Standing at the Grave

This family history took a bit to win me over. Genealogist, Gary Heyn, wanted to write about his family that emigrated over from Germany - and do it in a compelling and interesting way. To achieve that he fictionalized their thoughts, conversations, and attitudes to create a narrative story. At the heart of the story all the "facts" are true; the houses, the scandals, the marriages, births, deaths, and more - but he fleshed them out in a way that at first felt inauthentic to me. How could he possibly know how Anna felt, or if there was jealousy between brothers. At first it annoyed me. But then... I got into the story - I got into learning about this massive sprawling family and all their trials and tribulations. Normal people wouldn't be invested in just a family tree, but they would in a good story. And that's what this was. A fictionalized account of a real family. And it's interesting - it's the ultimate immigration story. I did have trouble keeping track of all the Augusts, but that's to be expected in a huge German family. An innovative way to tell family history. 

Juliette

A graphic novel about a dysfunctional family that is relatable for it's ordinary nature. When Juliette leaves Paris to go back to her hometown and crash with her dad - she isn't sure how long she plans on staying. She knows she wants to reconnect with her family and spend time with her older sister and eccentric mom. Juliette is dealing with crushing anxiety and depression - her father is lonely, her sister is unhappy in her marriage, and her grandma is getting lost in dementia. Told through beautiful and charming watercolor panels - this graphic novel is a breath of fresh air. It's emotional and filled with relatable characters - while not terribly exciting - it's still a nice quick read. 

Amish Grace

Woof - this was a tough read. It probably could have been 5 stars but I don't think I could read it again. The first part in this book had my eyes swimming. It was an emotionally intense book. I have mad respect though for the authors who didn't intrude or make assumptions about the Amish - they were respectful and kept away from the traumatized children. Amish Grace was primarily about the awful tragedy at Nickel Mines where a man took a gun into an Amish schoolhouse and killed and intensely wounded nearly ten innocent children. It garnered immediate worldwide attention and the media was quick to grab onto the story. The Amish however wanted no limelight and stunned the world when they said they forgave the man who murdered their children. Amish Grace describes the event itself, Amish beliefs on forgiveness, and forgiveness as a whole. It's very insightful and sad. Have your tissues ready. 

A New History of Iowa

This is definitely not "leisure" reading. This is more of a textbook for high school and college students. That being said - I did learn a lot about the great state of Iowa, and as someone who lives in Indiana - a lot of it felt very familiar to me. Broken into three parts: Iowa to the Civil War, Iowa from the Civil War to 1929, and Iowa since 1929 - each part was then broken into 5 chapters or sections. This history book was very linear which made it easy to follow. I wish there was a little more about Iowa before it was a state, but I guess there wasn't much to write about prairie and the Indigenous tribes. I do appreciate that the author noted how homogenous and white the state was (and is) and discussed how hard it was for African Americans, immigrants, women, and LGBTQ folx. Very slow paced read, but informative. I can only imagine how hard it would be to condense an entire state's history into one book!

Violets Are Blue

This middle grade book deals with some pretty heavy topics and does such a good job of it! Wren is having a big year of changes. Her parents get divorced, her dad gets remarried moves to New York and has twins, her mom decides to move them to a new town and a new school. The one thing that stays constant to wren is her love for special effect makeup. She loves watching videos and experimenting on her mom. Soon her makeup skills are the thing that help her make friends and connect with other people. Her life may be messy, but her makeup is always on point. Violets are Blue deals with tough topics like: divorce, bullying, new families, and addiction. Readers will fall in love with Wren as she tries to find her voice and forge a path into new unknowns. 

In Order That Justice May Be Done

While very interesting, this book is definitely dry and mostly of interest to those who practice and those who wish to learn more about Indigenous  history. This book outlines the struggles that the Turtle Mountain band of Pembina Chippewa faced over nearly one hundred years, all while trying to follow the letter of the law (American law) and remain peaceful. It's no surprise that the United States government screwed them over not only once, but pretty much at every turn. They did everything right, kept paperwork, attended delegations in good faith and constantly got ripped off. It was really disheartening to read about, although not at all surprising. Extremely well researched, but again, not light leisure reading. 

The Troubled Girls of Dragomir Academy

The book was charming and honestly one of the best middle grade fantasies I've read in a while! Marya Lupu has been ordered to Dragomir Academy for troubled young ladies. She is sure it's because she inadvertently messed up her brother's chances of becoming a sorcerer (really though, it was the goats fault!) so she resignedly goes. Her parents are glad to be rid of her but she will miss her brother and Madame Bandu down the street. Bandu taught her to read and write and told her the secrets that can be weaved in the tapestries. At Dragomir Academy she finds lots of other "troubled" girls like her, but she can't help but make a few friends and stumble upon a mystery or two. A fantastic feminist fantasy filled with girl power, friendships, and adventure. So much fun. I wish this were a series!

The String of Fate

Giving out one star reviews is no fun, I'm not trying to be mean spirited - but this read as a first draft of a fan fiction or a middle school fantasy. It just didn't cut it for me. Some people may be into that kind of thing, but not me. Sarah Gibson met the love of her life at just fourteen years old. He moved away and they don't see each other again (why they couldn't talk on the phone or email or catch up on social media is never discussed) until four years later on a plane. Sarah has just graduated high school and is trying to find a job after deciding she can't afford college. She gets an email which she thinks may be spam but turns out to be a life changing gift. She has been chosen to represent America (how?!? she is an average teen who plays violin and does nothing else) on a reality television show called The Castle of Challenges in Paris France. When she boards the plane bound for France she runs into Andrew, her true love from four years past. It turns out he is also a contestant on the show and is representing Spain. Why he is on her plane in Indianapolis makes no sense (why would he fly from Spain to Indianapolis to go back to Paris!?!), but there are also other contestants from other European countries on this plane?!? That alone made my head hurt and it only got worse from there. The writing is extremely juvenile and these contestants act like they are middle schoolers rather than young adults (they all appear to be between 18 and 20 but the ages aren't ever really discussed). The challenges are weird, half the time it doesn't seem like they are even on a game show, and the romance between Andrew and Sarah (that is forbidden because of show rules) is so obvious it makes no sense how none of the other characters would ever suspect it. There is also a weird supernatural element that gets thrown in with all the bad nightmares Sarah has every time a contestant gets booted off the show that just doesn't vibe with the whole story. Spooning and kissing turns into "forking" in one off the page sex scene (why?!). And also we are expected to believe that Sarah is a master fighter and can beat up anyone and dodge knives - even though she is just an average teen from Indiana. There were so many plot holes and weird dialogue and it was just overall 100% too unbelievable. There just needed to be a lot better editing.

Great Women of Mackinac

Extremely well researched - this nonfiction collection of biographies is perfect for fans of Mackinac history, Native American Studies, and women in history. This regional history comprises of biographies of thirteen notable women who resided, visited, or spread the word of Mackinac Island. The women ranged from Native fur traders to poets, nurses, wives, and authors. Each of them helped impact Mackinac Island even if their contributions are unknown or overlooked. Included are photographs which help the reader visualize some of these great ladies. Slow paced, but of interest to those who love Mackinac.

Cell

Honestly - even those this concept is a little outdated - I enjoyed the ride. It was a fun audiobook and it kept me intrigued. In Cell, everyone who is on their cell phones on a normal October afternoon, are suddenly turned into crazies. They will bite and attack anyone or anything that gets in their way. Clay is in Boston for an important meeting and is instantly terrified. On the way back to his hotel he bands up with another man, Tom, and they carefully try to see shelter. They rescue a teenaged girl named Alice and soon the trio realizes they need to flee Boston before it burns to the ground. Clay desperately wants to get back to Maine to see if his son and ex-wife are ok - but doing so seems near impossible. The phone crazies are everywhere and they are starting to organize - they start flocking together and soon it is only safe to travel at night. A new apocalyptic tale that doesn't seem as relevant since no one really talks on phones anymore - they just text. Still a fun (and gory) horror read filled with interesting characters. Gotta love Stephen King!

Some Kind of Hate

Honestly, I think this book was good, not enjoyable per se, but necessary and gripping. It's a book for teens that shows just how easy it can be to surround yourself with the wrong people. When Declan breaks his arm after doing a stupid stunt his baseball career is all but over. He is beyond devastated and angry. Baseball was his everything. He starts lashing out at his twin sister, his parents, and his friend Jake. He wants to blame everyone but himself. He starts alienating his friends and family and holes himself up in his room playing video games. When he gets an invite to play an exclusive crusades style game by some new online friends, he is stoked. These guys seem to "get" him. Slowly he starts to think and act like his new online friends and then finds out that some of his co-workers at the grocery store think the same way. Soon he is totally immersed with these "friends." The guys he hangs out with believe that globalists are out to take over the world and that white people need to take back what is theirs. It gets dark quick. The story is told through two alternating perspectives: Declan and his best friend Jake who just happens to be Jewish. Eye opening. For fans of Heroine by Mindy McGinnis.

Old Trails and New Roads in South Dakota History

Really a 3.5 rating for me; this collection of historical essays was a mixed bag. Old Trails and New Roads contains 13 essays about South Dakota history written by various scholars and professors. Topics included filming locations, railroads, sports, cookbooks, the American Indian Movement, weather and more. What I knew of South Dakota before reading this was next to nothing. I knew only about the Black Hills, Mt Rushmore, and the Badlands. So virtually nothing. The essays were very eye opening on a lot of different facets of midwest history that I hadn't considered. Some of the essays were very compelling and interesting; others were a bit more of a slog. Overall an interesting collection!

What the River Knows

I was sold at Egyptian, archaeology, magic, and romance. It's a young adult novel which is easy to tell because of the brash, hasty, unthought out actions of our heroine. Inez Olivera is done being left behind in Argentina while her parents have all the fun in Egypt. She longs to go with them on their months long travels. but she always gets left behind with her aunt and cousins. When she receives word that her parents are dead, she decides to sneak away in the dead of night to board a steam liner headed to Egypt. She has to find out what really happened to her parents. Posing as a very young widow, no one thinks it's scandalous that she is travelling unaccompanied. But when she arrives in Egypt she accompanies her very irate uncle who demands she return to Argentina at once. Inez ignores her uncle at every turn, making Whit (her uncle's assistant) run all over Egypt trying to keep her safe and return home. Filled with intrigue, history, and romance - this is a fun novel that is the first in a series. 

The Lily of Ludgate Hill

Regency romance lovers will swoon over the third offering in the Belles of London series. Bestselling author, Mimi Matthews, pens another entertaining regency romp. Lady Anne Deveril may look dour and weak in her mourning clothes, but she’s really a fierce defender of those she loves. When her father tragically passed away seven years prior, she and her mother put on their black mourning clothes and began a long engagement with the spiritual side of the world. Lady Anne isn’t a lover of seances or spirits but she’ll do anything to keep her mother happy, even if it means losing her standing in society and losing the love of her life. When Lady Anne needs a favor to help a friend she calls on Mr. Felix Hartford, a gentleman from her past. He agrees to help her, for a cost. In return she must accompany him to a house party on his family’s estate. Unrequited love, hurt feelings, and family secrets come to light the more time they spend with each other.  Delightfully narrated by Samuel Roukin and Elizabeth Knowelden - this audiobook is oozes, fun, charm, and growing sexual tension. Fans of the Bridgerton series and regency romance will delight in this book and the series as a whole.

A Long Petal of the Sea

Lyrical and evocative historical fiction about two lost souls fleeing the Spanish Civil War and the lives they make for themselves in Chili. Victor, a medic for the militia, must flee Spain with his mother and Roser, his brother's pregnant lover. Since his father and brother's death, Victor must do what is best for the women in his life. Told over the course of decades, A Long Petal of the Sea, tells us the up and downs of the life that Victor has forged for himself. Set in a country where I have read little, it was fascinating to learn more about Chile and the political strife they were facing. This story is really a 3.5 rating for me. For a lot of the book I wasn't sure where the story was going but I was still intrigued. I enjoyed the characters and thought they were very human, but didn't always love them. They were real and flawed. Character driven and beautifully narrated.