Life After Life explores the concept of reincarnation and how simple decisions can fundamentally alter the course of one’s life. Although I mostly liked it, the story got bogged down in the middle and ended ambiguously. Continue reading
Author Archives: mmelland
Book Review: Mother Teresa: An Authorized Biography by Kathryn Spink
My prayer: Lord, please send us another Mother Teresa to save us from our stupid selves. Amen. Continue reading
Book Review: Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel
Hey, I found another science fiction novel I really liked!
Station Eleven, a National Book Award finalist, is a twist on the apocalyptic pandemic tale. It’s well-crafted, full of atmosphere and immerses you in a world that has been stripped of modernity. Continue reading
Oliver the Cat Reviews The Catcher in the Rye
Book Review: Homeland and Other Stories by Barbara Kingsolver
If you’re looking for a short story collection, Homeland and Other Stories is a good one. Kingsolver’s stories mostly focus on families and relationships, with a couple of them delving into social issues. She packs a lot into a short story. Continue reading
Book Review: Ask Again, Yes by Mary Beth Keane
Mary Beth Keane’s debut novel, Ask Again, Yes, explores the effects that a violent incident has on two neighboring families, as well as the toll mental illness takes on spouses, children and the patient. The novel was okay but it was missing an engaging story line past the first 1/3 of the book. Continue reading
Book Review: For Whom the Bell Tolls by Ernest Hemingway
For Whom the Bell Tolls tells the tale of a band of communist guerrillas, led temporarily by American Robert Jordan, who have been tasked with blowing up a bridge during the Spanish Civil War in the late 1930s. The writing style took some getting used to, but I ended up really liking it. Continue reading
