Book reviews and more!

You are browsing the archive for July2016

JOE GOULD’S TEETH by Jill Lepore

July 29, 2016

BEHIND THE MYTHOLOGY of eccentric writer Joe Gould, historian Jill Lepore uncovers a more complicated truth. B PLUS

JOE GOULD’S TEETH
Knopf Publishing Group
2016

Tags: , ,

JANE STEELE by Lyndsay Faye

July 27, 2016

MARVELOUS FAUX-VICTORIAN THRILLER mashes up the Brontës and Dickens with a fierce, unconventional heroine. A MINUS

JANE STEELE
G.P. Putnam’s Sons
2016

Grade: A MINUS

Tags: , ,

DAY FOR NIGHT by Stacey E Bryan

July 25, 2016

FAST-PACED PARANORMAL THRILLER with a wicked sense of humor mixes aliens, vampires, and a surfer heroine. B PLUS

DAY FOR NIGHT
Vagabondage Press
2016

Grade: B PLUS

Tags: , , , , ,

IN MEMORY OF BREAD by Paul Graham

July 23, 2016

A FOOD LOVER’S MEMOIR of his celiac diagnosis, its impact on his life. Thoughtful if a bit over-impassioned. SOLID B

IN MEMORY OF BREAD
Clarkson Potter Publishers
2016

Grade: SOLID B

Tags: , , , ,

THE PRANK OF THE GOOD LITTLE VIRGIN OF VIA ORMEA by Amara Lakhous

July 21, 2016

A SCANDAL IN TURIN pits neighbor against neighbor in this whip-smart satirical mystery from Amara Lakhous. A MINUS

THE PRANK OF THE GOOD LITTLE VIRGIN OF VIA ORMEA
Europa Editions
2016

Grade: A MINUS

Tags: , ,

THE MATCHING (THE PAPER DUCHESS BOOK 2) by Angeline Trevena

July 18, 2016

UNSETTLING MISOGYNIST DYSTOPIA has strong characterization, atmosphere, but fuller worldbuilding needed. B MINUS

THE MATCHING (THE PAPER DUCHESS BOOK 2)
Bogus Caller Press
2016

Grade: B MINUS

Tags: , , ,

BY THE NUMBERS by Jen Lancaster

July 16, 2016

DELIGHTFUL SUMMER READ stars a Gen X mom getting her groove back amid sandwich generation chaos. B PLUS #BeachReads

BY THE NUMBERS
Penguin Publishing Group
2016

Grade: B PLUS

Tags: , ,

BLACK DEUTSCHLAND by Darryl Pinckney

July 14, 2016

INCISIVE YET LYRICAL novel captures Berlin and Chicago in the 1980s through the eyes of a gay Black writer. B PLUS

BLACK DEUTSCHLAND
Farrar
2016

Grade: B PLUS

Tags: , , , ,

THE SISTER by Louise Jensen

July 11, 2016

SHARP ENGLISH THRILLER takes on love and loss and family and friendship with a chilling twist. Very smart. B PLUS

THE SISTER: A PSYCHOLOGICAL THRILLER WITH A BRILLIANT TWIST YOU WON’T SEE COMING
Bookouture
2016

Grade: B PLUS

Tags: , ,

THE MIDNIGHT ASSASSIN by Skip Hollandsworth

July 8, 2016

TERRIFYING TEXAS MURDERS of the 1880s, brilliantly revisited by an incomparable true-crime writer. B PLUS

THE MIDNIGHT ASSASSIN
Henry Holt & Company
2016

Grade: B PLUS

Tags: , , , ,