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Vita Nostra
Author: Marina and Sergey Dyachenko, Julia Meitov Hersey (Translator)Edition: KindleDate read: October 6, 2020 Goodreads Synopsis: While vacationing at the beach with her mother, Sasha Samokhina meets the mysterious Farit Kozhennikov under the most peculiar circumstances. The teenage girl is powerless to refuse when this strange and unusual man with an air of the sinister directs her to perform a task with potentially scandalous consequences. He rewards her effort with a strange golden coin. As the days progress, Sasha carries out other acts for which she receives more coins from Kozhennikov. As summer ends, her domineering mentor directs her to move to a remote village and use her gold to…
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Hocus Pocus and the All-New Sequel
Author: A.W. JanthaEdition: HardcoverDate Read: October 11, 2020 Goodreads Synopsis Hocus Pocus is beloved by Halloween enthusiasts all over the world. Diving once more into the world of witches, this electrifying two-part young adult novel, released on the twenty-fifth anniversary of the 1993 film, marks a new era of Hocus Pocus. Fans will be spellbound by a fresh retelling of the original film, followed by the all-new sequel that continues the story with the next generation of Salem teens. Shortly after moving from California to Salem, Massachusetts, Max Dennison finds himself in hot water when he accidentally releases a coven of witches, the Sanderson sisters, from the afterlife. Max, his…
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The Value of the Vote
An acquaintance of mine posted on Facebook the other day that we should not “peer pressure” people to vote who don’t feel they are able or prepared to do so. They also posted that the more access we have to something the greater the quality is diminished. I’ve been struggling with this the past few days. Unsure of where I fall on the spectrum of quality vs. quantity and the right to vote; or even how these two concepts are related. Supply and Demand Certainly, the economist in me can see this point. Its classic supply and demand, the concept of scarcity, that the less there is of something the…
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Witch, Please
Our top witchy books for this spooky season I was never a huge fan of Halloween, just ask my mother. I loved the costumes and candy, but once the holiday became all scary stuff, I wanted nothing to do with it. As I’ve gotten older I’ve begun to appreciate the cozy spookiness of the season; the leaves changing, a coolness in the air, and pumpkin-flavored things. While I still can’t read a truly scary novel, I do appreciate a good theme. So here are some fun witchy books to get you in the Halloween spirit. Practical Magic I first read Practical Magic, when I was 22 years old. It was…
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Transcendent Kingdom
Author: Yaa GyasiEdition: Hardcover, 264 pagesDate Read: October 4, 2020 Goodreads Synopsis: Gifty is a fifth-year candidate in neuroscience at Stanford School of Medicine studying reward-seeking behavior in mice and the neural circuits of depression and addiction. Her brother, Nana, was a gifted high school athlete who died of a heroin overdose after a knee injury left him hooked on OxyContin. Her suicidal mother is living in her bed. Gifty is determined to discover the scientific basis for the suffering she sees all around her. But even as she turns to the hard sciences to unlock the mystery of her family’s loss, she finds herself hungering for her childhood faith…
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So You Want to Join a Book Club…
But what book club is right for you? You’ve probably guessed by now but I love a good book club! To gather together, have some drinks, and discuss books sounds like a great time to me. Whether you are looking to join an existing club or start your own; the key point to consider is what type of book club you want. You mean there is more than one type of book club? Indeed! And while I’m sure there are many more models than the three I’m going to discuss, we’ll consider these the basics. The Traditional This is the kind of book club everyone knows about. Structured around a…
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Ender’s Game
Author: Orson Scott CardEdition: Paperback, 324 PagesDate Read: September 19, 2020 Goodreads Synopsis: Ender Wiggin is a very bright young boy with a powerful skill. One of a group of children bred to be military geniuses and save Earth from an inevitable attack by aliens, known here as “buggers,” Ender becomes unbeatable in war games and seems poised to lead Earth to triumph over the buggers. Meanwhile, his brother and sister plot to wrest power from Ender. Twists, surprises and interesting characters elevate this novel into status as a bona fide page turner (goodreads.com). Should Lit Girls Read it? In the end, I liked Ender’s Game, but it took me…
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Playing in the Dark: Whiteness and the Literary Imagination
Author: Toni MorrisonEdition: Paperback, 1993Date Read: September 13, 2020 Synopsis: Toni Morrison’s brilliant discussions of the “Africanist” presence in the fiction of Poe, Melville, Cather, and Hemingway leads to a dramatic reappraisal of the essential characteristics of our literary tradition. She shows how much the themes of freedom and individualism, manhood and innocence, depended on the existence of a black population that was manifestly unfree–and that came to serve white authors as embodiments of their own fears and desires. Written with the artistic vision that has earned Toni Morrison a pre-eminent place in modern letters, Playing in the Dark will be avidly read by Morrison admirers as well as by students, critics, and…
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A Girl with a Book: Ruth Bader Ginsburg
When I learned of the passing of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, I was heartbroken. My grief took me by surprise. That I could shed tears for a woman I had never met and feel the loss of her life so acutely was startling. However, that was how big her presence was, and how far her legacy reached. She paved the way for women who will only ever read her name in history books, who will just see a list of accomplishments. I feel this loss because I was lucky enough to live during the rise of the notorious RBG. When my neighbor came outside at 9pm on September 18, 2020…
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Life and Death: Twilight Reimagined
Author: Stephanie MeyerEdition: Twilight Tenth Anniversary/Dual Edition, Kindle EditionDate Read: September 7, 2020 Synopsis There are two sides to every story….You know Bella and Edward, now get to know Beau and Edythe. When Beaufort Swan moves to the gloomy town of Forks and meets the mysterious, alluring Edythe Cullen, his life takes a thrilling and terrifying turn. With her porcelain skin, golden eyes, mesmerizing voice, and supernatural gifts, Edythe is both irresistible and enigmatic. What Beau doesn’t realize is the closer he gets to her, the more he is putting himself and those around him at risk. And, it might be too late to turn back….(goodreads.com) Should Lit Girls read…
