My plan was to start 2014 off with a nice, important classic: namely, Walden by Thoreau. But then, What I Did for a Duke (2011) by Julie Anne Long became available at my library. Probably no one will be surprised when they hear that I am finished with What I Did for a Duke and only about ten percent done with Walden. Anyway, I’m very pleased to say that Mrs. Julien and I now have one romance novel that we both really like! I keep […]
A dismal view of marriage
This debut novel is a complex read, which looks at three deeply screwed-up marriages largely from the uncomprehending standpoint of the husbands, two of whom are detectives investigating the possible murder of his spouse by the third husband. Adding a little spice to it all is the fact that one of the detectives is the former Dr. Sam Sheppard, the (in)famous real-life doctor who spent a decade in jail for the bludgeoning to death of his own pregnant wife, who was then released following a […]
Farandola? I barely know ya!
You know how you have a book from your childhood that you cherish that made a real impact on you and you decide to finally read the sequel as an adult and you’re left disappointed? It’s kind of like that.
Jesus: The Lost Years
Since my mother has been recommending Fool by Christopher Moore to me for years (which I still haven’t read – sorry, Mom), I picked up Lamb for some light holiday reading. Levi who is called Biff has been resurrected by the angel Raziel two thousand years after his death to write the next Gospel of Jesus’ life. Biff first meets Joshua (the original translation of Jesus’ name) when they are six years old living in Nazareth and sticks with him throughout the rest of their […]
bonnie’s #CBR6 Review #2: Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
When Katniss Everdeen tried to prove that she was no mere pawn in the Capitol’s power-play, she inadvertently set off a series of uprisings that had been roiling in all the districts for years. She proved to be the spark. In Catching Fire, we find Katniss still reeling from the aftermath of her co-victory of the Hunger Games. She has residual nightmares of her friend Rue, the other tributes, and the many horrors she experienced in the arena. Not helping is the Victory Tour, in […]
Jen K’s Review #2: Bellman and Black
I’m pretty sure that my reaction upon completing a book isn’t supposed to be “so what was the point/ what the fuck did I just read?” I don’t think every book needs to have a deeper message (which this one kind of did, but it was a bit cliche, hence the “what’s the point”) or even a super exciting plot as long as I feel entertained. Unfortunately, the novel ran out of steam for me about halfway through, which is really unfortunate because I loved […]