Tag Archives: Recipe

The Ploughmen by Kim Zupan

As I sit here, it just so happens – conveniently – that a raging thunderstorm is passing over the city. If there is any review that deserves to be written while surrounded by dark and gloomy weather, it is The Ploughmen by Kim Zupan. The novel opens with one of the darkest scenes I’ve read in recentContinue reading “The Ploughmen by Kim Zupan”

Cry Father by Benjamin Whitmer

Every once in a while you read a book that you absolutely love – seriously, it may be the best thing I’ve read all year – and have no one to recommend it to. Cry Father is not a book for everybody. It’s not even for most people. I’m honestly not sure who it is for. BecauseContinue reading “Cry Father by Benjamin Whitmer”

The Supernatural Enhancements by Edgar Cantero

I wouldn’t say that I have a lot of special skills in life, but one of the things I am really good at is procrastinating. Give me a deadline and I will find you ten reasons I cannot possibly do said thing by set time, including, but not limited to, things like rewatching seasons 1-4Continue reading “The Supernatural Enhancements by Edgar Cantero”

Autobiography of a Corpse by Sigizmund Krzhizhanovsky

I recently finished reading Autobiography of a Corpse by Sigizmund Krzhizhanovsky. My opinion can be summed up quite nicely by a quote from this unusual short story collection: This may have been a pseudo-hallucination, I don’t know: It’s all the same to me. I’m tempted to stop with that quote. It really is a suitableContinue reading “Autobiography of a Corpse by Sigizmund Krzhizhanovsky”

The Colorado Kid by Stephen King

I’d been thinking about reading ‘The Colorado Kid’ by Stephen King for a long time, mostly because Haven is loosely based on this novella. Here’s your moment to ask “What’s been stopping you?” To answer your question, it was the plethora of negative reviews the book has received. Despite my ardor for all things StephenContinue reading “The Colorado Kid by Stephen King”

Storm Front by John Sandford (Or The Top Ten Reasons To Read John Sandford)

I intended to start out this post by disparaging series, as I generally don’t enjoy them. Often it seems like authors continue them long past their intended expiration date for monetary gain. This irks me. I included often in the previous sentence so as not to offend anybody. Some readers really do get attached toContinue reading “Storm Front by John Sandford (Or The Top Ten Reasons To Read John Sandford)”

What Changed You? The Sound of Things Falling by Juan Gabriel Vásquez

Sometimes there is a moment or event, beyond your control, that changes your life. I specify beyond your control because there are several events that will change your life that you can choose – marriage, family, career – but there are many you can’t – abandonment, violence, death. This post focuses on the latter*. SoContinue reading “What Changed You? The Sound of Things Falling by Juan Gabriel Vásquez”

Save Yourself by Kelly Braffet

Are you interested in getting me to read a particular book? Tell me it has the scruffy appeal of Donald Ray Pollock (my most favorite among favorite authors) and the addictiveness of Breaking Bad. I’ll read it. When I read that Kelly Braffet’s latest novel, ‘Save Yourself’, had both of those attributes – consider meContinue reading “Save Yourself by Kelly Braffet”

Freud’s Mistress by Karen Mack and Jennifer Kaufman

I am a dreamer. No, not the kind that fantasizes about becoming rich and famous or finally attaining my dream job (although if that one librarian at the U. S. Geological Survey library would give up her job, I would be most pleased). I dream, frequently and vividly (and sometimes lucidly), almost every night. IContinue reading “Freud’s Mistress by Karen Mack and Jennifer Kaufman”