ardaigle

I am a born and bred southerner and recent transplant to the Midwest. I read because I want to, because I NEED to, and because I'm possibly ignoring the frigid temperatures. Until spring, and then I may read outside. I also enjoy cooking, witty banter, and cheese. All the cheese.

ardaigle's Reviews:

Shoulder Shrug – Into the Water

Into the Water by Paula Hawkins

December 26, 2018 by ardaigle Leave a Comment

I greatly enjoyed Paula Hawkins’ debut novel, “Girl on the Train.” I read it as an audiobook and found it compelling and interesting from beginning to end. A twisty thriller with unreliable narrators and shifting truths that kept you on your toes. I was thus excited to embark on her second novel, “Into the Water” but did not have the same experience and won’t be recommending this one to others. A sleepy English town is rocked by the “suicide” by water of one of its citizens. Folks were still reeling from the suicide of a young girl in the drowning […]

12/26/2018 ardaigle's CBR10 Review No:47 |

Heckin’ Yes – The Power

The Power by Naomi Alderman

December 14, 2018 by ardaigle Leave a Comment

Post-apocalyptic fiction is my my favorite genre. I am also on a kick of reading rocking female authors. Also, I love Margaret Atwood, and she mentored Alderman and has mentioned this book as one to read. Soooo, post-apocalyptic fiction with Margaret Atwood’s seal of approval should be a slam dunk for my tastes, and oh, it certainly was. In Alderman’s world, “the power” is a muscle across the collarbone of young women that allows them to send out electric shocks to animal, vegetable, or mineral. And it is a power only wielded by women. I KNOW RIGHT?! Things get real, […]

12/14/2018 ardaigle's CBR10 Review No:46 |

Shoulder Shrug – The Destiny Thief: Essays on Writing, Writers, and Life

The Destiny Thief: Essays on Writing, Writers, and Life by Richard Russo

December 12, 2018 by ardaigle Leave a Comment

Richard Russo is one of my favorite authors, so when I saw this on the “HOT PICKS” shelf at my library I was intrigued. It was fun to get some insight into his life, inspiration and musings, but I won’t be recommending this as much as I recommend his fiction. I enjoyed the stories on writing and life, in particular where he shared the graduation speech he gave to the graduating class of 2004 of Colby College. As that is also my graduation year that essay allowed me a look back to that time in my life, and his “rules […]

12/12/2018 ardaigle's CBR10 Review No:45 |

Falling in Love with Love, Simon

Simon vs the Homosapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli

December 9, 2018 by ardaigle 1 Comment

I reached out to members of my lady tribe looking for an uplifting read after the awful heartbreak that was The Radium Girls and one of my friends recommended YA in general, and Becky Albertalli specifically. I don’t read a lot of YA though I have enjoyed my share of John Green and Rainbow Rowell, so I figured I was on the right track. My pal did not disappoint. This book was a warm smile and a fluffy embrace and just what I needed. Simon is a closeted teen in a suburb of Atlanta who, through Tumblr, makes an anonymous […]

12/9/2018 ardaigle's CBR10 Review No:44 |

Radium…the wonder drug. Oh wait, nope.

The Radium Girls: The Dark Story of America's Shining Women by Kate Moore

December 5, 2018 by ardaigle 3 Comments

This story is the very definition of the word fantastic. It is unbelievable. If you enjoyed (though, enjoyed is a strong work) Devil in the White City or Killers of the Flower Moon, buckle up and prepare to be horrified by more actual American history. In the 1898, we discovered radium. It was great! Just neat-o. It glowed, it was heralded as a wonder drug. WHAT. YES. And, the Radium Girls were the lucky women hired to work in factories that used radium-based paint to paint watch dials on watches. And while doing so, they were told to lip point, […]

12/5/2018 ardaigle's CBR10 Review No:43 |

Tana French – take my money.

The Witch Elm by Tana French

December 5, 2018 by ardaigle Leave a Comment

I have been recommending Tana French ad nauseum every time someone asks me for a book recommendation, ever since I discovered her delightful series in 2007. I have two left to read and I purposefully wait as looong as I can manage before reading one because they are so good and knowing I have one on the horizon makes me happy. That being said, imagine my delight as I’m perusing the “Hot Picks” aisle at my local library and see she has a new one out! And it is not part of the Dublin Murder Squad series, so I can […]

12/5/2018 ardaigle's CBR10 Review No:42 |

Crazy Good: lives up to the crazy hype

Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan

November 18, 2018 by ardaigle Leave a Comment

The hot picks shelf at my library is a thing to behold. Even when I am there just to attend book club, or to bring the kiddo and I “don’t need any books” this display on the way in and out always catches my eye. I of course had heard of the phenomenon (both film, and book) Crazy Rich Asians but hadn’t picked it up yet. However, yet another book club I am in has it on its list and I am a sucker for getting pretend-doesn’t-really-matter “credit” for reading a book, so it was at the forefront of my […]

11/18/2018 ardaigle's CBR10 Review No:41 |

Holmes: better left alone

The Beekeeper's Apprentice, or On the Segregation of the Queen by Laurie R. King

October 27, 2018 by ardaigle 1 Comment

The first pick for my library book club came in with a whimper. Overall, we (self included) didn’t really like this book. This was an interesting endeavor because King takes Sherlock’s Holmes out of retirement, and back into the fray, with the addition of the plucky Mary Russell, a whip smart teenager who befriends Holmes and keeps him on his toes. In addition to Holmes there is the familiar cast of characters: Mrs. Hudson, Watson, and Mycroft. Watson is more secondary as Russell serves to fill his place as the right hand of Holmes. I think what King did is […]

10/27/2018 ardaigle's CBR10 Review No:40 |

faintingviolet on A Fun, Fluffy, but Also Terrible ReadJake was your gifter :)
emmalita on If you find me mainlining a baguette in February, this is whyI’ll be looking forward to the updates. I’m sad that I can’t mainline a baguette right now.
Dome'Loki on Magically DelightfulI've picked this up a few times but would put it down within a few pages. Your review is making me think I just need...
Ellen Cicconi on Drop-kick That Magic Lamp into Mount DoomNice!! I’m glad you enjoyed this collection. I hope it gets some more love here on the Cannonball Read.
The Mama on You, Sir, Are No Colin FirthI bought this at the local Goodwill. I want my $1.16 back. The ONLY reason I finished it is because I knew I could come...