The Map Shop

  Update 9/28/18: I am now an affiliate with Z Publishing House. I do get a small commission from any purchases through this link ( http://www.zpublishinghouse.com?rfsn=1831564.e6264) if anyone is interested in some anthologies of emerging writers. In the Heart of the Sea by Nathaniel Philbrick is the non-fiction tale of the sinking of the Essex, a whaling ship in 1820 which inspired the American classic, Moby Dick by Herman Melville. Philbrick pulls from the accounts provided by the ship's captain, first mate, and 14 year old crew member as well as the newspaper accounts of the time to create an in-depth and compelling retelling of the voyage and eventual survival at sea. Despite telling readers in the first chapter of the fates of these sailors, you are still drawn into the story and desperately wish the men luck as you read.  I typically do not read non-fiction. Far too many biographies and research projects in school has made me hesitant to pick them up. Howe...

  Update 9/28/18: I am now an affiliate with Z Publishing House. I do get a small commission from any purchases through this link ( http://www.zpublishinghouse.com?rfsn=1831564.e6264) if anyone is interested in some anthologies of emerging writers. Beatrix Potter: A Life in Nature by Linda Lear is an in depth biography on the famous children's author Beatrix Potter. Lear does an incredible job explaining the history of this amazing woman. Each chapter focuses on some aspect of Potter's life, starting with her family history and wealth from textile industries before even getting to her birth and childhood.  A lot of this information was unknown to me. I didn't realize Potter was an amateur scientist before she was a children's author. I didn't know she was one of the first people to discover the symbiotic relationship between algae and fungus in what we know as lichen. I also didn't know she's the reason we know so much about fungus in general.A...

  Update 9/28/18: I am now an affiliate with Z Publishing House. I do get a small commission from any purchases through this link ( http://www.zpublishinghouse.com?rfsn=1831564.e6264) if anyone is interested in some anthologies of emerging writers. One Thousand and One Nights illustrated by Han SeungHee and written by Jeon JinSeok is a 2005 Korean manga (called manhwa) published by Seoul Munhwasa that was inspired by the classic One Thousand and One Nights. I picked up the first three volumes from my library's book sale because I was curious but not really excited. Upon my first reading, I was annoyed by the fact it's set up from left to right. I'm a bit of a manga snob and feel like it's important for the format to remain the same as those published in Japan (top to bottom, right to left instead of the English left to right) but I'm not sure if manhwas are set up the same way so perhaps it's not a big deal. Now, I've never read the original so...

  Update 9/28/18: I am now an affiliate with Z Publishing House. I do get a small commission from any purchases through this link ( http://www.zpublishinghouse.com?rfsn=1831564.e6264) if anyone is interested in some anthologies of emerging writers. Fallen Grace by Mary Hooper is reminiscent of a lot of Gothic literature. A young woman will good character is forced into isolation by someone in authority only for that person to attempt to steal their inheritance with death and the afterlife a strong symbol throughout the story. This is the basic plot of many works of literature as well as this new YA novel. (Trigger warning: there is mention of rape by an unknown man towards the beginning of the book but it's handled delicately.) I received this book in a box of books that my cousin was getting rid of and only now decided to pick it up and read it. Right away, we are introduced to the protagonist, Grace Parkes, as she is on her way to bury her still-born child...

   Update 9/28/18: I am now an affiliate with Z Publishing House. I do get a small commission from any purchases through this link ( http://www.zpublishinghouse.com?rfsn=1831564.e6264) if anyone is interested in some anthologies of emerging writers. This post if a bit of an experiment for me, so please be patient as I figure out the best way to write a review for a visual medium like manga. As always my reviews are my own opinions and done for fun. To begin, some of you may need a little background as to what manga is. The simple version is a Japanese style of comic book and graphic novel that is usually aimed at anyone from young teens to adults. Manga does have a long and interesting history that takes root in Japan's traditional art style, history, religion, and politics, but that's a post for another day. For our purposes today, just think of it as a kind of graphic novel or comic book. Noragami: Stray God vol. 1 is a Japanese manga by Adachitoka publishe...