Curioussquared ROOTs again in 2020

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Curioussquared ROOTs again in 2020

1curioussquared
Ene 2, 2020, 5:08 pm



Hi everyone! I'm Natalie. I'm located in Seattle, where I do communications work for a consulting firm. I get a lot of reading done during my bus commute. Otherwise, I do most of my reading curled up on the couch with my rescued greyhounds, Skelly and Otter, or listening to audiobooks while doing chores and walking the dogs. Above are Skelly and Otter in a typical position :)

This is my second year in this group! I typically read 100+ books per year. Last year I beat my goal of 50 ROOTs by 6 books. I'd like to read 50 ROOTs again this year.

My goal with ROOTing is to just decrease my owned TBR pile, so for me, a ROOT is any book I own, even if I bought it this year.

Happy ROOTing!


2floremolla
Ene 2, 2020, 5:57 pm

Welcome back, Natalie, and happy ROOTing in 2020!

3connie53
Ene 2, 2020, 6:01 pm

Welcome back, Natalie! I love the picture of Skelly and Otter!

4curioussquared
Ene 2, 2020, 6:48 pm

>2 floremolla: Thanks, Donna!

>3 connie53: Thanks, Connie! Otter can still be a naughty puppy, but I'm glad that for the most part my dogs are happy to relax and cuddle while I read.

5rabbitprincess
Ene 2, 2020, 8:30 pm

Welcome back and have a great reading year! The dogs look quite comfortable -- they must be fun to cuddle with :)

6Jackie_K
Ene 3, 2020, 6:33 am

Welcome back, and what gorgeous dogs! We have friends with a retired greyhound, and that looks like a pretty standard greyhound pose, judging from their photos!

7curioussquared
Ene 3, 2020, 1:38 pm

>5 rabbitprincess: >6 Jackie_K: Thank you both! Yes, they are definitely dogs who like to be comfortable, lol. It's fun to cuddle with them until you get punched in the face by a stray paw. They're just so long!

8curioussquared
Ene 3, 2020, 1:38 pm



1 ROOT down: Arcadia by Tom Stoppard

This play follows events at the estate of Sidley Park in two timelines -- one in the early 1800s, where young Thomasina is studying mathematics and physics with her tutor, Septimus Hodge, and one in the present day, where two historians are researching a mysterious hermit who once lived at Sidley Park and the actions of Lord Byron during his visits to the estate.

This play is really interestingly done -- the two timelines run simultaneously and in the last scene, both sets of characters are on stage at the same time. I would love to see it performed someday. 4 stars.

9connie53
Ene 3, 2020, 1:51 pm

Congrats on your first ROOT down, Natalie

10curioussquared
Ene 3, 2020, 3:55 pm

>9 connie53: Thanks, Connie! I'm hoping to get more ROOTs done earlier in the year this year so I'm not scrambling to hit my goal later.

11cyderry
Ene 3, 2020, 5:44 pm

Hi, Natalie,

Glad you are with us! Don't forget to copy your ticker into the ticker thread. Thanks!

12curioussquared
Ene 3, 2020, 5:57 pm

>11 cyderry: Done! :)

13MissWatson
Ene 4, 2020, 12:36 pm

Happy ROOTing!

14curioussquared
Ene 6, 2020, 12:49 pm

>13 MissWatson: Thank you!

So much for starting off with lots of ROOTs; I forgot that once I met last year's goal, I let all the library holds hit at once. Back to normal ROOTing schedule once I'm through all my library books; 2 down, 4 to go!

15rabbitprincess
Ene 6, 2020, 6:52 pm

>14 curioussquared: Haha story of my life at the moment! Picked up 4 holds today, will have to pick up another 2 tomorrow, and I think another 3 or 4 are in transit.

16curioussquared
Editado: Ene 22, 2020, 12:53 pm

Phew, finally through the all the library books and done with my second ROOT!



2 ROOTs down: Starworld by Audrey Coulthurst and Paula Garner

Sam doesn't fit in at school. She spends most of her time trying to live with and accommodate her mom's OCD, and the rest of the time pretending she's a robot to avoid thinking about her dad, who left five years ago to move to London. Her only real outlet is occasional video games with her friend Will. Popular, pretty Zoe has lots of friends and a great boyfriend, and gets good grades and starring roles in the school plays. But her life is falling apart at home as she and her family struggle to deal with her mom's cancer and her disabled brother Jonah -- and as she struggles to find her identity as someone who was adopted. When the two girls forge an unlikely friendship over texts, they create an escape called Starworld, and they start to realize that they understand each other in a way they've never experience before.

I started out liking this book and ended up unable to put it down in the last half -- I even sacrificed some sleep! Sam and Zoe felt very real and I felt for them as they navigated some really tough situations. I wasn't expecting to get so attached, but I was crying on and off throughout the second half. Recommended! 4 stars.

17connie53
Ene 22, 2020, 2:12 am

>16 curioussquared: Hi Natalie, That sounds real good! But your touchstone brings me to a book by Harry Harrison.

18curioussquared
Ene 22, 2020, 12:53 pm

>17 connie53: Ooh, good catch, Connie! It's fixed now.

19curioussquared
Ene 29, 2020, 4:49 pm



3 ROOTs down: Much Ado About Nothing by William Shakespeare

Somehow I made it this far (including a college Shakespeare course) without reading this one! I thoroughly enjoyed Beatrice and Benedick's bickering and the rest of the story. The highlight for me was definitely Beatrice's O that I were a man! monologue. 4.5 stars.

20Jackie_K
Ene 30, 2020, 7:12 am

>19 curioussquared: That's one of my favourites! Terrific from start to finish.

21curioussquared
Feb 2, 2020, 8:03 pm



4 ROOTs down: Storm Thief by Chris Wooding

The island of Orokos is terrorized by chaos storms that can change your life in an instant -- suddenly you're in a different place, or you're left-handed, or your lungs don't work anymore. In this crazy world, Rail and Moa live as thieves serving thief mistress Anya Jacana. When their latest haul includes a mysterious artifact from the ancient civilization that built the island and its technology and trapped the residents there, Rail decides that they'll try to keep the artifact secret from their mistress and sell it to get themselves a better life. When it becomes clear that Anya Jacana did know about the artifact and expected to see it in the haul they presented, the two find themselves on the run -- first from their thief mistress, and then from other players, all who seem to want their artifact.

This book seemed interesting from the outside but it just didn't do it for me. There were a lot of cool concepts -- the chaos engine and storms, Vago the golem, the artifact that allowed them to go through walls -- but none of it seemed very fleshed out. It felt kind of like Wooding threw as many weird, interesting ideas as he could think of at the wall to see how many stuck, and only a few really stuck. It was a short book, but still felt like a slog. On the plus side, this has been on my shelf literally since 2006 so that's a very deep ROOT off the shelf. 2 stars.

22curioussquared
Feb 14, 2020, 6:18 pm

I have been in something of a reading slump, but I finally finished a book!



5 ROOTs down: The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini

Growing up in Afghanistan, Amir witnesses his best friend Hassan suffer a horrible act at the hands of bullies -- but does nothing to stop it due to his own fear, and ends up driving away Hassan as a result. As Afghanistan descends into turmoil, Amir and his father build a new life in America -- until decades later, Amir is called back to Afghanistan to make things right with Hassan's son.

I went into this book knowing nothing about the plot (except that my mom's book club and like every other book club in the country read it in the early 2000s). This book is brutal to read at times, and I had trouble listening to the audio version -- it wasn't a particularly long book, I just didn't find myself wanting to listen because it was such a tough read. In the end I found it rewarding, but just a rough journey to get there. 4 stars.

23curioussquared
Editado: Feb 28, 2020, 4:43 pm



6 ROOTs down: Amsterdam by Ian McEwan

In the wake of the death of a shared former lover, Molly, two old friends, Clive and Vernon, find themselves grappling with morality and mortality, as well as changes in their friendship and their reputations in the public eye.

McEwan won the Booker for this one -- I enjoyed it, but not as much as Atonement or Sweet Tooth, but maybe a bit more than On Chesil Beach. I'll definitely continue to read more of his! 3.5 stars.

Edit: Apparently I also read Black Dogs back in 2015 but I have zero recollection of it, even after reading a plot summary, so I guess that's my least favorite McEwan!

24curioussquared
Feb 28, 2020, 4:43 pm

I'm behind on ROOTing and reading in general! I'm still making my way through the Great Library Book Build-Up of 2020 so that's part of it. Hopefully will get more ROOTs done soon!

25This-n-That
Feb 28, 2020, 5:18 pm

>24 curioussquared: It is hard to ignore those library books sometimes. Congratulations on finishing ROOT #6 though.

26curioussquared
Feb 28, 2020, 5:44 pm

>25 This-n-That: Thanks! I usually start a little slow on the ROOTing and speed up toward the end of the year -- I'm very motivated by deadlines.

27rabbitprincess
Feb 29, 2020, 9:57 am

>24 curioussquared: Those library books get in the way of my ROOT reading too ;)

28connie53
Editado: Mar 7, 2020, 3:31 am

>26 curioussquared: Funny how these motivating things work. I usually reach my ROOT goal long before the end of the year. And then I can feel free to read the shiny new ones.

29curioussquared
Mar 2, 2020, 1:22 pm

>28 connie53: I think you are more disciplined than me, Connie! :)

30curioussquared
Mar 15, 2020, 2:47 pm



7 ROOTs down: Behold the Dreamers by Imbolo Mbue

It's 2007 and Jende is living the American dream in New York. He manages to secure a visa to leave his native Cameroon, and after a year or so of working odd jobs and driving taxis, he's able to move his young son and girlfriend to the city, too, and they're finally able to get married. His cousin helps him get a job as a chauffeur for a wealthy Wall Street banker and his family, earning what to Jende seems like a ridiculous amount of money. Life is good -- except for the little problem of papers. Jende's visa is expired, and his application for asylum is moving through the immigration courts at a glacial pace. But in the meantime, he has a working permit, his family is happy and well, and the economy is great. What could go wrong?

I loved this book -- I spent the first half getting to know Jende, his wife Neni, and all of their hopes and dreams, and then I spent the rest of it dreading what would happen when the recession hit. The whole thing is really well done -- I was invested in every character. 4.5 stars.

31curioussquared
Mar 18, 2020, 6:36 pm



8 ROOTs down: The Summer Before the War by Helen Simonson

It's 1914, and Beatrice Nash has just moved to the small village of Rye to take on the role of Latin teacher at the local school -- a somewhat unusual role for a young woman, but Beatrice has always been scholarly, doesn't plan to marry, and must support herself now that her father has passed away. In Rye, she settles into her routine, making friends with some of the local people, including medical student Hugh Grange, his cousin Daniel, a poet, and their aunt Agatha, who gets Beatrice involved in local committees. But as the shadow of war looms, everything changes quickly. Soon, the people of Rye are hosting Belgian refugees, and young men start enlisting.

I enjoyed this overall. I feel like Simonson has a particular way of writing that just makes me think, hmm, this would make a good BBC miniseries. I liked Beatrice as a character, and enjoyed all the ways in which Simonson explored women's rights (and the lack thereof) during the time period. I did feel like the plot was a little unfocused; it almost felt more like a snapshot of a particular time period than a concrete story with a beginning and end, but I liked the characters and the general feel enough not to mind. I was surprised that it had turned into a full-fledged war book by the end, given that the title suggests everything will happen before the war ;) 3.5 stars.

32curioussquared
Mar 23, 2020, 1:35 pm



9 ROOTs down: The Slow Regard of Silent Things by Patrick Rothfuss

This is more of a vignette than a novel -- it basically just follows Auri, from Rothfuss's Kingkiller Chronicles, as she explores her domain. I knew that going in, and enjoyed parts of it, but it still didn't really do it for me. 3 stars.

Maybe this pandemic will finally get Rothfuss to finish Doors of Stone?

33curioussquared
Abr 3, 2020, 2:42 pm



10 ROOTs down: Her Fearful Symmetry by Audrey Niffenegger

Julia and Valentina look identical, but they're actually mirror twins. Their features are reflected in the other's face and body, even internally -- Valentina's heart is on the wrong side of her chest. They do everything together, but right now they're aimless -- jobless college dropouts living with their parents in Lake Forest, IL. But everything changes when a letter arrives for the twins from London, explaining that their aunt Elspeth, their mother's twin sister, has died, leaving the twins most of her assets, including her flat in London. The twins are shocked -- their mother hadn't spoken to her sister in years and they never met their aunt. The only stipulation is that to claim the inheritance, the twins must live in the flat for a whole year, and their parents aren't allowed to enter it for that year. Still confused, Julia and Valentina board a plane for England, unaware of everything that awaits them there...

I think the only word for this book is "weird." There are a bunch of different narrators, and at first it's hard to keep them straight or get to know them. They eventually straighten out, especially as the twins get to London and meet everyone else. But what starts as a straightforward novel quickly takes a supernatural turn, which I guess I should have expected given Niffenegger's other book, The Time Traveler's Wife. It really only gets weirder from there, and there were SEVERAL twists at the end that honestly made me like the novel a bit less. Overall, a strange, winding, sort of plotless story. 3 stars.

34connie53
Editado: Abr 7, 2020, 2:44 am

>33 curioussquared: I read that book too. This is what I thought about it

A very weird book, but intriguing. Audrey Niffenegger can write beautifully and her subjects are always slightly different. Although I soon realized what was going on, the story fascinated me. I found the ending a bit disappointing. As if the writer did not know exactly what to do with her characters and ended it as soon as possible. If the end had been a bit stronger, the book would certainly have got ****. I gave it *** 1/2

35Jackie_K
Abr 4, 2020, 7:48 am

>33 curioussquared: I've always meant to try that because I absolutely loved The Time Traveler's Wife, but I'm worried that nothing of hers I read will live up to how that book made me feel.

36curioussquared
Abr 4, 2020, 5:33 pm

>34 connie53: That sounds about right, Connie. Agreed about the disappointing ending!

>35 Jackie_K: I wouldn't read this one if you're looking for something like The Time Traveler's Wife. It's not nearly as good and has a totally different feel to it.

37curioussquared
Abr 9, 2020, 1:05 pm



11 ROOTs down: Royal Holiday by Jasmine Guillory

When Maddie Forest is invited to England to style a duchess for the holidays, she insists her mother Vivian come along too -- Vivian spent so long raising Maddie on her own that she needs to learn how to take some time for herself. Vivian feels like she's been whisked into another world, staying at Sandringham and being treated like a queen. And things only get better when she meets Malcolm Hudson, the queen's private secretary, who happens to be a very handsome, very nice black man. Vivian and Malcolm start spending time with each other during Vivian's visit, and it soon becomes clear that they like each other -- but Vivian is leaving to go back to the US in just a few days.

Another fun, fluffy, woke romance from Guillory -- the perfect thing for pandemic reading. This one focuses on an older couple, which is kind of nice -- I'm not a big romance reader, but I don't think this is a demographic that gets a ton of attention. Enjoyable cotton candy. 3.5 stars.

38curioussquared
Abr 10, 2020, 2:22 pm



12 ROOTs down: Rebel Belle by Rachel Hawkins

Harper Price does everything excellently. She leads the school government, the first junior to do so, she runs every committee possible, captains the cheerleading squad, and helps run cotillion practices. At homecoming with her handsome boyfriend Ryan, she fully expects to be crowned homecoming queen. But then, a quick trip to the bathroom to reapply her lip gloss before the crowning ceremony changes everything when the school janitor -- who is totally not what he seems -- passes an ancient gift on to Harper without even asking. Turns out Harper is a Paladin, a sort of magical bodyguard charged with protecting someone nearby... but Harper has a feeling she's NOT going to be excited about who she's supposed to be protecting.

This was a fun YA romp. I got Buffy and Miss Congeniality vibes. It was a little too high school drama-y at times and I don't think I'll be continuing the series, but I liked it overall. 3.5 stars.

39curioussquared
Abr 10, 2020, 2:22 pm



13 ROOTs down: Paper Girls: Volume 1 by Brian K. Vaughan

On an early morning paper route, four twelve year-old paper girls from Cleveland, Ohio run into some weird, otherworldly happenings...

I spent most of this volume wondering what on earth was going on and getting to know the girls, and I was pretty confused for the most part, but totally involved by the cliffhanger ending. 4 stars.

40curioussquared
Abr 10, 2020, 2:22 pm



14 ROOTs down: Paper Girls: Volume 2 by Brian K. Vaughan

The girls' adventures continue in another time as they search for KJ and keep trying to figure out what they've gotten into.

Enjoyed this one a little more than the first as a few things start to come together! 4 stars.

41curioussquared
Abr 10, 2020, 2:23 pm



15 ROOTs down: Paper Girls: Volume 3 by Brian K. Vaughan

The girls find themselves way in the past and whoever is after them continues to chase them across time.

I think these just get better as the mystery slowly unravels. 4 stars.

42curioussquared
Abr 10, 2020, 2:23 pm

I'm on a ROOTs roll! Reading comics definitely helps :D

43rabbitprincess
Abr 10, 2020, 3:35 pm

>42 curioussquared: Excellent work!

I'm on a ROOTs roll too, totally ignoring all my library books (which now are not due back until June 30).

44curioussquared
Abr 10, 2020, 3:42 pm

>43 rabbitprincess: Lol, plenty of time to read them!

I wisely did not check out any physical library books before they shut down, but I've been rampantly ordering books from all my favorite indie bookstores to make sure they don't go out of business before this is all over. I just counted and I'm up to 30 books purchased from four different stores. Oops.

45Jackie_K
Abr 10, 2020, 3:53 pm

>44 curioussquared: I'm trying to order gifts from indie bookshops too, although the one I intended to use stopped taking new online orders just an hour before I logged on to do a big order with them! (the main UK wholesaler stopped shipping out books to shops that day, although I think they may have started a limited service up again). This has really made many of us think about what's important, and what we want to see in the high street when all this is over.

46curioussquared
Abr 10, 2020, 3:57 pm

>45 Jackie_K: Agreed! I've mostly been focusing my efforts on favorite bookstores and restaurants, but I did make a donation to my favorite local theater company. They perform exclusively adaptations of books, and I would hate to see them go.

47curioussquared
Abr 20, 2020, 3:21 pm



16 ROOTs down: Moon Over Manifest by Clare Vanderpool

Abilene has lived most of her life hopping trains with her daddy and wandering from place to place. But this summer, her daddy has a mining job and she can't stay with him, so he sends her to the town of Manifest to spend the summer with Shady, the town preacher, who he knew when he was young. Abilene spends the summer getting to know the town and its inhabitants and solving a long-ago mystery with her new friends -- and learning about her father's place in the town's history.

This Newbery winner never really grabbed me. It wasn't a bad story, I just wasn't super interested, and I can see a lot of kids losing interest early on, too. 3 stars.

48curioussquared
Abr 20, 2020, 3:21 pm



17 ROOTs down: An Absolutely Remarkable Thing by Hank Green

After staying late at her job one night, April May is headed toward the subway to go home and get some sleep when her Metrocard doesn't work. She turns around to get her spare from her office, but before she can get there, she runs into a strange 10 foot tall statue of an armored guy that wasn't there when she left earlier. Aware that something weird is going on, she calls her friend Andy to shoot a video with the statue, who she dubs Carl.
When she wakes up the next morning, everything has changed. Their video went viral -- it turns out most major world cities also suddenly got a Carl around 3am last night, and nobody knows how they got there or saw them appearing or getting installed. Soon, April finds herself deeply embroiled in finding out what the Carls are, where they come from, and if they mean any harm.

I enjoyed this more than I thought I would! I'm a big John Green fan and have been aware of his brother Hank for years through their Vlogbrothers and other internet projects. When Hank announced his book, I wasn't particularly excited about it, and it didn't sound super interesting to me or get great reviews. But, they we chose it for book club, so I finally picked it up... and couldn't put it down. It's not my favorite book ever, and I didn't like April, but it's certainly compelling. I AM mad that I'm going to have to read the sequel, though, after the very cliffhanger-y ending. 3.5 stars.

49curioussquared
Abr 20, 2020, 3:22 pm



18 ROOTs down: The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion

In late December, while their daughter Quintana is in the ICU fighting pneumonia, Joan Didion's husband John suddenly passes away at the dinner table from some kind of cardiac event. In this memoir of the year after his death, Joan struggles to make sense of it all and to make sense of grief and mourning.

I am so glad I gave Joan Didion another try. I did NOT like Slouching Toward Bethlehem, but this memoir seemed different enough that I thought I'd try it. It is so well done, so raw. I don't want to say I loved it, because it's tough subject matter, but it captures its subject perfectly. 4 stars.

50connie53
mayo 2, 2020, 3:36 am

>48 curioussquared: Sounds like a great book.

51curioussquared
mayo 5, 2020, 1:28 pm



19 ROOTs down: Empress of Salt and Fortune by Nghi Vo

A cleric uncovers some history while talking to an old servant of the deceased empress of salt and fortune.

What an exquisite little novella! Thanks to Diana for the recommendation :) The book is so slight that there's not much I can say without spoiling, but it's a gorgeously crafted story and a pleasure to watch unfold. 4 stars.

52curioussquared
mayo 5, 2020, 1:28 pm



20 ROOTs down: Hyperbole and a Half by Allie Brosh

With hilarious text-accompanied illustrations, Allie Brosh covers topics including depression, her two dogs, how her brain works, and her childhood.

I read all the content on Brosh's blog long ago and finally picked up this book version. While I really enjoy her stuff, I was a little disappointed that I had read the majority of the content online before (at least it seemed to me; if the new content made up a larger portion, it was similar enough to the older content that I couldn't tell it apart). There was some new content, but I don't know that it was her best stuff. Still, she's always fun to read. 3 stars.

53curioussquared
mayo 5, 2020, 1:29 pm



21 ROOTs down: Loamhedge by Brian Jacques

When a young hare maid named Martha, who has been in a wheelchair since she arrived at Redwall Abbey, becomes aware of a possible cure for her disability through an old text and a message from Martin the Warrior, she wants to go investigate herself. But the cure is at Loamhedge, the ancient abbey from which the original Redwallers came, and the journey will be long, hard and dangerous. So two Redwaller adventurers set off instead, accompanied by three young Redwallers who don't quite know what they're getting into, including Martha's brother. Meanwhile, some sea otters find two badgers -- one is dead, and the other wounded in critical condition. After he is nursed back to health, the younger one, Lonna Bowstripe, vows to avenge himself on the vermin that did this to him. Along the way, he will run into some familiar faces.

This is definitely not the strongest Redwall book out there -- it's later in the series, and I'm pretty sure this is where I stopped reading as they were released. It sort of has all the hallmark elements of a Redwall book -- a journey! Evil vermin! A message from Martin the Warrior! -- without ever becoming super interesting or cohesive. However, I still enjoyed it. I think it had been long enough since I read a Redwall book that it felt comforting and familiar without needing to be super well crafted. Jacques had a formula, and it definitely worked. If I had just finished reading the first 15 books and moved on to this one, I'd probably feel differently, but reading it out of order as a standalone after a long time not reading any Redwall, it kind of worked. 3.5 stars.

54curioussquared
mayo 5, 2020, 1:30 pm

22 ROOTs down: Unlikely Friendships by Jennifer S. Holland

Lots of cute stories of friendships across animal species. This was a nice little quarantine read, but I wanted more info on some of the stories -- they were almost all limited to 2-3 pages. And some were suddenly sad at the end which wasn't what I was looking for! 3 stars.

55Jackie_K
mayo 5, 2020, 1:47 pm

>53 curioussquared: I've only read the first Redwall, I liked it well enough but I didn't particularly feel the need to try any of the others. I think if I'd read it in my early teens I'd have devoured the entire series, but coming to it in my late 40s probably wasn't the best idea!

56curioussquared
mayo 5, 2020, 2:01 pm

>55 Jackie_K: Yes, they are definitely nostalgic for me. I devoured the series when I was around 10-11 and kept reading the new releases as they came out until I was around 14 or 15 or so. Since then, I've only reread a few entries here and there. There are definitely some better entries and worse ones.

57rabbitprincess
mayo 5, 2020, 5:23 pm

>53 curioussquared: It’s been a long time since I thought of Redwall! I read some, but my cousin read more of them, so they always make me think of her :)

58curioussquared
mayo 5, 2020, 7:08 pm

>57 rabbitprincess: My favorite Redwall memory is from 4th grade when I was steadily progressing through the series. My elementary school library computer catalog allowed you to see which students had a book checked out -- it was a small school and they weren't really concerned about kids' privacy. I got to The Legend of Luke, but this kid Marco in my class had it checked out for WEEKS, stalling my progress. Finally I went to him and basically demanded that he hand it over, lol. I needed to keep reading!!

59rabbitprincess
mayo 5, 2020, 7:26 pm

>58 curioussquared: Haha that's one way to keep the books circulating!

Of the series, I know I read Redwall, Mossflower, Mattimeo, Martin the Warrior, Salamandstron, and The Long Patrol (for the hares, which is also what piques my interest about Loamhedge).

60curioussquared
Editado: mayo 29, 2020, 3:24 pm



23 ROOTs down: My Sister, the Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite

Korede's sister has a very inconvenient habit of killing her boyfriends, and Korede always ends up being the one helping clean up the mess and cover up the evidence. Ayoola is up to three, now, and that's when they officially label you a serial killer. Korede just wants Ayoola to see the error of her ways, and for the cute doctor at the hospital where she works to notice her. But Ayoola doesn't show any sign of changing....

I keep wanting to call this book funny, and honestly, it was a fun read. But it's definitely pretty dark when you take it at face value. Recommended but only if you enjoy seriously black comedy. 4 stars.

61curioussquared
Editado: mayo 29, 2020, 3:24 pm



24 ROOTs down: The Sweet Far Thing by Libba Bray

Gemma Doyle hasn't been able to get back into the realms, the magical dreamworld she has the power to enter, since the events at the end of the last book, and her friend Pippa is still trapped there. Together, she and her friends Felicity and Anne work to figure out how to get back into the realms and figure out what should be done with the magic once and for all, all while avoiding the rival magic groups trying to take the magic for themselves -- not to mention preparing for their societal debuts and introductions to the queen!

I read the first two books in this series years ago, back when they were first released, and found a used copy of this to complete my set relatively recently. I didn't feel the need to reread them, just wanted to finish the series, so I brushed up on plots and started this doorstop. It was entertaining enough, and I might have enjoyed it more given that I didn't remember much of the previous books, as a lot of criticisms seem to be about how it's very repetitive of the previous two. I will say I thought it could have been a LOT shorter. 3.5 stars.

62curioussquared
Editado: mayo 29, 2020, 3:24 pm



25 ROOTs down: The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune

Linus works for the Department in Charge of Magical Youth, or DICOMY, as they're better known, as a caseworker, inspecting the orphanages where magical youth are held to make sure the children are treated well and make recommendations for whether the orphanages stay open. His life is dull and monotonous, and he has no friends -- his only real joys are his cat, Calliope, and the records he listens to during his free evenings. But then, everything changes when Linus is summoned by Extremely Upper Management and assigned a new, highly classified case: a month-long inspection of an orphanage on an isolated island by the sea, full of what he can only assume are highly dangerous children. Toting Calliope and his meager possessions, Linus makes the journey to Marsyas -- and he's totally unprepared for what he'll find there.

I LOVED this. Definitely one of my books of the year so far. I don't want to spoil too much since it's just such a lovely story, but I loved each and every one of the characters. A blurb describes it as a mash-up of The Umbrella Academy, 1984, and Douglas Adams; I think this is too sweet a book for those comparisons, and I was feeling more Jasper Fforde vibes. Highly recommended, and honestly, I'll probably reread it soon. 5 stars.

63curioussquared
Editado: mayo 29, 2020, 3:25 pm



26 ROOTs down: Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up With Me by Mariko Tamaki and Rosemary Valero-O'Connell

Freddy, short for Frederica, feels lucky to be dating Laura Dean, one of the coolest girls in school. The only problem? Laura Dean is a totally crappy girlfriend. She's broken up with Freddy again and again, but Freddy keeps letting her come back, and her friends can only watch in dismay, as Freddy's really not herself when she's with Laura. Caught up in the latest wave of her relationship, Freddy doesn't realize when her best friend Doodle gets in trouble and really needs her friendship.

What a gorgeous graphic novel! I loved the illustrations and color palette -- not to mention the casual queer representation! I got a little frustrated with Freddy sometimes, but I think that was the point -- she's a high schooler learning about herself and healthy relationships. Recommended - 4 stars.

64curioussquared
Editado: mayo 29, 2020, 3:25 pm



27 ROOTs down: Inferno by Dan Brown

Robert Langdon is astonished to wake up and find himself in Florence, with no memories of the past few days and no idea how he got there when he should be in Massachusetts. Before long, he's on the run from a mysterious group of people who appear to be trying to kill him along with the doctor who saved his life, a young British woman named Sienna. Robert and Sienna race desperately to decode a mysterious image he had in his jacket pocket before whoever it is chasing him catch up.

Not really my usual fare; I read a few other Langdon books years ago and had a copy of this on my shelf for some reason. It's entertaining enough, but I think I would have gotten bored a lot more quickly without the gorgeous Florence backdrop. This book was definitely too long, but it was a fun bit of escapism (aside from the plot point involving a possible newly developed plague, which hit a little too close to home). 3 stars.

65curioussquared
mayo 26, 2020, 1:05 pm

Woohoo, feels good to be over halfway to my goal so early in the year! Usually I end up scrambling to finish in November and December. Hopefully I can keep up the pace -- I have about four more ROOTs I'm currently reading, too.

66rabbitprincess
mayo 26, 2020, 7:09 pm

>65 curioussquared: Hurray! Excellent work :D

67MissWatson
mayo 27, 2020, 3:59 am

68curioussquared
Jun 1, 2020, 12:12 pm

>66 rabbitprincess: >67 MissWatson: Thank you both! Turns out I had miscounted, too, so I've read one more ROOT than I had listed :D

69MissWatson
Jun 2, 2020, 4:02 am

>68 curioussquared: Even better! Congrats!

70curioussquared
Jun 8, 2020, 12:34 pm



28 ROOTs down: The Tiger's Wife by Téa Obreht

In a Balkan country torn by war, a young doctor travels to a small town to conduct a clinic for an orphanage. Along the way, she learns her grandfather has died away from home, and her grandmother is desperate to recover his possessions. As she deals with the situation in the town and travels to the town where her grandfather died, she muses on the magical stories her grandfather had told her of his childhood and past, particularly those of the tiger's wife and the deathless man.

Obreht writes lovely, lyrical prose and can definitely spin a story, but halfway through this book, my fiancé asked me what it was about. I tried to explain and realized I had no idea and that there wasn't really any discernible plot. Instead, The Tiger's Wife reads like a collection of folk tales held together with a thin frame story. Enjoyable, but don't look too hard for a plot. 3.5 stars.

71curioussquared
Jun 8, 2020, 12:34 pm



29 ROOTs down: Firebirds Rising edited by Sharyn November

This collection of stories from authors published on the Firebird imprint is fairly strong overall. I read the first anthology years and years ago and have had this one on my shelf also for years and years. Not sure why it took me so long to get to it! My favorite stories were The Real Thing by Alison Goodman, which made me want to reread her Singing the Dogstar Blues, I'll Give You My Word by Diana Wynne Jones, In the House of the Seven Librarians by Ellen Klages, Wintermoon Wish by Sharon Shinn, The Wizards of Perfil by Kelly Link, and The House on the Planet by Tanith Lee. I was disappointed in Tamora Pierce's entry, but it was interesting to see her tackling a totally different setting from her norm. 4 stars.

72Jackie_K
Jun 8, 2020, 12:56 pm

>70 curioussquared: I have The Tiger's Wife on my TBR, I've heard mixed reviews but hope I can get to it sooner rather than later to see for myself!

73curioussquared
Jun 8, 2020, 1:09 pm

>72 Jackie_K: I liked it overall! Just still not really sure what the point was ;)

74curioussquared
Jun 12, 2020, 3:16 pm



30 ROOTs down: Let the Great World Spin by Colum McCann

New York, 1974. A man has set up a tightrope wire between the in-construction Twin Towers, and has captivated the city as he walks through the sky. This book features a number of interconnected vignettes loosely centered around the tightrope walker. Each is centered around a different character, and it takes a while to start seeing how they are related. The characters come from very different walks of life -- from an Irishman who has followed his spiritual brother to the projects, to the rich Jewish woman living on Park Avenue, to a struggling Black prostitute and her daughter, to the hackers calling payphones from Palo Alto to check the status of the man on the tightrope.

I think I enjoyed this overall. The writing was strong, and I found it fairly easy to adjust to each new narrative voice after I realized what was happening after the first couple of shifts. I did get a vague sense of unease through some of the chapters -- at times, the whole book came off a bit pretentious to me, and I found myself wondering what kind of research McCann had done to portray the characters farthest from his own lived experiences, particularly during the chapter with Tilly, the Black imprisoned prostitute who just wants to be able to see her grandchildren. Further reading is needed. 3.5 stars.

75curioussquared
Jun 15, 2020, 12:45 pm



31 ROOTs down: We Were Eight Years in Power by Ta-Nehisi Coates

This book collects eight of Coates' articles previously published in The Atlantic, all published 2008-2016 and viewed through the lens of Obama's presidency, along with newly-written intro commentary for each article.

This was an important, powerful, tough read. Coates is insightful, incisive, and doesn't hold back. He's an excellent writer, and it wasn't the writing that made this hard to read -- it was the difficult truths he highlighted in each and every article. Turns out I'm a much slower reader when I'm not reading for pleasure/escape. "The Case for Reparations" and "The Black Family in the Age of Mass Incarceration" are the longest articles in this collection, and I think they're the two that solidified Coates' reputation and made him more of a household name. They are well-researched, and they will make you angry at the way our country has been and continues to be run. I enjoyed "American Girl" and "My President Was Black," both of which show Coates' skill as a writer of portraits. I think the latter is particularly skillful at highlighting all the ways that Coates admires Barack Obama while also pointing out the flaws he sees, and it made me want to finally read Obama's memoir. 5 stars.

76curioussquared
Jun 19, 2020, 12:04 pm



32 ROOTs down: Kindred by Octavia Butler

Dana, a 26-year old Black woman living in California in 1976, is suddenly transported back in time to a slave plantation in Maryland in 1819. There, she saves a young white boy from drowning in a river, before being threatened by the boy's father and being pushed back to 1976. She's not home for long before she's called back to the 1800s, and she realizes that somehow, she's tethered across time to the boy, Rufus, her white ancestor, and each time she travels back, she must save Rufus again. But each time she goes back, her stays become longer, and she must struggle to survive as a slave and resist trying to escape to ensure her return to her own time.

Wow -- why didn't I read this sooner? Kindred is masterful, and I was immediately immersed and engaged and holding my breath for Dana as she navigated her dangerous new existence and came to terms with being stripped of any rights she was used to in 1976. Butler's portrayal of Dana's helplessness and internal struggle made me feel like I had been punched in the stomach; the choices Dana must make are horrifying. Butler based some of the novel on actual slave narratives, and you can tell. So, so good, and highly recommended. 5 stars.

77curioussquared
Jun 22, 2020, 12:48 pm



33 ROOTs down: Measure for Measure by William Shakespeare

When the duke leaves Angelo in charge of Vienna, Angelo decides to reinstate an old law and suddenly, Claudio is sentenced to death for getting his girlfriend Juliet pregnant. Claudio's sister, Isabella, a novitiate at a nunnery, goes to Angelo to beg for his release, but Angelo will only do it if Isabella agrees to sleep with him. Isabella concocts a plan...

Not my favorite Shakespeare, and I don't expect I'll remember it very well or very long. I'm sure it would be better seeing it performed, but reading it, there just wasn't much that stood out. 3 stars.

78curioussquared
Jun 23, 2020, 2:34 pm



34 ROOTs down: Breath, Eyes, Memory by Edwidge Danticat

Sophie has always lived with her Tante Atie in Croix-de-Rosets, Haiti. Then, at the age of 12, her mother sends for her from New York, and Sophie must adjust to a new life with a mother she has never really known.

I loved this! Danticat emphasizes the importance of words and poetry throughout, and I thought that was fitting as the prose is gorgeous and poetic, painting a vivid picture of Haiti and Haitian culture as well as the women of Sophie's family. 4.5 stars.

79curioussquared
Jul 6, 2020, 1:05 pm



35 ROOTs down: For Whom the Bell Tolls by Ernest Hemingway

Robert Jordan, an American professor of Spanish from Montana, takes part in the Spanish civil war as a dynamiter. This story chronicles the days leading up to him blowing up a bridge.

I enjoyed this! I mostly listened to an audio version (my loan expired near the end and I finished up with my print version) and I think I enjoyed it more for that reason; the narrator was fantastic and really highlighted the lyrical aspect of Hemingway's prose. He's still not 100% my cup of tea, and the romance was not really my thing, but I liked it overall. 3.5 stars.

80curioussquared
Jul 6, 2020, 1:06 pm



36 ROOTs down: The Comedy of Errors by William Shakespeare

Two sets of separated twins meet without knowing and hijinks ensure. Two sets of separated twins! You know it's gonna be good. Plus the audio version I listened to had David Tennant, so. 4 stars.

81curioussquared
Jul 6, 2020, 1:06 pm



37 ROOTs down: Half of a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Half of a Yellow Sun follows three characters through 1960s Nigeria: Ugwu, a houseboy straight from a bush village; Olanna, the UK-educated daughter of an Igbo chief who is seeing Odenigbo, Ugwu's master; and Richard, an English expat living in Nigeria in love with Olanna's twin sister, Kainene. Over the course of the decade, the three deal with unimaginable circumstances as the Nigerian-Biafran war begins and they fight for a free Biafra.

What a gorgeous, epic, heartbreaking story. Adichie has woven a totally engrossing story, based on events experienced by many of her family members, and I was totally engrossed. This was difficult to put down, even through the parts that were hardest to read. I loved Americanah when I read it, and I loved this just as much, even though it felt totally different. Adichie is absolutely one to watch. 5 stars.

82rabbitprincess
Jul 6, 2020, 9:27 pm

>80 curioussquared: David Tennant would be a hoot in that production!

83curioussquared
Jul 10, 2020, 12:57 pm

>82 rabbitprincess: He's a hoot in everything, but yes, he was very good in it :)

84curioussquared
Jul 10, 2020, 12:58 pm



38 ROOTs down: Network Effect by Martha Wells

Do I need to summarize this? Murderbot is back for its next adventure, featuring lots of old friends, some new ones, and plenty of snark and media-viewing, as always. Haven't read any Murderbot yet? Don't start here, go back to All Systems Red.

Finally! I loved this just as much as I thought I would if not more. I love you, Murderbot, and I already can't wait for Fugitive Telemetry next year. 5 stars.

85curioussquared
Jul 10, 2020, 12:58 pm



39 ROOTs down: Tehanu by Ursula K. Le Guin

25 years after the events of The Tombs of Atuan, and days after the events of The Farthest Shore, we meet Tenar again, in Gont, as she cares for an abused child -- and as Ged comes once more into her life.

I've read some of the criticism of this book, and I read the author's afterword. I think I may have liked it less if I read it 20 years after The Farthest Shore had come out, but reading it right after the last book in this day and age, I very much enjoyed Tehanu and what Le Guin is doing for the women of Earthsea within Tehanu. 4 stars.

86curioussquared
Jul 12, 2020, 8:16 pm



40 ROOTs down: Broken Places & Outer Spaces by Nnedi Okorafor

As a teenager, Okorafor was a nationally ranked athlete, and her freshman year of college, she dominated the tennis courts. But the summer after her freshman year, she underwent surgery to correct serious scoliosis -- and woke up paralyzed from the waist down. In this short book, an expansion on her TED talk, Okorafor recounts this experience and learning to walk again, and how her paralysis and recovery led her to discover her creative writing side.

Really gripping and really well done. I enjoy Okorafor's fiction and this was just as well done. 4 stars.

87curioussquared
Jul 21, 2020, 3:48 pm



41 ROOTs down: The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo

Xiomara, born to Dominican parents in New York, has always struggled with finding her place -- she feels too big, like she takes up too much space, and her mother reinforces that impression and continues to push Xiomara toward God and church and away from boys and ruin. The one place she knows herself is in her notebook, in her poetry, and as her sophomore year begins, she's excited to find out that her English teacher is supportive and is even running a spoken word poetry group. But the group meets at the same time as confirmation classes, and Xiomara knows she will never be allowed to go.

Gorgeous book, told in verse through Xiomara's poetry. I couldn't put it down. Acevedo's verses and story are so, so powerful -- I'll be on the lookout for more of her books. 5 stars.

88curioussquared
Jul 21, 2020, 3:48 pm



42 ROOTs down: Get a Life, Chloe Brown by Talia Hibbert

After a near-death experience and years of living hidden in her family mansion due to chronic illness and pain, Chloe decides it's finally time to get a life. Being a list person, she makes a list to help herself accomplish this goal. Move out and get a flat -- check. But some other things on the list are a little tougher to tackle for one disabled girl, including go camping, travel the world with only hand luggage, ride a motorcycle, and do something bad. Luckily, Chloe has the idea that the handsome superintendent at her new flat might be able to help her with a few of her items...

This was a fun book! I found out on Thursday night that my favorite high school teacher had passed away the day before from a heart attack, and I needed something light and easy to distract me, and this definitely fit the bill. I am not a huge romance reader, but I appreciated the representation in this one -- Chloe is a plus-sized black heroine with a chronic illness, and while her illness is part of the book in the way that it's part of her everyday life, the main focus is on her self-discovery and romance, not her pain. Chloe and Red are both human people who make mistakes, but they also take time to process and acknowledge their feelings and work through them like real people, and I appreciated that aspect of the book. A fun little romp! I might seek out the new companion novel at some point, about Chloe's sister, but I'm not feeling super compelled yet. 3.5 stars.

89curioussquared
Jul 21, 2020, 3:49 pm



43 ROOTs down: The Queen's Fool by Philippa Gregory

Hannah and her father are Jews who fled Spain to avoid the inquisition. Now they live in England, where they run a print shop and pose as Protestants to live safely during the reign of King Edward VI. Until one day, Lord Robert Dudley and John Dee come to the shop, but Hannah sees them with a third person -- who isn't really there. Convinced that Hannah has seen an angel and is a holy fool, the men bring her to court to be a fool for the king, then Queen Mary once Edward dies. Hannah finds herself playing a dangerous game -- beholden to Lord Robert, to Queen Mary, to Princess Elizabeth, all at once, doing her best to do what is right and support them all without betraying the others.

This was a fun listen. I enjoyed Hannah's character and I feel like she offers a new perspective on this period of history; there are so many books on the Tudors, fiction and nonfiction, and it was refreshing to see them through a new lens. Someone described Gregory's work as "historical fanfiction" and it definitely seems that way -- she does her research and creates fun stories within the confines of history. So nothing groundbreaking, but an enjoyable audiobook. 3.5 stars.

90curioussquared
Editado: Ago 3, 2020, 1:28 pm



44 ROOTs down: The Field Guide to Dumb Birds of North America by Matt Kracht

Kracht hates birds and has written this guide to help others avoid horrible birds as well. Featuring entries on the White-Breasted Butt Nugget and the Goddamned Canada Goose, this was fun to read a few entries at a time, and Kracht's amateur illustrations were fun, too. 3 stars.

91curioussquared
Editado: Ago 3, 2020, 1:28 pm



45 ROOTs down: This Is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone

Red and Blue are elite agents on either side of the time war -- Red works for the Agency, a technology-based society, and Blue for Garden, a plant-based community. They're both the best at what they do for their respective sides, and each has admired the other from afar. When Red finds a letter on a battlefield marked "Burn before reading," she's wary -- is it a trap? But curiosity gets the better of her, and soon she and Blue have begun a delicate correspondence across time, each finding one creative way after another to communicate with the other. But such a delicate balance cannot last, and their dalliances do not go unnoticed by their superiors....

I went into this thinking it would be a quick read; it's a slim volume with fairly large text. I had to purposefully slow myself down to fully enjoy it over the course of about a week. This is a gorgeous book, with poetic prose, and scenes and lines that bear rereading. I loved it -- every line is bursting with creativity, and every idea is layers deeper than it seems at first glance. I'll have to reread the whole thing at some point to fully grasp it all. 4.5 stars.

92rabbitprincess
Ago 3, 2020, 3:49 pm

>91 curioussquared: Man, I really need to pick this up! I have it on my shelf and keep waiting for the right moment.

93curioussquared
Ago 3, 2020, 5:18 pm

>92 rabbitprincess: I hope you enjoy it! It just deservedly won the Hugo for best novella :)

94curioussquared
Ago 5, 2020, 4:35 pm



46 ROOTs down: Still Another Day by Pablo Neruda

This is Neruda's ode to Chile. I don't read a ton of poetry, but I'm always up for some Neruda. Gorgeous, and the translator did a fantastic job. 5 stars.

95curioussquared
Ago 5, 2020, 4:35 pm



47 ROOTs down: The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch

Locke Lamora and his group of thieves, the Gentleman Bastards, are embroiled in several plots to take advantage of the nobility of Camorr. But then a new face shows up in Camorr, terrorizing the underworld: the Grey King. Locke thought his secrets were safe, but suddenly, he's being forced to double cross his associates to keep his own plots alive.

I've been hearing good things about this book for ages, and it's been on my shelf for ages, too. Maybe it was too built up for me, or I wasn't the right audience. I enjoyed this, but I didn't think it was brilliant. I liked Locke as a character, yes, but the first half to two thirds of the book went veeery slowly, and it took a while to adjust to the flashback storytelling style. 4 stars -- good, well done, just not my favorite ever.

96curioussquared
Editado: Ago 11, 2020, 1:22 pm



48 ROOTs down: Leave It to Psmith by P. G. Wodehouse

Freddie Threepwood has hatched a plan to make a quick thousand pounds -- in collaboration with his uncle, they'll steal his Aunt Constance's necklace. Should be simple, since they're all staying at Blandings Castle together. But Aunt Constance is intimidating, and Freddie's not keep on doing the job himself -- so he's happy to see an advert in the paper from Psmith advising his availability for any job whatsoever (so long as it has nothing to do with fish). Sooner than Freddie expects, Psmith is on his way to Blandings (under a false name, of course), and their plot is underway. But it turns out that very few people at Blandings are who they say they are, and some of those people want to get their hands on Aunt Constance's necklace, too...

This was a delight, as Wodehouse always is. The plot is intricate and devious and everyone is connected in some unexpected way. Can I please take a trip to Blandings to see the famous gardens? 4 stars.

97curioussquared
Ago 11, 2020, 1:23 pm



49 ROOTs down: I Am Princess X by Cherie Priest

Three years ago, May's friend Libby died in a car accident when her mother drove off the Ballard Bridge in Seattle. May was devastated -- Libby was her best and only real friend in her new city, and she's even more devastated when she learns that Libby's dad left town and hired a service to clean and sell the house -- and the cleaners got rid of the boxes of May and Libby's comic collaboration, Princess X. But now May's back in Seattle for the summer to stay with her dad, and walking down the street, she sees the impossible -- a sticker on a building unmistakably featuring Princess X. May's not sure what it means -- Is Libby somehow alive? Did someone find their boxes of comics paraphernalia and run with it? -- but she's determined to find out.

I couldn't put this down! Thanks to Foggidawn for the recommendation. This is a mystery/thriller/scavenger hunt all wrapped up into one, with some bonus graphic novel content. Plus, I loved traipsing around Seattle with May and Patrick. The story gets to the point near the end where you need to start suspending your disbelief a little more, but if you're doing it right, you'll be so wrapped up at that point that you won't care and will just go along with it. 4 stars, and I'm interested in checking out more of Priest's work.

98curioussquared
Ago 17, 2020, 1:26 pm



50 ROOTs down: Lovely War by Julie Berry

In the midst of World War II, Greek goddess Aphrodite is meeting Ares for a tryst when they're both caught in the act by her husband, Hephaestus. Angry that his wife continually ignores him for other gods, Hephaestus puts the pair on trial. As part of her testimony, Aphrodite tells the story of some of her favorite mortal lovers who meet during World War I -- they're not people you've heard of, but she loves their stories just the same. Hazel and James, and Aubrey and Colette, whose lives and tales are intertwined.

I'd seen this book recommended quite a bit and thought it sounded interesting but never totally grasped what the plot was -- does it take place during WWI? Or WWII? And wait, there are Greek gods? After reading it... it's still really hard to summarize, because there's a lot going on. The base story is the tale of the mortal romances that takes place during WWI. I liked this aspect, but didn't find it particularly groundbreaking -- it seemed like any old war romance, and there were a few elements of the writing and storytelling that grated on me. (All the characters used really weird voices to talk to themselves -- at one point Hazel calls herself "my girl" in her head -- and I found all of the characters to think and talk in a very modern way.) Then there's the frame story with the Greek gods during WWII, which was definitely more interesting and lent a sort of greater grandeur to the book. Most reviews I've read really seemed to like this aspect. I wanted to like it, but I'm not really sure Berry totally pulled it off. Overall, an enjoyable way to pass the time at the beach, but not really groundbreaking and not one I'll pick up again. 3.5 stars.

99curioussquared
Ago 20, 2020, 7:33 pm



51 ROOTs down: Angela's Ashes by Frank McCourt

In this memoir, McCourt recounts the astonishing poverty of his youth, starting in Brooklyn, NY but mostly in Limerick, Ireland, until he becomes a young man and saves enough money to move back to the United States.

This should be a sad story, and it is in parts, but McCourt tells it with such humor and grace that it never quite feels that way. I listened to the audiobook, which is read by the author and totally fantastic. I was laughing out loud and tearing up at alternate pages. Highly recommended - 5 stars.

100curioussquared
Ago 20, 2020, 7:34 pm



52 ROOTs down: Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry by Mildred D. Taylor

Cassie Logan lives with her grandmother, parents, and siblings on her family's land in Mississippi during the Great Depression. While they own half the land outright, her family is still paying off the mortgage on the other half. Owning the land gives Cassie and her family more independence than other Black families in the region, most of whom are sharecroppers, and Cassie has grown up proud of her heritage. But trouble is brewing, and Cassie will have to reckon with what it means to be Black as her family fights odds that are stacked against them.

This is a classic children's novel that I'm finally getting to, and I can see why it's a classic. This is a powerful story that I think might make a good companion to To Kill a Mockingbird for younger readers, I wish I had read this sooner! 4.5 stars.

101curioussquared
Ago 20, 2020, 7:36 pm

Feeling pretty good about having already hit my ROOTing goal for the year! As of now, my ROOTs total is exactly half of my total reading for the year, which I'm also pretty proud of!

I have one more ROOT I should finish soon, but then I'll have a few library books to catch up on. But I expect I'll still be reading a lot of ROOTs as the year goes on to add to the group total.

102rabbitprincess
Ago 20, 2020, 10:32 pm

>101 curioussquared: Woo hoo! Congratulations on hitting your goal and for making your ROOTs exactly half your total reading!

103MissWatson
Ago 21, 2020, 3:55 am

Congrats on sailing beyond your goal!

104curioussquared
Ago 24, 2020, 1:49 pm

105curioussquared
Ago 24, 2020, 1:50 pm



53 ROOTs down: The Trumpet of the Swan by E. B. White

Louis the swan was born a little different from his other Trumpeter Swan brothers and sisters -- he has no voice! But he's a smart swan, and with the help of a boy named Sam, he learns to read and write, and then to play the trumpet so he can communicate with other swans.

Another children's classic I missed as a kid. I read Stuart Little and Charlotte's Web, but missed this one. I thought it was a little slow going at first, before the cygnets are born and travel to Montana for the first time, but once Louis sets off on his own I was hooked, and I was enchanted by Louis' interactions with humans and his dedication to his music and the enjoyment he took from performing. But I could see modern children having trouble getting past the first bit. 4 stars.

106connie53
Ago 27, 2020, 5:34 am

Why, why, why did I not visit your thread sooner!

Congrats on reaching your goal!



>62 curioussquared: I loved that book too. It's such a feel-good book.

107curioussquared
Sep 13, 2020, 5:26 pm

>106 connie53: Thanks, Connie! :D Yes, Cerulean Sea what exactly what I needed to read in this horrible year :)

108curioussquared
Sep 13, 2020, 5:27 pm



54 ROOTs down: The Other Boleyn Girl by Philippa Gregory

Narrated by Mary Boleyn, Anne's younger sister, The Other Boleyn Girl tells the story of the Boleyn family and their rise to power at Henry VIII's court -- first through Mary, who becomes the king's mistress and bears him two children, and then through Anne, whose sights are set higher than mistress. It all tells the story of their fall from grace, as Anne fails to bear Henry a son despite having convinced him to divorce his first wife.

This was a fun book. Gregory does a good job of rounding out the characters and making you root for them, especially Mary, despite the fact that you know what has to happen in the end. I never saw the movie that was made several years ago, but I might keep an eye out for it if it's on any of my streaming services. 3.5 stars.

109curioussquared
Editado: Sep 24, 2020, 2:34 pm



55 ROOTs down: Mysterious Miss Slade by Dick King-Smith

Miss Slade lives all by herself with lots of animals, including her six dogs and Moke the donkey, in a dirty caravan on a messy bit of land. She's not the best at taking care of herself, and she smells. The children of the village are all certain she's a witch, and none of them will visit her, despite the fact that Miss Slade would welcome their company and treat them to chips and cookies. But then two new children move with their family nearby, and they don't know about what the other children say about Miss Slade. Soon, Miss Slade finds herself with some new friends and starts feeling like it might be time to make some changes...

This is a sweet book. My love of Dick King-Smith dates back to the age of six, when I was placed in an advanced readers course with just two other girls in my first grade class and we read Three Terrible Trins out loud to one another. (One of those girls is my oldest friend and we regularly trade book recommendations via text, even though she lives in CA right now!) Then, as a mouse-obsessed elementary schooler, I checked out Magnus Powermouse from the school library. It was a little bit of a tough read for me, so my dad and I read it together, and he helped me with the words I had trouble with. I enjoyed Mysterious Miss Slade, and even though the main characters were humans rather than animals as they are in my favorite King-Smith books, this one has some excellent animal characters as all of his books do. Recommended, but not my favorite of his books. 4 stars.

110curioussquared
Oct 5, 2020, 1:58 pm

Ok, September was NOT a good month for my ROOTing. Here's hoping October will be better!



56 ROOTs down: Prince Charming by Rachel Hawkins

Daisy is your typical Florida teenager, working at the off-brand Walmart with her best friend Isabel to save money to go to Key Con and meet their favorite author in a few weeks. Except her perfect sister Ellie is somehow dating Alex, the Prince of Scotland -- wait, scratch that, they're engaged. Daisy finds herself unwillingly dragged into the spotlight and bundled off to Scotland for the summer, where she'll deal with more rich, noble teenagers than she knew existed and try to make Ellie happy with her behavior despite numerous missteps. Luckily, the royal family hires snooty Miles to keep Daisy in line, and Daisy is determined to deal with him despite his coldness.

This was pure fun! It felt a little bit like The Princess Diaries told from the sidelines. Daisy is funny and real and the whole cast of characters is a hoot. 4 stars.

111curioussquared
Oct 14, 2020, 1:39 pm



57 ROOTs down: To Say Nothing of the Dog by Connie Willis

It's 2056, and Ned Henry is a historian -- that is, a time traveler who travels back to learn about the past. Lately, though, his time traveling efforts have been focused on one thing and one thing only -- the imperious Lady Schrapnell simply MUST have the bishop's bird stump back in time for the dedication of the newly rebuilt Coventry Cathedral, and despite their best efforts, none of the historians can find it or pinpoint when it may have been lost, and the inexplicable time travel slippage that's happening doesn't help things. Having made innumerable time jumps in the past few days on no sleep, Ned is showing signs of a serious case of time lag, but he knows if he stays in 2056, Lady Schrapnell will find him and send him on another useless quest for the bishop's bird stump. So it's determined that he'll go back to Victorian times, spend a week or two at an estate there resting, and then return refreshed and ready to keep searching. Only... Ned's so time lagged that when he does get to Victorian times, he can't even remember what his instructions were or who he was supposed to meet. Somehow he ends up on a journey down the Thames accompanied by an Oxford student, a professor, and a bulldog named Cyril... sound familiar?

This has been on my shelf highly recommended for so, so long, and I'm so mad it took me this long to read it. It was fantastic -- one of my books of the year. It's funny and well written and chaotic and mysterious in all the best traditions -- I was at times reminded of PG Wodehouse, Agatha Christie, Oscar Wilde, and more, and I really need to read Three Men in a Boat now. Not to mention all the allusions I'm sure I missed. I didn't realize this, while a standalone, is technically #2 in the series, but honestly, I don't really need to read a book about a pandemic right now, so Doomsday Book will have to wait. 5 stars.

112Jackie_K
Oct 14, 2020, 1:54 pm

>111 curioussquared: That sounds great - from your review it kind of reminds me of the Thursday Next series by Jasper Fforde, which I love.

I can't say I was mad on Three Men in a Boat when I read it a couple of years ago, but so many people think it's brilliant it may well have just been me!

113curioussquared
Oct 14, 2020, 2:11 pm

>112 Jackie_K: I love Thursday Next, too! TSNotD was definitely less absurd/overall wacky than Fforde's books, but had some of the same sort of humor, if fewer puns.

114curioussquared
Oct 19, 2020, 1:17 pm



58 ROOTs down: These Witches Don't Burn by Isabel Sterling

Hannah is an elemental witch living in Salem, Massachusetts. She and her parents belong to the only coven in town, and they are very, very careful to keep their powers hidden from Regs, or non-witches -- living in Salem, there are way too many reminders of what can happen when Regs start hunting witches. Hannah is still dealing with her tumultuous breakup with her ex, Veronica, who's also a witch and seems hellbent on convincing Hannah they need to get back together. But when Hannah and Vernonica stumble on an animal sacrifice in the woods during a bonfire party, Hannah starts to worry that there's a blood witch in town -- like the one that hunted her and Veronica on their trip to New York that led to their break up. Hannah really wanted to spend some time with Morgan, the new girl in town, but as strange things keep happening, she finds herself torn in multiple directions...

This was fun -- I enjoyed Sterling's take on witches and unique magical system. Most of the book read like a high school romance with witches, but the stakes do get pretty high, so it wasn't entirely fluff. Just what I needed for reading during a stressful week as work ramps up and the election grows ever-closer. I'll be looking for the sequel. 4 stars.

115curioussquared
Oct 27, 2020, 5:49 pm



59 ROOTs down: The School for Good and Evil by Soman Chainani

Sophie and Agatha live in the woods beyond, where every year two children are taken. The people of their village don't know who takes them or where they go -- they only know that later, those same children show up in the illustrations of fairy tales. Sophie desperately wants to be taken and does her best to make herself the ideal of a good person -- she makes herself beautiful, and befriends Agatha, the gross friendless girl, and brings her unappetizing health food. When the night comes for children to be taken, Sophie is taken, and Agatha is, too -- but when they get to their destination, Sophie is thrown in the School for Evil, and witchy-looking Agatha is taken to the School for Good.

I usually like a good middle grade fantasy, but this... was not good. The idea was interesting and that was where it ended. The writing was disjointed, the characters boring (ask me if I remember a single secondary character's name), the magic made no sense and had no rules, and the message was confused -- I think it was supposed to be about what you look like on the inside, but also Agatha didn't come into her power truly until she got a makeover, so... This book seems to be popular among actual children and I think that's the proper audience -- not really one that transcends age groups. 2 stars.

116curioussquared
Editado: Oct 27, 2020, 5:50 pm



60 ROOTs down: Posh by Lucy Jackson

Posh follows several characters centered around a private high school in New York, including some of the rich, privileged students, some of their parents, and the beleaguered headmistress.

I think this book wanted to be sharp and incisive but it mostly came across as sad and bitter. The cover art is heavily reminiscent of the art for Prep, which I think it why I picked it up at the time -- I may have even thought it was a sequel. Anyway, this wasn't totally awful, but it definitely came across as pretentious. The overarching message seemed to be "rich people are stuck up" and that was kind of the big takeaway. Oh well, this has been on my shelves for 10+ years so I'm glad to have finally read it. 2.5 stars.

117karenmarie
Nov 7, 2020, 1:06 pm

Hi Natalie! First time visitor here. Our reading tastes overlap, so it’s been fun to check out what you’ve been reading so far this year.

>33 curioussquared: It’s on my shelves and I still want to read it eventually. I think just your description of the plot intrigues me. I read a lot of ‘weird’ with pleasure, so have high hopes. I loved The Time Traveler’s Wife and will keep in mind that they are very different books.

>34 connie53: I’m glad I read this one and totally agree with your take on it.

>75 curioussquared: I have Coates’ Between the World and Me on my shelves. This is a great nudge for me to read it.

>76 curioussquared: I read this almost two years ago and was powerfully moved by it. I found it interesting that although there was a major element of fantasy – the time travel – it was simply a means to an end.

>90 curioussquared: I received this as an ER book and thought it was a lot of fun too.

>111 curioussquared: You and I both read it as a standalone, not realizing it was part of a series. I just recently bought Doomsday Book but will probably read it before you.

>116 curioussquared: Congratulations on reaching your ROOTs goal!

118curioussquared
Editado: Nov 8, 2020, 1:58 am

>117 karenmarie: Hi Karen! Thanks for stopping by and glad you found some interesting bits! I'm also in the 75ers group and I keep track of all my reading over there, not just the books off my shelves :) I'll have to find your thread as well!

Re: To Say Nothing of the Dog, I think you'll get to Doomsday Book before me, but I did recently pick up Blackout and All Clear and I'm excited about those two.

119curioussquared
Nov 8, 2020, 2:27 am



61 ROOTs down: Pigs Might Fly by Dick King-Smith

When the sow Mrs. Barleylove gives birth to a dag, or a piglet with problems, the other sows are sure the Pigman will take it away and they'll never see it again. But this dag is different, and he makes his way back to his mother, determined to survive. So Daggie Dogfoot is allowed to live, despite being a runt and his strange front forepaws without hooves. And Daggie is determined to make his mark on the world!

Dick King-Smith's animal stories are always a joy and this was no exception. The perfect thing for a stressful week. 4 stars.

120curioussquared
Nov 8, 2020, 2:27 am



62 ROOTs down: Waves by Sharon Dogar

Every summer, Hal and his family go to Cornwall and spend the months relaxing on the beach and surfing. But last summer, Hal's sister Charley was in a mysterious accident in the middle of the night where she suffered a head injury on a rock in the ocean -- and she's been in a coma ever since. With Charley still in hospital, Hal and his family return to Cornwall to make an attempt at some normalcy. But Hal is convinced Charley's fall was more than an accident, and he knows Charley wants him to find out what happened.

This has been on my shelf for so, so long, and I kind of wish I had weeded it ages ago. The story was fine to start, but the writing was weak (so many cliche metaphors, I couldn't keep count) and the story took a bizarre supernatural turn in the end that was never explained or questioned and was just a total departure from the tone of the rest of the book. 2 stars.

121This-n-That
Nov 8, 2020, 10:49 am

>81 curioussquared: Sounds like this one is a must read.

>84 curioussquared: I was pleasantly surprised by The Poet X, which I read in September.

>101 curioussquared: Congrats on reaching (and surpassing) your ROOTs goal for the year. :-)

122Jackie_K
Nov 9, 2020, 11:10 am

Hi Natalie! Just popping in to say I hope that you've been able to stop doomscrolling now! :D

123curioussquared
Nov 9, 2020, 12:58 pm

>121 This-n-That: Welcome! Yes, Half of a Yellow Sun was excellent. I also loved Adichie's Americanah. I'll be looking for more of her books and more of Elizabeth Acevedo's books, too. And thank you!

>122 Jackie_K: Thanks, Jackie! I have, for the most part :) Still concerning seeing some of the comments and conspiracy theories 45's supporters are throwing around, but I'm trying to relax and be joyful in the moment!

124curioussquared
Nov 28, 2020, 4:08 pm



63 ROOTs down: Return of the Thief by Megan Whalen Turner

In this long-awaited final novel of the series, Attolia, Eddis, and Sounis are finally seemingly at peace and united -- until a new threat emerges and they are turned to war. Narrating it all is Pheris, the mute, disabled heir of Erondites, a house shunned and mistrusted for past betrayals. Pheris plays up his disability and encourages the court to think of him as an idiot, disguising his intelligence -- but not much gets past the king of Attolia.

I was worried this final installment wouldn't hold up to the rest of the series, and luckily, there was no reason to worry at all. I enjoyed Thick as Thieves, but was glad to get back to my favorite characters in this installment, and I enjoyed Pheris's viewpoint. It took me several chapters to get oriented, especially in the timeline, as many events in this book overlap those of the previous entry, but once I understood when we were, I was totally sucked in by the story. 5 stars, highly recommended, but please, please, please don't start here! This series is one that should absolutely be read in order -- each installment builds on the previous and introduces more complications and intricacy, and you simply must start from the beginning.

125curioussquared
Nov 28, 2020, 4:09 pm



64 ROOTs down: Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir

Gideon has always longed to escape the Ninth House, where she has grown up as an orphan. And now it seems like she might have her chance, as Harrowhark, first daughter necromancer of the Ninth, has been summoned by the First House -- but she can't go without a cavalier, and it just so happens that Gideon can fight. So even though she and Harrow hate each other bitterly, Gideon agrees to go, and finds herself off-planet for the first time in what appears to be a filthy haunted mansion inhabited by excellently designed animated skeletons and a few old priests, while she and Harrow (mostly Harrow, since she won't tell Gideon anything) compete with the necromancers and cavaliers of the other houses to solve an ancient puzzle.

OMG. This book is insane. The Charles Stross blurb on the cover pretty much sums it up: "Lesbian necromancers explore a haunted gothic palace in space!" This took me a while to get through, but mostly because the writing is intricate and weird and I needed to really dedicate myself to the reading; I kept trying to read before bed and not getting anywhere. It's definitely something of a slow burn, and I had no idea what was going on for a while, but I was enjoying the wild ride, and then I got to about the 50% mark and found myself totally obsessed. Gideon is hilarious and sassy and the queen of the one-liner; I want to be her friend. I don't really know how to describe this book in a way that captures everything it is without giving too much away, but I want everyone to read it and appreciate it with me. 5 stars. Oops, just ordered book 2!

126curioussquared
Dic 3, 2020, 8:40 pm



65 ROOTs down: You Should See Me in a Crown by Leah Johnson

Prom is a big deal at Campbell High, and the prom king and queen both get scholarships. Liz Lighty has never been into that kind of thing, but when she doesn't get the financial aid she's expecting from her dream college, winning prom queen seems like her only option. So she starts her unlikely campaign, knowing there's never been a Black prom queen, let alone one who likes girls! As Liz starts working her way to the top of the rankings, there are only a few problems: First, Rachel, the popular girl who has always had it in for her; second, her old friend Jordan, who ditched her for his football bros freshman year but is now running for king; and third, the new girl, who's super cute but is part of her competition...

This book got a lot of buzz when it came out in May; it was right around when the initial George Floyd protests were going on and there was a big push to support Black-owned businesses and Black authors, so what better time to buy a Black author's debut novel? I'm glad I purchased this! It's nice to read a well-written YA romance with diversity and representation, and this was a fun story. I didn't realize how into it I was until I stayed up a few hours past my bedtime last night to finish it. The ending was satisfying, and I may have shed a few tears :) 4.5 stars.

127curioussquared
Dic 11, 2020, 1:31 pm



66 ROOTs down: Power of Three by Diana Wynne Jones

Gair has always thought of himself as ordinary -- his sister Ayna has the power of foresight, and can truthfully tell what will happen if asked the right questions. His little brother Ceri has the gift of finding, and always knows when asked where an object is, and can also put his thoughts on people and objects. But when Gair's people are threatened by the amphibious Dorig of the moor, he and his siblings must act quickly and perhaps even form an alliance with the third race of the moor, the Giants, to save their family and their people's way of life.

This is a very, very rare thing -- a Diana Wynne Jones novel I hadn't read. (I think I only have two more of these, unfortunately -- Changeover and A Sudden Wild Magic.) I know I tried to read it at some point and bounced off, and reading it this time, I could see why -- the opening chapters are written in almost a mythical style, which is not my thing, and the story doesn't really begin for the first 30 or so pages until we meet Gair, Ayna, and Ceri, and then takes another 30 or more pages to really get going. Once I was about a quarter of the way through, though, the writing started to feel more like the DWJ I know and love, especially as we got more of Gair's inner thoughts, and I was totally hooked and couldn't put it down by halfway through. Not her strongest book by any means (I think this is rather an early one) but still a DWJ book, so 4.5 stars.

128curioussquared
Dic 11, 2020, 1:31 pm



67 ROOTs down: Tender Is the Night by F. Scott Fitzgerald

Rosemary Hoyt is a young American actress vacationing in the French Riviera with her mother where she meets Dick and Nicole Diver, a charming older couple who quickly befriend the younger girl and bring her into their circle of friends. But Dick and Nicole have a darker past, and the novel quickly turns to the faults in their relationship which have always existed but are further exposed by Dick's admiration of Rosemary and his alcoholism.

I enjoyed the first part of this novel with Rosemary, but as it focused away from her and more on the Divers, enjoyed it less and less. I have read that Fitzgerald considered this to be his finest work, and I wonder if it's because it's also supposed to be highly autobiographical and includes a lot of details of his own life and his relationship with Zelda. Anyway, the writing is fantastic, but I didn't like this as much as The Great Gatsby, which is the only other Fitzgerald I've read. 3.5 stars.

129curioussquared
Dic 11, 2020, 1:33 pm



68 ROOTs down: A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman

Ove is a very particular sort of man with a very particular set of values; he rises each morning at 5:45 to conduct his daily neighborhood rounds, checking to see if there have been any burglaries in the night or if anybody has violated the parking rules. Now that he is no longer working, he spends his days mostly reminding people that driving in the street and not the parking area is forbidden, and judging people for lacking basic skills like choosing the right automobile, driving stick shift, and all varieties of carpentry. His life is orderly and rigid and that is the way he likes it. But when a new family moves in next door along with their two loud children, Ove might find that he can't keep his life as orderly as he wanted...

This book is so universally beloved and recommended that I almost didn't want to like it just to be spiteful. But I opened it and was almost immediately charmed by Ove, Parvaneh, and the rest; Backman definitely has a way with characters and I couldn't help but fall in love. It dips a little too far toward saccharine at some points, but never irredeemably, and overall this was a delightful way to spend a few evenings. 4 stars.

130karenmarie
Dic 17, 2020, 10:21 am

Hi Natalie!

>128 curioussquared: I’ve tried reading Fitzgerald several times, having only successfully gotten through The Great Gatsby in college. I liked seeing Fitzgerald through the eyes of Therese Anne Fowler in her biographical novel Z: A Novel of Zelda Fitzgerald and was fascinated by Zelda’s tragic life.

>129 curioussquared: I also almost didn’t want to like this book but loved it, too. I’ve tried others by him but nothing else has caught my fancy.

131curioussquared
Dic 17, 2020, 12:24 pm

>130 karenmarie: I don't have any more Fitzgerald on my shelf, so I don't think I'll read more anytime soon. It felt worthwhile, but I enjoyed it more for the writing than anything else. I own Backman's Britt-Marie Was Here so may try that one at some point.

132karenmarie
Dic 22, 2020, 3:33 pm


... and here's to a better 2021!

133connie53
Dic 25, 2020, 9:34 am



Happy Holidays from the Netherlands!

134curioussquared
Dic 28, 2020, 2:32 pm

>132 karenmarie: Thanks, Karen!!

>133 connie53: Thanks, Connie!!

135curioussquared
Dic 28, 2020, 2:32 pm



69 ROOTs down: Her Royal Highness by Rachel Hawkins

Texan Millie has always daydreamed of boarding school in Scotland, but she's never been willing to follow through... until her friend turned girlfriend, Jude, dumps her unexpectedly. Now Scotland seems like an excellent place to escape to, and Millie is thrilled to score a free ride to Gregorstoun, the traditional school of the Scottish Royal Family that has just started accepting girls. She feels ready for anything, even Gregorstoun's traditional survival challenge out in the wilderness -- but she wasn't ready for a royal roommate...

This follow-up to Prince Charming was just as fun! I thought this dragged a little until Millie got to Scotland, but once I got there I flew through the rest of the book. 4 stars.

136curioussquared
Dic 28, 2020, 2:33 pm



70 ROOTs down: The Likeness by Tana French

After the events of In the Woods, detective Cassie Maddox was pretty shaken up, and she transferred to the Domestic Violence squad -- much more boring than Murder Squad, but much more predictable, too. She's just trying to get through the days without breaking down, and the only bright spot is her boyfriend Sam. One morning as she's on her way to work, Sam calls, sounding shaken and demands she come out to a crime scene outside of the city with no explanation. When she gets there, it soon becomes clear why he's disturbed -- they've found a body, and the deceased could be Cassie's twin, they look so much alike. Not only is she Cassie's double, but bizarrely, her identification says her name is Alexandra Madison -- the identity Cassie created years ago when she worked an undercover case. Alexandra Madison shouldn't really exist -- and yet she's right in front of them, dead.

I am fast becoming a big Tana French fan! I've never considered myself a mystery person, but her books are excellent. This took a little to build up, and you have to accept the basic unbelievable premise, but it's just such a captivating story. I'll be on the lookout for more of her books! 4.5 stars.

137curioussquared
Dic 28, 2020, 2:33 pm



71 ROOTs down: A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens

The classic story! I had never actually read it before and I figured now was a good time :) I enjoyed it, but is it bad if I honestly might believe the muppets improved it? 4.5 stars.

138connie53
Editado: Dic 29, 2020, 6:04 am

>136 curioussquared: BB for me!

Going to search for it. I have it as an ebook!

139curioussquared
Dic 28, 2020, 2:48 pm

>138 connie53: Yay, I hope you enjoy it! I want to track down the rest of her books now.

140connie53
Dic 29, 2020, 6:05 am

>139 curioussquared: I've read all Tana French books some years ago. Simply forgot about it! But they all scored 4 stars so I really liked them.

141curioussquared
Dic 30, 2020, 1:41 pm



72 ROOTs down: A Deadly Education by Naomi Novik

El goes to magic school at the Scholomance... but this is very far from Hogwarts. At the Scholomance, there are no teachers, and everything is trying to kill you. Only a small percentage of students are expected to survive the four years and make it through the monster fighting free-for-all that passes for graduation. The kids from big city enclaves have better chances, and El has been biding her time for a chance to show off her power and get an invite to an enclave alliance. There are a few problems, though. First, the little fact that El's magic just so happens to be predisposed to causing mass destruction; if she's not careful, she could try to light a candle and end up setting off a supervolcano. The second problem... is Orion Lake, from New York, who can't seem to help killing monsters and saving lives left and right, and keeps getting in the way right before El's chances to shine. Not only will Orion not stop saving her life, he won't stop following her around, either. What's a girl to do?

I loved this SO much; I totally regretted starting it late on Sunday night because I had to do pesky things like sleep and work. El is a fantastic narrator, and it was such fun to see the magic school trope taken so far in another direction. I already can't wait for book 2! BRB, going to go preorder it now. 5 stars.

142curioussquared
Dic 30, 2020, 1:47 pm

I expect this will be my last ROOT of the year; I'm hoping to wrap up at least one more ebook, but it's a library book. It's possible I'll finish my audio ROOT by end of day tomorrow, but I still have five hours to go so not super likely.

But I'll definitely be back next year! This is my highest reading year since I started keeping track in 2008; I'm at 165 books total right now, so my ROOTs are a little less than half of that. I expect I'll keep my goal of 50 next year, as I think I definitely read a little more due to the pandemic. We're also hoping to get married late next summer if the pandemic is under control by then, so if that happens, planning a wedding will definitely take up some of my time! So, no need to push too hard next year :)

143rabbitprincess
Dic 30, 2020, 3:35 pm

>142 curioussquared: You had a fantastic reading year! :)

144curioussquared
Dic 30, 2020, 4:00 pm

>143 rabbitprincess: Thanks! You did, too -- are you going to squeeze in that 100th ROOT?

145rabbitprincess
Dic 30, 2020, 4:24 pm

>144 curioussquared: Yes, I have :D