Tag: genre: action/adventure

• Book Review: “Whenever I’m With You” by Lydia Sharp (ARC)

  Posted at 3:15 am by Laura, on January 30, 2017

  Whenever I’m With You by Lydia Sharp

  Publisher: Scholastic Press
  Published: January 3
  Genre: young adult, contemporary
  ISBN: 9781338047493
  Rating: ★★★

  After Gabi’s parents’ divorce, she moves from California to Alaska with her dad. At first, it feels like banishment—until she meets Kai. He welcomes her into his life, sharing his family, his friends, and his warmth. But as winter approaches, Kai pulls away for seemingly no reason at all. He’s quiet, withdrawn. Then one day, he disappears.

  Kai’s twin brother, Hunter, believes Kai is retracing their missing father’s steps in the wilderness north of Anchorage. There’s a blizzard on the way, and Kai is alone out there. Gabi’s frustration over his emotional distance quickly turns to serious concern. This is the boy who saved her from the dark. She can’t lose him to it.

  So Gabi and Hunter agree to head out together on a wild journey north—a trip that will challenge them physically and emotionally, as they try to convince the boy they love to return home.

  Gabi still feels so new to Alaskan lifestyle, even with boyfriend Kai by her side, explaining fun traditions the other teens do at the start of winter, how to fend for oneself during the winter months, and neat ways to banish the darkness. But Kai starts to act a bit odd, and disappears just before a large snowstorm hits Anchorage. With his concerned twin Hunter’s help, Gabi heads straight into the storm to find Kai, and survive the wildness of America’s last frontier.

  I was drawn to this contemporary YA based on the romantic relationship style (the two teens are already together, strong, and established) and the setting (ALASKAAAA). While I found some of the storytelling to be a bit underdeveloped, this is definitely a good, clean YA that reminded me a bit of Sarah Dessen and Jenny Han.

  How easily your whole world can change with just
  two simple words, spoken from the heart:
  I’m sorry. *

  There’s also a lot of discussion on grief and the various forms it takes. Not everyone grieves the same way, either in a death or in a broken relationship. Gabi has many issues with her mother (valid ones, too), and is battling coming to terms with her parents’ divorce. Kai and Hunter grieve the loss of their father in different ways — denial and acceptance, in short — and that changes how they interact with their friends, family, and environment.

  Two sides to every story: another theme within the novel especially between the twin brothers. Each perspective is important and a major key to the puzzle of Kai’s disappearance. Family dynamics, friendship, and determination were some underlying themes of the book that really struck a chord with me.

  Whenever I’m With You is a plot-driven adventure of survival and love in the middle of an Alaskan snowstorm, completely disconnected from the comforts of modern technology and civilization. If you’re itching for a good, quick contemporary read on love and friendship, I’d suggest Sharp’s novel.

  Thank you, Edelweiss, for providing this book from Scholastic for review.

  *quote taken from uncorrected proof

  Posted in books, Reviews 2017 | 0 Comments | Tagged advance reading copy, ARC, book review, books, genre: action/adventure, genre: contemporary, genre: young adult, 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

• Book Review: “The Boundless” by Kenneth Oppel

  Posted at 4:33 am by Laura, on November 30, 2015

  The Boundless by Kenneth Oppel

  Publisher: Simon & Schuster BFYR
  Published: May 2015
  Genre: middle grade, adventure, historical fiction
  ISBN: 9781442472891
  Goodreads: 3.87
  Rating: ★★★

  The Boundless, the greatest train ever built, is on its maiden voyage across the country, and first-class passenger Will Everett is about to embark on the adventure of his life! When he ends up in possession of the key to a train car containing priceless treasures, he becomes the target of sinister figures from his past.

  In order to survive, Will must join a traveling circus, enlisting the aid of Mr. Dorian, the ringmaster and leader of the troupe, and Maren, a girl his age who is an expert escape artist. With villains fast on their heels, can Will and Maren reach Will’s father and save The Boundless before someone winds up dead?

  The Boundless is the longest train in the world, and it’s taking its maiden voyage across Canada with Will’s father as the driver. Will and his father weren’t always first-class passengers though. Mr Everett was once a breakman, assisting on the railroad  and hopping between cars. He and Will lived through a devastating avalanche, one with events that’s coming back to haunt Will on The Boundless. To save himself before he or his father gets murdered, Will must join the traveling circus on the train before it’s too late.

  There’s something about train stories I find fascinating and incredible. It’s both a stable and moving setting, a character on its own. When you have a train that’s 7 miles long like The Boundless, you know suspense is going to be a part of the story. Any time the train is moving, so is the plot. Any time the train stops, an insurmountable build-up of tension occurs, and you can’t help but hold your breath in anticipation of what’s to come. This book is steeped in Canadian cultural history, so that and the mountains and forests the train zooms past is as much of a character as the train, too.

  Will and Maren, a girl in the traveling circus, are caught up in two different plots that have one ultimate goal: to save or kill Will’s father. They’re busy running from the villains — disguised breakmen angered by events that happened three years prior in the avalanche — as well as nabbing a unique, magical canvas for the ringmaster Mr. Dorian (I couldn’t help but wonder if there was a bizarre Dorian Gray connection…there isn’t). If they can find the canvas, they can save Will’s father. If they cannot, the breakmen just might harm all the passengers on The Boundless.

  One issue I had with the book is how black-and-white the villains were. They’re your standard big bulky bullies with guns and knives and clubs, chasing after children and grunting and refusing to shave or clean up. Gruff, scruffy men. Your typical DANGER, I AM BAD kind of character. I was hoping for something with a bit more depth, so I’m not sure if it’s the thriller part of this novel that prevented the full potential, or if it’s because this is middle grade. However, there was something about this novel I absolutely adored: Will’s love for art. He sketches and paints, he’s an artist with ambitions to study art in school and receive an art education. He’s a sensitive soul with a curious mind in awe with the world around him. While Mr Everett tries to dampen his son’s artistic spirit, saying it’s “feminine” and not “masculine” enough of a profession, Will refuses to listen and chases after his dreams. That was absolutely lovely to read.

  A good middle grade thriller with a dash of magic and a whole lot of great Canadian history. Definitely pick this up if you need a speedy read in the cooler months. Time will zoom by!

  This qualifies as book #3 in my autumn reading challenge.

  Posted in books, Reviews 2015 | 0 Comments | Tagged book review, books, genre: action/adventure, genre: historical fiction, genre: middle grade, goodreads, review

• Book Review: “The Doldrums” by Nicholas Gannon (ARC)

  Posted at 7:00 am by Laura, on September 16, 2015

  The Doldrums by Nicholas Gannon

  Publisher: Greenwillow Books
  Publishing Date: September 29
  Genre: middle grade, historical fiction
  ISBN: 9780062408273
  Goodreads: —
  Rating: ★★★★

  Archer B. Helmsley has grown up in a house full of oddities and treasures collected by his grandparents, the famous explorers. He knows every nook and cranny. He knows them all too well. After all, ever since his grandparents went missing on an iceberg, his mother barely lets him leave the house.

  Archer B. Helmsley longs for adventure. Grand adventures, with parachutes and exotic sunsets and interesting characters. But how can he have an adventure when he can’t leave his house?

  It helps that he has friends like Adélaïde L. Belmont, who must have had many adventures since she ended up with a wooden leg. (Perhaps a crocodile ate it. Perhaps not.) And Oliver Glub. Oliver will worry about all the details (so that Archer doesn’t have to).

  And so Archer, Adélaïde, and Oliver make a plan. A plan to get out of the house, out of their town entirely. It’s a good plan.

  Well, it’s not bad, anyway.

  But nothing goes quite as they expect.

  Archer B. Helmsley is the grandson of the great explorers Ralph and Rachel Helmsley. His home is filled with treasures from their adventures across the world — to the dismay of Mrs. Helmsley — and people across the country frequent the house to examine the collection. Archer longs for an adventure, too, but after his grandparents go missing, his mother cracks down and refuses to let Archer leave the house other than to attend school. Enter Oliver Glub and Adélaïde L. Belmont, neighbors who are willing to join Archer in his grand schemes. But great adventures come at great costs, and the three friends will stop at nothing to believe in the impossible.

  What an absolutely stunning debut! Gannon wrote a fantastical, whimsical middle grade novel that’s both refreshing and cozily familiar all at once. I’d lump it in historical fiction, partly for the technology mentioned and partly for the stunning artwork. Oh, right — Gannon is the illustrator as well, and I loved all the pieces! This ARC was in black-and-white and several pages contained ART TK messages, so I can’t wait to see what the finished copy looks like (and in color)!

  The language was so lush but the writing continued in that middle grade mindset: the lovely mix of stream-of-consciousness and jumping narrative. Each chapter is subdivided into scenes and moments, from Archer’s point of view to Oliver’s to Adélaïde’s to a secondary character’s. Not once did it feel jarring. Everything…worked.

  My favorite bits of the story were the library request cards, the newspaper clippings, and letters. Incorporating these outside elements to a story make it feel more fun and — of course — adventurous! It adds to that timeless feel. I’ve no doubt The Doldrums will become a classic children’s book. Truly. I can’t tell you much more because it will ruin the magic!

  Thank you, Greenwillow Books and HarperCollins, for providing this book at BEA for review!

  This book fulfills 3 of 7 #ARCAugust reads.

  Posted in books, Reviews 2015 | 7 Comments | Tagged advance reading copy, ARC, book review, books, genre: action/adventure, genre: historical fiction, genre: middle grade, review

• Whimsical Middle Grade for Autumn

  Posted at 6:30 am by Laura, on September 10, 2015

  

  I was rearranging my packed TBR bookcase (yes, bookcase) when I took a closer look at my MG shelf. The dark colors, the creepy art, the whimsical plot. There’s a trend in my preferences and reading habits for MG, and if it’s not a great boarding school detective story, it’s the “weird” stuff. Not quite historical, not quite fantasy, not quite nightmarish horror, but it could easily fit the bill for all those genres. Think Neil Gaiman’s children’s books, or Tim Burton’s stop motion movies. It’s that tiny bit of salt to add a kick of flavor in my otherwise routine reading habits!

  W H I M · S Y
  [ˈ(h)wimzē/] (n)
  playfully quaint or fanciful behavior or humor; a thing that is fanciful or odd

  GOTHIC  || dark and picturesque scenery, startling and melodramatic narrative devices, an overall atmosphere of exoticism, mystery, and dread (x)

  

  

  

  

  

  The Night Gardener || The Kneebone Boy
  The Mysterious Howling || Doll Bones || Monstrous

  STEAMPUNK || science fiction that typically features steam-powered machinery rather than advanced technology (x)

  

  

  

  

  Flights & Chimes & Mysterious Times || The Accidental Afterlife of Thomas Marsden
  Horten’s Miraculous Mechanisms || Heap House

  HISTORICAL ADVENTURE || historically set, an exciting undertaking involving risk and physical danger (x)

  

  

  

  

  The Boundless || Liesl & Po || The Glass Sentence || Rooftoppers

  I don’t see these particular genres translating into my other reading habits. Yes, I enjoy fantasy and historical fiction and a blend of the two, and you know my love for the Gothic. But there’s something about the charm and spark added into the MG books that just can’t be replicated in YA or Adult.

  Seeing these books piling up inspired me to create a fall challenge. Like this summer’s plan to read through more of  the TBR pile and taking on fewer ARCs, I will read more whimsical MG from my TBR shelf. ARCs this fall are unavoidable (thank you, the blessing and curse that is BEA), but I know I can sink into these charming reads during the crisper months!

  Do you have any peculiar reading preferences? Is there a genre you’re drawn toward as your form of ultimate escapism?

  Posted in books | 4 Comments | Tagged books, genre: action/adventure, genre: fantasy, genre: gothic, genre: historical fiction, genre: middle grade

• Book Review: “A Court of Thorns and Roses” by SJ Maas

  Posted at 6:05 am by Laura, on June 15, 2015

  A Court of Thorns and Roses by SJ Maas

  Publisher: Bloomsbury
  Published: May 2015
  Genre: young adult, fantasy, retelling
  ISBN: 9781619634442
  Goodreads: 4.36
  Rating: ★★★★★

  When nineteen-year-old huntress Feyre kills a wolf in the woods, a beast-like creature arrives to demand retribution for it. Dragged to a treacherous magical land she only knows about from legends, Feyre discovers that her captor is not an animal, but Tamlin—one of the lethal, immortal faeries who once ruled their world.

  As she dwells on his estate, her feelings for Tamlin transform from icy hostility into a fiery passion that burns through every lie and warning she’s been told about the beautiful, dangerous world of the Fae. But an ancient, wicked shadow grows over the faerie lands, and Feyre must find a way to stop it . . . or doom Tamlin—and his world—forever.

  Feyre is a hunter by necessity. Her family depends on her to bring back meat for food and hide for money. But one snowy evening in the woods changes her future forever. The night after she kills a gigantic wolf, a beast arrives at her family’s cottage and drags her into the magical realm of the faeries, a place Feyre has been taught to fear her whole life. But once at the Spring Court, Feyre learns the beast is not a creature, but a High Lord, a faerie named Tamlin. Tamlin shows her compassion, brings her art and peace each day she dwells in Prythian. But an ancient magic haunts Tamlin and hinders his powers, and Feyre is swept up in a deadly game plaguing the faerie lands.

  Move over, folks, because I need a spot on the SJ Maas bandwagon. Though I own Throne of Glass and Crown of Midnight, A Court of Thorns and Roses ranked higher on my priority list because, hello, Beauty and the Beast retelling! Instead of a beautiful girl obsessed with books swapping her father’s life for her own (and a whole mess of Stockholm Syndrome that I like to ignore), we’ve got an artistically talented and illiterate young woman who chose to spare her family’s slaughter by agreeing to cross into faerie lands for eternity. And the beast? He’s all terrifying when he storms into her home, but the second they cross into Prythian he’s not a person to fear. He’s nothing but kind to her, no masks (well, except for the one permanently glued to his face — part of the curse) or bickering dialogue.

  Tamlin and Feyre really have chemistry. Not love-at-first-sight chemistry, but a steady, growing attraction that is so deep as well as steamy. That’s what made her friendship with Lucien feel genuine, too. No love triangles here. And her connection later with Rhys? I don’t see a triangle on that end either, at least not reciprocated by Feyre, but it made me like Rhys’s character as well when he helped her during the torturous trials.

  Favorite scenes: the starlight pond, the gallery showing, Feyre’s sister Nesta’s reveal, Feyre’s fae maid Alis explaining the curse, the frightening mud scene in Amarantha’s mountain . . .

  I don’t know how to review this book without doing this

  

  There’s action, romance, adventure, faerie lore, retelling parallels, excellent characters, depth and plotting. It’s a book.

  Now, I’ve had this conversation with Morgan and Lindsey before, about how we can’t seem to cast characters as we’re reading but it makes sense in hindsight when we see an actor with those physical features. The characters are hazy, blurred. Well, Kelly solved all of these issues with her excellent ACOTAR casting. Not only do I approve of all those yummy men (especially Shuegs), I also approve of the roles they’d play.

  Posted in books, Reviews 2015 | 5 Comments | Tagged book review, books, genre: action/adventure, genre: fantasy, genre: new adult, genre: young adult, review

• Book Review: “Drums of Autumn” by Diana Gabaldon

  Posted at 6:15 am by Laura, on March 8, 2015

  Drums of Autumn by Diana Gabaldon

  Publisher: Dell
  Published: 1996
  Genre: historical fiction, fantasy, romance, adventure
  ISBN: 9780440224259
  Goodreads: 4.33
  Rating: ★★★★★

  Brianna has made a disturbing discovery that sends her to the stone circle and a terrifying leap into the unknown. In search of her mother and the father she has never met, she is risking her own future to try to change history…and to save their lives. But as Brianna plunges into an uncharted wilderness, a heartbreaking encounter may strand her forever in the past…or root her in the place she should be, where her heart and soul belong…

  Claire and Jamie travel from Jamie’s aunt’s plantation in the South upriver to the Carolinas, where Jamie builds a homestead on a vast expanse of land. As his men from the prison years begin to settle, so too does Claire into her medicinal routines. Young Ian has a way with the Native Americans, and while times are by no means easy or peaceful, the Frasers are content for the first time in years. Meanwhile, Brianna and Roger continue their research to find out whether Claire reunited with Jamie, and a discovery from a newspaper clipping dating 1776 proves Claire and Jamie were reunited, but something terrible will happen to them. Brianna takes it upon herself to reunite with her mother, meet her biological father, and keep her heart in one place in time.

  SPOILER ALERT
  Events pertaining to Outlander, Dragonfly in Amber, and Voyager are within this review.
  SPOILER ALERT

  Reading Gabaldon is an extreme time commitment. When I began this book (late October!), I had a lot going on in my life, and so I would only read maybe ten pages a night. Not even a full chapter. Or even a full scene! But despite how long it took to finish, I can say without a doubt that this is, thus far, my second favorite of the series (first being Outlander, of course).

  It’s also the most unique of the four I’ve read. Drums delves into multiple points of view across time, such as Jamie and Claire building a home in the Carolinas, and Roger and Brianna looking for ways to connect back to Claire. So much happened in this book — homelessness, poverty, plantations and slavery, encounters / fights / friendships with Indians, time travel, love, pregnancy, misunderstandings, illness, reconciliation — that it might be best if I summarize character growth instead of plot.

  Jamie. He’s running a farm, just like he wanted to do at Lallybroch, without a price on his head. He’s relaxed and gentle, while still maintaining a very political, skeptical mindset. We also get to see the fatherly side of him, his protectiveness over the younger generation and how it’s different from what he shows with Claire. I was happy to see him this way. He’s still that adventurous, laughing, fierce warrior Claire met in Outlander, but in a much calmer, settled way. Like a sigh.

  Claire. She manages to be a woman of her original time as well as a woman in history. She adapts easily to the culture (apart from the slavery) and manages to hide her differences very well now. It’s interesting seeing the Native Americans’ reaction to her healing powers. Word spreads about her talent, and the settlers of the area, as well as the Indians, see her as a cross between a good witch and a healer. The lore of the area is like that of Scotland, only with a different sort of superstition. It was neat watching her navigate that territory.

  Young Ian. He always longed for adventure, to be just like Uncle Jamie while living in Scotland, that he adapts very well to living on Fraser’s Ridge. Like his uncle, he has a knack for languages and a natural charisma. He thrives in the New World, and becomes a great asset to Indians and the settlers alike. I can’t wait to read the rest of his story in the following books!

  Roger. Our historian, our musician, our modern, chivalrous knight. He’s passionate and loving and thoughtful, incredibly patient and determined, and fights hard to understand and rationalize time travel. He loves Brianna deeply and throws himself into understanding her family history as well as his own. Poor man went through several ups and downs in this book, and I’m also looking forward to what comes next for him.

  Brianna. She, too, is a determined, stubborn character, an outlander in her own right. She’s deeply conflicted throughout the novel, and even when she has doubts she’ll firmly stick to her decisions. She’s strong and bold, an enigma. I’ve no idea how she managed to handle any of the conflicts thrown her way in this book, and her bravery has me rooting for her in the next ones!

  Drums contained so many echoes and parallels to Outlander. I worried that I wouldn’t like the series as much since we were no longer in Scotland — and I’ll be honest and say Scotland was partly the draw. But Scottish culture made its way to the mountains, and the American lore blends in well. Claire and Jamie’s relationship deepens, and they grow and love one another even more. It’s just beautiful. Watching everyday life come about from extraordinary circumstances…it’s beautiful.

  Posted in books, Reviews 2015 | 2 Comments | Tagged book review, books, genre: action/adventure, genre: adult fiction, genre: fantasy, genre: fiction, genre: historical fiction, genre: romance, goodreads, review

• Book Review: “Voyager” by Diana Gabaldon

  Posted at 3:09 pm by Laura, on October 29, 2014

  Voyager by Diana Gabaldon 

  Publisher: Dell
  Published: 1993
  Genre: historical fiction, romance, fantasy, adventure
  ISBN: 9780440217565
  Goodreads: 4.37
  Rating: ★★★★★

  Their passionate encounter happened long ago by whatever measurement Claire Randall took. Two decades before, she had traveled back in time and into the arms of a gallant eighteenth-century Scot named Jamie Fraser. Then she returned to her own century to bear his child, believing him dead in the tragic battle of Culloden. Yet his memory has never lessened its hold on her… and her body still cries out for him in her dreams.

  Then Claire discovers that Jamie survived. Torn between returning to him and staying with their daughter in her own era, Claire must choose her destiny. And as time and space come full circle, she must find the courage to face the passion and pain awaiting her…the deadly intrigues raging in a divided Scotland… and the daring voyage into the dark unknown that can reunite—or forever doom—her timeless love.

  Claire’s told her daughter Brianna about her birth father, Jamie, and the unusual circumstances in which he and Claire met. With Roger Wakefield’s help, Claire and Brianna begin a desperate search to find out what happened to Jamie after Culloden, as evidence points to his survival. When they make a discovery that he could still be alive 20 years after the battle — 200 years exactly for Claire — Claire decides to take a chance and return to him. But will he be the same man she left 20 years ago? What sort of life is he leading now? And though Claire clings to the memory of him, does he still hold her in his heart as well?

  SPOILER ALERT
  Events pertaining to Outlander and Dragonfly in Amber are within this review.
  SPOILER ALERT

  While only slightly put off by the 1960s Scotland in Dragonfly, I was not put off at all in this book! I love Roger and Brianna, their personalities and enthusiasm and general goodness. They’re fleshed out much more in this book, and even while Claire was reunited with Jamie I did wonder how they were getting on. Could they follow Jamie and Claire in the history books? How was Brianna dealing with the loss of her mother? How was Roger coping with his newly discovered, time-warped family history? How was Brianna coping with her newly discovered, time-warped family history?! I’m excited to see more of them in future books.

  Gabaldon knows just how to answer all the reader questions. I was happy to see the conflict and slow decision Claire encountered when faced with traveling back in time to see Jamie. Of course she’d go back — but that takes preparation. And she did it so well, so thoughtful of her daughter’s well-being, of her career and friendship with Joe (who is also awesome, by the way), her forgiveness for Frank (who frankly (ha ha) doesn’t deserve it, the bastard, but it was well done and very Claire-like). It was fun to see her collect the proper coinage, the right dress, the knowledge of history and culture and politics — so much preparation to blend in for her arrival.

  Not to mention the constant insecurities and questioning upon reuniting with Jamie! They love each other, pure and true, but it has been 20 years, and so much can change a person. The book takes place across four months in the 1760s, and while the reader gets snippets of Jamie’s past (his hiding, his imprisonment, his servitude in England), Claire learns of them briefly and at very inopportune moments. It’s as if they know one another so deeply, and suddenly there’s a rift they must work through. It was beautiful (and heartbreaking) to read. I’ve never read of a couple more human than these two.

  So much happens in this book. If I thought Dragonfly was filled with several many names and circumstances, I had to think again. New acquaintances, reconnections, pirates and military, nieces and nephews, adventures on land and by sea, Scotland and France and the Caribbean — it was all a jumble of love, adventure, shock, discovery, and brand new beginnings for these two. And I can honestly say that at this point, I don’t care where they end up as long as they’re together.

  I also hope Jamie’s no longer an outlaw, poor fellow. But clearly he becomes one again at some point in future books. Sigh. Can’t seem to catch a break.

  Posted in books, Reviews 2014 | 2 Comments | Tagged book review, books, genre: action/adventure, genre: adult fiction, genre: fantasy, genre: fiction, genre: historical fiction, genre: romance, goodreads, review

• Book Review: “Dragonfly in Amber” by Diana Gabaldon

  Posted at 8:33 pm by Laura, on September 28, 2014

  Dragonfly in Amber by Diana Gabaldon 

  Publisher: Seal Books
  Published: July 1992
  Genre: historical fiction, fantasy, romance, adventure
  ISBN: 9780440215622
  Goodreads: 4.31
  Rating: ★★★★

  For twenty years Claire Randall has kept her secrets. But now she is returning with her grown daughter to Scotland’s majestic mist-shrouded hills. Here Claire plans to reveal a truth as stunning as the events that gave it birth: about the mystery of an ancient circle of standing stones …about a love that transcends the boundaries of time …and about James Fraser, a Scottish warrior whose gallantry once drew a young Claire from the security of her century to the dangers of his ….

  Now a legacy of blood and desire will test her beautiful copper-haired daughter, Brianna, as Claire’s spellbinding journey of self-discovery continues in the intrigue-ridden Paris court of Charles Stuart …in a race to thwart a doomed Highlands uprising …and in a desperate fight to save both the child and the man she loves…

  Scotland, 1968. Claire brings her daughter Brianna to Scotland to visit the place Frank studied with such depth and devotion. Claire introduces Brianna to Roger Wakefield, the adopted son of the reverend Frank corresponded and shared academic stories with during and after his second honeymoon with Claire. But Roger and Brianna are set in store for more than nostalgia and acquaintance reunions — little do they know they’ll learn of the years Claire spent away from Frank, and what it means for them.
  Scotland & France, 1744-1746. Claire and Jamie flee Scotland for France, and work their way into Charles Stuart’s court in Paris in an attempt to thwart his efforts to reclaim the Scottish throne. Leading the life of a double-agent, Jamie’s political leanings and pride in his country war in his heart, and Claire attempts to navigate court life to help in his efforts. Soon enough their work is needed in Scotland once more, and it appears that fate has a different plan set in store for the Frasers, the MacKenzies, and Scotland.

  Note: All Outlander books will be filled with spoilers. If you haven’t read Outlander yet, do not read on!

  This would’ve received five stars if it weren’t for France. Not that Gabaldon’s writing was poor in France, or that the history wasn’t fascinating — nothing like that. And it’s not that it was the setting that put me off (France versus Scotland…mmm, I’d take Scotland). The slow pacing and political intrigue was just like in Outlander, except that this time we’re set in the opulence of a French court, with too many characters and too much gossip and too much scheming and it not only took a toll on me but also on Jamie and Claire. They love each other deeply and they care about their cause, but it clearly disrupted their life, being double agents and attempting to change the course of history. It created a rift, in a way. I promise you, if you’re reading Dragonfly in Amber right now and you’re not back in Scotland yet, keep reading. It’ll be worth it! Soon our lovers are back on home land and even they admit France was tedious!

  At first I was slightly put off by the twenty-years-into-the-future part of the story — including the switching perspectives — but after a while I genuinely liked it. We see how Claire struggled to maintain a secret, read her mind as she flashed back to the difficulty in her marriage with Frank post-return, felt her love for her daughter Brianna and all that she meant. We can sense how heartbreaking it was for her to come back to the twentieth century and have a child. And then to tell the child about her years away from Frank and hope against all hope she’d believe Claire. That’s tough. Although I still find it hilarious that the most logical of men in this series still believe Claire faster than any woman has (first Jamie, then Anselm, then Roger).

  I know that everyone is okay. It’s clear, reading the summaries of the other books, that everyone is okay. But that still didn’t stop the feeling of dread once we were back in Scotland, once you realize Claire really did return to the future, once Jamie and Claire have to say goodbye. So many tears. So. Many.

  And the cliffhanger? Good Lord.

  There’s a reason this series is successful. It’s not a romance about how two people come together and live happily ever after. It’s about a marriage. About following these two people across time and space, about all the hardships they’ve encountered together and apart, how they work with one another and make decisions and still come out loving one another so deeply and fully it makes your own heart shatter. It’s beautiful.

  Posted in books, Reviews 2014 | 0 Comments | Tagged book review, books, genre: action/adventure, genre: adult fiction, genre: fantasy, genre: fiction, genre: historical fiction, genre: romance, review

• Book Review: “Outlander” by Diana Gabaldon

  Posted at 9:07 pm by Laura, on September 6, 2014

  Outlander by Diana Gabaldon 

  Publisher: Bantem Dell
  Published: 1991
  Genre: historical fiction, romance, adventure, fantasy 
  ISBN: 9780440212560
  Goodreads: 4.14
  Rating: ★★★★★

  In 1945, Claire Randall, a former combat nurse, is back from the war and reunited with her husband on a second honeymoon–when she innocently touches a boulder in one of the ancient stone circles that dot the British Isles. Suddenly she is a Sassenach—an “outlander”—in a Scotland torn by war and raiding border clans in the year of our Lord…1743.

  Hurled back in time by forces she cannot understand, Claire’s destiny in soon inextricably intertwined with Clan MacKenzie and the forbidden Castle Leoch. She is catapulted without warning into the intrigues of lairds and spies that may threaten her life …and shatter her heart. For here, James Fraser, a gallant young Scots warrior, shows her a passion so fierce and a love so absolute that Claire becomes a woman torn between fidelity and desire…and between two vastly different men in two irreconcilable lives.

  Claire and her husband Frank and finally reunited after years of separation during WWII. They decide to have a second honeymoon in the Highlands, and traipse about the countryside to learn more about Frank’s ancestry and the local botany. One afternoon, Claire travels to an ancient stone circle she and Frank visited previously, and ends up traveling back in time to 1743. She’s stunned beyond belief and struggles to comprehend what has happened to her, especially when her life is in the hands of the MacKenzie clansmen at Castle Leoch. She takes on the role of healer in an effort to fit in, and is drawn to an unlikely friendship with Scots warrior Jamie Fraser, who has a tumultuous history of his own. Before long, Claire is torn between her life in the Highlands, set in a time of turmoil for Scotland, and her comfortable life in 1945 to a man she loves yet hardly knows.

  Why? Why did I read this before the TV show came out? I was told time and again I should read these books as I’d love this series, but it wasn’t until I saw the first episode of Outlander on Starz that I convinced myself to pick it up and read ahead of the episodes. It’s so well written and completely indescribable. It’s accurate historical fiction. It’s romance (steamy, too). It’s adventurous (and bloody and terrifying and a whole host of other suitable words). It’s fantasy (time travel!). It’s philosophical. It’s spiritual. It’s so many things!

  I’ve shared my thoughts with booksellers and bloggers privately (and extensively) on this book, and I’m quite excited to read the rest. But I’ll stick to two major points I felt I should include in the review.

  The violence. Particularly to Claire, and between Claire and Jamie. All the men versus Claire: it seems historically accurate. Women were treated like scum and furniture and property. The general devil-may-care attitude and violence towards Claire bothered me but I went in knowing that was common. She knew too. She hated it, and she’d lash out, but she also had to adapt to the times in order to save her neck. On the other hand, there’s a scene between Claire and Jamie I did not like one bit. I wasn’t sure if it was because it seemed slightly out-of-character for Jamie, or because I’d put him on a pedestal (or Claire did), or because of my own personal history — but it certainly tore me to pieces and broke my heart. It certainly shook things up. It revealed the times even more, that Claire’s situation was a real one, not play-acting, and that not everyone is perfect. But still. It bothered me. That one scene.

  Claire. Talk about an intelligent woman! Even while her mind was jumbled and afraid and confused, she was able to step back and observe her surroundings. She adapted quickly to this war-torn era, and put her combat nursing skills to good use while she tried to make sense of her situation. I would not have been able to hold my head if I were in her shoes. I was also thrilled to read about her independence, her progressive thoughts, and her sexual empowerment. She knew she didn’t belong in 1743 and stuck out like a sore thumb in many ways, but she still asserted her feminist beliefs in every available opportunity. She is warm and witty and loving, deeply philosophical and immensely brave. Bravo. (And bravo to Gabaldon for writing such wonderful and intimate love scenes between Claire and Jamie. It wasn’t instantaneous, it wasn’t rushed; it built upon trust and friendship and camaraderie, making Claire’s decision between Frank and Jamie all the more realistically difficult.)

  I’m really looking forward to reading the next book!

  Posted in books, Reviews 2014 | 4 Comments | Tagged book review, books, genre: action/adventure, genre: adult fiction, genre: fantasy, genre: fiction, genre: historical fiction, genre: romance, 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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