Monday, November 29, 2010
Full Dark House, by Christopher Fowler
Interesting and well done mystery, going back and forth from the London Blitz to London in 1985. I have the feeling it didn't make a lot of sense, and I really have no idea what happened, now that I think about it, but I did enjoy the ride.
Reality Check, by Jen Calonita
Rejuvenated Jewels, by Amy Hanna
Into The Wild Nerd Yonder, by Julie Halpern
Cake Pops, by Bakerella
The Earring Style Book, by Stephanie Wells
Test, by William Sleator
Pretty terrible near future YA. Realizing that the entire educational system is rigged by corrupt oligarchs with control over central testing and close ties to the government (hey!), Ann befriends refugee Lep and works to change the system.
Cardboard characters and silly plot points ruined what started with a good (well, at least a true) premise.
Cardboard characters and silly plot points ruined what started with a good (well, at least a true) premise.
Amy And Roger's Epic Detour, by Morgan Matson
Really lovely YA. When Amy Curry needs to drive her family's car cross country after a devastating loss, the son of a family friend accompanies her on what turns into a truly epic detour. Well done and touching without feeling cloying- one of the best realistic (well, ish) YA fiction books I've read in a long time, despite the awful title (which wouldn't be so bad if it didn't echo Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist, Naomi and Ely's No Kiss List, and so on.)
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
Cat Getting Out of A Bag, by Jeffrey Brown
Empty, by Suzanne Weyn
Near future post-oil war-with-Venezueala YA fiction. A bit too much going on in this. Weyn (The Barcode Tattoo) is attracted to tough topics, and has a clear point, but the story is filled with so many distractions that its ultimately an unsatisfying soundbite kind of thing.
Silver Guilt, by Judith Cutler
Quick, competent, and well done mystery with an unusual heroine and excellent antiques and country houses setting. I will look for more from this series.
The Painted Garden, by Noel Streatfeild
The Abolition of Death, by James Anderson
No image because new computer and/or blogger is being evil and oppressive.
This was totally bizarre, confusing, and pretty terrible mystery, set in an unnamed Soviet bloc country with eeevil rulers and terrible place names (District 49, etc).
This was totally bizarre, confusing, and pretty terrible mystery, set in an unnamed Soviet bloc country with eeevil rulers and terrible place names (District 49, etc).
Yummy: The Last Days of a Southside Shorty, by G. Neri
Misguided Angel, by Melissa De La Cruz
Capitalism: A Love Story
King Corn
Gimme a Call, by Sarah Mlynowski
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Ivy & Bean: What's The Big Idea? by Annie Barrows
Ivy and Bean are marginally less loathsome in this, the 7th of the series, but the book itself was depressing, shallow, and, well, depressing.
Ivy and Bean learn about GLOBAL WARMING from the seemingly dim witted 5th graders in their school, and when the whole 2nd grade class goes into deep funks about the planet's impending DOOM, their teacher assigns them all to do projects that will help save the planet.
Ivy and Bean waste a lot of time, energy (both theirs and consumer fossil-fuel based energy) on a lot of different ideas, before coming to their inevitable and sappy and insulting-to-adults conclusion.
Hideous, on about 20 levels.
Beyond the Vicarage, by Noel Streatfeild
Either the new computer or blogger or the combination is being a pain in the ass ( I really hate this new computer).
Good book.
Too irritated at the world to say any more about it.
Good book.
Too irritated at the world to say any more about it.
Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Ugly Truth, by Jeff Kinney
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
The Making of A Marchioness, by Frances Hodgson Burnett
God, it really is so interesting to get to read some of these rather obscure early 20th c books, that are, thanks to Persephone Press and The Bloomsbury Group, being re-released. Wish Amazon would link to ther very attractive new cover, but it won't, and I'm feeling lazy, so that's that for cover images.
ANYWAY.
Best known for her childrens' writing, such as The Secret Garden and A Little Princess, Frances Hodgson Burnett also wrote adult fiction, and this is a really surprising example of that.
A bit of fairytale, a bit of romance, a bit of gothic suspense and danger, but with a heartily, astonishingly down to earth heroine- 35 year old Emily Fox-Seton, who, to the surprise of all, marries the dashing Marquis of Walderhurst. Emily's later-in-life marriage causes upheaval among her family and new in-laws, but she carries the day in the nicest of ways.
She is a bit of a Sara Crewe, in that she sees the best in every situation, but she also, as a woman and not a young girl, has passion and a lust for life that unworldy Sara never seemed to have.
Very interesting book!
ANYWAY.
Best known for her childrens' writing, such as The Secret Garden and A Little Princess, Frances Hodgson Burnett also wrote adult fiction, and this is a really surprising example of that.
A bit of fairytale, a bit of romance, a bit of gothic suspense and danger, but with a heartily, astonishingly down to earth heroine- 35 year old Emily Fox-Seton, who, to the surprise of all, marries the dashing Marquis of Walderhurst. Emily's later-in-life marriage causes upheaval among her family and new in-laws, but she carries the day in the nicest of ways.
She is a bit of a Sara Crewe, in that she sees the best in every situation, but she also, as a woman and not a young girl, has passion and a lust for life that unworldy Sara never seemed to have.
Very interesting book!
Bright Young Things, by Anna Godberson
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