reviews

An odd but beautiful peek into the mind of an American folk hero Author: Alix Hawley Like its narrator, Alix Hawley’s All True Not a Lie in It is a force to be reckoned with. This dream-like, gorgeously written first novel gets inside the head of Daniel Boone, America’s near-mythic trapper, woodsman and “white Indian.” If you know anything about Daniel Boone, you know he was most at home in the wilderness and that he was no stranger to violence. But Hawley explores the idea that he was also as layered and deep as the valleys he called home. All [...]

Allies, not enemies... Author:  Ed Yong We’re just guests here.  For the first three billion years of life on Earth, bacteria ruled the planet.  By many measures, they still do.   It’s only been relatively recently that macroscopic creatures like squirrels, oak trees and humans have gained prominence.  This means that when it comes to our typical view of the natural world, we’re missing most of the story.  Bacteria still make up more of the planet’s biomass than plants and animals combined and display a biochemical diversity that astounds.  Moreover, the tiny buggers accompany us wherever we go, in the trillions.  [...]

What You Get When You Combine Headless Cheerleaders with Cozies Author: Meg Cabot Back to Death Dorm for another season of sinister schooling, fallen teen pop hero Heather Wells is back for another hilarious, and surprisingly grisly, encounter with a killer. Grappling with boyfriend issues (i.e. she lacks one), weight issues (size 12 is the average size of the American woman people!), and whiney students with a penchant for everything from pranks to secret societies, it’s a busy season. It’s about to be kicked off in an especially rough way too. While Heather is hopelessly flittering with the barista at [...]