This is a prequel to The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. Both Aslan and the witch appear, but with different children, Polly Plummer and her new neiThis is a prequel to The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. Both Aslan and the witch appear, but with different children, Polly Plummer and her new neighbor, Digory Kirke. The wardrobe does not exist yet in this story, but on his return from Narnia, Digory plants an apple tree, the wood of which is later used to make the wardrobe....more
Interesting, occasionally laugh-out-loud funny, and definitely on the weird side, these essays or memoir vignettes were unexpected in so many ways, atInteresting, occasionally laugh-out-loud funny, and definitely on the weird side, these essays or memoir vignettes were unexpected in so many ways, at least to me as a new reader of Sedaris. The pieces about Trump and Comey served as bitter reminders of the mess in which we currently find ourselves. My favorite pieces were "Untamed," about a fox, and "Sorry," about the board game....more
This latest addition to the Scarpetta series is categorized as a mystery but really skews more towards speculative fiction (UFOs, a Nobel laureate astThis latest addition to the Scarpetta series is categorized as a mystery but really skews more towards speculative fiction (UFOs, a Nobel laureate astrophysicist the media has dubbed the "E. T. whisperer") or thriller (close calls in a helicopter near tornados, during an underwater body recovery, and in a cave) on the genre spectrum. It was exciting and fascinating, but the title was not at all appropriate....more
This is a mystery, a race-against-time thriller, and so much more. It also reveals that the poetry by the duck-owning old poetess-laureate is actuallyThis is a mystery, a race-against-time thriller, and so much more. It also reveals that the poetry by the duck-owning old poetess-laureate is actually by Margaret Atwood!
Gamache is badly injured again. I wish him a speedy and complete recovery before Book #20....more
At first, I was disappointed not to have another Thursday Murder Club book, but I ended up loving this one anyway. Bodyguard Amy Wheeler drags her ex-At first, I was disappointed not to have another Thursday Murder Club book, but I ended up loving this one anyway. Bodyguard Amy Wheeler drags her ex-cop father-in-law Steve out of retirement when she is being framed for 3 murders and targeted by a hitman. The famous writer Rosie D'Antonio whom Amy is guarding has to come along for the ride, as she is still the target of a different hitman. The scenes stretch from South Carolina to Dubai, with many exiting stops in between....more
Jack Reacher has the misfortune to accept a ride from man just before said driver is the victim of vehicular homicide. Reacher ends up having to invesJack Reacher has the misfortune to accept a ride from man just before said driver is the victim of vehicular homicide. Reacher ends up having to investigate with a broken wrist, mild concussion, and some temporary amnesia. However, he does get some help from Jenny Knight, recently a cop, now fired for just going after her dad's killer. ...more
Really intense! A former Chicago street kid who went from boosting cars to being imprisoned for murder, Nick Mason is now a skilled assassin who killsReally intense! A former Chicago street kid who went from boosting cars to being imprisoned for murder, Nick Mason is now a skilled assassin who kills to keep "the organization" from murdering his ex-wife and their daughter. His prey this time is a powerful head of a terrorist organization. This takes place in Jakarta, Singapore, and the Philippines, an area mostly unfamiliar to me, and I found the book very informative, while also being riveting....more
Although it has romance subplots, this is basically a really good novel about the airline industry in the wake of 9/11. I learned so much and found itAlthough it has romance subplots, this is basically a really good novel about the airline industry in the wake of 9/11. I learned so much and found it fascinating. The book begins in Phoenix, includes a lot of travel, but is mainly set in Las Vegas....more
Longtime friends from CIA training have over the years retired to the area of a Maine coastal village. Now one of them, Maggie, has been targeted, havLongtime friends from CIA training have over the years retired to the area of a Maine coastal village. Now one of them, Maggie, has been targeted, having a body dumped in her driveway, and the others rally around, to the consternation of the local police chief--but their international resources are needed in the investigation. The rating was downgraded due to the irritating multi-timeline set-up....more
The way the author makes architecture burst forth from the printed page is amazing. That talent is here in support of a pretty entertaining thriller pThe way the author makes architecture burst forth from the printed page is amazing. That talent is here in support of a pretty entertaining thriller pitting artificial intelligence against religious traditions and raising questions of current importance.
Merged review:
The way the author makes architecture burst forth from the printed page is amazing. That talent is here in support of a pretty entertaining thriller pitting artificial intelligence against religious traditions and raising questions of current importance....more
Exciting but (considering the state of the world) very, very scary. A mad scientist, wanting to save Gaia (Mother Earth) from death, decides to halve Exciting but (considering the state of the world) very, very scary. A mad scientist, wanting to save Gaia (Mother Earth) from death, decides to halve the human population by combining a highly contagious virus (measles) with a highly lethal one (Marburg) and disseminating it. Lucas, Letty, and their team have to stop him....more
This is the exciting true story of archaeological expeditions culminating in stunning discoveries. However, after the adventure comes a medical mysterThis is the exciting true story of archaeological expeditions culminating in stunning discoveries. However, after the adventure comes a medical mystery which devolves into an eerie forewarning of a global pandemic (and not the one we got). The discoveries were made in Honduras in 2012-2016. The book was published in 2017, well before the Covid 19 pandemic. Highly recommended!...more
I chose this book for the ATY '24 prompt "Raining Cats and Dogs" because of the word "rain" in the title. I was delighted to find these lines on page I chose this book for the ATY '24 prompt "Raining Cats and Dogs" because of the word "rain" in the title. I was delighted to find these lines on page 47: "It was bad weather that night. Raining cats and dogs. It's hard to make a good shot when you're being pelted with pets." The clever banter and dips into philosophy raise this police procedural to another level....more
This climate change novel is rather like The Ministry for the Future, minus about 65% of the documentary or lecture-type content and plus a good few tThis climate change novel is rather like The Ministry for the Future, minus about 65% of the documentary or lecture-type content and plus a good few thriller scenes. It too ranges all over the world. The outcome is very satisfactory, but sadly could not really be done.
Once I'd read her assertion that watermelon is the best taste in the world, I could not help but look askance at every subsequent opinion the author oOnce I'd read her assertion that watermelon is the best taste in the world, I could not help but look askance at every subsequent opinion the author offered. I did, though, enjoy her descriptions of Etruscan sites and museums and of town and country life in Tuscany....more
This is an amazing book, a science fiction novel about climate change in the very near future. The chapters are told from different points of view, seThis is an amazing book, a science fiction novel about climate change in the very near future. The chapters are told from different points of view, several recurring throughout the book, others one-offs. Some chapters read like non-fiction, showing very substantial research into what is happening and what the possibilities are to save ourselves and the rest of the biosphere. One of the main recurring characters is Irish-born Mary Murphy, the head of the international ministry of the title, which is headquartered in Zurich. A number of chapters are set there, but the story ranges all over the world, with several very interesting chapters set in Antarctica....more
The suspicious "accidental" death of rocker Jimmy Stoma finally gives reporter-demoted-to-obituary-writer Jack Tagger the opportunity he's been waitinThe suspicious "accidental" death of rocker Jimmy Stoma finally gives reporter-demoted-to-obituary-writer Jack Tagger the opportunity he's been waiting for to get his byline on the front page of the Union -Register once more -- if he can prove it was murder. Suspenseful and funny....more
Terrific book, terrible title. The reason the title is bad is that the entire story takes place in the month of March. Only the epilogue (barely threeTerrific book, terrible title. The reason the title is bad is that the entire story takes place in the month of March. Only the epilogue (barely three pages in the large-type edition) even mentions summer...more
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