JCLS_Ashland_Kristin
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JCLS_Ashland_Kristin's Completed Shelf
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The Office of Historical CorrectionsThe Office of Historical Corrections, BookA Novella and Stories
by Evans, DanielleBook - 2021
JCLS_Ashland_Kristin's rating:
5 out of 5 stars
Added Mar 05, 2021
The Liar's DictionaryThe Liar's Dictionary, BookA Novel
by Williams, EleyBook - 2020 | First United States edition.
JCLS_Ashland_Kristin's rating:
4 out of 5 stars
Added Mar 02, 2021
Comment:
I loved the humor in this novel about a failed dictionary and a modern day editorial intern looking for rogue mountweazels (fake words) in the original edition planted by the lovable weirdo who is the point of view character in the early 20th century plot line.I loved the humor in this novel about a failed dictionary and a modern day editorial intern looking for rogue mountweazels (fake words) in the original edition planted by the lovable weirdo who is the point of view character in the early 20th…
Magic LessonsMagic Lessons, Book
by Hoffman, AliceBook - 2020 | First Simon & Schuster hardcover edition.
JCLS_Ashland_Kristin's rating:
4.5 out of 5 stars
Added Mar 01, 2021
Comment:
It's been decades since I read and loved Practical Magic...and honestly don't remember the story very well. Because of this I was hesitant to pick up the prequel, but I loved this Salem-Witch-Trials era read...and will be reapproaching the entire series in order to be ready for the final installment which will be published in October 2021!It's been decades since I read and loved Practical Magic...and honestly don't remember the story very well. Because of this I was hesitant to pick up the prequel, but I loved this Salem-Witch-Trials era read...and will be reapproaching the entire…
JCLS_Ashland_Kristin's rating:
4 out of 5 stars
Added Mar 01, 2021
Comment:
Great world building makes this teen fantasy stand out in a crowded field of recent high fantasy titles in Africa-like settings.
JCLS_Ashland_Kristin's rating:
4.5 out of 5 stars
Added Feb 26, 2021
Comment:
Written in screenplay format, this novel won't be for everyone...but the unique structure and the thematic content made this one right up my alley. It's kind of like "American Born Chinese" but written with an adult audience in mind.
Detransition, BabyDetransition, Baby, eBook
by Peters, TorreyeBook - 2021
All copies in use
Holds: 20 on 3 copies
Holds: 20 on 3 copies
JCLS_Ashland_Kristin's rating:
4.5 out of 5 stars
Added Feb 25, 2021
Comment:
I loved that this novel expanded my understanding of queer identities and explored the messiness of its 3 main characters with understanding and compassion.
JCLS_Ashland_Kristin's rating:
3 out of 5 stars
Added Feb 23, 2021
Comment:
A thriller that is also a Jane Eyre retelling?...sign me up!
Good Morning, MidnightGood Morning, Midnight, BookA Novel
by Brooks-Dalton, LilyBook - 2016 | First edition.
JCLS_Ashland_Kristin's rating:
4 out of 5 stars
Added Feb 22, 2021
Comment:
A "quiet" post-apocalyptic novel, more about ideas and characters than plot. While nothing about the ending surprised me (I'm not sure if it was supposed to), I enjoyed the time I spent with this book.
The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the NationThe Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, BookVolume II The Kingdom on the Waves
by Anderson, M. T.Book - 2008 | 1st ed.
JCLS_Ashland_Kristin's rating:
4 out of 5 stars
Added Feb 22, 2021
Comment:
This is a second volume in 2 part series and won't stand alone. Picaresque novels are never my favorite, but Anderson is super talented and this look at the life Octavian while he fights with the British in the Revolutionary War makes some interesting points about the world we live in today. It's been nearly 15 years since the first volume was published, and I'd love to read an essay by the author revisiting this through the lens of today.This is a second volume in 2 part series and won't stand alone. Picaresque novels are never my favorite, but Anderson is super talented and this look at the life Octavian while he fights with the British in the Revolutionary War makes some…
JCLS_Ashland_Kristin's rating:
3 out of 5 stars
Added Feb 22, 2021
Comment:
As an enjoyer of regency era romance, there is a lot to love about this foundation for the Bridgerton Netflix series. I loved the first half-ish of this book. However, I tend to prefer romance where the female characters are trying to stretch beyond the very few options that would have been afforded to women at that time. In this case, Daphne seemed pretty content with those restrictions and was only fighting against her husbandss clearly stated desire to not have children...which, at least for this reader, isn't a compelling conflict to sustain a novel length work.As an enjoyer of regency era romance, there is a lot to love about this foundation for the Bridgerton Netflix series. I loved the first half-ish of this book. However, I tend to prefer romance where the female characters are trying to stretch…
The House of SilkThe House of Silk, BookA Sherlock Holmes Novel
by Horowitz, AnthonyBook - 2011 | 1st ed.
JCLS_Ashland_Kristin's rating:
4 out of 5 stars
Added Feb 19, 2021
Comment:
Good fun. Horowitz clearly knows his way around the Holmesian cannon and kept this novel very true to its roots.
JCLS_Ashland_Kristin's rating:
4.5 out of 5 stars
Added Feb 16, 2021
Comment:
What might have just been a typical thriller was enhanced by the cinephile appeal AND the really well fleshed out neurodivergent main character.
JCLS_Ashland_Kristin's rating:
3.5 out of 5 stars
Added Feb 16, 2021
Comment:
I found the exploration of gender norms and plural marriage in Nigerian culture fascinating. At times a bit melodramatic, but a compelling read nonetheless.
In the Garden of SpiteIn the Garden of Spite, BookA Novel of the Black Widow of La Porte
by Bruce, CamillaBook - 2021
JCLS_Ashland_Kristin's rating:
3 out of 5 stars
Added Feb 16, 2021
Comment:
Fans of true crime will enjoy this novelization of a turn-of-the-century era serial killer: The Widow of La Porte.
The Wolves of Willoughby ChaseThe Wolves of Willoughby Chase, Book
by Aiken, JoanBook - 2012 | 50th anniversary ed.
JCLS_Ashland_Kristin's rating:
3.5 out of 5 stars
Added Feb 11, 2021
Comment:
I've heard about this children's classic for years and had never gotten around to reading it. I can definitely see the influence of this on more recent books I've read and loved, especially the Maryrose Wood series The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place.I've heard about this children's classic for years and had never gotten around to reading it. I can definitely see the influence of this on more recent books I've read and loved, especially the Maryrose Wood series The Incorrigible Children of…
JCLS_Ashland_Kristin's rating:
3 out of 5 stars
Added Feb 08, 2021
Comment:
Fans of thrillers with leads who are female private investigators will want to check this title out.
JCLS_Ashland_Kristin's rating:
4.5 out of 5 stars
Added Feb 08, 2021
Comment:
Really taught thriller set primarily on a Lakota reservation in South Dakota. This "own voices" title not only educated about how our legal system plays out in such a setting, but also delivered a really compelling story.
JCLS_Ashland_Kristin's rating:
3 out of 5 stars
Added Feb 08, 2021
Comment:
Fans of teen fantasy set in African settings (like Children of Blood and Bone) will likely enjoy this novel that kicks off a series.
JCLS_Ashland_Kristin's rating:
3.5 out of 5 stars
Added Feb 05, 2021
Comment:
I almost always enjoy novels with timelines in both the present and the past. Add humor and horror to the mix and you pretty much "have me at 'hello.'" This book was good, creepy fun!
White IvyWhite Ivy, BookA Novel
by Yang, SusieBook - 2020 | First Simon & Schuster hardcover edition.
JCLS_Ashland_Kristin's rating:
3.5 out of 5 stars
Added Feb 02, 2021
Comment:
A thriller-ish novel that plays with the "model minority" myth in really interesting ways. It is full of unsympathetic characters, as one might assume because of this. So: not my favorite, but still one I'd recommend because of the uniqueness of what it is trying to do.A thriller-ish novel that plays with the "model minority" myth in really interesting ways. It is full of unsympathetic characters, as one might assume because of this. So: not my favorite, but still one I'd recommend because of the uniqueness of…
JCLS_Ashland_Kristin's rating:
4 out of 5 stars
Added Feb 01, 2021
Comment:
This novel of an African American protagonist figuring out tech bro culture and spreading this knowledge to others isn't laugh out loud funny, but it is darkly comedic and I'm looking forward to reading more from this first time novelist.
The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the NationThe Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Book1 The Pox Party
by Anderson, M. T.Book - 2006 | 1st ed.
JCLS_Ashland_Kristin's rating:
5 out of 5 stars
Added Feb 01, 2021
Comment:
This was a re-read for me because I never read volume 2 and I knew I wouldn't remember enough of the book to be able to pick up volume 2 without a reread. It's still v. v. good and v. v. relevant to today.
JCLS_Ashland_Kristin's rating:
4.5 out of 5 stars
Added Jan 29, 2021
Comment:
Lots of love for this "The Hate U Give" prequel. Angie Thomas is absolutely brilliant at building loveable characters. Maverick is a hugely loveable character. Even as he makes bad decision after bad decision, his essential goodness is evident throughout. While it feels at some points like a tragedy, there is so much hope and beauty at the end. Fans of the author Nic Stone will also find an Easter egg hidden inside this one!Lots of love for this "The Hate U Give" prequel. Angie Thomas is absolutely brilliant at building loveable characters. Maverick is a hugely loveable character. Even as he makes bad decision after bad decision, his essential goodness is evident…
Moonflower MurdersMoonflower Murders, BookA Novel
by Horowitz, AnthonyBook - 2020 | First U.S. edition.
JCLS_Ashland_Kristin's rating:
3.5 out of 5 stars
Added Jan 28, 2021
Comment:
A worthy sequel to Magpie Murders, featuring another mystery nested within a mystery.
JCLS_Ashland_Kristin's rating:
3.5 out of 5 stars
Added Jan 26, 2021
Comment:
If you've been reading children's lit for a while, think Jane Yolen's Devil's Arithmetic meets Japanese Internment. While occasionally relying a bit heavily on telling rather than showing, the "modern day teen magically time traveling to moment in history" trope was really effective at making clear that historical trauma has far reaching multi-generational ramifications. In this case, the lack of interest in talking about Internment camps within Japanese families leading to a lack of understanding amongst decedents of these families of what their forbears went through.If you've been reading children's lit for a while, think Jane Yolen's Devil's Arithmetic meets Japanese Internment. While occasionally relying a bit heavily on telling rather than showing, the "modern day teen magically time traveling to moment in…
Comment: