Posts Tagged ‘ Book review ’

2SR: The Boyfriend List by E Lockhart (Ruby Oliver Series)

May 31, 2011
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2SR: The Boyfriend List by E Lockhart (Ruby Oliver Series)

E. Lockhart probably wrote The Boyfriend List: 15 Guys, 11 Shrink Appointments, 4 Ceramic Frogs, and me, Ruby Oliver for teenage girls. However, with all of Ruby’s quirks, her real-life troubles with popularity and dropped friendships, girls of all ages – even almost 30-year olds! – will want to read more.
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2 Sentence Review: Portnoy’s Complaint by Philip Roth

January 20, 2011
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2 Sentence Review: Portnoy’s Complaint by Philip Roth

Portnoy’s Complaint, a novel by Philip Roth, should be mandatory reading at all synagogues during Bar or Bat Mitzvah training.  Actually, it should be mandatory reading for anyone who can relate to this excerpt from page 99-100 in my copy (ISBN 0-679-75645-0), the inclusion of which makes this review longer than 2 sentences. Pianist!...
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2 Sentence Review: Ghostwritten by David Mitchell

December 15, 2010
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2 Sentence Review: Ghostwritten by David Mitchell

More of a character exploration than a novel, David Mitchell (Cloud Atlas, Black Swan Green) takes us through the minds of a terrorist, a jazz-loving adolescent, a spirit, and an aged, female entrepreneur in his debut, Ghostwritten. Not as polished as his later novels, Mitchell’s Japanese influence still peeks through as he threads the...
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2 Sentence Review: The Passage by Justin Cronin

October 7, 2010
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2 Sentence Review:  The Passage by Justin Cronin

When I first picked up The Passage by Justin Cronin – one of the summer’s hottest reads – the eerie, almost-post-apolocalyptic world gave me hope that one of the summer’s hottest reads wasn’t simply another gimmicky vampire novel. That’s why I was so disappointed with the last 200 pages when it seemed like Justin...
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2 Sentence Review: The Brief and Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Diaz

August 16, 2010
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2 Sentence Review: The Brief and Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Diaz

The Brief and Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Diaz is a Pulitzer Prize winning book that teaches you as much about Dominican history and the human condition as it does comic books and funny Spanish swear words. Meant especially for anyone who gravitates towards the rhythms of spoken word or who likes...
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2 Sentence Review: Sons & Lovers by D.H. Lawrence

August 11, 2010
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2 Sentence Review: Sons & Lovers by D.H. Lawrence

Because the title isn’t conspicuous enough. One man and three women – not as fascinating as you’d think.
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2 Sentence Review: number9dream by David Mitchell (novel)

July 14, 2010
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2 Sentence Review: number9dream by David Mitchell (novel)

At the Free Library of Philadelphia, David Mitchell told audience members that he is proud of his books in reverse order of publication – e.g., The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet (2010), then Black Swan Green (2007), then Cloud Altas (2004) – except Ghostwritten (2001), his first novel, would probably come before his second...
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2 Sentence Review: Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

July 12, 2010
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2 Sentence Review: Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

For anyone who is skeptical about the second installment in any series, Catching Fire, the second book in the Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins, gives you reason to believe that some stories are best told in parts. Catching Fire satiates readers who crave a second-helping of the sadistic Hunger Games, set in the...
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2 Sentence Review: Invisible by Paul Auster

June 14, 2010
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2 Sentence Review: Invisible by Paul Auster

Invisible by Paul Auster One of America’s most introspective writers again tackles his favorite subject-a writer.This one has a touch of mystery and romance but as usual is dominated by those head scratching moments when you are not sure if the narrative has ended and pure fantasy has begun.
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2 Sentence Review: That Old Cape Magic by Richard Russo

June 3, 2010
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2 Sentence Review: That Old Cape Magic by Richard Russo

That Old Cape Magic is not Richard Russo’s best work but even his more mediocre work is better than most authors’ work. A wonderful look back at all that goes wrong and right in one’s life and how full those experiences can be no matter how they turn out.
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