http://www.goodreads.com/review/list_rss/108756 en-US Wed, 20 Aug 2008 17:26:52 -0700 60 http://www.goodreads.com/ 200 41 http://www.goodreads.com/images/layout/gr_logo.gif 29959828 Tue, 12 Aug 2008 21:17:24 -0700
Lots of stuff going on in this one. I love Betsy and Joe. I'd forgotten how fantastic Joe is - he's right up there with Gilbert Blythe, in my mind. They are just so perfect together, and after four long years (for them *g*), it was wonderful seeing the start of their happy ending.

Tacy is quite interesting. I'd really love to see how other people read her and this storyline. The Harry romance is intriguing to me, after four years of Tacy not liking boys. I'm not really sure how I'm meant to take it all - she had boys going after her, like Tom. She was comfortable with Tom and he pursued her, but she had no interest in dating at all. I think it's quite easy to see Tacy as a lesbian. But then along comes Harry and in one night, he's set her at ease, gotten her interested in dating and swept her off the market before she was ever really on it. So did she prefer an older man? Was she just waiting for the right man, Harry? Did he get under her skin and persuade her like he did Mr. Ray and the knitwear? Did she see him as the easiest road to the end she wanted, which was always to have children? It's kind of odd that Tacy didn't share any of her romance with Betsy. I know that she and Harry pop up in later books, but I don't remember in how much detail, so I can't wait to keep reading. *g*

8-12-08]]>
author: Maud Hart Lovelace
name: Shelley
average rating: 4.45
book published: 1995
rating: 5
read at: 10/90
date added: 08/12/08
shelves: historical, re-read, youth
review:
All of Shakespeare's heroines are essentially human. Somehow, it never fails to make me laugh. *g*

Lots of stuff going on in this one. I love Betsy and Joe. I'd forgotten how fantastic Joe is - he's right up there with Gilbert Blythe, in my mind. They are just so perfect together, and after four long years (for them *g*), it was wonderful seeing the start of their happy ending.

Tacy is quite interesting. I'd really love to see how other people read her and this storyline. The Harry romance is intriguing to me, after four years of Tacy not liking boys. I'm not really sure how I'm meant to take it all - she had boys going after her, like Tom. She was comfortable with Tom and he pursued her, but she had no interest in dating at all. I think it's quite easy to see Tacy as a lesbian. But then along comes Harry and in one night, he's set her at ease, gotten her interested in dating and swept her off the market before she was ever really on it. So did she prefer an older man? Was she just waiting for the right man, Harry? Did he get under her skin and persuade her like he did Mr. Ray and the knitwear? Did she see him as the easiest road to the end she wanted, which was always to have children? It's kind of odd that Tacy didn't share any of her romance with Betsy. I know that she and Harry pop up in later books, but I don't remember in how much detail, so I can't wait to keep reading. *g*

8-12-08
]]> 29959491 Tue, 12 Aug 2008 12:45:23 -0700
Dave was an amusing beau, though, and it was a fun read. Just not my favorite in the series.

8-10-08]]>
author: Maud Hart Lovelace
name: Shelley
average rating: 4.37
book published: 1995
rating: 4
read at: 09/90
date added: 08/12/08
shelves: historical, re-read, youth
review:
This was another in the series that made almost no impact on me as a kid. It was very flighty, and hard to see Tib being so not-Tib like. Pox on Betsy for instigating that, and then not being able to follow through herself!

Dave was an amusing beau, though, and it was a fun read. Just not my favorite in the series.

8-10-08
]]> 29541061 Thu, 07 Aug 2008 13:47:33 -0700
author: Lucy Maud Montgomery
name: Shelley
average rating: 4.40
book published: 1908
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 08/07/08
shelves:
review:

]]> 29468885 Thu, 07 Aug 2008 13:04:06 -0700
This had some really funny parts (loved Cab honestly saying he had finished page 536 of Ivanhoe the night before, without mentioning how he skipped 1-535), but it seemed to lack the charm of the last book for me. Loved increased Tacy, and Tib! But Tib's new accent and German dialect ("hairs") after one year in Milwaukee seemed very odd to me. It was almost painful to read about Betsye and Phil, but I guess most of us do go through that phase. Still - he was awful! I'm not sure who was worse, him or Emily's Don. Do we know who he was actually based on? *g* Oh, but the spoony scene with Betsy flatly telling him that she was not at all the type to hold hands thoroughly amused me. Oh, what a change from 1908 to 2008!!!

Also didn't like the Gaston subplot, with him going from purposefully humiliating her (for what reason, I didn't catch in my admittedly fast ready through last night/early morning) to then trying to date her sister, who was still a student in his school. Ack! I realize he was super young, but seriously, he thought it okay to go hang out at Betsy's with her Crowd for Julia? I'm surprised Mr. Ray didn't have something to say about that.

Anyway, all that aside, I did love it and felt a kinship to Betsy that surprised me.

(8-7-08)]]>
author: Maud Hart Lovelace
name: Shelley
average rating: 4.38
book published: 1980
rating: 4
read at: 08/90
date added: 08/07/08
shelves: historical, re-read, youth
review:
In the end, I recalled reading about Phil before, as well as the end results of the Essay Contest. But I guess my first read through, lo those many years ago, didn't make much of an impression. I think possibly because it was so boy-focused and I was more of a Tacy.

This had some really funny parts (loved Cab honestly saying he had finished page 536 of Ivanhoe the night before, without mentioning how he skipped 1-535), but it seemed to lack the charm of the last book for me. Loved increased Tacy, and Tib! But Tib's new accent and German dialect ("hairs") after one year in Milwaukee seemed very odd to me. It was almost painful to read about Betsye and Phil, but I guess most of us do go through that phase. Still - he was awful! I'm not sure who was worse, him or Emily's Don. Do we know who he was actually based on? *g* Oh, but the spoony scene with Betsy flatly telling him that she was not at all the type to hold hands thoroughly amused me. Oh, what a change from 1908 to 2008!!!

Also didn't like the Gaston subplot, with him going from purposefully humiliating her (for what reason, I didn't catch in my admittedly fast ready through last night/early morning) to then trying to date her sister, who was still a student in his school. Ack! I realize he was super young, but seriously, he thought it okay to go hang out at Betsy's with her Crowd for Julia? I'm surprised Mr. Ray didn't have something to say about that.

Anyway, all that aside, I did love it and felt a kinship to Betsy that surprised me.

(8-7-08)
]]> 29534967 Thu, 07 Aug 2008 12:45:48 -0700
author: Kazu Kibuishi
name: Shelley
average rating: 3.82
book published: 2008
rating: 4
read at: 08/08
date added: 08/07/08
shelves: fantasy, youth
review:
This is completely engrossing. After the death of Emily's father (car crash that also involved her and her mother - heartbreaking art), Emily, her brother and her mother move to an old abandoned family estate. There, her mother is taken/eaten by a tentacled creature. Now it's up to Emily to save her mother - but is the amulet she found at the house helping her or sabotaging her? This is creepy, fantastic to look at and a very intriguing story. Can't wait for book two!
]]> 29380703 Tue, 05 Aug 2008 21:29:26 -0700
The stories are mostly just every day stories - courtship, family life, war jobs - and they are all incredible for it. The homefront has always been my favorite aspect to read about in WW2, and this book was a marvelous source of information. There are all kinds of stories, some with happy endings and some not. Most were augmented with biographic details about their lives before and after the war, which was great (except when it was heartbreaking). One set of letters that stand out in my mind are from the Amish wife writing to her husband who was in jail for refusing to fight. It's not an aspect of the war you hear about very often. ]]>
author: Judy Barrett Litoff
name: Shelley
average rating: 4.33
book published: 1995
rating: 5
read at: 08/08
date added: 08/05/08
shelves: history
review:
There were over 6 billion letters sent overseas during World War 2. This book collected letters written by American women to their sweethearts, husbands, brothers, fathers, sons and neighbors overseas. All told, the authors were able to get 25,000 letters written by 400 women, which they then whittled down to this book.

The stories are mostly just every day stories - courtship, family life, war jobs - and they are all incredible for it. The homefront has always been my favorite aspect to read about in WW2, and this book was a marvelous source of information. There are all kinds of stories, some with happy endings and some not. Most were augmented with biographic details about their lives before and after the war, which was great (except when it was heartbreaking). One set of letters that stand out in my mind are from the Amish wife writing to her husband who was in jail for refusing to fight. It's not an aspect of the war you hear about very often.
]]> 29122511 Sun, 03 Aug 2008 09:40:09 -0700
This book was thoroughly charming. I enjoy Betsy, Tacy and the Crowd and Mrs. Ray remains my favorite character (the brass bowl!). But setting the books every two years makes it hard to keep up with character development. Then poor Tib, who was a lead in three books, got a single line devoted to her leaving town. One line! I know it didn't happen in an even year age, but don't you think a lead character deserves more attention? Bonnie got more, and we barely knew her. (And, honestly, she's kind of smarmy and thinks very highly of herself. I didn't like her much.) That was annoying. And Tacy had a tendency to play second fiddle to Carney and Bonnie throughout, as well. Carney's fun and I love her book, but I want more Tacy! Tacy's even more awesome than I remembered.

(8-08)]]>
author: Maud Hart Lovelace
name: Shelley
average rating: 4.43
book published: 1945
rating: 5
read at: 04/91
date added: 08/03/08
shelves: historical, re-read, youth
review:
I remember reading this for school, the assignment being to read any book we liked, find words we were unfamiliar with and look them up. Having read these books before, I had a pretty good idea of what everything meant, so I had to pick really unusual ones. As I read, I remembered picking pompadour, Gibson Girl and spoony. I can't remember if that last one was in the dictionary, but I really doubt it!

This book was thoroughly charming. I enjoy Betsy, Tacy and the Crowd and Mrs. Ray remains my favorite character (the brass bowl!). But setting the books every two years makes it hard to keep up with character development. Then poor Tib, who was a lead in three books, got a single line devoted to her leaving town. One line! I know it didn't happen in an even year age, but don't you think a lead character deserves more attention? Bonnie got more, and we barely knew her. (And, honestly, she's kind of smarmy and thinks very highly of herself. I didn't like her much.) That was annoying. And Tacy had a tendency to play second fiddle to Carney and Bonnie throughout, as well. Carney's fun and I love her book, but I want more Tacy! Tacy's even more awesome than I remembered.

(8-08)
]]> 29123258 Sun, 03 Aug 2008 09:11:18 -0700
author: Audrey Niffenegger
name: Shelley
average rating: 4.13
book published: 2003
rating: 4
read at: 01/04
date added: 08/03/08
shelves: chicklitromance, literature
review:

]]> 22077945 Fri, 01 Aug 2008 15:27:25 -0700
He's an excellent writer - no real surprise, given that he's a journalist, and he pulls no punches. Mindy, his wife, wrote the chapters about the three weeks post-accident because he doesn't remember them at all, and then they alternated stories about the next month or so, with some overlapping scenes that read totally differently. She's not nearly as good a writer, but she's pretty solid once she settles in to the story, and she wasn't afraid to write about the bad parts, either.

Really, it's a remarkable story for the fact that he recovered and so damn fast. (Not that he was by any stretch recovered by the time this story ends - he's said that he doesn't remember one bit of filming series eight, which was many months after the accident.) It's also remarkable for his and Mindy's relationship, which is so strong and loving. I don't think I've ever seen a couple like them in real life. ]]>
author: Richard Hammond
name: Shelley
average rating: 4.33
book published: 2007
rating: 5
read at: 08/08
date added: 08/01/08
shelves: media
review:
The Hamster is one of the presenters on the UK car show Top Gear. A few years ago, he was doing a stunt for the show - driving a jet powered car at speeds over 300mph. On the seventh run, the front tire blew out and catapulted the car head over trunk a few times before coming to a stop, thanks to his head and the roller rack. This book, while dipping a bit into his childhood to explain why he thought driving a jet powered car would be a good idea, is mainly about the aftermath of that incident. And holy hell, what an aftermath. Of course, he had very serious brain damage. He was in a coma, then he had no short term memory, he had no control over his emotions, he was very damaged, but he totally came back. Not the same, but he came back.

He's an excellent writer - no real surprise, given that he's a journalist, and he pulls no punches. Mindy, his wife, wrote the chapters about the three weeks post-accident because he doesn't remember them at all, and then they alternated stories about the next month or so, with some overlapping scenes that read totally differently. She's not nearly as good a writer, but she's pretty solid once she settles in to the story, and she wasn't afraid to write about the bad parts, either.

Really, it's a remarkable story for the fact that he recovered and so damn fast. (Not that he was by any stretch recovered by the time this story ends - he's said that he doesn't remember one bit of filming series eight, which was many months after the accident.) It's also remarkable for his and Mindy's relationship, which is so strong and loving. I don't think I've ever seen a couple like them in real life.
]]> 28840399 Wed, 30 Jul 2008 22:04:22 -0700
author: Jean Ferris
name: Shelley
average rating: 3.79
book published: 2008
rating: 2
read at: 07/08
date added: 07/30/08
shelves: fantasy, youth
review:
Everything I loved about the first book was completely lacking in the second. Everything I disliked about the first one was there in spades - there was no charm, no humor, just forced situations and relationships, and constant telling of the morals. There were parts I enjoyed, but I really can't see kids going for this one much at all.
]]> 28668505 Tue, 29 Jul 2008 16:12:44 -0700
author: S.A. Bodeen/Stephanie Stuve-Bodeen
name: Shelley
average rating: 3.74
book published: 2008
rating: 3
read at: 07/08
date added: 07/29/08
shelves: youth
review:
I can see this being well liked by teens, it's a fascinating premise with very deep and intriguing ramifications, but the writing was too melodramatic for my tastes.
]]> 28667558 Tue, 29 Jul 2008 16:09:59 -0700
Anyway, I loved it. I loved the girls growing up, and how so many fewer of Tib's lines had the tag, "Of course Tib would say that." 'Bout time we were allowed to know Tib without author intrusion. I also loved all the winter scenes, and Christmas, and Christmas shopping. How do I not remember Christmas shopping?? That was lovely.

Mrs. Ray is possibly my favorite secondary character - she'sa neat person and a wonderful mother. I didn't recall Winona at all, and I'm not too sure I like her very much at all. I skipped over Winona's Pony Cart, but I may jump back to read it, or at least skim it.

Meanwhile, I think I need to track down this book to own.

(8-08)]]>
author: Maud Hart Lovelace
name: Shelley
average rating: 4.30
book published: 2000
rating: 5
read at: 04/89
date added: 07/29/08
shelves: christmas, historical, re-read, youth
review:
And now these feel like novels, more like I remember them reading. Although, oddly, I don't specifically recall reading this one. Bits felt familiar, like with her uncle, and Margaret's doll, but the rest not. How odd.

Anyway, I loved it. I loved the girls growing up, and how so many fewer of Tib's lines had the tag, "Of course Tib would say that." 'Bout time we were allowed to know Tib without author intrusion. I also loved all the winter scenes, and Christmas, and Christmas shopping. How do I not remember Christmas shopping?? That was lovely.

Mrs. Ray is possibly my favorite secondary character - she'sa neat person and a wonderful mother. I didn't recall Winona at all, and I'm not too sure I like her very much at all. I skipped over Winona's Pony Cart, but I may jump back to read it, or at least skim it.

Meanwhile, I think I need to track down this book to own.

(8-08)
]]> 28505049 Mon, 28 Jul 2008 08:49:15 -0700
Reading these, I have to wonder why and how Tib put up with them for all those years! She was clearly the lesser person in their relationship, going so far as to comment that she usually had to wait on them (which is true). Betsy and Tacy play off each other perfectly, always knowing what the other is thinking, but Tib rarely gets what's going on. I mean, they clearly love Tib, beautiful Queen Tib, but she doesn't exactly fit in. Then again, I suppose that's why the book isn't called Betsy, Tacy and Tib Go Over the Big Hill. *g*

(7-08)]]>
author: Maud Hart Lovelace
name: Shelley
average rating: 4.39
book published: 1999
rating: 4
read at: 07/87
date added: 07/28/08
shelves: historical, re-read, youth
review:
The style of the books are starting to grow up here, along with Betsy, Tacy and Tib - the writing is more mature, and not all chapters are stand alone stories.

Reading these, I have to wonder why and how Tib put up with them for all those years! She was clearly the lesser person in their relationship, going so far as to comment that she usually had to wait on them (which is true). Betsy and Tacy play off each other perfectly, always knowing what the other is thinking, but Tib rarely gets what's going on. I mean, they clearly love Tib, beautiful Queen Tib, but she doesn't exactly fit in. Then again, I suppose that's why the book isn't called Betsy, Tacy and Tib Go Over the Big Hill. *g*

(7-08)
]]> 19037800 Sun, 27 Jul 2008 10:39:11 -0700
author: Max Brooks
name: Shelley
average rating: 4.22
book published: 2006
rating: 5
read at: 07/08
date added: 07/27/08
shelves: literature, sci-fi
review:
Man, this was just absolutely brilliant. By playing on current trends and events, he managed to create this amazingly real world where the very unrealistic zombie threat felt logical. Setting it up as interviews with survivors around the world was a creative idea and made the whole thing come alive.
]]> 23333641 Sun, 27 Jul 2008 10:34:26 -0700
Still, it was very entertaining - Mary Roach has a fun sense of humor and cracked a lot of jokes throughout, with some of the experiments pretty much writing their own. *g* Fun and interesting and definitely worth a read.]]>
author: Mary Roach
name: Shelley
average rating: 3.89
book published: 2008
rating: 4
read at: 07/08
date added: 07/27/08
shelves: misc
review:
This started out really fun, but kind of dragged by the end. It didn't flow as smoothly as Stiff did, and probably should have been a few chapters shorter.

Still, it was very entertaining - Mary Roach has a fun sense of humor and cracked a lot of jokes throughout, with some of the experiments pretty much writing their own. *g* Fun and interesting and definitely worth a read.
]]> 28019823 Fri, 25 Jul 2008 14:40:29 -0700
author: Ellen Emerson White
name: Shelley
average rating: 4.50
book published: 2008
rating: 5
read at: 07/08
date added: 07/25/08
shelves: literature, youth
review:
Amazon is on the ball and sent me the updated trilogy so they arrived the day they were released! I'm about a quarter through and I'm noticing the updates, of course; I'm (too) familiar with the text. I think over all, they are great updates. Rather than taking it from a dated 1985 to a dated 2008, she's updated it in such a way that it's going to age really well. There are now blogs and even more intense media scrutiny, plus cell phone camera shots to worry about, but nothing is named anymore. While I miss Tab, mimicking Tom Cruise dancing to Old Time Rock and Roll, etc etc, it's still Meg and her family and I still love it. There are some more specific changes/things kept listed in the comments. I think I may still prefer the 80s, based on reading them for the last two decades, but I would unreservedly recommend this book to new and old fans alike.
]]> 18887833 Fri, 18 Jul 2008 14:43:25 -0700
I love the beauty of this book - all of the nature descriptions make me feel so happy. Which is highly unusual, as usually I get annoyed with a great deal of description. Anne is charming - flighty and almost too cute at the start, but she mellows by the time she hits 16. Gilbert remains my biggest literary crush - he's so intelligent and stubborn and I love the way he's always challenging Anne (which she does right back). They're worthy adversaries at first and perfect friends when they get over that. I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the series - as soon as I replace Anne of Avonlea, which is nearly in pieces right now.]]>
author: Lucy Maud Montgomery
name: Shelley
average rating: 4.52
book published: 1908
rating: 5
read at: 05/89
date added: 07/18/08
shelves: literature, re-read, youth
review:
Anyone still working on this for the group?

I love the beauty of this book - all of the nature descriptions make me feel so happy. Which is highly unusual, as usually I get annoyed with a great deal of description. Anne is charming - flighty and almost too cute at the start, but she mellows by the time she hits 16. Gilbert remains my biggest literary crush - he's so intelligent and stubborn and I love the way he's always challenging Anne (which she does right back). They're worthy adversaries at first and perfect friends when they get over that. I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the series - as soon as I replace Anne of Avonlea, which is nearly in pieces right now.
]]> 27611519 Fri, 18 Jul 2008 08:10:00 -0700
(7-08)]]>
author: Maud Hart Lovelace
name: Shelley
average rating: 4.35
book published: 1941
rating: 3
read at: 07/87
date added: 07/18/08
shelves: historical, re-read, youth
review:
I didn't like this one nearly as much as Betsy-Tacy. I'm not sure why - the writing was still strong, the girls were still feisty and fun, but I didn't like the stories as much. The chapter all about how the girls loved to think about God felt shoehorned in, even if the stones were amusing. It just lacked the personality of the first book for me.

(7-08)
]]> 27079549 Fri, 18 Jul 2008 08:05:11 -0700
I really enjoyed the book, though. The simple stories aren't as simple as they are written to be, especially the death of Tacy's sister. It was just as engaging as the first time I read it.


This is my edition from the West Lawn branch of the Chicago library, dated as entering the collection July 13, 1973. It still has a stamp card from January 28, 1980 in it. *g* I'm trying to remember when we bought it - '86 or '87.

(7-08)]]>
author: Maud Hart Lovelace
name: Shelley
average rating: 4.35
book published: 1940
rating: 5
read at: 06/87
date added: 07/18/08
shelves: historical, literature, re-read, youth
review:
I was skimming this at work this week, stickering it for the classics section, and needed a thorough re-read. I recently (well, two years ago) re-read some of the older ones, with Betsy after high school and found them to be cohesive novels. So it was a surprise to come back to the start of the series and realize that they were basically a set of vignettes, and they were written very differently than the later books. Here, the girls were 5 and 6 years old, and they are written to five and six year olds - Betsy's stories are so in the vein of how a five year old tells stories, it's amazing. It's an interesting technique to vary the tone and style based on the ages of the characters. Laura Ingalls Wilder also took her character from age five through the first years of marriage, but her style remained the same from first to last.

I really enjoyed the book, though. The simple stories aren't as simple as they are written to be, especially the death of Tacy's sister. It was just as engaging as the first time I read it.


This is my edition from the West Lawn branch of the Chicago library, dated as entering the collection July 13, 1973. It still has a stamp card from January 28, 1980 in it. *g* I'm trying to remember when we bought it - '86 or '87.

(7-08)
]]> 27589925 Fri, 18 Jul 2008 07:57:17 -0700
author: Jill Shalvis
name: Shelley
average rating: 2.80
book published: 2005
rating: 2
read at: 07/08
date added: 07/18/08
shelves: chicklitromance, mystery
review:

]]> 25310741 Sun, 29 Jun 2008 22:19:18 -0700
The hero was a UWM professor, it was set outside Milwaukee, and that was kind of fun.


originally: How how how did I go from reading nothing last week to reading seven books at a time this week? Especially such disparate books - Little Women and Harlequin Blaze? Heaven help me. ]]>
author: Isabel Sharpe
name: Shelley
average rating: 4.00
book published: 2008
rating: 4
read at: 06/08
date added: 06/29/08
shelves: chicklitromance
review:
This was a lot of fun. The author clearly has a sense of humor and really enjoyed writing this - it was definitely over the top, but she knew it and didn't care. And unlike the last Blaze novel I tried, it billed itself as creatively sexy and succeeded. *g*

The hero was a UWM professor, it was set outside Milwaukee, and that was kind of fun.


originally: How how how did I go from reading nothing last week to reading seven books at a time this week? Especially such disparate books - Little Women and Harlequin Blaze? Heaven help me.
]]> 25236533 Fri, 27 Jun 2008 10:36:50 -0700
author: Irene Hunt
name: Shelley
average rating: 5.00
book published: 1966
rating: 5
read at: 04/89
date added: 06/27/08
shelves: literature, re-read, youth
review:
I love this book. I have loved it since I first read it back in third grade, and continued to love it this week. What I don't quite understand is WHY I love it. A lot of reviews here liken it to Anne of Green Gables, but outside of the very basic plot (girl goes to live with stern older woman), it's not at all similar, in plot or style. It's incredibly old-fashioned, in thoughts and terms and story. The language and how it flows is very 1960s, and reminds me a bit of Madeleine L'Engle's precocious teen characters. In any other authors, the prose would set my teeth on edge for being almost too cloying and self-aware. But damn, I don't care; I love this book, I love Julie and Danny and Aunt Cordelia and even Uncle Haskell. Go figure.
]]> 7384712 Thu, 26 Jun 2008 07:47:42 -0700 Feeling Sorry for Celia and this one) may have some of the same speech quirks, but they are completely different characters. I loved Bindy, odd as she was, but the whole time I was reading, I kept thinking that even though the writing was amusing, the story was so damned sad. A very interesting sad, though. And then, with less than 100 pages to go, it totally twisted and dude, it was a mystery and the title didn't lie. At first, it seemed like a complete 180 degree turn from the first several hundred pages. But then, like Bindy, I was forced to see all the events of the novel in a totally different light, and that was pretty cool trick. Thumbs up.]]>
author: Jaclyn Moriarty
name: Shelley
average rating: 3.68
book published: 2008
rating: 5
read at: 06/08
date added: 06/26/08
shelves: mystery, youth
review:
I love Jaclyn Moriarty's writing style. All of her characters have the same odd cadence (as she herself does - her blog is great, too), but they somehow manage to feel like different characters. Bindy and Elizabeth (from Feeling Sorry for Celia and this one) may have some of the same speech quirks, but they are completely different characters. I loved Bindy, odd as she was, but the whole time I was reading, I kept thinking that even though the writing was amusing, the story was so damned sad. A very interesting sad, though. And then, with less than 100 pages to go, it totally twisted and dude, it was a mystery and the title didn't lie. At first, it seemed like a complete 180 degree turn from the first several hundred pages. But then, like Bindy, I was forced to see all the events of the novel in a totally different light, and that was pretty cool trick. Thumbs up.
]]> 25303568 Wed, 25 Jun 2008 18:46:47 -0700
author: Barbara Walters
name: Shelley
average rating: 3.66
book published: 2008
rating: 4
read at: 06/08
date added: 06/25/08
shelves: media
review:
Eminently readable, completely fascinating and thoroughly charming. I really just planned to skim this, especially to read about Star and Rosie, but got sucked in from the start. It got complicated, timeline wise, when she started going into detail about the people she interviewed (especially celebrities over world leaders), but I still enjoyed it, and her.
]]> 25309796 Tue, 24 Jun 2008 09:41:52 -0700
author: Rhys Bowen
name: Shelley
average rating: 3.98
book published: 2007
rating: 4
read at: 06/08
date added: 06/24/08
shelves: historical, mystery
review:
I really only meant to skim this, but got sucked it and really enjoyed it. (Story of my life these days.) I'd like to read more of the Molly books; they're well plotted and fun. Even if she does add a bit too much current day mentality to some of the characters.
]]> 24853410 Mon, 23 Jun 2008 14:10:34 -0700 Jimmy's Stars but both are well worth reading.]]>
author: Mary Ann Rodman
name: Shelley
average rating: 3.87
book published: 2004
rating: 4
read at: 06/08
date added: 06/23/08
shelves: historical, youth
review:
This was a strong book, with some well developed characters. (Not surprising, I guess, as it was based on her own experiences in the South.) I think this one is better than Jimmy's Stars but both are well worth reading.
]]> 24763680 Sat, 21 Jun 2008 08:03:44 -0700
(eta: This copy was ABRIDGED? ACK! I really do need to read this, stat. The full novel.)]]>
author: Louisa May Alcott
name: Shelley
average rating: 4.75
book published: 1868
rating: 5
read at: 01/92
date added: 06/21/08
shelves: historical, literature, youth
review:
I can't believe I remembered the cover of the edition I read. *g* It's been so many years since I read this, and a conversation with Jennie sparked the need to reread. I don't know where this copy went off to, so I'll have to check it out at work.

(eta: This copy was ABRIDGED? ACK! I really do need to read this, stat. The full novel.)
]]> 21665499 Thu, 12 Jun 2008 21:54:29 -0700
My only complaints were skipping the years 1976-1980, and the fact that it ended. How are Rory, Jen and I the only ones at work who've read this? And only Susann on my GR list? If ever was a book that everyone on my list here would agree on, it's this.

It also made me miss all of my letter and e-mail correspondence that I used to have, especially with Krissy. Blogging has replaced that, but it's not the same. Anyone up for letter writing? *g*]]>
author: Leonard S. Marcus
name: Shelley
average rating: 4.47
book published: 2000
rating: 5
read at: 06/08
date added: 06/12/08
shelves: history, literature
review:
This is possibly the best book ever. Ursula Nordstrom was the head editor at Harpers for many decades, and this is a collection of her professional letters to the authors and illustrators we all love. Her letters themselves are fantastic, witty and intelligent and so very interesting. The topics managed to be even better - I loved seeing her editing in action, and seeing how she shaped all those books into their final versions. Not to mention getting to "know" all of the authors and illustrators, most of whom I only knew their names and work. Simply wonderful.

My only complaints were skipping the years 1976-1980, and the fact that it ended. How are Rory, Jen and I the only ones at work who've read this? And only Susann on my GR list? If ever was a book that everyone on my list here would agree on, it's this.

It also made me miss all of my letter and e-mail correspondence that I used to have, especially with Krissy. Blogging has replaced that, but it's not the same. Anyone up for letter writing? *g*
]]> 24234180 Thu, 12 Jun 2008 17:43:52 -0700
author: Mary Ann Rodman
name: Shelley
average rating: 4.00
book published: 2008
rating: 4
read at: 06/08
date added: 06/12/08
shelves: historical, youth
review:
This broke my heart over and over. Ellie was really self-absorbed at the start, and remarkably insulated from the war for late 1943. (A few lines made this make sense, though - she and her friends talking about how no one they knew had died at war, so anyone they did know wouldn't, and it wasn't until summer 1944 that they saw anyone come home that wasn't in perfect physical condition. Of course the newsreels wouldn't show soldiers missing limbs or their minds.) As the war began to directly affect her, though, as well as her friends and neighbors, she grew up quite a lot. I liked her, for all her faults, and like I said, the many events in the book broke my heart often. I wish that Toots had been developed more as a character, and a little more had been done with Sal, but I loved Ellie and her friends. It was well done, and I look forward to reading the author's other book.
]]> 21906065 Fri, 06 Jun 2008 20:47:35 -0700
author: William J. Mann
name: Shelley
average rating: 4.00
book published: 2002
rating: 3
read at: 06/08
date added: 06/06/08
shelves: history, media
review:
He presumed that I know a lot more names than I actually do, but it was pretty fascinating. It wasn't interesting enough to read straight through, but grabbing out a chapter or person here and there was great. A few of them were big names, but most weren't and I enjoyed reading their stories.
]]> 21254024 Mon, 02 Jun 2008 14:01:17 -0700
I can't quite blame them, though. The writing does feel amateurish - there is so much telling instead of showing, it's unbelievable. And every time Owen blushed (perhaps every other page), we had to read about how it made him even cuter. It was distracting. This book (and series, really) lends itself well to a drinking game - every time Katie makes a ponytail, mentions how cute Owen is, mentions how shy and charming Owen is, mentions how powerful Owen is, mentions how Owen is so powerful but is so modest about it, mentions how everyone is instantly attracted to how gorgeous Owen is, etc, take a drink. You'd be drunk by chapter three. (And frankly, I don't think Owen is all that special - I prefer Rod, his best friend, who actually seems vaguely realistic.)

This seems pretty bitchy and negative, but honestly, I like this series. It's just that I read her blog and know she can be a better writer than what these books show. There's so much potential that is nearly completely unrealized.]]>
author: Shanna Swendson
name: Shelley
average rating: 3.93
book published: 2008
rating: 4
read at: 06/08
date added: 06/02/08
shelves: chicklitromance, fantasy
review:
It took me a month to track this down. It was worth it, but I have such issues with this series. The writing isn't up to par, and the main characters (Katie and Owen) could be renamed Mary Sue and Marty Stu. Still, I remain charmed by the series and am sad that the publishers won't buy the fifth and last book in the series. This book resolved some of the arcs, but not all of them.

I can't quite blame them, though. The writing does feel amateurish - there is so much telling instead of showing, it's unbelievable. And every time Owen blushed (perhaps every other page), we had to read about how it made him even cuter. It was distracting. This book (and series, really) lends itself well to a drinking game - every time Katie makes a ponytail, mentions how cute Owen is, mentions how shy and charming Owen is, mentions how powerful Owen is, mentions how Owen is so powerful but is so modest about it, mentions how everyone is instantly attracted to how gorgeous Owen is, etc, take a drink. You'd be drunk by chapter three. (And frankly, I don't think Owen is all that special - I prefer Rod, his best friend, who actually seems vaguely realistic.)

This seems pretty bitchy and negative, but honestly, I like this series. It's just that I read her blog and know she can be a better writer than what these books show. There's so much potential that is nearly completely unrealized.
]]> 23537458 Mon, 02 Jun 2008 13:32:28 -0700
I meant to just skim it to get an idea of it, as Biz had left it behind for me. Next thing I know, I'm reading about gruesome deaths, even more horrifically detailed accounts of grisly crime scenes (the heroine and her partner clean up after murders), descriptions of a woman's throat post-slitting, and getting an idea of the blood, gore, and bone splatter left behind after gun deaths far beyond what CSI showed me. Not to mention genuinely tense scenes where Sadie is being stalked and shot at, and heart breaking scenes about her brother and her best friend. And I enjoyed every minute of it.

The fantasy aspect comes in from Sadie's ability to see ghosts and help them cross over to the other side. It was an integral part of the mystery plot without going overboard. I thought it was really well written (outside of two typos I encountered early on - glad I didn't let those sway me) with perfect atmosphere and I look forward to the next book in the series. To be read during daylight hours.]]>
author: Wendy Roberts
name: Shelley
average rating: 3.96
book published: 2007
rating: 4
read at: 06/08
date added: 06/02/08
shelves: fantasy, mystery
review:
Have you ever wondered what book to NOT read at 2:30 in the morning? Wonder no more - I've got the answer. This book. For the love of all that is holy, don't read this one in the middle of the night. Like I did.

I meant to just skim it to get an idea of it, as Biz had left it behind for me. Next thing I know, I'm reading about gruesome deaths, even more horrifically detailed accounts of grisly crime scenes (the heroine and her partner clean up after murders), descriptions of a woman's throat post-slitting, and getting an idea of the blood, gore, and bone splatter left behind after gun deaths far beyond what CSI showed me. Not to mention genuinely tense scenes where Sadie is being stalked and shot at, and heart breaking scenes about her brother and her best friend. And I enjoyed every minute of it.

The fantasy aspect comes in from Sadie's ability to see ghosts and help them cross over to the other side. It was an integral part of the mystery plot without going overboard. I thought it was really well written (outside of two typos I encountered early on - glad I didn't let those sway me) with perfect atmosphere and I look forward to the next book in the series. To be read during daylight hours.
]]> 22039800 Sun, 01 Jun 2008 10:18:45 -0700
author: Rhys Bowen
name: Shelley
average rating: 3.89
book published: 2001
rating: 3
read at: 05/08
date added: 06/01/08
shelves: mystery
review:
I liked the characters a lot, but it took me awhile to get into the mystery itself. Well, both of the mysteries, really - there were two potentially intersecting cases at once. I think I was mainly bugged by the main suspect and her written out French accent. I'll try another in the series. Hopefully Bronwen will get a bigger part in the next one - I liked her a lot.
]]> 21665824 Fri, 30 May 2008 15:15:44 -0700
author: Rhys Bowen
name: Shelley
average rating: 3.66
book published: 2007
rating: 4
read at: 05/08
date added: 05/30/08
shelves: historical, mystery
review:
It was very slow to start, but when I jumped ahead a bit, I was caught up and very interested in the characters and plot. I'll definitely look up the next book when it comes out.
]]> 22989289 Mon, 26 May 2008 12:38:21 -0700
author: Sarah Mallory
name: Shelley
average rating: 5.00
book published: 2008
rating: 5
read at: 05/08
date added: 05/26/08
shelves: chicklitromance, historical
review:
The perfect book to read this weekend! It was a great deal of fun, fluffy without the usual purple prose and cliches, and characters I was not embarrassed to like. Awesome.
]]> 16802673 Wed, 21 May 2008 13:12:02 -0700
author: Trevor Baxendale
name: Shelley
average rating: 3.85
book published: 2007
rating: 4
read at: 05/08
date added: 05/21/08
shelves: sci-fi, whoniverse
review:
Pretty solid. It wasn't especially special, but it would have done well as an episode. Pretty good characterization of the Doctor and Martha, with good supporting characters.
]]> 21906165 Fri, 09 May 2008 14:48:07 -0700
author: Rhys Bowen
name: Shelley
average rating: 3.96
book published: 2002
rating: 4
read at: 05/08
date added: 05/09/08
shelves: historical, mystery
review:
Managed to read this in basically one sitting, whoops. Clearly a fast read, but it was very enjoyable. I liked Molly and Daniel very much, the details about turn of the century New York were so cool, and the writing good. I'm looking forward to reading more in this series.
]]> 19229452 Tue, 29 Apr 2008 18:09:22 -0700
author: Joann Sfar
name: Shelley
average rating: 3.38
book published: 2007
rating: 4
read at:
date added: 04/29/08
shelves: historical, misc
review:
I skimmed through this today and thought it was really neat - creepy and awesome. I want to take the time to read it.
]]> 17866943 Sun, 27 Apr 2008 21:08:22 -0700
author: Linda M. Scott
name: Shelley
average rating: 4.00
book published: 2005
rating: 4
read at: 04/08
date added: 04/27/08
shelves: history, misc
review:
I found this to be completely fascinating and saw the sense in a lot of what she had to say. So basically I nodded a lot and it was like her preaching to the choir. Still, really interesting and I appreciated the different view of the women's right to vote, feminism and women's lib. Things make more sense now. *g*
]]> 14918993 Fri, 25 Apr 2008 12:14:32 -0700
(The UK title and cover are far superior to the American ones, so I need to remember to order it with the next Who or Torchwood books...)]]>
author: Julie Cohen
name: Shelley
average rating: 2.00
book published: 2007
rating: 2
read at: 03/08
date added: 04/25/08
shelves: chicklitromance
review:
Eh. It was okay. I liked parts of it more than others - his tendency to not want her to grieve for her dead great-aunt (because he felt bad about her feeling sad) deeply pissed me off, enough that it colored my view of everything else he did. Like when he refused to leave her apartment, just flat out disagreeing with her request for him to leave and getting comfortable, for days. It reminded me of Natalie refusing to break up with Jeremy when he broke up with her on Sports Night, another thing that greatly frustrated me. So basically, I disliked the romantic lead, which is never a good sign in a romance novel. *g*