Tag: goodreads

• Book Review: “Savage Girl” by Jean Zimmerman (ARC)

  Posted at 9:15 am by Laura, on February 27, 2014

  Savage Girl by Jean Zimmerman 

  Publisher: Viking
  Publishing Date: March 6
  Genre: historical fiction, mystery
  ISBN: 9780670014859
  Goodreads: —
  Rating:  ★★★★

  Jean Zimmerman’s new novel tells of the dramatic events that transpire when an alluring, blazingly smart eighteen-year-old girl named Bronwyn, reputedly raised by wolves in the wilds of Nevada, is adopted in 1875 by the Delegates, an outlandishly wealthy Manhattan couple, and taken back East to be civilized and introduced into high society.

  Bronwyn hits the highly mannered world of Edith Wharton-era Manhattan like a bomb. A series of suitors, both young and old, find her irresistible, but the willful girl’s illicit lovers begin to turn up murdered.

  Zimmerman’s tale is narrated by the Delegate’s son, a Harvard anatomy student. The tormented, self-dramatizing Hugo Delegate speaks from a prison cell where he is prepared to take the fall for his beloved Savage Girl. This narrative—a love story and a mystery with a powerful sense of fable—is his confession.

  Hugo Delegate knows he’s in trouble. Whether or not it was Savage Girl — Bronwyn — who committed the murders or he, Hugo’s determined to free her and take the blame instead. He tells their story from the very beginning, in a windy, dusty city in Nevada where his wealthy family found and collected this feral young woman and brought her to New York City to be educated, trained, and prepared for her season. But somewhere within his story, Hugo blurs Bronwyn’s character, and begins to wonder if his love for her blinds him from her true nature, or if something — someone — more sinister is at work.

  While many historical novels stick to the historical facts of the day — politics, education, fashion, transportation, social expectations, belief systems, etc — Zimmerman embodies the language of the day in her story. From skeptical Harvard medical man to a drunkard wailing over his love, lust, and confusion, Zimmerman’s Hugo is a character that comes alive through the rich diction. I felt like I was on the train with his family, traveling across the country and entering high society and working with this “raised by wolves” young woman. Bronwyn is quite similar too — her growth is fascinating, her fierce independence and loyalty and brave nature colliding together to create this beautiful, believable character from the wilds. Feral children are not simply stories; they were real.

  When I first received this ARC, I assumed it would be like reading Catherine from Wuthering Heights plucked and dropped into Edith Wharton’s high society — her passions and wild-like manner considered animalistic and foreign. It’s nothing like that, and I’m glad. The mystery of the murders propelled the already intriguing plot (the character growth is enough to keep you reading), and it’s not until the exact last page that the truth is revealed. Zimmerman will keep you guessing, tossing around Hugo, Brownyn, and many other suspects back and forth. Who should you believe? The unreliable narrator? The wild woman?

  Oh, it’s just so wonderfully written. Transported in time! A time that many seem to skip across when discussing history, that age between the Civil War and the suffragettes — beautifully represented in this great book.

  Thank you, Viking and Goodreads, for providing this book for review!

  Posted in books, Reviews 2014 | 1 Comment | Tagged advance reading copy, ARC, book review, books, genre: adult fiction, genre: historical fiction, genre: mystery, goodreads, review

• Book Review: “Panic” by Lauren Oliver (ARC)

  Posted at 11:15 am by Laura, on February 22, 2014

  Panic by Lauren Oliver 

  Publisher: HarperCollins
  Publishing Date: March 4
  Genre: young adult, thriller, contemporary
  ISBN: 9780062014559
  Goodreads: —
  Rating: ★★

  Panic began as so many things do in Carp, a dead-end town of 12,000 people in the middle of nowhere: because it was summer, and there was nothing else to do.

  Heather never thought she would compete in Panic, a legendary game played by graduating seniors, where the stakes are high and the payoff is even higher. She’d never thought of herself as fearless, the kind of person who would fight to stand out. But when she finds something, and someone, to fight for, she will discover that she is braver than she ever thought.

  Dodge has never been afraid of Panic. His secret will fuel him, and get him all the way through the game, he’s sure of it. But what he doesn’t know is that he’s not the only one with a secret. Everyone has something to play for.

  For Heather and Dodge, the game will bring new alliances, unexpected revelations, and the possibility of first love for each of them—and the knowledge that sometimes the very things we fear are those we need the most.

  Heather and Dodge, participants in a thrilling post-graduation game where the winner takes all, have different reasons for entering Panic. Heather jumps in to prove something to herself. Dodge, in a sense, plays for revenge. But Panic must be kept a secret from the adults and police of Carp — a small, poor town in the middle of nowhere — because Panic is the only chance any of the students have to escape and start a fresh, new life.

  First of all, this is not dystopian and it is not another Hunger Games. Yes, it sounds like THG, and yes it sounds dystopian, but this is a thriller contemporary novel through and through. The high school graduates of Carp of years past devised a daring, life-threatening game where the winner takes $50,000 — money raised from the school population, $1 donated from each student for every day of high school attendance — and escapes the awful, poor, messed up town. The winner can do whatever they want: go to college, get surgery, travel the world, pick up and leave, become athletes or actresses, you name it. These students are desperate, and they will put their lives on the line for that chance to escape.

  And that’s what fuels Panic, the desperation of the participants. Heather is deeply insecure, feels unloved and worthless, and she enters Panic blindly thinking she’ll catch the eye of her ex-boyfriend, when in reality she realizes she entered to prove something to herself and to the world. Every participants has a sad, angry, desperate story, and it fuels them throughout their frightening game. Jumping off tanks, crossing highways blindfolded…anything for the $67,000 pool for this year’s winner.

  So why 2 stars? While this was well-written, dirty and gritty, honest, and filled with intense emotion, it just wasn’t the book for me. I continued reading because I love Oliver’s work, but this particular book was not meant to be read by me. Maybe I’ve never felt this angry, scared, insecure, or desperate, or maybe I’ve had a sheltered upbringing, or maybe I just never interacted with people in these dire situations. Who knows? This is not a reflection of the book’s quality, but rather my enjoyment of the book.

  Thank you, Edelweiss and HarperCollins, for providing the book for review!

  Posted in books, Reviews 2014 | 2 Comments | Tagged advance reading copy, ARC, book review, books, genre: contemporary, genre: fiction, genre: thriller, genre: young adult, goodreads, review

• Book Review: “The Daring Ladies of Lowell” by Kate Alcott (ARC)

  Posted at 6:14 pm by Laura, on February 18, 2014

  The Daring Ladies of Lowell by Kate Alcott

  Publisher: Doubleday
  Publishing Date: February 25
  Genre: historical fiction
  ISBN: 9780385536493
  Goodreads: —
  Rating: ★★★★

  Determined to forge her own destiny, Alice Barrow joins the legions of spirited young women better known as the Mill Girls. From dawn until dusk, these ladies work the looms, but the thrill of independence, change in their pockets, and friendships formed along the way mostly make the backbreaking labor worthwhile. In fact, Hiram Fiske, the steely-eyed titan of industry, has banked on that. But the working conditions are becoming increasingly dangerous and after one too many accidents, Alice finds herself unexpectedly acting as an emissary to address the factory workers’ mounting list of grievances.

  After traveling to the Fiske family’s Beacon Hill mansion, Alice enters a world she’s never even dared to dream about: exquisite silk gowns, sumptuous dinners, grand sitting parlors, and uniformed maids operating with an invisible efficiency. Of course, there’s also a chilliness in the air as Alice presents her case. But with her wide, intelligent eyes and rosy-hued cheeks, Alice manages to capture the attention of Hiram’s eldest son, the handsome and reserved Samuel Fiske.

  Their chemistry is undeniable, soon progressing from mutual respect and shy flirtation into an unforgettable romance. But when Alice’s best friend, Lovey, is found strangled in a field, Alice and Samuel are torn between loyalty to “their kind” and a chance for true love.

  Young Alice is determined to start a new life for herself by becoming a mill girl in a cotton factory, working with other independent young women on the dangerous looms. One accident after another sheds light on the dangers of factory work, and the list of grievances causes a stir among the workers. But when Alice’s dear friend Lovey is found strangled in a field, tensions rise and a trial threatens the balance of all of Lowell — and tests the bond between Alice and her employer’s forward-thinking son, Samuel.

  Once again, Alcott delivers a great new historical perspective on industry, law, and inter-class romance. With The Dressmaker, we saw a determined young maid desiring to become a seamstress and designer, all during the turmoil surrounding the court cases following the sinking of the Titanic. This novel, too, is based on fact: the murder of a factory girl and the rise of unions and strikes in industrial America. It was exciting to see how all aspects of the story — the wealth and opulence of the Fiske family, the spirited women in the factory boarding houses, the culture of a small town versus that of Boston, the law versus traditional prejudice — intertwined with one another, creating such rich detail and a vibrant story.

  Alice’s naïveté lends to her strong will and determination. From President Jackson’s visit onward, Alice was the voice of the workers without coming across as too strong or too weak. She spoke her mind respectfully, and never backed down. She’s quite an admirable character, and it’s easy to see how the mill girls loved her and how Samuel admired her despite her background. Social custom was a heavy topic, too. The Fiske family are of new money, and Grandmother is determined to make sure her son and grandchildren remember their origins, to look to reform and understand their employees’ grievances.

  Whenever I think of cotton mills and all the strikes, deaths, and horrors that came with the Industrial Revolution, I can’t help but be both frightened and disgusted with that bit of history. It makes reading fiction based on that difficult. And yet Alcott made each character’s hopes, voice, and personality shine so brilliantly that, for a moment and like Alice, I too forgot about the dreary hardships and absorbed the friendships, the passion for change, and the desire to break social code. Alcott is an excellent storyteller, and her next novel is definitely one to read.

  Thank you, Edelweiss and Doubleday, for providing this book for review!

  Posted in books, Reviews 2014 | 3 Comments | Tagged advance reading copy, ARC, book review, books, genre: adult fiction, genre: fiction, genre: historical fiction, goodreads, review

• Book Review: “Tyringham Park” by Rosemary McLoughlin (ARC)

  Posted at 9:15 am by Laura, on February 11, 2014

  Tyringham Park by Rosemary McLoughlin 

  Publisher: Atria Books

  Publishing Date: February 25

  Genre: historical fiction

  ISBN: 9781476733104

  Goodreads: —

  Rating: ★★★.5

  Charlotte Blackshaw is only eight years old when her little sister Victoria goes missing from the estate. Charlotte is left to struggle with her loss without any support from her hostile mother and menacing nanny. It is obvious to Charlotte that both of them wish she had been the one to go missing rather than pretty little Victoria.

  Charlotte finds comfort in the kindness of servants. With their help she seeks an escape from the burden of being the unattractive one left behind.

  Despite her mother’s opposition, she later reaches out for happiness and believes the past can no longer hurt her.

  But the mystery of Victoria’s disappearance continues to cast a long shadow over Tyringham Park – a mystery that may still have the power to destroy its world and the world of all those connected to it.

  Young Charlotte is building a bridge of sticks and mud when she’s informed her younger, beautiful sister Victoria is missing. From that day forward, her horrible nanny treats her even more poorly, her resentful mother scorns her, and her own self-worth fades. From her first hunt on the estate grounds, to her first art gallery showing in Dublin, to her exile in Australia as a doctor’s wife, Charlotte’s plagued by the disappearance of little Victoria. But as family, friends, and servants begin to piece together the events of that sad day, Charlotte strives to take matters into her own hands to prevent the truth from crumbling so many lives.

  Let’s first burst the bubble to all Downton Abbey fans and confirm that this is not like the show. It seems marketing teams try to entice readers by comparing any book with a large estate featuring upstairs-downstairs relationships set during WWI and WWII to that of the show. However, there’s something sparkly with the show, its good relationships between classes and care for other wealthy families and the villagers, that doesn’t quite ring true with the books advertised as such. In fact, this book (and many like it) may be more true to life than the show. Consider O’Brien and Barrow from the first season — hateful, conniving, self-centered — and set them upstairs as well as downstairs. Consider Edith, the unloved and unlucky of the three sisters. These characters are featured in the book, and it’s fascinating.

  Tyringham Park follows the family, the servants, and friends across three decades, from the Park to Dublin, London to Sydney. Victoria’s disappearance haunts 8-year-old Charlotte through adulthood. Charlotte’s decisions, mentality, emotional range, and personality are so affected by this childhood trauma that she, even into adulthood, sometimes acts like a child. Her growth is stunted, her self-esteem crushed, her world-view skewed. I wanted nothing but the best for poor Charlotte, but few people cared for her or believed in her. She was abused as a child before Victoria’s disappearance, and evidence of that shines through to the end. It’s heartbreaking.

  Shining moments of growth in Charlotte — moments that, if they lasted longer and if she were around more positive people, would have helped her overcome her psychological obstacles — really brought light to the story. Her moments riding horses, her first true praise in her self-worth. Her times painting with her tutor, Cormac, and the affirmation at a gallery that she is truly extraordinary. Her tenderness as a mother when she’s living in Australia. It’s so beautiful and bittersweet, because someone with great influence in her life crushes each joy.

  The mother, Lady Edwina Blackshaw, and the nanny, Dixon, are so beyond hateful it took all my willpower not to want to crush the review copy. That’s good news — excellent writing on McLoughlin’s part! Edwina is so self-centered, jealous, and wicked that she does not realize how incredibly dull and hurtful she truly is. There’s a moment when her husband, Waldron, shouts at her for her treatment of others — especially Charlotte — that for a moment you genuinely like his character (despite how oblivious he can be) and wish you could be shouting at her as well. Dixon, also self-centered, is vain, abusive, critical, and so incredibly strange in her view of her self-worth and perception. In one chapter, she talks about how beautiful she is, how she could snag any man she wants, how stunning her dresses are and how others will be so impressed by her. In the next, another character looks upon her and finds a plain, dull, over-dressed and desperate woman. Quite comical, actually.

  So many people’s lives unexpected change from Victoria’s disappearance. If Victoria was still around, Dixon could have kept her post as nanny, Charlotte wouldn’t have learned to paint, her brother Harcourt wouldn’t have introduced her to Lochlann, Charlotte wouldn’t have been exiled to Australia. And that’s not the end of it — periphery lives are changed as well: other servants in the household, a manageress at an Australian hotel, the people in Charlotte’s town, a medical family down the road from the Blackshaws’ townhouse. This saga (if that’s the appropriate word) was so incredibly fascinating that I couldn’t put it down.

  The writing was phenomenal, the storytelling wonderful. My one concern is that, unless the reader understands major psychological impacts of various aspects of disappearance and abuse, it can be difficult to understand and enjoy the various points of view. Even the horrid characters can be hard to enjoy reading, but I have to say it truly gave life to the book, gave a well-rounded interpretation of events from the good and the bad sorts of people. That must be where enjoyment of this book lies: an understanding in the complexities of humanity, and knowing one event can change the course of many lives forever.

  Thank you, Edelweiss, for providing this book from Atria Books for review!

  Posted in books, Reviews 2014 | 5 Comments | Tagged advance reading copy, ARC, book review, books, genre: adult fiction, genre: fiction, genre: historical fiction, goodreads, review

• Book Review: “Just One Year” by Gayle Forman

  Posted at 6:32 pm by Laura, on February 1, 2014

  Just One Year by Gayle Forman 

  Publisher: Dutton Juvenile
  Published: October 2013
  Genre: young adult
  ISBN: 9780525425922
  Goodreads: 3.88
  Rating: ★★★★

  After spending an amazing day and night together in Paris, Just One Year is Willem’s story, picking up where Just One Day ended. His story of their year of quiet longing and near misses is a perfect counterpoint to Allyson’s own as Willem undergoes a transformative journey, questioning his path, finding love, and ultimately, redefining himself.

  Willem wakes in a hospital, cut and bruised, with no recollection of the last few hours except a nagging feeling that he’s forgotten something, someone, very important. When his memory comes back, he’s desperate to find Lulu, a girl who stopped his heart and changed his world in one day. But she’s not in Paris anymore, and he has no idea how to find her because “Lulu” isn’t even her real name. From Mexican resorts to Indian film studios, from a best friend’s couch to his uncle’s loft, Willem travels the world and looks deep inside himself, his parents’ complex relationship, and Shakespeare to find the answers. And the answers all point to the mysterious American girl in Paris.

  

  While not as breathtaking as Just One Day — and I’ll only say that because I felt very much like Allyson and not like Willem, a spontaneous yet lost traveler — Forman packs another powerful punch in this world-traveling search for love and individual growth. Willem and Allyson were so incredibly close to running into one another throughout the novel, and it pained me to see them turn around or glance in a different direction and completely miss that connection. It was also fascinating to see the other side of the story: what happened to Allyson’s suitcase, how Willem came to find out about her letter, how Willem deduced where Allyson would be. They each, in their own books, pieced things together with scraps of memory, and it just made the whole concept of love — and finding the one — even more powerful.

  Shakespeare’s influence is stronger in this novel than the last, if that’s even possible. While Allyson’s story pieces together various plays to help her explain her life, As You Like It, or more specifically Orlando’s life, takes a hold of Willem throughout the novel. That play is his story, Orlando’s pain his Willem’s pain, and Willem’s role in the play in Amsterdam is intensified ten-fold because he’s no longer acting the role, he is the role.

  Bram and Yael’s story come together as well. Though Forman never states things point-blank, it is clear what Willem wants from love, what he perceived his parents’ relationship to be and his role in it. His parents’ story is so like his and Allyson’s, and it pains him to think that after his father’s death Yael no longer wants to see Willem. While that’s not the case at all, it’s so heartbreakingly beautiful to watch Willem’s childhood perception of his parents change into something else entirely — still an all-consuming love, but not one that blocks out the most wonderful proof of their love.

  Touching, heartbreaking, joyful, and humorous, Just One Year expresses Willem’s side of the year of growth, and how one day can truly imprint and change one’s being for the better.

  Posted in books, Reviews 2014 | 0 Comments | Tagged book review, books, genre: contemporary, genre: romance, genre: young adult, goodreads, review

• Book Review: “Just One Day” by Gayle Forman

  Posted at 1:57 pm by Laura, on January 28, 2014

  Just One Day by Gayle Forman 

  Publisher: Dutton Juvenile
  Published: January 2013
  Genre: young adult, romance
  ISBN: 9780525425915
  Goodreads: 4.12
  Rating: ★★★★★

  When sheltered American good girl Allyson “LuLu” Healey first meets laid-back Dutch actor Willem de Ruiter at an underground performance of Twelfth Night in England, there’s an undeniable spark. After just one day together, that spark bursts into a flame, or so it seems to Allyson, until the following morning, when she wakes up after a whirlwind day in Paris to discover that Willem has left. Over the next year, Allyson embarks on a journey to come to terms with the narrow confines of her life, and through Shakespeare, travel, and a quest for her almost-true-love, to break free of those confines.

  For three weeks, Allyson and her best friend experience a whirlwind tour of Europe for students post-high school graduation. Allyson is less than enthused with the results, and decides to take up Melanie’s challenge of breaking free from her monotonous routine: they ditch a Royal Shakespeare Company’s version of Hamlet for an underground street version of Twelfth Night. It is here that Allyson meets Willem, a Dutch actor who lives a nomadic life of “accidents.” And the next day, the two have their own “accident” when they run into each other on a train to London. Charmed by Willem’s spontaneity and eager to try something new, Allyson decides to run off to Paris with Willem for just one day. But the next morning, Willem is gone. Allyson thought Paris would be her only adventure, but it’s only just beginning.

  

  I’m sure many people relate to Allyson. And I bet nearly all the raving reviews are about how much they are Allyson — the over-scheduled, straight-A, not-so-spontaneous, somewhat insecure, dependable, reliable good girl. And I am one of those reviewers. I am joining the masses.

  Allyson tried so hard to break free from her parents’ expectations, to be who she believes herself to be, and her time with Willem showed her that she can live her life however she’d like, that she has the capability to make her own decisions. The fear and panic that would rise in her — whether it was when she got lost or when she jumped to conclusions about Willem — is exactly something I’d do. Her depression, empathy, and concern are very real gut reactions to major events that were positive at the time and later colored by some unseen force. She’s so real. And I think it’s because of Forman’s portrayal of Allyson that so many of us see ourselves in her.

  That aside, I thoroughly enjoyed the Shakespeare connections littered throughout. Either they’re blatant — like Allyson’s college class and her reading partner Dee’s remarks — or they’re subtle, helping the reader predict the outcome of the novel with themes and familiarity of Shakespeare’s plays. Even the characters showed growth, changing from one Shakespearean role to another as the novel progresses. It was so artistic, so fantastic, that I was excited to see more and more as Allyson’s quest solidified.

  On a different note, this is what I’d imagine New Adult should be. Not the erotica stuff that litters the shelves, but college and post-college experiences that show the growth from dependent teenager to independent adult. Allyson is about to enter her first year of college, and we watch her as she rises in Europe, falls her first semester, finds her footing second semester, and lands on solid ground the following summer. That experience, right there, is so very real and true to the university lifestyle and self-identification.

  I do not have the words to continue. This novel is near and dear to my heart. I’m itching to begin Just One Year (Willem’s point of view!). Trust me when I say that if you want the full human experience, this is it. I should not have to italicize one more word.

  Posted in books, Reviews 2014 | 3 Comments | Tagged book review, books, genre: contemporary, genre: romance, genre: young adult, goodreads, review

• Book Review: “Moth and Spark” by Anne Leonard (ARC)

  Posted at 9:00 am by Laura, on January 20, 2014

  Moth and Spark by Anne Leonard 

  Publisher: Viking
  Publishing Date: February 20
  Genre: fantasy, young adult, adult
  ISBN: 9780670015702
  Goodreads: —
  Rating: ★★★★

  Prince Corin has been chosen to free the dragons from their bondage to the Empire, but dragons aren’t big on directions. They have given him some of their power, but none of their knowledge. No one, not the dragons nor their riders, is even sure what keeps the dragons in the Empire’s control.

  Tam, sensible daughter of a well-respected doctor, had no idea before she arrived in the capital that she is a Seer, gifted with visions. When the two run into each other (quite literally) in the library, sparks fly and Corin impulsively asks Tam to dinner. But it’s not all happily ever after. Never mind that the prince isn’t allowed to marry a commoner: war is coming to Caithen.

  Torn between Corin’s quest to free the dragons and his duty to his country, the lovers must both figure out how to master their powers in order to save Caithen. With a little help from a village of secret wizards and a rogue dragonrider, they just might pull it off.

  Though educated in politics and skilled at charming the courtiers, Prince Corin would rather be out with the soldiers, protecting and defending his kingdom. Tam, sent by her father to be with her sister-in-law at court, would much rather read and explore the gardens than wile away with idle gossip. A chance encounter in the library draws Corin and Tam together, an intense love at first sight that changes the course of Caithen’s future forever. With Corin’s quest to free the dragons and prevent destruction of his kingdom, combined with Tam’s rising powers of Seeing the future, not all is splendid for the lovers. The fate of the kingdom rests heavily on their shoulders.

  While the ARC did not have a map to help with the geography and politics and names dumped within the first few chapters, Anne Leonard helpfully linked to a map that was immensely useful while reading the book. When the final print is published, readers may often turn to it for footing. After the first few chapters of groundwork, the fun aspects of the story begins — and it was quite thrilling!

  Tam is such a powerful female character, I couldn’t help but fall in love with her from the beginning. Her love for Corin does not dampen her strength at any moment — she’s quite an individual, very unique and confident and a breath of fresh air to read (and, apparently, fresh air for Corin too!). Corin was entertaining, clearly burdened by his duties but still young and playful without being rude or misleading. The two characters complimented one another, which is excellent because they certainly rushed everything in war-torn haste.

  Name-dropping and info-dumping at the beginning of books tend to bother me, but it was key for this fantasy. Without it, the rest of the book would be lost on the reader. Pay attention to the name, the politics, the events, because it all comes back later to haunt and threaten Corin. It made the world feel real, almost like an Arthurian legend. Throw in the dragons and the hidden magic, and it’s quite an adventure!

  A very difficult book to put down, exciting from start to finish with war, magic, battles, love, and courtly amusements!

  Thank you, Edelweiss, for providing this book from Viking for review!

  Posted in books, Reviews 2014 | 6 Comments | Tagged advance reading copy, ARC, book review, books, genre: action/adventure, genre: adult fiction, genre: fantasy, genre: romance, genre: young adult, goodreads, review

• Book Review: “The Winter Witch” by Paula Brackston

  Posted at 10:08 am by Laura, on January 13, 2014

  The Winter Witch by Paula Brackston 

  Publisher: St Martin’s Griffin
  Published: December 2013 (originally January 2013)
  Genre: historical fiction, fantasy, romance
  ISBN: 9781250042705
  Goodreads: 3.58
  Rating: ★★★★★

  In her small early nineteenth century Welsh town, there is no one quite like Morgana, who   has not spoken since she was a young girl. Her silence is a mystery, as well as her magic.  Concerned for her safety, her mother is anxious to see her married, and Cai Jenkins, a widower from the far hills, seems the best choice.

  After her wedding, Morgana is heartbroken at leaving her mother, and wary of this man, whom she does not know, and who will take her away to begin a new life.  But she soon falls in love with Cai’s farm and the wild mountains that surround it. Cai works to understand the beautiful, half-tamed creature he has chosen for a bride, and slowly, he begins to win Morgana’s affections.  It’s not long, however, before her strangeness begins to be remarked upon in her new village.  A dark force is at work there—a person who will stop at nothing to turn the townspeople against Morgana.  Forced to defend her home, her man, and herself, Morgana must learn to harness her power, or she will lose everything.

  Morgana hasn’t spoken a word, not a single sound, ever since her father disappeared. Her mother, ailing and worried for Morgana, encourages her to marry Cai Jenkins, a drover and widower from a far town. As Morgana and Cai try to adjust to their awkward situation, the town and its inhabitants are suspicious of Morgana and her strange, otherworldliness. But Morgana is determined to prove herself, to make her new husband proud, and to protect the town with her powers before an evil destroys them all.

  

  The stunning cover grabbed my attention, followed by the 1830s Welsh setting and the raw magic the heroine possesses. Morgana is a witch, and people have their suspicions of it, but she is not one that brews potions or shouts incantations (or shouts in general) or waves a stick in the air. She is a “wild” one, a woman bonded with the earth and all its creatures, with the ability to control her surroundings, the elements, and animals’ emotions. Cai senses this in his new wife, but is never fearful of her. He sees no harm in what she does; he finds her abilities merely a way for her to express herself without words.

  The landscape, the lush language, the interaction with animals and townspeople, the dangers of farm life and drovers’ work, and the horrible Reverend Cadwaladr and Mrs Isolda Bowen all build upon one another to create a fantastic story. It’s as if I was reading a Bronte novel, with the wild landscape, the high winds, the juxtaposition of peace and danger in seclusion. Brackston’s language was so perfect, I truly felt like I was helping Morgana, Cai, and his drovers with the livestock; that I was there with them in the kitchen attempting to cook something before Mrs Jones lost all hope and took over the task; that I could smell the evil emanating from the town’s most respected people.

  Brackston also uses two engaging perspectives that pushes the reader to keep reading till the end. Cai’s portions were written in third person, outside of his head to allow for the best possible view of his surroundings, his opinions, and his observance of Morgana. Morgana’s portions were written in first person, to best allow for the reader to join her on her witchwalks, to feel her pain and sorrow, to understand her joy. These perspectives alternate within chapters, and I grew to love each one. But once a big event happens in one perspective, I became anxious to see the other’s take on the event, and scrambled to finish one portion so I could move to the next. Such an interesting style, and one that certainly propels the reader forward.

  Ultimately, the three vastly different witches in this novel, coupled with Welsh farm life and the dazzling hills, and the sweet, budding romance between Cai and Morgana, will keep the reader craving more till the whole book is completely devoured. An absolutely stunning book.

  Posted in books, Reviews 2014 | 9 Comments | Tagged book review, books, genre: adult fiction, genre: fantasy, genre: fiction, genre: historical fiction, genre: romance, goodreads, review

• Book Review: “The Madness Underneath” by Maureen Johnson

  Posted at 11:13 am by Laura, on December 22, 2013

  The Madness Underneath by Maureen Johnson 

  Publisher: Putnam / Speak
  Published: December 10 (originally February 23)
  Genre: young adult, gothic, paranormal
  ISBN: 9780142427545
  Goodreads: 3.86
  Rating: ★★★★

  Rory Deveaux has changed in ways she never could have imagined since moving to London and beginning a new life at boarding school. As if her newfound ability to see ghosts hadn’t complicated her life enough, Rory’s recent brush with the Jack the Ripper copycat has left her with an even more unusual and intense power. Now, a new string of inexplicable deaths is threatening London, and Rory has evidence that they are no coincidence. Something sinister is going on, and it is up to her to convince the city’s secret ghost-policing squad to listen before it’s too late.

  After three weeks of pointless therapy in Bristol, Rory’s parents are convinced to send her back to Wexford in London to attempt to catch up and finish her first term. As Rory struggles with her trauma on top of mountains of schoolwork, she is recruited by the Shades as a human terminus: a person with the ability to zap ghosts into oblivion with the touch of her hand. But sinister events are happening around Wexford, events that link ghosts, Rory’s strange new abilities, and a history of madness.

  

  Once again, Johnson brings forth a thrilling paranormal murder mystery to young adult fiction. Rory is witty and humorous, and her internal monologues kept me laughing even through the serious moments. The way she seemed to float through her week back at Wexford — aware she’s behind, stressing out and panicking, getting entirely distracted and researching the history of Wexford’s land and a historical madhouse, and then coming to terms with her own academic failure — felt so real. And surreal. She cannot focus, she knows her priorities, but her trauma and her desire for answers take over any rational thought she may have had prior to the Ripper accident. The whole first half of the book builds on this, and I was quite relieved — trauma can really disorient a person, no one can truly jump back.

  This book appeared to have two things going on: more murders by ghosts, which makes Rory go on a quest about the history of London; and another secret society of ghost-seers and their plans for Rory’s cooperation. I was very intrigued by the madhouse storyline, about the bodies of the insane thrown into graves just outside the London city limits before the Great Fire, the site of which is below Wexford property. But the second we were going somewhere with that storyline, Rory’s tricked and abducted by a group of people who claim to have something in store for her, and threaten her to be silent and cooperate else all those she loves will be harmed. I felt a little lost with this one, as it could have used more development, but that’s what the next book is for, I suppose!

  Because of Rory’s distracted mind, we rarely see Jerome, Jazza, Alastair, and other Wexford friends. Everyone is concerned with exams, and Jazza is desperate to pass German while Jerome is more concerned about Rory’s stability and openness for a relationship. Stephen, Callum, and Boo are back, thank goodness — and I loved seeing them working together and discussing “office dynamics.” We get a better feel for who they are as people rather than a police force, which is appealing for Rory.

  The ending — the cliffhanger — broke my heart. I must find a copy of The Shadow Cabinet the second it’s published!

  Posted in books, Reviews 2013 | 2 Comments | Tagged book review, books, genre: gothic, genre: paranormal, genre: young adult, goodreads, review

• December Book Haul

  Posted at 1:56 pm by Laura, on December 21, 2013

  December is when I buy and receive the largest amount of books. I have an employee holiday discount at the bookstore, the other students in the graduate program take part in the Secret Santa Book Swap party, and friends and family know books are the best Christmas gift for a hoarder/collector/reader. Although Christmas has not arrived, I’ve decided to share the piles received already. Quite a lot of books!

  

  Adult and Young Adult Collection (Some of these are gifts and will be mentioned later in the post.)

  Starting second from the left: The Winter Witch by Paula Brackston — I’ve waited a year for this to come out in paperback. Morgana is a silent young woman who is sent to live with a widower in the far hills in Wales. Her strangeness is the talk of the village, and soon a darker power threatens to turn the village against Morgana and her powers.

  Center: Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke — A recommendation from Charles Finch (author of Victorian mystery series and future fiction publication The Last Enchantments) after I told him my all-time favorite type of book would probably be a mixture of The Night Circus meets Harry Potter meets Jane Eyre meets Dickens. Basically Victorian magic. He said I needed to drop everything and read this book — so I bought it!

  Blythewood by Carol Goodman — Every time I passed the Young Adult department, this book stared me down. It was like that with C.J. Redwine’s Defiance. So I began to give it some attention — turn-of-the-century New York with magic and factory girls and insanity. Loved it already. The first three chapters were read and enjoyed, so once again, my money went back to my job.

  The Madness Underneath by Maureen Johnson — The sequel to The Name of the Star, even more mad and witty than the last! Clearly I’m almost finished, that’s why there are bookmarks and tabs within the pages.

  Skip to the last book: Dark Witch by Nora Roberts — My first Nora Roberts. Something about the Irish setting, the historical fiction sections mixed with the present day, the magic, all spoke to me. I asked some friends if they’d ever read Roberts, and they claim she’s phenomenal, really brings you into the story. We shall see!

  

  Children’s Books and Miscellany 

  A Very Fuddles Christmas by Frans Vischer — An adorable story about a fat, curious cat who wants nothing more than to be pampered at Christmas, but the family is too busy cooking food and cookies, decorating trees, and playing in the snow. This is a signed edition, as the author visited our store!

  The Polar Express by Chris van Allsburg — How have I not purchased this book for myself before now? My parents have a tattered copy back home; my brother and I loved it to pieces. This is the 25th anniversary edition, and it came with an audiobook CD of Liam Neeson reading it. Sounds of clinking mugs of chocolate, sleigh bells, children and crowds’ voices, and the train rattling and chugging along can be heard in the background. A very atmospheric listening! I found myself shouting, “No! Not the hole!” when the boy loses his bell.

  The Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens, illustrated by P.J. Lynch — This is my third copy of the beloved classic. The illustrations are to die for, and truly makes this reading feel like a wonderful children’s classic.

  The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo — Unfortunately I never read this as a child! I’ve always wanted to, though, and now seems like the perfect opportunity.

  

  On Black Friday, Penguin had a great discount on their hardcover cloth bound classics that I couldn’t resist. I was able to make the hoarder/collector in me extremely happy by adding to my Jane Eyre and Wuthering Heights collection.

  

  Secret Santa Book Swap Party

  Finally, for the Secret Santa Book Swap party, my dear friend and Secret Santa gave me these three books: Stella Bain by Anita Shreve (WWI story about an American nurse having lost her memory, who is taken in by an English family), A Book Lover’s Diary (a place to list and organize everything and anything related to books!), and Daughter of the Forest by Juliet Marillier (I’ve wanted to read this ever since I was introduced to Marillier’s work, and my friend loves this book to pieces).

  What are some of the books you’ve purchased or received this December?

  Posted in books, Update Post | 3 Comments | Tagged book haul, books, genre: adult fiction, genre: children, genre: young adult, goodreads

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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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