Recently Read: Women in Science: 50 Fearless Pioneers who Changed the World

Author: Rachel Ignotofsky
Genre: Nonfiction- Young Readers
Publication Date: 2016
Page Count: 128
Rating: 4/5

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This is an anthology aimed at younger readers featuring short biographies and facts about fifty women who have made important advances in the STEM field. Each woman is accompanied by an illustration, facts about themselves, and details regarding her findings. 

This book is so cool! Every elements of it is so well-done and compelling. The art work is adorable, but it doesn't make the book feel too cutesy or take away from the amazing work these woman have done. The bios are short enough to make this a fast read, but have enough detail to spark interest and curiosity. I have to admit, I spent longer looking up more information about these women than I spent reading the book. I was introduced to so many new awesome ladies that I will be researching in the future! I was only familiar with a handful of the women in this book, which was great because it meant I was introduced to so many new names. 

Check out the author's website to see this image and 

others from the book here. 

I really appreciated the range of women that were included in this book. The book ranges from Hypatia, born in 350 C.E., to Maryam Mirzakhani, born in 1977. Women from all around the world are included, and their achievements outside of science are also included. A large number of these women are honored suffragettes, civil rights activists, and peace ambassadors, and I loved that this information was included alongside their scientific achievements. Although this book is aimed at younger readers, it did not feel simple. The author does not shy away from including the science and math involved in these women's findings, and the information is engaging but easy to understand.

I also loved that the author included the struggles that many of these women faced in order to be accepted in colleges and graduate programs, as well of those who were snubbed of their rightful acknowledgments because they were women working in the scientific field. One of the only things I remember from my high school science classes is the fact that Rosalind Franklin discovered and proved DNA's double helix structure, not Watson and Crick. I was surprised at some of the treatment that these women endured at the hands of higher-education institutions, and I'm really glad that information was included in this book. Another, and more positive, common theme I saw between a lot of these women, were husbands who doubled as research partners. Some of the couples in this book are seriously #relationshipgoals. As soon as I read about Gerty Cori's husband carrying her around her lab when she became to ill to move around it herself, I immediately Googled books about them, and unfortunately, came up short.    

I hope that with books like this, and the recent success of novels/films such as Hidden Figures and The Imitation Game we continue to tell the stories of these unknown women who have helped to build our society. I know I'm dying to hear these stories, and I think that big media companies are realizing that other people are interested in these stories too. I checked this book out from the library, but will be searching out my own copy ASAP. I also recommend checking out the author's website as she does beautiful illustrations and sells prints of them, including prints from the book. I am dreaming of putting her Women Activists poster in my classroom. 

If you have any recommendations of books/movies/documentaries similar to this, let me know! 

Updated Women Writers List TBR

A couple of years ago, I made a list of female authors that I wanted to either read more from or read for the first time. I made some good progress towards the list, but I thought it was time to revamp and expand that list to motivate myself to read some authors I've been wanting to read for AGES. So here is my new list of fifty three women authors I want to read more from or read for the first time. I'll be keeping track of what I read for this list on my blog tab page titled "Women Writers List" as I was for the other one, and of course, I'll be reviewing the books as well. I wanted to mention that this list could have been much longer, but I left it shorter so that I could add to it as I cross authors off. Let me know if I missed any of your favorites so I can add them to the list! I used my physical TBR, my Goodreads TBR, and this list from Jean's Bookish Thoughts blog to make this list.

 

 

Women I want to read more from

1. Sarah Waters

2. Sylvia Plath

3. Jane Austen

4. Chimanda Ngozi Adiche

5. Margaret Atwood

6. Muriel Spark

7. Shirley Jackson

8. Edith Wharton

9. Charlotte Bronte

10. Virginia Woolf

11. Diane di Prima

12. Maya Angelou

13. Mary Shelley

14. George Elliot

15. Louise Erdrich

16. Agatha Christie 

Women I want to read for the first time

17. Gloria Steinem

18. Zora Neal Hurston

19. Angela Carter 

20. Elena Ferante

21. Donna Tart

22. Mary Wollstonecraft

23. Elizabeth Bowen

24. Dorthy Parker

25. Ali Smith

26. Daphe Du Mauier

27. Toni Morrison

28. Anne Bronte

29. Willa Cather

30. Betty Smith

31. Charlotte Perkins Gilman

32. Anne Sexton

33. Alice Walker

34. Zadie Smith

35. Elizabeth Gaskell

36. Angela Davis

37. Audre Lorde

38. bell hooks

39. Carol Ann Duffy

40. Fanny Burney

41. Mary Beard

42. Louisa May Alcott

43. Sappho

44. Rita Mae Brown

45. Carson McCullers

46. Iris Murdoch

47. Jeanette Winterson

48. Rebecca West

49. Madeleine L'Engle

50. L.M. Montgomery

51. Mary Stewart

52. Patricia Highsmith  

Recently Read: Weave a Circle Around

Author: Kari Maaren
Genre: Young Adult- Science Fiction/Fantasy
Publication Date: 2017
Page Count: 336
Rating: 3/5

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Freddy lives with her younger sister, her deaf step-brother, her step-father, and her mother. She can't seem to get along with her step-brother Roland, who has bounded with her sister Mel over role-playing games, and her step-dad and mother are never around. Freddy feels out of place at home and at school. When new neighbors move into the often-vacant house next door, Freddy quickly discovers they are not who, or even what, they claim to be. 

I'm pretty sure I saw this book on a list of books recommended to fans of Stranger Things right after I finished season two. And since I, like the rest of the world, am a HUGE fan of Stranger Things I decided to check this one out. 

There were parts of this book that I really enjoyed and parts that I felt underwhelmed by. I really liked the concept, and the supernatural elements were really unique. The neighbors, Josiah and Cuerva Lachance were unlike any supernatural force I have encountered before, and I'm always interested by time travel in a plot. Even with these super cool individual elements, there was something missing. The characters fell a bit flat for me, and the time travel section of the novel was a bit too scattered and didn't add enough to the overall plot. The mystery of the novel was interesting enough to keep me reading in order to unravel it, but once it was unraveled it was a bit underwhelming. 

The end of the novel was also a little scattered and there was a couple of events that I didn't entirely understand how they were resolved. I know that the supernatural is not always meant to be understood, but I don't think that was what was going on here. 

One element of the novel that I really enjoyed was its connection to the Coleridge poem "Kubla Khan." I'm a sucker for contemporary fiction, particularly YA, that aligns itself with or references a classic work, and this one did it really well. "Kubla Khan" is a heck of a roller coaster ride, and it served its purpose very well in this novel. I thought that was a really clever addition. 

Overall, this was a super quick read and a pretty unique plot. I'm glad I picked this one up from the library, as it was entertaining and pretty light-hearted. I've really been in the mood for sci-fi and historical fiction lately, and this one kind of checked both boxes. If you like supernatural/sci-fi reads, I would give this one a try!  

2018 Releases on My Radar (and that might not be on yours)

January tis the month to post about upcoming book releases! I have seen quite a few posts highlighting books that will be released in 2018, but I haven't seen a lot of the books that have caught my eye on many lists. I thought I would share some of the books on my 2018 watch-list that may not be on yours. Book titles lead to Goodreads of course!

Truly Devious by Maureen Johnson 
Release Date: January 16th

This is a mystery that flips back and forth in time that takes place at a boarding school. I love Johnson's humor and thought the first two books in her Shades of London mystery series were hilarious and so well-done, so I think this one will be a really great read. It looks as if this will be the first book in a trilogy.  

The Apocalypse of Elena Mendoza by Shaun David Hutchinson

Release Date: February 6th 

I loved the writing and magical realism of Hutchinson's We Are the Ants which I read in 2016, so I'm really looking forward to this release. This one also sounds like it will have some magical realism as the main character, a girl-who-likes-girls, is able to perform miracles, including healing her crush from a gunshot wound as her mysterious shooter disappears into the clouds. 

Tess of the Road by Rachel Hartmen

Release Date: February 27th 

This one is set in Medieval times and is about a rebellious girl who avoids being sent to a nunnery by her parents by running away and disguising herself as a boy. Oh, yeah, and there's dragons. 

Blood Water Paint by Joy McCullough 

Release Date: March 6th 

Books about art and artists always catch my eye and this one sounds really interesting as it centers around an Italian teenage female artist in the early 1600s. It's written in verse, and centers around a young woman's struggle to make a name for herself in a world that doesn't approve of her lifestyle. 

The Price Guide to the Occult by Leslye Walton

Release Date: March 13th 

This one deals with family curses, witches, and love. I haven't read Walton's first novel, but I've heard lots of great things about the lyrical writing and the magical realism elements. 

Undead Girl Gang by Lily Anderson

Release Date: May 8th 

This one has a super unique premise! Mila tries to solve the mystery of her best friend and the school's mean girls' deaths by bringing them back from the dead. I love the vibes of this cover, and the premise sounds like it has a lot of potential! 

Scream All Night by Derek Milman

Release Date: July 24th

I have to rely on Goodreads for this one because its another one with a unique premise. 

Dario Heyward knows one thing: He’s never going back to Moldavia Studios, the iconic castle that served as the set, studio, and home to the cast and crew of dozens of cult classic B-horror movies. It’s been three years since Dario’s even seen the place, after getting legally emancipated from his father, the infamous director of Moldavia’s creature features.

But then Dario’s brother invites him home to a mysterious ceremony involving his father and a tribute to his first film—The Curse of the Mummy’s Tongue. Dario swears his homecoming will be a one-time visit. A way for him to get closure on his past—and reunite with Hayley, his first love and costar of Zombie Children of the Harvest Sun, a production fraught with real-life tragedy—and say good-bye for good. But the unthinkable happens—Dario gets sucked back into the twisted world of Moldavia and the horrors, both real and imagined, he’s left there.

With only months to rescue the sinking studio and everyone who has built their lives there, Dario must confront the demons of his past—and the uncertainties of his future. But can he escape the place that’s haunted him his whole life?

The Truth Lies Here by Lindsey Klingele 

Release Date: August 21st

This one has lots of great elements. It takes place in my home state, it's a mystery with paranormal elements, and a conspiracy theory obsessed father who goes missing. 

The Boneless Mercies by April Genevieve Tucholke 

Release Date: October 2nd 

There's not a lot of information about this one out yet besides that it's a gender-bent Beowulf, which you can sign me up for. 

Blanca and Roja by Anna-Marie McLemore 

Release Date: October 9th 

Goodreads: A magical realist Snow-White & Rose-Red meets Swan Lake, in which two sisters become rivals in a game that will turn the losing girl into a swan.  I enjoyed McLemore's first novel. Her writing was super lyrical and the magical realism was super interesting, and I'm hoping this one will be similar.  

Pulp by Robin Talley

Release Date: 2018

Goodreads: About a closeted teen in the 1950s finding a way to express herself by writing a lesbian pulp novel and a contemporary out-and-proud lesbian who discovers the book years later and becomes fascinated by its pseudonymous author.

Girls on the Verge by Sharron Briggs Walker

Release Date: 2018 

Goodreads: When 17-year-old Camille discovers she can't obtain an abortion anywhere near her small hometown, she sets off for a Planned Parenthood clinic in the next state. Accompanied by Annabelle, the one-time star of her high school who has wound up stocking shelves, Camille embarks on a road trip of self-discovery in this coming-of-age story pitched as Going Bovinemeets Thelma and Louise. 

Recently Read: The Miniaturist

Author: Jessie Burton
Genre: Historical Fiction
Page Count: 382
Publication Date: 2014
Rating: 4/5

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On a brisk autumn day in 1686, eighteen-year-old Nella Oortman arrives in Amsterdam to begin a new life as the wife of illustrious merchant trader Johannes Brandt. But her new home, while splendorous, is not welcoming. Johannes is kind yet distant, always locked in his study or at his warehouse office--leaving Nella alone with his sister, the sharp-tongued and forbidding Marin.

But Nella's world changes when Johannes presents her with an extraordinary wedding gift: a cabinet-sized replica of their home. To furnish her gift, Nella engages the services of a miniaturist--an elusive and enigmatic artist whose tiny creations mirror their real-life counterparts in eerie and unexpected ways . . .

Johannes' gift helps Nella to pierce the closed world of the Brandt household. But as she uncovers its unusual secrets, she begins to understand--and fear--the escalating dangers that await them all. In this repressively pious society where gold is worshipped second only to God, to be different is a threat to the moral fabric of society, and not even a man as rich as Johannes is safe. Only one person seems to see the fate that awaits them. Is the miniaturist the key to their salvation . . . or the architect of their destruction? From Goodreads

I have a huge collection of popular historical fiction novels that I have been wanting to read on my TBR shelves and cold weather always puts me in the mood for a long historical novel, so this is the one I picked off my shelf to read first. I really enjoyed this novel. I really didn't know much about it besides the information on the inside flap, and that it received a lot of positive buzz when it was released, and I was pleasantly surprised by what was inside this novel. It had a great plot, intriguing characters, mystery, and beautiful writing. 

I loved the 17th century Amsterdam setting, as this is a setting I have never read before. Burton did an amazing job at bringing the setting to life. This novel felt like a visual experience, and I am happy to hear that it has been adapted into a mini-series. The characters are very real, and all of the characters, even the small side characters, have been given so much detail and care by Brandt that they all seem absolutely essential to the novel. The back cover compares Burton's novel to the works of Sarah Waters, and I have to agree there. While The Miniaturist may not have the same level of twists as Waters' novels, this novel is full of mystery and surprise and kept me on my toes. 

This novel deals with so many subjects in such an interesting way. It comments on religion, wealth, sin in its varying degrees, the historically limited options for women, family, love, and the inner mysteries of every human. All of these ideas weaved into the plot seamlessly along with the mystery of the miniaturist and the question of fate and the future. The writing is beautiful and the plot never falters or slows. Time truly slipped away while I was reading this novel. 

I already purchased Burton's second novel, and I will be eager to read whatever she releases in the future. Her writing was beautiful and her scene building impeccable. I have a feeling that this novel has inspired a marathon of historical fiction reading! 

TBR Spotlight: Books Set in Africa

In the past year, I have really been loving books set in Africa. This was not a setting that I read a lot of fiction about until I read Paula McLain's Circling the Sun. After reading her beautiful descriptions of the African landscape and being intrigued by the colonial Africa setting, I decided I really wanted to pick up more fiction with an African setting. Here's some of the books set in Africa that are highest on my TBR list.
Book titles link to Goodreads!

Homegoing, Yaa Gyasi

I've heard lots of praise for this one. A generational family saga set on multiple contents sounds like something I need in my life. 

Half of A Yellow Sun, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

I've heard that this Adichie novel is a bit more intense than her other novels, but I really love her writing and want to read all her works. I have only read one, so really all of her works are on this list. I really love all of the different editions of Adichie's novels, so it will take some searching before I decide which edition of this one I want to pick up. 

Americanah, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Another novel with a setting on multiple contents, this has been labeled as Adichie's best work so far. 

Out of Africa, Isak Dinesen 

I've been wanting to read this one after reading so much about Beryl Markham last year. I have never seen the movie (which I hear is quite different) so I can see a back-to-back marathon in my future. 

Akata Witch, Nnedi Okorafor

I had to stop myself from buying this one in the book store the other day, as it sounds so cool. A magic-school series set in Africa. Yes Please! 

Stay with Me, Ayobami Adebayo

I've heard lots of great things about this one, and it sounds like it has a similar feel to Purple Hibiscus in that it's a character driven family drama. 

Leave me recommendations for your favorite fiction set in Africa so I can expand this list! 

New Year, New Books: Book Haul

I know I just posted about intending to read more of the books I already own, but I couldn't pass up the Book Outlet Boxing Day Sale, and I have been holding onto some credit from my favorite bookstore, so I picked up a few new reads. I'm really excited to get to all of these, and I think I will read them fairly soon, so I don't feel too guilty about picking them up.

Book Titles link to Goodreads.

From Book Outlet

Love, Lies, and Spies by Cindy Anstey

 This looks like a really cute read. Austen inspired  with spies added in? Yes, please.

And I Darken by Kristen White

I've heard lots of great things about this series, so I couldn't resist picking it up. I love a good YA fantasy series, and I think this one is going to deliver. 

The Muse by Jessie Burton

 I'm currently reading Burton's The Miniaturist and even though I'm only a few chapters in, I'm loving it, so I'm glad to have this one on hand to pick up soon.  

Ghost Talkers by Mary Robinette Kowal

This one caught my eye on Goodreads a while back. It's got a super unique premise: a group of mediums contributing to the WWI effort by communicating with fallen soldiers. 

Yesternight By Cat Winters

I'm a big fan of Cat Winters paranormal historical fiction, and I'm a few books behind on her releases. I've been picking them up whenever I come across them; I believe this is one of her adult novels. I have no idea what this one is about, but Winters is an auto-buy author for me, so I know I will enjoy it. 

From the Bookstore

All the Crooked Saint by Maggie Stiefvater

I couldn't pass up a signed copy of Stiefvater's newest release, especially when I had credit for the bookstore. I'm a big fan of The Raven Cycle, but that's all I have read from Stiefvater, so I'm eager to read more of her works. 

What have you bought in the new year? 

Recently Read: Bird Box

Author: Josh Malerman
Genre: Adult Thriller/ Horror
Page Count: 262
Publication Date: 2014
Rating: 3.5/5

Add on Goodreads 

Something outside is making those who see it lose their minds. It starts with a few alarmingly violent cases throughout the world and then quickly spreads. Don't open your eyes because what you see will drive you crazy. Bird Box follows a house of strangers trying to survive this new world with their eyes shut. 

I have seen some buzz about this book lately, and although it's not my usual type of read, the concept sounded so interesting to me that I couldn't resist picking it up. I had no idea of what to expect from the plot or the reading experience, and that made the book even more fun to read. I couldn't put this book down. From page one, Malerman sucks you into a world of suspense and uncertainty and you need to find out what happens next.

I thought the writing style fit with the plot and genre perfectly. You really don't get to know any of the characters all that well, but you don't need to. The plot is constantly moving towards something unknown and that drives the narrative. I also really loved that the book wasn't told in a linear fashion as both the past and present were so interesting that I was equally invested in what was happening in both times, which is not always the case with books that switch back and forth between times. The novel has the perfect amount of "shocks" and suspense, but still keeps an interesting plot and substance. Once you pick this book up, you won't put it down until it's finished.

A lot of the negative reviews on Goodreads are the result of readers being unhappy with the ending of the novel. While this book does leave a lot of questions unanswered, I prefer it that way. I think that's what makes good science fiction or horror so good. The unknown is what scares us as humans, we need to sort and classify everything we see in a logical fashion, and when we can't, that's when we are threatened. Unanswered questions in the real world, and fiction such as this, is what makes horror scary. I don't want to reveal too much about the plot or the ending, but I respected the ending and enjoyed it. It does what the end of a good horror plot should do: make you think about it even after you have finished it. And I agree that some details of the novel are unrealistic, but it's a novel with a supernatural plot; I'm willing to suspend belief for the smaller details as well as the larger ones in an entertaining novel such as this one. 

If you're not usually a reader of this genre, I really recommend this one. I raced through it and really enjoyed not knowing what was going to happen next. I'm interested to explore the thriller/horror genre more in the near future, so leave me your favorites!  

Some 2018 Intentions (reading and otherwise)

Last year, I didn't really set any year-long reading goals for myself. I was so overwhelmed with finishing my degree and the uncertainty that comes along with that, that I couldn't even picture a month into the future, much less a whole year. Over the past week or so, I've been thinking about whether or not to set 2018 goals, reading and otherwise. I started out by saying no I wasn't going to, yet here I am writing this post. My Type-A personality is once again victorious.

Instead of big, lofty goals, I'm going to throw out a few intentions for this year. I have no idea where I will be for most of the year, as this summer I will be interviewing for actual teaching jobs and then tackling my first year of teaching, which is notoriously difficult, but that's okay. These are just some things that I intend to do, or devote some time attempting to do this year.

In 2018 I want to...

• Read the books I already own. This one is on every year's list, but I never really feel like I make any progress. I buy more books in a year than I read from my existing TBR, and that's fine really. I'm not going to attempt to directly change the number of books I buy in a year, I just want to try and read from my own shelves more. 

• Read more authors from my Women's Writers List. I made this list a very long time ago, and I would love to revamp it and continue completing it. I've really taken a step back from reading classics this year, as I have been finished with my college literature courses, but I want to get back into them, and classics by women is my area of interest. I'll be revamping this list and posting about it in the near future.  

• Keep posting. It seems like every time I have been in a good blogging flow in the past two years, some major life thing (usually school) disrupts it and then I loose the flow. It's frustrating to see something you spend a lot of time working on gain in views and reads, only to loose that momentum because of outside forces. Blogging has never been about the views for me, I just love having a place to write about what I read, and I appreciate it even more now that I am out of school and have lost that avenue for discussing literature. I want to keep writing about what I read regardless of how busy I get this year or the numbers. I really love having this record of my relationship with literature. 

• Continue to declutter my life. Ever since moving out, and then back in my parents, my life has been overflowing with stuff. I moved an apartment's worth of stuff back in my childhood room, which was already filled with stuff, and I don't even know what I own anymore. I have been donating like crazy this year, and I want to keep doing that. I need to be honest with myself about what I need and proactive about getting rid of what I don't. 

I am thinking I will make smaller goals throughout the year as well, but for now, these are the things I want to focus my time and energy on this year. I would love to hear what your intentions for the new year are or your thoughts on New Year in general! Happy Reading! 

Recently Read: Purple Hibiscus

Author: Chimanda Ngozi Adichie
Genre: Literary Fiction
Page Count: 307
Publication Date: 2005
Rating: 4/5

Add on Goodreads 

Fifteen-year-old Kambili’s world is circumscribed by the high walls and frangipani trees of her family compound. Her wealthy Catholic father, under whose shadow Kambili lives, while generous and politically active in the community, is repressive and fanatically religious at home.

When Nigeria begins to fall apart under a military coup, Kambili’s father sends her and her brother away to stay with their aunt, a University professor, whose house is noisy and full of laughter. There, Kambili and her brother discover a life and love beyond the confines of their father’s authority. The visit will lift the silence from their world and, in time, give rise to devotion and defiance that reveal themselves in profound and unexpected ways. 

This is a book about the promise of freedom; about the blurred lines between childhood and adulthood; between love and hatred, between the old gods and the new. From Goodreads 

 This was my first Adichie novel, and as she has been on my to-read list forever, I thought it would be best to start with her first novel. I'm happy to report that I really enjoyed this novel! I will be getting my hands on more of her works very soon. I also love my anniversary edition published by 4th Estate and am now kicking myself for only ordering two works in these editions rather than all four of the ones they offered. 

I really didn't know what to expect plot-wise with this novel when I started it. I was drawn in by Kambili's narrative voice right away, and then I knew it wasn't about plot so much as it was about Kambili as a character. I loved the setting; I have been really craving books set in Africa, and this one has just added fuel to the fire. Africa provides such a rich setting for novels as the physical landscape is so beautiful, and it is often plagued with political turmoil. 

This was a really powerful coming-of-age story for both Kambili and her brother. I felt so strongly for both of them throughout the novel. I felt rather helpless watching them struggle with their strict and controlling father, but was rooting for them with every fiber of my being. This is a novel of contrasts; Kambili and her brother, Kambili's family and her Aunt's family, her mother and her father, her father and the priest. All of these contrasts reflect each other brilliantly and help to shape Kambili's world and internal journey. 

I wish there had been more on the coup in the novel because I was really interested in the political situation surrounding the characters, but it was never explained or examined in any detail. I also thought the end was a bit rushed, lots of big events happen in the last few pages that left me feeling a bit thrown-off because most of the book is motivated by characters rather than plot, and then a pretty large plot unfolds at the very end. Despite these minor complaints, I really enjoyed this novel and thought it was beautifully written. I want to read everything by Adichie now and will be picking up more of her works in 2018, including her nonfiction.  

Which work of Adichie's should I pick up next? Any recommendations for books set in Africa? I'll be making a TBR list soon!