#Paul Karr

[the-final-sentence]

That was the American way.

Crystal Smith Paul, from Did You Hear About Kitty Karr?

[noahsbookhoard]

📚August 2024 Book Review (Part 1/4)📚

I had soooo much free time in August! Heatwaves meant every outdoor activities were out of the question. There was nothing to do at work outside of my 2 4-hours shift either. I ended up reading a good 8 to 12 hours a day, hence the 16 books of this months review!

La Forteresse du Chaudron Noir (Les Aventures du Pyro-barbare et de Billy #1) by Bob Lennon

Billy is a young farmer in a village decimated by disease. After his mother dies he sets out to the city unaware that an ancient evil was on the rise. Now accompanied by a goliath, Billy will have to use his wits and strength to defeat the terrible power hidden within the fortress. YOU are Billy!

When I was a kid I LOVED Choose Your Own Adventure books! They were fun, novelty, and always had a ton of different characters and places to interact with. I liked the "game" aspect of them as much as the "book" aspect. But after some time you explored every available path and getting the "good" ending was more muscle memory than puzzle solving, the replay value of kid CYOA was generally low.

Now enter Bob Lennon! Most of you won't know him but he is one of the biggest french video game youtuber. He's been on the platform since 2011 and has still the same workaholic energy. He created his own character inspired by Skyrim who is a Fire Barbarian named Le Pyrobarbare and his sidekick Billy. He is also a TTRPG fan.

That was a very long introduction to say that he created his own CYOA book series that are inspired by those characters and have a big TTRPG dynamic to them and THEY. ARE. INCREDIBLE.

It all start with a character creation system: you will always play Billy the farmer but you can choose between a collection of objects and whichever you chose decide which type of Billy you are: warlike, rustic, resourceful or cautious. And all of this influences which decisions you can or can't make. And there are A LOT of decision, we're talking about a 400 pages book. That might not be that many but I have never seen a CYOA above 150 pages.

The combat system is fairly easy to use, while being more interesting than "roll two dice the lowest roll loose". It pairs well with different stats of your Billy, which change depending on the class, the equipment, the event that happened in your adventure.

There is an achievement system on the last two pages of the book that also includes the ending so I counted them: there is a DOZEN ending. I discovered there was a dragon I could have fought to get the Warlike Gold Ending and I missed it! I was so mad!

I could keep of gushing about this book (I didn't talk about the characters, about the city and the castle the story takes place in, ir even the Pyrobarbare who is the funniest) but it was really a lot of fun and I hesitate between starting a new run with a different class of Billy or buy the SECOND book if the series (the 3rd one is being crowdfunded and I can't wait!)

Did You Hear About Kitty Karr? by Crystal Smith Paul

Hollywood icon Kitty Karr died, leaving her fortune to the three St John sister, young wealthy Black women. While dealing with Kitty's affairs (and keeping away from journalists) they find a dairy which uncovers secrets in the background of the South and Hollywood during the Segregation.

I would probably never have picked up this book if it wasn't a draw from the book club pile. I like historical fiction but Hollywood and the stars is not something I have any interest in. I went a bit blindly into it, scared that if I research it I'd create bad expectations.

I was surprise: it isn't the drama filled story I was dreading! This is a dive into the segregated USA and in a community I had never really read about: white passing POC. Even when Kitty starts to work in the film industry (as a phone operator at first then climbing the ladder to become a famous actress) the focus is always on social issues, racism, the careful balance of being a black woman in white spaces, the fight for civil rights and the work these woman did for this cause. Atop of all this there is the thread of family legacy and secrets and what ties Kitty and the St Johns together.

It is a very interesting book, nuanced and deep. I don't know how much of it is was researched but it felt fairly accurate from perspective.

The Oleander Sword (The Burning Kingdom #2) by Tasha Suri

Malini and Priya parted ways: the Princess is marching to the capital city, gathering allies to otherthrow her brother; the Priestess is working with her siblings to rebuilt the Temple and restore her city. But when Malini's fight encounter divine resistance she will once again draw from Priya's magic to get her end, with their fragile relationship, and Priya's own goals in the way.

I adored book 1, The Jasmine Throne and I was so excited to read the rest of the story! I loved having my favorite characters back, I loved the politic developing after the events of the previous tome and as usual I loved the angst, the complicated relationship between Malini and Priya, the mysterious happening in Ahiranya,Malini's change as her goal draws closer...

The writing is still gold, perfectly highlighting the feelings and doubts of the characters. I love having so much insight in the characters mind. The switch between multiples point of view is really well handles.

Unfortunately it suffers from Middle Book Syndrome: very little new element introduced and very little resolution of previous elements. That's to be expected, but when the third and final book is not yet available it is really frustrating.

I am still hyped for the last book, The Lotus Empire, it should be releases in November but the TBR is so high, I'm afraid I'll have to keep it for next year

Path of Destruction (Darth Bane Trilogy #1) by Drew Karpyshyn

A thousand year before the events of the first Trilogy, Des is a disillusioned miner in the Outer Rim. He joins the Sith to escape his misery and discover his connection to the Force. Through the training of the Sith Masters he develops his talent and as his power grows so does his ambition. He is now Darth Bane and he will be more powerful than them all!

I had been disappointed by novelisation of series before so I approached this one with caution, even though I heard everywhere that it was one of the best Star Wars novel (if you disagree don't blame me, blame Reddit)

That's a recurring event: I was dead wrong, this book floored me. The writing is good, the plot is even better, characters are incredible and I never thought I would be cheering so hard for a Sith!

I was a bit scared having no previous knowledge of this period of the Star Wars universe would make it impossible to understand the book. Maybe I misses some references but it never was obscur. The Star Wars lingo is also always explicited with context clues. That's really agreable because that's not always a given when you dive into work on the further edge of canon.

The characters are almost exclusively Sith (and some usual brand of assholes) but they are still relatable, even though they are cunning, vicious, calculating. Bane especially has some redeeming circonstances that made him endearing even though he joined the dark side and dives deep into its ways.

A really really good surprise and a really really good book. I'd really like to read the rest of this trilogy, it sparked back my interest for Star Wars when the recenr series and just bored me to death.

[lakecountylibrary]

One Quote Book Rec:

She told me it was death, and she wasn't afraid to die.

-- Did You Hear About Kitty Karr? by Crystal Smith Paul

See more of Ashley's recs

[airplanes924]

Books I've Read in 2024

Number 39

Did You Hear About Kitty Karr? by Crystal Smith Paul

[halalgirlmeg]

Got the secret history audiobook on libby...why the FUCK is it 22 hours long????

[rogloptimist]

HUNGER OF THE AUTOCANNIBAL

congrats to my favorite flesh eater’s third win! credits under cut

tadej pogacar and jonas vingegaard - stage 11 tour de france 2024 // hunger in my soul - paul eneche // tadej pogačar-- hungry for more! - road bike mag // tadej pogacar // hunger, freshness, faith: how tadej pogacar and uae emirates plan to raid the grand tour history books - Jim cotton // 'the hunger is still there'-- pogacar looks for more at amstel gold race - Barry Ryan // tadej Pogačar and jonas vingegaard // hunger for the flesh - Howard Jones // tour de France winner tadej pogacar is cycling's 'new cannibal' - by French press agency // tadej pogacar takes tour de France lead after dominant stage four victory - Ian Parker // fine young cannibal: has tadej pogacar won the tour? - Edward pickering // this is how you lose the time war - amal el-mohtar and max Gladstone // tdf stage 19 report: pogacar is all alone at the top joe Lindsey // one day in the life of Ivan denisovich - aleksandr I. Solzhenitsyn // the cannibal - Kim s. // tadej pogacar - tour de france // tadej pogacar - tour de France // tadej Pogacar - strade bianche 2024 // what happens to the body and mind when starvation sets in? - Susan brink // tadej pogacar - stage 17 tour de France 2023 // the cyclist as cannibal - Richard poplak // tadej pogacar - post race interview, stage 17 tour de France 2023 // erysichthon - Ovid // the trouble with being born - emil m. cioran // tadej pogacar and jonas vingegaard - stage 20 tour de France 2024 // tadej pogacar - stage 17 tour de france 2023 // the prisoner's throne - holly black // tadej pogacar - stage 9 tour de France 2024 // do not eat your friends - Sarah bian // crane your neck - lady lamb // tadej pogacar and jonas vingegaard - tour de France 2024 // making sense of cycling's self-destruction - John bradley // tumblr user @inkskinned // torn - Kim karr // tadej pogacar - tour de France 2024 // the extreme - Katherine applegate // crane your neck - lady lamb // tadej pogacar tour de France //

[bizarrebazaar13]

FL-inspired book recs, part 2!

part 1 here

Locations

The Shuttered Palace: Did You Hear About Kitty Karr? by Crystal Smith Paul. when Kitty Karr, a white film star, dies and leaves her estate to the Black St. John sisters, everyone wants to know why. Elise, the oldest of the three sisters, takes on the responsibility of getting Kitty’s affairs in order, and stumbles on a secret that could change everything. told in both Elise’s words and Kitty’s own, the book examines wealth, fame, race, gender, family, and the inner workings of Hollywood. I’m not usually very into the palace, but I think the themes here of family ties, facades, and who exactly gets to be rich and famous could be a nice parallel.

The Stacks: Ink and Bone by Rachel Caine. an alternate history where the library of Alexandria was never destroyed, and now controls all the world’s knowledge. Jess Brightwell, a book smuggler, passes the entrance exam to join the Library’s ranks. but nothing about the Library is quite what it seems, and Jess and his fellow postulants are about to learn just how powerful- and dangerous- knowledge can be. this is the first book in what is honestly one of my favorite series that I’ve ever read.

The Brass Embassy: The Chosen and the Beautiful by Nghi Vo. a retelling of The Great Gatsby from Jordan Baker’s point of view, set in a version of the Jazz Age with demons, magic, and the possibility of losing your soul. Vo’s version of Jordan is a queer Vietnamese woman adopted by the wealthy Baker family as a child, and I loved her narration. I don’t really care for the original great gatsby, but this version hooked me immediately.

Exceptional Stories

Caveat Emptor: Carmilla by Sheridan Le Fanu. isolated but wealthy households, mysterious characters that you know are vampires but the protagonist doesn’t, be careful what you wish for, something oddly romantic about what the narrator and the antagonist have going on… sound familiar? I think Carmilla is technically a novella, so it’s a shorter read than some of these other books.

Factions

The Masters: The Bartimaeus Sequence by Johnathan Stroud. a series of four books (a main trilogy and a prequel) that takes place in an alternate London where the government is controlled by magicians who get their powers from summoning spirits. the first book, The Amulet of Samarkand, is narrated alternatively by Bartimaeus, a djinni summoned to help a young apprentice get revenge on a powerful rival, and Nathaniel, an ambitious magician’s apprentice whose revenge plot soon spirals out of control. Stroud’s magicians parallel FBG’s masters in many ways, and one that jumps out immediately is Nathaniel’s later role as the information minister, and how closely it resembles Pages’s ministry of public decency.

The University: The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson. it’s about an experiment gone awry, and the truths that might be better left unfaced. another novella, this classic horror story may have been inspired by a friend of Stevenson’s, a french teacher who appeared to be a perfectly normal academic, but turned out to have murdered his wife and possibly several other people by poisoning them. this, along with the focus on Jekyll’s previous high status in the academic community, puts me in mind of the investigations in the university storyline, and the Summerset vs Benthic rivalry.

The Tomb-Colonies: Whichwood by Taherah Mafi. when Laylee’s mother dies, and her father abandons her, she is left as the only mordeshoor in the village of Whichwood. she spends her days washing the bodies of the dead and preparing their souls for the afterlife. rejected by the townspeople and slowly dying as her magic is drained away, her only company is the dozens of ghosts in her shed, awaiting burial. one day, she meets Alice and Oliver, two strangers on a mission to save her. this is technically a companion to one of Mafi’s earlier books, Furthermore, but I read Whichwood before I knew there was another book, and I understood it perfectly fine.

[queer-ragnelle]

hello! i was wondering if you knew of any text specifically about mordred? but not texts where he’s a one dimensional evil guy into evilly affairs, but someone complex still?

Medieval Texts:

The Vulgate Cycle

The Alliterative Morte Arthure

The History of The Kings of Britain by Geoffrey of Monmouth

Modern Retellings:

[Mordred as protagonist/his point of view]

The Wicked Day by Mary Stewart

The Winter Prince by Elizabeth Wein

I Am Mordred by Nancy Springer

Mordred, Bastard Son by Douglas Clegg

The Book of Mordred by Peter Hanratty

The Queen's Knight by Marvin Borowsky

Arthurian Tales by Phyllis Ann Karr

[Mordred as deuteragonist/not his point of view]

Idylls of The Queen by Phyllis Ann Karr

The Road to Avalon by Joan Wolf

The Queen of Summer Stars by Persia Woolley

The Legend in Autumn by Persia Woolley

Arthur, King of Time and Space by Paul Gadzikowski

[tremendouskoalachild]

in celebration of learning Lyn's name: _in, _inn, _yn and _ynn names in star wars! not including minor mmo characters, rpgs, and source books (there are so many tho)

bold for on-screen characters (not including niche background characters no one knows), small for legends-only characters

✔ Binn (Ibes), jedi apprentice; Bin (Essada), splinter of the mind's eye

✔ Cin (Drallig), prequels; Cyn (Jodu), 1977 comic; Cyn, darth vader black white and red; (Ardana) Cinn, 2013 comic

✔ Din (Djarin and Grogu), mandoverse; (Orgus) Din, swtor

✔ Finn, sequels; Fyn, tcw tie-in novel; Fynn (Torve), thrawn trilogy; Finn, star wars tales; Finn, legacy; Finn, 1977 comic; Finn (Galfridian), invasion; Finn (Vaal), lost tribe of the sith; Finn (Tegotash), tcw; Finn (Ertay), tcw

✔ Gin (Lesl), swtor webcomic; Gin (Scraf), planet of twilight

✔ Hin, splinter of the mind's eye

✔ Jyn (Erso), rogue one; Jyn (Obah), droids; Jinn (Reeso), tpm racer; (Qui-Gon) Jinn, prequels

✔ (Tulu and Drola) Kinn, fotj; Kinn (Zih), lego tfa; Kin (Kian), rotj; Kin (Robb), tcw

✔ Lyn, obi-wan kenobi and tales of the empire; Lyn (Me), rotj; Lin (Gaava), resistance; Lyn (Sekla), kotor; (Arden) Lyn, masters of teräs käsi; (Koley) Linn, thr

✔ Myn (Weaver), ahsoka; Minn (Ishkah), swtor; Minn, canto bight; Myn (Donos), x-wing novels; Myn (Kyneugh), rotj

✔ Nin, jedi apprentice

??? P

✔ Qin, the mandalorian; Qin (Yazal), tcw;

✔ Rin, swtor; Rinn, thr; Rinn, age of republic; (Chorto) Rinn, swtor

✔ (Zareb and Jariah) Syn, legacy; (Sorzus) Syn, ltots spiral; (Mirith and Jahren) Sinn, crimson empire; Sin(tas Vel), blood ties; (Cariaga) Sin, kotor; (Karr Nuq) Sin, force collector

??? T

✔ Vin, thr; Vin, republic commando; Vin (Nothos), rebellion comic; Vinn, tor novels; Vinn (Atrius), swtor; Vyn (Asara), swtor; Vyn (Holpur), fotj; Vyn (Narcassan), x-wing novels

✔ Wynn (Dorvan), fotj; Wyn(ssa Fel), njo; (Uthar) Wynn, kotor

✔ Xin (Baliss), swtor; (Torvin) Xyn, njo

??? Y

✔ Zinn (Paulness), tcw; Zinn (Toa), tcw; Zin (Graw), TIE fighter; (Axela) Zin, fotj; Zyn, swtor; Zyn (Javeb), prequels

[danandphilchronology]

Phil's Video Blog - 27th March 2006

Watch with me!

First off, immediately I am amazed by the constant improvement in technology because this noir style video resembles a piece of abstract art. Grainy, a bit blurry, and made up nearly entirely of pixels, I am immediately filled with bittersweet 2000s nostalgia. 

Before I go any farther, here is what I know.

This video was released 27th of March 2006 on amazingphil. In 2006, Phil Lester was 19 years old. I, however, was only 7. (I was a wee babe.) 

Did I know before starting this blog that this video existed? Yes! 

Have I ever watched it before now? No!

What was happening in the world at this time? Good question.

Top Singles in the UK the Week of March 25th

So Sick - Ne-Yo (such a freaking bop)

Nature’s Law - Embrace

No Tomorrow - Orson

Stupid Girls - Pink

Put Your Records On - Corinne Bailey Rae

Major Events that happened in 2006

Paul McCartney and Heather Mills Separate

Italy won the World Cup for the fourth time

John Mark Karr was arrested in Thailand in conncetion with the murder of JonBenet Ramsey

Steve Irwin was killed by a stingray

Using the way back machine, set to the closest date (29 March 2006), the top 3 featured videos were:

Cybersmack by EEntertainmentTV

Re-Enactment: The Princess Bride by ArtieTSMITW

The ORIGINAL Disco Bar by thediscobar

AND (this is crazy to think about) The Black Parade by MCR wouldn't be released for another SEVEN MONTHS. Amongst many other things. But I feel like this gives us a little view into where we needs to be to understand this completely. 

This video is short and sweet and we really see who Phil is in this video. He’s just a sweet lad showing the world what he got his mother for mother’s day and giving us a little insight to what he is working on in University. (We know today that he was working on his degree in Linguistics at University of York followed by a Masters in video production from the same school .) This video really highlights how relatable Phil is (and has continued to be, minus his childhood anecdotes) as he complains about school and daylight savings. 

Something that shook me to my core with the introduction to the lion and pig plushies. Lions and pigs have continued to be related to him even today. Lion references are non-stop, of course, and I could not imagine the current phouse without their golden pig companion! (unrelated stream Golden Pig from danandphilBEATS on spotify!)

It’s so nice to watch this now knowing the amazing (ha!) career and fandom he has built now. 

Current Watch Time: 2m 06s

[bestmusicalworldcup]

Manhattan Concert Productions is producing a concert edition of Stephen Schwartz and John Caird's Children of Eden directed by Tony Yazbeck.

The cast includes Auli'i Cravalho as Yonah, Nikki Renée Daniels as Eve and Mama Noah, Norm Lewis as Father, David Phelps as Adam and Noah, Donald Webber, Jr. as Cain and Japeth, and Lucas Pastrana as Abel and Ham, along with Jennifer McGill, Jesse Nager, Marcus Paul James, Rema Webb, Runako Campbell, Dylis Croman, Karli Dinardo, Tyler Hanes, Jakob Karr, and Zelig Williams.

The concert will happen at David Geffen Hall in Lincoln Center on February 18, 2024.

[alightinthelantern]

Books read and movies watched in 2024 (January-June): Should you watch/read them?

Poetry:

In the Next Galaxy (Ruth Stone): No

Selected Poems (Mark Strand): No

In the Dark (Ruth Stone): Yes!

Response (Juliana Spahr): Yes

The Unicorn (Anne Morrow Lindbergh): No!

Everything Else in the World (Stephen Dunn): Yes

Words Under the Words (Naomi Shihab Nye): Eh

On Love and Barley (Matsuo Basho, trans. Lucien Stryk): Yes!

The Transformation (Juliana Spahr): No

The Narrow Road to the Deep North and Other Travel Sketches (Matsuo Basho, trans. Nobuyuki Yuasa): No

The Book of Taliesin (anon., trans. Gwyneth Lewis & Rowan Williams): No

What Love Comes To: New and Selected Poems (Ruth Stone): Eh

Face (Sherman Alexie): NO

No Surrender (Ai): Eh

The Summer of Black Widows (Sherman Alexie): Yes!

The Afflicted Girls (Nicole Cooley): Yes!

Winter Poems Along the Rio Grande (Jimmy Santiago Baca): No

American Smooth (Rita Dove): No

Elegy (Mary Jo Bang): No

Angel (Giles Dorey): NO

Collected Poems (Paul Auster): Eh

June-Tree (Peter Balakian): Yes

We Must Make a Kingdom of It (Gregory Orr): Eh

Only as the Day is Long (Dorianne Laux): No

Grace Notes (Rita Dove): Yes

Bathwater Wine (Wanda Coleman): Yes

My Soviet Union (Michael Dumanis): No

American Milk (Ruth Stone): Yes

The Drowned Girl (Eve Alexandra): No

A Worldly Country (John Ashberry): No

The Complete Poems of Hart Crane: No

One Stick Song (Sherman Alexie): Yes

If You Call This Cry a Song (Hayden Carruth): No

Doctor Jazz (Hayden Carruth): No

The Last Time I Saw Amelia Earhart (Gabrielle Calvocoressi): No

And Her Soul Out of Nothing (Olena Kalytiak Davis): No

Prisoner of Hope (Yvonne Daley): No

The Other Man Was Me (Rafael Campo): No

My Wicked Wicked Ways (Sandra Cisneros): No

On Earth (Robert Creeley): Eh

Genius Loci (Alison Hawthorne Deming): Eh

Science and Other Poems (Alison Hawthorne Deming): Eh

Voices (Lucille Clifton): Yes

A New Path to the Waterfall (Raymond Carver): Eh

Where Shadows Will (Norma Cole): No

The Way Back (Wyn Cooper): No

A Cartography of Peace (Jean L. Connor): No

Minnow (Judith Chalmer): Yes!

Postcards from the Interior (Wyn Cooper): Yes

Natural History (Dan Chiasson): Eh

The Ship of Birth (Greg Delanty): Eh

Madonna anno domini (Joshua Clover): NO

The Terrible Stories (Lucille Clifton): No

The Flashboat (Jane Cooper): Eh

Book of Longing (Leonard Cohen): No

Streets in Their Own Ink (Stuart Dybek): Eh

Different Hours (Stephen Dunn): Yes

I Love This Dark World (Alice B. Fogel): Eh

Baptism of Desire (Louise Erdrich): Yes!

The Eternal City (Kathleen Graber): Eh

Monolithos (Jack Gilbert): Yes

Crown of Weeds (Amy Gerstler): No

Blue Hour (Carolyn Forché): No

Place (Jorie Graham): No

Meadowlands (Louise Gluck): Yes!

Dearest Creature (Amy Gerstler): No

Loosestrife (Stephen Dunn): No

Little Savage (Emily Fragos): Yes

The Living Fire (Edward Hirsch): No

On Love (Edward Hirsch): No

Human Wishes (Robert Hass): NO

Early Occult Memory Systems of the Lower Midwest (B. H. Fairchild): No

Sinking Creek (John Engels): No

Alabanza (Martín Espada): Yes

Saving Lives (Albert Goldbarth): No

All of It Singing (Linda Gregg): No

Green Squall (Jay Hopler): No

Tender Hooks (Beth Ann Fennelly): No

After (Jane Hirshfield): Eh

Unincorporated Persons in the Late Honda Dynasty (Tony Hoagland): NO

These Are My Rivers (Lawrence Ferlinghetti): No

Fruitful (Stephanie Kirby): No

Jaguar Skies (Michael McClure): No

Song (Brigit Pegeen Kelly): No

Roadworthy Creature, Roadworthy Craft (Kate Magill): No

Life in the Forest (Denise Levertov): No

Viper Rum (Mary Karr): No

Questions for Ecclesiastes (Mark Jarman): No

Brutal Imagination (Cornelius Eady): Yes

Alphabet of Bones (Alexis Lathem): No

Handwriting (Michael Ondaatje): No

Sure Signs (Ted Kooser): No

Sledding on Hospital Hill (Leland Kinsey): No

Between Silences (Ha Jin): Yes

House of Days (Jay Parini): No

Bird Eating Bird (Kristin Naca): Yes

Orpheus & Eurydice (Gregory Orr): Yes

Another America (Barbara Kingsolver): Yes

Candles in Babylon (Denise Levertov): Yes

The Clerk's Tale (Spencer Reece): Eh

Still Listening (Angela Patten): Yes

A Thief of Strings (Donald Revell): No

Wayfare (Pattiann Rogers): No

The Niagara River (Kay Ryan): No

The Bird Catcher (Marie Ponsot): No

Easy (Marie Ponsot): No

Human Dark with Sugar (Brenda Shaughnessy): No

Chronic (D. A. Powell): No

Novels/Fiction:

A Thousand Years of Good Prayers (Yiyun Li): No

The Oxford Book of English Ghost Stories: Yes

Movies:

What Dreams May Come (1998, Vincent Ward): Yes

The Cat's Meow (2001, Peter Bogdanovich): Yes

The Birdcage (1996, Mike Nichols): Yes

The Color of Pomegranates (1969, Sergei Parajanov): No

The Eve of Ivan Kupalo (1969, Yuri Ilyenko): Yes

And here's my 2023 list!

[musingsofmonica]

May 2023 Diverse Reads

May 2023 Diverse Read

•”Yellowface” by R. F. Kuang, May 16, William Morrow & Company, Literary Thriller 

•”Let This Radicalize You: Organizing and the Revolution of Reciprocal Care” by

Kelly Hayes & Mariame Kaba, May 16, Haymarket Books, Political and Activism & Social Justice

•”Good Night, Irene” by Luis Alberto Urrea, May 30, Little Brown and Company, Historical 

•”The Covenant of Water” by Abraham Verghese, May 02, Grove Press, Literary Historical 

•”Chain-Gang All Stars” by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah, May 02, Pantheon Books, Literary 

•”Warrior Girl Unearthed” by Angeline Boulley, May 02, Henry Holt & Company, Thriller/Suspense 

•”Ander & Santi Were Here” by Jonny Garza Villa, May 02, Wednesday Books, YA Contemporary Romance

•”Deep as the Sky, Red as the Sea” by Rita Chang-Eppig, May 30, Bloomsbury Publishing, Literary Historical 

•”Whale” by Cheon Myeong-Kwan, Chi-Young Kim (Translator) — Shortlisted for the International Booker Prize, May 02, Archipelago Books, Magical Realism

•”Quietly Hostile: Essays” by Samantha Irby, May 16, Vintage, Memoir in Essays

•”You Are Here” by Karin Lin-Greenberg, May 02, Counterpoint, Contemporary 

•”Did You Hear about Kitty Karr?” by Crystal Smith Paul, May 02, Henry Holt & Company, Historical

•”The Lost Journals of Sacajewea” by Debra Magpie Earling, May 23, Milkweed Editions, Historical 

•”Hula” by Jasmin Iolani Hakes, May 02, Harpervia, Historical — Fairy Tales, Folk Tales, Legends & Mythology

•”Dances” by Nicole Cuffy, May 16, One World, Literary

•”Horse Barbie: A Memoir” by Geena Rocero, May 30, Dial Press, Memoir 

•”Thinning Blood: A Memoir of Family, Myth, and Identity” by Leah Myers, May 16, W. W. Norton & Company, Memoir in Essays

•The Late Americans” by Brandon Taylor, May 23, Riverhead Books, Literary

•Sugar, Spice, and Can't Play Nice” by Annika Sharma, May 02, Sourcebooks Casablanca, Romance

•”The East Indian” by Brinda Charry, May 02, Scribner Book Company, Historical 

Happy Reading! — mo✌️

[444namesplus]

Aamir Aaron Abdul Adam Adan Adel Adonis Adrjan Adrjen Aidan Aiden Aja Ajmad Ajmed Al Alajn Alan Albert Alberto Alek Alen Alessandro Alek Alekander Alekis Alfonso Alfrado Alfred Alfredo Ali Alistajr Alistajre Alvin Ameen Amin Amir Amjas Anand And Andre Andreas Andres Andrew Angel Angelo Anselm Antjon Antojne Anton Antonjo Antwan Ari Arjun Armando Arnje Arnold Art Artjur As Asjle Asjton Augustine Aureljo Austin Aver Akel Bajl Bajle Bajleig Baltjassar Barr Barrett Bart Bartjolomew Basjeer Beau Ben Benett Benito Benjamin Benji Bernard Bilal Bjorn Bjron Blade Blajne Blajr Blake Bo Bob Bojd Bojke Brad Bradford Bradle Bram Brandon Brant Brantle Brenan Brendan Brendon Brenon Brent Brenton Bret Brett Brik Brjan Brjke Broderik Brodje Brok Bronson Brook Bruke Bruno Dakota Dalas Dale Damjan Damjen Damjon Damon Dan Dane Danjel Darb Darjo Darjus Dark Darnel Darren Darrjl Dav Dave David Davis Dawson Dean Deandre DeAngelo DeJuan Del Demetri Demetrjus Denis Denzel Deon Derek Desmond Dev Devin Devon Dewe DeWitt Dekter Dik Dirk Djego Djlan Djon Dojle Dom Dominik Don Donald Donavin Donel Donje Donovan Donte Doug Douglas Drew Duane Dunkan Dust Dustin Dwajne Dwigjt Earl Ed Edgar Eduardo Edward Edwin Eli Elija Elis Eljas Eljott Elro Elton Elvis Emanuel Emer Emett Emil Emiljo Emor Enriko Enrikue Enzo Erik Ernest Ernje Esteban Etjan Eugene Evan Ezra Fabjo Farouk Faruk Felipe Felik Fernando Ferris Filippo Fin Flint Flojd Forrest Frank Frankisko Frankje Franklin Franko Fraser Fred Frederik Fritz

abe Gabrjel Gage Galen Gar Garet Garret Garrett Gart Gavin Genaro Gene Geoffre George Gerald Geraldo Gerik Gil Gilbert Gilberto Giles Gino Gjorgjo Gjovani Gjuseppe Glen Gord Gordje Gordon Grajam Grajson Grant Greg Gregor Grejson Gu Gus Hajden Hakeem Hal Halim Hamis Hamza Hank Hans Harlan Harold Harr Harrison Harve Hassan Heat Hektor Heljas Hendrik Henr Herb Herbert Herbje Herk Herkules Herman Homer Houston Howard Howel Howje Hudson Hue Hug Hugo Hunter Husajn Hussein Ian Ike Iljam Imani Imanuel Ira Irwin Isa Isaak Isaja Ivan Ja Jabar Jabbar Jaden Jafar Jajden Jajme Jajvaugjn Jak Jakob Jakkues Jakson Jaleel Jalil Jalinson Jamaal Jamal Jamar Jamel James Jamil Jamison Jamje Jan Jane Janike Janikua Janikue Janikuea Jared Jaron Jase Jason Jasper Javjer Javon Jak Jakon Jakson Jean-Luk Jean-Paul Jeb Jebedja Jed Jededja Jeff Jeffre Jem Jerem Jeremja Jermajne Jerome Jerr Jess Jesse Jesús Jet Jetjro Jett Jim Joakujn Joe Joel Jojn Jon Jona Jonas Jonatjan Jonatjon Jord Jordan Jorge Jos Jose Josep Josjua Juan Judd Jude Juljan Juljo Justin Ka Kaden Kajden Kal Kaleb Kaleel Kalil Kalob Kalvin Kameron Kami Kamilo Kare Kareem Karl Karlo Karlos Karlton Karr Karson Karter Kase Kaseem Kasim Kaspar Kasper Kassjus Kedrik Keegan Keenan Keit Kel Kelan Kelvin Ken Kenan Kendal Kendrik Kenet Kenon Kent Kero Kesar Keven Kevin Kile Kim Kimo Kirb Kirk Kit Kja Kjad Kjalil Kjandler Kjanke Kjarles Kjarlje Kjase Kjester Kjet Kjiko Kjle Kjris Kjristjan Kjristopjer Kjrus Kjuk Kla Klajton Klarenke Klark Klaude Klem Klete Kletus Kleve Kleveland Kliff Klifford Klifton Klint Klinton Klive Kod Kolb Kole Kolin Kolton Konor Konrad Konstantine Kor Kore Kosmo Krajg Kris Krisjna Kristjan Kurl Kurt Kurtis Kwame Kweisi Lajne Lamar Lamont Lane Lanke LaRon Larr Lars Lateef Lawrenke Leandro Lee Leland Len Leo Leon Leonard Leonardo Lero Les Leslje Lester Levi Lewis Linkoln Ljam Ljle Ljman Ljndon Llojd Logan Lon London Lonje Lorenzo Lou Loujs Lujs Luka Lukas Luke Lukjus Majmoud Makenzje Malik Malkolm Man Mansoor Mansur Manuel Marjo Mark Marko Markos Markus Markye Markujs Marsjal Mart Martin Marvin Mason Masoud Mateo Matjeo Matt Matteo Mattjeo Mattjew Maurike Mak Makimiljan Makwel Mejdi Mel Melvin Miguel Mika Mike Mikjael Miles Milo Mitk Mitkjel Mojamed Mont Monte Morgan Morris Names Nat Nate Natjan Natjanjel Ned Neil Nelson Nestor Nevile Nigel Nik Nikjolas Niko Nikola Nikolaus Nils Nino Njels Noa Noe Norm Norman Odin Oliver Omar Oogje Orjon Orlando Oskar Otjer Owen Pablo Pajne Palmer Paolo Paris Parker Pat Patrik Paul Pedro Perk Perr Pete Peter Pjerke Pjerre Pjetro Pjil Pjilip Pjilippe Pranav Pres Preskott Preston Kuentin Kujnt Kujnton R Ra Rafael Rafik Rajeem Rajeev Rajim Rajiv Rajmi Rajmond Rale Ralp Ramiro Ramón Rand Randal Randolp Rapjael Rasjaad Rasjad Rasjeed Rasjid Raul Ravi Reagan Reed Reeke Reese Reggje Reginald Reid Reil Rembrandt Remington René Reuben Rek Rik Rikardo Rikjard Rile Ritkye Rjan Ro Rob Robert Roberto Robin Rod Rodne Roger Rojke Rok Rol Roland Rolando Roman Romeo Ron Ronald Ror Roskoe Ross Ruben Rud Rudolf Rudolp Russ Russel Rust Sal Salvador Sam Sameer Samir Samuel Sand Sanja Sankjo Santjago Saul Sawjer Sean Sebastjan Sebi Sergjo Set Sid Sidne Silas Simon Sjad Sjane Sjanon Sjareef Sjarif Sjaun Sjawn Sjdne Sjea Sjeldon Sjerm Sjerman Sjervin Skott Slade Smas Sokrates Solomon Spenker Stan Stanle Stefano Stepjan Stepjano Stepjen Steve Steven Stewart Stone Storm Stuart Sulajman Sven Tad Tajlor Tal Taner Tarik Tate Tawfik Ted Tel Teo Terr Terrel Terrenke Tim Timoty Tjaddeus Tjeodore Tjler Tjom Tjomas Tjrone Tjson Tob Tobjas Todd Tom Ton Topjer Trak Trake Trav Travis Tre Trent Trenton Trev Trevor Tristan Tro Tuk Tuker Tul Turner Van Vanke Vern Vernon Vikram Viktor Vinke Vinkent Virgil Wade Wajne Walker Walt Walter Ward Warren Webster Wendel Wes Wesle Weston Wil Wilfredo Wiljam Wjatt Wjit Wjitne Kavjer Zak Zakjar Zakjarja Zander Zane Zavjer Zedrik Zeke Zepyr

[wellesleybooks]

Booksellers on Vacation

Readers Row at Stone Harbor

Sally and her family spend the month of July sitting on the beach in Stone Harbor, New Jersey reading. We had to ask what books they were reading because we only recognized Spare by Prince Harry! The other books include: Maze by Nelson DeMille, Did You Hear About Kitty Karr? by Crystal Smith Paul, and August Blue by Deborah Levy.

[bigdreamsandwildthings]

July Wrap-Up

She Started It (Sian Gilbert) ★★★★

Love, Theoretically (Ali Hazelwood) (audio) ★★★★1/2

A Crown of Ivy and Glass (Claire Legrand) ★★★1/2

Where Echoes Die (Courtney Gould) ★★★1/2

The Only One Left (Riley Sager) (audio) ★★★★

Did You Hear About Kitty Karr? (Crystal Smith Paul) ★★

The Wishing Game (Meg Shaffer) ★★★★★

The Fiancee Farce (Alexandria Bellefleur) (audio) ★★★★

Belladonna (Adalyn Grace) ★★★★★

Yellowface (R.F. Kuang) (audio) ★★★★★

The Seven Year Slip (Ashley Poston) ★★★★1/2

Divine Rivals (Rebecca Ross) ★★★★★

What an excellent reading month. Find me over on Goodreads for more detailed reviews!