Provo City Library Staff Reviews
Books read and reviewed by librarians at the Provo City Library
Wednesday, April 24, 2024
My Hygge Home
Plan A
Monday, April 22, 2024
Reading the Gaelic Landscape = Leughadh Aghaidh na Tire
Reading the Gaelic Landscape = Leughadh Aghaidh na Tire
By John Murray
Whittles Publishing, 2019. 264 pages. Nonfiction
Reading the Gaelic Landscape is essential for anyone who is interested in the Scottish Highlands and its native language. It enables people to read and understand place-names in Gaelic, providing insights into landscape character and history. Following the success of the first edition, this new edition has been expanded and improved with additional images and enhanced drawings.Tuesday, April 16, 2024
More Than A Body
By Lexie Kite, PhD & Lindsay Kite, PhD
HarperCollins, 2020. 346 pages. Nonfiction
"Your body is an instrument, not an ornament." WOW. This nonfiction masterpiece on the way we feel about our bodies, versus the way our bodies look, is one of the most powerful I've read as of late. The authors are identical twin doctors "whose physical attributes have been scrutinized by others and each other all their lives." Shifting our thinking is difficult, because we've been conditioned our entire lives to view bodies, specifically female bodies, as needing to be pleasing to look at. It's a lesson on self-liberation that I didn't know I needed, and now I can't stop telling other people about this book! "When you know that you are more than a body," they write, "you will find that your sense of self, empowerment, and life possibilities are expanding. You will find out that the path to fulfillment and achieving your personal potential is bigger and better than simply forcing your body to fit a perfect mold." I came away from listening to this audiobook with even more passion for taking care of my body because of all that it can do for me, not for the way it looks.
Penguin Press: 2023. 274 pages. Nonfiction
One of the most decorated collegiate athletes of all time and a national champion as a pro, Lauren Fleshman has grown up in the world of running. But every step of the way, she has seen how our sports systems--originally designed for men and boys--fail women and girls. Girls drop out of sports at alarming rates once they hit puberty, and female collegiate athletes routinely fall victim to injury, eating disorders, or mental health struggles as they try to force their way past a natural dip in performance for women of their age. Fleshman gives voice to the often-silent experience of the female athlete and argues that the time has come to rebuild competitive sports with women at their center.
By Aubrey Gordon
Beacon Press: 2020. 197 pages. Nonfiction
Tiny Reparations Books: 2023. 303 pages. Nonfiction
This book is about finding actual freedom in our bodies by discovering strength and aspects of fitness, movement, and eating that work for YOU. It's about realizing that the goal is not to look at our bodies and love everything we see; it's to understand that at our essence we are so much more than our bodies. But it's also about recognizing the harsh realities that prohibit people in marginalized bodies from being able to do so. Society constantly bombards those who fall outside Eurocentric standards of beauty (think Black, fat, trans, etc.) with the message that they are less attractive, and part of the journey toward body liberation is examining your own privilege, acknowledging the harm you may be causing others, and mourning your old ideas about what a body "should" look like. Recognizing that none of us are free until all of us are, Chrissy King shares the wisdom, the tools, and the inspiration to motivate readers to find body liberation and, even more important, to pass it on.
LKA
Monday, April 15, 2024
Why We Read: On Bookworms, Libraries and Just One More Page Before Lights Out
What makes someone a capital-R Reader? What appeal factors draw us in to a special book ? Reed, an essayist, teacher, and voracious reader, shares memories from her life as a bookworm as well as charming stories about the ways in which books have impacted the generations of students she's worked with. Readers will be smitten with this introspective, humorous, and lovely book.
As a reader who finds such joy in books (go figure, the librarian who loves books), I found this book so much fun to read. In the past I have incorrectly assumed certain characteristics of a person’s reading habits were needed to qualify them to be a True Reader. I’ve since dismissed that notion, but reading this book has me even more converted to the idea that everyone can, and should be a reader and that every reader is unique. There’s no right way to be a Reader and so much joy can come from sharing your love of reading with others. Reed's writing was candid and each essay was engaging and witty. One of the essays included in the book was about the Pizza Hut BOOK IT! program. If you know, you know.
If you like Why We Read, you might also like:
If you love to read, you know that some books affect you so profoundly they forever change the way you think about the world. Some books, on the other hand, disappoint you so much you want to throw them against the wall. Either way, it's clear that a book can be your new soul mate or the bad relationship you need to end. In Dear Fahrenheit 451, librarian Annie Spence has crafted love letters and breakup notes to the iconic and eclectic books she has encountered over the years. From breaking up with The Giving Tree (a dysfunctional relationship book if ever there was one), to her love letter to The Time Traveler's Wife (a novel less about time travel and more about the life of a marriage, with all of its ups and downs), Spence will make you think of old favorites in a new way. Filled with suggested reading lists, Spence's take on classic and contemporary books is very much like the best of literature sometimes laugh-out-loud funny, sometimes surprisingly poignant, and filled with universal truths. A celebration of reading, Dear Fahrenheit 451 is for anyone who loves nothing more than curling up with a good book ... and another, and another, and another!
Friday, April 12, 2024
Someone You Can Build a Nest In
Thursday, April 4, 2024
Never Lie
Wednesday, April 3, 2024
The Great Divide
by Cristina Henriquez
Ecco, 2024. 321 pages. Historical Fiction
A novel about the construction of the Panama Canal in 1907, following the intersecting lives of the local families fighting to protect their homeland, the West Indian laborers recruited to dig the waterway, and the white Americans who gained profit and glory for themselves.
I love reading historical fiction that reveals the life experiences of people in diverse settings, so of course I was drawn to this account of the building of the Panama Canal. This novel covers a lot of ground, discussing themes such as colonialism and exploitation, and the history of Panama in the late 1800s and early 1900s. This is all covered with a light touch, as Henriquez weaves multiple story lines together to give a wide view of events. Each story line intersects in interesting and intricate ways, with a wide cast of characters. With so many topics and voices covered, this book kept me reading and constantly finding something new.
If you like The Great Divide you might also like:
River Sing Me Homeby Eleanor Shearer
Berkley, 2023. 322 pages. Historical Fiction
When Rachel learns of the Emancipation Act of 1834, she runs from the Barbados plantation she has been enslaved on, and sets out to find her five children who were sold. Are any of them still alive? Rachel has to know. The grueling, dangerous journey takes her from Barbados then, by river, deep into the forest of British Guiana and finally across the sea to Trinidad.
Silent Winds, Dry Seas
by Vinod Busjeet
Doubleday, 2021. 272 pages. Historical Fiction
In the 1950s, Vishnu Bhushan, a young descendant of Indian indentured laborers in Mauritius battles to experience the world beyond while he simultaneously deals with the cultural, political and familial turmoil that holds on to him.
MB
Saturday, March 30, 2024
One Dark Window
Orbit, 2022. 421 pages. Fantasy
Elspeth Spindle needs more than luck to stay safe in the eerie, mist-locked kingdom she calls home--she needs a monster. She calls him the Nightmare, an ancient, mercurial spirit trapped in her head. He protects her. He keeps her secrets. But nothing comes for free, especially magic. When Elspeth meets a mysterious highwayman on the forest road, her life takes a drastic turn. Thrust into a world of shadow and deception, she joins a dangerous quest to cure the kingdom of the dark magic infecting it. Except the highwayman just so happens to be the King's own nephew, Captain of the Destriers...and guilty of high treason. He and Elspeth have until Solstice to gather twelve Providence Cards--the keys to the cure. But as the stakes heighten and their undeniable attraction intensifies, Elspeth is forced to face her darkest secret yet: the Nightmare is slowly, darkly, taking over her mind. And she might not be able to stop him.
This book, which is the first of a duology, was recommended on Bookstagram for those who enjoyed Fourth Wing or Sarah J. Maas' books. It contains a steamy romance, a compelling voice, intriguing characters, and thrilling action. The unique magical system is detailed but not overly descriptive. Fans of Naomi Novak and Hannah Whitten will want to give this a try.
Del Rey, 2015. 438 pages. Fantasy
For the Wolf
Thursday, March 21, 2024
Voyage de Gourmet
Layne Green is a social media sensation of a cook. He's selected to compete on a reality TV show called Voyage de Gourmet - a globe-trotting foodie adventure. However, his partner is his former best friend, Jiang-Mi Pipper, someone that he really wronged with some of his posts. Can the two find forgiveness, flavor, and themselves on this journey?
This comic book was a culinary delight! I've found that many graphic novels with cooking themes are harder for me to get into because it ends up explaining everything about the cooking techniques which are going into the food. Unlike other cooking-themed graphic novels I've read, Voyage de Gourmet doesn't emphasize the techniques the cooks are using to make their dishes. This makes the book feel much more accessible, as it instead emphasizes the book's plot and the relationships between the characters. There's all the drama, backstabbing, and high-stakes adventure you'd expect from a graphic novel centered around a reality show about culinary adventuring, and is mixed with some important talks about what it means to be a good person. From its 'bon appetit' beginning to the finger-licking ending, this book is sure to satisfy!
If you liked Voyage de Gourmet, you may also like:
Cooking with Monsters: the Beginner's Guide to Culinary Combat
By Jordan Alasaqa
IDW Publishing, 2023. 256 pages. Young Adult Comic.
Hana Ozawa is the newest face at the Gourmand Academy of Culinary Combat, a school that will teach her how to fight monsters AND how to turn them into delicious meals. Hana is a natural, but so are her classmates, and she struggles to keep up--she's gotta stand out, especially if she wants to impress the warrior chef who saved her life as a child. Throw in a crush on a formidable lady rival and a dash of multicultural cuisine, and this unique and hilarious story is sure to hit the spot!
Where There's a Whisk
By Sarah J Schmitt
Running Press Teens, 2021. 396 pages. Young Adult Fiction.
Life is what you bake it. Peyton Sinclaire wants nothing more than to escape her life as a diner waitress in her small, North Florida town and attend culinary school. Top Teen Chef, Food TV's new show that pairs reality TV drama with a fast-paced culinary competition, is her ticket out of her boring future. It's a once-in-a-lifetime chance to make her dreams come true and Peyton is determined to prove to herself, and the world, that where you're born does not determine where you can go. However, once on the show, Peyton quickly discovers that there is more to the competition than just a well-seasoned dish.
Saturday, March 16, 2024
Listen for the Lie
Wednesday, March 13, 2024
A Little Devil in America
The Six: The Untold Story of America's First Women Astronauts
Monday, March 11, 2024
A Fate Inked in Blood
A shield maiden
blessed by the gods battles to unite a nation under a power-hungry king—while
fighting her growing desire for his fiery son.
A Norse Mythology
infused romantic fantasy, perfect for those looking for the same instant attraction that
they found so enjoyable between the characters of Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros. This is a steamy action-packed story, and
while its’ storyline has its’ roots in the mythology it reads much more like a
contemporary novel with just a few words and phrases here and there to remind the reader that it isn't. Recommended for avid Romantasy lovers, and all who enjoy their male leads of the strong dark
tattooed variety.
If you like A Fate
Inked in Blood you might also like:
Hidden within an
unusual circus run by a centuries-old Enchanter, Harrow, keeping her true
identity and magical ability a secret, finds her destiny in an elemental with
no recollection of who he is, forcing her to reveal the secrets from her own
dark past to save this dangerous creature.
Twenty-year-old
Violet Sorrengail was supposed to enter the Scribe Quadrant, living a quiet
life among books and history. Now, the commanding general—also known as her
tough-as-talons mother—has ordered Violet to join the hundreds of candidates
striving to become the elite of Navarre: dragon riders. But when you’re smaller
than everyone else and your body is brittle, death is only a heartbeat
away...because dragons don’t bond to “fragile” humans. They incinerate them.
RBL