All posts by Superfast Reader

Giveaway–Harry Potter Box Set

On Reading 33 Comments

The kind folks at Scholastic want to give 1 of my lucky readers a complete set of the Harry Potter series by JK Rowling! To enter, please leave a comment below by 11:59pm EST on Monday, April 26th. You can get additional entries by blogging or tweeting this giveaway and leaving a trackback below. This giveaway is open to participants with a United States mailing address only (international readers can enter if you have a friend in the States who can accept the prizes by…

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Addict at 10 by Derek Steele

American Literature 1 Comment

Synopsis: How a youthful drug addict turned his life around thanks to the 12 Steps. Review: As memoirs go, Addict at 10 is pretty standard. The child of divorced partiers, Derek Steele gets drunk for the when he’s just 8 years old, and by high school he’s selling ecstasy and cocaine. The second half of the book details his recovery and sober life as a family man and successful business owner. If you like this template, then you’ll probably want to check this one out.…

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Lord of the Rings by JRR Tolkien

British Literature 1 Comment

Synopsis: One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them, One Ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them. Review: This is my third time reading JRR Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings, and I can’t say I’ve ever enjoyed it more. I’ve been following along with The Tolkien Professor’s podcasted course, and the background I got from finally reading and actually comprehending The Silmarillion really enhanced the depth of pleasure I received once diving back into Frodo’s familiar world.…

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Giveaway–Bite Me by Christopher Moore

On Reading 13 Comments

The good folks at Harper Collins have provided me with 2 copies of Bite Me by Christopher Moore for 2 winners (US residents only). To enter, leave a comment below by 11:59pm EST on Wednesday, April 14th. You can get a second entry by blogging or tweeting the event and leaving a trackback below. If you’re unfamiliar with Christopher Moore’s vampire series, think edgy hipster with truly inventive prose that makes Diablo Cody look generic and tame. From the publisher: BITE ME: A Love Story…

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Giveaway-Addict at Ten: How I Overcame Addiction, Poverty, and Homelessness to Become a Millionaire by 35

On Reading 4 Comments

The good folks at Synergy Books are offering me 3 copies of Addict at Ten: How I Overcame Addiction, Poverty, and Homelessness to Become a Millionaire by 35 by Derek Steele. To enter, leave a comment below by 11:59pm EST on Thursday, April 15. You can get an additional entry by blogging or tweeting this contest and leaving a trackback below. Open to US residents only. Here’s the trailer for the book:

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Just Like Me, Only Better by Carol Snow

American Literature

Synopsis: Strapped for cash, a divorced mom and substitute teacher takes on a job as a celebrity double for a troubled young TV star. Review: Just Like Me, Only Better has a fresh premise and above-average execution. I enjoyed all the minutiae of the lookalike life, and it was enough to keep me engaged despite my lack of interest in Veronica’s love life difficulties, which felt a bit contrived. It’s not one that will stick with me, but I enjoyed the read. Many thanks to…

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100 Great French Books: From the Middle Ages to the Present by Lance Donaldson-Evans

French Literature 1 Comment

Synopsis: A catalog of Gallic must-reads from Le Chanson de Roland through The Possibility of an Island by Michel Houellebecq. Review: 100 Great French Books: From the Middle Ages to the Present is such a fine addition to my permanent library. I love lists, especially ones recommending books to me! I will definitely be working my way through this one. I am no expert on French literature, but author and U. Penn professor Lance Donaldson-Evans was knighted in France for his contributions to spreading French…

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The Desert Spear by Peter V. Brett

American Literature 3 Comments

Synopsis: The next book in the series begun with The Warded Man, set in a world where humanity is besieged by night by demons and await the promised Deliverer, who may be one of two blood brothers, one who shuns the name and the other who embraces it. Review: I freaked on Peter V. Brett‘s The Warded Man when I read it earlier this year and had the usual worries about whether or not the series would continue in the same exciting vein, or fail…

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Wizard of the Pigeons by Megan Lindholm

American Literature 1 Comment

Synopsis: A real, live wizard cloaks his magic in the trappings of homelessness on the streets of modern-day Seattle, as a dark evil stalks him and threatens to destroy him. Review: Wizard of the Pigeons really needs to come back into print. It’s a wonderful character study filled with subtlety, ambiguity, and plain old-fashioned good storytelling. Wizard lives on the streets, but his homelessness is just a disguise for his powerful magic. He is able to Know the truth about people and tell them the…

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Arcadia Falls by Carol Goodman

American Literature

Synopsis: Hired to teach at a secluded, artsy boarding school, a young widow discovers that mystery and murder roil below the bucolic surface. Review: I wanted to adore Arcadia Falls, but I only got about 80% there. I loved the atmosphere that Carol Goodman created for Arcadia, the creepy boarding school in the middle of the woods in upstate New York. The backstory was most excellent, starting with a 1920s artists’ colony founded by two lesbians, one deeply conflicted and not entirely committed to Team…

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