Tag: mini review

• Mini Reviews

  Posted at 6:45 am by Laura, on May 30, 2018

  Slightly South of Simple by Kristy Woodson Harvey

  Publisher: Gallery Books
  Published: April 2017
  Genre: women’s fiction
  Rating: ★★★.5
  Summary: Caroline Murphy swore she’d never go back to Peachtree Bluff. But when her New York high society husband cheats on her with a high-profile model, Caroline escapes the gossip with her daughter for the safety and quiet of her mother’s home. Ansley is the proud owner of a waterfront interior design business in Peachtree Bluff. She welcomes Caroline with open arms–and finds her second daughter Sloane, a military wife with two young sons, and third daughter Emerson, an up-and-coming actress in town for a film shoot, joining them for the season. Ansley lovesher daughters, but the chaos of their lives upends the steady constancy of her own carefully constructed life. Just as she’s beginning to get the hang of new responsibilities, someone from her past appears, one who can shed light on her daughters’ history and potentially tear the threads of Ansley’s family apart.  

  Mini Review: This novel explores the dynamics between sisters and mothers and daughters, what it means to be in a successful marriage, and the many ways one can live life on their terms. While Caroline and Ansley have their opinions of how to be happy (and I’m erring on the side of Ansley for Caroline’s decisions, and I’ve no clue what I’d do if I were Ansley in her situation), the events surrounding the women in Peachtree Bluff prove there is no one correct answer to life’s surprises. The small-town atmosphere, Southern charm, and emotional core are at the heart of this enjoyable beach read.

  This qualifies as book 6 of 16 in my TBR challenge. 

  My Oxford Year by Julia Whelan

  Publisher: William Morrow
  Published: April 2018
  Genre: women’s fiction
  Rating: ★★★
  Summary: American Ella Durran has had the same plan for her life since she was thirteen: study at Oxford. At 24, she’s finally made it to England on a Rhodes Scholarship when she’s offered an unbelievable position in a rising political star’s presidential campaign. With the promise that she’ll work remotely and return to DC at the end of her Oxford year, she’s free to enjoy her Once in a Lifetime Experience. That is, until a smart-mouthed local who is too quick with his tongue and his car ruins her shirt and her first day.

  When Ella discovers that her English literature course will be taught by none other than that same local, Jamie Davenport, she thinks for the first time that Oxford might not be all she’s envisioned. But a late-night drink reveals a connection she wasn’t anticipating finding and what begins as a casual fling soon develops into something much more when Ella learns Jamie has a life-changing secret. As the end of her year in Oxford rapidly approaches, Ella must decide if the dreams she’s always wanted are the same ones she’s now yearning for.

  Mini Review: I really enjoyed the first half of this novel and wasn’t too pleased with the second half of the novel. Mostly because I kept thinking, “This story trope again? Why? This could’ve been so much more!” I enjoyed the writing of the first half as well, while the second half seemed to have a more cinematic quality to it rather than its more literary beginning (which makes sense, since it was written primarily as a screenplay–sink into the location and set-up and meet all the cast, then focus on minute details in conversations during The Event). That said, I love stories set in Oxford, I love Victorian literature, and I loved Ella’s political leanings and believe in education and the arts. Getting to be with this character (at least for the first half!) was an absolute joy.

  This qualifies as book 4 of 5 in my fun library books challenge.

  Posted in books, Reviews 2018, Rock My TBR | 1 Comment | Tagged books, genre: adult fiction, genre: contemporary, mini review, review, rock my TBR

• Mini Reviews

  Posted at 6:50 am by Laura, on April 9, 2018

  Surprise Me by Sophie Kinsella

  Publisher: Dial
  Published: February 2018
  Genre: adult, contemporary
  Rating: ★★★
  Summary: After being together for ten years, Sylvie and Dan have all the trimmings of a happy life and marriage; they have a comfortable home, fulfilling jobs, beautiful twin girls, and communicate so seamlessly, they finish each other’s sentences. However, a trip to the doctor projects they will live another 68 years together and panic sets in. In the name of marriage survival, they quickly concoct a plan to keep their relationship fresh and exciting: they will create little surprises for each other so that their (extended) years together will never become boring. But in their pursuit to execute Project Surprise Me, mishaps arise and secrets are uncovered that start to threaten the very foundation of their unshakable bond. When a scandal from the past is revealed that question some important untold truths, they begin to wonder if they ever really knew each other after all. 

  Mini Review: I enjoyed this to an extent. I wasn’t as enamored as I usually am with Kinsella’s work (here, here, here, and here). It was full of the classic mishaps and hilarity, with a twist at the end, but I simply wasn’t as entertained as I usually am. I’m not sure if it’s because I couldn’t completely relate with the drama (I’m not married, but also…duh, when you marry, that means you intend to be with the person for decades, so clearly I wasn’t on board with the premise) or because I couldn’t relate with the age of the characters (which sounds so bogus, so I don’t think it was that), but this doesn’t rank high on my Kinsella list of recommendations. If you want a light and funny read, give it a shot!

  This qualifies as book 2 of 5 in my fun library books challenge.

  Love and Other Train Wrecks by Leah Konen

  Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
  Published: January 2018
  Genre: young adult, contemporary
  Rating: ★★★
  Summary: After a train-wreck first encounter between Ammy and Noah, the Amtrak train suddenly breaks down due to a snowstorm. Desperate to make it to their destinations, Noah and Ammy have no other option but to travel together. What starts off as a minor detour turns into the whirlwind journey of a lifetime, and over the course of the night they fall in love. But come morning their adventure takes an unexpected turn for the worst. Can one night can really change how they feel about love…and the course of their lives forever? 

  Mini Review: If you’re looking for a book on overcoming broken relationships (familial or romantic) in a more healthy way, this would be a good book. I especially enjoy travel components in stories, because it forces the character — and the plot! — to move forward. With the train getting stuck, and all the mishaps that follow, you begin to wonder when these two can catch a break and finally make it to their destinations (worst nightmare!). However, I didn’t feel the drive in the plot the way I suppose I should have, and I thought it was a bit repetitious in the characters’ ruminations (this is a short book and it felt as if half of this was rumination). That said, these two really do resort to good and healthy ways of dealing with their heartbreak, stress, and sense of brokenness that I admire.

  Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley

  Publisher: Delacorte
  Published: April 2009
  Genre: adult, mystery, historical
  Rating: ★★★★
  Summary: Eleven-year-old Flavia de Luce is an aspiring chemist with a passion for poison. It is the summer of 1950—and a dead bird is found on the doorstep, a postage stamp bizarrely pinned to its beak. Hours later, Flavia finds a man lying in the cucumber patch and watches him as he takes his dying breath. For Flavia, who is both appalled and delighted, life begins in earnest when murder comes to Buckshaw. To Flavia the investigation is the stuff of science: full of possibilities, contradictions, and connections. Soon her father is seized and accused of murder. In a police cell, during a violent thunderstorm, Colonel de Luce tells his daughter an astounding story—of a schoolboy friendship turned ugly, of a priceless object that vanished in a bizarre and brazen act of thievery, of a Latin teacher who flung himself to his death from the school’s tower thirty years before. Now Flavia is armed with more than enough knowledge to tie two distant deaths together, to examine new suspects, and begin a search that will lead her all the way to the King of England himself. Of this much the girl is sure: her father is innocent of murder—but protecting her and her sisters from something even worse….

  Mini Review: I listened to the audio of this novel and found the narrator’s voice painful to the ears, but the story itself absolutely delightful. Flavia is a precocious girl and incredibly imaginative. Combine these two things and you’re in the mind of a very clever, wild, eager person in the middle of a very serious case, right on the path to getting herself murdered as well if she’s not careful. Though this isn’t a heart-pounding, suspenseful mystery by any means (I could not care less about stamps — Grandpa would hate to hear me say that), the trail of clues and the roundabout way Flavia pieces everything together is a literary delight. Definitely plan on reading the next book of the series!

  This qualifies as book 3 of 5 in my fun library books challenge.

  Posted in books, Reviews 2018 | 0 Comments | Tagged books, genre: adult fiction, genre: contemporary, genre: historical fiction, genre: mystery, genre: young adult, mini review, review

• Mini Reviews

  Posted at 6:00 am by Laura, on February 22, 2018

  The Passion of Dolssa by Julie Berry

  Publisher: Viking BFYR
  Published: April 2016
  Genre: young adult, historical fiction
  Rating: ★★★
  Summary: Dolssa is a young gentlewoman with uncanny gifts, on the run from an obsessed friar determined to burn her as a heretic for the passion she refuses to tame. Botille is a wily and charismatic peasant, a matchmaker running a tavern with her two sisters in a tiny seaside town. When the matchmaker finds the mystic near death by a riverside, Botille takes Dolssa in and discovers the girl’s extraordinary healing power. But as the vengeful Friar Lucien hunts down his heretic, the two girls find themselves putting an entire village at the mercy of murderers.

  Mini Review: I did not like the writing, but the history is cool. I love historical fiction, and I was excited to read a novel set in the medieval period — which isn’t common or popular in YA. I appreciated the author’s notes in the back about the period — the persecution of “good men” and “good women” in the Provence area in particular after the Crusades, all the back-pedaling from the Church, life and times for women of this era — but I did not enjoy the narrative as a whole. I was more interested in the historical context and information in the back than I was in the story itself.

  This qualifies as book 2 of 16 in my TBR challenge. 

  Mr. Churchill’s Secretary by Susan Elia MacNeal

  Publisher: Random House Audio
  Published: April 2012
  Genre: historical fiction, mystery
  Rating: ★★★.5
  Summary: London, 1940: Winston Churchill has just been sworn in, war rages across the Channel, and the threat of a Blitz looms larger by the day. But none of this deters Maggie Hope. She graduated at the top of her college class and possesses all the skills of the finest minds in British intelligence, but her gender qualifies her only to be the newest typist at No. 10 Downing Street. Her indefatigable spirit and remarkable gifts for codebreaking, though, rival those of even the highest men in government, and Maggie finds that working for the prime minister affords her a level of clearance she could never have imagined – and opportunities she will not let pass.

  Mini Review: I was genuinely surprised at how much more historical fiction it was than mystery — I was expecting something with a bit more heart-pounding moments or detective work — but that does not mean I didn’t enjoy the listen! Maggie’s spunk, fierce feminism, and determination saved the day multiple times in many ways. Those men at Downing Street could really learn a thing or two from her. I’m curious to see what happens next in this series.

  This qualifies as book 1 of 5 in my fun library books challenge.

  Posted in books, Reviews 2018 | 0 Comments | Tagged genre: adult fiction, genre: historical fiction, genre: young adult, mini review, review

• Mini Reviews

  Posted at 5:25 am by Laura, on December 6, 2017

  Life has been crazy hectic, leaving very little time for me to sit down and write full reviews for the books I’ve read lately. I didn’t want to not review them, though, so here are my two cents on a variety of books!

  ~

  Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafón

  Publisher: Penguin
  Published: 2001
  Genre: gothic, historical fiction
  Rating: ★★★★.5
  Summary: Barcelona, 1945. Daniel’s widowed father, an antiquarian book dealer, initiates 11-year-old Daniel into the secret of the Cemetery of Forgotten Books, a library tended by Barcelona’s guild of rare-book dealers as a repository for books forgotten by the world, waiting for someone who will care about them again. Daniel’s father coaxes him to choose a volume from the spiraling labyrinth of shelves, one that, it is said, will have a special meaning for him. And Daniel so loves the novel he selects, The Shadow of the Wind by Julian Carax, that he sets out to find the rest of Carax’s work. To his shock, he discovers that someone has been systematically destroying every copy of every book this author has written. In fact, he may have the last one in existence. Before Daniel knows it his seemingly innocent quest has opened a door into one of Barcelona’s darkest secrets, an epic story of murder, magic, madness and doomed love. And before long he realizes that if he doesn’t find out the truth about Julian Carax, he and those closest to him will suffer horribly.

  Mini Review: What a thrilling, engrossing, captivating book. This is gothic fiction. Mystery, romance, suspense, murder, literary passions, mistaken identity, ghosts (real or otherwise), haunted homes, ancient cities, a web of secrecy. I savored every word. There were moments of greatness here, with scenes that captivated me, I could not tear away. There were other moments that could’ve had more to it — more character development or more depth — to make it absolutely perfect. But perhaps that’s what happens when a work is translated: not all of the brilliance of the original shines through. I know this is brilliant. This translator did an excellent job conveying Zafón’s story. If you haven’t read this book yet, drop everything and do so now.

  London Belongs to Us by Sarra Manning

  Publisher: Hot Key Books
  Published: June 2016
  Genre: young adult, contemporary
  Rating: ★★★
  Summary: Sunny’s always been a little bit of a pushover. But when she’s sent a picture of her boyfriend kissing another girl, she knows she’s got to act. What follows is a mad, twelve-hour dash around London – starting at 8pm in Crystal Palace (so far away from civilisation you can’t even get the Tube there) then sweeping through Camden, Shoreditch, Soho, Kensington, Notting Hill . . . and ending up at 8am in Alexandra Palace. Along the way Sunny meets a whole host of characters she never dreamed she’d have anything in common with. But as this love-letter to London shows, a city is only a sum of its parts, and really it’s the people living there who make up its life and soul. 

  Mini Review: The city of my heart! It was a fun romp of a story, racing all over the city over 12 hours. Sunny is sweet and naive, and she has her share of boyfriend troubles (in my opinion, she should’ve been angrier earlier, but that would ruin the fun of this ode to London), but I loved the way others worked with her, strangers and friends alike, to help her find the boy who wronged her. So many great neighborhoods and snippets of history, fantastic locations with interesting trivia, and all the colorful people. I laughed out loud at many points in this book, even took pictures of quotes and passages I found hilarious, poignant, and so very true to life. If you’re looking for a good, quick, light contemporary YA, this is the book for you!

   

  

  

  Blue Heron Series: The Best Man & The Perfect Match by Kristan Higgins

  Publisher: Harlequin HQN
  Published: February 2013, October 2013
  Genre: contemporary, romance
  Rating: ★★★.75 and ★★★
  Summary: (1) Faith Holland left her hometown after being jilted at the altar. Now a little older and wiser, she’s ready to return to the Blue Heron Winery, her family’s vineyard, to confront the ghosts of her past, and maybe enjoy a glass of red. After all, there’s some great scenery there….Like Levi Cooper, the local police chief – and best friend of her former fiancé. There’s a lot about Levi that Faith never noticed, and it’s not just those deep green eyes. The only catch is she’s having a hard time forgetting that he helped ruin her wedding all those years ago. If she can find a minute amidst all her family drama to stop and smell the rosé, she just might find a reason to stay at Blue Heron, and finish that walk down the aisle.

  (2) Honor Holland has just been unceremoniously rejected by her lifelong crush. And now—a mere three weeks later—Mr. Perfect is engaged to her best friend. But resilient, reliable Honor is going to pick herself up, dust herself off and get back out there… or she would if dating in Manningsport, New York, population 715, wasn’t easier said than done. Charming, handsome British professor Tom Barlow just wants to do right by his unofficial stepson, Charlie, but his visa is about to expire. Now Tom must either get a green card or leave the States—and leave Charlie behind. In a moment of impulsiveness, Honor agrees to help Tom with a marriage of convenience. But juggling a fiancé, hiding out from her former best friend and managing her job at the family vineyard isn’t easy. And as sparks start to fly between Honor and Tom, they might discover that their pretend relationship is far too perfect to be anything but true love….

  Mini Review for The Best Man: The characters felt authentic, even in the cheesy and comical bits, and there was a surprising amount of depth in the development and plot. The small town feel was so cute and quirky, and the novel was a great balance of comedy and romance. There was only one scene in particular that rubbed me the wrong way (you’ll know it when you read it), but overall this was an enjoyable read. Romance isn’t normally my go-to, but I wanted something good and light to read during the chaos. Higgins delivered, and I promise you: even though there were some romance cliches and tropes, I was still left guessing to the end how the pieces would come together.

  Mini Review for The Perfect Match: Honor and Tom are two desperate souls (heavy emphasis on desperate, because that described Honor and her talking eggs (I kid you not) to a T) for two very different reasons, but they matched each other well. It was nice to be back in this small town atmosphere, even closer to the winery than the first book. I wasn’t a huge fan of Tom as a love interest, and Honor sometimes made me want to throttle her, but when the two were together they complimented one another. Together, I could root for them. I fully plan to continue the Blue Heron series!

  ~

  Hopefully writing up another full review soon before the holidays hit! Keep reading, friends!

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  This qualifies as books 13 and 14 of 5 library books in 2017.

  This qualifies as book 14 of 12 in the Rock My TBR challenge.

  Posted in books, Reviews 2017, Rock My TBR | 7 Comments | Tagged books, genre: contemporary, genre: gothic, genre: historical fiction, genre: romance, mini review, review

• Mini Reviews

  Posted at 3:30 am by Laura, on September 18, 2017

  The Case of the Counterfeit Criminals by Jordan Stratford

  Publisher: Knopf BFYR
  Published: January 2017
  Genre: middle grade, mystery, historical fiction
  Rating: ★★★.5
  Summary: The Wollestonecraft Girls embark on their most important case yet–the famed dinosaur fossil hunter Mary Anning is being blackmailed. Her precious dog has been snatched and the kidnappers are demanding that Miss Anning authenticate some fake dinosaur bones up for auction at the British Museum in order to get him back. Ada and Mary have just three days to track down the fossil fakers, find the dog, and save the integrity of science! The game is truly afoot in this quirky caper involving blood-sucking leeches, an asthmatic pug, smoke bombs, secret elevators, diabolical disguises, and wicked word-play.

  Mini Review: I love middle grade detective fiction, and the Wollstonecraft Detective Agency series is no exception! Featuring Mary Shelley and Ada Byron as little girls (anachronistically), with partner in crime Charles Dickens, they solve what appear to be little instances of crime (stolen dog) but are actually major connections to criminal rings (there’s a clever Moriarty character cropping up!). The books were originally inspired by the novels of Charles Dickens’s protege, Wilkie Collins. Now they are taking on a life of their own and it’s so thrilling to watch! I highly recommend this series for little history nerds, fierce feminists, readers with quick wit and sense of humor, and little detectives in the making. See reviews for The Case of the Missing Moonstone and The Case of the Girl in Grey.

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  This qualifies as book 12 of 12 in the Rock My TBR challenge.

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  A Cold Legacy by Megan Shepherd

  Publisher: Balzer + Bray
  Published: January 2015
  Genre: young adult, gothic, science fiction
  Rating: ★★★
  Summary: After killing the men who tried to steal her father’s research, Juliet—along with Montgomery, Lucy, Balthazar, and a deathly ill Edward—has escaped to a remote estate on the Scottish moors. Owned by the enigmatic Elizabeth von Stein, the mansion is full of mysteries and unexplained oddities: dead bodies in the basement, secret passages, and fortune-tellers who seem to know Juliet’s secrets. Though it appears to be a safe haven, Juliet fears new dangers may be present within the manor’s own walls. Then Juliet uncovers the truth about the manor’s long history of scientific experimentation—and her own intended role in it—forcing her to determine where the line falls between right and wrong, life and death, magic and science, and promises and secrets. And she must decide if she’ll follow her father’s dark footsteps or her mother’s tragic ones, or whether she’ll make her own.

  Mini Review: This book gave me graduate thesis flashbacks. I spent a whole year immersed in gothic literature (classic and YA) with a fine tooth comb, loving every second of my nightmares that followed. A COLD LEGACY continues the “twist on classic gothic novels” trend Shepherd began with The Madman’s Daughter by following the Frankenstein narrative. The other two books worked as parallels to the inspired classics, but this time the characters meet Dr Frankenstein’s descendants and friends, who want to continue the “cold legacy” of his experimentation. Scottish moors, creepy children, reanimated corpses, oh my! I appreciated the parallels to the original narrative, and found all the high drama twists and turns appropriate to gothic fiction. Juliet’s internal battle and her devotion to two boys continued (and I was so over it in Her Dark Curiosity), but the final chapters left the reader with a solid ending and hope for the remaining characters.

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  This qualifies as book 13 of 12 in the Rock My TBR challenge.

  Posted in books, Reviews 2017, Rock My TBR | 1 Comment | Tagged books, genre: gothic, genre: historical fiction, genre: middle grade, genre: mystery, genre: sci-fi, genre: young adult, mini review, review, rock my TBR

• Mini Reviews

  Posted at 7:05 am by Laura, on August 17, 2017

  Once and For All by Sarah Dessen

  Publisher: Viking
  Published: June 2017
  Genre: young adult, contemporary
  Rating: ★★★
  Summary: Louna, daughter of famed wedding planner Natalie Barrett, has seen every sort of wedding: on the beach, at historic mansions, in fancy hotels and clubs. Perhaps that’s why she’s cynical about happily-ever-after endings, especially since her own first love ended tragically. When Louna meets charming, happy-go-lucky serial dater Ambrose, she holds him at arm’s length. But Ambrose isn’t about to be discouraged, now that he’s met the one girl he really wants. 
  

  Mini Review: I enjoyed Dessen’s latest, but it also left something to be desired. The characters were good (well-rounded, depth, teen voice), the story was good (growth, development, plot), I enjoyed the Easter eggs (classic Dessen!), and it somewhat reminded me of my favorite Dessen novel (The Truth About Forever)…which may be why it was only good. It felt a little recycled, and the stakes, especially the romance, seemed more like afterthoughts. This landed right in the middle of my Dessen rankings: plain ol’ good. She’s a staple in contemporary YA literature, a modern classic, but I do think this could’ve been better.

  This qualifies as book 9 of 5 library books in 2017.

  Saints and Misfits by S.K. Ali

  Publisher: Salaam Reads
  Published: June 2017
  Genre: young adult, contemporary
  Rating: ★★★
  Summary: There are three kinds of people in my world:
  1. Saints, those special people moving the world forward. Sometimes you glaze over them. Or, at least, I do. They’re in your face so much, you can’t see them, like how you can’t see your nose.
  2. Misfits, people who don’t belong. Like me—the way I don’t fit into Dad’s brand-new family or in the leftover one composed of Mom and my older brother, Mama’s-Boy-Muhammad. Also, there’s Jeremy and me. Misfits. Because although, alliteratively speaking, Janna and Jeremy sound good together, we don’t go together. Same planet, different worlds. But sometimes worlds collide and beautiful things happen, right?
  3. Monsters. Well, monsters wearing saint masks, like in Flannery O’Connor’s stories. Like the monster at my mosque. People think he’s holy, untouchable, but nobody has seen under the mask. Except me.

  Mini Review: Janna is angry and hurt, and wants everyone to know that the scumbag who assaulted her is their beloved star boy at the mosque. This is a great exploration of the mind of an assaulted woman, how many of us respond when violated in some way, especially those of us who have difficulty expressing what happened, convincing others of what happened, or trying to move on from what happened but can’t. The novel is character-driven to the core (the plot is entirely about exposing the truth), showing all sorts of dynamics within a family, a community, and among friends. Be forewarned, this may contain some triggers. Root for Janna; be on the side of justice.

  This qualifies as book 10 of 5 library books in 2017.

  Posted in books, Reviews 2017 | 0 Comments | Tagged books, genre: contemporary, genre: young adult, mini review, review

• Mini Reviews

  Posted at 4:10 am by Laura, on June 28, 2017

  Troubled Waters by Sharon Shinn

  Publisher: Ace
  Published: October 2010 
  Genre: fantasy
  Rating: ★★★   
  Summary: Zoe Ardelay receives astonishing and unwelcome news: she has been chosen to become the king’s fifth wife. Forced to go to the royal city, she manages to slip away and hide on the shores of the mighty river. It’s there that Zoe realizes she is a coru prime ruled by the elemental sign of water. She must return to the palace, not as an unwilling bride for the king, but a woman with power in her own right. But as Zoe unlocks more of the mysteries of her blood—and the secrets of the royal family—she must decide how to use her great power to rise above the deceptions and intrigue of the royal court.
  

  Mini Review: So many people have praised Shinn’s writing, and I have to agree. She’s created a brilliant fantasy world, one that feels wholly unique and full and developed. The use of elemental magic isn’t all that original in magical worlds, but the way Shinn used elemental magic for specific individuals in certain families (primes), and others with the spirit of certain elements (like personality descriptors), was really neat. Though I found the court scenes in the second half of the book to be a little dull, I can’t blame Shinn on that — I’m generally not a fan of royal politics. I’m in love with the world enough that I fully plan to read the next book in this series!

  This qualifies as book 8 of 5 library books in 2017.

  Orphan Train by Christina Baker Kline

  Publisher: William Morrow
  Published: April 2013
  Genre: historical fiction
  Rating: ★★★.5
  Summary: Nearly eighteen, Molly Ayer knows she has one last chance. Just months from “aging out” of the child welfare system, and close to being kicked out of her foster home, a community service position helping an elderly woman clean out her home is the only thing keeping her out of juvie. Vivian Daly has lived a quiet life on the coast of Maine. But in her attic, hidden in trunks, are vestiges of a turbulent past. As Molly helps Vivian sort through her possessions and memories, she discovers that she and Vivian aren’t as different as they seem to be. A young Irish immigrant orphaned in New York City, Vivian was put on a train to the Midwest with hundreds of other children whose destinies would be determined by luck and chance.

  Mini Review: I was far more invested in Vivian’s narrative than Molly’s, probably because the book’s historical focus was so fascinating. I’m not as familiar with this moment in American history. How often do we get to read about the Great Depression outside of the major cities? What’s going on in the Midwest, in the heart of the country, with ordinary people? Not only that, but I had no idea the orphan trains began as early as the 1850s. Watching the development of the American foster care system (and adoption system) and seeing how it hasn’t exactly changed too much — more paperwork and regulations does not necessarily mean a better experience — was certainly eye-opening. The story ties up nicely, but truly, I found the historically-set narrative far more engaging. Kline knows how to keep the pages turning!

  Posted in books, Reviews 2017 | 2 Comments | Tagged book review, books, genre: adult fiction, genre: fantasy, genre: historical fiction, mini review, review

• Mini Review

  Posted at 4:15 am by Laura, on January 27, 2017

  The Light Between Oceans by ML Stedman

  Publisher: Scribner
  Published: July 2012
  Genre: historical fiction
  Rating: ★★★★
  Summary: Tom Sherbourne takes a job as the lighthouse keeper on Janus Rock, nearly half a day’s journey from the coast of Australia. To this isolated island, where the supply boat comes once a season, Tom brings a young, bold, and loving wife, Isabel. Years later, after two miscarriages and one stillbirth, the grieving Isabel hears a baby’s cries on the wind. A boat has washed up onshore carrying a dead man and a living baby. Tom, who keeps meticulous records and whose moral principles have withstood a horrific war, wants to report the man and infant immediately. But Isabel insists the baby is a “gift from God,” and against Tom’s judgment, they claim her as their own and name her Lucy. When she is two, Tom and Isabel return to the mainland and are reminded that there are other people in the world. Their choice has devastated one of them.

  Mini Review: I adored this book, most especially for its moral complexity. As many people have already read and raved over it, and many more have seen the film, I’ll keep this brief. Even though I stand by “each woman is a little off her rocker,” it still doesn’t solve the moral, emotional, judicial, and psychological issue at hand. Is the baby better off with the mother it knows, or the mother who birthed her? Are the mothers well within her rights to claim the child as her own? Are they even in the right mental state? It is impossible to know, especially with the evidence presented in this book, what is “right” or “wrong,” and even with the issue resolved, Stedman leaves threads of the story hanging in just the right way to make you continue to wonder.

  Heart’s Blood by Juliet Marillier

  Publisher: Roc
  Published: October 2009
  Genre: fantasy
  Rating: ★★★
  Summary: Anluan has been crippled since childhood, part of a curse that has besieged his family and his home of Whistling Tor. But when the young scribe Caitrin is retained to sort through family documents, she brings about unexpected changes in the household, casting a hopeful light against the despairing shadows. But to truly free Anluan’s burdened soul, Caitrin must unravel the web of sorcery woven by his ancestors before it claims his life-and their love…

  Mini Review: This was going to be the most perfect read ever, just based on this formula alone: Marillier + Beauty and the Beast + ancient Ireland. But it didn’t quite live up to my own expectations. While I didn’t fall in love with it, Marillier continues to astound me with her storytelling and world-building abilities. She has a way of utilizing the bare bones of a familiar fairy tale and making it entirely her own. She doesn’t rely on all the aspects we’re familiar with — just the important ones. Her characters are singular and developed, and the setting and atmosphere enchanting.

  .

  This qualifies as book 1 of 9 in the Flights of Fantasy / Gabaldon-and-Marillier challenge.

  This qualifies as book 1 of 5 library books in 2017.

  Posted in books, Flights of Fantasy, Reviews 2017 | 5 Comments | Tagged books, flights of fantasy, genre: adult fiction, genre: fantasy, genre: historical fiction, mini review, review

• Mini Reviews VIII

  Posted at 4:45 am by Laura, on August 15, 2016

  The Girl Who Fell from the Sky by Heidi Durrow

  Publisher: Algonquin
  Published: February 2010
  Genre: adult, fiction
  Rating: ★★★
  Summary: Rachel, the daughter of a Danish mother and a black G.I., becomes the sole survivor of a family tragedy. With her strict African-American grandmother as her new guardian, Rachel moves to a mostly black community, where her light brown skin, blue eyes, and beauty bring mixed attention her way. Growing up in the 1980s, she learns to swallow her overwhelming grief and confronts her identity as a biracial young woman in a world that wants to see her as either black or white.

  Mini Review: Durrow skillfully created a character who walks the fine line of diversity in 1980s Oregon. Rachel struggles to understand what it means to be biracial after having grown up in a home where race was never discussed. Mixed in with Rachel’s bildungsroman is a mystery regarding the death of her mother, and the ways the community came together for Rachel and her family across the years. Touching and eye-opening, this is a portrait of a young girl and society’s views of race, gender, economic standing, and physical beauty.

  The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery

  Publisher: Europa Editions
  Published: September 2008
  Genre: adult, fiction
  Rating: ★★★ 
  Summary: In the center of Paris, in an elegant apartment building inhabited by bourgeois families, Renée, the concierge, is witness to the lavish but vacuous lives of her numerous employers. Outwardly she conforms to every stereotype of the concierge: fat, cantankerous, addicted to television. Then there’s Paloma, a twelve-year-old genius. She is the daughter of a tedious parliamentarian, a talented and startlingly lucid child who has decided to end her life on her thirteenth birthday. Paloma and Renée hide both their true talents and their finest qualities from a world they suspect cannot or will not appreciate them. They discover their kindred souls when a wealthy Japanese man named Ozu arrives in the building. Only he is able to gain Paloma’s trust and to see through Renée’s timeworn disguise to the secret that haunts her.

  Mini Review: The only proper way to describe this novel is “indulgent.” Renée and Paloma are both highly intelligent people, but while Renée sees the world with humor and wit, Paloma (yes, stereotypical) fails to see any beauty to make life worth living, and can sometimes be a pompous, pretentious bore (she’s precocious too (all the p-words!) but gosh…more pretentious than anything else). I enjoyed Renée’s observations of the world around her. When the Japanese man arrives, a plot appears and drives the book forward. But until then, sit back and people-watch with these two characters.

  These books qualify as books 7 and 8 of 10 library books in 2016. 

   

  Posted in books, Reviews 2016 | 3 Comments | Tagged books, genre: adult fiction, genre: contemporary, mini review, review

• 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

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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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