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Tag Archives: US author
Bridge of birds
In an Ancient China, that never was, Yu Lu (not to be confused with the eminent author of The Classic of Tea) sets out on a quest to save the children of his village. Everyone between the ages of 8 and 13 has been struck down by a mysterious plague. He is sent to the Peking in order to bring back a wise man who can help them solve the mystery of this plague that can count. Soon Yu Lu (also known as Number Ten Ox due to his great strength) and the wise man Li Kao are racing across China in an attempt to locate the Root of Power that just may save the afflicted children. Continue reading
The emotional lives of animals
By Marc Bekoff
Many animals display their feelings openly, publicly, for anyone to see. Continue reading
Posted in Books
Tagged 5 Stars, anecdotes, animals, emotion, The emotional lives of animals, US author, zoology
4 Comments
The Passage
Before she became the Girl from Nowhere-the One Who Walked In, the First and Last and Only, who lived a thousand years-she was just a little girl in Iowa, named Amy.
Usually in my reviews I tend to start off with a quick plot summary. But any sort of recap would risk spoiling aspects of the story, so I’ll instead start off with an introduction. The Passage begins with the story of Amy Harper Bellafonte. Harper because her mother’s favourite book was To Kill a Mockingbird. Amy’s mother is a waitress, her father a businessman who drifted through, left and, some time later returned. To the detriment of all. In the end Amy is left at a convent with a nun. And the next chapter tells us, through a series of emails, about an expedition to discover how to end death.
Posted in Books
Tagged 8 Stars, dystopias, end of the world, immortality, medical experiments, The Passage, US author, vampires
6 Comments
Do butlers burgle banks?
Charlie Yost, the Chicago gunman, called on Horace Appleby one morning in June as he chatted with Basher Evans before going off to the Wellingford races.
Horace Appleby is a criminal, specialising in “inside jobs”, his modus operandi is to secure the position of butler in a respectably well-off establishment and then arrange the details whereby his companions carry out the actual burglary. But he is not too happy with the American, Mr. Yost, and Yost’s blatant disregard for Appleby’s most important rule, never carry a gun. So he refuses to pay Yost his cut, as you can imagine, Yost is not too happy about this. Not wanting to overly provoke a man who carries a gun Appleby things that maybe a job down the country might be just the thing.
Posted in Books
Tagged 8 Stars, bank heist, boy meets girl, British author, crime, Do butlers burgle banks?, enjoyable, humour, quick read, US author
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The Strain
A plane lands at JFK airport and almost instantly it descends into darkness. Air traffic control get no response. It stopped dead on the runway. There are no lights, no engine noises, and no sounds. Response units break in and find a dead body. Instantly people’s thoughts turn to terrorism; is this some sort of gas attack? Or a biological agent?
Abraham Setrakian, the owner of a small downtown pawnshop is one of the few who knows the truth about the horror to come.
Posted in Books
Tagged 8 Stars, creepy, Mexican author, The Strain, The strain trilogy, US author, vampires, virus
5 Comments
Enna Burning
This is the second Book of Bayern so it does help if you have read the first book, The Goose Girl but it is not entirely necessary as the story itself is quite separate. Hale expands on the world she created in the first book, using a secondary character. In The Goose Girl Enna was one of Ani’s “forest friends”, important as friend and helper. In this book Enna is the main character. After the events of the first film she returned home to the forest, her mother died, and she moved back home with her brother. As this book begins he has found a mysterious vellum parchment in the forest and begins to change, becoming hot-headed and rash. At first he begins to argue against the king, saying the forest folk have been too harshly treated and deserve better, but as soon as word comes of a possible war he swings in behind Bayern and becomes a loyal subject, desiring to go to war on his country’s behalf. And then there is the fact that he can control fire.
The trumpet of the swan
Author: E. B. White ; Ills. Edward Frascino
Sam Beaver is eleven years old when out exploring a Canadian swamp he comes across a bird’s nest, a Trumpeter Swan’s nest to be specific, and in it are 5 eggs. Sam is delighted; he loves nature and keeps a careful watch being careful not to upset the swans. He even saves the nest from a fox attack. And when the eggs hatch he is even more entranced by the cygnets. But one of them has a problem, Louis has been born without a voice, and so Sam decides to help him out. He takes him to school and helps him learn to read and write, now he can communicate through a slate & chalk. Then his father gets him a trumpet and Louis learns to play it, so he can win the love of Serena. Continue reading
Posted in Books
Tagged 8 Stars, animal POV, coming of age, Edward Fracino, nostalgia, swans, The trumpet of the swan, US author
4 Comments
Monsters of men
Author: Patrick Ness ; Bk 3 in Chaos Walking trilogy.
The final book in a series can often be a tough one to read and enjoy. On the one hand you want it to end happily ever after for the characters. Especially is you are at all invested in them. But at the same time you also want it to be truthful. By which I mean you don’t want the author to duck the difficult decisions and have some quick get out of jail clause. And I’m happy to say that Ness manages it all, with some brilliant writing along the way. Continue reading
Posted in Books
Tagged 813.6, 9 Stars, brilliant, British author, Chaos walking, coming of age, Monsters of men, US author, war
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The dead-tossed waves
Author: Carrie Ryan
Sequel to The forest of hands and teeth
All her life Gabrielle has grown up sheltered by the Barrier. It protects the town of Vista from the Mudo, the zombies, or the unconsecrated. But one night she allows herself to be persuaded that sneaking out, just once, couldn’t do any harm. That there are so few of the Mudo around that they’ll be fine. And Catcher is there, the boy she fancies. But that decision costs the teenagers dear. Some are killed, others turned or infected, and the rest face punishment for risking the whole town. Apart from Gabry, she wasn’t caught, at least not physically, but now she has to face up to the reality of her situation. Continue reading
The Lace Reader
Author: Brunonia Barry
When I first started reading this book I’ll admit to being a little bit confused. It was group read, for HistoricalFavorites, where was the history aspect. I kept waiting for flashbacks to old Salem and witch hunts. But instead I got the story of Towner Whitney and her family, and how the past is always around, especially when you try to ignore it.
Many of the Whitney family have the gift of reading lace, they can tell a lot about a person and their future, but ever since her sister committed suicide Towner has tried to escape that life. She herself suffered so much from the trauma of that experience that she felt she needed electro-shock therapy in order to overcome her anxieties. But that treatment ripped away many of her memories; now, back in Salem after her aunt’s disappearance Towner is forced to reconnect with people; friends and enemies from her past.
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Tagged 7 Stars, 813.54, depression, group read, Historical favorites, memories, slow to start, The lace reader, US author, witches
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