Dune by Frank Herbert

Thanks to JP for the photography. I remember discovering the planet Arrakis when I was about 11 years old and nosily poking around my uncle Greg's apartment. He lived in a guest apartment behind my grandparent's house and had a taste for the music of The Police and sci-fi fiction, both of which he passed … Continue reading Dune by Frank Herbert

The Snow Queen by Hans Christian Andersen

Thanks to AL for the photography. Being a sucker for fairy tales, The Snow Queen is a particular favorite. I remember reading it as a little girl and being fascinated by the oh-so-foreign Northern European world of Gerda and Kay, the two children in this tale, though I'd forgotten there are several small backstories that … Continue reading The Snow Queen by Hans Christian Andersen

Girl with a Pearl Earring by Tracy Chevalier

Thanks to AL for the photography. Don't you love a story told from an unexpected viewpoint, or from a character who has traditionally been portrayed in a certain way? It gives a much-needed shift in perspective, I think. Seeing things in only one way is both boring and limiting. It's good to expand your worldview … Continue reading Girl with a Pearl Earring by Tracy Chevalier

The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins

I don't normally go for "best sellers," mainly because I've found that what sometimes constitutes a best seller, such as Fifty Shades of Grey, is actually terrible literature. In this case, I was quite happy to be wrong. The Girl on the Train is wildly popular and being made into a movie, and is so … Continue reading The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins