Book reviews and more!

Posts filed under ‘Reviews’

ABANDON ME by Melissa Febos

May 13, 2017

INTENSE, CANDID MEMOIR of losing and finding love, family, Native heritage, and especially self. Raw, deep. B PLUS

ABANDON ME: MEMOIRS
Bloomsbury USA
2017

Grade: B PLUS

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THE UNITED STATES OF ABSURDITY by Dave Anthony

May 11, 2017

THE DOLLOP’S IRREVERENT, FUNNY takes on some of United States history’s weirdnesses. Stranger than fiction! B PLUS

THE UNITED STATES OF ABSURDITY : UNTOLD STORIES FROM AMERICAN HISTORY
Ten Speed Press
2017

Grade: B PLUS

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AN ARRANGEMENT OF SKIN by Anna Journey

May 8, 2017

A POET EXPLORES TAXIDERMY, family history, death, and love in a dazzling kaleidoscope of short essays. A MINUS

AN ARRANGEMENT OF SKIN: ESSAYS (HARDCOVER)
Counterpoint LLC
2017

Grade: A MINUS

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FRONTIER by Can Xue

May 6, 2017

DREAMLIKE, POETIC CHINESE novel set in a fantastic landscape haunted by ghosts, snow leopards, memories. A MINUS

FRONTIER
Open Letter Books
2017

Grade: A MINUS

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NOTES ON A BANANA by David Leite

May 4, 2017

A LOVE LETTER TO FAMILY and food, with a candid exploration of coming out, and of living with mental illness. B PLUS

NOTES ON A BANANA : A MEMOIR OF FOOD, LOVE AND MANIC DEPRESSION
HarperCollins
2017

Grade: B PLUS

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TELEVANGELIST by Ron Johnson

May 1, 2017

CLEVER, BITTER SATIRE of big-money religion follows the rise of a ruthless televangelist. SOLID B

TELEVANGELIST
Golden Calf Books
2017

Grade: SOLID B

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SELECTION DAY (HARDCOVER) by Aravind Adiga

April 29, 2017

A FATHER’S BITTER OBSESSION, his sons’ desperation to escape the poverty of their Mumbai slum, and cricket. B PLUS

SELECTION DAY (HARDCOVER)
Scribner Book Company
2017

Grade: B PLUS

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I HATE EVERYONE, EXCEPT YOU by Clinton Kelly

April 20, 2017

CATTY, ELEGANT, WARM-HEARTED collection of short pieces from style guru Clinton Kelly is lots of fun. SOLID B

I HATE EVERYONE, EXCEPT YOU
Gallery Books
2017

Grade: SOLID B

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ALL GROWN UP (HARDCOVER) by Jami Attenberg

April 7, 2017

COMPELLING PORTRAIT OF A PRICKLY, insightful woman in a low-key crisis, told in a wonderful mosaic style. A MINUS

ALL GROWN UP (HARDCOVER)
Houghton Mifflin
2017

Grade: A MINUS

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DRAINLAND by Iain Ryan

April 3, 2017

HARDBOILED AUSTRALIAN NOIR set on a seedy resort island, last-chance posting for a disgraced, addicted cop. B PLUS

DRAINLAND: TUNNEL ISLAND BOOK 1
Lamb House
2016

Grade: B PLUS

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