Chapter Two Hundred Sixteen: Artemis

So I listened to Artemis, the newest novel by Andy Weir (author of The Martian), because The Martian was really excellent on audio, and I figured the same would be true of Artemis.  Guess what?  The same is true of Artemis!  I was hooked--it was the kind of story that made me not want to get out of my car because I wanted to keep listening.  (It's probably also fun as a read, but if you do audiobooks, definitely listen to Artemis, delightfully narrated by actress Rosario Dawson.)  While there are a couple of really weird moments, mostly this is a fun, fast-paced, smart, and entertaining caper story.  I really enjoyed that our main characters--who live in the first and only lunar city, Artemis--come from all over Earth, offering a surprisingly and pleasantly diverse cast.  The main character, Jazz, is highly intelligent and also has her share of human flaws, a combination not found often enough in books, I think.  If you enjoyed The Martian, check out Artemis.  (If you haven't read either, go read both!  No, the movie of The Martian doesn't count, though it is good.  And yes, I'm hoping for a movie of Artemis.)  If you're looking for a smart, irreverent adventure story, check out Artemis.  In sum, go check out Artemis.  It's really good!

Chapter Two Hundred Fifteen: The Library at the Edge of the World

The Library at the Edge of the World by Felicity Hayes-McCoy is a feel-good small-town story without being overly sweet or unrealistically and relentlessly upbeat. While I didn't find this novel to be earth-shattering, I did enjoy and care about its cast of characters, and I liked its Irish setting (its author is Irish).  Also, if you hadn't guessed, it's about a librarian!  Although she is a somewhat (very) begrudging librarian...  This book reminded me a bit of Louisiana Saves the Library, which I read back in April of 2016--apparently I'm pretty into reading books about librarians.  Who'd have guessed it?  However, you needn't be a library junkie to enjoy this novel--it actually reminds me a bit of A Man Called Ove, too, though it didn't make me cry like Ove did.  If you're wanting some contemporary realistic fiction, try The Library at the Edge of the World.

Chapter Two Hundred Fourteen: Edible: An Adventure into the World of Eating Insects and the Last Great Hope to Save the Planet

I couldn't resist following up Candyfreak with an audiobook about eating bugs, and the library where I work kindly obliged!  (Actually, I wouldn't have found either of these titles if I hadn't been browsing the shelves at the library, an exercise I highly recommend.)  Daniella Martin's Edible offers a fascinating look at global entomophagy (that's a fancy word for eating insects).  Martin is herself an enthusiastic insect eater, and her enthusiasm infuses Edible as it covers topics as diverse as entomophagy's health benefits, its environmental benefits, and some of the various cultures that already embrace eating at least some insects.  Most important, Martin reminds listeners and readers that many insects, if prepared well, actually taste good!  Martin has spent years of her life researching entomophagy, and not just by eating insects, so if you're looking for some well-informed and informative non-fiction about a topic you probably haven't thought much about, definitely try Edible--you might be surprised at what you learn!

Chapter Two Hundred Thirteen: The Invisible Library (and The Masked City and The Burning Page)

So, for a book club I'm in, I read Genevieve Cogman's fantasy novel The Invisible Library, which I'd been vaguely meaning to read for some time, and I enjoyed it so much I had to immediately read its sequels, The Masked City and The Burning Page, and now I'm eagerly awaiting the next book (The Lost Plot), which is due later this winter!  Cogman's novels have all, or at least most, of the elements of the elements I want in a fantasy story: a strong female lead, alluring supportive male characters, a fearsome villain, a mysterious organization (which in this case is a library, even better!), dragons, fae, and multiple worlds with varying levels of magic, technology, chaos, and order.  If I haven't already convinced you, perhaps you're not a fantasy reader, in which case these books may not be for you, but if you like fantasy at all, or want to dip your toes into clever, action-packed fantasy for adults, check out The Invisible Library and its sequels.  I really can't recommend them enough!

Chapter Two Hundred Twelve: Candyfreak

I just finished listening to Steve Almond's (nonfiction) book Candyfreak: A Journey through the Chocolate Underbelly of America, and let me say that this was a really fun listen!  While it does have the occasional dark moment, Almond's joy (Sorry, I couldn't resist!) for all things candy is infatuating.  He delves into the sales and manufacturing of several regional candies, from my one of my very favorites (NECCO's Sky Bar) to ones I'd never heard of (Twin Bing, anyone? Big Hunk?).  His focus on the little guys of the candy world not only serves as a cultural exploration of various parts of the U.S. (he travels throughout the country to visit small candy factories) but also introduces a quirky cast of characters, as the people running these small candy companies tend to be as weirdly passionate about candy as Almond is.  If you like candy, or if you're looking for a light but fascinating non-fiction experience, give Candyfreak a try.

Chapter Two Hundred Eleven: The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry

So I wanted something short-ish to read on a plane ride recently, and also something that I could get as an e-book (due to luggage restrictions...), so I finally got around to Gabrielle Zevins's The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry, which has been vaguely on my to-read list for quite some time.  It wasn't quite what I expected it to be, but I really enjoyed this novel nonetheless.  The narration is oddly distant from the characters, sort of keeping them at arm's length, which I normally wouldn't go in for, except they're all so loveable, or at least interesting (plus they're book lovers) that I didn't mind the emotional distance of the narration.  This novel is sort of a cross between a curmudgeon-finds-family tale (think A Man Called Ove) and a small-town-life tale (think At Home in Mitford), and I found it totally delightful, if a little rough at the start.  If you're looking for a heartwarming tale of an unusual family and its unusual little town, try The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry.

Chapter Two Hundred Ten: La Belle Sauvage (Book of Dust, Volume I)

So naturally I had to read Philip Pullman's newest book about Lyra as soon as it came out!  And I'm thrilled and relieved to report that this first book of a prequel trilogy (titled The Book of Dust) to His Dark Materials absolutely fulfilled my expectations and hopes for a continuation of Lyra's story--or maybe an expansion of her backstory is a better way to put it, since she's only six months old during this novel, though, as anyone who knows Lyra will suspect, that doesn't stop her from being quite a character!  But an eleven year old boy, Malcolm, is the main hero of this tale, and this new character is a totally worthy addition to the cast of characters from His Dark Materials. (I also really like Alice Parslow, a major accomplice of Malcolm's in La Belle Sauvage, although I hesitate to call her a new character, because I suspect that she'll later become the Mrs. Lonsdale of the early chapters of The Golden Compass, though I could be wrong...)  It's also fun to see younger and less major characters from His Dark Materials, especially Hannah Relf and Coram Van Texel, in a different context--and of course, we get some fascinating glimpses of the younger Lord Asriel and Mrs. Coulter, too.  While I think you could enjoy La Belle Sauvage without having read His Dark Materials, I also think everyone in general should read His Dark Materials anyway, and La Belle Sauvage not only lives up to His Dark Materials but also expands that universe in interesting and meaningful ways that make me want to go back and re-read His Dark Materials again.  I also can't wait for volume two of The Book of Dust--it literally can't be published soon enough to suit me!