LPL_LeahN
Library StaffLawrence Public Library
LPL_LeahN's Completed Shelf
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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
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…
LPL_LeahN's rating:
5 out of 5 stars
Added Sep 21, 2020
Comment:
Annie Hebley lived to tell the tale of April 14th, 1912 only to be haunted by the ghosts of her less fortunate passengers and crew. After a four year stint in an asylum, she rejoins the world in a most unlikely capacity...as a nurse on the HMHS Britannic, Titanic's twin that has been retrofitted as a hospital ship for soldiers injured in World War I.
Switching back and forth between 1912 and 1916, between Annie's experiences on the two ocean liners, we're re-introduced to familiar characters of Titanic legend, including journalist and editor William Stead, renowned fashion designer Lucy Duff-Gordon, and the illustrious Astors. A perfect blend of history and supernatural horror, the stories of their lives and ultimate fates provide the backdrop for a mystery of loss and betrayal that fully swept me away in the first chapter and kept me guessing until the bitter end.Annie Hebley lived to tell the tale of April 14th, 1912 only to be haunted by the ghosts of her less fortunate passengers and crew. After a four year stint in an asylum, she rejoins the world in a most unlikely capacity...as a nurse on the HMHS…
LPL_LeahN's rating:
5 out of 5 stars
Added Aug 30, 2020
The Year of the WitchingThe Year of the Witching, Book
by Henderson, AlexisBook - 2020 | First edition.
LPL_LeahN's rating:
5 out of 5 stars
Added Aug 23, 2020
LPL_LeahN's rating:
5 out of 5 stars
Added Aug 18, 2020
LPL_LeahN's rating:
5 out of 5 stars
Added Aug 11, 2020
Comment:
Imagine this (it shouldn’t be difficult, sadly): It’s the year 2054 and the earth is officially exhausted. We overproduced ourselves and underproduced sustainable resources. We’ve stripped the planet bare, the ozone is in tatters, and the oceans are full of waste. A brilliant Swedish scientist knows the end of humankind is near, but has the foresight and genius to put a plan in motion. She genetically engineers a race to be the earth’s new stewards, develops them to solve the problems we could not, and holds them to a promise: When balance is restored, give homosapiens another chance.
So begins the story of Ima, a member of this superhuman race tasked with restoring the atmosphere, and then the only volunteer to care for The Human Son, the first homosapien to be born on earth for centuries. What follows is a brilliant and unexpected mix of the challenges and triumphs of parenthood, and the challenges and triumphs of humanity itself.
Adrian J. Walker is one of my favorite new-to-me authors. The Last Dog on Earth was an absolute riot, and this, his latest, brings something unique and fantastic to the table. It's full of subtle humor, provoking thoughts on social structures, relationships, technology, and the environment. It made me think and feel so deeply, turning me into a forever fan.Imagine this (it shouldn’t be difficult, sadly): It’s the year 2054 and the earth is officially exhausted. We overproduced ourselves and underproduced sustainable resources. We’ve stripped the planet bare, the ozone is in tatters, and the oceans are…
The Last Train to Key WestThe Last Train to Key West, Book
by Cleeton, ChanelBook - 2020 | First Edition.
LPL_LeahN's rating:
5 out of 5 stars
Added Aug 11, 2020
Comment:
The lives of three women collide before, during, and after the Labor Day Hurricane of 1935. Helen, Mirta, and Elizabeth are all trying to either escape or accept their unfair fates when people and events they never saw coming change their trajectories forever. Cleeton's books always have a fast moving plot, interesting heroines, adventure, and romance. But they're also keenly researched and in the case of The Last Train to Key West, provide a glimpse of a piece of history I didn't know enough about: The unjust, negligent treatment of our World War I veterans when they came home.
I'm so thrilled that Chanel Cleeton keeps cranking these out so I can keep with my Summer Reading tradition of devouring them. I think this might be my favorite one yet!The lives of three women collide before, during, and after the Labor Day Hurricane of 1935. Helen, Mirta, and Elizabeth are all trying to either escape or accept their unfair fates when people and events they never saw coming change their…
LPL_LeahN's rating:
5 out of 5 stars
Added Aug 11, 2020
Comment:
Ursula K. Le Guin is an undisputed master of the sci-fi genre and this 1974 modern classic is living, immortal proof. Every page gives you something to think about, twists your mind into knots that you're able to slowly unravel as you follow Shevek across planets and through time. He's somewhat of a paradox, brilliant scientist and Bohemian, and his story is one of revolution, evolution, humanity, capitalism, objective truth, the pursuit of happiness, and so much more. This book is a must read and I cannot recommend it highly enough for book clubs! So much to unpack and discuss.Ursula K. Le Guin is an undisputed master of the sci-fi genre and this 1974 modern classic is living, immortal proof. Every page gives you something to think about, twists your mind into knots that you're able to slowly unravel as you follow Shevek…
LPL_LeahN's rating:
4 out of 5 stars
Added Jul 27, 2020
Comment:
This was a satisfying followup to The Women's War, with many of the same standout characters I loved from last time, plus a few who were just emerging in the series debut but managed to steal the show in this. I'm a big fan of politics and court intrigue in my reading which this series delivers by the metric ton so far. I also love the dismantling of the patriarchy, obviously.
BUT I've decided if I have one problem with this series it's the lack of LGBTQ+ representation, and for a series that revolves around gender, it's exploration of the complexities are pretty shallow at best and at worst nonexistent.This was a satisfying followup to The Women's War, with many of the same standout characters I loved from last time, plus a few who were just emerging in the series debut but managed to steal the show in this. I'm a big fan of politics and court…
LPL_LeahN's rating:
5 out of 5 stars
Added Jul 17, 2020
Comment:
A (probably typical) dysfunctional family chasing the American dream in the 1950s creates a tale of abandonment, pain, grace, and forgiveness that's as old as time but feels fresh in the context of the Conroys. Although narrated by Danny, this is really a story about so many different women. Elna's rectitude, Andrea's cruelty, Maeve's strength. These rich, polarizing characters were in the driver's seat and what a ride it was.A (probably typical) dysfunctional family chasing the American dream in the 1950s creates a tale of abandonment, pain, grace, and forgiveness that's as old as time but feels fresh in the context of the Conroys. Although narrated by Danny, this is…
The Water DancerThe Water Dancer, Book Club KitA Novel
by Coates, Ta-NehisiBook Club Kit - 2019 | First edition.
Added Jul 16, 2020
LPL_LeahN's rating:
5 out of 5 stars
Added Jul 13, 2020
Comment:
"The jump is done by the power of the story. It pulls from our particular histories, from all of our loves and all of our losses, all of that feeling is called up and on the strength of our remembrances, we are moved." This is Conduction.
This book is purely and simply a revelation. Ta-Nehisi Coates tells the story of one man's experiences with the legendary Underground with top shelf style and imagination. He turns a phrase like only a poet can, everything from the imagery of the deep south to the emotional turmoil of a freed man turned back to slavery serves as a means of reader Conduction to Lockless Plantation.
The ease with which the reader is immersed in this world make it one of the best works of magical realism I've ever read. But it's the story of Hiram and the Underground itself, tackling themes like ancestral rage, white allyship, and feminism that make it one of the most important."The jump is done by the power of the story. It pulls from our particular histories, from all of our loves and all of our losses, all of that feeling is called up and on the strength of our remembrances, we are moved." This is Conduction.
This…
LPL_LeahN's rating:
4.5 out of 5 stars
Added Jul 10, 2020
Comment:
I LOVED Magic for Liars by Sarah Gailey so I was immediately intrigued by this. It was the cryptic challenge on the cover that really sold it: "Are you a coward or are you a librarian?" It was a quick read, both short and engrossing. Esther is a young woman on the run from her overbearing, vindictive, and violent father. She stows away in a cart belonging to Bet and Leda, two tough as nails Librarians who seem uniquely suited to the job of espionage under the guise of delivering Accepted Materials to towns in a strange and bleak dystopian America. Will they accept her and train her to be a Librarian or will they dump her the first chance they get?
Esther has many adventures with the Librarians, not all of them expected or pleasant. But she also meets Cye, a smooth talking Librarian apprentice and new feelings plus ones from her past she hasn't yet dealt with charge to the forefront. I love the Queer representation in this book and my only complaint is that it wasn't longer! I feel a lot more could have been done with the world they built and also the plot. To not spoil anything, I'll just say simply that the ending was a perfect set up for a sequel. Fingers crossed!I LOVED Magic for Liars by Sarah Gailey so I was immediately intrigued by this. It was the cryptic challenge on the cover that really sold it: "Are you a coward or are you a librarian?" It was a quick read, both short and engrossing. Esther is a…
LPL_LeahN's rating:
5 out of 5 stars
Added Jun 29, 2020
Donkey Kong CountryDonkey Kong Country, Video GameTropical Freeze
Video Game - 2018 | Nintendo Switch.
LPL_LeahN's rating:
5 out of 5 stars
Added Jun 17, 2020
LPL_LeahN's rating:
5 out of 5 stars
Added Jun 17, 2020
Comment:
Annev has only known one goal, acquiring the status of Master Avatar (or fetcher of magical artifacts) for the Chaenbalu Academy. But he and his very Dumbledorian mentor, Sodar, share a deadly secret they've spent their lives protecting. Can they keep it long enough to see Annev declared a Master? And what then? A twist of prophecy sends the tale careening down an exhilarating (sometimes downright scary) path of no return. This is an expertly crafted fantasy debut that promises to be a great series!Annev has only known one goal, acquiring the status of Master Avatar (or fetcher of magical artifacts) for the Chaenbalu Academy. But he and his very Dumbledorian mentor, Sodar, share a deadly secret they've spent their lives protecting. Can they…
This Tender LandThis Tender Land, BookA Novel
by Krueger, William KentBook - 2019 | First Atria Books hardcover edition.
LPL_LeahN's rating:
5 out of 5 stars
Added May 30, 2020
From Blood and AshFrom Blood and Ash, eBook
by Armentrout, Jennifer L.eBook - 2020
All copies in use
Holds: 21 on 3 copies
Holds: 21 on 3 copies
LPL_LeahN's rating:
4.5 out of 5 stars
Added May 30, 2020
Added Mar 10, 2020
Snow Falling on CedarsSnow Falling on Cedars, Book
by Guterson, DavidBook - 1995 | First Vintage contemporaries edition
LPL_LeahN's rating:
5 out of 5 stars
Added Mar 10, 2020
Comment: