Anais' Annotations If you like a flair for Southern drama, I have a story that may interest you. Eudora Welty’s “The Optimist’s Daughter” (1972) is a novel that the author developed based on an existing short story, and it is packed with family drama, crazy coincidences and never-ending plot twists.  This is not a book that I would call action-packed, as all of the conflicts are truly interpersonal. It moves at a much slower pace than readers may be used to, but unlike most s

Anais' Annotations For readers and fans of “Frankenstein” (1818) by Mary Shelley, Alasdair Gray has a twist for you in his 1992 novel, “Poor Things.” This may be a familiar title, as it was recently adapted into a film in 2023 starring Emma Stone. The movie is great, but as always, the book is better.  This novel is a collection of letters, diary entries and medical notes. All of these elements come together to create a collage of different perspectives. Overall, it creates a

Anais' Annotations Up until very recent history, I thought it was impossible to be from Alabama and not have read Harper Lee’s “To Kill a...

Anais' Annotations Science fiction – it is a label most commonly associated with films like “Star Wars” and the image of little green men...

"The God of Small Things" by Arundhati Roy The best thing about cracking open a new book is the transportation to a new place. This week,...

"A Gathering of Old Men" by Ernest J. Gaines When thinking about the deep South, you may find yourself imagining trees draped in Spanish...

'"America is Not the Heart" by Elaine Castillo Imagine coming to America for the first time as a Filipina immigrant with severe Post...

“The Princess Diarist” by Carrie Fisher Just the mention of Carrie Fisher may evoke images of insane hairstyles, laser guns and the...

"Mrs. Warren's Profession" cover art George Bernard Shaw is known for his exploration of complicated themes through seemingly...

Vladimir Nabokov's "Lolita" is a masterpiece, but should it have been published? Vladimir Nabokov’s “Lolita” is, perhaps, one of, if not...

BookTok's sweetheart -  'A Court of Thorn and Roses' Whether or not you would consider yourself a reader, there is no doubt that you have...

One summer, three books down (almost) The end of summer always brings a feeling of reminiscence and nostalgia. For me, at least, it is a...

Grab the eye bleach! It's time to read 'Woom' Recently, I had a book recommended to me – ”Woom” by Duncan Ralston. It was marketed as a...

I’ve had a bit of experience reading Octavia Butler before, so I thought I knew what I was getting myself into when I decided to take a...

Growing up, my mother had quite an obsession with “Interview with the Vampire.” I have seen the 1994 movie countless times, along with...

After reading “Dracula” last week, I immediately set out to read “I Am Legend” by Richard Matheson, which, contrary to popular belief, is...

Forman offers thought-provoking debate in book series Spoilers for “If I Stay” and “Where She Went” “If I Stay” is a novel by Gayle...

One of the most highly acclaimed novels in history, “To Kill a Mockingbird,” was the only published work accredited to Harper Lee for 55...

What would happen if our world were ruled by the iron fist of the Man of Steel? When the most compassionate and incorruptible superhero...