If I Stay brings a deep, poignant look at a life on the edge—the edge of living and the edge of ending. Although written to cover just a day or so in Mia’s life, most of the story involves Mia thinking back on her past, brief as it is for this girl, just a high…
There is something to be said for a book when you finish a chapter and turn the page and realize only then that you just finished the final chapter in the book. Upon turning that final page of Crazy Rich Asians, I exclaimed out loud at that moment. I’m still debating whether I feel good…
And the Mountains Echoed is an enjoyable, albeit at times confusing, read. Hosseini writes beautifully, and you easily feel the emotion, passion, and tension of each character’s story. The frustration comes in the blending of several people’s stories. As each narrator changes, sometimes in first person and sometimes in third, I felt a hurdle, more…
Entertaining enough if all you need is a diversion. Ana’s age, I can buy, but not Christian’s. The story’s arcs become a bit tedious after a while. Still, though, it does provide a diversion. And sometimes, that’s all we need from a novel.
Joe Hill—yes, he has a different last name, but no doubt he will for a long time be identified as Steven King’s son. And he does not disappoint. NOS4A2 is an excellent tale of suspense, horror, and imagination. It weaves stories together with a thread of “inscapes,” taking the reader down dark paths of darker…
The Dinner is an enjoyable read–written as events unfold over the course of a dinner between two couples at a fork in their road of life. It’s quite interesting, to be inside of someone’s thoughts over the course of a formal, if not pretentious, dinner—-the random asides and thoughts back as the events and conversations…
Book Two in the Fifty Shades series is still a basic read for some frivolous entertainment. I’m not sure if there was less explicit material here or if the first book was so overloaded, it didn’t stand out in the second round. Either way, the characters developed a bit more, which was welcomed. At the…
I hadn’t read a legal “mystery” in a while, so I looked forward to reading this that came recommended by…. some source I’ve since forgotten. The story is good enough—entertaining enough—- enough. But for some reason (admittedly perhaps because the protagonist reminds me too much of a police officer I know), this reads more as…
Exactly as one would expect—-nothing intellectual. Easy read. Entertaining enough for light chick-lit that puts gimmick of explicit scenes sales above plot and character development.
Fun, quirky, light, different—-Where’d You Go brings to the reader a fabulously refreshing way to tell a story. The characters, with their depth, faults, and flair, make you want to know more—-about the before, the during, and the what’s-to-come. I read this, on recommendation, on the heels of Gone Girl. And yes, while this too…
Beautifully written story, capturing your heart with Pi’s struggle for survival. I read this in anticipation of the movie, and having done so, seeing the movie the week after I finished the book, was perfect. I saw things in the story on the screen I had not picked up on in the book, as their…
Fabulous! It was all I could do not to read this again as soon as I finished it. No, actually, half way through, I wanted to start it over, reading it in a different order. (I have one friend who’s read this three times in the past nine months.) I dare not say too much…
I cannot help but wonder how much of an effect the many movie trailers for the upcoming new film version of this book had on my reading of it. The movie trailer dazzles with glam and speed. In reading, the story seemed much quieter, reserved. I thoroughly enjoyed it, but I suspect strongly I would…
Yes, it took me four months to finish this tale. And yes, I finished it only because I listened to the last forty percent of it during a long road trip. It’s an epic tale, and it’s good. But it was several stories in one. The writing is phenomenal, painting an amazing picture of Russia,…
Super Sad True Love Story was a deeply interesting look at how the future can play out with technology and relationships. While reading, it was a good read. the novel has complex layers and characters. But the book is not remarkable in that it doesn’t stay with you. Its tale does not linger. It flits…