4 Stars. As with almost any anthology, there were stories that I loved and some that just didn’t do anything for me. I was a little afraid that it would start to get depressing (star-crossed love just doesn’t sound happy, now does it?) but there was a good balance of happy and sad endings. Favorite story: “Hurt Me” by […]
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins: Book Review
What’s left of North America has been divided up into 12 districts. Katniss lives in district 12, the poorest district. She’s learned to buck the system and hunt to keep her family alive. But one day something happens that leaves her thinking only of her own survival. I was surprised by how much I liked Continue Reading…
Uglies by Scott Westerfeld: Book Review
Tally lives in the future, in a world where, at the age of sixteen, everyone is made superhumanly pretty. The thinking is that by leveling the playing field, so to speak, racism, bullying, low self-esteem, and all the negative things that can be associated with personal appearance can be eliminated. But not everyone wants to Continue Reading…
Santa Olivia by Jacqueline Carey: Book Review
4 Stars. This was not what I expected, but I’m not complaining. I expected more of a science-fictiony werewolf story and that’s not really what this is. The nonhuman? superhuman? other-than-human? side of Loup definitely defines a large part of her life, but it’s not really what drives […]
The Ice Limit by Douglas Preston: Book Review
It’s only been about a week since I read this book, but I’m already hazy on the details, so this will be vague. Basically, this super-rich guy hires an engineering firm with a perfect record of doing the “impossible” to extract a meteorite from the ground of a Chilean island off of Cape Horn. In Continue Reading…
Ready Player One by Ernest Cline: Book Review
Wade Watts is just your average kind of guy, living in his aunt’s trailer, trying to get through the last months of high school, playing video games, and trying to solve a multi-billion dollar puzzle. Yup. Billion with a b. See, it’s 2044 and video game designer James Halliday has just passed away without an Continue Reading…
The Maze Runner by James Dashner: Book Review
Thomas suddenly awakes in a box as a group of other teenage boys looks down at him, calling him unfathomable names like “shank” and “greenie.” He has no idea how he got there or where he came from. All he remembers from his past is his name. He eventually learns that this group of 50-60 Continue Reading…
Fluke by Christopher Moore: Book Review
Nate Quinn has spent his entire professional career following humpback whales around the ocean, trying to find out exactly why the males sing. He’s currently in Hawaii, where the whales spend the winter, still researching. His world is rocked on the day that he is taking pictures of one singer and sees BITE ME clearly Continue Reading…
The Roar by Emma Clayton: Book Review
In the Earth of the future, an Animal Plague has led humans to destroy most of the planet. The entire population is now crowded behind a wall surrounding the top third of the world. There are no animals, there is very little sunlight unless you’re rich, there isn’t real food to eat, and everyone feels Continue Reading…
Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins: Book Review
If you haven’t read The Hunger Games and Catching Fire, you shouldn’t read this review. I have avoided Mockingjay spoilers. Katniss is living in District 13. The Capitol has sought revenge for the rebels’ assault on the Hunger Games in a brutal, unbelievable way. The rebellion is gaining momentum, and the leaders are begging Katniss Continue Reading…
Shades of Grey by Jasper Fforde: Book Review
In the future, after the Something That Happened, people’s places in society are determined by the color they can see. Purples are the ruling class and Greys are sort of the untouchables. Eddie Russett is a bit of a rogue. He thought of a new idea for queuing and new ideas are frowned upon. After Continue Reading…