Category: Friday Fifteen

Friday Fifteen

Leave a comment

Another Friday, another Friday Fifteen, in which I review fifteen books in fifteen words or less.

1. The Unabridged Journals of Sylvia Plath by Sylvia Plath, Karen V. Kukil (Editor)
It became immediately apparently that Plath was way smarter at 18 than I’ll ever be.

2. The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros
Love the vignette style, fantastic voice. Even jock senior boys in English class liked it.

3. Everything is Illuminated by Jonathan Safran Foer
Feels forced in parts, but moving overall. Foer’s best novel so far.

4. The Cat in the Hat by Dr. Seuss
Made me very nervous as a child. People shouldn’t mess up your house!

5. Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert
Hated it initially, then got pulled in by Gilbert’s voice. Some nice local history, too.

6. The Witch’s Sister by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
First in a series; read these obsessively in fifth grade. My limit on horror reading.

7. The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
Poetical and historical bedtime reading in my household. Fun for New England kids!

8. Happy Birthday Samantha!: A Springtime Story (American Girls: Samantha #4) by Valerie Tripp
The first AG book I read, sparking enthusiasm for the series and the Victorian period.

9. Tiffany’s Table Manners for Teenagers by Walter Hoving
Christmas gift that I kept glancing through. Surprisingly useful stuff for an eleven-year-old

10. Our Mutual Friend by Charles Dickens
Some classic Dickensian style, but the ending fell flat for me.

11. Where are You Going, Where Have You Been?: Selected Early Stories by Joyce Carol Oates
The title story is exquisitely eerie, others follow the same unsettling tone.

12. The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks by E. Lockhart
A recent favorite. Love a heroine who’s not afraid to be clever, bold, and ambitious.

13. Knights of the Kitchen Table (The Time Warp Trio) by Jon Scieszka
I’m holding it in pictures from first day of first grade, so probably liked it.

14. The Emperors Embrace Reflections On Animal Families And Fatherhood by Jeffrey Moussaieff Masson
Summer reading for Bio, ended up enjoying it. Found out why beavers are so awesome.

15. Holidays and Birthdays (Childcraft: the How and Why Library #9) by World Book-Childcraft International
What’s your birthstone? When’s Yom Kippur? My source of all calendar knowledge as a child.

Happy weekend reading!

Friday Fifteen

Leave a comment

Another week, another Friday Fifteen, in which I review fifteen books in fifteen words or less. Here we go!

1. Mrs. Dalloway by Virginia Woolf
One of my favorites. Gorgeous writing about human connections. Read it in Regent’s Park.

2. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by JK Rowling
Accidentally spoiled the ending for my husband. Worst moment ever. Works well as penultimate novel.

3. The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle
Beautiful art, excellently written picture book. And it’s science!

4. The Face on the Milk Carton by Caroline B. Cooney
Made me forever paranoid that my parents aren’t my parents.

5. Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare
What it feels like when friends stab you in the back. Love Mark Antony’s speech.

6. Teacher’s Pet (Sweet Valley Twins #2) by Francine Pascal
The younger version of SVH. Twins still obnoxious and size 6. They did ballet briefly.

7. The Female Quixote by Charlotte Lenox
The kind of book Catherine Morland from Northanger Abbey would have read.

8. Babylon Revisited and Other Stories by F. Scott Fitzgerald
Title story is great; others are good. None as good as Gatsby.

9. Heidi (Great Illustrated Classics) by Johanna Spyri
The easy reader Heidi, with lots of pictures. Didn’t need to read the real thing.

10. Something Upstairs by Avi
Inspired me to write a lot of bad, historical ghost story knock-offs.

11. In Cold Blood by Truman Capote
Chilling look at real-life violence in rural America. Capote’s best.

12. Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit by Jeanette Winterson
Engaging premise (lesbian grows up English and Pentecostal) and vivid writing.

13. Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West by Gregory Maguire
Didn’t love it as much as I hoped. Is it wrong to love the musical?

14. Witch Week (Chrestomanci #3) by Diana Wynne Jones
Only one I’ve read in the series. Fun, non-HP book about boarding school and witches.

15. An Abundance of Katherines by John Green
Green’s weakest, in my opinion. Fun, but doesn’t carry the emotional weight of his others.

Happy reading/reviewing!

Friday Fifteen

Leave a comment

Welcome to another edition of the Friday Fifteen, in which I review fifteen books in fifteen words or less!

1. The Goose Girl by Shannon Hale
Inspired take on a lesser known fairy tale. First in a series.

2. Summer Sisters by Judy Blume
Mom got this for me thinking it was YA. Scandal! Still prefer the Blume YA/MG.

3. A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith
So good I wrote about it on the AP English exam. Not embarrassed.

4. The Sound and the Fury by William Faulkner
Got it without knowing anything about it and was initially confused. Still loved it though.

5. Go Away, Bad Dreams by Susan Hill
I had nightmares a lot as a kid. This book helped.

6. Sons and Lovers by D.H. Lawrence
Really enjoyed it when I read it, but can’t remember much about it now.

7. Baby-sitters’ Summer Vacation (Baby-Sitters Club Super Special #2) by Ann M. Martin
The BCS goes to summer camp, encounters poison ivy, romance, and racism. Typical camp experience?

8. Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen
Sisters, sisters, there were never such devoted sisters. Love Elinor and Marianne.

9. The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri
Touching novel, with only one or two missteps. Ashima and Ashoke shine.

10. The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer
Didn’t have a good professor, probably I could have gotten more out of it.

11. Coyotes: A Journey Through the Secret World of America’s Illegal Aliens by Ted Conover
Fascinating look at immigration as Conover lives and works with people crossing over.

12. Twilight by Stephanie Meyer
Makes me glad I had Buffy in middle school.

13. Civilwarland in Bad Decline by George Saunders
The title story is excellent. Others are good, some don’t hold up as well.

14. Brighton Beach Memoirs by Neil Simon
Hilarious and heartfelt look at growing up in pre-WWII New York.

15. I Like You: Hospitality Under the Influence by Amy Sedaris
Amy has the best party games for kids.

Happy reading/reviewing, everyone!

Friday Fifteen

Leave a comment

Live from New York, it’s the Friday Fifteen! Here’s my weekly review of fifteen books in fifteen words or less.

1. The Boxcar Children by Gertrude Chandler Warner
They were fools to leave the boxcar. Fools!

2. The Boxcar Children Houseboat Mystery by Gertrude Chandler Warner
Didn’t know it was a series, then picked up this. Didn’t read the rest.

3. The Good Thief by Hannah Tinti
Lovely writing, fun plot, Dickensian feel. Ending didn’t quite hold for me.

4. Circling the Drain by Amanda Davis
Eerie stories with a fantastical feel. Sad to lose Davis so young.

5. On the Road by Jack Kerouac
Loved the wild ride in 12th grade; wonder if I’d see it differently now.

6. Ballistics by Billy Collins
Worth it if only for the poem Hippos on Holiday. On holiday from what indeed?

7. Norwegian Wood by Haruki Murakami
Based on his stories, I was expecting something a little quirkier.

8. Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood
Interesting ideas, but I didn’t much care about the characters. Prefer The Handmaid’s Tale.

9. The Witch Down the Street (Tale from the Care Bears) by Stephanie Morgan
Spoiler alert: the “witch” is a nice old lady. I know. Shocked.

10. The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway
Let’s all get drunk and watch the bull fights, shall we?

11. The Periodic Kingdom: A Journey Into The Land Of The Chemical Elements by P.W. Atkins
I couldn’t even learn chemistry when it came in fantasy form. Good try though.

12. About a Boy by Nick Hornby
Funny, poignant, and real. Maybe it’s not high literary fiction, but I love it.

13. A Raisin in the Sun  by Lorraine Hansberry
The only reading in tenth grade with a moderately happy ending.

14. Macbeth by William Shakespeare
Scotland, witches, murder–what more could you want from the Bard? My favorite tragedy.

15. Intensely Chocolate by Carole Bloom
I love chocolate. Bloom writes fantastic cookbooks. A match made in heaven.

And there you have it! Enjoy the weekend everyone.

Friday Fifteen

Leave a comment

Welcome to the third Friday Fifteen, in which I review fifteen books in fifteen words or less. Onto the books!

1. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
Creepy, well-written. Love it even more every time I read it.

2. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by JK Rowling
I was very proud to have figured out what the deal was with Crouch.

3. Waiting for the Rain by Sheila Gordon
7th grade, learned about apartheid. I remember kids go to the movies and share chocolate.

4. A Certain Strain of Peculiar by Gigi Amateau
Very sweet, gets the small Southern town vibe. Made me want to say y’all afterward.

5. Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell
Scarlett is the tragic protagonist. You’re not supposed to like her.

6. The Winner (The Gymnasts #4) by Elizabeth Levy
Another 90s tween series. I read one or two instead of taking gymnastics.

7. Mouse Paint by Ellen Stoll Walsh
Three mice discover red, yellow, and blue can make other colors too. Blew my mind!

8. Just as Long as We’re Together by Judy Blume
Read this a zillion times. Judy gets the weirdness of shifting friendships in middle school.

9. Women Artists: An Illustrated History by Nancy Heller
Won this as part of the art award in high school. Lots of cool images/info.

10. Snow in August by Pete Hamill
Assigned in 9th grade. I liked it until the end, which went off the rails.

11. The All New, All Purpose Joy of Cooking by Irma S. Rombauer, Marion Rombauer Becker, Ethan Becker
Want to cook bear? That’s in here, along with pretty much everything food related.

12. Reflections on a Gift of Watermelon Pickle by Stephen Dunning
6th grade, first foray into poetry that didn’t necessarily rhyme. Didn’t understand most of it.

13. One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish by Dr. Seuss
Very clear memories of reading this at my desk in first grade.

14. A Homemade Life: Stories and Recipes from My Kitchen Table by Molly Wizenberg
Wizenberg combines the best of food writing with a touching memoir.

15. Where’s Waldo? The Fantastic Journey by Martin Handford
He’s on a boat! Or the beach…

Feel free to share your own Friday Fifteens in the comments. Happy weekending!

Friday Fifteen

Leave a comment

I’m back with the second edition of Friday Fifteen, in which I review fifteen books in fifteen words or less.

1. The Things They Carried by Tim O’Brien
Good, but mostly I remember the puppy.

2. A Sick Day For Amos McGee by Philip C. Stead and Erin E. Stead
One of the cutest, coziest books ever, with lovely art.

3. The Virgin Suicides by Jeffrey Eugenides
Read it obsessively for a while, then found it lacking.

4. The Giver by Lois Lowry
The first book I can remember really making me think. A forever favorite.

5. On Beauty by Zadie Smith
Felt more like a collection of ideas than actual characters or plot.

6. Kate’s Camp-Out (Sleepover Friends #6) by Susan Saunders
90s tween series about sleepovers. I think this one was a kind of ghost story?

7. The Magic School Bus Lost in the Solar System by Joanna Cole
This book taught me about mass vs. weight. Miss Frizzle’s class meets the universe.

8. Sophie’s World by Jostein Gaarder
The novelization of the history of philosophy. Awesome, but the end got really weird.

9. Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
The second book to make me cry. More sadness about puppies.

10. Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle by Betty MacDonald
The first in a series. Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle helps parents manage their obnoxious kids, hilarity ensues.

11. The Ghost in the Attic (Haunting with Louisa #1) by Emily Cates
Non-scary ghost tale with a historical fiction twist. The only one I read in the series.

12. The Food You Want to Eat: 100 Smart, Simple Recipes by Ted Allen
Impressed my family with Allen’s recipes. Not too hard, but not too basic either.

13. Jacob I Have Loved by Katherine Paterson
Read this a lot, but I wanted to shake Louise and punch Caroline. Patterns understands isolation.

14. In Cold Blood by Truman Capote
Chilling and captivating. I liked this way better than Capote’s short fiction.

15. The Best American Travel Writing 2006 by Tim Cahill and Jason Wilson
First foray into travel writing. Now terrified to sail alone (not that I planned to).

I didn’t get to finish The Fault in Our Stars for the Friday Fifteen, but I might end up giving that a full review instead. Or I’ll save it for next week. Either way, feel free to share your own fifteen-word reviews in the comments.

First Friday Fifteen

Leave a comment

Although I appreciate them, I don’t tend to write a lot of book reviews. I have some on Amazon, maybe one on Goodreads, and probably none on my various blogs. So I figured I’d try something a little different here. Instead of trying to craft thoughtful, well-worded reviews of recently read books, I’m going to write about every book I’ve ever read. In 15 words or less.

Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the Friday Fifteen.

I figure this will be a fun way to share thought about books without too much pressure. There’s no particular order to this; it’s mostly just whatever books I remember in the moment. Plus I get to share all the embarrassing tween novels I read back in the day.

Onto the reviews!

1. Watership Down by Richard Adams
Lovely writing, compelling plot. And it’s about rabbits. Love!

2. Assassination Vacation by Sarah Vowell
History humor at its best. My jury duty book.

3. The Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger
My long-distance relationship novel. The new Gone with the Wind?

4. The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton
Probably read this ninety times in eighth grade. Still breaks my heart.

5. Watchmen by Alan Moore
Engaging twist on the classic superhero, plus the apocalypse. The movie was terrible.

6. Mountain Man Dance Moves: The McSweeney’s Book of Lists by McSweeney’s Publishing
Not all winners. but I cry with laughter at some of these.

7. Will You Please Be Quiet, Please by Raymond Carver
Read this for class. I’m sure we had a nice discussion about craft.

8. Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen
This is probably what it feels like when you’re the cute girl in ninth grade.

9. Letters from Amelia, 1901-1937 by Jean L. Backus
Research for a certain YA novel. Lots of thoughtful correspondence.

10. Angels in America by Tony Kushner
You can do a lot on stage, apparently. And a hopeful ending.

11. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling
Probably my favorite of the series, with a fantastic twist.

12. Mary Anne Misses Logan (The Baby-sitters Club #46) by Ann M. Martin
My first BSC book. I didn’t realize it was a series at first.

13. Help! My Apartment Has a Dining Room Cookbook: How to Have People Over Without Stressing Out by Kevin Mills, Nancy Mills
How to prepare a meal, with a side of humor and common sense.

14. The Hours by Michael Cunningham
Not as depressing as everyone said. Stunning writing.

15. Caps for Sale: A Tale of a Peddler, Some Monkeys and Their Monkey Business by Esphyr Slobodkina
We read this a lot when I was little. Still love hats, don’t trust monkeys.

And there you have it! Feel free to share your own fifteen-word reviews as well.