LaurelLit.com

Writer, Reader, English Teacher

My Book Reviews

I love novels! My favorite genres are high-end women's fiction, suspense, and psychological thrillers, but occasionally I'll also pick up some chick lit or YA. I mostly read books on my kindle, and I also listen to audio books every morning when I go for my run.

I do NOT love star ratings for novels. For each book I review, I will give a bit of background, my thoughts, and end by saying if I would recommend it or not. Full disclosure: if I'm not into a book, I don't finish it. Since I'll only be reviewing books I finish, most of the reviews posted will be positive.

All About Anna Karenina: Part 1, chapters 22 & 23–The Ballroom Scene

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Although I am still only posting about part one of Anna Karenina, reading-wise, I am well into part three. And I can tell you, I still dislike Levin. Vronsky and Anna are okay, but my favorite character by far is Kitty. I find it so interesting the scene where Vronsky and Anna fall in love is mostly seen through her eyes. After adapting it into first person, I got a really good sense of who Kitty is, and she's awesome. But don't take my word for …

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Literary Lifestyle Gift Guide

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Are you having trouble shopping for the reading/writer/English Teacher in your life? No worries! Here is my literary lifestyle gift guide. *Note: I did not include actual books. It's too hard to pick out titles for the true bookworm.

Klever Hardback Book Cover for Kindle Oasis

This Kindle cover is perfect for anyone who wants the romantic feel of reading a classic found on some dusty …

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All About Anna Karenina: part 1, chapters 16-19

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I'm reading Anna Karenina so you don't have to.

And the story continues, like a slow moving train groaning down the tracks...

Chapter 16

We get a peek inside Vronsky’s mind. He had an absentee father and his mother was “a brilliant society woman, who had had during her married life, and still more afterwards, many love affairs notorious in the whole fashionable world.” In other words, Vronsky’s had no model of a stable …

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All About Anna Karenina: part 1, chapters 10-15

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I'm reading Anna Karenina so you don't have to.

When I told my husband I'd started reading the novel, he said, "Did you lose a bet?" No...but I'm hoping I haven't bitten off more than I can chew. Right now, I'm all about Anna Karenina, and here is my summary/analysis/modern interpretation of part 1, chapters 10-15.

Chapter 10

Levin and Stiva go out for dinner and Stiva gets all fancy, ordering champagne and …

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All About Anna Karenina: Chapters 1-9

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I'm reading Anna Karenina so you don't have to.

So, I took the plunge and began reading Anna Karenina. I've decided to document my reading experience, summarize & analyze some parts, and adapt what seem like pivotal scenes using a modern tone & first person POV. Look at it this way: If you've always been tempted to read the novel but something is holding you back, now I can read and experience it for you. A couple of thoughts: The Russian names ARE …

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