Take a photo of a barcode or cover
laurieb755's reviews
759 reviews
The Luminaries by Eleanor Catton
5.0
Thoroughly enjoyed this yarn, a yarn so entangled (by a mischievous cat?) that the tale had to be told by multiple voices and the information shared had to be kept straight as could be in order to sort it all out. About 3/5 through I had the knawing sense of already having heard this story, yet even now I could not tell you in what manner I had heard it beforehand. Nonetheless, I enjoyed being taken to New Zealand, was glad to not experience the discomforts of a Victorian era mining town first hand, and appreciated having to unravel the yarn in order to wind it back up again all nice and tidy.
Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan
4.0
Enjoyed this so much that I convinced my husband to read it, and he had a similar response to mine. Indeed, we gave a copy to each of our sons as holiday gifts. Am sure part of the appeal is that my husband and I have been in the educational technology field for 30 years, and our sons grew up with technology in school and at home, so the topic particularly appealed. We are also all voracious readers of physical books. And it helps that Robin Sloan can tell a good story!
The Man in the Brown Suit by Agatha Christie
3.0
A silly book but a delightful "read". I quite enjoy Agatha Christie mysteries, though prior to this book all of my encounters have been via film or well made television productions. This was my first "read", and I believe it is Christie's first "write". Overall it was a quick read (started yesterday, finished today) and, as noted earlier, a silly story, but it brought me back to my notions of romance as a pre-teen. That, coupled with the mystery, is what made it a delightful "read".
Still Life with Bread Crumbs by Anna Quindlen
3.0
A 5 is what I rate a book that has a story so compelling I want to know what happens, but its author has a way with words that lures me to savor each one and take my time so as to not rush the cooking. A 3 is what I rate a book that has a story I want to finish because of curiosity about the characters, but the tale may be predictable and the descriptions a mix of interesting and "heard it before" in some shape or form. That is how I feel about Still Life With Bread Crumbs. Thoroughly curious about the blossoming romance, the events were quite predictable, and I enjoyed the dog's perspective. A nice read on a weekend that is heading from winter towards spring.
The Hundred-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out of the Window and Disappeared by Jonas Jonasson
5.0
I LOVED this book! Funny, absurd, ridiculous, believable in a kind of "I want this to be true" way, delightful, enjoyable characters as in "I'd like to meet them", imaginatively hysterical plot some say á la "Forest Gump" but I say á la "It's A Mad, Mad Mad, Mad World". I just recommended it to my 82 year old Aunt. And THANK YOU Ann for the initial recommendation!
Still Life by Louise Penny
5.0
Thank you, Ann, for another perfect recommendation! Louise Penny's mystery reminded me of the delight I had when reading Van Reid's Moosepath League series. Like Van Reid, Penny brings some dedicated characters and, in this case, a quiet town in Canada to life as if the people and places were just waiting for me to step foot across the border and join them for some hot cocoa and neighborhood chit-chat. Inspector Gamache is a thoughtful person, with a highly observant eye and a patient nature. I look forward to following the rest of his investigations, having just put A Fatal Grace on hold at my local library.