ampersandinc's reviews
1315 reviews

This is the first of the Seven series, and it was GREAT! I got right into it, and read it in a few hours. I even cried at one point! I can’t wait to read the rest.

Finally! The third book in the Graceling series was worth the wait. It was the best book so far, and features my favourite crotchety librarian ever written!

I read this book because of Lorna’s recommendation and it certainly didn’t disappoint. Me/Karen is a demanding character. She makes the reader think about things. The whole I think therefore I am thing always threw me a little when I took philosophy class as well. Her whole approach to Descartes and Darwin was very interesting to me. I also agree with Lorna’s tag of this be the Temple Grandin for Tuna idea. I think people that liked animals in translation will love this book and it will be a good way to get booksellers on board.

It is a fantasy novel and is set in Victorian times. There is a peace between humans and Faerie that hinges on a special ring. An upper-class young girl who has come upon bad times and is making a living as a pickpocket manages to steal the ring but when she finds out its significance she has to return it to the palace under the noses of the royal princes. The ring disappears and a war could ensue. I don’t want to spoil the end, so read the book – it is worth it and you will want to read the sequel.

This follow up to A Dog’s Purpose continues the story of Buddy. It captures (I am sure!) the inner voice of a loving and loyal dog. Funny and touching – for anyone who believes in that unbreakable bond between dogs and their humans.

I have read Emily Giffin since her first book (Something Borrowed). She transcends the genre because she understands the complexities of her characters and does not take the clichéd path to resolution. Having said that, her novels are not dark and brooding as she is able to portray the more hopeful side of life and love. This was as enjoyable and as good a read as her previous bestsellers.

From Ali:
This book is even better than the first! A bit less jokey, but the characters and the story are both incredibly readable.

From Morgen:
): Dark, and still hilarious. In this one, we meet Keanu Reeves (never named), who apparently died sometime in the 90’s, and was brought back as a zombie, and no one has noticed. A lot of fun!

Feels very much like Alyson Noel, but funnier. The main character has a boy following her, who she discovers is Death, and a childhood friend who she discovers is her protector from Death. Why is she so special, you may ask? She is a prophet. I like Darynda Jones’ titles on the adult list (pretty hilarious), and I see no reason why these shouldn’t rise to the height of Alyson Noel sales.

From Debbie:
I love this book. An imaginary friend as narrator is wonderfully original and a bit of a mental challenge. I fell in love with Budo and I believed completely in his reality. Of course, I was a child that believed all stuffed animals had feelings and could indeed feel pain if they fell off the bed. I also felt Budo’s perspective on Max’s abilities gives the reader new ways to think about autism and children on the spectrum. Spoiler alert. I wept at the end of this book. Wept and wept some more.

From Lorna:
I truly enjoyed this book and will heartily recommend it to my customers. The author creates tremendous empathy for the main character Max and his imaginary friend Budo. The other imaginary friends in the book reminded me a little of Roald Dahl’s books. There is serious tension as Budo tries to help Max escape danger. It made me incredibly anxious and I had to stay up late to make sure Max would be ok!

From Morgen:
What a wonderful read! Matthew Dicks’ portrayal of Max Delaney, who has some form of autism or Asperger’s, is amazing! He clearly works closely with children like Max, and is able to use the voice of Budo (Max’s imaginary friend) to explain why Max does what he does. This one will tug at your heart strings for sure.

From Saffron:
This was quite wonderful!

If you are a fan of Major Pettigrew’s Last Stand or the Guernsey Literary Potato Peel Pie Society you will love Jana Bibi’s Excellent Fortunes. It is the story of a Scottish widow who inherits a house in a hill town in India from her uncle. She is middle aged and her grown up son is living in Scotland (he can’t understand why she would want to live in India when she could live with him in Scotland) and decides to move into the inherited house. Unbeknownst to her, it is currently inhabited by aggressive monkeys and they decide to vacate when they have bagpipe music played to them by a retired Gurkha. Once the monkeys have left, Jana Bibi and her parrot Mr. Ganguly move into the house and into the lives of her new neighbours. The story is charming and funny and lucky for us this is the first book in a new series. I would recommend this book to anyone!