Flannery's Reviews

Kingdom of Strangers takes us into the secretive world of women in Saudi Arabia. Katya, one of the few policewomen in Jeddah, finds herself on the hunt for both a missing woman and a serial killer, while hiding a secret of her own. Katya is a great heroine, and Ferraris’s writing is so vividly detailed, you can feel the heat burning off the sands. If you want something a little different, give this a try! —Flannery

Sure, you’ve probably seen the movie, but that definitely doesn’t mean you shouldn’t read the book. It’s just as full of edge-of-your-seat tension. Harris gives Buffalo Bill a much more detailed, complex persona, while Hannibal Lector remains as iconically creepy as ever. But it’s Clarice Starling, one of the best mystery heroines ever—smart, tough, and doggedly tenacious—who cements this as one of my all-time favorite mysteries.

—Flannery

I love a good serial killer mystery, and this is one of the most enjoyable, thrilling entries in the genre. A killer uses geocaching spots to cache his kills, taunting the investigators with cryptic clues. The gruesome, twisting story kept me on the edge of my seat the whole time, and the ending took me by surprise. If you want a good mystery, check this one out. -Flannery

Don’t be fooled by the cover or subject matter—this is one of the funniest, most subversive Young Adult novels I’ve ever read. I was sold about 30 pages in, when things suddenly took a turn I did not expect, and spent the rest of the book rejoicing in the directions Bray took the story, and laughing until I cried. --Flannery

Anne Bishop has been one of my favorite fantasy writers since I was a teen. I love her vivid, detailed worlds, complex characters, and dark, twisted plots. Her current series, The Others, is great. I’ve devoured every installment and gone back for seconds. Written in Red, the first in the series, is cemented as one of my favorites

Bone Gap isn’t a flashy book. Rather, it’s the kind of story that grows on you the further you sink into it, leaving you satisfied, with the lingering hum of bees in your mind. It’s filled with magical realism and characters you care for, making it a pleasantly surreal trip to a town you’d like to stay in. I slowly fell for this book, and it’s stayed with me ever since.  --Flannery

The final book in Maggie Stiefvater’s gorgeous Raven Cycle is here, and it’s beautiful in every way a book can be beautiful. I cannot even begin to express the depth of my love for this series and this stunning conclusion. I wept with joy and pain reading it, and left it feeling like I had woken from a dream I never wanted to end. In the words of Gansey: that’s all there is.  --Flannery

You might know all of the presidents, but do you know all of their mothers? I sure didn’t, until I picked up this picture book. First Mothers gives added depth to the story of each president by telling the stories of their mothers. I love this book.  –Flannery

This is a beautiful, moving book that chronicles the long fight for African-Americans’ right to vote. Told through the point of view of Lillian, a “very old lady” (to quote the book), walking up a very steep hill on her way to vote. As she climbs, she walks through the history of African-Americans in the United States, watching the ghosts of the past. Highly recommended.  –Flannery

 

This is a really interesting book. Mixing primary sources, such as speeches and letters written by the presidents, with historical pieces written by a wide variety of children’s authors, it tells our nation’s history from the point of view of the White House and its residents. Filled with illustrations by some of the best children’s illustrators, this is a unique way of looking at American history, and a beautiful book in general.  –Flannery