Charming is a word I would like to see restored. These days when people say "charming" they often mean quaint, or old, or precious. For me, the word evokes the idea of having grace and spunk in equal measure, and knowing when it’s appropriate to use more of one and less of the other, or—to use … Continue reading Reader’s Journal: Girl Waits With Gun
Category: Reader’s Journal
Reader’s Journal: The Pursuit of Cool
I don’t know how I came across Robb Skidmore’s self-published novel The Pursuit of Cool, but all I had to do was read the description and I knew I had to read it: A novel that uniquely captures the 1980s, The Pursuit of Cool tells the story of Lance Rally and his turbulent college years. … Continue reading Reader’s Journal: The Pursuit of Cool
Reader’s Journal: Our Endless Numbered Days
What am I going to tell you about Claire Fuller’s beautiful, heartbreaking debut novel Our Endless Numbered Days, which won the 2015 Desmond Elliott Prize for most prestigious first-time novelists? My first five-star read of 2015, it feels like one of those books that defies reviewing. It’s deep. It’s haunting. It’s pretty. It’s enraging. All … Continue reading Reader’s Journal: Our Endless Numbered Days
Reader’s Journal: Brilliance
I'm not going to lie to you. I bought Marcus Sakey's Brilliance because I heard that Gillian Flynn liked it a couple of years ago. And even after hearing that Gillian Flynn recommended it, I didn't buy it right away. I waited until it was $1.99 on Kindle and thought, "Might as well." It took … Continue reading Reader’s Journal: Brilliance
Strange Things Are Afoot in Area X
I have never read anything quite like Jeff Vandermeer’s Annihilation, the first book in the Southern Reach Trilogy. A psychologist, a linguist, an anthropologist, a surveyor, and a biologist all walk into a bar. Okay, not a bar, but a place called Area X, beyond the border of civilization, where thirty years before, something bad … Continue reading Strange Things Are Afoot in Area X
Reader’s Journal: Into Thin Air
I’m not exactly a risk-taker. In fact, I’m what might be described as “indoorsy.” The most daunting thing I face daily is trying not to trip on the stairs while carrying food and drink up to my office. Given this, you might be surprised at my interest in a book like Into Thin Air. Well, … Continue reading Reader’s Journal: Into Thin Air
Reader’s Journal: Skippy Dies
Well, it looks like my entries for Reading Ireland Month will be a paltry two novels...but then again, with a book like Skippy Dies on that (very short) list, I feel less ashamed for only having two. People, I don't even know where to begin. In truth, I'm feeling very protective of this book and … Continue reading Reader’s Journal: Skippy Dies
Reader’s Journal: The Lola Quartet
Everyone has been talking about Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel. That book got so much amazing blog coverage over the last few months, I wondered if it was really that good or if everyone was buying into the hype. (I find myself now worrying about this same thing with The Girl on the … Continue reading Reader’s Journal: The Lola Quartet
Reader’s Journal: The Truth about the Harry Quebert Affair
Nothing is better than getting lost in a good book. You’re reading along, completely absorbed, as the time passes. It must be hours, you think. You must be at least halfway through! And then you start to worry about the end, because you’re having such a good time with this book. It’s clever! It’s witty! … Continue reading Reader’s Journal: The Truth about the Harry Quebert Affair
Reader’s Journal: We Disappear
For years I’ve been saying that I need to keep better track of how I find books. I thought about this again when I picked up Scott Heim’s We Disappear and almost immediately wished I could offer a personal thank you to whoever recommended it. Scott is a freelance writer living in New York City. … Continue reading Reader’s Journal: We Disappear
The Evening Reader 