Tuesday, April 1, 2014

New year, new books!

As I've said many, many times, Fannie Flagg is one of my favorite authors. It's not just because she writes a fantastic, twisting plot that keeps you attentive or because her characters are real and fully fleshed-out - it's also because she writes about things that matter. Her newest book, The All-Girl Filling Station's Last Reunion is about women in the workplace in the 40s during World War II and how that affected girls then and also now.
Fannie Flagg ran two stories parallel from one another in this book, which really was fascinating as it began to come together. One story follows Fritzi and her family in the 40s, trying to get by through the war and the other story follows Mrs. Sookie Poole in present day Alabama, a 60-year old woman who finds out she is adopted, though her mother has never told her. 

I would have thought that Fannie Flagg's newer books would pale in comparison with my favorite older ones like Welcome to the World, Baby Girl!, but it's just not true. The story is just as interesting, and the characters are ones that you grow to love. Her last one, I Still Dream of You is hysterical and is well worth the read, too!

I recently read Holly Black's Doll Bones. I have to preface this review with the fact that I absolutely ADORE anything that Holly Black has ever written. If you haven't read Holly Black, get your hands on Tithe or her new one The Coldest Girl in Coldtown

That being said, Doll Bones was a creepy adventure following three kids intent on burying the china doll to give her a "proper burial".  Since I'm a complete baby with creepy stories and movies, this book did give me a few nightmares. It was still a fun story from start to finish, with some eerie moments that will make your hair stand on end. 

Also, am I the only one who thinks that Neil Gaiman and Holly Black should write a book/movie/play together?


And speaking of Neil Gaiman, I read his new children's book (I work in the Children's Room at a library, which is why I read all of these) Fortunately, the Milk
Neil Gaiman is one of my favorites for many reasons - mainly because he makes the weird into the normal in his stories. This one was a laugh-out-loud read and a quick one. It seemed like the perfect before-bedtime story.