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What are You Reading / Reviews - July 2016
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One Day in the Eucalyptus, Eucalyptus Tree by Daniel Bernstrom
3 stars
Reviewed for the Mock Caldecott Awards. I really liked the illustrations in this book and the colors were great but I just wasn't wild about the story. Right off the bat, a snake swallows a young boy who was playing with his pinwheel. From the reptile's tummy, the boy encourages the snake to eat more and more until the snake finally explodes and sets everything free. This might start out as a little scary to some youngsters but then they can also identify with the brave child who saved himself.
Prairie Dog Song by Susan L. Roth
4 stars
Reviewed for the Mock Caldecott Awards. I absolutely loved the illustrations in this lovely book. They were composed of fabric and paper collages. The pages appeared to be textured and the colors were wonderful. Each 2 page spread had a poem which talked about the picture. There was actually a musical score at the end of the book so that you could sing the poems if you wanted to. Under the poem there was then a brief explanation about what was happening in the pictures. The object was to show how everything that happens in nature affects everything else. The book also included some information about recreating and preserving the Janos grasslands in Mexico.
School's First Day of School by Adam Rex
3 stars
Reviewed for the Mock Caldecott Awards. A new school is built and he thinks his name--Frederick Douglas Elementary--was a great one. He really likes talking to the janitor but isn't sure that he is looking forward to all the children that would be coming. On the first day of school, it makes him sad that some of the students are not happy about being there. He listens in on a class and learns about different shapes and sees other students that are having fun learning. All in all, he's happy that he became a school. The illustrations are done in acrylic paint collages. Although I thought the premise was cute, the pictures were just OK.
The Secret Subway by Shane Corey
4 stars
Reviewed for the Mock Caldecott Awards. The illustrations in this book are extremely interesting. There are hand built 3 dimensional sets that were then shot with a camera and then enhanced with ink drawings. I didn't care for the people who were odd and chunky looking but I really enjoyed to rest of the pictures. Here again, in a child's picture book, I learned about something in history that I knew nothing about--the invention of a pneumatic rail car. Although the car worked, it was never expanded upon due to funding issues.
At the Stroke of Madness by Alex Kava
Maggie O'Dell #4
4 ★
With only an old man afflicted with Alzheimer's as a witness, FBI Special Agent Maggie O'Dell is on the trail of a serial killer who targets people with physical disabilities, removing each victim's imperfections to keep as a twisted trophy.
My Review:
This series is getting better with each book. Maggie is slowly getting better with her decision making, but still messes up a bit here. The story line is an interesting one also. We get to meet Detective Julia Racine's dad, Luc, who is dealing with beginners Alzheimer's. I really liked the character and felt that the author did an excellent job capturing the disease. The unsub in the story is truly a twisted individual, but when you find out the "why" behind his mania you almost feel sorry for him. Someone who definitely needs psychiatric help. I love the chemistry between Gwen Patterson and Special Agent Tully. I see a real future there and look forward to watching the relationship grow. This was a quick read for me as well. The story flowed well.
Still Alice by Lisa Genova
3 stars
I liked this book but wish that I had read it before I saw the movie. I thought the movie was very well done and followed the book pretty closely. Because of that, the book seemed to drag a bit for me, since I knew what was coming. Alice Howland, a brilliant professor from Harvard starts noticing some changes in her behaviour--forgetting words, misplacing items and getting temporarily "lost" on the Harvard campus--she decides to visit her doctor. She is diagnosed with early-onset Altzheimer's. The book follows the steady decline of her cognitive functions although she bravely fights against it. Alice was lucky in one specific instance and that was that she was surrounded by family and friends who were sensitive to her situation and did everything they could to help her along. Such a debilitating disease, truly frightening. This audio was read by the author and I liked her voice.
that always happens to me too. If I read the book, I can enjoy the movie, but no the other way around.I lost my mom to Alzheimer's disease. There are just no words.
Follow the River by James Alexander Thom
5 stars
I have wanted to read this book for so long and am so glad that I finally had to read it for a book group! I really like books about the settling of America and those that are based on true stories so this was right up my alley! A young, very pregnant mother, Mary Ingles, and her 2 little boys are stolen by the Shawnee from their small settlement. Many of their neighbors were killed during the raid. Mary and her boys endure the hardships of the trail. She earns some admiration from her captors along the way because of her strength and bearing. Throughout her trip she makes every effort to memorize her surroundings and the trail. She actually has her baby before they reach the Indian encampment. Mary does her best to fit in, gaining as much information as she possibly can until she is able to make a plan to escape. Along with an older German woman, Mary makes her getaway. Over the following months, in spite of scarce food, few supplies and challenging weather, she is able to make her way back to her home. This is an amazing story of endurance, perseverance and love.
Dosha (Bluestocking7) wrote: "that always happens to me too. If I read the book, I can enjoy the movie, but no the other way around.I lost my mom to Alzheimer's disease. There are just no words."
Hugs to you.
Salt by Helen Frost
4 stars
A quick read and a really wonderful book. This was so appropriate since I just finished reading Follow the River by James Alexander Thom. This book is written in verse and represents the lives of 2 twelve year old boys--Anikwa and James. It is 1812 and James is the son of the couple who run the trading post at Fort Wayne in the Indiana territory. Anikwa is a member of the Miami tribe who live nearby and trade with James' family. The 2 boys are friends and spend much time together hunting, fishing and exploring. However, now war seems to be hovering on the horizon and although the Miami do not want to take part, British and American troops are marching toward the fort and Indians from many tribes are gathering in the Miami village hoping to join the British in attacking the Americans. As events unfurl we hear alternating commentary from each young man describing their feelings, their confusion and their fears.
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Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea by Jules Verne
What an exciting story written in 1870! I had always heard about Captain Nemo, and now I..."
I listened to the audio last year. I was on the edge of my seat when they were under the ice! Although I could have done without the length biology classifications ....
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Lunch in Paris by Elizabeth Bard – 3.5***When Bard was a graduate student in England (art history), she took a weekend trip to Paris, where she met and had lunch with a Frenchman. And the rest, as they say, is history. This is a charming memoir where Bard explores the many differences between French and American culture. I loved her descriptions of the many meals she enjoyed, and was inspired by several of the recipes she includes.
Full Review HERE
Book Concierge wrote: "Terris wrote: "Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea by Jules Verne
What an exciting story written in 1870! I had always heard about Captain ..."
Yes, the classifications got a little long, but otherwise it was really exciting! I was surprised how much I liked it :)
Star Sand by Roger Pulvers
3 stars
This was a quick read and I thought it had an interesting premise. A young girl, 16 year old Hiromi, is living in Japan during WWII. One day, as she is collecting star sand, she discovers a cave where 2 men have been hiding out. Both are deserters, one American and one Japanese. Although it's a dangerous decision, she decides to help the two men and brings food and medicines to them. Then another person comes to the cave and really upsets the atmosphere of peace and friendship that has developed among the 3. Years later, the cave is discovered again and there are the remains of 3 people there along with a diary. The diary ended abruptly after the 4th person appeared and so no one is sure which of persons from the diary are left in the cave and what exactly happened. Eventually, the mystery is solved. I won't go into that--no spoilers except for this. The reader does not realize that the entire first part of the book is actually a diary until the end of part 1 and I wish I had known that. I'm not really sure why I think that would have made a difference but I was just startled when the information was revealed.
Leah wrote: "
I am looking forward to reading Grunt. I have read the rest of Mrs. Roach's work.
Towards Zero by Agatha Christie
4 stars
I think I've enjoyed every Agatha Christie I've ever read but this just might be my favorite so far, just because I loved the idea of it. The premise is that to understand any outcome, you have to appreciate all the different choices that were made leading up to that outcome...all decisions ultimately leading "towards zero" which is the occurrence itself. Sometimes those choices may occur over days, weeks or months before zero hour finally all comes together. The murder is a given but who did it and why???? Come to the gathering at Gull's Point and find out. It won't be who you think!!!
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TEXT –
Zia Summer / Rudolfo AnayaAUDIO in the car -
Beloved / Toni MorrisonPortable AUDIO -
Not My Father's Son / Alan Cumming
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A Killer Plot by Ellery Adams – 3*** This is a pretty interesting cozy mystery, featuring a group of aspiring authors who together try to solve the murder of one of their group. I like Olivia Limoges, and especially like that her faithful dog – a standard poodle named Captain Haviland – is a DOG, not a character who helps solve the crime. I thought Adams did a good job of setting the scene; I really got the sense of a small sea-side community. It held my attention, it had a good pace and I enjoyed trying to figure out who-done-it. I’ll definitely read another in the series.
Full Review HERE
Trumped!: The Inside Story of the Real Donald Trump--His Cunning Rise and Spectacular FallRating: 3.5
Originally released in 1991, Crossroad Press brought this book to us in Ebook and audio. It was almost perfect timing to rerelease this book in early 2016 as Mr. Trump was looking to get the Republican nomination for the position as President of the United States.
Those who solely by good fortune become princes from being private citizens have little trouble in rising, but much in keeping atop; they have not any difficulties on the way up, because they fly, but they have many when they reach the summit. - Machiavelli
This quote opens the book and really lays the groundwork for what is to follow.
O'Donnell was president of Trump Tower hotel and casino. This book is about his interactions with "The Donald". O'Donnell enjoyed his job, loved his salary but hated the way that "The Donald" ran business. This book talks of many business ventures where O'Donnell would report that something would lose money, and "The Donald" would insist on doing it anyways. Sometimes great men get an idea and plan out a strategy to make it happen. "The Donald" would get an idea and go through with it even when all his advisors would tell him it was foolhardy. It is no wonder that he had to file bankruptcy when the payments on his hotel casinos we way more than they were bringing in. This book does not paint a flattering picture of Donald Trump. It shows him more as a spoiled kid who just wants to get his way. O'Donnell being an inside man to the interworkings of Trump's operations got to see a side of him many did not. After 3 years, O'Donnell became disenchanted with the whole operation and decided to quit.
The Insides by Jeremy Bushnell, 3***sThis is a book that I received as an Early Reviewer.
"The Insides" is the story of several different people trying to acquire a magic knife. The main characters are: Maja,the girl who is "the finder"; "Pig," who wants to rule the world; and Ollie, the girl who just gets caught up in the middle by accident. But they all possess some magical powers, some more than others. It is set in our current time period, but there are references to the distant past, and also the recent past, and how each of the main characters acquired their magical abilities.
My opinion: This fantasy genre is not one that I usually read, but I did enjoy this book. I liked the writing style and the pace of the story, which moved along pretty fast. The author gave good insight into the characters' minds, what they were thinking and why. So, that part was all good.
However, I was kind of let down by the ending. Everything was moving along very fast, and then it suddenly...ended. I didn't feel that there was enough explanation. The only thing I can think of is that Mr. Bushnell is gearing up for a sequel, and an ending like this left the story more open for him to continue? Maybe? You be the judge!
Vinegar Girl by Anne Tyler, 3***s
This is the re-telling of "The Taming of the Shrew." I liked it fine, but I like Anne Tyler's other books much better. She's one of my favorite authors, and I thought that since she had to stick to the Shakespeare story, it limited her a little bit.
C is for Corpse by Sue Grafton
3 stars
This is my 3rd book by Sue Grafton and I'm still liking them enough to continue the series. I liked the roll out of this story. One day at the gym, Kinsey is approached by a young man, Bobby Callahan, that she's noticed for awhile. He has obviously been through a traumatic situation as he is covered with scars but he's aggressively attempting to rehabilitate his body by exercising continuously. His story is shocking. He's certain that someone attempted to kill him when they tailgated his car and then ran into him. His passenger, himself and the car went over the embankment and his friend died. Unfortunately, his friend died and Bobby was not only badly injured but suffered some major memory problems to boot. He can't quite remember everything yet but feels like he may be regaining some of his memories and is afraid that whoever tried once may try again. He wants Kinsey to find out who's after him. Three days later, Bobby is dead but true to her word, Kinsey will not rest until the killer is found. This audio is read by Mary Peiffer, as were the first 2, and I'm liking her voice more since I now associate it with this series.
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The Little Paris Bookshop by Nina George – 3*** I really wanted to love this book. Several people whose opinions I trust have recommended it, and there’s much here to like. But … I never understood why Manon acted as she did. She is such an important part of this book, and yet I feel that I don’t really know her, and never cared about her. And as a result I couldn’t understand why Perdu cared so much. Still, it’s Paris, it’s a love story, it’s about reading. And I did like the “literary prescriptions” at the end.
Full Review HERE
Where Am I Eating by Kelsey Timmerman
3 stars
This is the book that our library has chosen for our One Book One Community this year. I wasn't thrilled with this pick and wasn't sure I even wanted to read it but overall, although it's somewhat upsetting to read, I'm glad I read it. The book just makes you much more aware of where some of your food comes from and the conditions under which some people labor to get that food to our tables. Luckily, with one exception, I am not a consumer of these products (for the most part). The author did some intense research on farming conditions for growers of coffee, bananas, apples and cocoa beans and for the divers that harvest lobsters. The information presented brings to light the substandard living conditions that most of these farmers live under (with the exception of some of the apple growers) and the dangerous situations that can occur--especially with the lobster divers. The difference between what the produce farmers get paid as opposed to what big business makes when supplying our groceries is embarrassing. This is certainly an eye opening read. I am now really looking forward to hearing Mr. Timmerman speak in October.
Beverly wrote: "Where Am I Eating by Kelsey Timmerman
3 stars
This is the book that our library has chosen for our One Book On..."
This sounds a little bit like "The Omnivore's Dilemma" that I read recently. It was very interesting & very readable. I think this stuff is good to know, but it gets a little scary sometimes!
Terris wrote: "Beverly wrote: "Where Am I Eating by Kelsey Timmerman
3 stars
This is the book that our library has chosen for..."
Absolutely...at least I don't partake in the majority of these except for apples and just a little chocolate. It does really make you aware of how blessed we are to have such ready access to all the food we take in.
Mod
How to Cook a Moose by Kate Christensen
298 pages
★★ ½
Ok, this book is subtitled as a culinary memoir but I would more likely subtitle it as an ode to all things Maine. This memoir follows the life of Kate as she moves from New York to Maine to be with her partner. I picked it up because the title intrigued me. But honestly? I was pretty bored throughout. My husband caught me whispering more than once “Yes, I get it. Maine is awesome”. And perhaps Maine is awesome (never been in that direction myself – my memoir would be an ode to Colorado) but that’s not why I picked it up, I picked it up because I expected more culinary aspects. There were foody sections but not as much as I would have liked. On the plus, there were some interesting recipes within (none that I’ll probably actually try making though) and her food descriptions got my tummy grumbling at times. Overall, just an ok read for me. For being its page length, it took me WAY too long to get through.
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Ghost Soldiers by Hampton Sides – 4**** Sides crafts a story that is gripping, informative, horrifying and inspiring; the forgotten tale of an “impossible” mission to rescue hundreds of American and British POWs from a Japanese camp in the Philippines. I was captured from page one and mesmerized throughout. I felt that I really got to know the men involved – prisoners and rescuers. This is a history that will appeal to fans of Laura Hillenbrand’s Unbroken or Doug Stanton’s In Harm’s Way.
Full Review HERE
July's People by Nadine Gordimer
4 stars
This is the story of the dissension in South Africa. Now that the situation has finally come to a head, it is no longer safe to be white in the city. July, who works for the Smales family, has helped them to leave the trouble behind--at least temporarily. July drives Mr. and Mrs. Smales and their 3 children to his own small village. They hide the car in the bush and began living their lives as well as they can under such challenging conditions. I found this to be an interesting character study. It was fascinating to see how the relationship between July and the Smales changed and how the Smales family adapted to the huge differences in their living conditions.
Sorry to add three at a time, but my monitor died and my new one doesn't seem to work, so I had to buy a laptop I'm two weeks behind on my posts.Stanislaw Lem, The Cyberiad [1967, tr. 1974] 236 pages
Fifteen humorous science fiction stories about the mad robot "constructors" Trurl and Klapaucius and their adventures in a galaxy populated by robots, after organic life has apparently become extinct. Despite the humor, these stories all have a point, some rather obvious but others which provoke thought.
Gregory Vlastos,
Studies in Greek Philosophy, volume 1: The Presocratics
[1993] 389 pagesSeventeen articles dating from between 1945 and 1975. Vlastos was an analytic philosopher as well as an expert on Greek philosophy, and he used his skills in linguistic analysis to interpret the arguments of the Greek philosophers. Every one of these articles cast new light on the development of the early philosophical tradition. Five are general articles on Greek democracy, which he considered to have been an important influence on the cosmological doctrines of the first Presocratics; the sixth is on Heraclitus, and the last three are on Anaxagoras and Democritus. The remainder are concerned with Parmenides and Zeno of Eleas, and the paradoxes.
Stendhal,
Chroniques Italiennes
{1831-1842] 341 pages [in French, Kindle]Seven stories, set in Italy, mostly in the Renaissance. These are stories of passion, love and vengeance, but Stendhal is also as in his novels trying to paint the mores of a historical time and place. The stories emphasize the corruption and violence of the Papal government and the church; the last three are specifically concerned with the abuse of convents to imprison women who are in the way of male heirs. Five stories were published in theRevue des deux mondes at the time they were written; the last two were unfinished and first published with the others in the twentieth century. The collective title is traditional, but not Stendhal's.
Mod
The Diva Runs Out of Thyme by Krista Davis – 3*** I love cozy mysteries – they are my reading comfort food. This has a pretty good premise, and I liked the rivalry between Sophie and Natasha. The story was filled with more suspects than you could shake a turkey leg at, and plenty of plot twists to keep the reader guessing. However, the central murder mystery plot was pretty thin, and the big reveal stretched credulity a little too far. Still, it’s a satisfying, fast read, and I’ll continue the series.
Full Review HERE
Mod
Out Where the West Begins: Profiles, Visions, and Strategies of Early Western Business Leaders by Philip F. Anschutz
392 pages
★★★
This book goes over 50 different men who helped form the early American west – mini biographies coming in at about 6-10 pages per person. It’s separated into categories: early trade, agriculture and livestock, transportation, manufacturing, financing, and entertainment.
Last year I saw a special on some people who forged the United States and in looking up on information one guy in particular (don’t remember who now) – this book was recommended. My library had TONS of copies of this book so I just waited until I found time to read it. It was interesting. Some interesting people, some I didn’t care for, but all crucial to expanding the United States in the 1800s (up until 1915 when this author decided it was be forged enough). The author lays down all his sources nicely. The book is very heavy for coming in at under 400 pages. The stock of paper is great quality and full pages of colored painting are put in-between each section. But something was rubbing me the wrong way in some section, maybe it was in the foreword when he declares the start of the US with Columbus discovering America. Maybe it was on page 221 when he states “…the group of fourteen. Including Simon and his 5 children, and Rachel and her eight children, reached Philadelphia…” ok, now I’m not a math major (actually I was a history major) but I’m pretty sure that equals a group of 15? I little mistake perhaps but somewhat annoying.
When I was volunteering at the history museum here and this book came up, it was discussed between me and a couple employees and I found out 1) the author is local which probably why there were masses of this book (let’s admit it, this isn’t a type of book people clamor for in most cases), 2) the guy is far from being a historian, he’s an entrepreneur (which makes sense his choice of topic), and 3) this guy is the second richest man in my state (1st richest at the moment being the co-founder of DISH), Colorado, who seriously owns A LOT of big name businesses in my city and elsewhere and also owns many soccer teams, entertainment industry, etc etc etc. Which made everything makes sense on the writing and made me feel a little better about being rubbed the wrong way at parts – he doesn’t write like a historian and heck, his book was published by a printing company he owns in Oklahoma. Pretty much he could have written whatever and no one was going to argue the case.
With the being said, the author did introduce me to several new people that changed the west and that I hope to delve further into. The author attempted and sometimes failed but hey, he tried.
Spot the Cat by Henry Cole
4 stars
Reviewed for Mock Caldecott Awards. A story that is told entirely in black and white pen and ink drawings. The illustrations are extraordinarily detailed as we follow Spot on his adventure through the city. He begins his trip by chasing a bird who was outside the window. We follow Spot from there to the city market and the train station and other busy locations before he returns home. The reader can "spot" Spot on each page but look carefully--there's a dog with the same marking in the same place.
The Storyteller by Evan Turk
5 stars
Reviewed for Mock Caldecott Awards. I loved the color palette of this book. The illustrations were completed with water soluble crayon, colored pencils, ink, indigo, sugared green tea, a heat gun and fire--it would have been interesting to see this process. This story reminded me very much of Scheherazade. A folk tale where the people of Morocco have forgotten their fear of the desert and eventually, as the desert begins gathering itself to wipe out the city, the fountains all dry up. One young boy is told a story by the last storyteller in his city. When the desert djinni comes and gives the city's inhabitants a deadline for their destruction, the young boy begins retelling the tale he heard from the local storyteller. Each installment puts the deadline off for another day until at last, his fascinating retelling saves the city.
There is a Tribe of Kids by Lane Smith
4 stars
Reviewed for Mock Caldecott Awards. These illustrations are painted in oils and then sprayed with acrylic varnish. Additionally, colored pencils, graphite and both traditional and digital cut and paste was used. I really loved the colors and the mottles appearance of the pictures. The first statement, there is a tribe of kids--which I thought meant human kids--turned out to be a number of goats and the proper term for that is a tribe. The author then continued to show groupings of other animals (i.e. a pod of whales, a smack of jellyfish, etc.) until eventually he does show us a group of human kids (of various colors) living together. I thought this way nicely done.
Waiting for High Tide by Nikki McClure
3 stars
Reviewed for Mock Caldecott Awards. The illustrations for this book were achieved by cutting the pictures from black paper with an X-acto knife and then adding a little bit of detail with fountain pen. These pictures were detailed and very well done but I just didn't care for them. I did like the idea presented by the story which shows the reader that patience and a good work ethic go a long way towards accomplishing your goals.
Robin of the Wood--Legend by Adam Greenwood
2 stars
This was just OK for me. It was kind of light and fluffy and fairy tale-ish, not at all the way that I envision the legend of Robin Hood. Most of the characters were represented as "spirits" of the woods more than human and although there was some connectivity throughout the book, it was not enough to develop the characters and make you care about them or what happened in their lives.
by Madeleine Roux4 stars
I just ripped right through this book and really enjoyed it. I guess I would say this was a "guilty pleasure" kind of book for me. It's a YA and the story was fairly predictable but it was creepy in a non-threatening kind of way. There are a quite a few illustrations (it's called a photo-novel) which help to ramp up the tension but again, this did not produce the type of fear that would give you nightmares...it was just the right amount for me. The premise is that Dan Crawford,a 16 year old, is attending New Hampshire College Prep for some summer classes. He's a bit of a social outcast at his high school and has trouble making friends. He had moved around through several foster homes before he was adopted and never settled long enough to get close to anyone. When he arrives he discovers that his dorm used to be a sanatorium (or asylum) for the criminally insane. He makes 2 friends almost immediately, Abby and Jordan, and they all start exploring parts of the building that are supposed to be "off limits" but are somehow easily accessed. The more they explore, the more connections pop up. Dan starts having strange dreams, his roommate suddenly becomes interested in body building and his new friend Abby discovers that her aunt may have been a patient there. Just a quick, fun read that comes to a little bit of an over the top surprise ending.
by Alice Hoffman4 stars
This was an interesting book which style-wise reminded me very much of All the Light We Cannot See. The reader learns the story, in alternating chapters, of Coralie Sardie and Eddie Cohen until finally, their lives intersect. Coralie is the daughter of a slick sideshow type who owns and runs the Museum of Extraordinary Things. Coralie, who has trained from a young age to hold her breath and withstand the rigors of cold water, appears as a mermaid in her father's show. Eddie has escaped from the life of a tailor, and now practices to become a respected photographer. When he happens to be on the scene of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire, he suddenly finds himself in the middle of a search for a missing woman. I really enjoyed listening to the audio which was performed by Judith Light, Grace Gummer and Zach Appleman.
Mod
Die Job by Lila Dare – 2.5** I read cozies for the atmosphere – especially when they are set in a small Southern town – and for the quirky cast of characters. BUT, I do expect a reasonable murder mystery, and that where this particular book fell short. This is book three in the series, though it’s the first one I’ve read, and perhaps the author is running out of ideas. Still, it’s a fast read and I might pick up another if it’s fulfills several challenges (as this one did).
Full Review HERE
Thomas Heath,
A History of Greek Mathematics, volume 1: From Thales to Euclid
[1921] 446 pagesA comprehensive history of Greek mathematics, divided by topics -- after a couple of introductory chapters on terminology, numerals and notation, it deals with Pythagorean arithmetic, the beginnings of geometry, Pythagorean geometry, the elements of geometry before Plato, math in Plato, the elements between Plato and Euclid, more advanced problems, and ends up with Euclid. Much of Greek geometry is just algebra in disguise. This first book covers the theory of incommensurables (irrationals) and the discovery of conic sections. It seems the Greeks were more advanced in some areas than I was aware of. The second volume is on my list in a few months if I can find it in the garage -- the library only has volume 1. (I should be getting my shelves built this month!)
Mod
Beloved – Toni Morrison– 4****
This is a challenging book to read (and to listen to) because Morrison uses multiple narrators, switches time frames without notice, and dribbles out clues to what really happened in a way that keeps the reader off balance and unsure where the story is headed. I did think the “atmospheric” writing sometimes got in the way of the storyline. Still, I loved Morrison’s use of language; I felt immersed in the story, the timeframe, the magic, the brutal reality.
Full Review HERE
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Books mentioned in this topic
Beloved (other topics)Die Job (other topics)
The Museum of Extraordinary Things (other topics)
Asylum (other topics)
Robin of the Wood - Legend (other topics)
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Rudolfo Anaya (other topics)Toni Morrison (other topics)
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Ghost House by Alexandra Adornetta
2 stars
Just a little more YA than I like. It was interesting when I learned that it was published by Harlequin Teen--this type of book is exactly why I don't read Harlequin romances. To me, the plot was fairly predictable and every situation was over the top. When Chloe Kennedy and her younger brother are shipped off to their grandmother's house in England after the death of her mother, she is sure she will be miserable. Shortly after arriving, she begins to "see" the ghosts that haunt the manor. One of them is Alexander Reade who is gorgeous but dead for over 150 years. Chloe and Alexander are immediately drawn to each other. She then meets the stable boy who is also immediately drawn to her. Then Alexander's dead paramour rears her ugly head and wants to create havoc by attacking the living. So, we end up with quite the love triangle--or would that be love square? Anyway, I'm sure this might be great reading for the early teen crowd but I only finished it because I'm OCD about finishing books that I start and I needed it to complete a challenge.