book review: Opening Goliath - Danger and Discovery in Caving by Cary J. Griffith

I had to hold my breath multiple times reading the true recounts of cave explorers in this book! So many tight spaces, zero visibilty, and death-defying decisions made during both underwater diving and subterranean crawling. I quickly realized I could never be a cave explorer!

During a 2016 vacation, I visited Cumberland Caverns in McMinville, Tennessee, where I took a walking tour and attended a bluegrass concert. While it was a unique experience, it also left me conflicted. Transforming caves into tourist attractions provides an accessible way for the public to experience them. However, I took issue with the permanent bathroom and kitchen built directly inside the cavern; the high visitor traffic and waste generated also felt in stark contrast to the pristine, natural space. This conflict between public tourism, open access to cave explorers, and natural preservation is an ongoing conversation. Cumberland Caverns is a privately owned show cave that commodifies the space for any anyone with a ticket, whereas Goliath Cave is public land managed by the state, yet completely gated off so the average person cannot enter. The book details the intense controversy over the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) stepping in to assume control of the newly mapped Goliath system, capturing the multi-layered question of who really owns a cave and who should have access to it. 

Growing up in Minnesota, I had no idea the state also had caves. So when I first heard about the caves under St. Paul, I wanted to learn more about them so I picked up this book, Opening Goliath, to learn more about the caves in the state. While I initially went in looking to hear more about the St. Paul caves, I actually ended up preferring the book's deep focus on the Goliath system itself. In fact, I think the book's momentum would have benefited from sticking exclusively to the central cast of characters around Goliath. The standalone St. Paul cave chapters felt out of place since that was the only major structural diversion the book took. If the author was determined to include the tragic St. Paul carbon monoxide story, it should have been interjected later where it made narrative sense -- specifically at the terrifying moment when the Goliath explorers decide to risk using a gas-powered generator deep inside the cave.

Despite those pacing detours, I found the core book to be exceptionally well-researched and engaging. I highly recommend it to anyone looking to learn more about regional caving, or anyone simply interested in tense, eerie real-life stories!

movie recommendation - I Swear

On a Saturday morning a few weeks ago, I sat with my coffee and started watching a movie. I had never heard of the movie. And I had no idea the movie was going to be so wonderful. I spent the two hours watching it in fits of laughter and tears streaming down my face. 

It's called I Swear. And, you can find it on Netflix. It is based on the true story of a Scottish boy, John, growing up in the 80's when he is diagnosed with Tourette's. The Syndrome is ver mis-understood and so he is severely bullied and it puts significant strain on his family relationships. The situations he gets in as he tries to navigate this new normal for him are heart wrenching, heartwarming, and also sometimes lighthearted. The movie was so incredibly done.

I found a number of other films on YouTube about his life throughout the years.

John's Not Mad is a half hour documentary filmed in 1989.

The Boy Can't Help It was a 2002 documentary follow-up to John's Not Mad.

Lastly, an interview with John about the movie I Swear.

book review: Blightfall by Brandon Sanderson and Janci Patterson

⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️  4/5

Thank you Random House Children's Books for providing an ARC for review consideration via NetGalley! All opinions are my own.

I was first introduced to Brandon Sanderson through his writing lectures at Brigham Young University, but Blightfall -- a collaboration with Janci Patterson and Book 1 of the Riftwake series -- is my very first venture into reading his work. 

While Blightfall is classified as Young Adult (ages 12+), I found it thoroughly compelling as an adult. Its accessible world-building and streamlined plot depth actually made it the perfect, welcoming entry point to Sanderson's universe.

The story follows a diverse cast of humans from the Defiant Defense Force alongside aliens, Kitsen, and slugs. Tasked with escorting diplomats to a distant human settlement to re-establish contact after decades of alien oppression, what should be an easy mission quickly goes awry. Upon discovering a debris field and hostile forces surrounding the planet, the team must explore the surface to uncover its secrets and find a way home, taking the reader along on a mysterious, high-stakes adventure.

The fast pace and imaginative world-building made this a page-turner! The narrative strikes a perfect balance: it is accessible enough to enjoy as a light space romp, yet detailed enough to satisfy science enthusiasts who want to pause and ponder. I loved exploring what life would look like when interacting with alien species across the galaxy. The characters are diverse, and important themes -- like navigating relationships, effective communication, teamwork, compassion, and acceptance -- are woven naturally into the plot.

My only minor gripe was the overuse of slang like "star" and scud." While I appreciated the creative sci-fi profanity, these words were peppered so frequently throughout the narrative that they became a bit distracting. They would have carried much more impact if used sparingly.

I will definitely be continuing this series as new books are released! I highly recommend this to sci-fi veterans and general fiction readers alike. If you enjoyed the Bobiverse series, you will love this as well.