Category: Reviews 2012

• Book Review: “Witchlanders” by Lena Coakley

  Posted at 5:35 pm by Laura, on December 24, 2012

  Witchlanders by Lena Coakley

  Publisher: Antheneum
  Publishing Date: August 2011
  Genre: fantasy, young adult
  ISBN: 9781442420052
  Goodreads: 3.73
  Rating: ★★★

  High in their mountain covens, red witches pray to the Goddess, protecting the Witchlands by throwing the bones and foretelling the future.

  It’s all a fake.

  At least, that’s what Ryder thinks. He doubts the witches really deserve their tithes—one quarter of all the crops his village can produce. And even if they can predict the future, what danger is there to foretell, now that his people’s old enemy, the Baen, has been defeated?

  But when a terrifying new magic threatens both his village and the coven, Ryder must confront the beautiful and silent witch who holds all the secrets. Everything he’s ever believed about witches, the Baen, magic and about himself will change, when he discovers that the prophecies he’s always scorned—

  Are about him.

  Everything about the Baen, the dark-haired and brown-eyed people, bothers Ryder. His mother’s consumption of maiden’s woe is to blame for her insanity and obsession with reviving her witchcraft. Ryder feels burdened by his life, growing up into the father figure of the household before he was ready. But great things are happening. When the Baen Falpian enters his mind, Ryder is determined to seek him out and exact revenge. Upon meeting Falpian, and their connection and talent as one, Ryder’s plans begin to change in the midst of a Baen and Witchlander war.

  If high fantasy is your cup of tea, Witchlanders is it. Coakley expertly creates an entirely new world for readers, with everything one can relate to: mental instability, skepticism in lore, love for family, unexpected burdens. These trials and triumphs are set in the backdrop of a highly prejudiced and beautifully descriptive magical world, the Witchlands and the Bitterlands. It was stunning and I wanted to learn more.

  Falpian and Ryder were interesting characters as well. They were quite complex characters, never truly seeing eye to eye with one another due to their deeply ingrained prejudices, and yet they understood their purpose in the impending war and worked together. Every step these boys took had disastrous consequences. It was difficult to side with one over the other due to the psychological and emotional complexity, which was actually very refreshing to read.

  There is very little YA out there with high fantasy like these and characters as difficult as Falpian and Ryder. This novel is meant as a stand-alone, which is rather a shame. I’d love to read more about the Witchlands and Bitterlands. The ending is a solid one, but there so many other aspects to this world and to the characters that I’d love to explore.

  Posted in books, Reviews 2012 | 0 Comments | Tagged book review, books, genre: fantasy, genre: young adult, goodreads, review

• Book Review: “The Night Circus” by Erin Morgenstern

  Posted at 9:32 am by Laura, on December 24, 2012

  The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

  Publisher: Anchor
  Publishing Date: September 2011
  Genre: fantasy, gothic, historical fiction
  ISBN: 9780307744432
  Goodreads: 3.99
  Rating: ★★★★★

  The circus arrives without warning. No announcements precede it. It is simply there, when yesterday it was not. Within the black-and-white striped canvas tents is an utterly unique experience full of breathtaking amazements. It is called Le Cirque des Rêves, and it is only open at night.

  But behind the scenes, a fierce competition is underway: a duel between two young magicians, Celia and Marco, who have been trained since childhood expressly for this purpose by their mercurial instructors. Unbeknownst to them both, this is a game in which only one can be left standing. Despite the high stakes, Celia and Marco soon tumble headfirst into love, setting off a domino effect of dangerous consequences, and leaving the lives of everyone, from the performers to the patrons, hanging in the balance.

  Two magical schools of philosophy are at war: the alchemical, charming, scholarly side versus the natural, inborn talent. If put in a competition with only one competitor left standing, which school of thought would win? Two magicians, Prospero and Alexander, pluck two young children, Celia and Marco, to battle. But everything changes once the venue is created for them: Le Cirque des Reves. The circus is not simply a place to compete; it becomes a part of Celia and Marco, another half of their beings, another limb, a soul itself. When Celia and Marco fall in love, the consequences for everyone involved could be disastrous.

  I have never come across a book that has left me as enchanted as this. The whole experience was a dream. The luxurious language, the confectionery sweets, the lush descriptions, the stark contrast of black and white with splashes of red, the vibrancy of the characters, the fierce competition, the free-falling into the unknown. It was nothing short of magical.

  Morgenstern incorporates fantasy with reality, turns a battle of the mind into action, gothic essence into a deeply timeless story. This is more than love. This is more than magic. It’s about all the lives in-between. She allows the reader to jump across countries and oceans, from the late 1800s to the early 1900s, from one perspective to another. We’re in the minds of Widget and Poppet, the mysterious and talented circus twins; of Chandresh, the planner and financial backing to the circus; of Isobel, a tarot-reader in love with Marco and in control of the perfect balance of the circus; of Tsukiko, the contortionist who subtly points out the mysterious idiosyncrasies of the environment. We experience each and every tent with Bailey and Friedrick, attendees and reveurs, and gaze at the still human statue Snow Queen, wander the Ice Garden, sit in awe watching the illusionist. And, of course, the heart-wrenching and exhilarating journey Marco and Celia take to overcome the rules of the challenge and find a way to be together.

  An absolutely enchanting piece of work that I will read time and time again!

  Edit: I wrote this a few weeks ago and apparently it never published! So here you go!

  Posted in books, Reviews 2012 | 2 Comments | Tagged book review, books, genre: adult fiction, genre: fantasy, genre: fiction, genre: gothic, genre: history, goodreads, review

• Book Review: “Reached” by Ally Condie

  Posted at 5:02 pm by Laura, on December 6, 2012

  Reached by Ally Condie
  

  Publisher: Dutton Children’s Books
  Publishing Date: November 2012
  Genre: young adult, dystopian
  ISBN: 9780525423669
  Goodreads: 3.83
  Rating: ★★

  After leaving Society and desperately searching for the Rising—and each other—Cassia and Ky have found what they were looking for, but at the cost of losing each other yet again: Cassia has been assigned to work for the Rising from within Society, while Ky has been stationed outside its borders. But nothing is as predicted, and all too soon the veil lifts and things shift once again.

  Cassia, Xander, and Ky are all members of the Rising. Ky flies planes filled with medical kits and cures for the Plague that has consumed the Society. Xander is a medic that administers the cure within the Society. Cassia continues to sort, a vague position still left unexplained, and trade with other Rising members. The three eventually team up to help the Pilot fully, when a deeper issue begins to concern both the Rising and the Society they once loved.

  I deeply wanted to love this. Matched  was a favorite. I loved the Brave New World concept, the use of pills to calm or forget things, a Society that only allots a certain amount of knowledge so that the people will not be overwhelmed with needless facts. I enjoyed the language: simple, cut and dry, very much like the Society Cassia lived in. Unfortunately, this did not meet my expectations after Matched and Crossed (which I also loved for its gritty politics and on-edge fight-or-flight feel). I was disappointed with this last installment.

  The flaws in the book point to the perspectives, the writing style, and the meekness of the Rising’s plot. Condie overwhelms the reader with three perspectives: Cassia, Ky, and now Xander. Xander and Ky had distinct voices — excellent when writing from two different male perspectives, as it can be a bit of a challenge — that kept the reader updated on the events about the Rising in that same dry tone from the first book. Xander is, unbelievably, a high-ranking medical staff, and Ky is, also unbelievably, one of the best fighter pilots the Rising as ever seen. Despite this, their point of view within Society walls and on the outskirts of Society help create a rounded story. Cassia’s perspective, however, was dripping with poetry. It was beautifully lyrical, but there were so many illusions and strange references that it made me fear for her sanity. I could not understand what exactly was going on from her end of the Rising, other than a desire to create a culture through art once again. Her mentality also came into question for every single reference she made to keeping silks and papers against her skin underneath all of her uniforms, or tacking sheets of paper covered in poetry onto tree branches. Really? Cassia, you do not sound stable.

  As for the plot, there was no power behind the propaganda.  The Rising simply swooped in to save the day, bringing a cure for the Society’s Plague. And then what? There was no fight. No struggles were made from the Society. And yet the book dragged over 500 pages when nearly 200 of it could have been cut. I felt no emotion, no anticipation, no concern or worry for any of the characters. Everything I had hoped for, considering the success and tension from Matched and Crossed, was left to dust.

  For the sake of the series, I gave this book two stars for “it was okay.”

  Posted in books, Reviews 2012 | 6 Comments | Tagged book review, books, genre: dystopian, genre: young adult, goodreads, review

• Book Review: “Between Shades of Gray” by Ruta Sepetys

  Posted at 4:17 pm by Laura, on November 28, 2012

  Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys

  Publisher: Speak
  Publishing Date: April 2012
  Genre: young adult, historical fiction
  Goodreads: 4.32
  Rating: ★★★★★

  It’s 1941 and fifteen-year-old artist Lina Vilkas is on Stalin’s extermination list. Deported to a prison camp in Siberia, Lina fights for her life, fearless, risking everything to save her family. It’s a long and harrowing journey and it is only their incredible strength, love, and hope that pull Lina and her family through each day. But will love be enough to keep them alive?

  How do I write a book review when I’m utterly speechless? How can I persuade a stranger to take a look at a book that has left me reeling, questioning, loving, weeping, aching? I am utterly silent, and this book speaks volumes.

  What is there to say about a work of fiction based on historical fact, kept hushed through history? What is there to say when this fictional piece is a conglomeration of true stories?

  You must read this. If the summary does not persuade you, if my inability to come up with the right words does not persuade you, if the quotes and excerpts below do not piqué your curiosity, then surely this video will push you.

  Everyone needs to know about this book. Everyone needs to know their history.

  Have you ever wondered what a human life is worth? That morning, my brother’s was worth a pocket watch.

  ~

  The door to the shack blew open. The NKVD pushed inside, pointing guns at us.
  “Davai!” yelled a gaurd, grabbing the man who wound his watch. People began to protest.
  “Please, it’s Christmas Eve,” pleaded Mother. “Don’t try to make us sign on Christmas Eve.”
  The guards yelled and began pushing people out of the shack. I wasn’t leaving without Papa. I scrambled over to the other side of the table. I grabbed our family photo and stuffed it up my dress. I would hide it on the way to the kolkhoz office. [The NKVD guard] Kretzsky didn’t notice. He stood motionless, holding his rifle, staring at all the photographs.

  ~

  How much food was there in America that a ship could drop such an enormous supply for fewer than twenty guards? And now the Americans had sailed away. Did they know the Soviets’ gruesome secret? Were they turning the other cheek?

  ~

  “To the Soviets, there is no more Lithuania, Latvia, or Estonia. Stalin must completely get rid of us to see his vision unlittered.”
  Litter. Is that what we were to Stalin?

  ~

  When I imagined sketching the commander, I had no problem, until I got to his head. My mind saw a clean and pressed uniform, with a nest of wicked snakes sprouting out of his neck, or a skull with hollow black eyes, smoking a cigarette. …I needed to draw them. But I couldn’t, not in front of the commander.

  ~

  Andrius turned. His eyes found mine. “I’ll see you,” he said.
  My face didn’t wrinkle. I didn’t utter a sound. But for the first time in months, I cried.

  Posted in books, Link, Reviews 2012 | 2 Comments | Tagged book review, books, genre: history, genre: young adult, goodreads, history, review

• Book Review: “A Great and Terrible Beauty” by Libba Bray

  Posted at 9:31 am by Laura, on November 25, 2012

  [This is a re-read for a graduate class project.]

  A Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray

  Publisher: Ember
  Publishing Date: 2003
  Genre: young adult, fantasy, gothic, history
  Goodreads: 3.77
  Rating: ★★★

  It’s 1895, and after the suicide of her mother, 16-year-old Gemma Doyle is shipped off from the life she knows in India to Spence, a proper boarding school in England. Lonely, guilt-ridden, and prone to visions of the future that have an uncomfortable habit of coming true, Gemma’s reception there is a chilly one. To make things worse, she’s been followed by a mysterious young Indian man, a man sent to watch her. But why? What is her destiny? And what will her entanglement with Spence’s most powerful girls—and their foray into the spiritual world—lead to?

  Welcome to the realms, a place where dreams and nightmares can come true.

  It’s late Victorian England, when British citizens exerted their imperial power abroad and technology has yet to rock the foundation of their world. Dickens has published, Tennyson is praised, and girls are still required to prep for their season. Gemma, a rather headstrong and independent girl for her time, is sent to boarding school after her mother’s horrible death. With each girl she meets, secrets build, and visions occur more rapidly. A young Indian man, Kartik, threatens her repeatedly for succumbing to the visions, but offers no help or guidance to close off the realms. As Gemma befriends Ann, a scholarship student, Felicity, a navy admiral’s daughter, and Pippa, a beautiful but doomed daughter of a merchant family, they are bound by a secret so strong their lives could be in jeopardy.

  What Bray does so well with this first book in a trilogy is the suspense, uncanny, and horror qualities that mimic gothic novels. She captures the tone of popular works in that particular time period. The haunts of a girls’ boarding school, the architecture, a mysterious fire, magic, incorporation of literature, undiscovered documents, a slow and suspenseful plot — all of it is brilliant gothic.

  Bray also creates a very modern voice for Gemma. It’s quite believable! Gemma, on the outside, is the typical teenage Victorian girl, standing straight, lacing her corsets, working hard on her studies, aware that her one and only job is to land a husband. She understands “keeping up appearances.” It’s her inner voice that makes her stand out. It makes me wonder if girls were truly like this in the Victorian age. She’ll say one thing out loud like a proper young lady, but in her mind she’s snarky, witty, wishing to rebel against society’s rules and restraints on women.

  And this is why, even after all the threats Kartik gives her, she’s curious about her visions, about the realms. Everything is pure and wonderful and she is liberated for the first time in her life. But this sort of freedom, even the magical sort, has dire consequences.

  The realms are tricky to describe. To get there by will, it takes a portal of light. Once through, anything one wishes will come true. An evil spirit has taken over the realms, though, and temptations are everywhere for Gemma, Felicity, Ann, and Pippa. One bite of the realm’s magical fruit and they will be lost there forever. Despite this, it’s a bit of a heaven for the girls. They are liberated. Anything they dream up becomes real. In short, the realms are the dreamland. The girls become so caught up in its magic that daily life no longer has meaning for them; they would rather live in a fantasy.

  As I have read the entire trilogy, I know what happens in the second and third books. Overall, the trilogy deserves a 4-star rating — it’s true historically, the world of the realms is expanded, and Gemma becomes stronger with each passing chapter — but for a first book, this is a 3. It’s good, I enjoyed it, but it truly is simply an introduction of what’s to come. It cannot work as a stand-alone.

  Posted in books, Reviews 2012 | 0 Comments | Tagged book review, books, genre: fantasy, genre: gothic, genre: history, genre: young adult, goodreads, review

• Book Review: “City of Bones” by Cassandra Clare

  Posted at 4:49 pm by Laura, on November 19, 2012

  [This is a re-read for a graduate class project as well as excitement for the movie, out August 2013.]

  The City of Bones by Cassandra Clare

  Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books
  Publishing Date: 2007
  Genre: young adult, fantasy, action/adventure
  Goodreads: 4.14
  Rating: ★★★

  When Clary Fray heads out to the Pandemonium Club in New York City, she hardly expects to witness a murder. Much less a murder committed by three teenagers covered with odd markings. This is Clary’s first meeting with the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the earth of demons-and keeping the odd werewolves and vampires in line. It’s also her first meeting with gorgeous, golden-haired Jace. Within twenty-four hours Clary is pulled into Jace’s world with a vengeance, when her mother disappears and Clary herself is attacked by a demon. But why would demons be interested in an ordinary mundane like Clary? And how did she suddenly get the Sight? The Shadowhunters would like to know…

  “We are sometimes called the Nephilim. In the Bible they were the offspring of humans and angels.”

  From the very first chapter, Clary is transported into a world within a world, unprepared and unaware of her role in it. Seeing people no one else can, shimmering edges of fantastical beasts, and recollections of events she swears she never experienced. Her life is turned upside down when her mother is taken away, and it takes an allegiance with the half-angels Jace, Isabelle, and Alec to find her. It’s an unstable allegiance, especially when she discovers that the man who took Clary’s mother could be holding her ransom for something far more important: the Mortal Cup.

  Clare’s skills lie in the perfect balance of action-packed scenes and soft, endearing moments between the characters. There is something for every reader: the descriptions of the Shadowhunter world, where faeries and demons and vampires walk among humans — mundanes, as Shadowhunters call them — where characters range from flamboyant to shy to menacing to empathetic. There is so much action that every character is at risk of death, so much plot that there’s a twist at every turn, and stolen moments of love and heartbreak, just enough to leave the reader wanting more from all the tension and unspoken words. It’s brilliant, this world of half-angels, this world Clare has created. The Mortal Instruments is a series I would highly recommend to anyone! [Sidenote plug: my favorite Shadowhunter series is The Infernal Devices, set in Victorian England and can be read as a prequel or entirely separately from The Mortal Instruments.]

  Clary is an artistic girl, easily accepting of strange and beautiful things. She sees the world through an artist’s eye, which can explain her quick (yet hesitant) understanding of the Shadowhunter world. She’s eager to learn from Jace, an honest and witty Shadowhunter determined to defend as well as expose Clary to the world he knows. Alec and Isabelle, siblings, are wary of Clary’s involvement with their schemes, but they understand her part in their world and aim to teach her to become one of them. Left in the shadows, sometimes forgotten, is Clary’s mundane friend Simon, accidentally stumbling along in the adventures and trying desperately to make Clary leave the Shadowhunters and come back to a normal life.

  However, this book is intentionally left as a cliffhanger. It is purely an introduction to the society and politics that Clary will be exposed to in future books. It is about discovery, learning the truth about individuals, finding out who one’s true family is, the shattering of an old world and learning to embrace a new one, accepting the oddness of glamours and monsters from tales walking among humans. All of this is meant to entice the reader to pick up the next book, City of Ashes. In a plot arc, this is simply the rising action. And what a ride of a rising action is was!

  Posted in books, Reviews 2012 | 2 Comments | Tagged book review, books, genre: action/adventure, genre: fantasy, genre: romance, genre: young adult, goodreads, review

• Book Review: “Let It Snow” by Maureen Johnson, John Green, Lauren Myracle

  Posted at 2:43 pm by Laura, on November 16, 2012

  Let It Snow by Maureen Johnson, John Green, & Lauren Myracle

  Published: October 2008
  Publisher: Speak
  Goodreads: 3.96
  Rating: ★★★

  Sparkling white snowdrifts, beautiful presents wrapped in ribbons, and multicolored lights glittering in the night through the falling snow. A Christmas Eve snowstorm transforms one small town into a romantic haven, the kind you see only in movies. Well, kinda. After all, a cold and wet hike from a stranded train through the middle of nowhere would not normally end with a delicious kiss from a charming stranger. And no one would think that a trip to the Waffle House through four feet of snow would lead to love with an old friend. Or that the way back to true love begins with a painfully early morning shift at Starbucks.

  This will be divided into three different parts, as it is a collection of short stories!

  The Jubilee Express by Maureen Johnson: 5 stars

  Jubilee — or Julie, as she tells other people instead — has been dating the perfect guy for over a year and is getting ready to head to his parents’ holiday party Christmas Eve when she finds out her parents have been arrested at a blow-out collectors’ sale. She is sent on a train to visit her grandparents in Florida, but the train is unable to get through the massive snowstorm. This is when she meets Stuart, a charming, dorky, loveable guy who takes her under his wing and to his mother’s home for comfort.

  I’ve never read any of Johnson’s books, and this short story alone has convinced me to start! It was absolutely hilarious, heartfelt, and touching. The characters and all their quirks were so raw and honest, I wished they were real! I’m in love with this piece; so much so that I have to share my all-time favorite passage:

  Maybe you’ve never fallen into a frozen stream. Here’s what happens:
  1. It is cold. So cold that the Department of Temperature Acknowledgement and Regulation in your brain gets the readings and says, “I can’t deal with this. I’m out of here.” It puts up the OUT TO LUNCH sign and passes all responsibility to the…
  2. Department of Pain and the Processing Thereof, which gets all this gobbledygook from the temperature department that it can’t understand. “This is not our job,” it says. So it just starts hitting random buttons, filling you with strange and unpleasant sensations, and calls the…
  3. Office of Confusion and Panic, where there is always someone ready to hop on the phone the moment it rings. This office is at least willing to take some action. The Office of Confusion and Panic loves hitting buttons.

  Right then and there, Johnson convinced me to check out her other books.

  The Cheertastic Christmas Miracle by John Green: 3 stars

  Tobin, JP, and the Duke (whose name is really Angie) are sitting around watching Bond movies late Christmas Eve when a friend calls in and demands they trudge through the snow and join him and his coworkers at the Waffle House. Turns out there’s a hoard of cheerleaders camped there due to the issues with the train, and this is a big deal. Tobin and JP take the bait and drag the Duke along for one tail-spinning (pun definitely intended) adventure Christmas morning!

  I’ve read a few of John Green’s books before, and am very familiar with his characters’ wit, one-liners, and outrageous antics. Unfortunately, the lengths the boys go (and later, JP, as Tobin begins to slow a bit toward the end) to reach the Waffle House for the sake of cheerleaders — to the point of risking near-death in every scenario — seemed a bit ridiculous and out-there. I loved the Duke’s commentary, and I think she was the one grounding bit about the story. For every adoring phrase about cheerleaders, she had something to counter it. She was the witty voice of reason. The fact that not once throughout the several hours did the boys give up made the piece a bit unbelievable — surely they’re cold and tired and thinking the cheerleaders aren’t worth the risk — but it was still a fun read.

  The Patron Saint of Pigs by Lauren Myracle: 1 star

  Addie is fresh out of a break-up and needs comfort from her friends. She hopes that by being assigned the task to pick up her friend’s teacup piglet from the pet shop during her break from work at Starbucks will ease her sorrows. What starts off as a simple task turns into a transportation and financial disaster!

  I’ve never read Myracle’s work, and I’m sorry to say this did not convince me to read any more. Addie was entirely unlikable, constantly bemoaning her break-up and nit-picking every single detail within the first several chapters. When she heads to work the day after Christmas, her coworkers even bring up how self-absorbed she is — Addie even admits it to herself! It truly made for a difficult read. The teacup piglet was adorable though, and Myracle had the difficult task of tying everything together at the end, admittedly rather clumsily.

  Posted in books, Reviews 2012 | 0 Comments | Tagged book review, books, genre: holiday, genre: romance, genre: young adult, goodreads, review

• ARC Book Review: “Beneath the Abbey Wall” by AD Scott

  Posted at 5:07 pm by Laura, on November 5, 2012

  Beneath the Abbey Wall by AD Scott

  Expected Publication: November 13
  Publisher: Atria Books
  Goodreads: —
  Rating: ★★★

  In a small Scottish town, the local newspaper staff doesn’t see much excitement. But that all changes when their no-nonsense office manager Mrs. Smart is found murdered one dreary autumn night. For the staff of the “Highland Gazette,” the investigation becomes personal when the deputy editor, is accused of the crime.

  It’s the late 1950s, the decade of rock n’ roll and television, and change is coming, but slowly. It’s up to budding reporter Joanne Ross to step into Mrs. Smart’s shoes and keep the newspaper office running, all while raising two girls alone. But newcomer Neil Stewart proves a major distraction for Joanne.

  And what does the tragic tale of children stolen from the Travelling people more than thirty years previously have to do with this murder? In a mystery with twists and turns and no clear-cut solution, the secrets of the past must be unravelled before justice can be found.

  I am not sure what I expected from this mystery novel, and I’m still left hanging as to whether that helped my rating for this.

  “Beneath the Abbey Wall” contained all of my favorite elements for the perfect gothic mystery: historically placed, set in Scotland, small community, a mysterious death that throws everything off-balance. The characters were nothing spectacular, which is excellent: no one wants to read about the most perfect person on the planet. We have the traditional commanding McAllister, lead editor of the newspaper, who is great at divvying tasks but poor at expressing his emotions; the battered Joanne, fresh out of a violent marriage and devoted mother of two daughters; the charming Rob and aloof Hector; and the near-constant sobbing Betsy. Watching these employees interact, racing to share the stories with their town even when it’s a negative case about one of their own, was very entertaining and warming.

  The downfall could be pointed to the characters the murder centers on: Mrs Smart, Mr Smart, and Don McLeod, the one blamed for Mrs Smart’s murder. Scott surely meant for the readers to care about Mrs Smart’s death — but not once did I feel any sadness towards her character. All that was ever said about her was that she was a good woman. What made her good? Her personal story when she was young woman was revealed, and I was sympathetic to her for that situation, but I lacked sympathy for her older character. What was it about her that people liked? This question was never fully explained. I was also supposed to resent Mr Smart, but instead I found him to be the annoying character who would pop up only once in a while to remind you of his existence, and then disappear again. And Don lacked personality. He was a drunkard, and it was all people could describe him as. How am I supposed to root for his freedom from prison if that’s the only thing the characters can say about him?

  Joanne was a character that I could easily relate to It was quite eerie. I would feel bothered by her sudden fantasies over Canadian newcomer Neil Stewart — dreaming up romantic get-aways and wishing he’d say he loved her — but before I could go and judge her, I realized I’m quite similar. In fact, most women are, especially if they’ve undergone neglect. She wanted someone else to validate her existence, to make her feel wanted and cherished. When no one — apart from McAllister, which is clear to everyone else except for Joanne — offers this and a new man arrives on the scene, of course she’ll jump on the opportunity.

  As far as the plotting for the mystery, I felt it dragged. At some moments, I forgot this was a mystery novel instead of a love story. Another aspect is the lack of empathy I felt for the murdered and the accused. The writing was beautiful, the relationships between the characters entertaining and exquisite, the descriptions of life in the office and life out in the Highlands lovely. But the mystery itself was left wanting.

  [Read for a graduate course. Thank you to Atria Books for the ARC.]

  Posted in books, Reviews 2012 | 0 Comments | Tagged advance reading copy, ARC, book review, books, genre: mystery, goodreads, history, review

• Book Reviews: “The Nutcracker” and “The Night Before Christmas”

  Posted at 4:16 pm by Laura, on November 3, 2012

  Or, in other words, “Book Reviews: Children’s Picture Book Edition!” These are classic tales, so why would we need to review them? Because there are some twists and new illustrated editions out there, and what better way to promote them than review them?

  

  The Nutcracker by Susan Jeffers

  Published: 2007
  Publisher: HarperCollins
  ISBN: 9780060743864
  Goodreads: 4.13
  Rating: ★★★★★

  New York Times bestselling artist Susan Jeffers has created a Nutcracker unlike any that has gone before, with a lovely spare text based on the ballet.

  This is the perfect gift to share with children before they see The Nutcracker. Everyone who has seen the ballet will cherish it–as will anyone who enjoys stories where love triumphs.

  Everyone knows the story of the Nutcracker. Either they’ve seen the ballet, heard the symphony, danced in the ballet, played the music, or read various books. This, however, is a unique book! Here, Susan Jeffers has combined the true Russian tale — both romantic and terrifying — with the ballet. The artwork reveals movement, the characters look like they are dancing. Play the music with each passing page and you’ve got a real experience in your hands for children to enjoy!

  

  The Night Before Christmas by Clement Clarke Moore, Charles Santore

  Published: 2011
  Publisher: Applesauce Press
  ISBN: 9781604332377
  Goodreads: 4.32
  Rating: ★★★★★

  Since it was first published anonymously in 1823, the poem “The Night Before Christmas” has enchanted children with the story of St. Nicholas climbing down the chimney and filling all the stockings before springing back to his sleigh. Many families read the poem every year, and now they have an edition to treasure. The poem, faithfully reproduced here, is accompanied by Charles Santore’s lavish illustrations.

  I love this edition! The one I grew up with, Jan Brett’s beautiful illustrations, was stunning enough. When I opened this book and gazed at Santore’s artwork, I was blown away. I especially enjoyed opening and unfolding several pages to reveal more of the poem and the accompanying artwork. One day I hope my children will be as enchanted.

  Posted in books, Reviews 2012 | 0 Comments | Tagged book review, books, genre: children, genre: classics, genre: holiday, goodreads, review

• Book Review: “Hercule Poirot’s Christmas” by Agatha Christie

  Posted at 12:49 pm by Laura, on October 21, 2012

  Hercule Poirot’s Christmas by Agatha Christie

  Published: 1938 (“Murder for Christmas” and “Holiday for Murder”)
  Publisher: originally G.P. Putnam Sons (Penguin), then Harper Collins
  ISBN: 9780062074010
  Goodreads: 3.81
  Rating: ★★★

  Christmas Eve, and the Lee family’s reunion is shattered by a deafening crash of furniture and a high-pitched wailing scream. Upstairs, the tyrannical Simeon Lee lies dead in a pool of blood, his throat slashed.

  When Hercule Poirot offers to assist, he finds an atmosphere not of mourning but of mutual suspicion. It seems everyone had their own reason to hate the old man…

  Alfred, David, Harry, and George Lee may be brothers but they each lead vastly different lives. Alfred is a doting son, David still mourns over his mother, Harry is the prodigal returned home, and George is incredibly thrifty. Their wives are passionate and suspicious, and everyone is on edge when Simeon invites the whole family together for Christmas. What does this awful old man want? Will there be any holiday cheer? Who is this estranged granddaughter Pilar and a dear old friend’s son Stephen? Why are the servants nervous this Christmas? Everyone is to be blamed for the murder, but who really committed the crime?

  This was my first step into old school mystery fiction. I’m not much of a mystery reader, in the traditional sense. I like Tana French, and the typical plot twists in general fiction, but who-dun-its and clues are not my thing. Since the holidays are approaching and people rave over Agatha Christie’s brilliancy, I decided to give this a shot!

  It was a quick read, and light and interesting and fun. But I think the book could have benefited with more descriptions of her characters and the setting. This may be a personal preference or a change in the times — I’m not sure — but Christie lacked the description I felt was necessary to help the reader discover the murderer just as Poirot does. Christie was excellent with dialogue!  She knew just how to shape a turn of phrase to make you love and hate a character all at once. But when Poirot gave his big reveal, I was stunned. Poirot used physical descriptions of the murderer and the surroundings to guide everyone to his conclusion. I would not have gotten there on dialogue alone.

  I wonder if I should read one of her first pieces, or a Miss Marple story, and see if this can change my opinion of Christie and mystery fiction. After all, Christie became the queen at some point!

  Posted in Reviews 2012 | 2 Comments | Tagged book review, books, genre: mystery, goodreads, review

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• Hello, I’m Laura!

  I'm a bookish bookworm and book hoarder. By day I'm a literary agent and librarian, and by night I'm forever rearranging my bookshelves. I have a passion for Victorian culture, Gothic lit, and music. I have a fluffy black cat named Rossetti, I love to knit, tea is my drink of choice, British TV is the best, and I'm obsessed with popcorn. Welcome to Scribbles & Wanderlust! Grab your favorite hot beverage and let's chat books!

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