Book Review: Brunelleschi's Dome by Ross King

Brunelleshi's Dome: How A Renaissance Genius Reinvented Architecture

In interesting look at the Renaissance architect Filippo Brunelleschi. A man who was known for his temper, holding grudges, and his wonderful and imaginative designs not only in architecture but ways to make the building of them easier. It was interesting to read how designs were selected and plans carried out "way back then". I can't fully comprehend how anything ever got done. The storyline tended to meaner a bit, which through me off a bit and made it a bit more difficult to follow.


3.5/5

Book Review: The Secret Year by Jennifer R. Hubbard

The Secret Year by Jennifer R. Hubbard

This was an ARC won on La Femme Readers blog.

The secret year is a story about living in the past. For a year, Colt and Julia were having a secret affair. She was from a rich family, had rich friends, and they all tended to look down on the people that lived in the area Colt lived in. Until a chance meeting down at the river changed everything. Now Julia is dead and Colt finds himself unable to publicly mourn her, because no one has any idea that they even knew each other. To top it all off, Colt feels that he is partly responsible for the car accident that killed her.


Colt finds himself in the possession of a journal that Julia wrote the year they were "together". He finds himself reliving the moments they shared and unable to truly move forward. As he lives in the past, the rest of the world is moving forward with or without him. He struggles to let go and find a place where he belongs again

The characters struggled with all the typical teenage issues, which were only compounded by the loss of Julia. At times I felt bad for Colt and others I thought he was acting like a spoiled brat. We learn about Julia through the journal entires that Colt reads, and she becomes a character that many could relate to. The story was touching and I breezed through it in two sittings. I had to make myself put it down the first night because it was 2am and I really needed to sleep.
4/5

Book Review: I, Alex Cross by James Patterson

I, Alex Cross by James Patterson


This book was received as a contest winning from Hachette Book Group hosted on Bookin With Bingo.

Alex Cross is a well known detective, known for solving difficult cases, but when the phone rings at his birthday party, he finds himself in the midst of his wildest case ever. A case that involves the grisly murder (I'm glad they didn't give more detail than they did) of his estranged niece. The investigation is full of loops and twists and eventually leads him into the highest profile case he's ever had, with ties that see to go all the way to the White House.


This is my first Alex Cross book, and I really enjoyed reading it. He is a fantastic character that many will be able to relate to. The death of his niece isn't the only tragedy he faces in this book, and the way he handles all the blows that come his way was very touching. He is the type of person I would want to have as a friend.

The only complaint I have about the mystery solving itself was there were a couple "hand of God" moments. Things seemed to break in the case at just the right time without any action on Alex's part. This held true especially in the case of the ending, where all leads seemed to die out when miraculously something happened. Up until that point, the crime solving was done quite nicely...calling in old friends, dropping words in the ears of the right people, and good old fashioned foot work.

There were a couple times the story dragged, and this coupled with the final clue, caused it to lose the 1/2 star. I would still recommend the story to anyone who enjoys a good mystery.

3.5/5

Weekly Finds: 1/22/10

 I'm changing the weekday I post this since I always seem to get sidetracked on the weekends and forget to post.  I'll be trying to post this weekly on Fridays from here on out.

Decoding The Lost Symbol by Simon Cox

Won from a contest on Cheli's Shelves.  Thanks Cheli!!!

From the back of the book:  Dan Brown's new novel once again features Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon, this time in the United States, racing to uncover clues and crack codes involving secrets that are perpetuated to this day.  But how much of the novel is true and what is pure fiction?  Simon Cox, bestselling author of Cracking the Da Vinci Code and Illuminating Angels & Demons, offers the first definitive guide to all the mysteries in The Lost Symbol.

Based on extensive research, this A-to-Z guide lists the real people, organizations, and themes featured in Dan Brown's latest novel, explains their histories and their meanings, reproduces and analyzes the symbols themselves, and provides insider knowledge gleaned from years of exhaustive study.  From the monuments of Washington, D.C., to the secrets of Salt Lake City and the hidden enclaves in Langley, Virginia, Cox knows where the facts are hidden about the Freemasons, Albert Pike, the Rosicrucians, the Founding Fathers, and more.

This is the only resource you'll need to understand and enjoy the complex new world of The Lost Symbol.

Heart of the Dragon by Gena Showalter - Book 1 in The Lords of the Underworld

This order came in the mail today.  I have the third in the series and it looked very good so I ordered the first.

From the back of the book:  Searching for her missing brother, Grace Carlyle never dreamed she would discover a secret world populated by mythological monsters - or find herself facing a sword-wielding being whose looks put mortal men to shame.

But there he was, Darius en Kragin, one of a race of shape-shifting warriors bound to guard the gates of Atlantis, and kill all travelers who strayed within its borders.

Now Grace's life was in his hands, and Darius had to choose between his centuries-old vow and the woman who had slipped beneath his defenses and stolen the heart of Atlantis's fiercest dragon.

Jewel of Atlantis by Gena Showalter - Book 2 in The Lords of the Underworld

This is the second book in the series I ordered to read before I read the third that I already had.

From the back of the book:  All Atlantis seeks the Jewel of Dunamis, which legend claims can overcome any enemy.  Grayson james, human agent of the ultrasecret Otherworld Bureau of Investigation, has orders to keep it from the wrong hands - or destroy it.  What he doesn't know is that Jewel is a woman, not a stone!  But once he meets this precious gem, destroying her is the last thing on his mind...

Jewel, part goddess, part prophet, needs Gray's help to win her freedom.  Gray needs her wisdom to navigate monster-ridden Atlantis.  But need blossoms into passionate love as they battle demons, dragons and vampires - and fight for a future that seems impossible...

The House of the Seven Gables by Nathaniel Hawthorne

This book showed up at my house, and I'm not sure how it got here.  I don't remember ordering it, but it sounds pretty good.

From the back of the book:  Greed, treachery, mesmerism, and murder are just some of the bricks Hawthorne uses to build The House of Seven Gables.  Generations before the present story begins, wealthy Colonel Pyncheon covets Matthew Maule's land.  When Maule is hanged for witchcraft, he puts a curse on the Colonel - and all his descendants.  Now the menacing Judge Puncheon continues the family tradition of hiding creulty under a dazzling smile, while his scowling niece, Hepzibah, and half-mad nephew, Clifford, are reduced to poverty by his machinations.  But the younger generation, embodied in their distant cousin Phoebe, becomes a ray of hope penetrating the dark house.

Book Review: Tell Me Something True by Leila Cobo

Gabriella lives in two worlds, with her dad in California most of the time, and a few precious weeks with her grandmother in Colombia. Her next trip to visit will become memorable in many ways, beginning with finding her mother's diary, a book the shows a whole new side to Helena, Gabriella's mother that passed away when she was young. Gabriella is trying to decide what to do with her life and who she really is. Her trip to Colombia introduces her to a new side of life, a dangerous and secretive side.


The story is told through the eyes of both mother and daughter, their stories beginning to run parrallel as Helena discovers a new life, and Gabriella discovers the beginning of hers. Both women are fascinating and fun, a joy to read about.

4/5

Book Review: Time of the Twins by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman

The first in the Legends Trilogy from the realms of DragonLance. The series starts up several years after the Chronicles Trilogy. We are revisited by three old friends, the twins, Raistlin and Caramon, and the kender, Tasslehoff. The war has changed all of them over the short time since its conclusion and the world feels at peace. But some feel otherwise, such as the cleric, Crysania, a new character that is introduced.


Raistlin has grand plans, more ambitious than anyone suspects, but he needs help. Through his manipulations, the group finds themselves magically transported to a previous age...the age of the Cataclysm where all will be forced to make the difficult choice between their lives or their soul.

The book follows the characters back in time, allowing the reader to see a point in the world's history that was often mentioned in the previous series. In the distant time the stage is set for a bottle between ambitious evil and pure goodness. The first book ends with such a cliff hanger that I just about screamed because it took so long to go grab the next one off my shelves.

5/5

Book Review: Dark Alley by Evan Marshall

A sanitation worker named Garry is found murdered in an alleyway.  His supervisor Anna decides that the police aren't doing enough and begins to investigate on her own.  A few days later another body is found...then another...and another.  The killer is nicknamed the "Mews Murderer" and the police seem to be chasing their own tails as Anna tries everything she can to discover who the killer is before they can strike again.

To start with, I have to say that I loved the character of Anna.  She was intelligent and thought through the facts coming up with some interesting points of view...some of which lead her the right direction and which lead her away.  Her cop boyfriend, however, seemed to be in the story only as a way for her to get into the crime scenes.  It would have been nice to see more from him, he seemed to have a lot of potential that was never used.

The mystery itself was well laid out and presented.  I managed to guess the murderer early on, but I think it was just a lucky guess.  We follow Anna as she interviews persons of interest and looks for clues.  There were a few spots where the dialog was a little choppy or drawn out as she was asking people the same questions one after another.

Even though I had somehow managed to guess the culprit, the reasons behind his actions do not become clear until the very end.  The story wrapped up very suddenly, and I would have liked to see it take more than just a couple pages.  I was a bit rushed for my taste.

Overall, the book was very enjoyable and I had a hard time putting it down.  If you are a mystery fan you will enjoy the story.

3/5

Weekly Finds: 1/11/10 (Part Two)

The Magic Warble by Victoria Simcox

From the back of the book:  Dwarfs, gnomes, fairies, talking animals, and an evil queen - all these and more can be found in The Magic Warble, an enchanting tale of adventure and friendship.

Twelve-year-old Kristina Kingsly fells like the most unpopular girl in her school.  The kids all tease her, and she never seems to fit in.  But when Kristina receives an unusual Christmas gift, she suddenly finds  herself magically transported to the land of Bernovem, home of dwarfs, gnomes, fairies, talking animals and the evil Queen Sentiz.

In Bernovem, Kristina not only fits in, she's honored as "the chosen one" the only one who can release the land from Queen Sentiz's control.  But it's nnot as simple as it seems.  To save Bernovem, she must place the gift she was given, the famous "Magic Warble", in its final resting place.  And she must travel through the deep forest, climb a treacherous mountain, and risk capture by the queen's "zelbocks" before she reaches her destination.  Guided by her new fairy friends, Clover and Looper and by Prince Werrien, a teenage boy, as well as an assortment of other characters, Kristina sets off on a perilous journey that not only tests her strength but also her heart.

The Magician of Hoad by Margaret Mahy

From the inside cover:  Heriot Tobias was born with a gift.  Visions wake him in the middle of the night, and others' thoughts invade his head.  Herior's mind already feels torn apart when the King of Hoad decides to tear him away from his family.

Heriot quickly discovers that life in the royal court is much more difficult and complex than life on the farm.  Being at the beck and call of a King who expects him to read friends' and foes' minds alike is no small challenge, but neither is being caught in a power struggle among three princes and an intimidating Hero of Hoad.

As Heriot hones his skills and grows into the role of Magician of Hoad, the number of people he can trust becomes smaller.  Loneliness threatens to engulf him until a chance encounter brings a street urchin named Cayley into his life.  Heriot feels inexplicably drawn to Cayley, someone he sees so much of himself in, yet at times feels like he does not understand at all.  But even amidst the turmoil, Heroit is curtain that he ever-developing power is the key to his destiny...if only he could figure out exactly waht that destine is supposed to be.

The Van Alen Legacy by Melissa de la Cruz

From the inside cover:  With the stunning revelation surrounding Bliss's true identity comes the growing threat of the sinister Silver Bloods.  Once left to live the glamorous life in New York City, the Blue Bloods now find themselves in an epic battle for survival.  Not to worry; love is still in the air for the young vampires of the Upper East Side.  Or is it?  Schuyler has made her choice.  She has forsaken Jack for Liver, choosing human over vampires.  But old loves die hard...And even coldhearted Mimi seems to suffer from the ties that bind.

Millie's Fling by Jill Mansell

From the back of the book:  Bestselling romance author Orla Hart decides to ake her friend Millie Brady the heroine of her next novel, even though Millie doubts her boring life will inspire a steamy page-turner.  But whatever excitement doesn't happen to Millie natureally, Orla is secretly determined to stir up...While Millie faithfully recounts the hilarious mishaps of her friends and family, Orla schemes to match Millie with the perfect romanitc hero to really spice things up.  But Orla doesn't know that Millie has deliberately left out the juiciest recent development.

A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini

From borders.com:  Description: With heart-wrenching power and suspense, the bestselling author of "The Kite Runner" shows how a woman's love for her family can move her to shocking and heroic acts of self-sacrifice, and that in the end it is love, or even the memory of love, that is often the key to survival.


Description: After more than 189 weeks on the New York Timesbestseller list for The Kite Runner, Khaled Hosseini returns with a beautiful, riveting, and haunting novel that confirms his place as one of the most important literary writers today. Propelled by the same superb instinct for storytelling that made The Kite Runnera beloved classic, A Thousand Splendid Sunsis at once an incredible chronicle of thirty years of Afghan history and a deeply moving story of family, friendship, faith, and the salvation to be found in love. Born a generation apart and with very different ideas about love and family, Mariam and Laila are two women brought jarringly together by war, by loss and by fate. As they endure the ever escalating dangers around them-in their home as well as in the streets of Kabul-they come to form a bond that makes them both sisters and mother-daughter to each other, and that will ultimately alter the course not just of their own lives but of the next generation. With heart-wrenching power and suspense, Hosseini shows how a woman's love for her family can move her to shocking and heroic acts of self-sacrifice, and that in the end it is love, or even the memory of love, that is often the key to survival. A stunning accomplishment, A Thousand Splendid Sunsis a haunting, heartbreaking, compelling story of an unforgiving time, an unlikely friendship, and an indestructible love

Weekly Finds: 1/11/10 - Part 1 (A day late)

I'm not sure why I didn't get this up yesterday, but here it is now.  These are all books that I purchased with gift cards that I received for Christmas.

Death on Demand by Carolyn Hart

From the back of the book:  At Annie Laurance's Death on Demand bookstore on Broward's Rock Island, South Carolina, murder more foul suddenly isn't confined to the well-stocked bookshelves.  Author Elliot Morgan's abrupt demise during a weekly gathering of famous mystery writers called the Sunday Night Regulars is proof positive that a bloody sword is sometimes mightier than a brilliant pen.

Who could plot a murder better than a mystery writer?

With Annie in the unenviable position of primary police suspect, the pretty young mystery maven and her wealty paramour, Max Darling, embark on an investigation into a classic locked-room mystery with high stakes.  For failing to unmask a brutal and ingenious killer could mean prison for Ms. Laurance.  Whilesuccess could mean her death.

Through The Dark Woods: A Young Woman's Journey Out Of Depression by James Jones

From the back of the book:  Depression is dubbed 'the common cold of mental health'.  One in five will experience depression.  Sufferers include Winston Churchill, Henri Nouwen, Joni Mitchell, Vincent Van Gogh, and the preachers Luther, Spurgeon and Wesley.

Jo Swinney stresses the importance of correct diagnosis.  She addresses the impact on relationships - what happens to romance?  To your job prospects? To your longsuffering family? - and explains how depression affects your relationship with God.

She also outlines sensible, practical strategies that have helped her and others: keep a journal, pray short punchy prayers, find safe places, pay attention to your dreams, laugh at silly jokes.  This is a delightful, shrewd, warm book by a survivor.

Fragile Eternity by Melissa Marr

From the inside cover:  Seth never expected he would want to settle down with anyone - but that was before Aislinn.  She is everything he'd ever dreamed of and he wants to be with her forever.  Forever takes on a new meaning, though, when your girlfriend is an immortal faery queen.

Aislinn never expected to rule the very creatures who'd always terrified her - but that was before Keenan.  He stole her mortality to make her a monarch, and now she faces challenges and enticements beyond any she'd ever dreamed.

In Melissa Marr's third mesmerizing tale of Faerie.  Seth and Aislinn struggle to stay true to themselves and each other in a milieu of shadowy rules and shifting allegiances, where old friends become new enemies and one wrong move could plunge the Earth into chaos.

Rumors by Anna Godberson

From the back of the book:  As rumors fly about the ultimely demise of New York's brightest star, Elizabeth Holland, all eyes are on those closest to the dearly departed: her sister, Diana, the family's only hope for redemption; Henry Schoonmaker, the flame Elizabeth never extinguished; Penelope Hayes, poised to claim all that her best friend left behind; even Elizabeth's former maid, Lina Broud, who discovers that while money matters and breeding counts, gossip is the new currency.  Inn this delicious sequel to the New York Times best selling The Luxe, nothing is more dangerous than a scandal...or more precious than a secret.

Tehanu by Ursula K. Le Guin

From the back of the book:  Years before, they had escaped together from the sinister Tombs of Atuan - she, an isolated young priestess, he, a powerful wizard.  Now she is a farmer's widow, having chosen for herself the simple pleasures of an ordinary life.  And he is a broken old man, mourning the powers lost to him not by choice.

A lifetime ago, they helped each other at a time of darkness and danger.  Now they must join forces again, to help another - the physically and emotionally scarred child whose own destiny remains to be revealed.

Book Review: Merry, Merry Ghost by Carolyn Hart

Merry, Merry Ghost by Carolyn Hart

Bailey Ruth has been sent back from Heaven once again. This time her mission is to watch over a little boy named Kieth, the long lost grandson of a quite wealthy, and very ill, woman named Susan. When Susan turns up dead, a result of foul play, after announcing that she was leaving everything to her recently found grandson, there are many suspects, as many were remembered in her original will. It is up to Bailey Ruth to try and discover the identity of the murderer and keep little Keith safe, all while not breaking the Precepts that she was ordered to follow when she was sent from Heaven


This was supposed to be a Christmas read for me, since the events in the story all happen around Christmas time, but I didn't quite get to it in time. The story was a little hard for me to get into at first. The reader is introduced to a slew of potential hiers to Susan's fortune right off the bat, and it took me awhile to get them all sorted out. Once I had and the action picked back up, I was very happy with the pace of the book. The author kept the identity of the killer a secret until the very end, at least she kept it secret from me.

Bailey Ruth bothered me a bit. I understand that her character is a bit like an angel, having been sent down from heaven and all, but she was a bit of a goodie-goodie at times. Her only saving grace was that she did occassionally break the rules she was supposed to follow while on earth. This is the second book written about Bailey Ruth and I have added the first to my wish list to see if I warm up to her a little bit more.

3/5

Weekly Finds: 1/9/10 Part 1 - A Day Early

This week I received all the books that I had ordered using gift cards that I received from my family at Christmas, so I figured I'd do part one today with a few and finish up tomorrow to avoid an incredibly long post.

The entire Prydain Chronicles that I received are to be read in a group thing in the 75 book challenge over on LibraryThing.com

The Book of Three - The Chronicles of Prydain Book 1 by Lloyd Alexander

From the back of the book:  Taran is bored with his Assistant Pig-Keeper duties, even though his charge is none other than Hen Wen, Prydain's only oracular pig.  He'd rather be doing something more heroic, like making swords and learning to use them.

When Hen Wen escapes and Taran goes after her, he finds himself rather farther from home than he's ever been.  Soon he begins to realize that heroism is no eas task.  With the dreaded Horned King on the loose and King Arawn gathering the forces of evil, Taran must look past his own dreams to warn the population of Prydain - before it's too late.

The Black Cauldron - The Chronicles of Prydain Book 2 by Lloyd Alexander

From the back of the book:  In the land of Prydain, evil is never far away.  Arawn, the Lord of the Land of the Dead, has been building an army of dark warriors to take over Prydain, and the only way to stop him is to destroy the Black Cauldron he uses to create his dreaded soldiers.

Taran, Assistant Pig-Keeper, and his loyal companions must journey deep into Arawn's domainn to detroy the Black Cauldron.  For each of them, the quest has special meaning.  For Taran, it is a glorious opportunity to use his first sword in battle.  But war requires a sacrifice greater than he'd ever imagined...

The Castle of Llyr - The Chronicles of Prydain Book 3 by Lloyd Alexander

From the back of the book:  Princess Eilonwy hates to leave her friend Taran, Assistant Pig-Keeper, and her beloved home, Caer Dallben.  Why does she have to go to the Isle of the Mona to train as a proper lady when she's already a princess?  But Eilonwy soon faces much more than the ordeal of becoming a dignified young maiden, for she possesses magical powers sought by the evil enchantress Queen Achren.

When Eilonwy is put under a deep spell, Taran and his companions set out on a dangerous uest to rescue her.  Yet how can a lowly Assistant Pig-Keeper hope to stand against the most evil enchantress in all of Prydain.

Taran Wanderer - The Chronicles of Prydain Book 4 by Lloyd Alexander

From the back of the book:  Taran is an Assistant Pig-Keeper no longer - he has become a hero.  Now he dreams of winning the hand of Princess Eilonwy, but how can someone who has spent his whole life caring for a pig hope to marry royalty?  Taran must find out who he really is.  Eager to learn his origins and hoping to discover noble roots, Taran sets off with the faithful Gurgi.

The journey takes the companions to the three witches in the Marshes of Morva and through the many realms of Prydain.  At last they reach they mystical Mirror of Llunet, which reveals a person's true identity.  Yet Taran may not be ready to face the truth...

The High King - The Chronicles of Prydain Book 5 by Lloyd Alexander

From the back of the book:  When the most powerful weapon in the land of Prydain falls into the hands of Arawn, Lord of the Land of the Dead, Taran and Prince Gwydion rally an army to stand up to the dark forces.

The companions' last and greatest quest is also their most perilous.  The biting cold of winter is upon them, adding to the danger they already face.  Their journey, fraught with battle and bloodshed, ends at the very portal of Arawn's stronghold.  There, Taran is faced with the most difficult decision of his life.

In the breathtaking Newbery Medal-winning conclustion to The Chronicles Prydain, the faithful friends face the ultimate war between good and evil.

Book Review: Wicked by Beth Henderson

Lilly Renfrew has just witnessed a murder. She doesn't care it if was "just" a prostitute...to her it is still another human being. A small gasp betrays her and the murderer realized he's been watched leading to a chance through the Barbary Coast area and directly into Deegan Galloway's arms.

Deegan has been bored...he wants adventure, and when the little wren, Lilly, stumbles into his arms trying to escape from a man chasing her, he is quick to oblige. Once he hears her story he decides to join in the hunt for the murderer.

While this is labeled a Romance, and it does have a few steamy scenes in it, it was more of an action/mystery in my opinion. The hunt for the murderer leads to all manner of unusual circumstances and list of highly unlikely suspects. The author does a wonderful job of keeping the true bad guy's identity a secret until almost the very end, which I admire a lot.

Lilly and Deegan are both wonderful characters that are struggling to realize who they really are underneath. Their journey together is fun to follow and I truly enjoyed watching them become who they really were.

3/5

Book Review: The Book of Three by Lloyd Alexander

A group of us on the LibraryThing 75 challenge thread are reading the Chronicles Prydain this year. We started in January with the first book, The Book of Three. The first book in the Chronicles of Prydain didn't hold up to the second, The Black Cauldron, which I read many times when I was younger, it was a favorite. Perhaps these many reads of the sequel are what lead to me not quite enjoying it as much as I would have. We are introduced to quite a cast of characters. Our main being Taran, the assistant pig keeper, and his pig, Hen Wen (I love that name, I wonder if it means anything).


Taran meets up with an odd assortment of companions in the form of the annoying (at least to him) girl Eilonwy, and the bard, Fflewddur. They find themselves rushing to beat the bad guy, The Horned King, to the castle so they can warn the good guys about the attack. The story is enjoyable and easy to follow, but occasionally moved a little too fast for me. I could tell the author was trying to convey a feeling, but he moved on before it had sunk in. Overall I'm glad I read this book, and look forward to reading the sequel, The Black Cauldron, again next month.

3.5/5

Book Review: The Heart of the Buddha by Elsie Sze

Marian and Ruth may be twin sisters, but they do not always see eye to eye. Such is the case when Marian decides to go to Bhutan, a small country near India, to work in their library for 6 months. During her time in Bhutan something happens to Marian. After a frantic call home from Bhutan to Ruth, several weeks after she was supposed to be back, Ruth decides to go find her twin sister. Her search leads her all across the small country and into neighboring countries as well as she tries to put the last few weeks of her sister's whereabouts together.


Marian and Ruth are both very richly developed characters. They are subject to the whims of their very unique emotions and viewing the country of Bhutan (which I admit to never having heard of before), through both their eyes was fascinating. It was a country rich in culture as well as people. It was also a wonderful look into the Buddhist religion for me.

Throughout the book, you will read of two separate journeys that while vary drastically follow the same path...through love, life, faith, and family.

4/5

This book was received in exchange for a review.  All reviews I give are my honest opinion of what I thought.

Weekly Finds: 1/3/10

First Sunday of the New Year and no new books...yet.  I have about 14 more that should be here sometime next week, so expect a large post then. 

Book Review: Dear Mr. Unibomber by Ray Cavanaugh

I requested this book from the Members Giveaway program because I thought it would be more about the history of the Unabomber. It is a series of letters written to him after he was imprisoned. However, most of the letters center around the author and his lack of faith in the system and life itself. While mildly entertaining, it was not what I had been expecting at all.


2/5

Book Review: Seahorses Are Real by Zillah Bethell

A provoking story of Marly and her fiance David. Marly is "damaged" inside and can't seem to find a way to be fixed. David is her lifeline and her outlet of anger and disappointment (in a very bad way). She nags, yells, demeans, and damages him thoughout the story only to regret it seconds later. The pages took the reader into Marly's mind and thoughts as she struggled with, what appears to be, depression and abuse, although they are never named.




4/5