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Topeka & Shawnee County Public Library
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Added Aug 04, 2023
Delilah Green Doesn't CareDelilah Green Doesn't Care, Book
by Blake, Ashley HerringBook - 2022 | First edition.Book, 2022. First edition.
_Mirelda_'s rating:
Added Apr 04, 2022
The Diamond EyeThe Diamond Eye, BookA Novel
by Quinn, KateBook - 2022 | First edition.Book, 2022. First edition.
_Mirelda_'s rating:
Added Apr 04, 2022
Comment:
Historical fiction fans can choose from plenty of novels written about World War II, but author Kate Quinn stands out from the crowd with a fresh voice and a powerful perspective. The author of The Alice Network and The Rose Code tells stories based on the lives of real women, richly detailed and meticulously researched, with the tightly plotted action of a thriller. Quinn’s books keep you turning the pages, while also hitting you in the heart and inspiring pride in the strong women who served and sacrificed.
Her new novel, The Diamond Eye, tells the story of Lyudmila Pavlichenko, a Ukrainian history student and mother who joins the fight for freedom as the Soviet Union desperately defends against Nazi invasion. She becomes an elite sniper known as Lady Death, known for her accuracy and focus. Quinn does not shy away from the grim and heartbreaking reality of life on the front lines of defense. However, Mila’s story shines with determination, hope and strength. One woman can make a big difference.Historical fiction fans can choose from plenty of novels written about World War II, but author Kate Quinn stands out from the crowd with a fresh voice and a powerful perspective. The author of The Alice Network and The Rose Code tells stories based…
Apples Never FallApples Never Fall, BookA Novel
by Moriarty, LianeBook - 2021 | First U.S. edition.Book, 2021. First U.S. edition.
Added Dec 03, 2021
Comment:
Australian author Liane Moriarty is back with another page-turner about family secrets and mystery, written with her trademark humor and warmth. Apples Never Fall begins with a disappearance and ends with a crazy twist I did not see coming.
Joy and Stan Delaney have been together for 50 years and tennis has been the center of their world. Both were competitive players who won championships in their younger years. Joy and Stan ran a highly regarded tennis school for decades before their recent retirement. The couple also raised four children who were nearly pro players. Now that the school has been sold and the children are off living their own lives, Joy and Stan are unhappy and drifting apart.
One night a young woman shows up at their door in need of shelter. Joy invites her to move in until she finds her feet. Then Joy disappears and suspicion turns to Stan. Could he have murdered his wife? Why does no one in the family want to talk about the house guest who also seems to have disappeared into thin air?
Moriarty really shines in writing fully developed characters and exploring family relationships. My favorite part of Apples Never Fall was getting to learn about each of the Delaneys and their interactions with each other--sibling rivalry, resentments, secrets and old wounds. Sometimes the ones we love are also the ones who hurt us the most.
I recommend this one on audiobook with Australian narrator Caroline Lee. I love hearing Moriarty’s characters brought to life with an Australian voice.Australian author Liane Moriarty is back with another page-turner about family secrets and mystery, written with her trademark humor and warmth. Apples Never Fall begins with a disappearance and ends with a crazy twist I did not see coming.
Joy…
_Mirelda_'s rating:
Added Nov 08, 2021
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Andrew Carnegie worked hard, used his wits, and engaged in some morally gray business practices to go from poor immigrant to one of the richest men in the world. In Carnegie's Maid, Benedict imagines the story and motivation behind Andrew Carnegie's turn towards philanthropy. What if Carnegie met a smart, hardworking maid who reminded him of his humble roots and his blessings? Carnegie believed in the power of libraries and education to transform lives, and put nearly $60 million into building libraries around the world. Benedict's story highlighted the immense class difference between wealthy Americans of the time and immigrants working to escape poverty and save their families. It's still relevant today, and it's heartbreaking to think about people starving to death while others indulge and waste. This book would have been a 4-star book for me if I had felt a stronger connection to Clara. I did not feel that I got to know her very well, which might have been partly because she was playing a role and carrying off a deception for most of the book. I also thought the story wrapped up a little abruptly, though I did find the epilogue satisfying. This was my first Benedict, and I definitely plan to read more!Andrew Carnegie worked hard, used his wits, and engaged in some morally gray business practices to go from poor immigrant to one of the richest men in the world. In Carnegie's Maid, Benedict imagines the story and motivation behind Andrew Carnegie's…
People We Meet on VacationPeople We Meet on Vacation, Book
by Henry, EmilyBook - 2021 | First edition.Book, 2021. First edition.
_Mirelda_'s rating:
Added Oct 14, 2021
Comment:
Emily Henry’s Beach Read was one of my favorites of 2020. I was so excited for her new book, People We Meet on Vacation, and I was not disappointed. Henry delivers another feel-good story that will remain in your thoughts long after you turn the last page.
Friends to lovers, anyone? Poppy and Alex are best friends. They don’t seem much alike. He’s kind of a homebody, a quiet guy in pressed khakis. She’s the high energy adventurer who wants to travel the world and write about it. They are from the same hometown in Ohio, though they attended different high schools and didn’t know each other. When they carpool together in college to get home for a holiday break, they click and become best friends.
Every summer for the next 10 years they take a week of vacation together. At first their trips are on a shoestring budget, and then on Poppy’s travel company dime they get fancier. Then two years ago something happened, and they haven’t spoken since.
Now Poppy feels unhappy and stuck in her life. She misses Alex and wants to put things right between them. Poppy decides they need one more trip together. The two come together in the spirit of adventure and friendship once again. Henry alternates present day chapters with flashes back to Poppy and Alex’s past trips, gradually leading to the moment that changed everything. You’ll be cheering for Poppy and Alex all the way to the happy ending.Emily Henry’s Beach Read was one of my favorites of 2020. I was so excited for her new book, People We Meet on Vacation, and I was not disappointed. Henry delivers another feel-good story that will remain in your thoughts long after you turn the…
_Mirelda_'s rating:
Added Oct 14, 2021
Comment:
A young woman from Brooklyn has a magical connection with plants, and she's spent her life hiding what she can do. When she inherits a house and garden from her birth family, she's finally able to stretch and lean into her gifts. As she learns more about herself and her heritage, she opens the door to a dangerous, magical mystery going back many generations.A young woman from Brooklyn has a magical connection with plants, and she's spent her life hiding what she can do. When she inherits a house and garden from her birth family, she's finally able to stretch and lean into her gifts. As she learns more…
The Last Thing He Told MeThe Last Thing He Told Me, BookA Novel
by Dave, LauraBook - 2021 | First Simon & Shuster hardcover edition.Book, 2021. First Simon & Shuster hardcover edition.
_Mirelda_'s rating:
Added Oct 14, 2021
Comment:
Expect a slow-burn suspense novel about family, trust and identity. Readers may find themselves wondering how well they ever really know other people, even close friends and family. I was immediately hooked into the story and stayed up way too late reading to get answers.
Hannah is head over heels in love with her husband of two years, Owen. She’s working hard to win over his 16-year-old daughter Bailey. One day Hannah receives a note from her husband with only two words: “Protect her.” She knows right away he must mean Bailey, but the reason for the note is a total mystery and Owen does not return her messages or calls. Before the day is out, Hannah hears on the news that her husband’s Internet start-up company has been raided and the FBI arrested his boss for fraud.
Hannah picks up her stepdaughter from practice and finds out Owen left a duffel bag full of cash in her locker at school. Where is Owen and why did he run? Hannah and Bailey don’t really get along, but they both love Owen and believe he’s innocent of wrongdoing. In flashbacks to the couple’s early days we see red flags Hannah missed. Bailey and Hannah need to rely on each other as they chase down clues to who Owen truly is and where he’s gone, and the stakes are high.Expect a slow-burn suspense novel about family, trust and identity. Readers may find themselves wondering how well they ever really know other people, even close friends and family. I was immediately hooked into the story and stayed up way too late…
Added Aug 16, 2021
Added Aug 16, 2021
Added Aug 16, 2021
Added Aug 16, 2021
Malibu RisingMalibu Rising, BookA Novel
by Reid, Taylor JenkinsBook - 2021 | First edition.Book, 2021. First edition.
_Mirelda_'s rating:
Added Jul 11, 2021
Comment:
The author of Daisy Jones & the Six is back with a new novel about family, surfing and secrets set in ’80s Malibu. Malibu Rising tells the story of the Riva family from multiple perspectives. The book alternates between 1983 and the ’50s and ’60s, when parents June and Mick met, fell in love and broke apart. In 1983 Mick Riva is a star singer known around the world for his golden voice and handsome face. The media has reported on his string of failed marriages. However, few people know the full story of the heartbreak behind the scenes.
Mick’s four children struggled for success on their own after the death of their mother, who Mick abandoned without a dime. As the oldest child, Nina stepped into the role of caretaker. She petitioned for custody of her siblings as soon as she turned 18 and kept the family restaurant going.
Now Nina is a star model, Jay is a champion surfer and Hud is a renowned photographer. Baby sister Kit could be the one to go all the way in surfing if anyone notices her talent.
As the story begins the siblings are preparing for their legendary annual summer party with Hollywood elites. At this party people make connections and reputations, romances bloom and hearts are broken. This year’s bash will be the one to end them all. Each of the four siblings has secrets to hide, and by the end of the night the house will be up in flames.
This book was a perfect summer escape I could not put down. It was a pleasure to read but also emotionally complex and memorable. I loved Nina’s character growth and strength, and found myself rooting for all the Riva siblings.The author of Daisy Jones & the Six is back with a new novel about family, surfing and secrets set in ’80s Malibu. Malibu Rising tells the story of the Riva family from multiple perspectives. The book alternates between 1983 and the ’50s and ’60s,…
Black Water SisterBlack Water Sister, Book
by Cho, ZenBook - 2021 | First edition.Book, 2021. First edition.
_Mirelda_'s rating:
Added Jun 14, 2021
Comment:
The author pitched this one on her Twitter as: “A stressed zillennial lesbian fights gods, ghosts, gangsters & grandmas in 21st century Penang.” It was as good as it sounds!
Main character Jess is a first-generation American who moves to Malaysia with her parents after her father loses his job. She feels a bit lost—not really Malaysian or American. She has a degree from Harvard, but she’s having no luck finding a job. She has a girlfriend, but she’s afraid that she’ll hurt her parents if she tells them the truth about herself. She’s a bit stressed, to say the least, so when she first hears a voice speaking in her head she thinks she’s going crazy. It turns out that she’s being contacted by her grandma, who died a year ago.
Jess learns that her Ah Ma was a spirit medium for a local god known as the Black Water Sister. A powerful local has offended the god, and grandma is unable to move on until the conflict is resolved. So, she’s tapped Jess to be her feet on the ground, pulling her into a secret family feud and revealing the spirits in the world all around them.
I loved the main character’s growth as she grappled with family loyalty, a longing for authenticity, and just figuring out what’s next in her life as she finds her strength and learns to trust her instincts. Pick this one up to escape to steamy, magical Malaysia for family mystery and supernatural adventure.The author pitched this one on her Twitter as: “A stressed zillennial lesbian fights gods, ghosts, gangsters & grandmas in 21st century Penang.” It was as good as it sounds!
Main character Jess is a first-generation American who moves to Malaysia…
The Girls From Corona Del MarThe Girls From Corona Del Mar, Book
by Thorpe, RufiBook - 2014 | 1st ed.Book, 2014. 1st ed.
Added May 11, 2021
Comment:
The Girls from Corona del Mar is one of the most complex, layered friendship stories that I have ever read. It does not shy away from dark topics and ethical debates, and readers will likely feel uncomfortable at times as the story explores luck vs choice, the good girl myth, and the way that our friendships can shape our personalities. Mia and Lorrie Ann are growing up in the post-boom California of the 90s. Mia thinks of herself as the bad girl, the one who managed to get pregnant her first time and chose abortion. Mia's father abandoned her family, and her mother has checked out, leaving her to care for her little brothers much of the time. All she wants is to get away, to go to college and carve a life that no one expects of her. Lorrie Ann, she thinks, is the good one, a girl with a perfect family, a golden soul who gives her heart to others. Mia gets into Yale, her dream school, and sees the future opening up before her. She doesn't believe she deserves it. As the years go by, she sees Lorrie Ann visited by bad fortune again and again. Lorrie Ann chooses to have a child and get married right after high school, then her son is born with severe disabilities. Her husband, who she speaks of as if he's a saint, enlists in the armed forces to provide insurance for the family, and is killed in action. The two women stay in touch, but their lives rarely intersect, and when they reunite in person after so long, Mia realizes Lorrie Ann is not who she thought she was. And somehow, that realization changes the way she sees herself, too. I love that this book shows the darker side of long-term friendships, and asks questions with no easy answers.The Girls from Corona del Mar is one of the most complex, layered friendship stories that I have ever read. It does not shy away from dark topics and ethical debates, and readers will likely feel uncomfortable at times as the story explores luck vs…
The Four WindsThe Four Winds, Book
by Hannah, KristinBook - 2021 | First U.S. edition.Book, 2021. First U.S. edition.
_Mirelda_'s rating:
Added Apr 11, 2021
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The Four Winds is the story of Elsa Martinelli, a farmer and mother who survives unimaginable hardships during the dust bowl era. Crops died and families were hungry. The dust was so thick that people wore gas masks, and many suffered or died from dust pneumonia. Elsa and her family face the choice that many families faced in that time: Would they stay with the family land and tough it out, or would they give up everything to start over out West?
This is not a happy book. It’s gritty. People and animals suffer. For many people, the dust bowl meant the loss of family, home, security, and their American dream. Landowners became migrant farmers, vulnerable to wealthy men who sought to exploit them for cheap labor. There is hope in this book, though, and it’s empowering to remember what our foremothers were able to overcome. We’re made of the same strong stuff, and we carry their stories, onward and upward.The Four Winds is the story of Elsa Martinelli, a farmer and mother who survives unimaginable hardships during the dust bowl era. Crops died and families were hungry. The dust was so thick that people wore gas masks, and many suffered or died from…
The Rose CodeThe Rose Code, BookA Novel
by Quinn, KateBook - 2021 | First edition.Book, 2021. First edition.
_Mirelda_'s rating:
Added Apr 11, 2021
Comment:
Kate Quinn’s done it again! The author of The Alice Network and The Huntress is one of the hottest voices in historical fiction. Her new novel The Rose Code tells the story of three women who serve in Bletchley Park during World War II. Like Quinn’s previous novels, the book blends research and detail with the tightly plotted action of a thriller and hints of mystery. You won’t be able to stop turning the pages, and you might need a friend to scream-text with as you make your way through the twists and secrets.
Osla, Beth and Mab all have reasons to prove themselves as they do their bit for England during World War II. The book begins after the war as England prepares to celebrate the royal wedding of Queen Elizabeth and Prince Phillip. It flashes back and forth between wartime and post-war England, gradually adding pieces until we see the whole picture.
Osla comes from a wealthy background and wants to show she is more than a “dizzy Deb.” Mab wants to help her family and find a husband who will secure their financial future. Beth is under the thumb of a controlling, abusive mother, and needs to get away to begin her own life. All three end up working at Bletchley Park where they help the Allies win the war through translation, code-breaking and transcription. The challenges, responsibilities and friendships they form will change their lives forever. The Rose Code is a story of strength, triumph and the power of women.Kate Quinn’s done it again! The author of The Alice Network and The Huntress is one of the hottest voices in historical fiction. Her new novel The Rose Code tells the story of three women who serve in Bletchley Park during World War II. Like Quinn’s…
The Black KidsThe Black Kids, Unknown
by Hammonds Reed, ChristinaUnknown - 2020 | First edition.Unknown, 2020. First edition.
_Mirelda_'s rating:
Added Feb 11, 2021
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For fans of The Hate U Give and Dear Martin, a coming of age set in LA during the time of the Rodney King beating and riots. It explores race and class from the perspective of a Black teen who lives in an affluent area of LA. Her best friends are all white, wealthy kids that she's grown up with, while the other Black kids in her private school are scholarship students bused in from lower-income neighborhoods. After Rodney King's attackers are found not guilty, people protest the injustice with violence and looting. As people begin to take sides, Ashley finds herself questioning her loyalties and seeing her life in a new light. Like Thomas, Reed tells the story of a flawed character who is learning, growing, and sharing her insights with readers as she goes. So good! #ownvoices #socialjusticereadsFor fans of The Hate U Give and Dear Martin, a coming of age set in LA during the time of the Rodney King beating and riots. It explores race and class from the perspective of a Black teen who lives in an affluent area of LA. Her best friends are…
A Shot in the MoonlightA Shot in the Moonlight, BookHow A Freed Slave and A Confederate Soldier Fought for Justice in the Jim Crow South
by Montgomery, BenBook - 2021 | First edition.Book, 2021. First edition.
_Mirelda_'s rating:
Added Feb 11, 2021
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The inspiring true story of George Dinning, a former slave who fought for justice and won, becoming the first Black man in America to win damages after a wrongful murder conviction. On a brightly light night, a mob of restless white men attacked Dinning in his home, while he and his wife and eleven children slept. After the crowd fires shots into the Dinning home, wounding Dinning, he fired back and hit the son of a wealthy landowner. The next day, Dinning learned that the man he shot had died, so he turned himself in to the law right away. His family's home was burned to the ground, his family sent packing without a chance to even dress for the winter weather, with small children walking barefoot into the next county and safety with family. It was 1897, and you might think that a Black man who shot and killed a white man, even in self-defense, would be doomed to hang. Instead, George Dinning stood up to injustice. You won't be able to put this one down until you see how Dinning managed to pull off a historical triumph, with the help of some unlikely allies.The inspiring true story of George Dinning, a former slave who fought for justice and won, becoming the first Black man in America to win damages after a wrongful murder conviction. On a brightly light night, a mob of restless white men attacked…
Red, White & Royal BlueRed, White & Royal Blue, eBookA Novel
by McQuiston, CaseyeBook - 2019eBook, 2019
All copies in use
Holds: 31 on 14 copies
Holds: 31 on 14 copies
_Mirelda_'s rating:
Added Feb 11, 2021
Comment:
Oh this was GOOD! Enemies to Lovers/Fake Romance with the young heir to the throne of England and the (female) President's son. It's as much fun as it sounds.
_Mirelda_'s rating:
Added Jan 24, 2021
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Two sisters face off in a reality show restaurant battle in this story about family and second chances set in small town Kansas. In the tiny (fictional) town of Merinac there are two restaurants directly across from each other that both specialize in chicken. The founders of Mimi’s and Frannie’s were sisters. Customers have argued over which one is better since they opened a century ago.
Amanda and Mae grew up working for their mom, the owner and cook of Mimi’s. Mae now lives in New York City making her living as a guru of organization and tidiness, doing her best not to think about her untidy childhood. She’s also a social media influencer who is always framing up her next photo or composing her next post. Amanda still lives in Merinac and shockingly she married Frank Pogociello, heir to Frannie’s. Amanda now runs Frannie’s with her mother-in-law, Nancy. Her mom hasn’t totally disowned her, but Amanda is no longer allowed in Mimi’s and the two are not at all close.
Amanda has drifted along since her husband’s death, unsure what she wants to do with her life. She reaches out to the reality show Food Wars to pitch a competition between Mimi’s and Frannie’s. Amanda wants a change as much as anything. She just wants something to happen. One of the restaurants (Frannie’s, she’s sure) will win $100,000. Amanda knows the competition will increase publicity and sales for both restaurants making everyone’s lives better.
Of course, Food Wars wants good television, which means stirring the pot. Amanda and Mae will be challenged to find a way to stand together when their family secrets are shared with the world.
Do parts of this story sound familiar to you? K.J. Dell’Antonia lived in Kansas for a time and was inspired by two real-life restaurants in Pittsburg, Kansas. Chicken Mary’s and Chicken Annie’s were featured on The Travel Channel’s show “Food Wars” in 2010.Two sisters face off in a reality show restaurant battle in this story about family and second chances set in small town Kansas. In the tiny (fictional) town of Merinac there are two restaurants directly across from each other that both specialize…
The Hunting PartyThe Hunting Party, BookA Novel
by Foley, LucyBook - 2019 | First U.S. edition.Book, 2019. First U.S. edition.
_Mirelda_'s rating:
Added Jan 21, 2021
Comment:
A twisty good read that kept my attention and kept me guessing. The set up is a locked room mystery, much like Foley's more recent hit, The Guest List. A group of best friends get together to celebrate the New Year together as they have done for years since Uni. This time they choose a remote location in the Scottish Highlands, an opportunity to truly get away from their busy lives and enjoy some together time. Then the group is completely cut off from the rest of the world by a blizzard. Then, one of them is murdered. Who among a group of old friends would have a reason to kill the one who held them all together? As readers shift perspectives, from one friend to the next, it becomes clear that any of them might have had reason to lash out. Of course, the groundskeeper with the shady past and the young female caretaker who chose to live in utter isolation look a bit sus, as well. You'll enjoy the reveals, twists, and turns, and just maybe you'll even figure out whodunnit before you turn those final pages.A twisty good read that kept my attention and kept me guessing. The set up is a locked room mystery, much like Foley's more recent hit, The Guest List. A group of best friends get together to celebrate the New Year together as they have done for…
The Life and Death of Sophie StarkThe Life and Death of Sophie Stark, Book
by North, AnnaBook - 2015Book, 2015
_Mirelda_'s rating:
Added Jan 21, 2021
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My first Anna North, and I will definitely be checking out more of her work. In The Life and Death of Sophie Stark, readers get to know a brilliant and mysterious director, Sophie Stark, through the eyes of the people who knew her and worked with her, and through reviews written about her work during her life. The only time the character speaks for herself is in the text of an interview conversation, and through dialogue reported by those she left behind. The story slowly fills in and takes on dimension as readers learn how Sophie got started in film, what motivated and shaped her personal relationships, and what she wanted from life. Each character who speaks has his or her own compelling story to share, too, because Sophie surrounded herself with people who interested her. This book pulled me in and made me feel like a part of Sophie's story. By the end, I felt like I'd read about someone who really lived, and impacted others in her time here.
For audio fans, this one is about 8 hours, with a fantastic narrator, and it's available on Hoopla with no waiting: https://www.hoopladigital.com/title/11373903My first Anna North, and I will definitely be checking out more of her work. In The Life and Death of Sophie Stark, readers get to know a brilliant and mysterious director, Sophie Stark, through the eyes of the people who knew her and worked with…
Concrete RoseConcrete Rose, Book
by Thomas, AngieBook - 2021 | First edition.Book, 2021. First edition.
Added Jan 21, 2021
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“Did you hear about the rose that grew from a crack in the concrete? Proving nature's laws wrong, it learned to walk without having feet. Funny, it seems to by keeping it's dreams; it learned to breathe fresh air. Long live the rose that grew from concrete when no one else even cared.” --Tupac Shakur
This prequel did not disappoint! Angie Thomas writes books about flawed characters who are learning and growing in challenging circumstances. Concrete Rose references the Tupac poem above, and it's the perfect title for Mav's story. Maverick Carter's father is a gang member who is in prison, and his mom works like a dog to keep the lights on. Maverick joined a gang too, because if you don't claim a color, no one has your back. His cousin Dre looks out for him and won't let him sling anything harder than weed, but Maverick is tired of being broke, and he gets in deeper than his cousin thinks. As the story opens, Maverick finds out that he's a father, following a one night stand. Being a father, a Dad, means something to Maverick, so he takes a job at a local grocery store, starts helping his mom with the bills, and steps up. Readers won't be able to help but cheer for Mav as he learns about gardening, works hard, loves his son, and tries his hardest to avoid being pulled under by the violence and crime that have shaped his years. Will he make it, or will his past decisions make his dreams impossible?“Did you hear about the rose that grew from a crack in the concrete? Proving nature's laws wrong, it learned to walk without having feet. Funny, it seems to by keeping it's dreams; it learned to breathe fresh air. Long live the rose that grew from…
Moon of the Crusted SnowMoon of the Crusted Snow, BookA Novel
by Rice, WaubgeshigBook - 2018Book, 2018
_Mirelda_'s rating:
Added Jan 17, 2021
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A post-apocalyptic/survival story told from a First Nations perspective. Rice imagines what the people living on a northern Canadian reservation might experience if a collapse in society meant that they were cut off from the wider world. Lots of references to Anishinaabe culture and beliefs throughout the book, and it's short and fast-paced at about 6 hours on audio. Beautifully written and scenic. Definitely worth a listen.
It's on Hoopla, in ebook and audiobook with no waiting: https://www.hoopladigital.com/artist/3490553198A post-apocalyptic/survival story told from a First Nations perspective. Rice imagines what the people living on a northern Canadian reservation might experience if a collapse in society meant that they were cut off from the wider world. Lots of…
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