Nancy Atherton’s Aunt Dimity Beats the Devil
The sixth Aunt Dimity book finds Lori in the north of England to evaluate an old library in a possibly haunted manor. But of course Lori isn’t afraid of ghosts! Or of looking for archival evidence to solve old mysteries! I did cringe every time the word “gypsy” was used but otherwise this was an entertaining outing in this series. B/B+.
Wednesday, January 31, 2018
Tuesday, January 30, 2018
2018 book 20
Alice McDermott's The Ninth Hour
I put this on hold at the library so long ago that I no longer remember why I wanted to read it. It was perfectly fine—the story of a three generations of a family in 20th century Brooklyn, and the nearby convent of nuns and and their nursing work. I kept thinking of A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, but it’s neither as gritty nor as resonant as that classic book. I liked the nuns and found them much more interesting than the mother and daughter they’re helping, but I don’t feel like this story will stick with me. B/B+.
I put this on hold at the library so long ago that I no longer remember why I wanted to read it. It was perfectly fine—the story of a three generations of a family in 20th century Brooklyn, and the nearby convent of nuns and and their nursing work. I kept thinking of A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, but it’s neither as gritty nor as resonant as that classic book. I liked the nuns and found them much more interesting than the mother and daughter they’re helping, but I don’t feel like this story will stick with me. B/B+.
Monday, January 29, 2018
2018 book 19
Nancy Atherton's Aunt Dimity's Christmas
This was not my favorite book in this series, and not just because I am predisposed to dislike books involving Christmas. This one centers on a mysterious homeless man, and Lori and a bunch of new characters (including a North Carolinian bookseller with a very preposterous dialect) are trying to figure out who he is and whether or not he's insane. Lori acts really weirdly in this one though (she is obsessed with two different dudes who are not her husband), and I found her kind of off-putting. There is also more Christian Values/churchifying than in the previous books, something I hope will taper back off in later volumes. B.
This was not my favorite book in this series, and not just because I am predisposed to dislike books involving Christmas. This one centers on a mysterious homeless man, and Lori and a bunch of new characters (including a North Carolinian bookseller with a very preposterous dialect) are trying to figure out who he is and whether or not he's insane. Lori acts really weirdly in this one though (she is obsessed with two different dudes who are not her husband), and I found her kind of off-putting. There is also more Christian Values/churchifying than in the previous books, something I hope will taper back off in later volumes. B.
Sunday, January 28, 2018
2018 book 18
Nancy Atherton's Aunt Dimity Digs In
The fourth Aunt Dimity book finds our small British village in an uproar after an archaeologist and his team come to town—and the pamphlet proving the Roman finds are a hoax has been stolen from the vicar's desk! Haha, I love a cozy mystery with totally low stakes. I also love this series because it has prominent stuffed animals (I am partial to stuffed bunnies, myself) that may or may not be magical. It’s nice to read something so gentle. A-/B+.
The fourth Aunt Dimity book finds our small British village in an uproar after an archaeologist and his team come to town—and the pamphlet proving the Roman finds are a hoax has been stolen from the vicar's desk! Haha, I love a cozy mystery with totally low stakes. I also love this series because it has prominent stuffed animals (I am partial to stuffed bunnies, myself) that may or may not be magical. It’s nice to read something so gentle. A-/B+.
2018 book 17
Chelsey Johnson's Stray City
This book has been getting SO MUCH buzz, and I was like, well, it can’t live up to the hype, but it seems interesting, let’s give it a look-see, and then I just sat and read it all in one sitting because it really is that GOOD. I feel like describing the plot doesn’t do it justice, so the quick version is: a young lesbian woman in Portland in the late 90s, coming off a bad breakup, gets involved with a DUDE and ends up pregnant. But that is almost all besides the point to me; it is so much more about community and found families and love and hope and growing up and art. It’s just wonderful. Seriously, I was just engrossed and enchanted the entire time. A.
__
A review copy was provided by the publisher. This book will be released in March.
This book has been getting SO MUCH buzz, and I was like, well, it can’t live up to the hype, but it seems interesting, let’s give it a look-see, and then I just sat and read it all in one sitting because it really is that GOOD. I feel like describing the plot doesn’t do it justice, so the quick version is: a young lesbian woman in Portland in the late 90s, coming off a bad breakup, gets involved with a DUDE and ends up pregnant. But that is almost all besides the point to me; it is so much more about community and found families and love and hope and growing up and art. It’s just wonderful. Seriously, I was just engrossed and enchanted the entire time. A.
__
A review copy was provided by the publisher. This book will be released in March.
Saturday, January 27, 2018
2018 book 16
Nancy Atherton's Aunt Dimity's Good Deed
The third Aunt Dimity book picks up two years after the first, and finds our heroine back in England, struggling with distance in her marriage, when her father in law vanishes, leaving behind a mysterious note. Soon she and the hilarious and precocious girl next door are on a road trip to try and track him down—and uncover the secrets of his British cousins. The mystery here is even more vague than in the previous two, but I just find these books really entertaining and delightful. A-/B+.
The third Aunt Dimity book picks up two years after the first, and finds our heroine back in England, struggling with distance in her marriage, when her father in law vanishes, leaving behind a mysterious note. Soon she and the hilarious and precocious girl next door are on a road trip to try and track him down—and uncover the secrets of his British cousins. The mystery here is even more vague than in the previous two, but I just find these books really entertaining and delightful. A-/B+.
2018 book 15
Nancy Atherton's Aunt Dimity and the Duke
No ghosts in the second Aunt Dimity book, which flashes back to show how the friendly and helpful neighbor couple from the first one met—with the help of Aunt Dimity, of course! This one involves a duke, a possibly murdered rock star, a missing lantern with magical powers, a pair of cool little kids, and a lot of gardening. I liked it a lot, even if it did lean a bit hard on the benevolent lord o' the land sort of stuff. B+.
No ghosts in the second Aunt Dimity book, which flashes back to show how the friendly and helpful neighbor couple from the first one met—with the help of Aunt Dimity, of course! This one involves a duke, a possibly murdered rock star, a missing lantern with magical powers, a pair of cool little kids, and a lot of gardening. I liked it a lot, even if it did lean a bit hard on the benevolent lord o' the land sort of stuff. B+.
Friday, January 26, 2018
2018 book 14
Nancy Atherton's Aunt Dimity's Death
I've been vaguely aware that this series existed for a while, but didn't know much about it except that the protagonist solves mysteries with the help of a friendly ghost. I was in the mood for some light but entertaining reading, though, and thought I'd try this out--and it fit the bill perfectly. I found the narrative voice to be engaging right away, and Atherton takes her time setting up the world in this first one. It centers on a thirty year old woman, Lori, recently divorced and temping, when her beloved mother dies, leaving her adrift. And then things take another turn when she discovers the silly stories her mother told her about "Aunt Dimity" were based on a real person, who has also recently died, and who wants Lori to go to her cottage in England and read through her decades of correspondence with Lori's mother. The ghost does come into it eventually, and there is a little bit of mystery solving as Lori tries to uncover the secrets of Dimity's past, but this seems to be the start of a series that is just as focused on the characters as on the plot. My favorite kind. Super cute. A/A-.
I've been vaguely aware that this series existed for a while, but didn't know much about it except that the protagonist solves mysteries with the help of a friendly ghost. I was in the mood for some light but entertaining reading, though, and thought I'd try this out--and it fit the bill perfectly. I found the narrative voice to be engaging right away, and Atherton takes her time setting up the world in this first one. It centers on a thirty year old woman, Lori, recently divorced and temping, when her beloved mother dies, leaving her adrift. And then things take another turn when she discovers the silly stories her mother told her about "Aunt Dimity" were based on a real person, who has also recently died, and who wants Lori to go to her cottage in England and read through her decades of correspondence with Lori's mother. The ghost does come into it eventually, and there is a little bit of mystery solving as Lori tries to uncover the secrets of Dimity's past, but this seems to be the start of a series that is just as focused on the characters as on the plot. My favorite kind. Super cute. A/A-.
Thursday, January 25, 2018
2018 book 13
J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
I am still dipping back into rereading these, even though my trip is done. I am a completist and I gotta read 'em all! It’s hard to judge this one on this own merits, but it does have some interesting ups and downs for Harry and some really funny bits as well. I think this is the only one that doesn’t end in some sort of big showdown, but instead a quiet reflection on loss.
I am still dipping back into rereading these, even though my trip is done. I am a completist and I gotta read 'em all! It’s hard to judge this one on this own merits, but it does have some interesting ups and downs for Harry and some really funny bits as well. I think this is the only one that doesn’t end in some sort of big showdown, but instead a quiet reflection on loss.
Monday, January 22, 2018
2018 book 12
Maureen Johnson's Truly Devious
Look, I am one hundred percent here for YA boarding school mysteries but Johnson is doing that thing here where she thinks writing for a younger audience means using super simple language, which makes for a choppy read. The plot is fun--a new student at a mysterious, elite boarding school is trying to solve a famous kidnapping/murder case that took place at said school in the 1930s. I did especially love that the protagonist was from Pittsburgh (with several appropriate references to the Monroeville Mall, haha! Stevie, I too have failed to impress people with my knowledge that Dawn of the Dead was filmed there). I did get very caught up in all the mysteries, but it seems this is the first book in a series so the end is rather frustrating. I will definitely read the next one though. B/B+.
Look, I am one hundred percent here for YA boarding school mysteries but Johnson is doing that thing here where she thinks writing for a younger audience means using super simple language, which makes for a choppy read. The plot is fun--a new student at a mysterious, elite boarding school is trying to solve a famous kidnapping/murder case that took place at said school in the 1930s. I did especially love that the protagonist was from Pittsburgh (with several appropriate references to the Monroeville Mall, haha! Stevie, I too have failed to impress people with my knowledge that Dawn of the Dead was filmed there). I did get very caught up in all the mysteries, but it seems this is the first book in a series so the end is rather frustrating. I will definitely read the next one though. B/B+.
Sunday, January 21, 2018
2018 book 11
Heather Lloyd's My Name is Venus Black
I just read this book all in one sitting, but I still can’t quite pinpoint exactly how I felt about it. It is compelling, but maybe a bit too on the women's fiction end of the spectrum to really satisfy me? It centers on a thirteen year old girl, under arrest for a terrible crime, who years later is trying to rebuild her life and hide from her past. And also her developmentally disabled brother has been kidnapped. I liked many parts of this but the ending was perhaps a bit too pat. B/B+.
__
A review copy was provided by the publisher. This book will be released in February.
I just read this book all in one sitting, but I still can’t quite pinpoint exactly how I felt about it. It is compelling, but maybe a bit too on the women's fiction end of the spectrum to really satisfy me? It centers on a thirteen year old girl, under arrest for a terrible crime, who years later is trying to rebuild her life and hide from her past. And also her developmentally disabled brother has been kidnapped. I liked many parts of this but the ending was perhaps a bit too pat. B/B+.
__
A review copy was provided by the publisher. This book will be released in February.
2018 book 10
Kamilla Benko's The Unicorn Quest
Benko's debut is, for the most part, a well written and engaging MG fantasy portal novel, where a younger sister follows her older sister (who is in remission from an unnamed disease) into a fantasy world, where different factions have different magical abilities and where unicorns once loved but now are gone. With the help of two new friends and her lucky pencil, she must track down her older sister and maybe find out more about these unicorns along the way. The author occasionally leans too heavily on the art metaphors (the protagonist is a young artist), and I found the epilogue a bit frustrating but inevitable for all that—still, I liked these characters enough that when the sequel comes out, I will most likely read it. B+.
_
A review copy was provided by the publisher. This book will be released on January 30th.
Benko's debut is, for the most part, a well written and engaging MG fantasy portal novel, where a younger sister follows her older sister (who is in remission from an unnamed disease) into a fantasy world, where different factions have different magical abilities and where unicorns once loved but now are gone. With the help of two new friends and her lucky pencil, she must track down her older sister and maybe find out more about these unicorns along the way. The author occasionally leans too heavily on the art metaphors (the protagonist is a young artist), and I found the epilogue a bit frustrating but inevitable for all that—still, I liked these characters enough that when the sequel comes out, I will most likely read it. B+.
_
A review copy was provided by the publisher. This book will be released on January 30th.
Saturday, January 20, 2018
2018 book 9
Celeste Ng's Little Fires Everywhere
Ah, the sheer relief of rereading a book for book club and finding it just as excellent as the first time you read it. It was funny to read another book set in the 90s just after reading Sunburn, but Ng's centering of her story in that specific time and place feels a lot more effortless for some reason. Everything about this is rock solid: the characterizations; the compelling, intertwined plot; the writing itself. And what a perfect portrayal of microagressions and clueless white privilege! And complicated families! Just an excellent book.
Ah, the sheer relief of rereading a book for book club and finding it just as excellent as the first time you read it. It was funny to read another book set in the 90s just after reading Sunburn, but Ng's centering of her story in that specific time and place feels a lot more effortless for some reason. Everything about this is rock solid: the characterizations; the compelling, intertwined plot; the writing itself. And what a perfect portrayal of microagressions and clueless white privilege! And complicated families! Just an excellent book.
Thursday, January 18, 2018
2018 book 8
Laura Lippman's Sunburn
I tend to like Lippman's stand-alones better than her long-running Tess Monaghan series, but this wasn't one of my favorites. Set in the summer of 1995 (and there are many references to tell you so), it centers on a mysterious woman who has left her family behind for mysterious reasons, and the mysterious man very interested in her affairs, and their inevitable relationship. I found both characters somewhat sympathetic and interesting, but found the end to be something of a letdown. It’s still an enjoyable read, just not one of Lippman's best. B.
__
A review copy was provided by the publisher. This book will be released on February 20th.
I tend to like Lippman's stand-alones better than her long-running Tess Monaghan series, but this wasn't one of my favorites. Set in the summer of 1995 (and there are many references to tell you so), it centers on a mysterious woman who has left her family behind for mysterious reasons, and the mysterious man very interested in her affairs, and their inevitable relationship. I found both characters somewhat sympathetic and interesting, but found the end to be something of a letdown. It’s still an enjoyable read, just not one of Lippman's best. B.
__
A review copy was provided by the publisher. This book will be released on February 20th.
Tuesday, January 16, 2018
2018 book 7
Sujata Massey's The Widows of Malabar Hill
I think this book is the start of a new series—or anyway, I hope it is, because I enjoyed it a lot. It’s set in 1920s Bombay, and centers on a young woman who is Bombay's first female lawyer (working for her awesome supportive lawyer father). Her gender comes in handy when some discrepancies pop up concerning a Muslim estate whose three widows live in purda (seclusion)—and then there’s a murder. This is all interspersed with flashbacks to a dark time in her past. She also has an English best friend from Oxford who is a not-so-secret lesbian. It’s one of those mysteries that is just as much about the characters and settings as it is the actual mystery plot, and I hope to see more of it soon. A-.
__
A review copy was provided by the publisher. This book is available now.
I think this book is the start of a new series—or anyway, I hope it is, because I enjoyed it a lot. It’s set in 1920s Bombay, and centers on a young woman who is Bombay's first female lawyer (working for her awesome supportive lawyer father). Her gender comes in handy when some discrepancies pop up concerning a Muslim estate whose three widows live in purda (seclusion)—and then there’s a murder. This is all interspersed with flashbacks to a dark time in her past. She also has an English best friend from Oxford who is a not-so-secret lesbian. It’s one of those mysteries that is just as much about the characters and settings as it is the actual mystery plot, and I hope to see more of it soon. A-.
__
A review copy was provided by the publisher. This book is available now.
Monday, January 15, 2018
2018 book 6
J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Sometimes I have less patience for Teen Angst Harry Potter, but this time around I was like YEAH! YELL about injustice! LEAD revolutionary groups (with the inspiration and help of Hermione, of course)! Of course one does wish that Harry was occasionally more sensible, but then there would be much less to the story. I mean, it is slightly unwieldy, but Rowling does pull most of the threads together in the end. I do sometimes wish we saw more of Hermione's parents ans their home life—the fleeting glimpses here and there are so interesting.
Sometimes I have less patience for Teen Angst Harry Potter, but this time around I was like YEAH! YELL about injustice! LEAD revolutionary groups (with the inspiration and help of Hermione, of course)! Of course one does wish that Harry was occasionally more sensible, but then there would be much less to the story. I mean, it is slightly unwieldy, but Rowling does pull most of the threads together in the end. I do sometimes wish we saw more of Hermione's parents ans their home life—the fleeting glimpses here and there are so interesting.
Thursday, January 11, 2018
2018 book 5
Kathleen Barber's Are You Sleeping
I heard of this book recently when it was optioned for a tv show (an Apple digital one) set to star Octavia Spencer. It centers on a true-crime podcast, looking into the murder of a popular college professor and the teenager convicted of the crime--and on the murder victim's now-adult daughter, who has been keeping her past secret from her long-term boyfriend. There is also an estranged identical twin sister! So basically, it was right up my alley. The novel is peppered with tweets, Slate articles, and Reddit comments, which totally adds to the verisimilitude. I will say the writing is overly dramatic a lot of the time, and the climax was something of a letdown, but this was still a very entertaining read. B.
I heard of this book recently when it was optioned for a tv show (an Apple digital one) set to star Octavia Spencer. It centers on a true-crime podcast, looking into the murder of a popular college professor and the teenager convicted of the crime--and on the murder victim's now-adult daughter, who has been keeping her past secret from her long-term boyfriend. There is also an estranged identical twin sister! So basically, it was right up my alley. The novel is peppered with tweets, Slate articles, and Reddit comments, which totally adds to the verisimilitude. I will say the writing is overly dramatic a lot of the time, and the climax was something of a letdown, but this was still a very entertaining read. B.
Tuesday, January 09, 2018
2018 book 4
J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Finishing rereading this is the perfect way to wrap up my Harry Potter vacation! I had been alternating the HP books with other ones, but from here on out, I just want to plow through the rest of the story. This book is so well plotted and the characterization is just excellent—really a high point in the series.
Finishing rereading this is the perfect way to wrap up my Harry Potter vacation! I had been alternating the HP books with other ones, but from here on out, I just want to plow through the rest of the story. This book is so well plotted and the characterization is just excellent—really a high point in the series.
Thursday, January 04, 2018
2018 book 3
Elizabeth Wein's Star Wars: The Last Jedi: Cobalt Squadron
Are you FREAKING KIDDING ME?!? How did I not know that Elizabeth Wein, author of my beloved Code Name Verity, wrote one of the STAR WARS TIE IN NOVELS?? Just imagine a chorus of angels singing right now to fully understand my feelings on this matter. Anyway, this focuses on awesome sisters Paige and Rose Tico, flying spaceships and jerry-rigging equipment and doing reconnaissance missions for the Resistance. (And yes it does talk about their necklaces and yes Disney really need to get some officially licensed jewelry to market.) I also loved that all of the leadership figures we see are middle aged women! If there is one thing Wein is an expert in, it is telling stories about ladies who love each other and also fly airplanes, so this is a gimme. Love it. A-.
Are you FREAKING KIDDING ME?!? How did I not know that Elizabeth Wein, author of my beloved Code Name Verity, wrote one of the STAR WARS TIE IN NOVELS?? Just imagine a chorus of angels singing right now to fully understand my feelings on this matter. Anyway, this focuses on awesome sisters Paige and Rose Tico, flying spaceships and jerry-rigging equipment and doing reconnaissance missions for the Resistance. (And yes it does talk about their necklaces and yes Disney really need to get some officially licensed jewelry to market.) I also loved that all of the leadership figures we see are middle aged women! If there is one thing Wein is an expert in, it is telling stories about ladies who love each other and also fly airplanes, so this is a gimme. Love it. A-.
Wednesday, January 03, 2018
2018 book 2
J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
Besides being generally one of the strongest books in the HP series, this one in particular is the PERFECT book to reread before visiting the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, since it lovingly describes so many details of both Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade. The more I reread these, though, the more it becomes obvious that Snape's character cannot be redeemed. Does the wizarding world not have therapists? That guy needs to work on his anger issues.
Besides being generally one of the strongest books in the HP series, this one in particular is the PERFECT book to reread before visiting the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, since it lovingly describes so many details of both Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade. The more I reread these, though, the more it becomes obvious that Snape's character cannot be redeemed. Does the wizarding world not have therapists? That guy needs to work on his anger issues.
Monday, January 01, 2018
2018 book 1
Jaclyn Moriarty's The Extremely Inconvenient Adventures of Bronte Mettlestone
Starting the year off with a super charming middle grade fantasy adventure by one of my favorite authors seemed like the way to go! In this very funny and sweet story, the titular ten year old finds out her parents—who left her with an aunt as a baby to go off and have adventures—have been killed by pirates, and their magical will has very specific instructions sending her off on adventures to see her ten aunts and deliver them gifts. There are also lots of delightful cousins, a helpful loud librarian, good and bad magical types, and a very awesome and clever heroine. I liked this very much and am psyched it looks like Moriarty is writing another book set in this world. A.
Starting the year off with a super charming middle grade fantasy adventure by one of my favorite authors seemed like the way to go! In this very funny and sweet story, the titular ten year old finds out her parents—who left her with an aunt as a baby to go off and have adventures—have been killed by pirates, and their magical will has very specific instructions sending her off on adventures to see her ten aunts and deliver them gifts. There are also lots of delightful cousins, a helpful loud librarian, good and bad magical types, and a very awesome and clever heroine. I liked this very much and am psyched it looks like Moriarty is writing another book set in this world. A.