Book reviews and more!

Posts tagged with ‘B Plus Reviews’

HHHH: A NOVEL, by Laurent Binet, translated by Sam Taylor

October 5, 2012

META-HISTORICAL META-NOVEL about the lingering specter of World War II and the utter impossibility of fiction.

Grade: B PLUS

HHHH: A NOVEL
Farrar, Straus and Giroux
2012

Tags: , , ,

SKIOS, by Michael Frayn

October 2, 2012

MICHAEL FRAYN’S FARCE of jet-set conferencegoers and mistaken identities has lots of charm, insider snark.

Grade: B PLUS

SKIOS
Henry Holt & Company
2012

Tags: , ,

THE HYPNOTIST’S LOVE STORY, by Liane Moriarty

September 29, 2012

CHARMING AUSTRALIAN ROMANTIC comedy-drama takes on some tough issues of love and abandonment with grace.

Grade: B PLUS

THE HYPNOTIST'S LOVE STORY
Penguin/Amy Einhorn Books
2012

Tags: , ,

THE IMPOSSIBLE STATE, by Vincent Cha

September 24, 2012

AN EYE-OPENING OVERVIEW of the history of North Korea from a professor/former National Security Council staffer.

Grade: B PLUS

THE IMPOSSIBLE STATE: NORTH KOREA, PAST AND FUTURE
HarperCollins
2012

Tags: , , , , ,

THE COLDEST WAR, by Ian Tregillis

September 22, 2012

GRIM, COMPLEX TALE of a Cold War fought with magic: British warlocks vs. Soviet-captured Nazi magical tech.

Grade: B PLUS

THE COLDEST WAR
Tor
2012

Tags: , , , ,

THE CRANES DANCE, by Meg Howrey

September 18, 2012

INSIDE A BALLET DANCER’S crisis of career burnout and family dysfunction. Lots of vivid backstage ballet detail!

Grade: B PLUS

THE CRANES DANCE
Vintage
2012

Tags: ,

DARE ME, by Megan Abbott

September 13, 2012

TENSE, SPLENDIDLY BLEAK psychological mystery about the twisted bonds among a coach and her high school team.

Grade: B PLUS

DARE ME
Little, Brown/Reagan Arthur Books
2012

Tags: , ,

THE OTHER HALF OF ME, by Morgan McCarthy

September 10, 2012

A BROTHER AND SISTER’S bond is threatened by their wealthy family’s dysfunction and secrets. Luminous and wise.

Grade: B PLUS

THE OTHER HALF OF ME
Free Press
2012

Tags: ,

POTBOILER, by Jesse Kellerman

September 3, 2012

META-THRILLER DELIGHTS, SURPRISES: lots of action, and snark about publishing, academia, and the spy business.

Grade: B PLUS

POTBOILER
Putnam
2012

Tags: , , , ,

WHERE THE BODIES ARE BURIED, by Christopher Brookmyre

September 1, 2012

GRITTY GLASGOW POLICE procedural has lots of local color, an admirably twisty plot, and memorable lady sleuths.

Grade: B PLUS

WHERE THE BODIES ARE BURIED
Grove Atlantic
2012

Tags: , ,