10 80s Science Fiction Movies That Are Still Relevant, Louise Penny at the Haskell Library, Heiress Takes All is Reeses Pick for Spring, Iowa's Book Ban Bill Blocked, Rumpus Under New Ownership, Quote of the Day, First Time Caller by BK Borison, The Rainfall Market by You Yeong-Gwang, The Women in the Castle by Jessica Shattuck and Fate of Flames by Sarah Raughley

 It's April, the first part of spring! Welcome to my book blog to new book dragons and old bibliophiles. It's been crazy in my household these past few weeks, but I've still managed to get some books read and ready for review. I'm hopeful about going on a visit to HPB to turn some books in for credit and see about adding some new books to my TBR, so stay tuned. 

I'm a big fan of some of the softer and sillier SF movies of the 80s and early 90s, but one in particular, the Flight of the Navigator still owns a spot in my memory banks as a movie that I wish were true, in that I'd love for a spaceship to show up and take me on adventures!

 

10 Sci-Fi Movies From the ’80s That Will Never Get Old

And let’s end things with a list! I thought I would disagree with more on this list from Collider of 10 sci-fi movies from the ’80s that will never get old, but it’s a surprisingly good round-up of films. And possibly the first list of movies I’ve shared where I have even seen every single one. Which movies on the list did you love?

In thinking about the prompt, I thought of a few sci-fi films from the ’80s I would put on my own list, but they are in no way great cinema, like Solar Babies and Killer Klowns from Outer Space. And now I need to go back and watch Flight of the Navigator and The Last Starfighter to see if they still hold up.

This is just another crime to lay at the feet of our current fascist administration, who are banning books and making access to Canadian libraries difficult if not impossible to obtain. This should not be happening!

 

Louise Penny at the Haskell Library

Penny will do other Canadian events before ending her book tour at the

Haskell Free Library and Opera House, a "remarkable place [that] was

built in 1904 and sits right smack dab on the border between

Quebec [Stanstead] and Vermont [Derby Line]."

And therein lies another story.... As Penny explained, the Haskell "was

built by both countries as a symbol of our strong bonds of friendship.

It is the physical reflection of what we believe. That what happens

politically is one thing, and transitory. What happens in our hearts is

indestructible. I am hoping Americans will come to the Canadian events.

You will be welcomed with open arms. As friends. As fellow villagers of

Three Pines. Where goodness, and decency, exist."

Unfortunately, a couple of weeks after Penny made her announcement, U.S.

Customs and Border Protection said it would begin to restrict Canadians'

access to the Haskell Library due to what they called "a continued rise

in illicit cross border activity." For 121 years, Canadians have had

free access to the library using the front door without having to go

through customs.

While Canadian officials and library representatives criticized the

decision, "residents of both communities gathered outside the library to

express their dismay," Vermont Public reported, adding that people were waving to their neighbors across the border, with Americans calling out, "We love you, Canada!" and Canadians responding, "We love you, too!"

Under the terms of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection's new ruling,

until October 1 non-library members attempting to enter the U.S. via the

sidewalk next to the library will be redirected to the nearest port of

entry, while library members will be allowed to continue use of the

sidewalk with proof of membership. On October 1, all visitors from

Canada wishing to use the front entrance will be required to present

themselves at a port of entry to enter the library from the U.S.

Haskell board of directors president Sylvie Boudreau told Vermont Public

that upgrading the back entrance to be wheelchair accessible will cost

more than $100,000, and the library will also have to build a new

parking lot and sidewalk. For now, however, she promised Canadian

patrons the organization is committed to serving them as it always has:

"Inside the library, it's business as usual."

"And then this happened...https://www.shelf-awareness.com/ct/x/pjJsdgKNkeUI6a1ucksiTw~k1yJoKXv-hs8x67FX5CtpoMLg-gVdw,"

Louise Penny posted on Facebook after learning about the Haskell fiasco,

noting that the library "has stood as a beacon, a statement, a physical

expression of the friendship between our countries. Today, the American

government blocked Canadian access in yet another shameful, callow,

petty move, by a shameful, callow, petty administration. People on both

sides of the border took to the streets in protest. The tide of protests

is rising.... we are the flood."

This sounds like a book right up my alley, and I will be seeking a copy at the library ASAP.

 

Reese's Spring YA Book Club Pick: Heiress Takes All

Heiress Takes All by Emily Wibberley and Austin Siegemund-Broka (Little,

Brown Books for Young Readers) is the Spring YA pick for Reese's Book

Club https://www.shelfawareness.com/ct/x/pjJsdgKNwu4I6a1ucR12SA~k1yJoKXv-hs8x67FX8OmpoMLg-gVdw, which

described the book as: "When Olivia's father cuts her out of her

rightful inheritance, she vows revenge. Teaming up with an eclectic band

of high school friends and a former teacher, Olivia plots to infiltrate

her father's lavish wedding and steal back her share of his fortune. But

as unexpected obstacles arise, will Olivia and her team succeed in their

daring scheme?"

Reese wrote: "This novel is your next can't-miss read: unexpected

alliances, sharp wit, and incredible plot twists."

This kind of sh*t makes me ashamed to be an Iowan. The fact that Federal judges have to block this stupidity over and over is just nauseating. Iowa used to be a state that was proud of their many excellent colleges and universities, and of their range of stellar libraries that never censored or banned books, no matter how remote the location or how narrow minded the population.

Iowa’s Book Ban Bill is Blocked, Again

A federal judge has once again blocked Senate File 496, the Iowa bill that would require “all public school materials be “age appropriate” with no “descriptions or depictions of sex acts .” SF 496 would also require schools to remove any materials that do not fit their intentionally, maliciously vague definitions of “age appropriate” from shelves. Though the block is a win, Kelly Jensen notes that, “this is the third decision made in courts over the bill that has left schools scrambling and thousands of public school students in the state without access to books in their classrooms and libraries.”

 

Finally some good news! The Rumpus has some classy new owners. 

 

The Media News You Didn’t Know You Needed

Roxane Gay and Debbie Millman will be the new owners of major literary and culture magazine, The Rumpus. In an era of vast uncertainty for independent media, I’m glad to hear that good people are taking up the cause. Gay has an established relationship with the mostly volunteer-run mag as a founding essays editor, and Millman will bring a designer’s eye to the visual arts aspect of the magazine. As if this couldn’t be sweeter, Millman mentioned falling in love with Gay’s words through The Rumpus before falling in love with Gay herself (they’re married). In the announcement, current Publisher Alyson Sinclair who is transitioning leadership over to the pair said Gay and Millman “are committed to staying true to the magazine’s core mission of publishing both emerging and established risk-taking writers and artists whose work might not receive care or a large audience elsewhere.” I can’t wait to see what they do with the publication and wish it continued success.

 

 

YES! The more people who attempt to open bookstores, even temporary ones, the better. This is great coming from a book buyer at a solid place like QA Book Co. I love the indie bookstore spirit in Seattle.

 

Quotation of the Day

'We Have So Many Readers Who Also Want to Be Business People'

"I realize there are still so many book deserts. I live in a beautiful

book bubble here in Seattle. We have about 23 bookstores participating

in our Seattle Independent Bookstore Day Passport. It feels like every

neighborhood has its bookstore and it's such a good feeling. I wish that

every community in our country had that.

"I think there is opportunity there. We have so many readers who also

want to be business people. And there are so many creative thinkers and

creative ways to do that, for example with pop-ups and mobile stores.

And so I feel like the more places we have to get books and get

inspiration and talk to readers, the better it is not just for our

industry, but really for our communities and for our country."

--Tegan Tigani, ABA board president and the children's book buyer at

Queen Anne Book Company, Seattle, Wash.

First Time Caller by B.K. Borison is a delicious contemporary rom-com that was fun to read and still had enough substance that it resonated with me. Here's the blurb: A hopeless romantic meets a jaded radio host in this cozy, Sleepless in Seattle–inspired love story from beloved author B.K. Borison.
Aiden Valentine has a secret: he’s fallen out of love with love. And as the host of Baltimore’s romance hotline, that’s a bit of a problem. But when a young girl calls in to the station asking for dating advice for her mom, the interview goes viral, thrusting Aiden and Heartstrings into the limelight.

Lucie Stone thought she was doing just fine. She has a good job; an incredible family; and a smart, slightly devious kid. But when all of Baltimore is suddenly scrutinizing her love life—or lack thereof—she begins to question if she’s as happy as she believed. Maybe a little more romance wouldn’t be such a bad thing.

Everyone wants Lucie to find her happy ending…even the handsome, temperamental man calling the shots. But when sparks start to fly behind the scenes, Lucie must make the final decision between the radio-sponsored happily ever after or the man in the headphones next to her. 

 

The prose was flirty and fun, and even the sex scenes had enough laughter in them to prevent them from being awkward. I was particularly delighted with Lucie's ability to adapt to being on air on a radio program, which, having been with my husband as he worked in radio, and having been on the air a few times, I can tell you is much, much harder than it looks. The HEA here was well earned, and I was thankful that the author didn't succumb to the whole "woman is married and pregnant by the end of the story" trope, because that is not always a happy ending for women. I would give this fast-paced romance novel a B+ and recommend it to anyone looking for a breath of fresh air in their TBR.

 

The Rainfall Market by You Yeong-Gwang reads like the book version of one of Hayao Miyazaki's great animated films, like My Neighbor Totoro or Kikki's Delivery Service. The magical Rainfall Market is filled with wonders at every turn. Here's the blurb:

If you could swap your life for a better one, which would you choose?

On the outskirts of Rainbow Town, there is an old, abandoned house. They say that if you send a letter detailing your misfortunes there, you could receive a ticket. If you bring this ticket to the house on the first day of the rainy season, you'll be granted entrance into the mysterious Rainfall Market—where you can choose to completely change your life.

No one is more surprised than Serin when she receives a ticket. Lonely and with no real prospects for a future, Serin ventures to the market, determined to create a better life for herself.

There, she meets a magical cat companion named Issha and they search through bookstores, perfumeries, and fantastical realms while Serin tries to determine what her perfect life will look like.

The catch? Serin only has one week to find her happiness or be doomed to vanish into the market forever. And all the while, a shadow follows quietly behind them.

Though the theme here is one borrowed from many other popular books, including The Midnight Library by Matt Haig, Gwang still manages to put a fresh spin on it with his innocent protagonist Serin, and her magical cat Issha. The prose here glitters with wit and wonder, and the plot zooms along like a cat playing at 3AM. This slender volume weighs in at barely over 200 pages, but what it lacks in size it makes up for in wisdom and the fascinating magical world that is the backdrop for the whole story. There's definitely elements of the Wizard of Oz here, (you can practically hear Serin whisper "there's no place like home" toward the end), and also legend and fairy tale elements that I'm assuming are Korean. I'd give this book an A, and recommend it to anyone who enjoys fantasy or fairy tales/legends from other countries, retold.

 

The Women in the Castle by Jessica Shattuck is a WWII and post-war epic historical fiction novel that has romantic elements woven throughout. There are many insights here into the difficulties and deprivations of post war Germany and England and how different classes navigated being on the wrong side of history, and dealing with the guilt of knowing that they were complicit in the deaths of 6 million people. Here's the blurb: 

Three women, haunted by the past and the secrets they hold.  Amid the ashes of Nazi Germany’s defeat, Marianne von Lingenfels returns to the once-grand castle of her husband’s ancestors, an imposing stone fortress now fallen into ruin following years of war. The widow of a resister murdered in the failed July 20, 1944, plot to assassinate Adolf Hitler, Marianne plans to uphold the promise she made to her husband’s brave conspirators: to find and protect their wives, her fellow resistance widows.

First Marianne rescues six-year-old Martin, the son of her dearest childhood friend, from a Nazi reeducation home. Together, they make their way across the smoldering wreckage of their homeland to Berlin, where Martin’s mother, the beautiful and naive Benita, has fallen into the hands of occupying Red Army soldiers. Then she locates Ania, another resister’s wife, and her two boys, now refugees languishing in one of the many camps that house the millions displaced by the war.

As Marianne assembles this makeshift family from the ruins of her husband’s resistance movement, she is certain their shared pain and circumstances will hold them together. But she quickly discovers that the black-and-white, highly principled world of her privileged past has become infinitely more complicated, filled with secrets and dark passions that threaten to tear them apart. Eventually, all three women must come to terms with the choices that have defined their lives before, during, and after the war—each with their own unique share of challenges.

Written with the devastating emotional power of The Nightingale, Sarah’s Key, and The Light Between Oceans, Jessica Shattuck’s evocative and utterly enthralling novel offers a fresh perspective on one of the most tumultuous periods in history. Combining piercing social insight and vivid historical atmosphere, The Women in the Castle is a dramatic yet nuanced portrait of war and its repercussions that explores what it means to survive, love, and, ultimately, to forgive in the wake of unimaginable hardship.

Though parts of this novel were hard to read (going over the horrors of concentration camps and the evil indoctrination of children by the Nazis) I felt it was a lesson in the aftermath of brutal war and how it changes the lives of women and children in particular. Marianne was a particularly prickly protagonist, and yet her determination to help so many refugees after the war was inspiring. This is one of those overwhelming emotional novels, so if you have trouble with books that make you cry and have all the feels, you might want to skip this one. The prose was clean and straightforward, while the plot did meander a bit and was boring in spots. I'd give this book a B, and recommend it to those interested in women in post-war Germany and how they coped.

 

Fate of Flames by Sarah Raughley is a YA fantasy novel with Marvel-like comic book superhero elements, which fuel it's zippy plot and sharp prose. Here's the blurb: Years ago, everything changed.
Phantoms, massive beasts of nightmare, began terrorizing the world. At the same time, four girls—the Effigies—appeared, each with a unique power to control a classical element. Since then, they have protected the world from the Phantoms. At the death of one Effigy, another is chosen, pulled from her normal life into the never-ending battle.

When Maia unexpectedly becomes the next Fire Effigy, she resists her new calling. A quiet girl with few friends and almost no family, she was much happier to admire the Effigies from afar. Never did she imagine having to master her ability to control fire, to protect innocent citizens from the Phantoms, or to try bringing together the other three Effigies.

But with the arrival of the mysterious Saul—a man who seems to be able to control the Phantoms using the same cosmic power previously only granted to four girls at a time—Maia and the other Effigies must learn to work together in a world where their celebrity status is more important than their heroism.

But the secrets Saul has, and the power he possesses, might be more than even they can handle.

 

The protagonist starts out as a ridiculously rabid fangirl of one of the Effigies, which makes readers think she's a bit of a dolt early on.  When she finally comes to realize that all her fellow Effigies are struggling with their own forms of PTSD and regret, she starts to grow up as she comes into her powers late in the game. This was, for me, one of those frustrating books that lean into misogynist tropes about women and girls being mean to each other and being stupid and ineffective when they're young out of fear and past phobias. I much prefer works where the women or girls come into their own and have a backbone and never say die attitude, instead of screaming and crying and hiding in the face of danger. Whining and crying protagonists, especially in a superhero story, set my teeth on edge. Anyway, I'd give this book a B- and recommend it to anyone who likes dystopian superhero girl stories.