Review: The Half-Brother

Title: The Half-Brother Author: Holly LeCraw Publisher: Doubleday Canada, a division of Random House Canada Publication Date:  February 17, 2015 ISBN: 9780385531955 Synopsis from Goodreads: When Charlie Garrett arrives as a young teacher at the shabby-yet-genteel Abbott School, he finds a world steeped in privilege and tradition. Fresh out of college and barely older than theContinue reading “Review: The Half-Brother”

Review: A Spool of Blue Thread

Title: A Spool of Blue Thread Author: Anne Tyler Publisher: Bond Street Books Publication Date: Feb. 10, 2015 ISBN: 9780385683425 Synopsis from Goodreads:   “It was a beautiful, breezy, yellow-and-green afternoon.” This is the way Abby Whitshank always begins the story of how she fell in love with Red that day in July 1959. The whole family–theirContinue reading “Review: A Spool of Blue Thread”

Funky Cover Friday

I recently reviewed The House I Grew Up In by Lisa Jewell (read review here) and I adore the cover. It’s a perfect representation of the fragility of life and of the balance between contentment and devastation.The egg is the perfect symbol for the Bird family. Death and anger (at oneself and others) threaten to overwhelmContinue reading “Funky Cover Friday”

Review: The House We Grew Up In by Lisa Jewell

Title: The House We Grew Up In Author: Lisa Jewell Publisher: Atria Books Publication Date: August 12, 2014 ISBN: 9781476702995  Synopsis from Goodreads: Meet the Bird family. They live in a honey-colored house in a picture-perfect Cotswolds village, with rambling, unkempt gardens stretching beyond. Pragmatic Meg, dreamy Beth, and tow-headed twins Rory and Rhys all attend theContinue reading “Review: The House We Grew Up In by Lisa Jewell”

Review: The Blessings by Elise Juska

 Title: The Blessings Author: Elise Juska Publisher: Grand Central Publishing Publication Date: May 6, 2014 ISBN: 9781455574032  Synopsis from Goodreads: When John Blessing dies and leaves behind two small children, the loss reverberates across his extended family for years to come. His young widow, Lauren, finds solace in her large clan of in-laws, while his brother’sContinue reading “Review: The Blessings by Elise Juska”

Review: We Are the Goldens by Dana Reinhardt

Advanced copy provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Title: We Are the Goldens Author: Dana Reinhardt Publisher: Wendy Lamb Books Publication Date: May 27, 2014 ISBN: 9780385742573  Synopsis from Goodreads: Nell knows a secret about her perfect, beautiful sister Layla. If she tells, it could blow their world apart.When Nell and Layla wereContinue reading “Review: We Are the Goldens by Dana Reinhardt”

Review: Helen Oyeyemi’s Boy, Snow, Bird

Title: Boy, Snow, Bird Author: Helen Oyeyemi Publisher: Hamish Hamilton, imprint of Penguin Canada Books Inc. Date Published: 2014 ISBN: 978-0-14-318743-1 Released on Monday of this week, Boy, Snow, Bird, a postmodern retelling of the classic Snow White, features Boy Novak who we meet as a fifteen-year-old who is subject to the violence of anContinue reading “Review: Helen Oyeyemi’s Boy, Snow, Bird”

Review: “American Dervish” by Ayad Akhtar

  Title: “American Dervish” Written by: Ayad Akhtar Publisher: Little, Brown and Company Publication Date: 2012 ISBN: 978-0-316-18331-4 I’ve been flirting with the idea of purchasing this book for two years now. Seeing it on sale, I finally made the commitment and I don’t regret doing so. Akhtar’s “American Dervish,” told by the narrator, HayatContinue reading “Review: “American Dervish” by Ayad Akhtar”

“The Box” by Gunter Grass

“The Box: Tales from the Darkroom” Gunter Grass Date of publication: 2010 ISBN: 978-0-547-24503-4 Said to be a fictionalized memoir, Gunter Grass’ “The Box” was certainly unlike anything I’ve read before (at least recently). I picked up this novel on a whim from the “last copies in store” shelf at the local bookstore. The paleContinue reading ““The Box” by Gunter Grass”