Signs Preceding the End of the World is an acclaimed novella by Mexican author Yuri Herrera that tells the tale of a Mexican girl that must sneak across the border to deliver a message to her brother in the US. I thought the book was okay but I am not completely sure what the ending meant. Continue reading
Author Archives: mmelland
Book Review: The Wives by Tarryn Fisher
The Wives has an interesting premise and plenty of page-turning suspense, but overall it was a bit of a confusing hot mess. The narrator was so unreliable that I’m still not sure which scenes actually happened. Continue reading
Book Review: The Splendid and the Vile: A Saga of Churchill, Family, and Defiance During the Blitz by Erik Larson
Erik Larson has done it again! The author of Dead Wake and The Devil in the White City brings history to life with his latest, The Splendid and the Vile. This time he tackles the first year of Winston Churchill’s tenure as prime minister, with splendid results. Continue reading
Book Review: A Thousand Acres by Jane Smiley
A Thousand Acres is a Pulitzer winning re-imagination of King Lear, set on an Iowa farm during the 1970s. It’s a beautifully written tale of one family’s quick and complete implosion. I mostly really liked it but towards the end I disliked the characters so much, including the narrator, that I was ready for it to be over. Continue reading
Book Giveaway – Find Out How to Win!
My talented college roommate, Alison Macor, is an accomplished author and film expert. In honor of National Library Week, she’s giving away a copy of her first book, Chainsaws, Slackers, and Spy Kids: Thirty Years of Filmmaking in Austin, Texas. Here’s a description: Continue reading
An Ode to Libraries During National Library Week 2020
I had a terrific childhood. For five years during grade school I lived in an idyllic children’s wonderland called… Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. I know, I know, “there’s a prison there, right?” Very true, but the prison is just a very small part of the post. For people assigned there voluntarily it’s more like a beautiful, old college campus than a prison site or even a traditional Army post. And, in fact, it’s a hub of Army learning, so the campus image is fitting. Continue reading
Book Review: Caleb’s Crossing by Geraldine Brooks
Caleb’s Crossing is set in colonial New England, mostly during the 1660s, and tells the story of an English puritan girl, Bethia, whose friendship with Native American Caleb has unusual consequences – Caleb becomes the first Native American to graduate from Harvard. Continue reading
5 Book Series to Binge Read
Whether you’re on vacation, self-isolating, or just not feeling very social, it’s good to have a list of engrossing book series to binge read. If you’re you’re like me, sometimes the books on your “to be read” list just don’t appeal to whatever you’re in the mood for. A good, go-to book series can be just the thing to cure this ailment – the characters are like old friends and you trust the author to deliver a good story. Continue reading
Book Review: Death on the Nile by Agatha Christie
Death on the Nile is a Hercule Poirot mystery. The little Belgian sleuth with the big brain and dramatic mustache can’t catch a break – he’s supposed to be retired and on holiday, but murder seems to follow him around. This time, the murder takes place on a Nile riverboat and the victim is a young, wealthy, beautiful newlywed named Linnet Doyle.
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Book Review: To the Hilt by Dick Francis
Strong characters, a bit of intrigue and, of course, a horse make Dick Francis’s To the Hilt a good read. Continue reading
Book Thoughts from Bed 