One Hundred Names - Cecelia Ahern

one sentence summary:
Kitty is a disgraced reporter and her mentor has just died leaving her the task of finishing one last story.

review:
This is a beautiful story, it is uplifting and enthusiastic about people. It strives to show that every person has good within them and everyone has a story worth listening to too! I found myself smiling with every turn of the page. The characters are all fantastic. I recommend everyone read this, it is good for your soul.

9/10

The Pickwick Papers - Charles Dickens

one sentence summary:
an exclusive club report the details of their personal adventures and the people they meet to each other.

review:
This is one of those books that you can keep around and read over and over. You can pick it up on a shitty day, open it randomly and read a few pages of genius. I may be too much of a fan of this but I honestly think it is the best character study ever written. It is hilarious in its attention to detail, the details of the people and the things they do. It is all so perfectly written that even a few pages of it is sure to wash even the worst story telling off your brain. It is like a palette cleanse for the readers soul. I recommend this to people who consider themselves readers.

8/10

Stranger in a Strange Land

one sentence summary:
A human raised by martians returned to earth as a young adult.

review:
This novel embodies the ultimate culture shock. Written in the early 1960's this is a fascinating look at what was thought to be possible. A classic of the SciFi cannon for a good reason, it is brilliantly written and the characters embodies every big question science fiction authors strive to answer. What is the future of humanity like, what happens to human morals, where do we go from here, etc. I recommend this to anyone who has any interest in SciFi, Philosophy or Sociology.

8.5/10

The Princess Bride - William Goldman

one sentence summary
 The movie is a classic everyone has seen, the book is better.

review:
This story has everything, drama to action to love and adventure. It tells a compelling story using a fantastic vocabulary built around amazing characters and their adventures. I recommend everyone go steal a fourth grader (boy or girl, doesn't really matter) and read this novel out loud with them. If you haven't read it yourself do it now or forever consider yourself deprived of one of the best stories ever. It is a highly entertaining fast paced read with easy to follow intersecting character lines. I have heard criticism that the female protagonist isn't strong, and isn't a good role model, this is true, she isn't but you can use her as a lesson on what not to do in life, and as an adult look at her as one of those stupid annoying females that we all know far to many of. This is a parody after all, you do have to be able to laugh at the characters in their over the top trope ness. In conclusion if you haven't read it read it now...

10/10

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (and The Great Glass Elevator) - Roald Dahl

one sentence summary:
Charlie is a little boy who is heading towards a terrible adulthood when an eccentric man puts him on a new and exciting path.

review:
when I was a kid I loved both of these stories. The illustrations added a lot to the books (in these editions I can not speak for the other editions). There is something universally appealing about a poor boy winning the golden ticket to a better life and then actually getting that life by being a good person. Not to mention the satisfaction of seeing the bratty kids get their comeuppance. The writing is endearing, I recommend all kids read these the day they are old enough to make out the vocabulary.

10/10

Journey to the Centre of the Earth - Jules Verne

one sentence summary 
An inquisitive scientist goes on a journey to the centre of the earth.

review
The writing is antiquated, the story is timeless and the characters are charming. I love the attention to detail and the general quality of the writing, it seems to me that authors used to write better than they do now. I recommend everyone read this great adventure.

8/10

Where the Wild Things Are - Maurice Sendak

one sentence summary:
Max gets sent to his room for misbehaving.

review:
This is a beautifully illustrated story. The story is simple, easy for beginner readers and even better to read out loud. It is a story which tells everyone that your mother will always love you.
10/10
10/10

The Complete Sherlock Holmes - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

one sentence summary:

Holmes is a bit of an egotist, but well tempered by his friend Watson.

review:

This is fantastic reading, a good mix of story lengths. All well written and entertaining. The characters all interact with each other in most interesting ways, especially the relationship between Holmes and Watson. With driven, fast paced plots the stories are all page turners. Because they were written so long ago they have taken on a historical feel which adds to the general awesomeness of great writing. I recommend everyone read at least one of the stories of Holmes, after all the stories are a huge part of our culture.

8/10

American Gods - Neil Gaiman

one sentence summary:
a very interesting look at American culture, told through a road trip.

review:
It seems that the most insightful novels about Americana rely on the road trip setting to get their stories across to the reader, this is no exception. Gaiman looks at American culture through a distorted kaleidoscope and the results are amazing. Well worth reading this is a witty read, moving from discerning broad concepts of reality to moments of hilarity with out missing a beat. It is a fast paced, edge of your seat story that will keep you turning pages and then leave you empty when you turn the last page. I highly recommend it to anyone who isn't easily offended by atheist views.
8/10

The Night Circus - Erin Morgenstern

One Sentence Summary:
There is a circus that is only open at night and shows up without warning.

Review:
This is a beautiful story and the language used to tell it incredibly moving. Every page paints a beautiful, ugly entrancing picture. BUT the plot moves slowly and the blurb on the back of the book is total bullshit. The main characters, the opponents, are a bit flat as though never given personality, probably because they weren't. They were both raised apart from the world so that could be used to explain the lack of development but I still think it is a bit sad that they are so flat. Their story however, is beautiful. The way Morgenstern sets up every scene and the detail she uses to describe the circus made me want to go there. The story jumps around across time and continents. The only thing I can say is I wish there was more about Bailey and the twins (you will agree when you get there). All in all - well worth reading. 

8/10

Notable Quotes:

"The finest of pleasures are always the unexpected ones."

"You may tell a tale that takes up residence in someone's soul, becomes their blood and self and purpose. That tale will move them and drive them and who knows that they might do because of it, because of your words. That is your role, your gift."

"The circus arrives without warning. No announcements precede it. It is simply there, when yesterday it was not."

"People see what they wish to see. And in most cases, what they are told that they see."

If you enjoyed this you should read:

The Gentlemen Bastards series

To Kill a Mocking Bird - Harper Lee

One Sentence Summary:
A lawyer and his family set about proving a black man's innocence to a racist Southern town. 

Review:
An American classic, this is a must read for everyone. I loved all of the characters in it and the way it was written and everything else about it. It is an easy read but is still a moving and motivating piece, it reflects our own nature back at us through an untainted mirror. Good vs bad is showcased on nearly ever page with good triumphing against all odds. While it may not be the most realistic outcome for the era it makes the points it sets out to make in such a way that even the dumbest kid in the fourth grade class forced to read it can see the themes.

10/10
10/10

Notable Quotes:
"Until I feared I would lose it, I never loved to read. One does not love breathing." 

"People generally see what they look for, and hear what they listen for."

"You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view... Until you climb inside of his skin and walk around in it."

"I wanted you to see what real courage is, instead of getting the idea that courage is a man with a gun in his hand. It's when you know you're licked before you begin, but you begin anyway and see it through no matter what."

If you enjoyed this you should read:

Anne of Green Gables - L M Montgomery (if you love Scout, Anne is just as precocious)
The Watson's go to Birmingham - Christopher Paul Curtis (if you are suddenly interested in the civil rights movement/segregation)
The Perks of Being a Wallflower - Stephen Chbosky (just because it is the modern American coming of age classic)

A Christmas Carol - Charles Dickens

One Sentence Summary: 
Grumpy wealthy man is visited by three spirits and becomes a philanthropist.

Review:
One of Dickens less superfluous pieces of writing. A classic story worth reading under the Christmas tree, unfortunately the language used makes it less accessible than it once was as it requires more than a grade 9 education to read (which is a wonderful thing in my opinion). The descriptions of everything as still long winded but the plot plays out much more quickly than in other Dickens classics making this the one story of his that I will recommend everyone read for a taste of the Victorian Era.  


9/10
8/10

Notable Quotes:
"Bah," said Scrooge, "Humbug."

If you enjoyed this (because you like Victorian Era story telling) you should read:
Oliver Twist - Charles Dickens
Kim - Rudyard Kipling
Treasure Island - Robert Louis Stevenson

ps. I think the Muppet Christmas Carol is the best - followed closely by the one with Mickey Mouse and Goofy

The Hobbit - J. R. R. Tolkien

One Sentence Summary:
A Hobbit meets a wizard and some dwarfs, they go on an adventure and he finds a magic ring.

Review:
I first read this when I was 10-12ish and then I re-read it when the movies were coming out in 2001. I liked it best when I read it as a child. The tone and language of The Hobbit is much easier to read than that of the Lord Of The Ring Trilogy which makes it accessible to everybody. It is a grand adventure that draws the reader in and doesn't let go until well after that last page has been turned. I recommend this book for everyone and I advise everyone take the opportunity to read it out loud to any children in your lives.

9/10
10/10 Middle School - especially boys. 

Notable Quotes:

“May the hair on your toes never fall out”

If you enjoyed this and are young I recommend:

Percy Jackson & The Olympians - Rick Riordan
Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
The Graveyard Book - Neil Gaiman
Inheritance Cycle - Christopher Paolini

If you enjoyed this and are an adult I recommend:

(continue with) the Lord of the Ring Trilogy - J. R. R. Tolken
Wayfarer Redemption - Sarah Douglass

The Kingkiller Chronicle - Patrick Rothfuss

The Name of the Wind

This was a penetrating work of fantasy and I loved it. Rothfuss is a brilliant writer and the voice he gives to Kvothe is very accessible even though Kvothe has had many more adventures than one lifetime allows. Basically Rothfuss creates a world you don't want to leave and characters you want to be friends with in real life. I don't want to say any more so go read the book and find out for yourself.

9/10

If you enjoyed this you should read:

The Lies of Locke Lamora - Scott Lynch
A Song of Ice and Fire Series - George R R Martin
The Shannara Series - Terry Brooks