Oh. My. Goodness. Lisa Fipps's "Starfish" is one of the best books I have read in a very, very long time. Ellie holds your heart from the moment you mOh. My. Goodness. Lisa Fipps's "Starfish" is one of the best books I have read in a very, very long time. Ellie holds your heart from the moment you meet her, and each and every character is vivid and real and makes you feel allllllll kinds of feelings. The free verse is beautifully written with so much vulnerability and raw emotion. The true value of any book, however, is in what a reader can learn from it, and "Starfish" contains the lessons and messages and inspiration every single human being needs to learn. Read it. Now....more
Oh my gosh, I LOVED THIS BOOK!!! The second in the series, The Girl in the Tower was even better than Book One, and has left me intensely eager for thOh my gosh, I LOVED THIS BOOK!!! The second in the series, The Girl in the Tower was even better than Book One, and has left me intensely eager for the release of Book Three in August. If you love fantasy, heroics, and frickin' awesome heroines, you HAVE to read this series. Praying the third book does it all justice....more
What a read! It's not some earth-shattering, change your world view kind of book, but man alive - what a read! I got SOOO invested in the characters aWhat a read! It's not some earth-shattering, change your world view kind of book, but man alive - what a read! I got SOOO invested in the characters and in the story: I laughed (literally), I cried (literally...several times), I loved every minute of it. Definitely going to pick up the sequel, even though I cannot imagine it being this good. But even if it's half as good, I'll thoroughly enjoy it....more
Charm and ease: for me, the two words that define A Gentleman in Moscow. Count Rostov, Towles's protagonist, is one of the most likable characters youCharm and ease: for me, the two words that define A Gentleman in Moscow. Count Rostov, Towles's protagonist, is one of the most likable characters you will meet in literature. A gentleman to the core with class, intelligence, wit and tenderness, every time I opened the book I felt like I was an old friend, lounging in one of his high-back chairs. His supporting cast is no less than he, every one of them leaping off the page and into your heart. What is more, there is a surprising amount of political and philosophical commentary in the novel, but not once do you feel bogged down by weighty analysis...it is just so easy and pleasurable to read about Bolshevik-led Russia. Who knew. And the ending? *sigh*...perfection. Do yourself a favor: find your favorite chair, tip back on the hind legs, and let the minutes of your afternoon tick by in Moscow....more
Wow. There is a reason Les Miserables is set apart as one of the best, if not the best, novels ever written. Hugo's ability to capture the extremes ofWow. There is a reason Les Miserables is set apart as one of the best, if not the best, novels ever written. Hugo's ability to capture the extremes of human nature and experience is incredible. He creates these exaggerated characters in these exaggerated circumstances, and yet they are relatable and familiar and you can see yourself reflected in them. I read the unabridged version and, while I will certainly read the abridged next time, I was glad to have read it. Hugo's philosophical expostulations on society and humanity are as poignant today as they were 150 years ago. I think I filled half a notebook with eloquent quotes from the novel. Yet, amidst all of the powerful prose, there is a thrilling plot, a tender love story, heroes and villians, and every other ingredient for an entertaining read. Truly, Les Miserables is more than just any classic - it is one of the greatest of the greats....more
Maus is a masterpiece. Far from being a typical World War II novel, the graphic novel medium of Maus brings this ghastly part of history to life in a Maus is a masterpiece. Far from being a typical World War II novel, the graphic novel medium of Maus brings this ghastly part of history to life in a whole new way. Spiegelman's drawings are full of grit and detail, at times so real they are difficult to look at, and yet the realism makes the novel incredibly powerful and provokes deeply penetrating emotion. Perhaps the most important part of Maus is its addressing the generational effects of the Holocaust and the way its realities seep not just into an individual, but also into a family, a culture and a society. This is particularly important as the number of living Holocaust survivors dwindles and the collective memory of the Holocaust seems to lose significance with their loss. To read of the Holocaust not only with powerful words, but also with the powerful images of Maus has the capability to bring to reality the abhorrent truth of the Holocaust - that there is real evil in the world and that such evil must be actively, earnestly and fearlessly fought....more
This. This book. All books should be this book. What Applegate accomplished in The One and Only Ivan is simply beautiful. The narrative voice of Ivan This. This book. All books should be this book. What Applegate accomplished in The One and Only Ivan is simply beautiful. The narrative voice of Ivan is so brilliantly done - simple, witty, genuine, full of emotion - gosh, you just love him so much. The secondary characters, as seen through his eyes, are just as fleshed out for all their good or evil or in between. The pages practically turn themselves, the tiny chapters whizzing by yet packing so much into their simple sentences. It is an expertly crafted book. But, more than this, for all of its character and plot and enjoyment, the novel means something. It gives a voice to the voiceless and tugs at your heart in a way that makes you want to do something about it. I devoured it in less than three hours, but it will stay with me for far, far longer....more
The Emperor of All Maladies is a superbly written "biography" on the most far-reaching disease in known history: cancer. Impressive in its scope, MukhThe Emperor of All Maladies is a superbly written "biography" on the most far-reaching disease in known history: cancer. Impressive in its scope, Mukherjee packs in an incredible amount of information with great dexterity. It would be easy for such a science-heavy work to become inaccessible to the average reader, but Mukherjee deftly lays out the science, history, and medicine of cancer in a way that is easy to follow and comprehend. But more than an informational history, Mukherjee humanizes cancer, interjecting personal and patient stories to make The Emperor of All Maladies not just about cancer, but about how cancer touches lives. His writing is elegant and passionate, allowing the reader to delve into the pages - at times as if it were a true novel. As it is about cancer, the book can certainly be terrifying and depressing at times, but it ends with hope; not the hope of wishful thinking, but the realistic hope of greater understanding and progressive science. For anyone whose life has been touched by cancer, which is just about everyone, The Emperor of All Maladies is not to be missed....more
Holy cannoli. I have always loved Dickens, but he really knocked it out of the park with A Tale of Two Cities. It took me a bit to get completely hookHoly cannoli. I have always loved Dickens, but he really knocked it out of the park with A Tale of Two Cities. It took me a bit to get completely hooked, but once I did, I could barely stand to put it down. The story of the French Revolution is fascinating on its own, but add the mastery with which Dickens creates characters and the threads he can weave through a plot, and you have a truly phenomenal novel. To top it off, he ends with some of the most beautiful prose in all of fiction. A Tale of Two Cities is a master novelist at his best. Read it. Now....more
I am an absolute Harry Potter fan. I picked up the series when I was in college and was blown away by this mesmerizing and page-turning "children's boI am an absolute Harry Potter fan. I picked up the series when I was in college and was blown away by this mesmerizing and page-turning "children's book". J.K. Rowling is an absolute genius. I've always had an active imagination, and this world was so easy to enter. In fact, the world Rowling creates in Harry Potter is so real that I often find myself - and this is scary to admit - believing I can do magic. (Seriously, I once tried the Accio spell on my cell phone and was annoyed when I realized I wasn't advanced enough to do non-verbal spells and needed my wand...) When I read this series I laugh out loud, gasp in terror, sputter in anger, sigh with romance, cry in sadness, and smile with joy. This will definitely be a series I enjoy throughout my lifetime, reading them both on my own and with my children. In fact, I love Harry Potter so much, that I named my car "Hermione" and have a picture of Emma Watson hanging from review mirror. Yeah, I know, I'm crazy......more
As much as I love Jane Austen, I was not expecting to like Sense and Sensibility as much as I did. The heroine, Elinor, is such a lovely character, anAs much as I love Jane Austen, I was not expecting to like Sense and Sensibility as much as I did. The heroine, Elinor, is such a lovely character, and all of the supporting characters are so varied and rich as to create a novel bursting with personalities both easy to love and wonderful to hate. The plot has many twists and turns, so you are constantly wondering what is coming next. I got so into this book that, by the end, i was literally yelling at it, crying "Fix it, Jane! Fix it!" Of course, she does eventually "fix it," but she waits until the very last minute, which both drives you crazy and keeps you feverishly turning the page. And she does all of this while tackling some serious social issues - brilliant....more
In my next life, I want to be a Brontë sister. It took me a little bit to get into the book but, once Jane arrived at Thornfield Hall, I was counting In my next life, I want to be a Brontë sister. It took me a little bit to get into the book but, once Jane arrived at Thornfield Hall, I was counting down the hours until I could pick it up again and continue reading. The love story of Jane Eyre is so incredibly romantic, but it is not the only great part of this novel. I love Jane's character: her strength, her feistiness, her intelligence, her grace, and her loyalty. I love the depth of each character and how they grow throughout the novel. I love how each new place Jane goes to is given a character and a feeling all its own. It has romance, it has humor, it has mystery...it is the kind of book you read over and over again. So go read it now....more
This book is lovely. I usually have a difficult time getting into books that are made up of so much narration, but the narrator of I Capture the CastlThis book is lovely. I usually have a difficult time getting into books that are made up of so much narration, but the narrator of I Capture the Castle is absolutely enchanting. The wit and humor she brings to her journal writing are so easy to read, and her descriptions of the landscape and the people are so vivid and alive. The story is simple, but so romantic and classic that it stole my heart. And I must say, the end pleasantly surprised me. I finished the book feeling swept away as if I had just read Jane Austen - and who could possibly not enjoy that?...more
Wow. There is not much I can say here. Heartbreaking, horrifying, hopeless. I cannot even wrap my mind around all the things that happened to him and Wow. There is not much I can say here. Heartbreaking, horrifying, hopeless. I cannot even wrap my mind around all the things that happened to him and the people around him. To think that my family was there with him is just unspeakable. It is a disturbingly incredible and gruesomely honest history. I don't think I'll be able to get over it for quite some time....more
Wow. I love this book - everything about it. I am so in love with the characters; their emotions and complexities are so real and unfold in such a beaWow. I love this book - everything about it. I am so in love with the characters; their emotions and complexities are so real and unfold in such a beautiful way. And the story is absolutely moving; it draws you in and connects you to all of the people and all of the adventures and heartaches in their lives. And it's much more than just another Holocaust book - it brings a whole new point of view to the human experience. To top it all off, Markus Zusak has a wonderful writing style that works perfectly for the novel. The Book Thief is truly a superior work of literature, and I recommend it to anyone and everyone. You will love it....more
I read this book for my book club this month and loved it. All of the history packed into this book is truly astonishing, and the suspense is incredibI read this book for my book club this month and loved it. All of the history packed into this book is truly astonishing, and the suspense is incredibly page-turning. The detail Larson uses left me in awe of how much Chicago's World Fair molded the America we know today. And the dichotomy he creates between the fair's leading architect and the uber-creepy serial killer bring into question the true character of humanity and what it can be - shining in white or rotting in black. A definite recommended read....as long as you don't mind praying to keep away serious nightmares....more
Oh my goodness. When I was assigned to read this as a freshman in college, I was like "Great...a total snoozer." I am so angry at myself for ever thinOh my goodness. When I was assigned to read this as a freshman in college, I was like "Great...a total snoozer." I am so angry at myself for ever thinking such a thing about this incredible book. Leave it to a Brontë to write one of the most heart-breaking love stories ever told. With some of the most tortured characters and one of the most painfully brutal plots in all of literature, Wuthering Heights is a sad, yet stunning masterpiece. What a shame Emily Brontë only left us one such novel. Imagine how much richer the world of literature would be with more novels like Wuthering Heights. Read it, read it, read it....more
What a beautiful short story collection. Jhumpa Lahiri's examination of misplacement and cultural identity is masterfully executed. Her writing is as What a beautiful short story collection. Jhumpa Lahiri's examination of misplacement and cultural identity is masterfully executed. Her writing is as beautiful as Toni Morrison's or Margaret Atwood's and calls upon all of your senses. (I highly recommend finding a good Indian restaurant prior to reading the book, as you will absolutely crave Indian cuisine while reading.) Interpreter of Maladies made me an instant fan of Lahiri's and was definitely worthy of its Pulitzer Prize. If you have not yet been introduced to Jhumpa Lahiri's work, I highly recommend bumping Interpreter of Maladies to the top of your reading list - you won't be disappointed....more
This is A war story the way it should be written. Accessible to all generations and genders, not to mention all Democrats, Republicans, and everythingThis is A war story the way it should be written. Accessible to all generations and genders, not to mention all Democrats, Republicans, and everything in between. beautifully written, deeply moving, thickly layered. This book is everything a book should be. Loved it the first time I read it, and will absolutely without a doubt read it again....more
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