Disliking Everyone's Fav || Ready Player One DNF Review

I don't think I've ever written a review for a book that I did not finish.

After all I rarely give up on a book-- or if I do, often times my feelings are more apathetic than strong and I don't feel the need to write them down.

But, since I was /so excited/ for this book and waited /months/ to get a hold of my library's audiobook, I thought I would explain why Ready Player One did not live up to my expectations.

Ready Player One is set in the not-so-distant future where the world sucks, everyone's destitute, and there is only one escape from the horrible realities of life: the OASIS. The OASIS is a virtual reality world you log into and contains everything from malls to schools to brothels.

I love sci-fic and the premise of the book drew me in. That and the fact that Wil Wheaton was narrating it totally sealed the deal.

I was ready for a fast-paced innovative tale which featured futuristic technology. I was ready to marvel. I was ready for action.

I was not ready for complete and total boredom. However that is what Ready Player One delivered for the first seven chapters. Something finally happened in chapter 7 but we didn't have interesting conflict until later.

So. What happened during those first seven chapters, you might ask?

An entire expose of the 1980s. The plot was comprised almost entirely of a kid doing research on 1980s games, songs, fashion, etc. And what's more boring than doing that research?

Reading about it.

After seven chapters things picked up a little but the entire book remained listless and boring. When my loan ended and the audiobook disappeared off my phone I couldn't muster up any disappointment.

Finally. I thought. don't have to keep listening to that.

Let me say that Wil Wheaton is my fav and he did a great job at narrating-- the issue lies in the complete lack of an engaging plot. The author springboarded off other games and technology and the book features very little of his own originality.

All in all? Skip the lines and try another sci-fic book (such as Binti or Conservation of Shadows or Long Way to a Small Angry Planet).

Let me know-- have you read Ready Player One? Did you, like everyone else it seems, love it??

Horror or Rom-Com? || The house on foster hill: Review

The House on Foster Hill by Jamie Jo Wright

Genres: Mystery, Lite-Horror, Romance, Historical Fiction

One Two sentence book summary: After the death of her husband, Kane moves to the middle of nowhere to restore a dilapidated old house, but the ghost of her past refuse to die. A hundred years prior another woman, Ivy, is caught up in the mystery when a dead girl appears in a hollowed out tree outside of the house on Foster Hill.

One sentence review: The author tries to fit every genre into one story and fails at doing any of it justice; she goes for shock value over authenticity and there are better books out there.

Let me explain! ((Get ready for a lot of caps because I have ALL the FEELINGS))

The biggest fault I found with this book is its oscillating and unstable tone. The author can't figure out what type of book she wants to write. Romance? Horror? Murder mystery? She tries her hand at all of them at once and the result is a splattered mess with rom-com lines that follow horror scenes. The genres crash together like dissonant notes as she struggles to find her voice.

Instead of crafting a story it feels more like the author is throwing SUPER SAD things in to make it a SUPER SAD story because it's SAD couldn't you tell by the SAD THINGS? It felt like I was being hit over the head with the SADNESS and not actually getting to know the characters in an authentic manner.

The plot is a little sketchy and at times pretty unbelievable. Once again I felt like the author was going for shock value as opposed to something authentic. One thing that I did like was how seamlessly the author melded the character's faith into the story. Often times if a character is Christian then once they pray EVERYTHING works out PERFECTLY because GOD and while yes, that is a possibility, there is also the possibility that your prayers will go unanswered and that is where the true test of faith lies.

This romance iS ~pRoBlaMatIc~. The author wants it to be cute but it is NOT HEALTHY. Basically you have this super traumatized woman dating her therapist (who, by the way is a PERFECT character who does EVERYTHING RIGHT all the time and could we be more boring) and that's supposed to be okay? Also we're dealing with some love at first sight and personally that always bugs me. Like. No.





At this point you might be wondering "wait...why did you keep reading it?" and yes, this novel has its flaws, but that doesn't mean it was a horrible reading experience. The writing felt choppy and sometimes read like the first draft of my novel-- lots of telling with no showing, if you've ever received that writing advice it is the HARDEST and most important piece of advice ever.

And yes the romance was PROBLEMATIC but also like, it had its cute moments. And the plot was a bit eye-roll inducing, but hey, I did want to figure out what explanation she was going to pull at the end (even if I knew it wouldn't be satisfying).

Overall: This was an okay book. It wasn't a bad reading experience but...it wasn't a great one either. If you love murder mysteries or lite-horror then maybe give this a go? I hate to say don't read a book because this is just my opinion but honestly there are better books out there.


What about you? Have you read this book? Do you also hate it when the author tries to fit every genre into one story?

Getting Lost in the Amazon || Review: The Lost City of Z

Even before my resolution earlier this year to read more nonfiction, there were always certain subjects that caught my eye. Ancient Egyptian life. Lost cities. Civilizations lost to history. The search to find them.

The Lost City of Z has almost all of the above. It is an enthralling tale of one of the last classic early 20th century explorers as he, through sheer force and will, explored the forest that claimed many of his colleagues' lives. The Amazon.  

This book was fascinating, every page held my interest. The author, a journalist, weaves together three different stories of men who foolishly or bravely headed into one of the deadliest places on Earth in search of answers.

Fawcett who believed in the existence of a massive civilization, tucked away from history beneath the impenetrable Amazonian jungle. A father son duo who, years after the mysterious disappearance of Fawcett believed that they could find the clues to his demise. And the journalist himself, who is compelled to journey along many of the same paths as Fawcett once trod.

A side effect of this gripping tale is that now, more than ever, I wish to never set foot anywhere close to the Amazon. Seriously. Final Destination could do an entire SERIES on the many ways that you can die in the jungle.

This nonfiction tale read like an Indiana Jones adventure; I never forced myself to keep going, I only had to force myself to put the book down now and then to do things like, you know, eat, go to work, etc.

Personally I loved how well researched the book was-- in almost every other paragraph the author is quoting from actual correspondence or meeting notes or books; he easily crafts a detailed picture of what happened. 

If you are craving a real life tale of adventure and exploration then look no further than The Lost City of Z!

Let me know! Have you read this? Seen the movie?

Austen-themed books || 2 mini reviews

Recently I read two books that I didn't love/hate enough to sit down and write a real, in-depth, review. Conveniently I was able to cobble together a little theme to lump these two mini-reviews together. They are both (however tenuously) Jane Austen-themed. Kind of. Sort of. Okay just keep reading.


Austenland by Shannon Hale

This novel is a fun, quirky story about a woman who goes on a Regency vacation where actors are paid to portray Austen-esque characters designed to court and 'fall in love' with the vacationers. Sound weird? Yeah, same. The plot is only partially believable (seriously? people are paid to talk to you and that's...fun?) but once you get past that it was a cute little story. That being said I would definitely not read the second book-- once was enough.



Pies and Prejudice by Ellery Adams

The title is a completely gratuitous Austen-reference as this book resembles an Austen novel like finger painting resembles the Mona Lisa. In short: a cozy murder mystery with a stereotypical evil-because-duh-evil villain. The only saving grace of this book was the emphasis placed on female relationships-- mother-daughter, aunt-niece, etc. Female relationships can be hard to come by in novels, where the focus tends to laser in on romantic relationships only. That being said, the female relationships is about to the only thing this book did right. Ain't no way I'm reading the sequel.


That's it for me! If you are interested in other Jane Austen-themed stuff I wrote an entire post on my favorite Pride and Prejudice adaptations. Let me know-- what is your favorite Austen-themed-inspired-etc-work? 

Review: Kitchen Counter Cooking School

The Kitchen Counter Cooking School by Kathleen Flinn

Genre: nonfiction

Kathleen Flinn is passionate about helping homecooks learn how to...well cook. She demystifies the entire process to nine eager volunteers hoping that at the end of the cooking school they won't feel the need to gravitate towards premade boxes for dinner, that they will realize just how simple cooking can be. Most of them enter the class unsure of how to do basic things that I take for granted (how to season, how to spice up a recipe that is horribly dull). They are overly cautious and for most of them their lack of cooking ability ties into a lack of self-confidence. Flinn's goal is to teach them the basics but also to show them just how delicious the 'basics' can be.

Her approach to cooking is everything I ever wanted.

You see, I'm not the biggest fan of strict recipes. Sure I'll follow them-- and generally I don't stray too far-- but what the physicist in me really wants is fundamental knowledge. I don't want to know this specific recipe for braised chicken; I want to know the general way to braise meat (when to do it, how long, flavor ideas). I don't want to know a specific pasta sauce recipe, I want to know some basic ways to make a sauce so that when I look in my fridge, I can plot out what to do with what I have.

This book weaves lessons in the cooking fundamentals (how to braise something, how to make a soup) with delightful anecdotes about the women going through the cooking class. Once you know the basics it is easy to cook with whatever food you happen to have on hand, as opposed to shopping exclusively for one recipe.

I adored this book; it was entertaining but it was also extremely informative. And what better way to convey that but by cooking one of the many recipes included in the book?

Roasted Zucchini Pasta

(link to original recipe, you can use either rice or pasta)

What appealed to me most about the recipe was its simplicity-- and reported deliciousness. 

You simply chop up a bunch zucchini, roasted them until they dissolve. Cook some pasta, reserve the water and add to the zucchini, mix together, and well...that's it. 

I added some onions because I am obsessed with caramelized onions-- a technique I still haven't mastered to my satisfaction but I've heard you can caramelize onions in a crockpot and I might try that soon. 

The recipe was simple-- that part is true.

however.

it pains me to say this

I honestly didn't expect this at all.....
But the end result was quite definitely bland. About halfway through cooking this recipe it struck me that while it was easy, there didn't seem to be any flavor going into the dish.

Now if you made this during the height of summer when fresh zucchinis practically jump off the farmer stand and roll up to your front door then yeah, this recipe might be amazing.

But during the middle of winter cooking with zucchinis you picked up at Aldis? Yeah, no. They lack a strong flavor which means that this pasta lacks flavor and depth. If I were to cook this again I would probably roast garlic in the oven and add that to the sauce, along with some herbs (rosemary? maybe a splash of soy sauce to add depth to the sauce?). While I was cooking I did everything I could to add last-minute flavor to a dull dish but it didn't quite work.

It feels odd to end a glowing review of a book with a less-than-glowing review of a recipe from that book and it feels dishonest to glaze over how the cooking actually turned out but! Please don't let this one recipe misfire turn you away from a really good book. Even if you don't pick up any specific recipes from this book, it will motivate you to get back into the kitchen and cook!

Beautiful Magical Realism || Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen

I forgot to take a pretty photo of the book so I'll just show you pretty photos from my home

I bought Garden Spells roughly a year ago for about two dollars. I was at a fancy clothing thrift store and couldn't resist the urge to peruse their book section. It had a pretty cover-- and it was two dollars-- so I was sold. Once I got home I kept seeing this book pop up on other blogs, always to rave reviews.

Ehhh I don't know, I hesitated. The book seemed very literary fiction, very character driven, and I'm a sucker for a good plot. Maybe it won't be my cup of tea. 


And then recently on a whim I picked the book up off my shelf, decided to give a try, and was immediately blown away.

This book is beautiful, lyrical story about two sisters who dealt with a difficult past in dramatically different ways. From the start I was sucked in by the beautiful magical realism which sung from every page. There was the old lady who gave out random trinkets to strangers who called her crazy...only the trinket ends up being just what they suddenly needed the next day. There was the apple tree who tossed apples into the bedrooms, enticing the family, one bite and you'll see the biggest event in your life.

And while I think I'm a sucker for a good plot the truth is I'm enthralled by unique, innovative writing and this fit the bill. It never dragged, I tore through the book in a little over two days, and I can't wait to pick up the sequel.

If I had a qualm (and it's hard to find one) I felt like the book focused on the conflict (how can I love that which might be temporary?) but then sped through the resolution. However I have this complaint for many books (why can't I just read their happily ever after part for like the entire book??) and it's pretty minute.

I was shocked at how much I adored this book, considering how little I liked Practical Magic which I feel like is a very similar book. I think it all boils down to what I want out of a book when I pick it up. If you want a super plot-driven-tons-of-stuff-happens-every-second type of book, if you don't want introspection, if you don't want a slower paced book then maybe, right now, this isn't the book for you.

But I think you should read it anyway.

Looking to travel to Medieval Italy? | Mini-review of The Scribe of Siena

I'm a sucker for time-slip romances. You know, the books where a character is thrust out of their modern, comfortable life into an impossible past, full of antiquated customs and a lack of medical knowledge. And all seems crazy and horrible but at the same time irresistibly interesting and other and then they meet a significant other who, even though they are from such a foreign time something ethereal seems to transcend the time barrier.

(*cough*Outlander*cough*)

The Scribe of Siena is one of those time-slip romance novels; a neurosurgeon finds herself in Siena, Italy right before the Plague-- yes the Plague-- is going to deal its horrible blow. I called this a mini-review not because I'm 100% certain of my shorter review theory but because I honestly don't have much to say about this novel.

It felt extremely well researched, but the problem is that sometimes it came across as a dry info dump instead of an engaging narrative. It had technical success-- interesting plot, interesting characters-- but it lacked a soul. And since soul-searching is such a personal endeavour, I can not say that someone else wouldn't just adore the novel, not seeing any of the holdups I experienced.

I was disappointed by the way the author decided to deal with the Plague-- after all, that was the main reason I picked up the novel; such an interesting, horrible time period to write about!

Even with the tendency of info-dumping, it was not a difficult read; sure it was a bit slow at times, but the plot did keep moving. Overall, it was an interesting novel with a cute romantic plot and while it didn't exactly live up to my high standards, it was an enjoyable read. 

Review: My Life in France by Julia Child

If you're like me, then your first introduction to the cooking legend that is Julia Child was through the movie Julie and Julia. All I knew about her was collected from my dusty memories of the movie-- something to do with France and cooking and an adorable mariage.

Those hazy and incomplete memories prompted me to pick up my first nonfiction book of the year, My Life in France, an almost autobiography of Julia Child. Her grandnephew interviewed her to write the book, drawing on old letters sent across oceans to flesh out her life.

Julia met her husband while working overseas for what would later become the CIA. Her husband Paul kept working for the CIA, which meant that they were at the mercy of government officials, never knowing how long a posting would last, and never knowing what country they would be sent to next. They took it all with good charm and were constantly starting over, in Paris, in Marseille, in Germany, the US-- though of course the country that charmed her the most was France.

I don't read many biographies but this one kept my attention--- it never felt like a chore to pick up, to see what happened next. Julia talks about her life and her cookbook-- almost synonyms, considering the years and years of labor and cooking and experimenting and tasting that went into the behemoth.

Interspersed in the text are dozens of photographs that Paul took-- he was a skilled ameratur photographer. I loved seeing the black and white windows into their lives, be it the market or the many Valentines cards they designed.

Overall I highly recommend this book to anyone with a passing interest in Julia Child or French cooking! What I really want to do now is go back and rewatch Julie and Julia, to see what they left out, to see how they imagined Julia's life.

Even though this is a book blog and not a cooking blog I feel obligated to end with Julia Child's signature ending--

Bon appetit! 

4 Mini Reviews: romance, fiction, nonfiction

Today I am trying something a little different! Sometimes when I finish a book I don't feel like writing an entire post devoted solely to that one book-- but I still want to let you know what I thought about it! Thus I have four short reviews for you to peruse:

To Whisper Her Name by Tamera Alexander

This is a historical fiction romance set in the South just after the Civil War. I thought the time period sounded really intriguing-- I mean imagine living in the defeated South right after the war ended! When I first started reading the book the romance felt wayyy too predictable. However the author avoided this by very quickly ending the will they/won't they troupe by focusing instead on the difficulties of a relationship between two people from very different backgrounds.
Something I loved about this novel was that it felt well-researched; there were plenty of facts thrown in that weren't necessary to the plot but they worked to create a rich atmosphere.



The Beach Street Knitting Society and Yarn Club by Gil McNeil

This is one of those novels where you start to think like the author speaks after a while-- it has a very distinctive voice and a very strong tone. Now if you like the fast paced witty voice-- as I did-- then great but it is definitely something that could cause someone to put the book down completely.
Overall: a charming read about a single mother trying to breath life into a knitting store while navigating the complexities of dating and raising two little boys and all the mess and beauty that goes into that. It is a fun, quick read.




The Darkling Bride by Laura Anderson

Ahh and now we come to my first DNF ARC which is a bunch of letters to disguise the fact that I did not like this book given to me for review. At all. It tried to encompass way too many genres and did not do any of them justice, every single character had mother issues (odd coincidence), and really life is just too short to finish a book you do not like. It has promise-- it wants to be sort of a modern Victorian gothic but it also tries to be everything else and....did not work for me!





Unprocessed: My City-Dwelling Year of Reclaiming Real Food by Megan Kimble

And straight from my least favorite to my most favorite! This was an incredibly engaging nonfiction book about the author's search for authenticity in her food. From figuring out what she even meant by 'unprocessed' to interviewing countless small farmers, ranches, wheat enthusiasts, beer brewers-- the author manages to pack in a ton of interesting information in a easy to read format.
I never read nonfiction but this was so engaging I had no issue making my way through it. It inspired me to shop locally-- I can't wait for summer when more produce is locally available-- and showed me the cost of a society which demands ALL the fruits/veggies at ALL the times. It walked a delicate line of being informative without being judgemental. I also loved reading about her struggles through the year of trying to make almost everything-- from bread to chocolate-- herself.


That's it! What did you think of this mini-review format? Like it? Hate it? Couldn't care less? Let me know! 

Ready to be transported into a world of magic? || The Witches of New York

The Witches of New York by Ami Mckay

Genre: Historical Fiction, Paranormal

Eleanor and Abigail are witches. Luckily for them they live a couple hundred years after the fever of witch hunting burned its brightest; ghosts and seances are all the rage, in the right crowd of course. They keep to themselves in their tea shop, doling out herbal remedies, peering into the future, and helping women in need. And when Beatrice, a young wistful curious girl from the countryside, sees their flyer looking for an assistant [[those adverse to magic need not apply]], she jumps at the chance for adventure.

The Witches of New York is a mesmerizing novel which balances introspection with a fast paced plot. It features magic which honors tradition while also allowing for enough innovation to hold my interest. It is populated by a vast array of characters-- perhaps one of my only drawbacks to the novel. When your narrative focus switches between a whole host of characters, it can be difficult to really see character growth. There were a few side plots which I felt were unnecessary to the novel as a whole.

However for the most part I think the author weaves all the stories together in a way that made sense. The characters were easy to fall in love with and easy to root for. They were strong, independent, well written, and it was fun to see them work together/against each other throughout the novel.

The novel is interspersed with newspaper clippings, old stories, flyers, etc. I read this as an ebook and I think the formatting may be better in a print book-- but it was still an enjoyable way to read the novel.

Overall I adored this book; it was lyrical and the magic was so effortless yet avoided falling into cliche. I highly recommend this book; especially if you are interested in historical fiction with a twist.

What about you? Have you read The Witches of New York? What is your favorite witch novel?

Review: The Bookshop on the Corner

The Bookshop on the Corner by Jenny Colgan 

Genre: Fiction, Romance

Rating: 7 / 10

Nina is a librarian at a time when libraries are downsizing and people are losing their jobs left and right. When the inevitable rolls around she decides that she can still pursue her love of matching the perfect book for each person, and she opens a traveling bookshop.

So.

This book. It was a disappointing but not overly bad read. First off, Nina learns that she needs to stop READING books and instead LIVE her LIFE because apparently those two things are mutually exclusive?

As every bookworm loves hearing, this book ironically rambles on about how REAL LIFE is so wonderful why would one bury oneself in READING? Of course the point the author is trying to make (I suppose) is that there needs to be a balance between life and reading. However, it mainly came across as a long story about a woman whose life became so much more FULFILLING once she put those darn books down. [[Seriously. There's an entire scene where the best friend comments on how much better Nina is doing now that she no longer carries books around with her]]

If you ignore the recurring theme which insults the reader (why aren't you LIVING your LIFE already??) the book was a pleasant read. The romances didn't really make sense-- they didn't really click with my understanding of the main character.

It was cute to read someone live out what I'm sure is many of our dream-- living in the beautiful countryside selling books? Sign me up! Once again, the book was a bit heavy handed on how absolutely AWFUL cities were-- so crowded and dark and dank and horrible and smelly and why in the world would anyone choose this?-- and how AMAZING the Scottish countryside was. Like. Okay. I get it. You don't have to hit me over the head with how horrible my city-dwelling life now is and how much improved it would be if I moved to the countryside.

Overall: a cute, slightly disappointing read. Good for a quick read but it would not be the first book I recommended to a friend looking for a light romance featuring  a bookish character.

Hm. That sounds interesting though. Let me know: what is your favorite light romance featuring a bookish character?

5 Reasons to Read Song of a Captive Bird

Song of a Captive Bird by Jasmin Darznik 

Expected Publication Date: February 13th 2018

[[thanks Netgalley for letting me read this book!]] 

The bare bones: Song of a Captive Bird is a fictionalized memoir of Iranian poet Forugh Farrokhzad and I picked it up on Netgalley a month or two ago. It was a beautiful haunting read, and I have five reasons why you should put it on your TBR list immediately.

Reading diverse books is something I struggle with. After all, it can be easy to get stuck in a reading rut-- I loved this historical fiction so I look for more books just like that and so on and so forth.  When I saw this title pop up on Netgalley I knew it was the perfect addition to spice up my reading life. Not only is it about the life of an Iranian poet, the author is also Iranian.

Memoirs, even fictionalized memoirs like this one, just aren't really my cup a tea. Every now and then I'll read an autobiography but only if the person is a comedian. It's hard for me to get into nonfiction which is why I was shocked at how riveting this book was. Obviously it is fictionalized but it still reads like a memoir. Even so, it is lyrical and beautiful and kept my attention from page one.

Iranian history is not my strong suit. I know a smattering of information-- mostly vague words like oil, dictators, veils, revolutions, green-- but apart from that I got nothing. This novel introduced to me a tumultuous, beautiful, contradictory country before and during a time of political upheaval.

"Whatever Iran wanted to be, I loved it. I'd found my life's purpose here. Every poem I'd ever written was entangled with my country's story. I loved its downtrodden, small-minded, generous people. I loved them; I belonged to them. They were my people, and I was theirs."

Interspersed in this novel were lines of Farough's poetry, translated into English. It was nice to hear her actual voice woven into the story.

We found truth in the garden
in the shy glance of a nameless flower,
found eternity in the moment
when two suns faced each other. 
-- from 'Conquest of the Garden' by Farough

This is a fictionalized piece. In some ways it is the story of Farough Farrokhzad. In some ways it is the story of any of the nameless Iranian women born into those harsh times. It is specific and universal but most of all it is beautiful and heartbreaking. It is educational without feeling pedantic; it shows a life that is difficult without feeling hopeless, a struggle that is at times tortuous but not unbearable.


Have I convinced you yet? What are some of your favorite books by diverse authors that I should check out next? 

Why Vigil by Angela Slatter left me disappointed

I had such high hopes for this novel. To begin with this novel is really hard to find in US libraries and when I requested one through inter-library-loan, my library informed me that instead they were just going to buy a copy and put me on hold. Fast forward probably months and I get an email telling me that the book was in.

The first paragraph of this novel got my hopes up and I read the rest of the 350 pages hoping to recapture that feeling. And in some bits and pieces, I did. There were parts of this novel I really enjoyed.

Vigil features the struggles of a woman as she walks between two worlds-- the normal and the magical-- and attempts to keep peace in both and figure out why murdered sirens keep turning up.

This novel is a hybrid of urban fantasy and modern fantasy; blending original elements with the reimagining of classic fantasy tropes (fairies and sirens etc). What excited me about a novel is the originality of it, I'm such a sucker for innovative urban fantasy. However this was a more traditional fantasy novel, with a few sparks of originality thrown in.

This novel features a strong female lead who is tough and caring, overworked and smart. The plot is interesting and the magic isn't dull. The novel is not bad. It just isn't great and halfway through I completely lost interest and the book sat on my table for weeks. Eventually-- solely because I knew I wanted to review it here-- I picked it up and forced  myself to finish it, even though I had forgotten the fine details of the plot, and couldn't manage to convince myself to care about the characters.

Overall I expected more originality than the novel was prepared to give me. It runs a tad bit too long. If you are a fan of a more traditional fantasy novel set in modern times, then you might enjoy Vigil!

Let me know-- what is your favorite urban fantasy novel? (I'm obsessed with Madness of Angels by Kate Griffith) What should I check out next?

Review: The Raven Boys

The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater

Genre: Fantasy, Paranormal, YA

Rating: 9/10

I did it. After hearing over and over and over about the beauty, magic, and overall awesome-ness of this series, I finally read the first book.

I won't lie-- I was surprised when the book actually lived up to the hype surrounding it. After all, how many times have you read a overly hyped novel, only to be sorely disappointed?

The Raven Boys did not disappoint. Maggie weaves a spell-binding world, full of surprisingly complexity lyrical prose that manages to be fast-paced yet also introspective. I was drawn in from the beginning, pulled in by the beautiful words and the beautiful world, edged in darkness.

“Gansey had once told Adam that he was afraid most people didn't know how to handle Ronan. What he meant by this was that he was worried that one day someone would fall on Ronan and cut themselves.” 

The characters were well constructed, complex and dark and flawed and beautiful. Perhaps one of my only complaints about this novel was the lack of character development. At the end of the book, the characters felt very much the same as on page one. I get that this book is one in a trilogy-- and I could see the larger story arcs that were being built. However, I would have prefered to see some sort of change or development in any of the characters that I came to love.

“Fate," Blue replied, glowering at her mother, "is a very weighty word to throw around before breakfast.” 

The magic system was not ground-breakingly unique or innovative, yet I still loved it. I was genuinely spooked by parts of this book and that was something I was not expecting. There were shocking twists that not only managed to catch me off guard but, once revealed, made sense. The plot twists were the type that, one you know them, you can go back and see how the answer was really obvious all along. This an unique talent-- to surprise the reader while also staying within the bounds of the story and the characters.

The writing was lyrical, the plot fast paced, the characters complex; I had a hard time putting this book down. I can't wait to pick up the sequel! I would recommend this novel to just about anyone, but especially if you are a fan of modern fantasy.

What about you? What did you think of The Raven Boys? Did you see character development where I did not?

Review: The Oyster Catcher

The Oyster Catcher by Jo Thomas

Genre: Romance, Contemporary

Rating: 8/10

Fiona Clutterbuck was having a bad day. Crashing her rental van, which turned out to be technically stolen, she had a rocky start at a new life in the middle of nowhere Ireland where it rained more than should be physically possible. Oh, and add on the fact that she harbors a deep fear of water and just somehow agreed to work on an oyster farm?

The Oyster Catcher is a delightful, light hearted romance that had a well-rounded comfortable plot. It is not a typical romance novel, as the main character faces trials and tribulations both inside and outside the romantic plot. Perhaps that's what made it so enjoyable to read, even at 400 pages it didn't feel boring because the author crafted an enjoyable story full of romance and friendship and oysters and festivals and barflies (because apparently that's a word?).

I knew I had something special when, less than halfway through, the author references Dr Who. What can I say, I'm a sucker for Whovian references! That being said, this book is not that old-- 2014-- but the use of technology felt a little dated (who even has a cyber cafe anymore?). Nothing that totally dated the story, but definitely something that nagged at me.

What I loved about this book was that it was simple without feeling boring, heart-warming without feeling cheesy and comfortable without feeling simple. 

My only negative was the ending-- it felt horribly rushed, which was odd, as I don't think this book needed to be any longer than it was. It was a tapestry that, while pretty, had odd trailing ends that awkwardly knotted themselves together.

However, I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a nice romance read. This would be a great book to bring on a vacation; get lost for a few days in a rainy Irish coastal village with a lovesick donkey and you'll be charmed before you know it.

What about you? Have you ever read The Oyster Catcher? If so, what did you think of it?

ARC Review: This Side of Murder

This Side of Murder by Anna Lee Huber 

Genre: Historical Fiction, Murder Mystery

Rating: 7/10 

Expected Publication: September 26th 2017

Anna Lee Huber is the author of one of my favorite Victorian murder mystery series (Lady Darby Mystery series) so when I saw the first book of her new series pop up on Netgallery, I quickly hit the request button. To my continual surprise my requests have been granted on Netgallery and before too long, the ebook magically appeared on my Amazon fire. 

I'm torn. 

Most bloggers write a disclaimer, about how getting a book for free will not affect their review. Considering I almost exclusively read library books, the idea of getting a book for free is so natural, I don't feel the need to write such assurances of my lack of bias. However, I can't ignore my bias towards this author. Am I harsher with her because I love her other books so much? Am I expecting more from her than is reasonable? 

This Side of Murder is a well researched murder mystery with a slightly confusing plot staffed by characters who were fell a little flat. The plot could be called intricate, but to me it had just one too many turns. It was fast paced and easily held my attention, even when I was frustrated by the characters. I never felt like I knew them-- they never seemed to be fully alive. 

But the downfalls of this book were not grave. The plot was interesting, as were the characters. I was just expecting more from this author. The subject matter is much darker than her previous novels, as it details the aftermath of WWI; how soldiers who were lucky enough to return, often did not return whole. 

The style felt a tad too artless for me-- it never clicked with the deep, dark subject matter. This is, of course, personal preference. Just because I felt like it lacked subtlety, doesn't mean that a different reader wouldn't love it. 

Let's move on to what I love, shall we? I loved how well-researched this novel felt. There were so many tidbits the author included merely to help flesh out the world. The novel was very atmospheric; for whatever reason, the novel played out in my head as though it was an episode of Poirot on Netflix as it felt like an unromanticized portrayal of the roaring twenties.  

The plot had so many twists and turns that, while confusing, meant it was a hard book to put down. I finished the book as conflicted as I feel now-- it was a good, not great book, and I won't be looking to pick up the sequel. 

What about you? Have you read anything by Anna Lee Huber? If not you should definitely check out The Anatomist's Wife because I thoroughly loved that book. 

ARC Review: Sing a New Song

Sing a New Song: A Woman's Guide to the Psalms  by Lydia Brownbeck 

Genre: Christian devotional

Expected publication date: October 31st 2017

I've always had a soft spot for the Psalms. Sometimes beautiful, sometimes dark, always lined with the silver edge of hope, I don't know why I've never actually sat down to study them in any significant way. 

So when I came across this gorgeous devotional on the book of Psalms on NetGallery, I knew I had to request it. And, in some fluke, NetGallery accepted my request and a digital copy magically appeared on my e-reader. 

Sing a New Song has commentary for each Psalm, breaking it down in sections. It talks about the theme, then it talks about how that psalm fits into the entire book in a section called harmony. The next section, singing in tune, has a verse-by-verse breakdown on the psalm. Musical notes shows how God's grace is seen in the psalm and sing the song gives suggestions on related scripture and practical application. 

Books are personal, but devotional books are even more so-- thus, I won't be writing a review per se because everyone is looking for drastically different things in books like these. 

What I liked: these devotionals were easy to read, and motivated me to start working my way through the Psalms. I loved being given additional scripture to read that related to the psalm. 

What I didn't like: On a small note, it was kind of annoying that the actual text of the Psalms weren't included in this devotional. It's not difficult to also have my Bible open while going through this devotional, but that was something that surprised me when I first started reading the devotional. Also, the Psalms can be difficult and dark and that's something that I felt like the devotional didn't always tackle. I mean yes, we can see God's grace and mercy through each Psalm but something we also see righteous anger which can be more difficult to understand. This devotional tended to stick to the easier things. 

Overall, I am grateful for this devotional book because it has motivated me to start studying and reading each Psalm. The accompanying text for each Psalm is quick enough to read that I've actually kept up with doing a Psalm every night before I go to bed. 

What about you? What's your favorite devotional book? I don't read nearly enough, so please leave your recommendations in the comments below! 

ARC Review: The Medievalist

The Medievalist by Anne-Marie Lacy

Genre: Historical Fiction, Time-slip, Romance

Rating: 7/10

Expected Publication Date: Oct 31st 2017

"I nodded, pretending to agree with him, but it was too cold and unforgiving to be beautiful."

The Medievalist is a time-slip novel, featuring a historian who gets what every historian secretly dreams of-- she gets to go back in time and meet the man she has studied for years: Richard III. (If you have no clue who that was, never fear, neither did I!) She is ripped out of the twenty first century and wakes up surrounded by the mostly gritty sometimes beautiful trappings of the 1400s. 

The Medievalist is a good novel, featuring a well-researched plot line, and a main character who grows and learns as the novel progresses. Character development might sound like a given, but believe me, it is not. A couple reviews ago, I complained about the romanticized version of the past in The Secret. The Medievalist does not suffer from this fault; it does not shy away from the dangers that women faced in this time period. Women could gain status from birth, marriage, or being the mistress of a powerful man, but without men, for the most part, they lacked power and protection. Jayne is thrown from a world of academia, into a cut-throat world where she must decide what she is willing to do for that protection. 

The chapters oscillate from being told from Jayne's perspective to King Richard's perspective-- something that I could have done without. The Jayne chapters were written well, but Richard's suffered from a stilted voice that never quite sounded right. 

Parts of this novel dragged, and sometimes I couldn't convince myself to care about the plight of the characters. However, parts of the novel flew by as I flipped the pages, eager to find out what happened next. Inconsistency, and the 'romance' kept this novel from being better. The author wrote lust better than she wrote love, which left me with two characters who did not have any reason to love each other-- there had been no time or space for a relationship to develop-- so lust was thrown in as a proxy.

I don't know much about the 1400s, but this novel felt well researched and believable-- which you kind of have to do if you make your main character a historian whose area of research was the 1400s. That being said, I might have enjoyed this novel more if I knew anything about King Richard III before going in. Even so, I was never overly confused about the political intrigue.

The Medievalist was a good--not great, but enjoyable, novel that fans of the time-slip genre should try. If you enjoy well researched historical fiction, then you might like The Medievalist.

What about you? Have you read the Medievalist? What is your favorite time-slip novel??

Review: Eight Hundred Grapes

Eight Hundred Grapes by Laura Dave
Genre: Literary Fiction

Rating: 8/10

“Be careful what you give up...because eventually, you get it back any way you can.” 

In Eight Hundred Grapes we see a family falling apart, a crumbling foundation where the cracks have been growing insidiously, hidden, for years. What seems at first to be a daughter running home to escape her problems soon grows more and more complicated, as secrets come out, and every sure thing seems to falter.

This book oscillated from philosophical to faltering. On one page I wanted to write down certain lines, certain wisdoms that caught my eye. On the next page I wanted to shake sense into the characters, or, at the very least, shake them out of their uncertainty, out of their wavering. Like the main character, I just wanted everything to be fixed, I wanted everyone to be happy. However, one of the main themes of this book is how messy and complicated that happiness can become and how you can search for it in the wrong ways.

This isn't the type of book I typically go for. I like to call its genre literary fiction, even though that's not how the powers that be aka Goodreads, labels it. (they call it chick lit which I think I have a moral objection to, I'll let you know when I decide) Whatever you wanna call it, it is a book focused on relationships and character development over a fast-paced plot. I felt like I should have been bored while reading it, but I never was. The writing won me over, not making me an wildly enthusiastic fan by any stretch of the imagination, but enough of a fan to recommend this book. It has its own quiet beauty, quiet introspective quality that kept me interested enough to finish this book in just a couple days.

I loved the complicated characters, loved how they made the wrong decisions for sometimes the right reasons. I loved that their actions made sense, that they felt real, even if I was frustrated.

While it's not the type of book I would want to pick up next-- I'm a sucker for a fast paced plot and strong characters, call me unrealistic-- it was a nice change of pace. If you like books that focus on relationships, all the ways they can break, and more importantly, all the ways that they can mend, then you should give Eight Hundred Grapes a shot. You might be wooed by its quiet beauty too.

Let me know-- have you read Eight Hundred Grapes? If so, what did you think?

ARC Review: The Woolly Hat Knitting Club

The Woolly Hat Knitting Club by Poppy Dolan

Genre: Romance

Rating: 8/10

Expected publication date: Sept 25th 2017

Dee-- or Delilah if you aren't her friend thankyouverymuch-- is a classic workaholic. She's good at what she does, and she crams work into nearly every hour of every day. But when her little brother breaks his wrists and needs help running his knitting shop, Dee's life starts to change. 

The Woolly Hat Knitting Club is a delightful easy-to-read romance novel which, while light on the actual romance, is a funny, enjoyable read. While I wish there had been more time devoted to romantic relationships, I do love the relationships that the book did focus on. Dee is very close with her brother, and I loved seeing their relationship grow and develop. Another relationship that was fun to see was the one between Dee and her highschool mate. How can I complain that time was devoted a female friendship instead of a romantic relationship, when most books are the opposite? 

"If I hear one more investor who's put a million in a tech start-up that they don't really understand use the description, 'It's the Uber of...' I will book myself an Uber to the dark side of the moon and never come back."

The Woolly Hat Knitting Club is very much a book of the now. I rarely read recently published books; most of the books I read wisely avoid any mention of technology in order not to age the book. This novel was the exact opposite, reveling in all of the minute things that make 2017 2017. While it was fun to read something that referenced very relevant things-- such as Instagram and Facebook live videos-- it did make me worry about the shelf life of the story. In ten years, will people remember the pink hats women wore while marching in protest of the Trump presidency? Will people know what Facebook live videos are? It feels almost disingenuous to write a story without reference to the ever-present technology in our lives, but this novel sacrifices some timeless quality by doing so. 

Dee is a feisty independent business woman I instantly fell in love with. Her actions, both good and bad, made sense, because I felt like I understand who she as a character was, which takes talent. I laughed out loud several times while reading this novel and if that isn't a sign of a funny book then I don't know what is. 

Overall, this is a fun, light hearted romance novel. While I did want more of the actual romance, I loved reading this novel. It was also very British and while some of the idioms went over my head, I felt very cool when I understand what they meant when they were 'chuffed' or used other British slang that I've picked up on YouTube.  

What about you? Did I convince you to give this novel a go once it's published? Have you read anything by Poppy Dolan before?