Tag Archives: 21st Century

Love and Other Distractions edited by Christiana Miller

Synopsis: A collection of short stories on the theme of love written by an eclectic group of Hollywood screenwriters. Review: The short stories in Love and Other Distractions are as delightfully varied as I’ve ever seen in an anthology. A fundraiser for the charity Kids Need to Read, the collection shows how different writers can be one from another. Shelly Goldstein’s ‘The Vagina Dialogues’ takes a witty, refreshing look at the way women talk about love, while ‘Full Moon Fever’ by comedian Doug Molitor will…

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The Skies Belong To Us by Brendan I. Koerner

Subtitled: Love and Death in the Golden Age of Hijacking. Review: From 1968-1973, hijacking, once a largely anomalous and relatively peaceful act, grew into an epidemic of such proportions that weekly hijackings became the norm. In The Skies Belong to Us, Brendan I. Koerner traces the history of skyjacking from an act of rebellion rooted in the mystique of Cuba into a wildly successful and life-threatening act of piracy that was seemingly unstoppable due to the airlines collective intractability over the necessity of airport security…

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Lost Girls by Celina Grace

Synopsis: Maudie’s childhood friend disappeared without a trace when they were girls–but now Maudie is seeing her everywhere, but nobody else knows what she is talking about. Review: Lost Girls had a great sense of place and character, but was lacking in the plot department. I felt like it was missing at least 2-3 twists and the ending was the obvious one, unfortunately. If you like supporting up-and-coming authors and indie publishing, then this is definitely one to get because Celina Grace definitely will improve…

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Save Yourself by Kelly Braffet

Synopsis: When Patrick called the cops on his drunk-driving dad after a hit and run, he turned into one of the most hated people in the area, but he’s not prepared for the force of nature that is Layla, a wayward preacher’s daughter involved with a dangerous goth crowd, or the feelings he develops for his brother’s girlfriend, and either one could explode at any moment. Review: Save Yourself was a meaty thriller with fabulous characters and heart-clutching emotional suspense. The best thing about the…

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Not Without My Sister: The True Story of Three Girls Violated and Betrayed by Those They Trusted by Kristina Jones, Celeste Jones and Juliana Buhring

Synopsis: The story of three sisters who were born and raised in the Children of God cult and how they escaped. Review: Not Without My Sister was rough reading, not just because the subject matter was so grim but because it was kind of sloppily written. The three sisters’ stories were all written with the same voice (probably that of a ghost writer) and I just couldn’t tell them apart enough to become invested in the drama of their escape.

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The People Who Eat Darkness by Richard Parry

Synopsis: Subtitled: The True Story of a Young Woman [Lucie Blackman] Who Vanished from the Streets of Tokyo–and the Evil That Swallowed Her Up. Review: I have no idea what the title of The People Who Eat Darkness means, but that was the only thing I found unsatisfying about this riveting true crime read. Lucie Blackman was a British girl who went to Tokyo to pay off her debts working as a hostess, a paid entertainer to Japanese salarymen. She was not a prostitute or…

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The Shuddering by Ania Ahlborn

Synopsis: Snowbound in a remote cottage filled with memories, a sister, her brother, her best friendm her ex, and her ex’s new girlfriend realize that something out there wants to eat them. Review: Ania Ahlborn’s The Neighbors was more quirky than horrific, but The Shuddering is straight-up terrifying and I loved every nail-biting moment. I did enjoy trying to guess who would be left for the endgame, given that there was a really great love triangle at play, and the monsters were genuinely frightening. Loved…

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The Bling Ring by Nancy Jo Sales

Synopsis: Subtitled: “How a Gang of Fame-Obsessed Teens Ripped Off Hollywood and Shocked the World.” Review: I was really glad I only paid $2.99 for The Bling Ring during a special Kindle promotion, because it didn’t give me much more than I already knew from reading about the spoiled Valley kids who robbed a bunch of celebrities’ homes, including those belonging to Lindsay Lohan, Paris Hilton, and Orlando Bloom. Not that I was expecting anything particularly hard-hitting, but I felt like this was just an…

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The Soldier Son Trilogy by Robin Hobb

Synopsis: A military cadet with a gleaming future is captured by magic and turned into a traitor against his own people. Review: I’ve already read the three books that comprise Soldier Son, but when I saw a Kindle deal for the trilogy all in one I decided it was time for a reread. Shaman’s Crossing comes first, then Forest Mage, and Renegade’s Magic completes the series. I love Robin Hobb but I remember feeling like this series wasn’t one of her best. My reread elevated…

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Joyland by Stephen King

Synopsis: It’s the summer of 1973 and Devin Jones has just signed on to work at a beachside carnival–that may be haunted. Review: Joyland is Stephen King at his most elegiac and nostalgic, ordinarily my least favorite mode of his, but this book really got me. I loved the carnival setting, the lingo, watching Devin learn the ropes. Sure, he was a little bit Mary Sue but it mostly worked. I felt that the plot faltered in the second half but I wasn’t expecting anything…

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