Synopsis:
Subtitled “Identifying and Fixing the Ten Most Frequent Grammatical Errors.”
Review:
Is it just me, or is grammar trendy these days? The Big Ten of Grammar doesn’t have a sexy title but it does aim to up grammar’s profile by educating readers on the most common mistakes people make. You’ve got I/me, that vs. which, commas/semicolons, and the rest of the usual suspect’s (LOL). Plus there is a bonus appendix that offers even more grammar tutelage. I think that this is a great book for the casual writer, because it makes the rules really clear and easy to remember, even though it’s not as flashy as some other recent books.
Synopsis:
An illustrated look at the farms of upstate New York.
Review: Drawn to the Land is a lovely little book filled with portraits, in both paint and words, of several farms in upstate New York. I love a good road trip, and this book inspired me to plan a nice drive this fall. The paintings are all made from photos and have a softness to them that evokes the beauty of the region.
Many thanks to Bridgeway Books for the review copy.
Synopsis:
When the body of his first love is discovered 22 years after she failed to show up and elope to England, undercover detective Frank Mackey is sucked back into his dysfunctional and dangerous family.
Review: Faithful Place is yet another perfect read from Tana French. As Frank navigates the crime scene, even after being ordered to stay away from the case, his grief, nostalgia, and brokenness threaten to consume him. Nobody does bittersweet regret like Tana French. My heart ached for all these poor lost characters, whose dreams were all thwarted by the accident of birth and the ties of family.
I did guess the murderer’s identity pretty early on, but I think that was the point, to place us completely in Frank’s point of view. He missed it, even if I didn’t, and that says volumes about who he is. A romantic to the end, when he says that he and Rosie Daly lost the chance to be the happiest two people on earth, you believe him utterly.
I also have to give props to Tana French for her exquisitely musical dialogue. Her use of slang, profanity, and imagery perfectly limns the subtle class distinctions between her characters, which is another huge part of the story.
Synopsis:
Freed from the clutches of the madman who abducted her, a broken young woman tries desperately to make sense of what happened to her.
Review:
I find it really strange that the New York Times gave Still Missing such a glowing review, because while I enjoyed the read I didn’t think it rose above genre expectations at all. The prose is pedestrian and the revelations contrived. Oh well.
Synopsis:
Allie the Outcast, the Chocolate Ogre, the McGill, and Mary Queen of Snots meet up with Jackin’ Jill and Zach the Ripper and discover that there’s a lot more to Everlost than just limbo after death.
Review:
In Everwild, Neal Shusterman deepens the mythology he created in Everlost, adding new characters and concepts with tremendous panache.
Allie the Outcast has discovered the power to leap into the bodies of the still living, and when she joins forces with a small group of fellow skinjackers, she hones her powers and makes new discoveries about the rules of Everlost. Meanwhile, Nick, now the Chocolate Ogre, is building an army to take on Mary Hightower, the Queen of Snots, whose stranglehold over the children of Everlost is preventing them from reaching their just reward. Suffice it to say that Shusterman always sends the plot in an unexpected direction, keeping me turning pages to the very end. I’m in desperate anticipation of Everfound, the trilogy’s finale, coming out later this year, and plan to seek out the rest of Shusterman’s books.
Nick and Allie were victims of a fatal car accident, but instead of making it to the bright white light they were bumped into Everlost. They learn quickly that they have to keep moving or else they will sink through the ground all the way to the center of the earth. There are certain spots where they can walk, and some objects and buildings that have also passed through. And only kids live in Everlost–adults never get lost on the way. Mary Hightower seems to run the show, and everyone fears the McGill.
I really liked how Shusterman subverted expectations and gave us characters who don’t fit the neat little molds you so often find in genre YA. Allie in particular is a different kind of heroine and I was particularly taken by how Shusterman develops her character. I’ve got high hopes for the rest of the series.
Synopsis:
The wearied mother to the heiress of Chalion attempts to flee her past insanity, only to find herself possessed by a god called The Bastard and sent on a perplexing mission of grave theological danger.
Review: Paladin of Souls is the sequel to Lois McMaster Bujold’s Curse of Chalion, which I read a few years ago and greatly enjoyed.
Ista is the dowager royina of Chalion, a title placing her in the top echelon of the land. She had a bad experience with one of the five gods that drove her mad for many years. Having regained her sanity, she’s eager to take some time to herself and plans a pilgrimage of sorts. However, her peaceful endeavor is hijacked by The Bastard, the fifth god whose worship is considered blasphemy by most in the land. He charges Ista with a mission, but refuses to reveal the details. It seems to have something to do with a recent plague of demons and a most unusual marital arrangement by a lesser nobleman.
I loved how this story included horror elements within the political intrigue. I did a lot of research into Vodoun for a project a few years ago, and I found a lot in this book that seemed influenced by some of the practices and mythos of that religion. It worked so well here, especially because the characters and world were so well drawn. Great book all around!
Yay Scholastic! They’re giving 3 of my US readers a copy of The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. You can read my rave review here.
To enter, leave a comment below by 11:59pm EST on Monday, July 19th. Tweet this contest & leave a trackback below for an extra entry. Open to US residents only.
Check out the trailer:
In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capital surrounded by twelve outlying districts. The Capital is harsh and cruel and keeps the other districts in line by forcing them to participate in the annual Hunger Games, a fight-to-the death on live TV. One boy and one girl between the ages of twelve and sixteen are selected by lottery to play. The winner brings riches and favor to his or her district. But that is nothing compared to what the Capital wins: one more year of fearful compliance with its rules. Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen, who lives alone with her mother and younger sister, regards it as a death sentence when she is forced to represent her impoverished district in the Games. But Katniss has been close to death before—and survival, for her, is second nature. Without really meaning to, she becomes a contender. But if she is to win, she will have to start making choices that weigh survival against humanity and life against love. Bestselling writer Suzanne Collins delivers equal parts suspense and philosophy, adventure and romance, in this stunning novel set in a future with unsettling parallels to our present.
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