LPL_LeahN
Library StaffLawrence Public Library
LPL_LeahN's Completed Shelf
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LPL_LeahN's rating:
5 out of 5 stars
Added Mar 06, 2021
LPL_LeahN's rating:
5 out of 5 stars
Added Mar 05, 2021
The Astonishing Life of August MarchThe Astonishing Life of August March, BookA Novel
by Jackson, AaronBook - 2020 | First edition.
LPL_LeahN's rating:
5 out of 5 stars
Added Feb 22, 2021
In the Garden of SpiteIn the Garden of Spite, BookA Novel of the Black Widow of La Porte
by Bruce, CamillaBook - 2021 | First Edition.
LPL_LeahN's rating:
5 out of 5 stars
Added Feb 17, 2021
LPL_LeahN's rating:
5 out of 5 stars
Added Feb 11, 2021
LPL_LeahN's rating:
5 out of 5 stars
Added Feb 11, 2021
Comment:
I LOVED this historical fiction about the labor movement in early 20th century Spokane. Jess Walter's writing style is so engaging and his research so impeccable that it reads almost like narrative nonfiction. The Dolan brothers will steal your heart (and your chickens), and make you want to pour one out for all those who came before, started the fight, and dared to dream of a better, more equitable America.I LOVED this historical fiction about the labor movement in early 20th century Spokane. Jess Walter's writing style is so engaging and his research so impeccable that it reads almost like narrative nonfiction. The Dolan brothers will steal your…
LPL_LeahN's rating:
5 out of 5 stars
Added Jan 30, 2021
LPL_LeahN's rating:
5 out of 5 stars
Added Jan 19, 2021
LPL_LeahN's rating:
5 out of 5 stars
Added Jan 10, 2021
Comment:
How did I miss this? Doesn't matter, the Silo Series has taken over my reading life and should be on the shelves of every science fiction and/or post apocalyptic story lover. Originally a serial released one part at a time online, the first part of Wool could stand alone as the most gripping and twisty short story I've ever read. In it we're introduced to a civilization forced underground by unknown events that occurred many generations ago. The silo is their sanctuary and their only hope for survival in a world where the air itself is poison. A predictable hierarchy has been established and the rules are clear: Do your job and don't speak or even think about going outside.
With excellent worldbuilding and breakneck pacing, this is a book that I could not stop reading and took me back to my school days of sneaking in chapters whenever I could. Uncovering the long kept and carefully protected secrets of the silo with Jules was an adventure I wish I could go on all over again. Definitely one of my favorite sci-fi series of all time!How did I miss this? Doesn't matter, the Silo Series has taken over my reading life and should be on the shelves of every science fiction and/or post apocalyptic story lover. Originally a serial released one part at a time online, the first part of…
LPL_LeahN's rating:
5 out of 5 stars
Added Jan 09, 2021
One Hundred Years of SolitudeOne Hundred Years of Solitude, Book
by García Márquez, GabrielBook - 2003 | First edition
Added Jan 09, 2021
LPL_LeahN's rating:
5 out of 5 stars
Added Dec 28, 2021
Comment:
All of the best books I read this year were recommended to me by librarians, just saying. Including this one that I am SO GLAD I am ending this year on because it is such a high note.
On the day Nora decides to die, she is in the deep end of a mental health crisis that too many can relate to. She thinks she's meeting death with her eyes wide open and that her regrets are an impossible burden to carry on. But instead of arriving in the hereafter, she finds herself in the Midnight Library, a purgatory of sorts where every possible life she could have lived based on every path she didn't choose is bound in a book.
The journey that follows, as she makes her way through every life she thought she wanted, as every misstep she thought she made was undone, was truly unforgettable. Full of philosophical wisdom, a candor that both unsettles and soothes, and a most satisfying, amazing, PERFECT conclusion, this is one that will stay with me forever and ever.All of the best books I read this year were recommended to me by librarians, just saying. Including this one that I am SO GLAD I am ending this year on because it is such a high note.
On the day Nora decides to die, she is in the deep end of a…
LPL_LeahN's rating:
4.5 out of 5 stars
Added Dec 18, 2020
Comment:
Valerie Black, brilliant tech mogul cast aside by a patriarchal government, puts together a team of five equally brilliant women to pull off the impossible: A heist of a spaceship and a mission to go where no man has gone before and ultimately save humanity from a dying planet. Her adopted daughter and protege, Naomi Lovelace, is an enthusiastic part of the team, believing she would follow Valerie anywhere. But as the mission marches on, the rigors of space take their toll and secrets are uncovered, Naomi's loyalty to Valerie is tested against her loyalty to humankind.
This is a part sci-fi thriller, part family drama with teeth, bit into me and didn't let go until its perfect conclusion.Valerie Black, brilliant tech mogul cast aside by a patriarchal government, puts together a team of five equally brilliant women to pull off the impossible: A heist of a spaceship and a mission to go where no man has gone before and ultimately save…
The House in the Cerulean SeaThe House in the Cerulean Sea, Book
by Klune, TJBook - 2020 | First edition.
LPL_LeahN's rating:
5 out of 5 stars
Added Dec 13, 2020
Comment:
A lot of books have made me cry over the years, but this is the only one I can think of that brought tears to my eyes just because of how pure, wholesome, and good it is. Prepare to be charmed, amused, and moved by the irresistible cast of characters. T.J. Klune put his whole heart in this novel, tackling some tough topics in a way that filled me with hope instead of with disappointment in my fellow humans, and gave me some desperately sought joy in "these difficult times".A lot of books have made me cry over the years, but this is the only one I can think of that brought tears to my eyes just because of how pure, wholesome, and good it is. Prepare to be charmed, amused, and moved by the irresistible cast of…
LPL_LeahN's rating:
5 out of 5 stars
Added Dec 13, 2020
Comment:
This book seems to be a hodgepodge of themes, which readers will either love or hate. While others may think it's too disjointed, I found a surprising cohesiveness in this part coming-of-age Millennial story, part first generation immigrant experience, part post apocalyptic tale.This book seems to be a hodgepodge of themes, which readers will either love or hate. While others may think it's too disjointed, I found a surprising cohesiveness in this part coming-of-age Millennial story, part first generation immigrant…
LPL_LeahN's rating:
5 out of 5 stars
Added Dec 05, 2020
Comment:
An untold story of one lost too soon, Hamnet is about heartbreak, healing, and the parts of us that are never the same. While I typically steer clear of such sad reads, and just forget about child death, it being about the only son of Shakespeare was too compelling and now I'm so glad I didn't pass it up. Maggie O'Farrell has a beautiful voice and she wove this tale with a strong sense of place, lots of historical detail, a dash of magical realism, and fascinating, complex characters. Particularly Hamnet's mother, Agnes, who I feel really stole the show.An untold story of one lost too soon, Hamnet is about heartbreak, healing, and the parts of us that are never the same. While I typically steer clear of such sad reads, and just forget about child death, it being about the only son of Shakespeare…
LPL_LeahN's rating:
5 out of 5 stars
Added Nov 24, 2020
Comment:
Rebecca Roanhorse, an established and acclaimed writer of sci-fi and urban fantasy, has really hit her stride in Black Sun. Inspired by pre-Columbian Indigenous folklore, it has all the makings of the next big fantasy series. Effortless world building, complex and memorable characters, great queer representation, a plot that unfurls in a most satisfying way to an epic conclusion that left me yearning for book 2 of the Between Earth and Sky series.Rebecca Roanhorse, an established and acclaimed writer of sci-fi and urban fantasy, has really hit her stride in Black Sun. Inspired by pre-Columbian Indigenous folklore, it has all the makings of the next big fantasy series. Effortless world…
LPL_LeahN's rating:
5 out of 5 stars
Added Nov 20, 2020
The Monster of ElendhavenThe Monster of Elendhaven, Book
by Giesbrecht, JenniferBook - 2019 | First edition.
LPL_LeahN's rating:
5 out of 5 stars
Added Nov 18, 2020
Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, Book
by Dick, Philip K.Book - 1996 | First Ballantine Books trade pbk. edition
LPL_LeahN's rating:
3.5 out of 5 stars
Added Nov 10, 2020
The Once and Future WitchesThe Once and Future Witches, Book
by Harrow, Alix E.Book - 2020 | First edition.
LPL_LeahN's rating:
5 out of 5 stars
Added Nov 07, 2020
Comment:
Witchcraft meets the suffragist movement in this dazzling tale from my favorite up-and-coming fantasy she-ro, Alix E. Harrow.
James Juniper, Agnes, and Bella are the Eastwood Sisters, each a wayward force in their own right after escaping a toxic home life and separately making their way to the bustle of New Salem. They've got some issues to work out, abandonment and perceived betrayals, but something more powerful and determined than their grudges latches on and compels them to bring all the women of New Salem together to vanquish their oppressors. They have the will, now all that's needed are the lost words and ways...
I like powerful stories that also have a healthy dose of mischief and fun, which this book delivered in spades. I also appreciate that Harrow didn't shy away from the women of color left behind during this moment in the suffragist legacy, addressing it with candor but recognizing the fierce will and agency these women created for themselves.
Harrow has only written two novels, the first, The Ten Thousand Doors of January, blew me away as a debut. Her storytelling has an unexpected maturity, her voice a distinct strength. I so eagerly anticipated reading this, it exceeded my very high expectations, and I can't wait for whatever she comes up with next!Witchcraft meets the suffragist movement in this dazzling tale from my favorite up-and-coming fantasy she-ro, Alix E. Harrow.
James Juniper, Agnes, and Bella are the Eastwood Sisters, each a wayward force in their own right after escaping a toxic…
The Forgotten KingdomThe Forgotten Kingdom, BookA Novel
by Pike, SigneBook - 2020 | First Atria Books hardcover edition.
LPL_LeahN's rating:
5 out of 5 stars
Added Nov 07, 2020
LPL_LeahN's rating:
5 out of 5 stars
Added Oct 14, 2020
Comment:
Too often I begin a new fantasy series, love the first book, pine for the followup, and then am let down in a big way by a weak plot and flatlining characters. I am so happy to report after reading Ten Arrows of Iron that Grave of Empires is no such series. Sam Sykes came through with his familiar wit and heart to continue the story of Sal the Cacophony, my current and possibly forever favorite fictional female badass, as she tears here way across the Scar in search of vengeance. We meet some fascinating new players and begin a new adventure that give Sal even more depth. Full of laughs and action, it's a raucous ride that I can now safely look forward to continuing in book three.Too often I begin a new fantasy series, love the first book, pine for the followup, and then am let down in a big way by a weak plot and flatlining characters. I am so happy to report after reading Ten Arrows of Iron that Grave of Empires is no such…
LPL_LeahN's rating:
5 out of 5 stars
Added Oct 14, 2020
Comment:
If you consume one story of Achilles, other than the Iliad, it should be this. Madeline Miller's prose and storytelling are peerless. I believe (and my entire speculative fiction book club agrees) that the ending of this book is one of best ever, absolutely perfect, and it will blow you away.If you consume one story of Achilles, other than the Iliad, it should be this. Madeline Miller's prose and storytelling are peerless. I believe (and my entire speculative fiction book club agrees) that the ending of this book is one of best ever,…
LPL_LeahN's rating:
5 out of 5 stars
Added Sep 29, 2020
Comment:
Noemi's favorite cousin married into an "old money" family and was whisked away to the Doyle's manor house in the Mexican countryside. After receiving disturbing correspondence from Catalina, Noemi travels to High Place on behalf of the family to assess her cousin's condition. The Doyles and the place they call home have a sordid history and a gloomy disposition, but Noemi tries to give her surly new relatives and the oppressive manor the benefit of the doubt. After all, things are often not what they seem...but in the case of High Place, they're much, much worse.
This book is a whole mood. Silvia Moreno-Garcia's tells an utterly original story with ease thanks to a powerful, macabre imagination. High Place lives and breathes, the Doyles are villains you love to hate, and Noemi is a plucky young heroine you shouldn't underestimate.Noemi's favorite cousin married into an "old money" family and was whisked away to the Doyle's manor house in the Mexican countryside. After receiving disturbing correspondence from Catalina, Noemi travels to High Place on behalf of the family to…
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