Reviews

Stanley Kubrick's older films -- that is, those released in the 1950s -- generally have gotten less attention than later efforts such as 2001: A Space Odyssey, A Clockwork Orange and Full Metal Jacket. That's somewhat understandable; Kubrick became a better filmmaker as he aged and worked on his craft.

Catching Fire is the second book in Suzanne Collins’ Hunger Games trilogy. Like the first book which was a suggested read by a colleague, this book too is filled with plenty of action and adventure.

I suppose I should start by admitting that before I picked up this book I had no idea who Kathy Griffin is. And, having given a celebrity tell-all or two a try I am not usually drawn to them. In fact, I avoid them. Official Book Selection, however, is well worth making an exception for. I got hooked while reading the captions of the photos and belly-laughing in the relative quiet of the public library. I couldn’t put it down.

Imagine if you’ve spent your whole life seeing, but pretending not to see, an entire race of creatures no one else knows about. Well, that’s the predicament that faces a high school girl being raised by her grandmother. Aislinn, like her mother and grandmother possesses “the sight”.

This book of 12 short stories was written by Sallie Bingham. Many of the stories deal with interpersonal relationships between men and women. I found most of the stories did not hold my interest and all ended abruptly.

The Moonflower Vine by Jetta Carleton

I chose to read this book after seeing the KC Star review last fall. Jane Smiley includes it in her “Thirteen Ways of Looking at the Novel”. The setting in rural Missouri had appeal since I grew up in rural Missouri and the time setting would make the four daughters in the story living at the same time as my mother’s generation, including the author. I thought it would give me insight into her life experience and was just interested in how their lives would be portrayed.

Brava Valentine by Adriana Trigiani

Sarah was 10 years old on July 16, 1942 when one of the most infamous events in French history occurred – the roundup of thousands of Jews by French Police under the direction of the Nazi’s. Desperate to protect her brother, Sarah locked him in a secret cupboard in their home. Sarah’s story intertwines with that of Julia Jarmond, an American journalist investigating the roundup.

In the 18th Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter series, Laurell K. Hamilton gets back to the basics of what made Anita so popular. Anita, also an animator of zombies, has to turn down a client who has unrealistic ideas about raising his deceased wife as a zombie and taking her home.