Joseph O’Connor, Shadowplay (2019) Till recently, I knew nothing about Bram Stoker beyond his name, as the author of Dracula. I didn’t know he was the theatrical manager for Henry Irving, and worked with Ellen Terry — about both of whom I did know a little more, largely thanks to my reading of the theatre-mad […]
How’s it going with my Reading All Around the World project? At the beginning of the year, I was really inspired and read more than my goal of one per month. Lately I’ve drifted away from these international reads, but I’d really like to get back to them. Here’s the list so far — in […]
This month, while mostly still staying home and finishing my CELTA English-teaching course, the world of languages was much on my mind; I finished a book in French (don’t be too impressed, it took me several months), I decided to start an other-language challenge, and I read Gaston Dorren’s Lingo, a fun and informative tour […]
It is nearly the end of 2019, and thus time for my yearly list of books that I loved best during the year. Usually, if a book is good enough to be on this list, I try to review it. But this year I just did not have time to do all the reviews I […]
This month, I read a book in French! I was not blown away by Coeur de Cristal by Frédéric Lenoir, a fairy-tale style novel about a prince who is unable to love, but it was easy to read and helped me with my efforts to improve my French skills. I hope to move on to […]
Hooray, it’s Nonfiction November, one of my favorite blog events! Click on the link for a complete schedule. This week’s topic is “Book Pairings,” hosted by Sarah’s Book Shelves — pair up a fiction and nonfiction book you’ve read, that are linked in some way. I did not have to look far to find a […]
Well, I finally managed to read more than two or three books this month. Along the way, I finished my Classics Club Spin book in record time, and also managed to read two 2019 releases that are sure to be some of my favorites of the year. You’ll hear more about one of these, Shadowplay, […]
The Emerald City Book Review Gem is awarded to my favorite books of the year in various genres and categories. Click on each title to be taken to my original review. 2019 Gems 2019 releases: Fiction – Once Upon a River by Diane Setterfield Nonfiction – Maybe You Should Talk to Someone by Lori Gottlieb […]