Welcome to the Stacks
Fostering the love of reading, here are several reviews from myself.
Looking for grade-level recommendations for your kiddo? Click here
American Royals by Katherine McGee
Star Rating: ★★★★★
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American Royals - what a fun, light, and engaging read!
What if American had a royal family? This book is set on the premise of George Washington being crowed King and American having its own monarchy after winning the Revolutionary War. Set in modern day, they are now looking forward to their first Queen after some modern rules were applied to allow a first born to be crowned.
American Dirt by Jeanine Cummins
Star Rating: ★★★★
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The author of American Dirt came under fire after Oprah chose this book for her Book Club. Putting critics' POV aside, the story of American Dirt was really good. I really enjoyed the audiobook. The fiction book centers on a woman of her 7-year-old son surviving a Cartel murdering her entire family in front of them in Mexico. They know they need to flee. The join the migrant migration to America in search of safety.
Share Your Stuff. I'll Go First. by Laura Tremaine
Star Rating: ★★
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As someone who has Tabasco level stuff to share, I felt this poblano pepper story was not for me. I don't want to diminish anyone's pain because it truly is relative. But, I just couldn't relate to this book. The audiobook was fine in terms of narration but this is more of a workbook. So, I would suggest getting the physical book vs. audio or kindle.
Amazon
The Widow Cliquot by Tilar J. Mazzeo
Star Rating: ★★★★★
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The Widow Cliquot is an insane story many people don't know about the famous champagne house. Rooted in the time of the French Revolution, we learn about a secret wedding and an untimely death, which leads our leading lady to continue running Veuve Cliquot, which literally translates to Widow Cliquot. It's right there on the brand and yet this story is only recently documented and shared. It should be made into a movie. The stories about hiding Champagne during the war, competing against the Moet house, and so much more and rich in detail.
A Very Punchable Face by Colin Jost
Star Rating: ★★★★★
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Somehow this man has lived more lives than a cat. This is one of the funniest books I have ever read. I don't really know him from SNL but the book title had me laughing so I gave it a go. Fast read about Colin Jost's insanely privileged life and the antics that ensued. He laughs at himself so much in this book that you can't help but laugh alongside him.
Amazon
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by JK Rowling
Star Rating: ★★★★
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Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows wraps it up well. I still can't help but wonder why Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw exist. What did they really bring to the plot? I realize this may bring ire from readers LOL.
The audiobook was fantastic on 1.5x again and this was a great pandemic project to enjoy with my voracious reader of a daughter.
The Answer is...by Alex Trebek
Star Rating: ★★★★★
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This was a fantastic palete cleanser from the heaviness of the pandemic. I honestly wept after finishing this bok. I always thought Alex Trebek was an amazing man but then I read this book and thought, "How is it even possible that he is this GOOD!?" (hint: he's Canadian).
The audiobook is fantastic, narrated by Alex Trebek and Ken Jennings. But, after hearing that the author donated all proceeds from the book to charity, I purchased the book as well. It's a book of short stories and lessons from life. A great book for the whole family to have on hand.
A Promised Land by Barack Obama
Star Rating: ★★★★
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The audio of this book was outstanding. But, after almost 30 hours and Barack Obama only makes it to the end of his first term?! Oof, that's a long winded storyteller.
Regardless of who I voted for, I still try and listen and empathize with someone. And our country's first Black president definitely deserves that much from me. Hearing some of the predicaments our President is placed in, especially during a recession, was very interesting. I worked on some of the benfits of the relief plan action (via SNAP benefits increase) and so it was very interesting to hear his side of the story and issue at hand.
Random but it was fun to hear his side of the same stories that Michelle Obama covered in her book. First Ladies and Presidents--they are just like the rest of us married couples. :)
Greenlights by Matthew McConaughey
Star Rating: ★★★★
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There was no doubt the audiobook of Greenlights would be fantastic. Matthew McConaughey has a great voice. I tore through this book on audio. He details his life both before fame and during it, which were interesting to me as I still think of him as "the stoner that was arrested naked for playing the bongos too loudly".
But, in the wake of society working through how some are so privileged, this book seems ill-timed. A cis-gender, gorgeous looking, white, middle income male detailing stories of his "green lights" falls flat in 2021. And, listen, I don't need him making apologies of his privilege. I'm simply saying it was hard to accept some of his advice on life without also wondering if he realizes how limited or even not possible that advice is for many other segments of our society.
Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince by JK Rowling
Star Rating: ★★★★★
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Audiobook on 1.5x for the win! The narrator for Harry Potter is really good. If you've not gotten into the books, give the audio a try!
This book. As someone who is 2 decades behind in Harry Potter lore, I still did not know this ending. After I finished the book, I went to my husband and he saw the look in my eyes and just knew that I knew the ending. This was my favorite Harry Potter book.
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by JK Rowling
Star Rating: ★★★★
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I have found the key to Harry Potter - listening to the audiobooks on 1.5x :) The narrator is great, actually!
The Order of the Phoenix is really good. I like Harry showing his teen angst side; it made it all more relatable as he struggles with his 5th year at Hogwart's.
How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie
Star Rating: ★★★
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Despite this being THE book for adults, I had not read it. But, after hearing the author changed the spelling of his name to be associated with the Carnegie family, the author did not feel like someone I shoudl take advice from. However, I listened. It is outdated. It would be interesting to have it rewritten for the modern age (i.e. there is a part about how to leave a proper message with a secretary). Overall, the audiobook was fine and a quick read and a good reminder of the ABCs -- Always Be Complimentary
The Last Child in the Woods by Richard Louv
Star Rating: ★★★★
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The Last Child in the Woods grounds itself in the theory of children, over the course of the last 100+ years, slowly moving indoors and what toll that has taken on humans as they grow. The writer coins the phrase, "nature-deficit disorder" and how it came about. Most interesting of note to me was the steady decline in college students choosing Earth science-based majors (chemistry, biology, geology, etc.) As a result, scientists are in a predicament of creating historical documents now for fear that progress will be haulted. If a mushroom was discovered in 2020 but not documented well, a scientist in 2050 may discover the same mushroom and not further our knowledge but rather hinder our progress and innovation.
Uncanny Valley by Anna Weiner
Star Rating: ★★★★★
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Fantastic title. This is an autobiography about a woman who starting in publishing and ends up in Silicon Valley. You get an outsider's inside look at the tech industry. She fights against the regime a lot but also uses the same tech conveniences in her everyday life, therefore supporting the places she loathes. You learn a lot of interesting stories about very big tech hubs as well as how the tech workers internally discuss "God mode", which is incredibly fascinating. The audiobook is great.
The Dutch House by Ann Patchett
Star Rating: ★★★★★
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This book. THIS AUDIBLE. It's just so good. Tom Hanks should narrate more books. It was so comforting to hear him read Danny's story. The Dutch House is about two siblings who move through life together, relying on each other during the multiple decades that this book covers. It's a beautifully simple story about a brother and a sister and their life together while in the dutch house and after.
The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett
Star Rating: ★★★★
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Thank you to everyone for recommending this! The South in the midst of a civil rights reckoning, Louisiana and Maison Blanche (RIP), and family drama and secrets...this book was perfect and delivered on all fronts. The twins are thrilling to follow as they chose to flee their small town and go out into the world. It's always interesting to see characters develop from childhood into adults and how the lasting influences from their past shape their outlook and path in life. I listened to this book and the narrator was just okay. I would recommend reading the book instead.
I'm Still Here by Austin Channing Brown
Star Rating: ★★★★★
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There is no way a normal synposis can do this book justice. I feel that every person should read this book. Read it. Learn from it. And then do the work. And then do more work. I am the slowest reader I know and I read this in a weekend's time. Please pick it up, do your homework, and then get to work.
The League of Wives by Heath Hardage Lee
Star Rating: ★★★★
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Women who would hardly describe themselves at "feminists" end up taking off the pearls and lace gloves to take on the US government to lobby and negotiate a safe return for their husbands. Based on an incredible true story, The League of Wives is about wives from all branches of US military joining together to get their POW and MIA husbands home from the Vietnam War. Early on, reports were saying that both sides were following the rules of the Geneva Convention. Until one POW uses his eyes to send Morse code "torture" back home during his TV interview.
Putting aside all party lines, these wives work tirelessly to get their husbands home. Many of these women were without their husbands for nearly a decade and it's crazy to read the account of being a wife but not a widow in a time when women couldn't have credit cards, couldn't access their husband's savings accounts, etc.
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by JK Rowling
Star Rating: ★★★★
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I know these are children's books. But, there is so much recap in the beginning of each of these. And, I feel like most children are like mine in that they may not remember to brush their teeth every day but they definitely know if two wands share a trait. This book was a little long but at least the plot is getting good. My daughter was not scared by this book but I do hear the 4th book is when most kids start to get a little scared.
The Lies that Bind by Emily Giffin
Star Rating: ★★★★★
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I love Emily Giffin but this might be a new record. I flew through this book in 3 days. There are four distinct parts where I just gasped and had to re-read because I didn't see it coming! And a certain character who makes an appearance but I didn't put 2 and 2 together and then I did and OMG it was all so amazing.
Love this plot and love how she weaves turn of the century nostalgia into the heaviness of 9/11.