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A Constellation of Vital Phenomena
by Anthony Marra

A Constellation of Vital Phenomena (3/20/2014)

"At the kitchen table she examined the glass of ice. Each cube was rounded by room temperature, dissolving in its own remains, and belatedly she understood that this was how a loved one disappeared. Despite the shock of walking into an empty flat, the absence isn’t …more

The Venetian Bargain
by Marina Fiorato

The Venetian Bargain (12/10/2013)

Fiorato does a wonderful job with the historical facts of the time: Constantinople, Venice, the ongoing conflict of Venetians vs. Ottoman Turks, religious issues, the plague, the architect Palladio, the great fire of Venice, medical and medicinal practices of the 16th …more

The Girl Who Fell to Earth: A Memoir
by Sophia Al-Maria

The Girl Who Fell to Earth (10/10/2013)

The Girl Who Fell to Earth delves into cultural complexities in an honest manner in which others towing the fine line between two cultures can relate and understand. A great coming of age story all will enjoy, especially those dealing with disparity in ethnicity.

Al-Maria …more

Buying In
by Laura Hemphill

Buying In (10/6/2013)

I enjoyed this debut novel from Laura Hemphill. Buying In came across as more non-fiction than fiction. A very realistic glimpse into the world of investment baking. The politics, the interactions, the competitive nature and the not so flattering sides of people and the …more

We Need New Names: A Novel
by NoViolet Bulawayo

We Need New Names (10/1/2013)

Bulawayo’s style is impressive. She manages to capture Zimbabwe and the United States through the eyes of Darling, a 10 year old girl. Bulawayo's words paint a clear yet lyrical message of life in Zimbabwe, a country in turmoil for decades under autocratic rule. We follow …more

The Fun Parts: Stories
by Sam Lipsyte

The Fun Parts (9/25/2013)

I have mixed feelings about The Fun Parts . I do enjoy Lipsyte's humor - dry, sarcastic, hidden innuendos, and sometimes just plain funny. I chuckled out loud several times and enjoyed it as a whole. A few standouts - "The Climber Room" is the story of Tovah Gold, a 36-year- …more

Life After Life
by Kate Atkinson

Life After Life (9/15/2013)

Kate Atkinson's Life After Life asks the question:
What if you could live again and again, until you got it right?

Ursula lives and dies repeatedly. Fortunately for Ursula death allows for a "do-over" thus being reborn with an opportunity to do it over and over until the …more

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