reading-on-an-adventure

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The Secret World of Red Wolves by T. Delene Beeland

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Genre(s): Nonfiction

Dates Read: Jan. 1-8, 2025

Review below the cut. Spoilers included, so read at your own risk.

This is a longer review post because I have a somewhat personal connection to red wolves and one of the locations mentioned in the book and that's a part of the conservation program. So, I have plenty of thoughts on this book.

TL;DR: even though this book's writing is more on the scientific side than I'd like, it has a special place in my heart because the red wolves have a special place in my heart.

It hurts to give this book such a middle of the road rating. I love the subject matter, but a good chunk of the book, I feel like, reads more on the scientific side. And I think that's the main reason I rated it with three stars.

If you want to know more about how I got invested in red wolves, I've included personal lore paragraphs at the bottom of this post.

Even though this book is a bit heavy on scientific writing for me, I still enjoyed things about it.

It helps show how timid and people wary red wolves can be (and I've seen them be people wary). And it shows that the relationship between red wolves and humans has been rough in the past, and maybe even still today. The book was published in 2013, so a good 11-12 years ago. So I don't know how wolf/people relationships have developed since then.

One of the things I learned was how expansive their historic range was. I didn't know they'd been in Texas. I knew that they used to be in Kentucky because I think an information plate at the Nature Station said that Western KY used be in their range. I knew that NC was in their range because I knew that a wild population was now there.

I definitely learned more about the reintroduction process, especially the NC/Albemarle Peninsula area. I might've known that the hybridization of red wolves was a think, but I don't think I realized how much of a problem it was, both for the reintroduction effort(s) and for classifying the species. And while it makes sense that people would be on the fence or against the reintroduction of wolves, I guess I hadn't taken it into consideration for red wolves. I guess I'd only applied the concept to wolves in the west.

When the author mentioned that the Land Between the Lakes (LBL) ended up not being a reintroduction site in the past due to opinions on the matter, I was surprised. LBL's Nature Station has been a part of the conservation project/program for at least a few years now because they're how I first got into learning about red wolves. But like I mentioned above, I guess it makes sense that locals might not have been too keen on reintroducing a new predator. And the areas around LBL have a good deal of agriculture, both crops and livestock. So I can see how the people of western KY and northwestern TN were on the fence. But I'm glad that LBL eventually became a part of the conservation project. I was about to say "even though it's just with the captive breeding program." But the captive breeding program, in my opinion, is such an important part of the survival of the species. Especially until a more permanent reintroduction site/area can be found.

And the last part of the book focused on the impact climate change is having on the Albemarle Peninsula and the wild red wolf population there. I guess I knew in the back of my head that climate change is a thing, especially in the years since this book's publication. But I didn't realize how much of an impact it would have on the habitat for the wild population. And that even applies to all wild animals and their populations, not just with red wolves.

Even though people and the American government may still be working out how they feel about red wolves as a species, I personally think they should still be protected. But having seen red wolves and heard them howl through the captive breeding program, I have a somewhat personal connection to the species and want them to be able to thrive.

This book helped me learn more about a species I've come to love. And even though the book's writing is more scientific leaning than I'd like, it has a special place in my heart because the red wolves have a special place in my heart.

Personal lore paragraphs:

Red wolves have a special place in my heart and that's why I wanted to read this book. I think the first place I learned about them was in LBL at the Nature Station. Below, I'm going to be using "we" because I'm a somewhat frequent visitor to LBL and the Nature Station. Here a few years ago, we got a breeding pair of red wolves since the Nature Station's now a part of the red wolf conservation program. And the wolves, Ember (f) and Jasper (m), had a litter at the Nature Station! And if I remember correctly, they weren't expecting Jasper to have a litter of pups because he was on the older side. Jasper passed away within the past couple of years and the litter has since grown up a bit and have been translocated to different facilities within the program. But Ember and her brother, Percival, are still at the Nature Station.

I think it's cool that LBL finally decided to get on board with the conservation program because I might not have gotten into learning about red wolves had they not. And I think Ember, Jasper, their pups, and now Percival are great ambassadors for the species.

[reading-on-an-adventure]

Yellowface by R.F. Kuang

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Genre(s): Fiction

Dates Read: Jan. 1-3, 2025

Review below the cut. Spoilers below, so read at your own risk.

This ended up being the first book I finished in 2025 and I listened to the audiobook version.

This book isn't one of my favorites, but it still has things going for it, hence the middle of the road rating.

It shows the struggles of getting into the world of having books published, and one of the major plot points is using the outline/basis of another author's story as your own.

I think June's anxiety and justification *might've* been kind of understandable towards the beginning. But the further the story goes, the more unjustifiable it gets. At least in my opinion.

This book definitely shows how social media and public opinion can affect others, especially if they're public facing figures.

Even though it isn't my favorite story, I was hooked enough to get far enough in that I wanted to finish the story. And I was (obviously) able to listen to it all in the span of three days.

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Grizzly Confidential by Kevin Grange

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Genre(s): Nonfiction

Dates Read: Dec. 27-31, 2024

Review below the cut.

This was my least read of 2024, and part of me was worried that I wouldn't get it done by 11:59 pm on Dec. 31. But I did.

This book became one of my favorite nonfiction books (and one of my overall favorites). The way Kevin Grange writes is great. And he makes the grizzlies seem more relatable, while still showing that they're wild animals that should be given their space.

In one of the chapters, Grange talks about working in the Tetons. I went to Grand Teton Ntl Park back in 2023 and it's my favorite National Park. And looking at the places he mentions made me want to go back so bad.

And he mentions Fat Bear Week at Katmai Ntl Park. I've checked this out in recent years and love it. And Fat Bear Week helps showcase that grizzlies have distinct personalities.

I'd definitely recommend this book to anyone who's looking for a nonfiction read and/or is looking to learn more about grizzlies.

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Reading on an Adventure's 2024 Reads

2024 was a big year for reading for me. I surpassed my reading goal of 50 books, having read 58.

The books I read this year were a mix of series and stand alones, physical copies and audiobooks, fiction and non-fiction. Some books I enjoyed more than others. There were a couple that I DNFed, which I've noted in the list below, so the actual number I read was probably more like 56, which still allowed me to exceed my reading goal.

Some of the books I read this year I can definitely see returning to in the future. Others, maybe not so much.

But that's what happens when we read.

Inheritance, Christopher Paolini

Murtagh, Christopher Paolini

The Fork, the Witch, and the Worm, Christopher Paolini

Winter Study, Nevada Barr

Fourth Wing, Rebecca Yarros

I'm Glad My Mom Died, Jennette McCurdy (DNF)

Iron Flame, Rebecca Yarros

Warrior Girl Unearthed, Angeline Boulley

Borderline, Nevada Barr

Burn, Nevada Barr

The Rope, Nevada Barr

Destroyer Angel, Nevada Barr

Boar Island, Nevada Barr

The Shadow of What Was Lost, James Islington

An Echo of Things to Come, James Islington

The Light of All That Falls, James Islington

Send a Ranger, Tom Habecker

The Ones We Burn, Rebecca Mix

Throne of Glass, Sarah J. Maas

Crown of Midnight, Sarah J. Maas

Mistakes We Never Made, Hannah Brown (DNF)

Heir of Fire, Sarah J. Maas

The Assassin's Blade, Sarah J. Maas

Queen of Shadows, Sarah J. Maas

Empire of Storms, Sarah J. Maas

Tower of Dawn, Sarah J. Maas

The Kingdom of Ash, Sarah J. Maas

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Mark Twain

Open Road Summer, Emery Lord

Circe, Madeline Miller

A Court of Thorns and Roses, Sarah J. Maas

A Court of Mist and Fury, Sarah J. Maas

A Court of Wings and Ruin, Sarah J. Maas

A Court of Frost and Starlight, Sarah J. Maas

A Court of Silver Flames, Sarah J. Maas

Mauled: Lessons Learned from a Grizzly Bear Attack, Jeremy Evans

The Dark Hills Divide, Patrick Carman

Beyond the Valley of Thorns, Patrick Carman

The Tenth City, Patrick Carman

Into the Mist, Patrick Carman

Stargazer, Patrick Carman

The Tournament of Gorlan, John Flanagan

The Battle of Hackham Heath, John Flanagan

The Ruins of Gorlan, John Flanagan

The Burning Bridge, John Flanagan

The Icebound Land, John Flanagan

The Battle for Skandia, John Flanagan

The Sorcerer of the North, John Flanagan

Saint John Paul the Great: His Five Loves, Jason Evert

Never Whistle at Night, Shane Hawk and Theodore C. Van Alst Jr.

The Siege of Macindaw, John Flanagan

Erak’s Ransom, John Flanagan

The Kings of Clonmel, John Flanagan

Halt’s Peril, John Flanagan

The Emperor of Nihon-Ja, John Flanagan

The Lost Stories, John Flanagan

Lore, Alexandra Bracken

Grizzly Confidential, Kevin Grange

[reading-on-an-adventure]

Lore by Alexandra Bracken

Rating: 3.5 ⭐️

Genre(s): Fantasy, (Greek) Mythology

Dates Read: Dec 14-26, 2024

Review below the cut.

I'm writing this review in the new year (2025).

I went into this book with high hopes. I think I've read this book before this read, and it took me almost two weeks to read this time around.

There were definitely times where I was sucked in. But like I said before, it took me almost two weeks to get through. I think part of it was just...life. And there were so many people, things, and plot points to keep track of that it was sometimes hard to keep up with everything.

But I'd definitely recommend this book, even though I did rate it a bit lower. I'd recommend it especially to people like me who read the Percy Jackson books growing up. This book definitely scratches the Greek Mythology itch, but with a more grown up feel.

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Dec. 17, 2024 | Reading Update

Good morning everyone.

So I'm part of the way through Lore by Alexandra Bracken. I just finished Chapter 16. And this is at least the 2nd chapter that has ended on a cliff hanger for the next chapter. Like, I know that I'll get answers in the next few pages, but dude, it make you want to keep reading. But, I'm at work and have things I need to be getting done, so the next chapter is going to have to wait for a bit.

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Dec. 14, 2024 | Started Reading

I’ve read Lore before, but it’s been a good amount of time. I vaguely remember the general storyline, but the finer details, not so much.

I have (kind of) high hopes for this one, so we’ll see how I’m feeling about it when I’m done.

[reading-on-an-adventure]

The Lost Stories by John Flanagan

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Genre(s): Fantasy

Dates Read: Dec. 7-14, 2024

Review below the cut.

Immediately in this book’s forward, it caught me a bit. The idea of what happened to the main characters in the end is just 🥹. I know that we now have several books in the Royal Ranger series, but before those came out, these stories could’ve been big. And even though I know (generally) the vague details of the first little bit of the Royal Ranger’s storyline, I remember that the stories included in this book helped fill in some of the details.

And also, the thought that our beloved characters would someday be legends is rough - that they’re no longer around…but hey, at least their stories are still being told centuries later.

These stories reminded me of what I loved about this series, especially the first 2 or 3 books. The first 2 or 3 books have a sense of nostalgia for me since I read them when I was younger and am more familiar with the stories they tell. And the stories in this book (despite covering events at different points along the timeline), do a great job of feeling like those initial books.

And Flanagan does a great job of, with a little snippet at the end, setting the stage for the Brotherband Chronicles.

[reading-on-an-adventure]

The Emperor of Nihon-Ja by John Flanagan

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Genre(s): Fantasy

Dates Read: Nov. 28 - Dec. 7, 2024

Review below the cut. Spoilers are below the cut, so read at your own risk.

In the first 8 chapters, I found George to be kind of annoying. We haven’t seen much of him since the beginning of the series.

At the end of Chapter 8, George even mentions that he and Horace were wardmates, which they were when they were kids. And the whole dynamic and this conversation between George and Horace shows how much Horace has grown up over the course of the series because he was very much the bully in the first book.

This book may not be my favorite of the series, but as I got into it, it started growing on me a bit. Especially with how Shigeru, the Senshi, and the Kikori were shown and developed. Shigeru is an Emperor that I think deserves the respect and loyalty that he got. He was so willing to not only want things to get better between the classes but actually put in the effort and work himself to help make that change happen. And the Senshi around him, I think, were also willing to put generations of tradition behind them and also try to bridge the gap between the classes.

By the end of the book, I did decide to give it 3 stars since it wasn’t my favorite in the series.

But the emperor’s general sentiment at the end of “you’ll be welcome here,” reminds me of the quote about Hogwarts will always be there to welcome you home. That’s kind of the way I feel about this series. No matter what’s going on in my life or mind, this series will always be there to welcome me back.

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Nov. 28, 2024 | Started Reading

I started reading The Emperor of Nihon-Ja yesterday (Nov. 28). I’ve already been able to get a few chapters in. While I’ve been able to enjoy this book so far to a certain degree, I don’t think it’s one of my favorite books in the series. We’ll see how I feel about it when I’m done with it.

[reading-on-an-adventure]

Halt’s Peril by John Flanagan

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Genre(s): Fantasy

Dates Read: Nov. 22 - 28, 2024

Review below the cut. Read at your own risk - this review discusses themes and events in the book, so spoilers ahead.

Will’s ability to want to learn even after he’s a fully fledged Ranger shows that he’s mature - that he knows that he doesn’t know everything.

A little later in the story, when they were going though One Raven Pass, Halt saying “we were” when Horace asked who the enemy was - that hit a note for some reason. I guess being able to see the other side of the battle from so long ago - that the Araluens were considered the bad guys by the Scotti / in this scenario. We’ve grown to love and be proud of the Araluens over the course of the series, so it’s different seeing them in the light of being the enemy.

It was...odd to see Halt decline so much once the poison started getting into his system. Kind of like was mentioned by Will and/or Horace, it was so drastically different from how we've come to see Halt. He's been such a central figure in the series that it's hard to see the story without him.

This book definitely discusses the hard decisions that need to be made when a loved one is sick and can't make decisions about their care for themselves. And this kind of hits close to home for me.

How cold Will was after he unalived the second Genovesan was…kind of scary. Will’s gone from this innocent little kid in the first book to someone willing to do just about anything for someone he loves.

The moments where there’s humor delivered with a straight face are absolutely amazing.

Overall, I think this was a good addition to the series. In some ways, it kind of surprises me that such a heavy topic as dealing with a loved one dying would be discussed in a Young Adult book. But I think Flanagan did a good job of writing it.

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Moments like these where humor is delivered with a straight face are absolute gold. And I think it helps lighten the mood in a book that has discussed such heavy topics.

Ranger’s Apprentice: Halt’s Peril by John Flanagan, 2010, Philomel Books, hardcover, page 336

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Nov. 27, 2024 | Reading Update

I wanted to give y'all a bit of an update on what I'm reading since it's been a few days since I've posted.

I started reading book 9 of the Ranger's Apprentice series (Halt's Peril) on the 22nd. I'm about 2/3rds of the way through it. And like a lot of the books so far, I knew the general premise of the book from when I'd read it in the pasr.

Hopefully I'll get it finished here in the next few days and get a review out to you guys.

[reading-on-an-adventure]

The Kings of Clonmel by John Flanagan

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Genre(s): Fantasy

Dates Read: Nov. 14 - 22, 2024

Review below the cut.

I started this book right after finishing Erak’s Ransom.

Kind of like with Erak’s Ransom, I was able to vaguely remember some of the major plot points from when I’d read it here a few years ago. Like, in the first chapter, I was like “Oh yeah, this is that story.” But a long enough time has passed since I’ve last read this book that a lot of the details that aren’t the major storyline are going to be new again to me.

I was able to get a good amount of the book read the first couple of days, but I ended up not reading any on Nov 16 & 17.

The relationship between Will, Halt, and Horace is great. The humor and the trust.

There was definitely a bit of a twist at the end with Ferris being un-alived. But I think they made a good choice of making Sean the new king. Part of me feels like he might’ve already been partially running the kingdom anyway as Ferris’s steward.

This book isn’t one of my favorites from the series. That spot goes to the first 2 or 3. And I think that’s because I read those first a long time ago and then reread them and then read the rest of the series later on. So there’s some sentimental value to the first 2 or 3 books of the series. But this book was definitely a good addition to the series, kind of letting us see more into Halt and who he is as a character.

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Nov. 14, 2024 | Starting

I picked this book up right after finishing Erak’s Ransom.

As of posting this, I’m, like, 23 pages in. In the first chapter, I was able to vaguely remember the main plot point / the main driving force of this book. And now that I’m more into the book, more details are starting to come back to me.

[reading-on-an-adventure]

Erak's Ransom by John Flanagan

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Genre(s): Fantasy

Dates Read: Nov. 9 - 14, 2024

Review below the cut.

I was able to get through a good portion of the book the day I started it.

Before I started this book, I remembered a vague plot point / part of the story that was sad, and when I got to that point in the book - I was correct.

This book really proved to Will and to Halt how ready Will was for his graduation. It shows that he was able to think and plan on his own and on his own two feet.

The humor as well as the more difficult parts of this book were great.

This book also shows how comfortable the characters are with each other, their own abilities, and their friends’ abilities.

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Nov. 9, 2024 | Currently Reading

So I just finished reading The Siege of Macindaw and decided to go ahead and start the next book in the series.

I vaguely remember the events of this story from the first time I read it here a few years ago (which is a theme I’m noticing as I’m rereading the series). And as I’m typing this, I’m starting to remember a very specific set of events that I remember being sad when I last read it.

But, here we go.