Shylock is my Name - by Howard Jacobson

They say you can't judge a book by it's cover... but I generally do. This one is really quite beautifully done, and it cleverly captures the tone of the book.

The story itself was surprisingly clever. It's a bit dry, true, and perhaps a bit predictable; but the author did quite a good job nonetheless. The prose is awfully good, many lines are snappy and funny, and if you're looking for some smart laughs, you'll certainly find them.

I'm often wary of these modern adaptations of classical works, but this one was a pleasant surprise. Of course, others in the series are written by other authors, so who knows how well I'll like them. My interest is piqued though, and I'll probably pick up another book or two in the Hogarth series.

I received this book from Blogging for Books as a review copy.

Eleanor - by Jason Gurley

I picked this book up because of the cover. It's beautifully designed.

Fortunately, the story is equally beautiful. Jason Gurley's writing is certainly genre-defying, which makes reviewing his books rather challenging.

It's a slow read - heavy on the gloom. It'll make you feel like you're sitting in a grey, rainy, sleepy seaside town the whole time. If you're looking for a quick, easy, light read, look elsewhere. I do recommend this one though. It's wrenching, emotional, moving, and powerful.

I think this one will stick with me for quite some time.

I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review.