Jennifer Petty Mann

OK. You know who you are, you purveyor of science fiction literature hereto unreviewed by me. You are now solely responsible for my little head wandering off to space. With a few exceptions (The Host (12/05/08), I don't read a lot of sci-fi and I think that’s about to change. Many, many brilliant minds (not pompously including myself here - just sayin’) write and read sci-fi … [Read more...] about ‘House of Suns’ by Alastair Reynolds

Right now my toenails are pink. They look very nice and I enjoy smiling down at them, but I can’t help feel a bit like a total spank. Cheryl Strayed lost six of hers. I’m guessing the remaining four were not visions of loveliness. Frankly, it's a small sacrifice to have made in light of the enormity of her accomplishment both internally and externally. She was lost and she … [Read more...] about Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail by Cheryl Strayed

First off, sorry to anyone who was excited for a word from my dear mother, but she is a bit preoccupied at the moment, so I'll be doing the review this week. Some of you might remember me from our joint review of Hamlet (in which, to be frank, I wrote terribly.) but enough about me, let's get to the book. In a letter to a friend, Tolstoy wrote of Anna Karenina, stating that … [Read more...] about Анна Каренина by Leo Tolstoy

Can you believe I have written almost 100 of these little buggers ( I mean, jewels)? You poor people. What have I put you through. Take note that the rest of my family * is in the paper this week too, so maybe I am not a total failure. I have read so many things lately that its really is hard to choose which to write about. Hollis was reading Dante while I was reading Diane … [Read more...] about ‘Explosive Eighteen’ by Janet Evanovich

A Discovery of Witches is part one of a trilogy in progress about the human and non-human worlds of science, faith, and power.  Add a pinch of lust and some evil - lots of wine and Oh, what fun!   Escapism is always best when it has foundations in reality.  Historical and scientifically-accurate (sort of) reality is especially appealing.  Throw in non-humans descended from … [Read more...] about “A Discovery of Witches” by Deborah Harkness

April 1, 2008, I reviewed the stand out self published book by Brunonia Barry.  I swooned.  Read it, so I don’t have to repeat myself- we all know how anathema THAT is to me. (Boyfriend will hurt self rolling eyes.)  With very high expectations I read her second book -- The Map of True Places.  At first I was not enthralled. I hoped for more and put it down and picked it up … [Read more...] about The Map of True Places by Brunonia Barry

Anna Quindlan is such a good columnist (New York Times, Newsweek) that is constently thrills me that she also such a good and prodigious writer, Black and Blue, being my favorite among her novels... Every Last One is her newest and ... holy you know what.  I walked into the library to fight with their fax machine (I damned mine to the basement for insubordination) and … [Read more...] about “Every Last One” by Anna Quindlan

I know I should be reviewing something smarter, or more current, or hipper, but I can’t help myself.  I am reading everything I am supposed to -- Cleopatra, Unbroken, some book about Voltaire’s mistress.  This book really got to me though, so I just can't help but do this. I went to the Book Barn (akin to Harry Winston in my opinion for sheer delight and fabulousness) and … [Read more...] about “Anybody Out There?” by Marian Keyes

Ah, the fates have intervened again and a long misplaced email has called a book to my attention. Ann Blair Kloman wrote a wonderful suspense novel last year (... longer? Who knows?  I age without consent) and has now written another. And to think I almost missed it.  Isobel’s Odyssey is a treat.  Wonderfully reminiscent of my beloved Mrs Polifax series (Dorothy Gilman), … [Read more...] about “Isobel’s Odyssey” by Ann Blair Kloman

Swamplandia!  The reviews of Karen Russell’s last book, "Lucy’s Home for Girls Raised by Wolves,” are enough to make you pick this new one up and clutch it to your chest as you race from the shop ... “Run for your life. The girl is on fire.” (Los Angeles Times) Not even a page in and I was captivated by the ease and grace with which she writes.  A pseudo-real Indian tribe on … [Read more...] about “Swamplandia” by Karen Russell

It should be called 'Floored.' I am, completely. A 19-year-old girl is kidnapped and held prisoner in a shed for seven years. She has two babies by the gruesome, evil, sick bastard, who took her. One dies. One lives. We see the story through the second child’s eyes. A boy, Jack, who is five. He and 'Ma' live in 'Room.' It is not 'a' Room. To Jack it, quite literally, is the … [Read more...] about ‘Room’ by Emma Donohugh

I live on a little under 10 acres.  It's fairly private and we all sort of behave the way we like without fear of public scrutiny. Upon re reading Bill Bryson’s book The Lost Continent, I laughed so hard and so loudly and so often that I was embarrassed and waited for someone to come scold me or at least make fun. He is bar (almost) none, the most amusing writer.  It may … [Read more...] about The Lost Continent by Bill Bryson