Review of The Hobbit, An Unexpected Journey (or The Hobbit: Part 1/3)
Bottom line: A fun movie set in Tolkien’s world, though not a strict adaptation from the book. Rating: Recommended Review: When The Hobbit came out, I never got around to seeing it in theaters, being 8 1/2 months pregnant at the time and then otherwise occupied. So I finally saw it when it became available […]
Zombie Twofer
First, let me preface this by saying that I’m not really into zombies. Most zombie movies are reviewed enthusiastically for me by my husband, followed by a “and you should never watch it”. What can I say? I’m a wimp about violence. However, I thoroughly enjoyed these two books, and they continue to make the […]
Review of Divergent by Veronica Roth (2011) (Divergent Book 1)
Bottom line: Reading Divergent is like watching a good action movie: it’s not really about the plot, it’s about the heroes and their journey. Rating: Recommended Blurb: In Beatrice Prior’s dystopian Chicago, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue—Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), […]
My Favorite Ray Bradbury Books
I found out today that Ray Bradbury died yesterday (June 5, 2012) at age 91 – not bad! He wrote one of my favorite books (Fahrenheit 451), so I wanted to give a brief tribute here. What better way to remember him than by reading some of his works? Here are some of my favorites: […]
Review of The Emperor’s Edge Series by Lindsay Buroker
Bottom line: This is one of my favorite ongoing series. These are great stories, extremely well written, with awesome characters. The first book is free, so give it a try and see what you think! Rating: Strongly Recommended Review: I was going to do a review on each of the books that are out, but […]
Review of The Hunger Games Series by Suzanne Collins
Bottom line: Fast paced action, compelling characters, unexpected twists and turns in the plot and an all around great read for all three books. Rating: Strongly Recommended Review: The Hunger Games books are intense. I read all three books in one night, racing from one to the next to see how it was all going […]
Review of Game of Thrones by George R. R. Martin (1996) (A Song of Fire and Ice Book 1)
Bottom line: This book has graphic sex and violence, and I didn’t enjoy the story or characters enough to balance out the disturbing elements. Rating: Not Recommended Blurb: Long ago, in a time forgotten, a preternatural event threw the seasons out of balance. In a land where summers can last decades and winters a lifetime, […]
Review of The Hidden Institute by Brand Gamblin (2011) Free Audiobook
Bottom line: Great story, great characters, great narration, and it’s available as a free audiobook! Rating: Strongly Recommended Blurb: Rising above your station can be deadly. Cliffy is a child born on the streets of a Neo-Victorian world. Witnesses to a murder, he blackmails a nobleman, receiving a unique bribe. In exchange for his silence, […]
Harry Potter Series Now Available in E-book Formats…
…but they’re not going to make it easy for you. If you want to get the e-books ($7.99 for the first three, $9.99 for the last four) you can find them on most sites that sell e-books (including Amazon and B&N), but to complete the purchase, you get routed to the “Pottermore” shop where you […]
Review of Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency by Douglas Adams (1987) (Dirk Gently Book 1)
Bottom line: Not up to Douglas Adams’s usual standard. Worth a try if you’re a big fan of his other work. Rating: Recommended IF – you are a Douglas Adams fan Blurb: There is a long tradition of Great Detectives, and Dirk Gently does not belong to it. But his search for a missing cat […]