Pamela Pokes Around Rum Doodle

[Pamela]

Going to start at base camp and try not to get too carried away with unowned or new NetGalley books this next year.

[Pamela]

Running List:

----------- Rum Doodle ----------------

February:
1. Ms. Adventure: My Wild Explorations in Science, Lava, and Life by Jess Phoenix (audio)
2. Amelia Unabridged by Ashley Schumacher

March:
3. The Waters Between Us: A Boy, a Father, Outdoor Misadventures and the Healing Power of Nature by Michael Tougias

April:
4. Forget Me Not by Alexandra Oliva

May:
5. Switch by A.S. King
6. Three-Martini Afternoons at the Ritz: The Rebellion of Sylvia Plath & Anne Sexton by Gail Crowther (audio)
7. Little Pieces of Me by Alison Hammer
8. Remember: The Science of Memory and the Art of Forgetting by Lisa Genova (audio)

June:
9. Double Blind by Edward St. Aubyn
10. The Ice Lion by Kathleen O'Neal Gear
11. Ethel Rosenberg: An American Tragedy by Anne Sebba (audio)
12. The Personal Librarian by Marie Benedict & Victoria Christopher Murray

[Pamela]

My first book on the virtual climb! Ms. Adventure: My Wild Explorations in Science, Lava, and Life by Jess Phoenix.


3.5 stars, audio book

Some wild adventures, I'll give her that, but the book lacked some cohesiveness for me to tie all the stories together. I hoped for more science as well. The book was narrated by the author, and she did a great job with that. I picked up the book via NetGalley just a week or two ago.

[Pamela]

Finished book 2 Amelia Unabridged by Ashley Schumacher.

by Ashley Schumacher
3 stars, eBook

I wanted to love this book. The cover is enticing, the story takes place almost entirely in a bookstore, and there's a book convention. It's about books! Yet the writing style was overdone and some aspects I found hard to believe. A recent book from NetGalley.

[Pamela]

Book 3 done The Waters Between Us: A Boy, a Father, Outdoor Misadventures and the Healing Power of Nature by Michael Tougias.


2 stars, eBook

This one didn't win me over either. The writing style wasn’t the most polished, despite the author wrote & published many books. The primary experience in nature for Tougias was fishing, to where he even called it hunting. I picked this book up as a nature lover, but the book does not fit well in that category, as this is more about using nature. Sorry, but cutting down trees for a better view isn’t what I love about nature. Picked up from NetGalley in January.

[Pamela]

Book 4 is Forget Me Not by Alexandra Oliva.

4 stars, eBook

Enjoyed this book, read somewhat quickly. A near future book about a girl that had a very unusual upbringing, unfortunately one without love, and very much neglected. But there is much more to the story, I enjoyed it. Picked up the book from NetGalley in March.

[Pamela]

Book 5 is Switch by A.S. King.

4 stars, eBook

A highly unique book that read to me as a huge metaphor, dealing with mental illness in a family that ends up tearing it apart. The writing format is unique as well, with many slashmarks within a sentence, as well as the grammar being non-standard. It takes a bit to get into the book, but coalesces after a bit. I read the book quickly, over the weekend. I knew it would be weird going in. A book picked up from NetGalley in April.

[Pamela]

Book 6 is Three-Martini Afternoons at the Ritz: The Rebellion of Sylvia Plath & Anne Sexton by Gail Crowther .

5 stars, audio book

I enjoyed this biography of the two poets. I barely knew much about them except they both died tragically. The format was that of a comparison and mostly chronological, it worked for me. I got this as a netGalley book in March but ended up listening to a library audio book copy.

[Pamela]

Book 7 is Little Pieces of Me by Alison Hammer.

3 stars, eBook

A fictional account of finding out your dad who raised you was not your biological dad. I liked it for the most part, but it had some aspects that really bugged me, especially the last chapter, just about ruined it. I got this from netGalley just a few weeks ago, in April.

[Pamela]

Book 8 is Remember: The Science of Memory and the Art of Forgetting by Lisa Genova.

4 stars, audio

This is a general book on memory, and general brain function in that area. It covers how your memory tends to work, and why it doesn’t, such as when you don’t pay close attention to something, you aren’t likely going to remember it. Also goes over a few ways to keep your brain healthy. Gave me the information I expected. The author was the narrator of the book and did a good job. Grabbed the audio from a local public library.

[Pamela]

Book 9 is Double Blind by Edward St. Aubyn.

3.5 stars, eBook

There are many themes in the book (mostly around the mind vs. brain, but also unwanted pregnancy) and none well developed or resolved, just many huge ideas thrown in and on occasion info dumped into the text of the book. Yet it is held together by the relationships of these people that become more intertwined as the book continues. Still enjoyed the wanderings, just wanted a bit more, ended too suddenly for me. A netGalley book I grabbed in early February.

[Pamela]

Book 10 is The Ice Lion by Kathleen O'Neal Gear.

4 stars, eBook

I've read many books by this author is a series she co-writes with her husband. So I was interested in this new series that takes place in the far future, post climate disaster. The series is called: Rewilding Reports. I quickly read the book, enjoyed it and look forward to the next one in the series (and I normally don't read series books, this author is one exception). I jumped on this book when I saw it in NetGalley early last month.

[Pamela]

Book 11 is Ethel Rosenberg: An American Tragedy by Anne Sebba.

4.5 stars, audio book

A fascinating book into the beginning of the Cold War. Of a family thrown into the headlines and forever embedded as part of the American culture from the anti-communist sentiment and Cold War. The book tries to answer who was Ethel Rosenberg and shows how the state electrocuting her was a mistake. While her guilt is fully unknown, the start of the Korean war, Russians having the ability to build a nuclear bomb quicker than expected, and the anti-communist sentiment made her look guilty by association. Interesting book! I listened to most of the book, but read a few chapters too. Got access from NetGalley in late May.

[Pamela]

Reached the peak with The Personal Librarian by Marie Benedict & Victoria Christopher Murray.

4 stars, eBook

An historical novel taking place in the early 20th century with J.P. Morgan hiring a woman, Belle Greene to run his personal library of art and rare books and manuscripts. What he doesn't know is she is black passing as white. There is a lot of tension with Belle needing to be careful and not get found out for who she really is, yet she must be daring and bold in this man's world. Enjoyed the book for the most part, but missed being a five star read. Got the book from NetGalley in January.

Onward to the next peak!