Murderbot meets Oceans 11 in book two of the Chaotic Orbits series. I loved being back for another fast paced adventure with the quick witted and jaded Ada, this time with a ploy to disrupt a charity auction with mysterious and dark purpose. This is the rare instance when I wish a book was longer. Would highly recommend this and the first book in this series, Full Speed to a Crash Landing for something quick and fun.
Thank you to the publisher, author, and NetGalley for this audiobook for review purposes.
This is a must read. Nemonte Nenquimo’s story is inspiring, challenging, and deeply human. Nenquimo’s message isn’t just about climate activism, though that’s a significant part, it’s also a moving example of how people and the environment can and do coexist in our time. This book made me uncomfortable in the way that leaves a mark for the better. I would strongly recommend listening to the audiobook as the narration of this book was exceptional.
Thank you to the publisher, author, and NetGalley for this audiobook for review purposes.
Content warning: Sexual Assault, Physical abuse, Religious trauma
This is a short instructional manual for how to piss off men. Personally, I don’t tend to need instructions for this but I did really enjoy the audiobook and commentary around the jokes. Would recommend it to men who have a sense of humor, and women/femmes who need a laugh (which is all of us).
Thank you to the publisher, author, and NetGalley for this audiobook for review purposes.
This collection of short stories by Olivie Blake was the perfect fall read for me. Just spooky enough to feel seasonal, and just campy enough to have fun. Some of the subject matter is sensitive so it might be worth a quick look at the content warnings. The stories range from paranormal to mythological and were all compelling in their own way, some laugh out loud funny, others can’t put it down suspenseful. The cast of narrators was exceptional and I would definitely get the audiobook of this one.
Thank you to the publisher, author, and NetGalley for this audiobook for review purposes.
Categories: Fiction, Horror, Humor, Short Stories
Content Warning: Stories include a wide range of sensitive content from graphic murder to postpartum anxiety.
Part biography, part poetry recitation, part history lecture, with a dash of pop science, this book defies easy categorization. The life of Audre Lorde is described in relation to the world around her by the talented author and narrator Alexis Pauline Gumbs. I’ve been fascinated by the complex and purposeful life of Audre Lorde for years but I am hesitant to pick up longer nonfiction on any subject. I shouldn’t have hesitated. Though you may want to be in an open and engaged state of mind to listen to this, it’s well worth the time.
Thank you to the publisher, author, and NetGalley for this audiobook for review purposes.
Refuse Shame, Change White Communities, and Help Create a Just World
by Jennifer Harvey, Review 9 of 2024
Important note: This book is a great addition to the library of any aspiring white antiracist but is not the best pick for someone just beginning to learn about DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion). Some of my recommendations for that would; How to Be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi, So You Want to Talk about Race by Ijeoma Oluo, or Me and White Supremacy by Layla F. Saad. After you’ve read some of the great books on race written by black folks, consider revisiting this title.
If you’ve already been exploring the history of white supremacy, how it shows up, and your role in it, this book has some great examples of how you can implement and enact your values in day to day life. Harvey doesn’t shy away from sharing examples of places she’s failed to be the best co-conspirator for change and for her candor I was extremely grateful. She covers how shame, perfectionism, and trust impact white people’s ability to do antiracist work in our own communities. This could be a hard book for some to read but the message is so very important.
Would recommend it to any white person who has read a lot of DEI but still isn’t sure what their place is in creating a more just future for all of us.
Thank you to the publisher, author, and NetGalley for this audiobook for review purposes.
Short story collections are chronically underrated, and this collection is no exception. The author, Diane Oliver died in an accident in 1966 at age 22 and the world lost the opportunity to read more of her work. This collection was compiled and released nearly 60 years after her death. The masterfully narrated stories in this collection are understated, impactful, and painfully timely. Two of my personal favorites were “Mint Juleps not Served Here”, “Health Service” and “Frozen Voices” but many others also left a mark. Though Oliver’s stories were written during the Civil Rights Movement and early integration, many of their themes and descriptions are unfortunately still relevant today and hit home as a professional who works in health and human services.
Thank you to the publisher, author, and NetGalley for this ALC!
Orbital is a short meditation on the magnificent and mundane aspects of humans in space. Even with the lovely narration, I found myself losing the thread of the story. Each chapter describes an orbit around earth from the vantage of the space station and includes several astronauts’ points of view. The structure was interesting to listen to but hard to follow at times. Would recommend Orbital to those looking for a unique perspective on space, humanity, and climate change.
Thank you to the publisher, author, and NetGalley for this ALC!
This comprehensive biography of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s life and death, complete with references to recently released FBI investigation reports, is a must read for biography enthusiasts and worth the effort even for those who are not. It was a heavy lift at over 20 hours of audio, but Dion Graham, an expert narrator, made it easy to listen to.
It’s tempting to simply idolize and ignore the complexity of figures such as King. This type of thinking comes at the expense of recognizing that we all have a role to play in changing the world and the country for the better. It has been 55 years since Dr. MLK Jr. was killed, and in many ways the U.S. is still inching toward the vision King proclaimed. This is a timely examination of a life lived with conviction.
Thank you to the publisher, author, and NetGalley for this ALC!
This book explores inclusion, the “I” in the increasingly popular acronym, DEI. In David Moinina Sengeh’s personal and professional anecdotes we can see the possibility for true inclusion in organizations and communities. His coalition’s struggle for pregnant students’ education in Sierra Leone is evidence that progress toward inclusion is possible today. I enjoyed this book and I’d recommend it for anyone interested in social inclusion and/or shifting cultural beliefs.
Thank you to the publisher, author, and NetGalley for this ALC!
