Tag: Virginia

ARC, Books

Book 391: Dr. Mütter’s Marvels – Cristin O’Keefe Aptowicz

Geoff W

Aptowicz, Cristin O'Keefe- Dr. Mutter's Marvels[To hear the episode of Come Read With Me where my friend Jess and I discuss this, click here.]

I’m a little torn on this book. At the same time that it reminded me of some fascinating books I’ve read over the past few years (Geraldine Brook’s March and William MacAskill’s Doing Good Better) I couldn’t help but compare it to Rebecca Skloot’s The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks. And unfortunately for Aptowicz, it wasn’t that great of a comparison. Don’t get me wrong, this was a very interesting read and I enjoyed the book. I’m sure this book had its own set of challenges in the research done, but I still can’t quite put my finger on why I wasn’t as much a fan of this.

At first I thought it was because Aptowicz was super young and this was her first book. Her writing style felt a bit like student-work, which she admits is when she got the idea and started writing originally, but I found out pretty quick I was wrong on this one. And it’s not her first book, but it is her first work of nonfiction. (Thanks Wikipedia.) Either way, I’m grateful to Avery, a Penguin Books imprint, for providing a copy.* And the best part is, if you’re interested in the book it’s just been released in paperback at the beginning of September! (AKA Yay for more affordability!; Publisher’s website.)

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30x30, Personal Project

30 x 30: #29 – Get a tattoo

Geoff W

2014 12-21 Harry Potter TattooI did it. I’m done. I completed all 30 items to the best I could (two are sort-of freebies/to-be-continued), but I’m counting them. If there was one I thought I might back out on it was getting a tattoo, but I knew three options I wanted: one was a quote, the second is what I got and the third was a back up in case they couldn’t do the one I got small enough. My sister and I are driving home for the holidays and we took a minor detour to stop over and visit my oldest friend and I decided that was when I was getting my tattoo and I did. That’s a photo of it and it’s on my chest – kind of where your fingers are when you pledge allegiance in the US.

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2014 Challenges, Books

Book 252: The Man Who Loved Pride & Prejudice (Woods Hole Quartet #1) – Abigail Reynolds

Geoff W

Reynolds, Abigail - The Man Who Loved Pride & PrejudiceI love it when a book doesn’t try to be something that it’s not and this is a perfect example of that. Although, this was a retelling of Pride and Prejudice there was no struggle to make sure that everything fit within the story 100%. Abigail Reynolds did a great job filling in what she wanted and didn’t worry too much about matching up every character or sticking to the full story. And then after I finished I found out that this was the first book in a series and I was of course even MORE excited!

I enjoyed this book from the very first page! It didn’t hurt that the book was set in Massachusetts, Cape Cod to be specific, and mentions Boston on a couple of occasions. The book opens with Cassie and her friend Erin working in their lab at the world-famous Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution and then follows Cassie’s romantic adventures and mishaps over the ensuing summer and following two years. There are of course two love interests Caulder Westing (Darcy) and Rob (I guess this could be Wickham, but I’m not so sure she included a Wickham).

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