Category Archives: Year

The Unit, by Ninni Holmqvist

Posted on April 21, 2011 by Thistle

Imagine a world where economic productivity comes first, a world perhaps not so different from our own, if you really think about it. In this world, people are considered necessary to society if they marry, have children (future workers), and/or … Continue reading →

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Jude the Obscure, by Thomas Hardy

Posted on April 19, 2011 by Thistle

Jude and Sue are two distant cousins from a family that has had bad luck with marriage. They’ve both been warned not to marry anyone, but both do, and both marriages fail. Now they are in love with each other, … Continue reading →

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Shooting Kabul, by NH Senzai

Posted on April 18, 2011 by Thistle

I have a difficult time reading children’s or middle-grade fiction because I recognize too many of the elements that go into writing them. Shooting Kabul was no different, and at first I struggled, but the story was so engaging that … Continue reading →

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Joy in the Morning, by Betty Smith

Posted on April 17, 2011 by Thistle

Eighteen-year-old Annie leaves Brooklyn to join her longtime boyfriend Carl in the Midwest, where he’s attending law school. The two get married against their families’ wishes. This book takes them through their first year of marriage and the birth of … Continue reading →

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Saint Joan, by George Bernard Shaw

Posted on April 14, 2011 by Thistle

Saint Joan is a play that explores the life, death, and canonization of Joan of Arc. Joan of Arc fascinates me and always has. She’s one of those people that I would love to go back in time to meet, … Continue reading →

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13 Reasons Why, by Jay Asher (audio)

Posted on April 13, 2011 by Thistle

This is a reread, so I will include spoilers in this mini-review. I originally read this book about two years ago, when I’d first started getting into YA. I loved the book, which made me think a lot about suicide … Continue reading →

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The Girl Who Was On Fire, by Multiple Authors

Posted on April 12, 2011 by Thistle

This book consists of thirteen essays about the Hunger Games series from various authors. The essays cover everything from reality TV to genetic experiments to the power of fashion. I loved the Hunger Games series, and unlike most people, I … Continue reading →

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Protected: The Spark, by Chris Downie

Posted on April 11, 2011 by Thistle

There is no excerpt because this is a protected post.

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Readathon: The Lost Thing, by Shaun Tan

Posted on April 9, 2011 by Thistle

Normally I adore Shaun Tan, but this one didn’t work for me. I think it’s because the people were drawn in a way I didn’t like. They looked like we were meant to think of them as a mix between … Continue reading →

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Readathon: Lolly Willowes, by Sylvia Townsend Warner

Posted on April 9, 2011 by Thistle

Lolly Willowes by Sylvia Townsend Warner is about a spinster aunt who goes to live alone and becomes a witch after making a pact with the devil. I thought it sounded fascinating, but the book ended up being very badly … Continue reading →

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