Robyn's Bibliomania

Celebrate your furry friends with one of these heartwarming memoirs. A Big Little Life - Dean Koontz Bestselling author Dean Koontz is well-known for his best-selling thrillers and suspenseful novels. But according to Dean, it wasn’t fame that transformed his life, it was a golden retriever Trixie. A Big Little Life is the story of Trixie’s impact on Dean’s life and the amazing changes she . . . more »

I am a huge fan of The Mortal Instruments Series by Cassandra Clare. The series has developed a life of it’s own since the first book was published in 2007, spawning an additional prequel series (The Infernal Devices), graphic novel adaptations, and a movie due out August 2013! Click here to watch the trailer. UPDATE: Clockwork Princess, The final book of the Infernal Devices trilogy . . . more »

The Dinner by Herman Koch Originally published in in the Netherlands in 2009, "The Dinner" received high praise from readers and became an international bestseller before making its way to the U.S. early this year. The story is deceptively simple: Two sets of parents meet for dinner to discuss the recent misbehavior of their children. It is clear the kids have done something horrible, but . . . more »

The Bay Area is an inspiring place. Authors and poets ranging Jack Kerouac, Allen Ginsberg, Robert Frost, Jack London, and even Mark Twain found inspiration here. The tradition continues, and many of today's bestsellers are created by authors who grew up or moved to the bay area. Here is a small list of some of the most popular names today. Laurie R. King was . . . more »

Romance lovers, eat your heart out --literally. Celebrate Valentine’s day with one of these classic love stories; or explore the darker side of “undying love” with each classic’s grisly counterpart. Romeo and Juliet -William Shakespeare Romeo & Juliet & Vampires -Claudia Gabel Pride and Prejudice -Jane Austen Pride and Prejudice and Zombies -Seth Grahame-Smith Wuthering Heights -Emily Bronte Wuthering Bites -Sarah Gray Jane Eyre -Charlotte . . . more »

This month will see the release of Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters, yet another film in a string of recent movie adaptations and television series that transform the lives and tales of The Brothers Grimm into crime-fighters and detectives. Along with movies like The Brothers Grimm and television series like Grimm and Once Upon a Time, books have also been getting into the fairy-tale fighting . . . more »

As we transition into the new year, we have plenty of “best of 2012” lists to help you catch up on the reading you may have missed. But this is also a good time to look ahead to 2013 and add your name to the request list for some of next year’s most promising titles. Here are a few books that I am looking forward . . . more »

I want to like audio books; I really do. But I’ve always had a difficult time listening to them. When someone starts reading, my mind starts to wander. And honestly, I find some of the narrators annoying and they often don’t fit the voice that I imagine. Audio books can be really useful though, for long road trips or as an exercise companion, if I . . . more »

Certain books just beg to be read on a cold rainy day with a warm cup of cocoa. Now that the weather is finally starting to feel like winter, it’s the perfect time to wrap up in a blanket and curl up with a good book. Here is a list of some of my favorite cold-weather reads Wuthering Heights -Emily Bronte The romance of Catherine . . . more »

Code Name Verity -Elizabeth Wein I have been seeing buzz about this book for months and every single review I read said the same thing: “We can’t say anything about this book because we don’t want to give anything away.” This tight-lipped praise really caught my attention so I put my name on the holds list and waited impatiently for my copy to come in. . . . more »

The Casual Vacancy -J.K. Rowling When I first heard the synopsis of “The Casual Vacancy,” I have to admit I was a little disappointed. A council election gone awry in a small English village? What could be exciting about that? But it’s J.K. Rowling, author of the Harry Potter books that are so dear to my heart. So I gave it a try. I was . . . more »

Oscar Wilde was born in Dublin, Ireland on October 16, 1854 and would go on to become one of the most popular playwrights of the 1890’s. His eccentric personality also transformed him into a celebrity, whose daily life proved just as interesting to the public as the plays he wrote. Wilde firmly believed in the importance of being true to yourself, and he was not . . . more »