From the back cover: The Admiral's face was grim as he gave Commodore Hornblower his orders. The situation was critical: mutiny was an infection that could spread through the fleet like the plague and, furthermore, the defiant crew of the Flame were threatening to go over to the French. St Vincent has put his faith in Hornblower. Hornblower knows he must not fail. Yet … [Read more...] about Lord Hornblower by C. S. Forester: A
Books
Rats Saw God by Rob Thomas: B
From the back cover: Houston, Sophomore Year Steve is on top of the world. He and his friends are the talk of the school. He's in love with a terrific girl. He can even deal with the astronaut—a world-famous hero who happens to be his father. San Diego, Senior Year Steve is bummed out, drugged out, flunking out. A no-nonsense counselor says he can graduate if he writes a … [Read more...] about Rats Saw God by Rob Thomas: B
Whose Body? by Dorothy L. Sayers: A-
From the back cover: The stark naked body was lying in the tub. Not unusual for a proper bath, but highly irregular for murder—especially with a pair of gold pince-nez deliberately perched before the sightless eyes. What's more, the face appeared to have been shaved after death. The police assumed that the victim was a prominent financier, but Lord Peter Wimsey, who dabbled … [Read more...] about Whose Body? by Dorothy L. Sayers: A-
The Slippery Slope by Lemony Snicket: A
From the back cover: Dear Reader, Like handshakes, house pets, or raw carrots, many things are preferable when not slippery. Unfortunately, in this miserable volume, I am afraid that Violet, Klaus, and Sunny Baudelaire run into more than their fair share of slipperiness during their harrowing journey up—and down—a range of strange and distressing mountains. In order to spare … [Read more...] about The Slippery Slope by Lemony Snicket: A
The Turn of the Screw by Henry James: B+
From the back cover: The Turn of the Screw is regarded as Henry James's most puzzling and controversial work. The narrator is a young governess sent off to a country house to take charge of two orphaned children. Everything seems charming and her wards especially so. But she soon begins to feel the presence of intense evil and sees the ghosts of two previous servants in the … [Read more...] about The Turn of the Screw by Henry James: B+