Sara Martin

A relatively short history of sugar and the slave trade. This book was humorous in parts and serious in other parts, which I enjoyed. Considering the sordid history of sugar, I'm almost inclined to renounce my sweet tooth! I still feel like I'd like to know more. When I pass the sugar beet factories in eastern Colorado, I'd still like to know what exactly is going on in there. The author did cover sugar beets to some extent, not just sugar cane. He spent a small amount of time on sugar substitutes. I wish he had covered some things in greater detail and spent more time on the modern era, but that would also have made a much larger book.

Before I can tell you my opinion on the plot of this old children's book, let me tell you about the smell of the book. Yes, the smell.

My library ordered a copy of an old 1973 Yearling paperback from another library and it came with the most delightful musty old book smell. I inhaled several times each time I picked up the book. It took me right back to childhood, back to the musty old used bookstores we used to frequent and the smell of the paperbacks in our basement. It smelled like a book SHOULD smell and I had long forgotten that scent. Oh, to be 12 again and discovering this book in the kid's section of Jerry's Used Book Store on Federal. . . .

Interestingly enough, I never read this book as a kid. Never stumbled across a copy.

It read like a sixties pre-teen romance novel. In fact, there is so much romance you tend to forget it's actually a horror story. It takes place in the early 1900's (although the dialog seems more modern to me) and it's the story of a young girl named Jane who becomes obsessed with another girl who has been dead for 20 years named Emily. Emily is evil and Emily has power. Jane and her sister are staying in Emily's house for the summer with their grandmother who happens to be Emily's mother. The teenage sister has a real romance going that's fairy princess like but it's a good mix of good and evil. Not too scary for an adult but I think I would have liked it when I was young.

And the smell! Just like it was found in a haunted attic somewhere.

First of the Thomas Covenant series. My husband remembers this was all the rage in 1976. I started reading this series much later. Everywhere I went with this book people told me they had read it and how good it was. I was doubtful at first but my roommate's boyfriend told me it got off to a slow start but not to give up. He said it was worth it to keep reading and boy, was he right! I think Stephen R. Donaldson became a better writer as he went through this series. I had read a couple of his later books before I started this series and that was what prompted me to attempt this. This series moved me and gave me a lot to think about, not to mention being such a good story.

Unusual vampire/werewolf novel - old fashioned writing style. Did not realize when I read this it could classify as steampunk. The 2 star rating refers to the writing style with which I had a difficult time.

Very gripping story. Amazed at the intensity that Barack had in finding his father and I think that's true of others whose fathers were not around when they were young.