Bayou Bytes Blog

As you might expect, we're starting October off with an eerie novel. The Death of Jane Lawrence is a brand new novel from Caitlin Starling, who you might remember is the author of The Luminous Dead (a novel that I am aggressively recommending to this day). I really enjoy Starling's writing style, as well as the way she builds suspense, so if you're in the mood for a dark thriller, this could be the book for you.  When Jane's foster father accepts a position in another town, she decides the most practical option is to stay behind and marry. She pursues the local physician, Dr. Lawrence. An awkward and introverted man, he accepts Jane's proposition, with the added condition that she must never spend the night at his out of town estate. Though she initially agrees, an unfortunate carriage accident deposits her on his doorstep in the midst of a terrible storm.  The man she finds in the darkened estate is very different from the one she married, haunted and terrified b...

  One of the biggest acts of courage is in being vulnerable. Fear, anxiety, and shame are "emotions to overcome," yet seen as problems. Men especially are socialized to not talk about or share anything that can be used against them.      In this nonfiction by Justin Baldoni (actor/filmmaker of  Jane the Virgin  fame ), the author explores the harmfulness in upholding traditional masculinity. Societal masculinity states that men are supposed to be smart, rational, problem-solvers, and cut off from their emotions. Many aspects of "toxic masculinity" are discussed from the dad bod to the alpha/beta male. There's even insight from feminist author, bell hooks, who's stated that men "kill off emotional parts of themselves." Mostly, and b est of all, Baldoni pulls from his own experiences in such a human way, people from all genders will be able to relate.   At times heavy and emotional, he encourages the reader along with a light and empathetic tone. ...

 Like most other people who are interested in Xiran Jay Zhao, I first learned about her when I saw her viral Twitter thread critiquing the details of Disney's Mulan. For her, and for us, it was a perfect accident because she was still in the public eye when her book Iron Widow was announced.   Not only does Iron Widow have an absolutely gorgeous cover, it is a delightful read. Xiran Jay Zhao reimagined China's infamous empress, Wu Zetian, and placed her in a fantasy world at war, where paired pilots command mythological creature mecha. The male pilots are doted upon and celebrated, but their female partners are drained like batteries and frequently die in battle.   Enter Wu Zetian. After her sister is killed by a famous pilot, Zetian joins the fray as a female pilot. And she is determined to take down the system from within.   Iron Widow is the first in a series, so I'm already eagerly awaiting the next installment. The worldbuilding here was well don...

           It's 1946 in Metropolis and Lois Lane is waiting for Superman to save the day. He shows up, of course, and slays the Atom Man, a Nazi soldier. Like a movie, there's a scene change to a car ride with four passengers: the Lee family.           There's Dr. Lee, who has a new job at the Metropolis Health Department, his wife, who he keeps reminding to speak English instead of Cantonese; and his two kids: Roberta (originally Lan-shin) and Tommy. They're moving from Chinatown, Los Angeles to White suburbia. Upon arrival, they're greeted by a welcoming committee of his new boss, Dr. Wilson, and mildly racist coworker, Dr. William.   Soon, they're harassed by local hate group, the Klan of the Fiery Kross. A whole slew of problems are encountered, but with Superman and a team-effort, Good trumps Evil.          Touching on racism, assimilation, and coming-to-age woes of trying to fit in, Gene Luen...

         Whether new to financial literacy or not, Tiffany  Aliche , the " budgetnista, " is here to simplify it all for you. With over 300 pages (plus a handy Appendix at the book's end),  Aliche's  goal is to guide readers towards "financial wholeness."  Why live in fear when instead you can master your money and live in peace?        This book, packed with definitions and how-to steps, should be given an initial read through, then used as a reference guide thereafter due to its in-depth 10 chapters:   1. Budget Building   2. Save Like a Squirrel   3. Dig Out of Debt   4. Score High   5. Learn to Earn   6. Invest Like an Insider   7. Get Good with Insurance   8. Grow Rich- ish   9. Pick Your Money Team   10.Leave a Legacy          The first five chapters are for building a financial foundation, so if yours is sound-proof, move onto steps 6-10...

I stumbled upon The Wisteria Society of Lady Scoundrels after putting down several other titles in frustrations. I had never heard of it and went in with low expectations. I was pleasantly surprised.  The Wisteria Society is an organization of some of England's most proper and courteous women. They also happen to be pirates. With houses that use an ancient Latin incantation to fly about.  It is absurd and wonderful. Cecilia is a junior member, raised by her aunt and the other Wisteria women, she hopes to be promoted to senior member soon. When Ned Lightborne shows up, admitting he's been hired to kill her, she is delighted. Surely having been deemed important enough to assassinate will prove her worth to the Wisteria Society.  But when the villainous pirate captain Morvath shows up and kidnaps the Wisteria ladies, Cecilia is forced to team up with Ned in order to infiltrate Morvath's flying fortress and rescue her society.  This was a delightful read. It's a charmin...

It's nearly the end of the summer! Immunizations are a hot topic, so let's review a recent blockbuster book about the history of medical research. At the time Henrietta Lacks died from cervical cancer at John Hopkins in 1951, doctors were routinely taking cell biopsies without obtaining informed patient consent. But once researchers discovered Lacks's cervical cancer cell line (called HeLa) was immortal, they used it to develop countless medical advances and vaccines (including polio vaccines). The line became commercialized, and lives were saved worldwide. Meanwhile, Henrietta Lacks's own family went without health insurance.   The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot doesn't just explore the impact of Henrietta Lacks and her unusual cervical cancer cells on scientific research-- it also tackles the importance of ethical research, racism and classism in American medicine, and informed consent. I would highly recommend this book to teens or adults inte...