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- Mini Review VII
  
  Posted at 5:30 am by Laura, on July 6, 2016
  
  13 Little Blue Envelopes by Maureen Johnson
  
  Publisher: HarperTeen
  Published: December 2010
  Genre: contemporary, young adult
  Rating: ★★★
  Summary: Inside little blue envelope 1 are $1,000 and instructions to buy a plane ticket. In envelope 2 are directions to a specific London flat. The note in envelope 3 tells Ginny: Find a starving artist. Because of envelope 4, Ginny and a playwright/thief/ bloke–about–town called Keith go to Scotland together, with somewhat disastrous–though utterly romantic–results. But will she ever see him again? Everything about Ginny will change this summer, and it’s all because of the 13 little blue envelopes.
  
  Mini Review: This was a good mix of Just One Day / Just One Year and PS I Love You. Following the letters of a dead loved one and backpacking through Europe, not knowing what may happen next, and making new friends in new cities (like Carrie and the Australian gang, the Knapp family, Richard, and Keith). I’ve traveled to Europe five times now and I still don’t think I could do what Ginny did: following letters blindly and managing to get by. Ginny managed her quest, and it’s full of art, self-discovery, and love. In a hippie, wanderlust sort of way, I enjoyed the light read. This book shows why it’s important for you to travel. It really changes you in a million different ways!
  
  Sing by Vivi Greene
  
  Publisher: HarperTeen
  Published: May 2016
  Genre: young adult, contemporary
  Rating: ★★.5
  Summary: After getting her heart shattered, pop star Lily is taking herself out of the spotlight and heading to a small island in middle-of-nowhere Maine with her closest friends. She has three months until her fall tour starts to focus on herself, her music, and her new album. Anything but guys. That is until Lily meets down-to-earth local Noel Bradley. Suddenly, Lily’s “summer of me” takes an unexpected turn, and she finds herself falling deeper than ever before. But Noel isn’t interested in the limelight. Come August, Lily may be forced to choose between the boy and her music.
  
  Mini Review: It started off as a fun, cute, contemporary summer YA read. It was easy to imagine Lily as Taylor Swift, especially because Lily is thinking of changing up her music style and song topics. I was all for this sweet read, especially with her best friends Sammy and Tess — I even thought of this book as a lighter version of Emery Lord. But about halfway through the book it became too predictable. It’s a short read, so if I’m already feeling like the plot is unnecessarily drawn out, there’s a hitch somewhere. That’s when I noticed it had more telling than showing, and relied heavily on dialogue to keep the plot moving. It almost had me! Almost!
  
  Thank you, Edelweiss, for providing this book from HarperTeen for review.
  
  Scarlett Epstein Hates it Here by Anna Breslaw
  
  Publisher: Razorbill
  Published: April 2016
  Genre: young adult, contemporary
  Rating: ★★
  Summary: When Scarlett’s beloved TV show is canceled and her longtime crush, Gideon, is sucked out of her orbit and into the dark and distant world of Populars, Scarlett turns to the fanfic message boards for comfort. This time, though, her subjects aren’t the swoon-worthy stars of her fave series—they’re the real-life kids from her high school. And if they ever find out what Scarlett truly thinks about them, she’ll be thrust into a situation far more dramatic than anything she’s ever seen on TV.
  
  Mini Review: I thought I was going to be reading a self-deprecating version of Cath from Fangirl — with all the uber nerdy internet lingo. In fact, I know some really funny people who are basically Scarlett in real life, with the same investment in stories and TV shows and sarcastic comebacks. But I didn’t find Scarlett funny. And to be honest, I didn’t see the point of the story. What was I supposed to get from that? I enjoyed her chat interactions with her internet friends, and I liked her relationship with Ruth, the old feminist neighbor across the highway. But when it came down to it, the writing and humor just weren’t my cup of tea.
  
  Posted in books, Reviews 2016, Rock My TBR | 0 Comments | Tagged books, genre: contemporary, genre: young adult, mini review, review, rock my TBR
- Flipping Through the Pages: Spring Rewind 2016
  
  Posted at 5:15 pm by Laura, on July 2, 2016
  Instead of participating in the Monthly Rewind meme, every three months I’ll update the world on my life from the previous season. Enjoy the Seasonal Rewind!
  
  Through the Lens
  
  There is nothing more beautiful than history standing the test of time. The choir I’m in went on tour to Germany, with visits to Prague and Salzburg. After the tour, I flew to London and stayed with my college roommate and her husband. One of the days in England I traveled up to Haworth to visit the Bronte Parsonage. June was a fantastic month! (L to R: Castle Church in Wittenberg, Prague Old Town, Bronte Parsonage)
  
  Life Highlights
  
  Hold on tight. CAPSLOCK!Laura heading straight for you…
  
  I SOLD AN AMAZING BOOK TO AN AMAZING EDITOR FOR AN AMAZING DEAL!
  
  I left bookselling and RETURNED TO MY LIBRARIAN ROOTS! I now work for an amazing library in town and am absolutely thrilled to be there.
  
  SEEING MY FRIENDS AT BOOK EXPO AMERICA WAS THE BEST
  
  Accurate gif of the experience both on the floor, at dinners, and in the hotel rooms. Shenanigans, folks. Shenanigans. (Also, the only non-Hiddles gif because it’s just too perfect.)
  
  But I had to include a Hiddles one anyway
  
  Followed by a wonderful trip back to the Motherlands (my true one, Germany, and the one of my mind, heart, soul, body, and spirit, ENGLAND)!
  
  Tunes on Repeat
  
  I had no idea I needed The 16 in my life till a friend posted this on my FB page. What a glorious, GLORIOUS sound. My choral nerd self is dying over here.
  
  Whenever I go to a public place to use their wifi for work, I immediately search Spotify for some good instrumental music in the background. I’m constantly coming back to Ludovico Einaudi and Angele Dubeau.
  
  To be honest, the majority of music I listened to the past three months were choral pieces. Part of it was in preparation for the choir trip. It was nice to dive back into that world.
  
  Bookmarked in the Community
  1. Adventures in the Great Wide Somewhere @ Belle of the Literati — I’ve thoroughly enjoyed Kelly’s new travel and wanderlust feature. She shares experiences from her travels, tips, dos and don’ts, and places she’s eager to visit in the future.
  2. Harry Potter at 30 @ Perpetual Page-Turner — Massive round of applause to Jamie for reading Harry Potter for the first time! She shares some interesting insights, too!
  3. Do You Procrastinate Reading Books You’re 99% Sure You’ll Love? @ Paper Fury — Cait voiced something many readers have surely come across before: the strange habit of not reading a book you’re positive you’ll adore. She lists several potential reasons for this thought process. What’s yours?
  4. Celebrate Charlotte Bronte’s Birthday by Reading Villette @ The Pool — This year marks the 200th birthday of Charlotte Bronte, and Samantha Ellis has a few words to say on why you should read the other, angry-sister-to-Jane–Eyre classic, Villette.
  Popular Posts on Scribbles
  1. Deal Announcement: Jared Reck, YA Contemporary — Add this book to your Goodreads TBR!
  2. That One Time I Binged on Kinsella, Part Two — Part One was a hit in the last rewind! So glad you enjoyed the posts.
  3. Book Review: “When We Collided” by Emery Lord — Such an important read. Different from Lord’s other books in a great way.
  4. Book Expo America 2016: A Chicago Experience — My second BEA was a success in many ways, though hosting it in Chicago had its pros and cons.
  Cherished Reads
  
  When We Collided by Emery Lord ★★★★.5
  
  Traitor Angels by Anne Blankman ★★★★★
  
  Re Jane by Patricia Park ★★★★
  
  The Lie Tree by Francis Hardinge ★★★★★ (review to come!)
  
  Cherished Quotes
  
  “I want to lie beside you and know the weight of your dreams,” he said,
  brushing his lips against my knuckles. “I want to share whole worlds with you
  and write your name in the stars.” He moved closer and a chorus of songbirds
  twittered silver melodies. “I want to measure eternity with your laughter.”
  –The Star-Touched Queen by Roshani Chokshi
  
  I have since come to know that many men always see
  another’s good fortune as a slight to themselves.
  —Assassin’s Apprentice by Robin Hobb
  
  “For Signor Galilei’s sake, I’ll always despise the machinery of religion.”
  I nearly dropped the telescope. “You despise God?”
  He let out a pent-up breath. “I hate when people twist religion to
  suit their own purposes or force others to believe what they do.”
  —Traitor Angels by Anne Blankman
  
  “You know what I think? I think you’re not really in love with Chandler. You’re just grateful he loves you.”
  –Re Jane by Patricia Park
  
  Progress Update on Reading Challenges
  
  Library Books: 6 / 10
  Future Perfect || Blackhearts || Rebel of the Sands
  The Buddha in the Attic || Wide Sargasso Sea || Re Jane
  
  #ReRead2016: 2 / 5
  Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix || Emma
  
  Flights of Fantasy: 5 / 5 // complete!
  Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix || Rebel of the Sands
  Lady Renegades || The Star-Touched Queen || Assassin’s Apprentice
  
  Classics Challenge: 1 / 5
  Emma
  
  Rock My TBR: 11 / 12
  Walk on Earth a Stranger || Arsenic for Tea || Since You’ve Been Gone
  Picture Perfect || Twenties Girl || Remember Me? || Assassin’s Apprentice
  Eligible || The Mystery of the Clockwork Sparrow || 13 Little Blue Envelopes
  Scarlett Epstein Hates it Here
  
  Impulse Buys: 3 / 5
  Can You Keep a Secret? || I’ve Got Your Number || The Undomestic Goddess
  
  Overall Challenge: 31 / 50
  
  Random Obsessions
  
  On TV: OUTLANDER IS BAAAAACK.
  
  AND GRANTCHESTER.
  
  AND ENDEAVOUR.
  
  And all the castle documentaries on Netflix. Have you seen the wonderful Dan Jones on Secrets of Great British Castles yet? No? DO IT NOW.
  
  On Film: CIVIL WAAARRRRR.
  
  In the Shopping Bag: EVERYTHING FROM EUROPE. I went a little nuts in London and bought 17 books…and lots of silver Mozartkugels in Salzburg. Chocolate and books — what a life.
  
  Miscellaneous: Not much to mention here. All of my time and energy was spent on work and preparing for travel (then traveling). But I have been watching an obscene amount of TV the last few months, so let’s stick with that!
  
  Looking Towards the Future
  
  My life calms down a bit for the rest of the year. So far I know July through September will include family gatherings, a friend from college’s wedding, and Amanda’s precious baby girl’s baptism. After the year I’ve had, I think a calmer summer is just the thing I need!
  
  What have you been up to this season / this month? Any new obsessions or good reads or great music? Share some of your favorites here, and let me know if I should check out any great blog posts!
  Posted in books, This Season's Rewind | 5 Comments | Tagged books, personal, recap, rewind, this season's rewind
- Book Expo America 2016: A Chicago Experience
  
  Posted at 6:15 am by Laura, on June 29, 2016
  
  Book Expo America 2016 was held in Chicago this year, and there were so many pros and cons to the switch in locations. Because I attended this event with two different hats again — Agent and Blogger — I could see the benefits and drawbacks of a non-NYC BEA from the business side and fun side.
  
  I also didn’t do quite as much planning for this year’s BEA. Last year I was reading all the blog posts and preparing for all possible scenarios and planning out routes and where to eat and what books to grab and making lists after endless lists. This year, I bought my snacks a week beforehand (yay granola bars, fruit chews, and applesauce pouches!), devised my list of books to look out for the day before (will they be at BEA? Who knows!), and then drove my merry way to the hotel.
  
  One of the best things about BEA is seeing all the people. “I recognize you from Twitter!” was heard all over the floor, and seeing so many smiles and hearing so many voices of all these people I see online or interact with through email will never stop feeling exhilarating. We may be introverts at heart, but throw all the bookworms into a convention center and we have a blast!
  
  Authors in the Flesh
  
  This will never stop being one of the most exciting things about BEA and book signings: meeting authors who wrote our favorite books, authors we interact with online, authors that have the same hobbies and interests as us. It’s that great reminder we’re all people in this journey together.
  
  Sharon Cameron (Rook) arrived late Tuesday evening, and Lindsey arranged for us to meet her for drinks. Sharon, Lindsey, and I gushed over a variety of BBC period dramas several months ago — we even watched Jamaica Inn on Acorn together, live-texting and tweeting the whole experience. So yes, of course we had to get drinks! Lindsey, Morgan, Ashley, and I were first in her signing line for The Forgetting the next day too. Drinks with authors = dedicated followers 😉
  
  On the very first day, I was scrolling through Twitter and found Charles Finch (The Last Enchantments) tweeting about the long line at Starbucks for BEA. “Are you here?!” was my stupid question, but Charles took it in stride and we met in a central location just before the convention floors opened. On the last day I ran into him again. Full circle: excited anticipation for the big expo, followed by sheer exhaustion at the end.
  
  Jennifer Niven (All the Bright Places) told me she would be at BEA months ago, but it wasn’t until I was searching for any sign of Holding Up the Universe in the PW Daily papers that it was confirmed (she’s so busy!). I waited in line for her signing, wasn’t expecting her to recognize me (LINK), but she looked up and squealed “LAURA!” and came around the table to give me a hug. She congratulated me and welcomed Jared to “the Knopf family,” too. That felt pretty good!
  
  On Saturday at brunch, Ruta Sepetys (Between Shades of Gray, Out of the Easy, Salt to the Sea) was sitting at the table behind ours, quietly talking on her phone or scrolling through the news. Lindsey and I wanted to turn around and say something to her, but because she was about to deal with Book Con madness, we wanted to respect her privacy. While the other bloggers got up to grab some stuff from the rooms, we went over to her anyway and introduced ourselves — and she was so surprised and happy, and very eager to share some clips of her upcoming movie!
  
  I had many other moments of author run-ins, like gazing at Ransom Riggs and his spiffy, stylish outfits; showing Aime Kauffman how to get to the book floor (and didn’t even know who she was till we arrived); bumping into author and editor giant David Levithan (again! I was always running into him last year); and gushing to Nicola Yoon about her books and contribution to WNDB.
  
  Agent Hat
  
  I met with some wonderful editors from Penguin, Macmillan, and Albert Whitman, ran into agent friends, and represented the agency at the BEA YA Editor Buzz Panel and BEA YA Author Buzz Panel. TriadaUS is so excited for and proud of Billy Taylor, author of YA contemporary Thieving Weasels. I love when stories are inspired by true events — so when Billy told the audience about his personal experience with identity fraud and weird con-artist issues from his neighbors, it made his book even more thrilling and enticing.
  
  This is where the con of moving BEA outside of NYC comes in: there was less business to conduct. In many ways it felt strange to not have back-to-back meetings. Instead, I wandered the floor and observed what the various publishers were pushing. It’s neat seeing the different personalities within every imprint.
  
  Blogger Hat
  
  This year I was lucky to room with seven other fabulous Marvel-and-Disney-loving ladies (Boozy Lady Knights!): Lindsey, Ashley, Morgan, Gaby, Gillian, Dani, and Jessie. Some of our off-the-BEA-floor shenanigans included dinner at the movies with Captain America: Civil War (with Meg!) and Zootopia, wine and Cards Against Humanity hilarity, and a night of Disney tattoos and Disney Netflix singalongs. Real life stopped with these ladies, and I had an absolute blast!
  
  There were fun times with other fabulous ladies, too! Another night of Cards Against Humanity with Wendy, Danielle, Jess, Sabrina, Mary, and Rebecca; line hang-outs with Brittany, Alyssa, and Amy; and several hugs and run-ins and singalongs with Angie and Nikki. We’re a pretty great community, and I feel lucky to have a home with you wonderful people.
  
  Moving BEA out of NYC to a more affordable location made this possible. So from a blogger perspective, BEA Chicago was a good thing.
  
  Book Haul
  
  A Measure of Light || The Secret Keepers || Holding Up the Universe
  The Hawkweed Prophecy || Two Days Gone || The Secrets of Wishtide
  Stalking Jack the Ripper || Caraval || Victoria: The Queen
  When the Sea Turned to Silver || The Forgetting || How to Hang a Witch
  Ghostly Echoes || A Deadly Affection || The Comet Seekers
  Invincible Summer || The Lie Tree || Strange the Dreamer (sample)
  The Lost Property Office || Blood for Blood || The Muse
  
  Posted in books, Update Post | 12 Comments | Tagged bea, book expo america, books, personal
- Book Review: “The Mystery of the Clockwork Sparrow” by Katherine Woodfine
  
  Posted at 4:15 am by Laura, on June 27, 2016
  
  The Mystery of the Clockwork Sparrow by Katherine Woodfine
  
  Publisher: Egmont
  Published: June 2015
  Genre: middle grade, mystery, historical fiction
  ISBN: 9781405276177
  Rating: ★★★★
  
  You are cordially invited to attend the Grand Opening of Sinclair’s department store!
  
  Enter a world of bonbons, hats, perfumes and MYSTERIES around every corner. WONDER at the daring theft of the priceless CLOCKWORK SPARROW! TREMBLE as the most DASTARDLY criminals in London enact their wicked plans! GASP as our bold heroines, Miss Sophie Taylor and Miss Lilian Rose, CRACK CODES, DEVOUR ICED BUNS and vow to bring the villians to justice…
  
  Sophie is thrilled to start her first job at what the newspapers are calling the finest department store in London, opening in just a few more days. On the night before the grand opening, a priceless jeweled clockwork sparrow is stolen from one of the exhibition rooms, and Sophie is the last person seen in that room. With evidence piling up against her, Sophie seeks help from porter Billy and model Lil to solve the mystery.
  
  I adore middle grade mysteries! They’re so much fun, and English authors know just how to write enjoyable detective fiction for the young and young-at-heart. I hope the US audience will get a chance to read Woodfine’s work, because it’s such a delight!
  
  This felt like a mixture of the quick wit in Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries and the glittering eye-candy of Mr. Selfridge and The Paradise. Sophie is a sweet character and determined to do well in the department store, but she’s met with opposition everywhere she turns. She used to live in a fine home, but circumstances have brought her down to the working class. She doesn’t mind, but she wishes the other shopgirls would treat her as an equal. When it came time to defend herself, Sophie was reasonably distraught, but the majority of the legwork in the mystery-solving was conducted by Billy (who is sweet on her and loves detective comics) and mannequin (model) Lil, who is very much like Phryne Fisher in how she goes about cracking cases! Even Joe, the homeless “lost boy” trying to escape a gang (which comes into play later, of course!) has clues to share to solve the mystery.
  
  I cannot write a review without mentioning the setting! Sinclair’s is a beautiful and fascinating department store. Pets, food, clothes, toys, trinkets, you name it and it’s there! Department stores aren’t quite like this anymore — a full-on experience and assault to the senses. It makes the mystery even more intriguing and electrifying when a tiny but important clockwork sparrow is stolen. Of all the sparkling items and expensive china and luxurious fabrics, this sparrow is what turns the department store upside down. In the author’s note, Woodfine suggest the store is a bit like the 6-story Waterstones in Piccadilly. Having been there twice now, I’d have to say that’s exactly how I picture Sinclair’s!
  
  If you get the chance, you need to get your hands on this adorable MG mystery. It’s a must-have for your detective collection.
  
  EDIT 10:45am: Just heard from Woodfine that the book will be published in the US!
  
  .
  
  This book qualifies as book 8 of 12 of the “Rock My TBR” Challenge, hosted by Sarah @ The YA Book Traveler, in an effort to read more books off my overflowing TBR bookcase.
  
  Posted in books, Reviews 2016, Rock My TBR | 3 Comments | Tagged book review, books, genre: historical fiction, genre: middle grade, genre: mystery, review, rock my TBR
- Book Review: “Re Jane” by Patricia Park
  
  Posted at 5:15 am by Laura, on May 30, 2016
  
  Re Jane by Patricia Park
  
  Publisher: Pamela Dorman Books
  Published: May 2015
  Genre: adult fiction, contemporary
  ISBN: 9780525427407
  Rating: ★★★★
  
  For Jane Re, half-Korean, half-American orphan, Flushing, Queens, is the place she’s been trying to escape from her whole life. Sardonic yet vulnerable, Jane toils, unappreciated, in her strict uncle’s grocery store and politely observes the traditional principle of nunchi (a combination of good manners, hierarchy, and obligation). Desperate for a new life, she’s thrilled to become the au pair for the Mazer-Farleys, two Brooklyn English professors and their adopted Chinese daughter. Inducted into the world of organic food co-ops, and nineteenth–century novels, Jane is the recipient of Beth Mazer’s feminist lectures and Ed Farley’s very male attention. But when a family death interrupts Jane and Ed’s blossoming affair, she flies off to Seoul, leaving New York far behind.
  
  Reconnecting with family, and struggling to learn the ways of modern-day Korea, Jane begins to wonder if Ed Farley is really the man for her. Jane returns to Queens, where she must find a balance between two cultures and accept who she really is.
  
  Jane Re has been told her entire life that she’s, essentially, not enough. She’s not Korean enough, American enough, intelligent enough, pretty enough. Desperate to escape her uncle oppressive household, she takes on a nannying position in Brooklyn for two English professors and their Chinese daughter. As the year rolls by, Jane begins to find a solid rooting with the family, but Ed, her boss’s husband, is beginning to cross the line. When her grandfather dies, Jane seizes the opportunity to fly to Seoul and attempt a new life there, immersing herself in modern-day Korean culture. Once again, circumstances change for her, and it’s time for her to decide how to continue her biracial, bicultural life and accept her wholly, complete self.
  
  I seem to be on a roll with finding great contemporary retellings of favorite classics. As I’ve said before, I’m very wary of retellings because many times they just rely too heavily on the original to be able to stand on their own. Since Jane Eyre is my favorite book, I am extra critical of all the retellings I’ve seen out there. But, like Eligible, Re Jane successfully stands on its own — and then some.
  
  The parallels between the two books are excellent, and the deviations from the classic are original, compelling, and authentic to this Jane’s story. I think my favorite aspect of the book was getting to experience Jane’s biracial, bicultural dilemma so intimately. The cultural awareness and sensitivity was spot on, and I hope to see more phenomenally written books like this in the market.
  
  I was caught in no-man’s land — the gulf between English and Korean
  felt wider than the East River and the Han combined.
  
  In a non-spoilery nutshell, Jane experiences vastly different Otherness depending on her surroundings. In Flushing, Queens, she’s singled out as the “fake Korean” because her father was American. Her physical features are slightly different from the other Koreans in her neighborhood, and she’s treated as if she’s tainted or corrupt. When she works in Brooklyn, her boss Beth accidentally assumes Jane is Chinese, yet Jane and Devon (the girl she nannies) can easily see the racial differences between each other. (Devon also experiences Otherness with the other Chinese students at school, but that’s a piece of great dissection you can discover on your own!) However, when Jane jets off to Seoul, she may be teased for her archaic Korean speech, but her Otherness is praised. She carries many sought-after Western beauty features: height, nose, eyes, cheekbones. She’s been told her whole life that favoring one side of her identity is better than embracing both. Now, here she is in her mother’s homeland, being told that it’s better to be something other than fully Korean. What’s great about this is that Jane’s uncomfortable. It’s not a matter of deciding which part of her identity she should embrace over the other — it’s about understanding, loving, and combining both.
  
  That wasn’t so much a nutshell, but it is one aspect of the book that was deeply explored. For anyone who is following the We Need Diverse Books campaign, or #ownvoices, you need to read this book.
  
  This is not to say that it was condescending; instead he spoke with the weight of personal experience. More often than not, I was able to free-ride on the shorthand of his authority. […] But at times I wondered whether I relied too heavily on Ed’s account of things, rather than seeing for myself.
  
  It’s not possible to talk about any Jane Eyre retelling without some mention of the Mr Rochester figure. Ed was cool, I liked Ed, I could see Jane with Ed, and not once did I ever feel uncomfortable with the thought that Ed was roughly 10-15 years older/her employer/married. Many times retellings fall flat with the romance aspect because there’s too much emphasis on the age gap. In the 1840s, the age difference was not an issue. It’s the fact he was her employer, in the beginning at least. So why do so many retellings focus on the age?
  
  Well, thank goodness Park did not do that. She instead focused on certain aspects of age differences in relationships. Someone who is 10+ years older, who married, had a child, bought a first home, bought a first car, will definitely have more life experiences, and that’s bound to create communication issues. The drama in the relationship between Jane and Ed focused on that: how they spoke to one another, and how they interacted with other couples in their respective age groups. If you’ve read Re Jane, I love to hear your thoughts on this!
  
  This qualifies as book 6 of 10 library books in 2016.
  
  Posted in books, Reviews 2016 | 7 Comments | Tagged book review, books, genre: adult fiction, genre: contemporary, review
- Mini Reviews VI
  
  Posted at 5:30 am by Laura, on May 23, 2016
  
  The Buddha in the Attic by Julie Otsuka
  
  Publisher: Anchor
  Published: March 2012
  Genre: adult, historical fiction
  Summary: A gorgeous novel that tells the story of a group of young women brought from Japan to San Francisco as “picture brides” nearly a century ago. The story traces the extraordinary lives of these women, from their arduous journeys by boat, to their arrival in San Francisco and their tremulous first nights as new wives; from their experiences raising children who would later reject their culture and language, to the arrival of war. This is a spellbinding novel about identity and loyalty, and what it means to be an American in uncertain times.
  
  Review: I’ve never come across a narration quite like this before. It was written in plural — “we” and “us” instead of “I” or “she.” (Grammar nerds, please tell me the correct name for it!) This narrative style is fitting, as this short book details the lives of Japanese “picture brides” coming to San Fransisco in 1917, working the lands, raising children, and disappearing during WWII. As a society that values the group over the individual — and told through the eyes of women — it makes sense for the structure to follow that narrative style, too. These poor women, these lost voices, were so hopeful in the beginning for a new and prosperous life, only to find their husbands were lies; they would continue to work the land; they might eventually work in laundries or great homes; they would raise their children as Japanese only to find their children shamed and rejecting their culture for an American one; they would wake up in the morning to an empty bed and no husband in sight; and they would, one by one, leave their homes and cross the Rockies, never to be seen or heard from again. Thought-provoking.
  
  This qualifies as book 4 of 10 library books in 2016.
  
  Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys
  
  Publisher: W.W. Norton Company
  Published: November 1998 (first published in 1966)
  Genre: adult, historical fiction
  Summary: The novel is Rhys’s answer to Jane Eyre. Charlotte Brontë’s book had long haunted her, mostly for the story it did not tell–that of the madwoman in the attic, Rochester’s terrible secret. Antoinette is Rhys’s imagining of that locked-up woman, who in the end burns up the house and herself. Wide Sargasso Seafollows her voyage into the dark, both from her point of view and Rochester’s. It is a voyage charged with soul-destroying lust. “I watched her die many times,” observes the new husband. “In my way, not in hers. In sunlight, in shadow, by moonlight, by candlelight. In the long afternoons when the house was empty.”
  
  Review: The one reason I’m not giving this one star is because it’s an excellent example of colonialism and racism in the nineteenth century. The book’s saving grace is the academic fodder for discussion. Apart from that, I had a hard time caring about Bertha, or understanding the motivations and personalities of the characters. It’s not a compelling story, and I’m not sure it could stand on its own. It’s as if the only way this could be read is alongside or after reading Jane Eyre. Otherwise the writing feels disjointed, disconnected, and lost.
  
  This qualifies as book 5 of 10 library books in 2016.
  
  Posted in books, Reviews 2016 | 6 Comments | Tagged books, genre: adult fiction, genre: historical fiction, mini review, review
- Book Review: “Eligible” by Curtis Sittenfeld
  
  Posted at 4:15 am by Laura, on May 18, 2016
  
  Eligible by Curtis Sittenfeld
  
  Publisher: Random House
  Published: April 2016
  Genre: adult fiction, contemporary
  ISBN: 9781400068326
  Rating: ★★★★
  
  This version of the Bennet family—and Mr. Darcy—is one that you have and haven’t met before: Liz is a magazine writer in her late thirties who, like her yoga instructor older sister, Jane, lives in New York City. When their father has a health scare, they return to their childhood home in Cincinnati to help—and discover that the sprawling Tudor they grew up in is crumbling and the family is in disarray.
  
  Youngest sisters Kitty and Lydia are too busy with their CrossFit workouts and Paleo diets to get jobs. Mary, the middle sister, is earning her third online master’s degree and barely leaves her room, except for those mysterious Tuesday-night outings she won’t discuss. And Mrs. Bennet has one thing on her mind: how to marry off her daughters, especially as Jane’s fortieth birthday fast approaches.
  
  Enter Chip Bingley, a handsome new-in-town doctor who recently appeared on the juggernaut reality TV dating show Eligible. At a Fourth of July barbecue, Chip takes an immediate interest in Jane, but Chip’s friend neurosurgeon Fitzwilliam Darcy reveals himself to Liz to be much less charming. . . .
  
  And yet, first impressions can be deceiving.
  
  Liz travels back with her sister Jane to Cincinnati after their dad, Mr. Bennet, suffers a heart attack. They say they’ll only stay as long as he needs them, but the sisters find the house is falling apart — and their younger sisters are in dire need of some life coaching. When cousin Willie comes to town and the Lucas family hosts a barbeque, Liz and Jane run into doctors Fitzwilliam Darcy and Chip Bingley. Little do they know, this dinner party changes the course of their lives.
  
  Of all the Jane Austen Project books so far, this one is the best. All the key characters and scenes are there — the bare bones of Pride & Prejudice — and Sittenfeld seamlessly uses those elements in a modern setting, rather than trying to squeeze modern life inside an Austen novel. The classic humor is there, the personalities of the characters, everything. Of course Mary would be the snarky, multi-degreed student holed away in her parents’ house. Of course Jane would be a calm yoga instructor. Of course Bingley would be on a reality show, and Mrs. Bennet a shopaholic, and Willie a Silicon Valley nerd. Social media plays a huge role in the novel as well, and it works. This book was written so cleverly to properly match modern time, it didn’t feel like a forced retelling of Pride & Prejudice.
  
  While Eligible is a retelling of an Austen classic, it’s also a character study. Liz is a fantastic journalist, critiques her family and deeply loves them at the same time, and is (hilariously) clueless with men. She’s intelligent and confident, but her weaknesses are relatable as well. There are some parallels with the classic Elizabeth Bennet, but Liz can stand on her own.
  
  I’m sure you’ve read the reviews and seen the hype by now. Trust in it. Eligible is worth a read.
  
  Posted in books, Reviews 2016 | 9 Comments | Tagged book review, books, genre: adult fiction, genre: contemporary, review
- Book Review: “Fever at Dawn” by Peter Gardos
  
  Posted at 5:45 am by Laura, on May 7, 2016
  
  Fever at Dawn by Péter Gárdos
  
  Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
  Published: April 2016
  Genre: adult fiction, historical fiction
  ISBN: 9780544769793
  Rating: ★★★★
  
  July 1945. Miklos is a twenty-five-year-old Hungarian who has survived the camps and has been brought to Sweden to convalesce. His doctor has just given him a death sentence — his lungs are filled with fluid and in six months he will be gone. But Miklos has other plans. He didn’t survive the war only to drown from within, and so he wages war on his own fate. He acquires the names of the 117 Hungarian women also recovering in Sweden, and he writes a letter to each of them in his beautiful cursive hand. One of these women, he is sure, will become his wife. In another part of the country, Lili reads his letter and decides to write back. For the next few months, the two engage in a funny, absurd, hopeful epistolary dance. Eventually, they find a way to meet.
  
  Determined to survive long after the brutal war in concentration camps, Miklos devises a plan to make the most of his life and fight against the fluid building up in his lungs. He writes beautiful letters to 117 Hungarian women who are also recovering in hospitals in Sweden, with hopes that at least one of them may become his wife. Lili, recovering in a hospital across the country, reads his letter and writes back on a whim. Over the next six months, as Lili regains her strength and Miklos battles a ticking clock, the pair fall in love. But falling in love through words is a dangerous game, for how will they ever meet in person? Standing up against hospital policies and fighting against their own health, Miklos and Lili will do whatever it takes to be together and start life anew.
  
  Translated fiction is usually hit or miss with me. The language can feel stilted or ridiculous, and as a result it keeps me at a distance from the narrative. But this one is definitely a hit. Though there were moments when it was painfully obviously this was a translated work, I cannot stress enough how easy it was to gloss over that little bump and continue falling head over heels into the story. And that’s what we’re all after, right? Right.
  
  Miklos is a such a twenty-five-year-old guy. The doctor tells him he’s going to die in six months, and what does Miklos do? Plan a future with a woman, any woman, who writes back to his letters. But unlike other twenty-something guys, the war has made him humble. His mind is full of spirit but his body is on the mend, he loves to smile but his metal teeth frighten people, he has such passion for intellect and beauty that it can sometimes be intense. His mind draws Lili in, and her heart, spirit, and mind draw him to her. He wasn’t going to fall for any woman who wrote back – he was going to fall for her. No question.
  
  There are so many moments that resonate with contemporary love stories that it’s no wonder this has been published and translated into so many languages. Trade letters for tweets or online dating messages, trade hospitals for countries, trade phone calls to skype chats, and you have this story again. But what makes this such a gem is the determination for starting over and creating a better life, a new life, after all the death and destruction these two witnessed, lived, and survived so young. Toss in the fact this is based on the author’s own parents’ stories and letters, and you’re in for a teary ride.
  
  If you’re looking for a story that unfolds slowly, told with humor and heart, you’ll find that with Fever at Dawn.
  
  Thank you, NetGalley, for providing the advance copy from HMH for review!
  
  Posted in books, Reviews 2016 | 4 Comments | Tagged advance reading copy, book review, books, genre: adult fiction, genre: historical fiction, review
- Book Review: “Traitor Angels” by Anne Blankman (ARC)
  
  Posted at 5:15 am by Laura, on May 2, 2016
  
  Traitor Angels by Anne Blankman
  
  Publisher: Balzer + Bray
  Publishing Date: May 3
  Genre: young adult, historical fiction, adventure
  ISBN: 9780062278876
  Rating: ★★★★★
  
  The daughter of notorious poet John Milton, Elizabeth has never known her place in this shifting world—except by her father’s side. By day she helps transcribe his latest masterpiece, the epic poem Paradise Lost, and by night she learns languages and sword fighting. Although she does not dare object, she suspects that he’s training her for a mission whose purpose she cannot fathom…until the king’s men arrive at her family’s country home to arrest her father.
  
  Determined to save him, Elizabeth follows his one cryptic clue and journeys to Oxford, accompanied by her father’s mysterious young houseguest, Antonio Vivani, an Italian scientist who surprises her at every turn. Funny, brilliant, and passionate, Antonio seems just as determined to protect her father as she is—but can she trust him?
  
  When the two discover that Milton has planted an explosive secret in the half-finished Paradise Lost—a secret the king and his aristocratic supporters are desperate to conceal—Elizabeth is faced with a devastating choice: cling to the shelter of her old life or risk cracking the code, unleashing a secret that could save her father…and tear apart the very fabric of society.
  
  It’s 1666: six years since King Charles II returned from exile and reclaimed the throne, and a year with very little (if any) rain for England. John Milton is an exiled regicide, living as quietly as possible in a small country home outside London. Elizabeth is aware she’s had an unusual upbringing, but everything comes to light when her father is arrested and he whispers a mysterious, poetic line in her ear. Using clues sprinkled throughout Paradise Lost, Elizabeth flees in the night with an Italian scientist to Oxford on horseback, and races against the clock to discover and safeguard her father’s secret. But when the clues trace back to London’s St Paul’s, and indeed the very heart of Charles II’s court, Elizabeth must make a bold decision before the entire city erupts in flames.
  
  Damn.
  
  This is a book for nerds and bookworms and history buffs and adventure seekers. This is like Da Vinci Code meets Possession meets YA (heck, I’d even toss YA out the window — this is that lovely in-between of classic adult and engrossing YA, a pure crossover). A mission hidden within a great literary work. A mystery that could unravel all society holds dear.
  
  It has everything. Galileo, astronomy, natural philosophy. John Milton, poetry, Paradise Lost. The Civil War, Oliver Cromwell, Charles I and II. Royalists and Puritans. Science and religion. Oxford, Bodleian, Whitehall, the Tower. The Great Fire of London.
  
  Are you drooling?
  
  While I could go on about Elizabeth’s character development, the delicate way Blankman handled fact and fiction, Antonio and Robert, the political turmoil of the era, the heart-pounding discoveries and captures — I won’t. You need to discover this for yourself. This book is dynamic and brilliant and quite possibly Blankman’s best yet.
  
  I am astonished, and I want nothing more than to roam Oxford again and picnic by the river and revisit my studies on the English Civil War, with a copy of Milton by my side and Renaissance historians gushing about the Italian progress. When an author can make me miss academia at this level, I promise you the book they wrote is excellent. And Blankman’s is exactly that.
  
  Thank you, Edelweiss, for providing this book from Balzer + Bray for review!
  
  See my other reviews for Anne Blankman’s books: Prisoner of Night and Fog, Conspiracy of Blood and Smoke
  
  Posted in books, Reviews 2016 | 6 Comments | Tagged advance reading copy, ARC, book review, books, genre: action/adventure, genre: historical fiction, genre: young adult, review
- Advance Excitement at a Glance XXIV
  
  Posted at 6:45 am by Laura, on April 30, 2016
  
  A monthly meme to keep up with the latest publications, featuring advance copy reviews to look forward to reading.
  
  Holy massive month of releases. Some of my favorites — Morgan Matson, Stacey Lee, Stephanie Perkins, Jessica Brockmole, SJ Maas — and some potential newbies, like The Crown’s Game and Sing, all come out in May. But one book I’m particularly excited about, Traitor Angels by Anne Blankman, releases in just a few days!
  
  Traitor Angels by Anne Blankman
  (Balzer + Bray, May 3)
  
  Six years have passed since England’s King Charles II returned from exile to reclaim the throne, ushering in a new era of stability for his subjects.
  
  Except for Elizabeth Milton, the daughter of notorious poet John Milton. By day she helps transcribe his latest masterpiece, the epic poem Paradise Lost, and by night she learns languages and sword fighting. Although she does not dare object, she suspects that he’s training her for a mission whose purpose she cannot fathom.
  
  When the king’s men arrest him, Elizabeth follows his one cryptic clue and journeys to Oxford, accompanied by an Italian scientist, Antonio Vivani. When the two discover that Milton has planted an explosive secret in the half-finished Paradise Lost—a secret the king and his aristocratic supporters are desperate to conceal—Elizabeth is faced with a devastating choice: cling to the shelter of her old life or risk cracking the code.
  
  Nerd book of nerdy proportions. Give it to me now.
  
  What books are you looking forward to in May?
  
  Posted in Advance Excitement, books | 0 Comments | Tagged advance excitement at a glance, advance reading copy, books
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- Hello, I’m Laura!
  
  I'm a bookish bookworm and book hoarder. By day I'm a literary agent, and by night I'm forever rearranging my bookshelves. I could talk your ear off about Gothic literature, and in my past life people thought I'd become a professional musician. I have a fluffy black cat named Rossetti, I love to travel, tea is my drink of choice, British TV is the best, and I'm always down for chips-and-queso nights. Welcome to Scribbles & Wanderlust! Grab your favorite hot beverage and let's chat books!
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