By Autumn Dawson Throughout this trilogy, Steig Larsson creates not only a twisted thriller, but unique and memorable characters that are both morally complex and intelligent. The theme of violence against and the exploitation of women runs throughout all three books, and unlike many authors, Larsson doesn’t shy away from the dark side of human [...]

By Gabrielle Nguyen I got into running a couple of years ago at a particularly rough point in my life.  A long and serious relationship had just ended; grades in school weren’t so great, and my grandmother had recently passed away from cancer.  It was a way for me to physically run away from my [...]

By Gabrielle Nguyen While most numbers don’t stay with us through life without constant use (5,280 feet per mile, pi=3.14…, Avogadro’s number has a 2 in it somewhere?), everyone knows exactly what, or rather who, double-o seven is.  While the CIA has a checkered background and mixed reviews, the spy life drips with danger and [...]

By Gabrielle Nguyen We’ve all coveted something at one point or another, and while we do all we can to attain that desired object, most of us remain within the limits of legality.  What if that want overwhelms you, though?  What if that lust refuses to respect the constraints of the law?  Those questions are [...]

By Gabrielle Nguyen Circuses bring to mind ringmasters with their crimson coat and black top hat, red and white striped tents, popcorn, and, of course, the iconic and majestic elephant.  Elephants seem to go hand in hand with circuses, and while circuses are more reminiscent of youth and more innocent times (like in Disney’s Dumbo), [...]

By Autumn Dawson At first, I was skeptical of a book titled The Goose Girl, but I picked it up anyway on recommendation from a friend, and gave it a chance. Little did I know that Shannon Hale’s debut would be added to my short list of books worth rereading time and time again. When [...]

By Gabrielle Nguyen Doesn’t it seem like some people lead the most charmed lives?  They’re lucky, smart, and athletic, and you can’t forget unfairly good-looking.  They just seem to have it all.  In Junot Díaz’s The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao, Oscar is not one of those people.  In fact, he is the exact [...]

By Gabrielle Nguyen When you were young, your toys came to life during playtime.  Stuffed animals carried on conversations with you over some afternoon tea, and Hotwheels cars had actual miniature drivers inside of them.  Now take this playful and youthful concept and apply it to an old hermit and his taxidermy, and you get [...]

By Gabrielle Nguyen What do you think would happen if zombies actually existed and started to overwhelm the human population? Max Brooks asked that very question and came up with World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War. In a collection of “interviews” with leaders, doctors, and experts, along with everyday civilians and military personnel, World [...]

By Gabrielle Nguyen It seems like with each passing day, life moves faster and faster.  Each day consists of rushing around to finish tasks; yet, it doesn’t appear shorten the “To Do” list, and it certainly doesn’t seem to shorten the “bucket list”.  It’s hard to remember a time when life was slower.  Irène Némirovsky’s [...]