Flannery's Reviews

After September 11th, Congress passed the USA PATRIOT Act in record time. Since then, civil liberties have been cast aside in the name of defeating terror. Unfortunately, ordinary citizens have had their rights violated because of their race, religion, political beliefs, and more. This is an examination of this trend, with heartbreaking interviews from people who have been affected. This law needs to end, and this book gives you plenty of reasons why.

Smart, sassy Brett is a talented tattoo artist with her own high-end parlor on the Vegas strip, and a knack for finding trouble. When her cop brother requests her expertise, she and a handful of colorful cohorts find themselves wrapped up in murder. Short and sweet chapters always end in a cliff hanger, making for a fast, fun read you don’t want to put down.  

The first book in Pullman’s complex, mind opening, and gripping His Dark Materials trilogy, The Golden Compass introduces Lyra, a headstrong and incredibly brave girl whose life is about to be changed forever, and who will, eventually, change the world. Deftly weaving religion, physics, and fantasy, this is an exceptional feat of storytelling, and one of my all-time favorites. 

After falling in love with A Visit from the Goon Squad, I was compelled to read Egan’s other books, which cemented her status as my new favorite author. After a horrific accident, Charlotte is left to come to terms with her still beautiful, but changed, face. This is a sharp, edgy, and incisive look at identity, image, and our culture.

As their alligator wrestling theme park falls into decline, the Bigtree clan falls apart. Chief, the patriarch, disappears, elder brother Kiwi runs off to the mainland, oldest sister Ossie falls in love with a ghost, and young Ava is left to try and save them. This is an incredibly weird book, with dark undertones, a surprisingly light voice, and wildly eclectic characters. 

After a horrific crime shocked a small town, the hunt for the guilty was on. After the arrests, Capote spent time in the town, at the trial, and with the criminals involved, hearing the stories, and observing the proceedings. The result of his efforts is this chilling, unique, and thorough examination of a horrific crime, its aftermath, and the people involved.