Adventurous Reader
“Sometimes, you see a tall ride peaking toward the sky, and you know you shouldn't get on. Your stomach will fall. Maybe you'll get motion sickness. But the potential excitement is too deliciously intriguing to walk away.”
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Such a cute story!!! A small town girl, in love with roller coasters, goes toe to toe with the big wig engineer who built the roller coaster that hurt her. The tension is palpable, but after being forced to work together all summer things change. A fun push pull dynamic, with just enough spice. I fell in love with Honeywood and all the characters.
“People”—Geralt turned his head—“like to invent monsters and monstrosities. Then they seem less monstrous themselves.”
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Meet Geralt of Rivia, the Witcher. We follow Geralt along in his adventures against vicious monsters and interactions with friends and foes. Fun short tales to pique the story lover's interest.
“He looks like revolution. He looks like compassion. Blue eyes and gentle hands and quick feet and a core of strength and steel”
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We are introduced to Tessa and Wes, Robinhood figures, stealing medicine from the rich to give to the poor, but trouble comes when there are sparks of revolution and they have to pick a side; side with the dangerous rebels or the royals trying to uphold the law. Kemmerer has given us characters to love and hate, and maybe a bit of both, and woven a tale that keeps us on the edge of our seats. A delight to read, and highly recommendable!
Sometimes you need a book to make you actually think, and take a look at your life, that is this book. Lewis has us questioning our actions and reevaluating our decisions during and after reading these letters. I highly recommend everyone to give this quick collection of letters a read and put a little thought into what is being discussed.
“You don't know till you go” is tried and true wisdom in the difficult task of shipwreck identification.”
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James Delgado takes us under the sea in a collection of captivating tales of his dives on various sunken ships. He provides a brief history of these lost vessels, bringing them back from the depths and into the minds of the readers to share their stories so they may live on. Delgado also describes his dives and the feelings of seeing the sunken crafts, sometimes for the first time since they were lost. An informative, yet easier read, to bring some insight into the history of sunken ships.
“You were new. Different. Beautiful. And very demanding. I was at a loss. Still am most of the time.' ‘Really?' I ask, surprised. ‘You always seem so sure—of everything.”
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Another fantastic, fun weekend with the London Prep gang. Jillian Dodd has given us plenty of drama to keep us on our toes, a few shirtless scenes, and a bit of commitment. And of course, a cliffhanger ending, leaving Mallory with another big decision!
Rating: 4.5/5
“There is only your before and your after. How many times have my brothers and I heard this and not known what Papa had meant? It is what you do after that matters.”
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An incredible story, weaving the main character, Nena's, past and present together. Yasmin has brought a modern day thriller, with tough topics, and a pinch of love story to the table, and she has done an amazing job. Although it starts out a bit difficult, Nena's story flows together and is too enthralling to put down, bringing so many different emotions to the surface.
“One archaeologist noticed two rude lines of verse, scratched on the rock wall, in front of their very noses: If any fools this high samootch explore, Know Charles Masson has been here before.”
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The story is a fun, adventurous, and wild journey through the Middle East in the early 1800s in search of freedom, lost history, and a little recognition. Following a deserter, who becomes a historian, I found Charles Masson captivating as he evaded the East India Trading Company, dined with rulers, was forced into espionage, and fell in love with the search for a lost history. At times the story is exciting, at some it is mundane, and at others a little bit sad, but overall it is fascinating. Masson's love for Afghanistan at that time is contagious, and his search for one of the cities of Alexandria is enchanting.
“Step-by-step, year-by-year, the world is improving. Not on every single measure every single year, but as a rule. Though the world faces huge challenges, we have made tremendous progress. This is the fact-based worldview.”
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What an eye opening book. An informal read full of interesting information. Before reading this book I would say I had a pretty good grasp on the general trends of the globe, but after reading Factfullness I realized I was basing my opinions and information on outdated facts and I was very far from the truth. The world is doing quite well and Hans does a wonderful job of relaying this idea with different topics and facts. He keeps you engaged and moves through his ideas in an almost story-like manner.
What a cute story, I couldn't put it down! ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
Meet Brad and Rose, thanks to Carissa they both end up in disagreeable situations: Brad getting dumped and Rose getting sent to “fat camp”. Life is not looking good as we follow them through their journey after Carissa wrecks havoc in their lives. But maybe Carissa's actions end up being for the best. Dallas Woodbury has woven a fun, charming, and illuminating story for these three. Bringing in life lessons that strike home and tossing in some YA romance to keep us wanting more.
“A tree can only be as strong as the forest that surrounds it.”
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A delightfully surprising read full of intriguing tree facts. Who knew there was so much more to learn about trees, our everyday companions in nature with so many hidden traits and talents. I come across trees everyday and think nothing of them, but after finding out they “talk” to each other and support each other in more than one way I was captured. Peter Wohlleben has created a fun and factual read for those looking to explore the depth of trees and gather an abundance of unusual tree facts.
“The Sack of Rome was the logical endpoint of an overstretched emperor's attempts to have it all”
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Patrick Wyman did a great job turning 40 years of history into a captivating narrative. Stepping out of my comfort zone I found this book to be not a dry retelling of history, but enthralling short stories of people who lived during this time and their impact on shaping the world we now know. For those interested in the earlier years of European history, the figures who influenced society, and the impactful role of money, or those just looking to step out of their comfort zones and give history another go, this book may be for you.
“Cities might not always function as smoothly as we might wish, but given the number of different people working to keep them going, well, it's pretty amazing that they work at all.”
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Roman Mars and Kurt Kohlstecdt did a fun job of bringing into the light many hidden features built into the cities around us. This was an entertaining and captivating narrative, sharing the many intricate, yet overlooked details built into our everyday lives. Like revolving doors: they can cause anxiety and joy in people, but they were made to be a door that is always open and always closed, mainly to reduce strain on heating and cooling systems. There are so many interesting facts in this book and I highly recommend giving it a try, you never know how many new things you will learn.
This book is a rollercoaster ride, and it is well worth it. We meet Rin, and follow her journey from orphan, to student, to shaman, to warrior, and everywhere in between. Her story sparks questions of morals and how far is too far, but its hard not to be captured by her persistence and determination. R. F. Kuang has woven an hypnotizing epic fantasy that was impossible to put down and leaves us ready for more.
A gorgeously illustrated book!! Filled with the meanings behind flowers, and the occasional history of said meaning. Definitely using it to pick flower gifts.
★ Jillian Dodd has done it again! ★
An irresistible story, unable to put down.
Somehow she managed to pull the boys and Mallory back together through an unexpected plot twist, all while pulling at our heart strings through each character's interactions. Yet again, leaving us wanting more and wondering...where will the story go and how will we make it until then?!