5 Stars – Page 24 – Looking For a Good Book

January 5, 2017

THE ALTOGETHER UNEXPECTED DISAPPEARANCE OF ATTICUS CRAFTSMAN – Mamen Sánchez

This is a funny, heart-warming book, full of great, odd characters who are only great, and odd, because they seem so real. Atticus Craftsman is part of the Craftsman and Co publishing dynasty family. The company has decided to shut down one of their magazines (Librarte) and so Atticus is sent to Madrid to begin… Continue reading

HUMOR, OTHER, ROMANCE, Uncategorized

5 Stars, Book Reviews, Books, Humor, Literature, Reviews, Romance

January 2, 2017

THE STRANGE GIFT OF GWENDOLYN GOLDEN – Philippa Dowding

There are only a small handful of authors whose work I look for when I step into a bookstore and for whom I will purchase their newest work as soon as it is released. Philippa Dowding has just joined that small list. In The Strange Gift of Gwendolyn Golden, the recent-teen titular character starts the… Continue reading

CHILDREN’S, SF/FANTASY, Uncategorized, YA

5 Stars, Book Reviews, Books, Children’s Books, Young Adult

December 31, 2016

GOLD EXPERIENCE – Jim Walsh

I am not the world’s biggest Prince fan. I was the ‘right’ age (early 20’s) when Prince released the movie Purple Rain and then his album 1999. And being from Minnesota, this shining musical star from my home state was big news and very exciting. But his later music didn’t appeal to me as much.… Continue reading

ENTERTAINMENT, NON-FICTION

5 Stars, Book Reviews, Books, Entertainment, essays, Music, non-fiction, Reviews

December 22, 2016

CHARLAINE HARRIS’ GRAVE SURPRISE – graphic novel

When you read a lot of books for review you are always hoping that something like this will come across your desk and just completely take you by surprise. Like many people, I suspect, I am most familiar with author Charlaine Harris through her Sookie Stackhouse series, which was the basis/inspiration for the hit series… Continue reading

GRAPHIC NOVEL

5 Stars, Book Reviews, Books, Graphic Novels, Reviews

December 15, 2016

WHERE THE HELL IS TESLA? – Rob Dircks

In the tradition of Ron Goulart’s What’s Become of Screwloose and Douglas Adams’ The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy comes Rob Dircks’ Where the Hell is Tesla? Slacker Chip, who manages to get a job as a security guard for the FBI, grabs an old desk out of a warehouse and discovers an old journal… Continue reading

HUMOR, SF/FANTASY, Uncategorized

5 Stars, Book Reviews, Books, Humor, Reviews, SF/Fantasy

December 5, 2016

HALF THE WORLD – Joe Abercrombie

**WARNING — THIS REVIEW MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS!** Joe Abercrombie is a terrific writer! Half the World is Abercrombie’s second book in his Shattered Sea series, and while you’ll want to read the first book (Half a King [see review here]) you don’t really have to in order to enjoy this book. The first book followed Prince… Continue reading

SF/FANTASY, Uncategorized

5 Stars, Book Reviews, Books, Reviews, SF/Fantasy, Young Adult

December 3, 2016

AND EVERY MORNING THE WAY HOME GETS LONGER AND LONGER – Fredric Backman

I am at such a loss for words for this novella. I’ve started this review four times and nothing seems quite right. Fredrik Backman’s writing is so touching, so beautiful, so powerful in its simplicity that trying to write about it just doesn’t feel right. On the one hand, this is a very simple, quick… Continue reading

OTHER

5 Stars, Book Reviews, Books, Literature, Reviews

November 19, 2016

EMERGING FROM THE SHADOWS, VOL. 4 – Maurine St. Gaudens

This is an important series of art books. The format for each book is generally the same, so my review will be the same. The four volumes that make up this book set are packed with incredible information and beautiful photos of a wide range of art. The subtitle (“A Survey of Women Artists Working… Continue reading

NON-FICTION, Uncategorized

5 Stars, Art, Book Reviews, Books, non-fiction, Reviews

November 15, 2016

EMERGING FROM THE SHADOWS, VOL. 3 – Maurine St. Gaudens

This is an important series of art books. The format for each book is generally the same, so my review will be the same. The four volumes that make up this book set are packed with incredible information and beautiful photos of a wide range of art. The subtitle (“A Survey of Women Artists Working… Continue reading

NON-FICTION

5 Stars, Art, Book Reviews, Books, non-fiction, Reviews

November 14, 2016

EMERGING FROM THE SHADOWS, VOL. II – Maurine St. Gaudens

This is an important series of art books. It is four volumes in order to pack in a large number of artists and a representation of their work. The format for each book is the same, so my review will be the same. The four volumes that make up this book set are packed with… Continue reading

MEMOIR, NON-FICTION, Uncategorized

5 Stars, Art, Biography, Book Reviews, Books, History, Memoir, non-fiction, Reviews

November 12, 2016

ARMSTRONG – Torben Kuhlmann

Following up on his spectacular picture book, Lindbergh (see review here), author/artist Torben Kuhlmann tells a tale of a little mouse named Armstrong who defies the humans who are after him and travels to the moon and back, years before mankind makes it there. This is the sort of picture book that works on every… Continue reading

CHILDREN’S

5 Stars, Art, Book Reviews, Books, Children’s Books, Reviews

November 11, 2016

EMERGING FROM THE SHADOWS, VOL. 1 – Maurine St. Gaudens

The four volumes that make up this book set are so packed with incredible information and beautiful photos of a wide range of art that I hardly know where to begin in reviewing this. The subtitle (“A Survey of Women Artists Working in California, 1860-1960”) implies a fairly narrow focus, but it is awe-inspiring to… Continue reading

MEMOIR, NON-FICTION, Uncategorized

5 Stars, Art, Biography, Book Reviews, Books, History, Memoir, non-fiction, Reviews