Books with Maps

A couple of the challenges I’m casually doing have a category for a ‘book with a map.’ High fantasy is the most common place to find maps but I can’t be the only one who is meh about that genre. Here’s a couple books with maps that are a little less complicated.

Cabin Fever: The Harrowing Journey of a Cruise Ship at the Dawn of a Pandemic by Michael Smith and Jonathan Franklin

A nonfiction book about the cruise ship that was stuck without a port just as COVID-19 entered our lives. Journalistic style of nonfiction and pretty readable. It’s a reminder of how much has changed.

Hide by Kiersten White

Perfect for summer, this short, spooky read has a map for its end pages. A bunch of young folks gather at an abandoned amusement park. A shady reality show is supposed to be putting on a game of hide and seek but something darker is lurking.

Transit Maps of the World by Mark Ovenden

This visual piece of nonfiction is when you see that prompt and think “Challenge accepted!”

The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster

A classic work of children’s literature and one of my all time favorites.

The Christmas Murder Game by Alexandra Benedict

I wanted to read this last December but ran out of time. It has a map and a twisty plot.

FKA USA by Reed King

Part dystopian, part comedy, part weird fiction. The end pages are a map for this very odd version of Future America.

Feral: Losing Myself and Finding My Way in America’s National Parks by Emily Pennington

This book is on my TBR but I looked at it enough to confirm there are maps for her adventures.

Merry Little Meet Cute by Julie Murphy and Sierra Simone

A romance with a plus size porn star and former boy band bad boy trying to rehab his image. They’re filming a G rated Christmas movie but some scenes are NOT family friendly. Fun, steamy, and a splash of Christmas.

Trail of the Lost: The Relentless Search to Bring Home the Missing Hikers of the Pacific Crest Trail by Andrea Lankford

My currently reading. Coming out at the end of August, this nonfiction story is similar in style to Cabin Fever. Limited author presence, journalistic, readable. I’m enjoying it.

A lot of nature, outdoor adventure, or hiking memoirs will have maps (Wild, The Salt Path, etc.).

Making Magic

I’m not much of an influencer so whenever I get my hands on a book I’m excited about, I’m always pleasantly surprised. I got an eARC of Mister Magic by Kiersten White about a kids show everyone remembers but no one can find proof of.

Because it’s an ARC, there were some minor formatting issues with the message board sections. Other than that, no notes. The story was tight and fast paced. There is a consistent, sinister undercurrent of dread. White does a fantastic job of creating unease in the reader. The horror isn’t gory or violent; it’s unsettling and uncomfortable.

In the acknowledgements, White openly explains this story stems from her trauma from her upbringing and leaving the Mormon faith. Something you see in faith and patriarchy is the need to make yourself small to fit into the tiny box of what’s acceptable. Don’t challenge authority, don’t be different, don’t be too grand. This theme pops up multiple times across the story.

It’s a great eerie read. Definitely recommend. 5/5

Dictatorship: It’s Easier Than You Think!

I was intrigued by the title and cover. I bought it at my local indie because my libraries didn’t have it. I’m so glad I did. Part parody guide, part history, part warning.

Incredibly informative with lots of history, detail, and pointed references to the precariousness of American democracy. The authors pack in a lot of relevant information without any info dumping or impacting the speed and ironic levity of the narrative.

The art is an excellent blend of realistic and comic. It creates a distinction between the lighter narrative of our host and the horrifying realities of these brutal men (and it is overwhelmingly men).

The background colors are also very soothing, calm colors. Light purple, medium gray-blue. You see more reds and blacks when getting explicit with atrocities and crimes against humanity. It’s another way they strike that balance. ‘This is a fun how-to book. BTW, Nazis in South America.’

Fantastic. Perfectly done. 5/5

Hey Hun

I finished Emily Lynn Paulson’s new book Hey, Hun: Sales, Sisterhood, Supremacy, and the Other Lies Behind Multilevel Marketing while driving today.

Many of us are familiar with MLMs and how shady they are. Cosmetics, clothing, even books have been part of the pyramid shaped shill. Paulson was one of the big earners at one so she has seen it all. The good, the bad, and the ugly.

Hey, Hun is a fantastic blend of personal memoir and factual account. Paulson’s experience is blended with facts, statistics, and articles. Occasionally the facts interrupt the narrative flow but is mostly well blended.

Her struggle’s and first hand experience give a depth to this that couldn’t be found any other way. Interviews are great but I think Paulson’s previous sobriety work made it easy for her to dig deep and share fully.

I didn’t realize Paulson did her own audiobook for this. She did a fantastic job. This book is excellent. Highly recommend. 5/5

July TBR

This TBR is dominated by ARCs that come out in August.

The Last Girls Standing by Jennifer Dugan

I won this in a GoodReads giveaway. They took their sweet time getting it to me. A week after I got it, ‘Why haven’t you written a review?’ Because I’ve had it for 5 minutes and it comes out in August. Calm down.

Mister Magic by Kiersten White

I lucked into a copy of this from NetGalley as an eARC. I enjoyed Hide so I was excited for this one.

Trail of the Lost: The Relentless Search to Bring Home the Missing Hikers of the Pacific Crest Trail by Andrea Lankford

I love thru-hiking memoirs and this is a different flavor of that. The memoir of a park ranger, it looks at a different aspect of the perils of hiking.

Still Life by Sarah Winman

This historical fiction is for my book club. I hope it’s good because I’m getting a little burned out on the genre. I don’t read it much and I’ve read it more than usual this year.

I’ve got library holds and my mood reading that will add other flavor to this list.

June Wrap-Up

I try to read a little gayer in June. Not sure how but most of my gay fiction this month centered around men. Thriller even has a couple of stories.

Thirst: 2600 Miles to Home by Heather ‘Anish’ Anderson

Not just any thru-hiking memoir but one of Anderson setting the fastest known time for the Pacific Crest Trail. Poignant, adventurous, and a well read audiobook. 4/5

All That’s Left in the World by Erik J. Brown

Brown wanted to see more queer characters in post-apocalyptic fiction so he write it. He creates a really great intersection of identities in this story. Definitely recommend. 5/5

Under the Whispering Door by TJ Klune

A book about death that is poignant, cozy, and kind. I say more here. Excellent story. 5/5

The Wife App by Carolyn Mackler

A few issues but a very enjoyable novel about the struggles of motherhood and the lack of value our labor has. I say more here. 4/5

Thriller edited by Don Bruns

A collection of mystery stories, each inspired by a Michael Jackson song. A couple of standouts but a pretty middling assortment overall. 3/5

Swipe Up For More!: Inside the Unfiltered Lives of Influencers by Stephanie McNeal

A focused look on the lives of influencers. I say more here. 4/5

The One by Julia Argy

A debut about a Bachelor-esque dating show. The writing is good, the setting is interesting, the protagonist is the human equivalent of plain yogurt for most of it. I was entertained but didn’t love it. 3.5/5

Boys Weekend by Mattie Lubchansky

A graphic novel about Sammie, trans femme, who is attending her friend’s Bachelor Party. It’s got some fun sci-fi elements while also dealing with Sammie reconciling her past and present selves. A very entertaining read for pride 4/5

I DNFed The Broken Hearts Club at 30%. There was a lot of lying and a lot of unrealistic and problematic romcom ideals. Good writing, good characters, but it was not for me.