Tag Archives: fiction

May 14, 2014 · 6:29 am

Neil Gaiman Mini-Reviews

Neil Gaiman2Title: Neil Gaiman at Syracuse OnCenter
Rating: ★★★★★

I’ve been hearing fantastic things about Neil Gaiman’s books since I started blogging, so I’m excited to have finally gotten to reading some of his books and to have gotten to hear him speak. I thought it would be nice to open with a brief review of his talk since it made me want to read and listen to more of his books, even more so than the books of his which I’ve read. Looking at a list of Gaiman’s published works and hearing him speak solidified my impression that he is an author who writes at least as eclectically as I read. His talk was very thought-provoking and often hilarious and I felt as though every word was chosen with care. His dynamic readings convinced me that I should read some his books as audiobooks and his mastery of language convinced me that I should read more of his books in general. If you get a chance to see him talk, I’d highly recommend it Continue reading →

5 Comments

Filed under Fantasy, Fiction, Magical Realism, Thriller, Urban Fantasy, Young Adult

Tagged as , American Gods, , , , Gaiman, Graveyard Book, Neil Gaiman,

May 12, 2014 · 6:25 am

The Serpent of Venice

The Serpent of VeniceTitle: The Serpent of Venice
Author: Christopher Moore
Source: from publisher for TLC Book Tour
Rating: ★★★☆☆
Summary: Plots from several classics mingled in a delightfully clever way and parts of the story made me laugh out loud, but other parts were vulgar without being funny.

The Serpent of Venice draws on a number of classics, including The Merchant of Venice, Othello, and The Cask of Amontillado, and then adds a large helping of irreverent humor. The fool Pocket has made enemies of the merchant Antonio, senator Brabantio, and soldier Iago by opposing a war which would make them rich. In order to get Pocket out of the way, these three men invite him to a party with an assassination attempt in mind. However, Pocket is not as easy to kill as they might think and he’ll be back with revenge in mind. Continue reading →

4 Comments

Filed under Re-telling

Tagged as , , , , classics, , funny, , , , shakespeare

May 8, 2014 · 6:42 am

One Hundred Names Review and Giveaway

15732712Title: One Hundred Names
Author: Cecelia Ahern
Source: from publisher for review
Rating: ★★★★☆
Review Summary: This book has Cecelia Ahern’s signature charm, transforming ordinary life into something  beautiful.

Things are not going well for Kitty Logan. The story that was supposed to make her career has turned into a scandal and her beloved mentor is dying. When her friend passes away, she leaves Kitty with a mission: to write the story she always wanted to write. Unfortunately, all Kitty has to go on is a list of one hundred names. She’s on a tight deadline and isn’t sure she’ll even be able to find the right people, much less meet all of them and find out what connects them. Solving this puzzle for her mentor is a challenge, but one which might just help Kitty solve some problems of her own. Continue reading →

10 Comments

Filed under Fiction, Romance, Women's Fiction

Tagged as , , , , , ,

May 6, 2014 · 6:58 am

All That Is Solid Melts Into Air

18505785Title: All That is Solid Melts Into Air
Author: Darragh McKeon
Source: from publisher for review
Rating: ★★★★☆
Summary: Despite being a bit dark and depressing,  this book swept me off my feet with fantastic writing and a fascinating setting.

Signs of the impending collapse of the Soviet Union are everywhere, but fear of the regime is equally widespread. Piano playing prodigy Yevgeni faces violence daily as he travels the city. His aunt and mother struggle to make ends meet while staying under the radar. Everyone knows something has gone terribly wrong, from farm boy Artyom who notices that the cows’ ears are bleeding to Grigory, a doctor who sees how peoples’ lives are valued less than keeping up appearances. All of these characters will struggle to not only survive, but to make a difference. Continue reading →

11 Comments

Filed under Fiction, Historical Fiction, Literary, Uncategorized

Tagged as , , , , dark, depressing, , , literary, soviet union, well written

April 30, 2014 · 9:40 pm

The Storied Life of A. J. Fikry

18293427Title: The Storied Life of A. J. Fikry
Author: Gabrielle Zevin
Source: from publisher for She Reads Book Club
Rating: ★★★★★
Summary: I am on a roll with wonderful books that make me cry. This book was beautifully written with well-rounded, believable character and a very enjoyable focus on books.

A. J. Fikry, owner of Island Books, has become something of a loner. After his wife’s death, his bookstore is doing poorly and he’s doing his best to push away help from friends and family. However, as A. J. deals with a mysterious package which appears in his store, he slowly realizes that he needs help. Beginning to reach out to others, he begins to change his life and the lives of those around him for the better. Continue reading →

25 Comments

Filed under Literary, Romance

Tagged as , , , , , , ,

April 29, 2014 · 7:28 am

The Shadow Queen – Review and Giveaway

18209338Title: The Shadow Queen
Author: Sandra Gulland
Source: from publisher for France Book Tours
Rating: ★★★★☆
Review Summary: Although I wish the protagonist was more the focus of the story, I loved the lush historical setting and the plot which gave us a glimpse at a very cool facet of life in the 1600s.

Even as the young daughter of poor, travelling players, Claudette longs for a better life. When her mother begins working for a theater in Paris, it opens an opportunity for Claudette to interact with the rich and famous. She is beguiled by the life of the mysterious young lady Athenais, with whom she forms an uneasy friendship. When Athenais becomes the mistress of Louis XIV and needs someone she can trust, it is Claudette she asks to serve as her personal attendant. Claudette is easily seduced by the richness of life as Athenais’ attendant but quickly learns that life at court is as much about acting as the theater. Continue reading →

15 Comments

Filed under Historical Fiction

Tagged as , , , , , ,

· 6:22 am

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe

12000020Title: Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe
Author: Benjamin Alire Sáenz
Source: library
Rating: ★★★★★
Summary: This was perfect.

“Aristotle is an angry teen with a brother in prison. Dante is a know-it-all who has an unusual way of looking at the world. When the two meet at the swimming pool, they seem to have nothing in common. But as the loners start spending time together, they discover that they share a special friendship—the kind that changes lives and lasts a lifetime. And it is through this friendship that Ari and Dante will learn the most important truths about themselves and the kind of people they want to be.” (Source)
Continue reading →

10 Comments

Filed under Fiction, LGBT, Romance, Young Adult

Tagged as , , , LGBT,