The Sweet Far Thing by Libba Bray

March 13th, 2008 · 8 Comments

Synopsis:
The concluding adventures of Gemma Doyle, proper Victorian debutante and keeper of the magic of a mystical world called the realms, which is threatened by intruders from the ominous Winterlands.
Review:
The Sweet Far Thing ends the trilogy that began with A Great and Terrible Beauty, followed by Rebel Angels. Gemma Doyle and her friends are [...]

Popularity: 58% [?]

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Tags: American Literature

Visibility by Sarah Neufeld

February 26th, 2008 · 4 Comments

Synopsis:
When introverted teen Natalie discovers that she has inherited her mother’s gift for invisibility, she’s caught between her desire to use her powers for good and her fears that her mother will find out.
Review:
Visibility was written when Sarah Neufeld was only 19, and it’s an impressive debut. She’s crafted a fresh take on the [...]

Popularity: 55% [?]

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Tags: American Literature

Pushed: The Painful Truth about Childbirth and Modern Maternity Care by Jennifer Block

February 22nd, 2008 · 10 Comments

Synopsis:
A muck-raking expose of what happens in labor and delivery wards across America.
Review:
Pushed upset me–so much so, that I considered not finishing the book. I have an innate mistrust of doctors and hospitals after some rough treatment I received during a miscarriage last year. where I was not informed of all my options and [...]

Popularity: 34% [?]

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Tags: American Literature

3 New Parenting Books

February 20th, 2008 · 4 Comments

Touchpoints: Birth to 3 : Your Child’s Emotional and Behavioral Development by T. Berry Brazelton
A good resource for understanding infant and baby behavior and milestones. It’s a bit mainstream for my taste, in that Brazelton never wants you to forget that he is a pediatrician and he knows your baby best. I [...]

Popularity: 29% [?]

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Tags: American Literature

Renegade’s Magic by Robin Hobb

February 16th, 2008 · 2 Comments

Synopsis:
Soldier Son Nevare’s adventures culminate in a battle within his divided self for mastery of his body in defiance of the magic.
Review:
When last we saw Nevare, he was grossly fat and resigned to a life on the outside. A Soldier Son of modest ambition, Nevare’s soul was cleft in two during a battle with [...]

Popularity: 50% [?]

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Tags: American Literature

Super Stitches Crochet

February 15th, 2008 · No Comments

Synopsis:
A compendium of stitches and techniques for crochet.
Review:
As with Super Stitches Knitting, Super Stitches Crochet is packed full of gorgeous photos and easy-to-follow instructions. Any beginner could easily pick up this book and begin to crochet immediately. And expert crafters are sure to be smitten with all the possibilities presented by the stitch [...]

Popularity: 16% [?]

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Tags: American Literature

The Daring Book For Girls

February 6th, 2008 · 4 Comments

Synopsis:
A compendium of activities and fun facts for girls.
Review:
Jumprope rhymes, hand-clapping games, the rules of 4-square, and facts about famous female explorers are just a selection from the wonderfully random assortment of Things Girls Should Know. The Daring Book For Girls is a fun piece of nostalgia that I want to share with all [...]

Popularity: 22% [?]

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Tags: American Literature

There’s No Place Like Here by Cecelia Ahern

January 29th, 2008 · 2 Comments

Synopsis:
When a missing persons investigator goes missing herself, she discovers a world where the lost can be found–but can she find her way back home?
Review:
There’s No Place Like Here is the second book by Cecelia Ahern, author of the immensely popular PS, I Love You, which I have not read. I picked up an [...]

Popularity: 41% [?]

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Tags: Irish Literature

The Blade Itself by Joe Abercrombie

January 15th, 2008 · 2 Comments

Synopsis:
In a world characterized by politics and intrigue, a sorceror unites a legendary rogue, a dandyish fighter, and an outlaw woman in the fight to… oh, I’m not really sure what, honestly.
Review:
Seriously, what is The Blade Itself about? I was lost from really early on. The characters were interesting, but there didn’t seem [...]

Popularity: 46% [?]

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Tags: American Literature

Maggie Again by John D. Husband

January 14th, 2008 · No Comments

Synopsis:
When an elderly woman’s childhood friends show up, miraculously unaged since she last saw them 60 years prior, she realizes she has a chance to correct the tragic mistakes made by her father those many years ago.
Review:
The brief on this book made it sound like a family adventure, and for the first half it read [...]

Popularity: 11% [?]

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Tags: American Literature