Category Archives: Prose

Real Food, Fake Food, by Larry Olmsted (audio)

Posted on March 24, 2017 by Thistle

Subtitled: Why You Don’t Know What You’re Eating and What You Can Do About It Let me start by saying what this book isn’t. This is not about so-called Frankenfoods. It’s not about Lucky Charms or Velveeta or Pepsi. When … Continue reading →

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Red Queen, by Victoria Aveyard

Posted on March 22, 2017 by Thistle

The world is divided along lines of color: Silver and Red. Those with silver blood (literally) have supernatural powers and are the ruling class. Those with red blood are ordinary, and thus essentially slave labor. Of course, divisions like this … Continue reading →

Posted in 2017, Prose, Young Adult | Tagged , | 7 Comments

The Elusive Elixir, by Gigi Pandian (audio)

Posted on March 20, 2017 by Thistle

Given that this is the third book in a series, I’m not going to put a synopsis here. It might spoil earlier books, and I’ve enjoyed this quirky fantasy-mystery series too much to possibly spoil it for others. In general, … Continue reading →

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The Hanged Man, by PN Elrod

Posted on March 13, 2017 by Thistle

When Lady Alex Pendlebury is called in to psychically evaluate a death, she has no idea that the deceased will be someone she knows. The death, which Alex is convinced is a murder rather than suicide, is peculiar, and when … Continue reading →

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Caraval, by Stephanie Garber

Posted on March 8, 2017 by Thistle

Note: I’m just back from vacation and have a couple backlogged reviews. I’ll be back to the blog in a more substantial way this weekend. In the meantime… From Goodreads: Scarlett has never left the tiny island where she and … Continue reading →

Posted in 2017, Prose, Young Adult | Tagged , | 8 Comments

The Sociopath Next Door, by Martha Stout (audio)

Posted on February 13, 2017 by Thistle

Subtitled: The Ruthless Versus the Rest of Us Four percent of the population – about one in every 25 people – has no conscience. They are not all criminals, serial killers, or the Hitlers of the world, which is what … Continue reading →

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Arcanum Unbounded, by Brandon Sanderson (audio)

Posted on February 10, 2017 by Thistle

Subtitled: The Cosmere Collection – Fiction From the Worlds of the Cosmere This collection of stories and novellas all take place in the giant world of Cosmere that ties many of Brandon Sanderson’s books together. The collection contains a number … Continue reading →

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The Dragon Reborn, by Robert Jordan (audio)

Posted on February 3, 2017 by Thistle

Book #3. Slightly more interesting than the last one, but some of the same problems still remain. Very little character development, and no characters yet that I really love. The story stays very black and white – the Good People … Continue reading →

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Different Class, by Joanne Harris

Posted on January 30, 2017 by Thistle

Roy Straitley has been a St. Oswald’s teacher for over thirty years. He’s not easily ruffled, and he survived the events of the previous year. St. Oswald’s isn’t doing as well after those events, though, and there’s a new crisis … Continue reading →

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Half the Sky, by Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn

Posted on January 26, 2017 by Thistle

Subtitled: Turning Oppression Into Opportunity for Women Worldwide This book explores gender inequality around the world, focused primarily on sex trafficking, violence against women, and maternal mortality. It also discusses potential solutions and gives accounts of some successes and failures … Continue reading →

Posted in 2017, Adult, Prose | Tagged , , , , , , | 8 Comments