What We’re Reading: Righteous

Title: Righteousbook cover: Righteous by Joe Ide

Author: Joe Ide

Genre: mystery

Why did you choose to read this book?

I enjoyed reading the first book in this series, IQ.

What did you like about it?

Like IQ, this is a fast-paced detective story featuring Isaiah Quintabe (“IQ”), a self-made private investigator in Los Angeles. IQ uses a combination of reasoning, cunning, surveillance and lock-picking skills and Krav Maga in his pursuit of justice. Several characters return from Ide’s debut novel in this sequel. Continue Reading →

What We’re Reading: Monstress (Vol. 1 & 2)

This series was read by Meredith Lewis, Orange County Campus Librarian.

Genre: Graphic Novel/Comic Book

#ReadGreatThings2018 Category: A book that contains a supernatural creature [loads], occurrence [more than one], or event [very much yes]

Find out more about the Read Great Things Challenge here.

Why did you choose to read this book?

I picked up Monstress Vol. 1 a year or so ago in an effort to check out some new graphic novels. The graphics were beautiful and there was a weird multi-tailed cat in one of the preview images. I’m a simple person–I may have chosen it for both the positive reviews and the cats. It’s also really beautifully illustrated (and terribly bloody and twisted). 

I chose to continue the series because it’s dark and fascinating. The main character, Maika Halfwolf, is scarred emotionally from a war between entities in her world that left a huge number of beings dead and many more brutalized, but her physical scarring comes from a terrifying (and very hungry) monster that she shares her body with. She reluctantly takes on a half-fox and two-tailed necromancing talking cat as sidekicks. Look, it’s really weird (as I say out loud frequently while reading it), but really interesting. And it’s not as whimsical as the animals make it seem.

What did you like about it?

Maika’s exploration of where she ends and the monster begins is really fascinating, especially since they can see into each others’ memories. The second volume starts to clear up some of the mysteries introduced in the first volume, but I still have more questions! (Volume 3 comes out later this year, so I’ll just have to wait unless I want to buy individual issues of the comic.) 

Did it remind you of any other book, or a movie?

The second one reminds me ever so slightly of Pirates of the Carribean… but that’s only because there’s a ship and a terrifying island and ghosts.They do not share a similar tone AT ALL. 

Was there anything noteworthy about the book?

If you’re into awards, this (along with My Favorite Thing is Monsters, also available at the OCC Library) was nominated for a 2018 Eisner Award and Vol. 1 won a Hugo Award last year

Who would you recommend the book to?

If you’re into dark fantasy and beautiful art and weird stories with anthropomorphic animals and half animals and monsters, this is probably going to be your jam. All the trigger warnings, though. 

I found this Hollywood Reporter article interesting, too, for more information: ‘Monstress’: Inside The Fantasy Comic About Race, Feminism And The Monster Within

What We’re Reading: Educated

educated a memoir by tara westover book cover

Available at the Main Campus Library on the New Book Shelf (CT 3262 .I2 W47 2018)

Educated by Tara Westover was read by Susan Baker, a Reference Librarian at the Main Campus, and Meredith Lewis, the Orange County Campus Librarian.

Genre: Memoir

#ReadGreatThings2018 Category: A biography, autobiography, memoir, or a fictionalized account of a real person’s life AND A book you chose for the cover [seriously, look at those layers]

Find out more about the Read Great Things Challenge here, and check out other beautiful and interesting book covers in the Main Campus library’s front window display to find your next great read.

Why did you choose to read this book?

Susan: I work with students in a community college. I have a son in elementary school.  So I think about education—how does it work?  What makes it good?—a lot. The combination of the title and the cool pencil graphic that is so much more if you look closely drew me to the shelf. I picked it, scanned the prologue—hmmm, this is good writing, and I want to know what happens….I was hooked.

Meredith: As usual (eye roll directed towards myself), I’d read some reviews on it and it seemed interesting– a story of not-quite-actually-home-schooled to PhD. I’m always interested in how people get from one place to another in their lives, especially in their education journeys, but this book was so much more than just that. 

 

Continue Reading →

#ReadGreatThings2018: Summer Reading Time!

With the spring semester over and done*, summer reading is upon us!

Looking for some light structure to your summer reading? Why not try the Durham Tech Library’s Read Great Things Challenge?

Durham Tech Library's Read Great Things 2018 Challenge

What is the Read Great Things Challenge?

The Read Great Things Challenge is a reading challenge sponsored by the Durham Tech Library throughout 2018 that encourages folks to diversify or increase their reading goals by completing books that fit into at least 10 of the following 12 categories:

  • A book being turned into a movie or tv show in 2018
  • A biography, autobiography, memoir, or a fictionalized account of a real person’s life
  • A book about or that features sports
  • A book of poetry or a book written in verse
  • A book you previously started or were assigned and never finished
  • A book that takes place in a country or place you’d like to visit
  • A book you chose for the cover
  • A book that takes place during or is about a historical event 50 years or more in the past [1968 or before]
  • A popular science book [nonfiction books that talk about scientific topics from a non-textbook point-of-view]
  • A book with a supernatural creature, occurrence, or event
  • A book about cooking or food
  • A book suggested by a Durham Tech librarian either in-person or on the Durham Tech Library Blog

We’re highlighting different genres throughout the year and on the blog through individual book posts, but you can always ask a librarian for recommendations if you can’t think of a book to read for a certain category (which conveniently fills that final awesome category).

How do I participate in the Read Great Things Challenge?

It’s pretty simple –just start reading! You don’t have to sign up and you can start at any point in the year. You’ll need to choose books that fit into at least 10 of the 12 categories by the end of Fall Semester (December 2018) to complete the challenge.

There’s also a joinable Sakai site (listed under Membership on your Sakai home page once you sign in) that we’ll be using if you want to discuss books you’re reading and recommend some of your own great reads. Email Meredith Lewis (OCC Librarian) or the library for more information. 

What kind of book counts as a “great thing”?

All books count–hardcover, paperback, ebooks, audiobooks, graphic novels, comic books, library books, books you own, books you’ve borrowed… If it fits into one (or two) of the categories and you’ve read it/want to read it, that counts.

Can I count a book for multiple categories?

One book can count for up to two categories.

How do I win the challenge? (What do I win?)

To win and complete the challenge, you should finish books that fit into at least 10 of the 12 listed categories. In late November or early December, we’ll have bookish prizes available for those who bring their completed book list to the library or fill out the completion form.

You’ll also get a personal sense of satisfaction and bragging rights. (And who doesn’t love those?)

Do the books have to be from the Durham Tech Library?

Nope, but we’re glad to point you in the direction of one already in our collection. We have some great books just waiting to make it on your list.

Download a pdf of the checklist and challenge guidelines here: Read Great Things Challenge 2018

*Technically, the semester will be “over and done” tomorrow, you know, for accuracy’s sake.