JCLJoshN
Library StaffJohnson County Library
JCLJoshN's Completed Shelf
Ted LassoTed Lasso, DVDThe Richmond Way
DVD - 2024DVD, 2024
All copies in useView location availabilityView location availability for Ted Lasso, DVD, All copies in use
Holds: 63 on 26 copies
Holds: 63 on 26 copies
JCLJoshN's rating:
Added Oct 01, 2024
JCLJoshN's rating:
Added Jun 09, 2023
Comment:
A tense, thrilling mystery and caper set in a rich, dark fantasy world. Good LGBTQ+ representation and a friendship/love story that builds slowly enough that it feels earned. Great readalike if you liked Six of Crows.
JCLJoshN's rating:
Added Jan 21, 2023
Comment:
Sometimes dark, ultimately delightful, and consistently kind in its treatment of people whose flaws can feel like never-healing wounds to them. I truly loved this, with it's Kurt Vonnegut-like mix of the fantastic and the mundane, but with a much lighter humor. Besides Vonnegut, this pairs well with All Our Wrong Todays by Elan Mastai and Dark Matter by Blake Crouch.Sometimes dark, ultimately delightful, and consistently kind in its treatment of people whose flaws can feel like never-healing wounds to them. I truly loved this, with it's Kurt Vonnegut-like mix of the fantastic and the mundane, but with a much…
Superman and the AuthoritySuperman and the Authority, Graphic Novel
by Morrison, GrantGraphic Novel - 2021Graphic Novel, 2021
JCLJoshN's rating:
Added Mar 21, 2022
The Legend of ZeldaThe Legend of Zelda, Video Game
Video Game - 2017 | Nintendo Switch.Video Game, 2017. Nintendo Switch.
All copies in useView location availabilityView location availability for The Legend of Zelda, Video Game, All copies in use
Holds: 14 on 10 copies
Holds: 14 on 10 copies
JCLJoshN's rating:
Added Feb 28, 2022
Comment:
One of the best video games I've ever played. Definitely my favorite Zelda game. While there's an overarching plot, the game is a sandbox: you can go anywhere (and I mean ANYWHERE) in the setting and you don't have to tackle any dungeon in any order. There's really not much stopping you from going straight for the big boss at the beginning of the game (although I wouldn't expect a good outcome). It's a huge world with A LOT to do in it, from side quests, mini-dungeons, taming horses, befriending dogs, cooking meals and elixirs, to just roaming around to see beautiful vistas while listening to the gorgeous soundtrack. My only complaint is that it can get frustrating at how easily most weapons will break after only a few fights. But weapons are so easy to come by in general, it still isn't much of a problem. Overall, this is game is rad as all get out.One of the best video games I've ever played. Definitely my favorite Zelda game. While there's an overarching plot, the game is a sandbox: you can go anywhere (and I mean ANYWHERE) in the setting and you don't have to tackle any dungeon in any…
JCLJoshN's rating:
Added Jan 27, 2022
Comment:
A much smaller, more personal story than A Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet. It's touching and sweet and complicated and I liked it a whole lot, just not quite as much as I liked A Long Way. I do love this universe and the characters in it.
The Long Way to A Small, Angry PlanetThe Long Way to A Small, Angry Planet, Book
by Chambers, BeckyBook - 2016Book, 2016
All copies in useView location availabilityView location availability for The Long Way to A Small, Angry Planet, Book, All copies in use
Holds: 3 on 3 copies
Holds: 3 on 3 copies
JCLJoshN's rating:
Added Dec 22, 2021
Comment:
I like this tale of a future where humans aren't the dominant species, where aliens with fascinating biology and cultures have made a galactic civilization that humans have had to adapt to. There are great little plot threads woven into the larger storyline that ends with some cool twists. Yep, I like it a lot!I like this tale of a future where humans aren't the dominant species, where aliens with fascinating biology and cultures have made a galactic civilization that humans have had to adapt to. There are great little plot threads woven into the larger…
JCLJoshN's rating:
Added Dec 20, 2021
Comment:
I obviously had to give this a try since it's about a magic library and I'm glad I did. The magic is really cool and there are a lot of "Who can I trust? Who are the good guys?" plot twists (maybe a little too many twists? I'm still on the fence about that). And talking cats! I'm always up for talking cats! I'm definitely up for the next book in the series.I obviously had to give this a try since it's about a magic library and I'm glad I did. The magic is really cool and there are a lot of "Who can I trust? Who are the good guys?" plot twists (maybe a little too many twists? I'm still on the fence…
JCLJoshN's rating:
Added Dec 10, 2021
Comment:
Although this book gave me some unpleasant flashbacks to the bullying I endured in school, it delighted me with its sparkling characters and the magical room that brings them together. Utterly sweet and satisfying.
The Go-Go'sThe Go-Go's, DVD
DVD - 2021DVD, 2021
JCLJoshN's rating:
Added Jun 28, 2021
Comment:
I really good overview of the life of the band from its beginnings in the LA punk scene to the present day, with some frank talk about drug use and interpersonal conflicts that went on behind the scenes. I love how much attention the punk years get but I feel like the years between the breakup and reforming of the band get a rushed treatment. For more on the formation of the band, I definitely recommend reading or listening to the book Under the Big Black Sun, an oral history of the LA punk scene with chapters by Jane Wiedlin and Charlotte Caffey.I really good overview of the life of the band from its beginnings in the LA punk scene to the present day, with some frank talk about drug use and interpersonal conflicts that went on behind the scenes. I love how much attention the punk years get…
Victories Greater Than DeathVictories Greater Than Death, Book
by Anders, Charlie JaneBook - 2021Book, 2021
JCLJoshN's rating:
Added May 25, 2021
Bill & Ted Face the MusicBill & Ted Face the Music, DVD
DVD - 2020DVD, 2020
JCLJoshN's rating:
Added May 24, 2021
Comment:
Dudes, I must confess that it's been a while since I last saw the first two Bill & Ted movies, but they remain a most excellent part of my youth. So it was both a relief and a joy to watch this third movie and feel so uplifted by it. The plot is goofy and loopy, as it should be. It does a good balancing act between paying tribute to the first two movies without being a complete copy. And now that I, like Bill and Ted, am older, it's great that the movie is ultimately not just about them, it's about family--parents, siblings, spouses, and children. But more than anything, it's just so great to see Keanu Reeves and Alex Winter filling Bill and Ted's shoes once more. I didn't think I needed a third Bill & Ted movie, but I'm happy to have gotten one anyway.Dudes, I must confess that it's been a while since I last saw the first two Bill & Ted movies, but they remain a most excellent part of my youth. So it was both a relief and a joy to watch this third movie and feel so uplifted by it. The plot is…
Katie the CatsitterKatie the Catsitter, Graphic Novel
by Venable, Colleen A. F.Graphic Novel - 2021Graphic Novel, 2021
JCLJoshN's rating:
Added Apr 20, 2021
Comment:
This is such a sweet, smart, endearing story! It has characters who are complex and complicated, tackling difficult emotional issues, while still being a fun, cheerful, playful comic. And I'm not just saying that because I love cats. Although that helps. My cat definitely appreciates this and gives it two toe beans up.This is such a sweet, smart, endearing story! It has characters who are complex and complicated, tackling difficult emotional issues, while still being a fun, cheerful, playful comic. And I'm not just saying that because I love cats. Although that…
Nick & Norah's Infinite PlaylistNick & Norah's Infinite Playlist, Book
by Cohn, RachelBook - 2006Book, 2006
JCLJoshN's rating:
Added Apr 14, 2021
Comment:
I went up and down with this. Liked it at first, started to get tired of it, then ultimately liked it by the end. Which, now that I think about it, is how Nick and Norah's attraction and infatuation with each other goes. I was never in the punk scene when I was younger, but I was kind of punk-adjacent, while also being a sappy romantic, so this story resonated with me on a bunch of levels, even when I started to lose some of my interest. (Also, I feel it's important to note that I've never seen the movie adaptation, but Kat Dennings is perfect casting for Norah.)I went up and down with this. Liked it at first, started to get tired of it, then ultimately liked it by the end. Which, now that I think about it, is how Nick and Norah's attraction and infatuation with each other goes. I was never in the punk…
JCLJoshN's rating:
Added Feb 22, 2021
Comment:
I don't know how I missed this when I was a kid, but I would have loved it then. I love it now, though, so it all works out. It's a tricky business jumping around from one character's perspective to another's, covering every wonderful, eccentric character, while still keeping the mystery a mystery, but Raskin makes it work. The plot twists are still surprising, but the shifting perspectives got me invested in all of the characters, and in the end, the mystery is less important than the characters and how they grow and change, Absolutely wonderful!I don't know how I missed this when I was a kid, but I would have loved it then. I love it now, though, so it all works out. It's a tricky business jumping around from one character's perspective to another's, covering every wonderful, eccentric…
Banned Book ClubBanned Book Club, Graphic Novel
by Kim, Hyun SookGraphic Novel - 2020Graphic Novel, 2020
All copies in useView location availabilityView location availability for Banned Book Club, Graphic Novel, All copies in use
Holds: 0 on 1 copy
Holds: 0 on 1 copy
JCLJoshN's rating:
Added Feb 20, 2021
JCLJoshN's rating:
Added Feb 18, 2021
Comment:
Pinkwater is one of my favorite authors of children's books. He's so great at turning old science fictions and monster movies into something unique and fun. This is no exception. Vampires eating horrible donuts and lovingly biting people on the neck, going to the theater, playing in the park--it's all adorably, darkly funny. And the art is both beautiful and cute. Love it!Pinkwater is one of my favorite authors of children's books. He's so great at turning old science fictions and monster movies into something unique and fun. This is no exception. Vampires eating horrible donuts and lovingly biting people on the…
From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. FrankweilerFrom the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, Book
by Konigsburg, E. L.Book - 1967Book, 1967
JCLJoshN's rating:
Added Dec 29, 2020
Comment:
I don't know how I made it this far in life without reading this classic of children's lit, but I did. It's weird because I've always known about the book, it has a great title, and the basic plot (brother and sister run away from home to live in the New York Metropolitan Museum of Art) is exactly the kind of thing I would have loved as a kid, especially with an art history mystery thrown in. I wonder if my parents kept me away from the book when I was in elementary school in New York because I definitely would have wanted to run away and live in the Met after reading this. (Or maybe the Museum of Natural History, which was my favorite place in the city for us to visit.) Reading it now, it took me back to that childhood. This is just a really great book to read at any age, whether you've ever been to New York City or not.I don't know how I made it this far in life without reading this classic of children's lit, but I did. It's weird because I've always known about the book, it has a great title, and the basic plot (brother and sister run away from home to live in…
JCLJoshN's rating:
Added Nov 16, 2020
Comment:
A rich, fun take on "kid discovers they have magic powers and are inducted into a magical society hidden from the mundane world." I really, really love the worldbuilding, it's quirky, mythic, wondrous, and creepy. And the plot zips along without feeling rushed. There are so many little bits to this book that made me smile, I couldn't possibly list them all here, but I'll start with: spirit faces, mysterious books, an eerie library, a train that isn't a train, a soccer match, and insect companions. And there's much more.A rich, fun take on "kid discovers they have magic powers and are inducted into a magical society hidden from the mundane world." I really, really love the worldbuilding, it's quirky, mythic, wondrous, and creepy. And the plot zips along without…
A Trick of the LightA Trick of the Light, BookA Chief Inspector Gamache Novel
by Penny, LouiseBook - 2011Book, 2011
All copies in useView location availabilityView location availability for A Trick of the Light, Book, All copies in use
Holds: 1 on 6 copies
Holds: 1 on 6 copies
JCLJoshN's rating:
Added Sep 24, 2020
Comment:
A friend recommended this author and series to me, and for some reason I didn't start from the beginning, I jumped in with this book. It wasn't what I was expecting. I thought it would be a cozy mystery, since it's part of series set in a small, quaint town, but the mystery isn't solved by an amateur detective, it's a police procedural. Most mystery novels I've read have very little continuity from one to the next, but there is a lot of past story threads still working their way through A Trick of the Light, so it took me a while to figure out what I'd missed and what was going on that wasn't immediately connected to the murder mystery. But when I say I wasn't expecting these things, I don't mean it in a bad way. It made me want to go back through the series for the stories I missed. And go forward to see how the characters progress. It gave me some mysteries of my own to solve.A friend recommended this author and series to me, and for some reason I didn't start from the beginning, I jumped in with this book. It wasn't what I was expecting. I thought it would be a cozy mystery, since it's part of series set in a small,…
Little Women (2019 Version)Little Women (2019 Version), DVD
DVD - 2020DVD, 2020
JCLJoshN's rating:
Added Sep 14, 2020
Comment:
After the movie ended, I wanted to watch it all over again. Amazing acting, gorgeous sets and costumes, all highlighting why this novel has been and remains a classic that still speaks to modern issues of men and women in society. A brilliant adaptation all around.After the movie ended, I wanted to watch it all over again. Amazing acting, gorgeous sets and costumes, all highlighting why this novel has been and remains a classic that still speaks to modern issues of men and women in society. A brilliant…
MarshallMarshall, DVD
DVD - 2018DVD, 2018
JCLJoshN's rating:
Added Sep 14, 2020
Comment:
What would otherwise be a fairly standard courtroom drama/mystery (even if it is based on true events) is made great by acting and extra historical touches. Chadwick Boseman and Josh Gad in particular are fantastic. Chadwick Boseman's death is a loss to all of us.What would otherwise be a fairly standard courtroom drama/mystery (even if it is based on true events) is made great by acting and extra historical touches. Chadwick Boseman and Josh Gad in particular are fantastic. Chadwick Boseman's death is a…
Zatanna and the House of SecretsZatanna and the House of Secrets, Graphic Novel
by Cody, MatthewGraphic Novel - 2020Graphic Novel, 2020
JCLJoshN's rating:
Added Jul 28, 2020
Comment:
A fun, colorful, sweet take on one of the not as well known DC Comics characters (but one of my favorites), Zatanna the Magician, daughter of 1930s-40s character Zatara the Magician. I checked it out because it looked cute and was happy to find it was more fun and endearing than I even expected.A fun, colorful, sweet take on one of the not as well known DC Comics characters (but one of my favorites), Zatanna the Magician, daughter of 1930s-40s character Zatara the Magician. I checked it out because it looked cute and was happy to find it…
Sal & Gabi Fix the UniverseSal & Gabi Fix the Universe, Book
by Hernandez, Carlos AlbertoBook - 2020Book, 2020
JCLJoshN's rating:
Added Jul 17, 2020
Comment:
Just as imaginative, sweet, and laugh-out-loud funny as the first book. What more can I say? This series is a treasure.
JCLJoshN's rating:
Added Jul 13, 2020
Comment:
The second Lord Peter Wimsey mystery to feature his love interest, mystery writer Harriet Vane. In some ways I enjoyed this one more than the previous, Strong Poison, because Harriet has a more direct role in solving the mystery and she's a great character. She and Lord Peter really do make a great team. At the same time, the mystery itself gets more than a little complicated and contrived. If you like mystery novels because you enjoy trying to solve the mystery before the end...well, I find it hard to believe anyone could solve this one before the end. Not that it isn't fun, and all in all, I had a great time with this. (Warning: there are some racial slurs casually thrown around in the book.)The second Lord Peter Wimsey mystery to feature his love interest, mystery writer Harriet Vane. In some ways I enjoyed this one more than the previous, Strong Poison, because Harriet has a more direct role in solving the mystery and she's a great…
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