About Me

I am an avid reader who has been getting caught reading obsessively (and often at inappropriate times) since first grade. I have at least now put this troublemaking to good (or nefarious) use as a book reviewer. I read literary fiction, histories and biographies, psychological thrillers, mysteries, historical fiction, so called Canonical Classics, sci-fi, high fantasy, gaslamp fantasy, flintlock fantasy (All The Fantasy, basically), contemporary fiction, romance… you may be sensing a I’ll-try-anything-once theme here. And I will!

I have over eight years of experience with reviewing online. I review at Book Riot, Goodreads and also over at Barnes and Noble’s Book Blog as well as their Sci-Fi and Fantasy Blog. You can find samples of my writing here, here and here.

You can contact me on twitter with any questions, comments over conversation starters about anything you see on this blog, or to inquire about book reviewing for your website/blog and/or literary coffee mug collection! I am always intrigued to hear about new reviewing opportunities!

Happy reading to all!

-Kelly

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1

Karen Murphy on November 2, 2015 at 12:35 am
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I think you did an absolutely brilliant review of Elena Ferrante’s second book. I plan to check out your blog, which I clicked onto this link from your review at GoodReads. I left you a question there about whether or not the audio versions of Elena Ferrante’s series will be just as gut punching as reading will? I have read close to 300 books this year and I was going to try the audio (which I’ve never done) while walking. It just doesn’t seem like the same experience as reading is. I will be back on your blog to read your reviews. Thank-you for all that you do

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  Kelly on November 2, 2015 at 4:46 pm
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  Hello Karen!,
  
  Thanks for your comment. I appreciate you leaving the kind words about the Ferrante book! That’s one of my favorite series of all time- I absolutely devoured it! I didn’t listen to the audio version of them, but you pose a great question. I would think if there’s a really GOOD reader, who really understands to slow down and let it sink in- who doesn’t do silly voices or pull you out with odd readings of text, it could be great. Hearing some of these things said could actually be heartbreaking in the voice of a wise older woman who knows what she’s about. But the reading experience was so amazing, and it allows you to go back and highlight and re-read and put the book down and re-start in a way that I think is more helpful for the reading experience. So yeah, unless the reader is EXCELLENT, then I say to read it rather than listen.
  
  Thanks for checking out the blog!
  -Kelly
  
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lamericana1 on November 18, 2015 at 9:55 pm
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Great piece on Ferrante’s My Brilliant Friend – now, keep going…!

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  Kelly on November 18, 2015 at 9:57 pm
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  Thank you for the encouragement! It’s always appreciated!
  
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Ken on January 27, 2016 at 4:21 am
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Kelly,

So, I must ask you, what’s your secret? How do you read over 600 books, AND have time to do a term paper dissertation on Anna Karenina???

In the past year or so, I made it a point to begin reading the classics/Modern Library’s Top 100 books of the 20th Century/Pulitzer Prize/Nobel Prize winning books and authors, and I have quite the trek ahead of me!

You seem to have read all of them multiple times, plus other genres, and I’m wondering if you ever have time to work, sleep or eat!

Just thought I’d say that I’m impressed, as well as attempting to figure out how you do it and if you can impart some suggestions.

Best,

Ken

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  Kelly on February 29, 2016 at 9:32 pm
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  Well I don’t know about a dissertation on AK- although it deserves it many times over! If there were any book I could go back to and write a whole other review talking about totally different things I didn’t even get to, it’s probably that. Well, and W&P!
  
  Good luck with your book journey! I’ve been reading a lot since I was a little girl, so that probably has a lot to do with my book total, but I’ve kept it up as an adult. I’m never not reading something- sometimes multiple books at once. It’s a part of my routine and I miss it when I don’t do it. There’s some real addicted bibliophilia for you 🙂 But honestly, that’s the best thing you can do. Make it a thing that you always do, and you’ll get there.
  
  Maybe don’t just also tie yourself down to reading the award winners and “top books”, too. Allow yourself to drift as it suits you, or the whole thing will become homework. And it shouldn’t be that!
  
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harun on March 13, 2016 at 1:45 pm
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What is your top 10 or 20 or 50 books?

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Lisa on July 7, 2016 at 1:42 pm
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First, I have to agree with the first comment above; your review was perfect! I’ve been searching around for an interpretation that captures exactly how I’m feeling about these books and you pretty much nailed it. I was also interested to see the post above regarding listening vs. reading! I’m almost finished listening to the 3rd book in the series and have been wondering exactly the opposite; should I have read instead of listened? I ADORE the audio version, narrated by Hillary Huber, for exactly the reasons you noted. The reading is very slow and measured in her interpretation of the text; which I find very soothing and yet impactful. At first I thought the very slow reading style would be annoying but it allows you to really grasp the words and story and let them sink in. She appears to know exactly the intent of the author and her punctuation is spot on. She limits her variation in voices so you can generally tell she’s narrating a different character but it doesn’t distract from the story. And her occasional Italian pronunciations just enhance the story. However, I’ve been wondering if I’m missing something by not actually reading the story!? I love to read and on one hand feel like I’m giving up that experience by listening to the books, but I have to say, I’m totally enjoying the listening experience. And I suppose it’s allowed me to really ‘hear’ the story and, its kept me from flipping ahead to see what’s going to happen, which I’m terribly guilty of when I actually have the book in hand. But there are times I might have wanted to go back and re-read, or even highlight some of the text. Overall, I’m quite happy I chose to listen to the books. Though I still have one more volume and maybe I’ll just decide to pick up the hard copy.

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Kelly on July 7, 2016 at 7:05 pm
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Hi Lisa, Thanks! My love for Elena Ferrante knows no bounds! I’m glad that you found a great audio version, that may be something that I’ll check out the next time I’m ready to be blown away enough to read these all again. The different ways we tell stories and absorb them according to our own needs at the time is so fascinating, I think. I’m glad your listening choice turned out well for you- I think whatever allows you to become absorbed in Ferrante’s amazing world is the right choice, especially since you seem to have struck gold with the excellent reader that I wanted for these books. I hope you love the final volume like I do!

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Ann on November 4, 2017 at 4:54 am
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I found your blog thanks to a review you have left at goodread about the book, Mrs Keppel and her daughter, I’m obsessed – yeah, that’s the word- about Violet and I love this book, and your review was stunning, have you read any of her novels? I’m reading her memoirs Don’t Look Round and A Book of Secrets by Harold Holroyd – marvelous-
Love from Argentina

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Tessa Kershnar on February 1, 2018 at 4:44 pm
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Good morning Kelly,
I “met” you this morning, while looking for a review of “Possession” by A.S.Byatt. I’m a therapist and I turn to novels at the end of the day to fill me up again after hours of “pouring out” in much the same way I understood you were re-reading “Possession”, to re-claim your Essential Self.
You asked for a recommendation: Have you read “The Weight of Ink” by Rachel Kadish? It’s simply marvelous. I listened to it on Audible andI will read it in a few months time.

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  Kelly on February 4, 2018 at 2:19 pm
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  That is exactly how I meant my read of Possession. Thank you for the recommendation! That novel’s been all of a sudden mentioned a few times in the last few weeks, so I’m in the library queue for it. Exactly the sort of read I like for this blog- it’s bubbled to the top months later after word of mouth by readers. I’m looking forward to it!
  
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