MADreads

“The party, the party, she is always right”
A review of The Iron Curtain: The Crushing of Eastern Europe, 1944-1956 by Anne Apple Applebaum

 As I read Anne Applebaum’s scrupulously researched and weighty Iron Curtain: The Crushing of Eastern Europe, 1944-1956, I tried to figure out how a book covering such a bleak, hopeless period in history could be such a compelling read. To say that Iron Curtain is possibly the most depressing book I’ve read would be a fairly accurate statement (although Elie Wiesel’s Night and Joyce Carol Oates’ We Were the Mulvaneys come fairly close).  Drawing on ...read more

Reviewed by Katie H. on February 25, 2013 | 0 comments

Lessons from an elephant
A review of Masterwork of a Painting Elephant by Michelle Cuevas

 Birch, a former circus elephant, has been raising Pigeon Jones since he was abandoned by his parents. While the two live a happy life together, they both want more -- Pigeon to know about his parents and Birch to gain fame as an artist and find his lost love. Beautiful storytelling combines the wisdom of Pooh, experiences of The Little Prince, and the lessons of Aesop all  into one. This one's not just for children. ...read more

Reviewed by Jody on February 22, 2013 | 0 comments

Little ballerinas with big troubles
A review of The Painted Girls by Cathy Marie Buchanan

 Ballerinas.  Belle époque Paris.  Poverty.  Prostitution.  Edward Degas.  Sisterhood.  Painted girls. Cathy Marie Buchanan lovingly creates a portrait of what life might have been like for Marie van Goethem, the subject of Edward Degas's sculpture Little Dancer Aged Fourteen.  Marie and her sisters struggle to subsist while dancing and performing at the Paris ...read more

Reviewed by Molly - Central on February 21, 2013 | 0 comments

Looking forward to love
Forthcoming New Romance Titles

Hey all you romance readers out there, here's a heads up on some upcoming romances to keep an eye out for. I just finished perusing the spring announcements in Publishers Weekly. There are a few on the Top 10 list that I'm putting on my own to read list. Some are by old favorites authors and some ...read more

Reviewed by Kathy K. - Central on February 20, 2013 | 0 comments

This ain't your mother's exorcist...
A review of The Devil You Know and Vicious Circle by Mike Carey

 The dead are coming back to London. No one is really sure why, but suddenly ghosts, zombies, demons, and were-creatures are popping up all over. And when you have a large supply of the monsters and spirits, there is a corresponding demand for exterminators, otherwise known as exorcists. Felix Castor is a freelance exorcist, and he's one of the best. We first meet Felix in The Devil You Know, where he is hired to exorcise a ghost that is haunting the city's archives. What should be a ...read more

Reviewed by Gregg - Sequoya on February 19, 2013 | 0 comments

Shaman in training
A review of Stray Souls by Kate Griffin

 "London’s soul has gone missing. Lost? Kidnapped? Murdered? Nobody knows – but when Sharon Li unexpectedly discovers she’s a shaman, she is immediately called upon to use her newfound powers of oneness with the City to rescue it from a slow but inevitable demise. The problem is, while everyone expects Sharon to have all the answers – from the Midnight Mayor to Sharon’s magically-challenged self-help group – she doesn’t have a clue where to start." I don't usually start my reviews with the ...read more

Reviewed by Jane J - Central on February 18, 2013 | 0 comments

Even Sasquatch needs his space
A review of Don't Squish the Sasquatch by Kent Redeker

 Senor Sasquatch, in his ratty fedora and bow tie, steps onto the bus, hoping it won’t be too crowded that morning (since he doesn’t enjoy being squished). As the other passengers board the bus, the driver warns them of Senor Sasquatch’s preference for space, to no avail. He becomes squished! But what to do after the bus goes “Ka-Bloooey”? Clear, bright graphic illustrations in a retro style give this monster story a big dose of wild humor. A fun book for individual sharing or a group read- ...read more

Reviewed by Ruth on February 15, 2013 | 0 comments

Is it me?
Others Love Them More

I usually use this space to tell you about all the books I've loved. Today I'm going a different route. I just finished Gone Girl for my mystery book group and I'm not a fan. (We're meeting at South Madison this afternoon so I hope none of the group will read this before then.) The book is technically everything it should be but after plowing through the emotionally difficult journey the author created ...read more

Reviewed by Jane J - Central on February 14, 2013 | 1 comment

Magic with a little soul
A review of Crystal Cove by Lisa Kleypas

 Paranormal romance has been going strong for a while now. It's been doing so well that authors who haven't traditionally written in the sub-genre are adding getting in on the act. Sometimes with mixed results. Which is exactly the phrase I'd use to describe Lisa Kleypas' foray into the field. Justine Hoffman runs a bed and breakfast in Friday Harbor in the San Juans. She also is a ...read more

Reviewed by Jane J - Central on February 13, 2013 | 0 comments

Mind your manners, please
A review of How to Be a Woman by Caitlin Moran

 I really, really like Caitlin (pronounced Catlin) Moran. She's a British broadcaster, TV critic and columnist at The Times that's taken the world by storm with her comedy writing. I think her book How to Be a Woman is refreshingly honest and smart and I wish I had her hair. I love that she is in her late 30s and still rocking tights with cut-offs and Doc ...read more

Reviewed by Molly - Central on February 11, 2013 | 0 comments
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