Cart
|
|
my account
|
wish list
|
help
|
800-878-7323
Hello, |
Login
MENU
Browse
New Arrivals
Bestsellers
Featured Preorders
Award Winners
Audio Books
See All Subjects
Used
Staff Picks
Staff Picks
Picks of the Month
Bookseller Displays
50 Books for 50 Years
25 Best 21st Century Sci-Fi & Fantasy
25 PNW Books to Read Before You Die
25 Books From the 21st Century
25 Memoirs to Read Before You Die
25 Global Books to Read Before You Die
25 Women to Read Before You Die
25 Books to Read Before You Die
Gifts
Gift Cards & eGift Cards
Powell's Souvenirs
Journals and Notebooks
socks
Games
Sell Books
Blog
Events
Find A Store
Don't Miss
Big Mood Sale
Teen Dream Sale
Portland Like a Pro Sale
Powell's Author Events
Oregon Battle of the Books
Audio Books
Get the Powell's newsletter
Visit Our Stores
Powell's Staff:
Five Book Friday: In Memoriam
(0 comment)
Every year, the booksellers at Powell’s submit their Top Fives: their five favorite books that were released in 2023. It’s a list that, when put together, shows just how varied and interesting the book tastes of Powell’s booksellers are. I highly recommend digging into the recommendations — we would never lead you astray — but today...
Read More
»
Brontez Purnell:
Powell’s Q&A: Brontez Purnell, author of ‘Ten Bridges I’ve Burnt’
(0 comment)
Rachael P.:
Starter Pack: Where to Begin with Ursula K. Le Guin
(0 comment)
{1}
##LOC[OK]##
{1}
##LOC[OK]##
##LOC[Cancel]##
{1}
##LOC[OK]##
##LOC[Cancel]##
Customer Comments
Chirpee has commented on (25) products
Right Ho Jeeves
by
P G Wodehouse
Chirpee
, February 20, 2008
there should be a rating higher than 5 for this, and all of the jeeves and wooster books. this book (like the others in the series) is so wonderful, chock full of characters you actually care about and storylines you want to see come out ok. you can rest safe in the knowledge that jeeves will save the day and that bertie will somehow avoid marriage to "the basset." these books are funny and i heartily recommend them to one and all.
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
(11 of 30 readers found this comment helpful)
report this comment
Lover Unbound BDB 05
by
J R Ward
Chirpee
, January 12, 2008
i didn't think this book was quite as strong as the other books in the series, and without giving away the ending, i thought it was a bit of a cop-out. however, it was an engaging and enjoyable read that i think builds on the other stories very well, and it left me excited to read the next one, as all of the black dagger brotherhood books have.
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
(11 of 15 readers found this comment helpful)
report this comment
Midnight Work
by
Kassandra Sims
Chirpee
, January 12, 2008
ugh...i couldn't even finish this one, and this is the type of book i normally call popcorn reads, and fly through in a day or so. the dialogue was horrible, the plot was boring, and the author is either really bad with pronouns or just bad in general. skip this one and pick up a laurell k. hamilton or j r ward instead.
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
(10 of 17 readers found this comment helpful)
report this comment
Harry Potter 07 & The Deathly Hallows
by
J.K. Rowling
Chirpee
, July 24, 2007
I don't think I have ever been as excited for a book to be released as I was for the final installment of the Harry Potter series. I pre-ordered my copy weeks in advance and stood in line on Friday night to claim my copy as early as possible. I had finished it by the following afternoon, and probably would have finished it sooner if it hadn't been so upsetting. There was a point in the book when I was so disappointed that I thought I would probably come out of it hating the entire book. After some reflection and conversation with a fellow fan, I feel better about it. I do think it ended pretty much the way it had to, things made sense, some of my theories were vindicated, and the thing that I had feared most going in to it had failed to happen. However, I feel that some of the tragedies in the book were done, not to add to the story, but for the flat-out sensationalism of doing them. An example of this is the first death in the book, which seemed to be merely a tool for getting rid of a character Rowling didn't know what to do with during Harry's travels. I think Rowling has shown this type of sensationalism before. In Order of the Phoenix, it had leaked that a major character was going to die, so Rowling made us think it was everyone else before she finally got around to Sirius. On the plus side, as with all the other books in the series, I was completely involved in what I was reading. I cried at least six times during the book, and for pretty much the last four or five chapters. She also kept the humor that I have loved in all of her books. And, I think she was true to all of the characters. Nothing happened that I thought was out of character or didn't comply with the world she had created in the first six books. All in all, the book was ok, fine, decent for a Harry Potter book, which is a long way of saying that it was wonderful, but just not quite as wonderful as I feel Rowling is capable of.
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
(19 of 34 readers found this comment helpful)
report this comment
Mistrals Kiss Meredith Gentry 05
by
Laurell K Hamilton
Chirpee
, June 09, 2007
After reading the other Merry Gentry books, I expected something slightly different from this one. I thought for sure Meredith would head to the Goblin Court to cement her alliance with the Goblin King, or to the Seelie Court to try to figure out what their King wanted with her. At first I was disappointed that she barely even left the Unseelie sithen, as well as with how brief the book seemed in comparison the the other books in this series, but the story, although brief, was full of interesting little twists and implications. As usual with Hamilton's books, I am eagerly awaiting the next one.
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
(14 of 24 readers found this comment helpful)
report this comment
Breakfast of Champions
by
Kurt Vonnegut
Chirpee
, May 24, 2007
What can you say about Vonnegut? This book is all the things I think of when I think of Vonnegut - witty, satirical, hysterical, brilliant, memorable, thought-provoking, and perfect. We are all lucky that he wrote and kept writing, and that we have the opportunity to enjoy and learn from his work.
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
(14 of 33 readers found this comment helpful)
report this comment
Blood Lines
by
Eileen Wilks
Chirpee
, May 10, 2007
I liked Blood Lines, but not nearly as well as the first two books in the series. I think there were some things that were solved a little too simply in this book, and that Wilks spent too much time building towards the next book/s in the series, and too little developing what could have been an excellent story line in this one. I'll still read the next book, because I do enjoy the characters in the series, but I'm not looking forward to it as expectantly as I looked forward to this one. One thing I would like to compliment Wilks on is that she keeps characters around even after their main romance has been pretty much explained. A lot of authors in this genre (JR Ward for example) cast characters off to the side and seem to forget about them after they've done one main story line about them. I wouldn't want Lily and Rule to go anywhere, so I hope Wilks continues including them in the story line.
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
(8 of 25 readers found this comment helpful)
report this comment
Virgin Suicides
by
Jeffrey Eugenides
Chirpee
, May 10, 2007
I was in the middle of another book when I picked this one up and read a couple of pages. I immediatley dropped the other novel, and read the rest of this one within the next few hours. I enjoyed the writing style, and the fact that Eugenides could make me smile while discussing such depressing topics made me both love the book more, and wonder about myself a little. It's an entertaining book that also SAYS something, and I would recommend it to almost anyone.
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
(31 of 64 readers found this comment helpful)
report this comment
Magical Thinking
by
Augusten Burroughs
Chirpee
, April 27, 2007
Well, Burroughs tackled two genres I am not usually a fan of in this one book, and kept me entertained and interested. I don't read short stories very often, and until "Running with Scissors" I had little to no use for memoirs, but I loved this book. It read almost like conversation, like sharing hilarious/tragic/real-life stories with a pal over coffee. I can't wait to read "Possible Side Effects."
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
(8 of 19 readers found this comment helpful)
report this comment
Lover Awakened BDB 03
by
J R Ward
Chirpee
, April 27, 2007
I have just finished the first four Black Dagger books and this one was my favorite. I loved that Ward gave Z depth and made him into a character you could really get into and care about. He had seemed so brutal and cold in the other books, it was nice to see what that was all about, and also to see him heal. The book also builds the plot nicely for other books to follow, I know I couldn't wait to start #4 after finishing this one. My only complaint about the series so far is that once she's done using each brother as a main character for a book, we don't get to see much of them. I'm still interested in Wrath, Beth, Rhage, and Mary, and would like to see more of them in future books.
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
(13 of 29 readers found this comment helpful)
report this comment
Dark Lover BDB 01
by
J R Ward
Chirpee
, April 25, 2007
I wasn't sure how I was going to feel about these books when I learned that the vampires had names like "Wrath", "Rhage", "Phury", etc. I thought that it was going to be at best, campy, and at the worst, horribly overdone goth stuff, but I was pleasantly surprised. The best thing about this series is that Ward has created a totally new vampire lore. I've never read or seen anything quite like it, her take is inventive and fresh. I would recommend these books to anyone who likes horror/fantasy books.
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
(4 of 6 readers found this comment helpful)
report this comment
Sunshine
by
Robin Mckinley
Chirpee
, April 20, 2007
I still am not entirely sure about this book. Parts of it were really interesting and original, but I suppose I like my vampires a little less like disgusting walking corpses. I also never was really clear about some of the character relationships, which was ok, because I didn't really care about most of the characters. I have read a lot of different vampire lores, and this is actually one of my least favorite. The history hinted at in the book is also never really fleshed out, which I feel would have helped make the story more interesting and develop the characters. It wasn't a bad book, but it probably isn't one I will read again or highly recommend to others.
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
(3 of 8 readers found this comment helpful)
report this comment
Danse Macabre
by
Laurell K Hamilton
Chirpee
, April 12, 2007
I enjoyed this book. I know a lot of people have a problem with the more erotic turn the Anita Blake books have taken, but Hamilton has been doing things that way for a few books now, and it seems to me like it's one of the things she's very good at. I also think Anita is more humanized now, she has personal issues added to the mix now, instead of just the shoot 'em up kind of issues, it adds a new depth to the characters and the stories. I didn't think this book was a stand-out in the series, like "Narcissus in Chains," but I thought it progressed Anita's story along nicely, without repeating the older books too much. It also raised some interesting questions about what exactly Anita is turning into, which makes me look forward to "The Harlequin" all the more.
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
(13 of 26 readers found this comment helpful)
report this comment
The Vicar of Nibbleswicke
by
Roald Dahl
Chirpee
, April 06, 2007
I didn't even know Roald Dahl wrote anything like this. I adore his kids book, so when a friend recommended this to me, I had to read it. It is one of the most just flat out cute and amusing reads. I adored it, and it renewed my interest in this fabulous writer.
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
(3 of 6 readers found this comment helpful)
report this comment
Despereaux
by
Kate Dicamillo
Chirpee
, April 06, 2007
I don't usually read children's books. I think too many times the stories are written in such a way that they talk down to the child. Dicamillo doesn't do that though, in fact when she runs into a word she wants to use that she doesn't think a child will know yet, she encourages them to find a dictionary and learn something new, without making the book seem like an educational tool that kids might turn away from. I bought this book for myself (I don't even have kids) after reading the first few pages because it was just too adorable and sad. I had to see what would become of poor little Despereaux. It was a sweet and amusing read, that I have since recommended to children and adults alike, although I'm not unselfish enough to loan out my copy....
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
(5 of 16 readers found this comment helpful)
report this comment
Mortal Danger
by
Eileen Wilks
Chirpee
, April 06, 2007
Mortal Danger is, if not better than Tempting Danger, more involved and even deeper into the realm of the fantastic. I've never read any lore exactly like it, which was refreshing.
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
(7 of 13 readers found this comment helpful)
report this comment
Tempting Danger
by
Wilks, Eileen
Chirpee
, April 06, 2007
I didn't expect to enjoy this book. I just wasn't sure about the romace novel meets cop novel, meets werewolf story thing, but somehow it worked, without being cheesey or a rip-off of anything else I've read. I have been anxiously awaiting the third book in this series, since reading Tempting Danger and Mortal Danger.
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
(6 of 10 readers found this comment helpful)
report this comment
Micah: An Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter Novel
by
Laurell K Hamilton
Chirpee
, April 06, 2007
I love the Anita Blake books, sex and all. I think Anita's sexuality has evolved with the books, and her problems with reconciling her morals with what she needs to do to feed the ardeur add to the books, not take away from them, it isn't less plot, it's different, more personal plot with, admittedly, less shoot 'em up type action. However, Micah was not Hamilton's strongest work. It almost seems like she wrote the book in a day, possibly as a start to, or as part of another book, then realized it almost stood by itself, and decided to let her publishers charge 7.99 a pop for an incomplete novel. It is only the second time I have been disappointed by Hamilton. I have loved all of her other books, with the exception of Obsidian Butterfly, and Micah hasn't kept me from buying Danse Macabre, which I am currently enjoying.
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
(15 of 25 readers found this comment helpful)
report this comment
Invisible Monsters
by
Palahniuk, Chuck
Chirpee
, March 31, 2007
This is my favorite Palahniuk, and the only one of his books I have re-read. I just had to make sure I hadn't missed anything, since this book is full of coincidences and twists. I loved the messed up, sad characters and all their connections and craziness. I loved the disjointed, schizophrenic way the story was told, that echoed how insane the lives of these people were. I loved the big dramatic moments you didn't see coming, and the smallish, more intimate ones as well. In short, Palahniuk rocked this one, and made me into a devoted fan.
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
(22 of 35 readers found this comment helpful)
report this comment
Good Omens
by
Terry Pratchett, Neil Gaiman
Chirpee
, March 31, 2007
This is the best book about the apocolypse ever! Pratchett and Gaiman make a great team. Their whole take on the end times is irreverantly hilarious, from the bungling of the baby-switch of the anti-Christ, to the four motorcyclists of the apocolypse, to the demon and angel who are pals, and really kind of like the earth, and don't particularly want it to end. I had to be talked into reading this book the first time, but it has since become one of my favorites.
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
(18 of 28 readers found this comment helpful)
report this comment
Cats Cradle
by
Kurt Vonnegut
Chirpee
, March 31, 2007
Hilarious and thought-provoking.
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
(10 of 20 readers found this comment helpful)
report this comment
Running With Scissors
by
Augusten Burroughs
Chirpee
, March 31, 2007
I don't usually read memoirs, because so often they are "please pity me" stories, but after reading the back of this one, I couldn't resist. And, the book itself did not disappoint. I enjoyed every page of it, and honestly could not put it down. I stayed up until four in the morning, reading the whole book in one sitting, and immediatley went out to purchase the rest of Burroughs' books.
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
(10 of 23 readers found this comment helpful)
report this comment
Obsidian Butterfly Anita Blake 09
by
Laurell K Hamilton
Chirpee
, March 31, 2007
Obsidian Butterfly is the only one of the Anita Blake books that actually bored me at all. I usually read them really quickly, but it took me forever to get through this one. It was interesting to learn more about Edward, but I missed Jean Claude, Jason, Richard, and the wereleapords! On the plus side, there were a couple of interesting twists that I didn't see coming, and Anita did get herself into some unique situations that were somewhat unlike the other books. I suppose the book is worth reading, but you could really just go straight from Blue Moon to Narcissus in Chains and not miss much.
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
(3 of 5 readers found this comment helpful)
report this comment
Narcissus in Chains: An Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter Novel
by
Laurell K Hamilton
Chirpee
, March 31, 2007
The best of the Anita Blake books. I had almost given up on Laurell K. after Obsidian Butterfly, but this one blew me away.
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
(12 of 16 readers found this comment helpful)
report this comment
Ballet Shoes
by
Noel Streatfeild
Chirpee
, December 07, 2006
This was one of my favorite books when I was a little girl, and I had almost forgotten about it. I can't wait to read it again.
Was this comment helpful? |
Yes
|
No
(7 of 14 readers found this comment helpful)
report this comment