My Plain Jane by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, & Jodi Meadows
I completely ADORED My Lady Jane a few years ago. It was so refreshing and funny and unique, with such a great audio narrator. I had high hopes for this next book in the series and HALLELUJAH it delivered. It's not quite as shockingly quirky as My Lady Jane (nobody's fiance regularly turns into a … [Read more]
The Gods of Gotham by Lyndsay Faye
I liked this one well enough, but I can't say it wasn't a little bit of a disappointment after liking Faye's other books so much. The pacing was very uneven here and I wonder if cutting some of the material (the book is about 400 pages) would have helped. There's a great book in here somewhere, … [Read more]
Jane Doe: A Novel by Victoria Helen Stone
I follow a lot of authors on twitter. Every once in a while a bunch of writers will start talking about one book. A couple of months ago, that book was Jane Doe. Authors, all women but from several genres, were reveling in Jane's darkness and her passion for revenge. Jane has diagnosed herself as … [Read more]
Universal Harvester by John Darnielle
This novel sneaks up on you. You're lulled into comfort with descriptions of old video rental places, suburban living rooms, and the polite peace of the Midwest before being startled awake by sudden glances of violence and fear. These shocks originate from movies. Movies within movies. Were they … [Read more]
Salt Fat Acid Heat by Samin Nosrat, Wendy McNaughton
The lovely and amazing narfna was my CBR10 Book Exchange gifter last year. She shopped from my wish list and bought Salt Fat Acid Heat. I love cooking and cookbooks. I have worked as a chef professionally, but all my training has been at home and ad hoc in bakeries and small food shops. Samin … [Read more]
Transcription by Kate Atkinson
What began as a slow and cold (le Carré-esque) waiting game grew into a white hot flash of deceit, anxiety, and dangerous thrills. I cannot claim to know the full horrors and trials of World War II- nor can I draw a true comparison between that dark time and the present, but the world of this book … [Read more]
Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing by Judy Blume
He dropped and fell away from himself for a moment; then lifting his face to them again, showed a deep joy in his eyes, as he cried out with a heavenly enthusiasm,—“But oh! shipmates! on the starboard hand of every woe, there is a sure delight; and higher the top of that delight, than the … [Read more]
War and Peace by Fred Freson
Upon searching, it was found that the casks last struck into the hold were perfectly sound, and that the leak must be further off. So, it being calm weather, they broke out deeper and deeper, disturbing the slumbers of the huge ground-tier butts; and from that black midnight sending those gigantic … [Read more]
Comments abound by Herman Melville
Hitherto, in descriptively treating of the Sperm Whale, I have chiefly dwelt upon the marvels of his outer aspect; or separately and in detail upon some few interior structural features. But to a large and thorough sweeping comprehension of him, it behooves me now to unbutton him still further, and … [Read more]
Test of the Badges by Badge Mc Badgety
Upon searching, it was found that the casks last struck into the hold were perfectly sound, and that the leak must be further off. So, it being calm weather, they broke out deeper and deeper, disturbing the slumbers of the huge ground-tier butts; and from that black midnight sending those gigantic … [Read more]
