First Read March 13, 2010, reread for book club 2015 The Graveyard Book is a terrific book. It was inspired by Rudyard Kipling’s The Jungle Book, and Gaiman’s young son, and although I haven’t read it I remembered elements from the Disney classic. The Graveyard Book isn’t simply a change in venue. Gaiman is a wonderful storyteller who paints a rich background for this novel of mystery, intrigue, and coming-of-age. I expected great things since I had previously enjoyed his other work, specifically, Coraline, and […]
My Troubling Addiction: Pretty Little Liars (reviews 8-11)
Guys, I had a really scary couple of days. I somehow started reading Pretty Little Liars and before I knew it, I was finishing book four. While I don’t exactly regret what I’ve done I’m also very aware that that’s about six hours of my life I’m not going to get back. I feel weird and uncomfortable and I’m dealing with the fact that there’s no way to purge after a book binge. I now bring to you, humble reader, reviews eight through eleven: Books […]
Professional athlete of the future turns superhero
This is my last review of the year (and the day)! By some miracle of will power, I met my half-cannonball goal despite only starting reviews last month. Must do better next year, for realz. My final post is for Mara, a YA graphic novel set in the future where professional sports is an even bigger business. Sport competitions keep everyone distracted from the endless world war cycle of Earth. Mara is superstar volleyball player whose been training since she was 2 years old! Barely legal, she lives […]
Special Topics in Grief
I loved Wolitzer’s earlier book, The Interestings, and in some ways this young adult novel seems like an offshoot thematically. Instead of a summer camp in upstate New York, the characters in Belzhar are at The Wooden Barn, a “therapeutic boarding school” for teens in Vermont. This is basically Jam Gallahue’s story; she was sent to this school because she has been mourning the death of her British exchange student boyfriend for too long. Jam is chosen to be part of a special topics class […]