chriswolak's reviews
1018 reviews

I had never heard of Michele Bailey and stumbled across this book at a library sale. Matilda Haycastle is a Brit living in Brussels. While the city itself isn't "pictured" in the novel, you get a good sense of the international diversity that the city offers. Haycastle is one of the more believable protagonists that I've come across recently. The book is short (only 185 pages). While reading, it really hums along and it wasn't until I finished it that I wished there was a bit more meat to it, perhaps more local flavoring. Overall I highly recommend the book to someone looking for a quick read....

From the very first page, I loved reading this book and was sad when it was finished. Marks puts a unique spin on the Vampire, where he comes from and why he exists. Also, I appreciated seeing 9/11 placed in the context of the grand sweep of human history. At Borders it is shelved in the literature section and I think a lot of potential readers who are browsing for something new to read will miss it. Maybe its a poor assumption on my part, but I don't think most people browsing in straight literature will pick up a book entitled Fangland and I don't think a lot of vampire/horror fans regularly browse the straight lit section.

I read this book years ago in a graduate seminar and don't remember much of the details. But I do remember that it generated lots of good conversation.

I had thought about reading Tolle's The Power of Now, but whenever I picked it up and thumbed through it it didn't capture me. When Oprah announced that she was doing her webinar on A New Earth I thought I might consider it. Then my boss asked me if I'd be willing to lead a book group on it (I worked in a bookstore) and I said sure. I love book groups. So, I read it for the group. We've been meeting once a week and discussing the book chapter by chapter. Tolle's ideas are very Buddhist and Louise Hay, so for me there wasn't anything really new in this book. I've read enough self-help/metaphysical/spiritual stuff to know there's nothing really new out there...authors just put their ideas together differently and so different authors appeal to different readers. We need the variety and I know I also need to hear positive messages over and over and over. One concept of Tolle's that I have found both fascinating and helpful in my own life is that of the Painbody. I'm very happy to have read the book, and thrilled to have met the wonderful group of people who have been coming to the discussion group each week.