Category: Reading Challenge
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I’m constantly intrigued, fascinated, and captivated by Italy. I have never been there, though I hope someday soon that will change, and yet I’m in love with the culture and the landscape. It’s a place, in other words, that calls to me. Frances Mayes’ memoir enabled me to deepen my understanding of the Tuscan landscape.…
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We listened to this book on the way back from Portland going to Boise, and it made our trip way more enjoyable. Written in the twenties, this mystery novel is so much fun. There’s not the same focus, like in an Agatha Christie book, on a huge plot twist and a dramatic reveal. The fun…
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I’ve been on something of a memoir kick lately. There’s something about people looking back on their lives, interesting portions of their lives in particular, that makes me feel inspired and part of something bigger than myself–connected in a way with someone I have very little in common with. This book reminded me, somewhat inexplicably,…
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I haven’t read much in the way of Jane Austen adaptations, but I was really excited to read Jo Baker’s book because it had such an interesting point of view–that of the servants in the Bennet’s household. There was plenty of drama to appreciate, lots of intrigue, some feel-good moments, and plenty of food descriptions (you…
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They call this book a graphic novel, which is somewhat disingenuous as its more of a collection of various comics on various subjects. Some of the comics are absolutely hilarious, and it’s clear that Kate Beaton has quite a gift for them, especially ones involving history and literature. However, I really disliked this book’s lack…
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This book has been on my to-read list for a very long time. I knew that it would be moving and heart-wrenching and I set it aside for a time when I was ready to face the material. I’ve never read a more intense beginning to a book, and it keeps its momentum throughout. Walker’s…
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It’s hard to write about yourself. Examining yourself objectively isn’t easy, and to share your weaknesses as well as strengths with the world is even more difficult. However, this is the essential skill needed to write a good autobiography. Katharine Graham’s autobiography is perhaps the most frank and insightful of any I’ve read. Born into…
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I love when you pick up the first book in a series and it’s simultaneously satisfying yet you still want to read the next books. A Discovery of Witches, the first in All Souls Trilogy, was just like that. If you were a fan of the Twilight books–these will absolutely blow you away with the superb…
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This book requires a bit of effort and dedication; it’s not for the faint of heat. The writing is witty, and the characters are fully fleshed. You are totally immersed in the world of the 1830s with all its trials and tribulations. The closest thing I can compare this book to is Jane Austen’s Emma,…
Allison Burris 