Space Station Mir

28. Scarlet by Marissa Meyer Enjoyed the fast-paced sequel to Cinder and looking forward to reading the rest of the series. I think it really helped that I'd read a short story on Wolf's origins, so I knew about the Lunar Queen's plans to take over the Earth with an army of genetically enhanced wolf-men. Doesn't make a whole lot of sense, but it's a great setup for a scifi version of Red Riding Hood. Scarlet is a much more impetuous, and therefore less relatable, heroine than Cinder (whose story is also continued here, yay!), but I thought Meyer did a good job creating a backstory for her that explains how her fate is entwined with Cinder's. Looking forward to Cress . 29. The Dream of a Common Language by Adrienne Rich Inspiring, evocative poetry--I would recommend this to every woman, and any other gender as well. 30. Why We Broke Up by Daniel Handler (audiobook) Light and fluffy, like I like my audiobooks. Definitely a YA book, but it was e...

43. The Valley of Amazement by Amy Tan I attended an event with Amy Tan a few years ago where she read from this book, and I've wanted to read it since. That was before it was published, and it took a few years, so by the time I found it again, it was a bargain hardcover at B&N. The premise of the story is unbelievable and shocking to me, and many of the events are hard to stomach because of the sheer powerlesssness of the primary female character. That said, the characters are interesting and their stories weird and wild. The writing feels less like her other books to me, I'm not sure I can describe how. Less mystical, more practical, maybe. The subject matter of mother/daughter relationships seems familiar, but all the mothers and daughters are apart for most of the story, and their stories revolve around other people and situations, even if a large part of their psyches are tied to the alienation of their relationships. Read it if you're interested in courtes...