Most of this book is great, exploring a dystopia through the eyes of multiple characters, providing fascinating glimpses of a world with echoes of 1984. For me, it falls apart in the final section, which seems to have nothing to do with the rest of the book. I was hoping it would pull everything together, but instead it feels like it‘s a different book entirely. What a waste.

This excellent narrative nonfiction book looks at diseases and disorders in neurology, from genetic processes to protein diseases to vitamin deficiencies. It delves into personal stories of those afflicted then looks at the history of medical research and understanding of the disease. Peskin has a great narrative voice and makes the material accessible.

Book banning comes to a southern town, but one local fights back in a clever way. Ultimately those who want things to change for the better gain steam and harness their voices. Plus, there‘s deliciously wicked humor laced through. I loved The Change and loved this and love what Miller is doing.

I really got into book 1, so I wanted to continue with what a thought was a trilogy but apparently is a duology. I enjoyed this one, though liked book 1 a bit more. I really got invested in these characters. Butler really understands the risks of the far right and shows it here in a frightening way. I‘m glad I read these two books.

I recently read about a couple books with no US pub date, so I decided to head to the Blackwell‘s website and treat myself. Free shipping to the US! I‘m excited for both of these.

Annalee Spain returns, with a chance encounter setting her up to investigate a new murder. Aspects of this historical mystery were interesting, but I didn‘t enjoy it quite as much as book 1. It felt a little flat.

I am SO glad I came across this book on NetGalley because it‘s absolutely wonderful! If you like dogs and are ok with a dog narrator who talks to other animals, this is a must read! It‘s charming and thoughtful and clearly written by someone who knows, loves, and understands dogs. One of my best reads of the year without question.

I wanted to love this but just didn‘t. Hughes first follows four adult Irish sisters individually, and right as I felt like I could settle into one sister‘s story, she zipped off to the next one. I felt like the topics or storylines she touched on but didn‘t explore were far more interesting than what she ended up with. And I didn‘t like the ending.

The first third of this book is the author‘s youth and movement toward coming a veterinarian, and the rest is filled with dog stories both of her own pets and dogs she meets at work. I just loved it. There are sad bits, of course, but it mostly upbeat and happy for those who love dogs. Bindi gives it 2 dew claws up.

A swanky, snooty, woo resort has its opening weekend and things don‘t go as planned. Multiple characters provide the narrative as we move toward the end and finding out who died and how. Also, the past sneaks in and plays quite a role in the events. Not an omg fabulous read, but definitely enjoyable.

Following 4 young people and their families, this book looks at life in Shanghai during the Japanese occupation in WWII then on to the communist takeover of China and thereafter. It‘s a terrific, personalized way to explore history and excellent narrative nonfiction. I can‘t recommend it enough.

This book details an undercover operation in Florida to expose alligator poachers. That part is engrossing and great narrative nonfiction. Unfortunately, the author also chooses to inject her own meanderings around Glades in a way that isn‘t fleshed out or focused and feels like filler, so a bit of a mixed bag.

I‘ve actually done it! I‘ve started reading Wolf Hall! I‘m finding it more accessible than I had feared (she says confidently after reading a single chapter 😂). I‘ve very proud of starting it even if it ends in a bail, as I‘ve intended to read it for so long.

This book has dueling storylines, one starting in 1968, the other in 2018, which I struggled a bit with at first. But after I settled in, I enjoyed this book focusing on activist movements of young people and I liked how the storylines ultimately connected. I also liked the more current storyline occurring in Paris, giving a window into French politics and how it is mirrored in the US.

After growing up in Libya, Khaled goes to the UK for university. But shortly thereafter, an event occurs exiling him from home and family. What follows is his life in exile and the deep friendships he develops. This is a really beautiful look at the love men can have in friendship to one another. It‘s terrific. #ReadYourEbooks

I didn‘t initially think I‘d read this, but I‘m so glad I did. Starting with when it was created under Kennedy, the book looks at how each administration has used the situation room and different crises that have been managed there. It‘s absolutely fascinating and focuses on the people who work in the room, which I love.

While there are some genuinely interesting facts in here (go google the beluga named NOC, you‘ll thank me), overall I found it a bit to navel-gazey and not focused enough on whale facts. I wanted a lot more science in it.

This book of essays from novelist (and wife of Denis) Ann Leary is a lot of fun and in places quite funny. From dealing with bats to celebrity culture to menopause, she covers a lot of ground. I really enjoyed it.

I put together my little puzzle while talking to my mom. It‘s so pretty! Penny included for size reference. Thank you, Soubhi!

Thank you so much, Soubhi! I‘m completely delighted. And you had me fooled with the puzzle—I was sure it was candy. 😆 The pieces in it look like cool shapes! And the bookmark is gorgeous. Can‘t wait to dive into these!

In the most recent book in the Professor Molly series, a famous influencer is renting a newly built house from Molly and Donnie and then goes missing. This is such a fun series with great characters and accurate local Hawaii color.

This book about the current generations is absolutely fascinating. Driven by data, it looks at the differences between the generations along with side by side comparisons of where they were at specific ages compared to one another. Anything that‘s at all speculative is clearly indicated as such. I loved it!

Just before a canyon is to be gutted for a development, Justin and his controlling father go there on a camping trip along with Justin‘s son. A tense weekend becomes more so when outside forces intrude. Both in the woods and at home with Justin‘s wife, Percy explores wildness and savagery within nature and ourselves. CW below under the spoiler tag for dog lovers.

I‘m so glad I stumbled upon this short story collection, as it turned out to be excellent. It even worked well on audio, as the stories are quite varied and each has a different audio narrator, making the divisions distinct. @Megabooks I think you would like this.

This story of 2 women in forms of incarceration generations apart took me a bit to get into, but it eventually got its claws into me and I enjoyed it. My one complaint is the occasional use of words like glueily and dirtily. 😱 I could stare at that cover all day, though. #ReadYourEbooks from June

Years ago, Tessa‘s sister Marian was IRA turned informer in Belfast. They are now living under new names in Dublin when the past finds them. I loved this. It‘s so well done and builds tension in a way that made me literally stop in my tracks at one point. Highly recommend.

I‘m so glad this was on the women‘s prize list, because that made sure I read it, and I‘m really glad I did. Murgia looks at the various ways AI is being used or developed, from the good (medical uses) to the bad (so many, but deep fakes especially made me shudder). Of course humans are training the AI, so it not only takes on our prejudices but amplifies them. This is good for all of us to know about.

Liz Prato is a frequent visitor to Hawaii and feels very connected to it. Here she writes about that connection and her family. It‘s a bit of a mixed bag. Her writing about her family is lovely, and while her connection to Hawaii is nice, she fails to recognize her own contradictions and wants to claim the place in a way she really shouldn‘t. (Please, don‘t try using Pidgin.) Pick for parts, so-so for other bits.

Soubhi, look what‘s here! I‘m super excited and have tucked everything away in eager anticipation of Saturday. Between this and my jury duty today being painless, it‘s like my birthday came a few days early! 🥳

Imagine coming to in a strange place with partial amnesia then realizing you‘re a dark lord. Such a great premise, but for much of this I felt like something was missing and it was falling a bit flat. The second half picked up a bit, but by the end I was fairly checked out.

A dancer dies in a gruesome way in an empty theater, setting off a series of deaths among the cast of a production. It just so happens that the London Blitz is occurring, making for an interesting backdrop to the story. There were aspects of this that I liked, but I found it plodded along a bit and the detectives didn‘t so much investigate as hang around and watch things happen.

Following the path of the first major US scientific expedition to Alaska, travel writer Mark Adams explores the southern coast then up to Nome. He relates both his own travels and those of the scientists in 1899 with great information and some good humor. I thought this was terrific.

I really enjoyed this book of essays from a Coast Salish woman. She‘s such a thoughtful writer and is open-minded in a way many people are not. I‘d love to read more from her.

In Barclay‘s latest, a teacher intervenes in a dangerous situation, saving lives. Then he is approached and blackmailed, spiraling the story forward. I‘ve found this author to write consistently satisfying thrillers, and this one is no different. Total page-turner!

Sam and Elena are struggling 20-something sisters on San Juan island, trying to make ends meet as their mother is dying. Then one day, a bear is sighted when there typically aren‘t any on the island. Each sister has a different reaction to the animal. I liked this but I don‘t think it was as unique or special as her first book. I suspected from early on where it was going, but that didn‘t alter my enjoyment of it.

The very awesome @squirrelbrain gifted me a gift certificate to my local Hawaiiana bookstore for my birthday (which is next week). I had such a lovely time browsing and picking out these lovelies! Thank you so much, Helen—you gave me such a nice day! ☺️

I absolutely loved her first book, which makes this so disappointing. In these essays, Shapland repeatedly brings up things she feels are dreadful/unconscionable/etc then goes on about how she freely participates in these things (and they aren‘t life necessities). Someone this lacking in self awareness should not be writing personal essays. I do love the cover, though.

Here are my books for this month‘s #ReadYourEbooks numbers and the book fairies REALLY want me to read Wolf Hall! 😂 I‘m actually glad it was picked again this month, as I really do want to give it a go and hopefully will do so finally this month. I‘ve also been meaning to read The Leavers for years, so hopefully this gives me the push to do so.

I almost forgot to post my list for #ReadYourEbooks! Last month, I read one and started on the second, which I‘ll finish, but not before the numbers are pulled. Plus I read another ebook from my library that wasn‘t on my list. And the answer to the question of whether June was the month I read Wolf Hall was nope! 😂 Ah well, it‘ll happen soon enough.

I have seen Fanon referenced in several recent books I‘ve read, so I was happy to see this pop up at my library. He covers a lot of ground here, but the focus is on how white supremacy and colonialism shapes internalized racism. I absolutely see his influence on discussions of race we are having now, and this published in 1952.

In the late summer and fall of 2020, fires raged across Northern California, including very near Manjula Martin‘s home. Here she details her experiences of evacuating and wondering when it‘s safe to go home alongside stories of her chronic pain and info about fires and fire suppression. She meanders but always circles back to these central themes. This really worked for me. Loved it.

This is a beautiful design book coming in September that shows how to design with and feature books. Many of the pictures are drool-worthy. (I especially want to never leave the room on the top left.) But is anyone else disturbed by the fireplace design? They mention it‘s non-working, but I really don‘t like the message.

This was, in a word, dreadful. Most of the book says that sex is the most important thing in life and that women die at menopause, living as shells for the rest of their lives. What the actual fuck? I came so close to bailing (especially when she said she wanted to genuflect at the apparent size of a man‘s dick), but wanted to keep with it just for the #CampLitsy conversation, which I predict will be rollicking good.

Lydia is somewhat at loose ends, facing an empty nest and an asshole husband, and gets a job running a senior group at the local community center. When word comes down the center may close, the group works to keep it open. This book has an incredible cast of characters and is hilarious and cheeky. I absolutely loved it.

I know this is a beloved book and, frankly, I‘m perplexed. I found the depiction of the main character to be wildly inconsistent and far younger than his stated age. Also, everything a teen might struggle with was depicted, but not in any detail, almost like a checklist. I do think the afterword/thinly veiled author‘s note is really worthwhile, which saves this from being a pan. #unpopularopinion

This one was a mixed bag for me. The critique of bureaucracy was quite good and the exploration of human psychology works. But it wanted to be much funnier than it was and I got bored at times. Also, the cover makes it look like it takes place in space whereas it‘s all on earth.

Sasha is sent to a colony planet in a far solar system to “check on” the colony, which she assumes is a punishment for a recent decision. When she and the other crew of her ship arrive, the action starts and doesn‘t let off. I was glued to every page and just loved this, which was great, as I didn‘t have much luck with a previous DW book. I can‘t wait for the next book!

This book follows a young woman in the 1600s as she becomes a pirate. The book moves very slowly in the first third, but the pacing picks up thereafter and has good swashbuckling fun. The messaging is a bit heavy-handed. Overall, this is a fun read with definite evidence of being a first book. And I think the cover is cool.

In 2011, Anna Akbari met Ethan online and started falling for him as the chatted online and texted. But gradually she started having suspicions and frustrations when they never met up. So she did some sleuthing, found other women involved with him, and discovered the truth. While I found myself wondering how these women had gotten so drawn in, I found this story fascinating and unputdownable. It was basically a one sitting read.

The Coast Road is a quiet, simmering portrait of a small community in Ireland during the lead up to the divorce vote. It focuses on women and their choices, and how those choices are constrained both by the law and society. Gripping.