Category: Book review

The Bear and the Nightingale

Katherine Arden’s debut novel, The Bear and the Nightingale, is like living in a Russian fairy tale. The language was beautiful and it filled you with images of magic, hardships, cold and beauty. I read this covered in blankets and felt the cold creep off the pages. There is a lot of build up to the end but each piece of the story plays an important part. All the characters are complex and wonderfully written. You understand people even as you hate them. This book was amazing! Highly recommend but don’t expect a fast easy read because this has so much detail and beauty it is meant to be savored.

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Star Wars!

I was really excited to read The Princess Diarist by Carrie Fisher. I grew up with Star Wars thanks to my dad and am really excited for the upcoming movies! I have never read any of Carrie Fisher’s other books but I think I will now. She is witty and smart and likes to ramble which is great for a laugh. Reading about her time on the set of Star Wars was fascinating. Seeing the making of such an iconic movie through the eyes of one its stars is wonderful. I cannot imagine being 19, starring in a movie and becoming an instant star. She describes the 3-month time on set through her poetry and journal entries. It was fun to get some insight into who she is, was and what it’s like to be a celebrity in a world that is once again obsessed with Star Wars. I like that she has insecurities like most people and seems down to earth. I am looking forward to seeing where she and her alter ego, Princess Leia, go in episodes VIII and IX. Thanks for the entertaining read Carrie!

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Review: Dark Matter by Blake Crouch

“Dark Matter” by Blake Crouch was the December selection for our Hauntingly Good Reads book club. We had a great discussion about the book. Here’s my review of it (originally posted on my Goodreads page):

Jane and her reindeer Peppermint shared “Dark Matter” by Blake Crouch with library patrons.

This book might make you re-think your reality. While it’s definitely science fiction, the science doesn’t overwhelm the fiction and the story moves along at a great pace. The characters are well-developed and the settings are a vital part of the story. I had a hard time putting this book down once I started it. I genuinely wanted to know what was going to happen to the characters, and I like having a protagonist that I’m invested in.

There are plenty of unexpected plot twists, but none that feel artificial or forced. I love a novel that offers up plenty of suspense and this one does.

If you’ve ever wondered what might have happened in your life had you made a different choice at any juncture in your life, this book is for you. I highly recommend it.