Category: Reading Challenge
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The full title of this work on non-fiction is A Scented Palace: The Secret History of Marie Antoinette’s Perfumer, which really helps to explain the whole premise of the biography. Jean-Louis Fargeon was a man with Republican leanings and an aristocratic clientele, and his story gives insight into how the country was split by the French Revolution.…
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I don’t know what it is about some books, but from the moment I see the cover or hear the title of the book, I’m instantly convinced that it is a book I MUST read. They are usually quiet books like The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie, which is another book I love. I…
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My best friend is really into the Mortal Instruments series. She listens to them during her commute and I think she’s on the fifth book right now. She loaned me the first one, and I have to say that it reminded me a lot of Twilight–not in actual story details–but that the pace, interesting setting,…
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I do not advise trying to read this book early in the morning before you’re fully awake because if you’re anything like me (i.e. you don’t speak French) the sheer amount of French names/places in this book will make your head spin. However, once you’re fully awake, if you’re interested in the history of this…
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It’s crazy to me that I haven’t read anything by Le Guin before this book (which apparently is the fifth in a series, but there’s no need to worry, you can jump right into this book without missing out on anything). She is a master of science fiction and her prose is just so good,…
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I don’t typically post quotes from the books I read on the blog, but this book is filled with these simple and profound statements (never mind that they are undercut by doubt and different logic most of the time), so I thought I’d share some: “That was a dream, of course, but many of the…
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This historical fiction was highly enjoyable, filled with interesting characters and not a little intrigue. As Tasha Alexander comments at the back of the book, Lady Emily enjoys an interesting place in society. As a widow, she’s as free from outside influence as she could possibly be. Since she hardly knew her husband, she doesn’t…
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Published in 1963, Mary McCarthy’s novel follows eight young women following their college graduation (Vassar class of ’33). These women are educated and intelligent yet they are not immune from either the economic pressures of the Depression nor of societal pressures to be meek and fall in line. Without giving too much detail about any…
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Rae of Bookmark Chronicles kindly nominated me for the Siblinghood of Bloggers Award. You should really check out her blog if you haven’t already. The award consists of: Thanking the person who nominated you Answering their ten questions in a blog post Asking ten new questions Nominating new people for the award These are my…
Allison Burris 