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Jason’s 2023 Year in Books
Take a look at Jason’s Year in Books. The long, the short—it’s all here.
Jason R. Koivu’s Followers (1,347)
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Jason R. Koivu
Goodreads Author
in Massachusetts, The United States
John Steinbeck, Lawrence Block, Patrick O'Brian, P.G. Wodehouse, J John Steinbeck, Lawrence Block, Patrick O'Brian, P.G. Wodehouse, J.R.R. Tolkien, Jane Austen, ...more
Jason R. Koivu was born and raised in New England, where bedtime stories gave him a love of books. He went on to study journalism and literature at Fitchburg State College, wrote screenplays in Los Angeles, and eventually found his niche in the fantasy genre, returning to the stories of his youth.
Koivu's writing partner
("This is Sir Ian Sir Ian. He's helping me write my latest. Thus far, he hasn't done a hell of a lot of writing and I haven't had a single turn on that pillow.")
Facebook: http://tinyurl.com/hw8zp9w
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jason_r_koivu/
Sign up for the newsletter and receive an email when a new book in the Barlow fantasy series is released: http://eepurl.com/ckwodA
Jason R. Koivu was born and raised in New England, where bedtime stories gave him a love of books. He went on to study journalism and literature at Fitchburg State College, wrote screenplays in Los Angeles, and eventually found his niche in the fantasy genre, returning to the stories of his youth.
Koivu's writing partner
("This is Sir Ian Sir Ian. He's helping me write my latest. Thus far, he hasn't done a hell of a lot of writing and I haven't had a single turn on that pillow.")
Facebook: http://tinyurl.com/hw8zp9w
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jason_r_koivu/
Sign up for the newsletter and receive an email when a new book in the Barlow fantasy series is released: http://eepurl.com/ckwodA
Popular Answered Questions
First-in-Series Book Free on Kindle Today Only
Free today only, Beyond Barlow, the first book in my fantasy series. Features forest banditry, fae mythology, and a young man seeking redemption. Get it while you can! https://www.amazon.com/dp/B075SW8WQQ?...
Jason Koivu said: "Yo-ho and a bottle of rum!
Avast singing, ya scurvy dog!
(sod off, ya goat-buggerin'--) Aye, aye, sir!
Arrrr, perhaps he's right. I should stick to reviews...
The Golden Ocean is one of O'Brian's earlier works and a forerunner of his seafaring, Aubrey/
Yo-ho and a bottle of rum!
Avast singing, ya scurvy dog!
(sod off, ya goat-buggerin'--) Aye, aye, sir!
Arrrr, perhaps he's right. I should stick to reviews...
The Golden Ocean is one of O'Brian's earlier works and a forerunner of his seafaring, Aubrey/Maturin series. As such it's a little rougher around the edges and as a one-off, it is not quite as engaging, since you're not invested in the characters for the long haul.
However this can be very enjoyable for some, especially if you're already hooked on the Aubrey/Maturin series or if you like to read Age of Sail seafaring stories. You get all the lovely period (circa mid 18th century) detail one becomes accustomed to when reading O'Brian. You also get an idea of what the British navy was like prior to arguably its most notable period in history, the Napoleonic Wars.
The Golden Ocean recounts, in historical fiction style, Admiral Anson's 1740 circumnavigation of the globe. The story is told through the eyes of a midshipman (the lowest order of officers, often young teen boys). As has been the case with other O'Brian one-offs, I never latched on to the main character with this one. In fact, now that some time has passed since I read this, I don't even recall the fella's name.
One interesting factoid about The Golden Ocean, it is one or two retellings of the same voyage that O'Brian novelized. The other is titled The Unknown Shore.
All in all, while this may not reach the excellence of writing his later work attains, it is well-done and quite enjoyable. I can readily recommend it to O'Brian's fans.
Jason’s Recent Updates
**Jason Koivu**rated a book it was amazing  Gaspipe: Confessions of a Mafia Boss by Philip Carlo |
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| A somewhat biased, but no less enthralling biography of the author's next door neighbor, mob boss Anthony "Gaspipe" Casso. Carlo does a great job painting the portrait of a self-made man of the criminal underworld. The book really helps to shed light A somewhat biased, but no less enthralling biography of the author's next door neighbor, mob boss Anthony "Gaspipe" Casso. Carlo does a great job painting the portrait of a self-made man of the criminal underworld. The book really helps to shed light on how a capo operates, as well as the interconnectivity between the various mafia families of the New York metropolitan area. A very smooth and enjoyable read! ...more | |
| Sep 12, 2024 10:33AM · 5 likes · like · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview ofGaspipe by Philip Carlo. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Gaspipe by Philip Carlo | |
**Jason Koivu**and 72 other people likedHenry Avila's reviewofThe Burning Hills:  "Trace Jordan is an easy going cowboy, a gentleman in a time of brutal violence and merciless killings in the old west, he has only killed six men in his entire life. As an able wrangler Trace rounds up wild horses these beautiful animals called Musta"Read more of this review » |
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| Sep 07, 2024 04:20PM · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview ofThe Burning Hills by Louis L'Amour. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — The Burning Hills by Louis L'Amour | |
**Jason Koivu**and 352 other people likeds.penkevich's reviewofThe Hunger Games (The Hunger Games, #1):  "In around 100 A.D., Roman poet Juvenal wrote that ‘_everything now restrains itself and anxiously hopes for just two things: bread and circuses._’ How true and terrifying these words are to remain relevant through the ages and how succinctly they get t"Read more of this review » |
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| Sep 07, 2024 04:20PM · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview ofThe Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins | |
**Jason Koivu**liked thatKarliehas completed the2024 Reading Challenge  Karlie has completed her goal of reading 12 books for the 2024 Reading Challenge! 16 of 12 (133%) Create your own 2024 Reading Challenge » |
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| Sep 03, 2024 09:47AM | |
Jason Koivu made a comment onhis reviewofWhen Books Went to War: The Stories that Helped Us Win World War II  "_Sallie wrote: "Great review! Did you ever get to read A Tree Grows in Brooklyn? What did you think?"_Yes, I did, Sallie, and it was great! Here's my re _Sallie wrote: "Great review! Did you ever get to read A Tree Grows in Brooklyn? What did you think?"_Yes, I did, Sallie, and it was great! Here's my review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show... ...more" |
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| Sep 03, 2024 09:04AM · see review | |
| Jason Koivu made a comment onJason’s challenge "Thank you!" | |
| Sep 02, 2024 07:52AM · see challenge | |
**Jason Koivu**rated a book really liked it  Parachute Infantry: An American Paratrooper's Memoir of D-Day and the Fall of the Third Reich by David Kenyon Webster |
Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars2 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars |
| From one of the heroic soldiers of E Company, subsequently featured in the miniseries Band of Brothers. I've read, I think, four memoirs from E Company members who jumped on D-Day. This one is by far the most eloquent, but it's not my favorite. I don From one of the heroic soldiers of E Company, subsequently featured in the miniseries Band of Brothers. I've read, I think, four memoirs from E Company members who jumped on D-Day. This one is by far the most eloquent, but it's not my favorite. I don't care to get into the reasons why here, just know that this is quite good and includes some of the best descriptions of active duty army life during WWII. ...more | |
| Aug 30, 2024 01:18PM · 2 likes · like · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview ofParachute Infantry by David Kenyon Webster. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Parachute Infantry by David Kenyon Webster | |
| Jason Koivu has completed the 2024 Reading Challenge Jason Koivu has completed his goal of reading 52 books for the 2024 Reading Challenge! 58 of 52 (112%) Create your own 2024 Reading Challenge » |
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| Aug 23, 2024 08:25AM · 40 likes · like · view books | |
**Jason Koivu**rated a book really liked it  Quick Service (Everyman Wodehouse) by P.G. Wodehouse |
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| One of the better non-Wooster/Blandings offerings from Wodehouse. Probably because it reads just like the books from those two series. Quick Service gives you all the usual Wodehousisms: a heist, a love triangle, and a twisty plot. Who could ask for One of the better non-Wooster/Blandings offerings from Wodehouse. Probably because it reads just like the books from those two series. Quick Service gives you all the usual Wodehousisms: a heist, a love triangle, and a twisty plot. Who could ask for anything more? Toyota!...That ad always left me wondering why Toyota was so needy and greedy. ...more | |
| Aug 20, 2024 08:26AM · 4 likes · like · see review | |
**Jason Koivu**rated a book it was amazing  I Must Say: My Life as a Humble Comedy Legend by Martin Short |
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| Martin Short is always "on" and always brings it "big". That's not easy, so I was curious as to how someone arrives at that level of entertainment prowess. I Must Say does an excellent job in detailing the path Short took to get to where and who he i Martin Short is always "on" and always brings it "big". That's not easy, so I was curious as to how someone arrives at that level of entertainment prowess. I Must Say does an excellent job in detailing the path Short took to get to where and who he is. Very enjoyable! ...more | |
| Aug 18, 2024 10:28AM · 6 likes · like · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview ofI Must Say by Martin Short. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — I Must Say by Martin Short |
“To have one man's nut lay against another man's is a most awkward position to find oneself.”
― Jason R. Koivu, Spritzerville,…Ohio?
“I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”
― Maya Angelou
“[Jellyfish] are 97% water or something, so how much are they doing? Just give them another 3% and make them water. It's more useful.”
― Karl Pilkington
“I haven't the slightest idea how to change people, but still I keep a long list of prospective candidates just in case I should ever figure it out.”
― David Sedaris, Naked
“I agree that it's a shame some books have to suffer ratings that clearly are invalid. However I can't think of a way to prevent it, and I didn't see any ideas in the thread either (I did skim though).
I hope you'll appreciate that if we just start deleting ratings whenever we feel like it, that we've gone down a censorship road that doesn't take us to a good place.”
― Otis Y. Chandler
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