by Sophie Hannah If you’ve followed this book blog since it’s early days, you know I adore Agatha Christie, both her books and her biography. She’s simply fantastic–an interesting, intelligent, and independent woman whose detective stories transport readers into delicious tales of mystery and whodunnit. (You can read my review of Richard Hack’s Christie biography […]
by Julie Falatko illustrated by Tim Miller “Snappsy the alligator wasn’t feeling like himself. His feet felt draggy. His skin felt baggy. His talk wouldn’t swish this way and that. And, worst of all, his big jaw wouldn’t SNAP.” Snappsy the Alligator (Did Not Ask to Be in This Book!) is a new picture book […]
by Lyndsay Faye “Of all my many murders, committed for love and for better reasons, the first was the most important…. so I hereby commence my account with the unembellished truth: Reader, I murdered him.” This is not your mother’s Jane Eyre. This is not the tale of a shy, forlorn youth who suffers the […]
by E. Lockhart “We are liars. We are beautiful and privileged. We are cracked and broken.” We Were Liars is a young adult novel written by E. Lockhart, the author of the Ruby Oliver series and The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks. Set in the present day on a private island near Martha’s Vineyard, the […]
by Jem Friar N.C. Naturopathic Consultant Jem Friar presents a small 124-page booklet with information about the health benefits of juicing and dozens of fruit and vegetable juice recipes. Friar begins with a series of brief chapters addressing why he believes juicing is an important part of a healthy lifestyle. He covers issues including why […]
People, we have some serious reading to get through! Below are 100 books that are being adapted to film. Some are already in theaters, some are forthcoming with set release dates, and others are still in the works. Any way you look at it, we have some work to do! Which books will you be […]
Since graduating, I have enjoyed much more free time to read and select books off of the shelves at random. This has been both rewarding and a mixed bag: I encountered new books and authors I loved and others I did not. One of the great freedoms that comes with reading for pleasure as opposed […]
by Kevin Henkes “Home was the same as when Martha had left it, but because she had changed, her world seemed slightly different, as though she were seeing everything in sharper focus.” I started reading this book completely at random. I wanted something short and I will admit that the silver “Newberry Honor Book” medallion […]
by Agatha Christie “Trains are relentless things, aren’t they, Monsieur Poirot? People are murdered and die, but they go on just the same. I am talking nonsense, but you know what I mean.” “Yes, yes, I know. Life is like a train, Mademoiselle. It goes on. And it is a good thing that […]
This week I’m excited to feature a three-part interview with my friend Karen Babine, author of Water and What We Know: Following the Roots of a Northern Life (University of Minnesota Press, 2015). Karen was born and raised in the lake country of Minnesota. She earned a B.A. from Concordia College, an M.F.A. from Eastern […]
by Mary Kelley Mary Kelley investigates the history of women writers and why she learned so little about their role in literature while seeking her bachelor’s degree. Private Woman, Public Stage discusses the literary careers of twelve female novelists against the cultural backdrop of nineteenth-century America: Mary Jane Holmes, Maria McIntosh, Mary Virginia Terhune, Maria […]
by Princesse Camcam If you’ve never enjoyed a wordless picture book before, Princesse Camcam’s gorgeous book for children is a wonderful place to start. The cut-paper illustrations in this French artist’s story are stunning and beautiful. Fox’s Garden is the story of an expectant fox looking for a warm place to give birth to her […]
by Kate Morton Genres: Historical Fiction, Mystery Publisher: Atria Length: 484 pages Published: October 9, 2012 Purchase Links: Amazon, Barnes & Noble My Goodreads Rating: 4 out of 5 stars Official Book Summary: “During a summer party at the family farm in the English countryside, sixteen-year-old Laurel Nicolson has escaped to her childhood tree house […]
Jactionary: September 2016
I would be entirely remiss if as a teacher, reader, and writer, I didn’t take a post to give a shout-out to the American Library Association’s Banned Books Week. During September 25th – October 1st, 2016 this annual event fights for and celebrates reading freedom. Someone once tried to make me feel bad about reading […]