Jake's Review:
Grace Kelly was a remarkable woman. You can see that in every single one of her films. She had a grace (no pun intended), dignity, and charm that was all her own. But she was also a private woman who lived a life both full and yet still strangely lacking in many ways. This wonderful book details her remarkable life. From her somewhat unhappy childhood to her surprisingly short film career to her time as Princess of Monaco. This book reveals her to be a woman who was as wonderful off screen as she was on. As a woman who loved to give and who longed to be loved. An absolutely delightful read. 10/10
The Bookshop of Yesterdays by Amy Meyerson
(I admit it – I checked this book out because the dust jacket caught my eye! It turned out to be a very good choice.)
Joyce's Review:
The Bookshop of Yesterdays is a seemingly simple story of Miranda, a young woman who inherits her estranged uncle’s bookstore. The store is in financial peril and needs her time and work to continue but her job and boyfriend are hundreds of miles away. She needs to make decisions not only about the store but the direction her life will take. The characters and settings are well defined so I felt I was with Miranda as she followed her uncle’s last literary scavenger hunt watching her relationships with family and friends unfold. One strength of the book is that all the characters have their stories; Miranda’s story is shaped by them. A very enjoyable book; I hope there is a sequel.
Jake's Review:
The City Stained Red by Sam Sykes
Jason’s Review:
The City Stained Red is a fantasy novel about a group of misfit adventurers trying to get paid for their last job and retire in the wealthy city of Cier’Djaal. As with most things adventurers get up to, their plans do not go as expected and they find themselves wrapped up in a world just as problematic as the one they were trying to escape. Sykes’ characters may seem archetypal at first, but with just a little bit of time they become fully realized into flawed but lovable heroes. Creatures, ranging from massive Dragonmen to silk-spewing spiders and everything in between make appearances as well. I found myself waiting with anticipation for the next fantastic beast or unusual human faction to show up. The City Stained Red is like reading a session of Dungeons and Dragons; frequently violent, surprisingly funny, and always interesting. The City Stained Red easily earns 4.5 out of 5 stars.
Jake's Review:
This is a fascinating book that covers the history of the
Lego company from it's early days as a wooden toy manufacturer to it's modern
stance as an iconic toy loved beloved by generations of fans. It goes over
every single set that the company has ever released and has many fascinating
photos of sets spanning decades. It mentions the various popular and not so
popular sets as well as covering the other facets of the company such as the
video games and books. If the book has a flaw it is that the writing does feel
a bit disjointed because it keeps jumping back and forth between the history of
the company at large and the individual themes of different sets. A must read
for any Lego enthusiast. 7/10
Grace Kelly was a remarkable woman. You can see that in every single one of her films. She had a grace (no pun intended), dignity, and charm that was all her own. But she was also a private woman who lived a life both full and yet still strangely lacking in many ways. This wonderful book details her remarkable life. From her somewhat unhappy childhood to her surprisingly short film career to her time as Princess of Monaco. This book reveals her to be a woman who was as wonderful off screen as she was on. As a woman who loved to give and who longed to be loved. An absolutely delightful read. 10/10
The Bookshop of Yesterdays by Amy Meyerson (I admit it – I checked this book out because the dust jacket caught my eye! It turned out to be a very good choice.)
Joyce's Review:
The Bookshop of Yesterdays is a seemingly simple story of Miranda, a young woman who inherits her estranged uncle’s bookstore. The store is in financial peril and needs her time and work to continue but her job and boyfriend are hundreds of miles away. She needs to make decisions not only about the store but the direction her life will take. The characters and settings are well defined so I felt I was with Miranda as she followed her uncle’s last literary scavenger hunt watching her relationships with family and friends unfold. One strength of the book is that all the characters have their stories; Miranda’s story is shaped by them. A very enjoyable book; I hope there is a sequel.
Jake's Review:
I really enjoyed this book. It is a hauntingly beautiful
tale of love and loss. It is a novel based on the life of the here of Greek
Mythology Achilles and his lover Patroclus. Unlike most modern retellings of
the story it does not shy away from the love aspect nor does it shy away from
the gruesome realities of war. The Greek Gods are present in the story but they
are mostly background characters who influence the story but they are not the
center of it. It plays a lot with the themes of free will, fate, and destiny.
It asks questions about the nature of ourselves and humanity which have no real
answers. The center of the story is the love of Achilles and Patroclus whose
love is tested but never falters. A wonderful read and a powerfully moving
romance. 10/10
The City Stained Red by Sam Sykes
Jason’s Review:
The City Stained Red is a fantasy novel about a group of misfit adventurers trying to get paid for their last job and retire in the wealthy city of Cier’Djaal. As with most things adventurers get up to, their plans do not go as expected and they find themselves wrapped up in a world just as problematic as the one they were trying to escape. Sykes’ characters may seem archetypal at first, but with just a little bit of time they become fully realized into flawed but lovable heroes. Creatures, ranging from massive Dragonmen to silk-spewing spiders and everything in between make appearances as well. I found myself waiting with anticipation for the next fantastic beast or unusual human faction to show up. The City Stained Red is like reading a session of Dungeons and Dragons; frequently violent, surprisingly funny, and always interesting. The City Stained Red easily earns 4.5 out of 5 stars.
Jake's Review:
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