Tag Archives: 21st Century

Ninepins by Rosy Thornton

British Literature 2 Comments

Synopsis: A single mother of a troubled pre-teen takes in a 17-year-old girl with a history of arson, and finds her image of herself as a mother challenged and strengthened. Review: I loved Rosy Thornton’s Tapesty of Love so I leapt at the chance to review Ninepins. Thornton is a gorgeous writer and in Ninepins she offers a compelling situation that reads like a thriller. Laura is an academic living in the fens outside of Cambridge. Her asthmatic daughter Beth is 12 and just starting…

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Mister D by Elizabeth Stevens and Daniela Frongia

American Literature

Synopsis: A picture book about a girl taking her karate test who must conquer the dreaded Mister D (for doubt). Review: We read a ton of kids’ books in this house–both my girls just adore being read to. I don’t blog about them because I just don’t have that kind of time in my life. So it was a treat to be offered the chance to review Mister D, a really empowering story about a girl who is scared she won’t succeed at her karate…

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The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin

American Literature

Synopsis: After a fatal accident claims her best friends and her boyfriend, Mara Dyer starts over and finds love in Miami, only to find herself haunted by PTSD and what may be the ghosts of her dead boyfriend. Review: I was drawn in by the supernatural aspect of The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer, but put off by the Twilightesqueness of the love story between Mara and Noah. The whole “he’s a bad boy with a bad reputation and a big vocabulary” thing really bothered me.…

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The Next Best Thing by Jennifer Weiner

American Literature

Synopsis: Given the shot at producing her very own TV series, a young woman scarred in a childhood accident tries to remain to true to herself while succeeding at the Hollywood game. Review: I haven’t actually read any of Jennifer Weiner’s other books but I had a good idea what I was getting into when I started The Next Best Thing. I have a soft spot for frothy chick lit with dishy Hollywood atmosphere, and because some of her books have been made into movies…

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Too Much Magic: Wishful Thinking, Technology, and the Fate of the Nation by James Howard Kunstler

American Literature

Synopsis: Kunstler’s latest jeremiad about how America is unprepared for what will happen when we run out of oil. Review: It took me forever to finish Too Much Magic because I get so anxious thinking about all of this stuff. I am definitely mindful that I want my girls to learn traditional skills like cooking, sewing, knitting, building, and the like because I just don’t know what kind of future they will inherit. I am definitely a little obsessed with Kunstler and I’m not sure…

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The Casting by Joyce Shor Johnson

American Literature 1 Comment

Synopsis: In 4th Century Ireland, Robyn yearns to become a bronze caster, but family pressures and outside forces threaten to keep her from achieving her dream. Review: The Casting was a well-written story with a strong female protagonist that will definitely appeal to middle grade readers. My inner 12-year-old kind of fell in love with her. I wished that the secondary characters had had just a little more depth to them, but I don’t think it’s anything that the target audience for this book would…

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Eat and Run: My Unlikely Journey to Ultramarathon Greatness by Scott Jurek and Steve Friedman

American Literature

Synopsis: The memoir of ultramarathon champion Scott Jurek, who recently set a record for running almost 168 miles in only 24 hours. Review: Ultramarathoners are crazy–running races that are 50, 100, 150 miles long, pushing themselves well past the point of insanity. And Scott Jurek is even crazier than most. In Eat and Run, Jurek describes how being a vegan (and mostly raw) has been his secret of success. With running tips and recipes interwoven with his racing history as a champion, the books readable…

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Mindset for Moms by Jamie C. Martin

American Literature

Synopsis: A collection of bite-sized ideas for moms to stay calm and care for their families and themselves. Review: I picked up Mindset for Moms because Jamie C. Martin is a contributor to Tsh Oxenreider‘s Simple Mom family of blogs. I’ve heard her on the Simple Mom podcast and I really like her ideas and philosophy of life. This book had some nice ideas that stayed pretty basic, and sometimes that’s just want you need to change your perspective. This is a book I’ll definitely…

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Eerie by Jordan Crouch and Blake Crouch

American Literature

Synopsis: A cop and his prostitute sister find themselves trapped a a malevolent force that won’t let them leave her brownstone. Review: Eerie scared the absolute crap out of me! At one point I was too scared to even get out of bed to use the bathroom. The claustrophobic atmosphere was a big part of the power of this story–I really felt trapped in that house right along with Paige and Grant. I can’t say I was fully satisfied by the outcome of the story,…

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The 19th Wife by David Ebershoff

American Literature 2 Comments

Synopsis: A present-day murder case in a fundamentalist Mormon enclave told alongside the story of Ann Eliza Young’s escape from Brigham Young’s polygamous harem. Review: I think the fact that I kept falling asleep while listening to The 19th Wife says it all–I was so primed to love this book, given my obsession with the FLDS, but I was just so disappointed with the execution. I finally gave up near the end when it devolved into a story-free lecture on stuff we’d already seen. I’m…

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