Let the Right One In – John Ajvide Lindqvist

Posted onAugust 10, 2009 
Category: Vampires | 3 Comments

Let the Right One In is a vampire book quite unlike any other. If you are into the vampire world of Twilight this is not the book for you. Although the subtitle of the book is ‘AVampire Love Story’, this is not the teen ‘heart aflutter’ romance that seems quite prevalent in contemporary vampire literature. It is a unique and very bleak story of friendship forged between a bullied pre-adolescent boy, Oskar, and the enigmatic Eli, a strange and mysterious newcomer who moves into the housing(more…)

The Lover by Marguerite Duras

Posted onAugust 3, 2009 
Category: Books, Non-Fiction | 1 Comment

In The Lover (L’Amant), Marguerite Duras reflects on her youth in 1930s Indochina.  This memoir focuses mainly on her affair with the man who would become her first lover, the adult son of a Chinese millionaire at least 12 yrs her senior.   The short book (only about 100 pages) weaves in and out of the author’s memories in a dreamy manner that is not unappealing.  I had the impression that Duras was literally writing down her recollections as they occurred to her, and this helped(more…)

The Devil in White City by Erik Larson

Posted onJuly 16, 2009 
Category: Books, Crime, Non-Fiction | 3 Comments

MURDER, MAGIC, AND MADNESS AT THE FAIR THAT CHANGED AMERICA.

This is the first non fiction book that I’m reviewing here on Book Review Babes.  The Devil in White City is an engrossing story that reads like a novel.  Indeed, the facts within are extraordinary, and with such a tale, it is difficult to believe how infrequently this story has been told over the years.  There are actually two narratives in this book.  One explores the fantastic Chicago World’s Fair of 1893, and the other is the(more…)

Galilee – A Novel of the Fantastic by Clive Barker

Posted onJuly 8, 2009 
Category: Books, Fiction, Sci-Fi / Fantasy | 4 Comments

Clive Barker is known for his twisted horror and suspenseful thrillers.  I’ve always loved his writing, and a few of his works are among my favorites.  I don’t know why I waited so long to read Galilee, but I’m glad I finally did, as it is now not only my favorite novel by Barker, but it has become one of my favorite novels, period.

Galilee is pure Southern Gothic…an epic tale spanning centuries.  No, spanning millenia.  It is a story of warring families, destined lovers, and(more…)

Stiff – The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers

Posted onJuly 2, 2009 
Category: Books, Humor, Non-Fiction, Special Interest | 5 Comments

Have you ever wondered what happens to bodies that are donated to science? The lovely Mary Roach, who is not a scientist but takes a scientific approach to her books, has written a wonderfully informative, hilariously funny and at times utterly gross-out book. The subtitle of the book is “The curious life of human cadavers” and it really is a very curious book and one of the best things I’ve ever read on the subject of death, something which I readily admit to being fascinated(more…)

Utopia X by Scott Wilson

Posted onJune 29, 2009 
Category: Books, Fiction | Leave a Comment

First of all, just a quick note for those who are afraid that I’ve slammed my flag into Bookreviewbabes.com and claimed it in the name of Natalina, Don’t worry!  Cheryl is on vacation (or holiday, as I believe they call it in her neighborhood) and she will return.  In the meantime, read on for another of my thrilling reviews.

Utopia X by Scott Wilson has long been one of my favorites.  Contrary to what you may believe given my prior reviews, this is the genre I’m usually(more…)

Addition by Toni Jordan

Posted onJune 24, 2009 
Category: Books, Fiction, Humor | Leave a Comment

We all have quirks.  Some of us have more than others..ahem..but none of us is perfect.  Addition is the tale of one woman who lives with a BIG quirk, and her journey to build a reasonable and fulfilling life around it.

Grace counts things.  Grace counts everything.  She has an extreme form of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder which compels her to count everything in sight. And the end number must suit her, or she cannot proceed to her next task.  When she eats breakfast, she must first count(more…)

Mary Modern by Camille DeAngelis

Posted onJune 18, 2009 
Category: Books, Fiction, Sci-Fi / Fantasy | Leave a Comment

Mary Modern, by Camille DeAngelis is a tale full of near future intrigue, romance, suspense, and heavy drama. Borrowing some inspiration from that other Mary…Mary Shelley (Frankenstein), Camille DeAngelis has written a tale about the moral and ethical dangers of cloning, as well as what happens to the mind when in a deep state of sorrow and despair.

The book revolves around Lucy Morrigan, a genetics researcher at a Massachusetts University.  She lives a solitary life in a gigantic mansion filled with the memories of her(more…)

The Sacred Book of the Werewolf: A Novel by Victor Pelevin

Posted onJune 8, 2009 
Category: Books, Fiction, Humor, Literature, Sci-Fi / Fantasy | 5 Comments

This has to be one of the most magnificent books I’ve read in ages.  Full of humor, suspense, romance, philosophy, Buddhist principles, and enchanting prose, “The Sacred Book of the Werewolf” is one that I’d recommend a thousand times over.

This is a book about werewolves….actually, a werewolf and a werefox in Russia; Alexander and A Hu-li. 

 A Hu-li is the werefox, who is able to transform herself into an irresistible woman, and use her charms in her occupation as a prostitute.  She hypnotizes her Johns into(more…)

Cheryl’s Bio

Posted onMay 31, 2009 
Category: Books | 9 Comments

Well as the lovely Natalina said, who knew that two babes from different continents would end up blogging about our love of all booky things together and be so fabulous? Well we think we’re fabulous and that’s what counts isn’t it?

I’m Cheryl, or CJ…depending on my mood and I’m from the sunburnt country of Oz – which happens to be totally waterlogged at the moment and in drought at the same time. Like my country I’m a bit diametrically opposed myself. Totally dry humour but(more…)

Goodnight Nobody by Jennifer Weiner

Posted onMay 29, 2009 
Category: Books, Crime, Fiction, Humor | 3 Comments

At first glance, “Goodnight Nobody” appears to be your run of the mill classic chick lit.  While it is true that there are elements that will appeal to the traditional chick lit audience, the reality is that this is also a fantastic murder mystery, as well as an unapologetic commentary on the way women tend to lose themselves in their duties to others. It comes  from one of the most laugh out loud and brutally honest authors I’ve read in years, Jennifer Weiner.

The story involves(more…)

My Sister’s Keeper by Jodi Picoult

Posted onMay 27, 2009 
Category: Books, Fiction | 1 Comment

Here is my new review of a recently read book called My Sister’s Keeper by Jodi Picoult. It’s the fictional story of Anna, a thirteen year old who was genetically engineered and conceived to be a perfectly matched bone marrow donor for her sister Kate who has leukemia. Anna is not ill but she has had countless procedures and each time that Kate is sick Anna must give until one day she walks in to a lawyer’s office and asks to sue her parents for(more…)

The Book of Joby

Posted onMay 26, 2009 
Category: Books, Fiction, Humor, Sci-Fi / Fantasy | 2 Comments

The Book of Job is a tricky section of the Bible, as it shows God and Satan entering into a challenge or a wager, with the life of Job, a humble servant of God, and his family, as the pawns.

I have always been fascinated by Job and his trials, and was mightily intrigued when I came upon the novel The Book of Joby by Mark Ferrari. I picked it up on a whim having read the synopsis on the back, and have never been so pleased(more…)

Natalina Bio

Posted onMay 26, 2009 
Category: Books | 7 Comments

What happens when two babes from opposite hemispheres collide and create a blog?  Clearly, it is magic!  I couldn’t ask for a better, foxier, or brighter partner in crime than Cheryl, and I just know you’re going to love the fruits of our collective labor as we set the literary world aflame with our sharp observations and keen intellect.  As you read our reviews, try not to be too jealous of our wit and grace, ok?

As you can see, my name is Natalina.  I’m a(more…)

The Boy With The Striped Pyjamas

Posted onMay 26, 2009 
Category: Books, Fiction | 5 Comments

When I picked up this book I had no idea it was a book meant for children. It was the blurb on the back that made me want to read it and although it is written for kids it is a story that just as easily speaks to an adult audience. It will certainly distress sensitive souls no matter their age because of the subject matter. It’s a simple story with a powerful impact.

It’s the story of Bruno, a nine year old, who is moved(more…)

Welcome to Book Review Babes!

Posted onMay 20, 2009 
Category: Biographies, Books, Crime, Fiction, Humor, Non-Fiction, Uncategorized | 4 Comments

We are currently building the site so it may take on a few different schizophrenic personas over the next months as we toss ideas back and forth in a civilized manner over a cup of coffee and then move on to sipping Gins and Tonic…which will most likely end with us rolling on the floor pulling hair and bitch-slapping each other senseless until one of us gets our way. We’ll just have to see who the tougher babe is.

As my partner in crime is off(more…)



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