The vampire lestat by anne rice6/29/2023 It was some time later that I understood just how much so: Rice had written the book in part as a testament to her young daughter, Michele, who died in August 1972 of granulocytic leukemia (Rice had a dream before the diagnosis that her daughter would die of a blood aliment). I had just lost somebody in my family when I first read it, and this was a book that seemed to emit loss. It was imaginative in its construction and narrative voice - the worst that could be said was that it spawned a legion of mediocre vampire volumes (and movies and TV series) that couldn’t match its originality and depth, and those imitators persist to this day - but what I liked best about it was that it was a painful read. Interview with the Vampire, author Anne Rice’s first volume in her Vampire Chronicles, had been among my favorite novels since I first read it in 1977 (I’ve read it many times since).
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The Reptile Room by Lemony Snicket6/29/2023 PERSONAL NOTE: I planned to read this series between other books, like I do with almost everything else, but then decided it was probably not the best move to let Lemony kill my buzz every single month for the next year. A funnier and somewhat lighter sequel than the first book. Sunny and the Incredibly Deadly Viper were hilarious. The Orphans lovely as ever, never giving up, despite everything falling apart around them. Totally HATED Stephano, one truly dreadful character, especially when brandishing his scary knife a nice addition to the series, with much more depth and cunning than the totally different evil Count Olaf of the first book. LOVED Uncle Monty, although not as much as Justice Strauss. A brief respite of happiness ensues until Stephano, a totally new character appears out of nowhere in their lives, and calamity strikes again.Ī wonderfully endearing beginning followed by a terrible succession of utterly sad events. Montgomery Montgomery, a BRILLIANT herpetologist and quirky nice guy. After their home burned, their parents died, and they narrowly escaped the evil clutches of uncle Olaf, Violet, Klaus and Sunny are taken to the care of a distant relative, Dr. The Baudelaire Orphans misfortune continues. Her simple plot and sudden denouement add up to a great deal more than the sum of their parts. By turns very funny (particularly in Paloma's sections) and heartbreaking, Barbery never allows either of her dour narrators to get too cerebral or too sentimental. The arrival of a new tenant, Kakuro Ozu, who befriends both the young pessimist and the concierge alike, sets up their possible transformations. Having grasped life's futility early on, Paloma plans to commit suicide on her 13th birthday. Meanwhile, “supersmart” 12-year-old Paloma Josse, who switches off narration with Renée, lives in the building with her wealthy, liberal family. Though “short, ugly, and plump,” Renée has, as she says, “always been poor,” but she has a secret: she's a ferocious autodidact who's better versed in literature and the arts than any of the building's snobby residents. We are in the center of Paris, in an elegant apartment building inhabited by bourgeois families. Renée Michel, 54 and widowed, is the stolid concierge in an elegant Paris hôtel particulier THE ELEGANCE OF THE HEDGEHOG by Muriel Barbery & translated by Alison Anderson RELEASE DATE: Aug. Debut Rate this book Write a Review Book Reviewed by: Megan Shaffer Buy This Book About this Book Summary Excerpt Reading Guide Book Summary A moving, funny, triumphant novel that exalts the quiet victories of the inconspicuous among us. This dark but redemptive novel, an international bestseller, marks the debut in English of Normandy philosophy professor Barbery. Royally Endowed by Emma Chase6/29/2023 Let me note that this story takes place over five years. Logan agrees and while he protects her day and night, he really gets to know her. When Nicholas and Olivia travel back to Wessco, Nicholas asks Logan to stay in New York and keep a strict eye on Ellie. With an alcoholic dad and a sister who falls in love with a prince, her life is full of ups and downs. She doesn’t have much of a filter and wants to experience everything life throws at her. But when he travels to New York and meets Ellie one summer, his life is forever changed.Įllie is Olivia’s sister (Olivia is married to Nicholas – we need a family tree!) and only seventeen. Henry, the future king (hero from book two) and Nicholas (Henry’s brother and hero from book one) and their respective significant others along with the Queen and everyone else that lives in the palace keep Nicholas and his team of security detail busy. Our hero is Logan, personal bodyguard to the royal family of Wessco (a made-up country but similar to England). This one features two non-royals, but the royals are in their life. Book two is also good but not as good as Screwed and Endowed. I really enjoyed this book – it’s funny and super sexy, similar to book one, Royally Screwed. Royally Endowed by Emma Chase (Royally #3) David j griffiths quantum mechanics6/29/2023 Schroeter Edition, illustrated, revised Publisher, Cambridge University. Griffiths Quantum Physics of Atoms, 1.1 Introduction to quantum mechanics - Stanford 1.1 Introduction to quantum mechanics Slides: Video 1.1. This program will bring together physicists, mathematicians, chemists, engineers, and computer scientists interested in pushing the boundaries of theory and methods based on quantum mechanics. Title, Introduction to Quantum Mechanics Authors, David J. Web viewIntroduction to Quantum Mechanics (2nd Edition) by David J. This IPAM program is based on the premise that by systematically analyzing the structure and topology of Hilbert spaces of different systems and methods, as an interdisciplinary community we can overcome the bottlenecks of existing approximations, and move towards quantum multiscale methods based on Hilbert space embedding, model order reduction, and complementary mathematical and statistical techniques. The aim of this program is to pave the way towards practical and error-controlled quantum-mechanical calculations with tens of thousands (or even millions) of quantum particles. This includes studying molecules and solids throughout biology, chemistry and physics, and even the determination of constitutive relations in engineered mesoscale structures. Quantum mechanics is widely used today to describe low and high energy phenomena. Quantum mechanics is the fundamental theory of fields and matter and it is arguably the most successful and widely applicable theory in the history of physics. Rumblefish book summary6/29/2023 "Hinton, on her own turf, is still unbeatable. "Sharper in focus and more mature in style than Hinton's The Outsiders." - Booklist This edition includes an exclusive Author's Note.Ī School Library Journal Best Book of the Year This spare portrait of a juvenile delinquent who has no desire to better his life lets readers see Rusty-James as he cannot see himself. Hinton's much-loved The Outsiders usually want to read the rest of her books - and RUMBLE FISH stands as one of her best efforts. Like Hinton's groundbreaking classic The Outsiders, Rumble Fish was adapted into a movie by Francis Ford Coppola and remains as relevant as ever in its exploration of sibling relationships, the importance of role models, and the courage to think independently. Our review: Parents say ( 1 ): Kids say ( 10 ): Readers who enjoyed S.E. Then one day Rusty-James' world comes apart, and the Motorcycle boy isn't around to pick up the pieces. Whenever Rusty-James gets in over his head, the Motorcycle Boy has always been there to bail him out. He's proud of his reputation, but what he wants most of all is to be just like his older brother, the Motorcycle Boy. Rusty-James is the number one tough guy among the junior high kids who hang out and shoot pool at Benny's. From the author of the international bestseller The Outsiders comes a "stylistically superb" novel that "packs a punch that will leave readers of any age reeling" (SLJ, starred review). The Next Ship Home by Heather Webb6/29/2023 Heather's currently hard at work on a novel releasing in early 2024 called Queens of London about a true-to-life, all-female gang led by the most notorious criminal, Diamond Annie, set in grimy and glamorous 1925. In 2017, Last Christmas in Paris won the Women's Fiction Writers Association award, and in 2019, Meet Me in Monaco was shortlisted for both the RNA award in the UK and also the Digital Book World Fiction prize. Heather Webb is the USA Today Bestselling and award-winning author of historical fiction, including Strangers in the Night, The Next Ship Home, Last Christmas in Paris, Meet Me in Monaco, Rodin's Lover, and more. The annual Mystery Writers of Japan Award, carried on since our establishment, is a juried prize given each year to outstanding works of long and short fiction and criticism. While originally established with an emphasis on detective fiction, the MWJ has grown and evolved over the years to encompass a broad spectrum of literary entertainment and publishing.įor over 70 years the MWJ has not only provided a forum for members to interact with each other and deepen friendships, but also worked to support the development and appreciation of publishing in all its forms, especially mystery and entertainment literature. The Mystery Writers of Japan is an incorporated association composed of professionals in the mystery genre including authors, critics, translators, illustrators, book designers, and manga artists, with supporting members such as publishers.įounded in 1947 by author Edogawa Rampo, who became its first president, it was incorporated in 1963. Recursion by Blake Crouch6/28/2023 (Warning: This book is so good, I’m about to do that thing where the fizzy drink overflows its glass.) In speculative fiction, there is almost every way to get it wrong and so very narrow a thread to cross to get it right.īlake Crouch carves out his own pedestal by getting it absolutely right with Recursion. Not so for the writers who strain what if? to the limits of suspending disbelief. Not so with the authors of stories that bend our recognizable world out of any shape we know. But it’s even worse than that: No matter how high, windy, or impossible a circus stunt might be, a tightrope walker at least has terra firma anchoring the beginning and end of their journey. Every speculative-fiction author is a high-wire artist. Rapture lauren kate6/28/2023 The writing is less than spectacular: “Then came the feeling of falling- a drop even his wings couldn’t prevent, as if the Throne had attached moons to them.” Besides the fact that it is bad writing, it is also just plain dumb.Īgain: “Darkness everywhere, so complete in its doom it made light and love and everything good in the world feel tired and broken and dead.” Dumb and dumb and dumb and… Well, you get the point.īut here is my favorite: “Every life, every love, every moment that every mortal and angelic soul had ever experienced would be balled up and discarded at Lucifer’s reckless whim, like the universe was a board game and he was a whining child giving up when he began to lose.” Gag! Kate must be in a contest to see how many bad lines an author can include in a book and still get outstanding reviews. Strange alliances form to find these relics and figure out their significance with less than nine days before Lucifer’s endgame is realized. Somehow, Luce is the key to stopping Lucifer but must find certain relics to do so. But Lucifer wants to reset everything, which would be disastrous. Now that Luce has experienced some of her many past lives, she has a better, although still incomplete, understanding of what her situation is. In RAPTURE, the highly anticipated fourth and final novel in the FALLEN series, Luce and Daniel are together, but for how long? Can history be rewritten? Or are some punishments eternal?” Rating: 2 out of 5 stars, Genre: Fiction/ Fantasy/ Young Adult, Pages: 464, Level: Easy |