Well, it’s that time of year again…the extravaganza of lists about everything BEST in the world. I’ll be joining the fray, but my two lists (debuts and overall best) won’t be going up until after Christmas. For today, I wanted to give some love to four very different books I thought were gems, but that didn’t get much attention. Interestingly enough, none are light reading. I ... Read More...
Three Dystopian Worlds: Mini-Reviews
Somehow, in the midst of my own chaos I found myself reading three dystopian novels that painted a bleak picture for humans. You’d think I would have chosen soothing books about rainbows and unicorns, but in their own way each of these books worked to take my mind out of my life and into realities I’d never considered. Which is always fun, even when it's ... Read More...
gods with a little g
On Monday, I reviewed a novel centered around the lives of two ministers, but it was not a book focused on organized religion. Today’s novel, gods with a little g, is the opposite, with religion at the center of everything in Rosary, California. An oil refinery town that has proudly merged church and state, to the point of cutting itself off from the nearest neighboring city, ... Read More...
Death is Hard Work
Bolbol’s father has just died in Damascus. Before he did, he made one final request of his son—he wants to be buried in the family’s plot in his hometown. It’s two hours away and without thinking Bolbol agrees. It’s only as he’s contacting his sister, Fatima, and his brother, Hussein, that the enormity of his promise hits him. This is Syria, a country being destroyed by its ... Read More...
The Uncommon Reader by Alan Bennett
Everyone knows the old saying that the best things come in small packages. I’m pretty sure it’s supposed to refer to jewelry, but I’m happy to report that it can also be true of books. For any number of reasons recently, a perfect storm on too many fronts had left me unable to process anything more than re-watching Parks & Recreation obsessively. My mind was mush and I ... Read More...
March Reading Wrap-Up
Lion or lamb is the big question, both for the weather and March's reading. In Seattle we often had lion-like winds and cold temps but with the bright sunshine-y fun that feels as cute and welcome as lambs. In reading, I have to say if I look at the two to mean strength versus weakness then it was a lamb-y March. Only one new release made it to 4 stars while the others ... Read More...
