Plaudits for writing a novel but thought this was a mediocre effort. The story was intriguing at first (is there a sub-genre of environmental law thrillers?) albeit overly familiar and then quickly became plodding. Found the environmental angle to ultimately be a shallow premise light on facts and the corporate conspiracy half-baked. Maybe I inhaled too many mercury vapors...

This book is a behemoth! And the length of the cast of characters is alarming...

Erudite and entertaining primer on major, fundamental concepts in astrophysics. Neil deGrasse Tyson's narration is impeccable.

Finally got my June #botm. It was a tough decision, but went with this one since I'm in STEM and grad school and often ask myself what I'm doing with my life 😄.

A darn good yarn that was occasionally repetitious. I enjoyed the journey across Texas, hearing about the terrain and character of the different towns and regions. The bond that emerged between the captain and Johanna tugged at the heartstrings.

"... they never saw what the water really was, greenish-black and filled with living things and dying things." How... ominous... ha!

What a slog. Half-baked writing exercise that started out alright. However, I eventually came to despise most of the characters and was fatigued by their nonsense, which isn't a good thing for a character-driven book without much of a plot. Easy to read otherwise.

Excited for my May #botm box!

While I appreciated Gilbert's discussion on overcoming fear and anxiety, I found most of this treacly paean to the transformative power of the creative life irritating. It smacked of privilege & didn't offer much concrete advice. Every single anecdote was about Gilbert in one way or the other (I guess it's a memoir...), which induced a lot of eye-rolling at how self-involved she came across.

In the mood for a grand adventure so I'm starting this tonight!

I found this to be an interesting survey of: the construction of the Los Angeles aqueduct conveying water from the Owens Valley, the attendant controversy, and the enduring ramifications of bringing water to the desert. Recommended for anyone interested in the history of California's complex and complicated water issues.

First finished book for #24in48, and I am ambivalent about it. Shelby felt cliched, and the repetitious navel-gazing and self-pitying grew tiresome. The story of her path to healing and redemption had a paint-by-numbers quality. Most of the supporting characters had as much heft as cardboard, though Shelby's unlikely bond with Maravelle and her children was a bright spot.

Solid installment in the Cormoran Strike detective series with a greater focus on Robin's character. Chapters from the killer's perspective heightened the tension at just the right moments, preventing the story from dragging.

Learning about fracking from Bill Nye (childhood hero) as I enjoy my coffee and wait for my omelette!

Hm, Dublin Murder Squad must pay well.

This was a fantastic read! Fascinating (and infuriating) exploration of medical research & ethics. I was pleasantly surprised that the book was as much about the Lacks family as about the HeLa cells (and rightfully so) and was moved by Deborah's raw intelligence and drive to learn the truth about her mother and sister.

Superlative science writing on the exciting frontiers of the microbiome. I do wish Yong had brought up omics and next-generation sequencing techniques, which I think are allowing us to expand the boundaries of our knowledge about microbes and how they function in different environments.

Perfect weather for #24in48 #readathon?

Engrossing and action-packed tale that's keeping me entertained in the lab. (Wish I could get my hands on a head key!)

A package arrived today!

"The only problem with that rationale was that the big growers wanted all of the water for themselves, they wanted the government to develop it for them, and they didn't want to have to pay for it."