Category Archives: Audience

When She Woke, by Hillary Jordan

Posted on October 24, 2011 by Thistle

I’m in two minds about this book. It’s a dystopian retelling of The Scarlet Letter, so I expected there to be some similarities there. However, some of the similarities were, for me, a little too close: Hester Prynne = Hannah … Continue reading →

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Readathon: Wonderstruck, by Brian Selznick

Posted on October 22, 2011 by Thistle

I went into this book with some reservations, having heard other people say it was far too much like Hugo Cabret in style. Honestly, this doesn’t bother me so much stylistically – most artists have similar styles, patterns, and focuses … Continue reading →

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Readathon: The Name of the Star, by Maureen Johnson

Posted on October 22, 2011 by Thistle

I think I have found my new favorite Maureen Johnson book. Seriously, this book was fantastic. Johnson does everything right. She makes her characters believable and real without glamorizing them. She makes them feel like teenagers without belittling or stereotyping … Continue reading →

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Callback: We

Posted on October 15, 2011 by Thistle

I first read We back in early July 2008. I’ve gone back and read my review from that time, and it’s clear that I had no idea what to make of this book. It’s supposedly one of the three best … Continue reading →

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Habibi, by Craig Thompson

Posted on October 9, 2011 by Thistle

This could have been a really nice story, with beautiful illustrations, all woven together very well. However, the cultural portrayals made me very uncomfortable, and I was very distracted by the constant vomiting and juvenile humor written/drawn throughout. I noticed a … Continue reading →

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The Haunting of Hill House, by Shirley Jackson

Posted on October 5, 2011 by Thistle

I first read this book in 1999, when I was 20 years old. I’d seen the movie version of it in theatre with some friends and decided to try the book version, because of course I usually figured the book … Continue reading →

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The Night Circus, by Erin Morgenstern

Posted on September 22, 2011 by Thistle

I didn’t expect to love this one. There was so much hype, so many people loving it. I expected to get it from the library, read a few pages, and return it unread, simply due to my history of not … Continue reading →

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The Lottery and Seven Other Stories, by Shirley Jackson (audio)

Posted on September 19, 2011 by Thistle

The Lottery was a fantastic story, probably the best short story I’ve read in a very long time. It was creepy and foreboding, especially when you couple the end with the innocent beginnings in the children’s actions. I loved it. … Continue reading →

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Siddhartha, by Hermann Hesse

Posted on September 16, 2011 by Thistle

I have been terrified of Hermann Hesse for years. I’m not sure how I got the impression that he was difficult and dense to read, but I’ve avoided him. Next year, however, my book club is reading Siddhartha, so I … Continue reading →

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The Leftovers, by Tom Perrotta

Posted on September 14, 2011 by Thistle

The premise: One day, a good portion of the world’s population just disappears. Call it the Rapture, the Sudden Departure, or whatever you want. One moment they are there, the next, they’re gone, and the rest of the world is … Continue reading →

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