Review of “The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey” by Walter Mosley

In this book, Walter Mosley sings characters into existence that you know you’ll always remember. You can feel, hear and see the people he creates, and when you finish the book, you know you will be missing spending time with these characters. Ninety-one year old Ptolemy Grey vows he will not go gently into that [...]

November 29, 1864 – Sand Creek Massacre

On the morning of November 29, 1864, a 700-man contingent of Colorado militia under the command of John Chivington, a Methodist pastor in civilian life, fell upon an unsuspecting camp of friendly Cheyenne and Arapaho. Ignoring a white flag of surrender, the militia slaughtered hundreds of Indians, most of whom were old men, women and [...]

Review of “Matched” by Ally Condie

To borrow the book-cooking metaphor from Sandy and Jenners, mix 60% The Giver and 40% Hunger Games and what do you get? Matched! Our main protagonist and narrator is Cassia instead of Katniss (both names for plants), and our “teams” are Xander and Ky (Peeta and Gale, respectively), and we’re livin’ La Vida Dystopia. Cassia, [...]

Being Thankful

We are thankful for many things this year, among them the joy we derive from reading. No one expressed it so well, in my opinion, as did Emily Dickinson: THERE is no frigate like a book To take us lands away, Nor any coursers like a page Of prancing poetry. This traverse may the poorest [...]

Review of “The Brass Verdict” by Michael Connelly

This was my first book by Michael Connelly, whose suspense series involving Michael “Mickey” Haller concerns a defense attorney (Haller) who operates out of the back of his Lincoln (thus calling himself a “Lincoln Lawyer”). I liked the quirkiness of Haller. After a gunshot wound he became addicted to oxycontin, and now has completed a [...]

Review of “Far North” by Marcel Theroux

Both Jim and I reviewed this book, which we read for our bookclub. Jim’s review is first, and my impressions follow. Note: There are no spoilers in this review. The world has become a very dreary, dangerous place by the time we meet Makepeace Hatfield on horseback patrolling a deserted town in the far north [...]

Review of “Halo” by Alexandra Adornetto

What?!!, you’re thinking to yourself? Another angel book? Yes, I’ll admit it! But this is a different author, and there’s almost a different plot! This book is first of all amazing for the simple reason that the author is not even yet 20. Publishing her first book at age 13, this is Adornetto’s fourth book. [...]

TLC Book Tour Review of “Dear Mrs. Kennedy: The World Shares Its Grief: Letters, November 1963” by Jay Mulvaney and Paul De Angelis

John F. Kennedy was elected as the 35th president of the United States in 1960 at the age of 43, the youngest man ever to be elected to that office. After eight years of Eisenhower (who was perceived as representing World War II and the past) and his very unstylish wife Mamie, the public went [...]

Review of “Crescendo,” the Sequel to “Hush, Hush” by Becca Fitzpatrick

If you read my review of Hush, Hush, you probably can’t wait to find out what happens next in this ongoing saga of angels both in and out of Grace and their interactions with human teens. This review has some barebones plot explication, no spoilers for this book (although a small spoiler for Hush, Hush [...]

Sunday Salon – Review of “Hush, Hush” by Becca Fitzpatrick

Central Premise: Fallen angels stalk the earth waiting for a two-week period each year when they can take over human bodies and do naughty things. And is if that weren’t enough, “good” angels can sneak out of Heaven and try to do bad things as well! Ahem, where is their Supervisor (if you know Who [...]