Handy! Very much appreciated info on what drugstore brands were good, when to splurge, when to go el-cheapo. Asian lady makeover was pretty weird-looking, though, with the shimmery blue eye shadow.

The Kushiel trilogy is the best thing I’ve read in a very long time.

Not profound literature, but it had frighteningly large resonance for me. I’ve thought so many of Esther’s observations and felt the same disdain and disappointment for other people. I seem to be the target demo of this book, however, so I wonder how I’d feel about Esther ten years from now.

Satisfying, but doesn’t really work well as a standalone novel. The ominous talk of the Conclave’s unnamed mission was wearing after a while, too. Still very curious about what’s happening in Krondor, dammit.

It brought tears to even this old cynic’s heart. Meep.

Expectedly excellent prose. I’m afraid I rushed reading the ending, though, and I’m a bit perplexed by the ending.

Quick read. Really affected my vision of poverty in America. Interesting to see a strong work ethic portrayed as an alternative to despair, though also an obstacle to progress (finding a new job, unionizing, etc.)

About 90% of the book is about dating, really. Even still, so-so advice. Some of it seems fairly obvious to me, but perhaps someone of larger size and harsher life needs to read encouraging words. It is a new thing for me to read loving words about curvy, soft women, and I realize now how little I regard myself.

The ending was really cool, but I’m sorry I had to go through the whole book to get to it. It had more teen angst than action. It’s taken me literally a couple of years to get through it. I’m obviously not the target market, but I point to Philip Pullman and Madeleine L’Engle and a dozen other YA fantasty novelists that write books that interest the more mature reader as well.

Beeyooteefull. I seem to favor the stories with no words. This makes me conclude that children’s books for the pre-reading set would really appeal to me.