Category Archives: Reviews

Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret by Judy Blume

Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret by Judy Blume is what I consider a necessary classic. The kind of insecurities and neuroses that only come in the middle school years need a literary counterpoint and Blume’s novel is it. Girls need to know they are normal*. As an adult reading Margaret, I need toContinue reading “Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret by Judy Blume”

Paradise Sky by Joe R. Lansdale

Despite his life being glamorized throughout dime novels, Deadwood Dick needs to set the record straight—including how he got his name, how he saved Wild Bill Hickok, and how his life changed by looking up at exactly the wrong time. Deadwood Dick – also known as Willie Jackson – was born in East Texas andContinue reading “Paradise Sky by Joe R. Lansdale”

We All Looked Up by Tommy Wallach

A little math for you on this fine evening… The Breakfast Club  + Melancholia = We All Looked Up Quite the combination, but well worth the read. This young adult novel tells the story of four very different teenagers trying to make the best of the few weeks they have left (before the world ends).Continue reading “We All Looked Up by Tommy Wallach”

Mini-Reviews (in 140 characters or less)

Sometimes life gets in the way of blogging, no? Or reading gets in the way of reviewing? Because lately I’ve been far more inclined to read a book than write about it… Here’s a round-up of what I’ve read recently, but haven’t written about. Twitterary style. Yes, I made that up, but I like theContinue reading “Mini-Reviews (in 140 characters or less)”

A Perfectly Adequate Beach Guide For (Almost) Every Reader.

Picking a book (or three) for the beach can be tough. Do you go classic? Contemporary? Literary? Sci-fi? Here’s a guide to help you. For those looking for the quintessential beach read: A Hundred Summers // Beatriz Williams (review) For those who want something set in the rural south/Gulf of Mexico region: Salvage the BonesContinue reading “A Perfectly Adequate Beach Guide For (Almost) Every Reader.”

Zazen by Vanessa Vaselka. A short review, an even shorter apology, and a literary secret santa.

I think for the vast majority of the book blogging community, this hobby is not a paid one. It certainly isn’t for me. I wish it was. Of course, I did become a librarian so that I’d be paid to read*! However, book blogging is frequently rewarding. Yes, there are free books involved (and the stressContinue reading “Zazen by Vanessa Vaselka. A short review, an even shorter apology, and a literary secret santa.”

So You’re Thinking About Reading Short Stories? Consider Starting Here…

Short stories are sort of the underdogs of the literary world. I say sort of because I think poetry is the true underdog. Personally, I love short fiction. It fits well with my ability to concentrate and my time for reading as of late (not long and not much, respectively). And because of my bookContinue reading “So You’re Thinking About Reading Short Stories? Consider Starting Here…”

Beneath the Bonfire by Nickolas Butler

I’ve been lucky enough to visit most of the United States (or unlucky, in a few cases), which is lovely because we live in a country with an incredible variety of landscapes and cultural influences. While I am personally from northern New England – I swear I didn’t learn how to hug someone until IContinue reading “Beneath the Bonfire by Nickolas Butler”