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
Now this is a new book to get excited about! I knew I wanted this as soon as I heard about it – check back on June 29th for my review as part of the FaceOff blog tour! Edited by #1 New York Times bestselling author David Baldacci and including stories by Michael Connelly, Lee Child, Jeffery Deaver, and more, this one-of-a-kind… Read more
Apparently, L M Montgomery has seen me in a bookstore… “I am simply a ‘book drunkard.’ Books have the same irresistible temptation for me that liquor has for its devotee. I cannot withstand them.” – L.M. Montgomery, Canadian author of Anne of Green Gables Read more
In Bellman & Black by Diane Setterfield, we start with a group of boys, playing in the woods. One boy, William Bellman, kills a rook with his slingshot. Even as a child, he recognizes the moment as significant, but he can have no idea then how this single childhood moment will influence his life. The Bellman family is a prosperous… Read more
I absolutely love this! Perfect pop-culture mash-up: I don't know why I wasn't invited, I'm great at weddings… @KimKardashian @kanyewest — George RR Martin (@GeorgeRRMartin_) May 25, 2014 Read more
“We don’t need a list of rights and wrongs, tables of dos and don’ts: we need books, time, and silence. Thou shalt not is soon forgotten, but Once upon a time lasts forever.” – Philip Pullman, British author Read more
This is one of those review copies that you get really excited about. I’m somewhat familiar with the custom at the heart of the story, and I am really looking forward to reading it – The Pearl that Broke Its Shell by Nadia Hashimi: Afghan-American Nadia Hashimi’s literary debut novel is a searing tale of powerlessness, fate, and the freedom to… Read more