World War Z, by Max Brooks

Brasyl, by Ian McDonald

My latest book review for Pajiba is up. This one's for science fiction fans: Ian McDonald's Brasyl.

Brasyl has won the 2008 British Science Fiction Association Award and was a finalist for both the 2008 Hugo Award and the 2007 Quill Book Awards.

You may click here to read my review. If you'd like to read the first chapter, click here -- be aware, though, that the first chapter doesn't really do it justice.

In a nutshell: Brasyl is a must for science-fiction fans, but be prepared to work for this one.

Bibliolatry Scale: 4 out of 6 stars

Emotionless Souls, by David S. Grant

Don't expect to like the people who fill the pages of David S. Grant's Emotionless Souls. They're sick, empty people made emptier by their attempts to make their lives full.

I'm sure you're wondering, what exactly do these emotionless souls do to add feeling to their lives? Sex, drugs, violence? Of course -- and lots of them, with a little sadism thrown in for good measure.

Armageddon in Retrospect, by Kurt Vonnegut

I've had the honor of reviewing Kurt Vonnegut's Armageddon in Retrospect for Pajiba.

You may read my review here.

In a nutshell: If you haven’t read anything by Vonnegut, don’t start here; however, for die-hard Vonnegut fans, Armageddon in Retrospect is a must, even if it’s not on par with his seminal works.

Bibliolatry Scale: I'm going to rate this at 4 out of 6 stars, but I'm wondering if I didn't add a star just because this is from Vonnegut. So take this rating with a grain of salt.

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, by Sherman Alexie

My latest review for Pajiba has been posted on Sherman Alexie's The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian. It's for young adults, so I was a little nervous reviewing it, as I always am when reviewing books written for a younger audience. This is, of course, in addition to my already healthy dose of anxiety that accompanies every review I write for Pajiba. They keep you on your toes over there, they do.

Anyway, this is Sherman Alexie's first novel for young adults, and I have to say I found it quite enjoyable. Usually when reading a book written for teens, I have to keep reminding myself of the fact so that I can avoid being unnecessarily harsh. Thankfully, I didn't need to do much reminding during Diary.

Soldier's Heart, by Elizabeth Samet

How do you convince an eighteen-year-old cadet that poetry has any relevance to his life? Poetry seems pretty unimportant in the face of roadside bombs and suicide bombers. Hell, I have a hard time justifying poetry to my eighteen-year-old students, and none of them will ever come close to Iraq. So I read Samet’s Soldier’s Heart with a special interest, although one does not need to be an English teacher to enjoy this memoir.

Beautiful Children, by Charles Bock

My review on Bock's Beautiful Children is up at Pajiba, so click here to read it.

In a nutshell: A solid debut novel: not perfect, but better than you might think.

Bibliolatry Scale: 4.5 out of 6 stars

The Invention of Morel, by Adolfo Bioy Casares

The Invention of Morel has been getting a lot of attention recently due to its appearance on Lost. I don’t watch Lost, so don’t expect any great revelations about how Morel explains the show. By the way, are they still on that damn island? I only watch quality television, like Big Brother 9. I like my tv with a side of brainlessness, thank you very much.

The Invention of Morel begins as our unnamed protagonist, a fugitive from the law, hides on an uninhabited island. One day, mysterious tourists suddenly appear, and our fugitive is frightened they have come searching for him. He needn’t have feared, however; it’s clear they are unaware of him.

King Dork, by Frank Portman

Nothing defined my teenage years like depressing music and good books, and I know that nearly everyone can agree that music is never better than when you’re in high school. I spent my teens listening to Nine Inch Nails and Marilyn Manson and feeling as though these heroin-addicted men truly understood my adolescent female torment, as evidenced by such classic tunes like "Cake and Sodomy."

The Fall of the House of Bush, by Craig Unger

My latest review for the good people over at Pajiba is up, for a book that is astounding for, among other things, its amazingly long title: The Fall of the House of Bush: The Untold Story of How a Band of True Believers Seized the Executive Branch, Started the Iraq War, and Still Imperils America's Future.

The Long Walk, by Stephen King

Okay, let me get something out of the way. I do a lot of cardio. A LOT of cardio. I walk, run, whatever, at least five times a week. And I can say unequivocally, without a doubt, that I would be the first mothereffer issued a ticket if I were a contestant in Stephen King’s The Long Walk.