Tag: book review
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Nightfall, by Shannon Messenger
Sophie’s romances were some of my favorite parts in this book, especially . . . THE KISS. (If you know, you know.) The character development among those relationships is really well-crafted—and definitely appeals to the target demographic. In the main plot, tension between the immediate and the longterm, the micro and macro, set up conflicts…
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Lost and Found, by Orson Scott Card
Clear your life for about two days so you can revel in this story. One of my favorite books this year, to date. A brilliant combination of the raw emotion and witty conversation of Gary D. Schmidt with Card’s own willingness to go to the edge of darkness, peer over the edge at it, and…
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One Smart Sheep, by Gary D. Schmidt and Elizabeth Stickney
Love the illustrations, love the feel-good animal story, love the sweet almost-romance. This would be a really fun read-aloud to, I feel, second and third graders. Short chapters are perfect for readers to beg for “one more!” All the whimsy you’d want in a children’s book, without losing the smarts of a “grown up” Gary…
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The Templars and the Ark of the Covenant, by Graham Phillips
This story turned in a direction I did NOT see coming. Wild ending in Warwickshire. Totally unique among the several “personal journeys chasing the Ark” that I’ve read so far. In fact, I think pretty much anyone would think the wrap up of Phillips’ investigation is interesting. I was pretty bored at the start of…
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Forward the Foundation, by Isaac Asimov
The story jumps by decades, smoothly highlighting the key moments in Hari Seldon’s pursuit for developing the mathematics of psychohistory. Many times, he feels like the Project has plateaued, but just when he is beginning to despair, a person intervenes in an unexpected way to rejuvenate everything. Really, this is psychohistory—“people” moving in a steady…
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Lodestar (KTOLC #5), by Shannon Messenger
An important portion of the large arc of the Lost Cities’ universe, this story focuses on trust and the tension between patience and haste. I liked the last book better; I felt like this one bogged down a bit (the Keefe angst angle, the Sophie blushing parts, and the Council plans). The book starts off…
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Borders of Infinity, by Lois McMaster Bujold
“Mountains of Mourning”—The past haunts all of us, on micro and macro scales. Miles is haunted by his grandfather’s legacy and his perceived inability to live up to the exacting standards of genetic perfection that are expected for someone of his station. When he must travel to a backwoods community of his father’s district to…
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I, Robot, by Isaac Asimov
Every story is different, yet there is a unity of progression, not only because of Susan’s character but because of the three laws of robotics with which all “intelligent” robots are programmed. In fact, most of the conflicts revolved around the tension between these laws and needing to adjust the way the machine views situations…
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Speaker for the Dead, by Orson Scott Card
I give this 4.5 stars, in comparison to Ender’s Game’s 6 stars, out of five. Well worth the read, if you enjoyed the philosophical aspects to Ender. I bookmarked a lot of pages 😬 “If the Bishop had told us you were Ender, we would have stoned you to death in the price the day you arrived.” “Why…