Breed by Chase Novak
Synopsis: After seeking fertility treatments from a Slovenian doctor, a wealthy Manhattan couple gets in touch with their animal side, and their kids might be the ones to pay the ultimate price. Review:
Tag Archives: 21st Century
The Devil in Silver by Victor LaValle
Synopsis: Pepper’s not mentally ill, but he’s in a mental hospital nonetheless, and he wants to get out before his automatic bill payments drain his checking account–and before he’s stalked and destroyed by the devil who lives behind the silver door at the end of the hall. Review: I rarely cry when I read books. Like, I’m talking under ten times in my whole reading life. So when I tell you that the end of The Devil in Silver moved me to tears, you get…
The Sound and the Echoes by Dew Pellucid
Synopsis: All humans are “Sounds” with “Echoes” in the echo world, and when a Sound dies, the Echo must be killed, so when a boy discovers that his Echo is a prince, he quickly realizes that there is a target on his back. Review: The Sound and the Echoes is a middle-grade fantasy with an intriguing concept. For me, I felt like there were too many rules, but I think that’s because I’m a grown up not a kid. I’m curious to see what Amanda…
The Playdate by Louise Millar
Synopsis: A single mom decides to return to work, inciting a chain of events that puts her daughter in jeopardy. Review: The Playdate felt like a great follow up to Gone Girl. It’s not that they are so similar in terms of plot or genre. But they both built great suspense from intimate relationships, and had plenty of twists and turns. I also really loved the way the book dealt with the stresses faced by working moms in the creative sector. It’s so competitive and…
The Serpent’s Bite by Warren Adler
Synopsis: When troubled siblings head into the wilderness with their aging father, their hopes to secure their inheritance lead them to make unfathomable choices, even as their guide succumbs to alcoholism. Review: I really try to avoid posting negative reviews–when I don’t like a book, I just won’t finish reading it. But for some reason I kept reading The Serpent’s Bite even though I wasn’t really enjoying it, and since author Warren Adler has written a ton of books I think he can probably weather…
Misfortune Cookie by Michele Gorman
Synopsis: When Hannah moves to Hong Kong to be with her boyfriend, she’s frustrated, disappointed, and paranoid to find out that he’s spending more time with his hot boss in Ho Chi Minh City than with her–and she’s desperate to make sure she hasn’t made a mistake. Review: Misfortune Cookie is a sweet chick lit romance that kept my interest. I actually really felt for Hannah’s situation, even though I occasionally got frustrated with her for vocalizing her paranoia in such an obvious way. I…
The Stone Girl by Alyssa B. Sheinmel
Synopsis: A high school girl is overcome by anorexia. Review: I liked the writing in The Stone Girl, but I’m not sure it offered anything new to this particular subgenre of troubled teen lit. I was caught up in Sethie’s story, in her desire for a guy who we know isn’t a good one, and her descent into anorexia, but I’m a sucker for that kind of thing even if it’s not particularly original. Many thanks to Random House Children’s Books for the review copy.
Considering the Lilies by Harold Hanson
Synopsis: A reflection in words and photos of the wild lilies flowering in the Shenandoah Valley. Review: I loved this Considering the Lilies. It’s heartfelt and well-observed. I don’t live in this area of the US, so it’s not all that useful as a reference, but it’s a great inspiration for some Charlotte Mason-inspired nature study.
The St. Zita Society by Ruth Rendell
Synopsis: When the servants of the residents of a tony London neighborhood get together to try to improve their collective lot, they have no way of knowing that their cozy way of life is about to explode–thanks to the secrets they’re all protecting. Review: The St. Zita Society took some time for me to warm up to it, mainly because there was no one I felt like I could connect with. But Rendell is such a brilliant writer that she kept me interested, and when…
The Narcissism Epidemic: Living in the Age of Entitlement by Jean M. Twenge and W. Keith Campbell
Synopsis: A sociologic look at the increase of narcissism in American culture. Review: In The Narcissim Epidemic, as Dr. Jean Twenge’s previous book, the authors parsed similar data from psychological studies over the decades to see that overall Americans are scoring more highly on narcissistic traits than before. It’s a little sad to see that there’s empirical data to show that yes, we really are a nation of self-obsessed assholes. But I’m writing this while watching “So You Think You Can Dance” and the humility…