The Murmur of Bees by Sofía Segovia This family-epic magical-realism novel set in Mexico around the turn of the century has all of the ingredients of a truly magnificent novel, but I found it tedious and a pain to finish. For me the thing that will stick with me the longest is the anguish of …
Oct 18
Book Review: Pretty Things
Pretty Things by Janelle Brown I wanted something that had a heist plot, and Audible recommended this one, probably because one of the narrators was the same who read Bluff, which I enjoyed so much. The main characters are Nina, an art thief, and Vanessa, an heiress turned instagram star. Nina, who turned to theft …
Oct 03
Book Review: Creatures of Want and Ruin
Creatures of Want and Ruin by Molly Tanzer I was hoping for an escapist adventure to take my mind of current events, and two women fighting demon-worshippers bent on the destruction of the world seemed like just the ticket. Ellie and Fin felt like genuine characters with significant stakes, and the setting (Long Island, NY …
Aug 12
Book Review: The Merciful Crow
The Merciful Crow by Margaret Owen Honestly, I picked this book because I’m a sucker for corvids. Anything related to crows or ravens automatically gets my attention. A fantasy novel in which people are divided into castes based on birds? Wow, it’s like it was written just for me. Owen seems to have based her …
Jul 15
Book Review: Little Fires Everywhere
Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng This novel is about women and girls and the choices they make. No, it’s about a stultifyingly banal and conventional neighborhood/town and how it changes the people who live there. No, it’s about an artist and a journalist and the way their children influence each other. No, it’s about …