Book Review: Lawbreaking Ladies: 50 Tales of Daring, Defiant, and Dangerous Women from History by Erika Owen

Lawbreaking Ladies: 50 Tales of Daring, Defiant, and Dangerous Women from History by Erika Owen is a nonfiction book that tackles a wide range of law breaking ladies. Many of us are familiar with the popular slogan “Well-behaved women seldom make history.” But that adage is taken to the next level in this book, which looks at women from the past who weren’t afraid to break the law or challenge gender norms. From pirates to madams, gamblers to bootleggers, and serial killers to outlaws, women throughout the ages haven’t always decided to be sugar, spice, and everything nice. These are the stories of 50 remarkable women whose rebellious and often criminal acts ought to solidify their place in history, including: the swashbuckling pirate Ching Shih,  “Queen of the Bootleggers” Gloria de Casares,  the Prohibition-era gangster Stephanie Saint-Clair, and a band of prisoners who came to be known as the Goree Girls. Some were breaking laws for good reasons, while others were downright dangerous.

Lawbreaking Ladies is an interesting and entertaining read. I like that the author makes the effort to keep everything in the context of the laws and social climate of the time the specific crimes took place. Prohibition, abuse, unjust laws, and more had a role to play in some of the crimes- but in some cases the why's will never really make sense. I also like that the women featured are from a variety of countries and times, and their stories and situations are varied. It was clear that a great deal of research and care went into this book. The book was well organized, and the writing was very accessible and easy to follow.  I found each story to be very independent from the rest of the book, even in each subsection, for instance in the section about gambling ladies the city of Deadwood is mentions in mos everyone's story and the familiarity of the name is addresses but in the context of travel rather than how many ladies profiled in a row had spent time there. I enjoyed the read, and appreciated the inclusion of sources and proper citation. It is a shame how often that gets forgotten. I will be reading some of the resources used by the author to delve deeper into some of the stories and times that interested me the most.

Lawbreaking Ladies is a well researched, written, and organized resource. I think many readers will appreciate it. 

Early Book Review: Death of an Irish Mummy (Dublin Driver) by Catie Murphy

Death of an Irish Mummy is the third book in the Dublin Driver series by Catie Murphy, and is currently scheduled for release on June 29 2021. While it is very helpful to have read the previous books to understand Megan and her relationships with some of the secondary characters, newcomers will still be able to enjoy the mystery.

American-born Cherise Williams believes herself to be heir to an old Irish earldom, and she's come to Dublin to claim her heritage. Under the circumstances, Megan's boss Olga at Leprechaun Limos has no qualms about overcharging the brash Texas transplant for their services. Megan chauffeurs Cherise to the ancient St. Michan's Church, where the woman intends to get a wee little DNA sample from the mummified earls--much to the horror of the priest. But before she can desecrate the dead, Cherise Williams is murdered--just as her three daughters arrive to also claim their birthright. With rumors of famine-era treasure on the lands owned by the old Williams family and the promise of riches for the heirs, greed seems a likely motive. But when Olga surprisingly becomes the Garda's prime suspect, Megan attempts to steer the investigation away from her boss and solve the murder with the help of the dashing Detective Bourke. With a killer who's not wrapped too tight, she'll need to proceed with caution--or she could go from driving a limo to riding in a hearse. 

Death of an Irish Mummy is a book that had high and low points for me. I enjoyed the characters, and the work that goes into making main and secondary characters so layered and complex. Even the less important players in the story had personality and moments that made them real. I thought the plot was well thought out, and the story and locations well researched. I still like Megan- and enjoy having a main character that is not super young and magically rich, but while unreal things keep happening around her still feels grounded and real. I only wish the nudges about romance would stop. It is okay for a woman to have fantastic friends, a career, and be happy without a romantic relationship. I will also say that I was pretty sure who the culprit was as soon as they came into the story, and called some of their actions and motives fairly quickly. However, the ride of Megan and the Williams sisters coming to the same conclusion was an interesting and entertaining ride. 

Death of an Irish Mummy is a good continuation of the story, and I look forward to continuing to follow Megan's adventures. 

Book Review: A Gentle Noble's Vacation Recommendation, Volume 3, by Misaki

A Gentle Noble's Vacation Recommendation, Volume 3, by Misaki continues the tale of a noble's unintentional trip. After defeating the underground dragon and finishing up their business in the mercantile city of Marcade, Lizel and Gil resume their journey, having promised Judge's grandfather to protect Judge along the way. But danger soon catches up to them when a strange group of bandits called the Forky Gang attacks in the middle of the night! It quickly becomes clear that someone is targeting Lizel, but who could it be, and for what reason?

A Gentle Noble's Vacation Recommendation's third volume picks up right where the previous volume left off, and then takes off running. I really enjoyed this volume and thought it moved the story along and introduced or fleshed out some of the previously introduced characters really well. I was great to see some of where Lizel came from, and how he reacts to the other characters and the possibility of being the target of a bandit gang. The art was consistent in style and quality with the previous volumes, and I thought the detail and line work was very well done. I enjoyed this read a great deal. My biggest complaint is that the volume ended way too soon for me, and I am ready for more. 

Book Review: The Hidden Beauty of the Microscopic World: What the Tiniest Forms of Life can Tell us about Existence and our Place in the Universe by James Weiss

The Hidden Beauty of the Microscopic World: What the Tiniest Forms of Life can Tell us about Existence and our Place in the Universe by James Weiss is a nonfiction book. James Weiss was feeling lost in life when he first discovered his interest in the microscopic world. With his own microscope and a little homespun ingenuity, he began to capture thousands of hours of stunning footage of the creatures that he found around him: the local pond, at the beach, in a puddle. What he found astounded him, and it became his mission to reveal the beauty of the microcosmos to everyone. James presents this beginner's guide to the invisible life that surrounds us. From the most simple single-celled life, to complex micro-animals, James reveals the secrets of a world that we rarely consider. Navigating the births, feasts, tragedies, idiosyncracies and deaths of a cast of tiny characters, learn how these lifeforms work and what lessons they can teach us about our own existence. You'll discover fascinating absurdities: that a cell can be both its own daughter and its own mother. That immortality really does exist, and it comes in the form of a teeny, tentacled medusa. And that seeing the wonder of nature from a new perspective can literally save your life.

The Hidden Beauty of the Microscopic World is an accessible and engaging introduction and explanation of the microscopic world. I thought the balance of personal narrative, scientific explanations, and photographs to be well done.  I thought the technical and scientific explanations were understandable and interesting to read. In fact, it made me a little sad that I did not pursue my interests in this kind of science when I was in school, although my struggles with math holds no small part in that. I appreciated the inclusion of references, resources, and an index in the endpages. Too often on or more of these are skipped for one reason or another. I think young adult and adult readers alike could really enjoy, and get a great deal out of this read. I know that I will be revisiting my galley of this book many times.

Book Review: Of Mettle and Magic (MagicSmith) by L.R. Braden

Of Mettle and Magic is the fifth book in the MagicSmith series by L.R. Braden. Readers do need to read this series in order to understand the character development and relationships. When the Unified Church in Rome is destroyed by rogue sorcerers, tensions explode. Alex Blackwood will do whatever it takes to prevent a war between the humans, fae, and Earth paranaturals--even turn herself over to the PTF. But when a man she thought long dead walks back into her life at the head of a sorcerer army, surrender is no longer an option. With all the world watching, and half hoping she fails, Alex and her friends scramble to find a peace that won’t cost them everything.

Of Mettle and Magic is a good continuation of the story, and also a building block for further developments. I was happy to return to Alex's world, and it was great to see some of my favorite secondary characters make appearances and some twists that I have been expecting to make themselves known. There is plenty of action, planning, and growth of power and understanding. Some dynamic shifts and some great moments. I was hoping for a bit more on the character growth side, and a little less of the world imploding. Do not get me wrong, there were some great moments and I was glad to read the book. But I love the complexity of the characters, and I feel like the growing complexity of the world and danger around them has overtaken some of what I really enjoy about this series. There were definitely some great growth and moments of revelation and understanding on Alex's part, but there were also moments were I was less engaged as the preparations for fighting and whatnot needed to happen. I still love this series- but this one just did not capture me the way I expected and hoped for. 

Of Mettle and Magic is a solid continuation of this story, and I think fans of the series will need to read it, but it just did not resonate with me as thoroughly as the previous books. 

Book Review: Plants on the Move by Émilie Vast

Plants on the Move by Émilie Vast, translated by Julie Cormier, is a children's book that tells the stories of fourteen plant journeys. When you think of a plant, you don't think of how it moves. But the feathery seeds of the dandelion fly to other gardens, strawberry tendrils creep, and maple seeds spin. There are many different ways plants move, not only as they grow, but in their quest to reproduce: falling, clinging, floating, burrowing--even exploding! The book includes the scientific names for the different ways plants move.

Plants on the Move is a lyrical and interesting read. It does a good job of describing the way the included plants grow, spread, and move. I liked the flow of the text, which means the author and translator did a good job in word and syntax choice. I cannot speak to all of the matching artwork that is in the final copy of the book- as my digital galley did not include the art. However, the cover art and what I could find from the publisher looks well done and balances the text on each page well. 

Early Book Review: Scaredy Squirrel in a Nutshell by Melanie Watt

Scaredy Squirrel in a Nutshell by Melanie Watt takes a beloved picturebook character (one of my favorites to be honest) and lets him branch (ha!) into a new graphic novel series. It is currently scheduled for release on June 15 2021.

Scaredy is happy to stay in his nut tree. Why would he ever leave? The outside is filled with dangers. Like aliens! And dust! And a certain fluffy bunny who likes to pop up! But things don't always go as planned, even for a super-prepared squirrel. When he has to venture out of his tree and onto the ground, Scaredy panics and plays dead but maybe the fluffy bunny's not so scary after all? In a nutshell, Scaredy might just make a new friend, if he is brave enough.

Fans of Scaredy Squirrel will be gratified to see this collection of stories featuring or risk adverse friend, and newcomers will get a thorough introduction to the joy of his antics. Scaredy Squirrel in a Nutshell is not really anything new or surprising for those of us that loved the picturebooks- Scaredy is still scared of just about everything and makes some interesting choices to keep everything clean and safe. However, like with most long time favorites, a new twist is not necessarily what readers are looking for. The book looks just like I expect, with the same charming illustrations and and page layouts that I have always loved. The story is fun, sweet, and thoughtful- again just what I have come to expect from the author. I think that new and returning readers in the young and early reader groups will greatly enjoy the book, and it might be helpful for them in facing the worries people of all ages are having about going outside and facing the world again as things start to reopen.

Book Review: Lycanthropy and Other Chronic Illnesses by Kristen O'Neal

Lycanthropy and Other Chronic Illnesses by Kristen O'Neal is a young adult novel. Priya worked hard to pursue her premed dreams at Stanford, but a diagnosis of chronic Lyme disease during her sophomore year sends her back to her loving but overbearing family in New Jersey—and leaves her wondering if she’ll ever be able to return to the way things were. Thankfully she has her online pen pal, Brigid, and the rest of the members of “oof ouch my bones,” a virtual support group that meets on Discord to crack jokes and vent about their own chronic illnesses. When Brigid suddenly goes offline, Priya does something out of character: she steals the family car and drives to Pennsylvania to check on Brigid. Priya isn’t sure what to expect, but it isn’t the horrifying creature that's shut in the basement. With Brigid nowhere to be found, Priya begins to puzzle together an impossible but obvious truth: the creature might be a werewolf—and the werewolf might be Brigid. As Brigid's unique condition worsens, their friendship will be deepened and challenged in unexpected ways, forcing them to reckon with their own ideas of what it means to be normal.

Lycanthropy and Other Chronic Illnesses is a book that started slow for me, but quickly hooked me into caring about all the members of the chronic illness support group. That was what kept me reading, and I am very glad I did. I like the honest and well researched way the illness and the character's experiences with them- and other people's reactions to them- were described. It was all very real and honest, which I appreciated. So often we do not see some of the hardest aspects of being chronically ill, the emotional and mental components. I loved the character and relationship development, and find myself wondering how the future goes for the characters. I have a feeling these characters will stick with me for quite a while. Everything felt real, and honestly if there are werewolves this is pretty much what I think they might be. 

Lycanthropy and Other Chronic Illnesses is a read that will draw readers in, foster understanding, and leave readers wanting more. 

Audiobook Review: Cosmic Queries: StarTalk's Guide to Who We Are, How We Got Here, and Where We're Going by Neil deGrasse Tyson, James Trefil, Lauren Fortgang

Cosmic Queries: StarTalk's Guide to Who We Are, How We Got Here, and Where We're Going, written by Neil deGrasse Tyson and James Trefil and narrated by Neil deGrasse Tyson, Lauren Fortgang, is a book that takes the idea of the StarTalk podcast and expands on some of the more in depth questions and ideas that just do not fit in the podcast format. For science geeks, space and physics nerds, and all who want to understand their place in the universe. This illuminating audiobook takes on the big questions that humanity has been posing for millennia—How did life begin? What is our place in the universe? Are we alone?—and provide answers based on the most current data, observations, and theories. Populated with paradigm-shifting discoveries that help explain the building blocks of astrophysics, this relatable and entertaining book will engage and inspire listeners of all ages, bring sophisticated concepts within reach, and offer a window into the complexities of the cosmos.

Cosmic Queries is an engaging and enlightening audiobook- and I can only imagine that the addition of photographs and any images in the printed or digital version of the book only increase the level of understanding, engagement, and interest in the reader. The alternating narration was very well done, and I found the inflections and phrasing to be very well done and able to keep me engaged even when the subject matter might have lost me otherwise. The writing was well done- and  I found that for the most part I understood the details and was intrigued by the information shared and questions raise. I will admit that there were a few times that my mind drifted or I was interrupted and when I refocused was completely lost with the topic at hand, but a quick rewind was able to fix that. I am not sure how much I retained- but that is on me and not the reading material. 

I think anyone that enjoys StarTalk and related podcasts, and anyone interested in learning more about the universe and how it all works will enjoy Cosmic Queries as an audiobook or traditional read.  

Early Book Review: Little Kid, Big City!: London; Pick Your Own Path Through London! by Beth Beckman, Holley Haher

Little Kid, Big City!: London; Pick Your Own Path Through London!, written by Beth Beckman and illustrated by Holley Maher, is a children's travel book currently scheduled for release on June 15 2021. If a kid were given the opportunity to lead a tour through London, where would they go? Would they hop on the Tube to visit Buckingham Palace, watch a play at Shakespeare's Globe Theater, or pass the time with Big Ben? By following prompts at the end of each page in Little Kid, Big City, the options are endless! In this series, an illustrated travel guide collides with an interactive format, allowing children to imagine, create, and explore their own routes through the greatest cities on the planet. With gorgeous illustrations, lovable characters, and dozens of different forks in the road, Little Kid, Big City is a new way for kids to take part in their travels and invent their own adventures.

Little Kid, Big City!: London; Pick Your Own Path Through London! is a lovely and informative look at exploring London. I liked the variety of locations covered, and the fun way they are presented. There is a great deal of information offered, including the basics of he location and the expectations for visitors, but it never gets to be overwhelming. The suggestions of what to do next, and the detailed index in the back of the book, would make the book useful when planning a trip or while out and about. For those of us even less likely to travel in the near future, with the world being in its current state, the book also offers fodder for dreamy to-do lists, and just getting to know more about London now, even if we are not likely to see it in person. I liked the artwork a great deal- it was realistic and still felt a little fun and whimsical. It was simply enjoyable to look at, and to find small details and points of interest in. 

As a whole Little Kid, Big City!: London; Pick Your Own Path Through London! is a well written and illustrated look at London, whether you plan on visiting soon or not.