Review 255: Turbulence

Turbulence by David Szalay
My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

This is a short book made up of short stories. The stories are connected, slightly, and that was what drew me into reading this book. It is well written but like many short story collections, I wanted more.

The characters are drawn up quickly, you fall into their lives, then they are gone. Well, not entirely as each story has two main people in them, and you follow one of them to the next story with another person. They are connections.

Connections much like at airports when flying. In fact, each story starts with the airport codes from – to, and a third if there is a connection, as each is traveling to another location as well, Hong Kong is one of the most frequent.

I listened to the audiobook which was narrated quite well. But the airport codes were too quick for me to catch which cities are involved. In print that would be easier to deal with.

I enjoyed this, yet left wanting more.

Review 254: Buses Are a Comin'

Buses Are a Comin': Memoir of a Freedom Rider by Charles Person
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Excellent book!

An amazing story! Charles Person was only 18 when he joined the first group of people in the Freedom rides challenging the segregation of buses, bus depots and restaurants in many states, from the South to Washington D.C. He was with a small group of people, black and white that would sit where there were generally not allowed. Of course, they encountered bigotry and hatred, but occasionally kindness as well. Person was awestruck that one of the men (Jim Peck) who joined them was not only white, but a rich man as well. He did not need to do this, where Person felt he must.

This was an engaging story, well, told. We hear how Person joined, you had to apply and he didn’t have much experience fighting for justice, but he had joined a protest that landed him in jail and solitary confinement for singing for freedom a bit too enthusiastically for the jailors. Once picked, he had to convince his parents he could go, as he needed a signature from one of them. This was his first year in college, and his family had their sights on him being one of the first to graduate, so it wasn’t an easy thing asking for a few weeks from college during finals.

Anyway, this review is turning into my telling of the story and it’s better left from the man himself. An excellent book!

Thanks to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for an uncorrected electronic advance review copy of this book.

Although I got an advance eBook copy, I ended up reading via audiobook. The narrator did an excellent job and would recommend this version as well.

Review 253: Office

Office by Sheila Liming
My rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

Written just before the pandemic which has also changed the office. Unfortunate timing, as would be interesting to have thoughts on that aspect. Although the last chapters do talk about the end of the office, the pandemic just helped that along.

This is one of the better entries in Bloomsbury Academic’s Object Lessons series. The book is well organized and provides in-depth history and curiosities that are perfect for this type of series of books. Author Liming touches briefly on literature and film/television references.

We see the full cycle of the office here, with the early beginning and the looming sense of the end of the office. Although the book was written just before the pandemic, which sent most of the office workers to work from home, upending many assumptions of what a worker or manager could accomplish when not all in the same building. It is unfortunate timing and would be enlightening if Liming provided thoughts on this latest change in offices. Perhaps there will be an addendum or additional chapter added at some future date. Office part two.

Thanks to Bloomsbury Academic and NetGalley for an uncorrected electronic advance review copy of this book.

Review 252: The Sky Above Us

The Sky Above Us by Natalie Lund
My rating: NOT RATED 

I can't get into this story, can't connect to these characters. It is a YA book, and my age is well beyond that, but I have plenty of YA books that I can connect to and enjoy. Still, I will admit the younger set may connect to this book where I could not.

There was one aspect in the story line that I was interested in, but that was relegated so much to the back that it wasn't enough to keep me interested.

No rating since I did not finish. Read about 40% of the book.


Thanks to Philomel Books/Penguin Group Penguin Young Readers and NetGalley for an uncorrected electronic advance review copy of this book.

Additional tags: friends, death, suicide, past lives, twins, family, Young Adult, fiction

Review 251: A Summer Affair

A Summer Affair by Ivan Klíma
My rating: 2 of 5 stars



The book is about an affair and one man's seemingly inability to do anything than purse this one woman. Their conversations are overwrought. There is some play with the form of a novel, but honestly I could have done without reading this book.

Wasn’t too keen on this book. I may have enjoyed it more when I was in my 20s, when enamored with Czech writing. But it seemed like just an overwrought tale of an affair.

The main character, David Krempa is a biologist and completely focused on his work, attempting to find immortality. He is married with two small girls, but hardly pays them any attention he is so focused on work. Finally he was accepted to a prestigious position in England for a year to do lectures, now he has even more work in preparing teaching. 

David seems to barely tolerate his wife, and nearly fights her to do anything outside of his work. When the landlady ends up dead one of them must go to the funeral, and very reluctantly David does this as Camilla just can’t. He is late, it’s raining and he notices a very beautiful young woman opposite him who reminds him a bit of his mother, with her neck and hair. David offers her a ride, who accepts with her husband, although they live at different places. David is so taken by this young woman, Iva that he ends up unable to think of her. He does foolish things, and yes, ends up having an affair with her.

Review 250: Gin

Gin by Shonna Milliken Humphrey
My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars



One of my favorite alcohol drinks is a Gin & Tonic with lime. 

This book is what I expected of Object Lessons series to be like. There is a history, a rumination, and exploration about the object in question and with a little author history, but not too much. Of course, now that I’ve read a few of these books I realize that was my idea, not necessarily the editors or publisher’s idea. Okay, I understand now, it is up to the author to take on the topic with nearly no limitations.

Yet, here we do have an investigation of gin, it’s beginnings and history, why it became popular in England, and why it continues to be popular and not just in England. How gin is made, types and flavors, and what cocktail drinks are popular with gin in it. We also have an exploration of gin appearing in books, movies, songs and other popular culture. And a fun section on gincindents, where embarrassing moments arise from consuming too much of that gin. For myself I loved reading the history of gin the most.

While enjoying the book’s topics there were times the writing style was awkward, and perhaps this was fixed before publication. I can only go by the copy I have, which is a pre-publication.

Thanks to Bloomsbury Academic and NetGalley for an uncorrected electronic advance review copy of this book.

Review 249: Body of Stars

Body of Stars by Laura Maylene Walter
My rating: 2.5 of 5 stars

Belabored at times. Repetitive.

Slowly as the chapters unfold, we come to the arc of the story contained in the book. This is a different world, one where only the females have marks on their bodies that can foretell the future, of not only themselves, but others in their family, such as a brother or father. Women’s bodies are examined, at least twice a year, perhaps once they are adults not so much, but it is an invasion, and particularly when the change happens.

Our main character Celeste finds an aspect of her future told on her body which she wants to stay hidden from her family as the future is grim. This becomes a belabored point in the story. And one she has nearly no control of keeping hidden.

There were moments when it seemed the narrator Celeste didn’t know herself. She would be surprised by herself, her actions or nonaction and what she said. It was odd reading these. As she became more confident that type of writing changed as well. Perhaps it was part of being a changeling, but it kept pulling me out of the story, finding the believability and suspension of belief difficult.

The book is about women’s control over their bodies, as they have very little. It is a world I would not want to live in, perhaps dystopian, but definitely patriarchal.

Thanks to Dutton-Penguin Random House and NetGalley for an uncorrected electronic advance review copy of this book.

Review 248: Wicked Plants

Wicked Plants: The Weed That Killed Lincoln's Mother and Other Botanical Atrocities by Amy Stewart
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Briony Morrow-Cribbs (Etchings)

Jonathon Rosen (Drawings)

This book is a good October read, and not only for the mention of the witch trials. Crazy illustrations, although not enough details of the plants.

Not a typical format where you must read from beginning to end (but I did). Instead it is a reference guide, a to z listing of some interesting and dangerous plants. It was interesting enough, and not super long. Got a bit repetitive at times. Occasionally had a short story of how the plant related in history, those were the interesting parts.

Crazy drawings through most of the book. 

Definitely one that is a better read in print than audio as you'd miss all the graphics. It did get a bit repetitive after a while. 

Review 247: Bewilderment

Bewilderment by Richard Powers
My rating: 4.5 of 5 stars




I’ve read two other books by Richard Powers and this one is about half the size, if not even smaller. Like the other two, I’m surprised by the book. Sometimes the writing has a way of being a little quirky, perhaps a bit difficult to follow, but that settles after a while into the book.

Bewilderment had that quality as well, with the father Theo describing invented planets to his son Robin, which is written as if it exists, and they are visiting. As Theo is an astrobiologist it makes sense this is one of the nighttime stories told to Robbie. They both are grieving for they lost the third in the family, the mother and wife Alyssa. Robin has been diagnosed “on the spectrum,” has difficulties. Perhaps Robin’s main issue is he is “too sensitive” toward animals, much like his mom.
The species collapse means way too much to Robbie. And as the book progresses it is hard not to ache for him, trying to come to terms with what we all do, going about our day.

There is so much sadness in this tale, and yet joy as well. Robbie is certainly a delight, particularly after the neuro-treatments he starts to undergo. It calms him and he becomes so focused, he becomes smarter. Theo does all he can to keep up with his kid, trying not to make too many mistakes, which sometimes he cannot avoid.

Alyssa is put on a pedestal, being too perfect, which could happen when the person is no longer living. This attempt to have her still present is a constant in the book. There are few aspects that I had a little trouble with, it is a modern-day retelling of Flowers for Algernon. And when you forget about that, Powers brings it back up and reminds you. I could have done without that part. This is one book that will stay with you long after finishing reading.



Thanks to W.W. Norton and NetGalley for an uncorrected electronic advance review copy of this book.

Review 246: Once There Were Wolves

Once There Were Wolves by Charlotte McConaghy
My rating: 5 of 5 stars



I enjoyed this novel, despite it being somewhat dark. I didn’t expect a mystery, but that happened when a dead body shows up, maybe killed by a wolf, maybe a human.

Init Flynn is leading a rewilding effort in Scotland, bringing back wolves, which should also restore the forest. Her team is facing a community that is strongly against the wolves with the most vocal being a man who appears to abuse his wife. The dynamic of spousal abuse, of what it does to the victim is, one of the main components of this book. The story of the wolves is just the backdrop.
The author McConaghy shows her deft writing. I felt immersed in this story, as if it was true, despite that the story takes place in the near future, or some other timeline. The mystery unwinds, what happened in Init’s past, with her twin sister? How about Duncan’s past, the town sheriff who Init hooks up with? And of course that dead body, the man who abused his wife.

One other aspect that I liked about this book was the hope given for wild animals, that we could come back from the collapse of species failure. I will be looking out for what McConaghy writes next.


Thanks to Flatiron Books and NetGalley for an uncorrected electronic advance review copy of this book.