This week’s Top Ten topic, hosted by The Broke and the Bookish, is the best books I’ve read so far this year. We’re at the halfway point, and it’s been an excellent reading year (which is good because last year was a little blah). I couldn’t decide between the last few books so I added … Continue reading
As we hit the year’s halfway point, I looked at my progress on blog resolutions and challenges. Last year I was really overwhelmed, and this year, with no grad school, I’ve been able to put the blog first. That makes me happy. But have I accomplished what I hoped? As a blogger, I tend to … Continue reading
The world feels very wrong right now. Between shootings, terrorism, and the horrible people that are governing our country with seemingly no ethics or empathy whatsoever. I’ve been trying to write a review of this book for a while, and it’s especially relevant right now with this week’s acquittal of Philando Castile. On top of … Continue reading
To Say Nothing of the Dog by Connie Willis I’ve been wanting to read something by Connie Willis for a while now. In April I went to an exhibit of the Science Fiction Hall of Fame in Seattle at the Museum of Pop Culture, and Willis was one of the female authors featured. To Say … Continue reading
A Raisin in the Sun is a play by Lorraine Hansberry that debuted on Broadway in 1959. The New York Drama Critics’ Circle named it the best play of 1959. I read this powerful work for the Classics Book a Month challenge. It’s the story of the Younger family, an African-American family living in … Continue reading
Last month I read two fantastic books that were the authors’ debut novels (The Hate U Give and The Leavers). That got me thinking about other great first novels I’ve read, which got me to thinking: why are so many authors’ first novels their best ones? I think it’s because there’s a raw, emotional quality … Continue reading
I read this book for the Read Around the World challenge, where a specific country is selected for each month. May’s selection was Colombia. Vasquez is a noted author in Colombia, having won numerous awards, primarily for this novel and for The Informants. He studied law in Bogotá, Colombia and studied literature in Paris at … Continue reading
746 Books is once again hosting Twenty Books of Summer, which is a good way to think about and organize my summer reading. I hope I’ll be able to cover more than 20 books by September 3, but it’s always hard to stick to a list when you hear about new and exciting books. My … Continue reading
May was an eventful month, beginning with a DC blogger happy hour, Zezee with Books, and Grace from Books without Any Pictures. It was awesome to meet them and I look forward to hearing more about their blogs — I’ve already thought of questions I want to follow up on. We met at local bookstore Kramerbooks, … Continue reading
This was a really interesting novel about a real-life serial killer in Scotland in the 1950’s. I say interesting because it wasn’t quite like anything else I’ve read. It’s not a mystery or a thriller, or a true crime novel. It’s a little closer to Truman Capote’s In Cold Blood, although I hesitate to compare … Continue reading
Both of these books were on this year’s Bailey’s Prize for Women longlist, although neither made it to the shortlist (in addition to Hag-Seed). The winner of the Bailey’s Prize will be announced June 7. Though quite different, these two books had several things in common. Both are historical fiction, both have a main character who … Continue reading
Warm weather means outdoor reading, and if you’re looking to pick up some new science fiction or fantasy, these links will help. If you’re looking to diversify or change up your science fiction and fantasy reading, here are two links with recommendations. SFF Book Reviews has a two-part list of favorite diverse science fiction and … Continue reading
