Kirsten's bookshelf: from-library en-US Tue, 01 Apr 2025 12:56:19 -0700 60 Kirsten's bookshelf: from-library 144 41 /images/layout/goodreads_logo_144.jpg The Electric State 38642323 A teen girl and her robot embark on a cross-country mission in this illustrated science fiction story, perfect for fans of Ready Player One and Black Mirror.

In late 1997, a runaway teenager and her small yellow toy robot travel west through a strange American landscape where the ruins of gigantic battle drones litter the countryside, along with the discarded trash of a high-tech consumerist society addicted to a virtual-reality system. As they approach the edge of the continent, the world outside the car window seems to unravel at an ever faster pace, as if somewhere beyond the horizon, the hollow core of civilization has finally caved in.]]> 144 Simon St?lenhag 1501181416 Kirsten 5 4.42 2017 The Electric State
author: Simon St?lenhag
name: Kirsten
average rating: 4.42
book published: 2017
rating: 5
read at: 2019/02/09
date added: 2025/04/01
shelves: art, fiction, from-library, horror-and-horror-ish, spec-fic
review:
Stalenhag¡¯s art is, as usual, absolutely amazing and haunting. This book has a much stronger through-story than Tales From the Loop and Things From the Flood, and Stalenhag has once again impressionistically created a world that feels wholly real.
]]> <![CDATA[Cat's Cradle: The Golden Twine]]> 58484154
Suri loves monsters¨Dstudying their lore, telling stories about them (for a fee), and¨Dshe hopes¨Done day taming them. Unfortunately, no one takes an orphan street-urchin who travels with a merchant camp very seriously. But Suri¡¯s self-confidence, cleverness, and ambition serve her well when a mysterious new wagon joins her camp¨Dholding something very big, very loud, and very monstrous.

And that¡¯s before Suri runs afoul of a treacherous family with its own beastly secret¨Dand a prince hunting the greatest monster of all.]]> 128 Jo Rioux 1250625351 Kirsten 0 3.79 Cat's Cradle: The Golden Twine
author: Jo Rioux
name: Kirsten
average rating: 3.79
book published:
rating: 0
read at: 2023/07/01
date added: 2025/03/29
shelves: children-or-ya, fiction, folklore-and-fairytales, from-library, graphic-novels, humor, poc-characters, spec-fic
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Fullmetal Alchemist: Fullmetal Edition, Vol. 1]]> 36495876
A hardcover, deluxe collector¡¯s edition of one of the most beloved manga and anime of all time! Fully remastered with an updated translation and completely fresh lettering, and presented with color pages on large-trimmed archival-quality paper, this gorgeous hardcover edition presents the timeless dark adventures of the Elric brothers as they were truly meant to be seen. Includes brand-new cover art, color inserts and behind-the-scenes character sketches from author Hiromu Arakawa!

In an alchemical ritual gone wrong, Edward Elric lost his arm and his leg, and his brother Alphonse became nothing but a soul in a suit of armor. Equipped with mechanical ¡°auto-mail¡± limbs, Edward becomes a state alchemist, seeking the one thing that can restore his and his brother¡¯s bodies¡­ the legendary Philosopher¡¯s Stone!

The best-selling manga Fullmetal Alchemist finally available in a high-quality hardcover collectors' edition.]]> 280 Hiromu Arakawa 1421599775 Kirsten 4 4.59 2011 Fullmetal Alchemist: Fullmetal Edition, Vol. 1
author: Hiromu Arakawa
name: Kirsten
average rating: 4.59
book published: 2011
rating: 4
read at: 2018/10/15
date added: 2025/02/24
shelves: fiction, from-library, graphic-novels, manga, poc-author, spec-fic, woman-author
review:

]]> The Lost Library 63005200 A little free library guarded by a cat and a boy who takes on the mystery it keeps.

When a mysterious little free library (guarded by a large orange cat) appears overnight in the small town of Martinville, eleven-year-old Evan plucks two weathered books from its shelves, never suspecting that his life is about to change.

Evan and his best friend Rafe quickly discover a link between one of the old books and a long-ago event that none of the grown-ups want to talk about. The two boys start asking questions whose answers will transform not only their own futures, but the town itself.

Told in turn by a ghost librarian named Al, an aging (but beautiful) cat named Mortimer, and Evan himself, The Lost Library is a timeless story from award-winning authors Rebecca Stead and Wendy Mass. It's about owning your truth, choosing the life you want, and the power of a good book (and, of course, the librarian who gave it to you).]]> 215 Rebecca Stead 1250838819 Kirsten 4 4.09 2023 The Lost Library
author: Rebecca Stead
name: Kirsten
average rating: 4.09
book published: 2023
rating: 4
read at: 2023/10/02
date added: 2025/02/14
shelves: children-or-ya, fiction, from-library, mystery, woman-author
review:

]]> Reliquary (Pendergast, #2) 39030 464 Douglas Preston 0765354950 Kirsten 3 Relic. As was hinted at the end of Relic, New York City's problems with The Museum Beast are far from over. Someone (or something) is stalking individuals in and under the streets of New York, leaving gruesome crime scenes and headless corpses. The murders are disconcertingly similar to those that rocked the Natural History Museum eighteen months before, and the search for answers will lead Margo Green, Agent Pendergast, and Vincent D'Agosto into the very depths of the tunnels that honeycomb New York, where something terrible is brewing.

The underground setting of this installment definitely adds a lot to it -- the cat and mouse games under the city are wonderfully creepy and claustrophobic. Overall, though, I didn't think this was quite as good as Relic; I felt like there were too many characters to follow. This sounds silly, but I also found parts of it stretched my disbelief just a little too far. Not the monstrous aspects, it's just some of the plot points had me going, "Oh, come on." It may just be that I'm reading too many of Preston & Child's novels one after the other, but I've also started to notice that the way they set up a lot of their situations are kind of transparent. You can see them setting things up to put the most people possible in danger, and it's sometimes slightly contrived. But don't get me wrong, I still really enjoyed it!]]> 4.03 1997 Reliquary (Pendergast, #2)
author: Douglas Preston
name: Kirsten
average rating: 4.03
book published: 1997
rating: 3
read at: 2006/03/01
date added: 2024/11/25
shelves: read-pre-12-07, from-library, fiction
review:
This is the sequel to Relic. As was hinted at the end of Relic, New York City's problems with The Museum Beast are far from over. Someone (or something) is stalking individuals in and under the streets of New York, leaving gruesome crime scenes and headless corpses. The murders are disconcertingly similar to those that rocked the Natural History Museum eighteen months before, and the search for answers will lead Margo Green, Agent Pendergast, and Vincent D'Agosto into the very depths of the tunnels that honeycomb New York, where something terrible is brewing.

The underground setting of this installment definitely adds a lot to it -- the cat and mouse games under the city are wonderfully creepy and claustrophobic. Overall, though, I didn't think this was quite as good as Relic; I felt like there were too many characters to follow. This sounds silly, but I also found parts of it stretched my disbelief just a little too far. Not the monstrous aspects, it's just some of the plot points had me going, "Oh, come on." It may just be that I'm reading too many of Preston & Child's novels one after the other, but I've also started to notice that the way they set up a lot of their situations are kind of transparent. You can see them setting things up to put the most people possible in danger, and it's sometimes slightly contrived. But don't get me wrong, I still really enjoyed it!
]]> Super Indian, Vol. 1 18687879 64 Arigon Starr Kirsten 3 3.47 Super Indian, Vol. 1
author: Arigon Starr
name: Kirsten
average rating: 3.47
book published:
rating: 3
read at: 2019/02/21
date added: 2024/08/07
shelves: fiction, from-library, graphic-novels, humor, poc-author, poc-characters, superheroes, woman-author
review:
Fun and funny superhero adventures on the Rez! The art is pretty amateurish, but this was still an enjoyable read.
]]> <![CDATA[My Brother's Husband, Volume 1 (Otouto no Otto, #1)]]> 30292689
Now Mike has arrived to Japan to meet Yaichi and his daughter Kana. Yaichi has to face his own preconceptions and come to terms about who his brother really was.]]> 180 Gengoroh Tagame Kirsten 5
Yaichi is a work-at-home single dad to his daughter Kana. His life gets a bit turned upside-down when his twin brother's widower -- a huge Canadian named Mike Flanagan -- comes to visit. Yaichi's brother Ryoji has recently died, and he and Yaichi grew apart not long after Ryoji came out when they were fifteen.

What follows is a warm and touching story about grief and what makes a family, as well as about the shifting family and social structures in Japan. ]]> 4.11 My Brother's Husband, Volume 1 (Otouto no Otto, #1)
author: Gengoroh Tagame
name: Kirsten
average rating: 4.11
book published:
rating: 5
read at: 2017/06/16
date added: 2024/07/18
shelves: fiction, from-library, graphic-novels, lgbtq-interest, manga, poc-author, poc-characters
review:
Oh, I loved this so much!

Yaichi is a work-at-home single dad to his daughter Kana. His life gets a bit turned upside-down when his twin brother's widower -- a huge Canadian named Mike Flanagan -- comes to visit. Yaichi's brother Ryoji has recently died, and he and Yaichi grew apart not long after Ryoji came out when they were fifteen.

What follows is a warm and touching story about grief and what makes a family, as well as about the shifting family and social structures in Japan.
]]> This Book Will Not Be Fun 32671333 A mouse who acts as a careful custodian of his book tries to guarantee his reader some peace and order in spite of escalating chaos.

A book is no place for tomfoolery, and this mouse assures us that his book is to be no exception. Just please ignore that Word-Eating Flying Whale, and--oh, no, the lights have gone out. Wait, what is THAT?! Nothing to fear. Everything is under control. . . .]]> 32 Cirocco Dunlap 0399550615 Kirsten 4
Notes on representation: The characters are all animals.

Merged review:

Super funny. A staid mouse insists that the book will not be fun while ridiculous things occur behind him. After a while, he joins in. Pair this with "Snappsy the Alligator (Did Not Agree to Be In This Book)."

Notes on representation: The characters are all animals.

Merged review:

Super funny. A staid mouse insists that the book will not be fun while ridiculous things occur behind him. After a while, he joins in. Pair this with "Snappsy the Alligator (Did Not Agree to Be In This Book)."

Notes on representation: The characters are all animals.]]> 3.40 2017 This Book Will Not Be Fun
author: Cirocco Dunlap
name: Kirsten
average rating: 3.40
book published: 2017
rating: 4
read at:
date added: 2024/05/21
shelves: children-or-ya, fiction, from-library, humor, picture-book, storytime, woman-author
review:
Super funny. A staid mouse insists that the book will not be fun while ridiculous things occur behind him. After a while, he joins in. Pair this with "Snappsy the Alligator (Did Not Agree to Be In This Book)."

Notes on representation: The characters are all animals.

Merged review:

Super funny. A staid mouse insists that the book will not be fun while ridiculous things occur behind him. After a while, he joins in. Pair this with "Snappsy the Alligator (Did Not Agree to Be In This Book)."

Notes on representation: The characters are all animals.

Merged review:

Super funny. A staid mouse insists that the book will not be fun while ridiculous things occur behind him. After a while, he joins in. Pair this with "Snappsy the Alligator (Did Not Agree to Be In This Book)."

Notes on representation: The characters are all animals.
]]> Blue Book Volume 1: 1961 78302734
From the New York Times bestselling and multi-Eisner award-winning co-creator of Something is Killing the Children, The Nice House on the Lake, The Department of Truth .

In Blue Book , teaming with artist Michael Avon Oeming and letterer Aditya Bidikar, James Tynion IV presents what he calls his ¡°True Weird¡± stories. Tales of ordinary people encountering the strange and the impossible.

Volume 1 retells the infamous case of the abduction of Betty and Barney Hill of New Hampshire in 1961 ¡ª the very first widely-publicized UFO abduction that went on to shape and influence all future encounter stories.

Collects the Dark Horse Comics series Blue Book #1¡ª#5, originally published on Substack.]]> 136 James Tynion IV 1506736696 Kirsten 3 3.62 2023 Blue Book Volume 1: 1961
author: James Tynion IV
name: Kirsten
average rating: 3.62
book published: 2023
rating: 3
read at: 2024/04/21
date added: 2024/04/21
shelves: from-library, graphic-novels, non-fiction, poc-characters
review:
I really liked the art and the storytelling here. However, it bothered me that while the Hills¡¯ involvement in the NAACP was mentioned, it was never mentioned that Betty was white and Barney was Black. And because of the color palette used, if you didn¡¯t already know this, it¡¯s not clear. It may or may not be relevant, but to my mind it¡¯s worth mentioning as part of the stress the Hills were under in their daily lives.
]]> Us 54302894 22 Sara Soler Kirsten 5 4.32 Us
author: Sara Soler
name: Kirsten
average rating: 4.32
book published:
rating: 5
read at: 2023/09/16
date added: 2024/04/21
shelves: from-library, graphic-novels, lgbtq-interest, memoir, woman-author
review:

]]> Spirits Abroad 55884818 338 Zen Cho 1618731866 Kirsten 5 4.18 2014 Spirits Abroad
author: Zen Cho
name: Kirsten
average rating: 4.18
book published: 2014
rating: 5
read at: 2023/07/22
date added: 2024/04/13
shelves: fiction, folklore-and-fairytales, from-library, horror-and-horror-ish, lgbtq-interest, poc-author, poc-characters, short-stories, spec-fic, woman-author
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Yokohama Station SF, Vol. 1 (manga) (Yokohama Station SF (manga))]]> 64007797 178 Yuba Isukari 1975350898 Kirsten 4 3.54 2017 Yokohama Station SF, Vol. 1 (manga) (Yokohama Station SF (manga))
author: Yuba Isukari
name: Kirsten
average rating: 3.54
book published: 2017
rating: 4
read at: 2023/08/27
date added: 2024/03/24
shelves: children-or-ya, fiction, from-library, graphic-novels, manga, poc-author, poc-characters, spec-fic
review:
The world building in this is really cool! I will definitely be following this series.
]]> <![CDATA[Museum of Hidden Beings: A Guide to Icelandic Creatures of Myth and Legend (Wool of Bat)]]> 58876238
Iceland, a country of striking and sometimes surreal beauty, is matched by its rich and extensive folklore. Since time immemorial, Icelanders have told tales of strange encounters and experiences they have had while on their travels. From the extraordinary Finng¨¢lkn , a crossbreed of man and beast to the Kr¨¢ki , a giant octopus that preys on trawlers and oil rigs, Icelandic folklore is riddled with fantastic tales that expound natural phenomenon and circumstance with peculiar supernatural creatures from myth and legend.?
Take these tales, passed down from generation to generation throughout the centuries, make with them what you will and share them again. First published in Iceland as Duld?rasafni? , The Museum of Hidden Beings is now available in English, worldwide, so that the creatures of Icelandic legend might knock on new doors. Part of the Wool of Bat series focused on the preservation and promotion of folklore and oral history from around the world.]]> 86 Arngr¨ªmur Sigur?sson 1777081718 Kirsten 4 3.92 Museum of Hidden Beings: A Guide to Icelandic Creatures of Myth and Legend (Wool of Bat)
author: Arngr¨ªmur Sigur?sson
name: Kirsten
average rating: 3.92
book published:
rating: 4
read at: 2024/03/03
date added: 2024/03/08
shelves: art, cryptids, folklore-and-fairytales, from-library
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Something is Killing the Children, Vol. 7]]> 176442914 The final chapter of the Tribulation saga and the decisive showdown between Erica Slaughter and Cutter!

After narrowly surviving the Duplicitype, Erica Slaughter must still reckon with the murderous Cutter in order to save the people of Tribulation. Separated from Dolly and driven by desperate rage, Cutter won't stop until she exacts her revenge on Erica. But the horror is far from over as the terrifying Duplicitype, the infamous monster wearing Erica¡¯s likeness that changed Something is Killing the Children forever, also remains at large and in relentless, sinister pursuit! And with Cecilia showing up onsite, will Erica finally find the ally she needs, or is betrayal in the cards? Whose side are they on? Most importantly, what chance does Erica stand? Collects Something is Killing the Children #31-35.]]> 144 James Tynion IV 1608861481 Kirsten 4 4.31 2024 Something is Killing the Children, Vol. 7
author: James Tynion IV
name: Kirsten
average rating: 4.31
book published: 2024
rating: 4
read at: 2024/03/01
date added: 2024/03/08
shelves: fiction, from-library, graphic-novels, horror-and-horror-ish, lgbtq-interest, poc-characters, spec-fic
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants]]> 17465709 Braiding Sweetgrass, Kimmerer brings these lenses of knowledge together to show that the awakening of a wider ecological consciousness requires the acknowledgment and celebration of our reciprocal relationship with the rest of the living world. For only when we can hear the languages of other beings are we capable of understanding the generosity of the earth, and learning to give our own gifts in return.]]> 408 Robin Wall Kimmerer 1571313354 Kirsten 0 4.52 2013 Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants
author: Robin Wall Kimmerer
name: Kirsten
average rating: 4.52
book published: 2013
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/03/04
shelves: currently-reading, book-club, from-library, non-fiction, poc-author, science, woman-author, work-related
review:

]]> <![CDATA[What Feasts at Night (Sworn Soldier, #2)]]> 127306440
Retired soldier Alex Easton returns in a horrifying new adventure.

After their terrifying ordeal at the Usher manor, Alex Easton feels as if they just survived another war. All they crave is rest, routine, and sunshine, but instead, as a favor to Angus and Miss Potter, they find themself heading to their family hunting lodge, deep in the cold, damp forests of their home country, Gallacia.

In theory, one can find relaxation in even the coldest and dampest of Gallacian autumns, but when Easton arrives, they find the caretaker dead, the lodge in disarray, and the grounds troubled by a strange, uncanny silence. The villagers whisper that a breath-stealing monster from folklore has taken up residence in Easton¡¯s home. Easton knows better than to put too much stock in local superstitions, but they can tell that something is not quite right in their home. . . or in their dreams.]]> 151 T. Kingfisher 1250830850 Kirsten 5 3.78 2024 What Feasts at Night (Sworn Soldier, #2)
author: T. Kingfisher
name: Kirsten
average rating: 3.78
book published: 2024
rating: 5
read at: 2024/03/02
date added: 2024/03/03
shelves: fiction, folklore-and-fairytales, from-library, horror-and-horror-ish, lgbtq-interest, spec-fic, woman-author
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Jackalope Wives and Other Stories]]> 35058181 Jackalope Wives", "The Tomato Thief", "Pocosin", and many others. By turns funny, lyrical, angry and beautiful, this anthology includes two all-new stories, "Origin Story" and "Let Pass the Horses Black", appearing for the first time in print.

Content:
- The Kingfisher & the Jackalope (2017)
- Godmother (2014)
- Jackalope Wives (2017)
- Wooden Feathers (2017)
- Editing (2013)
- Bird Bones (2015)
- That Time with Bob and the Unicorn (2016)
- Razorback (2017)
- The Dryad's Shoe (2014)
- Let Pass the Horses Black (2017)
- Telling the Bees (2015)
- The Tomato Thief (2017)
- Origin Story (2017)
- Pocosin (2017)
- It Was a Day (2013)
- Acknowledgments (2017)

]]> 240 T. Kingfisher Kirsten 0 4.49 2017 Jackalope Wives and Other Stories
author: T. Kingfisher
name: Kirsten
average rating: 4.49
book published: 2017
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/03/03
shelves: currently-reading, fiction, folklore-and-fairytales, from-library, humor, short-stories, spec-fic, woman-author
review:

]]> Kaiju No. 8, Vol. 9 176443013
With the looming threat of a cataclysm induced by No. 9, the next generation of the Defense Force takes steps to prepare. Reno undergoes training and becomes the first compatible user of No. 6 in history. Kafka sharpens his skills by learning squadron-style combat techniques under Hoshina¡¯s tutelage. Meanwhile, Kikoru gets clearance from Narumi to inherit a powerful memento that once belonged to her mother.]]> 192 Naoya Matsumoto 1974743012 Kirsten 4 4.45 2023 Kaiju No. 8, Vol. 9
author: Naoya Matsumoto
name: Kirsten
average rating: 4.45
book published: 2023
rating: 4
read at: 2024/03/02
date added: 2024/03/03
shelves: children-or-ya, fiction, from-library, graphic-novels, manga, poc-author, poc-characters, spec-fic
review:

]]> Bad Medicine 123087257 116 Christopher Twin 1772620874 Kirsten 4 3.65 Bad Medicine
author: Christopher Twin
name: Kirsten
average rating: 3.65
book published:
rating: 4
read at: 2024/03/02
date added: 2024/03/03
shelves: children-or-ya, fiction, folklore-and-fairytales, from-library, graphic-novels, horror-and-horror-ish, poc-author, poc-characters, short-stories, spec-fic
review:

]]> Immortal X-Men, Vol. 1 60420338
COLLECTING:?Immortal X-Men (2021) 1-6]]> 184 Kieron Gillen 1302928015 Kirsten 3 4.04 2022 Immortal X-Men, Vol. 1
author: Kieron Gillen
name: Kirsten
average rating: 4.04
book published: 2022
rating: 3
read at: 2024/02/29
date added: 2024/03/03
shelves: fiction, from-library, graphic-novels, lgbtq-interest, spec-fic, superheroes
review:
My hope that if I started with a ¡°volume 1¡± somewhere I¡¯d be able to pick up what was going on was¡­ overly optimistic. Extra star for the dialog being snappy as heck.
]]> <![CDATA[Indigiqueerness: A Conversation about Storytelling]]> 62621953 A tender, eclectic reflection from an Indigenous author on his life, work, and queer identity.

Evolving from a conversation between author Joshua Whitehead and Angie Abdou, Indigiqueerness is part dialogue, part collage, and part memoir. Beginning with memories of his childhood poetry and prose and traveling through the library of his life, Whitehead contemplates the role of theory, Indigenous language, queerness, and fantastical worlds in all his artistic pursuits. Indigiqueerness is imbued with Whitehead¡¯s energy and celebrates Indigenous writers and creators who defy expectations and transcend genres.]]> 95 Joshua Whitehead 177199391X Kirsten 5 4.26 2023 Indigiqueerness: A Conversation about Storytelling
author: Joshua Whitehead
name: Kirsten
average rating: 4.26
book published: 2023
rating: 5
read at: 2024/03/03
date added: 2024/03/03
shelves: from-library, lgbtq-interest, non-fiction, nonbinary-author, poc-author, memoir
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Paladin's Hope (The Saint of Steel, #3)]]> 59109627
Galen is a paladin of a dead god, lost to holiness and no longer entirely sane. He has long since given up on any hope of love. But when the two men and a brave gnole constable are drawn into the web of the mysterious killer, it's Galen's job to protect Piper from the traps that await them.

He's just not sure if he can protect Piper from the most dangerous threat of all¡­]]> 300 T. Kingfisher Kirsten 5 4.14 2021 Paladin's Hope (The Saint of Steel, #3)
author: T. Kingfisher
name: Kirsten
average rating: 4.14
book published: 2021
rating: 5
read at: 2024/03/02
date added: 2024/03/03
shelves: fiction, from-library, lgbtq-interest, mystery, romance, spec-fic, woman-author
review:

]]> Brooms 143330475
BCCB Mississippi, 1930s. Magic simmering beneath the surface, kept in check by unjust laws and societal expectations. But for six extraordinary women, the roar of enchanted engines and the thrill of the forbidden broom race offer a chance to rewrite their destinies.

Meet Billie Mae, captain of the Night Storms racing team, and Loretta, her best friend and second-in-command. They¡¯re determined to make enough money to move out west to a state that allows Black folks to legally use magic and take part in national races.

Cheng-Kwan ¨C doing her best to handle the delicate and dangerous double act of being the perfect ¡°son¡± to her parents, and being true to herself while racing.

Mattie and Emma -- Choctaw and Black -- the youngest of the group and trying to dodge government officials who want to send them and their newly-surfaced powers away to boarding school.

And Luella, in love with Billie Mae. Her powers were sealed away years ago after she fought back against the government. She¡¯ll do anything to prevent the same fate for her cousins.

Brooms is a heart-pounding graphic novel soaring with magic, friendship, and rebellion. It's a Fast and the Furious with broomsticks instead of cars, a historical spotlight on struggles silenced by time, and a celebration of the indomitable spirit that dares to defy the odds. Buckle up, witches and dreamers, for this ride is about to take flight.

P R A I S E

¡°Draws on the fantastical to amplify and confront issues of both the past and the present. The result is a heartfelt, gripping, and resonant story about power¡ªhow the majority wields it, and how marginalized groups reclaim it.¡± ¡ªBulletin of the Center for Children¡¯s Books (starred) ¡ï

¡°Fascinating¡­ Though readers will enjoy the dramatic racing scenes, this is truly a story about queer folk and people of color who have created a space where they can joyously and freely be themselves.¡± ¡ªBooklist (starred) ¡ï

¡°Pulse-pounding broom races and comforting domestic sequences¡­ An evocative Fast and the Furious¨Cflavored graphic novel.¡± ¡ªPublishers Weekly (starred)? ¡ï

¡°This is the queer, magical, broom-racing version of A League of Their Own that I didn¡¯t know I was missing¡­ The representation in this graphic novel is so diverse and among the best I think I¡¯ve ever seen. It¡¯s clear that Walls and Duvall put equal parts passion and research into this beautiful story. If you don¡¯t read it, you¡¯re missing out.¡± ¡ªRachel Brittain, Book Riot

¡°A sweet, entertaining found-family story that weaves magic with historical injustice; recommended for teen graphic novel shelves. ¡ªSchool Library Journal?

¡°Six witches get caught up in the excitement and danger of illegal broom racing in an alternate historical Mississippi¡­ highlights the broadly diverse experiences of folks in the South¡­ highlighting the fact that there has always been and will always be room for queer folks in our communities.¡± ¡ªKirkus?

"[A] mix of exciting racing scenes, a story about overcoming the odds, and mesmerizing depictions of magic, plus some of the not-so-pretty parts of our country¡¯s history, and it¡¯s done in a way that is compassionate and uplifting." ¡ªGeekDad

¡°Brooms Is Your Next Favorite Fantastical LGBTQIA+ Sports Story¡± ¡ªThe Mary Sue

¡°Brings vivid characters (queer, broom-racing witches) to life in an equally vivid setting.¡± ¡ªGizmodo (io9)]]> 240 Jasmine Walls 1646143574 Kirsten 5 4.21 2023 Brooms
author: Jasmine Walls
name: Kirsten
average rating: 4.21
book published: 2023
rating: 5
read at: 2024/03/01
date added: 2024/03/01
shelves: children-or-ya, fiction, from-library, graphic-novels, lgbtq-interest, poc-author, poc-characters, spec-fic
review:

]]> Box of Bones: Book One 56338417 174 Ayize Jama-Everett 1732638845 Kirsten 3 3.93 Box of Bones: Book One
author: Ayize Jama-Everett
name: Kirsten
average rating: 3.93
book published:
rating: 3
read at: 2024/03/01
date added: 2024/03/01
shelves: fiction, from-library, graphic-novels, horror-and-horror-ish, lgbtq-interest, poc-author, poc-characters, spec-fic
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Secret History of Bigfoot: Field Notes on a North American Monster]]> 152180034
Journalist and writer John O'Connor takes readers on a narrative quest through the American wilds in search of Bigfoot, its myth and meaning. Inhabited by an eccentric cast of characters ¨C reputable men of science and deluded charlatans alike ¨C the book explores the zany and secretive world of "cryptozoology," tracking Bigfoot from the Wild Men of Native American and European lore to Harry and the Hendersons, while examining the forces behind our ever-widening belief in the supernatural.?

By turns an ardent, philosophical defense of nature, investigation into what Kurt Andersen calls our peculiar "American appetites for immersive make-believe," and a gonzo trip into alternative reality, this is the story of our Bigfoot obsession ¨C where it comes from, what it means today ¨C and the people driving it. Tag along with O'Connor as he treks through the shrouded forests of the Pacific Northwest, studies indigenous legends, and attends off-the-wall cryptozoological conventions.

Perfect for readers of Bill Bryson and Douglas Preston and with sharp wit and an adventurous spirit, this heartfelt exploration of a cornerstone of American folklore unpacks why we believe in the things that we do, and what that says about us.]]> 304 John O¡¯Connor 1464216630 Kirsten 4 3.02 2024 The Secret History of Bigfoot: Field Notes on a North American Monster
author: John O¡¯Connor
name: Kirsten
average rating: 3.02
book published: 2024
rating: 4
read at: 2024/02/29
date added: 2024/02/29
shelves: cryptids, folklore-and-fairytales, from-library, non-fiction, pacific-northwest, science
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Boy With a Bird in His Chest]]> 58438595
Suddenly, Owen is forced to flee the home that had once felt so confining and hide in plain sight with his uncle and cousin in Washington. There, he feels the joy of finding a family among friends; of sharing the bird in his chest and being embraced fully; of falling in love and feeling the devastating heartbreak of rejection before finding a spark of happiness in the most unexpected place; of living his truth regardless of how hard the thieves of joy may try to tear him down. But the threat of the Army of Acronyms is a constant, looming presence, making Owen wonder if he¡¯ll ever find a way out of the cycle of fear.

A heartbreaking yet hopeful novel about the things that make us unique and lovable, The Boy with a Bird in His Chest grapples with the fear, depression, and feelings of isolation that come with believing that we will never be loved, let alone accepted, for who we truly are, and learning to live fully and openly regardless.]]> 308 Emme Lund 1982171936 Kirsten 4 3.71 2022 The Boy With a Bird in His Chest
author: Emme Lund
name: Kirsten
average rating: 3.71
book published: 2022
rating: 4
read at: 2024/02/29
date added: 2024/02/29
shelves: fiction, from-library, lgbtq-interest, pacific-northwest, spec-fic, woman-author, work-related
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Earthdivers, Vol. 1: Kill Columbus]]> 83823063
The year is 2112, and it¡¯s the apocalypse exactly as rivers receding, oceans rising, civilization crumbling. Humanity has given up hope, except for a group of Indigenous outcasts who have discovered a time travel portal in a cave in the desert and figured out where everything took a turn for the America.

Convinced that the only way to save the world is to rewrite its past, they send one of their own¡ªa reluctant linguist named Tad¡ªon a bloody, one-way mission to 1492 to kill Christopher Columbus before he reaches the so-called New World. But there are steep costs to disrupting the timeline, and taking down an icon ¾±²õ²Ô¡¯³Ù an easy task for an academic with no tactical training and only a wavering moral compass to guide him. As the horror of the task ahead unfolds and Tad¡¯s commitment is tested, his actions could trigger a devastating new fate for his friends and the future.

Join Stephen Graham Jones and artist Davide Gianfelice for Earthdivers, Vol. 1, the beginning of an unforgettable ongoing sci-fi slasher spanning centuries of America¡¯s Colonial past to explore the staggering forces of history and the individual choices we make to survive it.]]> 176 Stephen Graham Jones Kirsten 3 3.61 Earthdivers, Vol. 1: Kill Columbus
author: Stephen Graham Jones
name: Kirsten
average rating: 3.61
book published:
rating: 3
read at: 2023/09/28
date added: 2024/02/28
shelves: fiction, from-library, graphic-novels, horror-and-horror-ish, poc-author, poc-characters, spec-fic
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Paladin's Strength (The Saint of Steel, #2)]]> 57119466
When their paths cross at the point of a sword, Istvhan and Clara will be pitched headlong into each other¡¯s quests, facing off against enemies both living and dead. But Clara has a secret that could jeopardize the growing trust between them, a secret that will lead them to the gladiatorial pits of a corrupt city, and beyond...]]> 445 T. Kingfisher Kirsten 5 4.20 2021 Paladin's Strength (The Saint of Steel, #2)
author: T. Kingfisher
name: Kirsten
average rating: 4.20
book published: 2021
rating: 5
read at: 2024/02/03
date added: 2024/02/03
shelves: fiction, from-library, spec-fic, woman-author
review:

]]> Let Him In 86176740
¡°Daddy, there¡¯s a man in our room...¡±

Alfie wakes one night to find his twin daughters at the foot of his bed, claiming there¡¯s a shadowy figure in their bedroom. When no such thing can be found, he assumes the girls had a nightmare.

He ¾±²õ²Ô¡¯³Ù surprised that they¡¯re troubled. Grief has made its home at Hart House: nine months ago, the twins¡¯ mother Pippa died unexpectedly, leaving Alfie to raise them alone. And now, when the girls mention a new imaginary friend, it seems like a harmless coping mechanism. But the situation quickly develops into something more insidious. The girls set an extra place for him at the table. They whisper to him. They say he¡¯s going to take them away¡­

Alfie calls upon Julia¡ªPippa¡¯s sister and a psychiatrist¡ªto oust the malignant tenant from their lives. But as Alfie himself is haunted by visions and someone watches him at night, he begins to question the true character of the force that has poisoned his daughters¡¯ minds, with dark and violent consequences.

Whatever this ¡°friend¡± is, he doesn¡¯t want to leave. Alfie will have to confront his own shameful secrets, the dark past of Hart House, and even the bounds of reality¡ªor risk taking part in an unspeakable tragedy.]]> 231 William Friend 1728275180 Kirsten 3 3.27 2022 Let Him In
author: William Friend
name: Kirsten
average rating: 3.27
book published: 2022
rating: 3
read at: 2024/01/26
date added: 2024/01/26
shelves: fiction, from-library, horror-and-horror-ish
review:

]]> <![CDATA[God's Monsters: Vengeful Spirits, Deadly Angels, Hybrid Creatures, and Divine Hitmen of the Bible]]> 71327434
The Bible is full of giants tromp through the land of milk and honey; Leviathan swims through the wine-dark sea. What we often believe is that God reliably vanquishes the monsters and protects us from harm. But when we look closer, we find that most of these monsters aren't God's opponents--they are God's entourage. These shape-shifters, boundary crossers, and hybrid creatures often act with stunning brutality, all in God's employ. In fact, every type of peculiar being in God's company threatens, injures, tortures, or kills on behalf of the divine will. And each type of monster reflects a facet of God's own monstrosity.

Confronting God's monsters--and the God-monster--may be uncomfortable, but the Bible is richer for their presence. The biblical writers' unflinching depictions of the monstrous God create space for our own grief, anger, dissatisfaction, and protest. God's Monsters invites us to wrestle honestly and rigorously with the monstrosity of the biblical God, perhaps to discover that if God can be held accountable, so too can those in God's entourage.]]> 304 Esther J. Hamori 1506486339 Kirsten 4 4.00 God's Monsters: Vengeful Spirits, Deadly Angels, Hybrid Creatures, and Divine Hitmen of the Bible
author: Esther J. Hamori
name: Kirsten
average rating: 4.00
book published:
rating: 4
read at: 2024/01/26
date added: 2024/01/26
shelves: from-library, non-fiction, religion, woman-author
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Entangled Life: The Illustrated Edition: How Fungi Make Our Worlds]]> 147408560
When we think of fungi, we likely think of mushrooms. But mushrooms are only fruiting bodies, analogous to apples on a tree. Most fungi live out of sight yet make up a massively diverse kingdom of organisms that supports and sustains nearly all living systems. Fungi provide a key to understanding the planet on which we live, and the ways we think, feel, and behave.
?
In the first edition of the mind-bending, ¡°gorgeous¡± (Margaret Atwood), ¡±brilliant [and] entrancing¡± ( The Guardian ) Entangled Life, Sheldrake introduced us to this mysterious but massively diverse kingdom of life. This new edition, abridged from the original, features over 100 full-color images that bring the spectacular variety, strangeness and beauty of fungi to life as never before.
?
Fungi throw our concepts of individuality and even intelligence into question. They are metabolic masters, earth makers, and key players in most of life¡¯s processes. They can change our minds, heal our bodies, and even help us remediate environmental disaster. In vivid, surprising images, Sheldrake reveals how these extraordinary organisms¡ªand our relationships with them¡ªare changing our understanding of how life works.]]> 240 Merlin Sheldrake Kirsten 4 from-library, non-fiction 4.54 2020 Entangled Life: The Illustrated Edition: How Fungi Make Our Worlds
author: Merlin Sheldrake
name: Kirsten
average rating: 4.54
book published: 2020
rating: 4
read at: 2024/01/26
date added: 2024/01/26
shelves: from-library, non-fiction
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Queen in Comics! (NBM Comics Biographies)]]> 62997520 176 Emmanuel Marie 1681123118 Kirsten 4 3.94 Queen in Comics! (NBM Comics Biographies)
author: Emmanuel Marie
name: Kirsten
average rating: 3.94
book published:
rating: 4
read at: 2023/12/02
date added: 2024/01/22
shelves: from-library, graphic-novels, lgbtq-interest, non-fiction
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Liberated: The Radical Art and Life of Claude Cahun]]> 60747057 The two were active in 1920s-30s antifascist circles in Paris before moving to the Island of Jersey, where they engaged in creative ant-Nazi resistance work during World War 2. This graphic novel will explore Cahun¡¯s life and work. Keep an eye out for it!]]> 98 Kaz Rowe Kirsten 4 4.42 2023 Liberated: The Radical Art and Life of Claude Cahun
author: Kaz Rowe
name: Kirsten
average rating: 4.42
book published: 2023
rating: 4
read at: 2024/01/18
date added: 2024/01/19
shelves: art, from-library, graphic-novels, lgbtq-interest, non-fiction
review:

]]> Twin Peaks: The Final Dossier 34802642 The crucial sequel to the New York Times bestselling The Secret History of Twin Peaks, this novel bridges the two series, and takes you deeper into the mysteries raised by the new series.

The return of Twin Peaks this May is one of the most anticipated events in the history of television. The subject of endless speculation, shrouded in mystery, fans will come flocking to see Mark Frost and David Lynch's inimitable vision once again grace the screen. Featuring all the characters we know and love from the first series, as well as a list of high-powered actors in new roles, the show will be endlessly debated, discussed, and dissected.

While The Secret History of Twin Peaks served to expand the mysteries of the town and place the unexplained phenomena that unfolded there into a vastly layered, wide-ranging history, Twin Peaks: The Final Dossier tells us what happened to key characters in the twenty-five years in between the events of the first series and the second, offering details and insights fans will be clamoring for. The novel also adds context and commentary to the strange and cosmic happenings of the new series. For fans around the world begging for more, Mark Frost's final take laid out in this novel will be required listening.]]> 145 Mark Frost 1250163307 Kirsten 3 3.87 2017 Twin Peaks: The Final Dossier
author: Mark Frost
name: Kirsten
average rating: 3.87
book published: 2017
rating: 3
read at: 2024/01/18
date added: 2024/01/19
shelves: fiction, from-library, horror-and-horror-ish, mystery, pacific-northwest, spec-fic, tie-in
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Ancient Magus' Bride, Vol. 17]]> 61331409 Doing Things by the Book

The reflection of a false god has manifested. Is it the Testament? Or is it still Philomela? The conglomeration that they¡¯ve become seeks to leave the College, making for the banquet hall where the College faculty celebrates. Chise and Elias burst into a tense situation, and find themselves having to face off against both sides.]]> 186 Kore Yamazaki 1638588414 Kirsten 4 4.28 2022 The Ancient Magus' Bride, Vol. 17
author: Kore Yamazaki
name: Kirsten
average rating: 4.28
book published: 2022
rating: 4
read at: 2024/01/04
date added: 2024/01/19
shelves: children-or-ya, fiction, folklore-and-fairytales, from-library, graphic-novels, lgbtq-interest, manga, poc-author, poc-characters, spec-fic, woman-author
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Ancient Magus' Bride, Vol. 15]]> 57170252 202 Kore Yamazaki 164827272X Kirsten 4 4.04 2021 The Ancient Magus' Bride, Vol. 15
author: Kore Yamazaki
name: Kirsten
average rating: 4.04
book published: 2021
rating: 4
read at: 2024/01/03
date added: 2024/01/19
shelves: children-or-ya, fiction, folklore-and-fairytales, from-library, graphic-novels, lgbtq-interest, manga, poc-author, poc-characters, spec-fic, woman-author
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Ancient Magus' Bride, Vol. 14]]> 53426697 180 Kore Yamazaki 1645058050 Kirsten 4 4.14 2020 The Ancient Magus' Bride, Vol. 14
author: Kore Yamazaki
name: Kirsten
average rating: 4.14
book published: 2020
rating: 4
read at: 2024/01/03
date added: 2024/01/19
shelves: children-or-ya, fiction, folklore-and-fairytales, from-library, lgbtq-interest, poc-author, poc-characters, spec-fic, woman-author
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Ancient Magus' Bride, Vol. 13]]> 49435923 188 Kore Yamazaki 1645054705 Kirsten 4 4.19 2020 The Ancient Magus' Bride, Vol. 13
author: Kore Yamazaki
name: Kirsten
average rating: 4.19
book published: 2020
rating: 4
read at: 2024/01/19
date added: 2024/01/19
shelves: children-or-ya, fiction, folklore-and-fairytales, from-library, graphic-novels, horror-and-horror-ish, manga, poc-author, poc-characters, spec-fic, woman-author
review:

]]> Clementine Vol. 2 199281791
-SHANNON WATTERS (Lumberjanes)

FROM THE WORLD OF ROBERT KIRKMAN'S THE WALKING DEAD!

TILLIE WALDEN's acclaimed trilogy continues!

Clementine and her new friends are rescued by an island community led by enigmatic doctor Miss Morro. But just as Clementine's scars are finally beginning to heal she discovers dark secrets that threaten to tear her new life apart.

Can Miss Morro be trusted? What about the rest of the islanders? And just how far will Clementine go to protect the ones she loves?]]> 292 Tillie Walden 1534390502 Kirsten 5 4.05 2023 Clementine Vol. 2
author: Tillie Walden
name: Kirsten
average rating: 4.05
book published: 2023
rating: 5
read at: 2024/01/19
date added: 2024/01/19
shelves: children-or-ya, fiction, from-library, graphic-novels, horror-and-horror-ish, lgbtq-interest, poc-characters, spec-fic, woman-author
review:

]]> The Mare 62145784
Everyone else may be enjoying the summer, but Indigo's life isn't going so well. Her dad's marriage just ended in a very public divorce, and now he's drinking again. Indy barely graduated from high school, she just lost her job, and she doesn't know what to do with her life. The stress is causing her nightmarish sleep paralysis--or so she thinks.

Indy confides in her best friend, Kasia, who blames "The Mare" for her troubles--the spirit of someone wronged that saps its victim's energy at night. It sounds crazy to Indy, but is it?

Steeped in the nostalgia of lazy summers and mixtapes, concert tickets and coffee, The Mare is a story about friends, family, and finding one's way--with a touch of the supernatural and a powerful, surprising twist.]]> 108 Seth Christian Martel 1637790465 Kirsten 3 3.81 The Mare
author: Seth Christian Martel
name: Kirsten
average rating: 3.81
book published:
rating: 3
read at: 2024/01/19
date added: 2024/01/19
shelves: children-or-ya, fiction, from-library, graphic-novels, horror-and-horror-ish, poc-characters, spec-fic
review:

]]> Phantom Road Volume 1 65655663 Mad Max: Fury Road meets The Sandman in this high-octane adventure wrapped in a dark fantasy aesthetic.

Dom is a long-haul truck driver attempting to stay ahead of his tragic past. When he stops one night to assist Birdie, who has been in a massive car crash, they pull an artifact from the wreckage that throws their lives into fifth gear. Suddenly, a typical midnight run has become a frantic journey through a surreal world where Dom and Birdie find themselves the quarry of strange and impossible monsters.

It's grindhouse horror meets high-concept supernatural fantasy in the first volume of a bold new series from JEFF LEMIRE (THE BONE ORCHARD MYTHOS, LITTLE MONSTERS) and GABRIEL HERN?NDEZ WALTA (The Vision, Hellboy and the B.P.R.D: Old Man Whittier/I>), the Eisner Award-nominated creative team behind the bestselling Sentient series.]]> 132 Jeff Lemire 1534399798 Kirsten 4 3.74 2023 Phantom Road Volume 1
author: Jeff Lemire
name: Kirsten
average rating: 3.74
book published: 2023
rating: 4
read at: 2024/01/19
date added: 2024/01/19
shelves: fiction, from-library, graphic-novels, horror-and-horror-ish, poc-characters, spec-fic
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Sir Gawain And The Green Knight]]> 12820 120 Michael Morpurgo 0744586461 Kirsten 4 4.25 1375 Sir Gawain And The Green Knight
author: Michael Morpurgo
name: Kirsten
average rating: 4.25
book published: 1375
rating: 4
read at: 2007/03/01
date added: 2024/01/11
shelves: read-pre-12-07, work-related, fiction, from-library, children-or-ya
review:
This is a beautifully illustrated version of the strange and wonderful Arthurian legend. The language matches the illustrations, and it's overall quite lovely.
]]> <![CDATA[Christmas and Other Horrors: A Winter Solstice Anthology]]> 93481619
The winter solstice is celebrated as a time of joy around the world¡ªyet the long nights also conjure a darker tradition of ghouls, hauntings, and visitations. This anthology of all-new stories invites you to huddle around the fire and revel in the unholy, the dangerous, the horrific aspects of a time when families and friends come together¡ªfor better and for worse.

From the eerie Austrian Schnabelperchten to the skeletal Welsh Mari Lwyd, by way of ravenous golems, uncanny neighbors, and unwelcome visitors, Christmas and Other Horrors captures the heart and horror of the festive season.

Because the weather outside is frightful, but the fire inside is hungry...

Featuring stories by:

Nadia Bulkin
Terry Dowling
Tananarive Due
Jeffrey Ford
Christopher Golden
Stephen Graham Jones
Glen Hirshberg
Richard Kadrey
Alma Katsu
Cassandra Khaw
John Langan
Josh Malerman
Nick Mamatas
Garth Nix
Benjamin Percy
M. Rickert
Kaaron Warren]]> 410 Ellen Datlow Kirsten 4 3.55 2023 Christmas and Other Horrors: A Winter Solstice Anthology
author: Ellen Datlow
name: Kirsten
average rating: 3.55
book published: 2023
rating: 4
read at: 2023/12/31
date added: 2023/12/31
shelves: fiction, folklore-and-fairytales, from-library, horror-and-horror-ish, lgbtq-interest, poc-author, poc-characters, short-stories, spec-fic, woman-author
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Ancient Magus' Bride, Vol. 12 (The Ancient Magus' Bride, #12)]]> 45046897 176 Kore Yamazaki 164505201X Kirsten 3 4.17 2019 The Ancient Magus' Bride, Vol. 12 (The Ancient Magus' Bride, #12)
author: Kore Yamazaki
name: Kirsten
average rating: 4.17
book published: 2019
rating: 3
read at: 2023/12/29
date added: 2023/12/29
shelves: folklore-and-fairytales, from-library, graphic-novels, manga, poc-author, poc-characters, woman-author, re-reads
review:
I apparently waited too long between volumes 11 and 12 because I had NO IDEA what was going on for most of this volume. The last bit was really good, though.
]]> Edenville 75668276
After publishing his debut novel,?The Shattered Man,?to disappointing sales and reviews, Campbell P. Marion is struggling to find inspiration for a follow-up. When Edenville College invites him to join as a writer-in-residence, he¡¯s convinced that his bad luck has finally taken a turn.

His girlfriend Quinn ¾±²õ²Ô¡¯³Ù so sure¡ªshe grew up near Edenville and has good reasons for not wanting to move back. Cam disregards her skepticism and accepts the job, with Quinn reluctantly following along. But there¡¯s something wrong in Edenville. Despite the charming old ladies milling about Main Street and picturesque sunflowers dotting the sidewalks, poison lurks beneath the surface. As a series of strange and ominous events escalate among Edenville and its residents, Cam and Quinn find themselves entangled in a dark and disturbing history. Told with equal parts horror and humor,? Edenville? explores the urban legends that fuel our nightmares and the ways in which ambition can overshadow our best instincts. Sam Rebelein is an exciting, sharp new voice, sure to terrify readers for years to come.]]> 336 Sam Rebelein 0063252244 Kirsten 3 3.15 2023 Edenville
author: Sam Rebelein
name: Kirsten
average rating: 3.15
book published: 2023
rating: 3
read at: 2023/12/27
date added: 2023/12/27
shelves: fiction, from-library, horror-and-horror-ish
review:
Wow, this was waaaay more cosmic horror than I expected! Great ideas here, but there was an ¡°everything and the kitchen sink¡± aspect that made it start to feel more ludicrous than scary after a while. LOADS of body horror and fluids, so be forewarned.
]]> Beyond the Clouds, Vol. 5 59085205
Theo and Mia grow consumed by their search for a magician able to teach the winged girl how to control her dangerous powers. At last, a merchant from Karatope gives them a clue that leads to their next destination: Holpe! On the way, the friends make a stop in the small village of Chikari, where a baker insists they stay the night. In this stranger's warm home, Theo finally opens up about his sorrowful past...

Final Volume!]]> 208 Nicke 1646513045 Kirsten 5 4.25 2023 Beyond the Clouds, Vol. 5
author: Nicke
name: Kirsten
average rating: 4.25
book published: 2023
rating: 5
read at: 2023/12/23
date added: 2023/12/23
shelves: children-or-ya, fiction, from-library, graphic-novels, manga, poc-author, spec-fic
review:

]]> Toadstones 60224422
Toadstones is a collection of short stories firmly in the tradition of the weird tale. They evoke the sensation of catching an unnerving movement out of the corner of your eye, of hearing a sudden and unidentifiable skittering in the walls, of dreaming about a strange city where you meet someone you would have sworn died long ago. Explore the uncanny shadows occluding what we thought was a mundane world in these sixteen (that¡¯s twice eight, or four fours; are you tracking the numerology?) stories.

Destined to be an underworld classic, these stories by everyone¡¯s favorite anarchocommunist calling upon the aid of Hell will have you believing in the unbelievable¡ªand thinking twice before you let another repair guy in your house.]]> 292 Eric Williams 1088017304 Kirsten 4 4.55 2022 Toadstones
author: Eric Williams
name: Kirsten
average rating: 4.55
book published: 2022
rating: 4
read at: 2023/12/20
date added: 2023/12/20
shelves: fiction, from-library, horror-and-horror-ish, short-stories, spec-fic
review:

]]> Elatsoe (Elatsoe, #1) 49089632
There are some differences. This America has been shaped dramatically by the magic, monsters, knowledge, and legends of its peoples, those Indigenous and those not. Some of these forces are charmingly everyday, like the ability to make an orb of light appear or travel across the world through rings of fungi. But other forces are less charming and should never see the light of day.

Elatsoe lives in this slightly stranger America. She can raise the ghosts of dead animals, a skill passed down through generations of her Lipan Apache family. Her beloved cousin has just been murdered in a town that wants no prying eyes. But she is going to do more than pry. The picture-perfect facade of Willowbee masks gruesome secrets, and she will rely on her wits, skills, and friends to tear off the mask and protect her family.]]> 362 Darcie Little Badger 1646140052 Kirsten 5 3.98 2020 Elatsoe (Elatsoe, #1)
author: Darcie Little Badger
name: Kirsten
average rating: 3.98
book published: 2020
rating: 5
read at: 2023/12/20
date added: 2023/12/20
shelves: book-club, children-or-ya, fiction, folklore-and-fairytales, from-library, lgbtq-interest, poc-author, poc-characters, spec-fic, woman-author, work-related, horror-and-horror-ish
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Texas Chain Saw Massacre: The Film That Terrified a Rattled Nation]]> 38532488
When Tobe Hooper¡¯s low-budget slasher film, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre , opened in theaters in 1974, it was met in equal measure with disgust and reverence. The film¡ªin which a group of teenagers meet a gruesome end when they stumble upon a ramshackle farmhouse of psychotic killers¡ªwas outright banned in several countries and was pulled from many American theaters after complaints of its violence.

Despite the mixed reception from critics, it was enormously profitable at the domestic box office and has since secured its place as one of the most influential horror movies ever made.

Joseph Lanza transports the reader back to the tumultuous era of the 1970s defined by political upheaval, cultural disillusionment, and the perceived decay of the nuclear family in the wake of Watergate, the onslaught of serial killers in the US, as well as mounting racial and sexual tensions. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and Its Terrifying Times sets the themes of the film against the backdrop of the political and social American climate to understand why the brutal slasher flick connected with so many viewers. As much a book about the movie as the moment,

Joseph Lanza has created an engaging and nuanced work that grapples with the complications of the American experience.]]> 304 Joseph Lanza 1510737901 Kirsten 2 3.35 2019 The Texas Chain Saw Massacre: The Film That Terrified a Rattled Nation
author: Joseph Lanza
name: Kirsten
average rating: 3.35
book published: 2019
rating: 2
read at: 2023/12/13
date added: 2023/12/13
shelves: from-library, horror-and-horror-ish, non-fiction
review:
Well, that was an incoherent mess.
]]> Kaiju No. 8, Vol. 8 101158778
Reno finally puts his Numbers Weapon training to the test in a live kaiju-combat field test. Meanwhile, Iharu, feeling left behind after witnessing Reno¡¯s explosive progress, shifts his focus to improving his own skills¡ªthat is, until an abnormality strikes Reno during their neutralization mission and forces Iharu into action!]]> 184 Naoya Matsumoto 1974740625 Kirsten 3 4.36 2022 Kaiju No. 8, Vol. 8
author: Naoya Matsumoto
name: Kirsten
average rating: 4.36
book published: 2022
rating: 3
read at: 2023/12/10
date added: 2023/12/10
shelves: fiction, from-library, graphic-novels, manga, poc-author, poc-characters, spec-fic
review:

]]> A Shining 78311985 48 Jon Fosse 1804270636 Kirsten 3 fiction, from-library 3.47 2023 A Shining
author: Jon Fosse
name: Kirsten
average rating: 3.47
book published: 2023
rating: 3
read at: 2023/11/30
date added: 2023/11/30
shelves: fiction, from-library
review:

]]> The Glutton 101146050 A subversive historical novel set during the French Revolution, inspired by a young peasant boy turned showman, said to have been tormented and driven to murder by an all-consuming appetite.

1798, France. Nuns move along the dark corridors of a Versailles hospital where the young Sister Perpetu¨¦ has been tasked with sitting with the patient who must always be watched. The man, gaunt, with his sallow skin and distended belly, is dying: they say he ate a golden fork, and that it¡¯s killing him from the inside. But that¡¯s not all¡ªhe is rumored to have done monstrous things in his attempts to sate an insatiable appetite¡­ an appetite they say tortures him still.

Born in an impoverished village to a widowed young mother, Tarare was once overflowing with quiet affection: for the Baby Jesus and the many Saints, for his mother, for the plants and little creatures in the woods and fields around their house. He spends his days alone, observing the delicate charms of the countryside. But his world is not a gentle one¡ªand soon, life as he knew it is violently upended. Tarare is pitched down a chaotic path through revolutionary France, left to the mercy of strangers, and increasingly, bottomlessly, ravenous.

This exhilarating, disquieting novel paints a richly imagined life for The Great Tarare, The Glutton of Lyon in 18th-century France: a world of desire, hunger and poverty; hope, chaos and survival. As in her cult hit The Manningtree Witches, Blakemore showcases her stunning lyricism and deep compassion for characters pushed to the edge of society in The Glutton, her most unputdownable work yet.]]> 320 A.K. Blakemore 1668030624 Kirsten 4 3.77 2023 The Glutton
author: A.K. Blakemore
name: Kirsten
average rating: 3.77
book published: 2023
rating: 4
read at: 2023/11/30
date added: 2023/11/30
shelves: fiction, from-library, historical, woman-author, horror-and-horror-ish, lgbtq-interest
review:

]]> <![CDATA[System Collapse (The Murderbot Diaries, #7)]]> 65211701 Am I making it worse? I think I'm making it worse.

Everyone's favorite lethal SecUnit is back.

Following the events in Network Effect, the Barish-Estranza corporation has sent rescue ships to a newly-colonized planet in peril, as well as additional SecUnits. But if there¡¯s an ethical corporation out there, Murderbot has yet to find it, and if Barish-Estranza can¡¯t have the planet, they¡¯re sure as hell not leaving without something. If that something just happens to be an entire colony of humans, well, a free workforce is a decent runner-up prize.

But there¡¯s something wrong with Murderbot; it ¾±²õ²Ô¡¯³Ù running within normal operational parameters. ART¡¯s crew and the humans from Preservation are doing everything they can to protect the colonists, but with Barish-Estranza¡¯s SecUnit-heavy persuasion teams, they¡¯re going to have to hope Murderbot figures out what¡¯s wrong with itself, and fast.

Yeah, this plan is... not going to work.]]> 245 Martha Wells 1250826977 Kirsten 5 4.19 2023 System Collapse (The Murderbot Diaries, #7)
author: Martha Wells
name: Kirsten
average rating: 4.19
book published: 2023
rating: 5
read at: 2023/11/27
date added: 2023/11/27
shelves: fiction, from-library, lgbtq-interest, poc-characters, spec-fic, woman-author
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet (Wayfarers, #1)]]> 22733729
Rosemary Harper doesn¡¯t expect much when she joins the crew of the aging Wayfarer. While the patched-up ship has seen better days, it offers her a bed, a chance to explore the far-off corners of the galaxy, and most importantly, some distance from her past. An introspective young woman who learned early to keep to herself, she¡¯s never met anyone remotely like the ship¡¯s diverse crew, including Sissix, the exotic reptilian pilot, chatty engineers Kizzy and Jenks who keep the ship running, and Ashby, their noble captain.

Life aboard the Wayfarer is chaotic and crazy¡ªexactly what Rosemary wants. It¡¯s also about to get extremely dangerous when the crew is offered the job of a lifetime. Tunneling wormholes through space to a distant planet is definitely lucrative and will keep them comfortable for years. But risking her life wasn¡¯t part of the plan. In the far reaches of deep space, the tiny Wayfarer crew will confront a host of unexpected mishaps and thrilling adventures that force them to depend on each other. To survive, Rosemary¡¯s got to learn how to rely on this assortment of oddballs¡ªan experience that teaches her about love and trust, and that having a family ¾±²õ²Ô¡¯³Ù necessarily the worst thing in the universe.]]> 518 Becky Chambers 1500453307 Kirsten 4 4.15 2014 The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet (Wayfarers, #1)
author: Becky Chambers
name: Kirsten
average rating: 4.15
book published: 2014
rating: 4
read at: 2023/11/25
date added: 2023/11/25
shelves: book-club, fiction, from-library, spec-fic, woman-author, work-related
review:

]]> The Man Who Could Move Clouds 59411559 A TIME BEST BOOK OF THE SUMMER

From the author of the "original, politically daring and passionately written" (Vogue) novel Fruit of the Drunken Tree, comes a dazzling, kaleidoscopic memoir reclaiming her family's otherworldly legacy.

For Ingrid Rojas Contreras, magic runs in the family. Raised amid the political violence of 1980s and '90s Colombia, in a house bustling with her mother's fortune-telling clients, she was a hard child to surprise. Her maternal grandfather, Nono, was a renowned curandero, a community healer gifted with what the family called "the secrets" the power to talk to the dead, tell the future, treat the sick, and move the clouds. And as the first woman to inherit "the secrets," Rojas Contreras' mother was just as powerful. Mami delighted in her ability to appear in two places at once, and she could cast out even the most persistent spirits with nothing more than a glass of water.

This legacy had always felt like it belonged to her mother and grandfather, until, while living in the U.S. in her twenties, Rojas Contreras suffered a head injury that left her with amnesia. As she regained partial memory, her family was excited to tell her that this had happened before: Decades ago Mami had taken a fall that left her with amnesia, too. And when she recovered, she had gained access to "the secrets."

In 2012, spurred by a shared dream among Mami and her sisters, and her own powerful urge to relearn her family history in the aftermath of her memory loss, Rojas Contreras joins her mother on a journey to Colombia to disinter Nono's remains. With Mami as her unpredictable, stubborn, and often hilarious guide, Rojas Contreras traces her lineage back to her Indigenous and Spanish roots, uncovering the violent and rigid colonial narrative that would eventually break her mestizo family into two camps: those who believe "the secrets" are a gift, and those who are convinced they are a curse.

Interweaving family stories more enchanting than those in any novel, resurrected Colombian history, and her own deeply personal reckonings with the bounds of reality, Rojas Contreras writes her way through the incomprehensible and into her inheritance. The result is a luminous testament to the power of storytelling as a healing art and an invitation to embrace the extraordinary.]]> 306 Ingrid Rojas Contreras 0385546661 Kirsten 5 4.04 2022 The Man Who Could Move Clouds
author: Ingrid Rojas Contreras
name: Kirsten
average rating: 4.04
book published: 2022
rating: 5
read at: 2023/11/15
date added: 2023/11/15
shelves: from-library, memoir, poc-author, woman-author
review:
This was AMAZING. Her writing is gorgeous, and you really get a feel for her family in all their fractured glory.
]]> The Reformatory 62919847 A gripping, page-turning novel set in Jim Crow Florida that follows Robert Stephens Jr. as he¡¯s sent to a segregated reform school that is a chamber of terrors where he sees the horrors of racism and injustice, for the living, and the dead.

Gracetown, Florida
June 1950

Twelve-year-old Robbie Stephens, Jr., is sentenced to six months at the Gracetown School for Boys, a reformatory, for kicking the son of the largest landowner in town in defense of his older sister, Gloria. So begins Robbie¡¯s journey further into the terrors of the Jim Crow South and the very real horror of the school they call The Reformatory.

Robbie has a talent for seeing ghosts, or haints. But what was once a comfort to him after the loss of his mother has become a window to the truth of what happens at the reformatory. Boys forced to work to remediate their so-called crimes have gone missing, but the haints Robbie sees hint at worse things. Through his friends Redbone and Blue, Robbie is learning not just the rules but how to survive. Meanwhile, Gloria is rallying every family member and connection in Florida to find a way to get Robbie out before it¡¯s too late.

The Reformatory is a haunting work of historical fiction written as only American Book Award¨Cwinning author Tananarive Due could, by piecing together the life of the relative her family never spoke of and bringing his tragedy and those of so many others at the infamous Dozier School for Boys to the light in this riveting novel.]]> 576 Tananarive Due 1982188340 Kirsten 5 4.44 2023 The Reformatory
author: Tananarive Due
name: Kirsten
average rating: 4.44
book published: 2023
rating: 5
read at: 2023/11/11
date added: 2023/11/11
shelves: fiction, from-library, historical, horror-and-horror-ish, poc-author, poc-characters, spec-fic, woman-author
review:

]]> Whisper of the Woods 101156284
In search of his missing friend, Adam travels to the heart of Romania's most supernatural forest, Hoia Baciu. Disregarding the local's warnings of iele hunting the men in the vicinity, and the witch's premonition of his impending death, he remains steadfast in his decision to find his friend. Though with every passing night, it becomes impossible to ignore the happenings around him...]]> 96 Ennun Ana Iurov 1952303745 Kirsten 3 3.09 Whisper of the Woods
author: Ennun Ana Iurov
name: Kirsten
average rating: 3.09
book published:
rating: 3
read at: 2023/11/07
date added: 2023/11/08
shelves: fiction, folklore-and-fairytales, from-library, graphic-novels, horror-and-horror-ish, nonbinary-author, spec-fic
review:

]]> Last to Leave the Room 65213922 Last to Leave the Room is a new novel of genre-busting speculative horror from Caitlin Starling, the acclaimed author of The Death of Jane Lawrence.

The city of San Siroco is sinking. The basement belonging to Dr. Tamsin Rivers, the arrogant, selfish head of the research team assigned to find the source of the subsidence, is sinking faster.

As Tamsin grows obsessed with the distorting dimensions of the room at the bottom of the stairs, she finds a door that didn¡¯t exist before ¨C and one night, it opens to reveal an exact physical copy of her. This doppelg?nger is sweet and biddable where Tamsin is calculating and cruel. It appears fully, terribly human, passing every test Tamsin can devise. But the longer the double exists, the more Tamsin begins to forget pieces of her life, to lose track of time, to grow terrified of the outside world.

With her employer growing increasingly suspicious, Tamsin must try to hold herself together long enough to figure out what her double wants from her, and just where the mysterious door leads to.]]> 312 Caitlin Starling 1250282616 Kirsten 4 3.53 2023 Last to Leave the Room
author: Caitlin Starling
name: Kirsten
average rating: 3.53
book published: 2023
rating: 4
read at: 2023/11/07
date added: 2023/11/07
shelves: fiction, from-library, horror-and-horror-ish, lgbtq-interest, spec-fic, woman-author
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Paladin's Grace (The Saint of Steel, #1)]]> 50702014 Stephen's god died on the longest day of the year¡­

Three years later, Stephen is a broken paladin, living only for the chance to be useful before he dies. But all that changes when he encounters a fugitive named Grace in an alley and witnesses an assassination attempt gone wrong. Now the pair must navigate a web of treachery, beset on all sides by spies and poisoners, while a cryptic killer stalks one step behind¡­

From the Hugo and Nebula Award winning author of Swordheart and The Twisted Ones comes a saga of murder, magic, and love on the far side of despair.]]> 366 T. Kingfisher Kirsten 5 4.09 2020 Paladin's Grace (The Saint of Steel, #1)
author: T. Kingfisher
name: Kirsten
average rating: 4.09
book published: 2020
rating: 5
read at: 2023/11/07
date added: 2023/11/07
shelves: fiction, from-library, spec-fic, woman-author
review:

]]> The Twisted Ones 42527596 When a young woman clears out her deceased grandmother¡¯s home in rural North Carolina, she finds long-hidden secrets about a strange colony of beings in the woods.

When Mouse¡¯s dad asks her to clean out her dead grandmother's house, she says yes. After all, how bad could it be?

Answer: pretty bad. Grandma was a hoarder, and her house is stuffed with useless rubbish. That would be horrific enough, but there¡¯s more¡ªMouse stumbles across her step-grandfather¡¯s journal, which at first seems to be filled with nonsensical rants¡­until Mouse encounters some of the terrifying things he described for herself.

Alone in the woods with her dog, Mouse finds herself face to face with a series of impossible terrors¡ªbecause sometimes the things that go bump in the night are real, and they¡¯re looking for you. And if she doesn¡¯t face them head on, she might not survive to tell the tale.

From Hugo Award¨Cwinning author Ursula Vernon, writing as T. Kingfisher.]]> 385 T. Kingfisher 1534429573 Kirsten 4 3.60 2019 The Twisted Ones
author: T. Kingfisher
name: Kirsten
average rating: 3.60
book published: 2019
rating: 4
read at: 2023/11/04
date added: 2023/11/05
shelves: fiction, from-library, horror-and-horror-ish, spec-fic, woman-author
review:

]]> Just Like Home 57693472
Coming home is hard enough for Vera, and to make things worse, she and her mother aren¡¯t alone. A parasitic artist has moved into the guest house out back, and is slowly stripping Vera¡¯s childhood for spare parts. He insists that he ¾±²õ²Ô¡¯³Ù the one leaving notes around the house in her father¡¯s handwriting¡­ but who else could it possibly be?

There are secrets yet undiscovered in the foundations of the notorious Crowder House. Vera must face them, and find out for herself just how deep the rot goes.]]> 344 Sarah Gailey 1250174724 Kirsten 4 3.32 2022 Just Like Home
author: Sarah Gailey
name: Kirsten
average rating: 3.32
book published: 2022
rating: 4
read at: 2023/10/31
date added: 2023/10/31
shelves: fiction, from-library, horror-and-horror-ish, spec-fic, nonbinary-author
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Wieland: or, The Transformation: An American Tale and Other Stories (Modern Library Classics)]]> 402839 Wieland, Charles Brockden Brown's disturbing 1798 tale of terror, is a masterpiece involving spontaneous combustion, disembodied voices, religious mania, and a gruesome murder based on a real-life incident.

This Modern Library Paperback Classic includes Wieland's fragmentary sequel, Memoirs of Carwin the Biloquist, as well as several other important but hard-to-find Brockden Brown short stories, including "Thessalonica," "Walstein's School of History," and "Death of Cicero." This collection also reproduces the newspaper account of the murder that inspired Wieland.]]> 412 Charles Brockden Brown 0375759034 Kirsten 3 3.29 1798 Wieland: or, The Transformation: An American Tale and Other Stories (Modern Library Classics)
author: Charles Brockden Brown
name: Kirsten
average rating: 3.29
book published: 1798
rating: 3
read at: 2023/10/20
date added: 2023/10/31
shelves: fiction, horror-and-horror-ish, from-library
review:
Wow, this really slowed down my reading for the month of October. I'm glad I read this, but I agree with other reviewers that I liked it more in theory than in practice.
]]> <![CDATA[Something Wicked This Way Comes: The Authorized Adaptation]]> 9825897
Something Wicked This Way Comes is Ray Bradbury's incomparable work of dark fantasy, and the gifted illustrator Ron Wimberly has stunningly captured its sinister magic in gorgeously realized black-and-white art. Complete with an original introduction by Bradbury, Ray Bradbury's Something Wicked This Way Comes: The Authorized Adaptation reintroduces this thrilling classic.]]> 130 Ron Wimberly 0809080443 Kirsten 2 I also just didn't like the art all that much, I'm sorry to say. The character designs were good, but again, it was hard to follow the action, and something about the way the art was reproduced made it look like it had been drawn on a computer screen. I have no idea whether it was or not, but it just didn't quite work for me. This makes me sad, because I would love to see a really lush, full-color graphic novel adaptation.]]> 3.55 2011 Something Wicked This Way Comes: The Authorized Adaptation
author: Ron Wimberly
name: Kirsten
average rating: 3.55
book published: 2011
rating: 2
read at: 2012/01/15
date added: 2023/10/24
shelves: children-or-ya, fiction, from-library, graphic-novels, horror-and-horror-ish, spec-fic
review:
I was really kind of disappointed with this adaptation. I had a hard time following the action. I don't think most people who are very familiar with the novel would have TOO much difficulty, but it's been a few years since I read it, and I had some problems, which tells me that someone who hasn't read the novel is probably going to have a really hard time.
I also just didn't like the art all that much, I'm sorry to say. The character designs were good, but again, it was hard to follow the action, and something about the way the art was reproduced made it look like it had been drawn on a computer screen. I have no idea whether it was or not, but it just didn't quite work for me. This makes me sad, because I would love to see a really lush, full-color graphic novel adaptation.
]]> Tidesong: A Graphic Novel 57094282 Perfect for fans of Studio Ghibli and The Tea Dragon Society, this is a magically heartwarming graphic novel about self-acceptance and friendship.

Sophie is a young witch whose mother and grandmother pressure her to attend the Royal Magic Academy¡ªthe best magic school in the realm¡ªeven though her magic is shaky at best. To train for her entrance exams, Sophie is sent to relatives she¡¯s never met.

Cousin Sage and Great-Aunt Lan seem more interested in giving Sophie chores than in teaching her magic. Frustrated, Sophie attempts magic on her own, but the spell goes wrong, and she accidentally entangles her magic with the magic of a young water dragon named Lir.

Lir is trapped on land and can¡¯t remember where he came from. Even so, he¡¯s everything Sophie ¾±²õ²Ô¡¯³Ù¡ªbeloved by Sophie¡¯s family and skilled at magic. With his help, Sophie might just ace her entrance exams, but that means standing in the way of Lir¡¯s attempts to regain his memories. Sophie knows what she¡¯s doing is wrong, but without Lir¡¯s help, can she prove herself?]]> 240 Wendy Xu 0062955799 Kirsten 5 3.89 2021 Tidesong: A Graphic Novel
author: Wendy Xu
name: Kirsten
average rating: 3.89
book published: 2021
rating: 5
read at: 2023/10/17
date added: 2023/10/18
shelves: c-recommends, children-or-ya, fiction, from-library, graphic-novels, poc-author, poc-characters, spec-fic, woman-author
review:

]]> The Hollow Places 50892288 A young woman discovers a strange portal in her uncle¡¯s house, leading to madness and terror in this gripping new novel.

Pray they are hungry.

Kara finds these words in the mysterious bunker that she¡¯s discovered behind a hole in the wall of her uncle¡¯s house. Freshly divorced and living back at home, Kara now becomes obsessed with these cryptic words and starts exploring the peculiar bunker¡ªonly to discover that it holds portals to countless alternate realities. But these places are haunted by creatures that seem to hear thoughts¡­and the more you fear them, the stronger they become.]]> 341 T. Kingfisher 1534451129 Kirsten 4 3.76 2020 The Hollow Places
author: T. Kingfisher
name: Kirsten
average rating: 3.76
book published: 2020
rating: 4
read at: 2023/10/09
date added: 2023/10/09
shelves: fiction, from-library, horror-and-horror-ish, spec-fic, woman-author, lgbtq-interest
review:

]]> Basil and Oregano 59385412
Porta Bella Magiculinary Academy is the finest school for the art of cooking with magic, and Basil Eyres is determined to be the top student. On the first day of her senior year, Arabella Oregano, the daughter of a renowned chef, joins the academy for her senior year as well. The two are instantly smitten with each other, but Basil senses there¡¯s something Arabella is hiding from her. Still, the two work together to stand out from the class as the end of year culinary festival approaches. But when Arabella¡¯s secret is reveled, Basil is faced with the hardest decision of her life, which has the potential to throw her future aspirations in jeopardy.]]> 232 Melissa Capriglione 1506728707 Kirsten 3 3.83 2023 Basil and Oregano
author: Melissa Capriglione
name: Kirsten
average rating: 3.83
book published: 2023
rating: 3
read at: 2023/10/08
date added: 2023/10/08
shelves: children-or-ya, fiction, from-library, graphic-novels, lgbtq-interest, poc-characters, spec-fic, woman-author
review:

]]> Mister Magic 63331415 Who is Mister Magic? Former child stars reunite to uncover the tragedy that ended their show¡ªand discover the secret of its enigmatic host¡ªin this dark supernatural thriller from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Hide.

Thirty years after a tragic accident shut down production of the classic children¡¯s program Mister Magic, the five surviving cast members have done their best to move on. But just as generations of cultishly devoted fans still cling to the lessons they learned from the show, the cast, known as the Circle of Friends, have spent their lives searching for the happiness they felt while they were on it. The friendship. The feeling of belonging. And the protection of Mister Magic.

But with no surviving video of the show, no evidence of who directed or produced it, and no records of who¡ªor what¡ªthe beloved host actually was, memories are all the former Circle of Friends has.

Then a twist of fate brings the castmates back together at the remote desert filming compound that feels like it¡¯s been waiting for them all this time. Even though they haven¡¯t seen each other for years, they understand one another better than anyone has since.

After all, they¡¯re the only ones who hold the secret of that circle, the mystery of the magic man in his infinitely black cape, and, maybe, the answers to what really happened on that deadly last day. But as the Circle of Friends reclaim parts of their past, they begin to wonder: Are they here by choice, or have they been lured into a trap?

Because magic never forgets the taste of your friendship. . . .]]> 295 Kiersten White 0593359267 Kirsten 4 3.55 2023 Mister Magic
author: Kiersten White
name: Kirsten
average rating: 3.55
book published: 2023
rating: 4
read at: 2023/10/06
date added: 2023/10/06
shelves: fiction, from-library, horror-and-horror-ish, lgbtq-interest, poc-characters, spec-fic, woman-author
review:

]]> Out There Screaming 142392376 Get Out, Us, and Nope, and founder of Monkeypaw Productions, curates this groundbreaking anthology of all-new stories of Black horror, exploring not only the terrors of the supernatural but the chilling reality of injustice that haunts our nation.

A cop begins seeing huge, blinking eyes where the headlights of cars should be that tell him who to pull over. Two freedom riders take a bus ride that leaves them stranded on a lonely road in Alabama where several unsettling somethings await them. A young girl dives into the depths of the Earth in search of the demon that killed her parents. These are just a few of the worlds of Out There Screaming, Jordan Peele¡¯s anthology of all-new horror stories by Black writers. Featuring an introduction by Peele and an all-star roster of beloved writers and new voices, Out There Screaming is a master class in horror, and¡ªlike his spine-chilling films¡ªits stories prey on everything we think we know about our world . . . and redefine what it means to be afraid.

Featuring stories by: Erin E. Adams, Violet Allen, Lesley Nneka Arimah, Maurice Broaddus, Chesya Burke, P. Dj¨¨l¨ª Clark, Ezra Claytan Daniels, Tananarive Due, Nalo Hopkinson, N. K. Jemisin, Justin C. Key, L. D. Lewis, Nnedi Okorafor, Tochi Onyebuchi, Rebecca Roanhorse, Nicole D. Sconiers, Rion Amilcar Scott, Terence Taylor, and Cadwell Turnbull.]]> 387 Jordan Peele 059324379X Kirsten 5 3.77 2023 Out There Screaming
author: Jordan Peele
name: Kirsten
average rating: 3.77
book published: 2023
rating: 5
read at: 2023/10/03
date added: 2023/10/03
shelves: fiction, from-library, horror-and-horror-ish, poc-author, poc-characters, race-and-racism, short-stories, spec-fic
review:

]]> Witch Hat Atelier, Vol. 11 62672577 THE BRIGHTEST MINDS

Silver Eve, a time for witches and normal folk to come together, nears its final day. At the procession, witches from all walks will have an opportunity to secure an audience with the king¡ªif they display an exceptional spell. In an attempt to help Dagda and Custas, Coco desperately tries to concoct something but becomes frozen with fear. The only one who sees her in crisis is Agott, whose aid might bring them closer to the king...but farther from everything they once knew.]]> 160 Kamome Shirahama 1646517458 Kirsten 5 4.56 2022 Witch Hat Atelier, Vol. 11
author: Kamome Shirahama
name: Kirsten
average rating: 4.56
book published: 2022
rating: 5
read at: 2023/10/03
date added: 2023/10/03
shelves: children-or-ya, fiction, folklore-and-fairytales, from-library, graphic-novels, manga, poc-author, poc-characters, spec-fic
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Hidden Kingdom (Wings of Fire Graphic Novel, #3)]]> 43319685 217 Tui T. Sutherland 1338344056 Kirsten 3 4.52 2019 The Hidden Kingdom (Wings of Fire Graphic Novel, #3)
author: Tui T. Sutherland
name: Kirsten
average rating: 4.52
book published: 2019
rating: 3
read at: 2023/10/03
date added: 2023/10/03
shelves: c-recommends, children-or-ya, fiction, from-library, graphic-novels, spec-fic, woman-author
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The House with a Clock in Its Walls (Lewis Barnavelt, #1)]]> 295801 This is an alternate cover edition of ISBN 9780142402573

When Lewis Barnavelt, an orphan, comes to stay with his uncle Jonathan, he expects to meet an ordinary person. But he is wrong. Uncle Jonathan and his next-door neighbor, Mrs. Zimmermann, are both magicians! Lewis is thrilled. At first, watching magic is enough. Then Lewis experiments with magic himself and unknowingly resurrects the former owner of the house: a woman named Selenna Izard. It seems that Selenna and her husband built a timepiece into the walls¡ªa clock that could obliterate humankind. And only the Barnavelts can stop it!]]> 180 John Bellairs Kirsten 5 3.76 1973 The House with a Clock in Its Walls (Lewis Barnavelt, #1)
author: John Bellairs
name: Kirsten
average rating: 3.76
book published: 1973
rating: 5
read at: 2023/10/02
date added: 2023/10/02
shelves: children-or-ya, ebooks, fiction, from-library, horror-and-horror-ish, mystery, owned, re-reads, read-pre-12-07, spec-fic
review:

]]> The Raven and the Reindeer 28963596
A strange, sly retelling of Hans Christian Andersen¡¯s "Snow Queen," by T. Kingfisher, author of "Bryony and Roses" and "The Seventh Bride."]]> 226 T. Kingfisher Kirsten 5 4.22 2016 The Raven and the Reindeer
author: T. Kingfisher
name: Kirsten
average rating: 4.22
book published: 2016
rating: 5
read at: 2023/10/01
date added: 2023/10/01
shelves: fiction, folklore-and-fairytales, from-library, spec-fic, woman-author, lgbtq-interest
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Fugitive Telemetry (The Murderbot Diaries, #6)]]> 53205854 No, I didn¡¯t kill the dead human. If I had, I wouldn¡¯t dump the body in the station mall.

When Murderbot discovers a dead body on Preservation Station, it knows it is going to have to assist station security to determine who the body is (was), how they were killed (that should be relatively straightforward, at least), and why (because apparently that matters to a lot of people¡ªwho knew?)

Yes, the unthinkable is about to happen: Murderbot must voluntarily speak to humans!

Again!]]> 168 Martha Wells 1250765374 Kirsten 4 4.25 2021 Fugitive Telemetry (The Murderbot Diaries, #6)
author: Martha Wells
name: Kirsten
average rating: 4.25
book published: 2021
rating: 4
read at: 2023/10/01
date added: 2023/10/01
shelves: fiction, from-library, poc-characters, spec-fic, woman-author
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Damnable Tales: A Folk Horror Anthology]]> 52773978 Damnable Tales is an illustrated collection of classic short stories drawing upon the haunted landscapes of ¡®Folk Horror¡¯, a now widely-used term originally applied to a series of British films from the late 1960s and 1970s: Witchfinder General (1968), Blood on Satan¡¯s Claw (1971), and The Wicker Man (1973).

But as this collection shows, writers of uncanny fiction were dabbling in the dark side of folklore long before those films. These 22 stories take the reader beyond the safety and familiarity of the town into the isolated and untamed wilderness. Unholy rites, witches¡¯ curses, sinister village traditions and ancient horrors that lurk within the landscape all combine to remind us that the shiny modern, urban world might not have all the answers¡­

The collection will feature classic stories from masters of supernatural fiction including M.R. James, Sheridan Le Fanu, and Arthur Machen, alongside lesser known voices in the field including Eleanor Scott and Margery Lawrence and popular writers less bound to the horror genre, such as Thomas Hardy and E.F. Benson.

They have been selected by Richard Wells, an illustrator and graphic designer known for his dark folkloric style and whose work for television has featured in Sherlock, Doctor Who and the the recent BBC adaptation of Dracula.

Each story will be accompanied by one of Richard¡¯s full page original lino-cut illustrations.]]> Richard Wells Kirsten 4 3.82 2021 Damnable Tales: A Folk Horror Anthology
author: Richard Wells
name: Kirsten
average rating: 3.82
book published: 2021
rating: 4
read at: 2023/10/01
date added: 2023/10/01
shelves: fiction, folklore-and-fairytales, from-library, horror-and-horror-ish, short-stories, spec-fic
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Until I Love Myself: The Journey of a Nonbinary Manga Artist, Vol. 2]]> 101158522 and about their new job working as an assistant for mangaka X!

But then he sexually harasses them, treating them first like a girl and then like something less than human.

It only lasts a few months, but in some ways it never ends.

When they finally feel able to confront him about it, they get an apology but not really the closure they were looking for. It turns out his reason for upending Pesuyama¡¯s life was simple. He just could.

Knowing that ugly truth really doesn¡¯t help Pesuyama at all, and so now they begin a new step in their journey as a nonbinary manga artist¡ªtherapy!

What will Pesuyama discover about gender, society, and loving yourself in this final volume?]]> 184 Poppy Pesuyama 1974740501 Kirsten 5 4.24 Until I Love Myself: The Journey of a Nonbinary Manga Artist, Vol. 2
author: Poppy Pesuyama
name: Kirsten
average rating: 4.24
book published:
rating: 5
read at: 2023/09/29
date added: 2023/09/29
shelves: from-library, graphic-novels, lgbtq-interest, manga, memoir, mental-health, nonbinary-author, poc-author, trans-author
review:

]]> Haunthology 63349400 Haunthology is an anxiety-inducing collection of 28 short stories and vignettes from the mind of JEREMY HAUN, the writer and artist behind THE BEAUTY, THE REALM, The Red Mother, The Approach and other nightmarish mindscapes. Whether exploring a claustrophobic old house full of nefarious entities or exploring the heavy thoughts one has during the pending end of the world, this very personal project was completely written and drawn during the COVID shutdowns.

Features an introduction from horror writer Nathan Ballingrud.]]> 152 Jeremy Haun 1534399895 Kirsten 4 3.42 2023 Haunthology
author: Jeremy Haun
name: Kirsten
average rating: 3.42
book published: 2023
rating: 4
read at: 2023/09/28
date added: 2023/09/28
shelves: fiction, from-library, graphic-novels, horror-and-horror-ish, short-stories, spec-fic, lgbtq-interest, poc-characters
review:

]]> Arca 63337494
The world burned. But the rich and powerful...they had a plan. When society fell apart, a select group of billionaires had an escape hatch: a rocket aimed at the nearest habitable planet, a ship equipped with many of the luxuries of life on Earth¡ªwhy survive if you can¡¯t survive in style? Their every need is tended to by teenagers who are willing to act as slaves in return for the promise of a new life. This is a good story. But, like so many stories, it is not true.

Inside a great, sealed survival chamber, one slave¡ªa teenage girl named Persephone¡ªdiscovers that the promised future of comfort is a myth. And with that knowledge, she must fight for her survival against the billionaires, who would gladly kill her to protect the hidden truth.]]> 176 Van Jensen 1684059984 Kirsten 4 3.71 Arca
author: Van Jensen
name: Kirsten
average rating: 3.71
book published:
rating: 4
read at: 2023/09/28
date added: 2023/09/28
shelves: fiction, from-library, graphic-novels, poc-characters, spec-fic
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Never Whistle at Night: An Indigenous Dark Fiction Anthology]]> 75293507
Norris Black, Amber Blaeser-Wardzala, Phoenix Boudreau, Cherie Dimaline, Carson Faust, Kelli Jo Ford, Kate Hart, Shane Hawk, Brandon Hobson, Darcie Little Badger, Conley Lyons, Nick Medina, Tiffany Morris, Tommy Orange, Mona Susan Power, Marcie R. Rendon, Waubgeshig Rice, Rebecca Roanhorse, Andrea L. Rogers, Morgan Talty, D.H. Trujillo, Theodore C. Van Alst Jr., Richard Van Camp, David Heska, Wanbli Weiden, Royce Young, Wolf Mathilda Zeller.

Many Indigenous people believe that one should never whistle at night. This belief takes many forms: for instance, Native Hawaiians believe it summons the Hukai¡¯po, the spirits of ancient warriors, and Native Mexicans say it calls Lechuza, a witch that can transform into an owl. But what all these legends hold in common is the certainty that whistling at night can cause evil spirits to appear¡ªand even follow you home.

These wholly original and shiver-inducing tales introduce listeners to ghosts, curses, hauntings, monstrous creatures, complex family legacies, desperate deeds, and chilling acts of revenge. Introduced and contextualized by bestselling author Stephen Graham Jones, these stories are a celebration of Indigenous peoples¡¯ survival and imagination, and a glorious reveling in all the things an ill-advised whistle might summon.]]> 400 Shane Hawk 0593468465 Kirsten 4 3.90 2023 Never Whistle at Night: An Indigenous Dark Fiction Anthology
author: Shane Hawk
name: Kirsten
average rating: 3.90
book published: 2023
rating: 4
read at: 2023/09/28
date added: 2023/09/28
shelves: fiction, from-library, horror-and-horror-ish, lgbtq-interest, nonbinary-author, poc-author, poc-characters, short-stories, spec-fic, trans-author, woman-author
review:

]]> River's Edge 6234066 240 Ky¨­ko Okazaki 2203006196 Kirsten 4 3.87 1993 River's Edge
author: Ky¨­ko Okazaki
name: Kirsten
average rating: 3.87
book published: 1993
rating: 4
read at: 2023/09/28
date added: 2023/09/28
shelves: fiction, from-library, graphic-novels, lgbtq-interest, manga, poc-author, poc-characters, woman-author
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Spell of a Time (Witches of Brooklyn #4)]]> 70916786 School is back in session, and that means new friends, new lessons, and NEW MAGIC!?Readers and reviewers are seeing stars for this smash-hit graphic novel series that is just the right mix of sweet and spooky!

A trip to Coney Island to pick up trash goes sideways when Effie and Garance learn that there is a missing...mermaid?! Every time Effie thinks she finally has this magic life down, something new pops up! But this time, with the help of Garance, some talkative seagulls, and a rather helpful turtle, Effie is going to save the day and find this mermaid!?

¡°Charming beyond belief.¡± ¨CEntertainment Weekly]]> 217 Sophie Escabasse 0593565932 Kirsten 0 4.09 2023 Spell of a Time (Witches of Brooklyn #4)
author: Sophie Escabasse
name: Kirsten
average rating: 4.09
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at: 2023/09/27
date added: 2023/09/27
shelves: c-recommends, children-or-ya, fiction, from-library, graphic-novels, humor, lgbtq-interest, poc-characters, spec-fic, woman-author
review:

]]> <![CDATA[S'More Magic (Witches of Brooklyn #3)]]> 60560547 You can take a witch out of Brooklyn . . . and put her in the woods? As if learning magic wasn¡¯t hard enough, now Effie has to go to SUMMER CAMP! The hit middle-grade graphic novel series continues with this new adventure that's filled to the brim with magic and mayhem!

School¡¯s out, and Effie is ready for SUMMER! Too bad she¡¯s being sent off to the wilderness for boring old summer camp. Nothing says ¡°exciting new adventure¡± like being stuck in nature with mosquitoes. Sure, other witches might be there. And maybe she¡¯ll learn some cool new magic.

But Effie would rather spend time with the friends she already has. She¡¯s always relied on them for help. . . . What will happen when she heads off to camp all by herself?

Sophie Escabasse brings us more magic in this new volume of Witches of Brooklyn!]]> 0 Sophie Escabasse 0593119355 Kirsten 4 4.26 2022 S'More Magic (Witches of Brooklyn #3)
author: Sophie Escabasse
name: Kirsten
average rating: 4.26
book published: 2022
rating: 4
read at: 2023/09/27
date added: 2023/09/27
shelves: c-recommends, children-or-ya, fiction, from-library, graphic-novels, humor, poc-characters, spec-fic, woman-author
review:

]]> The Vessel 61417429 'A watcher may remark that after sleeping for so long, the building appears to have been roused.'

Struggling with money, raising a child alone and fleeing a volatile ex, Jess McMachen accepts a job caring for an elderly patient. Flo Gardner¡ªa disturbed shut-in and invalid. But if Jess can hold this job down, she and her daughter, Izzy, can begin a new life.

Flo's vast home, Nerthus House, may resemble a stately vicarage in an idyllic village, but the labyrinthine interior is a dark, cluttered warren filled with pagan artefacts.

And Nerthus House lives in the shadow of a malevolent secret. A sinister enigma determined to reveal itself to Jess and to drive her to the end of her tether. Not only is she stricken by the malign manipulation of the Vicarage's bleak past, but mercurial Flo is soon casting a baleful influence over young Izzy. What appeared to be a routine job soon becomes a battle for Jess's sanity and the control of her child.

It's as if an ancient ritual was triggered when Jess crossed the threshold of the vicarage. A rite leading her and Izzy to a terrifying critical mass, where all will be lost or saved.

An eerie folk horror novel from the author of Cunning Folk, The Reddening, The Ritual, No One Gets Out Alive and the four times winner of the August Derleth Award for Best Horror Novel.]]> 162 Adam L.G. Nevill 1739788605 Kirsten 4 3.65 2022 The Vessel
author: Adam L.G. Nevill
name: Kirsten
average rating: 3.65
book published: 2022
rating: 4
read at: 2023/09/23
date added: 2023/09/23
shelves: fiction, from-library, horror-and-horror-ish, spec-fic
review:
Nevill just keeps growing as a writer. This is short, absorbing, and absolutely sticks the landing. Loved it!
]]> Have You Seen Trees? 3217807 High trees, wide trees,
reaching-to-the-sky trees.
Did you ever hide behind a wide high tree?

So begins a lilting introduction to the world of trees. Readers and listeners are invited to experience the taste of fall nut trees and the snap of winter white trees; and to hear the sticky, dripping sap trees of spring and whisper-in-the-night trees of summer.

Just right for spring. All-new, full-color paintings by the award-winning illustrators of The Seven Chinese Brothers accompany the reissue of this lively introduction to trees and the seasons by children's author and educator, Joanne Oppenheim. Includes a glossary and four pages of child-friendly tree trivia. Pen and watercolor illustrations.]]> 35 Joanne Oppenheim 0590466917 Kirsten 5
Merged review:

This is a calm, warm rhyming book about trees that's a delight to read out loud. The illustrations fit the text perfectly. It's also a good book to accompany discussions about the seasons, as the illustrations and text start with late summer and fall and progress throughs the seasons.]]> 3.99 1967 Have You Seen Trees?
author: Joanne Oppenheim
name: Kirsten
average rating: 3.99
book published: 1967
rating: 5
read at: 2008/05/02
date added: 2023/09/20
shelves: from-library, storytime, work-related, children-or-ya, picture-book
review:
This is a calm, warm rhyming book about trees that's a delight to read out loud. The illustrations fit the text perfectly. It's also a good book to accompany discussions about the seasons, as the illustrations and text start with late summer and fall and progress throughs the seasons.

Merged review:

This is a calm, warm rhyming book about trees that's a delight to read out loud. The illustrations fit the text perfectly. It's also a good book to accompany discussions about the seasons, as the illustrations and text start with late summer and fall and progress throughs the seasons.
]]> <![CDATA[Bone Orchard Mytho: Ten Thousand Black Feathers]]> 123329797
Trish and Jackie are best friends and avid gamers. But when the line between reality and their fantasy world is blurred by an evil darkness, can they be the heroes of their own story?

THE BONE ORCHARD MYTHOS is an ever-expanding universe that features self-contained graphic novels and limited series about the horrors waiting to be discovered within the Bone Orchard.

Collects THE BONE ORCHARD TEN THOUSAND BLACK FEATHERS #1-5]]> 148 Jeff Lemire 1534399267 Kirsten 4 4.05 2022 Bone Orchard Mytho: Ten Thousand Black Feathers
author: Jeff Lemire
name: Kirsten
average rating: 4.05
book published: 2022
rating: 4
read at: 2023/09/15
date added: 2023/09/19
shelves: fiction, from-library, graphic-novels, horror-and-horror-ish, lgbtq-interest, poc-characters, spec-fic
review:

]]> Mingus 62997519 160 Flavio Massaruto 1681123096 Kirsten 5 3.47 2023 Mingus
author: Flavio Massaruto
name: Kirsten
average rating: 3.47
book published: 2023
rating: 5
read at: 2023/09/18
date added: 2023/09/18
shelves: from-library, graphic-novels, non-fiction, race-and-racism
review:

]]> Kroma 91305700
Imprisoned in a tower within the walls of Pale City, Kroma lives her days out in darkness, believing she is the most evil thing on Earth. However, where her people see a monster, the mysterious orphan Zet sees a human.

But if either of them is to survive the city¡¯s strange rituals and customs, they will have to overcome the cruel fate of Kroma¡­ even if it means risking certain death beyond the walls in the jaws of giant lizards and enormous birds of prey.

Collects KROMA #1-4]]> 188 Lorenzo De Felici 1534398716 Kirsten 4 3.93 2023 Kroma
author: Lorenzo De Felici
name: Kirsten
average rating: 3.93
book published: 2023
rating: 4
read at: 2023/09/17
date added: 2023/09/17
shelves: fiction, from-library, graphic-novels, spec-fic
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Project ARKA: Into the Dark Unknown]]> 62919034
In the not-too-distant future, the Earth has been destroyed, its orbit withering and its citizens desperate to escape to the stars. The solution? The Arka project, massive vessels bound for the distant planet of Leonis.

When the passengers of Arka III awaken from their long intergalactic journey, they realize they¡¯re not on Leonis. Not only that, their journey has taken much longer than the planned two hundred years, and has landed them in a starless, seemingly endless void. Eric Rives, the ship¡¯s second-in-command, and his partner Jia Tang are sent on an exploratory mission to investigate the dark labyrinth that surrounds them¡­but what they find is beyond belief.

Young French space opera novelist Romain Benassaya adapts his own 2018 novel, Pyramides , available now for the first time in English featuring lushly illustrative art by Joan Urgell.

Praise for Romain Benassaya (translated from French)
"...in line with the great novels of the genre such as Rendezvous with Rama by Arthur C. Clarke, or Hyperion by Dan Simmons." - Le Tourne Page
"The author lets us imagine a much larger universe, which we could populate at will. A true science fiction phenomenon." - SyFantasy.fr
"...damn I love this universe! It's full of mystery, full of promise too, and I can't help but see in the author a form of reincarnation of a modern Arthur C. Clarke..." Lorkhan and the Bad Kind
"What a frantic storytelling. Twists, cliffhangers, a steady pace. Worthy of a great cinematographic series. The novel places the human at the heart of the plot. Charismatic characters quite mistreated, credible extraterrestrials, surprising genetically modified creatures. Everything is there. In supercolor!" - fan review, Babelio.com]]> 120 Romain Benassaya 1643377027 Kirsten 4 3.54 Project ARKA: Into the Dark Unknown
author: Romain Benassaya
name: Kirsten
average rating: 3.54
book published:
rating: 4
read at: 2023/09/17
date added: 2023/09/17
shelves: fiction, from-library, graphic-novels, poc-characters, spec-fic
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Until I Love Myself: The Journey of a Nonbinary Manga Artist, Vol. 1]]> 62976858
But then he sexually harasses them, treating them first like a girl and then like something less than human.

It only lasts a few months, but in some ways it never ends.

Born into a body they hate and still reeling from the abuse they faced seven years ago, Pesuyama begins to rail at their past, their friends, and even their mother as they try to come to terms with who they are and what happened to them.]]> 192 Poppy Pesuyama 1974738841 Kirsten 5 4.16 Until I Love Myself: The Journey of a Nonbinary Manga Artist, Vol. 1
author: Poppy Pesuyama
name: Kirsten
average rating: 4.16
book published:
rating: 5
read at: 2023/09/16
date added: 2023/09/16
shelves: from-library, graphic-novels, lgbtq-interest, manga, memoir, mental-health, nonbinary-author, poc-author, trans-author
review:

]]> Kaiju No. 8, Vol. 7 62919707
Kaiju No. 9 shows up to steal the power of Kaiju No. 2, wielded by Isao Shinomiya, director general of the Defense Force. At the end of the deadly battle, Isao manages to get No. 9 on the ropes, but he ends up exhausting all his strength, allowing the kaiju to steal No. 2¡¯s power. With Isao defeated, No. 9 fuses with the director general and takes on Kafka, Kikoru, and Narumi! Will they be able to defeat No. 9 and save their fearless leader?!]]> 204 Naoya Matsumoto 1974738698 Kirsten 4 4.39 2022 Kaiju No. 8, Vol. 7
author: Naoya Matsumoto
name: Kirsten
average rating: 4.39
book published: 2022
rating: 4
read at: 2023/09/16
date added: 2023/09/16
shelves: children-or-ya, fiction, from-library, graphic-novels, horror-and-horror-ish, manga, poc-author, poc-characters, spec-fic
review:

]]> The Haunted Mesa 89695 426 Louis L'Amour 0553270222 Kirsten 4 3.79 1987 The Haunted Mesa
author: Louis L'Amour
name: Kirsten
average rating: 3.79
book published: 1987
rating: 4
read at: 2023/09/15
date added: 2023/09/15
shelves: fiction, from-library, mystery, poc-characters, spec-fic
review:

]]> But You Have Friends 120630141 When a dear friend dies by suicide, Emilia is left with only memories. Full of humor and poignancy, this graphic memoir is a meditation on the meaning of friendship and a love letter to an irreplaceable friend.

Emilia first met Charlotte in their school locker room in the late '90s. They quickly bonded over indie music, feminist literature, a love of purple, and a shared sense of outsiderness. Their joyful, intense friendship evolved through the years¡ªuntil Charlotte died in 2018 following a long struggle with depression.

Now, Emilia assembles her memories into a graphic memoir reflecting on the bond they shared and the ways it shaped them. As they pass in and out of each other¡¯s lives, teenage ideals collide with adult realities, prompting reflections about the meaning of friendship.

But You Have Friends is a tender tribute to an irreplaceable friend and a sharply observed, personal account of the aftermath of loss. It is also a humorous, candid memorial that will resonate with anyone who has ever loved.]]> 116 Emilia McKenzie 1603095276 Kirsten 4 3.90 But You Have Friends
author: Emilia McKenzie
name: Kirsten
average rating: 3.90
book published:
rating: 4
read at: 2023/09/15
date added: 2023/09/15
shelves: from-library, graphic-novels, memoir, woman-author
review:

]]> Castle Full of Blackbirds 86509264
But the school is shrouded in strangeness, and the more secrets Sara discovers, the more dangerous and challenging her studies become. Sarah must reveal the forces that seek to control her power.

Join Hellboy creator Mike Mignola as he partners with celebrated author Angela Slatter and artist extraordinaire Valeria Burzo for a new adventure full of witchcraft and magic. New from the world of Hellboy!

Collects Castle Full of Blackbirds #1¨C#4.]]> 112 Mike Mignola 150673278X Kirsten 3 2.87 Castle Full of Blackbirds
author: Mike Mignola
name: Kirsten
average rating: 2.87
book published:
rating: 3
read at: 2023/09/15
date added: 2023/09/15
shelves: fiction, from-library, graphic-novels, horror-and-horror-ish, spec-fic
review:

]]> Darkly She Goes 62997521 Darkly She Goes is an ode to redemption where determinism and free will clash, carried by two masters of the fantasy genre.]]> 160 Hubert 1681123134 Kirsten 3 3.74 2021 Darkly She Goes
author: Hubert
name: Kirsten
average rating: 3.74
book published: 2021
rating: 3
read at: 2023/09/15
date added: 2023/09/15
shelves: fiction, folklore-and-fairytales, from-library, graphic-novels, spec-fic
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Something is Killing the Children, Vol. 6]]> 62919463
Collects Something is Killing the Children #26-30.]]> 144 James Tynion IV 1684159032 Kirsten 4 4.29 2023 Something is Killing the Children, Vol. 6
author: James Tynion IV
name: Kirsten
average rating: 4.29
book published: 2023
rating: 4
read at: 2023/09/14
date added: 2023/09/14
shelves: fiction, from-library, graphic-novels, horror-and-horror-ish, lgbtq-interest, poc-characters, spec-fic
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Under Deadman's Skin: Discovering the Meaning of Children's Violent Play]]> 296186
So begins Under Deadman's Skin , a deceptively simple-and compellingly readable-teachers' tale. Jane Katch, in the tradition of Vivian Paley and Jonathan Kozol, uses her student's own vocabulary and storytelling to set the scene: a class of five-and six-year-olds obsessed with what is to their teacher hatefully violent fantasy play. Katch asks, 'Can I make a place in school for understanding these fantasies, instead of shutting them out?'

Over the course of the year she holds group discussions to determine what kind of play creates or calms turmoil; she illustrates (or rather the children illustrate) the phenomenon of very young children needing to make sense of exceptionally violent imagery; and she consults with older grade-school boys who remember what it was like to be obsessed by violence and tell Katch what she can do to help. Katch's classroom journey-one that leads her to rules and limits that keep children secure-is an enabling blueprint for any teacher or parent disturbed by violent children's play.]]> 144 Jane Katch 0807031291 Kirsten 3 3.72 2001 Under Deadman's Skin: Discovering the Meaning of Children's Violent Play
author: Jane Katch
name: Kirsten
average rating: 3.72
book published: 2001
rating: 3
read at: 2023/09/14
date added: 2023/09/14
shelves: from-library, non-fiction, psych-and-neuroscience, woman-author
review:

]]> <![CDATA[What the Hex?! (Witches of Brooklyn #2)]]> 56904971 Effie returns in this spellbinding sequel: a middle-grade graphic novel about found family, friendship, and learning to embrace who you are!

Could there be even MORE witches in Brooklyn?!

Effie is EXCITED to meet so many witches, but what is going on with her friends? Suddenly Effie is no longer the newest kid in school, and it seems like her friends are happy to grow their little group, but Effie isn't so sure. On top of that, learning magic is HARD WORK!

Effie just wants to have fun being a witch, but her life in Brooklyn is about to get weird(er).

The bewitching second book in the Witches of Brooklyn series captures what it means to be a friend, and how growing up can be a little less scary if you throw some magic in the mix.]]> 234 Sophie Escabasse 0593119304 Kirsten 5 4.17 2021 What the Hex?! (Witches of Brooklyn #2)
author: Sophie Escabasse
name: Kirsten
average rating: 4.17
book published: 2021
rating: 5
read at: 2023/09/14
date added: 2023/09/14
shelves: c-recommends, children-or-ya, fiction, from-library, graphic-novels, humor, lgbtq-interest, poc-characters, spec-fic, woman-author
review:

]]> Dahlia in the Dark 62919606
Dahlia in the Dark is a fast-paced, action, fantasy thriller about family and hidden truths. Ringo award winner and Eisner nominated author Joe Corallo (She Said Destroy, Becstar, The Never Ending Party) joins rising star artist Andrea Milana for an all-original mini-series that will take readers on one wild ride!]]> 144 Joe Corallo 1952303524 Kirsten 3 3.14 Dahlia in the Dark
author: Joe Corallo
name: Kirsten
average rating: 3.14
book published:
rating: 3
read at: 2023/09/13
date added: 2023/09/13
shelves: fiction, folklore-and-fairytales, from-library, graphic-novels, horror-and-horror-ish, spec-fic
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Gathering Moss: A Natural and Cultural History of Mosses]]> 87040 Living at the limits of our ordinary perception, mosses are a common but largely unnoticed element of the natural world. Gathering Moss is a beautifully written mix of science and personal reflection that invites readers to explore and learn from the elegantly simple lives of mosses. Robin Wall Kimmerer's book is not an identification guide, nor is it a scientific treatise. Rather, it is a series of linked personal essays that will lead general readers and scientists alike to an understanding of how mosses live and how their lives are intertwined with the lives of countless other beings, from salmon and hummingbirds to redwoods and rednecks. Kimmerer clearly and artfully explains the biology of mosses, while at the same time reflecting on what these fascinating organisms have to teach us.

Drawing on her diverse experiences as a scientist, mother, teacher, and writer of Native American heritage, Kimmerer explains the stories of mosses in scientific terms as well as in the framework of indigenous ways of knowing. In her book, the natural history and cultural relationships of mosses become a powerful metaphor for ways of living in the world.

Gathering Moss will appeal to a wide range of readers, from bryologists to those interested in natural history and the environment, Native Americans, and contemporary nature and science writing.

]]> 168 Robin Wall Kimmerer 0870714996 Kirsten 5 4.39 2003 Gathering Moss: A Natural and Cultural History of Mosses
author: Robin Wall Kimmerer
name: Kirsten
average rating: 4.39
book published: 2003
rating: 5
read at: 2023/09/10
date added: 2023/09/10
shelves: from-library, non-fiction, own, science, woman-author
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Buffalo Gals and Other Animal Presences]]> 92618 Contents:
"Come into animal presence / Denise Levertov --
Buffalo gals, won't you come out tonight --
Three rock poems: Basalt --Flints --
Mt. St. Helens/ Omphalos --
Mazes --
Wife's stories --
Five vegetable poems --
Torrey pines reserve --
Lewis and Clarke and after --
West Texas --
Xmas over --
Crown of Laurel --
Direction of the road --
Vaster than empires and more slow --
Seven bird and beast poems --
What is going on in the Oaks --
For Ted --
Found poem --
Totem --
Winter downs --
Man eater--
Sleeping out --
White donkey --
Horse camp --
Four cat poems --
Tabby Lorenzo --
Black Leonard in negative space --
Conversation with a silence --
For Leonard, Darko, and Burton Watson --
Schrodinger's cat --
"Author of the Acacia seeds" and other extracts from the journal of the journal of the association of Therolinguistics --
May's lion --
Eighth elegy, from "Duino elegies" of R.M. Rilke --
She unnames them.


"A spirited, gracefully polemical introduction and the final story, "She Unnames Them", frame this collection of fiction and poetry, placing it in a natural but unsentimental light. These are not really "talking animal" stories: they are about human apprehension of natural creation (including rocks and plants) and the relations this apprehension governs; or, how communication makes communities. Seven of ten stories and seven of 19 poems having already been published, while a couple of pieces read like working drafts. Among the best pieces is the title story; like many of the others, it works its effect through a reversal of the usual (human) point of view."--Library Journal.]]> 236 Ursula K. Le Guin 0451450493 Kirsten 4 3.98 1987 Buffalo Gals and Other Animal Presences
author: Ursula K. Le Guin
name: Kirsten
average rating: 3.98
book published: 1987
rating: 4
read at: 2023/09/10
date added: 2023/09/10
shelves: fiction, folklore-and-fairytales, from-library, pacific-northwest, short-stories, spec-fic, woman-author
review:

]]> Thornhedge 61884932 There¡¯s a princess trapped in a tower. This ¾±²õ²Ô¡¯³Ù her story.

Meet Toadling. On the day of her birth, she was stolen from her family by the fairies, but she grew up safe and loved in the warm waters of faerieland. Once an adult though, the fae ask a favor of Toadling: return to the human world and offer a blessing of protection to a newborn child. Simple, right?

But nothing with fairies is ever simple.

Centuries later, a knight approaches a towering wall of brambles, where the thorns are as thick as your arm and as sharp as swords. He's heard there's a curse here that needs breaking, but it's a curse Toadling will do anything to uphold¡­]]> 116 T. Kingfisher 1250244099 Kirsten 5 3.95 2023 Thornhedge
author: T. Kingfisher
name: Kirsten
average rating: 3.95
book published: 2023
rating: 5
read at: 2023/09/04
date added: 2023/09/04
shelves: fiction, folklore-and-fairytales, from-library, poc-characters, spec-fic, woman-author
review:

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