I know I don't typically review short stories on this blog, but The Velveteen Rabbit holds a special place in my heart, and it is a Christmas story (kind of), so it makes sense to briefly talk about it this holiday season. I first read this story when I was probably eight or nine. It … Continue reading The Velveteen Rabbit, by Margery Williams →

This is not my first time re-reading a book from the Twilight era of young adult fantasy, so I knew I was not going to get a masterpiece with Need. I was just curious to see how the book handled its fantastical creatures and whether the romance was as meh as I remembered. Plus, after … Continue reading Need, by Carrie Jones →

While in a melancholic state of mind the other day, the mood struck me to reread one of American theatre's most famous plays, The Glass Menagerie. While the play conjures up fond memories of college theatre classes, where we used this play to practice basic acting principles, it also hits much closer to home than … Continue reading The Glass Menagerie, by Tennessee Williams →

I am often fooled into picking up contemporary romance books. I read every synopsis and think to myself that this one will break some kind of mold, despite that the story and characters sound exactly like every other book of its kind. The same thoughts whirled through my head when I did a double take … Continue reading Love in the Time of Serial Killers, by Alicia Thompson →

Firestarter conjures memories of sitting at my first-period Geometry class desk, poring over my third Stephen King book ever. Like the first two books before it, I stumbled across the poster or trailer for their respective movie adaptations and being so fascinated by the summary that I had to read the book for the full … Continue reading Firestarter, by Stephen King →

So I completely intended to have this series finished by Halloween, but I got caught up in finishing my costume and tending to other adult matters (boo!). But, you know, it's still fall, so I can still technically review books that take place in autumn and be on time. And besides, there are other fall … Continue reading Parties and Potions (Magic in Manhattan #4) →

And we are back with more of Rachel Weinstein's adventures, only now we leave the noisy urban landscape of Manhattan to the bright, mosquito-filled Camp Wood Lake. Now that Rachel's finally found her magical mojo, let's see what mischief she and Miri will get up to now. Rachel and Miri leave Manhattan for the summer … Continue reading Spells and Sleeping Bags (Magic in Manhattan #3), by Sarah Mlynowski →

Unlike Bras and Broomsticks, which I read countless times throughout my adolescence, I only read its sequel, Frogs and French Kisses, once. Not because I didn't enjoy it. It was likely because the story was getting juicy enough that I wanted to keep plunging ahead through the series. It clearly had staying power, too, since … Continue reading Frogs and French Kisses (Magic in Manhattan #2), by Sarah Mlynowski →

When I was twelve years old, traveling with my family in Florida over spring break, a pastel-colored book cover with a broomstick and an off-catching title, Bras and Broomsticks, caught my eye. The title sounded similar to an old Disney musical I'd seen called Bedknobs and Broomsticks, so this new material, while obviously vastly different, … Continue reading Bras and Broomsticks (Magic in Manhattan #1), by Sarah Mlynowski →

I must have read The Girl in the Tower, the sequel to The Bear and the Nightingale, in a daze because when I came back to it recently, it was as though I had never read it at all. That's not always a bad thing, though, since this second read-through was full of suspense, adventure, … Continue reading The Girl in the Tower (The Winternight Trilogy #2), by Katherine Arden →