Monthly Archives: October 2008

Revelations by Melissa de la Cruz (Blue Bloods 3)

American Literature 17 Comments

Synopsis: Half-vampire Schuyler learns more about her lineage and has a secret love affair with the twin of her nemesis, as the war between the vampire Blue Bloods and Lucifer’s army of Silver Bloods escalates. Review: When I signed up to review Revelations, I didn’t realize it was book 3 in a series, and I really had a hard time catching up with all of the vampire lore and the history between the characters. From what I gathered, vampires were fallen angels who mutinied against…

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The Book: The New Testament (Bible Illuminated)

Swedish Literature 15 Comments

I am really thankful to Lisa Roe for the chance to take a look at this provocative new version of the Bible. I am really intrigued by modern attempts to make the Bible more “relevant,” mostly because I’m not sure it needs it! From the publisher: There is no religious mission behind The Book. We believe that its success will be driven by the fact that this is not coming from any specific faith, religion or church. We are from many faiths, backgrounds, and beliefs;…

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In the Woods by Tana French

American Literature 3 Comments

Synopsis: A murder investigation cuts too close to the bone for a detective who was once part of a missing persons case himself. Review: The other Sunday, Superfast Husband had to go to Home Depot after church, and since Superfast Toddler would certainly fall asleep in the car, I needed a book to read while listening to her dulcet snores. We stopped into the murder mystery bookshop nearby, where I asked if they could request anyone who loves Barbara Vine, and likes Ruth Rendell but…

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Something Wicked Book Blog Tour

On Reading

I really enjoyed Alan Gratz’s Something Wicked, which I read as part of a book blog tour. I love projects that connect me with other great book bloggers, so I hope you will check out all the other participating blogs! the 160acrewoods, A Christian Worldview of Fiction, All About Children’s Books, Becky’s Book Reviews, Book Review Maniac, Cafe of Dreams, Dolce Bellezza, Hyperbole, KidzBookBuzz.com, Looking Glass Reviews, Maggie Reads, Never Jam Today

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Guardian by Julian Lester

American Literature

Synopsis: A white boy in in 1946 witnesses a lynching. Review: While the subject matter of Guardian is powerful, the approach is heavy-handed, and I don’t think it has anything new to say about racial violence. It’s certainly no To Kill A Mockingbird, and honestly I would be disappointed if a teen picked up this book instead of that one, just because it’s new. The characters are thin to the point of caricature, and there is such a sharp distinction between the good guys and…

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Something Wicked by Alan Gratz

American Literature 6 Comments

Synopsis: When his best friend Mac starts acting like a jerk after a fortune teller prophesies that he’ll be king of the Scottish games, budding investigator Horatio Wilkes thinks it’s just a bad mood, until Mac’s grandfather Duncan ends up dead. Review: Something Wicked is a clever, edgy young adult retelling of Shakespeare’s Macbeth, which happens to be my absolute favorite Shakespeare play. Author Alan Gratz doesn’t hew too closely to the plot of the Scottish play, taking what works, riffing on what’s memorable, and…

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The Bible Illuminated

On Reading

I was fortunate enough to get a sneak peek of The Bible Illuminated, an ambitious new edition of the Good News Bible translation of the New Testament. It’s filled with powerful images drawn from contemporary life, and it seems that the goal is to draw awareness of social justice issues, as the presence of portraits of Bono and Angelina Jolie would imply. The book of the Revelation is illustrated with images of toxic waste and environmental destruction that certainly make one long for the new…

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Book Giveaway–Tanya, Yan or Tara, Contact Me

Norwegian Literature, On Reading 4 Comments

I posted the contest winner a few days ago but Tanya, whose number came up, has not yet contacted me. So I played Random Integer Generator again and came up with #6 (Yan). Since neither Tanya nor Yan gave email addresses, I have no way of getting in touch with them, so I spun again and got Tara in post #3. The first one of these three people who contacts me gets the book.

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