Tomasu is out wandering the mountains where his village is located, as he has countless times before, but this time when he comes back, a warlord has destroyed it and apparently killed all the inhabitants. Tomasu makes his escape after embarrassing the warlord and earning his eternal enmity. A kind stranger on the trail Tomasu Continue Reading…
The Story of Beautiful Girl by Rachel Simon: Book Review
On a dark and stormy night in 1968, a widow is alone at home, as she usually is. She hears a knock on her door. She isn’t expecting anyone, but, these being simpler times in many ways, she answers anyway. A young black man and white woman are outside, drenched, in obvious need of help. Continue Reading…
The Inferno by Dante Alighieri: Book Review
To summarize for those who don’t know, this is an epic poem, part of a greater poem called The Divine Comedy. Dante the Poet travels through Hell, Purgatory, and Paradise at the behest of his dead true love, Beatrice. His guide for his tour of Hell is the great Roman poet, Virgil. This was tough. Continue Reading…
The Prisoner of Heaven by Carlos Ruiz Zafón: Book Review
Fermín Romero de Torres is finally getting married. He’s got one problem though–he’s living under an assumed name. He has absolutely no proof that he legally exists. How is he supposed to get married without all the paperwork to prove that he is whom he says he is? As he explains this to Daniel Sempere, Continue Reading…
Letters From Home by Kristina McMorris: Book Review
Morgan McClain and his brother are shipping out to Europe in the last year of WWII. They spend their last night in the States at a USO dance where they meet Liz Stephens. Liz and Morgan immediately feel a connection, despite the fact that Liz is practically engaged to someone else. Complicated circumstances arise, as Continue Reading…
Graveminder by Melissa Marr: Book Review
Rebekkah Barrow has left the town of Claysville behind. She keeps in touch with a few people, including her “adopted” grandmother, but otherwise she’s a free spirit roaming the earth. One day she gets a phone call that her grandmother has passed away. She heads back to Claysville for the funeral and learns that her Continue Reading…
Drama by John Lithgow: Book Review
In this memoir, Lithgow writes of how his early years shaped him as an actor, from his childhood, to his time at Harvard, to his studies in the UK as a Fulbright scholar, and on to his breakthrough on Broadway and film. I truly enjoyed listening to Lithgow narrate his own personal history. I don’t Continue Reading…
The Call of the Wild by Jack London: Book Review
Buck is a dog’s dog, in and out of the house, accompanying the masters around at well, and just generally living the good life in California. But when the Alaskan gold rush starts, big dogs are suddenly worth a small fortune because of their ability to pull fully-laden sleds. Buck is furtively sold by one Continue Reading…
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…
The Wish Giver by Bill Brittain: Book Review
When The Wish Giver comes to the Coven Tree church social, four townspeople exchange 50 cents each for one wish. They can’t even begin to dream how their wishes will affect their lives. I remember loving this book when I was in about fifth grade. I couldn’t remember a thing about the story but I Continue Reading…
And Tango Makes Three by Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell: Banned Books Week Review
In this true story, Roy and Silo are two male chinstrap penguins in the Central Park Zoo who don’t quite fit in. They don’t take any notice of the female penguins and instead form their own little family. What an adorable little book! The illustrations by Henry Cole are charming. The story of Roy and Continue Reading…