In Circling the Sun I was expecting more Meryl than Beryl. Perhaps this was due to the mention of Karen Blixen. Instead, I received a mix of Out of Africa and Seabiscuit. I thought the focus on Beryl’s love of horses was interesting and was glad that it did not deviate too far into her […]
First Impressions: The Vatican Princess by C.W. Gortner is an intriguing narrative of the Borgias. There is drama, backstabbing and poison all tied up in one neat package. I was immediately entranced. What I Liked: The pacing of the novel was fantastic. I was on the edge of my seat waiting upon the next conniving […]
The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead held great promise. The novel had an interesting idea of the Underground Railroad being an actual railroad, unfortunately, that is where it ends. The Underground Railroad was an undeveloped idea that never turns from a cocoon into a butterfly. The characters were rather dull and, despite all they had […]
Nicholas Sparks is a very formulaic author. He designs two star-crossed lovers living on opposite sides of the tracks and despite all odds come together. Even if I had not seen the movie before hand I could have seen where the story was going. Although, being predictable was not my biggest complaint with The Notebook. […]
I cannot believe Fates and Furie was Obama’s best book of 2015. Yes, this is a story of marriage but not a realistic one. The majority of the book focused on their sex-life, with Lotto and Mathilde coming off as sex-crazed teenagers and was more information than I needed. Fates and Furies is split into […]
I never thought I’d say it, but I preferred Mandy Moore to Nicholas Sparks. A Walk to Remember was my first foray into Nicholas Sparks and I have to say, I was not impressed. I knew the premise before I began, I knew I was in for a tear-jerker. However, I did not expect the […]
First Impressions: The Night Sisters is first perceived as a murder/police procedural novel; a genre I eat up — bring it on! Novel Impressions: I have mixed feelings about The Night Sister by Jennifer McMahon. Like the The One I Left Behind this novel is told in flashbacks of Amy’s mother Rose and the events […]
Plot: I liked the plot, the idea of a dragon overtaking a community was very interesting to me and held my attention throughout. Characters: I loved the characters, especially Vimes and Carrot. Carrot’s naiveté, sense of taking things literally and by the book kept me smiling. As for Vimes, he was on the straight and narrow […]
The Light Between Oceans by M.L. Stedman has a very interesting premise, a couple who run a lighthouse find a baby and raise it as their own. I was intrigued and looked forward to reading of the consequences this act would invoke. I enjoyed the sections of the book that described Tom and Isabel’s courtship. […]
I typically don’t read young adult unless it is in the form of Harry Potter. However, a new-to-me young adult book usually gets me out of a reading slump and A Monster Calls was my pick up of choice. It is a depressing book, dealing with the impending death of a child’s mother, but “happy […]