I have a special love for short stories. When they are well done, they have as much impact as a novel, but in a fraction of the time. Flings: Stories by Justin Taylor: The acclaimed author of Everything Here Is the Best Thing Ever and The Gospel of Anarchy makes his hardcover debut with a piercing collection of short fiction that illuminates our struggle… Read more
Wilde Passions of Dorian Gray by Mitzi Szereto is purported to follow the adventures of an iconic character, but I think this novel suffered from a bit of misrepresentation. It was presented as a follow-up to The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde, so cleverly alluded to in the title, and that’s a workable idea for a novel. I would be… Read more
Is anyone else excited about the Walking Dead marathon coming up July 4th weekend? Hopefully, you’ve got better things to do than hang around inside, watching tv, but if the weather is lousy it wouldn’t be a bad way to spend the weekend. Maybe instead I’ll spend it reading… We’re All Infected: Essays on AMC’s the Walking Dead and the Fate… Read more
Now, this is a book that had me hooked from the very first pitch! Ever wonder who would win in a fight if the most popular thriller characters were paired against their most worthy opponents? Would you bet on Lee Child’s Jack Reacher or Joseph Finder’s Nick Heller, or even Dennis Lehane’s Patrick Kenzie over Michael Connelly’s Harry Bosch? Oh yeah! If you love your detectives… Read more
Isn’t this the truth? I don’t think I will ever have enough books. “The odd thing about people who had many books was how they always wanted more.” – Patricia McKillip, American fantasy/sci-fi author Read more
I was thrilled to receive a copy of The Abduction by Jonathan Holt, the second book in the Carnivia trilogy. It wasn’t long ago that I reviewed The Abomination, which I thought was a terrific mystery, so I was eager to see where the story went next. The Abduction focuses again on the unlikely trio of detectives: Venetian police captain Kat Tapo,… Read more
Ever start a book – even a book you were really interested in – and find that you just can’t get into it? I really tried to get into The Wonder Bread Summer by Jessica Anya Blau, but I gave up about 30 pages in. That’s really early, even for me. We start off with Allie, working her job at the… Read more
This new addition to The Shelves is another of those single topic books – remember Salt? – about the history and influence of one specific thing. In this case, it’s a pretty big thing! Island: How Islands Transform the World by J. Edward Chamberlin: Island tells the groundbreaking story of humans and islands throughout history, and illuminates the ways in… Read more
Now, I’m not sure that I remember requesting this one, but I think everyone could use a little happiness in their lives: A Private History of Happiness: Ninety-Nine Moments of Joy from Around the World offers a fresh look at happiness that belonged to particular days as they were lived by real people—across many centuries and from around the world—and… Read more
At the intersection of Blue Velvet and Basic Instinct lies The Neighbors. And that about covers it. What a fun (fluffy) summer read, for those of us who like a little blood and guts with our romance and thrills. There is absolutely nothing believable about this book, but I couldn’t stop turning the pages. Drew Morrison thinks he’s been saved by his old friend, Mickey.… Read more