Tim Reads- September

Black Joke: The True Story of one Ship's Battle Against the Slave Trade by A.E. Rooks
(400 pages)
a fascinating look at the main boat in the British West Africa Squadron that was trying to stop slave trading between Africa and the Americas. This book shows how an underfunded and underappreciated group of boats (and this one in particular) fought against slave ships and the governments that profited from their actions.

American Demon: Eliot Ness and the Hunt for America's Jack the Ripper by Daniel Stashower
(352 pages)
a look at the “Torso Killer,” a serial killer who struck Cleveland during the Great Depression. Noted lawman Elliot Ness was brought in to head the hunt for this horrific murderer. In the end the police arrested someone, and the killings stopped but did they get the right person? 

Fight Like Hell: The Untold History of American Labor by Kim Kelly
(448 pages)
a look at the world of unions and the fight for a fair wage, and safe work place. Kelly does a great job focusing on underreported unions (flight attendants, Uber drivers, sex workers, etc.) and showing how hard it is to gain union recognition when people question if what you are doing is really work. (Oh and also a global pandemic is raging)

Pappyland: A Story of Family, Fine Bourbon, and the Things That Last by Wright Thompson
(256 pages)
an in depth look at a family and their whiskey. Pappy Van Winkle the well-known, highly sought after, and expensive booze has its history and legacy looked at. Wright Thompson’s writing is always casually informative and this book is no different, you really want a drink by the time the first chapter is over.

Broadcast Hysteria: Orson Welle's War of the Worlds and the Art of Fake News by A. Brad Schwartz
(368 pages)
When Orson Wells made his historic broadcast of, “War of the Worlds,” everyone went nuts. At least that’s the story we’ve been told, but is it true? This book looks at the before, during, after, and much later of the famous radio play. From did people in New Jersey shoot a water tower thinking it was a spaceship, to what does this say about how we interact with a trending twitter story, this book is really interesting. 

Joan of Arc: A History by Helen Castor
(376 pages)
a deep dive into the life, death, and sanctification of Joan of Arc. Who was she, did she really hear voices that told her to put on armor and go to war for France. And also how did she go from a heretic burned at the stake to a martyr, saint, and symbol.

Tarkin by James Luceno
(352 pages)
a look at the life and times of a real Star Wars scumbag. This book fleshes out the backstory of Grand Moff Tarkin (yes I am watching Andor, why do you ask) a character best known for being in control of the Death Star. This book shows his rise up the ranks of the Empire and shows his interactions with the Emperor and Darth Vader. 

Funny You Should Ask by Elissa Sussman

Summary: "Then. Twentysomething writer Chani Horowitz is stuck. While her former MFA classmates are nabbing book deals, she's in the trenches writing puff pieces. Then she's hired to write a profile of movie star Gabe Parker. The Gabe Parker--her forever celebrity crush, the object of her fantasies, the background photo on her phone--who's also just been cast as the new James Bond. It's terrifying and thrilling all at once... yet if she can keep her cool and nail the piece, it could be a huge win. Gabe will get good press, and her career will skyrocket. But what comes next proves to be life-changing in ways Chani never saw coming, as the interview turns into a whirlwind weekend that has the tabloids buzzing.

Now. Ten years later...Chani knows that facing Gabe again also means facing feelings she's tried so hard to push away..."

I liked how it started, but by the end, I was about to chuck my Kindle across the room.

352 pages

goodreads | MOBIUS

This Vicious Grace by Emily Thiede

"Free transport...might be worth it"
hey look! It's the Romanian baby study
fjkdssalfjkslda
"You remind me of a cat...it's probably because you never sit correctly and you get visibly annoyed when anyone reads a book in your presence" ......i'm a cat
ok but the touch her and you'll die trope, but different.
Also just like....screech.... the yearning. It's literally Victorian courting but different..
Dante's cool.
448 Pages

Monsters Born and Made by Tanvi Berwah

The Scorpio Races vibes
I just keep hearing "horse and chariot are tossed into the sea" from Easter Vigil....
.....there's a character named Judas.....that's totally not....gonna backfire.
The concept was really cool, and I was like---having hope for it until I got to the end and was like...there are only two chapters left.....like.....

wut.....

Me trying to find a consensus online of if it's a standalone or if it's a series...cause like.....If it's a standalone I have MANY opinions. 
It feels like Dorian was OOC at the very end.

And like the author had plot points she was trying to hit, but didn't make sure that things flowed between the plot points and that everything made sense. Like...it went off the rails in the last few chapters...and it felt unfinished and not in a good way. the pacing was off
352 Pages

Jewels of the Sun by Nora Roberts

Jewels of the Sun by Nora Roberts

Jude Murray's life isn't panning out the way she had hoped, so she decides to take refuge at Faerie Hill Cottage to study Irish folklore. 

Aidan Gallagher is back home after years of traveling, settling down to run the family pub. He has a deep understanding of Irish lore and myths, making him an essential resource for Jude. As he shares the legends that run deep within the country's roots, Aidan and Jude begin to build a history of their own. 

347 pages. Book #1 in the Gallaghers of Ardmore trilogy. 

The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton

The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton 

Evelyn Hardcastle will die everyday at 11:00 pm until Aiden Bishop can solve her murder and break the cycle. As each day begins anew, Aiden finds himself inhabiting the body of a different guest at Blackheath Manor, some more helpful than others. 

458 pages.
 

The Ghost Bride by Yangsze Choo

The Ghost Bride by Yangsze Choo

In colonial Malaya, Li Lan, the daughter of a noble but bankrupt family, receives a surprising proposal. The wealthy and powerful Lim family want her to become the ghost bride of their only son, who died recently under suspicious circumstances. Used to placate a restless spirit, such a ritual would guarantee Li Lan a home for the rest of her days, but at a terrible price.

A visit to the Lim home finds Li Lan haunted by not only her deceased potential spouse, but by the new heir, Tian Bai, as well. To escape her would-be suitor, Li Lan finds herself drawn into a ghostly parallel world filled with shadowy cities, vengeful spirits, and the charming Er Lang, an unpredictable spirit guide.  

368 pages.

Fangirl Vol 2: The Manga by Rainbow Rowell and Sam Maggs

GINGERBREAD LATTES.
AND THE OUTSIDERS SCENE.
And the iconic "I'm scared of everything. And I'm crazy. Like maybe you think I'm a little crazy, but I only ever let people see the tip of my crazy iceberg. Underneath this veneer of slightly crazy and socially inept, I'm a complete disaster.”
Hi excuse me....where's the release date for Volume 3....
On the bright side, there be no cliffhanger because the book version is published
224 Pages

The Book of Gothel by Mary McMyne

not me hoping that MC doesn't turn into the gaslighting Mother Gothel from Disney.
Also like...Mother Gothel's origin story....
ohh so that's how they got that part to fit....cool cool... I'm fine... I'm not crying... I just want them to happy. But fine. I guess. I guess that's fine. 
Me forgetting that the first section is like...in the modern era and then being shocked by the epilogue.
385 Pages

All of Our Demise by Amanda Foody and Christine Lynn Herman

It's the queer content for me....
And the Alistair content. I love him.... grumpy grump
fsjkdslafjkldsajksfdafjkldjs
Just the magic competition and the gahh. I can't
I thought I had a ship, but I was wrong, and I was glad I was wrong, because this ship is better. I love it.
480 Pages

When in Rome by Sarah Adams

I feel personally attacked by the way that Amelia treats her car....Victimized I am....
"This is where I'll get my act together"
me, having experience: ....no this is where you crash, sleep for 18 hours, and then proceed to lose your act and have a breakdown...that's like...the standard thing
"how does a baker have muscles like that?"
Excuse you, Peeta Mellark is insulted
*artist who vanishes from the media to take care of herself and meets boy....I'm sorry do you mean Taylor Swift and Joe Alwyn.
312 Pages

Belladonna by Adalyn Grace

Phantom of the Opera vibes. Just like... the darkness and not seeing the face and the mentoring. I can't. I can't.
doggo.
The sass/attitude. I just. I love Death. No one is surprised.
....and there's a masquerade...like....excuse me...
look, I'm not saying I'm Batman, but like....you've never seen me in the room with him.
I KNEW IT I KNEW IT I'M A GENIUS. FNKLDSA
I. am. screeching. the end. fjkldsjklsfdsa. Just. like. gahhhhhhh.
It's like....borderline YA/NA......cause like...
416 Pages

The Final Gambit by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Me knowing nothing about chess....
Also just fjkldsafjklda
Tiramisu
We love Nash. And Xander.... and Jameson and Grayson
384 Pages

The Dragon's Promise by Elizabeth Lim

throwing rocks at people
kgldkfdsfkkl;jfdsal
hey that's the series title of the other series.
Me not remembering which character makes a cameo, but like.
I have feelings, and I would like some fanart please. 
We love dragon's in this house.
Beautiful radish boy. We stan. Send help. Cause I can't with these characters. the brothers. I can't. 
496 Pages

The Weight of a Soul by Elizabeth Tammi

Meh. I'm just not invested in the characters... It feels like I'm reading a history book
320 Pages

Nothing More to Tell by Karen M. McManus

We stan a dog who is the symbol of a bakery and is cute and floof.
Ellery and Maeve name cameos
Bro there were so many moving pieces, and I was like....detail detail detail. Notice all the details. 
.....Did I call who killed him...yes. 
....The epilogue...do that be a hint.
Does Karen McManus have character types that she goes to...yes... Do I care. No I do not. I love them. Must protect. 
368 Pages

Monthly Girls' Nozaki-Kun Volume 1 by Izumi Tsubaki

When you have a crush on someone, you try to tell them, and you end up being awkward and recruited to help him with his manga. 
I love all of the characters so much... they just like....have really unique personalities so seeing them interact with each other and the shenanigans is just. chef's kiss.  They're all so extra, and I'm here for it.
144 Pages

Blue Period Volume 1 by Tsubasa Yamaguchi

Ok but a high school student pursuing his interest in art, and having support and teachers, and like...ways to improve.... I'm not crying.
and like...having an art club that pushes the members to really improve their art....like.... I can't. 

"Writing off the thing you love like it's just a hobby sounds like something only grown-ups would do, don't you think?" Cries. Cries. Cries. 

The art style is gorgeous, btw...like. sfjkdssfjkld 
224 Pages 

Physik by Angie Sage

DRAGON baby. I love him. He love food and we love him for that.
"even when I'm really old? like when I'm 30" dead. I'm dead Septimus. 
576 Pages

A Venom Dark and Sweet by Judy I Lin

The pacing was kind of slow for like....85% of the book.
But I love that we got Kan's (spelling cause I can't remember his name rn) perspective.
The food descriptions and the magic system.
Part of me like....wishes that they had filled out the story between the last chapter and the epilogue...cause there was emotional potential there.
352 Pages

The King Will Kill You by Sarah Henning

I love the cover. Like. A lot. And I love my boy Luca...just let him sleep tho
Ferdinand being described as an ox/bull. haha
The stakes didn't feel high enough. I wasn't having a pnaic attack, so like...
Was I waiting for a specific Princess Bride quote...yes. Cause like...
they had the scene that happens right before it.
368 Pages

Babel: Or the Necessity of Violence: An Arcane History of the Oxford Translators' Revolution by R.F. Kaung

Fantasy Victorian England with characters that aren't white. Sign me up. lezzgo.
Shots fired at Charles Dickens
Shots fired at the white person's flavor palette
"If tobacco smelled like [books] he'd huff it every day" Mood.

Let's go off about the Industrial Revolution. I. am. here. for. it. 
"It's French. Latin's flimsiest daughter"
"there's no novelist writing about the effect of opium on Chinese families" haha. I see you, RF Kuang.
When one of the quote's is Victor Hugo. 
ALSO THERE ARE FOOTNOTES.
Literally. Chef's kiss. Perfection. I am not worthy of R.F. Kuang and her brilliance. fjkldsfjildsafjklds I can't. I just can't. The commentary. The history. The language. fjkldsasfjkld Send help. 
560 Pages

Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You by Jason Reynolds and Ibram X. Kendi

 

Pages: 321

"The construct of race has always been used to gain and keep power, to create dynamics that separate and silence. This remarkable reimagining of Dr. Ibram X. Kendi's National Book Award-winning Stamped from the Beginning reveals the history of racist ideas in America, and inspires hope for an antiracist future. It takes you on a race journey from then to now, shows you why we feel how we feel, and why the poison of racism lingers. It also proves that while racist ideas have always been easy to fabricate and distribute, they can also be discredited.

Through a gripping, fast-paced, and energizing narrative written by beloved award-winner Jason Reynolds, this book shines a light on the many insidious forms of racist ideas--and on ways readers can identify and stamp out racist thoughts in their daily lives."

This 'Not History Book' did an amazing job at providing an accessible overview of the history of racism and antiracism and how it has influenced its current state. I would definitely recommend this to anyone as a starting point. It is aimed at middle to highschool age, but I think adults will benefit from reading this too, and may want to read the original Stamped for more details.

City of Glass by Cassandra Clare

 Pages: 541

"To save her mother's life, Clary must travel to the City of Glass, the ancestral home of the Shadowhunters - never mind that entering the city without permission is against the Law, and breaking the Law could mean death. To make things worse, she learns that Jace does not want her there, and Simon has been thrown in prison by the Shadowhunters. As Clary uncovers more about her family's past, she finds an ally in mysterious Shadowhunter Sebastian. With Valentine mustering the full force of his power to destroy all Shadowhunters forever, their only chance to defeat him is to fight alongside their eternal enemies. But can Downworlders and Shadowhunters put aside their hatred to work together? While Jace realizes exactly how much he's willing to risk for Clary, can she harness her newfound powers to help save the Glass City - whatever the cost?"

Soo many reveals in this book! The ending had me crying and I was left wondering what the next three books are going to be about. They left one loose end and I am curious to see how it plays out. I really enjoyed this one and I am hoping the books keep improving as the series goes.

By the Book by Jasmine Guillory

 Isabelle is completely lost. When she first began her career in publishing right out of college, she did not expect to be twenty-five, living at home, still an editorial assistant, and the only Black employee at her publishing house. Overworked and underpaid, constantly torn between speaking up or stifling herself, Izzy thinks there must be more to this publishing life. So when she overhears her boss complaining about a beastly high-profile author who has failed to deliver his long-awaited manuscript, Isabelle sees an opportunity to finally get the promotion she deserves.

All she has to do is go to the author’s Santa Barbara mansion and give him a quick pep talk or three. How hard could it be?

But Izzy quickly finds out she is in over her head. Beau Towers is not some celebrity lightweight writing a tell-all memoir. He is jaded and withdrawn and—it turns out—just as lost as Izzy. But despite his standoffishness, Izzy needs Beau to deliver, and with her encouragement, his story begins to spill onto the page. They soon discover they have more in common than either of them expected, and as their deadline nears, Izzy and Beau begin to realize there may be something there that wasn't there before.

So freaking cute you guys!!!

pages: 320

The American Roommate Experiment by Elena Armas

The wording and phrasing is just off enough that it bugs me. Because my brain predicts a word, and then it isn't that word.
If we spend the entire book talking about his arms, istg

Y'all doing Ashton dirty...

"Out of Reception" sure that's why two people on their honeymoon aren't answering their cell phones.

....He started in Portland, rented a car in New Orleans, and then drove to Phoenix....like...that.....

Omigod they were roommates
Ok but men making bread.
Character referencing the gaga gif:

Ok so like.... If we could just get rid of Lina, everything would be perfect.
Also it felt a little bit like a writer self-insert where she just posts her diary, but I have no room to judge cause that's my NANOWRIMO project, basically, but with dragons. 
400 Pages

Angelika Frankenstein Makes Her Match by Sally Thorne

Angelika's I mean. Victor's inventions around the house.
I love Will. Too pure.

Iykyk

Belladonna and Runt fanclub forever. I LOVE THEM AND WILL ADOPT THEM.
So there's a part that makes me uncomfy for ..reasons..that I won't go into, but it's in England, so it's fine. 
Y'all....I cried...
Also the name drop in the epilogue. 
384 Pages

The Dictionary of Lost Words by Pip Wililams

I am weeping. Hysterically. I don't want to talk about it.  
Do I have a favorite favorite character. Yes.
Also the Oxford English Dictionary and like...the common person's dictionary. Lezgo. 
416 Pages

The Many Daughters of Afong Moy by Jamie Ford

fhdjfdsklaskld
I just want my babies to be happy... cries
Also like. I am here for talking about trauma, especially trauma that is passed on through generations.
All the history and research. 
384 Pages

The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna

Ok but Jamie the librarian. We love him. He's me, but cooler, because he works with magical texts. 
gfjdskljsjklfgdkl;
the found family.
Also like....talking about trauma and accepting love and being vulnerable, and I can't.
Like. there was a section that reminded me of the speech from 2015 Cinderella and like sfjkdla
336 Pages

The Lost Ticket by Freya Sampson

Me connecting the dots because the hints being dropped. 
We love Esme
Also we love characters that look scary from far away but are big sweethearts
I'm not crying, you're crying.
368 Pages

Blade of Secrets by Tricia Levenseller

Ok but the magic system and the characters and the fact that we have a character with crippling social anxiety...I'm just like... sfjkldfjklds
The characters are really funny--and I love seeing how they interact with each other, and I love the magic concept and I can't. 
Kellyn is cool. No one is surprised. 

Petrick--cute little nerd:

ARE YOU HOW DID I MISS THAT
352 Pages

Dragonfly in Amber by Diana Gabaldon

Jamie and Claire hanging out in 1750s France.
me: knowing about the French salons and how they were the hubs of intellectual conversation....gimme plz.
I love Fergus so much.
y'all it took me so long to read this, and I like...forgot that stuff happened. 
I have feelings. And like. I can't.
768 Pages

Bronze Drum: A Novel of Sisters and War by Phong Nguyen

All of the crying emojis.
All. of. the. crying. emojis.
The two sisters and their love stories. cries.
400 Pages

Mr. Perfect on Paper by Jean Meltzer

Literally the first chapter with Chris gave me anxiety because the fear of breakfast going horribly wrong and the parent and child relationship.
We love Chris. He's cool. 
I really liked that we got to see a character with GAD and her coping mechanisms. And like....someone who validates the coping mechanisms, no matter how weird they seem to be.
Single dad with a preteen girl shenanigans. We love it. 
I feel like that the relationship was rushed--in the sense that the characters thought a lot of things about the other, but they never really said anything to each other, and then they were saying "I love you"
Sooooo I'm like....mildly upset because it could have been steamier....
Like... it was hinted and then never brought up. THERE WAS POTENTIAL.
416 Pages

Mad About You by Mhairi McFarlane

And they were roommates.
We stan characters getting out of toxic relationships and stuff.
fjidssfjkldsa
Calllllllllll
Also Harriet is a wedding photographer and that's just...feels. fdjklssfdjkla
416 Pages

Tokyo Dreaming by Emiko Jean

dfjskl;jsafl;jafhjksla
My ship.
Y'all I was so stressed. 
I just....love the characters. 
336 Pages