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Powell's Staff:
Five Book Friday: In Memoriam
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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...
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Brontez Purnell:
Powell’s Q&A: Brontez Purnell, author of ‘Ten Bridges I’ve Burnt’
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Rachael P.:
Starter Pack: Where to Begin with Ursula K. Le Guin
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Customer Comments
MindyBuchanan has commented on (28) products
5th Wave 01
by
Rick Yancey
MindyBuchanan
, February 21, 2014
Wow. I mean, that's pretty much all I can say about this book. I can't believe this book comes so highly recommended. My only assumption here is that because Mr. Yancey is a well published author, his agent and book editor saw fit to allow him to publish such cliched drivel. And I'm not even talking about the ridiculous alien plot-line, logic holes, or absolutely pointless back story vomit. I know. I'm usually not so mean in reviews. And I hate to say terrible things about someone's hard work. I do, I swear. But as a woman I feel I must say something about the absolutely awful representation of a female protag as presented in first person by Mr. Yancey. I am sorry for the women in Yancey's life, because he must think very little of them. His version of a young female is both boring and irritatingly cliched. It's like he took all the snippets that he knows about women from Glamour Magazine and tried to stuff her into an insanely boring shell. She's annoying. Simpering. Ridiculous. Illogical. Again, I feel sorry for the women in Yancey's life. I usually have a rule about not reading authors who write MC's in first person when they are the opposite sex. Especially in YA literature. Because being a teen girl is hard. And unless you've been one, it is impossible (as Yancey clearly proves here) to write from an informed and meaningful perspective. And I do not mean to say this just for men attempting to write from a teen girl's perspective. I find the same to be exactly true of women who write from a teen male's first person perspective. However, and perhaps this is because it is easier to find on the shelves, I think this is done successfully more often. I won't go into all of the other problems with this story, because by far the biggest fail in this is the author's attempt to portray a fleshed out and layered female protagonist. Plot, logic holes, repetitiveness, and pointless back story aside.
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When She Woke
by
Hillary Jordan
MindyBuchanan
, October 02, 2011
It takes a special book to hook me into reading it in one sitting. Maybe it's the timeliness to the current political and faith debate, maybe it's my affinity for The Scarlet Letter, or maybe Hillary Jordan is just that damn good. Whatever the maybe, this book grabs you and drops you into a completely realized world that is both terrifying and familiar. If you like books like The Handmaid's Tale, or The Scarlet Letter, or even the more current and YA focused The Hunger Games, this book is sure to grab your interest. In fact while the prose is sometimes thick yet beautiful, the protagonist, Hannah is so sheltered that she almost reads as a YA character, despite her being 26 at the start of the novel.
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World Without Us
by
Alan Weisman
MindyBuchanan
, July 15, 2010
This is a super interesting book - and a HUGE downer. Nevertheless, I have to give it five stars. There were times I just had to put the book down and read something a little less intense. I will admit that it's easy to get bogged down by Weisman's style. Though some of his thoughts are funny (in a scary way), there are times when the technical explanations are tough to get through. I would say this is both a good and bad book to read before bed. Good because, it doesn't take long to get tired of the technical, bad because it will seriously give you nightmares or ulcers. It remains, however, an important and interesting read.
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Boy With The Cuckoo Clock Heart
by
Mathias Malzieu
MindyBuchanan
, April 19, 2010
I have to say that it has been a long time since I've read a book through in one sitting. Truthfully though, this isn't a super long book. I'm having a hard time describing what I loved about it. Malzieu weaves a strange tale like a Tim Burton/Roald Dahl/Shel Silverstein mash up with a hint of Neil Gaiman. Its written like a read-out-loud storybook, but it's for grown ups. There is a lot of sexual innuendo and adult themes, yet it's whimsical like something from childhood. So I guess, I just have to say I loved it, and that's that. I don't think it would be for everyone, but if you normally like an unusual tale, this is an excellent book.
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Swan Thieves
by
Elizabeth Kostova
MindyBuchanan
, February 04, 2010
I honestly can't see why people would really complain about this book. True, in many ways, it is very unlike The Historian. However, I find that rather refreshing. How boring is it (at least for me) to have an author continue to churn out the exact same storyline over and over and over again (ahem, Dan Brown, Patricia Cornwell)? I admire that Kostova takes years between novels, carefully and artfully researching her subject matter. She must have delved so deep into the world of art, she either began painting herself or is incredibly intuitive. Kostova writes with a bright understanding of the world of art and history. To me, her research is one of the things that give her fiction such a fantastic tone. I don't want to give anything away, since this book is as much a mystery as it is a story of love, betrayal, art, mental illness, and the lengths at which we will go to understand them all. It is a slow boiling read that traps your imagination and leaves you wishing for more. Though I would say not so much that you'd want more to the character's stories (the ending was well paced), just more of Kostova's writing in general. If you're looking for a replica of The Historian, you'll not find it here. However, if you're looking to be plainly set in a wonderful, if not mundane world, where character development slightly outweigh fast moving plot lines, look no further. It's certainly worth the time.
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Weekends At Bellevue Nine years on the night shift at the psych ER
by
Julie Holland
MindyBuchanan
, January 20, 2010
I found this book to be mostly enjoyable. I don't have an enormous interest in mental health alone, but instead how it is deeply rooted in our public health systems. I believe Dr. Holland truly opens the door to her innermost thoughts of her time at Bellevue CPEP. She loves being a psychiatrist and that is plain in her writing. If you are interested in the underbelly of mental illness in one of the United States' biggest cities this is an excellent book to read. You will however, ...more I found this book to be mostly enjoyable. I don't have an enormous interest in mental health alone, but instead how it is deeply rooted in our public health systems. I believe Dr. Holland truly opens the door to her innermost thoughts of her time at Bellevue CPEP. She loves being a psychiatrist and that is plain in her writing. If you are interested in the underbelly of mental illness in one of the United States' biggest cities this is an excellent book to read. You will however, need to be able to go along with some of her quick rundowns of patients symptoms. She often gets caught up in writing like a physician giving report out to another physician. If you've spent no time in the medical world, it may be difficult to follow in places. In fact for me, she spends almost too much time going on about the details and mechanics of her job and not enough time on specific cases and or her own personal life outside of the quick tidbits pertaining to the story. She does however, spend a lot of time discussing her treatment of her patients and how her personal struggles play into how she acts and reacts to them. In this sense it is almost like reading her play-by-play with her psychotherapist. Unfortunately, I found this to be a little boring. At the beginning I did not really like Dr. Holland. Her (writing) voice just rubbed me the wrong way. In many ways she's coarse and unrefined. She drills and plays with her patients to get the info she wants/needs. I know that this is a common thing to do in mental health, but reading it in such an exposed way sort of bothered me at first. As her memoir went on, I warmed to her personality a bit, though I am relatively sure I would never want to A. be a patient of hers (for more than the reason I would have to be insane) and B. befriend her. Even by the end of the book when she has softened, I don't think I'd like her in person. That being said, I do not want to detract from all the good work she has done at Bellevue and am thankful that someone wants to do that job
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Bird
by
Rita Murphy
MindyBuchanan
, January 20, 2010
This is a lovely little story. I read it in about an hour and a half, so when I say "little" I mean quite short. It's kind of a sweet, innocent story too. While there was nothing outwardly fantastical about it, there were hints of ghosts, houses with souls, and maybe fairies or bird-people. What I really loved is that while there were hints, and a mystery, the conclusions of such things were left to the reader's imagination. I enjoyed that Murphy brought images and characters to life, and as the reader, you are left to assume or not assume many things. I can see where some people might not enjoy such vague story telling. However, I truly delighted in the simplicity of it all. I would recommend this book to people who enjoy magical realism, fairy tales and well written children's books.
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Montmorency 01 Montmorency Thief Liar Gentleman
by
Eleanor Updale
MindyBuchanan
, January 14, 2010
For some reason this book is listed as a middle reader. I can't quite figure out why. There are no young characters. Regardless, I found this to be a most excellent read. Montmorency is an fantastic protagonist as both himself, the gentleman, and as Scarper, the thief. At times it is easy to forget that the characters are the same. I do hope to see more of Fox Selwyn and Faucett in the next books.
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Man Who Loved Books Too Much
by
Allison Hoover Bartlett
MindyBuchanan
, January 01, 2010
I thought that Hoover Bartlett did a wonderful job delving into the crazy world of book collecting. As someone who only marginally collects books (ones that I love, children's books with excellent story & illustrations) it is amazing to me the lengths people go to. I was also extremely interested in the criminal mind of Gilkey. He's straight out of a movie. Or at least that is the picture Hoover Bartlett paints. I really enjoyed her telling of this story because she was as engrossed in the information as I was. She writes passages describing her nervousness (visiting Gilkey in prison) and her giddiness and awe in touching one of a kind manuscripts and old books containing stories she has cherished. All the while she is surprised to find it easy for her to identify with book theft and the compulsion and obsession. This is a story of not just the people Hoover Bartlett is writing about, but also the author's own journey as well. Which in my opinion, makes this a true standout non-fiction read.
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Clever Maids Secret History Of The Grimm
by
Valerie Paradiz
MindyBuchanan
, December 17, 2009
I have always loved Grimm fairy tales. Well, all folklore actually. I've never really given much thought about the men who brought them out from the corners of households across Europe. In my ignorance, I often assumed the Brothers Grimm penned many of the stories themselves. Paradiz gives an excellent description of the Grimm's lives and the many, many women who aided them in their folktale tellings. Jacob and Wilhelm are described in such fantastic detail - often through their own words - I wish I could have known them. Her descriptions of the brother's deep love of stories is infectious, igniting my own passion for folk and fairy tales. Now I want to go back and read ALL the Grimm stories again, through this amazing perspective of the women who influenced and brought the Brothers their time-tested tone. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves folktales, or enjoy a personal account of the first part of the 19th century. Paradiz does an excellent job of keeping major historic events in perspective during her telling of the lives and influences of The Brothers Grimm.
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Percy Jackson 05 The Last Olympian
by
Rick Riordan
MindyBuchanan
, December 06, 2009
I'm not sure what it was about this book that made it better than the rest, but it was simply fantastic. I liked the end battle, how long-time minor characters reveal their true inclinations and just, well, everything. Percy is probably somewhere in my top ten all time favorite protagonists. He is funny, slightly self-deprecating (for a hero) and true to his friends and ideals. One of the nicest things about this series (and don't get me wrong, I'm a huge HP fan) is that Percy does not carry so much emotional baggage as Harry Potter. It's hard not to compare the books. At least for me. I don't read a ton of what is considered middle reader books and the last series probably was Harry Potter. So, sorry Harry. Even though I like Rowling's world building the tiniest bit more, Percy is a more likable protagonist. (please don't write hate comments... thanks) All in all, The Olympians series as a whole is excellent. Riordan writes female and male characters with equal vigor and bravery and never lets down on the education angle. Through the books are messages of environmentalism and tidbits about National monuments, and of course mythology. These books make learning (I can only assume I would think so as an actual middle reader aged kid) a lot of fun. While I liked the ending, I am kinda bummed that this is the end. Well, I assume. I have to say the very last chapter does leave it open for something... even if Percy isn't the main character. There are of course many characters in the Riordan Universe that would be interesting to follow. Nico Di Angelo, for one.
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Honeymoon in Tehran Two Years of Love & Danger in Iran
by
Azadeh Moaveni
MindyBuchanan
, December 02, 2009
I really liked this book. I previously had no understanding of Iran and Iranian life outside of western media (which Ms. Moaveni is a part of, of course). Her take and understanding of the culture mingled with her own life struggles and changes gives a refreshing perspective on this country I otherwise knew little about. She has a sort of wry sense of humor about most things and despite what is probably a dangerous profession, she is constantly brave and questioning. I kind of wish I had read Lipstick Jihad A Memoir of Growing Up Iranian in America And American in Iran first since many of the same people in her life reappear in this book and it might have been easier to have the references for them. Especially Mr. X. SPOILER My only gripe, is that it seems as if Ms. Moaveni continued to smoke and drink copious amounts of caffeine through her pregnancy. It isn't spoke of outwardly, but there are references to cigarette ashes and Turkish coffee drinking throughout. END SPOILER I would definitely read another of Ms. Moaveni's books. I like her take on things, and really enjoyed learning a side of Iran less represented in western media.
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Of Bees & Mist
by
Erick Setiawan
MindyBuchanan
, October 29, 2009
Wow. This was an amazing book. Setiawan weaves a magical story where all the familiar feelings inside relationships take solid form and become almost a character within the story. With vibrant and intoxicating descriptions of mists, menacing bees, ghosts in mirrors and man-beasts, Setiwan creates an allegory for the harshness and tenderness of betrayal, love and finally forgiveness. He hits nerves and exposes the rawness of the emotional centers of his characters in a way that is both heart wrenching and delightful. I am incredibly impressed by a male author who can perfectly and so completely capture every emotional tenet of not just one, but many women occupying the heart of his story. He does so without casting them in the familiar corners of hero, whore, victim or merely window dressing. Through his words he breaths fully realized characters who are good, bad and everything in between. I will be eagerly awaiting his next novel - whenever and whatever it may be.
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Catching Fire: Hunger Games #2
by
Suzanne Collins
MindyBuchanan
, September 17, 2009
SPOILERS Wow. I'm almost at a loss for words on this one. There are parts of this story that are many times more gut wrenching than when Katniss had to say goodbye to Rue in the The Hunger Games. I fear that Katniss is so far damaged by the horrors of what has happened by the end of this book, there is no real future for her. I was at the edge of my seat nearly the entire book, wondering where Collins would take her characters. I never dreamed she'd take them back to the arena, though, I have to say the arena portion of the book is far more tolerable than the District tour and actions taken by the capitol against 12. I am still very torn about Gale versus Peeta. But at this point, who knows what's happened to poor Peeta. Though I doubt this will be the case, I sincerely hope there is a happy ending in store for Katniss. However, if there is I don't see how it can include both Peeta and Gale. While I loved this book, I have to say that I had to put it down a couple of times. Whereas I read straight through the first one in a single sitting, I could not do the same in this case. I wanted to, but there was definitely no reading this book before bed. I did, the first night I got it, and really wished I hadn't. Now I'm bummed that I'll have to wait who knows how long before the next one comes out. : ( This book ends on such a cliff hanger that I honestly wish I had waited until the third was out and I could just get right to it.
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Un Lun Dun
by
China Mieville
MindyBuchanan
, August 15, 2009
Excellent book. Even though I read this when I wasn't quite in the mood for this type of book, Mieville's writing is fantastic. I've never read any of his adult works, but I certainly will now. Mielville's ability to create this other world that creepily mirrors our own is amazing. He doesn't over explain, just gives the reader enough to easily imagine the wrongness in familiar objects and characters. It very much reminded me of Alice in Wonderland. From here on out I will not be able to look at a small carton of milk without a certain fondness.
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The Lies of Locke Lamora
by
Lynch, Scott
MindyBuchanan
, August 07, 2009
I can honestly say this has to be in contention for my favorite book of the year. It's certainly my favorite so far. We begin the story when Locke is just a child of five. Immediately, he is deviously lovable. Next come introductions of the Sanzas and Jean, all equally interesting and lovable characters. Despite all the gritty hardships and despair peppered throughout this book, Locke bears them well. He's a character that takes responsibility (once understood) for his actions and in most cases, learns from them. His character develops through the "now" story line (where Locke is late to mid twenties by my count) and through interludes (where Lynch seamlessly shifts back and forth into history, each time revealing a little more of Locke & the Gentleman Bastards' as well as Camour history). The depth of friendship, especially between Locke and Jean, can be quite touching. I love a book that can keep me guessing. Nearly every close call, I would think to myself, how is Locke going to get himself out of this one? Lynch never disappoints, creating elaborate "ah ha" moments as fanciful as one of Locke's scores. I cannot wait to read the second book to see where the criminal mastermind of Locke Lamora takes us next. *side note: this book is full (and I mean there might not be a page without one) of swear words. I'm not one to complain about profanity - but in general I don't love a book that is full of it. However, in this case, it seems befitting of the story and adds an element and color that without it, wouldn't be the same story. Also, it can be quite gory in places and the subject matter is probably not for the squeamish or delicate.
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Magicians Apprentice
by
Trudi Canavan
MindyBuchanan
, August 06, 2009
I thought this was an excellent book. It was a bit on the long side, but all in all very good. For me, it read more like the third book in the Black Magician Trilogy. Despite its length, it moved along pretty quickly. Fans of the trilogy will quickly recognize many things from the first books. This is a prequel and a lot of the rules are different. But it was certainly interesting to come to understand how the Guild got to where it was in the beginning of the trilogy. A few people have commented that this is the "same plot" as the trilogy. I really disagree. I think that Tessia, Jayan and Dakon are very different, and completely engaging characters. I'm not usually a fan of prequels, but this was quite entertaining. I would also say that it is probably best to read the trilogy then this book. I think it could be done either way, but I really enjoyed reaching back and thinking - ah so that's why this and this happened in the trilogy. But perhaps reading it the other way would prove just as enlightening. My only real complaint was Stara's story. I understood the need for it, perspective wise, but it doesn't start until halfway through the book. By that time I'm more interested in the characters I've already gotten to know and I found myself glossing over those parts. If you liked the trilogy, I think you'll like this book.
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The Graveyard Book
by
Neil Gaiman
MindyBuchanan
, August 06, 2009
I just loved this book! I felt like a kid again reading under the covers with a flashlight. Gaiman hits the nail on the head, capturing pitch perfect read-out-loud story telling. The whole time I was reading this story, I thought that it sounded more like something told around a campfire than written word. I'm sure that's why so many are raving about the audio book. I can't wait to see what he does next!
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Keturah & Lord Death
by
Martine Leavitt
MindyBuchanan
, August 06, 2009
Please dismiss the lame cover art. Though not extraordinary, I liked this book for it's old fashioned happy ending fairy tale style. It's the sort of tale that would make a good Disney movie. My only complaint is that there wasn't a lot of drama or suspense. You can see where the story is going, so any suspense is somewhat diminished by being able to guess the ending. I liked it nonetheless. What can I say? Once in a while a girl just likes a fairy tale. It's pretty short at only 214 pages with wide margins and fairly large print. It's definitely a one sitting read.
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World Without Us
by
Alan Weisman
MindyBuchanan
, August 06, 2009
This is a super interesting book - and a HUGE downer. Nevertheless, I have to give it five stars. There were times I just had to put the book down and read something a little less intense. I will admit that it's easy to get bogged down by Weisman's style. Though some of his thoughts are funny (in a scary way), there are times when the technical explanations are tough to get through. I would say this is both a good and bad book to read before bed. Good because, it doesn't take long to get tired of the technical, bad because it will seriously give you nightmares or ulcers. It remains, however, an important and interesting read.
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Graceling
by
Kristin Cashore
MindyBuchanan
, August 06, 2009
This was a fantastic first book. It was a bit heavy on the talking about the action as opposed to just experiencing it. But it was good nonetheless. I thought the character development was good, though how easily the main character shifts her perception of her temper was a little quick. Like the author just needed to get that plot point out of the way in order to get to other plot points. At the same time, I admire a strong female character and the fact that the entire story did not evolve around a romance. Though, there is romance in it. Thankfully there is not a lot of time spent on confessions of feelings and love. I'm curious to see if this turns into a series of books, or if it just stays stand alone. I liked the way it ended, but of course once I've begun to enjoy a certain set of characters, I welcome a series.
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Veil Of Gold
by
Kim Wilkins
MindyBuchanan
, August 06, 2009
For some reason I had a bit of trouble getting into this one. However, once I was in, I was swept away by Wilkins' easy story telling. I blew through the second half of the book in a few hours. As a lover of Russian folklore, I really enjoyed all of the monsters coming to life. Wilkins must have done a lot of research and got the Russian culture pitch perfect. Even the mythical creatures had a certain "Ruskie" tone. I really enjoyed the thread of supernatural Wilkins weaves through historical events. Don't get me wrong, I would not consider this a historical novel. Wilkins takes a good deal of creative license. My only complaint is that it was a bit predictable. Especially if you have read Russian folklore or know a bit about Russian history. I am curious to get my hands on some of her other books. Hopefully they are as good.
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Physick Book of Deliverance Dane
by
Katherine Howe
MindyBuchanan
, August 06, 2009
The writing is excellent. However, the story moves at such a slow pace I could never really dig in. There just wasn't very much excitement in the book to keep me pulled into the story. I liked it, I wanted to see what happened and how things transpired. But it was just one of those books I could just take or leave. It took me a long time to read it and I wasn't compelled to finish the story the way I am with other books. Which is too bad because, as I said above, the writing itself is excellent. I would pick up another book by Katherine Howe. I would also recommend this book to those people who enjoyed The Historian. However, do be prepared by a slower burn read.
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The Hunger Games: Hunger Games 1
by
Suzanne Collins
MindyBuchanan
, August 06, 2009
I think it's been a while since I've read a book in one sitting. I was sucked into this story so fiercely that I neglected an entire afternoon's worth of homework. The writing style is effortless and I was truly amazed by Collins' deft handling of such a despicable premise. In fact, I had originally been reluctant to read this book because of the premise. The idea of children killing each other was a little more than I thought I wanted to handle. Yet, Collins is able to draw out some very interesting analogies, albeit heartbreaking, for today's wars and powerful single minded regime style governing. It's actually very refreshing to read a book like this for young adults. Truly, the book is so good I think most adults would find pleasure in reading it. However, there is so much vapid story telling out there for the young adult audience (now, don't get me wrong here, I love that kind of stuff too - aka Twilight) that it's very nice to see such a well written and mindful story. The ending, while good, was anything but peaceful. I was somewhat disturbed by it, and in an equally disturbing way, I enjoyed it. Which for me is totally out of character. I won't reveal any spoilers here, but I think if you read the book you'll understand my meaning. Nevertheless, my hope is by the end of the series there is some kind of peace. Though I doubt it will be without a heavy and emotionally draining death toll. I'm very excited for the next book in the series.
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Wildwood Dancing
by
Juliet Marillier
MindyBuchanan
, June 06, 2009
I just love folklore. Especially Slavic folklore. Marillier spins an excellent take of sisterhood, family, romance and, well, mythical characters. Nothing in this book was a real surprise. There were elements I could see a mile away. But, there is something kind of comforting in keeping with the formula of a good folktale or fairy tale. This tale is very well written and the characters are all fleshed out. The heroine is smart and not a damsel in distress - which I really enjoyed.
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Early Spring An Ecologist & Her Children
by
Amy Seidl
MindyBuchanan
, March 17, 2009
This is a really excellent book if you're on the fence with respect to global warming. Well, on the fence and leaning toward the existence of it. I haven't been on the fence for a long time, but if I were, I'd find this book an excellent way to look at the small changes to discover truth. Seidl's writing is easy, glossy and entertaining. It almost feels like your having a conversation with her. Albeit, one sided. All and all, I really enjoyed this book. I have a much dryer sense of humor than the author, and I probably would have liked a little more humor interjected into this book. However, I think many will find enjoyment in her prose. She has a definite gift for description and one can see many of the examples she gives reflected in their own lives and observations. I think I'd very much like to have her as a professor. She is certainly able to fire up the thrill of learning
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Oracle Glass
by
Judith Merkle Riley
MindyBuchanan
, February 17, 2009
Even though this book took me a long time to get through, I really liked it. The latter half was a bit better than the beginning. But I really enjoyed Merkle Riley's take on, well, basically feminism in 18th century Paris. The book doesn't idealize 17th century life for women. It was no doubt every bit as harsh, even for the women of court standing, as the book portrays. I especially loved the fact that the main character was extremely smart and depended on that ability to stay al...more Even though this book took me a long time to get through, I really liked it. The latter half was a bit better than the beginning. But I really enjoyed Merkle Riley's take on, well, basically feminism in 18th century Paris. The book doesn't idealize 17th century life for women. It was no doubt every bit as harsh, even for the women of court standing, as the book portrays. I especially loved the fact that the main character was extremely smart and depended on that ability to stay alive and prosper. I also enjoyed the true love interest (its not really a secret, you can see it a from the beginning) being in love with her mind, and she his. So I thought it was a nice change in pace from the - she's so strong then a man enters and now she's a silly swooning female lead - books so popular now. I'm very interested in reading other books by Merkle Riley. And would recommend this book to fans of historical fiction, especially those who liked Libba Bray's trilogy
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The Name of the Wind
by
Patrick Rothfuss
MindyBuchanan
, January 09, 2009
Hmmm. Where should I begin? Reading Rothfuss' book is a bit like being very hungry while waiting for a slow, slow cooked meal or thick stew. It smells delicious and tempting while cooking . . . you really really want to take a bite. However, despite your rabid hunger, you wait. Patiently stewing. Oh sure there is some excitement thrown in, maybe a sauce boils up and you nearly burn yourself. But for the most part it is the making of the meal that is important - you can wait to eat. The reward of a well prepared meal will be worth it in the end. Or at least that is what I'm hoping. I feel like this book, while I truly enjoyed it, was a bit like preparing a meal. You get all the things you need and start painstakingly putting them together. This book is everything we need to enjoy the next one. You begin to understand the heart and soul of main characters, though very little has actually happened. It's a slow burning story that I absolutely sped through without as much as skipping an "and" or "the." I actually would have given it 4.75 stars if that was available. If only because of Rothfuss' constant reminders of the following: Kvothe is poor, Kvothe is a trouper, and Kvothe had spent a time in his life being hungry. These things within the context of the story are obvious to even the dullest reader. The other reason, and perhaps this accounts for the former, is Rathfuss teeters on over explaining the minutia of exactly how things are done. The magic stuff is explained with a kind of scientific or technical writing drone. However, I'd like to point out these little things were not enough to ruin the story for me. This book has been placed on the YA shelves of some book lists. Though the character (in most parts) is aged anywhere between a young boy and a teen of 15, I can't imagine very many tweens and teens would have the patience to read this one. However, if the reader is heavy into fantasy, I could definitely see them loving this above all other YA fantasy. It just seemed more of an adult read, not for content, just in pacing and style. I will be in line first thing to get the next installment. The ending was a bit abrupt. Despite being 720 pages in, I wanted more. As I said, it's like waiting for a slow cooked meal - I was ready to start eating. In fact I'm hungry for the beef of the meal (if I ate meat, of course). Or should I say the heavy vegetables? No, I think wanting the meat of the story is what I mean.
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