2 Stars. I’m sorry to say that this didn’t quite work for me. I’m disappointed since so many other readers love it. The tales of the family misadventures were hilarious. Larry, the budding author, is a know-it-all who can steer his mom in any direction he chooses. Leslie, the avid huntsman, shoots his guns and scares the wits […]
Deep Storm by Lincoln Child: Book Review
2 Stars. This book really wasn’t for me for a lot of reasons that might not bother other readers. The first thing to really irritate me was the mansplaining. A female doctor is already onboard. Instead of treating her as a valued colleague, Crane marches in, assumes she doesn’t know anything about rarer diseases, and completely […]
Hole in the Sky by William Kittredge: Book Review
2 Stars. I just couldn’t click with this book. Kittredge does write beautifully and he writes of a way of life that seems to be disappearing. He writes fondly of the hands who worked the ranch, some of them for years and years for little more than room and board. He describes the difficult land in the salt flats of eastern […]
Where Dreams Descend by Janella Angeles: Book Review
I wanted to like this. The concept is strong and I couldn’t help comparing it to The Night Circus, another book I wanted to love. But there was way too much description, infinitely too many unanswered questions, and too little actual plot to please me. This is author Janella Angeles’s debut novel and unfortunately, it shows. She…
Origin by Dan Brown: Book Review
I freely admit that I find Dan Brown to be a mediocre writer at best, BUT I am willing to overlook that because he grabs my attention with some new ideas and I can’t put his books down until I see where he’s going. I just couldn’t get into this particular book as much as I usually do. I noted at 22% on my Kindle that I didn’t…
The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides: Book Review
I’m in the minority here, but I was not impressed. My contrarian streak shows up in all these twisty thrillers about women, which all seem to have the word girl in their title. I gave up on Gone Girl and The Girl on the Train; this one must be better since I actually finished it. Maybe the title wasn’t as derivative so it didn’t…
The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins: Book Review
So. I haven’t re-read any of the original novels since they were first published and I haven’t re-watched any of the movies since their respective releases. So I’m fuzzy on those plot points. But this didn’t do much to further the broader story. Snow is a manipulative prick. We know that. All I learned in this book is that he […]
The Story of Land and Sea by Katy Simpson Smith: Book Review
The Story of Land and Sea opens with young Tabitha contracting yellow fever on her tenth birthday. Her father and grandfather, having already lost her mother in childbirth, are desperate to save her despite the limitations of 18th century medicine. Her father takes to the sea with her in tow, thinking that the sea air Continue Reading…
Walden by Henry David Thoreau: Book Review
Soooooo……..yeah. I just rated Walden, one of the great American classics, two stars. That probably says more about me than it does about the book, doesn’t it? Don’t answer that. But here’s the thing–well, a few things. 1. I’m not generally an abstract ideas kind of person. I like narrative and stories and characters that Continue Reading…
Season of the Dragonflies by Sarah Creech: Book Review
The Lenore women grow a rare flower that is the secret ingredient in their powerful perfume. Each generation, only a few women are chosen to wear their coveted scent. These women inevitably rise to the top of their professions and become the envy of the world. But Willow, Mya, and Lucia Lenore, the current generation, Continue Reading…
Labyrinths by Jorge Luis Borges: Book Review
Um, I think I missed something. This book’s average rating on GoodReads is 4.47 as I write this and I’m rating it 2 stars. Where did I go wrong? It’s been a while since I finished so I won’t be able to get too specific. First of all, I didn’t particularly care for the writing Continue Reading…