Recent Readings (6.16.24)

The Hunter, Tana French

I've enjoyed every book from Tana French, and this was no exception. This is the 2nd book in her newest mystery series set in a small Irish town and is a departure from the more procedurally based books like "In the Woods." Her books are evolving to focus more on the character development rather than centering around the criminal investigation itself. French's books are always a pleasure to read; there is a consistant lyricism and depth in her style that I find delightful. These newer books seem to encourage a thoughtful and contemplative pace, which is a much needed practice for a speed reader like me.

(Purchased at Maze Books, Rockford IL)

The River of Doubt, Candice Millard

This was a fascinating non-fiction read about Teddy Roosevelt's expedition to an unknown river in the Amazon jungle. The early chapters give some interesting context to his childhood and life experiences as this journey took place quite late in his life. And then the story picked up a relentless pace as Millard describes the dangers Roosevelt encountered on this expedition. Unfortunately, he was not surrounded with a great team and many of their challenges were self-imposed by poor planning and communication. For example, they overpacked and decided to abandon their best boats while trekking to the river. It is easy to look at this with ridicule, "what a stupid decision," but it reminded me of how difficult it can be to have an accurate perspective when you are in the midst of a situation. I won't give away any of the story but will just say that I really appreciate these types of books because they are such a good character study. I find it fascinating to read accounts of people in these very challenging life and death situations and to see all the different reactions. What makes one person resilient and able to thrive in such a hostile environment? And why does that same situation bring out the very worse in someone else? Why does another get overwhelmed by despair and give up altogether? While I hope I am never careening down a wild jungle river, we will all face challenges of some kind in our lives and this book is an interesting lesson in learning how to survive, no matter what.

Butcher & Blackbird, Brynne Weaver (#1 in Ruinous Love Trilogy)

I wasn't sure what to expect from this as it seemed to be a surprising mix of genres. The "enemies-to-lovers" trope is quite common in fantasy romances, but you don't see it often in the horror/crime genre. It was a surprisingly fun read; I think I was expecting something heavier but the lighthearted writing style provided a good balance to the dark content. It is not for the faint of heart; I think there is a list of trigger warnings at the beginning so I would definitely review that before diving in. But if you are into the dark romance genre, and also okay with violence and gore, this was a really enjoyable read.

(Purchased at The Novel Spot, Pecatonica IL)

Contact, Carl Sagan

This was not one of my favorite sci-fi books, I'll be honest. [For my favorite sci-fi book, see The Moon is a Harsh Mistress by Robert Heinlein.] Positives: I liked the depth and complexity of the writing style, it kept me focused because I couldn't just skim the pages. Being from Carl Sagan, the scientific concepts felt more well-developed than some sci-fi books. And since I have a pretty expansive vocabulary, I always enjoy finding books that introduce unfamiliar words. Not-So-Positive: Overall, it just felt underwhelming. It was a slow read for me, so by the time I got to the end I was a little disappointed in how much time I had invested. It didn't feel like it really paid off. Maybe this was just my preconceived notion going into it but there was this sense of bleakness and meaninglessness. I am glad I read it just because it seems like an important book in the genre. But I wouldn't necessarily recommend and don't see myself reading it again.