Paper Towns - John Green (Penguin Books, 2008) Before I Fall - Noah Hawley (Grand Central Publishing, 2016) Housekeeping - Marilynne Robinson (Harper Perennial, 2005) A Visit from the Goon Squad - Jennifer Egan (Anchor Books, 2010) Did Not Finish: The Little Red Chairs - Edna O'Brien (Little, Brown and Company, 2016) Currently Reading: Infinite… Continue reading What I Read – May 2016
Month: May 2016
Poetry Monday: Gerard Manley Hopkins
Despite the fact that I regularly share about what I read here, something you might not know about me is that I also read a fair bit of poetry. In fact, I studied both fiction and poetry in university. (I myself am an unremarkable poet but I occasionally try.) I rarely sit down and read… Continue reading Poetry Monday: Gerard Manley Hopkins
Book Review: Housekeeping by Marilynne Robinson
My name is Ruth. I grew up with my younger sister, Lucille, under the care of my grandmother, Mrs. Sylvia Foster, and when she died, of her sisters-in-law, Misses Lily and Nona Foster, and when they fled, of her daughter, Mrs. Sylvia Fisher. These first sentences of Marilynne Robinson's novel Housekeeping (aside from being some… Continue reading Book Review: Housekeeping by Marilynne Robinson
Book Review: Before the Fall by Noah Hawley
If there's a lesson to be learned from Before the Fall, it might be "Don't be fabulously rich because people will want to kill you." Or, at the very least, "Don't fly on private planes". The characters in Noah Hawley's debut novel (to be released at the end of this month) are rich in a… Continue reading Book Review: Before the Fall by Noah Hawley
Spring Cleaning and the Lean-To
Following yesterday's post, here's something else I tend to award myself points for: totally mundane household chores. This was a small project I'd intended to work on for a while so I'm feeling good about getting it done. At some point between 1989 (when our house was built) and now, someone added on a little… Continue reading Spring Cleaning and the Lean-To
Parenting Merit Badges
Since around the time Pearl turned one (i.e. hit the toddler stage), I have been awarding myself mental merit badges. Basically, when I do something as a parent that I feel a sense of accomplishment about, I give myself a merit badge to pin on my imaginary parenting sash. (I was never a Girl Guide… Continue reading Parenting Merit Badges
Book Review: Paper Towns by John Green
I've read three books by John Green before this one (see my reviews of The Fault in Our Stars and Looking for Alaska) so it's safe to say that I enjoy his writing. Green captures teens well, finding that balance between realism and fiction to keep the story interesting. Our main character here is Quentin,… Continue reading Book Review: Paper Towns by John Green
Not a Book Review: The Little Red Chairs by Edna O’Brien
This isn't a book review for the simple fact that I didn't finish reading this book. About halfway through, the main character is the victim of an act of horrific violence and I just couldn't continue. I've never read Edna O'Brien before so I have no idea if this, her first novel in years, is… Continue reading Not a Book Review: The Little Red Chairs by Edna O’Brien
Book Review: Children’s Travel Books by Miroslav Sasek (Reading with Pearl)
If you're not familiar with Miroslav Sasek's travel books for children, you should be. Filled with colourful pictures and facts about cities around the world, the books are beautiful and interesting. And not just for children. But children do enjoy them! A Czech writer and illustrator, Sasek was first inspired to write about Paris, condensing… Continue reading Book Review: Children’s Travel Books by Miroslav Sasek (Reading with Pearl)
Sticks and Stones
I'm about six years late to the party but I'm on Instagram now! You can find me @karissareadsbooks if you're into that sort of thing. The weather around here has been so good! (Have I mentioned that? Are you tired of hearing it?) I feel like I take more photos when the weather is good.… Continue reading Sticks and Stones
Karissa Reads Books 