Raymond Chandler introduces his iconic hardboiled detective Philip Marlowe in this mystery about blackmail, pornography, murder, and more. Marlowe must face off against corrupt enemies and beautiful femme fatales to solve the case.

Chandler is a good writer, but I think this just wasn't for me. I enjoyed it enough, but I didn't feel attached to any of the characters (of which there are far too many). I also resent the depiction of women as gorgeous psychopaths- it's too overdone and simplistic.

Proper Princess Magnolia is entertaining Duchess Wigtower in her castle when she gets a secret signal that a monster is coming out of his cave to eat some goats. She ducks into a closet to change, emerging as the Princess in Black, a fearless combatant.

Cute, clever, and fun. Young readers will be able to figure out the longer words and enjoy the art, while their parents will get a kick out of the smart humor. I'm a fan.

Shaun Tan pairs snippets of classic Grimm fairy tales with beautiful, somewhat abstract sculptures that convey the bones of each story in a very simple and eloquent way.

The writing is gorgeous and dark, and the sculptures are exceptional. My only complaint is that there are a few too many stories (75) for me to feel like I can adequately appreciate each individually.

I really enjoyed this progressive picture book about where babies come from. The text and illustrations are completely open-ended regarding sex, gender, sexual orientation, and more, meaning that families of all types are represented here. I think that for a kid to fully understand reproduction, an adult will need to sort of fill in the blanks, making the whole process clearer in terms of that child's particular context and family situation. This book provides a building block for the understanding process, though- an explanation of the simplest components of fertilization and birth.

While I think the general concept of this book is great, I did not like the whole thing about sperm and eggs containing "stories" about the bodies they come from. That's not an effective way to explain DNA, and I think it's more confusing than it is helpful.

While nominally about the reverend Mr. Gilfil's youthful love, this story actually centers around Caterina Sarti, a young Italian adoptee of a wealthy family who has always been raised comfortably but explicitly of a lower class than her family members. Caterina falls for Anthony, her adopted father's choice of heir, and must suffer with his unattainability even as Maynard Gilfil pines for her.

The story is a bit slow to pick up, but once I hit the halfway point I was very engaged. I like Eliot's writing style, and though the characters frustrated me, they were well-drawn. Not my favorite but worth the read.

Sixteen-year-old Ree Dolly lives with her ailing mom and her two younger brothers. She's a high school dropout intent on helping her family survive the trials of their gritty rural Ozark lifestyle. When a policeman comes to tell Ree that her dad's failure to appear for his trial will lead to the seizure of the family house, Ree knows that she must do whatever it takes to find her father and keep her family safe. Unfortunately, this means that Ree will have to deal with her many harsh, meth-dealing, and taciturn relatives.

The beginning of the novel reminded me a lot of [book:Once Upon a River|9658159] in its matter-of-fact presentation of almost unbearable circumstances. I was hooked by the atmosphere, eager to see the mystery play out. I felt that Woodrell did not maintain the sense of urgency very well throughout the story; events seemed to be building toward a climactic breakdown, but I thought the climax was unfulfilling.

Anna and Charles meet at a steam-powered fair and find that they have an instant physical connection. Charles' work prevents him from staying in the city, so the lovers must keep in contact through letters. Unfortunately, Anna is nearly illiterate, and her older friend Edith Harnham corresponds with Charles on her behalf, ultimately developing an intellectual relationship with Charles that leaves Anna out entirely.

I really enjoyed this story! I quickly began to sympathize with the characters, and I became invested in their star-crossed love triangle.