The bibliophile's choice for book reviews, book collecting tips, and bookish adventures
Bronze Anthology Holiday Tips Why Books Make FANTASTIC Mother’s Day Gifts Tired of giving the same ol’ gift to your dear sweet mum? We can’t blame you; it’s easy to make the mistake of being a lame gift giver. We’ve all been there! But you …
Bronze Anthology Book Review Varina by Charles Frazier (Historical Fiction 2018) ISBN: 9780062405982 Overview From the author of “Cold Mountain,” comes a historical fiction novel about Jefferson Davis’ wife, Varina. This book is similarly set during the Civil War, as Varina is the wife of …
ISBN: 9780316556347
Overview
For anyone that read “The Odyssey” in high school, this story is like taking a trip down memory lane. Unlike “The Odyssey,” it is a novel, but along Circe’s journey, many of the same characters appear. Interestingly the story focuses on Circe, rather than other, better known Greek gods or goddesses. Which is to say that while some parts of the story will ring-a-bell for anyone that has read Greek Mythology in the past, many parts of the story will be new and captivating.
In Three Words
Greek Mythology… let’s pretend that’s one word
Love
Consequences
Overall Thoughts
The story and main character are difficult to connect with at first, but after several chapters, it or rather she begins to become more interesting. Since the book spans her lifetime, it is an easy, fast-paced read, which only slows down for the most important events in her life.
This books discusses many legends and folklore, such as Circe turning men into pigs, but this book goes beyond the well known and dives into the minutiae. It goes into all of the events that shaped her life, many of which are relatable with an added dose of problems only an immortal Greek Goddess would face. If you are only interested in the book for the pigs, you will be disappointed to know that it is a fairly small piece of the story.
Our Bronze Star Rating
This book is a good read for anyone that enjoys Greek Mythology and all of the intriguing narratives that go along with it. It is not a good read for anyone that already has a strong background in Greek Mythology or Circe, since the story can only be retold not reinvented. Overall, it is a four bronze star read; minus a star because the first few chapters fell short and felt disconnected from the character, especially in comparison to the rest of the story.
Bronze Anthology Book Review Tangerine by Christine Mangan (Suspense 2018) ISBN: 9780062686664 Overview The quote on the cover by Joyce Carol Oates, regarding Donna Tartt and Gillian Flynn, could not be more accurate – it is ‘The Secret History’ meets ‘Gone Girl.’ It is frustrating …
Bronze Anthology Book Review Laura and Emma by Kate Greathead (2018) ISBN: 9781501156601 Overview Mothers and daughters have relationships that change with age and time, which can oscillate between loving and fighting. ‘Laura and Emma’ covers the span of a relationship between a mother and …
**Our newest book reviewer, Koufax Tennyson, tackles the world of children’s literature. In staying true to her namesake, the books are given a 1 to 4 baseball score: single, double, triple, or a homerun!**
Words to describe this group of books: Adventure, Playful, Magical, Imagination
Not every bunny book is about Easter, a few examples of this include: Pat The Bunny (Dorothy Kunhardt), The Velveteen Rabbit (Margery Williams), The Tale of Peter Rabbit (Beatrix Potter). At the same time, not all Easter books are about bunnies, such as the Little Critter, Llama Llama, and Berenstain Bears Easter books.
Our focus for this book review was to read books that were either 1. purely about Easter (e.g. The Country Bunny) or 2. in a book series that we have not read before (e.g. Pete the Cat). We hope you’ll enjoy these books as much as we did!
Koufax’s Score: 4 Baseballs (Homerun) **TOP PICK**
Certainly the oldest Easter book on our list in terms of publication, this story is focused on a female Cottontail who wishes nothing more than to be one of the five Easter bunnies. There is an underlying theme of feminism that is alluded to as the main character faces male bunnies that aim to detour the female Cottontail’s fulfillment of her dream. With a little help from her 21 children, Grandfather Bunny, and a pair of gold shoes, the Little Cottontail Mother tackles the task of being the fifth Easter Bunny. This imaginative tale has substance and staying power, as it has been in-print since 1939. This book is one of our top picks for an Easter story!
Koufax’s Score: 4 Baseballs (Homerun)
You will find this book has a soft narrative structure, form, and writing style, which is important because it attempts to reach a vast audience of children, all of whom want to know more about the Easter Bunny. This heavily illustrated book pays particular attention to background imagery with playful characters. The interesting part is that it tells how the Easter Bunny learned his tricks of the trade, such as where he lives and what he does (e.g. weaving straw Easter baskets, painting eggs, making chocolate eggs). This a nice introductory book for kids wanting to believe in the magic of Easter since it covers the traditions of the holiday. A few more details would push this book over the edge, nevertheless, we rate it as a home run because the story captures the spirit of Easter along with wonderful illustrations.
Koufax’s Score: 4 Baseballs (Homerun)
“Pete the Cat” is a series of books, over 40 by now, drawn by illustrator James Dean. Pete’s demeanor, based on his lack of smile and piercing eyes, is a reserved and sullen cat, though he has enough spunk and spirit to at least go along with any plan. He’s exactly what you would think most animals are like when their owners decide to play dress up, they’re not amused. But with a small request, Pete the Cat sets out to help the Easter Bunny, even if it means he must wear some bunny ears and a nose. Our favorite part about this book, besides Pete at least, is that it has a lesson to be learned, which is best said by Pete, “Helping others out is what Easter is all about.”
Koufax’s Score: 3 Baseballs (Triple)
Looking for a board book with a playful story that takes an indirect approach to Easter? Then this is a fun selection! Duck and Goose are hatching a plan to see the Easter Bunny and they have some interesting ideas on where to hide. This is a short read for young children (up to 5 years old), as either a bed time story to follow along or as a read aloud. The back and forth conversation between Duck and Goose helps to draw in the reader, particularly if your child is reading the book for themselves. While we were hoping for more mention of the Easter bunny, this cute story is still worthy of a triple score for us.
Koufax’s Score: 2 Baseballs (Double)
The Easter Bunny meets the modern age in this rendition of an Easter book. While not a story or a tale, E.B. describes all of the ways people try to catch him in his efforts to make Easter deliveries. On one hand, this book is profusely illustrated with crisp and colorful art work that covers the full page. One the other hand, this is a quirky read, which has the feel of a hip-hop song and has some awkward syllables and rhymes. If you’re looking for a bedtime story, this is probably not for you. However, if you’re looking for a silly book to get a giggle or two from your child, this might be up your alley.
Bronze Anthology Book Review The Art of the Deal by Donald Trump (1987) ISBN: 0394555287 Overview Given the recent political environment, we wanted to try and understand the ideology, inner thoughts, and motivations behind Donald Trump. The first lines of the book are fore-telling and …
Collecting Franklin Library – The 100 Greatest Books of All Time Series Praised for their decorative fine leather-bound books, Franklin Library offered several stunning series for book collectors built specifically for the home library. The most basic of these series is known simply as, “The …
Books need support too. We often turn to our old favorites or new discoveries for lessons or relief in our lives, but those pages need our help. When the pages are bound together, they form a textblock and that textblock is attached to the covers at the spine. The spine is the back edge of a book that faces out from our shelves, and like our own spine, it holds the book up. Over time, those spines become more delicate and like our human spines, need the utmost care to prevent deterioration and damage.
Like our human spines, you can do everything to support your books spines, but unfortunately, over time, those spines will still become weaker and need extra care. Just like an 80 year old man has to take extra care to keep his body moving, an 80 year old book needs extra care to keep its pages turning. Also like our human spines, book spines were meant to be used, because books were made to be read, so do not be afraid to enjoy those beautiful pages. Along with your support, those pages could still be standing strong many, many years from now.
Valentine’s Day Books for Young Children **Our newest book reviewer, Koufax Tennyson, tackles the world of children’s literature. In staying true to her namesake, the books are given a 1 to 4 baseball score: single, double, triple, or a homerun!** Words to describe this group …