Book #167 of 2021: Across That Bridge: A Vision for Change and the Future of America by John Lewis In this 2012* publication, author John Lewis shares the guiding principles that he has found particularly effective in his work as a Freedom Rider in the Civil Rights Era and later a progressive Representative in the …
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Book Review: Cards on the Table by Agatha Christie
Book #166 of 2021: Cards on the Table by Agatha Christie (Hercule Poirot #15) Four detectives attend a dinner party thrown by a man bragging that he will also invite four murderers he knows who have gotten away with their crimes. At the end of the night, the host himself is dead and the investigators …
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Book Review: The Light of the Midnight Stars by Rena Rossner
Book #165 of 2021: The Light of the Midnight Stars by Rena Rossner The mini-genre of Jewish fantasy / fabulism has been booming lately, which is wonderful for #ownvoices representation and a chance to see myself in such stories, but also means readers can afford to be a little more discerning about what’s on offer. …
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Book Review: The Briar King by Greg Keyes
Book #164 of 2021: The Briar King by Greg Keyes (The Kingdoms of Thorn and Bone #1) This early 2000s fantasy series is a real hidden gem, one that I’ve always been surprised isn’t more popular. I wouldn’t call it a ripoff of George R. R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire, but that …
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Movie Review: In the Heights (2021)
Movie #2 of 2021: In the Heights (2021) A fun but perhaps overly-long adaptation of the Lin-Manuel Miranda musical about the Latinx neighborhood of Washington Heights in NYC. Like the stageplay, it’s the story of people who are scraping by just above poverty and how they must weigh the idea of leaving for opportunities elsewhere …
Book Review: The Message by K. A. Applegate
Book #163 of 2021: The Message by K. A. Applegate (Animorphs #4) Cassie’s first Animorphs novel is an absolute delight. Plotwise, it pushes the narrative further than any volume since the premiere, adding in one final teammate to join the group of morphing teens. (I’ll avoid spoilers beyond that here, but this new ally will …
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Book Review: Monstrous Regiment by Terry Pratchett
Book #162 of 2021: Monstrous Regiment by Terry Pratchett (Discworld #31) A tremendously funny and poignant story of a young woman who disguises herself as a lad to enlist in her nation’s army. Author Terry Pratchett strikes a fine balance between showing the camaraderie and bravery of soldiers on the one hand — the reasons …
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TV Review: Dawson’s Creek, season 4
TV #50 of 2021: Dawson’s Creek, season 4 Although I still don’t love Dawson Leery as a character, this is easily the least infuriating he’s ever been. The writers have toned down his self-centered and jealous nature in a way that can read as belated maturity in the high school senior, and they even manage …
Book Review: The Descent of Monsters by Neon Yang
Book #161 of 2021: The Descent of Monsters by Neon Yang (Tensorate #3) I think this is my favorite Tensorate novella yet, although it’s a bit of a departure from the previous stories. There’s a brand-new protagonist, a Ministry of Justice official tasked with rubberstamping that a scene of slaughter was caused by arrested rebels …
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Book Review: Sunday the Rabbi Stayed Home by Harry Kemelman
Book #160 of 2021: Sunday the Rabbi Stayed Home by Harry Kemelman (The Rabbi Small Mysteries #3) If you’re reading the Rabbi Small series for the titular mysteries, I could see it being a frustrating experience. In this third volume, the murder plot doesn’t start until halfway through, and the clergyman is only brought in …
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The Lesser Joke: book reviews and more 