The Winners by Fredrik Backman
CBR14BINGO: Cold square (BINGO! Snake to Bodies) (Takes place in Sweden. Lots of ice talk.) When a book moves you like this one, the review is so hard to write. I’m afraid that I’m gonna end up with at least 250 words that amount to “GAH! This book!” I know this because that’s what I kept saying out loud as I read it. I had to put the book down and wipe my eyes when my tears made it too blurry to read. Many, many times. I […]
Clark and Division by Naomi Hirahara
In one word: Divided Cannonball Read Bingo: New I hadn’t heard of the October pick for my public library book club but as soon as my eyes peered upon the cover my expectations jumped up a notch because Mr. Sulu himself, George Takei, had good things to say about it. Known predominantly for his work on Star Trek, we also admire him in my house for his acclaimed graphic novel “They Called Us Enemy” which details his experiences as a prisoner in one of the […]
Pratical Magic by Alice Hoffman
In one word: Lasting Cannonball Read Bingo: Holiday This is at least my fourth time reading Practical Magic; at this point in my life, I consider both it and Alice Hoffman old friends. We may not talk a lot anymore, but we can always pick up right where we left off. Re-reading it is like taking a mini-holiday as it has become a cozy comfort read, and its magical elements make it perfect for a Halloween-y October book club selection, which is what got me […]
Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin
Probably unpopular, or at least in the minority, review ahead; I did not especially enjoy Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow. The narrative style made it a little hard to tell the difference between Said and Sam’s perspectives, and given that the novel switches back and forth, giving them more distinctive voices would have been nice. They also have really similar personalities in a lot of ways; both have traumas in their pasts which the other sort of knows about but doesn’t seem to want to […]
Siege and Storm (Shadow and Bone Trilogy #2) by Leigh Bardugo
In one word: Middling Cannonball Read Bingo: Monster In book two of the Shadow and Bone series, The Darkling (or, as we refer to him in my house The Darkling Duck) is maaaaad having been thwarted in his attempt to wield Alina’s power… for the time being. Alina and Mal are now on the run, hopeful that by tracking the second amplifier they might be able to give Alina the edge she needs to fight The Darkling (Duck) and be victorious. Full disclosure, the action […]
Circling the Sun by Paula McClain
CBR14BINGO: Hot square (BINGO! Cozy to Question) (Takes place in Africa, so a hot place. Sun in the title. Sun is hot, no?) Consulted my ridiculously hefty “to read” list in Goodreads until I found a title with something hot about it. Landed on his dazzling little number and was not disappointed. I have never read or seen Out of Africa which is something that I will need to remedy since I have now been introduced to some of the players in that world. Karen Blixen, the author of that […]
