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Diane

Diane

has 14 followers and is following 14 people

Although originally from St. Louis, I have spent most of my adult life in many different places-Annapolis, Md.; Tampa, Florida; and now Richmond,Virginia.
Luckily I have been able to continue a thirty-eight year teaching career in these many places. I married late, but still had my babies before age 40.
Now twenty and eighteen, my son... more »
  • Richmond, VA, USA
  • member since April 16, 2009

Reviews

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Displaying 1-10 of 67 reviews
  • Wish You Were Dead
    • Rated 5 stars

    “Wish You Were Dead by Todd Strasser
    5 stars and Favorite

    I can count on one hand the number of YA books I consider outstanding books and favorites: The Wish List by Eoin Colfer; the Giver by Lois Lowry; Wee Free Men by Terry Pratchett; The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman; and Pictures of Hollis Woods by Patricia Reilly Giff. Now, having read Wish You Were Dead, I am going to have to start using my other hand as well.

    The two main reasons why this is such an outstanding book are the unusual style/voice of the author and the surprise revelation at the story's climax. I truly did not guess the outcome until the author revealed it in the telling of the story. The author incorporated computer technology such as blogging, cyberbullying, and cyberstalking in his writing style effectively. Being a boomer and late into the computer universe, his use of these computer references put me off. It actually became quite an effective tool in developing the story's mood, tone, and as a second narrator of the story.

    Wish You were Dead is more than a great YA book but also a terrific thriller, who-done-it story. I highly recommend it.”

    Diane wrote this review Saturday, December 31, 2011. ( reply | permalink )
  • The Eleventh Plague
    • Rated 3 stars

    “The Eleventh Plague by Jeff Hirsch
    2.5 rounded to 3 stars

    War and plague have ravaged America bringing its civilization to an end. Those who survived have turned to scavenging roaming the countryside looking for materials to trade. Many others have become slavers preying on the weaker and isolated survivors of a devastated society. Born after the war, fifteen year old Stephen Quinn and his father scour the country as "salvagers" to survive. An unfortunate encounter with slavers sets in motion events which will alter Stephen's future in unimaginable ways.Author Jeff Hirsch has written an engaging tale of a dystopian future. We also have a unique coming of age story amid formidable obstacles. ”

    Diane wrote this review Saturday, December 31, 2011. ( reply | permalink )
  • The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake
    • Rated 1 stars

    “The first rule of listening to an audio CD of a book: Avoid it like the plague if it is read by the author.Yes, I admit it-I broke my own rule and rue the day I did. I don't know which was worse, the monotone reading of the book or the he said, she said, so and so said...said, said, said. An occasional replied, cried, asked, responded, begged, or whimpered would have been refreshing. Even worse, this was a very strange book. Based on the premise that the main character could feel the emotions of the person who made whatever food she ate-wait a minute-What??????????????? Her brother had some sort of similar talent, but his involved turning into furniture and disappearing for years at a time-Huh??????????? I fail to understand this book and do not recommend reading or listening to it on audio. If anyone who has read this book and gained something from it, please reply. I'd like to know-is it me or the book? ”

    Diane wrote this review Wednesday, December 28, 2011. ( reply | permalink )
  • A Christmas Carol
    • Rated 4 stars

    “Marley was dead, to begin with. With these words Dickens begins his classic allegorical tale of ghostly apparitions, dire warnings of an unrepentant life, epiphanies, and redemption. It is a story full of symbolism which tells a parallel story of a Victorian society as miserly as Scrooge toward its most needy and weak. Dickens warns through his allegory of the consequence such a society faces ultimately condemning itself.”

    Diane wrote this review Wednesday, December 28, 2011. ( reply | permalink )
  • Bull Run
    • Rated 4 stars

    “Bull Run by Paul Fleischman is a gem of a book. This fictionalized tale of the Battle of Bull Run is narrated by sixteen voices, eight Southerners and eight Northerners. Fresh perspectives on the Civil War are shared by common people from a variety of different walks of life. We hear the voices of a physician disillutioned by the amputations and gore; a young boy, wanting to join the Confederate cause, learns to play the fife so he can join the army, southern slaves rooting for the Union to win; German immigrants newly enlisted. We also hear the voices of those left behind such as grieving mothers and prayerful fiancee's waiting for their betrothed's return.Paul Fleischman has written a vivid and tender accounting of America's bloodiest battle-The Battle of Bull Run.”

    Diane wrote this review Saturday, December 24, 2011. ( reply | permalink )
  • The Ruins of Gorlan
    • Rated 2 stars

    “With his new series author John Flanagan introduced a new hero to the high fantasy genre. He subsequently went on to write an epic series including nineteen additional books to complete the series.
    The Ruins of Gorlan has all the archtype hallmarks of a classic epic series: a young hero who must prove himself worthy; magical creatures; an evil opponent with superior forces or strength.
    Not of the magnitude of Lord of the Rings, but a pretty good read.
    ”

    Diane wrote this review Wednesday, November 23, 2011. ( reply | permalink )
  • Cold Vengeance
    • Rated 2 stars

    “I have been a fan of FBI Special Agent Pendagast for many years. But the series seems to have outlived its usefulness. Too many questionable and unbelievable
    events in the plot. And an agent who seems ready for retirement. ”

    Diane wrote this review Wednesday, November 23, 2011. ( reply | permalink )
  • The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest
    • Rated 2 stars

    “I need a new category, "I'm reading it now, but I do not plan to finish it." I am of the school of thought that if I don't like it or lose interest, I'm sure as hell not going to waste my time reading any more of it. I'm sure I am in the minority on not liking this book. I loved The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, The Girl Who Played with Fire was okay. But the Hornet's Nest was over the top-tiresome Swedish names I couldn't keep straight, a "I'm going to gag" if anyone get's so much as a another bloody nose, and too many odd translations of some English words which I found distracting. Yes, I was disappointed at the disparity between the quality of the first of the trilogy and the last.”

    Diane wrote this review Saturday, October 22, 2011. ( reply | permalink )
  • The Girl Who Played with Fire
    • Rated 3 stars

    “The Girl Who Played with Fire by Stieg Larsson
    3 stars

    With the introduction of Lisbeth Sanders in The Girl with the Dragon Tatoo, Larsson delivered unto the crime/thriller fiction genre a new and unique heroine. Introduced in Dragon, the saga continues in The Girl Who Played with Fire. Many subplots continue in the second of the series, but many new characters and revelations about Lisbeth come to light.
    Following the unraveling of the mysterious disappearance of a wealthy heiress, in the second book Lisbeth tours the world with her newly, ill-gotten fortune and disappears for some time from Sweden. Upon her return she becomes embroiled in a crime and becomes the main suspect of the police. Thanks to help of Kalle Blomkist Lisbeth is able to elude capture while trying to exonerate herself and find the real killers who at the same time are hunting her.
    While Larsson wrote a wonderful crime saga, my main complaint about the book is the massaive amount of extraneous detail that detract from the main storyline.”

    Diane wrote this review Monday, September 19, 2011. ( reply | permalink )
  • The Story of Edgar Sawtelle
    • Rated 3 stars

    “What to say about Edgar Sawtelle. Sometimes I loved it and at other times I dreaded picking it up again. Briefly, Edgar is born mute. His hearing is fine. He just doesn't speak (?). The family breeds and sells a particularly unusual sort of dog. Early in the book his father's troubled and troublesome brother shows up on the farm. Shortly after that Edgar's father dies under unusual circumstances.
    After awhile the brother comes to live at the farm and eventually marries Edgar's mother. Anybody thinking Hamlet? At this point we are about halfway and the reading turns dour.Edgar runs away with several dogs and goes on a questionable journey. Why? He doesn't seem to have leaned anything from his sojourn.
    The book begins to pick up again and does provide a surprising ending. If you can suffer through the middle you may find a satisfying ending to Edgar Sawtelle.”

    Diane wrote this review Wednesday, August 24, 2011. ( reply | permalink )
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Displaying 1-10 of 67 reviews

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