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mjcourchesne's reviews
191 reviews
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
5.0
I did not expect to like this book, nor did I expect the story to be what it was. This was a book for our book club in April, and I literally devoured this one within a number of evenings, catapulting me into the 2nd book in the series. If you're looking for a fun, quick read for the summer (and don't mind YA titles), this is one for you.
Cleopatra: A Life by Stacy Schiff
5.0
Although a little choppy at times, this was a wonderfully quick read, and an engaging look at the life of the historical Cleopatra and those around her. Marc Antony, Caesar, and others are here, set up against the gorgeous backdrop of Alexandria Egypt in its heyday. Some misconceptions are pointed out within (if not cleared up), such as the method of Cleopatra's suicide, as well as how this woman-become-Queen of Egypt came to rule and expand such a vast empire. It reads like a novel, but even the footnotes offer some interesting insights into this fabled woman.
Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
4.0
I devoured (pun intended) the first book in the series for my book club, and am now more than halfway through the 2nd book in the series. It's just as much a fast-paced, popcorny kind of read as the first.
Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins
4.0
I started this book just after finishing "Catching Fire," (thanks, Nook!) and soared through it as well. Collins' writing isn't the best out there, but the storyline and quick tempo of the plot kept me engaged throughout (which is something I could not say happened for me in the "Twilight" series).
I'd say the only thing I was left with was a desire for a little more character development. I walk away feeling that I still don't quite understand our heroine well enough to know why she made her final choices as she did. That aside, I still find the series a great one to recommend for someone looking for a quick read.
I'd say the only thing I was left with was a desire for a little more character development. I walk away feeling that I still don't quite understand our heroine well enough to know why she made her final choices as she did. That aside, I still find the series a great one to recommend for someone looking for a quick read.
Love and Biology at the Center of the Universe by Jennie Shortridge
4.0
To be completely honest, I didn't want to like this book. The main character, Mira, was a stranger to me at the beginning -- someone whose motives I couldn't relate to in the least.
It wasn't until I was 3/4 of the way through that I realized I was thoroughly sucked in to Mira's story, and her heart-wrenching decision to leave her family, then revisit her past and unravel just what it was that she wanted from her life.
In the end, my personal realization was that what she is striving for--a true and meaningful connection with her family, her partners, her world--is something essential to us all. With that thought, I cried with Mira and applauded her for moving through the really tough process of stepping out of herself in order to regain her true being.
It wasn't until I was 3/4 of the way through that I realized I was thoroughly sucked in to Mira's story, and her heart-wrenching decision to leave her family, then revisit her past and unravel just what it was that she wanted from her life.
In the end, my personal realization was that what she is striving for--a true and meaningful connection with her family, her partners, her world--is something essential to us all. With that thought, I cried with Mira and applauded her for moving through the really tough process of stepping out of herself in order to regain her true being.
Cinder by Marissa Meyer
3.0
*review based on the ARC*
This re-telling of the classic Cinderella tale has our heroine in some very unusual shoes indeed: that of a cyborg (human-machine hybrid) living in a futuristic Earth whose residents are fighting a plague of an unknown origin.
The book is cleverly written, and although some rather heavy hints throughout may give the reader insight into what is coming down the line (it is, however, a YA novel, so I do not fault the writer for these hints given the target audience), Meyer's writing is engaging enough to create a fast-paced, easy read.
If you're looking for a slightly different twist to the sci-fi/fairy tale/steampunk movement that abounds these days, pick up Cinder for a light, fun read.
I know I'll be looking forward to the next installment.
This re-telling of the classic Cinderella tale has our heroine in some very unusual shoes indeed: that of a cyborg (human-machine hybrid) living in a futuristic Earth whose residents are fighting a plague of an unknown origin.
The book is cleverly written, and although some rather heavy hints throughout may give the reader insight into what is coming down the line (it is, however, a YA novel, so I do not fault the writer for these hints given the target audience), Meyer's writing is engaging enough to create a fast-paced, easy read.
If you're looking for a slightly different twist to the sci-fi/fairy tale/steampunk movement that abounds these days, pick up Cinder for a light, fun read.
I know I'll be looking forward to the next installment.
Fever 1793 by Laurie Halse Anderson
4.0
I've obviously been on an epidemic kick lately, but it's rather unintentional.
Although it is fiction, Fever 1793 provides some interesting insights into the spread of yellow fever through late 1700s Philadelphia. Modern medicine and sewer systems were non-existent back then, and traditions of bloodletting were the preferred "cures" for the epidemic back then. All of this together was truly eye-opening and despite the depressing topic, extremely well-written and a very quick read.
Although it is fiction, Fever 1793 provides some interesting insights into the spread of yellow fever through late 1700s Philadelphia. Modern medicine and sewer systems were non-existent back then, and traditions of bloodletting were the preferred "cures" for the epidemic back then. All of this together was truly eye-opening and despite the depressing topic, extremely well-written and a very quick read.
The Madonnas of Leningrad by Debra Dean
4.0
An engrossing novel centering around Marina, her vivid memories of war-torn Soviet Leningrad, & the slow loss of her grip on the present day life in the US. Dean paints a detailed picture of the Hermitage during the war; so good, you feel the characters' gnawing hunger & can imagine the paintings Marina describes in your mind's eye. I found myself partly surprised & disappointed that the book came to an end.