Miss Buncle is a spinster in the little English village of Silverstream – the kind of person that everyone knows, and secretly pities, because she seems to have such a drab life. But Miss Buncle has a secret – she’s written a book, recasting Silverstream as the village of Copperfield, and showcasing all of the […]
Miss Buncle’s Book – D. E. Stevenson Read More »
I read French Women Don’t Get Fat ages ago (definitely pre-blog), and I don’t remember having any strong feeling about it either way. It was basically a treatise on French attitudes toward food, and trying to apply that to our American eating habits. So, when I found a used copy of this book, the follow
French Women for All Seasons – Mireille Guiliano Read More »
An interesting study of various Warrior Queens as an archetype through time, centering on Boudicea (who the author separates in Boudicea – the legendary figure, and Boudica – the historical figure). Boudicea was the Queen of the British Iceni tribe, who rose up against the Romans after they scourged her, and raped her daughters. That
The Warrior Queens – Antonia Fraser Read More »
This book is billed as the sequel to Howl’s Moving Castle, but it actually takes a little while for Howl and Sophie to make an appearance. Instead, the main character is a young woman named Charmain, who has been drafted to mind her Great-Uncle’s house while he’s away being cured of some unnamed illness. Turns
House of Many Ways – Diana Wynne Jones Read More »
Some of Georgette Heyer’s books have a certain air of authenticity of the time they’re set in. This is not one of them. Sir Gareth Ludlow is on the way to totally flub up a marriage proposal (the whys are not important. It’s immediately clear he and Lady Hester will eventually be engaged) when he
Sprig Muslin – Georgette Heyer Read More »
Ok. I totally get why these books are the next big thing. There’s a love triangle, but it actually makes sense, so you’re not finding yourself rooting for the guy you know will lose. (Honestly, I don’t know who to root for.) There’s a revolution starting, and that also makes sense. And the heroine is
Catching Fire – Suzanne Collins Read More »
At first blush, this book is the story of the love triangle of Ormus Cama, Umeed ‘Rai’ Merchant and Vina Apsara. Rai is the story’s narrator, which starts at the very seminal moment of Vina’s death. From there, Rai takes us back to the childhood of the three in India. For various reasons, they all
The Ground Beneath Her Feet – Salman Rushdie Read More »
When Grace was young, she was attacked by wolves in her back yard. She thought she was dead, but somehow, ended up back in her house, safe. From then on, she would often catch a glimpse of one member of the pack watching her – she always knew it was the same wolf because of
Shiver – Maggie Stiefvater Read More »
Well, October is past, which means the RIP VIII Reading Challenge is done. Considering I was gone for a good chunk of September, and had to rely on my iPad, I’m pretty happy with what I read: I was pretty mystery-centric this year – what I found for the Kindle started the trend, and I
RIP VIII Challenge – 9/1/13 to 10/31/13 Read More »
I think the Sookie books are getting a little long in the tooth. (Though not as bad as the tv show, which I stopped watching a couple of seasons ago.) In this book, Sookie’s great-grandfather, the fairy prince, comes to warn her that there’s war in the fairy realms, between his faction, which likes humans,
Dead and Gone – Charlaine Harris Read More »