book reviews
Reviews of books by relationship gurus, dating experts, and cautionary tale-tellers.
Book Review: Short-Circuited in Charlotte by Amy Patricia Meade
I was given a free e-copy of this novel by NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion. The next installment in Amy Patricia Meade’s Vermont series takes classic mystery high-tech! When US Forest Ranger, Nick Buckley, is invited to the Creator’s Cavalcade to present his employer’s environmental initiatives, his wife, Stella, sees the science and technology driven event – which takes place on the grounds of a luxurious nineteenth century estate – as a holiday from the drudgeries of new homeownership and small-town life. However, when the Cavalcade’s Founder and Director, Philip Morehouse, is found dead in his bed of an apparent heart attack and the inventor of geodesic yurt housing is discovered bludgeoned to death, it quickly becomes apparent that this will be a working weekend for both Buckleys. With a cast of characters that includes a Steampunk designer, a robotics engineer, an Italian fiber optic artist, a recycled materials percussionist, a glass-blowing anatomist, and a French chef who is a master of molecular gastronomy, it’s clear that everyone at the Cavalcade possessed both the brains and technological know-how to make Morehouse’s death seem accidental. But did they? Was Morehouse’s death due to an ongoing heart issue or something far more sinister? And how could his death be linked to the brutal bludgeoning of a man who sought to use his creation to shelter the homeless? Only by embracing her inner “geek” can Stella solve the mystery behind both men’s unfortunate demises. But can she do so before the killer strikes again? And, more importantly, can she do so before the Cavalcade’s all-vegan menu drives burger-loving Nick to drastic measures? (Goodreads synopsis)
By Caitlin Gonya4 years ago in Humans
In Case You Were Wondering...The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon
If you think this book has an interesting title, it's because it's quite an interesting book. I recommended this book when you are in a reading slump because not only is The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time a pretty quick read, but it switches up the format you are used to when picking up a novel (even by looking at how the chapters are numbered you will understand what I mean). It is so engaging that I devoured the 274 pages in just one sitting. If you are trying to get back into reading, I would highly recommend this be a first pick to help you do so.
By Marci Wilson4 years ago in Humans
Why Alexander Proud says London isn’t what it used to be
Imagine being 21 again “When I left University and went looking for excitement, culture, nightlife and beautiful young things, I chose London.” Alexander Proud says that back then he couldn’t imagine living anywhere else.
By Alexander Proud4 years ago in Humans
Mr. Know-It-All
Who is John Waters? The Prince of Puke? The Sultan of Sleaze? The Pope of Trash? I thought I knew the answer to that first question long before I read anything that he put between the covers of a hardback book. And yet, here I am, looking at a copy of “Mr. Know-It-All: The Tarnished Wisdom of a Filth Elder”, still baffled by the man and his work.
By Kendall Defoe 4 years ago in Humans
Murderbots And Humans
'The Secret Axe' was the title of the first story I ever wrote as a child. I was obsessed with all things secret as a kid. Secret series by Enid Blyton - Secret Island, Secret Seven - was my favourite growing up. What got me into reading was Alibaba and the forty thieves. I was in first or second grade, and my dad was reading that story to me. One night he was busy and could not read to me, but I could not wait, so I took the book and pieced enough words together to understand the story. And since then, there has been no stopping me. I read on the dining table. I read on the couch. I read on the bus. I was afraid to sleep in a room by myself, but I became fearless when I had a book to finish (because it meant I could read even after bedtime). Books have been my true friends throughout my life - summer holidays, when I was alone in the US, tough times during my MBA. Even now, I feel at home when I walk into a library because everybody there shares the love of books.
By Anu Sundaram4 years ago in Humans
The Stranger in the Mirror is the memoir of the legendary producer-director, Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra.
The Stranger in the Mirror is the memoir of the legendary producer-director, Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra. Co-written by noted marketer-author, Reeta Ramamurthy Gupta, this book chronicles the richly experiential, multi-faceted life of one of India’s most celebrated and feted directors who has made critically acclaimed films like Rang De Basanti, Delhi-6 and Bhaag Milkha Bhaag.
By Rachel Mukherjee4 years ago in Humans
What I'm Reading: September
I have always been a voracious reader. Some of my favorite memories involve being read to and my mom taking me to the public library where I could get any book I wanted. I have continued being a book lover as an adult although I incorporate more audiobook versions now to multitask.
By Jessica Bugg4 years ago in Humans
The Vanishing Half By Brit Bennett
(If you have not read this book, spoilers lie ahead.) These days I rarely find a book that I don’t love. Maybe it is from taking such a long gap from reading that my mind is just hungry for different stories. Over time, after reading so many stories, it becomes easier and easier to guess what might happen next because we have already read and seen so many different variations of the same story. This story was different. “The Vanishing Half” by Brit Bennett was constructed in such a way to give no clear view of who was the main character. At first, I thought it was going to be Desiree the older twin as she embarks on a quest to find her missing sister, towing her child, battling racism, and evading an abusive husband. Sounds like quite the quest, doesn’t it? However, we have likely already read many stories like this and so has the author, which is maybe why we didn’t follow Desiree on such a quest. At first, I was disappointed because I so much wanted those intense moments of her closing in on Stella, and those terrifying moments of her almost being caught herself by Sam, the husband. However, Desiree’s story is nothing like that. She was supposed to be the wild twin, the one who would never come back to Mallard. Instead, that’s exactly what she did. Mallard is where her story seemed to end, as she got stuck in the same poverty cycle of her upbringing. There is a certain beauty and painfulness behind that as well because she is a story like so many of us. All of us have dreams and hopes that we wish to fulfill. She took her shot and although she couldn’t see it through, she still tired. Which is the same story for many, so we all can relate a little bit to that.
By Jessica Kohlgraf4 years ago in Humans
The Hundredth Time Around
So I read this wonderful romance novel that I wanted to review and share with you. I usually read fantasy and general fiction but sometimes I come across a love story that, in my opinion, is even better than Cinderella. I want to warn you ahead of time that there is a twist at the end of the book but this review does not have any big spoilers. So please enjoy and maybe read the book as well after reading this article.
By Tangerinehippiestudios4 years ago in Humans
In Case You Were Wondering... Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel
Hello everyone! I have been so excited to share this story with you all, because I think it is absolutely amazing. Station Eleven tells the story of society both before and after a huge pandemic that ends up wiping out most of the earth’s population. Now, in this particular era of the world, I did not think that I would like reading about a pandemic. Usually reading is a way to escape current events, not read more about what is causing so much conflict in the world right now. But this book was very different. It did not dwell on the era when society was collapsing, nor did it focus too much on what the sick people were experiencing as they died from that highly contagious disease. Instead, Emily St. John Mandel told a single story involving many different characters and how their lives were changed- or how they ended. It was riveting from beginning to end, and it baffled me how easily Mandel created these very full and three-dimensional characters while managing to have them all be connected by one person who didn’t even live to see the pandemic happen. I’m not going to give out any details regarding this; I believe the reader deserves to find out what I mean first hand.
By Marci Wilson4 years ago in Humans
The Absolutely True Diary of a Part Time Indian
This book has been on my reading list for a long time; actually, this book was the topic of discussion in my young adult literature class during college, but I never got around to reading it (despite the rave reviews by some of my classmates and my professor). As I was looking at the book list for my graduate course starting in a few weeks, this title appeared again, and I realized that it was finally time to sit down and read this book.
By Kurt Mason4 years ago in Humans
