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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: What's Mine and Yours
3/5 stars What's Mine and Yours, by Naima Coster (2021) I enjoyed this story, though I don't think it's going to stick with me. It was a...
tatedecaro
May 24, 20222 min read


Review: Under the Banner of Heaven
3/5 stars Under the Banner of Heaven: A Story of Violent Faith, by Jon Krakauer (2003) I recently visited Salt Lake City (SLC), Utah for...
tatedecaro
May 2, 20223 min read


Review: The 12 Lives of Samuel Hawley
3/5 stars The Twelve Lives of Samuel Hawley, by Hannah Tinti (2017) Tinti's The Good Thief was the first book that my book club read in...
tatedecaro
Apr 11, 20222 min read


Review: Midnight at the Bright Ideas Bookstore
3/5 stars Midnight at the Bright Ideas Bookstore, by Matthew Sullivan (2017) TW: Suicide & murder I thought this was a really fun,...
tatedecaro
Mar 18, 20222 min read


Review: Call Us What We Carry
3/5 stars Call Us What We Carry, by Amanda Gorman (2021) Like everyone else, I was introduced to and blown away by Amanda Gorman when she...
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Jan 25, 20222 min read


Review: The Grisha Series
3/5 stars (some of) The Grisha Series, by Leigh Bardugo (2012 - 2016) TW: Graphic violence, Allusions to rape Of the seven books in this...
tatedecaro
Jan 21, 20224 min read


Review: Nowhere Boy
3/5 stars Nowhere Boy, by Katherine Marsh (2018) This should be required reading for all middle grade students (middle school, or higher...
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Dec 18, 20211 min read


Review: Firekeeper's Daughter
3/5 stars Firekeeper's Daughter, by Angeline Boulley (2021) TW: grief, suicide, murder, drug addition, & rape Despite the heavy nature of...
tatedecaro
Dec 17, 20212 min read


Review: Conjure Women
3/5 stars Conjure Women, by Afia Atakora (2020) An impressive debut of historical fiction, the book is set on a large plantation in the...
tatedecaro
Oct 12, 20212 min read


Review: If We Were Villains
3/5 stars If We Were Villains, by M.L. Rio (2017) A murder mystery for fans of Shakespeare! It's a very dramatic, literary, theatrical...
tatedecaro
Oct 1, 20212 min read


Review: Detransition, Baby
3/5 stars Detransition, Baby, by Torrey Peters (2021) TW: Trans- and Homophobia, Miscarriage/Abortion, Suicide, Sexual Content & Violence...
tatedecaro
Sep 12, 20212 min read


Review: Nights When Nothing Happened
3/5 stars Nights When Nothing Happened, by Simon Han (2020) This book is a slow, ponderous burn. I found myself feeling distracted at...
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Sep 3, 20212 min read


Review: Prison Diary of Ho Chi Minh
3/5 stars The Prison Diary of Ho Chi Minh, by Ho Chi Minh (1943) Translated from the Vietnamese by Aileen Palmer My mom is going through...
tatedecaro
Aug 20, 20212 min read


Review: Once Upon a River
3/5 stars Once Upon a River, by Diane Setterfield (2018) This book is a mythical fairy tale of magical realism. Suspenseful at times,...
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Jun 30, 20212 min read


Review: Southern Reach Trilogy
3/5 stars overall Southern Reach Trilogy: Annihilation, Authority, & Acceptance, by Jeff Vandermeer (2014) Rating this was tough because...
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Jun 25, 20213 min read


Review: Homegoing / Transcendent Kingdom
3-5/5 stars - Homegoing (2016) & Transcendent Kingdom (2020), by Yaa Gyasi I just finished reading Transcendent Kingdom, and realized...
tatedecaro
May 25, 20212 min read


Review: The Near Witch
3/5 stars The Near Witch, by V.E. Schwab (2011) This is Schwab's first novel, originally published in 2011, then republished in 2019...
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May 6, 20212 min read


Review: The Ladies of Grace Adieu
3/5 stars The Ladies of Grace Adieu, and Other Stories, by Susanna Clark (2006) Favorite quote from the book: “The governess was not much...
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Apr 26, 20212 min read


Review: The Devil & the Dark Water
3/5 stars The Devil and the Dark Water, by Stuart Turton (2020) This murder-mystery thriller has a very Sherlock & Watson vibe, and like...
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Apr 16, 20212 min read


Review: The Museum of Whales You Will Never See
3/5 stars The Museum of Whales You Will Never See, and Other Excursions to Iceland's Most Unusual Museums, by A. Kendra Greene (2020) On...
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Apr 3, 20212 min read

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