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A New York Tate of Mind
A New York Tate of Mind
In which this reader and explorer reviews books, muses on literary (and other) matters, and shares some of her adventures.
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My 1-5 rating system:
1 = I did not like it and would not recommend it.
2= It was fine. Read it if the subject matter interests you.
3 = I enjoyed it and would recommend it.
4 = I really liked it, and think you should read it!
5 = One of the best books I've read.
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Review: Make It Scream, Make It Burn
4/5 stars Make It Scream, Make It Burn , by Leslie Jamison (2019) One of my favorite nonfiction books is Leslie Jamison's The Empathy...
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Aug 113 min read
Review: Strange Pictures
3/5 stars Strange Pictures , by Uketsu (2022) Translated by Jim Rion This is an unconventional little murder mystery that has the feel...
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Aug 12 min read
Review: The Last Murder at the End of the World
3/5 stars The Last Murder at the End of the World , by Stuart Turton (2024) "Solve the murder to save what's left of the world..." It's...
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Jul 222 min read
Review: The Language of Thorns
4/5 stars The Language of Thorns: Midnight Tales & Dangerous Magic , by Leigh Bardugo (2017) Illustrated by Sara Kipin I guess I'm...
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Jul 182 min read
Review: Magic for Liars
3/5 stars Magic for Liars , by Sarah Gailey (2019) Private investigator Ivy Gamble's meat-and-potatoes work is mostly following cheating...
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Jul 92 min read
Review: Green Frog
4/5 stars Green Frog: Stories , by Gina Chung (2024) Short story collections can be tough for me. Often I feel like some are great while...
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Jul 11 min read
Review: The Antique Hunter's Death on the Red Sea
3/5 stars The Antique Hunter's Death on the Red Sea , by C.L. Miller (2025) Not quite as fun the first book, An Antique Hunter's Guide to...
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Jun 12 min read
Review: The Girl in Red and Lost Boy
5/5 stars The Girl in Red (2019), and Lost Boy: The True Story of Captain Hook (2017) , by Christina Henry Trigger Warnings (both...
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May 274 min read
Review: Chain-Gang All Stars
4/5 stars Chain-Gang All Stars , by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah (2023) Trigger Warnings: Graphic violence, Imprisonment and enslavement,...
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May 133 min read
Review: The Enigma of Room 622
1/5 stars The Enigma of Room 622 , by Jo ël Dicker (2020) Translated by Robert Bononno If I were the translator I'd take a biiiiiiig...
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May 73 min read
Review: The Only One Left
3/5 stars The Only One Left , by Riley Sager (2023) Kit McDeere is a home health aide, currently living at home with her father after...
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May 12 min read
Review: Vera Wong's Guide to Snooping (on a Dead Man)
4/5 stars Vera Wong's Guide to Snooping (on a Dead Man) , by Jesse Sutanto (2025) Another cozy murder mystery with your favorite old...
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Apr 162 min read
Review: Sunrise on the Reaping
3/5 stars Sunrise on the Reaping , by Suzanne Collins (2025) This iteration of the Hunger Games takes us back in time to the Second...
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Apr 112 min read
Review: Those We Thought We Knew
5/5 stars Those We Thought We Knew , by David Joy (2023) Trigger Warning: Racially motivated violence It's hard not to just copy-paste a...
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Apr 115 min read
Review: Slewfoot
3/5 stars Slewfoot: A Tale of Bewitchery , by Brom (2021) A fun read for lovers of witch &/or Puritanical witch-hunt era stories. Abitha...
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Mar 172 min read
Review: The Crane Husband
4/5 stars The Crane Husband , by Kelly Barnhill (2023) Barnhill does magical realism very well. I've read two other novels by her - The...
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Mar 102 min read
Review: I Have Some Questions For You
4/5 stars I Have Some Questions For You , by Rebecca Makkai (2023) Bodie Kane is a film professor and true crime podcaster in...
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Mar 42 min read
Review: Witchmark & Stormsong
4/5 stars Witchmark and Stormsong , by C.L. Polk (2018 and 2020) A great one-sentence summary from a post on Goodreads:...
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Feb 262 min read
Review: The Traitor
3/5 stars The Traitor , by Ava Glass (2023) A few years ago I read Alias Emma by Glass, and really enjoyed. Good spy novel. The Traitor...
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Feb 172 min read
Review: Black Star
4/5 stars Black Star , by Kwame Alexander (2024) TW: Racism, KKK activity, reference to a lynching This is a sequel to The Door of No...
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Feb 52 min read
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