remembers is real, how can Jason possibly make it back to the family he loves? The answers lie in a journey more wondrous and horrifying than anything he could’ve imagined—one that will force him to confront the darkest parts of himself even as he battles a terrifying, seemingly unbeatable foe.

I really enjoyed this science fiction thriller. In many ways, it reminded me of The Martian. We meet a man on the verge of encountering a major problem. We then follow him as he navigates a new-to-him world. The reader is hurtled along the adventure attempting to figure out the solution along with our main character. I sped through this book on the edge of my seat. I had to see how it all ended. I had to see if our Jason was able to get home. My one issue was the lack of depth to the character of Angela. She really was just Jason’s therapist on the journey. I wanted more from her. I wanted to hear more about her desires. Even with that gripe, I really enjoyed reading this one. Hoping to get to Recursion soon.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Columbine by Dave Cullen

Title: Columbine

Author: Dave Cullen

Publisher: Twelve 2009

Genre: Nonfiction

Pages: 417

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Library Love; Nonfiction - 5 Star Read for a Friend

"The tragedies keep coming. As we reel from the latest horror . . ."

So begins a new epilogue, illustrating how Columbine became the template for nearly two decades of "spectacle murders." It is a false script, seized upon by a generation of new killers. In the wake of Parkland, Charleston, Newtown, Aurora, and Virginia Tech, the imperative to understand the crime that sparked this plague grows more urgent every year.

What really happened April 20, 1999? The horror of Columbine left an indelible stamp on the American psyche, but most of what we "know" is wrong. It wasn't about jocks, goths, or the Trench Coat Mafia. Dave Cullen was one of the first reporters on scene, and spent ten years on this book -- widely recognized as the definitive account. With a keen investigative eye and psychological acumen, Cullen draws on mountains of evidence, insights from the world's leading forensic psychologists, and the killers' own words and drawings -- several reproduced in a new appendix for the paperback.

In this New York Times bestselling work, Cullen paints raw portraits of two polar opposite killers, who stand in stark contrast against the flashes of resilience and redemption among the survivors of the Columbine massacre.

This is one of those books that I feel like many should read, but you aren’t really going to enjoy it. There’s nothing particularly feel good in this account of the Columbine shooting, the origin of the idea, and the aftermath of the event. We meet the various people involved diving into some of their lives pretty deeply. A good portion of this book is given over to attempting to understand the shooters. We follow them as they plan one of the deadliest school shootings in America’s history. This book is not for the faint of heart. There are passages that are particularly hard to read. But yet, I felt like I needed to read this one to understand the state of school shootings today. I was a junior in high school when Columbine happened. This volume brings back all the memories of seeing this play out on the television and my own school’s reaction. Based on an interview with Dave Cullen that I recently read, I would like to pick up his newest book, Parkland. He describes them as bookends on the topic of school shootings.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Music Monday - Sia feat. Rihanna "Beautiful People"

Getting some EDM this week…

The Woman in Cabin 10 by Ruth Ware

Title: The Woman in Cabin 10

Author: Ruth Ware

Publisher: Scout Press 2016

Genre: Thriller

Pages: 340

Rating: 2/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Library Love; Monthly Motif - August

In this tightly wound, enthralling story reminiscent of Agatha Christie’s works, Lo Blacklock, a journalist who writes for a travel magazine, has just been given the assignment of a lifetime: a week on a luxury cruise with only a handful of cabins. The sky is clear, the waters calm, and the veneered, select guests jovial as the exclusive cruise ship, the Aurora, begins her voyage in the picturesque North Sea. At first, Lo’s stay is nothing but pleasant: the cabins are plush, the dinner parties are sparkling, and the guests are elegant. But as the week wears on, frigid winds whip the deck, gray skies fall, and Lo witnesses what she can only describe as a dark and terrifying nightmare: a woman being thrown overboard. The problem? All passengers remain accounted for—and so, the ship sails on as if nothing has happened, despite Lo’s desperate attempts to convey that something (or someone) has gone terribly, terribly wrong…

Argh! A complete and utter fail for me. Right from the beginning, I was very wary of Lo and her entire story. She wasn’t an interesting or likable character what so ever. And then the cruise started and I never found her more likable as a character. But my biggest problem was all the twists and turns. They were completely unbelievable and dumb. I did not like this one at all. Waste of my time.

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Twelve Clues of Christmas by Rhys Bowen

Title: The Twelve Clues of Christmas (Royal Spyness #6)

Author: Rhys Bowen

Publisher: Berkley 2012

Genre: Mystery

Pages: 354

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Finishing the Series; Cloak and Dagger

Scotland, 1933. While her true love, Darcy O’Mara, is spending his feliz navidad tramping around South America and her mother is holed up in a tiny village called Tiddleton-under-Lovey with droll playwright Noel Coward, Georgie is quite literally stuck at Castle Rannoch thanks to a snowstorm.
 
It seems like a Christmas miracle when she manages to land a position as hostess to a posh holiday party in Tiddleton. The village should be like something out of A Christmas Carol, but as soon as she arrives things take a deadly turn when a neighborhood nuisance falls out of a tree. On her second day, another so-called accident results in a death—and there’s yet another on her third, making Georgie wonder if there's something wicked happening in this winter wonderland...  

Another fun cozy mystery featuring Georgie and her wayward relatives. I loved the move to a new village full of Christmas cheer and murder. I thought the murder plot was pretty laid out early on, but it took Georgie forever to figure it out. But that’s okay, she’s an amateur detective. The part that I wasn’t keen on was Darcy’s insistence that Georgie was wrong. I really loved racy until this volume. He just irked me. And then his revelation to Georgie seems to come out of the blue. I just want more…

Her Royal Spyness:

• #0.5 Masked Ball at Broxley Manor

• #1 Her Royal Spyness

• #2 A Royal Pain

• #3 Royal Flush

• #4 Royal Blood

• #5 Naughty in Nice

• #6 The Twelve Clues of Christmas

• #7 Heirs and Graces

• #8 Queen of Hearts

• #9 Malice at the Palace

• #10 Crowned and Dangerous

• #11 On Her Majesty’s Frightfully Secret Service

• #12 Four Funerals and Maybe a Wedding

Next up on the TBR pile:

Summer Bucket List Update #2

It’s hot, the twins are here, and we’re right in the middle of our summer! Let’s get to our summer bucket list:

1. Read 50 books - 25 books read so far

2. Have an appetizer night ✓

3. Tie Dye Shirts

4. Weekend trip to the Cosmosphere

5. Try 3 ice cream places 2/3

   • Coneflower - Oh so yum! I got Rhubarb Crisp, Arthur and Quentin got Dark Chocolate, Alex got Mint Choc Chip, and J got Coffee, Mint Choc Chip, and White Choc and Basil. I think the winner was Coffee.

   • Ted and Wally’s - A favorite in Old Market! I got Almond Joy, Arthur and Alex got vanilla, Quentin got chocolate, and J got Guiness and Fudge Brownie German Chocolate.

6. Go on 5 picnics

7. Visit an outdoor cinema

8. Make s’mores

9. Go to 3 movies 1/3

   • Lego Movie 2 - I took the littles to the weekday $1 showing of the second Lego Movie. Love the cheap movies!

10. Make sangria

11. Find and complete a new puzzle

12. Visit 2 other library branches

13. Complete the summer reading program ✓

14. Visit Mahoney State Park

15. Check out Pirate Putt and Medieval Putt ✓

16. Visit 5 Nebraska Passport spots

    • It’s All About Bees - A cute little bee themed story in Omaha. I picked up some honey for our house and for a care package.

17. Try a new food truck

18. Go on a brewery tour/tasting

19. Run through the sprinklers/splash pad ✓

20. Ride a Ferris Wheel

21. Go to a concert (indoor or outdoor)

22. Go tanking

23. Try 2 new-to-me restaurants 2/2 ✓

    • Barchen - J and I had a date night at this German beer hall and restaurant. Food wasn’t amazing, but beer was good.

    • Yum Roll - We had dinner at the fancy food court and I tried the Korean BBQ bowl. Decent, but I think the taco place next door is better.

24. Visit Hollywood Candy in Old Market ✓

25. Complete a series

Next up on the TBR pile:

August 2019 Life Goals

Let’s check in on July's goals and my progress.

• End of Summer Plans - Success!

• Schedule a Kansas Trip - Fail… we just didn’t get around to it at all.

• Stop adding books to my library holds! - Success! My holds list for the library is now down to 18 books. This is a great number as it was 34. Hoping to continue this trend.

August’s Goals:

• Have a successful first week of school for Arthur! - He starts Kindergarten on August 12th!

• Create a schedule for Quentin - With Arthur at school, we need to figure out a weekly schedule for Q and I.

• Restart our Romp n Roll membership - As part of our new schedule, Q and I are going to restart our RnR classes.

• Read 15 books - I’ve been reading somewhere between 15 and 20 books a month. Aiming for a slightly less number as this month will be busy.

• Finish Lucifer S4 - I have eight episodes left in this season to catch up completely.

Next up on the TBR list:

Odds and Ends

Here's my randomness for the week:

• Loving the slightly cooler temperatures this week.

• My reading momentum is huge right now!

• I finally got a new Stampin’ Up! order and I’m hoping to dive in today.

• Takeout Thai food last night was the best choice.

• I need to reassess my wardrobe for fall.

• Arthur can’t wait for school to start. I feel the same! He needs time away from me and his brother.

Next up on the TBR pile: