Comments on: Et tu, witches? http://www.hbook.com/2012/07/blogs/out-of-the-box/et-tu-witches/ Publications about books for children and young adults Tue, 14 May 2013 17:58:36 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.2 By: and Joan Allen still gets the best lines — The Horn Book http://www.hbook.com/2012/07/blogs/out-of-the-box/et-tu-witches/#comment-17368 and Joan Allen still gets the best lines — The Horn Book Mon, 27 Aug 2012 13:48:20 +0000 http://www.hbook.com/?p=14142#comment-17368 [...] other series news, I’m just about done with A Discovery of Witches, encouraged by Elissa’s post. It was great beach and back porch reading, at its best reminding me of Katherine Neville’s [...] [...] other series news, I’m just about done with A Discovery of Witches, encouraged by Elissa’s post. It was great beach and back porch reading, at its best reminding me of Katherine Neville’s [...]

]]> By: Elissa http://www.hbook.com/2012/07/blogs/out-of-the-box/et-tu-witches/#comment-16635 Elissa Fri, 27 Jul 2012 13:20:00 +0000 http://www.hbook.com/?p=14142#comment-16635 Yes! Secondary characters are great. Matthew's prickly henchwoman and his deliciously vampire-esque (except when she's not) mother; Diana's lesbian aunt and her wife (just the teensiest bit stereotypical, but not offensively so, I don't think); even their house itself (*not* located in Salem, MA, I have to keep reminding myself) -- very well drawn. If it weren't for those two sappy lovebirds, we'd really have something interesting! (but no actual story, I guess) Yes! Secondary characters are great. Matthew’s prickly henchwoman and his deliciously vampire-esque (except when she’s not) mother; Diana’s lesbian aunt and her wife (just the teensiest bit stereotypical, but not offensively so, I don’t think); even their house itself (*not* located in Salem, MA, I have to keep reminding myself) — very well drawn. If it weren’t for those two sappy lovebirds, we’d really have something interesting! (but no actual story, I guess)

]]> By: Jaye http://www.hbook.com/2012/07/blogs/out-of-the-box/et-tu-witches/#comment-16634 Jaye Thu, 26 Jul 2012 23:12:19 +0000 http://www.hbook.com/?p=14142#comment-16634 I'm almost finished Discovery~as Ruth said, I had great hopes for Diana and she just went all soppy on me (or Matthew). But I'm not finished so will see if our girl gets back on her feet and smacks a few Clermonts upside the head. The settings are wonderful, though, and so are a few of the secondary characters~that's what keeps me going. I’m almost finished Discovery~as Ruth said, I had great hopes for Diana and she just went all soppy on me (or Matthew). But I’m not finished so will see if our girl gets back on her feet and smacks a few Clermonts upside the head. The settings are wonderful, though, and so are a few of the secondary characters~that’s what keeps me going.

]]> By: Ruth Donnelly http://www.hbook.com/2012/07/blogs/out-of-the-box/et-tu-witches/#comment-16633 Ruth Donnelly Thu, 26 Jul 2012 21:57:07 +0000 http://www.hbook.com/?p=14142#comment-16633 I had high hopes for this one, but for a long time, nothing happened. Plenty of tea and wine, gourmet delicacies, and black stretch pants. What happened to that strong and brilliant woman? She turned to mush. Lots of POV hops, too. It bugs me when a narrator comments on her own facial expression or tells what someone else is thinking. This is SUCH a great premise, I really wanted to like it. Hope the sequel is better! I had high hopes for this one, but for a long time, nothing happened. Plenty of tea and wine, gourmet delicacies, and black stretch pants. What happened to that strong and brilliant woman? She turned to mush. Lots of POV hops, too. It bugs me when a narrator comments on her own facial expression or tells what someone else is thinking. This is SUCH a great premise, I really wanted to like it. Hope the sequel is better!

]]> By: Roger Sutton http://www.hbook.com/2012/07/blogs/out-of-the-box/et-tu-witches/#comment-16619 Roger Sutton Wed, 25 Jul 2012 18:17:59 +0000 http://www.hbook.com/?p=14142#comment-16619 I think reviewers can't help bringing a critical lens to any book they read, but it sure is a relief to feel free to ignore it! I can't bring myself to review audiobooks for the HB much because I jealously guard the time I spend listening to them as Me Time. I think reviewers can’t help bringing a critical lens to any book they read, but it sure is a relief to feel free to ignore it! I can’t bring myself to review audiobooks for the HB much because I jealously guard the time I spend listening to them as Me Time.

]]> By: Elissa Gershowitz http://www.hbook.com/2012/07/blogs/out-of-the-box/et-tu-witches/#comment-16613 Elissa Gershowitz Wed, 25 Jul 2012 14:35:54 +0000 http://www.hbook.com/?p=14142#comment-16613 Interesting! Is that the way other children's lit people read too? Interesting! Is that the way other children’s lit people read too?

]]> By: Angela Reynolds http://www.hbook.com/2012/07/blogs/out-of-the-box/et-tu-witches/#comment-16608 Angela Reynolds Tue, 24 Jul 2012 20:09:26 +0000 http://www.hbook.com/?p=14142#comment-16608 Ah, the fact that this is NOT a YA novel allowed me to read without my critical spectacles on, and perhaps why I didn't mind Diana as a character -- when I am reading children's and YA books, I am always thinking about characters, setting, does it work.... and when I actually read a "big people's book" , I just read for fun. Hmmmm.... Ah, the fact that this is NOT a YA novel allowed me to read without my critical spectacles on, and perhaps why I didn’t mind Diana as a character — when I am reading children’s and YA books, I am always thinking about characters, setting, does it work…. and when I actually read a “big people’s book” , I just read for fun. Hmmmm….

]]> By: Elissa Gershowitz http://www.hbook.com/2012/07/blogs/out-of-the-box/et-tu-witches/#comment-16607 Elissa Gershowitz Tue, 24 Jul 2012 20:03:28 +0000 http://www.hbook.com/?p=14142#comment-16607 Ha ha -- the yoga cracked me up, too. (Probably not what the author intended...) Diana's not nearly as bad as Bella, but she *is* a grown-up, for goodness sake. Ha ha — the yoga cracked me up, too. (Probably not what the author intended…)
Diana’s not nearly as bad as Bella, but she *is* a grown-up, for goodness sake.

]]> By: Jenn http://www.hbook.com/2012/07/blogs/out-of-the-box/et-tu-witches/#comment-16584 Jenn Tue, 24 Jul 2012 02:19:31 +0000 http://www.hbook.com/?p=14142#comment-16584 I wish that I were reading the Gail Carriger arc. Love her writing so much. Harness, on the other hand, not so much. I did, in fact, want to throw it across the room. Which is a shame, because I liked the history and the integration of science into the story. Totally moony and Bellaish though. Blah. I wish that I were reading the Gail Carriger arc. Love her writing so much.

Harness, on the other hand, not so much. I did, in fact, want to throw it across the room. Which is a shame, because I liked the history and the integration of science into the story. Totally moony and Bellaish though. Blah.

]]> By: Whitney http://www.hbook.com/2012/07/blogs/out-of-the-box/et-tu-witches/#comment-16583 Whitney Mon, 23 Jul 2012 20:13:41 +0000 http://www.hbook.com/?p=14142#comment-16583 There are definitely eye rolling moments in the Harkness books, but the historian in me kept going and I'm glad I did. I'm usually pretty critical of these things, but the book read quickly and easily and was never boring. There are definitely eye rolling moments in the Harkness books, but the historian in me kept going and I’m glad I did. I’m usually pretty critical of these things, but the book read quickly and easily and was never boring.

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