Sarah

This book lost steam halfway through. Macdonald gets bogged down in exploring the intricacies of all the different religions in India and lost my attention. I thought she adopted a rather superior tone towards Americans, which was annoying, though possibly understandable given the 9/11 time frame of this book. Overall, there were lots of funny and moving bits, and Macdonald presented an engaging side of India that almost made me want to visit - and that's saying a lot, considering how misanthropic I can be :)

This is a charming tale, almost a myth. It's a quick and excellent read (well, it is geared to a 10-year-old audience) with timeless qualities.

I haven't seen the movie, but it was easy to imagine George Clooney as the narrator here. This was a quick and engaging read, and the characters were well constructed. Hemmings did an impressive job of developing character and a sense of Hawaii in a relatively short book. I had never read anything by him before, but I quite like him as an author.

The characters and dialogue in this novel are excellent and true to life. I enjoyed the story and how the book deals with the complexities of race and class. The language, however, might make this book inappropriate for school reading.

I just re-listened to this book, and I liked it even more than the first time I read it. Perhaps because Bryson reads his own work and lends additional charm and wit with his tone, I didn't want this book to end! I think Bryson and Katz should tackle the CDT next.

I love Johnson's mysteries. They make me homesick for Wyoming!

This was a remarkable book. It was an especially interesting read since I now live in Colorado and am familiar with the Littleton area. Since I just finished The Boy Who was Raised as a Dog, I thought a lot about what might have happened in Eric's brain development to lead to his psychopathy. The Harris family has been publicly silent since the murders, so I suppose that will remain a mystery.
Cullen paints a detailed portrait not only of the killing spree and the lives of the killers, but of the media madness and the ways in which the media and public feed off of and influence one another.

If you're looking for a book on the FLDS, choose Jon Krakauer's Under the Banner of Heaven. Brower's book is interesting and well-researched, but the middle drags on. The close of the book brings us up to date on the Jeffs' and FLDS court cases, and the utter fear of politicians to interfere in a “religion” is disturbing.

This was an interesting and revealing look at the intricacies of brain development and its effect and power over development. Perry also underscores the importance of relationships and human contact, especially in early childhood. If nature vs. nurture is still a debate, Perry falls on the “nurture or you will seriously screw up that kid” side. It's all very educational and kind of depressing, even if Perry tries to alert the reader to things that we as a society can do better to prevent these abuses. One of the early cases he explicated frustrated me, as it seemed that young Perry spent 4 yeaars not really helping a sexually abused girl, but perhaps it just shows that he is fallible like the rest of us.

This is an excellent YA/youth book! Extra credit for the main character's favorite book - A Wrinkle in Time. The element of time travel gives this novel an edge, but it's also a lovely tale of family and friendship.

I started this book last year, after finishing the other Hunger Games books, but abandoned it quickly. It's not as fast-paced or new-feeling as the earlier books, although I have been enjoying it this second time around. I found it worth reading to complete the trilogy, but not up to the caliber of Katniss's earlier adventures.

Davidson's culinary mysteries are my standby for easy, light audiobooks. They're entertaining if not the slightest bit literary. Plus, they take place in Colorado and will make you hungry!

After all the drama and controversy surrounding this book, I suppose I expected it to be something other than a simple memoir of raising children. Chua's book is funny and ironic and not a horrific instruction manual on raising children in the “Chinese way.” She is not blind to her own failings and reveals the universal parental truth - everyone wants what they believe is best for their kids.

Very cute!

I usually love Johnson's mysteries, but this one fell short of the typical Longmire story. Maybe because instead of including Wyoming scenery and characters, the sheriff spend the whole book in Philly solving a mystery involving his attorney daughter. But I want to read these in order, so I finished this book so I can move forward!

Kaling was born a year before me, so this book was like listening to a good friend reminisce about her childhood and comment on contemporary culture. It's light and doesn't claim to be otherwise. Not on the caliber of Tina Fey's memoir, but I think anyone born around 1980 would get a kick out of this.

I am a sucker for books written from a child's perspective, especially when that child is troubled or has some special needs (think Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nightitme, T.S Spivit, etc). So in addition to this being a rich and layered tale of the big three - love, loss, and life - the narrator is captivating and oddly lovable.

This was certainly interesting and educational, but Wilkerson kept repeating herself, almost verbatim, leaving me wondering if I'd lost my place in the book. I understand that this is a lengthy book and readers might become confused by all the names and life stories, but perhaps Wilkerson could have given us the benefit of the doubt and at least altered her phrasing.

I'm loving this book so far - it might be my favorite Flavia mystery!

I kept listening, thinking I would be drawn in to this story as I have with Larson's other books, but I just didn't particularly care. It seemed to lack likable protagonists as well as an enticing narrative thread.

I especially loved the character of the little girl in this book. She had such a forceful personality although she said maybe five words in the whole book. You don't have to read Atkinson's earlier Jackson Brodie mysteries to appreciate this one.

I enjoyed this book and found it a thoughtful and thought-provoking exploration of religion. There are a lot of amusing parts - not surprising, given Jacobs' assignment. The book is necessarily self-reflective, and I appreciated Jacobs' candor and personal touches.

Vowell is amusing, entertaining, and enlightening as always. I think she shines in these short essays, which I found funnier than some of her books that focus on one historical moment. It's also interesting to see her evolving relationship with her family - they appear in her writing as supporting characters and the family dynamics are always amusing.

Excellent. I listened to this (of course) and enjoyed the story. It wasn't the literary masterpiece that many have hyped it to be, but it's a great book.

Not quite what I thought it was going to be, but an excellent read nonetheless. You know who the killer is early on, but understanding the “why” and wondering what the killer will do next keeps the pace fast and engaging.