Synopsis: Upper East Side bond trader mows down Bronx “honor student” and New York City freaks out. Review: Oh, how I love Bonfire of the Vanities! I have read it several times, most memorably rereading it in the first month after I moved to New York City, way back in 1995. I don’t know that I could ever tire of reading it, because I’m always astonished by how deep Wolfe takes you into every single little nuance of the story. And it’s funny how the…
Synopsis: As Dag hones and refines his groundsetting skills, his farmer wife Fawn aches for a home of her own, and when they are forced to travel across malice-infested territories, their marriage is tested and their lives in jeopardy. Review: While I completely admire and love Bujold’s worldbuilding, character skills, and prose stylings, I was underwhelmed by the conclusion of this series. Possession has a ruminative tone that was disappointing after the epic promise of the first books, and I felt like the malice threat…
Synopsis: Having awakened new, untold powers, Lakewalker Dag and his farmer wife Fawn embark down a river journey that will bring them into contact with dangers both human and not. Review: So far, Passage has been the least successful of the books in this series. While I enjoyed the texture and the details, I did feel like I was just treading water until the big conclusion. I do continue to be impressed by Bujold’s command of dialogue and characterization, and I like where the story…
Synopsis: Now in the hands of rebel forces, Katniss Everdeen becomes the symbol for the battle against the Capitol, even as the human toll of her actions in the arena and out begins to break her sanity. Review: First reads of final books are always tough to evaluate, because desperation to have story questions answered (Team Gale/Team Peeta) make it hard to slow down and enjoy the ride. Mockingjay is much more action-y than the previous two books, and the pacing is fast fast fast.…
Synopsis: Wedded against custom, magical Lakewalker Dag and his farmer bride Fawn return to Dag’s family home, where they face rejection and ostracism, but when Dag is called out on patrol to battle the most fearsome malice he’s ever seen, they learn that their bond is more than just one of love and may change the world they know. Review: If Legacy weren’t such a strong book I totally would’ve put it down the second my copy of Mockingjay showed up, but Lois McMaster Bujold…
Synopsis: After her husband leaves her for another man, a model with three teenage boys moves back home to Texas where she runs across the champion bullrider she loved as a teen. Review: I’ve previously enjoyed Jane Porter’s books as being a cut above the usual chick lit/romance genre entrants, but She’s Gone Country didn’t rise to the occasion. While Porter gave Shey a juicy family situation–dead schizophrenic brother, depressed son, gay ex-husband–she never really came to life on the page for me. I think…
Synopsis: A farm girl inadvertently helps a fierce Lakewalker defeat an evil malice, and irrevocably ties her destiny to his. Review: Beguilement is the first installment of a four-book series about Lakewalkers, who are gifted with a kind of magical second sight that allows them to fight evil creatures that steal the life forces of people and animals. Fawn is a farm girl who dreams of a better life, but circumstances have trapped her. When she meets Dag, a Clint Eastwood-esque Lakewalker, she ends up…
Synopsis: A murder mystery set in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, featuring a veiled police officer, an American woman whose husband has gone missing, and the secret history of the Koran. Review: Not impressed by City of Veils, which aims to be a Da Vinci Code for Islam. Conspiracies, coincidences, and religious stereotyping combined with a lackluster plot just didn’t work for me at all. Many thanks to Little, Brown for the review copy.
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…
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.