The Winter Palace by Eva Stachniak: Book Review

The Winter Palace by Eva Stachniak Book Cover

4 Stars. Oh my gosh, Russian novels, even when they aren’t written by Russians, defeat me with the names. Everyone has at least two or three wildly different (to me, anyway) names! I can’t keep them straight! This one wasn’t too bad but I would still draw the occasional blank. I just had to keep reading and hope that I eventually got that […]

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Rome 1960 by David Maraniss: Book Review

Rome 1960 by David Maraniss Book Cover

4 Stars. I don’t know that I agree that these Olympics “changed the world” but I would definitely agree that they showcased changes that were happening in the world at large. I’m not a sports fan but I read this for the “Eclectic Reader Challenge” as a sports book that I might be able to tolerate. I was pleasantly surprised to find […]

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He is Legend, Edited by Christopher Conlon: Book Review

He Is Legend Edited by Christopher Conlon Book Cover

4 Stars. I haven’t read that much Richard Matheson, just one short story collection containing I am Legend, but I enjoyed it immensely. I don’t remember where I came across this collection, but when I saw the combination of Richard Matheson, Joe Hill, and Stephen King, I added it to my wishlist. Like any anthology, this was […]

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The Hero and the Crown by Robin McKinley: Book Review

The Hero and the Crown by Robin McKinley Book Cover

4 Stars. Man, this took me right back to my tween years. I can’t begin to explain it because I’ve never read this book before, but it just had that ’80s feel. It’s a quest book with a strong female lead, short and to the point. The author isn’t trying to get a movie deal or spread a plot thinly over a never-ending series. I did get worried […]

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The Penderwicks in Spring by Jeanne Birdsall: Book Review

4 Stars. This book got a little dark! I was surprised! The Penderwicks have always had their childhood troubles but as an adult listening, they don’t seem insurmountable to me. My heart ached for Batty now. Poor thing. She’s always been the baby of the family, so I guess I’m used to thinking of her that way. I had a hard time […]

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The Passion of the Purple Plumeria by Lauren Willig: Book Review

The Passion of the Purple Plumeria by Lauren Willig Book Cover

4 Stars. Oh my. I did not ever, in my wildest dreams, expect a book about Miss Gwen! What a hoot! Somehow, I’d decided that she was at least 70. She’s actually only about 45. And an attractive 45 at that, if you can get past the fierce way she wields her parasol in defense of Jane’s virtue. I’m so glad she got her own story […]

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Welcome to Lovecraft by Joe Hill: Book Review

Welcome to Lovecraft by Joe Hill Book Cover

4 Stars. I really, really liked this. I never had any idea where it was going and it just kept getting more and more twisted. I had more questions at the end than I did at the beginning. And I was definitely left with a sinking feeling in my stomach. This situation is going to get way worse before it gets better. I liked the […]

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Storybook Love by Bill Willingham: Book Review

Fables Storybook Love by Bill Willingham Book Cover

4 Stars. I was much happier with this volume than with the previous one. I’m on firmer footing with love stories, however fractured they may be, than with a retelling of Animal Farm.There’s not really a big plot arc here–it’s more like a collection of short stories than a novel, but I enjoyed them. I particularly liked the […]

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Habibi by Craig Thompson: Book Review

I don’t even really know what I read here, but I do know that liked it. Part love story, part coming-of-age novel, part environmental warning, Habibi covers a lot of ground. Dodola and Zam meet as children when they’re up for sale in a slave market in what appears to be the Middle East. Events […]

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When the Moon is Low by Nadia Hashimi: Book Review

Fereiba lived a lonely childhood in Afghanistan. Her mother died in childbirth and her stepmother never treated her like a real member of the family. Her stepmother does eventually arrange a marriage for her and it becomes a love match. Three children later, the Taliban are in power, Fereiba has had to give up the […]

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